of Ecclesiasticall Writers And yet both Iewes and Gentiles termed her by way of ignominie and reproch Stabularia because shee a most godly Princesse sought out the Cribbe or Manger where Christ was borne and in that place where stood that Hostelry founded a Church for which cause she was by the Enemies of Christian Religion called an Hostesse and because such are commonly kind to their Guests a Concubine also For whose defense let the Funerall Oration of Ambrose made vpon the death of Theodosius answer wherein hee doth rather commend her humilitie then affirme any such base Offices in contempt of her person They say that this Lady was at first an Inne-holder or Hostesse c. Well saith he this good Hostesse Helena hasted to Ierusalem and sought out the place of our Lords Passion and made diligent search for the Lords Cribbe This good Hostesse was not ignorant of that Guest which cured the way-faring mans hurts that was wounded by Theeues This good Hostesse chose to be reputed a Stable-sweeper that she might thereby gaine Christ. And verily she was the moouer and only worker of her husbands conuersion who casting off all superstitious worships willingly acknowledged the onely all-ruling God suffering the Christians that had beene hidde in Caues and Dennes now to exercise their Deuotions publikely and both to reedifie the old ruinate Churches and to erect new 9 Of the like Pietie wee reade in a Queene of the like name Helena Queene of Adiabena commended by Iosephus that was a Conuert to the Iewish Religion who comming to Ierusalem to visit the Temple in time of a greeuous Famine which happened in the daies of Claudius sent to Alexandria for great quantity of Corne and for Dried Figges from Cyprus which shee very charitably bestowed vpon the poore And about three stades or furlongs off from Ierusalem built a Sepulcher with three Pyramides wherein her selfe and her two sonnes both Kings were afterwards interred But to proceed 10 Constantius being heere in Britaine and lately returned from his Expedition made against the Caledonians and Picts fell sicke in the City of Yorke where the Imperiall Throne of his residence was set At which very time Constantine his sonne escaping the hands of Gallerius with whom hee had beene left hostage hasted from Rome hauing belaid all the way with Post-horses for the purpose and left them houghed for feare of pursuit came with all speed to Yorke and to his fathers presence who so much ioied at his sight that he sate himselfe vpright vpon his Bed and in the presence of his Counsellors spake as followeth 11 It now sufficeth and death is not fearfull seeing I shall leaue my vnaccomplished actions to be performed in thee my Sonne in whose person I doubt not but that my Memoriall shal be retained as in a Monument of succeeding fame What I had intended but by this my fatall period left vndone see thou performe let those fruits bee ripened in thee the Branch that I thy Stocke from a vertuous intent haue had ingraffed alwaies in me that is gouerne thy Empire with an vpright Iustice protect the Innocent from the Tyrannie of Oppressours and wipe away all teares from the eies of the Christians for therein aboue all other things I haue accounted my selfe the most happy To thee therefore I leaue my Diademe and their Defense taking my Faults with mee to my Graue there to be buried in euerlasting obliuion but leauing my Vertues if euer I had any to reuiue and liue in thee With conclusion of which vertuous counsell hee tooke his last farewell of his sonne his friends and his life after he had sate Caesar sixteene yeeres and Emperour two as Eusebius accounteth and died the fiue and twentieth day of Iuly the yeere of our Sauiour three hundred and six and of his owne age fifty six FLA. VALERIVS CONSTANTINVS MAXIMVS CA. VALERIVS LICINIVS LICINIANVS CHAPTER XLVI THE Father thus departing both gloriously and peaceably in the presence of his Son and sage counsellers the griefe in the losse of the Sire was no greater then was the ioy conceiued that they had gained the sonne for his Successour all men reioicing at the good fortune of that iourney wherein hee came to close the eies of his dying father and to comfort the sorrow of his mournefull Countrey-men For forthwith heere in Britaine by acclamation of the people assistance of the Souldiers and aduice of Erocus King of the Almans who by the way had accompanied him hither in his flight from Rome they proclaimed him at all hands Emperour and Successour to all that part of the world which his father held This election was ioifully ratified by the Senate and of all other Prouinces so gladly accepted that they accounted this Iland most happie of all other whose chance was first to see him their Caesar as in these words of the Panegyrist is seene O fortunate Britaine and more happie then all other Lands that hast the first sight of Constantine Caesar. 3 Maxentius the sonne of Maximianus Herculius who at the death of Constantius was proclaimed Augustus by the tumultuous Praetorian Souldiers at Rome and Romulus his sonne whose face wee haue heere with his fathers from both their monies expressed was created his Caesar the way to that Seat of Maiestie whereunto hee had too hastily and most vnduly climed for now this Vsurper by his Necromancies Adulteries Persecutions and Murders was growne so vntolerable and odious that the Senate sent to Constantine crauing his aid and redresse who sore lamenting the sores of the Empire and the case of the Christians first wrote but that taking no effect prepared his forces against Maxentius Maximianus the father either in true zeale or fained pretence which by the sequell is more probable tooke great offense at his sonne Maxentius vnsufferable outragiousnesse and vnder colour of dislikes and redresse repaired to his sonne in Law Constantine whose daughter Fausta hee had maried and notwithstanding his faire pretences before the face of Constantine yet secretly he tampered with Fausta to make away her husband But the good Lady well knowing that the bond of a childe is great but greater the loue of a wife reuealed his treacherie to Constantine who caused him therupon to be put to death a fit end for so bloudy a Tyrant And ripe was the like destiny for his no-way-degenerating sonne against whom hee prepared his forces and drawing Licinius Gouernour of Sclauonia who was made Caesar to his side by giuing him his sister Constantia to wife a man but of an ordinarie descent though Gallienus Maximinus had made him in Illyrica his Copartner in the East hasted towards Rome with an Host of ninety thousand foot and eight thousand horse leuied out of Britaine France and Germanie 4 But knowing well that successe in warre dependeth more in diuine assistance then humane strength yet doubtfull what God hâ—… should in this blessed enterprise
hath beene said and of this Queene let vs heare what shee protested after her condemnation to 〈◊〉 White Bishoppe of 〈◊〉 her last Confessor and by him deliuered to a noble young Lord of her name and neere alliance Her words were these As to the Act my 〈◊〉 Lord for which I stand condemned God and his holy Angels I take to witnesse vpon my soules 〈◊〉 that I die 〈◊〉 neuer hauing so abused my Soueraignes 〈◊〉 what other sinnes and follies of youth I haue 〈◊〉 I will not excuse but 〈◊〉 assured that for these God hath brought this punishment vpon me and will 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them for which I pray you pray with me vnto his sonne and my Sâ—…iour Christ. 111 As these then in case of Treasons eyther acted or intended ended their liues so others in case of conscience though diuersly affected câ—…e to their deathes and that by foâ—…ce of the Statutes enacted vnder this King whereof one was the abolishing of the Pope and the oath of Supremacy the reâ—…sers of either made offenders in stare of high Treason and the other in 〈◊〉 of religion when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Articlâ—… enacted by Parliament was made Heresie and death to such as held or taught the conâ—… which Arâ—…cles were thus concluded in both the houses of Parliament with consent of the King 1 That after the words of consecration spoken by the Priest the reall and naturall body and bloud of Christ as hee was conceiued and crucified was in the Sacrament and no other substance consisting in the forme of 〈◊〉 and wiâ—…e besides the substance of Christ God and man 2 That the communion in both kinde was not necessarie vnto 〈◊〉 the flesh onely in forme of bread sufficient for the Laity 3 That Prieâ—… 〈◊〉 they haue receiâ—…ed â—…ders might not marry by the law of God 4 That the vowes of chastity either in 〈◊〉 or woman ought by Godâ—… law to be 〈◊〉 and by which they are exempted from other 〈◊〉 of Christian people 5 That priuâ—… Masses was necessâ—…ry for the people and agreeable to the law of Goâ—… 6 That auricular confession was â—…pedient 〈◊〉 be reteined and continued 〈◊〉 the Church of God These Statutes I say aswell the one as the other brought many to their ends which otherwise were very good Subiects and worthy instruments in the common weale for offending in the first there died Bishoppe Pisher and Sir Thomas More besides many Abbots Priors and Friers and among them in Smithfield the Welsh rode set Frier Forrest on fire according to the prophecy very rife in their mouthes that this holy rode should set a whole forrest on fire For the other suffered in flames many godly Christians whereof Robert Barnes a reuerend Doctor and worthy minister of Christ the first reducer as M. Fox reporteth of the Vniuersity of Cambridge from rudenesse and barbarity vnto good literature and learning was with the first And Anne Askew a Gentlewoman of an incomparable dexterity one of the last who aboue the weakenesse of her sexe most valiantly stoode against the violence of the time 112 Her birth was worshipfull and education accordingly bestowed in marriage vnto Iohn Kyâ—…e a Gentleman in 〈◊〉 and commended by Bale for her rare wit and elegant beauty which her pars the pensill of N. D. with his vneuen hand euer ouerhard to shadow the truth hath slanderously blurred and measured those graces in her by his owne loose affections and those want on 〈◊〉 which in the height of sinne haue changed the naturall vse of women against nature This young heifer saith hee abiding no yoake a coy dame and of very euill fame left the company of Master Kyâ—…e to 〈◊〉 vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Gospelling and Gâ—…ssipping where 〈◊〉 might and ought not but especially in London and 〈◊〉 the Court now shee being faire and but twenty 〈◊〉 yeers old at her death doth 〈◊〉 shew what may be suspected of her life and the mysticall speeches and demands of the Kings Coâ—…sell touching her departure from her 〈◊〉 were grounded vpon somewhat especially in that shee called her selfe 〈◊〉 Askew alias Kyâ—…e Thus 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 man hath accused this holy Anne by the outward appearance of her youth and beauty as holy Anne by Eli was accused of drunkennesse when her heart was most seruent in supplications to her God and his partiall peâ—… made the 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of her holy conuersation to finde out some chaffe whereof none is free nor is â—…ee to be condemned vpon the imagerie of his suspicious head who vndoubtedly would haue â—…old all if any thing could haue beene found whereas shee in the vigour of beauty and weakenesse of her Sexe 〈◊〉 the gaine-saiers of the truth with her dearest blood testifying from the Prisons her faith and constancy and from the Racke preached Christ whereon most vnhumanely and against kind shee was twice tormented and lastly sealed her 〈◊〉 in Smithfield through the 〈◊〉 of fire being borne to the place of her death in a Chaire her bones so 〈◊〉 by the Râ—…cke that shee could 〈◊〉 113 The 〈◊〉 N. D. whose affection to Chriâ—… Gospeâ—… 〈◊〉 to the English Crowne hath sufficiently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make her no 〈◊〉 and that her 〈◊〉 did demerit the Racke saith that the King himselfe commanded that torture to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with her erroneous doctrine his Court his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daughters and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the truth tels vs that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to racke her the second 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 Lord Chancellor who did it himselfe to bee complained of to the King who immediately tooke Boate and told the whole Tragedy whereof King 〈◊〉 seemed to be sore offended for vsing a woman with such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had the Popes 〈◊〉 vnder the 〈◊〉 of the Church and wing of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 not to follow the appeale of 〈◊〉 euen 〈◊〉 that slept in 〈◊〉 owne 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parre espoused vnto him 〈◊〉 three yeeres before and 〈◊〉 as this States intelligeÌ„cer doth confesse he meant to haue burned had he longer liued For the truth is saith hee that the Kings sickenesse and death shortly ensuing was the chiefe cause of her escape and the error of the Lord Chancellor Wriothesley who let fall out of his bosoâ—…e the Kings hand and commission for carrying her to the Tower gaue occasion the paper found and brought her to goe and humble her selfe to the King the principal occasion against her was Heretical Books found in her closet both brought sent her by Anne Askew wherof thewitnesses were the Lady Herbert Lady Iane Lady Tyawit and others Indeed it is true that by Gods prouidence such papers were let fal out of the Lord Chancellors bosome conteining certaine Articles against her with a warrant to commit her to the Tower whereunto the Kings hand was subscribed which being found was presently brought vnto the Queene whereof the
of the Empire wherein the rage of Satan so preuailed that seuenteene thousand men and women were crowned with martyrdome within the space of one moneth besides infinite numbers of such as were otherwise punished As in other Countries so heere in Britaine the Christians Churches were demolished their Bibles and other godly writings burned and themselues tormented with a more cruell and longer continuance then formerly had beene vsed for this endured the terme often whole yeeres together leauing no time of intermission nor place free from the staine of Martyrs Bloud And amongst others it made Britaine to be honored with the glory of many holy Martyrs which constantly stood and died in the Confession of the Faith whereof the first is reported to bee Albane of the City Verolanium who was beheaded at Holmehurst since called Derswold where now the Towne of S. Albans bearing his name is built and in whose honour Offa the great King of Mercia founded a most magnificent Monasterie Of this Alban the ancient Fortunatus Priscus in his booke of the Praise of Virginitie maketh mention thus Albanum egregium foecunda Britannia profert Britaine fertill of all good Washt with glorious Albans blood 12 His Instructor Amphibolus afterwards apprehended was brought to the same place and whipped about a stake whereat his intrailes were tied so winding his bowels out of his body was lastly stoned to death Sundry others also in other places laid downe their liues for their Professions sake as Iulius and Aaron at Leicester saith Beda or rather at Caer-leon in Monmouthshire as our Grand-Antiquarie iudgeth and in Leichfeild so many that the place became another Golgotha A Field of dead Corps For which cause the Citie doth beare an Escocheon or Field charged with many Martyrs for their Seale of Armes euen vnto this day 13 This last rage is by Orosius and Beda accounted the Tenth Persecution from Nero and by others the Tenth Horne of the Imperiall Beast who had receiued his Power from the Dragon the diuel and Forme from those foure Beasts deciphered by the Prophet Daniel whose mouth was as the Lyons mouth of Asshur his feete like the Beares feete of Persia his spots as the Leopards of Greece and these ten hornes taken from the Monster of the Grecians parted kingdome the Seleucies and the Ptolemies called in Ezekiel Gog and Magog and here alluded vnto by S. Iohn that thus made battel against the Saints But as those foure Beasts perished and were crushed by the fall of The stone cut without hands Emmanuel borne in our flesh so this Beast compounded of them Foure fell in the destructions of these most wicked Emperors whereof all almost died so vntimely and vnusuall deaths as the like is not read of elsewhere 14 For some slew themselues as Nero and Otho did some were smothered to death as was Tiberius some poisoned by their wiues as Claudius and Commodus some tugged and torne in pieces by their own Subiects and Souldiers as Vitellius Heliogabalus Pupienus and Balbinus some stabbed by them whom they most trusted as Caligula Domitian Didius Gallienus and many others some tumultuously murthered as Pertinax Seuerus Maximius Aemilius and Probus were some slaine in battell and defence of their titles as Macrinus and Gallus some hanged themselues as Gordianus and Maximianus did some drowned and swallowed vp as Decius and Maxentius were some slaine by a thunderbolt from heauen as Carus was some died in most miserable captiuitie as Valerianus did whose skinne was fleaed off he yet aliue some cut their owne veines and bled to death as Quintilius and Florianus did some dying mad as did this our Dioclesian some few and them somewhat fauoring Christians died in their beds a thing most strange to see in these times wherein the Wrath of God thus fought against them in his Iustice and the power of his Gospell preached by his Apostles and Disciples that as a Conqueror crowned and riding vpon a White horse bare a Bow in his hand and shot the sharpe Arrowes of death into the hearts of these the Kings enemies as in the opening of the First Seale is seene and in the Second is described and made manifest by a Red Horse prepared for Battell whose Rider bare a Bright sword and had commission To take peace from the earth which most effectually wee haue seene performed in most of these preceding Emperours And as Famine in great Warres is not greatly strange so Scarsitie exceeding Plentie was seene vnder the opening of the Third Seale whence a Blacke horse sent from God pased through the earth whose Rider bare a Ballance to weigh Corne as it were Spice for dearth and in the raigne of this last Tyrant Dioclesian they that had Eagles eies might see the threefold iudgements of God in the opening of the Fourth Seale when Sword Famine Death went all together as a pale-horse sent from the presence of the Lamb whose rider was Death and Hell following as his Page These were the times of calamities wheas the Soules of the righteous in the opening of the Fifth Seale cried for vengeance for the bloud of the Martyrs whom these ten hornes had gored to death and vnder the Sixth Seale both then and for euer the wicked are said to call for the Mountaines to fall vpon them and for the rockes to hide them from the presence of Him that sate vpon the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe before whom none could stand But why doe I weake man thus open the Curtaines of Gods most sacred Tabernacle to behold the Mercy-seate of his diuine Mysteries in the accomplishments of these holy Oracles when as they who haue worne the Ephod and in whose hand Aarons Rod hath Budded with a religious reuerence haue feared to look into the same Therefore with the charge of Ioshua I will not approach neere the Arke and with Iobs hearers will Lay my hand on my mouth and returne to the prosecution of my purpose 15 It was the nineteenth yeere of his raigne in the month of March when this Tyrant sent forth his wicked Edicts through all his Empire That all churches should bee vtterly ouerthrowne that the Scriptures should be burnt that all Christians for honour should bee held infamous and all Christian seruants should bee vncapeable of freedome that all Pastors should be enforced to offer to Idols c. 16 The fountaine chiefe cause of these miseries lighting on the Church of Christ did arise from the Christians themselues as Eusebius in these words declareth After that our conuersation through too much libertie and licentiousnesse was degenerated and holy discipline corrupted whiles euery one of vs did enuie bite and backbite each other waging intestine warres within our selues and piercing one anothers hearts with the sharpe speares of opprobriouswords so that Bishops against Bishops and people against people were at bitter contention Lastly whiles
possessions and forcing them euen to the Sea-shoare being a people allotted vnto miserie and by these strangers pursued so vehemently that lastly they were driuen into the West-Angle of this Iland and their liues defended and maintained among those waste Mountaines and hard Rockes which therein were more propitious and gentle then the stonie hearts of their Oppressors CEadwalla a valiant young man and of the bloud-Royall of the Genisses saith Beda being banished from his Country through the enuie of others who maligned him only for his vertues and worthinesse succeeded Kenwin his kinsman in the kingdome of the West-Saxons and with greater glory raigned then any other in that Prouince before him had done He was the Sonne of Kenbert whose Father was Ched the second Sonne of Cuth and Cuth was the third Sonne of Kenrik who was the eldest Sonne of Cherdik that laid the first stone of this kingdomes foundation His first brunt of furie was against Edilwach King of the South-Saxons whom in field he slew and in another battell Berthun that had made himselfe King of that State The I le of Wight also he almost quite wasted and though he were vnbaptized yet did hee binde himselfe by vow to giue the fourth part of the spoile vnto Gods vse and performed it accordingly vnto Bishop Wilfrid who with Bernewine and Hildila conuerted the people from their Idolatrous superstition vnto the true seruice of Christ it beeing the last part of the Saxons possessions that was turned from their Pagan manners Of which his specious deuotion Malmesburie giueth this censure although wee praise his affestion saith hee yet allow wee not the example for it is written that who so offereth vnto God the goods of the poore dooth as it were sacrifice the sonne in the sight of the Father Kent also with greeuous warres hee twice afflicted and therein spilt so much Christian blood that nature her selfe was therein offended and hee at last as much lamented in repentance whereof after hee had raigned in great stoutnes the space of two yeeres in a zealous deuotion went to Rome where of Pope Sergius he was baptized vpon Easter Euen saith Beda the yeere of our Redemption 689. by the name of Peter and wearing as yet the white Robes of innocencie put as the rite then was vpon him at his lauer of Baptisme fell sicke and the twentieth day of April following died hauing had neither wife nor childe that we read of He was buried in Saint Peters Church in Rome vnder a faire Monument with this inscription thereon engrauen Heere Cedwall otherwise named Peter King of the West-Saxons is buried who died the twentieth of Aprill in the second Indiction and liued thirty yeeres or thereabouts when that noble and mighty Prince Iustinian was Emperour of Rome and had raigned foure yeeres in the Empire and Sergius a true paterne of the Apostles had sate two yeeres in Peters Seat What hath beene written of this Ceadwall King of the West-Saxons by Beda the Saxon and his followers hath beene attributed to Cadwalader King of the Britaines by Geffrey of Monmouth the Britaine Iohn Castor and More affirming him to be the same man and that vpon the admonition of an Angell hee went to Rome tooke penance of Pope Sergius there died in the twelfth Kalends of May and was there buried with the same Epitaph and after the same manner But the Writer of the Historie of Cambria of Cadwaladers going to Rome and the other appendances seemeth to be doubtfull and saith that it differed from the assertion of Bernardus Guidonius the neerenesse of the names being the very cause of the like relations and confidently affirmeth that it was Edwall the sonne of Cadwalader who in such deuotion went to Rome and there made such a religious end about the yeere of our Lord 720. INe whom Beda calles Hun others Ina the sonne of Kenred the sonne of Cuth the sonne of Cuthwin the sonne of Chelwin the third King of the West-Saxons the sonne of Kenrik the second and hee the sonne of Cherdik the first King in that Prouince after Ceadwals departure to Rome tooke vpon him the gouernment of that Kingdome which hee managed with continuall Victories the terme of thirty eight yeeres His first attempts were against the Kentish-Saxons in reuenge of his cosen Molloes death whose wrath Withred pacified by the paiment of thirty thousand Markes saith William of Malmesbury In the yeere of Grace seuen hundred and eight and twenty one of his owne raigne as Matthew of Westminster hath obserued he fought with the Britaine 's vnder their Captaine Gerent whom he victoriously subdued and in his twenty sixth yeere against Cheolred King of Mercia with doubtfull victorie at the place then called Wodenesbury and in his thirty sixth inuaded the South-Saxons with such successe that hee reduced the same Kingdome into a Prouince and annexed it in subiection to the West-Saxons and manifesting his good desires both to the administration of Iustice and the aduancement of Diuine Pietie he ordained many good Lawes for the amendment of manners in his people which are yet extant written in the Saxon Tongue and translated into Latine by the learned M. William Lambert He built at Wels a Colledge dedicated vnto God and bearing the name of S. Andrewes which afterwards Kenulph King of the West-Saxons made an Episcopall Sea The renowned Abbey of Glastenburie most statelie hee built to the honour of Christ Peter and Paul whereof Malmesburie maketh mention in his booke of Glastenburies Antiquities in a fennie place sequestred frō the road way where formerly had stood the old Cell of Ioseph of Aremathea and that being decaied Deuy Bishop of S. Dauids had thereon erected a new which time also hauing ruinated twelue men well affected in the North parts of Britaine had repaired but now by this Ina was quite pulled downe and after a most sumptuous manner new built the Chapell whereof hee garnished with gold and siluer and gaue rich ornaments thereto as Altar Chalice Censor Candlestickes Bason and holie water Bucket Images and Pale for the Altar of an incredible value for the gold thereupon bestowed amounted to three hundred thirtie three pound waight and the siluer to two-thousand eight hundred thirty fiue pound beside precious Gemmes embrouched in the Celebrating Vestures Hee instituted also a certaine yeerely paiment to the See of Rome enioining euery one of his subiects that possessed in his house of one kinde of goods to the value of twenty pence that he should pay a penny to the Pope yeerely vpon Lammas day which at first was contributed vnder the name of The Kings Almes but afterwards was called and challenged by the name of Peter-pence At length by the instigation and earnest perswasion of Ethelburga his Queene hee renounced the glittering glorie of his present and princely estate wherein hee had in great prosperitie
his raigne ouer both at one and the same time the yeere of Christ his Natiuitie fiue hundred thirty foure 2 And enlarging his confines vpon the Territories of the Britaines gaue them two great ouerthrowes the one at Searesbery in Wilt-shire and the other at Banbury in Oxford-shire which was fought the two and twentieth of his raigne whereby his fame grew more renowned and his Kingdome in more quiet after He raigned the space of twenty six yeeres and left this life in the yeere of our Lord God fiue hundred sixty 3 He had issue three sonnes Chenlâ—…e Câ—…thwolfe and Câ—…th Chelwin the first succeeded his father in the Monarchie and West-Saxons Kingdome 4 Câ—…thwolfe the second assisted his brother in many victories as presently in his raigne shall follow And Câ—…th the third brother famous in his issue though mentionlesse for action in himselfe whereof more largely hath beene spoken in the raigne of Kenrik as he was King only of the West-Saxons CHEVLINE THE THIRD KING OF THE VVEST-SAXONS AND FIFTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN CHAPTER XVII CHeuline the eldest sonne of King Kenrike serued with great commendations vnder his father in all his warres against the Britains and is specially mentioned at the Battle of Banbury in Oxford-shire and after his fathers death became the third King of the West-Saxons and the fifth Monarch of the Englishmen Hee much enlarged the bounds of his Kingdome and increased the power and glorie of the West-Saxons 2 For continuing the warres where his Father left did not onely subdue the Britaines in many Battles but also set himselfe against his owne Nation the Saxons and sought to impose the scope of his power vpon the South of the Riuer Thames for entring Kent whose King was then a childe by name Ethelbert the sonne of Imerik at Wiphandun or Wilbandun in Surrey in a set and sore Battle defeated all his forces whence the young King was chased and two of his greatest Captaines bearing the names of Dukes were slaine as we haue said 3 Not long after this victory he set his minde to inlarge his West-Saxons Dominions vpon the possession of the declining Britaines and to that end furnished forth a great Band of his Souldiers whereof he made his brother Cuthwin chiefe Generall These marching to Bedford gaue Battle to the Britaines where they slew them downe-right and surprized soure of their chiefest Townes at that time called Liganburge Eglesbourgh Bensington and Eusham which they fortified to their owne strength and the Britaines great losse 4 And following the Tract of his fore-going fortunes about six yeeres after sent forth againe his Saxons vnder 〈◊〉 conduct of the foresaid Cuthwin who encountred the Britaines at Diâ—…th or Deorham with such valour and successe that besides great slaughter of the British Souldiers three of their Kings whose names were Coinmagill Candidan and Farimnagill fell in the Field with the surprizall of these three Cities Glocester Bathe and Cirencester Then saith Gyldas euidently appeared the Lands destruction the sins of the Britaine 's being the only cause when neither Prince nor People Priest nor Leuite regarded the Law of the Lord but disobediently wandred in their owne waies 5 But no greater were the sinnes of the Britains then the vnsatiable desires of the Saxons were to conquer for Cheuline about the last of Malgoe his gouernment met the Britaines at Fethanleah in the face of a Field which was fought out to the great slaughters of them both and with the death of Prince Cuth King Cheulins sonne notwithstanding the victorie fell on his side with great spoiles obtained and possessions of many Prouinces which himselfe no long time enioied 6 For growne proud through his many prosperous victories against his enemies and tyrannizing ouer his owne Subiects the West-Saxons fell into such contempt that they ioined with the Britaine 's for his destruction The greatest against him was disloyall Chell or Cealrik his nephew the sonne of Cuthwin his most loyall brother whom both the Nations had elected for Generall Vnder him they muster and march into Wilt-shire and at Wodnesbeothe now Wannes-ditch pitch downe their Standards Cheuline that thought hee lead fortune in a lease with confident boldnesse built his present proceedings vpon his former successe and in the face of his enemies displaied his colours But the Battles ioined and the Field goared with bloud the day was lost vpon the Kings side and he in distresse saued himselfe by flight Heere might you haue seene the world as it is vnconstant and variable for he a Mars that had ouer-borne the Britains in so many Battles and had raised his Saxons vnto so great a height is forced to flee before his conquered Captiues and to exile himselfe from the sight of his owne Subiects after he had gloriously raigned thirty one yeeres or as some will thirty three and as a meane man died in his banishment the yeere of grace fiue hundred ninety two 7 He had issue two sonnes which were Cuth and Cuthwin the elder whereof had valiantly serued in his fathers warres namely at Wimbledone in Surry against King Ethelbert and his power of Kentishmen in the yeere of Christ fiue hundred sixty seuen and lastly in the Battle at Fethanleah where the Britaines receiued a great ouerthrow Notwithstanding as hee was valiantly fighting among the thickest of his enemies hee was there slain in the yeere of our Lord fiue hundred eighty foure being the fiue and twentieth yeere of his fathers raigne and that without issue 8 Cuthwin the younger sonne of King Cheuline suruiued his father but succeeded him not because of his young yeeres or else and that rather for the hatred that his father had purchased of his Subiects which they repaied him in his owne expulsion and in this his sonnes depriuation But although the wreath of the West-Saxons did not adorne this Cuthwines head yet shone it more bright and stood with greater maiesty vpon the browes of Ina the warlike and zealous King of West-Saxons and of Egbert the victorious and first sole absolute Monarch of the English Empire both of them in a right line issued from this Cuthwin as in the seuenth Chapter we haue said ETHELBERT THE FIFTH AND FIRST CHRISTIAN KING OF KENT AND THE SIXTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN HIS WIVES AND ISSVE CHAPTER XVIII THe flame of the West-Saxons for a time thus quenched the Lampe of Kent began againe to shine and to assume the Title of the Monarchie after it had beene suppressed in them through the raignes of these foure last Kings for young Egberts entrance with the great losse of his Kentish ouerthrowne by King Cheuline gaue rather inducements to a tributary subiection then any apparant hopes to purchase an Empire 2 But such is the dispose of God in his hidden Counsell that things of least appearance many times become the greatest in substance as in this Prince it was euidently seene who making
Saint Denisse which her selfe had caused to bee built EDVVARD SVRNAMED THE MARTYR THE THIRTIE ONE MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH-MEN HIS RAIGNE AND DEATH CHAPTER XLIII GReat were the troubles sidings that presently ensued the death of King Edgar about the election of one of his sons to succeed Queene Elfrida with Alferus Duke of Mercia and many other Nobles combined for young Ethelred disauowing Prince Edward as illegitimate and therfore not reputable for succession against them and Ethelred stood Dunstan and the Monkes holding their states dangerous their new-gotten footing vnsure if in the nonage of the King these their opposites should rule all vnder him whereas Edward was altogether wrought in their mould whose title they abetted as being lawfully borne and begot in the nuptiall bed of Queene Ethelfleda Their claimes thus banded amongst these States-men began to be diuersly affected among the Commons and had put the game to the hazard if the wisedome of Dunstan had not seene to the chase for a Councell being assembled to argue their rights the Archbishop came in with his banner and crosse and not staying for further debating de iure did de facto present Prince Edward for their lawfull King and the assembly consisting most of Clergy-men perswading peace drew the approbation of the rest and so was the Prince admitted and proclaimed their Soueraigne 2 He beganne his raigne at twelue yeares of age in the yeare of Saluation 975 and was soone after by Archbishop Dunstan crowned King at Kingston vpon Thamesis being the thirtie one Monarch since Hengist of the Englishmen His beginning was miserably afflicted with barrennesse of the ground 〈◊〉 mine amongst his people morraiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their further terrour a fearefullâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which men thought to bee signes from heauen as sent from God for the sinnes committed against the married Clergy whose cause was much pittied especially of the Nobles whose complaints of wrongs they instantly vrged that without deserts they were expulsed from their ancient possessions a thing which neither God nor goodmen euer allowed and was contrary to the prescript rule of Christ that wils vs to doe as wee would be done vnto whereto the Monkes answered that Christ respected neither the person nor place but onely them that tooke vp the Crosse of Penance and followed him as themselues in their single life pretended to doe But they good men little knew the incumbrances of wiuing for otherwise they would haue felt that the condition of the married was more truly a suffering of the Crosse and enduring of Penance 3 These Church men thus diuided and rent were diuersly sided as affection did moue and that not onely of the meaner sort but euen of the Nobles great Ones for the Mercian Duke Alferus fauouring the iust cause of married Priests destroied the Monasteries in his Prouince cast out the Monkes and restored againe the ancient reuenewes to them their wiues contrariwise in East-Anglia the Priests went to wracke where the Monks were maintained by the authority of Edelwin their Duke who in their quarrell with the assistance of his brother Alfred and of Brightuoth Earle of Essex raised a mighty Army and stood with that power for their defence 4 The fire thus blown from a sparke to a flame was feared to mount higher if not quenched in time and therefore by mediation armes laid aside the cause was referred to be heard in Councel at Winchester first the assembly was held where after long dispâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…ch against the Monkes it was greatly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ide had 〈◊〉 â—…own 〈◊〉 â—…at the matâ—… vpon the refectorie Wall where the Councell sate To this great Oracle S. Dunstan desired them deuoutely to pray and to giue diligent eare for an answere who with as great bounty as they in deuotion made it not squemish to giue them this aduice God forbid it should be so God forbid it should be so said he you iudged well once and to change that againe is not good This was authority sufficient to suppresse the Priests who now with their wiues went downe the wind and indeed too blame they were to suspect this their Iudge who neuer was heard to giue wrong sentence before but they vnsatisfied men thought once more to blow the coale though therewith they were likely to burne their owne lips for perswading the people that this was but a subtile practise of the Monks in placing behind the wall a man of their owne who through a truncke vttered those words in the mouth of the Roode it was therfore instantly desired that the cause might once more come to scanning 5 This lastly was granted and a great assembly congregated at Cleue in Wiltshire whither repaired the Prelates with most of the States of the land besides Gentlemen and Commons an innumerable sort This Synode being set and the controuersie propounded a hote and sharpe disputation ensued and a while was maintained with many bitter inuectiues ill beseeming such persons But whether through the weakenesse of the foundation or the ouer-presse of weight or both the ioysts of this vpper-loft wherein the Councell was held suddainly brake and down fell the floore with all the people thereon whereof many were hurt and some slaine outright onely Archbishop Dunstan then President and mouth for the Monkes remained vnhurt for the Post whereon his chaire was set and not without miracle stood wholy vntouched Thus by this fall fel the cause of the secular Priests and the Monkish foundations vnderpropped with more surer pillars Dunstan vuburdened of many imputations the peoples affections drawne to the Monkes and the Priests at liberty now to accompany their wiues without any cure though not without care and all this was wrought by the prouidence of Dunstan and his strange preseruarion on the post no lesse wonderfull then that which with the like truth is related of him how when a huge beam of a house was suncke out of the frame and like to ruinate the whole building with onely making of the signe of the Crosse thereon with his fingers hee made it returne to his former place so wonderfully potent was he in such woodden miracles To which why should wee not giue credite since the very Harpe which hee had touched could worke miracles as when of it selfe it sounded melodiously that Hymne Gaudent in coelis animae Sanctorum c. Yea sith the blessed virgine Mary her selfe is said to haue come to solace him with her songs Cantemus Domino Sociae c. For as for Angels singing familiarly vnto him and Diuelsin shape of dogs foxes and beares whipped by him that was but ordinary as likewise his making the shee-diuel to roare when comming to tempt him to dalliance in shape of a beautifull lasse hee caught her by the nose with hote burning pincers and so spoilde a good face But to leaue those figments wherewith our Monkish stories are stuffed to
the deluding of their Readers and dishonouring of those whom thereby they thinke to magnifie let vs looke backe to yong Prince Edward 6 Who in all princely parts was an imitator of his Father and for his modest gentlenesse worthily fauoured of all men but as enuy is alwaies the attendant of vertue so had he them that much maligned his life namely the fauourites of Prince Ethelred whereof Queene Elfrida his mother was chiefe who lastly betraied him and that in this maner 7 King Edward for his disport was hunting in a forrest neere vnto the sea vpon the south-east shore of the County Dorset and in the Iland Purbeck not farre off vpon a small riuer stood pleasantly seated a faire and strong Castle called Corfe where his mother in law Queene Elfrida with his brother Prince Ethelred were then therein residing Edward that euer had beene louing to both held it a kind office now being so neere to visite them with his presence and thereupon either of purpose or chance singled from his attendants hee secretly stole from them all and came alone to the castle gate 8 The Queene who had long laine in wait for occasions now tooke this as brought to her hand and therefore with a face as meaning no guile shee humbly and cheerefully gaue the King welcome desiring him to grace her and her sonne with his presence for that night but hee with thanks refused the offer as fearing least his company would soone find him missing and craued onely of his mother a cup of wine that in his saddle hee might drinke to her and his brother and so bee gone The cuppe was no sooner at his mouth then a knife in his backe which a seruant appointed by this trecherous Queene stroke into him who feeling himselfe hurt set spurs to his horse thinking to escape to his more faithfull company 9 But the wound being mortall and he fainting through losse of much bloud fell from his horse and one foot entangled in the stirruppe hee was thereby rufully dragde vp and downe through woods and lands and lastly left dead at Corfes-gate which hapned the eighteenth day of May after hee had raigned three yeares and sixe some say eight monethes the yeare of his age sixeteene and of Christ Iesus 979. His body found was first buried at Warham without all funerall pompe but after three yeeres by Duke Alferus remoued and with great celebrity enterred in the Minster of Shaftesbury and for this vntimely death he gained the surname of Martyr 10 Queene Elfrida sore repenting her cruell and step-motherly fact to expiate her guilt and pacifie the crying bloud of her slaine sonne built the two said Monasteries of Almesbury and Worwell in the Counties of Wilt-shire and Southampton in which later she liued with great repentance and penance vntill the day of her death and in the same lieth her body enterred These and other the like foundations built vpon the occasion of rapine bloud howsoeuer they may shew the sorrowfull repentance of their founders yet their stones being laide with the simmond of murther and the morter tempered with bloud haue felt the wrath of him who by his Prophet hath pronounced that from the wall the stone shall crie and the beame out of the timber shall answere it Woe vnto him that buildeth a towne with bloud and erecteth a City by iniquity ETHELRED COMMONLY CALLED THE VNREADIE THE TVVO AND THIRTIETH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH-MEN HIS WARS RAIGNE WIVES AND ISSVES CHAPTER XLIIII EThelred the sonne of King Edgar brother to King Edward the Martyr at the age of twelue yeers entred his gouernment ouer the Englishmen the yeere of mans saluation 979 and was the two and thirtieth Monarch since King Hengist he was crowned King at Kingston vpon Thamesis the foureteenth of April being Easter day by the hands of Dunstan Archbishoppe of Canterbury who did it much against his will 2 He was a man neither forward in action nor fortunate in proceedings and therefore commonly called the Vnready his youth was spent in idlenes feeding his senses with all voluptuous baites his middle yeares with a carelesse gouernment maintaining ciuill dissâ—…nsions and his latter end deseruingly in continuall resistance of the bloud-thirsty Danes With these imputations by writers hee is taxed though we find no such iust cause in recording his life but to such extreames are euen great Monarches themselues brought that their breath and dignity once left and laid downe they are subiect to the censures of euery affectionate and malignant reporter And that this King lay lyable to such mens humors the working of Dunstan euer against him is a sufficient witnes who not onely did refuse to act his Coronation but would haue preferred Lady Edgith a bastard before him to the Crown as we haue said And besides the generall quarrell of the Monkes and married Priests to which later himselfe and his Abetters were better inclined his iust indiâ—…nation conceiued against the Bishop of Rochester â—…d that not pacified without the Bishops submission and payment of money was cause inough for those Monkish Writers to brand the Lords Annointed with their marks of infamie vnto whom they impute the miseries of those times and the destruction of the English by the intruding Danes 3 These Danes had kept quiet euer since the disliked raigne of King Edwy without any notable attempts for the space of twenty two yeares but now perceiuing the hearts of the subiects to bee drawn from their Soueraigne they thought it a sufficient occasion to forward their intendements and omitting no time in the second of his raigne with seuen ships they arriued vpon the coast of Kent spoiling the Country but most especially the Iland Thâ—…at from whence they did great hurt likewise to the towne of Southampton The English led in dislike of young Ethelreds gouernment were the rather drawne to impute these and other aduersities to this vnfortunate Prince by reason of a prediction of Dunstan who had prophesied That they should not bee free from bloud and sword till there came a people of an vnknowne tongue thâ—…t should bring them to thraldome and that opinion was skrewed deeper into their fearefull conceit by a cloud appearing of bloud and fire immediately after his vnaffected Coronation 4 The next yeere those â—…ouing Daâ—…es entred the British Seas and coasting to Cornwall destroied there the Abbey of Saint Patrick Pâ—…land in Deâ—…shire and many other places vpon those shores the like was done vnto Cheshire by the Norway-Pâ—…rates which broke into those parts in the same yeare 5 And these calamities were seconded with others as feâ—…full for in the yeare 982. the City London was miseâ—…bly destroied and defaced by fire whose beauty then chiefly extended from Ludgate westward for that within the walles and where the heart of the City is now was then neither beautiful nor orderly built what time also
the Pillowes heard the sound of the great Bell in the Metropolitane Church of Saint Geruis neere Roan and demanding the cause one replied that it did then ring prime to oâ—… Lady whereupon with great deuotion lifting his eies towards heauen and spreading abroad his hands I commend my selfe said he to that blessed Ladie Mary Mother of God that shee by her holy praiers may reconcile me to her most deare Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ and with the words yeelded vp his Ghost vpon Thursday the ninth of Septemper the fifty sixth of his Dutchie the twenty one of his Kingdome the sixty foure of his age and yeere of Christ Iesus 1087. 57 Wherein as we see the instability both of Mans life and Glory a point fitting for great Princes euer to thinke on so by the sequell wee shal perceiue how ill-rooted and vngrounded the friendship is which attends the greatnesse of Soueragnes whose Fauourites chiefe or onely ends are their own Ambition and Gaine the fewell whereof once beginning to decay the fire of their seeming-deuotion will bee quickly cold For no sooner had this late-glorious Princes Soule bidden farewell to his Body but his dead Corps was presently abandoned by his followers of neerest place and best meanes who posted homewards apace to defend their owne and by the meaner and his inferiour seruants he was dispoiled of Armour Vessels Apparell and all Princely furniture euen so farre from al wonted and due respect as that they left his dead Body naked vpon the floore like true Kites praying whilest any thing was to be had The sudden fame of his death stroke such feare into the Commons harts as was admirable euery man shifting for one but all neglecting the funerall rites of their King vntill that one Harluins a poore Countrey Knight vndertooke the Cariage of his Corps vnto Cane and at his owne cost both by Sea and Land vnto Saint Stephens Church which this dead King had formerly founded At his entrance into Cane the Couent of Monks came foorth to meet him and to celebrate the buriall with all Ceremonies beseeming but behold euen at that instant a sudden chance of fire happened which presently inuaded a great part of the Towne that as his Corps before so now his Hearse was of all forsaken whiles they addressed themselues to represse that furious Element which done and the Funerall Sermon ended the Stone-Coffin set in the earth in the Chancell betwixt the Chorale and the Altar and the body ready to be laid therein one Ascelinus Fitz-Arthur a man of some Note stood vp and forbade the buriall This very place said he was the floore of my Fathers house which this dead Duke violently tooke from him and heere vpon part of my inheritance founded this Church This ground therfore I challenge and in Gods behalfe forbid that the Body of my dispoiler be couered in my Earth neither shall it be interred in the precinctes of my right Whereupon they were enforced to compound with him for a present sum of money then deliuered and with consent of his sonne Henry for a hundred pound weight of siluer after to be paid and so the Exequies went forward when behold again the Corps laid into the Tombe was with the largest which being pressed the belly not bowelled brake with an intollerable stench so annoied the by-standers that neither Gummes nor spices fuming from the Censures could be any whit sensible to relieue them insomuch that all with great amazement hastning away they left the Monks to shuffle vp the buriall and they were soone glad to get them to their cels 58 This then was the life and death of this great Monarch the Conquerour of Men but not of Death nor suruiuing Enuie a bright example of the dimme glory of man who in life had the possessions of Kingdomes and Dukedomes men at Armes riches and honour and all things thereto adhering but after his death neither Ornaments nor Attendants nor place of buriall till it were bought all which priuate men seldome want so vaine is the pompe of this world and so vncertaine the state of her darlings 59 He was for stature indifferent of countenance sterne his fore-head high and haire verie thinne fat and corpulent of body with his bellie bearing out so strong of ioints and armes that few could bend his bow of witte ready and very politicke in speech eloquent resolute in attempts in hazards valiant a great souldier and as great in successe rough and couetous towards the English in his taxes lawes and in giuing to his Normans their lands whose Charters were of a farre other tenour forme breuity then those tedious and perplexed conueyances since in vse as by these few inserted may appeare I William King the third yere of my raigne Giue to thee Norman Hunter to me that art both leefe and Decre The Hop and the Hopton and all the bounds vp and downe Vnder the Earth to Hell aboue the Earth to Heauen From me and mine to thee and to thine As good and as faire as euer they mine were To witnesse that this is sooth I bite the white waxe with my tooth Before Ingge Maude and Margery and my yongest sonne Herry For a bow and a broad arrowe when I come to hunt vpon yarrow 60 At the suite of William Bishop of London he granted the City whose chiefe Magistrate was then called the Portreue their first Charter written in the Saxon tongue confirmed with greene waxe whereas the Saxons before vsed onely to signe with guilt crosses and such like markes the Copy thereof is this William Cyng greit William Biscop Godfreges Portgerefan calle the Burhwaren the on Lunden beon c. William King greeteth William Bishop and Godfrey Portreue and all the Burgesses that in London be French English friendly And I doe you to wit that I will that you enioy all the law which you did in the daies of Edward King And I will that each Child bee his Fathers inheritour after his Fathers daies And I will not suffer that any man you any wrong offer God you keepe 61 In the like Charter granted to his Nephew Alane Earle of Britaine for lands in Yorkeshire hee writeth himselfe William surnamed Bastard and yet it seemeth hee was offended at Guy of Burgundy for tearming him Nothus perhaps because that word signifieth such a one whose Father is vnknown whereas King Williams was not only known but renowned also 62 Howsoeuer hee was sterne and hard to the English yet to his Normans hee was facile and too indulgent much deuoted to Religion and frequenting the Church both morning and euening The Clergie that liued according to their rule and profession hee both honoured and richly endowed but to the licentious was very rough and hard handed his vncle Malgerius Archbishop of * Rotemage for his dissolute life hee disgraded his brother Odo Bishop of Baieux
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
parts complete with natures endowments of personage passing comely of disposition louing cheerefull and affable to the meanest alwaies very liberall but now especially knowing his Purse the best Lawyer to plead for his Title and in Martiall prowesse gaue place to none of that time wherein though his whole raigne was continually spent yet by reason of King Henries great Treasure left neuer burthened he the Commons with any exactions a thing that euer gaineth the loue of the common sort neither is he taxed with any other obseruable crime saue onely his periurie against the Empresse Dowager and her sonne 4 Hee entred his gouernement the yeare of Christ Iesus 1135. the second day of December and was crowned at Westminster the twenty sixt of the same Moneth being Saint Stephens day by William Corbell Archbishop of Canterbury who with the rest of the Prelates doing him homage and knowing now hee would yeeld to any conditions for performance whereof his * Brother of Winchester did there engage himselfe for a pledge they all tooke their oath of allegiāce conditionally traiterously I might say to obey him as their King so long as he should preserue their Church Liberties and the vigour of Discipline And that the Lay-Barons made vse also of this policie appeareth by Robert Earle of Gloucester who sware to be true Liegeman to the King as long as the King would preserue to him his dignities and keepe all Couenants wherupon the King promised for the present that he would speedily reforme the ouer-hard lawes of his Predecessors and mollifie the extreames thereof to their owne likings vnder his Seale and Charter and so thence hastening to meete the Corps of his deceased vncle which was now brought into England he honoured that pompous funerall with his owne and all his great Prelates and Peeres attendance at Reading whence presently he went to Oxford where he sealed his fore-promised Charter of many indulgent fauours prefacing therein that hee attained the Crowne by Election onely and that Pope Innocentius confirmed the same whereby may be conceiued that his Holinesse either out of hatred to the Empresse whose husband Henry was no friend to the Papacie or for some other holy ends had no small hand in aduancing Stephens periured and disloiall intrusion The Tenour of the Charter it selfe is That all Liberties Customes and Possessions graunted to the Church should bee firme and inforce that all Persons and Causes Ecclesiasticall should appertaine onely to Ecclesiasticall Iudicature that none but Clergy men should euer intermeddle with the vacancies of Churches or any Church-mens goods that all bad vsages in the Land touching for rests exactions c. should be vtterly extirpate the ancient Lawes restored c. As Stephen well knew that they had chosen him their King onely to make their vses of him so these immunities he granted rather to bleare their Eies then * with any purpose to manacle his own hands with such Parchment-Chaines 5 This his entrance was very peaceable saith Geruasius of Canterbury but by little and little ciuill discordincreased to the lamentable destruction of men and the land whereto Robert Earle of Gloucester halfe-brother o the Empresse whose wisedom and power King Stephen much feared gaue a secret beginning when amongst them that swore him fealty hee concluded his as we said with this reseruation that his owne authority should be nothing empaired meaning no longer to respect him as his King then the King should him as a Peere and a generall sufferance to erect Castles for strength throughout the land was no security to his peaceable estate Intended indeed to strengthen the Kingdome against Maud the Empresse but proued the bane of all subiectiue obedience which was politickly considered by Henry Fitz-Empresse in the conclusion of Peace betwixt King Stephen and him when a thousand one hundred and fifteene Castles so raised were againe razed and cast downe 6 The first man that professedly set himselfe opposite to Stephens vsurpation was Baldwin de Reduers who fortified the City and Castle of Excester against him the Welshmen also bearing in minde the harms that K. Henry had done them desired reuenge and made many slaughters vpon the Kings people Against these Stephen proceeded with his band of English and Flemmings and after a strong and chargeable siege by famine drew foorth Baldwin his wife and children all which hee disherited and expulsed the Land vsing so great lenity towards all other offenders there that it gaue great encouragement to others rebellions But in Wales the businesse prospered not so well where at Cardigan a great battell was fought with such slaughter and ouerbearing of the English that the men by women were taken and led away Captiue and so many drowned by the fall of a Brige ouer Temd that a passage was made ouer the water with the dead Carcases therein heaped 7 Neither thus onely but some of the English also distasting King Stephen secretly instigated Dauid King of Scotland to reuenge the wrongs done to the Empresse Maud a seruice as they vrged it very gratefull vnto her and euen pleasing to God and Man He therefore consenting inuaded the borders and tooke from the English both Carleile and Newcastle which he stuffed with Garrisons Against these King Stephen prepared and with a great power came into those parts where diuers accidents by diuers reporters are related yet all agree that ere long peace was concluded Carleil still enioied by King Dauid and the Earledome of Huntington by Prince Henry his sonne for which hee did homage at his fathers command Dauid himselfe refusing so to doe as Hector Boetius the Scotish writer affirmeth for that he had giuen his faith before vnto Maud the Empresse 8 King Stephen returned and all in good quiet he suddenly fell sicke of a Lethargy yea in such danger of life that the common report gaue foorth hee was dead which stirred great troubles both in England and else where for thereby his friends were stricken into great feare and the factious more bold to prepare for Queene Maude for Hugh Bigot one of his chiefest and first raisers fortified himselfe in the Castle of Norwich and would not deliuer it vnto any saue onely to the King yea and very vnwillingly also vnto him and in Wales Owen and Cadwalader the sonnes of Gruffith ap Conan Prince of that Country carried great spoiles from the English as of other goods so also of Horse and Armour and habiliments for warre likewise in Normandy Conspiracies began to bud forth for Geffrey Earle of Aniou who in right of his wife made claime vnto all easily got the hearts and endeauours of many to adhere vnto the true heire possessing himselfe of certaine Castles but entring further on the Demaines of one Taleva◅ a man of note proscribed for some offence or displeasure by King Stephen the
to doe and accordingly the Prelates themselues by ioint consent adiudged him of Periury and by the mouth of the Bishop of Chichester disclaimed thence forward all obedience vnto him as their Archbishop The next day whiles the Bishops and Peeres were consulting of some further course with him Becket not as yet daunted caused to be sung before him at the Altar The Princes sit and speake against me and the vngodly persecute me c. And forthwith taking his siluer Crosier in his owne hands a thing strange and vnheard of before enters armed therewith into the Kings presence though earnestly disswaded by all that wished him well wherewith the King enraged commanded his Peeres to sit in iudgement on him as on a Traitor and Periured person and accordingly they adiudged him to be apprehended and cast into prison The Earles of Cornewall and Leicester who sate as Iudges citing him forthwith to heare his sentence pronounced hee immediately appealed to the See of Rome as holding them no Iudges competent wherupon all reuiling him with the name of Traitor and the like he replying That were it not for his function he would enter the Duell or Combate with them in the field to acquit himselfe both of Treason and Periury sped from the Court and from thence without delay into Flaunders disguising himselfe vnder the name of Dereman 24 The King on the other side to leaue nothing vndone whereby to atchieue his desire forthwith dispatched away Gilbert Bishop of London William Earle of Arundel to the French King that hee would not harbour nor cherish one that was fled as a Traitor but preuailed not for hee vpon the contrary dealt with the Pope That as he loued the Roman Church and the aid of France so he would support the cause of Thomas against the King which whether hee did it out of Faction rather then Deuotion let others iudge for as wee may easily thinke that the French would gladly incommodate the king of England so this is not to bee denied that Lewis was often afterward a Mediatour for peace and vndoubtedly held the man himselfe in great estimation both aliue and dead 25 The Archbishoppe growing thus in fauour with the Pope King Henry sends an Ambassage vnto him of many great Personages as Roger Archbishop of Yorke the BB. of London Winchester Chichester Iohn of Oxenford William Earle of Arundell c. whose whole emploiment being prece vel pretio by requests and gratifications to procure disgrace vnto Becket their finall suit was That the Pope would send two Cardinals into England fully to end the matter but the Pope denied it as holding it derogatory to his owne absolutenes saying like Gods Vice-gerent at least That is my owne glorie which I will not giue to any other but when he is to bee iudged I will iudge him my selfe For he knew the King of England was mighty both in speech and meanes and that Legates might easily be corrupted as being men more thirsty after gold and siluer then after iustice and equity and the Pope and Cardinals wisely resolued saith the Monke of Canterbury that as if this Archbishop were now vpheld in his cause it would be a patterne for others in like case to resist Kings so if he should sinke no Bishoppes euer after would darc oppose themselues to their Soueraignes pleasure and so the State of the Catholike Church would be shaken and the Popes authority be crushed 26 The King hauing receiued this foile and impatient of repulse where his owne subiect was a party thought the indignity offered by the Pope vnsufferable and to let him vnderstand how hee tooke it directs his Writs vnto the Sheriffes in England commanding them to attach such as did appeale to the Roman Court the fathers mothers brothers sisters nephewes and neices of all such of the Clergy as were with the Archbishop and to put them vnder sureties as also to seise the reuenewes goods and chattels of the said Clergie-men Again by other his letters to Gilbert Bishop of London he sequestred the profits and liuings which within his Diocesse did belong to any of the Clergie who were fled to Thomas that without the Kings leaue they might haue no part thereof Lastly to his Iustices he signified that they should safe-keepe whosoeuer did bring any interdict into England till the Kings pleasure were further knowne hee also caused the Church of Canterbury and all the Archbishops goods to bee confiscated grounding himselfe as may probably bee supposed vpon the iudgement giuen against Becket at North-hampton notwithstanding that the saide sentence was expresly nullified by the Popes Bul and not onely by word of mouth as * Mathew Paris seemes to mistake it Neither was this all for hee banished out of the Realme all the kindred of the Archbishop man woman child and sucking babes and for bad that hee should be any longer publikely mentioned and praied for in the Church as Arch-bishop of Canterbury 27 The Archbishop on the contrary part the contention being now wither the power Ecclesiasticall or Secular should worke most did solemnly in France where he abode excommunicate all such as obeyed defended or had occasioned the saide lawes and Auitall Customes and some of the parties by name as Richard de Luci Richard of Poictou Iocelin de Bailull Alan de Neâ—…ile and other who presently appealed but the King hauing further notice that Becket after his publike sermon on a great Festiuall day had solemnly threatned the like thunderclap against his Roiall Person either to terrifie his aduersaries or to reuenge himselfe if any such sentence should bee against him gathered a mighty Army vnder pretence of subduing Wales where yet hee did little The meane while Iohn of Oxenford who not onely followed the Kings cause stoutly but also writ a learned Booke in iustifying of it against Becket preuailed so farre at Rome that two Legates à latere should bee sent into England to reconcile the King and Thomas but when they were gone the Pope hearing that they were resolued vtterly to confound the Arcâ—…shop sent letters after them to rebate their absolute power they being men saith Geruasius who too much thirsted after gold and glory 28 When these two Cardinals came to Thomas he refused to put his cause to them vnlesse there were first a plenary restitution made to him and his of all that had beene taken away but being then counselled by them to submit himselfe to the king his answere was he would sauing Gods honour and the Churches liberty sauing his own honour and his Churches possessions and sauing his owne and his friends right being further demanded whither to resettle peace in Gods Church which hee seemed onely to desire he would renounce his Bishop-ricke if the king would renounce his customes he answered The proportion was not alike for that with
posterity The conquest of Dublin being speedily and most happily atchieued not long after Dermot Mac Murgh Father in law to the Earle whom the Irish for his affection to the English call Dermot Ningall that is Dermot the Strangers friend breathed his last at Fernys dying plenus dierum 59 The fame of these successes wafting ouer the Irish seas and comming to the King made him resolue to passe in person thither that he might haue the honor of the Conquest and not approuing such forwardnes in the Earle who as some say went against his expresse commandement and indeed Giraldus who liued at that time cals his leaue no better then an Ironicall leaue and for that hee knew not to what insolency such faire fortune might in time allure as also for that they seemed to handle the Natiues too rigorously thereupon hee forbids by his Proclamations any vessell to carry any thing out of his Dominions into Ireland and commands all English to returne before Easter and leaue off their attempts or their estates in England should be seised for the King By which Edict these affaires were brought into fearefull extremity which was changed into better condition by the trauell of Herucius de Monte Marisco on the behalfe of the Earle and the aduenturers who finding the King in Glocestershire with an Army for Ireland appeased his displeasure vpon these termes That the King should haue the head City of the Kingdom Dublin with the adiacent Cantreds with all the Coast townes and Castles the rest to remaine to the Conquerours to hold of the King and of his Heires and so to bee vnder his protection as Subiects ought and as they were before which subiection it seemed to the King they ment to haue renounced 60 The Kings goodly Nauy lay in Milford hauen to which as hee iournied hee thundred against the Welsh Nobility comming to entertaine him for suffering Strongbow to depart At last being imbarkt he had a faire Gale which set him safe in Ireland with all his Forces at Waterford where first hee commits to prison Robert Fitz-Stephen whom the Citizens presented bound hauing held him in custody vnder color of doing good seruice because hee had entred Ireland without the Kings particular leaue yet soon after the King released him but depriued him of Weisford and the territories Then takes he the homages of such petty Kings and principall persons of the Irish as repaired dismissing them in honourable sort meaning to winne them by gentle and not exasperating courses and marching through Ossyrie to Dublin he takes ô Rotherick the King of Connaughts homage by Hugh Lacie and William Fitz-Aldelm last ly at Dublin he kept his Christmas in Royall state which to behold very many of the Irish Princes came thither 61 Mindfull now of his duty to God the Iland being calme and silent through the presence of such a mighty Monarch the most noble King of England and triumphator of Ireland as mine Author stileth him causeth a Synode to be holden at Cassils for reformation of the Irish Church where amongst sundry other constitutions to which the Irish Clergy did willingly submit it was decreed That all the Church-lands and their possessions should be altogether free from the exaction of secular men that from thenceforth all Diuine things should be handled in euery part of Ireland in such sort as the Church of England handleth them For saith the Constitution it is most iust and meete that as Ireland hath by Gods mercy obtained a Lord and King out of England so also that from thence they should receiue a better forme of life and maners then heretofore they vsed 62 The King continuing his politicke iealousies and thinking Strongbow to be as yet too great draws from his dependency Raimund Milo Cogan William Makarel and other of the best Captaines makes them his owne by bounty But before hee could fully establish that Kingdome the inseparable euil fate thereof which would neuer suffer it to enioy the blessed benefite of exact ciuility other affaires which he esteemed more necessary call him away and therefore hauing left Hugh Lacie at Dublin hee sets saile for England vpon Easter Monday and landed happily at Saint Dauids in Pembrookeshire from whence with all speed hee posteth into Normandie 63 In Normandy there attended for his arriuall two Cardinals sent as Legates at his owne request for taking his purgation concerning the death of the Archbishop of Canterbury whereof vpon oath that hee was no way consenting to that cruell and sacrilegious reuenge and declaring withall his infinite sorrow for hauing in his anger giuen occasion by rash words for others to doe that deede and giuing further oath to performe enioined penances he was by them absolued The condition of his absolutions were That hee should at his owne charge maintaine two hundreth Souldiers for an whole yeere for defence of the holy land That he should suffer Appeales to be made freely That hee should reuoke all customes introduced to the preiudice of the Churches liberty That he should restore and make vp the possessions of the Church of Canterbury That hee should freely receiue all such as were in banishment for Beckets cause c. Not long after Thomas was canonized by Pope Alexander and so not onely the victorie clearely giuen him against King Henry but a triumph also 64 Now beganne the wombe of rebellion and vnnaturall conspiracies to disclose the mischiefes which were ordained to exercise this right redoubted King and Warriour â—…hatched here at home by the malice some say of Eleanor his Queene at such time as hee was absent in Ireland so that as one writes God stirred vp the Kings owne bowells against himselfe Causes of this vnhappie dissention there were many First a Queene and Wife violentlie vindicatiue for wrong done vnto her Bed by the King who was immoderatlie addicted to varietie of loues then Ambition in an euill-naturd Child and lastlie pernicious Actors and instruments who for their owne ends nourished this cursed mischiefe so as if we should out of our stories recapitulate the seuerall occasions taken by the sonne against the father wee should rather shew you the colours then the causes For none of those causes which his Son pretended seemed great enough with men that feare God to beare out such continuall diuisions as followed 65 The head of this conspiracy was verie great and iustly verie terrible for on the side of King Henry the sonne there were the Kings of France and Scotland Richard and Geffrey two yonger sonnes of the King of England whom by their mothers perswasions they forsooke to follow the yongue King Dauid the Scotish Kings brother Philip Earle of Flanders a Peere of France and a potent Prince Matthew Earle of Boloigne Theobald Earle of Blois Hugh Earle of Chester Robert Earle of Leicester Hugh Bigot Earle of Norfolke Roger Mowbray and other great ones
howsoeuer the silent partialities of forrain Writers smoother them that himself wrote ouer to his deerest Hubert Archbishoppe of Canterburie That by Gods fauour who in all things considers the right hee had taken Tailburg Marsiliac and all the other Castles of Geofrey de Rancune the City of Engolisme and all the Castles and Territories of the Earle thereof and almost three hundreth Knights or men of Armes and about forty thousand armed Souldiers 61 We will not here ouerpasse that which Houeden reports being an example of Christian repentance in Princes of a poore Hermits comming to this noble Monarch and preaching to him the words of eternall life and bad him bee mindfull of the subuersion of Sodom and to abstaine from things vnlawfull otherwise saith he the deserued vengeance of God will come vpon thee The Hermit being gone the King neglected his words but not long after falling sicke hee more seriously bethought himselfe and afterward waxing sound in soule as well as body his daily exercise was to rise earely not to depart from the Church till diuine seruice were finished whereupon saith Houeden how glorious it is for a Prince to beginne and end his actions in him who is beginning without beginning and iudgeth the ends of the earth Moreouer hee bountifully releeued euery day much poore both in his Court and Townes about and restored gold and siluer vessels to such Churches from which to pay his ransome they had beene taken away 62 After this passed sundry interchanges betwixt the French and English sometimes of warres with wasts and spoiles sometimes of truces with interuiewes and Parlies in one of which the Lady Alice cause of much mischiefe K. Philips sister was restored according to the contract of Messana to her brother who forthwith bestowed her in mariage vpon Iohn Earle of Pontif. In the mean while the Kings sought to make friends vpon all sides but King Richard by his munificence and other means drew from King Philip a mighty party of his neerest neighbours Baldwin Earle of Flanders Raimund Earle of Tholose to whom also King Richard gaue in marriage his sister Ioan Queen of Sicilia the * Chāpanois and others so that Philip was faine to trust wholy vpon himselfe for whereas hee had latelie married the sister of the King of Denmarke of purpose to vse the Danish shipping against the English that affinity proued enmity for the next day after his wedding hee put her away pretending besides * other things that shee was of too neere a propinquity of bloud albeit most vntrulie as her brother the King of Denmarke proued before the Pope though he could not be heard the King of France more preuailing either by feare or fauour 63 About this time Iohn the Kings brother Markadey Captaine of the Brabanters called the Rowtes had made an incursion vp to Beauois where the Bishoppe being also an Earle of the Roiall Bloud and the eleuenth Peere of France valiantly fighting was taken in the skirmish armed at all points and brauely mounted on whose behalfe the Pope vpon the Bishops humble suite * pleading the Clergies immunity wrote somewhat earnestlie to King Richard to set his verie deare sonne for so he called the Bishop at liberty The King in a kind of pleasant earnestnesse caused the Habergeon and Curaces of the Bishop to be presented to the Pope with this question alluding to that of * Iacobs children to their father concerning Iosephs garment Vide an tunica filii tui sit an non See whether it bee thy sonnes coat or no. Whereupon the Pope replied that he was neither his sonne nor the sonne of the Church and therefore should be ransomed at the Kings will because hee was rather iudged to be a seruitor of Mars then a Souldier of Christ. Whom the King of England in reuenge of many euill offices especiallie in the time of his captiuity with the Emperour handled sharpely The Bishop at length waxing impatient writes a passionate letter to the Pope whose answere in part is here set downe for that it notably defends the King of England If saith the Pope thou hast had ill successe it is no maruaile for putting off the peaceable Prelate thou didst put on the warlike Souldier and rashly tookest a shield in stead of a cope a sword for a Stole a Curace for an Albe an Helmet for a Miter a Lance for a Bishops staffe peruerting the order course of things neither meant you as you alledge to repell violence but vertue nor did you fight for your Country but against it for of your France we can now publikely pronounce Woe to that land whose King is a Child For your King was strictly bound by corporall oath to the King of England not to damnifie his territories c. at least wise till his returne from the iourney of his Pilgrimage neuerthelesse contrary to his faith and oath hee without all shame seised by force the good townes of the said King and cruellie wasted his Dominions with hostile hand but that King returning at last out of captiuity manfully encountred your King not reposing his hope in multitude but in Almighty God c. Humility therefore against pride right and equity against wrong measure and modesty against intemperance and arrogancy haue certainely hitherto fought for the King of England c. Wee haue notwithstanding directed our supplicatorie letters to him on thy behalfe c. for in such a case we neither can nor ought commaund c. Meane while beare your bands and sorrowes patientlie c. 64 While thus sundry warlike matters passed betweene the English and French the King of England encreaseth his side with new associates Arthur Duke of Britaine the Duke of Luuain the Earles of Gynes Boloine Perch and Blois with others and * Houeden recites three seuerall times within a short space in which the King of France was driuen with losse and dishonour out of the field by King Richard beside the losse of Saint Omers of Air and of other Townes wonne by Baldwin Earle of Flanders and besides the wast of the French Dominions by many inuasions But the greatest of the three victories was the second which King Richard gained at the battaile betweene Curceles and Gysors where the K. of France himselfe fell into the riuer of E the the bridge breaking vnder him with the throng of people which fled for their liues before the English Lion neither was hee easily saued twenty of his men of Armes being drowned by that ruine but before he could be drawne out water had gotten into his belly 65 This was a famous victory for besides a long Catalogue of great names extant in Authors there were taken by the Kings Armie 100. Knights and Seruitours on horse-backe and footmen without number besides thirty men of Armes and other inferiour Souldiers not countable which Markadey Generall of the Rowtes had for prisoners
that Sir Godfrey de Crancumb Knight with three hundred armed men was sent to apprehend the Earle in Essex Hee hauing intelligence of their approach fledde into a Chappell at Brentwood which adioyned to his lodging from whence those rough Souldiers haled him hee holding in one hand a Crucifix and in the other the Sacrament and sent for a Smith to make for him shackels of yron But when the Smith vnderstood that it was for Hubert de Burgh Earle of Kent he refused vttering such words if Mathew Paris doe not Poetize as did well shew that honourable thoughts are somtimes found in the hearts of men whose fortunes are farre from honour for hauing first drawne a deepe sigh hee said Doe with mee what yee please and God haue mercy on my soule but as sure as the Lord liues I will neuer makeyron shackles for him but will rather die the worst death that is For is not this that most loyall and couragious Hubert who so often hath preserued England from being destroyed by strangers restored England to England He who faithfully and constantly serued his Soueraigne Lord King Iohn in Gascoigne Normandy and else where that he was compelled to eate the flesh of horses whose high courage euen Enemies admired he that so long defended Douer Castle the Key of England against all the exquisite sieges of the French and by vanquishing them at Sea brought safety to the Kingdome What need I rehearse his excellent doings at Lincolne and Bedford Let God be iudge between him and you for vsing him so vniustly and inhumanely repaying good with euill nay requiting his most excellent deserts with the worst recompence that can be But Sir Godfrey and his blacke band regarded not such speeches but otherwise binding the Earle hard they set him on horsebacke and so conuayed him to the Tower of London 35 This breach of Sanctuary being made knowne to Roger Bishoppe of London whose Diocesse it was he confidently tels the King that if the Earle were not restored to the Chappell hee would excommunicate all the Authors of that outrage The Earle is accordingly restored but the Sheriffes of Essex and Hertford at the Kings commandement with the powers of their counties besiege the Chappell so long that at last they hauing cast a Trench about it that none might goe in or out the Earle was compelled to come forth and render himselfe bearing all things with an equall mind as one that had a cleare conscience before God which hee professed to haue While the Chappell was thus beset round the Kings indignation was so violent that hee forbad all men once to make mention of Hubert in his hearing No maruaile then if it bee said that the Princes indignation is death The Archbishoppe of Dublin neuerthelesse was not deiected but with praiers and teares besought the King who remained as yet inexorable Huberts enemies possessing his soule and senses Hubert therefore is againe imprisoned in the Tower There was no sacrifice as it seemes could appease the Kings iâ—…e but that of the Earles Hoord of gold and other riches which the Knights Templars had in their custodie vpon trust without Huberts consent refused to deliuer Hubert therefore willingly yeelds which when the Depositaries did giue vp the value seemed incredible This hoording perhaps was Huberts crime whereof being thus purged he had hope to recouer out of these deadly pangs and conuulsions of fortune and himselfe to bee made capable of curing Well the king obtains this precious booty but his enemies would haue his bloud also saying sith hee was conuicted of theft and fraud it was meet he should die a most shamefull death It seemes they thought that the verie finding of so much treasure was a conuiction of fraud in the getting and that the King must bee interpreted to haue lost whatsoeuer the Earle had gained But the displeasure of the King was mollified with this golden balme for hee answered them thus Hubert from his childhood hath as I haue heard faithfully enough serued my vncle King Richard and my Father King Iohn and if he haue done ill towards me hee shall neuer therefore die an euill death For I had rather be reputed a foolish or a negligent King then a cruell Tyrant or a bloudy man toward him who hath long serued mee and mine ancestors nor will I weigh more his euill deedes which are not as yet manifest nor proued true then all his good deeds which are plainelie knowne to the Realme and to vs all Hereupon Hubert had all such lands granted vnto him as eyther King Iohn had giuen or himselfe had purchased There vndertooke for him to the King as sureties the Earles of Cornwall and Warrenn Marshal Ferrars and himselfe was committed to the Castle of Deuises there to abide in free Prison vnder the Custody of foure Knights belonging each of them to one of these foure Earles This Court-storme thus in part ouerblowne let vs take our standings to view what other weather followed and what countenance of things in this Kingdome did next present it selfe to the world 36 The King being naturally as it seemes addicted to repose himselfe vpon some one mans counsell was now wholy swayde by Peter de Rupibus Bishoppe of Winchester who had therefore wrought the Earle out of grace that hee might soly raigne and predominate in the gentle King Which the better to effect the Bishoppe procures him to displace the English Officers and in their roomes to surrogate Poictouines and Britons who comming ouer to the number of about two thousand he stuffes his Castles with them and in briefe did as it were wholy entrust himselfe his treasures strengthes and the Realme to them So that Iudgements were committed to the vniust Lawes to the Out-lawes Peace to Wranglers and Iustice to wrong-dâ—…ers Such as would haue praied redresse for these abuses were interrupted and put off by the Bishoppe of Winchester Among them who were remoued from their places in Court was one Sir William de Redune a Knight and Deputy Marshall to Richard Earle of Pembroke This was to the Earle very displeasant which ioyned with a consideration of the publike cause and danger he associates vnto him certaine of the great Lords as was the fashion of those Lording times vpon euery discontent and in the Company of them aduanceth confidently to the King whom in the hearing of many hee reproueth for that he had through sinister aduise called in the Poictouins to the oppression of the Realme of his naturall subiects of their Lawes and Liberties humblie therefore hee beseecheth him that hee would spedily reforme such abuses which threatned the imminent subuersion both of the Crowne and Kingdome which if hee did not himselfe and other Lordes would so long withdraw their attendance as he entertained Strangers The Bishoppe hereunto makes answere That the King might well and lawfully call in what Strangers himselfe
in regard of the great enmities betweene the Pope and Emperour to depart out of England There was also strait commandement giuen to the Italian Vsurers to leaue the most pure earth of his Realme meaning that his owne people was most innocent and free from such a sinne but saith one who durst write any thing hee thought by giuing the King money which is too much vsed to iustifie the wicked they for a great part remained still as loth to forsake such fat pastures And the Legat himselfe also staied so long till the Pope by wily inducements and forged calumniations had drawne the King both to relinquish the Emperour his brother in law and to suffer the Papall Excommunication to passe here against him and money also to be gathered to his impeachment A briefe taste of all the Popes proceedings against this glorious Emperour we may take from the Nobilitie of France who when the Pope offered the Empire vnto Robert the French Kings brother in their grand Councell refused to accept it charging the Pope with the Spirit of audacious rashnesse for deposing the Emperour not conuicted of any fault and whom a Generall Councell onely ought to censure not the Pope to whom no credit ought to be giuen being his Capital Enemie For that themselues knew he was a vertuous and victorious Emperor and one who had in him more religion then the Pope had Our Legat Ottho who now at length is gone was no sooner departed but Peter of Sauoy the Queens Vncle arriued to whō the King gaue the Earldome of Richmōd and entertained otherwise most magnificently This and the like largesse to strangers drew on the King much euill will who also in fauour of his Queene procured her Vncle Bonifacius to be chosen Archbishop of Canterbury in place of Edmunde who weary of his life in England by reason that he could not redresse the Popes detestable exactions and oppressions made choise of a voluntarie Exile at Pountney in France where he died with the honour and opinion of a Saint 63 The Kings imploiments hitherto haue almost wholly been taken vp either in the impatiencie of ciuill disturbations or in the too-patient sufferance of some forraine greeuances nourished within his Kingdome which gaue him perhaps little leasure minde or meanes to pursue any transmarine designe But now better prouided with money then with men and yet not sufficiently with money he takes shippe immediatly after Easter towards Poictou where the Earle of March now husband to Queene Isabell his mother expected his arriuall Hee committed the Gouernment of the Realme in his absence to the Archbishoppe of Yorke Thirtie Hogsheads or Barrels fraught with sterling money were shipt for that seruice There also went with him Richard Earle of Cornwall who was returned with much honour out of the Holy-land not long before and seauen other Earles with about three hundreth Knights besides other souldiers To resist the English the King of France who had giuen Poictou to his brother Alfonse assembled an Armie royall of foure thousand men of Armes excellently wel appointed and about twenty thousand choise Souldiers with a thousand Carts to carrie their other necessaries King Henrie vnderstanding that the King of France lay before Frontenay a Castle belonging to the Earle of March seeking to force it by assaults sent a messenger of defiance to him as a breaker of Truce Lewis a most iust and valiant P◅ince denied that euer hee brake the truce but that the King of England by ma◅ntenance of his Rebe◅s did rather seeme to i◅ringe the Peace Neuerthelesse hee offered so as the English would not protect his enemies the Earle of March and others to giue him Poictou and a great part of Normandy in satisfaction of his Fathers Oath and moreouer to enlarge the last truce with a longer terme of yeeres These so honourable safe and profitable conditions by the practise of the Poictouines who feared the French Kings indignation would proue too heauie for them to beare if the English abandoned their cause were vnfortunately refused 64 When the French King heard hereof it repented him that he had humbled himselfe so farre telling his Lords that he neither feared his Cosen of England nor all his forces but onely that Oath for restoring of the lands in France which his father made when hee was in England This scruple did so trouble the Kings mind on the behalfe of his dead Father that hee would admit no comfort till one of his Lords told him that the King of England by putting Constantine Fitz-Arnold to death for hauing spoken some words in honour of King Lewis his Father had first broken the truce This satisfied the French That whole businesse is thus concluded by Tilius Hugh Earle of March ouercome with the pride and perswasions of his wife ◅sabel would not doe homage to Alfonse the French Kings brother for shee was a cause to draw the English thither where things thriuing on his part but meanely Hugh is constrained in the end to doe both homage and fealty vnto Alfonse This onely must be added that he did vnfaithfully prouide for his priuate safety without the knowledge of the King of England at such time as he pretended otherwise 65 This treacherie lost the King all Poictou for whereas he principally tooke care for money presuming vpon the Earle for men when it came to the point the Earle was not onely not prouided but sware by the throat of God he neuer promised any such matter and denied he had set his Seale to any writing concerning such promises and that if any such sealed writing were as the King and his brother the Earle of Cornwall affirmed their mother his wife had forged it They were now in sight of the French Host before Tailbourg in Xainctoing when this improuident expostulation was made The King of England manifestly seeing his perill and hauing by his brother Earle Richards mediation whom many of the French did greatly honour because he had by composition been a meane at his arriuall to free them from the Saracens in the holy-land raised his camp by night and retreated with much more hast then good speed Not long after this the faire Citie of Xainctes in Xainctoing vpon displeasure conceiued by the Cittizens against the King because he had giuen the same to the Lord Hugh his halfe-brother sonne to the Earle of March first contriued a perfidious reuolt so closelie that if first the said Lord Hugh and then Guy de Lusinian his elder brother had not in good time signified the danger the King and all the English had been surprized by the French There was none among all the mutable Poictouins found respectiue of honor and loyaltie but onely one called Hertold Captaine of the famous Castle of Mirabell who in great sorrow repaired to the King of England praying counsell and assistance where the King with a downecast looke gaue
English being in number aboue a thousand Knightes beside greater States as Prelates Earles and Barons and of the Scots about sixe hundreth Knights and Gentlemen all of them well appointed There was also two Queenes the Mother of the Bride who was to be Queene and the widow or Queen Dowager of Scotland who for that cause was returned out of France attended vpon in royall manner with many Lords and Gentlemen of France The Scots were lodged in one place of the City by them selues Vpon Christmas day the King of England gaue the order of Knight-hood to the King of Scots and at the same time to twenty others richly apparrelled Vpon the next day the princely couple were espoused Take a scantling of the cheere and multitude of guests by this The Archbishoppe of Yorke who was Prince as it were of the Northerne parts and the common host of all that most noble fellowshippe which cost him about foure thousand marks gaue toward that feast six hundreth fat oxen all which were spent in the first generall seruice and whatsoeuer the vaine Stage-play of the world might afford eyther for pompe or delight was there all enioyed More worthy to bee remembred then that magnificent gluttonie the natural vice of these our Nations was the orderly and no childish action of the young Bridegroome in reconciling Philip Louell whom King Henry had latelie fined and discourted for taking Bribes to the King his Lord. K. Alexander vndertaking the businesse and finding a fitte time presents himselfe to the King of England vpon his knees holding vp his hands neither would hee rise though earnestly requested but with a gesture which seemed to draw teares of ioy and loue from the eyes of such as sate round about prosecuting his intent saith My Lord King your Maiesty knowes that though I my selfe am a king and through your goodnesse honored with the girdle of Knight-hood yet that I am withall both a Child aswell in age as in knowledge and also an Orphan my father being dead and my mother leauing me though at your sending for she is now pleased to bee present therefore from henceforth and for euer after I here doe take you both for Father and Mother that you may supply both their wants and with your paternall care help protect all mine insufficiencies The King scarse able to refraine from tender teares or to hold down his throbbings said no more but onely this one word Willingly The princely Child replied therupon I will make experiment of that and know it by proofe seeing you haue graciously heard mee hitherto in trying whether I shall reape the effect of my first suit Then hee declared his request and had it so that Louell was afterward Treasurer 80 The State and fidelity of the Gascoignes was so desperately shaken and plunged by the reuenges which Simon de Montford to whom the king had giuen the gouernment of their Country for sixe yeeres had exercised vpon them for that they had accused him to the King of tyrannous proditorious dealing and affirmed that his name ought rather to bee Sinon then Simon that but for the vent of their wines in which respect their subiection to England was verie beneficiall to their Common-weale it was thought they would generally haue reuolted But the King though readie thus to leese Gascoigne would yet needs hope to obtaine Normandie and his other lands in France without blowes The King of France whose conscience was wonderfully tender and sincere had indeed written out of Palestine to that purpose as thinking King Henries title was better then his owne but the French among whom their Kings misfortunes in the losse of Damiata in Aegypt which was wholy ascribed to the Popes auarice who for money released those who should haue aided him had brought him into lesse regard then his excellent vertues merited did vniuersally and constantly refuse adding that before the King of England should haue any more land among them hee must passe through a thousand sharpe Lances and a thousand bloudy Swords when the Lances were burst On the other side the King of England was but in little credit with his people for whereas by an agreement betweene the Pope and him the Tenths of the Clergie through England during three yeeres should haue beene receiued toward his charges in his pretended iourney to the Holy-Land yet in a generall assembly at Westminster very few were drawne to giue their names to that seruice notwithstanding that two Bishops and the Abbot of Westminster laboured in their Sermons all they could to stirre the people to that martiall Pilgrimage and though the King himselfe in all their view took a most solemn oth that within three yeere he would set forward the onlie reason of their vnwillingnes growing vpon suspition that he onely sought as the Pope had giuen him example to draw by this colour the treasure of the Realme into his hands This their diffidence of sinceritie in him made him the rather incline to foster and fauour strangers that with a kind of peruicacie though himselfe by manifold neglects of his word had worthilie bred that diffidence 81 The King could more hardlie find followers in such an enterprise for that his people had no conceit of his valour but said What reason encourageth him who was neuer trained vp in Martiall discipline nor hath managed an horse nor drawn a sword nor charged a staffe nor shooke a Target to hope for a triumph ouer the Sarazens against whom the Cheualrie of France hath miscarried or wherefore dreames hee of recouery of more land who could not keepe that which he had in for raine parts concluding that he was a man onely borne to draine their purses to empty his own and to multiplie debts This was the opinion of men behind his backe but not onely of men for Isabel Countesse of Arundel widow of Henry Earle of Arundel a young Lady receiuing the repulse at the Kings hands in a matter which shee alleadged to be hers in equity durst say thus to his face O my Lord King why doe you turne away from iustice we cannot now obtaine that which is right in your Court you are placed as a mean between God and vs but you neither gouerne vs nor your selfe neither dread you to vexe the Church diuersly as it hath not onely felt in present but often heretofore Moreouer you doubt not manifoldlie to afflict the Nobles of the Kingdome The King fired at so free a speech with a scornefull and angry countenance answered with a loud voice O my Lady Countesse What haue the Lords of England because you haue tongue at will made a Charter and hyred you to bee their Orator and Aduocate wherevnto the Countesse replied Not so my Lord for they haue made to mee no Charter but that Charter which your Father made and which your selfe confirmed swearing to keepe the same inuiolably and constantly and often extorting
England not they who were attendant on the Queen her selfe in neerest place being spared all matters by her negotiation and suite were quieted vpon condition that King Edward should giue to his sonne Edward of Windsor afterward King the Dutchy of Aquitaine and Earledome of Pontine for which the king of France was pleased to accept his said young Nephewes homage 53 This was done and the Prince sent ouer for that purpose to his mother to the vtter vndoing of the King his Father and of all his fauourites For the heire of England being in forraine parts among the contrary faction all the consultation was vnder colour of ruining the Spensers to accomplish farther matters The Prince hauing at Boys de Vincens done his homage for that Dutchie and County to his vncle Charles de Valois King of France was as also the Queene his mother sent for backe by the King about Michaelmas but the Queenes conspiracie being not yet ripe shee deferred to obay detaining her sonne still 54 There went ouer with the young Prince among many others Walter Stapleton Bishoppe of Excester who perceiuing into what familiarity the Lord Roger Mortimer was growne with the Queene which seemed greater then either stood with her honour or dutie and seeing both him and other of the Kings enemies and fugitiues enioy that priuacie in counsell which was assigned to himselfe who was now as being none of theirs excluded returned secretly though vnsent for into England faithfully as it became a good man declaring his knowledge 55 The King now clearely beholding his errour in his dangers solicited the King of France to send home his wife and sonne but that not succeeding he caused them openly in London to be proclaimed enemies of the Kingdome banishing them with all their adherents out of the same For his more assurance also hee caused the Ports to bee most narrowly watcht Finally to draw all his dangers to a short dispatch there was as was supposed a plot laid for making away the Queene and Prince but Gods will was to frustrate it 56 The Queen on the other side fearing that the Spensers gold had laid traines to blow her whole proceedings vp in France kept herselfe out of the way till with the Prince the Lord Roger Mortimer and other their adherents they were safely gotten into Henault There might bee some other reason also and necessary to moue Queene Isabel to depart out of France beside the doubt of that kind of corruption in the Peeres thereof as to turne off a warre from thence being her natiue Country which for her cause was afflicted in the Sea-strengthes therof for Sir Iohn Oturwin Sir Nicholas Kiried and Sir Iohn de Felton with the Nauie of the Ports and of other places had by commission from the King so scowred the narrow Scas that they within a short time brought into England as lawfull prize an hundreth and twenty Norman shippes or vessels Moreouer whereas those two Bishoppes which the Pope had sent were returned sorrowfull out of England not onely without doing any good on her behalfe but also without hope of doing any shee might easily be perswaded that the sword must doe it or nothing 57 But in Henault shee found most honourable and louing welcome of the Earle where therefore without the consent or aduise of the Peeres of England shee ensured saith our Author that delight and terrour of the whole world her sonne being then about foureteene yeeres old to Philippa the said Earles daughter and with the money of her portion waged souldiers out of Henault and Germany to transport into England There her friends expected her arriuall dayly of which the Bishoppes of Hereford and Lincolne were not meanest Her men and Nauie being now readie shee with her sonne the Prince the Lord Edmund Earle of Kent his vncle Aimerie de Valence Earle of Pembroke the Lord Iohn of Henault the Earle of Henaults brother a valiant Gentleman the Lord Roger Mortimer and many other English-men of name and note with aboue two thousand and seuen hundred Henowayes and Germans vnder the leading of the said Lord Iohn arriued at Orwell in Suffolke vpon the Friday before Saint Michaels day 58 Her arriuall being reported to the King who was poore Prince not onely destitute of friends and meanes but as it seemes of courage and counsell also it did not at first seeme credible The truth appearing he demaunded assistance of the City of London whose answere was That they would honour with all dutie the King the Queene and Prince but would shut their gates against forreiners and traitors to the Realme and with all their powers withstand them In this answere the King and his few friends reposing no assurance he committed an errour worse then that former of sending his sonne out of England by retiring himselfe into the West with his inseparable fauourites the Spensers Baldocke and others there to raise a force against the Queene but before hee went hee left his other sonne the Lord Iohn called of Eltham in the Tower of London with the Coūtesse of Glocester the Kings Neece wife to the yonger Spenser Earle of Glocester committing the Tower it selfe to Sir Iohn de Weston who was well prouided of men and victuals Hee commanded all men also to destroy and kill the Queenes partakers none excepted but her selfe her sonne and Edmund Earle of Kent the Kings brother by the Father and that none vpon paine of death and losse of all that they might leese should aid or assist them and that hee should haue a thousand pound who did bring the Lord Mortimers head Thus tooke hee his last leaue of London and in a maner also of his Rule or Domination 59 On the contrary part there repaired to the Queene the Earle Marshall and Henry Earle of Leicester the Bishops of Lincolne Hereford Ely and of Barons Knights and armed Souldiers no small multitude whom aswell to retain as to draw more letters and rumors flew about declaring though falsly that the King of France had in the aide of his sister sent so many Dukes Earles and others that England could scarse suffice to feed them This for such whom the opinion of warlike strength would winne but those whom shew of Religion might moue it was as cunningly and as falsly spread that the Pope had excommunicated all such as did take armes against the Queene and the more to countenance the fiction that two Cardinals imployed about the Premisses were seen in the Queens Campe. Then was it proclaimed that the causes of her comming were to deliuer the Realme from the misleaders of the King which were named to be the Spensers Roger Baldock Bishoppe of Norwich Lord Chancellor and their Fautors all others to be safe and that nothing should bee taken from any other subiect without true payment but finally that he who broght the yonger Spensers head should haue two thousand pounds These things
sonne the amiable and famous Edward by-named not of his colour but of his dreaded Acts in battell the Blacke Prince King Edward not long after with a small companie went into France and did homage to Philip de Valoys for his Dutchie of Gascoigne 21 Nemesis or rather Gods vengeance with swift pace did now approach and summon Mortimer to a bloudie account for the yong King addicting himselfe to serious thoughts and putting on the Man before his yeeres required easily saw his owne perill in the others potencie The Queene his mother to the common dishonour and griefe of the Kingdome being generally bruted to be with child by Mortimer hee vpon ripe aduise sodainely and aduenturouslie surprised the proud man at Parliament holden in Nottingham with whom were taken the L. Geofrey Mortimer his sonne and Sir Simon de Bedford who all three were sent prisoners to the Tower of London vnder a strong guard Which done the king by common consent of the Parliament tooke into his hands his mothers excessiue Dower put her to a narrow pension of one thousand pounds by yeer circumscribing her within as narrow limits for her abode but doing her yeerely the honour and comfort of once or twice visiting her though otherwise scarce thinking her worthy of life in regard of her priuacie with Mortimer and his many heinous practises 22 Oh what enchantments are Honour and Power to the minds of men how sodainely and how strangely doe they blow vp the same with the contempt of others and forgetfulnes of themselues Certainely the fraile estate of mans constitution is clearelie seene in this high Lord who drunken with felicitie and fearing neither God nor man fell into vtter confusion when least hee feared The probable manner whereof is worthy the relating There was in the Castle of Nottingham and at this day is a certaine secret way or Mine cut through a rocke vpon which the said Castle is built one issue whereof openeth toward the riuer of Trent which runnes vnder it and the other venteth it selfe farre within vpon the surface and is at this present called Mortimers hole through this the young King well armed and stronglie seconded was conducted with drawne swordes by some his trustie and sworne seruants among which was that braue Montacute whom his vertues vnder this King raised to the Earledome of Salisbury c. vp to the Queenes Chamber whose dore so feareles is blinded affection was vnshut and with her was Mortimer the kings Master as the rumor spred him readie to go to bed whom with the slaughter of a Knight and one or two that resisted they laid hold vpon This was not reputed a slender enterprise in regard that in Mortimers retinue were not fewer they say then one hundreth and fourescore Knights besides Esquiers and Gentlemen 23 The causes for which hee was condemned in open Parliament at Westminster these ragged verses following comprehend which without any disparagement to their makers iudgement might verie well haue beene in Prose but for breuitie and change wee haue here inserted them Fiue heinous crimes against him soone were had First that he causde the King to yeeld the Scot To make a peace townes that were from him got And therewithall the Charter called Ragman That of the Scots hee had bribed priuy gaine That through his meanes Sr. Edward of Carnaruan In Barckley Castle most traiterously was slaine That with his Princes mother hee had lain And finally with polling at his pleasure Hadrobd the King and Commons of their treasure But the most barbarous murther of the kings father and speciallie the dishonourable peace and contract with the then professed enemies of England were principallie insisted vpon as hainous treason He was after sentence ignominiouslie drawne to Tyburne the common place of execution then called the Elms and there vpon the common Gallowes was as ignominiouslie executed hanging by the kings commandement two daies and two nights a publike gladsome spectacle There died with him Sir Simon de Bedford Knight Iohn Deuerel Esquier aswell for expiation of the late King Edwards death as in complement as it were of so great a mans fall whose liues doe seldome or neuer perish single 24 Now came Scotlands turne about to suffer againe most grieuous losses and afflictions an ordinarie effect of Childrens gouernment whether Children in age or in discretion for the Lord Edward Baliol hearing of King Roberts death and the tender age of King Dauid as son and heire of that Baliol to whom king Edward the first had adiudged the Scotish crown with such voluntaries as hee could raise though his Father the Lord Iohn had released his claime to king Robert and though King Edward in fauour of his sister Ioan Queen of Scotland would not openly at first support him embarkt himselfe in Yorkeshire and inuaded that Realme where vpon his landing he slew Alexander Setoun at Kingorn and about nine hundred others putting the rest to flight Not long after that no mischiefe might come alone neere to the water of Ern at a place called Dupline where the Earles of Mar and March with two puissant armies of Scots for the defence of their yong King Dauid lay encamped the said Lord Edward whose small numbers not exceeding three thousand English the Earles as securely and as fatally contemned as the English vnder Edward the second had contemned the Bruce and his Scots obtained of them a wonderfull victorie Boetius who neuer or rarely leaues any ouerthrow purely to the manhood of the English will needs haue this discomfiture effected by a Camisado the Baliol and his English with others passing the water of Erne by a Foord in the night when the enemy little suspected it 25 The slaughter euen by his report was miserable for there were slaine saith he the Earles of Marre and Carricke and three thousand of the Noble beside Commons Our Writers agree that this Foord was passed in the night but that the fight endured from Sunne-rising till three of the Clocke afternoone and that besides the Earles of Marre and Carricke three other Earles Menteth Athol and Murrey twelue Barons eight hundreth knights and men of Armes beside aboue thirteene thousand other lost there their liues Of the English there were onelie slaine thirty and three Esquiers so that not without cause this victory was attributed rather to power diuine then humane 26 Yet this was but the beginning of farther calamities to the Scotish Nation which was in it selfe diuided into factions the one for Bruce the other for Baliol. The Lord Edward making vse of his good fortune got himselfe to bee crowned King of Scotland at Scone But king Dauid Bruce with his Queen fled into France to Philip de Valoys who raigned there entertained them with much compassion and honor giuing them Castle Galliard for the place of their abode till fairer fortune shone Meane-time the Scots sustained new
Wraw another lewd Priest had assigned it 21 Neuer was the kingly race and common-weale so neere to an vtter extirpation as at this present which was wee may truly say miraculously preuented The yong king in these feares and dangers repairing to Westminster most deuoutly commended his Crowne Life and whole estate to God nor that in vaine For Wat Tyler with his Campe of Rascals esteemed to bee ten or twenty thousand according to the Kings Proclamation attending in Smithfield but cauilling of purpose vpon the conditions of peace as hee that meant a farther mischiefe though they of Essex were returned was entreated to ride to the king who also sate on horse-backe before Saint Bartholmewes in whose company was that renowned Lord Maior of London William Walworth with many other men of birth and place 22 Wat Tylar scarse at the last comming behaued himselfe so insolentlie offering to murther one of the Kings knights Sir Iohn Newton for omission of some punto of respect which he arrogated to himselfe in more then a kingly manner was vpon leaue giuen him by the king boldly arrested with a drawn weapon by the Lord Maior a man say Writers of incomparable courage which blow was seconded by the said Lord and others so speedily that there this prodigie of a Traitor was felde and slaine A death too worthy for that he died by the swords of honourable persons for whom the axe of an Hang-man had beene far too good 23 The Commons perceiuing the fall of their Captaine prepared to vse extreme reuenge when the most hopefull-young king with a present witte and courage it being for his life and kingdome spurred forth his horse and bad them follow him without beeing grieued for the losse of a ribauld and traitour for now hee himselfe would be their Captaine Hereupon they thronged after him into the field there to haue whatsoeuer they desired But the most worthy of all Londoners Walworth speeds with one man onely into the City raiseth a thousand Citizens in armour brings them being led in good array by Sir Robert Knolles and others with Wat Tylers head which the Lord Maior had commanded to bee chopt off from his dead carcase borne before him vpon a Speare to the king That verie head the cursed tongue whereof had dared to say That all the Lawes of England should come out of his mouth 24 This act restored the Crown as it were and Realme to King Richard for the Rebels seeing themselues girt-in with armed men partly fled partly fel vpon their knees and throwing away all hope in weapon they answerably to their basenesse begged their liues who but euen now reputed themselues masters of the field and of the king And albeit there was a generall desire in the hearts of loyall men to expiate so many villanies with the bloud of the Actors yet things abroad in the Realme being as yet vnsetled they had a generall Charter of pardon sealed and were so sent home into their Countries 25 Certainly although the Citie of London the most noble and able part of the English Empire hath otherwise deserued of the Kings of this land very well yet the honour of this seruice worthily stands highest in the many great praises therof Which the King did thankefully and publikely testifie by knighting Walworth and by bestowing vpon him when hee modestly excused his vnworthines 41 That which followed may giue vs iust cause to suspect the truth of that Fryers accusation for the Lord William la Zouch was also by the Fryer accused of hauing been the Inuenter broacher and prouoker of him to set downe all that which was comprehended in the accusation who thereupon sent for to Salisburie though then very sicke of the gowte repaired thither in an horse-litter where hee was compelled to answere to all such points as were obiected like a felon or a traytour standing bare-headed but the priuitie or least thought of any such matter as the Fryer affirmed against the Duke hee confidently forsware and was thereupon acquitted and dismissed Howbeit saith Walsingham La Zouch was from that time forward a professed enemie not onely of Carmelites but of al other orders of Fryers whatsoeuer But these disgraces came vnseasonably vpon the Duke whose head was vndoubtedly full of designes and of cares how to atchieue to himselfe the crowne of Spaine 42 There were then sundry incursions made by the English and Scots each into the others country the Earle of Northumberland being leader to the English with little aduantage to either But to take away the very cause of this continuall bad neighbourhood or to lessen it by an established peace with France the Duke of Lancaster sayled to Callis about the beginning of August there to treat with the Duke of Berrie on behalfe of the young French King Charles 6. but after he had in that voyage expended as was said fifty thousād Marks he brought into England nothing backe except onely a truce to continue till the first day of May next His desire to haue procured a surer peace both with the French and Scots seemes to haue beene great that so hee might the more freely pursue the conquest of Spaine which he intended 43 Whiles hee was absent in this Ambassage there ensued the arraignement of a great fauourite of the Dukes Iohn Northampton alias Comberton whom his aduersaries by-named Cumber-towne This man is by them reported to haue exceedingly troubled the City of London during his late Maioralty there nor lesse afterward for that being followed with many abettors hee publikely disturbed Sir Nicholas Bramble his successor but a bloudy minded man by report and wrought other maisteries till Sir Robert Knowls caused one of the busiest companions to bee drawne out of his house and as some say shortned by the head This Comberton was by his houshold Clerke accused as priuie to some practises in preiudice as well of the King as the City and when sentence was to bee pronounced in the Kings presence being then with great store of his Nobles at Reading hee durst as is said affirme That such iudgement ought not to proceede against him in the absence of his Lord the Duke This againe vnraked the burning coales of enuie and suspition against the said Lord Duke and perhaps malice to the Duke procured this hatred against his fauourite Whereupon hee was confined to the Castle of Tyntagel in Cornwall and all his goods seised vpon by the Kings Seruants whom Walsingham expresseth by calling them after the name of those Poeticall rauenous Birds Harpyes 44 That here which Polydor Vergil assigning causes to actions not alwayes such as are but such as seemed to him most probable not seldome confounding and changing persons times names and things telles vs concerning a combate within lifts betweene Sir Iohn Aunsley Knight and one Carton hath little ground so farre as wee can find in historie He saith they were teterrima capita both very wicked men that there was a real plot to
murther the king We can neither find the crime nor the mē there had beene a solemne combat long before betweene such a knight and one Katrington an Esquire in which the knight was Challenger and victor but the crime was not treason against the kings person nor for any thing done in his time but in his noble Grandfathers Neither was Ansley teterrimum caput but a valiant and loyall man of Armes The crime which he obiected to that Esquire his kinsman was that for money he had traiterously giuen ouer the Castle of Saint Sauiour in the Land of Constantine in Normandie when he had store of victuall and munition The Esquire was vanquished in faire fight and died frantick the next day Polydors errour therefore is ioyned with manifest wrong to the knights name wherein wee ought to bee very circumspect for that honour is inestimable and descendeth to posterity There was indeed at the time he speakes of another combat fought also within listes before the king for Duels then were performed not on priuate choice or quarrell but on publike appointment betweene one Iohn Welsh an Esquire of England and one Martilet a Gentleman Nauarrois who in reuenge against Welsh for hauing at Cheirbrough where the said Esquire was vnder-captain cōmitted as Martilet said adultery with his wife accused him of high treason against the King and Realme But Welsh preuailed and the Nauarrois at his execution for hee was drawne and hanged after he had beene foild in battel confessed the cause of his euill will and the innocency of Welsh in the matter of treason 45 The Scots had this while by practise and money gotten the Castle of Berwick whereof the Custody belonged to the Lord Henry Percy Earle of Northumberland The Duke of Lancaster was not sad at this but so pursued the matter that the Earle as if by his negligence and priuity the same royall Castle had beene lost was condemned in Parliament But the king relieued him with extension of fauour This was a great cause of confirming the rancour alreadie kindled in the hearts of these two principall Peeres But the Earle to wipe away all blemishes of disgrace encloseth the Castle with a siege both of forces and large proffers so that after some time spent therein he had it redeliuered vpon paiment of two thousand marks 46 The Flemings had heretofore in the fifth yeere of this King sent Ambassadors at the time of Parliament to submit themselues and their Country to his dominion renouncing alleageance to their naturall Lord the Earle whom they had by force of Armes expelled vpon pretence o◅ oppression vsed by him and for other causes but because they seemed not either persons sufficient or sufficiently instructed with authority to transact with the King in a matter of so high nature they were commanded to returne and fetch more ample power and to bring certaine men of euery good Towne in Flanders Now againe the Citizens of Gaunt though they had in battell against the French King who was there in person on behalfe of the Earle lost twenty thousand men not long before desired of K. Richard that they might haue an English Generall to command in their warres to whom was sent a wise and valiant Gentleman the Lord Edward le Bourser who demeaned himselfe in that charge with much commendation And when afterwards he went more abundantly and strongly to haue supported them they sodeinely turnd French shewing Senescire saith Walsingham vni amico vel domino fidem diuseruare 47 The Duke of Lancaster whose or the like greatnesse may perhaps seeme more then can stand with the narrow limits of England which without danger to the common wealth can hardly afford such a proportion of estate to any Subiect was about this time enformed that the King had a purpose to arrest his person and to trie him vpon capitall points before Sir Robert Trisilian his Chiefe Iustitiar a man ready vnder the Kings protection to deliuer iudgement without respect to Titles The King was nourished in this * deliberation by yong men who combined against the Dukes life This being discouered the Duke a potent Prince withdrawes vpon his guard to his Castle of Pomfret in the North neuerthelesse the hopes of wicked men delighting in their Countreys miseries and ciuill combustions were made void by the great diligence of the Kings mother the Princesse Ioan who spared not her continuall paines and expenses in trauailing betweene the King and the Duke albeit shee was exceeding tender of complexion and scarce able to beare her owne bodies weight through corpulency till they were fully reconciled 48 It had indeed beene a most wretched time for a ciuill warre not only because the French Admirall Iohn de Vienna had beene sent with forces embarckt in threescore saile of Ships to be emploied out of Scotland against the English but for that the French prepared a generall inuasion of England hauing in hope already as it were deuoured it There reigned at that time in France Charles the sixth a yong and foolish Prince saith Tilius who hauing in his treasury left to him by his prudent father eighteene millions of Crownes and not only eighteene hundred thousand as some fearing perhaps that the other summe might seeme incredible haue written and being moreouer set on fire with an inconsiderate loue of glory rather then vpon any sound aduise though some impute the Counsell to the said Admiral would needs vndertake the conquest of our Countrey These newes stirred all the limbs and humors thereof though the euent God not fauouring the enterprize was but like that of the Mountaine which after long trauaile brought forth a ridiculous mouse neuerthelesse it had beene a most desperate season for a ciuill warre to haue broken forth in England 49 The preparations of the French doe hold notwithstanding and the generall Rendeuou of their huge forces was at Sluse in the Port whereof and other places about there were assigned to assemble for their transportation twelue hundreth saile of ships At the same time as if the two young kings had beene riuals in shew of men Richard raiseth so great an army to ouerrun Scotland as the like for beauty and number was neuer seene together consisting wholy of Englishmen But may wee beleeue that England could spare three hundreth thousand men and as many horses for the vse of a warre Certainely a needlesse multitude but only to terrifie the French with the fame for there might haue beene fewer for any great Act which Richard full of iealousie against his vncle of Lancaster wherewith his head and heart were full effected But we may the rather beleeue the account for that Walsingham voucheth Serieants at Armes if he meane not Heralds by those words whose office he saith it was to number the Host and they affirmed the same This is sure that among other the arguments vsed
had as some say suborned Edward Earle of Arundel Thomas Earle Marshall Thomas Holland Earle of Kent Iohn Holland Earle of Huntington Thomas Beaufort Earle of Somerset Iohn Montacute Earle of Salisbury Thomas Lord Spencer and Sir William Scroope Lord Chamberlaine 100 In September begins the Parliament at London where the king had a great guard of Chesshire men to secure his person and the Lords attended also not without sufficient numbers The Kings chiefe Agents were Sir Iohn Bushy Sir William Bagod and Sir Henry Greene knights In the first act after the liberties of the Church and people confirmed we find these words The commons of the Parliament haue shewed to our Souereigne Lord the King how in the Parliament holden at Westminster the first day of October in the tenth yeere of his reigne Thomas Duke of Glocester and Richard Earle of Arundell traitours to the King and his Realme and his people by false imagination and compassing caused a Commission to bee made c. and that the said Duke of Glocester and Earle of Arundel did send a great man and Peere of the Realme in message to our Lord the King who of their part said that if he would not grant and assent to the said Commission HEE SHOVLD DE IN GREAT PERIL OF HIS LIFE and so as well the said Commission as the said Statute touching the said Commission were made by constraint c. Wherefore the Commons pray their Soueraigne Lord the King that the said Commission c be vtterly anulled as a thing done TRAITEROVSLY c. 101 The sanctuary of former lawes and all particular Charters of pardon being now taken away from the Duke Earle and others they lay open to manifest ruine The Duke of Lancaster sate in iudgement as High Steward vpon Richard Earle of Arundel where for no other but for the old attempts though the other accusations seeme to haue been auerred by the eight Appellants by which as ye haue heard so many were displaced and put to death hee adiudged him to die that soule death of a common Traitor but the King satisfied himselfe with onely his head which was at one stroake taken of at Tower-hill That he was a traitour either in word or deede he vtterly did deny and died in that deniall The constancy of this Earles carriage aswell at his arraignement passage and execution as in which he did not discolour the honour of his blood with anie degenerous word looke or action encreased the enuie of his death vpon the prosecutors The Earle of Warwicke confessed with teares and as some say drawne by faire hope of life that in adhering to the Duke of Glocester in those ridings and assemblies hee was guilty of treason The same sentence was therefore pronounced vpon him The King neuerthelesse did only banish him into the I le of Man But the Duke of Glocester whom as the peoples darling it seemed not safe to bring to a publike triall was secretlie smothered at Calis with pillowes and feather-beds 102 The great Parliament for so it seemes to haue beene called by reason of the extraordinarie numbers of Peeres and their retinues which came thereunto was holpen by adiournment at Shewsbury In it those Iustitiars who were partly put to death and partly banished but all attainted at such time as the Duke of Glocester and the rest were in armes doe all of them stand thereby cleared from dishonor and such Articles as they subscribed being together with their answeres set downe in the Act are publikely ratified and the offendors against them pronounced Traitours Amongst these Articles one conteining these great Lawyers iudgements concerning the orderly proceedings in al Parliament is very obseruable That after the cause of such assembly is by the Kings commandement there declared such Articles as by the King are limitted for the Lords and Commons to proceed in are first to bee handled but if any should proceed vpon other Articles and refuse to proceed vpon those limitted by the King till the King had first answered their proposals contrary to the Kings command such doing herein contrary to the rule of the King are to be punished as Traitors But the King to content all parts and to kindle new lights in the place of such as he had extinguished hauing first created himselfe Prince of Chester made his cosen Henry Earle of Derby Duke of Hereford the Earle of Rutland Duke of Aumarl the Earle of Nottingham Duke of Norfolke the Earle of Kent Duke of Surrey the Earle of Huntington Duke of Excester the Earle of Somerset Marquesse Dorset the Lord Spencer Earle of Glocester the Lord Neuile Earle of Westmorland William Scrope Earle of Wiltshire Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester The King also saith Walsingham added to his Scucheon Royall the armories of Saint Edward King and confessor 103 The formost in this goodly ranke being Henry Duke of Hereford not long after accused Thomas Duke of Norfolke of certaine words sounding to the kings dishonour which hee should priuately vtter to the said Henry Polydor though very negligently hee makes Mowbray the Accuser and Hereford Defendant may yet be heard in reporting the effect of the words as That King Richard held the Peeres of the land in no account but as much as lay in him sought to destroy them by banishing some and putting others to death That hee neuer troubled his mind with considering how his Dominions were diminished through his Idlenesse Finally that all things went to wracke as well in peace as war But the Duke of Norfolke who vnlesse it had beene to feele how the Duke of Herefords heart was affected to the king had little reason so to complaine most constantly denying that euer he spake such wordes it should haue come to a combat within lists but the king to â—…uoid as hee pretended such deadly fewds as might rise in the families of two such potent Peeres but indeed to bee rid of an enemie with the losse of a friend banished Norfolke for euer and Hereford first for ten yeeres then for sixe Walsingham saith that this censure was giuen against Norfolke vpon that very day in which the yeere before he by the kings commandement had taken order for putting to death the Duke of Glocester at Callis whereof the said Duke of Norfolke had the Captaineship 104 Fearefull were the tragedies which ensued these times and heare now what is written of some Portents or wonders presaging the same The Bay or Laurell trees withered ouer all England and afterward reflourished contrary to many mens opinion and vpon the first of Ianuary neere Bedford towne the riuer between the villages of Swelston and Harleswood where it was deepest did vpon the sodaine stand still and so diuided it selfe that the bottome remained drie for about three miles space which seemed saith Walsingham to portend that reuolt from the King and the diuision which ensued 105 Roger Mortimer Earle of March
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
bed there lay hidden a Galtrop or Engine with three small yron pikes long slender and passing sharpe all of them with their points set vpward but God so disposing it the King before hee laid himselfe downe perceiued them and thereby auoided that hidden mischiefe but who was actor therein it doth not appeare 25 This appeares that the splendors of his new regality had drawne vp many thicke and poisonous cloudes of enuie and practise to darken if it were possible the farther brightnesse thereof Neither was it long before it grew to some extremity For Owen Glendowr vpon the causes beforesaid wasting the Lord Reynald Grayes lands was encountred by him as presuming that Owen and his friendes might easily be ouercome but the contrary hapned for there in fight hee lost very many of his companie and was himselfe taken Prisoner This fortune made the swelling mind of Owen ouerflow in vaine hopes who compelling the said Lord to marry his daughter yet obtained hee not his liberty the sooner but died say some in the power of Owen if perhaps our Author mistake not the Lord Gray for Edmund Lord Mortimer Earle of March who indeed did marrie so after hee was also ouerthrowne by the said Owen with the slaughter of aboue a thousand principall persons of Herefordshire assembled vnder his conduct to resist the Welsh inuasions and there also himselfe was by trecherie taken prisoner 26 Walsingham doth write that about this time sundrie conspiracies were discouered in the yolke as it were or embrion the whole hopes whereof rested vpon calumniations and forgery for by the first they traduced in libels Henries actions so to make him hatefull and by the second they diuulged that Richard was still aliue thereby to raise an head of separation Henry thus galled in his honour and endangered in the main resolued to spare none vpon whom the crime or concealement was found The first of them that fell vnder his iustice was a Priest of Ware with whom was taken a list or roll of names which hee had gathered supposing them such as in regard of benefites receiued would liue and die for King Richard which vanitie of his created trouble to many till it appeared that he had therein wronged them as persons who were vtterlie ignorant both of the man and matter Whereupon hee was drawne and hanged The like fate had Walter Baldocke Prior of Lawnd who confest that he had concealed others counsels against the King though himselfe had acted nothing A Frier Minor also being taken with some other of his Order for like intendments was asked What hee would doe if King Richard were aliue and present hee confidently answered that hee would fight for him till death against any whosoeuer which cost him his life being drawn and hanged in his Fryars weeds Neither did this hard fortune fall onely vpon the Clergy for Sir Roger Claringdon Knight reputed the base sonne of Edward late Prince of Wales together with an Esquier and seruant of his finished the affection which they bare to the deceased Richard by hanging Not long after eight Franciscan Fryars or Minorites were taken conuicted hanged and headed for the like causes which made the King an heauy Lord to that whole Order It is said that somewhat before this knot was discouered the diuell appeared in the habit of a Minorite at Danbury Church in Essex to the incredible astonishment of the parishioners for at the same time there was such a Tempest thunder with great fire-bals of lightning that the vault of the church brake and halfe the Chancell was carried away 27 But howsoeuer these out-branches were pared away the rootes of all the practise lay deeper out of sight for the Percies Henry Earle of Northumberland Thomas Earle of Worcester and Henrie Hotspur Lord Percy because perhaps they thought they had done wickedly in helping to set vp Henry beganne to imagine that bloudy mischiefe which afterward was prosecuted This malice the late successe of Owen Glendowr against the Lord Mortimer Earle of March taken prisoner as is said with no little slaughter of his Herefordshire men did perhaps nourish for that hee saw an enemie appeare who was not vnlikely to proue an able member of a greater rebellion Certainely the King hauing in September led an Armie into Wales to take reuenge vpon his Rebels was in great danger to haue perished with sodaine stormes and raines the like whereof none of his people had euer felt or seene so that after he had done some wasts vpon the Country hee returned The common fame went that Owen was a Coniurer and had raised those hideous tempests by hellish arts they seemed so excessiue which whether true or false did yet impart no little strength to the Welsh faction 28 The Kings fortune was happier in the North where his Lieutenants had two faire victories the one at Nisbet and the other at Halidowne-hill neere to a village called Woller And although the first was not a small one yet the other deserued the name of a iust battell and garland To the Scots hauing with aboue ten thousand men vnder conduct of Archibald Earle of Dowglas whom the Scots nick-named Tyne-man because he neuer wanne field though no sort of true manhood was wanting in his person made great spoiles in England as farre as to Newcastle and were now vpon returne Henrie Percie Earle of Northumberland the noble Henry Hotspur Lord Percie his sonne and George Earle of Dunbar who fled as you haue heard out of Scotland with the forces of the Countries there about not meaning to let them to passe in so slight a sort opposed themselues The chiefe feare was wrought by the English Archers who first with their stiffe close and cruell stormes of arrowes made their enemies footmen breake and when the noble Dowglasse descended to the charge with his choisest bands himselfe being in a most rich and excellently tempered armour and the rest singularly well appointed the Lord Percies Archers making a retreat did withall deliuer their deadly arrowes tam viuidè tam animosè tam grauitèr saith our Monke so liuely so couragiously so grieuously that they ranne through the men of Armes bored the helmets pierced their very swords beate their lances to the earth and easily shot those who were more slightly armed through and through There were taken prisoners the Earle of Dowglas himselfe who notwithstanding his armour of the best proofe had fiue wounds and lost an eye Murdake Stewart Earle of Fife eldest sonne to Robert Duke of Albanie George Earle of Angus the Earles of Murrey and Orkney the Lords Montgomerie Erskin and Grane with about fourscore Knights besides Esquiers and Gentlemen There were slaine the Lords Gourdon and Swyntonn Belindens Boetius cals them Knights with sundrie other men of honour and marke beside store of common souldiers The riuer Tweed to shew it selfe meere English did likewise fight for them by
August His fame grew principally by martiall deedes in the great warres of France vnder Edward the third but spred and setled it selfe by good workes among which the goodly stone-bridge at Rochester in Kent was one 46 In the meane space the wars of Wales were managed by Prince Henry who tooke the Castle of Aberistwith but Owen Glendowr soone after got it againe by faire fraud and thrust into it a Garrison of his owne Thus Owen prospered for a time but the Earle of Northumberland and Lord Bardolf forsaking Wales and seeking to raise a force in the North were encountred by the Sherife of Yorkeshire who after a sharpe conflict slew the Earle in the field and so wounded the Lord Bardolf that hee died thereof The Earles head was cut off which being first ignominiously carryed through London was fixed vpon the Bridge The King hauing thus vanquished his chiefe enemies went to Yorke where inquiries were made for the Earles adherents of which he condemned ransomed and emprisoned many The Abbot of Hales because hee was taken fighting on the Earles behalfe had sentence to die which was executed vpon him by hanging In fortaine and transmarine parts the Kings affaires had mixt successe for Edmund Earle of Kent at the siege of Briant in Britaine was strucken with a quarrell into the head whereof hee died but yet after he had first taken the said Castell and leueld it with the earth 47 The peace of Christendome hauing beene long tempestuously troubled by a Schisme raised by ambition of opposite Popes wherof the one was chosen at Rome the other at Auinion by contrarie factions of the Cardinals A generall Councel was summoned to bee held at Pisa in Italie whither the King of England sent his Ambassadors and the Clergy elected Robert Alum Chancellour of Oxford Bishoppe of Sarum to signifie that vnlesse both the Popes would giue ouer their Papacie neither of them should thenceforward be acknowledged for Pope The King in his letter then sent to Pope Gregory chargeth him as Platina likewise doth with Pertury and that this Papall emulation had beene the cause of the murther of more then two hundreth and thirty thousand Christians slaine in warres There assembled a great number of Cardinals Archbishops Bishops and mitred Prelates who elected a new Pope Alexander 5. a man trained vp at Oxford where hee tooke degree in Theologie reiecting the two others who long and bitterly had contended for the place The King also cals his Parliament to find out meanes for more money to the custody and charge whereof hee ordained Sir Henry Scrope creating him Treasurer as Thomas Beaufourt the Kings halfe brother Lord Chancellour In which Parliament was reuiued the sacrilegious Petition of spoiling the Church of England of her goodly patrimonies which the pietie and wisdome of so many former ages had congested But the King who was bound by oath and reason to preserue the flourishing estate of the Church detested their wicked proposition and for that cause denied all other their requests The Duke of Burgundies prouisions which he had made to reduce Caleys to the French dominions stored at Saint Omars were consumed with casuall fire to ashes 48 About these times the great and bloudy factions betweene the Dukes of Burgundy and Orleance brake forth The cause was for a murther committed vpon Lewis brother to the French king and father of the said Duke of Orleance as he came late one night from the Queenes lodging who at that time lay in of a child The murtherers to preuent pursuit strewed galthrops behind them The Duke of Burgundie iustified the fact for that Lewis had as hee said laboured with the Pope to put the King from his seat vpon pretence that hee was as vnfit to gouerne as euer Childericke was whom Pope Zacharie pronounced against This prepared the way for that scourge wherwith God meant to chastice the pride and sinnes of France Each partie sought to fortifie it selfe with friends aswel at home as abroad The Duke of Burgundie had the King and the Dolphin on his side the other had the Kings of Nauar and Arragon the Dukes of Berrie and Britaine with many of the mightiest Earles and Lords The Duke of Burgundie who together with the King and the face of gouernment kept in Paris perceiuing his aduersaries strengthes to bee more then his owne offers to the King of England a daughter of France in marriage with the Prince and many great promises so as hee would ioyne in defence of the King send ouer competent forces whereunto hee is said to haue answered Our aduise is that you should not in this case aduenture battell with your enemie who seems to prosecute a tust reuenge for the death of his Father but labour to asswage the displeasure and anger of the exasperated yong man by all the good meanes which are possible If that cannot bee then stand vpon your guard and draw into place of most safety with such force of men as may best serue for your defence After all this if hee will not bee appeased you may with the better conscience encounter him and in such case wee will not faile more fully to assist according as you request For the present he sent ouer the Earls of Arundel and Kyme and many men of Armes with plenty of English Bow-men who came safe to Paris where they in nothing diminished the ancient glory of their nation but behaued themselues valiantly 49 The Duke of Orleance and the Peeres of his faction seeing their successe consult how to draw the King of England from their enemie and thereupon send ouer one Falconet and others with solemne letters of credence whom they made their irreuocable Procurators to entreat agree and conclude on their behalfes with the most excellent Prince Henry by the grace of God King of England and his most noble sonnes c. for the restitution and reall redeliuerie of the Dutchie of Aquitain with all the rights and appurtenances which as is affirmed are the inheritance of the said most excellent Lord the King of England by them to bee made and done c. The Ambassadors hauing shewed forth this Proxie exhibited the points of their negotiation in these Articles by which wee may see how farre the desire of reuenge will transport great minds 1 They offer their bodies to be imployed against all men for the seruice of the King of England sauing their faith to their owne Soueraigne as knowing the King of England would not otherwise desire them 2 Their sonnes daughters nephewes Neeces and all their Cosens to bestow in marriage at the King of Englands pleasure 3. Their Castles Townes treasure and all their goods to be at the seruice of the sayd King 4. Their friends the Gentlemen of France the Clergy and wealthy Burgers who are all of their side as by proofe they said shall well appeare 5. They finally
indeed was his owne when sometimes in shufling he nothing was spared but bare away many knocks the lenders whereof hee would frankly reward when they complained vnto him of their losses receiued which euer were abated in the foot of their accounts 6 Our learned Knight Eliot setting his pen to portrait a perfect Gouernour recordeth a story retaining this Princes great fame the credit whereof let it lie vpon himselfe It chanced saith he a seruant of his to bee arraigned for felony at the Kings Bench-Barre where standing ready to receiue sentence of death the Prince had intelligence and posted thither where finding his seruant made sure for starting commanded his fetters to be strucke off the fellow arraigned to be freed the Court. All men amased at this his approach and speech the Chiefe Iustice stood vp and shewed the Prince that his seate was the Kings that lawes were the sinewes of the Common-wealth that himselfe was sworn to doe Iustice and must yeeld an account for all that he did that he honored him as the eldest sonne of his Soueraigne and Prince but to set free the prisoner hee could not hauing so apparantly endangered his life to the law and therefore desired the Prince if hee held him in such esteeme to saue him by pardon from the King and not to infringe the law which he told him plainely he should not doe 7 The Prince enraged to haue the deniall assaied himselfe to set free the Prisoner which the Chiefe Iustice forbadde commanding him vpon his allegiance to cease from such riot and to keepe the Kings peace whereat Prince Henry in a furie stept vp to the Bench and gaue the Iudge a blow on the face who nothing daunted sate still and with a bold countenance spake thus to the Prince Sir I pray you remember your selfe this seat of iudgement which here I possesse is not mine but your Fathers to whom and to his lawes you owe double obedience If his Hignesse be thus contemned and his lawes violated by you that should shew your selfe obedient to both who will obey you when you are a Soueraigne or minister execution to the lawes that you shall make Wherefore for this attempt in your Fathers name I commit you prisoner vnto the Kings Bench there to remaine vntill his Matesties pleasure be further known With which words the Prince greatly abashed stood mute by the Iudge and fixing his eyes vpon his reuerend face presently laid from him his weapons and with humble obeisance done departed to prison The King vnderstanding the whole circumstance greatly reioyced that he had a Sonne of such obedience to his laws and a Iudge so vpright to administer them without either fauour or feare of the person notwithstanding for this and other like actions of his youth he remoued him from being President of his Priuie Councell and placed in his stead Thomas Duke of Clarence his second brother to Prince Henries no little griefe and discontent 8 Howbeit his followers were nothing diminished but his Court frequented more then his fathers which bred some suspition in the crazie kings head lest among his other wild parts hee would attempt to play with his Crowne which was encreased by his domesticall flatterers who dayly buzzed new iealousies into his eares This made Prince Henry as Otterborne noteth to strengthen himselfe with his chiefest friends and well-willers and with such a troupe repaired to his fathers Court as a greater in those dayes had not beene seene The translator of Liuie reports the maner of his approch euen from him that was an eye witnesse and the same no lesse then the Earle of Ormond in Ireland whose relation is this 9 The King somewhat crasie and keeping his Chamber hearing newes dayly of his sonnes loose exercises too meane for a Prince and their constructions euer made to aime at his Crowne he both beganne to withdraw his fatherly affection and to feare some violence against his owne person which when Prince Henry heard of by some that fauoured him of the Kings Councell in a strange disguise hee repaired to his Court accompanied with many Lords and noble mens sonnes His garment was a gowne of blew Satten wrought full of Eylet-holes and at euery Eylet the Needle left hanging by the silke it was wrought with about his arme he ware a dogs-collar set full of S. S. of gold the Tirets therof being most fine gold Thus comming to Westminster and the Court of his Father hauing commanded his followers to aduance no further then the fire in the hall himselfe accompanied with some of the Kings houshold passed on to his presence and after his duty and obeysance done offered to make knowne the cause of his comming The king weake then with sickenesse and supposing the worst commanded himselfe to bee borne into a withdrawing Chamber some of his Lords attending vpon him before whose feet Prince Henry fell and with all reuerent obseruances spake to him as followeth 10 Most gracious Soueraigne and renowned father the suspition of disloyalty and diuulged reports of my dangerous intendmentes towardes your royall Person and Crowne hath enforced at this time and in this manner to present my selfe and life at your Maiesties dispose Some faults and mispent time with blushes I may speake it my youth hath committed yet those made much more by such fleering pickthanks that blow them stronger into your vnwilling and distastiue eare The name of Soueraigne ties alleagiance to all but of a Father to a further feeling of natures obedience so that my sinnes were double if such suggestions possessed my heart for the Law of God ordayneth that he which doth presumptuously against the Ruler of his people shall not liue and the child that smiteth his father shall die the death so farre therefore am I from any disloyall attempt against the person of you my Father and the Lords annointed that if I knew any of whom you stoode in the least danger or feare my hand according to duty shoud be the first to free your suspition yea I wil most gladly suffer death to ease your perplexed heart and to that end I haue this day prepared my self both by confession of my offences past and receiuing the blessed Sacrament Wherefore I humbly beseech your Grace to free your suspition from all feares conceiued against mee with this dagger the stabbe whereof I will willingly receiue here at your Maiesties hand and so doing in the presence of these Lords and before God at the day of iudgement I clearely forgiue my death But the King melting into teares cast downe the naked dagger which the Prince deliuered him and raising his prostrate sonne embraced and kissed him confessing his eares to haue beene ouer-credulous that way and promising neuer to open them againe against him But the Prince vnsatisfied instantly desired that at least his accusers might be produced and if conuicted to receiue punishment though not to the full of their demerites to which request
were forced asunder and the triple Crowne so battered with their thunderbolts of their curses that it was flatted and made vnfit for any of their heads The persons arreared were Iohn 23. by the Italians elected the second was Gregory 12. whom the French had set vp and the 3. was Benedict 13. preferred to the place by the Spamard These striuing for the helme the ship was so steered that her wracke was apparant vpon these raging and vnquiet Seas To preuent which the Christian Princes put their helping hands and by a generall consent ordained a generall Councell to bee held at Constance in Germany which began in February 1414 and continued aboue the space of three yeeres whereunto were assembled besides the Emperour the Pope and the Palsgra◅e of Rheine foure Patriarks twentie seauen Cardinals forty seauen Archbishops one hundred and sixty Bishops Princes Barons and Gentlemen with their attendants aboue thirtie thousand 35 Vnto this Councell King Henry sent Richard Clifford Bishop of London Robert Halam Bishoppe of Salisbury made Cardinall and died at the same Councell Iohn Keterich Bishop of Couentree and Lichfield Nicholas Bubwith Bishop of Bath and Wels. Iohn Wakering Bishop of Norwich Robert Mascall Bishop of Hereford Stephen Patrington Bishop of S. Dauids the Abbot of Westminster and Prior of Worcester in company of whome and for whose greater indifferent the French gallant fresh and through vaine hope of honour already mounted aboue men of meane rancke the English weake weary and sore starued made no such shew and yet their courage no lesse then the other The one spending the night before Battell in Feasts Triumphes and other like sports distributing their Captiues diuiding their spoiles and decreeing none to bee saued but the King and his nobles all others must die or be incurably maimed the other trimming their arrowes sharpening their speares buckling their armours and refreshing their bodies for the next day and besides other obseruances by the light of the great fiers made in the French Campe the English decerned what was therein done and tooke the aduantage of their order and ground 51 The morning approached the French tooke the field thronging forward who should be first to this most easie and certaine victory as they tooke it their greatest strength consisting in horse Against whose violence King Henry commanded two hundred strong bow-men to lodge in a low meadow where a deepe ditch full of water might secure them from the horse and the bushes couer them from sight These hauing stakes prepared and shod with Iron at both ends were appointed to sticke them slope-wise in the ground yet so that they might bee remoued as occasion was ministred to guarde them from the danger of the horse which policy accomplished King Henry whose hope was in God and the goodnesse of his cause about ten of the clocke raunged his English against the French then in field he disposed his host into three battels placing his bow-men on both sides of the maine 52 The vantgard consisting of Archers was led by Lord Edward his cosen the Duke of Yorke with him the Lords Beaumont Willoughby and Fanhope In the maine Battell all in compleate and bright shining armour the King rode himselfe his shield quartered with the royall atcheiuements of England and France vpon his helmet he ware a Coronet the circle whereof glittered with pearle and stones of an vnestimable price his horse of a fierce courage carreird as he went the bridle and furniture of Gold-smithes worke and the Caparisons most richly embroidered with the victorious Ensignes of the English Monarchy Before him in gold and glorious colours the Royall Standard was borne and many other banners in warlike order waued with the winde 53 The French had framed their Battels into two sharpe fronts as intending with their points to haue runne through the English squadrons altogether relying vpon their horsemen and shining in brauery with an incredible excesse And surelie the beauty and honourable horror of both the Armies no heart can iudge of vnlesse the eye had seene it the Banners Ensignes and Penons streaming in the ayre the glistering of armours the varietie of colours the motion of Plumes the Forrests of Lances and the thickets of shorter weapons made so great and goodlie a shew but the silent expectation of the bloody blast was as the bullet ramd into the Canon whose roaring voice is not so soone heard as the stroake of death felt by the aimed-at marke 54 The Battels thus raunged a while stood still and faced each other euen in the face The French whether vpon errour like to that of Pompeis at the Battel of Pharsalia where Caesar was victorious or to draw the English farther-from their aduantage of ground is altogether vnknowne but certaine it is that King Henry was resolued to open his way for Callis ouer the Enemies bosome or else to die and thereupon with a cheerefull countenance and words full of courage he comforted his followers and said My most faithfull Companions and worthy souldiers we now goe into the field of honour and to the worke of manhood which your great valours so long haue expected and praied for loe the day is now come and your worke the noblest in the world poure forth therefore your vtmost forces that ages may know what the lance the Axe the sword and the bow ca◅oe in the hand of the valiant Whosoeuer therefore desires riches honour and rewards here he shall find them Nimirum haec medio posuit Deus omnia Campo When hee had thus said his army fell prostrate on the ground and committed themselues vnto God euery man taking into his mouth a peece of earth in remembrance of his owne mortality being thereof made or of the holy Communion whereof hee was incorporated to be a partaker and so resolued arising the King with cheerefull countenance commanded his Standard to aduance forward saying because our iniurious enemies doe attempt to shut vp our way let vs vpon them in the name of the most glorious Trinity and in the best houre of the wholeyeere 55 The ranging of the Battell King Henry committed to an old experienced Knight called Sir Thomas Erpingham who with a warder in his hand lead the way which when he saw time hee threw vp into the aire whereat the whole army gaue a great shout which done he alighted frō his horse came to the King who was in his place on foot The French beholding this Offer kept still their owne standing which the English perceiuing made forward and came on giuing another shoute when immediately the Archers layd in the meadow darkened the aire with a shower of sharpe arrowes most fearefull to the sight but more deadly to be felt and withall the English charged their Battell with an admirable Courage the most of them for nimblenes being but halfe clothed without hat
name call and write vs in French in this manner Nostre treschier filz Henry Roy d'Engleterre heretere de France and in Latine in this manner Praclarissimus filius noster Henrieus Rex Anglia Hares Francia 26. That we shall put no impositions or exactions to charge the Subiects of our said father without cause reasonable and necessary No otherwise then for common good of the Realme of France and according to the Lawes and Customes prouided for the same Realme 27. Also that we shall trauell to our power to effect that by the assent of the three states of the Realmes of England and France all manner of obstacles may be done away and this chiefly that it be ordeined and prouided that from the time that we or any of our heires come to the Crowne of France both the Crownes that is to say of France and England perpetually be together in one and in the same person that is to say from our fathers life to vs and from the terme of our life thence forward in the persons of our heires that shall be one after another and that both Realmes shall be gouerned from the time that we or our heires come to the same not seuerally vnder diuers Kings in one time but vnder the same person which for the time shall be King of both Realmes and our Soueraigne Lord as is aforesaid keeping neuerthelesse in all manner of things to either of the said Realmes their rights liberties customes vsages and lawes not making subiect in any manner of wise one of the same Realmes to the rights lawes or vsages of that other 28. That thenceforth perpetually shall be still rest and that in all manner of wise dissentions hates rancours enuies and warres betweene the same Realmes of France and England and the people of the same Realmes drawing to accord of the same peace may cease and be broken 29. That from henceforth for euermore peace and tranquility good accord and affection and stable friendship shall be betwixt the said Realmes and the Subiects of the same and shall keepe themselues with their Counsels helpes and common assistance against all men that enforce them to doe or to imagine wrongs harmes displeasures or greeuances to them or either of them and that they shall be conuersant in merchandizing freely and surely together paying the Customes due and accustomed and that all the confederates and allyes of our said father and the Realme of France as also our confederates of the Realme of England shall in eight months space from the time of this accord of peace as it is notified to them declare by their letters that they will draw to this accord and will be comprehended vnder the treaties and accord of this peace sauing neuerthelesse their obedience to either of the same Crownes and to all manner of actions rights and reuenues that belong to our said father and his Subiects and to vs and our Subiects against all manner of such Allies and Confederates 30. That our father neither our brother the Duke of Burgundy shall begin nor make with Charles calling himselfe the Daulphin of Viennes any treatie peace or accord but by Counsell and assent of each of vs three or of other the three estates of either the said Realmes aboue-named 31. Also that we with the assent of our brother of Burgundy and other of the Nobles of the Realme of France which ought thereunto to be called shall ordeine for the Gouernance of our said father surely louingly and honestly after the degree of his royall estate and dignity in such wise as shall be to the worship of God of our said father and of the Realm of France 32. Also that all manner of persons that shall be our father to doe him personall seruice not onlie in office but in all other attendances aswell the Nobles and Gentlemen as others shall be such as haue beene borne in the Realme of France or in places belonging to France good wise true and able to doe him seruice and our said father shall dwell in places vnder his obedience and no where else wherefore we charge and command our said liege subiects and other being vnder our obedience that they keepe and doe to be kept in all that belongeth to them this accord and peace after the forme and manner as it is accorded and that they attempt in no manner wise any thing that may be preiudiciall or contrary to the same accord and peace vpon paine of life and limme and all that they may forfeit vnto vs. 33. Also that we for the things aforesaid and euery one of them shall giue our assent by our letters Patents sealed with our seale vnto our said father without all approbation and confirmation of vs and all other of our blood roiall and of the Cities and Townes to vs obedient sealed with our great seale shall make or cause to be made letters approbatory and confirmed of the Peeres of his Realme and of the Lords Citizens Burgesses of the same vnder his obedience all which Articles we haue sworne to keepe vpon the holie Euangelists Yeuen at Troies the 30. of May Anno 1420. And the same were proclaimed in London the 20. of Iune following for the Copies of this treaty the French King sent to euery Town in France as King Henry did likewise into England there to be published by Proclamation These Articles were concluded betwixt the two Kings in the presence of Queene Isabell the Duke of Burgundy and the Kings Councell the Prince of Orange Seigneur Chastelleux Marshall of France with many others the prime Nobility both of England and France both the Kings with the Queene taking their solemne oath there vpon the holy Euangelists as did likewise the Duke of Burgundy and the rest Burgundy being the first man that laid his hand on the booke and sware homage to King Henry who thereupon was stiled and proclaimed Regent of France 53 In whose presence also vpon the third of Iune being the morrow after Trinity Sunday the marriage of King Henry and Lady Katherine with all pompous solemnity was celebrated in Saint Peters Church at Troyes the Bishop of that See doing the Ceremonies And after royall feasts and Princely entertainements before the dissolution of that roiall assembly King Henry inuiting the French King and others his great Peeres to a sumptuous banquet made a pithy and pleasing Oration vnto them thus testifying his Princely desire to aduance their weale and demerit their loue 54 As the chiefe marke whereunto my cares and endeuors haue hitherto leuelled hath beene to vnite and concorporate these two Kingdomes of France and England into one which now by Gods goodnes is most happily effected so is it still and euer shall be both my desire and care that vnto posterity we may leaue it setled in the same sort and free from all empeachments of factious discords that beingas it
Nations The City is driuen to some miserie through the beginning want of all things for the siege had now endured about 60. daies not without much bloudshed on both sides The Earle of Salisburie impatient of such delay purposeth to giue a generall assault The better to consider vpon the course hee stands to take view at a window barred with Iron which ouerlookt the City toward the East Behold how God began to vncutte the knot of those bands with which the English held France bound a bullet of a great piece which lay ready leueld at that window discharged by the Gunners sonne a lad stroke the grates whose splinters so wounded the Earle and one Sir Thomas Gargraue that they both dyed of the incurable hurts within few dayes Heare now the common iudgement of Writers concerning this Earles losse Presently after the death of this man the fortune of the war changed Now both mortall and immortall powers beganne to looke fauourably vpon the State of France This to the English was Initium malorum for after this mishappe they rather lost then wanne so that by little and little they lost all their possession in France and albeit that somwhat they got after yet for one that they wan they lost three So that Polydor not without cause after many other great praises doth elsewhere call him the man in whom the safety of the English state consisted The vertue therefore of a fortunate Generall is inestimable 14 Howbeit the siege did not determine with his life William Earle of Suffolke the Lord Talbot the rest maintained the same all the winter The wants of the Campe were relieued from Paris by a conuoy vnder the guard of Sir Iohn Fastolfe and fifteene hundred souldiers who arriued safe in despite of all the attempts to distresse thē which the French made The City would yeeld it selfe but not to the English The Duke of Burgundie they were content should haue the honour A subtle stratagem rather then an offer of yeelding for there was likelihoode in it to breake thereby the amity betweene the English and him The Regent and his Counsell being sent vnto thought it not reasonable Aemylius erroniously makes the late Earle of Salisbury the Author of that refusall neither indeed was it theirs hauing beene the cost and labour The Duke of Burgundy construed this repulse sowerly which marred his taste of the English friendshippe euer after yet the Regents answere was iust and honest That the warre was made in King Henries name and therefore Orleance ought to be King Henries Among these difficulties stood the French affaires Charles of France vnderstanding the miserable straites of his deare City ignorant how to remedy so neere a mischiefe there presented herselfe vnto him at Chinon a yong maid about eighteene yeeres old called Ioan of Loraine daughter to Iames of Arck dwelling in Domremy neere Va◅caleurs a Shepheardesse vnder her father whose flockes shee tended bids him not faint and constantly affirmes that God had sent her to deliuer the Realme of France from the English yoake and restore him to the fulnesse of his fortunes Shee was not forthwith credited but when the wise of both sorts aswell Clerkes as Souldiers had sifted her with manifold questions she continued in her first speech so stedfastly vttering nothing but that which was modest chast and holy that honour and faith was giuen vnto her sayings An old woman directed her Ioan armes her selfe like a man and requires to haue that sword which hung in S. Katherines church of Fierebois in Touraine This demaund encreased their admiration of her for such a sword was found among the old Donaries or Votiue tokens of that Church Thus warlikely arrayed she rides to Blois where forces and fresh victuals lay for the reliefe of Orleance Shee with the Admirall and Marshall of France enters safe This did greatly encourage the fainting French Ioan the maide of God so they called her though some haue written that it was a practise or imposture writes thus to de la Pole Earle of Suffolke who succeeded Salisbury in the maine charge of that siege 15 King of England do reason to the King of heauen for his bloud royall yeeld vp to the Virgine the keyes of all the good Cities which you haue forced She is come from heauen to reclaime the bloud royall and is ready to make a peace if you bee ready to doe reason yeeld therefore and pay what you haue taken King of England I am the chiefe of this war wheresoeuer I encounter your men in France I will chase them wil they or no. If they will obey I will take them to mercy The Virgine comes from heauen to driue you out of France If you will not obey shee will cause so great a stirre as the like hath not beene these thousand yeeres in France And beleeue certainly that the king of heauen will send to her and her good men of Arms more force then you can haue Goe in Gods name into your Country bee not obstinate for you shall not hold France of the King of Heauen the sonne of S. Marie but Charles shall enioy it the King and lawfull heire to whom God hath giuen it Hee shall enter Paris with a goodly traine you William de la Pole Earle of Suffolke Iohn Lord Talbot Thomas L. Scales Licutenants to the Duke of Bedford and you Duke of Bedford terming your selfe ◅egent of the Realme of France spare innocent bloud and leaue Orleance in liberty If you doe not reason to them whom you haue wronged the French will doe the goodliest exploit that euer was done in Christendome Vnderstand these newes of God and of the Virgine Yet Charles had at this time no whole Countries vnder his obedience but Languede◅ and Daulphin against which both the Sauoyard and Burgundian prepared but miscarried the Prince of Orenge the third confederate being discomfited 16 This letter was entertained by the English with laughter Ioan reputed no better then a Bedlam or Enchantresse Though to some it may seem more honourable to our Nation that they were not to bee expelled by a humane power but by a diuine extraordinarily reuealing it selfe Du Serres describes this Paragon in these words Shee had a modest countenance sweete ciuill and resolute her discourse was temperate reasonable and retired her actions cold shewing great chastity without vanity affectation babling or courtly lightnesse Let vs not dissemble what wee finde written By her encouragements and conduct the English had Orleance pluckt out of their hopes after they had suffered the Duke of Alanson to enter with new force and with much losse were driuen to raise the siege Ioan herselfe was wounded at one sallie in which shee led being shot through the arme with an arrow Iudge what she esteemed of that hurt when shee vsed these admirable and terrible words This is a fauour let
nor your Progenitors with all their puissance were once able to make flie one foot backward who by his strength pollicie and wit kept them all out of the principall dominions of the Realme of France and out of this noble Dutchy of Normandy wherefore I say first God saue his soule and let his body now lie in rest which when he was aliue would haue disquieted the proudest of vs all And as for the toombe I assure you it is not so worthy or conuenient as his honor and acts deserued 27 The Regent being now dead the late peace made at Arras betweene King Charles and Philip Duke of Burgundie presently disclosed and put forth effects most dangerous to the English for many Townes voluntarily yeeld and multitudes of the French who hitherto through feare contained themselues starting away all the English dominions were full of priuate conuenticles practises and correspondences with the Enemy Such English as then were in France are not altogether sloathfull but yet through a fatall either security or negligence at home there was not speedy sufficiencies of resistance ministred 28 Richard Duke of Yorke whose seruices neuer did good to the English common-wealth is created Regent of France and Edmund Duke of Sommerset his perpetuall riual or perhaps an intelligent censor of his manners continues his commands in Normandie The Duke of Sommerset opposed the aduancement of Yorke to that slipperie dignity He was no babe in so doing but more fore-seeing then the Protector and all the Councell of England Yet his opposition was vnseasonable and fruitlesse for the others carriage had woonne such a party about the King whom he meant by embracing to pull down that notwithstanding the disaduantage of his silenced title which was alone a great cause to haue made him euerlastingly incapable of so great trust and meanes he preuailed But before he could arriue Paris was lost Robert Lord Willoughby was Gouernour there for the English who had with him but about two thousand the faith of the Citizens was presumed vpon to make vp the rest at a pinch for a common resistance On the contrary they perceiuing vpon what termes the English affaires stood in France chiefly after the late Regents death conspire against them The treason was carried so cunninglie by some of the principall Magistrates of the Towne who capitulated for a generall pardon from King Charles which was gladly yeelded vnto that the mischiefe sooner tooke effect then it could be discouered Thomas Lord Beaumont began the losse with his misfortune for Arthur Earle of Richmond Constable of France houering about Paris in hope to recouer the same the Lord Beaumont with certaine hundreth of English fell into his danger about Saint Denis and were distressed While as yet the terror of this discomfiture not great in regard of the numbers slaine but in regard of the Circumstances was freshest the French aduance their Banners vp to the City where a gate was opened vnto them by their partisans What should the English doe in this generall mischiefe The townesmen lately vassals turne enemies on a sodaine women and children assaile the English from their windowes with all sorts of missill things Many are beaten downe and massacred in the streetes The Lord Willoughby Gouernour of Paris Lewis of Luxemburg Bishop of Ther◅an Chancellour of France for the English the Bishops of Lisieux and Meaux with other flie to S. Anthonies gate and the Bastile places which they had reserued for defence till extreme necessity Many more had been saued in those places but that the perfidious Citizens drew chaines thwart the streetes and empeached their retreat Heare the rest in a Frenchmans words 29 All runne to the Bastile The Tournels are presently seized and all approaches vnto the Bastile are soone won Such as were within it at first made some shew of defence but all things were prepared to force them they demand a Parlea and agree to depart with their liues and baggage They are conducted about the Towne beneath the Loure to embark vpon the Riuer of Sein and so passe to Roan They could not well haue passed through the City The people hereof aduertised runne to the walles and cry out with great shoutes baiting the English like Dogs whom a little before they had feared and honoured as their masters Who of the English reades these things without indignation but they are the perpetuall manners of the base multitude the fortune therin of the English the same which followeth all like accidents Some will thinke that the Lord Willoughby and his people might haue done more nobly to haue taken vp their graues in the place which they pretēded to make good against the French Fortitude is neuer separated from Prudence Succour was despaired The Duke of Yorke was not as yet arriued and in maintaining their strengthes against the whole City of Paris and all the present French forces for the space of about ten dayes they sufficiently cleared themselues both in point of honour and loyalty Paris is thus lost in the worst time for an Army to march in They did wisely to choose so vnseasonable a season their market might haue else beene marred for the new Regent not so much hindred from sooner comming by the Duke of Somersets emulations which some affirme as by the very quality of the winter weather arriued afterward accompanied with the Earles of Salisbury and Suffolke the Lord Falconbridge and other worthy persons with an Army of eight thousand men But this Regent did neuer good in France Hee who so writes might haue also safely added nor elsewhere The English affaires were not as yet come to the very breake-necke point They held in the late conquered parts of France Normandy entire though not without much trouble for the people againe rebell in Caux but that mischiefe was destroied with the greater and more mercilesse confusion of the Authors and Actors then the former About fiue thousand of them were trampled to death by the iust fury of the English vnder the leading of the Lord Scales the Lord Hoo and others They burnt all their dwellings made booty of their goods draue their whole numbers out of the Country The Lord Scales not long after discomfited La Hire and his Companie not farre from Roan The war was handled on all sides without full or complete armies Skirmishes were the ordinarie formes of fighting The French were schooled from setling their rest vpon a pitcht field Thus houered the affaires 30 Philip Duke of Burgoigne had as yet in person giuen no proof against the English of his affection to King Charles Now hee addresseth himselfe to an enterprise worthy of that expectation the recouery of Calais You would suspect that hee continued still a friend to the English in making choice of a seruice wherein hee was most likely to waste his time in vaine and yet make shew of much forwardnesse but hee was reall
to Kenelworth Her pride falshood auarice and lechery were causes of her confusion saith Stow who hath set forth that businesse very diligently though not seeming to attribute much credit to that accusation of treason The Duke of Glocester her vnhappy Lord and husband whom shee by loue-cups and enchantments was said to haue enucigled vsing therein one Margerie Gurdmain a witch of Ey in Suffolke who was burnt in Smithfield stung with this reproach might reasonably be thought not vnwilling to doe somewhat Howsoeuer that was his destruction borrowed countenance from that opinion The Duke therefore being come to attend in this Parliament at Burie was arrested of high treason by Iohn Lord Beaumont high Constable of England the Dukes of Buckingham and Sommerset with others Certaine of the Kings houshold were appointed to guard him Not long after he was found dead His body was shewed to the Lords and Commons as if he had died of a palsey or an aposteme Of thirty and two of his seruants which were attached Sir Roger Chamberlaine Knight Richard Middleton Thomas Herbert Arthur Tursey Esquires and Richard Nedham Gentleman were condemned of high treason and had this vnexampled punishment They were drawne from the Tower to Tiburn hanged let down quick stript naked marked with a knife to be quartered and then a Charter of pardon shewed for their liues by the Marquesse of Suffolke But the yeoman of the Crowne had their liuelihood the executioner their cloathes Their pardons were thus obtained by the earnest diligence of Doctor Gilbert Worthington a famous preacher parson of S. Andrewes in Holborne Thomas Wilde Esquire the Dukes seruant also being condemned and pardoned among other had for a preamble in his letters patents words importing that hee had beene one among many other traitours against the King with Humfrey Duke of Gloucester who went about and practised to deliuer Eleanour late wife to the Duke from out of prison for which purpose he had gathered a great power and number of men to come to the Parliament at Berie there to haue contriued the Kings destruction 42 Such was the end of this great Prince who notwithstanding this open shewing of his body and these pretended crimes was by the people of England thought to be doublie murthered by detraction and deadly practise He was not only a true louer of learned men but himselfe also learned and saith our Author a father of his Countrey His maine opinion concerning the gouernment of King Henries French dominions was as mainely opposed by the Cardinall of Winchester and others who altogether perswaded Peace to which the noble Duke standing precisely vpon the honor and Maiesty of the English name was an absolute enemie From this troubled fountaine of diuided Councell many following blacke aduentures did flow The Duke thus brought to his end goodmen saith Polydore fearfull of their owne safeties did of their owne accord forsake the Court into whose roomes many succeeded who for the more part looking how to rise in dignity made open an easie way for new factions The Cardinall of Winchester the other halfe-arch of the Kingdome ouerliued not the Duke aboue fifteene or sixteene daies The whole frame of gouernment was thus drawne to repose it selfe vpon the Queene and such fauourites as the King by her commendation the rather liked 43 The Marquesse of Suffolke prime man in grace was created Duke which made him a more conspicuous marke of enuie then that any shadow of the King or Queene could shelter or protect After the Cardinals death the affaires in France where Sommerset was now Regent wereneither duelâ—…e looked vnto nor the gouernours of the Countrey well aduised But the King and Realme of England lay much more then France open to the ineuitable deepe and pernicious conspiracies of Richard Duke of Yorke Hee by the error of King Henry and the euill starres of our Countrey being of himselfe a great Prince and growne stronger by affected popularitie perceiuing the King to be a Ruler and not to Rule began secretlie to allure his friends of the Nobilitie and priuily declared to them his title to the Crowne as likewise he did to certaine Gouernors of Cities and townes which attempt was so politickly and closely carried that his prouision was readie before his purpose was opened The very state of things inuited this fatall conspiracie a milder King then England was worthy of a Councell out of fauour with the people manifold losses and dishonours abroad a turbulent and iealous condition of things at home Of all which and much more the Duke of Yorke hauing King Henrie the fourth the enemie of his house for a perillous example made his pretious vse cherishing the popular auersions without seeking to redresse any euils but representing them worse then they were thereby to ripen that breach of loialty in the hearts of men which his ambition wrought vpon His displacement from the Regency of France did not a little perhaps offend him at first because the Duke of Sommerset got it ouer his head but it will not be long before Sommersets euill carriage of that trust and the declining fortune of England will giue him occasion to reioice at the foile of his dreaded enemy Let vs not be long in the rehearsall of the publike shame and dammage of our nation 44 During the truce betweene England and France one Sir Francis Surien an Arragonois Knight of the Garter seruing vnder the Regent vnlawfullie surprized Fougers a towne of Britaine vpon the confines of Normandy Restitution is demanded The Duke of Sommerset a proud man saith Serres who thinking to dâ—…e better then the rest did absolutely ruine the English affaires contrary to good discipline cherishing his souldiers in their riots and disorders neglected the iustice of nations in that point The French make this their example and surprize Port del ' Arch and towne after towne so many and so fast that King Charles who that he might haue God on his side and wrong on his enemies conteined himselfe with great modesty till he saw all quiet restitution desperate recouered Roan Caen and all Normandie within a short space after 45 Thus Sommerset and the English are compelled to quit Normandy not only inglorious but also in England it selfe vncommiserated The next maine parcell of the English inheritance beyond our Ocean was Gascoigne King Charles and his people desirous against plaine right to make all that theirs whatsoeuer was comprehended within the French language inuaded that Dutchie also and within verie few yeeres after the fortune of warre and disloialty of the people euery where fauouring them extorted the same out of the English-mens possession after it had continued theirs about two hundreth fourescore and nine yeeres to the immortall dishonour and dammage of our nation The Duke of Yorke in the meane time who thirsted for the Crowne of England hath occasion ministred to impe more feathers into
of the Norrices Bulkeley Grust Bould and other Gentlemen he was forbidden to land at Bewmaris or to haue any refreshment affirming that he the Duke of Yorke was against the Kings intent and as a Traitour The King stoupes so much as to answere the letter letting him to knowe That the suspition vniuersally conceiued of his behauiours moued those effects neuer thelesse in regard of the humble obedience which was now protested he for the easing of the Dukes heart doth declare repute and admit him as a true and faithfull subiect and as his welbeloued Cosen The Duke then aduanceth his practise one step further and writes to the King that Iustice might be done vpon all persons of what degree soeuer which were guilty or noised to be guiltie of treason aiming at the Duke of Sommerset whom he doubted not to ouerwhelme with sleights and calumnics as hee and his had done the Duke of Suffolke 57 The King is contented such weake or treacherous counsels he relied vpon that Sommerset for his satisfaction should be commanded Prisoner to his owne house and Yorke hauing first dissolued his armie should come in person and put himselfe into the Kings hand When he was come he exhibites a great complaint against the pride and auarice of the Duke of Sommerset and cunningly accusing none but him he seekes the good-will of all others A cunning drift as any considering that hereby he deriued vpon his enemie all the enuie of the people and left him single to withstand the effects Sommerset a Prince of great spirit and wit not thinking it reasonable as well in regard of his owne honour as the Commonwealthes interest to endure such indignity presents himselfe to the King against his accuser and resoluing not to be tender-mouthed in the so apparent perill of the King and Realme whose quiet was vndermined answeres Yorke face to face and in plaine termes accuseth him of highest treason as hauing conspired to depose the King and take vpon himselfe the Soueraignty vehemently vrging That the Duke of Yorke might be committed and arraigned to the intent that by his deserued death and the disenablement of his sonnes Ciuill warre might be extinguished praying finally that God would not suffer the enemie of the Kingdome to escape the hand of iustice 58 This had in likelihood beene done but that the publike faith seemed to stand engaged for the Dukes indemnitie he hauing come in vpon the Kings word and also for that the hearts of men were not well assured to the King which by executing Yorke would perhaps haue beene more vnsetled because not looking into the depth of the Kings perill it would haue beene thought that he had beene destroied to gratifie Sommerset and not to secure the Realme There was hope likewise to recouer Aquitain for that Burdeaux had offered to returne Lastly the Dukes sonne and heire Edward Earle of March afterward King was reported to be ready with a great force of Welshmen to succour his father Vpon these and other reasons the Duke is no longer restrained as vpon Sommersets most weighty accusations he had beene and to assure the gentle and indulgent King of his allegiance he makes his submission and solemnely TAKES HIS OATH to bee true faithfull and obedient subiect This was done vpon the tenth of March in the Church of S. Paul in London the King himselfe and most of the chiefe nobility being present as the Dukes of Buckingham Norfolke Sommerset nine Earles the Vicounts Beaumont and Wels manie great Barons Of the Clergy the Cardinall of Yorke the Archbishop of Canterburie the Bishops of Winchester Elie and London 59 Let vs view the forme and words of this Caution vpon which King Henrie measuring other mens hearts by his owne aduentured to repose his life and Kingdome which are these I Richard Duke of Yorke confesse and beknown that I am and ought to be humble subiect and liegeman to you my Soueraigne Lord King Henry the sixt and owe therefore to beare you saith and truth as to my Soueraigne liege Lord and shall doe all daies to my liues end and shall not at any time will or assent that any thing be attempted or done against your most noble person but wheresoeuer I shal haue knowledge of any such thing imagined or purposed I shall with all speed and diligence possible to me make that your highnesse shall haue knowledge thereof and ouer that doe all that shall possible be to me to the withstanding and let thereof to the vttermost of my life I shall not any thing take vpon me against your roiall estate or obeisance that is due thereto nor suffer anie other man to doe as farre forth as shal be in my power to let it And also shall come at your commandement whensoeuer I shall be called by the same in humble and obeisant wise but if I be letted by any sicknesse or impotencie of my person or by such other cause as shall be thought by you my Soueraigne Lord reasonable I shall neuer hereafter take vpon me to gather any rowt or to make any assemblie of your people without your commandement or licence or in my lawfull defence in interpretation or declaration of the which my lawfull defence I shall report me at all times to your highnesse and if the case require to my Peers nor any thing attempt against any of your Subiects of what estate degree or condition that they be But whensoeuer I find my selfe wronged and agrieued I shall sue humbly for remedie to your highnesse and proceed after the course of your lawes and none otherwise sauing in mine owne lawfull defence in manner abouesaid and otherwise haue to your highnesse as an humble and true subiect ought to haue him to his Soueraigne Lord. All these things abouesaid I promise you truly to obsâ—…rue and keep by the holy Euangelists conteined in the booke that I lay my hand here vpon and by the holie Crosse I here touch and by the blessed Sacrament of our Lords body that I shall now with his mercie receiue And ouer I agree me and will that if at any time hereafter as by the grace of our Lord God I neuer shall any thing attempt by way of feate or otherwise against your roiall Maiestie and obeisance that I owe thereto or any thing take vpon me otherwise then is aboue expressed I from that time forth be vnabled held and taken as an vntrue and openly forsworne man and vnable to all manner of worship estate or degree he it such as I now occupie or any other that might in any wise grow to me hereafter And this I haue here promised and sworne proceedeth of mine owne desire and free volunt and by no constraining nor Coaction In witnes of all which things aboue written I Richard Duke of Yorke aboue write subscribe with mine owne hand and seale This Oath he also tooke at Westminster and Couentree at sundrie times Who now can consider the effects of
threatning destruction if the match went not forward The Scottish Nobility considering the eminent danger put to death the wicked Counsellers of their King 〈◊〉 the Duke of Albany the Vicegerent of Scotland and promised to repay the money 〈◊〉 according to Couenants after which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the strong Towne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the English possession the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a generall 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an 〈◊〉 Edâ—…burgh who had vndertaken to disburse the money to signifie King Edwards minde touching the marriage intended and to demand the said summe by a day assigned which accordingly was repaide 112 The marriage with Scotland thus broken off for the Lady Cicely by K. Edward himselfe that with France for the Princesse Elizabeth both he and his Queene greatly desired and daily sought after But Lewis the French King finding the daughter of Austrich more fit for his sonne dallied out Edward with shewes of firme faith till he had effected the thing he went about which musicke sounded so harshly in the English Kings eare as in no wise hee would suffer that string to be touched but euer beleeued that the French meant him faire play and although the yeeres of the parties themselues might beget some suspition shee being much elder then the Daulphin and the truth thereof confirmed by the Duke of Austriches Leger-Ambassadours residing in England yet Edward would not so much as suppose a suspect against the French King and therefore suffered Lewis to incroach vpon those parts of Picardie that ioyned to Callis and to gaine time till it was past recall for then the Lord Howard returning from France confidently told him that hee was present and saw the Lady Margaret of Austrich daughter to Duke Maximilian sonne to the Emperour Frederick receiued vnto France with great pompe royaltie and at Ambois contracted and espoused to the Daulphin 113 Edward mightily chafed to be thus worked by Lewis made great preparation for France but whether with anger griefe or melancholy hee fell into a dangerous and deadly sicknesse some say of a superfluous surfeit whereunto he was much giuen Commines saith of a Catarrhe which weake estate turned his minde another way for calling his Lords into his sicke presence and raising his faint body vpon his Bed-Pillowes these words vnto them hee lastly spake 114 My Lords my deare Kinsmen Allies in what plight I lie you see and I feele by which the lesse while I looke to liue with you the more deepely am I mooued to care in what case I leaue you for such as I leaue you such bee my children like to finde you Which if they should that God forbid finde you at variance might hap to fall themselues at warre ere their discretion would serue to set you at peace Yee see their youth of which I reckon the only surety to rest in your concord For it sufficeth not that all you loue them if each of you hate other If they were men your faithfulnesse happely would suffice but childhood must bee maintained by mens authoritie and slippery youth vnderpropped with elder counsell which neither they can haue vnlesse you giue it nor you giue it if you agree not For where each laboureth to breake that which the other maketh and through hatred of each others person impugneth each others counsel there must it needs be long or any good conclusion goe forward And while eyther party striueth to bee chiefe flatterie shall haue more play then plaine and faithfull aduise of which must needs insue the euill bringing vp of the Prince whose minde in tender youth infected shall readily fall to riot and mischiefe and draw downe with him his noble Realme vnto ruine but if grace turne him to wisdome which if God send then they that by euill meanes before pleased him best shall after fall furthest out of fauour so that euer at length euill drifts draw to nought and good plaine wayes prosper Great variance hath there long time beene betweene you not alwayes for great causes Somtime a thing right well intended our misconstructions turneth vnto worse or a small displeasure done vs either our own affections or euill tongues agreeueth But this woâ—… I well ye neuer had so great cause of hatred as you haue of loue That we be all men that wee be Christian men this shall I leaue for Preachers to tell you and yet I wot nere whether any Preachers words ought more to moue you then his that is by and by going to the place that they all preach of But this I shall desire you to remember that the one part of you is of my bloud the other of my Allies and each of you with other either of kinred or affinitie which spirituall kindred of affinitie if the Sacraments of Christs Church beare that weight with vs that would to God they did should no lesse moue vs to charitie then the respect of fleshly consanguinitie Our Lord forbid that you loue together the worse for the selfe cause that you ought to loue the better And yet that happeneth and no where finde we so deadly debate as among them which by nature and law ought most to agree together Such a pestilent serpent is ambition and desire of vaine glory and soueraintie which among states where it once entreth creepeth forth so farre till with diuision and variance hee turneth all to mischiefe first longing to be next the best afterward equall with the best and at last chiefe and aboue the best Of which immoderate appetite of worship and thereby of debate and dissention what losse what sorrow what trouble hath within these fewe yeeres growne in this Realme I pray God as well forget as we remember Which things if I could aswell haue foreseen as I haue with my more paine then pleasure proued By Gods blessed Lady that was euer his oath I would neuer haue won the curtesie of mens knees with the losse of so many heads But sith things passed cannot be gaine-called much ought we the more beware by what occasion wee haue taken so great hurt afore that wee eft soones fall not into the like againe Now be those griefes paâ—…ed and all is God bee thanked quiet and likely right well to prosper in wealthful peace vnder your Cosins my children if God send them life and you loue Of which two things the lesse losse were they by whom thogh God did his pleasure yet should the Realme alway finde Kings and peraduenture as good Kings But if you among your selues in a childs raigne fall at debate many a good man shal perish and happely he too and ye too ere this Land finde peace againe Wherefore in these last words that euer I looke to speake with you I exhort and require you al for the loue that you haue euer borne vnto me for the loue that I haue euer borne vnto you
therein though it be a childish feare yet is there at the least wise some feare and herein is there â—…one at all And verily I haue often heard of Sanctuary 〈◊〉 but I neuer heâ—… 〈◊〉 of Sanctuary Children Aâ—… therefore as for the Conclusion of my mind who so may haue deserued to need it if they thinke it for their suretie let them keepe it but he can be no Sanctuary man that had neither wisdome to desire it nor malice to deserue it whose life or libertie can by no lawfull processe stand in ieopardie and hee that taketh one out of the Sanctuarie to do him good I say plainely that he breaketh no Sanctuary 28 When the Duke had done the temporall men wholy most part of the spirituall also thinking no hurt earthly meant towardes the young babe condiscended in effect that if hee were not deliuered hee should bee fetched how beit they all thought it best in the auoiding of all maner of rumor that the Lord Cardinall should first assay to get him with her good will And thereupon all the Councell came vnto the Starre-Chamber at Westminster and the Lord Cardinall leauing the Protector with the Councell in the Starre-Chamber departed into the Sanctuary to the Queen with diuers other Lords with him were it for the respect of his honour or that shee should by presence of so many perceiue that this errand was not one mans mind or were it for that the Protector intended not in this matter to trust any one man alone or else that if shee finally were determined to keepe him some of that Company had happily secret instructions incontinent maugre her mind to take him and to leaue her no respite to conuey him which shee was likely to mind after this matter broken to her if the time would in any wise serue her 29 When the Queene and those Lords were come together in presence the Lord Cardinall shewed her that it was thought vnto the Protector and vnto the whole Councell that her keeping of the Kings brother in that place was the thing which highly sounded not onely to the great rumor of the people and their obloquie but also to the importable griefe and displeasure of the kings royall Maiesty to whose Grace it were a singular comfort to haue his naturall brother in Company as it was both his dishonour all theirs and hers also to suffer him in Sanctuary as though the one brother stood in danger and perill of the other And hee shewed her that the Counsell therefore had sent him to require her the deliuery of the yong Duke that hee might bee brought vnto the Kings presence at his liberty out of that place which they reckoned as a prison and there hee should bee demeaned according to his estate and shee in this doing should both doe great good to the Realme pleasure to the Councell and profite to her selfe succour to her friends that were in distresse and besides that which he wâ—… well shee specially tendred not onely great comfort and honour to the King but also to the young Duke himselfe whose great wealth it were to be together aswell for many greater causes as also for both their disports and recreations which thing the Lords esteemed not slight though it seemed light well pondering that their youth without recreation and play cannot endure nor any stranger for the conâ—…e of both their ages and estates so meete in that point for any of them as eyther of them for other 30 My Lord quoth the Queene I say not 〈◊〉 but that it were very conuenient that this Gentleman whom yee require were in company of the King his Brother and in good faith I thinke it were as great commodity to them both for yet it while to bee in the custody of their mother the tender age considered of the elder of them both but speciâ—… the younger which besides his infancy that also needeth good looking to hath a while been â—…o fore diseased â—…ed with 〈◊〉 and iâ—… so newly rather a little amended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recouered that I 〈◊〉 put no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his â—…ng bâ—…my 〈◊〉 â—…ly â—…ing that there is 〈◊〉 Physitians say and as wee also find double the perill in the recidiuation that was in the first sicknesse with which disease nature being sore laboured forewearied and weakned waxeth the lesse able to beare out and sustaine a new surfeit And albeit there might be found other that would happily do their best vnto him yet is there none that either knoweth better how to order him then I that so long haue kept him or is more like tenderly to cherish him then his owne mother that bare him 31 No man denieth good Madam quoth the Cardinall but that your Grace were of all others most necessary about your children and so would all the Councell not onely bee content but glad that you were if it might stand with your pleasure to bee in such place as might stand with their honor but if you doe appoint your selfe to tarry here then they thinke it were more conuenient that the Duke of Yorke were with the King honourably at his liberty to the comfort of them both rather then here as a Sanctuary man to both their dishonour and obloquie sith there is not alwayes so great a necessity to haue the child with his mother but that occasion may sometimes bee such that it should bee more expedient to keepe him elsewhere which well appeareth in this that at such time as your dearest sonne then Prince and now King should for his honor and good order of the Country keepe his residence in Wales farre out of your Company your Grace was well contented therwith your selfe 32 Not very well contented quoth the Queen and yet the case is not like for the one was then in health and the other is now sicke in which case I maruaile greatly that my Lord Protector is so desirous to haue him in his keeping where if the Child in his sicknesse miscarrie by nature yet might hee runne into slander and suspition of fraud And where they call it a thing so sore against my Childes honour and theirs also that hee abideth in this place it is all their honours there to suffer him abide where no man doubteth hee shall be best kept and that is here while I am here which as yet intend not to come forth and ieopard my selfe after other of my friends which would God were rather here in surety with mee then I there in ieopardy with them 33 Why Madame quoth another Lord know you any thing why they should bee in ieopardy Nay verily quoth shee nor why they should bee in prison as now they bee But it is I trow no great maruaile though I feare left those that haue not letted to put them in durance without colour will let as little to procure their destruction without cause The Cardinall made a countenance to the other Lord that hee should harpe no more
finally in establishing by a solemne Act the Crowne vpon him and his heires for euer 10 After dissolution of which Parliament the King redeemes such pledges as he had left in France for money borrowed and assumes into his Councel those two renowned agents in aduancing his fortunes Iohn Morton and Richard Foxe as the most necessarie parts and supports of his State the former of which not long after Thomas Bourchier dying was elected and enthronized Archbishop of Canterbury the latter was foorthwith aduanced to be Lord Keeper of his Priuy Seale successiuely preferred to the Bishoprickes of Exeter Bath and Welles Durham and Winchester 11 The most wished and most welcome day of marriage betweene King Henry and the Princesse Elizabeth being now come was celebrated by them with all religious and glorious magnificence and by the people with fires of ioy dancings songs and bankets through London all sorts and sexes beseeching Almightie God to send the King and Queene most prosperous successe and an infinite encrease of the common ioy by bestowing vpon them a young Prince and other Issue at his good pleasure Which prayers saith Andreas our Lord Iesus Christ vouchsafed to heare the Queene within a while after prouing with Child of whom shee was happily deliuered in the moneth of September following at Winchester which to the most fortunate King was a new happinesse to the Queene a great reioycement to the Church a soueraigne delight to the Court an exceeding pleasure and in briefe to the whole kingdome an incredible contentment Nor that without reason as it afterward appeared for if God had beene pleased to haue granted longer life not England onely but the whole world should in such a pledge haue had cause of eternall reioycement But God who gouernes all thinges and in whose hand are aswell the Scepters of Princes as dates of their liues disposed otherwise 12 Meanewhile there were not a few who did enuie to King Henry this vnexpected height of felicitie but they who first discouered themselues were certaine remaines of the late ouerthrow at Bosworth whose diffidence or euill will was greater then to relie vpon King Henries clemencie oâ—… to behold the dazeling brightnes of his new atchieued glorie and for that cause refused to forsake the Sanctuarie which they had taken at Colchester These were the Lord Louell Sir Humfrey Stafford and Thomas Stafford his brother Who while the King secure of dangers behind him was in his Progresse at Yorke meaning by affability bountie and other his wisest courses to gaine the good wils of the Northern people with whom the memory of King Richard was very deare and so to weaken the strengths and hopes of all future conspiracies forsooke their refuge and secretly in seuerall places gathered forces therewith to surprize and dethrone the King The Lord Louell raised his forces with such speed that the King who at Lincolne first heard of his escape and lightly regarded the same was no sooner setled in Yorke but certaine intelligence came that he approched fast with an Armie and withall that the Staffords had assembled forces in Worcestershire meaning to assault the City of * Worcester The extremity of the King who neuer dreamt of such a darling was not small for neither had he any sufficient numbers about him of his sure friends nor could iustly repose confidence in the Northern men whose loue to King Richard their late slaine Lord made them still suspected But danger quickeneth noble courages and therefore vpon due recollection of himselfe hee armes about three thousand men if tanned leather whereof the most of their breast-pieces for want of other stuffe were framed may be called armour and sends them vnder the leading of Iasper Duke of Bedford with commission to pardon or to fight The Duke offering pardon the Lord Louell fled by night to Sir Thomas Broughton into Lancashire where hee lurked certaine monthes the headlesse multitude yeeld without stroake and the felicity of King Henry preuailes in euery place for the Staffords hearing what had hapned to their Confederates disperse their Cloude of rebels and speedily take refuge at Colnham a village about two miles from Abingdon in Oxfordshire But the priuiledges of that place * being iuridically scand in the Kings Bench they were found vnable to afford protection to open traitors whereupon they were forceably taken thence and conueighed to the Tower of London from whence Sir Humfrey Stafford was drawne and executed at Tiburne but his brother Thomas by the Kings mercy had his pardon These short dangers and troubles by reason of their suddainty did worthily make the King wakefull euen ouer smaller accidents this blaze being kindled from so neglected sparkles But there followed deuises which in their owne nature were so strangely impudent and in their vent so strongly Bolstered that if Louels enterprise made him suspitious these other might iustly fill him with innumerable iealousies 13 The records are immortall which testifie that the erection of Idols and Counterfeits to dethrone them who are in possession is a verie olde Stratagem What troubles a Pseudo-Nero wrought by support of the Parthians who wonderfully fauoured Nero liuing the Romane writers teach vs. Neither hath the Diuell Father of Impostures any so solemne practise as Personation and Resemblances of true whether men or things Insomuch that some Diuines haue thought that as he can and often doth trans-shape himselfe into the forme of a Celestiall Angell so that he also deceiued our first mother vnder that resplendent but assumed habit And what mischiefs he wrought in this very kind of thrusting out into the world false pretenders the speech of wise Gamaliel testifieth who rehearseth the names of Theudas and Iudas Galilaus but the world hath since had more woefull experience hereof in that execrable Impostor Mahomet pretending to bee the Messiah In England it selfe before the time of this Henry what strange practises and conspiracies were set on foote vnder the title of a Pseudo-Richard in the raigne of Henry the fourth the former Histories haue sufficiently opened so that this Prince encountred nothing new in the Generall howsoeuer pestilent and extraordinarie in the particular Indeed his raigne more perhaps then any other of his predecessors afforded plentifull matter for such deuises to worke vpon there being many then who hauing beene conceaned as it were in the bowels of Sedition and nourished with the bitter and pernicious milke of dissention were not onely apt to embrace but also where they were not offered euen there to beget occasions of confounding all Men who could neither endure warre nor peace long nor any lowes in either as desirous to enioy the licentious violences of ciuill warre a misery which all wordes how wide soeuer want compasse to expresse The strange attempts of which kind of men or rather Monsters wee shall see exemplified in the subsequent tragedies Richard Simon an ambitious and
the spousall sheetes that ceremony seeming to amount to a Consummation Charles King of France notwithstanding these solemnities and his owne particular engagement with the Lady Margaret daughter of Maximilian whom for the purpose of marriage he had already entertained into France did so ambitiously and vehemently couet to gaine Britaine that vpon confidence of his force hee resolued to breake through all respects and not only to offend all his forreine friends but to make them his iust enemies rather then to faile in effectuation Instruments are therefore very secretly set on worke and batterie is placed with bags of gold at all the opportunities which might let in his purpose Ambassadors also the Lord Frances of Lutzenburg Charles Marinian and Robert Gagwine Generall of the Order of the holy Trinitie are dispatched to Henrie praying that with his good will he might dispose of the body of the Lady Anne in marriage according to the right which he had thereunto as the chiefe Lord of whom shee held the Dukedome Henry denied the request but yeelded notwithstanding to send Ambassadors into France there to Capitulate about a peace The French carried this affaire with notable Art for to diuert the world for looking into the depth of their drift King Charles still detained the young Lady Margaret Maximilians daughter so as at most it could be but suspected that Charles meant to match her with some of his blood and all the entercourse of Orators and Ambassadors vsed in the meane time tended but to hold the English busied vpon other obiects till they had wrought their feate in the Court of Britaine For Maximilian to let the world see what iniuries shall be offered euen to Kings that are not strong him they altogether neglected King Henry they plaied with and Ferdinando King of Castile who was ready to ioine with Maximilian and Henrie against the French they resolue to appease with rendring vp vnto him the Counties of Ruscinoon and Perpinian as accordingly they did without reembursement of one penny of those 300000. Crownes for which Iohn King of Arragon father to Ferdinando had morgaged them The young Ladies doubts rising either out of religion or point of honor his cunning Agents and Emissaries wipe away with these solutions That Maximilianâ—… daughter was not of yeeres to consent and therefore the contract betweene King Charles and her did not binde either in law or conscience That her owne contract with Maximilian was void for that it was done without the consent of her Soueraigne Lord King Charles whose ward or Client shee was The Ladie vanquished in her iudgement with these reasons attracted with the present greatnes of King Charles and loath by refusall to make her Countrey the seat of a long and miserable warre secretly yeelded to accept of another husband Thomas Goldstone Abbot of S. Augustines in Canterbury and Thomas Earle of Ormond in Ireland King Henries Ambassadors into France hauing beene dandled by the French during these illusiue practises returned without other fruite of their labors 29 What could now the most patient doe lesse then take sword in hand vpon so palpable and vnworthy illusion But Maximilians wrongs were too impudent and intollerable for Charles sent home the Lady Margaret and married the Inheretrix of Britaine annexing it to his owne Realme whereas King Henrie found himselfe rather mockt then otherwise empaired Iames Contibald hereupon comes Ambassador from Maximilian and obtained his request which was that they with ioynt forces should by a certaine day prefixed inuade the French in full reuenge of these their bold prouocations Maximilian for his part promising to support that warre with at least ten thousand men for two yeeres King Henry hauing formerly in abundant manner prouided himselfe of treasure was ready before the day with a roiall army but Maximilian whose will to worke the vttermost mischiefe to France was not doubted being sent vnto by King Henry signifying his forwardnes was found vtterly vnfurnished Causes of Maximilians weakenesse in state were the rebellions and dislikes of his Flemish Subiects cherished by the French the Iealousie of Princes neighbourhood making them vniustly glad either of others molestations For subduing whereof though King Henry had heretofore giuen him good and successefull assistance vnder the conduct of Giles Lord Dawbeney Gouernour of Callis the Lord Morley and others whereby he the rather ouercame yet was hee the feebler as then by reason of so fresh exhaustures King Henry with good cause was not a little troubled at these newes secretly signified by his trustie Almner Mr. Christopher Vrswick and Sir Richard Risley knight his Ambassadors to Maximilian For hee was very loath to vndergoe so great an Action vpon his particular strengths though he doubted not to finde a potent party among the Britaines whose affections were as yet but loosely setled toward King Charles and yet farre more loath to deceiue the expectation of his owne people who had so largely contributed Chiefly the City of London out of which euen in those daies he receiued for his furniture in that voiage almost ten thousand pounds from the Commoners and as it seemes by our Author two hundreth pounds besides from euery Alderman where the same King could not but with some difficulty leuie in the third yere of his Reigne a loane of foure thousand pounds whereof three of the best Companies are noted as for hauing done and deserued extraordinarily to haue lent aboue nine hundred And verily this wise King knowing how great a strength that rich City was vnto him humored that people with all forces of popularities for himselfe did not onely come among them and cause himselfe to be entred a brother in one of their Companies but ware the habite at a publike feast and sate as Maister as is verie credibly reported out of the Records of their Hall His wisdome therefore saw that in giuing ouer the inuasion of France he should sloathfully abandon a goodly occasion of making himselfe vniuersally acceptable to his people His resolutions therefore are by him at leastwise pretended to continue and for that cause he sufficiently encreaseth his numbers that he might seeme able to goe through with that enterprize alone and though the time of yeere were too farre spent for he landed not at Caleis till the sixth day of October yet marcheth he with his whole forces toward Boloigne being wel assured that with this trowell he should at once plaister two wals that is humor his English subiects and for a peace draw to himselfe store of Crownes from the French 30 He had with him besides the flower of his Nobility and Captaines answerable numbers of People fit for the seruice The most named persons were these Iasper Duke of Bedford Lieutenant Generall of the Army Thoâ—…as Marquesse Dorset the Earles of Arundell Oxford Suffolk Shrewsburie Derby Kent Deuonshire and Ormond sundry Barons as Dawbeney Abergenny Delaware South Hastings
Edmund de la Pole Earle of Suffolke sonne to Iohn Duke of Suffolke and of Elizabeth sister to King Edward the fourth in the sixteenth yeere of King Henries raigne wilfully slew a common person in his furie Henry not sorry to haue occasion of encreasing his popularity by presenting so great a person to exemplary iustice and in the same act to blemish the honour of a man whose quality was to him suspected caused him for the same to be arraigned The fact hee was perswaded to confesse and therupon had pardon The Earle neuerthelesse as a Prince of the bloud holding himselfe disgraced by hauing been seen a Prisoner at the Kings Bench Barre fled the land discontented and went to his Aunt the Dutchesse Dowager of Burgundie but within a while after being fairely reconciled hee returned After which notwithstanding whether it were by reason of debt the certaine attendant of vaine-spirited and base-braueminded Courtiers wherinto he had deeply thrown himself for his furniture at the celebration of his cosen Prince Arthurs marriage or for that the restlesse spirit of enuie in the Dutchesse had preuailed hee taking his brother with him fledde againe the next yeere after The King who had pardoned his life seemed now to repent his clemency though it is plaine hee spared him of purpose till hee might discouer more of a conspiracy which hee knew was in hammering but his flight troubled him not a little knowing the violent humor of that Lord and remēbring to what a dangerous bloudy issue his brother the Earle of Lincolne had once already brought things at the battell of Stoke in the beginning of his raigne 67 For remedy hee betakes himselfe to his wonted arts and therefore to learne the secrets of the enemy Sir Robert Curson Knight Captaine of the Castell of Hammes by Caleis faines himselfe a friend to the Earle and flies from his charge vnto him An office vnworthy of Knighthood neither can any good spirit in the world stoope it selfe to such double faced emploiment which besides the treacherous dissimulations thereof cannot but bee accompanied with wilfull impieties For who is admitted into trust vpon a contrary side without inuocations of Gods holy name protestations adiurations oathes the vtmost assurances which man can giue to man to beget a conuenient affiance in his sincerity but by this stratagem the king ransackes the bosomes and cabinets of his aduersaries discouering their designes and hopes Whereupon William Courtney Earle of Deuonshire being most nobly descended and hauing to his wife the Lady Katherine one of the daughters of K. Edward the fourth and sister to Queene Elizabeth wife of King Henry William de la Pole brother to the said Edmund Earle of Suffolke Sir Iames Tirrel Sir Iohn Windham Knights with other were attached and committed to custodie and afterward also George Neuil Lord Abergenie and Sir Thomas Greene Knight were likewise apprehended but were soone deliuered The Earle of Deuonshire though innocent for it is the misery of such great men that their owne innocency cannot alwayes procure their owne safety but their birth-right many times and often other mens designations without their least priuity is enough to hazard them yea it is in the power of any conspirator by bare nomination to doe as much so that it concernes them to haue an eye not to their owne onely but to the behauiour also of their whole Alliances and dependancies this Earle I say though innocent remained Prisoner during this Kings life and some yeeres of his sonnes raigne who set him at liberty The other William the Earle of Suffolkes brother had not so strict an hand holden ouer him But Sir Iames Tyrrell Lieutenant of Guines Castell and Sir Iohn Wyndham Welbourn seruant to Sir Iames Tyrrel Curson a Purseuant Mathew Iones yeoman and a Shipman were condemned of treason for aiding the Earle of Suffolke The two Knights were beheaded at Tower hill The Shipman quartered at Tiburne Curson and Iones suffered death at Guines 68 This so round and quicke dealing with the Earles complices and fauourers startled his shallow and raw inuentions and made their whole bulke to swarue and splinter but the King rested not so for vpon the Sunday before the feast of SS Simon and Iude in the same yeere of the said executions there was published at Pauls Crosse by the Kings procurement from Pope Alexander the sixth a Bull of Excommunication and curse against the said Earle of Suffolke Sir Robert Curson and fiue other persons by speciall name and generally all other which aided the Earle against the King to the disturbance of the Kingdome Thus did the most prudent Henrie pursue his enemies not onely with secret countermines and open weapons of Law before they could assemble to make any shew but also with spirituall lightening which doubtlesse had they beene vpon iust cause and by lawfull authoritie fulminated ought infinitely to bee dreaded of good Christians because as Saint Paul saith they deliuer ouer to Satan Sir Robert Curson was named of purpose to make the Earle secure of him which may well be called a perillous if not a prophane deuise though his Holinesse were made the instrument thereof Neither did the King leaue heere for by his letters and messengers he so preuailed with Pope Alexander as hee decreed by his Bull That no person should afterward haue priuiledge of Sanctuary who had once taken the same and come foorth againe and that if any Sanctuarie-man should afterward commit any murther robbery sacriledge treasons c. he should by lay force bee drawne thence to suffer due punishment This was of great vse to the King and preserued many subiects from precipitation for the abuse of Sanctuaries had beene an efficient of many troubles But the same Pope hauing sent Iohn Giglis his Receiuer to gather mony in England shewed himselfe much more fauourable to such as perpetrated those said hainous offences as also Vsury simony rapines adulteries or whatsoeuer offences excepting certaine offences against the Pope and Clergy c. when he sent a * Bull of pardons for money to all such offendors in England dispensing also thereby with such as kept away or by any fraud bad gotten the goods of other men which they should now retaine still without scruple of conscience so as they paid a ratable portion thereof vnto his Holinesse Receiuers Sir Robert Curson though before accursed by the Pope returnes when he saw fit time into England and withall into wonted fauour with his Soueraigne The Earle seeing himselfe thus stript of all hope to doe much harme wandred about Germany and France to finde repose but in the end quite tyred he put himselfe into the grace and protection of Philip then in Flanders who by the death of Isabella was King of Spaine in right of Ioan his wife eldest daughter of Ferdinando and Isabella where hee remained in banishment till King Phillip was
aspired greatnesse who now commanded the Kingdomes of Naples and Sicilie the Dutchie of Millan the Seigniorie of Ioan the Countie of Ast and other possessions in Italie the whole Country of Germany being the greatest part of Christendome already either totally in his Enacted in the Church of Saint Peter in Anion May 7 Anno 1530. The Determination of the Vniuersity of Burges We the Deane and facultie of Diuinity in the Vniuersity of Burges after the example of Saint Paul the Doctor of the Gentiles begin with praier to the quieting of the conscience to whom this our writing shall come the Question moued is whether the brother taking the wife of his dead brother the marriage consummated and perfect be a thing lawfull or no. We by much labour and turning of Bookes euery one of vs a part by himselfe free from corruption the better to obey the truth finde it forbidden by the Leuiticall law which is Gods and that such marriage is an abhominable discouering of his brothers shame which cannot be allowed by the authority of any man which our determination we haue caused to be signed with the seale of our faculty the tenth day of Iune and yeere of our Lord. 1530. The opinions of the Diuines in the Vniuersity of Bonony All wee Doctors of Diuinity in this Vniuersity vnto whom this Question was propounded whether it was forbidden only by the Ordinance of the Church or else by the Law of God that a man might not marry the left wife of his brother departed without children and hauing examined the matter euery one of vs alone lastly came altogether and as it were line by line and rule by rule brought forth the reasons for the contrary part with those of the most Reuerend Father Cardinall Caietaine yea and of the dispensation for raising vp seed to his brother spoken of in Deuteronomie thus we determine giue iudgement and say and confidently doe hold and witnes that such marriage is horrible accursed and to be cried out vppon and vtterly abhominable not only for a Christian man but for an Infidel vnfaithfull or heathen and that it is prohibited vnder greeuous paines and punishments by the Law of God of Nature and of man and that the Pope though he may doe much vnto whom Christ gaue the keies of the Kingdome of Heauen hath no power to a dispensation to anie man to contract such marriage In witnes whereof we confirme this our iudgement both vnder the Seale of our Vniuersity as also with the Seale of our Colledge of Doctors of Diuinity and haue substribed it in the Cathedrall Church of Bonony this tenth of Iune the yeere of our Lord. 1530. The determination of the Vniuersity of Padua Seeing that certaine great Orators and Ambassadors did humbly require of vs that wee would vouchasafe to search out with all diligence this question following whether to marry the wife of our brother departed without children is forbidden onely by the Law of the Church or by the Law of God also and if forbid by both the Lawes whether the Pope may dispence with any man for such Matrimony or no which Question we haue discussed and as farre as we can haue made it cleere both priuate euery man by himselfe and after al together openly we say iudge decree witnesse and for truth affirme that such marriage is no marriage yea and that it is abhorred and cursed of euery Christian man and to be abominate as a greeuous sinne and that it is cleerely forbidden vnder cruell penalty by the Lawes of nature of God and of man and that the Pope vnto whom the keies of the Kingdome of Heauen are committed by Christ the Sonne of God hath no power to dispense by the right of Law for any cause suggestion or excuse that any such Matrâ—…ny should be contracted In witnesse whereof wee 〈◊〉 made this writing and haue authorized it with the accustomed Seale of our Vniuersity dated at Padua in the Church of the Heremites of Saint Augustine the first of Iuly and yeere of our Lord. 1530. The determination of the Vniuersity of Tholouze It was treated in our Vniuersity of Tholouze whether it were lawfull for a brother to marry her which had beene wife to his brother now departed and without children as also whether the Pope which hath the cure of Christs flocke allowing it by his dispensation it be lawful to resolue which the best Doctors of Diuinity and the Laws did sweare that they would obey the sacred Counsels and would follow the holy Decrees of the Fathers and falling to conclusion stucke fast vpon this point that it is lawfull for no man neither by the Law of God nor by the Law of nature to take her to wife that his brother hath left neither can the Pope dispence with this law of God as touching the commandement in Deuteronomy that the brother should marry his wife to raise vp seede vnto him that his name should not perish among the Tribes of Israel we answere that that Law was but a shadow and figure of things to come which vanished away as soon as the substance of the Gospell appeared Thus haue we giuen our sentence which wee haue signed with our Authenticall Seale of this Vniuersity Yeouen at Tholouze the Calends or first day of October the yeere of our Lord 1530. These and many more were read by the Lord Chauncellor vnto the lower house of Parliament that they might report in their countries the Kings iust cause of diuorse To forward which as was thought Cardinall Wolsey the said Lord Chancellor was sent Ambassadour into France laden with Crownes as Guicchardine saith and with surpassing Pompe as London behelde who with 900. Horse passed the Bridge toward Douer and so into France But rumors in England still spreading of the good Queens diuorse about a yeere after K. Henry to satisfie all sent for his Nobles his Councellers Iudges and many wise Commoners vnto whom he made a most pithy Oration shewing them with what care he had ruled almost twenty yeeres with honour and victory which as he said would shortly be clouded if he should die and leaue them a litigious Heire examples he shewed of the wofull experience of Lancaster and Yorke in whose dissentions the Realme was like to haue beene vtterly destroied and although saith he we haue a daughter to the great comfort of her mother and me yet it is told vs by great Clearkes our marriage is not lawful but that she stands in case of illegitimation and we both are said to liue in abominable Adultery thinke you my Lords that these words doe not touch my very soule the perill whereof we venture as you doe also your inheritance for which cause I haue asked counsell of the greatest Clearkes in Christendome and haue likewise heard the opinion of mine owne But as touching the Queene if it bee iudged by the Law of God that she is my lawfull wife there shall be nothing more
Thomas Audley Lord Chancellor the Duke of Norfolke and Thomas Cromwell Secretary her bringers desiring God so to helpe her as sne was guiltlesse of those things whereof shee was accused beseeching those Lords to bee Petitioners vnto his Maiesty in her behalfe who lamenting her case left her Prisoner with Sir William Kingston Constable of the place 88 I will in no wise excuse her guilt hauing had iudgement and death by law though others and that vpon iust occasions before mee haue done but will speake from them what they haue said and namely one that wrote thereof vnto a worthy and reuerent person in whose defence his wordes are these Iâ—…seemeth very plaine that the crimes supposed against this Christian Queène Anne were matters contriued by the deuise of the Pope and his Instruments her enemies None of them all that were accused in the same Treason confessing the Act euen vnto death but haue left direct Testimonies in writing to the contrary one meane Groome excepted namely Marke Smeton made confession vpon some promise of life belike but had his head cut off before hee was aware or had time to recall what he had said The like did Cromwell the Secretary signifie to the King after the prisoners had beene throughly examined in the Tower by the Councell who wrote thus in his letter on the same day many things haue been obiected but nothing confessed onely some circumstances haue been acknowledged by Marke And so doth Cranmer Archbishoppe of Canterbury in his letter of comfort vnto the King who sore lamented that such a starre was fallen if her gilt could bee proued and willed his Highnesse to stand in defence of the Gospell as shee had done without any report of confessing or acknowledging any such Acts as were obiected which as Sleidon writeth were Adultery and incest but vniustly saith he as it is supposed and proued since With her were executed certaine Gentlemen of the Kings Priuie Chamber namely Norris Weston Brewton and one Marks which contrary to his conscience as it is reported for hope of preferment subscribed to a bill whereby hee condemned both himselfe and all the rest 89 For vpon the seuenth of May her brother George Bullen Lord Rochford for his supposed offence with these foure before named were all of them beheaded vpon the Tower hill but none of them confessing the Action I haue heard it reported that Rochford the Queenes brother comming to her bed side to solicite a suite leaned thereupon to whisper her in the eare which the Spials gaue forth that hee did so to kisse the Queen howsoeuer they are dead and the Queene must die who two dayes before had beene arraigned in the Tower the Duke of Norfolke being her Iudge to her inditement shee answered so effectually that shee seemed to cleare all matters laid to her charge yet was shee found guilty and vpon the nineteenth day of May was brought to a Scaffold erected on the Greene within the saide Tower where in presence of many noble men the Lord Mayor of London the Shiriffes and some principall commoners shee is said to haue spoken these words in their presence 90 Good Christian people I am come hither to die for according to the Law and by the Law I am iudged to death and therefore I will speake nothing against it I come hither to accuse no yee shall be iudged heereafter to be shedars of some of Crystyn blood and destroiers of your euyn Crysten From Robart Aske chiefe Captaine of the Comynalty assembled in pilgrimage For the Barony and Cominalty of the same By mee Robert Aske yn the name of all the Comynalty and Barony Of such terrour and haughty spirit was this Captaine Aske that when Lancaster an Herald at Armes was sent to declare the Kings message in Pomfret Castle which the Rebels had got by surrender from the Lord Darcy hee so blustred out his answers that the daunted man excusing himselfe to bee but a messenger fell before him on his knees till the Archbishop of Yorke tooke him vp saying it was not beseeming the Coate hee wore to prostrate to any but onely to his Soueraigne Reade likewise if you please this strange Mandate from some meane man among them the false suggestion that they possessed the ignorant with and the Oath whereunto these holy Pilgrimes were sworne as I finde them recorded by themselues in these very words To the Commyns of Hawkeside parish Bailiffs or Constables with all the Hamlets of the same Welbeloued we greet you well and whereas our brother Pouerty and our brother Rogers goith forward is openly for the aide asistance of your faith and holy Church and for the reformation of such Abbeys and Monasteries now dissolued and subpressed without any Iust cause Wherefore gudde brethers For asmuch as our sayd brederyn hath send to vs for ayde and helpe wee doe not onely effectualy desire you but also vnder the paine of deadly sinne wee comaunde you and euery of you to bee at the stoke Greene beside Hawkeside-kirke the Saturday next being the xxviij day of October by xi of the Clokke in your best array as you will make aunswer before the heigh Iudge at the dreadfull day of Dome and in the payne of pulling downe your Houses and leasing of your gudds and your bodies to be at the Capteyns will For at the place aforesaid then and there yee and we shall take further direction concerning our faith so farre decayed And for gudde and laudable Customes of the Country And such naughty inuentions and strange Articles now accepted and admitted so that our said brother bee subdued they are lyke to goe furthwards to vtter vndoing of the Commyn welth 97 And the more to drawe forward the rude multitude which were forward enough of themselues they set forth in writing these slanderous vntruths against the King 1 The first is that no infant shall receyue the blessed Sacrament of Baptisme bott onlesse an trybett to bee payd to the King 2 The second is that no man vnder xx1. Landes shall eyte no brede made of Wheate ner Capon chekyn gois ner pigge bott onlesse to pay a trybett to the King 3 The third is that for euery ploghe land the King will haue en trybett with other diuerse extreme vrgent causes and hertely fareye well The Oath of the holy Pilgrimes Ye shall nat enter into this our Pilgrimage of Grace for the Commyn welth but only for the loue that you doe bere vnto Almyghty Godde his faith and to holy Churche militant the maintenance thereof to the preseruation of the Kings person his issew to the purifying of Nobilitie and to expulse all vilayne blode and euill Councellers agaynst the Commyn welthe from his Grace and the priuie Counsel of the same and that ye shall nat enter into oure said Pilgramege for no particuler proffite to your selfe nor to doe no displeasure to no priâ—…ey person but by
Lord Cr◅mwell the Lord Chanceler and Sir Ryc Rych Knight to haue condigne ponysment as subuerters of the gudlawes of the Rea◅me and onetemers of the stese sect of this false heretykes fyrst inuenter and brengers of them Also that the Landys in Westmorland Comberland Kendale Dentsyd Furnes and the Abbeis lands in Yorke Worsaidyshire Kerbyshire Neuerdale mayne bee Tennant Right and the lord to haue at euery change two yeeres rent in the name of a agarsumme and no more according to a grant now made by the Lords to the Commens vnder their Seales and this to be done by Act of Parlement Also the hand-gunnys and Crosse-boys with the penaltie of the same to be repelled onles hyt be in the Kings forrests and Parkes to kyllers of Deere Also that Doctor Lee and Doctor Leyton may haue condigne ponyshment for their extortions in time of visitation in brybes of some religyous houses x. l. xx l. and for other summes besyde horsys vowsens leases vnder couent seallys by them taken and other abominable Acts by them committed and done Also to see reformation for the election of Knightes of shire and the B◅rgys and for the vse among the Lords in the Perlament after the ancient custome Also the Statute for inclosyng Intackes to bee put in execution that all Intacks Inclosys syth Anno quarto Henrici ◅eptimi be pullyd downe exceding Forests and Parkys to be dystrud of their qūition and tax now granted by Parlament Also to haue the Parlyament in a conuenient place as Nottingham or Yorke and the same to bee so moued shortly Also that it may be enacted by authority of Parliament that all recognisans stat◅tys penaltyes newly forfeyted during the tyme of the Commission may bee pardoned discharged aswell against the King as stranger Also the Priuilege of the Ryght of the Church to be confirmed by Act of Parlament and Prysts not to suffer onles they be degraded a man to bee saued by his Booke Sanctuary to saue a man in all causes in extreme need and the Church to saue a man for forty dayes and further according to the ◅wes as they were vsed in the beginning of the Kyngys dayes Also the libertyes of the Church to haue their old Customes as the County Palatine of Durham Beuerley Reppon S. Peter of Yorke and such other by Act of Parliament Also to haue the Statute that no man shall declare his will on his land to be repelled Also the Statute of treason for W◅ys made sith Anno xxi of our Soueraigne that now is to bee in like wise repelled Also that the common Law may haue place aswell as was vsed in the beginning of your gracious raign and that all Iniunctions be cleerely denied and not granted vnlesse the matter be heard in the Cha◅cery and there determined Also that no man vpon sub poena or Priuy Seale from Trent Northward appeare but at Yo◅rke or by Atturney vnlesse it be directed vpon pene of allegyance or for like matter concerning the King Also a rem◅dy against Exchequer for f◅ing of false Offices and extortions in taking of Fees for that which is not held of the King and against the Pr◅ters thereof These were the Instructions giuen to their Co◅ssioners to be c◅ferred vpon all which as it should seeme were drawne into foure Articles or heads as by the mynute of the Kings answere thereunto doth appeare which Originall in many places with his owne hand is interlined with so wise and learned additions as doe confirme his Kingly care both for the Church and common weale the true copy whereof to his great f◅e is as followeth his corrections and additions is varied from the rest by a seuerall Character Petitions An Answere to the demaunds of the Rebels in Yorkeshire by the Kings Highnesse for the premisses or anie of them by his heires or by anie his Officiaries Ministers or Subiects by anie manner of meanes or in anie manner of wise Prouided alwaies that you and euerie of you in token of a perfect declaration and knowledge that ye doe hartilie lame◅nd be sorrie for your said offencies shall make your humbly submission vnto his Highnes in the presence of his right trustie and right intirely beloued Cosens and Concellairs the Duke of Norforlke and the Earle of Shrewsburie his Lieutenants Generall or any of them or to their Deputy or Deputies of them or any of them or such other person or persons as the Kings Highnes shall appoint for the same Furthermore the Kings most roiall Magesty streitely chargeth and commandeth that you and euery of you shall from henceforth like trew and faithfull Subiects vse your selues in Gods peace and his according to the dueties of alleagance and that you shall in no wise hereafter attempt to make or procure any such rebellion intent vnlawfull Assemblies Riots Rowts and Conspirations nor at the Commandement nor by the Authority of any person of what estate or degree or for what cause soeuer it be shall arise in any forcible manner and array vnles it be at the speciall commandement of the Kings Highnes or his Lieutenant sufficiently auctorised for the same In witnes whereof the Kings most royall Magesty hath caused this his Proclamation to be made Patent and sealed with his great sayle at Richemounte the IX day of December in the XXVIII yeere of his Reigne 1536. Pexsall Notwithstanding this Generall pardon and mercifull dealings of the King a new Insurrection was raised in the North wherin many of the former were now againe Actors as by name Robert Aske whom the King had not onely pardoned but also highly rewarded the Lord Dacres Sir Robert Constable Sir Francis ◅ygod Pulmer Percy Hamilt◅n Tempest and Lumley all of them put to death as they well deserued 99 In which Commotions those men whose profession was onely the Booke and their ◅eades mistaking Christs meaning who bad his Disciples to sell their coate and to buy a sword came armed among the Rebels into the Field and with them were taken as Traitours against the Crowne for which offence many of them suffered death namely Iohn Paslew Abbot of Whaley in Lincolneshire Iohn Castegate and William Haydocke Monks of the same house Robert Hobs Abbot of Woborne in Bedfordshire Adam Sudbury Abbot of Gernaux with Astbeed a Monke of that house the Abbot of Sawley in Lancashire and the Prior of the same place William Wold Prior of Birlington the Parson of Pudington fiue Priests of Lincolnshire and with them their chiefetaine Captaine Cobler and Iohn Allen Priest 100 These stirres thus quieted and the Statesmen at leasure to preuent the like a Commission came foorth to purge the Churches of Idols and to suppresse the Monasteries to the Kings vse granted vnto him by Parliament the one of them the onely working cause through the gaine that was got by ignorant deuotion and gadding on pilgrimage and the other the Nest and very receptacle of all traiterous attempters against the peace
setting him vp lest in acting his part vpon that infectiue stage hee put the land to as much trouble as the arreared Duke Richard of Yorke had done after hee was ordained heire apparant which Title produced the Tragedy of his raiser King Henry the sixt and now hauing him and his Abetters vpon the aduantage the better to secure his owne Estate hee caused the heades of this Lord Marquesse with the Lord Montacute and Sir Edward Neuill to bee cut off vpon Tower-hill 105 The King then a Widdower since the death of Queene Iane who departed this life two yeeres before meant to 〈◊〉 whâ—… hee had done maugre all 〈◊〉 better â—…o effect by the Counsell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sought and obtained the 〈◊〉 the Princes of 〈◊〉 and heard the motion for marriage with the Lady Anne sister to William Duke of 〈◊〉 whose other sister Fredericke Duke of 〈◊〉 had espoused a great fauourer of the Gospell and 〈◊〉 of Martin Luther the zealous Preacher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereof But whether for the death of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that hee would haue his wiues sister bestowed neerer at home which thing hee pretended a great hindâ—…er hee was of that match But the Lady sent into England and married vnto King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing pleasing in his eye which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then Bishoppe of Winchester percâ—…ing thought it a fitte subiect for him to worke vpoâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord Cromwell the maker of the mâ—…ch hee therefore instigated iealousies dayly into the Kings 〈◊〉 first exasperating the hatred of the Princes of 〈◊〉 ny to him-wards and especially of Duke Fredericke his compulsiue brother in Law the Emperor French Kings Scots and the Pope all seeking at once to raise their powers against England The ciuill tumults lately passed and new commotions greatly to be feared hee letted not to remember and all to nip the spring of the new spreading Gospell whereby this wise Politician in the end got six such Articles against it as the Consistory of Hell could deuise no worse Whose cruelties were such that not long after and in the dayes of this King some of those Acts were againe repealed and some of them qualified as too sharpe and searching into the bloud of the Kings best Subiects 106 The fruite of these bloud-thirsty instigators the Lord Cromwell and Lady Anne of Cleue soon tasted of he by imprisonment and death and she by disgrace and diuorce hauing been his wife from lanuary to Iune in all which time the King refrained the mutuall knowledge of her body for the dislike hee had of her person euen at the first sight as himselfe called to witnesse the Lord Cromwell then Prisoner in the Tower for whose report hee wrote a Letter with his owne hand and shee good Lady no other cause alleadged was diuorced by Parliament when also it was enacted that shee should no longer bee styled Queene The Lord Cromwell was charged by the Lord Rich and Sir George Throgmortâ—… with speaking of certaine generall words not excepting therein the Kinges person which neuertheresse were thought so sleight and insufficient to take away his life that his enemies feared to put it to the triall of his Peeres lest he should bee acquitted by them as the Lord Dacres of the North not many yeeres before had beene wherfore there was a Bill drawne to attaint him of hereâ—… and Treason in generall words rather then in particular proofes which when hee was dead passed in both houses of Parliament with the Kinges assent 107 Howbeit Sâ—…ders that seldome speakeâ—… well of the Gospels professors will haue him to die for the breach of a Law made by himselfe which was that one appeached of treason should not come in the Kings presence till he had tried himself not guilty but besides that wee find no such Act by him made his inditement doth not charge him with treason but with setting at liberty certain persons committed for misprision of treason and hereâ—… for fauouring and maintaining the transation of hereticall bookes into English for bearing out Barnes and other hereticall Preachers that himselfe was an heretike and had spoken words great wordâ—… for the vpholding of his said religion which were that the King should not change it if hee would for these things he was 〈◊〉 by Parliament of high Treason and that grounded either vpon a Stâ—…ute made in the fiâ—…e and twenty of Edward thâ—… third or else by the explanation of that Act which referreth the exposition of Treasons to the 〈◊〉 and so no way did 〈◊〉 deuise or make any law of treason which himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that partiall Romanist hath said 108 But most sure it is that the Kingâ—…â—…on altogether guided by the 〈◊〉 obiect 〈◊〉 â—…other point in the Compasse to fire his 〈◊〉 eye besides that onely which by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 touched by the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and thâ—… 〈◊〉 to bee the Lady 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ward the brother of Thomas Dukâ—… of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom Cromwell standing in the defence of 〈◊〉 Anne and vsing words of disâ—…ke 〈◊〉 the Lady 〈◊〉 distastfull vnto the King was thereupon apprehended his enemy so 〈◊〉 and vpon the twenty eight of Iuly suffered 〈◊〉 with the 〈◊〉 of the Axe vpon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beheaded the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 quietly dying for his offence committed 〈◊〉 109 The sword thus vnsheathed vpon the necks of the Nobility strucke off the head of Margaret Countesse of Salisbury daughter and heâ—…re vnto George Duke of Clarence and mother vnto Reynold Poole Cardinall being neither arraigned nor tried but condemned by Parliament as Cromwell had bin And the Lord Leonard Gray in this present yeere lost his head for treason the twenty eight of Iune And the next day following Thomas Fines Lord Dacres of the South died at Tyborne for killing a priuate man in a fray Neither was it put vp vntill that the heades of Queen Katherine Howard and the Lady Iane Rochford were stricken off the one for Adultery the other for concealement as was alleadged the parties offending were Fraâ—…it Dereham and Thomas Culpepper Dereham before shee was Queene and Culpepper after who both were executed at Tiburne the tenth of December and the twelfth of February following Mistresse Katherine Howard for so in the Act of her Attainture 〈◊〉 is called who had beene stiled and receiued Queene for the space of sixe moneths and fouâ—… dayes with the Lady Iane then widow and late wife vnto 〈◊〉 Bullen Lord Rochford were both of them brought vnto a Scaffold raised vppon the hill within the Tower where they in lamentable passions suffered death 110 Howsoeuer those times afforded such Queenes to the Kings bed or himselfe vnfortunate in making his choise yet many of no meane iudgement haue rather accused King Henry for his changing and variable affections then thinke them guilty in the breach of Matrimony Of Anne wee haue seene what
vnexpected content so deepely touched her tender heart that foorth with shee fell into great feares laments and a most heauy melancholy and was in such danger of death that the King came to visit her hauing not gone foorth of his Chamber of many dayes before whereat shee so reioiced as shee began to 〈◊〉 and to acknowledge her like loue and duty the next night following repaired to the Kings Bed-chamber accompanied onely with the Lady Herbert her sister and the Lady 〈◊〉 the Kings neece carrying the Candle before her of whose presence the King seemed to be most desirous and presently falling in talke of Religion began to debate some question thereof with the Queene demanding to haue her resolutions therein but shee knowing that his nature was not to be crost and the sorenesse of his legge to encrease his cholâ—…er made him answere that she was a woman accompanied with many imperfectioâ—…s but his Maiesty wise and 〈◊〉 of whâ—…m shee must learne as of her Lordand Head for so God hath appointed you said shee the Supreame Head of vs all of whom next vnto him I will euer learnt Not so by Saint Mary said the King you are become a Doctor Kate to instruct vs and not to be instructed by vs as often heeretofore we haue seeme Indeede said 〈◊〉 if your Maiestie haue so conceiued I haue beene mistaken in my meaning who haue euer held it preposterous for a woman to instruct 〈◊〉 Lord. And whereas I haue heeretofore held talke with your highnesse touching Religion it was to leâ—…ne of your Maiesty some excellent 〈◊〉 which my selfe stood in doubt of and sometimes to the end that you might with lesse griefe passeouer this paineful time of your infirmity wherein if by my ouermuch boldnesse I haue failed in the latter yet haue I not 〈◊〉 in the former to my no small benefit and comfort And is it euen so sweet heart quoth the King why then are me friends and so kissing her gaue her leaue to depart But the day drawne on for her apprehension and the King disposed to take the â—…yre sent for the Queene to walke in the 〈◊〉 himselfe accompanied onely with two Gentlemen and shee with the three foresaid Ladies Whenas suddenly the Lord Chancellor with forty of the Guard came into the Garden with purpose to hâ—…e apperhended and carried the Queene to the Tower whose malepâ—…rt approach the King greatly misliked and â—…ernely beholding him slept aside 〈◊〉 him with the names of 〈◊〉 foole and 〈◊〉 bidding 〈◊〉 out of presence The Queene seeing the King chased but knew not the cause indeauoâ—…ed by all meanes to 〈◊〉 his Maiestie and iâ—…treted for the Lord Chancellour whose faultas shee thoughtand alleaged was rather through misimprision then will and therfore said she I wil become an humble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him vnto your Highnesse Ah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoth the King 〈◊〉 little 〈◊〉 Kate 〈◊〉 euill he 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 at thy hands of my word sweet heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But in following this trâ—…ct of blood â—…owed from the fountaine of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—…ticles wee haue stepped ouer some other occurrences that happened somewhat before this time vnto which with thy patience goodReader we will returne againe 114 King Henrie by order of Parliament hauing assumed the Stile and Title of King of Ireland with the submission of most of the Irish Nobiâ—…ty Iames his Nephew King of Scotland tooke it not well forthat as Liâ—…ley saith a great part of Ireland especially in the North had been in possession of the Scotishmen for many hundred of yeeres before These discontents conceiued King Henrie well perceiued and because hee would haue no ill will so neere him that had so many enuiers abroad he sent vnto King Iames that it would please him to repaire vnto the City of Yorke where he would meet him to conferre for the wealth of both the Realmes which at first was granted but vpon better aduise vnaccomplished his Counsellors moouing the dangers and his Clergy the feares lest their Religion should be changed to the offence of his confederates the Pope the Emperour and the French King 115 The vnkindnes growing from this small sparke was presently kindled into great flames for Commissioners being sent from both Kings to view the limits of either Kingdome they fell at ods about a small peece of ground and from that tooke occasion of emulations and warres to prosecute which King Henry prepared an Armie and sent them into Scotland vnder the Conduct of the Duke of Norfolke accompanied with the Earles of Shrewsbury Darby Câ—…mberland Surrey Hertford Augus and 〈◊〉 land These passing the English Marches did much hurt in the Kingdome of Scotland To withstand whom King Iaâ—…es gathered a power of fiue and thirty strong and at Faâ—…aw more meant to haue bidden the Duke battell which as that writer relaxed was not then minded to doe but made againe into England and passing the water Tweâ—…d sustained great losse by the couragious pursuit of the Lord Huntly King Iames vpon a lusty courage meaning to repaire the Scotâ—… losses with the English spoiles was very forward to follow the Duke into their Borders but the Scotish Nobility wisely waying the danger of warre by no meanes would either assent or assist him out of his owne kingdome affirming it honour sufficient to haue forced the English backe with no little losse 116 King Iâ—…es discontented at his Nobles danials made towards the Burders himselfe where mouing the Lord Maxewell Lord Warden of the West Borders with many other men of speciall fauour and account to inuade England whereunto they gaue their consents These passing the Riuer Eske did some small dammage vpon the Westerne Borderers whereof Thomas 〈◊〉 Dacres and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hollinshed cals them sent word to Thomas Wharton Lord Wardeâ—… for the King vpon the West Marches But the Scotâ—… comming forward they were forced to prepare for â—…ight before the Lord 〈◊〉 could come and out of their 〈◊〉 company lest a stand vpon the side of a hill 117 The Scots aduanced forward with no little hope were presâ—…ly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the â—…ght of these men and verily thought 〈◊〉 the Lord 〈◊〉 had assembled 〈◊〉 Charge or 〈◊〉 the Duke of 〈◊〉 with a great Army were come to their 〈◊〉 whereupon they began to consuâ—… what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be done and demanding who was deputed 〈◊〉 by the King Oliuer 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor honorable 〈◊〉 being lifted vp vpon the Shoulders of two Souldiers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Commission wherein himselfe was appointed their Generall and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that so many more worthy honourable and approued Capâ—… of the 〈◊〉 should be 〈◊〉 by this his 〈◊〉 but â—…o 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 In whose 〈◊〉 and for the 〈◊〉 of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 willingly lost the 〈◊〉 118 This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon the twenty fourth
Arms but so farre off from embracing as the Rebels from the height of the hill shot at the Citie which doing little harme they remoued their Ordinance to the lower ground and thence beganne to batter the walles and without great resistance entred the town where they became Masters of al the munitions and emprisoned the Maior and many other Citizens 38 These times thus troublesome the King and Citizens of London requiring their aide in these their opposite quarrels and surely in their assembly the talk of the Lords by the Recorder was so wel tolde as had not a graue Citizen stept vp betimes the common Councell had granted aid against their King whose wisdome and loyalty in regarde my selfe a Citizen would haue it recorded to his euerlasting memory and an example and motiue for our obedient loue and duety toward our Soueraignes I will insert as I find them vttered and spoken 58 In this case said hee good it is to thinke on things past to auoide the danger of thinges to come for I remember a story written by Fabian in his Chronicles of the warres betwixt the King and his Barons who euen then as our Lords doe now demanded aid of the Maior and Commons of London against their Soueraingne King Henry the third and that in a cause rightfull and good for the Common-weale which was the execution of certain wholesome lawes somwhat derogating from his princely prerogatiue which hee would not permit The aide was granted and quarrell came vnto battell wherein the Lords preuailed and tooke the King and his sonne prisoners But they againe restored to liberty among other conditions this was one that the King should not onely grant his free pardon to the Lords but also vnto the Citizens of London which was done yea and the same confirmed by Parliament But what followed was it forgotten no surely nor neuer forgiuen during the Kings life for the liberties of the City were taken away strangers appointed to bee our heads and Gouernours the Citizens giuen away both body and goods and from one persecution to another were most miserably afflicted such it is to enter the wrath of a Prince which as Salomon saith is death Wherfore forasmuch as this aide is required of the Kings Maiesty whose voice being our high Shepheard wee ought to obey rather then to hearken to the Lords whom neuerthelesse I wish not to bee vtterly cast off my counsell is that they with vs and wee with them become humble Petitioners vnto his Highnesse that it would please him to heare such complaints against the Lord Protector as may be iustly alleadged and proued and I doubt not but this matter will be so pacified that neither shall the King nor yet the Lordes haue cause to seeke for further aide neither we to offend any of them both 59 These words well weighed and the Councel dissolued fiue hundred Londoners were prepared in a readinesse for Sir Philip Hobby being sent from the Lords to the King so deliuered their minds that the Lord Protector was commanded out of presence and the next day being the twelfth of October the Lords of the Councell resorted to Windsor where they so wrought with the King as his vncle was deliuered into their hands whom the same night they imprisoned in Beauchamps Tower in the same Castel and the next day strongly attended brought him to London whence the streetes were guarded onely by housholders the Aldermen taking the charge of the busines and so to the great griefe and wondering of the people hee was conueyed to the Tower and there left 60 Whither shortly after the Lords themselues repaired and charged the Protector with these 20. Articles as followeth 1 That at his entry into that waighty office hee was expresly prohibited to doe any thing in State without the assent of the last Kings Executors 2 That hee had contrariwise vpon his owne authority both subuerted lawes and staied iustice 〈◊〉 well by letters as commandement 3 That he had deliuered diuers persons arrested and committed to prison for felonie manslaughter murther and treason contrary to the lawes and statutes of the Realme 4 That hee had made Captains and Lieutenants ouer waighty affaires vnder his owne Seale and Writing 5 That hee had alone communicated with forraine Ambassadors about most weighty State affaires 6 That hee had checked diuers of the Kings Priuy Councell speaking for the good of the State yea and threatned to displace them if they consented not to his mind 7 That hee had against law erected a Court of Requests in his owne house whither were enforced diuers of the Kings Subiects to answere for their Free-holds 8 That he had for money disposed Offices in the Kinges gifte money leases and Wardes and giuen presentations of Benefices and Bishoprickes yea and medled with sale of the Kinges lands which by office hee could not without consent of the maior voice of the Councell 9 That hee had commanded multiplication by Alcumistrie to the abuse of the Kings coine 10 That against the King and Councels will hee had set forth a Proclamation against inclosures which had caused daungerous insurrections in the land wherein diuers of the Kings liege Subiects haue beene spoiled and many a worthy man therein slaine 11 That to the same end hee had giuen commission with Articles annexed concerning inclosures of Commons high wayes and decayed Cottages giuing the Commissioners authority to heare and determine the same causes contrary to the lawes and statutes of the Realme 12 That hee had suffered Rebels and traitours to assemble and lie in Campe and Armour against the King his Nobles Gentlemen without any speedy suppressing of them 13 That by his gifts in money with promises of Fees rewards and seruices he had encouraged many of the said rebels 14 That in fauour of them contrary to law he had caused a Proclamation to bee made that none of the said Rebels or Traitors should be sued or vexed for any of their offences committed in the said Rebellion 15 That hee had liked well of these rebellions and had said that the couetousnesse of the Gentry gaue the occasion affirming that it was better for the Commons to die then to perish for lacke of liuing 16 That hee had reported the Lords of the Parliament were loath to reform themselues for the reformation of Inclosures and therefore the people had good cause to reforme the thinges themselues 17 That vpon the report of the defaultes and lackes of Bulloigne nothing was there amended 18 That the Forts of Newhauen and Blacknesse standing in want of men and victuall whereof hee was informed were suffered notwithstanding still to want to the great encouragement of the French and dishonour of the English 19 That he had vntruly published that the Lords at London minded to destroy the King which hee instantly desired hee would neuer forget and to that end instigated many young Lords whereby sedition and discord was made
pestilent tenour of the letters * Ro. Wend. MS. Mat. Paris Alexander Bishop of Chichester cleareth himself from disloyaltie The English Bishops deale with the King about redresse of the common euils Obiections against the Bishop of Winton and the Poictouines The outrages of the Marshalline faction * Quae exlex est Math. Paris The King facileâ—… in taking and leauing fauourites Of Princes Counsellors and Fauourites The king remoues the Bishop of Winchester and others from his Councell England purged from Poictouines The Earle Marshal dieth in Ireland * Partie per pale Or vert ouer all a Lyon rampant gules The king laments the Earles death Ann. 1235. The king cals home his rebels Hubert de Burgh is reconciled Gilbert brother to the late Earle Marshal hath his brothers lands honours * Math. Paris ad An. 1239. The practise to destroy the late Earle Marshal openly read * Rog. de Wend. M. S. Math. Paris The king sits in Westminster with the Iudges on the Bench. The king himselfe giues sentence on the Bench. The Bishoppe of Winchester went to Rome for hee was in Pope Gregories Armie against the mutined Romans say both Wendouer and Paris ad An. 1â—…35 The diuine vertue of charity actually commended by God * Of Alboldesâ—… a village in Cambridgeshire A miraculous confâ—…sion of hard heartednesse toward poore Christians * Mat. 5. 7. * God hath a care of the liberall * An. 1235. An. reg 19. The Iewes conspire to crucifie a child The Emperour marrieth the kings sister The magnificence of the Nuptials * At Wormes in August * Rog. de Wend. MS. Mat. Paris Marriage consuÌ„mated by calculation of the Stars * Rog Wendouer in hist. MS. in Biblioth D. Roberti Cotton Baronetti * K. Henry 3 of * Richard king of the Romans * Ioan Queen of Scots * Isabel. * Quasi Capientes vrsi deuouring Beares quoth Paris * Mat. Parid. * Idem ad An. 1227 * Ibidem * Math Paris 〈◊〉 seth this word * Polyd. Virg. lib. 16. Armiger quidam literatus saith Parâ—… but pag 566 â—…hesame M. Paris aâ—…th his name was Clement and a Clerke * Margaret Biset The Traitor drawne in sunder with horses * Holinsh. p. 123. * Because Kings are annointed * Because in holy Scriptures they are called Gods * Mat Paris â—…d A. D. 1242. Paris Idem * In Walling ford Castle * 16 Iunij Loâ—…ini Paris * Mat. Paris Ann. 1239. Great faults in the Lords towards the King Worthy iustice done vpon a Court-Rat or Promoter Math. Paris Allegations for Antioches Primacy aboue Rome Hubert Earle of Kent tost with a new Court-storme Strabo A strange description of a king * Ypod. Neust. * Mat. Paris * Cambden Brit. in Kent this man died An. D. 1243. An. 1240. England a most Christian Country * Mundâ—…ssimam terram Paris * Paris * Imperatoris literâ—… apud Paris An. 1241. * Edmund a Saint thoughdying an Exile in detestation of the Popes oppressions An. 1242. A reg 26. The King goes to recouer Poictou * Cadum The French Kings preparations to resist * Vide sâ—…pra at his deâ—…ing from England A most Christian feare of the Christian King * Io. Tili Chron. * Math. Paris Isabel Queene Dâ—…ger forgeth writings to draw her sonne the King into France Mat. Par. p. 570 Poictou lost by the Engâ—…sh Xaincts also and Xainctoing The French Earle of March compared by the King to Iudas Hertold an example of loyalty The effect of the kings iourny into Wales * Hist. Camb. A iudgement of God on a withholder of church lands * Gyrâ—…ld Cambren * 3. Reg. cap. 1. vers 21. An. 1246. A. reg 30. * Mat. Paris The French King reiecteth the Popes motion as vnchristian Dauid Prince of Wales * Articuli super Grâ—…amin a pud Paris * See their seuerall Letters in Paris * Math. Paris * 〈◊〉 Episcoporum Mat. VVest * Paris * Iohannes Anglicus England the Popes Asse * Genes 16. 12. Ann. 1247. * Mat. VVesâ—… Math. Paris Ioh. London c. * In Crastiâ—… Purificationis * Ibidem An. 1248. A. reg 32. The seditious Nobles exposlu lâ—…te their gree â—…ances with the King in stead of granting mony The king driuen to sell his Iewels and Plate to the Londoners A. D. 1249. An. reg 33. Simon Earle of Leâ—…cester returnes with honour out of Gascoign Hampshire purged of theeues by the King himselfe sitting in iudgement A. D. 1250. A. reg 34. Walter Clifford makes an officer eat the kings writ wax and all The king lesseneth the charge of his Houshold Thirtie thousand markes wrung from one Iew in a few yeeres The king preaâ—… cheth to the Couent * Paris * The pope was now fled from Rome for feare of the Emperour * Liuie * He calles iâ—… 〈◊〉 profitable Alâ—…s deed Paris An. 1251. A strange description of the Kings parâ—…mony or pouerty * Notwithstanding any former commandement * Or former priuiledge * Mat. Paris Sir Philip Darey appeacheth Sir Henry Bath a bribing Iudge of treason The disorderly weake and violent carriage of trialâ—… The King proscribeâ—… Sir Henry Bath Sir Iohn Mansel stayes the Kings seruants from killing Bath * Two thousand Marks * Additam ad Math. Paris An. 1252. Alexander the third King of Scots espouseth the Lady Margaret Six hundreth Oxen spent at one meale * Mat. Paris The young King of Scots a suter to the King for bringing Philip Louel into fauour againe * Circumsedentium The most witry and princely inâ—…inuations of the young king to the king his father in Law Philip Louel reconciled to the king Simon Earle of Leicester rather to be called Sinon as the Gascoigns said * Per Papa auarisiaâ—… toâ—… 〈◊〉 infortunium Paris The Kings hope to recouer Normandie frustrated The common opinion of the Kings designe for the holy Land A perilous bolde Dialogue between the Countesse of Arund l and the King An. 1253. An. reg 37. The king of Spaine claunes Gaâ—…coign Simon Earle of Leicester refuseth high honour in France to auoid the suspition of disloialty to England Magna Charta confirmed helpâ—… the king to mony The kings oath to obserue that confirmation The king requesteth the king of Spaines sister to be giuen for wife to his sonne Edward The King of Spaine quitteth his claime to Gaâ—…coigne The king of Spaines aduise to the king of England His most noble protestation The king of Romans what and who The English tongue in the dayes of Mathew Para agreeable to the Dutch The huge sums of ready money which Richard King of Romans had of his owne at his Election * 6. Cal Iun. diâ—… Ascensionâ—… * Contra antiqua statutâ—… libertates Paris * Mat Paris in hist maâ—…ori The Vniuersity of Oxford the second Schoole of the Church next Paris protected by the king The King commendâ—… the cause of his sonne Edmund for the kingdome of Sicilia Note that by this it appeares Edmund was not
Lawyers sent for to make treasons * At Shrewsburie saith Hist. Lecestrens Hist. Lecestrens * Fulthorp vide Booke of Statut. A. 11. Rich. 2. cap. 4. * Those Articles are set downe in the Book of Statu A. 21. R. 〈◊〉 c. 12 * In MS. it iâ—… ratis for Cratâ—… in likelihood Hâ—…st 〈◊〉 The popular Lords bold answere to the king The kings reply The Lords â—…harge the king with sundry matters An. D. 1388. An. Reg. 11. * Stat. Aâ—… 11. 〈◊〉 1 The rough and harsh behauiour of the Lords Persons remoued from about the King Historia Lecestren The Duke of new Troy or London * An. 10. 11. Rich. 2. A. D. 1389. A. reg 12. The King declares himselfe to be of age and takes the gouernment vpon him * He was founder of the two famous Colledges in Oxford and Winchester * Roder. Santius Archiep. Toletan Hist. Hisp. part 4 cap. 22. * Polyd. Verg. l. 20 Hist. Ang. * Froissard * Tho. Wals. The Duke of Lancaster in his distresse calleth vpon God and is heard * Roder. San. qua supra Conditions of perpetuall amity betweene the K. of Spaine and the Duke of Lancaster * Tho. VValsin in Ric. 2. * Fabian Caxton * Holinsh. pag. 450. * Ypod. Neust. * Holinshed The Duke of Lancaster doth good offices The Duke of Yorkes carriage worthily praised A. D. 1390. An. reg 13. The Duke of Lancaster made Duke of Aquitaine Henry of Bullingbroke seekes aduentures into Germany * A. R. 13. vid. lib. Stat. * Ypod. Neust. 544. ibid. p. 545. * 〈◊〉 frigore turbatâ—… A. D. 1391. * Ypod. Neust. * Râ—…mipetis * Ioh. Stow. cals him Earle of Northumberland A. D. 1392. London in disgrace with the King * Tho. VVals * Fabian Caxton but. Stow mistikes their additions of other disorders * Ypod. Neust. A. D. 1393. A. D. 1394. * Ypod. Neust. The death of Queene Anne and many great Ladies The famous Sir Iohn Hawkwood dieth * Paul 〈◊〉 in â—…log 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Iulius Feroldus * Tho. Walsin Ypod. Neust. An. D. 1396. * Doct. Tayler ex Autographâ—… ipsius A. D. 15â—… An excellent note concerning the vanity of worldly ambition in Princes * Froissard The Duke of Lancaster marries the Lady Katherine Swinford * Stow Holinsh. erreth in saying but three A peace and marriage with France A. D. 1397. A. reg 20. * Hist. Ang. lib. 20. * Ypod. Neust. Grafton Chron. * Fabian Concor Hist. * A French pamphlet apud Ioh. Stowe in Hollinsh pag. 488. Lanquets Epitoâ—… * Hist. Angl. li. 20. * Tho. VValsin * Grafton Io. Stow. Annal. * Milles. p. 427. * Ypod Neust. A. reg 21. * Libr. Statut. An. 21. Rich. 2. cap. 2. * 〈◊〉 brâ—…ad An. 10. 〈◊〉 * Holinsh. The Earle of Arandel beheaded The Duke of Glocester murthered A. D. 1398. Libr. Statu An. 21. Rich. 2. cap. 12. * Tho. Walsin * Book of statutâ—… A. Ric. 2. 21. ca. 12. artic 6. * Tho. Walsing The King Prince of Chester creates Dukes and other States * Hist. Ang. lib. 20. * Ypod Neust. An. D. 1399. An. Reg. 22. * Ypod Neust. * Tho. Wals. in R. 2. * Annal. Hibern apud Cambd. * Annal. Hibern apud Cambd. * Tho. VVals * Ed. 2. §. 33. 34. King Richard resignes vpon Michaelmas day A. D. 1340. * Holinsh. pa. 504 * D. Hayward iâ—… Hen. 4. * Fabia Concord hist. saith thirty and eight * Tho. Wals. * Ypod. Neust. * Ypodigma Neust. Ypod. Neust. * Fab. 1. Concord Hist. Holinsh. ex Fab. A necessary protestation * Mornay Myst. iniquit p. 482. * into Bohemia opera Io. Huss To. 2. * Walfi p. 205. p. 208. * Ibid. p. 285. * p. 327. * p. 285. * Câ—…lmen Sapientia scientia p. 201. * p. 286. * p. 201. * Bulla Gregorij ib. * Vide op Ioh. Huss 10. 2. * Nimio fauâ—…re Pâ—…ocerum militum VValsin p. 351. p. 328. * Ypod. Neust. p 552. ibid. * Varia Wicliffi M. S. in biblioth Oxon. * Tho. VVals p. 285. * ib. pag. 283. * An. 1385. * Walsi p. 312. Ypod. Neust. p. 537. * Atri Ditis is in M. S not in the printed copies Monarch 51 Henry IIII. * Tho. VValsin * Ex Anonym apud Io. Stow. Annal. Holinsh p. 515. Polyd. Verg. lib. 21. * Hall Chron. * Shellie as others haue it * Fab Conc. Hist. * Harst cap. 119. * Hall Chron. Holinsh. p. 516. * Tho. Walsing The late King Richard starued to death * Ypod. Neust. * Annal. in H. 4. * Sir Iohn Fâ—…rtescue * Chron. c. 200. * In Yorkshire pag. 567. * Hist. Angl. 20. in â—…in Rich. 2. The fiction of Tantâ—…lus verified in King Richard * Lanquets Chron. in Hen. 4. * Fab. Conc. Chron. * Holinsh. p. 517. * Lib. 16. A counterfet King Richard buried in Scotland Tho. VVals in Hen. 4. ad An. D. 1044. Richards dead body shewed openly at London From thence is carried to Langley and afterward to Westminster * Thom. Walsing in Henr. 4. * Fab. Conc. Hist. * Annal. * Ypod. Neust. * Hist. 51. li. 16. by Belindens diuision cap. 13 Owen Glendowr drawes the VVelsh into rebellion * Hist. of Wales D. Powel p. 385. 386. 387. * Sir Edw. Cooke Epist. part 3. report King Henrie enters North-VVales with an Armie VVarre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 Pâ—…e * * 〈◊〉 Sâ—… â—…4 an 2. c. â—…5 An. D. 1401. An. Reg. 2 * Polyd. Verg. Hist an 〈◊〉 21. * Tho. VVals * Holinsh. Chron. Frossard The forme of redeliuering Queen Iâ—…abel to the French The King in danger to be slaine or wounded An. 1402. * Fab. Chron. ad A. D. 1400. * In Hen. 4. * Polyd. Vergâ—… 21. * Holinsh. p. 520. The late king Richard though dead suffers not K. Henry to rest Tho. Wals. Ypod The Diuell appeares in Essex * Cambd in Northumb p. 675. * Pol. Verg. lib. 21. * Hect. Boet. l. 16. Henry Hotspurs fortunes against the Scots The incredible force of the olde English Archery The summe of the great victory at Halidown hil * Tho. Wals. Polyd. Verg. hath not a word in particular of this so great an action The Lord Mortimer dies a prisoner amongst the VVesh * Cambd. p. 675. in Northumberland A. D. 1403. * Ioh. Tilius Chr. * Ypod. Neust. in Histor. A strange presaging apparition of war * Heâ—… Boâ—… lib. 16. Causes of the Lord â—…rcies dangerous rebellion * Thom. Walsing * Cambd. in Northumberland The Kingdome of England to bee shared among the conspirators * Holinsh. p. 521. The late dead King Richard againe afflicteth Henry * Ypodig Neust. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 〈◊〉 Thomas Percie Earle of Worce ster cause of the battell at Shrewsbury The terrible battel at Shrewsbury * Thomas Walsing Hoâ—…spurre and Dowglas onely seeke to encounter the Kinges person * Tho. Walsing * â—…ibr 16. * Many thousands together â—…aith VValsingham The King vseth his victory
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
courage Holinshed Hist. of Ireland Kildar receiued into Dublin with procession The French king imprisoned at Madril Gâ—…ard Queene mother soliciteth King Henry Dislikes 〈◊〉 the Emperour and K. Henry Peace betwixt England and France Signed with 〈◊〉 ovvne 〈◊〉 in Ann. 1526. The great Dominions of the Emperour Guicchard Rich. Turpin G. Câ—… A. D. 1528. The Kings Oration to his Nobility Edward Hall The Kings complaint The commendation of Queen Katherine George Couen Learned men assembled to decide the Kings marriage The testimonies of many Vniuersities sent vnto Rome Iohn Stow. pag 9â—…1 Cardinall Campeiu commeth into England The King and Queene summoned to appeare personally in the Court at Blacke Fryers Queene Katherines speech to the King Queene Katherine departed the Court. The Kings report of his Queene The King excuseth the Cardinall King Henries conscience and care The Bishoppe of Rochester contradicteth the Archbishop of Canterbury Cornelius Agrippa yeeldeth to the proposition The Popes vsurpation forbid by Parliament â—…x Parl. 24 H. 〈◊〉 K. Henries marriage dissolued by Parliament Fox Mart. 1197. Katherine Dowager Holinsh. pag 93â—… Pope Clement 7. adiudgeth the marriage lawfull The thunderings of Pope Clement 7. Sleidan com li. 9. The discent of Anne Bullen Sir Godfrey Bullen Lord Maior of London Anne 1457. Sanders in Schis Angl. Anne Bullen religion Sleid. com lib. 9. Anne Bullen Created Marchionesse of Pembrooke A. D. 1532. Octob. 11. K. Henrie complaineth of the dull Pope King Henrie allowed the Pope 60000. Angels monethly Iohn Stow pa. 946 Anne Dom. 1533. Nouâ—…mb 14. Vpon S. Erkenwalds day saith Hollinshd and Groston King Henry maried Anne Bullen * The Pope Elizabeth Barton the false Oracle or the Romanists The assisters of this false Propheâ—…esse Read Statue in Anne 25. of King H. 〈◊〉 The counterfetings of Elizabeth Barton Edward Hall Ioh. Stow. Holinsh. Cranmer Cromwell Latimer * Elizab. Barton Edward Bocking Richard Deering Richard Risby Richard Maister Henry Gould Two Monkes Iohn Stow. Edward Duke of Buckingham beheaded Holinshed The vaine feare of Prior Bolton The Pope inciteth Iames King of Scotland against England Iohn Lesly High treason The Pope giues England to him that could get it Queene Anne crowned Lady Elizabeths birth A. D. 1533. Fox Martyr 1366. Statut. Parl. H. 28. cap. 10. Queene Anne a great louer of the Gospell A. D. 1536. Ian. 29. Queene Anne deliuered of a deaâ—… Child Queene 〈◊〉 sent to the Tower Mâ—…ch Sandt The 〈◊〉 of Queene Anne Cromwels letter to the King vnder his own hand Archbishop Cranmers let 〈◊〉 to the King Sleidans Com. l. 10 L. Rochford Noâ—…is West 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marks beheaded May 15. Queene Anne condemned and beheaded Robert Greene. Queene Annes speech at her death Ex MS. The audacious dealings of the Rebels Slanderous vntruths against the King The oath of the Pilgrims The Earle of Shrewsbury maketh against the Rebels Ex MS. R. Coe Thomas Duke of Norfolke Lord Lieutenant of the North. Pardon and peace offered to the Rebels Ex Original MS. The demands of the Commons The whole drift was to down with the Gospel An vncharitable and vnchristian motion Holinsh. pag. 944. Aske executed Luk. â—…2 36. Spirituall men Commotioners Monkes hanged for rebellion Idols and Monasteries suppressed by Parliament A. D. 1538. The Roode of Grace broken at Pauls Crosse. Lamb. Peram in Boxeley Our Lady of Walsingham and other Images burnt Cambd. Brit. 645. Monasteries in England 90. Colledges 110. Religious Hospitals 2374. Chaunteries and free Chappels Eras. Dialogue W. Lamb. Peram The state and opinion of Tho. Beckets Shrine Iohn Stow. The great riches of Beckets Shrine The great reuenewes of the Monasteries Supplication of Beggars The great reuenewes of the Friers 2. Cor. 12. 14. Dâ—…ut 25. 4. Apoca. 9. Iere. 13 26. Many suffered death for the Gospell before that Martin Luther wrote Queene Anne Bullen a fauourer of the Gospell staied the rage against the Professours King 〈◊〉 doings displeased many Chriâ—… Princes Camb. Brit. Lord Marquesse and others beheaded A. D. 1539. Ian. 9. Ioh. 〈◊〉 King Henry married Anne of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. An. 1540. 〈◊〉 Mart. 1296. The sixe Articles deuised 32. H. 8. chap. 10 35. H. 8. cap. 5. Lord Cromwell imprisoned In a letter writâ—… ten by himselfâ—… Ex MS. Anâ—… 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. â—…5 Queene 〈◊〉 diuorced by Parliament Cromwell affect his death 〈◊〉 ted by 〈◊〉 ment Ex MS. D. 〈◊〉 No such things as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poseth 〈◊〉 Cromwell Nâ—… 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 well to cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lady 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A. D. 1540. 〈◊〉 A. D. 1541. May 17. Margaret Coun tesse of Salisbury beheaded Lord Dacres hanged Stat. in 33. of H. 〈◊〉 cap. 21. Since the eight of August 〈◊〉 Queene Katherine and the Lady Iane Rochford beheaded The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cted Sâ—…t H. 8. 28. c. 10. 〈◊〉 H. 8. 3â—… c. 4. The fixe bloody Articles enacted Iohn Fisher. Sir Thomas Moore beheaded Fox Mart. pap 1363. Anne Askew her story Io. Bale Cent. 8. â—…ol 669. Rom. 1. 16. Three conuersions by N. D. pag. 495. Anne accused by no rule of Christianity 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 compared The Counter Newgate and the Tower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ned in Smithfield 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 suppose Three 〈◊〉 on s pag. 493. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Queene 〈◊〉 rines life laid 〈◊〉 Ibid. coâ—… p 494. 〈◊〉 three conâ—…ersions The Lord Chancellor lost his commission The Queene seeth the sentence of her death Queene Katherine visiteth the King who falleth in conference with her about 〈◊〉 Act. and Mon. Queene Katherines wise answer The Lord Chancellors purpose to apprehand the Queene Henry assumeth the name of King of Ireland A. 154 confirmed by Parl. 35. Hen 〈◊〉 Iohn 〈◊〉 The Kings of England and Scotland appoint to meet at Yorke A. D. 1542. An expedition into Scotland The Scotish noblemen refuse to inuade England The Lord 〈◊〉 of the Weâ—…-Borders yâ—…eld to the Kings perswasions * Williâ—… 〈◊〉 saith Stow. The mistaking of thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kings 〈◊〉 Generall The Scotish Noâ—… in 〈◊〉 of their generall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solem-mosse Graâ—…n saith foure and twentie The death of K. 〈◊〉 of Scotland A marriage intended betwixt Prince Edward and the young Queene of Scotland The Scotish prisoners honourably entertained The Scotish Prisoners released without Ran. some Ioâ—… 〈◊〉 The marriage of Prince Edward and Queen Mary concluded by Parliament Cardinill 〈◊〉 against the 〈◊〉 ringe with England The French King setâ—… faction in Scotland The Queene and Queene mother conueyto ed 〈◊〉 Queene Marie of Scotland crowned The Earle of Lennox falleth from the Queene mother King Henry dâ—… mandeth the young Scotish Queene An Army 〈◊〉 into Scotland Ioâ—…n Leslie Iohn Leslie The Pope and French King send aide into Scotland Math. Earle of Lennox marrieth Lady Margaret Earle Lennox proclaimed an enemie to the state The English enâ—… Scotland A. D. 1544. Defiance sent into France Ioâ—… Stow. Bolloigne besieged Ioâ—… Sleidâ—… 〈◊〉 Bolloigne wonne R. Graâ—…con Iohn Serres
assistance to recouer the Realme of England promising faithfully to beare himselfe towardes the said Scottish King no otherwise then as if he had beene his owne naturall brother and would vpon recouery of his inheritance gratefully doe to him all the pleasure which lay in his vtmost power 43 Perkins speech ended and his amiable person being fitted with so many countenancing circumstances of state and seemings by the recommendations of great Princes aide from the Irish assured hope of aide in England and his owne wel-appointed company made so strong an impression in the young Kings conceit that albeit there wanted not some who with many arguments aduised the King to repute all but for a meere dreame and illusion his person was honorably receiued as it became the person of Richard Duke of Yorke and his quarrell entertained which the more to grace in the Worldes eye he gaue his consent that the said Duke of Yorke should take to wife the Lady Katherine Gorden daughter to the Earle of Hantley being neere cosen to the King himselfe a young maide of excellent beautie and vertue By which marriage as the gentle King abundantly declared that he tooke him for the very Duke of Yorke so Perkin distrustfull of the Scots and desirous to gaine the loue and fauour of the Nobles of the Realme cunningly serued his owne ends for the present passing current for a Prince of high blood and roiall hope Vpon this ground a warre was presently vndertaken against Henrie and entred into the King of Scots in person and Perkin followed with great numbers specially of Borderers fell vpon sundry parts of Northumberland which they most grieuously afflicted burnt and spoiled publishing neuerthelesse by Proclamation made in the name of Richard Duke of Yorke much fauour and immunitie to all such as would adhere to his rust quarrell and a thousand poundes in money and one hundreth markes by yeere of land of inheritance to the meanest person that could either take or distresse his great enemy who he said was flying the land But King Henry by his diligence and wisdome had so setled the mindes of his people in those parts that there is no mention made of any one person which offered his seruice This vnexpected auersion so blankt and dampt the Scottish enterprize on Perkins behalfe that the King offended therewith retired with his armie laden with booty into his Realme and from thenceforth esteemed of his new Cosen the lesse But King Henry not minding to forgiue so vniust and causelesse outrages cals a Parliament opens his griefes and praies aide for an inuasiue warre against Scotland which was generally assented vnto there being scarce anie more gratefull propolitions to the English in those swording times then warre with French or Scots an humour vpon which this King did practise to enrich himselfe For the publike monies by these occasions came into his Exchecquer with a small part whereof he flourished out a show of hostile prouisions and the Remainder thereupon if peace ensued which he alwaies knew how to bring about with honour was cleerely his owne without account The summe assented to be gathered was sixescore thousand pounds and for collection thereof were granted two dismes and an halfe and two fifteenes But the leuie of this money so granted in this Parliament kindled a dangerous blaze in England in so much that the Lord Dawbney being sent Generall of the Forces against the Scots and vpon his way thither was recalled by occasion of intestine troubles 44 Which troubles had their Originall from the leuie of such payments among the Cornish as were assessed for the Scottish warres When therefore the Collectors came among them the People being a stout bigge and hardy race of men tumultuously assembled whom one Thomas Flammock a lawyer and Michaell Ioseph a blacke-smith or horse-farrier of Boduim like firebrands of rebellion inflamed and were followed as Captaines not without secret and silent relation as it may be suspected to Perkins pretences and that hope of redresse if he were King which by his Proclamations he had colourably giuen to the people at the time of the Scottish Inuasion where among manie other things tending to humour such as were maleuolent by making the person and gouernment of King Henrie odious this we find 45 Our great enemie saith the Proclamation to fortifie his false quarrell hath caused diuers Nobles of this our Realme whom he held suspect and stood in dread of to bee cruelly murdered as our cosen Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlaine Sir Simond Montford Sir Robert Ratliffe William Dawbeney Humfrey Stafford and many other besides such as have deerelie bought their liues some of which Nobles are now in the Sanctuary Also he hath long kept and yet keepeth in prison our right intirely wel-beloued Cosen Edward Saint and heire to our Vncle Duke of Clarence and other withholding frō them their rightfull inheritance to the intent they should neuer be of might power to aid and assist vs at our need after the dutie of their leageances He hath also married by compulsion certaine of our Sisters and also the Sister of our foresaid Cosen the Earle of Warwicke and diuers other Ladies of the blood roiall vnto certaine his kinsemen and friends of simple and low degree and putting apart all wel-disposed Nobles he hath none in fauour and trust about his person but Bishop Fox Smith Bray Louel Oliuer King Sir Charles Sommerset Dauie Owen Rysley Sir Iohn Trobutuile Tyler Chamley Iames Hobert Iohn Cut Garth Henry Wyot and such other Caitiues and villaines of birth which by subtile inuentions and pilling of the people haue been the principall finders occasioners and counsailers of the misrule and mischiefe now raigning in England c. We remembring these premises with the great and execrable offences daily committed and done by our foresaid great enemie and his Adherents in breaking the liberties and franchises of our mother the holy Church to the high displeasure of Almighty God besides the manifold treasons abhominable murders manslaughters robberies extortions the daily pilling of the people by dismes taskes tallages beneuolences and other vnlawfull impositions and greeuous exactions with many other hainous effects to the likely destruction and desolation of the whole Realme c. shall by Gods grace and the helpe and assistance of the great Lords of our blood with the Counsell of other sad persons c. see that the commodities of our Realme bee emploied to the most aduantage of the same the entercourse of Merchandize betwixt Realme and Realme to be ministred and handled as shall more be to the Common weale and prosperitie of our subiects and all such dismes taskes tallages benenolences vnlawfull impositions and grecuous exactions as be aboue rehearsed to be foredone and laid apart and neuer from henceforth to be called vpon but in such causes as our Noble Progenitors Kings of England haue of old time beene accustomed to
haue the aide succour and helpe of their subiects and true liegemen 46 The tide of people being thus vp Flammock and the blacke Smyth hauing firme promise of the Lord Audleys personall helpe lead them forth toward Kent where they doubted not greatly to encrease their numbers and had in likelihood so done but that the singular diligence and wisdome of the King frustrated their hopes by sundry Princely Arts. Yet they flow on and to shew what they durst doe they slew in their way at Tauntford the Prouost of Perin one of the Commissioners for the Subsidie and marching forward without offering other violence Iames Tuichet Lord Audley ioines himselfe at the City of Wels vnto them according to secret agreement and becomes their Generall From Wels they proceed to Salisburie thence to Winchester and so toward Kent where the Countrey was setled and prouided But the King farther doubting that the Scots would take fresh occasion by these seditious vproares to inuade the borders of his Realme dispatched Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey a Peere of excellent vertue to defend those parts with the helpe of the Bishopricke of Durham and the Marches till these homecommotions were appeased that then the Lord Dawbeney might with a iust and full Army prosecute the warre against the Scots But Iames their King perceiuing the end of the English intestine warres would be the beginning of his troubles thought it best by way of anticipation to weaken his enemy before hand as much as hee could and thereupon fiercely inuaded Northumberland againe and besieged Norham Castell belonging to Richard Fox whom the King for his noble seruices and deserts had now aduanced from Exceter and Bath and Wels vnto the Bishopricke of Durham But the Scotish King hopelesse to winne the Castell though hauing done much hurt both to it and to the country withdrew his people before the Earle of Surrey could approach with his Army wherein was the Earle of Westmorland the Lords Dacres Strange Neuill Latimer Lumley Scrope Clifford Conyers Darcy the Baron of Hilton and many Knights as Percie Bulmer Gascoigne Penington Bigot Bowes Elarker Parr Wharton Strangwith Constable Ratcliffe Sauile Gower Musgraue Mallerie Loder Eueringham Stapleton Wortley Pickering Heron Gray Ridley Griffith Fenwicke Ward Strycland Bellingham Curwen Warcop Tempest Metcalfe and others who missing the enemy marched after into Scotland and tooke such reuenge as the shortnesse of their so daine prouisions would enable 47 The Rebels on the other side whom king Henry thought not good to encounter in their first heates but suffered them to tire their fury and surbate themselues with a long march the countries as they past being forelaide from ioyning with them comming neere to Kent found few or no partakers there but the Country strongly defended against them by the Earle thereof the Lords Aburgenie and Cobham with other principall men and their followers which made diuers of the Rebels secretly shrinke and abandon the enterprise But the Lord Audley Flammocke Michael Ioseph and the rest kept on their way and encamped vpon Blackeheath between Greenewich and Eltham from the top whereof they might behold the Citie of London the whole brauery of that Horizon Here they resolue to abide the King or to assaile London The King on the other side by the diligence of the Lord Maior and other the Magistrates secured the City which was full of feare and businesse himselfe enuironed with his Nobles the choice of the South hearing where the Rebell was encamped resolued by dint of sword to deliuer his people from tiring expectations and for that purpose marcheth out of London and encamps in S. Georges field where he lay that night The next day when he vnderstood that the Enemie had drawne forth his People and set them in Battell-ray he sends out Henry Bourchier Earle of Essex Edmond de la Pole Earle of Suffolk Sir Rice ap Thomas and others with certaine Cornets of horse and Companies of Archers to beset the hill and the descents thereof while Giles Lord Dawbeney with the strength of his Armie chargeth the Enemy in Front whom with some slaughter they draue from the Bridge at Deepford strand and then mounting the hill he and the Earles charge the maine squadrons on all sides and without much labour breake and defeate them The number of the Rebels slaine is vncertainely reported the ods being betweene two thousand and three hundreth The Kings armie returned fewer by three hundreth Fifteen hundred rebels were taken Prisoners the takers had their Prisoners goods granted them Iames Lord Audley Flammocke and the Smith were taken and executed To all the rest mercy was seasonably extended The Lord Audley led from Newgate to Towerhill in a coate of his owne Armories painted on a paper reuerst and torne there paid his head for being a Head to that heady Route Flammocke and the Smith were quartered Memorably strange was the comfort with which this Blacksmith is said to haue cheered vp himselfe at his being drawne to execution saying That yet he hoped thereby that his name and memorie should bee euerlasting Who could beleeue that the desire of a long-lasting name howsoeuer should take the affections of so meane a person Such therefore was the end of this insurrection but the times being queasy the King wiselie forbare to take any seuere reuenge vpon more then onely vpon the chiefe Leaders for he was trulie informed that this calamitie had not broken the willes of the Cornishmen who remained ready for any desperate sudden occasion and therefore he abstained from needlesse exasperations insomuch as that the quarters of Flammocke and the Smith being once appointed to haue beene set vp in Cornwall for terror were onely fixed about London the King thinking good to temper his iustice euen in such a circumstance 48 His next care was so to order the warre against Scotland that the Peace whose foundations he had laid a far off might bee made to his more honor because the iniuries sustained by the youthful errour of King Iames were too publike to bee altogether forgotten hee sent the Earle of Surrey the Lord Neuill and others to inuade the Scotish borders with an Army who pursued the reuenge with great vehemency Meane-while there arriueth in Scotland Peter Hyalus an Ambassador from Ferdinando and Elizabeth King and Queene of Spaine as from friends equally well affected to both parties to mediate a peace between the two Kings of England and Scotland which perhaps in their owne persons would not easily haue beene brought about the point of honour might thereunto haue giuen such empeachment But this was the way to a peace which King Henry foresaw there being not onely a strict bond of loue betweene him and Ferdinando but an ouerture if not a secret conclusion to match his eldest sonne Prince Arthur with the young Lady Katherine daughter of Spaine who for her excellent vertues was well worthy