Richard king Richard that it might haue béene after said that he was speciallie chosen by God and in maner by miracle But this deuise quailed either by the protectors negligence or the preachers ouermuch diligence For while the protector found by the waie tarieng least he should preuent those words and the doctor fearing that he should come yer his sermon could come to these words hasted his matter thereto he was come to them and past them and entred into other matters yer the protector came Whome when he beheld comming he suddenlie left the matter with line 10 which he was in hand and without anie deduction therevnto out of all order and out of all frame began to repeat those words againe This is the verie noble prince the speciall patrone of knightlie prowesse which as well in all princelie behauior as in the lineaments fauor of his visage representeth the verie face of the noble duke of Yorke his father this is the fathers owne figure this is his owne countenance the verie print of his visage the sure vndoubted image the plaine expresse likenesse of the noble duke line 20 whose remembrance can neuer die while he liueth While these words were in speaking the protector accompanied with the duke of Buckingham went through the people into the place where the doctors commonlie stand in the vpper storie where he stood to hearken the sermon But the people were so farre fro crieng K. Richard that they stood as they had béene turned into stones for woonder of this shamefull sermon After which once ended the preacher gat him home and neuer after durst looke out for shame but line 30 kept him out of sight like an owle And when he once asked one that had béene his old friend what the people talked of him all were it that his owne conscience well shewed him that they talked no good yet when the tother answered him that there was in euerie mans mouth spoken of him much shame it so strake him to the heart that within few daies after he withered and consumed awaie for verie thought and inward pine procured by irrecouerable cares whose nature is noted by obseruation of their effects line 40 Attenuant vigiles corpus miserabile curae Then on the tuesdaie following this sermon there came to the Guildhall in London the duke of Buckingham accompanied with diuerse lords and knights mo than happilie knew the message that they brought And there in the east end of the hall where the maior kéepeth the Hustings the maior and all the aldermen being assembled about him all the commons of the citie gathered before them After silence commanded vpon great paine in the protectors line 50 name the duke stood vp and as he was neither vnlearned and of nature maruelouslie well spoken he said vnto the people with a cleare and lowd voice in this maner of wise The duke of Buckinghams oration to the assemblie of the maior aldermen and commoners FRiends for the zeale and heartie line 60 fauour that we beare you we be comen to breake vnto you of a matter right great and weightie and no lesse weightie than pleasing to God and profitable to all the realme nor to no part of the realme more profitable than to you the citizens of this noble citie For whie that thing that we wote well ye haue long time lacked and sore longed for that yee would haue giuen great good for that yee would haue gone farre to fetch that thing we be come hither to bring you without your labour paine cost aduenture or ieopardie What thing is that Certes the suertie of your owne bodies the quiet of your wiues and your daughters the safegard of your goods of all which things in times past ye stood euermore in doubt For who was there of you all that would reckon himselfe lord of his own goods among so manie grens traps as was set therefore among so much pilling and polling among so manie taxes and tallages of which there was neuer end oftentimes no need Or if anie were it rather grew of riot and vnreasonable wast than anie necessarie or honourable charge So that there was dailie pilled fro good men and honest great substance of goods to be lashed out among vnthrifts so far forth that fifteenes sufficed not nor anie vsuall names of knowne taxes but vnder an easie name of beneuolence and good will the commissioners so much of euerie man tooke as no man could with his good will haue giuen As though that name of beneuolence had signified that euerie man should paie not what himselfe of his owne good will list to grant but what the king of his good will list to take Which neuer asked little but euerie thing was hawsed aboue the measure amercements turned into fines fines into ransoms small trespasses into misprison misprison into treason Whereof I thinke no man looketh that we should remember you of examples by name as though Burdet were forgotten that was for a word spoken in hast cruellie beheaded by the misconstruing of the laws of this realme for the princes pleasure With no lesse honour to Markam then cheefe iustice that left the benefit dignitie of his office rather than he would assent to the dishonestie of those that either for feare or flatterie gaue that iudgement What Cooke your owne worshipfull neighbour alderman and maior of this noble citie who is of you so either negligent that he knoweth not or so forgetfull that he remembreth not or so hard hearted that he pittieth not that worshipfull mans losse What speake we of losse His vtter spoile and vndeserued destruction onelie for that it hapned those to fauour him whome the prince fauoured not We need not I suppose to rehearse of these anie mo by name sith there be I doubt not manie heere present that either in themselues or in their nigh friends haue knowne as well their goods as their persons greatlie indangered either by feigned quarels or small matters aggreeued with heinous names And also there was no crime so great of which there could lacke a pretext For sith the king preuenting the time of this inheritance atteined the crowne by battell it sufficed in a rich man for a pretext of treason to haue beene of kinred or aliance neer familiaritie or legier acquaintance with anie of those that were at anie time the kings enimies which was at one time and other more than halfe the relme Thus were neither your goods in suertie and yet they brought your bodies in ieopardie beside the common aduenture of open warre which albeit that it is euer the will and occasion of much mischeefe yet is it neuer so mischeeuous as where any people fall at distance among themselues nor in none earthlie nation so deadlie and so line 10 pestilent as when it hapneth among vs and among vs neuer so long continued dissention nor so manie batels in that season nor so cruell
mine owne hand God send grace sir quoth the messenger and went his waie Certeine is it also that in riding towards the Tower the same morning in which be was beheded his horsse twise or thrise stumbled with him almost to the falling Which thing albeit ech man wote well dailie happeneth to them to whom no such mischance is toward yet hath it béene of an old rite and custome obserued as a token oftentimes notablie foregoing some great misfortune Now this that followeth was no warning but an enuious scorne The same morning yer he was vp came a knight vnto him as it were of courtesie to accompanie him to the councell but of truth sent by the protector to hast him thitherwards with whome he was of secret confederacie in that purpose a meane man at that time and now of great authoritie This knight I say when it happened the lord chamberleine by the waie to staie his horsse common a while with a priest whom he met in the Tower stréet brake his tale and said merilie to him What my lord I pray you come on whereto talke you so long with that priest you haue no néed of a priest yet and therwith he laughed vpon him as though he would say Ye shall haue soone But so little wist the tother what he ment and so little mistrusted that he was neuer merier nor neuer so full of good hope in his life which selfe thing is oft séene a signe of change But I shall rather let anie thing passe me than the vaine suertie of mans mind so neere his death flattering himselfe with deceitfull conceipts of inward motions of life to be prolonged euen in present cases of deadlie danger and heauie misfortunes offering great mistrust as he did that is noted for speaking like a foole Non est crede mihi sapientis dicere Viuam Nascentes morimur finÃsque ab origine pendet Upon the verie Tower wharfe so neare the place where his head was off soone after there met he with one Hastings a purseuant of his owne name And at their méeting in that place he was put in remembrance of another time in which it had happened them before to meet in like manner togither in the same place At which other time the lord chamberleine had béene accused vnto king Edward by the lord Riuers the queenes brother in such wise as he was for the while but it lasted not long farre fallen into the kings indignation stood in great feare of himselfe And forsomuch as he now met this purseuant in the same place that ieopardie so well passed it gaue him great pleasure to talke with him thereof with whom he had before talked thereof in the same place while he was therein And therefore he said Ha Hastings art thou remembred when I met thée here once with an heauie heart Yea my lord quoth he that remember I well and thanked be God they gat no good nor you no harme thereby Thou wouldest say so quoth he if thou knewest as much as I know which few know else as yet and mo shall shortlie That meant he by the lords of the quéenes kinred that were taken before and should that daie be beheaded at Pomfret which he well wist but nothing ware that the axhung ouer his owne head In faith man quoth he I was neuer so sorie nor neuer stood in so great dread in my life as I did when thou and I met here And lo how the world is turned now stand mine enimies in the danger as thou maiest hap to heare more hereafter and I neuer in my life so merrie nor neuer in so great suertie O good God the blindnesse of our mortall nature when he most feared he was in good suertie when he reckoned himselfe surest he lost his life and that within two houres after Thus ended this honorable man a good knight and a gentle of great authoritie with his prince of liuing somewhat dissolute plaine and open to his enimie secret to his friend easie to beguile as he that of good heart and courage forestudied no perils a louing man and passing well beloued verie faithfull and trustie inough trusting too much Now flew the fame of this lords death swiftlie through the citie and so foorth further about like a wind in euerie mans eare But the protector immediatlie after dinner intending to set some colour vpon the matter sent in all the hast for manie substantiall men out of the citie into the Towre Now at their comming himselfe with the duke of Buckingham stood harnessed in old ill faring briganders such as no man should wéene that they would vouchsafe to haue put vpon their backs except that some sudden necessitie had constreined line 10 them And then the protector shewed them that the lord chamberleine and other of his conspiracie had contriued to haue suddenlie destroied him and the duke there the same day in the councell And what they intended further was as yet not well knowne Of which their treason he neuer had knowledge before ten of the clocke the same forenoone which sudden feare draue them to put on for their defense such harnesse as came next to hand And so had God holpen them that the mischiefe turned vpon them that line 20 would haue doone it And this he requireed them to report Euerie man answered him faire as though no man mistrusted the matter which of truth no man beléeued Yet for the further appeasing of the peoples minds he sent immediatlie after diner in all the hast one herald of armes with a proclamation to be made through the citie in the kings name conteining that the lord Hastings with diuerse other of his traitorous purpose had before conspired the same line 30 day to haue slaine the lord protector and the duke of Buckingham sitting in the councell and after to haue taken vpon them to rule the king the realme at their pleasure and therby to pill and spoile whome they list vncontrolled And much matter there was in that proclamation deuised to the slander of the lord chamberleine as that he was an ill councellor to the kings father intising him to manie things highlie redounding to the minishing of his honour and to the vniuersall hurt of the realme line 40 The meanes whereby namelie his euill companie sinister procuring and vngratious example as well in manie other things as in the vicious liuing and inordinate abusion of his bodie both with manie other and also speciallie with Shores wife which was one also of his most secret counsell in this most heinous treason with whom he laie nightlie and namelie the night last past next before his death So that it was the lesse maruell if vngratious liuing brought him to an vnhappie ending which he was now put line 50 vnto by the most dred commandement of the kings highnesse and of his honorable and faithfull councell both for his demerits being so openlie taken in his falslie conceiued
péere as one that neuer wanted desire to doo mischéefe and who to be comparable in crueltie would iudge it a great reproch There commeth also the earle of Mellent a man full of all guile and deceit in whose hart iniquitie is rooted and nothing sounding in his mouth but vnthankfulnesse besides this he is slothfull in déeds presumptuous in words not hastie to fight but swift to run awaie Then commeth earle Hugh who hath not thought it sufficient to breake his oth to my sister the empresse but he must commit periurie the second time in aduouching vpon a new oth that king Henrie granted the kingdome to Stephan and disabled his daughter After him marcheth the earle of Albemarle a man of singular constancie in euill verie readie to attempt and loth to giue ouer a mischeefe whose wife through irkesomnes of his filthie behauiour is gone from him he that keepeth hir cōmeth with him also against vs an open adulterer one well esteemed of Bacchus but nothing acquainted with Mars Then setteth foorth Simon earle of Hampton whose déeds consist in words whose gifts rest in promises For when he hath said he hath doone when he hath promised ye get no more Finallie there come togither a knot of Péeres Noble men like to their king and maister accustomed to robberies enriched with rapines embrued with manslaughters defamed with periurie You therefore most valiant capteins hardie souldiers whom king Henrie hath aduanced and this man hath brought vnder foot whom he made wealthie and this man hath impouerished vpon trust of your worthy valiancie yea rather vpon trust of Gods iustice seeke your reuenge thus offered by God vpon these wicked wretches with manlie stomachs vow to go forward forswere stepping back When the earle had made an end all the armie lifting vp their hands to God abiured all intention to flée and so made themselues readie to set forward King Stephan hauing no pleasant voice of himselfe appointed earle Baldwin to giue an exhortation to his armie wherevpon getting himselfe to an high place where he might be seene heard of them he thus began All such as shall giue battell ought to foresée thrée things first that their cause be righteous secondlie the number of their men to be equall at the least and thirdlie the goodnesse and sufficiencie of them The righteousnes of their cause ought to be regarded least men runne in danger of the soule the number of men is to be respected least they should be oppressed with multitude of enimies and the goodnesse of the soldiers is to be considered least trusting in the multitude they should presume vpon the aid of feeble persons such as are of small valure In all these points we see our selues sufficientlie furnished The iustice of our cause is this that obseruing the thing which we vowed to our king before God we stand to the same against those that haue falsified their faith euen to the perill of death Our number is not much lesse in horssemen and in footmen we excéed them As for the goodnesse or sufficiencie of our men who is able to expresse the noble prowesse of so manie earles of so manie lords and soldiers trained vp euer in warres The passing valiancie of our king may stand in place of innumerable souldiers Sith then he being the lords annointed is here amongst you vnto whom ye haue vowed allegiance performe your vow For the more earnestly and faithfully ye serue your prince in this battell which you are readie to fight against periured persons the more shall your reward be at the hands of God and him Therfore be of good comfort haue in remembrance against whom you doo darraine the battell The force of erle Robert is well knowne his maner is to threaten much to worke little furious in words eloquent of speach but cold or rather dead harted in déeds The earle of Chester what is he A man of vnreasonable boldnesse bent to conspiracie inconstant to performe that which he rashlie taketh in hand readie to run into batell vncircumspect in danger practising things of great importance séeking after things vnpossible bringing with him few good soldiers but gathering a vagarant rout of rascals line 10 There is nothing in him that we ought to be afraid of for looke whatsoeuer he attempteth manfullie the same he giueth ouer womanlie in all his dooings vnfortunate in all encounters either he is ouercome and fléeth awaie or if he get the vpper hand which seldome times chanceth he susteineth greater losse than they whom he dooth vanquish The Welshmen whom he bringeth with him are little estéemed of vs who pretend a naked rashnesse without any vse of armor so that as men without line 20 any knowledge of martiall policie they fall as brute beasts vpon the hunters iaueline The other as well the nobles as the common souldiers are but runnagates and vagabounds of whom I would wish the number greater than it is for the more they be the woorsse in effect their seruice shall prooue in time of need You therefore most worthie cheefetaines you men of honor it standeth you vpon to haue in regard your vertue and dignities This day aduance your line 30 renowme and follow the foresteps of your famous ancestors leaue to your sonnes an euerlasting commendation The continuall successe of victorie ought to be a prouocation vnto you to doo manfullie the continuance of euill speed may be to yonder side an occasion to run away For euen alreadie I dare say they repent them of their comming hither and could be contented to be gone if the nature of the place would suffer them to depart Then sith it is not possible for them either to fight or to flée what other thing line 40 can they doo but as appointed by Gods ordinance offer themselues and all they haue about them presentlie vnto vs. Yée sée then their horsses their armour and their bodies readie here at your pleasure lift vp your hearts therefore and reach your hands to take that with great chearefulnesse of mind which the Lord hath thus offered and freelie presented vnto you Now yer he had all made an end of his words the batels were readie to ioine they met with great line 50 noise of trumpets and other instruments and the fight began with a verie sore and cruell slaughter Hard it was in the beginning to gesse who should haue the better The wing of the disherited men ouerthrew and bare downe their aduersaries which were led by the duke of Britaine and the forenamed earles On the contrarie part the earle of Albemarle and William de Ypres put the Welshmen to flight but by the earle of Chester and his retinue the same earle and William de Ypres were fiercelie assailed line 60 afresh and put out of order Thus was the kings side put to the worse namelie his horssemen who being placed in the forefront
nor alledge that he had wrong doone to him except Hugh the bishop of Lincolne who sticked not to saie that the king in this demand did them and the rest open iniurie The bishop of Durham lost his earledome and was constreined to content himselfe with his old bishoprike and to leaue the dignitie of an earle or at the leastwise the possessions which he had bought of the king before his setting forward into the holie land Thus the king recouered those things for the which he had receiued great summes of monie without making any recompense where the most part of the line 10 occupiers had not receiued scarselie a third part of the principall which they had laid foorth For no sufficiencie of grant patent or other writing to any of them before made did any thing auaile them Moreouer where he had borrowed a great summe of monie of the merchants of the staple he wrought a feat with the moonks of the Cisteaux order to discharge that debt He told these moonks that being constreined with vrgent necessitie he had borowed that monie of the merchants beyond the sea vpon confidence line 20 of their good beneuolence and therefore he required them to extend their liberalitie so farre toward him as to deliuer so much wooll in value as should discharge that debt To be short the moonks being ouercome with the kings words threatning kindnesse vpon them fulfilled his request Moreouer not satisfied herewith he leuied a taske throughout the realme exacting of euerie hide of land two shillings according to the grant made to him at Notingham and the same was generallie gathered as line 30 well of the spirituall mens lands as of the temporall The king of Scots vnderstanding that the bishop of Durham had giuen ouer and resigned the earledome of Northumberland into the kings hands thought good once againe to assaie if he might compasse his desire and herewith he began his former suit afresh offering to king Richard fiftéene thousand markes of siluer for the whole earledome of Northumberland with the appurtenances as his father earle Henrie did hold the same before The king line 40 taking counsell in the matter agreed that he should haue it for that monie excepting the castels but the king of Scots would haue castels and all or else he would not bargaine Finallie after he had sundrie times â—ooued this suit for the hauing of the lands vnto which he pretended a title and could get nothing of king Richard but faire words putting him as it were in hope to obteine that he required at his next returne out of France vpon the 22 daie of Aprill being fridaie line 50 he tooke leaue of the king and returned towards his countrie not verie ioifull in that he could not obteine his suit King Richard in this meane while caused all those prisoners that were taken in the castels of Notingham Tickhill Marleburgh Lancaster and S. Michaels mount which were of any wealth to be put in prison that they might fine for their ransoms The residue he suffered to depart vpon suerties that were bound for them in an hundreth marks a peece to be forth comming when they should line 60 be called Now the king after he had gathered a great portion of monie and ordeined diuerse things for the behoofe of the common-wealth thereby to satisfie the harts of the people prepared himselfe to saile into Normandie But first he reconciled the archbishop of Yorke and the bishop of Elie lord chancellour aswell for the apprehension imprisoning of the archbishop at Douer as for the dishonourable expulsion of the chancellour out of England in such wise that the chancellour should vpon reasonable summons giuen to him by the archbishop sweare with the hands of an hundred préests with him that he neither commanded nor willed that the archbishop should be apprehended The controuersie betwixt the two archbishops about the bearing of their crosses the king would not meddle withall for as he said that perteined to the pope Yet the archbishop of Canturburie complained to king Richard of the iniurie doone to him at that present by the archbishop of Yorke presuming within his prouince to haue his crosse borne before him At length when the kings prouision was once readie for his voiage into Normandie he came to Douer and hearing that the French king had besieged the towne of Uernueil and that the same was in danger to be taken he tooke the sea togither with his mother quéene Elianor on the ninth daie of Maie and transporting ouer into Normandie arriued at Harfléet with an hundred great ships fraught with men horsses and armour The French king hearing of king Richards arriuall and that he was comming with a great power to the succour of them within Uernueil and was alreadie incamped néere to the towne of the Eagle he plucked vp his tents in the night before Whitsundaie and leauing the siege departed from thence and tooke a certeine small fortresse by the waie as he marched wherein he left a few souldiers to keepe it to his vse King Richard herewith entring into the French dominions sent three bands of souldiers towards Uale de Ruell and went himselfe vnto Loches and besieging that castell wan it within a short time The Normans also recouered the citie of Eureux out of the French mens hands but those that were sent vnto Ruell and had besieged the castell there an eight daies without anie gaine hearing that the French king was comming towards them departed thence came backe to the kings campe wherevpon the French king comming to Ruell raced it to the ground bicause his enimie should not at anie time in winning it nestle there to the further damage of the countrie About the same time Robert earle of Leicester issuing foorth of Rouen in hope to worke some feat to the damage of the Frenchmen as he rode somewhat vnaduisedlie in the lands of Hugh Gourney fell within danger of his enimies who tooke him prisoner and a few other that were in his companie The French king after this came with his armie into the coasts of Touraine and marched neere Uandosine and there incamped whereof king Richard being aduertised drew néere to Uandosme meaning to assaile the French king in his campe who hauing knowledge thereof dislodged with his armie earlie in the morning and fled awaie to his great dishonour in all hast possible The king of England with his people following in chase of the French men slue manie and tooke a great number of prisoners amongst whom was the French kings chéefe treasurer Also the Englishmen tooke manie wagons and sumpters laden with crossebowes armour plate apparell and the furniture of the French kings chapell This chanced about 37 daies after his fléeing in the night from Uernueil of which two flights of the French king in maner as ye haue heard we find these verses written Gallia fugisti bis hoc sub rege Philippo
Nec sunt sub modio facta pudenda tuo Vernolium sumit testem fuga prima secunda Vindocinum noctem prima secunda diem Nocte fugam primam rapuisti manè secundam Prima metus vitio vÃque secunda fuit France twice thou fledst while Philip reignd the world dooth know thy shame For Vernueil witnesse beares of th' one next Vandosme knowes the same The first by night the next by day thy heart and force doo showe That first through feare and next by force was wrought thine ouerthrowe In this meane while certeine rebels in Guien as the lord Geffrey de Rancin or Rancon and the earle of Engolesme with their complices vpon confidence of the French kings assistance sore disquieted the countrie Howbeit the sonne of the king of line 10 Nauarre and brother to Berengaria the quéene of England entring into Guien with an armie wasted the lands of both those rebels till he was called home by reason of his fathers death which chanced about the same time Shortlie after Geffrey Rancin died and king Richard comming into his countrie wan the strong castell of Tailleburge by surrender which apperteined to the same Geffrey with others and then going against the other rebels he wan the citie of Engolesme from him by force of assault All line 20 which time the French king stirred not by reason that there was some communication in hand for a truce to be taken betwixt him and king Richard which by mediation of certeine bishops was shortlie after concluded to endure for twelue moneths The bishop of Elie was chéefe commissioner for the king of England and this truce was accorded about Lammas and serued to little purpose except to giue libertie to either prince to breath a little and in the meane time to prouide themselues of men munition line 30 ships monie that immediatlie after the terme was expired they might with greater force returne to the field againe for they had not onelie a like desire to follow the warres but also vsed a like meane and practise to leuie monie For whereas they had alreadie made the temporaltie bare with often paiments and calling them foorth to serue personallie in the warres they thought best now to fetch a fleece from the spiritualtie and churchmen considering also that they had béene by reason line 40 of their immunitie more gentlie dealt with and not appointed to serue themselues in any maner of wise To colour this exaction which they knew would be euill taken of manie they bruted abroad that they leuied this monie vpon purpose to send it into the holie land towards the paiment of the christian souldiers which remained there vpon the defense of those townes which yet the Saracens had not conquered King Richard therfore comming to Towrs in Touraine required a great summe of monie of the cleargie line 50 in those parts and the like request he made through out all those his dominions on that further side of the sea King Philip for his part demanded likewise intollerable tithes and duties of all the churchmen in his territories and those that had the gathering of that monie serued their owne turne in dealing most streightlie with sillie préests making them to paie what they thought good though sometime beyond the bounds of equitie and reason In September the iustices itinerants made their line 60 circuits thorough euerie shire and countie of this realme causing inquisitions to be taken by substantiall iuries of plées of the crowne both old and new of recognisances of escheats of wards of mariages of all maner of offendors against the lawes and ordinances of the relme and of all other transgressors falsifiers and murtherers of Iewes of the pledges goods lands debts and writings of Iewes that were slaine and of other circumstances touching that matter Likewise of the accompts of shiriffes as to vnderstand what had béene giuen towards the kings ransome how much had beene receiued and what remained behind to receiue Also of the lands that belonged to erle Iohn and what goods he had and what he held in demaine in wards escheats and in gifts and for what cause they were giuen Furthermore of his fautors and partakers which had made fines with the king and which not with manie other articles touching the same earle Also of vsurers and of their goods being seized of wines sold contrarie to the assise of false measures and of such as hauing receiued the crosse to go into the holie land died before they set forward Also of grand assises that were of an hundred shillings land or vnder and of defaults and of diuerse other things the iurats were charged to inquire and present the same The iustices also were appointed to cause the manours farmes and lands which the king held in demaine or by wards and escheats to be surueied by a substantiall iurie and to take order for the conuerting of them to such vse as the king might be answered of the gaines rising by the same at the farmers hands Also the Iewes were appointed to inroll all their debts pledges lands houses rents and possessions Moreouer inquisition was taken of iustices shiriffes bailiffes conestables foresters and other officers belonging to the king to vnderstand in what maner they had behaued themselues in taking and seizing of things into their hands and of all such goods gifts and promises had and receiued by occasion of leasure made of the lands of earle Iohn and his fautors and who receiued the same and what delaie was granted by commandement of Hubert archbishop of Canturburie then lord chéefe iustice In this meane time whilest these inquisitions were thus taken in England king Richard comming foorth of Poictou into Aniou caused all the bailiffes and officers of that countrie and also of Maine to fine with him for their offices After this when he came downe into Normandie he seemed in shew to be offended with his chancellour the bishop of Elie about concluding of the truce with the French king where as ye haue heard he was cheefe commissioner misliking greatlie all that was doone therein and therefore he tooke the seale from him and caused a new seale to be made commanding to be proclaimed thorough all his dominions that whatsoeuer had béene sealed with the old seale should stand in no force both for that his chancellor had wrought more vndiscreetlie than was conuenient and againe bicause the same seale was lost when Roger Malus Catulus his vicechancellour was drowned who perished among other by shipwracke néere to the I le of Cypres before the king arriued there being as then on his iournie into the holie land Therefore all men had commandement to come to this new seale that they might haue their charters and writings confirmed Furthermore whilest the truce yet lasted king Richard sailed ouer into England where he caused turneis to be exercised in diuerse places for the better training vp
earle of Winchester being an earnest meane for him that he might so easilie escape About the same time was a generall truce taken betwixt the king and Lewes and all their partakers till the 20 day after Christmasse for the obteining of which truce as some write the castell of Berkehamstéed was surrendered vnto the same Lewes as before ye haue heard After Christmasse and whilest the truce yet dured year 1218 Lewes and the barons assembled at the councell which they held at Cambridge the lords that tooke part with the king met likewise at Oxford and much talke there was and great trauell imploied to haue concluded some agréement by composition betwixt the parties but it would not be nor yet anie longer truce which was also soâ—ght for could be granted wherevpon Lewes besieged the castell of Hidingham the which togither with the castels of Norwich Colchester and Oxford were surrendered vnto him to haue a truce granted vntill a moneth after Easter next insuing And so by this meanes all the east part of the realme came vnto the possession of Lewes For the I le of Elie was woon by his people a litle before the last truce whilest he himselfe lay in siege at Berkehamstéed except one fortresse belonging to the same I le into the which the souldiers that serued there vnder the king were withdrawen But yet although Lewes might seeme thus partlie to preuaile in hauing these castels deliuered into his hands yet being aduertised that dailie there reuolted diuerse of the barons of England vnto king Henrie which before had taken part with him he stood in great doubt and feare of the rest and therefore furnished all those castels which he had woone with conuenient garrisons and namelie the castell of Hertford and after went to London there to vnderstand what further trust he might put in the rest of the English lords and barons for as diuerse had alreadie forsaken him as it is said so the residue were doubtfull what they were best to doo For first they considered that the renouncing of their promised faith vnto Lewes whome they had sworne to mainteine as king of England should be a great reproch vnto them and againe they well saw that to continue in their obedience towards him should bring the realme in great danger sith it would be hard for any louing agréement to continue betwéene the French Englishmen their natures being so contrarie Thirdlie they stood somewhat in feare of the popes cursse pronounced by his legat both against Lewes and all his partakers Albeit on the other side to reuolt vnto king Henrie though the loue which they did beare to their countrie and the great towardnesse which they saw in him greatlie mooued them yet sith by reason of his yoong yeares he was not able either to follow the wars himselfe or to take counsell what was to be doone in publike gouernement they iudged it a verie dangerous case For whereas in wars nothing can be more expedient than to haue one head by whose appointment all things may be gouerned so nothing can be more hurtfull than to haue manie rulers by whose authoritie things shall passe and be ordered Wherefore these considerations staâ—ed and kept one part of the English lords still in obedience to Lewes namelie for that diuerse of the confederats thought that it stood not with their honours so to forsake him till they might haue some more honorable colour to reuolt from their promises or that the matter should be taken vp by some indifferent agréement to be concluded out of hand betwixt them Hervpon they resorted in like maner vnto London and there with Lewes tooke councell what was to be doone with their businesse touching the whole state of their cause ¶ Here ye shall note that before the concluding of this last truce Fouks de Brent the capteine of the castell of Bedford gat togither a number of souldiers out of the garrisons 〈◊〉 the castels of Oxford Northampton Bedford and Windsor and comming with them to S. Albons the 22 of Februarie he spoiled the towne abbie in like maner as he line 10 had doone all the townes and villages by the way as he passed through the countrie from Bedford vnto S. Albons The messengers which Lewes had remaining in the court of Rome signified vnto him about the same time that except he departed out of England the sentence of excommunication which Gualo or Walo the legat had pronounced against him should be confirmed by the pope on Maundie thursdaie next insuing Wherevpon Lewes was the more inclined line 20 to yéeld to the truce before mentioned that he might in the meane time go ouer into France to his father who had most earnestlie written and sent in commandement to him that in any wise he should returne home to talke with him and so about midlent after the truce was concluded he prepared himselfe and sailed ouer into France and as Polydor saith but with what authoritie I know not the king of Scots went also with him After his departure ouer William earle of Salisburie line 30 William earle of Arundell William earle Warren and diuerse other reuolted to king Henrie Moreouer William Marshall earle of Penbroke so trauelled with his son William Marshall the yoonger that he likewise came to take part with the yoong king whereby the side of Lewes and his Frenchmen was sore weakened and their harts no lesse appalled for the sequele of their affaires Lewes returned yet into England before the truce was expired The lords that held on the kings part in the absence line 40 of Lewes were not forgetfull to vse opportunitie of time for beside that they had procured no small number of those that before time held with Lewes to reuolt from him to the kings side they at one selfe time besieged diuerse castels and recouered them out of their aduersaries hands as Marlebrough Farneham Winchester Cicester and certeine other which they ouerthrew and raced bicause they should not be taken and kept againe by the enimie For ye must vnderstand that the going ouer of line 50 Lewes now at that time when it stood him most vpon to haue beene present here in that troublesome season which he ought to haue regarded with singular circumspection and warilie to haue watched for Virtus est vbi occasio admonet dispicere brought no small hinderance to the whole state of all his businesse in so much that he was neuer so highlie regarded afterwards among the Englishmen as before About the same time Ranulfe earle of Chester line 60 William earle of Albermarle William earle Ferrers Robert de Ueipount Brian de Lisle William de Cantlow Philip de Marc Robert de Gaugi Fouks de Brent others assembled their powers and comming to Mountsorell beside Loughborough in Leicestershire besieged the castell there the capteine whereof was one Henrie de Braibroke This Henrie defended the place right manfully and doubting to be in
the archbishop replied that if he loued the king he would be loth to séeke to trouble the quiet state of the realme The king perceiuing the archbishop to be chafed taking the tale himselfe made a courteous answer and further aduise had in the matter sent foorth writs to the shiriffe of euerie countie commanding them by inquirie of a sufficient iurie impanelled to make certificat within the quindene of Ester what were the liberties in times line 20 past of his grandfather K. Henrie vsed within the realme of England The same yeare whiles William Marshall earle of Penbroke was busie in Ireland in war against Hugh Lacie Leolin prince or king of Wales as some haue intitled him tooke by force two castels that belonged to the same earle whereof when he was aduertised with all spéed he returned out of Ireland raised an armie and recouered the said castels putting to death all such as he found in the same to requite Leolin with the like damage as he had shewed line 30 him before in his absence This doone he entered into the land of Leolin wasting and spoiling the same whereof when the said Leolin was informed he assembled an host of Welshmen and comming into the field gaue battell but the victorie rested on the earle of Penbroks side so that there were taken and slaine in this bickering to the number of 9000 Welshmen There was in this yeare a conspiracie also begun by the earle of Chester and other Noble men against Hubert de Burgh lord chiefe iustice line 40 of England by whose counsell as it was thought the king was more streict towards the nobilitie and other his subiects in staieng his grant to confirme the charter of liberties than otherwise he would haue beene if the same Hubert and other had not aduised him to the contrarie In this season also Iohn de Bren king of Ierusalem and the lord great maister of the knights hospitallers came into England where they were honorablie line 50 receiued of king Henrie and liberally rewarded The cause of their comming was to require aid of the king for the recouerie of the holie land out of the possession of the Saracens In like maner about the same time Leolin prince of Northwals with certeine English lords as Hugh Lacie and others vpon an hatred which they bare towards king Henrie for his fathers sake supposing that so euill a stocke as they tooke him to be could not bring foorth anie good branch sought by open warres to bring William line 60 Marshall earle of Penbroke and other barons that were faithfull friends to the king vnto their purpose but the whole countrie rising against them they were disappointed to their owne confusion and so they could neuer bring that to passe which they so earnestlie intended In this yeare Philip the French king departed this life and after him succéeded Lewes his sonne vnto whom king Henrie sent in ambassage the archbishop of Canturburie with three other bishops to require that according to his oth made and receiued at his returne out of England he would restore and deliuer vp to him the dukedome of Normandie with other such lands and possessions as his father in times past had taken from king Iohn and still did wrongfullie withhold K. Lewes answered herevnto that he held Normandie the other lands by good right and iust title as he could well prooue and iustifie if king Henrie would come to the parlement in France to heare it And as touching the oth which he had sworne in England he affirmed that the same was first broken by king Henrie both in that his men which had béene taken at Lincolne were put to greeuous ransoms and also for that their liberties for which the warre first began were not obserued but denied to the English subiects contrarie to that which was concluded at the agréement betwixt them at the same time made Moreouer king Henrie sent other ambassadours to Rome who purchased a bull of the pope wherby he was adiudged to be of age sufficient to receiue the gouernement of the kingdome of England into his owne hands thereby to order and dispose aâ—â— things at his pleasure by the aduise of such councellours as he should elect and choose to be about him Wherevpon after the said ambassadours were returned all those earles barons and nobles which held anie castels honors manors or places apperteining to the king were commanded to deliuer and resigne the same to his vse which caused much trouble as after shall appeare For diuerse Noble men whose harts were filled with couetousnesse would not obeie the popes order herein but sore repined yet not so much against the king as against the lord Hubert de Burgh by whose councell the king was most led and ruled And therefore they did put him in all the blame as one that should set the king against them and staie him from suffering them to inioy those liberties which they from time to time so much laboured to haue had to them granted and confirmed Upon this occasion therfore they sued to the king for the restitution of the ancient lawes according to his promise who to pacifie them for the time gaue them a gentle answer assuring them that he would perfourme all that he had promised so soone as opportunitie would permit and suffer him so to doo Howbeit afterwards by the aduise of certeine old councellours which had béene of the priuie councell with king Iohn his father he found a shift to disappoint them of their demands by requiring them on the other side to restore vnto him those things which they had in times past receiued of his ancestors Furthermore bicause he would the more easilie obteine his purpose and make the residue afraid to follow a suit so displeasant and irkesome he thought best to begin with the chiefe authors and first procurers of the said petitions and to take from them whatsoeuer they held belonging to his crowne Herevpon therefore assembling a great power about him year 1224 he demanded of Ranulph earle of Chester the restitution of certeine lordships which ancientlie apperteined to the crowne of the realme which earle not being as then able to resist readilie obeied the kings pleasure and resigned them all By this entrance of the king into the execution of his purpose diuerse of the rest of the barons were brought into such feare that they were contented also to doo the like so that by this meanes the lords being cut short and weakened in power surceased as then from molesting the king anie further with the demand of other lands or liberties The archbishop of Canturburie also threatened them with the dart of excommunication if they went about to disquiet the realme with anie ciuill commotions though no man was more desirous to haue that matter go forward than he as appéered by his diligent trauell therein hoping as now in short processe of time and that
armie of men with the which he approched néere to saint Iohns towne into the which the earle of Penbroke was a little before entred to defend it with thrée hundred men of armes beside footmen Then R. Bruce sent to the earle to come out and giue battell the earle sent line 50 vnto him word againe that he would not fight that daie being sundaie but vpon the next morow he would satisfie his request Robert Bruce herevpon withdrew a mile backe from the towne determining to rest himselfe and his people that night About euening tide came the earle foorth of the towne with his people in order of battell and assailing his enimies vpon a sudden slue diuerse yer they could get their armour on their backs Robert Bruce and others line 60 that had some space to arme themselues made some resistance for a while but at length the Englishmen put them to the worse so that they were constreined to flee The earle following the chase pursued them euen into Kentire not resting till he vnderstood that a great number of them were gotten into a castell which he besieged in hope to haue found Robert Bruce within it but he was fled further into the countrie Howbeit his wife and his brother Nigell or Neall with diuerse other were taken in this castell and sent in safetie vnto Berwike Also shortlie after the earle of Atholl was taken being fled out of the same castell ¶ But some write that this earle was taken in the battell last remembred after long fight and great slaughter of Scots to the number of seuen thousand and also that in the chase the lord Simon de Friseill was taken with the bishops of saint Andrews and Glasco the abbat of Scone and the said earle of Atholl named sir Iohn Chambres The bishops and abbat king Edward sent vnto pope Innocent with report of their periurie but others write that the foresaid bishops and abbat being taken indéed the same yeare were brought into England and there kept as prisoners within sunbrie castels The wife of Robert le Bruce being daughter to the earle of Ulster was sent vnto the manour of Brustwike and there honorablie vsed hauing a conuenient number of seruants appointed to wait on hir The earle of Ulster hir father in the beginning of these last wars sent vnto king Edward two of his owne sonnes to remaine with him in such wise as he should thinke conuenient to assure himselfe of him that he would attempt nothing against the English subiects Also it was said that the ladie hir selfe the same daie hir husband and she should be crowned said that she feared they should proue but as a summer king and quéene such as in countrie townes the yoong folks choose for sport to danse about maipoles For these causes was she the more courteouslie vsed at the kings hands as reason no lesse required It should appeare by Robert Fabian that the king was present himselfe at this battell but other affirme that prince Edward was there as generall and not his father and that the battell was fought at Dunchell vpon the riuer of Tay. But neither the Scotish chronicles nor Nicholas Triuet whom in the historie of this king Edward the first we haue most followed make any mention that either the king or prince should be at the foresaid battell but that the earle of Penbroke with Robert lord Clifford and Henrie lord Percie were sent before as ye haue alreadie heard with an armie by whome as appeareth this victorie was obteined at a place called Methfen After this was the castell of Lochdore taken and within it Christopher Seiton that had married the sister of Robert le Bruce and bicause he was no Scot but an Englishman borne the king commanded that he should be led vnto Dunfrise where he had killed one of the kings knights and there to be hanged drawen and quartered The wife of this Christopher Seiton he appointed to be kept in the monasterie of Thixell in Lindsey and the daughter of Robert le Bruce which was also taken about the same time was sent to the monasterie of Waiton Moreouer the manour of Seiton in Whitebestroud he gaue vnto the lord Edmund de Mauley and those other lands that belonged vnto the said Christopher Seiton in Northumberland he gaue vnto the lord William Latimer The lands that belonged to the new Scotish king he bestowed in this wise to Henrie Bohun earle of Hereford which had married one of king Edwards daughters he gaue the lordships of Annandale Hert Hertnes he gaue vnto the lord Robert Clifford sauing alwaies the right yet that belonged to the church of Durham Totenham and Totenhamshire and the maner of Wrothell in the south parts he gaue to other noble men and the earledome of Carrike which R. Bruce had holden as by inheritance from his mother the king gaue to the lord Henrie Percie the earledome of Atholl he gaue to Rafe de Monthermer earle of Glocester who had also married as before yee haue heard an other of the kings daughters after the decesse of hir first husband Gilbert de Clare earle of Glocester About the feast of saint Michaell the new Scotish king Robert le Bruce returned foorth of the Iles into the which he had fled with manie Irishmen and Scots in his companie and remained a certeine time in Kentire he sent certeine of his officers to leuie and gather vp the rents of the fermes due at the feast of saint Martine for such lands and possessions as they held in that countrie wherof the lord Percie being aduertised hasted thither but the new king comming vpon him slue certeine of his men tooke his horsses and plate with other things and droue him into a castell within the which he besieged him line 10 till at length by a power sent from king Edward Bruce was constreined to depart The king in this meane time was come to Lauercost néere to Carleill and there remained a long time From thence he sent his iustices vnto Berwike where they sate in iudgement vpon Nigell Bruce and the other prisoners taken with him which were condemned to die and so they were hanged drawen and quartered The earle of Atholl was conueied to London and although he sued for pardon in respect of that he was line 20 of kin to the king yet was he hanged vpon a gibbet higher than all the residue his bodie burned vnder the same gibbet and his head first cut off was set vpon a pole ouer London bridge for example sake that traitors should looke for no pardon The elect archbishop of Yorke William Gréenefield was confirmed this yeare by pope Clement the fift at the citie of Lions in France where the same pope was crowned about the same time and held his court there liuing cheeflie by the monie which he got line 30 of bishops that came to him for their confirmations
citie with one man onelie attending vpon him and cried to the citizens Oh yée good and vertuous citizens come foorth out of hand and helpe your king readie to be slaine helpe me your maior standing in the same perill or if yée will not helpe me for some faults committed by me against you yet forsake not your king but helpe and succour him in this present danger When the worshipfull citizens and other that in their loiall hearts loued the king had heard these words incontinentlie they put themselues in strong and sure armor to the number of a thousand men and gathering themselues togither into the stréets tarried but for some lord or knight that might conduct them to the king and by chance there came vnto them sir Robert Knolles line 10 whome all of them requested that he would be their leader least comming out of arraie and order they might the sooner be broken who willinglie led one part of them and certeine other knights led other of them clad in faire bright armour vnto the kings presence The king with the lords knights and esquires not a little reioised at the comming of those armed men and streightwaies compassed the commons about as they had béene a flocke of sheepe that should haue béene closed within some fold till it pleased the line 20 sheepheard to appoint foorth which should be thrust into pasture and which taken to go to the shambels There was to be seene a maruellous change of the right hand of the lord to behold how they throwing downe stanes bils axes swords bowes and arowes humblie began to sue for pardon which a little before gloried to haue the life of the king and his seruants wholie and altogither in their hands power and disposition The poore wretches sought to hide themselues in the corne that grew in the fields in ditches line 30 hedges and dennes and wheresoeuer they might get out of the way so to safe gard their liues The knights that were with the king would gladlie haue beene dooing with them and requested licence of him to strike off the heads of some one or two hundred of them that it might be a witnesse in time to come that the force of the order of knighthood was able to doo somewhat against the carters and ploughmen but the king would not suffer them alledging that manie of them were come thither by compulsion and line 40 not of their owne accord and therfore it might come to passe that those should die for it that had nothing offended but he commanded that there should be proclamation made in London that the citizens should haue no dealings with them nor suffer anie of them to come within the citie that night but to cause them to lie without doores ¶ In the report of this commotion chronographers doo somewhat varie as by this present extract out of Henrie Knighton canon of Leicester abbeie liuing line 50 at the time of this tumult may appeare which Abraham Fleming hath faithfullie and trulie translated out of the annales of the said canon written in parchment in old Latine letters as followeth Upon a saturdaie these malcontents to wit Thomas Baker the first moouer but afterwards the principall leaders Iacke Straw Iacke Miler Iacke Carter Iacke Trewman and their trecherous traine met togither in Smithfield whither also the king repaired line 60 in the morning who although in yeares he was but yoong yet in wisedome and discretion he was well growne The ringleader of this tumultuous rowt whose right name was Wat Tiler which he had now changed into Iacke Straw approched neere the king in so much that he might in a maner touch him being the mouth of all the residue and hauing in his hand a drawne dagger which he tossed from hand to hand boy-like plaieng with it watching due time therewith if not to â—â—ab yet suddenlie to smite the king if he denied their requests Wherevpon they that were next and about the king were greatlie affeard least his pretended mischeefe should come to passe Now he craued of the king that all warrens waters parks and woods should be common so that as well poore as rich might fréelie in any place wheresoeuer practise fishing in ponds pooles riuers or any waters and might hunt déere in forrests and parkes and the hare in the fields with diuerse other requests which he would haue granted without contradiction or gainesaieng and exercise without controlment Now when the king in the grant hereof by deliberation vsed some delaie Iacke Straw drew neerer vnto him and speaking vnto him certeine thretening words tooke hold of the horsses bridle whereon the king rode vpon what presumptuous enterprise I wot not Which Iohn Walworth a burgesse of London beholding and fearing present death to hang ouer the kings head caught a weapon in his hand and therwith thrust Iacke Straw through the throte which when another that was by being an esquier named Rafe Standish did see with his weapon also ran him through the sides in so much that he fell flat on his backe to the ground and beating with his hands to and fro a while at last he gaue vp his vnhappie ghost Then a great clamor and lamentable outcrie was made and heard a great while togither saieng Our guide is dead our capteine is dead And indéed so he was being dragged by the hands and féet in a vile and contemptible sort into saint Bartholomewes church hard by Then did manie of the vnrulie multitude withdraw themselues and vanishing awaie betooke them to their héeles being about the number as it was thought of ten thousand Then the king minding to make amends and to requite receiued courtesie knighted the said Iohn Walworth Rafe Standish with foure burgesses more of the citie namelie Iohn Philpot Nicholas Brembre Iohn Laund and Nicholas Twifeld girding them about the wast with the girdle of knighthood which was the maner of their graduating Then the king hauing ordeined and made the foresaid six knights commanded that the residue of the curssed crue should depart and get them into the field that méeting togither in a companie he might fall vnto a treatie of agreement with them The rowt being there assembled behold a multitude of armed men ran rusting out of the citie sir Robert Knols being their capteine who with these his soldiers compassed hedged in the poore cattiues distressed in the field like shéepe that haue lost their shéepheard Then the king of his accustomed clemencie being pricked with pitie would not that the wretches should die but spared them being a rash and foolish multitude and commanded them euerie man to get him home to his owne house howbeit manie of them at the kings going awaie suffered the danger of death In this miserable taking were reckoned to the number of twentie thousand Thus saith Knighton not as an eie-witnesse but as taught by heare-saie whereby he compiled the greatest part of his annales as he himselfe confesseth
their lords and not to come to any court except it were to the great léet twise in the yeare When the king heard such presumptuous requests he was in a great chafe dispatched the messengers awaie with a sore threatning answer saieng that bondmen they were and bondmen they should be and that in more vile manner than before to the terrible example of all other that should attempt any the like disorders and foorthwith the earle of Buckingham and the lord Thomas Percie brother to the earle of Northumberland were sent with an armie to represse those rebels whome they found fortified within woods hedges and ditches verie stronglie but with small adoo they were put to flight about fiue hundred of them slaine the residue saued themselues as well as they might by succour of the woods There were eight hundred horsses also taken which those rebels had there with them to draw and carrie their baggage Those of the rebels that escaped were not yet so tamed by that ouerthrow but that assembling themselues togither in a rowt they made towards Colchester and comming thither would haue persuaded the townesmen to haue ioined with them in a new rebellion But when they could not bring their purpose to passe they marched towards Sudburie The lord Fitz Walter and sir Iohn Harleston vnderstanding which waie they tooke followed them with a companie of armed men and suddenlie setting vpon them as they were making their proclamations slue of them so manie as it liked them and the other they saued and suffered to depart or else committed them to prison After this the king came to Hauering at the bowre and from thence to Chelmisford where he appointed sir Robert Trisilian to sit in iudgement of the offendors and rebels of that countrie wherevpon an inquest being chosen a great number were indited arreigned found giltie so that vpon some one gallowes there were nine or ten hanged togither In euerie countrie were like inquiries made and the chéefe offendors apprehended and put to death in euerie lordship through the realme where anie of them were detected by ten twelue twentie thirtie yea and in some places by fortie at once so that the whole number grew to fifteene hundred and aboue At the first when the kings iustices began to sit in Essex Kent and at London by reason of the multitude that were to be executed they onelie chopped off their heads but afterwards when that kind of death seemed too close and secret for so open offenses they proceeded according to the accustomed law of the realme by condemning them to be drawne and hanged and according thervnto they were executed In the meane time the king by the aduise of his councell directed his letters reuocatorie into euerie countie there to be proclamed in euerie citie borrow towne and place as well within the liberties as without by the which letters he reuoked made void line 10 and frustrate his former letters of infranchising the bondmen of his realme and commanded that such as had the same letters should without delaie bring them in and restore them to him and his councell to be cancelled as they would answer vpon their faith and allegiance which they owght to him and vpon paine of forfeiting all that they had The date of which letters reuocatorie was at Chelmesford the second daie of Iulie in the fift yeare of his reigne When the king had quieted the countie of Essex line 20 and punished such as were the chéefe sturrers of that wicked commotion in those parts he went to saint Albons to sée iustice doone vpon such as had demeaned themselues most presumptuouslie against the kings peace in that towne namelie against the abbat and his house who sought to defend themselues vnder a colour of fréendship that they trusted to find in some persons about the king But that trust deceiued them and procured the more displeasure against them for that they would not sue for fauour line 30 at the abbats hands in time by submitting themselues vnto his will and pleasure To be breefe the king came thither with a great number of armed men and archers and caused his iustice sir Robert Trisilian to sit in iudgement vpon the malefactors that were brought thither from Hertford gaile Thither was brought also to the king from Couentrie Iohn Ball preest whome the citizens of Couentrie had taken and now here at saint Albons they presented him to the kings presence wherevpon he line 40 was arreigned and condemned to be drawne hanged and headed for such notable treasons as he was there conuicted of He receiued iudgement vpon the saturdaie the first daie that the said sir Robert Trisilian sat in iudgement but he was not executed till the mondaie following This man had beene a preacher the space of twentie yeares and bicause his doctrine was not according to the religion then by the bishops mainteined he was first prohibited to preach in anie church or chappell and when he ceassed not for line 50 all that but set foorth his doctrine in the streets fields where he might haue audience at length he was committed to prison out of the which he prophesied that he should be deliuered with the force of twentie thousand men and euen so it came to passe in time of the rebellion of the commons When all the prisons were broken vp and the prisoners set at libertie he being therefore so deliuered followed them at Blackeheath when the greatest multitude was there got togither as some write line 60 he made a sermon taking his saieng or common prouerbe for his theame wherevpon to intreat When Adam delu'd and Eue span Who was then a gentleman and so continuing his sermon went about to prooue by the words of that prouerbe that from the beginning all men by nature were created alike and that bondage or seruitude came in by iniust oppression of naughtie men For if God would haue had anie bondmen from the beginning he would haue appointed who should be bond who free And therefore he exhorted them to consider that now the time was come appointed to them by God in which they might if they would cast off the yoke of bondage recouer libertie He counselled them therefore to remember themselues and to take good hearts vnto them that after the manner of a good husband that tilleth his ground and riddeth out thereof such euill wéeds as choke and destroie the good corne they might destroie first the great lords of the realme and after the iudges and lawiers questmoongers and all other whom they vndertooke to be against the commons for so might they procure peace and suertie to themselues in time to come if dispatching out of the waie the great men there should be an equalitie in libertie no difference in degrées of nobilitie but a like dignitie and equall authoritie in all things brought in among them When he had preached and set foorth such kind of
Further matter at this present I impart not vnto you sauing that with warrant you maie depart suerlie and safelie into your countrie where I trust sooner to visit you than you shall haue cause to bid me welcome With this answer the ambassadors sore displeased in their minds although they were highlie interteined and liberallie rewarded departed into their countrie reporting to the Dolphin how they had sped line 20 After the French ambassadors were departed the king like a prouident prince thought good to take order for the resisting of the Scots if according to their maner they should attempt anie thing against his subiects in his absence For that point appointed he the earle of Westmerland the lord Scroope the baron of Greistocke sir Robert Umfreuill diuerse other valiant capteins to kéepe the frontiers marches of Scotland which sir Robert Umfreuill on the daie of Marie Madgdalen fought with the Scots line 30 at the towne of Gedering hauing in his companie onelie thrée hundred archers and seuen score spears where he after long conflict slue of his enimies sixtie and odde tooke thrée hundred and sixtie prisoners discomfited and put to flight one thousand and more whome he followed in chase aboue twelue miles but their hands full of preies and prisoners retired homeward not vnhurt to the castell of Rockesborough of the which he was capteine When the king had all prouisions readie and ordered line 40 all things for the defense of his realme he leauing behind him for gouernour of the realme the quéene his moother in law departed to Southampton to take ship into France And first princelie appointing to aduertise the French king of his comming therefore dispatched Antelope his purseuant at armes with letters to him for restitution of that which he wrongfully withheld contrarie to the lawes of God and man the king further declaring how sorie he was that he should be thus compelled for repeating line 50 of his right and iust title of inheritance to make warre to the destruction of christian people but sithens he had offered peace which could not be receiued now for fault of iustice he was forced to take armes Neuerthelesse erhorted the French king in the bowels of Iesu Christ to render him that which was his owne whereby effusion of Christian bloâ—d might be auoided These letters chéeflie to this effect and purpose were written and dated from Hampton the fift of August When the same were presented to line 60 the French king and by his councell well perused answer was made that he would take aduise and prouide therein as time and place should be conuenient so the messenger licenced to depart at his pleasure When king Henrie had fullie furnished his nauiâ— with men munition other prouisions perceiuing that his capteines misliked nothing so much as delaie determined his souldiors to go a ship-boord and awaie But see the hap the night before the daie appointed for their departure he was crediblie informed that Richard earle of Cambridge brother to Edward duke of Yorke and Henrie lord Scroope of Masham lord treasuror with Thomas Graie a knight of Northumberland being confederat togither had conspired his death wherefore he caused them to be apprehended The said lord Scroope was in such fauour with the king that he admitted him sometime to be his bedfellow in whose fidelitie the king reposed such trust that when anie priuat or publike councell was in hand this lord had much in the determination of it For he represented so great grauitie in his countenance such modestie in behauiour and so vertuous zeale to all godlinesse in his talke that whatsoeuer he said was thought for the most part necessarie to be doone and followed Also the said sir Thomas Graie as some write was of the kings priuie councell These prisoners vpon their examination confessed that for a great summe of monie which they had receiued of the French king they intended verelie either to haue deliuered the king aliue into the hands of his enimies or else to haue murthered him before he should arriue in the duchie of Normandie When king Henrie had heard all things opened which he desired to know he caused all his nobilitie to come before his presence before whome he caused to be brought the offendors also and to them said Hauing thus conspired the death and destruction of me which am the head of the realme and gouernour of the people it maie be no doubt but that you likewise haue sworne the confusion of all that are here with me and also the desolation of your owne countrie To what horror O lord for any true English hart to consider that such an execrable iniquitie should euer so bewrap you as for pleasing of a forren enimie to imbrue your hands in your bloud and to ruine your owne natiue soile Reuenge herein touching my person though I séeke not yet for the safegard of you my déere fréends for due preseruation of all sorts I am by office to cause example to be shewed Get ye hence therefore ye poore miserable wretches to the receiuing of your iust reward wherein Gods maiestie giue you grace of his mercie and repentance of your heinous offenses And so immediatlie they were had to execution This doone the king calling his lords againe afore him said in words few and with good grace Of his enterprises he recounted the honor and glorie whereof they with him were to be partakers the great confidence he had in their noble minds which could not but remember them of the famous feats that their ancestors aforetime in France had atchiued whereof the due report for euer recorded remained yet in register The great mercie of God that had so gratiouslie reuealed vnto him the treason at hand whereby the true harts of those afore him made so eminent apparant in his eie as they might be right sure he would neuer forget it The doubt of danger to be nothing in respect of the certeintie of honor that they should acquire wherein himselfe as they saw in person would be lord and leader through Gods grace To whose maiestie as chéeflie was knowne the equitie of his demand euen so to his mercie did he onelie recommend the successe of his trauels When the king had said all the noble men knéeled downe promised faithfullie to serue him dulie to obeie him and rather to die than to suffer him to fall into the hands of his enimies This doone the king thought that suerlie all treason and conspiracie had beene vtterlie extinct not suspecting the fire which was newlie kindled and ceassed not to increase till at length it burst out into such a flame that catching the beames of his house and familie his line and stocke was cleane consumed to ashes ¶ Diuerse write that Richard earle of Cambridge did not conspire with the lord Scroope Thomas Graie for the murthering of king Henrie to please the French king withall but onelie to the intent to
and other necessarie prouisions The next daie the Englishmen boldlie assaulted the towne but the Frenchmen defended the walles so as no great feat worthie of memorie chanced that daie betwixt them though the Frenchmen were amazed at the valiant attempt of the Englishmen whervpon the bastard of Orleance gaue knowledge to the duke of Alanson in what danger the towne stood without his present helpe who comming within two leagues of the citie gaue line 10 knowledge to them within that they should be readie the next daie to receiue him This accordinglie was accomplished for the Englishmen willinglie suffered him and his armie also to enter supposing that it should be for their aduantage to haue so great a multitude to enter the citie whereby their vittels whereof they within had great scarsitie might the sooner be consumed On the next daie in the morning the Frenchmen altogither line 20 issued out of the towne woone by assault the bastile of saint Lou and set it on fire And after they likewise assaulted the tower at the bridge foot which was manfullie defended But the Frenchmen more in number at length tooke it yer the lord Talbot could come to the succours in the which William Gladesdale the capteine was slaine with the lord Moollins and lord Poinings also The Frenchmen puffed vp with this good lucke fetched a compasse about and in good order of battell line 30 marched toward the bastile which was in the kéeping of the lord Talbot the which vpon the enimies approch like a capteine without all feare or dread of that great multitude issued foorth against them and gaue them so sharpe an incounter that they not able to withstand his puissance fled like shéepe before the woolfe againe into the citie with great losse of men and small artillerie Of Englishmen were lost in the two bastiles to the number of six hundred persons or thereabout though the French writers multiplie this number of hundreds to thousands as their maner line 40 is The earle of Suffolke the lord Talbot the lord Scales and other capteins assembled togither in councell and after causes shewed to and fro it was amongst them determined to leaue their fortresses and bastiles and to assemble in the plaine field and there to abide all the daie to sée if the Frenchmen would issue foorth to fight with them This conclusion taken was accordinglie executed but when the Frenchmen durst not once come foorth to shew their line 50 heads the Englishmen set fire of their lodgings and departed in good order of battell from Orleance The next daie which was the eight daie of Maie the earle of Suffolke rode to Iargeaux with foure hundred Englishmen and the lord Talbot with an other companie returned to Mehun And after he had fortified that towne he went to the towne of Lauall woone it togither with the castell sore punishing the townsmen for their cankered obstinacie against them line 60 Thus when the Englishmen had seuered themselues into garrisons the duke of Alanson the bastard of Orleance Ione le Pusell the lord Gawcourt and diuerse other capteins of the Frenchmen came the twelfe daie of Iune before the towne of Iargeaux where the earle of Suffolke and his two brethren soiourned gaue to the towne so fierce an assault on thrée parts that Poiton de Sentrailes perceiuing an other part void of defendants scaled the wals on that side and without difficultie tooke the towne and slue sir Alexander Poole brother to the erle and manie other to the number of two hundred But the Frenchmen gained not much thereby for they lost thrée hundred good men and more Of the Englishmen fortie were taken with the earle and his other brother named Iohn The Frenchmen as they returned to Orleance fell at variance for their prisoners and slue them all sauing the earle and his brother Shortlie after the same French armie came to Mehun where they tooke the tower at the bridge foot and put therein a garrison From thence they remooued to Baugencie and constreined them that were within the towne to yéeld vpon condition they might depart with bag and baggage At the same place there came to the duke of Alanson the new constable Arthur of Britaine and with him the lord Dalbret and other Also after this the earle of Uandosme came to them so that by the dailie repaire of such as assembled togither to strengthen the French part they were in all to the number betweene twentie and thrée and twentie thousand men All which being once ioined in one armie shortlie after fought with the lord Talbot who had with him not past six thousand men neere vnto a village in Beausse called Pataie at which battell the charge was giuen by the French so vpon a sudden that the Englishmen had not leisure to put themselues in araie after they had put vp their stakes before their archers so that there was no remedie but to fight at aduenture This battell continued by the space of three long houres for the Englishmen though they were ouerpressed with multitude of their enimies yet they neuer fled backe one foot till their capteine the lord Talbot was sore wounded at the backe and so taken Then their hearts began to faint and they fled in which flight were slaine aboue twelue hundred and fortie taken of whome the lord Talbot the lord Scales the lord Hungerford sir Thomas Rampston were chéefe Diuerse archers after they had shot all their arrowes hauing onelie their swords defended themselues and with helpe of some of their horsmen came safe to Mehun This ouerthrow and speciallie the taking of the lord Talbot did not so much reioise the Frenchmen but it did as much abash the Englishmen so that immediatlie therevpon the townes of Ienuile Mehun Fort and diuerse other returned from the English part and became French From this battell departed without anie stroke striken sir Iohn Fastolfe the same yeare for his valiantnesse elected into the order of the garter But for doubt of misdealing at this brunt the duke of Bedford tooke from him the image of saint George and his garter though afterward by meanes of freends and apparant causes of good excuse the same were to him againe deliuered against the mind of the lord Talbot Charles the Dolphin that called himselfe French K. perceiuing fortune to smile thus vpon him assembled a great power and determined to conquer the citie of Reimes that he might be there sacred crowned and annointed according to the custome of his progenitours that all men might iudge that he was by all lawes and decrees a iust and lawfull king In his waie thitherwards he besieged the citie of Auxerre the citizens whereof compounded with him to yéeld if they were not rescued within certeine daies From thence he came before Trois and after twelue daies siege had that citie deliuered vnto him by composition that the capteine sir Philip Hall with his people and moueables might depart in
number of them were got to the other side yer the Frenchmen were aduised what had happened When they saw the chance they ran like mad men to haue stopped the passage but it was too late for the most part of the Englishmen were got ouer in so much that they chased their enimies backe and slue sir Guilliam de Chastell nephue to the lord Taneguie du Chastell and diuerse others The Frenchmen séeing their euill hap irrecouerable returned to the French king and told him what had chanced wherevpon he doubting to be assailed to his disaduantage thought not good longer to tarrie but with all spéed remoouing his ordinance into the bastile of saint Martin which he had newlie made dislodged in the night from Maubuisson and went to Poissie leauing the lord de Cotignie admerall of France with thrée thousand men to kéepe the bastile If he had taried still at Manbuisson the lord Talbot which had passed the riuer of Oise in two small leather botes had either taken or slaine him the same night The Englishmen the next daie in good order of battell came before the towne of Ponthoise thinking there to haue found the French king but he was gone and in his lodging they found great riches and much stuffe which he could not haue space for to carrie awaie for feare of the sudden inuasion line 10 Then the duke with his power entred into the towne and sent for new vittels and repaired the towers and bulworks about the towne diuerse times assaulted the bastile of the Frenchmen of the which he made no great accompt bicause they were not of power either to assault or stop the vittels or succors from the towne After this the duke intending once againe to offer the French king battell left behind him at Ponthoise for capteine there sir Geruais Clifton sir Nicholas Burdet Henrie Chandos and line 20 a thousand soldiers and therewith remoouing with his whole armie came before Poissie where he set himselfe and his men in good order of battell readie to fight There issued out some of the French gentlemen to skirmish with the Englishmen but to their losse for diuerse of them were slaine and foure valiant horssemen taken prisoners The duke perceiuing the faint hearts of the Frenchmen and that they durst not incounter in field with the English power dislodged from Poissie and came to Maunt and soone after to Rone line 30 When the regent and the lord Talbot were returned againe into Normandie the French king considering how much it should redound to his dishonour to let rest the towne of Ponthoise in his enimies hands sith he had beene at such charges and trauell about the winning thereof he eftsoones assembled all his puissance And returning suddenlie vnto Ponthoise he first by assault got the church and after the whole towne tooke the capteine and diuerse other Englishmen and slue to the number of foure line 40 hundred which sold their liues dearelie for one French writer affirmeth that the French king lost there thrée thousand men and the whole garrison of the Englishmen was but onelie a thousand Among other that were slaine here of the defendants was sir Nicholas Burdet knight cheefe butler of Normandie After this hot tempest the weather began somewhat to war more calme for king Henrie and king Charles agréed to send ambassadors to commen of some good conclusion of peace so that king line 50 Henrie sent the cardinall of Winchester with diuerse other noble personages of his councell to Calis with whome was also sent Charles duke of Orleance yet prisoner in England to the intent that he might be both author of the peace and also procurer of his owne deliuerance The French king sent the archbishop of Reimes and the earle of Dunois and the duke of Burgognie sent the lord de Creuecueur and diuerse other All these met at Calis where the duke of Orleance courteouslie line 60 receiued the earle of Dunois his bastard brother thanking him greatlie for his paines taken in gouerning his lands countrie during the time of his captiuitie and absence Diuerse communications were had as well for the deliuerance of the duke as for a finall peace but nothing was concluded sauing that an other méeting was appointed so that in the meane season the demands of either partie might be declared to their souereigne lords and maisters and herevpon the commissioners brake vp their assemblie and returned into their countries The Englishmen as the French writers record required not onelie to possesse peaceablie the two duches of Aquitaine and Normandie discharged of all resort superioritie souereigntie against the realme of France the kings and gouernours of the same but also to be restored to all the townes cities and places which they within thirtie yéeres next before gone and past had conquered in the realme of France Which request the Frenchmen thought verie vnreasonable and so both parties minding rather to gaine or saue than to loose departed for that time as yée haue heard After this méeting thus proroged Philip duke of Burgognie partlie mooued in conscience to make amends to Charles duke of Orleance as yet prisoner in England for the death of duke Lewes his father whome duke Iohn father to this duke Philip cruellie murthered in the citie of Paris and partlie intending the aduancement of his neece the ladie Marie daughter to Adolfe duke of Cleue by the which aliance he trusted that all old rancor should ceasse contriued waies to haue the said duke of Orleance set at libertie vpon promise by him made to take the said ladie Marie vnto wife This duke had beene prisoner in England euer since the battell was fought at Agincourt vpon the daie of Crispine and Crispinian in the yeare 1415 and was set now at libertie in the moneth of Nouember in the yeare 1440 paieng for his ransome foure hundred thousand crownes though other saie but thrée hundred thousand The cause whie he was deteined so long in captiuitie was to pleasure thereby the duke of Burgognie for so long as the duke of Burgognie continued faithfull to the king of England it was not thought necessarie to suffer the duke of Orleance to be ransomed least vpon his deliuerance he would not ceasse to séeke meanes to be reuenged vpon the duke of Burgognie for the old grudge and displeasure betwixt their two families and therefore such ransome was demanded for him as he was neuer able to pay But after the duke of Burgognie had broken his promise and was turned to the French part the councell of the king of England deuised how to deliuer the duke of Orleance that thereby they might displeasure the duke of Burgognie Which thing the duke of Burgognie perceiuing doubted what might follow if he were deliuered without his knowledge and therefore to his great cost practised his deliuerance paid his ransome and ioined with him amitie and aliance by mariage of his néece This duke being now
holie father the cardinall the noble prince the duke of Warwike and also the realme of France the duchie of Normandie Gascoigne and Guion Aniou and Maine were deliuered and lost by the meanes of the said traitors line 10 and our true lords knights and esquiers and manie a good yeoman lost and sold yer they went the which is great pitie to heare of the great and gréeuous losse to our souereigne lord and his realme Item desireth the said capteine and commons that all extortions vsed dailie among the common people might be laid downe that is to saie the gréene war the which is falselie vsed to the perpetuall destruction of the kings true commons of Kent Also the kings Bench the which is too gréefefull to the shire line 20 of Kent without prouision of our souereigne lord and his true councell And also in taking of wheat and other graines béefe mutton all other vittels the which is importable to the said commons without the bréefe prouision of our said souereigne lord and his true councell they maie no longer beare it And also vnto the statute of labourers and the great extortioners the which is to saie the false traitors Sleg Cromer Isle and Robert Est. These billes when the councell had well perused they did not onelie disalow and condemne them and the authors as proud and presumptuous but also persuaded the king rather to suppresse those rebels by force than by faire promises Wherevpon the king remoued from Westminster vnto Gâ—eenewich from whence he would haue sent certeine lords with a power to haue distressed the Kentishmen but the men said to their lords they would not fight against them that laboured to amend the common-weale line 40 wherefore the lords were driuen to leaue their purpose And bicause the Kentishmen cried out against the lord Saie the kings chamberline he was by the king committed to the Tower of London Then went the king againe to London within two dais after went against the Kentishmen with fiftéene thousand men well prepared for the war but the said Kentishmen fled the night before his comming into the wood countrie neere vnto Senocke Wherevpon the king returned againe to London line 50 The quéene that bare rule being of his retrait aduertised sent sir Humfreie Stafford knight and William his brother with manie other gentlemen to follow the Kentishmen thinking that they had fled but they were deceiued for at the first skirmish both the Staffords were slaine all their companie discomfited The kings armie by this time comen to Blackheath hearing of this discomfiture began to murmur amongst themselues some wishing the duke of Yorke at home to aid the capteine his cousine line 60 sâ—me vndutifullie coueting the ouerthrow of the king and his councell other openlie crieng out on the quéene and hir complices This rumor published abroad caused the king and certeine of his councell for the appeasing thereof to commit the lord Saie treasuror of England to the Tower of London and if other against whome like displeasure was borne had beene present they had béene likewise committed Iacke Cade vpon victorie against the Staffords apparelled himselfe in sir Humfries briganâ—ine set full of guilt nailes and so in some glorie returned againe toward London diuerse idle and vagarant persons out of Sussex Surreie and other places still increasing his number Thus this glorious capteine garded with a multitude of rusticall people came againe to the plaine of Blackheath there stronglie incamped himselfe to whome were sent from the king the archbishop of Canturburie and Humfrie duke of Buckingham to common with him of his gréefes and requests These lords found him sober in talke wise in reasoning arrogant in hart and stiffe in opinion as who that by no means would grant to dissolue his armie except the king in person would come to him and assent to the things he would require The K. vpon the presumptuous answers requests of this villanous rebell begining asmuch to doubt his owne meniall seruants as his vnknowen subiects which spared not to speake that the capteins cause was profitable for the common-wealth departed in all hast to the castell of Killingworth in Warwikeshire leauing onlie behind him the lord Scales to kéepe the Tower of London The Kentish capteine being aduertised of the kings absence came first into Southwarke and there lodged at the white hart prohibiting to all his retinue murder rape and robberie by which colour of well meaning he the more allured to him the harts of the common people After that he entred into London cut the ropes of the draw bridge strooke his sword on London stone saieng Now is Mortimer lord of this citie And after a glosing declaration made to the maior touching the cause of his thither comming he departed againe into Southwarke and vpon the third daie of Iulie he caused sir Iames Fines lord Saie and treasuror of England to be brought to the Guildhall and there to be arreigned who being before the kings iustices put to answer desired to be tried by his péeres for the longer delaie of his life The capteine perceiuing his dilatorie plee by force tooke him from the officers and brought him to the standard in Cheape and there before his confession ended caused his head to be striken off and pitched it vpon an high pole which was openlie borne before him thorough the stréets And not content herewith he went to Mile end and there apprehended sir Iames Cromer then shiriffe of Kent and sonne in law to the said lord Saie causing him likewise without confession or excuse heard to be beheaded and his head to be fixed on a pole and with these two heads this bloudie wretch entred into the citie againe and as it were in a spite caused them in euerie stréet to kisse togither to the great detestation of all the beholders After this succéeded open rapine and manifest robberie in diuerse houses within the citie and speciallie in the house of Philip Malpas alderman of London and diuerse other ouer and beside ransoming and fining of diuers notable merchants for the suertie of their liues and goods as Robert Horne alderman which paid fiue hundred marks He also put to execution in Southwarke diuerse persons some for breaking his ordinance and other being of his old acquaintance lest they should bewraie his base linage disparaging him for his vsurped surname of Mortimer The maior and other the magistrates of London perceiuing themselues neither to be sure of goods nor of life well warranted determined to repell and keepe out of their citie such a mischieuous caâ—tife and his wicked companie And to be the better able so to doo they made the lord Scales and that renowmed capteine Matthew Gough priuie both of their intent and enterprise beséeching them of their helpe and furtherance therein The lord Scales promised them his aid with shooting off the artillerie in the Tower and Matthew Gough was by him appointed to assist
that time deceassed that then after the death of his father and grandfather all the said lands should wholie remaine to the next heire of their bloud either male or female being vnder the obeisance of the French king or his heires Manie other noble men whose hearts were good English made like compositions and some came into England and others went to Calis and bare great offices there as the lord Duras which was marshall of that towne and monsieur Uauclere which was deputie there vnder the earle of Warwike Thus were the Englishmen cléerelie displaced and lost the possession of all the countries townes castels and places within the realme of France so that onelie Calis Hammes and Guines with the marches thereof remained in their hands of all those their dominions and seigniories which they sometime held in the parties beyond the seas Whereby England suffered a partile but not a totall eclipse of hir glorie in continuall loosing nothing gaining of the enimie ¶ Which recouerie was of great facilitie to the French for that where they came they found litle or no resistance but rather a voluntarie submission yéelding as it were with holding vp of hands yer they came to handstroks So that in such victories and conquests consisted small renowme sith without slaughter bloudshed hardie enterprises are not atchiued Notablie therefore speaketh Anglorum praelia line 10 of these bloudlesse and sweatlesse victories saieng Delphinus totos nullo prohibente per agros Francorum transit priùs expugnata receptans Oppida perfacile est populum domuisse volentem Tendentemque manus vltrò nec clarior ornat Gloria vincentem fuso sine sanguine regna This yeare the king made a generall progresse and came to the citie of Excester on mondaie the sixtéenth of Iulie at after noone being the feast daie of saint Kenelme and was receiued from place to line 20 place verie honorablie through the whole countrie Before he came to this citie he was met by all the cleargie in their degrées some thrée miles some two miles and some at the citie all in their copes censing all the waies as they went As soone as he came to this citie he was first conducted to the cathedrall church in all most honourable order When he had doone his oblations he was conueied and lodged in the bishops house During his abode here there was a sessions kept before the duke of Summerset and line 30 certeine men condemned to die for treason and had iudgement to be executed to death The bishop and his clergie vnderstanding hereof with open mouth complained vnto the king that he caused a sessions to be kept within his sanctuarie contrarie to the priuilege of his church and that all their dooings being doone against law were of no effect And notwithstanding the king and his councell had discoursed vnto them the iust and orderlie procéeding the hainousnesse of the offendors and the line 40 necessitie of their punishment yet all could not auaile for holie church nor the sanctuarie might be prophaned as they said with the deciding of temporall matters Wherevpon the king in the end yéelding to their exclaimes released a couple of arrant traitors and reuersed all his former lawfull procéedings and so vpon the wednesdaie he departed and returned towards London The duke of Yorke pretending as yée haue heard line 50 a right to the crowne as heire to Lionell duke of Clarence came this yeare out of Ireland vnto London in the parlement time there to consult with his speciall fréends as Iohn duke of Northfolke Richard earle of Salisburie and the lord Richard his sonne which after was earle of Warwike Thomas Courtneie earle of Deuonshire Edward Brooke lord Cobham After long deliberation and aduise taken it was thought expedient to keepe their chéefe purpose secret and that the duke should raise an armie line 60 of men vnder a pretext to remooue diuerse councellors about the king and to reuenge the manifest iniuries doone to the common-wealth by the same rulers Of the which as principall the duke of Summerset was namelie accused both for that he was greatlie hated of the commons for the losse of Normandie and for that it was well knowne that he would be altogither against the duke of Yorke in his chalenge to be made when time serued to the crowne insomuch that his goods by the commons were foulie despoiled and borne awaie from the Blacke friers After which riot on the next morrow proclamation was made through the citie that no man should spoile or rob on paine of death But on the same daie at the standard in Cheape was a man beheaded for dooing contrarie to the proclamation Therefore when the duke of Yorke had thus by aduise of his speciall fréends framed the foundation of his long intended enterprise he assembled a great hoast to the number of ten thousand able men in the marches of Wales publishing openlie that the cause of this his gathering of people was for the publike wealth of the realme The king much astonied at the matter by aduise of his councell raised a great power and marched forward toward the duke But he being thereof aduertised turned out of that way which by espials he vnderstood that the king held and made streight toward London and hauing knowledge that he might not be suffered to passe through the citie he crossed ouer the Thames at Kingston bridge and so kept on towards Kent where he knew that he had both fréends well-willers and there on Burnt heath a mile from Dertford and twelue miles from London he imbatelled and incamped himselfe verie stronglie inuironing his field with artillerie and trenches The king hereof aduertised brought his armie with all diligence vnto Blackeheath and there pight his tents Whilest both these armies laie thus imbattelled the king sent the bishop of Winchester and Thomas Bourchier bishop of Elie Richard Wooduile lord Riuers Richard Andrew the kéeper of his priuie seale to the duke both to know the cause of so great a commotion and also to make a concord if the requests of the duke and his companie séemed consonant to reason The duke hearing the message of the bishops answered that his comming was neither to damnifie the king in honour nor in person neither yet anie good man but his intent was to remooue from him certeine euill disposed persons of his councell bloud-succours of the nobilitie pollers of the cleargie and oppressours of the poore people Amongst these he chéeflie named Edmund duke of Summerset whome if the king would commit to ward to answer such articles as against him in open parlement should be both proponed and proued he promised not onelie to dissolue his armie but also offered himselfe like an obedient subiect to come to the kings presence and to doo him true and faithfull seruice according to his loiall and bounden dutie ¶ But a further vnderstanding of the dukes meaning by
protesting they meant no harme in the world against his person as by their demeanors and proceedings it might well appeare who had euer fled withdrawne themselues from place to place from towne to towne from village to village and from countie to countie Which line 40 might serue for an euident token that they sought for nothing but onelie their owne safegards quietnesse of the realme with so much fauour as in good and safe suertie they might come to his presence to declare certeine things which in their opinions might turne to the wealth of the realme and further to make answer to all things that had béene obiected against them And now said they we are here remaining in the vttermost parts of the land that is in the marches towards Wales not farre from Ludlow line 50 not vpon anie presumptuous meaning but rather in all humble lowlinesse of mind and bodie to abide his graces comming which they besought of God might be in some peaceable maner and fauourable in their behalfes The king hauing receiued this letter and coniecturing that some bitter meaning laie vnder so swéet a spéech cōmanded his armie againe to march foorth and comming within halfe a mile of the aduersaries campe pitched downe his field and foorthwith caused line 60 proclamation to be made that who so euer of his aduersaries would giue ouer his lewd begun enterprise and repaire to his presence to sue for mercie he would pardon him of all offenses This proclamation comming to the vnderstanding of them in the duke of Yorks hoast caused a great number that were there with him against the king to get awaie come to the kings side Moreouer there rose among the residue great murmuring so as they séemed verie like to grow to a gréeuous mutinie Amongst other of those that came to the kings campe Andrew Trollop was chéefe who with the other Calisians which had long serued the king and liued a long time by his wages perceiuing now that they should fight against their souereigne lord himselfe whose true subiect they estéemed before that time the earle of Warwike euer to haue beene and in no wise his enimie in the dead of the night before the daie of the battell secretlie departed from the dukes campe and submitted themselues to the king admonishing him of all things deuised against him Wherof part was that the duke of Yorke by his expert capteins appointed vpon a waie how to set vpon his enimies easilie to discomfit them so as on the next morning he meant to haue assailed the king and his people yer they could haue béene readie or warie of his comming But now by the going awaie thus of his capteins and people that purpose was disappointed And Andrew Trollop thus departed he was now as much discomforted as before by trust in him he was incouraged for all his counsell and purpose by Andrew disclosed he thought it better for him his to depart in suertie than to abide the imminent danger Whervpon he with his yoonger sonne Edmund earle of Rutland secretlie fled into Wales and so passed into Ireland where he was with all ioy and honour gladlie receiued all the Irish offering to liue and die with him as if they had béene his liege subiects and he their lord and prince naturallie borne The earle of March sonne and heire apparant to the said duke accompanied with the earles of Salisburie and Warwike and sir Iohn Wenlocke got awaie the same night and came into Deuonshire where by the meanes of Iohn Dinham esquier which after was high treasuror of England in the daies of king Henrie the seauenth they bought a ship which cost a hundred and ten marks at Exmouth and sailed into Gerneseie after came to Calis where being let in at the posterne they were ioifullie welcomed of their fréends namelie of sir William Neuill lord Fauconbridge that was the earle of Warwikes vncle and brother to the earle of Salisburie who had the towne and castell in kéeping All these being assembled cast their heads togither and euerie one seuerallie had his deuise for the perfecting of their purpose whereto there wanted in them neither will nor hardinesse But now to returne to the king When in the morning he was aduertised that the duke of Yorke and his partakers were fled and gone he caused all his horssemen to follow them although in vaine for they were got farre enough out of danger as before ye haue heard The king pardoned all the poore souldiers sauing certeine ringleaders of the which some he punished and fined and some he hanged and quartered After this he remooued to Ludlow and there brake vp his host and spoiling the towne and castell he sent the duchesse of Yorke with hir two yoong sonnes to be kept in ward with the duchesse of Buckingham hir sister This doone he proclamed these lords traitors to him enimies to their countrie and rebels to the crowne confiscating their lands goods and offices and committed the gouernance of the north parts to the earle of Northumberland and to the lord Clifford as to his trustie and most faithfull fréends of his towne of Calis he made capteine Henrie the new duke of Summerset This duke reioising much in his new office those foorth diuerse valiant and hardie souldiers and with great pompe shortlie after tooke the seas and sailed towards Calis But when he thought to haue entered the hauen the artillerie shot so hotlie both out of the towne and from Risebanke that he suffering there a sore repulse was faine to land at Whitsandbaie and sent word to the capteins of the towne to receiue him as the kings lieutenant shewing to them his letters patents But neither he nor his writing was once regarded and so of necessitie he resorted to the castell of Guisnes dailie skirmishing with the garrison of Calis more to his losse than gaine Diuerse of the mariners of those ships that went ouer with him after his arriuall owing more good will to the earle of Warwike than to this yoong duke conueied their ships into the hauen of Calis and in them diuerse of the earle of Warwikes enimies as Iamin Findill Iohn Felow and diuerse others the which being presented vnto the earle of line 10 Warwike he caused their heads foorthwith to be striken off Shortlie after Richard lord Riuers and sir Anthonie Wooduile his valiant sonne that was after lord Scales accompanied with foure hundred warlike persons were appointed to passe ouer to Guisnes to aid the duke of Summerset against his aduersaries which laie in Calis But as they soiourned at Sandwich abiding for wind and weather to transport them ouer the earles of March and Warwike line 20 had knowledge thereof and sent Iohn Dinham with a small number of men but a multitude of valiant hearts vnto the towne of Sandwich which suddenlie entered the same and tooke the lord Riuers and his sonne also in their beds
acts and statutes made afore this time by act of parlement not repealed or annulled by like authoritie or otherwise void be in suth force effect and vertue as they were afore the making of these ordinances and that no letters patents roialx of record nor acts iudiciall made or doone afore this time not repealed reuersed ne otherwise void by law be preiudiced or hurt by this present act line 20 This agreement put in articles was ingrossed sealed and sworne vnto by the two parties and also enacted in the parlement For ioy whereof the king hauing in his companie the duke of Yorke road to the cathedrall church of saint Paule in London and there on the day of All saints with the crowne on his head went solemnelie in procession and was lodged a good space after in the bishops palace néere to the said church And vpon the saturdaie next insuing line 30 Richard duke of Yorke was by sound of trumpet solemnelie proclamed heire apparant to the crowne of England and protectour of the realme After this the parlement kept at Couentrie the last yeare was declared to be a diuelish councell and onelie had for destruction of the nobilitie and was indéed no lawfull parlement bicause they which were returned were neuer elected according to the due order of the law but secretlie named by them which desired rather the destruction than the aduancement of the line 40 common-wealth When these agréements were enacted the king dissolued his parlement which was the last parlement that euer he ended The duke of Yorke well knowing that the queene would spurne against all this caused both hir and hir sonne to be sent for by the king But she as woont rather to rule than to be ruled and thereto counselled by the dukes of Excester and Summerset not onelie denied to come but also assembled a great armie intending to take the king by fine force out of the lords hands The protector in London hauing knowledge line 50 of all these dooings assigned the duke of Norffolke and erle of Warwike his trustie fréends to be about the king while he with the earles of Salisburie and Rutland and a conuenient number departed out of London the second daie of December northward and appointed the earle of March his eldest sonne to follow him with all his power The duke came to his castell of Sandall beside Wakefield on Christmasse éeuen there began to make muster of his tenants and fréends The quéene there of ascerteined determined line 60 to cope with him ye◠his succour were come Now she hauing in hir companie the prince hir sonne the dukes of Excester and Summerset the earle of Deuonshire the lord Clifford the lord Ros and in effect all the lords of the north parts with eightéene thousand men or as some write two and twentie thousand marched from Yorke to Wakefield and bad base to the duke euen before his castell gates He hauing with him not fullie fiue thousand persons contrarie to the minds of his faithfull councellors would needs issue foorth to fight with his enimies The duke of Summerset and the quéenes part casting vpon their most aduantage appointed the lord Clifford to lie in one stale and the earle of Wilshire in another and the duke with other to kéepe the maine battell The duke of Yorke with his people descended downe the hill in good order and arraie and was suffered to passe on towards the maine battell But when he was in the plaine field betweene his castell and the towne of Wakefield he was inuironed on euerie side like fish in a net so that though he fought manfullie yet was he within halfe an houre slaine and dead and his whole armie discomfited with him died of his trustie fréends his two bastard vncles sir Iohn and sir Hugh Mortimers sir Dauie Hall sir Hugh Hastings sir Thomas Neuill William and Thomas Aparre both brethren and two thousand and eight hundred others whereof manie were yoong gentlemen and heires of great parentage in the south parts whose kin reuenged their deaths within foure moneths next as after shall appeare In this conflict was wounded and taken prisoner Richard earle of Salisburie sir Richard Limbricke Rafe Stanleie Iohn Harow capteine Hanson and diuerse others The lord Clifford perceiuing where the earle of Rutland was conueied out of the field by one of his fathers chapleins and scholemaister to the same earle and ouertaking him stabbed him to the heart with a dagger as he kneeled afore him This earle was but a child at that time of twelue yeares of age whome neither his tender yeares nor dolorous countenance with holding vp both his hands for mercie for his speach was gone for feare could mooue the cruell heart of the lord Clifford to take pitie vpon him so that he was noted of great infamie for that his vnmercifull murther vpon that yoong gentleman But the same lord Clifford not satisfied herewith came to the place where the dead corpse of the duke of Yorke laie caused his head to be striken off and set on it a crowne of paper fixed it on a pole and presented it to the quéene not lieng farre from the field in great despite at which great reioising was shewed but they laughed then that shortlie after lamented and were glad then of other mens deaths that knew not their owne to be so néere at hand ¶ Some write that the duke was taken aliue and in derision caused to stand vpon a molehill on whose head they put a garland in steed of a crowne which they had fashioned and made of sedges or bulrushes and hauing so crowned him with that garland they knéeled downe afore him as the Iewes did vnto Christ in scorne saieng to him Haile king without rule haile king without heritage haile duke and prince without people or possessions And at length hauing thus scorned him with these and diuerse other the like despitefull words they stroke off his head which as yee haue heard they presented to the quéene Manie déemed that this miserable end chanced to the duke of Yorke as a due punishment for breaking his oth of allegiance vnto his souereigne lord king Henrie but others held him discharged thereof bicause he obteined a dispensation from the pope by such suggestion as his procurators made vnto him whereby the same oth was adiudged void as that which was receiued vnaduisedlie to the preiudice of himselfe and disheriting of all his posteritie After this victorie by the quéene the earle of Salisburie and all the prisoners were sent to Pomfret year 1461 and there beheaded whose heads togither with the duke of Yorkes head were conueied to Yorke and there set on poles ouer the gate of the citie in despite of them and their linage The earle of March now after the death of his father verie duke of Yorke lieng at Glocester was woonderfullie amazed when the sorrowfull newes of these mishaps came vnto him but after
a desire of vengeance to the death In this meane while that things passed in maner as before ye haue hard Edmund duke of Summerset his brother Iohn marquesse Dorset Thomas Courtneie earle of Deuonshire and others being at London had knowledge by aduertisements out of France that quéene Margaret with hir sonne prince Edward the countesse of Warwike the prior of S. Iohns the lord Wenlocke and diuerse others their adherents and partakers with all that they might make were readie at the sea side purposing with all spéed to saile ouer into England and to arriue in the west countrie Wherevpon they departed foorth of London and with all hast possible drew westward there to raise what forces they could to ioine with those their fréends immediatlie after they should once come on land and so to assist them against king Edward and his partakers True it is that the quéene with hir sonne and the other persons before mentioned tooke their ships the foure and twentith daie of March continuing on the seas before they could land thorough tempests and contrarie winds by the space of twentie daies that is till the thirtéenth of Aprill on which daie or rather on the fourteenth they landed at Weimouth as after shall appeare But now touching king Edwards procéeding forward on his iournie toward London ye line 10 haue to vnderstand that vpon the tuesdaie the ninth of Aprill he came to saint Albons from whense he sent comfortable aduertisements to the queene his wife remaining within the sanctuarie at Westminster and to others his faithfull fréends in and about London to vnderstand by couert meanes how to deale to obteine the fauour of the citizens so as he might be of them receiued The earle of Warwike vnderstanding all his dooings and purposes wrote to the Londoners willing line 20 charging them in anie wise to keepe king Edward out of their citie and in no condition to permit him to enter and withall he sent to his brother the archbishop of Yorke willing him by all meanes possible to persuade the Londoners not to receiue him but to defend the citie against him for the space of two or thrée daies at the least promising not to faile but to come after him and to be readie to assaile him on the backe not doubting but wholie to distresse his power and to bring him to vtter confusion The archbishop line 30 herevpon on the ninth of Aprill called vnto him at Paules all such lords knights and gentlemen with others that were partakers on that side to the number in all of six or seauen thousand men in armour Herewith also he caused king Henrie to mount on horssebacke and to ride from Paules thorough Cheape downe to Walbroke so to fetch a compasse as the custome was when they made their generall processions returning backe againe to Paules vnto the bishops palace where at that time he was lodged line 40 The archbishop supposed that shewing the king thus riding thorough the stréets he should haue allured the citizens to assist his part True it is the maior aldermen had caused the gates to be kept with watch and ward but now they well perceiued that king Henries power was too weake as by that shew it had well appeared to make full resistance against king Edward and so not for them in trust vnto if king Edward came forward and should attempt to enter the citie by force for it was not vnknowne line 50 vnto them that manie of the worshipfull citizens and others of the commons in great numbers were fullie bent to aid king Edward in all that they might as occasion serued Thus what thorough loue that manie bare to king Edward and what thorough feare that diuerse stood in least the citie being taken by force might happilie haue beene put to the sacke with the losse of manie an innocent mans life the maior aldermen and others the worshipfull of the citie fell at a point among line 60 themselues to kéepe the citie to K. Edwards vse so as he might haue free passage and entrie into the same at his pleasure The archbishop of Yorke perceiuing the affections of the people and how the most part of them were now bent in fauour of king Edward vpon the said kings approch towards the citie he sent foorth secretlie a messenger to him beséeching him to receiue him againe into his fauour promising to be faithfull to him in time to come and to acquit this good turne hereafter with some singular benefit and pleasure The king vpon good causes and considerations therevnto him moouing was contented to receiue him againe into his fauour The archbishop hereof assured reioised greatlie well trulie acquiting him concerning his promise made to the king in that behalfe The same night following was the Tower of London recouered to king Edwards vse And on the morow being thursdaie and the eleuenth of Aprill king Edward quietlie made his entrie into the citie with his power hauing fiue hundred smokie gunners marching foremost being strangers of such as he had brought ouer with him He first rode vnto Paules church from thense he went to the bishops palace where the archbishop of Yorke presented himselfe vnto him and hauing king Henrie by the hand deliuered him vnto king Edward who being seized of his person and diuerse other his aduersaries he went from Paules to Westminster where he made his deuout praiers giuing God most heartie thanks for his safe returne thither againe This doone he went to the quéene to comfort hir who with great patience had abidden there a long time as a sanctuarie woman for doubt of hir enimies and in the meane season was deliuered of a yoong prince whome she now presented vnto him to his great hearts reioising comfort From Westminster the king returned that night vnto London againe hauing the quéene with him and lodged in the house of the duchesse his moother On the morow being good fridaie he tooke aduise with the lords of his bloud and other of his councell for such businesse as he had in hand namelie how to subdue his enimies as sought his destruction Thus with consultation preuenting his actions he obteined fortunate successe wherwith his hart was the moreaduanced to ioine issue with his aduersaries whome rather than they should triumph ouer him he was resolutelie minded to vanquish if his procéedings might proue prosperous as his present good lucke The earle of Warwike calling himselfe lieutenant of England vnder the pretensed authoritie of king Henrie hoping that king Edward should haue much a doo to enter into London marched foorth from Couentrie with all his puissance following the king by Northhampton in hope to haue some great aduantage to assaile him speciallie if the Londoners kept him out of their citie as he trusted they would for then he accounted himselfe sure of the vpper hand or if he were of them receiued yet he hoped to find him vnprouided in celebrating the
doctor Stillington and two other his ambassadors laden with no small summe of gold These ambassadors declaring their message affirmed that the king their maister willed to haue the earle of Richmond onelie for this purpose to ioine with him in aliance by marriage and so to plucke vp all the leauings of discord betwéene him and the contrarie faction The duke gentlie heard the orators And though at the first he by excuses denied their request yet at the length beléeuing that king Edward would giue to the earle his eldest daughter the ladie Elizabeth in marriage he consented to deliuer him and receiued of the English orators a great summe of monie But yer they were imbarked with their preie the duke being aduertised that the earle of Richmond was not so earnestlie sought for to be coupled in mariage with king Edwards daughter but rather that his head might be chopped off with an hatchet caused his treasuror Peter Landoise to conueie the said earle of Richmond into a sanctuarie at S. Malo where the English ambassadors then laie onelie staieng for a conuenient wind who complained that they were euill vsed to be spoiled both of their monie and merchandize Yet bicause the matter was so handled that it séemed the earle escaped into the sanctuarie through their owne negligence after they had receiued him into their hands they were soone answered but yet promise was made that the earle should be safelie kept either in the sanctuarie or else as prisoner in the dukes house that they should not néed to feare him more than his shadow And thus the king of England purchased for his monie the kéeping of his enimie the space onelie of three daies and no more King Edward was somewhat displeased with this chance but yet trusting that the duke of Britaine would according to promise see the earle of Richmond safelie kept from dooing anie gréeuance to him or his subiects put all doubts therof out of his mind and began to studie how to kéepe a liberall princelie house and therevpon storing his chests with monie he imploied no small portion in good housekéeping ¶ But hauing spoken thus much of the earle of Richmond whome Edward Hall compareth to a shéepe betraied into the téeth and clawes of the woolfe you shall vnderstand that at such time as his troubles were set fresh abroach and he knowing that he was going towards his death for verie pensifenesse and inward thought fell into a feruent and sore ague In which verie season one Iohn Cheulet so estéemed among the princes of Britaine as few were in all the countrie and in much credit and well accepted with the duke was when these things were thus concluded for his solace in the countrie Who being hereof certified was chafed with the abhomination of the fact resorted to the court and familiarlie came to the dukes presence where he stood so sadlie and so palie without anie word speaking that the duke was much abashed and suddenlie maruelled at his sad and frowning countenance and demanded of him what should signifie that dumpishnesse of mind and inward sighing the which by his countenance manifestlie appeared and was euident He modestlie answered Most noble and redoubted lord this palenesse of visage and deadlie looke dooth prognosticate the time of my death to approach and be at hand which if it had chanced to me before this daie I assure you it had much lesse hurt me For then had I not beene reserued to féele the dolorous pangs and sorowfull sighings which a fact by you doone that I thougâ—â— impossible to be obteined hath printed in my stomach and in my heart deeplie grauen so that I well perceiue that either I shall lose my life or else liue in perpetuall distresse and continuall miserie For you my singular good lord by your vertuous acts and noble feats haue gotten to you in manner an immortall fame which in euerie mans mouth is extolled aduanced aboue the high clouds But alas me séemeth I praie you pardon me my rudenesse that now that you haue obteined so high praise line 10 and glorie you nothing lesse regard than to kéepe and preserue the same inuiolate considering that you forgetting your faith and faithfull promise made to Henrie earle of Richmond haue deliuered the most innocent yoong gentleman to the cruell tormentors to be afflicted rent in péeces and slaine Wherefore all such as loue you of the which number I am one cannot choose but lament be sorie when they sée openlie the fame and glorie of your most renowmed name by such a disloialtie and vntruth against line 20 promise to be both blotted and stained with a perpetuall note of slander and infamie Peace mine owne good Iohn quoth the duke I praie thée beléeue me there is no such thing like to happen to the earle of Richmond for king Edward hath sent for him to make of him being his suspected enimie his good and faire sonne in law Well well quoth Iohn my redoubted lord giue credence vnto me the earle Henrie is at the verie brinke to perish whome if you permit once to set line 30 but one foot out of your power and dominion there is no mortall creature able héereafter to deliuer him from death The duke being mooued with the persuasions of Iohn Cheulet which either little beleeued or smallie suspected king Edward to desire the earle for anie fraud or deceipt or else seduced by blind auarice and loue of monie more than honestie fidelitie or wisedome would require did not consider what he vnaduisedlie did or what he aduisedlie should haue doone Wherefore with all diligence he sent foorth Peter line 40 Landoise his cheefe treasuror commanding him to intercept and staie the earle of Richmond in all hast possible as before you haue heard ¶ In this yeare deceassed sir Iohn Crosbie knight not long before this maior of London and was buried in the parish church of saint Helen in Bishops gate stréet vnto the reparing of which parish church he gaue fiue hundred marks and thirtie pounds to be distributed to poore housholders in the ward of Bishops gate to the reparing of the parish church at line 50 Heneworth in Middlesex fortie pounds to the repairing of London wall one hundred pounds toward the making of a new tower of stone at the south-end of London bridge if the same were begun by the maior and communaltie within ten yeares next after his deceasse one hundred pounds to the reparations of Rochester bridge ten pounds to euerie the prisons in and about London liberallie Also he gaue to the wardens and communaltie of the grocers in London two large pots of siluer chased halfe line 60 guilt weieng thirtéene pounds and fiue ounces of Treie weight to be occupied in their common hall and elsewhere at their discretions In this yeare were inhanced to the honour of knighthood after the custome of England in the time of peace the kings eldest son Edward prince of Wales duke of
you loue them if ech of you hate other if they were men your faithfulnesse happilie would suffice But childhood must be mainteined by mens authoritie and slipper youth vnderpropped with elder counsell which neither they can haue but ye giue it nor ye giue it if ye gree not For where ech laboureth to breake that the other maketh and for hatred of ech of others person impugneth ech others counsell there must it needs be long yet anie good conclusion go forward And also while either partie laboureth to be cheefe flatterie shall haue more place than plaine and faithfull aduise of which must needs insue the euill bringing vp of the prince whose mind in tender youth infect shall redilie fall to mischeefe and riot and draw downe with his noble relme to ruine But if grace turne him to wisedome which if God send then they that by euill meanes before pleased him best shall after fall furthest out of fauour so that euer at length euill drifts shall draw to nought and good plaine waies prosper Great variance hath there long beene betweene you not alwaie for great causes Sometimes a thing right well intended our misconstruction turneth vnto woorse or a small displeasure doone vs either our owne affection or euill toongs aggreeueth But this wot I well ye neuer had so great cause of hatred as ye haue of loue That we be all men that we be christian men this shall I leaue for preachers to tell you and yet I wot neere whether anie preachers words ought more to mooue you than his that is by by going to the place that they all preach of But this shall I desire you to remember that the one part of you is of my bloud the other of mine alies and ech of you with other either of kinred or affinitie which spirituall kinred of affinitie if the sacraments of Christs church beare that weight with vs that would God they did should no lesse mooue vs to charitie than the respect of fleshlie consanguinitie Our Lord forbid that you loue together the woorse for the selfe cause that you ought to loue the better And yet that happeneth and no where find we so deadlie debate as among them which by nature and law most ought to agree togither Such a pestilent serpent is ambition and desire of vaine glorie and souereigntie which among states where she once entereth creepeth foorth so farre till with diuision and variance she turneth all to mischeefe first longing to be next vnto the best afterward equall with the best at last cheefe and aboue the best Of which immoderat appetite of worship and thereby of debate and dissention what losse what sorow what trouble hath within these few yeares growne in this realme I praie God as well forget as we well remember Which things if I could as well haue foreseene as I haue with my more paine than pleasure prooued by Gods blessed ladie that was euer his oth I would neuer haue woone the courtesie of mens knees with the losse of so manie heads But sithens things passed can not be gaine called much ought we the more beware by what occasion we haue taken so great hurt afore that we eftsoones fall not in that occasion againe Now be those greefs passed and all is God be thanked quiet and likelie right well to prosper in wealthfull peace vnder your coosins my children if God send them life and you loue Of which two things the lesse losse were they by whom though God did his pleasure yet should the realme alwaie find kings and peraduenture as good kings But if you among your selues in a childs reigne fall at debate manie a good man shall perish and happilie he too and ye too yer this land find peace againe Wherfore line 10 in these last words that euer I looke to speake with you I exhort you and require you all for the loue that you haue euer borne to me for the loue that I haue euer borne vnto you for the loue that our Lord beareth to vs all from this time forward all greefs forgotten ech of you loue other Which I verelie trust you will if ye anie thing earthlie regard either God or your line 20 king affinitie or kinred this realme your owne countrie or your owne suertie And therewithall the king no longer induring to sit vp laid him downe on his right side his face towards them and none was there present that could refraine from weeping But the lords recomforting him with as good line 30 words as they could and answering for the time as they thought to stand with his pleasure there in his presence as by their words appeared ech forgaue other and ioined their hands togither when as it after appeared by their deeds their hearts were farre asunder As soone as the king was departed the noble prince his sonne drew toward London which at the time of his deceasse kept his houshold at Ludlow in Wales which countrie being farre off from the law and recourse to iustice was begun to be farre out of line 40 good rule and waren wild robbers and reauers walking at libertie vncorrected And for this occasion the prince was in the life of his father sent thither to the end that the authoritie of his presence should refraine euill disposed persons from the boldnesse of their former outrages To the gouernance and ordering of this yoong prince at his sending thither was there appointed sir Anthonie Wooduile lord Riuers and brother vnto the queene a right honourable man as valiant of line 50 hand as politike in counsell Adioined were there vnto him other of the same partie and in effect euerie one as he was néerest of kin vnto the queene so was he planted next about the prince That drift by the queene not vnwiselie deuised whereby hir bloud might of youth be rooted into the princes fauour the duke of Glocester turned vnto their destruction and vpon that ground set the foundation of all his vnhappie building For whome soeuer he perceiued either at variance with them or bearing himselfe their line 60 fauour he brake vnto them some by mouth some by writing Nay he sent secret messengers saieng that it neither was reason nor in anie wise to be suffered that the yoong king their maister and kinsman should be in the hands and custodie of his moothers kinred sequestred in maner from their companie and attendance of which euerie one ought him as faithfull seruice as they and manie of them farre more honourable part of kin than his moothers side Whose bloud quoth he sauing the kings pleasure was full vnméetelie to be matched with his which now to be as who say remooued from the king and the lesse noble to be left about him is quoth he neither honourable to his maiestie nor to vs and also to his grace no suertie to haue the mightiest of his fréends from him and vnto vs no little ieopardie to suffer our well prooued
little while departed thense And soone after one houre betwéene ten eleuen he returned into the chamber amongst them all changed with a woonderfull soure angrie countenance knitting the browes frowning and fretting and gnawing on his lips and so sat him downe in his place All the lords were much dismaid and sore maruelled at this maner of sudden change and what thing should him aile Then when he had sitten still a while thus he began What were they worthie to haue that compasse and imagine the destruction of me being so néere of bloud vnto the king and protector of his roiall person and his realme At this question all the lords sat sore astonied musing much by whome this question should be meant of which euerie man wist himselfe cléere Then the lord chamberlaine as he that for the loue betwéene them thought he might be boldest with him answered and said that they were worthie to be punished as heinous traitors whatsoeuer they were And all the other affirmed the same That is quoth he yonder sorâ—erâ—sse my brothers wife and other with hir meaning the queene At these words manie of the other lords were greatlie abashed that fauoured hir But the lord Hastings was in his mind better content that it was mooued by hir than by anie other whome he loued better albeit his heart somewhat grudged that he was not afore made of counsell in this matter as he was of the taking of hir kinred and of their putting to death which were by his assent before deuised to be beheaded at Pomfret this selfe same daie in which he was not ware that it was by other deuised that he himselfe should be beheaded the same daie at London Then said the protector Ye shall all sée in what wise that sorceresse and that other witch of hir councell Shores wife with their affinitie haue by their sorcerie and witchcraft wasted my bodie And therwith he plucked vp his dublet sléeue to his elbow vpon his left arme where he shewed a weerish withered arme and small as it was neuer other Herevpon euerie mans mind sore misgaue them well perceiuing that this matter was but a quarell For they well wist that the quéene was too wise to go about anie such follie And also if she would yet would she of all folke least make Shores wife of hir counsell whome of all women she most hated as that concubine whome the king hir husband had most loued And also no man was there present but well knew that his arme was euer such since his birth Naithelesse the lord chamberlaine which from the death of king Edward kept Shores wife on whome he somewhat doted in the kings life sauing as it is said he that while forbare hir of reuerence toward the king or else of a certeine kind of fidelitie to his fréend answered and said Certeinelie my lord if they haue so heinouslie doone they be worthie heinous punishment What quoth the protector thou seruest me I wéene with ifs and with ands I tell thée they haue so doone and that I will make good on thy bodie traitor and therewith as in a great anger he clapped his fist vpon the boord a great rap At which token one cried Treason without the chamber Therewith a doore clapped and in come there rushing men in harnesse as manie as the chamber might hold And anon the protector said to the lord Hastings I arrest thée traitor What me my lord quoth he Yea thée traitor quoth the protector And an other let flie at the lord Stanleie which shrunke at the stroke fell vnder the table or else his head had béene cleft to the téeth for as shortlie as he shranke yet ran the bloud about his eares line 10 Then were they all quickelie bestowed in diuerse chambers except the lord chamberleine whome the protector bad speed and shriue him apace for by saint Paule quoth he I will not to dinner till I sée thy head off It booted him not to aske whie but heauilie tooke a priest at aduenture made a short shrift for a longer would not be suffered the protector made so much hast to dinner which he might not go to vntill this were doone for sauing of his oth So was he brought foorth to the gréene beside the chappell within line 20 the Tower and his head laid downe vpon a long log of timber and there striken off and afterward his bodie with the head interred at Windsor beside the bodie of king Edward both whose soules our Lord pardon Thus began he to establish his kingdome in bloud growing thereby in hatred of the nobles and also abridging both the line of his life and the time of his regiment for God will not haue bloudthirstie tyrants daies prolonged but will cut them off in their ruffe according to Dauids words line 30 Impio fallaci auidóque caedis Filamors rumpet viridi in iuuenta A maruellous case is it to heare either the warnings of that he should haue voided or the tokens of that he could not void For the selfe night next before his death the lord Stanleie sent a trustie messenger vnto him at midnight in all the hast requiring him to rise and ride awaie with him for he was disposed vtterlie no longer to bide he had so fearfull a dreame in which him thought that a boare with his tuskes so line 40 rased them both by the heads that the bloud ran about both their shoulders And forsomuch as the protector gaue the boare for his cognisance this dreame made so fearefull an impression in his heart that he was throughlie determined no longer to tarie but had his horsse readie if the lord Hastings would go with him to ride yet so farre the same night that they should be out of danger yer daie Ha good Lord quoth the lord Hastings to this messenger leaneth my lord thy maister so much to line 50 such trifles and hath such faith in dreames which either his owne feare fantasieth or doo rise in the nights rest by reason of his daies thought Tell him it is plaine witchcraft to beléeue in such dreames which if they were tokens of things to come why thinketh he not that we might be as likelie to make them true by our going if we were caught brought backe as fréends faile fliers for then had the boare a cause likelie to rase vs with his tusks as folke that fled for some falsehood Wherefore either is there line 60 perill or none there is in deed or if anie be it is rather in going than biding And in case we should néeds fall in perill one waie or other yet had I rather that men should sée that it were by other mens falsehood than thinke it were either by our owne fault or faint heart And therefore go to thy maister man and commend me to him praie him be merie haue no feare for I insure him I am as sure of the man that he woteth of as I am of
enterprise And so obteining of king Charles a small crew of men and borrowing certeine summes of monie of him and of diuerse other his priuate freends for the which he left as debter or more likelie as a pledge or hostage lord Thomas marquesse Dorset whome he halfe mistrusted and sir Iohn Bourchier he departed from the French court and came to the citie of Rone While he taried there making prouision at Harfleet in the mouth of the riuer of Sene for all things necessarie for his nauie tidings were brought to him that king Richard being without children now a widower intended shortlie to marie the ladie Elizabeth his brothers daughter and to prefer the ladie Cicilie hir sister to a man found in a cloud and of an vnknowne linage and familie He tooke these newes as a matter of no small moment and so all things considered it was of no lesse importance than he tooke it for For this thing onelie tooke awaie from him and all his companions their hope and courage that they had to obteine an happie enterprise And therefore no maruell though it nipped him at the verie stomach when he thought that by no possibilitie he might atteine the mariage of any of K. Edwards daughters which was the strongest foundation of his building by reason whereof he iudged that all his fréends in England would abandon and shrinke from him Wherefore making not manie of his counsell after diuerse consultations he determined not yet to set forward but to tarie and attempt how to get more aid more fréends and more stronger succours And amongst all other it was thought most expedient to allure by affinitie in his aid as a companion in armes sir Walter Herbert a man of an ancient stocke of great power among the Welsh who had with him a faire ladie to his sister of age ripe to be coupled with him in matrimonie And for the atchiuing of this purpose messengers were secretlie sent to Henrie earle of Northumberland which had before maried another sister of sir Walter Herberts to the intent that he should set forward all this deuise and purpose but the waies were so narowlie watched and so manie spies laid that the messenger procéeded not in his iournie and businesse But in the meane season there came to the earle a more ioifull message from Morgan Kidwellie learned in the temporall law which declared that Rice ap Thomas a man of no lesse valiantnesse than actiuitie and Iohn Sauage an approoued capteine would line 10 with all their power be partaker of his quarell And that Reginald Breie had collected and gotten togither no small summe of monie for the paiment of the wages to the souldiers and men of warre admonishing him also to make quicke expedition and to take his course directlie into Wales The earle of Richmond bicause he would no longer linger and wearie his fréends liuing continuallie betwéene hope and feare determined in all conuenient hast to set forward and caried to his ships armor weapons line 20 vittels and all other ordinances expedient for warre After that all things were in readinesse the earle being accompanied onelie with two thousand men and a small number of ships weied vp his anchors and halsed vp his sailes in the moneth of August and sailed from Harfléet with so prosperous a wind that the seuenth daie after his departure he arriued in Wales in the euening at a place called Milford hauen and incontinent tooke land and came to a place called Dalle where he heard saie that a certeine line 30 companie of his aduersaries were laid in garrison to defend his arriuall all the last winter And the earle at the sunne rising remooued to Hereford west being distant from Dalle not full ten miles where he was ioifullie receiued of the people and he arriued there so suddenlie that he was come and entered the towne at the same time when the citizens had but knowledge of his comming Here he heard newes which were as vntrue as they trulie were reported to him in Normandie that Rice ap Thomas and Iohn Sauage with bodie and line 40 goods were determined to aid king Richard While he and his companie were some what astonied at these new tidings there came such message from the inhabitants of the towne of Penbroke that refreshed and reuiued their frosen harts and daunted courages For Arnold Butler a valiant capteine which first asked pardon for his offenses before time committed against the earle of Richmond and that obteined declared to him that the Penbrochians were line 50 readie to serue and giue their attendance on their naturall and immediat lord Iasper earle of Penbroke The earle of Richmond hauing his armie thus increased departed from Hereford west to the towne of Cardigan being fiue miles distant from thence While the souldiers were refreshing and trimming themselues in their campe strange tidings sproong among them without anie certeine author that sir Walter Herbert which laie with a great crue of men at Carmarden was now with a great armie readie to approch and bid them battell With line 60 which newes the armie was sore troubled and euery man assaied his armour and prooued his weapon and were prest to defend their enimies And as they were in this fearfull doubt certeine horssemen which the earle had sent to make inquirie and search returned and reported all the countrie to be quiet and no let nor impediment to be laid or cast in their iournie And euen at the same time the whole armie was greatlie recomforted by reason that the comming of Richard Griffith a man of great nobilitie the which notwithstanding that he was confederate with sir Walter Herbert and Richard ap Thomas yet at that verie instant he came to the earle of Richmond with all his companie which were of no great number After him the same daie came Iohn Morgan with his men Then the earle aduanced forward in good hast making no repose or abode in anie one place And to the intent to passe forward with sure and short expedition he assaulted euerie place where his enimies had set anie men of warre which with small force and lesse difficultie he brieflie did ouercome vanquish And suddenlie he was by his espials ascerteined that sir Walter Herbert and Rice ap Thomas were in harnesse before him readie to incounter with his armie and to stop their passage Wherefore like a valiant capteine he first determined to set on them and either to destroie or to take them into his fauour and after with all his power and puissance to giue battell to his mortall enimie king Richard But to the intent his fréends should know in what readinesse he was and how he procéeded forward he sent of his most secret and faithfull seruants with letters and instructions to the ladie Margaret his mother to the lord Stanleie and his brother to sir Gilbert Talbot and to other his trustie fréends declaring to them
heads for the committing of the same to the intent that at that instant we for our deserts being penitent and repentant maie be compelled lamenting and bewailing our sinnes like forsakers of this world iocund to depart out of this mischeefe life Now to returne againe to our purpose The next daie after king Richard being furnished with men all ablements of warre bringing all his men out of their campe into the plaine ordered his fore-ward in a maruellous length in which he appointed both horsmen and footmen to the intent to imprint in the hearts of them that looked a farre off a sudden terror and deadlie feare for the great multitude of the armed souldiers and in the fore-front he placed the archers like a strong fortified trench or bulworke Ouer this battell was capteine Iohn duke of Norffolke with whome was Thomas earle of Surrie his sonne After this long vant-gard followed king Richard himselfe with a strong companie of chosen and approoued men of warre hauing horssemen for wings on both sides of his battell After that the earle of Richmond was departed from the communication of his fréends as you haue heard before he began to be of a better stomach and of a more valiant courage and with all diligence pitched his field iust by the campe of his enimies and there he lodged that night In the morning betimes he caused his men to put on their armour and apparell themselues readie to fight and giue battell and sent vnto the lord Stanleie which was now come with his band into a place indifferent betwéene both the armies requiring him with his men to approch néere to his armie and to helpe to set the souldiers in arraie But he answered that the earle should set his owne men in good order of battell while he would arraie his companie and come to him in time conuenient Which answer made otherwise than the earle thought or would haue iudged considering the oportunitie of the time the weight of the businesse And although he was therwithall a little vexed began somewhat to hang the head yet he without anie time delaieng compelled of necessitie after this maner instructed and ordered his men He made his fore-ward somewhat single and slender according to the small number of his people In the front he placed the archers of whome he made capteine Iohn earle of Oxenford To the right wing of the battell he appointed sir Gilbert Talbot to be the leader To the left wing he assigned sir Iohn Sauage who had brought thither with him a crue of right able personages clad in white coats and hoods which mustered in the eies of their aduersaries right brimlie The earle of Richmond himselfe with aid of the lord Stanleie gouerned the battell accompanied with the earle of Penbroke hauing a good companie of horssemen and a small number of footmen For all his whole number excéeded not fiue thousand men beside the power of the Stanleies wherof three thousand were in the field vnder the standard of sir William Stanleie The kings number was double so much and more When both these armies were thus ordered and all men readie to set forward king Richard called his chiefteins togither and to them said as followeth The oration of king Richard the third to the chiefteins of his armie MY most faithfull and assured fellowes most trustie welbeloued freends elected capteins by whose wisedome and policie I haue obteined the crowne and type of this famous realme and noble region by whose puissance valiantnesse I haue inioid and possessed the state roiall dignitie of the same maugre the ill will and seditious attempts of all my cankered enimies and insidious aduersaries by whose prudent politike counsell I haue so gouerned my realme people subiects that I haue omitted nothing apperteining to the office of a iust prince nor you line 10 haue pretermitted nothing belonging to the dutie of wise and sage councellors So that I maie saie and trulie affirme that your approoued fidelitie tried constancie maketh me to beleeue firmelie and thinke that I am an vndoubted king and an indubitate prince And although in the adeption and obteining of the garland I being seduced and line 20 prouoked by sinister counsell and diabolicall temptation did commit a wicked and detestable act yet I haue with streict penance and salt tears as I trust expiated cleerelie purged the same offense which abhominable crime I require you of frendship as cleerelie to forget as I dailie remember to deplore and lament the same If ye will euen now diligentlie call to remembrance in what case and perplexitie line 30 we doo stand and in what doubtfull perill we be all intrapped I doubt not but you in heart will thinke and with mouth confesse that if euer amitie and faith preuailed betweene prince and subiects or betweene subiect and subiect or if euer bond of alegiance obliged the vassall to loue and serue his naturall souereigne lord or if anie obligation of dutie bound anie prince to aid line 40 defend his subiects all these loues bonds and duties of necessitie are now this day to be tried shewed and put in experience For if wise men saie true as they doo not lie there is some policie in getting but much more in keeping the one being but fortunes chance the other high wit and policie For which cause I with you and you with me must needs this day take line 50 labour and paine to keepe and defend with force that preheminence and possession which by your prudent deuises I haue gotten obteined I doubt not but you know how the diuell continuall enimie to humane nature disturber of concord sower of sedition hath entered into the heart of an vnknowne Welshman whose father I neuer knew nor him personallie saw exciting line 60 him to aspire and couet our realme crowne and dignitie and thereof cleerelie to depriue and spoile vs and our posteritie Ye see further how a companie of traitors theeues outlawes and runnagates of our owne nation be aiders and partakers of his feat and enterprise readie at hand to ouercome and oppresse vs. You see also what a number of beggerlie Britans and faint-hearted Frenchmen be with him arriued to destroie vs our wiues and children Which imminent mischeefs and apparant inconueniences if we will withstand refell we must liue togither as brethren fight togither like lions feare not to die togither like men And obseruing and keeping this rule and precept beleeue me the fearefull hare neuer fled faster before the greedie greihound nor the sillie larke before the sparrowhawke nor yet the simple sheepe before the rauenous woolfe than your proud bragging aduersaries astonied and amazed with the onelie sight of your manlie visages will flee run and skir out of the field For if you consider and wiselie ponder all things in your mind you shall perceiue that we haue manifest causes and apparant tokens
maiors successiuelie died within eight daies and sir aldermen At length by the diligent obseruation of those that escaped which marking what things had doone them good and holpen to their deliuerance vsed the like againe When they fell into the same disease the second or third time as to diuerse it chanced a remedie was found for that mortall maladie which was this If a man on the day time were taken with the sweat then should he streight lie downe with all his clothes and garments and continue in his sweat foure and twentie houres after so moderate a sort as might be If in the night he chanced to be taken then should line 10 he not rise out of his bed for the space of foure and twentie houres so casting the clothes that he might in no wise prouoke the sweat but lie so temperatlie that the water might distill out softlie of the owne accord and to absteine from all meat if he might so long suffer hunger and to take no more drinke neither hotnor cold than would moderatelie quench and asswage his thirstie appetite Thus with lukewarme drinke temperate heate and measurable cloaths manie escaped few which vsed this order after it line 20 was found out died of that sweat Marie one point diligentlie aboue all other in this cure is to be obserued that he neuer did put his hand or feet out of the bed to refresh or coole himselfe which to doo is no lesse ieopardie than short and present death Thus this disease comming in the first yeare of king Henries reigne was iudged of some to be a token and signe of a troublous reigne of the same king as the proofe partlie afterwards shewed it selfe The king standing in néed of monie to discharge line 30 such debts and to mainteine such port as was behouefull sent the lord treasuror with maister Reginald Braie and others vnto the lord maior of London requiring of the citie a prest of six thousand marks Wherevpon the said lord maior and his brethren with the commons of the citie granted a prest of two thousand pounds which was leuied of the companies and not of the wards and in the yeare next insuing it was well and trulie againe repaid euerie penie to the good contentation and satisfieng of line 40 them that disbursed it The king considering that the suertie of his roiall estate and defense of the realme consisted chéefelie in good lawes and ordinances to be had and obserued among his people summoned eftsoones his high court of parlement therein to deuise and establish some profitable acts and statutes for the wealth and commoditie of his people After this hauing set things in quiet about London he tooke his iournie into the North parts there to purge all the dregs of malicious treson that might line 50 rest in the hearts of vnquiet persons and namelie in Yorkeshire where the people bare more fauour vnto king Richard in his life time than those of anie other part of the realme had commonlie doone He kept the feast of Easter at Lincolne where he was certified that the lord Louell and Humfrie Stafford and Thomas Stafford his brother were departed out of the sanctuarie at Colchester to what place or whither no man as yet could tell The king little regarding the matter kept on his iournie and came to Yorke where as soone as he was once setled it was openlie line 60 shewed and declared for a truth to the king himselfe that Francis lord Louell was at hand with a strong and mightie power of men and would with all diligence inuade the citie It was also told him that the forenamed Staffords were in Worcestershire and had raised a great band of the countrie people and commons there and had cast lots what part should assault the gates what men should sâ—ale the wals of the citie of Worcester and who should let the passages for letting of rescues and aiders The king could not beleeue this report to be true at the first but after that by letters of credence sent from his fréends he was fullie persuaded that it was too true he was put in no small feare and not without great cause For he wiselie considered that he neither had anie competent armie readie nor conuenient furniture to arme them that were present and also he was in such place where he could not assemble anie power but of those whome he sore mistrusted as fréends to them that were most his enimies the memorie of king Richard as yet being not amongst them forgotten nor worne out of mind But bicause the matter required quicke expedition he appointed the duke of Bedford with three thousand men not altogither the best armed for their brest plates for the most part were of tanned leather to march foorth against the lord Louell and to set vpon him without anie lingering of time The duke hasting forward approched to the campe of his enimies before he would assaile them he caused the heralds to make proclamation that all those that would depart from their armour and submit themselues as subiects vnto their naturall prince and souereigne lord should be pardoned of all former offenses The lord Louell vpon this proclamation either putting mistrust in his souldiers or fearing himselfe in his owne behalfe fled priuilie in a night from his companie and left them as a flocke of shéepe without a shéepeheard Which departure of the lord when his armie vnderstood it put the soldiours in such despaire of atchiuing anie further enterprise that they immediatlie put off their armour and came directlie vnto the duke euerie man humblie submitting himselfe and desiring pardon of his offenses So in this wise was that dangerous storme and cruell rage of those furious rebels appeased which was doubted would haue growne to the destruction of manie a man The lord Louell the procurer of this businesse escaping awaie got him into Lancashire and there for a certeine space lay lurking in secret with sir Thomas Broughton knight which in those parties was a man of no small authoritie and power Sir Humfreie Stafford also hearing what had happened to the lord Louell in great displeasure and sorrowe and for feare left his enterprise and in like manner fled and tooke sanctuarie at Colnham a village not past two miles from Abindon But bicause that sanctuarie was not a sufficient defense as was prooued before the iustices of the kings Bench for traitours he was taken from that place brought to the Tower after put to execution at Tiborne but his brother Thomas that was with him was pardoned bicause he was thought not to haue attempted anie thing of himselfe otherwise than by the euill counsell and persuasion of his elder brother After that the king had quieted all these commotions and tumults and reformed the rude and brabling people of the North parts he returned to London ¶ In this yeare Iohn Persiuall one of the maior of Londons officers
little village called Stoke nigh to the king and his armie set downe his campe The next daie the king diuided his whole power into thrée battels and after in good arraie approached nigh to the towne of Stoke The earle likewise set foorth his armie and incountring with the kings people in a faire plaine there meet for the triall of such a conflict set vpon them with a manlie courage desiring his soldiors to remember his honour and their owne liues Then both the armies ioined and fought verie earnestlie in so much that the Almains being tried and expert men of warre were in all things as well in strength as policie equals and matches to the Englishmen But as for Martine Sward their coronell few of the Englishmen either in valiant courage or strength and nimblenesse of bodie was to him comparable On the other side the Irishmen although they fought manfullie and stucke to it valiantlie yet bicause they were after the maner of their countrie almost naked without anie conuenable furniture of armour they were striken downe and slaine like dull brute beasts which was a great discouragement to the residue of the companie Thus they fought for a space so sore and so egerlie on both parts that no man could well iudge to whome the victorie was like to incline But at length the kings fore-ward being full of people and well fortified with wings which onelie both began and continued the fight set vpon the aduersaries with such force and violence that first they oppressed and killed such capiteins one by one as resisted their might and puissance and after that put all the other to flight the which were either apprehended as prisoners in their running awaie or else slaine and brought vnto confusion in a small moment Now when this battell was ended and fought out to the extremitie then it well appeared what high prowesse what manfull stomachs what hardie and couragious hearts rested in the kings aduersaries For there the cheefe capteins the earle of Lincolne and the lord Louell sir Thomas Broughton Martine Sward and the lord Gerardine capteine of the Irishmen were slaine and found dead in the verie places which they had chosen aliue to fight in not giuing line 10 one foot of ground to their aduersaries Howbeit some affirme that the lord Louell tooke his horsse and would haue fled ouer Trent but was not able to recouer the further side for the highnesse of the banke and so was drowned in the riuer There were killed at that battell with their fiue capteins before rehersed of that partie about foure thousand Of the kings part there were not halfe of them which fought in the fore-ward and gaue the onset slaine or hurt Then was Lambert the yoongling which was line 20 falslie reported to be the sonne of the duke of Clarence and his maister sir Richard Simond priest both taken but neither of them put to death bicause that Lambert was but an innocent and of yeares insufficient of himselfe to doo any such enterprise and the other was pardoned of life bicause he was a priest and annointed man but yet was committed to perpetuall prison Lambert was at length made one of the kings falconers after that he had béene a turnebroch for a line 30 space in the kings kitchen This battell was fought on a saturdaie being the sixtéenth daie of Iune in this second yeere of his reigne In this yéere died Thomas Bourchier archbishop of Canturburie and Iohn Morton bishop of Elie a man of excellent learning vertue and policie succeeded in his place whom Alexander pope of Rome the sixt of that name created a cardinall and the king created him also chancellor of England Of which pope hauing so conuenient a place to speake it were a fault to omit the line 40 ambition accompanied with other disorders vnbeséeming a successor of Peter but neither personallie nor locallie as all the brood of them brag of themselues will be intituled with a primasie vsurped ¶ This Alexander the sixt pope of that name was sometime an ancient cardinall and one of the greatest in all the court of Rome One meane that raised him to the seat of the pope was the difference betweene the cardinals Ascanius Sforce and Iulian S. Petriad Uincula but the chiefest thing that accomplished line 50 his election was that with a new example for that time he bought by the consent and knowledge of euerie one partlie for monie and partlie with promises of offices and great dignities manie voices of the cardinals who reiecting the instruction of the gospell were not ashamed to passe to him by sale an authoritie and power to make merchandize of the holie tresures that with the name of the celestiall authoritie in the most high part of the temple To which abhominable too too prophane negotiation line 60 manie of them were induced by the cardinall Ascanius but that was not more with persuasions and sutes than with his example for that being corrupted with the infinit desire of riches he made the pope promise him for his hire and recompense of so great wickednesse the office of vicechancellorship the principallest place in the court of Rome togither with benefices castels and his palace of Rome full of mooueables of great valour But the pope for all this could not auoid neither for the time to come the iudgment and iustice of God nor for the present the infamie and iust hate of men in whom for this election was no small impressions of astonishment and horror not onelie for that it was intangled with meanes dishonest but also bicause the natures and conditions of the man chosen were for the greatest part knowen to manie Manie sentences and coniectures were made of his successe And amongst other Ferdinand king of Naples dissembling openlie the griefe he had of that election signified to the quéene his wife with teares which he was woont to forbeare euen in the death of his children that there was created a pope who wold be most hurtfull to Italie and the whole common weale of christendome A iudgement not vnworthie of the wisedome of such a prince for that in Alexander the sixt for so would this new pope be called was a subtiltie sharpenesse and expedition of wit most singular a counsell excellent a woonderfull efficacie in persuasion and in all great affaires a iudgement and care incredible But these vertues were maruellouslie defaced by his vices for touching his maners and customes they were verie dishonest in his administrations he expressed little sinceritie in his countenance no shame in his words small truth in his heart little faith and in his opinion lesse religion Of the contrarie all his actions were defiled with an insatiable couetousnesse and immoderate ambition a barbarous crueltie and a burning desire to raise and make great by what meanes soeuer his children who were manie in number and amongst others one no lesse detestable than
sent from the lord of Rauenstein They laid siege on the north side of the towne in a marish ground then being drie and so déepelie ditched and rampired their campe about on which rampire they laid their ordinance that it was in maner impossible to enter their campe or doo them anie displeasure or damage The K. of England was dailie aduertised of these dooings which nothing lesse desired than to haue the English pale inuironed with French fortresses Wherefore to preuent that mischiefe in time with all expedition he sent ouer to the lord Daubeneie then his deputie of Calis the lord Morleie with a crue of valiant archers souldiers to the number of a thousand men with priuie instructions what they should doo At their comming ouer it was bruted abroad that they were sent onelie to defend the English pale against all attempts that might vpon the sudden in anie wise be made by the Frenchmen or Flemings but their enterprise was all otherwise For on a tuesdaie at the shutting of the gates at night the lord Daubneie chiefeteine of the armie the lord Morleie sir Iames Tirrell capteine of Guisnes sir Henrie Willoughbie sir Gilbert Talbot and sir Humfreie Talbot marshall of Calis with diuerse other knights and esquiers and other of the garisons of Hammes Guisnes and Calis to the number of two thousand men or thereabouts issued priuilie out of Calis passed the water of Graueling in the morning betimes and left there for a stale and to kéepe the passage sir Humfreie Talbot with six score archers and came to Newport where they found the souereigne of Flanders with six hundred Almaines and there they staied that night On the next daie they went toward Dixmew and by the guiding of a prisoner that should haue beene hanged on the next morning they issued out of the south gate of the towne of Dixmew and were conueied by their said guide by an high banke set with willowes so that the Gantois could not well espie them and so secretlie gat to the end of their enimies campe and there paused The lord Daubeneie commanded all men to send their horsses and wagons backe but the lord Morleie said he would ride till he came to hand strokes Thus they marched foorth till they came to a low banke and no déepe ditch where the ordinance laie and there the archers shot altogither euerie man an arrow and so fell prostrate to the ground The enimies herewith discharged their ordinance and ouershot them The Almains lept ouer the ditch with their morice pikes The Englishmen in the fore-front waded the ditch and were holpen vp by the Almains and set on their enimies and tooke manie prisoners The other Englishmen hasted by the causie to enter in at the north gate of the campe where the lord Morleie being on horssebacke in a rich coate was slaine with a gun When his death was knowen euerie man killed his prisoner and slue all such as did withstand them to the number of eight thousand men in so much that of two thousand that came out of Bruges as the Flemish chronicle reporteth there came not home one hundred On the English part was slaine the lord Morleie and not an hundred more The Englishmen tooke their ordinance and sent it to Newport with all the spoile and great horsses And by the waie hearing certeine Frenchmen to be at Ostend they made thitherward but the Frenchmen fled and so they burned part of the towne and came againe to Newport where the lord Daubeneie left all the Englishmen that were hurt and returned to Calis where he buried the bodie of the lord Morleie The Englishmen got great riches at this field for they that went foorth in cloth came home in silke and those that went out on foot came home on great horsses The lord Cordes being at Ipre with twentie thousand men was sore displeased with this ouerthrow therefore thinking to be reuenged besieged the towne of Newport right stronglie and shot dailie at the wals breaking them in manie places But the Englishmen that were hurt at Dixmew field before and might either stand or draw bowe neuer came from the wals On a daie the Frenchmen gaue a great assault to a tower and perforce entered it and set vp the banner of the lord Cordes But sée the chance During the time of the assault there arriued a barke with foure score fresh English archers which came streight to the tower and did so much that line 10 what with the helpe of such as before were wounded and hurtmen and of the couragious harts of the new come archers incouraged greatlie by the women of the towne crieng Shoot Englishmen shoot the tower was regained out of the Frenchmens hands and the banner of the lord Cordes rent in péeces and in place thereof the penon of saint George set vp Then the Frenchmen supposing a great aid of Englishmen to haue béene come to the towne by sea left the assault And the night following the enuious lord Cordes line 20 which so sore longed for Calis that he would commonlie saie that he could be content to lie seuen yeares in hell so that Calis were in possession of the Frenchmen brake vp his siege and returned to Helding with shame And the Englishmen glad of this victorie returned to Calis This yeare Iames the third of that name king of Scots was slaine by his owne subiects after they had vanquished him in a pighâ— field About the same time one Adrian an Italian line 30 was sent in ambassage from pope Innocent the eight into Scotland to haue taken vp the variance betwixt the king there and his people But being arriued here in England he was informed that king Iames was slaine and therfore taried here certeine moneths And for that he was a man of excellent learning vertue and humanitie the archbishop of Canturburie Iohn Morton so commended him to the king that he made him first bishop of Hereford and line 40 shortlie after that resigned and giuen ouer he promoted him to the bishoprike of Bath and Welles And after that with these honors he was returned to Rome he was aduanced by all the degrées of spirituall dignities into the college of the cardinals And worâ—hie sure he was of great preferment for by his meanes learned men were mooued to séeke out the vse of eloquent writing and speaking in the Latine toong he being the first in the time of our fathers that taught the trade to choose and vse apt words and fit termes line 50 In the sixt yeare of king Henries reigne there came ambassadors to him from the French king the lord Francis of Lutzenburgh Charles Marignane and Robert Gaguine minister of the Bonnehommes of the trinitie The effect of their comming was to haue concluded a peace with king Henrie and that with good will the French king might dispose of the mariage of the yoong
towels about their necks gaue attendance about it that no filth should come in the font ouer it hoong a square canopie of crimsin sattin fringed with gold about it was a raile couered with red saie betweene the quier and the bodie of the church was a close place with a pan of fire to make the child readie in When all these things were ordered the child was brought to the hall and then euerie man set forward first the citizens two and two then gentlemen esquiers and chapleins next after them the aldermen and the maior alone next the maior the kings councell the kings chappell in copes then barons bishops earles then came the earle of Essex bearing the couered basins gilt after him the marquesse of Excester with the taper of virgin wax next him the marquesse Dorset bearing the salt Behind him the ladie Marie of Norffolke bearing the créesome which was verie rich of pearle and stone the old dutches of Norffolke bare the child in a mantell of purple veluet with a long traine furred with ermine The duke of Norffolke with his marshall rod went on the right hand of the said dutches and the duke of Suffolke on the left hand and before them went the officers of armes The countesse of Kent bare the long traine of the childs mantell and betwéene the countesse of Kent and the child went the earle of Wilshire on the right hand and the earle of Darbie on the left hand supporting the said traine in the middest ouer the said child was borne a canopie by the lord Rochford the lord Husée the lord William Howard and by the lord Thomas Howard the elder after the child followed manie ladies and gentlewomen When the child was come to the church doore the bishop of London met it with diuerse bishops and abbats mitred When the ceremonies and christening were ended Garter cheefe king of armes cried alowd God of his infinite goodnesse send prosperous life long to the high and mightie princesse of England Elizabeth then the trumpets blew Then the archbishop of Canturburie gaue to the princesse a standing cup of gold the dutches of Norffolke gaue to hir a standing cup of gold fretted with pearle the marchionesse of Dorset gaue thrée gilt bolles pounced with a couer and the marchionesse of Excester gaue thrée standing bolles grauen all gilt with a couer Then was brought in wafers comâ—ets â—pâ—â—rasse in such plentie that eueâ—iâ— man had as much as he would desire Then they set forwarâ—s the truwpets going before in the same order towards the 〈◊〉 palace as they 〈◊〉 when they came thitherwards sâ—uing that the gifts that the godfâ—ther 〈◊〉 the godmothers gaue were bâ—ene before the child by foure persons that is to saie First sir Iohn Dudleie bare the gift of the ladie of Excester the â—ord Thomas Howard the yoonger bare the gift of the ladie of Dorset line 10 the lord Fitzwater bare the gift of the ladie of Norffolke and the earle of Worcester bare the gift of the archbishop of Canturburie all the oneside as they went was full of staffe torches to the number of fiue hundred borne by the gard and other of the kings seruants and about the child were borne manie other proper torches by gentlemen In this order they brought the princesse to the Q. chamber tarried there a while with the maior his brethren the aldermen and at the last the dukes of line 20 Norffolke Suffolke came out froÌ„ the K. thanking them hartilie who commanded them to giue thanks in his name which being doone with other courtesies they departed so went to their barges From that time forward God himselfe vndertaking the tuition of this yoong princesse hauing predestinated hir to the accomplishment of his diuine purpose she prospered vnder the Lords hand as a chosen plant of his watering after the reuolution of certeine yeares with great felicitie and ioy of all English hearts atteined to the crowne of this realme and now reigneth line 30 ouer the same whose heart the Lord direct in his waies and long preserue hir in life to his godlie will and pleasure and the comfort of all true and faithfull subiects Of the blessed natiuitie of this most gratious virgine quéene as also of hir baptisme and confirmation in the christian faith with all the solemnities and ceremonies recorded in our English annales hir education hir knowledge in diuerse languages hir peaceable gouernement and manie other trim discourses C. O. in his Eiâ—enarchia or line 40 Elisabetha hath made honorable mention saieng Septembris Deus hoc voluit quae septima luxest Consecrata venit Domino voluentibus aennis Parturijt coniux Henrici principis Anna Vi dolor increuit praescripto sedula nutrix Perstat in officiâ— matronáque nobilis instat Auxilium latura suum cùm pondus in auras Maturum genitrix enixa puerpera languet Certa tamen veraeque salutis signa dabantur Postquam pulchellae faciei prodijt infans line 50 Compositis membris speciosam vt caera liquescens Fingitur in formam populo mirante periti Artificis manibus tensis adsidera palmis Foemina conclamat senior Benedicite Christo Praesentes Domino ô vos benedicite Christo Virgo beat matrem virgo modo nata patrémque Britannos omnes posthâc haec virgâ— beabit Haec sola est nostrae spes solatia gentis Rex pater inuisit celeri sua gaudia passis Matrem filiolam verbis solatus â—micis line 60 Languidam adhuc illaÌ„ partúsque doloribus aegram c. ¶ This yéere also one Pauier the towne clerke of the citie of London hanged himselfe which suerly was a man that in no wise could abide to heare the gospell should be in English And I my selfe heard him once saie to me and other that were by swearing a great oth that if he thought the kings highnesse would set foorth the scripture in English and let it be read of the people by his authoritie rather than he would so long liue he would cut his owne throat but he brake promise for as you haue heard he hanged himselfe but of what mind and intent he so did maie be soone gathered For God had no doubt appointed him to that iudgement no lesse heauie than his offense was heinoâ—s namelie the contempt of Gods word the knowleâ—ge where of Dauâ—d â—esired preferring it before gold 〈◊〉 siluer yea before pearles pretious stones in richnesse and before honie and the honie-combe in 〈◊〉 as the paraphrase noteth saieng 〈…〉 sapiâ—â—â— incùnda palato ¶ About this time the pope by lingering sicknes whose gréeâ—e in the first apprehension was the pains of the stomach which drawing with them to paâ—â—ions of a feuer and other accidents kept him long time vexed and tormented sometimes séeming to be reduced to the point of death and sometimes so eased and reléeued that he gaue to others but not to himselfe a kind
of the chandrie with seare cloths the yeoman of the skullerie with a pan of fire to heate the irons a chafer of water to coole the ends of the irons and two formes for all officers to set their stuffe on the sergeant of the cellar with wine ale and béere the yeoman of the yewrie in the sergeants stead who was absent with bason ewre and towels Thus euerie man in his office readie to doo the execution there was called foorth sir William Pickering knight marshall to bring in the said Edmund Kneuet and when he was brought to the bar the chiefe iustice declared to him his trespasse and the said Kneuet confessing himselfe to be giltie humblie submitted him to the kings mercie for this offense he was not onelie iudged to lose his hand but also his bodie to remaine in prison and his lands and goods at the kings pleasure Then the said sir Edmund Kneuet desired that the king of his benigne grace would pardon him of his right hand and take the left for quoth he if my right hand be spared I maie hereafter doo such good seruice to his grace as shall please him to appoint Of this submission and request the iustices foorthwith informed the king who of his goodnesse considering the gentle heart of the said Edmund and the good report of the lords granted him his pardon that he should lose neither hand lands nor goods but should go frée at libertie The lord Leonard Greie being indicted of certeine points of treason by him committed as was alledged against him during the season that he was the kings lieutenant in Ireland to wit for deliuering his nephew Girald Fitzgerard brother vnto Thomas Fitzgerard before executed and also for that he caused certeine Irishmen to inuade the lands of the kings friends whome he fauoured not on the fiue and twentith of Iune he was arreigned at Westminster in the kings bench and appointed to be tried by knights because he was a lord by name and no lord of the parlement but he discharged the iurie and confessed the indictement wherevpon he had iudgement and on the eight and twentith of Iune being saint Peters euen he was beheaded at tower hill where he ended his life verie quietlie and godlie This noble man as he was come of high linage so was he a right valiant and hardie personage hauing in his time doone his prince and countrie good seruice both in Ireland France and other places greatlie to his commendation although now his hap was thus to loose his head as conuicted by law and his renowme ouercast with a cloud of disgrace vanished as future chances befell to the abolishing of the present honor which sometime he inioied Howbeit his estimation he might haue preserued vnblemished had prouident circumspection vndertaken the direction of his dooings and that he had borne his eies in his forehead to foresee all afterclaps which a wise man will in no case neglect line 10 Nam sapiens in fronte oculos habet omnia spectans Omnia prudenti cum ratione videns The same daie that he suffered there was executed at saint Thomas Waterings thrée gentlemen Iohn Mantell Iohn Frowds and george Roidon they died for a murther committed in Sussex as their indictement imported in companie of Thomas Fines lord Dacres of the south The truth whereof was thus The said lord Dacres through the lewd persuasion of some of them as hath béene reported line 20 meaning to hunt in the parke of Nicholas Pelham esquire at Laughton in the same countie of Sussex being accompanied with the said Mantell Frowds and Roidon Iohn Cheinie and Thomas Isleie gentlemen Richard Middleton and Iohn Goldwell yeomen passed from his house of Hurstmonseux the last of Aprill in the night season toward the same parke where they intended so to hunt and comming vnto a place called Pikehaie in the parish of Hillingleie they found one Iohn Busbrig Iames Busbrig and Richard Sumner standing togither and line 30 as it fell out through quarelling there insued a fraie betwixt the said lord Dacres and his companie on the one partie and the said Iohn and Iames Busbrig and Richard Sumner on the other insomuch that the said Iohn Busbrig receiued such hurt that he died thereof the second of Maie next insuing Wherevpon as well the said lord Dacres as those that were there with him and diuerse other likewise that were appointed to go an other waie to méet line 40 them at the said parke were indicted of murther and the seauen and twentith of Iune the lord Dacres himselfe was arreigned before the lord Audleie of Walden then lord chancellor sitting that daie as high steward of England with other péeces of the realme about him who then and there condemned the said lord Dacres to die for that transgression And afterward the nine and twentith of Iune being saint Peters daie at eleuen of the clocke in the forenoone the shiriffs of London accordinglie as they line 50 were appointed were readie at the tower to haue receiued the said prisoner and him to haue lead to execution on the tower hill But as the prisoner should come forth of the tower one Heire a gentleman of the lord chancellors house came and in the kings name commanded to staie the execution till two of the clocke in the afternoone which caused manie to thinke that the king would haue granted his pardon But neuerthelesse at three of the clocke in the same afternoone he was brought forth of the tower line 60 and deliuered to the shiriffs who lead him on foot betwixt them vnto Tiburne where he died His bodie was buried in the church of saint Sepulchers He was not past foure and twentie yéeres of age when he came through this great mishap to his end for whome manie sore lamented and likewise for the other thrée gentlemen Mantell Frowds and Roidon But for the sad yoong lord being a right towardlie gentleman and such a one as manie had conceiued great hope of better proofe no small mone and lamentation was made the more indéed for that it was thought he was induced to attempt such follie which occasioned his death by some light heads that were then about him The first of Iulie a Welshman a minstrell was hanged and quartered for singing of songs which were interpreted to be prophesies against the king This summer the king tooke his progresse to Yorke and passed through Lincolneshire where was made to him an humble submission by the temporaltie and confessing their faults they humblie thanked him for his pardon which he had granted them The towne of Stanford gaue to him twentie pounds the citie of Lincoln fortie pounds Boston fiftie pounds that part of the shire which is called Linscie gaue thrée hundred pounds and Kesterne and the church of Lincolne presented him with fiftie pounds At his entring into Yorkeshire he was met with two hundred gentlemen of the same shire in cotes of veluet and foure
gret nation betwixt you and vs How did the nation of France put out the Galles out of all France How got the Turk first all Grecia now of late all Hungarie but being called in for to aid helpe And did not the Goths by like meanes get all Italie and the Lombards one part therof now called Lombardie What looke you for more Néedie soldiors hauing their weapons in their hands and knowing that you cannot liue without them what will not they command you to doo What will they not incroch vpon you What will they not thinke they may doo And what will they thinke that you dare doo This forren helpe is your confusion that succour is your detriment the victorie so had is your seruitude what is then to be thought of losse taken with them The strangers and forren soldiors shall oppresse you within our power and strength without and of your owne nation so manie as loue quietnesse godlines and wealth of your realme shall helpe also to scourge and afflict you Is it not better to compose and acquite all this calamitie and trouble by marriage to end all sorrows and battels by such and so honorable a peace Hath not the emperor Spaine Burgundie by title of marriage How holdeth the French king Britaine now latelie annexed to that crowne but by title of marriage How haue all the great princes of the world happilie and with quiet made of two kingdoms one of diuerse lordships one of nations alwaies at warre with themselues or else in doubtfull peace one well gouerned kingdome rule and dominion but by that godlie most quiet and most amiable composition of marriage Two meanes there be of making one rule wherto title is pretended and perfect agréement betwixt two nations either by force or superioritie which is conquest line 10 or by equalitie and loue which is by parentage mariage you hate the one that is conquest and by refusing the other you inforce vpon you hatred malice You will not haue peace you will not haue aliance you will not haue concord and conquest commeth vpon you whether you will or no. And yet if all things were considered we feare it will appeere that it were better for you to be conquered of vs than succoured of strangers lesse losse to your goods lesse hurt to your lands lesse dishonor to your realme line 20 this nation which is one in toong one in countrie and birth hauing so little diuersitie to occupie the whole than other powers come in to you neither like in language nor yet like in behauior who should rule ouer you and take you to be but their slaues But we eftsoons and finallie declare and protest vnto you that although for the better furtherance of this godlie purpose of vniting the realmes and for the sure defense of them which fauour the marriage we are compelled for the time to keepe holds and to make line 30 fortifications in your realme yet the kings maiesties mind and determinat pleasure is with our aduise and counsell to be as before is declared that where fauour may be shewed not to vse rigor if by conditions you will receiue this amitie offered not to follow conquest for we desire loue vnitie concord peace and equalitie Let neither your gouernor nor your kirkemen nor those who so often haue falsified their faith and promise and by treacherie and falshood be accustomed to proroge the time line 40 féed you foorth with faire words and bring you into the snare from whence they cannot deliuer you They will peraduenture prouide for themselues with pensions in some other realme and set soldiors strangers in your holds to kéepe you in subiection vnder the pretense to defend them against vs. But who prouideth pensions for you How are you defended when they are fled away Who conquereth you when the strange capteins haue your holds when your land is wasted and the realme destroied and the more line 50 part kept from you Who will set by the mariage of the quéene to buie a title with the war of England to marrie the name an other mightie king holding the land If we two being made one by amitie be most able to defend vs against all nations and hauing the sea for wall the mutuall loue for garrison God for defense should make so noble and well agréeing monarchie that neither in peace we may be ashamed nor in war afraid of anie worldlie or forren power whie should not you be as desirous of the same and line 60 haue as much cause to reioise at it as we If this honor of so noble a monarchie doo not moue you to take and accept amitie let the griefe and the danger of the aforenamed losses feare you to attempt that thing which shall displease God increase warre danger your realme destroie your land vndoo your children wast your grounds desolate your countries and bring all Scotland either to famine miserie or to subiection and seruitude of an other nation We require but your promised quéene your offered agréement of vnitie the ioining of both the nations which God of his infinite clemencie and tender loue that he hath declared to beare to both the nations hath offered vnto vs both and in manner called vs both vnto it whose calling and prouocation we haue and will folow to the best of our powers and in his name and with his aid admonition exhortation requests and ambassages not being able to doo it and to find stablenesse in promises we shall not willing but constreined pursue the battell chastise the wicked malicious by the angrie angels of God fire and sword Wherefore we require and exhort you all who haue loue to the countrie pitie of that realme a true hart to your quéene and misâ—resse regard of your honors and promises made by the great seale of Scotland and who fauoureth the peace loue vnitie and concord and that most profitable marriage to enter and come to vs and declaring your true and godlie harts thervnto to aid vs in this most godlie purpose and enterprise To be witnesse of our dooings we refuse no man temporall nor spirituall lord ne lard gentleman nor other who will aid this our purpose and minish the occasion of slaughter and destruction to whom we shall kéepe the promises heretofore declared and further sée reward and recompense made according to the desert And for a more sure proofe and plainer token of the good mind and will which we beare vnto you that which neuer yet was granted to Scotland in anie league truce or peace betwixt England and Scotland because yée shall haue proofe of the beginning of loue and amitie of both the realmes the kings highnes considering the multitude of them which are come to his maiesties deuotion and of them that be well-willers and aiders of this godlie enterprise hath by our aduise and counsell granted and by these presents doth grant
were persuaded than vanquished taught than ouerthrowne quietlie pacified than rigorouslie persecuted Ye require to haue the statute of six articles reuiued And know you what ye require Or know ye what ease ye haue with the losse of them They were lawes made but quicklie repented too bloudie they were to be borne of our people yet at the first in deed made of some necessitie Oh subiects how are ye trapped by euill persons We of pitie bicause they were bloudie tooke them awaie and you now of ignorance will aske them againe You know full well that they helped vs to extend rigour and gaue vs cause to draw our sword verie often And since our mercie mooued vs to write our lawes with milke and equitie how are ye blinded to aske them in bloud But leauing this maner of reasoning and resorting to the truth of our authoritie we let you wit the same hath béene adnulled by parlement with great reioise of our subiects and not now to be called in question And dareth anie of you with the name of a subiect stand against an act of parlement a law of the realme What is our power if lawes should be thus neglected Or what is your suertie if lawes be not kept Assure you most suerlie that we of no earthlie thing vnder the heauen make such reputation as we doo of this one to haue our lawes obeied this cause of God to be throughlie mainteined from the which we will neuer remoue a heares bredth nor giue place to anie creature liuing but therein will spend our whole roiall person our crowne treasure realme and all our state whereof we assure you of our high honor For herein resteth our honor herein doo all kings knowledge vs a king And shall anie one of you dare breath or thinke against our kingdome and crowne In the end of this your request as we be giuen to vnderstand ye would haue them stand in force till our full age To this we thinke that if ye knew what ye spake ye would not haue vttred the motion nor neuer giuen breath to such a thought For what thinke you of our kingdome Be we of lesse authoritie for our age Be we not your king now as we shall be Shall ye be subiects hereafter and now are ye not Haue we not the right we shall haue If ye would suspend and hang our dooings in doubt vntill our full age ye must first know as a king we haue no difference of yeares but as a naturall man and creature of God we haue youth and by his sufferance shall haue age We are your rightfull king your liege lord the souereigne prince of England not by our age but by Gods ordinance not onelie when we shall be one and twentie yeares of age but when we were of ten yéers We possesse our crowne not by yeares but by the bloud and descent from our father king Henrie the eight If it be considered they which mooue this matter if they durst vtter themselues would denie our kingdome But our good subiects know their prince and will increase not diminish his honor inlarge his power not abate it knowledge his kingdome not deferre it to certeine yeares All is one to speake against our crowne and to denie our kingdome as to require that our lawes maie be broken vnto one and twentie yeares Be we not your crowned annointed and established king Wherein be we of lesse maiestie of lesse authoritie or lesse state than our progenitors kings of this realme except your vnkindnes your vnnaturalnesse will diminish our estimation We haue hitherto since the death of our father by the good aduise and counsell of our deare and intirelie beloued vncle the duke of Summerset and gouernor and protector kept our estate mainteined our realme preserued our honour defended our people from all enimies We haue hitherto béene feared and dread of our enimies yea of princes kings and nations Yea herein we be nothing inferiour to anie our progenitors which grace we acknowledge to be giuen vs from God and how else but by good obedience line 10 good counsell of our magistrates and by the authoritie of our kingdome England hitherto hath gained honour during our reigne it hath woone of the enimie and not lost It hath béene maruelled that wée of so yoong yeares haue reigned so noblie so roiallie so quietlie And how chanceth that you our louing subiects of that our countrie of Cornewall and Deuonshire will giue occasion to slander this our realme of England to giue courage to the enimie to note our realme of line 20 the euill of rebellion to make it a preie to our old enimies to diminish our honour which God hath giuen our father left our good vncle and councell preserued vnto vs What greater euill could ye commit than euen now when our forren enimie in Scotland and vpon the sea seeketh to inuade vs to doo our realme dishonour than to arise in this maner against our law to prouoke our wrath to aske our vengeance and to giue vs an occasion to spend that force vâ—on you which we meant to bestow vpon our enimies to line 30 begin to slaie you with that sword that we drew forth against Scots and other enimies to make a conquest of our owne people which otherwise should haue beene of the whole realme of Scotland Thus farre we haue descended from our high maiestie for loue to consider you in your simple ignorance and haue béene content to send you an instruction like a father who of iustice might haue sent you your destructions like a king to rebels And now we let you know that as you sée our mercie abundantlie line 40 so if ye prouoke vs further we sweare to you by the liuing God ye shall féele the power of the same God in our sword which how mightie it is no subiect knoweth how puissant it is no priuat man can iudge how mortall no Englishman dare thinke But suerlie suerlie as your lord and prince your onlie king and maister we saie to you repent your selues and take our mercie without delaie or else we will foorthwith extend our princelie power and execute our sharpe sword against you as against infidels line 50 and Turks and rather aduenture our owne roiall person state and power than the same should not be executed And if you will proue the example of our mercie learne of certeine which latlie did arise as they perceiuing pretended some griefes and yet acknowledging their offenses haue not onelie most humblie their pardon but féele also by our order to whome onelie all publike order apperteineth present redresse of their griefes In the end we admonish you of line 60 your duties to God whome ye shall answere in the daie of the Lord of your duties toward vs whom ye shall answere by our order and take our mercie whilest God so inclineth vs least when ye shall be constreined to aske we shall be two much hardened in heart to grant it
assaile the soldiers as they saw their aduantage part of them standing at S. Michaels part at S. Stephans and part at S. Peters and some of them also stood in Wimers stréet Here they assailing such as vnaduisedlie were entered within their danger they slue diuerse and among other three or foure gentlemen before they could be succoured from anie part The erle of Warwike aduertised hereof passed foorth with all his forces to remoue the enimie and comming to S. Andrew in Iohns stréet was receiued with a sharpe storme of arrowes but capteine Drurie his harquebusiers galled them so with their shot that they were glad to giue place and so fled amaine There were slaine a hundred and thirtie and diuerse of them shrinking aside into churchyards and other places vnder the walles were taken and executed All the rest got them vp to their campe at Mousehold and so the citie was rid of them for that time Then di◠the erle of Warwike take order for the safe keeping of the citie appointing watch and ward to be kept on the walles and in euerie street Also that all the gates should be rammed vp except one or two that stood towards the enimies at the which were planted certeine péeces of the great artillerie But the rebels vnderstanding that the earle of Warwike wanted powder and other things apperteining to the vse of the great ordinance and withall perceiuing that the Welshmen which were appointed line 10 to the gard of the said great péeces of artillerie were no great number and therefore not able to resist anie great force that should come against them they came downe the hill vpon the sudden as it were wholie togither in most outragious maner And withall one Miles that was a verie perfect gunner and maruellous skilfull in the feat of shooting of great artillerie and at that time remaining among the rebels shot off a péece and flue one of the kings principall gunners that was attending vpon those line 20 péeces of artillerie which stood thus before the gate Whom when the rebels perceiued thus to be slaine they made forward with more courage and gaue such a desperate onset vpon them that garded the said artillerie that their small number being not able to withstand their aduersaries great and huge multitude pressing in such furious rage vpon them that they were constreined to flée backe and to leaue the artillerie for a preie vnto the enimies who seizing vpon the same conueied them awaie with certeine line 30 carts laden with all manner of munition for wars vp to their campe a matter as was thought of no small importance sith the enimies thereby were furnished now with such things whereof before they stood most in néed and now hauing store thereof they spared not liberallie to bestow it against the citie beating downe not onlie the highest top of Bishops gate but also a great part of the wals on that side And here trulie the good seruice of capteine Drurie is not to be forgotten who now as earst being line 40 readie to reuenge this iniurie following vpon the enimies put them to flight and recouered much of that which they had taken from the earls souldiers The earle of Warwike after this cut off the entries at the gates and rampired them vp placed at the bridges and turnings of the waies and streets diuers bands of soldiers to kéepe the passages brake downe the White friers bridge and at Bishops gate he appointed the lord Willoughbie with a great number of soldiers to defend that part in this sort he made line 50 prouision to defend the citie from the rebels if they should attempt to make anie surprise vpon the sudden The next daie yet they passing ouer the riuer set fire on certeine houses at Connesfoorth burning the more part of all the houses of two parishes and so great was the rage of the fire that catching hold vpon an house wherein the merchants of Norwich vse to laie vp such wares and merchandize as they conueie to their citie from Yermouth the same house line 60 with great store of wheat and other riches was miserablie consumed and defaced Thus whilest euerie thing séemed to chance and fall out in fauour of the rebels there were some in the earle of Warwiks armie that despairing of the whole successe of their iourneie came to the earle of Warwike and began to persuade with him that sith the citie was large and their companies small for in déed the whole appointed numbers as yet were not come neither of strangers nor Englishmen it was vnpossible to defend it against such an huge multitude as were assembled togither in Kets campe and therefore besought him to regard his owne safetie to leaue the citie and not to hazard all vpon such an vncerteine maine chance The earle of Warwike as he was of a noble and inuincible courage valiant hardie and not able to abide anie spot of reproch whereby to lose the least péece of honour that might be made this answer Whie saith he and doo your harts faile you so soone Or are you so mad withall to thinke that so long as anie life resteth in me that I will consent to such dishonour Should I leaue the citie heaping vp to my selfe and likewise to you such shame and reproofe as worthilie might be reputed an infamie to vs for euer I will rather suffer whatsoeuer either fire or sword can worke against me These words being vttered with such a courage as was maruellous to consider he drew out his sword Which other of the honorable and worshipfull that were then present likewise did whome he commanded that each one should kisse others sword according to an ancient custome vsed amongst men of war in time of great danger and herewith they made a solemne vow binding it with a solemne oth that they should not depart from thence till they had either vanquished the enimies or lost their liues in manfull fight for defense of the kings honour Whilest these things were in dooing the rebels brake into the citie on that side where was no suspicion of their entring at all but being come almost to the bridges they were incountered by the soldiers beaten backe and chased out by the same waie they came The next daie being the six and twentith of August there came to the earle 1400 lancequenets The rebels notwithstanding that such reinforcement of the earles power might haue somewhat discouraged them yet trusting altogither to certeine vaine prophesies which they had among them and set out in verses by such wisards as were there with them in the campe they had conceiued such a vaine hope of prosperous successe in their businesse that they little estéemed anie power that might come against them Among other of those same verses these were two The countrie gnuffes Hob Dick and Hick with clubs and clowted shoone Shall fill vp Dussin dale with bloud of slaughtered bodies soone Upon hope
great feare on all men This noise was as it had beene the noise of a great storme or tempest which to some séemed to be heard from aboue like as if a great deale of gunpowder being inclosed in an armorie and hauing caught fire had violentlie broken out But to some againe it seemed as though it had béene a great multitude of horssemen running togither or comming vpon them such a noise was then in the eares of all men albeit they saw nothing Whereby it happened that all the people being amazed without any euident cause and without anie violence or stroke striken they ran awaie some into the ditches and puddles and some into the houses thereabout Other some being affraid with the horrour and noise fell downe groueling vnto the ground with their pollaxes halberds and most part of them cried out Iesus saue vs Iesus saue vs. Those which tarried still in their places for feare knew not where they were And I my selfe which was there present among the rest being also affraid in this hurlie burlie stood still altogither amazed looking when anie man would knocke me on the head It happened here as the euangelists write it did to Christ when the officers of the high priests Phariseis comming with wepons to take him being astonied ran backe fell to the ground In the meane time whilest these things were thus in dooing the people by chance spied one sir Anthoâ—ie Browne riding vnto the scaffold which was the occasion of a new noise For when they saw him comming they coniectured that which was not true but notwithstanding which they all wished for that the king by that messenger had sent his vncle pardon and therfore with great reioising and casting vp their caps they cried out Pardon pardon is come God saue the king Thus this good duke although he was destitute of all mans helpe yet he saw before his departure in how great loue and fauour he was with all men And trulie I doo not thinke that in so great slaughter of dukes as hath béene in England within this few yeares there was so manie weeping eies at one time and not without cause For all men did sée in the decaie of this duke the publike ruine of all England except such as indeed perceiued nothing The duke in the meane time standing still both in the same place and mind wherin he was before shaking his cap which he held in his hand made a signe vnto the people that they should kéepe themselues quiet which thing being doone silence obteined he spake to them the second time in this maner The second speech of the duke of Summerset to the people DEerelie beloued friends there is no such matter in hand as you vainlie hope or beleeue It seemeth thus good to almightie God whose ordinance it is meet necessarie that we be all obedient vnto Wherfore I praie you all to be quiet and without tumult for I am euen now quiet and let vs ioine in praier vnto the Lord for the preseruation of our noble king vnto whose maiestie I wish continuall health with all felicitie and abundance all maner of prosperous successe wherevnto the people cried out Amen Moreouer I wish vnto all his councellors the grace and fauour of God whereby they may rule althings vprightlie with iustice vnto whome I exhort you all in the Lord to shew your selues obedient the which is also verie necessarie for you vnder the paine of condemnation and also most profitable for the preseruation and safegard of the kings maiestie And forsomuch as heretofore I haue had oftentimes affaires with diuers men that it is hard to please euerie man that hath beene offended or iniuried by me I most humblie require and aske them forgiuenesse but especiallie almightie God whome thoroughout all my line 10 life I haue most greeuouslie offended And vnto all other whatsoeuer they be that haue offended me I doo with my whole heart forgiue them And once againe dearelie beloued in the Lord I require that you will keepe your selues quiet and still least thorough your tumult you might cause me to haue some trouble which in this case would line 20 nothing at all profit me neither be anie pleasure vnto you For albeit the spirit be willing and readie the flesh is fraile and wauering and thorough your quietnesse I shall be much more the quieter but if that you fall vnto tumult it will be great trouble no gaine at all vnto you Moreouer I desire you to beare me witnesse that I die heere in the faith of Iesus line 30 Christ desiring you to helpe me with your praiers that I maie perseuere constant in the same vnto my liues end Then he turning himselfe about knéeled downe vpon his knées vnto whome doctor Cox which was there present to counsell and aduertise him deliuered a certeine scroll into his hand wherein was conteined a briefe confession to God Which being read he stood vp againe on his féet without anie trouble of mind as it appeared and first bad the shiriffes farewell line 40 then the lieutenant of the tower certeine other that were on the scaffold taking them all by the hands Then he gaue the executioner monie which doone he put off his gowne and knéeling downe againe in the straw vntied his shirt strings and then the executioner comming to him turned downe his collar round about his necke and all other things which did let and hinder him Then he couering his face with his owne handkerchiefe lifting vp his eies vnto heauen where his onelie hope remained laid line 50 himselfe downe along shewing no maner of trouble or feare neither did his countenance change but that before his eies were couered there began to appéere a red colour in the middest of his cheeks ¶ Thus this most méeke and gentle duke lieng along and looking for the stroke bicause his doublet couered his necke he was commanded to rise vp and put it off then laieng himselfe downe againe vpon the blocke and calling thrise vpon the name of Iesus saieng Lord Iesu saue me as he was the line 60 third time repeating the same euen as the name of Iesu was in vttering in a moment he was bereft both of head and life and slept in the Lord Iesus being taken awaie from all the dangers and euils of this life and resting now in the peace of God in the preferment of whose truth and gospell he alwaies shewed himselfe an excellent instrument and member and therefore hath receiued the reward of his labours Thus gentle reader thou hast the true historie of this worthie and noble duke and if anie man report it otherwise let it be counted as a lie This duke was in high sauour and estimation with king Henrie the eight of whome he receiued sundrie high great preferments by reason that the the said king had married ladie Iane his sister by whome he had issue king Edward the
as well sundrie waies foresee and prouide for our owne safegards as anie of you by betraieng vs can doo for yours But now vpon the onelie trust and faithfulnesse of your honors whereof we thinke our selues most assured we doo hazzard our liues Which trust and promise if yée shall violate hoping thereby of life and promotion yet shall not God count you innocent of our blouds neither acquite you of the sacred and holie oth of allegiance made fréelie by you to this vertuous ladie the queenes highnesse who by your and our intisement is rather line 40 of force placed therein than by hir owne séeking and request Consider also that Gods cause which is the preferment of his word feare of papists entrance hath beene as ye haue here before alwaies laid the originall ground wherevpon ye euen at the first motion granted your goodwils and consents therevnto as by your handwritings appeareth and thinke not the contrarie but if ye meane deceit though not foorthwith yet hereafter God will reuenge the same line 50 I can saie no more but in this troublesome time wish you to vse constant hearts abandoning all malice enuie and priuat affections And therewithall the first course for the lords came vp wherefore the duke shut vp his talke with these words I haue not spoken to you in this sort vpon anie mistrust I haue of your truths of which alwaies I haue euer hitherto conceiued a trustie confidence but I haue put you in remembrance thereof what chance of variance so euer might grow amongst you in mine absence and this I praie you wish me not worsse good spéed in this line 60 iorneie than yée would haue to your selues My lord saith one of them if yee mistrust anie of vs in this matter your grace is farre deceiued for which of vs can wash his hands cleane thereof And if we should shrinke from you as from one that were culpable which of vs can excuse himselfe to be giltlesse Therefore herein your doubt is too farre cast I praie God it be quoth the duke let vs go to dinner and so they sat downe After dinner the duke went in to the quéene where his commission was by that time sealed for his lieutenantship of the armie and then tooke his leaue of hir and so did certeine other lords also Then as the duke came through the councell chamber he tooke his leaue of the earle of Arundell who praied God be with his grace saieng he was sorie it was not his chance to go with him and beare him companie in whose presence he could find in his heart to spend his bloud euen at his féet Then the earle of Arundell tooke Thomas Louell the dukes boie by the hand and said Farewell gentle Thomas with all my heart Then the duke with the lord marquesse of Northampton the lord Greie and diuerse other tooke their â—â—rge and went to Durham place and to White 〈◊〉 where that night they mustered their men and the next daie in the morning the duke departed with the number of six hundred men or thereabouts And as they rode through Shordich said the duke to the lord Greie The people prease to see vs but not one saith God spéed vs. The same daie sir Iohn Gates and other went out after the duke Now as the duke went forward on his waie with his commission from the whole councell and his warrant vnder the broad seale of England without mistrust of that which after fortuned to his owne destruction as in the historie of quéene Marie shall appeare accompanied with no small number of lords and gentlemen hauing notwithstanding his times prescribed and his iourneies appointed by the councell to the intent he would not seeme to doo any thing but vpon warrant what a doo there was what stirring on euerie side what sending what riding and posting what letters messages instructions went to and fro what talking among the souldiers what hartburning among the people what faire pretenses outwardlie inwardlie what priuie practises there were what speeding and sending foorth ordinance out of the tower yea euen the same daie that quéene Marie at euen was proclaimed quéene what rumors and comming downe of souldiers as there was from all quarters a world it was to see and a processe to declare enough to make as saith master Fox a whole volume euen as big as an Ilias The greatest helpe that made for the ladie Marie was the short iourneies of the duke which by commission were assigned vnto him before as aboue is mentioned and happilie not without the politike forecast of some in fauour of the ladie Marie for the longer the duke lingered in his voiage the ladie marie the more increased in puissance the hearts of the people being mightilie bent vnto hir Whervpon she in the meane time remaining at Fremingham and hearing of this preparation against hir gathered togither such power of the noblemen other hir fréends in that countrie as she could get And first of all the noblemen that came vnto hir aid were the earles of Sussex Bath and Oxford the lord Wentworth sir Thomas Cornewallis sir Henrie Ierningham sir William Walgraue with diuerse other gentlemen and commons of the counties of Norffolke and Suffolke Here as master Fox noteth the Suffolke men being the first that resorted to hir promised hir their aid and helpe to the vttermost of their powers so that she would not go about to alter the religion which hir brother had established and was now vsed and exercised through the realme To this condition she agréed with such promise as no man would haue doubted that anie innouation of matters in religion should haue followed by hir sufferance or procurement during hir reigne but how soone shée forgat that promise it shall shortlie after plainelie appeare In this meane season the lord Windsor sir Edmund Peckham sir Robert Drurie and sir Edward Hastings raised the commoners of the shire of Buckingham vnto whome sir Iohn Williams which afterward was lord Williams of Thame and sir Leonard Chamberleine with the cheefe power of Oxfordshire And out of Northamptonshire came sir Thomas Tresham and a great number of gentlemen out of diuerse parts whose names were too long to rehearse These capteins with their companies being thus assembled in warlike manner marched forward towards Norffolke to the aid of the ladie Marie and the further they went the more their power increased ¶ About this time six ships well manned that were line 10 appointed to lie before Yarmouth and to haue taken the ladie Marie if she had fled that waie were by force of weather driuen into the hauen where one maister Ierningham was raising power on the ladie Maries behalfe who hearing therof came thither Whervpon the capteins tooke a bote and went to the ships but the sailers and souldiers asked master Ierningham what he would haue and whether he would haue their capteins or no and he said yea Marrie
great commodities that might insue thereof that they not onlie thought it very honorable but expedient both for the wealth of our realme and also of all our louing subiects And as touching my selfe I assure you I am not so desirous of wedding neither so precise or wedded to my will that either for mine owne pleasure I will choose where I lust or else so amorous as néeds I must haue one For God I thanke him to whome be the praise thereof I haue hitherto liued a virgine and doubting nothing but with Gods grace shall as well be able so to liue still But if as my progenitors haue done before it might please God that I might leaue some fruit of my bodie behind me to be your gouernour I trust you would not onelie reioise thereat but also I know it would be to your great comfort And certeinlie if I either did know or thinke that this marriage should either turn◠to the danger or losse of anie of you my louing subiects or to the detriment or impairing of anie part or parcell of the roiall estate of this realme of England I would neuer consent therevnto neither would I euer marrie while I liued And in the word of a quéene I promise and assure you that if it shall not probablie appéere before line 10 the nobilitie and commons in the high court of parlement that this marriage shall be for the singular benefit and commoditie of all the whole realme that then I will absteine not onelie from this marriage but also from anie other whereof perill maie insue to this most noble realme Wherefore now as good faithfull subiects plucke vp your harts and like tru◠men stand fast with your lawfull prince against these rebelles both our enimies and yours and feare them not for assure you that I feare them nothing line 20 at all I will leaue with you my lord Howard and my lord treasuror to be your assistants with my lord maior for the defense and safegard of this citie from spoile and saccage which is onelie the scope of this rebellious companie After this oration ended the citizens séeming well satisfied therewith the queene with the lords of the councell returned to White hall from whence she came and foorthwith the lord William Howard line 30 was associate with the lord maior of London whose name was sir Thomas White for the protection and defense of the citie And for more suertie as well of hir owne person as also of hir councellors and other subiects she prepared a great armie to méet with the said rebelles in the field of which armie William Herbert earle of Penbroke was made generall which earle with all spéed requisite in such a case prepared all things necessarie to such a seruice belonging The same daie sir Thomas Wiat hauing with line 40 him foureteene ensignes conteining about foure thousand men although they were accounted to be a farre greater number marched to Detford strand eight miles from Detford and within foure miles of London where vpon such aduertisement as he receiued by spiall of the quéens being in the Guild-hall the order of the people to hir wards he remained that night the next whole daie diuerse of his owne companie doubting by his longer tarrieng there than in other places and vpon other presumptions which they gathered that he would haue passed line 50 the water into Essex His prisoners Christopher Roper George Dorrell and Iohn Tucke esquiers who were kept somewhat strict for that they seemed sicklie and finding within the towne no conuenient harborough or attendance were licenced by sir Thomas Wiat vpon promise of their worships to be true prisoners to prouide for themselues out from the towne where they best might But they breaking promise with him line 60 sought waies to escape and come no more at him On saturdaie following verie earlie Wiat marched to Southworke where approching the gate at London bridge foot he called to them within to haue it opened which he found not so readie as he looked for After he had beene a little while in Southworke and began to trench at the bridge foot and set two peeces of ordinance against the gate diuerse of his soldiors went to Winchester place where one of them being a gentleman began to fall to rifling of things found in the house Wherewith sir Thomas Wiat seemed so much offended that he threatned sore to hang him euen presentlie there vpon the wharfe and so as he made others to beleeue he meant to haue doone if capteine Bret and others had not intreated for him The lord William Howard lord admerall of England being appointed by the queens commission capteine generall with the lord maior sir Thomas White watched at the bridge that night with three hundred men caused the draw bridge to be hewen downe into the Thames made rampiers and fortifications there fensing the same with great ordinance Wiat yet aduentured the breaking downe of a wall out of an house ioining to the gate at the bridge foot whereby he might enter into the leads ouer the gate came downe into the lodge about eleuen of the clocke in the night where he found the porter in a slumber and his wife with other waking and watching ouer a cole but beholding Wiat they began suddenlie to start as greatlie amazed Whist quoth Wiat as you loue your liues sit still you shall haue no hurt Glad were they of that warrant and so were quiet and made no noise Wiat and a few with him went foorth as farre as the draw bridge on the other side whereof he saw the lord admerall the lord maior sir Andrew Iud and one or two others in consultation for ordering of the bridge wherevnto he gaue diligent heed and eare a good while and was not séene This doone he returned and said to some of his companie This place sirs is too hot for vs. And herevpon falling in counsell what was best to doo some gaue aduise that it should be good to returne to Gréenewich and so to passe the water into Essex whereby their companie as they thought should increase and then assaie to enter into London by Aldgate and some were of opinion that it were better to go to Kingston vpon Thames and so further west Other there were among which sir Thomas Wiat himselfe was chiefe would haue returned into Kent to méet with the lord of Aburgauenie the lord Warden the shiriffe sir Thomas Moile sir Thomas Kempe sir Thomas Finch and others that were at Rochester comming on Wiats backe with a great companie well appointed persuading himselfe whether truelie or not I know not that he should find among them more friends than enimies But whether his desire to returne into Kent grew vpon hope he had to find aid there or rather to shift himselfe awaie it was doubted of his owne companie and some of them that knew him well except they were much deceiued reported not
this vnitie perfect obedience line 50 to the see apostolike and popes for the time being serue God and your maiesties to the furtherance and aduancement of his honour and glorie Amen This supplication being first openlie read the same was by the chancellor deliuered to the king and quéene with petition to them to exhibit the same to the lord cardinall And the king and quéene rising out of their seats and dooing reuerence to the cardinall line 60 did deliuer the same vnto him The cardinall perceiuing the effect thereof to answer to his expectation did receiue it most gladlie at their maiesties hands And then after that hée had in few words giuen thanks vnto God and declared what great cause hée had to reioise aboue all others that his comming from Rome into England had taken such most happie successe then he caused his commission to bée read wherby it might appeare he had authoritie from the pope to absolue them which commission was verie long and large And that being doone and all the parlement on their knées this cardinall by the popes authoritie gaue them absolution in maner following An absolution pronounced by cardinall Poole to the parlement house OUr lord Iesus Christ which with his most pretious bloud hath redeemed and washed vs from all our sins and iniquities that he might purchase vnto himselfe a glorious spouse without spot or wrinkle and whom the father hath appointed head ouer all his church he by his mercie absolue you And we by the apostolike authoritie giuen vnto vs by the most holie lord pope Iulius the third his vicegerent in earth doo absolue and deliuer you and euerie of you with the whole realme and the dominions thereof from all heresie and schisme and from all and euerie iudgements censures and paines for that cause incurred And also wee doo restore you againe to the vnitie of our mother the holie church as in our letters of commission more plainelie shall appeare After this generall absolution receiued the king and the quéene and all the lords with the rest went into the kings chappell and there sang Te Deum with great ioy and gladnesse for this new reconciliation The report whereof with great spéed â—lew to Rome as well by the French kings letters as also by the cardinals Wherevpon the pope caused solemne processions to be made in Rome namelie one wherein he himselfe with all his cardinals were present passing with as great solemnitie and pompe as might be giuing thanks to God with great ioy for the conuersion of England to his church At what time also he not a little commended the diligence of cardinall Poole and the deuotion of the king and quéene And on Christmas euen next following he set foorth by his buls a generall pardon to all such as did reioise in the same reconciliation The eight and twentith of Nouember next following it was commonlie reported that the quéene was quicke with child therefore commandement was giuen by Edmund Bonner then bishop of London and as it was said not without the commandement of the councell that there should be made in most solemne manner one generall procession in London wherein the maior and all the companies of the citie were in their liuerieâ— at whose returne to the church of Pauls there was soong verie solemnlie Te Deum for ioy therof The same daie at this procession was present ten bishops with all the prebendaries of Paules The copie of the councels letter implieng the aforesaid commandement touching the generall procession here followeth Ad perpetuam rei memoriam A copie of a letter sent from the councell vnto Edmund Bonner bishop of London concerning queene Marie conceiued with child AFter our hartie commendations vnto your good lordship Whereas it hath pleased almightie God amongst other his infinit benefits of late most gratiouslie powred vpon vs and this whole realme to extend his benediction vpon the quéens maiestie in such sort as she is conceiued quicke of child whereby hir maiestie being our naturall liege ladie quéene and vndoubted inheritor of this imperiall crowne good hope of certeine succession in the crowne is giuen vnto vs and consequentlie the great calamities which for want of such succession might otherwise haue fallen vpon vs our posteritie shall by Gods grace be well auoided if we thankefullie acknowledge this benefit of almightie God indeuoring our selues with earnest repentance to thanke honor serue him as we be most bounden These be not onelie to aduertise you of these good news to be by you published in all places within your dioces but also line 10 to praie and require you that both your selfe doo giue God thanks with vs for this his especiall grace and also giue order that thanks maie be openlie giuen by singing of Te Deum in all the churches within your said dioces and that likewise all priests and other ecclesiasticall ministers in their masses and other diuine seruices may continuallie praie to almightie God so to extend his holie hand ouer his maiestie the kings highnesse and this whole realme as this thing being by his omnipotent power gratiouslie line 20 thus begun may by the same be well continued and brought to good effect to the glorie of his name Wherevnto albeit we doubt not ye would of your selfe haue had speciall regard without these our letters yet for the earnest desire we haue to haue this thing doone out of hand diligentlie continued we haue also written these our letters to put you in remembrance so bid your lordship most hartilie well to fare From Westminster the 27 of Nouember 1554. line 30 Your assured and louing friends S. Winton Chancel Arundell F. Shrewesburie Edward Darbie Henrie Sussex Iohn Bathon R. Rich. Thomas Warthom Iohn Huddilstone R. Southwell Upon this letter of the councels sent to bishop Bonner signifieng the good news of quéene Marie to be not onelie conceiued but also quicke with line 40 child which was in the moneth of Nouember the eight and twentith daie it is out of count what great talke began at this time to rise in euerie mans mouth with busie preparation and much adoo especiallie among such as séemed in England to carrie Spanish hearts in English bodies In number of whome here is not to be forgotten nor defrauded of his condigne commendation for his woorthie affection toward his prince and hir issue one sir Richard Southwell who being the same time in the line 50 parlement house when as the lords were occupied in other affaires and matters of importance suddenlie starting vp for fulnesse of ioy burst out in these words following Tush my maisters quoth he what talke ye of these matters I would haue you take some order for our yoong maister that is now comming into the world apace least he find vs vnprouided c. By the which words both of him and also by the foresaid letters of the councell and the common talke abroad it may
was admonished of his physician to absteine from all swines flesh for that it was noisome for his gâ—ut and yet would not follow his counsell the physician line 30 afterward gaue warning to his steward or orderer of his diet that he should set no more porke flesh before him Wherevpon when the pope perceiued the said porke flesh to be lacking in his accustomed seruice Where said he is my porke And when his steward had answered that his physician had forbidden anie porke to be serued then the pope bursting out in great rage said in these words Bring me said he my porke flesh Al dispetto di Dio that is to saie in English In the despight of God line 40 At an other time he sitting at dinner pointing to a peacocke vpon his table which he had not touched Kéepe said he this cold peacocke for me against supper and let me sup in the garden for I shall haue ghests So when supper came and amongst other hot peacocks he saw not his cold peacocke brought to his table the pope after his woonted manner most horriblie blaspheming God fell into an extreame rage c. Wherevpon one of his cardinals sitting by line 50 desired him saieng Let not your holinesse I praie you be so mooued with a matter of so small weight Then this Iulius the pope answering againe What said he if God was so angrie for one apple that he cast our first parents out of paradise for the same whie maie not I being his vicar be angrie then for a peacocke sithens a peacocke is a greater matter than an apple Behold here good reader by this pope the holinesse of that blasphemous sée and yet thou shalt sée here what affection was borne vnto this line 60 pope here in England by the diâ—iges hearses and funerals commanded to be had and celebrated in all churches by the quéene and hir councell as may appeare by the copie of their letters here following A letter from the bishop of Winchester being lord chancellour vnto Boner bishop of London touching the celebrating of the popes funerals AFter my hartie commendations to your good lordship The king and queenes maiesties hauing certeine knowledge of the death of the popes holinesse thought good there should be as well solemne obsequies said for him throughout the realme as also these praiers which I send you herein inclosed vsed at masse times in all places at this time of vacation and therefore willed me to signifie their pleasures vnto you in this behalfe that therevpon ye might proceed to the full accomplishment therof by putting the same in due execution within your owne diocesse and sending word to the rest of the bishops to doo the like in theirs Thus doubting not but that your lordship will vse such diligence in this matter at this time as shall be necessarie I bid your lordship hartilie well to fare From my house at Asher the tenth of Aprill 1555. Your assured freend and brother Stephanus Winton Cancel Praiers commanded to be vsed in the funerall masses for the pope Apostolica sede vacante Supplicite Domine humilitate deposcimus vt tua immensa pietas sacrosanctae Romanae ecclesiae concedat pontificem illum qui pro in nos studio semper tibi gratus tuo populo pro salubri regimine sit assiduè ad gloriam tui nominis venerandus per Dominum nostrum Secreta Tuae nobis Domine pietatis abundantia indulgeat vt gratum maiestati tuae pontificem sanctae matris ecclesiae regimini praeessâ— studeamus per Dominum nostrum Post communionen Pretiosi corporis sanguinis tui Domine sacramento refectos miâ—ifica tuae maiestatis gratia de illius summi pontificis assumptione laetificet qui plebem tuam virtutibus instruat fidelium mentes spiritualium aromatum odore perfundat per Dominum nostrum Upon this commandement on wednesdaie in Easter wéeke there were hearses set vp diriges soong for the said Iulius in diuerse places At which time it chanced a woman to come into S. Magnus church at the bridgefoot in London there séeing an hearse and other preparation asked what it meant and other that stood by said that it was for the pope and that she must praie for him Naie quoth she that will I not for he néedeth not my praier and séeing he could forgiue vs all our sinnes I am sure he is clean himselfe therefore I need not to praie for him She was heard speake these words of certeine that stood by which by and by caried hir vnto the cage at London bridge and bad hir coole hir selfe there And héere saith master Fox commeth to be remembred the notable working of Gods hand vpon a certeine priest in Kent named Nightingall parson of Crondall besides Canturburie who vpon Shrouesundaie which was about the third daie of the said moneth of March and yeare of our Lord aforesaid reioising belike not a little at this alteration of religion began to make a sermon to his parishioners taking his theame out of the words of saint Iohn He that saith he hath no sinne is a lier and the trueth is not in him c. And so vpon the same verie impertinentlie declared to them all such articles as were set foorth by the popes authoritie and by the commandement of the bishops of this realme saieng moreouer vnto the people in this wise Now masters and neighbors reioise and be merrie for the prodigall sonne is come home For I know that the most part of you be as I am for I know your hearts well enough And I shall tell you what hath happened in this wéeke past I was before my lord cardinall Pooles grace and he hath made me as cleane from sinne as I was at the font stone and on thursdaie last being before him he hath appointed me to notifie I thanke him for it the same vnto you And I will tell you what it is And so reading the popes bull of pardon that was sent into England he said he thanked God that euer he had liued to sée that daie adding moreouer that he beleeued that line 10 by the vertue of that bull he was as cleane from sinne as that night that he was borne and immediatlie vpon the same fell suddenlie downe out of the pulpit and neuer stirred hand nor foot and so laie he Testified by Robert Austen of Cartham which both heard and saw the same and is witnessed also by the whole countrie round about About this time Edward Courtneie earle of Deuonshire of whom before yée haue heard how he was appointed to remaine at Fodringheie vnder line 20 safe custodie at length was set at libertie came to the court and got licence to passe the seas went into Italie where shortlie after he sickened and died within foureteene daies after his sicknesse first tooke him he was honorablie buried in Padwaie This Courtneie was the onelie sonne and heire of Henrie
weather and heauinesse could not speake to them nor they to him for teares At length recouering themselues they saluted one another so togither entered the house God knoweth full ioifullie master Bertie changing of his apparell with the goodman the duchesse with the good wife and their child with the child of the house Within few daies after by master Perusels means they hired a verie faire house in the towne and did not let to shew themselues what they were in such good sort as their present condition permitted It was by this time through the whole towne what discourtesie the inholders had shewed vnto them at their entrie in so much as on the sundaie following a preacher in the pulpit openlie in sharpe termes rebuked that great inciuilitie towards strangers by allegation of sundrie places out of holie scriptures discoursing how not onelie princes sometime are receiued in the image of priuat persons but angels in the shape of men and that God of his iustice would make the strangers one day in an other land to haue more sense of the afflicted heart of a stranger The time was passing foorth as they thought themselues thus happilie setled suddenlie a watchword came from sir Iohn Mason then quéene Maries ambassadour in Netherland that my lord Paget had fained an errant to the baths that waies and whereas the duke of Brunswicke was shortlie with ten ensignes to passe by Wesell for the seruice of the house of Austricke against the French king the said duchesse and hir husband should be with the same charge and companie intercepted Wherefore to preuent the crueltie of these enimies master Bertie with his wife and child departed to a place called Winheim in high Dutchland vnder the Palsgraues dominion where vnder his protection they continued till their necessaries line 10 began to faile them and they almost fainting vnder so heauie a burthen began to faile of hope At what time in the middest of their despaire there came suddenlie letters to them from the Palatine of Uilua and the king of Pole being instructed of their hard estate by a baron named Ioannes Alasco that was somtime in England offring them large curtesie This puruison vnlooked for greatlie reuiued their heauie spirits Yet considering they should remooue from manie their countriemen and acquaintance to line 20 a place so farre distant a countrie not haunted with the English and perhaps vpon their arriuall not finding as they looked for the end of their iornie should be worse than the beginning they deuised therevpon with one maister Barlow late bishop of Chichester that if he would vouchsafe to take some paines therin they would make him a fellow of that iournie So finding him prone they sent with him letters of great thanks to the king Palatine and also with a few principall iewels which onlie they had left of manie to solicit for them that the king would line 30 vouchsafe vnder his seale to assure them of the thing which he so honourablie by letters offered That sute by the forwardnes of the Palatine was as soone granted as vttered Upon which assurance the said dutchesse and hir husband with their familie entred the iournie in Aprill 1557 from the castell of Winheim where they before laie towards Francford In the which their iournie it were long here to describe what dangers fell by the waie vpon them their whole companie by reason of the Lantgraues line 40 capteines who vnder a quarrell pretensed for a spaniell of maister Berties set vpon them in the high waie with his horssemen thrusting their borespears through the wagon where the children and women were maister Bertie hauing but foure horssemen with him In the which brabble it happened the capteins horsse to be slaine vnder him Wherevpon a rumor was sparsed immediatlie through townes and villages about that the Lantgraues capteine should be slaine by some Wallons line 50 which incensed the ire of the countriemen there more fiercelie against maister Bertie as afterwards it prooued For as he was motioned by his wife to saue himselfe by the swiftnes of his horsse and to recouer some towne thereby for his rescue he so dooing was in worse case than before for the townesmen and the capteines brother supposing no lesse but that the capteine had béene slaine pressed so egerlie vpon him that he had beene there taken and murthered among them had not he as God would spieng a ladder leaning line 60 to a window by the same got vp into the house and so gone vp in to a garret in the top of the house where he with his dag and rapier defended himselfe for a space but at length the Burghmaister comming thither with another magistrate which could speake Latine he was counselled to submit himselfe vnto the order of the law Maister Bertie knowing himselfe cléere and the capteine to be aliue was the more bolder to submit himselfe to the iudgement of the law vpon condition that the magistrate would receiue him vnder safe conduct and defend him from the rage of the multitude Which being promised maister Bertie putteth himselfe and his weapon in the magistrates hand and so was committed to safe custodie while the truth of his cause should be tried Then master Bertie writing his letters to the Lantgraue and to the earle of Erbagh the next daie erlie in the morning the earle of Erbagh dwelling within eight miles came to the towne whither the dutchesse was brought with hir wagon maister Bertie also being in the same towne vnder custodie The earle who had some intelligence of the dutches before after he was come had shewed such courtesie as he thought to hir estate was séemelie the townesmen perceiuing the earle to behaue himselfe so humblie vnto hir began to consider more of the matter and further vnderstanding the capteine to be aliue both they and especallie the authors of the stir shrunke awaie and made all the friends they could to maister Bertie and his wife not to report their dooings after the woorst sort And thus maister Bertie and his wife escaping that danger procéeded in their iournie toward Poleland where in conclusion they were quietlie interteined of the king and placed honorablie in the earledome of the said king of Poles in Sanogelia called Crozan where maister Bertie with the dutchesse hauing the kings absolute power of gouernment ouer the said earldome continued both in great quietnesse and honor till the death of queene Marie Whose troublesome time sauoring altogither of bloudshed mercilesse murthering of Gods saints wherof the poet saith full trulie tellus madefacta cruore Christicolûm regerit decursus sanguinis atros Heu carnem mollem puerorum deuorat ignis Foemina másque perit nulla ratione virilis Foeminei aut sexus habita being expired and the peaceable reigne of gratious quéene Elizabeth established the said dutchesse and hir husband returned into England where they liued in libertie
Which hir seruants at no hand would suffer desiring his lordship to be contented for that order was taken that no stranger should come within their offices At which answer being sore displeased he brake out into these threatning words Well said he I will handle you well inough Then went he into the kitchin and there would néeds haue his meat rosted with hir graces meat said that his cooke should come thither and dresse it To that hir graces cooke answered My lord I will neuer suffer anie stranger to come about hir diet but hir owne sworne men so long as I liue He said they shuld But the cooke said his lordship should pardon him for that matter Thus did he trouble hir poore seruants verie stoutlie though afterwards he were otherwise aduised and they more courteouslie vsed at his hands And good cause why for he had good cheare and fared of the best and hir grace paied well for it Wherefore he vsed himselfe afterwards more reuerentlie toward hir grace After this sort hauing lien a whole moneth there in close prison and being verie euill at ease therwithall she sent for the lord chamberleine and the lord Shandois to come and speake with hir Who comming she requested them that she might haue libertie to walke in some place for that she felt hirselfe not well To the which they answered that they were right sorie that they could not satisfie hir graces request for that they had commandement to the contrarie which they durst not in anie wise breake Furthermore she desired of them if that could not bee granted that she might walke but into the queenes lodging No nor yet that they answered could by line 10 anie meanes be obteined without a further sute to the quéene and hir councell Well said she my lords if the matter be so hard that they must be sued vnto for so small a thing and that friendship be so strict God comfort me and so they departed she remaining in hir old dungeon still without anie kind of comfort but onelie God The next daie after the lord Shandois came againe vnto hir grace declaring vnto hir that he had sued vnto the councell for further libertie Some of them line 20 consented therevnto diuerse other dissented for that there were so manie prisoners in the tower But in conclusion they did all agrée that hir grace might walke into those lodgings so that he the lord chamberleine and three of the quéenes gentlewomen did accompanie hir the windowes being shut and shée not suffered to looke out at anie of them wherewith she contented hirselfe and gaue him thanks for his good will in that behalfe Afterwards there was libertie granted to hir grace to walke in a little garden the doores and gates being shut vp which notwithstanding line 30 was as much discomfort vnto hir as the walke in the garden was pleasant and acceptable At which times of hir walking there the prisoners on that side strictlie were commanded not to speake or looke out at the windows into the garden till hir grace were gone out againe hauing in consideration thereof their keepers waiting vpon them for that time Thus hir grace with this small libertie contented hir selfe in God to whome be praise therefore line 40 During this time there vsed a little boie a mans child in the tower to resort vnto their chambers and manie times to bring hir grace flowers which likewise hee did to the other prisoners that were there Wherevpon naughtie and suspicious heads thinking to make and wring out some matter thereof called on a time the child vnto them promising him figs and apples and asked of him when he had béene with the earle of Deuonshire not ignorant of the childs woonted line 50 frequenting vnto him The boy answered that he would go by and by thither Further they demanded of him when he was with the ladie Elisabeths grace He answered Euerie daie Furthermore they examined him what the lord of Deuonshire sent by him to hir grace The child said I will go know what he will giue to carie to hir Such was the discretion of the child being yet but foure years of age This same is a craftie boy quoth the lord chamberleine how saie you my lord Shandois I praie you my lord quoth the boy giue me the figs you promised line 60 me No marie quoth he thou shalt be whipped if thou come anie more to the ladie Elisabeth or the lord Courtneie The boy answered I will bring my ladie and mistresse more flowers Whervpon the childs father was commanded to permit the boy no more to come vp into their chambers The next daie as hir grace was walking in the garden the child péeping in at a hole in the doore cried vnto hir saieng Mistresse I can bring you no more flowers Whereat she smiled but said nothing vnderstanding thereby what they had doone Wherefore afterwards the chamberleine rebuked highlie his father commanding him to put him out of the house Alas poore infant quoth the father It is a craftie knaue quoth the lord chamberleine let me sée him here no more The fift of Maie the conestable was discharged of his office of the tower one sir Henrie Benefield placed in his roome a man vnknowne to hir grace and therefore the more feared which so sudden mutation was vnto hir no little amaze Hee brought with him an hundred soldiors in blew cotes wherewith she was maruellouslie discomforted and demanded of such as were about hir whether the ladie Ianes scaffold were taken awaie or no fearing by reason of their comming least she should haue plaied hir part To whome answer was made that the scaffold was taken awaie and that hir grace néeded not to doubt of anie such tyrannie for God would not suffer anie such treason against hir person Wherewith being contented but not altogither satisfied she asked what sir Henrie Benefield was and whether he was of that conscience or no that if hir murthering were secretlie committed to his charge he would sée the execution thereof She was answered that they were ignorant what maner of man he was Howbeit they persuaded hir that God would not suffer such wickednesse to procéed Well quoth she God grant it be so For thou O god canst mollifie all such tyrannous hearts and disappoint all such cruell purposes and I beséech thée to heare me thy creature which am thy seruant and at thy commandement trusting by thy grace euer so to remaine About which time it was spread abroad that hir grace should be caried from thense by this new iollie capteine and his souldiors but whither it could not be learned Which was vnto hir a great griefe especiallie for that such a companie was appointed to hir gard requesting rather to continue there still than to be led thense with such a sort of rascals At last plaine answer was made by the lord Shandois that there was no remedie but from thense she must
néeds depart to the manour of Woodstocke as he thought Being demanded of hir for what cause For that quoth he the tower is like further to be furnished She being desirous to know what he meant thereby demanded wherewith He answered with such matter as the quéene and councell were determined in that behalfe wherof he had no knowledge and so departed In conclusion on Trinitie sundaie being the ninetéenth daie of Maie she was remooued from the tower the lord treasuror being then there for the lading of hir carts and discharging the place of the same Where sir Henrie Benefield being appointed hir gailor did receiue hir with a companie of rakehels to gard hir beside the lord of Darbies band waiting in the countrie about for the mooneshine in the water Unto whome at length came my lord of Tame ioined in commission with the said sir Henrie for the safe guiding of hir to prison and they togither conueied hir grace to Woodstocke as hereafter followeth The first daie they conducted hir to Richmond where she continued all night being restreined of hir owne men which were lodged in outchambers and sir Henrie Benefields souldiors appointed in their roomes to giue attendance on hir person Whereat she being maruellouslie dismaied thinking verelie some secret mischiefe to be a woorking towards hir called hir gentleman vsher and desired him with the rest of his companie to praie for hir For this night quoth she I thinke to die Wherewith he being stricken to the heart said God forbid that anie such wickednesse should be pretended against your grace So comforting hir as well as he could at last he burst out into teares went from hir downe into the court where were walking the lord of Tame and sir Henrie Benefield Then he comming to the lord of Tame who had proffered to him much friendship desired to speake with him a word or two Unto whome he familiarlie said he should with all his heart Which when sir Henrie standing by heard he asked what the matter was To whome the gentleman vsher answered No great matter sir said he but to speake with my lord a word or two Then when the lord of Tame came to him he spake on this wise My lord quoth line 10 he you haue béene alwaies my good lord and so I beséech you to remaine The cause why I come to you at this time is to desire your honor vnfeinedlie to declare vnto me whether anie danger is meant towards my mistresse this night or no that I and my poore fellows may take such part as shall please God to appoint for certeinlie we will rather die than she should secretlie and innocentlie miscarie Marie said the lord of Tame God forbid that anie such wicked purpose should be wrought and rather line 20 than it should be so I with my men are readie to die at hir foot also and so praised be God they passed that dolfull night with no little heauinesse of heart Afterwards passing ouer the water at Richmond going towards Windsore hir grace espied certeine of hir poore seruants standing on the other side which were verie desirous to sée hir Whome when she beheld turning to one of hir men standing by she said Yonder I sée certeine of my men go to them and say thâ—se words from me Tanquam ouis So she passing forward to Windsore was lodged line 30 there that night in the deane of Windsors house a place more méet in déed for a priest than for a princesse And from thense hir grace was garded and brought the next night to maister Dormers house where much people standing by the way some presented to hir one gift and some another so that sir Henrie was greatlie mooued therewith and troubled the poore people verie sore for shewing their louing hearts in such a maner calling them rebels and traitors with such like vile words Besides as line 40 she passed thorough the villages the townesmen rang the bels as being ioyfull of hir comming thinking verelie it had beene otherwise than it was indeed as the sequele prooued after to the said poore men For immediatlie the said sir Henrie hearing the same sent his souldiors thither who apprehended some of the ringers setting them in the stocks and otherwise vncourteouslie misusing other some for their good wils line 50 On the morrow hir grace passing from maister Dormers where was for the time of hir abode there a strict watch kept came to the lord of Tames house where she laie all night being verie princelie interteined both of knights and ladies gentlemen and gentlewomen Wherat sir Henrie Benefield grunted and was highlie offended saieng vnto them that they could not tell what they did and were not able to answer to their dooings in that behalfe letting them to vnderstand that she was the quéens line 60 maiesties prisoner and no otherwise aduising them therfore to take heed beware of afterclaps Wherevnto the lord of Tame answered in this wise that he was well aduised of his dooings being ioined in commission as well as he adding with warrant that hir grace might and should in his house be merrie The next daie as she should take hir iournie from Richmond towards Woodstocke the lord of Tame with an other gentleman being at tables plaieng and dropping vie crownes the ladie Elizabeth passing by staied said she would sée the game plaied out which sir Henrie Benefield would scarse permit The game running long about and they plaieng drop vie crownes Come on saith he I will tarie saith she and will sée this game out After this sir Henrie went vp into a chamber where was appointed for hir grace a chaire two cushions and a foot carpet verie faire and princelike wherein presumptuouslie he sat and called one Barwike his man to pull off his boots Which as soone as it was knowen among the ladies and gentles euerie one mused thereat laughed him to scorne obseruing his vndiscréet maners in that behalfe as they might verie well When supper was doone he called my lord and willed him that all the gentlemen and ladies should withdraw themselues euerie one to his lodging maruelling much that he would permit there such a companie considering so great a charge committed to him Sir Henrie quoth my lord content your selfe all shall be voided your men and all Nay my soldiors quoth sir Henrie shall watch all night The lord of Tame answered It shall not need Well said he Néed or néed not they shall so doo mistrusting belike the companie which God knoweth was without cause The next daie hir grace tooke hir iournie from thense to Woodstocke where she was inclosed as before in the tower of London the souldiors garding and warding both within without the wals euerie daie to the number of thrée score and in the night without the wals fortie during the time of hir imprisonment there At length she had gardens appointed for hir walke which was
of the citie of Norwich which was supposed almost two miles Before she came there maister maior brake to my lord chamberlaine that he was to vtter to hir maiestie an other oration whereof my lord seemed to haue good liking but before they came to the said confines maister maior was wilâ—ed to forbeare the vtterance of the same his oration bicause it was about seauen of the clocke and hir maiestie had then fiue miles to ride Neuerthelesse he gaue to hir maiestie both his orations in writing which she thanked him for She also thanked the maior euerie alderman and the commoners not onelie for the great chéere they had made hir but also for the open housholds they kept to hir highnesse seruants and all others Then she called maister maior and made him knight and so departing said I haue laid vp in my breast such good will as I shall neuer forget Norwich and proceeding onward did shake hir riding rod and said Farewell Norwich with the water standing in hir eies In which great good will towards vs all I beséech God to continue hir maiestie with long and triumphant reigne ouer vs Amen Now to come to the returne of the queenes maiestie from Norfolke and Suffolke in which two counties hir highnesse knighted certeine gentlemen as namelie in Suffolke George Colt Philip Parkar Robert Iermine William Spring Thomas Barnardiston Thomas Kidson Arthur Hedingham In Norffolke Thomas Knouâ—t Nicholas Bacon William Pastons Edward Cléeâ—e Rafe Shelton Henrie Woodhouse Thomas Gaudie Robert Wood maior Roger Woodhouse Thâ—se gentlmen hir maiestie knighted for that they should all their life time after haue the greater regard to God and their prince Now the queenes maiestie passing from Norwich she came to sir Roger Woodhouses that night where she was well receiued and noblie interteined From thense to Wood rising at sir Edward Cleeres From thense to sir Thomas Kidsons where in verie déed the fare and bankets did so excéed a number of other places that it is worthie the mention A shew representing the feiries as well as might be was there séene in the which shew a rich iewell was presented to the queenes highnes From thense to master Reuets where all things were well and in verie good order and meat liberallie spent But now to speake a little by the waie of Gods mightie hand and power that framed mens hearts so â—ell in manie parts before the quéenes highnesse câ—â—â—e to Cambridgeshire and to tell how blessedlie oâ—r great and good God did deale with our deere souereigne ladie in causing euerie person to shew the dutie is a matter of great discourse and of no little weight and comfort to all good minds that shall consider of the same Such a Lord is our great God that can frâ—me all things to the best and such a souereigne ladie we haue that can make the crooked paths streight where she commeth draw the harts of the people after hir whersoeuer she trauelleth So from master Reuets hir highnesse came to my lord Norths who was no whit behind anie of the best for a franke house a noble heart and well ordered interteinement And there was an oration made by a gentleman ofCambridge with a statelie and a faire cup presented from the vniuersitie all the ambassadors of France beholding the same And the gentlemen line 10 of the shire as in manie other places did beare the quéenes meat to the table which was a great liking gladnesse to the gentlemen a solemne sight for strangers subiects to looke vpon From my lord Norths to sir Giles Allingtons where things were well and well liked From thense to sir Iohn Cuts From thense to M. Kapels where was excellent good cheere interteinement From thense to Hide hall where I heard of no great cheere nor banketting line 20 From thense to Rockwood hall but how the traine was there interteined I am ignorant of From thense to master Stonars and from thense to my lord of Leicesters house where the progresse ended to knit vp all the good chéere was reuiued not onelie with making a great feast to the quéene and the French ambassador but also in feasting solemnelie at seuerall times the whole gard on sundaie and mondaie before the queene came at his owne table vsing such courtesie vnto them for the space of two daies as was and is worthie of perpetuall line 30 memorie Thus much of the quéenes highnesse returne whom God hath so well preserued that she like a worthie prince to our great comfort prospereth in peace to the great disgrace of the enimies of God and aduersaries of our common weale and countrie wherin God continue hir maiestie Amen The quéenes maiestie now gone from Norwich carried awaie with hir all the gladnesse of the citie which sprang from hir presence in place whereof succéeded line 40 melancholie sadnes in somuch that the verie aier altered with the change of the countrie cheere proceeding from the departure of hir highnes roiall person which he meant that made these verses wherwith the description of this progresse shall end Splendide Phoebe redi cur te sub nube recondis Innuba Pallas adest splendide Phoebe redi Hasta minax procul est non Gorgonis ora videbis Pallas inermis adest splendide Phoebe redi Scilicet à tanto metuis tibi lumine forsan line 50 Ne superet radios foemina Phoebe tuos Pulcher Apollo tibi ne sit regina rubori Ipse decore tuo vincis illa suo Euge redux reducem quia pulsa nocte reducis Phoebe diem toto est gratius orbe nihil Haec pepulit tetri tenebras noctémque papismi Et liquidum retulit relligione diem Euge nigras nebulas radijs quiasaepe repellis Phoebe tuis pene est gratius orbe nihil Texuerant remoras discrimina mille papistae line 60 Neceptum princeps continuaret iter Nec tamen hunc nebulae potuerunt condere solem Quamuis tu nebulis cedis Apollo tuis Ergô iubar nostrum repulisse obstaculo cernis Sic age sol nebulas lumine pelle tuo Splendide Phoebe redi cur te sub nube recondis Innuba Pallas adest splendide Phoebe radi Sustinet ornat habet regnum literaria formam Prouida docta decens Iuno Minerua Venus Singula dona trium simul Elizabetha dearum Prouida docta decens sustinet ornat habet Esse deas lusi diuinam dicimus istam Quamuis nec liceat nec libet esse deam In shadowing clouds why art thou cloâ—d O Phebus bright â—etire Unspoused Pallas present is O Phebus bright retire The thretning speare is flong far off doubt not grim Gorgâ—â—s ire Unarmed Pallas present is O Phebus bright retire Perhaps thou art afraid And why at this so large a light Least that a woman should excell thy beams O Phebus bright Let not a queene a virgine pure which is and euer was O faire
vnto his praiers the preachers desired him to praie in English with them and to saie a praier after them wherein if he could find anie fault he should be resolued thereof O quoth he againe you and I were not one in faith therefore I thinke I should offend God if I should praie with you at which words the people began to crie Awaie with him so he saieng his Pater noster in Latine ended his life Then was Laurence Richardson brought vp into the cart to him Thomas Coteham to be executed togither But Coteham séemed to vtter such words as though there had béene hope he would haue forsaken his wickednesse so that the halter was vntied and he brought downe out of the cart againâ— In which time Laurence Richardson prepared him to death confessing himselfe a catholike and that he would beléeue in all things as the catholike church of Rome did vnto the pope he allowed the onelie supremasie In which traitorous opinion after certeine Latine praiers he was committed to God Then was Coteham brought vp to the cart againe the good opinion had of him before changed into that obstinat nature that was in them all saieng to master shiriffe that before he came into England he was armed for India and thither if he might be suffered he would passe with as much conuenient spéed as might be Then looking to the bodie of Laurence Richardson whereon the executioner was vsing his office he lifted vp his hands and said O blessed Laurence praie for me thy blessed soule Laurence praie for me for which words both tâ—e preachers and the people rebuked him telling him that he ought to praie to none but to God onelie all helpe of man was but in vaine Whereto he answered he was assured that he could praie for him In bréefe his treasons being mooued to him he denied all albeit his owne handwriting was there to affirme it He praied for hir maiestie and said his Pater noster Aue Maria and as the cart was drawing away he said In marius tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum and then he died Thus did the broome of iustice swéepe awaie these noisome cobwebs noisome both to church and commonwealth as being of the diuels hâ—tching but nurssed and fostered of poperie to insnare and trap seelie soules as the spider dooth the flie from whome the Lord God deliuer euerie member of his church On the second daie of Iune Philip Prise was hanged in Fléetstréet for killing one of the shiriffes sergeants that had arrested him This man at his death as inwardlie touched with sorrow for the offense which he had committed and died gaue such apparant tokens and notes of a repentant mind line 10 that partlie with his spéeches which were patheticall and partlie with his teares which were plentifull as also with his vehement sighs and greeuous grones ioined with diuerse other gestures great signes of inward grace he so mooued the beholders that manie which beheld him pitied his wofull end most yea in maner all whereof some were such as a man would haue thought had neuer a teare to shed at such a sight hauing viewed diuerse the like and more lamentable spectacles with wet eies beheld line 20 him and yet in heart reioised that he died reconciled to God On the eight and twentith of Iune Peregrine Bartie lord Willoughbie of Grobie appointed ambassador to Frederike the second king of Denmarke with the garter wherevnto he had béene elected chosen a long time before tooke his leaue of the quéenes maiestie at Gréenewich with whome sir Gilbert Dethicke alià s Garter principall king of armes was ioined in commission for the inuesting of the said king into the order and Robert Glouer line 30 alià s Summerset herald was also present and gaue his attendance in the same voiage as likewise did a competent number of gentlemen and yeomen in all to the number of six and fiftie persons besides mariners c. The said lord ambassador prepared himselfe towards Kingstone vpon Hull where he imbarked with his whole traine on the fourtéenth daie of Iulie and prosperouslie arriued at Elsemore in Denmarke on the one and twentith daie of the same moneth where he was honorablie interteined line 40 On the thirtéenth daie of August he presented himselfe before the king in his castell of Croneborough and made his first spéech vnto him in Latine which spéech being ended the lord Willoughbie deliuered vnto the king hir maiesties letters and withall the commission for the kings inuesture into that honorable order of the garter Which letters the king opened and deliuered them to Henrie Ramelis his chancellor for Germanie to read whom he commanded line 50 to answer my lords former oration From the king my lord was conueied to the quéenes presence vnto whome also he deliuered hir maiesties letters with salutations The next daie being thursdaie the fouretéenth of August the king roiallie prepared receiued the robes of the order with his owne hands and with great contentment accepted and ware the garter the collar and the George when as my lord concluded the whole dedication with sundrie wel-wishings In the end whereof he put the king in mind line 60 of the oth and thankefull acceptation of the order to be testified by a publike instrument as was before promised where vnto the king answered by his chancellor Nicholas Kaas with manie effectuall words and immediatlie in signe of ioie a great volee was discharged of all the great shot in his castell and the lord ambassador with all his traine was roiallie feasted rewarded On thursdaie the sixtéenth daie of August the king tooke my lord ambassador foorth on hunting two leagues from Elsemore and there in the dinner time vttered manie louing spéeches And after to wit on the one and twentith of September the lord ambassador with all his traine imbarked at Emden and arriued at Bromeholme in Norffolke on thursdaie the seauen and twentith daie of September On the nineteenth daie of Iulie certeine ferkins of gunpowder to the number of seauen and as manie or more ferkins of sturgeon laden in a car vpon Galleie keie néere vnto the Tower of London some small portion of the same powder being shed on the ground the horsse in the said carre stroke fire with his foot and fired all togither where-through the sturgeon was blowen awaie some into the Thames some elsewhere one ferkin was driuen through a lome wall that was boorded ouer but all was spoiled and lost the craâ—e on the wharffe with the houses neere adioining shattered manie men and horsses sore blasted the thrée men and seauen horsses died thereof On the twelfe daie of August there arose a great tempest of lightening thunder whirlewind and raine with hailestones fashioned like to the rowels of spurs two or thrée inches about in the countie of Norffolke betweene the market townes of north Walsham and Worsted the towne wherein the making of
mercie when thou hadst lost it by iustice desert Yet thou hir seruant sworne to defend hir mentest with thy bloudie hand to haue taken awaie hir life that mercifullie gaue thée thine when it was yéelded into hir hands This is the matter wherein thou hast offended The maner was most subtill and dangerous beyond all that before thée haue committed anie wickednesse against hir maiestie for thou making shew as if thou wouldest simplie haue vttered for hir safetie the euill that others had contriued diddest but seeke thereby credit accesse that thou mightest take the apter opportunitie for hir destruction And for the occasions and meanes that drew thée on they were most vngodlie and villanous as the persuasions of the pope of papists and popish bookes The pope pretendeth that he is a pastor when as in truth he is far from féeding of the flocke of Christ but rather as a woolfe séeketh but to féed on to sucke out the bloud of true christians and as it were thirsteth after the bloud of our most gratious and christian quéene And these papists and popish bookes while they pretend to set foorth diuinitie they doo indéed most vngodlie teach and persuade that which is quite contrarie both to God and his word For the word teacheth obedience of subiects toward princes forbiddeth anie priuat man to kill but they teach subiects to disobeie princes that a priuat wicked person may kill Yea whome a most godlie quéene their owne naturall and most gratious souereigne Let all men therfore take héed how they receiue any thing from him heare or read anie of their bookes and how they confer with anie papists God grant hir maiestie that she maie know by thée how euer she trust such like to come so néere hir person But see the end and why thou diddest it and it will appeare to be a most miserable fearefull and foolish thing for thou diddest imagine that it was to releeue those that thou callest catholikes who were most likelie amongst all others to haue felt the woorst of it if thy diuelish practise had taken effect But sith thou hast béene indicted of the treasons comprised in the indictment and therevpon arreigned and hast confessed thy selfe guiltie of them the court dooth award that thou shalt be had from hense to the place whense thou diddest come and so drawne through the open citie of London vpon an hurdle to the place of execution and there to be hanged and let downe aliue and thy priuie parts cut off and thy entrals taken out and burnt in thy sight then thy head to be cut off and thy bodie to be diuided in foure parts and to be disposed at hir maiesties pleasure and God haue mercie on thy soule Parrie neuerthelesse persisted still in his rage and fond speach and raginglie there said he there summoned quéene Elisabeth to answer for his bloud before God wherewith the lieutenant of the Tower was commanded to take him from the barre and line 10 so he did And vpon his departure the people striken as it were at heart with the horror of his intended enterprise ceased not but pursued him with outcries as Awaie with the traitor awaie with him such like wherevpon he was conueied to the barge to passe to the Tower againe by water the court was adiorned After which vpon the second daie of this instant March William Parrie was by vertue of processe in that behalfe awarded from the same commissioners of oier and terminer deliuered by the lieutenant of the Tower erlie in the morning line 20 vnto the shiriffes of London and Middlesex who receiued him at the Tower hill and therevpon according to the iudgement caused him there to be foorthwith set on the hurdle from whense he was drawne therevpon through the middest of the citie of London vnto the place for his execution in the pallace at Westminster where hauing long time of staie admitted vnto him before his execution he most maliciouslie and impudentlie after some other line 30 vaine discourses eftsoons often deliuered in speach that he was neuer guiltie of anie intention to kill quéene Elisabeth and so without anie request made by him to the people to pray to God for him or praier publikelie vsed by himselfe for ought that appeared but such as he vsed if he vsed anie was priuat to himselfe he was executed according to the iudgement And now for his intent how soeuer he pretended the contrarie in words yet by these his owne writings confessions letters manie other proofes line 40 afore here expressed it is most manifest to all persons how horrible his intentions and treasons were and how iustlie he suffered for the same and thereby greatlie to be doubted that as he had liued a long time vainelie and vngodlie and like an atheist and godlesse man so he continued the same course till his death to the outward sight of men ¶ Here endeth the true and plaine course and processe of the treasons arrest arreignement and execution of William Parrie the traitor line 50 An addition not vnnecessarie for this purpose FOrsomuch as Parrie in the aboundance of his proud and arrogant humour hath often both in his confession and letters pretended some great and grieuous causes of discontentment against hir maiestie and the present state it shall not be impertinent for better satisfaction of all persons to set foorth simplie and trulie the condition and qualitie of the man what he line 60 was by birth and education and in what course of life he had liued This vile and traitorous wretch was one of the yoonger sonnes of a poore man called Harrie ap Dauid he dwelled in Northwales in a little village called Northop in the countie of Flint there he kept a common alehouse which was the best and greatest staie of his liuing In that house was this traitor borne his mother was the reputed daughter of one Conwaie a priest parson of a poore parish called Halkin in the same countie of Flint his eldest brother dwelleth at this present in the same house and there kéepeth an alehouse as his father did before him This traitor in his childhood so soone as he had learned a litle to write and read was put to serue a poore man dwelling in Chester named Iohn Fisher who professed to haue some small skill and vnderstanding in the law With him he continued diuerse yeares and serued as a clerke to write such things as in that trade which his master vsed he was appointed During this time he learned the English toong and at such times of leasure as the poore man his master had no occasion otherwise to vse him he was suffered to go to the grammar schoole where he got some litle vnderstanding in the Latine toong In this his childhood he was noted by such as best knew him to be of a most villainous and dangerous nature disposition He did often run
and that the same sundaie morning that the earle murthered himselfe at night he saw the dag lieng vnder the earles beds head The dag was bought not manie daies before of one Adrian Mulan a dagmaker dwelling in east Smithfield as by the said Mulan was testified Viua voce vpon his oth in the open court at the time of the publike declaration made of these matters in the Starchamber All these particularities considered with the depositions and proofs of the witnesse concerning the earles death first how he came by the dag secondlie how long he had kept the same and in what secret maner thirdlie the earles bolting of his chamber dore in the inside fourthlie the blow of the dag fiftlie the breaking vp of the earles chamber doore by the lieutenant of the Tower and lastlie the finding of the earle dead as aforesaid what is he so simple that will thinke or imagine or so impudent and malicious that will auouch and report that the earle of Northumberland should haue béene murthered of purpose by practise or deuise of anie person affecting his destruction in that manner If men consider the inconuenience happened thereby as well in matter of state as commoditie to the quéenes maiestie lost by the preuention of his triall who can in reason coniecture the earle to haue béene murthered of policie or set purpose as the euill affected line 10 séeme to conceiue If the earle had liued to haue receiued the censure of the law for his offenses all lewd and friuolous obiections had then béene answered and all his goods cattels and lands by his atteindor had come vnto hir maiestie and the honour and state of his house and posteritie vtterlie ouerthrowne the consideration and feare whereof appeareth without all doubt to haue béene the principall and onelie cause that made him laie violent hands vpon himselfe If line 20 obiections be made that to murther him in that sort might be a satisfaction to his enimies who could be pacified by no meanes but with his bloud that séemeth to be as improbable for that it is commonlie discerned in the corrupt nature of man that when we are possessed with so profound a hatred as to seeke the death of our enimie we imagine and wish his destruction to be had with the greatest shame and infamie that can be deuised thinke you not then that if the earle of Northumberland had anie line 30 such enimie that knew the danger wherein he stood and that his triall and conuiction by law would draw vpon him the losse of his life lands and goods fame honor and the vtter subuersion of his house would be so kindharted vnto him as to helpe to take awaie his life onelie saue him all the rest I suppose there is no man of iudgement will beléeue it But to returne to the maner of the earles death It was declared by the lord Hunsdon and the lord chiefe baron that the dag wherewith the earle murthered line 40 himselfe was charged with thrée bullets and so of necessitie with more than an ordinarie charge of powder to force that weight of bullets to worke their effect The earle lieng vpon his backe on the left side of his bed tooke the dag charged in his left hand by all likelihood laid the mouth of the dag vpon his left pap hauing first put aside his wastecote and his shirt being onelie betwéene the dag and his bodie which was burnt awaie the breadth of a large hand discharged the same wherewith was made line 50 a large wound in his said pap his heart pearsed and torne in diuerse lobes or péeces thrée of his ribs broken the chinebone of his backe cut almost in sunder and vnder the point of the shoulder blade on the right side within the skin the thrée bullets were found by the lord Hunsdon which he caused the surgion in his presence to cut out lieng all three close togither within the breadth and compasse of an inch or thereabout the bullets were shewed by his lordship at the time of the publication made in the court at the Starchamber line 60 And whereas it hath béene slanderouslie giuen out to the aduantage of the earle as the reporters suppose that he was imprisoned kept in so streict narrow and close roome with such penurie of aire and breath that thereby he grew sickelie and wearie of his life and that to haue béene the cause chieflie why he murthered himselfe if it were so that he died by the violence of his owne hand which they hardlie beléeue To answer that péeuish and senselesse slander there was much spoken by the lord chiefe baron who had viewed and caused verie exactlie to be measured the chambers and roomes within the prison where the earle laie being part of hir maiesties owne lodging in the Tower The particular length and breadth of the said chambers rooms and the qualitie of the lights and windows expressed by the said lord chiefe baron I can not repeat but well I doo remember it was declared that all the daie time the earle had the libertie of fiue large chambers and two long entries within the vtter doore of his prison thrée of which chambers and one of the entries laie vpon two faire gardens within the Tower wall and vpon the Tower wharfe with a pleasant prospect to the Thames and to the countrie more than fiue miles beyond The windowes were of a verie large proportion yéelding so much aire and light as more cannot be desired in anie house Note therefore how maliciouslie those that fauour traitors and treasons can deliuer out these and the like slanderous spéeches to the dishonor of hir maiestie noting hir councellors and ministers with inhumanitie and vncharitable seueritie contrarie to all truth and honestie When the lord chiefe baron had finished this discourse of the manner of the earles death with the circumstances and had satisfied the court and auditorie concerning the qualitie of the prison where the earle had remained sir Christopher Hatton knight hir maiesties vicechamberlaine who as it séemed had béene speciallie imploied by hir maiestie among others of hir priuie councell in the looking into and examining of the treasons aforesaid aswell in the person of the earle as of others and at the time of the earles commitment from his house in S. Martins to the Tower of London sent vnto him from hir maiestie to put the earle in mind of hir maiesties manifold graces and fauors in former times conferred vpon him procéeding from the spring of hir maiesties princelie and bountifull nature and not of his deseruings and to aduise him to deliuer the truth of the matters so cléerelie appearing against him either by his letters priuatlie to hir maiestie or by spéech to maister vicechamberlaine who signified also vnto him that if he would determine to take that course he should not onlie not be committed to the Tower but should find grace fauor at hir maiesties hands
countries and so continued in all ancient times when the seuerall prouinces thereof as Flanders Holland and Zeland and other countries to them adioining were ruled and possessed by seuerall lords and not vnited togither as of late yeares they haue béene by intermarriages and at length by concurrences of manie and sundrie titles haue also béene reduced to be vnder the gouernement of their lords that succéeded to the dukedome of Burgundie whereby there hath béene in former ages manie speciall aliances and confederations not onelie betwixt the kings of England our progenitors and the lords of the said countries of Flanders Holland Zeland and their adherents but also betwixt the verie naturall subiects of both countries as the prelats noblemen citizens burgesses and other communalties of the great cities and port townes of either countrie reciprocallie by speciall obligations and stipulations vnder their seales interchangeablie for maintenance both of commerce and intercourse of merchants also of speciall mutuall amitie to be obserued betwixt the people and inhabitants of both parties as well ecclesiasticall as secular and verie expresse prouision in such treaties conteined for mutuall fauours affections and all other friendlie offices to be vsed and prosecuted by the people of the one nation towards the other By which mutuall bonds there hath continued perpetuall vnions of the peoples hearts togither and so by waie of continuall intercourses from age to age the same mutuall loue hath béene inuiolablie kept and exercised as it had beene by the worke of nature and neuer vtterlie dissolued nor yet for anie long time discontinued howsoeuer the kings and the lords of the countries sometimes though verie rarelie haue béene at difference by sinister meanes of some other princes their neighbours enuieng the felicitie of these two countries And for maintenance and testimonie of these naturall vnions of the peoples of these kingdoms and countries in perpetuall amitie there are extant sundrie authentike treaties and transactions for mutuall commerce intercourse and streict amitie of ancient times as for example some verie solemnelie accorded in the times of king Henrie the sixt our progenitor and Philip the second duke of Burgundie and inheritour to the countie of Flanders by the ladie Margaret his grandmoother which was aboue one hundred fortie yeares past the same also renewed by the noble duke Charles his son father to the king of Spaines grandmoother and husband to the ladie Margaret sister to our great grandfather king Edward the fourth and after that of new ofttimes renewed by our most noble sage grandfather king Henrie the seuenth and the archduke Philip grandfather to the king of Spaine now being and in latter times often renewed betwixt our father of noble memorie king Henrie the eight and Charles the fift emperor of Almaine father also to the present king of Spaine In all which treaties transactions and confederations of amitie and mutuall commerce it was also at all times speciallie and principallie conteined in expresse words by conuentions concords and conclusions that the naturall people and subiects of either side should shew mutuall fauours and duties one to the other and should safelie freelie and securelie commerce togither in euerie their countries and so hath the same mutuall and naturall concourse and commerce béene without interruption continued in manie ages farre aboue the like example of anie other countries in christendome to the honour and strength of the princes and to the singular great benefit and inriching of their people vntill of late line 10 yeares that the king of Spaine departing out of his low countries into Spaine hath beene as it is to be thought counselled by his councellors of Spaine to appoint Spaniards forrenners and strangers of strange bloud men more exercised in warres than in peaceable gouernement and some of them notablie delighted in bloud as hath appeared by their actions to be the chiefest gouernours of all his said low countries contrarie to the ancient lawes and customes thereof hauing great plentie of noble line 20 valiant and faithfull persons naturallie borne and such as the emperour Charles and the king himselfe had to their great honours vsed in their seruice able to haue béene imploied in the rule of those countries But these Spaniards being méere strangers hauing no naturall regard in their gouernement to the maintenance of those countries and people in their ancient and naturall maner of peaceable liuing as the most noble and wise emperor Charles line 30 yea and as his sonne king Philip himselfe had whilest he remained in those countries and vsed the counsels of the states and naturall of the countries not violating the ancient liberties of the countries but contrariwise these Spaniards being exalted to absolute gouernement by ambition and for priuat lucre haue violentlie broken the ancient lawes and liberties of all the countries and in a tyrannous sort haue banished killed and destroied without order of line 40 law within the space of few moneths manie of the most ancient and principall persons of the naturall nobilitie that were most worthie of gouernement And howsoeuer in the beginning of these cruell persecutions the pretense therof was for maintenance of the Romish religion yet they spared not to depriue verie manie catholikes and ecclesiasticall persons of their franchises and priuileges and of the chiefest that were executed of the nobilitie none was in the whole countrie more affected to that religion line 50 than was the noble and valiant countie of Egmond the verie glorie of that countrie who neither for his singular victories in the seruice of the king of Spaine can be forgotten in the true histories nor yet for the crueltie vsed for his destruction to be but for euer lamented in the harts of the naturall people of that countrie And furthermore to bring these whole countries in seruitude to Spaine these forren gouernours haue by long intestine warre with multitude of Spaniards and with some few Italians and Almains line 60 made the greater part of the said countries which with their riches by common estimation answered the emperour Charles equallie to his Indies in a maner desolat and haue also lamentablie destroied by sword famine and other cruell maners of death a great part of the naturall people now the rich townes and strong places being desolate of their naturall inhabitants are held and kept chieflie with force by the Spaniards All which pitifull miseries and horrible calamities of these most rich countries and people are of all their neighbours at this daie euen of such as in ancient time haue beene at frequent discord with them through naturall compassion verie greatlie pitied which appeared speciallie this present yeare when the French king pretended to haue receiued them to his protection had not as the states of the countrie their deputies were answered that certeine vntimelie and vnlooked for complots of the house of Guise stirred and maintained by monie out of Spaine disturbed the good and
commons latelie assembled in parlement and hir maiesties answeres therevnto by hir selfe deliuered though not expressed by the reporter with such grace and life as the same were vttered by hir maiestie To the right honorable the earle of Leicester c. ALbeit with earnest desire of my heart right honorable my verie good lord I haue alwaies indeuored to doo your lordship some acceptable seruice for the honour you first vouchsafed me from beyond my cradle and after confirmed with the fauorable opinion line 40 wherewith you haue alwaies countenanced me euer since euen thus far onward on my daies which also togither with my yeares hath increased faster than mine abilitie to performe being crossed in nothing more deepelie than when I was letted by the ouermuch tendering of me by my parents to attend your lordship in your late voiage and honorable expedition into the low countries yet haue I béene euer since most studious to obserue and apprehend some good occasion or fit opportunitie to testifie line 50 the dutifull reuerence I beare to your lordship wherein if hitherto I haue béene slacke in performance during your absence it hath procéeded of the care I had not to interteine your lordship with matter either friuolous or vulgar though things of that nature might best become my condition and well agrée with my vnderstanding In which cogitation it came to my mind that the report of the spéeches deliuered by the queens most excellent maiestie in a late and weightie cause line 60 dealt in this parlement in answer to the petitions presented to hir maiestie the twelfe and foure and twentith daie of Nouember at Richmond by the lord chancellor and speaker respectiuelie in the name and behalfe of both estates accompanied with diuerse of either sort would doubtlesse be a thing to your lordship most gratefull as one euer pleased iustlie to admire the rare perfections of hir mind and approoued iudgement wherewith according to your estate and place deseruedlie your lordship hath béene vsuallie acquainted as also worthie of eternall monument and euerlasting memorie for as much as on the sudden they were deliuered by hir selfe for answer of a matter propounded debated resolued and digested with great labor and premeditation of the greatest grauest wisest and most choise persons of the whole realme whereof although I haue but slenderlie purtraied the lineaments without expressing to life the externall ornaments of hir roiall speach accompanied with all princelie and gracefull accomplements yet doubt I not but your lordship will easilie find hir inward vertues whereof it is impossible for me to make the least adumbration And because in the dailie expectation of your lordships returne I rested vncerteine how these might come safelie to your lordships hands I did therefore aduise to haue this my letter with the included copies to be readie to attend your first arriuall in gratulation of the safetie thereof which hath beene long desired Wherein as I striue to performe a particular dutie to your lordship so trust I you will haue that honorable consideration that in the communication thereof with others there grow not anie preiudice to me for my presumption in aduenturing to be a reporter of that which in the deliuerie wrought so great astonishment to all the hearers as it exceeded the fulnesse of euerie mans expectation and therefore without some fauorable construction of mine attempt I might incurre great blame by my slender maner of report so to haue blemished the excellencie of hir maiesties spéeches whereof I humblie beséech your lordship to haue fauorable regard Thus referring them to your lordships disposition and my selfe to your fauorable protection I humblie take my leaue 25. Nouember 1586. Your lordships most humblie in all dutie to command R. C. The briefe of the lord chancellors first speach at the time when he deliuered hir most excellent maiestie a petition in writing for and in the name of the lords and commons which speaches were of more length than here are by me collected but sure I am the substance thereof is here trulie expressed THat the lords and commons hauing of long time to their intolerable greefe found by how manie practises the Scotish quéene had compassed the destruction of hir highnesse most roiall person in whose safetie next vnder God they acknowledged their chiefe felicitie to consist thereby not onelie to bereaue them of the sincere and true religion in this realme professed and established but to bring backe againe this noble realme into the thraldome of Romish tyrannie and to ouerthrow the happie estate thereof wherein although hir highnesse of hir abundant gratious naturall clemencie and princelie magnanimitie hath either lightlie passed them ouer or with no small indulgence tolerated notwithstanding the often and earnest instances of hir nobilitie and commons in sundrie parlements heretofore and further hath protected hir from the violent pursute of hir owne people she yet as a person obdurat in malice as it appeareth continued hir former practises as had béene latelie manifested by certeine wicked conspiracies plotted by one Anthonie Babington and diuerse desperat persons that had combined and confederated themselues by vow and oth in a most horrible enterprise by murther to take awaie the life of hir maiestie wherein the Scotish quéene did not onelie aduise them but also direct comfort and abbet them with persuasion counsell promise of reward and earnest obtestation Wherevpon hir maiestie at the earnest request of such as tendered the safetie of hir roiall person and the quiet of the realme did direct commission vnder the great seale to sundrie lords and others of hir maiesties priuie councell a great number of lords of parlement of the greatest and most ancient degrée assisted with some of the principall iudges of the realme to heare examine and determine the same according to a statute in that behalfe made in the seuen and twentith yeare of hir reigne Who to the number of thirtie and six hauing attended line 10 the execution of the said commission and diuerse daies and times heard the allegations against the said Scotish quéene in hir owne presence and hearing she being permitted to saie what she would in hir owne excuse did with one assent find hir calpable both in priuitie consent to the said crimes obiected and also in compassing the quéens maiesties death Which sentence by hir owne directions vpon the hearing of the proofes and processe in parlement line 20 was iudged to haue béene most honorable and iust And therevpon they all beséech hir maiestie that forasmuch as the said quéene of Scots was the verie ground and onelie subiect wherevpon such dangerous practises and complots had béene founded against hir maiesties most roiall person and the estate of this realme for these manie yeares to the ouerthrow of sundrie of the nobilitie of the land and danger of christian religion and that they could sée line 30 no hope of hir desisting and hir adherents but that still hir maiesties safetie must be
vp his office of vice-chancellorship Master Mildmaies trecherie noted by doctor Sands to his oblâ—quie The misusage of certeine drabs agaâ—nst doctor Sands as he was brought prisoner to the tower The gard offer him fowle wrong Master Michels counsell to D. Sands to make an escape Bowler of a pâ—â—uerse papist becoÌ„meth reformed in true religion D. Sands remoued to the Marshalsea Thomas Waie the kéeper pretendeth to persuade doctor Sands to poperie The frendship that doctor Sands found at his keepers hands Wiats message to doctor Sands and his answer reuersed Doctor Sands set at libertie by the meanes of sir Thomas Hâ—lcroft How quéene Marie is disposed to set doctor Sands at large and sealeth hir warrant for his libertie Communication betweene 〈◊〉 Thomas Holcroft and 〈◊〉 Sands 〈◊〉 his departing out of England Sir Thomas Holcroft cannot persuade doctor Sands to â—arie in England and therefore setâ—eth him at large Search made 〈◊〉 doctor Sands after 〈…〉 Gardiners commandement to watch and ward for doctor Sands and to apprehend him with a reward promised to the taker of him Note Gods prouidence in giuing a way to doctor Sands for his safe escaping out of danger All the mischiefes intended against doctor Sands disclosed by a constable who telleth him how to escape Doctor Sands disguiseth himselfe like a gentleman and escapeth God stirreth vp the harts of the mariners to fansie doctor Sands c. Doctor Sands his propheticall blessing to his hostesse at his departing Doctor Sands and doctor Cox go by wagon into Cleueland Happie news of queen Maries death wherevpon doctor Sands returneth into England With what indignation quéene Marie tooke the losse of Calis Force intended against Brest in Britaine The lord Clinton admerall of England sent 〈◊〉 against 〈◊〉 Monsieur de Thermes â—apteine of Calis workâ—â— vpon the â—â—uanâ—age to 〈◊〉 the French 〈◊〉 moâ—e hoâ—orable serâ—â—ce Monsieur de Thermes deâ—â—â—mination a â—â—â—le king Philips â—â—â—ntrie â—ankirke 〈◊〉 taken 〈◊〉 burned by 〈◊〉 French Monsieur de Thermes 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 Countie Egmond lieutenant generall 〈◊〉 king Philip in the low countrie The English ships annoie the French with gunshot c. A veliant onset giuen vpon the Frenchmen by countie Egmond A recharge vpon the French scarsâ— recouered A great victorie Certeine French prisoners taken and what they were by name Calis might haue béene recouered from the French Conquest or Conquet taken and burned A great slaughter of the Flemmings occasioned by their owne couetousnesse The admerals remooue for feare of losse Anno Reg. 6. No memorable act doone by either of the kings during the affronting of their armies Peace is procured betwéen both kings at the sute and séeking of the duchesse of Lorraine Q. Marie pensâ—â—e for the losâ—e of Calis The death of quéen Marie The blessed protection of almightie God in preseruing the ladiâ— Elizabeth in hir manifold dangers and troubles The troubleâ— of ladie Elizabeth in Q. Maries 〈◊〉 * Amen The historie of the ladie Elizabeth * These refeâ—â—â—cies by the page whereâ—â—â—uer they â—â—ll in this â—â—â—course of â— Elizabeth â—â—â—ment of the impression published 1583 Sir Richard Southwell sir Edward Hastings and 〈◊〉 Thomas Cornwallis 〈◊〉 to fetch 〈◊〉 ladie Elizabeth with wâ—om also â—â—â—erward was sent the 〈◊〉 William â—â—ward c. The 〈◊〉 of the knights I strait commission from the quéene to bring the ladie Elizabeth either quicke or dead The gentlenesse of quéene Marie to send hir horslitter to bring hir sister to trouble Ladie Elizabeth taketh hir iournâ—ie toward the quéene Ladie Elizabeth brought vp to LondoÌ„ Sir William Sentlow committed to the tower Ladie Elizabeth charged with sir Thomas Wiats conspiracie Ladie Elizabeth charged with the businesse of Peter Carew Ladie Elizabeth threatned to go to the tower Ladie Elizabeth purgeth hir selfe to the lords Ladie Elizabeths seruaÌ„ts remoued from hir The quéenes men and waiting women attendant vpoÌ„ ladie Elizabeth The hard dealing of a certeine lord with the ladie Elizabeth The earle of Sussex gentle to the ladie Elizabeth Ladie Elizabeth writeth to the quéene but it would not seruâ— Ladie Elizabeth sent to the tower The words of ladie Elizabeth entring the tower The christian praier of ladiâ— Elizabeth The lord of Sussex speaketh for ladie Elizabeth The bishop of Winchester 〈◊〉 to ladie Elisabeth Ladie Elisabeth examined 〈◊〉 the bishop 〈◊〉 Winchester The friendlie 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of Arunâ—â—ll to the ladie Elisabeth Sir Iames Acroft examiâ—â—â— touching 〈◊〉 ladie Elisabeth These were 〈◊〉 officers 〈◊〉 the tower 〈◊〉 such as 〈◊〉 in white 〈…〉 Ladie Elisabeths seruaÌ„ts restreined for bringing hir diet to the tower Displeasure betwéene the lord chamberleine and ladie Elisabeths men Ladie Elisabeths waitingmen in the tower Uariance betweene the lord chamberleine ladie Elisabeths seruants Ladie Elisabeth denied the libertie of the tower Libertie granted to ladie Elisabeth to walke in a little garden Suspicious heads A yoong child examined for bringing flowers to the ladie Elisabeth The conestable of the tower discharged of his office Sir Henrie Benefield with his companie placed about the lady Elisabeth Ladie Elisabeth in great feare and doubt of life Ladie Elisabeth in doubt of sir Henrie Benefield Ladie Elizabeth remoued from the tower to Woodstocke Ladie Elizabeth secluâ—ed from hir seruants Ladie Elizabeth in despaire of hir selfe The ladie Elizabeths â—â—her talketh with the lord of Tame The gentle heart of the lord of Tame to ladie Elizabeth Tanquam ouis i. Like a shéepe to the slaughter Ladie Elizabeth honourablie receiued and beloued of the people The gentle interteinment of ladie Elizabeth at the lord of Tames house M. Benefield grudgeth at the gentle interteinment of ladie Elizabeth The rude and vngentle â—â—nlie behauiour of sir Henrie Benefield Ladie Elizabeth commeth to Woodstocke The strict watch kept at Woodstocke Ladie Elizabeth garded and warded for starting awaie A merie storie concerning the strict kéeping of the ladie Elizabeth The strictnes of sir Henrie Benefield merilie noted The cruell dealing of sir Henrie Benefield to the ladie Elizabeth reprooued The letters of the ladie Elizabeth sent to the quéene Doctor Owen and doctor Wendie quéen Maries physicians sent to the ladie Elizabeth The popish prelats repined against the ladie Elizabeth Ladie Elizabeth requested to submit hir selfe to the quéene Counsell of the papists to marrie the ladie Elizabeth to a Spaniard Wicked counsell giuen of the Lord Paget against the ladie Elizabeth Spaniards more fauourable to ladie Elizabeth than some Englishmen Ladie Elizabeth in danger of fire Ladie Elizabeth in danger of killing Another conspiracie of murther against ladie Elizabeth Ladie Elizabeth preserued by the lords prouidence from execution in the tower Winchesters platforme â—uerthrowne wherof read before pa. 1787 Uâ—â—ses written vp ladie Elisabeth in the glasâ—e window Ladie Elisabeth not suffered to come to the lord of Tames house Ladie Elisabeth wisheth hir selfe to be a milke-maid Ladie Elisabeth remooued from Woodstocke to Hampton court Lord William Howard gentle and fauourable to ladie Elisabeth
with six thousand men entered the citie and tooke the market place and the wals and searched the houses for feare of treason Then maister Thomas Woolsie the kings almoner called before him all the citizens yoong and old and sware them to the king of England the number whereof was foure score thousand Thus the king of England by conquest came to the possession of the citie of Tornaie On sundaie the second daie of October the king entered the citie of Tornaie at port founteine and foure of the chiefe of the citie ouer him bare a canopie with all the armes of England Euerie person was in his best apparell the ladies gentlewomen laie in the windowes beholding the king and his nobilitie euerie citizen had in his hand a staffe torch The king himselfe was richlie apparelled in rich armour on a barded courser his henchmen bearing his péeces of war as ax speare and other their coursers were barded with the armes of England France Ireland and other the kings dominions all richlie brodered Thus the king with his nobilitie all richlie apparelled with his sword borne before him his heralds and sergeants of armes with trumpets and minstrelsie entered the citie and came to our ladie church and there Te Deum was soong Then the king called to his presence Edward Guilford William Fitz Williams Iohn Danfie William Tiler Iohn Sharpe William Husse Iohn Sauage Christopher Garnish and diuerse other valiant esquiers and gaue to them the order of knighthood and then went to his lodging and at after noone he came to the market place were was prepared for him a roome Then he caused a proclamation to be made in his name king of England France that no man should gréeue the citizens During which proclamation the Tornasins scarse looked vp nor shewed once to him any amiable countenance which was much marked The crie finished the king departed to his campe leauing the citie in safe keeping This wéeke the king rode to sée the castell of Morton and there his grace tooke great pleasure The king remembring the great chéere that the prince of Castile and the ladie Margaret had made him at Lisle which was but twelue miles English from Tornaie desired the said prince ladie with diuerse other to come to him to his citie of Tornaie and made preparation for the same and appointed a iusts whereof he himselfe would be one and caused a tilt to be made in the market place While these things were preparing the king and his councell ordered for the sure kéeping of the citie of Tornaie and there ordeined sir Edward Poinings knight of the order of the garter to be his lieutenant with foure hundred archers with capteins horssemen and artillerie conuenient and to haue aid of Henaud and other the kings friends adioining and of his gard he left there foure hundred archers and ordinance was appointed for the defense of the same On mondaie the eleuenth daie of October the king without the towne receiued the prince of Castile line 10 the ladie Margaret and diuerse other nobles of their countries and them brought into Tornaie with great triumph The noise went that the lord Lisle made request of mariage to the ladie Margaret duches of Sauâ—ie and daughter to the emperour Maximilian which before that time was departed from the king with manie rich gifts and monie borrowed but whether he proffered mariage or not she fauoured him highlie There the prince and duches soiourned with great solace by the space of ten daies line 20 During which time the eightéenth daie of October began the iusts the king and the lord Lisle answering all commers vpon the king attended foure twentie knights on foot in coats of purple veluet and cloth of gold A tent of cloth of gold was set in the place for the armorie Reliefe The king had a base and a trapper of purple veluet both set full of SS of bullion and the lord Lisle in the same suite there were manie speares broken and manie a good buffet giuen the strangers as the lord Walon and lord Emerie line 30 and other did right well When the iusts were doone the king all the other vnhelmed them rode about the tilt and did great reuerence to the ladies and then the heralds cried to lodging This night the K. made a sumptuous banket of an hundred dishes to the prince of Castile and the ladie Margaret and to all other lords and ladies and after the banket the ladies dansed and then came in the king and eleuen in a maske all richlie apparelled with bonets of gold and when they had passed the time at their pleasure line 40 the garments of the maske were cast off amongst the ladies take who could take On the twentith daie of October the prince of Castile and the ladie Margaret with manie great gifts to them giuen returned to Lisle and all their traine After that the king was informed that all directions were taken and euerie thing put in an order for the sure kéeping of the citie of Tornaie he betooke the same to sir Edward Poinings knight which valiantlie kept it in good order and iustice The king his line 50 councell before this considering that the Frenchmen would giue them no battell and that winter approched which was no time to lie at siege of other townes concluded to kéepe Tornaie safelie and to breake vp his campe for that winter and to begin againe warre in the spring of the yeare This was a full conclusion taken by the king and his councell and so the king and all his people except such as were appointed to be with sir Edward Poinings departed out of Tornaie the twentith daie of September line 60 and the king and the noble men made such spéed that shortlie they came to Calis Thither came the lord admerall whome the king heartilie thanked of his paines and there euerie man was paied his full wages and conduct monie and ships prepared for the passage and so the foure and twentith daie of September the king with a priuie companie tooke ship and the same day landed at Douer and shortlie after all his people followed then he with a small companie rode to Richmond in post to the queene where was such a louing méeting that euerie creature reioised This season began a great mortalitie in London and other places where much people died All this winter the kings nauie kept the seas and robbed and spoiled the Frenchmen on their coasts so that they were euerie foot afflicted by the English wist not which way to remedie it bearing grudge in their hearts and wishing a generall destruction of their enimies against whome they did swell with malignitie and indignation both for their late ouerthrowes and losses aswell of lands as liues the surrender of Terwin sticking in their stomachs and the yéelding of Tornaie nipping them at the heart which had lost the propertie was now forced to
obeie new lords and new lawes as our poet saith dominorum serua nouorum Accipit ecce nouas Henrico principe leges But now I must returne to speake of the dooings in the North parts betweene the Englishmen and Scots Whilest the king was occupied in his warres against France in the summer of this yeare as before is mentioned yée haue heard how the king of Scots sent his letters vnto the king as then lieng at the siege before Terwine and what answer was made thereto by the king Immediatlie vpon the sending of those his letters conteining in effect a defiance the king of Scots assembled his people to inuade the English confines but before his whole power was come togither the lord Humes that was lord chamberleine of Scotland on a day in August entered England with seuen or eight thousand men and getting togither a great bootie of cattell thought to haue returned therewith into his countrie But as he came to passe through a field ouergrowne with broome called Milfield the English men vnder the leading of sir William Bulmer and other valiant capteins hauing with them not past a thousand souldiers being laid within that field in ambushment brake foorth vpon him and though the Scots on foot defended themselues right manfullie yet the English archers shot so wholie togither that the Scots were constreined to giue place There were of them slaine at this bickering fiue or six hundred and foure hundred or more taken prisoners the lord chamberleine himselfe escaped by flight but his banner was taken This was called by the Scots the ill rode In the meane time was the whole power of Scotland assembled with the which king Iames approching to the borders and comming to Norham castell laid siege thereto hauing there with him an hundred thousand men After he had beaten this castell with his ordinance for the space of six daies togither the same was deliuered vp into his hands for the capteine was so liberall of his shot and powder spending the same so freelie before he had cause so to doo that when it shuld haue stood him in stead he had none left to aid him so that in the end he yeelded himselfe without more resistance In which meane time the earle of Surreie being lieutenant of the north parts of England in absence of king Henrie had giuen order to assemble a power of six and twentie thousand men and comming to Alnwike the third of September being saturdaie taried there all the next day till the whole number of his people were come which by reason of the foule way were staied and could not come forward with such spéed as was appointed This fourth daie of September then being sundaie his sonne the lord admerall with a thousand souldiers and able men of warre which had beene at sea came to his father whereof he greatlie reioised for the great wisedome manhood and experience which he knew to be in him Then the earle and his councell with great deliberation appointed his battels in order with wings and with horsmen necessarie First of the fore-ward was ordeined capteine the lord Howard admerall of England as well with such as came with him from the sea as others First the lord Clifford the lord Coniers the lord Latimer the lord Scroope of Upsall the lord Ogle the lord Lomlie sir Nicholas Appleyard maister of the ordinance sir Stephan Bull sir Henrie Shirburne sir William Sidneie sir Edward Ichingham sir William Bulmer with the power of the bishoprike of Durham sir William Gascoigne sir Christopher Ward sir Iohn Eueringham sir Thomas Metham sir Walter Griffith and manie others line 10 Of the wing on the right hand of the fore-ward was capteine sir Edward Howard knight marshall of the host with him Brian Tunstall Rafe Brearton Iohn Laurence Richard Bold esquiers sir Iohn Booth sir Thomas Butler knights Richard Done Iohn Bigod Thomas Fitz Williams Iohn Claruis Brian Stapleton Robert Warcop Richard Cholmleie with the men of Hull and the kings tenants of Hatfield and others Of the wing on the left hand was capteine sir Marmaduke line 20 Constable with his sonnes and kinsmen sir William Persie and of Lancashire a thousand men Of the rere-ward was capteine the earle of Surreie himselfe and with him the lord Scroope of Bolton sir Philip Tilneie sir George Darcie sir Thomas Berkleie sir Iohn Rocliffe sir Christopher Pikering Richard Tempest sir Iohn Stanleie with the bishop of Elies seruants sir Brian Stapleton Lionell Persie with the abbat of Whitbies tenants Christopher Clapham sir William Gascoigne the line 30 yoonger sir Guie Dawneie maister Magnus maister Dalbies seruants sir Iohn Normanuile the citizens of Yorke sir Ninian Markanuile sir Iohn Willoughbie with others Of the wing on the right hand was capteine the lord Dacres with his power Of the left hand wing was capteine sir Edward Stanleie knight with the residue of the power of the two counties palantine of Chester and Lancaster Thus was the host appointed and diuided into wards and wings at the first line 40 though afterward vpon occasion this order was somewhat altered And now that euerie man knew what to doo the earle of Surrie with his power comming toward the place where he thought to find the Scotish host was informed how king Iames being remooued six miles from Norham laie imbattelled vpon a great mounteine called Floddon a place of such strength as it was not possible for the Englishmen to come néere him but to their great disaduantage for at the foot of the same hill on the line 50 left hand there was a great marish ground full of réed and water On the right hand it was defended with a riuer called Till the course whereof being so swift and the chanell in some places so deepe that it might not conuenientlie be passed On the backe halfe there were such craggie rocks and thicke woods that it was not possible to assaile him to anie aduantage that waie foorth And on the forepart of the campe where nature had left an easie entrie for men to come to the line 60 same all his ordinance was planted aloft vpon the sides of such trenches as he had caused to be cast for defense on that part The earle of Surrie herevpon considering with himselfe that vnlesse he might deuise some policie to cause the Scotish armie to descend the hill it were not possible for him to accomplish his desire he called about him his councell and with them tooke aduise in this point At length it was concluded and determined among other things to send Rouge Crosse purseuant at armes with a trumpet to the king of Scots with a message and certeine instructions which in substance was to shew and declare vnto the said king of Scots that where he contrarie vnto his oth and league and vnnaturallie against all reason and conscience had entered and inuaded this his brothers realme of England and done