in chyldbed longe tyme had rested hym there And this worde came to yâ— king of Englonde where as he lay in Normandy at Roen And for this worde was he euyll appayed also wonders wroth toward the kyng of FrauÌ„ce swore by god that whan he were arysen fro chyldbedde he wolde lyght a thousande candels to the kyng of FrauÌ„ce And anone let assemble a grete hoost of Normans of Englyssh men And in the begynnynge of heruest he came in to Fraunce and brent all the townes that he came by through all the â—onÌ„tree and robbed dyd all the sorowe that he myght through out al FrauÌ„ce at the last he brent the cite of Mandos coÌ„maunded his people to bere wode brenne as moche as they myght hym self holpe therto all yâ— he myght with a good wyll And there was grete hete what of fyre that was so grete of the sonne yâ— it was wonders hote stuffed hyÌ„ so yâ— he became fell in to a grete sekenes And whan he sawe yâ— he was so sore seke he assygned all Normandy to Robert Curtoys his sone all EngloÌ„de to William Rous bequethed to Henry Beauclerk all his tresour And whan he had thus done he receyued all the sacramentes of holy chirche dyed the .xxij. yere of his regne lyeth at Cane in Normandy ¶ Anno domini M .lxvj. O Regory the .vii. was pope after Alexander .xij. yere This man ordeined a general sinody that no preest sholde haue a wyfe ne shold dwell with women but those that yâ— synody of Nicena other decrees haue suffred And than the preestes set lytell or nought by his ordynauÌ„ce This man coÌ„maunded yâ— no maÌ„ sholde here masse of a preest yâ— had a coÌ„cubyne And he on a certayne tyme as he was cardynall legate of FrauÌ„ce proceded sharply agaynst prelates and preestes yâ— were symoners And amonge other there was one bysshop that was gretly famed with symony those yâ— accused hym he hyred pryuely to saye yâ— contrary the whiche yâ— legate conceyued afore all yâ— people he sayd Let the iudgement of this man cease at this tyme for it is deceyuable let god dispose for it sayd thus It is certayne that yâ— dignite of a bysshop is the gyuer of yâ— holy ghost And who someuer byeth a bisshopryche doth agaynst the holy ghoost Than yf thou bysshop dyd not agaynst the holy ghoost saye openly afore all the people Gloria patri et filio et spiritui saucto And many tymes he began to saye it but he coude neuer speke spiritui sancto Than he was deposed of his bysshopryche And after he coude speke it well ynough ¶ Victor the thyrde was pope after hym one yere And this man was poysoned with venym in yâ— chalyce ¶ Vrbanus was pope after hym two yere This man cursed the kynge of Fraunce for his aduoutry And he called a counseyle at ClaruÌ„ in yâ— whiche he ordeyned that matyns of our lady sholde be sayd euery daye and on Saterdaye her solempne masse And it is sayd that this was shewed vnto the monkes of Charterhous ¶ Also he called another couuseyle at Turam for the holy londe to be wonne agayn prouoked the people to that thynge And within a lytell tyme after that the holy londe was recouered the gloryous sepulere of our lorde Iesu Chryst Anthiochia with many other noble cytees were taken from yâ— handes of yâ— sarasyns And it is sayd men byle ued that CC. M. chrysteÌ„ men went to yâ— Journey For there wente of states olde men yonge ryche poore no man coÌ„ pelled them And this passage was made by yâ— visyon of our lady And yâ— pryÌ„ces of this people were dyuers One was Godfrey of Bollyon yâ— noblest man of all the worlde a vertuous man And an other was Bemond yâ— duke of Naples The thyrde was Hugh the kynges broder of FrauÌ„ce many other the whiche dyd full nobly for the fayth of god And it were to longe in this boke to recherse the gloryous actes that they dyd ¶ Of kynge Willyam Rous that was kynge Wyllyam bastardes sone that destroyed townes houses of relygyon for to make the newe forest ANd after this Willyam bastard regned his sone Willyam Rous This Willyam was a wonders coÌ„tratyous man to god holy chirche let amende make yâ— towne of Cardeis that the paynyms had destroyed This king Willyam destroyed holy chirche theyr possessions in what parte he myght fyn be them And therfore there was so moche debate bytwene hym and the archebysshop of Caunterbury Ancelme bycause he cepreued hyÌ„ of his wyckednes that he destroyed holy chitche And for yâ— cause yâ— kynge bare to hym grete wrath and therfore exiled hym out of this loÌ„de And the archebysshop than went to the courte of Rome there dwelled with yâ— pope ¶ And this kynge made the newe forest and kest downe destroyed .xxvj. townes and .lxxx. houses of religion all for to make his forest longet broder became wonders proude gladde of his wode forest of yâ— wylde beestes that were within it that it was manuayle to wyte so that men called hym kepet of wodes pastours And the longer that helyued the more wycked he became bothe to god to all holy chirche to all his nien ¶ And this kyng let make the grete hall of Westmynster So vpon a day at whytsontyde he helde therin his fyrst feest he loked aboute hym sayd that yâ— hall was to lytell by yâ— halfedele And at the last he became so coÌ„traryous that all thynge yâ— pleased god displeased hym all thynge yâ— god loued he hated deâ—dly ¶ And so it befell that he dremed vpon a night alytel or yâ— he dyed that he was let blode bâ—â—dde a grete quantite of blode a streme of it â—epte â—n hye towarde hellen more than 〈◊〉 â—â—deed fadom the clerenes of the daye was 〈◊〉 ned vnto â—yght derknes the 〈…〉 ament also And whan he awoke he had grete drede so that he wyst not what to do tolde his dreme to men of his coun seyle said that he had grete drede and supposed that to hym was some myschaunce to come ¶ And yâ— second nyght before a monke dremed of the housholde that the kyng went in to a chirche with moche people he was so proude that he despysed all yâ— people that were with hym and that he toke the ymage of the crucyfyxe and shamefully bote it with his tethe And the crucifyxe mekely suffred all that he dyd But the kynge as a wood man rent of the armes of the crucyfyxe and kest it vnder his feet and defouled it and threwe it all abrode And a grete flame of fyre came out of the crucyfyxe mouth Of the whiche dreme many men had grete meruayle wonder ¶ The good man that had dremed this
that whiche batayles men meruay led gretly on the sted fastnes of the romayns that no tribulacioÌ„ no drede nor hardnes might fere them but euer contynued in batayle And certaynly these Romayns after the worldes honeste they were the moost wysest men that were therfore the Machabees desyred theyr company ¶ Circa annuÌ„ mundi .v. M .lix. Et ante Christi natiuitatem C .xl. MAthan sone to Sadoth of the lyne of Chryst gate Iacob Vt patet Mathei ◠¶ Symon sone to Mathathias was bysshop .viii. yere This Symon was a very wyse man from his youth vntyll his age was euer of good conuersacyon euermore vertuous And at the last he was slayne of his broder Elay Vt pêª patet .i. macha ¶ IohaÌ„nes Hyrcanus sone to Symon was after his fa der .xxix. yere a noble man as all the kynrede was before hym This man after his decesse lefte his wyfe a very wyse woman his fyue sones to gouerne the Iewry of whome the eldest was called Aristobolus an vnpacyent man and an vnhappy His owne moder with thre of his yoÌ„ger brethern he prysoned slewe them through honger so alone he lyued kynge bysshop one yere Vide pâ—a libro machabeorum ¶ Publius Lucinius Lucius Emilius Lucius Lucinius Lucius Censorinus were consulles at Rome in whose tyme the Cartagyens the Romayns warred strongly togyder but the Romayns subdued them intendyng to haue destroyed the Cartagyens vtterly But amoÌ„ge the Romayns there was a notable wyse man called Scipio Nauta amonge many notable couÌ„seyles two he gaue specyally to be had in myÌ„de The fyrst that Cartago sholde not be destroyed that through the occasyon of forehande batayles an inwarde concorde and peas sholde abyde amonge the Romayns a perpetuall strengthe for contynuall exercyse of batayle The seconde that in no wyse the teathur sholde be buyided in Rome for he sayd that was the moost enemy that myght be vnto the people whiche vsed warre for that place nourysshed slouth and prouoked lechery And how wysely this notable man gaue cosiseyle the tymes folowynge declare Vide pâ—a in Au gu deciui dei et Oro. lib .iiij. Yet for all this couÌ„seyle the noble cite of Cartagye was destroyed of Scipio the senatours And it brent .xvii. dayes coÌ„tynually many men there were solde many men ran in to the fyre wylfully ¶ Corinthus this same yere was destroyed of the Ro mayns whiche was the rychest couÌ„tre of the worlde ¶ Ptholomeê° this tyme regned in Egipt was famylyer with the Romayns And so longe he his pre decessours regned as they kepte fidelite to the Romains And knowe euery man that there was none other cause that the power of the Romayns encreased so stroÌ„g ly aboue other people but vertue that whiche habouÌ„dauÌ„tly regned in them namely ryghtwysnes that whiche aboue all thynge they vsed And as longe as they kepte mesurenes loued ryghtwysnes so longe they were neuer ouercomen as soone as they were corrupted it is redde they were ouercomeÌ„ ¶ It is had in a certayne reuelacyon of god shewed to saint Brigit that our lord god bereth wytnes to these olde RomayÌ„s the none in this world of pure natural reason lyued more ryghtwysly And what lyghtes of fayth they shewed in the tyme of chrysten religyon shall be shewed afterwarde ¶ Regnum IudeoruÌ„ restituitur ARistobolus was the first kyng preest in the Iewry This man regned one yere alone toke to hym the dyademe of the kyngdom And he held hyÌ„ not content with that the his fader gaue hym in his testament But he put his moder in pryson his bretherne therfore he perysshed wretchedly with his broder Antigonus the whiche was of his couÌ„seyle helped hym Vide magrÌ„m in historiis ¶ Antigonê° broder to the kynge was slayne through the enuy of the quene ¶ Alexander was bysshop after Airstovolus he stode .xxvii. yere he was a tyrauÌ„t all though he appered sobre in the begyÌ„nynge But he made it knowen what he was in his stomacke For he slewe his owne bretherne in .xii. yere he slewe .l. M. of the olde sage faders of grete vertue bycause they colde hyÌ„ his mysguydynge Than whaÌ„ he shold dre he lefte two sones behynde hym â—iâ—â—anuÌ„ AristoboluÌ„ But certaynly he sayd his wyfe sholde regne for she stode in the grace of the people ¶ Seruius Flaccus Lucius Celius Fabius Publius this tyme were senatours at Rome This tyme batayles amonge themself began Of the whiche the fyrst cause the begyn nynge was Gracius a myghty man well knowen with noble Romayns began to seke a cause agaynst them And bycause that he myght do no thynge alone to them he meued the comyn people to them sayenge that all the londes possessyons shold be deuyded equally also the money â— And for that cause there was an insurreccyon in that whiche Gracius was slayne many nuscheues fell after Vide OrostuÌ„ ¶ In the tyme of these men there was a chylde borne at Rome hauynge .iiij. feet .iiij. armes iâ— faces and iiij eyen ¶ The hyll of Ethna spytted out flamynge fyre horrybly destroyed the places nye about it ¶ And these meÌ„ verynge rule Cartago was coÌ„mauÌ„ded to be restored it was fulfylled of the Ro mayne people And there was myghty batayle in the cite of Rome ¶ Fabâ—ê° with a lytell hoost ouercame the kynge of â—rmenye and there were drowned an hon dred and .lxxx. Nê° men in the water of Reme ¶ Pâ—holomeus Alexander was kyng in Egipt In his tyme was borne Luretius a poete that whiche afterwarde was madde for loue of women slewe hymselfe ¶ Ptholomeus some to Cleopatre regned after hym vnder whome Salustius the noble wryter of hystoryes was borne ¶ Ptholomeus Dionysius was after this man And in his tyme Virgyli Dracius were borne ¶ Anno muÌ„di .v. M.C.xxxiiij Et ante Christi natiuitatem .ix. C .v. IAcob naturall fader to Ioseph of the lyne of Chryst is rehersed in Luke Mathewe lytel of him is had in scripture ¶ Alexandra wyfe to AlexaÌ„ der was bysshop in the Iury .ix. yere she dyd moche tyranny all yf she was made bysihop by her feyned holy relygyon And NircanuÌ„ her sone promoted to the bysshopryche she ordeyned that he sholde regne after her This woman in the lyne of the by sshops is put for the conÌ„ tynge of the yeres Not that she vsed the offyce of a vysshop for it was not lefull to her ¶ Hircanê° sone to Alexander regned xxxiij yere This Hircanus after the de cesse of his moder succeded in the kyngdom in that whiche he had lytel prosperite for parcialite of the people For anone he was ouercomen afterwarde he was restored through the helpe of the Arabees And than he was made tributary to the Romayns so he was in peas a lytell tyme but not in the name of kyng At the last he
whiche childe he set betwyxt the knees of Iupiter in the temple feyned afterward the Iupiter had goten her wherfore he dyd dâ—trye through the countre the all men sholde worshyp her as a goddesse This man also made an ymage lyke hyÌ„selfe sent it to one Patronie president at Ierusalé vnder the Romayns coÌ„mauÌ„dyng hym that he shold compell the iewes to do worshyp therto And for these enormytees many other our lorde suffred hym to be slayne at Rome in his owne palays ¶ Of kyng Gynder that was Kymbalyns sone that wolde not paye the truage to Rome for the londe that Cassibalon had grauÌ„ted and how he was slayne of a Romayne ANd after the deth of this Kymbalyn regned Gynder his sone a good man and a worthy was of so hygh herte that he wolde not paye to Rome the trybute that kynge Cassybalon had graunted vnto Iulius Cesar wherfore the emperour that was than that was Claudius Cesar was sore anoyed and greued and ordeyned a grete power of Romayns and came in to this londe for to conquere yâ— trybute through myght and strengthe and for to haue it on the kynge But this kynge Gynder and Armager his broder assembled and gadered a grete hoost togyder of BritoÌ„s and gaue batayle to the emperour Claudius slewe of yâ— Romayns grete plente The emperour had afterward one yâ— was called Hamon yâ— sawe theyr people were there fast slayne pryuely cast awaye his owne armes toke yâ— armes of a deed bryton armed hym therwith and came in to the batayle to the kynge thus he sayd Syr be of a good herte for goddes loue for the Romayns your enemyes anone shall be slayne discoÌ„fyted And the kyng gaue no kepe to his wordes for bycause of the armes that he had vpon hym wend it had ben a Bryton But the traytour euer helde hym nexte the kynge pryuely vnder the sholder of his arme he smote the kynge wherfore the kynge dyed fell downe to the erth WhaÌ„ Armager sawe his broder so deed he cast awaye his armes toke to hym his broders armes came in to the batayle amonge the brytons badde them hertely for to fyght fast lay downe the Romayns And for the armes they wende it had ben kyng Gynder that afore was slayne that they wyst not Than began the Brytons fyersly to fyght slewe the Romayns So at the last the emperour for soke the felde fledde as fast as he myght with his folke in to Wynchestre And the fals traytour Hamon that had slayne the kyng fast anone began to flee with all the haste that he might And Armager the kynges broder pursued hym full fyersly with a fyers herte droue hym vnto a water and there he toke hym anone smote of bothe handes feet heed hewed the body all to peces than let cast hym in to the water wherfore that water was called Hamons hauen And afterwarde there was made a fayre towne that yet standeth that is called Southamton And afterward Armager went to Wynchester to seke Claudius the Emperour and there toke hym And Claudius the emperour through couÌ„seyle of his Romayns that were lefte alyue made peas with Armager in this maner folowyng that is to saye that Claudius sholde gyue vnto Armager Gennen his doughter to wyfe that this londe fro that tyme forward shold be in the emperours power of Rome takyng none other tribute but homage And they were accorded And vpon this couenauÌ„t Claudius cesar sente to Rome for his doughter Gennen And whaÌ„ she was comeÌ„ Claudius gaue her to Armager to wyfe And Armager spoused her at London with grete solemâ—nite And thaÌ„ he was crowned kynge of Brytayne ¶ Of kynge Armager in whose tyme saynt Peter preched in Antioche with other apostles in dyuers couÌ„trees THis Armager regned well and worthely gouerned well the loÌ„de And Claudius cesar in remembrauÌ„ce of this accorde for reuerence honour of his doughter made in this londe a faâ—â—e towne castell let call the towne after his name Claucestren the new is called Glocestre And whaÌ„ this was all done the emperour toke his lâ—ue went to Beâ—â—â— And Armager gate a sone on his wyfe that was called Westmer And whyle 〈◊〉 Armager regned saint Peter preched in Antioche there he made a noble chirche in the whiche he sate fyrst in his chayre there he dwelled .vij. yere And after he went to Rome was made pope tyll that Nero the emperour let martyr hym And than preched openly all yâ— apostles in dyuers londes the true faythe And whan Armager had regned .xxiiij. yere he dyed and lyeth at London ¶ How kyng Westmer gaue to Berynger an ylonde forlet there this Berynger made the towne of Berwyk ANd after this A 〈…〉 ager regned his sone Westmer that was a good man and a worthy of body well gouerned the londe It befell so that tydynges came to hym on a daye that the kynge Roderyk of Gascoyne was come in to this londe with an huge hoost of people and was dwellynge in Stanesmore And whan kyng Westmer herde those tydynges he let assemble an huge hoost of Brytons and came to kyng Roderyk gaue hym batayle And kynge Westmer slewe Roderik with his owne handes in playne batayle And whan kynge Roderykes men sawe that theyr lord was slayne they yelded them all to kynge Westmer became his men for euermore And he gaue them a couÌ„tre that was forlet wherin they myght dwell thyder they went and dwelled there all theyr lyfe tyme .ix. C. men there were of them no moo lefte at that batayle Theyr gouernour prynce was called Beringer anone he began a towne that they myght therin dwell haue resorte let call the towne Berwyk vpon Twede And there they enhabyted became ryche But they had no women amonge them and the Brytons wolde not gyue theyr doughters to the strauÌ„gers wherfore they went ouer see in to Irlonde brought with them women and there they them spoused But the men coude not vnderstande theyr language ne speche of these women therfore they spake togyder as scottes And afterwarde through chaungynge theyr languages in all FrauÌ„ce they were than called scottes and so sholde the folke of that countre be called for euermore ¶ How kynge Westmer let arere a stone in the entrynge of WestmerloÌ„de there as he slewe Roderyk there he began fyrst housynge ANd after this batayle that is aboue sayd whan Roderyk was slayne kyng Westmer in remembrauÌ„ce of his vyctory let arere there besydes yâ— waye a grete stone on hygh and yet it standeth and euermore shal stande and he let graue in the said stone lettres that thus sayd The kyng Westmer of Brytayne slewe in this place Roderyk his enemy And this Westmer was the fyrst that buylded hous and towne in Westmerlonde and at that stone begynneth Westmerlonde that Westmer let call
Spaldyng the whiche Pyers kynge Edwarde had put there for to kepe the same towne with many burgeyses of the same towne Wherfore the chyldren that were put in hostage through the burgeyses of Barwyk folowed the kynges marchalse many dayes fettred in stronge yrens ¶ And after that tyme there came two cardynals in to Englond whiche the pope had sent for to make peas bytwene Englond Scotlonde And as they went towarde Durham for to haue sacred mayster Lowys of Beaumont bysshop of Durham they were takeÌ„ and â—obbed vpon the more of Wynglesoown Of whiche robbery syr Gylbert of Middelton was atteynt and taken drawen hanged at London his heed smytten of put vpon a spere and set vpon newe gate and the foure quarters sent to foure citees of EngloÌ„de And that same tyme befell many myscheues in Englond for the poore people dyed for hunger and so moche so fast dyed that vnneth men myght them bury For a quarter of whete was worth xl shyllynges and two yere an halfe a quarter of whete was worth .x. marke And often tymes the poore people stale chyldren and ete them ete also all the houÌ„des that they myght take and also horses and cattes And after there fell a grete moreyn amonge beestes in diuers countrees of Englonde durynge kynge Edwardes lyfe tyme. ¶ How the Scottes robbed Northumberlonde ANd in the same tyme came the Scottes agayne in to Englond and destroyed Northumberlonde and brent robbed that lond and slewe men women chyldren that laye in theyr cradels brent also chirches destroied chrystendom and toke bare Englysshe meÌ„nes goodes as they had beÌ„ sarasyns or paynyms of the wyckednes that they dyd all chrystendom spake of it ¶ How the Scottes wolde not amende theyr trespace and therfore Scotlonde was enterdyted ANd whaÌ„ pope Iohn the .xxij. after saynt Peter herde of the grete sorow myschefe that the scottes wrought he was wonders sory that christendom was so destroyed through the Scottes and namely that they destroyed so chirches wherfore the pope sent a generall sentence vnder his bulles of leed vnto the archebysshop of Caunterbury to the archebysshop of yorke that yf Robert the Brus of Scotlonde wolde not be iustifyed and make amendes vnto the kyng of EngloÌ„de Edward theyr lord make amendes of his harmes that they had done also to restore the goodes that they had taken of holy chirche that the sentence sholde be pronounced through out all Englonde And whan the Scottes herde this they wold not leue theyr malyce for the popes commauÌ„demeÌ„t wherfore Robert the Brus Iames Douglas Thomas Randulf erle of Moref all those that with them comoned or holpe them in worde or dede were accursed in euery chirche through out all Englonde euery day at masse .iii. tymes no masse shold be songe in holy chirche through out all Scotlonde but yf the Scottes wolde make restitucyon of the harmes that they had made vnto holy chirche wherfore many a good preest holy men therfore were slayne through the realme of Scotlonde bycause they wolde not synge masse agaynst the popes coÌ„mauÌ„dement agaynst his wyll and to do and fulfyll the tyrauntes wyll ¶ How syr Hugh Spensers sone was made the kynges chamberlayne and of the batayle of Mitone ANd it was not longe afterward that the kynge ne ordeyued a parliament at yorke there was syr Hugh Spensers sone made chamberlain And the meane tyme whyle the warre lasted the kyng went agayn in to Scotlonde that it was wonder to wyte besyeged the towne of Barwyk but the Scottes went ouer the water of Solewath that was thre myle froÌ„ the kynges hoost pryuely they stale away by nyght came in to engloÌ„d robbed destroyed all that they myght spared no maner thyÌ„ge tyll that they came to yorke And whan the englysshmen that were lefte at home herd these tydynges all tho that might trauayle as well moÌ„kes preestes freres thanoÌ„s seculers came mette with the scottes at Miton vpswale the .xij. day of October Alas the sorow for the englisshe husbondmen that coude no thyÌ„ge of warre there were slayne drow ned in an arme of the see And the chefetaynes syr William of Melton archebisshop of yorke the abbot of selby with theyr stedes fled came to yorke that was theyr owne foly that they had that mischauÌ„ce for they pas sed the water of swale the scottes set a fyre the stackes of hey the smoke therof was so huge that the englysshmen myght not se the scottes And whan the Englysshmen were gone ouer the water than came the Scottes with theyr wynge in maner of a shelde came towarde the englysshmen in araye the englysshmen fledde for vnneth they had ony men of armes for the kyng had them almoost lost at the syege of Barwyk and the scottes hoblers went bytwene the brydge the englysshmen And whan the grete hoost them mette the englysshmen fled bytwene the hoblers the grete hoost the Englysshmen almoost were there slayn they that might go ouer the water were saued but many were drowned Alas for there were slayne many men of relygyon seculers preestes clerkes with moche sorow the archebisshop escaped therfore the Scottes called that batayle the whyte batayle ¶ How kynge Edwarde dyd all maner thynge that syr Hugh Spenser wolde ANd whan kyng Edward herde these tydynges he remeued his syege from Barwik came agayn in to Englonde But syr Hugh Spenser the sone that was the kynges chamberlayne kepte so the kynges chambre that no man myght speke with the kynge But he had made with hym a fâ—ette for to do all his nede that ouer mesure And this Hugh bare hym so stoute that all men had of hym scorne and despyte And the kynge hymselfe wold not be gouerned ne ruled by no maner man but onely by his fader and by hym And yf ony knyght of Englonde had wodes maners or loÌ„des that they wolde coueyte anone the kyng must gyue it them or els the man that ought it sholde be falsly endyted of forfayte or felouy And through suche doynge they disheryted many a bacheler so moche loude he gate that it was grete wonder And whan the lordes of Englonde sawe the grete couetyse the falsnes of syr Hugh Spenser the fader syr Hugh the sone they came to the gentyll erle of Lancastre and asked hym of couÌ„seyle of the dysease that was in the realme through syr Hugh Spenser and his sone And in haste by one assent they made a preuy assemble at Shyrburne in Elmede and they made there an othe for to breke dystrouble the doynge bytwene the king syr Hugh spen ser his sone vpoÌ„ theyr power And they weÌ„t in to the marche of wales destroyed the londe of the foresayd syr Hughes ¶ How syr Hugh Spenser his fader were exiled out of