¶ The chronicle of Ihon Hardyng in metre froÌ„ the first begynnyng of EnglaÌ„de vnto that reigne of Edwarde the fourth where he made an end of his chronicle And from that tyme is added with a coÌ„tinuacion of the storie in prose to this our tyme now first emprinted gathered one of diuerse and soundrie autours of moste certain knowelage substanciall credit that either in latin or els in our mother toungue haue writen of the affaires of Englande ⧠LONDINI ⧠In officina Richardi Graftoni Mense Ianuarii 1543. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum RG ¶ The dedicacion of this present woorke vnto the right honorable lorde Thomas duke of Norffolke by thenprynter Richard Grafton LOrde Thomas of Norffolke duke moste gracious Of noble auncestrie and blood descended A captain right woorthie and auenturous And froÌ„ ScotlaÌ„d euen newely retended Wher Englandes querele ye haue reuenged In the behalf of our noble kyng Henry I wyshe you all health honour and victorie ¶ And because it hath pleased almightie God In the right title and quercle of Englande To vse your stocke as an iron rod Wherewith to scourge the falsehood of Scotland In whom is no truthe ne holde of any bande Ihon Hardynges chronicle as me thought was Moste mete to bee dedicated to your grace ¶ For Hardyng a true herted Englysheman An esquier valiaunt hardie and bolde And not vnlearned as the time was than Serched out of chronicles bothe late an olde All that euer by thesame hath bee told How froÌ„ the begynnyng ScotlaÌ„de dooeth reigne Vnder kynges of Englande as their soueram ¶ And Hardynges owne self hath the partie bee That from Scotlande oft tymes hath brought Their seales of homage and fealtee Vnto the kyng of Englande as he ought Vnto whom the Scottes then sued and sought Yeldyng to liue in humble subieccion Of Englandes gouernaunce and proteccion ¶ But that people of their propre nature Hath euen from the first been so vntowarde So vnstedfast inconstaunte and vnsure That nothyng maie possibly bee more frowarde So haue thei continued from thens foorthwarde Neuer gladde to bee in quiet and rest But to defeccion aye readie and prest ¶ Wherefore Thon Hardyng to his lorde maister Whom in his tyme he serued without blame Edwarde first duke of Yorke and after Kyng of this realme the fourthe of that name In this chronicle affermeth of thesame That thei will rebell till by prouision The kyng of EnglaÌ„d shall haue made theim both ¶ And in deede EnglaÌ„d hath oft been coÌ„streigned one The Scottes slackenesse in dooyng their homage To pricke forewarde wheÌ„ thei would haue refreined With that sharpe spurre of marciall forceage And to abate their wantonnesse of courage With the iron rodde of due correccion As oft as thei attempted defeccion ¶ For the Scottes will aye bee bostyng crakyng Euer sekyng causes of rebellion Spoyles booties and preades euer takyng Euer sowyng quereles of dissension To burne and steale is all their intencion And yet as people whom God dooeth hate curse Thei alwaies begynne and euer haue the woorse ¶ Englande hitherto hath neuer lacked power As oft as nede wer the Scottes to compell Their duetie to dooe and menne of honour Englande hath had as stories dooe tell Whiche whensoeuer the Scottes did rebell Wer hable at all tymes theim to subdue And their obedience to England renue ¶ EmoÌ„ges the whiche noumbre your noble father In the twelfth yere of Henry the seuenths reigne By aunciente recorde as I can gather Beeyng of suche credence as cannot feigne Yode into Scotlande their pryde to restrein With seÌ„bleable power as bookes dooen auowe And like commission as your grace had now ¶ That season he did so valiauntely The Scottes vanquishyng and puttyng to flight That thei ranne awaye moste shamefully Not hable of hym tabide the sight Nor hable to sustein the brunt of his might Soondrie castelles he raced down to the grounde Whiche to the honour of Englande did redound ¶ Kyng Iamy also makyng greate braggue and vauÌ„te Hauyng his armie not a myle of that daie Your father as a captain valyaunt Made in a moment for feare to runne awaye The Scottish kyng seÌ„ding foorth heraldes tway Chalenged your father with many a proude woorde Battayle to wage and trye it by the sworde ¶ And choose thou sir Earle ê™ kyng Iamy then Whether we shall fight armie against armie Orelles I and thou trye it manne for manne For sparyng bloodshed of either compaignie That if it chaunce me to haue the victorie Nought shall I demaunde for Englandes losse thine Sauig Barwike toune for euer to bee mine ¶ Then to the heraldes saied this noble knight Shewe to your kyng that in this place purposely Battayle for to wage my tentes haue I pight I am not come to flee but to fyght sharpely As where he standeth he maye see with his eye And fyrst where he would bloodshed saued to bee Therof am I no lesse desirous then he ¶ Secundarily where it is his likyng That I a poore Earle and of meane estate Maye combattre with hym beyng a kyng That our two fightes may ceasse all debate He dooeth me honour after suche highe rate That I must nedes grauÌ„t my selfe bound in this case Humble thankes to reÌ„dre to his grace ¶ Now as for the towne of Barwike it is knoweÌ„ Which your lorde requireth in case I bee slaine Is the kyng my souereins and not mine owne So that graunte therof in me dodeth not remain But thys maie ye bear worde to your lord again My person and lyfe aduenture I shall More precyous to me then the round worlde all ¶ When kyng Iamy by his heraldes twoo Spedefullye returnyng had due knowlage Muche otherwyse then he loked for thoo Of the Earles stout aunswer and message Fled out of hand and would no battayle wage So that your father retourned home victour With coumfort laude praise ioye and honour ¶ The same your father in the fyfth yere Of our moost noble kyng Henry the eyght When hys grace and his armie at Turney were And the same kyng Iamy of Scotland streyght Agaynst England his banner dyspleyght Vanquished the Scottes with your helpyng haÌ„d Slew there king Iamy and brought him to England ¶ Agayne in the .xv. yere of the same reygne Your selfe in proper personne full courageous Set forth against the Scottes without dysdeygne Lyke a captayne valyaunt and venturous Wher ye breÌ„t Iedworth a toune right populous Wyth diuers victories that your grace then had Whiche made all Englande to reioyse be glad ¶ The yere folowyng also as bookes testify The Scottes came with an houge power Of .lx. thousande men vnder the Duke of Albany Besiegyng Warke castel thynkyng it to deuour But heryng that your grace dyd approch that houe The Scottes trembled and so dyd theyr Duke And cowardly fled to their shame and rebuke ¶ Sembleably by thys your last viage Nowe thys last October and Nouember Made into Scotlande to
enquired At Westmynster buried in royall wyse As to suche a prince of reason ought suffice ¶ Who was the first of Englyshe nacion That euer had right vnto the croune of Fraunce By succession of bloode and generacion Of his mother without variaunce The whiche me thynketh should be of moste substaūce For Christ was kyng by his mother of Iudee Whiche sykerer side is ay as thynketh me ¶ And of his pedegre vnto the croune of Fraūce With his bloode wherof he is discent Within this booke without any varyaunce Mencion is made only to this entente That reders by all good auysemente The title of his right and heritage May well conceyue and haue therof knowlage The C .lxxxviii. Chapiter ¶ Richarde the seconde kyng of Englande and of Fraunce began to reigne the yere a thousand thre hundreth .lxxvii. and was deposed by parliamente in the yere a. M CCC .cxix. and the .xxii. yere of his reygne RIchard his heyre that sōne of prīce Edward Crowned was then with all solempnitee By all the lordes and barons hole award Obeying hole vnto his maiestee Who that tyme was in tendre iuuensee Of eleuen yere fully accompted of age When he had so his croune and heritage ¶ And kyng was called of Englāde of Fraūce In Iune the .xxii. daye full clene Of Christes death without variaunce A thousande was thre hundreth sixty to neuen And .xvii. yere therwith to beleuen When the two realmes fell to hym by discente As nexte heyre to kyng Edwarde thexellent ¶ And in the yere a thousande thre hundreth mo Sixty adioynt and therwith all nynetene The thyrde pestilence reigned in Englande so So sore that moste parte of the people clene Dyed awaye as through the realme was sene And of his reignes of Eglande and of Fraunce The thyrde yere was by very remembraunce ¶ And of his reigne in Iune then the .v. yere And of our Lorde a thousande then accompted Thre hundreth eke .iiii. score and one full clere The commons rose an hūdreth thousād amoūted Of Kent and Essex whiche that tyme surmounted The kynges power and all the hie estates For whiche the lordes fled then as exulates ¶ And lefte the kyng alone then in the toure With tharchbyshop of Cauntorbury there so And the priour to been his gouernoure Of Clerken well whiche the commons heded tho And brought the kyng forth with theim to go They asked hym all bondmen to bee free And taxe none euer after payed to bee ¶ They asked eke Iake Strawe Wat Tiler To bee made dukes of Essex and Kente To rule the kyng thens forth in peace and warre For they bee wyse of royall regiment Thus tolde they the kyng all theyr entent The whiche he graunte in all thyng by and by For he durste no poynt then theim denye ¶ Afore Iake Strawe that kyng thē stode hodlesse Of which Walworth the Mayre of Londō trewe Areasoned hym then of his greate lewdenesse With a dagger in Smythfelde then hym slewe The citezens with hym then strongly drewe And slewe theim downe and put theim to flight And brought the kyng into the citee right ¶ The cōmons brent the Sauoye a place fayre For eiuill wyll they had vnto duke Iohn Wherfore he fled northwarde in great dispayre Into Scotlande for socoure had he none In Englande then to whō he durste make moone And there abode tyll commons all were ceased In England hole and all the lande well peased ¶ The .xx. daye of Maye nexte folowyng And one therwith as calculers it knowe The date of Christ a thousande then beynge Thre hundreth also foure score two on rowe Th earth quake was whiche that tyme I sawe That castelles walles toures and steples fyll Houses and trees and cragges fro the hyll ¶ And in the yere afore kyng Richarde wed Quene Anne vpon saynt Agnes day that floure That doughter was as I haue sene and red Vnto the kyng of Beeme and Emperoure And suster also vnto his successoure Themperour of Rome that Segemond hight Who to kyng Henry in Englāde came full right The C .lxxxix. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Richard wente into Scotlande in the yere a thousande three hundreth and .lxxxvi. and in his reygne the .x. yere and howe he create two dukes of Yorke and of Gloucestre ANd in the yere of Christ a thousande so Thre hūdreth also foure score .vi. ther tyl And of his reigne the .x. yere and mo The kyng Richard with hoste went at his wyl In to Scotlande his corage to fulfyll To Edinburgh and brent the lande also Without lettyng there of any foo ¶ At London so then at his parlyament He made therle of Cambrydge his vncle dere The duke of Yorke to be incontynent And so he was proclaymed there full clere That Edmonde hyght of Langley of good chere Glad and mery and of his owne ay lyued Without wronge as chronicles haue breued When all the lordes to councell and parlyament Went he wolde to hunte and also to hawekyng All gentyll disporte as to a lorde appent He vsed aye and to the pore supportyng Where euer he was in any place bidyng Without suppryse or any extorcyon Of the porayle or any oppressyon ¶ He made also the earle of Bokyngham Thomas Wodstoke that same daye and create His other vncle duke of Gloucester by name Proclaymed hole and so denominate With his brother to be consociate The foxe tayle he bare ay on his spere Where he so rode in peace or elles in warre ¶ The kyng then made that duke of yorke by name Maister of the mewhouse his haukes fayre Of his venery and mayster of his game In what countree he dyd repeyre Which was to hym without any dispeyre Well more comforte and great gladnesse Then bene a lorde of worldly greate rychesse ¶ His vncle Thomas the duke then of Gloucester And wed the doughter then of therle of Herforth By whiche he had by writyng by letter The Constablery of Englande then ay forth Both by South Est West and North By herytage of his wyues lande and ryght Of auncyent tyme by kynges graunt hyght ¶ And in the yere of kyng Richarde elleuen The duke Thomas that was of Gloucester Henry the earle of Derby dyd beleuen With hym by worde and also by his letter The earle Marshall did so then for the better Th erle Beanchampe of Warwyk by his name Of Arundell the earle dyd the same ¶ These lordes fyue together boldely sworne Agayne Robert Veer then duke of Irelande The kinges pleasure one of age both like borne Whom he loued moste as they could vnderstand With batayl stronge at Rotcot bryge toke on hād To fyght with hym where then he fled awaye Ouer Thamis without retourne for ay The C .xc. Chapiter ¶ Of the great parlyament where the fyue lordes foriuged that duke of Irelande and his compeers AT Lenton nexte accompted in the yere At London then the king set his parliamēt At westminster to hold
many honest menne that he came but of a lowe and course parentage and he was named Peter War becke whiche thing also the kynges frendes certified hym by their letters and writynges to hym more plaine and euidentelye Therfore when the kyng had knowen the matter wholy aswel by his frendes as by his spies sent foorth purposelye for the same he caused it to bee proclaimed openly aswell in other regions countrees as in England that the disceate and deuelish crafte might appere euident to euery manne And firste he sent ambassadours to Philyp the chiefe capitaine in Flaundres and to his councell because he was but of a younge age whiche were sir Edward Poninges knight and sir William Varame preest and lawyer that they might shewe euidently howe falsely the younge manne hath vsurped the name of Richarde duke of Yorke whiche was kylled with his brother Edward in the Towre of London at the cōmaundement and will of kyng Richard his vncle as euery man coulde testifye and affirme most surely Also that he was borne of a poore stocke and an obscure famulie in Tornace and there named Perkin Warbecke and therfore that it woulde please hym his councel not to suffer theim selfes to bee blynded or seduced with suche mere impostures and craftie illusions nor yet to aide hym at any hande to cause sedicion or strife consideryng that he had no iuste title to the enheritynge of the same And that they would the rather bee his frendes nowe because that he helped Maximilian theyr kyng the yere before againste the power and violencye of the Frenche menne where as he of hym selfe was not hable to refyste theyr myghte and stronge power When the Ambassadours had dooen their message they were gentely entretayned of hym and had their request that he woulde not for the loue that he oughte vnto the kynge no nor any of his counsaile helpe thesame Perkin any thinge at all Neuerthelesse yf the quene Margaret would persiste and continewe in her malice towardes the kyng whome the Ambassadour sir William Varame had reproued and checked sore for bringing vp of suche monsters and commune plagues to the publike weale in his oration that he made vnto Philippe and his counsayle it was not in their power to withstande it for because that she might doo in her owne herytage all thinges at her owne wyll and pleasure Whiche quene entended fully to arme this Perkin with a stronge compaignye of menne against kyng Henry After that kynge Henrye dyd heare of this he purposed to pacyfye all this busynesse that was like to chaunce by wytte and policye and streight dyd sende foorthe certaine spies whiche shoulde fayne theim selfes to haue fledde vnto the Duke and by that meanes searche foorthe and knowe the whole entente of theyr coniuracion and after what waye they framed theyr matters Other also shoulde promyse a pardon and remyssyon vnto syr Roberte Clyfforde and Willyam Barley for their offence cōmitted to the kyng And when they had so dooen many of theim returned to Englande and broughte the names of certayne that were chief of the same conspiracye Other taried vntyll suche tyme that sir Robert Clifforde came to Englande agayne And when the kyng had knowen the chief capitaines of this tumulte by his spyes that were there with theim he caused all them to bee attached brought to London before his presēce whose names wer sir Iohn Ratclyffe syr Simon Monforde syr Thomas Thwarte knightes William Dabeney Roberte Ratcliffe Richard Lesey with many other Also certaine preestes and religious menne as sir William Richeford and Thomas Poynes bothe monkes of sainct Dominikes order sir William Sutton sir William Vrseley Deane of Poules Robert Layborne Other that were giltie of the same crime hearing that many of their compaignie wer taken fledde and did take sanctuarye And the other that were taken wer condempned all of treason of the whiche there was heded sir Simon Monford sir Robert Ratcliffe and William Dabeney as authours chiefe capitaines of this busines The other were pardoned and the Preestes also for their order that they had taken Also sir Iohn Ratcliffe was pardoned of his lyfe but after that he came to Calisse there caste in prisone he was behedded because he corrupted the kepers with many promises to haue escaped out of the same Shortly after sir Robert Clifford trusting to find fauour grace at the kynges hande came to England of whose cōming when the kyng was certified he went streight to the towre of London there taryed tyll suche tyme the syr Robert Clyfford came whiche thyng he vsed vnder this pretence that yf sir Robert Clifford had accused any man to hym of the treason that then euerie suche person mighte bee called thether withoute anye suspectiō of anie euel and there streight to bee cast in holde but before I goo furder I wyll shewe the opinion that many men conceaued of the knightes goynge to Flaunders Some men helde this opinion that kyng Henrye dyd sende hym as a spye to Flaunders and therfore he came the soner into his fauoure Neuerthelesse this is not lyke to bee true by diuerse reasōs Fyrst that it tourned to the great infamye and hurt both of hym selfe and his frendes Secondarly that he was not in so greate fauoure with the kyng as he had ben in tymes past for because that he was giltie in that part Therfore the saied sir Robert now comming to the king after his retourne into England kneled mekelye downe at his feet and desired pardō of his grace and after that beyng enquired of the coniuration and examined who wer the authours of this mischiefe he pronounced saied that William Stāly whome the kynge made Earle was one of the chief when he had so saied the kyng was greatly dismayed greued that he should offend whō he had made chief of his priuie chamber considering also that he had founde great kindenes hertofore at his hande and that he dyd ouercome kyng Rychard chiefly by his helpe and meanes So that the kyng coulde not bee perswaded that he was any suche offender had not it bene shewed him after by manifest tokens and apparēt argumentes the it was true as he saied Whom the king thē caused to be taken and examined of the matter after the which examinacion he was proued to be an offender Then the kynge doubtynge what to dooe with him dyd consult and breath a lytle with him selfe for he feared that his brother lord Thomas by whom he had shewed great kyndnesse woulde take it greuously also yf he shoulde remitte that faulte other would abuse his lemtee and trespace more highly Albe it at the laste he wylled that he shoulde suffer for his offence and so caused hym to bee behedded The cause that their loue as mē reporte dyd chaunge into hatred was this The lorde Wylliā consideryng that he saued the kyng and brought hym to this realme to be gouernour thought he could neuer bee recompensed for hys
reigned xxxiii yeres Ryueall reygned vxii yeres Gurgustius reygned xv yeres Scicilius reygned xiiii yeres Kyng Iago reigned x. yere Kyng Kimar reigned .xx. viii yere GorboniaÌ„ reigned .xi. yere Clotane with his feldes reigned xâ— yeres DuÌ„wallo reigned .xl. yeres DuÌ„wallo was the first king of Bryteine that was croned with golde This teÌ„ple was s Poules churche in LoÌ„don Bolyn Gurgwyn reigned xxx yeres Howe Irelande was hold of this kyng his heires Guytelyn reygned .x. yere Sicilius reygned .xxiiii. yeres * Rymar kynge * Danius kynge Moruyle reygned .xvii. yere Gorbonyâ— reygned .x. yere Arthegall * Eledoure kyng reygned v. yeres * Arthegall reygned 〈◊〉 yere Eledoure reigned xiii yere Iugen and Peredour reigned vii yere together Paradour reigned by hym self iiii yeres Eledour reigned .x. yeres GorboniaÌ„ kyng of Brytaine Morgan reigned .xiiii. yere Emnan kyng reigned .vii. yere Kyng Iuall reigned .xx. yere Kyng Rymo reigned xvi yere Kyng GereÌ„nes reigned xx yere Kyng Catellus reigned x. yere Kyng Coile reigned xx yere Kyng Porrex Kyng Cheryn Fulgen FulgeÌ„ce Eldred Androge Vryan Elynde Dedancius Detoâ—â— GurguÌ„cius Merian Bledudo Cappe Owen Sicilius all these reigned eche of theim .ii. yeres Bledud Gabred cantor Archiuall Eldoll Redon Redrike Samuel Pirry Penisell Capre eche of these reigned two yeres Howe Hely the soonne of Elyngwellus made the Isle of Hely Kyng Hely reigned .xl. yere Kyng Lud reigned .xl. yere This palays is nowe the bishop of LondoÌ„s palays beside Poules Cassibalayn reigned .xxxiii. yere Temancius reygned .xvii. yere Kymbelyne Guyder reigned xi iiii yere Aruiragus reigned xl.iiii yere 〈◊〉 Wher of Gloucester was so named Vaspasian Agrestes Howe Galway had fyrst the name of kyng Gadelus The regall of scotlande The subieccion of ScotlaÌ„d Coylus reigned xiii yere Lucyus kyng Seuerus kyng GetaÌ„ king of Britain chosen by that Romayns Bassian reygned vii yere Caranse reigned liii yeres * Allectus kyng reygned .iii. yere Asclepiadote reygned .x. yere Kyng Coylus reygned .xi. yere ConstauÌ„ce kyng reygned xv yere Constantyne reygned .xxxiiii. yere Sorcerie ConstaÌ„tine first grauÌ„ted to the. b. of Româ— that primacye Octauius Kyng Traherne Maximian reigned in all xxx .iiii. yere The .xi. M. vyrgins Gracian kyng ConstaÌ„tyne reigned .x. yere ConstauÌ„ce kyng Vortiger kynge of Britayn reygned .xviii. yeres * Wednysdaye wherof it was named Vortymer kynge of Britayne The craft pollicye of Engist EnglaÌ„de wherof it was so named Vter PendragoÌ„ kyng of Brytain Kynge Arthure The saynt Graall what it is The death of kyng Arthure * Aurelius Conan kiÌ„g of Britayne reygned thre yere * Vortiper king of Britayne reygned vii yere Malgo kiÌ„g of Britayn reygned .xxii. yere * Carreys kiÌ„g of Britayne reygned thre yere Cursyng Howe that Britons were kyn glesse xx yere A lamen tacion of that maker of this booke to that lordes Mat â–ª xii The couÌ„cel of the maker to duke Richard of Yorke Homage of the Scottes A murder of MoÌ„kes Cadwall lxi yeres reigned The subieâ—cion of the Scottes SubiecctoÌ„ of Scottes Oswold Oswy kyng of NorthuÌ„berlande Kynge Cadwal Cadwalader kyng SubiercioÌ„ of that Scottes * A greate plage Mat .xii. Roome pence Etheldred Kyng Cuthred Segbert kyng Kynulph kyng IgnorauÌ„ce in those dayes Kyng Egberte 〈◊〉 Tythes firste grauÌ„ted to the clergy in Englande Kyng Ethel bert Kyng Elfride Alurede kyng Supersticion Superset cyonsnesse with daÌ„pnable ydolatrye Homage of the Scottes RebellyoÌ„ of the Scottes Homage of the Scottes Guy of Warwicke Kyng Eâ—moÌ„d reigned â—i yere Homage of the scottes Edrede kynge of EnglaÌ„de RebellioÌ„ of the Scottes Homage of the Scottes Edwyn kynge Edgare Homage of that Scottes Thoffice of a king Edwarde marter kynge of Englande Ethilrede kyng A wonderfull token Edmonde Ironesyde reigned kiÌ„g of EnglaÌ„d thre yere * Kno wt kynge of Englande and of DeÌ„marke Homage of that Scottes Herold Kyng Hard kno wt â–ª King Edwarde that 〈…〉 coÌ„fessou Th erle Goodwyn Homage of that Scottes Ignorance and supersticyon * Herolde kynge of Englande duke Good wins soÌ„ne Duke WillyaÌ„ of Normandye Homage of the Scottes Kyng Wâ—lliam Rufus Homage of the Scottes Homage of that Scottes Homage of that Scottes Kyng Henry the first Homaeg of that Scottes * Homage of that Scottes * Homage of that Scottes Kyng Stephan Homage of the Scottes kyng HeÌ„rye the seconde Homage of that Scottes Raynold fitz Vrsy Hughe Maruile Robert Tracy Homage of that Scottes Subieccion of that Scottes Homage of that Scottes Kyng Rycharde the fyrst called Cure de L◠〈…〉 Homage o the Scottes IhoÌ„kyng of Englande The piteous lameÌ„ table storye of king IhoÌ„ who by the Roomyshe byshop and his adhereÌ„tes was most sham fully vylanously abused as by this hystory doeth appeare Kyng Henry that thirde Homage of the Scottes Battaile of Lewes The battaill of Euesh 〈…〉 Kyng Edwarde the fyrst after that conquest The homage of that kynge of Scotlande to kyng Edwarde A restraint of laÌ„des to be geuen to the clergye Howe a chronicle was feygned to make Edmond the elder brother This was to Henry the fyfth Homage of the Scottes Submyssion of the Scottish kyng al his lords vnto kiÌ„g Edward the first Howe the Scottyshe kynge all the lordes of ScotlaÌ„d made homage vnto dyng Edwarde The deathe of Edward the first Kyng Edward the second The battaille of BaÌ„nokesburne Gilbert MideltoÌ„ robbed that cardinalles Edward the thyrde Homage of that Scottes Kyng Iohn of FrauÌ„ce A battaill in Spain Kyng Richard the seconde Insurrec * The batail of Rotâ—ote bridge * The batayl of Otturborne Blancke chartres Kyng Richard his voiage in to IrelaÌ„o Kyng Henry that fourth The kynges voiage into Scotlande The kynges voyages into Wales Robyn meÌ„dmarket The conceyte of the maker Lorde Coâ—ham King HeÌ„ry that sixte The duke of Gloucester protectour of EnglaÌ„d The duke of BedfordregeÌ„t of frauÌ„ce The coÌ„ceâ—â— of that maker touchynge kiÌ„g Iames. Kyng Richardes wife sent home again into â—raunce The casteâ— of Dunbretayne The tyme to beginne warre in Scotlande FroÌ„ Barwyke to DoÌ„barre .xx. Haddingtosie xii EdeÌ„burgh xii Lythko xii Sterlyng .xii. FroÌ„ EdeÌ„burgh to Leith i to Blaknesse .ix. to Sterling xiiii FroÌ„ Sterlyng to the doune of of Monteth .iiii. FroÌ„ Sterlynge to FalklaÌ„d .xxx. The first yere Howe HeÌ„ry that duke of Somersette lefte kyng HeÌ„ry the .vi. and fled to kyng Edward and after repented fled againe to HeÌ„ry the .vi. The discomfitur of Henry the sixt The duke of Somerset taken beheded The takynge of HeÌ„ry the xyxte â–ª The coynynge of royalles nobles The sixt yere The .ix. yere King 〈◊〉 â—y 〈◊〉 vii The prophecye of Henrye the vi of kyng Henry the vii The .xix. yere * Tâ—e descripcion of Edward the fourth The descripcioÌ„ of Richarde the thyrde The exhortacyoÌ„ 〈◊〉 kynge Edward 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 The descâ—ipcioÌ„ of Edward 〈◊〉 fourth 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ion 〈…〉 hâ—â—â—s wife The oration of that duke of BuckynghaÌ„ â–ª made â—o the cy 〈…〉 of London Howe and after what maner the two soÌ„nes of king Edward were destroyed The murtherynge of kynge Edward his chyldren The garde fyrste ordeined by kiÌ„ge Henry the vii The sweating sickenesse The coÌ„mocion made by the lord Louell and the lorde Stafforde Themurde ryng of the erle of NorthuÌ„berland 〈…〉 The kyng of Scottes slain of his subiectes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perkyn warbeck * The blacke Smyth The .xii. pere of HeÌ„ry the .vii. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 all 〈…〉 done The noble wise saiyng of HeÌ„ry the seuenth The .iii. yere The .iiii. yere The .v. yere The .vi. yere 〈…〉 〈…〉 The .lx. yere The .x. yere The .xi. yere The .xii. yere The .xiii. yere The .xiiii. yere The .xv. yere 〈…〉 〈…〉 viii The .xix. yere The .xx. yere The .xxi. yere The. xxii yere The .xxiii. yere The. xxv yere The. xxvi yere The. xxvii yere 〈◊〉 xviii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 xxix yere The. xxx yere
had reigned full twenty foure yere Buryed he was at Winchester full right As in Flores full clerely dooeth apere Who in his tyme surely had no peere Of wysedome nor manhode as was seen The lawe and peace that could so well sustene The C .xiiij. Chapiter ¶ Athelstane kyng of England reigned fiftene yere and dyed in the yere of Christ nine hundred thirty fiue How Constantyne kyng of Scottes warred again Athelstane but he recouered his homage by myracle of sainct Iohn of Beuerley as sheweth here afterward SIr Athilstane his eldest soonne of age In wisedome euer full sadly well auised At Kyngstō was crouned toke homage Of all the lordes right as he had deuised Agaynste whome all Wales as thei suffised Then he warred but he made theim obeye And made homage his meune to bee for aye ¶ In wohse tyme so y◠yere of Christ nine hūdred And thyrty more and fiue full accompted Robert Rollo his soule and corps asondred His corps to the earth his soule amounted Whiche in knighthod his Danes surmounted That reigned had then duke of Normandy By thirty yere accompted full clerly ¶ To whom succedid his soōne Wyllyā lōgspee That after hym was duke of Normandy But then the kyng of Scottes by cruelte Hight Constantyne hym warred cruelly For whiche kyng Athilstane mightily Stroyed all Scotland till his people dyed For cold and hunger dyed and mortified ¶ But he was so comforted euen by miracle That he faught a none with this kyng Constātyne And had the feld and his habitacle Theim droue through all the lād with muche payne To tyme he was full fain to enclyne To Athilstane for to make his homage For all Scotland that was his heritage ¶ Anlaaf the kyng of Denmark full of pride Cousyn to kyng Constantyne of Scotland With shippis many arriued on Humberside At Burnesburgh and claymed of England For to haue of the kyng as I vnderstand The truage whiche his eldres had afore And with hym brought Colbrōd to fight therfore ¶ And Athilstane at the daye assigned Made hym redy the battaill to haue smitten Again Colbrond armed with hart benyngned But then sir Guy of Warwike as was weten In palmer wyse as Colman hath it wryten The battaill toke on hym for Englandis right With Colbrond in armes for to fight ¶ Wher then he sleugh this Danyshe champion By whiche battaill the truage was relesed By couenaunt made and composicion Betwene the kynges afore and warres cesed Thus kyng Anlaaf home to Denmarke presid Without more warre or conturbacion And sir Guy went to his contemplacion ¶ Kyng Athelston then fraunchesid Beuerley In the worship of God and sainct Iohn Wher in his life is written for euer and aye The miracle of his stroke so in the stone That neuer manne might dooe but Athilston Through grace of God and his direccion Through prayer of sainct Iohn and affeccion ¶ This noble kyng was euer more iust trewe To God his faith and to churches deuocion To poore menne grace on subiectes euer did rewe To preestes and age reuerence in feld and towne In dome sadnes trouth and discrecion And in the yere nene hundred thyrty and fiue When he had reigned sixtene yere with life ¶ His brother Edmōd for kyng thē was crouned Of Englande whole by concent of all estate To whome Dothowe kyng of Scotlāde that stoūde And Howell of Walis the kyng then create As was afore vsed and determinate Feaute to hym made and leege homage For Wales and Scotlande that was their heritage ¶ He sette sainct Dunstan then at Glastenbury Vnder thabbot of monkes and religion That abbot was with hym at Canturbury This kyng Edmond was slain by a felone Whiche of malice and his false treason That forfet had and dampned was to dye For his forfet and for his felonye ¶ At Cauntorbury as y◠kyng hym saw on a daye For yre on hym he ranne and sore hym wounde For whiche he stroke the kyng for aye So they dyed both two ther in that stounde Eche of theim of his mortall wounde Whiche to a prince accorded in no wyse To put hym selfe in drede wher lawe may chastice ¶ He reigned but .vi. yere then all out And died the yere .ix. hundreth fourtye and one At Glastenbury buried without doute For whome the people made then ful great mone For lawe and peace he kept to euerychone And his commons neuer his tyme supprissed And oppressours of hym alwaye were chastised ¶ His brother Edrede after hym had the crowne At London then and tooke royall feautee Of all estates within his region Excepte Scotlande that through theyr vnlewtee Crowned Gilryke a Dane of great beautee Of royall bloodde borne and generate And for theyr kyng hym fully had create ¶ Kyng Edrede went to Scotland w e his power And all the lande wasted sore and brent Wherfore the Scottes by hole consent for feer Put downe Gilryke from all the regyment And droaue hym to Denmarke or they stent And to Edrede came all the Baronage And to hym made feautee and homage ¶ And in the yere .ix. hundreth fourty and nyne He died buried at Wynchester his cytee When that he had his soule made to enclyne Out of his corps to passe awaye and flee Where God of heauen would that it should bee But .viii. yere full he reigned and no more When death hym toke with sikenes great sore ¶ Edwyn his brother resceyued then the crowne Folyshe and proude and of his will maligne And in his wytte was full lytle reason Whom his barons for cause he was vndigne Made hym his crowne for to resigne Deposed hym then out fro his regiment At the parliament by theyr commen assent ¶ Whom saynt Dunstane for aduoutre blamed But it amende he would in no kyn wyse Of whiche he was full openly defamed Through all the realme he was the more vnwise For whiche the lordes and commons all did ryse And droaue hym out awaye wher no man knewe Thus synnes olde make shames come full newe ¶ He reigned had but .iiii. yere and no more When he was depriued of his estate Without thanke of God or man therfore And well worse was of all men moste behate Of his reygne hauyng no lenger date Who dyed the yere .ix. hundreth fyfty and thre Foringed hole from all his magestee The C .xv. Chapiter ¶ Edgare kyng of Englande reigned .xviii. yere died in that yere of Christ .ix. hundreth three score and eleuen HIs brother Edgare by a commē assente Was chosen kyng as chronicles recorde With diademe crowned at his parliamēt And homage toke royall of euery lorde So mercyfull and full of misericorde Was he that saynt Dunstan reconciled Whome kyng Edwyn wrongfully had exiled ¶ Whom archebyshop of Cauntorbury he made With all estate and primates dignitee Of Monkes and nonnes mynsters fayre glad Fourtye founded of religioustee Within his realme of his owne
bare with Iueles full royall And clothes ryche that were well ordynaté For that ylke feste and state imperyall Fro South vnto the Septentrionall Where then none suche accompted of rychesse As there were then as wryten is expresse The C .xxxviii. Chapiter ¶ How kyng William of Scotland made homage for Scotlande and then after his coronacyon at Westmynster he went to Fraunce and so to Ierusalem by the assent of the Kynge Phylippe THe bishop of Duresme on his right hande The bishop also of Bathe on his left syde The kīg of Scottes Willyā for Scotlād Made hym homage and feaute leege that tyde Kyng Rychard then to Fraūce with muche pride Anone so yode tharchebishop Bawdewyne With hym then went worthy clerkes and fyne ¶ Sir Rauf Fulgence erle of Perche then also Robert Ferrers erle of Lecester then With erles fell and barons many moo Of all this land went many a worthy then Of England and Scotland many a manne Of Ireland Wales Guyan and Normandy Then with hym went in that voyage on hie ¶ The kyng Philip shippid his hoste at Iene The kyng Rychard tooke the sea at Marsile With all his hoste without other meene Within short tyme arriued vp in Cisile Wher he full faire receiued was that while By kyng Tancred soonne of Wyllyam Whiche Wyllyā wed his suster Iohan by name ¶ The kyng Rychard twoo Isles ther cōquered Byside Cisile to his suster theim gaue To hir lyuyng and bade hir not bee fered For he should se hir dower she should haue Longyng to the right that she should craue And at Meschyne kyng Rychard then did make A Bastell strong the Sarsyns for to wake ¶ And sailed furth to Cipres then hy sea Wher his mother hym mete with dame Barnage The kyng his doughter of Nauerne faire free Whom ther he wed in lawfull mariage At Lymosyn in his pilgremage A citee great full of all habundaunce Whiche by assaute he gate of his puysaunce ¶ The kyng Rychard rode then to Nichosie And gate the citee with force and might The citee also of Cheryn mightely Wher his doughter and heire he toke full right To Buffenet and Baffe that were full wight To Dendamour and Candor his citees He went anone with greate felicitees ¶ He gate theim all all the realme throughout And toke the kyng Isaak and hym slewe And wed his doughter vnto the kyng full stout Of Ierusalem whose wife was dedde then newe That Sibill hight that doughter was mēne knewe Of Almarike kyng of Ierusalem The brother of Geffrey of Angeou hir eme ¶ This kyng Rychard that realme of Cipris wāne To whome the lordes echeone did their homage And anone by sea with many a manne To Acres wher in that ilke voyage He toke a ship of high and greate auantage Of ablementes for warre and ordinaunce The whiche he had with hym in gouernaunce ¶ But fiftene Sarsyns there he dreyncte And twoo hundred he kept that ship to gnie To Acres then wher kyng Philip full feyn◠Had sieged long without remedie But kyng Rychard of Acres toke in hie The stronger syde and gaue it greate affraies Late and erly bothe by nightes and dayes ¶ He gate it sone with his greate ordinaunce And on the walles his baners full hie he sette The kynges armes he sette vp also of Fraunce And kyng Guyes armes of Ierusalem well bette The duke of Oistrich Lympold without lette Set vp his armes after aboue theim all Whiche kyng Rychard did cast doūe ouer that wall ¶ With wages greate and riches manifold He ryched his mēne rode throughoute all Surry The citees all and castelles that he would He gate with force and came again in hie To castell Pilgrym whiche kyng Philip pleinly Beseged had full long and went his waye Whiche Rychard beseged in greate araye ¶ To the whiche there was no waye but one full straite On a cawsey with dikes depe and wyde Strongly walled with towres on to wayte With many drawe bridges wher none might go ne ryde Strongly cheined with barris on eche side Whiche castell then he gate in dayes ten With battaill sore wher he sleugh many menne ¶ The cheynes of yrone he stroke vp with his axe Bothe at Acres and at castell Pilgrym And brent theim all as thei had been of waxe Cheynes barres with muche might that tyme The Sarasyns also he slewe with muche gryme The kyng Philip fell sicke and home would gone To Fraunce anone and toke his menne echeone ¶ Vnto the duke of Burgoyn theim to lede To bide for hym vpon the warres there And home so went to Fraunce without drede Wher then he made greate warre and muche dere In Normandy and Guyan fouly hym bere Against his othe and his greate assuraūce At their passage by couenaunt and concordaunce The C .xxxix. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Rychard sold the realme of Cipres to Statyn once an other tyme to the kyng Guy◠Lezinaunt to resorte to hym to his heires in de faute of issue of theim HE sold Cipresse to kyng Statyn of might An other tyme to Guy Lizenaūt full bold For great riches the resort again of right And for greate sommes of innumerable of gold His prisoners he raunsomed sore and sold But with his hoste full well he distribute All that he gate vnto their greate refute ¶ Ioppen he gate and it repaired newe He and the duke of Burgoyn full sore sought On the Soudan and felly did pursue To castell Assure fro whens he fled vnfought But kyng Rychard that of no perill rought Was hurt right ther with dartes venemous Fiue woundes sore mortall and perelous ¶ The droue hym then into Ierusalem And layed a sege about the citee rounde And kyng Rychard hard howe fro Egipt realme Came strong vitail and ryches in that stounde With full greate hoste the Christen to confounde By night he came and there theim discomfete With worship greate and farpassyng profite ¶ Gase he buylded full faire and Ascaloyn To the templers to whome afore thei longid He deliuered and made hym redy boun For to assayle the citee and haue fongid With might of menne laddirs full well hongid Engynes and gonnes greate stones for to cast Whiche to haue wonne thei were full like at last ¶ The Soudan out by night then stale awaye And Christen menne the citee gate anone And kyng Rychard with all the hoste his waye Toke to the Flum of Cedar on his foon He folowed fast with hoste as he might goon With the Soudan faught putte hym fro that feld And mightely fro hym he rest his sheeld The C .xl. Chapiter ¶ Howe the Soudā toke a trewce with kyng Rychard after he had putte hym to flight wonne his citee and castels in Surry Kyng Rychard gaue Ierusalem and that realme of Surry to his susters soonne Henry erle of Campanya with the heire Sibill to his wife and homewardwas takē prisoner in Oistrich but in his gift of Surrry 〈◊〉
Ierusalem he reserued the resort to hym to his heires THe Soudā toke a trewce with kyng Richard For thre yere whole to bye all marchandise And sell and passe saufly thitherward To the sepulcre in all maner wyse With entercomen as then it did suffice And home he went for cause his brother Iohn Then purposed had for to bee crouned anon ¶ He sent his mother and wife to Cisile And of Acres he made then capitain The baron bold sir Rychard Vmfreuile Ierusalem to Henry erle of Champein With all Surry to haue and to demain And made hym kyng therof without delay For his susters soonne he was without nay ¶ For the marquis Wyllyam Mountferrate That kyng therof was by his wife enherite Was slain in Tire his citee by debate All sodeinly for cause of greate dispite Vetulo de Mount his brothers death to quite His bretherne twoo to Tire with power hath sent That slewe hym there by Vetulo his assent ¶ Whose wife he gaue to Henry his cousyn For she was heire of Ierusalem He made kepers in euery place full fyne And homeward came then by the sea stream Hoostyng by diuerse countres and realme To Romany Tuskan and Lumberdy In to Oistrich and there was take in hye ¶ Thēperour led home thē to Mēske he brought In strong ward brought to tyme that his finaūce Was fully payed emong his commons sought Of holy churche vnto ful greate greuaunce The marchaūtes also thē made great cheuisaūce Of all the shryues was take full greate riches Through all England to raūsom with his highnes ¶ And home he came Iohn his brother chastised And his fautours emprisoned all full sore To Normandy then went and there supprised The kyng Philip and werred hym euer thore That stroyed his land of Normandy afore Against his othe and his hie assuraunce Whilest he labored vpon the miscreaunce ¶ He then appeled the kyng Philip to fight Thei twoo alone hand for hand in feld That he was false of his promise and hight Whiche kyng Philip graunted but not it held But cowardly with royall hoste hym beld Vpon hym came all sodeinly to fight Within three dayes then for their brothers right ¶ Beside Gysours thei faught with hostes sore Wher kyng Rychard had the victorie Kyng Philip fled fro his baner thore With muche shame reproffe and vilanie Kyng Rychard segid a castell then in hie That Caluce hight not ferre fro Lymosyne Wher hurt he was full sore and dyed fyne ¶ An arblaster with a quarell hym smot As he about the castell went to spie But then he made therto a saute full hote On euery syde about full cruelly And gatte the place so then full myghtely And slewe theim all without any grace Agayn hym so that holden had that strong place ¶ He shroue hym then vnto abbots three With great sobbyng and hye contricion And wepyng teares that pitee was to see Mekely askyng penaunce and absolucion That it might please God at his peticion To forgeue his offences tyll domysday So afterwarde in blysse he might been ay ¶ He quethed his corps then to bee buried Al Fount Euerard there at his fathers feete To whom he graunted and made it notifyed Traytour he was and false of his behete His herte inuyncyble to Roan he sent full mete For their greate truth stedfast great constaunce His bowelles lose to Poytou for deceyuaunce ¶ Whose soule from the body dyd departe And into heauen went where is eternall ioye Because from synne he did conuerte Longyng for that blessed daye To see Christ that for his synne dyd paye That crucyfied was vpon the roode Redemyng his synne by the shedyng of his blode ¶ And of his reigne he died the .x. yere And in the yere of Christes incarnacion A thousande hole two hundreth and .iiii. clere As written is by clere computacion Who in his life had hole dominacion In Normandy Guyen Cypers and Surry Whose honoure shone aboue all other clerely The C .xli. Chapiter ¶ Iohn kyng of Englande duke of Normandy and Guyan 〈◊〉 erle of Angeou began to reygne the yere M CC. and .iiii. and reigned .xvii. yere and died the yere M CC .xxi. HIs brother Iohn was kyng then of Englande And crouned was at westminster ful faire By all estates and lordes of his lande And sone therafter deuorced full vnfayre From his wife wedded that there afore was heyre Vnto therle of Gloucestre full wyse That sonnes had that tyme of great enterprise ¶ For cause of whiche and of consanguinitye Deuorce was made and toke another wyfe Dame Isabell therles doughter fayre and free Of Englande and his heyre knowen ryfe Whiche after made hym ful great warre stryfe For she was wyfe of Hugh Brune of Toreyn The Viscount then toke fro hym a virgyne ¶ Wherfore Hugh Brune nomore of hym wolde hold But warred hym on euery side aboute Tyll he hym toke with other many folde And slewe theim all were thei neuer so stoute In his first yere a taxe he tooke full out Of eche plough land thre shyllynges fully payed For whiche the people bitterly for hym prayed The C .lxii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Wyllyam of Scotlande did homage leege to kyng Iohn at Lyncolne the duke Arthure of Britayne all the lordes of Irelande did the same IN his first yere kyng Wylliā of Scotlād Made hys homage in Lyncolne his citee And Arthure duke of Britayne I vnderstande Sone after made hys homage feautee At London then with great humilitee The prince of Wales there made his homage For Wales then that was his heritage ¶ The great a Neele and Makmurre also And al the lordes and kynges of Irelande Therles also of Vlster did right so Of Ormond and Desmond for there lande And all estates there as I vnderstande Wer sworne to hym and to hym did homage For theyr lyuelodes and theyr heritage ¶ The kyng Philip confedered with Arthure To rebell sore agayne his eme kyng Iohn And graunte hym men power stronge and sure To gette Guyan Poytou and Angeou anon Wherfore kyng Iohn to Normandy gan gone And there he tooke Arthure duke of Britayn In castell Mirable dyed in mykell payne ¶ Dame Isabell the suster also of Arthure In the castell of Bristowe was then holde And died there in pryson then full sure As kyng Iohn hir vncle so it wolde A lady of greate beautee she was hold Beshet in pryson in paynes strong So endeth her life for sorowe liued not long ¶ Thus slewe he both Athure and Isabell The chyldren of his brother duke Geffrey To ioye the croune of Englande as men tell Wherfore moste parte of all his landes that daye Beyonde the sea forsoke hym then for ay Retournyng to the kyng of Fraunce in hye To holde of hym and his perpetually ¶ Bishop Hubert of Cauntorbury tho died Wherfore kyng Iohn vnto the couent sente To chose his clarke whiche they refused denied Wherfore the kyng was wroth in
his entente For they disobeyed the lettre whiche he sent For they had chosen mayster Stephan Langton An worthy clarke of all disposicion ¶ Whom kyng Iohn then wold not admytte For Romayn bull ne for the prelates prayer But prisoned some and some to death commytte Some he exiled and theyr eyen clere And all personnes and prelates in fere He then put out and seazed theyr benefice Through all the lande as his mortall enemyes The Romyshe byshoppe curssed hym openly And all the realme fully did enterdite That sacramentes none therin should occupie And to the kyng of Fraunce without respite He wrote his letters so full fayre endite To take Englande hole in gouernaunce For kyng Iohn his great misgouernaunce ¶ Many erles also and many great barons Vnto the kyng of Fraunce wrote openly To sende his sonne Lewes the rebellions To helpe to whome they promysed sikerly To croune hym kyng of England worthely If that kyng Iohn would not his trespasse amēd Vnto the churche in whiche he had offend ¶ Wherfore that kyng of Fraūce to England sente His sonne Lewes with hoste and power strong With whom many lordes susteyned his entent And other some maynteyned kyng Iohn in wrōg Thus stode this lande Englande Wales longe Hole enterdite frō all holy sacramentes That none was done without priuelegementes ¶ Lewes the sonne of kyng Philip of Fraunce Had castelles fees and citees many one At his good rule and full wyse gouernaunce In Englande then well mo then had kyng Iohn Tyll on a daye to lordes he made his moone By whose coūcel vnto that Romishe bishop he wrote His letters meke as best he could theim note ¶ Besekyng hym of mercy and of grace Of forgeuenesse and absolucion His defautes all to mend and his trespasse And vndirguage all his punysion For to release thenterdiccion For whiche the Romishe bishop as he that letters see Wepte fore hauyng full greate pitee ¶ Thenterdiccion fully he releassed And to the kyng of Fraunce anone sent To ceasse the warre the peace to be encreassed Betwene hym and kyng Iohn bayssent To whiche he would put so all his entent To Lewes then he sent thesame message And of Englande to haue his hole costage ¶ And for Lewes with Lordes of Englande Obeyde not the byshops commaundement He sent Gwalo his legate I vnderstande To cursse Lewes and all of his assent Then died kyng Iohn in Christen hole entent At Croxton abbey and buried was full fayre At Worcester with lordes and great repayre ¶ Some bookes sayen he poysoned was to dead Of plummes so syttyng at his meate In thabbey of Cistews at Swynsheade With whiche a monke there hym did rehete Wenyng of God greate thanke to gette At Newerke died at Worcester sepultured In chronicles as is playnly scriptured ¶ He gate a sōne that Hēry of Wynchester hight And other after and Richarde was his name That erle was of Cornwayle of great might A Worthy knight and of right noble fame These sonnes on his wyfe that noble dame And gate Isabell the wyfe of Frederyk Emperoure of Rome a lorde full poletyk ¶ In his tymes were these earles in Englande Geffry Maundeuile earle of Essex than Syr Quincy as I can vnderstande Earle of Winchester that was a manly man And the earle of Cornewayle that was than Roger of Clare then earle of Gloucester That in Englande was none his better ¶ Roger Bygot earle of Northfolke then That Marshall was that tyme of Englande Henry Bowne then earle of Herforde as I can Conceyue was then Constable of the lande Aryght worthy knyght of his hande And Dauyd then was of Huntyngdon Willyam Marshall earle of Penbroke full boon ¶ Randolfe of Chester the earle of good estate Robert Veer of Oxenforde full wyse Willyam Groos of Almaryk generate Willyam Lōgspee earle then of great enterpryse In actes marcyall a man knyghtly and wyse Of Salysbury a mighty lorde that daye Through all Englande knowen of greate araye ¶ Willyam the earle of Arundell that hyght Awbeny by his surname full well then knowe At Wimondham in Northfolke buryed ryght Father was of Philyp full yonge vnknowe That full curteous was both to hye and lowe That after hym was earle of Arundell As chronycles wryten can clerely tell ¶ This kyng Iohn dyed in hole creaunce The yere of Chryste a. M was then knawe Two hundreth .xxi. by remembraunce In chronycles as I haue red and sawe And full cumbreous bothe to hye and lawe At Worcester buryed in good araye As a prynce royall of reason ought that daye The C .xliii. Chapiter ¶ Henry the thyrde kynge of Englande duke of Normandye and Guyen and Earle of Angeou that beganne to reygne the yere of Chryste a thousande CC. xxi and dyed in the yere a thousande CC .lxxiii. and of his reygne the .lvi. yere ¶ In his tyme was a batayl at Lincolne where Earle Raudolfe of Chester discomfyted Lewys that sonne of kyng Philyppe of Fraunce HEnry his sonne then was of .ix. yere age At Gloucester crowned with the dyademe By the Legate Gwalo the Baronage Stephan of Langton helpyng as did well seme Archbyshop then as the byshop coulde deme The same yere then the kyng with Lewys faught Besyde Lincolne where Lewys was nere caught ¶ Foure C. knyghtes of Lewis there was slaine Th erle of Perche was slayne on Lewis syde And many fled with Lewys soth agayne Th erle Randolf of Chester knowen wyde The felde there gate that daye with mikell pryde And Lewys then all his ryght relesed And home he went with mony well appesed ¶ In the seconde yere he wedded Alyanor Therls doughter of Prouynce good and fayre Whose elder syster kyng Lewys wed afore This earle was then famed amonge repayre The noblest prynce without any dispeyre That tyme alyue through all chrystente Of all honoure and greate nobilyte And Iohn the sonne of Dauyd of Huntingdon That of Huntyngdon Chester earle had bene Without chylde dyed his erldome to the crowne Then sezed were to tyme that it was sene Howe his systers myght them departe betwene The parliament graunted that wardes to the kyng That helde of hym by knyghtes seruyce doyng ¶ To make statutes at Oxenforde ordynaūce By whiche there shulde none alyence enheryte And put the kyngvnder the gouernaunce Of certayne lordes wysest moste parfyte Whiche after made amonge them great dispyte And batayles stronge greate contrariaunce Through all the lande by longe continuaunce The C .xliiii. Chapiter ¶ Of the byrthe of Edwarde his eldest sonne and heyre was in the .xxix. yere of his father and in the yere of Chryste a thousande CC .xxxix. Howe Symonde Mountforte Earle of Leycester was create HIs eldest sonne and heyre that Edward hyghe At Westmynster of Chrystes incarnacyon The yere a thousand CC .ix. and .xxx. ryght Whome the legate Otho by informacyon Baptyzed in funt saynt Edmondes confirmacy 〈…〉 To hym then made as the churche deuysed In his baptime holy then autoryzed
exercyse ¶ A thousande ladyes excellynge in beaute He had there also in tentes hye aboue The iustes that they myght well clerely se Who iusted best there for theyr lady loue For whose beautie it should the knyghtes moue In armes so etchone other to reuie To geate a fame in playe of chiualrie ¶ This Mortimer was then lord Mortimer But in these iustes he held great feastes eche daye By fourty dayes conteined whole and clere At whiche one part of ladyes faire and gaye Gaue hym the price of fame of all that playe Wherfore the kyng to encrese his estate Proclamed hym erle of Marche there create The C .lvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe Edmond erle of Lancaster and of Leicester faught at Bayon with the power of Fraunce and was slain there sir Wyllyam Valence erle of Pē broke was dedde ther and many other lordes in the yere a thousand twoo hundred four score sixtene BVt erle Edmond the kynges brother dere With twenty sixe baners proud stout The fifth daye of Iune was accompted clere Of Christ his date a thousand yere all out Four score and sixtene with out doubt At Bayon faught with the Frēchemenne certain Wher he in that feld that daye like a knight was slaine ¶ Sir Williā Valence erle of Pēbroke was thē Sir Iohn Rychmond and many other baron Sir Iohn saynct Iohn right a full manly māne Thenglishe hoste felly ther was bore doune By a busshement laied by colucion That brake on theim sore fighting in the feld Out of a wode in whiche that daye were beld The C .lvii. Chapiter WHen Iohn of Gaunt that sone of king Edwarde For cause his brother that duke was of Clarēce None yssue male had then that menne of herd But female by all intelligence When kyng Rychard in his greate excellence None yssue had he would haue been his heire Apparaunt then by act in perlyament feire ¶ The whiche Thomas Wodstok duke of Gloucester And all nobles of England ther present Proclaymed then by wrytyng and by letter Howe that therle of Marche then in perlyament Vnto the kyng was then heire apparaunt Wher duke Iohn in diuers places made Feined chronicles that shewed were full brade ¶ Howe this Edmond thelder soonne of kyng Henry Broke backed and bowbacked bore Was vnabled to haue the monarche And Edward so the younger kyng therfore Shuche chronicles then he feined full sore And putte in place of diuers religion To make his soonne right heire of this region ¶ But when kyng Henry this chronicle shewed It was defect and clerely sette at nought And vnderfoote cast doune and eke stroyed The contrarie by chronicles truly wrought Was proued trewe and then his title he sought By resignement and renunciacion By depoisale and playne coronacion ¶ It is not true that croke backed he hight For valyaunt he was in all his doynges And personable with all to euery mannes sight Although false chronicles haue other saiynges Kyng Alexander of Scotland then dyed That wedded had the kynges suster Margarete And Alexander his sonne beyng in thesame stede Who with Margatete his wife on the sea perished The C .lviii. Chapiter ¶ How Florēce erle of Holād his persuers boūd hym to vide the iudgement of the kyng Edward if he should be kyng of Scotlād FLorence therle of Holand his compeers That claimed then the croune of Scotlād After the death of Margaret as pursuers Came to kyng Edward then of England Requeryng hym in God his name all weldand As he that was of Scotland souereigne lord To trye the right and sette theim in accorde ¶ For whiche he sette at Norham a parliament After Easter then next folowyng In the kirke of Norham to that entent That all Scottes and other that were pursuyng Might ther appere their titles claymyng At whiche parliament the pursuantes theim bond At his decree and iudgement to stond ¶ By one letter with all their seales ensealed Whiche doublid was thei gaue vnto the kyng The other part for it should not be repeled Thei kept with theim selfes alwaye abydyng Which lettre Iohn Hardyng maker of this boke To kyng Hēry delyuered that gaue hym in recōpēce The manoure of Gedyngtō w e all that appurtenēce ¶ For whiche manoure then the cardinall Of Wynchester vnto the quene disposid In hir dower and fro hym toke it all When that the kyng by death was deposid Hym recompence he promised and composid But nought he had but might that prīce haue lyued He durst full eiuill his excellence haue greued ¶ An other letter duble in like wyse The saied heires deliuered to the kyng That other part as shuld of right suffice Semblably with theim was remainyng By whiche thei bound theim self by their sealyng Hym to delyuer the kyng his castels all To kepe to tyme his iudgement were byfall ¶ Of whiche iudgement without possession Of castell strong throughout ther all the lande He might not well dooen execucion Wherfore the heires to hym so their theim bound Whiche letter also Iohn Hardyng toke on hand And did deliuer so then at Boys Vincent For the saied reward together by one entent The C .lix. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Edward made sir Iohn Balyoll kyng of Scotland AND in the yere of Christ his incarnacion A thousād whole two hūdred four scoure And therto three by verye computacion At the feast of sainct Michael set afore The kyng Edward to Scotland came therfore Wher twenty then chosen were of England And other twenty persones also of Scotland ¶ By whose aduyse all other rightes excl ude The kyng iudged to Iohn Bailyol the croune That was discent as clearely was conclude Of theldest doughter of Dauid of Huntyngdon As chronicles make therof good mencion Margarete wedded to Aleyne of Galawaye Whose doughter was kyng Iohns mother that day ¶ That Dernegull hight and was Iohn Bailiols wyfe Whose sonne heire kyng Iohn was thē cround That Bailioll hight that knowen was full ryfe In that mynster of Skone within Scotland groūd Syttyng vpon the regall stone full sound As all the kynges there vsed had afore On saynt Andrewes daye with all ioye therfore ¶ At Christmas nexte after the same kyng Iohn To Newcastell to kyng Edwarde came His homage made and feautee leege anone Of his free wyll without any blame And with greate ioye agayn retourned hame But then that Scottes chose theim .xii. lords by assēt To rule the kynge Iohn by their entent The C .lx. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Iohn of Scotlande made confederacye with Fraunce agayn Englande WHiche made him then to make confederacy With kyng Philip of Fraunce and aliaūce Perpetually to be contributorie Ether with other by strong great assuraunce Englande to warre with al theyr hole puyssaunce The kyng Edwarde seynge this hye falshede To Barwike came with hoste and great māhede ¶ At the nonnes of Barwyke then he laye And layde a siege about on euery syde At after Easter but flemynges then that daye
The Leden hall there helde full strong that tyde Which with wylde fyre was brent might not byde That same night then syr Wyllym Duglas yald Barwyke castell to kyng Edwarde and salde The C .lxi. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Iohn of Scotlande surrendred his homage to kyng Edwarde and disclaymed to holde of hym IN this same tyme .vii. erles of Scotlande Sieged Carleile and so to Hexham brent And home again harmeles out of EnglaÌ„d They went anone and none harmes hent Worse to haue dooen was there entent But then kyng Iohn surrendred vp his homage To kyng Edwarde for hym and his linage ¶ By letters whiche the kyng Edward then sent To abbeys great in Englande of recorde To be remembred of his false entente RenouÌ„cyng kyng Edwarde for his souerayn lord The seuen erles at Dunbarre by concorde Then sieged it fro whiche earle Patrike went And graunted to holde of hym at his entent The C .lxii. Chapiter ¶ Of the battayle of Dunbarre where that kyng Edwarde preuayled WHiche castell so then the kyng rescowed And droaue therles there out of the felde And much people vnto the deth ther bowed Without helpe there slayne vnder shelde To Ronkesburgh the kyng Edward so held That sone was yelde to hym without stryfe Their good saufe also and theyr lyfe ¶ So he forth to Edenburgh went anone That yelden was on thesame condicion Then was Stryuelyn voyde and lefte alone Without defence or any garyson That Edwarde toke in his possession Whiche kyng Edwarde toke into his power And saued the people both farre and nere ¶ Then came therle of Vlster with great power Of Iryshemen and so to saynt Iohns towne The kyng theÌ„ went with host through Fyfe ful cher And brent that shire throughout both vpoÌ„ downe When then kyng Iohn by good direccion To Edwarde sent and prayed hym then of peace And to his grace submytte hym or he would cease ¶ TheÌ„ kyng Edwarde toke his submyssion At Brighyn then vpon the water of Taye And gaue hym there his realme without condicioÌ„ Of Scotlande so to hym and his for ay The lordes all made hym homage that daye The .x. daye was of Iuly and in the yere Of kyng Iohn then the .iiii. was counpted clere ¶ And therupon he sent hym to the toure Of London then with certeyne rebelles moo Kyng Iohn he kept in worshyp and honoure Like his estate where he would ride or god Ten myle about for his disport there so Then kyng Edwarde on the mountaynes went That monthes there bee called in theyr entent ¶ And as he came homewarde by Skone awaye The regall there of Scotlande then he brought And sent it forth to Westmynster for ay To be there in a cheire clenely wrought For a masse preaste to sytte in when he ought Whiche there was standyng besyde the shryne In a cheire of olde tyme made full fyne ¶ TheÌ„ made the kyng Iohn Wareyn his regeÌ„t That erle was then of Sussex and Surray And treasorer he made at his entent â—ugh Cressyngham and Wyllyam Ormesby The chiefe iustice through Scotlande generally His chaunceler at Skone and tresorer Abydyng wer to rule the land full clere ¶ TheÌ„ went kyng Iohn to FlauÌ„ders for socoure Of the dukes of Geldre and Brabant And also of the noble Emperoure That hym had hight great helpe socoure then But none he had and home agayn he want For in that meane tyme whyle he in FlauÌ„ders abode Wyllyam Valoys all Scotlande ouer rode ¶ He slewe the iudge and the chaunceler Thofficers also and the chaumberleyn The Capitaynes and the treasorer And gatte the lande fro Englyshmen agayn And slewe theim all with cruell death and payn Wherfore the kyng vpon the Maudeleyn day At Fowkirke fought with Scottes in great aray ¶ Where Scottes fled and fourty M. slayn And into Fiffes he went and brent it clene And Andrewstoune he wasted then full playn And Blakmanshire Menteth as men mene And on the ford of Trippour with hoste I ween To Bothbile Glascowe and to the towne of Are And so to Lanarke Longhmaban Anand thare ¶ Whiche all he had euer wher he came And then he wed kyng Philippes suster Margarete A fayre lady and full of noble fame Hir sonne and heire Edwarde Carnauan hete A mayden wed kyng Philippes doughter swete Whom his father then prince of Wales create Duke of Cornewayle erle of Chester nominate ¶ Then went the kyng to Scotlande agayn And wan the lande and had there all obeysaunce Sauyng Wales that would not hym obeyn But fled hym euer for drede of mischaunce He ordeyned then by statute ordinaunce That none should bee the prince of Wales more Excepte of the kyng his eldest sonne first bore The C .lxiii. Chapiter ¶ How the byshop of Rome at the suggestion of the Scottes wrote to kyng Edwarde vnder this fourme ANd in the yere a thousande CCC one Bishop Boniface at that Scottes suggestioÌ„ To kyng Edward by lettre wrote anone Chargyng hym then vpon his beneson For to delyuer the Scottes out of pryson Whiche in Englande he had holden with wrong And his officers call home that there had be long ¶ Alledged all howe Scotlande hole was holde Of Peters churche of Rome nought of hym But by great wrong and oppression bolde He theim ouerled with warres sore and brym And theim compelled in payn of lyfe and lymme To become his men the realme of hym to holde By homage leege whether they wold or nolde ¶ And bad hym also afore hym then appere At the courte of Rome his right there for to shewe And yf it myght beknowe his right were clere Without delay by iudgement iuste and trewe He shulde it haue by execucion due By sensours of theyr churche and hole sentence For to obeye his hie magnificence The C .lxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Edwarde wrote agayn an aunswer of his lettre THeÌ„ kyng Edward wrote vnto hym agayn An aunswere by his letters meke and due All his tytles and duties full playne Nought in fourme neuer in effecte to sue Nor in his courte no iudgement to pursue Remembryng well his fatherhede Nowe Brutus had Albian and dyd it possede ¶ In Hely tyme whiche to his sonnes he deuyde Vnto his sonne Locryne fyrste propogate He gaue Logres that hath this tyde To Albanacte the seconde procreate He gaue Albanye Scotlande nowe denomynate And to Cambre his yongest sonne he gaue Cambre that nowe is Wales to ioye and haue ¶ To kyng Locrine of Logres and to his heires The soueraynte and homage ay reserued Of Albanacte and Cambre and all theyrs Perpetually Troyan lawe obserued By which lawes Bryton hath bene conserued Sith hitherwarde without interrupcyon Afore the tyme that Rome had prescrypcion ¶ Afore the tyme also that Chryste was bore By many yeres the kynges of Logres had Scotlande by eschete for faute of heyres thore And remeued kynges that were there knowen bad And other kynges there made with hertes glad
hym noyed But werre theim aye to tyme thei were distroyed For he saied thus thou shalt neuer fynd theim trewe But whiles thei bee in thy subieccion dewe ¶ At Burgh vpon the sande he died anone And to London caried then daye by daye At Westminster buried with muche mone With quene 〈…〉 garete he had thē soōnes tway Thomas Bro 〈…〉 ton erle of Northfolke gay And marshall of England the other of Kent Edmond Wodstok was erle in all entent ¶ This noble kyng died in Iuly the third daye And toward heauen he then tooke his waye The yere of Christ a thousand south to saie Three hundred whole and seuen by calculacion And of his 〈…〉 ne and coronacion Fiue and thirty not fully whole complete When he so went vnto the blisse so swete The C .lxix. Chapiter ¶ Edward the second kyng of England began to reigne the yere a thousand three hundred and seuen the eyght daye of Iuly and was deposed the yere a thousand thre hundred twenty and sixe and of his reigne nyntene yere EDward his soōne prince of Wales lord At Carnaruan of his mother bore Was croūed kīg by good whole cōcord Of all the lordes that were assembled thore At Westminster as was his father afore And at the feast of thassumpcion Of our lady he sent for Peers Gauerston ¶ Whom then he made therle of Cornwaile Again the will of all the baronage Whom his father exiled for misgouernaile The third yere after for his misused outrage The lordes rose of ire and greate courage And heddid hym as for an hie traytour That wasted had and spent the kyng his tresour ¶ And in that mean while kyng Robert Bruys had ge◠All Scotland nere wherfore that kyng Edward To Scotland went at Bannokesburne thei me◠And faught full sore till slain was the vaward And discomfited was the midelward And to the rereward kyng Edward hym drewe For greate socour wher he had battayl newe ¶ Whiche kild was doune sauf fewe that led the kyng To Dunbarre then fleand with hym away Ther was therle of Gloucester slain fleyng The lord Clifford and all the lordes that daye Th erle of Herford to Bothuile fled his waye Th erle Edmond of Arundell and erle of Valence Therles of Warwike Oxenford take at defence ¶ This battaill was the yere of Christ smitten A thousand whole three hundred and fiftene On midsomer daye and of his reigne thē written The seuenth yere by chronicle as is seen Then was Vmfrey erle of Herford frethed clene And enterchaungid for kyng Robertes wife That holden was in England then full ryfe The C .lxx. Chapiter ¶ Of the relesse that kyng Edward made to Robert Bruys at Dūbarre whiche relesse Iohn Hardyng deliuered in to the tresorye in the dayes of kyng Henry the fifth at Boys Vincent in Fraunce with other for whiche he gaue hym Godyngton that the quene hathe nowe PAtrike Dūbarre erle of Marche that daye To kyng Edward was leege mā lōg afore To his father and trewe had been alwaye Sent kyng Edward to Barwik but therfore He toke of hym a relesse for euermore Of his seruice that due was to the croune Anentes kyng Bruys to execute his treason ¶ Whiche relesse the maker of this booke Iohn Hardyng brought with other euidence And to the kyng Henry the fifth it toke With other mo afore at Boys Vincent Perteignyng to England royall regiment And nought he hath vnto his sustenaunce As oft a fore here in his remembraunce The C .lxxi. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Robert Bruis toke all the lordes of England and sleugh many at Stryuelin bridge distroied the Marches and bete doune castelles therin KYng Robert Bruys toke Robert Vmfreuile Erle of Angeos Henry then lord Percy Th erle of Marche and also that lord Neuile Acton and Scropen and also the lord Lucy At Stryuelyn bridge fightyng mightely In the vaward of the forsaid battaill Taken prisoners and raunsomed for auaill ¶ Thē kyng Robert that Marchis whole distroied The castelles wanne and bet theim to the ground And all Scotland afore that he had noyed Obeyed to hym and were his lieges bounde And maintened well thē furth all Scotlād groūd The bishoprike of Duresme all throughout Northumberland he brent with hoste full stout ¶ Two cardinales that B. of Rome to Scotlād sent To treate a trewce a twene the kynges twoo And for to stall Lewes Beamount present Bishop of Duresme that then was sacred so Whose brother was Henry lord Beaumont tho Licensed and graunted by the kyng of Fraunce To bee liege menne to Edwardes whole plesaūce ¶ But sir Gilbert Midelton theim mette And sir Walter Selby misruled knightes A litell fro Duresme their waye forsett And robbed theim openly on the lightes And to Midford castell led theim fourth rightes And held theim ther in mighty and strong hold To tyme thei had their iwels and their gold ¶ Whiche knightes twoo robbed the lād about That castell held by force and rebellion A quarter of a yere with rebelles stout But thei were take within that garison And to the kyng sent by that enchesone That hanged were ▪ as traytours all should been On galowes hie that all might theim seen ¶ Then after soone sir Gosselyn Deynuile His brother Robert with twoo hundred in habite As thei were friers went about in exile Robbyng the land in full greate dispite The bishopes places of Duresme in circuite Thei spoiled clene leuyng nothyng in theim But walles bare whiche thei would not claime The C .lxxii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the lordes of England with powre royall dur 〈…〉 not ryde into Scotlande passyng fourtene mile England was so at vnder that tyme. THerle Edmond then of Arundell Wardein of the Marches then constitute Th erle Robert of Angeos Vmfreuile Of his landes hauyng no refute Th erle Dauid of Athell destitute Of his erldome the lord Percy full hardy The lord Neuell the lord Beaumont manly ¶ With all the power of the North contree Distroyed then Scotland and brent Vpon the March vnto Lyntell Lee Whome sir Walter Wareyn by whole assent Of Iames Douglas pursued as thei went With great power alwaye at their side That thei were fain again to England ride ¶ But sir Walter Wareyn and Douglas With their power brent all Northumberland Tyndale became Scottes and false then was And rode with theim brent through all the land To Alerton and so rode home to Scotland Through the West March brent it all through out And home thei went without any doubt ¶ The castell then of Berwyke and the towne Kyng Robert gatte after strong greate defence By treaty with peace Spaldyng and treason The Wendesoaye before Easters reuerence Wher that traitour without long suspence Betrayed the towne and into Scotland went By Scottes slain as to a traytour appent The C .lxxiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Edward laied siege to Barwyke and for sooke the siege and went South for Robert Bruys had destroyed
sufficience Of people stronge at Orwell with her lande Where lordes many her mette I vnderstande ¶ To London then she hir sonne tho wrote The councellours and traitours for to take That ruled had in mykell mysryote The kyng Edwarde her lorde also hir make And in prieson to kepe theim for hir sake Wherfore they voyded out of the citee then The quenes enemyes echone ay when when ¶ The kyng then fled into the west countree She and the prince full sore hym then pursued And at Bristowe she headed as men might see Syr Hugh Spenser the father that was renewed And syr Hugh his sonne that was transumed In hye estate and erle had be create Of Wynchester wher he stode all mate ¶ Syr Hugh SpeÌ„ser his sonne at Herforde take Was headed then and vnto London sente So was Edmond there headed for hyr sake That was erle of Arondel there present His hed smote of for treason so was shent Theyr hedes set vp in dyuerse sere place In recompence of all theyr great trespasse ¶ And at London they heded the Chaunceler With dyuers other whiche they founde vntrewe So dyd they also the kynges tresourer And there set they a parlyament all newe But fyrste they put the kyng as all men knewe In Killyngworth there to be holde in warde To tyme they se howe lordes wolde awarde ¶ At which parlyameÌ„t .iii. bishoppes erles thre Thre Barons also thre Banarettes electe To Kyllyngworth to ryde with the cominalte All homage leege by parliament hole directe To surrender vp without any reiecte The which they dyd for his mysgouernaunce With heuy chere and mournyng countenaunce ¶ The kyng full sad with wordes well auysed Thanked them all knowynge his hye trespasse And that he was of rule not well prouysed To the pleasure of God whiles he had space Ne coÌ„mon wele to kepe in-euery case Ne to his wyfe had bene a trewe husbande But falsly had her exyled oute of lande ¶ Mekely he prayed the lordes at parlyament His sonne to admytte vnto the regyon Syth he vnable was to the regyment And foule had ruled the lande withoute reason He them besought for gylte of his caryon His sonne were not refused ne chastyzed But set in rule by councell well aduyzed ¶ These lordes twelue with heuy countenaunce Reported vnto the quene and lordes all The sorowfull chere and wordes with repentaunce Of kyng Edwarde as then it was befall His prayer meke and his desyre fynall Of whiche the lordes in that same parlyament Reioysed were of his noble agrement The C .lxxvii. Chapiter ¶ Edwarde the thyrde kynge of Englande and of Fraunce beganne to reygne the yere a thousand thre hundreth twentye and syxe and dyed the yere a thousande thre hundreth thre score and seuentene and of his reygne one and fyftye yere EDward his sonne that prince of wales was In tender age that time of .xiii. yere Was crowned on saint Brice day begaÌ„ than The yere of Christ was then accompted clere A thousande hole thre C. and syxe and .xx. were Whose father then had reygned .xix. yere oute And in his twenty yere withouten doute ¶ From the third daye of Iuly by computacyon Of the yere vnto sayncte Brycez daye So muche in his twenty by relacyon He reygned had then put downe for aye From Kyllingworth to the castell of Berkeley By nyght he was caryed and translate From wyfe and chylde forsake and repudyate Where he was slayne with an hote brenning spyt Through his towayle vp to his herte within In September his bowelles brent for hete That deed he was without noyse or dyn On saynt Mathewes daye so they dyd hym breâ— The fyrste yere was it then accompted wonne Of kyng Edward the third that was his sonne ¶ At Gloucester entombed fayre and buryed Where some say god shewed for him great grace Sith that tyme with miracles laudifyed Ofte tymes in dyuerse many case As is wryten there in that same place For whiche kyng Richard called the seconde To translate hym was purposed hole and sounde ¶ Sir Iames Douglas in EnglaÌ„d with an hoste Destroyed the lande wherfore the kyng Edward With Frenche henauldes Englysh for that moste In myghty hoste great then came northward The seconde yere of his reygne to regarde Whome in Stanhope parke he besieged then That compted were of Scottes ten M. menn◠¶ By .xv. dayes that syege there endured He helde them in they myght not passe oute But through a mosse that all men trowed was sured So depe of myre and brode it was aboute No siege was layde for there they had no doute By which that Scottes cast them what so betyde To escape awaye in the nyghtes tyde But Iames Douglas their flekes fell dyd make Whiche ouer the mosse echeone at others ende He layde anon with fagottes fell ouer the lake There gate awaye and passage to pretende On whiche by nyght they led their horse vnkend And home they went to Scotlande harmelesse Wherof the kyng was heuy there doutlesse ¶ When they were ouer that quaking mosse mire They drewe the flekes ay after as they went That Englyshe should not them sue ne conquere This was a poynt of warre full sapyent But on our syde there was by consequent But lytell wytte that lefte the myre vnwatched And by good watch that Scottes myght haue be cached ¶ And in the yere a thousande â—ompted clere Quene Isabell her doughter maryed Dame Iane of the towre to Dauid Bruis her pere Kyng Robertes sonne and heyre hole notifyed At Berwyk towne the seconde daye signifyed Of Iuill and of kyng Edwarde then was thre By cause of whiche the kynge in pryuite The C .lxxviii. Chapiter ¶ Of the relesse that kynge Edwarde made in his tender age to kynge Robert of his seruyce of Scotlande whiche Iohn Hardinge delyuered to kyng Edwarde the .iiii. at Leycester with a patent by which the earle of Dunbar bound him and his heyres to holde his landes of that kinges of Englande BY councel of his mother the Mortymer were Relesed there the hole soueraynte And seruyce dewe that to the crowne then â—t Berwike then without autorite Or any parlyament in especialte In tender age and youthes intelligence In his third yere so of his hie regence ¶ He sent 〈…〉 th then to Henauld for a wife A bishop 〈…〉 other lordes temporall Wher in chaumbre preuy and secretife At discouerit dischenely also in all As semyng was to estate virginall Emong theim selfes our lordes for hie prudence Of the bishop asked counsaill and sentence ¶ Whiche doughter of fiue should bee the quene Who counsailled thus with sad auisement Wee will haue hir with good hippis I mene For she will bere good soonnes at myne entent To whiche thei all accorded by one assent And chase Philip that was full feminine As the bishop moost wise did determyne ¶ But then emoÌ„g theim selfes thei laugh fast ay The lordes then saied the bishop
¶ Earle of Salisbury in kyng Edwardes soule there In lyke maner were sworne and biheste The .xix. daye then of Ianyuere The yere of Christ a. M. then was seste Thre hundreth and two and fourty at leest When these trues were taken so and sealed For afterwarde they shulde not be repeled The C .lxxxi. Chapiter ¶ Howe Henry duke of Lancaster went to Guyan in that yere of Christe a thousande thre hundreth .xlv. And of the batayle of Cressy in the yere of Christe a thousand thre hundeeth fourtye and syxe ANd then Henry duke of Lancaster create Went to Guyen with many bolde baron Where then he gate the cytees of estate And castelles fele many a walled towne And made the lande Englyshe both vp doune And to the kyng Edwarde obeied as they ought And great worshyp and ryches there he caught ¶ And in the yere a thousande and CCC gone Syxe and fourtye kyng Edwarde at Cressy Met with Philyp of Valoyes there anone That kyng of Fraunce was by intrusery At whiche batayle Edwarde had the victorye And with honoure and myght there gate that felde And Philyp fled and caste there doune his shelde ¶ And his eldest sonne with hym went awaye With an hundreth banners in her company The kynges of Beme were slayne that daye And of Maliogres there full manfully The dukes of Alaunson also theim by And of Loreyn slayne were in batayle And earles fyue without any fayle ¶ Of Flaunders Bloys Harcourt Melayne Of gentyls and other without any Essayne And of Guntpre were there in batayle slayne Fyue score thousande the twenty daye certayne And syxe also of Auguste accompted playne The kyng Edwarde had all the victorye The kyng Philyp had all the vilanye ¶ The king Dauid theu of Scotland with power To Duresme brent where on saynt Lukes daye The archbyshop with his clergye clere And syr Gylbert Vnifreuyle in good araye The Lorde Percy the Neuyle then laye With all the north a lytell frome Duresme Wher then they faught on that king Dauid came ¶ And take he was that yere of Christe was then A thousande full thre hundreth fourty and syxe Full sore wounded full lyke he was a man And also of his lordes mo then fyue or syxe Brought to London priuely through Essex For lordes shulde not hym take with greate power From Iohn of Coupland that was his taker clere ¶ And in the towre of London then kept in warde To tyme the king were come home out of Fraūce That then in Fraunce mo castelles to regarde And townes walled goten by his hye puissaunce Then had the kyng Philip in gouernaunce And lyke was then all Fraūce to haue conquerde With his alies he made that lande afferde The C .lxxxii. Chapiter ¶ Of the greate pestylence in the yere of Chryste a thousand thre hundreth fortye and nyne and the yere nexte after the kynge wente vnto Fraunce and the prynce of Wales vnto Guyan ANd in the yere of Christ clerly accompted A thousande hole thre C. fourty nyne The pestilence was in England amoūted That kyng Edward newe warre ganne ymagine The nexte yere after agayne Fraunce fyne Thether he went prince Edward then went With greate power to Guien as Regent ¶ The kyng then put his sonnes yonge of age In Fraunce then forth in mighty gouernaunce Syr Lyonell Earle of Vlster in wage Regent of Fraunce hym made by ordynaunce Syr Iohn of Gaunt to haue hole attendaunce Of all the hoste as hye and greate constable To whiche he was accompte that tyme full able ¶ Sir Edmonde Langeley full of gentylnesse Sir Thomas Woodstok full of corage To their banners them put for worthynesse To haue rule in that worthy viage Whiche prynces fyue approued in yonge age There was no king christen had such sonnes fiue Of lyklynesse and persones that tyme on lyue ¶ So hye and large they were of all stature The leste of them was of persone able To haue foughten with any creature Singler batayle in actes marcyable The byshops wit me thinketh was cōmendable So wel coulde chese the princesse that them bare For by practyse he knewe it or by lare The C .lxxxiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kynge of Fraunce was taken prysoner at the batayle of Poyters the yere of Christe a thousande thre hundreth fyftye and syxe IN the yere of Christe a M accōpted right Thre hundreth and syxe and fyfty mo The prince Edward at Poytexs sore dyd fyght The .xix. day of September was tho Where kyng Iohn of Fraunce his sonne also He toke and had the felde with victorye His eldst sonne then fledde fro hym cowardly ¶ The kyng Dauyd died and lette his hostage For his raunsome lygge ay forth in Englande The yere a thousande CCC by knowlage Eyght and fyftye as I can vnderstande And payde not yet ne quyt not out his bonde Ne his hostage he wolde not so displease To delyuer ne putte theim fro their ease ¶ The quene Isabell the quene of Scotlande Her doughter was and kyng Dauyds wyfe Sone after dyed and buryed I vnderstande At the graye Freres in lande knewen full ryfe The whiche that quene Isabell founded in their lyfe Full fayre entombed wrought full rychely Where the two Quenes reste full honorably The C .lxxxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Of the seconde pestylence and the greate wynde and earthquake the yere a thousande CCC lxi ANd in the yere of Christ a. M. wryten Thre hundreth also syxtye and one The .ii. pestylence reigned as was weten Duke Henry dyed for whome was mekyll mone Dame Blaunche his doughter full faire of fleshe and bone His heire was then whom Iohn of Gaūt did wed The duchy by hir had men saied he had well sped ¶ In that same yere was on sainct Maurys day The greate winde and earth quake meruelous That greately gan the people all affraye So dredfull was it then and perelous Specially the wind was so boistous The stone walles steples houses and trees Were blow doune in diuerse ferre coūtrees ¶ And in the yere a thousand three hundred also Sixty and foure kyng Iohn of Fraunce dyed In London then in Sauoy had been sicke The dukes palice of Lancastre edified Full royally as it is notified His boweles buryed at Poules with royaltee His corps in Fraunce with all solempnitee ¶ In that same yere sir Iohn Moūtfort of newe Duke of Brytain was by heritage As heire male his title was act trewe At Orrers faught again the Frenche linage Sir Charles de Bloys that clauned by mariage The duchy whole of Brytain by the might Of his wise wher he was slain by might ¶ Duke Iohn of Gaunt was at that battaile Sir Edmond also of Langley his brother dere Sir Iohn Chaundos treated without faill All daye and faught at eue through his aūswere Whiche treaty is yet oft remembred here For Chaūdos trewce that treted all daye to night And made bothe parties at eue together fight ¶ At whiche battaill duke
Seyng the youth then of the Mortimer That erle of the Marche by trewe direccion Was then and heire of England then moste nerâ— To kyng Richarde as well then did appere Consydred also the might of duke Henry They chose hym kyng there durst none it deny ¶ Th erle of Northumberlande then had sent His power home by councell of duke Henry So did his sonne Henry that truly ment Supposyng well the duke wolde not vary From his othe ne in no wyse contrary And he and his kepte all theyr power Tyll he was crouned kyng as it did appere ¶ Therles two then of Northumberlande Of Worcester and syr Henry Percy And theâ—â—e also of Westmerlande Councelled hym then fro his oth not to varye And though at eue he did to theim applie On the morowe by a pryue counsayl He would be crouned kyng without fayle The C .xcvii. Chapiter ¶ Henry the fourth kyng of Englande and of Fraunce was electe by that hole parliament the morowe after Michelmasse daye the yere of our Lorde a thousande thre hundreth foure score and nynetene and reigned .xiiii. yere died at Westmynster the .xix. daye of Marche in the yere of Christe a thousande foure hundreth and .xiii. and of his owne reygne the .xiiii. yere THis duke Henry by great loue of the land Of many lordes and of the commontee Tharchebyshop Arondell toke on hande To croune hym then in royall maiestee On saynt Edwardes day with great solempnitee But kyng he was the morowe after Mighelmesse His reygne begynnyng that day without distresse ¶ Th erle of Warwike and therle of Arondell That exiled were and the Lorde Cobham eke With all theyr frendes that kyng Richard did expell The dukes frendes of Gloucester nought to seke Whiche then began for to encrease and eke Through all the realme with kyng Henry to staÌ„d To croune hym kyng that tyme of all Englande ¶ An hundreth thousande cryed all at ones At Westmynster to croune hym for kyng So hated they kyng Rychard for the nones For his mysrule and wrong gouernyng For taxes and for blanke charters sealyng For murder of duke Thomas of Woodstoke That loued was well more then all the floke ¶ The great parliament then he made rehersed The dukes of Almarle Excestre and Surry He depryued and the iudgement reuersed That then was made gaue full wylfully Agayne Woodstoke and Warwyke for enuie Arondell and the lorde Cobham full trewe Whiche was reuersed and reuoked newe ¶ The duke of Almarle was then erle Rutlande The duke of Surry erle of kent was agayn And eke the duke of Excester I vnderstande Of Hungtyngdon therle was to be fayn The marques eke of Dorset was full bayn Of Somerset erle agayn to bene He chastised theim no feller as was sene ¶ Th erle of Gloucester was lord Spencer Then set agayn to his first estate The kyng then made his eldest sonne full clere The prince of Wales in parliament hole create Duke of Cornewayle and erle denominate Of Chester also that then was yong of age But yet he was that tyme of hye courage The C .xcviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng gaue the Constablerie and the Marshalsee to therles of Northumberlande and Westmerlande wyth certayn landes and how syr Robert Vmfreuile was made knight of the Garter capitayn of Rokesburgh faught on fote on Fulhoplewe and wan the feld with victorie and was made lorde Vmfreuile AT this tyme that kyng grauÌ„ted by parliameÌ„t The Constablery certayn of Englande In heritage so at his coronoment To therle then of Northumberlande Also of Man thifle I vnderstande To holde of hym and of his heyres alwaye By seruyce royall as wrytten was that daye ¶ And to therle of Westmerlande also The Marshalsee of Englande then he gaue All Richemond fee that was in Englande tho By patent also for terme of life to haue The lordes all he pleased so God me saue With office ay orels with lande or rent With liberall herte as to a prince appent ¶ And whyles that parliament so did endure The Scottes rode by North and sore had stroyed In Cokedale then where Vmfreuyle had cure That with theim faught had theim sore anoyed At Fulhaplowe on fote he theim acloyed For there he toke syr Richard Rotherforde His sonnes fyue full fell of dede and worde ¶ Syr Wyllyam Stiwarde also he toke The lorde of Gordowne he put to flight And Willibarde the felde there then forsoke And prisoners brought home well mo at night Then he had men with hym the felde to fight For whiche the kyng hym had ay after in cherte Consyderyng well his knightly aperte The C .xcix. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng Henry remeued kyng Richard from place to place by night in preuey wise in whiche tyme theries of Kent Salisbury and Huntyngdon the lorde Spencer and syr Raulfe Lomley were headed THe kyng theÌ„ sent kyng Richard to Ledis There to be kepte surely in preuitee Fro theÌ„s after to Pykeryng weÌ„t he nedes And to Knauesburgh after led was he But to Pountfrete last where he did die Bothe therles of Kent and Salisbury Th erle of Huntyngdon and SpeÌ„cers sothelye ¶ And syr Raulfe Lomley with mo in company After Christmasse thought to haue slayn the kyng They were distured and fled awaye in hye But they were slayn at Circester fleyng By the commons with theim there fyghtyng Therles of Kent and of Salysbury And syr Raulfe Lomley in theyr companye ¶ The lorde Spencer take was vpon the sea At Bristowe was headed and decollate Th erle also of Huntyngdon did flee And brought vnto the countesse of estate Of Herforde then who had hym forth algate To Plasshe where she made men hym hede Without counsayll of any lorde or rede ¶ Syr Thomas shelly set full hye in pride And Mawbleyn with Ferebye drawe and honge Syr Barnard Brockeys was heded theim beside The byshop also of Carleile theim among In Westmynster his life there to prolonge Perpetually by iudgement was commytte Among his brethren in order for to sytte The CC. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Richard was brought deade froÌ„ Pountfret to Powles and after buried at Langley for menne shoulde haue no remembraunce of hym And howe syr Robert Vmfreuyle faught with that Scottes at Redeswere and had the felde and the victorye IN march next after kig Rychard theÌ„ was dede Fro Poumfret brought with great solempnyte Men sayde forhungered he was lapped in lede At Poules his masse was done and diryge In hers royall semely to royalte The kyng lordes clothes of golde there offerde Some .viii. some .ix. vpon his hers were proferde ¶ At Westminster then dyd they so the same When truste he shuld there haue buryed bene In that mynster lyke to a prynce of name In his owne tombe together with the quene Anne that afore his fyrste wyfe had bene But then the kyng hym faste to Langley sent There in the freres to be buryed secretement ¶ On Michelmasse day next after his coronacioÌ„
then therle of Huntyngdon And Somerset the earle his wyues sonne The CC .xx. Chapiter Howe on Easter euen the duke of Clarence smote that batell of Bawgy in the yere of Christe a thousand .iiii. hundreth twenty and in the nynth yere of kyng Henry for that yere the feaste of the Annuncyacyon of oure Lady fell on Ester twysdaye and the date chaunged after that batayle in the Easter weke ANd nere at Bawge came Gylberte Vmfreuyle Marshal of Fraunce with .v. horse no mo And of good wyt counsayled hym that whyle To kepe the churche and goddes seruyce tho And after the feaste to seke vpon his foo And he aunswered hym yf thou be aferd Go home thy waye and kepe the churche yerde ¶ For thou haste bene with the kyng to longe To make me lese my worshyp and my name Thou haste ay gote the worshyp euer amonge And I haue none thus wolde thou lose my fame With suche wordes chidyng he dyd hym blame To whome he sayde yf that thou be afrayde And kepe the churche as thou me nowe hast saide ¶ With that he saide my lorde ye haue no menne With the enemyes thus hastely to fyght Youre men wot not of this ne howe ne whenne To semble to you of power ne of myght For trewly nowe my cousen Graye nowe right And I haue here but ten men and no mo But yet ye shall neuer saye we leaue you so ¶ So rode they furth ay chidyng by the waye Tyll they to Bawgy ouer the bridge were gone Where the enemyes were batayled in araye Where then they light faught with them anon The duke was slayne that day there with his foone With hym were slayne then therle Vmfreuyle And syr Iohn Graye the Earle of Tankeruyle The lorde Roos and syr Iohn Lumley With many other were with hym slayne that daye Whose names I can not wryte nor saye The Earles two of Huntingdon no naye Of Somerset also were taken there I saye For prysoners and put to greate raunson And laye full longe in Fraunce then in pryson ¶ Thenglishe power came when all was done And rescowed then the deed men where they laye And brought that lordes home fro thens theÌ„ ful sone That were there vpon the felde that daye And buryed them in Englande in good araye Echeone in his owne abbaye or colage Afore founded within his herytage ¶ At Cauntorbury the duke was of Clarence Besyde his father kynge Henry buryed With suche honoure costage and expence As the duches his wyfe coulde haue signifyed Whiche neded not to bene modifyed She was so well within her selfe auysed Of greate sadnesse and womanhede preuised The CC .xxi. Chapiter Howe the quene wente agayne to Fraunce lefte the quene in Englande with chylde and wanne dyuerse cytees townes and castelles in somer in the nyngth yere of his reigne THe kyng then let the quene in Englande byde In somer then the. ix yere of his date And into Fraunce agayne he went that tyde With heuy harte to Parys went algate The castell of Perfount soone he gate A royall place of all that men haue sene The greate cytee of Compyne also I wene ¶ The cytees also of Cassons Bray and Crayle Of Owsare also with many cytees moo And to Parys agayne without fayle In his castell of Lowre abidynge tho Tidynges then came to him full glad and mo That of a prynce delyuered was the quene Of whiche all men reioysed as was sene Saynt Dionis then and castell Boys Vynccent Corbell Pount Melanke and full great parte of Fraunce Burgoyne Artoys and Pycardy to hym sent To bene his men without contraryaunce And eche cytee to hym sworne in substaunce Walled townes and castelles euerychone As hye regent of Fraunce by hym one ¶ Then rode he furth to Bawgy and Orleaunce Wynnyng the tounes and citees in his waye And castelles all that were of greate defence Crepy Lawnesse and Milly with greate affraye Nongentle Roy he gatte with greate araye Pount Caranton with many other obeyed To his highnesse and were his menne conueghed ¶ The duke of Brytain then was his manne For fee belaste without rebellion The counte sainct Paule his manne was then The duke of Burgoyn without suspicion With many other his menne without collucion Were sworne theÌ„ whole the couÌ„trees in yâ— same wise Castelles and tounes eke as he couth deuise ¶ In August so of his reigne the tenth yere He toke sickenes and laye at Boy Vincent In pain strong as then it did appere Full like to passe wherfore in his entent The duke of Bedford he made hâ—e regent Of Fraunce and of his other landes all Beyond the sea as chief in generall ¶ And of his soonne Henry he made custode Thomas Beauford his vncle dere and trewe Duke of Excester full of all worthy hode To tyme his soonne to perfecte age grewe He to kepe hym chaungyng for no n 〈…〉 With helpe of his other eme then fu 〈…〉 The bishop of Wynchester of good a 〈…〉 ¶ Th erle then of Salisbury manly That Mountague then hight by surname He sette to kepe then all Normandie Vnder the regent as knight of full greate fame With other lordes full sage and worthy of name Th erle of Oxenford and of Suffolke also Of his counsaill to been with many mo The CC .xxii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng dyed the last daye of August the yere of Christ a thousand foure hundred two and twenty and of his reigne the tenth yere for all his rightwisnes and iustice that he did he had no conscieÌ„ce of vsurpement of the croune THe last daye of August then full clere Of Christ his date a thousand signified Foure hundred and twoo and twenty yere When that this prince of princes so dyed At Boys Vincent with death then victoried That neuer prince in earth might theÌ„ haue dooen But he alone that ruleth sonne and moonne ¶ With whose bones the quene came to EnglaÌ„d The kyng of Scottes Iames with hir also The duke of Excester as I can vnderstand Th erle of Marche Edmond Mortimer tho Rychard Beauchampe then erle of Warwike so Humfrey then erle of Stafford young of age And erle Edmond of Morten wise and sage ¶ O good lord God that art omnipotent Why streched not thy power and thy might To kepe this prince that sette was and consent With themperour to conuert Surrey right And with Christen inhabite it had hight Why fauoured so thyne high omnipotence Miscreaunce more then his beneuolence ¶ Aboue all thyng he keped the lawe and peace Through all England that none insurreccion Ne no riotes were then withouten lese Nor neighbour werre in faute of correccion But peasebly vnder his proteccion Compleyntes all of wronges in generall Refourmed were well vnder his yerd egall The CC .xxiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe through 〈…〉 we and peace conserued was the encreaso of his conquest and els had he been of no power to haue conquered in out landes WHen he in Fraunce was dayly
dampnacion The CC .xl. Chapiter ¶ The mocion conceypte of the maker of this booke touchynge kynge Henrye the syxte his wife and his sonne to be gotten home and putte in gouernaunce with all that fled with hym cōsyderyng their trouth that forsoke their lyuelodes and welfare for his sake and fro they so gotten home that after they will be as trewe to you and els to geue sore iudgement vpon theim O Gracious lord kyng Edward fourth accompte Consydre howe kynge Henrye was admytte Vnto the croune of Englande that did amounte Not for desert nor yet for any witte Or might of hym selfe in otherwyse yet But onely for the castigacion Of kyng Richardes wicked peruersacion ¶ Of whiche the realme then yrked euerychone And full glad were of his deposicion And glad to croune kyng Henry so anone With all theyr hertes and whole affeccion For hatred more of kyng Richardes defection Then for the loue of kyng Henry that daye So chaunged then the people on hym aye ¶ Yet kept he aye therle of Marche full ying In erles estate as he that was his warde And brought hym vp in all maner thyng As his estate asked and coulde awarde And cheryshed hym in norture to regarde As his owne sonnes duryng all his lyfe To make hym loue hym without any stryfe ¶ Thus by wisedome his sonne Henry right so Hym cherished by good and wise counsayl Whiche he assigned vnto hym tho Of good rule that would not let hym faile For cause he should agayn hym not preuayle And into Fraunce in his hole estate Had hym with his brother associate ¶ All this he did of full good policie To wynne his loue and kept hym in direccion From entisement of all eiuill and folie To his pleasaunce without all suspection This was greate witte and circumspeccion To rule hym thus his heighnes to obaye Without stryfe to sitte in peace his daye ¶ O gracious lorde nowe of your sapience Consydre well this sixtye yere and three Your kyn and ye by all intelligence Haue been deuorced of all the royaltee To nowe that God of his specialitee Hath graūted you grace your rightes to recouer And your enemyes all to rule at ouer ¶ Considre well the benigne innocence Of kyng Henry that nowe is in Scotlande By Goddes dome of small intelligence For your preuayle as men can vnderstande Gette hym nowe home agayn into Englande With all the meanes ye maye of sapyence His wyfe and sonne with all your dilygence ¶ For truste it well yf they maye passe to Fraūce Or power get to theim in any wyse Eche yere they wyl you trouble and do greuaūce By Scottes assent and theyr exercyse To brag and boste as they wolde on you ryse To make your people and cōmons for to yrke Iackes and salades ay newe and newe to wirke ¶ For truste it well as God is nowe in heuen The Scottes wyll ay do you the harme they may And so they haue full ofte with odde and euen Afore that Christe was borne so of a maye As yet they do at theyr power euery daye Wherfor good lord brīg home these persons thre With all theyr men geue them grace all fre ¶ And loue them better for theyr great lewte That they forsoke theyr landes and herytage And fled with hym in aduersyte To byde in payne sorowe and seruage Good herte shulde rewe well more theyr trewe corage Then them that wold haue gone and durste nought Consyder howe thei shewed as they thought ¶ Yf ye might get them all for any good To be your men and haue theyr herytage And youre enemies that agaynst you stode Ye shulde make trewe men to your auauntage To passe with you in warres and hostage As trewe as they haue bene to kyng Henry And mekell trewce for your ryght auncetry ¶ For yf ye myght theim get nowe euery chone Youre warres were done thē might you syt in rest Without trouble of any lande alone For all youre lande throughout thē might ye trest Yf it were hole that ye nede not mistryst No prynce christen myght do you any dere But in his lande ye myght make him were ¶ Graunt Henry grace with all his owne liuelode The duchye hole of Lancaster that is his ryght Not as it is but of worthyhede Fyrste duke Henry had the noble knight At his laste daye that was of mikyll might His wyfe and sonne get home by ordynaunce And geue them councell for theyr gouernaunce ¶ Suche as you truste wyll rule them worthely To youre plesaunce in all tranquillyte In peace and reste with all good polyce For better were to haue them in suretye Than lette theim bene with your aduersyte With Scottes or French that wold se your destresse And helpe to it with all theyr busynesse ¶ And yf ye maye by no meane nor treate Get them home ordeine then faste youre flete On the easte sea into Scotlande in hye At Edenburgh so maye it with you mete With all vitayle and ordynaunce full mete And set vpon the castell they bene in Escape they maye not but ye shall them wyn ¶ For I haue sene theyr castelles stronge echone That strongest bene and worste to get and wyn Amonge them all for certayne is there none That may bene holde out longe when ye begyn Saue Dunbretayne the sea aboute doth ryn Eche daye and nyght twyce withouten doubte Whiche may be wonne by famyshyng aboute ¶ With shippes by sea siege vpon the lande Ye maye not fayle to haue it at the laste All other wyll bene yelde into youre hande So that ye haue by workemen well fore caste Youre ordynaunce and gonnes for to caste With abylementes of warre suche as ye nede No castell elles maye withstande in dede ¶ Therfore in what castell·that they bene in Go to the same withoute impedyment Not in wynter but in somer ye begyn When Iuyll moneth or Auguste is present That forage may begot as doth appent Of corne and grasse for horses sustenaunce And fayre wether to mennes hye pleasaunce ¶ O righteous prince bring home the scatred men To theyr pasture forsaken and forlore For of your breste shulde greate foyson ren To nedy men of grace and helpe euermore Consyder howe God hath you set therfore And ouer the flocke to seke the scatered shepe And laye them in your folde surely to slepe ¶ Consider nowe most gracious soueraine lorde Howe longe nowe that your noble auncetrye In welth and helth hath reigned of hye recorde That kepte lawe and peace continually And thynke they bene of all your monarchye The fayrest floures and highest of enterpryce And sonest maye youre foreyne foes supprice ¶ Consider also in this symple tretyse Howe kynges kepte neyther lawe ne peace Went sone awaye in many dyuerse wyse Without thanke of God at theyr decese And nought were dred wtin ne without doutlesse But in defaute of peace and lawe conserued Destroyed were right as they had deserued ¶ Consyder also moste erthly souerayne lorde
takyng vpoÌ„ hym the croune gouernaunce of the realme accordyng to his right title laufully disceÌ„ded vnto hym to the laude of God profite surete of the laÌ„d vnto his grace so much the more honour lesse pain in that that neuer prince reigned vpon any people that were so glad to liue vnder his obeysaunce as the people of this realme vnder his When the protectoure had hearde the preposicion he looked very strangely thereat and made aunswer that albeit he knewe partely the thynges by theim alledged to be true yet suche entiere loue he bare to kyng Edward and his children and so muche more regarded his honoure in other realmes aboute then the croune of any one of whiche he was neuer desyrous so that he could not fynde in his hearte in this poincte to incline to their desyre for in all other nacions were the truthe not well knoweÌ„ it should paraduenture be thought that it were his owne ambicious mynde and deuice to depose the prince and to take hym self the croune with whiche infamye he would in no wise haue his honoure steyned for any croune in whiche he had neuer perchaunce perceaued muche more laboure pain then pleasure to hym that so would vse it as he that would not and were not worthy to haue it Notwithstandyg he not only perdoned theim the mocion that thei made hym but also thaÌ„ked theim for the loue and hartie fauoure thei bare hym praiyng theim for his sake to beare the same to the prince vnder whome he was and would bee contente to liue and with his laboure and couÌ„saill as ferre as it should like the kyng to vse it he would dooe his vttermost deuoyre to sette the realme in good estate whiche was all readye in the tyme of his protectourship lauded bee God well begonne in that the malice of suche as were before the occasion of the contrarie and of newe entended to bee were nowe partely by good policie partely more by Goddes specyall prouydence then mannes prouysion repressed and put vnder Vpon this aunswer geuen the duke of Buckyngham by the protectoures licence a lytle rounded aswell with other noble menne about hym as with the mayre and recorder of LondoÌ„ And after that vpon like perdon desyred opteyned he shewed alowde vnto the protectour for a fynall conclusion that the realme was apoynted that kyng Edwardes lyne shoulde no lenger reygne vpon theim bothe that they had so farre gone that it was nowe no suretie to retreate as for that they thought it for the weale vnyuersall to take that waye although they had not yet begon it Wherfore if it woulde like his grace to take the croune vpon hym they would humbly beseche hym thervnto and if he woulde geue theim a resolute aunswer to the contrarye whiche they would bee lothe to here then muste they seke and should not fayle to fynde some other noble man that would These woordes muche moued the protectoure whiche as euery manne of small intelligeÌ„ce maye wyt would neuer haue enclyned thereto but when he sawe there was none other waye but that he muste take it or els he and his bothe to go from it he sayde to the lordes and commoÌ„s sith it is we perceaue well that all the realme is so set whereof we be very sory that they wyll not suffre in any wyse kyng Edwardes lyne to gouerne theim whome no manne earthly can gouerne agaynste their owne wylles And we also perceaue that no manne is there to whome the croune can by so iuste tytle apperteyne as to our selfe as very right heire lawfully begotten of the body of our moste dread and dere father Rychard late duke of Yorke to which title is now ioyned your eleccion the nobles commoÌ„s of the realme whiche we of all tytles possible take moste effectuall we be content and agree fauourably to enclyne to your peticion request and accordyng to the same here we take vpon vs the royall estate of prehemynence and kyngdome of the two noble realmes Englande and Fraunce the one froÌ„ this daye forwarde by vs and oure heyres to rule gouerne and defende the other by Goddes grace and your good helpe to get agayne subdewe and establyshe for euer in due obedience vnto this realme of Englande thaduauncement wherof we neuer asâ—e of God lenger to lyue then we entende to procure and set foorth With this there was a greate crye and showte criyng kyng Richard and so the lordes went vp to the kyng and so he was after the daye called But the people departed talkyng dyuersly of the matter euery manne as his fantasie gaue hym but muche thei merueled of this maner of dealyng that the matter was on bothe partes made so straunge as thoughe neuer the one parte communed with the other parte therof before wheÌ„ they wyst that there was no man so dul that heard theim but he perceaued well ynoughe that all the matter was made betwene theim Howbeit some excused that agayne saiyng all thyng muste bee done in good ordre and men must sometyme for the maner sake not be acknoweÌ„ what thei knowe For at the consecracion of a byshop euery manne perceaueth by payment of his bulles that he enteÌ„deth to bee one yet when he is twise asked whyther he wil be a byshop he must saye naye and at the third tyme take it vpon hym as compelled therto by his owne wyll And in a stage playe the people knowe right well that he that playeth the sowdane is per case a sowter yet yf one of acquayntaunce perchaunce of lytle nurture should call hym by his name while he standeth in his maiestie one of his tourmentours might fortune breake his hed for marryng the playe And so they sayde these matters be kynges games as it were staige playes and for the mooste parte played vpon scaffoldes in which poore men be but lookers on and they that wise be wyll medle no ferther for they the steppe vp with theim wheÌ„ they can not playe their partes they disorder the playe and do theim selues no good ☞ ¶ Rychard the third RYCHARD THE THIRDE of that name vsurped the croune of England and opeÌ„ly tooke vpoÌ„ hym to be kyng the .xix. daye of Iune in the yere of our Lord a thousand foure hundreth and. lxxxiii in the .xxv. yere of Lewes the xi then beyng Frenche kyng and with greate solempnitee rode to Westmynster and there sate in the seate royall and called before hym the iudges of the realme streyghtly commaundynge theim to execute the lawe without fauoure or delaye with many good exhortacions of the which he folowed not one and then he departed towarde the abbaye and at the churche doore he was met with procession and by the abbot to hym was delyuered the sceptre of saint Edward so went offred to sant Edwardes shryne whyle the monkes sange Te deum with a faynt courage and from the churche he retourned to the palayce where he lodged tyll the coronacion
And to bee sure of all enemyes as he thought he sent for .v. thousande menne of the north against his coronacion whiche came vp euell apparelled and worsse harneyssed in rustie harneys neyther defensable nor scoured to the sale whiche mustered in fynesoury felde to the great disdayne of all the lokers on The fourth daye of Iuly he came to the towre by water with his wife and the fyfte daye he created Thomas Lorde Haward duke of Norffolke syr Thomas Haward his soonne he created Earle of Surrey and Willyam lorde Barkeley was then created erle of Notyngham and Fraunces lorde Louell was then made Vicount Louell and the kynges chaumberlayne and the lorde Stanley was deliuered out of warde for feare of his sonne the lorde Straunge whiche was then in Lancasshyre gatheryng menne as menne saied and the saied lorde was made Stuard of the kynges hou sholde like wyse the archbyshoppe of Yorke was deliuered but Morton bishop of Ely was deliuered to the duke of Buckingham to kepe in warde whiche sent hym to his manoure of Brecknoke in Wales from whence he escaped to kyng Richardes confusyon The same nighte the kyng made .xvii. knightes of the bathe The nexte day he rode throughe LondoÌ„ with great pompe in especiall the duke of BuckinghaÌ„ was richely appareled his horse trapped in blewe veluet enbroudered with the naues of cartes burning of golde whiche trapper was borne by footemeÌ„ froÌ„ the grounde with suche asoleÌ„pne fassyon that all menne muche regarded it On the morowe being the .vi. day of Iuly the kyng came toward his coronacioÌ„ into Westminster hal where his chapell all the prelates mytred receaued hym And so they in ordre of processyon passed forward After the procession folowed therle of Nor thumberlaÌ„d with a pointlesse sweard naked the lorde Stanley bare the Mace of the constableship The erle of Kent bare the second swerd on the right hand of the kyng naked The lord Louell bare an other swerd on the lefte hand Then folowed the duke of Suffolke with the Sceptre and therle of Lincolne with the balle and crosse After theim folowed the newe Erle of Surrey with the swerd of estate in a riche skabard On the ryght side of hym went the duke of Norffolke bearing the croune then folowed kyng Richard in a Circot and robe of purple veluet vnder a canable borne by the barones of that fyue portes going betwene the bishoppes of Bathe and Duresme The duke of Buckingham with the rod of the high stuard of Englande bare the kynges traine After hym folowed the erle of Hunting don bearing the quenes sceptre and the Vicount Liâ—â—e bearing the rod with the doue And the erle of Wilshere bare the quenes croune Then folowed quene Anne doughter to Richard erle of War wike in robes lyke to the kyng betwene two bysshoppes and a canabie ouer her hed borne by the Barones of the portes On her hed a rich coronal set with stones and pearle After her folowed the countesse of Richmond heire to the duke of Somerset whiche bare vp the quenes traine After folowed the duchesse of Suffolke and Norffolke with couÌ„tesses baronesses ladies many faire gentilwemeÌ„ in this ordre they passed thorough the palaice entred the abbay at the west end so came to their seates of estate And after diuerse soÌ„ges solâ—ply song they both discended to the high altare were shifted from their robes had diuerse places open froÌ„ the middle vpward in whiche places they were anointed Then both the kyng the quene chaunged theim into cloth of gold ascended to their seates where the cardinal of Cauntourburie other byshoppes theim crouned according to the custome of the realme geuing hym the scepter in the left haÌ„d and the balle with the crosse in the ryght hand the quene had the sceptre in her right hand the rod with the doue in the left hand On euery side of the kyng stode a duke before hym stode therle of Surrey with the swerd in his handes And on euery side of the quene staÌ„ding a bishop a ladie kneling The Cardinal song masse after paxe the kyng the quene discended before the high altare they wer bothe houseled with one hoste deuyded betwene theÌ„ After masse finished they bothe offred at saint Edwardes shrine there the kyng lefte the croune of saint Edward and put on his owne crowne And so in ordre as they came they departed to westminster hal so to their chambres for a ceasoÌ„ duryng which time the duke of Norffolke came into the hal his horse traped to the ground in cloth of gold as high mershall and voided the hall About .iiii. of the clocke the kyng quene entred the halle and the kyng sate in the middle and the quene on the left hand of the table on euery side of her stoode a countesse holding a clothe of pleasaunce when she list to drinke And on the right haÌ„d of the kyng sat the byshop of Cauntourbury the ladies sat all on one side in the middle of the hall And at the table againste theim sat the Chauncelloure and all the lordes At the table next the cupborde sate the Maire of London And at the table behinde the lordes sate the Barones of the portes And at the other bordes sate noble and worshypfull personages When all persones wer sette the the duke of Norffolke earle Mershal the earle of Surrey constale for that daye the lorde Stanley lorde Steward Sir willyam Hopton treasourer and sir Thomas Percie comptroller came in and serued the kyng solemplye with one dishe of golde and another of syluer And the quene all in gylte vessell and the bishop all in siluer At the seconde course came into that hall sir Robert Democke the kynges champion making a proclamacion that whosoeuer woulde saye that kyng Richarde was not lawfullye kyng he woulde fight with hym at the vtteraunce and threwe downe his gauntlet theÌ„ all the hall cried kyng Richard And so he did in thre partes of the halle and then one broughte hym a cup of wyne couered when he had dronke he caste oute the drinke departed with the cuppe After that the herauldes cryed alargesse thryse in the halle so went vp to their staige At the ende of diner the Mayre of London serued the kyng quene with swete wyne and had of eche of theim a cuppe of golde with a couer of gold And by that tyme that all was done it was darkenight And so the kyng retourned to his chaumbre and euery man to his lodging When this feaste was thus fyneshed the kyng sente home all the lordes into their countrees that woulde departe excepte the lorde Stanley whome he reteyned tyll he hearde what his soonne the lorde straunge wente aboute And to suche as wente home he gaue streyghte charge and coÌ„maundement to see their countryes well ordred and that no wronge nor extorcion should bee done to his subiectes
Thomas Hutton newely retourned oute of Britein of whom afore is mencioned that Fraunces duke of Brytain would not onelye holde Henry Erle of Rychmount in prisone for his sake but also was readie to helpe thesame Henry with menne money and shippes in all that he might against hym he sette dyuerse and sondry shippes in places conuenyent by all the seacostes to Brytain ward that if Henry should come that waye he might either bee taken before his arriuall or els might bee kept froÌ„ landyng in any coaste of England And furthermore in euerie coaste and corner of the realme laied wondrefull wayte and watche to take partely any other of his enemies and specially thesaid duke of BuckynghmÌ„ Wherupon thesaid Homffrey Banaster were it for mede or for losyng his life and goodes disclosed hym vnto the kynges inquysyâ—ours who ymediatly tooke hym and foorthwith all brought hym to Salisbury where kyng Rychard was The duke beyng dylygently examined vttred without any maner refusall or styckyng all suche thynges as he knewe trustyng that for his plain confession he should haue lybertee to speake with the kyng whiche he made moste instauÌ„t and humble peticion that he might dooe But assone as he had coÌ„fessed his offence towardes kyng Rychard he was oute of hande behedded And this death the duke receaued at the handes of kyng Rychard whom he had before holpen in his affayrs and purposes beyonde all Gods forbode Whyle these thynges wer in hand in England Henry Erle of Richmount made readye his hoste and strength to the nombre of fiue thousand Brytones and fiftene shippes the daye apoynted of his departure beyng nowe come whiche was the twelfe daye of the moneth of Octobre in the yere of our lorde God a thousand foure hundred .lxxxiiii. and the seconde yere of the reigne of kyng Richard and hauyng a fayre wynde hoysed vp the sayles setforwarde but towarde the night came suche a tempest that thei were dispersed one from another some into Britain and some into Normandy But the ship in whiche Henry was with one other ship tossed all the night with the waues of the sea and tempest when the mornyng came it waxed somewhat calme and faire weder and thei were come toward the South parte of England by a hauen or porte called Poole where thesaid Henry sawe all the shores or bankes sette full of harnessedmen whiche were souldyours apoynted there to wayte by kyng Rychard as we haue saied before for the comyng landyng of the erle While Henry there abode he gaue commaundement that no manne should land before that comyng of the other shippes And in the meane tyme that he wayted for theim he sent a litle bote with a fewe in it a laÌ„d to knowe what thei were that stoode on the shore his freÌ„des or enemies To whom those souldyours beeyng before taught what thei should saie aunswered that thei were the frendes of Henry and were appoynted by the duke of BuckynghmÌ„ there to abide his commyng and to conducte hym to those castelles and holdes where his tentes pauylyons and arâ—â—llary for the warre laie and where remayned for hym a greate power that entended nowe with all spede to set vpon kyng Rychard while he was nowe sleâ— for feare and cleane without prouision and therfore besought hym to come alande Henry suspectyng this to bee but fraude after that he saw none of his shippes apered hoysed vp the satles hauyng a meruelous good wynde euen apoynted hym of God to delyuer hym from that great ieopardy and sayled backe agayn into Nor mandy And after his landyng there he and his compaignie after their laboures arested theim for the space of .iii. dayes determynyng to go from thence afoote into Brytayne in the meane while sent messengers vnto Charles the Frenche kynge the sonne of Lewes that a lytle before departed be sechyng hym of lybertee and lycence to passe thorough NormaÌ„dy into Brytayn The young kyng Charles beeyng sory for his fortune was not onlye ready and well pleased to graunt his passage but also sent hym moneye to helpe hym foorthe in his iourneye But Henry before that he knewe the kynges mynde not doubtyng of his great humanytee and gentlenes had sent awaye his shippes towardes Britayne and had set hym selfe forwardes in his iourneye but made no greate haste tyll the messengers retourned whiche greate gentlenes when he receaued from the kyng reioysed his hearte and with a lustye stomacke and good hope set forwarde into Brytayne there to take ferther counsayle of his affayres And when he was in Brytayn he receaued froÌ„ his frendes out of Englande knowledge that the duke of Buckyngham was behedded and that the Marques of Dorcestre with a greate nombre of the noble men of Englande had bene there a lytle before to seke hym and that they wer now in Veneti a cytie in Brytayne The whiche thynges beynge knowen to the erle he on the one parte did greately lament the death and euel chaunce of his chiefe and princypall frende but yet on the other parte he greatlye reioysed in that he had so many noble menne to take his parte in the battayll And therfore conceauynge a good hope and opinion that his purpose shoulde well frame and come to passe determyned with hym selfe with all expedycion to set foorth warde and therupon wente to a place in Brytayn called Rhedon and from thence sent to the Marques with all the other noble men that they should come vnto hym Then when they hearde that Henrye was safe returned into Brytayne reioysed not a lytle for thei had thought he had landed in Englande and so fallen into the handes of kyng Richarde and they made not a lytle haste tyll they wer come vnto hym The whiche when they met after greatloye and gladnesse aswell of their parte as of his they began to talke of their prepensed matters and nowe was Christmasse come on the whiche daye they altogether assembled in the churche and there sware fayth and truthe one to another And Henry sware first promysyng that assone as he should possesse the croune of England that he woulde marye Elyzabeth the doughter of Edward the .iiii. and after warde they sware feaultie homage vnto hym eueÌ„ as though he had already bene kyng and so from that tyme foorthe dyd take hym promysyng hym that thei would spende bothe their lyfes and goodes with hym that Richard should no leÌ„ger reigne ouer theim When this was dooen Henry declared all these thynges to the duke of Britayne praiynge desyryng hym nowe of helpe and that he woulde ayde hym with a greater nombre of menne also to lende hym a frendly honest somme of moneye that he might nowe recouer his right and enheritaunce of the croune of England vnto that which he was called desyred by al the lordes nobilitee of the realme whiche God wyllyng he was moste assured to possesse and after his possessioÌ„ he would moste faythfully restore the same again The duke
promysed hym ayde vpon the truste wherof he beganne to make redye his shippes that they might with all expedicion bee redy to sayle that no tyme should be loste In the whiche tyme kyng Richard was agayn retourned to London had taken dyuerse of theim that wer of this conspyracy that is to say George Browne Roger Clyfforde Thomas Selenger knyghtes Also Thomas Ramme Robert Clyfford and dyuerse other whom he caused to be put to death After this he called a parliament wherin was deereed that all those that were fled oute of the lande should be reputed and taken as enemyes to the realme and all their landes and goodes to bee forfayte and confiscate And not content with that preade which was no smal thyng he caused also a great taxe and some of monye to be leuyed of the people For the large giftes and lyberalytee that he first vsed to buye the fauoures frendshippes of many had now brought him in nede But nothing was more like then that Thomas Stanley shoulde haue bene reputed takeÌ„ for one of those enemies because of the woorkyng of Margarete his wife which was mother vnto Henry erle of RichemouÌ„t the which was noted for the chiefe hed worker of this coÌ„spyracy But for asmuch as it was thought that it was to small purpose that wemen coulde dooe Thomas beynge nothyng fauty was delyâ—ed and coÌ„mauÌ„ded that he should not suffre Margarete his wyfe to haue any seruauÌ„tes about her neither that she should not go abroad but be shut vp and that from thence foorth she should sende no message neyther to her soonne nor to any of her other frendes wherby any hurte mighte be wrought agaynst the kyng the whiche commaundemeÌ„t was accomplyshed And by the authoryte of the same perliament a peace was concluded with the Scottes whiche a lytle before had skyrmyshed with the borderers Which thyng brought to passe the kyng supposed all conspiracye to bee clene auoyded for asmuche as the duke with other of his compaignie were put to death and also certen other bannyshed Yet for all this kyng Richard was daylye vexed and troubled partelye mystrustynge his owne strength and partely fearyng the commyng of Henrye with his compaignye so that he lyued but in a myserable case And because that he would not so continue any lenger he determyned with hym selfe to put awaye the cause of this his feare and busynesse either by pollecye or elles by strength And after that he hadde thus purposed with hym selfe he thought nothyng better then to tempte the duke of Britayn yet once again eyther with money prayer or some other speciall rewarde because that he had in kepyng the erle Henry moste chiefly because he knewe that it was only he that might delyuer hym from all his trouble by delyueryng or imprisoning the sayed Henry Wherfore incontmentlye he sente vnto the duke certein Ambassadoures the whiche should promesse vnto hym besyde other greate rewardes that they broughte with theim to geue hym yerely all the reuenues of all the landes of Henry and of all the other lordes there beyng with hym yf he woulde after the receyte of the ambassadoures put theim in prysone The Ambassadoures beynge departed and come where the duke laye could not haue communicacion with hym for asmuch as by extreme sicknesse his wyttes were feble and weake Wherfore one Peter Landose his Treasourer a manne bothe of pregnaunte wytte and of greate authoritee tooke this matter in hand For whiche cause he was afterwarde hated of all the lordes of Britain With this Peter the Englishe ambassadoures had communicacion declaring to hym the kynges message desyred hym instantlye for asmuche as they knewe that he might bring theyr purpose to passe that he woulde graunt vnto kyng Richardes request and he shoulde haue the yerely reuenues of all the landes of the sayed lordes Peter considering that he was greatly hated of the lordes of his owne nacion thoughte that yf he myght bring to passe thoroughe kyng Richarde to haue all these greate possessyons and yerely reuenues he should then bee hable to matche with theim well ynough and not to care a rushe for theim whereupon he aunswered the ambassadoures that he would doo that Richard dyd desire yf he brake not promesse with hym And this did he not for any hatred that he bare vnto Henry for he hated hym not for not longe before he saued his lyfe where the earle Henry was in greate â—eoperdye But suche was the good fortune of Englande that this craftye compacte tooke no place for whyle the letters and messengers ranne betwene Peter and kyng Kichard Iohn Bishoppe of Ely beinge then in Flaundres was certifyed by a preest whiche came oute of England whose name was Christopher Vrswicke of all the whole circumstaunce of this deuyce purpose Wherupon with all spede the sayed byshop caused the saied preest the same daye to cary know ledge therof into Britayn to Henry erle of Richemounte willing hym with all the other noble men to dyspatche theim selues with all possible haste into Fraunce Henry was then in Veneti wheÌ„ he heard of this fraud without tariaunce sent Christopher vnto Charles the Frenche kyng desiring lycence that Henry with the other noble men myght safely come into Fraunce the which thing being sone obteigned the messenger retourned with spede to his lorde and Prince Then the earle Henry setting all his businesse in as good staye ordre as he mighte talked lytle and made fewe a counsail herof for the more expedicyon hereof he caused therle of Penbrucke secretly to cause all the noble men to take their horses dissembling to ride vnto the duke of Bretain but when they came to the vttermost partes therof they should forsake the waye that led theim toward the duke and to make into Fraunce with all that euer they might Then they dooing in euery thing as they were biddeÌ„ loste no tyme but so sped theim that shortely they obteygned and gate into the couÌ„tie of Angeou Henry then within .ii. dayes folowyng being then styll at Veneti tooke .iiii. or fyue of his seruauntes with hym and feigned as thoughe he woulde haue ryden therby to visyte a frende of his and forasmuche as there were many Englishmenne lefte there in the toune no manne suspected any thynge but after that he had kepte the ryghte waye for the space of fyue myles he forsooke that and turned streyghte into a woode that was thereby and tooke vpon hym his seruauntes apparell and putte his apparell vpon hys seruaunte and so tooke but one of theym with hym on whome he waited as thoughe he had bene the seruaunte and the other the maister And with all conuenyente and spedy haste so sette forthe on theyr iourney that no tyme was loste and made no more tariaunce by the way then onelye the baitynge of theyr horses so that shortly he recouered the coastes of Angeou where all his other companye was But within foure dayes after that the Earle was thus escaped
Peter receaued from kyng Richard the confirmacion of the graunte and promises made for the betreiyng of Henry and the other nobles Wherfore the saide Peter sente oute after hym horses and menne with suche expedicion and spede to haue taken hym that scacely the erle was entred Fraunce one houre but they were at his heles The Englyshe menne then beyng aboue the noumbre of thre hundreth at Veneti hearing that the Earle and all the nobles were fled so sodeinly and withoute any of their knowledge were astonyed and in maner despaired of theyr lyues But it happened contrary to theyr exspectacyon for the duke of Britaine taking the matter so vnkyndely that Henry should bee so vsed with hym that for feare he shoulde bee compelled to flee his lande was not a lytle vexed with Peter to whom althoughe that he was ignoraunte of the fraude and crafte that had been wrought by hym yet he layed the whole faute in hym and therfore called vnto hym Edward Poyninges Edward Wood vile deliuering vnto theim the foresayde monye the Henrye before had desyred the Duke to lende hym towarde the charge of his iourney and commaunded theim to conuey and conducte all the English menne his seruauntes vnto hym paying theyr expenses and to deliuer the sayde some of monye vn to the earle When the earle sawe his menne come and hearde this comfortable newes he not a lytle reioysed desiring the messengers that returned to shewe vnto the duke that he trusted ere long time to shewe him selfe not to bee vnthankeful for this greate kyndnesse that he nowe shewed vnto hym And within fewe dayes after the earle went vnto Charles the French kyng to whome after he had rendred thankes for the great benefites and kind nesse that he had receaued of hym the cause of his comming fyrste declared then he besought him of his helpe and ayde whiche shoulde bee an immor tall benefite to hym and his lordes of whome generallye he was called vnto the kyngdome forasmuch as they so abhorred the tiranny of kyng Rychard Charles promised hym helpe and bade him to be of good chere to take no care for he would gladly declare vnto hym his beneuolence And the same tyme Charles remoued and tooke with hym Henry and all the other noble menne Whyle Henry remained there Iohn Earle of Oxenford of whome is before spoken which was put in prisone by Edward the fourth in the castell of Hammes with also Iames Blounte Capteine of that castell and Iohn Forskewe knyghte Porter of the towne of Caleies came vnto hym But Iames the capitain because he lefte his wife in the castell dyd furnyshe the same with a good garison of men before his departure Henry when he sawe therle was out of measure glad the so noble a man and of greate experience in battayl and so valiaunt hardie a knight whom he thought to bee moste feithfull and sure for somuche as he had in the time of Edward the fourth continuall battail with hym in defending of Henry the syxte thought that nowe he was so well apointed that he coulde not desire to bee better and therfore coÌ„municated vnto hym all his whole affaires to bee ordred and ruled only by hym Not longe after Charles the Frenche kyng remoued again to Paris whome Henry folowed and there againe moued and besoughte the kyng as he had moste fauourably kindely entreteigned hym all this time not only in wordes but also in dedes that it would lykewise please hym yet so much further to extend his fauoure beneuolence vnto hym that nowe he woulde ayde and helpe hym forwarde in his iourney that not onely he but also all the lordes and nobilytee of Englande myghte iustely haue cause to knowlage and confesse that by the meane of his fauoure and goodnesse they were restored againe to the possessyon of their enherytaunces whiche withoute hym they coulde not well bryng to passe In the meane while his fortune was suche the many Englyshe menne came ouerdaylye oute of Englande vnto him and many whiche then were in Paris amonge whome were diuerfe studenteÌ„s that fell vnto his parte bothe more and lesse and specially there was one whose name was Richard Foxe a Preest beyng a manne of a synguler good wytte and learning whome Henry streyght waye reteigned and coÌ„mitted all his secretes vnto hym and whome also afterward he promoted to many hyghe promocyons and at the laste he made hym bishop of Winchester Richarde then hearyng of all this conspiracye and of the greate ayde that dayly wente ouer vnto Henry thought yet for all this that if he might bring to passe that Henry should not couple in maryage with the blood of king Edwarde that then he shoulde dooe well ynoughe with hym and kept hym from the possessyon of the croune Then deuysed he with hym selfe all the wayes and meanes that myghte bee howe to bryng this to passe And fyrste he thoughte it to bee beste with fayre woordes large promesses to attempte the quene whose fauoure obteygned he doubted not but shortelye to fynde the meanes to haue bothe her doughters oute of her handes into his owne and then rested nothynge but yf he hym selfe myghte fynde the meanes after warde to marye one of the same doughters whereby he thought he shoulde make all sure and safe to the vtter disapoyntinge of Henrye Wherupon he sente vnto the Quene then beynge in the Sanctuarye dyuerse and sondrye messengers that shoulde excuse and pourge hym of his facte afore dooen towardes her settynge forthe the matter with plesaunte woordes and hye promyses bothe to her and also her sonne Thomas lorde Marques of Dorset of all thynges that coulde be desyred These messengers beyng men of grauitee handled the quene so eâ—â—ftly that anone she beganne to bee alured and to herken vnto theim fauourably so that in conclusion she promysed to be obedient to the kyng in his request forgettyng the iniuries he had dooen to her before and on the other parte not remembryng the promesse that she made to Maigarete Henryes mother And first she delyuered both her doughters into the handes of kyng Rychard then after she sent preuely for the Lorde Marques her sonne beyng then at Parys with Henry as ye haue heard wyllyng hym to forsake Henrye with whome he was and spedely to returne into Englande for all thynges was perdoned and forgeuen she again in fauoure and frendship of the kyng and it should be highly for his aduauncement and honoure Kyng Richard wheÌ„ quene Elizabeth was thus brought into a fooles paradyce after he had receaued al his brothers doughters from the sanctuary into his palayce thought there nowe remayned nothyng to be dooen but only the castyng awaye and destroiyng of his owne wife whiche thynge he had wholy purposed and decreed within hym selfe And there was nothyng that feared hym so much from this mooste cruell detestable murder as the losyng of the good opynion the he thought the people had conceyued of hym for as
tyme lo there came Wyllyam Stanley to aide theim with .iii. M. meÌ„ne and euen at the verie same tyme the residue of kyng Richardes men were put to flight TheÌ„ Richard fightyng alone in the middest of all his enemies was ouerthrowne slain In the meane tyme therle of OxeÌ„ford in the foreward after he had fought maÌ„fully a litle while put the residue to flight of whoÌ„ he slewe a greate noÌ„bre But agreate nombre more whiche folowed Richard more for feare then for loue helde their handes from fightyng went awaie without hurte for that thei loked not for his safegard but rather for his destruccion There were slain at this conflicte not many more then one thousand of the whiche these were noble menne Ihon duke of Norffolke Walter Feris Robert Brachyngbury Richard Radcliffe and many other more And within twoo daies after Wyllyam Catisby lawyer with certain other of his felowes was put to death at Leicestre and emonges those the ranne awaie was Fraunces Louell Humfray Stafford with Thomas his brother and other more that ranne into sanctuary at Colchestre in Essex There was of the captiues a greate nombre because that when Richard was slain euery manne cast doune his wepon and yeld hymself to Henry of the whiche the more parte would haue dooen so at the begynnyng if it had not been for feare of kyng Richardes spies whiche theÌ„ waÌ„dered in euery place And emongest these the nobles were the erle of Northumberlande the erle of Surrey of the whiche therle of Surrey was put in prisone this other as a frend was receiued in to fauour Henry at that felde loste not aboue an huÌ„dred menne emongest whom the chief was Wyllyam BraÌ„done whiche bare Henryes baÌ„ner This battaill was fought in the .xxii. day of the moneth of Auguste inthe yere of oure Lorde a thousand cccc .lxxxvi. the conflict indured more then .ii. howres Richard might as the fame went asaued hymself if he would afled awaie for those that were about hym when thei sawe his menne from the begynnyng fight but faintly and that some were ronne awaie vnto the other parte suspected treason and willed hym to flie and when the mater was manifest that all hope of victory was past thei brought hym a swiâ—te horse He puttyng a sied all hope and trust that was in fleiyng made as it was saied this aunswere that this daie he would haue ether an ende of battaill orels of his life suche was his greate audacite and manfulnes whiche because he did se certainly that in this daie he should ob 〈◊〉 the kyngdome quietely all daies of his life or â—â—s lose bothe for euer he entred in emoÌ„gest theim as it was declared before intendyng vtterly ether to lose all orels to wynne all And so the wretehe dyed hauyng the ende that all suche were wont to haue whiche in the stede of lawe honestie and all godlynes folowe their owne appetite vyllanye and all wyckednes And plainly this is an example whiche cannot be expressed to feare theim whiche will not suffer one howre to bee otherwyse speÌ„t then in cruelte mischief and all deuillishe fasshioÌ„s Henry when he had thus obtained the victorye he fell downe on his knees and with many praiers thankes referred all to the goodnes of God TheÌ„ after he stode vp beyng wounderfully replenished with ioye went vp vpoÌ„ alitle hill and there gaue two greate comendacions to his souldyours commaundyng theim that were hurte to be heled and the dede to bee buryed afterward he gaue immortall thankes to his noble capitains promisyng theim that he would neuer forgette their benifite The multitude in the meane tyme with one voyce one mynd proclaimed hym kyng WheÌ„ Thomas Stanley sawe the he toke kyng Richardes croune whiche was founde emongest the spoyle and by by putte it vpon his head as though he had been then created kyng by the eleccion of the people as it was wonte to bee in the olde tyme and this was the first token of his felicite After this kyng HeÌ„ry with his compaignie and carriage went to Lecestre toward night to bed whether after he had refresshed his compaignie well for the space of twoo daies that thei might the better goo toward London Kyng Richardes bodye was brought naked ouer a horse backe the hed and the armes haÌ„gyng on the one side and the legges on the other caried in to the grey freres of Lecester and surely it was but a myserable sight to loke vpoÌ„ yet it was good inough coÌ„sideryng his wretched leuyng and there without any solempnite was buryed twoo dayes after He raygned twoo yeres twoo monethes one daie he was but of a small stature hauyng but a deformed bodie the one shoulder was higher then the other he had a shorte face a cruell looke whiche did betoken malice guyle and deceite And while he did muse vpoÌ„ any thing staÌ„ding he would byte his vnder lippe continually whereby a maÌ„ne might perceiue his cruell nature within his wreched bodie striued and chaffed alwaie with in hym self also the dagger whiche he bare aboute hym he would alwaies bee choppyng of it in and out he had a sharpe and pregnaunt witt subtill and to dessimule and fayne verie mete He had also a proude and cruell mynde whiche neuer went from him to the houre of his death whiche he had rather suffer by the cruell sworde though all his compaignie did forsake hym then by shamefull flight he would fauoure his life whiche after might fortune by sickenes or other condynge ponyshemeÌ„t shortely to perishe ¶ Henry the seuenth HENRY THE SEVENTH OF that name kyng of England First after that he had obteined his kyngdome and heritage by force of armes entended to stablishe all thynges extynguish sedicioÌ„ and before he departed from Leycester caused ser Robert Willoughby knight to bryng the youÌ„g erle of Warwike the duke of ClareÌ„ces sooÌ„ne before his presence whom kyng Richard to that tyme had kept at SheryhuttoÌ„ in Yorke shire fearyng muche least that by this young erle some occasioÌ„ might bee taken of renuyng battaill whiche entended nothyng more then to liue in peace and quietnes And so this erle was brought to hym at his commaundement conueighed to London and there cast in holde In the self same place also of Yorke shire was Ladie Elizabeth eldest doughter to the fornamed kyng Edwarde whom kyng Rychard her vncle would haue maried sore against the mynde and consent of the same ladie In so muche also that the people were sore against it and accompted it not onely as a reproche infamie to the kyng hymself but also to his counsaill the did agre to his naughtie purpose Albeit God of his infinite mercy preserued the ladie whiche shorte tyme after was brought to London to her mother In this time the kyng drawing nighe to London was there accepted of his citezens streyghte after his coÌ„ming moste roially of all parties saluted after the moste louing fassion the they could
deuyse geuing thankes to God with solempne procession for that he had sent theim a king to gouerne the realme which before was ruled by a cruel hateful TiraÌ„t After this gratulacion and thank esgeuing the kyng at a daye appointed assembled his counsail to the ende he mighte marie the Ladie Elizabeth thorowe the which mariage aswell the nobilitee as coÌ„munes of the realme wer brought in good hope that all thinges should bee redressed an end made of all sedicion and strife for euer And at this Parliament holden kept at WestmiÌ„ster he was created kyng the day of October in the yere of oure Lorde a. M. foure C .lxxxvi. Whiche kyngdome he enioyed as of god enointed for as menne dooâ— reporte aboute seuen hundreth foure score and seuentene yeres paste Cadwallader laste Kynge of Englande prophecied that his progenye shoulde beare rule and dominion again So that by this meanes men did fully perswade theim selfes that he was pÌ„â—estinate to it And the rather also they did beleue it because that kyng Henry the sixte did foresaye the same and in like maner prophecy of hym Therfore he being thus proclaimed as true enheretour of the crowne and at the same Parliament created kyng did first cause to bee published that all suche should bee pardoned that would submit theim selfes to his grace as faithful people doo to hym due allegiaunce other that absented theim selfes to bee takeÌ„ as rebelles traitours After the whiche proclamacion hard many the were in holde and sanctuaries came for pardoÌ„ and safetie of life to him which persones so submitting theim selfes â—er pardoned enhaunced to honoure euery man after his owne deserte as the kyng his counsaile thought best And first considering his chiefe frendes and nyghe kinsemen made Gaspar his vncle Duke of Bedforde sir Thomas Stanley knight Earle of Derby Giles Dabeney sir Robert Willoughby and Robert Brooke Lordes Edward his eldest sonne duke of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholy to all that king Richard had depriued hym of at what tyme he with other wer banished Also actes statutes stablished confirmed by Richard as thought expedient and veray necessary at that time for the publike weale wer by hym aboundoned infringed euery one After these thinges doen he prouided with all scelerite and expedicion to redeme the Lorde Marques Dorcet Iohn Burscher whome he had lefte at Paris as a pledge suertie for certaine money that he had borowed there and Iohn bishop of Ely for like det out of Flaunders Furthermore to the ende the his realme might bee in a better staye he coÌ„maunded that if any maÌ„ had iniury shewed at any tyme the same persone shoulde putte vp his matter to hym of whome he should both haue and finde redresse And for these matters and causes to bee hearde he made of his councell the Erle of Oxford the duke of Bedford therle of Derby the Lorde Strange w e his sonne and william the lorde his brother chief of the priuie chaumber the lorde Broke chief steward and lord graund maister of his house Renould Braye Iohn Morton Byshoppe of Ely Richarde Foxe Iohn Dinham whome after he made treasourer of Englande Giles Dabeney Richarde Gildeforde Lorde Cheiny Richarde Tunstall Richard Edgecombe Thomas Louell Edwarde Poninges with other wise men as Richard ap Thomas a Welsheman aswell circumspecte as wise Morgane Kidnel Lord Gray Marques Dorcet Lord Talbot Erle of Shrewesbury Iohn Risley lord Thomas Earle of Ormonde an Irisheman Henry Warney William Say William Ody Gilbert Talbot Willyam Vdall Thomas Troys Richarde Naufaute Capitaine of Calis Roberte Point Iames Hubert Charles Somerset Thomas Hawarde Earle of Surrey a manne of wisdome grauitee and constantnesse most coÌ„mendable The earle of Essex descending of an high and noble parentage Lorde William Blounte Iohn Burscher Iohn Fineux Peter Edgecombe Hew Conuey Thomas Terell Sir Henry Wiat Robert Throgmorton Thomas Brandon sir Iohn Winkefelde sir Edmond Dudley Edward Belknape Richarde Hemson Also bishoppes Henry Deney bishoppe of Cauntourbury Oliuer kyng byshoppe of Bathe and Welles William BaroÌ„s bishop of London that dyed shortely after he was bishoppe Also William that succeded nexte after Henry Archebyshop of Cauntourbury Richarde of London and Richarde Bishop of Norwiche When the kyng had taken these menne to bee of his councell for the wealth of his realme he maried Ladye Elizabeth doughter to kyng Edward as he had promised for the which he had the heartes of many menne So that afterwarde he had no nede to feare the assaultes of any persones or the coniuracions of rebelles Neuerthelesse considering the chaunce he had before and the falshode the is in many menne from their youth made yomen of the garde for his bodye the whiche he firste of all Englyshe Kynges caused to bee and as it is thought he did take it of the Frenche kyng Also after this he caused a parliament to bee had wher in was made and decreed certayne lawes actes statutes for the wealthe of his realme In this yere a newe sickenesse did reigne and is so sore and painfull as neuer was suffered before the whiche was called the burning sweate And this was so intollerable that men coulde not kepe their beddes but as lunatike persons oute of their wittes ranne about naked so that none almoste escaped the wer infected therwith At the length after the great death of many a thousande menne they learned a presente remedye for the same dysease that is yf he were sycke of that sweate in the daye that he should streyghtelye downe with his clothes and vestures yf in the nighte that he should not rise for the space of .xxiiii. houres and eate no meate at all yf he coulde forbeare and drinke as litle as he mighte This disease reigned throughout all England wherof also ensued a plague as a token and as the people iudged a plaine argument that kyng Henrye shoulde neuer bee oute of feare and dreade of some mischaunce seing that he was in suche great vexacyon at the sedicyous tumulte that was rysen al the claimynge of the crowne WheÌ„ all thynges wer apeaced in London and ordered after his owne mynd he rode Northward in progresse to pacifie all his realme and especially those partes where the firste commocion was and where also wer priuie and cloked frendes of his aduersaries But because it was nigh Easter he tooke his waye to Lincolne and there tariyng was certified that the Lorde Louell and Humfre Stafforde were gone from the sanctuary in Colchester but to what place or whether no maÌ„ could tell whiche message the kyng litle regardyng weÌ„t foorth as he apointed to Yorke and when he came there it was shewed hym that the lorde Louell was at hand with a strong power of menne and woulde inuade the cytie also that the said lorde Stafforde and his brother wer in Glocestre and there had made an insurreccion and set menne on euery parte to defende the gates and walles of the citie At the
sorowe to the Englishe men for thei cried out of the kyng and saied it was not for his honour so to dooe but the kyng as a wise manne moste prudent prince saied it should be the death of many noble puisaunt capitaines if he should continue thesame battaill therefore it might be to his sore reproche if it wer in his power not to tendre as well the health of his coÌ„mons as his owne whiche saiyng did somewhat coule pacifye their grief And after this dooen the kyng returned backe to Calise for because it was enformed hym that one Richard the named hym self the sonne of kyng Edwarde had made an insurreccion in FlauÌ„ders through the counsaill of lady Margarete the quene to fight against hym which thyng kyng Henry consyderyng did the more spedely hasten to conclude a peace And the condicion of this peace to bee made was this that the Frenche kyng should paye to kyng Henry a certain summe of meny the whiche was leauyed by the ambassadours for the cost and charges that the kyng was put to in that battayll and also should yerely for a certain space paye or cause to bee payde to the kyng of EnglaÌ„d for a full recompence xâ—v thousand crounes The whiche Frenche kyng after that beyng in warre with the Italians payd the said tribute to the most noble prince and our souereigne lorde kyng HeÌ„rye the. vâ—â— sonne to Henry the seuenth for a full recoÌ„ 〈…〉 cion and frendship to bee had for euer This was the yere of our Lorde a thousand foure hundreth foure score and thirtene and the seueÌ„th yere of his reigne Also in this inuadyng besiegyng of Bonony whiche we spake of before there was none killed sauyng onely syr Ihon Sauage whiche goyng out of his tent with syr IhoÌ„ Riseley was taken priuely rydyng about the walles of the toune and there because he would not yelde was slain of the Frenche men albeit the other syr Ihon Rysely fled and escaped their daunger After this the kyng went froÌ„ Calis to England again yet that he might not be wtout some trouble or busynes quene Margaret of Spaine whiche euer watched to do hym a displeasure perceauyng that the erle with his coÌ„paignie could not haue suche successe in their businesse as she would haue wished theim she inueÌ„ted a new way to worke treason against him There was a certain youÌ„g maÌ„ of Tornace very beautiful faire in couÌ„tenaunce of a pregnaunt witte whiche youÌ„g maÌ„ was called Peter surnamed Warbecke for his cowardnes nycknamed of the Englishe men called Perkyn which youÌ„g maÌ„ trauaylyng many countrees could speake many laÌ„guages for his basenes of stocke birth was knowen of none almost Therfore the quene thynkyng this youÌ„g man to bee mete whoÌ„ she might feigne to be the duke of Yorke and soÌ„ne to her brother kyng Edward kept hym a certain tyme with her priuely and tellyng hym what he should be that he might the rather persuade meÌ„ to be the kynges sonne did send hym into IrelaÌ„de after what time she knewe that kyng Henry had apointed to fight against the Frenche kyng where he was honorably receaued taken of euery manne as a prynce for whose right they promysed all to fight and helpe hym in all that they could After this it came to the FreÌ„che kynges eare that such an one was in Ireland for whoÌ„ the kyng did send to see caused hym to be brought before him when he came into his pÌ„sence the kyng accepted hym gladly after a princely fashioÌ„ intreteined hym But after the he came in loue with the kyng of England the sayd Charles did dimisse the youÌ„g maÌ„ would no loÌ„ger kepe hym least that some inconueniencie or cause of strife should chaunce thorough it Wherfore the young manne went to Flaunders agayne to the quene Magarete whiche quene did receaue hym with suche gladnesse that she coulde not well rule her selfe for this cause onely she dyd shewe her selfe so ioyfull and merye that menne mighte perswade theim selfe that this was Richard the kynges soonne and vpon that cause truely men did the more reuerence to the younge manne and that more firmely beleue hym to bee the righte heire sonne to kyng Edwarde Also after this rumour blased abrode aswel in England Fraunce as Flaundres there beganne great sedicion to spryng and firste they that were long in sanctuary for the greate offences that they had commytted and other that wer cast in pouertie gathered a compaignie of meÌ„ and sayled ouer into Flaunders to the counterfaicte Edwarde otherwise named Peter also many of the noble men conspired together and to the entent they might bryng their purpose wel about they did send certain to the Quene Margarete to knowe when thesame Edwarde might come conueniently into Englande the thei beyng certified of thesame might the more easely receaue bryng hym into the realme So that by the consent and agrement of theim all syr Robert Clyfforde knight Wyllyam Barley wer sent to shewe all their myndes aduyce as concernyng the newe founde duke to the Quene Margarete Whome the Quene did accepte gladlye and persuaded theim that it was true that was publyshed of Rycharde the duke and streight vpon shewed theim thesame Peter whiche was muche lyke Richarde praysyng his vertues and qualitees that he had wonderfullye The said Robert wheÌ„ he had seen thesame youÌ„g manne beleued surely that he was of the kynges bloode and wrote to Englande to his coumpaignye and felowes of his conspiracie that he knewe hym to bee the kynges soonne by his face euery proporcion of his body And when these letters came vnto Englande the chief capitaynes of this businesse did openly diuulgate and publyshe that it was trewe that was spoken and saied abroad of the Duke but it was dooen by suche a crafte that no manne coulde tell who was the authoure of that rumoure When the kyng perceiued that many men did geue credence to his vaine fable he thought beste for his owne safegard to prouide a remedy for it also mystrusting that some conspiracye had bene made bicause that sir Robert Clifford had fled priuely into Flaundres commaunded certain knightes that were chosen and piked menne of warre with a bonde of menne to kepe the borders surely the no manne might escape or sayle ouer the sea without a pasporte or licence geuen by hym Also that men myghte not contynue in the false perswasion and belefe that they had conceyued of the duke he caused certain spies to search in all the citees of Belgike to knowe of what progenie this mysnamed Richarde was and to geue theim highe rewardes that would shewe the verite and truth of the same matter So that they sailynge into Fraunce euerye manne dyd gooe into a contraye quarter and enquired diligently for hym and at the length certain of theim came to a towne called Tornace and there were certifyed by the testymonye of
their great damage It dooeth as me semeth ryght well appere That when pleaseth our king to send you thether Your house in hys ryght is appoynted by God To bee to the Scottes a sharpe scourge and rod Wherfore thys chronycle of Ihon Hardyng I haue thought good to dedycate to your grace Because the same in euery maner of thyng Doothe best set out the nature of that place With distaunce of tounes and euery myles space Besechyng your grace to take in good parte Myne honest labours and beneuolent harte The preface into the Chronycle of Iohn Hardyng EMonges all wryters that haue put in vre Their penne and style thynges to endite None haue behynd theim left so greate treasure Ne to their posteritee haue dooen suche delite As thei whiche haue taken peines to write Chronycles and actes of eche nacion And haue of thesame made true relacion ¶ By Chronycles we knowe thynges auncient The succession of tymes and menne The state of policies with their regiment Howe long eche partie hath ruled and when And what were all their procedynges then Chronicles make reporte of matiers dooen And passed many thousand yeres gooen ¶ By Chronycles we knowe in eche countree What men haue been of prowesse marciall What persones chiefly in actiuitee When and betwene whom warres haue befall Either ciuile or els externall Howe thesame haue been conueighed wrought Or els appeaced and to quiete brought ¶ Chronicles dooe recorde and testifye Euen from the worldes first beginninges And dooe kepe in continuall memorie The course and processe of all maner thinges The liues and maners of princes and kynges Aswell Gentiles as Iudaicall Aswell Iuste and godly as tyrannicall ¶ What persones to their prince and countree Haue been louing true and obedient And at all times of necessitee Haue serued thesame with good entent And constauntly therin haue their liues spent In Chronicles are regestred feithfully To their immortall honoure and glorye ¶ Contrarye wise who to their souerains Or to their countrees haue been wicked traitours Or by collusion and crafty traines Haue rebelled against their gouernours Or the same to helpe haue been slacke proctours Are sembleably sette out by name To their endelesse infamy reproche and shame ¶ These thinges and others a thousande mo Wherby realmes haue decaied or growen Chaunged in processe and altered to and fro Fruitefull and expedient to bee knowen Are in Chronicles so plainly shewen That thinges antique to vs bee as apparent As yf at their doinges we had been present ¶ Wherfore Goddes worde and holy scripture Whiche abandoneth all maner vanitee Yet of Chronicles admitteth the lecture As a thing of greate fruite and vtilitee And as a lanterne to the posteritee For example what they ought to knowe What waies to refuse and what to folowe ¶ The bible bookes of Iudges and kynges Althoughe moste full of high diuine misterie And farre surmounting all Ethnike dooynges Yet yf they bee read and take literally Hath the fourme and course of a plain historie What kynges serued God and who trangressed Whiche thereby prospered or wer oppressed ¶ The bookes of the kynges euery where Yf thinges seme touched ouer briefly To a larger storye dooeth vs referre Whiche were Chronicles of eche manne truely Sette out at length to our memorie Albeit those Chronicles as it is euident Are loste and dooe not remain at this present ¶ The bookes inscribed Paralipomena A perfecte membre and piece of the bible Is a summarye of the kynges of Iuda And therfore in Hebrue it hath the title And appellacion of a Chronicle The Machabees also by my deming Is a plaine historye of holy writing ¶ Whiche bookes if they had neuer been set out It had been a greate maime to our knowlage A lamentable lacke with outen doubte A greate cause of blindnesse to our age And to our faith inestimable damage But the spirite of God the authour was That those examples might bee our glasse ¶ Chronicles therfore of true reporte Whether of Christian realmes or no Are matier of pleasaunce fruite and comforte And for a thousande causes and mo Diligently to bee attended vnto Yea and all maner writers of the same Worthie laude thanke honoure immortal fame ¶ Neither is any one to bee reiected That in this behalfe hath dooen his endeuoure For though some bee such as might bee corrected Yet those that haue therein bestowed laboure Haue minded to profyte vs to their power Neither any is so full but somwhere dooeth faile Nor any so bare but dooeth somthing auaile ¶ And what an exceding benefite trowe ye Is it for eche manne to haue cognicion Of all actes bothe of his owne countree And also of euery forein nacion As yf he had liued when eche thing was dooen And to view the actes of antiquitee As though he did nowe presentlye theim see ¶ Chroniclers therfore I can highly cōmende And emonge others this authour Ihon Harding Who with all his power to this point did contēd To the vttermost extent of his learning That Englishe men might haue vnderstanding Of all affaires touching theirowne countree Euen to his dayes from olde antiquites ¶ And though his cōning were not so muche As some others nor his intelligence Yet his good minde entent and zele was suche That in hym lacked no pointe of diligence After suche bookes as he thought of credence Feithfully to describe suche thinges in rime As happened to Englande from tyme to tyme ¶ But in thinges dooen before his owne dayes He foloweth his authours at auenture Without choice or difference of the true wayes Nor well assured who were corrupte or pure Nor whether they were certaine orelles vnsure Whether fabulous or menne of veritee Whether vaine or of good authoritee ¶ But what soeuer in his owne time was dooen That he reporteth with all fidelitee Right so as eche thing ended or begonne Withoute any spotte of insynceritee Or dissimulation of the veritee He founde all meanes the veray trueth to know And what he knewe certainly that did he shewe ¶ From the beginning of Henry the fourth kyng Of this realme of Englande after the conquest Euen to Edwarde the fourthes reigning Whiche was thre score yeres and one at the leste He leaueth nothing vnwriten at the largest That was or semed to bee of importaunce Touchyng peace and warre wyth Scotlande or Fraunce ¶ Vnto the Scottes he coulde neuer bee frende Because he sawe theim towardes England False from the begynnyng to the last ende Neuer standyng to anye league ne bande Homage fealtee ne wryting of theyr hande Neuer so readie to make rebellyon As when thei promised moost subiection ¶ That if Ihon Hardyng bee a trew man And in this behalfe inspyred with prophecie Thei wyll neuer bee but as thei were than Falle to England suttle and craftie Entendyng myschiefe when thei shewe contrary Spoylers and robbers that amende wyll neuer Tyll our kyng shall haue made theim Englyshe for euer ¶ Neither is there anye that euer wrote Which
Soudyan to great lamentacion Of Goddes people and all Christen nacion ¶ He sente hym also the keyes of Dauids towre With Heraclye that of Ierusalem Was Patriarke and greatest of honour And with templers which brought hym into this realme Besekyng hym that he would thē susteine Full humbly askyng supportacion For the cytiee and christen consolacion ¶ All these titles the chronicles can recorde If they be seen by good deliberacion Many of theim to these full well accorde As I haue seen with greate delectacion By clerkes wrytten for our informacion As in olde feldes cornes freshe and grene grewe So of olde bookes cōmeth our cunnyng newe ¶ Of this I wyll nowe cease and forth procede To my mater wher fyrst I beganne To chronicles of this lande for worthihed To remembre in balade as I can To that entent to please both God and man And eke to please good femynitie Of my lady your wife dame Cecely ¶ That in Latyn hath litell intellect To vnderstande the great nobilytie Of this like lande of whiche she is electe Tyme commyng like to haue the souerayntie Vnder your rule as shulde feminitee Whiche if it maye please her ladyshippe My hert will reioyse of her inward gladshippe ¶ For well I wote your great intelligence That in latyn hath good inspeccion Will pleased bee of your hie sapieuce My lady that is vnder your proteccion Your heyre also maye rede at theyr eleccion Whiche if it may please your nobilitee Of my laboure I would reioysed bee ¶ Also for your heyres and for your successours In tyme commyng to haue a clere knowledge How of this realme the noble gouernours Haue kept with helpe of Baronage In victorye tryumphe and surplusage Sith Brute it wanne in his prioritee It hath been kept in worthy dignitee ¶ But howe this ysle enbrased with this sea Vnedefied was knowne first and founde That Albion was named of propertee Of dame Albione that first therein had ground And after long how Brute therof was crowned That of his owne name called it Brytayne And buylded it wher all before was playne ¶ The ende of the Proheme Here begynneth the Chronycle of Iohn Hardynge The firste Chapter ¶ Of the .xxx. susters that first inhabited this lande named it Albion that nowe is Englande Wales Scotland THe whyle that Troye was reignyng in his might In Greece there was a kynge right excellente That Dioclesiā some booke sayeth he hight And of Surray that had the regimente Dame Albyne hight his wife a lady gente Who doughters had .xxx. wedded to there degree To kynges all of greate nobilitee ¶ Whiche fell in pryde and hye elacion Thynkyng to be in no subieccion Of husbandes more ne dominacion But only by a fell conieccion Toke hole purpose and full affeccion To kyll there lordes slepyng sodaynly Soueraynes to be and lyue all seuerally The .ij. Chapter ¶ Note that wemen desyre of al thynges soueraynte to my conceypt more in this land then in any other for they haue it of the nature of the saied susters THe youngest suster the mater all discured To her husbande and to her father gent For whiche she was of al that dede assured But they were putte in exile by iudgement So rightfull were the princes of there entente They iudged them to be put in the see In shyppe topasse echeone fro there countree ¶ As fortune would to make there auenture Which by processe with streames to and fro And tempestes greate and sore disauenture Of sickenes great and mykell other wo And moste of all they knewe not whether to go Tyll at laste they came vnto this ysle That then was waste as chronicles do compile ¶ But I dare saye this chronicle is not trewe For in that ylke tyme in Surraye was no kyng Ne afterwarde to tyme that Saul grewe Ne no kyng was in Surray euer lyuyng That had that name for Saule was the first kyng Of Surray realme at the ende of the thyrde age In Samuels tyme the prophete wyse and sage The .iij. Chapter ¶ Note that Hughe de Genesis a Romayne historiographier declareth in his chronicle all the kyngdomes of the worlde and all the names of suche kynges as ruled in theim from Noes floude vnto the byrthe of Christ In whiche chronicle the foresayed Hughe writeth that Danays kyng of that Grekes had .l. doughters and that Egistus his brother kyng of Egypte had as many sonnes that maryed together which doughters kylled theyr owne husbandes and for that cause were banyshed and saylyng on the sea were dryuen vnto a certain ysle which Albina beyng the eldest suster of theim named accordyng to her name Albiō and Brute after that called it accordyng to his name Brytayne NE afore Brute was in no realme that name No kyng on liue that hight ne called so But of Arginos the kyng of full hye fame Had doughters fifty whose name was Danao The kyng of Egipte his brother Egisto Had soonnes also fifty together wedde In chronicles of olde as I haue redde ¶ Whiche doughters slew their husbandes echone Long before Brute was of his mother bore So fynde I by these women alone And by these soonnes thus slain before The chronicle trewe in their persones more Then in the doughters of Dioclesian Were in no lande that tyme so hight kyng none ¶ So in the yere of Aioth Iudge of Israell These ladies here landed full weery and sore Seuenty and twoo as Hugh dooeth tell Whiche was I saie an hundred yere afore That Brute came into this lande and more By fyue yeres trulye and well accompted Of yeres ode so muche more amounted ¶ Also in Surray there was no kyng before Kyng Alexaunder dedde and expired For Seleucius was the first kyng thore By all chronicles that I haue enquired That chronicle should not bee desired Seyng that it is not trew ne autenticke By no chronicle vnto the trewth oughte like ¶ I dare well saie he sawe neuer Hugh Genesis Ne he redde neuer the chronicles of Surry Of Israell Iude ne of Egipciis Of Argiuos of Athenes ne Thessaly Of Macedon Cesile ne of Assery Of Lacedemon of Lyde ne yet of Latyn Of Affrique of Asis ne yet of Babelyn ¶ Of Perce ne Meede Italye ne Albany Of kyng Alexaunder ne of his successors That afore tyme reigned dyuersly In dyuerse realmes citees castelles and toures Of Romany ne of state of emperours For had he seene all these and their stories Of Dioclesian he would make no memories The .iiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe these ladies had this Isle in the yere of Aioth .lxxii. in the third age of the world and she called it Albion of hir name and toke feauty seruice of theim all as souerayne ladie of this Isle that nowe is Englande Scotlande and Walis as Hugh Genesis wryteth in his Dyaloge THese ladies so ay dwellyng in this Isle The yeres of Aioth seuenty two no lees Dame Albyne was as mēne can
cōuersaunt His shadowe so obumbred all England That peace and lawe kept continuaunt In his absence throughout all this land And els as I can seyne and vnderstand His power had been lite to conquere Fraunce Nor other realmes that well were lesse perchaūce ¶ The peace at home and lawe so well conserued Were croppe and rote of all his hie conquest Through whiche the loue of God he well deserued And of his people by North South Est West Who might haue slain y◠prince or downe him kest That stode so sure in rightfull gouernaunce For common weale to God his hie plesaunce The CC .xxiiii. Capiter ¶ Henry the sixte kyng of England and of Fraunce that fled in to Scotland without cause on Palmesondaye the thirty and nyne yere of his reigne and of Christ a thousand foure hundred three score and one began to reigne the yere of Christ a thousand foure hundred twenty and twoo HEnry his soōne thē not .iii. quarters olde That borne was at s Nicholas daie afore At Windesore so as that realme thē would Vnto the croune succede as he was bore All England hole by might of lordes thore The duke of Gloucester then disired To haue the kepyng of the kyng enspired ¶ The bishop of Wynchester it withstode With all the lordes there hole of his assent Then would he haue been as for that next of bloode Leuetenaunt then of England and regent The bishop aye withstode all his entent That chaūceler was by that fifth kyng Henry made And so furth stode and in thoffice bade ¶ For cause he was so noyous with to dele And office would he haue and gouernaunce Wherfore thei made hym for the common wele Protectour of the realme by ordinaunce To kepe the land fro mischief and varyaunce The kyng of Fraunce for sorowe then dyed The quene his wife also as was notified ¶ The lord Cromwell lost therof nothyng For he had bothe theim in his gouernaunce And home then came when buryed was the kyng Charles of Fraunce with worthy ordenaunce Quene Isabell also with purueaunce Accordaunt well to their royall estate With costages greate as was preordinate ¶ The first daye of the moneth of Septembre He gan to reigne then was a thousand yere Foure hundred as I can remember Twenty and twoo accompted then full clere As I finde write in the chronicler But not crouned for tendernes of age Nor yet anoynte for dred of youthes outrage ¶ The duke of Bedford stode so furth ay regent The duke of Gloucester here was so protectour The bishop of Wynchester by perlyament Was chaunceller and hiest gouernour Of the kyng his persone and his greate socour His godfather and his fatheres eme And supportour was moost of all this realme ¶ The regēt then of Fraunce wed Anne his wife The duke his suster of Burgoyn good and faire The duke of Brytain hir suster knowen rife Had wed afore without any dispeire Whiche was lady of greate repeire ▪ Whiche dukes twoo were sworne and aliede With the regent to stand strongly fortified The CC .xxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe the regent with lordes of Englād smote the vattaill of Vernoyle in Perche in the third yere of kyng Henry that .vi. ¶ Th erle of Boughan and therle Douglas Th erle of Wigton with power of Scotland And lordes of Fraunce to gether assembled was Wher the regent with lordes of England At Vernoyle in Perche as I can vnderstand Faught with theim sore slewe the Scottes cruelly And bade theim thynke emong on Bawgy ¶ The regent had the felde and victorie With greate honour and laude full comfortable Therles were ther with hym of Salisbury Of Suffolke also that were full honorable The lord Wiloughby full fortunable The lord Scales of greate and hie corage With many other of the baronage ¶ Th erle of Ewe and his brother manly Faught in that feld and gate aworthy name And many mo did tho full doughtely I dare well saie was none therfore to blame All other also whiche that were worthy of fame I would haue wrytē if I had knowen their mede But to heraldes I will commit their deede ¶ Thei sleugh therles of Boughan Douglas And of Wigton of Scotland that wer there The lord of Enermeth of Scotland then was With greate people that dedde then there were Our Englishmenne full manly theim bere The regent was there that daye a lion And faught in armes like any champion The CC .xxvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe Mountague erle of Salisbury layde siege to Orle aunce and was slayne there THerle of Salisbury then Mountague With great power layd siege to Orliaūce Wher slayn he was for whō men sore gan rewe So manly was his knightly diligence He laboured euer in marciall excellence Vnto the tyme as would th ende of fate With a quarell was slayne infortunate ¶ And buried was in Englande that yere With greate worshippe and hie solempnitee Richard Neuell had wed his doughter clere And erle was made that tyme by her in fee The regent then of great nobilitee By counsell of the duke then of Burgoyn Kepte Fraunce full well without any essoyn ¶ Then died his wife and wed then sone agayn The countee seynt Paules sister of Fraunce That leegeman was to kyng Henry certayne To the regent sworne as by full greate assuraūce With true seruice and all trewe aliaunce He kepte bothe Fraunce and eke all Normandy In peace and rest full well and worthely ¶ Th erle Richarde of Warwike kepte the kyng By all this tyme sith the duke was dead Of Excester that first hym had in kepyng Th erle Richard in mykell worthyhead Enfourmed hym but of his symplehead He coulde litle within his brest conceyue The good from eiuill he could vneth perceyue The CC .xxvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng was enoynted and crouned in England in the yere of Christe a thousande CCCC and .xxix. and of his reigne the .viii. yere And afterwarde he was crouned in Fraunce the yere a thousand CCCC and .xxxi. and of his reigne the .x. yere in whose presence the regent ceased of his office for whiche he was wroth with the cardinall is vncle for asmuche as the kynge was there presente therfore there shulde bee no regente THe kyng then in his .viii. yere in Englande At Westmynster vpō saynt Leonardes daye The sondaye then as I can vnderstande And of Christ was then a thousande full I saye Foure hundreth and .xx. and .ix. no naye He crouned was with all solempnitee By whole assent of lordes and commontee ¶ Then of his reigne accompte the .x. yere To Fraunce he went wher then at saynt Denys His fathers eme the cardinall full clere Hym crouned fayre with bishoppes there full wise The regent was there with suche seruice As was due of reason and to hym appent The duke of Burgoyne also obedient ¶ The duke also was there of Britayne The counte saynt Paule and the duke Embarre Th erle of Foys with other lordes of Guyan
The prouoste of Parys with other great repaire Of lordes knightes and many ladyes fayre The gouernours of all the great citees And prelates fele and Barons for there fees The CC .xxviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the lorde Cromwell was chamberleyne in Fraunce at his coronacion and discharged at his commyng home in to Englande and the duke of Bedforde regent of Fraunce died and then that duke of Burgoyne was made regent a yere and then therle of Warwike was made regent a yere died at Roan in the castell THe lorde Cromwel was his chamberlayn Who was so wise he was of great record His homagers as to hym did perteyne In Fraunce that tyme by good and trewe accorde For his fees as they and he concorde Of Christes date was then a thousande yere Foure hundreth also and one and thyrty clere ¶ The regeÌ„t died for whoÌ„ was made great mone Then bothe councels of Englande and of FrauÌ„ce Chose the duke of Burgoyn then anone To regent of that lande for great affiaunce That kepte it well a yere in all assuraunce But sone thereafter with the dolphyn accorde And was his man as then was well recorde ¶ Th erle Richard of Warwike then conceyued Of the symplesse and great innocense Of kyng Henry as he it well perceyued Desired to be discharged of his diligence About the kyng and by his sapience Was sent to Fraunce and so was regent And kepte it well in all establishement ¶ Tyll that he dyed out of this worlde awaye For whom great mone was made and lamentacioÌ„ For his wisedome and for his manhode ay For his norture and communicacion He stode in grace of hie commendacion Emonge all folke vnto the daye he died Regent of Fraunce full greately laudified The CC .xxix. Chapiter ¶ Howe the duke of Burgoyn besieged Calys and set vp his bastell there and howe the duke of Gloucester rescowed it THe duke of Burgoyn then to Calis came And set a bastell then afore the toune The which therle of Morteyn by his name Edmond Beaufort as made is mencion With soudyours it gatte and bet it downe The duke weÌ„t home and left the siege with shame When he our flete sawe saylyng on thesame ¶ The protectour with his flete at Calys then Did lande and rode into Flaunders a litle waye And litle did to counte a manly man But that the siege for hym then fled awaye The duke distracte sore sycke was many a daye For sorowe and shame he helde hym out of sight Many a yere he went not out to fight The CC .xxx. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Iames of Scotlande besieged syr Raulfe Gray in Renkesburgh and howe Henry Percy erle of Northumberlande rescowed it with seuen score thousande men IN that same tyme also of ScotlaÌ„d kiÌ„g Iames To ReÌ„kesburgh caÌ„ layd his siege about Syr Raulfe Graye theÌ„ kept it froÌ„ all shames Agayn his sautes that then were full stoute Th erle then of Northumberlande throughout Raysed vp the lande and when he came it nere The kyng trumped vp and went awaye full clere ¶ Who sawe euer afore two hostes royall So easely without stroke discomfite Of diuers landes and neither had a fall And on no parte smote no stroke perfite But for the shadowes that were imperfite Of our hostes so fled and sawe nothynge But vmbres two of our hoste then commynge ¶ But thus I deme tho princes wer forswore The kyng of Scottes the duke of Burgoyn eke That they not durst on no grounde abide therfore Their vntruthes made there hertes feynt seeke Truste neuer their manhode after worth a leeke That vncompelled forsworne or wilfully Shall neuer after haue honour ne victorie ¶ Take hede ye lordes of these great princes two What came of theim in shorte tyme after this The kyng murthered at home in Scotlande tho The duke was wod and frantike for his misse Thus vengeaunce fell vpon theim bothe I wysse Alas a prince shulde haue suche cowardise To be vntrewe or false in any wise ¶ Sith he nede nought so strecheth ay his power To kepe his trouthe and make his â—o thesame To kepe to hym with strength of sworde full clere Or els destroye his land and all his fame And put hym so to foule and open shame For periury occupied and lawe vnpreserued Caused many a man for to bee ouerterued The CC .xxxi. Chapiter ¶ Howe therle of Stafforde was .ii. yere regent of Normandy and howe therle of Huntyngdon was other two yere and howe Richard duke of Yorke was regent of Normandy vii yere with holden and afterwarde was made liuetenaunte of Irelande BVt after then therle of Stafforde went With power strong to kepe all NormaÌ„dy Two yere with holde with all lordes assent Whiche well he keped and full honorably With litle losse of places fewe sodenly By enemyes won that might not longe ben holde And home he came when spended was his golde ¶ Then went therle thyther of Huntyngdon That kept that lad with sad and trewe seruice With great power truely vnto the croune For all the foes and eke the kynges enemyes And fewe places loste ne had no great supprise And home he came agayn at two yeres ende When his wages were gone and all hole spende And after hym the duke of Yorke full ying Thether was sent with great power royall And regent was of all that longed to the kyng And kepte full well Normandye in especyall But Fraunce was gone afore ingenerall And home he came at seuen yere ende agayne With mekell loue of the lande certayne ¶ The duke of Yorke sent was then to Irelande Leuetenaunt then he was there many a daye And greate thanke there and loue of all the land He had amonge the Iryshe alwaye And all the Iryshe beganne him to obey He ruled that lande full well and worthely As dyd afore his noble auncetrye The CC .xxxii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Edmonde Duke of Somerset was made keper of Normandy THe kyng then made that marquis of Dorset EdmoÌ„d Beauford at the cardinals request Without delay then duke of Somerset And sent hym fourth anon withoute reste To Normandye to kepe it for his beste But in his tyme Fastolfe and Kyriell Discomfyte were in batayle sore and fell ¶ Where .vii. M. Englyshe were ouerthrowe Wherfore the Frenche assembled newe eche daye And gate the lande ay by and by on rowe For whiche the duke wrote his letters ay Vnto the kyng and his councell alwaye For more power elles he myght not byde To kepe the lande the French were of suche pryde ¶ He coulde none get this land was theÌ„ so pylde Through war of FrauÌ„ce they wolde not hiÌ„ releue So was the lande with Frenchmen wonne welde With siege eche daye and sautes fell and breue The Frenche nought reste that tyme a daye to eue We loste more then certayne within two yere Then kyng Henry gate in seuen clere ¶ Then was the kyng come vnto mannes age Wherfore the lordes wolde no protector
been required by Thomas Hutton purposely sent to hym from kyng Richard in message with monye efte sones to imprisone the saied Henry erle of Richemoūt and there continually to kepe and holde the same frome cōminge into Englande yet with all gladnesse and fauoure inclined to the desyre of Henry and aided hym as he might with menne monye shypes and other necessaryes But Henry whyle he might accordynglye appoynte and furnyshe hym selfe remayned in Brytayne sendyng afore the foresayde Hughe Coneway and Thomas Ramney whiche two were to hym very trewe and faithful to beare tidynges into Englande vnto his frendes of his commynge to the ende that they myghte prouydentlye ordre all thynges aswell for the commodyous receauynge of hym at his comminge as also foreseynge suche daungers as myghte befalle and aduoydinge suche trappes and snares as by Rycharde the thyrde and hys complyces myght bee sette for hym and for all his other company that he should bryng with hym In the meane tyme the frendes of Henrye with all care studye and dilygence wroughte all thynges vnto their purpose belongynge And thoughe all this were as secretlye wrought and conueyed as emonge so greate a nombre was possible to be yet pryuye knowledge therof came to the eares of kyng Rychard who althoughe he were at the firste hearynge muche abasshed yet thought best to dyssemble the matter as thoughe he had no knowledge therof whyle he myghte secretly gather vnto hym power and strengthe and by secrete spyall emonge the people get more perfyght knowledge of the whole matters and chiefe autoures contryuers of the same And because he knewe be chiefe princypal of theim as vnto whō his owne conscience knewe that he hadde geuen moste iust causes of enemytee he thought it necessary first of all to dyspatche the same duke oute of the waye Wherfore vnto the duke he addressed letters enfarced and replenyshed with all humanytee frendshippe famylyaritee and swetenesse of woordes wyllyng and desyryng the same to come vnto hym with all conuenyent spede And ferther gaue in commaundemente to the messenger that caryed the letters that he shoulde in his behalfe make many high and gaye promyses vnto the duke by all gentle meanes persuade the same to come vnto hym But the duke mystrustyng the fayre woordes promyses so sodenly offred of hym of whose wylye craftes and meanes he knewe sondrye exsamples afore practised desyred the kynges perdon excusyng him self that he was deseased sicke and that he might be asserteined the if it possyble wer for hym to come he would not absent hym self frō his grace Thys excuse the kyng would not admitte but eftsones directed vnto the duke other letters of a more roughe sorte not wythoute manacynge and threatenynge onlesse he woulde accordynge to hys dutye repayer vnto hym at hys callynge whereunto the duke plainely made aunswer that he woulde not come vnto him whom he knewe to be hys enemye And immedyatelye the duke prepared hym selfe to make warre agaynst hym and perswaded all hys complyces and partakers of hys intente wyth all possyble expedycion some in one place and some in another to sturre agaynste kynge Rycharde And by thys meanes in maner at one tyme and houre Thomas Marques of Dorcester reysed an armye wythin the country of Yorke beyng hym selfe late come forthe of sāctuarye and by the meanes and helpe of Thomas Rowell preserued and saued frome perel of death Also in Deuonshyre Edwarde Courtenay wyth hys brother Peter byshoppe of Excetter reysed in lyke maner an armye and in Kent Rychard Guyl ford accompanied wyth certayn other gentylmen caysed vp the people as is a foresayde all thys was done in maner in one moment But the king who had in the meane tyme gathered together gret power strēgth thynkyng yt not to be best by pursuyng euery one of hys enemyes to dysparkle hys cōpaygnie in smal flokes determyned to let passe all the others withal his whole puisaunce to set vpon the chiefe heade that is to saye the Duke of Buckynghm̄ so takyng his iourneye from Londō he went towardes Salisbury to th entent that he might sette vpon the said duke in case he might haue perfight knowledge that the same laye in any felde embatailed And nowe was the kyng within twoo dayes iourney of Salisbury when the duke attempted to mete hym beyng accompaignied with great strength of Welshmen whom he had therunto en forced coherted more by lordly commaundement then by lyberall wages and hyre whiche thyng in deede was the cause that thei fell from hym and forsooke hym Wherfore beyng sodenly forsaken of his menne he was of necessite constrained to flee in whiche dooyng as a manne cast in sodeine and therfore greate feare of this the sodeine chaunge of fortune by reason of thesame feare not knowyng where to become nor where to hyde his hed nor what in suche case best to dooe he secretly conueighed hym self into the hous of Homffraye Banastar in whom he had conceaued a sure hope and confidence to finde faithfull and trustie vnto hym because thesame had been thē was his seruaunt entendyng there to remayne in secrete vntill he might either reise a newe armie or els by some meanes cōueigh hym self into Brytein to Henry erle of Rychemount But assone as theothers whiche had attempted thesame entrepryse against the kyng had knowledge that the duke was forsaken of his compaignie and fled and could not bee foūde thei beyng stryken with sodein feare made euery māne for hym self suche shift as he might and beyng in vtter despayre of their health and life either gotte theim to sāctuaryes or deserte places or els assaied to escape ouer sea many of theim in deede arryued sauely in Britain emong whom were these whose names ensue Peter Curteney bishop of Exceter with his brother Edward erle of Deuonshire Thomas marques of Dorcestre with his soonne Thomas beyng a verye yoūg chylde Ihō Bourshere Ihon Welshe Edward Wooduyle a stoute manne of armes and brother to Elizabeth the quene Robert Willoughby Gyles Dawbeneye Thomas Harondell Ihon Cheiny with his twoo brethren Wyllyam Berkeley Wyllyam Brandō with Thomas his brother Rychard Edgecome and all these for the moste parte knightes Also Ihon Halwell Edwarde Poyntz an excellēt good capitain Christopher Vrswicke but Ihon Moorton bishop of Ely at theself same tyme together with sondrye of the nobles and gentlemen sailed into Flaundres But Richard the kyng who was nowe come to Salisbury and had gotten perfight knowledge that all these parties sought to slie the realme with all dyligence and hast that might bee sent to all the porte tounes theraboute to make sure steye that none of theim might passe vntaken and made proclamacion that whosoeuer would bryng hym knowledge where the duke of Buckynghm were to bee had should haue for his rewarde if he were a bōdeman his frebome and if he were fre his pardon and besydes that a thousand pounde of moneye Furthermore because he vnderstode by
I was aboute to saye taken aswell as before God I mente it coulde deserue but thanke and yet taken as I wene it would myghte happen to turne me to lytle good and you to lesse Then longed the duke muche more to were what it was wherupon the byshop saied In good faith my lord as for the late protectoure â—ith he is now kyng in possessyon I purpose not to dispute his title but for the welthe of this realme whereof his grace hathe nowe the gouernaunce and wherof I my selfe am a poore membre I was aboute to wysh that to those good habilitees wherof he hath already righte many litle nedyng my prayse yet mighte it haue pleased God for the better store to haue geuen hym some of suche other excellent vertues mete for the rule of the realme as oure Lord hath planted in the persone of your grace there lefte of againe Of whiche woordes the duke perceauyng that the byshop bare vnto hym his good hearte and fauoure mystrusted not to entre more plaine coÌ„municacion with hym so farre that at the laste the byshoppe declared hym selfe to bee one of theim that would gladly helpe that Richard who then vsurped the croune mighte bee deposed if he had knowen howe it myghte conuenientely bee broughte to passe the suche a persone as had true title of inheritaunce vnto the same might bee restored therunto Vpon this the saied duke knowing the bishoppe to bee a manne of prudence and fidelitee opened to hym all his whole hart and entent saying my lorde I haue deuised the waye howe the bloodde both of kyng Edward and of kyng Henry the syxte that is lefte beyng coupled by maryage and affinitee maye bee restored vnto the croune being by iuste and true title due vnto theim both for kyng Richard he called not the brother of kyng Edwarde the fourth but his enemye and mortall fooe The waye that the Duke had deuysed was this that they shoulde with all spede and celerytee fynde meanes to sende for Henry earle of Rich mounte whome the rumoure wente immediatlye vpon knowledge of kynge Edwardes deathe to haue bene deliuered oute of prysone with Fraunces Duke of Brytaine the same Henry to helpe with all their power and strength so that the saied Henry woulde fyrste by his feithfull othe promise that ymmediatly vpon obteigning the croune he woulde mary and take to wyfe Elyzabeth the elder doughter of Edward the fourth The byshop of Ely ryghte well alowed bothe the deuyce and purpose of the duke and also the maner and waye howe the matter shoulde bee broughte to effecte and founde meanes that Reynold Breye seruauÌ„r with Margarete mother of the saied Henry then maried to Thomas Stanley came to the duke in to Wales and the dukes mynde throughlye perceaued and knowen with greate spede retourned to the saied Margarete aduertisyng the same of all thinges which betwene the duke and hym concerning aswell the coÌ„mon weale of the realme as also the aduauncemente of her and her bloodde had been debated Nowe it came so to passe that the duke of Buckyngham and the ladye Margaret mother to the saied Henrye had bene in communicacyon of the same matter before and that the saied lady Margarete had deuised the same meane and waye for the deposycion of kynge Rycharde and bringyng in of Henry her sonne the whiche the Duke nowe brake vnto the byshop of Ely wherupon theâ—e rested no more forasmuche as she perceaued the duke nowe willyng to prosecute and further the sayed deuice but that she should fynde the meanes that this matter myghte bee broken vnto Quene Elizabeth the wyfe of kyng Edwade the fourthe then beynge in the Sanctuarye And hereupon she caused one Lewes that was her physicyan in his owne name and as thoughe it came of hym selfe to breake this matter vnto the quene saying that yf she would consent and agree therunto a meane might bee founde howe to restore agayne the blood of kyng Edwarde and kyng Henrye the syxte vnto the croune and to bee aduenged of kynge Rycharde for the murther of kyng Edwardes chyldren and then declared that there was beyonde that see Henry Earle of Richemounte whiche was of the blood of Henry the sixte whome yf she woulde be content that he marye Elizabeth her eldest doughter there shoulde of his syde bee made righte many frendes and she for her parte myghte helpe in lyke maner wherby no doubte it shoulde come to passe that he shoulde possesse the croune by moost rightfull inheritaunce Whiche matter when she heard it it liked her excedingly well in so much as she counceled the saied phisicyan to breake the same vnto his maistresse the ladye Margaret knowe her mynde therein promisyng vpon her woorde that she would make all the frendes of kyng Edwarde to take parte with the sayed Henrye yf he woulde be sworne that when he came to the possessyon of the croune he woulde immediately take in maryage Elyzabeth her eldest doughter or elles yf she lyued not that tyme that then he would take Cicile her yongest doughter Whereupon the sayde Lewes retourned vnto the ladye Margarete hys maystresse declarynge vnto her the whole mynd and entent of the quene So that theÌ„ it was shortly agreed betwene these two wemen that wyth al spede thys matter shold be set forwarde in so much that the lady Margarete brake thys matter vnto Reynolde Bray wyllynge hym to moue and set forwarde the same with all suche as he shoulde perceaue eyther hable to doo good or wyllynge thereunto Then had the quene deuysed that one Chrystopher whome the foresayde Lewes the Physicyan had promoted into her seruyce shoulde bee sente into Brytayne to Henrye to geue hym knowledge of theyr myndes here and that he shoulde prepare and apoynt hym selfe redye and to come into Wales where he shoulde fynde ayde and helpe ynonghe readye to receaue hym But then shortly after yt came vnto her knowledge that the Duke of Buckingham had of himselfe afore entended the same matter whereupon she thoughte yt should be mete to sende some messenger of more reputacyon and credyte then was thys Chrystopher and so kepte hym at home and then sente Hughe Conewaye wyth a greate some of monye wyllynge hym to declare vnto Henrye all thynges and that he should hast hym to come and to lande in Wales as is aforesayde And after hym one Rycharde Guilforde oute of Kente sente one Thomas Ramey wyth the same message the whyche two messengers came in maner bothe at one tyme into Brytayn to the Earle Henrye and declared vnto hym all theyr commyssioÌ„s The whiche message when Henry had perceaued and throughly heard it reioysed his harte and he gaue thankes vnto God fully purposyng with al conuenyente spede to take his iourney towardes England desiryng the aide and helpe of the duke of Brytayne with promise of thanckfull recompence when God should sende hym to come to his ryghte The duke of Britayne notwithstanding that he had not longe after