favour with the King OH Lord what a great God art thou that workest thy wonders so secretly that they are not perceived untill they bee brought to passe and finished Attend now good Reader to this story following and note every circumstance and thou shalt at the end perceive a wonderfull worke of God against such as forget him and his benefits Therefore I say consider after this my Lord Percyes troublesome businesse was over and all things brought to an end Then Mistris Anne Bullen was againe admitted to the Court where she flourished in great estimation and favour having alwayes a prime grudge against my Lord Cardinall for breaking the Contract betweene the Lord Peircy and her selfe supposing it had beene his owne devise and no others And she at last knowing the Kings pleasure and the depth of his secrets then began to looke very haughtily and stout lacking no manner of rich apparell or Jewels that money could purchase It was therefore imagined by many through the Court that she being in such favour might doe much with the King and obtaine any suit of him for her friends All this while she being in this estimation in all places there was no doubt but good Queene Katherine having this Gentlewoman daily attending upon her both heard by report and saw with her eyes how all things tended against her good Ladiship although she seemed neither to Mistris Anne Bullen nor the King to carry any sparke of discontent or displeasure but accepted all things in good part and with great wisdome and much patience dissembled the same having Mistris Anne Bullen in more estimation for the Kings sake then when she was with her before declaring her selfe indeed to be a very patient Grissell as by her long patience in all her troubles shall hereafter most plainly appeare For the King was now so enamoured of this young Gentlewoman that he knew not how sufficiently to advance her This being perceived by all the great Lords of the Court who bore a secret grudge against my Lord Cardinall for that they could not rule in the Kingdome as they would for him because he was Dominus fac totum with the King and rul'd aswell the great Lords as the meane subjects whereat they tooke an occasion to worke him out of the Kings favour and consequently themselves into more estimation And after long and secret consultation with themselves how to bring this matter to passe They knew very well that it was somewhat difficult for them to doe absolutely of themselves Wherefore they perceiving the great affection and love the King bare to Mistris Anne Bullen supposing in their judgements that she would be a fit Instrument to bring their earnest intentions to passe therefore they often consulted with her to that purpose and she having both a very good wit and also an inward grudge and displeasure against my Lord Cardinall was ever as ready to accomplish their desires as they were themselves wherefore there was no more to doe but onely to imagine an occasion to worke their malice by some pretended circumstances Then did they daily invent divers devises how to effect their purpose but the enterprise thereof was so dangerous that though they would faine have attempted the matter with the King yet durst they not for they knew the great zeale the King did beare unto the Cardinall and this they knew very well that if the matter they should propound against him was not grounded upon a just and urgent cause the Kings love was such towards him and his wit such withall that hee could with his policie vanquish all their enterprises and then after that requite them in the like nature to their utter ruine Therefore they were compelled to forbeare their plots till they might have some better ground to worke upon And now the Cardinall perceiving the great zeale the King bore to this Gentlewoman framed himselfe to please her as well as the King To that end therefore hee prepares great Banquets and Feasts to entertaine the King and her at his owne house Shee all this while dissembling the secret grudge in her breast Now the Cardinall began to grow into wonderfull inuentions not heard of before in England and the love betweene this glorious Lady and the King grew to such perfection that divers things were imagined whereof I forbeare here to speake untill I come to the proper place CHAP. XI Of the Variance betweene the French King and the Duke of Burbon who fled to the Citie of Pavia where the King besieged him THen began a certaine grudge betweene the French King and the Duke of Burbon to breake out Insomuch that the Duke being now at variance with the house of France was compelled for safeguard of his life to flye and forsake his Countrie fearing the Kings malice and indignation The Cardinall having intelligence hereof contrived that the King our Soveraigne Lord should obtaine the Duke to be his Generall in his warres against the French King with whom our King had then an occasion of warre and the rather because the Duke of Burbon was fled to the Emperour to invite him unto a like purpose where he moved the King in this matter And after the King was advised thereof and conceived the Cardinals invention he mused more and more of this matter untill it came into a Consultation amongst the Councell so that it was concluded that an Ambassadour should be sent to the Emperour about this matter And it was further concluded that the King and the Emperour should joyne in those wars against the French King and that the Duke of Burbon should be the King of Englands Champion and Generall in the field who had a number of good souldiers over and besides the Emperours Army which was not small and that the King should pay the Duke monethly wages for himselfe and his retinue For which purpose Iohn Russell who was afterwards Created Earle of Bedford lay continually beyond the Seas in a secret place both to receive money from the King and to pay the same monthly to the Duke so that the Duke began the warres with the French King in his owne Territories and Dukedome which the King had gotten into his owne hands being not perfectly knowne to the Dukes enemies that he had any aide from our Soveraigne Lord and thus hee wrought the French King much displeasure in asmuch that the French King was constrained to prepare a present Army and in his owne person to resist the Dukes power And battell being joyned the King drove him to take Pavia a strong Towne in Italie with his hoast of men for his securitie where the King encamped himselfe wonderfully strong intending to close the Duke within the Towne lest hee should issue out and skirmish with him The French King in his Campe sent secretly into England a private person being a very witty man to treat of a Peace between his Master and our Soveraigne Lord his name was Iohn Iokin who was kept as secretly as might be no man having intelligence of his arrivall For hee was no French man borne but an Italian a man of no great estimation in France nor knowne to bee much in his Masters favour but taken to be a Merchant And for his subtile wit was elected to treate of such an Embassage as the French King had
is ten pounds is not it so quoth the King Yea forsooth and if it please your Grace quoth I. And withall said the King you shall receive a reward the Duke of Norfolke So I received tenne pounds of the Duke for my wages and twenty pounds for my reward and his Majestie gave me a Cart and six horses the best that I could chose out of my Lords horses to carry my goods and five marks for my charge homewards FINIS He was Batchelour of Arts at 15. years of Age He was naturally eloquent King Henry in the fifth yeare of his raigne invaded France The King relieth upon the Almaners policie He besieged the strong Towne of Turwine He besiegeth the Towne of Turney The Scots in the Kings absence invade England The Officers of his Chappell Officersin his privie Chamber Great resort to his house as to the King His entertainment of the King in a Masque The King his Company conducted into the chamber The Masquers salute the Ladies The Cardinall casts at two hundred crownes The Cardinall mistaken The Earle come to the Cardinall His sharpe reproofe of his Sonne The Earle doth intend to dis-inheâ—it him He speakes to the servants He goes to the King The Contract between Lord Percy and Mistris Anne Bullen dissolved She much displeased therat Shee is discharged the Court Her admittance againe to Court Queene Katherine her patience A plot of the Nobility against the Cardinall The Cardinall endevours to get her favour A plot of the Cardinall The Duke of Burbon fled to the Emperour King Henry joyneth his forces with the Emperor against the French King The Duke the King of Englands Generall The French King in person with an Army The Duke flies to Pavia and is there besieged by the French King The French Ambassadour treats of peace with England Command sent to Sir Iohn Russell to detaine the Kings pay The Duke his souldiers in extreme want The Dukes loving advise A generall consent The Dukes subtile devise They issue out in the night The Duke issues out with 150. or 160. men He flew the enemies and tooke the gunnes He wonne the field He intended to sack Rome but was there slaine Easie to invade France King Henry ought to have the French King captive Divers Ambassadours from Fuance to King Henry to take order for their Kings release The Cardinall endevoureth the peace of the Pope and the French King The Counsell advised the Cardinal to goe of the Embassage to France This was a plot The Cardinall doth prepare for his Iourney See his Magnificence He came to Canterbury The Cardinall commandeth the Monkes to pray for the Pope The Cardinall wept He arrived at Callice He gave the people pardon The Cardicalls all his followers into his privy Chamber The Cardinalls instructions to his followers Their duty to him expressed The nature of the Frenchmen The Cardinall and his traine goe from Callis His troops 3. inranke extended three quarters of a mile The Cardinall of Lorraine meets my Lord Captaine of Picardy The French king sent a Convoy His entertainment in Bulloigne Also at Muterell A Latine Oration Pageants made for joy His entertainment at Abovile I left my Lord and rode to Amience to see the King First came Madam Regent Two dayes after the King attended by Swithers Burgonians French and Scottish The Cardinall put on rich raiments The French King and the Cardinall meet They March the Cardinall on the Kings right hand The King and Cardinall at Amience 14. dayes They removed from Amience to Campaines Monsieur Crookesley his going to invite the King and the Cardinall to his Castle The Cardinals servant nobly entertained The Lady salutes him her selfe The French King the Lord Cardinall and the Queene Regent lodged all in one Castle The Cardinall fell out with the Chancellour of France The Cardinal departs in anger Great means used to bring him again to consultation The Cardinall writes Letters into England He sends post into England The Cardinall feasts two Queens In comes the French King and the King of Navarre The French King much taken with my Lords Musicke The French King hunted the wild Boare Preparation to returne into Bngland The Cardinal that morning he came away made the Chancellour of France a Cardinall He arrives at the court The Cardinall maketh an oration in the Star-chamber A perpetuall peace made with France The Embassadours establish our King in the order of France The King of England sent Ambasse into France to establish the French King in the order of the Garter The King of England and France Ambassadours receive the Sacraments to confirme the perpetual peace The Articles of peace read by the Cardinall The King subscribeth and sealeth The French Nobility conveyed to Richmond The rooms richly hung 200. and 80. beds prepared The ordering of the banquetting rooms The Frenchmen conducted to supper The Cardinall comes in ere the second course The Cardinall drinks a health to both Kings His Majestie invites the Stangers to the Court Their preparation for France They take leave of the King The Kings reward And also of the Cardinall The Kings Case discussed by an assembly of Bishops CoÌ„missioners sent to all the forraigne Vniversities The Cardinal sends againe for the bishop Embassadors sent to th' pope The Pope doth grant their suite The Pope sends his Legate into England Kings Councell Queenes Counsell The Bishop of Rochester lost his head for the Queens sake The King and Queene called by the Cryer The Queene on her knees pleads for her selfe She commendeth K Henry the 7. She goes out of the Court The Kings commendations of his Qu. in her absence The King declares himself to the whole Court All the Kings Issue Male by the Queen dyed The chiefe point in the Kings case The King affirmes he hath no dislike of the Queene The King produceth the Licence sealed by the Card. and the rest of the Bishops The Bishop of Rochester doth denie that he ever sealed or subscribed The Court adiourn'd The Kings counsel alledg the Matrimony not good nor lawfull The Queenes Counsel speak Bishop of Rochester Doctor Ridley The King sent for the Cardinall The Cardinal returnes and goes home to bed The two Cardinalls went on a message from the King to the Queen The Cardinal declares the cause of their going Queens answer Cardinall Campains refused to give Iudgement He makes a speech The Duke of Suffolke confronts the Cardinals The Cardinals mild answere His reason why hee proceeds not to Iudgment The Duke deharted discontented The King offended The Cardinals commission his excuse Dr. Gardener sent Embassador to th' pope The Cardinal sent for to the Court He found but small content Great supposition of the K. displeasure Mistris Anne Bulloigne offended for the Cardinalls intertaynment She complains of him The King would not talke with the Cardinall They search the Cardinall at Callis The King sends for the great Seale He refuseth to deliver up the broad Seal The Card. sets his house in order He speaks to them all He informed his Lord what was objected against him Articles against the Cardinall disannulled by Mr. Cromwell They charge him with a Premunire Iudges sent to examine the Cardinall His answere The Cardinal doth submit to the King The King demands Yorke house The Cardinals answere He fell sicke The King sends his Physition Th' King sends his ring in token of favour And mistris Anne Bulloign her Tablet In foure dayes they cured him The Kingsent three or foure loads of houshold stuffe A Prophesie When the cow rides the bull Then Priest beware thy scull The Prophesies expounded And fulfilled by the Cardinalls fall Shirt of hair A thousand mark pension to the Cardinall The King sent him 10000. p. The Cardinal goeth to his Bishoprick of Yorke At Peterborowe hee did wash 59. poor mens feete Charity to the poore Order in the Cathedral at Yorke Preparation for the Cardinals instalment at York Store of good provision sent in by the Country The Cardnals crosse in the fall brake Dr. Bonners head The Earle of Northumberland and Mr. Welsh come to Caywood-hal The Cardinal and the Earle meete The Earl doth arrest the Cardinall Master Welsh arrests Doctor Austin of high Treason The Earle takes the keys from my L. The Cardinalls causlesse feares Enemies The Cardinall salutes Mr. Kingston Mr. Kingston tells him he is in the Kings favour The Cardinal near death Divers soms of money borrowed by the Cardnal a little before hee dyed The Cardinal desires meate The Cardinals advise The Cardinall gave up the Ghost The Cardinal is buried in St Maries Chappell in Leicester
given him in Commission This Iokin was secretly conveyed to Richmond and there stayed untill such time as the Cardinall resorted thither to him where after Easter terme was ended he kept his feast of Whitsontide very solemnely In which season my Lord Cardinall caused this Iokin divers times to dine with him who seemed to bee both witty and of good behaviour he continued long in England after this till at the last as it should seeme hee had brought the matter which he had in Commission to passe Whereupon the King sent out immediatly a restraint unto Sir Iohn Russell that he should retaine that moneth pay still in his hands untill the Kings pleasure should bee further made knowne which should have beene paid to the Duke being then encamped within the Towne of Pavia For want of which money the Duke and his men were much dismayed when they saw no money come as it was wont to doe and being in this dangerous case where victuals began to be scant and very deare they imagined many wayes what should be the reason that the Kings money came not some said this and some said that mistrusting nothing lesse then the true cause thereof CHAP. XII Of the Duke of Burbons Stratagem and Victorie wherein the French King was taken prisoner NOw the Duke and his Souldiers were in great miserie for want of Victuals and other necessaries which they could by no meanes get within the Towne Hereupon the Captaines and Souldiers began to grudge and murmure being for want of Victuals all like to perish and being in this extremitie came before the Duke and said Sir we must of force and necessitie yeeld to our enemies And better were it for us so to doe then to starve like dogges But when the Duke heard this he replied with weeping teares Sirs quoth he you have proued your selves valiant men and of noble hearts in this service and for your necessitie whereof I my selfe doe participate I do not a little lament But I shall desire you as you are noble in heart and courage so to take patience for two or three dayes and if succour come not then from the King of England as I doubt nothing lesse I will then consent to you all to put our selves and lives unto the mercy of our Enemies whereunto they all agreed and tarried till two dayes were past expecting reliefe from the King Then the Duke seeing no remedy called his noble Captaines and Souldiers before him and weeping said You Noblemen and Captaines we must yeeld our selves unto our Enemies or else famish and to yeeld the Towne and our selves I know well the crueltie of our Enemies as for my part I passe not for their cruelties for I shall suffer death I know very well most cruelly if I come once into their hands It is not therefore for my selfe that I doe lament it is for your sakes it is for your lives and for the safegard of your persons for so that you might escape your enemies hands I would willingly suffer death good Companions and noble Souldiers I doe require you all considering the miserable calamities and dangers we are in at this present to sell our lives most dearely rather then to be murdered like beasts Therefore if you all consent with me we will take upon us this night to give our Enemies assault and by that meanes we may either escape or else give them an overthrow for it were better to dye in the field like men then to live prisoners miserably in captivity to which they all agreed Then quoth the Duke you all perceive the enemies Campe is strong and there is no way to enter upon them but one and that entrie is planted with great Ordnance and strength of men so that it is impossible to attaine to our enemies that way to fight with them in their Campe And also now of late you perceive they have had but small doubt of us in regard they have kept but slender Watch Therefore mine advise is there shall issue out of the Towne in the dead time of the night from us a certaine number of you that bee the most likely to assault the Campe and they shall give the assault secretly against the place of the entry which is most strong and invincible which force and valiant assault shall bee to them of the Campe so doubtfull that they will turne the strength of the entry that lyeth ouer against your assault to beate you from your purpose Then will I enter out at the Posterne gate and come to the place of their strength newly turned and there ere they be aware will I enter and fight with them in the Campe and win their Ordnance which they have newly turned and beat them with their owne peeces and then may you come and joyne with me in the field So this devise pleased them all wonderfull wel they did then prepare themselves al that day for that devise and kept themselves secret and close without any noyse or shot of peeces in the Towne which gave the enemie the lesse feare of the assault for at night they went all to their Tents and couched quietly nothing mistrusting what after happened So in the dead of the night when they all were at rest the assailents issued out of the Towne and there according to the Dukes appointment they gave so cruell and fierce an assault that they in the Campe had much adoe to withstand them And then as the Duke before declared they within were compelled to turne the shot that lay at the entry against the assault Then issued out the Duke and with him about fifteene or sixteene hundred men or more secretly in the night The enemy being ignorant of his comming untill he entred the Field and at his entry he tooke all the Ordnance that lay there and slew the Gunners then charged the Peeces against the enemies and slew them wonderfully and cut downe their Tents and Pavillions and murthered many therein ere they were aware of his comming suspecting nothing lesse then his entry so that hee wonne the field ere the King could arise So the King was taken in his lodging before he was harnessed And when the Duke had won the field the French King taken and his men slaine his Tents robbed and spoiled and the Kings coffers searcht The Duke of Burbon found the league under the great Seale of England newly made betweene the King of England and the French King whereby hee perceived the impediment of his money which should have come to him from the King having upon due search of this matter further intelligence that all this businesse was devised by the Cardinall of England Whereupon
a meeting and received him with much joy and reverence and so passed forth with my Lord in communication untill wee came neere the said Standingfield which is a religious place standing betweene the English French and Imperiall Dominions being a Newter holding of neither of them Then there we waited for my Lord le Count Brian Captaine of Picardy with a great number of Stradigatts or Arboncies standing in array in a great peece of greene Oates all in harnesse upon light horses passing on with my Lord in a wing into Bulloigne and so after into Picardy for my Lord doubted that the Emperour would lay some Ambushment to betray him for which cause he commanded them to attend my Lord for the safety of his owne person to conduct him from the danger of his enemies Thus rode hee accompanied untill hee came nigh to Bulloigne within an English mile where all the worshipfull Citizens of Bulloigne came and met him having a learned man that made an Oration in Latine to him unto the which my Lord made answer and that done Monsieur de Bees Captaine of Bulloigne with his retinue met him on horseback with all his Assemblie Thus he marched into the Towne lighting at the Abbey gate from whence he was conveyed into the Abbey with procession and there they presented him with the Image of our Lady commonly called our Lady of Bulloigne where was alwayes great offerings That done he gave his blessing to the people with certaine dayes of pardon Then went he into the Abbey to his lodging but all his traine were lodged in the high base Towne The next day after he had heard Masse he rode to Muterell where he was in like manner saluted by the worshipfull of the Towne all in livery alike where also a learned Oration was made to him in Latine which his Grace answered againe in Latine And as hee entered in at the gate there was a Canopie of Silke imbroydered with like Letters as his men had on their coates And when he was alighted his Footmen had it as due to their Office There was also made Pageants for joy of his comming who was called in the French tongue whither ever he rode or came Le Cardinall de Patifagus and in Latine Cardinalus Patifagus who was accompanied all that night with the Gentlemen of the Country thereabouts The next day he tooke his journey towards Abovile where he was in like manner entertained and conveyed into the Towne and most honourably welcommed with divers kindes of Pageants both costly and wittily contrived to every turning of the streetes as he rode through the Towne having a Canopie borne over him richer then at Muterill and so conveyed him to his lodging which was a faire house newly built with Brick at which house the French King Lowis was married to the Kings Sister which was married after to the Duke of Suffolke In this Towne of Abovile hee remained eight or nine dayes where resorted unto him divers of the French Kings Counsell every day continually feasting and entertaining him and the other Lords At the time of his departing out of the Towne he rode to a Castle beyond the water called by some Le Channell Percequeine standing adjoyning to the said water upon a great Hill and Rock within the which there was a Coledge of Priests The scituation whereof was much like to the Castle of Windsor in England and there he was received with a solemne procession conveying him first to the Church and then to the Castle upon the Bridge over the water of Some where King Edward the Fourth met with the French King as you may reade at large in the Chronicles of England My Lord was no sooner seated in his lodging but I heard that the French King would come that day to the City of Amience which was not above six English miles from thence And being desirous to see his comming thither I tooke with mee two of my Lords Gentlemen and rode presently thither And being but strangers wee tooke up our lodging at the signe of the Angell directly over against the west dore of the Cathedrall Church de nostre Dame where wee stayed in expectation of the Kings comming And about foure of the clock came Madame Regent the Kings Mother riding in a very rich Charriot and with her within was the Queene of Navarre her Daughter attended with a hundred or more of Ladies and Gentlewomen following every one riding upon a white Palfrey also her guard which was no small number And within two dayes after the King came in with a great Shot of Gunnes there was divers Pageants made onely for joy of his comming having about his person and before him a great number of Noblemen and Gentlemen in three companies The first were of Swithers and Burgonians with gunnes The second were Frenchmen with Bowes The third were le Carpe-fall Scottishmen who were more comely persons then all the rest The French guard and Scottish had all one Livery being apparalled with rich Coates of white Cloath with a rich guard of silver Bullione of a handfull broad The King came riding on a rich Jennet and did alight at the said great Church and was conveyed with procession to the Bishops Pallace where hee was lodged The next morning I rode againe to Picegueny to attend upon my Lord and when I came my Lord was ready to goe on horsebacke to ride towards Amience and passing on his way hee was saluted by divers Noble personages making him Orations in Latine to whom my Lord made answer ex tempore Then was word brought him that the King was ready to meete him wherefore hee had no other shift but to light at an old Chappell that stood hard by the high way and there hee newly apparrelled himselfe in rich array and so mounted againe upon an other Mule very richly trapped with a foote cloath of crimson velvet purled with gold and fringed about the edges with a fringe of gold very costly his stirrops of silver guilt the Bosses of the same and the checkes of his Mules bit were all guilt with fine gold and by that time hee was mounted againe in this gorgious manner the King was come very neere within lesse then an English quarter of a mile his guard standing in array upon the top of an high hill expecting my Lords comming to whom my Lord made as much hast as conveniently hee could untill hee came within a paire of Buts length and there hee stayed The King perceiving that caused Monsieur van de Mount to issue from him and to ride to my Lord Cardinall to know the cause of his tarrying and so Monsieur van de Mount being mounted upon a very faire Jennet tooke his race with his horse till hee came even to my Lord and then hee caused his horse to come aloft twice or thrice so neere my Lords Mule that hee was in doubt of his horse
and so alighted and in humble reverence did his Message to my Lord that done hee repaired to the King And then the King advanced forwards seeing my Lord doe the like and in the mid way they meet embracing each other with amiable countenances Then came into the place all Noblemen and Gentlemen on both parts who made a mighty presse Then the Kings Officers cried penant de la vant march march So the King with the Lord Cardinall on his right hand rode towards Amience Every English Gentleman being accompained with an other of France The traine of these two great Princes was two miles in length that is to say from the place of their meeting unto Amience where they were nobly received with Gunnes and Pageants untill the King had brought my Lord to his lodging and then departed for that night The King being lodged in the Bishops Pallace And the next day after dinner my Lord rode with a great traine of English Noblemen and Gentlemen unto the Court to the King at which time the King kept his Bed yet neverthelesse my Lord came into his Bedchamber where on the one side of the Bed sat the Kings Mother and on the other side the Cardinall of Lorraine accompanied with divers other Gentlemen of France and after some communication and drinking of wine with the Kings Mother my Lord departed and returned to his owne lodging accompanied with divers other Lords and Gentlemen Thus continued my Lord at Amience and also the King 14. dayes feasting each other divers times and there one day at Masse the King and my Lord received the holy Sacrament as also the Queene Regent and the Queene of Navarre after that it was determined that the King and my Lord should remove and so they rode to a City called Campaine which was more then 20. miles from Amience unto which Towne I was sent to provide lodging for my Lord and in my travell I having occasion to stay by the way at a little Village to shoe my horse There came to me a servant from the Castle there perceiving mee to bee an Englishman and one of my Lord Legates servants as they then called my Lord desired mee to goe into the Castle to the Lord his Master whom hee thought would bee very glad to see mee to whom I consented because I desired acquaintance with strangers especially with men of authority and honourable ranck so I went with him who conducted mee to the Castle and at my first entrance I was among the Watchmen who kept the first ward being very tall men and comely persons who saluted me very kindly and knowing the cause of my comming they advertised their Lord and Master and forthwith the Lord of the Castle came out unto mee whose name was Monsieur Crookesly a Nobleman borne and at his comming hee embraced mee saying that I was heartily welcome and thanked mee that was so gentle as to visit him and his Castle saying that hee was preparing to meet the King and my Lord Cardinall and to invite them to his Castle and when hee had shewed mee the strength of his Castle and the Walls which were 14. foot broad and I had seeh all the houses hee brought mee downe into a faire inner Court where his Jennet stood ready for him with 12. other of the fairest Jennets that ever I saw especcially his owne which was a Mare which Jennet he told mee hee had 400. crownes offered for her Upon these 12. Jennets were mounted 12. goodly Gentlemen called Pages of honour they rode all bare-headed in Coates of cloath of gold guarded with black velvet and they had all of them boots of read Spanish leather Then tooke he his leave of me commanding his Steward and other of his Gentlemen to conduct me to his Lady to dinner So they led me up to the Gatehouse wher then their Lady and Mistris lay for the time that the King and the Cardinall should tarry there And after a short time the Lady Crookesley came out of her Chamber into the dyning roome where I attended her comming who did receive me very Nobly like her selfe she having a traine of twelve Gentlemen that did attend on her Forasmuch quoth she as you are an English Gentleman whose custome is to kisse all Ladies and Gentlewomen in your Countrey without offence yet it is not so in this Realme Notwithstanding I will be so bold as to kisse you and so shall you salute all my Maides After this we went to dinner being as nobly served as ever I saw any in England passing all dinner time in pleasing discourses And shortly after dinner I tooke my leave and was constrained that night to lye short of Campanie at a great walled Towne called Moundrodrey the Suburbes whereof my Lord of Suffolke had lately burned and early in the morning I came to Campanie being Saturday and Market day where at my first comming I tooke up my Inne over against the Market place and being set at dinner in a faire Chamber that looked out into the street I heard a great noise and clattering of Bills and looking out I saw the Officers of the Towne bringing a Prisoner to execution and with a Sword cut off his head I demanded what was the offence they answered me for killing of Red Deare in the Forrest neere adjoyning And incontinently they held the poore mans head upon a Pole in the Market place betweene the Stagges hornes and his foure quarters set up in foure places of the Forrest Having prepared my Cardinals lodgings in the great Castle of the Towne and seene it furnished my Lord had the one halfe assigned and the King the other halfe and in like manner they divided the Gallery betweene them And in the middest thereof there was made a strong Wall with a Window and a Doore where the King and my Lord did often meet and talke and divers times goe one to the other through the same Doore Also there was lodged in the same Castle Madam Regent the Kings Mother and all the Ladies and Gentlewomen that did attend on her Not long after came the Lord Chancellour of France a very witty man with all the Kings grave Councellours where they tooke great paines daily in consultation At which time I heard my Lord Cardinall fall out with the Chancellour of France laying to his charge that he went about to hinder the League which was before his comming concluded upon by the King our Soveraigne Lord and the French King their Master Insomuch that my Lord stomacked him stoutly and told him it was not he that should infringe the amiable friendship And if the French King his Master being there present would follow his the Chancellours counsell hee should not faile shortly after his returne to feele the smart what it was to maintaine Warre against the King of England and thereof hee should be well assured insomuch that his angry speech and bold countenance made them all
doubt how to quiet him to the counsell who was then departed in a great fury Now here was sending here was comming here was intreating and here was great submission and intercession made unto him to reduce him to his former communication who would in no wayes relent untill Madame Regent came to him her selfe who handled the matter so well that shee brought him to his former communication and by that meanes hee brought all things to passe that before hee could not compasse which was more out of feare then affection the French King had to the matter in hand for now hee had got the heades of all the Councell under his girdle The next morning early after this conflict the Cardinall arose about 4. of the clock and sate him downe to write Letters into England unto the King commanding one of his Chaplaines to prepare him ready Insomuch that the Chaplaine stood ready in his Vestures untill foure of the clocke in the afternoone All which season my Lord never rose to eate any meate but continually writ Letters with his owne hand And about foure of the clocke in the afternoone he made an end of writing commanding one Christopher Gunner the Kings Serjeant to prepare himselfe without delay to ride Post into England with his Letters whom he dispatcht away ere ever he dranke That done he went to Masse and Mattins and other devotions with his Chaplaine as he was accustomed to doe and then went to walke in a Garden the space of an houre and more and then said Evening song and so went to dinner and supper making no long stay and so went to bed The next night following my Lord caused a great supper to be made or rather a Banquet for Madam Regent and the Queene of Navarre and other Noble Personages Lords and Ladies At which supper was Madam Lewis one of the Daughters of Lewis the last King whose sister lately dyed these two Sisters were of their Mother Inheritours of the Dutchie of Brittaine And forasmuch as King Francis had married one of the Sisters by which he had one Moytie of the said Dutchie hee kept the said Madam Lewis the other Sister without Mariage to the intent the whole Dutchie might descend to him or his successours after his death for lacke of issue of her But now let us returne to the Supper or Banquet where all those noble personages were highly feasted And at the middest of the said Banquet the French King and the King of Navarre came suddenly in who tooke their places in the lowest part thereof There was not onely plenty of fine meates but also much mirth and solace aswell in merry communication as also the noyse of my Lords Musique who played there all that night so cunningly that the two Kings tooke great delight therein insomuch that the French King desired my Lord to lend them unto him for the next night And after the Supper or Banquet ended the Lords fell to dancing amongst whom one Madam Fountaine had the praise And thus passed they the most part of the night ere they parted The next day the King tooke my Lords Musicke and rode to a Noblemans house where was some living Image to whom he had vowed a nights pilgrimage And to performe his devotion when he came there which was in the night he danced and caused others to doe the same and the next morning he returned to Campanie The King being at Campanie gave order that a wild Bore should be lodged for him in the Forrest whether my Lord Cardinall went with him to see him hunt the wild Bore where the Lady Regent with a number of Ladies and Damsels were standing in Chariots looking upon the toyle amongst these Ladyes stood my Lord Cardinall to regard the hunting in the Lady Regents Chariot And within the Toyle was the King with divers Ladyes of France ready furnished for the high and dangerous enterprize of hunting of this perilous wilde Swine The King being in his Doublet and Hose all of sheepes colour cloth richly trimmed in his slippe a brace of very great Gray-hounds who were armed as their manner there is to defend them from the violence of the Beasts tuskes And the rest of the Kings Gentlemen that were appointed to hunt were likewise in their Doublets and Hose holding each of them a very sharpe Bores speare Then the King commanded the Keepers to uncouch the Boare And that every person within the Toyle should goe to a standing among whom were divers Gentlemen of England The Boare presently issued out of his denne and being pursued by a hound came into the plaine where he stayed a while gazing upon the people and the hound drawing neere him he espied a Bush upon a Banke under the bush lay two Frenchmen who fled thither thinking there to be safe But the Bore smelling them and thrusting his head into the Bush these two men came away from thence as men use to fly from the danger of death Then was the Boare by violence of the Hunters driven from thence who ' ran straite to one of my Lords Footmen being a very tall man who had in his hand an English Javelin with which he defended himselfe a great while But the Bore continued foaming at him with his great Tuskes at the last the Boare broke in sunder his Javelin so that he was glad to draw his sword and therewith stood upon his guard untill the Hunters came and rescued him and put the Boare once againe to flight to an other Gentleman of England one Master Ratcliffe who was sonne and heire to the Lord Fitzwalter now Earle of Sussex who by his Boares speare rescued himselfe There were many other passages but I forbeare prolixitie and returne to the matter in hand Many dayes were spent in consultation and expectation of Christopher Gunners returne who was formerly sent post into England with Letters as I said before At last he returned with Letters upon receipt whereof my Lord prepared with all expedition to returne to England That mourning that my Lord intended to remove being at Masse in his Closet he Consecrated the Chancellour of France a Cardinall and put his Hat on his head and his cap of Scarlet and then tooke his journey and returned into England with all the expedition hee could and came to Sayne and was there nobly entertained of my Lord Stanes who was captaine of that place and from thence went to Callis where he stayed a while for shipping of his goods And in the meane time hee established a worke to be there kept for all Nations But how long or in what sort it continued I know not For I never heard of any great good it did or of any Assembly of Merchants or traffique of Merchandize that were brought thither for so great and mighty a matter as was intended for the good of the Towne This being established he tooke shipping for Dover and from thence rode post to
Court The King being then in his progresse at Sir Henry Wyats house in Kent of whom I and other of his servants thought hee should have beene nobly entertained as well of the King himselfe as of the Nobles But wee were all deceived in our expectations Notwithstanding he went immediatly to the King after his returne with whom hee had long talke and continued two or three dayes after in the Court and then retyred to his house at Westminster where he remained till Michaelmas Term which was within a fort-night after and there hee exercised his place of Chancellorship as hee had done before And immediatly after the beginning of the Terme hee caused to be assembled in the Starre-chamber all the noble men Iudges and Iustices of the peace of every shire throughout England and were at Westminster-Hall then present And there hee made a long Oration declaring the cause of his Embassage into France and of his proceedings therein saying that hee had concluded such an Amity and peace as never was heard of in this Realme betweene our Soveraigne Lord the Kings Majesty the Emperour and the French King for a perpetuall peace which shall bee confirmed in writing under the seales of both Realmes engraven in gold Offering further that our King should receive yearly by that name out of the dutchy of Normandy all the charges and losses hee had sustained in the warres And also for as much as there was a restraint made of the French Queenes Dowry whom the Duke of Suffolke had married for many yeares together during the warres It was concluded that shee should not onely receive the same according to her just right but also the Arrerages being unpaid during the said restraint should be perfected shortly after The resort of Ambassadours out of France should bee such a great number of Noblemen and Gentlemen to confirme the same as hath not bin seene heretofore repaire hither out of one Realme This peace thus concluded there shall be such an amity betweene them of each Realme and entercourse of Merchandise that it shall bee seene to all men to bee but one Monarchie Gentlemen and others may travell from one countrey to an other for their recreations and pleasure And Merchants of either countrey may traffike safely without feare of danger So that this Realme shall ever after flourish Therefore may all Englishmen well rejoyce and set forth the truth of this Embassie in the Countrey Now my Masters I beseech you and require you in the Kings behalfe that you shew your selves as loving and obedient subjects in whom the King may much rejoyce c. And so hee ended his Oration and brake up the Court for that time CHAP. XIIII Of the French Ambassadours entertainment and dispatch NOw the great long looked for Ambassadours are arrived being in number eight persons of the Noblest and most worthy Gentlemen in all France who were nobly received from place to place and so conveyed through London to the Bishops Palace in Pauls Church-yard where they were lodged to whom divers Noblemen resorted and gave them noble presents especially the Maior of the Citie of London as Wines Sugars Beeves Muttons Capons wild Fowle waxe and other necessary things in abundance for the expences of his house They resorted to the Court being then at Greenewich on Sunday and were received of the Kings Majestie of whom they were entertained highly They had a Commission to establish our Kings Highnesse in the order of France to whom they brought for that intent a coller of fine gold with a Michell hanging thereat and Robes to the said order appertaining which were of blew velvet and richly embroydered wherein I saw the King passe to the Closet and after in the same to Masse And to gratifie the French King for his great honour hee sent incontinently noblemen here in England of the order of the Garter which Garter the Herauld carried into France unto the French King to establish him in the order of the Garter with a rich Coller and Garter and Robes according to the same The French Ambassadors still remayning here untill the returne of the English All things being then determined and concluded concerning the perpetuall peace upon solemne Ceremonies and Oathes contained in certaine Instruments concerning the same It was concluded there should be a solemne Masse song in the Cathedrall Church of Pauls in London by the Cardinall the King being present at the same in his traverse to performe all things determined And for the preparation thereof there was a Gallery from the West-doore of Pauls Church through the body of the same up to the Quite and so to the high Altar into the Traverse My Lord Cardinall prepared himselfe to sing the Masse associated with twenty foure Miters of Bishops and Abbots who attended him with such Ceremonies as to him were then due by reason of his Legative Prerogative And after the last Agnus the King rose out of the Travers and kneeled upon a Carpet and Cushions before the high Altar and the like did the great Master of France chiefe Ambassadour that here presented the Kings person of France betweene whom the Lord Cardinall divided the blessed Sacrament as a perfect oath and bond for security of the said Covenants of the said perpetual peace That done the King went againe into the Travers this Masse being ended which was solemnely sung both by the Quite of the same Church and all the Kings Chappell Then my Lord tooke and read the Articles of peace openly before the King and all other both English and French and there in sight of all the people the King put his hand to the gold Seale and subscribed with his owne hand and delivered the same to the grand Maste of France as his deed who semblably did the like that done they departed and rode home with the Cardinall and dined with him passing all the day after in consultation of weighty affaires touching the Articles and conclusion of the said peace Then the King departed to Greenwich by water at whose departure it was concluded by the Kings devise that all the Frenchmen should remove to Richmond and hunt there And from thence to Hampton Court and there to hunt likewise And the Lord Cardinall there to make a Banquet or Supper or both and from thence they should ride to Windsor and there hunt And after returne to the King at Greenwich and there to banquet with him before their departure This determined they all repaired to their lodgings then was there no more to doe but to make preparation in all things for the entertainment of this great Assembly at Hampton Court at the time appointed by my Lord Cardinall who called before him all his chiefe Officers as Stewards Treasurers Clarkes and Comptrollers of his Kitchin to whom hee declared his whole mind touching the entertainment of the French-men at Hampton court to whom hee also gave command neither to spare for any