capitayn had to name By whome it was so bigged and supporte That out of Spayn wer exiled and thither came And some sayth that Hiberus of great fame There duke was than and there gouernour That of Spayne afore had been the floure ¶ This king Gurgwyn his surname was Batrê° Came home agayn after the voyage sore All forbeten so was he corageus That from his corps his ghoste departed thore Reigned that had .xxx. yere afore In Carlion after his high degre Was buried so with full greate royaltee The .xxxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe Guytelyn kyng of Britayne wedded Marcian to wife that Mercian lawes made by her great wisedome GVytelyn his sonne gan reigne as heyre Of all Brytayn aboute vnto the sea Who wedded was to Marcyan full fayre That was so wyse in her femynitee That lawes made of her syngularytee That called wer the lawes Marcyane In Britayne tongue of her owne witte alane ¶ This Guytelyn was good of his estate Full iuste he was in all his iudgement Wise and manly of porte erly and late Right meke and good euer in his entente Although of state he was right excellent With eche poore man that came to his presence Through whiche he waxed of moste hie sapience ¶ When he had reigned ful peacebly .x. yere He lefte the realme to his sonne and heire And to his wife to be his counceller For his sonne then was .vii. yere olde full fayre Whom at her death she sent for all repayre Of Barons all their she delyuered hym To kepe in payne of losse life and lymme ¶ Sicilius his sonne reygned .xxiiii. yere And crowned was and dyed in iuuentude That gouerned wel the realme full well and clere At Karlyon buryed after consuetude As kynges afore in all simylitude With all repayre of all his Baronage As well accorded vnto his hye parage ¶ Rymar his sonne the barons dyd crowne With honoure suche as fell to his degree Who twenty yere and one so bare the crowne And kepte lawe and all tranquilytee And peteous was euer as a king shulde be In ryghtwesnesse accordyng with his lawe Hauyng pytee and mercy where hym sawe ¶ Danius kyng his brother dyd succede Duryng .x. yere in warre and greate payne Withouten reste he was alwaye in dede The lawe vnkepte was cause there of certayne As myne authour it lyste nothyng to layne I wyll it nowe wryte and in this boke expresse That men may knowe his foly and lewdenesse The .xxxvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe Moruile kyng of Britaine was slayne by his owne immoderate Ire withoute knowledge of eny man with a fysshe bestyall of the sea MOruyle his sonne a baste goten and bore On Tangusta his specyall paramour Was crowned then after faught full sore with the kyng of Morians as a conqueroure Where he hym kylled and had the felde that houre And lefte no man on lyue and brente theim all His Ire exceded his wytte and gouernall ¶ Sone after then came fro the yrishe sea A bestyous fyshe a monstre sume dyd it call Wherof afrayde was all the comontye For it deuoured the folke both great and smalle Wherfore the kyng his yre myght not apall Ne cesse afore he foughten with it had All sodaynly alone as a man ryght mad ¶ Where both were dead or any man it knewe His yre full fell was and vntemperate His discrecyon out of his brayne flewe But he coulde not by reason ordynate Proroge his wyll ne yre inordynate By other meanes with people multytude It to haue slayne by wytte and fortytude ¶ He reigned had that tyme but seuentene yere When he thus dyed and fondly dyd expire Vnsemingly of any prynce to heare That he with suche a monstre shoulde desyre To fyghte alone so preuely of yre But sonnes he had full fayre then fyue Of manly men also substantyfe ¶ Gorbonian his eldest sonne of fyue Was after kyng and helde the maieste Ryghtwesse and trewe to euery creature In peace his realme and all tranquillyte And to his people he helde all equyte Tyllers of lande with golde he dyd comforte And soudiours all with goodes he dyd supporte ¶ Arthegall his brother signed with Diadene The kyng was then with all solempnytee By natyfe byrth nexte brother as men deme Who good men hated of his iniquyte Oppressyng them by greate subtylyte And all fals folke with ryches dyd auaunce His Barons all deposed hym for that chaunce The .xxvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe this kyng was crowned in defaute of his elder brother and after of pure pytee crowned his brother agayne CLydoure then the thirde brother generate Was kyne create by all successyon And bare the crowne with all royal estate By lordes wyll and there concessyon That ruled well withoute oppressyon When he had reigned so fully fyue yere Arthegall he founde that was his brother dere ¶ As he was gone on huntyng for his disporte In the forest and woode of collatre That sought had frendes and found had no comforte But heuy was and of full simple chere Whome Eledoure toke in his armes clere And brought hym to his cytee of Alclude That then was of great myght and fortytude ¶ In Albany then was it the greatest citee tho Besyde the woode that tyme of collatre Where his Barons and many other moo At his biddyng were come and presente there Whome syngulerly he made them for to swere Vnto Arthegall his brother to be trewe So purposed he to crowne hym all newe ¶ And then anon in haste so forth they rode To Ebranke and helde then his parlyament Where of good loue and tender brotherhod The crowne he set with very trewe entente On Arthegalles hede thought it was wel spent By hole decree and iudgement of his mouth And made hym kyng agayne by north and south ¶ Arthegall kyng crowned so all newe agayne Full well his lordes after dyd loue all perlees Forsoke all vyces and tooke to vertue playne And set his lande and people in all kyne and ease Reigning .x. yere he fell in greate disease In maladye of dyuerse great syckenesse Dead and buried at Carleyle as Igesse The .xxxvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Eledoure was that seconde tyme crowned king of Britayne for his good rule THe Briteines all crowned Eledoure That reygned after .xiii. yere in dignytee So well theim payde to haue hym gouernoure For his goodnesse and his benignyte And for he was so full of all pytee That in all thynge mercy he dyd preserue Well better euer then men coulde it deserue ¶ Iugen with force and eke syr Peredoure His brethren two on hym rose traytorously Deposed hym oute of his hye honoure And prisoned hym full sore and wrongfullye All in the towre of Troynouaunt for thy And parted the realme betwixte theim two Together reignyng .vii. yere and no mo ¶ Paredour then had all the lande full clere And crouned was reignyng after worthely His lawe and peace kepyng full well foure yere And dyed then and to
¶ Symond the soÌ„ne of earle Symond MouÌ„tfort Came oute of Fraunce for ferdnesse of that quene To kyng Henry whome he gaue great comforte He gaue hym then his man for ay to bene Of Leycester the earldome fayre and clene With the Stewarde of Englande in herytage Whiche is an offyce of greate priuelage ¶ And wed his doughter dame Elyanore To Willyam Marshall earle of Penbroke After whose deathe she auowed chastyte for euermore But he her maryed and her betoke For all her vowe as sayeth the booke To Earle Symond Mountfort to be his wyfe Notwithstandyng that she vowed chastyte her lyfe ¶ Tho dyed Lewelyn the prynce of Wales then Betwene his sonnes Gryffyth and Dauid grewe Greate discencyon and stryfe ay when and when And dame Beatryce the kynges doughter trewe To earle Symonde of Britayne wedded newe The yere of Chryste a thousand was accompted Two hundreth moo fourty and one amounted The C .xlv. Chapiter ¶ The 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 of Lancaster and of Leicester long after in the yere of his father one and thirty and in the yere of Christ M. iiC xli THe same yere then Edmond his sooÌ„ne was At LaÌ„castre that yere of Christ theÌ„ writeÌ„ A thousand whole twoo C and fourty mo bore And one therto in Flores as is wryten And in the yere next after then ouersetten The kyng his doughter Margaret then maryed To Alexaunder kyng of Scotland notified ¶ At Yorke citee wher he then did homage For Scotland whole and Isles apperteinyng Then dyed â—hemperour full sage Wherfore the lordes of Almaignie variyng Some chose Rychard kyng Henryes brother beyng And some that kyng of Castile would haue algate But erle Rychard of Menske had all the state ¶ Then rose discorde betwene the kyng Henry And certain lordes of mighty greate power Symond Mountfort vpon hym toke boldly To bee cheftein to hold the feld full clere At Lewis faught of christ then was the yere A thousand twoo hundred and sixty accompted And foure also so muche more amounted ¶ This erle Symond had then the kyng Henry And his brother Rychard themperour In his kepyng and ward wer hold strongly But prince Edward was sette in Herford toure And erle Henry of Herford that was floure Themperours soonne at Herford with hym laye A myle about disported theim euery â—aye ¶ Fro whens at last with horse thei brake awa 〈…〉 And to Wigmour castell thei came in hie To sir Roger Mortymer wher he laye That theim receiued then full gladly And so thei assembled with greate hoste manfully And held the feld the lordes fast to theim drewe And at Euesham thei stroke a battaill newe ¶ In the yere of Christ a thousand was tho Twoo hundred mo sirty also and fiue When prince Edward faught with his foo Symond MouÌ„tfort and raught hym fro his liue The feld discomfited there anone as bliue With help of erle Gilbert then called Clare And other lordes with hym that were thare ¶ He slewe many and some awaye exiled And some he held in prisone and distres He toke out then his father as is compiled His eme Rychard holden in greate dures And all his frendes of his hie worthynes He socoured euer and with his gold supported And wher it want with his woord theim coÌ„forted The C .xlvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe Robert Ferrers erle of Darby was dishe rite and many other of their compaignie RObert Ferrers that erle was of Darby Disherite then for his insurreccion With many other at Chesterfeld in hie Faught with Edward of their presumpcion And fled awaye with greate confusion Vnto the Isle of Axholme and fro thens Vnto Lyncolne and spoyled the citezens ¶ Fro thens to Ely thei went anone Wher prince Edward thisle proudely assailed Thei fled fro it soone to Yorkeshire gan gone In freres clothis that were full long tailed Robbyng their fooes when thei of good failed And other some to Kilyngworth then fled To Henry Hastynges who then the castell had ¶ Wher then that kyng great siege laied all about But nought auailed so strongly thei defende And for ther was in euery shire throughout So greate robbery and nothyng amende The kyng was fain for lordes then to send By whose aduise he ordeined for that case That all disherite and exiled should haue grace ¶ All disherite should buye their landes again To paye for theim gold as thei might accorde With theowners so that no man should payen More then the land were worth by greate recorde In seuen yere whole and if thei might concorde For lesse money so it exceade a yere The value of the yerly rent full clere ¶ Robet Ferrers erle of Derby then The soonnes also of erle Symond exclude That perpetuall iudgement fully then Neuer to redeme their landes but been exclude So that theowners be not with theim delude Vnto a daye that fifty thousand pound Be paide of nobles whole and round ¶ Edmond the soonne of the same kyng Henry Was weddid first vnto dame Auelyn Erle Willyam his doughter of Almarle womaÌ„ly None issue had neither male ne feminine Then was he wed to Blaunche that quene full fyne Of Nauerne and so of Lancaster create With Leicestre also therle denominate The C .xlvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Edward theldest sooÌ„ne heire of kyng Henry the third and his brother erle Edmond of Lancaster and of Leicestre went to IerusaleÌ„ with greate power whiche twoo princes were couÌ„ted the semeliest of all the hoste of Christendome HIs brother Edward and he associate To Ierusalem their voiage theÌ„ auowed Two semely princes together adioynate In all the world was none theim like alowed So large faire thei were eche manne he bowed Edward aboue his menne was largely seen By his shulders more hie and made full clene ¶ Edmond next hym the comeliest prince aliue Not croke backed ne in no wyse disfugured As some menne wrote the right lyne to depryue Through great falsehed made it to bee scriptured For cause it should alwaye bee refigured And mencioned well his yssue to preuaile Vnto the croune by suche a gouernaile ¶ But prince Edward and he held fourth their waye To Ierusalem so did themperour Rychard his eme and Henry his soonne full gay To Cisile came by sea through many a shoure Edward with hym then had his wife that houre Elianour doughter of the kyng of Aragon A princesse faire at his eleccion ¶ The kyng Lewes also then thither went And in his waye dyed and expired Sainct Lewes nowe is named by all assent Of holy churche as it is well enquired Approued trewe as reason well required But Edward prince and EdmoÌ„d abode two yere With werres greate and mighty strong power ¶ For nacions all vnto prince Edward drewe And to Edmond his brother for their semelines And greate maÌ„hode whiche in theim that thei knewe Sir Charles that brother of king Lewes doubteles Kyng of Cisile of noble worthynes By the Soudan was chasid without beld Whome prince Edward socoured had the
this I leue to Goddes iudgemeÌ„t He was none euell capitayn in warre as to whiche his disposicion was more enclyned to then to peace SoÌ„dry victories he had some ouerthrowes but neuer for defaute in his owne person either for lacke of hardynes or polytike order Fre he was of his dispences somwhat aboue his power lyberall with large giftes he gatte hym vnstedfast freÌ„dship for whiche cause he was fayn to borowe pil extorte in other places which gat hym stedfast hatred He was close secrete a depe dyssymuler lowly of couÌ„tenauÌ„ce arrogaÌ„te of herte outwardly famylyer where he inwardly hated not lettyng to kysse whome he thought to kyll dispiteous and cruell not alwaye for eiuyll wyll but after for ambycion and to serue his purpose frende fooe wer all indifferent where his auauÌ„tage grewe he spared no maÌ„nes death whose lyfe withstode his purpose He slewe in the towre kyng Henry the .vi. saiyng nowe is there no heyre male of kyng Edward the thyrde but we of the house of Yorke whiche murder was done without kynge Edwardes assent whiche would haue appoynted that bocherlye office to some other rather then to his owne brother Some wise meÌ„ also wene that hys drift lacked not in helpyng forth his owne brother of Clarence to his death whiche thyng in all apparaunce he resisted although he inwardly mynded it And the cause thereof was as men notynge his doynges and procedynges did marke because that he longe in kyng Edwardes tyme thought to opteyne the croune in case that the kyng his brother whose life he loked that euyl dyet would sone shorten should happeÌ„ to disease as he did in dede his chyldreÌ„ beyng youÌ„g And then that if duke of Clarence had lyued his pretensed purpose had been farre hyndered For yf the duke of Clarence had kept hym self true to his nephewe the yong kyng or would haue takeÌ„ vpoÌ„ him to be kyng euery one of these castes had been a troumpe in the duke of Gloucesters waye but when he was sure that hys brother of Clarence was dead then he knewe that he might woorke without ieopardye But of these poyntes there is certentie and whosoeuer deuyneth or coÌ„iectureth maye as well shote to ferre as to shorte but this coÌ„iecture afterward toke place as fewe dooe as you shall ê‘ceaue here after But afore I declare to you howe this Rychard duke of Gloucestre began his mischeuous imagened pretenced enterprise as apê‘antly shal be opened I must a litle putte you in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of a louyng and charitable acte no lesse profitable theÌ„ amiable to that whole coÌ„mynaltie if it had been so inwardely thought as it was outwardly dissimuled whiche kyng Edward did liyng on his deathe bedde not long before he dyed for in his life althoughe that the deuision emongest his frendes somewhat greued yrked hym yet in his helth he lesse regarded tooke hede to it by reason that he thought that he was hable in all thynges to rule bothe ê‘ties were thei neuer so obstinate But in his last sickenesse whiche coÌ„tinued longer then false fantasticall tales haue vntruly falsely surmised as I my self that wrote this pamphlet truly knew wheÌ„ he perceiued his natural streÌ„gth was gone hoped litle of recouery by the artes of al his phicysyans whiche he perceaued onely to prolong his life TheÌ„ he began to consider the youth of his children howe be it he nothyng lesse mistrusted then that that happened yet he wisely forseyng and consideryng that many harmes might ensue by that debate of his nobles while the youth of his children should lacke discrecion and good counsaill of their frendes for he knew well that euery part would woorke for their owne coÌ„moditee and rather by plesaunt aduise to wynne theim selfes fauour theÌ„ by ê“fitable aduertismeÌ„t to do that childreÌ„ good wherfore liyng on his death bed at Westminster he called to hym suche lordes as theÌ„ wer aboute hym whoÌ„ he knewe to be at variaunce in especiall the lord marques Dorset soonne to the quene the lord Hastynges against whoÌ„ the quene especially grudged for that fauor that the kyng bare hym also she thought him familier with the kyng in waÌ„ton coÌ„paignie hir kynne bare hym sore aswel for that the kyng made hym capitain of Caleys which office the lord Riuers brother to the quene claimed of that kynges former promise as of diuerse other giftes whiche he receaued that thei loked for when these lordes with diuerse other of both parties were come vnto that kynges presens he caused hymself to be raised vp with pillous as I caÌ„ gesse saied thus or muche like in seÌ„teÌ„ce to theim My lordes my dere kynsmeÌ„ alies in what plight I nowe lye you se I ê‘fectly fele by that whiche I looke that lesse while to liue with you therfore that more depely I am moued to care in what case I leue you for suche as I leue you suche are my children like to fynd you whiche if thei shuld fynd at variauÌ„ce as god forbid thei theim felfes might hap to fall at werre or their discresioÌ„ wuld serue to set you at peace you sâ— their youth of whiche I rekeÌ„ the onely suerty to rest in your concord For it suffiseth not all you to loue theim if eche of you hate other if thei wer meÌ„ your feithfullnes might hap to suffice but childhod must be mainteined by meÌ„nes autorite slipê‘ youth vnderproÌ„pted with elder couÌ„saill whiche thei can neuer haue except you geue it nor you geue it except you agre for wher eche laboureth to breake that other maketh for hatred eche impugneth others couÌ„sail ther must nedes be a loÌ„g tract or any good coÌ„clusioÌ„ can forward And ferther while eche ê‘tie laboreth to be chief flaterer adulacioÌ„ shall theÌ„ haue more place theÌ„ plain feithful aduise of whiche must nedes ensue that euill bringyng vp of yâ— priÌ„ce whose mynd iÌ„ teÌ„der youth infecte shall redily fall to mischief riot drawe doune this noble realme to ruyne But if grace turne hym to wisdome whiche god seÌ„d hym theÌ„ thei which by eiuill meanes pleased hym best shall after fal farthest out of fauour so that at the leÌ„gth euell driftes driue to naught good plain wayes ê“sper florishe Great variauÌ„ce hath euer beeÌ„ betwene you not alwais for great causes Some tyme a thyng right wel enteÌ„did miscoÌ„strued hath been turned to that woorse or a smal displeasure dooeÌ„ to you ether by your owne affecioÌ„ ether by instigacioÌ„ of eiuill tooÌ„ges hath been sore agrauate But this I wot well you had neuer so great cause of hatred as you haue of loue because we be men that we be all christeÌ„ meÌ„ This I will leaue to prechers to tell you yet I wot not whether any pÌ„chers wordes ought more to moue you theÌ„ that his gooyng by by to yâ— place that thei all preche of But this shal I desire you to remeÌ„bre that the one part
great fauour wyth the kinges sonne Henrye the eyght but shortly after whan he beganne to exercyse hym selfe agayne in marciall feates of warre he sickened of a dysease called Plureses and died therewith whyche because it was straunge and vnknowen to the phisiciaÌ„s it was incurable He lefte one sonne behynde hym alyue to vphold the name of that auncetree The other Wyllyam brother to Edmunde the earle of Suffolke had also greater fauoure showed hym in pryson then he had before And as for Iames Terel and IhoÌ„ Wyndham because they were traytours and manifestly accused of the same wer put to death and behedded But when the earle of Suffolke heard of thys he was in great despayre wyth hym selfe that he should neuer frame hys matters wel and so wente all aboute Germanye and Fraunce for ayde and socour prouyng yf he coulde fynde any helpe at their handes whom when he perceaued to showe no token of loue towardes him in that behalfe he made hym subiect to that prynce of FlauÌ„ders but hys brother Rychard beyng an experte man dyd so wysely order and behaue hym selfe in that businesse that he was not greatlye founde gyltie in any poynt of that matter The kyng not yet beyng out of all feare of his enemyes perceauyng that many sanctuary men loked for a fayre daye desired of Alexander byshop of Roome that all traytours and banished men should not be saued by any sanctuary and that such as were ther in holde should take theim herafter as no refuge and socoure to them yf thei once gooe out whych thyng after the byshoppe had graunted it was to the ease and quietnes of al the realme When the kynge had all hys busines so well ended and broughte in a good staye Prynce Arthure dyed halfe a yeare or lesse after that he had maried ladie Katheryn for whose death ther was great lamentynge It is reported also that ladye Katherine feared suche lyke chaunce euermore for because that after she had taken her leaue of her parentes and sayled towardes England she was tossed loÌ„g in the sea wyth the violence of the water the wynd ere the shyppe coulde haue any laÌ„dyng Not longe after the quene was broughte ni bedde with a doughter and died vppon the same which daughter also taried but for a season after her mother Ther departed also within short space after Reynalde Bray a man for iustice so commeÌ„dable that yf any thyng had bene done agaynste good lawe or ryght he would streyghte reproue the kyng for it Of the same vertue was Ihon MortoÌ„ bishoppe would do in al thinges as he did in reprouing the kinge for the reformation of thinges amisse which bishop died .ii. yeres before About the tyme also dyed Henry bishop of CaÌ„terbury whose roome WilliaÌ„ WarraÌ„ bishop of LoÌ„don supplied and in the byshop of Londons place was elected William Barons after whose deathe succeded Rychrde Fiziames byshop of Chichester In this yere which was the .xvi. of hys reygne and of our lorde M ccccc and .ii. yeres the kynge dyd kept his parliament wherin manye thynges were dereed and made for the publike commodytee and emong other thynges it was determyned that theues and murderers duly conuicted by the lawe to dye should be burned in that hand and quit yf thei could read on the booke any one worde Furdermore it was decreed that the people should paye certain mony to the kyng and that the goodes of theim that were banished and fled should be disparsed and set to sale Also the preestes were commaunded to pay mony for the maintenaunce and sustentacion of the common weale And now the kyng drawyng nigh to age and consideryng the great battayles that he had in tymes past which as it was thought came of ouer muche welthines prouided a remedy ryght shortly for it And to the entent that menne shoulde not thynck that he would oppresse them or do theÌ„ wrong for of all people he hated oppressours therfore he deuised with hym selfe by what honeste meane he might do it thus deuising called to minde that English meÌ„ dyd litle passe vpoÌ„ the obseruacioÌ„ of any lawes that were made in so much the yf such a thynge should be called to accompte he thoughte manye men as well lordes as other of the lay fee would bee founde fautie And so searchyng ouer the statutes that he had made punished them a lytle by the pursse that had transgressed theim After that he appoynted two commyssioners to receaue the forfeictes the one Richarde Hempson and the other Edmunde Dudley booth lawers of the temporaltee whiche personnes for the desire to please their king had no respect how thei got the monye so thei myght haue it ether by ryght or wrong Albeit the kyng hauyng pitee of his people after that he perceaued they were sore punyshed and polled vnknowyng to hym restored to them their mony of whom it was exacted vniustlye and depryued theÌ„ of their offyce that had so vniustly executed it In this yere dyed quene Elisabeth of Castell wyfe to Ferdinand kyng of Aragone without any yssue of maÌ„ chyld so that the heritage dyd fall to lady Iohan her eldest daughter by Ferdinand whiche after was maried to the Earle of Flaunders theÌ„ made by this mariage also chiefe gouernoure ouer all that countree Shortly after about the .xiii. day of Ianuary which was the yere of our lord M ccccc and fyue thys Earle hauyng a nauye prepared sayled out of Flaunders with his wyfe to Spayne but he had not set forth longe ere the wether beganne to chaunge and tempestes to ryse so that at the last fearsenes of the wynde dyd dryue them to the coastes and borders of Englande wher he landed at an haueÌ„ or porte called Wynmouth sore againste the mynd and consent of all his companie which knewe well that the same landyng should bee the occasion of long tariyng there When it was knoâ—n that he was thus landed there came agreate nomber of harnissed men to proue yf he were the kynges frende or no whiche when thei perseaued hym to bee his frende and entended nothing but loue and frendeshippe Thomas Trencharde the chiefe of that compaignie went to the kyng desyring hym yf it would witesalfe hym to take a lodging at his house whiche was euen nigh at hand trusting therby to haue thaÌ„ke of the kynges master whom he certifyed in al the haste of his commyng Also Iohn Caroe desired hym that he woulde not gooe vntyll suche tyme that he had spoken with the kyng his louing and feithfull frende consideringe that he was within two or thre dayes iourney of hym So that at length although he layde many excuses to haue been gooen and departed at their instance taried there with theim And when the kyng was enfourmed of his coÌ„minge he reioyced highly and sente certaine of his nobilitee to bring hym where he was Wherfore this Erle seing no remedy but that he must nedes tary he went streight to Windesore where the kyng
Chapiter ¶ Thanswere of Constantyne whā he was a leper should haue been heled with the bloodde of innocentes and howe he sent his mother sainct Elyn to seke the holy crosse And howe he gaue his palis and dignite emperiall of Roome to Siluester And howe he went to Besaūce and builded it all newe called it Constantyne destroyed all the Aryanes heresies and dyed there at sainct Nychomede whose daye is halowed with the Grekes in the twenty and one daye of Maye BVt howe that he a leaper after grewe And by his leches vtterly infourmed Many innocentes whiche ther were borne newe For his health should slain beē disformed By theim into heale again returned In whose bloodde bathed he should haue been His leprous swames to haue weshed of clene ¶ But howe their death of emperiall pitee He then released rather to haue his pain Then to recouer by tyranne crueltee His health and life so to gette again For whō these innocentes should haue been slain And howe he was by Siluester made clene With holy water that yet in Roome is seen ¶ Nor howe he sente his mother sainct Elin To seke the holy crosse whiche she hym brought Ne howe she brought the clerkes with hir again Of Iewes lawe it to approue for nought With Christen clerkes by reason well out sought Ne when our lawe by Siluester for trewe Was best approued that other lawe vntrewe ¶ Howe then he gaue his awne palais royall With Roome all whole and all the dignite Through out Romany with sea emperiall To Siluester that had the papall sea He gaue it to hym all quite and free And to his successours perpetually Ne howe he distroyed the aryans heresy ¶ Nor howe he went frome Roome to Besaunce And of his name then called it Constantyne Nowe menne it call by all rememoraunce Constantyne noble wher to dwell he did enclyne There his lawes to kepe and to determyne And there he sette his throne emperiall And for his domes his sea iudiciall ¶ Nor howe he dyed after that Nichomeyd In cathologe emong the sainctes noumbred Of Maye the twenty and one daye in dede Vnder shryne buryed and subumbred Emong all Christē kynges worthy to bee remembred Whose daye feast the Grekes haue eche yere Solemply as for a sainct full clere ¶ And when he dyed reigned had and imperate In Brytain Roome and also at Constantyne By thirty and foure yere ende and determinate And in the yere of Christ as menne did determine When this worthy emperour his life should fyne Three hundred was and fourty also full euen So when his soule was rauished into heuen ¶ And these lōgyng not to Brytons gouernaūce But vnto Roome and the empire Whiche me nede not with my stile auaunce For Marian hath the Rooman chronicler All the whole substaunce and the mater So well it maye with rethorike termes fayred Whiche by my simplenes I would not wer appaired ¶ But after his daye came one Octauius Duke of Westesax that crouned was for kyng That sleugh the werdeins of constatynus Whiche that he sette for Brytain gouernyng In his absence to keipe it in all thyng For whiche the senate Traherne to Brytain sent Sainct Elyns vncle that into Brytain wente ¶ With legyons three at Portesmouth did lande And to Wynchester then rode furth right Where Octauius came hym to withstande And with hym faught and putte hym to flight Went to Portesmouth again full right Wher then he shipped full faste to Albanye Wher on stanemore thei faught again on hye ¶ Wher Traherne wāne the felde with victorie And into Logres came crouned with dignite And well did rule then all his monarchie All menne hym loued for his sanguynite In his tyme in greate nobilite He kepte it well frome all tyranny Foure yere complete in all thyng worthily ¶ In whiche tyme so then the said Octauius Procured his death by whiche then was he slain By a traytour full false and odyus So was he kyng of Brytain then again And sone then after he fell in age vnbain A doughter he had that was bothe good faire Whō sume counsailed bycause she was his here ¶ To Conan Meryadoke anone for to marye And other counsailed vnto Maximian Kyng Traherne his soonne a prince of Romanye To Constantyne next heire he was alaane Whiche maryage was fulfilled and tane Maximian hir wed then Octauius By fourten yere then reigned and dyed thus ¶ Maximian after hym ganne succed And crouned was maugre of all his fone For ire of whiche Conan departed in deede And warred sore on Logres so anone Wherfore the kyng full faste with hoost gan gon And countred hym with bataile fell and strong The kyng preuayled that other so did emong ¶ Till on a daye their frēdes made theim accorde The kyng ruled the lande full well in peace Fiue yere fully without any discorde In whiche tyme he gatte full greate riches Thought in hym self ouer the sea to passe Hauyng no will in Bryton long to abide But into Fraunce he was so sette in pryde ¶ With hoost full greate he landed in Armorike A duchy that was longyng vnto Fraunce The lesse Brytain nowe of Gaule kyngrike And conquered it by marciall gouernaunce To Conan then it gaue hym to auaunce To holde of hym and called it lesse Brytain And stuffed it then with Brytons soth to sain ¶ And furth he went wan the realme of Fraūce And so by processe Almaigny hym obeyed So did a greate parte of Italy by accordaunce He putte to flight Gracyan that hym desobeyed And Valentynyan with hym conueighed And sleugh by battaile Fulgen mightely And Emperour was made of Romany ¶ Conan the kyng then of litle Brytayn To Dyanote the duke of Cornewaile sent For Vrsula his doughter letters plain His wife to bee in verey good enteut With her also of maydens that wer gente Xi thousande in his land to bee wed For Frenchewemen they would haue none to bed ¶ This Dianote custos was of a Britayn His doughters with those virgyns then forth sente In Thamis shipped and cast in Almayne By tempest greate there shippes all to rente Many of theim wer dead and many shente In sykenes frayde in stormes and sore tempest That ful fayn thē there wold haue had there rest ¶ Gwames was then kyng of Houndelande And Malga kyng of Pightes paynymes hatous In whose landes they arryued I vnderstande Vnto theim then they wer full odyous Passyng yrefull and full malicious And for they would not be deuirgynate They slewe theim all through crueltee and hate ¶ Whiche now beē saynts marters euerychone In nonnes mynster conserued in Coleyn That noumbred been both with frend and foone Xi thousand virgins of greate Britayn Maximian the emperoure of Romayn When he had reigned .xxxiiii. yere By Gracyās frendes was buried layd on bere The .lxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Gracian kyng of Britayne in whose tyme kyng Malga Gwaymes distroyed all
woulde haue amēde Hir cōnyng might therto in no wise extēde ¶ Of whiche beautee and of her goodlyhede The kyng with loue so greatly was oppressed It chaunged all his corage and manhede In kalendes of eschaunge he was so impressed For whiche the duke with hir then home adressed Perceauynge well the kynges fykelnesse Was set for loue on her womanlynesse ¶ In Tyntagell his castel strong he her set Hymselfe then laye in castell Dymyoke Wher then the kyng hym sieged her to get But Merlyne then from it hym did reuoke And by his councell subtelly dyd prouoke Knowyng his loue he had to dame Igrene By coniurisons made in haste full yerne ¶ He made the kyng vnto duke Gorloys like Hymselfe like to Brethel in all semblaunce That then was the dukes preuy myke And Vlfyn lyke by all kyns gouernaunce Vnto Iordan in all maner conysaunce That moste knewe of the dukes preuytee By whiche he brought to Igrene all three ¶ Thus laye the kyng hir by euer whē he would She trustyng then that he had been hir lorde But euer his siege he made sadly to been holde His people assautyng the castell by one accorde But Gerloys men then pleynly did recorde Theyr lorde was slayn and Vter had the felde Of which she merueyled then fast hym behelde ¶ There gatte he then on hir a sonne full fayre And fro hir went vnto his hooste agayn The duke was slayne with all his moste repayre Of whiche the kyng glad is not to layne To Tyntagell with all his hoste full fayne He came anone and had it at his wyll He comforted hir and bad her holde it styll ¶ But then betwene theim two he did discure The priuetee in all as it was wrought And sette his daye to wed hir and to cure Of heuynes that she was then in brought Her lordes death so muche was in hir thought For hir so slayne hir wyfehode also defouled Afore that tyme that euer was kept vnfouled ¶ And at the daye he wedded hir and cround And she ferforth with childe was then begonne To comforte her he sette the table rounde At Wynchester of worthiest knightes alone Approued best in knighthode of their foone Whiche table rounde Ioseph of Arimathie For brether made of the seynt Grall onely ¶ In whiche he made the seege pereleous Where none shulde sytte without great mischiefe But one that shuld be moste religious Of knightes all of the rounde table chiefe The saynt Graal that shuld recouer and acheue By aduenture of his fortunitee And at his death a virgyne shulde bee ¶ But at hir tyme the quene had borne a soonne That Arthure hight and was of statur fayre More large of lymme and wysest vnder sunne Of his age then to bee his fathers heyre Of all his lymmes right comly stronge fayre But Occa then and Oysa that afore Stale home were come warred in Britayn sore ¶ The kyng sent forth syr Loth of Lowthian A worthy prince hardy and bounteous His doughter had wedded that hight thē dame Anne A manly manne and right cheualrous The first knight that was electe right fortunous Of the table round that ofte with theim did fight That ofte preuayled and sometyme put to flight ¶ For whiche the kyng ordeyned a horse litter To beare hym so then vnto the verolame Wher Occa laye and Oysa also in feer That saynt Albones nowe hight of noble fame Bet downe the walles but to hym forth they came Wher in battayll Occa and Oysa were slayne The felde he had and therof was full fayne ¶ There was a well whiche his enemyes espied That he vsed the water ofte to alaye His drynkes all his sores to be medifyed Whiche they venomyd with poyson on a daye Of whiche he dyed and went to blisse for aye In the carole besyde his brother dere As to suche a prynce it dyd ryght well affere ¶ He reygned had then ix and thyrtye yere And in the yere of Chrystes natiuyte Fyue hundreth and syxtene then was full clere The realme he lefte in good felicyte Arthure his sonne to haue the royalte To reygne and rule the realme that then was able That of his age was none so cōmendable The .lxxiii. Chapiter ¶ Arthure kyng of Britayne reygned .xxvi. yere Howe the kynge bare syxe banners in his warre and howe he renewed and increased the table rounde and helde vp royally the rule of it and howe he conquered Irelande and Denmarks with all the ysles of theim ARthure his sōne vp growen then peerlesse Throughout that world approued of his age Of wyt and strength beawte and largesse Of persone hye aboue his Baronage And other all of Brytons vasselage By his shoulders exceded in longitude Of all membres full fayre in latytude ¶ At Circestre then of .xv. yere of age When Dubryk archbishoppe of Carilyon With all estates within his herytage Assembled there Duke earle lorde and baron And commentye of all the regyon Vpon his hedde did sett the dyademe In royall wyse as wele hym dyd beseme ¶ The yere of Christes byrth .v. C. and syxtene Was whan he was crowned all with golde Where than he made a vowe for to sustene The chrysten fayth the churche also to vpholde The peace and lawes mawgre who so other wold The Saxons also to warre and destroye That of longe tyme had done vs greate anoy ¶ King Arthure sought that Saxons in Scotland His chiefe baner of goules was to see An ymage of our Lady of golde enthronde Crowned of golde as freshe as it myght be His other banner was of the Trynite Of golde and goulis of saynt george was that third The .iiii. was Brutus armes knowen and kyd ¶ The fyfte baner of goulis .iii. crownes of gold The syxte of Goulis a dragon of golde fyne With hoost full great of Britons that were holde On Douglas water the Saxons he did vntwine Colgrim that was their capitayne fled fro thyne To Yorke anon and it with people helde His men then slayne the kyng had so the felde ▪ ¶ Cheldrik Baldoffe two dukes of Germanie With hostes great then landed in Britayne To Colgrym came and brent that lande in hye But to Arthure kyng Howell came full fayne With hoost great his systers sonne certayne Of lesse Britayne that with his vncle went Against Colgrym to fyght in his entent ¶ Cador the duke that tyme of Cornewayle The kynges brother of his mothers syde Came to the kyng with people that might auayle So dyd all other of all Britayne full wyde With their enemies then met of mikell pryde And vaynqueshed theim at Lyncolne then seging For whiche they fled full faste that syege leauing ¶ To Calidon wood nere vnto the sea Where the kynges two theim seged sore about That for famishment fought they swore to be The kynges men and their lande throughoute For to voide their people of all the land out out Colgrym Baldolffe and also duke Cheldryk That chieftayns were
full fine That chaunged then mayden castell name To Edenbrough a towne of greate fame The C .j. Chapiter ¶ Cuthred kyng of Westsex protectonr of England and reigned sixtene yere CVthred was kyng crouned of al Westser And protectour of all Englāde that daye His kynges vnder hym that then wer full sixe Did hym homage anone withouten delaye Saue Ethelbald of Mers that saied hym naye For whiche he warred on hym then full sore That bothe their landes troubled were therfore ¶ Full oft thei mette faught with great power Some that one some tyme that other had Victorie in felde with strokes bought full dere But when that kyng Ethelbald was moste glad This kyng Cuthred that was nothyng a drad At Berford with hym mette in strong battaill And slewe hym then as Bede maketh rehersall ¶ Which Ethelbald in Mers one fourtye yere Had reigned hole and diuerse abbeys founded In Mers lande at Crouland one full clere Of Monkes blacke within the fennes groūded To whiche Turketyll his chaunceler founded Gaue sixe maniers to theyr foundacion And abbot there was made by installacion ¶ This Battayl was of Christes natiuitee Seuen hundreth and fyue and fyftye yere Wher Ethelbalde of Mers the kyng did dye To whom Borrede there was the kyng full clere But this Cuthrede of Westsex layed on here Was in the yere of Christes birth to weten Seuen hundreth hole and syxe and fyfty written ¶ To whome Segbert in all regalites His cousyn next of bloode by all recorde Was kyng crowned and had the dignitee But full he was of malice and discorde That with his kynges could no tyme wel accorde Wherfore they would no lenger of hym holde But droaue hym out of all his lande full bolde ¶ For lawe ne peace he did not well conserue But chaunged lawe euer after his deuise From good to euell eche other to ouerterue To spoyle and robbe his commons to supprise Thus in the lande he made full great partyes Wherfore the kynges and lordes did hym expell That but one yere he dyd in it excell ¶ And afterwarde exiled as he hym hyd Within a wood a swynherd made his ende Then with his staffe he slewe hym so betyd For all his hye estate thus was he spend A prouerbe is of olde was wysemen kend That wronge lawes make euer shorte lordes Whiche wysemen yet remembre and recordes The C .ii. Chapiter ¶ Kynulphe kyng of Westsex protectoure of Englande the whiche reigned .xxvi. yere KYnulphe succeded had the gouernaunce Of Westsex then with all to it appente Protectour was by all thordinaunce Of kynges all and the lordes assent As his elders afore had regimente The yere of Christ .vii. hundreth fyfty and seuen As Bede hath written and accompted full euen ¶ Of all the kynges and lordes of Englande He tooke feautee and royall hole homage As souerayn lorde honoured in all the lande And mightly mayntened his heritage His kynges all and all his baronage The peace and lawe he kepte by diligence Was none that would displease his excellence ¶ He reigned hole in all kyndes suffisaunce Sixe and twentye yere fully accoumpted In greate honoure and myghty great puysaunce Was none hym like nor none hym surmounted But death alone to his corps amounted Dryuyng his soule out fro the worldly nest To heauens blisse eternally there to rest ¶ At wynchester he was full fayre buryed The yere .vii. hundreth foure score and also thre Emong the people highly magnifyed As to suche a prince longeth of royaltee Right well beloued of his lordes and cōmontee In whose tyme Offa of Mers kyng Vnto the B. of Roome sent his letters prayeng ¶ To depriue Lambert of Cauntorbury Of primacy and also of the palle Whiche the byshop Adrian anone hastely Graunted hym then by bulles written papall Lambert depriuyng of his sea primall By whiche Aldulphe byshop then of Lychfelde Hye primate was and thestate there helde ¶ The pall he had and all the dignitee Lambert depryued without any delay Of primacie and of all souerayntee Of all the churche of Englande hole that day From Humber south to Aldulphe did obeye And Lychfeld then for metropolitan sea Was set aboue and had the dignitee ¶ But Egfryde then the sonne of Offa kyng Of Mers the pall and all the primacie Did well restore to Christes hye pleasyng To Award then byshop of Caunterburye Wher it abode euer after worthyly Vnto this daye with all the dignitee As of olde right it should haue souerayntee ¶ This tyme Kynot of Pyghtes was the kyng Fro forth to Carleile and from the Scottishe sea To Tyne that tyme his lordshyp was dwellyng The whiche he helde by homage and feautee Of the kyng then of Northumberlande in fee And was his man also in warre and peace As his elders had doen without leace ¶ In whose dayes tharchbyshop Egbert Of Yorke brother was as I can vnderstande To the kyng of Northumberlande Edbert The primacye and pall brought to Yorkes lande By the B. of Rome graunted without gaynstand Whiche from the death of the good kyng Edwyn Had ceased long from the tyme of saynt Paulyn ¶ About this tyme as well is expressed Vnguste the kyng of Pyghtes rode in Englande On warre wher then he was full sore distressed By the manly kyng of Northumberlande Where he auoiwed yf he came to his lande A churche to make of full great dignitee In worship of saynt Andrewe should it bee ¶ And at his home commyng one Regalo Fro Constantyne by reuelacion Brought certayn bones of saynt Andrewe tho To kyng Vngust where by his relacion He founded then a mynster of his fundacion Of saynt Andrewe wher his bones shryned been As there in dede I was and haue it seen The C .iii. Chapiter ¶ Brightryke kyng of Westsex protectour of Englande reigned .xvi. yere that began to reigne in the yere of our Lorde vii hundreth .iiii. score and three and died in the yere .vii. C. foure score and nynetene BRightrike cousyn that was nexte of bloode To kyng Kenulphe by hole intelligence Of Westsex was kyng full wise good And protectour of Englande in regence Whiche gouerned right well with great sapience The yere of Christ .vii. hundreth .iiii. score three When that he tooke on hym the dignitee ¶ He wedded Edburge kyng Offa his doughter fayre Of Mers for loue peace good accorde Betwene theyr landes with all theyr hole repayre The kyng Albert also of good accorde Only of purpose to make concorde Of Eastlande came to Offa for peace Betwene theyr lande the warres for to ceasse ¶ And his doughter to wed vnto his wyfe For more suertee of loue and good accorde Whom quene Eburge of Mers because of strife Afore had be betwene hym and hir lorde And for she would not vnto the mariage accorde Made hym to bee slayn in full priue wise Within his bed afore that he myght ryse ¶ For whiche Offa greatly was agreued And buried hym at
Without mercy cracked vpon the croune The kyng came home with honour and victorye As Flores saieth right in his memorye ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fourty and one The Danes watched thest sea cost throughout With diuers hostes for which that king made great mone All helples thē the Danes that were so stout In many places with many dyuerse rout All harmles went without hurt or pain By dyuers tyme that yere home again ¶ In the yere eyght hundred foure and fourtye At Carham then the kyng full sore did fight With Danes fell and had the victorye And at Alnewik he faught again furth right With Danes also wher kyng Redwolf that hight Of Northumberlāde and erle Alffride was slain And full greate parte of their hoost certain ¶ Kyng Athilwolf came to the South contree Wher Danes then in battaile with hym faught In Somersetshire wher he made many dye And gate the feld and sleugh all that he caught Wher great people that daye the death hath raught Tharchbishop with his full wise clergie Bysyde Sandwiche of Danes had victorye ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fifty and one The Danishe hoost in Thamis did arriue Kent and Southray Sussex and Hāshire anone Distroyed sore and throughe that South gan dryue Wher muche folke thei sleugh bothe māne wife Whiche host the kyng with battaile slewe doune sore That home again retourned thei no more ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fifty and three The kyng Edmond of Estangle began To reigne after Albert of greate beautee That holy was as his legend tell can But Athilwolf the kyng buryed then The kyng of Mers that had his doughter wed All Wales wan theim thought thei had well sped ¶ This Athilwolf to Roome toke his waye In pilgremage with hym his soonne Alurede Cardinall was of Wynchester that daye Wher then he had the bishoprike in deede A perfecte clerke he was as saieth sainct Bede A philosophier wise and well approued And by the bishop of Rome cōmēdid well loued ¶ And there thei were abydyng ful twoo yere And home thei came vnto the kyng of Fraunce And his doughter Indith ther weddid clere By assent of hym and all his hole puysaunce And so with worship and noble gouernaunce Fro thens he came sone into England With hir and with his soonne as I vnderstand ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fifty and three The death his soule gan frome his body dryue Vnto the blisse eternall there to bee In heuen aboue wher is euerlastyng life To Peter and Pole he graunted infenitife The Roome pence then of all Englande As Flores saieth as I can vnderstande ¶ He was then buryed at Winchester in royall wise As to suche a prince of reason should affere And with his wife as did full well suffice Foure soonnes he had worthy without pere Sir Athilwold Ethelbert Elfride the dere And Alrude the youngest of echone Afore theim all one bast had Athelston ¶ Athelbold was kyng after hym and heire And protector with all the prerogatif His stepdame wed menne saied it was not faire The churche him gan punishe and chastiue For cause he wed hir so vnto his wife Again the lawe and christen conciense Vnaccordant with his magnificence ¶ That reigned whole twoo yere and no more In greate sikenes and pain inmorderate Greately vexed and punisshed was right sore Menne saied it was for sinne inordinate With his stepdame that was so consociate But then he had as God would repentaunce For his trespas and misgouernaunce ¶ Afore he dyed he did full sore repent And for his synne stode to correccion Of holy churche for his amendement Submitted whole without obieccion And for to liue in clene perfeccion Departed were by lawe and deuorced Afore his soule was passed and vncorced The C .vi. Chapiter ¶ Ethelbert kyng of Westsex protector of Englande that reigned fiue yere SIr Ethelbert his brother gan succede In whose dayes the Danes destroied sore The east parties of England then in deed And home againe they went harmeles therfore Destroyed the people and the lande right sore But sone ther after kyng Ethelbert them mette And sleugh theim downe in bataile sore and bet ¶ An other hoost then newe spoyled all Kent And by treaty wyntred within the Isle Of Tenet then by Kentishe mennes assent But at last thei with a subtell wyle Despoyled all Kent and falsely did beguyle And to their shipis went without delaye Into Denmarke with muche riche araye ¶ This Ethelbert reigned whole fiue yere And dyed the yere of verey Christ his date Eyght hundred whole and therto sixty clere As Flores saieth and hath it approbate But with sykenesse he was so alterate He dyed then and at Shirborne buryed With greate worship and honour laudified The C .vii. Chapiter ¶ Elfride kyng of Westsex protector of Englande reigned sixe yere and dyed in the yere of Christ eyght hundred lxvi ELfride was kyng after his brother then That reigned so with all the dignitee In Westsex whole and mightely began Protector was as was necessitee For Danes then of greate iniquite His lande foule brent wasted and destroyed That all Englande was combred and anoyed ¶ In the east cost of Englande specially In Estangle wher Edmond then was kyng Ther did greate hurte full cruelly In Northumberlande full felly warryng The people destroiyng and the lande brennyng Wher Danes then sleugh the kyng of that lande Byside Yorke so as Flores dooeth vnderstande ¶ Also thei sleugh in Northfolke all about The people doune and in Suffolke also The kyng Edmond thei sleugh without doubt Of Estangland with arowes sharpe tho Was shot to death with muche other woo That is a sainct honored this daye in blisse At Edmondes bury canonyzed I wisse ¶ Hungar and Vbba sleugh hyw full cruelly And brent abbeis throut all England that tyme By North and South and prestes full cursedly All holy folke fled out of that realme Thei sleugh all people that had take bapteme At Colyngham sainct Ebbe that was abbesse Their nonnes putte from theim in sore distresse ¶ For dred of the tyrauntes twoo full cruell And their people cursed and full of malice That rauished nōnes euer wher their herd tell In hir chaptre ordeined again their enemies Should not deffoule their clene virginitees She cut hir nose of and hir ouer lippe To make hir lothe that she might from hym slipe ¶ And counseled all hir susters to dooe the same To make their fooes to hoge so with the sight And so thei did afore thenimies came Echon their nose and ouer lipe full right Cut of anone whiche was an hogly sight For whiche tho fooes thabbey and nonnes brent For thei theim self disfigured had shent ¶ Frō Twede to Thamys abbais then thei brēt And churches hole and people sleugh right doune Wiues maydens widdowes and nonnes shent Through all the lande and the est region People sleyng in euery borough and towne The women euer thei diuiciate In
The Leden hall there helde full strong that tyde Which with wylde fyre was brent might not byde That same night then syr Wyllym Duglas yald Barwyke castell to kyng Edwarde and salde The C .lxi. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Iohn of Scotlande surrendred his homage to kyng Edwarde and disclaymed to holde of hym IN this same tyme .vii. erles of Scotlande Sieged Carleile and so to Hexham brent And home again harmeles out of EnglaÌ„d They went anone and none harmes hent Worse to haue dooen was there entent But then kyng Iohn surrendred vp his homage To kyng Edwarde for hym and his linage ¶ By letters whiche the kyng Edward then sent To abbeys great in Englande of recorde To be remembred of his false entente RenouÌ„cyng kyng Edwarde for his souerayn lord The seuen erles at Dunbarre by concorde Then sieged it fro whiche earle Patrike went And graunted to holde of hym at his entent The C .lxii. Chapiter ¶ Of the battayle of Dunbarre where that kyng Edwarde preuayled WHiche castell so then the kyng rescowed And droaue therles there out of the felde And much people vnto the deth ther bowed Without helpe there slayne vnder shelde To Ronkesburgh the kyng Edward so held That sone was yelde to hym without stryfe Their good saufe also and theyr lyfe ¶ So he forth to Edenburgh went anone That yelden was on thesame condicion Then was Stryuelyn voyde and lefte alone Without defence or any garyson That Edwarde toke in his possession Whiche kyng Edwarde toke into his power And saued the people both farre and nere ¶ Then came therle of Vlster with great power Of Iryshemen and so to saynt Iohns towne The kyng theÌ„ went with host through Fyfe ful cher And brent that shire throughout both vpoÌ„ downe When then kyng Iohn by good direccion To Edwarde sent and prayed hym then of peace And to his grace submytte hym or he would cease ¶ TheÌ„ kyng Edwarde toke his submyssion At Brighyn then vpon the water of Taye And gaue hym there his realme without condicioÌ„ Of Scotlande so to hym and his for ay The lordes all made hym homage that daye The .x. daye was of Iuly and in the yere Of kyng Iohn then the .iiii. was counpted clere ¶ And therupon he sent hym to the toure Of London then with certeyne rebelles moo Kyng Iohn he kept in worshyp and honoure Like his estate where he would ride or god Ten myle about for his disport there so Then kyng Edwarde on the mountaynes went That monthes there bee called in theyr entent ¶ And as he came homewarde by Skone awaye The regall there of Scotlande then he brought And sent it forth to Westmynster for ay To be there in a cheire clenely wrought For a masse preaste to sytte in when he ought Whiche there was standyng besyde the shryne In a cheire of olde tyme made full fyne ¶ TheÌ„ made the kyng Iohn Wareyn his regeÌ„t That erle was then of Sussex and Surray And treasorer he made at his entent â—ugh Cressyngham and Wyllyam Ormesby The chiefe iustice through Scotlande generally His chaunceler at Skone and tresorer Abydyng wer to rule the land full clere ¶ TheÌ„ went kyng Iohn to FlauÌ„ders for socoure Of the dukes of Geldre and Brabant And also of the noble Emperoure That hym had hight great helpe socoure then But none he had and home agayn he want For in that meane tyme whyle he in FlauÌ„ders abode Wyllyam Valoys all Scotlande ouer rode ¶ He slewe the iudge and the chaunceler Thofficers also and the chaumberleyn The Capitaynes and the treasorer And gatte the lande fro Englyshmen agayn And slewe theim all with cruell death and payn Wherfore the kyng vpon the Maudeleyn day At Fowkirke fought with Scottes in great aray ¶ Where Scottes fled and fourty M. slayn And into Fiffes he went and brent it clene And Andrewstoune he wasted then full playn And Blakmanshire Menteth as men mene And on the ford of Trippour with hoste I ween To Bothbile Glascowe and to the towne of Are And so to Lanarke Longhmaban Anand thare ¶ Whiche all he had euer wher he came And then he wed kyng Philippes suster Margarete A fayre lady and full of noble fame Hir sonne and heire Edwarde Carnauan hete A mayden wed kyng Philippes doughter swete Whom his father then prince of Wales create Duke of Cornewayle erle of Chester nominate ¶ Then went the kyng to Scotlande agayn And wan the lande and had there all obeysaunce Sauyng Wales that would not hym obeyn But fled hym euer for drede of mischaunce He ordeyned then by statute ordinaunce That none should bee the prince of Wales more Excepte of the kyng his eldest sonne first bore The C .lxiii. Chapiter ¶ How the byshop of Rome at the suggestion of the Scottes wrote to kyng Edwarde vnder this fourme ANd in the yere a thousande CCC one Bishop Boniface at that Scottes suggestioÌ„ To kyng Edward by lettre wrote anone Chargyng hym then vpon his beneson For to delyuer the Scottes out of pryson Whiche in Englande he had holden with wrong And his officers call home that there had be long ¶ Alledged all howe Scotlande hole was holde Of Peters churche of Rome nought of hym But by great wrong and oppression bolde He theim ouerled with warres sore and brym And theim compelled in payn of lyfe and lymme To become his men the realme of hym to holde By homage leege whether they wold or nolde ¶ And bad hym also afore hym then appere At the courte of Rome his right there for to shewe And yf it myght beknowe his right were clere Without delay by iudgement iuste and trewe He shulde it haue by execucion due By sensours of theyr churche and hole sentence For to obeye his hie magnificence The C .lxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Edwarde wrote agayn an aunswer of his lettre THeÌ„ kyng Edward wrote vnto hym agayn An aunswere by his letters meke and due All his tytles and duties full playne Nought in fourme neuer in effecte to sue Nor in his courte no iudgement to pursue Remembryng well his fatherhede Nowe Brutus had Albian and dyd it possede ¶ In Hely tyme whiche to his sonnes he deuyde Vnto his sonne Locryne fyrste propogate He gaue Logres that hath this tyde To Albanacte the seconde procreate He gaue Albanye Scotlande nowe denomynate And to Cambre his yongest sonne he gaue Cambre that nowe is Wales to ioye and haue ¶ To kyng Locrine of Logres and to his heires The soueraynte and homage ay reserued Of Albanacte and Cambre and all theyrs Perpetually Troyan lawe obserued By which lawes Bryton hath bene conserued Sith hitherwarde without interrupcyon Afore the tyme that Rome had prescrypcion ¶ Afore the tyme also that Chryste was bore By many yeres the kynges of Logres had Scotlande by eschete for faute of heyres thore And remeued kynges that were there knowen bad And other kynges there made with hertes glad
Whiche that land couth there gouerne mikel better And seruyce dyd to Logres ofte by letter ¶ Also the same Iohn Baylioll I made Kyng of Scotlande as lawe and reason wolde Who made homage to me with hert full glad And afterwarde was false manyfolde He stroyed my lande with hostes stoute and bolde Wherfore I made hym warre tyll he were fayne To my presence to come and hym obeyne ¶ Where then for trespasse and rebellyon He surrendred to me and to my heyres The realme of Scotlande also the crowne The lordes of all Scotlande for them theyrs Made me homage for theyr proper landes By theyr letter wryten and theyr bandes ¶ Wherfore then hauyng therof possessyon The pryde of my subiectes and insolence Where I dyd fynde theyr false rebellyon As ryght and lawe wolde be my regence I chastysed ay at myne intellygence Wherfore please it to youre fatherhede Myne aunciente rightes to haue coÌ„mend in dede The C .lxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe the lordes wrote to the byshop of Rome for the same cause THe date was of this letter a. M. yere Thre hundreth also one the. viii daye of Mayr And of his reygne .xxix. clere With that the lordes in Englande were that daye By theyr letter and the byshop dyd praye The kynges ryght not to put in questyon Of eldest tyme longyng to his crowne ¶ For in theyr letter the bishop they did remeÌ„ber They wolde not suffer his disherityson His crowne so foule to hurte and dismembre His royalty to put in questyon For desyre of his rebels false suggestyon The whiche ryghtes for death or lyfe mayntaine They wer so bound they could none other meane ¶ So seased the byshop and the mater lette And kyng Edwarde then in to Scotlande went Through all Catnesse destroyed it in greate hete The monthes hye oute ysles strayte he shent Tyll they obeyed all hole his regiment And wyntred then at Dunfermlin abbey Where saint Margarete is worshpped euer ay The C .lxvi. Chapiter ¶ Of the batayle of Argyle where Vmfreuyle tooke Wyllyam Waleys and Iohn Waleys ANd then therle of Angos Robert Vmfreuile That regeÌ„t was of ScotlaÌ„d coÌ„stitute Toke william Wales then at Argyle His brother Iohn also without resute With rebelles mo that were all destytute By batell sore there smyten full cruelly Where Vmfreuile then had the victorye ¶ And to London them brought to iudgement Where they were draweÌ„ hanged on galowe tre And quartred then their quarters home were seÌ„t At certayne townes hanged vp there to be Theyr traytourhede and falshede for to se Theyr heddes also full hye vpon the towre At London brydge were set to great terroure The C .lxvii. Chapiter ¶ How Peirs of Gauerstone erle of Cornwaile was exyled ANd in the yere a thousand .iii. C. and fyue He exyled out Peyrs Gauerston of Cornewayle That Earle was then for treason knowen ryue And in the yere after without any fayle Earle Robert Bruis of Carrike ganne assayle Earle Iohn Comen of Bongham at Dunfryse And slewe hym there in feueryere wheÌ„ it did fryse ¶ Bycause he wolde not to hym there assent To be crowned then kynge of Scotlande And forthe he fled to se who wolde consent And many one drewe to hym in that lande Became his men and made syker bonde To whome Walter Wareyne the yonger sonne Of therle of Surrey that then dyd wonne ¶ With the lorde Vesty that had his syster wed That fro her went vnto this Robert Bruys Eyther of other were fayne for they were fled Out of Englande their liuyng had such Guris For their ryotous lyuyng and male auentures Thus went they aboute harkening euery where Who were foes and who their frendes were ¶ All Scotland through this Robert weÌ„t about On fote to spye who wolde with hym holde And who wolde not he warred them all oute And kylled them downe in places manifolde And muche harme dyd in chronycle as is tolde And with hym was alwaye Walter Wareyne That with hym went through mountaynes woode and playne ¶ On nightes they lay in woodes in mouÌ„taine At morowe on theyr foes came downe and kyll On day they were thousaÌ„des at euen but twayne There knews no moo at eueÌ„ where they drewe tyl So were they euer at nyght of lodgyng wyll For drede of guyle and of greate traytourye They lodged them on nyghtes full priuely ¶ But on the feaste of the Annuncyacion Of our lady saynt Mary the virgyne Robert Bruys with greate supportacyon Was crowned at Skone as he coulde ymagyne To whom great folke with good wyl did enclyne Full glad of his welfare his coronacyon With greate hoste came to Perch with prosperacion The C .lxviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe syr Robert Vmfreuile Earle of Angeou and syr Aymer Valence Earle of PeÌ„broke discomfyted kyng Robert Bruys besyde saynte Iohns towne and put hym vnto the flyghte ON the morowe sir Robert erle Vmfreuile Of Angeous then that regent was by north The Scottes sea and Aymer Valence that while Erle of PeÌ„broke by south the water of Forth Wardayne was of Scotlande forsoth That daye faught with kyng Robert Bruis Beside Iohnstoune where he fled wtout rescowes ¶ Vnto the Kentir many Scottes there slaine Where then they toke the wyfe of kyng Robert And his brother Nygell the sothe to sayne And the earle of Athels myght not a sterte And sent them to the kyng with full glad hert Whome the kyng kepte after theyr estate At London well together consoâ—yate ¶ Henry Percy toke the brethren two Of kyng Robert Alexaunder Thomas that hight To the Iustes them sent that hanged were tho His other brother at London hanged ryght Kyng Roberte then sieged the Percy full wyght But Vmfreuyle hym anon rescowed And the syege from hym anone remoued ¶ Kyng Robert Bruys faught with Aimer ValeÌ„ce Earle of Penbroke and put hym to the flyght At Methfen so and slewe with violence All Englyshemen in batell there downe ryght Th erle of Gloucester Gylbert Clare that hight Thre dayes after he syeged hym in Are But kyng Edward therle then rescowed thare ¶ The king Edwarde with hoost hym sought full sore But ay he fled into woodes strayte forest And slewe his men at straytes daungers thore And at marreys and mires was ay full prest Englyshmen to kyll without any rest In the mountaynes cragges he slewe ay where And in the nyght his foes he frayde full sere The king Edward with hornes houÌ„des him soght With meÌ„ne on fote through marris mosse myre Through wodes also mouÌ„teÌ„s wher thei fought And euer that kyng Edward hight men greate hyre Hym for to take and by might conquere But thei might hym not gette by force ne by train He satte by the fyre when thei in the rain ¶ The kyng Edward for anger fell in accesse And homeward came full sycke and sore annoyed And bade his soonne he should for no distresse No trewce take with Scottes that sore
armie Then the Duke of Burgoyne not contented that the earle shoulde bee holpen of the king of FrauÌ„ce agaynst king Edward prepared a great nauye of shippes aboute the costes of Normandye that he might take hym coÌ„ming towardes Englande yet neuerthelesse the Earle escaped all daungers and landed safe he and all his menne at Dartmouth frome the whiche place he sayled to Fraunce halfe a yere before After that the Earle came to lande he made a proclamacion in king Henry the .vi. name that all they that were of lawfull age shoulde make battayle agaynst Edwarde duke of Yorke whiche agaynste all ryghte and lawe at that tyme had the crowne The whiche when it was doon it cannot be spoken howe soone it went aboute all the realme that he was come and had made this proclamacy on at the whiche also is not to be expressed howe many thousandes of menne came to hym The Earle hauing all this power greate armie went streyght to London whome when Edwarde perceyued to drawe nighe he fledde for the tyme trustyng to haue hym at some vauntage but at the laste he was dryuen to that ende that he had no mynde to get any hoste to resyst his enemies but beyng in greate daunger of his owne lyfe fled with the duke of Gloucestre his brother vnto a towne night the sea called Lye and there taking shippe sayled into Flaunders to Charles the Duke of Burgoyne with greate daunger and parell of his lyfe by the reason of the boisterouse cruel winde Elizabeth his wyfe beyng then greate â—â—th childe dyd take sentuarye at Westmynster where she was broughte in bedde with a mâ—n chylde whose name was Edward After that the earl 〈…〉 newe of the going awaye of kyng Edward he made haste to London and hearing of the tumulte and busynesse that was in Kente and that all the villages and suburbes there were spoyled piteously a lytel before the going awaye of that kyng pacified theim and sette all thinges in good ordre agayne by the doing of the whiche benefyte he was the more louingly accepted of theim all and that doon came to the towre there deliuered kyng Henry the .vi. out of prisone geuing hym his robe of maiesâ—ye broughte hym to Poules the people reioysing on euery syde and there thanked God for that it had chaunsed as they wolde desired And this was the yere of our Lorde a. M .iiii. C. foure score and one that kyng Henry beganne to reigne So that king Henry so often vanquyshed began to reigne nowe likely shortely after to faule againe The which fortune chaunsed to hym by many mennes opinions because he was a very simple and innocent man and that he had rather in godlinesse vertue excell other then in honoure and rule so that for the loue that he had to religion he loked for no dignitee or honoure whiche chaunseth to fewe that wil not seke for it or regard kepe it when they haue it But his enemies saide he was a coward had not the herte or manlynesse to bee a kyng or meete for that offyce So that who soeuer despiseth that the coÌ„mune people alloweth maruaileth at is accompted for a mad man contrariwyse he that doeth agree to theim and in their tale he is a wise man where in dede suche wisdom as it is comeÌ„ly saide is foolishnesse before God Also some saide it was the will of God that it should so bee for his graundfather Henry the fourth gotte it by violencye and force of armes so that it coulde not bee longe enioyed of hym but that faute of the graundesire did redounde on the nephewes But nowe to that matter After this king Henry held his parlyament at Westmynster the .xxvi. daye of Nouembre in the whiche Edwarde is declared openly tray toure to his couÌ„tree bycause he had taken that crowne to him and all his goodes geuen away in like maner al theirs that did take his parte and so iudgement was geuen on theim to dye Furthermore all that decrees statutes and actes of that forenamed Edward were broken of none effecte And then that earle of Warwike as a man that had deserued much of his couÌ„tre was made gouernoure ouer all that realme to whoÌ„ he did take the duke of Clarence as felowe to hym So by that meanes that realme was brought to a new state cleane transformed altered To this parliament came the lorde Marques Mountacute the which excusing his treason that he did take kyng Edward his parte saing it was for feare of death had his pardone â–ª Truely yf this man had taken kyng Edwardes part had stand to his side manly he had not been so sore an enemie and hurted so much his frendes as he was being a false fained and coloured frende for those thinges that we be ware of and knewe before to bee pernicious dooe lesse hurte vs. But nowe quene Margarete being in Fraunce prayed euery daye from that time the Earle went into England for the victorie the whiche when she knewe was obteined by the king his letters that came to her shortely after did take shyppe towardes England but thorowe that sharpnesse of the wether and greate tempestes she was constrayned to lande and to differre her iourney to an other tyme. At the same tyme Gaspar the earle of Penbruch went to Wales to his Earledome where he founde lorde Henry the Earle of Richemonde his brothers sonne a chylde of ten yere olde there kepte prysoner but lyke a noble man of the erle willyam Harberte his wyfe whome we spake of before that Edwarde had made hym erle and then after taken in batayl was behedded at the coÌ„maundement of the earle of Warwike This is that Henry the whiche when Richard the thirde brother to Edward was ouercome and vanquished had the gouernaunce of the realme of whome this is to bee beleued that after that he came to his kingdoÌ„ sent as one by god to quench and put awaye the greate sedicion and stryfe that was betwixte Henry and Edwarde seyng that he minded nothyng so muche as that whome lady Margarete the onely doughter of Iohn the fyrste Duke of Somerset dyd bryng for the beyng but fourtene yeres of age the whiche althoughe she was maryed after to Henry the duke of Bucking ham his sonne and after that to the earle of Derby yet she neuer broughte for the chylde after as thought she had doone her parte when she hadde borne a manne chylde and the same a kynge of a realme Gasper the earle of Penbruch tooke thys chylde Henrye from the earle Harberte hys wife and brought hym soone after to London to king Henry the syxte whome when the kynge had beeholded longe holding hys peace and maruailing at the goodlye wytte of the chylde sayde in thys wyse to the nobles that were at that tyme present Loo thys is he thys is he I saye to whome both wee and oure aduersaries shall geue place to in possession And by
And all these wer behedded .ii. dayes after in that selfe same towne sauyng only the quene Margaret and her soonne Edwarde Shortelye after prynce Edwarde was brought before the kyng and there asked wherfor he did inuade hys realme which answered boldly and sayde to recouer my kyngedome as heritage by my forefathers and progenie dew to me At the which wordes Edwarde sayde nothyng but thrustyng hym from hys syght wyth hys hande whoÌ„ the duke of Clarence and Glouceter and that lorde Hastynges dyd kyll mooste cruelly at hys departyng Hys mother the quene was caryed to London prysoner and froÌ„ thence raunsomed was had to Fraunce where she lyued in perpetuall sorowe and care not so much for her selfe or her husband as for her onely sonne Edwarde whome both she and Henry her husband trusted should lyue and possesse the croune When kinge Edward had thus ouercome theim he went to London and ther for iii. dayes caused procession to bee through euerye place after the moost solempne and deuoute fassy on And here was the last ciuile battaile that this king kept which was the yere of our lord M .iiii. C .lxxx. and .xi. After that kynge Edwarde was returned backe after the subduynge of hys rebelles one Fauconbrydge the Earle of Kente hys basterde a stoute harted manne beynge admyrall of the sea that none shoulde passe betwixte Calysse and Douer to ayde or socoure kynge Edwarde by the appoyntemente of the earle of Warwyke then after dryuen to nede and pouertee beganne to bee a pyrate and rouer in the seea In so much that he had throughe his robberye and shamefull spoylynge gotte vnto hym a greate nauye of shyppes and at the laste landed in Kente and there getting to hym a greate multitude of Kentyshemenne wyth the assistence of theim and hys ryotouse compaignye of shyppemenne came to London and sayde wyth a lowde voyce they woulde defende kynge Henrye and restore hym to hys crowne But the people and cytezyns of London perceauyng that quene Margarete was ouercome in battayle woulde geue theim no passage but wyth greate myghte and vyolence enforsed Fawconbrydge to geue backe and to take shyppe and kylled and toke prysoners the better parte of his menne Shortely after the same Fauconbridge landing vnware at Southampton was taken and behedded But to speake of the earle of Penbrucke wheÌ„ he had knowne that the quene was taken at Tewkesburye where she had waged battayle then goynge of hys waye to her turned backe agayne to Chepstey And there lamentyng greatly both his owne chaunce also the euell fortune that kinge HeÌ„ry had dyd breath alitle deliberate with him selfe what wer best to be done In the meane time king Edward seÌ„t one Roger VaughaÌ„ to take that erle by some train or guile But the erle certified of it did take yâ— self same maÌ„ hedded hiÌ„ so that he was killed that intended to kyll From that place that erle went to his toune PeÌ„brucke wher he was besiged of Thomas Morgan then seÌ„t froÌ„ the king that he could get oute by no meanes but on the eyght daye one Dauid the brother of the forsayde Morgane his moost assured frende conueyed him awaye which then went to a toune by the sea syde called Tinby and there takynge shyppe into Fraunce wâ—th the lorde Henrye his nephewe by the earle of Rychemonde his brother by chaunce came to Britaine and there shewing the duke the cause of hys comminge committed him selfe wholy into his handes The duke entertayned the earle and all his company after that most best maner that he could made of theim as though they had bene hys brethren promysing to theim sure passeporte saueconduite ouer ani place that he had rule or gouernaunce of Nowe kinge Edwarde after that hys realme was pacified and these great tumultes apeaced he tooke his iourny into Rence and there setting his iustices caused inquisicion and serche to be made of this busines and insurrection by yâ— basterd and his adherentes for the which offence manye were put to death and suffered execution moost sharply accordiÌ„g to their merites And not longafter to th entent that king Edward myght bee out of al dauÌ„gers assaultes of his enemies HeÌ„ry that was depriued not loÌ„g before of his crowne was also spoiled of his life that is was killed And as the report fame went the duke of Glouceter was suspected to haue done that dede which sticked him with a dagger And when he was dead his corps was brought vnreuereÌ„tly froÌ„ the towre through that stretes of that citee vnto Poules ther lay all that daye on the morow folowing conueyed caried to the abby or blak freres at Chertessey ther was buried And shortely after had to WiÌ„desore castell laied in the newe chapell of s George in a soleÌ„pne toumbe This Henry reigned .xxviii. yere and after he had repossessed his kyngdome but halfe a yeare He lyued vnto he was .lii. yeres of age and had by his wife quene Margaret one sooÌ„ne called Edward Nowe to the entent that Edward the kyng might liue in quiet after this manne his death he went a boute to serche all the rebelles that thei might bee weeded out of the compaignie of menne as pernicious and vnprofitable to the publique weale At what tyme he tooke tharchebishop of Yorke brother to therle of Warwike and sent hym prisoner to Guynes wher he long remained in holde but after dimissed dyed shortely for thought and pensifulnes of mynde also he attached the erle of Oxenford the whiche from the ceason of Barnet felde had holden sainct Michaelles Mounte by his coÌ„maundement was had to a castell beyond that sea called Hant wher he remained prisoner that space of xii yeares Furthermore vpoÌ„ coÌ„sideracioÌ„ that no rebelles or traitours might haue any refuge to strauÌ„ge couÌ„tres he had made a league with the kyng of scottes of peace amitee to bee obserued kepte for that 〈…〉 of .xx. yeares Yet he was not out of all feare for y◠〈…〉 e of PeÌ„bruck of Richemond wer with the duke of Britain wher thei had moost honorable intretainmeÌ„t coÌ„sideryng also that the young erle of RichemoÌ„d would clayme the croune iÌ„ tyme to come he was in the more feare for the whiche matter he sent priuie ambassadours to the duke promisyng hym that if he would restore deliuer vnto their haÌ„de bothe therles he should haue an ample large porcioÌ„ of monye for so dooyng But that duke to make a short tale would by no meanes deliuer theim out of his handes but so kepte theim that thei neuer might bee in any dauÌ„ger of their enemies through hym Edward therfore in this his thirtene yere of his reigne whiche was the yere of our lord a thousand foure hundred three score and thirteen helde his parlyament at Westminster wher first he caused all the statutes and actes of his whiche wer abrogated by Henry the sixt to stand and bee of good effecte then the goodes of these
that dede being very sore moued therwith weÌ„t to the dukes place coming before his grace stode lyke a man strykeÌ„ with some sodeyn dysease very pale holding his head downe the duke maruayling at hym enquyred what the matter was To whom he sayde O moost noble duke my time is at hande thys palenes betokeneth death without remidy That I would God yt had come before this day then it should not haue greued me so much And thys all cometh to me through a deed that you haue done of late which wil ether cause me to lose my life or els to lyue in moost miserie wretchednes as one wery of thys present lyfe The noble actes that you haue doone moost noble prynce haue enhaunsed your fame glory to the fardest part of the world but this one thing me thynke I praye you pardoÌ„me what I saye is a great blemyshe to your dygnitee that forgetting the promyse that you made so faythfully haue geuen the innoceÌ„t erle of Richmounte to be destroyed pitefully killed emonge wretched knau es hangmen Wherfore they that loue you of whom I am one cannot but lamente â—o see you dyshonored by this great fault of periury WheÌ„ he had sayd the duke answered hold thy peace man I praye the ther is no such harme shal chaunce to him Edwarde the kinge woulde haue him to mary his daughter Then sayd Iohn Beleue me mooste excellente and redoubted prynce this Henry is nowe almoste famyshed and loste yf he once goo out of your countree he is but cast awaye and paste all recouerye At these wordes the duke was persuaded through the whych he commauÌ„ded one Peter LaÌ„doson hys receauer to take the same Henry froÌ„ the ambassadours The sayd receauer pursued the Englyshe ambassadours to Maclonium and there holdyng theim wyth long coÌ„munication made him to be conueyed into a seÌ„tuary whych was then almost ded through that feuer and thought whych he was caste in And so after that he was emended broughte hym to the duke The ambassadours then beyng spoiled and deceaued both of theyr pread and mony that they brought desyred that same receauer that they might not goo home in that wyse whyche receauer promised that he woulde eyther kepe hym in sentuary or eles cause hym to be imprisoned at the duke his place so that they should neuer neede to feare hym In all thys tyme Edwarde beynge desyreous to knowe what became of the Earle was enfourmed that he was taken prysoner but after that escaped they re handes where at the kinge was verye angrye but when he knewe that he should bee kepte in holde was well pleased then dyd take no thought And liued after that most welthy sparing no expeÌ„ses nor cost in kepyng his house neuertheles he dyd fall into one great offence in this time For sodeÌ„ly he coÌ„maunded his brother the duke of Clarence to be killed drowned in an hogshhed of malmesey And the cause of hys death was as men report through a certaine prophecie which sayd the after kyng Edwarde one shuld reigne whose name begaÌ„ wyth a. G. which prophecye some sayde was completed fulfilled when the duke of Glouceter the after hym had the kingdome dyd reigne Some holdeth another opinion of this his death saiyng that at what time the olde malice dyd breke out bewixt theÌ„ both the duke through his sisters councel woulde haue maried lady Mary that duke of Burgoyn his only daughter which mariage the kyng did infringe stoppe as one enuiyng of his brothers felicitee or good chaunce After that they both beryng in theyr mindes mortall hatred one of the sayde duke hys seruauntes was accused of wichcraft charming for which offence he was put to death The duke 〈…〉 g that could not but speake resist againste the 〈…〉 g his coÌ„maundement and therfore was com 〈…〉 ted to prison ther beyng was killed and procla 〈…〉 d after as a traytour to the kyng for whose 〈…〉 that the king was verye sory and whan any 〈…〉 kneled to hym and asked pardon 〈…〉 der he would saye O infortunate bro 〈…〉 that noman would aske thy pardon And this duke had .ii. children one lady Margarete that was after maried to Richard Pole an other Edward whome the kyng made earle of Warwyke but this childe folowyng the fate and destenie of his father was after putte in prisone there priuely put to death And these thinges were doone in the yere of oure Lorde a thousand foure hundreth and foure score and the .xix. yere of the reigne of kyng Edward And two yeres then after folowing the kyng died before the whiche yeres he beganne to bee very harde and couetouse in getting monye and also very diligent in marking attaching his lordes that did offend In this time the kyng of Scottes willed his sooÌ„ne Iamy to be maried to the kynges doughter lady Cicile which was the yonger that should haue been maried to Charles the kyng his soonne of Fraunce But it chaunced not thorow Lewes the kyng that brake his promise bothe in geuing his seruice and payeng his raunsome the laste yere of his reigne Likewise the kyng of Scottes seing that Lewes the kyng was false of his promise he thoughte he might bee so bolde too and so breaking league of amite sette vpon the Englishe men At the which Edward was sore vexed and entended batayl against hym yet after that he knewe the it was not by his wyll but thorowe the councell and euell disposed mindes of his lordes woulde haue borne it in good worthe had not kyng Iames owne brother streight vpon that prouoked hym to fighte Furthermore suche was the nature of the Scottishe kyng that when he had sette his minde vpon a thing no manne coulde turne hym and because that no manne mighte reproue hym in any thing he promoted laye people menne of basse bloude to his counsell putting to deathe or banishyng euermore the nobilitee Emong whom this duke of Albanie his brother consydering the condicyons of the king fled to the kyng of EnglaÌ„d at what time he was sent into FrauÌ„ce ther counsailed the kyng to fight against hym The king willing to reueÌ„ge his olde iniuries vpon many consideracioÌ„s gathered enteÌ„ded no lesse by the helpe of the saied duke of Albany then to kepe open warre So that he did send the duke of Gloucestre the erle of NorthumberlaÌ„d syr Thomas Stanley this duke of Albany with a great power of men against the Scottes The king knowing of their coÌ„ming went to Barwyke with his army to kepe theim from the borders but perceiuing that he was not hable so resist their great power fled backe in the night to Edinbrough ther taryed for his enemies And the duke of Gloucestre folowing burned and spoyled all the way when he was somewhat nighe his enemies perceiuing also that none of the Scottishe lordes came to the duke of Albanye mistrusted that some deceyte or crafte was
of you beyng of my blod that other of my alies eche of you with other either of kynred or affinite whiche is that very spirituall affinitie kynred in christ as all ê‘takers of that sacamentes of christes churche The weight of whiche coÌ„sanguynite if we did beare as would to god we did then should we more be moued to spirituall charite then to fleshly coÌ„sanguinyte Our lord forbid that you loue that woorse together for yâ— self same cause that you ought to loue yâ— better yet that ofteÌ„ happeneth for no wher fynd we so dedly as emoÌ„gest theim whiche by nature lawe moost ought to agre together Suche a serpent is ambicioÌ„ desire of vanyne glory souere ingtie whiche emoÌ„gest estates when he is once entered he crepith foorth so ferre till with deuision varyaunce he turneth all to mischief First longyng to bee next to that best afterward egall with the beest at the last chief aboue that beest Of whiche immoderate appetite of woorship the debate discencion that grewe there by what losse what sorowe what trouble hath win these fewe yeres growen with in this realme I praye God as well to forget as we well remeÌ„bre whiche thyng if I could aswell haue forsene as I haue with my more pane theÌ„ pleasure proued by god des blessed lady that was his commoÌ„ othe I would neuer haue wonne the curtesyes of mennes knees with the losse of so many heddes But sith thynges passed can not be called agayn muche more ought we to bee ware by what occasion we haue taken so great hurte before that we eftsones fall not into that occasion again Nowe bee these greues passed and all is quiet thanked bee God likely well to prosper in welthfull peace vnder your cousins my children if God send theim life and you loue and coÌ„cord Of whiche .ii. thynges that lesse losse wer thei by whoÌ„ all though God did his pleasure yet should this realme alwayes fynd kynges ê‘adueÌ„tur as good kynges as thei But if you emoÌ„gest your selfes in a childes reigne fall at debate many a good manne shall innocently perishe happely he you also or it is long fynd peace quiet again wherfore in these last woordes that euer I looke to speake to you I exhort and require you all for the loue that you haue borne to me and for that loue that I haue borne to you for the loue that our lord bereth to vs all FroÌ„ this tyme forward all greues forgotteÌ„ eche of you loue other which I verely trust you wyll yf you any thyng regarde God or your kynges affinitee or kynred this realme your owne couÌ„tre or your owne suretie wealthe And there with al the kyng for fayntnes no longer endurynge to syt vp layde hym downe on his right side his face toward theim And ther was none presente that could forbeare wepyng but that lordes coÌ„fortynge hym with as good woordes as thei could answeryng for that tyme as they thought should stande with his pleasure And there in his presence as by theyr wordes appeared eche forgaue other and ioyned theyr haÌ„des together when as it after appeared by theyr dedes there hartes were farre asoÌ„der And so with in a fewe dayes thys noble prynce dysceased at Westmynster the .ix. daye of Apryll in the yere of our Lorde a. M CCCC .lxxxiii. after that he had reygned .xxii. yeres one moneth and .viii. dayes was with great funeral pompe conueyed to Wyndsore leuyng behynd hym .ii. soonnes Edwarde the prynce of whom this story entreateth a chylde of xiii yeres of age Richarde duke of Yorke .ii. yeres yonger then the prince and fiue doughters Elizabeth which by goddes grace was maryed to kyng Henry the .vii. and mother to kyng HeÌ„ry the eyght Cycile not so fortunate as fayre fyrst wedded to the vycouÌ„t Welles after to one Kyne and lyued not in great wealth Brydget professed her selfe a close nonne of Syon Anne was maryed to lorde Thomas Hauwarde after erle of Surrey and duke of Norffolke Katheryne that yoÌ„gest doughter was maryed to lorde WillyaÌ„ Courtney sonne to that earle of DeuoÌ„shire which loÌ„gtyme tossed in other fortune somtyme in welth after in aduersitee tyl that benignitee of her nephewe kyng HeÌ„rye the .viii. brought heâ— into a sure estate accordyng to her degre ê“geny This kyng Edward was suche a prince of gouernaunce and behaueour in the tyme of peace for in tyme of warre eche must be others enemye that ther was neuer any kyng in this realme in attaynyng the croune by warre and battayle so hartely beloued with the more substaunce of his people nor he hym selfe so specially fauoured in any parte of his life as at that tyme of his death whiche fauoure and affeccion yet after his death by the crueltie myschiefe trouble of the tempesteous world that folowed highlye towardes hym more encreased At suche time as he died the displeasure of those that bare hym grudge for kyng Henry that .vi. sake whoÌ„ he deposed was wel assuaged in effect quenched within that space of .xxii. yeres which is a great part of a mans life and some wer reconsiled growen into his fauour of yâ— which he was neuer strauÌ„ge when it was with true harte demaunded He was goodly of personage princely to beholde of hert couragious politike in councell and in aduersitee nothyng abashed in prosperitee rather ioyful then proude in peace iuste mercyfull in warre sharpe and fearce in the felde bold and hardie yet neuer thelesse no farther then reason and policie woulde aduenture whose warres whosoeuer circumspectly 〈◊〉 aduisedly considereth he shal no lesse coÌ„mend his wisdome policie where he auoyded theim then his manhode where he vanquished theim He was of visage full faced louelie of bodie mightie stronge cleane made with ouer lyberall and waÌ„toÌ„ dyet he waxed somewhat corpuleÌ„t bourly but neuerthelesse not vncomely He was of youth greatly geuen to fleshely wantoÌ„nes from that which health of bodie in great prosperitee fortune with out an especiall grace hardlye refrayneth Thys faulte litle greued his people for neyther coulde any one mannes pleasure stretche or extende to the displeasure of veraye many nor a multitude bee greued by a priuate mannes fantesie or volupteousnesse wheÌ„ it was doeÌ„ wtout violeÌ„ce And in his latter dayes he left al wild daliauÌ„ce fel to grauitee so that he brought his realme into a wealthie ê“sperous estate al feare of outwarde enemies were clerely extinguished no warre was in hande nor none toward but suche as no maÌ„ looked for The people wer toward their prince not in a coÌ„strayned feare but in a true louyng and wylfull obedience emongest theimselfe and the commons wer in good peace The lordes whome he knewe at variaunce he in his death bed as he thought he brought to good concord loue and amytee And a lytle before his death he left gatheryng of mony of his subiectes
the .xiii. daye of Iune were was much commonyng for the honourable solempnytee of the coronation of the whyche the tyme appoynted aproched so nere that the pageauÌ„tes were a making day nyght at Westminster vytayle kylled which afterwarde was cast awaye These lordes thus sittyng commoning of this matter the protectoure came in emong theÌ„ about ix of the clocke salutynge theim curteously excusynge hym selfe that he had bene frome theim so longe saiynge merely that he had bene a sseper that daye And after a lytle talkynge wyth theym he sayd to the bishop of Ely my lorde you haue very good strawberies in your garden at Holborne I requyre you let vs haue a messe of theim Gladly my lorde ê™ he I would I had some better thyng as redy to youre pleasure as that and wyth that he sente his seruaunte in al the haste for a dysh of strawberyes The protectoure set the lordes faste in commonynge and thereupon prayed theim to spare hym a lytle and so he departed and came in agayn betwene x and .xi. of the clocke into the chaÌ„ber al chaunged with a sowre angry countenauÌ„ce knyttynge the browes frownynge and frettynge and gnawynge on hys lyppes so set him downe in hys place All the lordes were dysmayed sore marueyled of thys maner and sodayne chaunge and what thynge should hym ayle When he had sytten a whyle thus he beganne What were they woorthy to haue that compasse and ymagyne the dystruccyon of me beynge so neare of bloodde to the kynge and protectoure of this hys royal realme At whyche questyon all the lordes sat sore astonned musynge muche by whom thys questyon shoulde be ment of whych euery man knewe hymselfe clere Then the lord Hastynges as he that for the familiaritee that was betwene them thoughte he myght be boldest wyth hym answered sayd that they were worthye to bee punyshed as heyneous traytours what so euer they were and all the other affyrmed the same that is ê™ he yonder sorceces my brothers wyfe and other wyth her meanynge the quene at these wordes manie of the lordes were sore abashed whyche fauoured her but the lorde Hastynges was better contente in hys mynde that it was moued by her then by anye other that he loued better albeit hys hearte grudged that he was not afore made of councel in this matter as well as he was of the takynge of her kynred and of theyr puttynge to deathe whyche were by hys assente before deuised to be behedded at Pomfrete thys selfe same daye in the whyche he was not ware the it was by other deuysed that he hym selfe shoulde the same daye be behedded at London then sayde the protectoure in what wyse that the sorceresse and other of hys counsayle as Shores wyfe wyth her affynitee haue by theyr sorcerye and wychcrafte thys wasted my bodye and therewyth plucked vp hys doublet cleane to hys elbowe on hys lyfte arme where he shewed a weryshe wythered arme and small as it was neuer other And thereupon euery mannes mynd mysgaue theim well perceauynge that thys matter was but a quarell for well they wyste that the quene was boothe to wyse to goo aboute anye suche foly and yf she woulde yet woulde she of al folke make Shores wyfe leaste of councel whom of all womenne she most hated as that concubinâ— whom the kyng her husband most loued Also there was no manne there but knewe that hys arme was euer such syth the day of hys byrth Neuerthelesse the lorde Hastynges whyche from the death of kyng Edward kept Shores wyfe on whom he somewhat doted in the kynges lyfe sauynge it is sayd that he forbare her for reuerence towarde hys kynge or elles of a certayne kynd of fydelitee towarde hys frende Yet nowe his heart somwhat grudged to haue her whom he loued so hyghly accused and that as he knewe wel vntrulye therefore he aunswered and sayde certaynlye my lord yf they haue so doone they be worthie of heynous ponyshemente what ê™ the protectoure thou seruest me I wene wyth yf and wyth and I tell the they haue doone it and that I wyll make good on thy bodye traytoure And therewith in a greate anger he clapped his fyste on the boorde a great rappe at whych token geuen one cryed treason withoute the chamber and therewyth a doore claped and in came rushing men in harneyes as many as the chamber coulde holde And anone that protectoure sayd to the lorde Hastynges I arrest the traytoure what me lord ê™ he yea the traitour ê™ the protectour And one let flye at the lord StaÌ„ley whyche shroncke at the stroake and fell vnder the table or elles his hed had bene cleft to the teth for as shortly as he shrancke yet ranne the blood aboute hys eares Then was the archebyshoppe of Yorke and doctoure Morton byshoppe of Ely and the lorde Stanleye taken and dyuers other whyche were bestowed in dyuers chambers saue the lorde Hastynges whome the protectoure commaunded to spede and shryue hym apace for by saint Poull ê™ he I will not dyne till I se thy hed of it booted hym not to aske why but heuilie he tooke a preeste at auenture made a shorte shrift for a lenger would not bee suffred the protectoure made so muche haste to his dyner whiche might not goo to it till this murther were dooen for sauing of his vngracious othe So was he brought foorth into the grene beside the chapell within the towre and his hed layde dowe on a logge of tymber that laye there for buyldyng of the chapell and there tyrannously stryken of and after his bodye hed were enterred at Wyndesore by his mayster kyng Edward the fourth whose soules Iesu pardon Amen A merueleous case it is to here either the warnynges that he should haue voyded or the tokens of that he could not voyde For the next nyght before his deathe the lorde Stanley sent to hym a trusty messenger at mydnight in all the hast requiryng hym to ryse and ryde awaye with hym for he was disposed vtterlye no lenger for to abyde for he had a fearfull dreame in the whiche he thought that a bore with his tuskes so rased theim bothe by the heddes that the bloodde ranne aboute bothe their shoulders and for asmuche as the protectour gaue the bore for his cognisaunce he ymagened that it should bee he This dreme made suche a fearfull impressioÌ„ in his hearte that he was throughly determined no leÌ„ger to tarye but had his horsso readie if the lord Hastynges would goo with hym So that thei would ryde so ferre that night that thei should bee oute of daungere by the next daye A good lord ê™ the lord Hastynges to the messenger leaneth my lord thy master so muche to suche trifles and hath suche faith in dreames whiche either his awne feare faÌ„tesieth or doo rise in that nightes rest by reason of the dayes thought Tell hym it is plaine witchcraft to beleue in suche dreames whiche if thei were tokens of
promysed hym ayde vpon the truste wherof he beganne to make redye his shippes that they might with all expedicion bee redy to sayle that no tyme should be loste In the whiche tyme kyng Richard was agayn retourned to London had taken dyuerse of theim that wer of this conspyracy that is to say George Browne Roger Clyfforde Thomas Selenger knyghtes Also Thomas Ramme Robert Clyfford and dyuerse other whom he caused to be put to death After this he called a parliament wherin was deereed that all those that were fled oute of the lande should be reputed and taken as enemyes to the realme and all their landes and goodes to bee forfayte and confiscate And not content with that preade which was no smal thyng he caused also a great taxe and some of monye to be leuyed of the people For the large giftes and lyberalytee that he first vsed to buye the fauoures frendshippes of many had now brought him in nede But nothing was more like then that Thomas Stanley shoulde haue bene reputed takeÌ„ for one of those enemies because of the woorkyng of Margarete his wife which was mother vnto Henry erle of RichemouÌ„t the which was noted for the chiefe hed worker of this coÌ„spyracy But for asmuch as it was thought that it was to small purpose that wemen coulde dooe Thomas beynge nothyng fauty was delyâ—ed and coÌ„mauÌ„ded that he should not suffre Margarete his wyfe to haue any seruauÌ„tes about her neither that she should not go abroad but be shut vp and that from thence foorth she should sende no message neyther to her soonne nor to any of her other frendes wherby any hurte mighte be wrought agaynst the kyng the whiche commaundemeÌ„t was accomplyshed And by the authoryte of the same perliament a peace was concluded with the Scottes whiche a lytle before had skyrmyshed with the borderers Which thyng brought to passe the kyng supposed all conspiracye to bee clene auoyded for asmuche as the duke with other of his compaignie were put to death and also certen other bannyshed Yet for all this kyng Richard was daylye vexed and troubled partelye mystrustynge his owne strength and partely fearyng the commyng of Henrye with his compaignye so that he lyued but in a myserable case And because that he would not so continue any lenger he determyned with hym selfe to put awaye the cause of this his feare and busynesse either by pollecye or elles by strength And after that he hadde thus purposed with hym selfe he thought nothyng better then to tempte the duke of Britayn yet once again eyther with money prayer or some other speciall rewarde because that he had in kepyng the erle Henry moste chiefly because he knewe that it was only he that might delyuer hym from all his trouble by delyueryng or imprisoning the sayed Henry Wherfore incontmentlye he sente vnto the duke certein Ambassadoures the whiche should promesse vnto hym besyde other greate rewardes that they broughte with theim to geue hym yerely all the reuenues of all the landes of Henry and of all the other lordes there beyng with hym yf he woulde after the receyte of the ambassadoures put theim in prysone The Ambassadoures beynge departed and come where the duke laye could not haue communicacion with hym for asmuch as by extreme sicknesse his wyttes were feble and weake Wherfore one Peter Landose his Treasourer a manne bothe of pregnaunte wytte and of greate authoritee tooke this matter in hand For whiche cause he was afterwarde hated of all the lordes of Britain With this Peter the Englishe ambassadoures had communicacion declaring to hym the kynges message desyred hym instantlye for asmuche as they knewe that he might bring theyr purpose to passe that he woulde graunt vnto kyng Richardes request and he shoulde haue the yerely reuenues of all the landes of the sayed lordes Peter considering that he was greatly hated of the lordes of his owne nacion thoughte that yf he myght bring to passe thoroughe kyng Richarde to haue all these greate possessyons and yerely reuenues he should then bee hable to matche with theim well ynough and not to care a rushe for theim whereupon he aunswered the ambassadoures that he would doo that Richard dyd desire yf he brake not promesse with hym And this did he not for any hatred that he bare vnto Henry for he hated hym not for not longe before he saued his lyfe where the earle Henry was in greate â—eoperdye But suche was the good fortune of Englande that this craftye compacte tooke no place for whyle the letters and messengers ranne betwene Peter and kyng Kichard Iohn Bishoppe of Ely beinge then in Flaundres was certifyed by a preest whiche came oute of England whose name was Christopher Vrswicke of all the whole circumstaunce of this deuyce purpose Wherupon with all spede the sayed byshop caused the saied preest the same daye to cary know ledge therof into Britayn to Henry erle of Richemounte willing hym with all the other noble men to dyspatche theim selues with all possible haste into Fraunce Henry was then in Veneti wheÌ„ he heard of this fraud without tariaunce sent Christopher vnto Charles the Frenche kyng desiring lycence that Henry with the other noble men myght safely come into Fraunce the which thing being sone obteigned the messenger retourned with spede to his lorde and Prince Then the earle Henry setting all his businesse in as good staye ordre as he mighte talked lytle and made fewe a counsail herof for the more expedicyon hereof he caused therle of Penbrucke secretly to cause all the noble men to take their horses dissembling to ride vnto the duke of Bretain but when they came to the vttermost partes therof they should forsake the waye that led theim toward the duke and to make into Fraunce with all that euer they might Then they dooing in euery thing as they were biddeÌ„ loste no tyme but so sped theim that shortely they obteygned and gate into the couÌ„tie of Angeou Henry then within .ii. dayes folowyng being then styll at Veneti tooke .iiii. or fyue of his seruauntes with hym and feigned as thoughe he woulde haue ryden therby to visyte a frende of his and forasmuche as there were many Englishmenne lefte there in the toune no manne suspected any thynge but after that he had kepte the ryghte waye for the space of fyue myles he forsooke that and turned streyghte into a woode that was thereby and tooke vpon hym his seruauntes apparell and putte his apparell vpon hys seruaunte and so tooke but one of theym with hym on whome he waited as thoughe he had bene the seruaunte and the other the maister And with all conuenyente and spedy haste so sette forthe on theyr iourney that no tyme was loste and made no more tariaunce by the way then onelye the baitynge of theyr horses so that shortly he recouered the coastes of Angeou where all his other companye was But within foure dayes after that the Earle was thus escaped
tyme lo there came Wyllyam Stanley to aide theim with .iii. M. meÌ„ne and euen at the verie same tyme the residue of kyng Richardes men were put to flight TheÌ„ Richard fightyng alone in the middest of all his enemies was ouerthrowne slain In the meane tyme therle of OxeÌ„ford in the foreward after he had fought maÌ„fully a litle while put the residue to flight of whoÌ„ he slewe a greate noÌ„bre But agreate nombre more whiche folowed Richard more for feare then for loue helde their handes from fightyng went awaie without hurte for that thei loked not for his safegard but rather for his destruccion There were slain at this conflicte not many more then one thousand of the whiche these were noble menne Ihon duke of Norffolke Walter Feris Robert Brachyngbury Richard Radcliffe and many other more And within twoo daies after Wyllyam Catisby lawyer with certain other of his felowes was put to death at Leicestre and emonges those the ranne awaie was Fraunces Louell Humfray Stafford with Thomas his brother and other more that ranne into sanctuary at Colchestre in Essex There was of the captiues a greate nombre because that when Richard was slain euery manne cast doune his wepon and yeld hymself to Henry of the whiche the more parte would haue dooen so at the begynnyng if it had not been for feare of kyng Richardes spies whiche theÌ„ waÌ„dered in euery place And emongest these the nobles were the erle of Northumberlande the erle of Surrey of the whiche therle of Surrey was put in prisone this other as a frend was receiued in to fauour Henry at that felde loste not aboue an huÌ„dred menne emongest whom the chief was Wyllyam BraÌ„done whiche bare Henryes baÌ„ner This battaill was fought in the .xxii. day of the moneth of Auguste inthe yere of oure Lorde a thousand cccc .lxxxvi. the conflict indured more then .ii. howres Richard might as the fame went asaued hymself if he would afled awaie for those that were about hym when thei sawe his menne from the begynnyng fight but faintly and that some were ronne awaie vnto the other parte suspected treason and willed hym to flie and when the mater was manifest that all hope of victory was past thei brought hym a swiâ—te horse He puttyng a sied all hope and trust that was in fleiyng made as it was saied this aunswere that this daie he would haue ether an ende of battaill orels of his life suche was his greate audacite and manfulnes whiche because he did se certainly that in this daie he should ob 〈◊〉 the kyngdome quietely all daies of his life or â—â—s lose bothe for euer he entred in emoÌ„gest theim as it was declared before intendyng vtterly ether to lose all orels to wynne all And so the wretehe dyed hauyng the ende that all suche were wont to haue whiche in the stede of lawe honestie and all godlynes folowe their owne appetite vyllanye and all wyckednes And plainly this is an example whiche cannot be expressed to feare theim whiche will not suffer one howre to bee otherwyse speÌ„t then in cruelte mischief and all deuillishe fasshioÌ„s Henry when he had thus obtained the victorye he fell downe on his knees and with many praiers thankes referred all to the goodnes of God TheÌ„ after he stode vp beyng wounderfully replenished with ioye went vp vpoÌ„ alitle hill and there gaue two greate comendacions to his souldyours commaundyng theim that were hurte to be heled and the dede to bee buryed afterward he gaue immortall thankes to his noble capitains promisyng theim that he would neuer forgette their benifite The multitude in the meane tyme with one voyce one mynd proclaimed hym kyng WheÌ„ Thomas Stanley sawe the he toke kyng Richardes croune whiche was founde emongest the spoyle and by by putte it vpon his head as though he had been then created kyng by the eleccion of the people as it was wonte to bee in the olde tyme and this was the first token of his felicite After this kyng HeÌ„ry with his compaignie and carriage went to Lecestre toward night to bed whether after he had refresshed his compaignie well for the space of twoo daies that thei might the better goo toward London Kyng Richardes bodye was brought naked ouer a horse backe the hed and the armes haÌ„gyng on the one side and the legges on the other caried in to the grey freres of Lecester and surely it was but a myserable sight to loke vpoÌ„ yet it was good inough coÌ„sideryng his wretched leuyng and there without any solempnite was buryed twoo dayes after He raygned twoo yeres twoo monethes one daie he was but of a small stature hauyng but a deformed bodie the one shoulder was higher then the other he had a shorte face a cruell looke whiche did betoken malice guyle and deceite And while he did muse vpoÌ„ any thing staÌ„ding he would byte his vnder lippe continually whereby a maÌ„ne might perceiue his cruell nature within his wreched bodie striued and chaffed alwaie with in hym self also the dagger whiche he bare aboute hym he would alwaies bee choppyng of it in and out he had a sharpe and pregnaunt witt subtill and to dessimule and fayne verie mete He had also a proude and cruell mynde whiche neuer went from him to the houre of his death whiche he had rather suffer by the cruell sworde though all his compaignie did forsake hym then by shamefull flight he would fauoure his life whiche after might fortune by sickenes or other condynge ponyshemeÌ„t shortely to perishe ¶ Henry the seuenth HENRY THE SEVENTH OF that name kyng of England First after that he had obteined his kyngdome and heritage by force of armes entended to stablishe all thynges extynguish sedicioÌ„ and before he departed from Leycester caused ser Robert Willoughby knight to bryng the youÌ„g erle of Warwike the duke of ClareÌ„ces sooÌ„ne before his presence whom kyng Richard to that tyme had kept at SheryhuttoÌ„ in Yorke shire fearyng muche least that by this young erle some occasioÌ„ might bee taken of renuyng battaill whiche entended nothyng more then to liue in peace and quietnes And so this erle was brought to hym at his commaundement conueighed to London and there cast in holde In the self same place also of Yorke shire was Ladie Elizabeth eldest doughter to the fornamed kyng Edwarde whom kyng Rychard her vncle would haue maried sore against the mynde and consent of the same ladie In so muche also that the people were sore against it and accompted it not onely as a reproche infamie to the kyng hymself but also to his counsaill the did agre to his naughtie purpose Albeit God of his infinite mercy preserued the ladie whiche shorte tyme after was brought to London to her mother In this time the kyng drawing nighe to London was there accepted of his citezens streyghte after his coÌ„ming moste roially of all parties saluted after the moste louing fassion the they could
so doyng and wher as the kyng also remembring this benefyte dyd make hym his chiefe chamberlayn and gaue hym the hyghest promocions that he had he lytle regarded them and loked for some greater rewarde wherfore the king perceauynge that was sore greued with hym and so thei bothe dyd fall at debate and hatred eche wyth other Also at this time the king thought best to vse some asperite in correcting the offeÌ„ces of his subiectes because the some had taken suche heart and audacitee to them the thei feared not to speake euel of his maiestie with most spiteful and contumeleous wordes trusting euer that the fayned Rychard duke of York now lately rysen from death to lyfe on gods name should claime the crowne enheret his counterfeted fathers possessions when such persoÌ„s had suffered due ponishment for their offences other learning by their neighbours mischaunce to beware dyd frome the tyme beare theim selfes as true faithfull subiectes assysted him with al their power at what time he required help of theÌ„ After the death of this William Stanley Giles Dabeney was chosen and made chiefe chaÌ„berlain And now the kyng was in a good staye for his realme sauyng that Ireland was not wel weded of the pernicious sede the was sowed by the young maÌ„ Perkin Warbeck and his secte Wherfore he sent sir Henry Deny late abbot of LanktoÌ„ abbey thither made him chauncellour ouer al that I le and Edward Ponyng to serch all places that the forenamed Perken was in to punish theÌ„ extremely in the example of other the were giltie of that crime but when thei heard of this thei fled for the most part into woddes marysh places for the defence safgard of them selfes there consultyng to kepe open warre agaynst hym whiche Edwarde after that he persued theim many times and coulde neuer try it wyth them because thei wer so disparsed as foren and wilde people he returned backe and suspectinge that the earle of Kyldare was the occasion of this attached him at the counsayl of the erle his euel willers and brought him as prisoner to England Wher when he was arained and certain matters of treason laied to his charge he aduoided theÌ„ all clerly quite him selfe whome the kynge dimissed and sente hym to Irelande there to bee gouernour and captayne ouer theim as he was before So that now the kyng beeyng oute of all feare of battayle dyd take hys progresse to shyre there to recreate his spirites and solace him selfe with his mother lady Margarete wyfe and countesse to the Earle of Darby Yet when the king was thus delityng hym selfe Perken Warbecke could not moderate or rule hym selfe although so manye suffered and were put to execucion for his mischife but to proue again the chaunce of battel gathered a great armye of men aswell prisoners slaues saÌ„nctuary men as other came into Kent because the wind so serued ther caused certayne to land to enquire yf the Kentish men would bear with him with whoÌ„ the Kentish meÌ„ working guiles promised the thei would assist him yf he his coÌ„panie would land ther. Albeit the same PerkeÌ„ fearing the thei meaned falshode and craft would not descende him selfe but caused certain of his souldiours to lande whiche persones beynge a pretye way from their shippes wer sore beateÌ„ and put to flight and many of theim taken prisoners after wer condempned to dye Wherfore PerkeÌ„ failing of his purpose fled backe to Flaunders and there consulted with his frendes vntyll suche time he had been better prepared bothe of men and counsayle The kynge herynge that hys enemyes had made eÌ„trauÌ„ce into his realme left of his progresse purposed to go to London but beynge certified the next day after how wel thei had sped continued went forth of his progresse sendyng to theim Richard Gilford to geue thankes and promise of a good turne herafter for the good seruice that thei had done him in those tumultes and assaultes of his enemies Also that thei might not haue any accesse herafter into those parties the king commauÌ„ded the lordes to bee defeÌ„ded stroÌ„gely with bulwarkes other sure munimeÌ„tes fortresses of the whiche this same Perken beyng certified hastened the more to renue battaill against the kyng that he might not haue longer space through his delaye to dooe all these thynges for the defence of his realme and so came to Irelande with all his armie and there tariyng a space sailed to Scotlande for ayde and succour of kyng Iames trustyng to finde grace at his hand to whom he spake after this maner I thinke it is not vnknoweÌ„ to you moste noble kyng in what ruine the stocke of Edwarde the fourth of that name is now of late whiche if you dooe not know and it please your grace so to take me I am his soonne by the power of God preserued a liue at this houre from the mightie hand of a tiranne For my father when he died apointed his brother Richard duke of Gloucestre to bee our gouernour ê“tectour Albeit he was rather a destroyer of our progenie then a mainteiner of it for he wyllyng to be kyng hymself and depriue vs of our right and title commaunded that we should bothe bee slain and dispatched out of this worlde Therfore he hauyng then full power to ordre vs at his will did cause my brother to bee destroyed and because that he might bee without some parte of that offense and not shewe hymself all a tiraÌ„ne he caused me to bee conueighed to some straunge and foren countree and there to bee desolate of all comforte and helpe And so kyng Richard did hold his crouÌ„e by dispatchyng away of vs two so that I could not tell by the reason of my tendre age what I was vntill now of late that myne aunte ladie Margarete beyng in FlauÌ„ders did shewe me what I was after she had seen me and to the entent I might recouer again my fathers possessions she hath geuen me for her power a bonde of meÌ„ne wyllyng me the I should desire the helpe of externe nacions and countrees And so I am come to you for succoure whoÌ„ as it is reported will helpe at all tymes euery manne in his right and in case bee I shall finde you fauorable to me you shall binde me and all myne neuer to thynke ourselfes hable to make you amendes When he had thus saied the kyng promised hym that it should neuer repente hym of his commyng to hym and bad him to take a good hearte after this the kyng assemblyng his counsaill together asked what thei thought best in that matter and whether any deliberacion should bee takeÌ„ of it or no. To whom some of theim that were wâ—sest aunswered that it were folishenes to go fur 〈…〉 in suche a matter consideryng that he was but a painted and feigned duke and had no right to England Other also saied that it was for diuerse causes moste profitable to the coÌ„men
fled away and made the beste shifte euery manne for hym selfe that he could to escape his hādes sauyng that kyng Hēry taryed poste alone in the bishoppes paleyce besyde Powles where standynge lyke a desperate manne and not knowynge what to dooe was taken of kyng Edward and cast into pryson agayn in the towre This Edward came into London the .xi. day of Apryll halfe a yere after that he hadde sayled into Flaunders and callyng his councel together did highly commende the citezens for that faythfulnesse that they bare to hym and in especiall the Aldermen that they caused the people to do their obeysaūce to hym also sharpelye rebuked other of the cytie whom he knewe to haue lent monye to kyng Henry And for that cause woulde haue made theim paye mony to the preparyng of an hoste for hym but at the last he bad theim bee without all feare promysyng theim their pardon safetie of life thorowe the whiche gentlenesse he gatte the fauoure of the cōmen people wonderfully The erle consideryng that battayll should be shortelye folowed his enemyes in great haste to the entente that yf his enemies had any stoppe or lette by that waye he myght fight buckel with theim before they came to Lōdō But now after that he had pursued theim long and came a good waye of his iourney worde was brought that Edwarde had gottē London imprisoned the kyng The earle then perceauyng that the victorie ende of fightyng should be tryed in this one batayle rested at saynt Albones partely to refreshe his men and partely to take some counsayl In this hoste there was the duke of Excester the earle of Oxenforde the duke of Somerset and the lorde Mountacute Marques brother to the earle whom the earle perceaued to bee very vnwyllyng to fight and that agaynst kyng Edward and therfore he had no trust to hym yet the loue that betwixte brother and brother diminished the suspicion but whatsoeuer he thought eyther of hym or of other he hymselfe was euer out of feare and daunger And so came from saynt Albones to a toune that is halfe waye betwyxte London and that aboute a tenne myle frome London called Barnet and this toune standeth on a hyll where there is a goodlye playne and here the earle entended to pitche his battayle And Edward hearyng of this prepared his armye and adioyned a greate power of young menne to theim and so with bowes bylles speares and arowes and all maner instrumentes apperteynyng to warre he had so furnysshed his menne that he thought to make riddaūce of theim at that tyme for all and fynishe battayle that was so longe holden And so came with this his armye to mete his enemies and that he might bee the redier to fight with theim wheresoeuer he mette theim he had foure wynges that they could escape hym at no hand And he brought with hym to battayle also Henry then prisoner to the entente that his aduersaries might bee the more discouraged at the sight of hym or els if fortune fauoured hym not he might neuerthelesse bee saued by him After the noone he pytched his tentes at the fore named Barnet nighe to hys enemyes but that he myghte not fyghte that daye he defended hys tentes veraye strongelye for the longer he taryed the better it was by reason of the daylye concourse of noble men and commen people to hym and the woorse for the earle for that he was farre from his frendes There they lodged that night and by breake of day the earle of Warwike begā to araye his armye of this sorte Fyrste the lorde Marques and the earle of Oxenforde was set on the lefte syde wyth certayn horssemen and he hymselfe with the duke of Exceter on the ryght syde In the myddeste betwixte theim bothe he setteth the duke of Somerset with all the archers And thus araiyng theim to this battayl beganne to exhorte theim that thei would fight lustely and lyke hardye meune reuengyng the quarell of their countree for that he had moste falsely possessed that croune In like maner did kyng Edward whiche after that he had set theim in ordre encouraged theim to fight lykewyse and to remembre that thei inuaded rebelles traytours and sedicious persons whiche entended nothynge but the vtter destruccion and losse of theyr countree When daye came the trompettes beganne to blowe on bothe sydes as the tokens and lignes of the battayle And firste the bowe men shot then drawynge nere tryed it with sweorde Edwarde trustyng thorowe the multitude of his mē to haue the better hād did stāde stiffely to theim enbouldenyng his souldiours in all that he coulde Whose power the erle moste manfully resisted And so by long cōtinuaunce of battail many men wer slayne in whose places succeded euer fresher fresher At the length the erle perceauyng his mē to bee ouerthrowen by the kyng his great power drewe nigh with his foreward constreyned the kyng to geue backe a litle Then Edward seeyng that brought freshe men to aide the other so that thother mē wer beten downe very sore to the groūde And Edwarde beeyng werye of this longe fyghtynge for they fought from mornyng to none caused theim that wer without the battayl then standyng for the defēce of Edward yf such nede should be to fall vpō their enemies beare theim downe with their great power The erle then seyng freshe mē to come vpō theim was nothing afeard but trusting loking surely for the victorye dyd comforte encourage his menne then almoste discomfited moost manfully desiring theim to beare oute this laste brunt lustely and the victorie should redounde to theim but they being weryed with longe continuaunce were nothing moued at his wordes Then he him self moste valiauntly came among the myddest of his enemyes and there kylled and slewe many of theim where he hym selfe at the laste was striken downe and his brother lorde Marques then folowing hym after whose deathe all the other fled so were taken moste parte of theim And this was the ende of the earle whose stoutenesse of stomack made hym bee in lyke peryll and leopardye at many other times at dyuerse and sundrye suche conflictes and warres There was killed of both partes more then ten thousande menne and so many taken prisoners that they could not be noumbred The duke of Somerset and the earle of Oxforde entendyng to take their waye to Scotlande dyd chaunge their mindes bicause it was so farre frō theim and fledde streight to Wales to the earle of Penbrucke and so euery man to saue their liues fledde some one way and some an other The erle of Exeter skaping very hardely tooke the sentuarye at Westminster and there remayned When Edward had gotte this victorye he went to London after the moost triumphyng fassion hauyng Henry with hym as prisoner The deed corps also of the earle and the lorde Marques were brought to Poules and there laye for the space of .ii. dayes that euery manne might see theim to bee
deed and that no man after fainyng that he was aliue myght sowe sedicion againe in reuenging his quarel Yet the kyng was not so glad at the death of therle but he was as sory for the losse destruccion of that lord Marques whome he dyd esteme and take for his great frende After this quene Margaret hearing that Edward was come into Englande had done much hurte in that realme purposed to come into England her soonne also prince Edward with a great armye of chosen picked Frenchmen so to land at Waimouth But for that greate tempest that was on the see she could not come so soone as she woulde But after she had landed heard that kyng Edward had conquered all her husband to be takeÌ„ prisoner as destitute of all his frendes and that the erle with his brother lord Marques was slaine in felde and all their army discomfyted and slayne putte to fâ—ight she began like a piteful desperate ladye to mourne and lament the fate calamitee of her husband the whiche she did nowe see to haue chauÌ„sed and sowith this great feare agonie she was in that case that she had rather dye then lyue The quene mighte haue thought that this euell had chaunsed to her for the putting to death of the duke of Gloucestre of whose deathe althoughe peradueÌ„ture she was not giltie yet she offended in that she dyd not saue suche a good man For yf he had liued and had the dominion of the publike weale king Henry had neuer been in suche trouble But nowe to leaue of this that quene despering bothe of her owne life her soÌ„nes also went therby to a monastery of the charterhouse monkes at a place called Bewe lieu in englishe called faire place ther taking sentuarie remained with her soonne And when it was knowen that she was there in sentuarie there came to her the duke of Somerset his brother the erle of Deuonshire whiche man euen frome the beginnyng had taken the other parte whose returning after redounded to his euell and destruccion also the erle of Penbroke Ihon Wen locke Ihon Longstrother Capytaines and rulers of the Rhodes The quene being in sorowe miserye was somwhat comforted at the sighte of her frendes with whome she talked and shewed the cause that she came no rather desiryng theim to prouyde for the safegard of her soonne to helpe her nowe and the she would if the wether serued goo to Fraunce againe and bryng with her god willing at a more better mature time a greater power of meÌ„ The duke began to putte her in good comforte would in any wise the she should set her mind whole vpon batail nowe to fight against Edward wheÌ„ he was bothe vnprepared also not furnyshed of men that were hable to fight considering the great batell that he had with therle of Warwike in that which his men were sore hurted weryed all together that it myght be their chauÌ„ce now to haue that better of hym although he discoÌ„fyted therle his hoste for because that victorie turneth oftentymes from one to an other in a momeÌ„t short space Furthermore he shewed her the the most part of that nobilyte bare theyr good mindes hertes to kyng Henry if so bee that she would bee a capitaine as she had bene in tyme passed he promised her a great army of his owne costes and charges and that he woulde make other noble menne to take her parte and defende her at all times The Quene mistrusting and fearing yet muche of her owne soonne aunswered saied that she allowed his counsell well yf so that she only might bee in daunger and not her sonne And therfore fearing that when they fought most earnestly for their countree her soonne might bee destroied or caste awaye she thought best either to putte of and differre the battayl to an other time or elles to sende her soonne into Fraunce there to bee kepte vnto suche tyme the they had some better successe in their warres And truely the mother was not withoute a cause so louing to her chylde for that her owne husbande was a prisoner and a captiue persone and therfore as one caste awaye so that nexte after hym she loued mooste tenderly this her soonne Also that they might goo that more wisely aboute their entente the quene counsayled theim all to laye their heedes together and caste all the waies howe to conuey their businesse and then yf they would fight she promised theim both her helpe and good councell Then the Erle saied it was no nede to waste any more wordes for he all they woulde fight stoutely agaynste their enemies and therfore they woulde doo that with all their might and power that they had determined and apointed vpon So they all gathered their armye euery manne for his parte oute of his owne countree shire The quene brought now in good hope of warre saied wel be it streight went by that councell of that duke to Bathe looking and tarieng there for the armye but to what place so euer she went she would be aknowen to none to th entent that her aduersaries might not knowe vnto such time that she came wher she woulde bee Edward hearyng that the quene was come and that the duke of Somerset had prepared an hoost to ayde her sente certayne spies to viewe of what number the armye was And when they had shewed hym the nomber but yet not knowyng whether they wold goo the kyng apoynted to mete them before they came to London And gathering his armie went to Oxforde shyre and there pytched hys tentes at Abyngton encreasinge hys nomber and army as much as he could But perceauyng that they wer at Bathe and there taryed purposely to multyply and enlarge their company came to Malebrydge xv myles frome Bathe so hasted to come to theÌ„ before they did go to Wales as he suspected whether in dede thei entended to the erle of Penbruck hauyng theyr a great bonde of men From which toune of Bathe the quene fled and frome thence to Brystowe and wyllinge to goo by Glouceter sent spyes before to knowe yf she myght haue passage to whome aunswere was broughte that she coulde not nor that thei of the towne would by anye meanes geue her place she hearynge of that went from Bristowe to Teukisbury And ther the duke pytched hys battayle agaynst the wyll and aduise of many other captaynes whych counsayled hym to tarye the erle of Penbruches comyng Where Edwarde dyd take the quene and kylled or at the least imprysoned euery one almoost that came with her And of the nobilitee there was killed the earle of Deuonshyre Iohn Wenlock captayn of the Rhodes and the brother of the duke of Somerset wyth manye other moo And taken prisoners the quene Margaret her soÌ„nne prince Edward that duke of Somerset that lord of s Ihons more then .xx. knyghtes besyde theÌ„