BRITANNIA A ROMANE A SAXON A DANE A NORMAN THE HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAINE Under the Conquests of the ROMANS SAXONS DANES and NORMANS Their Originals Manners Warres Coines Seales with the Successions Lives acts Issues of the English Monarchs from IULIUS CAESAR to our most gracious Soueraigne King IAMES by IOHN SPEED IMPRINTED AT LONDON Anno Cum Privilegio 1611 And are to be solde by Iohn Sudbury Georg Humble in Popes head alley at the signe of the white Horse THE PROEME TO THE LEARNED AND LOVERS OF GREAT BRITAINES GLORY HAuing thus farre trauelled in the protract and description of this famous Empire of GREAT BRITAINE I might here haue rested and claimed the priuiledge that yeeres and imbecillitie haue brought me vnto had not a further desire in others â—…ged it a matter incident historically to lay downe the originals of those Nations and successions of those Monarchs which either by birth or conquest haue aspired to the Imperiall Crowne And albeit I finde my selfe both tired in the former and most vnfit to prosecute this latter yet will I endeuour to giue herein my best assayes though as my labours so my wants also thereby will be made more vulgar to the world For if those men were blame-worthy against whom Heraclite exclaimeth who with long toile and great trouble finde a little pure substance in a great deale of base earth how shall I then free me from the like imputatioâ—… that from so many mines of pure mettals haue gotten so little Oare and the same neither well tried in my defectiue fornace nor yet artificially cast off through the default of the mould wanting both skil for to fashion and measure to performe the true proportions that in such a proiect is to be required and how often these my defects haue disswaded my proceedings is best knowne to him that is the searcher of the heart But by what fate I am inforced still to goe forward I know not vnlesse it be the ardent affection and loue to my natiue Countrey wherein I must confesse that Nature in those gifts hath bene both liberall yea and prodigall though Fortune as sparing fast-handed against me euer checking the Bit with the Raines of necessity and curbing the meanes that should illustrate my labours which moues me sometimes to thinke that if the great Philosopher Theophrastus had cause on his death-bed to accuse Nature for giuing man so long a lesson and so short a life then I against Fortune may as iustly exclaime that hath assigned me so great a labour and so little meanes And therefore let it not seeme offensiue that I draw my waters from the Cesterns of others who am not able to fetch them at the spring-head my selfe Neither that I strike vpon the same Anuile vnto their sound though nothing so loud nor with the like strength wherein yet this fruit at least wil I hope redound of my endeuours that I shall incite the more learned if not otherwise yet in emulation of me to free the face drawne by Apelles from the censure of the fault or defect in the foot and not onely to amend but euen to new-mould the whole Which thing though my dayes are neere spent and with Barzillai I may say that musicke to me is now vnpleasing yet doth my eare thirst after the set of that straine as Socrates thoughts ranne euer on his Booke who the night before he was to suffer death was desirous to learne musicke because he would die learning still something Moses when he foresaw the destruction of his Common-wealth which whilst it stood was the glory of the earth and a paterne to all kingdomes succeeding left this for a Law among the rest and euen to remaine for euer that the fathers should teach their children and should commit vnto writing those things which the Lord in their dayes had done and enioyned the children Likewise to enquire of the times that were past euen from the first creation of man For when as Empires and Kingdomes Common weales and Cities do end and perish yet the Histories thereof do remaine and liue And that made Cicero to say as he did that Salamina should be vtterly forgotten before the things that were done in Salamina should perish And therefore as among the wise answeres of Thales the Histories of Countreis are to be accounted for principals either as Cicero calleth them the Mistres of life and expositions of Times so likewise let vs from the lyricall Poet Simonides learne this further That he is perfectly happy which knowes his natiue countrey to be truly glorious And as Cassidorâ—… calls him a worthy Citizen that seeketh the commodity of his countrey So contrariwise he is by Bale esteemed but a fruitles clod of earth that sucks the sappe of his soile onely to himselfe whose memoriall shall perish as the dispersed smoake in the clouds though for a time he mount aloft in his swelling pride This naturall loue and true affection to our natiue Countrey we may further learne from the ancient Patriarks and Fathers themselues who besides a desire that they had to theirs continually to liue therein during life commanded their bodies to be buried therein after death from whose Bowels they first had assumed their breathes and in whose bosome they layd their bones as in their last bed of rest Yea of the vnreasonable creatures the Birds and Beasts we may learne this loue that alwayes are willing towards their home And if it happen that Countreys grow vnkinde as Homers did that in his old age and blind suffred him to beg his bread or that a Prophet in his owne countrey is not esteemed as Ieremy felt it and CHRIST IESVS taught yet did the one for his peoples captiuity wish his eyes a fountaine of teares and the other for his countreys destruction lamented and wept holding it vnlawfull to take the childrens bread and to giue it vnto others That this our Countrey and subiect of History deserueth the loue of her inhabitants is witnessed euen by forraine writers themselues who haue termed it the Court of Queene Ceres the Granary of the Westerne world the fortunate Island the Paradise of pleasure and Garden of God whose Typographicall descriptions for the whole Iland and Geographical surueyes for the seuerall parts exceed any other kingdome vnder the cope of Heauen that onely excepted which was conquered and diuided by Iosuah And for fruitfulnes and temperature may be accounted another Canaan watered with riuers that doe cleaue the earth as the Prophet speaketh and make the land as rich and beautiful as was that of Aegypt Our Kings for valour and Sanctity ranked with the worthiest in the world and our Nations originals conquests and continuance tried by the touch of the best humane testimonies leaue as faire a Lustre vpon the same stone as doeth any other and with any nation may easily contend saith Lanquet both
bee guilty of the crime although he confessed to be a true seruant to the Daulphin Notwithstanding had he not appealed to the Officers of Armes King Henries iudgement of death had gone against him for the Law Military as he there alleaged forbiddeth that any man hauing his brother in Armes within his danger should afterwards put him to death for any cause or quarrell and proued himselfe to be the Kings brother in Armes for that he had in the Countermine coaped in combat with the King Thus by a quirke of Heraldry acquitted from death he was neuerthelesse retained in prison the space of nine yeeres and lastly at the winning of Castle Galliard from the English was deliuered out of most strait imprisonment to the great ioy of the French 63 This execution of Iustice on those Murtherers was a great but not the only act of K. Henry at this great Parliament of three Estates of France in Paris For therein also was the finall accord betwixt the two Kings openly acknowledged by the French King as made by his free assent and with aduise of all the Councell of France whereupon it was there also ratified by the generall states of France and sworne vnto particularly vpon the holy Euangelists by all their Nobles and Magistrates spirituall and secular who also set their seales to the Instruments thereof which were sent into England to be kept in the Kings Exchecquer at Westminster King Henries glory thus ascended to the highest verticall in France his Court was not only honoured daily both with Courtly and military shewes and pastimes but also was still frequented both with forraine Ambassadors and domesticke Commissioners whose directions depended only vpon his voluntary assigne himselfe redressing all things at his pleasure placing and displacing Officers and Gouernors causing also a new Coyne to be made called a Salute wherein were the Armes of France and the Armes of England and France quarterly stamped King Charles the while in his Palace was but for fashions sake visited and but by some of his olde seruants his Sunne was drawne so neere vnto the setting The great affaires of France thus setled as well as that vnsetled time would permit King Henry minding to Crowne his Queene in England ordained his brother of Clarence a wise valiant and a great Captaine his Lieutenant generall of France leauing also the Duke of Exeter with 500. men of warres to keep Paris and so attended with great state he came to Amiens and Callais where taking to Sea he arriued at Douer vpon the third of February and was receiued of his Subiects as an Angell from heauen or another victorious Caesar on Earth 64 All things in a readines for his faire Queens Coronation vpon the foure and twentith of the same month with all roialty the same was solemnized at Westminster and the English rich diadme set on her head The feast was great with all Princely seruices and the state such as deserueth the report for the Queene sitting at Table at the right side of her Chaire kneeled the Earle of March holding a Scepter in his hand the Earle Marshall kneeling on the left side held another and the Countesse of Kent sate vnder the Table at her right foote vpon her right hand at Table sate the Bishops of Canterbury and Winchester and vpon the left the King of Scots the Dutchesse of Yorke and the Countesse of Huntington the Nobles giuing their attendance each man according to his office and place 65 Presently after Easter in the month of May a Parliament was held at Westminster whose chiefest intent was to haue meanes to continue the Kings Conquest in France but such was the state of those lauish times that to stop the current of this melting mint some minding more the heapes of their money then the spreading abroad of Englands faire Monarchy exhibited their Bils vnto the three estates in Parliament and petitioned vnto the King to commiserate the pouerty of the commons which as they said were beggered by these warres For which cause as it seemeth no subsidy or ayde was demanded but the King againe pawning his Crowne to his vncle Beaufort the rich Cardinall for twenty thousand pound before the said month was expired with foure thousand horse and foure and twenty thousand foote returned into France to follow those warres 66 Neither was his hast more then needed for Iohn Earle of Bucquhanan and Archbald Dowglas two valiant leaders of seuen hundred resolute Scots repaired into France to ayde the Daulphin and ioining with the French in Aniou meant to haue surprized the Duke of Clarence before he had beene aware in which enterprize foure stragling Scots taken and brought to his presence as he sate at dinner reuealed the intent and strength of the Enemy whose approach was verie neere at hand This newes no soo nesty and mercy which shall crowne my memory with glory and free mee from blame and slander which in long raignes can hardly be auoided but you haue iust cause to mourne at my vntimely death and it cannot bee but a generall griefe to my people that in such an Ocean of businesse yet depending I shall leaue you and them destitute of a Prince able to gouern but your sorrow ought to be so much the lesse when you call to mind the frailty of worldly thinges and that euermore there will bee somewhat wanting which wee desire My first request vnto you shall bee this that with an vnanimous affection to aduise foresee and prouide that the counsel which I name may be followed I further ernestly entreat you to loue my Infant Henry to instruct him with your wisdomes that by your counsell care and loue hee may be made able worthy to weild so great an Empire Comfort my deare wife the most afflicted Creature liuing extend your loues vnto her in the same proportion as I haue euer loued you Touching the publike I admonish and exhort you to brotherlie concord and neuer to breake league with Philip Duke of Burgundie and if you shall thinke it good let my brother Humfrey Duke of Glocester gouerne England and not depart vpon any occasion whatsoeuer vntill my sonne Henry be of yeeres to sway the estate and my brother Iohn Duke of Bedford with the assistance of Philip Duke of Burgundy to manage the Realme of France Concerning Charles commonly called the Daulphin either he must by your swords be made to submit himselfe or else you shall neuer be in quiet and it were as good to render him the possession of what you haue wherefore sleepe not and while you haue meanes and opportunity be industrious Lastly I beseech charge and command you howsoeuer time or occasion may perswade or inuite you to the contrary that Normandy receiued by my industry and your swordes being the ancient inheritance of the Crowne of England be not alienated for any cause whatsoeuer Among other things then enioined he willed that the
Saint Augustine 5351. Isidore 5210. Orosius 5190. Beda 3952. Alphonsus 5984. And yet doe these disagreements helpe little the Obiectors if this be considered that the maine foundation of these diuersities consisteth chiefly in the first world before the Flood wherein it is manifest that the reputed Septuagint addeth to the Hebrew Originall fiue hundred eighty and six yeeres And from the Flood to Abrahams birth is accounted two hundred and fiue yeeres more then Moses hath As likewise the like is done in the latter times for from the Captiuitie of Babylon to the death of Christ one hundred thirty and seuen yeeres are added more then the Sunnes course hath measured so that it seemeth the differences were not great for the times of Heli Salomon nor Iudahs Kings in whose raignes Brute is brought to people and possesse this Iland But leauing these diuersities and to come to a certaintie let vs calculate the yeeres of the holy historie according as Functius Beroaldus and sundry other Theologicke Chronologers haue done who from the Scriptures most sure account so tie the stories of times together that like to a golden chaine the linkes are fastned each to other and the whole so compleat that a yeere is not missing from the fall of man vnto the full time of his redemption 24 First then from the Creation to the Flood are reckoned yeeres 1656. gathered by a triple account from the ages begettings and deaths of the fathers The like is thence obserued for foure hundred twentie and seuen yeeres that is to the seuentie fifth of Abrahams life wherein God began to tie the times accounts in holier summes for Terah the first recorded Idolater was the last in honour that had the Sunnes course measured by mans life And now the bounds of time tie the Promise to Abraham to bee before the Law foure hundred and thirty yeeres as the Apostle to the Galathians affirmeth From the Law to the building of Salomons Temple and that in the fourth yeere of his raigne were yeeres foure hundred and eightie and from that foundation to his death were thirtie six yeeres for his whole raigne was fortie From his death and Kingdomes diuision vnto the burning of that Temple which was executed in the nineteenth of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel were yeeres three hundred and ninetie as by the daies of Ezekiels siege and sleepe appeareth in the second and fifth verses of his fourth Chapter From the burning of the Temple to the end of Iudahs captiuitie were yeeres fiftie and one for the whole time of Babels bondage contained seuenty yeeres as Ieremy 25. 11. whereof nineteene were expired and fifty one remaining vnto the first yeere of Cyrus their deliuerer whom the Lord in that regard calleth his annointed Isay. 45. 1. In the first yeere of whose Monarchie he published an Edict for the returne of the Iewes and new building of their Temple as in the books of Chronicles and of Ezra is seene And from this first yeere and proclamation of King Cyrus vnto the last yeere and death of Christ our Sauiour the great yeere of Iubilie the acceptable time wherein he troad the winepresse alone to the finishing of the ceremonies the taking away of sinne the reconciling of iniquity the bringing in of euerlasting righteousnesse to the sealing vp of vision and prophecie and to the anointing of the most holy were yeeres foure hundred and ninety as the Prophet Daniel from the Angell Gabriel receiued and vnto vs hath deliuered Dan. 9. 24. all which added together make the number to be three thousand nine hundred and threescore yeeres And by this said computation I haue accounted Brutes story as all others wherein I shall bee occasioned to speake 25 Lastly if from among these misty cloudes of ignorance no light can be gotten and that we will needs haue our descents from the Troians may wee not then more truly deriue our blood from them through the Romanes who for the space of foure hundred threescore and six yeeres were planted amongst vs in which continuance it is most certaine they tooke of our women to be their wiues and gaue their women to be wiues vnto vs seeing that some of their Emperors did the like themselues and from whose blood saith Beda the Britaines Ambrosius lineally descended And if beauty and parts be the instigaters vnto loue as in the first world we see it was no doubt then the features of the Britains were mouing Angels vnto the Romanes whose faces euen in those times were accounted to be angelicall and whose personages as yet are respected as the best if not better then any other in the world But that the Romans themselues descended from the Troians or AEneas should be the roote of the Iulian family howsoeuer the fictions of Poets as a spring tide haue flowed from the fulnesse of their pennes yet Tacitus their best writer accounteth those things not far vnlike to old fables wherein he iudgeth that Nero to win credit before the Consuls and to get reputation in the glory of eloquence vndertooke the pleading of the Ilienses cause declaring the Romanes descent from Troy and the Iulij from the loines of AEneas which notwithstanding he censureth as is said And Iosephus in the dispersion of Noahs sonnes and families affirmeth that Romus was the Originall of the old Romanes and he of Chus and Cham if he meane as he speaketh To conclude by what destiny I know not nations desire their originals from the Troians yet certaine it is that no honor from them can be brought whose city and fame stood but for six descents as vnder the raignes of Dardanus Erithonius Troos Ilion Laomedon and Priamus during which time they were thrice vanquished twice by Hercules in the daies of Laomedon and the third time rased by the rage of the Grecians in the raigne of King Priamus and the Troians themselues made as it were the scum of a conquered people And therefore as France hath cast off their Francio King Priamus his sonne Scotland their Scotia King Pharaoes daughter Denmarke their Danus Ireland their Hiberus and other Countries their Demi-gods so let BRITAINES likewise with them disclaime their BRVTE that bringeth no honour to so renowned a Nation but rather cloudeth their glorie in the murders of his parents and imbaseth their descents as sprung from Venus that lasciuious Adulteresse THE MANNERS AND CVSTOMES OF THE ANCIENT BRITAINES CHAPTER IV. HAuing thus farre spoken of the ancient Names of this famous Iland and of the Nations acknowledged to bee the first Planters and Possessors thereof it remaineth that somewhat be mentioned of the Manners and Customes of those people and times though not so pleasing or acceptable as were to be wished for that the clouds of ignorance and barbarous inciuilitie did then shadow and ouer-spread almost all the Nations of the earth wherein I desire to lay imputation no further then is sufficiently warranted by most
Peace he had found most faithfull for his Warres and so arriued at the Mount Grampius where the Britaines had lodged themselues before and as men nothing deiected by the vnfortunate chance of the former battaile had now prepared themselues attending only for Reuenge or Seruitude And being taught that common danger must be repelled with mutuall Concord by Leagues and Embassages they assembled the power of all their Cities together aboue thirtie thousand armed men as by view was taken besides an endlesse number of youth which daily flocked vnto them and many lustie Old men renowmed in the former warres and bearing the Badges due to their honour at what time Galgacus for vertue and birth of all the Leaders the Principall man seeing the multitude hotly demaund the Battell is said to haue vsed this or the like speech 8 When I behold this present Assemblie and consider the cause of this instant necessitie I haue reason to presume that this day and this our agreement in consent will giue a happie beginning to our freedome and an end of troubles vnto our Iland For wee which inhabite these furthest Promontories know no Land beyond vs whereunto wee may flie nor no Seas left vs now for safetie the Romane Nauie thus as you see surueying our Coasts So that combat and armes which men of valour desire for honour the very dastard of force must now vse for his securitie Wee that are the flower of the British Nobilitie and are seated here in the vttermost part of the I le saw neuer yet the borders of those Countries which serued in slauerie our eies being vnpolluted and free from all contagion of Tyrannie Our former Battailes fought with the Romanes had their euents yet so that refuge and hope rested still in our hands wee haue hitherto liued in libertie whereas none beside vs are free vs hitherto this Corner and secret recesse hath defended now the Vttermost point of our Land is laid open and things the lesse they haue beene within knowledge the greater the glorie is to atchieue them But what Nation is there now beyond vs what else see we but Water and Rocks and the Romanes within Land-lords of all nay rather Robbers of all both in Land and Sea whose intollerable pride by humble subiection in vaine shall wee seeke to auoid If the Country bee rich they seeke to winne wealth if poore to gaine glorie but neither East nor west can satisfie their greedie affection much lesse this cold North can set an end to their desires To kill to spoile and take away by force that falsely they terme Empire and Gouernement and when all is made a waste wildernesse that they call Peace Most deare vnto man are his Children and blood but those are pressed for their warres and serue as their slaues we know not where our Goods are their tributes our Corne their prouision our Wiues Sisters and Daughters in Warre violently forced in Peace vnder title of friends and guests shamefully abused and our own Bodies worne consumed in pauing of Bogs and other seruile drudgeries with thousands of stripes and many indignities more Slaues which are borne to bondage are sold but once and after are fed at their Owners expences but Britanie daily buyeth daily feedeth and is at charges with her owne Bondage We are the last to be conquered and therefore is our destruction most sought as being the most vile in account No Fields we haue to manure no Mines to be digged no Ports to trade in and to what purpose then should they reserue vs aliue Besides the Manhood and fierce courage of the subiect pleaseth not much the iealous Soueraigne and this Corner being so secret and out of the way the more securitie it yeeldeth vs in them it workes the greater suspition Then seeing all hope of sauour is past let vs take courage to defend and maintaine our owne safetie as well as our honour The Icenians led by a Woman fired the Colonie forced the Castles and if that luckie beginning had not beene ended in a carelesse security the Southerne Britaines might with ease haue shaken off the yoake We as yet neuer touched neuer subdued and borne to bee free not slaues to the Romans wee I say now are to make proofe of our valour and to shew in this encounter what men Caledonia hath reserued for her selfe And do you thinke that the Romanes are as valiant in Warre as they are wanton in Peace I assure you nothing lesse for not by their Vertues but by our Iarrings they are growne into fame and of the enemies faults they make vse to the glory of their owne Armie composed we know most of diuers Nations and therefore as in prosperitie they hold not alalwaies together so doubtlesse if fortune turne aside their seruices will appeare vnlesse you suppose the Gauls and Germanes and to our shame be it spoken many of our owne Nation which now lend their liues to establish a forraine Vsurper bee lead with hearts affection whereas contrariwise it is apparant that Terrour and Distrust weake workers to conserue loue are the onely cause which once remoued then those that haue made an end to feare will soone begin to hate All things that may incite vnto victorie are for vs the Romanes haue no Wiues to harten them on if they faint no Parents to vpbraid them if they flie most of them haue no Countrie at all or if they haue it is by intrusion taken from others A few fearefull persons stand here before vs trembling and gazing at the strangenesse of the heauen it selfe at the Sea and at the Woods whom the Gods haue deliuered mewed vp and fettered into our hands Let not their braue shewes of glistering Gold or Siluer any way dismay you which of themselues neither offend nor defend And be you well assured amongst our enemies wee shall finde many on our side The Britaines will agnize their owne Cause The Gauls will remember their wonted libertie and former estate And the rest of the Germanes will leaue and forsake them as of late the Vsipians did What then shall we feare The Castles are emptie the Colonies peopled with aged and impotent persons the free Cities discontent and in factions whilest those which are vnder obey with ill will and they which doe gouerne rule against right Here you see before vs is the Generall and the Armie on each side Tributes Seruitudes and other miseries inseparable which whether we shall continue for euer or cast off subiection as free-borne Britaines it lyeth this day in this Field and your approued manhoods Wherefore I beseech you in ioyning Battell beare in your Minds your worthy Ancestors your Selues and following Posterities which if you faile shall for euer liue in subiection and slauerie 9 This speech was so vehemently deliuered and so cheerefully of them all receiued that with songs and confused acclamations after
the Sea as that they ouer-slowed and laid leuell an infinite number of buildings and Cities And therefore in this furious discord of the Elements the surface of the world being couered represented strange and wonderfull sights Among which S. Ierome reporteth that there rained Wooll from Heauen so perfect and good that no better grew vpon the Sheepe the naturall Producer But to returne 12 Fraomarius whom Valentinianus had ordained to be King of the Bucinobantes in Germanie was made Tribune and Colonell ouer a Regiment of Almains in Britaine which for number and valour in those daies were renowned where no doubt matter enough was ministred for him to worke vpon but the death of the Emperour presently following admits no mention of further discourse which happened in this manner The Quadi after many molestations done to the Roman Legions and their Confederates sent their Ambassadours vnto him desiring pardon for their former faults committed and an abolishment of all remembrances thereof 〈…〉 conference suddenly the bloud 〈…〉 mouth and being laid vpon his 〈…〉 â—…ed of an Apoplexie or rathâ—…r of the Plague 〈…〉 Markes appearing vpon his dead body gaue â—…cture Nouember the seuenth of his age fiftie fiue yeeres hauing raigned eleuen yeeres eight moneths and two daies in the yeere of our Christ three hundred seuenty fiue 13 For presence he was Maiesticall of bodie fat his complexion faire his eies gray and hauing therwith somwhat a scue cast his haire shining bright his ioints strong and well knit he was a Prince mercifull and louing and mitigated many Tributes formerly imposed on the Prouinces a wise Warriour sterne in countenance hastie of speech and chast 〈…〉 body a good Iusticer and impatient of all delaies But these his Vertues with some Vices were accompanied for he is taxed with enuie and partialitie in punishing seuerely the poore Souldier for small offenses but remissiue to the faults of their Captaines and Leaders and that was the cause by Amianus his report of the troubles in Britaine the losses in Africke and the wasting in Illyricum 14 His Arian brother Valens suruiuing him raigned Emperour in the East by whose sufferance the Barbarous Gothes entred Thracia which presently proued to be the bane of the Roman World for that these Gothes a strange and vnknowne People till then being forced out of a secret Nooke in Scythia by the Hog-Backt Hunnes rushing as an vnresistable Whirle-Winde from those High Mountaines infested the Coasts about Danubius and obtained licence from Valens to passe the Riuer Donaw into Thracia where long in quiet they staied not but like a violent Floud running with a full currant they ouer-whelmed all before them ouercomming the Romans in many Battles and in one slew the Emperour Valens with most of his approoued Captaines and twenty fiue Tribunes that had charge of Regiments the third part of his Armie hardly escaping vnslaine Some report that Valens flying the Field tooke into a house neere Adrianople whither being pursued by the Enemie and his Hold fired vpon his head was therein burned to ashes after he had sate Emperour fourteene yeeres FLAVIVS GRACIANVS Emp. FLA. VALENTINIANVS IVNIOR CHAPTER LI. GRacianus the Eldest Sonne of Valentinianus by his Empresse Seuera was made his fathers Collegue in the Empire in the fourth yeere of his Raigne notwithstanding six daies after his death his second Sonne Valentinian a Childe of Foure yeeres old by the aduice of the Counsell and generall consent of the Camp was also stiled and proclaimed Emperor These Brethren liued in much loue and ruled in the West as their vncle Valens did in the East of whom wee last spake And albeit Gracian had cause of displeasure that this his Younger Brother was thus aduanced without his allowance yet he as a Prince kind and naturall regarded his Brother exceedingly and brought him vp in all tender affection forgetting the wrong offered vnto himselfe and his owne Mother for Valentinians mothers sake 2 The Mother of this Valentinian was Iustina a damsell of an admirable feature and exceeding beautie surpassing all other women so farre that the Empresse her selfe fell in loue with her and vsually conuersed with her familiarly as her equall imparting her most priuate secrets vnto her as her trustie Counseller and often bathing together in the same Bath Neither was her ardent affection contained within the measure of Womanish modestie insomuch as she refrained not in the hearing of the Emperour her Husband to extoll her incomparable beautie preferring her far aboue any creature in the World Whereupon Valentinianus so farre affected this Lady as that he tooke her to his Wife by whom he had this young Valentinian and also three Daughters notwithstanding Seuera was yet liuing 3 The stormes of the Gothes as a violent tempest beating still against the Shoares of the Roman Prouinces caused Gracian to beare Sayle toward the safest Harbour and to commit the guidance of his shippe to the most assured Pilot their forces being so great and their outrages so terrible that hee thought it best not to aduenture his owne person but to imploy some other approoued Captaine For which exploit none was held more sufficient then Theodosius the Sonne of that Theodosius who was so famous for his British Warres and whose life was taken away by Valens the Easterne Emperour Him he made first Captaine Generall of the Roman Empire and immediatly vpon his first seruice against the Gothes his Fellow Emperor and Augustus allotting him those parts in the East that his vncle Valens lately had enioyed 4 In many Battels fought to the last drop of bloud this worthy Generall ouercame the Gothes so that their King Athanarius was lastly inforced to sue for his Peace which vpon honourable compositions was graunted and himselfe in most princely manner entertained by Theodosius in the Imperiall Citie Constantinople where falling sicke after three moneths he died and was both much lamented and sumptuously buried by the Emperor These reports caused Sapor the most puissant King of Persia to submit himselfe vnto Theodosius and by his Ambassadors attending his Court obtained his Amitie Thus gloriously raigning and perfect peace established he ordained his young sonne Arcadius his Fellow Emperor in the East 5 But the affaires in the Westerne Empire proceeded nothing so fortunately for Gracian a meeke and soft spirited man ballanced with Theodosius was held without regard and Valentinian by his Prefect Probus held both Rome and Italy at his deuotion onely Gallia obeyed Gracian For Clemens Maximus borne in Spaine but descended lineally from Constantine the Great by his affability and liberal carriage had wonne the affections of the Britaine 's to side with him a man no doubt both Valiant and Wise had he held his alleagiance to his Soueraigne Lord. But the time fitting his purposes when the Scots and Picts with their wonted inroads sore indamaged the Prouince he set himselfe for
him battaile and obtained the victory though bought with the liues of Ethelwald and Cochricus their Kings and losse of many English which made Edward the readier to enter a truce with them about the fift of his raigne 5 That the English were most expert for war in these daies is witnessed by their resistance of those sturdy Danes against whom the Commons many times with victory fought without either King or Captaine to guide them and they were likewise famous in other lands for about this time it was that the Englishmen at the perswasion of the Gothes besieged the great City Argilla in Barbary which they wanne with such slaughter of the enemy and spoile of the towne that for thirty yeares after it lay desolate without inhabitants whereby it was hoped that the Saracens would haue departed Europe as Ioannes Leo Afer hath told vs who according to the Saracens doth referre this siege to the three hundred and foureteenth of Mahomet Hegira which meeteth with the yeare of Christs Natiuity nine hundred and fiue 6 The truce yet lasting the Danes in Northumberland were nothing quiet to stay whose irruptions King Edward sent a great power who harried the Country before them and with much slaughter returned victorious These daliances of Fortune made the Danes very desperate and therefore to stay the rowling ball before it should passe their goale they gathered their powers entred Mercia where with victory and spoile they raged for a time But Edward to aid Ethelred his brother in law and Earle of that Prouince mustered his men and at Wodnesfield neere Wolfrune-hampton in Stafford-shire gaue thē battaile wherein the English so behaued themselues that the two Pagan-Kings Cowilfu◅ Healidine the two Earles Vter and Scurfa besides other Nobles Commons innumerable they slew and now the clouds of these distemperatures being driuen backe King Edwards Monarchy ascended the Horizon and the Sunne of his power beganne to shine very bright therefore he seeking to hold what he had got set his thoughts to secure his towns with Castles and walles of defence 7 These his proceedings caused him to be both beloued and feared but his mind still free from any ambitious pride as may appeare by the intercourse betwixt Leolin Prince of Wales and himselfe wherof Wal. Mapaeus maketh mention as followeth What time Edward the Elder saith he lay at Austeline and Leolin Prince of Wales at Bethesley intending a Parly Leolin refused to come downe or to crosse the Seuerne Whereupon Edward tooke boat and entred the riuer towards him which when Leolin saw and knew who ◅hee was he cast off his rich roabe wherewith he was clad and which hee had prepared for that roiall assembly and entred the riuer breast-hie where clasping the boat with an imbrace submissiuely said Most wise and sage King thy humility hath ouercome my insolencie and thy wisedome triumphed ouer my folly come get vpon my necke which I haue foole as I am lifted vp against thee so shalt thou enter into that land which thy benigne mildnes hath made thine owne this day and after he had taken him vpon his shoulders he would needs haue him sit down vpon his roiall roabe and so putting his hands iointly into his did him homage 8 In the twelfth yeare of his raigne as Henry Huntington hath it Ethelred Earle of Mercia who had married Elfleda King Edwards sister departed this life she hauing borne him one onely daughter named Elfwen whose trauell in childbirth was so grieuous that euer after she forbare the nuptiall imbracements of her husband alleadging that it was an ouer foolish pleasure which brought with it so great paines and thereupon changing the wonted affection of her sexe from the bed vnto battaile gouerned Mercia eight yeares after her husbands decease as another Zenobia and did not a little assist her brother in his warres for the Welsh she pursued as farre at Breknoke which she tooke with their Queene from the Danes shee wonne the Connty of Darby and assaulting the towne vpon them put herselfe in great danger for enterprising to enter the Gate shee was resisted by whole multitudes of Danes notwithstanding she persisted got entrance in which encounter many died and foure of her chiefe men of war being Warders of her person-euen fast by her side were slaine The Danes in Yorkeshire she constrained to bee at her deuotion so that some of them became her subiects some vowed to attend in her aide and some promised to be prest at her dispose Her policie in warre proued euer the surest her counsell of State was regarded with the wisest and her prouidence in building and repairing Cities for the weale-publick or fortifying places for munition of warre exceeded others which shee extended vpon Chester Tamworth Lichfield Stafford Warwicke Shrewsbury Weddesb◅ry Eadsbury Finborow Rimcorne Brimsbery-Bridge and others This renowned Lady giuing place vnto Nature left the warres to bee continued by her brother her daughter at the dispose of her vncle and her body to be buried at Glocester in the Monastery of S. Peter which her husband and her selfe had formely built 9 The last battaile of this King against these vnsatiate enemies was in the Country of the East Angles whereof Edrick the Dane was King for hee intending new warres with the English sought to incite other Danes to his aide whereof Edward hauing intelligence preuented his purpose by his sodaine approch into those parts Edrick therefore hauing all in a readinesse rashly encountred with his enemy and fought a fierce battaile to the geeat losse of his Army and dammage of his life for returning to his Court after so foule a discomfiture became odious to his owne subiects who violently fell vpon him and murdered him and them selues brought low by ciuill dissention were shortly made subiect to the English King Edward and that Kingdome with Mercia ioined vnto his West-Saxons And now hauing raigned in great warres and honour the space of twenty foure yeares deceased at Faringdon in Barke-shire the yeare of Christs incarnation 924. and was buried in the new-Monastery of Winchester which his Father begunne and himselfe wholy finished His Wiues 10 Eguina the first wife of King Edward was the daughter of a meane Gentleman named Bercher whose eye-pleasing feature and alluring beauty made her to be educated aboue the degree of her birth and was brought vp by the nurse of King Edward in tender affection and great esteeme It chanced Prince Edward in kindnes came to visite his nurse where seeing the admirable beauty of the Maide fell so farre in loue that he tooke her to his wife without the consent or knowledge of his father In which regard she is reputed by some Writers rather his Concubine then his Queene no other cause mouing them but her meane parentage and secret making and keeping of this mariage although there bee some good histories and many
victories wherewith they afterward ouerranne this Kingdome though for the present the inhabitants enraged with the losse of their Chiefe addressing them in great numbers to reuenge forced some to lose their liues by the sword the rest to saue them by flight to their ships 2 Notwithstanding their former preparations they were contented to deferre their returne till the dayes of King Eghert whose raigne as elsewhere we haue touched they disquieted with three seuerall inuasions the first in the North the second in Wales the last in Kent in all which the King though with many losses and hazards of his owne person yet with great resolutions persisted till hee had disburdened his land of so dangerous guests But those Flesh-flies hauing once tasted the sweet though often beaten off would not long bee kept away but could easily take or make occasions of fresh attempts insomuch that after their first footing they continued here their cruelties rapine and spoile the space of two hundred and eighteene yeeres neuer in termitting till they had got the garland vpon their owne heads The way whereunto was made vpon this ensuing occasion 3 Osbright a Northumbrian Viceroy deputed by the West-Saxons by chance as hee followed his disport in Hunting came to the house of a Noble man named Beorn-Bocador whose Lady of passing feature in his absence gaue him honourable entertainement and intreated both himselfe and traine to repose themselues there a while after their wearisome delights The Vice-roy already ensnared with her beauty accepted her courteous offer not so much to tast her meates as to surfeite his eyes with her rare beauty and lasciuiously to dote in his owne affections The dinner ended and all ready to depart as though some weighty matters were to be handled he commaunded an auoidance from the Presence and taking the Lady into a withdrawing Chamber vnder pretence of secret conference greatly tending to the aduancement of her Lord selfe most vnnobly being not able to preuaile by smooth perswasions did by force violate her constant chastity Which dishonour thus receiued and her minde distracted like to Thamars at her husbands returne all ashamed to behold his face whose bed had so beene wronged with flouds of teares shee thus set open the sluces of her passions 4 Had thy fortunes accorded to thine owne desert or thy choice proceeded as by vow was obliged then had no staine of blemish touched thine honour nor cause of suspition once approched thy thought or had my selfe beene my selfe these blushing cheekes had not inuited thy sharpe piercing eye to looke into my guilty and defiled breast which now thou maist see disfurnished of honour and the closet of pure chastity broken vp onely the heart and soule is cleane yet feares the taineture of this polluted caske and would haue passage by thy reuenging hand from this loathsome prison and filthy truncke I must confesse our sexe is weake and accompanied with many faults yet none excusable how small soeuer much lesse the greatest which shame doth follow and inward guilt continually attendeth yours is created more inuiolable and firme both against allurements and enforcements by whose constancy as our flexible weakenes is guarded so our true honours by your iust Armes should bee protected O Beorn Beorn for husband I dare not call thee reuenge therefore my wrongs that am now made thy shame and scandale of my sexe vpon that monster nay Diuell Osbright O that very name corcorrupts my breath and I want words to deplore my griefe who hath no law but his lust nor measure of his actions but his power nor priuiledge for his loathsome life but his greatnesse whiles we with a selfe-feare and seruile flatterie maske our basenesse with crouching obedience beare the wrongs of his most vile adulteries Thou yet art free from such deiected and degenerate thoughts nor hast thou smoothed him in his wicked and euer-working vices be stil thy self then and truly Noble as thou art It may be for his place thou owe◅t him respect but what therewith the losse of honour thine affection but not thy bed thy Loue but not thy beloued yet hast thou lost at once all these and he thy only bereauer thou wast my stay whilest I stayed by thee and now beeing downe reuenge my fall the instinct of nature doth pitty our weakenesse the law of Nations doth maintaine our honour and the sword of Knighthood is sworne by to be vnsheathed for our iust defence much more the linke of wedlocke claimes it which hath lockt two hearts in one but alas that ward is broken and I am thy shame who might haue beene thine honour Reuenge thy selfe therefore both on him and mee else shall this hand let out the Ghost that shall still attend thee with acclamations till thou reuenge my stained bloud 5 Beorn vnwonted thus to bee welcommed much amazed at his wiues maladies with gentle words drew from her the particulars of her inward griefe who reuealed as well as shame and teares and sobs would suffer the manner of the deed stil vrging reuenge for the wrong Beorn touched thus to the quicke to pacifie his distressed wife did not a little dissemble his wrath and excusing the fact with the power of a Prince that might command and her owne weak nesse vnable to resist the strength of a man Commended much her loue and constancy and alleadging his wrongs to bee equall with hers if not greater in regard of their sexe willed her to set her string to his tune till sitte opportunity would serue to strike but shee distasting that sweet consort wrested her passiō into so high a strain that nothing couldbe heard but reuenge bloud 6 Beorn thus instigated by the continuall cries of his wife whose rape already of it selfe had giuen sufficient cause of wrath first consulting with his neerest friends was offered their assistance against that wicked and libidinous Prince and then repairing to his Court in presence of them all made knowne his vnsufferable wrongs and with vtter defiance departed threatning his death This Nobleman in his youth had been brought vp in Denmarke and is reported to haue been allied into the Danish roiall bloud Hee therefore accounted this nation the surest vnto himselfe and the fittest in will and power to enter his quarrell so comming to Goderick King of that Country made his case knowne instantly desiring his aide against the villanie of Osbright Godericke glad to haue some quarrell to enter Britaine leuied an Armie with all speed and preparation made for all things necessarie sendeth forth Inguar and Hubba two brethren to command in chiefe ouer an innumerable multitude of his Danes which two hee thought at this time the fittest for the attempt not onely for their well approued resolution and valour but also for that hee knew them to bee on particular motiues which vsually more affect then doth a common cause implacably enraged against the English on an occasion vnfortunately hapning but most lamentably
the Welsh vntill the Fore-ward of the Kings horsemen beganne to shrinke backe and not without suspition of treason galloped away when presently the Earle of Chester encountred the Kings battaile of foote in whose strength he reposed most trust but it being ouerlaid with Assailants beganne also to faint and to flie leauing the King enraged both with his friends faint-heartednes and with his foes successe A very strange sight it was saith Paris there to behold King Stephen left almost alone in the field yet no man daring to approch him whiles grinding his teeth and foaming like a furious wild Boare he draue backe with his battle-axe whole troupes assailing him massacring the chiefest of them to the eternall renowne of his courage If but a hundred such had there beene with him a whole Army had neuer been able to surprize his person yet as hee was single hee held out til first his Battle-axe brake and after that his sword also with the force of his vnresistable strokes flew in peeces and he now weaponlesse and by an vnknowne doubtlesse an vn-noblehand stricken down with a great stone throwne at him was seized on by William of Kahames a most stout Knight and by Earle Roberts commaund preserued from any violence to his person was carried prisoner vnto Maud the Empresse at Gloucester thence was sent bound vnto Bristow where in the Castle he remained in safe custody 29 The Empresse hauing thus got the Lion in her hold triumphed not a litle in her own fortune now as sole Soueraign of Englands Monarchie commanded all businesse elected her Counsellors and bestowed many dignities where shee most fauoured Notwithstanding that shee altered not her stile of Empresse or Queene of Romanes may appeare by this her Broad-Seale ensuing vnder which shee granted the custody of the Tower of London vnto Geffrey de Mandeuil and his Heires couenanting with him therein that she would not make peace with the Citizens of London without the said Geffreis consent because they were his mortall enemies but this Earle being afterwards vnawares apprehended in the Kings Court at Saint Albans could not bee released till hee had surrendred both the Tower of London and other his Castles to the King Vpon these happy successes of the Empresse the States-men stood not any longer for King Stephen but their Faithes turning with his Fortunes all of them surrendred their allegiance vnto her the Kentish only excepted where Stephens Queene and William de Ypres maintained his quarrell to the vttermost of their powers THE TRVE SCVLPTVRE OF MAVD THE EMPRESSES BROAD SEALE APPENDANT TO HER CHARTERS 30 But the Empresse conducted in State to Winchester had the Regall Crowne of the Kingdome there deliuered her no man more forward then Henry the Bishop and Brother of Stephen who vpon the vowing to bee ruled by his aduise in affaires of Estate being then the Popes Legate solemnely in a Synode of the Clergie accursed all such as withstood the Empressae and blessed all them that assisted her interest but both hee and his friends forgot not to adde that wonted trayterous clause of their oath so long to keepe faith to her as shee kept her Couenants with them and so with applause of the people she came to London and after much perswasion and mediation for that the Citizens were very stiffe against her was receiued into the City with a roiall Procession 31 Neither was King Stephen thus defeated of England onely but Normandy also cast off the yoke of subiection for Geffrey of Aniou husband of the Empresse hauing some intelligence of this atchieued victorie induced the Normans to incline vnto him by publishing the captiuation of Stephen vnable now to relieue them or himselfe and Dauid King of Scotland for his part was not behind to set forward the claime of Lady Maud assuming in her behalfe the County of Northumberland 32 Maud thus established all now esteemed her as Fortunes deare darling and beheld her as their onely rising sunne the Prison walles ouershadowing the Presence feature and fauours of the now deiected vnfortunate Stephen whose sorrowful wife Queen Maud incessantly sollicited the Empresse in her husbands behalfe desiring his liberty but not his Crowne which hee was now contented to let her enioy and thereunto offered for pledges many great persons who protested for him to the Empresse that hee thenceforth would deuote himselfe vnto God either become a Monke or a Pilgrime Henry of Winchester also became a suiter vnto her in the behalfe of his Nephew Eustace King Stephens sonne that the Counties belonging before to the Father might bee conferred vpon the sonne 33 The Londoners likewise hauing receiued her into the City as their Lady thought now as most doe with new Princes they might haue what they would aske and became her importunate Suppliants that the ouer hard lawes imposed by her Father might now be remitted and those of King Edward might wholy bee in force But shee reiected all these Petitioners out of pride say some but it may seeme rather of policy holding it safest to passeaffaires of importance not vpon intreaty but by due aduice and to gouerne the subiect with a seuere austerenes rather then an indulgent lenitie But this too regular strictnes which might haue done well in a setled gouernment in this her yet greene and vnsecured estate proued not so behouefull For first Queene Maud sent to her sonne Eustace that their suites must bee obtained onely by warre willing him to make strong his partie by the assistance of the Kentish the Nobles likewise Stephens vndertakers repined that they were so slightly regarded or rather reiected and the Londoners also storming at the repulse of their desires deuised how they might take the Empresse their Prisoner and so redeem King Stephen to whom their affectiōs were euer firm but she hearing of their conspiracie fled secretly in the night and tooke into Oxford which in all her difficulties shee euer found true vnto her out of their loue both to her cause and to her Father threatning due reuenge for her late wrongs wrought it vpon the Nobles in prison and more then was due or decent vpon Stephen himself whom she commanded to be laden with Irons and to bee abridged of all princely seruices 34 Winchesters high mind not brooking the Empresses deniall of his suite in behalfe of his Nephew Eustace vpon secret conferences with Queen Mand by her lamentable entreaties began to melt in his affection towards the distressed King his brother in fine resoluing to trie the vttermost for him absolued all those whom before hee had excommunicated pretending that the Barons had all kept faith with her but shee had not kept touch with them and thinking this a fitte time to worke for his brother solicited the discontented Londoners in his behalfe and stored
violence or to engage others in the impietie gaue three thousand Markes of King Richards ransome to make siluer Censers through all the Cistercian order who generally refused the gift as parcell of an accursed spoile for as for those* seuenty thousand marks which hee forgaue to King Richard with as bad a purpose being to hinder peace betweene him and the French as he had taken the other vniustly they are not to be accounted as restitution but as the wages of sinne reuenge forsooke him not being pursued by his owne wife the Heire of the Crowne of Sicilia in reuenge of some cruelties done to her Countrimen and after reconcisement with her falling dangerously sicke he died at Messana excommunicated for King Richards cause And albeit hee had in his life time sent his Chancellour out of Burgundie of purpose to offer King Richard recompence for the iniuries he had sustained and although Constantia the Empresse had sent the Archbishoppe of Messana while the Emperours body lay aboue ground without buriall to Pope Celestine in humble manner praying Christian buriall yet vnlesse the mony which hee had extorted from the King of England were restored hee could by no entreaties obtaine it which accordingly was promised 54 Neither were the King of Englands afflictions vnprofitable vnto him for they gaue him occasion to reforme his life taking home to him his Queene Berengaria whose society for a long time he had neglected though she were a roiall eloquent beauteous Lady and for his loue had ventured with him through the world 55 King Richard after his ioyous returne into England hauing at the Abbey of Saint Edmunds in performance of his vow as may seeme offered vp the rich Imperiall Standard of Cursac Emperour of Cyprus which hee tooke among the spoiles of the Griffons Campe thence he marched and tooke in by surrender such Castles as the seruants of his brother Iohn beleeuing that the King was not returned held against him but Henry de Pumeray who had fortified Saint Michaels Mount in Cornwall hearing for certaine that King Richard was come died for very feare And now forty daies of summons being exspired which were allowed to Earle Iohn Hugh Bishop of Couentry for making their appearance to answere to such heinous matter as was prepared and they not appearing Iohn was adiudged by the Peeres and States of England to haue forfeited all that hee might forfeit in the Realme and the Bishop to be punishable by the Ecclesiasticall censures as hee was a Bishop and likewise as an Officer of the King by the Laitie Richard afterwarde bestirres himselfe to draw in money more greedilie then did become so great a Maiesty wherein yet saith * one he was rather to be pardoned then accused for that hee was presently to lead a mightie Armie against the French 56 But first of all to wipe away both the sadnes and contumelie of his late restraint for a better fortunes beginning he caused himselfe to be crowned againe at the City of Winchester which celebritie was honoured with the presence of William king of Scotland who bare a sword before King Richard betweene which two Princes there* followed great amity and tendernesse of loue then beeing granted to him and his successors Kings of Scotland a certaine pension with sundry other allowances and princelie attendances from the first day of their friendlie entrances at any time into England til their returne 57 The King likewise caused a new broad Seale to bee made requiring that all Charters granted vnder his former should be confirmed vnder this whereby he drew a great masse of money to his Treasurie subscribing such renued Charters thus This was the tenor of our Charter vnder our first Seale which because it was lost and in the time of our beeing captine in Almaine was in the power of another wee caused to bee changed c. Some haue obserued that as this Richard was the first of the English Kinges who bare Armes on his Seales as appeareth by the former so was hee the first who carried in his shield three Lions passant borne euer after for the Regal Arms of England And whereas we see heere the Moone in her full which in the other was but a Crescent which is the Turkish Ensigne it may seeme to be done Emblematically in that sence as wee read of another Prince who going against the Turkes gaue a Crescent with this word Plenior redibo I will returne more full The true draught of this second Seale we haue here annexed 58 A good Author reports that after this the King being at dinner at Westminster and receiuing aduertisement of the siege laid to Vernoil by his restlesse enemie Philip of France sware that hee would neuer turne his face till hee had gotten thither with his Armie to fight with the French whereupon hee caused the wall to be cut through the signe of which breach appeared aboue two hundred yeares after neuer resting till with an hundred great Shippes hee had crost the seas from Portsmouth into Normandy where the onely rumor of his approch made the French King raise his siege and without stroke or sight of his magnanimous Enemie but not without losse and shame to quite the field 59 Neither was his clemency lesse then his courage whereof needs no greater testimony then when vpon Earle Iohns dutifull submission his mothers intercession he so freely forgaue him as that he calmely said Would that thy fault may so be forgotten of me as that thy selfe maiest keepe in memorie what thou hast done and afterward restored his possessions vnto him the Earle from that time forward becōming his true Knight doing him very noble seruices especially against the French who had seduced him as a louing brother faithfull Leege-man whereby he made amends for his former excesses and fully recouered the hearty affection of his Lord and brother 60 There were after this sundry skirmishes takings of Prisoners and Townes and conferences betweene the French and English moued belike by such as religiously tendered the effusion of Christian bloud so as no great matter was yet effected that which was being rather by Stratagems and starts then by battle but within * thirty seuen daies after the French mens flight from Vernuil King Richard in reuenge of that desolation which the French King had brought vpon the City of Eureux where he neither spared age sexe nor Church comming to Vendome with purpose to surprise the King of France had the spoile of the French Campe their King a thing almost incredible now the second time flying without battle Many of the French were slaine and taken together with much treasure the Chappell roiall the Indentures of such as had left Richard to serue King Philip and all the * tents carriages and other furnitures for warre and from hence marching in Poictou and Engolisme hee had such successes
great displeasure hee had conceiued seeking vtterly to ruine him till afterward by means of the Papall authority hee was restored and in a faint sort reconciled 4 The thing which suited best with his youthfull affections to wit the marriage of young Isabel daughter of Philip the Faire King of France he performed with wonderfull magnificence at Bolein at which solemnity were present besides all others The King of France Father to the Bride The King of Nauarre his sonne The King of Almaine The King of Sicill Marie Queene of France Margaret Queene Dowager of England her daughter The Queene of Nauarre There was also present as no Sunne-shine but hath shadow Peirs of Gaueston the beloued Minion of this Edward whose reentertainement the dying King had so seriously forbidden whom notwithstanding together with his own new wife he brought into England 5 This fatall fauourite of this young King was a stranger borne but a Gentleman and in regard of good seruice done by the Father of Peirs in Gascoigne brought vp at old king Edwards owne appointment with this Prince from whom not to derogate in any point as if hee had without some appearances of worth and value embraced Peirs it is certaine by that which a Knight and seruitor of this very King hath left written that he had a sharpe witte in a comely shape and briefly was such an one as wee vse to call very fine Neither yet was he vnhardie in Arms but of commendable performance whereof saith de la Moore hee gaue proofe against the Scots to whom hee was alike hatefull as to the English till hee was recalled to satisfie such as saith their Courtier did enuie his graces and good successe but of his Christian or morall vertues which onely make men truly commendable there is great silence in Authors though not of his vices wherof wee shall haue occasion enough to speake hereafter 6 At the Coronation of the King and Queen which the Lords would haue empeached had hee not promised reasonably to satisfie them about Gaueston none was neere to Peirs in brauery of apparrell or delicacie of fashion which and for that the King gaue him S. Edwards Crowne to carrie in that pompe greatly encreased the offence of the Lords against him But hee that hauing a King to backe him knew no other means to extinguish hatred but by daring it to the vttermost spared not afterwardes to scoffe and reproach the principall Peeres calling Thomas Earle of Lancaster Stage-plaier Aimerie de Valence Earle of Pembroke Ioseph the Iew because hee was pale and tall and Guy Earle of Warwicke the blacke dogge of Ardern all whom and others he at a Turneament by him proclaimed and holden handled vilely 7 But King Edward was dayly more and more possessed with the familiarity of Peirs who to establish his interest in the vnprudent Prince by sensualities and riotous practises filled the Court with buffons parasites and the like pernicious instruments drawing Edward from the thought of al great enterprises in accomplishment of his fathers will or discharge of his particular dutie to all sorts of vnworthy vanities and sinnefull delights while himselfe in the meane space reuelled in all outward felicity wasting the riches of the Kingdome or conuerting them to his priuate vses For fearing belike that the time might come againe to vndergoe banishment hee transported much treasure into forraine parts and much hee had to transport for not onely by the sale of his fauour with the King to which there was no speeding approach but by Gaueston who vsed to peize the gifts more then the causes but also by the kings prodigality hee had whatsoeuer could bee powred vpon him for though it might seeme incredible he both gaue him his iewels and ancestors treasure and euen the Crowne it selfe of his victorious father not sticking to professe that if it lay in him hee should succeed him in the kingdome 8 The Lords who for reuerence of the King sate downe by their priuate iniuries in hope there would be a season in which their Soueraign might by timelie and sweet admonitions recouer the vse of himselfe not thinking it tollerable to bee now any longer silent and the rather lest that Peirs farther abusing his greatnesse should bring in Forreiners not onely to the preiudice of the English lawes and customes but of their authority also and places preuailed so much with the King in a Parliament holden at London where sundry prouisions concerning the liberties of the people and execution of Iustice were enacted and by corporall oath confirmed by the King himselfe that among them the decree of Gauestons perpetuall banishment was by the king ouercome with a meere necessity for satisfaction of the Kingdome to whom the said Earle of Cornwall was odious vnwillinglie suffered to passe and the king was thereupon regratified with a Subsidie of the twentieth part of the subiects goods The king also tooke his Oath not to reuoke the said Earle of Cornwall frō banishment if it may be called a banishment wherin he had the kingdom of Ireland entrusted to his charge and for the securing thereof against rebels was furnished with men money by the king 9 Yet forgetting that those affections which oftentimes deserue praise in a priuate person are subiect to much construction in a publike and neglecting both his deceased fathers so solemne adiurations and also his owne oath as carelesse of the sequele hee cals Earle Peirs home with whose loue hee was most fondly and most passionatelie transported and as if hee had receiued some diuine benefite gaue him most ioyous welcome at the Castle of Flint in Northwales and bestowed vpon him for wife Ioan of Acres Countesse of Glocester his sisters daughter resoluing with himselfe to retaine his Gaueston maugre all his Earles and Barons or for the loue of him to put his Crowne and life in perill when time should serue In which whether the king or his fauourite shewed lesse discretion it is not at the first sight easily determinable it being as vnsafe for the one with so offensine behauiour to affect immoderate shew and vse of grace as for the other to the iniury of his name and realme to bestow the same 10 The contemptibilitie and vanitie of this effeminate argument detaines vs longer then for the qualitie thereof were fitting did not so much mischiefe issue out of it For Peirs of his owne nature insolent being thus aboue reason or his own dareings aduanced to alliance with the bloud royall was so far from all amendment as hee rather seemed to striue to outgoe himselfe in his former courses consuming so much of the kings treasure and meanes that he had not wherewith to defray ordinarie charges or to pay for the necessaries of his Court The young Queene also tooke herselfe not to be a little wronged by this vngracious mans predominancie thereof
issue RICHARD THE SECOND KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE LORD OF IRELAND THE FIFTIETH MONARCH OF ENGLAND HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND TROVBLES CHAPTER XIII RIchard of Burdeaux sonne to that Great Star of English Cheualrie Edward by-named the Blacke Prince and grand-child to the most renowned Edward the third both of them lately deceased was crowned in the eleuenth yeare of his age and vpon the sixteenth day of Iuly Seldome hath been seen so magnificent a Coronation as that of this young King but the thing which gaue a better lustre of hope at his beginning then the shine and maiesty of that publike Act was the wise course which in this his childhood was taken to wit the reconciliation of the Lord Iohn Duke of Lancaster and the Citizens of London with the restitution of Sir Peter de la Mare Knight Speaker in the late Parliament whom King Edward had committed to prison at the instigation of Dame Alice Peeres now banisht and confiscated not onely to former liberty but likewise to fauour and honor extraordinary 2 At this Coronation which as matters not vnworthie to bee kept aliue wee following the immethodicall order of the Record haue here for perpetuall memory thought good to abridge out of authentike Monuments Iohn the Kings eldest vncle vnder the stile of Iohn King of Castile and Leâ—… and Duke of Lancaster by humble petition to the King claimed to bee now Steward of England in right of his Earledome of Leicester and as he was Duke of Lancaster to beare the Kings chiefe sword called Curtana and as Earle of Lincolne to cutte and carue at the royall Table before the King His petitions being found iust were confirmed to him and to his Assignes the two Earles of Derby and Stafford the first to beare the Sword while the Duke should be busied about other offices as Steward and the other to cut and carue The Duke then in great estate held this the Kings high Court of Stewardship in the VVhite-hall of the Kings Pallace at Westminster Knight the Constable thereof which yet the Earle of Northumberland vpon the ninth day after recouered by force putting those who had surprized it to the sword 9 Neither was the spirit of the English after it began to requicken idle elsewhere for as Sir Robert Rous had diuers wayes vexed the French and taken Olâ—…uer the brother of that renowned Bertrand de Glequin prisoner so Sir Iohn de Harleston Captaine of Cherbrough after him slew and took diuers French in a skirmish These the few foregoing drops of greater approaching showers For Sir Hugh Caluerlee and Sir Thomas Percy made admirals of the narrow Seas tooke many rich prizes and exploited sundry other things very praise worthily bringing home the acceptable newes of the dislike which the Britons had conceiued against the French Kings Gouernment for he commanded them to render vp to him all their strengths Castles and walled Townes and many of them who refused to obey hee put to death 10 These emploiments and fresh designes for other like found need of pecuniary supplies whereupon in a Parliament holden at London it was agreed that for supply of the Kings wants the Commons should be spared and the burthen be wholie vndergone by the able The rates then of that taxe were these Dukes Archbishops Earles and Bishops at ten marks each mitred Abbots at as much besides fortie pence for euery Monke vnder their subiection Briefly saith Thomas Walsingham there was no religious person man or woman Iustitiar Sheriffe Knight Esquire Parson Vicar or Chauntry Priest free from this taxâ—… rated according to the value of their yeerely receiptâ—… 11 We formerlie mentioned how Iohn Shakell the other companion of Robert Haulee so execrablie murdered in Gods-house was taken He now vpon condition that the King besides 500. markes in money should giue him lands to the yeerely value of one hundreth markes and should also found and sufficiently endow at the Kings costs a Chantrie with fiue Priests for their soules whom the kings Officers had wickedly murthered he rendred vp his Hostage the eldest but naturall sonne of the said Earle of Dean At the discouery and bringing-forth of whom all men were stroken with wonderfull loue and admiration for the yong Gentleman hauing giuen his faith not to disclose himselfe appeared in the shape of a base groome in which vnknowne to all the world but his Master hee had of his owne accord lurked An example of such a point of perfect honestie as cannot be forgotten without iniurie 12 The same yeere the Lord Iohn Mountford whom the French had driuen out being inuited home by his Barons returned into his Dutchy of Britaine accompanied with the valiant Knights Caluerley and Percy aforesaid where he his friends and followers were receiued with singular honor Soone after Sir Iohn of Arundell brother to the Earle of Arundell being sent into Britaine to aid the Duke was with many other valiant Knights and Esquires drowned It is imputed by our Author to a iust effect of Gods anger against the said Sir Iohn and his houshold for their manifold vices and outrages practised by him and them before they set out from England for which they had the bitter curses of the people and the Angell of destruction to execute those imprecations vpon the delinquents 13 But the action of â—…iding did more deepely import then that it should bee abandoned for the losse of that vnfortunate fellowship and the exceeding riches which were with them therefore the Lord Thomas of Woodstock Earle of Buckingham with Caluerlee Percy Knols Windleshores or Windsor verie valiant knights other competent forces was sent to assist the Duke of Britaine But because the French Galleys houered vpon the narrow Seas they landed at Calleys and from thence march through France spoiling Countries burning townes the French not daring to empeach them and killing people till they and their whole equipage came safe into Britaine 14 There were about these times ciuill diuisions in France for the Duke of Burgundie younger brother of King Charles lately dead being made Guardian of the person and dominions of his Nephew Charles then in minority had the Duke of Aniou being an elder brother to the Duke of Burgundie a mortall enemie Their bloudy quarrels fell out luckily for the English aides in the Dutchie of Britaine out of which as Duke Iohn had beene driuen for adhering to his father in law the late king Edward so the English did their best to vphold him in it as there was cause 15 The French in these extremes are releeued by their ancient diuersion for the Scots entring about that time with fire and sword into Cumberland and Westmerland and the forrest of Inglewood draue away much Cattle slew the Inhabitants rifled the booths and houses of Perith in the Faire time killing and taking many and driuing away the rest The Earle of Northumberland preparing a bloudy
a damsell belonging as shee said to the Dutches of Clarence who signified vnto Monsieur Vawclere that shee came from King Edward with a declaration of peace which hee fearing to impart the conditions to other had made her the instrument the better to passe without any suspect and he glad to heare for the Earles sake whom he entirely affected gaue her his safe conduct vnto the Duke of Clarence then at Amboys where hauing priuate accesse vnto him shee told that it was neither naturall nor honourable for him to take part against the house of Yorke that the house of Lancaster was not onely by the whole Court of Parliament debarred to bee the indubitate Heire of the Kingdome but that K. Henrie himselfe had discharged his Issue from claime as it standeth said she vpon Record to be seene contrary to which as he might well perceiue this marriage of Prince Edward with the Earles daughter did onely aime and intend to the vtter extinct of the house of Yorke whereof himselfe was one and in neere possibility of the Crowne Edwards Issue young and not many and the King very wanton a sinne commonly punished with want of posterity which if it so chanced then hee or his were the next These reasons wayed so ouer-wayed the Dukes further designes that hee promised thereafter a more brotherlike affection as saide hee Edward should find with which good newes shee returned into England Warwicke vtterly ignorant what was said or done 47 All now in a readinesse for the return ships money and men supplied by the French King the Admirall of France was sent to secure them from the Duke of Burgundies Fleet which with an extraordinary number and power lay in the mouth of Seyne to fight with Warwicke when he should loose out of Harborow but see how the heauens fauoured and frowned vpon the parties for the night before they should hoise saile such a stormy tempest tooke the Dukes Fleete lying more remote from the Lee that they were scattered asunder some into Scotland some into Denmarke and many of them drowned But the Seas calmed and the wind seruing faire the English set saile and landed at Dartmouth whence they had shipped into France almost six moneths before 48 King Edward relying vpon Burgundy abroad and thinking all friends who fawned at home gaue himselfe daily to follow the hound and the hawke and nightly to his court pleasures in dancings and daliances with damsels little minding their approach that meant to marre his mirth for Warwicke now landed proclaimed King Henry commanding all from sixteene to sixty vpon a great penalty to take Armes against Edward Duke of Yorke the most vniust vsurper of Henries rightfull Crowne and vncredible it was to see the confluence of them which came armed to him who ere-while applauded approued none but King Edward Thus making towards London his company daily encreased which the youthfull King seemed little to regard but verily supposing hee had now Warwicke in his trappe wrote to Burgundie to secure the seas lest he should escape againe into France and to his Lords of England to attend him in his wars but very many neglected his commaund and few or none made their repaire Which when Edward perceiued hee was strucke into a great feare and with his brother of Glocester the L. Hastings his Chamberlaine and the Lord Scales the Queenes brother hee hasted towards Nottingham there to determine what was to be done 49 In the mean while the bastard Faulconbridge in the west and the Earle of Pembroke in Wales euery where proclaimed King Henry and to forward the matter D. Godard preaching at Pauls Crosse declared by reading of Billes and diuers other proofes that King Henry was the vndoubted and true heire vnto the English Crowne Neither is the L. Montacute now the man that he was who hauing mustered sixe thousand in the name of King Edward and brought them forward almost to Nottingham on the sodaine drew backe his forces alleadging that Edward was vngratefull regardlesse of his friends as himselfe said himselfe was the example who hauing serued him in many bloudy battels was rewarded with a verball word Marquesse without any maintenance at al no not so much as Pyes poor nest therfore he had iust cause neuer to draw his sword in his quarrell any more and them that did hee assured them should receiue the like reward in the end 50 These with the like distastures diuulged among the rude multitude it was a world to see the face of this new World for in euery streete Bonfires were made in euery Church bels rung Ditties were sung at euery meeting and euery man cried K. Henry King Henry whose Eccho likewise redoubled a Warwicke a Warwicke and indeed all so applauded the passage now on foot as King Edward hearing the rumor thought it not safe any longer to stay therefore with those trusty Lords and some others hee fled from his hoast besides Nottingham passing the Washes towards Lynne with greater difficulties then was befitting a Prince to aduenture and thus without any order taken for his Realme in two Hulkes of Holland and one English shippe destitute of all necessary prouisions set sayle toward Burgundy and in the way was encountred by the Easterlings Englands great Enemies hauing much adoe to cleare himselfe from their surprise 51 In these times of misery the Queene whose marriage was the onely cause of all these stirres vpon the first of October had stolne out of the Tower and taken Sanctuary at Westminster where like a woman forsaken shee solitarily remained and on the fourth of Nouember following was deliuered of a sonne which without all pompe more like a priuate mans child then a Prince was there also baptized by the name of Edward who after his fathers death a while was King of England as shall be said other Sanctuaries were full of King Edwards friends that praied deuoutly for his prosperous health and well hoped the world would againe turne as shortly it did One King thus fled and the other in prison the Kentish whose conditions are mutable at the change of Princes came to seeke prey in London where they knew it was to bee had Ratcliffe S. Katherins and Southwarke they robbed and within the City did some hurt besides yea and surely more had done had not Earle Warwicke in good time come to the rescue which encreased his name that was great enough before 52 Earle Warwicke accompanied with his brother the Archbishoppe of Yorke the Prior of Saint Iohns the Duke of Clarence the Earle of Shrewsburie Bastard Faulconbridge Lord Stanley and other Gentlemen some for loue some for feare some to gaze at this wauering world vpon the sixt of October entred the Tower of London wherein King Henry had beene retained prisoner almost the space of nine yeeres and there again elected him for their lawfull King and
threatning destruction if the match went not forward The Scottish Nobility considering the eminent danger put to death the wicked Counsellers of their King 〈◊〉 the Duke of Albany the Vicegerent of Scotland and promised to repay the money 〈◊〉 according to Couenants after which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the strong Towne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the English possession the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a generall 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an 〈◊〉 Edâ—…burgh who had vndertaken to disburse the money to signifie King Edwards minde touching the marriage intended and to demand the said summe by a day assigned which accordingly was repaide 112 The marriage with Scotland thus broken off for the Lady Cicely by K. Edward himselfe that with France for the Princesse Elizabeth both he and his Queene greatly desired and daily sought after But Lewis the French King finding the daughter of Austrich more fit for his sonne dallied out Edward with shewes of firme faith till he had effected the thing he went about which musicke sounded so harshly in the English Kings eare as in no wise hee would suffer that string to be touched but euer beleeued that the French meant him faire play and although the yeeres of the parties themselues might beget some suspition shee being much elder then the Daulphin and the truth thereof confirmed by the Duke of Austriches Leger-Ambassadours residing in England yet Edward would not so much as suppose a suspect against the French King and therefore suffered Lewis to incroach vpon those parts of Picardie that ioyned to Callis and to gaine time till it was past recall for then the Lord Howard returning from France confidently told him that hee was present and saw the Lady Margaret of Austrich daughter to Duke Maximilian sonne to the Emperour Frederick receiued vnto France with great pompe royaltie and at Ambois contracted and espoused to the Daulphin 113 Edward mightily chafed to be thus worked by Lewis made great preparation for France but whether with anger griefe or melancholy hee fell into a dangerous and deadly sicknesse some say of a superfluous surfeit whereunto he was much giuen Commines saith of a Catarrhe which weake estate turned his minde another way for calling his Lords into his sicke presence and raising his faint body vpon his Bed-Pillowes these words vnto them hee lastly spake 114 My Lords my deare Kinsmen Allies in what plight I lie you see and I feele by which the lesse while I looke to liue with you the more deepely am I mooued to care in what case I leaue you for such as I leaue you such bee my children like to finde you Which if they should that God forbid finde you at variance might hap to fall themselues at warre ere their discretion would serue to set you at peace Yee see their youth of which I reckon the only surety to rest in your concord For it sufficeth not that all you loue them if each of you hate other If they were men your faithfulnesse happely would suffice but childhood must bee maintained by mens authoritie and slippery youth vnderpropped with elder counsell which neither they can haue vnlesse you giue it nor you giue it if you agree not For where each laboureth to breake that which the other maketh and through hatred of each others person impugneth each others counsel there must it needs be long or any good conclusion goe forward And while eyther party striueth to bee chiefe flatterie shall haue more play then plaine and faithfull aduise of which must needs insue the euill bringing vp of the Prince whose minde in tender youth infected shall readily fall to riot and mischiefe and draw downe with him his noble Realme vnto ruine but if grace turne him to wisdome which if God send then they that by euill meanes before pleased him best shall after fall furthest out of fauour so that euer at length euill drifts draw to nought and good plaine wayes prosper Great variance hath there long time beene betweene you not alwayes for great causes Somtime a thing right well intended our misconstructions turneth vnto worse or a small displeasure done vs either our own affections or euill tongues agreeueth But this woâ—… I well ye neuer had so great cause of hatred as you haue of loue That we be all men that wee be Christian men this shall I leaue for Preachers to tell you and yet I wot nere whether any Preachers words ought more to moue you then his that is by and by going to the place that they all preach of But this I shall desire you to remember that the one part of you is of my bloud the other of my Allies and each of you with other either of kinred or affinitie which spirituall kindred of affinitie if the Sacraments of Christs Church beare that weight with vs that would to God they did should no lesse moue vs to charitie then the respect of fleshly consanguinitie Our Lord forbid that you loue together the worse for the selfe cause that you ought to loue the better And yet that happeneth and no where finde we so deadly debate as among them which by nature and law ought most to agree together Such a pestilent serpent is ambition and desire of vaine glory and soueraintie which among states where it once entreth creepeth forth so farre till with diuision and variance hee turneth all to mischiefe first longing to be next the best afterward equall with the best and at last chiefe and aboue the best Of which immoderate appetite of worship and thereby of debate and dissention what losse what sorrow what trouble hath within these fewe yeeres growne in this Realme I pray God as well forget as we remember Which things if I could aswell haue foreseen as I haue with my more paine then pleasure proued By Gods blessed Lady that was euer his oath I would neuer haue won the curtesie of mens knees with the losse of so many heads But sith things passed cannot be gaine-called much ought we the more beware by what occasion wee haue taken so great hurt afore that wee eft soones fall not into the like againe Now be those griefes paâ—…ed and all is God bee thanked quiet and likely right well to prosper in wealthful peace vnder your Cosins my children if God send them life and you loue Of which two things the lesse losse were they by whom thogh God did his pleasure yet should the Realme alway finde Kings and peraduenture as good Kings But if you among your selues in a childs raigne fall at debate many a good man shal perish and happely he too and ye too ere this Land finde peace againe Wherefore in these last words that euer I looke to speake with you I exhort and require you al for the loue that you haue euer borne vnto me for the loue that I haue euer borne vnto you
doubt lest hee might bee fetched from her is it not likely that shee shall send him somewhere out of the Realm Verily I looke for none other And I doubt not but shee now as sore mindeth it as we the let thereof And if she might happen to bring that to passe as it were no great masterie we letting her alone all the world would say that wee were a wise sort of Counsellors about a King that suffer his brother to be cast away vnder our noses And therefore I assure you faithfully for my mind I will rather maugre her mind fetch him away then leaue him there till her frowardnes and fond feare conuay him away And yet will I breake no Sanctuary therefore for verily sith the priuiledges of that place and other like haue beene of long continued I am not he that wil goe about to breake them And in good faith if they were now to begin I would not be he that should be about to make them Yet will I not say nay but that it is a deed of pitty that such men as the sea or their euill debters haue brought in pouerty should haue some place of liberty to keepe their bodies out of the danger of their cruell Creditors And also if the Crowne happen as it hath done to come in question while either part taketh other as Traitors I like well there be some places of refuge for both But as for theeues of which these places bee full and which neuer fall from the craft after they once fall thereunto it is pitty the Sanctuary should serue them much more manquellers whom God bad to take from the Altar and kill them if their murther were wilfull And where it is otherwise there need wee not the Sanctuaries that God appointed in the old Law for if either necessity his own defence or misfortune draweth him to that deed a pardon serueth which either the law granteth of course or the King of pitty may Then look we now how few sanctuary men there be whom any fauourable necessity compelled to goe thither and then see on the other side what a sort there be commonly therein of them whom wilfull vnthriftinesse hath brought to naught what rabble of theeues murderers and malitious hainous Traitors and that in two places especially the one at the elbow of the City the other in the very bowels I dare well auow it weigh the good that they doe with the hurt that commeth of them and yee shall finde it much better to lacke both then to haue both And this I say although they were not abused as they now be and so long haue been that I feare mee euer they will bee while men bee afraide to set the hands to amend the as though God S. Peter were the patrons of vngracious liuing Now vnthrifts riot and runne in debt vpon the boldnes of these places yea and rich men runne thether with poore mens goods there they build there they spend and bid their Creditors goe whistle Mens wiues runne thither with their husbands plate and say they dare not abide with their husbands for beating Theeues bring thither their stoln goods and liue thereon rio tously there they deuise new robberies nightly they steale out they rob and riue kill and come in againe as though those places gaue them not onely a safeguard for the harme they haue done but a licence also to do more howbeit much of this mischiefe if Wisemen would set their hands to it might bee amended with great thankes of God and no breach of the Priuiledge The residue sith so long agoe I wot neere what Pope and what Prince more pitteous then politicke hath granted it and other men since of a certaine religious feare haue not broken it let vs therefore take paine therewith and let it a Gods name stand in force as farre forth as reason will which is not fully so farre forth as may serue to let vs of the fetching forth of this Nobleman to his honour and wealth out of that place in which he neither is nor can bee a Sanctuary man A Sanctuary serueth alwayes to defend the body of that man that standeth in danger abroad not of great hurt onelie but also of lawfull hurt for against vnlawfull harmes neuer Pope nor King intended to priuiledge any one place for that priuiledge hath euery place knoweth any man any place wherein it is lawful for one man to do another wrong that no man vnlawfully take hurt that liberty the King the Law and very nature forbiddeth in euery place and maketh to that regard for euery man euery place a Sanctuary but where a man is by lawfull meanes in perill there needeth hee the tuition of some speciall priuiledge which is the onely ground and cause of all Sanctuaries from which necessity this noble Prince is farre whose loue to the King nature and kindred proueth whose innocency to all the world his tender youth proueth and so Sanctuary as for him neither none he needeth nor none can hee haue Men come not to Sanctuary as they come to Baptisme to require it by their Godfathers hee must aske it himselfe that must haue it and reason sith no man hath cause to haue it but whose conscience of his owne fault maketh him faine need to require it what will then hath yonder babe which and if he had discretion to require it if neede were I dare say would now bee right angry with them that keepe him there and I would thinke without any scruple of conscience without any breach of Priuiledge to bee somewhat more homelie with them that be there Sanctuarie men indeed for if one goe to Sanctuary with another mans goods why should not the King leauing his body at liberty satisfie the party of his goods euen within the Sanctuarie for neither King nor Pope can giue any place such a priuiledge that it shall discharge a man of his debtes being able to pay And with that diuers of the Clergy that were present whether they said it for his pleasure or as they thought agreede plainely that by the law of God and of the Church thâ—…â—…oods of a Sanctuarie man should bee deliuereâ—… 〈◊〉 payment of his debts and stolne goods to the owner and onely liberty reserued him to get his liuing with the labour of his hands Verily quoth the Duke I thinke you say very truth and what if a mans wife would take Sanctuary because she lift to runne from her husband I would weene if she could alledge none other cause hee may lawfully without any displeasure to Saint Peter take her out of Saint Peters Church by the arme And if no body may be taken out of â—…nctuary that saith he will biâ—…e there then if a child will take Sanctuary because hee feareth to goe to schoole his Master must let him alone And as simple as the sample is yet iâ—… there lesse reason in our case then in that for
of all offences committed against him for confirmation whereof hee sent for one Fogge whom he deadly hated who for feare of him had lately taken Sanctuary at Westminster and there in sight of the people with semblance accordingly tooke him by the hand saying that hee would bee thence forth his assured in affection whereat the Commons greatly reioyced and with applauses extolled though others wiser among them tooke it to bee but fained to serue his owne turne And in his way homeward whomsoeuer hee met hee saluted for a mind that knoweth it selfe to bee guiltie is in a manner deiected to a seruile flattery 7 King Richard whose guilty heart was full of suspition had sent for fiue thousand Souldiers out of the North to bee present in London at his Coronation these vnder the leading of Robin of Ridsdale came vp both euill apparrelled and worse harnessed in rusty Armour neither defencible for proofe nor scowred for shew who mustering in Finesburie Fields were with disdaine gazed vpon by the beholders But all things now ready for his Coronation and much the sooner in that young Edwards prouision was conferred vpon his vpon the fourth of Iuly he with his wife by water came to the Tower where he created Estates ordained the Knights of the Bathe set at liberty the Archbishoppe of Yorke and the Lord Stanley more for feare then for loue whose sonne the Lord Strange was then said to be gathering of men in Lancashire where those Lords haue great command 8 But Morton Bishop of Ely a firme man vnto King Edward and vnpossible to bee drawn vnto the disinheriting of his children as was well perceiued by the Protector among others at the Councell held in the Tower was left there prisoner and accused of many great but vnlikely treasons This man borne in Dorsetshire and brought vp in the Vniuersity of Oxford was from a Doctor of the Arches made a priuy Councellour vnto King Henry and after his death allured by King Edward to serue him was sworne likewise of his Councell and made one of the Executors of his will whose insight into the intended designes the Protector much feared and therefore hauing him fast minded so to keepe him when hee released others laide in the Tower for the like feare But the reuerence of the man or vndeseruednesse of his wrongs moued so the affection of the Oxford Academians that they directed to the King who professed much loue to that Vniuersitie a petitory latine Epistle no lesse eloquent pithy then circumspect and wary wherein they thus pleaded for his liberty 9 Though many important motiues wee haue most Christian King earnestly to recommend to your princely clemency the Reuerend Father in Christ the Lord Bishoppe of Ely as being not onely one of the most eminent Sonnes of our Vniuersity but also a singular Patrone and indulgent Father to vs all yet could not these inducements howsoeuer very ponderous with all gratefull mindes perswade vs to become intercessors for his pardon but euer with due regard both to your owne honour and safety the greatnesse of your princely fauours hauing more obliged vs then of any your royall Predecessors whiles therfore wee stood in some doubt how hee stood affected towards your Highnesse wee held it an high offence if by tendring his safety wee should any way hazard yours but now vnderstanding that his offence proceeded not of pertinacy but humane frailety and that hee hath alwayes humbly sued for pardon thereof the bowels of our mother Vniuersity like Rachel weeping ouer her Children were moued with compassion ouer the deplored distresse of this her dearest sonne wherein yet as wee hope her affection deserues no iust reprehension For if a pious affection be prayse-worthie euen in an enemy much more is it in this our Academy full of due obseruance towardes your Maiesty and professing the study of all vertues These things so being wee thought fitte without longer delayes to flie vnto your clemency as humble Suppliants that your Highnes already hauing in part inflicted thogh mildly som chasticemēt on his fault would turn your roial aspect towards him impart to him the bounty of your gracious clemency wherein you shal not onely perform an act most acceptable to him to vs and the whole Church but very honourable aduantagious also as we hope to your own person For vpon notice of the readmittance of so great a Prelate into your grace who is there that will not extoll with prayses vnto the skies your so great and euen diuine clemency Thus gloried the Romans to haue it marshalled amongst their prayses that Submissiue wights they spared but crusht the proud and this also they challenged as their peculiar honour that they were readier to remit then to reuenge wrongs Now if you will aspire to this high honour as easily you may by being gracious to this man you shall surmount the Romanes themselues by so glorious a deed As for the great benefite which may hereby accrue to your highnes albeit as we suppose we can sufficiently conceiue thereof especially if wee call to minde his singular vertues yet had we rather leaue that point wholly to your secret considerations then pursue it with a discourse tedious to you and enuie-breeding to him least happily by insisting in his praises it may be thought that we seeke rather by violence to extort then by submissiuenes to beg his pardon and or else to relie more on the greatnesse of his vertues then of your Clemency or lastly to appeale rather to your Iustice then to your mercy Wherefore most puissant Prince thus perswade your selfe of vs that whatsoeuer we haue spoken in the Bishops behalfe we doe it rather out of a sense of our dutifulnes then any diffidency of your Gratiousnes and therefore omitting all things which might be alleaged either to lessen his offence or augment his vertues it is your sole mercy wherein we repose all our hopes vowing how soeuer other meanes of gratitude may be wanting to vs yet we shall neuer suffer the remembrance of so great a fauour conferred on vs to be extinguished amongst vs. 10 King Richard after this intending some easier restraint though not liberty vnto the Bishop was content to release him out of the Tower and committed him to the custody of Henry Duke of Buckingham who sent him to his Castle of Brecknocke in Wales there safely to be kept vntil himselfe should come thither 11 The next day with great pompe state and attendance of the Nobility the King rode through London so as a more royall had not beene seene at any Kings Coronation for there attended him three Dukes nine Earles two Vicounts twenty Lords seauenty eight Knights all of them most richly furnished whereof the Duke of Buckingham so farre exceeded that the caparison of his horse was so charged with embroydered worke of gold as it was born vp from the ground by certaine