regni 28. After which proclamation thus published a gentleman of Kent named Alexander Eden awaited so his time that he tooke the said Cade in a garden in Sussex so that there he was slaine at Hothfield and brought to London in a cart where he was quartered his head set on London bridge and his quarters sent to diuers places to be set vp in the shire of Kent After this the king himselfe came into Kent and there sat in iudgement vpon the offendors and if he had not mingled his iustice with mercie more than fiue hundred by rigor of law had beene iustlie put to execution Yet he punishing onelie the stubborne heads disordered ringleaders pardoned the ignorant and simple persons to the great reioising of all his subiects ¶ But saith another the king sent his commissioners into Kent and caused inquirie to be made of this riot in Canturburie where for the same eight men were iudged and executed and in other townes of Kent and Sussex was doone the like execution This yeare the commons also in diuerse parts line 10 of England as in Sussex Salisburie Wiltshire and other places did much harme to manie persons among the which on the nine and twentith of Iune William Ascoth bishop of Salisburie after he had said masse at Edington was by his owne tenants drawne from the altar in his albe with his stole about his necke to the top of an hill and there by them shamefullie murthered and after spoiled to the naked skin they renting his bloudie shirt tooke euerie man a péece and made boast of their wickednesse line 20 The daie before his chariot was robbed to the value of ten thousand markes Soldiours made a fraie against the maior of London the same daie he tooke his charge at Westminster at night comming from saint Thomas of Acres after he had béene at Paules The French king vnderstanding all the ciuill discord and rebellious sturs in England made therof his foundation hoping to get into his hands and possession the duchie of Aquitaine and therevpon sent the earles of Ponthienure and Perigort to laie line 30 siege to the towne of Bergerat situate vpon the riuer of Dourdon of which towne was capteine Iohn Gedding who vpon reasonable conditions rendred the towne But yet the lord Camois sir George Seimor and sir Iohn Arundell with diuers other valiant capteins hauing gouernance of the countrie manned townes gathered people and recomforted the fainting harts of the Gascoignes in all that they could and withall sent letters ouer into line 40 England certifieng to the kings maiestie that without spéedie aid and readie succours the whole countrie was like to be conquered and woone out of the Englishmens possession Manie letters were sent and manie faire answers were brought but reléefe neither appeared nor one man of warre was thither shipped by reason whereof the Frenchmen pursuing the victorie got the fortresses of Iansacke and S. Foie with diuerse other péeces of importance thereabouts Also about line 50 the same time the lord Doruall third sonne to the lord de la Breth with a great number of men as well on horssebacke as on foot departed from Basas to conquer and destroie the I le of Medoc Wherevpon the maior of Burdeaux issuing out and incountring with his enimies was vanquished losing six hundred Englishmen and Gascoignes albeit the Frenchmen gained not this victorie with cléere hands for there were slaine of them to the number of eight hundred persons line 60 After this the bastard of Orleance with his brother Iohn earle of Angolesme year 1451 which had béene long prisoner in England and manie other valiant capteins besieged the castell of Montguion which to them was rendered Afterwards they besieged the towne of Blaie standing on the riuer of Garonne the which in conclusion by verie force was conquered and woone The bastard of Kendall capteine of the castell séeing the towne lost vpon certeine reasonable conditions deliuered his fortresse to the bastard of Orleance the French kings lieutenant After this the townes of Burgh and Liborne after fiue wéekes siege were likewise yéelded to the Frenchmen Then was the citie of Acques besieged by the erle of Fois and the vicount de Lawtrec his brother and other noble men So likewise was the strong towne of Rion by the earle of Arminacke extreame enimie to the realme of England for breach of the mariage concluded betweene king Henrie and his daughter The earle of Ponthienure laid siege to Chatillon in Perigort and the earle of Dunois inuironned with great puissance the towne of Fronsacke The Englishmen perceiuing in what state they stood within the towne couenanted with the said earle that if the towne were not succoured and the Frenchmen fought with before the feast of the natiuitie of saint Iohn Baptist next insuing that then the towne of Fronsacke should be yéelded to them which was the strongest fortresse in all that countrie and the verie keie of Guien Héereof were pledges deliuered and writings made sealed Which agréement once blowne through the countrie the citie of Burdeaux and all other townes except Baion made the like agréement So did all the noble men and gentlemen which were subiects and vassals to the crowne of England Euerie daie was looking for aid but none came And whie Euen bicause the diuelish diuision that reigned in England so incombred the heads of the noble men there that the honor of the realme was cléerelie forgotten so that to conclude the daie appointed came but succour looked for came not By reason whereof all the townes of Aquitaine except Baion deliuered their keies and became vassals to the French nation yet the citizens of Burdeaux in hope of rescue required a longer daie of battell which was granted But at the daie appointed when no reléefe came they rendred themselues and the citie to their aduersaries their liues and goods saued with licence and safe conduct to all persons which would depart and saile into England Then finallie was the citie of Baion besieged and with mines and batterie constreined to yéeld it selfe into the Frenchmens hands Beside the agreements taken and made with the townes diuerse noble men made seuerall compositions as Gaston de Fois Capdaw de Bue◠whome king Henrie the fift made earle of Longeuile and knight of the garter whose ancestors were euer true to England Which agréed that he and his sonne Iohn de Fois whome king Henrie the sixt made earle of Kendale and also knight of the garter should enioy all their lands in Aquitaine giuen to them by the kings of England or by the dukes of Aquitaine And sith their intent was still to serue the king of England they agréed to deliuer into the custodie of the earle of Fois the sonne and heire of the said earle of Kendale being of the age of thrée yeares to the intent that if he at his full age denied to become subiect to the French king or before
about woon by him sith the beginning of these wars likewise all the right which he had in Berrie Auâ—ergine and Gascoigne and the countie of Albemarle On the other part the king of England should resigne Gisors and certeine other places and namelie Ueurine or Ueulquesine vnto the king of France Herevpon were suerties also bound for performance and the forfeiture of fiftéene thousand marks assigned to be paid by the partie that first brake the peace Shortlie after the French king repenting him selfe of the agreement began to make a warre anew so that king Richard seized into his hands all the goods and possessions which belonged to the abbats of the order of the great monasterie of Clunie and of saint Denise la Charitie which had become suertie for the French king in the summe of 1500 marks aforesaid This yeare died William de Forz earle of Albemarle in whose place succéeded Baldwine de Betun by the kings gift and married the countesse of Albermarle There was a motion also made for a marriage betwixt the lord Otho sonne to Henrie duke of Saxonie king Richards nephue by his sister and the ladie Margaret daughter to the king of Scots so as they should haue inioied the countries of Lothian Northumberland and the countie of Caerleill with the castels For the conclusion of which marriage the archbishop of Canturburie was sent about Christmas to commune with the king of Scots but bicause the Scotish quéene was then conceiued of child hir husband in hope that God would send him a sonne refused to stand vnto the aboue mentioned couenants At this time king Richard sent the abbat of Caen who was also the elect of Durham into England to take an accompts of those that had the receipts of the kings monie for this abbat had informed the king that his receiuers and officers here in the realme dealt not iustlie in making their accompts but both deceiued the king and oppressed his people in exacting more than was due and concealing that which they ought to stand accomptable for The king supposing his words to be true or at least likelie so to line 10 be and that in reforming such vntruth in his officers it should be both profitable to him and well liked of the people sent this abbat ouer with commission to be as it were his generall auditour Howbeit Hubert archbishop of Canturburie which was gouernour of the realme in causes both temporall and spirituall by reason he had the kings authoritie as his vicegerent therefore sufficientlie countenanced also the popes as his legat authorised did somewhat stomach the matter in that it line 20 should be thought he did suffer such abuses in the kings officers and not reforme them But he held him content and said little sith the abbat shewed him the kings commission to doo that which he went about although he brought it not to passe For whereas he came ouer in lent and gaue out commandements that all such as had any thing to doo in receipt of the kings monie should appeare before him after Easter he tarried not to see Easter himselfe but was called into another world by the stroke of death line 30 there to render accompts for his owne acts here in this life committed At the same time there was another person in London called William with the long beard alià s Fitz Osbert which had likewise informed the king of certeine great oppressions and excessiue outrages vsed by rich men against the poore namelie the worshipfull of the citie the Maior and Aldermen who in their hoistings when any tallage was to be gathered burdened the poore further than was thought reason line 40 to ease themselues wherevpon the said William being a seditious person and of a busie nature ceassed not to make complaints Now bicause the king gaue eare vnto him at the first he tooke a boldnesse thereof drawing vnto him great routs of the poorer sort of people would take vpon him to defend the causes of those that found themselues greeued with the heauie yoke of richmen and gentlemen He was somewhat learned and verie eloquent he had also a verie good wit but he applied it rather to set dissention line 50 betwixt the high estates and the low than to anie other good purpose He accused also his owne brother of treason who in his youth had kept him to schoole beene verie good and beneficiall brother vnto him bicause now he would not still mainteine him with monie to beare out his riottous port Moreouer he declared to the king that by extortion and briberie of certeine men of great wealth he lost manie forfeits and escheats Manie gentlemen of honour sore hated him for line 60 his presumptuous attempts to the hindering of their purposes but he had such comfort of the king that he little passed for their malice but kept on his intent till the king being aduertised of the assemblies which he made commanded him to ceasse from such dooings that the people might fall againe to their sciences and occupations which they had for the more part left off at the instigation of this William with the long beard so named of the long heare of his â—eard which he nourished of purpose to seeme the more graue and manlike and also as it were in despite of them which counterfeited the Normans that were for the most part shauen and bicause he would resemble the ancient vsage of the English nation The kings commandement in restraint of the peoples resort vnto him was well kept a while but it was not long yer they began to follow him againe as they had doone before Then he tooke vpon him to make vnto them certeine collations or sermons taking for his theme Haurietis aquâ—â— in gaudio de fontibus saluatoris that is to saie Ye shall draw in gladnesse waters out of the founteins of your sauiour And hereto he added I am said he the sauiour of poore men ye be the poore and haue assaied the hard hands and heauie burdens of the rich now draw ye therefore the healthfull waters of vnderstanding out of my wels and springs and that with ioy For the time of your visitation is come I shall part waters from waters by waters I vnderstand the people and I shall part the people which are good and méeke from the people that are wicked and proud and I shall disseuer the good and euill euen as light is diuided from darkenesse By these and such persuasions and means as he vsed he had gotten two and fiftie thousand persons readie to haue taken his part as appeared after by a roll of their names found in his kéeping besides diuerse instruments of iron to breake vp houses and other things seruing to such like purposes So that he brought the commoners into a great liking of him but the rich and wealthie citizens stood in much feare so that they kept their
high iustice of his forrests that he should award his precepts vnto all forresters within the realme to giue warning to all the white moonks that before the quindene of S. Michaell they should line 40 remooue out of his forrests all their horsses of Haraz and other cattell vnder the penaltie to forfeit so manie of them as after that day chanced to be found within the same forrests The cause that mooued the king to deale so hardlie with them was for that they refused to helpe him with monie when before his last going ouer into Normandie he demanded it of them towards the paiment of the thirtie thousand pounds which he had couenanted to pay the French king to liue in rest and peace which he coueted to line 50 haue doone for reliefe of his people and his owne suertie knowing what enimies he had that laie in wait to destroie him and againe what discommodities had chanced to his father and brethren by the often and continuall wars But now to procéed with other dooings Immediatlie after the solemnization of the quéens coronation ended he sent Philip bishop of Duresme Roger Bigot earle of Northfolke and Henrie de Bohun earle of Hereford nephue to William king line 60 of Scotland and Dauid earle of Huntington brother to the said king and Roger de Lacie conestable of Chester the lord William de Uescie and the lord Robert de Ros which had married two of the daughters of the said king Robert Fitz Roger shiriffe of Northumberland as ambassadours from him vnto the foresaid William king of Scotland with letters patents conteining a safe conduct for him to come into England and to méet with king Iohn at Lincolne on the morrow after the feast of S. Edmund who gladlie granted therevnto and so according to that appointment both the kings met at Lincolne the 21 day of Nouember And on the morrow after king Iohn went to the cathedrall church and offered vpon the high altar a chalice of gold On the same day vpon a hill without the citie the king of Scots did homage vnto king Iohn in the presence and fight of a great multitude of people swearing fealtie of life limme and worldlie honour vnto king Iohn which oth he made vpon the crosse of Hubert archbishop of Canturburie There were present at that time beside other Noblemen three archbishops Canturburie Yorke and Raguse with other bishops to the number of thirtéene as Duresme London Rochester Elie Bath Salisburie Winchester Hereford Norwich S. Andrews in Scotland Landaffe and Bangor in Wales and Meth in Ireland beside a great multitude of earles barons and other Noblemen When the king of Scots had thus doone his homage he required restitution of Northumberland Cumberland and Westmerland which he claimed as his right and lawfull heritage Much talke was had touching this matter but they could not agrée and therefore king Iohn asked respit to consider of it till the feast of Pentecost next insuing which being granted the king of Scots the next morrow being the 23 of Nouember returned homewards and was conducted backe againe into his countrie by the same Noble men that brought him to Lincolne The same day that the king of Scots tooke his iournie homewards from Lincolne the corps of Hugh bishop of that citie latelie before departed this life at London after his returne from the parts of beyond the seas was brought thither to be buried the king and all the bishops earles and barons went to receiue it and honoured his buriall with their presence On the morrow after being fridaie he was interred within the new church which he had builded This Hugh was a Frenchman by nation borne at Granople a man of a pregnant wit and skilfull both in science of holie scripture and humane knowledge He was first a regular canon and after became a Carthusian moonke King Henrie the second mooued with the fame of his vertue and godlie life sent the bishop of Bath to bring him into England and after he was come made him first abbat of Whithing in the diocesse of Welles and after created him bishop of Lincolne He was noted to be of a verie perfect life namelie bicause he would not sticke to reprooue men of their faults plainelie and frankelie not regarding the fauour or disfauour of any man in somuch that he would not feare to pronounce them accurssed which being the kings officers would take vpon them the punishment of any person within orders of the church for hunting and killing of the kings game within his parkes forrests and chases yea and that which is more he would denie paiments of such subsidies and taxes as he was assessed to paie to the vses of king Richard and king Iohn towards the maintenance of their wars and did oftentimes accursse by his ecclesiasticall authoritie such shiriffes collectors or other officers as did distreine vpon his lands and goods for to satisfie these kings of their demands alledging openlie that he would not paie any monie towards the maintenance of wars which one christian prince vpon priuate displeasure and grudge made against another prince of the same religion This was his reason And when he came before the king to make answer to his disobedience shewed herein he would so handle the matter partlie with gentle admonishments partlie with sharpe reproofes and sometime mixing merrie and pleasant spéech amongst his serious arguments that often times he would so qualifie the kings mood that being driuen from anger he could not but laugh and smile at the bishops pleasant talke and merrie conceits so that it might well be said of him Omne tulit punctum quimiscuit vtile dulci. This maner he vsed not onelie with the king alone but with the father and the two sonnes that is to say Henrie the second Richard and Iohn in whose time he ruled and gouerned the sée of Lincolne He was after his decesse for the opinion which men conceiued of his holinesse and vertues admitted into the number of the saints Yee haue heard how king Iohn had conceiued no line 10 small displeasure against the moonks of the white order for that they would not part with any monie excusing themselues that they might not doo it without consent of a generall chapiter of their order Wherevpon the king had caused them diuerse waies to be molested but cheefelie in restreining them of libertie to haue any horsses or other cattell going to pasture within his forrests They therefore taking aduise togither chose foorth twelue abbats amongst them of that order the which in all â—heir names went line 20 to Lincolne there to make suit to the king comming thither at this time to méet the king of Scots that it would please him to remit his displeasure conceiued against them and to take them againe into his protection This suit was so followed although with some difficultie that at length to wit the sundaie after that the king of Scots had doone his homage through the
of England with him these we find as principall Iohn de Britaine Iohn de Uescie Otâ—s de Grantson and Robert de Bruse besides other Of his noble chiualrie there atchiued yée shall find a bréefe note in the description of the holie land and therefore here we omit the same Howbeit this is to be remembred that whilest the lord Edward line 20 soiorned there in the citie of Acres he was in great danger to haue béene slaine by treason for a traitorous Saracen of that generation which are called Arsacidae and latelie reteined by the same lord Edward and become verie familiar with him found means one day as he sat in his chamber to giue him three wounds which suerlie had cost him his life but that one of the princes chamberleins staied the traitors hand and somewhat brake the strokes till other seruants came to the rescue and slue him there in the line 30 place ¶ There be that write how prince Edward himselfe perceiuing the traitor to strike at his bellie warded the blowe with his arme and as the Saracen offered to haue striken againe he thrust him backe to the ground with his foot and catching him by the hand wrested the knife from him and thrusting him into the bellie so killed him though in strugling with him he was hurt againe a little in the forhead and his seruants withall comming to helpe him one line 40 of them that was his musician got vp a trestill and stroke out the braines of the traitor as he laie dead on the ground and was blamed of his maister for striking him after he saw him once dead before his face as he might perceiue him to be Some write that this traitor was sent from the great admerall of Iapha on message to the prince Edward and had béene with him diuerse times before now making countenance to take forth letters got foorth his knife and attempted so to haue wrought his feat Whatsoeuer line 50 the man was the prince was in great danger by reason of the enuenimed knife wherewith he was wounded so that it was long yer he could be perfectlie whole These Saracens called Arsacidae are a wicked generation of men infected with such a superstitious opinion that they beléeue heauenlie blisse is purchased of them if they can by anie means slea one of the enimies of their religion suffer themselues for that fact the most cruell death that may be deuised ¶ Prince Edward after he was whole and recouered line 60 of his wounds perceiuing that no such aid came into those parts out of christendome as was looked for tooke a truce with the enimies of our faith and returned towards England as hereafter shall be shewed year 1272 On the fourth nones of Aprill as some saie or in the moneth of Februarie as other write in the six and fiftith yeare of K. Henries reigne at Berkhamstéed died Richard king of Almaine and earle of Cornewall and was buried in the abbeie of Hailes which he himselfe had founded he was a worthie prince and stood his brother king Henrie in great stead in handling matters both in peace and warre He left behind him issue begotten of his wife Sanctla two sonnes Edmund and Henrie This Edmund was he that brought the blood of Hails out of Germanie for as he was there vpon a time with his father it chanced that as he was beholding the relikes and other pretious monuments of the ancient emperors he espied a box of gold by the inscription whereof he perceiued as the opinion of men then gaue that therein was conteined a portion of the bloud of our sauiour He therefore being desirous to haue some part thereof so intreated him that had the kéeping of it that he obteined his desire and brought it ouer with him into England bestowing a third part thereof after his fathers deceasse in the abbeie of Hailes as it were to adorne and inrich the same bicause that therein both his father and mother were buried and the other two parts he did reserue in his owne custodie till at length mooued vpon such deuotion as was then vsed he founded an abbeie a little from his manour of Berkhamsteed which abbeie was named Ashrug in the which he placed moonks of the order of Bonhommes being the first that euer had beene seene of that order here in England And herewith he also assigned the two other parts of that bloud to the same abbeie Wherevpon followed great resort of people to those two places induced therevnto by a certeine blind deuotion Henrie the brother of this Edmund and sonne to the foresaid king of Almaine as he returned from Affrike where he had beene with prince Edward was slaine at Uiterbo in Italie whither he was come about businesse which he had to doo with the pope by the hand of Guie de Montfort the sonne of Simon de Montfort earle of Leicester in reuenge of the same Simons death This murther was committed afore the high altar as the same Henrie kneeled there to heare diuine seruice The foresaid Guie vpon that murther committed fled vnto his father in law the earle of Anguilare then gouernour of Tuskain There was at Uiterbo the same time Philip king of France returning homewards from the iournie which his father made into Affrike where he died Also Charles king of Sicill was there present whome the said Guie then serued Both those kings were put in much blame for that the murther and wilfull escape was doone and suffred in their presence and no pursuit made after the murtherer Boniface the archbishop of Canturburie when he had ruled the sea seauen and thirtie yeares departed this life and after his deceasse about two yeares or more was one Robert Kilwarbie appointed in his place by pope Gregorie which Robert was the six and fortith archbishop that had gouerned the sée of Canturburie About the moneth of Iune there fell great debate and discord betwixt the moonks of Norwich and the citizens there which increased so farre that at length the citizens with great violence assaulted the monasterie fired the gates and forced the fire so with reed and drie wood that the church with the bookes and all other ornaments of the same and all houses of office belonging to that abbeie were cleane burned wasted and destroied so that nothing was preserued except one little chapell The king hearing of this riot rode to Norwich and causing inquirie to be made thereof thirtie yoong men of the citie were condemned hanged and burnt to the great greefe of the other citizens for they thought that the priour of the place was the occasion of all that mischéefe who had got togither armed men and tooke vpon him to kéepe the belfraie and church by force of armes but the prior was well inough borne out and defended by the bishop of Norwich named Roger who as it is likelie was the maister
means we haue at length by aduise of our peruerse counsell defied our said lord the K. of England and haue put our selues out of his allegiance and homage sent our people into England to burne houses to take spoiles to commit murther with many other damages and also in fortifieng the kingdome of Scotland which is of his fee putting and establishing armed men in townes castels and other places to defend the land against him to deforce him of his fee for the which transgressions our said souereigne lord the king entring into the realm of Scotland with his power hath conquered and taken the same notwithstanding al that we could do against him as by right he may do as a lord of his fee bicause that we did render vnto him our homage and made the foresaid rebellion We therfore as yet being in our full power and free will doo render vnto him the land of Scotland and all the people therof with the homages In witnesse whereof we haue caused these letters patents to be made Yeuen at Brechin the tenth day of Iulie in the fourth yeare of our reigne sealed with the common seale of the kingdome of Scotland After this king Edward went forward to see the mounteine countries of Scotland the bishop of Durham euer kéeping a daies iournie afore him At line 10 length when he had passed through Murrey land and was come to Elghin perceiuing all things to be in quiet he returned towards Berwike and comming to the abbeie of Scone he tooke from thence the marble stone wherevpon the kings of Scotland were accustomed to sit as in a chaire at the time of their coronation which king Edward caused now to be transferred to Westminster and there placed to serue for a chaire for the priest to sit in at the altar The king comming to Berwike called thither vnto line 20 a parlement all the nobles of Scotland and there receiued of them their homages the which in perpetuall witnesse of the thing made letters patents thereof written in French and sealed with their seales as the tenor here followeth The instrument of the homages of the lords of Scotland to K. Edward A Touz ceux que cestes lettres verront ou orront c. To all those that these present letters shall see or heare we Iohn Comin of Badenaw c. Bicause that we at the faith and will of the most noble prince and our dearest lord Edward by the grace of God king ofEngland lord of Ireland and duke of Aquitaine doo vow and promise for vs and our heires vpon paine of bodie and goods and of all that we may haue that we line 40 shall serue him well and trulie against all men which may liue and die at all times when we shall be required or warned by our said lord the king of England or his heires and that we shall not know of any hurt to be doone to them but the same we shall let and impeach with all our power and giue them warning thereof and those things to hold and keepe we bind vs our heires and all our goods and further receiue line 50 an oth thereof vpon the holie euangelists and after all we and euerie of vs haue done homage vnto our souereigne lord the king ofEngland in words as followeth I become your liegeman of life members and earthlie honour against all men which may liue and die And the same our souereigne lord the king receiued this homage vnder this forme of words We receiue it for the land of the which you be now seized the line 60 right of vs or other saued and except the lands which Iohn Balioll sometime king of Scotland granted vnto vs after that we did deliuer vnto him the kingdome of Scotland if happilie he hath giuen to you any such lands Moreouer all we and euerie of vs by himselfe haue done fealtie to our said souereigne lord the king in these words I as a faithfull liege man shall keepe faith and loialtie vnto Edward king ofEngland and to his heires of life member and earthlie honor against all men which may liue and die and shall neuer for any person beare armour nor shall be of counsell nor in aid with any person against him or his heires in any case that may chance but shall faithfullie acknowledge and doo the seruice that belongeth to the tenements the which I claime to hold of him as God me helpe and all his saints In witnesse wherof these letters patents are made and signed with our seales Yeuen at Warke the foure and twentith of March in the 24 yeare of the reigne of our said lord the king of England Then was Iohn Warren earle of Surrey and Sussex made by king Edward warden of Scotland Hugh Cressingham treasurer and William Ormesbie high iustice whome the king commanded that he should call all those before him which held any lands of the crowne and to receiue of them in his name their homages and fealties Iohn Balioll the late king of Scotland was sent to London and had a conuenient companie of seruants appointed to attend him hauing licence to go any whither abroad so that he kept himselfe within the circuit of twentie miles néere to London Iohn Comin of Badenaw and Iohn Comin of Lowan and diuerse nobles of Scotland were brought into England on the south side of Trent being warned vpon paine of death not to returne into Scotland till the king had made an end of his wars with France After this at his returne into England king Edward held a parlement at saint Edmundsburie which began the morrow after the feast of All saints in which the citizens burgesses of good townes granted vnto him an eighth part of their goods and of the residue of the people a twelfth part The cleargie by reason of a constitution ordeined and constituted the same yeare by pope Boniface prohibiting vpon paine of excommunication that no talages nor other exactions should be leuied or exacted of the cleargie in any manner of wise by secular princes or to be paid to them of things that perteined to the church vtterlie refused to grant any manner of aid to the king towards the maintenance of his wars Wherevpon the king to the intent they should haue time to studie for a better answer deferred the matter to an other parlement to be holden on the morrow after the feast of saint Hilarie This yeare after the feast of the Epiphanie Elizabeth the kings daughter was married vnto king Iohn earle of Holland Humfrey de Bohun earle of Hereford and Essex was sent to conueie them into Holland there to take possession of the earledome as then descended vnto the said Iohn by the death of his father latelie before slaine by his owne subiects bicause he would haue disherited this Iohn and made a bastard sonne which he had to be his heire ¶ The day appointed for the parlement to be
end was allotted vnto him by destinie whose decrée nothing is able by any shift to auoid as is notablie said of the poet in this distichon Nil extra fatum est metitúrque omnia summi Mens regis cuius sine numine fit nihil vsquam There were slaine also ten other persons that were of his councell and diuerse of the Welshmen in like manner but the other escaped and got awaie vnto king Edward as yet remaining at Sluse vnto whome those of Bruges Cassell Curtrike Ypres Aldenard and other townes did afterwards send their orators to excuse themselues as nothing guiltie nor priuie to the death of his fréend and their worthie gouernor Iaques van Arteueld requiring him not to impute the fault vnto the whole countrie which the rash and vnaduised Gantiners had committed sith the countrie of Flanders was as readie now to doo him seruice and pleasure as before sauing that to the disheriting of their earle they could not be agréeable but they doubted not to persuade him to doo his homage vnto the king of England and till then they promised not to receiue him They put the king also in hope of a mariage to be had betwixt the sonne of their earle and some one of the kings daughters Herewith the king of England who was departed from Sluse in great displeasure with the Flemings became somewhat pacified in his mood and so renewed the league eftsoons with the countrie of Flanders but the earle would neuer consent to doo homage vnto the king of England but still sticked to the French kings part which purchased him much trouble and in the end cost him his life as after shall appeare But now to returne vnto the earle of Derbie whome we left in Gascoigne Ye shall vnderstand that shortlie after he was come backe to Burdeaux from the conquest which he had made of Bergerat and other townes thereabouts the earle of Lisle who as ye haue heard was the French kings lieutenant in that countrie assembled an armie of twelue thousand men comming before Auberoch a towne in Gascoigne besieged it sore pressing them within in somuch that they were in great danger to haue béene taken if the earle of Derbie hauing knowlege in what case they stood had not come to their rescue who with three hundred speares or men of armes as we maie call them and six hundred archers approching néere to the siege laid himselfe closelie within a wood till the Frenchmen in the euening were at supper then suddenlie set vpon them in their campe and discomfited them so that the earle of Lisle was taken in his owne tent and sore hurt There were also taken the earle of Ualentinois and other earles vicounts and lords of great accompt to the number of nine besides those that were slaine The residue were put to flight and chased so that the Englishmen had a faire iournie and wan great riches by prisoners and spoile of the enimies campe After this the earle of Derbie being returned to Burdeaux and hauing put the captiues in safe kéeping assembled his power and marching foorth into the countrie towards the Rioll a towne in those parts which he meant to besiege he wan diuerse towns and castels by the way as saint Basill Roch Million Montsegure Aguillon Segart At length he came to the towne of the Rioll which he besieged and laie about it nine wéekes yer he could win it and then was the same towne surrendered into his hands but the castell was still defended against him for the space of eleuen weekes at which time being sore oppressed vndermined it was yéelded by them within conditionallie that they should depart onelie with their armour After this the earle of Derbie wan Montpesance Mauleon Uille-Franche in Agenois Miremont Thomines the castell of Damassen and at length came before the citie of Angolesme the which made appointment with the earle that if no succors came from the French king within the space of a moneth that then the citie should be surrendered to the king of Englands vse and to assure this appointment they deliuered to the earle foure and twentie of their chéefe citizens as hostages In the meane time the earle laid siege to Blaues but could not win it His men rode abroad into the countrie to Mortaigne Mirabeau and Aunay but wan little and so returned againe to the siege of Blaues Now when the month was expired that they of Angolesme should yéeld the earle sent his two marshals thither who receiued the homage and fealtie of the citizens in the king of Englands name and so they were in peace and receiued againe their hostages At length when the earle of Derbie saw that he did but lose his time in the besieging of Blaues which sir Guischart Dangle and sir Guilliaume de Rochfort being capteins within did so valiantlie defend that he could obteine no aduantage of them he raised his siege and returned vnto Burdeaux hauing line 10 furnished such townes as he had woone in that iournie with conuenient garisons of men to defend them against the enimies and to kéepe frontier warre as they should sée cause The French king being sore moued at the conquests thus atchiued by the earle of Derbie raised a mightie armie and sent the same foorth vnder the leading of his sonne the duke of Normandie into Gascoigne to resist the said earle and to recouer againe line 20 those townes which he had woone in those parts The duke of Normandie being come to Tholouz where generall assemblie was appointed set forward with his armie and winning by the waie Miremount and Uille Franche in Agenois at length came to the citie of Angolesme which he inuironed about with a strong siege continuing the same till finallie the capiteine named Iohn Normell required a truce to indure for one daie which was granted and the same was the daie of the Purification of our ladie on the line 30 which the same capiteine with the souldiers of the garrison departed and left the citie in the citizens hands The Frenchmen bicause they had granted the truce to indure for that daie without exception permitted them to go their waies without let or vexation The citizens in the morning yéelded the citie to the duke After this he wan the castell of Damassen Thonins and Port S. Marie Thonins by surrender and the other two by force of assaults Then he came to the strong castell of Aiguillon which he line 40 besieged and laie thereat a long season Within was the earle of Penbroke the lord Walter de Mannie sir Franke de Halle and diuerse knights and capteins which defended themselues and the place so stoutlie that the Frenchmen could win little aduantage at their hands Whilest the siege continued before this fortresse the seneshall of Guien departed from the campe with eight hundred horssemen and foure thousand footmen purposing to win a
the towne the other of the castell sir Gilbert Umfreuill earle of Kime or Angus sir Gilbert Talbot and made bailiffe there sir Iohn Popham and so departed from Caen the line 20 first of October and comming to the castell of Courfie within three daies had it rendred to him From whence the fourth of October he came vnto Argenion they within that towne and castell offered that if no rescue came by a daie limited they would deliuer both the towne and castell into the kings hands so that such as would abide and become the kings faithfull subiects should be receiued the other to depart with their goods and liues saued whither they would the king accepted their offer When the daie line 30 limited came and no succours appeared they yéelded according to the couenants and the king performed all that on his behalfe was promised The lord Graie of Codnor was appointed capteine there After this resorted dailie to the king of the Normans people of all sorts and degrées to sweare to him fealtie and homage The citie of Sées which was well inhabited and wherein were two abbeies of great strength one of them yéelded to the king and so likewise did diuerse other townes in those parties without stroke line 40 striken The towne of Alanson abode a siege for the space of eight daies they within defending it right valiantlie at the first but in the end considering with themselues what small hope there was for anie succours to come to remooue the siege they grew to a composition that if within a certeine daie they were not reléeued they should yéeld both the towne and castell into the kings hands which was doone for no succours could be heard of The king appointed capteine line 50 of this towne the duke of Glocester and his lieutenant sir Ralfe Lentall The duke of Britaine vnder safe conduct came to the king as he was thus busie in the conquest of Normandie and after sundrie points treated of betwixt them a truce was taken to indure from the seuenth daie of Nouember vnto the last of September in the yeare next following betwixt them their souldiers men of warre and subiects The like truce was granted vnto the quéene of Ierusalem and Sicill to hir sonne line 60 Lewes for the duchie of Aniou and the countie of Maine the duke of Britaine being their deputie for concluding of the same truce About the same time also at the sute of Charles the Dolphin a treatie was in hand at Tonque for a finall peace but it came to none effect From Alanson the king set forward towards the towne and castell of Faleis meaning to besiege the same where the Frenchmen appointed to the kéeping of it had fortified the towne by all meanes possible and prepared themselues to defend it to the vttermost The earle of Salisburie was first sent thither before with certeine bands of souldiers to inclose the enimies within the towne to view the strength therof After him came the king with his whole armie about the first of December and then was the towne besieged on ech side The king lodged before the gate that leadeth to Caen the duke of Clarence before the castell that standeth on a rocke and the duke of Glocester laie on the kings right hand and other lords noble men were assigned to their places as was thought expedient And to be sure from taking damage by anie sudden inuasion of the enimies there were great trenches and rampiers cast and made about their seuerall campes for defense of the same The Frenchmen notwithstanding this siege valiantlie defended their wals and sometimes made issues foorth but small to their gaine and still the Englishmen with their guns and great ordinance made batterie to the wals and bulworks The winter season was verie cold with sharpe frosts hard weather but the Englishmen made such shift for prouision of all things necessarie to serue their turns that they were sufficientlie prouided both against hunger and cold so that in the end the Frenchmen perceiuing they could not long indure against them offered to talke and agreed to giue ouer the towne if no rescue came by a certeine daie appointed About the same season was sir Iohn Oldcastell lord Cobham taken in the countrie of Powes land in the borders of Wales within a lordship belonging to the lord Powes not without danger and hurts of some that were at the taking of him for they could not take him till he was wounded himselfe At the same time the states of the realme were assembled at London for the leuieng of monie to furnish the kings great charges which he was at about the maintenance of his wars in France it was therefore determined that the said sir Iohn Oldcastell should be brought and put to his triall yer the assemblie brake vp The lord Powes therefore was sent to fetch him who brought him to London in a litter wounded as he was herewith being first laid fast in the Tower shortlie after he was brought before the duke of Bedford regent of the realme and the other estates where in the end he was condemned and finallie was drawen from the Tower vnto saint Giles field and there hanged in a chaine by the middle and after consumed with fire the gallowes and all When the daie was come on the which it was couenanted that the towne of Faleis should be deliuered to wit the second of Ianuarie year 1418 because no succours appeared the towne was yéelded to the king but the castell held out still into the which the capteine and gouernour both of the towne and castell had withdrawne themselues with all the souldiers and being streictlie besieged the capteine defended himselfe and the place right stoutlie although he was sore laid to vntill at length perceiuing his people wearied with continuall assaults and such approches as were made to and within the verie wals he was driuen to compound with the king that if he were not succoured by the sixt of Februarie then should he yeeld himselfe prisoner and deliuer the castell so that the souldiers should haue licence to depart with their liues onelie saued When the daie came the couenants were performed and the castell rendered to the kings hands for no aid came to the rescue of them within The capteine named Oliuer de Mannie was kept as prisoner till the castell was repared at his costs and charges because the same through his obstinat wilfulnesse was sore beaten and defaced with vnderminings and batterie Capteine there by the king was appointed sir Henrie Fitz Hugh After this king Henrie returned to Caen and by reason of a proclamation which he had caused to be made for the people of Normandie that had withdrawne themselues foorth of the baliwiâ—ks of Caen and Faleis he granted awaie to his owne people the lands of those that came not in vpon that proclamation and in speciall he gaue to the
manie a plage which otherwise might haue béene aucided All which battels togither with those that were tried betweene Edward the fourth after his inthronization and Henrie the sixt after his extermination as at Exham Doncaster and Teukesburie are remembred by Anglorum praelia in good order of pithie poetrie as followeth Nobilitata inter plures haec sunt loca caede Albani fanum Blorum borealis Ampton Banbrecum campis Barnettum collibus haerens Experrectorum pagus fanúmque seâ—undò Albani propior Scoticis confinibus Exam Contiguóque istis habitantes rure coloni Moerentes hodie quoties proscindit arator Arua propinqua locis dentale reuellere terra Semisepulta virûm sulcis Cerealibus ossa Moesta execrantur planctu ciuile duellum Quo periere â—ominum plus centum millia caesa Nobile Todcastrum clades accepta coegit Millibus enectis ter denis nomen habere Vltima postremae locus est Teuxburia pugnae Oppidulis his accedens certissima testis Bello intestino sluuios fluxisse cruoris But now before we procéed anie further sith the reigne of king Henrie maie séeme here to take end we will specifie some such learned men as liued in his time Iohn Leland surnamed the elder in respect of the other Iohn Leland that painefull antiquarie of our time wrote diuerse treatises for the instruction of grammarians Iohn Hainton a line 10 Carmelit or white frier as they called them of Lincolne Robert Colman a Franciscane frier of Norwich and chancellor of the vniuersitie of Oxenford William White a priest of Kent professing the doctrine of Wickliffe and forsaking the order of the Romane church married a wife but continued his office of preaching till at length in the yeare 1428 he was apprehended and by William bishop of Norwich and the doctors of the friers mendicants charged with thirtie articles which he mainteined contrarie line 20 to the doctrine of the Romane church and in September the same yeare suffered death by fire Alexander Carpentar a learned man set foorth a booke called Destructorium vitiorum wherein he inueieth against the prelats of the church of that time for their crueltie vsed in persecuting the poore and godlie christians Richard Kendall an excellent grammarian Iohn Bate warden of the white friers in Yorke but borne in the borders of Wales an excellent philosopher and a diuine he was also séene in the line 30 Gréeke toong a thing rare in those daies Peter Basset esquier of the priuie chamber to king Henrie the fift whose life he wrote Iohn Pole a priest that wrote the life of saint Walburgh daughter to one Richard a noble man of this realme of England which Walburgh as he affirmeth builded our ladie church in Antwerpe Thomas Ismaelit a monke of Sion Walter Hilton a Chartreaux monke also of Shiene either of those wrote certeine treatises full of superstition as Iohn Bale noteth line 40 Thomas Walden so called of the towne where he was borne but his fathers surname was Netter a white frier of London and the thrée and twentith prouinciall gouernour of his order a man vndoubtedlie learned and thoroughlie furnished with cunning of the schooles but a sore enimie to them that professed the doctrine of Wickliffe writing sundrie great volumes and treatises against them he died at Rone in Normandie the second of Nouember in line 50 the yeare one thousand foure hundred and thirtie Richard Ullerston borne in Lancashire wrote diuerse treatises of diuinitie Peter Clearke a student in Oxenford and a defendor of Wickliffes doctrine wherevpon when he feared persecution here in England he fled into Boheme but yet at length he was apprehended by the imperialists and died for it as some write but in what order is not expressed Robert Hounslow a religious man of an house in Hounslow beside London whereof he tooke his line 60 surname Thomas Walsingham borne in Norffolke in a towne there of the same name but professed a monke in the abbeie of saint Albons a diligent historiographer Iohn Tilneie a white frier of Yermouth but a student in Cambridge and prooued an excellent diuine Richard Fleming a doctor of diuinitie in Oxenford of whome more at large before pag. 604. Iohn Low borne in Worcestershire an Augustine frier a doctor of diuinitie and prouinciall in England of his order and by king Henrie the sixt made first bishop of saint Asaph and after remooued from thense to Rochester Thomas Ringsted the yoonger not the same that was bishop but a doctor of the law and vicar of Mildenhall in Suffolke a notable preacher and wrote diuerse treatises Iohn Felton a doctor of diuinitie of Madgdalen college in Oxenford Nicholas Botlesham a Carmelit frier borne in Cambridgeshire and student first in the vniuersitie of Cambridge and after in Paris where he proceeded doctor of diuinitie Thomas Rudburne a monke of Winchester and an historiographer Iohn Holbrooke borne in Surrie a great philosopher and well séene in the mathematiks Peter Paine an earnest professor of Wickliffes doctrine and fearing persecution here in England fled into Boheme where he remained in great estimation for his great learning no lesse wisedome Nicholas Upton a ciuilian wrote of heraldrie of colours in armorie and of the dutie of chiualrie William Beckeleie a Carmelit frier of Sandwich warden of the house there a diuine and professed degree of schoole in Cambridge Iohn Torpe a Carmelit frier of Norwich Iohn Capgraue borne in Kent and Augustine frier procéeded doctor of diuinitie in Oxenford was admitted prouinciall of his order and prooued without controuersie the best learned of anie of that order of friers here in England as Iohn Bale affirmeth he wrote manie notable volumes and finallie departed this life at Lin in Norffolke the twelfth of August in the yere 1464 which was in the fourth yeare of king Edward the fourth Humâ—rie duke of Glocester earle of Penbroke and lord chamberlaine of England also protector of the realme during the minoritie of his nephue king Henrie the sixt was both a great fauourer of learned men and also verie well learned himselfe namelie in astrologie whereof beside other things he wrote a speciall treatise intituled Tabula directionum Iohn Whethamsted otherwise called Frumentarius was abbat of saint Albons and highlie in fauor with the good duke of Glocester last remembred he wrote diuerse treatises and among others a booke as it were of the records of things chancing whilest he was abbat which booke I haue séene and partlie in some parcell of this kings time haue also followed Roger Onleie borne in the west countrie as Bale thinketh was accused of treason for practising with the ladie Eleanor Cobham by sorcerie to make the king awaie and was thereof condemned and died for it though he were innocent thereof as some haue thought he wrote a treatise intituled Contra vulgi superstitiones also another De sua innocentia Nicholas Cantlow a Welshman borne descended of an ancient familie in Southwales as by
thousand tall yeomen and seruing men well horssed which on their knees made their submission by the mouth of sir Robert Bowes and gaue to the king nine hundred pounds On Barnesdale the archbishop of Yorke with thrée hundred priests and more met the king and making a like submission gaue to him six hundred pounds The like submission was made by the maiors of Yorke Newcastell and Hull and ech of them gaue to the king an hundred pounds After he had béene at Yorke twelue daies he came to Hull where he deuised certeine fortifications This doone he passed ouer the water of Humber and so through Lincolneshire returned toward the south parts and at Alhallowen tide came to Hampton court About the same time the king had knowledge that the quéene liued dissolutelie in vsing the vnlawfull companie of one Francis Diram with whome she had beene too familiar before hir maraiage with the king not meaning to forgo his companie now in time of hir marriage without regard had either to the feare of God or the king hir husband the last summer being in progresse with the king at Pomfret the seuen and twentith of August she reteined the said Francis Diram in hir seruice to the intent she might vse his companie in such vnlawfull sort the more freelie and not satisfied with him she also vsed the vnlawfull companie of Thomas Culpeper esquire one of the gentlemen of the kings priuie chamber as well at Pomfret aforesaid on the nine and twentith and last of August aforesaid and on the first of September as at diuerse other times and places before and after Wherevpon the thirtéenth of Nouember sir Thomas Wriothesleie knight the kings secretarie came to Hampton court vnto the said quéene and called all hir ladies gentlewomen and seruants into hir great chamber there openlie in presence of them all declared hir offenses committed in abusing of hir bodie before hir mariage therwith he discharged hir houshold The morrow after she was conueied to Sion the ladie Bainton and certeine gentlewomen and some of hir seruants being appointed to wait vpon hir there till the kings pleasure might be further knowen Culpeper Diram and others were had to the tower Diram in his examination being charged with the familiaritie which had béene betwixt them before she was married to the king confessed that he and she said quéene had made a precontract togither and that he concealed it for hir preferment in marriage to the king after he vnderstood the king began to cast a liking towards hir The first of December Culpeper and Diram were arreigned at the Guildhall in London before the lord maior sitting there in iudgement as chéefe iudge hauing the lord chancellor vpon his right hand and the duke of Norffolke vpon his left hand the duke of Suffolke the lord priuie seale the earles of Sussex and Hereford with diuerse other of the councell sitting there as iudges in commission that daie the prisoners in the end confessed the indictement and had iudgement to die as in cases of treason The tenth of December the said Culpeper and Diram were drawen from the tower vnto Tiburne and there Culpeper had his head striken off and Diram was hanged dismembred and headed Culpepers bodie was buried in S. Sepulchers church but both their heads were set on London bridge The two and twentith of December were arreigned in line 10 the Kings bench at Westminster the ladie Margaret Howard wife to the lord William Howard Katharine Tilneie Alice Restwold gentlewomen Ioane Bulmer wife to Anthonie Bulmer gentleman Anne Howard wife to Henrie Howard esquier and brother to the late queene Malein Tilneie widow Margaret Benet wife to Iohn Benet gentleman Edward Walgraue gentleman William Ashbie gentleman all these were condemned of misprision of treason for concealing the queenes misdemeanour line 20 And the same daie in the afternoone the lord William Howard and Damport a gentleman were likewise arreigned and condemned of the same offense and as well these as the other were adiudged to lose their goods the profits of their lands during life and to remaine in perpetuall prison The sixtéenth of Ianuarie the parlement began at Westminster in the which the lords and commons exhibited certeine petitions to the king year 1542 First that he would not vex himselfe with the quéenes offense line 30 and that she and the ladie Rochford might be attainted by parlement and to auoid protracting of time they besought him to giue his roiall assent thereto vnder his great seale without staieng for the end of the parlement Also that Diram and Culpeper before attainted by the common law might also be attainted by parlement that Agnes duches of Norffolke and Katharine countesse of Bridgewater hir daughter which for concealing the said offense were committed to the towre and indicted of misprision line 40 the lord William Howard arreigned of the same might likewise be attainted Also that who soeuer had spoken or doone anie thing in detestation of hir naughtie life should be pardoned To these petitions the king granted thanking the commons for that it appéered they tooke his griefe to be theirs wherevpon the quéene and the ladie Rochford were attainted by both the houses On the tenth of Februarie the quéene was conueied from Sion to the towre by water the duke of Suffolke the lord line 50 priuie seale and the lord great chamberleine hauing the conduction of hir The next daie after being saturdaie and the eleuenth of Februarie the king did send his roiall assent by his great seale and then all the lords were in their robes and the common house called vp there the act was read and his assent declared And so on the thirtéenth daie those two ladies were beheaded on the greene within the towre with an ax where they confessed their offenses and died repentant line 60 Before this on the thrée and twentith daie of Ianuarie was the king proclamed king of Ireland as it was enacted both by authoritie of the parlement here and also of an other parlement holden at Dublin in Ireland there begun the thirteenth of Iune last past before sir Anthonie Saintleger knight and the kings deputie there where as till that time the kings of England were onlie intituled lords of Ireland In the beginning of March died sir Arthur Plantagenet vicount Lisle bastard sonne to Edward the fourth in the towre of London vnattainted when he should haue béene deliuered and set at libertie The occasion of his trouble for the which he was committed to the towre rose vpon suspicion that he should be priuie to a practise which some of his men as Philpot and Brindholme executed the last yeare as before ye haue heard had consented vnto for the betraieng of Calis to the French whilest he was the kings lieutenant there But after that by due triall it was knowne that he was nothing
approching towards them sent vnto them the kings maiesties proclamation the effect whereof was that all such persons as were vnlawfullie assembled and did not within thrée daies next after the proclaming thereof yéeld and submit themselues to the lord priuie seale the kings lieutenant they should from thenceforth be déemed accepted and taken for rebels against his roiall person and his imperiall crowne and dignitie And further the kings maiestie for a more terrour to the rebels and the incouragement of such other his louing subiects as should helpe and aid to apprehend anie of the said rebels he by his said proclamation granted and gaue all the offices fées goods and possessions which the said rebels had at and before their apprehension This proclamation notwithstanding the rebels continued in their wicked deuises traitorous purposes hastening to the hazzards of their owne deaths vndooings as the poet saith of the foolish fish swiming to the hidden hooke Occultum visus decurrere piscis ad hamum Wherevpon yet once againe the kings maiestie for the auoiding of the shedding of christian bloud sent vnto them a most gentle and louing message in writing thereby to reduce them againe to their dutifull obedience but all would not serue nor auaile to mooue their obstinate minds to leaue off their desperate and diuelish enterprise The message was as followeth The kings message to the rebels of Cornewall and Deuonshire ALthough knowledge hath beene giuen to vs and our deerest vncle the duke of Summerset gouernor of our person and protector of all our realms dominions and subiects and to the rest of our priuie councell of diuerse assemblies made by you which ought of dutie to be our louing subiects against all order of law and otherwise than euer anie louing or kind subiects haue attempted against their naturall and liege souereigne lord yet we haue thought it méet at this verie first time not to condemne and reiect you as we might iustlie doo but to vse you as our subiects thinking that the diuell hath not that power in you to make you of naturall borne Englishmen so suddenlie to become enimies to your owne natiue countrie of our subiects to make you traitors or vnder pretense to relieue your selues to destroie your selues your wiues children lands possessions and all other commodities of this your life This we saie that we trust that although ye be ignorantlie seduced ye will not be vpon knowledge obstinate And though some amongst you as euer there is some cockle amongst good corne forget God neglect line 10 their prince estéeme not the state of the realme but as carelesse desperat men delite in sedition tumults wars yet neuerthelesse the greater part of you will heare the voice of vs your naturall prince and will by wisedome and counsell be warned and cease your euils in the beginning whose ends will be euen by God almighties order your owne destruction Wherfore as to you our subiects by ignorance seduced we speake and be content to vse our princelie authoritie like a father to his children to admonish line 20 you of your faults not to punish them to put you in remembrance of your duties not to auenge your forgetfulnesse First your disorder to rise in multitudes to assemble your selues against our other louing subiects to arraie your selues to the war who amongst you all can answer for the same to almightie God charging you to obeie vs in all things Or how can anie English good hart answer vs our lawes and the rest of our verie louing and faithfull subiects who in deed by their obedience make our line 30 honour estate and degrée Ye vse our name in your writings and abuse the same against our selfe What iniurie herein doo you vs to call those which loue vs to your euill purposes by the authoritie of our name God hath made vs your king by his ordinance and prouidence by our bloud and inheritance by lawfull succession and our coronation but not to this end as you vse our name We are your most naturall souereigne lord king Edward the sixt to rule you to preserue you to saue line 40 you from all your outward enimies to sée our lawes well ministred euerie man to haue his owne to suppresse disordered people to correct traitors théeues pirats robbers such like yea to keepe our realms from other princes from the malice of the Scots of Frenchmen of the bishop of Rome Thus good subiects our name is written thus it is honored and obeied this maiestie it hath by Gods ordinance not by mans So that of this your offense we cannot write too much And yet doubt not but this is inough line 50 from a prince to all reasonable people from a roiall king to all kindharted louing subiects frō the puissant K. of England to euerie naturall Englishman Your pretense which you saie moueth you to doo thus and wherewith you séeke to excuse this disorder we assure you is either false or so vaine that we doubt not that after that ye shall hereby vnderstand the truth thereof ye will all with one voice acknowlege your selues ignorantlie led and by errour seduced And if there be anie one that will not then assure line 60 you the same be ranke traitors enimies of our crowne seditious people heretikes papists or such as care not what cause they haue to prouoke an insurrection so they may doo it nor in deed can wax so rich with their owne labors with peace as they can doo with spoiles with wars with robberies and such like yea with the spoile of your owne goods with the liuing of your labors the sweat of your bodies the food of your owne households wiues and children such they be as for a time vse pleasant persuasions to you and in the end will cut your throtes for your owne goods You be borne in hand that your children though necessitie chance shall not be christened but vpon the holie daies how false this is learne you of vs. Our booke which we haue set foorth by free consent of our whole parlement in the English toong teacheth you the contrarie euen in the first leafe yea the first side of the first leafe of that part which intreateth of baptisme Good subiects for to other we speake not looke be not deceiued They which haue put this false opinion into your eares they meane not the christening of children but the destruction of you our christened subiects Be this knowne vnto you that our honor is so much that we may not be found faultie of one iote or word proue it if by our laws you may not christen your children when ye be disposed vpon necessitie euerie daie or houre in the wéeke then might you be offended but seeing you may doo it how can you beléeue them that teach you the contrarie What thinke you they meane in the rest which moue you to breake your obedience against vs your king souereigne
pen thorough the malicious barking of some who suppose nothing well but what they doo themselues whereby gaine maie rise vnto their posteritie in this liberall sort to set downe the names and times of such treasurors as haue liued in England as hereafter I will doo the chancellors and that with as good authoritie as these secret backbiters can challenge anie cunning to themselues who suppose euerie blast of their mouth to come foorth of Trophonius den and that they spake from the triuet As I will not arrogate anie thing to my selfe for in truth I saie with Socrates Hoc tantùm scio quòd nihil scio or derogate from them that which their worthinesse maie merit so shall I be glad sith nothing is at the first so perfect but that somewhat maie be either augmented or amended to and in it that this maie whet those enuious persons to deliuer anie thing to the world that maie in comptrolling my labours benefit their countrie which if they will not doo let them cease their euill spéeches for Qui pergit dicere quae libet quae non vult audiet And truelie for mine owne part I will Canere palinodiam and yeeld them an honourable victorie if anie better shall be produced and be heartilie glad that truth which is all that I seeke maie be brought to perfection Now how well I haue done it my selfe must not be iudge desiring pardon of such as either with wise modestie can or ought to iudge or with rare antiquities can or will correct what I haue doone if thorough ignorance we haue committed anie escapes or imperfections further promising that if hereafter we espie any of our owne error or if anie other either friend for good will or aduersarie for desire of reprehension shall open the same vnto me I will not for defense of mine estimation or of pride or of contention by wranglings or quarrelling vpon authorities histories and records wilfullie persist in those faults but be glad to heare of them and in the whole and large discourse of the liues of the lord treasurors almost perfected corrected them For as I said it is truth of antiquities that I séeke for which being had either by good intention of my welwilling friends or by occasion and reprehension of my enuious emulators I greatlie esteeme not And so to the matter Saint Dunstane for I vse that name more for antiquities than deuoutnesse cause was treasuror to Eadred or Eldred king of England who began his reigne in the yeare that the word became flesh nine hundred fortie and six of whome thus writeth Matthew Parker in his booke of the archbishops of Canturburie in the life of Odo Seuerus the two and twentith bishop of that see Edmundo the king of England defuncto Eadredus corona regia ab Odone redimitus rem publicam administrans Dunstanum vt in eius vita pleniùs patebit tam singulari amore prosequutus est vt omnes regni thesauros illius custodiae commendaret Hugoline was treasuror and chamberleine to Edward the confessor he gaue Deane and Southâ—righ to Westminster which Edward the confessor did afterward confirme to that house Odo halfe brother to William the conqueror erle of Kent bishop of Baieux and chiefe iustice of England was treasuror in the time of the conqueror who had at his death as saith Anonymus M.S. sixtie thousand pounds Excepto auro gemmis vasis palijs Geffreie lord Clinton treasuror and chamberleine to Henrie the first he about the thirteenth yeare of Henrie the first in the yeare of our Lord one thousand one hundred and twelue did found the priorie of Kenelworth and was after accused of treason in the one and thirtith yeare of the reigne of the said Henrie the first but as it séemed restored in short time after to the kings fauour Ranulph bishop of Durham was treasuror to the king whome Florentius Wigorniensis calleth Praecipuum regis placitatorem regni exactorem whose last word Exactor some men doo English treasuror Of this man is more said in the chancellors of England Roger bishop of Sarisburie treasuror chancellor of England as appeareth by Leland writing in this sort Roger bishop of Sarum treasuror chancellor to Henrie the first made the castell of Uies such a costlie and so strong a fort as was neuer before nor since set vp by anie bishop of England The kéepe or dungeon of it set vpon a hill cast by hand is a peece of worke of incredible cost There appeare in the gate of it six or seauen places for portculices and much goodlie building was in it It is now in ruine and part of the front of the towers of the gate of the keepe and the chappell in it were carried full vnprofitablie to the building of master Beintons house at Bromhame scant thrée miles off There remaine diuerse goodlie towers yet in the vtter wall of the castell but all going to ruine The principall gate line 10 that leadeth into the towne is yet of great strength and hath places of seauen or eight portculices Thus much Leland in his commentaries of England which I haue here set downe partlie to prooue Roger bishop of Salisburie to be treasuror and partlie to commit to the world all such collections and notes as I can get of his Besides which to prooue the same Roger treasuror at the latter end of the reigne of Henrie the first togither with William de Pontlearch at the entering of king Stephan into England line 20 thus writeth one Anonymall chronicle M. S. Stephanus cùm intrauit Angliam RogeruÌ„ Seresberiensem Willielmum de Pontlearcus custodes thesaurorum ad se traduxit which William de Pontlearch was a witnesse with William Stigill to a certeine charter which Ranulph bishop of Durham made to the moonkes of Durham commonlie called S. Cutberts moonks wherin he confirmed to them Blakestone Standrop and Sandropshire with the wood of Henworth on the east part of Marneburne as farre as it goeth to the line 30 sea This Roger bishop of Salisburie died in the yeare of our redemption one thousand one hundred thirtie and nine being about the fourth yeare of king Stephan of whome mention is made in the chancellors of England Nigellus the second bishop of Elie nephue to Roger bishop of Sarum and treasuror to Henrie the first was aduanced vnto that bishoprike of Elie in the yeare of our redemption one thousand one hundred thirtie and three the fift calends of line 40 Iune being the thrée and thirtith yeare of the reigne of Henrie the first at whose going downe to be installed in the said bishoprike he was receiued with such ioie that all the whole street of Elie thorough which he should passe was hanged with curteins and carpets with seats set on ech side and the moonks canons and clerks méeting him with procession with diuers other priests standing round about them After his installation he returned to
the second others saie in the fourth yeare but the best authors agrée that he gaue ouer the seale in the yeare of Christ 1162 being the eight yeare of the victorious prince the said Henrie the second against the will of the prince he died in the yeare of our redemption 1170 as these verses doo prooue being such as the curiositie of that superstitious age would permit Pro Christo sponsa Christi sub tempore Christi In templo Christi verus amator obit Anno mileno centeno septuageno Anglorum primas corruit ense Thomas Quis moritur praesul cur pro grege qualiter ense Quando natali quis locus ara Dei Rafe Warneuile archdeacon of Rone and treasuror of the church of Yorke was made chancellor about the yeare that the word became flesh 1173 being about the eightéenth yeare of king Henrie the second of this man speaketh Matthew Paris and Matthew Westminster Walterus de Constantijs archdeacon of Oxford after bishop of Lincolne in the yeere of our redemption 1182 from whense he was aduanced in the yeare 1184 being the one and thirtith yéere of king Henrie the second vnto the archbishoprike of Rone of this man is more spoken in my discourse of the protectors of England pag. 1069. Geffreie the bastard sonne to king Henrie the second after that he had surrendered the bishoprike of Lincolne whereof he was neuer consecrat bishop but kept the place and receiued the reuenues was made chancellor much about the six and twentith yeare of king Henrie the second being the yeare of Christ 1180 yet be there some that saie he resigned the bishoprike in the seuen and twentith yeare of king Henrie the second in the yeare of Christ 1181. The difference whereof groweth as I suppose for that some accompt the beginning of the yeare of our Lord from the first of Ianuarie as all other nations of Europe doo some from the birth of Christ as we in England did long time since the conquest and some from the fiue and twentith of March on which it is supposed that the world began first to be created which last accompt we in England and the Scots as hath Lesleus doo kéepe togither with them of Genoa or Gene in Italie contrarie to the order of all other nations The begining of which maner of accompt amongst vs I cannot as yet certeinlie learne but I suppose it began much about the time of king Edward the third for all the former historiographers begin the yeare from the birth of Christ. William Longchampe the proud bishop of Elie legat of England for the bishop of Rome chiefe iustice of the south and west parts of England and deputie of that part of the realme when Richard the first went to the warres of the holie land was made chancellor in the said first of king Richard being the yeare of our redemption 1189 of the sumptuous feast of whose inthronization thus writeth Ferthulphus or Ferculphus by the waie of comparison Praeuisis alijs Eliensia festa videre Est quasi praeuisa nocte videre diem He died in the yéere of Christ 1197 going to Rome in the abbeie of Pimie being of the charterhouse order About which time in the sixt yeare of Richard the first there was a vicechancellor called Malus Catulus Eustachius deane of Salisburie was chancellor of England being elected bishop of Elie the third â—des of August in the yeare that the word became flesh 1196 being the ninth yeare of king Richard the first of whome thus writeth Matthew Parker in the life of Hubert archbishop of Canturburie contrarie to that which others affirme writing that Eusâ—achius succeeded William Lonchampe in the office line 10 of chancellor and in the bishoprike of Elie. The words of Matthew Parker in the life of Hubert be these Hubertus deposito magistratu ciuili ecclesiae curae totus vacabat consecrauÃtque postea Robertum de Salopesbi episcopum Banchorensem Eustachium qui in cancellarij munere ei successit Eliensem episcopum Westmonasterij debita accepta ab vtróque subiectionis professione Hubert Walter or Walter Hubert for such a transmutation of the name is vsed by authors being first bishop of Salisburie and then archbishop of line 20 Canturburie was made chancellor shortlie after the coronation of king Iohn which was in the yeare that the virgine brought foorth Christ 1199 at what time a certeine noble man said vnto him in scorne I haue often seene of a chancellor made a bishop but I neuer before saw an archbishop made a chancellor Simon or rather Hugh of which is more herafter archdeacon of Welles in the first yeare of king Iohn after as I suppose that Hubert had left the office line 30 being so disgraced abased as he thought was witnesse to a déed in which king Iohn granted to the citizens of Yorke a guildhall hanse and other liberties as I haue seene noted in the copie of the same charter for which cause I haue heere set it downe as an other man although in truth I am fullie resolued that this Simon and the Hugh following were all one person leauing it yet for euerie mans iudgement Hugh de Welles archdeacon of Welles witnesse line 40 to the déed in which king Iohn in the sixt yeare of his reigne confirmed to the monasterie of Westminster Gistslep or Islep in Oxfordshire in which house Edward the confessor was borne he was made bishop of Lincolne about the tenth yeare of king Iohns reigne in the yeare of our Lord 1209 and died in the yeare of our Lord 1235. Walter Braie chosen bishop of Chester in the yeare of our Lord 1210 was bishop of Worcester and after bishop of Yorke a man of extreame age line 50 was made chancellor in the seuenth yeare of king Iohn as one anonymall chronicle saith to hold that office during his life Others saie that he was made chancellor in the yeare of Christ 1209 being the tenth yeare of king Iohn after Hugh de Welles But I suppose he surrendred that patent to hold it during his life when he came to be bishop of Yorke Of this man is more spoken in my treatise of the protectors of England pag. 1069. Richard de Marischo whom Matthew Paris termeth Tholenarius as it were tolegatherer or treasuror if line 60 you list being archdeacon of Northumberland was chancellor in the fourth yeare of king Iohn as appeareth by a déed that I haue séene and further he was made chancellor in the 15 yeare of king Iohn in which office he coÌ„tinued to the 17 yeare of the said king and as some doo write during king Iohns life and died about the calends of Maie in the yeare of our redemption 1226 in the tenth yeare of the long reigne of king Henrie the third as some haue But the booke of Durham saith that he was made bishop of that sée by Gwado the legat and consecrated by
towne of Sutton Ualens in Kent this worshipfull gentleman at his owne costs and proper expenses erected a grammar schoole for the education of youth in the feare of God in good maners in knowledge and vnderstanding He also weieng with himselfe that the labourer ought of right to haue his hire and that no man goeth to warre of his owne proper charge besides other commodities which he thought méet and necessarie hath allowed the master twentie pounds and the vsher ten pounds from time to time as either place shall be supplied by succession for their yearelie stipends and perpetuall pensions To continue the rehersall of his good déeds in Sutton aforesaid note his tender pitifull heart toward the poore for whose sustentation maintenance and reliefe he hath builded six almes houses for the impotent and hath giuen six pounds to be yearelie paied vnto them for their necessarie prouision Moreouer besides this charitable déed to keepe still within the compasse of Kent marke the singular loue which this gentleman did beare vnto learning for the furtherance wherof and the more incouragement of poore scholers he hath giuen to the schoole of Maidstone ten pounds a yeare for euer with this caueat or prouiso that néedie mens children should be preferred to the enioieng of this singular benefit That this gentleman had not onelie a regard for the seed-plots of learning to haue them watered with the springs of his bountie but also a prouident eie and a carefull hart for the profit of the common-wealth the particulars following substantiallie doo prooue For séeing in his life time the decaie of sundrie trades the ruine of diuerse occupations and other inconueniences which are like to grow to the vndooing of a multitude except by policie they be preuented of a méere affection if I said fatherlie I were not controllable he hath freelie giuen to the poore clothiers in Suffolke to the poore clothiers of Bridgenorth in Shropshire and to the poore clothiers at Ludlow in the said countie thrée hundred pounds to be said by euen portions to each seuerall towne of the said counties one hundred pounds a péece for their supportation and maintenance at their worke and occupation So litle estéemed he the mucke of this world in respect of dooing good speciallie when he saw old age drawing him to his graue of which mind it were to be wished all richmen would be whom God hath made his stewards when they wax crooked bow backt and as the poet saith Obrepit canis rugosa senecta capillis Furthermore the well of his weldooing not yet waxing drie but yéelding liquor of reliefe verie largelie hath watered other places For as the countrie so likewise the citie the citie I meane of London hath cause yea iust cause with open mouth to magnifie the goodnesse of God so mightilie working in this praiseworshie esquier The memorable monuments which shall liue when he is dead and shall flourish when he is rotten are witnesses of the loue which he being a citizen bare vnto this citie For let vs begin with the conduit which he of his owne costs not requiring either collection or contribution founded of late in Holborne not sparing expenses so it might be substantiall not pinching for charges so it might be durable and plentifull as they can testifie which saw the seeking of the springs the maner of making the trenches the ordering of the pipes lieng in length from the head to the said conduit more than two thousand yards and finallie the framing of euerie necessarie appurtenance therevnto belonging Besides this means is made by a standard with one cocke at Holâ—orne bridge to conueie the wast which doth such seruice the water thereof being both swéet pleasant and wholsome as neither rich nor poore can well misse Which great worke as he aduisedlie attempted so he commendablie finished hauing disbursed therabouts of his owne costs charges to the sum of 1500 pounds And yet further note the wisedome and prouidence of this gentleman who considering that the right vse of a good thing might cut off manie occasions line 10 of vnthristines and idlenesse and knowing that we are placed in this world to follow the vocation wherevnto we are called besides that séeing the hardnesse of this age wherein we liue that manie would worke if they had meanes manie neglect and care not for worke though they haue meanes some would willinglie withstand pouertie if they might some had rather beg and doo woorsse than giue themselues to labour hath béene thus beneficiall to poore women that are glad to take pains as to bestow vpon line 20 them a hundred and twentie pales wherewith to carrie and serue water an honest shift of liuing though somewhat toilesome To descend and come downe to other his almesdeeds you shall vnderstand that he being a member of the right worshipfull corporation and societie of Clothworkers was not forgetfull of that companie vnto whome he hath giuen his dwelling house in London with other lands and tenements to the value of thirtie pounds or thereabouts by them to be thus bestowed to wit for the line 30 hiring of a minister to read diuine seruice thrise a weeke that is euerie sundaie wednesdaie and fridaie throughout the yeare in the chapell or church belonging to his house called by the name of saint Iames in the wall by Criplegate and for foure sermons there yéerelie to be made and preached a competent allowance Out of which sum also of thirtie pounds it is prouided that a deduction be made by the said Clothworkers for apparelling twelue men and as manie women line 40 in forme as followeth that is to saie to euerie one of the twelue men one fréeze gowne one locorum shirt a good strong paire of winter shooes to twelue women likewise one fréeze gowne one locorum smocke a good strong paire of winter shooes all readie made for their wearing remembred alwaies that they must be persons both poore and honest vnto whome this charitable déed ought to be extended Prouided also that the execution hereof be done the first daie of October orderlie from yeare to line 50 yeare for euer whiles the world dooth last Moreouer he hath giuen to those of his companie foure pounds fréelie not for a time but perpetuallie and thus doth his bountifulnesse manie waies appeare To the parish of S. Giles without Criplegate he hath giuen fiftéene pounds to the bels and chime hauing meant as it seemeth if they had taken time to be more liberall in that behalfe The said bels chime were in his life also after his deth kept in good order according to his will but afterwards vpon occasion some of line 60 them newlie cast became ill of sound out of tune a fault in some which would be amended The poore of the parish aforesaid by their reliefe in his life time secretlie ministred haue iust cause to lament the
awaie from his master and was often taken brought to him againe His master to correct his peruerse and froward conditions did manie times shut him as prisoner in some close place of his house and manie times caused him to be chained locked and clogged to staie his running awaie Yet all was in vaine for about the third yeare of hir maiesties reigne for his last farewell to his poore master he ran awaie from him and came to London to séeke his aduentures He was then constreined to seeke what trade he could to liue by and to get meat and drinke for his bellie and clothes for his backe His good hap in the end was to be interteined in place of seruice aboue his desert where he staied not long but shifted himselfe diuerse times from seruice to seruice and from one master to another Now he began to forget his old home his birth his education his parents his friends his owne name and what he was He aspired to greater matters he challenged the name and title of a great gentleman he vanted himselfe to be of kin and alied to noble and worshipfull he left his old name which he did beare and was commonlie called by in his childhood during all the time of his abode in the countrie which was William ap Harrie as the maner in Wales is And bicause he would séeme to be in déed the man which he pretended he tooke vpon him the name of Parrie being the sirname of diuerse gentlemen of great worship and hauiour And bicause his mothers name by hir father a simple priest was Conwaie he pretended kinred to the familie of sir Iohn Conwaie and so thereby made himselfe of kin to Edmund Neuill Being thus set foorth with his new name and new title of gentleman and commended by some of his good fauorers he matched himselfe in mariage with a widow in Southwales who brought him some reasonable portion of wealth She liued with him but a short time and the welth he had with hir lasted not long it was soone consumed with his dissolute 〈◊〉 wastfull maner of life He was then driuen to his woonted shifts his creditors were manie the debt which he owed great he had nothing wherewith to make paiment he was continuallie pursued by sergeants and officers to arrest him he did often by sleights and shifts escape from them In this his néedie and poore estate he sought to repare himselfe againe by a new match in mariage with another widow which before was the wife of one Richard Heiwood This matter was so earnestlie followed by himselfe and so effectuallie commended by his fréends and fauourers that the sillie woman yéelded to take him to husband a match in euerie respect verie vnequall and vnfit Hir wealth and yearelie liuelihood was verie great his poore and base estate worse than nothing he verie yoong she of such age as for yeares she might haue beene his mother When he had thus possessed himselfe of his new wiues wealth he omitted nothing that might serue for a prodigall dissolute and most vngodlie course of life His riot and excesse was vnmeasurable he did most wickedlie defloure his wiues owne daughter and sundrie waies pitifullie abuse the old mother he caried himselfe for his outward port and countenance so long as his old wiues bags lasted in such sort as might well haue sufficed for a man of verie good hauiour and degrée But this lasted not long his proud hart wastfull hand had soone powred out old Heiwoods wealth line 10 He then fell againe to his woonted shifts borowed where he could find anie to lend and ingaged his credit so far as anie would trust him Amongst others he became greatlie indebted to Hugh Hare the gentleman before named Who after long forbearing of his monie sought to recouer it by law For this cause Parrie conceiued great displeasure against him which he pursued with all malice euen to the seeking of his life In this murtherous intent he came in the night time to M. Hares chamber in line 20 the Temple broke open the doore assaulted him and wounded him grieuouslie and so left him in great danger of life For this offense he was apprehended committed to Newgate indicted of burgularie arreigned and found guiltie by a verie substantiall iurie and condemned to be hanged as the law in that case requireth He standing thus conuicted hir maiestie of hir most gratious clemencie and pitifull disposition line 30 tooke compassion vpon him pardoned his offense gaue him his life which by the law due course of iustice he ought then to haue lost After this he taried not long but pretending some causes of discontentment departed the realme and trauelled beyond the seas How he demeaned himselfe there from time to time and with whome he conuersed is partlie in his owne confession touched before This is the man this is his race which he feared should be spotted if he miscaried in the execution of his traitorous enterprise this hath béene the course of his life these are line 40 the great causes of his discontentment And whereas at his arreignement and execution he pretended great care of the disobedient popish subiects of this realme whom he called catholikes and in verie insolent sort séemed to glorie greatlie in the profession of his pretensed catholike religion the whole course and action of his life sheweth plainelie how prophanelie irreligiouslie he did alwaies beare himselfe He vaunted that for these two and twentie yeares past he had béene a catholike and during all line 50 that time neuer receiued the communion yet before he trauelled beyond the seas at three seuerall times within the compasse of these two and twentie years he did voluntarilie take the oth of obedience to the queenes maiestie set downe in the statute made in the first yeare of hir highnesse reigne by which amongst other things he did testifie and declare in his conscience that no forreine prince person prelat state or potentat hath or ought to haue anie iurisdiction power preeminence or authoritie ecclesiasticall line 60 or spirituall within this realme and therfore did vtterlie renounce forsake all forren iurisdictions powers and authorities and did promise to beare faith and true allegiance to the quéenes highnesse hir heires and lawfull successours With what conscience or religion he tooke that oth so often if so be he were then a papist in deed as since the discouerie of his treasons he pretended let his best freends the papists themselues iudge But perhaps it may be said that he repented those his offenses past that since those thrée oths so taken by him he was twise reconciled to the pope and so his conscience cleared and he become a new man and which is more that in the time of his last trauell he cast awaie all his former lewd maners that he changed his degrée and habit and bought or begged the graue title of
protest hath beene my gréedie desire and hungrie will that of your consultation line 30 might haue fallen out some other meanes to worke my safetie ioined with your assurance than that for which you are become such earnest sutors as I protest I must néeds vse complaint though not of you but vnto you and of the cause for that I doo perceiue by your aduises praiers and desires there falleth out this accident that onelie my iniurers bane must be my lifes suertie But if anie there liue so wicked of nature to suppose that I prolonged this time onelie Pro forma line 40 to the intent to make a shew of clemencie thereby to set my praises to the wierdrawers to lengthen them the more they doo me so great a wrong as they can hardlie recompense Or if anie person there be that thinke or imagine that the least vaine-glorious thought hath drawne me further herein they doo me as open iniurie as euer was doone to anie liuing creature as he that is the maker of all thoughts knoweth best to be true Or if there be anie that thinke that the lords appointed in commission line 50 durst doo no other as fearing thereby to displease or else to be suspected to be of a contrarie opinion to my safetie they doo but heape vpon me iniurious conceipts For either those put in trust by me to supplie my place haue not performed their duties towards me or else they haue signified vnto you all that my desire was that euerie one should doo according to his conscience and in the course of his procéedings should inioie both fréedome of voice and libertie of opinion and what they would not openlie line 60 declare they might priuatlie to my selfe haue reuealed It was of a willing mind and great desire I had that some other meanes might be found out wherein I should haue taken more comfort than in anie other thing vnder the sun And sith now it is resolued that my suretie can not be established without a princesse end I haue iust cause to complaine that I who haue in my time pardoned so manie rebels winked at so manie treasons and either not produced them or altogither slipt them ouer with silence should now be forced to this procéeding against such a person I haue besides during my reigne séene and heard manie opprobrious books and pamphlets against me my realme and state accusing me to be a tyrant I thanke them for their almes I beleeue therein their meaning was to tell me news and news it is to me in déed I would it were as strange to heare of their impietie What will they not now saie when it shall be spread that for the safetie of hir life a maiden queene could be content to spill the bloud euen of hir owne kinswoman I maie therefore full well complaine that anie man should thinke me giuen to crueltie whereof I am so giltlesse and innocent as I should slander God if I should saie he gaue me so vile a mind yea I protest I am so far from it that for mine owne life I would not touch hir neither hath my care beene so much bent how to prolong mine as how to preserue both which I am right sorie is made so hard yea so impossible I am not so void of iudgement as not to sée mine owne perill nor yet so ignorant as not to know it were in nature a foolish course to cherish a swoord to cut mine owne throte nor so carelesse as not to weigh that my life dailie is in hazard but this I doo consider that manie a man would put his life in danger for the safegard of a king I doo not saie that so will I but I praie you thinke that I haue thought vpon it But sith so manie haue both written spoken against me I praie you giue me leaue to saie somewhat for my selfe before you returne to your countries let you know for what a one you haue passed so carefull thoughts Wherein as I thinke my selfe infinitlie beholding vnto you all that seeke to preserue my life by all the meanes you maie so I protest vnto you that there liueth no prince that euer shall be more mindfull to requite so good deserts And as I perceiue you haue kept your old woonts in a generall séeking of the lengthning of my daies so am I sure that I shall neuer requite it vnlesse I had as manie liues as you all but for euer I will acknowledge it while there is anie breath left me Although I maie not iustifie but maie iustlie condemne my sundrie faults and sinnes to God yet for my care in this gouernment let me acquaint you with my intents When first I tooke the scepter my title made me not forget the giuer and therefore began as it became me with such religion as both I was borne in bred in and I trust shall die in Although I was not so simple as not to know what danger and perill so great an alteration might procure me how manie great princes of the contrarie opinion would attempt all they might against me and generallie what enimitie I should breed vnto my selfe which all I regarded not knowing that he for whose sake I did it might and would defend me For which it is that euer since I haue béene so dangerouslie prosecuted as I rather maruell that I am than muse that I should not be if it were not Gods holie hand that continueth me beyond all other expectation Then entered I further into the schoole of experience bethinking what it fitted a king to doo and there I saw he scant was well furnished if either he lacked iustice temperance magnanimitie or iudgement As for the two latter I will not boast my sex dooth not permit it but for the two first this dare I saie amongst my subiects I neuer knew a difference of person where right was one nor neuer to my knowledge preferred for fauour whome I thought not fit for woorth nor bent my eares to credit a tale that first was told me nor was so rash to corrupt my iudgement with my censure before I heard the cause I will not saie but manie reports might fortune be brought me by such as might heare the case whose parcialitie might mar sometime the matter for we princes maie not heare all our selues But this dare I boldlie affirme my verdict went euer with the truth of my knowledge As full well wished Alcibiades his fréend that he should not giue anie answer till he had recited the letters of the alphabet so haue I not vsed ouer sudden resolutions in matters that haue touched me full neere you will saie that with me I thinke And therefore as touching your counsels and consultations I conceiue them to be wise honest line 10 and conscionable so prouident and carefull for the safetie of my life which I wish no longer than maie be for your good that though I neuer can yéeld you of recompense your due yet shall I indeuour