doings only the King was utterly undone Then was demanded of the Nobilitie and Commons of the Realme what they judged of the substance and truth of these Articles who all agreed that the crimes were notorious And that the King was worthy for the same to bee deposed from his Princely dignitie The Noble men partly corrupted by favour part awed by feare gave their voices And the Commons who commonly are like a flocke of Cranes as the first flye all followers did the like Commissioners are appointed by both houses who pronounced sentence of Deposition against King Richard in manner and forme as followeth In the name of God Amen Wee Iohn Bishop of Asaph Iohn Abbot of Glassenbury Thomas Earle of Glocester Thomas Lord Barkley Sir Thomas Erpingham and Sir Thomas Gray Knights and William Thirning Iustice Commissioners for the causes hereafter specified By the Lords Spirituall and temporall and the Commons of the Realme of England representing all the States of our Kingdome specially deputed sitting in place of judgement considering the manifold perjuries and cruelties and many other the crimes and offences by Richard late King of this Realme committed and done contrarie to good government in the Realmes and dominions aforesaid during the time of his raigne Also considering the Articles which were openly exhibited and read before the said States which were so publike notorious manifest and famous that they could nor can by any shift or cover be concealed or avoyded considering also the Confession of the sayd King acknowledging and reputing and truly upon his certaine knowledge judging himselfe to have beene and to bee altogether insufficient and unskilfull for the rule and government of the Realme and Dominions aforesaid and not unworthy to bee Deposed for the notorious demerits by the said Richard first acknowledged and after by his will and mandate before the said States published and to them opened and declared in the English tongue upon these and other matters which were done concerning the same businesse before the said States and us by the delegation place name and Authoritie to us in this part committed in pursuance whereof Wee pronounce decree and declare the said Richard to have beene and bee unprofitable unable and altogether unsufficient and unworthy for the rule and government of the said Realmes and in regard and respect of the premisses worthy to bee deposed from all kingly dignitie and honor if any such dignitie and honor remaineth in him And for the like cautele We do depose him by our sentence definitive in this Writing inhibiting from henceforth expresly all and singular Lords Archbishops Bishops Prelats Dukes Marquesses Earles Barons Knights Vassales and all other persons whatsoever of the said Realmes heretofore the subjects of the same and every of them that from henceforth none obey or intend to obey the said Richard as King or Lord of the Dominions aforesaid And afterwards the same Commissioners by the conseâ—…t and suffrage of both houses were constituted Procurators joyntly and severally for all the States of the Realme to resigne and surrender unto King Richard for them and all other homagers of the Realme all the homages and fealties which were both due and done unto him as King and Soveraigne And also to declare unto him all the premisses concerning his Deposition Now Henry Duke of Lancaster that hee might bee reputed or reported at the least not to attaine the kingdome by intrusion and wrong was counselled by his friends to pretend some lawfull challenge or claime thereunto And being in power it was no sooner advised what was to bee done but it was presently devised how to doe it So a Title was drawne from Edmond sonne to King Henry the third whom they nicknamed Crookbacke affirming that he was the eldest sonne of King Henry and that hee for his deformitie was put from his right of succession which was for that cause given to King Edward the first To this Edmond the Duke was next of blood by his mother Blanch sole Daugter and heire to Henry Duke of Lancaster and Sonne to the same Edmond This cunning conveyance was perceived by most but seeming not to perceive it was a point of friendship in some and of obedience in the rest Therefore the Crowne of England being supposed unpossessed both by the resignation and also by the deposition of King Richard Duke Henry arose from off his seate and standing in the most view of the assembly making the signe of the Crosse on his forehead and brest said as followeth In the name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster claime as my right the Crowne and Realme of England with all the Dominions and appendices to the same as being lineally descended by the right of lyne from the blood Royall comming from that good Lord King Henry the third and through the right that God of his grace hath sent mee by his assistance and the helpe of my ready kindred and noble friends have adventured to recover the same which was in point of destruction for want of good government and orderly distribution of justice therein and therewith reseated himselfe Then was it demanded in both Houses upper and lower whether they did consent that the Duke should raigne over them who all with one voice accepted of him for their King Then the Archbishop of Canterbury tooke him by the hand and placed him in the Throne of estate the Archbishop of Yorke assisting him and all the Parliament testifying their owne joy and wishing his Then the Archbishop of Canterbury upon this place of Scripture 1 Reg. 9. 17. See this is the man whom I spake to thee of this same shall raigne over my people did make a paraphrasticall exposition which ended the Duke was generally proclaimed King by the name of Henry the Fourth King of England and France Lord of Ireland The Common people voide of cares not searching into sequels but without difference of right or wrong inclinable to follow the mightie with showtes and clâ—…mours gave their applause not all upon judgement or faithfull meaning but only upon received custome at first to flatter the Prince whatsoever hee bee But lest the humour thereof should allay by delay it was forthwith Proclaimed that upon the thirteenth of September next ensuing the Coronation of the King should be celebrated at Westminster These matters being thus dispatched the proclaimed King rose from his Seate and went to Whitehall where hee feasted the Assembly royally yet hee made no show of statelinesse or pride or change of deportment in this so great change of fortune Vpon Wednesday following the before-remembred Procurators went to the deposed King to the Tower and declared to him the admission of his resignation and the manner of his Deposition and in the name of the States of the Realme did surrender backe the Homage and Fealtie formerly due unto him with this attestation that no man from thenceforth would beare unto him faith and allegeance as due to a King The
more strong in King Stephen then they are now in the Duke of Lancaster for King Henry the first being at libertie neither restrained nor constrained the people assented to this designement and thereupon without feare or force he was annointed and crowned King Yet Henry Fitzempresse having a neerer right to the Crowne by his Mother notwithstanding his Father was a stranger and hee borne beyond the Seas never ceased the prosecution of bloody warres to the great effusion of blood and spoyling the Countrey untill his lawfull inheritance was assured him It terrifieth mee but to thinke how many flourishing kingdomes have beene by such contentions either rent by intestine division or subdued to forraine Princes under pretence of assistance and aide This Kingdome hath had too wofull experience of these severall mischieves and yet neither examples of other Countries or miseries of our owne are sufficient to make us bee wary Certainly I feare it will betide us as it did to Esops Frogges who being desirous to have a King had a beame given them the first fall whereof affrighted them but when they saw it lie still they contemptuously insulted thereon and desired a King of more active spirit Then a Storcke was sent them which stalking amongst them daily devoured them King Richards mildnesse hath bred in us this scorne interpreting it to bee cowardise and dulnesse of nature I dare not say yet give mee leave to suspect with greater courage wee may finde greater crueltie And thus have I declared my opinion with more words you may perhaps conjecture then wisdome yet fewer then the waight of the cause doth require and I doe resolutely conclude that wee have neither power nor pollicie either to Depose King Richard or in his place to Elect Duke Henry That King Richard remaineth still our Soveraigne Lord and therefore it is not lawfull for us to give judgement against him That the Duke whom you are pleased to stile King hath more transgressed the King and Realme then Richard hath done either against him or us For hee being banished the Realme for tenne yeares by the King and Councell amongst whom his owne Father was chiefe and given oath not to returne without speciall licence Hee hath not only broken his oath but disturbed the peace of the Land dispossessed the King of his Royall estate and now demandeth judgement against his person without offence proved or defence heard if this perjurie and this injury move not yet let both our private and publike dangers somewhat withdrawe us from these violent proceedings This speech was diversly taken as mens affections were diversly hurried betwixt hope feare and shame but the most part did seeme to stand for Duke Henry Whereupon the Bishop was attached by the Earle Marshall and committed to the keeping of the Abbot of Westminster but presently after to Prison in the Abby of Saint Albones His Counsell and conjecture then contemned was after approved of when too late both in the Kings time during whose raigne no yeare passed without slaughter and executions but more in the time succeeding when within the space of thirty sixe yeares twelve set battells upon this quarrell were fought within the Realme by natives only and above fourescore Princes of the blood Royall fell by each others sword It was concluded notwithstanding what the Bishop had spoken that King Richard should bee kept in a large Prison with all manner of Princely maintenance And if any should attempt to rere warre for his deliverance that hee should bee the first man should suffer for that attempt The Acts of Parliament of the eleventh yeare of King Richard were revived and those of the one and twentieth wholly repealed and all in that Parliament attainted were restored to their Titles and inheritances without suing livery And also to such goods whereof the King had not beene answered except the rents and issues of their lands Hereupon Richard Earle of Warwicke is delivered out of prison and the Earle of Arundels sonne restored to his inheritance others also that stood banished or were in prison recovered their libertie and estate it was enacted that none that came with Henry against Richard should bee impeached or troubled To the Earle of Westmerland the King gave the Countie of Richmond to the Earle of Northumberland the Isle of Man to hold of him by the service of bearing the Sword wherewith hee entred into this Kingdome before him Divers others his followers hee advanced to places of highest note some for desert but most to win their favour and perhaps projecting a plot for partakers if times should change For in many actions men take more care to prevent revenge then to lead an innocent life It is likewise ordered that the plotters and procurers of the Duke of Glocesters murther should bee strictly enquired after and severely punished And judgement was given against the Appellants of the Earles of Warwick and Arundel and that the Dukes of Aumerles Sussex and Exceter the Marquesse Dorset and the Earle of Glocester who were there present should lose their Titles of Honour and forfeit their estate in all the lands they had which was formerly belonging to the Appellees and that all their Letters patents concerning the same should bee surrendred into the Chancery to bee cancelled and for their owne inheritance to bee at the mercy of the King That they should give no Liveries to retainers nor keepe more then should bee necessary That if any of them did adhere or assist the Deposed King Richard against the Decree of his Deposition That they should suffer as in high treason And for that many of the common people did murmure That many the Officers had grievously extorted either by connivency or secret support of the Lords those Officers were removed and the corruption purged Then were Proclamations made that if any man had by strong hand beene oppressed by any of the Lords or by any under-officers to them beene wronged or abused his complaint proved the delinquent should give him plenary recompence The execution of these Nobles was much questioned The importunitie of the people and the perswasions of many great ones drew that way but pollicie was against it especially the opinion of Clemency which seemed needfull in a new not well settled estate In this Parliament the Lord Fitzwater appealed the Duke of Aumerle upon points of high Treason the like did the Lord Morley to the Earle of Salisbury and above twentie Appellants more gaged battell but the King purposing to lay the foundation of his government by favour and not by force gave pardon and restitution alike to all upon securitie for their allegiance and moderately admonished and as it were intreated the one part that old griefes and grudges should not bee renewed but altogether buried The other part hee desired to bee afterwards more circumspect of their actions and for the time past rather to forget they ever were in fault then to remember that they were pardoned No punishment was
was notwithstanding made a partner in the punishment For King Henry observing how farre the Lords might have prevailed with their late stratagem for if their stomacks had beene but answerable to their strength and their bold beginning had not ended in faintnesse and sloth they might have driven him to an hard hazard hee caused King Richard to bee put to death thereby to make sure that no man should cloke open rebellion under the colour of following sides nor countenance his Conspiracie either with the person or name of King Richard But whether hee did expresly command his death or no it is a question but out of question he showed some liking and desire to the action gave approvement thereto when it was done The report went that King Richard was Princely served every day with abundance of costly dishes but was not suffered to touch or taste one of them and so perished with famine I perswade my selfe this is meerely fabulous for such barbarous and unnaturall cruelty against a King and a kinsman is not likely to proceed from King Henry a Christian But it is more probable which a Writer about those times affirmeth That King Henry sitting at his Table sad and pensive after a deepe sigh said Have I never a faithfull friend that will ridde me of him whose life will breed destruction to mee and disquiet to the Realme and whose death will bee a meanes of safetie and quiet to both And how can I be freed from feare so long as the cause of my danger doth continue what securitie what hope shall we have of peace unlesse the roote of rebellion bee plucked up A Knight called Sir Pierce of Exton hearing this with eight of his followers posteth to Pomfret and pretending warrant from the King had entrance into the Castle where hee commanded the Esquire who sued to King Richard to surcease his service whereupon when King Richard being set at Table saw that hee was not served as afore with assay and demanded of the Esquire the reason of this his neglect of dutie therein Hee was answered that Sir Pierce had brought such order from King Henry comming lately from the Court Richard moved with this act and answer said The divell take thee and Henry Duke of Lancaster with that Sir Pierce with his Retinew before him entred into the Chamber and locked the dore after them Whereupon King Richard spying their drift and suspecting his owne danger stepped couragiously to the first man and wresting the Halbert out of his hands therewith slew foure of his mischievous assaylants and with admirable resolution fought with the other untill comming by the Chayre wherein the King used to sit in which the cowardly Knight himselfe was got for his owne safetie he was by him strucken with a Pollax on the hinder part of the head who being at the point of death groned forth these words Edward the second my great Grandfather was in this manner Deposed imprisoned and murthered whereby my Grandfather Edward the third obtained the Crowne and now is this punishment fallen upon mee his next Successor This is right for me to suffer but not for you to doe your King may for a time joy at my death and injoy his desire but let him qualifie his pleasure with expectation of the like justice for God who measureth all our actions by the malice of our mindes will not suffer this violence to passe unrevenged whether these words did proceed from a distempered desire or from the judgement of his fore-sight they were not altogether idle Sir Pierce expecting great rewards for his ungratious service was frustrate of both and not only missed that countenance for which hee hoped but lost that which before hee had so odious are crying sinnes even to him for whom they were committed Hereupon at first hee grew discontented and afterwards tormented in conscience and in a rage would often exclaime that to pleasure one ungratefull person hee had made both himselfe and posteritie infamous and odious to all the world King Henry with disquiet held the kingdome during his life and so did his Sonne King Henry the fift in whose time by continuall warre with France the malice of the humor was otherwise exercised and spent But his second Successor King Henry the sixt was dispossessed thereof and together with his young Sonne Prince Henry imprisoned and put to death either by command or connivence of Edward the fourth and hee also escaped not free for hee dyed not without many and manifest suspitions of poyson And after his death his two sonnes were disinherited imprisoned and butchered by the Vsurper the Duke of Glocester who was slaine at Bosworth field and so in his person having no issue the Tragedy ended These are excellent examples both to comfort them that are oppressed and of terror to violent oppressors That God in his secret judgement doth not alwayes so certainly provide for our safetie as revenge our wrongs and oppressions and that allour unjust actions have a day of payment and many times by way of retaliation even in the same manner and measure they were committed Thus as most of the chiefe Writers doe agree was King Richard by violence brought to his end although all Historians agree not of the manner of the violence Hee was a man of personage rather well proportioned then tall of gracefull and comely presence of good strength and no abject spirit but the one by ease the other by flattery were much abused and abased hee deserved many friends but found but few because hee bought them by his bounty not sought them by vertuous behaviour hee was infortunate in all his actions which may bee imputed to his slothfull carelesnesse for hee that is not provident can seldome prosper for his loosenesse will lose whatsoever fortune or other mens labours doe cast upon him Hee lived three and thirty yeares and raigned two and twenty in his younger yeares he was too much ruled by greene heads little regarding the counsell of the grave and judicious Councellors which turned to the disquiet of the Realme and his owne destruction Hee married two wives the first was Anne the Daughter of Charles the fourth and Sister of Winceslaus King of Bohemia shee was crowned Queene the twenty two of Ianuary 1384. but dyed without issue The second wife was Isabell Daughter of Charles the sixt King of France an infant of seven yeares of age who after his death was returned into France but without Dower because the mariage was never consummate for want of copulation The Lord Henry Piercy had the conveying of her over in Anno 1401. His dead body was embalmed and seared and covered with leade all save the face and carried to London where hee had a solemne obsequie kept in the Church of Saint Paul the King being present and the chiefe Companies of the Citie From thence hee was conveyed to Langley Abby in Buckinghamshire and there obscurely interred by the Bishop of Chester the Abbots of
the wall to his Soveraignes house to bee done at his charge For which so saying the King sharply reprehendeth VVickham To whom VVickham modestly replieth that it was farre from his thought to ascribe by that inscription the Honour of building that tower to himselfe but his owne good hap for being preferred to that worke for not by any indifferent construction the words may seeme to import that VVickham built that Tower But his imployment thereabouts was the cause of making and preferring of Wickham for thereby hee had gained his Majesties gratious favour and countenance By this answer the King was pacified and as it were to make VVickham amends and deterre his calumniators from further persisting in such their envious courses the Kings favour is daily increased towards him and hee is enriched with many faire preferments Insomuch that within few yeares by the assistance and plotting of Iohn Buckingham Bishop of Lincolne and Sir Simon Burleigh Knight two of his antient and most intimate acquaintance in Oxford hee had gotten into his possession besides the spirituall livings before remembred twelve severall Prebendships and by dispensation from Pope Vrban and qualification by being the Kings Chaplaine hee held at one time in his hands so many Ecclesiasticall livings and promotions as the valew of them did amount in the Kings bookes to the summe of eight hundred seventy sixe pounds thirteene shillings and foure pence in those dayes a great summe such was his behaviour that hee held the Kings favour firme unto him and the Nobilitie for the most part did well approve his courses besides these Spirituall promotions the King had likewise honoured him with many temporall places of both profit and respect as being his principall Secretarie Keeper of the Privie Seale Master of the Wards and Liveryes Treasurour of the Kings Revenewes in France and some other Offices of lesse eminencie Now whilst his wealth and worship every day increased in Anno 1356. VVilliam Edendon Bishop of VVinchester departed this life leaving the sea void whereupon the King desiring the same the Monkes of Saint Swithins in VVinchester elected VVilliam of VVickham to that sea But Vrban the then Pope being sufficiently informed of the Elects little learning but great livelyhood deferd by the space of a whole yeare the confirmation of the Election in which time VVickhams good Angells interceding for him in the Court of Rome hee is permitted to take the benefit of the spiritualties and to have the temporalties in the meane time sequestred The King hearing how much the insufficiencie of schollership was obtruded upon VVickham began to expostulate with him to surcease further suit for the place which required to bee supplied by a man of more sufficiencie in Clerkship then hee was to whom VVickham replied that so please his Majestie to continue his gratious favour towards him so that hee might obtaine his desire therein hee doubted not but by Gods speciall assistance so to behave himselfe that hee would supply all defects of schollership in himselfe by providing for others meanes and maintenance to make and keepe able persons for the service of the State and the good of the kingdome wherewith the King was so taken that hee wrought so effectually That in the yeare 1367. hee was consecrated Bishop of VVinchester and was restored to all profits of that Bishopricke during the vacancie Within short time after hee was made Lord Treasurer and was imployed and trusted with all the affaires of the kingdome and had the disposition of all the Kings Treasure which was the occasion to advantage his enemies to strike the more easily at him For the King by the new Bishops care being rid of many troubles yet tooke a further benefit thereby for whatsoever was done that displeased the Councell or the Commons that was objected to the Bishop whereby when the Kings wants were pressing it was held the best pollicie at that time to give the King a supply by squeezing the full moistned spunge of the Bishops coffers And to yeeld some colour for their so doing The Bishop is charged to give account for eleven hundred ninetie sixe thousand pounds received during the time of his being Treasurer besides a hundred thousand Francks delivered him by Galeaze Duke of Millaine which must bee suddenly performed and the more to puzzle him at that very instant divers untrue and feyned cavillations by way of complaint are put up against him at the Councell boord to the answering whereof hee is instantly convented where whilst hee is intentive to save the bye hee hazarded the losse of the maine for whilst hee indevoureth to give satisfactory answers to the foresaid calumniations Iudgement is through the earnest importunitie of the Duke of Lancaster by William Skipwith Lord chiefe Iustice upon an information of deceipt suggested awarded in the Kings bench against him by meanes whereof all his temporalties were seized upon taken into the Kings hands and given to the Prince of VVales And for a further addition to his affliction by Iohn of Gaunts meanes hee is in the Kings name commanded upon paine of his Majesties high displeasure not to come within twenty miles of the Court The Bishop with a cleere conscience and a constant resolution awaits a fitter time to crave review of this sentence against him and like a discreet Pilat playeth with the wave which if hee should meet might indanger him and by giving way thereto escapeth the hazard Accesse to the King hee knew not how to obtaine to pacifie the Duke of Lancaster hee saw no possibilitie and how to procure any course to bee taken for his benefit hee was altogether ignorant His trayne therefore hee dismisseth expecting some few of whose honest fidelitie and otherwayes sufficiencie hee had made sufficient proofe these he imployeth to write out and ballast his accounts and such answers as hee had made to the accusations and informations which as aforesaid were exhibited against him which perfected the Copyes thereof hee privately disperseth amongst his brethren of the Clergie and such other as hee presumed would without prejudice to his cause vouchsafe the reading of them And therein amongst other things hee at large setteth forth the ground or occasion of the Duke of Lancasters irreconciliable malice against him which was thus Queene Philip wife to Edward the third upon her death-bed by way of Confession delivered unto VVinchester That Iohn of Gaunt was not the lawfull issue of King Edward but a suppositious sonne For when she was brought to bed at Gaunt of a maiden childe knowing how much the King desired to have a male issue shee consulted with one of her maides of honour by whose industry the Daughter was exchanged with a Dutch woman for a boy whereof shee had beene delivered about the same houre with the Queenes Thus much shee confessed and withall conjured the Bishop that if the said Iohn of Gaunt should at any time directly or indirectly attempt or affect the wearing of the Crowne or
they fled which ever since hath beene called Loose Coate field in this place were slaine of the Earles part ten thousand and odde of the Kings side thirteen hundred but no man of marke Sir Robert Wells with all the prisoners then taken were there presently executed Sir Robert beheaded the other hanged which were threescore seven The report of this disaster turnes Clarence and his father in Law to Exceter from whence having dismist their army they fled to Dartmouth from thence they shipped to Callis having their Ladyes and divers Gentlewomen in their Company intending there to goe on shore but their expectation was frustrated for whilst he was about to land he was saluted with a great shot from the platforme which assured them there was no going on shoare there without apparant danger whereupon the Earle by messenger entreated Mounseir Vocleer the Earles Deputie leiftenant there But to give way to the Ladyes to land the Dutchesse of Clarence being then in travaile which Vocleer uncourteously refused and like the hedghog kept his Captaine out of his owne lodging not doing or permitting to be done any the least office of humanitie but denying the sicke and tender Ladies all courtesie and comfort wherefore the Earle was enforced to put againe to Sea Whilst King Edward for this so discourteous usage of the Earle sent the ungratefull Gascoyne a patent of the Captaines place of Callice under the great Seale of England And the Duke of Burgoyne gave him an annuitie of one hundred pounds per annum during life Notwithstanding Warwick being at Sea received intelligence from Vocleer whom it seemes did love the Earle in the second place but himselfe in the first That the Duke of Burgoine plotted his destruction whereupon the Earle kept the Seas and tooke all the Burgonians he cold meet making prize of their ladings wherewith he landed in France and from Deepe by the French Kings solemn invitation he went to the Castle of Amboyes where the King then kept his Court. And there the Ladies wants are supplied and honorable welcome and liberall entertainment given to the Earle and all his company The newes of the Earle of Warwickes being at the French Kings Court drew thither Queene Margaret and her sonne Edward with Iasper late Earle of Pembrock for this Iasper having beene attainted of treason William Lord Harbert was created Earle of Pembrook but being slaine William his sonne succeeded in the Earledome This Iasper and others with him who were lately broke out of prison in England and fled thither joyne in confederation with the Earle of Warwick and a solemn oath passeth betwixt the Duke of Clarence the Earles of Warwicke Oxford and Iasper of Pembrook never to deserte one the other during life nor desist to the uttermost of their best abilities to procure the releasment of King Henry and his restoration to the Crowne of England and to give the better Countenance to this confederation Prince Edward is married to the Earle of Warwicks daughter But therein the Earle of Warwick sitting in his ownlight overshot himselfe and by overdoing in policy to strengthen his part both himselfe and partakers are undon The water intended to drive the Mill being drawne to drowne the same for the Duke of Clarence after he had taken into his owne more serious consideration the purposed end of this match he easily perceived that that being seconded with the intended prosecution of the warres against King Edward would if succesfull prove the utter overthrow of his Brothers and the finall extirpation of the house of Yorke From hence arose and not without just ground the Dukes distrust of his owne fortunes For the prevention of which mischiefe hee inwardly became lesse forward to the businesse and began to cast about how to come fairely off from his Father-in-law propinquitie of blood proving a stronger incentive to affection then contracted affinitie though never so much combined with solemne promises and overt protestations From henceforth underhand he gives perfect intelligence to King Edward of all proceedings against him and withall assures him that he was resolved upon his comming into England to play the part of a loving Brother and as hee did now in heart decline the confederation so he would then cleane desert their cause herewith when King Edward acquainted his Brother the Duke of Yorke hee said hee alwayes thought as much for hee that at one time had turned Traitour to his Soveraigne would at another prove trecherous to his friend but wee may saith he presume better hereafter of our Brother The French King having furnished the new Confederates with men money and amunition and with necessary shipping They all went aborde and falling downe to the mouth of the river of Seyne they descried the Burgonians with a strong fleet prepared to interrupt their sayling forth Whereupon the Lords strike sayle and call to Councell But during their time of such consultation a strong Southwest wind comes from land with a terrible tempest of raine by fury whereof the Burgonian Fleet was driven to Sea and severed many of them being driven on ground in Scotland The storme being ceased having set the Queene and Prince with his Wife on shore Warwicke with his Complices hoise sayle and with a merry gale arrive safely at Dartmouth from whence hee gave notice to his partakers of his arrivall King Edward presuming of the strength of the Burgonian Fleet and their watchfulnesse had omitted preparation either to impeach his Adversaries landing or to affront them being landed by meanes whereof the Lords land at ease and having a cleere passage march forward in good array making Proclamation in every place where they come in King Henryes name to command all his loving subjects to bee ready both with purse and person to give him assistance against the Duke of Yorke who like a tyrant and an usurper withheld from him his Crowne and Patrimony by this meanes in few dayes his Army greatly encreased wherewith in good order and by easie marches keeping his men alwayes in action by exercising them and fitting them to their weapons hee made towards London upon notice of whose approach on the Sunday next after Michaelmasse day one Doctor Goddard a Chaplaine of the Earle of Warwicke appointed to preach at Pauls Crosse did so set forth the pious intention of the Earle his Master that endevoured the restoring of a wronged King to his liberty and Dominion and to free the kingdome from an Vsurper that his pithy perswasions prevailed so farre with his Auditory that none reproved him for his boldnesse but so approved of his Sermon that divers put their ghostly Fathers advice in practice insomuch that the Marquesse Mountacute who had as was pretended on King Edwards behalfe levied sixe thousand men about London found them all enclinable to goe with him to the Earle of Warwicke and accordingly went and joyned with him so suddenly and easily will the vulgar bee seduced This
Kings Person to his no little amazement and disquiet they removed all or the most part of his ancient officers and servants placing in their roomes their owne creatures whom they had power to command The Duke of Glocester taking upon him the custody of the King tooke order for the conveying of the Prisoners to severall Prisons in the North parts and then set forwards with the King towards London giving out by the way that the Marquesse and the Queenes kinred had plotted the destruction of the King and all the blood-royall and all the ancient Nobilitie of the Realme and to alter the government of the Common-wealth And that they were only imprisoned to be brought to their triall according to the Law And the better to settle these suggestions in the apprehension of the vulgar They brought along with them divers Carts laden with Armour of their owne providing with driefats and great Chests wherein they reported to bee treasure for the payment of souldiers with which they so possest the common people that all was believed for Gospell that was thus rumoured But of all other the neatest devise was to have five of the Duke of Glocesters instruments which were manacled and pinioned like Traitours and these in every place where the King lodged by the way were dispersed with some keepers to bee lodged in the chiefe Officers houses and to bee regarded as men of great birth howsoever they were now prisoners and they must seeme to bee penitent for their offences and confesse their owne guilt but laying the blame on the Queenes Brother who had drawne them into this vile plot of Treason but these did so artificially expresse themselves that they could at their pleasures invite their hosts to call them Traitours and cry out that the earth was not fit to beare such trecherous rebells and that the Dukes were to blame not to stay the King in that place untill execution were done against such horrible malefactours and their trayterous companions This plot continued acting till the King came to London and the disguise was taken from these impostors and they were put to act another part The Queene with her second Sonne and five Daughters being at London receiving by Post intelligence of these dolefull accidents and fearing there were worse to follow presently taketh Sanctuary at Westminster with which place good Lady shee had formerly beene acquainted The young King much grieved at the newes and more at the occasion with teares and sighes expressed his discontent But the Dukes as seeming ignorant of any of these things comply themselves unto his service and with all externall show of reverence and respect and with many glozing protestations of their fidelitie and care of his safetie and content sought to comfort him but it would not be The Duke of Glocester by the contrivement and procurement of the Duke of Buckingham by the Decree of the Councell table is appointed and established Protector of the King and kingdome which place added such fuell to the ambitious fire of his heart that it burnt all love naturall respect or duty either to Countrey kinred or King And now nothing sets his imagination on worke but to compasse the meanes how to bring his trayterous designes to effect which was to make away the King and his Brother which hee is resolved wickedly yet wittily to attempt To contrive the getting into his custody the Duke of Yorke is the next Scene to bee acted for the more easie accomplishment whereof hee takes advantage of the Kings melancholy and acquainteth both him and his Councell That the company of his Brother would much conduce to his being thereby made merry saying withall that the Queene Mother was more wedded to her peevish will then was convenient either for the Honour of the kingdome or the Kings content And therefore wishtsome course might bee taken either by perswasion or otherwise to procure her to send the Duke of Yorke to beare the King his brother company The counsell to whom Glocester seemed to speake nothing but Oracles so well had hee moulded them presently apprehend a necessity of a Companion to bee found for the King and none so fit as his owne Brother And to that end the Archbishop of Canterbury one upon whose advise the Queene-Mother did much rely is imployed with instructions to procure her to consent to part with her younger Sonne to accompany the elder which hee accordingly did yeelding these reasons the sooner to drawe her to yeeld as hee said to reason First for that it was scandalous to the whole Realme that a Child of so noble Parentage by birth so tender of yeares so neere the King and so innocent should bee enforced to be a Prisoner Secondly That none could be permitted to enjoy the benefit of Sanctuary priviledge but such whose consciences did accuse them of some offence for which they feared to bee punished by the law But the Dukes infancy and innocency was such that he needed no such protection Thirdly that none ought to bee priviledged as a Sanctuary person but whom discretion had enabled to require it and for that reason hee was not capable of it And lastly any person might bee taken out of that place if so it bee for his owne preferment and benefit and not to his punishment or prejudice and therefore if the Queene should refuse to deliver him hee must bee taken from her Volens nolens and the rather lest that through a froward jelousie shee should convey him beyond the Seas as pretending hee should be more safe in any place then in the King his Brothers company To these the Queene makes answer that none was more fit to have the tutelage of the child then the Mother and the rather in respect of his weake and tender disposition That each of those Brothers was the others safety so long as they are kept asunder that the life of the one was maintained in the body of the other and if that one of them did well the other was in no perill And that it was dangerous to keepe them both in one place And as shee was proceeding further the Archbishop said hee was loth to put the power of his primacy in execution but her obstinacy would to his griefe enforce him thereto Whereupon the Queene perceiving that it was concluded that reason must not dispute against the Councells resoltrion shee with such expression of passion as tender-hearted Mothers use to part with a beloved child when their Propheticke thoughts suggest unto them they take their last leave of the Babe shee taketh the Duke by the hand and delivereth him unto the Archbishop saying at his hands shee would require that sweet boy and unable to speake more shee opened the sludgates of her eyes and bedewing her cheekes with teares turned her backe The Archbishop having effected his arrand hasteth to the Lords who in the Starre-chamber with the Protector stay expecting their comming to whom making relation with what unwillingnesse the Mother was
A CONTINVATION OF THE COLLECTION OF THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND BEGINNING WHERE SAMVEL DANIELL Esquire ended WITH THE RAIGNE OF EDVVARD the third and ending where the honourable Vicount Saint ALBONES began With the life of Henry the seventh being a compleat History of the beginning and end of the dissention betwixt the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster With the Matches and issue of all the Kings Princes Dukes Marquesses Earles and Vicounts of this Nation deceased during those times By I. T. Sequitur non passibus aequis Ascanius Virgil. LONDON Printed by M. D. for Ephraim Dawson and are to bee sold in Fleet-street at the signe of the Rainebowe neere the inner Temple-gate 1636. TO THE HONORABLE REVEREND AND RIGHT Worshipfull Sir IOHN BRAMSTON Knight Lord chiefe Iustice of his Maiesties Bench Sir WILLIAM IONES Sir GEORGE CROOKE Sir ROBERT BARCKLEY Knights the Learned Iudges of that Court. LIcence mee I humbly beseech your Reverend fatherhoods with the contrite penitent Ingeniously to acknowledge my Errour which is over-much presumption in undertaking more in publishing but most in thus presenting this my Collection But withall to appeale from the barre of Rigor to the borde of favour and thereat to obtaine this extenuation of censure That being it was begun with a good intent prosecuted to a seeming good end and is now in all befitting humblenesse presented to procure protection that I may passe without publicke reprehension And sithence words and writing are not reall according as they are spoke or writ but as they are appoved by others Let your noble dispositions but make a favourable exposition of what is done And then I am confident I shall untoucht passe the pikes of scorne and reproofe In earnest expectation whereof humble and hearty prayers to God the giver of all good gifts for our long lives in health and hearts ease here and sempiternall happinesse hereafter shall not want daily to bee powred out by him that hourely rests Your Lordships reallest in all service and duty IOHN TRVSSELL To the Courteous Reader MY naturall propension to the reading of History was the occasion that I left no Chronicle of this land that purse or prayer could purchase or procure unperused whereby I found that verified that Prince Henry now with God complained of which was that of all Nations the English were most blame-worthy That being inferiour to none for praise-worthy atchievements yet were surpassed by all and leaving the memory of those their praise worthy actions to posteritie This I tooke to heart but every way unable to remedy it I rested silent untill of late it came into my mind That that part of the History of great Britaine which was most intricate and troublesome which was the beginning of that Story was happily begun and as ingeniously followed by that every way well deserving Gentleman Samuel Daniel And therby all those rubbes and blancks which the deluge of time had raised and left on the plat-forme were made smooth or taken away and that Vicount Saint Albones had so sufficiently perfected that of all other the most doubtfull if not dangerous peece of Pater times to bee undertaken the happy Conjunction of the so long severed Houses of Yorke and Lancaster and that many others reverend and judicious men had by way of Annuals pursued the History unto the blessed Vniting of the two neighbour but long before divided Kingdomes of England and Scotland so that now there wanted nothing to make the History compleat for so much as was requisite untill that time but only the passages from Richard the second to the period of Richard the third a great part whereof was-likewise accurately done by Sir Iohn Heywood and Sir Thomas More so that now with little labour that gap might easily be filled up and the History made Whereupon I have adventured to adde my peece of ordinary valure to those rich remnants of three pild Velvet by enterviewing the times of Richard the second Henry the fourth Henry the fift Henry the sixt Edward the fourth Edward the fift and the Vsurper Richard the third Wherein though I prove but a botcher yet as the old saying is better a course clout then a hole out And to cleere my selfe though not à toto yet à tanto from that aspersion that happily might bee cast upon my endevours that howsoever not ignorant of my owne manifold imperfections yet like blind bayard I should over-boldly venture to tread in that Maze which ought not to have beene undertaken but by a more able body and a more active braine and thereby have forgetfully brought my selfe within the number of those over-forward Writers which Doctor Heywood in his Epistle Dedicatorie to his first three Norman Kings affirmeth hath sullied the beautie of the English History Give mee leave gentle Reader I beseech thee as before I have yeelded the reason that incited mee to the undertaking of this worke so to give thee an account of my proceeding therein First I have forborne to assume unto my selfe the libertie of an Historian to obtrude upon thee any thing of my owne invention quia malui aliena imprudenter dicere quà m propria impudenter ingerere And for that History is or ought to bee a perfect register of things formerly done truely ot at least warrantable by probabilitie I have pro posse meo examined though not all yet without touch of Arrogance I may speake it the most and best that have written of those times and culling out the truth as neere as I could gather it like an Eccho Voces quas accepi fidelissimè reddidi Secondly I have pared off these superfluous exuberances which like Wennes upon a beautifull face disgrace the otherwise gracefull comlinesse of the countenance I meane 1. Matters of Ceremony as Coronations Christenings Marriages Funeralls solemne Feasts and such like 2. Matters of Triumph as Tiltings Maskings Barriers Pageants Gallefoists and the like 3. Matters of Noveltie as great inundations sudden rising and falling of prizes of Corne strange Monsters Iustice done on petty offenders and such like executions with which the Cacoethes of the Writers of those times have mingled matters of state And lastly I have inserted the matches and issue of all above the degree of a Baron that have ended their dayes during those times with the number of slaine during the division of the two Roses which how farre it may conduce to the better understanding of the History I leave to thy capacitie and my selfe to thy courtesie and expecting a favourable censure rest thine IOHN TRVSSELL April 24. 1635. Perlegi hoc Opus Hystoricum duobus voluminibus comprehensum cui titulus A Continuation of the Collection of the History of England c. quod quidem in toto continet folia 418. aut circiter in quibus nihil reperio sanae doctrinae aut bonis moribus contrarium quo minùs cum utilitate publica imprimi possit Sub ea tamen conditione ut si non intra triennium typis mandetur
bee adjudged as unworthy as hee seemed unwilling to retaine the Soveraigntie whereupon certaine Articles were ingrossed and publikely read in which was contained how unprofitable he had beene to the Realme how unjust and grievous to the Subjects repugnant both to his oath and honour The principall of which Articles were 1. That hee had wastfully spent the Treasure of the Kealme and had to unworthy persons given the possessions of the Crowne by reason whereof many great and grievous taxes were daily layd upon the Commons 2. That whereas divers Lords aswell spirituall as temporall were by the high Court of Parliament appointed to treate of matters concerning the State of the Kingdome they being busied about the same Commission hee with others of his accomplices went about to appeach them of high Treason 3. That by force and threats hee enforced the Iudges of the Realme at Shrowsbury to condiscend to his way for the destruction of the said Lords That thereupon hee raised warre against Iohn Duke of Lancaster Thomas Earle of Arundell Richard Earle of Warwicke and others contrary to his promise in derogation of the honour of the King That hee caused his fathers owne brother the Duke of Glocester without law to be attached and sent to Callice and there without reason secretly murthered That notwithstanding the Earle of Arundell at his arraignment pleaded his Charter of pardon hee could not bee heard but was shamefully and suddenly put to death That hee assembled certain Lancashire and Cheshire men to make warre upon the foresaid Lords and suffered them to robbe and spoyle without reproofe or prohibition 4. That though hee dissembled and had made Proclamation That the Lords were not attached for any crime of Treason but for oppression done within the Realme yet hee objected against them in the Parliament treason and rebellion 5. That notwithstanding his Pardon granted to them hee enforced divers of the Lords partakers to bee againe intollerably fined to their utter undoing 6. That contrary to his promise in Parliament hee to his great dishonour kept away divers Rowles and Records which by agreement should have beene showne to certaine Commissioners appointed to treate of the affaires of the Common-wealth 7. That hee commanded that no man upon paine of death should entreat for the returne of Henry now Duke of Lancaster 8. That whereas the Realme is immediately holden of God he after he had obtained in Parliament divers Acts for his owne particular ends procured Bulls and heavy censures from Rome to compell his Subjects under heavy censures from Rome to observe and performe them contrary to the Honour and antient priviledge of this kingdome 9. That though the Duke of Lancaster had done his devoyre against the Duke of Norfolke in defence of his quarrell yet hee banished him the land without showing just cause contrarie to equitie and the law of Armes 10. That having under the great Seale given leave to the said Duke of Hereford to make Proxies and Attornies to prosecute and defend his causes The said King after the Dukes departure would not permit any to appeare for him 11. That hee had put out divers high Sheriffes having beene lawfully elected putting into their roomes some of his Favourites subverting the course of the law contrary to his oath and honour 12. Hee borrowed great summes and bound himselfe for repayment but no peny thereof payed 13. That hee layd taxations upon his Subjects at his pleasure consuming the Treasure in idle expences but not paying the poore subject for his owne viands 14. That hee affirmed all the Law lay in his head and brest by which phreneticall conceit divers of the Nobilitie were destroyed and the poore Commons fleeced 15. That hee procured by his Solicitors in the Parliament an Act to bee established that no Act of Parliament should bee more prejudiciall to him then it was to his Predecessors through which proviso hee did what he list and not what the law did allow 16. That for his ends hee would keep Sheriffes of shires longer then two or one yeare in the office 17. That hee put out divers Knights and Burgesses legally elected and put others of his owne choice in their roomes to serve his owne turne 18. That hee had spies and informers in every Countrey to heare and observe the words and demeanours of the people And if any reproved his loose and licentious courses they were convented and grievously fined 19. The spiritualitie objected against him that at his going into Ireland hee squeesed out many summes of money besides jewels and Plate without Law or Custome contrary to his oath at his Coronation That divers Lords and Iustices being sworne to speake the truth in divers things concerning the honour and safetie of the Realme and profit of the King hee did so threaten them that no man would or durst deliver the truth 20. That without the assent of the Peeres hee carried the Iewels and Plate of this Kingdome into Ireland to the great impoverishing of the Realme many of them being there lost 21. That hee caused all remembrances of the great exactions and extortions by him used and safely deposited amongst the Parliamentary Records to bee privily imbeazeled and carried away 22. That in all his Letters to the Pope and other Princes his stile was cunning and obscure that neither they nor his owne Subjects were certaine of his true meaning 23. That hee forgetfully affirmed that all the lives of his Subjects were in his hands to dispose at his pleasure 24. That hee contrary to the great Charter of England procured divers able men to appeale aged people upon matters determinable at Common law in the Marshalls Court because in that Court there is no tryall but by battaile whereby such Appealers knowing their insufficiencie submitted themselves to his mercie whom he at his pleasure unreasonably fined 25. That hee devised strange formes of oathes contrary to law and enforced divers his subjects to take and observe the same and to that end bound them by Recognizance to the great hinderance of many poore men and the dishonour of God 26. That where the Chancelour upon good grounds denyed a Prohibition to a certaine person moving for the same yet hee granted it to the same persons under the privie Seale with a grievous paine if not obeyed 27. That hee banished the Archbishop of Canterbury without just cause or judgement and kept him with armed men in the Parliament Chamber 28. That hee granted all his goods to his successors conditionally that he should maintaine all the Statutes made Anno 21. at Shrousbury and the 22. yeare of his Raigne at Coventrie 29. That upon the first convention of the Bishop of Canterbury he cunningly perswaded the Archbishop to make no answer for hee would bee his warrant perswading him to decline the Parliament And so without answer hee was condemned to be exiled and his goods seized on foure other Articles in behalfe of the Bishops were layed against him by whose
for revolting from Nabuchadnezzar after homage done unto him did not Saul put all the Priests to death because one of them did relieve holy and harmlesse David did hee not prosecute his faithfull servant and dutifull son-in-law yet was not hee spared nay protected by him And was not David much grieved for but taking away the lap of his garment and afterwards caused the messenger to bee slaine that upon request and for pitie did lend his hand as himselfe reported to hasten the voluntary death of that sacred King As for the contrary examples of Iehu They were done by expresse Oracle and revelation from God and are no more set downe for our imitation then the robbing the Egyptians or any other particular or priviledged commandement but in the generall precept which all men must ordinarily follow not only our actions but our speeches also and our very thoughts are strictly charged with dutie and obedience to Princes whether they bee good or evill The law of God ordaineth That hee that doth presumptuously against the Ruler of the people shall die And the Prophet David forbiddeth both by precept and practise to touch the Lords annointed Thou shalt not saith the Lord rayle upon the Iudges neither sbeake evill of the Ruler of the people And the Apostles doe demand further that even our thoughts and soules bee obedient to higher powers And lest any should imagine that they ment of good Princes only they speake generally of all And further to take away all doubt they make expresse mention of the evill For the power and authoritie of wicked Princes is the ordinance of God And therefore Christ told Pilat That the power which hee had was given him from above And the Prophet Esay called Cyrus being a prophane and heathen Prince the Lords annointed For God turneth the hearts even of wicked Princes to doe his will And as Iehosaphat said to his Rulers they execute not the judgement of man but of the Lord In regard whereof David calleth them gods because they have the rule and authoritie even from God which if they doe abuse they are not to bee adjudged by their subjects for no power within their Dominion is superiour to theirs But God reserveth them to their sorest triall horribly and suddenly saith the Wise man will the Lord appeare to them and a hard judgement shall they have The law of God commandeth that the childe should not bee put to death for any contumelie done unto the Parents but what if the father be a robber if a murtherer if for excesse of villanies odious and execrable both to God and man surely hee deserveth the greatest degree of punishment and yet must not the sonne lift up his hand against him for no offence can bee so great to bee punished by parricide But our Country is or ought to bee more deere to us then our Parents And the Prince is the father of the country and therefore more sacred and deare to us then our Parents by nature and must not bee violated how imperious how impious soever hee bee doth hee command or demand our purses or persons we must not shun from the one nor shrinke from the other for as Nehemiah saith Kings have dominion over the cattell of their subjects at their pleasure Doth hee injoyne those actions which are contrary to the lawes of God wee must neither wholly obey nor violently resist but with a constant courage submit our selves to all manner of punishment and show our subjection by suffering and not performing yea the Church hath declared it to bee an heresie to hold that a Prince may be slaine or deposed by his Subjects for any default or disorder of life or default in government There will bee faults so long as there bee men and as wee endure with patience a barren yeare if it happen and unseasonable weather so must wee tolerate the imperfections of Rulers and quietly expect either reformation or alteration But alas what such cruelty what such impietie hath King Richard committed examine the imputations objected with the false circumstance of aggravation and you shall finde but little of truth or of great moment it may be many oversights have escaped as who lives without offending yet none so grievous to bee termed tyrannie as proceeding rather from unexperienced ignorance or corrupt counsell then from any naturall or wilfull malice Oh! how should the world bee pestered with tyrants if Subjects might be permitted to rebell upon pretence of tyrannie how many good Princes should often bee suppressed by those by whom they ought to be supported if they but levie a Subsidie or any other taxation it shall bee judged oppression if they put any to death for traiterous attempts against their persons it shall bee exclaimed at for crueltie if they shall doe any thing against the good liking of their people it shall bee proclaimed tiranny But let it bee that without desert in him or authoritie in us King Richard must bee deposed yet what right hath the duke of Lancaster to the Crown or what reason have wee without right to give it him If hee make Title as heire to King Richard then must hee stay King Richards death for no man can succeed as heire to the living But it s well knowne to all men who are not wilfully blinde or grosly ignorant that there are some yet alive lineally descended from Lionel Duke of Clarence whose issue by the judgement of the high Court of Parliament in the eighth yeare of King Richards raigne was declared heire apparant to the Crowne in case of Richard should die without issue The claime from Edmond Crouchbacke I passe over the authors thereof themselves being ashamed of so absurd an abuse And therefore all the pretence now on foot is by right of conquest and the Kings resignation and grant and the consent of the many it is bad stuffe that will take no colour what conquest can a subject make against a Soveraigne where the warre is insurrection and the victory high treason King Richards resignation being in prison is an act of exaction by force and therefore of no force to bind him And by the lawes of this realme the King by himselfe cannot alienate the antient jewells and ornaments of the Crowne much lesse give away his Crowne and Kingdome And custome wee have none for the vulgar to elect their King but they are alwayes tyde to accept of him whom the right of succession enables to the Crowne much lesse can they make good that Title which is by violence usurped For nothing can bee said to bee freely done when libertie is restrained by feare As for the deposing of Edward the Second it is no more to bee urged then the poisoning of King Iohn or the murdering of a lawfull Prince wee must live according to lawes not examples yet the kingdome then was not taken from lawfull successors But if wee looke backe to times past wee shall finde that these Titles were
of Westminster that imployed his studies not as others to cloke their idlenesse and sloth under pretext of Religion making a seeming show of sanctitie and a solide practice of gaine and promotion but to enable himselfe for counsell and direction in publicke affaires who for the generall opinion of his wisdome and integritie was in good credit with King Richard and had accompanied him in his last expedition into Ireland This Abbot calling to minde a speech of King Henries when hee was but Earle of Darby that Princes had too little and religious men too much knowing the saying to be too true for at that time the riches of the Clergie was growne so great that they were beheld by the eyes of envy and withall observing the generall passages in those times tended to the abridging of the regular power wherein lest Avarice should appeare open-faced pollicie was pretended and the excesse thought dangerous both to the King and Clergie as likely to cause want in the one and wantonnesse in the other and that thereupon in Parliament divers bills were formerly put up in King Richards time to represse the increase of Religious possessions and that inquisition and redresse might bee had against such of the Clergie as under licence to purchase ten pounds did purchase fortie and more per annum and against such Ecclesiasticall persons as caused their villanies to marry free women inheritable whereby their lands might come to those religious persons possession And that it was there likewise moved that the King should seize into his hands all temporall livings of Religious houses as being rather a burden then benefit to religion And that upon these and such like Petitions the Archbishops of Canterbury and Yorke in behalfe of the Clergie of their Provinces were often-times enforced to make their solemne protestations in Parliament That if any thing were attempted in restraint of the libertie of the Church they would in no wise assent but utterly disclaime the same which protestations were respectively enrolled So that now partly upon love to King Richard and partly upon feare lest King Henry would be as ready to invade as he was to inveigh against the riches of the Church This Abbot blew the first coles and brought fewell to the fire of this Confederacie Hee invited to his house upon a solemne feast day in Michaelmasse terme those that hee had sounded to bee most sound to his purpose The chiefe of which were such as in the Parliament before had in some sortbeene touched in reputation although by pardon and reconciliation the harme did seeme to bee closed up Their names were Iohn Holland Duke of Exceter Thomas Holland his brothers sonne Duke of Surry Edward Duke of Aumerle Iohn Mountacute Earle of Sarum Hugh Spencer Earle of Glocester Iohn Bishop of Carlile Sir Thomas Blunt and Magitalon one of King Richards Chaplaines who in feature and favour so resembled King Richard that hee was afterwards affirmed to bee him indeed After dinner they withdrew themselves into a private Chamber to Councell where the Duke of Exceter who was mainly bent to restore or revenge the cause of his Deposed brother declared to the rest the alleageance they had sworne to King Richard the honours and preferments whereunto they were by him advanced That they were therefore bound both in conscience by the one and kindnesse by the other to take his part against all men That King Henry contrary to both had dispoyled him of his royall dignitie and unjustly possessed himselfe thereof whilst they stood looking on and shewed neither the obedience of subjects nor love of friends That King Henry by violent invading fraudulently insinuating himselfe into the kingdome of his sole Soveraigne was but a tyrant and an usurper and such an one as it was lawfull for any one at any time by any meanes to throw downe without respect whether hee bee good or evill for it is lawfull for no man under the pretence and show of goodnesse to draw Soveraigntie to himselfe That the examples of best governed Common-wealths did not only permit this action but highly honoured the actor with Statues and Garlands and also rewarded them with titles of Nobilitie and all the wealth of the suppressed Tyrant and lesse hee could not esteeme King Henry that this enterprise would bee very profitable to the republicke by extinguishing those warres that the Scots menaced the French prepared for and the Welchmen had already begun upon this quarrell That hee did not distrust but it might bee accomplished by open hostilitie but hee thought it more sure for him and safe for the Common-wealth to put first in practise some secret policie And to that purpose it was proposed and approved that a solemne justs should bee notified to bee kept at Oxford in Christmasse holy-dayes betweene him and twentie more on his part and the Earle of Salisbury and twenty more on his part to which King Henry should bee invited And wen hee was therein observed to bee most intentive hee should suddenly be surprized by such which without suspition might at that time bee assembled both for number and preparation sufficient for the exploit And thereby King Richard presently restored to libertie and State This devise was at once uttered and approved and so resolving on the enterprise they tooke a solemne oath of faith and secrecie to the houre of death each to other And an Indenture Sextipartite was likewise made betwixt the Lords wherein they bound themselves respectively each to other to doe the best of their devoyre for the destruction of the one and delivery of the other King which was interchangeably subscribed sealed and delivered They likewise concluded what forces should bee gathered where and by whom they should bee ordered and placed and to whose trust the execution of this exploit should bee committed In pursuance hereof the Duke of Exceter came to the King at Windsor and desired that hee would vouchsafe to honour with his presence the martiall exercise that was intended betwixt him and the Earle of Sarum at Oxford and bee pleased to bee Iudge of their performance if any controversie should arise The King perswading himselfe that that was really intended which was so formally pretended easily yeelded to his request whereupon the Duke with the rest of the Confederates did disperse themselves and according to direction made their preparations and furnished themselves with all things necessary for the accomplishment of their plot and at the time agreed upon addressed themselves to Oxford well accompanied with horse and foot where they all meet except the Duke of Aumerle The King hearing of their departure determined the day following to follow according to promise and appointment The Duke of Aumerles absence gave just cause of doubt to the rest of his complices and to bee ascertained of the cause of his stay they send a Post unto him but before his arrivall the Duke was departed from his house towards Oxford but by the way went to
hee left the doing thereof to his Executours But so please those that shall seeme to move that question to observe the time of the date of his Testament and the date of the Codicill to the same annexed by which it is appointed by him that whatsoever hee in his life-time shall undertake that therewith his Executours shall not be chargeable though by the Will hee hath given them order to doe it so that notwithstanding by his Will hee appointed his Executors to repaire the Church and erect his Tombe yet hee lived to doe both himselfe And now after all these so memorable actions saith Bishop Godwine in his lives of Bishops fol. 187. hee having runne the course of a long happy and most honourable life hee ended the dayes of his Pilgrimage in peace in the yeare 1404. aged above 80. yeares when hee had sate Bishop of Winchester 37. yeares I have heard it reported that this pious Bishop did bestow upon the King many rich jewells of inestimable price And to every Officer of houshold attending upon the King to every one of them one Iewell or other And that hee likewise distributed to every Parish Church within his Diocesse of Salisbury amounting in the whole to the number of sixe hundred fiftie and foure Churches a decent Sattin Cope imbrodered with a Challice and pix of silver whereon was engraven Ex dono VVilli de VVickham but upon what ground to build the truth of this relation certainly I know not more then this That in Salisbury I saw in the house of Thomas Grafton one of the Aldermen thereof an old Challice whereon was graven Ex dono Guil de Wickham And it appeares in Howes Prosequution of Stowes abstract to 561. That Bishop VVickham gave many things to the King to his Courtiers to every Church in his Diocesse to his owne servants and to his Colledges And therefore doubts not but that hee that thus lived now liveth with God whom hee beseecheth to raise up many more such good Benefactors in this Kingdome to whose good wish with all my heart I say So be it Amen The French afresh cast anchor before the Isle of VVight and sent Messengers on shore to demand the delivery of the Isle to their possession but upon the stout answer of the Ilanders and notice of their preparation and resolution to fight the French wayde anchor and departed presently upon this Monseur Lewis the proud Duke of Orleance Brother to the French King in a vaiâ—… glorious stile sent a Challenge to King Henry requiring him with an hundred men of name and Cotearmour armed at all points with Speares Axes Swords and Ponyard to fight the Combat to yeelding every Victor to have his Prisoner and his ransome at pleasure offering to come to Angulesmâ—… if the King would come to Bourdeux to defend the Challenge The King with great moderation made him this discreet answer That his former actions in martiall exploits hee presumed had sufficiently acquited him from any the least touch of cowardise And withall that Kings sacred and annoynted as hee was ought not to bee so carelesse of the people committed to their charge for any cause to fight except for furtherance or maintenance of true Religion or for preservation of their rights or defence of their Kingdomes from depradations or to revenge injuryes obtruded or other such like important causes neither was hee by the law of Honour or Armes bound to answer in Camp-fight except upon good ground with his equall in dignitie and office But added withall that hee would be at all times prepared to repulse or represse any that unadvisedly or otherwise should attempt to offer him or his either violence or disgrace To this the Duke replies and the King rejoynes but not without some unfitting taunts and jeeres which so nettled the over-passionate Duke that with all expedition hee falls upon Vergye a Towne in Guian which for the space of three moneths notwithstanding many desperate assaults was bravely defended by Sir Robert Antfield and three hundred Englishmen insomuch that the Duke after the losse of many men despayring to carry it without honour or spoyle returned into France Presently upon that the Admirall of Britaine who the yeare before had taken from the English certaine shippes laden with wine accompanied with the Lord du Castile and some thirtie sayle of shippes attempted to land at Dartmouth but were repelled in which service the Lord Castell and two of his brethren and foure hundred of his men were slaine and two hundred taken prisoners amongst whom the Lord Baquevile Marshall of Britaine was one Five hundred men of armes five hundred Crosse-bowes and one thousand Flemmings on foot under the conduct of the Earle of Saint Paul layd siege to the Castle of Marcke three leagues from Callice Sir Philip Hall the Captaine thereof with fourescore Archers and foure and twenty other souldiers valiantly defended the same and put the first assault the next day the French entred the base court where they tooke some kyne horses and other cattell But they having notice that Sir Richard Aston Lieutenanr of the English pale under the Earle of Somerset with two hundred men of armes three hundred footmen and ten Waggons of amunition approached kept close in their trenches from whence being beaten upon by the Bowmen on both sides they were forced and fled The Earle of Saint Paul escaped to Saint Omers but left threescore most men of qualitie dead behind and fourescore Prisoners besides his Camp to be rifled by the souldiers with the spoyle whereof they retreated to Callice And within five dayes after their returne thither they issued forth in hope to have surprised Arde but by the valour of Sir Manfrid de Boyes the Captaine they retired with the losse of forty of their fellowes whose carkasses they burned in an old house that the French should not certainly know their losse The Lord Thomas of Lancaster the Kings third Sonne and the Earle of Kent the two and twentieth day of May with competent forces entred the Haven of Sluice burnt foure great Shippes ryding at anchor and in expectation to have met the Duke of Burgoigne they landed but without resistance having spoyled the Country round about they returned to the reliefe of Callice which by the French was besieged in the way they were encountred by three Carricks of Genoa one of which with winde tide and full sayle bare so hard upon the Shippe wherein the Lord Lancaster was that hadnot his Pilat beene the perfecter hee had beene in danger to have beene overborne for his vessell was much bruised the fight was doubtfull untill the Earle of Kent bare with them and then they tooke the three Carricks richly laden and brought them to the Chambet at Rye where one of them by misfortune was fired and to the gaine of neither side perished The coles of the Northerne rebellion was not so cleane extinguished but that by removing of the ashes under
the Towne the starved multitude began to upbraid the Commanders and to tell them that they must bee famished to death for their obstinacies and with threatning speeches they told them they would if they would not compound for their redemption upon any termes enforced therefore to give way to their implacable furyes the Commissioners concluded that after the nineteenth day of that instant Ianuarie the Citie and Castle of Roane should bee delivered to the King of Englands hands and that all should submit to the Kings mercie and should pay to him three hundred thousand Skutes of gold every two to bee of the valew of the English Noble Every Souldiour to sweare never to beare armes against the King of England That the starved creatures expulsed should bee admitted entrance and receive reliefe during the time prefixed if not before that time reskonsed Vpon the day agreed upon Sir Guy de Butler and the Burgesses delivered up the keyes of the Citie and Castle craving grace and favour The Duke of Exceter was appointed to take possession of the fame who accordingly entred with his souldiers The next day after being Friday the twentieth of Ianuary the KING triumphantly made his entry with foure Dukes tenne Earles eight Bishops sixteene Barons c. Hee was received with the Clergie with two and fourty Crosses and by them was conducted to our Lady Church where after publicke Thankes-giving hee tooke homage and fealtie of the Burgesses and inhabitants making proclamation that all that would come and acknowledge him to bee their Liege-Lord should enjoy the benefit of his protection and retaine their possessions whereupon many came in and many Townes were surrendred The Duke of Britaine fore-casting the danger of having too potent a neighbour except a friend plant neere him upon safe conduct obtained came to Roane where a League is agreed upon that neither should make Warre upon other except upon denuntiation thereof sixe moneths before any attempt this concluded the Duke returned Whilst the King lay at ROANE to perfect all things the Duke of CLARENCE tooke VERNON and NAVNT making Sir WILLIAM PORTER Captaine of the first and the Earle of MARCH of the other The Earle of SALISBVRY tooke in HVNFLEVV which was afterward given to the Duke of CLARENCE Munster de Villiers Ewe New-Castle whereof Sir PHILIP LEECH was made Captaine An Overture agreed upon for an interview betwixt the King of ENGLAND and the Dolphin of FRANCE fayled through the Dolphins default which displeased King HENRY who had in expectation thereof gone from Roane to Eureux from whence hee sent the Earle of Warwicke to take in la Roche Guyon which hee accordingly but not without some losse did and thereof made owner of the Kings free gift Sir Guy de Bolyleere lately Captaine of Roane In all places the Kings Commanders prevailed and by constraint or consent all pieces of strength that were sommoned opened their gates unto the English and it is worthy the observation that when there is as now there was a mutuall intercourse of discreet direction and diligent execution warlike designes faild but prosper on the other side where there is want of skill to Command and want of will to obey nothing can thrive and these wants now hid so clowded the affayres of France that all lay at six seven The Duke of Burgoine solicites an interview betwixt the Kings of England and France Embassadors on both sides are sent King Henry is content to come to Maunt so as the French King came to Ponthoys which is consented to King Henry kept his feast of Whitsontide at Mounts where he made the stout Gascoyne Captaine le Buife Earle of Longevile Sir Iohn Gray Earle of Tanckervile and the Lord Bourcher Earle of Ewe upon the last of May at the day appointed King Henry accompanied with the Dukes of Clarence Glocester and Exceter his Vncle Bewford the great Clerke and rich Bishop of Winchester with the Earles of March and Salisbury with a thousand men at armes entred the place appointed The French Queene her Husband being taken with his phrenzie which the Duke of Burgoine and the Earle of Saint Paul and a company of faire Ladyes amongst whom as a baite to entangle the Kings youthfull affection the Queenes beautifull Daughter the Lady Katherine throughly instructed and gorgeously attired presented her selfe with whose sight though the King was ardently taken yet with that moderation hee behaved himselfe that though hee were resolved to make the enjoyment of her for wife a chiefe Article to be granted yet hee made no such apparant show thereof but that the other things requirable to bee concluded at this treatie should bee first agreed upon but nothing was affected for the Dolphin under-hand had made meanes to the Duke of Burgoine to hinder all agreement which King Henry observing at their departure told the Duke of Burgoine That hee would have his demaunds and the Lady or else drive the King out of his kingdome and make the Duke seeke another Dukedome The treatie becomming fruitlesse and dissolved the Dolphin and the Duke upon the sixt of Iuly are reconciled and the Articles thereof signed and sealed In the meane time a Conspiracy in Roane was timely discovered and wisely prevented and the Conspiratours upon examination and proofe duly punished By direction from the King the Earle of Longevile did valiantly surprise the Towne of Poynthose with fifteene hundred men there being at that time within the Towne a thousand Launceeres and two thousand Arcubalisters but had not the Earle of Huntington come in good time to second them their valour opprest by multitude could not have made good what they had atchieved neither could they both have long subsisted had not the Duke of Clarence come to their reskue who to recompence the brave spirits of the first entrers gave the spoyle of the Towne amongst them From thence the Duke marched to Paris and there stayed by the space of two dayes but perceiving no show of sally to be made he returned to Ponthoys King Henry comming thither after hee had sufficiently furnished the same with victuals and artillerie hee with his maine Army marched further into the country and in the way forced the Castle of Vanion Villeirs but at the intercession of divers Ladyes the garrison were permitted without armes or weapon to depart Hereof was appointed Captaine Iohn de Burgh upon approach of the Armie which was upon the last of August to the Castle of Gysors the only peece that now stood forth in those parts the Garrison there made a sally and much hindred the English in their sitting downe by reason of the inaccessible passage thorow the Marishes which in a manner surrounded the same yet at length when they perceived the Kings resolution not to depart without conquest and calling to minde that no place had bin of strength sufficient to withstand his power they agreed if not reskued by a day which they were not to deliver
more dishonour leaving his slaine and maimed souldiers behind him all save the Pusil impostor who being hurt in the leg and almost stifled with mire in the ditch was by Guisio Thierborne a servant to the Duke of Alanson drawne up and conveyed after the King to Berry who in the way received the submission of the Inhabitants of Laigny The Regent returning to Paris so effectually with words and gesture expressed his true acknowledgement of thankfulnesse for their good service generally and every ones faith in the particular that the Parisians publikely professed Friends to King Henry Friends to Paris enemies to England enemies to the Parisians Philip Duke of Burgoine commeth to Paris where it is concluded in Councell that hee shall remaine for the safeguard of the Citie whilst the Regent infinitely desirous to affront King Charles in the field makes head against the usurper but no certaine newes could be brought where he was in prison the Regent in his March regained Saint Dennis with divers other Fortlets adjoyning The Bastard of Clarence layd siege to the Castle of Sorsy which after sixe moneths siege was yeelded unto him Sir Thomas Kiryel with foure hundred English-men issued out of Gourney in Normandy and wasted the Country to the suburbes of Clerimont all along The Earle of Britaine with his forces meet them neere Beavoys who not liking to charge them with his horse observing some disadvantage in the place or fearing their stakes caused his men to dismount and to charge them on foot but their entertainment was such that the English made shift with their owne horses to follow them flying taking two hundred prisoners and slaying six hundred and so victoriously returned The Duke of Suffolke having payed his ransome and set at libertie besieged the place whereof the Lord Rambures was chiefe which after foure and twenty assaults hee caused to be rendred simply unto him Sir Stephen le Hire with Captaine Franquet with three hundred men marching toward Champayne which was beleagred by the Duke of Burgoyne the Earles of Arundell and Suffolke were encountred by Pusil Ioane and foure hundred with her who fiercely charged them but being by the close order of the English debard from breaking in shee like a Masty curre not daring come too neere stood baying untill shee had drawne out the garrisons of Laigny and other Forts which all fell upon the English and made a great slaughter amongst them and tooke the Captaine prisoner who being presented unto her for shee was reverenced as a Commander in chiefe because hee would not humble himselfe unto her upon the knee like her selfe against law of armes and rule of reason shee caused his head to bee cut off and all his souldiers taken prisoners cruelly to bee slaine From thence shee sped her to Campayne into which with her company shee entred the same as yet not being besieged round Vpon Ascention day at night this Amazonian Virago sallyed out upon the Lord Bawdoe de Noyels quarter where shee did but little hurt and was repulsed though her plot was to have fired his lodgings two nights after by the same place the Bridge towards Montdrider with five hundred men at armes shee sallyed out againe but being discovered by Sir Iohn of Lutzenborough her company was defeated and shee taken and presented to the Duke of Burgoyne who sent her to the Regent who sent her to the Bishop of the Diocesse who after judiciall proceeding against her as a Sorceresse and deceiver of the King and his subjects by her seeming show of sanctitie and her inhumane cruelty against the King of England and his subjects was after her many delayes of promise of discoverie of secret practises and lastly of her fained pregnancie burned at Roane The siege still continued before Campaigne whither the Regent sent the Earle of Huntington and Sir Iohn Robsert who brought fresh supplies of all things But Philip the Duke of Brabant being dead and the Duke of Burgoyne going thither to take possession of the Dutchie as undoubted heire Sir Iohn of Luxborough was left in his stead to prosecute the siege who contrary to the wills of the English and against the opinion of the major part of the Councell raised the same and departed whereby hee left the besieged meanes how to have therewith famine relieved but the Pestilence raged very hot in the Towne The game at Chesse amongst the souldiers playd gave checke sometime to the French and sometime to the English the one in one place prevailing the other doing in another place the like and so it continued wavering in doubtfull ballance a long time The young King of England was by his Councell advised for it was by them resolved that his presence would be a good motive to retain his friends in their former fidelity and reduce the backsliders to their sworne allegiance to goe with armed power in person into France To this end upon St. Georges eve he took shipping at Dover and landed on Sunday being St. Georges day at Callice with a wel-appointed Army from thence by easie marches went to Roan and from thence to Paris where he was by his Vncle the Bishop of Winchester and Cardinall of Eusebius with all wel-beseeming Ceremonies and observances Crowned King of France receiving the oathes of homage and Fealty of all the Nobilitie of France present and all the Citizens and inhabitants of that Citie and of the places adjacent It was very observable amongst strangers and not without some admiration that so small an Iland as England under the governance of so tender an infant should so long and upon so good termes contend with so large potent and populous a kingdome as France But such at that time was the vertue martiall valour of the English Nation That they knew no meane betwixt death and victory alwayes preferring an honorable death before a lingring servitude This moved Eugenius the Pope and all the Christian Princes so often to make Overtures of reconcilement betwixt these two kingdomes but could effect nothing but an imperfect truce for six years which agreed upon King Henry returnes for England and landeth at Dover the 11. of February The six yeares truce was scarce openly proclaimed when an unexpected accident gave occasion of breach thereof and which was worse of the amitie betwixt the Regent the Duke of Burgoyne For his Sister the Lady Anne being dead without issue he too suddenly married the young Lady Iaqueline Daughter to Peter Earle of St. Paul at Terwyâ—… from whence before the solemnitie of the Feast were fully finished he posted to Callice to punish the insolency of some of the garrison there who pretending want of pay had restrained the Merchants from venting their Woolls foure of the faulty souldiers he executed 110. he banished the Towne and many more hee punished by imprisonment from whence with his new Bride on Midsommer eve hee departed for London where he stayed untill the
to the reskue thereof on the other side the Townes of Neux in Bry and Susan were sold and delivered to the French by the trecherous Burgers All manner of graine in England in respect of the scarcity thereof was at exceeding high prices and had not the care and industry of the then Maior Stephen Browne beene such that hee had caused provision of corne especially Rye to bee bought and brought from farre Countries thither the famine would have raged as much in London as the fearefull Pestilence did in Paris where those that dyed in the streets lay unburied untill the ravenous Wolves made their mawes the sepulture of their flesh but God in his mercy ceased the plague in Paris and replenished London with graine in abundance to the great reliefe of remoter parts of the kingdome which before that time were driven to make their sustenance of Fearne rootes and Ivy berryes In Iune the Earle of Huntington with two thousand Archers and foure thousand Speares was sent into Gascoyne whither the Earle of Danoyes was lately come throughly instructed and provided to buy the best penny-worths of Townes â—…nd Castles hee could compasse but the Earle of Huntington upon his comming thither changed all the Captaines and Officers and put others in their roomes whereby hee warily prevented the Bastards chafferours This strumpet Bribery and whore covetousnesse began to spread their wings so farre that in Normandy the English Captaines had small confidence in the Natives and not too much in some of their owne Nation Whereupon Sir Richard Woodvile Sir William Chamberlaine Sir William Peto with a thousand men were sent thither to stoppe the current of French crownes from corrupting the yet faithfull souldiers with them They according to their directions narrowly sifted all and where they found fault or cause of suspition they punished or removed and having settled all things in good order returned A gap began this yeare to bee opened whereby the English might have entred to have made a reduction of those pieces the French had bought or conquered but the wisdome of the Councell of France stopped it by reconciling the King and his sonne the Dolphin betweene whom by the sinister perswasions of base Sycophants on both sides there were discurtesies taken before given and discontent without any ground the sonne deeming his Fathers grave deportment too too much austerity and the Father the Dolphins youthfull countenance to a kind of contempt beyond filiall dutie neither having just cause of jealousie yet both suspitious of each others countenance But the knot of seditious faction tyde betweene the Dukes of Burgoyne Alanson and the Dolphin is dissolved and the King and his Sonne in show reconciled Some small peeces were in this time regayned but Paris for which provision was making for the reduction thereof was left off upon the notice of the reconcilement In a great bend of Frost with a deepe snow the English under the conduct of Iohn Lord Clifford having covered their armour with white shirts and their heads with white Alman skulls come to Ponthoys by night and undiscovered past the ditches skaled the walls slew the guards and tooke the Towne with many good prisoners and a great spoile presently upon the regaining of which Towne the Earle of Warwicke died in the Castle of Roan and was from thence conveyed to England and buried in his Colledge at Warwicke hee was the sixteenth Earle of Warwicke and Lord Lisle in the right of his Wife hee married two wives the first Elizabeth Daughter and heire of Thomas Lord Barckley and Margery his Wife Daughter and heire of Warren Lord Lisley and Tyes by whom hee had issue three Daughters Margaret the eldest married to Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury who had issue Iohn Talbot Vicount Lisley Elianor married with Thomas Lord Rosse of Hamlocke and after to Edward Bewford Duke of Somerset Elizabeth maried to George Nevill Lord Latimer Earle Richard Beauchampes second Wife was Isabell Daughter of Thomas Spencer Earle of Glocester by whom hee had issue Henry Duke of Warwicke and Anne married to Richard Nevill Earle of Salisbury who in her right was after Earle of Warwicke To reduce Ponthoys the French King in person layeth siege thereunto and useth all possible meanes hee can to enforce it but the defendants but flowt him for his paines and many times send his assaulting souldiers haulting home with fleaes in their eares Richard Duke of Yorke being the second time made Regent being arrived with the Earle of Oxford and the Earle of Ewe levies a power to raise the siege and arriving there giveth notice to the King that the next morning hee would bid him battell But the King not liking the breath of Talbot leaves his Ordnance and best provision in the Bastile of Saint Martins and in the midst of the night stole to Poysy The English possesse his tents furnish the Towne with the provision therein left and thereof make Sir Gervoys Clifton Captaine with a thousand souldiers for the defence thereof and then marched to Poysy where he braved the French King and thought with taunts and revilings to have put valour in him but hee was too patient to bee provoked to fight wherefore hee left him there and returned to Roan A motion of parlie is moved the place appointed Callice by the mediation and solicitation of the Dutchesse of Burgoyne shee being a Portugall by birth very solicitous of the safetie of her husband and the quiet of France a woman of no ordinary capacitie but of an extraordinary understanding by her meanes the King of France sendeth the Archbishop of Reimes and Narbon and the Earle of Dunoys For the King of England the Cardinall of Yorke and the Duke of Exceter with whom came Charles Duke of Orleance who having beene long kept Prisoner was in good hope of enlargement but the successe of the meeting not answering the expectation nothing was done for his enlargement for in such treatises such as have the possession of strong holds doe commonly use policie and delayings the stronger giving lawes to the weaker so that the English would not bate an ace of what they had gotten to keepe and would have for the ransome of the Duke their first asking which was more then his meanes could any way compasse and the French King not very forward to give him any assurance so that the disconsolate Duke patiently returnes but his misery so moved the heart of the Dutchesse of Burgoyne that shee prevailed so farre with her husband that hee passeth his credit for the payment of three hundred thousand Crownes for his ransome at Callice at a day prefixt at which time and place the Duke of Orleance in person and the Duke of Burgoynes money meet where the one being received the other after five and twenty yeares imprisonment is released and by his sonne that had slaine his Father and sought the ruine of his house but now a firme league of
where advised thereto by his Councell hee sent great Warwickes Brother the Archbishop of Yorke to bee kept prisoner in the Castle of Guisnes and the Earle of Oxford who had submitted himselfe upon pardon of life only to the Castle of Hams and layed all the Ports for the stopping of the Earle of Penbrookes going out of England which hee neverthelesse afterwards did with the young Earle of Richmond King Edward much displeased with the escape of the Earle of Penbrooke but more of that of Richmond by how-much the one could but abet the other might lay claime sent his Letters over to the Duke of Britaine whither those two Earles had found meanes to convey themselves and were in Britanny by him kindly entertained intimating therein his earnest desire either to have them sent over to him or at least watchfully kept from attempting any thing which he had iust causte to suspect they would to his prejudice by their being at liberty with many promises of thankfull respect for this courtesie if granted and for an earnest thereof sent him a token worthy the receiving which so prevailed with the Duke that the two Earles were debard each others company and all their English attendants taken from them and Britons appointed in their places which somewhat satisfied the King of England but gave no content to the English Gentlemen in France A Parliament is called at Westminster wherein all acts formerly made by him are confirmed And those that King Henry after his redemption of the Crowne had abrogated were revived And an ordinance made for the confiscation of all their lands and goods that had taken part against him and were fled with a restauration of all such as for his part had beene attainted both to blood and patrimony Towards his charges in this Parliament a competent summe of mony is voluntarilie given and in respect thereof a generall pardon is granted The Duke of Burgoyne not willing that his courtesies formerly done to his brother in law should be thought upon and willing to ingulph him in the warres of France That he in the meane time might have the better opportunitie to worke some malicious stratagem against the French king sends over Embassadors with ample instructions to solicit the King of England to set on foot his title to the Crowne of France making great offers with protestations to ayd and assist him therein both with purse and person The Embassadors have audience and after much debating the poynt amongst the privy Councell it was thus amongst them concluded 1 That the Crowne of France was not ambitiously affected But the title thereof legally Challenged as the unquestionable right of the now King of England 2 That the French warres if orderly pursued alwayes enriched English Souldiers 3 That France being made the seat of the war it would keepe them from making invasion on England and hinder them from supporting any against the King of England 4 That the French King had in an unsufferable fashion given an affront to the King of England in ayding and abetting Queene Margaret and her trayterous complices against him and prohibiting any his true subiects to reside within his territories And in continually sending combustible stuffe to feed the fire of rebellion which had so disquieted the common-wealth of England 5 That the King of France infested the Duke of Burgonies Countries with warres who was a friend and Collegue with the King of England and one that was in league with him both offensive and defensive Therefore this proposition from the Duke of Burgoin to vndertake the warres against France was to be approved of as being both lawfull and behoofefull for the honour of the King and the good of the Kingdome But the meanes how to pursue the warre being once undertaken was an other cause considerable For treasure the sinewes of warre was wanting and to procure a supply by Parliamentary courses would take up too much time They were therefore driven to find out and set on foote a proiect till then unheard of which was to draw by way of benevolence from the subject a seeming voluntary howsoever often very unwillingly payed contribution Thereby to supply the want of mony for the pursuance of these warres To this end divers Commissioners are assigned with letters to the knights and Gentlemen and severall instructions are sent into every County who did therein so effectually Comply themselues to doe the King service that by their perwasions most men of abilitie did enlarge their contributions to this so faire an enterprise and readily departed with their mony And a Kings kys to a sparing and therefore a rich widdow amongst many others drawne in by Court holy water to make oblation brought in twenty pounds more then was demanded for that being but twenty she gave forty It is almost a matter of admiration in these dayes how in those dayes The King could out of this little Island be furnished with able men for his warres old men women and children with sufficient meate to put in their mouthes the Cleargy and Schollers with competent maintenance and the markets with necessary provision considering the infinite number of those in the late Civill broyles slaughtered the paucitie of Ploughmen and husbandmen the want of farmers and the indigency of Cattell wherewith to stocke their farmes infinite quantities of ground lying unmanurde or tilled and the pastures and downes without sheepe or Cattell The generall spoyle and wastment which the Souldiers wheresoever they came and that was almost every where in this kingdome made and the generall ceasing and neglect of commerce or trafficke the shipping not daring to stir abroad the danger being so great to be robbed and spoyled either by hombred pirates or forraine foes yet such was Gods great mercies that every one of these respectively were supplied and did subsist without any notable defect or extraordinary want Henry Holland Duke of Exceter and Earle of Huntington dishinherited by act of Parliament with Henry Duke of Somerset and Thomas Earle of Devonshire in the fourth yeere of King Edward the fourth was this yeare found dead stript naked betwixt Dover and Callice but how hee came by his death no inquiry could bring to light he married Anne daughter of Richard Duke of Yorke and sister to Edward the fourth but had no issue by her she was after married to Sir Thomas Saytleoger and had issue by him a daughter to George Mannors Lord Rosse of Hâ—…mlack Provision for this French expedition of all things necessary being throughly made aad order taken for the quiet government of the kingdome in his absence and the stop of incursiones if any should by the Scots be made King Edward with an army of fifteene hundred men at armes and all of the nobility and Gentry gallantly mounted and wel attended with fifteene thousand archers on horsebacke eight thousand common souldiers whereof five thousand were sent to Brittaine and three thousand pioners to attend the ordnance and
if the Duke of Britaine were disturbed wherupon K. Lewis rested satisfied though not contented whilst K. Edw. forslowed no time to acquaint the Duke of Britayne with all the passages some think that had not the desire of compassing the E. of Richmond and Pembrook now in the D. of Britaines countries bin a better motive then any respect unto the D. the French K. might have had better successe in his requests K. E. to give K. Lewis a tast of his respect towards him notwithstanding his deniall of the proposition for the Duke of Brittaine sends a messenger unto him to acquaint him with trechery of the Constable against him and to carry the more credit of the truth of what was intimated hee sent two letters written with the Constables owne hand which were sufficient testimonies to accuse and convince the Constable of those crymes wherewith afterwards King Edward charged him The mony to be payd by the Articles is borowed of the Parisians so willing they were to see the Englishmens backs accordingly payed over the hostages are delivered wherupon the army retiers to Callice frō thence are trāsported into England performance of the agreement to the content of both parts made the hostages are with great prōises rewards redelivered Some forbeare not to say that K. E. lost more honour in this voyage then hee had purchased in nine victories before gotten but they were such as measure kings actions by the crooked level of their own erroneous fancies But those of better understanding affirme that it had bin a great error in judgement for the K. to be longer absent frō his so late conquered kingdom but great wisdome policie in him to take hold upon such an occasion to come off so fairely with a match for his daughter which had it taken effect had sufficiently recompenced his charge trouble But private men must not dispute the actions of Princes And further to examine the reason of what in this kind at this time was done might give occasion of discourse but not instruction King Edward being returned into England not unmindful that a great storme might follow though but a smal cloud as yet appeared dispatched Embassador to the Duke of Brittain to perswade with him to have the young Earle of Richmond sent over unto him for that he desired to match him in mariage with the Lady Cecily his younger daughter this faire overture of marriage or rather the feeling mediation of Angels wherof some store were sent but more promised so prevailed with the D. That upon the receipt of the sum sent the E. of Richmond is delivered to the Embassadors who thence conducted him to S. Malos where whilst they staied for a wind by the cunning advise and plotting of the D. treasurer who as it may be by the sequel gathered not wel pleased not to have bin treated withal according to that court custome with a feeling respect a more then ordinary proportion or common gratuity being inseparably incident to his treasurers place more scorne to be so neglected then love to Richmond The young L. escapes into Sanctuary From whence nor promises nor prayers could procure him Neverthelesse upon Peter Londoys his promise he should be safely kept there The Embassadors without their marchandize or mony departed to the no little discontent of the K. who greived much that the lambe had escaped his woolvish intention But being taught the rule what he could not avoyd he made shew to receive willingly he for that time said little At Christmas following he created his eldest son Ed. Prince of Wales D. of Cornwale and E. of Chester his second son Duke of York giving the order of knighthood to the son heire of the E. of Lincolne many others He created foure and twenty knights of the Bath upon the creation of the Prince of Wales whereof Bryan chiefe Justice and Littleton a Iudge of the common Pleas were two Thus whilst K. Edw. in England lived in peace quiet the turbulent D. of Burgoyne never constant but alwayes in contention reaped the triple fruit therof this yeare at three several times The first at Ganson where he lost some honour but more wealth The second at Morat where he lost more honour and many men The last at Nancy where he not only lost men mony reputation but life also by the Switzers whom he had driven to a desparate resolution then not in hope to escape but to sell their lives when submissiō would not be accepted at the deerest rate they fought prevailed Now begins Rich. D. of York to set on foote his untill then close contrived divelish devises to compasse the attainment of the crown of England for the first seene of the ensewing tragedy to facilitate his passage he secretly begins to with draw the Kings affection from his brother George Duke of Clarence and to that purpose susurreth unto him that some of Clarence followers were sorcerers and Nigromancers and that they had given forth speeches that one one whos 's Christen name began with the letter G. should dishinherit his children and carry the crowne of England and to put some varnish upon this suggestion one of the Duke of Clarence his servants which came with him out of Ireland from Dublin where the Duke was borne is in his Masters absence he being then in the country by the procurement under hand of Glocester endighted arraigned condemned and executed at Tiborne for conjuration and all within the space of two dayes hereof the Duke of Clarence being thereto irritated by his brother Glocester grieuously complaines to King Edward who insteed of giving redresse suspecting now the truth of the Duke of Glocesters buzz tooke an occasion likewise by Glocesters advise howsoever he made a glozing shew to Clarence of being jealous of his honour and disliking of the kings disrespect as he termd it of his brothers abuse frame a colour to commit Clarence to the Tower where his loving Brother Richard not as it was feared without the Kings privitie tooke that order that hee should not for so hee faithfully promised him upon his first commitment lye long in prison before hee would procure his release That he was drowned in a but of Malmesey and then layd in his bed to perswade the people that he dyed of discontent This George Duke of Clarence was Earle of Warwicke and Salisbury Lord of Richmond and great Chamberlaine of England he married Isabell daughter and coheire of Richard Nevill the great Earle of Warwicke by whom hee had issue Edward afterwards Earle of Warwicke who dyed without issue and Margaret married to Sir Richard Pole knight who had issue Henry Lord Mountayne and Reginald Pole Cardinall The Pestilence about this time raged with that fury in most parts of this kingdome that the sword in fifteene yeeres before devoured not so many as that did in foure moneths The King upon some present occasion sent to
the Citizens of London a privie seale for the loane of five thousand markes for a yeere which were presently provided and at the time prefixed as orderly repayed which with the royall entertainment he gave them upon invitation at Windsor and the store of venson sent by him with them to make merry with their wives at home won the harts affectiōs of the Londoners both male female That from thence forth no pleasure was denied that they could procure him The Scots make an inrod into Northumberland against whom the Duke of Gloce. was sent with some power but they were retreated before his comming Iames King of Scotland shortly afterward sent Embassadors to treat of a marriage between his eldest son Iames Duke of Rothsay Cecily the kings second daughter This overture for a match was by King Edward his councell embraced and divers great sums of mony as part of her portion were delivered to the Scots but with this proviso that if the marriage did not take effect that the provost and Marchants of Edenborough should be bound to repay the same This Iames K. of Scotland was too much wedded to his own opinion couldnot endure any mans advise how good soever it were that he fancied not he would seldom aske counsel but never follow any by reason wherof such of his counsell as more respected the honour of the kingdom the publike good then what should be pleasing to his private conceits or peculiar fancy did divers times reape exilement and ill will for truth speaking and well meaning so that the way to win his favour could not be found out or followed but by flattery whereby few or none but thrasonicall parasites and camelion timepleasers would follow the court or continue their places therin hence came it that many ignoble affronts were offred to the King of England more disrespects done to his own nobility Insomuch that his brother the Duke of Albany was enforced to ◅and on the Country and to fly for refuge into England where he was by King Edward respectively entertained From him was the King of England truely informed of the weake disposition of King Iames wherewith King Edward was so much incensed that hee made speedy preparation of a competent army which being sufficiently accōmodated withall necessaries for the field under the conduct of Richard Duke of Glocester accompanied with the Duke of Albany they marched towards Scotland The Duke in the way tooke in Barwick and besieged the Castle which was resolutely defended by the Earle Bothwell The Duke perceiving no good to be done against the Castle but by famishing them having sufficiently taken course to secure the towne from sallies leaving the Lord Stanley behind to continue the siege he with the residue of the army marched toward Edenbrough where within the Castle of Maydens the King of Scotland had immurde himselfe The nobility of Scotland observing the miserable spoyle that the English army did the impossibility to prevent it by opposition endevored by humble submission to procure a peace at least a cessation from wars which with much importunitie they obtained at the hands of the general under these conditions 1 That ful satisfaction should be presently given to the English for all damages and wrongs done by the late incursions 2 That the D. of Albany whose friendship the general laboured to be made firme unto him should be fully restored to grace place whatsoever had bin taken or withheld from him by the king his brother and an abolition of all former discontents betwixt them 3 That the Castle of Barwick should immediately be surrendred into the generalls hands from thence no reduction either of that or the town attēpted 4 That all such sums of mony as had bin upon the proposition of the mariage as aforesayd delivered should be repayed or that befitting security should be given by the Provost Citizens of Edenborough for the orderly repayment therof at the Tower of London at some reasonable time before the day prefixed in case K. Edw. should signifie unto them that there should not be any further prosecution of the said proposition of marriage Al which except the first article were accordingly performed A Generall pardon and loving letters from the king are sent unto the Duke of Albany with an authentick instrument under the common seale of the Provost and Citizens of Edenborough for the performance of that part that belonged to them to the D. of Gloc. who upon the receipt therof the surrender of the Castle of Barwick with all ordnance and amunition therin of which and of the towne the Lord Stanley with a competent number of Souldiers to gard the same being made Captaine The generall with the rest of the army joyfully returned for England leaving nothing undon by the way to endeer himselfe to the good opinion of the Captaines the applause of the common Souldiers The faire proceedings in the Scotish expeditiō did not bring so much content to the K. of England but the dishonorable forgetful breach of oath of the French K. did much more molest and trouble him For he had received certaine intelligence from his Embassador leidger that the French K. not onely denied the paiment of the annual tribute of 5000. crowns agreed upon sworne to upon the ratification of the late conluded peace betwixt the kings kingdoms of England France But had also married the Dolphyn of France to the Lady Margaret daughter of Maximilian the son of the Emperor And therby notoriously infringed both the Article concluded for a match betweene him and the Lady Elizabeth K. Edwards daughter therby brokē his faith for the performāce thereof so solemnly plighted which much incensed the King of England so much the more by how much the care to provide a fitting match for his daughter when he deemed it to be past was now to begin to be taken hee resolves therefore to vindicate this unsufferable disgrace offred his daughter by punishment of the French kings periury herewith acquaints his Councell who unanimously conclude open wars to be proclaimed and provision to be prepared to prosecute the same to the uttermost in this businesse the Duke of Glocester was not slacke but daily though he knew it needlesse did inculcate to the King his brother how much it did import his honour to draw his sword and not to sheath it untill Lewis for expiation of his jniury had submitted his Crowne to the rightfull owner and given the King of England possession thereof And did make proffer both of purse and person to give him assistance therin to the uttermost preparation for the invasion of France is making in every place to which the King is very proclive But whilst he is intentive in the businesse hee is suddainly attached by the hand of death and without Glouc. hand though not without his wish upon the ninth of Aprill 1483. at Westminster departed this mortall life
to King Henry the 6. But she was as absolutely forgotten by me as if I had never seene or knowne her Now she and her sonne Henry Earle of Richmond being both cutworke and percullis betwixt me and that port which I must of necessitie passe if I should at any time attempt to enter into the Court royall of Maiestie my presupposed title was in my imagination now scarce worth a tittle And herewithall calling to mind that those inseparable dangers insupportable cares and unavoydable troubles that necessarily awaite upon a Crowne are so imminent numerous That no one if he but man can with safety escape wel undergoe or with patience endure the least of many of them except by lineall descent the law doe cast it upon him or he be by Gods especiall providence as David was preordaind or before appoynted thereunto And further taking it into consideration That if I once assumed unto my selfe the swaying of the Scepter howsoever I might perchance be of abilitie sufficient to lay hold of it yet on the one part I should bee sure to find many foes but few faithfull friends who in this age are all for the most part gone on Pilgrimage and their returne is uncertaine And on the other side King Edwards Daughters and their Allyes whose patience so infinitely abused might incite some furious partakers or my cousin Richmond with his friends and followers or some discontented Lords for it would bee an impossible thing to give plenary content to all would bee ever snatching or snarling at mee upon every the least occasion and upon any advantage so that in all likelyhood my life and livelihood should bee ever hanging but by a very slender thread so that I should never bee secure but ever in danger of death or deposition wherefore from thenceforth I concluded with my selfe to banish out of my thoughts all ayrie-built Castles to looke after the government of the kingdome either in my owne right or to my owne use and concluded watchfully to attend if at any time it should please God to make mee his instrument to relieve the wronged and to scourge the oppressour And now I am verily perswaded that it is the good pleasure of the Almightie to make this the meanes by which both may bee to his glory effected for the Earle of Richmond to take to Wife Elizabeth the eldest Daughter of King Edward the fourth to bring which orderly to effect neither my person power or purse shall bee wanting In respect that by this match The two houses of Yorke and Lancaster at this time so miserably dis-joynted may bee brought to unitie and conjunction And whereas my Grandfather and Father did both lose their lives in abetting the side of Lancaster I will now hazard mine to conjoyne them both hand in hand These words the Duke uttered with that vehement earnestnesse that the good Bishop and not without reason was thorowly perswaded that it was asmuch the love of Richmond as the hatred to Richard that made him make this forward and friendly offer And from thenceforth afterward hee so condited his discourses with such powerfull and significant words and prevalent reasons that hee kept him firme and constant to his first proposition insomuch that at length by this Bishops advise and procurement of Reignold Bray a Gentleman attending upon the Countesse of Richmond this whole plot is discovered to the Dutchesse and very well approved of by her And presently from her Doctor Lewis her Phisitian is imployed to Queene Elizabeth who still remained in Sanctuary at Westminster to sound how shee stood inclinable Who upon the first proposition before shee would expresse any thing unto the Doctor shee prostrated her selfe upon her knees and humbly invoked the blessed Trinitie to bee propitious to this so much desired Vnitie And then raising her selfe up shee did professe her selfe next unto God to be much bound to him or her that first invented the meanes whereby to restore my poore children to their right and redeeme my selfe from that thraldome and feare wherein now I am And with great thankes returned to the Doctor wishing him to assure the contriver thereof whosoever That if Earle Richmond would take his corporall oath to espouse either her Daughter Elizabeth or Cicely in case it should please God Elizabeth should dye before that time assoone as hee had obtained the enjoyment of the Crowne That shee would not only give hers and get her Daughters consent to the match But procure all the Friends and Allyes of her deceased husband King Edward and her owne to take his part and in all things to give him their best assistance The Mothers thus having expressed their intentions to keepe the game on foot Doctor Lewis preferred to the Queene a religious and learned Priest called Christopher Vrswicke who up on oath taken for secrecy was as occasion should bee offered to bee imployed in these businesses so that now Bray and Vrswicke doe travaile only about home whilst the Physitian who might doe it with more safetie and lesse suspition negotiated in more remote places first to sound then to incite as many of the Nobilitie and Gentrie as they should discover to bee willing to give their assistance but alwayes with this caution to offer to treate with none without making oath first for truth and secrecie In few dayes Bray had drawne into confederacy Sir Giles Daubeney Sir Iohn Cheney Richard Guilford and Thomas Rame with some others Vrswicke likewise for his share had prevailed with Hugh Conoway Thomas Culpepper Thomas Rooper with some others And in the meane time Doctor Lewis was not idle but had wonne Edward Courtney and his brother Peter Bishop of Exceter amongst whom it was carefully agreed upon that convenient messengers should bee speedily dispatched for Britannie to Earle Richmond to acquaint him with the whole proceedings For this purpose by the contrivement of Vrswicke Hugh Conoway is imployed from Plimmouth with great summes of money Thomas Rame by the advice of Bray is with like instructions sent out of Kent by Callice both which within the space of little more then an houre though divers wayes the one most part by Sea the other most part by land came to the presence of the Earle who graciously received them and gladly embraced both the concord and condition The Earle acquaints the Duke of Britanny both with the plot and the confederation earnestly imploring his advise and ayde which the Duke as readily promised as really performed Howsoever Hutton Embassadour from King Richard had endevoured to preoccupate the Scene and in his Masters name had both by private Letters and many proffers of much money and more courtesies laboured the Duke for the Earles restraint But to little or no purpose The Earle thus encouraged returnes Connoway and Rames by the same way they came to give notice of his speedy repaire with ample instructions for the manner of preparation against his approach to be made Whereupon the Confederates in