in matâ—ers of Scotland could better skill Nor which their falshoode and vntrueth to note Had more affection or better wyll Or better knew water woodde toune vale hyll Or was more feruente the Scottes to persue Who to England he knew woulde neuer be true ¶ Neyther anye Chronicler that euer was Eyther dooth or can more largly declare Euen from Brutus howe it came to passe That kynges of Englande the soueraines are And ouer Scotlande oughte rule to beare Hymselfe is wytnes of their subiection And homage vnder Englandes protection ¶ In other thinges the tymes were suche That though this werke haue some spice of blindnesse Yet is the authour not to be blamed much For Popyshe errour that season doubtlesse Did all the worlde ouer go and oppresse Therfore such thinges we must in good part take And pardon that faulte for the tymes sake ¶ Yet haue we thought best the autour to set out Euen in suche fourme as hymselfe dyd endite It wer an vnquod thyng yf we should go about To alter and chaunge that olde men haue wryte Secondly to vs it maye bee greate delyte The blindnesse of those tymes to consider From whiche hathe pleased God vs to delyuer ¶ Fynally the darkenesse of those dayes to see To the honoure of our kyng dooeth redound To whom by goddes helpe geuen it hath bee All Popyshe trumperye for to confounde Which thyng al trew English hertes hath bouÌ„d Incessauntly to praye for kyng Henrye the eyghte Whose godly wisedome hath made all streyghte And for asmuch as Hardyng his boke doth ende With Edward the fourth whose seruauÌ„t he was And to whome also this booke he dyd commende Consideryng also the tyme and space Beyng .lx. yeres and more I coulde not let passe So many goodly statutes and decrees Battayles and stories not good to lese Wherfore I annexed theim by continuacion Begynning wyth Edwarde the fourth of that name Then Edward the fyfth kyng by generation Whom Richard the third to his immortal shame Cruelly murdered the story sayeth the same But plaged he was to hys greate greuaunce With a shamefull death as Goddes vengeaunce Then Henry the .vii. nexte doothe ensue Father vnto our moost dred soueraigne lorde And of Henry the. viii some thyng that is true I haue here set forth as wryters dooe accorde Not in metre but obseruyng worde for worde Myne authours that wrote it all in prose Reportyng the truth without fraude or glose ¶ Now right gentle reader thy parte shal be My good wyll and zele my payne and labour To entreprete and take in good parte and gre Geuing to the same suche good wordes of fauour As may enforce me with all myne endeuour The settyng forth of mo werkes to take in hande To thy solace and honour of Englande ¶ The Proheme of Iohn Hardynge into this his chronycle THe moste substance of power and of myght Through age distilled into debilitee Of me that am this time an aged wight And greate faute haue of habilitee This labour now shuld haue wthold fro me But that my witte would haue some diligence My ghoost to kepe from synne and insolence ¶ This werke is great and loÌ„ge to bryng to fyne So doeth it euer fro tyme to tyme encrease And long hath dooen afore Christ dyd enclyne In Marie mother and mayden without lease To chronicle so men haue theim put in prease Some in meetre and some also in prose Some in Latyn full wysely dyd it close ¶ And some in Frenche they made for intellecte Of men that could no Latyn vnderstande More sufficiently endited and protecte By ferre then I can it nowe take in hande And some in lynes two theyr ryme ay bande But though my witte be not so curious As theirs by ferre to make it glorious ¶ Yet wyll I vse the symple witte I haue To your pleasaunce and consolacion Moste noble lorde and prince so God me saue That in chronycles hath delectacion Though it be farre aboue myne estimacion Into balade I wyll it nowe translate Ryght in this forme with all myne estymate My lorde of Yorke vnto your sapience I wyll remember a notabilyte Of your elders rule and regymence That had this lande of olde prioryte Which ruled were after their dignitee In vertue digne by roiall gouernaunce And in vyce rulyd and misgouernaunce By whiche knowledge your discrete sapience All vyce euermore destroye maye and reproue By vertuous and blessedfull dilygence And vertue loue that maye not ought greue Howe ye shall rule your subiectes while ye lyue In lawe and peace and all tranquyllite Whiche been the floures of all regalyte ¶ Edward the thyrde that was king of this land By ryght title and very iuste discent And kyng of Fraunce as I can vnderstande By his mother quene Isabell the gent Sister and heyre of Charles by hole entent For Charles dyed without any chylde The ryght discent vnto his mother mylde Why shulde that French forbarre you of your right Sith God of heauen in libro numeri Gaue to Moises this lawe that nowe is lyght In the chapiter seuen and twenty By these wordes the doughter ryghtfully Of Salphaat aske the fathers heritage Geue them in possessyon amonge the cosynage ¶ This kyng Edward reignyng in his dayes In mercyall actes tryumphe and victorie Aboue all princes famed was alwayes Fyue sonnes had the worlde out to crye Ther wer no mo suche of one patry monye Edwarde the prince and eldest sonne of age Who gat Richarde that had the heritage ¶ Leonell next borne after in Antwerpe In Brabant lande that wedded vnto his wyfe The erles doughter of Vlster as men do karpe And begatte on her Philip his doughter ryue And also his heire whome he loued as his lyue Whome erle Emonde of Marche the Mortimer Wedded to his wyfe and begatte the erle Roger. Edwarde the thyrd had fyue sonnes Edwarde prince Leonell Iohn duke of Lancastre Edmounde duke of Yorke Thomas of Woodstocke duke of Gloucester ¶ That erle was after of Marche of Vlster With wylde Irishe that slayne wer in Irelande Who had a sonne erle Emonde Mortymer That dyed without yssue I vnderstande To whom dame Anne his syster vnto his land Was veraye heyre whoÌ„ the erle of CaÌ„bridge wed And gatte of her your selfe as I haue red ¶ Why should ye not then be her veraye heyre Of all her lande and eke of all her right Sith Iesu Christe of Iude lande so feire By veray meane of his mother Mary bryght To be kyng claymed tytle and right And so dyd name hym selfe kyng of Iewes So by your mother the right to you acrewes ¶ After Lyonell that was duke of Clarence And of Vlster the erle was by his wyfe And of Italie for his greate excellence Kyng should haue been without any stryfe Of all Europe without comparatyfe The royall lande and to his espousaile The dukes doughter of Melayn without faile ¶ Iohn borne in Gaunt of FlauÌ„ders chief cytee The thyrde
soonne was of good kyng Edwarde That wedded dame Blaunch ful of feminytee Duke Henryes doughter and heire afterwarde Of Lancastre by lawe of kynde and forwarde Who gat and bare the fourth kyng Henry That kyng Rycharde deposed wrongfully ¶ Who gatte Henry the fyfth lyke conqueroure Of Normandy and mykill parte of Fraunce That excelled bothe kyng and Emperoure In marcyall actes by his gouernaunce Who gatte Henry the sixte at Gods pleasaunce Of suche symplenesse and disposicion As menne maye se by his discrecion 〈◊〉 For when Henry the fourth first was crouned 〈…〉 ny a wyseman sayd then full commenly 〈…〉 third heyre shuld not ioyse but be vncrouned And deposed of all regalitee To this reason they dyd there wittes applye Of euill gotten good the third should not enioyse Of longe agone it hath bene a commen voyse ¶ Howe the maker of this booke saieth his auyse in briefe for the duke of Yorke ¶ O my lorde of Yorke God hath prouyde In this for you as men sayen commenly So that no slouth you from his grace deuyde But take it as he hath it sent manly And rule well nowe ye haue the remedye But neretheles let euery man haue the right Both frende and foo it may encrease your might ¶ Treate well Percy of marchys lyne discended To helpe your right with might and fortifye By tender meanes to holde hym well contented Remembryng hym by wyttie polycye Howe by processe of tyme and destenye Your right might all bene his as nowe is yours Through gods might make thē your successours ¶ Edmoūde was then the .iiij. sonne at Langlay Borne as knowen was well in the lande A noble prince after as men might say At battayle of Orray that fought sore with his hāde And Iohn of Gaunt his brother I vnderstande That fought ful sore for Ihō of Mountfortright Agayne Charles of Bloys a manly knight ¶ This Edmoūde was after duke of Yorke creat And had a sonne that Edward had to name Whom kyng Richarde made to be denominate In all his writtes exaltyng his fame Kyng of Portyngale his father yet at hame Lyuyng in age I trawe of .lxxx. yere A fayre person as a man might se any where ¶ Thomas Woodstoke the .v. sonne was in dede Duke of Gloucester that tyme made and create By kyng Richarde murdered whom for his mede Kyng Henry quyt with death preordinate By Goddes dome and sentence approbate Who sleeth so shall he be slayne by his sentence Well more murder whiche asketh ay vengeaunce ¶ Who laye afore Paris amoneth daye With hoste royall without any batell Of all enemyes moste dred he was alwaye And Scottes moste hym bred without any fayle For as they trowed by theyr owne rehersaile Of prophecyes he shulde theyr lande conquere And make the kyng to Englande homegere ¶ Nowe haue I made vnto your owne knowlege A remembraunce of Edwardes sonnes fyue Your exampler to geue you a corage So noble princes I trowe were none alyue After my wytte as I can discryue The eldest sonne whose lyfe I haue lefte oute Who that in Fraunce all landes was moste doute ¶ Of the ryghte and tytles that my Lorde of Yorke hath to Fraunce and Spayne with Portingale other landes by yonde the sea Ierusalem and other landes ¶ At batell of Poytiers tooke kynge Iohn With greate honoure triumphe and vyctory By merciall actes and verteous life aloone And in Spayne as made is memorie The kyng Petro by knightly victorie To his kyngdome he did restore again By his brother putte out with muche pain ¶ The appoinctement bytwixt duke Iohn duke Emund who should bee kyng of Castle and Lyon and what the maker of this booke sawe and red at Londō to syr Robert Vmfrewill then lorde Vmfrewill ¶ This kyng Petro to giue hym to his mede Had nothyng els but doughters twoo full faire Whiche he betooke to that prince in deede For his wages for cause thei where his heire With whome he did to Englande so repaire And Constaunce wedde vnto his brother Iohn Emund his brother the younger had anone ¶ Dame Isabell the younger hight by name Bytwene these brethren was appoinctment The first heire male whiche of the sisters came The kyng should been and haue the regiment To you my lorde of Yorke this dooeth appent For your vncle Edwarde was first heire male To whome your father was heire with out faile ¶ So kyng of Spayne and also of Portyngall Ye should nowe bee by lyne of bloodde discent By couenaunt also and appoinctement whole As I haue seen of it the mununent Vnder seale wryten in all entent Whiche your vncle to my lorde Vmfrewill At London shewed whiche I red that while ¶ For Spayne Portyngale beare the renoume And commen name as I haue herde expressed Both to the realmes of Castyll and Lyon And so the kynge of Spayne hath aye adressed His royall style in wrytyng well impressed Kyng of Castill and also of Lyon Accompted both so for his region ¶ Nowe be ye knowe of your title to Englande By consequens to Wales and Scotlande For they perteyne as ye maye vnderstande Of auncient tyme to the crowne of Englande By papall bull ye haue the right to Irelande Gascowe Paitowe and Normandye Pountyf Bebuile Saunxie and Sauntignye ¶ And all the lande beyonde the charente Of Dangolesme Dangolismoys Luyre zyne Of Caoure Caourenō Pyridor Pirygūt coūtre Of Rodis Ronegeauis Dagō Dagenoyse that fine Tharbe Wigor Gaure shoulde to you enclyne With all the fraunchyses and all souerayntie As hath the kyng of Fraunce in his degre ¶ Nō that I Ihon Hardyng maker of this booke delyuered to kyng Henry the syxte the copie of the treatie of this land as kyng Edward the thyrd treated and had them after the battayll of Poytours ¶ Calys Marke Colne Hāmys Oye Wale Sandegate Guysons with all the whole coūtre With all the landes and townes betwene thē all With all fraunchyses and royall souerayntie All those of right be yours in propertie What by treate and what by veraye right As kyng Edwarde them had of mykyll might ¶ To Ierusalem I saye ye haue great right For erle Geffraye that hight Plantagenet Of Aungeoy erle a prince of passyng might The eldest sonne to Fouke and first begette Kyng of Ierusalem by his wife dewly sette Whose sonne Geffray foresaide gatte on his wyfe Henry the seconde that knowen was full ryfe ¶ Yet haue ye more fro Bawdewyn Paraliticus Kyng afterward to thesame kyng Henry The croune sente and his banner precious As veraye heyre of whole auncestrie Descent of bloode by tytle lynyally From Godfray Boleyn and Robert Curthose That kynges were therof and chose ¶ He sente hym also the Sepulture keyes Resygnyng wholy vnto hym all his ryght For to defende the lande from Sarizenes For he was sicke and had therto no might And all the lande destroyed was to sight By the
¶ Symond the soÌ„ne of earle Symond MouÌ„tfort Came oute of Fraunce for ferdnesse of that quene To kyng Henry whome he gaue great comforte He gaue hym then his man for ay to bene Of Leycester the earldome fayre and clene With the Stewarde of Englande in herytage Whiche is an offyce of greate priuelage ¶ And wed his doughter dame Elyanore To Willyam Marshall earle of Penbroke After whose deathe she auowed chastyte for euermore But he her maryed and her betoke For all her vowe as sayeth the booke To Earle Symond Mountfort to be his wyfe Notwithstandyng that she vowed chastyte her lyfe ¶ Tho dyed Lewelyn the prynce of Wales then Betwene his sonnes Gryffyth and Dauid grewe Greate discencyon and stryfe ay when and when And dame Beatryce the kynges doughter trewe To earle Symonde of Britayne wedded newe The yere of Chryste a thousand was accompted Two hundreth moo fourty and one amounted The C .xlv. Chapiter ¶ The 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 of Lancaster and of Leicester long after in the yere of his father one and thirty and in the yere of Christ M. iiC xli THe same yere then Edmond his sooÌ„ne was At LaÌ„castre that yere of Christ theÌ„ writeÌ„ A thousand whole twoo C and fourty mo bore And one therto in Flores as is wryten And in the yere next after then ouersetten The kyng his doughter Margaret then maryed To Alexaunder kyng of Scotland notified ¶ At Yorke citee wher he then did homage For Scotland whole and Isles apperteinyng Then dyed â—hemperour full sage Wherfore the lordes of Almaignie variyng Some chose Rychard kyng Henryes brother beyng And some that kyng of Castile would haue algate But erle Rychard of Menske had all the state ¶ Then rose discorde betwene the kyng Henry And certain lordes of mighty greate power Symond Mountfort vpon hym toke boldly To bee cheftein to hold the feld full clere At Lewis faught of christ then was the yere A thousand twoo hundred and sixty accompted And foure also so muche more amounted ¶ This erle Symond had then the kyng Henry And his brother Rychard themperour In his kepyng and ward wer hold strongly But prince Edward was sette in Herford toure And erle Henry of Herford that was floure Themperours soonne at Herford with hym laye A myle about disported theim euery â—aye ¶ Fro whens at last with horse thei brake awa 〈…〉 And to Wigmour castell thei came in hie To sir Roger Mortymer wher he laye That theim receiued then full gladly And so thei assembled with greate hoste manfully And held the feld the lordes fast to theim drewe And at Euesham thei stroke a battaill newe ¶ In the yere of Christ a thousand was tho Twoo hundred mo sirty also and fiue When prince Edward faught with his foo Symond MouÌ„tfort and raught hym fro his liue The feld discomfited there anone as bliue With help of erle Gilbert then called Clare And other lordes with hym that were thare ¶ He slewe many and some awaye exiled And some he held in prisone and distres He toke out then his father as is compiled His eme Rychard holden in greate dures And all his frendes of his hie worthynes He socoured euer and with his gold supported And wher it want with his woord theim coÌ„forted The C .xlvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe Robert Ferrers erle of Darby was dishe rite and many other of their compaignie RObert Ferrers that erle was of Darby Disherite then for his insurreccion With many other at Chesterfeld in hie Faught with Edward of their presumpcion And fled awaye with greate confusion Vnto the Isle of Axholme and fro thens Vnto Lyncolne and spoyled the citezens ¶ Fro thens to Ely thei went anone Wher prince Edward thisle proudely assailed Thei fled fro it soone to Yorkeshire gan gone In freres clothis that were full long tailed Robbyng their fooes when thei of good failed And other some to Kilyngworth then fled To Henry Hastynges who then the castell had ¶ Wher then that kyng great siege laied all about But nought auailed so strongly thei defende And for ther was in euery shire throughout So greate robbery and nothyng amende The kyng was fain for lordes then to send By whose aduise he ordeined for that case That all disherite and exiled should haue grace ¶ All disherite should buye their landes again To paye for theim gold as thei might accorde With theowners so that no man should payen More then the land were worth by greate recorde In seuen yere whole and if thei might concorde For lesse money so it exceade a yere The value of the yerly rent full clere ¶ Robet Ferrers erle of Derby then The soonnes also of erle Symond exclude That perpetuall iudgement fully then Neuer to redeme their landes but been exclude So that theowners be not with theim delude Vnto a daye that fifty thousand pound Be paide of nobles whole and round ¶ Edmond the soonne of the same kyng Henry Was weddid first vnto dame Auelyn Erle Willyam his doughter of Almarle womaÌ„ly None issue had neither male ne feminine Then was he wed to Blaunche that quene full fyne Of Nauerne and so of Lancaster create With Leicestre also therle denominate The C .xlvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Edward theldest sooÌ„ne heire of kyng Henry the third and his brother erle Edmond of Lancaster and of Leicestre went to IerusaleÌ„ with greate power whiche twoo princes were couÌ„ted the semeliest of all the hoste of Christendome HIs brother Edward and he associate To Ierusalem their voiage theÌ„ auowed Two semely princes together adioynate In all the world was none theim like alowed So large faire thei were eche manne he bowed Edward aboue his menne was largely seen By his shulders more hie and made full clene ¶ Edmond next hym the comeliest prince aliue Not croke backed ne in no wyse disfugured As some menne wrote the right lyne to depryue Through great falsehed made it to bee scriptured For cause it should alwaye bee refigured And mencioned well his yssue to preuaile Vnto the croune by suche a gouernaile ¶ But prince Edward and he held fourth their waye To Ierusalem so did themperour Rychard his eme and Henry his soonne full gay To Cisile came by sea through many a shoure Edward with hym then had his wife that houre Elianour doughter of the kyng of Aragon A princesse faire at his eleccion ¶ The kyng Lewes also then thither went And in his waye dyed and expired Sainct Lewes nowe is named by all assent Of holy churche as it is well enquired Approued trewe as reason well required But Edward prince and EdmoÌ„d abode two yere With werres greate and mighty strong power ¶ For nacions all vnto prince Edward drewe And to Edmond his brother for their semelines And greate maÌ„hode whiche in theim that thei knewe Sir Charles that brother of king Lewes doubteles Kyng of Cisile of noble worthynes By the Soudan was chasid without beld Whome prince Edward socoured had the
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
Iohn of Gaūt in dede And his brother Edmond then faught full sore Were neuer twoo better knightes thē thei in dede That better faught vpon a feld afore It was but grace that thei escaped thore Thei putte theim selfes so ferfurth ay in prces That wounded wer thei bothe full sore no lees The C .lxxxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe prince Edward of Wales wedded dame Iohā doughter of Edmond Wodstoke erle of Kent he of that third degree and she of the second THese brethrē twoo with their Englishe power Set Iohn Moūtfort ī his whole ducherie With great honour manhode all in fere Erle Iohn of Kent dedde was afore sothely Erle Edmōdes soōne to whom dame Iohā truly His sister was heire whome therle Mountague Of Salisbury had wed of maiden newe ¶ And hir forsoke after repudiate Whom his styward sir Thomas Holand wed And gate on hir Thomas erle of Kent late And Iohn Holand hir other soonne she hed Thomas their father dyed of sickenes bested The prince hir vowid vnto a knight of his She saied she would none but hym self I wis ¶ For hir beaute all onely he hir tooke And wed hir so and to Guyan went The yere was then a thousand who so loke Three hundred also sixty and fiue extent Rychard his soonne whiles he was there regent In Burdaur borne was thē with great gladnes Supposyng then of hym greate worthynes ¶ The kyng Peter of Castell and Lyon To Burdeaux came ther prince Edward beheld To gette again his worthy region Fro whiche his brother bastard with full strong beeld Had putte hym out thought it for to weeld For whiche the prince with all his hole power Rode into Spain to helpe hym to conquer ¶ Wher thē he faught against the bastard strōg The third daye of Aprill accompted then In battaill sore ferfoughten ther full long In whiche were slain full many a Spanish māne The basterd fled the prince the feld there wan And sette the kyng Peter in his region In peace and rest without rebellion The C .lxxxvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe the lordes of Italy sent ambassiate to kyng Edward for sir Leonell of Andwarp to make hym kyng of Italy who was create erle of Vister by his wife doughter heire to Rychard erle of Vister of whom he gate dame Philip wedded to Edmond Mortimer erle of Marche whiche erle of Marche gate Roger erle of Marche and my lady Percy THe duke of Milayn that hight sir Bernabo The lord Mātowe the marques Ferrar The lord of Mountpollestrme then also The lordes of Iene of Pyse that then were The lordes of Venis and Florence there To kyng Edward sent ambassiate By commen assent of papall senate ¶ For Lionell his soonne with theim to send The duke his doughter of Melayn for to wed Promisyng hym then hym so to recommend That of Itale the rule sholde all be led By hym and his frendes of Italye bred And in short tyme to ioye and bere the croune Of all Italye the royal region ¶ His wife was dedde and at Clare was buried And none heire he had but his doughter faire Philp that hight as chronicles specified Whom quene Philip Christened for his heire Tharchbishop of Yorke for his compeire Hir godmother also of Warwyk the countesse A lady was of all greate worthynes ¶ The kyng his soonne sir Leonell create Duke of Clarence and to Melayn hym sent With chiualrie of fame well ordinate And squyers freshe galaunt and sufficient With officers and yomen as appent And with hym went that greate ambassiate At his costage to Melayn consociate The C .lxxxvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe sir Leonell when his wife Elionor was dedde was create duke of Clarence and weddid the dukes doughter of Melayn in Lumbardy and dyed ther had no childe with her and some saye he is buried there and some saye his boones were brought home and buried at Clare in Essex but in trouth of Clare he had his name and honoure of duke of Clarence for Clare is called Clarencia in Latyne and also Clarence in Frenche THis duke royall of Clarence excellent At Melayne wedded was thē in royal wise With that lady fayre and beneuolent Full royally as to suche a prince shuld suffice And all the rule he had by councell wyse Fro mount Godard vnto the citee of Florence And well beloued was for his sapience ¶ In citees all he helde well vnitees Greate iustes ay and ioyus tournementes Of lordes knightes he made great assemblees Through all the lande by his wyse regimentes They purposed hole by theyr commen assentes To croune hym kyng of all great Italie Within halfe a yere for his good gouernaly ¶ In all the world was then no prince hym like Of hie stature and of all semelynesse Aboue all men within his hole kyngrike By the shulders he might be seen doutlesse As a mayde in halle of gentilnesse And in all other places sonne to rethorike And in the felde a Lyon marmorike ¶ In whiche meane tyme his iustes his excesse His great riot and wynes delicacie His ghoste exiled out of his corps doutlesse Afore the daye set of his regence For whom was made great mone through Italie Some sayen he is buried at Melayn And other some saye at Clare certayn ¶ But chyldren had he noone but Philip heire By Elizabeth his first wyfe whiche the kyng Edwarde maryed to Emond Mortymer Th erle of Marche that was his warde fulying Who gate on hir Roger their derelyng And Elizabeth wed to Henry Percy Sonne and heyre vnto therle Henry ¶ Of Northumberland which two both father sonne Wer knightly men in warres ay occupied Beyonde the sea great worshyp had they wonne In many a realme full greatly magnified For marcyall actes by theim multiplied The whiche were long here to reporte For in theyr tyme they were of noble porte ¶ But of the prince Edwarde yet wold I saye Howe he fro Spayne departe then in dede The kyng Peter toke hym his doughters tweyn Thelder hight dame Constaunce as I rede To duke Iohn wedded his lyfe with her to lede The yonger hight dame Isabell by name The duke Edmōd of Yorke wedded of great fame ¶ And in the yere a thousande fully written Thre hundreth eke sixty and also fouretene The prince Edwarde died as well was weten At Kenyngton which was his palice clene And buryed was at Cauntorbury as I wene Betooke hym hole to goddes disposicion After his mercy to suffre his punycion ¶ And in the yere of Christes incarnacion A thousande hole and three hundreth signified The prince pereles by all informacion Sixty and seuentene clerely notified Great syckenesse so had hym victoried And droue hym out from all his region That neuer prince might haue dooē by persecuciō ¶ In Iune the .xxii. daye expresse Was when he died from this world expired That was the floure of earthly worthynes That to the height of knighthode had aspired His owne hande pereles as was
widowe hath already children By goddes blessed ladye I am a bacheler haue some too so eche of vs hath a proofe that nether of vs is like to be barren And therfore madame I praie you bee coÌ„teÌ„t I trust to God she shall bryng foorth a youÌ„ge prince that shall please you And as for the bigamy let the bisshop hardely laie it to my charge wheÌ„ I come to take ordres for I vnderstaÌ„d it is forbiddeÌ„ a preest but I neuer wist that it was forbidden a prince The duches with these woordes nothing apeased seyng that kyng so set on that she could not plucke hym backe so highly she disdeined it that vnder pretext of her dutye to Godwarde she deuised to dysturbe this maryage and rather to helpe that he should mary one dame Elizabeth Lucye whom the kyng not long before had gotten with chylde wherfore the kyng his mother obiected openlye against this maryage as it were in dyscharge of her conscyence that the kyng was sure to dame Elizabeth Lucye and her housbande before God by reason of whiche woordes suche obstacle was made in that matter that either the bysshoppe durste not or the kyng woulde not proceade to the solempnisacion of the mariage till this fame were clerly purged and the truth well and openly testified wherupon dame Elizabeth Lucye was sent for and albeit she was by the kynges mother and many other put in good comforte to affirme that she was assured to the kyng yet when she was solemply sworne to saie the truthe she confessed that thei were neuer ensured Howbeit she said his grace spake suche louyng woordes to her that she verely hoped that he would haue maryed her and that if suche kynde woordes had not been she would neuer haue shewed suche kyndenesse to hym to let hym so kyndely to gette her with childe This examynacion solemply taken it was clerely proued that there was no impedyment to lette the kyng to marye wherfore he shortlye after at Grafton beside Stonye stratforde maryed the ladye Elizabeth Grey verey priuelye whiche was his enemyes wife and had prayed hartely for his losse in the whiche God loued her better then to graunte her bone for then had she not been his wife And alter that she was crouned quene and her father was created Erle Riuers and her soonne created Marques Dorset But when the Erle of 〈…〉 arwike vnderstoode of this maryage he tooke it so highly that therof ensued muche trouble and 〈…〉 ate blooddshed as is declared before in the storye of Edward the fourth I haue rehersed this mariage somewhat the 〈…〉 at length because it might therby the better 〈…〉 vpon howe fleight aground the protectoure 〈…〉 coloure by whiche he pretended kyng 〈…〉 ldren to bee bastardes but the in 〈…〉 le as it was lyked theim to whom it suffyseth to haue somwhat to saye whyle they were sure to bee compelled to no larger proffe then theim selues lyst to make Nowe to retourne where I lefte as I beganne to shewe you it was by the protectoure his councell concluded that this doctour Shaa shoulde in a sermond at Paules crosse signifie to the people that neyther kyng Edward hym selfe ner the duke of Clarence were lawfullye begotten nor were the very children of the duke of Yorke but begotten vnlawfullye by other personnes by aduoutrye of the duches theyr mother And dame Elizabeth Lucye was the very wyfe of kyng Edwarde so prynce Edward all the chyldren begotten on the quene were bastardes And accordyng to this deuyce doctor Shaa the soÌ„day after at Paules crosse in a greate audience as alwaye a greate nombre assembled to his preachyng came into the pulpet takyng for his Theme Spuria Vitulamina non dabunt radices altos Sapiencie quarto that is to saye Bastarde slyppes shall neuer take depe rootes whereupon when he had shewed the great grace that God geueth and secretlye infoundeth in right generacion after the lawes of matrymony Then declared he that those chyldren commenlye lacked that grace and for the punyshement of their parentes were for the moste parte vnhappye whiche were gotten in baste and speciallye in aduoutrye of whiche thoughe some by the ignorauncye of the worlde and the truthe hid from knowledge haue enheryted for a season other mennes landes yet God alwaye so prouydeth that it contynueth not in their bloodde longe but the truthe commyng to lyght the rightfull enheritoures be restored and the bastard slyppes plucked vp or it can bee rooted depe And when he had layd for the proofe and confirmacion of this sentence examples taken out of the olde testamente and other auncient historyes then beganne he to discende to the prayse of lorde Richarde duke of Yorke callyng hym father of the protectoure and declared his tytle to the croune by inherytaunce and also by an entayle autorysed by parliament after the death of kyng Henry the syxte Then shewed he that the lorde protectoure was onlye the right heire of his body lawfullye begotten then declared he that kynge Edward was neuer lawfully maryed to the quene but his wife before God was dame Elizabeth Lucye and so his chyldren were bastardes And besydes that that neyther kyng Edwarde hym selfe nor the duke of Clarence amongest theim that wer secrete in the duke of Yorkes houshold were neuer reconed surelye to bee the chyldren of the noble duke as those that by their fauoures more resembled other knowen menne then hym from whose verteous condicions he sayde also that kyng Edwarde was farre of But the lorde pretectoure ê™ he that veray noble prince the specyall patrone of knightly prowes aswell in all princely behaueour as in the lyniamentes and fauoure of his vysage representeth the veraye face of the noble duke his father This is ê™ he the fathers owne fygure this is his owne countenaunce that very print of his vysage the sure vndoubted ymage that playn expresse likenesse of that nobble duke Now was it before deuysed that in the speakyng of these wordes the protectour shuld haue come in amongest the people to the sermond ward to th ende that these woordes so metyng with his presence might haue bene taken amongest the herers as though the holye ghoste had put theim in the preachers mouthe shoulde haue moued the people euen there to haue cryed kyng Richard that it might haue bene after sayde that he was specially chosen by God and in maner by myracle but this deuyce quayled eyther by the protectoures neglygence or the preachers ouer hasty dilygence For whyle the protectoure founde by the waye tariynge leaste he shoulde haue preuented these woordes the doctoure fearynge that he shoulde come or his sermon coulde come to those wordes hastyng his matter thereto he was come to theim paste theim and entred into other matters or the protectoure came whome when he behelde coÌ„myng he sodenly left the matter whiche he had in hande and without any deduccion therunto out of al ordre and out of all frame beganne to
stone That Wynchester is nowe a towne full mery Caire Paladoure that nowe is Shaftesbury Where an Engel spake syttyng on the wall Whyle it was in workyng ouer 〈◊〉 ¶ In whiche citees he made then temples three And flaumes also as nowe these bishoppes been To kepe the rites after their moralytee Of there goddes as in there bookes was seen Of their fals lawes as thei dyd meen When he had reigned by thyrtye yere and nyne The dulful death made hym to earth enclyne The .xxv. Chapiter ¶ Bladud kynge of Britayne had Logres and Albany He made an vniuersitee and a study at Stamforde a flaume and his temple at Bathe his citee whiche vniuersitee dured to the commyng of saynt Augustyne and the byshoppe of Roome enterdited it for heresyes that fell emong the Saxones and the Britons together mixte BLadud his soÌ„ne sone after hym did succede And reigned after then full .xx. yere Cair Bladud so that now is Bath I rede He made anone the hote bathes there infere When at Athenes he had studied clere He brought with hym .iiii. philosophiers wise Schole to holde in Brytayne and exercyse ¶ StaÌ„forde he made that SaÌ„forde hight this daye In whiche he made an vniuersitee His philosophiers as Merlyn doth saye Had scolers fele of greate habilitee Studyng euer alwaye in vnitee In all the seuen liberall science For to purchace wysedome and sapience ¶ In cair bla 〈…〉 m he made a temple right And sette a flamyne theirin to gouerne And afterward a* Fetherham he dight To flye with wynges as he could beest descerne Aboue the aire nothyng hym to werne He flyed on high to the temple Apolyne And ther brake his necke for al his great doctrine The .xxvi. Chapiter ¶ Kyng Leyr of Brytaine gaue away with his doughter all his lande and had it all again and dyed kyng possessid HIs sooÌ„ne was kyng high sette in royaltee Of all Brytaynes by name that hight kyng Leyr Who Laiceter made after hym called to bee Cair Leyr his citee that buylded was full faire He had doughters three to been his heire The first of theim was called Gonorelle The next Ragan and the youngest Cordelle ¶ Emonges theim as Leyr satte on a daye He asked theim howe muche thei hym loued Gonorell saied more then my self ay And Ragan saied more then was after prouid For ioye of whiche the kyng was greately moued I loue you more then all this worlde so fayre He grauÌ„ted theim twoo of thre partes to bee heire ¶ Cordell the youÌ„gest then saied full soberly Father as muche as ye been in value So muche I loue you and shall sikirly At all my might and all my herte full trewe With that he greuid at hir and chaunged hewe Senne thou me loues lesse then thy sisters twain The leest porcion shalt thou haue of Bryteine ¶ With that Maglayn duke of Albaine Gonorell weddid and had the lande all out Euin of Walis and of Cornwayle ther by That duke was of those twoo landes stoute Ragan weddid to whiche twoo dukes no doubte Kyng Leyr gaue rule and gouernaunce Of all Bryteine for age and none puissaunce The .xxvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Leyr made a temple and a Flamyne to rule at all Laiceter A Temple that in his citee of Kaireleir A Flamyne also as he a bishop were In name of Ianus the folke into repere And then he wente Gonorell to requier Of the greate loue that she aught hym so dere That of hir promyse she failed vnkyndly Wherfore he wente vnto Ragan in hye ¶ She failed also for all hir greate promyse And to Cordell that weddid was into Fraunce Long after that he wente in greate distres To helpe to wynne hym his inheritaunce She succurred hym anon with all plesaunce Bothe with gold syluer of right greate quaÌ„titee To gette his lande again in all suertee ¶ Aganippe hir lorde was kyng of Fraunce That graunt hym menne and goud sufficient And sent his wife with hym with greate puisauÌ„ce With all aray that to hir wer apent His heire to been by their bothes assent For he was olde and might not well trauell In his persone the warres to preuaile ¶ Kyng Leyr thus waÌ„ne his lande with all might again And riegned well there after full thre yere And died so buried at Kairleir menne sayn In Ianus temple in whiche tyme for age clere The kyng of Fraunce Aganype infere Dyed wherfore Cordell his ayre was soo To rule Brytaine alone with outen moo The .xxviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Cordell quene of Fraunce and doughter of kyng Leyr reigned after the death of hir father COrdell quene of FrauÌ„ce and doughter to kyng Leyr Quene of EnglaÌ„de after hir fathers daye Fiue yeres reigned as for hir fathers heyre And gouerned well the realme all menne to paye His sister soonne then Morgan of Albanie And Condage also of Cambre and Cornewaile In battaill greate hir tooke and putte in baill ¶ For sorow then she sleugh hir selfe for tene And buried was by side hir father right In Ianus teÌ„ple whiche kyng Leyr made I went At Kairleyr so that nowe Laicester hight Thus died this quene that was of muche might Hir soule went to Ianus whome she serued And to Mynerue whose loue she had deserued The .xxix. Chapiter ¶ Morgan kyng of Albanie that claâ—nyd all Briteyne but this Isle of Britayne was departed for this kyng had but Albany MOrgan that eldest sooÌ„ne of Dame Gonorell Clamed Brytein as for his heritage Warred sone of Condage as I spell That kyng was of Cambre in younge age Duke of Cornewaile also for his homage But this kyng Morgan was kyng of Albany Soonne and heire of the eldest soonne varelie ¶ CoÌ„dage was kyng of CaÌ„bre that Walis is nowe And duke of Cornewaile his patrimonye Claymed Logres as soonne and heire to Regawe The myddill sister for his mothers proprete As she that aught to haue hir partourye At Glomorgane with Morgan did he meete In bataill sleugh hym there casten vnder fete The .xxx. Chapiter ¶ Condage kyng of Logres Cambre and duke of Cornewaile gatte all Bryteine againe and made a temple with a Flamyne at Bangor COndage was kyng of all greate Britaine And in his hande he seased all Albanie For his eschete that ought to hym againe Resorte of right and returne verelye He made a Flamyne a temple also in hye Of Mars at Perch that nowe his s Iohns towne In Albany that now is Scotlande region ¶ He made another temple of Mynerue In Cambre which now is named bangour The thyrde he made in Cornwayle for to serue Of Mercury in place where he was bore For his people to serue the goddes there Wherby he reygned .xxx. yere and three In rest and peace and all tranquilitee ¶ Ryueall his sonne that was pacificall Crowned was than easye of gouernaile In whose tyme the greate tempest dyd befall That dayes thre the flyes did hym assayle Enuenoned foule vnto the death
he came vnto his presence Anone he putte hym in sore prisone To tyme he had by his magnificence The castell of Lyncolne vnto his croune And putte hym then to fyne and greate raunsom So variaunt he was alwaye of hight Fro euē to morowe that no man trust hym might The fiftene yere of the same kyng Stephen Th erle Geffrey of Angeou decessid A noble prince as all menne did beleuen Henry his soonne of persone well encressed Of childishe wit also full relesed And of age he was then fiftene yere To Scotland came kyng Dauid to require ¶ Of his socour and of his supportacion England to gette that was his heritage Who made hym then full greate consolacion And with hym came without fee or wage With full assent of all his baronage Vnder baners kyng Dauid made hym knight Vpon the felde again kyng Stephen to fight ¶ But suche treaty was made and good accorde That kyng Stephen to Henry shoulde retourne As very heire without more discorde At his decesse to Henry whole retourne The croune of England without more soiourne Who died then after in his .xix. yere At Feuersham buried he was full clere ¶ Of Christes date was then a thousande yere And an hundreth fyftye and eyght also His wyfe and he there buried both in feer The whiche he found whyles he was lyuyng so And reigned here in muche trouble and wo And had this realme without any ryght For themprise Maude that fayre lady bright The C .xxix. Chapiter ¶ Henry fitz Emprice kyng of Englande and erle of Angeou duke of Normandye and Guyen by .xxxvi. yere and beganne to reygne the yere of oure Lorde a thousande a hundreth .lviii. and dyed the yere a thousande an hundreth and .xciiii. HEnry therle of Angeou was tho In this meane tyme had bē in Normādy And set his rule therin for frende or foo And crouned was at London worthely With all the lordes of his hye monarchie And made hym then theyr feautee and homage The prince of Wales also for his heritage ¶ He wedded then a lady fayre and bright Dame Alianor the dukes doughter of Guyen And heyre therof and lady by all right Possession had with all the profytes then And welbeloued was she with her men Deuorced fro the kyng Lewes of Fraunce That hyr had wed to wyfe of his puysaunce ¶ And on her gatte two doughters fayre gente But for sibrede and consanguinitee They were departed by papall iudgement On whome kyng Henry by Christes decree Gatte sonnes foure of great humanitee Henry Richarde Geffrey and Iohn also Elianor and Ihone his doughters two The C .xxx. Chapiter ¶ Howe Malcolyne the seconde kyng of Scottes made homage for Scotlande for therldome of huntyngdon IN this meane whyle kyng Dauid then so dyed To whō Malcolyn Hēryes sōne was heire Whiche Henry was erle notified Of Huntyngdon without any dispayre Of that erldome bothe good and fayre And sonne was to this noble kyng Dauy That wedded had erle Waldens doughter onely ¶ To enioye therldome by her enheritaunce That gat on her this Malcolyne that was kyng Of Scotlande nowe of mighty hye puysaunce That homage made for his enherityng Vnto Henry that then was of Englande kyng For all Scotlande and also for Huntyngdon Whiche seruices both were due vnto the croune The C .xxxi. Chapiter ¶ This kyng Henrye exiled Thomas becket byshop of Cauntorburye HE maried then his sonne the young Henry To the doughter of the kyng of Fraunce He exiled then Thomas of Cauntorbury Out of Englande and many of his aliaunce For cause of his rebellious gouernaunce And as he came fro Rome by Fraunce awaye With language fel he prayed the kyng that daye ¶ The poyntes to mende and so to Englād went For which the kyng was with hym sore displeased That then he sayd had I had men that ment Myne honeste I were not thus diseased With suche a clerke thus greued and vneased Therfore three knightes Raynold le Fitz Vrsy Hughe Moruyle hym slewe with Robert Tracy ¶ But kyng Malcolyne died that was full true Of his homage at Westchester ensealed To kyng Henry dooen so as it was due For it should not be gaynsayd ne counselled Nor afterwarde of Scottes be repeled To whiche Malcolyne Willyā his sonne heyre Was crouned kyng of Scotlande then full fayre The C .xxxii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kynge Wyllyam of Scotlande wente in to Normandye with kyng Henry of Englande the seconde as his liegeman THis kyng Wyllyam then rode with hoste full stronge The Northrē lād he brent sore distroyed By east and west of both Merches of Englande The lorde Vesty with it was anoyed The lorde Vnfreuyle with syckenesse so accloyed With power great at Alnwike with hym faught Wher he was takē in batayll sore and caught ¶ Whō to the kyng to Londō then thei brought Vnto kyng Henry with great honoure Then had the kyng tydynges he liked nought His sonne Henry by kyng Lewys socoure Besieged Roan with hoste great and rygoure For when the kyng to Normandy then went The kyng Wyllyam with hym his labour spent ¶ And Dauid also his brother with al his might That erle was then create of Huntyngdon And Robert ferers erle of Leycester so hight And Roger clare with theim of great renoume Of Gloucester that erle was in possession With other lordes and the siege sone remeued And his cytee of Roan full well rescued ¶ The siege and saute perdoned and forgeuen At the prayer of kyng Lewys of Fraunce Within fewe yeres in peace and rest to liuen He crowned his sonne without distaunce Kyng of Englande and gaue hym gouernaunce And at the feast of his coronacion He sewed afore hym for his consolacion The C .xxxiii. Chapiter ¶ This yonger Henry reigned but .iiii. yeres and died before his father wherfore he is not accompted as kynge because his father outlyued hym and reigned after his death ANd to hī said sōne thinke I do you honour A kynge to serue you thus nowe at youre meate He aunswered hym full vnthankefully that houre And sayd it was no reproue ne forfete An erls sonne to serue the kynges sonne at meate For whiche the father Henry to Irelande went Tyll young Henry the kyng was dead and spent Then came Henry and had the gouernement The father and kyng was then admytte agayn And reigned then and had the regiment And but .iiii. yere his sonne reygned soth to sayen Wherfore he is among kynges certeyne Not accoumpted by no chronicler For his father was kynge afore and after clere The C .xxxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Wyllyam of Scotlande made his homage to kyng Henry the seconde THe kyng Wyllyam at his daye assigned To Yorke came to do there his homage That made it then nothyng it repugned But for his due dette then for his heritage Of Scotlande whole by veraye due knowlage Of his barons and by his euydence Agayne it founde he then no
feld ¶ And with the Soudan faught in bataill sore Discomfit hym and putte hym to the flight Wher Edward then was hurt and wouÌ„ded thore Of woundes fiue that mortall werre to sight His brother Edmond also wounded in that fight But as Edward in his bedde sicke then laye A Sarasyne came to hym vpon a daye ¶ To leche his hurtes with salues many one But false he was for with a knife full sore He strake hym foule as thei were then alone But yet that prince the knife fro hym gate thore And slewe hym then with it for euermore At Acres laye he then with woundes fele With medicyns to lech and to hele ¶ The lech so false was by the Soudan sent Hym to haue slain in any maner wyse For cause he had discomfite hym and shent And when he was all whole that he might ryse Message he had fro all the lordes wyse Of England then of his father dedde That praied hym home to come been their hede ¶ Kyng Henry had then made the minster faire Of Westminster as it is nowe at this daye The remnaunt he left vnto his heire To edifie and make in like araye Or els a some of money for to paye The whiche he graunted to the edificacion At his death then bequeth and assignacion ¶ Edward then toke a trewce for tenne yere With the Soudan and to Cisile saylid And landed at Rome wher theÌ„ he had good chere Bothe of the bishop and cardinalles not failed That sore had mourned and greately bewailed That curssed sore syr Guy Mountforte eche daye For the slaughter of Henry his cousyn gaye ¶ The sonne that was of Richarde themperoure Erle of Cornwayle whome at Veterbe he slewe Right in the churche for olde wrath and rancoure In Englande dooen his fathers death to renewe At masse knelyng horrybly hym all to hewe Fro Acres as he came as goddes knight Without cause of reason or of right ¶ But price Edward EdmouÌ„d his brother dere To Sauoye caÌ„ where iustes wer made tournameÌ„t And ther desired thei their knightes in fere With the duke of Sauoye and his there presente To iuste and proue eche other in good entente Theyr knightes younge to learne as dyd suffice In marcyall fete knighthode to exercyse ¶ Wher he foriust the duke full manly His brother also the dukes neuewe And bare hym downe both horse and man egerly And euery knight with other euer iusted newe Daye by daye whyles echeone other knewe By .xiiii. dayes enduryng and conteyned With feast solempne by the duke susteyned ¶ An hundreth ladyes of worthy good estate Were set on hye aboue within a tente By the duke of Sauoye well ordinate To geue the gree and thanke by iudgement Whiche then awarde playnely by hole assent To prince Edwarde erle Edmound his brother That had foriust the duke and many other ¶ The duke hym gaue gyftes of great honoure And to his brother gyftes of hye pleasaunce And to his knightes giftes of great valoure And conueyed hym into the lande of Fraunce Where of the kyng with worthy gouernaunce Receaued he was as prince full excellente And homage made to hym in good entente ¶ For his landes lyeng beyonde the sea The whiche was true as chronicles witnesse And home he came with great felicitee Of whose coÌ„myng the people had great gladnesse Hym to receaue in all kynde of worthynesse And of his brother Edmound also in feer They were full glad at all theyr hole power ¶ But kyng Henry was gone to God afore The yere of Christ a thousande hole accompted Two hundreth hole syxty and thirtene more On saynt Edmondes daye when he amounted This worlde leuyng full of trouble accompted Vnto the blysse of heauen for euer to reste Emong good soules where Christe so liked best The C .xlviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Edwarde of Englande the first after the conqueste called Edwarde with the longe shankes beganne to reigne on the morowe after saynt Edmondes daye that kyng in the yere a. M CC. and .lxxiii. died the yere M CCC and .vii. the eyght daye of Iulye and the .xxxiiii. yere of his reygne EDwarde his sonne heire first generate With all honour by all the baronage Crouned was in all royall estate And of thestates receyued hole homage Kyng Alexander for his heritage Of Scotlande hole and ysles apperteynyng His homage did right then vnto the kyng ¶ The duke also of Britayne made homage For Britayn hole and there became his man Whiche princes two had wed in mariage His susters two Margarete and Beatrice then Margarete to Scotland Beatrice to Britayne Both two maried and wed in hye estate By their father full wysely ordinate ¶ A marchaunt toke the wife of prince Lewlyn Erle Symonds doughter of Leycester that had ben And to the kyng hir brought full femenyn Wherfore the prince by heste as then was seen To be his man and homage did full clere And led his wyfe to Wales in good entent By the kynges grace and by hole assent ¶ The kyng then did great right and iustice Vpon clippers and peirers of the coyne And newe money made that then might suffice Of syluer plate made out of Boloyne The grote half grote all in newe coyne He coyned fast peny halfpeny and ferthyng For porayll to bye with theyr leuyng ¶ That same tyme he made a newe statute That no man should graunt lande ne tenement To the churche ne geue nor constitute No maner grounde nor no maner rente Without licence of the lorde and his assent Of whome it is holden aboue in chiefe And els that church this realme had put in mischiefe ¶ The prince Lewlyn and of Dauid his brother Made warre vpon the kyng in greate araye The Marche brent and many harmes other In Englande did wherfore the kyng his waye To Wales held in all the haste he maye The lorde Mortimer toke then the prince Lewlyn And to the kyng hym brought for to enclyne ¶ The kyng hym headed and to the toure it sent The Walshemen made Dauid his brother then Prince of Wales by theyr commen assent Wherfore the kyng to warre on theim began And of the Walshemen slewe full many a man And had Dauid vnto his presence brought Hanged and drawen as then he had it sought ¶ Then seazed he Wales for euer into his hande And ordeyned that no prince therin should be But he or els his heyre I vnderstande And that no man of Wales hole countre One night shulde lye in castell nor cytee But voyde out fro sunne to sunne theÌ„ euery night Thus kept he Wales his tyme by royall might The C .xlix. Chapiter ¶ Howe Gladowys Dewy the doughter of Dauyd prynce of Wales was wedded to syr Raufe Mortymer of whom came the Earles of Marche GWenlyan that doughter was of Lewlyne Without chylde dyed a vyrgyne aye In a â—onnery of the order of Gylbertyne And Gladowys Dewy Dauyds doughter gaye Yonge freshe and lusty
said Rychard might haue his assistauÌ„ce and helpe of hym in all maner of aduersitie that should chauÌ„ce either by battaill or other wise and that he did after that kyng Edward the soonne of the same Rychard had made hym erle of Esser tothend that bothe the father the sooÌ„ne might at all tymes bee a sure fortresse and defeÌ„ce for hym And he had begotten of this Elizabeth in laufull mariage foure menne children that is to saie Wyllyam Thomas Iohn and Henry and one doughter called Isabell the whiche liued but a shorte space the whiche soonnes vsed greate diligence in bryngyng matters to passe in weightie affaires and busynes very laborious in aduentures and ieoperdies manly and bold and in forseyng thynges very circumspect but specially Wyllyam the eldest had all these qualities This Wylliam maried Anne a mayden disceÌ„dyng of high parentage and of moost pure virginitie the doughter of Iames Lussheburne erle of sainct Paule by whome he had Henry nowe erle of Essex also Cicile and Isabell doughters the whiche Isabell died before she was ripe to mariage and that other was maried to Walter Ferryse But to come to that I spake in the begynnyng When all thynges chaunsed thus luckely to Edward and that all was as he would haue it Henry the duke of Somerset fearyng that kyng Henry should goo to wracke and take the woorse fled to kyng Edward of whome he was after the moost gentle sorte intertayned but sone after it repented hym of his deede for in the meane season kyng Henry had gotte a greate power of Scotish menne vnwittyng to Edward gat Duresme the whiche thyng after hearde the duke of Somerset fled priuely to hym with a greate compaignâ—e of that kyng his freÌ„des folowyng after and so many for desire of lucre and vauÌ„tage did turne to hym that Henry was thought to haue as greate an armie as his enemie had The whiche armie he made menne thynke to bee the greater for that he did spoile and destroye townes and feldes where soeuer he came so by long burnyng and wastyng he came to a village called Exham where as he buckeled with Iohn marques Montacute whome he mette there and there fightyng very sharpely as often tymes it had chaunsed before was putte to flight losyng the greatest nouÌ„bre of his hoost he hymself with a fewe ino went in all the hast to Scotland and the residue fled some one waye and some an other to saue their liues Ther was taken there prisoners Henry duke of Somerset Robert duke of Hungerforde and Thomas Rosse the whiche duke of Somerset was putte to death by and by for that he had chaunged his mynde so sone and went to the other partie the other were had to Newe castell and ther beyng for a season were putte to death in like maner wherby other should haue no trust of any victorie when their capitaines were dedde gone Albeit kyng Edward nowe might thynke all thynges to be wel and him selfe strong enough agaynst the power of hys enemy for that he had gotte suche a vyctorye yet dyd he wyth all dylygence prouyde that Margarete kynge Henrye the .vi. hys wife shulde at no hande be let into Englande for feare of wynnynge mennes hartes to her Wherefore he made bulwarkes sure for tresses on euerye parte and coastes of hys realme that there myghte be no landynge and dyd wryte to all theim of the southe partes that they shulde in nowyse take in anye woman or helpe anye for yf anye so dyd he shulde be taken as an enemye an hyghe traytoure to the crowne as they were agaynste whome he dyd fyghte And of that parte that is nygh to the Scotish bancke he layed watches that none shoulde goo oute of the realme to kynge Henrye But kynge Henrye hym selfe was neuer in anye greate feare whatsoeuer chaunced in so muche that he came in to England in a dysguysed apparel and then beinge knowen and taken of certayne spyes sone after he had come in was caried to London to king Edwarde and there layde in holde After whose attachynge and imprysonmente the realme was set in more quyetnes Wherfore Edwarde nowe beynge oute of all feare and daunger of hys enemyes dyd wholy set hym selfe the foure yeres after ensuynge to the reformatyon and redressynge of hys publyke weale and to the recompensynge of hys souldyers for their paynes did deuyde and geue the landes of theim that were wyth kynge Henrye to hys owne and so wyth geuynge large and ample rewardes dyd get the fauoure of all hys people as well the laye as the nobles and vsynge suche vrbanyte and clemencye to all kinde of men that he had throughlye wonne the hartes of all men the whyche gentylnes and fryndely famyliaritee he dyd euer after vse Also as for the lawes of the realme he dyd alter and mend some and some he made newe besydes that he coyned monye as wel golde as syluer the whyche at this daye is currante The whyche golde was royals and nobles and the syluer was grotes so that in hys tyme thys kinde of coyne came vp And after that hys realme was in thys state he made a proclamation that yf anye manne beyng a traytoure or rebellyon hertofore to hys grace wyllyng to submyt hym selfe wholy to hym shuld haue his pardon and other that wolde not shuld die and suffer according to the lawes The which kyndnes and natyue loue dyd cause hym to haue the good wyl and herte of his commons so much that it is euydent he was al the dayes of hys lyfe a conqueroure through the helpe and ayde of theÌ„ in so much that hys enemyes were euer shamefully put to wrack as it shal be shewed more playnly hereafter And also not contented wyth the frendshyppe of hys owne countree menne dyd wynne and procure the loue of foren and straunge prynces and made theim to bee of kynred wyth hym whereby that they myghte yf nede shoulde so requyre ayde and socour him or at the least not bee iniurious or noysome to hym So that he maried hys syster lady Margarete to Charles the sonne of Phylyppe duke of Burgoyne throughe which maryage he had greate helpe at the insurrection that chaunsed in thys his natiue countree and after that sente Rycharde the erle of Warwyke embassadoure into Fraunce the whyche shoulde desyre for hym to wyfe a mayden called Bona the syster of Carlotta the quene of Fraunce and the doughter of Lewes duke of Sauoye whyche after dyd marye Iohn Galeot duke of Mylayne the whyche busynes dyd cause cyuile battayle to bee For in the meane tyme that the earle wente in to Fraunce and had spoken wyth Lewes the kynge wyth whom the ladie Bona was and wayted vpon the quene her syster Edwarde chaungynge hys mynde maryed ladye Elyzabeth the doughter of Rycharde the earle of Ryuers which was maryed before to syr Iohn Gray knyght by whome she had two chyldren Thomas and Rycharde of the whyche
maryage for the humylytie or basenes of stocke that the lady was of he wold no prynce or kynges to haue knowne of it no not so muche as her owne father Rycharde the earle for the whyche cause when it was blased abrode euerye man dyd meruayle greatelye kynges and prynces were dyspleased and grudged at it and sayde playnelye that it was not for hys honoure so to dooe and beganne to reproue the foresayde maryage shamefullye and for that he was led rather by blynde Cupyde than by anye reason they dyd incessauÌ„tlye reproue the same And ether thys was the cause of the sedycion whyche afterwarde dyd ryse betwyxte kynge Edwarde and the earle of Warwycke or els the pryuie enuye and malice whiche was in both theyr hertes nowe brastynge out wherby an occasioÌ„ or quarel might be picked For Edward after that he had got his kyngdome as it was openly knowne by the erle of Warwykes meane and helpe begonne to suspect hym for that he was in such authoritee so that he woulde haue plucked somewhat frome him diminished his powre wherby he myght haue ruled all thynges at his owne pleasure both in hys owne countree in other nacions So that a man may see it ofte chaunceth that frendes will geue very seldome condygne rewarde to a mans deseruinges yea eftsones when a greate benefite is bestowed or coÌ„ferred vpon theim thei will like ingrate persons nothyng coÌ„sider it Of this the earle of Warwycke was not vnknowing the whiche although he loked for better thankes a more ample benefite at his haÌ„des yet neuertheles he thought best to disseÌ„ble and cloke yâ— matter vntill such oportunitie might be had wherby he myght considering the wylfulnes of the kynge exprobrate vnto hym the pleasures that he had done for him And it is verye true and euideÌ„t that king Edward dyd make serche in his house for a thing that touched much his honestie wher the earle in dede was a man that loued women well and had great fantesie to their company But what soeuer it was ether euell wyll or desire of the empire that theyr league shuld bee infringed or broken after that the earle had sure knowledge by the letters of hys frendes that the king had got him a wife priuely and that al that he had done with king Lewis in his embassad for the ioyning of this newe affinitee was but frustrate and in vain he was so ernestly moued with it that he thought best that the kynge shuld be deposed froÌ„ the crowne and as one not worthy of such a kingly offyce But to oure purpose The earle of Warwyke beyng then sore vexed and moued wyth the kynge least that in this his furoure hys inteÌ„t beyng rashely gone aboute shulde bee broughte to no good ende he determined so loÌ„ge to suffer beare suche iniuries vntyll suche tyme that he myghte brynge his matters to passe as he wolde haue theÌ„ whiche shortly after came into Englande and salutyng the kynge dyd hys message vnto hym makinge hym selfe to bee ignoraunte of that maryage And after that the earle throughe the licence of the king went into his shyre of Warwike partly to take his pleasure and partly for the preseruation of his safetie and helth whyche was the yere of oure lorde God a. M CCCC .lxvii. and the. vi yeare of the reygne of kynge Edwarde In the whiche yeare George Neuell brother to the earle was made archebyshoppe of Yorke after the dyscease of Wyllyam late archebyshoppe before him beeynge the .lii. byshoppe that had possessed that rome and Phylyppe duke of Burgoyne dyed the same yeare and Charles hys soonne was made duke a manne bothe for manhode and valyantenes in warre moste exellente Thys Rycharde as we sayde before was in hys shyre of Warwycke and there callynge to hym George the archebysshope of yorke and Iohn Montacure Marques hys brethren bothe and after long communycation had of many thinges the space of .ii. or .iii. dayes at length gettynge meete occasion to speake of the kynge and hys doinges dyd shewe hys mind to theim desyrynge theim by all the wayes that he coulde possyble to take kynge Henry hys part and to helpe him to the crowne saiynge after this wyse and maner Brethren it is not of anye lyghtenes of mynde but of playne iudgemente that I am moued to speake of kynge Edward and king Henrye Thys Henrye is a very godlye manne and loueth theim that bee hys faythfull subiectes and doth coÌ„syder also who taketh paynes for him whyche hathe a soonne borne by nature to bee of greate worthynes prayse and free lyberalitee by whome euerye manne maye perceaue muche god lynes whyche helpeth hys father nowe beynge in thraldome and captiuitee as muche as in hym lyeth And as for kynge Edwarde he is a man full of contumelye and ingratytude geuen all to pleasure euell wyllynge to take anye paynes and promotynge rather theim that come of nought than noble and auncient men Wherefore I thyncke it wyll come to passe shortlye that eyther he wyll destroye all nobilitee or elles nobilitee destroye him But before al other we shulde fyrste enterprise to reuenge oure cause whych haue fyrste taken hurt at hys handes For he as I am sure you knowe it bothe after that he was kynge dyd fyrste pryuelye gooe aboute to defyle oure dygnitee and then after dyd openly intende our confusyon and losse of honoure as thoughe he was not broughte to that dygnitee by vs and not we by hym and therfore euen now of late when I went ambassadour to Fraunce I was had in no regard whereby the estimation whiche all kynges haue conceaued of vs partely gotten by our auncetours partly by our owne trauailes peines shal nowe be extynguished vtterly nothinge sette by And by these ê‘suacions he wonne his brother the archebishoppe his hert brought him to be of his minde but he could not so sone nor easelye persuade the Lorde Marques for at that first he would by no meanes be moued to worke treason at any haÌ„d against kyng Edward but at the last wheÌ„ the earle had promysed him the helpe powre of many noble prynces he was coÌ„tented to kepe warre The which Marques as he was vnwilling to consent to this at that fyrst so dyd he at the time of warre holde more of king Edwardes side theÌ„ king Henryes as it shal appere more plain hereafter the which was both destruccion to him his .ii. brethren After this the earle of Warwike a man of greate wytte perceauing George the duke of ClareÌ„ce brother to kiÌ„g Edward to beare no great good wyl toward his brother that king what so euer the matter was first to proue hym and to knowe his minde begaÌ„ne to complain a lytle of the king his doinges then after that the duke was in the same tale wyth hym again shewed him also what iniuries he had taken at his brothers hand he beyng somwhat bolder to speake brake his mynde more at large
¶ 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
compile The eldest sister and thought she would encrees Hir self aboue theim all apon the dees Sittyng she tooke feauty then of theim all Trewe to hir to bee for aught that might bee fall ¶ And then she gaue this Isle a propre name Of Albion out of hir name as chief And called it so frome thens forward the same She ordained then bowes to their relief Arowes boltes and bowstrynges made in brief To slee the Dere the Bull and also the Bore The Beer and byrdes that were therin before ¶ With pitfalles great trappes thei did begile The beastes and byrdes to theyr sustenaunce They gatte eche daye with nettes and other wile The fyshe in stagnes and waters sufficiaunce Eche daye they made wyttye cheuesaunce To helpe them selfe at their necessitee For hungre that they shulde not perished bee The .v. Chapter ¶ Howe spyrites gatte Giauntes vpō the ladies which gatte other Giaūtes within this lāde Before Brute came were xii M. Giauntes what in this lāde that nowe is Englāde and the north that nowe is Scotland and the west that nowe is Wales as the Scotte Marian saieth in his dialoge THese ladies with meate drynke replete And of nature reuigured corporally And all there care forgette and vnder fete Had great desyre to play them womanly As wemen yet wyll do full louyngly For to fulfyll the werke of womanhed And bryng forth frute the lande to rule and lede ¶ So wer they tempted with inwarde meditaciō And vayne glorye within their hertes implyed To haue comforth of mennes consolacion And knewe nothyng howe of them to prouyde But inwardly theim they glorifyed So hote that spyrites in mannes forme Laye by theim their desyres to performe ¶ So duryng forth in suche lust and delyte With nature of theim selfe and feminacion The spyrites gatte children that were Gyaūtes tyte Of them through their owne ymaginacion By feruent hete moued with temptacion Thus gatte they then great Giaūtes ful of might Within shorte tyme that were longe and wight The .vi. Chapter ¶ How the fathers laye by theyr doughters the brethren by theyr systers the sonnes by theyr mothers and euery kynde with other as Hugh Genesis reporteth in his chronicles THe fathers then by theyr doughters laye Mother ne syster agayne it not replyed Of chylder fell sonnes and doughters ay They gatte eche daye and strongly multiplied Of theim this ysle then was so fortifyed So stronge then was this generacion None durst it noye for theyr malignacion ¶ Amonge theim fell so great vnkyndnesse Accordynge ryght well to there lyfe inordinate That echoue of theim dyd other oppresse That none of theim was lefte on lyue of the estate Of .xij. thousande within a lytell date Whose pryde fell afore the incarnacion Twelue hundreth yere by veraye computacion ¶ But Bartholomew de proprietatibus rerum Sayth howe this ysle of Albion had name Of the see bankes full whyte all or sum That circuyte the ysle as shyppes came Fro ferrome sene as thei through the see fame Sailed by by for rypes and roches whyte To shipmen were greate gladnesse and delyte ¶ But Maryan saieth the chronicler to sewe That dame Albion was the first that named it so Both two myght be together clere and trewe That shippes so saylinge to and fro And at her coming they called it so both two And so both waies maye be right sure trewe From whiche there wyll no chronycler it renewe ¶ Of this nowe wyll I sease and saye no more To time come efte the Brute hath wonne this lande And slayne them all in batell foughten sore But nowe of Brutus ye shall well vnderstande Howe that he did in Greece and tooke on hande And of what bloude he cam by clere discente And howe in Greece he had greate regiment ¶ And howe he gate this ysle by his prowesse And called it by name the ysle of Britayne And of his name for theyr worthynesse He called his men Britaynes ay furth certayne That Troyans were afore not to layne To whiche I praye the holy Trinyte That is one God in personnes thre ¶ Of helpe and spede to bryng this boke to ende For symple is my wytte of all scyence Of rethoryke as yet neuer I kende And symple am of all intellygence Yet wyll I not so hurte my conscyence On olde goddes to muse or on to call That false were euer and euer so wyll be fall ¶ Of Saturnus ne yet of Marcury Of Iubiter of Mars ne yet of Venus Of Pallas ne of Mynerue ne Megary Ne of Phebus Ceres ne of Geneus Of Cupyde ne yet of Thisophonus Dyan Bacchus ne of Cerbery All these I wyll refuse nowe and defye ¶ And to the god in heauen I praye in magestie My wytte to enforce with might and sapience With langage suche as may ought pleasaunt be To your pleasaunce and noble excellence For I am bare and naked of eloquence By insuffycience and all symplicyte To ende this booke as were necessyte The .vii. Chapiter ¶ How Brute conquered Albyon called it Britayne of his owne name that now is England Walis and Scotland and the armes of Brute in whiche he was clade fyrste when he entred this ysle after Genesis the Italyane Chronycler were of Gowlys .ii. Lions crowne of golde Rampant and combattaunt AS chronycles telleth make notificacyō who so them wel shal know vnderstand Of what kynne blode and generacyon Brutus firste came that conquered all this lande It to remember I haue nowe take on hande Through all olde stories by philosyphers cōpiled In balade thus it shall be made and fyled ¶ As out of olde feldes newe corne groweth eche yere Of olde bokes by clerkes newe approued Olde knyghtes actes with mynstrelles tonge stere The newe corage of yonge knightes to be moued Wherfore me thinketh old thinges shuld be loued Sith olde bokes maketh young wittes wise Disposed well with vertues exercyse ¶ At olde Adam therfore I wyll begyn Who was I fynde the first olde creatur Conueyng downe lynyally in kyn As discent in byrth and in gendur Next vnto Brute as mencion maketh scriptur I shall reporte as God wyll please to lede My symple ghoost with language it to fede ¶ For well I wote without his supportacion For to reporte his veraye genealogie Howe he by discent in all generacion From Adam downe to Troyane Auncetrye Gotten and borne certeyne in Italye Full herde it is although I woulde full fayne So symple be my spyrites and my brayne ¶ Of Adam whiche was the fyrst creature Came Seth forsothe and Seth gat Enos than And Enos gatte afterwarde full sure A sonne that hight and called was Canayn Who gatte Melaliel as scripture tell can Who gatte Iareth of whom Enoke came That Matusaly gatte of mykill fame ¶ Matusale gatte Lameke who Noe gatte And Noe Iaphet who gatte Cichym than That Cipre gatte after whom Cipres hatte Cipre gatte Crete that the ysle
yere and was slayne The quene was of all Logres lādes so fine And of all Albaine also through out incertayne Crowned quene and so reigned with mayne And seruyce tooke of Cambre for his lande Who gouerned well her tyme I vnderstande ¶ Fyftene yere and then her sonne she crowned That Maddan hyght into Cornewaile went And then she dyed with sycknesse sore confounded And to her goddes her wofull herte she sent And thus this quene in her beste entente To set amonge the goddesse euerychone Euer to complayne her wedowhed alone The .xx. Chapiter ¶ Howe Maddan kynge of Britayne reygned after Gwendolena his mother and reygned .xi. yeres MAddan her sōne was king of Britain then Hauyng Logres and also Albany That fourty yere there reygned as a man Kepyng the lande in peace from tyrannye In whose tyme was none in his monarchye Durste ought vary or any thing displease So was he dred and set the realme in ease Throughe all Britayne durste none another dysplese So wel the lawe and peace he dyd conserue That euery man was gladde other to please So dred they hym they durst no thing ouer terue Againe his lawe nor peace but theim conserue So was he dred through his great sapience Both in and oute by all intellygence ¶ He dyed so and to his father yede His sonnes two Maulyne and eke Memprise A daye then sette whiche of theim shoulde precede To the croune but then by couetyse And that ylke daye the yonger Memprise Slewe his brother Maulyne elder of age To that entent to haue the herytage Memprise thus kyng destroied his men all oute Their landes their goddes or elles their liues certayne He tooke from theim all his lande aboute Fulfylled all with pryde and great disdayne His comonnes all with taxes did distrayne So tirauntely he lefte theim nought to spende By consequent thrifteles he was at ende His wyfe he dyd refuse and foule forsake Vsynge the synne of horribilyte With beastes ofte in stede right of his make Whiche by all ryght and equytee Vengeaunce asked by fell bestialitee And so hym fell as to the wood he wente A route of wolffes hym slough and all to rent The .xxi. Chapiter ¶ Ebranke kyng of Britayne had Logres and Albany Also he had .xx. wyues .xx. sonnes and .xxx. doughters he made Yorke Bamburgh Edenburgh Dumbritayne and Alclude Also he made an archeflaume at Yorke his temple that nowe is an archebishoppe EBranke his sōne thē crowned was anone Who shippes great made on the sea to sayle Withhelde his knightes with hym so forthe to gone Vpon warre he went without fayle Then into Gaule with a full manly tayle Wher that he had riches innumerable To holde estate royall incomparable ¶ XX. wyues he had as chronicles saith And .xx. sonnes of his owne generacion And doughters fayre .xxx. that wer not laith Whiche doughters so for theyr releuacion Into Italie with great supportacion There to be wedded in Troyan bloodde maried For ladies theyr with Troyans wer alyed ¶ In Albany he made and edifyed The castell of Alclude whiche Dumbritayne And some autours by chronycle hath applied And some sayen on the pight wall certayne And the west ende it stode that nowe is playne And some menne sayen it is Yorke cytee Thus stande menne nowe in ambyguytee ¶ But sooth it is he made this Dunbrytayne A castell stronge that standeth in Albany Vpon a roche of stone hard to optayne About the whiche the sea floweth dayly And refloweth again nocturnally Twyse in his course and to the sea again In the whiche no horsse maye dunge certain ¶ He made also the mayden castell stronge That men now calleth the castell of Edenburgh That on a roche standeth full hye out of throng On mounte Agwet wher mē may see out through Full many a towne castell and boroughe In the shire aboute it is so hye in heigth Who wyll it scale he shall not fynde it light ¶ He made also vpon mounte Dolorous A castell strong that this daye Bamburgh hight That on a roche is sette full hye and noyous Full hard to gette by any mannes might The castell is so stronge and so well dight If menne therin haue stufe sufficient Or it be wonne many one muste bee shent ¶ His sonnes all he sent to Germanye To wynne thesame lande by labour and conquest Vnder the rule of their brother Analye Duke Assarake that was the eldest A worthy knight proued with best All Germanye they gatte at theyr entent And lordes wer made their as there father ment ¶ Sixty yere whole he stoode and bare the crowne Reignyng fully in all prosperytee No enemyes durst again hym vp ne downe Warre ne do in no wyse again his royaltee He made a temple in * Ebranke citee Of Dyane where an archeflame he sette To rule temples as that tyme was his dette The .xxii. Chapiter ¶ Howe after the death of Ebranke reygned Brutus greneshilde BRutus Greneshilde then by his name full ryght Both good trewe and easy of all porte His people all that came into his syght With all his might euermore he recomforte Of all there sorowe that they to hym reporte And why he hight Greneshilde to his surname Because he bare on grene ay wher he became ¶ Xii yere he stoode reignyng full well in peace And dyed so and by his father buryed In Ebranke afore Dyane no lees With Britons hole thyther accompanyed With all honours that might bee multiplyed In any wyse with all seruyse funerall As longed to the fate of death ouer all The .xxiii. Chapiter ¶ Leyle kyng of Brytayn had Logres Brytayne he made at Carlele a temple flamyne and a flaume to rule it THē Leyle his sōne was kyng of Britain so That Carleele made that tyme in Albany That now Carleile is called by frend to Whiche in Englyshe is to say fynally The cytie of Leyle for in brytayn tongue playnly Cair is to saye a citee in theyr language As yet in Wales is there commen vsage ¶ This ilke kyng Leyle made then in that citee A temple greate called a temple flaumyne In whiche he sette a flaume in propertee To gouerne it by their lawes dyuyne Of Iupiter Saturne and Appolyne That then wer of all suche in dignitee After theyr lawes as nowe our byshoppes bee ¶ When he had reigned hole .xx. yere and fyue In youth full well and kepte lawe and peace But in his age his people beganne to stryue Failyng his lawes cyties wold not warre cease Cyuill warres greately beganne to encreace And he dyed then settyng no remedy Buried at Carleyle in his citee royally The .xxiiij. Chapiter ¶ Rudhudebras kyng of Brytayne had Logres and Albany he made Caunterbury Wynchester and Shaftesbury and three temples and three flaumes of theim RVdhudebras his sonne was kyng anone Cair kent he made that now is Caūterbury Cair went also buylded of lyme
no faile And rayned bloodde the same .iii. dayes also Greate people dyed the lande to mykell woo ¶ Gurgustyus his sonne so reygned then In mykill ioye and worldly celynesse Kepyng his landes from enemyes as a manne But drunken he was echedaye expresse Vnaccordynge to a prince of worthynesse Out of drunkennesse succedeth euery vice Whiche all men shuld eschewe if thei wer wise ¶ Scicilius his sonne then did succede In whose tyme echeman did other oppresse The lawe and peace was exiled so in dede That ciuill warres and slaughter of men expresse Was in euery parte of the lande without redresse And murderers foule through all his lande dayly Without redres or any other remedy ¶ Iago succeded and kyng was of this lande As eiuill as was the kyng of Scicilus The same vices as I vnderstand Orels wourse and more malicious Wherfore our lorde toke vengeaūce of hym thus He smote theim bothe in suche aletargie That sone thei dyed for marrid with frenesie ¶ Kymar his soonne had then the diademe And kyng then was with all kyndes of royalte Kepyng his lande as well did so hym seme In lawe and peace with greate felicite The common weale and their vtilite He did prefer euer in vniuersall Whiche to a prince is a vertu principall ¶ First if he kepe not lawe nor peace certein His people will nothyng dred ne doubt Than stande he moost in parell to bee slaine Orels putte doune right by his vnderlout No better is he bee he neuer so stout Then is his subiect or another wight That with rebell vnlawfull kill hym might ¶ Gorbonyan that was his soonne and heire Was kyng who had that tyme but soonnes twoo The eldre hight Ferrex that was full faire The younger hight Porrex whiche discordid so That either of theim was alwaye others foo For that the father sent Ferrex into Fraunce To kyng Syward that was of greate puisaunce ¶ But after long when he had reigned .xi. yeres Dyed awaye frome all royalte Leuyng his lande by his good rule inclere In sufficiente and all prosperite Ferrex heryng of his mortalite With power strong came to this lande againe And with Porrex faught sore wher he was slaine ¶ For sorow of whiche ther mother that Iudō hight To Ferrex came with hir maydens all in ire Slepyng in bed slew hym vpon the night And smote hym all on peces sette a fyre Loo this cruell mother sett on fyre With suche rancor that she could not ceas Whiche for passyng ire was mercyles The .xxxi. Chapiter ¶ Clotane Pynner Ruddan Stater reigned with barōs warres .xl. yere howe this Isle of Brytaine was departed in foure parties stood departed .xl. yere in barōs warres CLotane that then was duke of Cornwaile Next heire then was by all succession But Pinner thē had Logres ī gouernaile And kyng ther of was by wrong ingression Ruddan had Cambre in his possession And Stater was then kyng of Albany Thus was this Isle then lede by tirannye ¶ Thus Brytain was to foure kynges deuided Echeon of theim warryng on other The barons also on warre were so prouided That all the people to wast father and mother Thei spared none all wer thei sister or brother And eche citee on other bothe towne and tour And eche tyranne was a conquerour ¶ And lordes faine subiectes then to been The poore menne that afore that warre wer desolate Of all honour and worship that was seen Through their manhode with people congregate Lordeship conquered and roose to high astate Laddes and boyes the ladeis tho did wedde Their kynne afore nether lande ne hous hadde ¶ Fourty wynter thus duryng barons warre This Isle so stoode in sorowe and in strife In faute of might the weaker had the wer And suffered wrong that was then their life For who that might aught gette with spere or knife He helde it furth as for his heritage And waxid a lorde that a fore was a page ¶ Defaute of peace lawe sette theim on hight To ouer runne lordes and bee victorious As worthy was for of their wrongfull might The lordes were cause that thei were rygurous That would not so their wronges malicious At first with stande and punishe trespassoures But suffer theim endure in their erroures The .xxx. Chapiter ¶ The conseipt of the maker of this booke touchyng barrons warres in defaute of peace and lawe DEfaut of lawe was cause of this mischief Wronges susteined by mastry by might And peace laied downe that should haue been the chief Through whiche debates folowed all vnright Wherfore vnto a prince accordeth right The peace and lawe euen with equite Within his realme to saue his dignite ¶ What is a kyng without lawe and peace Within his realme sufficiently conserued The porest of his maye so encrease By iniury and force of menne preserued Till he his kyng so with strēgth haue ouerthrowed And sette hym self in royall maieste As tratour Cade made suche an iuoperte ¶ O ye my lorde of Yorke and veraie heire Of Englande so this matter well impresse Deipe in your breste lette it synke softe and feire And suche defautes sette you aye to represse At the begynnyng lette your high noblenes The trespassoures to chastes and to restreine And lette theim not lawe ne peace disobeine ¶ O ye lordes that been in high estate Kepe well the lawe with peace and gouernaunce Lest your hurtes you hurte and depreciate Whiche been as able with wrongfull ordynaunce To reigne as ye and haue also greate puisaunce For lawe and iustices in lordes vnpreserued Causeth many of theim to bee ouerthrowed The .xxxi. Chapiter ¶ Dunwallo Moluncyus kyng of Cornewayle conquerid Logers Lambry and Albanie as right heire of Brytayne he gaue fraunchises to the temple plough merkettes feyres and hie wayes so that none should disturbe by lawe nor by wrong he made sixe temples in Logers Cambre Albanie and also many Flāynes to rule theim of estate as bishoppes nowe dooen KYng Clotein died that reigned in Cornewaile Wherfore his soōne Dūwallo Molūcius Was kyng of all his realme without faile A mannly prince in armes full cuorageous Assembled his hoost and came full vigorous Of kyng Pynner in Logres intrusour And sleugh hym ther as wrongfull gouernour ¶ Kyng Ruddan and kyng Stater Of Albanie with hoostes strong and wyght Gaue hym battaill with mighty power Where Ruddan Stater wer slain downe right With all their hoostes and their greate might And Dunwallo had the victory With muche ioye and manhod mightely ¶ Dunwallo so called Moluncius At Troynouaunt with royall diademe Of gold crouned moost riche and precious Vpon his hede as did hym well besene The first he was as chronicles expreme That in this Isle of Brytein had croune of golde For all afore copre and gilt was to beholde ¶ He graunted pardon vnto all trespasoures Of whiche thei were full glad and ioyus Amendyng all their faultes and errours With all their hertes full beneuolous
signe eche māne to knowe his naciō Frome enemies whiche nowe we call certain Sainct Georges armes by Nenyus enformaciō And thus this armes by Iosephes creacion Full long afore sainct George was generate Were worshipt heir of mykell elder date The .xlix. Chapiter ¶ Marius the kyng of Brytain reigned sixty yere and three howe the peightes inhabited firste in Albany that is Sotclāde nowe in these dayes in Catenes thei wer the North peightes and a parte of theim inhabited sone after bytwyxt the Scottes sea and tweid that were called South peightes MAryus his soonne was then intronizate And sette on high in trone of maiestie With croune of golde full royally coronate As worthy was vnto his royalte Who nourished was at Rome in his inuente With his mothers kynne the beest of the empire With Claudius also that was his oune graūdsir ¶ In whose tyme a peight hight Rodrike With power greate by sea came fro Sythy As proude and bryme as lyon marmerike Arreued so vp in Albanye Distroiyng whole the lande all sodainly With whome that kyng thē faught in greate battell And sleugh hym with oute any faile ¶ Wher then in signe of his high victorye He sette there vp a stone in remembraunce Of his triumph of his aduersatie Titled on it his fame for to auaunce Howe the peightes there brought to vttraunce Wher the redde crosse is nowe in Westmerlande In Stanys more as I canne vnderstande ¶ Then to the peightes left a liue he gaue catenese To dwell vpon and haue in heritage Whiche weddid wher with Irish as I gesse Of whiche after Scottes came on that linage For Scottes bee to saie their langage A collecciō of many into one Of whiche the Scottes were called so anone The .l. Chapiter ¶ Howe Scottes came of Scota kyng Pharois doughter that came after many daye into Albanye so that of peightes Irish of Pharois people collect togethers wer Scottes named For at the tauerne or at a gatheryng of people or of mony is called a scotte and so came first the name of Scottes which Scottes inhabited theim by twixt catnes the Scottishe sea BVt Mewynus the Bryton chronicler Saieth in his chronicles orther wise That Gadelus and Scota in the yere Of Christe seuenty and fiue by assise At stone inhabitte as might suffise And of hir name that countre there aboute Scotlande she called that tyme with outen doubt ¶ This Scota was as Mewyn saieth the sage Doughter and bastarde of kyng Pharao that daye Whome Gadele wedded and in his olde age Vnto a lande he went where he inhabited ay Whiche yet of his name is calle Gadelway And with the peightes he came into Albanie The yere of Christ aforsaid openlye ¶ And at hir death she left a precious stone In Albany on whiche Moses did preache And buryed there she was by hir self alone Whiche stone was holy as some menne then did teache And did miracles so was that cōmon speache In honour it was had bothe of greate and small And holden for a relique moost speciall ¶ This stone was called the regall of Scotlāde On whiche that Scottish kynges wer brechelesse set At their coronomente as I canne vnderstande For holynes of it so did thei of debte All their kynges vpon this stone was sette Vnto the tyme kyng Edward with long shankes Brought it awaye again the Scottes vnthākes ¶ At Westmonestery it offered to sainct Edward Where it is kepte and conserued To tyme that kynges of Englande afterward Should coroned bee vnder their fete obserued To this entent kept and reserued In remembraunce of kynges of Scottes alway Subiectes should bee to kynges of Englāde ay ¶ Also afore the fifte kyng Henryes daye Their siluer coigne was as it ought to bee The kynges face loked on side all waye To his soueraigne lorde of Englande as I see Whiche to been hetherwarde of egalite Vnto their lorde thei haue of newe presumed To looke euen furth whiche would nowe bee consumed ¶ Kyng Maryus kepte that realme in lawe peace Full of riches and of prosperyte And dyed so at Sarum buryed dowteles When he had reigned sixty yere and three His tribute payed full well to Roome citee Of Christes faith sumwhat he was enformid But muche more he neded to haue been reformid ¶ Coylus his soonne was kyng then crouned so Who mutryed was at Roome in greate vertue Held well his lawes egall to frende and foo And in his dooynges full iuste he was and trewe His life alwaye and rule in vertue grewe That full great name of hym was notifyed And in all landes of honoure multiplied ¶ The lordes gentiles yemen and commontee He cherished well and in no wise oppressed And to theim gaue wher was necessitee And tribute payde to Rome vndistressed And at his death with sickenesse impressed He buried was at Norwhiche then full clere When he reigned had fully .xiii. yere ¶ Somewhat in fayth of Christ he was instruct But not fully as was necessitee Like as he was in Rome with hym inducte So helde he forth in all stabilitee And as he harde in all symylitee Howe Ioseph had his graundser enformed With benyng herte and wil he hym confyrmed The .li. Chapter ¶ Lucius kyng of Britayn reigned .liiii. yere and was the seconde Christened kyng of Britayn by Faggan Dubyan that baptized all this lande and for the same cause bare the same armes after he was baptized Also he made of .iiii. archeflamynes in Britayn three archebyshoppes at London Yorke and Carlion AFter kyng Coile his sonne then Lucius So crowned was with royall diademe In all vertue folowed his father Coilus To compare hym in all that myght beseme He put his will after as his witte could deme In so farre forth that of Christentee He contynued so a Christen man to bee ¶ And in the yere of Christes incarnacion An C. foure score and tenne Eleuthery the first at supplicacion Of Lucyus sente hym twoo holy menne That called wer Faggan and Duuyen That baptized hym all his realme throughoute With hertes glad and laboure deuoute ¶ Thei taught that folke the lawe of Christ eche daye And halowed all the temples in Christes name All mawmentes and Idols caste awaye Through all Britayn of al false goddes thesame The temples flamynes the Idols for to shame They halowed eke and made bishoppes sees Twenty and .viii. at dyuers great citees ¶ Of .iii. archeflamynes thei made archbishoprikes One at London Troynouaunt that hight For all Logres with lawes full autentikes To rule the churche christentee in right Another at Carlyon a towne of might For all Cambre at Ebranke the thirde From Trent north for Albany is kyde ¶ All these workes Eugeny then confirmed The kyng then gaue to Faggan and Duuyen The ysle of Analoon and by cherter affirmed That was called otherwyse Mewtryen Also frely as Ioseph and his holy men Had it afore then forth for theyr dispence Wherof thei wer glad and
.lvii. Chapiter ¶ Asclepiadote kynge of Britayne reygned .x. yere in whose tyme was great persecucyon in Britayne sayncte Albons slayne and many thousandes slayne for Chrystes sake ASclepiadote was crowned king agayne In royall wyse with all solempnyte The lawes well he helde and put in great payne Ouer trespassours for their peruersite Theuys and robbers on galowis hanged to be But in his tyme the Emperoure Dioclesyan Into Britayne then sente Maximian ¶ This Maximian to surname Hercelyus A tyraunte false that christente anoyed Through all Britayne of werke malycious The christoned folke felly and sore destroyed And thus the people with hym foule accloyed Religyous men the prestes and clerkes all Wemen with chylde and bedred folkes all ¶ Chyldrē soukyng vpon the mothers pappis The mothers also withouten any pytee And chyldren all in theyr mothers lappys The crepyls eke and all the christentee He kylled and slewe with full great cruelte The churches brent all bokes or ornamentes Bellys relyquys that to the churche appendes The .lviii. Chapter ¶ This persecucion was in that yere of Christes birth a C. lxxx and .iiii. yere and the .x. yere of kyng Asclepiadote HE slew that time martyred saint Albone And with him also Iulus and Araon And Amphimabal that wolde not dye alone But offered hym to dye with him anone For Christes loue as faste as he myght gone For thousandes sele were martered in those daies Whose soules be nowe in blysse and shal alwaies ¶ Asclepiadote reygned fully but .x. yere Who for great feare suffred all this payne And durste nothyng agayne this tyraunt steare But him withdrewe to hyde hym was full fayne This persecucyon as some chronyclers sayne The .x. yere was of Asclepiadote For whiche duke Coyle agayne him rose ful hote ¶ The duke Caire colun that hight Coylus Whiche cytee nowe this daye Colchester hight Then crowned was that slewe Asclepiadotus For cause he came not fourth with all his might The tyraunt fell to agaynstande as he hight Wherfore Britayns were all full gladde fayne Of kynge Coylus that succured all theyr payne The .lix. Chapiter ¶ Kyng Coyle of Briteyne reygned .xi. yere that was father to saynte Elyne HE ruled the realme in lawe and peace ful wel That for his wyt and vertuosyte Able he was as chronycles coulde fele To haue ruled all the emperalyte For ryghtwesnesse manhode and moralytee A doughter had he and none other heire Elyne that hyght farre passyng good and fayre ¶ That afterwarde she was and is canonyzed In shryne at Rome that is saynt Elyne Her father Coyle set her to be excercysed In philosophye and other scyence clene In whiche she coulde her selfe ryght wel demeane That she was able by wytte and sapience The realme to rule and haue therof the regence The .lx. Chapiter ¶ Howe Constancius Senatoure and Emperour of Rome wedded saynt Elyne and by her was kyng of this lande THe Romans sēt to Britayne Constancius That Spayne had put in hole subieccyon Vnto Rome as chronicles haue writē thus Who landed here withoute reieccyon To whome kyng Coyle by good direccyon His message sente offeryng hym his truage And he to stande king and holde his herytage ¶ Of whiche Constance was glad of his entente And here abode at prayer of the kynge His doughter wed by their whole assente Elyne his heyre that was both good and yonge Of hye wysdome and womanly conning And there with all the fairest that men knewe More Angelyke then womannyshe of hewe ¶ Within fyue wekes after her father dyed Buryed at Care Colune his owne cytee Greatly cōmended well famed and laudifyed Both on this syde and beyonde the sea Eleuen yere reigned in greate dignyte And ouer all thyng alway comon publyke Of his realme wrought not many kīges him lyke The .lxi. Chapiter COnstance was kīg crowned with Diademe And Elin quene through al great britain On whom he gate a sonne that had bapteme That Constantyne called was then in certayne But kyng Constaūce of Rome was hye cheftaine By the senate fyrste made the Emperoure And after kyng of Britayne and gouernoure Whiles he laboured for Romes publyke profete With his felowe that hyght Galerius That Emperoure of Rome by greate delyte Whiche of maxence of porte malicyous Werryd full sore with werke full cheualrous And all the weste this constaunce had and hylde Galerius had the Este there into bylde ¶ And after when this Constaunce of Britayne Was crowned kyng the comon wele preferryd Of all his realme not lettyng for disdayne He wrought it aye and no tyme it differed As chronycles of hym sayde and referred And when he had reygned hole .xv. yere At Ebranke was he buryed full clere The .lxii. Chapiter ¶ Constantyne kyng of Britayne sonne of Constaunce and of saynte Elyn by xxxiiii yere was fyrst kynge of Brytayne and afterwarde Emperoure of Rome HIs sonne ful yonge Constantyne his heire Then crowned was by all the baronage Who lykely was semely and ryght feire Of .xv. yeres so in his tender age Great manhode had to rule his heritage Of greate wysdome was and of sapience By discrecyon had he intellygence ¶ He had also a lambishe pacience To here all pleyntes mekely with sobernes A lyons chere in felde with good regence Discrecion good to chastysh wickednes The welfare of his realme with busines Preserued euer and kepte in regyment And wher nede was he made suppowelment ¶ The Senatours of Roome by letters well endite Praied hym to come to Roome as emperour For to destroye Maxence and disherit Of Christen folke the cruell turmeutour Of Christen faieth the cursed confoundour For of his birth thei saied it sette hym so Maxence to stroye that was his fathers fo ¶ For whiche he went to Roome with greate power Of Britons strong with flemynges and Barbayns Henauldes Gelders Burgomans Frenche full clere Duchemēne Lūbardes also many Almains The yere of Christ three C. and ten with Romains Mette with Maxence and with Dioclesian And their feloe that hight Maximian ¶ Sumwhat afraid of their multitude Constantyne then he held vp to heuen And sawe a crosse in whiche was enclude This reason good in hoc vinco full euine His ferdnes so anone then did hym leuen In signe of whiche a crosse of goules he bare In his baner white with hym faught he there ¶ He had the felde and putte theim to the flight Wherfore euer after he bare twoo armes clere In all likenes to euery mannes sight As Englishemenne in this lande bare theim here Sainct Georges armes nowe called wtoutē wer Thus hath the kyng of englande to theim right Throughe eldres goottē by god his verey might ¶ The senate whole hym mette and magnified His high tryumphe and mighty victorye With laude and honour fully glorified As vsage was that tyme of Romanye At certain gates sette vp for memory And crouned hym in imperiall trone That so manly had quit theim of their foone The .lxiii.
tyde Waldeue the duke cōmended and landifyed Of Northumberlande a lorde of greate power Fro Humbar north to Twede then was full clere ¶ Kynge Aguzell that was of Albany Kyng Vriayn of Murref with Ewayne His sonue that was corageous and manly And the noble and curteous knyght Gawayne That kyng was then of all fayre Lowthyan And syster sonne vnto the kyng Arthure Mordred his brother was of the same ordoure ¶ Loth of Lowthian that kyng was of Norway Of Lowthyan that kyng afore had been Father to Gawayne and murdred was that days Kyng Vryan of South walys I wene The kyng Pellis of Northwalis full clene The kyng Howell also of lytell Britayne Boers and Hester Degionaunt and Ewayn ¶ Syr Percyuall Launcelot Delake and kaye Sir Colingraunt Bedewer and syr Degarye Geryn of Charters the douzepers of Fraunce gaye The kynges of man Orkeney Irelande all thre Of Iselande Gotlande and dukes of dignyte Of Portyngale Nauerne and Cateloyne Of Spayne the kinges the duke of Burgoyne ¶ Syr Lyonell Gryffith Kynkar Olenius Donalde Macoyle Cynmarke Gorbonian Kymbalyn Rydran Eualake and Carthelius Crade and Cradok Dunwallon and Morgan Gadwaloure Eneas and Ternuan And many mo that were full longe to wryte Whiche with my style I canne not nowe endyte The .lxxix. Chapiter ¶ Howe the embassado of the Emperoure Lucius was receyued solemplye and presented the Emperours letters vnto kynge Arthure and also of the tenoure of the same letters the whiche Lucius sent to hym BVt whyles the kyng sate in his trone royal His prynces all and knyghtes of dignite Aboute him there thambassade imperyall Were fayre brought vnto his royall dignite That Prynces were of authoryte Of moste rype age and reuerende chere With Olliffe Braunchies in their landes clere ¶ Otokyn of message and legacye A stately pase vnto his hye presence Where they offered of Lucius Heberye The letters then on knees with reuerence Of whiche this the wordes and comprehence As foloweth nowe when they were reed and sene As chronyclers wryten thus do contene ¶ Lucius of Rome the Emperoure Procurator for all the hole senate Of the Publyke profyte chiefe gouernoure By hole Senate made and denominate To Arthure kyng of Britayne procreate Sendeth gretyng lyke as thou haste deserued Nowe in Fraunce which was to vs preserued ¶ Amerueled much of wronges that thou hast done Within our lande of Fraunce by great rygour Without ryght that better had bene vndone But yf thy wytte amende thy foule erroure That syth of Fraunce then were the gouernour No trybute payde but as thyne owne conquest Haste holde it aye vnder thyne areste ¶ And for thou haste no wyll it to amende And were so prowde to do so cruell a dede Kyng Froyle to sle to vs that dyd apende And mekell more for cause thou takest no hede Of the gate imperyall that we lede To whiche all landes obey and paye truage Saue thou alone gaynstandest of thyne outrage ¶ Wherfore we byd strayghtly and cōmaunde That from August nowe nexte within a yere Thou come to Rome and pay that we demaunde The truage which thou haste of thy power Of Britayne longe withholde so in feare And thy defautes amende thou did in Fraunce By sentence of the Senates ordynaunce ¶ And elles we shall approche to thy countre And what so thy foly hath vs be refte With sweordes wee shall it make restored bee Till our senate as first it was infefte The liuelode that thy father so the lefte Thou art els like for thine intrusion To lose and be brought into confusion ¶ Wrytten at Roome in the consistorye By whole auise of all the wise senate At Pasche last past to byde in memorie Their regestred and determinate Lest thy youthed our letters and the date Would couer with feyned forgetfulnesse Trustyng in vs the same defaute I gesse ¶ With that the kyng went to the Giaūtes toure With princes all that were of his counsaile By their aduise to wryte to the themperour For his honour and for his gouernall Of whiche so wise would not for gette ne faill So well were made to Lucius and endite Whiche saied right thus as in my stile I wryte The .lxxx. Chapiter ¶ The letter that kyng Arthure sent again to Lucius themperour of Roome ARthure kyng of all the greate Brytain And Emperour of Rome by title of right Whiche deforced by Lucius Romain Pretendyng hym for Emperour of might Vnto the same Lucius for thyne vnright Vsurper of the sea emperiall Sendeth gretyng as enemie moost mortall ¶ To the senate of Roome it is well knowen Howe Iulyus Ceaser with iniurye The truage had Brytain was brought so lowe By helpe of erle Androgeus and his traytorye That brought hym in by his false policye Without right or title of discent Or any right that to the senate appent ¶ And what so he had then by iniurye Leefull to vs nowe is it to withstande For what euer thyng is take vniustly Maye neuer be had as I can vnderstande By any other to hold it with strong hand Frome hym that had it well and rightfully By none other maye bee had lawfully ¶ By whiche reason the wrong we shall defende And hold our realme so in our first astate Of seruage free as it to Brute apende Who held it free afore that Roome bare date Whose right to vs is nowe determinate And by suche right as thou dooest nowe pretende We maye clayme Roome to thempire ascende ¶ For kyng Belyn that was our auncetour And Brenny also the kyng of Albanye All Roomain did wyn by conquest there Of Roome thei had and all greate Italie And sleugh themperour by their great maistrie And crouned were in the sea empiriall Wher no prince was that tyme to theim egall ¶ But yet we haue a better title of right To thempire whiche nowe we will pretende For Constantyne sainct Elyn soonne of right By right of bloodde of Constaūce downe discēde Emperour was that Roome did well defende Again Maxence and his feloes tweyn Whiche there made muche Christē people to dien ¶ Maximian kyng of greate Brytain By whole decre and will of the senate Was emperour of Roome and ruled almaigne Whose rightes we haue and al their whole astate And heire of bloodde borne and generate Wherfore we clayme the throne empirial Frome hens furth by lawe Iudicial ¶ As to the daye whiche thou hast vs sette To paye to Roome the tribute and truage We shall bee their to chalenge of dewe debte Truage of Roome with all their rerage And to enioyse and hold our heritage Of Roome citee to kepe the souereigne sea With all that longeth to themperalite ¶ And if thou wilt me sonner haue or seeke Bryng Romanye with the wher so thou will With me I shall bryng Brytain eke And whiche of vs that daye maye other kyll Bere Roome with hym and Brytain also their till Wryten at our citee of Cairlion By whole aduise of all our region The .lxxxi. Chapiter
full solitarie To Constantyne duke Cader sonne on hye His neuewe was for Cader was his brother As well was knowen they had but one mother ¶ Kyng Arthure then in Aualon so died Wher he was buried in a chapell fayre Whiche nowe is made and fully edified The mynster churche this daye of great repayre Of Glastenbury where nowe he hath his leyre But then it was called the blacke chapell Of our Lady as chronycles can tell ¶ Wher Geryn erle of Charters then abode Besyde his toumbe for whole deuocion Whether Launcelot delake came as he rode Vpon the chace with trompette and clarion And Geryn tolde hym ther all vp and downe Howe Arthure was there layde in sepulture For whiche with hym to byde he hight full sure ¶ And so they abode together in contemplacion And preastes were aboute his toumbe alwaye In prayers greate and holy meditacion With heare the fleshe repressyng night and daye Three dayes eche weke at breade and water aye They fasted lyued in great sorowe and penaūce To soules helth and Goddes hye pleasaunce ¶ But whē the quene Gwaynour had perceyued Howe Mordred was fled awaye then thryse Frō Yorke then yode lest she were deceyued On fote by night with a mayden full wise To Carlion to lyue in Goddes seruice In the mynster of saynt Iuly with Nonnes In prayers whole and greate deuocions ¶ This kyng Arthure to whō none was cōdigne Through all the world so was he then perelesse His life and soule to God he dyd resigne The yere of Christ as chronicles expresse Fyue hudreth and two in sothefastnesse And fourtye also accompted hole and clere At his endyng without any were The .lxxxv. Chapiter ¶ The commendacion of Arthure after the conceipte of the maker of this booke in fewe woordes and also the compleynte and lamentacion of the sayde maker for the death of Arthure REigned he had then sixe and twenty yere Moste redoubted in erth moste famous The worthiest and wysest without pere The hardyest man and moste coragious In actes marciall moste victorious In hym was neuer a drope of cowardise Nor in his herte a poynte of couetyse ¶ There was neuer prince of giftes more liberal Of landes geuyng ne of meate so plenteous Agayn his fooen was moste imperiall And with his owne subiectes moste bounteous As a Lyon in felde was moste douteous In house a lambe of mercy euer replete And in iudgement euer eguall was and discrete ¶ O good lorde God suche treason vnrightes Why suffred thy deuyne omnipotente That of theim had precience and forsightes That myght haue lette that cursed violence Of Mordredes pryde and all his insolence That noble kyng forpassyng conqueroure So to destroye by treason and erroure ¶ Fortune false executryse of weerdes That euermore so with thy subtilitee To all debates thou strongly so enherdes That where men euer would lyue in charitee Thou doest perturbe with mutabilitee Why stretchest thou so thy whele vpon Mordred Agayne his eme to do so cruel dede ¶ Wherthrough that high noble conqueroure Without cause shuld algates peryshed bee With so many kynges and princes of honour In all the worlde might none there better bee O fals Fallas of Mordredes propertee Howe might thou so in Gwynoure haue such might That she the death caused of so many knightes ¶ O false beautie of Gwaynour predestinate What vnhappe made the false to thy lorde So good a prince and so fortunate Was neuer yet seen as all men can recorde The whiche betwene you made so greate discorde That he and all his princes wer there slayne Thy chaungeable hert to venge he was so fayne ¶ But O Mordred tofore so good a knight In greate manhode proudly aye approued In whom thyne eme the noblest prince of might Put all his trust so greately he the loued What vnhappe thy manly ghost hath moued Vnto so foule and cruell hardynesse So many to be slayn through thyn vnhappynes ¶ The highnesse of thyne honoure had a fall When thou began to do that iniurie That great falshode thy prowesse did appall As soone as in the entred periurie By consequens treason and traitourie Thy lorde and eme and also thy kyng souerayn So to betraye thy felowes eke certayne The .lxxxvi. Chapter ¶ Constantyne kynge of Britayne sonne of duke Cador of Cornewayle reygned foure yere COnstantine his brother sōne was crowned Duke Cador sōne of Cornwaile boūteous Afore had been one of the table rounde In Arthures tyme a knight was ful auenturous In trone royall was set full precyous With Diademe on his hed sygnifyed At Troynouaunt where no wight it replyed ¶ Who then anone with Saxons sore did fight And also with Mordred sonnes two Their capitaynes were put theim to the flyght That one fled to wynchester and hyd hym so That other to London with mykyll woo Where Constātyne theim bothe in churches slew At the autres where they were hyd in mewe ¶ This constantyne set all his lande in peace And reygned well foure yere in greate noblesse And dyed then buryed at Caroll no lesse Besyde Vterpendragon full expresse Arthures father of greate worthynesse Whiche called is the stone Hengles certayne Besyde Salysbury vpon the playne ¶ Aurelius Conan his cosyn fayre The sea royall then helde and ganne succede To hym as nexte then of bloude and heyre His vncle and his sonnes two in dede In prysone slewe to crowne hym selfe I rede That should haue been kynges of all Britayne Afore hym so yf they had not be slayne ¶ He maynteyned aye ciuyle warre and debate Bytwene Cytees Castelles and countees Through al his realme with mysruled mē associate Whiche was greatly agaynst his royaltees And but thre yere he reygned in dignitees As God so wolde of his hye ordynaunce For wronge lawes maketh shorte gouernaunce ¶ Then Vortyper succeded after hym Crowned was then with all the royalte Agaynste whome the Saxons stronge grym Made full greate warre destroyed the comente But in batayle by greate humanyte He them ouercame and set his lande in peace Vnto the tyme that death made him decease ¶ Seuen yere he reigned and his people pleased And tender was he of his comynalte Aboue all thyng he sawe that they were eased The publyke cause afore the syngulerte Preserued also as it of ryght should be For cōmons fyrst for prynces supportacion Were set and nought been waste by dominacion ¶ Malgo nexte hym to the crowne attayned Feyrest of other that euer was in his daye All tyranny fully he restreyned And conquered holy thryse of Orkenay Irelonde Denmarke Iselonde and eke Norway And Gotlande also obeyed his royalte He was so wyse full of fortunyte Within his realme was none so large ne strong Ne none that was in feacte of warre so wise With swerde or axe to fyght in the thronge Nor with his speare that had suche exercyse For to assayle hys fooes and them suppryse And defence also he had great keenyng As any
did kenne Wher Ethelfryde on Idell was downe slayne And Redwald the feld ther had with payn ¶ Kyng Cadwan then out of this worlde so died Thesame yere so dyd Austyne also And Laurens made fully and glorifyed Archebyshop of Caunterbury tho And Ethelbert of Kent to heauen dyd go Thus chaunged they theyr habitacion Some to payne and some to saluacion ¶ Cadwall then the sonne of kyng Cadwan After his father had reigned .xiii. yere Was crowned at Westchester as a man Of Britons all as clerely dyd appeare The yere of Christ .vi. C. and .xvi. cleare That reygned well full syxtye yere and one Aboue all kynges as souerayne of echeone ¶ But kyng Edwyn then of Northumberlande The sonne and heyre vnto kyng Ethelfryde Was crowned kyng at Yorke I vnderstande For whiche the kyng Cadwall hym defyed And made hym warre with Britons fortifyed And sente hym worde no crowne for to were And elles he should vnder it his hed of shere Which Edwyn then accompted at ryght nought But kepte estate full royall and condigne with crowne of gold at yorke ful freshly wrought Elfrydes sonnes of his wronge wyfe vndigne Goten and borne he felly dyd repugne Hym dyd exyle in Scotlande dyd abyde For his mother was exyled by Ethelfryde ¶ And Ethelfryde hym gate on his wrong wyfe And had exyled his owne wyfe truely wed Edwyns mother as knowen was full ryfe Full great with chylde with hym as Bede hath red Then made he welles in dyuerse countrees spred By the hye wayes in cuppes of copper clene For trauelyng folke faste chayned as it was sene ¶ And euery daye he rode withouten reste With trompettes lowde afore him where he rode That euery wyght myght suerly in hym truste That he wolde then of his ryghtwyshode Do euery man ryght without more abode All complayntes here as lawe wolde reforme So all his lyfe to rule he did confirme ¶ He sente vnto Ethilbalde kyng of kent His syster for to haue and wed her to wyfe Dame Ethelburge that was full fayre and gent But Ethelbalde then sent hym worde by lyfe It was not good but lykely to make stryfe That a christē woman to a Paynim shuld be wed And elles he sayde his message had be sped ¶ Edwyne then sent his message so agayne He wolde well she kepte her owne creaunce And bade hym sende with her a chapelayne And clerkes wyse without any varyaunce To kepe her in her fayth and in all suraunce And yf her fayth be better then is myne When it is knowen I wyll therto enclyne ¶ Kyng Ethelbald her sent with Paulyne That sacred was byshop of Yorke that tyme By Iusto archbyshop that was full fyne Of Caunterbury to kepe her true Bapteme And her beleue that none her fethers lyme With heresye to foule his owne creaunce Thus wedded he her at Yorke in all suraunce ¶ The yere of our Lorde .vi. hundreth .xx. tho And fyue therto as Bede hath clerely writen And in the yere .vi. hundreth and twenty so And syxe therto kyng Edwyn as is weten To westsex went where batayle sore was smyten Betwene hym and byshop Quychelyne King Kinigils sonne of westsex then so fyne ¶ Where then he slewe this manly Quichelyne For cause he had compassyd his death afore By pryuey wyse as he coulde ymagyne He put the lande then vnder trybute sore And Kynygell the kyng of westsex thore Became his man and helde of hym his lande At his byddyng to ryde with hym and stande The .xci. Chapiter ¶ Howe Cadwall fled and was dryuen from his realme by kynge Edwyn and helde it in subieccion and was baptyzed by saynt Pawlyn archbyshop of Yorke KYng Cadwallo then of all Brytons The yere of Chryste .vi. C. and eyghtene By wronge councell on Edwyns regions Great warres made but Edwyn then full kene Faught with hym there full sore as it was sene And to the flyght hym droue out of the felde All Britayne lande he conquered so and helde ¶ Cadwallo fled vnto lytell Britayne And dwelled there in heuynesse and in payne By dyuers yeres and durste not come agayne For power none he myght not yet obteyne The Britaynes durste hym not obeyne For kyng Edwyn had hole dominacyon Of theim and Saxons of the Scottyshe naciō ¶ And in the yere of Chryste .vi. C .xx. and .vi. Edwyns doughter that named was Eufled At Yorke was borne to whome men dyd complex Maydens twelue to take the chrystenhede That lordes doughters wer of great worthihed◠Whiche saynt Paulyn archbyshop dyd baptyse In Yorke mynster in full holy wyse ¶ And in the yere of Chryste .vi. C .xx. seuen The chrysten lawe disputed amonge his lordes Was founde beste to wynne the blysse of heuen Wherfore Edwyn by good and hole concordes Both of his comons and also of his lordes With all his realme baptime toke as goddes mē Of saint Paulin that archbishop was then ¶ In that same yere byshoppe Honorius To Paulyn sent the palle of dignyte The kyng Edwin and this ylke Paulins Yorke mynster made newe of greate beaute And comons all full well so baptized he In Northumberlande in Swale Owse Trent And other ryuers in countrees where he went ¶ By thyrty dayes and sixe labored he thus And then he came to Lyncolne with Edwyn Where he conuerted Blecca as Bede sayth to vs The Mayre and all the cōmons by his doctryne And Lyndsey hole vnto the fayth deuyne And made the mynstre of Lincolne at his costage Of kyng Edwyn and also the colage ¶ And in the yere .vi. hundreth and thyrty moo Iusto dyed to whome Honoure dyd succede Of Caunterbury archbishop made was tho Whome saint Paulin as wryten hath sent Bede Dyd sacre then at Lyncolne so in dede In the mynster that he and Edwyn founde The kynges colage named that ylke stounde ¶ And in the yere .vi. hundreth thyrty and two Kynge Edwyne by holy doctryne Of saynt Felyx an holye preste that was tho And preachyng of the holy archbyshop Paulyn Of Chrystes worde and verteous discyplyne Conuerted Edordwolde of Estangle the kyng And all the realme where Felyx was dwellyng ¶ At Dōmok then was Felyx fyrste byshop Of Estangle and taught the chrysten fayth That is full hye in heauen I hope But then the kyng Edwyn as Bede sayth Had made the people stable in the chrysten layth To Yorke went home with hym also Paulyn To rule the lande after the lawe deuyne The .xcii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Cadwall and Penda slewe kyng Edwyn and reigned ouer Brytons agayne BVt in the yere .vi. hundreth thyrty thre Kyng Cadwall of Britaine that had been With king Penda of Merces great coūtre Assembled stronge with hostes fell and kene And Northumberlande brent as then was sene And slewe both wyfe and chylde olde and yinge Prestes and clerkes they spared there no thyng The churches all they brente and foule destroied Whome Edwyn met with power that he might At Hatfelde towne in herte
full sore anoyed All redy so in batayle for to fyght within yorkeshyre where Edwin was slaine right And all his realme was wasted and subuerte By kyng Penda that a Paynym was peruerte ¶ The same yere then for cause of warre stryfe Saint Paulyn went to Kent there to dwell With Ethelburge that was kyng Edwyns wyfe That welcome were as Bede surely doth tell At Rochester as that tyme befell Saint Paulyn was vnto the sea translate And byshop therof then denominate ¶ Kyng Cadwall reygned full hole agayne In Britayne lande as prynce without pere Aboue Englyshe as lorde souerayne Ouer Saxons Scottes peightes clere And Englyshe also as clere did appere And Eufryde then and Osdryk paynimes fell Northumberlande then helde as Bede doth tell ¶ Whome Cadwall and Penda felly slewe From tyme they two had reygned but a yere Oswolde theyr cosyn as knowen was full trewe That in Scotlande noryshed was full clere To Englande came with mighty greate power And gate his ryght and all his herytage With helpe and socoure of his Baronage The .xciii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Oswolde kynge of Englande reygned ouer Brytons Scottes and Peightes Iryshe and ouer all Logres and Cambre THis kyng Oswolde in Englāde gan succede The yere of Christ vi .c. was thē clere Thirty and fiue replete of all manhed And afterwarde full clerely did apere As to suche a prince of nature should affere That Yorke minster repaired then all newe Of lyme and stone as Christen prince and trewe ¶ Who for ayde then into Scotlande sent An holy monke he was and religious And bishop sacred after Christes entent In Christes doctrine he was full laborous Whome for teachyng and preachyng vertuous He made hym bishop of all Northumberlande Whose sea was chief then at the holy Isse lande ¶ In that same yere Oswold to Westsex rode For Christ his loue at prayer of sainct Biryne Wher thei the kyng Kynygill of paynymhode Baptized and made a Christen manne full fyne And sette Westsex vnder tribute syne For to bee payed to hym and his heires Perpetually by yere at certeine feires ¶ Sainct Biryne bishop thei made furth right Of all Westsex at Dorchester was his sea Frome Oxenforde but litill waye to sight Kyng Oswold wedded Beblam his wife to bee Kyng Kynygilles doughter full faire to see And on hir he gatte a soonne hight Cidilwold In Deyre reigned vnder his father Oswold ¶ And in the yere sixe hundrith thyrty and sixe Kyng Penda sleugh Ordewold of Estanglande In bataile strong and mighty gan to vexe That wastid sore about hym euery lande As tyraunt fell wher he the Christen fonde He sleugh theim downe and cruelly ouer ran Sparyng nother wife childe ne manne ¶ The kyng Oswold so mighty was in deede That ouer Scottes Peightes and Brytaines Irish Westsex and English I rede And ouer Logres and all the Saxons None so mighty aboue all regions As Flores and Bede hath wrytten thus Whose wrytynges are full vertuous ¶ As he at meate did sitte vpon a daye At Bamburgh a palmer came to his gate Asked some good for Christ his loue alwaye To whome he sent his dishe of syluer plate For cause he had not els for his astate The poore manne to refresh and comforte Sainct Bede of hym thus clerely dooeth reporte ¶ An holy manne within his hermitage Desired sore in his meditacion If any better of any maner age Wer in the lande of any nacion To whome was said by reuelacion That kyng Oswold more holy was of life Notwithstandyng he had weddid a wife The .xciiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe an hermite proued sainct Oswold his wife at his desire by biddyng of sainct Oswold WHerfore he came vnto the kyng Oswold And prayed hym he might knowe his life And of his reuelacion then hym told Wherfore he toke to hym his ryng by life And bade hym saye the quene that was his wife To dooe with hym on nightes twoo or three As she was wonte at home to dooe with me ¶ This token had he he satte with hir at meate His meate drynke when he would haue the best But water and brede he might none other gette And then at night she leide hym for to rest Right with hir self so well hir self she trest And when he was ought sette to dooe amisse In water he was cast his fleshe to keele and lisse ¶ But when the daye came he was full fain And of the quene full soone he toke his leue Vnto the kyng he went anone again And prayed hym fast he might passe home at eue For of his life he would no more preue Whiche more holy was one daye and night Then all his life he euer been might ¶ But Cadwall the kyng of Brytons sent The kyng Penda to warre on kyng Oswold Whome Oswold mette with greate assemblemēd In battaile strong at Heuenfeld as God would Wher people fled with people manyfold To kyng Cadwall who with Penda anone Assembled an hoost on Oswold for to gon ¶ Oswold thei mette on Marfeld that tyde Wher he was slain the yere of Christ was than Sixe hundred whole and fourty and twoo beside His hedde and armes as Bede the holy manne In his chronicle hath write who so rede it can Vpon a tre was hong many a daye That rotted not nor in this world neuer maye ¶ Oswy then in all Northumberlande The croune had and all the royalte With Cadwallo he hight allwaye to stande As souereigne lorde of Bryton then was he And ouer all other had then the mageste But this Oswy made Humwald for to kyll The kyng Oswyn that feloe was hym tyll ¶ For cause he rose on hym with multitude And nought for thy when thei together mette All his people of full greate fortitude He withdrewe then and with Humwald sette In pryue wise without any lette But false Humwald priuely hym slewe On whome he trusted and trowed had bee trewe ¶ Quene Eufled that was kyng Oswys wife Kyng Edwyn his doughter full of goodnesse For Oswyns soule a minster in hir life Made at Tynmouth and for Oswy causeles That hym so bee slain and killed helpeles For she was kyn to Oswy and Oswyn As Bede in chronicle dooeth determyn ¶ This Oswyn nowe is canonized in shryne Saynt Oswyn called at Tynmouth gloriously But kyng Oswy to Cadwall did enclyne And Oswalde his hed and arme had leue to burye Whiche he betoke to quene Bebla in hye Who closed theim in siluer fayre and clene And theim betooke to saynt Aydan I wene ¶ This kyng Cadwall his feast at Londō made To hym all kynges as souerayne lorde obeyed Saue kyng Oswy at home that tyme abade For whiche he trowed that he hym disobeyed Wherfore he sent to Penda and hym prayed To warre on Oswy without delaye And make hym to his souerayne lorde obey ¶ In which meane tyme this Penda slewe Anne Of Estangle that long had ben kyng A Christen prince and a full manly manne And
euery place and fouly defflorate ¶ And in the yere .viii. hundreth fyftie and sixe He died so and from this worlde expired Whom all his tyme the Danes full sore did vexe Agayn hym euer full sore they had conspired Theyr hertes in malice alwaye sore affcerd Sometyme the worse they had sometyme that better As Flores sayth and written hath in letter The C .viii. Chapiter ¶ Alurede kyng of Westsex protectour of Englande reigned xxi yere and died the yere .viii. C .xcv. ALurede kyng was of this region That brother was to this noble Elfryde A perfect clerke proued in opynyon As clerkes could discerne and proued In knighthode also approued and notified So plenerly that no man knewe his peer So good a knight he was and singuler ¶ In battayles many in his fathers dayes And also in his brethren tyme all thre He fought full ofte and bare hym wel alwayes That for his dedes and singularitee He was commended amonge thenemytee Within the lande and out as well was knowe His fame among the people hye was blowe ¶ Whyles he was kyng he had aduersitee With Danes oft that on hym did ryue Destroyed his lande with great iniquitee The whiche full oft with might he did out driue And slewe thousandes that lost theyr lyue Through the warres begon of theyr outrage That meruayll was to sene of one lynage ¶ And in the yere viii hundreth sixty and eyght The Danes came to Yorke and toke the towne Hunger and Vbba with many a wyle sleight Wasted the lande about both vp and downe And so came forth to Mars with hostes boune And to Westsex whom then the kyng Alurede Discomfited there with the hoste that he did lede ¶ The Danyshe hoste to Redyng came agayn Another hoste at London was with pride Of Danes also that wrought hym mekyll payne But whyles these hoostes were parted and deuide With his power Alurede gan to ryde And at Anglefeld he fought in Barkeshyre right Where victorie he had maugre of theyr might ¶ At Redyng in Barkeshire then he mette An hoste full greate where he had then agayn The victorye and his fooes downe bette At Basyng also he slewe theim downe certeyne At Asshenden he droue theim out all pleyne And gotte the felde with all the victories As Flores sayeth right in his memories ¶ And in the yere .viii. C. syxty and fourtene The Danishe hoste rode Lyndsey Mars coūtre And home agayn as then was well sene In Northumberlande with greate prosperitee The Danes rode doyng great aduersitee Where the bishoppe then of holye Isselande And all his monkes were full fast fleand ¶ With s Cuthberts bones bare about .vii. yere Nowe here nowe there in dyuers places aboute For dread of Danes and enemyes that there were In Northumberlande dwellyng that tyme ful stout But then the kyng the sea sayled throughout ▪ And shyppes gatte with much great ryches For to defende his lande fro greate distresse ¶ In Westsex then with fooes agayn he met Wher they fro hym to Exeter that night Fled full faste where Alurede theim ouer sette And slewe theim downe in batayll and in fyght And then in Mers anone he fought forth ryght With Danes tho and also with Norwayes That wasted had all Mers in many wayes ¶ Then fought he also at Chipnā in Wilshire And Hunger and Vbba and duke Haldene Tyrauntes cruell hote as any fyre The Christen folke did brenne wast and slene With cruell tourmentes did theim care and tene Where Alurede had the victorie And slewe that daye all the Danyshyre The C .ix. Chapiter ¶ Howe kynge Alurede fled to Ethelyngay in Hidils for dreade of Danes and serued an oxherde of the countree GVtron the kinge of Denmarke that was tho In Westser werred ful sore brent y◠lond Wyth whych the kyng so marryd was with wo He wyst not well whether to ryde or stond But to Ethelyngay anone he tooke on honde To ryde where then he hyd hym in a place For drede of Danes suche was hys hap grace ¶ In Denwolfes house thoxerd of the towne So was he then in poore and symple araye Wher Denwolf cladde hym in hys owne gowne And tender was to hym there alwaye But hys wyfe made hym to laboure aye Wyth bakynge and wyth bruynge wonder sore In water beryng she made hym worke euer more Where then hys lordes knyghtes in good araye Came to hym then wyth hooste and greate powre Where than the kynge vpon Gutron that daye In batayle stronge wyth corage freshe and clere Foughte sore and tooke Gutron prysonere And thyrtye dukes wyth hym in companye Vnchrysten were they all of panymrye ¶ And had the felde wyth all the vyctorye And of Danes manye thousande slewe He baptyzed than as made is memorye Thys kynge Gutron that after was full trewe And named was Athylstan all newe To whome the kynge gaue than all Estenglande As Edmonde had to holde of hym that lande ¶ And all hys dukes were also there baptyzed And chrysten menne bycame for goddes loue The yere of Chryste .viii. C. thenne compeysed Seuente and .viii. as Flores doth approue The kyng was then agayne at his aboue Remembred hym of Denwolfe that hym hyd And sent for hym to Ethelingay he dyd ¶ His wyfe was deed somwhat was he letred At his desyre the kyng set hym to lerne To tyme that he was wyse and mekell betred In holy wryt that he coulde well discerne And then the kyng made hym byshop as yerne Of Winchester when Dunbert there so dyed That byshop was afore hym sacrafyed ¶ In the yere .viii. C. and foure score The Danes in Thamis wintred at Foulham The kyng came in somer after thore And slewe them all that they went neuer hame The deed the quycke the maymed and the lam◠All buryed wer where the batayle was smyten As Flores sayeth and clerly hath it wryten ¶ At Rochester the Danes were efte on londe With whom the kyng there faught many slew Many drowned and lyeng on the sonde As they vnto theyr shyppes agaynwarde flewe He droue them there vnto a warmly stowe After theyr laboure to haue recreacyon Vpon the sondes to make theyr habitacyon The C .x. Chapiter ¶ How Marine bishop of Rome graūted to kyng Alurede to found an vniuersytee and study for clerkes which he made at Dxenforde where the clerkes be sworne they shall not rede for theyr fourme at Stamforde ANd in the yere .viii. C .lxxx. and tweyne Marine bishop of Rome graūted to kīg A lurede To foūd make a study thē again And an vniuersyte for clerkes in to rede The whiche he made at Oxenforde in dede To that entent that clerkes by sapyence Agayne heretykes should make resystence And chrysten fayth mayntayne by theyr doctryne The kyng also to comforte and counsayle By theyr teachyng and wytty disciplyne As Phylosophers of olde dyd great auayle To kynges prynces and cytees gouernayle Gaue all theyr wyt in studye and
greate meyne hym mette greate honour As if he had been of Roome themperour ¶ At his commyng again into England He gaue Norway vnto his soonne sir Swayne And to Herold his soonne as I vnderstand England he gaue of whiche he was full fain And to Harknowt Denmarke he gaue certain And so dyed in Christen whole creaunce At Shaftisbury buryed by his ordynaunce ¶ The yere of Christ a thousand so was than And thirty foure also truly written When he had reigned fro the tyme that he began Eightene yere whole as well it was wrytten With the darte of death whē that he was smitten In whose dayes the land was inquiet Full of riches and of welfare whole replete The C .xviij. Chapiter ¶ Herold kyng of England the soonne of kyng Kno wt reigned fiue yere and dyed in the yere a thousand and .xxxix. HErolde his soonne was crouned then in deede By Loofrike that duke of Leiscestre By Londoners in Flores as I reede By Danyshyr also as saieth the letter That strong werre then and of power greater Then other lordes of Englishe nacion At London made was this coronacion ¶ Alurede the soonne of kyng Ethelrede With fifty sailes landed at Southampton Wher kynge Herold with hoste hym met in deede Redy to fight with hym for the croune But certain lordes of Englondes region Betwene theim treated that Alurede went again To Normandy to duke Robert full plain ¶ But afterward as Alurede so rode Fro his mother vnto the kyng Herold The duke Goodwyn on Gyldismore hym bode With people greate of nombre manyfold And slewe his menne downe there as he would And led hym furth to Ely and hym slewe As traitour false that euer had bee vntrewe ¶ Some chronicle saieth he putte out bothe his eyen Fro whiche he dyed sone for pain and woo Some other sayin he slette his wombe full keen The lengest gut to a stacke he nayled tho Led hym about the stack ther with muche wo Till all came out that was his wombe within Thus sleugh thei hym with sobteltie and gyn ¶ His mother quene Eme Edward then sent To Normandy to duke Wyllyam anone That hir cousyn was to kepe he were not shent By kyng Herold of his cruelty alone Warnyng hym of the treasō that Herold had dooen For whiche cause Herold hir exild Out of England and Edward also hir child ¶ To Flaundres she fled then full sore amoued To erle Badwyn hir cousyn nie of bloodde Declaryng to hym howe Herold had distroyed Hir soonne Alurede that heyre of England stood And exiled hir without socour or good And Edward also hir soonne heire of England His brother children also awaye in vncouth land ¶ Wherfore therle to kyng Hardknowt then wrote All hir compleynt and of his socour prayed And he should help with all his might God wote It were amendid of that she was affrayed He came anone in warre full well aryed Into Flaundres his mother for to please Hir for to socour and sette hir hert in ease ¶ In whiche meane while the kyng Herold dyed At Westminster and buried was full feire After he had reigned as it is notified Fiue yere reigned without any heire Of his body gotten after hym to repeire England to gouerne wherfore the lordes by assēt To kyng Hardknowte then into Flaundres sente ¶ To bee their kyng sith Herold was a gone To please hym with and his mother to comfort Who came to England furth with anone And crouned was with all the whole disport That lordes conde as Flores dooeth report Thus kyng Hardknowt was kyng of Englande than Who worthily that tyme to reigne tho began ¶ This kyng began his brothers death to venge On erle Gowyn that erle was then of Kent That peased was for he should not reuenge With riche giftes whiche that he on hym spent With meekenesse lowe swore that he was sent To dooe that thyng on pein of high treson By kyng Herold charged without reason ¶ Through good and giftes mighty hie riches And of his kyn that meekely hym obeyed And by acquaintaūce that thei made then expresse Vpon the holy euangelis sworne vndelayed The kyng graūted hym his grace was well payed To make hym of his coūsell of gouernaūce Without more wrath or any discordaunce ¶ He maried then his sister Gunylde to Henry Themperour that falsly was accused Of synne and cryme vsed in auoutry With a young manne the whiche hir excused After the lawe of the land that was there vsed By battaill of his hand that then their flewe His accusour approuyng hym vntrewe ¶ For the whiche she would nomore come in his bed But lyued sole euer after so hir life For good ne gold for aught that he hir beed For loue ne threte for betyng ne for strife With hym dwellyng forthwarde as his wife In all thynges els euer at his gouernaunce Bothe daye and night in womanly pleasaunce ¶ Kyng Hardknowt then his doughter maryed Vnto a duke of the Danishrie At Lambirgh dyed at his feast magnified Emong his lordes and all his prelacie And putte hym whole in God his high mercye And charged theim his brother Edward to croūe To reioyse the land of Englandes region ¶ This was the yere of Christ then inscriued A thousand whole fourty also and one When that he had reigned as was subscribed The twoo yere whole whē he was thus wyse gone For whom was made that tyme full muche mone At Wynchester byside his father buryed With lordes all thither full well accompaignied The C .xix. Chapiter ¶ Kyng Edwarde the confessour kyng of Englād reigned twenty and foure yeres that began the yere of Christ a thousand fourty and one and dyed the yere a thousand sixty and fiue EDward his brother sōne of kīg Ethelrede was crowned then kyng of Englande The yere of Christ a M. then in dede Fourtye one as Flores could vnderstande To whom the kyng Swayn of Denmarke lande The tribute whiche he had fully relesed And warres all betwene theim ceassed ¶ To sende hym then the hole Englyshe nauy Agayn Magnus that kynge was of Norwaye That helde it so by wrong and tirannie Whiche Edwarde sente anone in great araye With lordes knightes and squiers freshe gaye With archers many by whiche he gate his lande Of Norwaye hole and seazed it in his hande ¶ Erle Eustace of Boleyn that had wed Edwardes suster on his mother syde To Edwarde came at Douer sore bested Where then his men a burges slewe that tyde Wherfore therle Goodwyn set full of pryde Asked the kyng to haue delyueraunce Of therls men to byde his ordynaunce ¶ Notwithstandyng that Burges slewe his knight For that same cause wherfore he it denyed But made peace then as he therle had hight Of Boleyne so his brother in lawe alied For whiche therle Goodwyn sore replied And warred sore vpon the kyng eche daye With his sonnes fyue in full great araye ¶ Not cōsideryng that kyng
all thyng To you present and take this halfe golde rynge Whiche ye gaue hym of almesse and charyte And bade vs say that ryght sone ye should him se ¶ Whiche ryng he set together there anone And that ylke place he called ay after hauerynge And that same place where they it braste alone He called ay after that tyme Claueryng In Essex be bothe fayre standynge Where that he made two churches of saint Iohn Theuangelyst and halowed were anon ¶ Sone after that he dyed and went to blysse But fyrste he made duke Herold protectoure Of his cousyne to gouerne and to wysse Edgar Athelyng full yonge a gouernoure Whome he ordeyned to be his successoure As very heyre to Edmonde Ironesyde But thus Herolde then set all that asyde When he had be kyng .xxiiii. yere He dyed the yere a thousande syxtye and fyue At Westminster canonyzed is full clere All newe he made the churche there in his lyue All were he not ryght heyre as men in stryue A confessoure he is full hye in heuen With God to dwell euermore and beleuen Herolde by strength then crowned was for kynge Forsworne that was vpon the euangelystes For to crowne Edgar Athelynge And hym protecte and defende in all wyse Vnto his age that none the realme suppryse This was his othe of whiche he was forswore All yf he made Edgar an Earle therfore ¶ The earle Tosty then of Northumberlande That brother was vnto the kyng Herolde By kyng exyled out of the lande To Englande came with kyng Herold full bold Of Norwaye then in Chronycle as is tolde But kyng Herolde of Englande with them met At Staūford brydge to death they both wer bet ¶ Besyde yorke was this batayl ful sore smyten Where kyng Herolde of Englande had the felde And slewe Herolde Harngrey as was wryten Kyng of Norwaye and earle Tosty vnder shelde That neuer after myght armes welde And thousandes fell of Danes and Norwayes He kylled there that daye as Flores sayes A yere he reygned whom Willyam Conquerou◠That duke was then of all fayre Normandye Hym slewe in batayle for his ymagyned erroure Agayne hym that he dyd so cruelly And not wolde mende ne yet satisfye The duke Willyan so the felde then conquered With strokes sore for whiche the lande was ferd This kyng Herolde at Waltam whiche he found Of foure score chanons full fayer was buryed At the hye aulter as a kyng was crownde All yf he were intrusor notifyed And in batayl slayne and victoryed Of gentylnesse the Conquerour bad so All yf he were afore his mortall fo ¶ Willyam Conquerour kyng of Englande and Duke of Nor mandye beganne to reygne the yere of Chryste a thousande .lxvi. and reygned .xxiiii. yere and dyed the yere a thousande lxxxx and the sayde Conqueroure founded the Abbaye of Batayle for the soules of the people slaine there the fourenene daye of October in the yere of Chryste a thousande thre score and syxe The C .xxi. Chapiter THe .xiiii. daye of October accompted The duke Wyllyam that was of Normandye At London was crowned and annoynted In trone royall to hauethe Monarchye By his conquest and his victorye Withoute tytle of ryght to hym discente But onely of his tryumphall entente ¶ The yere of Chryste was when Alurede hym crowned Tharchbyshop of Yorke hye primate A thousande hole .lxvi. well founde Quene Mawde his wyfe to hym assocyate He crowned also that tyme in her estate The abbay of batayle that then he bounded And for the soules there slayne he founded ¶ He called it so then for a memorye Of his batayle by whiche Englande he gate In token of his myghty victorye That Englande there he had so well ouerset To praye for the soules slayne as was his det Whiche abbaye is in Sussex in that stede Where the batayle was and the people dede ¶ The South part of England then he rode And dalt it largely vnto his menne The North again hym rebelled then abode With help of Danes in that countre were then And Scottes also that false wer when and whē But kyng Wyllyam that worthy conquerour Discomfite theim with long and sore labour ¶ To Normandy he went then right anone And with hym had Edgar called Athelyng Edwyn and Morkar afore that were his fooen For cause they should not then make more risyng In his absence while he were ther abidyng But at his home commyng with hym again He brough theim all of whiche the folke were fain ¶ Gospatrik that then was erle of Cumberland That not again stode king Malcolin in his werre When he distroyed therldome and his land But hym withdrewe out of waye full ferre Wherfore the kyng as saieth the chronicler Hym disherited and gaue to Rauf Mesthyne His erldo meto whom menne did enclyne The C .xxii. Chapiter ¶ Homage of Scotlande dooen to kynge Willyam conquerour at Birmithi in Scotland and also howe the kyng of Fraunce scorned the kyng Wyllyam he quit it hym after THen rode the kyng into Scotlād anone And brent the land vnto Abirnythy Where kynge Malcolyne submitted hym with great mone And homage leege hym did full humbly And amended there all his iniury Then went he furth to Duram wher he offred And to the churche he gaue great good vncoffred ¶ He thē his lawe and peace alwaye proclaymed Officers made in euery shire about And so held on to London vnreclaymed Wher his iustice he sett that land throughout The kyng of Fraunce thus scorned hym out of doubt That kyng Wyllyam in Gesine had lyen long And tyme hym wer been kyrked with good songe ¶ When he this hard to Fraunce he went anone There to bee kirked he offrid his candill bright A thousand townes he brent as he did gone At theim he prayed the kyng of Fraunce to light His candill then if that he goodly might Whiche at his kirkehale and puryficacion To Mars he thought that tyme to make his oblaciō ¶ Edwyn therle proclamed of Leicester After decesse of Algary his father dere And erle Morcare his brother that after Dyed bothe twoo Lucy their suster clere Of Leicester then and Lyncolne bothe in fere The coūtesse was whome kyng William maried To Iue Tailboys erle of Angeou magnified ¶ To kyng Wylliam then came full glad again At Wynchester he held his parliament Wher he then slewe for wrath and greate disdain The duke Waldiue that no harme to hym ment But onely for he counselled and consent To erle Edgar to gette his heritage Of England whole and made to hym homage ¶ Who duke was then of Northumberland And erle create was also of Huntyngton By chronicles olde as menne can vnderstand Entitled whole as of all Northampton Beheded was at Wynchester towne Whose hedde together grewe to the necke again Buried at Crowland for sainct the soth to sain ¶ The kyng then made as I vnderstand The bishop then of Duresme that Walter hight Erle proclamed of Northumberland Whom at Catteshede
that countre slewe doune right The kyng then made a lord that Awbryke hight Erle of that countre that durst not Scottes withstande Wherfore he gaue Robert Mowbray that lande ¶ And made hym erle of Northumberland The kyng then sent vnto euery shire Iustices to sitte throughout all the land Of all lordshipis and knightes fees enquere What temporales he had to knowe he had desire And what perteined vnto his royall croune And what the churche had of deuocion ¶ Vnto his soonne eldest then generate All Normandy he gaue in heritage And England whole to Wyllyam nominate His second soonne gaue with all thauauntage And to Henry his third soonne young of age Therldome gaue then of Gloucester sea With the honour of slede for euer in certente ¶ He dyed the yere a thousand four score and ten And of his reigne twenty yere and four tho At Cane buried in thabbey that hight then Sainct StepheÌ„s abbey by Cane that staÌ„deth so His doughter Ade afore had maried tho Vnto therle StepheÌ„ of Bloyes a prince of might Of warres wyse and a full manly knight The C .xxiij. Chapiter ¶ Wyllyam Rufus kyng of England reigned thirtene yere and began to reigne in the yere of our lorde a thousand four score and ten dyed that yere a thousand one hundred three HIs sooÌ„ne Wylliam Rufus as he deuised Was crouned then with great solempnitee But after soone duke Robert was auised To clayme England by his priorite And Normandy also as for his proprete As he that was his eldest soone and heire With hoste full greate in England game repeire ¶ And made greate warre vpon his brother so Three yere all out betwene theim so continued Till at last thei bothe betwene theim twoo Did condiscende as well to theim perteined With whole herte and will nothyng feined The iudgement of kyng Philip of Fraunce To vndergo and bide his ordinaunce ¶ In whiche meane while his brother erle HeÌ„ry The castels all belongyng to the croune As high constable of England properly Then seazed had in his possession As his office by good dereccion Asked of right and of good consuetude To kepe theim sure to the crounes excelsitude ¶ The kyng Philip by his auised parliament Gaue iudgement betwene the brethren twoo As kyng Wyllyam their father full ment All Normandy Robert should haue euer moo And Wyllyam England frendes should bee so And liue in peace without any clayme And either other releace and whole disclayme ¶ Th erle Henry of England then constable Deliuered all the castels and citees right To kyng Wyllyam his brother enheritable As he was bound and fully so had hight Duke Robert then his brother a worthy knight To England came to sport hym with his brother At whiche tyme either was glad of other The C .xxiiij. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Malcolyn of Scotland warred in England for his wife 's right pretendyng that she was right heire of England and afterward he did homage to kyng wyllyam Rufus for the realme of Scotland His Malcolin of ScotlaÌ„d greatly claimed T To haue England then by his wifes right Margarete suster of Edgar heire ê“clamed Of England whole that expelled was by might Of kyng Wyllyam conquerour by vnright So for his right the Northland he destroyed And home he went again nothyng annoyed ¶ But then the kyng and his brethren twoo To Scotland rode and wasted sore the land Till Malcolyne came and did his homage By letter wrytten and sealed I vnderstand Whiche Hardyng gaue in to kyng Henryes haÌ„d Without reward or any recompence Of mayne labour his costagis and expence ¶ The duke Robert went home to Normandy And kyng Malcolyne his soonne then Edward Warred again Northumberland in hie But erle Robert that kepyng had and ward Of NorthuÌ„berland with hym then faught full hard Byside Alnwike at Malcolyne well were slain There Malcolyne and Edward his sooÌ„ne certain ¶ WheÌ„ quene Margret so of that tidynges knewe She eate neuer meate for sorowe dyed anone At Dunfermelyn buryed as then was dewe But nowe she is there shryned in fleshe and bone Workyng miracles as sayeth many one Entombed faire and in the firetree translate Of whiche abbey nowe is she aduocate ¶ The Scottes then made Dunwalde so their kyng Malcolynes brother that to it had no right But DunkaÌ„ sonne of Malcolyne that knowyng With helpe of kyng Wyllyam and royall might Of Scotlande so droaue hym awaye to flight And crouned was as chronicles vnderstande And homage made to wyllyam for his lande ¶ Sone after kyng Dunkan of Scotland slayn By treason was and Dunwall restitute Vnto the croune of Scotlande then agayne Whome Edgare then by succoure and refute Of kyng Wyllyam droue out all destitute Of any helpe and crouned was in Scotlande To kyng Willyam did homage for his lande ¶ Of whose homage Iohn Hardyng gaue that letter Full clerely made written well and sealed The whiche also with other letters better That by reason maye not be repeled The whiche yf he would haue enbeseled The kyng Iames vnto his waryson A M. marke hym hight of his discrecion ¶ And in his tyme Roes that Richarde hight The kyng of Wales in battayl strong was slayn Besyde the castell of Brekenham then full right Fro whiche tyme forthe theyr kynges seazed full playn And princes called they were soth to sayn The kyng with hoste on Robert Monbraye rode Who with the kyng faught of his traytourhode ¶ And discomfite helde Bamburgh castell then And the kyng enduryng full .vii. yere Consentyng with the lordes that so began For to depose the kyng of his croune clere And duke Robert his brother with great power To croune and make the kyng of all Englande With Normandy to ioyse I vnderstande ¶ The kynge exiled Anselme of Cauntorbury Tharchebyshop that withstode his wronges Doen to the churche and to the prelacie To the commons also that theim belonges SeueÌ„tene tounes with also many churches amoÌ„ges And abbeys foure he wasted and confounde The newe forest in Hamshire for to founde ¶ He buylded the Newcastell vpon Tyne The Scottes to gaynstande and to defende And dwell therin the people to enclyne The towne to builde and walle as did append He gaue theim ground golde ful great to spend To buylde it well and wall it all aboute And fraunchised theim to paye a free rent out ¶ The rentes frutes to tharchbishop ê‘teinyng And to the byshoppes of Wynchester Sarum And also .ix. abbeys lyuelod conteynyng In his handes leazed and held all and some But for his workes buylynges held eche crome With whiche he made then westmynster hall And the castel of Newecastell withall ¶ That staÌ„deth on Tyne therin to dwel in warre Agayne the Scottes the countree to defende Whiche as men sayd was to hym mekill deer And more pleasyng then otherwyse dispende And muche people for it did hym coÌ„mende For cause he dyd the commen wealthe sustene Of marchers vnnumerable to mayntene The
C .xxv. Chapiter ¶ This kyng Willyam Rufus taxed so sore the commons that they'might not mayntene tilthe for whiche fell great derth and great myschiefe and moren of catel for defaute of food for whiche the commons wer glad of his death GReat tallage of England then was raysed In so ferforth that tilthe of land was leyd Of which sued mischiefe nothyng praysed For faute of food morayn of bestiall frayed And death of people for hunger sore arayed A kyng woteth not what harmeth housbandrye Housbande to pill and taxe outragiously ¶ To Godis dome haue no consyderacion Howe that this kyng on huntyng as he stoode Vnder a tree and as writynges maketh mencion Walter Tyrel at his game in that wood Shotyng at a dere of whiche he drewe no bloode But stroke the kyng vnto the dethes wounde That there anone he died vpon the ground ¶ At Wynchester then buried anone The date was then of his reygne .xiii. yere For whome the folke no sorowe made nor moone He hurte theim so with taxe and tallage here Of Christ a thousande an C. and three yere clere Whose death the folke in no wise did complayn Were they all therof bothe glad and fayn The C .xxvi. Chapiter ¶ Henry the first kyng of Englande and duke of Normandy◠reigned .xxxvi. yere and died in the yere of Christe a thousande C. and .xxxix. HEnry his brother that first was of that name was crouned thē with al that honour might be He recōsiled saynt Anselne that cam hame Who crouned Maude his wyfe full fayre free That doughter was full of benignitee To kyng Malcolyne saint Margarete that quene Of Scotlande whiche afore that tyme had been ¶ On whom he gate Willyam Richard Mold Whose goodnesse is yet spoken of full wide If she were fayre hir vertuous manyfolde Exceaded farre and vices she set aside Debates all that engendred were of pride She staunched hole with all beneuolence And visited sycke and poore with diligence ¶ The presoners also wemen eke with childe And in gesene lyuyng ay where aboute Clothes and meate and beddyng newe vnfiled Wyne also and ale she gaue without doubte Where she sawe nede in countrees al throughout These crosses all that yet bee moste royall In the hye wayes with gold she made theim all ¶ Kyng Edgare thē hir brother was of Scotlād That to kynge Henry then made homage The byshop of Duresme then toke on hande The duke Robert to gone in message To make hym clayme Englande his herytage The whiche he dyd anon withoute delaye As they accorded vpon a certayne daye ¶ But Anselne byshop of Caunturbury And also quene Maude then made them well accorde The kyng to paye thre M. marke yerely To duke Robert withoute more discorde And counsayled then the kyng as was recorde To loue the lordes that made the discencyon Betwyxte his brother and hym by conuencyon ¶ The kyng Henry warred Robert Estenuyle The eldest sonne of Roger Mountgomery And his brother that was so called that whyle And create Earle of Shrewysbury Who his castell of Arundell helde for thy And Shrewysbury also and the cytee With other mo castels in his countre ¶ Whiche to the kyng he yelde by conuencyon He and his brother to passe to Normandye With all theyr men without discencyon To theyr father Roger Mountgomerye That earle was there of Bolesmo manly The kyng went then to Caue and to Baxhous Helde them with force and herte full couetous Whiche towres Robert the duke of Normandy Asked of hym to haue delyueraunce And his money of thre thousand marke yerely Whiche he ought hym by the hole concordaunce Whiche he agayne sayde and stode at variaunce Wherfore they fell on warre and toke the felde With hostes greate full sore faught vnder shelde ¶ At Tenarthbray that is in Normandye Where Nigell then of Albany that hyght Toke duke Robert in batayll manfully And brought him bound vnto the kyng with might For which that kyng anone there made him knight And gaue hym landes that were forfet afore By Robert Stutuyle in Englande for euermore ¶ He gate also a castell besyeged longe Whiche he scalyd with noble polycie And to the kyng it gaue though it were wronge For whiche the kyng gaue hym anon in hye The landes all that forfet were only By Robert Monbray earle of Northumberland In his brothers tyme as I vnderstande ¶ The same Nygell that hyght Albanye A sonne had then whome the kyng Henry Roger Monbray dyd call euer after ay Thus Albany was chaunged morally Vnto Monbray for the lyuelod onely Whiche Monbray had afore of herytage These Monbrayes nowe rose fyrst of hye corage ¶ This kynge Henry then seazed Normandye And made his sonne Willyam duke of that lande And home came to Englande then in hye And in the yere of Chryste to vnderstande A thousande hole an C. and ten on hande His doughter Maude he maryed to Henry That Emperour was then of Romanye He put his brother duke Robert in straite warde And many other that were of his cognisaunce Where he released couenauntes and forwarde Afore wryten of his enherytaunce That betwene them myght make any dystaunce And founde hym euer in all royall estate By good auyse and councell ordynate ¶ Whiche duke ordred was so for he forsoke The realme of al the lande of Ierusalem When he was chose therto and nought it toke For couetyse to haue this Englyshe realme For he forsoke that fortune as men dyd deme Agayne goddes wyll and his hye ordynaunce For chosen he was by all chrysten creaunce ¶ For at wynnynge of Ierusalem Where prynces many kynges and dukes were He was the worthyest of any realme And bare hym beste in knyghtly dede of warre At all assautes moste knyghtly dyd hym beare The honoure all and fame he had euermore And chosen was there to be kynge therfore ¶ Men saide that God gaue hym suche punyshmēt His brother to put hym in greate myserye Vnto his death agayne his owne entente For he forsake Chrystes owne monarchye In whiche he was borne for man lyste to dye The chrysten fayth to mayntayne and encrease For couetyse his brother to discreace ¶ The yere of Chryste a thousande was ful cle◠And an hundreth also and therwithall eyghtene When good quene Maude was deed laide on be◠At Westminster buryed as well was sene For heuynesse of whiche the kyng I wene To Normandy then went vnto his sonne The duke William there with hym dyd wonn◠¶ The third yere after to England came agay◠The duke his sonne Willyam of Normandye His brother Rycharde also the sothe to sayne And earle Rycharde of Chester in company With many other lordes in shyppes them bye Vpon the sea were dreynt in greate distresse Of the whiche the kyng had then great heuinesse ¶ Which duke Williā had wed y◠doughter then Of Fowke Tailboys Earle of Angeou had bene With whome a C .lx. knyghtes with many men And
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
as the rose in Maye To Raufe was wed that was lorde Mortymer Of whome that earles of Marche become full clere ¶ Then went the kyng and quene to Gascâ—yne And Gwyan to set that lande in pees And so forth then he went to Aragon To sporte them with theyr father there no lees To Gwyan then agayne for his encrees He came anone and set in peace that lande And so came agayne to Englande The C .l. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng dyd atteynt his Iustices and sette enquery of peace breakers ryouters oppressours extorcyoners and of the vsurye of Iewes HIs Iustyces all by lawe he dyd attaynt For wrong domes false iudgement For couetyse that false were then faynt To helpe the poore coÌ„mons to theyr entent He set Iustyces in heyre by all assent That called was that tyme Troilebaston For to enquere of all extorcyon ¶ Of Ryouters fyghters and baratours Of market beters that raysed greate debates Of peace breakers and all the susteynours That were with theim of preuy assocyates Of oppressours of all the pore estates And all that were then founde culpable Emprysoned were or by theyr pursse excusable ¶ Of Iewes within this lande that was abidyng Great plaintes were made of Okoure and vsury Howe they dyd waste the folke by suche winning And preuy bondes made without measure In payne of double or elles forfeture The king theÌ„ voided for whiche that church a disme Hym graunted so dyd the coÌ„mons a quindecyme ¶ Rys Ap Madoke a warre in Wales gan take Agayne the kyng that great warres had sustened And prynce hym called of Wales without make Who then at Yorke by lawe full wel mainteyned On galous hye as to hym well apperteyned Was drawen and hanged his hed vpon the towre was set anon as rebell and traytoure The C .li. Chapiter ¶ Howe Edmonde Earle of Lancaster and of Leycester kept Gwyan and wed quene Blaunche of Nauerne the kynges syster of Fraunce and therfore he bare the labell in his armes for dyfference fro the kynges of Englonde euer after KYng Edward sent his brother theÌ„ ful dere To kepe GuyaÌ„ and with him stroÌ„g chiualry Who gouerned there that land without pere To hye honoure as made is memorye In Fraunce sore dred amonge the aduersarye And other landes lyeng there all aboute Aboue all men he was there moste bedoute For euer he put them to the worse in felde In armes ay he had the victorye And in Parys at Iustes vnder shelde Far passyng was and dyd ay notably That for his manhode and famous chyualrye In so ferforth that all landes hym commende For his manhode whiche so in hym they kende ¶ He wed dame Blaunche of Nauerne that was quene King Philip sister that was ful good faire Of whome he gate Thomas of LaÌ„caster I wene And Henry his brother that afterwarde was heire And earles both they were without dispayre Of Lancaster and also of Leycestre As Flores hath expressed well by lettre ¶ For whiche weddyng and noble alyance He and his heyres bare for a difference Englande armes with labell hole of Fraunce By whiche all men maye haue intellygence That Edmonde was yonger in existence Then kyng Edward though some say that coÌ„trary And from the truth yet haue they wyll to vary The C .lii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the fyue portes toke the nauy of Fraunce on the seâ— in batell THe kyng of FrauÌ„ce a nauy great then seÌ„â— Vpon Englande to warre in great aray Which that .v. portes toke on the sea shent And people greate there slewe dreynt that daye Theyr shyppes all by batayl and affraye Were take and brought then into Englande With capitaynes many and lordes of that lande ¶ Kyng Philyp then at Parys in parlyament Somonde Edwarde afore hym to appere Surmittyng hym of robbery felonoment Vpon his flete so done by tymes sere For faute of aunswere foreiuged hym there Destroyed his land in eche place where he might But kyng Edwarde then went to Fraunce ryght ¶ And gate agayne his landes euerychone And sought ay where vpon the kyng of FrauÌ„ce But he fled euer and batayle wolde geue none Sone after so Philyp by ordynaunce A trewce toke by good ordynaunce For all his landes beyonde the sea To set in peace with all tranquilyte The C .liii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Morgan and Madoke his brother were sette in the towre for rebellyon in Wales made by comforte of kynge Phylip of Fraunce IN Wales Morgan made war great distaunce And Madoke also his brother ful vntrew For whiche the kyng with all his ordenauÌ„ce To Wales went faught with them all newe At straytes great whiche tho traytours knewe Yet were they take and put in sore pryson Within the towre for theyr rebellyon ¶ The kyng Philyp had sent then golde to waâ— On England then with sir Thomas Turbiruile Who was espyed by sotell meanes afferre And heded was anon for all his guyle His wyt not holpe hym then ne yet his wyle He dyed with shame repreef and vilany Engendred all of mede and surquedrye The C .liiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Earle Edmonde was Leuetenaunt of Guyan and warred vpon the kyng of Fraunce and defyed hym by letter for he brake the promyse made to Edwarde his brother kynge of Englande SIr EdmoÌ„d erle of Lancaster theÌ„ ful trewe LeuetenauÌ„t then of Guian all throughout On whom that king Philip then rode al new And brake the trewce with hostes great and stout Wherfore he went to hym without doubte To se howe that it myght be well defende He bade hym thus set to his knee and amende ¶ Wherfore in ire he gaue hym vp homage The whiche he ought for his lande that he helde And aunswered hym agayne of great corage From hens forwarde I shall you holde the felde And at my power eche daye vnder shelde Proue howe ye do vnto my lorde greate wronge The whiche I shall amende or it be longe And so departed withoute more langage And into Guyan came with all his myght And to his brother wrote made hym knowlage And bade hym come with power for to fyght With spere and bowe for other writ of ryght Maye not be got within the courte of Fraunce For to recouer his hye enherytaunce ¶ Eche day theÌ„ce forth with baÌ„ners hole displeyed He helde the felde and kyng Philyp warred And leters sent hym defyals and vmbrayde Of hys suraunce and othe that he had erred And castelles gate fâ—ll many not differred Kyng Edward sent his brother then suppowaile The Frenche partye to warre and assayle The C .lv. Chapiter ¶ Howe syr Roger Mortymer was made Earle of Marche at Kyllyngworthe and set the rounde table of a thousande knyghtes and as many ladyes ANd in the yere a. M. was full then Two hundreth also syxty and nyntene When syr Roger Mortymer so began At Kelyngworth the rounde table as was sene Of a thousande knyghtes for disciplyne Of yonge men after he coulde deuyse Of turnementes and iustes to
Sir Robert then my mayster Vmfreuyle At Redeswyres withoute excusacyon With Richarde Rotherforde fought that whyle And toke the stewarde as I can compyle And Iames Douglas with the lorde Seton And prisoners many for to geue raunson ¶ Two hundreth men vpon that felde were slayne Thre hundreth fled some hole some maymed sore That dyed at home with sorowe and with payne Some died homeward the home they came nomore Where so he fought vnto his men right thore A mery worde he wòlde saye or they met To glad theyr hartes enemyes to ouerset ¶ The .ii. yere of his reygne then he went In haruest tyme so into Scotlande And Edenburgh with the countre brente In whiche tyme the Scottes brent our lande All Bamburgh shyre in Northumberlande For both wardeyns with the kyng were gone No wardeyne there but husbandes by their owne The CC .i. Chapiter ¶ Howe Owen of Glendoure rose in Wales againe the king and made warre on the lorde Gray Ruthin and toke the lorde Graye and syr Edmonde Mortymer THe king came home and to London went At Michelmasse wher thē he had message That Owen Glendoure then felly blent In Englande sore and did full great damage For cause the lorde Graye helde his herytage And to the kyng of it full sore had playned No remedye gate so was he then demeaned ¶ The lorde Gray Ruthin did hym great wrong Destroyed his lande and he did hym the same So both Marches destroyed were full longe But Owen wanne him selfe eche day great name Of vasselrie of gentyls and of fame That he them did for whiche to him they drewe And became his men to him were full trewe ¶ So on a daye the lorde Graye and he met With great power vpon eyther syde Where then they faught in batayle sore bet And toke hym then his prysoner that tyde And there the felde he had with mikyll pryde Greate people toke and slewe home he went The lorde Graye he raunsomed at his entent ¶ Syr Edmonde then Mortimer warred sore Vpon Owen and dyd hym mekyll tene But at laste Owen laye hym before Where in batell they faught as well was sene Where Owen toke him prisoner as then ful kene With mekell folke on eyther syde slayne And set Edmonde in prysone and great payne ¶ He wrote vnto the kyng for great socoure For he had made with Owen his fynaunce To whom that kyng wolde graunt then no fauoure Ne nought he wolde thē make him cheuesaunce For to comforte his foes disobeysaunce Wherfore he laye in feters and sore prysone For none payment of his greate raunsone The CC .iii. Chapiter ¶ The Earle of Northumberlande his sonne Henry Percy stroke the batayle of Hamildon with the Scottes toke syxe Earles and discomfyte .xl. thousande Scottes IN the .iii. yere Th erle of Fyffe Murrey Of Athell and Angos Douglas also And of Menteth with barons fell that daye The nomber was .xl. thousande and mo Had brent the lande by south Northward tho To Homildon where on holy rode daye The earle them met in good stronge araye ¶ His sonne also Henry Percy was there George of Dunbar was in theyr company And with the Scottes that daye fought full sere Discomfyted them and had the victorye Six earles taken and .xl. thousande playnly Some fled some died some maimed there for euer That to Scotlande agayne came they neuer ¶ The kyng Henry thryce to wales went In the haye tyme and haruest dyuers yere In euery tyme were mystes and tempestes sent Of wethers foule that he had neuer power Glendour to noye but euer his caryage clere Owen had at certayne straites and passage And to our hoste dyd full greate damage ¶ The king had neuer but tempest foule raine As longe as he was ay in Wales grounde Rockes mystes windes stormes euer certaine All men trowed that witches it made that stounde The cōmens all then of all Englande grounde Warred his gate to Wales euery yere For haye and corne were loste both two in fere Whiche made greate derth of catell morayne And euen ay in hylles and in mountaynes Kepte him ful strong that king ay wrought in vaine The king might not but euer more held that pleines And waste his owne lord shippes his demaines And full great parte Owen had and occupyed By processe so in Wales and victoryed ¶ Th erle Henry then of Northumberland Brought to the kyng his owne prisoner Th erle of Fyffe was then I vnderstand Heire vnto the duke of Albany clere Regent that was of Scotland without pere But sir Henry his soonne then would not bryng His prisoners in no wise to the kyng ¶ But the kyng he prayed for Mortimer That raunsomed might he been with his frendes so He saied hym nay for he was taken prisoner By his consent and treson to his foo Whom he would not comfort for to ouergoo The prince his landes ne his owne to destroye For ay he had greate trust that he should hym noye ¶ The kyng hym blamed for he toke not Owen When he came to hym on his assuraunce And he aunswered then to the kyng again He might not so kepe his affiaunce To shame hym self with suche a variaunce The kyng blamed hym for his prisoner Th erle Douglas for cause he was not there ¶ And saied he should hym fette but he hym sēde Sir Henry sawe no grace for Mortimer His wifes brother he went awaye vnkende To Berwyk so and after came no nere Afore thei mette at Shrowesbury in fere Wher then thei faught for cause of his entent He purposed had Mortimer his coronoment ¶ The lordes all of England had hym hight And Owayn also on seuerne hym to mete Except therle of Stafford young to fight By their letters vnder their seales mete But in the poinct thei brake all their behete And he was slain and all the cause conselid Why he the feld tooke and the kyng appelid The CC .iii. Chapiter ¶ Howe for therle of Marche his right sir Henry Percy and sir Thomas Percy his vncle erle of Worcester faught with the kyng and were slain at the battaill of Shrewesbury wher all the lordes deceiued them the yere of Christ a thousand foure hundred and thre and of his reigne the fourth yere that were bounde to theim by their seales except therle of Stafford whiche letters I sawe in the castell of Werkeworth when I was constable of it vnder my lord sir Robert Vmfre uile who had that castell of kyng Henry his gift by forfeture of therle of Northumberland ON Madleyn euen was on the Saterdaye After long trete the prince began to fight The yere of Christ a thousād was no nay Foure hundred also and three therto full right When the battaill was streken of mikell might And of the kyng then was the fourth yere Of his reigne accompted well and clere ¶ His vncle dere was with hym there dedde His father came not out of
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
Of French nor Scottes ye get neuer to your pay Any treaty or trewce or good concorde But yf it be vnder your banner aye Whiche maye neuer be by reason any waye But yf youre realme stande well in vnyte Conserued well in peace and equyte ¶ Your marchis kepte also your sea full clere To FrauÌ„ce or Spaine ye may ride for your right To Portyngale Scotlande with your banner Whils your rerewarde in EnglaÌ„d staÌ„deth wyght Vnder your banner your enemies well you hight A better treaty within a lytell date Then in foure yere to your ambassate ¶ Remembred bene vnto youre excellence The tytles all that longe to youre regiment Of Scotlande hole with all my dilygence That third parte is of Britayne by extent And owe to bene at your coÌ„maundement And membre of your royall monarchye As Chroniclers haue made therof memorye ¶ Englande and Wales as to their soueraygne To you obey whiche shuld thinke shame of ryght To se Scotlande thus proudly disobeyne Agayne them two that bene of greate myght It is a shame to euery mannes syght Sith Iohn Baylioll his ryght of it resygned To kyng Edward why is it thus repugned ¶ Within thre yere theyr greate rebellyon Ye myght represse and vtterly restrayne And kepe them euer in youre possessyon For to obey youre might make them full fayne As kyng Edward dyd with hunger and with payne Them conquered hole to his subieccyon To byde euermore vnder his proteccyon ¶ Wherfore good lorde nowe girde you with your swerde And set vpon the frowarde heretykes That erren fro the two partes of the herde And strayen oute as they were litargykes Whiche haue forget their lorde as cronnatykes Hauyng no shame of theyr peruersyte Nor chaunge hewe for theyr falsyte ¶ And truste it well as God is nowe in heuen Ye shall neuer fynde the Scottes vnto you trewe Where they maye with youre enemies ay beleuen They wyll to you then alwaye be vnttewe Yet through your manhede it maye them rewe For lenger then ye haue them in subieccyon Truste neuer truth in them ne perfeccyon The CC .xli. Chapiter ¶ The kynges tytle to all his landes briefely reported with a mocyon to vnion Scotlande and Englande TO England haue ye right as ye maye se By Brutus chronycle SaroÌ„s NormaÌ„s To Wales that same ScotlaÌ„d also perde Who that the gifte and right well vnderstandes Of Iohn Bayloll howe he into the handes Of kyng Edwarde it gaue and resygned Why shulde it nowe be voyde and repygned ¶ To Fraunce youre title is writen well know For saynte Lowis to you by hole discente And Normandye all hole bothe hye and lowe Fro Willyam Conqueroure by hole entent Guyen and Poytowe withall to them appent For Elianour the mother of kyng Iohn Doughter and heyre to duke Willyam anon ¶ To Angeou also by Geffrey Plantagenet Father of Henry le fytz Empryce That of Angeou was Earle withouten let And of Mayne also a prynce of greate empryce To Irelande also by kyng Henry le fytz Of Maude doughter of fyrste kyng Henry That conquered it for theyr greate heresye ¶ To Casteil and to Lion also ye been Thenhe ritour also and verie heire By right of bloodde discended clere and clene Of Portyngale wher Lusshborne is full faire Fro kyng Petro without any dispeir For tho twoo bee the verie regions That named bee Castile and Legions ¶ Your graunsirez mother duchesse Isabell Full lady like faire and femenine To kyng Petro as I haue heard tell Was verie heire of theim by rightfull lyne To whom ye been heire as menne determyne By small hackeneys greate coursers men chastice As Arthure did by Scottes wanne all fraunchese ¶ Though scripture saieth of North all eiuill is shewed Me thynketh I can auauÌ„te it as properly That thei bee as manly learned and lewed As any folke and as muche pain maye dry Better menne of warre are not vnder the skye And of lyuyng Dauid saieth in his boke Of Scotland well who so that will it loke ¶ If ScotlaÌ„d were youres to Wales EnglaÌ„d Who hath power to make you resistence In any wise in any vncouth land Your rereward then scant in all sufficience To kepe England surely in your absence Make theim Albion and passe furth wher ye list To other landes ye nede none other trist The CC .xlii. ¶ Thexcusacion of the maker touchyng defautes of this booke and of the simplenes of it OF all maters I haue saied myne entent So as I couth espie in all wise enquere Whiche if it maye your highnes well coÌ„tent My hearte reioyseth to comfort your desire And of your grace euermore I you require For to consider my losse and my mayme in fere For Englandes right as well as I couth spere ¶ Besechyng ay vnto your royaltee If ought bee saied in this simple treatise Displeasyng to your hie nobilitee For to resume it in a better wise Hauyng my witte excused that neuer was wise And thinke I would haue meÌ„t vnto your plesauÌ„ce To whiche I lacke nothyng but suffisaunce ¶ Please it also vnto your royaltee The quene maye haue a vereie intellecte Of your eldres of greate antiquitee And of England of whiche she is electe Soueraigne lady full worthily protecte Vnder your rule and noble gouernaunce Whiche God ay kepe without variaunce ¶ The whiche should please her good femenite To reade vpon for her comfort and disporte To se and knowe the greate nobilite Of your eldres regalie and porte Whiche maye her glad alwaye and recomforte And if it maye please her souereingtie Of my labour I would reioysed bee ¶ For women haue femenine condicion To know all thynges longyng to their housband His high worship and his disposicion His hertes counsaill also to vnderstonde As at weddyng to her he made his bounde And moste of all his hertes priuetie And thestate of his good auncetrie ¶ O souereigne lorde that quene hath all fufficieÌ„ce As touchyng you but of your auncetrie In this treatise of all their excellence The quene maie se the worthy regence Of this your realme and noble monarchie Whiche hath been kept in greate nobilitee By your eldres of greate antiquitee ¶ This booke I call after my name Hardyng Sith God lent me that disposicion To enforme hym that laboured the wrytyng By plain language of small prouision Through Godes grace and his supposicion All destitute of language and science And desolate of rethoryke eloquence ¶ Moste cause was why I drew this ilke treatise To make your father haue had ê‘fecte knowlage And you also of Scotlande in all wise That percell was of your eldest heritage And of all landes moste nere your auauntage To haue it whole no more to bee dismembred Whiche might bee gote as it is afore remembred ¶ I had it leuer then Fraunce and Normandy And all your rightes that are beyonde the sea For ye maye kepe it euermore full sikirly Within your self and drede none enmytee And
desiring him to folow his couÌ„cel that he should not think this to be done of any rashnes shewed hym how warely through his pollicie all his matters were wroughte desired him that he would cast with him selfe how to bring such a weyghtie matter to passe wherby al thinges may be prouided before hand to whom after many great promises he offered his daughter then of ripe age to be maried to him The duke throughe the councell and greate desieryng of therle of Warwike was contented to dooe all thynges as he would haue hym After that therle had this communicacion with the duke he purposed to goo to Caleis of the whiche toune he was then chief capitain and wher his wife and doughters wer then inhabityng but to th end that this sedicion might bee the soner begonne where with all EnglaÌ„d was sore troubled a greate tyme he had apoinâ—ted that sone after he was gone to Caleis his brother tharchebishop the lord marques should make an insurreccion in Yorke wherby the battaill might bee begonne while he was so farre frome theim When all these thynges were prepared for and his counsaill well alowed and taken he went streight with that duke of Clarence to Caleys And ther after that the duke had promised by an othe that he would euer bee true he maried lady Isabell the erles eldest doughter that whiche wheÌ„ it was dooen thei bothe consulted together that more spedily for that that insurreccion was made in Yorke as it was commaunded and appoincted The whiche coÌ„paignie begoÌ„ne first to spoile with out all mercie or respect of any thyng For ther was at Yorke an old and a riche hospitall of sainct Leonard where the poore and impotent persones wer harboured the sicke menne comforted and this hous was founde of that charitee of the couÌ„tree whiche did geue yerely certain of wheate as that first fruites of all their corne to the sustenaunce and mainteynyng of theim to the whiche noumbre of grayne certain housband menne of the countree did refuse to gyue any part through the counsaill of therle of Warwikes compaignie saiyng plainly that the poore and sickely people had it not but thei that had that rule and gouernaunce of the hous and after that the procters of the hospitall claimyng it as dewe vnto theim sought for their right And for that cause greate tumulte was and muche conspiracie made so that within fewe dayes there was gathered aboute a fiftene thousand whiche compaignie came towardes Yorke But after that it was knowne in the citee that suche a compaignie of menne had risen the citizens watchyng euer for feare was in doubte whether thei should mete theim and trie it in open felde or tary in the citee and kepe theim frome the walles But the lord Marques chief of that couÌ„tre did put theim streight out of all feare and doubte the whiche takyng good deliberacion and aduisement metre theim cuÌ„myng at the gates of that citee where after a sharpe coÌ„flicte he tooke Robert Hulderne duke and by and by chopped of his hedde the whiche wheÌ„ he had dooen he receiued into the citee at the midde night all his souldiours that wer there The people beyng nothyng abashed at the death of their capitain but rather the more eger fearce consideryng that thei could not ouercome Yorke without ordinaunce whiche thei lacked weÌ„t streight forth to London And as for that the lord marques putte to death that duke and capitain of that coÌ„mons beyng also one of his coÌ„spiracie did it for this intent that either he would not bee aknowen faultie of this coÌ„mocion or els that he had vtterly determined to holde with kyng Edward of whom as it dooeth after appere he did get perfect amitie but after the kyng knewe the mynd and purpose bothe of therle of Warwike and the duke of Clarence his owne brother also certefied by dyuerse meÌ„nes letters that the armie was drawyng nigh to London he sent by and by Wyllyam Harberte whome he made twoo yeres before duke with a greate power of Walshe menne commaundyng hym if he could conueniently bydde battaill to his enemies The erle makyng hast towardes Northampton hard saie that the Northrenmenne had gotte it where also he sette his tentes and the next daye folowyng fought with theim in the whiche battaill he was putte to flight in a momeÌ„t and cleane discomfited The Yorkeshire menne beyng glad of this victorie wer streight couled went no ferder but hauyng their handes full of spoyles prayes went backe ward again lookyng when the erle of Warwike would come the whiche shortely after came from Calais with the duke of Clarence his soonne in lawe to the hoost commeÌ„dyng highly the capitaines and reioisyng gladly that thei had the victorie did spedyly prepare an other armie Yet kyng Edward beeyng nothyng abashed that therle of PeÌ„bruch had so eiuill sped seÌ„t hym forth again with a greater armie whiche he had readie at all tymes what so euer should chaunce he hym self he did folowe with a small coÌ„paignie and that he might bee readier for all thynges in his iourneye did encrease his armie with many that came to hym of his secte saiyng that his entent was to destroie that route of misliuers and flagicious persones and then therle of Warwike perceauyng that his aduersaries came vpon hym sent in all the hast to the duke of Clarence whiche was nigh by hym with an hoost that he would bryng his armie in all the hast to hym meanyng that bataill was at hand The duke when he hard it came streight to therâ—e So thei bothe commyng together went to Banberie where thei perceaued their enemyes teÌ„tes wer pitched there buckelyng together tooke the erle oâ— Penbruch prisoner and killed and discomfited all his menne and emonges other of his nobles theâ— was killed Rychard the erle of Ryuers the father of Elizabeth the quene his soonne Iohn Woduile And towardes euenyng kyng Edward drewe nigh and heryng of the death and soden betyng doune of his menne taried at a toune fiue myle frome that place Th erle of Warwike went to his chief toune with all his hoost and there within twoo dayes caused therle of PeÌ„bruch with certain other states taken at that tyme to bee behedded In the meane season there begonne awaie to bee fouÌ„d for peace for the whiche letters wer wrytten too and fro herauldes sent from the kyng to therle and frome the erle to the kyng again wherby the kyng trustyng verely that all was pacified was lesse ware of hym self and feared lesse his aduersaries the whiche thyng when it was knowen and shewed to the erle by certain spies he went furth in a night as priuely as he could with a strong power to the kyng his tentes ther killyng theim that kepte watche tooke the kyng vnware brought hym to Warwike and to the entent the kyng his frendes might not knowe wher he was conueighed hym priuely from thens in the night to a toune
in Yorkeshire called Middelame and there to bee kepte fast in hold But yet the kyng could bee in no place nor prisone but that shortely it was knowen the whiche caused many menne to bee sorie lament his chaunce But he hym self after that he was in prisone spake faire to the kepers of the castell and with muche intreatyng and greate promises made did so tempte and corrupt theim that he was dimissed althoughe the rumour was that the erle was willyng to it the whiche might bee of likelyhood if therle had gyuen ouer fightyng but suche was that eiuill fortune of kyng Henry wherby a manne maye perceiue that he could neuer haue his purpose seyng mannes strength nor policie is not able to ouercome for therle with all his freÌ„des did ventre their bodyes and spent their substauÌ„ce to haue brought Henry to the royall dignitee for because he knewe suerly that as long as Edward reigned neither could he nor yet kyng HeÌ„ry beare any rule And yet neuerthelesse thei lette hym goo when he was in holde when kyng Edward was deliuered he went streight to Yorke and there beyng honorably receiued of his citezens taried for the space of twoo dayes to gette hym an hoost of menne but when he could not haue a worthy compaignie consideryng that he should goo to London emong the middest of his hoost went frome Yorke to Lancastre there found Wyllyam Hastynges lord chamberlain of whoÌ„ he hauyng greate helpe came safe to LoÌ„don But therle of Warwike and the duke after thei had perceiued kyng Edward to bee deliuered throughe the meanes of false trai tours that all thynges that thei had appoincted was to none effecte was greately moued with anger and sorowe and by and by callyng together all their chief frendes consulted howe thei might begynne battaill again the whiche wheÌ„ the kyng was taken and in hold was ended and dooen And thus dooyng there was certain that for veray angre and for the loue that thei had to warre offred theim selfes to fight of freshe for nothyng that whiche moued the chief capitaines to be the more earnest Also kyng Edward was as wyllyng to fight as thei were wherby he might either bryng theim by force of armes to quietnes peace or els destroy and kylle theim euery mother soonne that the realme might bee in 〈…〉 tter state For thorowe their sedicious rebellyng the people wer greately impouerished seyng that the churcheâ— and houses of menne were spoiled and â—obbed and menne sâ—ain in euery place the corne grasse also destroyed that was of the grounde and many other mischiefes dooen the whiche dooe chaunce eftsons in battaill The consideracion wherof it pitiâ—d many menne to see the coÌ„men weale in that case the whiche weÌ„t dayly and hourely aswell to therle as to the kyng for atonemeÌ„t desieryng counselyng theim bothe that thei would rather kepe peace haue the loue of all menne for their quiet lyuyng then to liue in angre and enuie fightyng one with an other to that vndooyng of all the realme wher as it wer a wicked deede to kylle the father but yet a greate dele more wicked to destroye the whole bodie of the commen weale whiche is the father of all menne and by the whiche euery manne is maynteyned kept By this greate entreatyng of noble menne therle and the kyng gyuyng feyth one to an other peace was had for a tyme wherein the erle and the duke went bothe to London with a small compaignie of menne in comparison to the daunger that thei wer in and at Westminster was with the kyng for the reformacion and stablishyng of all thynges and for peace to bee had wher the kyng and thei beeyng at greate woordes nothyng was determyned or ended Therfore the kyng for the vowe that he had made departed and said lytle and the erle with the duke also went to Warwike and in Lyncolne shire gotte vp a newe hoost and made sir Robert Welles the soonne of Rychard Welles grauÌ„de capitain a noble manne of warre These tydynges commyng to London moued the kyng veray sore whome he thought would rather haue kepte peace theÌ„ warre but the more that it was shewed to hym vnlokyng for it that battaill was at hande with so muche that sooner more spede he gathered an armie at the same tyme seÌ„t dyuerse messeÌ„gers and haroldes for Rychard Welles and thesame Rychard â—eeyng often so sent for made his excuse that he was sicke diseased but afterward wheÌ„ his excuse was not admitted he thynkyng to purge hymself sufficieÌ„tly before the kyng came to London bringyng with hym sir Thomas Democke his brother in lawe and wheÌ„ he was there certain of his frendes certified hym that the kyng was sore moued with hym whiche for feare of the kyng did take sentuarie at Westminster his brother also mindyng to tary there vnto suche tyme as that kyng his anger wer couled apeaced But kyng Edward trustyng to pacifie all this tumulte without bloddeshede promisyng those meÌ„ne his feith that he would not harme theÌ„ caused theim bothe to come out of sentuarie Then the kyng callyng Rychard to hym warned hym to byd his brother Robert that he should leaue of warre and goo frome the erle and in the meane season the kyng went foreward with his hoost against his enemies bryngyng with hym this foresaid Rychard Thomas and beeyng but frome Stamforde wher his enemies did lie the space of twoo dayes iourney was informed that Robert kepte that armie still nothyng moued with that letters of his fathers wrytyng for the whiche the kyng beyng sore greued caused bothe Rychard and Thomas euen there coÌ„trarie to his promise moost shamefully to haue their heddes chopped of Robert wheÌ„ he sawe the kyng drawe nigh and hard that his father sir Thomas Democke was put to death stoode first in a doubte whether he should fight or no for because it was ieoperdeous to ventre vpon suche a greate power before that erle came yet at the last for the stoute courage and manly boldenes that was in hym thei went together and fought sore long and many menne killed on bothe sydes and at the last wheÌ„ the fore named Robert encouraged his menne that wer ready to geue ouer was coumpassed about of his enemies taken and also sir Thomas DelalaÌ„t with many 〈…〉 o the whiche capitaines beyng taken all the hoost was putte to flight driuen awaye The kyng beyng glad of this victorie coÌ„maunded Robert sir Thomas Delalant with many other to bee put to death at that same tyme place And in this battaill ther was kylled as meÌ„ne reported tenne thousand menne The erle at this tyme beeyng at his owne toune of Warwike and commyng shortely to his armye at Stamforde with his power was enformed that the battayle was foughte quickelyer then he looked for and that his men had the worse parte although he might now be discouraged yet he made as thoughe he passed not and would
not beleue to the entente that he myghte the more enbouldē certaine of his compaigny then despayryng and geuyng theimselfe to flight beganne to make a newe hoste and with many faire promyses did wowe his brother in lawe Thomas Stanley to take his parte but when that said Thomas would by no meanes fight or rebell agaynste kyng Edwarde then seeyng it was tyme to gooe one waye and he mistrustyng that he was not able to resiste the power of hys enemyes fled wyth the duke of Clarence his soonne in lawe to Excetre and whē he had taried there two or three dayes seyng that he lacked al thynges necessarye for warre purposed to gooe to Lewes the kyng of Fraunce with whom at his ambassate into Fraunce was veraye well acquaynted and beloued trustyng ether to haue some helpe of the kyng or els to incense hym wholy to fight against hym and so toke shippe at Dartmouth both he and the duke with a greate nombre of theyr familie and sayled with the wynde to Normandie where the chiefe lord of that towne entreteyned hym most royally in al the hast certified that kyng Lewes of his cōmyng thither And that kyng meruailyng greatlye at that noble actes that that erle had doen was mynded thorowly to helpe hym in all that he could when he knewe that he was lāded in Fraūce was glad of it sent to hym certayn of his nobles to shewe hym that he did wishe to haue an occasion wherby he might helpe hym at this time would gladly dooe for him desieryng hym to come to Ambassy where the kyng laye which Ambassy is a manour place of that kynges set vpō the ryuer syde of Loire the duke also his sonne in law and that it should not bee for his losse or harme This was that .ix. yere of kyng Edwardes reigne when the erle fled to Fraunce and of our Lorde a M CCCC and .lxxx. But this greued kyng Edward that thei wer fled for because many of the people and cōmunaltee was desyrous to see hym and thought that the sonne had been goone from theim and out of this worlde when he was absent And in suche estimaciō and honour was he had of the people that thei worshipped honoured none but hym or at the least none more then hym In so muche that his only name was euery mannes song voyce especially of the cōmē people when they made triumphe abrode in that stretes Wherby the moste parte helde of the earle his syde and bare hym more fauoure in theyr hartes then kyng Edward Wherby the kyng was in feare and daunger both of his owne countremen that wer in his realme and of theim that were abrode in Fraunce but before all other he did prouide for that erle his cōmyng And first he sente to Charles the duke of Burgom his brother in law desiryng him that he would manashe Lewes the kyng with whom he had made a league of peace not to aide the erle of Warkwike or that duke his sonne in lawe neither with mony nor with mē The which Charles wrote to that kyng of Fraūce thretened hym many thynges if so that he mainteyned or helped theim And when the kyng of Fraūce had red his letter aūswered again saied that he might lawfully would sauyng his league truce helpe his frēds that wer valiaūt noble men as the earle was and settyng nothyng by all his thretenyng braggyng wordes sayd it shoulde bee neither greate peyne nor coste to hym Whē these tydynges came into England that kyng was veraye sorie for that cause searched priuely in his realme who wer frēdes to his enemies And for feare by that reason of the examinaciō of theim that wer prisoners in his hand some did take sentuarie and some came to the kynges side And emonges theim the lord Marques Montacute offered hymself to the kyng again to helpe hym in his warres whom the kyng gladly receaued for because that by him mo would leane to his side In this meane season the erle of Warwike the duke went to Ambassy wher the kyng of Fraūce was by the way the people came veraye thicke to see hym because they harde so muche speakyng of his noblenesse when he came there the kyng receaued hym moste gently to whō shortly after the erle did breake his mynd and shewed the cause of his commyng To whome the kyng promysed all that he coulde dooe for hym to the vttermoste extente of his power Sone after quene Margarete the wife of Henrye that .vi. came to theim with her sōne prince Edward and the earle of Penbruck and also of Oxēforde the whiche a lytle before sayled ouer to her After they cōmuned together as concernyng that safegard of their bodies a league was made thorowe the kyng of Fraunce his counsel And first lady Anne the doughter of the earle was maried and despoused to prynce Edwarde the quenes soonne Also the erle and the duke promysed faithfullye that they woulde not geue ouer vnto suche tyme that kyng Henrye the .vi. or Edwarde his soonne were proclaymed kyng of Englande after kyng Henry that the erle and the duke should ouersee and gouerne the realme by the wyll and apoyntmente of the quene Margarete and her sonne prince Edwarde vnto suche tyme that the forenamed prince wer of lawfull age and habilitee the whiche they promysed faythfully to obserue and dooe as they wer apoynted And besydes these many other condicions were made aswel for that reason did so require as the busynes that was at that tyme. When this league of truth faithfulnes was thus made the kyng Lewes holpe the erle with mēne harnes and nauie that he might the surer go to Englāde And Rhenate also the father of y◠quene Margarete gaue hym mēne harnyse to his power So that he hauyng no small nombre of men did take shippe at Sayne mouth ther tariyng hard word from Englād by letters that he should come ouer in all the haste that there were so many that would take his parte that he shoulde haue no nede to bryng any with hym for they wer redy in harneyse at the water side willyng to helpe hym in al that they could and not they onely but many noble men princes would helpe hym both with mony men harneyse with all that they could dooe When he had receaued these letters he purposed to go forth and take the oportunitee of the tyme. And because that the quene was not redy to set forth he the duke of Oxēford and the duke of Penbruch went before with parte of that hoste nauye to trie what chaūce thei shuld haue that if all thinges should chaunce well the quene and the prynce should folowe and come vnto Englande Therfore the Earle and the Duke thanking the king as highly as they coulde for that he had doone so much for theim dyd take their leaue and sayled vnto Englande with all their
traitours to be bestowed gyuen abrode also the banished menne that fled as rebelles and false to their countree to bee brought in that if any grudge or eiuill will wer betwixt any one or other of the nobilite that ther it should bee forgotteÌ„ turned to loue lastly that certain mony should bee payed to the kyng towardes that greate charges of his werre When he had thus studied determined to liue quietly set his realme in good ordre Charles the duke of Burgoin seÌ„t for aide to hym against Lewes the FreÌ„che kyng so that he could neuer bee at rest but one thyng or other shuld disquiet hym for he could not deny hym helpe consideryng the benefites that he had receiued of hym at diuerse suÌ„dry tymes before that that he nowe fought against his dedly enemie whiche aided the erle of Warwike bothe with menne mony to come against hym Wherfore he asseÌ„blyng his couÌ„saill together shewyng theim the matter sent woord to the duke that he would kepe one piece or parte of a battail agaiÌ„st the kyng For in deede at that same tyme there was mortall battaill betwixt the duke Lewes that kyng because that the same Lewes was a very harde manne churlishe also hurtefull aswell to his freÌ„des as to his foes many FreÌ„chmen abhorryng his coÌ„dicions did consent to hold with that duke And emong many other one Lewes of LuceÌ„burge did apoinct with the duke to dooe mischief to hym one waye or other so that the kyng was bothe in dauÌ„ger of his owne couÌ„tree menne also of the duke beyng a strauÌ„ger The duke shewed this to kyng Edward that he might the soner alluâ—e entise hym to battaill And vpoÌ„ this kyng Edward toke his voiage to FrauÌ„ce takyng besides his tribute that he had certain mony of the lordes commons of the realme which thei of their owne geÌ„tlenes gaue vn to hym to the sustenauÌ„ce maintenyng of his armie And for that the kyng called that tribute leuiyng of mony beneuoleÌ„ce whiche neuerthelesse was giuen with an eiuill will of many one But he vsyng suche geÌ„tle fassions towardes theim praiyng theim so hartely of their assistaunce that thei could none other wise dooe but geue it hym Whiche wheÌ„ he had he gathered his armie whiche was .xx. M. went to Caleys the .iiii. daye of July WhoÌ„ Charles that duke did mett reioysyng gretely at his victory did instantly desire hym that he would sticke stoutely to this battaill that he might haue of that Frenche kyng that he had lost by hym But when Lewes that kyng hard that Edward came with his armie he encreased the nombre of his people as muche as he could the more nigher the daunger that he was the sooner hastely he came vpon theim And with this armie he sent foorthe Robert of Stoteuill a noble capitain to the coostes Atrebatium to resyst the power of the Englishe menne And the kyng hym self taried at Siluanect castyng with hymself what waye he might make a league of peace betwixt that duke that kyng of England hym Heryng therfore that that king was gone to Atrebates he seÌ„t ambassodours to hym for peace whose myndes when that kyng had knoweÌ„ although he had fouÌ„d but litle freÌ„dship at his haÌ„des in tymes past yet consideryng that all his substauÌ„ce treasure was wasted in ciuile battail that he was not hable to maintein a newe hoost if nede shuld be nor yet vnneth sustein theim whom he had vnder his baÌ„ner thought best eueÌ„ for pure necessite to leaue to peace growe to atonemeÌ„t with Lewes that kyng The whiche thyng he might dooe also sauing his honour coÌ„sideryng that bothe the duke Robert of LuceÌ„burge aforenamed had not dooeÌ„ accordyng to their promise So that at the desire of the ambassadours he went to speake with the kyng at Pinquinake a toune in AmbiaÌ„ shire wher noble meÌ„ne dooe asseÌ„ble together there found yâ— kyng TheÌ„ bothe that kynges after due salutacioÌ„ either to other had long communicacioÌ„ at the last a peace was coÌ„firmed stablished for many yeres for the aâ—â—emeÌ„t wherof the FreÌ„che kyng gaue vnto Edward toward his charge cost lxcv M. crounes from theÌ„s forth yerely l. M. crounes After that truce made mony paid kyng Edward weÌ„t to Caleis from theÌ„s to EnglaÌ„d In this battaill none was slain sauyng onely that duke of Exceter the whiche maÌ„ne was in seÌ„tuary before coÌ„maunded to folowe yâ— kyng was put to death coÌ„trary to that promise made This was the yere of our lord M CCCC .lxxv. frome that tyme foorth Lewes that kyng payed duely his raunsome to Edward vnto the laste yere before he dyed at what tyme he denyed the paymente as though he knewe before his laste dayes But the duke of Burgoyne and Roberte of Lucenburgh after they had knowen that Edwarde had made a league wyth Lewes the kynge they freted sore with hym and wrote sharpe letters of thretenyng and tauntyng hym saiyng that he was the cause that they reuenged not theimselfes of the kyng Whose fyrye and thundryng wordes the kyng no more passed vpon then of the turnyng of his haÌ„de And as for Lucenburgh he was taken prysoner and for his proude and malicious writyng behedded at Lutece Thus kyng Edward beyng in quietnes both in his countre and abrode also although he mighte wel thynke hymself to lyue so perpetually for that he had been so great a conquerour yet consideryng that the erle of RichemoÌ„de was of nigh affinitee to HeÌ„ry the .vi. he was not out of feare daunger Therfore he thought ones to attempte the duke of Britayn agayn with giftes promyses faire wordes that he might haue yâ— erle whoÌ„ he thought to rule as he would after that his auncestrie was geuen The ambassadours came to the duke with a great substaunce of mony that their request might bee the honestier they shewed the duke that they came to desire the erle of hym that he mighte marye the kynges doughter so that by affinite al euil wyll grudge might be forgotten and sedicion vtterlye reiected although they entended not so to cause al suche thynges to bee forgotten but by the death kyllyng of hym The duke after longe and muche deniyng theim at the laste thorowe muche entreatyng and also great rewardes that was brought gaue the earle to theim sendynge a letter to the kynge in prayse and commendation of hym not thynkynge that he commytted the lambe to the woulfe but the soonne to the father The ambassadours was verye glad that they had got hym and sayled into Englande in all the haste they coulde But the earle knowynge well that he weÌ„t to hys death for sorowe and care that he conceaued in hys mynde was caste in an agewe When he was goone one Ihon Chenlet suche a man as could not bee found agayne in al the countre in great fauour with the duke hearing of
that dede being very sore moued therwith weÌ„t to the dukes place coming before his grace stode lyke a man strykeÌ„ with some sodeyn dysease very pale holding his head downe the duke maruayling at hym enquyred what the matter was To whom he sayde O moost noble duke my time is at hande thys palenes betokeneth death without remidy That I would God yt had come before this day then it should not haue greued me so much And thys all cometh to me through a deed that you haue done of late which wil ether cause me to lose my life or els to lyue in moost miserie wretchednes as one wery of thys present lyfe The noble actes that you haue doone moost noble prynce haue enhaunsed your fame glory to the fardest part of the world but this one thing me thynke I praye you pardoÌ„me what I saye is a great blemyshe to your dygnitee that forgetting the promyse that you made so faythfully haue geuen the innoceÌ„t erle of Richmounte to be destroyed pitefully killed emonge wretched knau es hangmen Wherfore they that loue you of whom I am one cannot but lamente â—o see you dyshonored by this great fault of periury WheÌ„ he had sayd the duke answered hold thy peace man I praye the ther is no such harme shal chaunce to him Edwarde the kinge woulde haue him to mary his daughter Then sayd Iohn Beleue me mooste excellente and redoubted prynce this Henry is nowe almoste famyshed and loste yf he once goo out of your countree he is but cast awaye and paste all recouerye At these wordes the duke was persuaded through the whych he commauÌ„ded one Peter LaÌ„doson hys receauer to take the same Henry froÌ„ the ambassadours The sayd receauer pursued the Englyshe ambassadours to Maclonium and there holdyng theim wyth long coÌ„munication made him to be conueyed into a seÌ„tuary whych was then almost ded through that feuer and thought whych he was caste in And so after that he was emended broughte hym to the duke The ambassadours then beyng spoiled and deceaued both of theyr pread and mony that they brought desyred that same receauer that they might not goo home in that wyse whyche receauer promised that he woulde eyther kepe hym in sentuary or eles cause hym to be imprisoned at the duke his place so that they should neuer neede to feare hym In all thys tyme Edwarde beynge desyreous to knowe what became of the Earle was enfourmed that he was taken prysoner but after that escaped they re handes where at the kinge was verye angrye but when he knewe that he should bee kepte in holde was well pleased then dyd take no thought And liued after that most welthy sparing no expeÌ„ses nor cost in kepyng his house neuertheles he dyd fall into one great offence in this time For sodeÌ„ly he coÌ„maunded his brother the duke of Clarence to be killed drowned in an hogshhed of malmesey And the cause of hys death was as men report through a certaine prophecie which sayd the after kyng Edwarde one shuld reigne whose name begaÌ„ wyth a. G. which prophecye some sayde was completed fulfilled when the duke of Glouceter the after hym had the kingdome dyd reigne Some holdeth another opinion of this his death saiyng that at what time the olde malice dyd breke out bewixt theÌ„ both the duke through his sisters councel woulde haue maried lady Mary that duke of Burgoyn his only daughter which mariage the kyng did infringe stoppe as one enuiyng of his brothers felicitee or good chaunce After that they both beryng in theyr mindes mortall hatred one of the sayde duke hys seruauntes was accused of wichcraft charming for which offence he was put to death The duke 〈…〉 g that could not but speake resist againste the 〈…〉 g his coÌ„maundement and therfore was com 〈…〉 ted to prison ther beyng was killed and procla 〈…〉 d after as a traytour to the kyng for whose 〈…〉 that the king was verye sory and whan any 〈…〉 kneled to hym and asked pardon 〈…〉 der he would saye O infortunate bro 〈…〉 that noman would aske thy pardon And this duke had .ii. children one lady Margarete that was after maried to Richard Pole an other Edward whome the kyng made earle of Warwyke but this childe folowyng the fate and destenie of his father was after putte in prisone there priuely put to death And these thinges were doone in the yere of oure Lorde a thousand foure hundreth and foure score and the .xix. yere of the reigne of kyng Edward And two yeres then after folowing the kyng died before the whiche yeres he beganne to bee very harde and couetouse in getting monye and also very diligent in marking attaching his lordes that did offend In this time the kyng of Scottes willed his sooÌ„ne Iamy to be maried to the kynges doughter lady Cicile which was the yonger that should haue been maried to Charles the kyng his soonne of Fraunce But it chaunced not thorow Lewes the kyng that brake his promise bothe in geuing his seruice and payeng his raunsome the laste yere of his reigne Likewise the kyng of Scottes seing that Lewes the kyng was false of his promise he thoughte he might bee so bolde too and so breaking league of amite sette vpon the Englishe men At the which Edward was sore vexed and entended batayl against hym yet after that he knewe the it was not by his wyll but thorowe the councell and euell disposed mindes of his lordes woulde haue borne it in good worthe had not kyng Iames owne brother streight vpon that prouoked hym to fighte Furthermore suche was the nature of the Scottishe kyng that when he had sette his minde vpon a thing no manne coulde turne hym and because that no manne mighte reproue hym in any thing he promoted laye people menne of basse bloude to his counsell putting to deathe or banishyng euermore the nobilitee Emong whom this duke of Albanie his brother consydering the condicyons of the king fled to the kyng of EnglaÌ„d at what time he was sent into FrauÌ„ce ther counsailed the kyng to fight against hym The king willing to reueÌ„ge his olde iniuries vpon many consideracioÌ„s gathered enteÌ„ded no lesse by the helpe of the saied duke of Albany then to kepe open warre So that he did send the duke of Gloucestre the erle of NorthumberlaÌ„d syr Thomas Stanley this duke of Albany with a great power of men against the Scottes The king knowing of their coÌ„ming went to Barwyke with his army to kepe theim from the borders but perceiuing that he was not hable so resist their great power fled backe in the night to Edinbrough ther taryed for his enemies And the duke of Gloucestre folowing burned and spoyled all the way when he was somewhat nighe his enemies perceiuing also that none of the Scottishe lordes came to the duke of Albanye mistrusted that some deceyte or crafte was
whiche is the only thyng that draweth that heartes of EnglyshmeÌ„ froÌ„ their kynges prynces nor nothyng he ether entreprysed ndr toke in haÌ„d by that which he shuld be dryueÌ„ thereunto For his tribute out of FrauÌ„ce he had a litle before recouered obteyned And that yere before he dyed he recouered the toune of Berwike against that kyng of Scottes And albeit that all that tyme of his reigne he was so benigne courteous and famylyer that no parte of his vertues was estemed more theÌ„ those high humilitees Yet that condycion in th ende of his last dayes decayed not in the whiche many princes by a longe coÌ„tinued souereingtie declyne to a proude porte behaueoure from theyr condicions accustomed at their begynnyng Yet lowlynes and gentlenes so farre forth in hym encreased that the soÌ„mer before died he beyng at the haueryng at the bowre sente for the mayre and aldermenne of London thyther only to hunte and make pastyme where he made theim not so hartie but so famylyer and frendlye chere and sent also to theyr wyues suche plentie of venyson that no one thyng in many dayes before gatte hym eyther mo heartes or more hartie fauoure emongest the commen people whiche often tymes more esteme and take for greate kyndnes a lytle courtesye then a greate profyte or benefyte And so this noble prynce deceassed as you haue hearde in that tyme when his lyfe was mooste desyred wheÌ„ his people moste desyred to kepe hym Whiche loue of his people their entiere affeccioÌ„ towarde hym had bene to his noble chyldren hauyng in theim selfes also as many gyftes of nature as many princely vertues as much good towardnesse as their age coulde receaue a meruelous fortresse and a sure armoure yf the deuysion and dissencion of their frendes had not vnarmed them left them destitute the execrable desyre of souereingtie ê“uoked him to their destruccioÌ„ which if either kynd or kyndnesse had holdeÌ„ place muste nedes haue beeÌ„ their chiese defence For Richarde duke of Glouceter by nature their vncle by office their protectoure to their father greatly beholden and to theim by othe and allegeaunce bounden all the bandes broken and violated that bynde manne and manne together withoute anye respecte of God or the worlde vnnaturally contryued to bereaue theim not onely of their dignytee and preheminence but also of their natural lyues and worldely felicytee And fyrste to shewe you that by coniecture he pretended this thing in his brothers lyfe ye shall vnderstande for a trueth that the same nyght that king Edward died one called Mistelbrooke long ere the daye sprange came to the house of one Potier dwelling in Redcrosse strete withoute Creple gate of London and when he was with hastie rapping quickely let in yâ— saied Mistelbrooke shewed vnto Potier that kyng Edward was that nighte deceased by my trueth ê™ Potier then wil my master the duke of Gloucetre be kyng and that I warraÌ„t the. What cause he had so to thinke harde it is to say whether he being his seruauÌ„t knewe any such thing prepensed or otherwise had any inklingther of but of all likelihode he spake it not of naughte But nowe to retourne to the trewe history wer it that the duke of Gloucetre had of olde sore practised this conclusyon or was before tyme moued therunto and put in hope by the tender age of the young princes his nephewes as oportunitee and likely of spede putteth a manne in courage of that that he neuer entended Certen it is that he being in the Northe partyes for the good gouernaunce of the countrey being aduertised of his brothers deathe contriued the destruccion of his nephewes with that vsurpacion of the roiall dignitee croune And for asmuche as he well wyste and had holpe to maynteine a long continued grudge and harte burnynge betwene the Quenes kynred and the kynges bloodde either parte enuiyng others authorytee he nowe thought as it was in dede a fertherly beginning to the pursute of his entent and a sure grounde situacion of his vnnaturall building if he might vnder the pretence of remeÌ„bring of olde dyspleasures abuse the ignoraunce angre of the one partie to the destruccion of that other and then to wynne to his purpose as many as he coulde and suche as coulde not bee wonne might bee loste or they looked therfore But of one thing he was certaine that if his intent wer once perceaued he should haue made peace betwene both parties with his owne bloodde but all his intente he kept secrete tyll he knewe his frendes of the whiche Henry the duke of Buckingham was the fyrste that sent to hym after his brothers deathe a trusty seruaunt of his called Persall to the cytee of Yorke where the Duke of Gloucetre kepte the kyng his brothers funeralles This Persall came to Iohn Ward a secrete chaumberer to the duke of Gloucetre desiryng that he in close and couerte manier might speake with the duke his maister wherupoÌ„ in the deed of the nyght the duke sente for Persall all other beyng aduoyded whiche shewed to the duke of Gloucetre that the duke of Buckingham his maister in this newe worlde would take suche parte as he woulde woulde farther wayte vpon hym with a. M. good fellowes yf nede were The duke sent backe that messanger with great thankes and diuerse preuey instruccions by mouthe which Persall did somuche by his trauaile that he came to the duke of Buckyngham his maister into the marches of Wales eftsones with newe instruccions met with the duke of Gloucetre at Notingham whiche was come oute of the NorthcouÌ„trey with many knightes gentylmenne to the noumbre of .vi. C. horse more in his iourney towarde London And after secrete meting and coÌ„municacion had betwene hym the duke of Gloucetre he retourned with suche spede that he brought the duke of Buckingham his master to mete with the duke of Gloucetre not farre from Northampton with .iii. C. horsses so they twoo came together to Northampton where they fyrst beganne their vnhappy enterprice and so the duke of Buckingham contynued stil with the duke of Gloucetre till he was crouned kyng as ye shall plainly perceaue hereafter The younge kyng at the deathe of his father kepte housholde at Ludlowe for his father had sente hym thyther for Iustice to bee doone in the marches of Wales to the ende that by the authoritee of his presence the wylde Welshemenne and euell dysposed personnes shoulde refraine frome their accustomed murthers and outerages The gouernaunce of this younge Prynce was coÌ„mitted to Lorde Anthony Wooduile Earle Riuers Lorde Scales brother to the Quene a wise hardye and honourable personage as valyaunte of hande as pollitick of counsell and with him were assocyate other of the same partye and in effecte euery one as he was nere of kinne vnto the quene so was he planted nexte aboute the Prynce That dryfte by the Quene semed to bee deuysed whereby her bloodde myghte of
any manne saye and I doubte not also but there bee some abrode so deedly enemies vnto my bloodde that yf they wiste where any of it laye in theyr owne body they woulde lette it oute we haue also experience that the desyre of a kingdome knoweth no kynred the brother hath bene the brothers bane and may the nephewes bee sure of the vncle eache of these children are others defence whyle they bee a sunder and eache of their liues lyeth in others body kepe one salfe and bothe bee sure and nothing to bothe more perylous then bothe to bee in one place for a wise marchaunt neuer auentureth all his good des in one shyp all this notwithstanding here I deliuer hym his brother in hym to kepe to your handes of whome I shall aske theim bothe before God and the worlde Feithfull you bee and that I wot well and I knowe you be wyse and of power and strength if you list to kepe hym for you lacke no helpe of your selues nor nede to lacke no helpe in this case yf you cannot elles where then may you leaue hym here But onely one thing I besech you for the trust that his father putte you in euer and for the truste that I put you in nowe that as farre as you thincke that I feare to muche ye bee well ware that you feare not to lytle And therwith all she saied to that childe fare well myne owne swete soonne God sende you good kepyng let me once kysse you or you gooe for God knoweth wheÌ„ we shall kisse together againe therwith she kyssed hym and blessed hym and tourned her backe wepte gooing her waye leauyng the poore innocent chylde wepyng as faste as the mother When the Cardinall and the other lordes had receaued the younge duke they brought hym into the starre chaumbre where that protectoure tooke hym in his armes and kyssed hym with these wordes nowe welcome my lorde with all my very hert and he saied in that of likelihode euen as he inwardly thought and therupon forthwith brought him to the king his brother into the bishoppes palaice at Powles and from thence thorowe the citee honourably into the towre oute of whiche after that daye they neuer came abrode Whenne the Protectoure had bothe the chyldren in his possessyon yee and that they were in a sure place he then beganne to thryste to see the ende of his enterprise and to auoyde all suspicion he caused all the Lordes whiche he knewe to bee feythfull to the kyng to assemble at Baynardes castell to coÌ„men of the ordre of the coronacyon whyle he and other of his complyces and of his affinitee at Erosbyes place contriued the contrary to make the Protectours kyng to whiche counsel there were adhibite very fewe and they very secrete Then beganne here there some maner of muttering amongest the people as though all thing should not longe bee well though they wyste not what they feared nor wherfore were it that before suche great thinges mennes hertes of a secrete instyncte of nature misgeueth theim as that southwinde somtime swelleth of hym selfe before a tempeste or were it that some one manne happely perceauing fylled many men with suspicyon thoughe he shewed fewe menne what he knewe howbeit the dealing it selfe made to muche on the matter thoughe the counsayle were close for lytle and lytle all folke drewe from the towre where the kyng was and drewe to Cros byes place so that the Protectoure had all the resorte and the kyng in maner desolate while some made suyte vnto theim that had the doyng some of theim were by theyr frendes secetely warned that it myghte happely tourne theim to no good to bee to muche attendaunte on the Kyng withoute the Protectoures apoyntmente whiche remoued dyuerse of the kynges olde seruauntes froÌ„ hym and set newe in theyr romes aboute hym Thus many thinges comming together partly by chaunce and partely by purpose caused at length not coÌ„mon people onely whiche wauer with the winde but wise menne also and some Lordes to marke the matter muse therupon in so much as the lorde Stanley whiche afterward was erle of Derby wisely mistrusted it and saied to that lorde Hastinges that he muche misiyked these two seueral couÌ„selles for while we ê™ he talke of one matter at that one place lytle wot we wherof they talke in the other place Well ê™ the Lorde Hastynges on my lyfe neuer doubte you for whyle one man is there whiche is neuer thence neither can there bee any thing once mynded that shoulde sounde amisse towarde me but it shoulde bee in mine eares or it were well oute of their mouthes This ment he by Catesby whiche was nere of his secret councell and whome he familyerly vsed in his moost weightye matters putting no manne in so speciall trust as hym sith he wiste well there was no manne to hym so muche beholdyng as was this Catesbye whiche was a manne well learned in the lawes of this lande and by the speciall fauoure of the lorde Hastynges in good authorytee and muche rule bare in the countrees of Leicestre and Northampton where that lorde Hastinges power laye But surely greate pitie was it that he had not had either more trueth or lesse wit for his dissimulacyon onely kepte all that myschiefe vp in whome yf the lorde Hastinges had not put so special trust that lord Stanley and he with diuers other lordes had departed into their couÌ„trees broken al the daunce for many euel signes that he sawe which he now construed al for the best so surely thought he that there coulde be no harme towarde hym in that counsayle entended where Catesbye was And of truth the protectour and the duke of Buckyngham made very good sembleaunce vnto the lorde Hastynges and kepte hym muche in they re compaignie And vndoubtedlie the protectour loued hym well and lothe was to haue loste hym sauynge for feare least hys lyfe shoulde haue quayled theyr purpose for the whyche cause he moued Catesby to proue wyth some wordes caste oute a farre of whether he coulde thyncke it possible to wynne the lorde Hastynges to theyr part But Catesby whether he assayed hym or assayed hym not reported vnto hym that he founde him so fast and heard him speake so terrible wordes that he durst no farther breake and of a truth the lorde Hastinges of very truste shewed vnto Catesby the mystrust that other began to haue in the matter And therfor he fearyng least theyr mocyons myght with the lorde Hastynges haue mynished his credence wherunto only al the matter leaned procured the protectour hastly to ryd hym muche the rather for he trusted by hys death to obtayne much of that rule whyche the lorde Hastynges bare in hys couÌ„tree the onelye desyre whereof was the thynge that enduced hym to be procurer one of the speciallest contriuers of al thys treason Wherupon the lorde protectoure caused a counsayle to be set at the towre on the frydaye
thynges to come why thynketh he not that we might as likely make theim true by our goyng if we were caught and brought backe as frendes fayle flyers for then had the bore a cause lykely to race vs with his tuskes as folkes that fled for some falshed wherfore either is their perell nor none there is deede or if any bee it is rather in goyng then abydyng And if we should nedes fall in perell one waye or other yet had I leuer that menne should se it were by other mennes falshed then thynke it were either our awne faute or faynte and feble heart and therfore goo to thy master and commende me to hym and I praye hym to bee mery and haue no feare for I assure hym I am assured of that maÌ„ne he wotteth of as I am of myne owne hande God sende grace ê™ the messenger and so departed Certen it is also that in rydyng toward the towre thesame mornyng in whiche he was behedded his horsse that he accustomed to ryde on stombled with hym twise or thrise almost to the fallyng whiche thyng although it happeneth to theim daylye to whom no myschaunce is towarde yet hath it been as an olde eiuill token obserued as a gooyng toward myschief Nowe this that foloweth was no warnyng but an enuyous scorne thesame mornyng ere he were vp from his bed where Shores wife laye with hym all night there came to hym sir Thomas Hawarde soonne to the lorde Hawarde the whiche sturryng that mornyng very earlye as it were of courtesie to accompaignie hym to the counsaill but forasmuche as the lorde Hastynges was not readye he taried awhile for hym and hasted hym awaye This sir Thomas while the lorde Hastynges stayed awhile commonyng with a preest whom he met in the towre strete brake the lordes tale saiyng to hym merely what my lord I praye you come on wherfore talke you so long with that preest you haue no nede of a preest yet and laughed vpon hym as though he would saie you shall haue nede of one sone But lytle wist the other what he meant but or night these woordes were well remembred by theim that heard theim so the true lorde Hastynges litle mistrusted and was neuer merier ner thought his life in more suretye in all his dayes whiche thyng is often a sygne of chaunge but I shall rather lette any thyng passe me then the vayne suretye of mannes mynde so nere his deathe for vpon the towre wharffe so nere the place where his hedde was of so sone after as a manne might well cast a balle a pursyuanÌ„t of his awne called Hastynges mette with hym of their metyng in the place he was put in remembrauÌ„ce of another tyme in whiche it had happened theim to mete before together in the same place at whiche tyme the lord Hastynges had beeÌ„ accused to kyng Edward by that lord Ryuers the quenes brother in somuche that he was for awhile which lasted not long highly in that kynges indignacion stode in great feare of hymself forasmuch as he nowe met thesame pursyuaunt in thesame place the ieopardy so well passed it gaue hym greate pleasure to talke with hym therof with whoÌ„ he had talked in thesame place of that matter and therfore he saied Ah Hastynges arte thou remembred when I met the here once with an heuy herte Ye my lord ê™ he that I remembre well and thanked bee God thei gatte no good ner you no harme therby thou woldest saie so ê™ he if thou knewest so muche as I dooe whiche fewe knowe yet and mo shall shortly that meant he that the erle Ryuers and that lord Richard and sir Thomas VaughmÌ„ should that daye bee behedded at Pomfrette as thei were in deede whiche acte he wyst well should bee dooen but nothyng ware that that axe honge so nere his owne hed In feith manne ê™ he I was neuer so sorye ner neuer stoode in so greate daungier of my life as I did when thou and I mette here and loe the worlde is turned nowe nowe stande myne enemies in the daungier as thou mayst happe to heare more hereafter and I neuer in my life meryer nor neuer in so greate suertie I praye God it proue so ê™ Hastynges proue ê™ he dowtest thou that naye naye I warraunt the and so in maner dyspleased he entered into the towre where he was not long on lyue as you haue hearde O lord God the blyndenesse of our mortall nature when he mooste feared he was in moost suretie and when he reconed hym self moost surest he loste his life that within .ii. houres after Thus ended this honorable manne a good knight and a gentle of great autorite with his priÌ„ce of liuyng somewhat dissolute plain and open to his enemie and sure and secrete to his frende easye to beguyle as he that of good herte and courage foresawe no perelles a louyng manne and passyng welbeloued verye faythfull trustie ynough but trustyng to much was his destruccion as you maye perceaue Nowe flewe the fame of this lordes death thorough the cytie and farther about like a wynde in euery mannes eare but the protectoure immediatly after dynner entendynge to set some coloure vpon the matter sent in all the hast for many substanciall menne out of the cytie into the towre and at their commynge hym selfe wyth the duke of Buckyngham stoode harnessed in olde euell fauoured bryganders â–ª suche as no manne woulde wene that they would haue vouchesalued to haue putte on their backes excepte some sodeyne necessitee had constreigned theim Then the lorde protectoure shewed theim that the lorde Hastynges and other of his conspyracye hadde contryued to haue sodenly destroyed hym and the duke of Buckyngham there thesame daye in councell what they entended farther was as yet not wel knowen of whiche their treason he had neuer knowledge before ten of the clocke thesame fornoone whiche sodeyne feare draue theim to put on suche harnesse as came nexte to theyr haÌ„des for their defence so God holpe theim that the mischiefe turned vpon theim that would haue done it and thus he required theim to reporte Euerye manne aunswered fayre as thoughe no manne mystrusted the matter whiche of truthe no manne beleued Yet for the farther appeasyng of the peoples myndes he sent immedyatlye after dynner an Heralde of armes with a proclamacion through the citee of London whiche was proclamed in the kynges name that the lord Hastynges with dyuerse other of his treyterous purpose had before coÌ„spired thesame daye to haue slain the protectoure and the duke of Buckyngham sittyng in counsaill after to haue takeÌ„ vpon theim the rule of the kyng and the realme at their pleasure and therby to pill and spoyle whom thei list vncomtrolled and muche matter was deuised in thesame proclamacion to the sclaunder of the lord Hastynges as that he was an eiuill counsaillour to the kynges father entisyng hym to many thynges highly redoundyng to the minisshyng of his honoure and to the
wherof cannot be wel perceaued excepte we report some thynges longe before done aboute kynge Edwardes maryages After king Edwarde the .iiii. had deposed king Henry the .vi. was in peasyable possession of the realme determyning him selfe to mary as was requisite both for him self and for the realme he set the earle of Warwike and diuerse other noble meÌ„ in ambassade to the Frenche kynge to entreate a maryage betwene that kyng and Bona syster to the Frenche kyng In whych the Earle of Warwike founde the parties so towarde and wyllinge that he spedely wythout anye dyfficultie according to hys instruccyons broughte the matter to a good conclusion Nowe happened yt in the meane season there came to make a sute to the kynge by petycyon dame Elyzabeth Greye whyche after was hys quene then a wyddowe borne of noble blood specyallye by her mother whyche was Duchesse of Bedforde and she was maryed to syr Rychard Wooduyle Lorde Ryuers her father Howebeit thys Elyzabeth beynge in seruyce wyth quene Margarete wyfe to kynge Henrye the syxt was maryed to one Ihon Greye Esquyre whome kynge Henrye made knyghte at the last hattayle of Saynte Albons but lytle whyle he enioyed hys knyghtehoode for at that feelde he was slayne Afterwarde that kynge Edwarde was kynge the Earle of Warwyke being on his ambassad this poore ladye made sute to the kyng to be restored to such small landes as her husbande had geuen her in ioyntour whom when the kyng beheld and heard her speake as she was bothe fayre and of a good fauoure moderate of nature well made and very wyse he not alonlye pytied her but also wexed enamored on her and takynge her secretly a syde beganne to enter into talkynge more famylyerly whose apetite when she perceaued she vertuoslye denyed him but that dyd she so wyselye that with so good maner wordes so wel set that she rather kyndled hys desyre then quenched it And fynally after manye a metynge and muche wowynge and manye great promyses she well espyed the kynges affeccyon towarde her so greatelye encreased that she durstesomewhat the more boldly say her mynde as to hym whose hearte she perceaued more feruently set then to fall of for a word And in coÌ„clusioÌ„ she shewed hym playn that as she wyst her self to siÌ„ple to be his wife so thought she her selfe to good to be hys concubyne The kyng much maruelyng of her constancy as he that had not bene wont elles where so styfly sayd nay so much estemed her continencye chastitee that he set her vertue in stead of possessioÌ„ and rychesse And this taking councel of his owne desyre determyned in hast to mary her And after that he was thus apoiÌ„ted had betwene theÌ„ twayn eÌ„sured her theÌ„ asked he the couÌ„cel of his secret freÌ„des that in such maner that they myght easly perseaue that it boted not to say nay NotwythstandiÌ„g the duches of york his mother was so sore moued ther with that she diswaded that mariage as much as she possible might Alledgyng that it was his honour profite suretie to marye in some noble progenie oute of the realme wherupon depended greate strength to his estate by that affinitee and greate possibilite of encreace of his dominions And that he could not well otherwise dooe consideryng the erle of Warwike had so ferfoorth entered into the matter all readie whiche was not like to take it well if all his voyage were in suche wise frustrate his apointment deluded And she saied ferther that it was not princely to marye his owne subiect no greater occacioÌ„ ledyng therunto no possessions nor other commodyte dependyng therupon but only as a riche maÌ„ would mary his maydeÌ„ onely for a litle waÌ„ton dotage vpon her persone In whiche maryage many menne commende more the maydens fortune then the mannes wysedome and yet she saied that there was more honestye then honoure in this maryage forasmuche as there is not betwene a marchaunt and his mayde so greate a dyfference as betwene a kyng and his subiect a great prince and a poore wydowe In whose persone although there were nothyng to bee mislyked yet was there saied she nothyng so excellent but that it might bee founde in dyuerse other that were more metely ê™ she for your estate yee and maydens also the onely wydowhead of dame Elizabeth Grey although she were in all other pointes and thynges conuenient for you should suffise as me thynketh to refrayne you froÌ„ her maryage sith it is an vnsittyng thyng and a greate blemishe to the sacred maiestie of a prince that ought as nere to approche prestehoode in clennesse as he dooth in dignitee to bee defiled with bigamy iÌ„ his first mariage The kyng made his mother an auÌ„swere parte in earnest parte in plaiemerely as he that wist hym self oute of rule albeit he would gladly that she should take it well yet was he at apoynct in his awne mynde tooke she it well or otherwise Howbeit somewhat to satisfie her he saied that albeit maryage beyng a spirituall thyng ought rather to bee made for the respecte of God where his grace enclineth the parties to loue together as he trusted it was in his case rather then for that regard of any teÌ„porall aduauÌ„tage yet neuer thelesse hym semed this maryage well consydered not to bee vnprofitable for he reconed the amytee of no earthely nacion to bee so necessary for hym as that frendship of his owne whiche he thought lykely to beare hym somuche that more hartie fauoure in that he disdayned not to mary with one of his awne land yet if outward aliaunce were thought so requisite he would finde the meanes to enter therunto muche better by other of his kinne where all that parties could bee contented then to marye hym selfe wherein he should neuer happely loue for the possibilite of possessioÌ„s lese that fruyte pleasure of this that he had alreadie For small pleasure taketh a maÌ„ne of all that euer he hath besyde if he bee wiued against his appetite and I doubte not ê™ he but ther be as you saie other that bee in euery poinct comparable with her therfore I let not theim that like theim to mary theim no more is it reason that it mislike any manne that I marye where it liketh me And I am sure that my cousyn of Warwike neither loueth me so litle to grudge at that that I loue ner is so vnreasonable to look that I should in choise of a wife rather bee ruled by his yie then by myne owne as though I were a warde that were bouÌ„deÌ„ to mary by a garden I would not bee a kyng with that coÌ„dicion to forbeare myne owne libertie in choyse of myne awne maryage as for possibylyte of more inheritaunce by newe affinite in strauÌ„ge landes is ofte that occasioÌ„ of more trouble theÌ„ proffite And we haue already title by that meanes as lustiseth to get kepe well in one mannes daye That she is a
fewe and thesame tyme came Ihon ap Morgā vnto hym Henry went styll forward caried almoste in no place because he would make suer woorke and the better spede he inuaded suche places afore that thei were armed against hym the whiche places he bette downe with very litle strēgth But afterward hauyng knowlage by his spyes the the lorde Harbert syr Ryce were in a redynes to geue hym battail he determyned to set vpō theim either to put theim to flight orels to make theim sweare homage and feaultee vnto hym to take theim with hym in his hoste against kyng Richard And because he woulde ascertayne his frendes in Englande howe all the matter went forwad with hym he sent of his moost trustye frendes to ladye Margarete his mother to Standely to Talbot and to other of his most especial frendes with certain commaundementes The effecte of the commaundementes were that he intended with the helpe of hys frendes to passe ouer Seuerne and by Shrewesbury to make toward London Ther fore he desyred theim with those that were of their councell in tyme place conuenient to mete hym So the messaungers going forth with these commissyons Henry went forward toward Shrewesbury and in the waye mette with syr Rice ap Thomas with a great noumber of menne which came vnto hym and was of his parte For two dayes afore Henry promysed hym to bee chiefe ruler of all Wales as soone as he came to the croune yf he would come vnto hym which afterward he gaue to hym in dede In the meane time the messengers executing the message diligētly returned back agayne with large rewardes of theim to whome they were sent and came to Henry the same day he entred into Shrewesburye and shewed howe all his frendes were in a redynesse to dooe the vttermoste that laye in theim This tidynges put Henry in suche greate hope that he went forth with a courage and came to the towne of Newporte and there set vp his tentes vpon a lytle hyll and there laye all night That night came to hym syr Gylberte Talbot with aboue two hundreth menne After that they went forthe to Stafforde whyle they were there Willyam Standley came to hym with a fewe after hym and when he had talked a litle with him retourned backe again to his hoste whiche he had prepared From thence he went to Lichfelde and that nyght laye without the toune but in the morning betime he entred into the citee and was receiued honourably A daye or .ii. afore Thomas Standley was there with fyue M. men armed whiche when he knewe of Henries cōming forthwith went afore to a village called Aderstone there to tarye tyll Henrye came This he dyd to auoide suspicion beyng afraid least kyng Richard knowing his intent would haue put his soonne to deathe whiche as I telled you before was lefte with hym as a pledge for his father But kynge Rychard in the meane tyme which then was at Nottingham hearing that Henry with a fewe more of banished men was entred into Wales so lightly regarded the matter that he thoughte it was not muche to bee paste vpon for that he came in with so fewe in noumbre and that the lorde Harbart sir Rice which wer rulers of all Wales would other kyll hym or elles take hym and bring hym aliue But afterward when he remembred him self that oftentimes a smal matter in batel if it bee not looked vnto betymes would make at the laste a great sturre he thought it best to remedy the matter betimes and commaunded Henrye the earle of Northumberlande with other of the nobles of the realme whome he thoughte had set more by hym then by their owne goodes to rayse vp an army to come to hym with speede Also he sente dyuers messengers with letters to Robert Brakenburye keper of the Towre of London commaundynge hym to come vnto hym in all haste and to brynge with hym as felowes in battell Thomas Burschere Walter Hungerforde and dyuerse other knyghtes whome he dyd not a litell suspecte In this tyme it was shewed that Henrye was come to Shrewisburye without any hurte With the which tidinges the kyng beganne to rage and made exclamacion againste theim that contrary to their faithes they had vtterly deceiued hym then he beganne to mistrust all menne and wiste not whome he mighte truste so that he thoughte it best to sette forthe hym selfe ageinst his aduersaryes And forthwith he sent out spies to knowe which waye Henry did take They when they had dooen their diligence retourned backe again and shewed hym howe that Henry was come to Lichfeld The which thing after he knew because now there was a greate noumbre of souldyours come together by and by his menne set in araye he commaunded theim forwarde and to gooe foure and foure together and by that waye which they kept they hearde saye their enemies were commynge The suspecte persones he putte in the myddes he hym selfe with those he trusted came behind with winges of horsemen running on euery syde And thus keping their order aboute sonne sette came vnto Leicestre When Henrye in the meane season had remoued from Lichefelde vnto the nexte village called Tamworth in the mydwaye he mette with Walter Hungerforde Thomas Burschier and many other more which had promised to aide hym afore And forbecause they perceyued that they were susspected of Richard least they should be brought violentlye vnto hym beyng their enemye they forsooke Robert Brakenbury their capitaine and in the nyghte tyme stale priuely awaye and wente to Henry Vnto whome there chaunced by the waye that was worthy to bee marked whiche was that Henry althoughe he was a manne of noble courage and also his companye dyd dailye encrease yet for all that he stoode in great feare because he was vncertayne of Thomas Standly whiche as I telled you before for the feare of puttynge his soonne to deathe inclyned as yet vnto no parte that the matter was not so slēder of kyng Richard as reporte was made to hym of his frendes Wherfore as all afrayde withoute a cause he tooke onely twenty menne with him and steyed in his iourney as a manne in dispaire and halfe musynge with hym selfe what was beste to bee dooen and to aggrauate the matter tidinges was broughte hym that kyng Richard was comming nere to mete hym with a great and houge hoste of menne And while he thus lyngered for feare behinde his hoste came afore to the toune of Tham worth and because it was then darke night he lost bothe his company and also his waye then wandryng frome place to place at laste came to a lytle village .iii. myle from his hoste being full of feare and leste he should fall into the daunger of scoute watche he durste not aske a questyon of any man and partly for the feare that was presente partely for that was to come he laye there that nyght and tooke this for a sygne or a pronosticacyon of
especyallye agaynst other lordes as agaynst the kyng him self in the dysturbaunce of hys coronat ion therefore they assembled by and by together to common of thys matter at London The archebyshoppe of Yorke fearynge that it woulde be ascrybed as it was in dede to ouermuche lightnes that he so sodeynly had yelded vp the great seale to the quene to whome the custodie therof nothyng apperteigned without especiall commaundement of that kyng secretly sent for the seale agayn brought it wyth hym after the accustomed maner to mete with the lordes At this metyng was the lord Hastynges whose truthe towarde the kyng no manne doubted nor neded not to doubte perswaded the lordes to beleue that the duke of Glouceter was faythfull sure towardes his prince and that that lord Ryuers the lorde Richard and other knyghtes apprehended wer for matters attempted by theim agaynste the dukes of Gloucetre Buckyngham put vnder arest for their suretie and not for the kynges icopardye and that they were also in sauegarde there to remayne tyll the matter were not by the dukes only but also by all the other lordes of the kynges councell indifferentlye examyned and by their discrecions ordred and eyther iudged or appesed And one thyng he aduysed theim to beware of that they iudged not the matter to farreforth or they knewe the truthe nor turnyng theyr pryuate grudges into the commen hurte irrityng and prouokyng men vnto angre and disturbyng the kynges coronacion toward whiche the dukes wer coÌ„myng for that then might paraduenture bryng that matter so farre out of ioynte that it shoulde neuer bee brought in frame agayne whiche yf it should happe as it were lykely to come to a felde though all parties were in all other thynges eguall yet shoulde the autoryte bee on that syde where the kynge is hym selfe with these persuasyons of the lorde Hastynges whereof parte he hym selfe belcued and of parte he wyste well the contrarye these commocyons were somewhat appeased But in especiall because the dukes of Buckyngham and Glouceter wer so nere and came on so shortly with the kynge in none other maner nor none other voyce or sembleaunce then to his coronacion causyng the fame to be blowen about that suche persones as were apprehended had contryued the distruccion of the dukes of Gloucetre and of Buekyngham and other of the noble bloodde of thys realme to th entent that thei alone would rule and gouerne the kyng And for the coloure therof such of the dukes seruauntes as rode with the cartes of their stuffe which wer taken amonge the which stuffe no maruayle thoughe some were harneyes whiche at the brekynge vp of suche an housholde muste be brought awaye or caste awaye they shewed to the people and as they went sayde lo here be the barrelles of harneyes that these traytoures hadde preuely conueighed in their caryages to destroye the noble lordes withall This dyuerse although it made the matter to wise menne more vnlykely well perceauyng that thentendoures of suche a purpose woulde rather haue had theyr harnesse on theyr backes then to haue bounde theim vp in barrelles yet muche parte of the commen people were therewith ryght well satisfyed When the kyng approched nere the cytie Edmonde Shawe Goldesmythe then Mayre of the cytie with the aldremenne and shreues in skarlet and fyue hundreth commoners in murraye receaued his grace reuerently at Harnesaye parke and so conueighed hym to the cytee where he entred the fourthe daye of Maye in the fyrste and laste yeare of his reigne and was lodged in the bisshoppes palayce but the duke of Goucetre bare hym in open sight so reuerently saiyng to all men as he rode beholde youre prynce and souereygne lorde and made suche sembleaunce of lowlynes to his prince that frome the greate obloquy that he was in so late before he was sodeynly fallen in so greate truste that at the councell next assembled he was made the onlye chiefe ruler and thoughte mooste mete to bee protectoure of the kynge and his realme so that were it desteny or were it folye the lambe was betaken to the wolfe to kepe At whiche councell the archebyshoppe of yorke was sore blamed for delyueryng the greate seale to the quene and the seale taken from hym and delyueto docter Iohn Russell byshoppe of Lyncolne a wyse manne and a good and of muche experyence and dyuerse lordes and knightes were appoynted to dyuerse roumes the lorde chamberlayn and some other kepte the roumes that they were in before but not many Nowe were it so that the protectour whiche alwayes you muste take for the duke of Gloucetre sore thristed for the acheuyng of his pretensed entrepryse and thought euerye daye a yere tyll it were perfourmed yet durste he no ferther attempte aslong as he hadde but halfe his praye in hys hande well wyttynge that yf he deposed the one brother all the realme would fall to the other yf he remayned in sanctuary or should happely be shortelie coÌ„ueyghed to his farther libertee Wherfore in contineÌ„t at the next metyng of the lordes in councell he purposed to theim that it was an heynous thyng of the quene procedyng of great ma lyce toward the kynges councelers that she shoulde kepe the kynges brother in sanctuarye from hym whose special pleasure conforte wer to haue his brother with hym and that to be done by her to none other inteÌ„t but to bryng all the lordes in an obloquy and murmoure of the people as though they wer not to be trusted with the kynges brother which lordes wer by that whole assâ—t of the nobles of that realme appoynted as that kynges nere frendes to the tuycion of his royall person the prosperitee wherof ê™ he standeth not alonely froÌ„ the kepyng of enemyes euill dyate but partely also in recreacion moderate pleasure whiche he cannot take in his tendre youth in the coÌ„pany of old auncient persons but in the famylyer conuersacion of those that be not farre vnder nor farre aboue his age neuerthelesse of estate coÌ„uenieÌ„t to accompany his maiestie wherfore with whom rather then with his owne brothere and if any man thinke this coÌ„syderacioÌ„ light I thynke no man so thinketh that loueth the kyng let hym coÌ„syder that sometyme that with out smal thynges greater cannot stande and verelye it redoundeth greatly to the dyshonoure of the kynges highnes and of all vs that bee about his grace to haue it come in any mannes mouthe not in this realme onely but also in other landes as euell woordes walke farre that the kynges brother should be fayne to kepe saÌ„ctuary For euery maÌ„ wyl iudge that no man wil so do for nought such opinioÌ„s fastened in mennes hertes be harde to be wrested oute and many growe to more grefe then any manne here can diuine Wherfore me thinketh it were not the worste to sende to the quene some honourable and trustye personage suche as tendereth the kynges weale and the honoure of his counsell and is also in
credite and fauoure with her for whiche consideracions none semeth more meately to me then the reuerende father my Lorde Cardinall archbishop of Cauntourbury who maye in this matter doo mooste good of all menne yf it please hym to take the paine whiche I doubte not of his goodnesse he wil not refuse for the kynges sake oures and wealth of the younge duke hym selfe the kyn ges moost honorable brother and for the comforte of my souereigne Lord hym selfe my moost derest Nephiewe considering that therby shal be ceassed the sclaunderous rumour obloquy nowe goyng abroade and the hurtes auoyded that therof myght ensue then must reste and quietnesse growe to all the realme And if she percase bee obstinate and so precisely sette in her owne wyll and opynion that neither his wyse and feithfull aduertysement can moue her nor any mannes reason satisfye her theÌ„ shal we by myne aduice by the kynges authoritee fetche hym oute of that prysone and bring hym to his noble presence in whose continuall companye he shal be so well cheryshed and so honorablye intreated that all the worlde shall to oure bonoure and her reproche perceaue that it was onely malyce frowardnesse foly that causeth her to kepe hym there This is my minde for this tyme excepte that any of you my Lordes anye thinge per ceaue to the contrarye for neuer shall I by Goddes grace so wedde my selfe vnto myne owne wyll but I shal be redye to chaunge it vpon youre better aduice When the Protectoure had saied all the coun cell affirmed that the mocion was good and reasonable and to the kyng and the duke his brother honorable and a thing that shoulde ceasse great murmoure in the realme yf the mother myght by good meanes bee induced to deliuer hym whiche thing the Archbishop of Cauntourburye whome they all agreed also to bee moost conuenient thervnto tooke vpon hym to moue her and therto to dooe his vttermoste endeuoure How be it yf she coulde in no wise bee intreated with her good wil to delyuer hym then thought he and suche of the spirytualtye as were presente that it were not in anye wyse to bee attempted to take hym oute agaynste her wyll for it woulde bee a thyng that should turne to the grudge of all menne and high displeasure of God if the pryuiledge of that place should bee broken which had so many yeres been kepte whiche bothe kynges and bishoppes had graunted and confyrmed whiche grounde was sanctifyed by sainct Peter hym selfe more then v hundreth yeres agone and syth that tyme was neuer so vndeuoute a kynge that euer enterprysed that sacred priuyledge to vyolate nor so holy a bishoppe that durste presume the churche of the same to consecrate and therfore ê™ the Archbysshoppe God forbyd that any manne shoulde for any erthely enterpryse breake the immunyte and libertee of that sacred Sanctuary that hath bene the sauegard of so many a good mannes lyfe but I truste ê™ he we shall not nede it but for any maner of nede I would we should not doo it I trust that she with reason shal be contented all thyng in good maner obteigned And yf it hap that I bring it not to passe yet shal I further it to my best power so that you all shall perceaue my good wyl diligence indeuoure But the mothers dreade womannishe feare shal be the let yf any bee Naye womannish frowardnesse ê™ the duke of Buckingham for I dare take it on my soule that she wel knoweth that she nedeth no suche thyng to feare either for her sonne or for her selfe For as for her here is no manne that wyll be at warre with womenne would God some menne of her kynne wer womenne to and then should all bee sone in rest How be it here is none of her kynne the lesse loued for that they bee of her kynne but for their owne euell deseruing And put the case that we nether loued her nor her kinne yet there were no cause why we should hate the kinges noble brother to whose grace we oure selues be kynne whose honoure yf she desyred as oure dyshonoure and asmuche regarde tooke to his wealthe as to her owne wyll she coulde bee as lothe to suffer hym to be absente from the kyng as any of vs yf she had any wytte as woulde God she had as good wyll as she hath frowarde wytte For she thynketh her selfe no wiser then some that are here of whose feithful myndes she nothing doubteth but verely beleueth know legeth that they woulde bee as sorye of his harme as her owne selfe and yet they woulde haue hym frome her yf she abyde there And we all I thinke bee content that bothe her children bee with her if she came frome thence and bee in suche place where they maye bee with theyr honoure Nowe yf she refuse in the deliueraunce of hym to folowe the wisdome of theim whose wisdome she knoweth whose approbate fidelitee she trusteth it is easye to perceaue that frowardnesse letteth her and not feare But goo to suppose that she feareth as who maye let her to feare her owne shadowe the more she feareth to deliuer hym the more we oughte to feare to leaue hym in her handes for yf she caste suche fonde doubtes that she feare his hurte then wyll she feare that he shall be fette thence for she wyll soone thynke that yf menne were sette whiche God forbydde on so greate a mischief the Sanctuarye wyll lytel lette theim whiche sanctuary good menne as me thinketh myghte withoute synne somewhat lesse regarde then they dooe Nowe then yf she doubte leaste he might bee fetched from her is it not licklye that she will sende hym some where oute of the realme verely I looke for none other And I doubte not but she nowe as sore mindeth it as we mind the let therof And if she might hap to bring that purpose to passe as it were no great mastery to doo we letting her alone all that world would say that we were a sorte of wyse councelers aboute a king to let his brother to bee cast away vnder our noses And therfore I ensure you feithfully for my minde I wyll rather maugre her stomacke fetche hym awaye then leaue hym there tyll her feare or fonde frowarde feare conuey hym awaye and yet wyll I breake no sanctuarye for verely sithe the priueledge of that place other of that sorte haue so long contynued I woulde not go about to breake yt but yf they were nowe to begynne I would not be he that shoulde make theim yet wyl not I saye nay but it is a deede of pitie that such men as the chauÌ„ce of yâ— sea or theyr euil debters haue brought into pouertee shoulde haue some place of refuge to kepe in theyr bodies out of the dauÌ„ger of theyr cruel credytoures And yf it fortune the croune to come in question as it hath done before thys time whyle eatch parte taketh other for traytoures I thyncke it