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A34718 The histories of the lives and raignes of Henry the Third, and Henry the Fourth, Kings of England written by Sr. Robert Cotton and Sr. John Hayvvard. Cotton, Robert, Sir, 1571-1631.; Hayward, John, Sir, 1564?-1627. 1642 (1642) Wing C6494; ESTC R3965 119,706 440

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THE HISTORIES OF THE LIVES AND RAIGNES OF HENRY THE THIRD AND HENRY THE FOURTH Kings of England Written by Knights Sr. ROBERT COTTON And Sr. IOHN HAYVVARD London printed for William Sheares and are to be sold at his Shop in Bedford-Street in Cove●-garden neere the new Exchange at the signe of the Bible An 1642. A SHORT VIEW OF THE LONG RAIGN OF KING HENRY the third WEaried with the lingring calamities of Civill Armes and affrighted at the sudden fa●l of a licentious Soveraigne all men stood at gaze expecting the event of their long desires Peace and issue of their new hopes Benefit For in every shift of Princes there are few either so meane or modest that please not themselves with some probable object of preferment To satisfie all a child ascendeth the throne mild and gracious but easie of nature whose Innocency and naturall goodnesse led him safe along the various dangers of his Fathers Raigne Happy was hee in his Vnkle the Earle of Pembrooke the guide of his infancy and no lesse then for thirty yeares after whil'st De Burgo that fast servant of his Fathers against the French both in Normandy and England with By god Earle of Norfolke and others of like gravity and experience did mannage the affaires Few and no other were the distempers then in State but such as are incident to all the Commons greedy of liberty and the Nobili●y of Rule and but one violent storme raised by some old and constant followers of his Father Fulco de Brent de Fortibus and others men that could onely thrive by the Warres misliking those dayes of sloath for so they termed that calme of King Henries Government and the rather because the Iustice of quiet times urged from them to the lawfull owners such Lands and Castles as the fury of Warre had unjustly given them for finding in the uprightnesse of the King that power of protection should not bee made a wrong doer they fell out into that rebellion that with it ended their lives and competitours professing that those their swords that had set the Crowne upon their Soveraignes head when neither Majesty nor Law could should now secure those small pittances to their Maisters when Majesty or Law would not Dangerous are too great benefits of Subjects to their Princes when it maketh the mind onely capable of merit nothing of duty No other disquiet did the State after this feele but such as is incident in all the malice to Authority Good and great men may secure themselves from guilt but not from envy for the greatest in trust of publike affaires are still shot at by the aspiring of those that deeme themselves lesse in imployment then they are in merit These vapours did ever and easily vanish so long as the helme was guided by temperate Spirits and the King tied his Actions to the rule of good Councell and not to young passionate or single advise Thirty yeares now passed and all the old guides of his youth now dead but De Burgo a man in whom nothing of worth was wanting but moderation whose length of dayes giving him the advantage of sole power his owne Ambition and age gave him desire and Art to keepe out others which wrought him into the fatall envy of most and that encreased in the Title of Earle and great Offices the King then gave him Time by this had wrought as in it selfe so in the hearts of the people a Revolution the afflictions of their Fathers forgotten and the surfeit of long peace perchance having let in some abuses from hence the Commons to whom dayes present seeme ever worst commend the foregone ages they never remembred and condemne the present though they knew neither the disease thereof nor the remedy To these idle and usuall humours fell in some of the yong and noble Spirits warme and over-weaning who being as truly ignorant as the rest first by sullying the wisedome of the present and greatest Rulers making each casuall mishap their errours seeme to decipher every blemish in Government and then by holding certaine imaginary and fantastick formes of Common-wealths flatter their owne beleefe and ability that they can mold any State to these generall rules which in particular application will prove idle and grosse absurdities Next confirmed in their owne worth by Sommery and Spencer they take it a fit time to worke themselves into action and imploym●nt a thing they had long desired and now though unwilling to seeme so doe sue for and doubtlesse the furthest of their aime was yet to become quiet instruments in serving the State if they had beene then held fit and worthy But the King taught by the new Earle That Consilia senum hastas juvenum esse and that such wits for so they would bee stiled were N●vandis quàm gerendis rebus aptiores fitter in being factious to disorder then to settle affaires either denied or delayed their desires for wise Princes will ever choose their Instruments Par negotiis and not supra Creatures out of meere election that are onely theirs otherwise without friends or power Amongst this unequall medly there were of the Nobility Richard Earle of Pembrooke Glocester and Hartford darlings of the multitude some for the merit of their Fathers whose memories they held sacred as Pillars of publike liberty and opposers of encroaching Monarchy at Run●meed the Armies met And of the Gentry Pitz-Geffeory Bardolph Grisley Maunsell and Fitz-Iohn Spirits of as much Acrimony and Arrogant spleene as the places from whence they were elected Campe Court or Countrey could afford any These by force would effect what the other did affect by cunning but all impatient to see their ends thus frustrate and that so long as the King followed the direction of the Earle of Kent they had small hope of their desires they made often meetings and as one saith of them Clam nocturnis colloquis aut flexum in vesperum die In the end Sommery and Spencer two that were farre in opinion with the rest Gentlemen by Forraine education and imployment more qualified then usually men of these times and that set upon their owne deserts the best places when the Streame should turne which one of them Spencer did unworthily obtaine for he died in actuall Rebellion Iust●ciarius Angliae against his master advised that the best meanes to remove that great and good obstacle the Earle of Kent out of the way of their advancement was by sifting into his actions and siding with his opposite Peter Bishop of Winchester an ill man but gracious with the King making still their ends that the worthiest being driven out by the worst they shall either bee able to mate him with his owne vice which will bee ever more visible as hee is more potent and so remove him at pleasure or else give over the King to such Ministers to their bad desires as loosing him the hearts of his people might smooth them away to
a peace to exclude the King thereby from his possessions but whensoever occasion should change for their advantage they would bee then as ready to start from the friendship as at that present they were to strike it that the French Kings Daughter being but a child was very unmeet for the marriage of King Richard as well for disparity of age as for that the King had no issue by his first wife and was not like to have any by this except perhaps in his old and whithered yeares When the Duke saw that with these motives hee did nothing prevaile hee subordned the Londoners to make petition to the King that seeing there was peace with France hee would release them of the Subsidy which they had granted to him in regard of those warres This suite was instantly followed and much perplexed the King untill the Duke of Lancaster declared to the people that the King had beene at the charge and dispence of three hundred thousand pounds in his voyage into France for the procuring of this peace whereupon they were pacified and desisted from their demand The yeare following Guido Earle of Saint Pauls was sent into Englan by Charles King of France to visite and salute in his name King Richard and Queene Isabel his wife the French Kings Daughter To this Earle the King did relate with what fervency the Duke of Glocester contended to make disturbance of the peace betweene England and France how because his mind was not therein followed hee moved the people to seditious attempts bending himselfe wholly to maintaine discord and disquiet rather in his owne Countrey then not at all Hee further reported what stiffe strifes in former times the Duke had stirred which howsoever they were done yet as they were declared they sounded very odious and hard When the Earle heard this hee presently answered that the Duke was to dangerous a subject to bee permitted to live that greatnesse was never safe if it grow excessive and bold that the King must not affect the vaine commendation of clemency with his owne perill and that it touched him both in honour to revenge the disgraces which hee had received and in policy to prevent the dangers which hee had cause to feare These words so sharpened the Kings displeasure that from thenceforth hee busied his braines in no one thing more then how to bring the Duke to his end Now hee beganne to pry more narrowly into his demeanour to watch his words to observe actions and alwayes to interpret them to the worst framing himselfe to many vaine and needlesse feares Oftentimes hee would complaine of him to the Duke of Lancaster and the Duke of Yorke how fierce and violent hee was in his speeches and crosse to him in all matters The Dukes would make answer that the Duke of Glocester their brother was indeed more hot and vehement then they did commend yet his fiercenesse was joyned with faithfulnesse and his crossenesse proceeded from a care least the Common-wealth should decrease either in honour or in possessions and therefore the King had neither need to feare nor cause to dislike About that time the Dukes of Lancaster and of Yorke withdrew themselves from the Court to their private Houses the Duke of Glocester also went to ly at Plashey neere Chelmsford in Essex upon advantage of which seperation the King stood distracted in mind betweene feare to defer and shame to avow the destruction of the Duke least hee might happily bee disappointed by the one or dishonoured by the other Hereupon hee entred into counsaile with Iohn Holland Earle of Huntington his halfe brother and Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham how the Duke of Glocester might be suppressed or oppressed rather the cruelty which was but wavering in the King yea wanting by nature was soone confirmed by evill advise and being once inclined to bloud hee did not faile either of examples of lewd action to follow or direction of cruell Counsaile what to doe so the plot was contrived and according thereto the King and the Earle of Nottingham rode together into Essex as though it were to disport themselves in hunting when they were in the midst of the Forrest the Earle made stay and the King passed forth with a small and unsuspitious company to the Duke lying at Plashey there hee stayed dinner and then pretending occasion of present returne hee desired the Duke to accompany him to London the faire intreaty of a Prince is a most forcible command therefore the Duke supposing that onely to bee inte●ded indeed which was pretended in shew went to horse-back with the King taking such small attendance as upon the sudden could bee in a readinesse and appointing the rest to come after him to London So they rode together using much familiar talke by the way untill they came neere the place of await then the King put his horse forward and the Duke comming behind was suddenly intercepted and stayed crying aloud and calling to the King for his helpe the King continued his journey as though hee had not heard and the Duke was violently carried to the Tham●s and t●ere shipped in a vessell layed for the purpose and from thence conveyed over to Calis When the King came to London hee caused the Earle of Warwick also to bee arrested and sent to prison the same day that hee had invited him to dinner and shewed good countenance and promised to bee a gracious Lord unto him Vpon the like dissembled shew the Earle of Arundel and his Sonne and certaine others were arrested also and committed to prison in the I le of Wight The common people upon the apprehending of these three Noblemen whom they chiefely and almost onely favoured were in a great confusion and tumult and there wanted but a head to draw them to sedition every man sorrowed murmured and threatned and daring no further stood waiting for one to lead them the way all being ready to follow that which any one was loath to beginne The Duke of Lancaster and of Yorke gathered a strong army and came therewith to London where they were readily received by the Citizens although the King had commanded the contrary but this seemed to bee done rather for guard to themselves then regard to any others The King all this time kept at a Village called Helhame within foure miles of London having about him a great power of armed men which hee had gathered out of Cheshire and Wales and to pacifie the common people hee caused to bee proclaimed that the Lords were not apprehended upon old displeasures but for offences lately committed for which they should bee appealed by order of Law and receive open triall in the Parliament next following the like message was sent to the Duke of Lancaster and the Duke of Yorke lying at London to whom the King made faith for the safety of their persons and indemnity of their goods and that nothing should bee attempted without their privity and advice all this was as
with all the Noble Peeres of the Realme and guarded with tenne thousand men in armes for feare of any suddaine or intended tumult When hee was placed on his stage which was very curiously and richly set forth a King at armes made proclamation in the name of the King and of the high Constable and of the Marshall that no man except such as were appointed to order and marshall the field should touch any part of the listes upon paine of death This proclamation being ended another Herald cried Behold here Henry of Lancaster Duke of Hereford appellant who is entred into the listes Royall to doe his devoire against Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke defendant upon paine to bee accompted false and recreant The Duke of Norfolke was hovering on horseback at the entry of the listes his horse being barbed with crimson velvet embroadered richly with lions of silver and mulbery trees and when hee had made his oath before the Constable and Marshall that his quarrell was just and true hee entred the field boldly crying aloud God aid him that hath the right then hee lighted from his horse and sat downe in a Chaire of crimson velvet curtained about with red and white Damaske and placed at the other end of the Lists The Lord Marshall viewed both their speares to see that they were of equall length the one speare hee carried himselfe to the Duke of Hereford and sent the other to the Duke of Norfolke by a Knight This done a Herrald proclaimed that the traverses and chaires of the combattants should bee removed commanding them in the Kings name to mount on horseback and addresse themselves to the encounter the Dukes were quickly horsed and closed their beavieres and cast their speares into the rests Then the trumpets sounded and the Duke of Hereford set forth towards his enemy about six or seaven paces but before the Duke of Norfolke beganne to put forward the King cast downe his Warder and the Herralds cried ho then the King caused the Dukes speares to bee taken from them and commanded them to forsake their horses and returne againe to their chaires where they remained above two long houres whilst the King deliberated with his Councell what was fittest to bee done At last the Herralds cried silence and Sir Iohn Borcy a Secretary of State with a loud voice read the sentence and determination of the King and his Councell out of a long roule wherein was contained that Henry of Lancaster Duke of Hereford appellant and Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke defendant had honourably appeared that day within the Lists Royall and declared themselves valiant and hardy Champions being not only ready but forward and desirous to dare in the battell but because this was a matter of great consequence and import the King with the advice of his Councell thought it meet to take the same into his owne hands and thereupon had decreed that Henry Duke of Hereford because hee had displeased the King and for divers other considerations should within 15. dayes next following depart out of the Realme and not to returne during the Tearme of tenne yeares without the Kings especiall licence upon paine of death When this judgement was heard a confused noise was raised among the people some lamenting either the desert or the injury of the Duke of Hereford whom they exceedingly favoured others laughing at the conceit of the King first in causing and afterwards in frustrating so great an expectation wherein hee seemed to doe not much unlike Caligula who lying in France with a great army neere the Sea shoare gave the signe of battell set his men in array marched forth as if it had beene to some great piece of service and suddenly commanded them all to gather cockles Then the Herralds cried againe ô Yes and the Secretary did read on how the King had likewise ordained that Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke because hee had sowen sedition by words whereof hee could make no proofe should avoid the Realme of England and never returne againe upon paine of death and that the King would take the profits and revenues of his lands untill hee had received such summes of money as the Duke had taken up for wages of the garrison of Calis which was still unpaid and that the King prohibited upon paine of his grievous displeasure that any man should make suit or intreaty to him on the behalfe of either of these two Dukes Those sentences being in this sort pronounced the King called the two exiles before him and tooke of them an oath That they should not converse together in forraine Regions nor one willingly come in place where the other was fearing as it was like least their Common discontentment should draw them first to reconcilement and afterward to revenge But this policy was over weake for this purpose for oaths are commonly spurned aside when they lye in the way either to honour or revenge and if their united forces was so much to bee regarded their seperate powers was not altogether to bee contemned Therefore the latter Princes of this Realme have with more safety wholly abolished the use of abjuration and exile and doe either by death extinguish the power or by pardon alter the will of great Offenders from entring into desperate and dangerous attempts which men in misery and disgrace have more vehemency to beginne and more obstinacy to continue When the Samnites had once so enclosed the Romane Legions within certain streights that they left them neither space to fight nor way to fly but without force enforced them to yeeld they sent to Herennius Pontius an aged Ruler of their state for his advise what were best for them to doe his answer was that the Romans should be permitted to dep●rt without any hurt losse or scorne This pleased not such as were either covetous for spoyle or cruell for blood and therefore they sent unto him the second time who then returned answer that the Romans should be put to the sword and not one man suffered to escape The contrariety of these two counsels brought the old man into suspition of dotage but he comming in person to the Campe maintained both to be good the first whereof which he thought best would by unexpected favour provoke the Romans to a perpetuall friendship the second would deferre the warres for many yeares wherein the enemies should hardly recover strength third counsaile there was none that safely might be followed Yes said the Samnites to grant them their lives yet with such conditions of spoyle and shame as the lawes of victory doe lay upon them This is the way answered Herennius which neither winneth friends nor weakneth enemies but will much encrease the fury against us and nothing diminish the force And even so in matters of more particularity that course of punishment is out of course which doth neither reclaime the mind of men nor restraine the might from mischievous endeavours But again to our purpose The Duke of Norfolke having
these Lords or by any Officers under them he should prove his complaint receive recompence It was made a question whether it was not meet that these Noble men should be put to death the importunity of the people and the perswasion of many great men drew that way but policy was against it and especially the opinion of clemency which seemed needfull to the setling of a new risen state In this Parliament also the Lord Fitzwater appealed the said Duke of Aumerle Sonne to the Duke of Yorke upon points of High treason likewise the Lord Monley appealed Iohn Montacu●e Earle of Salisbury and more then twenty other appealants waged battaile but the King purposing to lay the foundation of his Realme by favour and not by force gave pardon and restitution alike to all upon sureties and band for their allegeance and in a sweet and moderate oration hee admonisheth and as it were intreated the one part that old griefes and grudges should not bee renewed but buried together with the memory of former times wherein men were forced to doe many things against their minds the other part hee desired to bee more regardfull of their actions afterwards and for the time past rather to forget that ever they were in fault then to remember that they were pardoned No punishment was laid upon any save onely the Earle of Salisbury and the Lord Morley who had beene in especiall grace and favour with King Richard● these two were committed to prison but at the sute of their friends they were soone released the rest the King received freely to favour but most especially the Duke of Aumerle and the Duke of Excester Lord Governour of Calis The Duke of Aumerle was cousen germane to both the Kings Iohn Holland Duke of Exeter was halfe brother to King Richard and brother in law to King Henry whose Sister the Lady Elizabeth hee had taken to wife The greatest matter that was enforced against them was their loialty unto King Richard a grievous crime among rebels because they did not onely stomack and storme at his dejection but stirre also more then others and assay to raise forces on his behalfe The Dukes boldly confessed the accusation that they were indeed unfortunately faithfull to King Richard but as those who once are false doe seldome afterwards prove soundly firme so they that have shewed themselves true to one Prince may the better bee trusted by any other The King did rather admit this as a defence then remit it as a fault affirming that such examples were not to bee misliked of Princes so hee entred with them into great termes of friendship and put them in place neerest his person endeavouring by courtesie and liberalty to make them fast and faithfull unto him this fact was diversly interpreted according to mens severall dispositions some admiring the Kings moderation others disliking and disallowing his confidence and indeed although these meanes have to this purpose prevailed with some yet the common course may move us commonly to conjecture that there is little assurance in reconciled enemies whose affections for the most part are like unto Glasse which being once cracked can never bee made otherwise then crazed and unsound Furthermore to qualifie all prejudice and hard opinion which other Princes might chance to conceive King Henry dispatched Embassadours to divers Countries neere unto him to make it knowne by what title and by what favour and desire of all the people hee attained the Kingdome To the Court of Rome hee sent Iohn Trevenant Bishop of Hereford Sir Iohn Cheyney Knight and Iohn Cheyney Esquire into France hee sent Walter Sherlow Bishop of Durham and Lord Thomas Pearcy Earle of Worcester into Spaine hee sent Iohn Trevor Bishop of S. Assaphes and Sir William Parre and into Almaine hee sent the Bishop of Bangor and certaine other Most of these Princes as in a matter which little concerned either their honour or their harme seemed either not to regard what was done or easily to bee perswaded that all was done well But Charles King of France was so distempered at this dishonourable dealing with his Sonne in law King Richard that by violence of his passion hee fell into his old panges of phrensie and at the last by helpe of physick returning to the sobriety of his sences hee purposed to make sharpe warre upon that disloyall people as hee termed them for this injury against their lawfull and harmelesse Prince Many Noble men of France shewed themselves very forward to enter into the service but especially the Earle of Saint Paul who had married King Richards halfe Sister So letters of defiance were sent into England and great preparation was made for the warre Likewise the newes of these novelties much abashed the Aquitanes who were at that time under the English subjection and plunged their thoughts in great perplexities Some were grieved at the infamous blemish of the English nation who had destained their honour with the spot of such disloyall dealing others feared the spoile of their goods and oppression of their liberties by the French-men against whose violence they suspected that the Realme of England being distracted into civill factions either would not attend or should not bee able to beare them out but the Citizens of Burdeaux were chiefely anguished in respect of King Richard partly fretting at his injury and partly lamenting his infortunity because hee was borne and brought up within their City And thus in the violence some of their anger some of their griefe and some of their feare in this sort they did generally complaine O good GOD said they where is the World become Saints are turned to Serpents and Doves into Divels The English nation which hath beene accompted fierce onely against their foes and alwayes faithfull to their friends are now become both fierce and faith lesse against their lawfull and loving Prince and have most barbarously betrayed him Who would ever have thought that Christians that civill people that any men would thus have violated all Religion all Lawes and all honest and orderly demeanure And although the Heavens blush at the view and the Earth sweat at the burthen of so vile a villany and all men proclaime and exclaime upon shame and confusion against them yet they neither feele the horrour nor shrinke at the shame nor feare the revenge but stand upon tearmes some of defence for the lawfulnesse of their dealing and some of excuse for the necessity Well let them bee able to blind the world and to resist mans revenge yet shall they never be able to escape either the sight or vengeance of Almighty God which we daily expect and earnestly desire to bee powred upon them Alas good King Richard thy nature was too gentle and thy government too mild for so stiffe and stubborne a people what King will ever repose any trust in such unnaturall subjects but fetter them with Lawes as theeves are with Irons What carriage hereafter can recover their credit What time will
to death either by the commandement or connivence of King Edward the fourth And hee also escaped not free for hee dyed not without many and manifest suspicions of poyson and after his death his two sonnes were disinherited imprisoned and butchered by their cruell Vncle the Duke of Glou●ester who being a Tyrant and Vsurper was lawfully shine in the field and so in his person having no issue the tragedie did end Which are most rare and excellent examples both of comfort to them that are oppressed and of terrour to violent D●alers that God in his secret judgement doth not alwayes so certainely provide for our safety as revenge our injuries and harmes and that all our unjust actions have a day of payment and many times by way of retaliation even in the same manner and measure wherein they were committed And thus was king Richard brought to his death by violence and force as all Writers agree although al agree not upon the manner of the violence He was a man of personage rather wel proportioned then tall of great beauty and grace and comelinesse in presence hee was of a good strength and no abject spirit but the one by ease the other by flattery were much abased Hee deserved many friends but found few because hee sought them more by liberality then vertuous dealing Hee was marvellous infortunate in all his actions which may very well be imputed to his negligence and sloath for he that is not provident can seldome prosper but by his loosenesse will lose whatsoever fortune or other mens labours doe cast upon him At the last hee was driven to such distresse that hee accounted it as a benefit to be disburdened of his royall dignity for which other men will not sticke to put their goods and lives and soules in hazard Hee lived three and thirty yeares and raigned two and twenty His dead body was embalmed and seared and covered with Lead all save his face and carried to London and in all the chiefe places by the way his face was uncovered and shewen that by view thereof no doubt should bee made concerning his death At London hee had a solemne obsequie kept in the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul the King being present and all the chiefe men of the Citie Then hee was conveyed to Langley Abbey in Buckinghamshire about twenty miles from London and there obscurely enterred by the Bishop of Chester the Abbot of S. Albones and the Abbot of Waltham without presence of noblemen without confluence of the common people and without the charge of a dinner for celebrating the Funerals but afterwarward at the commandement of King Henry the fifth his body was taken up and removed to Westminster and honourably entombed amongst his ancestors with Queene Anna his wife in expiation as it is like of his Fathers violent and unfaithfull dealing So hee whose life was alwaies tumultuous and unquiet could not readily find rest for his bones even after death It was not amisse in regard of the Common-wealth that hee was dead yet they who caused his death had small reason to reckon it among their good deeds And thus doe these and the like accidents daily happen to such Princes as will bee absolute in power resolute in will and dissolute in life This yeare Humfrey the sonne and heyre of the Duke of Gloucester dyed of the plague as hee returned out of Ireland where King Richard had left him prisoner and shortly after the Dutchesse his Mother with violence of griefe ended her dayes this yeare also dyed Thomas Mowbray the Exiled Duke of Norfolke whose death would much have beene lamented if hee had not furthered so many lamentable deaths but he over-lived his honour and saw himselfe accounted a person infamed and of no estimation Likewise about this time Iohn Duke of Brittaine deceased who had taken to wife Mary daughter to King Edward the third and by her had no issue but by Ioan his second wife hee left behind him three sonnes Iohn Richard and Arthur this Ioan was afterwards married to King Henry as hereafter shall appeare Also this yeare Edmund Duke of Yorke departed this life his honour not slayned his fame not touched he was a man very circumspect and wary in his carriage not carelesse of a good fame nor greedy after a great of other mens wealth not desirous liberall of his owne and of the common sparing hee did not by obstinate opposing himselfe against the current of the time rashly hasten either his fame or his fall but by moderation attained safely that degree of prayse and honour which others aspiring unto by desperate courses wanne with ambitious death without any other profit at all He left behind him two noble sons expresse resemblancers of his integrity Edward who succeeded in his dignity and before was called Duke of Aumerle and Richard Earle of Cambridge Edward in the change of the state neither constantly kept his fidelity nor stoutly maintained his treason Richard tooke to wife the daughter and heyre of Roger Mortimer whose mother Phillip was sole daughter and heyre to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward the third by which title and discent his posterity claimed the Crowne and Kingdome of this Realme from the successors of King Henry as hereafter more at large shall be declared Charles King of France lost no time all this while in making preparation to invade England and to that end had now raysed an Army royall which was brought downe into Picardie and in a readinesse to have beene transported But it is very like that this haste for the deliverance of King Richard did the more hasten his death upon newes whereof the French-men perceiving their purpose for his restitution to bee to no purpose gave over the enterprise some being grieved that the occasion was lost of making spoyle of so plentifull a countrey others being well content to be discharged of that hope together with the hazard whereupon it depended Shortly after the French King sent a solemne Embassage into England to treate or rather intreate that Lady Isabel his daughter who had beene espoused to King Richard might with her dowrie bee restored to him againe King Henry most honourably received these Embassadors and gave in answer that he would speedily send his Commissioners to Calice which should fully commune and conclude with them both of this and other weighty affayres concerning both the Realmes Not long after hee sent Edward Duke of Yorke and Henry Earle of Northumberland to Calice Also the French King sent the Duke of Burbone and certaine others to Bulleine These Commissioners did often meet sometimes at one place and sometimes at another the French-men especially required that Lady Isabell should be restored shewing that King Charles her Father had given in charge that this before all matters and without this nothing should be concluded On the other side the Englishmen desired that shee might bee married to Henry Prince of Wales King Henries eldest sonne a
great place of imployment and charge which hee would not rather affect for glory then refuse either for perill or for paines and in service hee often proved himselfe not onely a skilfull Commander by giving directions but also a good Souldier in using his weapon adventuring further in person sometimes then policy would permit his expences were liberall and honourable yet not exceeding the measure of his receipts hee was very courteous and familiar respectively towards all men whereby hee procured great reputation and regard especially with those of the meaner sort for high humilities take such deepe roote in the mindes of the multitude that they are more strongly drawne by unprofitable curtesies then by churlish benefits In all the changes of his estate hee was almost one and the same man in adversity never daunted in prosperity never secure retaining still his Majesty in the one and his mildnesse in the other neither did the continuance of his raigne bring him to a proud po●t and stately esteeming of himselfe but in his latter yeares hee remained so gentle and faire in carriage that thereby chiefely hee did weare out the hatred that was borne him for the death of King Richard Hee could not lightly bee drawne into any cause and was stiffe and constant in a good Yet more easie to bee either corrupted or abused by flattering speeches then to bee terrified by threats To some men hee seemed too greedy of glory making small difference of the meanes whereby hee attained it and indeed this honour in noble minds is most hardly over-ruled and oftentimes it draweth even the wisest awry But before I proceed any further in describing either the qualities or acts of this Earle I must write something of the Raigne of King Richard the second his Cosin Germaine so farre forth as the follies of the one were either causes or furtherances of the fortunes of the other Richard Sonne to Edward Prince of Wales a little before deceased was after the death of King Edward the third crowned King over this Realme of England in the eleventh yeare of his age at which yeares the mind of man is like to the potters earth apt to bee wrought into any fashion and which way soever it hardneth by custome it will sooner breake then bend from the same Now the governance of the King at the first was committed to certaine Bishops Earles Barons and Iustices But either upon nicenes to discontent the King or negligence to discharge their duty every one was more ready with pleasant conceits to delight him then with profitable counsaile to doe him good for smooth and pleasing speeches need small endeavour and alwayes findeth favour whereas to advise that which is meet is a point of some paines and many times a thanklesse office Hereupon two dangerous evils did ensue flattery brake in and private respects did passe under publike pretences In the third yeare of his Raigne it was thought meete that this charge should bee committed to one man to avoid thereby the unnecessary wast of the Treasure of the Realme by allowing yearely stipend unto many So by the whole consent of the Nobility and Commons assembled together in Parliament this office was deputed to Lord Thomas Beauchampe Earle of Warwick and a competent pension was assigned him out of the Kings Exchequer for his paines But the King being now plunged in pleasure did immoderately bend himselfe to the favouring and advancing of certaine persons which were both reproveable in life and generally abhorred in all the Realme and this was the cause of two great inconveniences for many young Noble-men and brave Courtiers having a nimble eye to the secret favours and dislikes of the King gave over themselves to a dissolute and dishonest life which findeth some followers when it findeth no furtherancers much more when it doth flourish and thrive the King also by favouring these was himselfe little favoured and loved of many for it is oftentimes as dangerous to a Prince to have evill and odious adherents as to bee evill and odious himselfe The names of these men were Alexander Nevill Archbishop of Yorke Robert Veere Earle of Oxford Michael Delapoole afterwards Earle of Suffolke Robert Trisilian Lord chiefe Iustice Nicholas Brambre Alderman of London and certaine others of no eminency either by birth or desert but obsequious and pliable to the Kings youthfull humour These were highly in credit with the King these were alwayes next unto him both in company and counsell by these hee ordered his private actions by these hee managed his affaires of state hee spared neither the dignity nor death of any man whose authority and life withstood their preferment In so much as in the fifth yeare of his raigne hee removed Sir Richard Scroope from being Lord Chancellour of England to which office hee was by authority of Parliament appointed because hee refused to set the great Seale to the grant of certaine Lands which had wantonly passed from the King alleaging for his deniall the great debts of the King and small demerites of the parties upon whom the King might cast away and consume but spend in good order hee could not advertising him also to have respect that riote did not deceive him under the terme and shew of liberality and that gifts well ordered procure not so much love as placed without discretion they stirre envy This Chancelour was a man of notable integrity and diligence in his office not scornefully turning away from the ragged coate of a poore suppliant or pale face of a sickly and feeble limmed ●u●er holding up their simple soiled bils of complaint nor yet smothering his conscience with partiall maintaining of such as were mighty but being alike to all hee was soone disliked of those that were bad In the eight yeare of this Kings raigne the destruction of the Duke of Lancaster was intended likewise upon the like dislike the plot was laied by Iustice Trisilian offences were devised Appellours appointed and Peeres named hee should have beene put under arrest suddenly and forthwith arraigned condemned and executed But the Duke upon privy intelligences of these contrivances fled to his Castle at Pomfret and there made preparation for his defence against the King So this matter beganne to grow to a head of division which the Common people at that time very busily desired and fought but the Kings Mother travelling incessantly betweene the King and the Duke notwithstanding shee was both corpulent and in yeares laboured them both to a reconcilement the King with regard of the dangerous and discontented times the Duke with respect of his duty and faith and so partly by her entreaty and advise partly by their inclination bending to the safest course all apparancy of displeasure on the one part and distrust on the other was for that time layed aside The same yeare Michael Delapoole was made Chancellour of England and created Earle of Suffolke and Robert Veere Earle of Oxford was created Marquesse of Dublin being the first