as were vacant alienating them from his estate that hee was onely to be called a King in name rather then for any riches which he had that his Ancestors magnificent Princes abounding in all sorts of worldly glorie and wealth heaped to themselues inestimable treasures out of no other meanes but the Rents and Profites of the Kingdom 31 The King stung with this iust reprehension beganne by their instructions to call the Sheriffes of Shires Baylifes and other his Officers to a strait account for all such receites as appertained to the Exchequor thrusting some out of their places and wringing out of all their full spunges store of coine till hee satisfied himselfe both for the arrerages and interest Out of Ralph Briton Treasurer of his Chamber hee screwzed a thousand pounds and also put him from his place into which by the Bishoppe of Winchesters suggestion who now predominated in Court hee substituted Peter de Oriuail a Poictouine the Bishoppes Nephew or Sonne if Paris say true and so saith hee the Kings coffers otherwise empty and leane were by these means stuffed againe though not to their full surfet For these were but preparatiues to a farther scrutinie and ransacke intended against the Earle of Kent whom vpon the Bishoppes suggestion the King remoued from the Proto-Iustitiarishippe or high office of his Chiefe Iustice and put in his place Sir Stephen Segraue a Knight onely in name Then is a strict and captious account demaunded of the Earle of Kent for all such things as he was in any sort chargeable with as 1. For such receipts or debts as were due to King Iohn or to this King Henry himselfe 2. For the meane profites of such lands as the King was seised of from the day of the death of the first great William Earle of Pembroke his Iustitiar and Marshall whither those lands were in England Wales Ireland or Poictou 3. For such Liberties or free Customes which the King had in Forrests Warrens Counties and else where and how they were kept or alienated 4. For such things as the King lost by Huberts negligence 5. For the wronges and dammages offered to the Romane and Italian Clerks and to the Popes Nuncios against the Kings will by authority of Hubert who would take no order to correct the misdoers as by vertue and nature of his place hee was obliged 6. For the many escuages comming by Carrucages gifts and presents or for the rents of Custodies belonging to the Crowne 32 To all which heades the Earle answered that hee had the Charter of the Kings Father by which hee was freed from giuing any account eyther for things passed or to come and that hee had giuen such proofe of his fidelity vnto King Iohn as he would not endure to heare him make an account Peter Bishoppe of Winchester replyed hereunto that such a Charter after the death of King Iohn had no force and therefore the Fathers Charter and graunt of Priuilege was no reason why he should not stand accountant to the Sonne This defence for money dangers in this sort trauersed or auoyded they labored to draw him in for his head by charging him with sundry Articles sounding treasonable as 1. That Hubert had disswaded the Duke of Austria from matching his Daughter with the King who sought it 2. that he had hindred the King from entring vpon forrain lands to him belonging whereby the King Peeres and People consumed their Treasures vainely 3. that hee had enticed the Daughter of the King of Scots whom King Iohn had entrusted to his custody meaning himselfe to marry her traiterously defiled the noble yong Lady whom he married in hope to bee King of Scotland in her right if shee suruiued her Brother 4. that hee had stolne out of his Iewel-house a precious stone of wonderfull value whose vertue was to make him who had it inuincible in Battle that he gaue that stone to Lewelin prince of Wales the Kings enemie 5. that he by his letters had caused Lewelin to hang William de Breuse 33 The Earle much preplexed with these accusations whither true or false could hardly obtaine a short respite to make his answere Thus that Hubert say the Monkes who for loue of the King and defence of the Kingdome had prouoked the hatred of all the great Lords now being forsaken of the King is left sole and solitarie without friends or comfort Onely Luke Archbishoppe of Dublin neuer fosooke him but with prayers and teares besought the King on his behalfe but could not bee heard against so great opposites on so great pretenses When the cry was thus vp and that the world saw it was no superficiall displeasure into which the Earle was faln with the mutable King there rise forth many accusations sauouring of much malignity round about vpon hope to oppresse bury Hubert vnder them for euer as 1. that he had poisoned the two noble Earles of Salisbury and Pembroke 2. that hee had also procured Falcasius de Brent and Richard Archbishop of Canterbury to be made away 3. that by Sorceries and Enchantments hee had drawne the King to fauour him aboue all other 4. that in the victory gotten against the French by Sea hee forceably tooke many Prisoners from the Kings Sailers and made his benefite of their ransoms contrary to right and that hee had spoiled and disinherited many 5. that hee had without triall vniustly put to death Constantine for which excesse the Citizens of London required iustice against the said Hubert The King hereupon makes Proclamation through the City that all such as could charge Hubert with any wrong should repaire to Court and there receiue immediate redresse This strange course of proceeding did so appale and terrifie the Earle that hee forthwith fled to the Priorie Church of Merton in Surrey where among the Chanons hee sheltered his head for a time 34 The King with his Prelates and Peeres meeting at Lambeth at the day appointed for Huberts answere hee being made to beleeue that the King would put him to a most soule death durst not appeare or peepe forth of his sacred refuge The Londoners were assembled in Armes by the Kinges commaund to the number of about twenty thousand vnder banners displayed to dragge the Earle out of Sanctuary but vpon the Earle of Chesters wiser Counsell the prey was taken out of the hands of a bloudy multitude who mortally hated him for Constantines death and they returned againe to their City The Archbishoppe of Dublin still performing the office of a true friend ouerslips not this occasion and by his importunity obtayned day for Hubert till about Twelfe-tide then next ensuing and the King for his assurance during the Interim giues him letters Patents Hubert thinking himselfe secure for the present is now vpon his way toward his wife at the Abbey of Saint Edmund in Suffolke but his enemies so preuailed by their suggestions
marching hee laid siege together with the Prince his brother to the Castle of Rodolan doing many outrages and killing all such as they could reach yea som as it is said whose ransomes they had taken though against Lewelins mind And while King Edward spent his Easter at the Vises in Wiltshire and afterward visited the Queene his mother who liued in the Nunnerie at Ambresberie the Welsh vnder diuers Captaines had taken sundry of the Kings strengthes and Castles in diuers parts There are extant the Copies of certaine grieuances exhibited to Iohn Archbishoppe of Canterbury by the Welsh at such time as of his owne accord so say the said Copies hee interposed himselfe without the Kings leaue to settle their quiet which Articles in shew for the answeres of the English are not set downe containe indeed sundry great abuses but the fate of Wales had now inuolued them all in a desolating warre and made them vncapable of reliefe For after the Archbishoppe had trauelled in person to the Prince of Wales being then in Snowdon and returned without any Conclusion made comming vnto Oxford hee there sent out the lightnings of excommunication against him and his seduced adherents Wee say seduced because they did capitulate in such sort as if they had beene able to make their party good 14 But though the old Brittish Principality was now to expire yet it must bee confessed that as Lewelin had an end vnworthy of his bloud being rather vnfortunately slaine then otherwise so on the other side the same hapned not without reuenge for at one encounter in open field Gilbert Earle of Gloster lost William Valence a yonger Cosen of the Kings slaine in the fight and foure other Knights though at the same time also many of the Welsh left their bodies dead vpon the earth together with the victory to the English but the day certainely which they had of King Edward himselfe may not bee forgotten in which the Welsh slew the Lord William de Audeley and the Lord Roger Clifford the yonger and got foureteene Ensignes from the English Armie K. Edward being enforced to enter into the Castle of Hope for his safety These things though not contemptible but rather certaine deceitfull fauours vsuall when the ruine of a Nation is by God decreed could not vphold the cause For first the Prince hauing vpon some occasion withdrawne himselfe with some few others from his Army which then was in the land of Buelth was set vpon by two principall Gentlemen Iohn Giffard and Edmund de Mortumar with their Forces and there by the hand of one Adam Francton was runne through with an Horsemans staffe who at the first being vnknowne had his head strucken afterward off and presented to King Edward at whose commandement it was crowned with Iuie and set vp for a certain time vpon the Tower of London 15 This saith the History of Wales was the end of Lewelin betrayed by the men of Buelth who was the last Prince of Britaines bloud and with him whom one Versifier calleth the Captaine the praise the law and light of Nations and another defaceth with as many ignominious attributes the liberty of that people did also die For it was not long but that King Edward subdued in a manner all Wales reseruing to himselfe the Coast-Towns strengths toward the Sea distributed the In-land Countries to the Lords his followers therein prudently following the counsell of Augustus who thus vnder pretence of defence for the Prouinces had the brideling of all their forces at his pleasure Neuerthelesse the whole flame was not as yet extinguished for Dauid the Princes Brother and chiefest firebrand in this fatall combustion was at large who being taken brought to King Edward at the Castle of Ruthlan could not obtaine admission to his sight or speech but was amanded and sent Prisoner to Shrewsburie Thither the King hauing setled the State of Wales repairing to a Parliament which he had summoned there to bee kept after Michaelmas caused Dauid hauing first had a Legall triall before certaine Iusticiars for that cause appointed to bee seuerely put to death by hanging heading and quartering whose head was set vp at London and his quarters in foure other principall Cities of England to the terrour of all ingratefull and disloy all persons The Welsh line thus thrust from the Principality King Edward vpon Saint Marks day had a sonne borne vnto him in Wales at Caernaruon who also was called Edward and raigned after him and that with the birth of a new Lord the Welsh might bee inured to new lawes the King established by example of K. Iohn his Grandfather in Ireland the English lawes and offices among them 16 But the King that hee might not seeme forgetfull of his French affaires repayred into France where hee obtained sundry fauours though they continued not long and sate in person there with the French King in his Parliament at the City of Paris as a Lord or Peere of that Realme in respect of such lands as hee had in those parts Nor may here bee forgotten an Act of singular munificence and charity in this renowned King for the redemption of Charles Prince of Achaia sonne and Heire of Charles King of Sicilia who had some yeers before beene taken in a battell at Sea before Naples by the Gallies of Sicilia fighting on the behalfe of the King of Arragon for whose speedier enlargement K. Edward disbursed thirty thousand pounds sterling and gaue his owne Knights in hostage till Charles had sent in his two sonnes Robert and Lewis as pledges to Alfonse king of Arragon which done King Edward returned into Gascoigne and there tooke vpon him the Crosse in full purpose to finish the iourney which once he had vndertaken and had in part performed against the Sarazens 17 In the meane time to purge England whither hee was now returned from such corruptions and oppressions as vnder which it groaned and not neglecting therein his particular gaine hee banished the Iewes out of the Realme confiscating all their goods leauing them nothing but money to beare their charges And whereas they by their cruell vsuries had one way eaten his people to the bones his Iusticiars like another kind of Iewes had ruined them with delayes in their suites and enriched themselues with wicked corruptions hee like a father of his Country put all those from their offices who were found guilty and they were almost all and punished them otherwise in a grieuous manner being first in open Parliament conuicted The particulars whereof by reason of the most iust and commendable example we will not thinke needlesse the order of naming them only changed to recapitulate here Sir Ralph Heugham Chief Iustice of the higher Bench 7000. marks Sir Iohn Louetot Iustice of the lower Bench 3000. marks Sir William Brompton Iustice 6000. markes
all secular actions should not bee exercised vnlesse some weighty and vrgent necessity required it That euery Christian should thrice in the yeere addresse himselfe to the receiuing of the blessed sacrament of the Lords Supper That if a Minister of the Altar killed a man or else committed any notorious crime hee should be depriued both from his order and dignity That the married woman conuicted for adultery should haue her nose and eares cut off That a widow marying within the space of twelue moneths after her husbands decease should lose her iointer 8 These many other were made wherby sinne was much restrained and this realme peaceably and iustly gouerned As likewise sundry other Countries were by his godly and roiall care as in especiall is recorded of a yong Gentleman of the Danish roiall bloud named Odiâ—… whom King Canute brought ouer with him into England to be here trained vp in learning where he profited so well as also by his trauaile through France whereby hee much encreased both his knowledge and experience that he attained the surname of Sapient and the Philosopher and therefore was called Odin-char for the deere esteeme wherein all men held him This man by his preaching in Finland Zeland Scandia and Sweuland conuerted great multitudes to the faith of Christ. 9 But in Denmarke things proceeded not so wel for in the absence of Canutus and yeer of Christs humanity 1019. the Vandals sore annoied his subiects hee therefore in the third of his raigne with a great host of the English passed ouer the seas and bad his enemies battaile which as Mathew of Westminster writeth went sore against him the first day and preparing againe for the next Earle Goodwine who was Generall of the English attempted a great enterprize for in the dead of the night hee with his souldiers set vpon the Campe of the Vandals and with a great slaughter of their souldiers made the two Princes Vlfus and Anlaâ—…e to flie the field Canute ignorant of this acted enterprise had notice in the morning that the English were fled for that their station was left and not a man found wherfore following the tract euen to the enemies campe by streames of bloud and dead bodies of the Vandals hee saw the great ouerthrow that the English had giuen them for which he euer after held them in great estimation 10 Albertus Krantius the Danish historian reporteth that Olanus King of Sweyden hauing assisted Canute against Edmund the Ironside and seeing himselfe to be neglected in the composition betwixt them moued such stirres in Denmarke that Canutus was forced thither againe where by the prowesse of his English hee repulsed Olanus who lastly was slaine by his owne subiects 11 William of Malmesbury and Mathew of Westminster record that in the yeere 1032. he vndertooke an expedition into Scotland with prosperous successe against Malcolme the King thereof with two other Princes called Melbeath and Ieohmare But being at length ouerburdened as it were with his own greatnesse and surfeited with glory which somtimes he had so greedily desired as euen the greatest earthly delights haue their fulnes hee resolued on a more placable course of life and to affect a higher and heauenly glory which hath neuer satiety or end And therefore his deuotion being great vnto God-ward on a zealous intent such a zeale as S. Paul commended in the deuout Israelites hee tooke a iourney to Rome to visite the sepulchres of S. Peter and Paul in the fifteenth yeere of his raign thence sent his letters to his English Bishops and Nobility beginning thus 12 Canute King of all England Denmarke Norway and Sweyden to Ailnothus Metropolitan c. Wherein hauing first set downe the reason of his pilgrimage to Rome which was especially to honour S. Peter as hee had beene taught by Wisemen that S. Peter had receiued from Christ the great power of binding and loosing and was also the Key-bearer of heauen-gates for which cause left S. Peter should not open the same vnto him when hee should come thither he held it most behouefull for him to procure his Patronage more then all the rest of Saints then making relation of his honourable entertainement with the Emperour Pope and other forreine Princes sheweth what complaint hee had made against the excessiue exactions and huge summes of money extorted by the Pope from the English Arch-Bishops at such time as they receiued their Palles from Rome for redresse whereof and of other abuses the Pope in a solemn assembly of foure arch-Arch-Bishops twenty Bishops and an innumerable multitude of Princes and Nobles obliged himselfe And thence proceedeth in vowing the whole remainder of his life and reigne to the onely seruice of God and due administration of Iustice to his people to which end hee first giues command to his Counsellours that thence forward they dare not for whatsoeuer respect to giue way or conniuence to any the least iniustice in his Kingdom and next to his Officers of Iustice that as they tender his roiall fauour and their own liues they swerue not from Equity in execution of their places in respect of any man whosoeuer no not for the enriching of the Kings owne Cophers because saith hee I hold it not needefull that treasure should bee heaped together for mee by any vniust exactions and so concludeth with a strict charge to all his Bishops and Iustices vpon their allegiance both to God and himselfe to take order in his absence that Gods Church and his Ministers bee not defrauded of their Tithes and rights whereof he vowes at his returne to take a most seuere account 13 By this his great care of his owne saluation and his peoples tranquillity we may see the zeale of those darke daies to haue beene accompanied with the workes of true pietie whose carnall applications of the spirituall texts may well condemne these cleerer times and daies of more brightnes wherein wee know that this Key-keeper of heauen is no other but the verie Christ who hath the Key of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth And that this Kings zeale might bee further seene by his magnificke workes he beganne to manifest it euen at Rome where giuing many large gifts vnto S. Peters Church hee also made free the Saxons Schoole from all tributes 14 In Essex hee built the Church of Ashdon where hee had the victory against King Edmund In Norfolke the Abbey of S. Benets which Saint he greatly reuerenced and in Suffolke with an especiall deuotion built and endowed the Monastery of S. Edmund which Saint he most dreadly feared for it is reported that the seeming-ghost of Edmund often affrighted him for which cause as also to expiate the sinnes of his father who had done great dammage to his possession hee inuerged the same with a deepe ditch and offered vp his Crowne vpon the
thousand men and Harold in Souldier-like exequies borne vnto Waltham in Essex there honourably enterred as we haue said William the Conqueror for so now may wee stile him returned to Hasting and thence set forward with spoile of the Country ouer Thamesis towards London 2 Where Edwine and Morcar the Brethren of the Queen were in working the English that one of them should be King or rather saith Simon of Durham to crowne Edgar Etheling the rightfull heire in such esteeme with the People that he was commonly called Englands Darling vnto whose side most of the Nobles aâ—…ered with the Citizens of London and the Nauall forces to which part also ioined Aldred Archbishop of Yorke though presently he fel off and stuckt to the stronger for the Prelates though secretly affecting the right claime yet terrified with the flashing thunderbolts of the Papall curse durst not goe forward with their purpose so powerful was the Pope euen then to defeat the rightfull heires of kingdomes but refused to side with the Lords whereupon all their designements were suddainely quashed 3 For William hauing wasted through Kent Sussex Surrey Hampshire and Barkshire came vnto Wallingford and crossing there the Thamesis passed through the Counties of Oxford Buckingham and Hertford where staying at Berkhamsted Aldred Archbishop of Yorke Wolstane Bishop of Worcester Walter Bishop of Hereford with the Earles Edâ—… and Morcar yea and Edgar himself yeelded their allegiance vnto the Duke This curse so preuailing farre engaged William to the Pope 4 William intending for London being on his way found the passage stopt vp with multitudes of great trees which by the policy of Frethericke Abbot of S. Albanes a man descended from the Saxons noble bloud as likewise from Canutus the Dane to secure his Monasterie from the destruction of the Normans were so cut downe whereat the Duke both wondring and fretting sent for the Abbot vnder his assurance of safe returne and demanding the cause why his woods were so cut Frethericke answered very stoutly I haue done said he the duety both of my birth and profession and if others of my ranke had performed the like as they well might and ought it had not beene in thy power to haue pierced the land thus farre 5 Wâ—…lliam hearing the bold answere of this Prelate and knowing it was now a time fitter to pacifie then exulcerate the English spirits gaue way to the present necessity and withall hastned as good policy required his coronation which at Westminster was solemnized vpon Monday being the day of Christs Natiuity and yeere of saluation 1066. where he receiued the crowne at the hands of Aldred Archbishop of Yorke causing the Bishops and Barons to take the oath of allegiance vnto him and himselfe likewise at the altar of S. Peters tooke a solemne oath to defend the rights of the Church to establish good lawes and to see iustice vprightly administred as became a good King and thereupon chose for his counsell such men as he knew to bee of great wisedome and experience next applying his thoughts for the security of his new gotten Empire fortified such places as lay open to danger bestowed strong Garrisons vpon the coasts ships to ride in those Harbours which were most exposed to inuasion 6 And the better to assure the south of the land best seruing his purpose if any new troubles should arise hee tooke his way towards Douer the locke and key of the Kingdome as Mathew Paris terms it that so hee might commaund the seas from his enemies arriuage and ouer-awe the Kentish a most strong and populous Prouince When Stigand therfore Archbishop of Canterbury and Eglesine the Politicke Abbot of Saint Augustines being the chiefest Lords and Gouernours of Kent vnderstoode of his approch they assembled the Commons at Canterbury laying forth the perils of the Prouince the miseries of their neighbours the pride of the Normans and the wronges of the Church all which now were too apparantly seene the English till then they sayd were borne free and the name of bond-men not heard of among them but now seruitude only attend vs if wee yeeld sayd they to the insolency of this griping enemy These two Prelates therefore after the example of the vndaunted Machabees offered themselues to die in the defence of their Country whose forwardnesse drew the people vnto the like resolution which by their aduertisements were assigned to meet at a day the place was Swanscombe two miles west from Graues end 7 Where accordingly conuening and keeping secret in the woods they waited the comming of the Conquerour all iointly agreeing for that no way lay open saue onely a front to carry in their hands great branches of trees wherewith they might both keepe themselues from discouery and if need were impeach the passage of the Normans which deuice tooke so strange an effect that it daunted the Duke euen with the sight at his approch who being as he thought free from the enemy was now suddainly beset on all sides with woods whereof seeing some before him to moue he knew not but that all the other vast woods were of like nature neither had hee leasure to auoide the danger The Kentish inclosing his Army about displaied their banners cast downe their boughes and with bowes bent prepared for battle so that hee which euen now had the Realme to his seeming in his fist stood in despaire of his owne life of which his sodaine amazement the reuerend Prelates Stigand and Eglesine taking notice also aduantage presented themselues before him and in the behalfe of the Kentish thus spake 8 Most noble Duke behold here the Commons of Kent are comeforth to meete and receiue you as their Soueraigne requiring your Peace their own free condition of estate and their ancient lawes formerly vsed if these be denied they are here presently to abide the veraite of battaile fully resolued rather to die then to depart with their lawes or to liue seruile in bondage which name and nature is and euer shall be strange vnto vs and not to be endured The Conquerour driuen into this strait and loath to hazard all on so nice a point their demaunds being not vnreasonable more wisely then willinglie granted their desires and pledges on both parts giuen for performance Kent yeeldeth her Earledome and Castle of Douer to their new King William 9 All things established for Englands securitie and subiection now to the Normans hee ordained his halfe brother by the surer side Odo Bishop of of Bayeux whom he created Earle of Kent and his cosen William-Fitz-Osburne by him made Earle of Hereford to bee Gouernours in his absence ouer the Realme and in the Lent following sailed into Normandy leading with him many pledges for their fidelity besides other Nobles especially such as he feared to be too potent amongst whom Stigand the Archbishop of Canterbury the two great Earles
to doe and accordingly the Prelates themselues by ioint consent adiudged him of Periury and by the mouth of the Bishop of Chichester disclaimed thence forward all obedience vnto him as their Archbishop The next day whiles the Bishops and Peeres were consulting of some further course with him Becket not as yet daunted caused to be sung before him at the Altar The Princes sit and speake against me and the vngodly persecute me c. And forthwith taking his siluer Crosier in his owne hands a thing strange and vnheard of before enters armed therewith into the Kings presence though earnestly disswaded by all that wished him well wherewith the King enraged commanded his Peeres to sit in iudgement on him as on a Traitor and Periured person and accordingly they adiudged him to be apprehended and cast into prison The Earles of Cornewall and Leicester who sate as Iudges citing him forthwith to heare his sentence pronounced hee immediately appealed to the See of Rome as holding them no Iudges competent wherupon all reuiling him with the name of Traitor and the like he replying That were it not for his function he would enter the Duell or Combate with them in the field to acquit himselfe both of Treason and Periury sped from the Court and from thence without delay into Flaunders disguising himselfe vnder the name of Dereman 24 The King on the other side to leaue nothing vndone whereby to atchieue his desire forthwith dispatched away Gilbert Bishop of London William Earle of Arundel to the French King that hee would not harbour nor cherish one that was fled as a Traitor but preuailed not for hee vpon the contrary dealt with the Pope That as he loued the Roman Church and the aid of France so he would support the cause of Thomas against the King which whether hee did it out of Faction rather then Deuotion let others iudge for as wee may easily thinke that the French would gladly incommodate the king of England so this is not to bee denied that Lewis was often afterward a Mediatour for peace and vndoubtedly held the man himselfe in great estimation both aliue and dead 25 The Archbishoppe growing thus in fauour with the Pope King Henry sends an Ambassage vnto him of many great Personages as Roger Archbishop of Yorke the BB. of London Winchester Chichester Iohn of Oxenford William Earle of Arundell c. whose whole emploiment being prece vel pretio by requests and gratifications to procure disgrace vnto Becket their finall suit was That the Pope would send two Cardinals into England fully to end the matter but the Pope denied it as holding it derogatory to his owne absolutenes saying like Gods Vice-gerent at least That is my owne glorie which I will not giue to any other but when he is to bee iudged I will iudge him my selfe For he knew the King of England was mighty both in speech and meanes and that Legates might easily be corrupted as being men more thirsty after gold and siluer then after iustice and equity and the Pope and Cardinals wisely resolued saith the Monke of Canterbury that as if this Archbishop were now vpheld in his cause it would be a patterne for others in like case to resist Kings so if he should sinke no Bishoppes euer after would darc oppose themselues to their Soueraignes pleasure and so the State of the Catholike Church would be shaken and the Popes authority be crushed 26 The King hauing receiued this foile and impatient of repulse where his owne subiect was a party thought the indignity offered by the Pope vnsufferable and to let him vnderstand how hee tooke it directs his Writs vnto the Sheriffes in England commanding them to attach such as did appeale to the Roman Court the fathers mothers brothers sisters nephewes and neices of all such of the Clergy as were with the Archbishop and to put them vnder sureties as also to seise the reuenewes goods and chattels of the said Clergie-men Again by other his letters to Gilbert Bishop of London he sequestred the profits and liuings which within his Diocesse did belong to any of the Clergie who were fled to Thomas that without the Kings leaue they might haue no part thereof Lastly to his Iustices he signified that they should safe-keepe whosoeuer did bring any interdict into England till the Kings pleasure were further knowne hee also caused the Church of Canterbury and all the Archbishops goods to bee confiscated grounding himselfe as may probably bee supposed vpon the iudgement giuen against Becket at North-hampton notwithstanding that the saide sentence was expresly nullified by the Popes Bul and not onely by word of mouth as * Mathew Paris seemes to mistake it Neither was this all for hee banished out of the Realme all the kindred of the Archbishop man woman child and sucking babes and for bad that hee should be any longer publikely mentioned and praied for in the Church as Arch-bishop of Canterbury 27 The Archbishop on the contrary part the contention being now wither the power Ecclesiasticall or Secular should worke most did solemnly in France where he abode excommunicate all such as obeyed defended or had occasioned the saide lawes and Auitall Customes and some of the parties by name as Richard de Luci Richard of Poictou Iocelin de Bailull Alan de Neâ—…ile and other who presently appealed but the King hauing further notice that Becket after his publike sermon on a great Festiuall day had solemnly threatned the like thunderclap against his Roiall Person either to terrifie his aduersaries or to reuenge himselfe if any such sentence should bee against him gathered a mighty Army vnder pretence of subduing Wales where yet hee did little The meane while Iohn of Oxenford who not onely followed the Kings cause stoutly but also writ a learned Booke in iustifying of it against Becket preuailed so farre at Rome that two Legates à latere should bee sent into England to reconcile the King and Thomas but when they were gone the Pope hearing that they were resolued vtterly to confound the Arcâ—…shop sent letters after them to rebate their absolute power they being men saith Geruasius who too much thirsted after gold and glory 28 When these two Cardinals came to Thomas he refused to put his cause to them vnlesse there were first a plenary restitution made to him and his of all that had beene taken away but being then counselled by them to submit himselfe to the king his answere was he would sauing Gods honour and the Churches liberty sauing his own honour and his Churches possessions and sauing his owne and his friends right being further demanded whither to resettle peace in Gods Church which hee seemed onely to desire he would renounce his Bishop-ricke if the king would renounce his customes he answered The proportion was not alike for that with
of Bibulus but all of Caesar so did Long champ in a short time easilie make himselfe sole and absolute his sway burying in silence the name and endeauours of his Colleague 11 Thus the summe of commaund or the Souereigne power it selfe was in the Chancellor as Viceroy but for defence and preseruation of his iustice hee * did subordinate or associate to those Bishops William Earle of Arundell Hugh Bardolfe William Marshall Geffrey Fitz-Peter William Brunor Robert de Whâ—…tfield Roger Fitz-Reâ—…rey wherein hee did shew his loue and care of the English Nation as also of Iustice it selfe for that many of these were of the most honourable Peeres of the Land and not men bred-vp or formerly enured to make Iustice or their owne Tongues venall for a fee honour beeing the rule of their proceedings and strength of priuate fortunes with their Princes fauour the pillar to susteine that honor 12 There remained to prouide for before hee left England the neighbour-hood of Scotland and Wales which might otherwise make vse of his absence to his preiudice But Rhese ap Gruffith of whom there is extant a short but elegant Panegyris Prince of South-Wales beeing already in amitie came as farre as Oxford toward him but because the King who was there came not in person to meete him as his father King Henrie had done the Prince notwithstanding Earle Iohn the Kings only brother had conducted him from the Marches with speciall honor tooke it in so high scorne and indignation for euen the meanest from whom seruice or loue is expected will againe expect regard that hee foorthwith returned into his Countrey without once saluting the King who by this neglect lost Rheses loue as vpon the like omission and vnrespectiuenesse Augustine the too supercilious Monke did leese the affections of the Monkes of Bangor Rheses owne countrie-men in another part of Wales 13 As for william King of Scots a verie worthie Prince hee iourneied hither to King Richard into England and heere concluded a firme friendship which hee kept verie religiously euen in the greatest troubles of King Richard to the glorie of himselfe and his Nation and as some write sent his Brother Dâ—…d with 5000. Scots to serue him in the sacred wâ—…res The chiefe points of their â—…tion were 〈◊〉 That for ten thousand Markes Sterling then paid the Castles of Rockesbrough and Berwicke cautionarie Castles or gâ—…ge places for part of his ransome should be restored 2. That he should haue all such deedes instruments and charters made by him to the late King Henrie which had by constraint or duresse beene obtained and himselfe to be freed from all encombrances claimes or pretensions whatsoeuer 3. That he should haue all such dignities as his brother Malcolm held in England for which King William did there make fealtie and all such Lands as his Ancestors did hold of the English Crowne 14 The State of England being thus in the maine and other meane points established King Richard crost the Seas into France to Philip king therof according to appointment that from thence with minds forces vnited they might set forward vnder the Ensigne of the Crosse which after some stay occasioned by the death of the French Queen they did vpon these Christian and friendly termes 1. That each of them preserue the others honour and beare faith to him for life and member and earthly dignity 2. That neither of them shall faile the other in their affaires but that the King of France shall helpe the King of England to defend his land euen as hee would defend the City of Paris if it were besieged and Richard King of England shall helpe the King of France to defend his land euen as he would defend his City Roan if it were besieged This being fairely engroft and afterward ratified with oath and sent by the kings themselues in person the Earles and Barons sware in solemne manner that they would not trespasse against their fealty nor stirre any warre in either of the kings Dominions so long as they were in that pilgrimage on the other side the Archbishops and Bishops did firmly promise in verbo veritatis in the word of truth that they would accurse and excommunicate al such as did transgresse this agreement 15 Thus after some necessary staies these two the greatest Monarks of the West set forward ouer land toward the publike seruice of Christianity with such numbers as theÌ„selues thought best which were so great that hauing aduanced not without some little losse of people by the fall of the Bridge ouer the riuer Rhene at Lions which brake by reason of the throng beyond the said violent streame they parted company Philip passing ouer the Alpes into Italy and Richard to the Sea-side at Marsilia there to meete with his Nauie which being compact of all the chiefe Ships in England Normandy and other his French Dominions was there appointed to attend 16 But the voiage being very long and King Richard comming to the Port before his Fleet after eight daies expectation there waxing impatient of delay embarkt himselfe in twenty hired Gallyes and ten great hulkes or Busses a kind of shipping as it seemes peculiar then to the Mediterranean seas and set saile toward Messana in Sicilia the Rendeuâ—…w of both the kings and of their Armies in which passage lying at Anchor on occasion in the mouth of the riuer Tyber not far from Rome * Octâ—…ianus the Bishoppe of Hostia repaired vnto him desiring him in the Popes name that hee would visite his Holinesse which the King denied to do laying to the Popes charge many shamefull matters touching the Râ—…ish Simony and Couetousnesse with many other reproaches allcadging that they tooke 700. Markes for consecration of the Bishoppe of Mains 1500. Markes for the Legatiue power of William Bishop of Ely but of the Archbishop of Burdeaux an infâ—…ite summe of money whereupon hee refused to see Râ—…e Thus after sundry accidents and commings on land hearing that his Nauy was safe he * staied for them by the way and then came to anchor not long after to wit 23. of September before the City of Messana with so great a shew of power and sound of Warlike Instruments and other signes of Maiesty in the sight of Philip and his French and of many other Nations there assembled that it stroke horror into the Inhabitants saith Houeden and moued no small enuy in the hearts of his confederates 17 From this time forward as it may seem the Enemy of Concord feeding the maleuolent passions of men with perpetuall matter of debate the king of France was neuer truly king Richards friend in heart but vpon the same day whither streightned in prouisions or otherwise hee left the king of England but by contrary wind was driuen backe before night where after many troubles and quarrels betweene the English and Sicilians the two kings peaced againe and setled
that wherein elections voices are equall or concord wanting the Pope may gratifie whome hee please vnto which wee now may adde a third no lesse arduous insolent that the Pope may strike vp Elections both where and of whom and with and without what consent him listeth Which lewd obtrusion that it galled the King to the quicke wee need not maruaile if wee ballance in one scale the Popes meere will and pleasure in the other the dishonour to thè King thus to be triced out of that which so vehemently and with his owne presence hee took care to see effected the preiudice to his Crowne to be defeated of Soueraigne assent the hazard to the State to haue his Enemy a Phillippine and French fauourite the chiefe man ouer his English besides wrongs more particular as both the disgrace to his best-deseruing Counsellour the disloyalty of the Monks first to choose without his licence then to mocke him with a second choice next to beguile him with oaths after to trauaile vpon his excessiue charge and lastly to doe and vndoe all with their periurie With all which so farre the Kings patience surfetted that he beganne on them to disgorge his wrath who with him beganne these affronts proscribing first all those Monkesas Traytors and afterward writing his letters to the Pope with relation of those great wrongs to Himselfe and exceptions to Langton vowing immutably to stand for his own Elect and to die in defence of the Liberties of his Crowne putting the Pope in mind that Rome reapt more gaine from England then from all the Trans-alpine Regions threatning also if he were now crossed in this hee would stoppe all from crossing the Seas to Rome nor would any longer emendicate their forraine Iustice sith his owne Kingdomes so abounded with Bishoppes and learned men of most accomplished perfection in all professions 39 If when this Kings Father vttered some such threats to Gratian the Popes vassall hee then replyed Sir doe not threaten vs for wee feare no menaces because wee are of such a Court as vseth to be imperious ouer Emperours and Kings which as a remarkable Apothegme Baronius sets forth in greater letters we may then guesse how this great Lord of that Court did himselfe brooke such tart salutations Nay the effects bewray it when in his sublimed Reply hee snebs the King for comminatory obraydings and contumacious malepartnesse and threatens him that if he do not by referring himselfe wholy to his good pleasure seeke to deserue his Grace hee should plunge into those difficulties whence hee should hardly euer get forth intimating that himselfe being vnworthy vicegerent to him vnto whom euery knee in Heauen Earth Hell must bow must in the end needs haue the vpper hand and that to resist him is to oppugne God himselfe and his Church for which glorious Becket spilt his bloud These were indeed bloody words to affright the King with expectance of more such blowes and bloody stripes from Rome as had lighted on his Father And hee threatned no more then he acted for thereupon hee sent his doubled Apostolicall command the one general to all the Prelates for submitting and adhering resolutely to Langton the other to some particular Bishops for conuenting the King and Interdicting his whole Kingdome if him they found still contumaciously rebelling Neither was hee more insolent in the command then they in the execution wherby on a day ill suiting so vnchristian an Action this flourishing Church though the King had sworne their banishment and confiscation if they did it was depriued of the very face of Christianity for many ensuing yeeres as if not Innocentius Christs Vicar but Iulian his professed Enemy had mured vp the doores of the Christians Temples for despight of their God 40 But this High-Priest had forgotten what another taught him and a he himsefe sometimes thought about interdicting France for their Kinges offence that better it was one should suffer then a whole Nation perish whereas now for the Kings only crossing the Popes good pleasure God is censured to loose his worshippe and all the People to hazard their soules liuing almost like Infidels without Gods seruice and blessed Sacrament yea and dying like dogges tumbled into euery ditch But what did such wofull effects fasten onely on the Layty The Clergy bare their part too whom the flames of the Kings iustly incensed wrath did so scorch that his Dominions were too hote for their abode for their persons hee proscribed and sent packing to the Pope their reuenewes hee confiscated their Bishoprickes Abbeyes and Priories hee deputed to Laymens custody their women for such as had not wiues had Lemmans were dearely ransomed and euery where they suffered wrongs without ordinary protection of Iustice. Whereof though our vulgar perfunctary Writers produce no other reason but the onely ouerflowing of the Kings gall as if first stirred by some few delinquent Bishops through furious reuenge it ouer-whelmed the whole Clergy yet indeed these were but the due chasticements of their generally disloyall hearts As to instance when the King sent his mandate to S. Albans that not regarding the Popes commaund in the Interdict they should continue the celebration of Gods seruice the Abbot calling his Monkes into the Chapter-house perswaded them to obey God rather then Man meaning the Pope rather then the King and to beare resolutely the Kings anger whom God in due time would bring to an end What maruaile then if the Clergy carried so generally with this streame of a forraine vsurped power against Gods seruice and their Soueraignes godly desire and due authority were likewise generally inuolued in that reward of their disloialty And yet euen in the Clergy many of eminencie detested these cruell and irreligious courses of the Pope Philip the Bishoppe of Duresme and his Successor with the Bishops of Norwich and Winchester heartned the King to contemne the Papall curse the Cicestertian Abbots neglecting the Interdict continued their diuine celebrations till the Pope suspended them for their contempt Alexander Abbot of the Benedictines a Diuine of exquisite learning published in his Sermons that their present calamities were no reproch to their Soueraignes proceedings but due rewards of the Subiects hainous trespasses because kings ought to gouerne yea and strongly bridle all disobedient Subiects whomsoeuer but as for Popes they ought not to intermedle in the ciuill affaires and regiment of any Princes ouer their vassals seeing Peter himselfe receiued no power but onely in matters appertaining to the Church And though the Pope were reuenged on him for his plaine truth and some Monkish humors haue aspersed other such men with bitter reproches yet what may bee thought both of these the Popes courses of such his opposers a late Iesuite no partiall man to Princes sheweth saying that many and godly wise men at that time did wish
that Sir Godfrey de Crancumb Knight with three hundred armed men was sent to apprehend the Earle in Essex Hee hauing intelligence of their approach fledde into a Chappell at Brentwood which adioyned to his lodging from whence those rough Souldiers haled him hee holding in one hand a Crucifix and in the other the Sacrament and sent for a Smith to make for him shackels of yron But when the Smith vnderstood that it was for Hubert de Burgh Earle of Kent he refused vttering such words if Mathew Paris doe not Poetize as did well shew that honourable thoughts are somtimes found in the hearts of men whose fortunes are farre from honour for hauing first drawne a deepe sigh hee said Doe with mee what yee please and God haue mercy on my soule but as sure as the Lord liues I will neuer makeyron shackles for him but will rather die the worst death that is For is not this that most loyall and couragious Hubert who so often hath preserued England from being destroyed by strangers restored England to England He who faithfully and constantly serued his Soueraigne Lord King Iohn in Gascoigne Normandy and else where that he was compelled to eate the flesh of horses whose high courage euen Enemies admired he that so long defended Douer Castle the Key of England against all the exquisite sieges of the French and by vanquishing them at Sea brought safety to the Kingdome What need I rehearse his excellent doings at Lincolne and Bedford Let God be iudge between him and you for vsing him so vniustly and inhumanely repaying good with euill nay requiting his most excellent deserts with the worst recompence that can be But Sir Godfrey and his blacke band regarded not such speeches but otherwise binding the Earle hard they set him on horsebacke and so conuayed him to the Tower of London 35 This breach of Sanctuary being made knowne to Roger Bishoppe of London whose Diocesse it was he confidently tels the King that if the Earle were not restored to the Chappell hee would excommunicate all the Authors of that outrage The Earle is accordingly restored but the Sheriffes of Essex and Hertford at the Kings commandement with the powers of their counties besiege the Chappell so long that at last they hauing cast a Trench about it that none might goe in or out the Earle was compelled to come forth and render himselfe bearing all things with an equall mind as one that had a cleare conscience before God which hee professed to haue While the Chappell was thus beset round the Kings indignation was so violent that hee forbad all men once to make mention of Hubert in his hearing No maruaile then if it bee said that the Princes indignation is death The Archbishoppe of Dublin neuerthelesse was not deiected but with praiers and teares besought the King who remained as yet inexorable Huberts enemies possessing his soule and senses Hubert therefore is againe imprisoned in the Tower There was no sacrifice as it seemes could appease the Kings iâ—…e but that of the Earles Hoord of gold and other riches which the Knights Templars had in their custodie vpon trust without Huberts consent refused to deliuer Hubert therefore willingly yeelds which when the Depositaries did giue vp the value seemed incredible This hoording perhaps was Huberts crime whereof being thus purged he had hope to recouer out of these deadly pangs and conuulsions of fortune and himselfe to bee made capable of curing Well the king obtains this precious booty but his enemies would haue his bloud also saying sith hee was conuicted of theft and fraud it was meet he should die a most shamefull death It seemes they thought that the verie finding of so much treasure was a conuiction of fraud in the getting and that the King must bee interpreted to haue lost whatsoeuer the Earle had gained But the displeasure of the King was mollified with this golden balme for hee answered them thus Hubert from his childhood hath as I haue heard faithfully enough serued my vncle King Richard and my Father King Iohn and if he haue done ill towards me hee shall neuer therefore die an euill death For I had rather be reputed a foolish or a negligent King then a cruell Tyrant or a bloudy man toward him who hath long serued mee and mine ancestors nor will I weigh more his euill deedes which are not as yet manifest nor proued true then all his good deeds which are plainelie knowne to the Realme and to vs all Hereupon Hubert had all such lands granted vnto him as eyther King Iohn had giuen or himselfe had purchased There vndertooke for him to the King as sureties the Earles of Cornwall and Warrenn Marshal Ferrars and himselfe was committed to the Castle of Deuises there to abide in free Prison vnder the Custody of foure Knights belonging each of them to one of these foure Earles This Court-storme thus in part ouerblowne let vs take our standings to view what other weather followed and what countenance of things in this Kingdome did next present it selfe to the world 36 The King being naturally as it seemes addicted to repose himselfe vpon some one mans counsell was now wholy swayde by Peter de Rupibus Bishoppe of Winchester who had therefore wrought the Earle out of grace that hee might soly raigne and predominate in the gentle King Which the better to effect the Bishoppe procures him to displace the English Officers and in their roomes to surrogate Poictouines and Britons who comming ouer to the number of about two thousand he stuffes his Castles with them and in briefe did as it were wholy entrust himselfe his treasures strengthes and the Realme to them So that Iudgements were committed to the vniust Lawes to the Out-lawes Peace to Wranglers and Iustice to wrong-dâ—…ers Such as would haue praied redresse for these abuses were interrupted and put off by the Bishoppe of Winchester Among them who were remoued from their places in Court was one Sir William de Redune a Knight and Deputy Marshall to Richard Earle of Pembroke This was to the Earle very displeasant which ioyned with a consideration of the publike cause and danger he associates vnto him certaine of the great Lords as was the fashion of those Lording times vpon euery discontent and in the Company of them aduanceth confidently to the King whom in the hearing of many hee reproueth for that he had through sinister aduise called in the Poictouins to the oppression of the Realme of his naturall subiects of their Lawes and Liberties humblie therefore hee beseecheth him that hee would spedily reforme such abuses which threatned the imminent subuersion both of the Crowne and Kingdome which if hee did not himselfe and other Lordes would so long withdraw their attendance as he entertained Strangers The Bishoppe hereunto makes answere That the King might well and lawfully call in what Strangers himselfe
besought him My Soueraigne Lord and King I haue beene nourished by you and made rich in worldly substance confound not your own Creature but at leastwise grant mee a time of deliberation that I may render a competent reason for such points as I am charged with Thou shalt said the King be carried to the Tower of London there to deliberate till I am satisfied He was so Stephen de Segraue the Lord Chiefe Iustice whom the King also called most wicked Traitour had time till Michaelmas to make his accounts at the Archbishops and other Bishops humble entreaty and for other matters he shifted them off from himselfe by laying the blame vpon such as were higher in place then hee into whose office of Chiefe Iustice Hugh de Pateshull is aduanced The like euasion Robert Paslew had by leauing the fault vpon Walter Bishoppe of Carleil who was aboue him in the Exchequer and thus were these ciuill enormities reformed not without reducing store of Coine to the King 50 As those continuall turmoiles and plagues of the Sword much afflicted the land so this was the third yeere wherein God inflicted also for sin the plague of famine whereby the poore did miserably perish there being no Samaritan to pay for their barbouring or to annoint their wounds with the oyle of consolation Our Authors to make manifest how odious the mercilesse heart is in the sight of God relate a storie of that time with protestation that they doe it left so memorable an example should be in time forgotten Certain poore while as yet the Corne was greene pluckt the eares in the common fields to sustaine their liues whereupon the Owners call on the Priest to curse all such as had so done but one in their company adiured the Priest in the name of God to exempt his corne from the sentence saying it pleased him well that the poore driuen with famine had taken his corne and so commended that which they had left to God The Priest compelled by importunity of the rest was entred into the sentence when by a terrible interrupting tempest of thunder lightning wind haile and raine all the corne-fieldes about were desolated as if they had beene troden downe with Horse and Cartes that no kind of beast or fowle would feed vpon the corne thus laid But as say our Authors out of the Scripture seeing they who are pitteous find mercy that honest and compassionate hearted man found all his corne and grounds though interlaced with theirs altogether vntoucht and vnharmd Wherupon say they it is more cleare then any light that as glory to God on high is sung of Angels so there is peace on Earth to men who are of goodwill This dearth was in France and Gascoigne aswell as in England A Iewish impiety may well be annexed to want of Christian Charity There were brought before the King at Westminster seuen Iewes who circumcised a Child and purposed in contempt of Christ and Christianity to haue crucified him in Easter at Norwich 51 These now calmer times were made more happy by the marriage of the Emperour Fredericke with the Lady Isabel the King of Englands sister a beauteous young Lady about twenty yeeres of age The messengers arriued in March with the Emperours letters closed vnder a Seale of gold and there were sent to conduct her ouer the Archbishoppe of Colein and the Duke of Louain The King brought her to Sandwich with about three thousand horse in his traine and being imperially furnished with all worldly abundance shee tooke shipping in May and in one dayes and one nights space arriued at Antwerpe a City of the Empire was euery where most magnificently entertained her sweet humility and excellent beauty drawing all to loue and honour her At the solemnitie of her marriage were present three Kings eleuen Dukes thirty Marquesses Earles besides the number of great Prelates On whether superstition or obseruation of the Emperour is noted at this marriage that he forbare the Empresses company till a certaine howre which his VVisards or Astrologers had assigned and in the morning hee caused her to bee carefully tended as a woman with child and sent word to his brother the King of England that hee should haue a sonne so skilfull or confident hee was and God did fauour his iudgement for it proued so This Imperiall affinity gaue a worthy Historian occasion here to display and emblazon the Maiesty and glory of the English Princes but amongst them all none were higher aduanced then the Children of King Iohn one of whose sons was now a King the other afterward chosen to be an Emperour and one of his daughters a Queen this other here mentioned an Empresse And here doth VVendouer end his history to whom we haue hitherto been beholding for his labours sorry wee can enioy his good company no longer 52 There were spread through England about this time certaine Romane Vsurers called Caurfini who had entangled the King himselfe most of the great men and all others as had to deale with the Court of Rome in their cunning snares Their first entrance into England was some few yeeres past when the Pope requiring the tenth of all moueable goods in England Ireland and Wales towards his wars against the Emperour Fredericke sent Stephen his Nunce hither to collect it who brought with him that race of deuouring-Monsters vnder humane shape called the Popes Marchants vnder colour of Richard late Earle Marshall to commit that assassinate vpon him This execrable wretch hauing beene a Courtier and one of the Kings Knights supposing to haue found the King in his owne retiring Bed had about midnight gotten in at the Chamber window but God in whose special protection the liues of Princes are disappointed him for the King was elsewhere in bed with his Queen Neuerthelesse he gaue not ouer but with naked knife in hand sought vp and downe in some other Chambers One of the Queenes gentlewomen sitting late and very deuoutly at her booke by candle-light at sight of the furious villaine with her shriking noise wakened the Kings seruants who starting out of their Bed laid hands vpon him afterward he was drawne in peeces with horses at Couentree And worthily for as a vulgar Chronicler hereupon saith truly in wounding and killing a Prince the Traitor is guilty of homicide of parricide of Christiâ—…ide nay of Deicide William de Marisco who was saide to bee the instigator of this Treason knowing his danger became a Pyrate fortified the Isle of Lundey in Seuern where hee did much mischiefe the situation of that little Iland being inexpugnable At length hee was surprised therein and sixteene of his Complices who all of them after conuiction were put to death at London William to the last gaspe denying his priuity to the former treasonous attempt of
Priest if such an election might stand by law or lawfull fauour But the Pope who meant to make his aduantage hereof as well as the King exacted of him for confirmation of the same election fiue hundreth Markes of Church reuenewes to be passed ouer vnto the Earle of Burgundies sonne a childe which makes the Monke to breake forth into this bitter lamentation O Pope the Chiefe of Fathers why dost thou suffer thus the Christian world to be defiled worthily worthily therefore art thou driuen out of thy owne Citie and See and like a runnagate and another Cham art inforced to wander vp and downe ô God thou God of iust reuenge when wilt thou drawforth thy sword to imbrue it in the blood of such oppressors Though in these vniuersall abuses the Pope would neither redresse himselfe nor others yet God raised vp a stout and learned Prelate Robert Grostest Bishop of Lincolne who vndertooke to reforme the Monks and Friars but they who knew Râ—…e was from the beginning Asylum Latronum appealed to the Pope Whereupon the aged Bishop going to his holinesse tolde him that all offenders escaped by his opening his bosome to such as brought him bribes who snapping him vp with angrie Countenance and speech sent him home with reproach The Pope was at this time at Lyons where not long after the CouÌ„cel breaking vp Cardinal Huge made a Sermon of farewell to the Citizens wherein amongst other benefites which the Popes lying in their City had brought them he told them this was a Principall that whereas at their comming there were three or foure Whore-houses in the Lyons now at their departing they left but one but indeed that reached from the East-Gate of the City to the West Whereby wee see France had some part of the Popes Almes as well as England 77 The King now whollie intent vpon encrease of treasure neither gaue any rich presents according to the ancient Custome of England and also shortneth yet more the allowances of his Househould and entertainements without any regard to Maicstie or rumor And to spare his owne charge the rather he inuites himself sometime to this man and sometime to that but no where contenting himselfe with his diet hospitage vnlesse both he his Queene 〈◊〉 sonne Edward yea and chiefe fauourites in Court were presented with great and costly gifts which they tooke not as of Courtesie but as due This was the vnhonourable face of the Kings estate at that time But in the depth of his wants and rigour of his Parcimonie he could not shut vp himselfe against the suites and aduancement of his Poictouines and Prâ—…ncois so that it was become a common murmur in England Our inheritance is conuerted to aliens and our houses to strangers The matter seemed the more grieuous for that their pride and violence were intollerable About this time the clause Non obstante brought in first by the Pope was taken vp in England by the King in his grants and other writings as Non obstante priore mandato Non obstante antiqua libertate c. This our ancient Author cals an odious and detestable clause and Roger de Thurkeby Iustitiar fetching a deepe sigh at the sight thereof cried out both of the times and it saying it was a streame deriued from that sulphureous fountain of the Clergie 78 Another of the Kings Iusticiars and a learned Knight Sir Henry de Bath whose Lady because herselfe was well descended filled him with pride was so confidently greedy the better to satisfie her ambition that in one circuit hee appropriated to himselfe aboue two hundreth pound lands Corruption in Iustice which must needs be suspected to be there where excessiue wealth is gotten by the Officers of Iustice is but a sandie ground-worke of a vainely-hoped greatnesse and may well bee reputed in the number of crying sinnes and this moued a Knight Sir Philip de Arci to appeach him before the King both for vnfaithfulnesse in his office and treason against the King The King had no hold of himselfe after hee was once throughly kindled Bath knowes it and therefore writes to his wiues friends to come strong in his defence that the King should not dare to call him to his triall yet withall hee seekes all secret meanes how to appease the King who vnderstanding of this combination was the more enflamed The Earle of Cornwall his brother could not appease him no not though hee knit vp his intercessions with these minatorie words Wee must not forsake Gentlemen in their right nor in preseruing the peace of the tottering Kingdome In March there was holden a Parliament at London there the King caused Bath to bee sharpely prosecuted Thither Sir Henry Bath repairs strongly attended with Knights and Gentlemen of his owne friends and his wiues to daunt the edge of Iustice which he deseruedly feared The accusations were many for all meÌ„ were called to say what they could against him and among all these two most hainous that he troubled the whole Realme and stirred all the Barons thereof against the King so that a generall rebellion was to be feared which one of his fellow-Iusticiars did openly testifie that hee had for reward discharged a conuicted Malefactor out of prison without punishment in preiudice of the King and to the perill of his associate Iusticiars The King was so enraged herewith that seeing no other way to punish him being so strongly backed hee mounted into an higher place then before and cries out Whosoeuer kils Henrie de Bath shall be quit of his death and I here doe acquit him and presently departs Neuerthelesse although hee left behind him many men who would haue readily executed the Kings terrible doome yet by the wisdome of Sir Iohn Mansel one of the Kings priuate Councellors they were restrained His wordes are worthy to bee remembred Gentlemen anâ—… friends it is not necessary for vs to put that presently in execution which the King hath in his anger commanded It may bee when his wrath is ouerblowne hee will bee sorry hee said it Moreouer if any outrage be done to Bath loe here are his friends who will take all sorts of reuenge Sir Henry escaping thus from so present a danger found meanes vpon promise of money and great mediation of friends to obtain his peace safety for at thiâ—…me Iustice and all things grew saleable The North-East part of Wales was committed to Alan de Zouch who had it in Farme for eleuen hundreth Markes yeerely whereas Iohn de Gray whom he supplanted in the place paid but fiue hundreth so miserable Wales was let out to such as would giue most 79 Alexander the third succeeding his Father in the Kingdome of Scotland comming in Christmas to Yorke there espoused though very young the Lady Margaret daughter to King Henry There were present the two Kings in person with a most choice multitude of either Nation the
S. Salomon Rochester chiefe Iustice of Assises 4000. M. S. Richard Boyland 4000. Marks S. Thomas Sodentone 2000. Marks S. Walter de Hopton 2000. Marks S. William Saham Iustice 3000 Marks Robert Littelburie Clerk 1000. Marks Roger Leicester Clerk 1000. Marks Adam de Stratton beside other riches incredible 32000. Markes But with one Sir Thomas Weyland the Kings chiefe Iustice being found belike most false he dealt farre more sternely for he not only seised vpon all his moueable goods and Iewels which he had done to others but also vpon his immoueable and banisht him moreouer out of the Kingdome At which time the King constrained all his Iustices to sweare that from thence forth they would take no pension fee or gift of any man except only a breakfast or the like present O diuine and still necessary seuerity onely able to breake the pernicious combination of men that vnder the profession of law offices of Iustice make merchandize of honor iustice law and conscience which cannot in the end but ◅ring forth ruine and confusion 18 That tempest now which * Thomas Ersilton a Scottish Rimer is said to haue obscurely prophecied alluding to the troubles of Scotland by reason of King Alexanders death hapned about these times which raised so great and bloody contentions that it had almost blowne vp the regalitie of that kingdome by the very rootes For when by the violent fall from his horse King Alexander had most vnfortunately lost his life that Realme was wofully destitute of any apparent heire sundry persons stāding in competition for the same These things were thought to be foreshewed from heauen by many fearefull presages as extraordinary Meteors Flouds Fires and Pestilence But King Edward intending to sway that affaire and being vpon his way toward the borders the death of his royall consort and Queene which he lamented while himselfe did liue called him backe to the celebration of her funerals as her excellent virtues did well deserue To our Nation shee was a louing mother saith one the Column and pillar as it were of the whole Realme In her honour the King her husband who loued her aboue al worldly Creaturs caused those many famous tropheis or crosses to be erected wheresoeuer her noble coarse did rest as it was conueyed from Lincolneshire to buriall in Westminster Nor coulde any thing but the respect to other weighty matters now presently in hand with-holde our pen from paying to her memory a farre more copious commendation 19 Those mourning offices as mournfully performed the King repaires into Northumberland whither the greatest and sagest persons of the Scottish nation being come themselues hauing sought to him Edward makes claime to the superiority of Scotland and requires that the Competitors woud quietlie assent to his award alleaging that the Crowne of that Realme was held of him for more credit to which assertion he vouched sundry books and actss whereunto the Scots replied That they were ignorant that any such superiority belonged to the King of England neither could they make answere to such things without a King the head vpon whom it lay to heare such a denunciation and protested that other answere they ought not as then to giue in regard of their Oath which after the death of Alexander their King they had made one to the other and the same to keepe vnder paine of excommunication Whereupon the King deliuered to them his letters Patents in which he acknowledged that the comming of those Scots on this side the water of Twede should not be at any other time vrged to preiudice them for comming againe into England that is That their example should not so be drawne to an argument of King Edwards right ouer them as if they were to come againe vpon dutie so prudentlie iealous were these Patriots of their Countries liberty 20 The names of the Competitors were these according to Walsingham Erick King of Norway who appeared by his Attorneys Florence Earle of Holland Robert le Brus Lord of Annandale Iohn de Baliol Lord of Galway Iohn de Hastings Lord of Abergeuenny Iohn Comin Lord of Badenaw Patrick de Dunbar Earle of March Iohn de Vesci on his Fathers behalfe Nicholas de Sules William de Rosse These all peaceably submitted themselues for so much as concerned their seuerall titles to the Scottish Crowne to the finall award and arbitration of King Edward passing thereof an authentick Instrument vnto him who hauing giuen caution to restore the realme of Scotland within a certaine prefixed time to that party to whom the Crowne thereof should be adiudged had seisin deliuered to him the better to put the sentence in execution or say the writers of that nation they giuing him power to constraine the parties to stand to this sentence The whole carriage of which weighty businesse being so diuersly related and censured by the writers of both nations though for the present it be not material both Kingdoms now blessedly acknowledging one absolute Superiour wee will so trace the steps of truth in a middle way as resoluing neither to impeach the action of that glorious vmpier nor preiudicate the right of our noble sister nation The State of Scotland now was not without manifest perill for the Scots denying that their Kingdome was in anie point subalterne to the Crowne of England and King Edward either perswaded that it was so or resoluing and plotting now to make it so would not neglect the aduantage of this Akphalisis or want of a known head in Scotland 21 Vpon full ventilation therefore and scanning of all rights the maine doubt rested vpon Lord Brus and Baliol for the residue might seeme rather to affect the honour of hauing pretended title in blood to a Diademe then to haue colour to contend with either of them Great was the aduise and deliberation as there was cause which King Edward tooke therein for not trusting to his owne iudgement hee caused saith Hector Boetius twelue of the best Clerks or learned men of Scotland and twelue of England to concurre as Assessors with him in that great decision 22 While this weighty cause was in debatement there fell out deadlie strife betweene the English and Normans occasioned by one of them casually slaine by the English which mischiefe the King of France forwardly nourisht as thirsting for the dutchy of Gascoigne which best he might attain by troubling the forreine affaires of King Edward whom they saw now entangled at home in so weighty emploiments Whereupon the Normans slew sundry of the English and hung vp one vpon the mast of a Shippe whom they had taken at Sea but ere long after threescore English ships encountring with two hundreth saile of Normans laden with wines after a most bloody battel wherein many thousands of the French were slaine tooke with their whole fleete their full reuenge and brought them into England 23 At last yet King Edward returning to
not without the Bishoppe of Herefords secret approuement as was said tooke him violently away and though he were a Priest thrust him into Newgate where they vsed him so vnhandsomly that albeit they had no accusation but onely for being faithfull to his Soueraigne wherewith to charge him he not long after died in prison to whom saith De la Moore might be applied that of Quintilian Torquentem vincit quisquis occiditur 69 The mournefull King being at Kenelworth Castle there repaired thither the Bishops of Winchester Hereford and Lincolne two Earles two Abbots foure Barons two Iustices three Knights for euery County and for London and other principall places chiefly for the fiue Ports a certaine chosen number selected by the Parliament which then the Queene and her Sonne held at London The Bishops of Winchester and Lincolne as it was agreede vpon came thither before any of the rest aswell to giue the King to vnderstand what kind of Embassage was approaching as to prepare him by the best Arguments they could to satisfie the desire and expectation of their new moulded common-weale which could onely be by resignation of the Crowne that his Sonne whom the body of the then confused State had elected might raigne in his stead 70 When they were admitted to his presence the Earle of Leicester being by they together so wrought him partly with shewing a necessity partly with other reasons drawne out of common places throughly studied for that purpose that though not without many sobs and teares hee finally did not dissent if his answere were truely reported which som doubt of vnto the Parliament For they tolde him that the Common-weale had conceiued so irreconciliable dislikes of his gouernment the particulars whereof had beene opened in the generall assembly at London that it was resolued neuer to endure him as King any longer That notwithstanding those dislikes had not extended themselues so farre as for his sake to exclude his issue but that with vniuersall applause and ioy the Common-weale had in Parliament elected his eldest sonne the Lord Edward for King That it would be a very acceptable thing to God willingly to giue ouer an earthly Kingdome for the common-good and quiet of his Country which they said could not otherwise bee secured That yet his honour should be no lesse after the resignation then it was before onely him the common-weale would neuer suffer to raigne any longer They finally durst tell him that vnlesse hee did of himselfe renounce his Crowne and Scepter the people would neither endure him nor any of his Children as their Soueraigne but disclaiming all homage and fealty would elect some other for King who should not bee of the bloud 71 The whole Company sent by the body of State if it may bee called a Body which then had no Head there from London where it attended their returne being placed by the Bishoppe of Hereford according to their degrees in the Presence Chamber at Kenelworth Castle the King gowned in blacke came forth at last out of an inward roome and presented himselfe to his vassals where as being Priuie to their errand sorrow stroke such a chilnesse into him that hee fell to the earth lying stretched forth in a deadly swown The Earle of Leicester and the Bishoppe of Winchester beholding this ranne vnto him and with much labour recouered the half-dead king setting him vpon his feet As rufull heauy as this sight was we read not yet of any acts or effects of compassion expressed towards him at this present so setled as it seemed was the hatred and auersion The King being now we cannot say come to himselfe but to the sense of his misery the Bishoppe of Hereford declares the cause of their present Embassie and running ouer the former points concludes as before saying as in the person of the common-wealth That the King must resigne his Diademe to his eldest sonne or after the refusall suffer them to elect such a person as themselues should iudge to be most fit and able to defend the Kingdome 72 The dolorous King hauing heard this speech brake forth into sighes and teares and being saith his most fauourable reporter more ready to sacrifice his body for Christs cause then once to behold the disinherison of his sonnes or through his occasion the perpetuall disturbance of the Kingdome as knowing saith he that a good shepheard should giue his life for his flocke made at the last his answere to this effect That hee knew that for his many sinnes hee was falne into this calamity and therefore had the lesse cause to take it grieuously That much he sorrowed for this that the people of the Kingdome were so exasperated against him as that they should vtterly abhorre his any longer rule and soueraignety and therefore he besought all that were there present to forgiue and spare him being so afflicted That neuerthelesse it was greatly to his good pleasure and liking seeing it could none other be on his behalfe that his eldest sonne was so gracious in their sight and therefore hee gaue them thanks for choosing him to be their King 73 This being said there was forthwith a proceeding to the short ceremonies of his resignation which principally consisted in the surrender of his Diadem and Ensignes of Maiesty to the vse of his son the new King Thereupon Sir William Trussel as being a Iudge who could fit them with quirks of law to colour so lawlesse and treasonable a fact on the behalfe of the whole Realme renounced all homage and alleagiance to the Lord Edward of Caernaruon late King 74 The forme of that renunciation as being obsolete you shall haue in the like obsolete words of Treuisa which was this I William Trussel in name of all men of the land of England and of all the Parliament Procurator resigne to thee Edward the homage that was made to thee sometime and from this time forward now following I defie thee and prine thee of all royall power I shall neuer be tendant to thee as for King after this time Which being done Sir Thomas Blunt Knight Steward of the houshold by breaking his staffe resigned his office and declared that the late Kings family was discharged 75 Edward being thus dekinged the Embassie rode ioyfully backe to London to the Parliament with the resigned Ensignes and dispatch of their employment Here for that this seems the last houre of his raigne and kingly state wee will make a stop referring you for the rest to the next Kings life vnder whose name and abused authority they were acted 76 Notwithstanding wee may not forget in all these doings to call to mind who it was that sate at the helme of State ouerlooking and ouerswaying Queene Prince and all to wit the most ambitious and vindicatiue man liuing Roger Lord Mortimer of Wigmor for as for the Queene when
his vnderhand workings they obiected also that hee had secretly practised to flie with the Duke of Ireland into France and to deliuer vp to the French Kings possession Callis such pieces as the Crowne of England held in those parts to proue which dishonourable act they as some write produced the French packets intercepted This wrung teares perhaps of disdaine from the King and hee yeelded to come to VVestminster vpon the next day there to heare and determine farther The King in signe of amitie stayed his Cosen the Earle of Derbie the same who afterward dethroned him to supper O where was the courage of a King The Lords in their owne quarrell could draw vp fortie thousand men but in the generall danger of the Realme when the Commons were vp and the French hung ouer their heads with no lesse hatred then preparations no such numbers appeared Was it fortheir honour or praise that their most rightful King should by their violence be driuen to consult vpon flight out of his proper Kingdome The Citie of London was also in no little perill at this present by their accesse which drawne by iust feare was contented to open the gates and harbour the Lords and their partakers These Lords who so often are called here the Lordâ—… are named in our Statute bookes to be but these fiue The Duke of Glocester the Earles of Derbie Arundel Warwicke and Marshal 76 The next day hee would haue deferred his repaire to Westminster This being signified to the Kings Lords for so they might bee called as being more Masters then the King they labour not by humble words and dutious reasons to perswade the vse or necessity of his presence in that place but contrarie to their allegiance and all good order send him word That if hee came not quickly according to appointment they would choose them another King who both would and should obey the counsell of the Peeres They had him indeed amongst them whom belike they euen then meant to haue surrogated that is to say the before said Earle of Derby heire to the D. of Lancaster The Lords certainely had so behaued themselues towards the King that they well saw they must bee masters of his person and power or themselues in the end perish 77 The King after a preposterous and inuerted manner attending his Subiects pleasures at Westminster heauily and vnwillingly is drawne to disclaime Alexander Neuil Archbishoppe of Yorke the Bishops of Duresme and Chichester the Lords Souch and Beaumount with sundry others Neither was the Male-sexe onely suspected to these curious pruners the Lady Poinings and other Ladies were also remoued and put vnder baile to answere such things as should bee obiected Sir Simon Burley Sir William Elinham Sir Iohn Beauchampe of Holt Sir Iohn Salisbury Sir Thomas Triuet Sir Iames Berneys Sir Nicholas Dagworth and Sir Nicholas Brambre knights with certaine Clerks were apprehended and kept in straite prison to answere such accusations what if meere calumniations as in the next Parliament at Westminster should be obiected 78 The Parliament began at Candlemas where the King was vnwillingly present The first day of the Session all the Iudges Fulthrop Belknap Care Hott Burgh and Lockton were arrested as they sate in Iudgement on the Bench and most of them sent to the Tower The cause alleadged was that hauing first ouerruled them with their counsels and directions which they assured them to bee according to law they afterward at Nottingham gaue contrarie iudgement to that which themselues had fore-declared Trysilian the chiefe Iustice preuented them by flight but being apprehended and brought to the Parliament in the forenoone had sentence to be drawne to Tyborne in the afternoone and there to haue his throat cut which was done accordingly Sir Nicholas Brambres turne was next This Brambre saith Walsingham was said to haue imagined to be made Duke of new Troy the old supposed name of London by murthering thousands of such Citizens whose names hee had billed for that purpose as were suspected of likelihood to resist him Then Sir Iohn Salisbury and Sir Iames Bernes two young Knights Sir Iohn Beauchamp of Holt Steward of the Household to the King and Iohn Blake Esquier were likewise sacrificed to reuenge Sir Simon Burley onely had the worshippe to haue but his head strucken off Loe the noble respect which the gentle Lords had to iustice and amendment This was no age wee see for a weake or slothfull Prince to sit in quiet for now the people and then the Peeres foile and trample the regall authority vnder foote the Duke of Ireland the Archbishoppe of Yorke the Earle of Suffolke and others had their estates confiscated to the kings vse by Act of Parliament as in the booke of Statutes may bee seene together with a great part of the whole proceedings 79 These troubles boiling and burning within in the Bowels of the State the Scots abroad had oportunity to inuade the North of England vnder the conduct of Sir William Dowglasse a noble young knight a parallel and riuall in the honour of Armes to Henry Hotspur Lord Percy whom Hotspur fighting hand to hand slew in battell but the Earle of Dunbar comming with an excessiue number of Scots tooke Hotspur and his brother prisoners killing many English not without such losse to themselues that they forthwith returned 80 But these vnneighbourly hostilities soone after found some surcease there being a meeting at Calis betweene the English and French about establishing a peace and albeit because the French would haue the Scot and Spaniard included therein the conclusion was deferred yet shortly after it was resolued vpon for three yeeres the Scots being comprehended therein 81 King Richard being now of age declares himselfe free to gouerne of himselfe without either controlement or help of any other then such as hee selected to that place and in token that he was at liberty he takes the Great Seale of England from Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Yorke Alexander Neuill being attainted and fled and departs out of the Councell Chamber After a while hee returnes and giues it backe to William Wickham the renowned Bishoppe of Winchester who was vnwilling to haue accepted the same Hee also puts out sundrie Officers substituting such others as best liked him From the Councell Table hee remoued his vncle Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester the Earle of Warwicke and others which as it might encouraged the Dukes enemies about the King to doe euill offices betweene them Yet the king did not presently credite what was whispered into his care concerning a purpose suggested to be in the Duke to raise forces againe but acquainting him withall was satisfied Neuerthelesse he would not suffer the Duke to pursue an orderly or any reuenge vpon the Authors whom indeed it had beene wisdome to haue punished in an exemplary manner 82 Michael de la Pole late Earle of Suffolke whom the popular Lords had made most
King is a Parallel There are named to haue been present at this wofull-ioyfull Act Arundel Archbishoppe of Canterburie Richard Scrope Archbishoppe of Yorke Iohn Bishoppe of Hereford Henry Duke of Lancaster who in this serious play must seeme as if hee were but a looker on the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland the Lords Burnell Barckley Ros Willoughby and Abergeuenie the Abbot of Westminster c. 112 In their presence Richard as yet a King and in his Tower of London but not otherwise then as a prisoner reades the Instrument of his surrender with a seeming chearefull countenance as if he were glad the hower was come in which hee might taste what it was to be a priuate man and hauing otherwise first done and said what then he could to put all right out of himselfe subscribes it with his hand but prayes that his Cosen the Duke of Lancaster might succeed him in the regall gouernement and in token that it was his desire for he must seeme to desire what hee could not hinder hee plucked off his Signetring and put it vpon the Dukes finger Then did he constitute the Archbishoppe of Yorke and Bishop of Hereford his Procurators to declare to the whole Body of Parliament what he had done how willingly where euery one except the loyal magnanimous Bishop of Carleol being particularly asked did particularly accept of the resignation Neuerthelesse it was not thought inough to haue his Crowne vnlesse they also published his shame Thirty and two Articles are therefore openly but in his absence read of all which it was said for then men might say what they listed that he had confessed himselfe guilty In the front was placed his abuse of the publike treasure and vnworthy waste of the Crown-land whereby he grew intollerably grieuous to the Subiects The particular causes of the Dukes of Glocester and Lancaster the Archbishop of Canterburie and Earle of Arundel filled sundry Articles They charged him in the rest with dissimulation falshood losse of honour abroad in the world extortions rapine deniall of Iustice rasures and embezelling of Records dishonourable shifts wicked Axiomes of state cruelty couetousnesse subordinations lasciuiousnesse treason to the rights of the Crown periuries and briefly with all sorts of vnkingly vices and with absolute tyranny 113 We may be assured that nothing could then be obiected so vntrue or incredible but would haue gone for current and vndenyable with affections so throughly prepared Hereupon it was concluded that in all those thirty and two Articles hee had broken the Oath of Empire taken at the Coronation al the States of the Kingdom strange that so many should so concurre in disloyalty vnder pretence of equity being asked what they thought did hold that those causes seemed notorious and sufficient to depose King Richard Commissioners were therefore nominated by consent of the whole house to pronounce the sentence of Deposition which were the Bishop of Asaph the Abbot of Glassenbury the Earle of Glocester the Lord Barkly William Thyrning Chiefe Iustice of the common Pleas and some others The forme of pronuntiation was IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN We Iohn Bishop of Saint Asaph Iohn Abbat c. Commissioners specially chosen by the Lords spirituall and temporall of the Realme of England and Commons of the said Realme representing all the States of the said Realme sitting in place of iudgement c. 114 The definitiue sentence of Deposition giuen thus in open Parliament there were further named certaine persons amongst whom William Thirning Chiefe Iustice of the Cōmon Pleas was thoght the fittest man by whose lawlesse mouth that vniust doome should be deliuered to the King and who on the behalfe of the Realme should renounce to the said Richard the fealties and homages heretofore made vnto him and to make relation of the whole manner and causes of their proceedings The Regall seate was now reputed void whereupon Duke Henrie riseth from his place and stands vpright that hee might be seene of the people then signing himselfe with the signe of the Crosse vpon the forehead and breast and inuocating the name of Christ he challenged the Crown and Realm of England with all the members and appurtenances His words are said to be these In the name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster claime the Realme of England and the Crowne with all the appurtenances as comming by the blood royall from King Henry and by that iustice which God of his grace hath sent to me by the helpe of my kinfolke and friends for recouery of the said Realme which was in point of perdition through default of Gouernment and breach of lawes 115 Which challenge and claime being thus made all the States of the Kingdome doe with one consent grant that the said Lord Duke should reigne ouer them The Archbishop of Canterbury brother to the late Earle of Arundel takes him then by the right hand and the Archbishop of Yorke the late Earle of Wiltshires kinseman being his assistant placeth him in the royall throne with the generall acclamation and applauses of the people Lastly in full complement of the present solemnity the Archbishoppe of Canterburie that we may see how the Diuinity as well as the Law of those times were degenerated into temporizing Policie made a Sermon vpon these words in Samuel A Man shall raigne ouer the People By occasion whereof hee describeth out of the holy Scriptures the happinesse of that Kingdom which is gouerned by a man and the infelicity of those Realmes where a Child whether in age or discretion weeldes the Scepter The euill whereof as they had dangerously felt vnder the late King so they hoped abundantly to enioy the other in King Henry To all which the whole Auditorie ioyously answered Amen Then rose the affable new Monarch among a few other words hee gaue the world to vnderstand that none should thinke hee would as by way of Conquest disinherite any man certaine bad members onelie excepted 116 From henceforth hee was taken for King and all Writs issued and went forth in his name which disorderly matters being orderly related to the deposed Prince in the Tower by Thirning the Chiefe Iustice hee onely vsed these words That hee looked not after such things but quoth he my hope is that after all this my cosen will bee my good Lord and friend The Archbishop otherwise inexcusable in those proceedings yet in his said Sermon seemeth grauely and truly to haue described the cause of this effect for quoth hee the child or insipient which are with him aequiparable drinketh the sweet and delicious words vnaduisedly and perceiueth not intoxication which they beene mingled with till hee bee enuironed and wrapped in all dauger as lately the experience thereof hath beene apparant to all our sights and knowledges and not without the great danger of all this Realme Being thus brought downe to the show and littlenesse of a priuate man wee leaue
his aspiring wings Ireland is in tumult Thither the Duke passeth and not only appeaseth the disorder of that Nation but wan such fauour among them as could neuer be separated from him and his linage Thus diligently the Pioner makes his mines into the quiet and felicity of his Countrey calling his cause the quarrell of right and iustice as pretending that the Crowne of England appertained to his name and familie 46 But the odor of this vile successe in France comming into England filled mens hearts and senses with great perturbation The Queene and Suffolke suffer obloquie for these effects in the generall iudgement The common wealth is not silent A Parliament is called to be holdē at Westminster which from thence was assigned to be kept at Leicester The place likes not few appeare It is brought backe to Westminster There the whole body of publike counsell meetes Many Articles are exhibited by the lower house against the Duke of Suffolke wherein hee is charged with euill demeanor misprision and treason who thereupon is committed prisoner to the Tower from thence within fowre or fiue weeks hee is discharged which more augmented the generall indignation then his commitment had ministred satisfaction The perilous Duke of Yorke warms himselfe at these blazes and vnderhand cherisheth them as opportunity wil permit hauing his cunning factors and instruments fitte for such occasions secretly spread ouer the Realme to instill the poysons of discontentment and desire of change into the giddie multitude When wee reade in our vulgar Chronicles that about this time Adam Molins Bishoppe of Chichester Ke◅per of the Kings Priuy Seale through the procurement of Richard Duke of Yorke was by shipmen slaine at Portsmouth and yet no cause of so foule and wicked a murther expressed it cannot but offend any curious Reader who would receiue satisfaction rather by the reasō ofactions then by the euents His guiltinesse in the fact was so apparant that K. Henry in his answere made a yeere or two after to the Dukes dissembling and deceitfull letter confidently mentioneth the same where thus hee speaketh Sooth it is that long time among the people hath beene vpon you many strange language and in speciall anone after your disordinate and vnlawfull slaying of the Bishoppe of Chichester diuers and many of the vntrue shipmen and other said in their manner words against our state making menace to our owne person by your sayings that yee should bee fetched with many thousands and you should take vpon you that which you neither ought nor as wee doubt not will attempt c. What cause led the Duke to commit this so impious a deed may easily now be coniectured being none other but the common hatred hee bare to all such wise or valiant persons as might in any sort vphold the most iust and gracious Henry and this sincerity in the Bishoppe could not be but a grieuous crime in the Dukes ambitious eyes whose greatnesse was euen then too intollerable for where was the Kings iustice when such a fact might hope of impunity The Duke did effect it by his bloudy complices as hee did many other most seditious and perfidious things while hee was absent in Ireland Thomas Thanie notwithstanding calling himselfe Blew-beard being a Fuller of Canterburie and attempting to gather the people miscarrieth in his treason and for that was hanged and quartered this was a preamble to the following tumults The Duke of Yorkes whole and onely hopes were reposed in the general perturbations of his Country 47 The Duke of Suffolke a principal pillar of K. Henries safety being set at liberty attends the King and Queene in their Parliament at Leicester Behold the humour of the Commons which were sowred with the pestilent leauen of Yorkes conspiracy They cannot endure the sight of this Prince because his readuancement seems done in despight of them Calumniations odious surmises are exhibited against him hee must downe to make way for K. Henries most vnworthy ruine The most vile part of this Parliamental accusation was that they should charge that for a crime vpon Suffolke which themselues had vniuersally in another former Parliament assented vnto and ratified Which was the deliuery of Aniou and Main vpon the marriage concluded for the good of England if others had not inuerted or interrupted the successe by their temerity with Renate father of Queene Margaret N◅ither did the enuy onely of the secret York◅s ouerlade this noble Gentleman but the impotency of the Duke of Sommersets faction whose rashnesse and vanity hauing lost all Normandy would gladly find any others shoulder vpon which to cast the imputation either in part or whole In that former Parliament assembled immediately vpon Suffolkes returne from that treaty with Renate out of France this was the summe of the whole proceedings Suffolke as hee was very eloquent made knowne to both housen his counsels and seruices and the effect of his Embassie praying they might be approued and enrolled for his discharge Whereupon the next morrow Burley Speaker of the lower house and the body therof repaired to the Kings presence then sitting among the Lords and there humbly required that the request of the Marquesse afterward created Duke of Suffolk might be granted and the Lords made the like petition kneeling on their knees The King condiscended to their desires and so the whole matter was recorded for his acquitall 48 What can bee more euident or who can enough admire the vanity of popular mutabilitie The Duke the principall marke though the Bishop of Salisbury the Lord Say and others were also accused vnable to stand the push of so generall an opposition must be banished The King vnwillingly giues this sentence against the Duke or rather against his owne life and safety fiue yeeres are limited to his exile Being vpon the sea hee is taken by his enemies who at Douer-road stroke off his head vpon the side of a Cocke-boat This diuelish murther for it was none other the Kings authority being not vsed therein committed vpon so great a Prince was the lesse pittied for that hee was noised among the people to haue beene a priuy actor in the Noble Duke of Glocesters death who perished saith a learned Author by the fraud and practise of a woman belike Queene Margarite The Bishop of Salisburie before said more impiously and irregularly lost his life in the following tumults being murthered after he had finished diuine seruice by his owne Tenants who dragged him from the Altar to an hill-top and there while hee was making his last prayers cleft his sacred head The Lord Say Treasurer of England fell likewise into the peoples fury and had his head cut off by the commandement of that execrable rebell Iacke Cade at the Standerd in Cheape as yee shall hereafter learne 49 This William Duke of Suffolke was indeed a great and worthy person for when his Father and three Brothers had valiantly
attached the Court and publike prison for crimes of highest nature being then within the cincture of one and the same wall Sir Robert Clifford at his comming into the Kings presence though hee was secretly before assured of his life most humbly praying and obtaining pardon appeached among many others Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlaine The King would not at first giue credite or at leastwise pretended not to giue credite to the accusation of a Peere so great and so neere vnto him but vpon farther search finding the same confirmed with circumstances and particularly for that he said to Clifford Hee would neuer beare Armes against the young man if he knew him for certaine to be the sonne of King Edward hee resolueth to vse seuerity against the delinquent 38 But Bernard Andreas directly saith That besides bare words and purposes Sir William had supported Perkins cause with treasure wherein hee is recorded so to haue abounded as that in his Castle of Holt he had in coine and plate to the value of forty thousand Markes besides lands of inheritance in sundry places about to the yeerely value of three thousand pounds a prety stocke in treasure at those times to vphold the first brunt of a warre and a large extent of land to furnish the wing of a powerfull battell with able souldiers out of Tenancies with all which the same Author in plaine wordes saith That hee promised to defend the said Pretender and bring him into the Kingdome And if we haue any insight into King Henries disposition it seemes to vs that before he entred into the Tower he not only knew the Lord Chamberlaine vnsound but also that for his quiet apprehension hee chiefly repaired thither Stanley being hereupon attached and referred to farther examination is said To haue denied nothing of all that wherewith hee was charged which he perhaps the more confidently did in hope that king Henry would pardon him in respect of passed seruices they in their effects considered being the greatest whereof mortality is capable preseruation of life and gaining of a Kingdome But the poore gentleman found himselfe farre deceiued in his politicke Lord and Master who to teach mankind thereby how dangerous it is to make a King was not vnwiling to cut him off as perswading himselfe that those seruices proceeded of ambition not of affection or if of affection the cause now ceasing the contrary effects might proue as pernicious as the other had been aduantageous and auaileable The King was vnwilling to displease his Father in Law Thomas Earle of Derby brother german to Sir William Stanley and did therefore for a while suspend his iudgement but rigour finally preuailed and hee was at Westminster openly arraigned conuicted and afterward at the block on Tower-hil beheaded In whose office Giles Lord Dawbeney a most faithfull and moderate man succeeded This sharpe iustice exercised vpon so eminent a person was of great vse in the stay of peoples minds through the Realme of England But in Ireland they were not so setled or reduced but that for the better and fuller purging thereof Henry Deney a Monke of Langton Abbey was sent Lord Chancellour thither with orders and directions and Sir Edward Poinings Knight with souldiers whose greatest diligence and cares were not wanting to punish such as heretofore had aided Perkin or might hereafter The Earle of Kildare Lord Deputy falling into suspition with Poynings was by him apprehended and sent prisoner into England where the King did not onely graciously heare and admit his defences but also returned him with honour and continuation of authority In the meanetime the errour or weaknesse of the Burgundian Dutchesse and her Perkin suffering their enemy in this sort to puruey for his own security and their depulsion hee yet for farther assurance of himselfe makes a progresse into Lancashire there to recreate with his Father in law the Earle and the Countesse his mother where among all other his secret purposes he throughly satisfied the Earle both for the iustice and necessity of Sir William Stanleyes death 39 These certainely were perillous times to liue in and vndoubtedly full of infinite iealousies and hypocrisies nor vnlike to those lately passed wherein there was nothing so plaine and openly proued but that yet for the common custome of close and couert dealing men had it euer inwardly suspect as many well-counterfeited iewels make the true suspected these generall distrusts being among the strange gradations by which the incomprehensible prouidence doth vse to chastise insolent Nations and to make regular Princes meer and absolute But the Dutchesse and her Perkin knowing al things as they passed in England resolue notwithstanding to proceede and therefore taking aduantage of the Kings absence in the North he with a force of broken and discontented persons sets saile for England and approcheth the coasts of Kent about Sandwich and Deale there to beginne his enterprize for obtaining the Crowne of England vnder the borrowed name and title of Richard Duke of Yorke if he found the Commons forward But they though doubtfull at first what to doe yet at the last considering that his Souldiers were for the most part of desperate fortunes and felonious qualitie though hardy otherwise and approoued men of warre remembring withall the mischiefes of part-takings would not adhere but training them within danger vpon promise of succour assaile and driue them to their shippes take fiue of the Captaines Mountford Corbet Whitebolt Quintin and Genin and one hundreth sixty and foure others which were all of them afterward executed Perkin himselfe who would not trust his person on shore being worthily troubled at the inauspicious fortune of his followers presently hoised sailes and returned to his Lady Patronesse and Creatrix into Flanders 40 These newes being brought to the King where he was then in the North he is said to haue giuen God thanks and declared his ioy in these words I am not ignorant most mercifull Iesu how great victories thou hast giuen mee vpon the Saturday at the praiers of thy most gracious Mother all which I ascribe not to my deserts but to the bounty of thy celestiall grace Thou seest ô most benigne Iesu how many snares how many deceits how many weapons that terrible Iuno hath prepared notwithstanding that after my marriage shee faining herselfe ioyfull hath faithfully promised to beare toward vs all fauour and good will but shee more changeable then the winde peruerting all things aswell diuine as humane feares not God but in her fury seekes the vtter ruine of her owne blood Thou ô God who knowest all deliuer vs also if we seeme worthy from these euils but if our sinnes haue deserued to suffer doe thou ô Lord thy good pleasure Neuerthelesse wee owe to thy Grace immortal thanks which though with our tongue we cannot vtter worthily enough yet must they bee rendred We are alwaies of good courage and so minded for certain that
Woodlarke A. D. 1459.    Iesus-Colledge Iohn Alcocke Bishop of Ely A. D. 1497.    Christs-Colledge St. Iohns-Colledge Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond mother to K. Henry the seuenth A. 1506.    Magdalen-Colledge Thomas Awdley Chancellor of England A. D. 1542. Christopher Wray Lord Chiefe Iustice of England    Trinity Colledge King Henrie the eight Anno Dom. 1546. Tho. Neuil Deane of Canterbury the Mr. therof hath most magnificently enlarged    Emanuel-Colledge Sir Walter Mildmay Knight a Councellor to Queene Elizabeth    Sydney-Sussex Colledge Lady Frances Countesse of Sussex gaue fiue thousand pound to build it    Ely St. Peter and S. Ethelred Eccles. Cath. M Andry wife to King Egfrid placed Priests in it Ethelwold Bishop of Winchester stored it with Monkes King Henry 1. made it a Bishops See King Henry 8. in steed of the Monkes placed a Dean Prebends and a Grammar Schoole with maintenance and teaching for 24. Schollers Blacke Monks 1301 08 02 o  Ely S. Iohn S. Mary Magd. H Thomas Bishop of Ely 0025 05 03 ob q Anglesey P Richard de Clare 0149 18 06 ob  Barnewell S. Andrew S. Egidius P Sir Paine Penerell Standard-Bearer to Robert Duke of Normandy in the Holy Warres against Infidels in the time of Henry the first Blacke Canons 0351 15 04 oo o Chatters Saint Mary annexed by H. 1. to Ely N Alfwena a deuout woman and her brother Ednothus Abbot of Ramsey Blacke Nunnes 0112 03 06 oo q Denny Saint Clare N Maria de Sancto Paulo wife of Adomar Earle of Pembroke Anno Domini 1341. Nunnes 0218 00 01 ob o Saint Edmunds P King Canute White Canons 0016 16 00 oo o Fordham P Henry Deu or Dew De ordine Simplingham 0046 03 08 oo o Ikelington P 0080 01 10 ob o Marmound P Canons      Soffam Bulbecke N Blacke Nunnes 0046 10 08 oo o Shengaye A ComeÌ„don Praeceptoria to S. Iohn of Ierusalem Sybil daughter of Roger Mountgomery Earle of Shrewsbury and wife of l. de Paines A. D. 1130. Knights Templers 0175 04 06 oo o Swauesey Alan la Zouch brother to the Vicount Rohan in the lesser Britaine Blacke Canons      Thorney Saint Mary and Saint Botulph M Sexwulph a deuout man for Eremites Aethelwold B. of Winchester for Monks and King Edgar 0508 02 05 oo o CARLIOL Places Dedication Founder and Time Order Value     l. s. d. ob q Apelby in Westmorland F Lord Vescy Lord Percy and Lord Clifford A. D. 1281. White Friers      Armethwait in Cumberland N King William the Conquerour Anno Regni 2. Nunnes 0018 18 08 oo o Carliolin Cumberland Saint Mary P Domini Regis Progenitor 0482 08 01 oo o Holme Coltreyn in Cumberland Saint Mary M Dauid King of Scots and Henry Earle of Huntington his sonne 0535 03 07 ob q. Lanercost in Cumberland Saint Mary Magd. P Robert de Uanlx Lord of Gillesland 0079 19 00 oo o Sharpe in Westmorland M Thomas the sonne of Gospatricke sonne of Orms. 0166 10 06 ob o CHESHIRE Places Dedication Founder and Time Order Value     l s. d. ob q. Chester Saint Iohn Eccl Cath. King Henry the eight Secular Canons      Chester F Thomas Stadham Gentleman A. D. 1279. White Friers      Chester F King Iohn Gray Friers      Chester F Blacke Friers      Chester Saint Wereburg M Hugh the first of the Norman bloud that was Earle of Chester Blacke Monkes 1073 17 07 ob o Chester The virgin Mary M Fundator Domini Regis Progenitor Blacke Canons 0099 16 02 oo o Chester Beatae Mariae N Nunnes      Chester Saint Iohn C Baptist alii H Fundator Domini Regis Progenitor 0013 07 10 oo o Birkehead S. Iames. M Fundator Comitis Derbia Antecessor Blacke Canons 0102 16 10 oo o Bunbury alias Boniface-bury C Hugh Calâ—…ley and the Egertons Priests      Combermere M William de Maibedeng A. D. 1134. White Monkes 0258 06 06 oo o Maclesfeild C Thomas Sanage first Bishoppe of London and afterwards Archbishoppe of Yorke      Norton Saint Mary N William Fitz-Nigell a Norman 0258 11 08 oo o Stanlaw Iohn Lacy Constable of Chester A. D. 1173. Monkes      Valle Regalis M King Edward the first 0540 06 02 oo o CORNVVALL Places Dedication Founder and Time Order Ualew     l. s. d. ob q Saint Anthony M Blacke Monks of the Angels      Bodmin Saint Peter M First by K. Adelstan after William Warnast Bishop of Excester confirmed by king Iohn Blacke Canons after Grey Friers 0289 11 11 oo o Bonury Saint Petrorsi M King Athelstan Blacke Canons      Crantocke C 0089 15 08 oo o Saint German M 0243 08 00 oo o Glassoney Saint Thomas C Walter Brâ—…nescome B. of Oxford A. D. 1288. 0205 10 06 oo o Helston S. Iohn Baptist. P 0014 07 02 ob o Launceston Saint Stephen M Reginald Earle of Cornwall A. D. 1150. Blacke Canons Aug. 0392 11 2 oo q Saint Mary de val M Blacke Monks of the Angels      Saint Michael de Monte. M William Earle of Cornwall and Morton Blacke Monks of the Angels      Saint Michael de magno monte M Black Monkes      Sulli Isle Saint Nicholas M Blacke Monks      Saint Syriace M Blacke Monkes      Talearn Saint Andrew M Blacke Monks of the Angels      Trury F Blacke Friers s      Tywardreth Saint Andrew â—…P 0151 16 01 oo o DARBY-SHIRE Places Dedication Founder and Time Order Ualue     l. s. 〈◊〉 ob q. Darby Omnium Sanctorum Eccl. Collegiat 0038 14 00 o o Iuxta Darby Beata Mariae de Pratis M 0018 06 02 o o Darby Saint Iames Cella Fundator Domini Regâ—… Progenitor Blacke Canons      Darby Saint Marie P  Blacke Monkes      Darby Beatae Mariae N Fundator Domini Regis Progenitor Nunnes      Darby H The Countesse of Shrewsbury Eight pooremen foure women      Bello-Capite Saint Thomas M Robert the son of Ranulph L. of Alfreton a Canon there 0157 10 02 oo o Bredsall or Brisol Park M Fundator Antecessor Iohannis Diricke alias Duthik Armigeri 0010 17 09 oo o Brend in the Peake M Sir Robert Duin Knight      Chesterfeild Saint Crosse Saint Mary C 0019 00 00 oo o Dala Beatae Mariae or S. Mary M William Fitz-Ralph Antecessor Geruasy Kingston 0144 12
then was Guilfords Bride Iane the elder daughter of Suffolke whose mother Lady Francis then liuing was the daughter of Mary the French Queen the younger sister to King Henry the eight vnto whom King Edward ouer-wrought in his weakenes ordained his Crowne by Will at the suggestions of such Politiques as mount to disherite the two lawfull Princes Mary and Elizabeth and to impugne the Statute in case prouided for the succession of K. Henry the eight his children vnto which Will O griefe to heare subscribed all the Kings Councell most of the Nobility the reuerend Bishops and all the Iudges of the land one onely excepted ouen Sir Iames Halles knight a Iustice of the common Pleas vpright in iudgement a fauourer of the Gospell he I say neuer would write or consent to the disheriting of the Lady Mary 76 The King thus accomplishing what his Statists had wrought lay languishing in his faintnes the end wherefore could not be expected but onely by death and now being worne almost to nothing his last 〈◊〉 drawing to the limits of Nature he lift vp his eyes with a prepared heart and prayed as followeth Lord God deliuer me out of this miserable and wretched life and take me among thy Chosen howbeit not my will but thy will be done Lord I câ—â—â—iâ—… my spirite to thee O Lord thou knowest how happy it were for mee to be with thee yet for thy chosen sake if it bee thy will send me life and health that I may truly serue thee O my Lord blesse thy people and saue thine inheritance O Lord God saue thy chosen people of England O my Lord God defend this Realme from Papistrie and maintaine thy true religion that I and my people may praise thy holy 〈◊〉 for thy sonne Iesus Christs sake So turning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and seeing some by him saide I thought you had not beene so nigh you said Doctor Owen wee heard you speake to your selfe then said the King I was praying to God O I am faint Lord haue mâ—…rcy 〈◊〉 me and reuiue my spirit 〈◊〉 so saying gaue vp the Ghost to the g 〈…〉 of â—â—glâ—â—d in whom they had conceiued most hopes 77 His vertues were rare and many exceeding most Princes and vices so few that none can be taxed with lesse very learned according to his yeeres he was in the Latine and Greek tongues the French Spanish and Italian yea and saith Hieronymus Cardanus he was adorned with the skill of Logicke naturall Philosophie and Musicke and for Astronomy saith he my selfe had experience whom he learnedly opposed of the cause and course of Comets for Humanity he is the very Image of Morality and in princely graue Maiesty best beseeming a King briefly hee may well seeme to be a miracle in Nature nor doe I speake thus Rhetorically to amplifie things or to make them more then truth is for the truth is more then I do vtter and in this hee was most admirable that hee could tell and recite all the Ports Hauens and Creekes not within his owne Realme onely but also in Scotland and likewise in France what comming in there was how the tide serued in euery of them what burden of Shippe and what winde best serued the comming in into them 78 Of all his Nobles Gentry Iustices and Magistrates he tooke speciall name of their Hospitality and religious conuersations and that which is best accepted of a Prince hee was very liberall louing mercifull meeke and gentle towards his people and so farre from bloud as hee euer fauoured and spared as much as might bee the life of man yea euen of Rebels as wee haue seene neither was hee willing to put Heretickes to death as in a certaine dissertation had once with M. Cheeke it appeared insomuch that when Ioan Butoher should be burned for her heresie all the Councell could not moue him to set his hand to the warrant of her execution vntill D. Cranmer his Godfather Archbishoppe of Canterbury laboured to induce him vnto whom â—…ee said what my Lord will you haue me to send 〈◊〉 quicke to hell and taking the pen vsed this speech I will lay all the charge hereof vpon Cranmer before God Then how his hand had beene gotten for his vncles death is to bee admired 79 But his constancy vnto Christs Gospell with the abandoning of all superstition was very admirable one example among many wee will not let to declare Lady Mary his sister through the suit of Charles the Emperour made great meanes to haue Masse said in her house and that to bee done without all preiudice of law the greatnesse of her Person being the immediate successor and the might of the Emperour in amitie with England moued the Councell to giue their consent to the suit to forward which Cranmer Archbishoppe of Canterbury accompanied with Ridley Bishoppe of London were imployed from them to the King who hearing their message gaue the replication so grounded vppon Scripture as they gaue ouer to vrge more that way but like Politicians alleadged the danger in breach of amity with the Emperour to which the King answered hee would rather aduenture the hazard of his own life then to grant that which was not agreeable to the truth The Bishops yet vrged him with the bonds of nature and submissiuely said they would haue no nay the King seeing himselfe so importunated burst into weeping and sobbingly desired them to be content whereat the teares so abundantly burst from their eyes as they departed his presence not able to speake And for a further testimony of this yong Kings zeale reade if you please a letter sent vnto his sister the Princesse Lady Mary out of the originall 80 Right deare and right entirely beloued sister we greet you well and let you know that it grieneth vs much to 〈◊〉 no amendment in you of that which wee for good cause your soules health our conscience and common tranquility of our Realme haue so long dâ—…sired assuring you that our sufferance hath more demonstration of natâ—…r all loue then contentation of our conscience and fore-sight of our safety Wherefore although you giue 〈◊〉 â—…sion asmuch almost as in you is to diminish our naturall lode yet bee wee loath to feele it decay and meane not to bee so carelesse of you as wee bee prouoked And therfore meaning your weale and therewith ioyning a care not to be found guilty in our own conscience to God hauing cause to require forgiuenesse that wee haue so long for respect of loue towards you omitted our bounde duety we do send at this present our right trusty right welbeloued Counsellor the L. Rich our Chancellor of England our trusty and right well beloued Counsellor Sir Anthony Wingfield Knight Comptroler of our Houshold and Sir Will. Peter Knight one of our two principall Secretaries in message to you touching the order of your house willing you to giue theÌ„ firme credite in those things they shal