desiring him to folow his couÌ„cel that he should not think this to be done of any rashnes shewed hym how warely through his pollicie all his matters were wroughte desired him that he would cast with him selfe how to bring such a weyghtie matter to passe wherby al thinges may be prouided before hand to whom after many great promises he offered his daughter then of ripe age to be maried to him The duke throughe the councell and greate desieryng of therle of Warwike was contented to dooe all thynges as he would haue hym After that therle had this communicacion with the duke he purposed to goo to Caleis of the whiche toune he was then chief capitain and wher his wife and doughters wer then inhabityng but to th end that this sedicion might bee the soner begonne where with all EnglaÌ„d was sore troubled a greate tyme he had apoinâ—ted that sone after he was gone to Caleis his brother tharchebishop the lord marques should make an insurreccion in Yorke wherby the battaill might bee begonne while he was so farre frome theim When all these thynges were prepared for and his counsaill well alowed and taken he went streight with that duke of Clarence to Caleys And ther after that the duke had promised by an othe that he would euer bee true he maried lady Isabell the erles eldest doughter that whiche wheÌ„ it was dooen thei bothe consulted together that more spedily for that that insurreccion was made in Yorke as it was commaunded and appoincted The whiche coÌ„paignie begoÌ„ne first to spoile with out all mercie or respect of any thyng For ther was at Yorke an old and a riche hospitall of sainct Leonard where the poore and impotent persones wer harboured the sicke menne comforted and this hous was founde of that charitee of the couÌ„tree whiche did geue yerely certain of wheate as that first fruites of all their corne to the sustenaunce and mainteynyng of theim to the whiche noumbre of grayne certain housband menne of the countree did refuse to gyue any part through the counsaill of therle of Warwikes compaignie saiyng plainly that the poore and sickely people had it not but thei that had that rule and gouernaunce of the hous and after that the procters of the hospitall claimyng it as dewe vnto theim sought for their right And for that cause greate tumulte was and muche conspiracie made so that within fewe dayes there was gathered aboute a fiftene thousand whiche compaignie came towardes Yorke But after that it was knowne in the citee that suche a compaignie of menne had risen the citizens watchyng euer for feare was in doubte whether thei should mete theim and trie it in open felde or tary in the citee and kepe theim frome the walles But the lord Marques chief of that couÌ„tre did put theim streight out of all feare and doubte the whiche takyng good deliberacion and aduisement metre theim cuÌ„myng at the gates of that citee where after a sharpe coÌ„flicte he tooke Robert Hulderne duke and by and by chopped of his hedde the whiche wheÌ„ he had dooen he receiued into the citee at the midde night all his souldiours that wer there The people beyng nothyng abashed at the death of their capitain but rather the more eger fearce consideryng that thei could not ouercome Yorke without ordinaunce whiche thei lacked weÌ„t streight forth to London And as for that the lord marques putte to death that duke and capitain of that coÌ„mons beyng also one of his coÌ„spiracie did it for this intent that either he would not bee aknowen faultie of this coÌ„mocion or els that he had vtterly determined to holde with kyng Edward of whom as it dooeth after appere he did get perfect amitie but after the kyng knewe the mynd and purpose bothe of therle of Warwike and the duke of Clarence his owne brother also certefied by dyuerse meÌ„nes letters that the armie was drawyng nigh to London he sent by and by Wyllyam Harberte whome he made twoo yeres before duke with a greate power of Walshe menne commaundyng hym if he could conueniently bydde battaill to his enemies The erle makyng hast towardes Northampton hard saie that the Northrenmenne had gotte it where also he sette his tentes and the next daye folowyng fought with theim in the whiche battaill he was putte to flight in a momeÌ„t and cleane discomfited The Yorkeshire menne beyng glad of this victorie wer streight couled went no ferder but hauyng their handes full of spoyles prayes went backe ward again lookyng when the erle of Warwike would come the whiche shortely after came from Calais with the duke of Clarence his soonne in lawe to the hoost commeÌ„dyng highly the capitaines and reioisyng gladly that thei had the victorie did spedyly prepare an other armie Yet kyng Edward beeyng nothyng abashed that therle of PeÌ„bruch had so eiuill sped seÌ„t hym forth again with a greater armie whiche he had readie at all tymes what so euer should chaunce he hym self he did folowe with a small coÌ„paignie and that he might bee readier for all thynges in his iourneye did encrease his armie with many that came to hym of his secte saiyng that his entent was to destroie that route of misliuers and flagicious persones and then therle of Warwike perceauyng that his aduersaries came vpon hym sent in all the hast to the duke of Clarence whiche was nigh by hym with an hoost that he would bryng his armie in all the hast to hym meanyng that bataill was at hand The duke when he hard it came streight to therâ—e So thei bothe commyng together went to Banberie where thei perceaued their enemyes teÌ„tes wer pitched there buckelyng together tooke the erle oâ— Penbruch prisoner and killed and discomfited all his menne and emonges other of his nobles theâ— was killed Rychard the erle of Ryuers the father of Elizabeth the quene his soonne Iohn Woduile And towardes euenyng kyng Edward drewe nigh and heryng of the death and soden betyng doune of his menne taried at a toune fiue myle frome that place Th erle of Warwike went to his chief toune with all his hoost and there within twoo dayes caused therle of PeÌ„bruch with certain other states taken at that tyme to bee behedded In the meane season there begonne awaie to bee fouÌ„d for peace for the whiche letters wer wrytten too and fro herauldes sent from the kyng to therle and frome the erle to the kyng again wherby the kyng trustyng verely that all was pacified was lesse ware of hym self and feared lesse his aduersaries the whiche thyng when it was knowen and shewed to the erle by certain spies he went furth in a night as priuely as he could with a strong power to the kyng his tentes ther killyng theim that kepte watche tooke the kyng vnware brought hym to Warwike and to the entent the kyng his frendes might not knowe wher he was conueighed hym priuely from thens in the night to a toune
appere more euidēt So that oftē tymes we se noble men aswell as the laye people thorowe ambicion filthy couetousnes thei forgettyng god all godlynes dooe swere greate othes in promisyng thynges the whiche entendyng before thei make their othe to breake it shortely after Yet suche persons oftymes haue their rewardes of God at one or other tyme as this Edward had so that some tyme the punishment falleth on the nephewes for the offence that the vncle had cōmitted But of this thyng I will speake more in Rychard the third in a place wher a manne maye see that the progenie of Edward wer punished for this offence when Edward had thus framed his matters he forgettyng the othe that he had made did se that the citee was strōgly kepte and gettyng hym an army together thought he wold not lynger his busines bycause he harde his enemies made no greate preparaūce or haste but tooke his iourney towarde London in his goyng did purposely goo out of his waye that led hym to Pomfret wher the lord marques was toke on that right hand within lesse thē .iiii. miles of his enemies And whē he perceiued that thei made no skyrmishe nor mocion came in to the right waie again when he was past theim wēt to Notynghame But this greued the Yorke shire mēne that he should deceiue theim so vnhonestly otherwise then did become a kyng or noble manne After that it was knowen that kyng Edward came with out all daunger of his enemies to Notyngham then came there to hym many noble mēne vpon this consideracion that the lord Moūtacute either would not entre vpō his enemies as though he had agreed with theim or els durst not come out of his tentes for that he was not able to matche with theim Therfore menne thought better to take Edwardes part consideryng that his power was so greate then to hold with kyng Henry and hee in daunger of their liues and losse of all their goodes landes Edward reioysyng at this went to Lecestre hearyng that therle was at his toune of Warwicke therle of Oxenford with hym hauyng a greate armie and that thei bothe entended to bryng hym to theim preuentyng their purpose wet awaye with his hoost either wyllyng to fight or els ioyne in frendeship and loue with his brother duke of Clarence with whome then commyng frō London with an hoost of mēne he thought to speake before that he came to therle his cōpaignie fearyng leste that he would not stand to that promise that he made for that he was variable incōstāt In the meane tyme therle of Warwike was very heuie sore moued with the lord marques because he would neither kepe the kyng from Yorke as he was bed nor yet when thei came before his nose would not proffer theim ones to fight therfore cōsideryng that his enemies multiplied more more in his gooyng towardes hym made an hoost sent for that duke of Clarence to come to hym then hauyng an hoost at London Whō whē he perceiued to linger as a man doubtyng whether he should kepe battaill or peace to haue no mind of settyng forth his mē mistrusting also that he was by some traine allured to folowe his brethren and take their partes tooke his waye to Couētrie to th ende that there he might meete his enemies Then Edward came to Warwike and frome thens to the erle and pitched his tentes by hym and the next daie after bad battaill to therle the whiche erle durst not come oute for feare that the duke of Clarence whome he thought had deceaued hym which duke in deede came as it was shewed after with a greate power of menne The whiche when Edward perceaued he made towardes hym that it should not bee thought to bee a made guyle sette his hoost in araye as though he would fight and so did the duke But when thei came in sight Richard duke of Gloucestre as one that should take vp this matter firste spake with the duke priuely in his eare and then came to Edward and did the same to hym and at the laste peace was proclaimed wherby euery manne puttyng doune their weapons Edward his brethrē enbraced louyngly one an other After this Edward made it bee proclaimed that that duke with all theim that came with hym should bee perpetuall frendes that thei three should loue like thre brethren as thei wer in brotherly loue for euer Neuer thelesse God dooeth not seme to haue forgiuē this Edward his offēce of periury although euē nowe fortune fauored hym for yer it were long he was again vexed with werre beside that plage distruciō of his children after his death When thei wer thus come together thei minded to proue if that erle wold come to theim also hold with theim to whō the duke of Clarēce sēt certain of his frendes that whiche first shuld excuse that he had done thē desire hym if that he would to bee at one with kyng Edward Whose mynde whē therle heard he vtterly detested hym with muche cursyng cryed oute of hym that he had contrary to his feith othe made fled to kyng Edward And to his cōmaūdemēt biddyng that he sēt he made none other aunswer but this that he had rather bee like hym self thē like a false periured duke So that he appoincted vtterly neuer to leaue battaill before that either he wer killed and ded or his enemies ouercomed After this Edward hauyng suche a strong power of mēne went boldely to London wher after that it was knowen that the duke of Clarence had taken his parte and that all the brethren were come in to one knot the citezens were in suche a feare that thei could not tell what to dooe but at the lengthe they were dryuen for feare to take kyng Edward his parte At thesame tyme there came letters from the earle to kyng Henry to that duke of Somerset to that archbyshop of Yorke and other of the kyng his counsel that they should kepe the citee from their enemies handes for the space of .ij. or .iij. dayes he would come streyght with a great armye of mēne They defended the citee as strongely as they coulde but it was to no purpose for the citezens cōsyderyng the kyng Henry was no greate warryer and that he had but small policie in the feates of thesame and contrary wise that kyng Edwarde was a man that of hym selfe coulde rule a realme maruelous well and suche a man that woulde not onelye preserue hym selfe and all his but also defende theim from all maner of iniuryes and harmes that shoulde chaunce thought best to leane on his syde And at his commyng to London the people coulde by no thretenyng or strayt cōmaundement be otherwyse kepte backe but that they would mete hym then comyng salute hym altogether as kyng ruler of the realme At whose commynge in the duke of Somerset and certayn other
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
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
called so by his propre name For whome they honoured of olde and age The fourth daye in euery weke at hame And so of Mercury geuing it a name And of wodeÌ„ called it wednisdaye Of olde custome as they haue vsed alwaye ¶ And Venus also was theyr hygh goddesse For whome alwaye they halowed the sixte daye Of euery weke in prayer and holynesse Who in theyr tonge friday was called alwaye For whose honoure that named was frydaye The Sonne the Moone Iubiter and Saturne And Mars the God of armes they dyd adorne ¶ The yere after of Christes incarnacyon Foure hundreth full fourty and syxe also Was when Engyst into this regyon Firste came and hauen with thre shippes and no mo As saynte Bede sayeth in gestis anglorum so with scottes Pieghtes they faught ful mightely And droue theim oute and had the victorye ¶ This Engist had then none habitacyon Desyringe so a castell in to dwell Hym and his men to kepe frome all aduersacyon Of Scottes peyghtes that enemyes were then fell As all olde Chronyclers canne you tell Asked as much ground as a bulleis skyn thonge Myght cyrcuyte fully of brede and longe ¶ Whiche the king him graunted then anone He made a thonge then of a bullys skyn So small and longe that rounde about dyd gone A stony grounde to set his castell in And thus by subtelte and his sleyghty gyn Where then he made Thongcastre as men tolde In Lyndesey that nowe is Castre of the wolde ¶ Engyst then sent for his doughter Rowan That came anone with shyppes eyghtene Well stuffed of men for they were of Britayne Agayne the Scottes and Peightes to opteyne Whome Vortiger then thought ful longe to sene She proferred him a drynke and sayde wassayle As he was learned he sayde to her drynke hayle ¶ Which wordes fyrst came vp so into this land With that he set his herte her for to loue That he her wed by all kyndes of lawfull bonde As then the church could best hym learne moue And thus the Saxons by Vortiger set aboue For whiche his sonnes and all the Baronage Hym hated sore ryght for his maryage ¶ Of Paynimes bloodde for to their ydolatrye Greate people were then turned and peruerte And greate also in Pilagien heresye Were accombred and hole to it aduerte Wherfore his sonne the people to conuerte For Lupus sent and his felowe Germayne Christen fayth to preache in all Britayne Which bishoppes ii the folke conuert did againe By processe so and home agayne then went This Engyst then to please the kyng full fayne For his sonne Occa to Germany sent For Ebissa and Cherdryk by consent Of Vortiger that .iii. C. shyppes brought Of men of warre the best that might be sought Of whiche his sonne that then hight Vortimer Of his fyrste wyfe and also the barons all Of suche multytude of people affrayed were And to the kyng as then it did befall Compleyned had without helpe in generall Wherfore anone together they dyd consent This Vortymer to crowne by hole assent The .lxviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Vortymer the sonne of kynge Vortyger kynge of Brytayne to withstande the power of Engyste and of Saxons was twyes crowned Howe this Engyst vnder treaty slewe all the Baronage of Brytons on that playne of Salysburye THen Vortimer they crowned anon ryght With royalte that might to it appende That was ful wise ap pued lyke a knight In all courage that to knighthode did extende For to assayle or elles for to defende Who with myscreauntes faught sore vpon Deâ—went So did he elles at all place where he went ¶ At Abirforth he fought with theim also The better ay he had where as he yede But Catigerne his brother was kylled tho And horne also was slayne by greate manhode And thus Vortimer victorius where so he yede An other tyme vpon the north sea bankes He faught with them in batayle their vnthankes ¶ They fled vnto the ysle then of Tenecte Where he theim syeged fearfully and assayled And slewe theym doune on hepes ay as they met That theyr power almoste then was fayled All forefoughten and full sore batayled Besought the kyng they myght haue his lycence To Germany to make their reuertence ¶ So wente they home with lytell folke alyfe That in his tyme they came no more agayne But cytees all and churches amended full ry fe The christentee to mainteyne was full fayn But then anone the subtell quene Rowayne Made hym to be poysoned of whiche he dyed With her venymes thus was he mortifyed ¶ In a pyller of brasse he layde on hyght At the gate where Saxons had landed afore He bad his men for also farre as he myght Hym se he truste they wolde not nerre come thore But neuerthelesse they letted not therfore But buryed hym at Troynouaunt citeâ— As he them bade with all solempnite ¶ Kyng Vortiger was crouned then again For Engest sent and bade hym come anone For Vortimer his soonne was deade and slain Who with three huÌ„dred shippis full of meÌ„ne echone In Brytain landed and to the kyng ganne gone Of whome he was full glad and well reioysed And of his folke that were of greate power noised ¶ But Brytons all and also the baronage To fight with hym arose by whole consent For whiche he sent to theim by message That to the realme none eiuill he ment But for to helpe the lande in his entent And if thei were of his hoost displeased As thei could best deuise thei should been eased ¶ And bad theim set a daye wher thei might mete By their auise his power home to sende Or all to hold for their common quiet Fro their enemies the realme for to defende All his defaute by their auise tamende The Brytons thought his profer reasonable And to the realme also full profitable ¶ Thei sent hym woorde to mete the first daye of Maye With foure hundred so on euery side Vpon the plain of Sarum in meeke araye That Caire Cradok was called so that tyde Byside Awmesbury full fair edefied Again whiche daye this Engist bad his menne Within their hoses a long knif to haue then ¶ And when he saied Nemyth your sexes then Eche manne then slee a Bryton with his knife For so I shall vs marshall as I can A fore a Bryton a Saxon sette full rife So shall wee reue theim sonest of their life And sette vs ay in rest and moost quiete At a daye lymete together when wee mete ¶ A daye assigned as was his ordinaunce The watche woorde saied eche panyme a Bryton slewe Foure C. lordes of Christes holy creaunce Betrayed were by Engist so vntrewe The death of whome many a Bryton did rewe Whose corps all were buryed at Awmisbury Whiche after that daye was made a Nonnorye ¶ With the hoost of panymes came full fast And toke the kyng held hym at Troynouaunt For marred sore and greately was agast What so thei asked anone he did theim graunt The
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
At Agyncourt so homeward in his waye The nobles there of FrauÌ„ce afore him weÌ„ Proudly battailled with an huÌ„dred thousaÌ„d in araie He sawe he must nedes with theim make afraye He sette on theim and with theim faught full sore With nyne thousand no more with hym thore ¶ The feld he had and held it all that night But then came woorde of hoste and enemies For whiche thei slewe all prisoners doune right Sauf dukes and erles in fell and cruell wise And then the prees of enimies did supprise Their owne people that mo were dede through pres Then our menne might haue slain that tyme no lese ¶ On our side was the duke of Yorke ther slain Th erle also of Suffolke worshipfully And knightes twoo with other then soth to sain And at the siege therle of Suffolke sothely The father dyed of the flixe contynually But mikell folke at that siege yet dyed Of frute and flixe and colde were mortified ¶ On that FreÌ„ch partie that dukes of Barre Lorein And of Alaunson in battaill ther were dedde And take were of Christeans in certain The duke Lewes of Orliaunce their hedde The duke of Burbone in that stede Th erle of Vendom and Arthure also of Brytain And sir Bursigaloâ— marshall of Fraunce certain ¶ And therle of Ewe was taken ther also Fyue barons also that were at their baner And fiftene hundred knightes and squyers mo Were sâ—ain that daye in full knightely maner With woundes so as then did apere As werres would vpon Chrispyn daye And Chrispynian that sainctes in blisse been aye The CC .xv. Chapiter ¶ Howe themperour and the duke of Holand came to the kyng the CouÌ„te palatine the duke of Melayn the marquys Farrar the lorde Mantowe and the marques Mount Ferrete the lorde MouÌ„t Palestrine came with themperour the same tyme and the duke Bauers and Embeir and the prince of Orenge also AND in the yere of Christ a thousand clere Foure hundred also therwithall fiftene When this battaill was smiten as dooth apere In the third yere of his reigne as was seen To Caleice so he came and home bee dene With themperour of Roome sir Sigemond Vnto hym came then in to England ground ¶ With a thousand meÌ„ne that were full clene araied The duke of Melayn the counte Palatyne The marques Ferrer that lord Mantowe wel apayed The couÌ„te Carmeler the counte Palestryne With many lordes of the water of the Ryne And of the Garter was made the secondarye And in it stalled for he would not varye ¶ The duke of Holand then by sea came With .lx. shippes in Thamis that did aryue And to the kyng he went vnto lambe To Themperoure after he went belyue As chronycles then did discryue Then was he made knight of the Garter At his desyre as sayth the chronicler The CC .xvi. Chapiter ¶ Of the battayle of Sayne of the carykes there taken in the sea afore the mouth of Sayne THe kyng sent then that duke vnto the sea Of Bedforde that with four huÌ„dreth sayles To vitayl Hareâ—lete with therle of Marche no lee Th erle Marshall without any fayles With therles armed in plate and mayles Of Orenforde Warrewike and Huntyngdon Of Salisbury Deuonshire many a baron ¶ Of Arondell also these erles all Were in that flote vnto the noumbre of men Twenty thousande Herouldes did theim call On our Lady daye thassumpcion then All these lordes with many worthy men The fyfth yere of the kynge was then expresse WheÌ„ there enemies theim met at Sayn doutelesse ¶ They faught ful sore afore the water of Sayn With carrikes many well stuffed and arayed And many other shippes great of Hispayne Barges Balyngers and galeys vnfrayed Whiche proudly came vpoÌ„ our shippes vnprayed And by theuen there sayles aualed were set Theyr enemyes slayn in battayll and sore bet ¶ And many dryent were that daye in the sea That as our flete rode there then alwaye Vnto the feast nexte of his natiuitee The bodies flete amonge our shippes echedayâ— Full piteous was and to see theim ay That thousaÌ„des were .xx. as they then tolde That taken were in that same batayll bolde ¶ In which meane while whiles our ships there laye It was so calme without any wynde We might not sayle ne fro thens passe awaye Wherfore theyr galeys eche day there gaÌ„ vs fynd With ores many about vs dyd they wynde With wildfyre oft assayled vs daye and night To breÌ„â—e our shippes in that they could or might ¶ The flete came home than at our Lady day FroÌ„ Sayn whiche tyme that kyng then had coÌ„ueied Themperoure then to Caleys on his waye And home agayn was come right well apayed Of the welfare of that worthy flete assayed So well in armes vnto his hie pleasaunce Vpon his foes kepte theim selfe by gouernauÌ„ce The CC .xvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng weÌ„t into FrauÌ„ce in the .v. yere of his reigne the seconde time and landed at Towke in Constantyne in Normandy THe king theÌ„ in his .v. yere weÌ„t into FrauÌ„ce And landed at Towke and gatte the castell than And so came with all his ordinaunce And layde his siege aboute with many a man Whiche by processe at the last he wan Whiche to Vmfreuile that theÌ„ was erle of Kyme He gaue to kepe for great manhode that tyme ¶ Bayons Falace Cees and Argenton Doumfront Mortyne and Iuory also Musterdeuilers Euerons and Alaunson Caldebeke and Depe Arkes Vnycort tho With other townes and castels many mo Gurnaye Newcastell Gysours Estoutuile Roan Louers and also Vmfreuile ¶ Pountlarge Pountoyes also Pount DorsoÌ„ Maunte Vire Balom and also Aueraunce Castell Galiard with many other toune Bolham in Perche saynt Ioilian in Maunce Merteyn in Perche Chirbroke and eke CoÌ„stauÌ„ce Vernell in Perche Seintlowe and Alauayle Vernon on Sayn without any battayle ¶ All Normandy he gate within two yere And after then he trauayled in Fraunce For mariage and conuencion clere Betwene kyng Charles and hym at instaunce Of duke Philip of Burgoyn of aliaunce In whiche tyme so they were by appoyntment Accorded well and clerely condiscent ¶ That then he wed his doughter Katheryne And proclaymed was then of Fraunce regent And heritour of Fraunce by ryght lyne Of his owne right fro kyng Edwardes discent And Normendy and Guyan as appent Remayn should to hym and to his heyres Kynges of Englande euermore and to theyrs ¶ Then layde he siege to Melon anone right Aboue Paris â—v legges vpon Sayn Whiche by processe and laboure of his might And full sore siege full long with passyng payne He had at laste of whiche he was full fayn And toke it to Vmfreuile erle of Kyme To haue for euer ay forwardes fro that tyme ¶ Sauncer in Burgoyn then gate he mightely And Motreux also where the duke was buried Of Burgoyn then whom he toke vp in hie And at Dugyon as it is notified Hym buried so in Burgoyn vndenyed With high honour and great solempnitee As to
then therle of Huntyngdon And Somerset the earle his wyues sonne The CC .xx. Chapiter Howe on Easter euen the duke of Clarence smote that batell of Bawgy in the yere of Christe a thousand .iiii. hundreth twenty and in the nynth yere of kyng Henry for that yere the feaste of the Annuncyacyon of oure Lady fell on Ester twysdaye and the date chaunged after that batayle in the Easter weke ANd nere at Bawge came Gylberte Vmfreuyle Marshal of Fraunce with .v. horse no mo And of good wyt counsayled hym that whyle To kepe the churche and goddes seruyce tho And after the feaste to seke vpon his foo And he aunswered hym yf thou be aferd Go home thy waye and kepe the churche yerde ¶ For thou haste bene with the kyng to longe To make me lese my worshyp and my name Thou haste ay gote the worshyp euer amonge And I haue none thus wolde thou lose my fame With suche wordes chidyng he dyd hym blame To whome he sayde yf that thou be afrayde And kepe the churche as thou me nowe hast saide ¶ With that he saide my lorde ye haue no menne With the enemyes thus hastely to fyght Youre men wot not of this ne howe ne whenne To semble to you of power ne of myght For trewly nowe my cousen Graye nowe right And I haue here but ten men and no mo But yet ye shall neuer saye we leaue you so ¶ So rode they furth ay chidyng by the waye Tyll they to Bawgy ouer the bridge were gone Where the enemyes were batayled in araye Where then they light faught with them anon The duke was slayne that day there with his foone With hym were slayne then therle Vmfreuyle And syr Iohn Graye the Earle of Tankeruyle The lorde Roos and syr Iohn Lumley With many other were with hym slayne that daye Whose names I can not wryte nor saye The Earles two of Huntingdon no naye Of Somerset also were taken there I saye For prysoners and put to greate raunson And laye full longe in Fraunce then in pryson ¶ Thenglishe power came when all was done And rescowed then the deed men where they laye And brought that lordes home fro thens theÌ„ ful sone That were there vpon the felde that daye And buryed them in Englande in good araye Echeone in his owne abbaye or colage Afore founded within his herytage ¶ At Cauntorbury the duke was of Clarence Besyde his father kynge Henry buryed With suche honoure costage and expence As the duches his wyfe coulde haue signifyed Whiche neded not to bene modifyed She was so well within her selfe auysed Of greate sadnesse and womanhede preuised The CC .xxi. Chapiter Howe the quene wente agayne to Fraunce lefte the quene in Englande with chylde and wanne dyuerse cytees townes and castelles in somer in the nyngth yere of his reigne THe kyng then let the quene in Englande byde In somer then the. ix yere of his date And into Fraunce agayne he went that tyde With heuy harte to Parys went algate The castell of Perfount soone he gate A royall place of all that men haue sene The greate cytee of Compyne also I wene ¶ The cytees also of Cassons Bray and Crayle Of Owsare also with many cytees moo And to Parys agayne without fayle In his castell of Lowre abidynge tho Tidynges then came to him full glad and mo That of a prynce delyuered was the quene Of whiche all men reioysed as was sene Saynt Dionis then and castell Boys Vynccent Corbell Pount Melanke and full great parte of Fraunce Burgoyne Artoys and Pycardy to hym sent To bene his men without contraryaunce And eche cytee to hym sworne in substaunce Walled townes and castelles euerychone As hye regent of Fraunce by hym one ¶ Then rode he furth to Bawgy and Orleaunce Wynnyng the tounes and citees in his waye And castelles all that were of greate defence Crepy Lawnesse and Milly with greate affraye Nongentle Roy he gatte with greate araye Pount Caranton with many other obeyed To his highnesse and were his menne conueghed ¶ The duke of Brytain then was his manne For fee belaste without rebellion The counte sainct Paule his manne was then The duke of Burgoyn without suspicion With many other his menne without collucion Were sworne theÌ„ whole the couÌ„trees in yâ— same wise Castelles and tounes eke as he couth deuise ¶ In August so of his reigne the tenth yere He toke sickenes and laye at Boy Vincent In pain strong as then it did appere Full like to passe wherfore in his entent The duke of Bedford he made hâ—e regent Of Fraunce and of his other landes all Beyond the sea as chief in generall ¶ And of his soonne Henry he made custode Thomas Beauford his vncle dere and trewe Duke of Excester full of all worthy hode To tyme his soonne to perfecte age grewe He to kepe hym chaungyng for no n 〈…〉 With helpe of his other eme then fu 〈…〉 The bishop of Wynchester of good a 〈…〉 ¶ Th erle then of Salisbury manly That Mountague then hight by surname He sette to kepe then all Normandie Vnder the regent as knight of full greate fame With other lordes full sage and worthy of name Th erle of Oxenford and of Suffolke also Of his counsaill to been with many mo The CC .xxii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng dyed the last daye of August the yere of Christ a thousand foure hundred two and twenty and of his reigne the tenth yere for all his rightwisnes and iustice that he did he had no conscieÌ„ce of vsurpement of the croune THe last daye of August then full clere Of Christ his date a thousand signified Foure hundred and twoo and twenty yere When that this prince of princes so dyed At Boys Vincent with death then victoried That neuer prince in earth might theÌ„ haue dooen But he alone that ruleth sonne and moonne ¶ With whose bones the quene came to EnglaÌ„d The kyng of Scottes Iames with hir also The duke of Excester as I can vnderstand Th erle of Marche Edmond Mortimer tho Rychard Beauchampe then erle of Warwike so Humfrey then erle of Stafford young of age And erle Edmond of Morten wise and sage ¶ O good lord God that art omnipotent Why streched not thy power and thy might To kepe this prince that sette was and consent With themperour to conuert Surrey right And with Christen inhabite it had hight Why fauoured so thyne high omnipotence Miscreaunce more then his beneuolence ¶ Aboue all thyng he keped the lawe and peace Through all England that none insurreccion Ne no riotes were then withouten lese Nor neighbour werre in faute of correccion But peasebly vnder his proteccion Compleyntes all of wronges in generall Refourmed were well vnder his yerd egall The CC .xxiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe through 〈…〉 we and peace conserued was the encreaso of his conquest and els had he been of no power to haue conquered in out landes WHen he in Fraunce was dayly
to the towne of Ayre Are twentie myles and foure wele accompted A good countree for your armye euery where And plenteous also by many one recounted For there I was and at the same I mounted Towarde Lamarke towne .xxiiii. myles Homeward trudging for feare of Scottish giles ¶ From the towne of Ayre in kyle to Galloway Through Carryct passe vnto Nithysdayle Where Dumfryse is a pretye towne alwaye And plentifull also of all good vytayle For all your army wythout any fayle So that kepyng this iourney by my instruccion That realme ye shall bring in subieccion ¶ Then from Domfrise to Carlill ye shall ride xxiiii miles of veray redy waye So maye ye wynne the lande on euery syde Within a yere withouten more delaye For castelles there is none that withstande you may Nor abide your seage against your ordinaunce So simple and weake is their purueiaunce ¶ And yf ye like good Lorde at home to abide With litell cost your Wardens ye may sende Charging theim all with hostes for to ride In proper persone through wynter to th ende With morow forraies they may them sore offend And burne Iedburgh Hawike Melrose LaÌ„der CodinghmÌ„ Donglasse the toune of Dombarre ¶ Then send an hoste of footemen in At Lammesse next through all Lawde â—ayle And LaÌ„mermore woddes and mossis ouer rynne And eke therwith the Stowe of Weddale Melrose lande Etryke forrest and Tyuydale Lyddisdale Ewysdale and the Ryngwod selde To the Creke Crosse that ryden is full selde ¶ The wardens then of bothe the marches twoo To bee their stayle and eke their castelles strong Then to reskewe from enemies wher euer thei go With fleyng stayles to folowe theim ay emong Les nor then foes theim suppresse and fong And euery night to releue to the hoste And lodge together all vpon a coast ¶ And also than at the next Myghelmesse The west warden to Domfryse ryde he maye Four and twentie myles from Carelyl as I gesse And than passe forthwarde through galowaye To Carricke after into good araye And then from thence to the towne of Ayre In Kile that countree plentifull and fayre ¶ Nexte than from Ayre vnto Glasgew go A goodly cytee and vniuersitee Where plentifull is the countree also Replenished well with all commoditee There maye the warden of the east marche bee And mete the other twayne as I wene Within tenne dayes or at the moost fyftene ¶ The thyrde army from Barwyke passe it shall Through Dumbarre Edenburgh and Lythkâ— And then to Sterlyng with their power al And nexte from that vnto Glasgo Standyng vpon Clyde and where also Of corne and cattell is aboundaunce Youre armye to vittayle at al suffysaunce ¶ Thus these thre armies at Glasgew shal mete Well arayed in theyr armour clene Which hoÌ„ward froÌ„ theÌ„ce thei shal returne coÌ„plete Four and twentie myles to Lamarke so shene To Pebles on Twede is syxtene myles I wene To Soltray as muche thaÌ„ tweÌ„tie miles with spede From thence returne they shal to Wark on twede Within a moneth this lande maye bee destroyed All a south forth if wardens wyll assent So that our enemies shal bee sore annoied And wasted bee and eke for euer shent If Wardens thus woorke after mine intent They maye well quenche the cruell enmitee This daye by south all the Scottishe see ¶ Now of this matter I haue sayed mine intent Like as I could espye and diligently inquire Whiche if it maye your highnesse well content It is the thing that I hartely desire And of your grace no more I dooe require But that your grace will take in good parte Not only my peines but also my true harte EX FRVCTIBVS EORVM COGNOSCETIS EOS ⧠LONDINI ⧠In officina Richardi Graftoni 1543. ¶ A continuacion of the chronicle of England begynnyng wher Iohn Hardyng left that is to saie frome the begynnyng of Edward the fourth vnto this present thirty foure yere of our moost redoubted souereigne lorde kyng HeÌ„ry the eight gathered oute of the moost credible and auteÌ„tique wryters RG To the reader FOrasmuche moost benyng reader as this former autour IhoÌ„ Hardyng wrote no ferther then to kyng Edward the fourth in whose dayes it should apere that he departed out of this world also consideryng the length of yâ— tyme sence and the manifolde goodly historyes battailles decres and statutes with the disceÌ„t and lyne of the kynges of England sence that tyme I thought it not onely my dutie to labour that knowledge of thesame historyes to th eÌ„tent to adioyne annexe thesame herunto but also it should bee a greate offence in me to suffre you to bee depriued of so many fruitefull necessarie thynges Wherfore I haue here to the vttermost of my poore wit gathered and set foorth vnto you thesaid histories not in metre like as Iohn Hardyng hath dooen before partely because I would therby declare a dyfference betwene the former wrytyng of Iohn Hardyng and this my addicion but specially that these excellent storyes should nether in sence ner woordes bee defaced of the eloquence and greate grace that the autoures of thesame haue all readie geuen theim and therfore haue I wrytten theim vnto you in prose and at length that whiche thynges howe muche the more that thei shall delyte and please you so muche the more glad shall I bee of my peynes taken ¶ Edward the fourth AFTER TAHT EDVVARD had vaÌ„quished put to flight Henry the sixte beyng then verie ioious and proude partely thorowe that victorie that he had gotten and partely for that the commons began to cleaue vn to hym and to take his parte and lykewise did the states of the realme then departed he with all conuenyent spede to London and ther assemblyng his counsaill together was shortely after proclaimed kyng at Westminster that nyne and tweÌ„ty daye of Iune and was called Edward the fourth of that name after Wyllyam the conquerour and this was in the yere of Christ his incarnacion a thousand foure hundred three score and one And the self same yere kyng Edward held his parliameÌ„t again in the whiche first the realme was sette in good ordre and all thynges wholy redressed whiche was very good expedient for the commen weale for that it had not been looked to all yâ— tyme that ciuile battaill did continue And also thorowe his decree will all the statutes that kyng HeÌ„ry that sixt had made was vtterly abrogated of no vertue or strength finally his twoo brethren that wer younger then he George was made duke of Clarence and Rychard duke of Gloucestre and Iohn the brother of Rychard Erle of Warwike was made marques Montacute and Henry Burchire the brother of Thomas bishop of Caunturbury erle of Essex and Wyllyam Faucounbridge erle of Kent this Henry Burchire beeyng a noble manne moost puissaunte in feactes of warre had gyuen hym to mariage the suster of Rychard duke of Yorke called Elizabeth And for this cause chiefely that the
said Rychard might haue his assistauÌ„ce and helpe of hym in all maner of aduersitie that should chauÌ„ce either by battaill or other wise and that he did after that kyng Edward the soonne of the same Rychard had made hym erle of Esser tothend that bothe the father the sooÌ„ne might at all tymes bee a sure fortresse and defeÌ„ce for hym And he had begotten of this Elizabeth in laufull mariage foure menne children that is to saie Wyllyam Thomas Iohn and Henry and one doughter called Isabell the whiche liued but a shorte space the whiche soonnes vsed greate diligence in bryngyng matters to passe in weightie affaires and busynes very laborious in aduentures and ieoperdies manly and bold and in forseyng thynges very circumspect but specially Wyllyam the eldest had all these qualities This Wylliam maried Anne a mayden disceÌ„dyng of high parentage and of moost pure virginitie the doughter of Iames Lussheburne erle of sainct Paule by whome he had Henry nowe erle of Essex also Cicile and Isabell doughters the whiche Isabell died before she was ripe to mariage and that other was maried to Walter Ferryse But to come to that I spake in the begynnyng When all thynges chaunsed thus luckely to Edward and that all was as he would haue it Henry the duke of Somerset fearyng that kyng Henry should goo to wracke and take the woorse fled to kyng Edward of whome he was after the moost gentle sorte intertayned but sone after it repented hym of his deede for in the meane season kyng Henry had gotte a greate power of Scotish menne vnwittyng to Edward gat Duresme the whiche thyng after hearde the duke of Somerset fled priuely to hym with a greate compaignâ—e of that kyng his freÌ„des folowyng after and so many for desire of lucre and vauÌ„tage did turne to hym that Henry was thought to haue as greate an armie as his enemie had The whiche armie he made menne thynke to bee the greater for that he did spoile and destroye townes and feldes where soeuer he came so by long burnyng and wastyng he came to a village called Exham where as he buckeled with Iohn marques Montacute whome he mette there and there fightyng very sharpely as often tymes it had chaunsed before was putte to flight losyng the greatest nouÌ„bre of his hoost he hymself with a fewe ino went in all the hast to Scotland and the residue fled some one waye and some an other to saue their liues Ther was taken there prisoners Henry duke of Somerset Robert duke of Hungerforde and Thomas Rosse the whiche duke of Somerset was putte to death by and by for that he had chaunged his mynde so sone and went to the other partie the other were had to Newe castell and ther beyng for a season were putte to death in like maner wherby other should haue no trust of any victorie when their capitaines were dedde gone Albeit kyng Edward nowe might thynke all thynges to be wel and him selfe strong enough agaynst the power of hys enemy for that he had gotte suche a vyctorye yet dyd he wyth all dylygence prouyde that Margarete kynge Henrye the .vi. hys wife shulde at no hande be let into Englande for feare of wynnynge mennes hartes to her Wherefore he made bulwarkes sure for tresses on euerye parte and coastes of hys realme that there myghte be no landynge and dyd wryte to all theim of the southe partes that they shulde in nowyse take in anye woman or helpe anye for yf anye so dyd he shulde be taken as an enemye an hyghe traytoure to the crowne as they were agaynste whome he dyd fyghte And of that parte that is nygh to the Scotish bancke he layed watches that none shoulde goo oute of the realme to kynge Henrye But kynge Henrye hym selfe was neuer in anye greate feare whatsoeuer chaunced in so muche that he came in to England in a dysguysed apparel and then beinge knowen and taken of certayne spyes sone after he had come in was caried to London to king Edwarde and there layde in holde After whose attachynge and imprysonmente the realme was set in more quyetnes Wherfore Edwarde nowe beynge oute of all feare and daunger of hys enemyes dyd wholy set hym selfe the foure yeres after ensuynge to the reformatyon and redressynge of hys publyke weale and to the recompensynge of hys souldyers for their paynes did deuyde and geue the landes of theim that were wyth kynge Henrye to hys owne and so wyth geuynge large and ample rewardes dyd get the fauoure of all hys people as well the laye as the nobles and vsynge suche vrbanyte and clemencye to all kinde of men that he had throughlye wonne the hartes of all men the whyche gentylnes and fryndely famyliaritee he dyd euer after vse Also as for the lawes of the realme he dyd alter and mend some and some he made newe besydes that he coyned monye as wel golde as syluer the whyche at this daye is currante The whyche golde was royals and nobles and the syluer was grotes so that in hys tyme thys kinde of coyne came vp And after that hys realme was in thys state he made a proclamation that yf anye manne beyng a traytoure or rebellyon hertofore to hys grace wyllyng to submyt hym selfe wholy to hym shuld haue his pardon and other that wolde not shuld die and suffer according to the lawes The which kyndnes and natyue loue dyd cause hym to haue the good wyl and herte of his commons so much that it is euydent he was al the dayes of hys lyfe a conqueroure through the helpe and ayde of theÌ„ in so much that hys enemyes were euer shamefully put to wrack as it shal be shewed more playnly hereafter And also not contented wyth the frendshyppe of hys owne countree menne dyd wynne and procure the loue of foren and straunge prynces and made theim to bee of kynred wyth hym whereby that they myghte yf nede shoulde so requyre ayde and socour him or at the least not bee iniurious or noysome to hym So that he maried hys syster lady Margarete to Charles the sonne of Phylyppe duke of Burgoyne throughe which maryage he had greate helpe at the insurrection that chaunsed in thys his natiue countree and after that sente Rycharde the erle of Warwyke embassadoure into Fraunce the whyche shoulde desyre for hym to wyfe a mayden called Bona the syster of Carlotta the quene of Fraunce and the doughter of Lewes duke of Sauoye whyche after dyd marye Iohn Galeot duke of Mylayne the whyche busynes dyd cause cyuile battayle to bee For in the meane tyme that the earle wente in to Fraunce and had spoken wyth Lewes the kynge wyth whom the ladie Bona was and wayted vpon the quene her syster Edwarde chaungynge hys mynde maryed ladye Elyzabeth the doughter of Rycharde the earle of Ryuers which was maryed before to syr Iohn Gray knyght by whome she had two chyldren Thomas and Rycharde of the whyche
in Yorkeshire called Middelame and there to bee kepte fast in hold But yet the kyng could bee in no place nor prisone but that shortely it was knowen the whiche caused many menne to bee sorie lament his chaunce But he hym self after that he was in prisone spake faire to the kepers of the castell and with muche intreatyng and greate promises made did so tempte and corrupt theim that he was dimissed althoughe the rumour was that the erle was willyng to it the whiche might bee of likelyhood if therle had gyuen ouer fightyng but suche was that eiuill fortune of kyng Henry wherby a manne maye perceiue that he could neuer haue his purpose seyng mannes strength nor policie is not able to ouercome for therle with all his freÌ„des did ventre their bodyes and spent their substauÌ„ce to haue brought Henry to the royall dignitee for because he knewe suerly that as long as Edward reigned neither could he nor yet kyng HeÌ„ry beare any rule And yet neuerthelesse thei lette hym goo when he was in holde when kyng Edward was deliuered he went streight to Yorke and there beyng honorably receiued of his citezens taried for the space of twoo dayes to gette hym an hoost of menne but when he could not haue a worthy compaignie consideryng that he should goo to London emong the middest of his hoost went frome Yorke to Lancastre there found Wyllyam Hastynges lord chamberlain of whoÌ„ he hauyng greate helpe came safe to LoÌ„don But therle of Warwike and the duke after thei had perceiued kyng Edward to bee deliuered throughe the meanes of false trai tours that all thynges that thei had appoincted was to none effecte was greately moued with anger and sorowe and by and by callyng together all their chief frendes consulted howe thei might begynne battaill again the whiche wheÌ„ the kyng was taken and in hold was ended and dooen And thus dooyng there was certain that for veray angre and for the loue that thei had to warre offred theim selfes to fight of freshe for nothyng that whiche moued the chief capitaines to be the more earnest Also kyng Edward was as wyllyng to fight as thei were wherby he might either bryng theim by force of armes to quietnes peace or els destroy and kylle theim euery mother soonne that the realme might bee in 〈…〉 tter state For thorowe their sedicious rebellyng the people wer greately impouerished seyng that the churcheâ— and houses of menne were spoiled and â—obbed and menne sâ—ain in euery place the corne grasse also destroyed that was of the grounde and many other mischiefes dooen the whiche dooe chaunce eftsons in battaill The consideracion wherof it pitiâ—d many menne to see the coÌ„men weale in that case the whiche weÌ„t dayly and hourely aswell to therle as to the kyng for atonemeÌ„t desieryng counselyng theim bothe that thei would rather kepe peace haue the loue of all menne for their quiet lyuyng then to liue in angre and enuie fightyng one with an other to that vndooyng of all the realme wher as it wer a wicked deede to kylle the father but yet a greate dele more wicked to destroye the whole bodie of the commen weale whiche is the father of all menne and by the whiche euery manne is maynteyned kept By this greate entreatyng of noble menne therle and the kyng gyuyng feyth one to an other peace was had for a tyme wherein the erle and the duke went bothe to London with a small compaignie of menne in comparison to the daunger that thei wer in and at Westminster was with the kyng for the reformacion and stablishyng of all thynges and for peace to bee had wher the kyng and thei beeyng at greate woordes nothyng was determyned or ended Therfore the kyng for the vowe that he had made departed and said lytle and the erle with the duke also went to Warwike and in Lyncolne shire gotte vp a newe hoost and made sir Robert Welles the soonne of Rychard Welles grauÌ„de capitain a noble manne of warre These tydynges commyng to London moued the kyng veray sore whome he thought would rather haue kepte peace theÌ„ warre but the more that it was shewed to hym vnlokyng for it that battaill was at hande with so muche that sooner more spede he gathered an armie at the same tyme seÌ„t dyuerse messeÌ„gers and haroldes for Rychard Welles and thesame Rychard â—eeyng often so sent for made his excuse that he was sicke diseased but afterward wheÌ„ his excuse was not admitted he thynkyng to purge hymself sufficieÌ„tly before the kyng came to London bringyng with hym sir Thomas Democke his brother in lawe and wheÌ„ he was there certain of his frendes certified hym that the kyng was sore moued with hym whiche for feare of the kyng did take sentuarie at Westminster his brother also mindyng to tary there vnto suche tyme as that kyng his anger wer couled apeaced But kyng Edward trustyng to pacifie all this tumulte without bloddeshede promisyng those meÌ„ne his feith that he would not harme theÌ„ caused theim bothe to come out of sentuarie Then the kyng callyng Rychard to hym warned hym to byd his brother Robert that he should leaue of warre and goo frome the erle and in the meane season the kyng went foreward with his hoost against his enemies bryngyng with hym this foresaid Rychard Thomas and beeyng but frome Stamforde wher his enemies did lie the space of twoo dayes iourney was informed that Robert kepte that armie still nothyng moued with that letters of his fathers wrytyng for the whiche the kyng beyng sore greued caused bothe Rychard and Thomas euen there coÌ„trarie to his promise moost shamefully to haue their heddes chopped of Robert wheÌ„ he sawe the kyng drawe nigh and hard that his father sir Thomas Democke was put to death stoode first in a doubte whether he should fight or no for because it was ieoperdeous to ventre vpon suche a greate power before that erle came yet at the last for the stoute courage and manly boldenes that was in hym thei went together and fought sore long and many menne killed on bothe sydes and at the last wheÌ„ the fore named Robert encouraged his menne that wer ready to geue ouer was coumpassed about of his enemies taken and also sir Thomas DelalaÌ„t with many 〈…〉 o the whiche capitaines beyng taken all the hoost was putte to flight driuen awaye The kyng beyng glad of this victorie coÌ„maunded Robert sir Thomas Delalant with many other to bee put to death at that same tyme place And in this battaill ther was kylled as meÌ„ne reported tenne thousand menne The erle at this tyme beeyng at his owne toune of Warwike and commyng shortely to his armye at Stamforde with his power was enformed that the battayle was foughte quickelyer then he looked for and that his men had the worse parte although he might now be discouraged yet he made as thoughe he passed not and would
not beleue to the entente that he myghte the more enbouldē certaine of his compaigny then despayryng and geuyng theimselfe to flight beganne to make a newe hoste and with many faire promyses did wowe his brother in lawe Thomas Stanley to take his parte but when that said Thomas would by no meanes fight or rebell agaynste kyng Edwarde then seeyng it was tyme to gooe one waye and he mistrustyng that he was not able to resiste the power of hys enemyes fled wyth the duke of Clarence his soonne in lawe to Excetre and whē he had taried there two or three dayes seyng that he lacked al thynges necessarye for warre purposed to gooe to Lewes the kyng of Fraunce with whom at his ambassate into Fraunce was veraye well acquaynted and beloued trustyng ether to haue some helpe of the kyng or els to incense hym wholy to fight against hym and so toke shippe at Dartmouth both he and the duke with a greate nombre of theyr familie and sayled with the wynde to Normandie where the chiefe lord of that towne entreteyned hym most royally in al the hast certified that kyng Lewes of his cōmyng thither And that kyng meruailyng greatlye at that noble actes that that erle had doen was mynded thorowly to helpe hym in all that he could when he knewe that he was lāded in Fraūce was glad of it sent to hym certayn of his nobles to shewe hym that he did wishe to haue an occasion wherby he might helpe hym at this time would gladly dooe for him desieryng hym to come to Ambassy where the kyng laye which Ambassy is a manour place of that kynges set vpō the ryuer syde of Loire the duke also his sonne in law and that it should not bee for his losse or harme This was that .ix. yere of kyng Edwardes reigne when the erle fled to Fraunce and of our Lorde a M CCCC and .lxxx. But this greued kyng Edward that thei wer fled for because many of the people and cōmunaltee was desyrous to see hym and thought that the sonne had been goone from theim and out of this worlde when he was absent And in suche estimaciō and honour was he had of the people that thei worshipped honoured none but hym or at the least none more then hym In so muche that his only name was euery mannes song voyce especially of the cōmē people when they made triumphe abrode in that stretes Wherby the moste parte helde of the earle his syde and bare hym more fauoure in theyr hartes then kyng Edward Wherby the kyng was in feare and daunger both of his owne countremen that wer in his realme and of theim that were abrode in Fraunce but before all other he did prouide for that erle his cōmyng And first he sente to Charles the duke of Burgom his brother in law desiryng him that he would manashe Lewes the kyng with whom he had made a league of peace not to aide the erle of Warkwike or that duke his sonne in lawe neither with mony nor with mē The which Charles wrote to that kyng of Fraūce thretened hym many thynges if so that he mainteyned or helped theim And when the kyng of Fraūce had red his letter aūswered again saied that he might lawfully would sauyng his league truce helpe his frēds that wer valiaūt noble men as the earle was and settyng nothyng by all his thretenyng braggyng wordes sayd it shoulde bee neither greate peyne nor coste to hym Whē these tydynges came into England that kyng was veraye sorie for that cause searched priuely in his realme who wer frēdes to his enemies And for feare by that reason of the examinaciō of theim that wer prisoners in his hand some did take sentuarie and some came to the kynges side And emonges theim the lord Marques Montacute offered hymself to the kyng again to helpe hym in his warres whom the kyng gladly receaued for because that by him mo would leane to his side In this meane season the erle of Warwike the duke went to Ambassy wher the kyng of Fraūce was by the way the people came veraye thicke to see hym because they harde so muche speakyng of his noblenesse when he came there the kyng receaued hym moste gently to whō shortly after the erle did breake his mynd and shewed the cause of his commyng To whome the kyng promysed all that he coulde dooe for hym to the vttermoste extente of his power Sone after quene Margarete the wife of Henrye that .vi. came to theim with her sōne prince Edward and the earle of Penbruck and also of Oxēforde the whiche a lytle before sayled ouer to her After they cōmuned together as concernyng that safegard of their bodies a league was made thorowe the kyng of Fraunce his counsel And first lady Anne the doughter of the earle was maried and despoused to prynce Edwarde the quenes soonne Also the erle and the duke promysed faithfullye that they woulde not geue ouer vnto suche tyme that kyng Henrye the .vi. or Edwarde his soonne were proclaymed kyng of Englande after kyng Henry that the erle and the duke should ouersee and gouerne the realme by the wyll and apoyntmente of the quene Margarete and her sonne prince Edwarde vnto suche tyme that the forenamed prince wer of lawfull age and habilitee the whiche they promysed faythfully to obserue and dooe as they wer apoynted And besydes these many other condicions were made aswel for that reason did so require as the busynes that was at that tyme. When this league of truth faithfulnes was thus made the kyng Lewes holpe the erle with mēne harnes and nauie that he might the surer go to Englāde And Rhenate also the father of y◠quene Margarete gaue hym mēne harnyse to his power So that he hauyng no small nombre of men did take shippe at Sayne mouth ther tariyng hard word from Englād by letters that he should come ouer in all the haste that there were so many that would take his parte that he shoulde haue no nede to bryng any with hym for they wer redy in harneyse at the water side willyng to helpe hym in al that they could and not they onely but many noble men princes would helpe hym both with mony men harneyse with all that they could dooe When he had receaued these letters he purposed to go forth and take the oportunitee of the tyme. And because that the quene was not redy to set forth he the duke of Oxēford and the duke of Penbruch went before with parte of that hoste nauye to trie what chaūce thei shuld haue that if all thinges should chaunce well the quene and the prynce should folowe and come vnto Englande Therfore the Earle and the Duke thanking the king as highly as they coulde for that he had doone so much for theim dyd take their leaue and sayled vnto Englande with all their
thys he prophecied that the self same Henry shuld in tyme to come as it chaunsed in dede haue the kyngedome and rule of all the realme And nowe Edwarde althoughe he was oute of his countree yet dyd he not dyspayre but that he shulde haue mattre and redy occasion to recouer his kingdome for the duke of Burgoyne partlye had promised hym both greate ayde and socoure and partly the priuy frendes that he had in Englande dyd councell hym by letters sente from tyme to time that he would hasten his iournay homward and incontinâ—tly after very many fled to hym oute of Englande eyther for feare of the lawes that they had offended or elles for sorowe that the worlde was so turned that they could not haue theyr wyll as they had before in accomplyshynge theyr couetouse myndes and desyres and caused hym to make the more haste homewarde And kynge Edwarde beynge rauished with their golden promises thoughte nothyng more payneful or wretched then to tary one daye lenger and nothyng more pleasaunt theÌ„ to go of his iourney and so takynge no moo wyth them then two thou sande harnesed menne at the sprynge of the yeare sayled into Englande landynge in the coastes of Yorkeshyre at an hauen towne called Rauinsport And there settynge for the all hys menne dyd reason wyth hys captaynes and consulte to what place they shoulde fyrste goo For it was ieoperdious consydering the small companie that he had to take anye waye for the. But after longe delyberation they were all agryed that some certayne knightes and horsemen of that smal compaignie shuld bee sent one to euerie quarter to the townes that wer nyghe to the intente that they myghte drawe the hartes myndes of the people to king Edwardes syde But it is not lykelye that kynge Edwarde beyng a wyse manne durst be bolde or would in any wyse come into England with such a small power excepte he had knowen surely that he should haue had great helpe at hys commyng the whych is a plain token that the duke of Clarence and the lorde Marques had procured hys fauoure promysinge him all their helpe that they coulde make for the tryall of the whych ther was manifest tokens that dysclosed and bewrayed all their falshed For they priuilie weÌ„t about to know mennes mindes and to what parte they would declyne and the nexte day after came to kinge Edwarde and shewed him that the common people dyd stande stiflye of kynge Henrye his syde and woulde defende hys quarell as ryghte and iuste at al times and that they had nomore nede nowe to make anye tumulte in so much that no manne would althoughe eftsons desired and prayed go to king Edward yea and that noman woulde for feare of the earle of Warwike heare anye thinge spoken of that matter whose myndes after that kinge Edwarde had throughlye serched and knowen he chaunged his mynd and purpose wher as before he claymed the crowne then he publyrshed abrode that he woulde haue but hys ryghte that was his landes and heritage of Yorke shyre And â—t that worde it cannot be well spoken howe redily meÌ„ wer willinge to helpe him consideringe that he claymed nothinge but hys ryghte in somuch yâ— very pytie dyd moue manye althoughe they woulde not helpe hym yet at no hande to resyste him And kynge Edwarde reconsilyng him selfe to the common people by these meanes toke hys iournye towarde Yorke and wente to Beuer lay The earle then beinge at Warwik after that he knew that king Edward was landed about York streyght sent a post to his brother lord MoÌ„tacute then liyng that winter at Pomfreit with a great army to shewe him what daunger mighte ensue yf king Edward got that towne of york bed theim yf his enemies drewe nigh ether to mete with theÌ„ in plain felde or elles to bete theim from the towne vnto such tyme that he came wyth a greater host which he prepared then in all the hast he coulde And because he knew not surely which way his enemies wolde come he fyrst sent to euery towne in york shyre and to yorke it selfe certayne postes to bid euery man be in his harnesse ready and that that citezins should shut the gates surelye that kynge Edward myght haue no accesse In the meane tyme king Edward came peaceably and wythoute the resistaunce of anye man towardes the towne of Yorke of whose commyng when the citezens were certified they made sure the gates and standynge in harnesse for the defence of it dyd sende twoo of the aldermen to warne the kyng the comming nyghe that he dooe not enterpryse to farre or put hym selfe in ieopardie for they were mynded to dryue him and all hys awaye wyth all the power they myghte When Edwarde had heard theyr myndes he was in so greate feare agonie that he could not tell what to dooe for yf he shuld haue goone back he feared that the common people as men gredye of a praye woulde persue him and yf he should goo forth he was in daunger of the Yorke shyre men leaste they shoulde sodenlye faull vpon hym and take hym and therefore seeyng that he was not able to match them in battayle thought to mollyfie theim with fayre wordes and so beganne to entreat after the most lowlye and gentle maner the messaungers that they woulde in hys name shewe the cytezyns that he came not to clayme the crowne but hys herytage and ryghte of Yorke shyre and therfore that they woulde helpe theyr lorde and duke of Yorke and yf that he myghte be receaued through theyr meanes he wolde requyte theyr kindenes and remember theyr benifyte as longe as he lyued And by suche fayre speaking and flatterie he dimissed theÌ„ and folowed straighte after to the gates with his companie The citezins beynge somwhat moued wyth thys answer for that he entended no harme agaynst kyng Henrie they spake wyth hym from the wall and badde hym to go frome thence and if he would go quickely he should take no harme But he speakyng veraye gentely to euerye one of theim callyng some by name moost gentely did desire theim that he might come into his owne toune And so passyng all the daye in that coÌ„municacion at that length the citezens partely ouer come with his moost geÌ„tle speakyng large promises made fell to this poincte that if Edward would swere to handle his citezens after a gentle sorte hereafter bee obedient to kyng Henry his coÌ„maundement thei would receiue hym in to that citee and helpe hym with all that power that thei might Edward beyng glad to here this the next daye after early a masse was said at the gates wher he receiuyng the sacrament promised feithfully vpon his othe that he would obserue bothe the thyngeÌ„s afore named so was receiued in to the citee Neuerthelesse it was so ferre vnlike that he would obserue one of theim that he minded none other thyng then that he might depriue the kyng of his croune as here after shall
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
And to bee sure of all enemyes as he thought he sent for .v. thousande menne of the north against his coronacion whiche came vp euell apparelled and worsse harneyssed in rustie harneys neyther defensable nor scoured to the sale whiche mustered in fynesoury felde to the great disdayne of all the lokers on The fourth daye of Iuly he came to the towre by water with his wife and the fyfte daye he created Thomas Lorde Haward duke of Norffolke syr Thomas Haward his soonne he created Earle of Surrey and Willyam lorde Barkeley was then created erle of Notyngham and Fraunces lorde Louell was then made Vicount Louell and the kynges chaumberlayne and the lorde Stanley was deliuered out of warde for feare of his sonne the lorde Straunge whiche was then in Lancasshyre gatheryng menne as menne saied and the saied lorde was made Stuard of the kynges hou sholde like wyse the archbyshoppe of Yorke was deliuered but Morton bishop of Ely was deliuered to the duke of Buckingham to kepe in warde whiche sent hym to his manoure of Brecknoke in Wales from whence he escaped to kyng Richardes confusyon The same nighte the kyng made .xvii. knightes of the bathe The nexte day he rode throughe LondoÌ„ with great pompe in especiall the duke of BuckinghaÌ„ was richely appareled his horse trapped in blewe veluet enbroudered with the naues of cartes burning of golde whiche trapper was borne by footemeÌ„ froÌ„ the grounde with suche asoleÌ„pne fassyon that all menne muche regarded it On the morowe being the .vi. day of Iuly the kyng came toward his coronacioÌ„ into Westminster hal where his chapell all the prelates mytred receaued hym And so they in ordre of processyon passed forward After the procession folowed therle of Nor thumberlaÌ„d with a pointlesse sweard naked the lorde Stanley bare the Mace of the constableship The erle of Kent bare the second swerd on the right hand of the kyng naked The lord Louell bare an other swerd on the lefte hand Then folowed the duke of Suffolke with the Sceptre and therle of Lincolne with the balle and crosse After theim folowed the newe Erle of Surrey with the swerd of estate in a riche skabard On the ryght side of hym went the duke of Norffolke bearing the croune then folowed kyng Richard in a Circot and robe of purple veluet vnder a canable borne by the barones of that fyue portes going betwene the bishoppes of Bathe and Duresme The duke of Buckingham with the rod of the high stuard of Englande bare the kynges traine After hym folowed the erle of Hunting don bearing the quenes sceptre and the Vicount Liâ—â—e bearing the rod with the doue And the erle of Wilshere bare the quenes croune Then folowed quene Anne doughter to Richard erle of War wike in robes lyke to the kyng betwene two bysshoppes and a canabie ouer her hed borne by the Barones of the portes On her hed a rich coronal set with stones and pearle After her folowed the countesse of Richmond heire to the duke of Somerset whiche bare vp the quenes traine After folowed the duchesse of Suffolke and Norffolke with couÌ„tesses baronesses ladies many faire gentilwemeÌ„ in this ordre they passed thorough the palaice entred the abbay at the west end so came to their seates of estate And after diuerse soÌ„ges solâ—ply song they both discended to the high altare were shifted from their robes had diuerse places open froÌ„ the middle vpward in whiche places they were anointed Then both the kyng the quene chaunged theim into cloth of gold ascended to their seates where the cardinal of Cauntourburie other byshoppes theim crouned according to the custome of the realme geuing hym the scepter in the left haÌ„d and the balle with the crosse in the ryght hand the quene had the sceptre in her right hand the rod with the doue in the left hand On euery side of the kyng stode a duke before hym stode therle of Surrey with the swerd in his handes And on euery side of the quene staÌ„ding a bishop a ladie kneling The Cardinal song masse after paxe the kyng the quene discended before the high altare they wer bothe houseled with one hoste deuyded betwene theÌ„ After masse finished they bothe offred at saint Edwardes shrine there the kyng lefte the croune of saint Edward and put on his owne crowne And so in ordre as they came they departed to westminster hal so to their chambres for a ceasoÌ„ duryng which time the duke of Norffolke came into the hal his horse traped to the ground in cloth of gold as high mershall and voided the hall About .iiii. of the clocke the kyng quene entred the halle and the kyng sate in the middle and the quene on the left hand of the table on euery side of her stoode a countesse holding a clothe of pleasaunce when she list to drinke And on the right haÌ„d of the kyng sat the byshop of Cauntourbury the ladies sat all on one side in the middle of the hall And at the table againste theim sat the Chauncelloure and all the lordes At the table next the cupborde sate the Maire of London And at the table behinde the lordes sate the Barones of the portes And at the other bordes sate noble and worshypfull personages When all persones wer sette the the duke of Norffolke earle Mershal the earle of Surrey constale for that daye the lorde Stanley lorde Steward Sir willyam Hopton treasourer and sir Thomas Percie comptroller came in and serued the kyng solemplye with one dishe of golde and another of syluer And the quene all in gylte vessell and the bishop all in siluer At the seconde course came into that hall sir Robert Democke the kynges champion making a proclamacion that whosoeuer woulde saye that kyng Richarde was not lawfullye kyng he woulde fight with hym at the vtteraunce and threwe downe his gauntlet theÌ„ all the hall cried kyng Richard And so he did in thre partes of the halle and then one broughte hym a cup of wyne couered when he had dronke he caste oute the drinke departed with the cuppe After that the herauldes cryed alargesse thryse in the halle so went vp to their staige At the ende of diner the Mayre of London serued the kyng quene with swete wyne and had of eche of theim a cuppe of golde with a couer of gold And by that tyme that all was done it was darkenight And so the kyng retourned to his chaumbre and euery man to his lodging When this feaste was thus fyneshed the kyng sente home all the lordes into their countrees that woulde departe excepte the lorde Stanley whome he reteyned tyll he hearde what his soonne the lorde straunge wente aboute And to suche as wente home he gaue streyghte charge and coÌ„maundement to see their countryes well ordred and that no wronge nor extorcion should bee done to his subiectes
some greate plage that was to come and of the other parte his hoste was no lesse abashed seyng his absence for that tyme. When in the morning Henry came to theim in the light of the daye he excused the matter that he was not absent because he had lost his waye but rather of purpose because he would commen with his preuy frendes which would not be sene in the daye After that he went priuely to Aderstone where Thomas Standley Willyam his brother dyd dwell Here Henry Thomas Willyam mette and tooke other by the hande with louing salutacions and were glad one of an other Then after they counceled together of their metyng with kyng Richard whome they perceyued then not to bee farre from theim That day when it drewe toward night in the euening Ihon Sauage Brytanne Sanforde Simon Digby with many other had forsaken kyng Richarde came to Henry with a great power of men whiche thyng both with power and strengthe sate Henry alofte again In the meane season kyng Richard which purposed to go◠thorow thicke and thinne in this mater came to Bosworthe alitell beyond Leicestre where the place of batell should bee as a manne would saye the hye iustice of God whiche coulde not bee auoided hanging ouer his hed had called hym to a place where he should suffer worthy punyshemente for his detestable offenees and there he sette vp his tentes and rested that night Afore he went to bed he made an oration to his companye with greate vehemence perswading exhorting manfully to fight And afterward as it was saied he had a terrible dreame in his slepe seming that he sawe horrible deuilles appere vnto hym pulling and haling of hym that he coulde take no rest which visyon fylled hym full of feare also of heuy care when he waked For by and by after being sore greued in his minde he did prognosticate of this dreame the euill luke heuy chaunce that after came to hym and he came not with so cherful a countenaunce vnto his company as he was wonte to dooe Then leest they should thinke that he had this heauinesse for the feare of his enemies he stoode vp rehersed vnto theim all his dreame But I thinke that this was not a dreame but rather his conscience pricked with the sharpe stynge of his mischeuous offences which although they dooe not pricke alwaye yet most cōmenly they wil byte moste towarde the latter daye representyng vnto vs not onely them selfe but also the terryble punyshement that is ordeined for the same as the syghte of the deuill tearyng and haling vs so that therby if we haue grace we may take an occasyon to bee penitēt or elles for lacke of the same dye in desperacyon Nowe to come to my purpose again the nexte daye after kyng Richard hauing all thynges in a redynesse went for the with the army oute of his tentes beganne to sette his men in araye fyrst the forward set forth with a meruelous lengthe bothe of horsemen and also of footemen a veray terrible companye to theim that should see theim a farre of and in the formost parte of all he ordered the bowmen as a stronge fortresse for theim that came after and ouer this Iohn the duke of Norffolke was hedde capitaine After hym folowed the kyng with a mightye sorte of menne And in this while Henry beyng departed from the communicacion of his frendes without any tariyng pytched his tentes nere his enemies and laye there all nighte and cōmaunded his men to bee in a redinesse in the morninge he sente also to Thomas Standley being then in the middes betwixt bothe hostes that he should come nere with his armye He sent hym woorde again that he should set his menne in an ordre tyll he came with the which answer otherwise then he had thought or then the mater dyd require he was not alitel abashed and stoode as it were in doubte Yet for all that he taryed not but with all spede set his menne in an ordre the forward was but slender because his noūber was but fewe the archers were set in the formost parte Ouer theim Iohn the earle of Oxford was hedde capitain In the ryght wing he sette Gilbert Talbot In the lefte he put Iohn Sauage And he him selfe with the helpe of Thomas Standley folowed with one companye of horsemen and a fewe footemen for all his whole company were scāt fyue M besides the bothe Stanleys with their company of the which Willyam Standley had thre M. The kinges army was double to all this And so when bothe armyes were all in a redinesse and beganne for to come within the sight of other they bragged forth theim selfes of bothe parties looking onely for the sygne and token of striking together Betwyxte bothe hostes there was a marresse whiche Henrye lefte on his ryghte hande purposelye as a defence of his menne he found the meanes also to haue the bryght sunne on his backe that it myght dasyll the eyes of his enemyes But the Kyng when the sawe Henry passe ouer the marras cōmaunded his men with all violence to set vpon theim They by and by with a sodein clamour lette arrowes flee at theim On the other syde they paied theim home manfully again with the same But when they came nere together they laied on valeauntly with swerdes The earle of Oxforde fearing least in the meane time kyng Richardes multytude should haue compassed in his menne whiche wer but a fewe he cōmaunded theim by fyues they should not moue forwarde paste ten fote the whiche cōmaundement knowen when they knitte theim selfes together and seased not in fyghting their aduersaries beyng afrayed suspected som crafte or guyle began to breake of and many of the same parte wer not much greued therwith because they wer as glad the king should be loste as saued therfore they fought with lesse courage Then the erle of Oxford with his menne thicke together stroke on more freshlyer The other of the other parte dyd likwyse the same And while the firste wardes of the batell had fought so manfully Richard perceiued by his spies Henry a farre of with a fewe companye of armed menne Afterward cōming nere Richard knewe hym by sygnes and tokens then being inflamed with anger furiouslye stroke the horse with the spurres and ranne out of the one syde of the hoste and like a Lyon ranne at hym On the other syde Henry perceiuing hym commyng was very desyrouse to mete hym Richard at the fyrste setting forth kylled diuers that stode again he threwe doune Henry his banner and Willyam Brandon the bearer also he ranne at Cheyny a manne of great mighte whiche came for to mete hym and with greate violēce ouerthrewe hym to the grounde and this he made hymself awaie through theim for to come to Henry But Henry kept better tacke with hym thē his men would haue thought whiche thē was allmoste in despayre of the victory And euē at the
tytle of his dominion But the kyng not mistrusting any man to bee so foolysh hardy as to fyght in such a cause or anye so vndyscrete especiallye of hys realme as to beleue it dyd onelye mynde the suppressynge of the Iryshe menne and theyr enterpryse to subdue Yet hearynge that the Earle of Lyncolne with other were fledde and gooen to hys aduersaries he caused the borders to bee dilygentlye kepte that none other myghte escape or geue theym socoure and commynge to the abbaye of Sayncte Edmundes Burye it was certified that the Lorde Thomas Marques was come to excuse and pourge hym selfe before hym for certayne thynges that he was suspected to whome the kynge dyd sende the Earle of Oxford to take him commynge and conueyghe hym to the Towre of London for thys cause that yf he were his frende as he was in dede that he should not bee myscontented to suffer a lytle imprysonmente for the safetie of hys kynge yf he were not hys frende there to tarye that he myghte haue no damage or hurte by hym And so the kynge wente forthe to Norwyche and tariynge there Christemas daye went after to Walsingham and from thence to Cambridge and so streyght to London In this tyme the erle of Lincolne the lord Louell had got about two thousande Germaynes wyth Martyn Swarte to be theyr captayne and so saylynge to Ireland came and made the fornamed Lambarte kyng of Englande at Deuelynge And so wyth the greate multitude of Iryshe menne aswell naked and vnarmed personnes as other that the Lorde Gerardyne had vnder hym they sayled into Englande and landed for a purpose wythin a lytle of Lancastre trustynge there to bee ayded of Syr Thomas Broghton the chiefe authoure of thys conspiracie The kynge not slepynge hys mattiers but mystrustynge that such thynges shoulde chaunce sente certayne Knyghtes throughe all the Easte parties to attende the commynge of hys enemyes and gatherynge all hys hooste together went hym selfe to Couentree where he beynge it was certified hym that the Earle of Lyncolne was landed at Lancastre wyth the newe kynge Whome the kynge appoynted to meete after the consente and agremente of hys counsayle and to goo vppon theym wythoute anye farther delaye least that theyr power by long sufferaunce should bee augmented and multiplyed And so after suche aduisemente taken he went to Notingham and there by a lytle woodde called Boures he pytched hys tentes To whome shortelye after came the Lorde Talbote Earle of Shrowesburye the Lorde Straunge the Lorde Cheiney wyth a greate armye of menne and manye other noble menne whose names here after ensue Rauff Longforde Ihon Montigomery Henry Vernone of Pek Rauff Shurley Godfrey Folgehan Thomas Gryfley Edwarde Sutton Humfrey Stanley an other Humfrey StaÌ„ley Wyllyam Hugton Wyllyam Meryng Edward Stanope Geruase Clifton Brian Stapulton Henry Wylloughby Wyllyam Perpoyntes Ihon Babyngton Wyllyam Bedyll Robert Brundell Ihon MarkhamÌ„ Wyllyam Merbury Edwarde Aborogh Wyllyam Tyrwite Ihon Hussey Robert Shefilde Wyllyam Newporte Roger Ormeston Thomas Tempest Wyllyam Knyuett Henry Wyllaybet Lord Edward Hastyngges Ihon Dygby SimoÌ„ Digby HaringtoÌ„ Richarde Sachenerell Ihon Vyllers Edwarde Fyldyng Thomas Polteney Nicholas Vaux Thomas Gryne Nicolas Griffin Edmund Lucy Edwarde Belknap Robert Throgmarton George Graie of Ruthin Guide Wolstone Thomas Fynderye Dauid Phillips Thomas Cheiney Robert Cotton Ihon Saint Ihon Ihon Mordant Thomas Terell Ihon Raynsford Robert Paynton Robert Danyell Henry Marney Edmunde Aroundell Also there came froÌ„ the ferdest partes of his realme other noble men as these George Oglye Rauff Neuill Richard Latemere Wyllyam Bulmere Ihon Langforde Wyllyam Norrys Ihon Neuill of Thortinbridge and Ihon Wyllyams The erle of Lyncolne in the meane season went forth softely with his compaignie into Yorkeshire without hurte or discommoditie of any maÌ„ne that dwelt therabout trustyng partely therby ê‘tely also bycause he was well knowen and acquainted emong theim that he should get greate ayde and socour there But when he perceiued very few or none to folowe hym and that he could not seyng his enemies were so nigh hand and he also so far entred in safegard with his hoste returne bacward yet he thought it best to abyde taste the chaunce of battaill and so muche that rather because he sawe Henry within twoo yeres before accompaignâ—ed but with a fewe and small sorte of souldiers ouercome kyng Richard whiche brought with hym a greate hoste of well armed menne Wherfore he beeyng now in a greate hope of victory toke his iorney thens towarde Newarke there to sette his souldyours in araye and mete the kyng whom he knew well though not to bee paste .ii. dayes iorney from hym But before he could come thither kyng HeÌ„ry whiche was surely certified of all thynges that he did or weÌ„t about came to Newarke alitle before the euen that thei should fight on that morowe other wyse then the erle loked for and there tariyng not long went forth three myles ferther and sette his tentes and taryed all night Of whose commyng although therle knewe yet he went foorth lustely of his tourney and came that night to a village nigh to his enemies which is called Stooke and there pitched his tentes The next daie the kyng so sone as he had sette his souldyours in due ordre and araye went forwarde with all spede to the place where the erle with all his laye To the whiche place when he was come had appointed the felde which was moste mete for the battaill to bee fought in by by gaue place for his enemies to come foorth and prouoked theim to battaill But as ready as he was to prouoke so readie wer thei of their owne courage to come foorth so that of bothe parties thei ranne to battaill and fought moste egerly in whiche toÌ„flicte it did euidently appere that the Germaines whiche were sette in the forewarde whose capitain was Martine Swarte were nothyng woorse in manlynesse and cheualry which thei gotte chiefly by daily and long exercise then the Englishemen And the Ireshmen although thei fought verie lustely yet by the reason that thei ware not harnes accordyng to their fasshioÌ„ and custome were discomfcited and beate downe bothe more in noÌ„bre and soner then all the other Yet was this battaill so earnestlie boldly fought for a whyle of bothe parties that it could not bee wel discerned to whiche syde the victorie would incline But at the last the kynges forewarde which there abode all ieoperdie so lustely couragiously ranne vpon their enemies that they were none hable to resist or abyde their power so that all aswell Germaines as Irish men were there slain orels made to flie of the whiche none at all could escape awaie Whiche battaill wheÌ„ it was thus dooen all meÌ„ne might se of what boldnes audacitie these rebellioÌ„s were For their capitaines Ihon erle of Lincolne FraÌ„cis Louell Thomas BroghtoÌ„ Martine Swart Thomas Gerardine neuer gaue backe one foote but were slaine all in the same place where thei began first to fight
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
kynges thesame his neighbours he thanked Fernand his wife Elizabeth for the they caused this peace to bee made betwixte hym and the Scottes and rewarded the Ambassadoure moste worthely after a princely maner And the tyme that this vnitee and concorde was made it was the yere of oure Lorde a thousande foure hundreth foure score and eighten and the .xii. yere of kyng Henry his reigne And the kynge of Scottes kepte his promesse well ynoughe For when he perceiued manifestly that he was deluded he called vnto hym Perkin Warbeck and first declared his benefites pleasures that he had dooen vnto hym and then counsailed hym to gette hym vnto some place where he mighte byde in safegarde and come againe another time when he shoulde haue more oportunitee But neuer after to looke for any helpe at his haÌ„d partely because he had made peace with the kyng of Englande and partely because he sawe that no Englishemen came to take his parte wherfore he desired hym not to bee misgreued that he did thus leaue hym also counsailed hym to goo into some other place or regyon wherfore this Perkin was veraye sorye as the kyng had counsailed hym departed thence with his wife and went into Ireland determining with hym selfe if he might haue no helpe of the menne of Cornewale to retourne thence as faste as myghte bee home to his greate mailres aunte Margaret into Flaundres But he was no soner come thither then he heard by diuers messengers that they of Cornewale were as ready to fyght against kyng Henry as euer they wer before of hoope of the whiche he went streyght in to Cornewall there dyd sturre vp their heartes with gyftes and promyses that all immediatelye called him their capitain saied that thei woulde folow hym and in all thinges obey promptly hys commaundementes TheÌ„ was PerkeÌ„ in as good hoope as euer he was and because he would do nothynge rashelye and withoute aduisemente he purposed fyrste to ouercome citees and all wel defeÌ„ded places that lay in his way and so to get as many as he coulde to folowe hym and to take his part and incontinently to buckle with the kynges host WheÌ„ he had thus deliberate he weÌ„t streight to Exeter which was the next citee that he coulde come vnto and besieged it and because he had no gunnes to breake downe the walles he laboured all that myght bee to breake the gates but when he saw that thei could not easely be betten downe with any thyng streight with he set fyre on theim Whereof the citezins were veray sore afraied and priuely in the night let downe diuerse ouer the walles with ropes to go certifie the kyng of their trouble and in the meane tyme wheÌ„ thei saw that their enemies had almost breÌ„t vp the gates of the one side tooke great blockes and set them on fyre on the other side for none other cause but that aswell their enemyes therby might be excluded as thei them selfes included And thei not trusting to this only made also wtin great ditches other thiÌ„ges to defend theÌ„ from the inuasioÌ„ of the rebelles When PerkeÌ„ saw this he got ladders and would by that meanes haue come into the citee but they came not so sone vp but thei were beate downe again and by this meanes many were there slayne þet would he not thence depart but trusted surely at the laste that thei should be glad to yelde theim selfes al that wer within for lack of viandrie But as sone as the kyng hearde of this he hasted with his hoost toward Exeter as faste as was possible and sente dyuerse souldiours beefore to certifie all menne of his commyng and preparaunce for at that tyme there was set forth to helpe theym of Exeter Thomas Trencherd William Corteney Walter Cortney Edmond Carre Ihon Halemel Peter Eggecomb Thomas Fulford IhoÌ„ Crook William Saintmaur with a great host whose capitain was Edward Corteny erle of Denshire his sonne William whiche was a young man of mooste noble courage whiche thyng when Peter heard tell of he left besiegyng of Exeter and went to the nexte towne whiche is called TauÌ„tun there vieued his hoost and set it in aray redye to fyght howbeit he had but lytle affiaunce in the same because many of his souldiours were so slenderly harneissed and no better skylled in warre When the kyng sawe he was gone to TauÌ„tun he hasted thither after him with all spede Thether came also Edward the duke of Buckingham a young maÌ„ veray valiaunt and of lustie courage and hym folowed a greate compaignye of noble men as Giles Brigge Alexander BrayhaÌ„ Moryshe Barkeley Robert Tame Ihon Sapcot Ihon WadhaÌ„ Hugh Lutrel and Nycholas hys sonne William Sâ—orton Thomas Lynde Ihon Semar Wylliam Norris Thomas Blunt Ihon Guyse Roberte poynte Harry Vernon Ihon Mortimer Ihon Speke Rychard BeaucaÌ„p Fraunces Chenie Roger Tokete Roger Wenburg Henry Roger Edwarde Darell Ihon Langforde Richard Lacon Thomas Tremaile Edwarde Sutton Amis Paulet Ihon Byknell Wyllyam Sayntemaur Thomas Longe Nycholas Latimer Ihon Turbaruyll Wylliam Martyne Walter Hungorforde Moryshe Barons Rycharde Corbet Thomas Cornuall and many other besydes these But the king when he came nygh to the towne sente before to begynne battayle Roberte Broke Lorde Rycharde Thomas and Giles Dabeney with a great and stronge hoost to the entent that he hym selfe with his souldiours myght set vpon them behynd But this deuise and purpose of the kyng was al superfluous For Perkin so sone as he espyed that the kyng was redie to fight fledde priuely in the nyght into a sanctuary at Bellylo abbey and there lurked But whether this PerkeÌ„ so dyd for feare least his men should forsake hym or for the timeditie of hym selfe it is as much vncertayne as it is probable and sure that the kyng tooke by hys flyght greate commoditee For the Corneshe menne were surelye purposed eyther to wynne and ouercome theyr enemies or elles not one of theim to haue lyued anye daye lenger When kynge Henrye knewe that Perkin was gone he sente after hym many horse menne that yf it myghte bee they shoulde ouertake hym in hys iourney and brynge hym backe But Perkyn Warbecke made suche spede that he was not seene before he came into the Sanctuarie but his petie capitaines coulde not scape so clene For of theim the moost part were ta ken and brought backe againe to the kyng The residue of the souldiours when thei vnderstode the Perkyn their chief capitain was fled and the other taken gaue vp theim selfes by and by to the king without any more busines and of hym most gently wer forgeuen When all was dooen the kynge went again to Ereter and there both gaue great thankes to such as wer worthy and punished the authoures and sturrers vp of this insurrection moost straitlye And in the meane tyme many of the souldiours road to s Mighels mounte there as chaunce was found Katherin Perking wife and brought her streight like a bond
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