And the King for reuenge resolued to haue burnt the Citie of London 74. But it is redeemed by sute and by money 75. The Earle of Glocester with the base off-skome of London do much mischiefe But by the Prince his entreatie all is pardoned 76. The Earle of Glocester is by the King furnished to goe a warfare in the holy land Hee giues it ouer And Prince Edward vndertaketh it he is trecherously wounded but recouereth The King dyeth and he returneth with much honor into England 77. King EDWARD the First THe French King feareth his valour and therefore inuiteth Lluellen to rebell against him in Wales 79. By promises that hee shall marie with the Ladie Eleanor the banished daughter of the banished Earle of Leicester who for succour was his guest 80. The King taketh her in her passage towards Wales the King marcheth towards Lluellens Armie He submitteth himselfe sweareth to be loyall and is wiued 80. He rebelleth againe and he and his brother are both beheaded 81. King Edward is chosen as soueraigne Lord to decide the controuersie and debate touching the Right to the Crowne of Scotland which many Competitors do striue for 81. That Kingdome is surrendred into his hand and he decides the doubt and conferres the Kingdom vpon Iohn Bayliol 83. Hee strippeth the Church and Church-men and is disliked of them especially for enacting of the Statute against Mortmaine 82. Iohn Bayliol being vngratefull inuadeth England But King Edward winnes from him the Castle and Towne of Barwike and slayeth 25000 of his Men. 83. He surrendreth Scotland and King Edward gouernes it by a Lieutenant and placeth all Officers of state therein 84. The Scots rebell againe and are subdued 84. They rebell once more Thirtie and two thousand of them are slaine 85. They doe homage and fealtie to King Edward 85. Iohn Bayliol at the Popes request is set at libertie his subiects doe againe rebell against England The King entreth into Scotland and the Castle of Eastervlnie in which the Scottish Nobilitie for their safeguard inclosed themselues being summoned is yeelded to King Edward 85. Hee sweareth them to his obedience and for a monument of his victories he bringeth from thēce the Chaire in which their Kings were vsually Crowned 86. Hee enquireth of the extortions done by his Officers and correcteth them 86. Prince Edward is committed to prison and his vnthriftie Companion Pierce Gaueston is banished 86. Wales and Cornwall are giuen to the Prince 86. The Pope claymeth the soueraigntie of Scotland but King Edward reiecteth and scorneth his claime Robert le Bruze vsurpeth in Scotland so that King Edward the fourth time goeth in his owne person into Scotland The Vsurper flyeth into Norway and King Edward dyeth 86 87. King EDWARD the Second HE breakes his Oath and recals Gaueston Hee doateth on Gaueston Makes him Earle of Cornwall and hee doth all in all whereat the Nobles are displeased 89 90. The King through Gauestons wicked counsell liueth lewdly and forsaketh the Companie of the Queene 90. Gaueston hath the custodie of the Kings Iewels and conueies many of them into Ireland 90 The people murmur at Gauestons authoritie and wicked courses The King reiects good counsell Yet at last Gaueston is banished into Ireland The King comforts him and sends him money and Iewels 91 The King is so sad for his departure that at the request of the Nobilitie in hope of amendment he is recalled 92 By reason of his insolencie hee is againe banished into Flanders but is recalled and waxeth more scornefull then he was before 92 The Lords despairing of redresse doe strike off his head 92 The King to despight his Nobilitie entertaineth the two Spencers who are worse then Gaueston and doe perswade him to more leaud and vngratious courses 92 The King and his Nobles doe not agree Robert le Bruze taking aduantage by the Kings euill gouernment vsurpeth in Scotland He is againe crowned King and ouerthroweth king Edward 93 Iohn Poydras is discouered to be a counterfet and is put to death 93 Barwike is betraied to the Scots 93 The Scots do ouerthrow King Edward the second time 94 The King being intreated will not put the Spencers from him 94 The Nobles in Parliament doe stand on their Guard 95 The Spencers are banished for euer 95 The Nobles complaine for the younger Spencers Piracies but the King maketh sport at it and recals them from their exile They scorne the Barons who fight but are ouerthrowen 96 Twentie and two Barons are beheaded 97 The elder Spencer is made Earle of Winchester and Sir Andrew Harkley by whose principall seruice the Barons were ouerthrowen and who was made Earle of Carlile consorting with the Scots who had almost taken the King and enforced him to flie lost his head 98 The Queene being oppressed by the Spencers goeth into France and carrieth the Prince with her Shee is well entertained by the French King her brother But he is bribed by the Spencers and so is the Pope who conspire her deliuerie to King Edward And shee with her sonne doe flie into Arthoys 99 The Queene and Prince doe land in England The Nobles repaire to her with an Armie and the King is strangely taken prisoner The Earles of Arundel and Winchester are beheaded 100 And Hugh Spencer the younger being carried to London is disgraced and cruelly executed as a Traitor 100 The King is committed deposed his sonne is crowned and the old King is murdered by the practise of Sir Roger Mortimer who was too familiar with the Queene For which offence shee was honourably imprisoned thirtie yeares and more before shee died 105 King EDVVARD the third HE goeth with an Armie into Scotland to correct them for their insolencie in his fathers daies The Natiues flie into the woods and the King returneth 103 Hee concludeth a dishonourable peace with Scotland by the counsell of Sir Roger Mortimer whom he createth Earle of March and marieth his sister Iane to the King of Scots sonne named Dauid He releaseth the Tenure Soueraigntie homage and the fealtie of Scotland and deliuereth vp the great Charter called Ragman which testified their tenure of the Kings of England 104 The Earle of March procureth the Kings vncle the Earle of Kent to be beheaded and is himselfe executed as a Traitor 104. 105 The King and the French King doe iarre about the Kings homage for the Duchie of Guyan 105 The Kings title to the Kingdome of France was now first broached 105 He recouereth Barwicke from the Scots and maketh Edward Bayliol King 106 In his owne person he settleth the gouernment of Scotland 106 The King seekes aid of forraine Princes for his French wars 107 And is by fauour made Vicar Generall of the Empire and is thereby enabled to winne Iaques Dartuell with the Flemings and the Princes of Germanie to ioine with him 108 He filleth his coffers 108 The French King staieth his Armie from going to the Holy Land to fight with England 108 King Edward
them to reuolt and yeeld to King Charles By meanes whereof King Henrie as hee was counselled sayled with a puisant Armie from Douer 1431. 10 King Henrie crowned in Paris and arriued at Calice And taking Roan in his way Hee marched vnto Paris where hee was with all beseeming requisities annointed and crowned King of France and receiued homage and fealtie vpon the Othes of the Nobles Gentlemen and common People of that Citie These French warres were famous in all the Westerne parts of the world And the more were they spoken off because men generally did wonder how it was possible that so small an Iland England admired at as England was should for so many yeares together so grieuously torment and scourge so large so populous and so potent a Kingdome as France was and put it to the worst At length and after frequent mediations vsed by Eugenius the Fourth then Pope of Rome and by many other Christian Princes Such great hopes as made the fairest shew of an happie Peace An vnperfect Truce vanished quite and came to nothing sauing that an vnperfect Truce for sixe yeares was consented vnto which lasted but a while For shortly after King Henries returne into England Vnfortunately it hapned that the Ladie Anne wife vnto the Regent The Regents wife dyeth and sister to the Duke of Burgoine died And not long after hee married the faire and fresh Ladie Iaquet daughter vnto Peter Earle of S. Paul The Regent newly maried and thereby allied himselfe to the ancient and honorable Familie and house of Luxenbourgh and from thenceforth the great loue The Regent looseth a good friend which for many yeares had made the Regent and his brother in law the Duke of Burgoin fortunate happie waxed faint and feeble by meanes whereof the Duke won nothing and the Regent became lesse powerfull then he had beene in former times 1432. 11 The Truce broken The solemnities of this mariage were no sooner finished but that the six yeares truce which was so lately concluded was quite broken and warre began to threaten the effusion of much bloud For the aduerse part by secret vnderminings and trecherous perswasions possessed it selfe daily of many of the Regents Castles and Townes and iustified that manner of proceeding by affirming That politike gainings without blowes infringed not any Truce and so farre off were the Frenchmen from restoring those things which by those subtleties they had gained that to procure more Treason discouered they secretly conuaied two hundred Souldiers into the Castle of Roan hoping to haue surprized it but the treason was reuealed and the Conspirators were with maine strength beaten into the Dungeon From whence they were sentenced some to the Gallowes others to death by cruell torments others to sharpe imprisonment and such of them as sped best were for great ransomes and summes of money set at large 1433. 12 Talbots name was terrible in France These coales quickly kindled the fire of rage in so much that either partie made it selfe strong by the speedie supply of a new Armie And the Regents forces were much augmented by Iohn Lord Talbot who was of late redeemed out of prison who though hee brought with him out of England but only eight hundred chosen men at Armes yet his name and his presence more terrified the Frenchmen The Frenchmen would not fight then halfe the English Armie besides Oftentimes the two Armies by their neare approch striued to out-face and to daunt each other And twice the Regent boldly challenged the Frenchmen to entertaine the fight but they only made faire shewes to performe much and seemed as if they thirsted to make themselues famous by their manhood yet in two seuerall places and at two times they fled in the night and would not in any sort hazard their Fortunes in the field Now A Rebellion in Normandy whilest the Regent was thus carefully employed abroad the Rustickes of Normandie treacherously attempting to shake off the English yoke which was neuer burthensome vnto them rudely armed themselues and marched towards Cane exercising much violence and crueltie in all places where they did preuaile The Rebels are subdued But they were speedily encountred and ouerthrowne by the Earle of Arundell and the Lord Willoughby who slew more than a thousand of them and tormented their rebellious Leaders and Captaines with sundry sorts of deaths but permitted the baser sort to return home The Earle of Arundell slaine This noble and couragious Earle purposing to reseise for King Henrie the Towne of Rue which grieuously punished the Countries of Ponthew Arthois and Bolenois perceiued as hee marched that an old decayed Castle called Gerbory neere vnto Beauois was newly reedified and made strong This Castle hee assaulted with great courage but being mortally wounded on the ancle with the shot of a Culuerine hee was taken prisoner from the ground but within few daies after he died About the same time the Duke of Burbon who about eighteene yeares before was taken prisoner at the battaile fought at Agencourt paied his ransome of eighteene thousand pounds The Duke of Bourbon is ransomed and dieth but died in London the same day in which hee intended to set forwards towards France In the end of the raigne of King Henrie the Fifth The Regent and the Duke of Burgoine haue stout stomacks we may reuiew or remember what a precise charge and command that King gaue to his Brethren and to his Nobles neuer to loose the amitie and friendship of Philip Duke of Burgoine and this Historie maketh mention how carefull they haue beene euer since to obserue his counsell in that behalfe but the busie tongues of Tell-tales and of foisting Flatterers obtayning credit where reprehension was more fitting preuailed in such sort That the said Duke causelesly waxed iealous and his loue was cold towards the Regent Tale-bearers or Tale-tellers yet through the perswasions and by the mediation of their honorable friends an enteruiew to reuiue their friendship was procured and S. Omers was the place appointed for that purpose But when they both had made their entrance into that Towne The Duke of Bedford because he was Regent and the sonne brother and Vncle vnto Kings expected the prioritie of visitation by the Duke but he because he was the Lord and Soueraigne of that Towne supposed that he should be checked for dishonorable basenesse if hee should first repaire to the Regents lodging These conceits touching their preheminence and superioritie were very likely to distemper their humors more then formerly they had beene For the preuenting whereof their friends endeuoured to perswade them both to meete together in some indifferent place But the Regent refused to yeeld thereunto So they departed and left the Towne The Duke of Burgoine forsakes the Regent beeing both displeased and discontented with each others haughtinesse of spirit and great stomacke And forthwith the Duke of Burgoine entred into
Hastings Botreaux and Molines was by king Henrie the Eighth created Earle of Huntington H. 8. Francis Hastings his sonne succeeded in those honours Henry Hastings his sonne being Lord Hastings Hungerford Botreaux Molines and Moeles was also Earle of Huntington George Hastings his brother succeeded and died without issue Henry Hastings the sonne of Francis Hastings who was the sonne of the said George now liueth and doth enioy the said Lordships and Earledome of Huntington Kendall GAscoigne de Fois a Gascoigne borne was at Maunt in Normandie created by king Henrie the Fifth Earle of Longuile and Kendall He reuolted and became French H. 5. Iohn de Foys his sonne maried the Neece of William de la Pole Duke of Suffolke H. 6. by whose mediation he was by king Henrie the Sixth restored But he became French H. 6. Capdaw de Beuffs was by king Henry the Sixth created Earle of Kendall But he reuolted to the French King Kent WIlnotus at the Conquest being brother to King Harold was Earle of Kent But for feare he fled into Denmarke and died without issue Conq. Odo Bishop of Bayon and halfe-brother to the Conquerour was by him created Earle of Kent and he died without issue K. Steph. William de Ipre Earle of Flanders was by King Stephen created Earle of Kent and died without issue Hubert de Burgh being Lord chiefe Iustice of England was by king Henrie the Third created Earle of Kent H. 3. and died without issue male Edmund Plantagenet surnamed Edmund of Woodstocke being sonne to king Edward the First E. 2. and brother to king Edward the Second was by his brother created Earle of Kent but lost his head in the raigne of his nephew king Edward the Third R. 2. Thomas Holland halfe-brother to King Richard the Second was by him created Earle of Kent and Duke of Surrey Thomas Holland his sonne was Earle of Kent and Duke of Surrey and died without issue Edmund Holland brother to the said Thomas was Earle of Kent and Duke of Surrey and died without issue William Neuil Lord Fawconbridge a younger brother to Ralphe Neuil E. 4. the first of that Familie Earle of Westmorland was by king Edward the Fourth created Earle of Kent and died without issue male Edmund Grey Lord Grey of Ruthen was by king Edward the Fourth created Earle of Kent E. 4. Richard Grey his sonne succeeded and died without issue Reynold Grey who was descended lineally from the said Edmund Q. Eliz. was restored to the Earledome of Kent by Queene Elizabeth and died without issue Henry Grey his brother is now Earle of Kent Lancaster IOhn Plantagenet brother to king Richard the First R. 1. was by him created Earle of Lancaster Lecester and Darbie Hee was afterwards King of England Edmund Plantagenet surnamed Crowch-backe the second sonne of king Henry the Third was by his father created Earle of Lancaster H. 3. Lecester and Darbie He maried Blanch the Queene of Nauarre and had issue by her Thomas and Henry Thomas Plantagenet his sonne was Earle of Lancaster Lecester Lincolne Salisburie and Dorset and died without issue Henry Plantagenet his brother was dignified with all those honours Henry Plantagenet his sonne enioying all those Earledomes together with the Earledomes of Albemarle and Holdernes was by king Edward the Third created Duke of Lancaster E. 3. His daughter and heire named Blanch maried Iohn of Gaunt the fourth sonne of king Edward the Third Iohn Plantagenet surnamed Iohn of Gaunt enioied all those Earledomes and was Duke of Lancaster Henry Plantagenet his sonne surnamed Bolingbroke held all those Earledomes and was Duke of Lancaster and Hereford and was king Henry the Fourth by deposing of king Richard the Second Lecester LEofrick was Earle of Lecester when Edward the Confessor liued Algarus his sonne succeeded in that Earledome Edwin his sonne was Earle at the Conquest Robert de Beamont was created Earle of Lecester by king Henrie the First H. 1. Robert de Beamont his sonne was Earle after him Robert his sonne surnamed Blanch-Maynes was his successor Robert his sonne was Earle and died without issue Simon de Mountfort was by king Iohn created Earle of Lecester K. Iohn and was slaine at the siege of Tholouse Simon de Mountfort was Earle of Lecester He tooke king Henrie the Third prisoner in the Barons warres But the young Prince Edward set his Father at libertie and slue this Simon with many more at the battaile of Eversham and his possessions were confiscate to the king Edmund Plantagenet surnamed Crowchback second sonne to king Henrie the Third was by his Father created Earle of Lecester Lancaster c. Thomas Plantagenet his sonne succeeded and died without issue Henrie Planagenet his brother possessed all those honors Henrie Plantagenet his sonne was Earle of Lecester c. and was by King Edward the Third E. 3. created Duke of Lancaster his daughter and heire named Blanch was married to Iohn of Gaunt Iohn Plantagenet surnamed Iohn of Gaunt the fourth sonne of king Edward the Third married Blanch and was Earle of Lecester c. and Duke of Lancaster Henrie of Bullingbroke his sonne was Earle of Lecester c. and Duke of Lancaster and of Hereford and was afterwards king Henry the Fourth Robert Sutton otherwise Dudley a yonger sonne to Iohn Duke of Northumberland was by Queene Elizabeth created Earle of Lecester and dyed without any lawfull issue Lincolne MArcarus being Earle of Lincolne and Northumberland at the time of the Conquest rebelled and dyed in prison without issue Rufus William de Romara was by King William Rufus created Earle of Lincolne and died without issue Steph. Gilbert de Gaunt was in the right of Avis his wife created Earle of Lincolne and died without issue Male. Lewis Gilbert de Gaunt in the troublesome times of King Iohn was created Earle of Lincolne by the Dolphin Lewes son to the French King Ralf de Meschynes surnamed Blundevile being the sixt Earle of Chester H. 3. was by king Henrie the Third created Earle of Lincolne and of Richmond because he tooke his part against the Barons he dyed without issue Iohn Lacy Baron of Haulton was by king Henrie the Third created Earle of Lincolne Henrie Lacy the sonne of Edmund Lacy sonne to the said Iohn succeeded and was Earle of Lincolne Thomas Plantagenet the sonne of Edmund Crowchback was Earle of Lancaster Leicester Darby and Salisbury Hee married Alice the daughter and heire of Henrie Lacy and was in her right Earle of Lincolne and died without issue Iohn de la Pole the sonne of Iohn de la Pole the second of that name Duke of Suffolke was created Earle of Lincolne E. 4. by king Edward the Fourth and dyed without issue Henrie Brandon the sonne and heire apparant of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke was by his Vncle king Henrie the eighth H. 8. created Earle of Lincolne he dyed
a child without issue Edward Fines Lord Clinton was by Queene Elizabeth Q. Eliz. created Earle of Lincolne Henrie Fines Lord Clinton the sonne of the said Edward was Earle of Lincolne after his Father and yet liueth March EDwin a Saxon at the time of the Conquest was Earle of March hee with Marcarus and Swardus kept the Isle of Waight against the Conqueror and was banished Roger Mortimer Lord Mortimer of Wigmore E. 3. was by king Edward the Third created Earle of March and was executed for Treason Roger Mortimer the sonne of Edmund Mortimer who was the sonne of the said Earle Roger E. 3. was by the same king restored to the Baronie of Wigmore and to the Earledome of March. Edmund Mortimer his sonne married Philip the daughter and heire of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third sonne of king Edward the Third and was Earle of March and from them two did descend the heires of the Familie of Yorke Roger Mortimer their sonne was Earle of March and of Vlster in Ireland and by king Richard the Second was proclaimed heire apparant to the Crowne of England and was slaine long after in Ireland Edmund Mortimer his sonne was Earle of March and after one and twentie yeares imprisonment in Wales and elsewhere he died without issue Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge was the sonne of Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke the fift sonne of King Edward the third hee maried Anne the sister and heire of the said Edmund daughter to the said last Earle Roger and in her right he was Earle of March and they two had issue Richard Duke of Yorke who was father to King Edward the fourth Richard Plantagenet sonne to Richard Earle of Cambridge was Earle of March and Duke of Yorke and had issue Edward the fourth Edward his sonne was first Earle of March then by his Fathers death he was Duke of Yorke and by his victorie at Barnet field hee attained the Kingdome of England and was King Edward the fourth Mountgomery K. Ia. SIr Philip Herbert Knight the second sonne of Henry late Earle of Pembroke and younger brother to William Lord Herbert now Earle of Pembroke was by K. Iames created Earle of Mountgomery Northfolke RAlph Waer at the time of the Conquest was Earle of Norfolke and Suffolke and fled for treason Conq. Ralph Bygot President of the East Angles was by the Conqueror created Earle of Northfolke but hee was disherited for conspiring against him H. 1. Hugh Bygot was by King Henry the first created Earle of Northfolke Roger Bygot his sonne was Earle after him Hugh Bygot his sonne was Earle of Northfolke Roger Bygot his sonne succeeded in that Earledome Roger Bygot his Nephew vizt the sonne of his brother Robert was Earle of Northfolke and dyed without issue E. 2. Thomas Plantagenet surnamed Brotherton who was a yonger son to King Edward the first and brother to King Edward the second was by his brother created Earle of Northfolk he had one daughter and heire who was named Margaret Iohn Lord Segraue maried the said Margaret they two had issue Margaret R. 2. which Margaret was by King Richard the second created Duchesse of Northfolke after her husbands death and then she maried Iohn Lord Mowbray Thomas Lord Mowbray their sonne R. 2. was by King Richard the second created Earle of Nottingham Marshall of England and Duke of Norfolke hee dyed without issue Hee complained of Henry of Bullinbrooke to King Richard the second and should haue fought a combate with him but died at Venice in his banishment Thomas Lord Mowbray his sonne was neuer Duke of Northfolk but was in his fathers life time only Earle of Nottingham and was executed for treason with Richard Scroop Archbishop of Yorke by King Henry the fourth and his brother Iohn succeeded their father and was Marshall of England Earle of Nottingham and Duke of Northfolke Iohn Lord Mowbray his sonne was Earle of Nottingham Warren and Surrey High Marshall of England and Duke of Northfolke Iohn Lord Mowbray his sonne succeeded his father in all those honourable Dignities he died and had issue Anne Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke and second sonne to King Edward the fourth was maried in his childhood to the said Anne and was in her right possessor of all those honors But he was murdred by his Vncle King Richard the third and died without issue The said Anne also died without issue whereby all the Lordshippes of the Mowbrays by course of inheritance was devolued to Iohn Lord Howard and to William Lord Barkley Iohn Lord Howard who by his mothers side R. 3. was discended from the before named Mowbrayes was by King Richard the third created Duke of Northfolke and lost his life in the said Kings quarell at Bosworth field H. 8. Thomas Howard his sonne who by King Richard the third was made Earle of Surrey was created Duke of Northfolke by King Henry the eighth Thomas Howard his son succeeded and was Duke of Northfolk Thomas Howard the sonne of Henry who was the sonne of the last Thomas Duke of Northfolke was Duke of Northfolke and Earle Marshall of England He was also in the right of his wife Marie the eldest daughter of Henry Fitz-Allen Earle of Arundell Northumberland MArcarus at the time of the Conquest was Earle of Northumberland and Lincolne he with others kept the I le of Wighte against the Conqueror and was taken dyed in prison and had no issue Conq. Robert de Cumine was by the Conqueror created Earle of Northumberland but was slaine by the Northumbers Conq. Gospatrick was created Earle of Northumberland by the Conqueror but he tooke it from him againe Conq. Waldrofe was by the Conqueror created Earle of Northumberland but lost his head for treason Conq. Walcher Bishop of Durham bought the Earledome of Northumberland of the Conqueror and died without issue Conq. Robert de Mowbray was by the Conqueror created Earle of Northumberland but he rebelled and lost it Steph. Dauid Prince of Scotland sonne to King Malcolme the third was Earle of Northumberland Cumberland and Huntington Henrie his sonne assoone as his father was King enioyed all those Earledomes Malcolme his son was Earle of Northumberland and of Cumberland and Huntington William his brother succeeded him in his Kingdome and was Earle of Northumberland Cumberland and Huntington he warred against King Henry the second was taken Prisoner ransomed and lost those honors R. 1 Hugh de Puddsey Bishop of Durham was by King Richard the first created Earle of Northumberland and died without issue R. 2. Henry Percy was by King Richard the second created Earle of Northumberland hee was father to Henry surnamed Hotspurre who was slaine in their rebellion against King Henry the fourth H. 5. Henry the sonne of Henry Hotspur was by King Henry the fifth restored to the Earledome of Northumberland Henry Percy his sonne was Earle of Northumberland Hee and his
Crowne is setled by Parliament The Scots ouerthrow and doe sley the Duke of Yorke in the b 1460 battaile of Wakefield 259 The yong Duke of York winneth the field of Queene Margaret 260 He is by the Queen ouerthrown and the King is enlarged 260 The Dukes newe Armie consisting of 49000. men the Queens new Armie consisting of 60000. men The c 1460 Queene is ouerthrown in the battaile of Towton 260 The King to winne fauour with the king of Scots deliuereth to him the Castle and the Towne of Barwike and the Duke of Yorke is crowned King 261. King EDWARD the Fourth IN Parliament hee repealeth all former Acts which attainted him and his friends of high treason 263 He is troubled by wars raised against him by Queene Margaret in which he preuaileth 265 He taketh especiall * 1462 care for the Common-weale 266 King Henrie is taken prisoner 266 The Earle of Warwick becomes his Enimie because he wronged him in the choice of his wife 267 George Duke of Clarence taketh part with Warwick against his brother King Edward 268 The a 1467 Yorkshire-men doe rebell 269 King Edward is taken prisoner and escapeth 271 The discommodities of Warre 272 A new b 1468 Rebellion in which the Rebells were ouerthrowne 273 Warwick and Clarence flie to Calice and finde bad entertainment 274 Prince Edward sonne to King Henrie the sixth marieth the second daughter of the Earle of Warwick 275 Clarence secretly revolteth to King Edward his brother 275 Warwick landeth in England where his forces doe so encrease that king Edward flieth 277 King Henrie is enlarged and by Parliament the crowne is intailed to him 277 King Edward landeth in England and breaketh his oath made to the citizens of Yorke 278 Hee and his Armie are ioyfully receiued into the citie of London 280 Hee triumpheth victoriously at Barnet field 280 The Queene Margaret leuieth another Armie and is ouerthrown in the battaile of Tewkesbury 282 King Henrie being murdered is brought open faced into S. Pauls Church 283 King Edward hath new wars in France and the Duke of Burgoine breaks promise with him 285 A peace for nine yeares is concluded for which the Duke of Burgoine is angrie with the King who cares not for it 286 The bountie of the French King to the English Armie 288 Henrie Earle of Richmond is by the Duke of Brittaine deliuered to King Edwards Ambassadours but Peter Landoys freeth him 289 The Duke of Clarence being a prisoner is murdered 290 King Edward changeth the forme of his gouernment and by executing of penall statutes he enricheth himselfe but looseth his peoples loue 290 He hath new warres with Scotland but on certaine conditions he grants him peace 291 The French King breaks all his Articles annexed to the last concluded peace wherefore King Edward leuieth a new Armie but falleth sick and dyeth 292 The Description of King Edward 297 King EDWARD the Fifth HE was a child when his father dyed 297 His Vncle Richard Duke of Glocester aimeth to haue his crown 299 He practizeth mischiefe against the Queene Mothers kindred 300 He betrayeth them and bereaueth them of their liues 301 307 The Queene Mother with her children taketh Sanctuarie 302 The Duke of Glocester is made Protector 302 By subtiltie he getteth the yong Duke of Yorke out of prison and sends the King and him to the Tower vnder pretence of greater safetie 302 Hee with the Duke of Buckingham practizeth their destruction 304 305 His villany at the Tower 306 His friend the Lord Hastings is beheaded because hee will not consent to that murder 307 Doctor Shawes flattering sermon 308 Richard Duke of Glocester is made King 309 King RICHARD the third KIng Richard by base flatterie endeuoureth to make a bad matter good 311 Doctor Morton Bishop of Ely is committed to the custodie of the Duke of Buckingham 311 King Richard is despised by the French king 312 The two young Princes by the villanous procurement of King Richard are murdred 312 The reasons which might haue disswaded him from that wickednesse are examined 313 His only sonne by death is taken from him 315 Doctor Morton by flatterie insinuateth himselfe into the inward loue and familiaritie of the Duke of Buckingham and hauing with him resolued on the destruction of king Richard hee escapeth and flyeth into Flanders from whence hee giues good intelligence of all King Richards proceedings to Henrie Earle of Richmond 315 Hee moueth him to marrie the Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter to King Edward the Fourth which hee protesteth to doe 317 King Richard had almost gotten into his hands the Earle of Richmond but Peter Landoys freeth him 317 The Duke of Buckingham and the K. do leuie two strong Armies but the fight is deferred by a sodain floud The Welshmen forsake the Duke he flyeth he is proscribed he is betraied by his owne seruant and looseth his head 318 Peter Landoys would haue betrayed the Earle of Richmond to king Richard but hee and his doe escape hardly into France where they are comforted and aided 320 King Richard by flatterie and bribes gets King Edward the Fourth his children into his owne possession and maketh loue to his owne Neece the said Lady Elizabeth 322 His owne wife sodainly dyeth and he reviueth his incestuous sute to his said Neece who wittily protracteth that businesse 323 False newes from France makes him secure 323 The Earle of Richmond landeth in England and the King and he are with their Armies in Bosworth field 323 King Richards people cleaue not to him 324 Hee is desperate in fight but is slaine by the Earle himselfe and his body is vsed with great despight by the common people 324 325 Henrie Earle of Richmond is proclaimed and crowned King by the souldiers in the open field wher his Enimie lay dead And in the same place Hee with his whole Armie doe thanke GOD. 325 King HENRY the Seuenth KIng Henrie the Seuenth as he had sworne vniteth the two diuided houses of Lancaster Yorke by his mariage with the Lady Elizabeth King Edward the Fourth his eldest daughter 327 He causeth the Crowne to be intayled 328 He maketh Yeomen of his Guard and is thankfull to his friends 327 He repaieth the French King the Duke of Britaigne 328 He repealeth Acts of Attainders makes good lawes and granteth a generall Pardon 328 He suppresseth Rebells 329 Lambert the counterfaited Earle of Warwick by force and policie is taken 329 330 331 King Henrie the Seuenth takes part with the Duke of Britaigne against the French King 332 333 The Earle of Northumberland leuying of a Tax is slaine by the people 333 334 The Rebells flie and are punished 334 Maximilian being aided by King Henrie the Seuenth comes not forth yet King Henrie alone warreth against the French King 335 The King demaunds a Benevolence 335 He besiegeth Bullein and granteth a peace 336 Perkin Warbeck the counterfaited Duke of Yorke vexeth king Henrie 337 He is supported
this malice made them little respectiue of the sanctitie of such solemne Oathes and honest promises as more strongly than bonds of yron should binde Kings For no sooner was anie gappe open into which they might thrust a foote nor anie oportunitie were it neuer so little was offered but that they threw behind their backes the remembrance of all Truces Leagues and Conuentions of Peace whatsoeuer and made all things to be lawfull which either by sleight or by violence they could enterprise or doe And as common experience oftentimes made it manifest so did it now For about the foure and twentieth yeare of King Henries Raigne Lewis the ninth with a deuouring Armie entred into Guyan Lewis the ninth inuadeth Guyan and spoyled and wasted that Countrey in all places where hee came And King Henrie intending their quicke reliefe and purposing if he might to regaine all Normandie and such other Prouinces as the kings of France vnjustly had detained from him sayled thither with a puissant Armie King Henrie carrieth an armie thither and oftentimes bickered with his enemies against whome sometimes he preuailed and at other times had the worser hand Yet his haughtie courage abandoned all feare and no perils whatsoeuer could make him shrinke for in all those skirmishes he performed stout resolution and the noble valour of a worthie king But Fortune no further fauouring those his endeauours He steppeth the French Kings courses but beats him not back than onely enabling him to stop the French Kings proceedings hee returned into England But shortly before his departure the French king married his brother Alphonsus vnto the daughter of the Earle of Tholouse and gaue to him the Earledome of Poytiers and all king Henrie Territories in Aluerne and plotted cunningly to haue procured the Earle of March to doe him homage for such Lands as hee affirmed he held of the said Earledome of Poytiers But hee stoutly refused to yeeld vnto him anie such dutie or seruice And this his denyall so enraged the French king The Earledome of March is inuaded by the French that he entred with an Armie into the Earledome of March and daily spoyled it without sparing But king Henrie hauing carefully employed his labors to withstand this violence and hauing raised a faire Armie which himselfe conducted transported it vnto Burdeaux And not farre from thence due preparations on all parts being made both the Armies met in which the bloud of the most valiant men of Warre was freely sold and dearely payed for But in the end Fortune extending more fauour to the French King Henrie leaues the field than to King Henrie he was enforced with the losse and slaughter of his best men to leaue the Field The Earle of March submits himselfe And the Earle of March grieuing at this mishap and being loth that King Henrie should be engaged in a greater danger submitted himselfe and obtained Peace on faire conditions with the French King And then King Henrie returned into England and married one of his sisters vnto Alexander then King of Scots because hee would the better assure himselfe of his friendship in time of neede 41. 1256. The Barons Warre And now began those mischieuous broyles and turmoyles within this Realme which vntill the kings death daily yea almost hourely vexed and molested him and his whole kingdome For the King of later yeares lending too pleasing an eare to manie lewd and euill Officers whome aboue all others he best loued and fauored The causes thereof and by whose counsell and aduice both himselfe and his whole Estate was guided and directed made little account and reckoning of the best of his subiects loue and tooke from them in diuers things such libertie and freedome as by the Lawes and Ordinances of this kingdome they justly claymed and ought to haue enioyed Hee also pinched his people with manie vnnecessarie Impositions and grieuous Taxes which by those lewd and bold Officers were with much rigor and sharpenesse leuied to their great dislike And the king following their humours assembled his High Court of Parliament in Oxford In which his designes were altogether crossed and the prosecution of businesses was so vnfortunate to the whole Estate of this Realme that ab euentu it was euer after named Insanum Parliamentum Insanum Parliamentum or the Madde Parliament For when multitudes of such as were grieued swarmed thither and complained of manie iniuries and wrongs which daily did oppresse them the Lords and the Commons endeauouring to redresse what was amisse established manie things profitable as they intended them for the Commonweale but highly derogating from the Prerogatiue of the king The Kings Prerogatiue crossed And to the end that those things which they had so contriued and concluded should be inuiolably kept and obserued choise was there made of twelue of the grauest and most worthie persons of this kingdome whereof the Earles of Leicester and of Glocester were the chiefest and they were stiled with the title of Les douze Piers Les douze Piers. or the Twelue Peeres to whom complete and absolute authoritie and power was largely giuen to support and to maintaine those Lawes For which cause they publikely receiued their Patent and a solemne Oath All which was sealed and ratified by the King himselfe The King ratifieth their Commission although vnwillingly he did it So that the Parliament being ended the said Commissioners began by strict execution to giue life vnto those Ordinances and Lawes For which purpose The Commissioners displace the Kings Officers and Attendants they first of all dismissed and did clearely thrust from their Places Offices and Attendance manie of the Kings meniall seruants and appointed others in their stead And this their doing was aboue all other things most distasted and grudged at For the King perceiuing that such as waited on his person should rather be trusted by others than by himselfe and that hee himselfe should be furthest off from chusing such as should be neerest vnto him waxed infinitely melancholie and sad And hoping that vpon further aduice and counsell hee should receiue better contentment and be more kindly vsed 43. 1258. Another Parliament hee assembled another Parliament in which with great griefe and extraordinarie Passion he complained of the hard measure which was offered to his owne Person by the Twelue Peeres So that much labour was taken by his neerest friends The King complaineth not onely to abolish their Authoritie and Power but also to cancell and to make void those new Ordinances and Lawes But such was the determinate resolution of the Lords in generall and of the Commons of that Assemblie The former Lawes and Ordinances are confirmed that in stead of pleasing the King with Reformation answerable to his desires they ratified and confirmed whatsoeuer was formerly concluded on and by the Archbishop of Canterburie and nine other Bishops of this Kingdome A Curse a solemne Curse was
vnder the Great Seale The Nobles are offended The Kings Title to France first broched hee was condemned to die in the same manner which he had deuised for the execution of Sir Hugh Spencer the yonger And Queene Isabel being most honourably prouided for and attended on was sequestred into a strong Castle where shee liued more then thirtie yeares after and then died In the fifth yeare of King Edwards Raigne his personall appearance in kind and friendly sort was required by Philip de Valoys king of France and vncle to the yong Queen that is to say brother to Iane Countesse of Henalt who was mother to K. Edwards wife together with his Homage Fealtie for his Duchie of Guyan For the performance whereof he departed hence and was with much triumph magnificence receiued entertained feasted in France But his homage and his fealtie he would and did only confesse by words and would not doe them in such solemne and submissiue fashion as they were demanded Whereat the French King was so inwardly moued that King Edward at his departure from the French Court might well perceiue that his welcome was more respected and honoured then his going from thence Assoone as the King came home by new Embassadors his homage was againe required to be performed with all solemnitie and due rites And therupon to giue some contentment to the French King it was sent vnto him in an instrument in writing vnder the great seale Whereat the Lords and Peeres repined much affirming that the crowne of France in the right of Queene Isabel his mother did belong to him and that therefore hee might iustly haue refused to haue done vnto him any homage at all Not long after these businesses thus ended King Edward by his Embassadors required Dauid the yong King of Scots The King requireth the Castle of Barwicke to bee restored It is denyed by the King of Scots and his Homage denied also being his brother-in-law to restore vnto him his Castle of Barwick and to doe him homage for his kingdome But Dauid stoutly returned answer that his father by conquest and by his sword wonne that Castle and that he had receiued it by discent from him and therefore would hold and keep it as his owne And touching the kings demand of his homage for the kingdome of Scotland his answer was that his Father neuer acknowledged any such seruice that king Edward had released it if any had been due And that therefore he would not confesse any tenure of king Edwards crowne The King warreth in Scotland The King preuaileth Barwicke is recouered The high spirit of the King would not suffer him thus to bee slighted and shaken off for he resolued to make himselfe the Lord of both For which cause he marched with a strong Armie into Scotland and quickly subdued the better the greater part of that kingdome with small resistance And hauing fortifyed for his own vse the Castles and Townes of best defence he returned and came to Barwick where the Towne after a strong siege was by composition surrendred into his hands Edward Baylyol Crowned King of Scotland And then he crowned Sir Edward Baylyol king of Scotland and committed the gouernment of the Towne of Barwick vnto his charge and returned into England with much honour The King in person setleth the Gouernement of Scotland But before two yeares more were expired he passed againe with an armie into Scotland placed his new king in his throne and receiued his homage and reinuested diuers English Lords and gentlemen of such Lordships and Territories as by reason of the kings dishonorable peace with the Scots when he first began to raigne had been taken from them Dauid flyeth into France These disasters and aduerse fortunes which inseparably accompanied Dauid the deposed king compelled him to flie into France where after two yeares continuance his heart was cheered with faire promises and his necessities were relieued plentifully with large and ample supplies of all things needfull and conuenient He returneth with an Armie into Scotland he also obtained an Armie with which hee sailed into Scotland his hopes fairely promising that ere long he should bee a king againe But he was much deceiued For king Edward hauing certain intelligence of his of the French kings endeuours prouided effectually for the encounter Dauid is ouerthrowne by King Edward and marched into Scotland with a strong Armie where hee fought often with fortunate successe against Dauid and the French kings forces and at length by battaile obtained an honourable victorie and securing the gouernment of that kingdome according to the rules of wisdome and of policie he returned joyfully into England Robert de Arthoys comes into England In the tenth yeare of this kings raigne Philip de Valoys then king of France sentenced the Earledome of Arthoys from Robert De Arthoys vnto Maud Countesse of Burgondie Aunt to the said Robert which censure so incensed the said Earle that in his heat he vttered these wordes By me was he made a King and by me he shal be againe deposed For which offence The King requites his former kindnesse he was throughout all France proclaimed to be a traytor to the crowne so that to preserue his life hee was compelled to flie into England where in regard of his fidelitie and honourable seruice performed to Queene Isabel and to the king himselfe when they were both in France he was with all complements of kindnes and heartie loue receiued and entertained by king Edward who knowing him to be right valiant hardie wise and not forgetting to requite fauours extended to him in his distresse created him Earle of Richmond He is Created Earle of Richmond and so entirely loued him that whilest he liued he neuer attempted anie great and important matter without his counsell and aduice This noble Knight ceased not to informe the King of his Title to the Crowne of France By Queene Isabel his mother who was the daughter of Philip the Faire which appeared to stand thus Philip the Hardie had issue two sonnes Philip the Faire King Edwards title to the Crowne of France and Charles de Valoys Philip the Faire had issue three sonnes all which successiuely were Kings and died without issue Male that is to say Lewes the tenth Philip the fifth sirnamed the Long Charles the fourth He had also one daughter which was named Isabel Queene of England and married to the Kings Father named Edward the second And Charles de Valoys the second sonne of Philip the Hardie was father vnto Philip de Valoys who raigned then in France Charles de Valoys and of this Charles it is noted that he was the sonne of a King The brother of a King The vncle of a King and the father of a King that himselfe was no King According to the Lawes of France the Crowne was to descend to the Issue Male and no woman
owne countrey At this time the rich and proud Bishop of Winchester being at Callice according to his ambitious desires Winchester is made a Cardinall He heapeth great treasure together was inuested with the Hat Habite and Dignitie of a Cardinall and receiued from the Pope a Bull which gaue him meanes in a short time to heape together a great part of the Treasure of this Land so that all men wondered at him for his Wealth but no man had cause to commend him for his Learning or to respect him for his Vertue After the Regents returne into France the Lord Rustian Marshall of Britaine hauing strongly fortified Pontorson pitched with his Armie before the Towne of Auranches in the Prouince of Constantine A notable victorie within the Duchie of Normandie purposing to haue besieged it But such was the resolute valour of the English Garrison there that like vnto Lyons greedie of their prey they issued suddainely out of the Towne and set vpon the Marshall so successefully that he was taken prisoner and the greater part of his followers as they fled were slaine Pontorson besieged by the English This victorie gaue fresh hopes of Good-speeding elsewhere So that the Earle of Warwike and the Lord Scales being sent with seuen thousand men to Pontorson besieged it a long time where being much enfeebled through manie wants the Lord Scales for the reliefe of their necessities taking with him three thousand of their companies grieuously foraged the Countries of his enemies But in his returne with plentie of Prouisions hee was encountred by sundrie French Lords The Lord Scales defeateth the Frenchmen and six thousand other fighting men against whome so luckily he preuayled that most of those Nobles and a thousand more were taken prisoners many hundreds were slaine and the rest by a quicke flight procured their owne safetie Ramfort taken The Garrison also at Saint Susan made such a suddaine roade into Angeou that they surprized the Castle of Ramfort before any newes gaue notice of their comming But they no sooner possessed it but that they were besieged by twentie thousand men who were appointed to rayse the siege at Pontorson To these the Castle yeelded vpon composition Ramfort regained so that the Frenchmen beeing much elated with this poore conquest imagined that they were braue men and that they had done seruice sufficient for that time And this conceit made them altogether carelesse to relieue the distressed estate of Pontorson Whereupon it was yeelded to the Earle of Warwike Pontorson w nne by the English who fortified it with good Prouisions and with a strong Garrison and came with great honour to the Regent Mouns is betrayed Whilest things were thus in handling some of the Clergie and some of the Magistrates of the Citie of Mouns knowing that the Duke of Britaine was reuolted and that his brother the Earle of Richmond now wholly adhered to the French King offered by treacherie to yeeld it to King Charles if a conuenient and an able Force might be sent thither to worke that feat This Citie was eagerly longed for on the French part Wherefore that it might be gotten the Lords Dalabreth and Fayet Marshals of France with sundrie moe Barons Captaines Gentlemen and old souldiors to the number of fiue hundred came in the depth of the night to the Castle walls Crueltie and then the conspirators within without anie compassion or manlike pitie massacred all such English Guarders as then maintained the first Watch and setting wide open all the Gates the Surprizors armed with barbarous crueltie entred into the Citie murdering and killing their enemies as they pressed forth Lamentable was the fearefull crie which so suddainely amazed the English Garrisoners within the Citie And it was the more full of terror for that the cause thereof was not vnto them perfitly knowne The Earle of Suffolke who was chiefe Gouernor of the Towne and the greatest part of the English souldiors entred into the Castle and were betimes in the morning sharpely assaulted by the Frenchmen And though they were altogether vnprouided of all necessaries for a long defence yet their lustie courage againe and againe gaue their enemies the repulse who making no doubt but through Famine or by violence to be owners of the Castle carelesly disposed themselues to all ease jolitie and mirth Whereof when the Lord Talbot was aduertised he forthwith marched thither in the night with seuen hundred men Mouns is recouered by the Lord Talbot The Earle of Suffolke to whome secret intelligence was giuen of his comming left the Castle and with his companies vnlooked for and vnthought vpon rushed into the Towne lustily crying and showting Policie Saint George Talbot Saint George Talbot Which vnexpected noyse so wonderfully amazed the lazie sleepie and drunken Frenchmen that some of them vnclothed in their shirts leapt ouer the Towne walls to saue their liues but lost them So that within and without the Towne foure hundred Gentlemen being slaine and taken prisoners and the rascall pesants being enlarged thirtie Citizens Execution twentie Priests and fifteene Friers by whose conspiracie the Towne had beene treacherously betrayed were as Traytors 1427. 6 tortured with miserable deaths And thus was the Citie of Mouns brauely regayned to King Henrie Not long before this time died the Tutor of the Kings Royall Person the right Noble Thomas Duke of Exeter So that the Earle of Warwike was sent for into England to vndergoe that charge And in his stead the renowned and most valiant Captaine Thomas Mountacute A new Armie sent into France Earle of Salisburie whose former Seruices so appalled and daunted the hearts and courages of the Frenchmen that they feared no man more was sent into France with fiue thousand men To which number as manie more were added Orleance is besieged by the Earle of Salisburie And with them all the said Earle marched to besiege the strong and warlike Citie of Orleance which standeth vpon the Riuer of Loyer This Citie was newly fortified and incredibly strengthned by the Bastard and by the Bishop of that place with Towers Bulwarkes and Forts and the Suburbes together with twelue other Parish Churches foure Abbies and all Houses and Vines being within fiue leagues of the Towne they caused to be ruinated defaced and cut downe because they should not afford any helpe sustenance or succour to the Englishmen When this siedge was strongly planted The Bastard of Orleance defeated the Bastard of Orleance intending to make famous his hautie courage to his enemies brauely issued out of a strong Bulwarke which was erected vpon the Bridge But being vnable to maintaine his bold challenge hee was compelled with the losse of that Fort and with the slaughter of the greater number of his Souldiers to flie into the Towne Within this Bulwarke there was raised an high Tower with a window in it at which the Englishmen vsually pried into the Towne taking the
Peche Sir William Sandes Sir Thomas Bulleyn Sir Iohn Carre and by many other Knights Gentlemen and Ladies of great worth Shee landed at Bollen where with great magnificence and honor shee was receiued by the Dolphin and by many Lords of France who brought her to Abuyle where shee met with and was married to the King And within few dayes after at Paris The French King dyeth Francis the First The French Queen returneth into England The peace with France renewed shee was crowned Queene The French Nation thinking their King and Countrie to bee happie who to their Queene had the fairest Ladie in the world And at her Coronation the Dolphin vpon a generall challenge formerly made by himselfe Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke Thomas Gray Marques Dorset his foure brethren and two others against all commers erected many honorable and martiall games as the lusts Turnay Barriers and such like All which were performed with great valour and to the great pleasure of the King and Queen But within twelue weeks after the said mariage King Lewys dyed and Francis the first succeeded him in that kingdome And by the Duke of Suffolke the said Queene Mary was brought againe into England where he won her loue All the deeds and actions of Cardinall Wolsey touching this storie are here set together because the discourse of the rest would otherwise by them be too much interrupted and maried her with the Kings consent In the seuenth yeare of King Henries raigne the former peace betwixt him and King Lewys the twelfth was renewed and confirmed with King Francis the first and great amitie and loue was exchanged betweene those two kings It now so chanced that Thomas Wolsey who was borne of base Parentage in the Towne of Ipswich and was first made the Kings Almoner then Bishop of Lincolne and then of the Priuie Counsell succeeded the Archbishop and Cardinall of Yorke who was named Doctor Benbrike in the said Archbishoprick And not long after hee was made Cardinall of Yorke by the mediation and procurement of those two Kings And now because the Kings affections towards him were extraordinarie His authoritie aboue all others eminent his couetousnesse insatiable and his excessiue Pride and Ambition boundlesse and vnlimitted which made him bold and peremptorie to doe all in all From henceforth for many years all things were cōmanded and gouerned according to his directions will vntill his monstrous oppressions and sawcie practizes brought him to ruine and to destruction And least his deedes and his actions by often interviewing should interrupt the other discourse of other occurrences and negotiations hapning in this Kings Raigne We haue therefore thought it conuenient yea necessarie to prosecute the Historie of his proceedings to a conclusion before wee intermedle much with the Narration of other passages and things He intermedles in other mens offices This prowd Cardinall so egerly hunted after authoritie and power to rule and to command all others that not contenting himselfe with his owne offices though they were great Hee intruded malepertly into the Enquirie and determining of such things as properly belonged vnto others but especially into the Chancelorship of this Realme He is made Lord Chancelor The Archbishop of Canterbury vnto whom it appertayned was much troubled with those his intermedlings But being old and perceiuing that the Kings affections were fast bound to his humours and that to crosse with him it was the readie way to crosse himselfe he therefore deliuered vp the Great Seale into the Kings hands who no sooner accepted of it but hee bestowed it vpon Wolsey which fauour and dignitie might well haue satisfied his prowd humour but nothing could For now he being an Archbishop a counsailor of Estate a Cardinall Chancelor of England and the Kings especial Fauourite directed all commanded all and did all He being thus imperiously great Required an accompt of the Captaines Treasurors and other Officers of the kings warres so that some of them who by the Kings conniuence had gotten much by excessiue Bribes excusing themselues He demands accompts and enriched him selfe thereby Hee erecteth new Courts Inriched him and left themselues poore Others whose Estates were more powerfull to please him shared that which vniustly they had gotten And some others who had deceiued the King and had prodigally spent all had nothing left and therefore were punished publikely and exposed to open shame He also erected sundrie Courts of equitie which might more truly be termed Courts of Iniquitie vnder a colour and pretence to heare and to determine the cases of distressed and poore people By meanes whereof the seates of Iustice belonging to the cōmon Lawes were little frequented for a while and by them he gained a masse of treasure to himselfe vntill the people perceiuing that by them hee waxed rich and they poore and that the Sentences and Iudgements of those Courts were not finall but controlable They of their owne accord forsooke them and commended their Controuersies to the censure of the common Lawes In the ninth yeare of King Henries raigne 1517. 9 Pope Leo sent vnto him Cardinall Campeius as his Legate to solicite him as likewise he had done to the Kings of France Spain By subtiltie he is made a Legate and the Princes of Germanie to make warre vpon the Turks But so outragious was the ocean of Wolseys pride that because he knew that Campeius in regard of his power Legantine was to haue the Precedency of place when they two met hee cunningly informed him by certaine Bishops who went vnto him to Calice vnder a fained colour to visite him that his iourney would not be successefull but come to none effect except Wolsey were ioyned in equall authoritie with him in that businesse wherevpon Campeius with all expedition dispatched Messengers vnto Rome by whom within fortie dayes hee receiued a new Commission by which Wolsey was also made the Popes Legate and Commissioner as well as he Cardinall Campeius Then was Campeius admitted to come into this Realme and both those two Legates within few dayes after repayred to the Kings Court at Greenwich hauing two siluer Crosses and two Pillars of the same mettel two Axes gilted with fine gold two imbrodered Cushions borne before them But the Cardinall of Yorke preferred his elder brother to the inferiour place And by an eloquent Oration which by an Italian was made vnto the King he was informed of the substance of their message But to make answere therevnto The King desired respit for a few dayes in which he might be advised and counselled in that matter The Court Legantine Then did Wolsey by his authoritie Legantine erect an honorable Court without the Kings notice or licence and called it the Legantine Court By the authoritie whereof he visited all Bishops and their Diocesses and other Clergie men punishing such as were poore and vnable to giue bribes but enriching himselfe by the enforced bountie of such as had
by meanes whereof when the ship turned the Ordinance ran backe to the one side and bare the port holes vnder water so that the sea violently and abundantly flowed in and in a moment swallowed vp both ship Captaine Men Ordinance and all other things there to the great griefe and sorrow of the King himselfe and of all such as were present and beheld it The Lord Dambalt high Admirall of France being by certaine poore Fishermen whom he had taken informed that the King in his owne person being accompanied with an infinite number of valiant men of warre expected and longed to be made victorious and rich by their landing feared to hazard all his fortunes in so desperate and hot a seruice Wherefore be hoised Ancors and without Fame or Honor returned basely into France Now must wee know The Scots invade England that no sooner was King Henrie departed out of England to the siege of Bullein as wee haue heard but the Scottish Nation obseruing their old custome entred riffled spoiled and burnt many Houses Villages and small Townes in the marches of England without pitty Wherefore King Henrie after his returne resolued to correct their madnesse and their folly and to take reuenge for those iniuries and wrongs And for that purpose he sent the Noble Earle of Hartford into that Kingdome An Armie sent into Scotland with an Armie of twelue thousand men where hee hauoked Men Townes Castles and the Countrie in such a furious and fierce manner that the Scots were extremely damnified thereby and thousands of them were vtterly vndone About the same time the valiant Lord Lisle Lord high Admirall of England Treport entred into and landed within the Hauen of Treport and burnt the suburbs of that towne and many other houses Villages and Townes which bordered vpon the Sea coasts And at his returne from thence as a rich prey he caried with him many Ships Barges Boats and Vessels which he found there Now like as after many ruffe and boisterous stormes a sweet and a delectable calme doth follow so after these busie conflicts and martiall contentions The Duke of Northfolke and the Earle of Surrey committed whereof wee haue already taken a perfect view A peace was louingly concluded and ioyfully proclaymed betweene the two kingdomes of England and of France But this joy as in humane affaires it often hapneth was quickly checked with an other sorrow for the most victorious faithfull and euer to be honored Captaine the Duke of Northfolke and his sonne the most illustrious Earle of Surrey both which in this Kings raigne performed many memorable and braue seruices in Scotland England and in France were sodainely apprehended and sent vnto the Tower For none other thing but because they quartered and bare in their Escoucheon certaine Armes which were pretended properly and only to belong vnto the King and Prince which Armes notwithstanding they and their Auncesters timeout of minde had so borne without controlment reproofe or check For this offence the said Earle was indicted of high Treason arraigned thereon and tryed by a Iurie of Knights and Gentlemen The Earle of Surrey beheaded and not by his peeres because he was no Lord of the Parliament by whom he was found guiltie and then receiued his iudgement and lost his head to the great griefe and sorrow of many thousands who lamented the causelesse death of such a worthy man as had so well deserued of the King and of the common weale The King dieth But the Duke his father by reason of the Kings sicknesse and death which followed shortly after was preserued by God from that danger for better fortunes He is described The Presence of this King was amiable and Princely for hee was somewhat more then ordinarie tall strongly limmed proportionably composed faire in his complexion nimble and full of agilitie in his yonger yeares and alwaies as resolutely valiant as a man might bee Hee had a pregnant and a sharpe wit and was generally held to bee well learned because hee could and vsed to speake well He was exceeding humble and passing stout applying the former to gentle spirits and opposing the latter against prowd insolent and rough Mates He was bountifull and magnificently liberall if occasion so required Yet in regard that hee was a man He was not free from all faults For he was too too much familiar and conversant with wanton and light women And delighted too much in varietie and in change as most men did coniecture because he had sixe wiues From two of them he was seuered because his mariages were held to be void frustrate and of no force other two of them for the obiected crime of incontinencie lost their heads A fifth died in her child-bed and the sixt escaped fairely by his death Finally hee oftentimes much pleased himselfe to be ouer-familiar in the swaggering companie of loose Fellowes yet in most respects he was a famous a worthie and a most noble King Thus ended he his life and thus doe I conclude this Historie of these twentie Kings hoping that some other who shall be better able will with more sufficiencie write the rest FINIS THE SVCCESSIONS OF THE DVKES AND EARLES OF THIS KINGDOME OF ENGLAND FROM THE CONQVEST vntill the twelfth yeare of the famous Raigne of the mightie Monarch King IAMES THE FIRST THOV SHALT LABOR FOR PEACE PLENTIE LONDON Printed by W. Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone 1615. Princes of VVales since the Conquest Iohn Speede 97 1 EDward Caer-Nervon sonne to King Edward the First afterwards king Edward the Second 2 Edward of Windsour sonne to king Edward the Second afterwards king Edward the Third 3 Edward the Black Prince sonne to king Edward the Third 4 Richard of Bordeaux sonne to the Black Prince afterwards king Richard the Second 5 Henrie of Monmoth sonne to king Henrie the Fourth afterwards king Henrie the Fifth 6 Henrie of Windsour sonne to king Henrie the Fifth afterwards king Henrie the Sixth 7 Edward of Westminster sonne to king Henrie the Sixth 8 Edward of Westminster sonne to king Edward the Fourth afterwards king Edward the Fifth 9 Edward Plantagenet sonne to king Richard the Third 10 Arthur Tuther sonne to king Henrie the Seuenth 11 Henrie Tuther sonne to king Henrie the Seuenth afterwards king Henrie the Eighth 12 Edward the sonne of king Henrie the Eighth afterwards king Edward the Sixth 13 Henrie the sonne of king Iames. 14 Charles the sonne of king Iames. THE SVCCESSIONS OF THE DVKES AND EARLES OF THIS KINGDOME OF ENGLAND From the Conquest vntill the twelfth yeare of the famous Raigne of the mightie Monarch King IAMES the First Albemarle and Holdernes EVDO Sonne to the Earle of Champagne married one of the Conquerours sisters Conq. and was by him created Earle of Albemarle and of Holdernes Stephen their sonne succeeded and was Earle of Albemarle and of Holdernes William surnamed Le Grose being his sonne succeeded K. Steph. and was Earle of Albemarle
Dorset Conq. OSmond a Norman being by the Conquerour created Earle of Dorset dyed without issue Thomas Beauford the sonne of Iohn of Gaunt Iohn of Gaunt called all his Children by that Wife by the name of Beaufords by Katherine Swinsford his third wife was by king Richard the Second created Earle of Somerset and Marques Dorset which latter dignitie was taken from him in Parliament in An. 1. H. 4. Iohn Beauford his brother was Earle of Somerset only and was afterward by king Henrie the Fourth created Marques Dorset H 4. and by king Henrie the Sixt hee was created Duke of Somerset His daughter and heire named Margaret was married to Edmund Tuther Earle of Richmond and they two had issue king Henrie the seuenth Edmund Beauford his brother was Earle of Somerset and by king Henrie the Fifth hee was created Earle of Mortoigne in Normandie and by king Henrie the Sixt Marques Dorset H. 6. and Duke of Somerset Henrie Beauford his sonne was Earle of Mortaigne Marques Dorset and Duke of Somerset and dyed without issue Thomas Grey the sonne of Sir Iohn Grey knight and of the Lady Elizabeth his wife and widdow who was afterwards married to king Edward the Fourth E. 4. was by the same king created Marques Dorset he was also Lord of Groby Astley Bonduile and Harrington Thomas Grey succeeded his Father in those honors Henrie Grey his sonne being Lord Ferrers of Groby Lord Harrington Bonduile and Astley was after his fathers death Marques Dorset and by king Edward the Sixt he was created Duke of Suffolke and was executed in Queene Maries raigne Thomas Sackvile Lord Buckhurst and Lord Treasuror of England was by king Iames created Earle of Dorset K. Ia. Robert Sackvile his sonne was Lord Buckhurst and Earle of Dorset Richard Sackvile his sonne is Lord Buckhurst and Earle of Dorset Essex GEoffrey de Magna Villa otherwise Mandevile K. Steph. was by king Stephen created Earle of Essex Geoffrey his sonne was Earle of Essex and dyed without issue William his brother was Earle of Essex and dyed without issue Geoffrey Fitz-Pearce otherwise Ludgarshall married Beatrice the heire of the said William Mandevile K. Ioh. and was by king Iohn created Earle of Essex shee had by him two sonnes Geoffrey and William whom at his wiues request hee named Mandeviles according to the name of their Grand-father Geoffrey Mandevile their sonne was Earle and dyed without issue William Mandevile his brother was Earle and died without issue H. 3. Humfrey Bohun was by King Henrie the Third created Earle of Essex and of Hereford Humfrey Bohun his sonne succeeded in those honors Humfrey Bohun his sonne was Earle after him Humfrey Bohun his sonne was Earle of Essex and of Hereford Iohn Bohun his sonne was Earle and dyed without issue Humfrey Bohun the sonne of William Bohun who was the sonne of the last Humfrey was Earle of Essex Hereford and Northampton and died without issue Male. And Eleanor his eldest sister was maried vnto Thomas of Woodstock one of the sonnes of king Edward the Third E. 3. Thomas of Woodstock the sixt sonne of King Edward the Third was by his father created Earle of Essex Buckingham Hereford and Northampton and by his Nephew king Richard the Second he was created Duke of Glocester and murdred in prison at Calice because he had warned the king friendly of his faults Humfrey Plantagenet his sonne succeeded in those Earledomes and dyed without issue Male. Henrie de Bargo Caro otherwise Bourchier being Earle of Ewe in Normandie who was the sonne of William Bourchier who by king Henrie the Fift was at Maunt in Normandie created Earle of Ewe was by king Edward the Fourth E. 4. created Viscount Bourchier and Earle of Essex his sonne William had issue Henrie and dyed whilest his father liued Henrie Bourchier was Viscount and Earle and died without issue H. 8. Thomas Cromwel was by King Henrie the eighth made Lord Cromwel and was by him created Earle of Essex but lost his head H. 8. William Parre was by king Henrie the eighth made Lord Parre of Kendall and Earle of Essex and by king Edward the Sixt he was made Marques of Northampton and dyed without issue Walter Deuereux Lord Ferrers of Chartly and Viscount Hereford was by Queene Elizabeth Q. Eliz. created Earle of Essex Robert Deuereux his sonne was Lord Ferrers of Chartly Viscount Hereford and Earle of Essex Robert Deuereux his sonne was restored to all his fathers honors by king Iames the First K. Ia. and now liueth Exeter Iohn Holland halfe-brother to King Richard the Second R. 2. was by him created Earle of Huntington and Duke of Exeter Hee was executed because he conspired against King Henrie the Fourth Thomas Beauford one of the sonnes of Iohn of Gaunt H. 4. by his third wife Katherine Swinford was by his brother K. Henry the Fourth created Earle of Dorset and Duke of Exeter He died without issue Iohn Holland the sonne of the aforenamed Iohn H. 6. was by King Henrie the Fifth restored to his Earledome of Huntington and by King Henrie the Sixth to his Duchie of Exeter Henry Holland his sonne was attainted when King Edward the Fourth raigned and was drowned on Calice Sands Henry Courtney Earle of Deuonshire H. 8. was by king Henrie the Eighth created Marquesse of Exeter and lost his head Thomas Cecil Lord Burleigh K. Iames. was by King Iames the First created Earle of Exeter and yet liueth Glocester WIlliam Fitz-Eustace Conq. being by the Conquerour created Earle of Glocester died without issue Robert Fitz-Hamon Lord of Astreuile in Normandie Conq. was by the Conquerour created Earle of Glocester William Fitz-Hamon his sonne was Earle of Glocester Robert de Millent base sonne to king Henry the First H. 1. was by him created Earle of Glocester He died without issue H. 2. Iohn Plantagenet the sonne of king Henry the Second was by his father created Duke of Glocester But hee was afterwards King of England Geoffrey Mandeuile the last of that name Earle of Essex K. Iohn was by King Iohn created Earle of Glocester and died without issue Almericus Earle of Eureux K. Iohn was by King Iohn created Earle of Glocester and died without issue Gilbert de Clare being Earle of Hartford H. 3. was created Earle of Glocester by King Henry the Third Richard his sonne was Earle of Clare and Glocester and Hartford Gilbert de Clare his sonne had those three Earledomes Gilbert de Clare his sonne was Earle of Hartford Clare and Glocester and died without issue male E. 1. Ralphe Mounthermer who maried Ione of Acres one of the daughters of King Edward the First and who was widow to the last Gilbert de Clare was by the same King created Earle of Hartford and Glocester and died without issue E. 2. Pierce Gaueston a Gascoigne borne was by King Edward
son Henry tooke part with King Henry the sixt and in his quarrell he was slaine at Towton field but Henrie his sonne fled with the king into Scotland Iohn Lord Mountacute brother to Richard Earle of Warwick was by king Edward the fourth created Earle of Northumberland E. 4. but the said Henry Percy obtained the kings fauour by his friends mediation so that Iohn Lord Mountacute surrendred his Patent to the King And was created Marques Mountacute Henry Percy was by King Edward the fourth E. 4. restored to the Earledome of Northumberland and was slaine by the Common People there because he leuied a tax for the King which much displeased them Henry Percy Lord Percy Crockermouth Petworth Poynings Fitz-Payne and Brian his sonne succeeded and was Earle of Northumberland Henry Percy his sonne enioyed all those honorable titles and possessions and died without issue Iohn Dudley Earle of Warwick and Viscount Lissle Lord Basset Tyes was created Duke of Northumberland by King Edward the sixt and lost his head in the raigne of Queene Mary Thomas Percy being the heire male of the house of the Earles Percies was restored by Queene Mary Q. Ma. to the Earledome of Northumberland and for default of issue male of his bodie it was entayled to his Brother Henry Percy and to the heires males of his body And whilest Queene Elizabeth raigned the said Thomas died without issue male Henry Percy his brother according to the aforesaid entailement was Earle of Northumberland and died Henry Percy his sonne is now Lord of Petworth Crockermouth Poynings Fitz-Paine and Brian and Earle of Northumberland Nottingham VVIlliam Peuerel base sonne to the Conqueror Conq. was by him created Earle of Nottingham and of Darby William Peuerel his sonne was Earle of Nottingham and Darby Robert Earle of Ferrers in Normandie K. Steph. and Lord of Tedbery in Staffordshire was by King Stephen created Earle of Nottingham William his sonne was Earle of Nottingham and by King Iohn he was also created Earle of Darby Iohn de Mowbray was by King Richard the second R. 2. created Earle of Nottingham and died without issue Thomas de Mowbray his brother was by K. Richard the second R. 2. first created Earle of Nottingham and then Duke of Northfolk hee was challenged by Henry of Bullingbroke Duke of Hereford to a single combate for his false reports to the King and was banished and died in his exile Thomas Mowbray his sonne was Earle of Nottingham and executed for treason with Richard Scroop Archbishop of Yorke In the Raigne of King Henry the fourth Iohn Mowbray his brother was by King Henry the sixt created Earle of Nottingham H. 6. and Duke of Northfolke Iohn Mowbray his sonne was Earle of Nottingham Warren and Surrey and Duke of Northfolke Iohn Mowbray his sonne enioyed all those honours and died without issue male R. 3. William Lord Barkley being one of his Generall heires was by King Edward the fourth made Viscount Barkley and by King Richard the third he was created Earle of Nottingham and by King Henry the seuenth Marques Barkley Henry Fitz-Roy the base sonne of King Henry the eighth and of Elizabeth Blount was by the same King created Earle of Nottingham H. 8. and Duke of Richmond and died without issue Charles Lord Howard of Effingham was by King Iames created Earle of Nottingham Oxford EDgar Atheling the sonne of Edward the Out-law who was the sonne of Edmund Ironside was at the Conquest Earle of Oxford and was by the Conqueror depriued of that honour Mauld Awbrey de Vere was by Mauld the Empresse created and by her sonne King Henry the second confirmed Lord High Chamberlaine of England in feee and Earle of Oxford Awbrey de Vere his sonne enioyed those honors and dyed in the dayes of King Iohn without issue Robert de Vere his brother was High Chamberlaine of England and Earle of Oxford and sided with the Barons in their warres against King Iohn when they tooke part with the Dolphin of France by reason of the Popes Curse Hugh de Vere his sonne was high Chamberlaine of England and Earle of Oxford he was Viscount Bolbeck and Lord Samford Robert de Vere his sonne succeeded in those Honors Robert de Vere his sonne enioyed the same and dyed without issue Iohn de Vere the sonne of Alphonsus de Vere brother to the last Robert was Lord Samford Vicount Bolbeck High Chamberlaine of England and Earle of Oxford Thomas de Vere his sonne held all those honorable dignities Robert de Vere his sonne being Lord Samford Viscount Bolbeck Earle of Oxford and high Chamberlaine of England was by king Richard the Second created Marques of Dublin and Duke of Ireland he died without issue Awbrey de Vere his Vncle was Lord Samford Viscount Bolbeck and Earle of Oxford But the inheritance of his high Chamberlainship of England hee voluntarily surrendred to king Richard the Second who gaue it to his halfe brother Iohn Holland Duke of Exeter Richard de Vere his sonne was Lord Samford Viscount Bolbeck and Earle of Oxferd Iohn de Vere his sonne enioyed those Honors He and his eldest sonne Awbrey de Vere were attainted and executed in the time of king Edward the Fourth Iohn de Vere his sonne was by King Henry the Seuenth H. 7. restored to the honors of Bolbeck Samford and Scales was made high Chamberlaine of England and Earle of Oxford Iohn de Vere his Nephew by George his brother succeeded him in all those Honors and dyed without issue Iohn de Vere the sonne of Iohn de Vere who was the sonne of Robert de Vere who was brother to Iohn de Vere the twelfth Earle of Oxford of that name who was Father to the before named George enioyed all those dignities Iohn de Vere being the heire male of that Familie was the sixth Earle of that Christian name He was also Lord Samford and Badilsmere Viscount Bolbeck and high Chamberlaine of England Edward de Vere his sonne enioyed all those Honors Henrie de Vere his sonne is Lord Samford and Badilsmere Viscount Bolbeck High Chamberlaine of Engl â—d and Earle of Oxford Pembroke WAlter Gifford was by the Conquerour Conq. created Earle of Pembroke and Buckingham Walter Gifford his sonne succeeded and died without issue Gilbert de Clare was by King Stephen created Earle of Pembroke Richard de Clare surnamed Strongbow being his sonne was Earle of Pembroke and died without issue male K. Iohn William Marshall Earle Marshall of England was by King Iohn created Earle of Pembroke William Marshall his sonne enioied all those honours and died without issue Richard Marshall his brother succeeded him and was slaine and died in Ireland without issue Gilbert Marshall his brother was Earle Marshall and of Pembroke and died without issue Walter Marshall his brother was Earle Marshall and of Pembroke and died without issue William de Valentia the sonne of King Iohns wife Isabel and of her
second husband Hugh de Brun H. 3. was by his halfe-brother King Henrie the Third created Earle of Pembroke Aymer de Valentia his sonne was Earle of Pembroke and was by King Edward the First made Vice-roy of Scotland and died without issue Laurence Lord Hastings was by King Edward the Third created Lord of Abergauenny and Earle of Pembroke Iohn Lord Hastings and Abergauenny was Earle of Pembroke Iohn his sonne succeeded and died without issue Humfrey Plantagenet the youngest sonne of King Henry the Fourth H. 5. and brother to King Henry the Fifth was by his brother created Earle of Pembroke and Duke of Glocester He was also Protector to his Nephew King Henrie the Sixth and died without issue H. 6. William de la Pole was by King Henry the Sixth created Earle of Pembroke Earle Marquesse and Duke of Suffolke Iaspar of Hatfield the second sonne of Owen Tuthar and of Queene Katherine his wife widow to King Henry the Fifth and being halfe-brother to King Henry the Sixth H. 6. was by him created Earle of Pembroke and by King Henry the Seuenth Duke of Bedford He died without issue E. 4. William Herbert was by King Edward the Fourth made Lord of Cardisse and Earle of Pembroke and was slaine at Banbarie field William Herbert his sonne succeeded and resigned the said Earledome to King Edward the Fourth Edward the Prince being sonne and heire apparant to King Edward the fourth E 4. was by his father created Earle of Pembroke Flint and March He was King Edward the Fifth Anne Bullen H. 8. who was afterwards maried to King Henry the Eighth was by him created Marchionesse of Pembroke and lost her head William Lord Herbert sonne to Richard Herbert who was brother to the last Earle William E. 6. was by King Edward the Sixth created Earle of Pembroke Henry Lord Herbert his sonne succeeded in those honours Williom Lord Herbert his sonne is Lord of Cardiffe Fitz-Hugh Marmion and S. Quintens and Earle of Pembroke Richmond EVdo was by the Conqueror made Lord of Middleham and Earle of Richmond Conq. Allen Fergaunt surnamed The Red being his sonne was Lord of Middleham and Earle of Britaine and of Richmond He died without issue Allen surnamed The Blacke being his brother succeeded him and died without issue Stephen his brother possessed all those honours Allen his sonne by descent enioied the said dignities Conan his sonne succeeded him and had issue Constance Geoffrey Plantagenet the third sonne of King Henry the Second maried the said Constance and was in her right Earle of Richmond Arthur Plantagenet his sonne was Earle of Richmond and died without issue Ralphe Blundeuile being Count Palatine of Chester K. Iohn was by King Iohn created Earle of Richmond Peter Earle of Sauoy who built the Sauoy H. 3. was by King Henrie the Third created Earle of Richmond Iohn de Dreux Duke of Britaine sonne to Iohn the first Duke of Britaine was by King Edward the First created Earle of Richmond E. 1. Iohn de Dreux his sonne was Earle of Richmond Iohn de Dreux his sonne succeeded and died without issue Robert de Arthoys sometimes Earle of Arthoys but disinherited by Philip de Valoys the French King E. 3. was by King Edward the Third created Earle of Richmond Iohn Plantagenet the sonne of King Edward the Third being surnamed Iohn of Gaunt being Duke of Lancaster E. 3. was by his father created Earle of Richmond Henry of Bollingbroke his sonne was Duke of Lancaster and Hereford and Earle of Richmond vntill he was King Henry the Fourth Ralphe Lord Neuil of Rabie Castle the first Earle of Westmorland was by King Henry the Fourth created Earle of Pembroke for his life only H. 4. Iohn Plantagenet Duke of Bedford and brother to King Henry the Fifth H. 4. was by his father created Earle of Richmond He died without issue H. 6. Edmund of Hadham called Edmund Tuthar the eldest sonne of Owen Tuthar and of Queene Katherine his wife the widow of King Henry the Fifth and daughter to Charles the Sixth of France and halfe brother to King Henry the Sixth was by him created Earle of Richmond He maried Margaret the daughter and heire of Iohn Beauford Marquesse Dorset and Duke of Somerset who was the sonne of Iohn Beauford who was the sonne of Iohn of Gaunt by Katherine Swinsford his third wife and had issue Henry who was king Henry the Seuenth Henry Tuthar their sonne was Earle of Richmond vntill hee obtained the Crowne and was King Henry the Seuenth H. 8. Henry Fitz-Roy base sonne to King Henry the Eighth was by him created Earle of Nottingham and Duke of Richmond and died without issue in the sixteenth yeare of his age Rutland EDward Plantagenet the sonne of Edmund of Langley the fifth sonne of King Edward the Third and Duke of Yorke was by his cosen King Richard the Second created Earle of Rutland R. 2. and Duke of Albemarle After his fathers death he was Duke of Yorke and was slaine at Agencourt field Edmund Plantagenet brother to Edward who was afterward King Edward the Fourth was Earle of Rutland and died in his childhood without issue being slaine H. 8. Thomas Mannors Lord Roos of Hamlake Beluoyr and Trusbut was created Earle of Rutland by King Henry the Eighth Henry Mannors his sonne succeeded his said father Edward Mannors his sonne enioied those honours and died without issue male Iohn Mannors his brother succeeded him Roger Mannors his sonne enioied those honours and died without issue Sir Francis Mannors his brother is now Lord Roos Hamlake and Trusbote and Earle of Rutland Ryuers RIchard Wooduile of Grafton Knight maried Iaquet the widow of Iohn Duke of Bedford Regent of France and daughter to Peter of Luxenburgh Earle of S. Paul He was by King Henry the sixth made Lord Ryuers Afterwards king Edward the Fourth maried his daughter the Ladie Elizabeth Grey the widow of Sir Iohn Grey deceased by whom he was made Lord Treasurer of England and Earle Ryuers He and his sonne Iohn were slaine by the Commons in an vprore Anthonie Wooduile his sonne being Lord Scales and Earle Ryuers was by King Richard the Third beheaded vniustly at Pomfret Castle and died withour issue Richard Wooduile his brother succeeded him in that Earledome and died without issue Salisburie STephen Patrick of Eureux was by the Conquerour created Earle of Salisburie Conq. William his sonne was Earle of Salisburie and died without issue male William Longspée the base sonne of King Henry the Second by the faire Rosamond Clifford his Concubine R. 1. was by King Richard the First his halfe-brother created Earle of Salisburie William Longspee his sonne was Earle of Salisburie after his father and was slaine in the warres in the Holy Land Henry Lacy was by King Henrie the Third created Earle of Salisburie H. 3. and died without issue Thomas Plantagenet the sonne of Edmund
Crowch-backe being Earle of Lancaster was also Earle of Salisburie Lecester and Lincolne and died without issue Henry Plantagenet his brother was Earle of Salisburie Lecester Lincolne and Lancaster Henry Plantagenet his sonne was created Duke of Lancaster He was also inheritor to all those Earledomes His daughter and heire called Blanch was maried to Iohn of Gaunt and from them descended the house of the Lancastrians E. 4. William Mountague Lord of the I le of Man was by King Edward the Fourth created Earle of Salisburie William Mountague his sonne being Lord of the I le of Man and Lord Mounthermer was also Earle of Salisburie and died without issue Iohn Mountague sonne to Sir Iohn Mountague brother to the said William was Lord Mounthermer and Earle of Salisburie Hee with others conspired the death of King Edward the Fourth at Oxford and was slaine Thomas Mountague his sonne was Lord Mounthermer and Earle of Salisburie Richard Neuil the second sonne of Ralphe Neuil who was the first Earle of Westmorland H. 6. maried Alice the eldest daughter and coheire of the said Thomas and was by King Henry the Sixth created Earle of Salisburie He was taken prisoner in the battaile of Wakefield by Queene Margaret wife to King Henry the Sixth and lost his head Richard Neuil his sonne was Earle of Salisburie and of Warwicke also in the right of Anne his wife who was the daughter and heire of William Beauchampe Earle of Warwicke This was that great Earle of Warwicke who deposed and raised King Henry the Sixth and was slaine at Barnet Field by King Edward the Fourth Richard Pole a Knight of Wales maried Margaret Plantagenet the daughter of George Duke of Clarence brother to King Edward the Fourth which the said George begot on Isabel the eldest daughter and coheire of the last Richard Earle of Warwicke and Salisburie She was by Parliament in the fifth yeare of King Henry the Eighth restored to those Earledomes H. 8. but in Parliament in the one and thirtieth yeare of King Henry the Eighth shee with Gerthrude the widow of Henry Courtney Marquesse of Exeter Reynold Pole Cardinall being her sonne and others were attainted of treason and she lost her head She was the last of the name and royall stocke of the Familie of the Plantagenets out of which had issued successiuely fourteene Kings of England Robert Cecil the second sonne of William Cecil Lord Burleigh and Treasurer of England was by King Iames created Lord Cecil of Essendeu in Rutlandshire Viscount Cranborne in Dorsetshire and Earle of Salisbury William Cecil his sonne is now Lord of Essenden Viscount Cranborne and Earle of Salisbury Shrewsburie EDrick a Saxon sirnamed the wilde being Earle of Shrewsbury was by the Conqueror dishinherited Roger de Mountgomery Earle of Belesme in Normandy Conq. was by the Conqueror made Earle of Arundel and of Shrewsbury Hugh de Mountgomery his sonne succeeded and died without issue Robert Mountgomery his brother being Earle of Shrewsbury and of Arundel was taken by king Henry the first and depriued of his eyes Iohn Lord Talbot Strange Blackmore Furnivall and Verdon H. 6. was by Henry the sixth created Earle of Shrewsbury Iohn Talbot his sonne succeeded in those honors Iohn Talbot his sonne was Lord c and Earle of Shrewsbury George Talbot his sonne was Lord c. and Earle of Shrewsbury Francis Talbot his sonne was Lord c. and Earle of Salisbury George Lord Talbot his sonne succeeded in those honors Gilbert Lord Talbot his sonne is Lord Talbot Strange Blackmore Furnival and Verdon and Earle of Shrewsbury Somerset OSmond Bishop of Salisbury was by the Conqueror Conq. made earle of Somerset William de Mohun was by King Henry the first H. 1 created Earle of Somerset Reynold de Mohun in King Iohns time K. Ioh. receiued the inheritance of his Grandfather Earle William and was created Earle of Somerset he was disinherited by King Henry the third because he tooke part against him with the Barons in their warres Iohn Beauford the sonne of Iohn of Gaunt by Katherine Swinsford his thitd wife was by King Richard the second created Earle of Somerset and Marques Dorset but the latter of those two hee voluntarily did renounce H. 5. Henry Beauford his sonne was Earle after him Iohn Beauford his brother was created Earle of Somerset by K. Henry the fifth H. 6. Edmund Beauford his brother was Earle of Somerset and by king Henry the sixt was created Marques Dorset and Duke of Somerset and was slaine at Saint Albons by Richard Duke of Yorke Henry Beauford his sonne was Duke of Somerset hee revolted from King H. the sixth to King Edward the fourth and afterward from King Edward the fourth to King H. the sixth and was by the Yorkish faction taken Prisoner at Hexhamfield and lost his head Edmund Beauford his brother was Duke of Somerset and being taken prisoner at Tewkisbery-field by king Edward the fourth he lost his head and had no issue H. 7. Edmund Tuther a yonger sonne to king Henry the seuenth was at fiue yeares of his age created Duke of Somerset and died without issue at that age Henry Fitz-Roy base son to king H. the eight was created earle of Nottingham and Duke of Somerset and Richmond and died without issue Edward Seymour Earle of Hartford was by his Nephew King Edward the sixth created Duke of Somerset and lost his head Sir Robert Carre was by king Iames created Viscount Rochester Earle of Somerset Southampton BEavoys was at the Conquest Earle of Southampton E. 1. H. 8. William Gobion was by Kng Edward the first created Earle of Southampton and died without issue male William Fitz-William was by King Henry the eight created Earle of Southampton and died without issue male E. 6. Thomas Wryothesley Lord Chancelor of England was by King Henry the eighth created Baron of Tichfield in Hamshire and by King Edward the sixt hee was created Earle of Southampton Henry Wryothesley his sonne was Lord Tichfield and Earle of Southampton Henry Wryothesley his sonne is Lord Tichfield and Earle of Southamton Stafford RAlph Stafford was by King Edward the third E. 3. created Earle of Stafford Hugh Stafford his sonne succeeded in that Earledome Thomas Stafford his Grandchild by Ralph his sonne was Earle of Stafford William Stafford his brother was Earle of Stafford after him Edmund Stafford his brother was Earle and died without issue Humfrey Stafford his sonne was Earle and by king Henry the sixt he was created Duke of Buckingham and was slaine in Yorkeshire in the said kings quarrell Humfrey Stafford his son was dignified with those honors Humfrey Stafford his sonne H. 7. succeeded and was beheaded by king Richard the third Edward Stafford his son was restored by king Henry the seuenth and lost his head in the raigne of king Henry the eighth Suffolke RAlph Glandvile Lord of Bromhelme H. 2. was by king Henry the second created Earle
transporteth his Armie into Flanders and ioining with his consorts he marcheth into France with 27000. men The French King takes the field 108 Iane Countesse of Henault mother to the Queene of England and sister to the French King parts the fray without blowes 109 * 1339. King Edward quartereth the Armes of France and coines his money with the like stampe 109 Hee taxeth his people and borroweth much money 109 As hee passed towards Sluce with his Armie hee met with and ouerthrew the French Nauie 110 Hee with his associates doe besiege Tournay But the saide Countesse procures a Truce 111 The Scots doe rebell The King marcheth against them A truce is made but they doe breake it They doe inuade and burne Durham 111 The valiant exploit of Sir William Montague The Castle of Ronsborough is besieged The King marcheth against the Scots and they flie 112 He concludes a truce with them Hee returnes proclaimes a Feast and martiall exercises and sports 113 Subsidies are granted but Commissioners are made to receiue and to imploy it 114 * 1344. Hee deuiseth the noble Order of the Garter 114 Iaques Dartuell is murdered because hee would haue disherited the Earle of Flanders to preferre the Blacke Prince 114 By his death King Edward lost the Flemish aide But hee is the more resolued in his attempts 116 The French King besiegeth Aguilon with 100000. men The King takes Harflew Louiers Cane and many other things and harroweth and burneth in Normandie at his pleasure 117 He passeth with his Armie ouer the Riuer of Some 118 The battaile of Cressey 119 * 1345. The numbers of slaine men and prisoners 121 King Edward besiegeth Calice and the French K. with 200000. men could not releeue it The King winnes it and peopleth it with his owne Nation 123 The Scots inuade England in the Kings absence and King Dauid is taken prisoner 123 The King himselfe surpriseth the Frenchmen who came to receiue Calice 124 The Calicians take Guyens 125 The Blacke Prince winneth the battaile of Poyters and brings King Iohn and his younger sonne prisoners into England 126 The whole English Armie is made rich 128 The Dolphin allowes not his fathers agreements with King Edward 128 Hee is enforced to craue peace which is granted vpon conditions 129 The King relinquisheth the French title and right 129 A taxe leuied by the Blacke Prince and the not paying of his Souldiers occasioned his great losses in Guyan Aquitaine c. 130. 131 Whereto ciuill dissention must be added 132 The Earle of Pembroke is taken at Sea 132 The Kings euill Officers 133 The Blacke Prince dieth 134 The King dieth 134 King RICHARD the second THe summarie of his euill gouernment 135 Wat Tilars Rebellion 137 Their insolencie and madnesse 137 Their entertainment in London 138 They doe burne rifle and commit Sacriledge 138 Their behauiour at the Tower and at Mile-end-greene 139 Their Captaine is slaine They prepare for reuenge but doe flie 140. 141 Fifteene hundred of them are executed 141 The Kings euill Counsellors 142 Fifteenes in a Parliament are denied 142 The Lower House will depart except the King in person will come to them 142 Michael de la Pole is displaced from his Chancellorship 144 Commissioners are appointed to order the Kings Officers and the King sweareth to obserue it 144 The Commissioners are reputed to be Traitors 145 The Scots and French doe make a bad voyage into Wales and in the meane time the King with 68000. men spoileth Scotland 145 The Frenchmen well rewarded by the Scots 145 The French King prepares an Armie of 1200. Ships to inuade and to conquer England and King Richard makes incredible preparations to confront him 146 The French Armie vanisheth and comes to nought 147 The petition of the Nobilitie is denied by the King Wherefore they doe raise an Armie 147 The King cannot get an Armie out of London 148 On the Kings faire promises the Armie is dismissed Hee performes nothing so that a new Armie is leuied and receiued into London 149 The Duke of Ireland flieth is slaine by a Bore and is buried like a King 149 The Kings fiue euill Counsellors and some Iudges are condemned as Traitors 149 Iohn of Gaunts iourney valour and fortunate successe in Spaine 150 The King marieth the French Kings sister and deliuers vp Brest for which his Vncle the Duke of Glocester reproueth him but his death is plotted and hee is murdered 151 The flattering Speaker of the Parliament grosly deifieth the King 151 A strange Commission 152 The King in his vanitie will be stiled Prince of Cheshire 152 The Duke of Norfolke vntruly informeth the King against his cosen Henrie Bollingbroke Duke of Hartford for which hee is challenged to a single combat 153. 154 They are both banished 154 Iohn of Gaunt dieth and his son Henrie Bollingbroke now Duke of Lancaster in the Kings absence in Ireland landeth in England and raiseth an Armie The King returneth and leuieth his forces 155 But his people daily shrinke and steale away from him by meanes whereof he submitteth himselfe to the Duke 155 Articles are proposed against him for his euill gouernment which are by him confessed vnder his hand in the Parliament Hee resigneth his Kingdome and is deposed Henrie of Bollingbroke is crowned King And King Richard valiantly resisting is wickedly murdered 160 King HENRY the Fourth IOHN Bishop of Carlile stoutly reproueth King Henries doing openly in the Parliament house 163 The Crowne is entailed 164 Treason at Oxford 164 The Traitors flie and are executed 165 Owen Glendor rebelleth 166 And taketh Roger Mortimer the rightfull heire apparant to the Crowne prisoner and the King refuseth to ransome him 166 The Scots rebelling are ouerthrowen by Henrie Hotspurre who will not deliuer his prisoners to the King 167. 168 The Frenchmen doe aide the Welsh Rebels in shew but doe flie to their ships when the King commeth 167. 168 The Percies doe ransome Roger Mortimer and ioining with Owen Glendor they intend to make him King 169 They leuie an Armie and doe publish Articles against K. Henry The Scots doe aide them but are all ouerthrowen And in that battaile the King himselfe slew six and thirtie men 1401. 171 Dowglas is enlarged without ransome 171 Glendor is forsaken of his companions and is famished in the woods 172 The Duke of Orleance his challenge is stoutly refused by King Henrie 172 And disgraced 173 The Duke of Britaine is commanded by the French King to abandon the siege of Calice 173 Diuers Lords doe practise a Treason which is discouered and most of them are put to death 173 The King warreth againe prosperously in Scotland 173 Hee was in danger to bee taken on the Thames by French Pirates 174 Sir Ralphe Roksbie Sheriffe of Northumberland valiantly ouerthrew the Northerne Rebels and chopt off their heads before the Kings comming thither 174 He createth his younger sonnes Dukes and prepareth to warre in the Holy Land but falleth dangerously
sicke 174 His speech to the Prince his son when he seised on the Crowne 174 He dieth 175 King HENRY the Fifth THis King was vnmeasurably wilde in his fathers daies and was imprisoned and disgraced for striking the Lord Chiefe Iustice on the eare 177 But being King he enriched his loose companions but banished them perpetually from his Court 177 He chose the grauest wisest and best experienced men to be of his Counsell of Estate 177 Hee reformeth the Clergie and the Lay people and erecteth Castles to curbe the Scots 178 A motion was made in Parliament to dissolue religious houses But the Clergie reuiuing the kings title to the kingdome of France and being bountifully liberall doe turne the streame into that channell 178 The King demandeth that Crowne but is scoffed by the Dolphin whom he girdeth by a replie 179 The King leuieth an Armie The French King desireth peace The King yeeldeth on certaine conditions which are denied 180 The Queene is made Regent And as the King is ready to depart his destruction is conspired But the Treacherie was reuealed and the Traitors were put to death 180 The King landeth in Normandie and taketh Harflew His Armie being but 15000. men falleth sicke and is oppressed with many wants Yet the King resolueth to march by land vnto Calice 181 * 1414. He winneth the most famous and the most memorable Battaile of Agencourt 182 The French prisoners were vnwillingly yet miserably slaine 185 He giueth God publike thankes 186 And returneth into England with his great prisoners 186. 187 The new Constable of France is ouerthrowen 187 The French doe besiege Harflew and their Nauie of 500. ships is ouerthrowen And Iohn Duke of Bedford raiseth the siege 188 Ciuill dissention among the French Nobilitie doth further the successe of K. Henries wars 189 Great summes of money are chearfully giuen to the King to maintayne his invasion 189 Nine Carricks of Genoa and Tonque and Cane are taken by the English 191 Most Townes in Normandie doe become English 192 Roan is besieged by the king 192 A proud Roanist dareth him he replies and takes the Citie 197 The French Nobles are outwardly reconciled but not in heart 198 * 1416 Normandie is wonne by King Henrie 198 He marieth the Lady Katherine sister to the French King and is made Regent of France a 1519 is proclaymed Heire apparant to that Crowne 199 200 201 202 203 204. The Kings brother the Duke of Clarence Regent of Normandie and France b 1420 is betraied and slaine in the battaile of Blangy 205 206 The Earle of Mortaigne succeedeth in his charge 207 The King warreth againe in France 207 The Dolphin raiseth his siege from Chartiers and flyeth fearefully from place to place 208 The King falleth grieuously sick exhorteth his Nobles to vnitie and concord and to bee especially carefull to retain the friendship and loue of Philip Duke of Burgoine 209 Hee commends vnto them his yong Infant and their King Directs them for their proceedings in France and then dieth King HENRY the Sixth FRance contemneth the infancie of King Henry 211 Iohn Duke of Bedford is made Regent of France and Humfrey Duke of Glocester is made Protector of the Kings person and of the Realme of England 212 The Regent winneth Townes daily 212 The Parisians are trecherous 213 * 1424 The battaile of Vernoile 215 The Earle of Salisburies valour and name is feared 216 A strange ouerthrow of the French 216 They doe bragge and runne away 217 Townes and victories are daily wonne by the English 218 219 Orleance is besieged and offered to Philip Duke of Burgoine but the Regent will not consent thereto and for that cause the said Duke reuolteth to the French King 221 The battaile of Herings 221 The siege of Orleance is abandoned 222 The Duke of Alanson ouerthroweth the English slayeth the Earle of Salisbury and taketh prisoners the Earle of Suffolke and the Lords Talbot Scales and Hungerford and many others 222 Charles causeth himselfe to bee crowned King of France and is sommoned to a battaile by the Regent hee flyeth cowardly and is hunted from place to place but all in vaine 223 Diuers Nobles of France doe revolt from King Henrie 224. The French King assaults Paris and is well beaten 224 The Parisians doe flatter but are trecherous 225 King Henrie is crowned King of France in Paris 225 England is wondred at for her puissance 225 Treason discouered 226 A Rebellion in Normandie 226 The noble Regent dieth 228 And from the time of his death the English gaine little but doe loose much both in Normandie and in France Richard Duke of Yorke is made Regent 229 Paris is reuolteth 229 Calice is besieged by the Duke of Burgoine 229 But he flyeth in the night 230 The Earle of Warwick is made Regent 231 The French King flyeth in the night 233 Ponthois is taken by the English 234 A parley for peace 234 The Articles proposed are disliked 235 A cruell Armie and a huge on the French part 235 Much is gotten daily and much is daily lost beyond the Seas 235 A truce with France for eighteene moneths 237 An vnworthy marriage concluded for the King by the Duke of Suffolke without Commission 237 Which was the Dukes ouerthrow 246 He will haue his Acts and Counsels registred in Parliament 238 The cause of the losses of France * 1466 Normandie Aquitaine c. 238 The descriptions of the King and Queene 239 The good Duke of Glocester is remoued by the Queen from the Protectorship and is murdered 240 The French wars are neglected and the Truce is broken on both parts 240 Townes are lost Roan yeeldeth to the French King 241 The English are ouerthrowne in field 242 Cane is yeelded to the French King 243 The Duke of Suffolke is accused of treason and banished 244 But is taken at Sea and beheaded 246 The policies of the Duke of York to attaine vnto the Crowne Iack Cade the Rebell flyeth and is proscribed and slaine 247 A pacification but fained betwixt the King and the Duke of Yorke 248 The Duke is accused imprisoned for treason but is enlarged 248 Guyan and Aquitaine are yeelded to King Henrie but are regained by the French 249 The warres betwixt the King and the Yorkists 249 The King is ouerthrowne and taken prisoner in the battaile of * 1454 S. Albons and in Parliament the Duke of Yorke is made Protector 250 Marchant strangers are rifled in London 251 A policie against the Yorkists but it is discouered 252 The King labours for peace but each part dissembleth 252 New Armies are raised 254 The Lords doe flie in the night and are proclaimed traitors 255 The Kings ships twice taken out of Sandwich by Iohn Dynham and the Yorkists 256 The battaile of a 1459 Northampton in which the Queen is ouerthrown and the King is taken prisoner 257 The Duke of Yorks proceedings in Parliament against King Henrie 258 The
payments and demaunds imposed vpon them by the two former kings He gaue free libertie to the Nobles and Gentlemen of this Realme for their pleasure Flatterers banished the Court. and better recreation to inclose Parkes for Deere and free Warrens for their Conies and such like Game And as Traitors to his Vertues State and kingly Gouernment he exiled and banished from his Court and Presence all base Flatterers Nicenesse in Behauiour Luxuriousnesse in Conuersation Sumptuousnesse in Apparell and Superfluitie in Dyet He ordained punishments by death for all such as violently spoyled or robbed in the High wayes With indefatigable trauell and paine hee corrected and reformed the monstrous Pride intolerable Couetousnesse and secure Negligence and Slouth of the Clergie He recalled from Banishment Anselme and restored him to his Archbishopricke of Canterburie and gaue him full power to assemble Conuocations and Synods at his pleasure The King leaueth the inuesture of Bishops to the Pope for the amendment of such things as were vnsufferable in the Church He left vnto the Pope his power and authoritie to inuest Bishops by giuing to them the Ring the Crosse and the Pastorall Staffe All such Ecclesiasticall Promotions and Dignities as by the lewd aduice and counsell of Reynulph Bishop of Durham his brother had seized into his owne hands and conuerted to his owne vse he voluntarily and freely conferred vpon Honest Graue Learned and Worthie Men and committed the said Bishop a prisoner to the Tower of London R bert Duke of Normandy inuadeth England from whence he afterwards escaped and eagerly incited Robert Duke of Normandie by the Sword to lay his clayme to this kingdome Who thereupon to maintaine his demaund in that behalfe raysed a strong Armie which he intended with all conuenient expedition to transport into this Realme But as king Henrie by those precedent prouisions had endeared himselfe in the Peoples loue so had he the more confirmed it by taking to wife Mawlde the sister of Edgar King Henries title made stronger by his marriage King of Scots and daughter vnto Malcolyne by Margaret his wife sister to Edgar Adelinge who died without issue and daughter to King Edward the sonne of Edmund Iron-side the victorious and valiant King of the Saxons When Duke Robert with his Armie was arriued in England the noyse of Trumpets the sound of Drummes and the swarming multitudes of well-approued Souldiors fit for the Warre affoorded none other thing but a fearefull expectation of much trouble But as a threatening lowring Cloud is sometimes dispersed by a faâ—â—e shining Sunne so these approaching conflicts by the discreete mediation and counsell of worthie friends were suddenly preuented and a friendly peace A peace concluded betwixt the two brethren betwixt the two brothers was louingly concluded vpon such like conditions as formerly had beene agreed on in William Rufus his daies whereat the Norman Lords were much displeased and returned discontented with their Lord. But such were the malignant spirits of the Enuious The King inuadeth and preuaileth in Normandie or such was the greedie disposition of those who were Couetous or so eager was the Kings appetite to enlarge his Dominion that manie great quarrels for small and trifling causes began vpon the suddaine to present themselues vnto those two brethren Insomuch that King Henrie passed with a sufficient and a well-ordered Armie into Normandie where he was assisted by manie of the Dukes discontented Nobles By meanes whereof The Duke is forsaken by his Nobles and Gentrie the King in sundrie skirmishes and conflicts so preuailed that with little danger and small resistance hee chased the forsaken Duke from place to place and wonne from him the Cities of Roan Cane Valoys and manie others and then hee returned into England with much honour The Duke perceiuing that his Lords and Gentrie refused to giue him anie helpe and that the Kings Estate Strength and Riches so encreased that no hope of recouerie by striuing and by strugling was left vnto him submitted himselfe to his two Enemies Time and Fortune the scornefull deluders of such as repose their confidence vpon them and came secretly and priuatly into England presented himselfe to the King his brother and referred to his owne censure and will both himselfe his Duchie and all Debates and Controuersies whatsoeuer But the King eyther because hee knew that the Duke was too vnconstant The Dukes submission is scornefully despised or for that some secret whisperers had prepared him to prejudicate his brothers Truth and honest Meaning with an estranged countenance and a disdainefull eye departed vnkindly from the distressed and perplexed Duke coyly refusing to accept of his submission which in all humilitie by him was profered The Duke returneth and the King followeth The Duke being pierced to the heart that his misfortunes should so much wrong him returned with all expedition into his owne Countrey resoluing That in the open Field he would rather die as a valiant man than thus be trampled on by Dishonour and by Disgrace And the king conjecturing rightly what he pretended followed him with many thousands of men and so often he encountred the weake Duke with his great strength The Duke is taken and his eyes are put out that within few dayes he tooke him and brought him as a prisoner into England where because he hearkened to Natures enticement which persuaded him to seeke his libertie and to practise his escape both his eyes by the kings commaundement were plucked out After which time he liued as a miserable and as a wretched captiue more than the space of twentie yeares At length being dead in Glocester he was buried A Rebellion by the Earles of Shrewsburie and of Mortaigne About the same time Robert Belasme Earle of Shrewsburie trayterously did rebell but wanting Wealth Wit Courage and Strength the foure Champions of the strongest Field he was enforced to flye into Normandie Where finding William Earle of Mortaigne and of Cornwall much displeased with the king for that as he surmised he kept from him vnjustly the Earledome of Kent he so much insinuated himselfe into his loue and counsels that easily he persuaded him to rebell So both of them joyning both their forces together they made a goodly shew as if they would work wonders They are taken and imprisoned But small opposition enforced them to take a plaine view of their rash errors and leauing that which they had to make hard shifts for the safegard of themselues Wherein their ill successe was a just reward for their foule offence for by the kings Power they were taken and by him held as prisoners whilest they liued New troubles betwixt the King and the Archbishop of Canterburie about the Temporalties of the Clergie and inuesture of Bishops The king hauing now cast anchor as he was resolued in a safe harborow and nothing fearing the blasts of any Fortune which might attempt to shake his settlement in this
which ouercame the king with infinite passions of sorrow and extreame griefe But it made a quiet end of this quarrell For now the king not hauing anie sonne which might succeed him was well pleased to lend a listening eare to the faire proffer of a friendly Peace The quarrell is compâ—unded ended And thereupon hee adopted Prince Henrie for his Sonne proclaymed him to bee the Heire apparant of his Crowne gaue him manie honourable and kingly Gifts assured him of his vnchangeable loue and friendship And by these meanes all Armes were cast aside and Peace triumphed hauing gotten a certaine and a sure Victorie with few blowes And the Prince with his followers returned into Normandie where they were with much honour and incredible joy receiued And the next yeare after king Stephen died King Stephen dieth The Saxons bloud restored to the Crowne of England See the descent in the Raigne of King Henrie the first when hee had raigned almost nineteene yeares and lyeth buried in the Abbey of Feuersham in Kent which himselfe had founded And by the happie Succession of this Henrie the Saxon Bloud was againe restored vnto the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme THE HISTORIE OF KING HENRIE THE SECOND WHEN Henrie was returned into Normandie the French King fearing least Time and his Fortunes would make him too puissant and too great for his bordering Neighbours and intending to deale roughly with him before he should be the absolute Master and Commander of his owne strength very iniuriously seized vpon diuers of his Fortresses and Castles in Normandie and elsewhere which questionlesse ought to haue beene subiect to his Gouernment But Henrie being wise Henry Short-Mantels valour and courage and full of courage and heroicall Magnimitie and foreseeing that if hee should shrinke as a coward and not make himselfe knowne by his valour to the world when the wrongs which were done vnto him were too apparant raysed a faire Armie and for the regayning of one of those his Castles he girded it round about with a strong Siege And whilest he was thus employed to winne his right He sayleth speedily into England but first winneth the Castle which he had besieged the newes of King Stephens death came freshly vnto his eares And to preuent such vsurpation as oftentimes in the absence of the lawfull Kings depriueth them of their Crownes he was by his neerest and dearest friends aduised to abandon the Siege and without tarrying to transport himselfe into England But his answere was full of discretion and true valour to this effect A resolute speech The Kingdome of England quoth hee shall henceforth be at my commaund in despight of those who dare to crosse mee most And so shall these intruding Frenchmen ere I goe hence This Resolution redoubled his honour among his friends and so it did among his enemies For when the besieged were informed what he had said and determined fearing the euent if obstinately they should detaine him there too long they surrendred the Castle and submitted themselues to his mercie who receiued it and them with a fauourable and gracious acceptance And then giuing such directions as both the time and occasions did require and being accompanied with manie Lords and Gentlemen of the best and chiefest ranke he sayled with a prosperous winde into England where not long after hee was crowned King The singular zeale and loue which he bare to the furtherance of Iustice and to the execution thereof appeared manifestly by two Actions of his The King reformeth the Lawes performed the one in the beginning and the other towards the later end of his Raigne For first hee made an especiall choise of certaine men who were verie honest vpright and best learned in the Lawes of this Realme by whose industrious labours and trauailes hee refined and reformed the common Lawes making them to be more tolerable and profitable vnto his People England diuided into Circuits into which Iudges were sent to ease the people And towards the end of his dayes hee diuided his whole Kingdome into six seuerall Circuits and for the administration of Iustice and for the tryals of Causes betwixt men and men for the better ease and comfort of his Subiects hee appointed certaine Iudges twice in euerie yeare to ride and to trauaile through those Circuits which course and order is carefully continued at this day Strangers banished and the cause why Hee also banished the greatest part of Strangers who in those dayes by multitudes flocked hither and by their extraordinarie Sparing and painefull Industrie procured to themselues much Wealth and beggered such as were Natiues borne Oath-breakers banished Hee also exiled manie of the Nobles who contrarie to their publike Oathes Duties and Consciences had more than ordinarily adhered vnto King Stephen beeing fully resolued That the Cogitations of their owne Guiltinesse in that behalfe would neuer suffer them to be heartie and faithfull vnto him Hee differed much from the opinion of his last predecessor Castles politikely razed and ouerthrowne and affirmed That strong Forts and Castles erected and maintained in the Heart or Bodie of a Kingdome did rather animate great men vpon all displeasures to reuolt than in anie sort containe them within the bounds and limits of their Obedience and of their Dutie wherefore he caused them to be rased for the greater number to the ground Hee also seized into his owne hands such Territories Manors He seizeth on Crowneâ—ands formerly giuen away Lordships and Possessions as his Predecessors had eyther giuen or sold from the Crowne holding it to be the dutie of euerie Subiect to refuse the Gift or Purchase of such things as doe so immediately concerne the Honour and Maintenance of the King Nota. And the like he did in the Northren Parts where many great Men commaunding almost as they listed had wrought themselues and their Posterities into manie Honors Castles and Manors without title which in truth and in deed appertained to the King Hee also resumed into his owne hands the Prouinces of Cumberland and of Northumberland together with the Earledome of Huntingdon which Dauid the King of Scots and Henrie his sonne had receiued as a gift from King Stephen because they should not intermeddie in the furtherance of his mother Mauld the Empresse to her Right and Crowne In the thirteenth yeare of his Raigne Geoffrey the Kings yonger sonne is Duke of Britaine he married Geoffrey being one of his younger sonnes vnto Constance the daughter and heire apparant of Conaccus Duke of Britaine who died not long after and left vnto them that Duchie He also affied his younger sonne Richard vnto Adela one of the daughters of Lewis the King of France and married his daughter Mauld vnto Henrie Duke of Saxonie Mauld the Empresse dieth And about the same time the Empresse his mother died Hee loued Peace though he were passing valiant because hee found it to be pleasing and profitable Peace
that quarter where the Prince serued And to saue themselues from his furie vpon his comming thither they raised their siege from the Citie of Acon The siege of Acon raised which for a long time they had continued with more then a hundred thousand men And seeing that his death could not be hastened by force and violence in the open field The Prince was villanously wounded they attempted it by poysonings and other secret villanies which tooke no effect But at length a dogged Sarazen grieuously wounded him with an enuenomed Knife yet after much paine and great danger hee escaped death But in his absence his father King Henrie died and was buried at Westminster The King dieth when he had raigned more then fiftie and six yeers whereof the Prince was quickly informed and therfore by great iournies hee safely returned with great honour into ENGLAND THE HISTORIE OF KING EDVVARD THE FIRST WHEN Edward surnamed Longshankes was informed of his fathers death he made quick preparations for his returne from the Holie Land The new King returneth from the Holie Land and by great journeyes trauailed vntill he came into England where with the generall applause both of his Nobles and common People hee was crowned King when he was of the age of fiue and thirtie yeares Wee haue heard how when The French kings practise against King Edward and where Symon de Mountford Earle of Leicester Henrie his eldest sonne and sundrie other Barons were slaine in the last Battaile betweene them and the last King And it is true that after his ouerthrow the Ladie Elianor his daughter with manie others of his allies and kinsfolkes were sentenced to Exile and departed into France where they were courteously receiued by the French king Philip the third surnamed the Hardie whose kind entertaining of them proceeded not so much from his owne bountie and naturall disposition to Liberalitie as it did from an opinion which hee conceiued That in so doing hee should gaine the loue and good liking of manie English Lords who being discontented with the last Kings Gouernment were not well pleased with his sonne who had crossed them in most of those affaires And moreouer he knew the noble valour and courage of King Edward to be so eminent that it was now high time to craue counsell of Wisdome and of Policie how and by what meanes he might preuent him from making himselfe more great And because Reason and common Experience taught him That hee whose owne house is on fire will rather imploy his endeuours to quench that flame than to set his enemies house on fire also hee therefore practised secretly with Lluellen the most valiant Lluellen of Wales sueth to the French King to haue in marriage Elianor the exiled daughter of the late Earle of Leicester and greatest in dignitie among the Welchmen that he with those inhabitants would rebell if at anie time anie Warres were but likely to be attempted against the French Nation by King Edward And this his plot was much furthered by the exile of the aforesaid Ladie Elianor who being by reason of her misfortunes in the disposing and power of the French King was with great importunitie desired in marriage by the said Lluellen to whome vpon those conclusions and agreements especially shee was sent with honourable attendance and rich gifts She is sent towards Wales But king Edward being secretly informed both of the said purpose and of her passage towards Wales wisely preuented his owne danger and intercepted her on the Sea She is taken at Sea and detained her as his prisoner By meanes whereof Lluellen whose best Rhetoricke to persuade was by open Warre and Rebellion entred into the field with manie thousands Lluellen rebelleth who were more readie to robbe and to steale than to reclayme themselues and to be mindfull of their dutie to their Prince The King rayseth an Armie The King likewise on his part purposing to make his first voyage terrible to the Welchmen for examples sake to that fickle Nation leuied so strong an Armie that by all conjectures the Welchmen were altogether vnable to resist him And it seemed they thought so too For their chiefest Captaine and Leader partly for the loue which he bare to his longed-for Ladie and partly to preuent those fatall dangers which knocked at his dore vnexpectedly submitted himselfe to the Kings Grace Lluellen voluntarily submitteth himselfe and yeelded himselfe to be disposed of wholly and onely at the Kings pleasure and vowed and protested with manie great and solemne Oathes That his obedience should be constant Lluellen voweth and sweareth loyaltie and his sword alwaies readie to serue the King both against France and against all others in future time if he might be made happie with the Kings fauour and haue the enjoyment of his Ladie Lluellen is pardoned fauored and wiued The King whose heart was euer enclined to mercie and more desired by affabilitie to winne an enemie than to conquer him by blowes and supposing that his loue to his Mistresse would be a stronger bond to strengthen his allegeance than anie other thing freely granted him his pardon his fauour and his wife And thus those Warres which menaced the death of manie thousands were quietly ended without the effusion of anie bloud But within few yeares after Lluellen Lluellen rebelleth by the wicked persuasions and enticement of his brother Dauid a man more contentious than prouident and lesse valiant than mutinous and yet one whome the King did extraordinarily loue and fauour rebelled against the King and fought with Sir Roger Mortymer manie sharpe and aduantagious battailes Lluellen and his brother are taken and beheaded But at length Gods judgements hastening Traytors to a shamefull end both of them were taken and their heads as Trophies of the victorie were sent vnâ—â— the King who caused them to be set vpon the Tower of London for a terror vnto others and there they remained long after But notwithstanding all this yet the naturall disposition of the Welchmen so strongly preuailed and so blind they were and vnable to foresee their owne ruine The Welchmen rebell againe and againe that within few moneths after they rebelled twice and by manie slaughters and strange executions they were subdued and compelled to obey And because their Warres were rather maintained and cherished by shiftings and by startings into the huge and vast Woods which made those Rebels more disordered They are subdued and confident to saue themselues when greatest danger did approach the King caused those Woods to be hewen downe Their woods are burned and to be consumed with fire By meanes whereof they were reduced to a more ciuill kinde of life They become more ciuill and began to practise diuers commendable Occupations Arts and Sciences and tooke some pleasure from thenceforth to liue like honest men In the eighteenth yeare of King Edwards Raigne The King of Scots breaketh
his necke Alexander the King of Scots not hauing anie issue of his bodie fell with his horse and vnfortunately brake his necke He had three sisters the eldest of which was married vnto Iohn Baylyol Lord of Galloway the second vnto Robert le Bruze Lord of Valley-Androw and the third was married into England to Iohn Hastings Lord of Abergauenny Contention about the Crowne of Scotland Betwixt these three each of them being backed with the best support of their most able friends sharpe bickerings and ciuill warres occasioned the deaths of manie worthie and valiant men together with the ruine and destruction of some of their Houses and best Fortunes The title is referred to the censure of King Edward as to the soueraign Lord thereof and the Commonweale of that kingdome receiued manie desperate wounds and strange misaduentures because each of them in the right of his wife attempted and hoped to be a king Whereupon king Edward with great expedition went into Scotland as their Soueraigne Lord and endeuoured to compose this strife But such was their mutuall desire to raigne that no persuasions preuailed to make anie one of them to yeeld But in the end more sounder aduice tooke place so that they all by a publike writing vnder their hands and seales consented to referre themselues and their Titles to the censure and judgement of King Edward Scotland is surrendred to king Edward And by the same Instrument they freely surrendered all Scotland and that Crowne into the Kings hands to the end that thereby they might enable him absolutely to possesse such a one of them in that Kingdome as in his judgement ought to haue the same Hee also receiued from them in writing their seuerall demands and each mans proofes A wise and a discreet King reasons and arguments to maintaine his Clayme And thereupon King Edward elected and made choice of twentie of the most discreet wise and worthie men of his kingdome of England and of twentie more of the kingdome of Scotland and by their aduice and counsell he informed himselfe truly of that businesse and at length pronounced his Sentence for Iohn Baylyol Iohn Bailiol is made King of the Scots He doth homage for it to the King who had married the eldest of those three sisters who receiued from him that Crowne and Countrey and for it performed and did his homage to King Edward The King although he were earnestly employed in these and in other affaires at home yet was he more troubled with greater businesses abroad The French King wrongeth King Edward by reason that the French King daily wronged him in Gascoyne Guyan and elsewhere And to maintaine those warres the King by the aduice and counsell of William Marchyan his chiefest Treasurer seized into his hands the Plate Iewels and Treasure of the Churches and of the religious Houses within this kingdome Euâ—ll counsell and compelled the Clergie to giue vnto him the one halfe of one yeares value of all their Ecclesiasticall Dignities and Promotions The King stâ—â—ppeth the Church He is hated by Church-men This vnaccustomed Sacriledge made the King hatefull in Church-mens eyes But yet he seemed in some sort to content them with faire promises of Restitution when his Treasures should by other meanes be encreased But they little relying vpon that promise and by common experience in other things being resolued that the Kings Coffers would not be emptied to fill theirs and yet feeding themselues with a vaine hope that some other recompence might be made them became humble sutors to the King The Clergies â—ute denyed That he would be pleased to reuoke and to annihilate the Statute which in the fourth yeare of his Raigne was made against Mortmayne Mortmayne which prohibited the giuing and the conueying of anie Lands and Tenements to anie Corporation whatsoeuer without the Kings leaue But as he neuer meant to gratifie them in anie sort whatsoeuer so he made them answer That it lay not in him without the consent of a Parliament to reuoke and to frustrate anie Law The Clergie to their great griefe and sorrow perceiued that their Treasure was swept away together with all hope of restitution or amends and though it vexed them inwardly yet durst they not to expresse anie outward tokens of dislike Thus when the King had augmented his store by the Clergies plentie he by the directions of his said Treasurer imposed a Taxe or Subsidie vpon euerie Sacke of Woolls A new Tax and vpon all Fells and Hydes which were to be transported out of this kingdome and also required the tenth part of euerie mans moueable goods and substance to maintaine his Warres which being granted hee caused it to be leuied by manie payments within the spâ—â—e of three yeares He also compelled the Clergie to bring into his Coffers all such summes of mony as they had promised to pay vnto the Pope towards the maintenance of the Christians Warre with the Turks in the Holie Land He also tooke vp one hundred thousand Quarters of the best Wheat and sent it to his Armies in Gascoyne and in Guyan where they fought with much courage and valour but with doubtfull successe sometimes gaining what was lost and sometimes loosing what they had wonne In the fiue and twentieth yeare of King Edwards Raigne 25. 1296. Iohn Baylyol inuadeth England Iohn Baylyol the King of Scots partly by the secret procurement of the French King and partly by the lewd aduice and counsell of factious and wicked persons sent a Defiance with a proud renunciation of his Fealtie and Homage to the King and with an Armie of braine-sicke Rebels entred into the Northerne parts of this kingdome where with fire and sword they oppressed such as could make no resistance and without pitie and compassion slew such as were armed in the defence of their Countrey and to saue themselues The King with an army marcheth against the Scots Whereupon King Edward recounting his manifold fauors and great loue to the said reuolted King and the high Honour wherewith not manie yeares before he had graced him and being resolued to correct his vnthankfulnesse with sharpe reuenge leuied a puissant Armie and marched in full strength towards the Northerne parts and found his fortune to be so fauourable Barwike wonne The Scots are ouerthrowne 25000 Scots are slaine that with much ease hee wonne the strong Castle of Barwike with the slaughter of fiue and twentie thousand Scots He also wonne the well-defended Castle of Donn-Barre and piercing into the sides of Scotland hee tooke Edenburrough and all other places of the best defence And the King of Scots perceiuing the dangerous estate wherein hee stood and reposing his last hopes in the Kings Grace by the aduice of all his Nobles repaired in person to the Kings presence The King of Scots yeeldeth himself and surrendreth his Kingdome He is sent to the Tower of London humbly submitted himselfe craued pardon
Scotland the Low Countries Gascoyne Guyan and elsewhere and then he displaced those corrupted Officers and placed better in their steads The Prince is committed to prison and Pierce Gaueston is banisht Cornwall and Wales giuen to the Prince 29. 1300. Peace betwixt England and Scotland The Scots doe sweare obedience The Popes claime to be high Lord of Scotland and his command to King Edward About the same time Doctor Langton then Bishop of Chester complained grieuously to the King vpon Edward the yong Prince who by the lewd aduice and instigation of Pierce Gaueston his loose and gracelesse companion brake forcibly into his Parke and made hauocke of his game for which the Prince was committed to prison and Gaueston was banished the land and required not to return on paine of death And the next yeere after Edmund Earle of Cornwall sonne to Richard King of the Romans died without issue so that that Earldome reuerted to the Crowne which together with the Principalitie of Wales the King gaue vnto Prince Edward his eldest sonne and heire apparant to his Crowne In the three and thirtieth yeer of King Edwards raigne a generall peace was proclaimed betweene England and Scotland and Robert le Bruse and many other knights Lords and Earles of that Country came into England and voluntarily swore their fealtie and their homage to the king yet before one yeare was fully expired the said Lord Bruse and many others secretly procured from the Pope an instrument in writing by which the Pope made claime to the kingdome of Scotland as holden of his Church of Rome and the king was thereby peremptorily required to surcease from all demands of Tenure and of Soueraintie ouer it The Kings message to the Pope But the king by the aduice of his Nobles signified by his Embassadors to the Pope That the Signiory and Lordship of the said kingdome of Scotland did only belong to the kings of England and not vnto the See of Rome nor vnto any other and therefore he prayed him to reuoke his said Instrument and vniust claime for that both hee and his Nobles were resolued to maintain his right and lawfull inheritance therein with the vtmost expence of their goods lands and liues But whilst those things were thus handling Robert le Bruse doth vsurp in Scotland The King in his owne person the fourth time subdueth the Scots The vsurper flieth into Norway The King dieth Robert le Bruse by the Popes consent caused himself to be crowned king of that Realm which occasioned king Edward the fourth time to enter into Scotland with a puissant Armie where he so largely extended his valor and with the sword so fiercely deuoured the Inhabitants which ioynd with their vsurping king that they were compelled with extraordinarie tokens of subiection and humilitie to yeeld themselues to the kings mercie And Robert le Bruse finding no meanes to make good his false title to that Crown secretly withdrew himselfe and fled into Norway where he remained vntill king Edwards death which happened soone after when hee had raigned victoriously almost thirty fiue yeeres THE HISTORIE OF KING EDVVARD THE SECOND AFTER the Kings death his sonne Edward succeeded and was crowned King His tall and comely Personage An euill King graced with outward Majestie seemed to promise manie blessings to ensue But his Maners being grossely corrupted by lewd and gracelesse companions were so lasciuious and vnbefitting the condition of a King that he became burthensome to his Nobilitie and almost a skorne to his inferior subjects For hee neglected the societie and the counsell of such as were wise and graue and consorted himselfe with his owne Minions by meanes whereof he put in practise euerie loathed thing wherein hee could either take pleasure or expresse his follie So that his euill Gouernment made his Kingdome to be vnfortunate and himselfe a president of wretchednesse to succeeding Ages as in the discourse of his Historie it will more particularly appeare No sooner was his head adorned with his Imperiall Crowne Pierce Gaueston but his heart longed for Pierce Gaueston the wicked corrupter of his youth and the professed enemie of all honestie and vertue For albeit that he was exiled by the last King The King breakes his Oath to recall Gaueston who tooke an Oath of this his Successor neuer to permit him vnpunished to come backe againe into England yet the remembrance of his villanies consorting with the Kings bad nature and euill disposition was a quicke messenger for his returne Pierce Gaueston is all in all And his arriuall so aboundantly replenished the Kings conceits with extraordinarie joy that nothing else in comparison of it gaue him anie contentment Neither could anie man besides him expect for anie gracefull entertainement from the King The Nobles tell the King of his Oath The Noble men who perfectly knew how wickedly this Gaueston was enclined perceiuing that the King doted on him and that his affections towards him were vnlimited being perplexed with inward griefe and fearing the Ruine which through his insolencie threatened the subuersion of the whole Realme emboldened themselues to put the King in minde of his oath But as his conscience troubled him not for the breach thereof So their disliking encreased his desires towards Gaueston and to make him great For Gaueston alone and none but Gaueston was likely to doe all in all and frowne hee that frowne would the King cared not who was displeased hee was resolued that Gaueston should be great And therefore hee first Lorded him with the Baronie of Wallingford Gaueston is aduanced and soone after he created him Earle of Cornwall and made him the sole and onely Commander ouer his Iewels and his Treasure In which Office so absolute was his power and so cunning was his craftie head to prouide in the time of his prosperitie for aduerse fortune which might ensue that secretly he conueyed beyond the Sea a faire Table and Tressels He conueyes the Kings Iewels out of the Realme all made of beaten gold and manie rich and precious Ornaments and Iewels to the great hurt and prejudice of the King and of this Realme Hee also tooke much pleasure to feede the Kings fancies with great varietie of new delights The King liueth loosely and lewdly and by his example hee enured him to Banquet Drinke and to Carowse beyond measure And his dishonest persuasions and enticements made him carelesse of the Bed and of the societie and fellowship of Isabell his Religious and vertuous Queene the daughter of the French King Philip the faire and sister to his Successor Charles the fourth and trayned him to the adulterous consortship of wanton Curtizans and shamelesse Whores The Queene in vaine seeketh to reclaime the King The Queene who sorrowed hereat beyond measure reposed all means for redresse of those her vnsufferable wrongs in her prayers vnto God and in her modest wooings for her Kings loue But all her endeuours
Seigniories of Callice Marguise Sandgate and Coloigne 4. And lastly That in regard thereof King EDWARD The Title to the Crowne of France is relinquished As well in the behalfe of himselfe as of his Successours Kings of England should vtterly renounce and leaue both the name and title to the Kingdome of France And for the performance of these Articles ANNO. 34 How the obseruation of this Peace was ratified The King and Prince returne into England Charles the Regent of France and the Prince of Wales in the presence of six Knights of either Nation receiued the holy Sacrament at the high Altar and then King Edward and his sonne returned into England and were with all complements of loue and kindnesse entertained and feasted at the Tower of London by the French King who was conueyed from thence to Callis The French King feasteth them The two princes sweare Hostages where according to agreement he remained foure moneths and then King Edward repaired to him and both of them at a high Masse solemnly swore to obserue performe and keepe the said Articles and the peace And King Iohn for the hostages of his Ransome deliuered to King Edward foure Dukes seauen Earles ten Barons many Knights and two of the worthiest Burgesses of euery great Citie in France and tooke a most friendly leaue of the King and of the Prince of Wales and departed towards Boleine King Iohn was a prisoner foure yeares he hauing remained a prisoner more then foure yeares And King Edward with his sonne returned into England bringing with them their honorable Hostages who were with all humanitie and kindnesse feasted and entertained by the King and by his Nobilitie and were permitted freely to vse all sports pastimes and exercises for pleasure and contentation as they pleased ANNO. 37 Three Kings doe visite King Edward King Iohn dieth in England The Blacke Prince liueth in Burdeaux ANNO. 40 The causes of King Edwards future losses in those Countries Peter King of Castile is deposed by Henry the Bastard King Charles the fifth taketh part with Henrie the Bastard The Blacke Prince being victorious resetleth Peter in his Kingdome About two yeares after king Edward was at one time visited for loue and kindnesse onely and for no businesse at all by three Kings that is to say by king Iohn of France Dauid the king of Scots and by the king of Cyprus and were with all munificent bountie and liberalitie feasted and honored by the King but king Iohn fell sick and dyed in the Sauoy and his body was conuayd vnto S. Dennis in France where with great pomp and princely ceremonies it was buried The next yeare following the noble Prince of â—ales and his wife being very gallantly attended and prouided went vnto Burdeaux where he liued and gouerned the kings Prouinces thereabout and elsewhere in France to the great contentment and good liking of the Nobles and commons of those Countries In the fortith yeare of king Edwards raigne an vnfortunate businesse was taken in hand by the valiant Prince of Wales which albeit it were performed with great resolution and was rewarded with deserued honor yet within few yeares by reason of a future accident it was the occasion that king Edward lost a great part of his territories in France and it was thus Peter the true and lawfull king of Castile was in the field ouerthrowne put to flight and dispossessed of his Crowne by Henry his Bastard Brother who was assisted by Charles the fifth the sonne of Iohn the deceased king of France This poore distressed king in his wants and miserie repaired to the Prince of Wales for ayd who for his restoring and vpon large and faithfull promises of liberall pay and great rewards conducted an armie into Castile And albeit that the Spanish and the French forces were in number four times more then the Princes were yet in a bloudie battaile the most of them were slaine and the rest were put to flight And king Peter was againe restored to his Crowne and setled in his kingdome by the Prince who returned againe to Burdeaux with great honor But not long after Henry the Bastard Henrie the Bastard taketh and slaieth Peter Peters two heires married to Iohn of Gant and Thomas of Woodstocke The want of pay was the Prince his ouerthrow This Taxe mard all being newly supplied with fresh forces warred with such great furie and violence vpon king Peter that he subdued him and to preuent all future claymes and troubles which he might make he caused him to be put to death But his two daughters and heires were after marryed vnto Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and to Thomas of Woodstock two of king Edwards sonnes By reason of king Peters death the Prince his souldiours being hopelesse to receiue their promised pay and large rewards and being oppressed with many wants daily petitioned the Prince to supply their need But he finding none other meanes to support their necessities nor being stored with money to relieue their pouertie imposed contrary to the customes of those Countries diuers Taxes vpon the inhabitants of Aquitaine which so highly did displease them that the Lords thereof complained of this sharp noueltie to the French king who flatly contrary to the Articles not long before concluded on for peace betwixt England and France arrogated to himselfe the Soueraignty ouer the Prince The French King breakes the League and his Dominions in France and sommoned him to appeare before him at Paris So that the peace and those agreed Articles were broken by the French king The Prince sommoned to appeare at Paris Warres proclaimed Almost all do reuolt from the Prince The mutabilitie of fortun An vnfortunate yeare and warres were againe proclaymed betweene England and France But before the Prince of Wales could enable his forces for a strong defence the inhabitants of those Countries for the most part reuolted from him and dayly yeelded their Townes Cities Forts and Castles into the hands of the French king So that king Edward who for the space of forty yeares together was most honorable and more fortunate then any other Christian Prince by gayning of incredible victories vpon the Scots and French Nation within the compasse of one yeare without blowes lost almost all his Commaund in those Prouinces which by the said agreement and articles of peace were allotted and by solemne oath assured vnto him King Charles of France forgetting what he had sworne ANNO. 43 The French Name and pleasing himselfe thus quietlie to be made the Lord of all those Countries which were assigned to king Edward conceiued strong hope not only to defeat him vtterly of all these Countries but also to vex him at home in his owne kingdome And for that purpose he furnished a strong Nauie with which he kept the Narrow Seas But king Edward to driue those forces back againe sent his sonne Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Iohn of Gant with an
sorrow he had not procured a mitigation of his punishment For hee was confined into the I le of Wight where contrarie to the Kings promise hee endured such miserie and was so grieuously oppressed with the griefe which hee sustained by reason of his great wants that he quickly died But the good Duke of Glocester the Kings Vncle being vnsentenced was sent to Callice where according to the Kings directions Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham betwixt two feather-beds caused him to be smothered to death for which good seruice he was afterwards made a Duke This being done the King procured the Vpper and the Lower Houses of Parliament to make an example without precedent by granting full and absolute authoritie vnto six or eight such persons as he should nominate finally to determine all such causes and to enact them as then remained vndiscussed and not ended there This act not only made him proud but to serue his present turnes he nominated for that purpose such as to please his humour decreed manie thinges which were dishonourable to the King and hurtfull to the Common-weale The King will be called Prince of Cheshire The King also to please his Guard who for the most part were Cheshire men of ordinarie parentage and of base birth caused himselfe verie ridiculously to bee stiled Prince of Cheshire as if it had beene more honourable for him to be such a Prince then to be the King and Monarch of the whole Realme And to adde more strength and liking vnto those thinges which then were done amisse the King bestowed manie honorable dignities vpon some of his best liked Noble-men So that his Cousin Henrie of Bullingbrooke sonne and heire apparant to the Kings fourth Vncle Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and who was at that time Earle of Darby was by him created Duk of Hartford his Cousin Edward Plantagenet being Earle of Rutland Creation of Noblemen was created Duke of Aubemarle and Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham was made Marshall of England and Duke of Norfolke and the Earle of Kent was created Duke of Surrie and Sir Iohn Holland his brother being Earle of Huntington was made Duke of Exeter and the Earle of Somerset was created Marquesse Dorset and the Lord Spencer was made Earle of Glocester the Lord Neuil Earle of Westmerland the Lord William Scrope Earle of Wilshire and the Lord Percie was created Earle of Worcester and vpon all these he bestowed many great Lordships Mannors and large reuenewes which of late did belong to his murdred vncle Thomas of Woodstock sometimes Duke of Glocester and vnto the said two deceased Earles of Arundell and of Warwicke He also granted his free pardon to all offendors whatsoeuer A craftie Pardon which inabled the King to much mischiefe fifteene only excepted whom he would not nominate By which vngodly and craftie pollicie hee hedged his Nobilitie â—ound about with continuall feare and made them most seruile and most base For if anie one of them in anie high measure had offended him hee would then pronounce him to bee one of those fifteene who were excepted out of his free and generall pardon and then would put his life vpon triall for supposed and surmised Treason It happned about this time ANNO. 22 that Henrie Bullinbrooke Duke of Hartford and Cousin to the King The Kings Cousin desireth reformation in the King by his friend Tho. Mowbray Duke of Norfolke whom the King did fauour extraordinarily was much grieued daily to heare such slanderous reports as were too commonly noysed of the King partly vpon his too much libertie which beyond the Lawes hee challenged in the course of his Gouernment and partly by reason of his vniust and vnskilfull managing of the weightie affaires and businesses of his Kingdome And though affection by meanes of his neere consanguinitie with the King moued him heartily to wish for and to desire a present reformation of those euills yet could hee not better deuise how hee might effect that which hee so much craued than by making vse of his great familiaritie and acquaintance with Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke who had an extraoâ—dinarie interest in the Kings fauour Wherevpon very priuately and in great secrecie as vnto a most kind and louing friend he imparted the causes of his griefe in that behalfe vnto the said Duke and earnestly entreated him vpon fit opportunitie and at his leasure and as from himselfe seriously to informe the King of the said reports and withall to entreate his Highnesse to extend more grace and more fauour to those Lords who for his honour and the Kingdomes good had both incurred his displeasure and also were with too much extremitie condemned of High Treason But the Duke of Norfolke who more respected his owne preferment than the kings honour and strongly presumed that hee had now gotten fit meanes to advance himselfe by his friends fall related all his sayings to the King A false and an vnfaithfull friend in the rudest and most vnciuill maner which he could deuise and added manie things to his relation which were vntrue and neuer spoken thereby aggrauating an offence which was not committed and incensing the king with high indignation to vow reuenge and punishment when the Duke of Hartfords fidelitie and loyall seruice deserued great thankes and a good reward The King is angrie The Duke of Hartford answereth for himselfe The king was so much vexed and enraged by meanes of these tidinges that nothing could giue him anie contentment in anie thing vntill his Cousin the Duke had made his answere therevnto And being sharply pressed thereunto by the king Such things as in that secret and friendly manner hee had desired might bee reformed he both confessed and iustified But the vntrue suggestions which falsly and malitiously were added he denied The Combat challenged and accepted And to cleare himselfe of them hee challenged the Duke of Norfolke to a single Combate which was by him accepted and consented vnto by the king But when the appointed day was come and the two Dukes were within the Lists readily prepared and aduanced themselues each toward the other for the encounter The King would not permit them to proceed but banished the Duke of Norfolke for euer Banishment who shortly after died at Venice and his Cousin the Duke of Hartford hee exiled for six yeares King Charles the sixt Whereupon Hee sayled into France and was honourably receiued by King Charles the sixth Father to the Queene of England King Richards wife who so effectually iustified him in his said actions and doings and so highly affected his Descent his Personage his Wisdome his Vertues and his right Noble Conditions that he would haue bestowed vpon him in marriage the Daughter of his Vncle the Duke of Berrie if his Sonne-in-law King Richard by extraordinarie sollicitations and by vnusuall meanes had not beene the hinderer thereof Iohn of Gant dieth Not long after this Dukes Banishment his
made him Duke of Norfolk he being altogether vnworthie of so great honor 8. Item that the King to further his last Expedition for Ireland without law without iustice tooke from the Clergie and many Religious houses great store of monie plate iewels and rich ornaments not hauing the owners consent so to doe 9 Item that in the same iournie without the approbation of his Counsell of Estate hee carried with him into Ireland the plate and rich iewels belonging to the Crowne which might haue tended to the great inpouerishment of this Realme 10 Item that in euerie Shire he had secret Intelligencers vpon whose bare information that ane man had repined at the Kings bad gouernement the partie so accused without examination or triall was enforced to procure his pardon by the payment of a grieuous fine 11 Item that by the lewd aduise of his wicked Counsellours hee had deuised manie subtle and craftie Oathes by meanes whereof manie of his honest Subiects had beene vndone 12 Item that by the like aduise and counsell he procured Ruffians and desperate companions to accuse rich but weake men of sundrie falsly-supposed crimes and imagined offences and by meanes thereof enforced them to redeeme the combate with much monie 13 Item that he gaue large gifts vnto wicked and lewd companions who malitiously to aduance their owne Estates animated him against diuers of his Barons who only desired a good reformation of his euill gouernment and imposed diuers Taxes vpon his people to enrich them 14 Item that hee had procured such Records to bee cancelled and imbeselled as testified his extortions and his oppressions vniustly imposed vpon his people 15 Item that he had oftentimes said that the Lawes of his Kingdome were in his owne breast and that vpon this opinion hee had put to death manie of his noble men and some of his inferiour subiects without iust cause 16 Item that most of his writings and letters vnto foraigne Princes and Estates were so craftie ambiguous doubtfull and vncertaine that they could not relie confidently vpon anie thing which he had written 17 Item that in his Parliament holden in the one and twentieth yeare of his Raigne his Cheshire Guard who onely were permitted and suffered to weare weapons committed many Robberies and Murders and yet not one of them was punished or reproued for the same 18 Item that to insinuate fauour with those loose and lewd companions the King had basely and fondly dishonoured his High Estate and Soueraigntie by entitling himselfe The Prince of Cheshire 19 Item that whereas in the same Parliament sundrie great Lords intended liberally and dutifully to haue spoken of such things as were not well ordered to the end that they might haue beene reformed the King in such sort threatned them that for feare of ensuing dangers they held themselues silent and spake not at all 20 Item that hee exacted great fines from the wealthiest of his Subiects for adhearing to the Barons notwithstanding that in full Parliament he had before granted them his free pardon 21 Item that by himselfe and his owne authoritie he had displaced diuers Burgesses of the Parliament and had placed such other in their roomes as would better fit and serue his owne turne 22 Item that contrarie to his solemne Oath and instrument in writing vnder the great Seale of his Kingdome Hee had not only disallowed the Commission granted in the same Parliament to the thirteene Lords to enquire of and to reforme the great abuses and the apparant misgouernment of the Common-Weale But also had exiled beheaded and otherwise executed diuers Noble Men and others who for the Kings honour and for the safetie and welfare of the Common-Weale had procured the said Commission or had executed the said Authoritie according to the trust and confidence in them reposed 23 Item that whereas hee had caused certaine Lawes in the same Parliament to bee made for his owne gaine and to serue his owne turne hee procured the Popes Bulles to curse such as should withstand or disobey them which thing greatly tended to the derogation of his Crowne and was done expressely against his owne law made against the Authoritie of the Pope within this Realme but seuen yeares before 24 Item that hee had displaced lawfull and good Shiriffes and had elected others whom he suffered to continue and to hold the said Office two yeares together and more because their vniust oppressions augmented and encreased his gaine King Richard confesseth all the Articles The transcript of all these Articles and Obiections were by both the Houses of Parliament authentically sent vnto the king who not only confessed them to bee true and acknowledged his owne insufficiencie to rule and to gouerne better but also by a plaine He resignes his Crowne King Richard is deposed Henrie Duke of Lancaster is made King Thomas Arundell restored to the Archbishopprick of Canterburie and exact instrument in writing vnder his hand and Seale hee resigned his Crowne and kingdome to his Cousin Henrie of Bullinbrooke Duke of Lancaster which being read publikely and beeing generally ratified approoued and confirmed by the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and by the Commons in the same Parliament assembled they deposed king Richard and made the said Duke king And his true and faithfull friend and his companion in Banishment Thomas Arundell Archbishoppe of Canterburie being then and there restored to his place and dignitie installed the said Henrie in the kingly Throne And the late King Richard was sent to Pomfret Castle there to bee safely kept and with Princely honour to bee maintained but verie shortly after by the new kings direction and commaundement who feared least his Estate might bee shaken so long as Richard liued hee was wickedly and villanously assaulted in his Lodging King Richard is cruelly murdered by Sir Pierce Exton and eight other armed men from one of which with a Princely courage hee wrested a browne-Bill and therewith slewe foure of his Mischieuous and Vngodly Assailants He was very valiant and with admirable resolution fought with all the rest vntill comming by his owne Chaire in which the base Cowardly Knight himselfe stood for his owne safetie hee was by him striken with a Polle-axe in the hinder part of his head Though hee were an euill King yet no religion warranted those vniust proceedings so that presently he fell downe and died And thus was hee wicredly and treacherously murdered and his bodie buried at Langley but was afterwardes remoued vnto Westminster where it now lieth THE HISTORIE OF KING HENRIE THE FOVRTH ALTHOVGH the Crowne of England ANNO. 1. 1399. in right if Richard the deposed king should die without issue was by succession to descend vnto Edmund Mortimer Earle of March the Son and heire of Edmund Mortimer by Philip his wife who was the daughter and heire of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third sonne of Edward the third Yet his Cousin Henrie of Bullinbrooke Duke of Hartford and
Armie And King Henrie to withstand him did the like But the English Armie landing in those Countries before the French King was in a readinesse and being boldly commanded and conducted by the Lord Percie Earle of Worcester vnto Sir Thomas Knowles the King of Englands Lieutenant there The French King giueth ouer his enterprise and they hauing taken the fealtie and the homage of the Lords of those Prouinces for their obedience and alleageance vnto King Henrie caused the French King to change his mind and dishonourably to disband all such companies as hee had leuied Yet for all this King Henrie still distrusting the weakenesse of his vsurped title and endeuouring to support it with a more sure foundation entreated the French King Charles the sixt to giue in marriage his daughter Isabel sometime King Richards wife vnto his eldest sonne Henrie Marriages with France are seldome fortunate Prince of Wales But her father obseruing that marriages betwixt England and France were but seldome fortunate denied the kings request whereupon she was conueied into France with Princely attendance and great honour And not long after shee was married to her Cousin Charles the eldest sonne of Lewes Duke of Orleance her Vncle. The aforesaid Treason conspired against the king by the aforesaid Lords and the late preparations of the French King first to haue inuaded the Kingdome of England and secondly to haue wrought wonders in Aquitaine and in Guyan and the frequent speeches which euerie where were vttered touching the manner of the Kings attaining to the Crowne animated the Welchmen and the Scots to shew themselues troublesome neighbours vnto the King Owen Glendor rebelleth For in Wales Owen Glendor a bold Squire with manie hundreds of his lawlesse and vnciuill companions entred into Armes and did much harme in the Marches which bordered neere vnto them Against whom Edmund Mortimer taken and sharply imprisoned the Lord Gray of Ruthen and Edmund Mortimer who was the true and rightfull Heire of the Crowne conducted their Forces and fought with him But they both were taken Prisoners and the said Edmond was by him kept close in a darke Dungeon which was both cold and vnhealthie where hee was ouerburdened with daily wants and much miserie All which were with the greater extremitie laid vpon him because king Henrie his Cousin should bee enforced the sooner to redeeme him with a great Ransome Wherein because the King was too too slacke and negligent hee was entreated and vrged by his Lords The King would not redeeme him but especially by the distressed Earles kinsmen the Percies But vnto them all he turned the deafe eare rather desiring his destruction then holding it safe for him to set him free The Scots also inuaded the Northerne parts of this Kingdome The Scots inuade but King Henrie with a puissant Armie entred into their Countrie and reuenged his wrongs euerie where with fire and sword at his owne pleasure The king curbeth them But because the Winter was extraordinarily wet and cold hee dissolued his Armie and with great honour victoriously he returned backe But as soone as hee was gone the angrie Scots being in number twentie thousand at the least entred with barbarous crueltie into England vpon the Northumbers The Scots againe doe inuade Henrie Hotspurre ouerthroweth them His great Prisoners but were gallantly encountred by Sir Henrie Hot-spurre the sonne and heire apparant of Henrie Percie Earle of that Prouince who with tenne thousand lustie and braue men gaue the Scots such a bloudie ouerthrow that he slew of them more then tenne thousand in the field and tooke aboue fiue hundred Prisoners among whome Mordake Earle of Fyffe Archibald Earle Douglasse Thomas Earle of Murrey and Robert Earle of Angus were the chiefe The next yeare following ANNO. 1. The Frenchmen spoyled by a storme at Sea the French King sent for Wales to assist Owen Glendor in his rebellious enterprises twelue hundered Lords Knights and Gentlemen of good accompt that they might be leaders and directors to those disordered Traytors But the winds not being answerable to their desires were so contrarie at the Sea and a storme so violently encreased that twelue of their greatest shippes with all their men and furniture were swallowed into the Sea and the rest with great difficultie returned into France This misfortune so animated the English Nation The English doe deride the French that they beganne euerie where to talke of and to iest at the French King because all his warlike expeditions had still beene vnfortunate and disastrous and though they threatned much Twelue thousand Frenchmen sent into Wales yet alwayes they vanished as a cloude The report whereof so whetted and exasperated his resolutions to doe some memorable seruice that forthwith hee sent vnto the said rebelling Welchmen an armie of twelue thousand men who safely landed and ioyned with ten thousand of that Nation The King marched into Wales This Armie occasioned King Henrie to prepare soundly for his safetie For hee was well assured that if anie neglect or want of skill or of courage should giue them the least aduantage whatsoeuer then his Crowne would be shaken and manie miseries would threaten his ouerthrow Wherefore hee in his owne person marched with a strong and with a compleat Armie into Wales But assoone as the Frenchmen had certaine notice of his comming they thought it was high time for them to aduise what course to take perchance not because they were distrustfull of their owne valour and resolution but because the inconstancie of that turbulent and fickle Nation when danger did appeare affrighted them fully with feares and with doubts least they would flie into the Woods and craggie Mountaines and forsake them when they should craue the best performance of their helpe The Frenchmen flie to their ships And so strongly did this doubtfull feare possesse them that suddenly like men amazed and heartlesse they ranne vnto their ships and not hauing performed anie manner of seruice whatsoeuer disgracefully and cowardly they returned into France The King is victorious without blowes Hereupon the Welch Rebelles desperatly shifting for themselues fled euerie man his owne way so that king Henrie found those Traiterous multitudes dispersed and quite vanished and would not be fought with Wherefore hee dissolued his great armie and returned in peace without blowes The King marrieth the Dutches of Britaine The King makes great friends abroad ANNO. 3. The King requireth the Percies to deliuer to him their Scotish Prisoners They refuse it The Percies resolue to set Edmond Mortimer at libertie and to restore him to the Crown Afterwards King Henrie tooke to wife Iane the widdow of Iohn the deceased Duke of Brittaine and gaue Blanch his eldest daughter in marriage vnto William Duke of Bauier the sonne and heire apparant of the Emperor Lewes of Bauier And some few yeares after hee matched Philip his yongest daughter with the King of Denmarke For his daily
tyre out his Armie to pursue him Wherefore hee returned ouer the Riuer of Loyre and tooke eyther by force or by voluntarie yeelding manie Townes and Castles vnto his owne vse Pâ— Henry is borne About the same time Queene Katherine was deliuered of a Sonne at Windsour who was named Henrie Of whose birth as soone as the King had notice he said vnto the Lord Fitz-Hugh his Chamberlaine The Kings words I HENRIE borne at Monmouth shall remaine but a short time and gaine much but HENRIE borne at Windsour shall raigne long and lose all The King who for manie weekes together had besieged the well-defended Towne of Meux in Bry enforced it to bee yeelded into his hands and thereupon all the Townes and Fortresses in the Isle of France in Lanuoys in Bry and in Champaigne did the like The Dolphin entreth into the Duke of Burgoines countrey When the Dolphin vnderstood that the King with his Armie was departed farre away from him hee raysed another Armie and entred into the Duke of Burgoines Countries wasting and consuming it with Sword and with Fire and straitly besieged the Citie of Cosney Cosney is besieged which by composition was to be yeelded to him if it were not rescued within tenne daies Of this Agreement notice was sent by the Duke of Burgoine to the King with a request That he would send a power conuenient for the remoue of the said Siege The King goeth to relieue Cosney Whereupon the King in his owne person being accompanied with a gallant companie marched towards that Citie to set it free But as he trauelled on the way he fell so sicke that he was vnable to trauaile anie further The King falleth sick So the charge of that expedition was committed to his brother Iohn Duke of Bedford whose passage forth was noysed to the Dolphin to be with such an high courage and souldior-like resolution that the Dolphin fearing to grapple with him raysed his siege The Dolphin sayeth and most dishonourably retyred himselfe and his Armie into Berry And thus was that Citie rescued and deliuered by the English The King by reason of his encreasing sicknesse waxing more weake and feeble was carried vnto Boys in Vyncennes where within few dayes he was summoned by Death to depart into another world But before he died The Kings Speech before he died he called vnto him his two brothers Iohn Duke of Bedford and Humfrey Duke of Glocester the former hee made Lieutenant Generall of Normandie and Regent of the kingdome of France and the other he made Protector of England and of his sonnes owne person Hee embraced his approaching end comfortably in regard that though his time had been but short yet it was beautified with matchlesse fame and honour which longer continuance being the professed enemie of stabilitie might haue changed He exhorted them and his Nobles who then were present to maintaine true and heartie loue and friendship with his noble and faithfull friend Philip Duke of Burgoine and neuer to be at variance with him Hee persuaded them to nourish and to cherish an vnseparable vnitie and faithfull friendship among themselues to be faithfull and louing to his young infant sonne and their succeeding king Henrie and by all meanes to bee helpefull ayding and assisting to his most sad dolorous and mournefull Queene to preserue and to maintaine by Wisdome Policie and Armes those things which he by valour and GODS furtherance had honourably wonne and gotten Neuer to conclude any peace or amitie with the late Dolphin and Duke of Alanson vntill they were enforced to submit themselues to his sonnes grace and mercie Finally he thanked Almightie GOD who had made him Religious Vertuous Honest and Victorious The King died and died the last day of August in the yeare of our LORD GOD 1422. in the eight and thirtieth yeare of his Age when hee had raigned but nine yeares fiue moneths and foure and twentie dayes And his bodie being conueyed into England was buried among his noble Progenitors at Westminster with extraordinarie solemnitie and great pompe THE HISTORIE OF KING HENRIE THE SIXT KIng Henrie the fifth died when his sonne Henrie was but nine months old 1422. 1 A yong king but well gouerned Yet was hee so fortunate in his beginning that his Youth and Gouernment were worthily supported by his three vncles Humfrey Duke of Glocester who when the King was crowned was made Protector both of his Person and also of his Realme Iohn Duke of Bedford who was established Regent of France and Thomas Duke of Exeter who graced all his actions with much wisdome and great valour Needfull it was that the new Protector and the Regent should make the vtmost tryall of their sufficiencies to the World For whereas in the end of the Kings fathers dayes France is vnwilling to remain English the Nobilitie of France incorporated themselues to the English Nation and heartily enuied the Dolphin King Charles about this time died and the vnconstant Frenchmen began to play an Irish game For on a suddaine manie of those dissembling and fained friends renounced their duties and obedience to King Henrie and vtterly neglecting the performance of Oathes of Allegeance made vnto him they reuolted and not onely adhered to Charles their new King but by all sinister practises and meanes they endeuoured to extirpe the English Nation among them if they might The Regents Policies The Protector at home by the aduise and counsell of the Statists plotted manie Proiects for the retayning of the Kings inheritance in Normandie and in France and for that purpose he furnished the Regent with store of Souldiours Siluer and of Gold The Regent also leuied a strong Armie in Normandie among his choysest and chiefest friends whome by substantiall arguments and sound reasons hee persuaded to perseuere and to continue loyall to his Master and not to be wearied with anie labour or daunted with anie danger because a peacefull and a blessed conclusion should make them rich and fortunate and winne to them the loue and fauour of their young King as hee encreased in wisedome and in yeares And on the other side Charles the new King spared not anie paines but did the like insomuch that nothing but tyrannizing Warre and the vnchristian effusion of much bloud was thought vpon And to begin those Troubles the French King sent the Lord Grandeuyle Pont-Melance taken with a selected companie to Pont-Melance which standeth on the Riuer of Seyne which hee surprized and slew the most part of them whom he found there before anie notice of his approach gaue anie warning to the English garrison to defend it The Earle of Salisburie a famous man Thomas Montacute the Earle of Salisburie for his admired courage and expert managing of martiall actions was at that time more fitly to be compared to a choise Roman than to anie other who liued in his dayes To this Earle the Regent commended the regayning
Counsell But because the most of them were Clergie-men they afforded no manner of redresse where at the Protector was much displeased But to requite him with more vexation and a greater trouble they caused the Lady Eleanor his wife The Protectors wife condemned for witchcraft to be accused and conuicted for conspiring of the Kings death with Witches and such like gracelesse people for which shee was inforced three times to doe publike Penance in the Citie of London and afterwards shee was committed to perpetuall Imprisonment But diuers of her condemned associates were Executed and put to sundrie kinds of death And now to returne to the French Warres King Henrie in regard of former seruices and of future hopes of the like performance Created the Lord Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewsburie Iohn created Earle of Shrewsbury A worthy Captaine and sent him into Normandie with three thousand selected men for the better securing of that Duchie In which expedition hee worthily demeaned himselfe and wonne much Honour This yeare the Countesse of Coming in Guyen died without issue and her inheritance was claimed by the French King And likewise the Earle of Arminacke pretended himselfe to be her next heire A mariage offered to King Henrie And to strengthen himselfe the better to gaine his right he offered his Daughter in marriage to King Henrie with the gift of much money and with the surrendring into his hands of all such Territories and possessions within the Duchie of Aquitaine and Guyen as either by Conquest or by discent did belong vnto him The King is offered to the Earle of Arminaks daughter This offer was willingly hearkned vnto and accepted by the King who by his Ambassadors was publikly offered to the said Lady But the French King minding rather to preuent dangers before they come then to remooue them after they were hapned so suddenly inuaded the said Earles Countries and Dominions with an Armie that with small or no resistance hee quickly made himselfe the Owner of them all The King refuseth her The newes whereof so altered and changed the minde and the affections of King Henrie towards his offered Lady that he would neuer after be perswaded to hearken vnto or to thinke vpon that match The grieued compassion which forraine Princes tooke vpon the lamentable distresse of poore France because the bloud of Christians was so vnmeasurably and so vnmercifully shed in those warres incited them to mediate both these Kings to make a friendly peace which was not effected according to their endeuours and desires A truce for eighteene moneths The Earle of Suffolke solliciteth another mariage for King Henry without authority giuen to him A dishonorable match propounded and concluded Reasons why this match was disliked but a truce only was concluded for eighteene moneths In the handling whereof the Earle of Suffolke not warranted by his Commission nor making his associates acquainted with his purpose sollicited a mariage betwixt his Lord and master King Henry and the Lady Margaret cosen to the French King and daughter vnto Reyner Duke of Angeow being the titularie King of Sicilie Naples and Ierusalem With her hee made no demand for any money because her father was but poore nay which was much worse hee consented that if the said mariage might be effected King Henry should freely and frankly release vnto her father all his right and title to the said Dutchie of Angeow and to the Country of Mayne The Lords of France were quickly wonne to hearken to this motion and King Henry was glad at the heart that he should haue for his wife such a faire and fresh Lady as the Earle of Suffolke could neuer praise enough But the Protector strongly opposed himselfe against this match terming her descent to be but Titularie and vrging much the pouertie of her father and told the King that his honour and reputation would receiue many scandals if he should reiect the Earle of Arminaks daughter vnto whom with all due ceremonies he was publikely affied and also that his losse would be lamentable if he released his lawfull and iust title to the Dutchie of Angeow and to the Country of Mayne according to the Earle of Suffolkes vnaduised offer But all his reasons as friuolous were reiected and his counsell was not cared for But the King to gratifie and to please such of his Noble-men as therein enclined themselues to his humour Creation of Lords bestowed on them new Dignities and honours For Iohn Lord Holland Earle of Huntingdon was created Duke of Exeter as his father had beene Humfrey Earle of Stafford was made Duke of Buckingham Henry Earle of Warwicke was made Duke of Warwicke and the said Earle of Suffolke was created Marques of Suffolke Which Marques being very honourably accompanied with great troupes of Lords The new Marquesse fetcheth the yong Queen The King is maried Ladies and other personages of great worth and honour went richly prouided into France and according to his condition receiued the Lady Margaret from the French King and from Reyner her father and conueied her with great pompe and princely magnificence into England where within few daies after she was maried to the King and crowned Queene Now as the prefixed time for the truce drew towards an end so King Henry perceiued that this his new alliance with the French King promised him not any certaintie that it should be enlarged or that he should haue peace For in France fresh supplies were hourely prouided to reuiue the former warre and euery day offered euident demonstrations that nothing was more to be expected then blowes Wherefore to encounter those preparations with the like prouisions the King assembled his high Court of Parlament A Parliament The Marquesse of Suffolks oration His motion in which the Marques of Suffolke in a powerfull glozing and tedious Oration extolled his owne deserts aboue the skies as well in his seruice in the French warres as also in mouing and in concluding the late truce and the Kings mariage He also admonished his Highnesse and the two houses there assembled what preparations for warre were made in France and how behoouefull it was for the King to doe the like And vpon this motion proceeding from his haughtie pride and ambitious minde the whole assemblie became humble suters to his Maiestie A Record made of his acts that not only his said admonition and aduice but also all his said former seruices and doings might in most ample sort be registred among the Rolles of Parliament for the perpetuallizing of his honour and of his name which with wonderfull applause was consented vnto and shortly after he was created Duke of Suffolke He is made a Duke Yet for all this before many yeares were expired he was in the same place accused conuicted and condemned for sundrie treasons Humana caduca misprisions and offences for which he was exiled taken and without law put to death as hereafter wee shall
came for his repose into the Lordship and Manour of Grafton where the Ladie Iaquet daughter to Peter of Luxenburgh late Earle of S. Paul and sometimes the widow of Iohn the renowned Duke of Bedford and wife to Sir Richard Wooduile Lord Ryuers then lay vpon whom there attended her daughter the faire and fresh Ladie Elizabeth the widow of Sir Iohn Grey who was slaine as hee fought for King Henry at S. Albons in the last yeare of his raigne The King in his absence marieth the Lady Elizabeth Grey This Lady was on the sudden so liked so loued so fawned and doated on by the lustie and young King that for dalliance sake hee resolued to make her his wanton play-fellow if he might But her constant modestie and amorous denials repulsing him from his vnchaste hopes he to obtaine the fruits of his desires without any further delay aduice or counsell tooke her to his wife and created the Lord Ryuers Creation of Lords her father Earle Ryuers and made him high Constable of England Her brother Anthony whom he had made Lord Anthony was by his procurement maried to the sole and only daughter and heire of Thomas Lord Scales and was in her right dignified with that honour Her sonne Sir Thomas Grey was created Marquesse Dorset and was by the Kings motion maried to the Ladie Cicilia the only daughter and heire to the Lord Bonuyle and of Harrington And though this his mariage with the Queene were pleasing for a time yet was it most vnhappie and vnfortunate in the end Euill effects of the Kings mariage For it occasioned his expulsion out of this Realme Secondly the deaths of his true friend Richard the most eminent and valorous Earle of Warwicke and of the Marquesse Montacute his brother Thirdly the slaughter and execution and the murdering of many Nobles Gentlemen and braue souldiers Fourthly the destruction of the Kings two sonnes and almost the vtter ruine and destruction of the Queenes kindred and of her bloud as hereafter in this Historie it shall appeare When the sudden newes of King Edwards hastie mariage was published in France 1464. 4 euery person whom it concerned was highly displeased at this frumpe which thereby hee gaue to his worthiest and dearest friend the Earle of Warwicke The Earle of Warwicke hateth the King and the Earle himselfe by reason thereof conceiued such an inward hatred against the King that in his heart he resolued when time should serue to depose him if he might yet notwithstanding he made faire weather He dissembleth for a time and at his returne seemed rather to make sport at his own disgrace then to take any discontented notice of it The King also who chiefly by this Earle was seated and setled in his Throne endeuoured secretly to abridge him of his authoritie and power because hee feared lest his greatnesse might doe him harme And the Earle although hee staied a while at the Court after his returne out of France yet as long as hee remained there he imagined that he stood on thornes Wherefore hee asked leaue of the King to depart vnto his Castle of Warwicke for his repose and for recreations sake But being come thither his head was busied with new proiects and all his thoughts were imployed how and by what meanes hee might subdue and depose the King The Lady Elizabeth borne And at this time was borne the Lady Elizabeth who was afterwards the wife of King Henrie the seuenth and mother vnto king Henrie the eight The King purposing to gaine the loue of forraine Princes that by meanes thereof he might with the more securitie defend himselfe against Lewis the French King A truce with the Scots who threatned to bee reuenged for the iniurie which by King Edwards marriage was done to him and to the sister of his Queene concluded a Truce for fifteene yeares with the King of Scots Notwithstanding that by the deliuerie of the Queene Margaret hee detained from him his strong Castle of Barwicke He also sent vnto Henrie King of Castiell and vnto Iohn King of Arragon many Cotshall Sheepe English sheep sent to the Kings of Castiell and of Arragon which neuer before vpon any entreatie or request they nor any other Prince could obtaine From which Sheepe such a multitude haue increased that it hath since turned to the vnspeakable preiudice and hurt of this kingdome and Common-weale The King also contrarie to the opinion and good liking of the Earle of Warwicke contracted and afterwards married his Sister the Lady Margaret vnto Charles the Duke of Burgoine The Duke of Burgoine marrieth the Kings Sister as formerly he had done two other of his Sisters to the Dukes of Exeter and of Suffolke The Earle of Warwicke who secretly thirsted for reuenge and thought the time to be long before hee had restored king Henrie the sixt to his libertie and Crowne by faire promises and insinuating perswasions wonne his two brothers the Archbishop of Yorke The Marques of Montacute was still a secret friend to king Edward and the Marques Montacute to take his part But the Marques who was exceeding hardly induced to giue his consent to so ill an intended action performed all things with an vnwilling minde which in the end turned to his owne ruine and to the destruction of his brethren The Earle likewise being right wel assured that the Kings brother George Duke of Clarence secretly enuied the King because he had preferred Anthonie the Queenes brother in marriage with the sole daughter and heire of the Lord Scales The Duke of Clarence ioyneth with the Earle of Warwicke against his brother the King and Sir Thomas Gray her Sonne in marriage with the sole daughter and heire of the Lord Bonuile and Harrington and the Lord Hastings to the sole daughter and heire of the Lord Hongerford was carelesse of his aduancement by such a match watched a fit opportunitie to complaine to the Duke of Clarence of the Kings sullen vngratefulnesse towards him Why quoth the Duke can you my Lord thinke that the King will be thankfull to his friend who is too too vnkind to his owne brethren Thinke you that friendship or good deserts can worke in him more vertuous effects then nature hath afforded him Is hee not now so highly mounted that hee vouchsafeth not to cast downe an eye vpon such as are of his owne bloud Nay who lay in his owne Mothers wombe Are not the allies and kinsfolkes of his Wife preferred by him to all Promotions Dignities Offices and good places And are not his owne brothers and his truest friends who haue fought in many assaults skirmishes and battailes to make him a Soueraigne King neglected vnrewarded and vncourteously shaken off Were my brother of Glocester of mine humour and disposition my Lord we would with your assistance and aide make him to know himselfe better and to set a difference betwixt his auncient and truely dignified Nobilitie and such
right and title to that Crowne and Kingdome The King and his Counsell thereupon quickly resolued to vndertake that businesse principally for these reasons 1. First because the Crowne of France was not ambitiously but iustly desired by the King who thought hee had good right and title thereunto 2. Secondly because French warres enriched English souldiers 3. Thirdly because those warres kept them at home and gaue them not any libertie to inuade this Realme 4. Fourthly because the French King had assisted Queene Margaret the Earle of Warwicke and their Complices against King Edward in the late Ciuill Warres 5. And fifthly because the said French King made warres vpon the Duke of Burgoine who had formerly aided King Edward for the regaining of his Crowne and Kingdome A beneuolence craued by King Edward But because money wanted for the defraying of so great a charge King Edward without a Parliament craued a beneuolence to be freely enlarged to him by his Subiects who gaue him some money but with an euill will Yet among others a rich yet a sparing and a nigardly widow did cheerefully giue vnto him twentie pounds A mery iest The King himselfe who was present but to her vnknowen perceiuing that vnexpectedly shee had bestowed vpon him so good a summe did not only giue her thankes but merily came and kissed her telling her that for her money shee should kisse a King The old woman was so much gladded with that courtesie that shee told the King his kisse was worth more money and therefore she added twentie pounds more to the former summe The King hauing in a readinesse before Douer a Fleet of fiue hundred ships and boats and hauing a puissant and a compleat Armie of fifteene hundred men at Armes on horsebacke The King transporteth an Armie for France and fifteene thousand tall Archers besides all such as attended for other needfull seruices departed from England and landed safely at Calice where hee was receiued with great honour and state But he was much greeued because the Duke of Burgoine vpon whose motion and at whose entreatie and promise to be met by him at Calice with two thousand men at Armes The Duke of Burgoine breaketh promise and aids him not hee came thither trifled with his whole Armie in the siege of Nuyce which he was not likely to winne and at length after much time spent in vaine had sent all his forces to Berroys in Lorrayne to be reuenged vpon Reyner Queene Margarets father Duke of that Prouince for that hee had vsed foule and vnseemely words towards him when he lay at the siege of Nuyce whereas if the said Duke of Burgoine had ioined with King Edward against the French King and with the Duke of Britaine who sided with King Edward they would haue put into hazard of winning the whole kingdome of France Yet King Edward with his owne Companies marched by Bollen to Perone into the Duke of Burgoines Countrey He breakes his promise againe where the said Duke had not made any manner of prouision for the refreshing of the English Armie according to his promise but suffred them to lie without his Townes in the cold and in the open fields whereat they were all displeased From thence king Edward with the said Duke marched towards S. Quintens which was secretly promised to be deliuered to him by Lewys of Luxenburgh Hee was Earle of S. Paul and Constable of France The King is kept out of S. Quintens great Vncle to king Edwards wife But when they came before it their entrie was not only denied but sallies were made vpon them and the great Ordinance plaied from the Towne vpon the kings Armie so that plainly he perceiued that nothing was to be obtained there without blowes To these breaches of promise was added one vnkindnesse more by the Duke of Burgoine who to visit his Armie A peace is concluded for nine yeares which then lay in Berroys in Lorrayne vnexpectedly left king Edward and rode thither leauing word behinde that hee would come vnto him with his whole Armie as soone as he should be able The French king being politicke and wise and knowing that if all those his enemies should ioine their strengths against him they would put him in hazard of his estate and being informed that king Edward was highly discontented by reason of the Duke of Burgoines vnfaithfull vsage and knowing that he beganne to feele the extremities of a winter warre mediated a friendly conference and a firme peace which by their Commissioners was effected for nine yeares in this sort The Articles of peace FIrst it was agreed that the French King should forthwith pay to King Edward towards his forepassed charges threescore and fifteene thousand Crownes and also the summe of fiftie thousand more for an yearly pension so long as King Edward liued 2. Secondly that the French King within one yeare should send for the King of Englands daughter the Ladie Elizabeth into France and marie her to the Dolphin for whose maintenance the French King should for nine years space pay yearly to them fiftie thousand Crownes and at the end of those yeares should deliuer to them the quiet and peaceable possession of the whole Duchie of Guyen 3. And thirdly that the Lord Haward and Sir Iohn Cheney master of the Horses should staie as hostages with the French King vntill the whole Armie had quited France and were landed in the Kingdome of England Reasons mouing King Edward to conclude this peace To these propositions King Edward and his Counsell consented for these reasons 1. First as the Duke of Burgoines promises were seldome or neuer honestly performed so with the King whom hee had drawen into those Countries and into those warres hee did but gloze and faine 2. Secondly because the Earle of S. Paul Constable of France did but dissemble when hee protested to deliuer to King Edward the Towne of S. Quintens which he did not but offered violence to his Armie in stead thereof 3. Thirdly because the winter which approched sharply would haue enforced him for that time to haue returned dishonourably into England 4. And last of all because the late Ciuill Warres had consumed most of his best souldiers and chiefest Leaders and the greatest part of his treasure so that King Edward was hardly able to maintaine a great Armie any long time But the Duke of Glocester and his friends who mortally hated the French King striued much to disswade King Edward from these conclusions but all in vaine for those Articles were scaled and published the money was paid both the Kings in a familiar and kinde enteruiew by their solemne oathes had sworne to obserue and keepe them and hostage were deliuered accordingly It is to be noted The Duke of Burgoine stormeth at this peace that within this peace the Dukes of Burgoine and of Britaine were included if they would consent thereunto But when this newes was told to the Duke of
great victorie He thanketh and praiseth God and with promises of large rewards the whole Armie was dissolued and the Earle and his Nobles departed to their rest Thus liued and thus died King Richard when he had raigned as a Tyrant two yeares two moneths and one day THE HISTORIE OF KING HENRIE THE SEVENTH AS after a sharpe winter men doe receiue the sweet comforts of a pleasant Spring and like as Aduersitie is fully recompenced with more ioifull tidings when abundance of Prosperitie doth follow so the hearts of all such as were sad and heauie by reason of the ciuill wars were now cheered and made iocund by the happie peace and concord which at this instant blessed all England in the succession of King Henrie The King marieth â—he Ladie Elizabeth who being crowned King according to his oath and promise maried the faire and vertuous Ladie Elizabeth eldest daughter to King Edward the fourth ioining thereby in one the two great Families of Lancaster and of Yorke betwixt whom for Principalitie and for the Crowne infinite contentions and mortall warres had formerly consumed and destroied many thousands of braue and valiant men Now that the state of this Kingdome might be confirmed in its happinesse by the safetie of the Kings person The King chuseth a Guard and by other requisites King Henrie taking his President and ensample from the Kings of France selected a certaine number of warlike men in all places to attend vpon him Rewards giuen Noblemen created whom he termed the Yeomen of his Crowne He also rewarded with great bountie all such as for his sake had beene eminent in his seruice and created his vncle Iaspar Earle of Pembroke Duke of Bedford His father in law Thomas Lord Stanley was made Earle of Darbie He also made his faithfull and firme friend and fauourite the Lord Chandew of Britaine Earle of Bath Sir Giles Dawbeney was made Lord Dawbeney Sir Robert Willoughbie Lord Brooke and Edward Stafford the eldest sonne of Humfrey Duke of Buckingham who in his quarrell lost his head was by him restored to his fathers dignitie and possessions A Parliament Acts repealed The Crowne is intailed New Lawes His Pardons Then hee assembled his High Court of Parliament at Westminster in which hee frustrated cancelled and made void all former Acts which conuicted him and his adherents as guiltie of High Treason The Crowne of this Kingdome was entailed to him and to the heires of his bodie Hee also caused such Lawes and such Statutes to bee made as were behoouefull and beneficiall to this Common-weale Hee pardoned all such as hauing conspired or borne armes against him submissiuely by their oathes acknowledged and receiued him for their true and lawfull King His Counsellors Hee elected the most noble graue and wise men of this Kingdome to be of his Priuie Counsell by whose direction and aduice the gouernment of this Realme was established in prosperitie and in peace The Duke of Britaine is recompenced Hee bountifully recompenced the Duke of Britaine for all his former courtesies towards him and also paid vnto him all such summes of money as at any time hee had disbursed for his maintenance and releefe So is the French king The like he did to the French King and thereby redeemed his two Hostages the Lord Marquesse Dorset and Sir Iohn Bourchier whom he left there 1486. 2 Thus whilest King Henry was carefull willing and endeuoured to please all men and by his vertuous imploiments laboured to settle things in peace A Rebellion the malignant spirits of such as tormented themselues at his happinesse and placed their owne hope for preferment in rebellious attempts and seditious courses would not permit him to liue at rest and quietly to performe the duties of a gratious King For Francis Lord Louel Humfrey Stafford and Thomas his brother leauing the Sanctuarie at Colchester which for their safetie they had taken seduced and animated much people in the North against King Henry and caused them vpon vntrue surmises rashly and without aduice or counsell to put themselues in armes The King who was not farre away from them being somewhat troubled with this newes The Kings celeritie in raising an Armie began to raise an Armie to withstand them and such was his strange and wonderfull celeritie and expedition to preuent the increase of their further strength that hastily he sent against them his Vncle the Duke of Bedford with three thousand men whose breast-plates were made of tanned leather for want of other armour and he himselfe trauailed day and night to second his souldiers with a better strength But when the Lord Louel and his associates perceiued that King Henry resolued to make them fight before they were sufficiently prepared and that fresh forces would giue them a second onset if at the first they should happen to bee victorious their courage failed The Rebels flie their hearts fainted so that in the darknesse of the night they fled and left their vnarmed Armie to the mercie of King Henry the two Staffords taking Sanctuarie in the Abbie of Culnham not farre from Oxford and the Lord Louel being shrowded by Sir Thomas Broughton in the North. The next day the poore distressed Rebels being destitute of their Leaders humbly submitted themselues to the Kings mercie and receiued his free pardon But because no Sanctuarie could protect malefactors in cases of High Treason therefore the two Staffords were by violence seized on and the said Humfrey being indicted arraigned found guiltie Humfrey Stafford is executed and condemned was put to death but his younger brother was preserued by the Kings fauour because it was conceiued that his transgression was not hatched by his owne malice but by the peacelesse instigation of his brother No sooner was this flame quenched but a greater fire was presently kindled by a Priest whose name was Sir Richard Symond a man very leaud but well learned and in all his actions vniust Richard Symonds conspiracie against K. Henry craftie and too too cunning Hee knowing that Edward Plantagenet Earle of Warwicke and sonne and heire vnto George Duke of Clarence brother to King Edward the Fourth being now of the age of seuenteene yeares had from his infancie beene kept as a Prisoner by the two last Kings in the Castle of Sherry-hutton in the Countie of Yorke and that King Henry had secretly remoued him to the Tower got into his tutorship a young boy Lambert the counterfet Duke of Yorke prettie and wittie yet borne of a base parentage and stocke whose name was Lambert Him hee instructed with as much varietie of learning Court-like complements and Gentleman-like behauiour as his yeares would suffer him to comprehend and then hee informed him that by his birth and linage hee was not onely noble but descended of the royall bloud that hee was the onely sonne of the Duke of Clarence and the first heire male of the house of Yorke and therefore
defend themselues that poore Perkin began to hang downe his head and being troubled with melancholicke passions filled the aire with sighes and groanes and was perplexed at the heart being weary of his match The King commeth into the West Countrey with an Armie The King who had beene speedily informed how violently that Citie was enuironed and how couragiously the Rebels were resisted so carefully regarded it and the inhabitants thereof that with a faire Armie he himselfe in his owne person marched towards the Rebels with all speede But before hee could come neere vnto them Edward Courtney Earle of Deuonshire and the Lord William his sonne Sir Wymond Carew Sir Thomas Trenchard Sir William Courtney Sir Thomas Fulford Sir Iohn Halwell Sir Iohn Crocker Walter Courtney Peter Edgecombe and their lustie followers repaired to the said Citie of Exeter and intended to giue such good helpe and assistance to the inhabitants thereof that the Rebels leauing the siege marched into Somersetshire The siege of Exetâ—r is â—ed Perkin Wâ—â—beâ—â—â—â—â—egâ— Tawnton where they besieged the Towne of Tawnton But the King vnderstanding that they were remoued from the Citie and where they then were directed his course towards Tawnton he hauing with him in his Armie Edward the young Duke of Buckingham who was a Prince of haughtie courage and of a gallant resolution Giles Lord Dawbeney his chiefest Chamberlaine Robert Lord Brooke Lord Steward of his house Sir Alexander Baynam Sir Maurice Barkley Sir Robert Tame Sir Iohn Guise Sir Robert Poynts Sir Henry Vernon Sir Iohn Morâ—â—mer Sir Thomas Tremaile Sir Edward Sutton Sir Amias Paulet Sir Iohn Sapcots Sir Hugh Lutterel Sir Francis Cheyney and sundrie other Knights and Gentlemen of great place and valour Perkin and the Rebels site But when Perkin Warbecke and his fellow Captaines heard of the Kings approche they fled with threescore horse vnto Beauly neere to South-hampton where poore Perkin and most of those his companions entred into the Sanctuarie and registred their names there but the residue of them were taken prisoners by the Kings light horsemen and being brought into the Kings Armie for examples sake vnto others they were ordered and executed by the martiall law in sundrie places in the Westerne parts But the rude rabble which were left behinde perceiuing that their Ring-leaders had left them The common sort of Rebels are pardoned and were run away fell downe vpon their knees craued mercie promised faith and loyaltie in future times and not only receiued the Kings pardon but were reuiued by his expressing of much fauour and graâ—e towards them This victory being thus obtained without blowes the King King Henry commeth to the Citie of Exeter with his greatest Lords and the brauest Gallants in his trayne came to the City of Exceter and was lodged in it certaine daies where he commended and thanked the inhabitants for their faithfull and valiant seruice promised them the fulnesse of his fauour The King giues his Sword to the Citie of Exeter and for an addition of Honour to that City gaue vnto them his sword from his owne side and commaunded that in future times and in all publike places within that Citie it should bee borne before the Maior as formerly and for the like purpose his noble predecessor King Edward the fourth had done Then the King intending to make a finall end of these ciuill warres sent some of his chosen Captaines Perkin Warbecke is brought to the King with certaine bands of armed men to apprehend poore Perkin who compassed the Sanctuarie at Bewly round about so that he recounting with himselfe his sundrie mishaps and his hopelesse fortunes to be a King yeelded himselfe and was brought vnto the King who carried him as his prisoner vnto London where albeit hee was closely kept and narrowly watched by diuers of the Kings Guard yet hee escaped But being daily and hourely searched for Perkin escapeth and is taken againe hee voluntarily committed himselfe to the Abbot of Shene neere to the Kings Palace of Richmond intreating him to haue compassion on him and to procure for him the Kings pardon He is stocked He is committed to the Tower which hee did Then was hee brought to the Kings Court at Whitehall where all his base descent and ignoble pedegree being in a paper fully written and pinned vpon his backe hee was stocked one whole day so was he the next morning vpon a high scaffold in Cheape-side within the Citie of London from whence hee was committed a close prisoner to the Tower He practiseth to escape and to conuey away the young Earle of Warwicke Hee being in prison there corrupted by infinite promises of honourable aduancement the seruants of Sir Iohn Digbie Lieutenant of the Tower to suffer him and Edward the young Farle of Warwicke who had been a prisoner from his infancie to escape But this plot being discouered Perkin Warbecke was shortly after by the due course of Law condemned for High Treason Perkin Warbecke beheaded and was executed at Tyburne within two daies after and the young Earle of Warwicke who consented to haue escaped likewise being altogether innocent of all crime and onely affecting libertie which men beasts birds and fishes doe naturally desire was indicted arraigned conuicted and adiudged guiltie of the like offence and was executed on a Scaffold at the Tower Hill The young Earle of Warwicke is beheaded His death much blemished the fame and reputation of King Henry who being mercifull and compassionate by nature and hauing extended it oftentimes vnto notorious malefactors now to worke his owne securitie and without any iust offence would not pardon him who all his life time had beene so secret a prisoner restrained from all companie and from the view of this vaine and transitorie world that he scarcely knew a Capon from a Goose nor euer attempted any thing which might offend the King sauing only to set himselfe at large 1500. As soone as these businesses were thus ended Arthur the noble Prince of Wales being of the age of fifteene yeares was by an honourable deputation betrothed to the Ladie Katherine daughter to Ferdinando King of Spaine Prince Arthur marieth Katherine daughter to Ferdinando King of Aragon shee being of the age of eighteene yeares and the next yeare after with triumphant ioy and princely entertainment he receiued her into England and was maried to her in Pauls Church within the Citie of London And not long after Iames the Fourth King of the Scots vsed the mediation of Richard Fox 1501. then Bishop of Durham but shortly after translated vnto Winchester that hee might haue to wife the Ladie Margaret the eldest daughter of King Henry the Seuenth The Kings eldest daughter affied and after maried to Iames the fourth King of Scots And though the King for many important reasons might haue bestowed her vpon the greatest and most honorable Kings or Potentates in the Christian world yet for these
good respects hee cheerefully consented to his request First because by all likelihood and probable coniecture this mariage would establish a perpetuall peace betwixt those two Kingdomes And secondly because if issues males and females failed of the bodies of his two sonnes then the Kingdome and the Crowne of this Realme descending to the said Ladie Margaret and to her issue would draw the Scottish King into England as vnto an estate of greater power magnificence honour and riches whereas if she were ioined to a Prince equall or exceeding her father in those respects this Kingdome would then wait vpon the greater and more worthie and so might be guided gouerned directed and commanded by a Deputie or a Substitute which would bee derogatorie from the maiestie of such a Monarchie and Common-weale These Halcyon daies Prince Arthur dieth which made King Henry fortunate and happie were suddenly exchanged into daies of heauinesse and of sorrow for Prince Arthur within fiue moneths after he was maried departed out of this troublesome and transitorie vale of miserie and was buried with great pompe and incredible lamentation both of the Nobles Gentlemen and common people in the Cathedrall Church within the Citie of Winchester by whose decease without issue his brother Henry Duke of Yorke without Creation was Prince of Wales 1502. as vnto him of right that dignitie did belong and appertaine and the next yeare after he was created Earle of Chester by his Father The King not long after by an honorable attendance of Lords Knights Ladies and men and women of especiall note and qualitie sent his eldest daughter the Ladie Margaret into Scotland to her espoused husband Iames the Fourth who receiued her vpon the limits of his owne Kingdome from the Earles of Surrey and Northumberland and was the next day maried to her in his Citie of Edenburgh 1503. to the great reioicing of the people of both those Nations Now when King Henry had thus ouercome his enemies and the Rebels and had settled himselfe in peace 1504. hee determined to plucke downe the high stomackes and stout courage of his people The King taketh aduantage of forfeitures vpon Penall Lawes supposing that their wealth and riches occasioned their rebellions and was the cause that many enormous insolencies were done and committed in the Common-weale And by that meane hee also intended to enrich himselfe And the plot whereby he intended to effect it was by taking of the aduantage of the breach of Penall Lawes Empson and Dudley And the principall charge of that polling businesse hee committed to Sir Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley men learned in the Law but ready enough to execute the Kings commands in a worser matter if occasion did so require These two being attended by troupes of base Informers Promoters Catch-poles Cheaters Knaues and cousening Rascals Many are vndone prosecuted and persecuted many of the Kings good Subiects to their vtter ruine and ouerthrow insomuch that many people in euery Shire of this Kingdome by their oppressions waxed poore and were vtterly decaied in their estates But the Kings Coffers were filled his Bagges were stuffed and those two gracelesse and cruell Cormorants got to themselues the Deuill and all But no remedie there was to cure this maladie for the King authorized them and they so rigorously and so vnconscionably executed their tyrannie that no man could assure himselfe that hee was free and without the danger of their lash 1605. In the 21. yeare of K. Henries raigne Elizabeth Q. of Castile wife to Ferdinando K. of Aragon and Spain died without issue male of her bodie so that her Kingdom not being deuidable among sisters according to the custome of that Countrie discended to her eldest daughter the Ladie Iane The King and Queene of Castile doe come into England by a storme wife to Philip Arch-Duke of Austria and Duke of Burgoine so that hee being King of Castile in her right prepared a Nauie of strong and well appointed ships and entred into the Sea purposing to take the possession of his new Kingdome But by the violence of an outragious storme himselfe with his Queene was driuen into Waymouth in Dorset shire where at his landing hee was receiued by Sir Thomas Trenchard a worthie Sir Thomas Trenchard entertaineth them at his house and a compleate Knight who instantly importuned the King to accept of the entertainment of his house vntill King Henrie were certified of his being there which courteously he did Whereof when he had louingly accepted hee was conducted thither and feasted like as hee was a King The Knight forthwith sent diuers Posters to King Henrie who being much gladded by this newes because the said King and he were vnfained and faithfull friends They are entertained by the King forthwith sent for his better direction and attendance the Earle of Arundell and some others who inuited him and his Queene and their Companie to the Kings Court which was then at his Castle of Windsor of which great courtesie he accepted with a kind hart and as he came within fiue miles of the Castle he was met by the Noble Henrie Prince of Wales who was accompanied by diuers Earles Lords Knights and Gentlemen of choice reckoning aad account and within halfe a mile of his iournies end the King himselfe with the greatest part of his Nobilitie Ladies and Personages of great worth and honour being richly apparrelled and brauely mounted met him likewise where kind salutations and friendly greetings proceeded from the heart and were performed with most exquisite complements of loue that by any could be imagined From the Kings Castle of Windsor the King conducted him and his Queene to the Citie of London where nothing was omitted that anie deuise or cost could make sumptuous thereby to expresse the heartie welcome of such beloued guests And thus when with great contentment mirth and pastime the King and he had spent some dayes they renewed the League which was betwixt them and taking kind farewels each of other the said King and Queene imbarked themselues againe lanched into the Sea and safety arriued according to their owne wils But not long after King Philip and his wife died and that Kingdome discended to Charles his eldest sonne From this time forwards King Henrie waxed sickly weake 1506. and infirme and by meanes thereof the two scourgers of the Common-weale Empson and Dudley tooke larger libertie to extend their villanies then was giuen to them and did oppresse torment and vex the People of this land But when the King perceiued that his time was short 1507. hee depriued them of their authoritie remitted and pardoned all offences committed against his penall Lawes and enlarged all prisoners The King waxeth sickly His deeds of charitie which were in durance for any offence treason and murder excepted only he also paid the debts of all such as for trifling and smal summes were prisoners in any Ward and gaue certaine
Henry with Ladie Katherine his brothers wife it will be very expedient and fitting that wee now returne to the narration of such other things as are worthie to bee comprised in this Storie and which were done whilest King Henry liued First therefore we may vnderstand A riot on Merchant strangers that in the end of the eighth yeare and in the beginning of the ninth yeare of his raigne the Citizens of London heartily hated such Merchant strangers and strangers Artificers as dwelt among them partly because by their great wealth and extraordinarie labour and industrie they tooke from them the greatest meanes whereby they were to liue and partly because their riches made them so proud that in derision and in scorne priuately and publikely they would depraue and abuse the Citizens with many mockes and frumpes so that they being resolued no longer to endure or to beare them vpon May day many hundreds of them riotously assembled themselues together Euill May day and with great outrage and violence rifled robbed and ransacked the houses and the shops of all strangers and intended to haue done more mischiefe if the prouident care and industrie of the Lord Maior and chiefest Citizens had not suppressed them For some of the malefactors by flying shifted for themselues and many who were most of all notoriously faultie were committed to seuerall Gaoles and prisons Treason and being afterwards indicted arraigned and found guiltie were condemned of high Treason because their iniurie and wrong tended to the breach of the League which was betwixt the King and their Soueraignes Wherefore some of them were executed as Traitors according to their iudgement and the residue of them being about foure hundred were pardoned by the King who in his owne person sate in the Guild-hall of London And then all things were againe setled in prosperitie and in peace The French King now longed to be againe owner of the faire Citie of Tourney which by conquest was possessed by King Henry Wherefore by his Ambassadors he not only desired the ratification of the peace which was betwixt the King and him A peace with the French King Tourney is deliuered vp by composition but also a restitution of the said Citie for money to be vnto him paid The King so louingly accepted of this message that forthwith the peace was confirmed and further it was concluded that for 60000. Crownes to be paid for the Towne and for 400000. Crownes more to be paid for the Castle which by King Henry was erected and almost finished and for 24000. pounds sterling to bee paid in discharge of a debt due and owing by the Citizens for the preseruation and redemption of their Liberties according to the composition and their owne agreement the Towne and Castle should be surrendred vp into the hands of the French King Whereupon foure great hostages for the true paiment of the said summes of money at the appointed daies were sent ouer Hostages and accepted by the King And then the Earle of Worcester Sir Edward Belknap and some others were sent ouer who deliuered the Towne and Castle according to both the said Kings Commissions to Monsieur Chastilion who was not suffered to make his entrie with Banners displaied but rolled vp because it was not wonne nor conquered but yeelded vp by composition The surrendring of this Citie was much disliked by many wise and prudent men for two reasons First because that the holding thereof was a curbe and a bridle to the French Nation And secondly because the Garrison of that place was a very profitable Nurserie for the training vp of Gentlemen and younger brothers in feats of Armes and in Martiall Discipline About the same time the Emperor Maximilian died Maximilian dieth Charles is elected Emperour He commeth into England and Charles King of Castile Nephew to Queene Katherine was elected in his stead who shortly after comming out of Spaine towards the Citie of Acon where he was to receiue his first Crowne came into England and was with all pompe and princely magnificence welcommed and entertained by the King and Queene to his good liking and contentment The Lords of the Counsell of Estate perceiuing that certaine Gentlemen of the Kings Priuie Chamber who were the Kings Minions were so much Frenchified A rare example that they were scoffed and derided by all wise men and that they were ouer bold saucie and malapertly familiar with the King to his great disgrace besought his Maiestie to reforme them and himselfe therein A wise King The King not only thanked them heartily for this their friendly admonition and fatherly care of his well-doing but also referred to them the absolute ordering and disposing of those metamorphized Gentlemen Wherefore they banished them from the Court and placed in their roomes Sir Richard Wingfield Sir Richard Ierningham Sir Richard Weston and Sir William Kingston who were discreet temperate and valiant men of whom the King graciously accepted and receiued them into his extraordinarie fauour The King and Queene hauing made large and costly prouision for the meeting of the French King and Queene 1520. according to promise neere vnto Arde shipped themselues at Douer The King and Queene saile into France and with their stately and honourable traine they landed at Calice and afterwards effected their iourney in princely fashion as formerly in this discourse it is more particularly set downe Within few daies after the King and Queenes returne from Arde vnto Calice The King visiteth the Emperour he with an honourable traine rode to the Towne of Graueling in the Low Countries to see and to visit the Emperour and his great Aunt the Ladie Margaret Duchesse of Sauoy by whom he was receiued with great familiaritie and bountie They come to Calice and was by them both brought backe againe to Calice where their welcome cheere and entertainment farre exceeded measure and their owne desires and expectation But this exchange of loue and of kindnesse greeued the French King at the heart The French King is angrie who was inwardly displeased and reuengefull because he practised but could not be elected Emperour according to his hopes Yet because he could flatter and dissemble therefore he sent vnto them the Lord de la Roch not only to congratulate for former courtesies receiued but also to conclude a peace betwixt them three A peace which for his part he neuer intended to obserue But the peace was fully agreed vnto A condition with this condition that he who first made breach thereof should be warred on by the other two Not long after the Kings returne into England he was secretly informed and it was true that by a Monke the haughtie and ambitious Duke of Buckingham was much abused in this The Duke of Buckinghams ouerthrow that hee was by him perswaded and did beleeue that he should be the King of this Realme which could not be but by vsurpation and the confusion
Armie landeth at Callice and marcheth to Burdeaux He beates the French King ANNO. 44 An other Armie sent into France The English doe preuaile with an armie into Callice who to the terror and spoyle of the Frenchmen marched from thence vntill he came to Burdeaux to the Prince his Brother without opposition or resistance wasting and hauoking in all places as he passed by sauing that he was once met with and encountred by king Charles who being soundly beaten was enforced to retire and to giue free passage to the Duke King Edward as much as in him lay though hee beganne to grow old yet he was very carefull of those affaires For as soone as his sonne Iohn of Gaunt was gone out of England hee sent another Armie vnto Saint Omers which was conducted by Sir Robert Knowles who marching through those adiacent Countries with fire and sword depopulated it yea almost vntill he came to the Citie of Paris And then hee marched into the Earledome of Angeou where hee wonne the strong Townes of Vaas and Ruylly and sundrie others thereabout But the French king being informed that there was great dissention in the English armie betwixt Sir Robert Knowles and the Lords Fitz-water and of Grauntson rushed vpon them sodainly with an armie and finding their mindes diuided and their forces by great disorder broken Dissention caused the Englishmens ouerthrow preuailed against them and slew about one thousand Englishmen Whereupon the said Townes which they had taken were againe yeelded into the French kings hands He also following the good hap of his fawning Fortune sent another armie into the Prouince of Guyan ANNO. 45 where the Prince was weakly assisted and his Townes and Castles daily reuolted from him King Edward being much perplexed with the common reports of his declining Fortune ANNO. 46 and being resolued to doe his best to preuent the worst assembled his high Court of Parliament at Westminster A ParliameÌ„t wherein to supply his wants and to giue better strength and furtherance to his French Warres the Temporaltie with much cheerefulnesse granted him a Subsidie of fifteene thousand pounds A Subsidie granted and the like summe hee requested of the Cleargie who were contented to giue him faire words but no monie Whereat he was so much displeased The Clergie will grant none The Clergie disgraced ANNO. 46 The Earle of Pembroke defeated and taken at Sea that wheras at that time the Bishops and the Cleargie men were chiefly honoured with all Places and Offices of Honour and of Profit and of Commaund disgracefully hee depriued them and dismissed them all and placed more thankfull Subjects of the Laitie in their roomes King Charles had now besieged the Towne of Rochell almost one whole yeare For whose reliefe and to remoue the siege king Edward sent the Earle of Pembroke with an armie to the Sea but hee was encountred fought with and put vnto the worst by Henrie the vsurper of Castile who in fauour of the French king and thankfully to requite his former loue when hee assisted him against king Peter kept the narrow Seas with a strong Fleet. In this fight the Earle himselfe and one hundred and threescore others were taken Prisoners manie men were slaine The French King winnes Rochell c. and the rest who escaped returned altogether discomforted into England And vpon the certaine report of this disaster The Towne of Rochell Angolesme Xants and Saint Iohns of Angley and diuers other Prouinces were giuen vp vnto the French king Sir Iohn de Mountford Duke of Brittaine perceiuing that good successe accompanied the French king in all his actions beganne to feare ANNO. 47 Iohn of Gant and the Duke of Britaine oppose themselues against the French King They waste the Countrey ANNO. 48 left in the height of his prosperitie he would attempt some quarrell against him Wherefore Hee fortified his Countries and then came into England and offred his assistance to K. Edward who forthwith leuied a strong armie and commited it to the gouernment of his sonne the Duke of Lancaster Who being accompanied with the Duke of Brittaine landed at Callice and with sword and fire wasted the whole Countrie vntill hee came to Burdeaux where the Duke of Lancaster found his brother the Prince of Wales exceeding sicke who made him Gouernour of all King Edwards Prouinces And hauing scene all such Noble men as hee could command Iohn of Gant is made Gouernour The sicke Prince commeth into England ANNO. 49 ANNO. 50 to take their solemne oathes for the performance of their duties and obedience to his brother the Duke he sailed into England After whose arriuall three parles for peace betwixt England and France were entertained vpon the motion and by the mediation of Pope Gregorie the eleuenth But not one of them was made fruitfull with any fortunate successe In the last yeare of King Edwards Raigne in a Parliament holden at Westminster the King required a Subsidie from the Cleargie and from the Temporaltie of his Kingdome towards the supporting of his warres The Lower house of the Parliâ—ment complaine vpon the K ngâ— euill Officers But the Lower house of that assembly complained grieuously against the Lord Latimer chiefe Chamberlaine to the King and of manie other of his Officers for that they not only misled the King in his old age but also vnthriftily spent and consumed the Treasure of his Kingdome Wherefore they refused to yeild vnto the kings demand except those euill Officers might bee displaced and better men setled in their roomes Which being by the king through the important perswasions of the Prince consented vnto he cheerefully obtained his demand And now approched the ends of these two famous .1376 and most worthie Princes the Father and the Sonne For the Prince of Wales died the eight day of Iune The Blacke Prince dieth in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand three hundred threescore and sixteene when hee had liued fortie yeares and lieth buried at Canterburie The King restoreth his euill Officers And no sooner was hee dead but king Edward verie vnaduisedly to his great dishonour and to the great discontentment of his people remoued from him such new Officers as in the late High Court of Parliament were established and placed neere about him and restored the Lord Latimer Richard is Created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester King Edward dieth and all the rest to their former Offices and places And finding himselfe exceeding weake by reason of his sharp and grieuous sicknesse he created his Nephew Richard Sonne to the Prince deceased Prince of Wales Earle of Chester and Duke of Cornwall and committed the Regencie of his kingdome to his son Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster died when he had raigned fiftie yeares and somewhat more THE HISTORIE OF KING RICHARD THE SECOND RICHARD the second being the Son and heire of the Blacke Prince ANNO. 1. 1377.
and aged eleuen yeares and somewhat more was crowned king of England in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand three hundred and seuentie seuen In the whole course of his euill Gouernment King Richards euill manners and bad Gouernment he neglected his Nobilitie and taxed his Subjects to enable himselfe to giue prodigally vnto his ill deseruing Fauorites Hee was too too resolute in his follies and refused to bee reproued or reformed He also despised the sage aduice and good directions of his wisest and best Counsellors and wholly plotted all his courses by the wicked and gracelesse projects of his base companions whom hee raised to more honourable Estates then befitted the meanes of their condition So that they fell by their own weight and he himselfe in the end was enforced to endure the extremitie of his hard fortune For being first disgraced by his Cousin Henrie of Bullingbrooke Duke of Lancaster and sonne and heire to his Vncle Iohn of Gaunt hee was at length by him with the general consent of a whole Parliament deposed from his Crowne commited to Prison and afterwardes wickedly murdered as in this discourse of his disordered Gouernment more amply it shall appeare The Frenchmen burne diuers townes in England In the first yeare of king Richards Raigne Charles the French king presuming much on his Minoritie and being aided by the Spaniards landed in the Southwest and in the South-east parts of this kingdome and ransacked and burnt the Townes of Plymouth Dartmouth Portsmouth Rye and some other Townes and Villages coasting vpon the Sea and would haue done more mischiefe if by the kings Vncle Edmund of Langly Earle of Cambridge and by the Earles of Buckingham and of Salisburie they had not beene fought with and beaten to their ships Alexander Ramseyes desperate attempt and successe At the same time also by the instigation of the French king one Alexander Ramsey an approued Scottishman at armes with fortie of his Company in the depth of the night suddenly and desperately scalled the wals of the Castle of Barwicke and finding the Captaine and all his souldiers securely sleeping he tooke it without blowes and intended also to haue surprised the Towne But the inhabitants hearing an extraordinarie noyse and tumult in the Castle and indeuouring to preuent a feared mischiefe hewed away the stayes of the Draw-bridge on the Townes side so that when the Scots did let fall the Draw-bridge the chaines brake and the Bridge fell into the Castle Ditch By meanes whereof the Scots could not issue out but were imprisoned by their owne Victorie This necessitie enforced them as well as they were able to fortifie the Castle which on the kings behalfe was soone besieged and assaulted by tenne thousand men who after many feates of Armes performed brauely by the assailants and after much valor with high courage shewed by that small number of valiant Scots wonne the Castle and receiued not one of them to mercie but onely their Captaine Alexander Ramsey The Frenchmen land in England And not long after the Frenchmen landed againe in England and did much harme at Douer Wynchelsay Hastings and at Grauesend and returned with their booties into France But to preuent like future mischiefes and to reuenge those injuries done to the King and his Realme by the French King ANNO. 3. A Parliamēt This Taxe caused much trouble An Armie sent into France A Parliament was assembled at Westminster In which a Subsidie of foure pence for euery man and for euery woman within this Kingdome being aboue foureteene yeares of age was granted to the King The leuying whereof procured much heart-burning which not long after brake forth and endangered the whole State of the Common-weale Yet with that monie great prouision was made and an armie of eight thousand men was sent into France vnder the command of Thomas of Woodstock the Kings Vncle who passing ouer the faire and great Riuers of Soame Oyse and Marne spoiled and burnt all the Countries and ransomed the inhabitants vntill he came into Brittaine where he was receiued by the Duke Iohn Mountford with all friendly entertainment and much joy And now began a Rebellion in England which was exceeding hazardous to the whole kingdome For Iohn Wall a factious Priest ANNO. 4. perceiuing that the inferior sort of the people much murmured and grudged at the payment of the aforesaid Subsidie A great Rebellion in England Iohn Wal was the beginner of this Rebellion His wicked course in perswading by secret conferences in all places where he came informed the Bondmen Villaines Slaues and such others as were pinched with penury and with want that by descent and parentage from Adam all men were of one condition and of equall worth and that the Lawes of this kingdome were iniurious and vniust which did set so great a difference betwixt men as to make some of them great Peeres Potentates and Lords and in geuing to some others large authority and commaund and in enlarging of great possessions and store of riches vnto some and in commanding others to be base seruile beggars and to enioy litle or nothing at all And therefore with traytrous reasons he perswaded them either by faire meanes or by open insurrection and ciuill warre to prouide for their owne liberties and to releeue their owne wants This lewd and damnable doctrine so infatuated and infected the Rusticks from Shire to Shire that at length it was spread in the Citie of London where the meanest and the basest sort being a multitude who egerly enuyed the prosperitie of the more worthie inhabitants and greedily coueted to be enriched with their substance were in great hope by Rebellious mutening to make vtter hauoke and spoyle of all things at their pleasure And to effect that which they intended such as were most desperatlie inclined among them informed the headlesse multitude in th◠Countries round about them that if they would come thither and ioyne with them the whole Citie of London should be at their command So that incredible numbers of brainsick turbulent and traytrous people prepared to flock thither from Kent Essex Sussex Bedfordshire and from many other places Of this rude and raskall rout Watt Tyler Iohn Wall Iack Straw and Iack Shepheard Captaines in this Rebellion Wat Tylar who by his profession was a Taylor was made Captaine to command the rest and the said Iohn Wall Iack Straw Iack Shepard and some others were made chiefe directors and their leaders And Stiling themselues The Kings men and the seruants of the Common-weale of England they marched towards London beating downe the houses and rifling all the moueables of all such as were professors of the Law How they passed towards London and compelling all Knights and Gentlemen either to flye before their comming or to be partakers in this vprore They also sent vnto the King who then lay in the Tower requiring him to come and to speake with them The King went