sicke 174 His speech to the Prince his son when he seised on the Crowne 174 He dieth 175 King HENRY the Fifth THis King was vnmeasurably wilde in his fathers daies and was imprisoned and disgraced for striking the Lord Chiefe Iustice on the eare 177 But being King he enriched his loose companions but banished them perpetually from his Court 177 He chose the grauest wisest and best experienced men to be of his Counsell of Estate 177 Hee reformeth the Clergie and the Lay people and erecteth Castles to curbe the Scots 178 A motion was made in Parliament to dissolue religious houses But the Clergie reuiuing the kings title to the kingdome of France and being bountifully liberall doe turne the streame into that channell 178 The King demandeth that Crowne but is scoffed by the Dolphin whom he girdeth by a replie 179 The King leuieth an Armie The French King desireth peace The King yeeldeth on certaine conditions which are denied 180 The Queene is made Regent And as the King is ready to depart his destruction is conspired But the Treacherie was reuealed and the Traitors were put to death 180 The King landeth in Normandie and taketh Harflew His Armie being but 15000. men falleth sicke and is oppressed with many wants Yet the King resolueth to march by land vnto Calice 181 * 1414. He winneth the most famous and the most memorable Battaile of Agencourt 182 The French prisoners were vnwillingly yet miserably slaine 185 He giueth God publike thankes 186 And returneth into England with his great prisoners 186. 187 The new Constable of France is ouerthrowen 187 The French doe besiege Harflew and their Nauie of 500. ships is ouerthrowen And Iohn Duke of Bedford raiseth the siege 188 Ciuill dissention among the French Nobilitie doth further the successe of K. Henries wars 189 Great summes of money are chearfully giuen to the King to maintayne his invasion 189 Nine Carricks of Genoa and Tonque and Cane are taken by the English 191 Most Townes in Normandie doe become English 192 Roan is besieged by the king 192 A proud Roanist dareth him he replies and takes the Citie 197 The French Nobles are outwardly reconciled but not in heart 198 * 1416 Normandie is wonne by King Henrie 198 He marieth the Lady Katherine sister to the French King and is made Regent of France a 1519 is proclaymed Heire apparant to that Crowne 199 200 201 202 203 204. The Kings brother the Duke of Clarence Regent of Normandie and France b 1420 is betraied and slaine in the battaile of Blangy 205 206 The Earle of Mortaigne succeedeth in his charge 207 The King warreth againe in France 207 The Dolphin raiseth his siege from Chartiers and flyeth fearefully from place to place 208 The King falleth grieuously sick exhorteth his Nobles to vnitie and concord and to bee especially carefull to retain the friendship and loue of Philip Duke of Burgoine 209 Hee commends vnto them his yong Infant and their King Directs them for their proceedings in France and then dieth King HENRY the Sixth FRance contemneth the infancie of King Henry 211 Iohn Duke of Bedford is made Regent of France and Humfrey Duke of Glocester is made Protector of the Kings person and of the Realme of England 212 The Regent winneth Townes daily 212 The Parisians are trecherous 213 * 1424 The battaile of Vernoile 215 The Earle of Salisburies valour and name is feared 216 A strange ouerthrow of the French 216 They doe bragge and runne away 217 Townes and victories are daily wonne by the English 218 219 Orleance is besieged and offered to Philip Duke of Burgoine but the Regent will not consent thereto and for that cause the said Duke reuolteth to the French King 221 The battaile of Herings 221 The siege of Orleance is abandoned 222 The Duke of Alanson ouerthroweth the English slayeth the Earle of Salisbury and taketh prisoners the Earle of Suffolke and the Lords Talbot Scales and Hungerford and many others 222 Charles causeth himselfe to bee crowned King of France and is sommoned to a battaile by the Regent hee flyeth cowardly and is hunted from place to place but all in vaine 223 Diuers Nobles of France doe revolt from King Henrie 224. The French King assaults Paris and is well beaten 224 The Parisians doe flatter but are trecherous 225 King Henrie is crowned King of France in Paris 225 England is wondred at for her puissance 225 Treason discouered 226 A Rebellion in Normandie 226 The noble Regent dieth 228 And from the time of his death the English gaine little but doe loose much both in Normandie and in France Richard Duke of Yorke is made Regent 229 Paris is reuolteth 229 Calice is besieged by the Duke of Burgoine 229 But he flyeth in the night 230 The Earle of Warwick is made Regent 231 The French King flyeth in the night 233 Ponthois is taken by the English 234 A parley for peace 234 The Articles proposed are disliked 235 A cruell Armie and a huge on the French part 235 Much is gotten daily and much is daily lost beyond the Seas 235 A truce with France for eighteene moneths 237 An vnworthy marriage concluded for the King by the Duke of Suffolke without Commission 237 Which was the Dukes ouerthrow 246 He will haue his Acts and Counsels registred in Parliament 238 The cause of the losses of France * 1466 Normandie Aquitaine c. 238 The descriptions of the King and Queene 239 The good Duke of Glocester is remoued by the Queen from the Protectorship and is murdered 240 The French wars are neglected and the Truce is broken on both parts 240 Townes are lost Roan yeeldeth to the French King 241 The English are ouerthrowne in field 242 Cane is yeelded to the French King 243 The Duke of Suffolke is accused of treason and banished 244 But is taken at Sea and beheaded 246 The policies of the Duke of York to attaine vnto the Crowne Iack Cade the Rebell flyeth and is proscribed and slaine 247 A pacification but fained betwixt the King and the Duke of Yorke 248 The Duke is accused imprisoned for treason but is enlarged 248 Guyan and Aquitaine are yeelded to King Henrie but are regained by the French 249 The warres betwixt the King and the Yorkists 249 The King is ouerthrowne and taken prisoner in the battaile of * 1454 S. Albons and in Parliament the Duke of Yorke is made Protector 250 Marchant strangers are rifled in London 251 A policie against the Yorkists but it is discouered 252 The King labours for peace but each part dissembleth 252 New Armies are raised 254 The Lords doe flie in the night and are proclaimed traitors 255 The Kings ships twice taken out of Sandwich by Iohn Dynham and the Yorkists 256 The battaile of a 1459 Northampton in which the Queen is ouerthrown and the King is taken prisoner 257 The Duke of Yorks proceedings in Parliament against King Henrie 258 The
Normandie and Aquitaine being all lost and no warres now busying the Nobilitie of this Realme franke and free libertie was thereby giuen to the Duke of Yorke The Yorkish Conspiracie grieuously to complaine to diuers Lords of the greatest power of the manifold trecheries and treasons of the Duke of Somerset as formerly he had done And at the same time Richard Earle of Salisburie being the second sonne of Rafe Neuil Earle of Westmerland whose daughter the Duke of Yorke had maried and Richard his sonne who hauing maried Anne the sister and heire of Henry Beauchampe first Earle and afterwards Duke of Warwicke and in whose right he was created Earle were men of prime honour and of great power and for their valour and their vertues were especially obserued and regarded both of the Nobles and also of the Commons of this Kingdome but chiefly Richard the sonne Earle of Warwicke whose courtesie wisdome and true manhood had gained him much loue These two Earles among others faithfully ioined themselues and their fortunes with the Duke of Yorke and his and chiefly by their meanes and good assistance he preuailed as in the sequell of this Historie it shall appeare When the Duke of Yorke had thus strengthned himselfe with these noble and powerfull friends he caused the Duke of Somerset to be arrested of high treason in the Queens great Chamber from whence he was drawen and conueied to the Tower The Duke of Somerset is arrested for treason and shortly after in the Parliament the Duke of Yorke accused him of all those treasons which are formerly mentioned But because the King indeed fell sicke or fained himselfe for the Dukes good to be diseased The Parliament breaketh off suddenly The Duke of Somerset is enlarged and made Captaine of Calice the Parliament was suddenly adiourned and the King by many protestations faithfully promised that he should answer those accusations at some other time But within few daies after hee was not onely by the Queene set at libertie but was graced with the Kings especiall and publike fauour and was made chiefe Captaine of the Towne and Castle of Calice whereat the Nobilitie the common people grudged much and exclaimed vpon the vniust proceedings of the King and Queene The Duke of Yorke and his associates supposing that their proiect would still be crossed if they remained quiet expected faire proceedings against the Duke of Somerset by the ordinarie course of Law The Duke of Yorke leuieth an Armie resolued once againe to shew themselues with an Armie in the field and by open warre not only to reuenge themselues vpon their enemies but also to settle the Crowne vpon the Duke of Yorkes head For which purpose they raised a puissant Armie within the Marches of Wales and confidently directed their march towards the Citie of London The King meeteth him with an Armie The battaile of S. Albons The King is ouerthrowen The King and his Counsell fearing lest the Duke of Yorke and his complices would finde too many friends if they came thither met them with another Armie at S. Albons and betwixt them a doubtfull and a bloudie battaile was fought from which the Duke of Buckingham and Iames Butler Earle of Ormond and of Wilshire fled and Edmund Duke of Somerset Henry the second Earle of Northumberland Humfrey Earle of Stafford sonne and heire to the Duke of Buckingham Iohn Lord Clifford and more then eight thousand Lords Knights Gentlemen and common souldiers were slaine on the Kings part He is taken prisoner and the King himselfe was taken prisoner and brought to the Duke of Yorke The King is vsed reuerently A Parliament The Duke of Yorke is made Protector And albeit hee might then haue put him to death and by that meanes might quietly haue possessed himselfe of the Crowne yet because his rising in Armes pretended none other thing but the reforming of some great abuses in the Common-weale hee reuerenced him with all dutie brought him with great honour vnto London where he praied him to assemble his high Court of Parliament which he did by that great Counsell honorable estate the Duke of Yorke was made Protector of the Kings royall person and of his Realme The Earle of Salisburie is made Chancelor The Earle of Warwicke is made Captaine of Calice Their good gouernment the Earle of Salisburie was made Lord Chancelor of England and his sonne the Earle of Warwicke was made Captaine of Calice And thus all the regiment of the ciuill estate of this Common-weale was settled in those former two and the disposing of warlike affaires and businesse was conferred on the third In the administration of which Offices they shewed no iniustice vsed no briberie oppressed no man were indifferent to the poore and rich and ordered all things in a most commendable and praisefull fashion to the good contentment of most of the Nobilitie Gentrie and Commons of this Realme But Humfrey Duke of Buckingham who in the battaile at S. Albons had lost his eldest sonne and Henry Beauford the new Duke of Somerset who then also lost his father with reuengefull mindes and inraged spirits informed the Queene that this faire and glozing shew was vsed but as a subtill meane to set the Crowne of England vpon the Duke of Yorkes head That the Kings life and his sonnes was secretly conspired That her vnfortunate miseries approched neere vnto her And that all would bee starke naught except the subtiltie and cunning of those three Lords were wittily preuented and their haughtie and ambitious stomackes were with force and violence subdued and beaten downe Hereupon the Queene and they assembled a great Counsell at Greenwich The Duke of Yorke and the Earle of Salisburie are remoued by the Queen Aspoile on the Merchant strangers in London by the authoritie whereof the Duke of Yorke and the Earle of Salisburie were remoued from their gouernment This sudden alteration bred many broiles in the Common-weale For the English Merchants in London perceiuing that the Common-weales gouernment was vnsettled quarrelled with the Venetians and Italians who dwelt among them and by their trading in merchandizing and by their parsimonie and sparing waxed rich and depriued them of their chiefest meanes to liue Those strangers they rifled and robbed for which offence not without much trouble and difficultie the principall offenders were corrected or put to death The Frenchmen also being diuided into many warlike Fleetes landed The Frenchmen land and burne The Scots inuade They flie home robbed and burnt some Frontier Townes within this Realme And the Scots being conducted by Iames their King did much harme to the Duke of Yorkes Countries in the North. Against whom the Duke himselfe marched with a braue Armie But the Scots fearing the sequell of their vnaduised inuasion suddenly fled and returned into their owne Countrey The Queene dissembleth with the Yorkish Faction The Queene who now ruled the King and almost all other
them The Londoners refuse to receiue the Lord Scales and told the Lord Scales that hee was able enough without his helpe or counsell to keepe that Citie which by the King was committed vnto his charge whereat he was much displeased and went to the Tower from which hee much wronged and damnified the inhabitants of London The King to defend himselfe The King marcheth towards the Lords and to master his rebellious enemies being accompanied with the Dukes of Somerset and of Buckingham and many other Lords Knights Gentlemen and a strong Armie marched towards them And though the King himselfe for necessities sake was personally present yet his minde and cogitations were more religiously bent to his praiers and his desires affected nothing more then quietnesse and peace But the Queene whose heart was manly The Queene encourageth and threatneth and whose anger threatned death with souldier-like termes and speeches cheared vp her followers debased their enemies promised rewards if they deserued well and the seuerest of all punishments to such as fled At length neere vnto the Towne of Northampton the two Armies met the Earle of March being very frolicke The Armies doe meet The battaile of Northampton and in the heat and flower of his youth by the aduice and counsell of the Earle of Warwicke ordered his Armie for the battaile The Queene and her adherents did the like The fight quickly beganne and fiercely continued somewhat more then two houres but at length the Earles became victors The King is ouerthrowen Ten thousand men slaine Slaughter slew more then ten thousand men on the kings part among which were Humfrey Duke of Buckingham Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewesburie Thomas Lord Egremont Iohn Viscount Beamond and many others The Queene with the Duke of Somerset and diuers others Flight taking with them the young Prince fled into the Bishopricke of Durham where they hoped to raise a new Armie or resolued in default thereof to goe into Scotland and to remaine there vntill fortune and their friends should inable them to recouer what they had lost The King taken prisoner The Tower is deliuered to the Lords The King who was left behinde was taken prisoner and conueied by the Earles with great pompe and much honour vnto London and at their comming thither the Tower was deliuered into their possession by the souldiers against the liking and good will of the Lord Scales who attempted to flie from thence disguised in a Whirrie But being discouered by the Water-men he was by them taken The Lord Scales beheaded by the Water-men Tho. Thorpe taken and imprisoned The Duke of Yorke commeth into England A Parliament What the Duke of Yorke did and said in the Parliament house The Duke of Yorkes title and made shorter by the head and his body was negligently left vpon the sands And Thomas Thorpe the second Baron of the Exchequer who mortally hated the house of Yorke purposing in the habit of a Monke with a shauen Crowne to flie vnto the Queene was taken and brought to the Earle of Warwicke who sent him to the Tower where hee remained long after The Duke of Yorke being speedily informed of this victorie left Ireland and came to London and procured a Parliament to be assembled in the Kings name and in the presence of all the Lords in the Vpper House hee sate himselfe downe in the Imperiall Seat and in an eloquent and powerfull Oration hee discouered to the Nobles his rightfull claime and title to the Crowne he being the sonne and heire of Anne the daughter and heire of Roger Mortimer Earle of March sonne and heire to Philip the sole daughter and heire of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward the Third and elder brother to Iohn of Gaunt who was father to the Vsurper King Henry the Fourth who was father to King Henry the Fifth who was father to the King who was vntruly named King Henry the Sixth Englands plagues He also related vnto them that because God blessed not his vnlawfull gouernment therefore the Common-weale of England had beene plagued with many mischiefes As first by the murdering and by the executing of many honourable and great Lords Secondly by the slaughter of thousands of the common people in France Normandie and elsewhere Thirdly by ciuill and bloudie warres at home Fourthly by the losse of all Territories beyond the Sea belonging to the Crowne of England excepting Calice and the Marches thereof Fifthly by sudden incursions made by the Frenchmen and by the Scots And lastly by all manner of violence 1460. extortion and oppression practised vpon the poorer sort And in his conclusion hee craued no fauour vnlesse that iustice gaue them warrant The title to the Crowne settled by act of Parliament nor quiet possession of the Crowne except they found his descent and title to be infallibly true When the Lords and the Commons there assembled had with mature deliberation and good aduice debated soundly of this important businesse it was by them all enacted that King Henry should so long as he liued retaine the name and honour of a King and that the Duke of Yorke should be proclaimed to be the heire apparant of the Crowne and should be the Lord Protector both of the Kings person and also of his dominions and countries and that the said Duke should haue the present possession of the Crowne of this Realme deliuered vnto him if at any time King Henry or his friends allies or fauourites in his behalfe attempted the infringing of the said Acts which were agreed and confirmed by their oathes The Duke of Yorke hauing by these meanes gotten the gouernment of the Kings person and of all his dominions into his hands The Lords in Scotland refuse to come to the Duke of Yorke dispatched his letters into Scotland in the Kings name requiring the Queene the Dukes of Somerset and of Exeter the Earle of Demonshire the Lords Clifford and Rosse and such other great men as were fled and remained in that Kingdome to repaire with all expedition to the Kings presence They come on with a great Armie But they all not onely refused to obey this peremptorie command but with an Armie of eighteene thousand Englishmen Scots they marched boldly towards the Kings Court. Whereupon the Duke of Yorke with his younger sonne the Earle of Rutland and the Earle of Salisburie leauing the King in the custodie of the Duke of Norfolke and of the Earle of Warwicke and being accompanied with no more then fiue thousand men directed his iourney towards the Queene They are encountred The battaile of Wakefield Haste made waste The Duke of Yorke ouerthrowen and slaine A blâ—udie fact and met her neere to the Towne of Wakefield where no perswasions or good aduice could preuaile but the Duke of Yorke who euery houre expected the approch of Edward Earle of March his eldest sonne with a strong Armie would forth with
Crowne is setled by Parliament The Scots ouerthrow and doe sley the Duke of Yorke in the b 1460 battaile of Wakefield 259 The yong Duke of York winneth the field of Queene Margaret 260 He is by the Queen ouerthrown and the King is enlarged 260 The Dukes newe Armie consisting of 49000. men the Queens new Armie consisting of 60000. men The c 1460 Queene is ouerthrown in the battaile of Towton 260 The King to winne fauour with the king of Scots deliuereth to him the Castle and the Towne of Barwike and the Duke of Yorke is crowned King 261. King EDWARD the Fourth IN Parliament hee repealeth all former Acts which attainted him and his friends of high treason 263 He is troubled by wars raised against him by Queene Margaret in which he preuaileth 265 He taketh especiall * 1462 care for the Common-weale 266 King Henrie is taken prisoner 266 The Earle of Warwick becomes his Enimie because he wronged him in the choice of his wife 267 George Duke of Clarence taketh part with Warwick against his brother King Edward 268 The a 1467 Yorkshire-men doe rebell 269 King Edward is taken prisoner and escapeth 271 The discommodities of Warre 272 A new b 1468 Rebellion in which the Rebells were ouerthrowne 273 Warwick and Clarence flie to Calice and finde bad entertainment 274 Prince Edward sonne to King Henrie the sixth marieth the second daughter of the Earle of Warwick 275 Clarence secretly revolteth to King Edward his brother 275 Warwick landeth in England where his forces doe so encrease that king Edward flieth 277 King Henrie is enlarged and by Parliament the crowne is intailed to him 277 King Edward landeth in England and breaketh his oath made to the citizens of Yorke 278 Hee and his Armie are ioyfully receiued into the citie of London 280 Hee triumpheth victoriously at Barnet field 280 The Queene Margaret leuieth another Armie and is ouerthrown in the battaile of Tewkesbury 282 King Henrie being murdered is brought open faced into S. Pauls Church 283 King Edward hath new wars in France and the Duke of Burgoine breaks promise with him 285 A peace for nine yeares is concluded for which the Duke of Burgoine is angrie with the King who cares not for it 286 The bountie of the French King to the English Armie 288 Henrie Earle of Richmond is by the Duke of Brittaine deliuered to King Edwards Ambassadours but Peter Landoys freeth him 289 The Duke of Clarence being a prisoner is murdered 290 King Edward changeth the forme of his gouernment and by executing of penall statutes he enricheth himselfe but looseth his peoples loue 290 He hath new warres with Scotland but on certaine conditions he grants him peace 291 The French King breaks all his Articles annexed to the last concluded peace wherefore King Edward leuieth a new Armie but falleth sick and dyeth 292 The Description of King Edward 297 King EDWARD the Fifth HE was a child when his father dyed 297 His Vncle Richard Duke of Glocester aimeth to haue his crown 299 He practizeth mischiefe against the Queene Mothers kindred 300 He betrayeth them and bereaueth them of their liues 301 307 The Queene Mother with her children taketh Sanctuarie 302 The Duke of Glocester is made Protector 302 By subtiltie he getteth the yong Duke of Yorke out of prison and sends the King and him to the Tower vnder pretence of greater safetie 302 Hee with the Duke of Buckingham practizeth their destruction 304 305 His villany at the Tower 306 His friend the Lord Hastings is beheaded because hee will not consent to that murder 307 Doctor Shawes flattering sermon 308 Richard Duke of Glocester is made King 309 King RICHARD the third KIng Richard by base flatterie endeuoureth to make a bad matter good 311 Doctor Morton Bishop of Ely is committed to the custodie of the Duke of Buckingham 311 King Richard is despised by the French king 312 The two young Princes by the villanous procurement of King Richard are murdred 312 The reasons which might haue disswaded him from that wickednesse are examined 313 His only sonne by death is taken from him 315 Doctor Morton by flatterie insinuateth himselfe into the inward loue and familiaritie of the Duke of Buckingham and hauing with him resolued on the destruction of king Richard hee escapeth and flyeth into Flanders from whence hee giues good intelligence of all King Richards proceedings to Henrie Earle of Richmond 315 Hee moueth him to marrie the Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter to King Edward the Fourth which hee protesteth to doe 317 King Richard had almost gotten into his hands the Earle of Richmond but Peter Landoys freeth him 317 The Duke of Buckingham and the K. do leuie two strong Armies but the fight is deferred by a sodain floud The Welshmen forsake the Duke he flyeth he is proscribed he is betraied by his owne seruant and looseth his head 318 Peter Landoys would haue betrayed the Earle of Richmond to king Richard but hee and his doe escape hardly into France where they are comforted and aided 320 King Richard by flatterie and bribes gets King Edward the Fourth his children into his owne possession and maketh loue to his owne Neece the said Lady Elizabeth 322 His owne wife sodainly dyeth and he reviueth his incestuous sute to his said Neece who wittily protracteth that businesse 323 False newes from France makes him secure 323 The Earle of Richmond landeth in England and the King and he are with their Armies in Bosworth field 323 King Richards people cleaue not to him 324 Hee is desperate in fight but is slaine by the Earle himselfe and his body is vsed with great despight by the common people 324 325 Henrie Earle of Richmond is proclaimed and crowned King by the souldiers in the open field wher his Enimie lay dead And in the same place Hee with his whole Armie doe thanke GOD. 325 King HENRY the Seuenth KIng Henrie the Seuenth as he had sworne vniteth the two diuided houses of Lancaster Yorke by his mariage with the Lady Elizabeth King Edward the Fourth his eldest daughter 327 He causeth the Crowne to be intayled 328 He maketh Yeomen of his Guard and is thankfull to his friends 327 He repaieth the French King the Duke of Britaigne 328 He repealeth Acts of Attainders makes good lawes and granteth a generall Pardon 328 He suppresseth Rebells 329 Lambert the counterfaited Earle of Warwick by force and policie is taken 329 330 331 King Henrie the Seuenth takes part with the Duke of Britaigne against the French King 332 333 The Earle of Northumberland leuying of a Tax is slaine by the people 333 334 The Rebells flie and are punished 334 Maximilian being aided by King Henrie the Seuenth comes not forth yet King Henrie alone warreth against the French King 335 The King demaunds a Benevolence 335 He besiegeth Bullein and granteth a peace 336 Perkin Warbeck the counterfaited Duke of Yorke vexeth king Henrie 337 He is supported
execrable and a vile oath hee swore that the Esquire should loose his head bâ—fore he himselfe would either eat any meat or drinke anie drinke The Major of London named Iohn Hadley who then attended on the King disdaining that a proud Traitor should so confront and braue the King drew forth his sword and strake him so sound on the head that he felled him to the ground and incontinently he was slaine Whereat some hope was sodenly conceiued that the rest of the Rebels would haue gone away But they being desperatly resolued to reuenge his death according to their litle skil cast themselues in some order so that now euery minute of time threatned the destruction and slaughter of manie men The Citizens of London being informed what had hapned and purposing with all speed to aide the King and to free themselues and the Câ—â—ie from ruine and from spoile sent an Armie of eight thousand men well armed and well appointed to the King all which were quickly marshalled and readie to giue the charge But first the King required the Rebels to submit themselues or else to deliuer vnto him such of his Banners and Free Pardons and Manumissions as they had gotten into their hands But so farre off were they from being sorrie or repentant for their Treasons that in a proud brauerie and in much scorne they redeliuered them all vnto the King Who caused them in their open view to be cancelled and to bee torne in peeces The doing whereof so sodainely daunted and quailed the heartes and courages of those insolent and gracelesse Rebels that when the King expected nothing but all violence to be executed by the sword they cowardly dispersed themselues and ranne away The Rebels flye euery man without any order or staying making all possible hast and shift to saue themselues And thus vanished this cloud which threatned an outragious storme of much danger and mischiefe to the King and Common-weale And the chiefest of those malefactors a thing which neuer faileth in such tumultuous rebellions were by their owne companions to insinuate grace and fauour with the King deliuered into the hands of Iustice who afterwardes The Captaines deliuered to the King by the Rebels themselues Fifteene hundred Rebels Executed with fifteene hundred more of the principall agents in this businesse were vpon due enquiries and iust conuictions according to the Law executed and put to sundrie tortures and deaths in diuers places of this Realme The King hauing thus pacified this Rebellion and Vproare ANNO. 5. King Richard marrieth married the Ladie Anne daughter to the deceased Emperour Charles the fourth and sister vnto Wenceslaus the Emperour who then raigned and was made happie through much prosperitie and peace vntill the ninth Yeare of his Gouernment ANNO. 9. 1385. A ParliameÌ„t Two of the Kings Vncles were created Dukes of Yorke and Glocester Henrie of Bullingbroke created Earle of Darby Other Earles created King Richards euill Counsellours And then hee summoned and held his High Court of Parliament at Westminster In which he created his fifth and sixth Vncles Edmund of Langly being then Earle of Cambridge Duke of Yorke and Thomas of Woodstock who was then Earle of Buckingham Duke of Glocester He also created his Cousin Henrie of Bollingbrooke sonne and heire apparant to his fourth Vncle Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Earle of Darbie and his Cousin Edward Plantagenet the sonne and heire apparant of his said Vncle Edmund of Langley he created Earle of Rutland and Sir Iohn Holland brother to the Earle of Kent was made Earle of Huntingdon and Thomas Lord Mowbray was made Earle of Nottingham The King whose affections were but greene and who was easily seduced by such as hee best loued was at this time wholy directed and counselled into manie euill and vngodly courses by his vnworthie fauourites Michael De la Pole his Chauncellor whom he created Duke of Suffolck and by Robert de Vere Earle of Oxford and Marquesse of Dublyn whom hee made Duke of Ireland Affection without reason and would haue made him King of that Countrie if his Nobilitie would haue consented thereunto In the same Parliament Roger Mortymer Proclaimed heire Apparent He caused his Cousin Sir Roger Mortimer Earle of March who was the sonne and heire of Edmund Mortimer and of Philip his wife who was the Daughter and heire of the Kings third Vncle This Sir Roger Mortimer was slaine many yeares after ANNO. 10 1386. The King neglecteth his Nobilitie and their Counsell Michaell de la Poole Robert de Vere Alexander Archbishop of Yorke Robert Tresilian The King intendeth the surprisall of the Duke of Glocester and of the Earles of Warwicke and of Arundell They come well garded to the Parliament Foure Fifteenes demanded It is denied A ParliameÌ„t may be held once a yeare In what case the Knights and Burgesses may depart The Houses of ParlameÌ„ts demands Lionel Duke of Clarence to bee proclaimed heire apparant to his Crowne But hee was long afterward slaine in Ireland by such Rebels as he endeuored to suppresse It is now to bee obserued that from henceforth the King respected not the sage aduice and counsell of his grauest and most experienced Lords and that he began careleslely to neglect the Nobilitie and his great Officers of his Kingdome and that hee did all things preposterously by the lewd and vnskilfull perswasions and directions of his two newly-created Dukes of Suffolke and of Ireland and of Alexander then Archbishop of Yorke and of Robert Tresilian his Chiefe Iustice And as they all did lead him into many erros so did they especially exasperat him without iust cause against his renowned and truly noble Vncle Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester and against the two Earles of Warwick and of Arondel which three hee intended to haue surprized at a Banquet in London if Nicholas Exton then Major of that Citie would haue consented thereunto But because his helpe then failed and the King could not at that time obtaine his purpose Hee resolued to effect it at a more solemne meeting For which cause principally He summoned his High Court of Parliament but the said three Lords vpon good information being jealous of such vnkindly entertainment repaired to the said assembly being strongly garded by a multitude of valiant men at armes by meanes whereof they secured their own libertie and the vngodly project of the King and of his wicked Counsellors came to nought Now when this long Parliament produced nothing worthie to bee noted Michael de la Pole in the Kings behalfe required a Tax of foure fifteenes affirming that a lesser gift could not support his Estate and maintaine such warres as hee was likely to vndertake But the Lords and the Lower House not only refused to yeeld vnto this motion but made a solemne declaration That as the Kings of this Realme for the better ordering and preseruing of their Estate and Kingdome might once in euery yeare assemble a
and Robert Tresilian the chiefe Iustice was hanged at Tiborne and the rest of those Iudges had beene hanged in like sort Execution if vpon the importunate and vncessant request of the Queene their liues had not beene redeemed by their banishment Banishment And thus were the threatnings of ciuil wars conuerted into some assurance of prosperitie and of peace ANNO. 12 The Scots do inuade But the next yeare following the Scots inuaded this realme and did much harme against whom great preparations were made by the King who resolued to recompence his owne damage by iust and seuere reuenge A Truce betwixt England France and Scotland for seuen yeares ANNO. 13 Iohn of Gant goeth with an Armie into Spaine But the wisdome and discretion of manie great Estates were such that a Truce was concluded to endure for three yeares betwixt England France and Scotland which shortly after was enlarged for foure yeares more So that now all matters betwixt those three Kingdomes and their Kings being blessed with tranquilitie and with peace the Kings fourth Vncle Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster was suffered by the King to leuie a strong Armie which hee transported into Spaine where he demanded his right to the Kingdome of Castile in the behalfe of Constance his wife who was the eldest daughter of Peter the deposed and slaine king ANNO. 14 How his bran attempts succeeded there His two Daughters are married to the Kings of Spaine and of Portingall In those Warres the Duke and his Armie performed manie honourable seruices and with the assistance of the king of Portugale so preuailed that to conclude a sued for peace the king of Spaine married with Constance the Dukes eldest daughter by his said wife and gaue vnto him eight Waggons loaden with massie Gold and secured him and his wife of the yearely payment of ten thousand Markes during both their liues And then the Duke went into Portugale where he married Anne his yonger daughter to the king of that Countrie and then returned into England with great riches and much honour ANNO. 16 Lawes against the Popes vsurped Authoritie This time of peace betwixt England other nations bred some quarrelling betwixt the king and the Pope who vsurped too too much authoritie and iurisdiction within this Realme Wherefore to preuent such mischiefes as this intolerable sufferance mght beget in a Parliament vpon graue and great aduise it was enacted That the Popes pretended authoritie within this kingdom should cease and be determined and that no appeale for anie matter or cause whatsoeuer should from thenceforth bee made to the See of Rome vpon the penaltie of a premunire which did extend to perpetuall imprisonment and to the forfeiture of the Lands and goods of such as contrarie to that law presumed to offend ANNO. 17 In the seuenteenth yeare of king Richards Raigne his faire and vertuous Queene Anne died ANNO. 19 And about two yeares after the king married the Ladie Isabel daughter to the French king Charles the sixth By reason whereof a peace was concluded betwixt those two kings King Richard marrieth the French kings daughter A Peace for thirtie yeares Brest is yeelded vp The Duke of Glocester reprooues the King for it The death of the Duke of Glocester the Kings Vncle is plotted A Machauillian pollicie Ambition makes euill Princes confident that their Vertues doe deserue much The King intendeth the destruction of his Barrons being gulled with an vntrue report Certaine Lords surprised A ParliameÌ„t A grosse flâ—ttering Speaker The Archbishop of Canterburie is accused of Treason How the king wronged the Archbishop to endure for thirtie yeares And king Richard being too kind but too little aduised of his owne accord and free will surrendred and gaue vp to the Duke of Brittaine the strong Towne and Castle of Brest which verie much grieued and discontented his Nobilitie especially his Vncle Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester who told him plainly that it was not conuenient that without blowes with the said Duke of Brittaine hee should haue departed with that strong Towne and Castle which his ancestors had wonne with the expence of much bloud Whereat the king was so much displeased that in his heart hee causelessely vowed seuere reuenge and in this his hastie passion he was abused and furthered by such of his Fauourites as enuied the estate the vertues and honour of the Duke causing strangers to informe the king flateringly and malitiously that diuers of the Princes Electors intended to haue made him Emperor had not some others of them gainsaid it and alleadged that he was altogether vnfit to gouerne the dispersed Segniorieâ— and Dominions of the Empire who could not rule and command his owne subiects at home The greedie desire which king Richard had to bee magnified and made great by being dignified with the name and power of the Empire and his strong reliance vpon the vntrue report which was suggested vnto him by such as only endeuoured to whet his anger against his Lords armed him with subtletie and with a heartie desire to circumuent his Barons though it were done with the breach of his oath and with the shipwracke of his honour So that pretending much loue and fauour towards them but especially to the Duke of Glocester his Vncle and to the two Earles of Arondell and Warwicke hee caused them to be apprehended when as they imagined they had least cause to feare And hauing so done he assembled his High Court of Parliament In which his basest and his grossest flatterer the speaker of the Lower House named Sir Iohn Bush who was a man of a most proud insolent and aspiring spirit irreligiously profanely and dishonestly in a formall and in a tedious speech attributed vnto the King the highest titles of diuine honour and therefore condemned almost to Hell all such as traiterously had conspired against his Maiestie Among whom hee particularly impeached Thomas Lord Archbishop of Canterburie sitting next vnto the King who made no answere at all thereto because the King himselfe vnder pretence of more then ordinarie loue and fauour had priuatly enioyned him vnto silence and vnto future absence from that Assembly promising and protesting that nothing should be attempted or done against him by anie meanes Yet notwithstanding for want of his presence and of his answere to the said vntrue obiections he was with the Kings consent banished this Realme He is banished Warwicke and Arundell are condemned as Traytors Arundell is beheaded Salisburie is banished and dieth miserably The Duke of Glocester murdered at Callice by Thomas Mowbray Earle of Notingham A weake parliament to grant such an vnreasonable Commission And the two Earles of Arundell and of Warwicke were also condemned of High Treason and shortly after the former of those two lost his head And so had Thomas Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke if by his humble confession of thinges vntrue and vpon his great submission steeped in teares and much
made him Duke of Norfolk he being altogether vnworthie of so great honor 8. Item that the King to further his last Expedition for Ireland without law without iustice tooke from the Clergie and many Religious houses great store of monie plate iewels and rich ornaments not hauing the owners consent so to doe 9 Item that in the same iournie without the approbation of his Counsell of Estate hee carried with him into Ireland the plate and rich iewels belonging to the Crowne which might haue tended to the great inpouerishment of this Realme 10 Item that in euerie Shire he had secret Intelligencers vpon whose bare information that ane man had repined at the Kings bad gouernement the partie so accused without examination or triall was enforced to procure his pardon by the payment of a grieuous fine 11 Item that by the lewd aduise of his wicked Counsellours hee had deuised manie subtle and craftie Oathes by meanes whereof manie of his honest Subiects had beene vndone 12 Item that by the like aduise and counsell he procured Ruffians and desperate companions to accuse rich but weake men of sundrie falsly-supposed crimes and imagined offences and by meanes thereof enforced them to redeeme the combate with much monie 13 Item that he gaue large gifts vnto wicked and lewd companions who malitiously to aduance their owne Estates animated him against diuers of his Barons who only desired a good reformation of his euill gouernment and imposed diuers Taxes vpon his people to enrich them 14 Item that hee had procured such Records to bee cancelled and imbeselled as testified his extortions and his oppressions vniustly imposed vpon his people 15 Item that he had oftentimes said that the Lawes of his Kingdome were in his owne breast and that vpon this opinion hee had put to death manie of his noble men and some of his inferiour subiects without iust cause 16 Item that most of his writings and letters vnto foraigne Princes and Estates were so craftie ambiguous doubtfull and vncertaine that they could not relie confidently vpon anie thing which he had written 17 Item that in his Parliament holden in the one and twentieth yeare of his Raigne his Cheshire Guard who onely were permitted and suffered to weare weapons committed many Robberies and Murders and yet not one of them was punished or reproued for the same 18 Item that to insinuate fauour with those loose and lewd companions the King had basely and fondly dishonoured his High Estate and Soueraigntie by entitling himselfe The Prince of Cheshire 19 Item that whereas in the same Parliament sundrie great Lords intended liberally and dutifully to haue spoken of such things as were not well ordered to the end that they might haue beene reformed the King in such sort threatned them that for feare of ensuing dangers they held themselues silent and spake not at all 20 Item that hee exacted great fines from the wealthiest of his Subiects for adhearing to the Barons notwithstanding that in full Parliament he had before granted them his free pardon 21 Item that by himselfe and his owne authoritie he had displaced diuers Burgesses of the Parliament and had placed such other in their roomes as would better fit and serue his owne turne 22 Item that contrarie to his solemne Oath and instrument in writing vnder the great Seale of his Kingdome Hee had not only disallowed the Commission granted in the same Parliament to the thirteene Lords to enquire of and to reforme the great abuses and the apparant misgouernment of the Common-Weale But also had exiled beheaded and otherwise executed diuers Noble Men and others who for the Kings honour and for the safetie and welfare of the Common-Weale had procured the said Commission or had executed the said Authoritie according to the trust and confidence in them reposed 23 Item that whereas hee had caused certaine Lawes in the same Parliament to bee made for his owne gaine and to serue his owne turne hee procured the Popes Bulles to curse such as should withstand or disobey them which thing greatly tended to the derogation of his Crowne and was done expressely against his owne law made against the Authoritie of the Pope within this Realme but seuen yeares before 24 Item that hee had displaced lawfull and good Shiriffes and had elected others whom he suffered to continue and to hold the said Office two yeares together and more because their vniust oppressions augmented and encreased his gaine King Richard confesseth all the Articles The transcript of all these Articles and Obiections were by both the Houses of Parliament authentically sent vnto the king who not only confessed them to bee true and acknowledged his owne insufficiencie to rule and to gouerne better but also by a plaine He resignes his Crowne King Richard is deposed Henrie Duke of Lancaster is made King Thomas Arundell restored to the Archbishopprick of Canterburie and exact instrument in writing vnder his hand and Seale hee resigned his Crowne and kingdome to his Cousin Henrie of Bullinbrooke Duke of Lancaster which being read publikely and beeing generally ratified approoued and confirmed by the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and by the Commons in the same Parliament assembled they deposed king Richard and made the said Duke king And his true and faithfull friend and his companion in Banishment Thomas Arundell Archbishoppe of Canterburie being then and there restored to his place and dignitie installed the said Henrie in the kingly Throne And the late King Richard was sent to Pomfret Castle there to bee safely kept and with Princely honour to bee maintained but verie shortly after by the new kings direction and commaundement who feared least his Estate might bee shaken so long as Richard liued hee was wickedly and villanously assaulted in his Lodging King Richard is cruelly murdered by Sir Pierce Exton and eight other armed men from one of which with a Princely courage hee wrested a browne-Bill and therewith slewe foure of his Mischieuous and Vngodly Assailants He was very valiant and with admirable resolution fought with all the rest vntill comming by his owne Chaire in which the base Cowardly Knight himselfe stood for his owne safetie hee was by him striken with a Polle-axe in the hinder part of his head Though hee were an euill King yet no religion warranted those vniust proceedings so that presently he fell downe and died And thus was hee wicredly and treacherously murdered and his bodie buried at Langley but was afterwardes remoued vnto Westminster where it now lieth THE HISTORIE OF KING HENRIE THE FOVRTH ALTHOVGH the Crowne of England ANNO. 1. 1399. in right if Richard the deposed king should die without issue was by succession to descend vnto Edmund Mortimer Earle of March the Son and heire of Edmund Mortimer by Philip his wife who was the daughter and heire of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third sonne of Edward the third Yet his Cousin Henrie of Bullinbrooke Duke of Hartford and
a Kentish Rebell named Iacke Cade but falsly nominating himselfe Iohn Mortimer made an Insurrection in that Countrey and with his rudely-armed crew and banners displayed he marched towards the King who was then at Greenwich His message to the King But before hee came vnto him by messengers he informed him that hee intended not any hurt against his Royall Person but would displace and punish some of his euill Counsellors who were his flatterers and partiall to their owne friends bitter to their enemies enrichers of themselues oppressors of the common people greedie of too much honour and who for rewards corruptly ordered or rather disordered all things as they pleased When the King and his Counsell had maturely considered of this vndutifull and insolent message he was aduised to encounter them not with faire words which might breed further contempt but with the Sword for ensamples sake that others might by their punishment afterwards take better heede The Kings Armie pursueth the Rebels And thereupon a strong Armie was suddenly prepared of which when the Rebels were informed to gaine aduantage by their valour vnder a false pretence of cowardly feare they retired many miles The Queene who was resolued that this retreat rather proceeded from basenesse then from pollicie and wit sent after them Sir Humfrey Stafford and William Stafford his brother they being accompanied with many lustie Gentlemen and braue Souldiers Some of the Kings forces are ouerthrowen But most of them were quickly slaine by the Rebels who boldly and couragiously confronted them when opportunitie and place gaue them good aduantage to returne This victorie being thus obtained The Rebellion is appeased Iacke Cade to whom multitudes of rude and gracelesse people from many shires daily resorted pressed forth againe and boldly came into Blacke Heath and from thence to London where they did much harme But at length the Kings Generall Pardon was proclaimed by the Archbishop of Canterburie and by the Bishop of Winchester A good policie to all such as were not the Ring-leaders of that vngodly rebellion by means whereof the inconstant and fearfull multitude left their Captains and returned home Then was Iacke Cade proscribed by the King and proclamation was made by which a reward by the gift of one thousand markes was promised to him that could take him aliue or dead The hope of this paiment occasioned very many to make good inquiries and narrow searches after him Iacke Cade is prescribed and slaine so that in the end being found he was slaine as he fought desperately for his life and his head was presented to the King who willingly paid the reward which was promised Thus was this caitiffe destroied and thus was this commotion appeased which threatned destruction to the King and Common-weale Such of the Nobilitie and such of the Commons as could no longer endure or digest the euill gouernment of the Queene and of her adherents The Duke of Yorke commeth into England aduertised the Duke of Yorke who remained in Ireland that a Parliament was neere at hand and praied him to consider what was fittest to be done for the redresse thereof and for his owne good Whereupon he left his deputation in Ireland and returned home and openly conferred with his best friends Iohn Duke of Norfolke Thomas Courtney Earle of Deuonshire Richard Earle of Salisburie Richard Neuill his sonne Earle of Warwicke Edward Brooke Lord Cobham and with diuers others how and by what meanes he might soberly without vsurpation or treason set forth his right and title to the Crowne The causes for which he leuied an Armie After this matter had beene long debated it was concluded that the Duke of Yorke should raise an Armie vnder pretence to remoue the Duke of Somerset from the King and Queene because he ruled them both and the Common-weale too and against him it was publikely alleged that he was an oppressor of the people a deceiuer of the King a secret friend to his enemies a principall occasion that England had lost France Normandie and Aquitaine and had by his manifold treacheries and treasons deserued ill of the Prince and of his Countrey The King raiseth an Armie The King also fearing the worst raised another Armie but being certified from the Duke of Yorke that he intended nothing against his royall person nor against his State but onely craued that in a Parliament the Duke of Somerset might receiue his triall he committed the said Duke for a shew only to the Tower and thereupon the Duke of Yorke expecting fitter opportunitie dissolued his Armie A dissembled pacification and priuately repaired to the King where contrary to his expectation hee met with the Duke of Somerset who accused him of treason The Duke of Somerset accuseth the Duke of Yorke of high Treason He is imprisoned and enlarged for that without the Kings leaue or commandement he had raised an Armie with which he intended to haue murdered the King and to make himselfe the inheritor and possessor of his Crowne And though the Kings iealousie being grounded vpon strong presumptions that it was true caused the King to detaine and keepe the Duke of Yorke as a prisoner yet within few daies after he was enlarged because it seemed vnlikely to the Kings Counsell that his aime was directed to the Crowne seeing that without compulsion he had dissolued his Armie vpon the Duke of Somersets commitment vnto prison when he was strong enough to haue made his partie good against the King by force of Armes in the open field This businesse was the more easily passed ouer by the King because that in the middest of those disturbances the Lords of Aquitaine vpon whose fidelities Guyan and Aquitaine yeelded to King Henry but regained by the French King the French King being departed into France King Henry much relied by secret messengers had made offer to surrender al that Duchie againe into his hands if he would speedily send vnto them a conuenient Armie to defend and keepe it as his owne And thereupon the Lord Talbot Earle of Shrewesburie was sent thither with three thousand selected and valiant men who receiued that Duchie to the Kings vse as it was promised But assoone as the French King had notice of this Reuolt hee marched thither with an Armie of two and twentie thousand men fought with the English Iohn Earle of Shrewesburie slaine slew the most renowned and braue Earle and almost all his followers and in few daies regained all Aquitaine and almost all Guyen into his owne hands The Queene was now deliuered of a faire sonne Prince Edward borne who was afterwards named Edward and liued vntill almost hee came to a mans estate Creation of Lords And neere about the same time King Henry created his two brothers by the mothers side Edmund Tuthar who was father to King Henry the Seuenth Earle of Richmond and Iaspar Tuthar Earle of Pembroke but he died without issue France
great victorie He thanketh and praiseth God and with promises of large rewards the whole Armie was dissolued and the Earle and his Nobles departed to their rest Thus liued and thus died King Richard when he had raigned as a Tyrant two yeares two moneths and one day THE HISTORIE OF KING HENRIE THE SEVENTH AS after a sharpe winter men doe receiue the sweet comforts of a pleasant Spring and like as Aduersitie is fully recompenced with more ioifull tidings when abundance of Prosperitie doth follow so the hearts of all such as were sad and heauie by reason of the ciuill wars were now cheered and made iocund by the happie peace and concord which at this instant blessed all England in the succession of King Henrie The King marieth â—he Ladie Elizabeth who being crowned King according to his oath and promise maried the faire and vertuous Ladie Elizabeth eldest daughter to King Edward the fourth ioining thereby in one the two great Families of Lancaster and of Yorke betwixt whom for Principalitie and for the Crowne infinite contentions and mortall warres had formerly consumed and destroied many thousands of braue and valiant men Now that the state of this Kingdome might be confirmed in its happinesse by the safetie of the Kings person The King chuseth a Guard and by other requisites King Henrie taking his President and ensample from the Kings of France selected a certaine number of warlike men in all places to attend vpon him Rewards giuen Noblemen created whom he termed the Yeomen of his Crowne He also rewarded with great bountie all such as for his sake had beene eminent in his seruice and created his vncle Iaspar Earle of Pembroke Duke of Bedford His father in law Thomas Lord Stanley was made Earle of Darbie He also made his faithfull and firme friend and fauourite the Lord Chandew of Britaine Earle of Bath Sir Giles Dawbeney was made Lord Dawbeney Sir Robert Willoughbie Lord Brooke and Edward Stafford the eldest sonne of Humfrey Duke of Buckingham who in his quarrell lost his head was by him restored to his fathers dignitie and possessions A Parliament Acts repealed The Crowne is intailed New Lawes His Pardons Then hee assembled his High Court of Parliament at Westminster in which hee frustrated cancelled and made void all former Acts which conuicted him and his adherents as guiltie of High Treason The Crowne of this Kingdome was entailed to him and to the heires of his bodie Hee also caused such Lawes and such Statutes to bee made as were behoouefull and beneficiall to this Common-weale Hee pardoned all such as hauing conspired or borne armes against him submissiuely by their oathes acknowledged and receiued him for their true and lawfull King His Counsellors Hee elected the most noble graue and wise men of this Kingdome to be of his Priuie Counsell by whose direction and aduice the gouernment of this Realme was established in prosperitie and in peace The Duke of Britaine is recompenced Hee bountifully recompenced the Duke of Britaine for all his former courtesies towards him and also paid vnto him all such summes of money as at any time hee had disbursed for his maintenance and releefe So is the French king The like he did to the French King and thereby redeemed his two Hostages the Lord Marquesse Dorset and Sir Iohn Bourchier whom he left there 1486. 2 Thus whilest King Henry was carefull willing and endeuoured to please all men and by his vertuous imploiments laboured to settle things in peace A Rebellion the malignant spirits of such as tormented themselues at his happinesse and placed their owne hope for preferment in rebellious attempts and seditious courses would not permit him to liue at rest and quietly to performe the duties of a gratious King For Francis Lord Louel Humfrey Stafford and Thomas his brother leauing the Sanctuarie at Colchester which for their safetie they had taken seduced and animated much people in the North against King Henry and caused them vpon vntrue surmises rashly and without aduice or counsell to put themselues in armes The King who was not farre away from them being somewhat troubled with this newes The Kings celeritie in raising an Armie began to raise an Armie to withstand them and such was his strange and wonderfull celeritie and expedition to preuent the increase of their further strength that hastily he sent against them his Vncle the Duke of Bedford with three thousand men whose breast-plates were made of tanned leather for want of other armour and he himselfe trauailed day and night to second his souldiers with a better strength But when the Lord Louel and his associates perceiued that King Henry resolued to make them fight before they were sufficiently prepared and that fresh forces would giue them a second onset if at the first they should happen to bee victorious their courage failed The Rebels flie their hearts fainted so that in the darknesse of the night they fled and left their vnarmed Armie to the mercie of King Henry the two Staffords taking Sanctuarie in the Abbie of Culnham not farre from Oxford and the Lord Louel being shrowded by Sir Thomas Broughton in the North. The next day the poore distressed Rebels being destitute of their Leaders humbly submitted themselues to the Kings mercie and receiued his free pardon But because no Sanctuarie could protect malefactors in cases of High Treason therefore the two Staffords were by violence seized on and the said Humfrey being indicted arraigned found guiltie Humfrey Stafford is executed and condemned was put to death but his younger brother was preserued by the Kings fauour because it was conceiued that his transgression was not hatched by his owne malice but by the peacelesse instigation of his brother No sooner was this flame quenched but a greater fire was presently kindled by a Priest whose name was Sir Richard Symond a man very leaud but well learned and in all his actions vniust Richard Symonds conspiracie against K. Henry craftie and too too cunning Hee knowing that Edward Plantagenet Earle of Warwicke and sonne and heire vnto George Duke of Clarence brother to King Edward the Fourth being now of the age of seuenteene yeares had from his infancie beene kept as a Prisoner by the two last Kings in the Castle of Sherry-hutton in the Countie of Yorke and that King Henry had secretly remoued him to the Tower got into his tutorship a young boy Lambert the counterfet Duke of Yorke prettie and wittie yet borne of a base parentage and stocke whose name was Lambert Him hee instructed with as much varietie of learning Court-like complements and Gentleman-like behauiour as his yeares would suffer him to comprehend and then hee informed him that by his birth and linage hee was not onely noble but descended of the royall bloud that hee was the onely sonne of the Duke of Clarence and the first heire male of the house of Yorke and therefore
transporteth his Armie into Flanders and ioining with his consorts he marcheth into France with 27000. men The French King takes the field 108 Iane Countesse of Henault mother to the Queene of England and sister to the French King parts the fray without blowes 109 * 1339. King Edward quartereth the Armes of France and coines his money with the like stampe 109 Hee taxeth his people and borroweth much money 109 As hee passed towards Sluce with his Armie hee met with and ouerthrew the French Nauie 110 Hee with his associates doe besiege Tournay But the saide Countesse procures a Truce 111 The Scots doe rebell The King marcheth against them A truce is made but they doe breake it They doe inuade and burne Durham 111 The valiant exploit of Sir William Montague The Castle of Ronsborough is besieged The King marcheth against the Scots and they flie 112 He concludes a truce with them Hee returnes proclaimes a Feast and martiall exercises and sports 113 Subsidies are granted but Commissioners are made to receiue and to imploy it 114 * 1344. Hee deuiseth the noble Order of the Garter 114 Iaques Dartuell is murdered because hee would haue disherited the Earle of Flanders to preferre the Blacke Prince 114 By his death King Edward lost the Flemish aide But hee is the more resolued in his attempts 116 The French King besiegeth Aguilon with 100000. men The King takes Harflew Louiers Cane and many other things and harroweth and burneth in Normandie at his pleasure 117 He passeth with his Armie ouer the Riuer of Some 118 The battaile of Cressey 119 * 1345. The numbers of slaine men and prisoners 121 King Edward besiegeth Calice and the French K. with 200000. men could not releeue it The King winnes it and peopleth it with his owne Nation 123 The Scots inuade England in the Kings absence and King Dauid is taken prisoner 123 The King himselfe surpriseth the Frenchmen who came to receiue Calice 124 The Calicians take Guyens 125 The Blacke Prince winneth the battaile of Poyters and brings King Iohn and his younger sonne prisoners into England 126 The whole English Armie is made rich 128 The Dolphin allowes not his fathers agreements with King Edward 128 Hee is enforced to craue peace which is granted vpon conditions 129 The King relinquisheth the French title and right 129 A taxe leuied by the Blacke Prince and the not paying of his Souldiers occasioned his great losses in Guyan Aquitaine c. 130. 131 Whereto ciuill dissention must be added 132 The Earle of Pembroke is taken at Sea 132 The Kings euill Officers 133 The Blacke Prince dieth 134 The King dieth 134 King RICHARD the second THe summarie of his euill gouernment 135 Wat Tilars Rebellion 137 Their insolencie and madnesse 137 Their entertainment in London 138 They doe burne rifle and commit Sacriledge 138 Their behauiour at the Tower and at Mile-end-greene 139 Their Captaine is slaine They prepare for reuenge but doe flie 140. 141 Fifteene hundred of them are executed 141 The Kings euill Counsellors 142 Fifteenes in a Parliament are denied 142 The Lower House will depart except the King in person will come to them 142 Michael de la Pole is displaced from his Chancellorship 144 Commissioners are appointed to order the Kings Officers and the King sweareth to obserue it 144 The Commissioners are reputed to be Traitors 145 The Scots and French doe make a bad voyage into Wales and in the meane time the King with 68000. men spoileth Scotland 145 The Frenchmen well rewarded by the Scots 145 The French King prepares an Armie of 1200. Ships to inuade and to conquer England and King Richard makes incredible preparations to confront him 146 The French Armie vanisheth and comes to nought 147 The petition of the Nobilitie is denied by the King Wherefore they doe raise an Armie 147 The King cannot get an Armie out of London 148 On the Kings faire promises the Armie is dismissed Hee performes nothing so that a new Armie is leuied and receiued into London 149 The Duke of Ireland flieth is slaine by a Bore and is buried like a King 149 The Kings fiue euill Counsellors and some Iudges are condemned as Traitors 149 Iohn of Gaunts iourney valour and fortunate successe in Spaine 150 The King marieth the French Kings sister and deliuers vp Brest for which his Vncle the Duke of Glocester reproueth him but his death is plotted and hee is murdered 151 The flattering Speaker of the Parliament grosly deifieth the King 151 A strange Commission 152 The King in his vanitie will be stiled Prince of Cheshire 152 The Duke of Norfolke vntruly informeth the King against his cosen Henrie Bollingbroke Duke of Hartford for which hee is challenged to a single combat 153. 154 They are both banished 154 Iohn of Gaunt dieth and his son Henrie Bollingbroke now Duke of Lancaster in the Kings absence in Ireland landeth in England and raiseth an Armie The King returneth and leuieth his forces 155 But his people daily shrinke and steale away from him by meanes whereof he submitteth himselfe to the Duke 155 Articles are proposed against him for his euill gouernment which are by him confessed vnder his hand in the Parliament Hee resigneth his Kingdome and is deposed Henrie of Bollingbroke is crowned King And King Richard valiantly resisting is wickedly murdered 160 King HENRY the Fourth IOHN Bishop of Carlile stoutly reproueth King Henries doing openly in the Parliament house 163 The Crowne is entailed 164 Treason at Oxford 164 The Traitors flie and are executed 165 Owen Glendor rebelleth 166 And taketh Roger Mortimer the rightfull heire apparant to the Crowne prisoner and the King refuseth to ransome him 166 The Scots rebelling are ouerthrowen by Henrie Hotspurre who will not deliuer his prisoners to the King 167. 168 The Frenchmen doe aide the Welsh Rebels in shew but doe flie to their ships when the King commeth 167. 168 The Percies doe ransome Roger Mortimer and ioining with Owen Glendor they intend to make him King 169 They leuie an Armie and doe publish Articles against K. Henry The Scots doe aide them but are all ouerthrowen And in that battaile the King himselfe slew six and thirtie men 1401. 171 Dowglas is enlarged without ransome 171 Glendor is forsaken of his companions and is famished in the woods 172 The Duke of Orleance his challenge is stoutly refused by King Henrie 172 And disgraced 173 The Duke of Britaine is commanded by the French King to abandon the siege of Calice 173 Diuers Lords doe practise a Treason which is discouered and most of them are put to death 173 The King warreth againe prosperously in Scotland 173 Hee was in danger to bee taken on the Thames by French Pirates 174 Sir Ralphe Roksbie Sheriffe of Northumberland valiantly ouerthrew the Northerne Rebels and chopt off their heads before the Kings comming thither 174 He createth his younger sonnes Dukes and prepareth to warre in the Holy Land but falleth dangerously
337 338 339 The King wisely discouers their intentions 339 340 The Mart is remoued to Calice 340 Sir William Stanley is beheaded and Warbeck is discomforted in Kent 342 The Scots vnder pretence to aid him vexe England 343 The Cornish Rebells are ouerthrowne 343 344 And many of them are executed 345 The Scots invade and are wasted 346 The Mart is restored to the Flemings 346 Exeter is besieged and defended valiantly 342 King Henrie commeth to that Citie and giues vnto it his sword 348 The Rebells flie 349 Perkin Warbeck and the yong Earle of Warwick son to George Duke of Clarence the brother of King Edward the Fourth seeking to escape are preuented and beheaded 350 Two mariages with France and Scotland 350 Empson and Dudley doe execute penall lawes 351 The King in his death bed doth repent it and lends mony freely to his Marchants and dieth 359 King HENRY the Eighth HE executeth Empson and Dudley 355 And marieth his brothers wife 355 He sideth with the Pope against France 356 His Father-in-law Ferdinando vseth him ill 357 And trecherously surpriseth the kingdome of Nauarre 357 Edward Howard Lord Admirall is drowned 359 King Henrie hath three armies in France 360 Maximilian the Emperour serueth him in those warres 361 Tyrwin and Tourney are wonne 361 Iames the Fourth King of Scots is slaine in Flodden field 361 362 Peace is concluded with France 364 Cardinall Wolseys deedes and actions from pag. 364. vnto pag. 388. The Clergie feare the Premunire and therefore are liberall 388 The king is acknowledged supreme head of the Church 388 403 He marieth Anne of Bullein 389 And beheadeth her 403 Euill May-day 390 Tournay is deliuered vpon condicions 390 Which by the French were broken 393 The Duke of Buckingham is attainted and executed 392 The King writes a booke against Martin Luther 393 He maketh warres in France 394 395 396 397 Priuie seales being granted are released by Parliament 395 English souldiers doe returne vnlicenced out of France 397 The Emperor the Scots and the French doe craue peace 398 399 The King is in danger to bee drowned 400 He hath warres with the Emperour 401 He curbeth the Popes authority 401 Fisher and Moore doe loose their heads 402 Petit Religious houses are suppressed 403 All the rest are likewise suppressed 407 The holy maid of Kent 402 The Lancashire-men doe rebell 404 The King is passing stout 404 Rebellion by the holy Pilgrimes miraculously appeased 405 An other Rebellion is suppressed 406 Cromwell is aduanced highly 406 But is ouerthrowne by concluding a mariage for the King with Anne of Cleue which the King disliked 408 409 That mariage is pronounced to be void 409 The King marrieth the Lady Katherine Howard 409 And beheaded her 410 He is made King of Ireland 410 The Scots invade and are miserably ouerthrowne 413 A mariage being motioned by the Scots 413 Is concluded but they breake their oathes the match too 415 Scotland is wasted 415 The King sendeth two Armies into France 415 Bullein is wonne 417 The King hath a Beneuolence 417 The Frenchmen are ouerthrown 418 The Scots invade and are vanquished 419 The famous and renowned Earle of Surry is beheaded And the King dyeth THE HISTORIE OF KING WILLIAM THE CONQVEROR AFTER the death of King Edward who was the sonne of Egeldredus and of Goditha his wife Harold her brother and second sonne to the Earle Godwin vsurped this kingdom and caused himselfe to be crowned King the Crowne being formerly giuen by King Edward vnto William the seuenth Duke of the Normans and base sonne to Robert their sixt Duke To whose vse and behoofe Harold had formerly sworne to keepe the same Whereof when Duke William was certainely enformed Hee charged him by his Letters and by Messengers with his promise confirmed by his Oath and required him in friendly sort and without blowes to possesse him of his Crowne But proud Ambition arming him with a Resolution to remaine a King in despight of threats or Fortune made him rather to quoine dishonorable excuses then to giue satisfaction as hee had sworne And for answere to returne That promises and vowes rashly made and by compulsion as his was especially for a Kingdome wherevnto the State had giuen no free consent were not at all to bee regarded And therefore seeing the Dukes Rule and Dominions were as ample and as large elsewhere as Nature and Art had enabled him to manage and to command he wished him to bee contented with his owne and not aduenture to claspe more within his hand then he was well able to hold fast Nor to couet that which hee should not enioy As this answere bred Discontent So rage began to resolue on Armes For the Duke assisted by his Martiall friends leuied a strong Armie and furnished it with all abiliments and necessaries for the Warre with which through the assistance of some natiue Nobles who adhered to his part hee safely landed in Sussex where hauing prouidently sheltred himselfe against all suddaine stormes hee challenged Harold to a single Combat thereby to decide the strife without much bloud But Harold entertained not the Challenge but sent him word That to gaine or keepe a Kingdome it required more blowes then two could giue 14. October 1066. So that within fewe dayes after a fierce and cruell Battaile of the continuance of one whole day without intermission or breathing was fought betwixt them But in the Euening HAROLD being deadly wounded with an Arrow left both his Kingdome and his life And Duke William almost with equall losse of his men became Victor in the field The Saxons Raigne ended And thus ended the Saxons Raigne which from the first yeare of Hengistus in the yeare of our Lord God foure hundred seuentie and fiue vntill the time of this Conquest in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand sixtie and sixe had continued Sauing that now and then it was interrupted by the Danes the space of fiue hundred fourescore and eleuen yeares The Duke hauing thus slaine Harold and gained his Kingdome began to raigne as King And on Christmas day then next following hee was crowned by Aldredus Archbishop of Yorke by the enforced consents of the English Nobles Who with an outward applause but with an inward griefe and sorrow submitted themselues to be his subiects the Kentish men excepted By whom is hee trauailed to possesse himselfe of the strong Castle of Douer he was preuented in his iourney and compassed round about by valiant men of War who carying greene boughs in their hands and resembling a moouing Wood enuironed the King and all his followers ere they were aware therof And protested manfully to die rather then they would by seruile basenesse be depriued of those ancient Lawes and Customes whereby their Countrie was then ruled The King perceiuing his owne danger and their resolution hearkned to their demaunds and not onely granted their requests but for their bold and valorous attempt hee honoured them with
publikely denounced against all such as either by Direction or by Armes or otherwise withstood or hindered the execution of those Lawes or the Authoritie of the Twelue Peeres These new proceedings so much augmented the Kings furie and implacable discontent that euen those things The King is full of indignation which by his naturall disposition hee chiefely delighted in were by him loathed and detested most And to the end that he might procure and purchase more contentment and joy abroad than hee could finde at home hee sayled into France He sayleth into France to visite King Lewis the ninth by whome he was with all gentlenesse and courtesie receiued and lodged in his owne Palace where hee was feasted as a friend and honoured with all accomplements appertaining to a great King And at the same time hee concluded a Marriage betwixt Iohn Duke of Britaine and one of his owne Daughters Normandie surrendred to the Kings of France by King Henrie The French King also held a Grand Parliament of Estate in which he protested publikely That his conscience was much grieued for that vnjustly and without Title hee detained from King Henrie his Duchie of Normandie and such other Territories in France as in right he ought to enioy And on the other side King Henrie intending to conclude an inuiolable Peace with so deare a friend and to remoue from him all future scruples of his conscience in that behalfe frankely and freely surrendred to him the said Duchie King Henrie is made Duke of Guyan together with the Lordships of Angeou Poytiers and Mayne And in the same Parliament with great solemnitie and honour hee receiued againe to himselfe and to his heires the said three Lordships with the style of the Duke of Guyan for which he did his Homage in that Assemblie Discord betweene the Prince and the Duke of Glocester Whilest these things thus proceeded in France a publike Quarrell vpon some secret displeasure conceiued by reason of the execution of those curbing Lawes began to breake forth betwixt Edward the young Prince and the Duke of Gloucester which by the Barons was stoutly suppressed vntill the Kings returne by whome they were not long after reconciled and made friends The King procureth two Bulls from Rome The King being vexed at the heart because his Regall Authoritie was diminished by the Twelue Peeres and not finding anie redresse thereof at home endeauoured to procure some remedie thereof by his friends abroad And for that purpose with the great expence of much Coyne and with rich and costly Gifts hee secretly obtained two Bulls from Pope Alexander the third by both which the King himselfe and all others who had formerly sworne to obserue and to maintaine those new Ordinances and Lawes and to support the Proceedings and the Authoritie of the twelue Peeres were freely absolued from their Oathes Yet the twelue Peeres not hauing anie notice of those Bulls ruled all and were so busily employed about their charge that the King had little or nothing at all to doe They had but small leysure to recreate themselues with anie sports but the King had time ynough to play for hee was a King in name but not in Authoritie nor in Power The Lord chiefe Iustice displaced Among others Sir Hugh le Spencer being then Lord chiefe Iustice of England and an especiall fauourite with the King administred the Lawes of this Realme not according to Equitie and Right but after his owne fancie and will and such was his indiscreete carriage of most things which belonged vnto his Office and to his place that the Twelue Peers farre against the Kings minde remoued him and supplied his roome by Sir Philip Basset a man well learned wise vertuous and discreet They also dismissed such Sherifs and Iustices errants as the King had made and bestowed those offices vpon others Iustices errants and Sherifs displaced The Popes Bulls are published by the King so that the king being vnable any longer to endure those indignities and deepely repining to be euery houre disgraced and crossed by his owne subiects resolued presently to make vse of the Popes Bulls for which purpose he caused them with great solemnitie and reuerence to be proclaimed in sundry eminent places in England Ireland and in Wales and therewithall he commanded straighty That all such of what estate condition He countermandeth the authority of the Twelue Peers The Londoners are sworne to obey and to aide him and degree soeuer they were as did from thenceforth by word or by deede support and maintaine the said Ordinances and Lawes or the authoritie of the said Twelue Peers should be committed to strong prisons and should not be enlarged but by his especiall notice and consent He also took a solemne oath in the Citie of London of all such as were twelue yeeres old or more to be true faithfull and ayding to him and to his heires and did perswade himselfe that by this means he should from thenceforth haue his owne will But he was much deceiued therein for such was the resolution of his Barons to the contrary that they protested they would rather die then cease to vphold all those things which in so honorable an assembly they had solemnly sworn to maintaine And some of them coniecturing The resolution of the Barons and peraduenture not without good cause that the King in priuat contriued som desperat plot The Barons raise an Armie to set himselfe at libertie by their ruine repaired to the Marches of Wales where they raised a strong Armie and furnished it with all things needfull and conuenient for the warre And standing thus vpon their Guard yet resolued to abstaine from all violence Their Letter to the K. except necessitie which obeyeth no King nor laws should vrgently compell them to take a sharper course They addressed their Letters in most submissiue and humble sort and sent them to the King protesting with many oaths their dutie and their seruice to his Grace and entreating his Highnesse for the honour of Almightie God for his owne soules health and for the welfare and happinesse of his people and Kingdome vtterly to defie except his Queene and Children all such as either counsailed him The King makes them no answer or did themselues intend to suppresse the Ordinances and laws which were established at Oxford or the authoritie and the power which for the Common-weales prosperitie was graunted to the Twelue Peeres The King hauing read those Letters was much displeased and returned not any answer to the Barons The Barons march toward London wherfore they maintained a stout march towards London vnder a Banner richly and beautifully flourished with the Kings Armes And as they passed by the houses or possessions of such as fauoured the Popes Bulls they robbed spoyled wasted burnt and consumed them with fire holding them for vndoubted enemies to the King and to his Crowne And when they approached neere to the Citie
Spencers who were more deer to him then his Queen and children How the king loued the two Spencers The two Spencers are banished for euer and all his friends beside and in the end among many other things it was by the whole Parliament enacted That they should bee exiled during their liues and neuer bee licensed by the king to returne againe into England This being thus concluded the Barons who longed to see the two Spencers vnder saile caused certaine Ships to bee prepared in which they were embarked and sent away So that now all men were well pleased except the King whome their absence vexed at the heart The King hateth his Barons and in all things he endeuoured plainely to expresse his hatred and his anger towards the Barons who had enforced him to consent vnto their banishment And to expresse the same more fully he was informed that the younger Spencer had strengthened himselfe with a few good Shippes The younger Spencer becomes a Pyrate and that he lay as a Grand Pyrate coasting vpon the Narrow Seas robbing ransacking and spoyling the Marchants and all Nations who passed by them but especially and chiefely such as were of this Kingdome And although great sute was made vnto the King that a conuenient Fleet might be prepared for his surprizall and that hee might be produced vnto judgement The grieued Lords complain but the King laughs and receiue such punishment as the Lawes of this Kingdome appointed for the cutting off of such a notorious Theefe yet the King smyled and was inwardly glad to heare this newes and turned a deafe eare to their request and was so farre off from prouiding to fetch him in that pardoning all his offences The Spencers are recalled and honored and to despight his Barons hee recalled them both from their Banishment and honoured them with more Dignities Offices and Authoritie than euer he had done before ANNO 13. This thing being thus strangely performed by the King and the daily vnsufferable injuries and insolencie of the two Spencers who skorned and derided the Nobles as being vnable to controll them The Spencers doe skorne and deride the Nobles or to doe them anie harme were sufficient warnings to the Barons to looke vnto themselues and to prouide for their owne safetie before it were too late Wherefore seeing that neither entreatie nor Law could right their wrongs they raysed a strong Armie The Barons doe rayse a strong armie and boldly marched into the field And the King with the two Spencers and some others of the Nobles did the like And after manie sharpe Bickerings and Encounters both their Armies met The King doth the like and fought on either part with such obstinate desire to reuenge that he was supposed to be the most valiant man among them who could and did drench his sword deepest in the most bloud A cruell Battaile The Noblemen now forgat that vndutifully they fought against their Soueraigne Lord and the King would not by anie meanes know that his Tyrannie had compelled them to take Armes Kindred Alliance Countrey Religion Neighbourhood nor anie other respect now preuailed to winne fauour but furie made them trust to their weapons and death stickled the controuersie betwixt them The Barons are ouerthrowne In the end when manie of the Barons and thousands of their adherents were slaine they fled and were pursued by the King who obtaining the victorie neuer ceased the pursuit vntill he had taken the Earles of Lancaster Hereford and manie other Lords of which hee caused two and twentie to loose their heads in sundrie places of this Realme Twentie and two Lords beheaded to the great astonishment of the rest and to the terror of the vulgar sort Thus when this hauock was made of the Nobilitie and when this victorie had puffed vp the two Spencers with intollerable insolencie and pride they made no good vse of their good fortune The two Spencers wax more insolent and proude for the amendment of their liues or better counsailing of the King but as tyrants they now did all in all as they themselues listed and their will was the best law And then presuming that all things should be ordered as they listed they procured the King to holde his high Court of Parliament at Yorke The Prince of Wales created Sir Hugh Spencer the elder made an Earle A great tax in which hee created Edward his eldest sonne Prince of Wales and Duke of Aquitaine He also created Sir Hugh Spencer the Father Earle of Winchester and Sir Andrew Harkley whose extraordinary seruice was a principall meanes of the Barons late ouerthrow Earle of Care-Liele He also exacted the sixt pennie of all Temporall mens goods and moueaables inhabiting in England Wales and in Ireland to defray and to support his intended warres against the Scots The people doe murmur but the leuying therof enforced the common people to grudge and to murmure affirming That they were altogether impouerished by dearth and famine and almost vndone by reason of the disordred gouernment of the King The Scots being secretly informed that King Edward was resolued to inuade their Countrey ANNO 15. The Scots do inuade Ireland The Scots are ouerthrown and to reuenge those indignities and those wrongs which by the incursions and inuasions of Robert le Bruse their vsurping King he had receiued endeuoured to diuert his purpose another way so that they entred into Ireland with a copious Armie But the king who was not ignorant of their determination made such prouision against their landing there that the greater number of those assailants were slaine and the rest being vtterly ouerthrowne were compelled to flie vnto their Ships and shamefully to returne into their owne Countrey The King entereth into Scotland with an Armie The king was now perswaded that scarcely any strength could withstand so great a power as hee had leuied and that the Scots should now be called to a strict account for all their inroades incursions inuasions murthers robberies and spoyles And for the effecting thereof he conducted his Armie into Scotland where the Nobles and the other inhabitants of that land being armed well and being in number many thousands for many daies by continuall preparations made a shew to giue battaile to king Edward when as indeede they meant nothing lesse The Scots do retyre into the Woods Mountaines For when King Edward approached neere vnto them they craftily yet stoutly and strongly retyred manie myles and at length withdrew themselues into the Woods Forests and Mountaines where they soone cloyed wearied and wasted the English forces The English Armie is tyred out partly with the vneasinesse of those passages and partly with such Stormes Tempests Raine Hayle Snow Frosts and other distempered weather as vsually in those places were too bitter and too sharpe The Kings Armie is afflicted And besides all this the want of victuals and other necessaries so
and aged eleuen yeares and somewhat more was crowned king of England in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand three hundred and seuentie seuen In the whole course of his euill Gouernment King Richards euill manners and bad Gouernment he neglected his Nobilitie and taxed his Subjects to enable himselfe to giue prodigally vnto his ill deseruing Fauorites Hee was too too resolute in his follies and refused to bee reproued or reformed He also despised the sage aduice and good directions of his wisest and best Counsellors and wholly plotted all his courses by the wicked and gracelesse projects of his base companions whom hee raised to more honourable Estates then befitted the meanes of their condition So that they fell by their own weight and he himselfe in the end was enforced to endure the extremitie of his hard fortune For being first disgraced by his Cousin Henrie of Bullingbrooke Duke of Lancaster and sonne and heire to his Vncle Iohn of Gaunt hee was at length by him with the general consent of a whole Parliament deposed from his Crowne commited to Prison and afterwardes wickedly murdered as in this discourse of his disordered Gouernment more amply it shall appeare The Frenchmen burne diuers townes in England In the first yeare of king Richards Raigne Charles the French king presuming much on his Minoritie and being aided by the Spaniards landed in the Southwest and in the South-east parts of this kingdome and ransacked and burnt the Townes of Plymouth Dartmouth Portsmouth Rye and some other Townes and Villages coasting vpon the Sea and would haue done more mischiefe if by the kings Vncle Edmund of Langly Earle of Cambridge and by the Earles of Buckingham and of Salisburie they had not beene fought with and beaten to their ships Alexander Ramseyes desperate attempt and successe At the same time also by the instigation of the French king one Alexander Ramsey an approued Scottishman at armes with fortie of his Company in the depth of the night suddenly and desperately scalled the wals of the Castle of Barwicke and finding the Captaine and all his souldiers securely sleeping he tooke it without blowes and intended also to haue surprised the Towne But the inhabitants hearing an extraordinarie noyse and tumult in the Castle and indeuouring to preuent a feared mischiefe hewed away the stayes of the Draw-bridge on the Townes side so that when the Scots did let fall the Draw-bridge the chaines brake and the Bridge fell into the Castle Ditch By meanes whereof the Scots could not issue out but were imprisoned by their owne Victorie This necessitie enforced them as well as they were able to fortifie the Castle which on the kings behalfe was soone besieged and assaulted by tenne thousand men who after many feates of Armes performed brauely by the assailants and after much valor with high courage shewed by that small number of valiant Scots wonne the Castle and receiued not one of them to mercie but onely their Captaine Alexander Ramsey The Frenchmen land in England And not long after the Frenchmen landed againe in England and did much harme at Douer Wynchelsay Hastings and at Grauesend and returned with their booties into France But to preuent like future mischiefes and to reuenge those injuries done to the King and his Realme by the French King ANNO. 3. A Parliamēt This Taxe caused much trouble An Armie sent into France A Parliament was assembled at Westminster In which a Subsidie of foure pence for euery man and for euery woman within this Kingdome being aboue foureteene yeares of age was granted to the King The leuying whereof procured much heart-burning which not long after brake forth and endangered the whole State of the Common-weale Yet with that monie great prouision was made and an armie of eight thousand men was sent into France vnder the command of Thomas of Woodstock the Kings Vncle who passing ouer the faire and great Riuers of Soame Oyse and Marne spoiled and burnt all the Countries and ransomed the inhabitants vntill he came into Brittaine where he was receiued by the Duke Iohn Mountford with all friendly entertainment and much joy And now began a Rebellion in England which was exceeding hazardous to the whole kingdome For Iohn Wall a factious Priest ANNO. 4. perceiuing that the inferior sort of the people much murmured and grudged at the payment of the aforesaid Subsidie A great Rebellion in England Iohn Wal was the beginner of this Rebellion His wicked course in perswading by secret conferences in all places where he came informed the Bondmen Villaines Slaues and such others as were pinched with penury and with want that by descent and parentage from Adam all men were of one condition and of equall worth and that the Lawes of this kingdome were iniurious and vniust which did set so great a difference betwixt men as to make some of them great Peeres Potentates and Lords and in geuing to some others large authority and commaund and in enlarging of great possessions and store of riches vnto some and in commanding others to be base seruile beggars and to enioy litle or nothing at all And therefore with traytrous reasons he perswaded them either by faire meanes or by open insurrection and ciuill warre to prouide for their owne liberties and to releeue their owne wants This lewd and damnable doctrine so infatuated and infected the Rusticks from Shire to Shire that at length it was spread in the Citie of London where the meanest and the basest sort being a multitude who egerly enuyed the prosperitie of the more worthie inhabitants and greedily coueted to be enriched with their substance were in great hope by Rebellious mutening to make vtter hauoke and spoyle of all things at their pleasure And to effect that which they intended such as were most desperatlie inclined among them informed the headlesse multitude in th◠Countries round about them that if they would come thither and ioyne with them the whole Citie of London should be at their command So that incredible numbers of brainsick turbulent and traytrous people prepared to flock thither from Kent Essex Sussex Bedfordshire and from many other places Of this rude and raskall rout Watt Tyler Iohn Wall Iack Straw and Iack Shepheard Captaines in this Rebellion Wat Tylar who by his profession was a Taylor was made Captaine to command the rest and the said Iohn Wall Iack Straw Iack Shepard and some others were made chiefe directors and their leaders And Stiling themselues The Kings men and the seruants of the Common-weale of England they marched towards London beating downe the houses and rifling all the moueables of all such as were professors of the Law How they passed towards London and compelling all Knights and Gentlemen either to flye before their comming or to be partakers in this vprore They also sent vnto the King who then lay in the Tower requiring him to come and to speake with them The King went
sorrow he had not procured a mitigation of his punishment For hee was confined into the I le of Wight where contrarie to the Kings promise hee endured such miserie and was so grieuously oppressed with the griefe which hee sustained by reason of his great wants that he quickly died But the good Duke of Glocester the Kings Vncle being vnsentenced was sent to Callice where according to the Kings directions Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham betwixt two feather-beds caused him to be smothered to death for which good seruice he was afterwards made a Duke This being done the King procured the Vpper and the Lower Houses of Parliament to make an example without precedent by granting full and absolute authoritie vnto six or eight such persons as he should nominate finally to determine all such causes and to enact them as then remained vndiscussed and not ended there This act not only made him proud but to serue his present turnes he nominated for that purpose such as to please his humour decreed manie thinges which were dishonourable to the King and hurtfull to the Common-weale The King will be called Prince of Cheshire The King also to please his Guard who for the most part were Cheshire men of ordinarie parentage and of base birth caused himselfe verie ridiculously to bee stiled Prince of Cheshire as if it had beene more honourable for him to be such a Prince then to be the King and Monarch of the whole Realme And to adde more strength and liking vnto those thinges which then were done amisse the King bestowed manie honorable dignities vpon some of his best liked Noble-men So that his Cousin Henrie of Bullingbrooke sonne and heire apparant to the Kings fourth Vncle Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and who was at that time Earle of Darby was by him created Duk of Hartford his Cousin Edward Plantagenet being Earle of Rutland Creation of Noblemen was created Duke of Aubemarle and Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham was made Marshall of England and Duke of Norfolke and the Earle of Kent was created Duke of Surrie and Sir Iohn Holland his brother being Earle of Huntington was made Duke of Exeter and the Earle of Somerset was created Marquesse Dorset and the Lord Spencer was made Earle of Glocester the Lord Neuil Earle of Westmerland the Lord William Scrope Earle of Wilshire and the Lord Percie was created Earle of Worcester and vpon all these he bestowed many great Lordships Mannors and large reuenewes which of late did belong to his murdred vncle Thomas of Woodstock sometimes Duke of Glocester and vnto the said two deceased Earles of Arundell and of Warwicke He also granted his free pardon to all offendors whatsoeuer A craftie Pardon which inabled the King to much mischiefe fifteene only excepted whom he would not nominate By which vngodly and craftie pollicie hee hedged his Nobilitie â—ound about with continuall feare and made them most seruile and most base For if anie one of them in anie high measure had offended him hee would then pronounce him to bee one of those fifteene who were excepted out of his free and generall pardon and then would put his life vpon triall for supposed and surmised Treason It happned about this time ANNO. 22 that Henrie Bullinbrooke Duke of Hartford and Cousin to the King The Kings Cousin desireth reformation in the King by his friend Tho. Mowbray Duke of Norfolke whom the King did fauour extraordinarily was much grieued daily to heare such slanderous reports as were too commonly noysed of the King partly vpon his too much libertie which beyond the Lawes hee challenged in the course of his Gouernment and partly by reason of his vniust and vnskilfull managing of the weightie affaires and businesses of his Kingdome And though affection by meanes of his neere consanguinitie with the King moued him heartily to wish for and to desire a present reformation of those euills yet could hee not better deuise how hee might effect that which hee so much craued than by making vse of his great familiaritie and acquaintance with Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke who had an extraoâ—dinarie interest in the Kings fauour Wherevpon very priuately and in great secrecie as vnto a most kind and louing friend he imparted the causes of his griefe in that behalfe vnto the said Duke and earnestly entreated him vpon fit opportunitie and at his leasure and as from himselfe seriously to informe the King of the said reports and withall to entreate his Highnesse to extend more grace and more fauour to those Lords who for his honour and the Kingdomes good had both incurred his displeasure and also were with too much extremitie condemned of High Treason But the Duke of Norfolke who more respected his owne preferment than the kings honour and strongly presumed that hee had now gotten fit meanes to advance himselfe by his friends fall related all his sayings to the King A false and an vnfaithfull friend in the rudest and most vnciuill maner which he could deuise and added manie things to his relation which were vntrue and neuer spoken thereby aggrauating an offence which was not committed and incensing the king with high indignation to vow reuenge and punishment when the Duke of Hartfords fidelitie and loyall seruice deserued great thankes and a good reward The King is angrie The Duke of Hartford answereth for himselfe The king was so much vexed and enraged by meanes of these tidinges that nothing could giue him anie contentment in anie thing vntill his Cousin the Duke had made his answere therevnto And being sharply pressed thereunto by the king Such things as in that secret and friendly manner hee had desired might bee reformed he both confessed and iustified But the vntrue suggestions which falsly and malitiously were added he denied The Combat challenged and accepted And to cleare himselfe of them hee challenged the Duke of Norfolke to a single Combate which was by him accepted and consented vnto by the king But when the appointed day was come and the two Dukes were within the Lists readily prepared and aduanced themselues each toward the other for the encounter The King would not permit them to proceed but banished the Duke of Norfolke for euer Banishment who shortly after died at Venice and his Cousin the Duke of Hartford hee exiled for six yeares King Charles the sixt Whereupon Hee sayled into France and was honourably receiued by King Charles the sixth Father to the Queene of England King Richards wife who so effectually iustified him in his said actions and doings and so highly affected his Descent his Personage his Wisdome his Vertues and his right Noble Conditions that he would haue bestowed vpon him in marriage the Daughter of his Vncle the Duke of Berrie if his Sonne-in-law King Richard by extraordinarie sollicitations and by vnusuall meanes had not beene the hinderer thereof Iohn of Gant dieth Not long after this Dukes Banishment his
father Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Vncle to the king died the descent of which Dutchie would haue made the said Duke a potent Prince But the king refreshing his humours with new practises of secret reuenge and that hee might keepe him lowe vniustly seized vpon all the Lordships The King wrongeth Henrie the new Duke of Lancaster and Possessions belonging to that Dutchie and vpon all the moueables of his said deceased Vncle and shared and distributed them among his Sycophants and wicked Counsellours Which tyrannous and wrongful dealing so much displeased his vncle the Duke of Yorke and his cousin the Duke of Aumarle Edmund of Langley and Edward his sonne More wicked Counsellors to the King Scrope Bushe Bagâ—t Greeâ—e The King farmeth his Kingâ—â—me and sayleth into Ireland The Iourney câ—st h m â—â—s Crowne and his life ANNO 23 The Duke of Lancasâ—â—r landeth in England His companies encrease to a strong Armie He is râ—ceiued iâ—to Loâ—â—â—â— He 〈◊〉 into the Wâ—â—â— King Riâ—â—â—â— returâ—â—â—â— He 〈…〉 Three of the w â—ked Counsellors wâ—re bâ—â—eaded The Kings 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 to the Dukâ— that presently they left the Kings Court and retyred themselues to their owne houses At this time King Richard was wholly mis-led and lewdly directed in all his doings and negotiations by his principall fauourites Sir William Scrope Earle of Wilshire Sir Iohn Bushe Sir Iames Bagot and Sir Henrie Greene by whose aduice without the consent of his priuie Counsellors of Estate he leuied a strong Armie farmed to them for certaine yeares his whole Kingdome and all his Reuenues belonging thereunto and sayled into Ireland where hee behaued himselfe so valiantly that hee subdued that rebelling Nation and by his seueritie he compelled them to be willing to obey But in his absence his banished cousin Henrie of Bullingbroke Duke of Hartford and of Lancaster together with his old friend and exiled companion Thomas Archbishop of Canterburie returned into England to make clayme to his Duchie of Lancaâ—ter His first landing was in the North where such was the singular loue and the great affection of the Noblemen and of the common sort of people towards him partly in regard of his noblenesse and vertues and partly in regard of the Kings disordered courses in his gouernment that they all with extraordinarie chearefulnesse and alacritie flocked vnto him well armed and in great troupes So that within few dayes his companies were encreased to a strong Armie with which hee marched peaceably and in good order vnto London and was receiued entertained and feasted there with much honour and great joy And from thence he went into the Westerne parts of this Kingdome the people in all places where hee came being heartily gladded with much contentment with his doings But in the meane time King Richard who was returned and had quickly leuied great forces which hee conducted against the Duke perceiuing that euerie day his subjects fled from him and voluntarily offered their seruice to the Duke and being certainely informed that Sir William Scrope Earle of Wilshire Sir Iohn Bushe and Sir Henrie Greene three of his wicked Counsellors and vpon whome he most of all relyed were taken and had lost their heads despairing of anie safetie to be gained by force and violence of his owne accord hee came vnto his cousin the Duke of Lancaster confessed publikely his owne insufficiencie and weakenesse to rule and to gouerne well praysed the Dukes rare and singular vertues and his absolute worthinesse to be a King and proffered to make him an absolute Surrender of his whole Kingdome if hee would accept thereof A faint refusall But the Duke though hee much affected the wearing of a Crowne yet because hee hoped that the fauour of the Nobilitie Gentrie and of the common People would freely cast that burthen and Dignitie vpon him with greater safetie and assurance of continuance refused to accept thereof and protesting with manie pleasing speeches That he onely desired to enioy his owne Patrimonie and to reforme such things as were amisse hee caused the King with verie honourable and respectiue attendance to be guarded to the Tower of London The King is sent to the Tower and then hee assembled a Parliament in which among sundrie other things were publikely proposed these ensuing Articles concerning the euill Gouernment of the King The Duke summoneth a Parliament Articles proposed in Parliament against the King 1. INprimis That hee would not permit the said Duke of Hartford who was so much wronged for his good aduice and counsell touching the Kings Gouernment to fight the Combate against the falsely accusing Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke and yet banished him vniustly for six yeares 2. Item That albeit vnder the Great Seale of his Kingdome he had licenced the said Duke of Hartford at his departure out of England to make his Atturney to proceed for him in his causes of Law yet hee being gone the King would not permit anie man to deale for him in his absence 3. Item That verie vncharitably he prohibited all his Nobilitie and all others to be sutors vnto him for the said Duke of Hartfords returne from his vniust banishment vpon the forfeiture of their liues and goods 4. Item That after the death of Iohn of Gaunt the Kings vncle father to the said Duke and Duke of Lancaster hee had wrongfully seized into his hands all his moueables whatsoeuer and had diuided and shared them among his gracelesse and wicked Counsellors and had also by like iniustice seized all the possessions of the said Duchie of Lancaster which rightfully did belong to the said Duke of Hartford into his owne hands and kept the profits thereof to his owne vse 5. Item that colourably as a good friend to Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterburie who was falsly accused of high treason to the King as he sat next to him in the higher house of Parliament hee persuaded the said Archbishop to make no answer at all in defence of the said accusation nor repaire anie more to the same house protesting that neither the said accusation nor his silence nor his absence should be hurtfull or preiudiciall vnto him and yet banished him out of the Realme not hauing examined the said surmised treason 6. Item that whereas his Chancellour had refused in an vniust matter to grant a prohibition vnder the great Seale of England the King himselfe to peruert the due course of Iustice and of right granted the said prohibition vnder his priuie seale and straitly required that it should be executed and obeyed 7. Item that most vnnaturally and cruelly hee had procured Thomas Mowbray to smother to death betwixt two fetherbeds the Kings most noble and most renowned vncle Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester when wrongfully and without anie good cause hee was a prisoner at Callice and afterwards dignified the said murderer first with the Earldome of Nottingham then with the Office of the Marshall generall of England and last of all
sonne and heire vnto Iohn of Gaunt the yonger brother of the said Lionel was elected and crowned king And forthwith hee created his eldest sonne Henrie Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester and summoned his High Court of Parliament in which an order was prescribed and set downe for the safe keeping and for the honourable attendance and maintaining of Richard the late king But his deposing imprisonment and all the former proceedings which were had against him Iohn Bishop of Carleyl condemneth the former proceedings against King Richard were in the same Assembly publikely condemned and reprooued by Iohn Bishop of Carlile as hatefull vnto God trayterous towardes the wronged king and infamous among good men For he auerred boldly That if he were not a good king yet more iniurie was done vnto him then ordinarily is done to Murderers and to Theeues because they are not as he was condemned before they had made their answere to the obiected crime before Iudges which were indifferent The Bishop of Carleyl is attached and pronounced their iudgement vpon good proofe But assoone as hee had ended his speech he was attached by the Earle Marshal and committed to strait Prison in the Abbey of Saint Albons And then among manie other things in the same Parlament done the Crowne of England was entailed to King Henrie The Crowne is Entayled and to his heires for euer Treason plotted to be acted at Oxford Assoone as this Parliament was ended such of the greatest Lords as made the fairest shew of publike applause and ioy for the High dignitie which King Henrie did possesse conspired by Treason to take away his life at a solemne Iusts to be holden in the Citie of Oxford whereunto the King was inuited and promised to bee present because hee conceiued that the same Triumph was so appointed for his honour and for his delight This Treacherie was cunningly plotted and contriued by the Conspirators who by Indentures vnder their handes and seales had bound themselues each vnto other both for secrecie and also for the resolute effecting and performing thereof all which they solemnly confirmed by their Oathes The confederates The Confederates in this Treason were the Kings Cousin German Edward Plantagenet Duke of Aumarle sonne and heire apparant to Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke Thomas Holland Duke of Surrie and Iohn Holland his brother Duke of Exeter both which were halfe brothers to King Richard Iohn Montague Earle of Salisburie Hugh Spencer Earle of Glocester Sir Thomas Blunt and one Magdalen who was sometimes a Chamber-wayter to the deposed King and both in stature and in countenance and in his behauiour was not much vnlike him All these Conspirators the Duke of Aumarle onely excepted met at Oxford at the appointed time being strongly guarded and honourably attended The Treason was strangely discouered by lustie Archers and other valiant men But the absence of the said Duke was by his Associates wondred at for which their was good cause For as hee sate at Table with the Duke his Father one Labell of a part of the said Indentures appeared at his bosome by which the olde Duke drew forth the whole writing And hauing read the same hee caused his Horse to bee made readie because hee intended with all poasting speed to make this newes knowne vnto the King But his guiltie The Duke of Aumarle confesseth all to the King and perplexed Sonne perceiuing that his Father would reueale this secret and knowing that now the least delay might extraordinarily hasten his danger being brauely mounted with all celeritie he out-rode his Father and came to Windsor Castle to the King who was preparing for his said iournie and without anie tedious discourse or lingring ceremonies He is pardoned hee reuealed to his Maiestie the whole conspired Treason and freely obtained his owne pardon It now behoued the King to change his course and so hee did For presently he rode to the Tower of London The King raiseth an armie where he tooke a present and a perfit view of all such thinges as were behoofefull and necessarie to an Armie And then he leuied a strong power purposing to defend himselfe and to surprise those grand Traytours if he might But when the Conspirators were informed that all their Plot and Treason was reuealed Magdalen was King Richards counterfeit They caused the said Magdalen to bee attired in Royall Robes and to faine and affirme himselfe to bee King Richard And with him and all their Troupes which were verie warlike and strong they marched towardes London resoluing to oppose themselues in the field against the king But king Henrie knowing that those Lords both in bloud and for their power The King marcheth towards the Traytors were more then ordinarily great was not ignorant that his best meanes to represse and vanquish them consisted in the quickest expedition and dispatch which hee could make Wherefore with a bold and with a kingly courage hee marched speedily towardes them with twentie thousand wel-armed men The newes of the kings approach being voiced among the companies which were conducted by the conspiratours so perplexed The Traiterous Lords are left by their companions and so amazed them that verie cowardly they ranne away and left those Lords comfortlesse and destitute of all aide So that the most of them were apprehended and not long after were put to death in sundrie places of this kingdome The Lords flâ—e and are taken and executed and the rest being surcharged and ouer-burdned with feare and sorrow not long after dyed Thus was king Henrie happily deliuered from this danger And lest the like Treason for king Richards sake might at an other time bee attempted against his person he caused him to bee murdered in the Castle of Pomfret Charles the sixt resolueth to releue his Sonne in-law King Richard as in the end of the discourse describing his Raigne and Historie more particularly it doth appeare When the French King Charles the sixt Father-in-law to king Richard was truely informed what had beene done in England hee was much grieued at the vnsufferable wrongs which were done vnto him and did intend as a faithful friend in his extremities to relieue his lamentable Estate and to be pittied miseries And for that purpose hee sent his letters of defiance to king Henrie and brought an Armie Royal into Piccardie with which he resolued to make sharp Warre within this Realme He desisteth when he heareth of King Richards death A French Armie An English Armie But when hee certainly knew that the poore distressed and afflicted King was dead and that it was too late to doe him anie good hee dissolued his Armie and proceeded no further in that businesse Yet to reuenge those wrongs hee was verie hopefull to surprise manie Townes Cities and Castles in Aquitaine and in Guyan And to effect the same not long after hee leuied other Forces encreasing them to a great
the Prince returned to the King The King in danger to be taken on the Thames by French Pirates The Lord of Camoys in trouble cleareth himselfe ANNO. 9. A valiant Sheriffe And now it chanced that as king Henrie passed ouer the Riuer of Thames from Kent into Essex vnder the conduct of the Lord of Camois hee was almost taken by the French Pirats for which cause the said Lord was suspected and attached as a Traitour and receiued his due triall by his Peeres but was clearely acquited of that offence and receiued into fauour In the ninth yeare of this kings Raigne the Earle of Nothumberland and the Lord Bardolfe animating the Scots to a new war entred with them into Northumberland and did much mischiefe whereupon king Henrie leuied a strong armie and by great iournies trauailed to encounter them But before his comming forth they were fought with and ouerthrowne by Sir Ralph Rokesby then Shirif of that Countie who tooke the said Lords and manie others and smote off their heads and sent them for presents to the king ANNO. 11 Thomas is made Duke of Clarence Iohn Duke of Bedford Humphrie Duke of Glocester The King prepareth to Warre in the Holy land The King falleth â—kâ— His Crowne is placed on his Pillow In the eleuenth yeare of his raigne he assembled his high Court of Parliament in which he created his three yonger sonnes Thomas Duke of Clarence Iohn Duke of Bedford and Humfrey Duke of Glocester and enacted manie Lawes which were helpefull and profitable to this Common-weale And from that time forth vntill hee died hee enioyed a happie peace and rested from all hostilitie and warres both at home and abroad And to expresse his thankfulnesse to God for all his goodnesse and great bountie towards him hee made great and costly preparations of men monie victuals and armour and shippes and all other thinges requisite and needfull and purposed to haue waged warres with the Turkes in the Holy-land But whilest he busily imploied himselfe in those affaires hee was attached by a deadly apoplexie and being neere vnto his last end hee caused his Crowne to be placed by him vpon his pillow least peraduenture in his extremitie of sicknesse it might bee deliuered to some other who had better right thereto then hee had But when his attendants verily supposed that he was dead the yong Prince of Wales seized vpon his Crowne Whereat the king started vp The Prince seized on the Crowne The Kings speech to the Prince and raysing himselfe vpon his armes he demanded who it was that had taken away his Crowne The Prince answered that it was he and then he fell backe into his bed and fetching a deepe sigh and sending forth manie pensiue groanes My sonne quoth he my sonne what right I had vnto this Crowne and how I haue enjoyed it God knoweth and the World hath seene Comfort your selfe in God good Father said the Prince The Crowne you haue and if you die The Prince has answere The King dieth I will haue it and keepe it with my sword as you haue done And within a short time after king Henrie died in the six and fortieth yeare of his age when he had raigned almost fourteene yeares And his bodie was carried to Canterburie where with all Princely and due requisites it was buried THE HISTORIE OF KING HENRIE THE FIFTH IT is well knowne That King Henrie the fifth whilest he was but a Prince associated to himselfe diuers vnthriftie and lewd companions A wilde Prince but a wise King by whose instigation among manie other vnworthie passages in his fathers dayes hee smote the Lord chiefe Iustice of England in the face for which offence he was imprisoned and dismissed of the Presidentship of the kings Councell and to his great griefe and disgrace was succeeded therein by Thomas Duke of Clarence his younger brother But when hee was crowned king hee disposed himselfe into a new course qualifying his behauiour with such heroicall vertues as might beseeme both his Person and his Honour He banisheth his loose companions and banished from his Court his loose and base consorts after he had enabled them to liue by such gifts as were proportionable to their callings He also elected for his Councell and into places of Iustice and publike Gouernment such as were wise discreet His good choice of good Gouernors He reformeth the Clergie He ruleth the Laitie learned and temperate well able to rule themselues and to command others He painefully laboured to reforme Pride Couetousnesse and such other grosse abuses as were crept into the Church among the Clergie and enjoined them strictly to frequent Praier Preaching to Hospitalitie and to the sincere seruing of Almightie GOD. And by the administration of his Lawes with moderate seueritie hee made the Laitie tractable in the performance of their duties And to settle his Estate in peace and in tranquilitie at home so that neyther the Scots nor the Welchmen should molest him when hee was busied in his Warres abroad hee erected diuers Castles He erecteth Castles in the frontiers of Scotland and of Wales Bulwarkes and other Fortifications vpon their frontiers and so disposed of them that with manie thousands of able men and skilfull Captaines to command them he was still readie and powerfull with great violence and force to suppresse and qualifie such rebellious Insurrections as they might make King Richards bodie remoued to Westminster In the first yeare of his Raigne with great pompe and solemnitie hee brought the bodie of King Richard the second from Langley vnto Westminster and buried it by Queene Anne his first wife 2. 1413. A motion in Parliament to suppresse Religious Houses In the second yeare hee held his High Court of Parliament at Leicester in which hee was importunately petitioned to suppresse the Religious Houses of this Kingdome because they being ill vsed were made the Nurseries of Idlenesse Gluttonie Lecherie and of Pride and were the Cages of vncleane birds The Reuenewes which belonged to those Houses were proportioned to yeeld vnto the Kings Cossers the annuall Rent of twentie thousand pounds and would also for the encrease of the Kings power and strength maintaine fifteene Earles fifteene hundred Knights and more than six thousand men at Armes besides a great number of Almes-houses for the poores reliefe The Clergies policie to quench this fire To diuert this streame into another Channell the fat Abbots Priors idle Monkes wanton Friers and the puling Nunnes procured Henrie Chichley then Archbishop of Canterburie in a verie learned and excellent Oration to discouer to the King his Right and his Title to the Crowne of France The Kings title to the Crowne of France set abroach to refresh him with confident hopes of good successe to direct him into a course answerable to his hopes and in the Clergies behalfe and for the furtherance of those Warres to offer vnto the King an incredible masse of money
their Prince And in Februarie following the Queene was crowned at Westminster 9 1420. The Duke of Clarence is betrayed by his friend and is slaine with great solemnitie and much honour The noble and the valiant Duke of Clarence being aduertised That the Duke of Alanson entitling himselfe the Lieutenant Generall of the Dolphin with diuers other Noblemen had leuied an Armie assembled the greatest part of his garrisons in Normandie and marched strongly into the Prouince of Angeou and pitched not farre off from the Citie of Angiers and spoyled and burnt the Countrey round about it To performe this Enterprise with honour and with safetie the Duke of Clarence had strengthened himselfe with sufficient Forces and Prouisions if they had beene well and wisely ordered But hauing in his Armie a false and a trayterous Lombard named Andrew Forgusa Andrew Forgusa whome hee too too much loued and trusted hee sent the said Lombard to discouer the preparations and the power with which hee was resolued to encounter Who brought him word That their number was but small their prouisions defectiue and their order orderlesse and that the Duke of Alanson was altogether vnable and too too weake to contend with him The Duke of Clarence firmely and strongly relying vpon the faith and the trust which hee reposed in this Traytor and being desirous with a small number to winne the honour of that day marched forward with his horsemen onely leauing behinde him his lustie and his strong Archers But when hee was entred within the secret ambushments which purposely were placed to distresse him and saw that his enemies were in number foure for one and were well prouided well armed and arranged in good order of battaile The battaile of Blangy and that no militarie discipline or art was wanting and that himselfe was villanously abused and betrayed by the Lombard whome hee trusted hee could not flye nor make any safe retreat but was enforced to aduenture his fortunes with too much inequalitie on his part So the fight began And though it was long maintained by the Englishmen with as much constancie and resolute valour as any men liuing could performe yet they being euerie minute oppressed with new supplyes and multitudes which still came rushing in vpon them tyring oppressing spoyling and hauocking of them wastfully on euerie side they were at length ouer-mastred and ouerthrowne The Englishmen slain and taken prisoners In this Battaile there were slaine on the French part more than twelue hundred of their choysest men and of the English there were slaine the braue Duke of Clarence the Earle of Tankeruyle Sir Gilbert Vmfreuyle Earle of Kent a prudent man and a worthie Commander the Lord Rosse and almost two thousand others And there were taken prisoners the Earles of Somerset Suffolke and Perch the Lord Fitz-water and manie others Sir Thomas Beauford surnamed the bastard of Clarence who had the direction of the Archers which were left behinde being informed but all too late that the Duke of Clarence was betrayed and that the numbers of the Frenchmen and their Power did farre exceede the Lombards report and that the English were distressed with incredible speede marched forth to succour them with his best helpes But the Frenchmen perceiuing his approach and contenting themselues with the honour of the day and with their prisoners as they had taken with posting haste and speede fled and ranne away as fast as they were able Cowardly Frenchmen leauing the new Forces of the Englishmen to performe sad Exequies for their slaine friends the bodies of whome they buried But the Duke of Clarence was carried into England and honourably interred at Canterburie by his father King Henrie the fourth The heauie newes of this vnexpected ouerthrow The Earle of Mortaigne succeedeth the Duke of Clarence and especially the death of the Duke of Clarence occasioned by the aforesaid Treacherie and Treason much grieued the King his brother Who purposing to reuenge himselfe if hee might vpon the Duke of Alanson and the late Dolphin and his adherents sent into Normandie the Earle of Mortaigne brother to the late taken Earle of Somerset and gaue to him the same Authoritie and Place which the Duke of Clarence formerly had He also assembled his High Court of Parliament In which hee substantially discouered in what sort the Estate of both his Kingdomes stood and how conuenient nay how necessarie and how needfull it was that the Dolphin and his adherents should speedily be pursued Hee likewise told them That hee wanted neyther Men Munition nor Courage but that Money was too scarce with him to vndertake that businesse Whereupon the Temporaltie with all chearefulnesse and alacritie gaue vnto him one Fifteene and the Clergie gaue him two And because much time would be spent before it could be leuied therefore the Kings vncle the Bishop of Winchester disbursed vnto him in readie coyne twentie thousand pounds which hee receiued againe out of the said Fifteenes The King hauing leuied a gallant Armie Iohn Duke of Bedford carrieth an army into France which consisted of foure thousand men at Armes and of foure and twentie thousand Archers sent and with all speede prosperously landed them at his owne Towne of Callis vnder the commaund of his worthie brother Iohn Duke of Bedford whome himselfe in his owne person followed The King followeth And vnderstanding that the Dolphin with seuen thousand men had besieged and much distressed the Citie of Chartieres which was valiantly defended by the Bastard of Thyan hee marched swiftly vnto Paris and from thence toward his Enemies and in his journey he was met by his heartie and true friend Philip Duke of Burgoine He meeteth his friend Philip Duke of Burgoine and Earle of Flanders who brought vnto him foure thousand men and diligently attended him in that Negotiation and Seruice The Dolphin raysed his siege The King was now informed That the Dolphin distrusting his owne strength had raysed his Siege and was retyred vnto Tours into Towrayne Wherefore to represse the rage and violence of Sir Iaques Harcourt who wasted the Countrey of Picardie hee sent the Duke of Burgoine thither And with other Forces hee caused the young and couragious Iames Iames the King of Scots winneth Direx the King of the Scots to lay siege vnto the Towne of Direx which he performed accordingly and dayly with such violence and valour so assaulted it for the space of sixe weekes that with mayne strength hee compelled it to be yeelded into his hands to King Henries vse The Dolphin flyeth from place to place And whilest this Siege did thus continue the King himselfe passed ouer the Riuer of Loyer intending to haue encountred with the Dolphin But hee distrusting his owne strength fled from Tours vnto Burgys in Berrye and there expected a change of his frowning fortunes The King perceiuing his flight from place to place to bee so quicke and hastie hee thought it not conuenient to
the Duke of Yorke what the Duke of Somerset had done whereat he was so highly displeased The Duke of Yorke maliceth the Duke of Somerset that he neuer ceased priuatly and openly to practise vntill the said Duke of Somerset deseruedly had lost his head For this insupportable and vnfortunate losse of the Dutchie of Normandie the Queene and the Duke of Suffolke were first secretly blamed by the whispering common people of this kingdome who afterwards by open slanders and with publike reprochfull speeches exclaimed and accused the said Duke of many notable trecheries and grosse treasons 1450. which chiefly consisted of these particulars Treasons obiected against the Duke of SVFFOLKE FIrst That by his wicked and vngodly meanes the Duke of Glocester was depriued both of his Protectorship and of his life 2 Item that by his appointment such Counsellors of State were placed about the King and Queene as aduised all things for their gaine and not for the profit of the Common-weale 3 Item that the Queene and the said Duke ruled the whole kingdome as they listed so that by reason thereof all things succeeded ill and hurtfull to this kingdome 4 Item that the said Duke was the meanes and occasion that the Kings right to Aquitanie and Guyan were yeelded vp which weakned and at length lost all the Duchies of Aquitanie and of Normandie 5 Item that he had maried his sonne Iohn to the Lady Margaret sole daughter and generall heire to Iohn Duke of Somerset and had reported that she was the next heire to the Crowne of England if King Henry hapned to die without issue 6 Jtem that he had perswaded the Earle of Dumoys and other great Lords and Officers of France to transport an Armie into this Realme to destroy the King and consequently to make his said sonne Iohn successor to this Crown and kingdome 7 Item that he procured the Duke of Orleance to be set at libertie for a ransome contrary to the commandement and the last Will and Testament of King Henry the fifth by whose means after wards the affaires of France were made more powerfull and fortunate then formerly they had been and King Henries forces were daily enfeebled and made more weake thereby in those Countries 8 Item that he had counselled the said Duke before his departure out of England to perswade the French King to augment and to increase his armie and to make sharper warres both in Normandie and in France against King Henry who so did by which meanes the King lost all his possessions in those Countries 9 Item that assoone as he came Ambassador into France he secretly informed King Charles of the chiefe points of his Commission and instructions by meanes whereof he grew obstinate and refused to conclude any peace 10 Item that the said Duke at his last being in France reuealed to the French king the weaknesse of King Henries prouisions to withstand him by meanes wherof the Frenchmen became more bold and hardie in those warres 11 Item that boastingly and foolishly he had reported in the presence of many noble and honourable personages that he had as high a place in the Counsell house of France as bee had in England and that by reason of his especiall interest in the French Kings loue hee could dispossesse the neerest and the greatest of the French Kings Counsellours if hee were disposed so to doe 12 Item that when men money and munitions were in a readinesse to be transported into France to aide and to assist King Henries forces there the said Duke being wickedly corrupted and being a secret friend to the kings enemies caused them to be kept at home by meanes whereof the kings armies in those Countries wanting due and necessary supplies were vanquished both in Normandie and in France 13 And lastly that by meanes of his great fauour with the Queene he had deceitfully and fraudulently enriched himselfe with the kings lands and treasures and had procured to himselfe a monopolie of all the greatest offices for his owne gaine These and many more foule and treasonable Articles were in full Parliament publikely obiected against him and laid vnto his charge all which hee faintly denied but could scarce cleare himselfe of one of them The Queens pollicie to helpe the Duke of Suffolke The Queene to preuent the Duke of Suffolkes further perill and danger because she entirely loued him caused him to be committed to the Tower where hee had libertie at his owne will and then concluding the Parliament vpon a sudden shee not onely enlarged him but restored him into high fauour with the King so that he proudly ietted and swaggered as formerly he had done The Commons are displeased A rebellion but appeased The common people repined much thereat and spake scandalously and reprochfully of the Queene and of her gouernment and some of them wickedly rebelled making a turbulent mate nick-named Blew-beard their chiefest Captaine But this insurrection was quickly nipped in the budde their ring-leaders were put to death and the rest of them receiued friendly admonition and the Kings gratious pardon The King and Queene intending to reconcile all discords and to giue some better contentment to the Commons held a Parliament at Leicester The Parliaments request But their purpose failed them for the lower house instantly importuned the King that iustice might be done vpon the Duke of Suffolke and also vpon his associating Conspirators Iames Fynes Lord Say and Lord Treasurer of England Iohn Bishop of Salisburie and vpon some others The King to pacifie this broile and to weaken their importunitie by doing of something wherewith hee thought hee should please them exiled the said Duke for fiue yeares The Duke is exiled He is taken at Sea and beheaded But as he sailed towards France he was taken by an English man of warre who landed him vpon Douer Sands and chopt off his head on a boats side And thus was the guiltlesse bloud of Humfrey the good Duke of Glocester in some measure reuenged and the rest of those delinquents were sequestred from their Offices and imprisoned by the King The Duke of Yorke intendeth to claime the Crowne His practises to further it Whilest these things were thus in handling the Duke of Yorke albeit resiant in Ireland sollicited and procured his allies friends in England by some secret plottings pretending some other ends to set on foot his claime and title to the Crowne hee being lineally descended from Philip the daughter and heire of George Duke of Clarence who was the elder brother of Iohn of Gaunt great grandfather to King Henry the sixth And first of all it was whispered priuately reported that the Kings wits were weake the Queens heart ambitious the Kings Counsellors of State not wise enough to rule and that all France Normandie and Aquitaine were lost because God blessed not the vsurped succession of King Henry Vpon these speeches too too commonly diuulged A Rebellion in Kent Iacke Cade
right and title to that Crowne and Kingdome The King and his Counsell thereupon quickly resolued to vndertake that businesse principally for these reasons 1. First because the Crowne of France was not ambitiously but iustly desired by the King who thought hee had good right and title thereunto 2. Secondly because French warres enriched English souldiers 3. Thirdly because those warres kept them at home and gaue them not any libertie to inuade this Realme 4. Fourthly because the French King had assisted Queene Margaret the Earle of Warwicke and their Complices against King Edward in the late Ciuill Warres 5. And fifthly because the said French King made warres vpon the Duke of Burgoine who had formerly aided King Edward for the regaining of his Crowne and Kingdome A beneuolence craued by King Edward But because money wanted for the defraying of so great a charge King Edward without a Parliament craued a beneuolence to be freely enlarged to him by his Subiects who gaue him some money but with an euill will Yet among others a rich yet a sparing and a nigardly widow did cheerefully giue vnto him twentie pounds A mery iest The King himselfe who was present but to her vnknowen perceiuing that vnexpectedly shee had bestowed vpon him so good a summe did not only giue her thankes but merily came and kissed her telling her that for her money shee should kisse a King The old woman was so much gladded with that courtesie that shee told the King his kisse was worth more money and therefore she added twentie pounds more to the former summe The King hauing in a readinesse before Douer a Fleet of fiue hundred ships and boats and hauing a puissant and a compleat Armie of fifteene hundred men at Armes on horsebacke The King transporteth an Armie for France and fifteene thousand tall Archers besides all such as attended for other needfull seruices departed from England and landed safely at Calice where hee was receiued with great honour and state But he was much greeued because the Duke of Burgoine vpon whose motion and at whose entreatie and promise to be met by him at Calice with two thousand men at Armes The Duke of Burgoine breaketh promise and aids him not hee came thither trifled with his whole Armie in the siege of Nuyce which he was not likely to winne and at length after much time spent in vaine had sent all his forces to Berroys in Lorrayne to be reuenged vpon Reyner Queene Margarets father Duke of that Prouince for that hee had vsed foule and vnseemely words towards him when he lay at the siege of Nuyce whereas if the said Duke of Burgoine had ioined with King Edward against the French King and with the Duke of Britaine who sided with King Edward they would haue put into hazard of winning the whole kingdome of France Yet King Edward with his owne Companies marched by Bollen to Perone into the Duke of Burgoines Countrey He breakes his promise againe where the said Duke had not made any manner of prouision for the refreshing of the English Armie according to his promise but suffred them to lie without his Townes in the cold and in the open fields whereat they were all displeased From thence king Edward with the said Duke marched towards S. Quintens which was secretly promised to be deliuered to him by Lewys of Luxenburgh Hee was Earle of S. Paul and Constable of France The King is kept out of S. Quintens great Vncle to king Edwards wife But when they came before it their entrie was not only denied but sallies were made vpon them and the great Ordinance plaied from the Towne vpon the kings Armie so that plainly he perceiued that nothing was to be obtained there without blowes To these breaches of promise was added one vnkindnesse more by the Duke of Burgoine who to visit his Armie A peace is concluded for nine yeares which then lay in Berroys in Lorrayne vnexpectedly left king Edward and rode thither leauing word behinde that hee would come vnto him with his whole Armie as soone as he should be able The French king being politicke and wise and knowing that if all those his enemies should ioine their strengths against him they would put him in hazard of his estate and being informed that king Edward was highly discontented by reason of the Duke of Burgoines vnfaithfull vsage and knowing that he beganne to feele the extremities of a winter warre mediated a friendly conference and a firme peace which by their Commissioners was effected for nine yeares in this sort The Articles of peace FIrst it was agreed that the French King should forthwith pay to King Edward towards his forepassed charges threescore and fifteene thousand Crownes and also the summe of fiftie thousand more for an yearly pension so long as King Edward liued 2. Secondly that the French King within one yeare should send for the King of Englands daughter the Ladie Elizabeth into France and marie her to the Dolphin for whose maintenance the French King should for nine years space pay yearly to them fiftie thousand Crownes and at the end of those yeares should deliuer to them the quiet and peaceable possession of the whole Duchie of Guyen 3. And thirdly that the Lord Haward and Sir Iohn Cheney master of the Horses should staie as hostages with the French King vntill the whole Armie had quited France and were landed in the Kingdome of England Reasons mouing King Edward to conclude this peace To these propositions King Edward and his Counsell consented for these reasons 1. First as the Duke of Burgoines promises were seldome or neuer honestly performed so with the King whom hee had drawen into those Countries and into those warres hee did but gloze and faine 2. Secondly because the Earle of S. Paul Constable of France did but dissemble when hee protested to deliuer to King Edward the Towne of S. Quintens which he did not but offered violence to his Armie in stead thereof 3. Thirdly because the winter which approched sharply would haue enforced him for that time to haue returned dishonourably into England 4. And last of all because the late Ciuill Warres had consumed most of his best souldiers and chiefest Leaders and the greatest part of his treasure so that King Edward was hardly able to maintaine a great Armie any long time But the Duke of Glocester and his friends who mortally hated the French King striued much to disswade King Edward from these conclusions but all in vaine for those Articles were scaled and published the money was paid both the Kings in a familiar and kinde enteruiew by their solemne oathes had sworne to obserue and keepe them and hostage were deliuered accordingly It is to be noted The Duke of Burgoine stormeth at this peace that within this peace the Dukes of Burgoine and of Britaine were included if they would consent thereunto But when this newes was told to the Duke of
tearmes excused his not comming by reason of his indisposition to trauell occasioned by the infirmitie of his weake bodie The King who could skilfully cast his water perceiued that he was not sicke in bodie but in minde towards him wherefore by letters and sharpe threatnings hee peremptorily commanded and required him to come But the Duke rather desiring to haue a publike enemie then a dissembling friend boldly returned him this answere that hee reputed him to bee a monster a tyrant a murderer his enemie and an vnlawfull King and therefore that he would not come vnto him Armies are raised And knowing that his life was neere ended except he could maintaine what hee had said by strength of armes in open field hee went hastily into Wales and raised a powerfull Armie and in Deuonshire and in Cornwall Sir Edward Courtney and Peter Courtney his brother being Bishop of Exeter did the like So did Sir Richard Guilford and some other Gentlemen in Kent And Thomas Grey Marquesse Dorset who forsaking the Sanctuarie rode into Yorkshire leuied there much people Wherefore King Richard to support his owne estate and to preserue his life and to vanquish his stout and bold enemies raised another Armie These preparations being thus made King Richard marched against the Duke because he accounted him to be the head of this conspiracie and did perswade himselfe that hee should bee quited of all feare if hee could vanquish him before he ioined his forces with his friends The Duke perceiuing the Kings intention resolued brauely to confront him and to dare him face to face for which purpose he determined to lead his whole armie thorow the Riuer of Seuerne at a low foord not far from the Citie of Glocester This floud hastned the Dukes death who consented to the murder of the two young Princes But in the night before he should passe ouer such an incredible abundance of raine fell and the showres so mainly poured downe for ten daies following that not only the Riuer was made vnpassable but also the whole Countrey thereabout was surrounded with an excessiue floud insomuch that grounds villages townes and people were drowned or carried away to the great hurt and preiudice of the inhabitants who greeuously bewailed and sorrowed for their losse This enforced lingring together with the Dukes wants of victuall money and of other necessaries so discomforted the wauering and vnconstant Welshmen that when he thought himselfe sure of their helpe they then ran away and left him alone and he himselfe by perillous and hard shifting was enforced to harbour himselfe neere vnto Shrewesburie in the house of one Humfrey Banaster who was his seruant and whom from a low degree hee had raised to a faire estate authoritie and worship And the rest of the Dukes friends in other Prouinces when they heard the certaintie of the Dukes ill speeding vpon a sudden dispersed all their companies and euery one of them carefully shifted for himselfe and many of them by meanes of their diligence and good fortune entred into the Sea and arriued safely in the Duchie of Britaine among whom were Sir Edward Courtney Peter Courtney his brother Bishop of Exeter Thomas Marquesse Dorset Iohn Lord Welles Sir Iohn Bourchier Sir Edmund Wooduile the old Queenes brother Sir Robert Willoughby Sir Giles Dawbney Sir Thomas Arundel Sir Iohn Cheney his two brethren Sir William Barkley Sir William Brandon Sir Richard Edgecombe and some others The King hauing dispersed this cloud The Duke is proscribed which threatned a terrible storme proscribed the Duke of Buckingham and proposed the gift of a thousand pounds to him that should be the meane to take him whereupon his faithlesse treacherous His seruant betraieth him and vnthankfull seruant Humfrey Banaster betraied him to Iohn Mitton Sheriffe of Shropshire who with a strong Guard of armed men conueied him to Shrewesburie to the King who being examined confessed all in hope of fauour He is beheaded but forthwith and without any legall proceedings or iudgement he lost his head In the meane time whilest these things were in doing Richmond saiâ—â—th for England the Earle of Richmond who neither beard of this misfortune nor of the arriuall of his worthie friends who flying out of England came into Britaine hauing in his companie almost fiue thousand men entred into the Sea and directed his course for this Realme But in the euening after his departure out of Britaine A storme taketh him and he returneth hee was so cruelly beaten with an hideous storme which so suddenly assailed him and his that some of his ships were driuen backe to the place from whence they came others into Normandie and only one of them besides that in which himselfe was remained at the Sea The next day as the Earle came before Pole he perceiued that all the Coasts and hilles adioining were thickly sprinkled with armed men who eagerly attended his arriuall by the commandement of King Richard and diuers practises were vsed to traine him in But because he feared the worst as hee had good cause taking the benefit of a faire winde he returned and landed safely within the Duchie of Normandie Hee is releeued by the French King from whence he sent to the new and young King of France Charles the Eighth desiring that by his free leaue and licence hee might safely passe thorow that Prouince into Britaine who not only granted his request but also pitying his wants and euill fortune releeued and furnished him with much money So he hauing collected his dispersed ships sent them into Britaine and himselfe by land went thither where to his exceeding comfort and great ioy hee met with his distressed friends all which were valiant men and great Commanders in the times of warre With these Captaines hee entred into new consultations and giuing to them his solemne oath to take to his wife the Ladie Elizabeth He taketh an oath eldest daughter to King Edward the Fourth if his successe were fortunate they all became his subiects and honoured him as their King and all of them by the Duke of Britaines aide and succours endeuoured to make readie a new Fleet and such souldiers as they could get for his returne In the meane time King Richard by sundrie executions shortned the number of the Earles friends and procured him and his associates by an Act of Parliament to be attainted of High Treason He is attainted of treason and thereby hee enabled himselfe to seize vpon all their lands and moueables which hee could finde But his cruelties were so inhumane and barbarous that they were condemned in the opinions of all his people who sharply accused Sir Richard Ratcliffe Sir William Catesbie and the Viscount Louel his three minions and wicked counsellors as furtherers and abettors in those mischiefes so that among others one Collingborne was executed as a Traitor for making and dispersing of this short ryme Collingborne executed Richard gaue a Hogge for
Calice and there murdered Humfrey Plantagenet his sonne was Earle of Buckingham Northhampton and Essex and died without issue Humfrey Stafford Lord of Brecknocke and Holdernes H. 6. and being Earle of Stafford was by King Henrie the Sixth created the first Duke of Buckingham Henrie Stafford his sonne being Lord of Brecknocke and Holdernes was Earle of Stafford and Duke of Buckingham and was beheaded by King Richard the Third Edward Stafford his sonne being Lord of Brecknocke and Holdernes and Earle of Stafford by restitution from King Henrie the eight was the third and last Duke of Buckingham H. 7. and was beheaded whilest King Henrie the Eighth raigned Cambridge E. 3. IOhn of Henault brother to William Earle of Henault and vncle to Queene Philip the wife of King Edward the Third was by him created Earle of Cambridge But hee reuolted to the French King and thereby lost his honour E. 3. William Marquesse of Iulier Bergen and Cleueland was by King Edward the Third created Earle of Cambridge E. 3. Edmund Plantagenet surnamed Edmund of Langley being the fifth sonne of King Edward the Third and Duke of Yorke was by his father created Earle of Cambridge Edward Plantagenet his sonne was Duke of Yorke and Albemarle Earle of Rutland and of Cambridge and being slaine in the battaile of Edgingcourt he died without issue Richard Plantagenet his brother was Earle of Cambridge and had issue Richard Richard Plantagenet was Lord of Clare and of Wigmore Duke of Yorke and Earle of Vlster March and Cambridge and was slaine in his warres against King Henrie the Sixth Edward Plantegenet his sonne succeeded him in all those honourable dignities and was afterwards King Edward the Fourth Chester Conq. HVgo Lupus Viscount of Aurenges in Normandie nephew to the Conquerour was by him created Earle Palatine of Chester Richard Lupus his sonne succeeded and died without issue Ralphe Meschynes being the sonne of Margaret the sister and heire of Hugo Lupus was by King Henrie the First created Earle of Chester H. 1. Ralphe Meschynes his sonne succeeded and was Earle of Chester Hugh Meschynes surnamed Keuelitocke because hee was there borne succeeded his father in the Earledome of Chester Ralphe Meschynes surnamed Blundeuile his sonne being Lord of Little Britaine was Earle of Chester Lincolne and of Richmond K. Iohn Iohn surnamed Scot was by King Iohn created Earle of Chester and died without issue male Edmund Plantagenet surnamed Crowch-backe the second sonne of king Henrie the Third and brother to king Edward the First H. 3. was by his father created Earle Palatine of Chester Edward the Prince sonne and heire apparant to king Edward the First was by his father created Earle Palatine of Chester E. 1. Duke of Cornwall and Prince of Wales He was afterwards king Edward the Second Edward the Third was in his fathers daies created Earle Palatine of Chester Duke of Cornwall and Prince of Wales E. 2. and was afterwards king Edward the Third Edward Plantagenet surnamed The Blacke Prince the eldest sonne of king Edward the Third was in Parliament created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester Richard Plantagenet sonne to the Blacke Prince was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester and was after that king Richard the Second Henrie Plantagenet the eldest sonne of king Henrie the Fourth was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester vntill he was king Henrie the Fifth Edward the sonne of king Henrie the Sixth was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester vntill hee was shamefully murdered Edward Plantagenet the sonne of king Richard the Third was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester and died without issue Arthur Tuther the eldest sonne of king Henrie the Seuenth was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester and died without issue Henrie Tuther the second sonne of king Henrie the Seuenth was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester vntill he was king Henrie the Eighth Edward Tuther his sonne was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester vntill he was king Edward the Sixth He died without issue Henrie Stewart the eldest sonne of the illustrious Prince King Iames the First was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester and died without issue Charles Stewart his brother is Prince of Wales Duke of Yorke Cornwall and Rossay and Earle Palatine of Chester Clarence K. Steph. GIlbert de Clare was by king Stephen created Earle of Clarence Roger de Clare his brother succeeded and was Earle of Clare Richard de Clare his sonne succeeded and was Earle of Clare E. 3. Lionel Plantagenet the third sonne of king Edward the Third was by his father created Duke of Clarence He had no issue male but his daughter and heire Philip was maried to Edmund Mortimer Earle of March from whom the Familie of Yorke did lineally descend H. 4. Thomas Plantagenet the second sonne of king Henrie the Fourth was by his father created Earle of Albemarle and Duke of Clarence George Plantagenet the third sonne of Richard Duke of Yorke and brother to king Edward the Fourth was by him created Duke of Clarence and was murdered in the Tower Cornwall CAndor a Briton was Earle of Cornwall at the time of the Conquest and did homage to the Conquerour for the same Candor his sonne was the second Earle of Cornwall Conq. Robert Earle of Mortaigne in Normandie was by the Conquerour created Earle of Cornwall William his sonne being Earle of Mortaigne was also Earle of Cornwall K. Steph. Reynold the base sonne of king Henrie the First was by king Steuen created Earle of Cornwall H. 2. Iohn the second sonne of king Henrie the Second was by his father created Earle of Cornwall He was afterwards king Iohn H. 3. Richard the second sonne of king Iohn was by his brother king Henrie the Third created Earle of Cornwall Hee was also king of the Romans Henrie Plantagenet his sonne succeeded and was Earle of Cornwall and died without issue E. 1. Edward Plantagenet the eldest sonne of king Edward the First was by his father created Prince of Wales Earle Palatine of Chester and Duke of Cornwall and hee was afterwards king Edward the Second Pierce Gaueston a Gascoigne borne E. 2. was by king Edward the Second created Lord of Wallingfold and Earle of Cornwall and Glocester He was beheaded by the Barons because hee misse-lead the king He died without issue Iohn Plantagenet second sonne to king Edward the second E. 2. was by his father created Earle of Cornwall He died without issue Edward Plantagenet the eldest sonne of king Edward the Second E. 2. was by his father created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester which hee enioied vntill hee was king Edward the Third
Crowch-backe being Earle of Lancaster was also Earle of Salisburie Lecester and Lincolne and died without issue Henry Plantagenet his brother was Earle of Salisburie Lecester Lincolne and Lancaster Henry Plantagenet his sonne was created Duke of Lancaster He was also inheritor to all those Earledomes His daughter and heire called Blanch was maried to Iohn of Gaunt and from them descended the house of the Lancastrians E. 4. William Mountague Lord of the I le of Man was by King Edward the Fourth created Earle of Salisburie William Mountague his sonne being Lord of the I le of Man and Lord Mounthermer was also Earle of Salisburie and died without issue Iohn Mountague sonne to Sir Iohn Mountague brother to the said William was Lord Mounthermer and Earle of Salisburie Hee with others conspired the death of King Edward the Fourth at Oxford and was slaine Thomas Mountague his sonne was Lord Mounthermer and Earle of Salisburie Richard Neuil the second sonne of Ralphe Neuil who was the first Earle of Westmorland H. 6. maried Alice the eldest daughter and coheire of the said Thomas and was by King Henry the Sixth created Earle of Salisburie He was taken prisoner in the battaile of Wakefield by Queene Margaret wife to King Henry the Sixth and lost his head Richard Neuil his sonne was Earle of Salisburie and of Warwicke also in the right of Anne his wife who was the daughter and heire of William Beauchampe Earle of Warwicke This was that great Earle of Warwicke who deposed and raised King Henry the Sixth and was slaine at Barnet Field by King Edward the Fourth Richard Pole a Knight of Wales maried Margaret Plantagenet the daughter of George Duke of Clarence brother to King Edward the Fourth which the said George begot on Isabel the eldest daughter and coheire of the last Richard Earle of Warwicke and Salisburie She was by Parliament in the fifth yeare of King Henry the Eighth restored to those Earledomes H. 8. but in Parliament in the one and thirtieth yeare of King Henry the Eighth shee with Gerthrude the widow of Henry Courtney Marquesse of Exeter Reynold Pole Cardinall being her sonne and others were attainted of treason and she lost her head She was the last of the name and royall stocke of the Familie of the Plantagenets out of which had issued successiuely fourteene Kings of England Robert Cecil the second sonne of William Cecil Lord Burleigh and Treasurer of England was by King Iames created Lord Cecil of Essendeu in Rutlandshire Viscount Cranborne in Dorsetshire and Earle of Salisbury William Cecil his sonne is now Lord of Essenden Viscount Cranborne and Earle of Salisbury Shrewsburie EDrick a Saxon sirnamed the wilde being Earle of Shrewsbury was by the Conqueror dishinherited Roger de Mountgomery Earle of Belesme in Normandy Conq. was by the Conqueror made Earle of Arundel and of Shrewsbury Hugh de Mountgomery his sonne succeeded and died without issue Robert Mountgomery his brother being Earle of Shrewsbury and of Arundel was taken by king Henry the first and depriued of his eyes Iohn Lord Talbot Strange Blackmore Furnivall and Verdon H. 6. was by Henry the sixth created Earle of Shrewsbury Iohn Talbot his sonne succeeded in those honors Iohn Talbot his sonne was Lord c and Earle of Shrewsbury George Talbot his sonne was Lord c. and Earle of Shrewsbury Francis Talbot his sonne was Lord c. and Earle of Salisbury George Lord Talbot his sonne succeeded in those honors Gilbert Lord Talbot his sonne is Lord Talbot Strange Blackmore Furnival and Verdon and Earle of Shrewsbury Somerset OSmond Bishop of Salisbury was by the Conqueror Conq. made earle of Somerset William de Mohun was by King Henry the first H. 1 created Earle of Somerset Reynold de Mohun in King Iohns time K. Ioh. receiued the inheritance of his Grandfather Earle William and was created Earle of Somerset he was disinherited by King Henry the third because he tooke part against him with the Barons in their warres Iohn Beauford the sonne of Iohn of Gaunt by Katherine Swinsford his thitd wife was by King Richard the second created Earle of Somerset and Marques Dorset but the latter of those two hee voluntarily did renounce H. 5. Henry Beauford his sonne was Earle after him Iohn Beauford his brother was created Earle of Somerset by K. Henry the fifth H. 6. Edmund Beauford his brother was Earle of Somerset and by king Henry the sixt was created Marques Dorset and Duke of Somerset and was slaine at Saint Albons by Richard Duke of Yorke Henry Beauford his sonne was Duke of Somerset hee revolted from King H. the sixth to King Edward the fourth and afterward from King Edward the fourth to King H. the sixth and was by the Yorkish faction taken Prisoner at Hexhamfield and lost his head Edmund Beauford his brother was Duke of Somerset and being taken prisoner at Tewkisbery-field by king Edward the fourth he lost his head and had no issue H. 7. Edmund Tuther a yonger sonne to king Henry the seuenth was at fiue yeares of his age created Duke of Somerset and died without issue at that age Henry Fitz-Roy base son to king H. the eight was created earle of Nottingham and Duke of Somerset and Richmond and died without issue Edward Seymour Earle of Hartford was by his Nephew King Edward the sixth created Duke of Somerset and lost his head Sir Robert Carre was by king Iames created Viscount Rochester Earle of Somerset Southampton BEavoys was at the Conquest Earle of Southampton E. 1. H. 8. William Gobion was by Kng Edward the first created Earle of Southampton and died without issue male William Fitz-William was by King Henry the eight created Earle of Southampton and died without issue male E. 6. Thomas Wryothesley Lord Chancelor of England was by King Henry the eighth created Baron of Tichfield in Hamshire and by King Edward the sixt hee was created Earle of Southampton Henry Wryothesley his sonne was Lord Tichfield and Earle of Southampton Henry Wryothesley his sonne is Lord Tichfield and Earle of Southamton Stafford RAlph Stafford was by King Edward the third E. 3. created Earle of Stafford Hugh Stafford his sonne succeeded in that Earledome Thomas Stafford his Grandchild by Ralph his sonne was Earle of Stafford William Stafford his brother was Earle of Stafford after him Edmund Stafford his brother was Earle and died without issue Humfrey Stafford his sonne was Earle and by king Henry the sixt he was created Duke of Buckingham and was slaine in Yorkeshire in the said kings quarrell Humfrey Stafford his son was dignified with those honors Humfrey Stafford his sonne H. 7. succeeded and was beheaded by king Richard the third Edward Stafford his son was restored by king Henry the seuenth and lost his head in the raigne of king Henry the eighth Suffolke RAlph Glandvile Lord of Bromhelme H. 2. was by king Henry the second created Earle
174 Hastings Lord. 173 Fawconbridge 173 Bardolf 174 Rich. Earle of Cambridge 180 Henry Lord Scroop 180 Sir Thomas Grey 18 Inhabitants of Cane 191 At Montz 219 Frr Periury 232 Michael de la Poole 246 Lord Scales 258 Rich. Neuil Earle of Salisbury 259 Owen Tuthar 260 Courtney Earle of Devon 260 Suffolke 244 Earle of Oxford 263 Sir Awbrey de Vere 263 Hen. D. of Somerset 265 Tayboys 265 Roos 265 Molines 265 Hungerford 265. 410 Henry Neuil 265 Wentworth 265 Tunstall 265 Sir Ralph Grey 265 Earle Riuers 271 Humfrey Lord Stafford 171 Lord Wels 273 Sir Thomas Dymock 273 Sir Robert Wells 274 Sir Henry Stafford 529 L. Hastings in the Tower 307 Earle Riuers 307 Richard Lord Grey 307 Sir Thomas Vaughan 307 Duke of Buckingham 317 393 Sir William Stanley 341 Humfrey Stafford 329 Empson 356 Dudly 356 Sir Thomas Moore 402 Fisher Bishop of Rochester 402 Queen Anne Bullen 403 and Queene Katherine Howard 410 Lord Howard for his mariage 403 Execution of Rebels 406 Marques of Exeter 406 Lord Dacres 406 Lord Hussey 406 Fryar Forest 406 Carew Sir Nich. 406 Margaret Countesse of Salisbury 407 Gerthrude Marchiones of Exeter 407 Leonard Lord Grey 410 Cromwel 410 Francis Dyrham Thomas Culpeper 410 Lady Rochford 410 Thomas Earle of Surrey 420 Exeter 349. 347 Exeter Marquesse 400 Exton Sir Nich. 142 Extortion 86 F FAlse friend 153 Famine 172. 94. 193 Fanhope 183 Fastolfe 183 Fawconbridge 165. 173 131. 164 Feast solemne 113 Ferdinando 357 Fisher wrongs the Parliament 382 Fifteenes denied 142 Fifteenes conditionall 144 Fitz-William 161. 196. 406 Fitz-Warren 192 Fitz-Water 112. 206 Flatterers 18 Flatterie 151 Flight 277 Flodden Field 161 Forgusa 206 French title 105. 178 Frenchmen in Wales 167 French faint-harted 181 French vnthankfull 414 Friar Forest 406 Funerals 178 G GArd Yeomen 327 Gascoine recouered 63 Gascoine Sir William 362 Gauelkind 3 Gaueston 86. 89. 90. 91. 92 Glendor 166. 172 Glocesters practises 299 Glocester murdred 240 Glottenry 18 Gouernment changed 290 Gough 242 Greene. 155 Grey degraded 265 Grey Sir Thomas 180 Grey Lord Richard 307 Grey Lord Leonard 407 410 Griffith 324. 362 Grobyn of Grace 118 H HAll Sir Philip 215 Hall Sir Dauid 243 Hampton Court 375 Harflew 241 Harkley 98 Harold 1. 2 Hartford Earle 406 415 Hastings 173. 307 Hastings Lord. 305 Hastings Earles of Huntington 385 Henalt reuolteth 156 Henry Hotspurre 167. 169 Henry Fitz-Roy 400 Herbert Earle of Pembroke 270 Herbert Lord. 392 Herings 221 Holland Sir Thomas 117 153. 164. 181 Holland Sir Iohn Holy Land 45. 77. 108. 174. 141. 153. 164. 189 Holy Pilgrims 405 Hongerford 222. 265 Hostages 3. 73. 130. 390 Howard Sir Edw. 358 359 Howard Sir Tho. Earle of Surrey 360. 361. 394. He dieth 400 Howard Lord executed for marying c. 403 Hunters 5. 6. 16 Hunting 5 I IAcke Cade 247 Iane Countesse of Henalt 109. 111 Iaques Dartuell 110. 114 115 Ierningham 396. 397 Ierusalem 17. 47 Iest 284 Iewels 90 Images defaced 406 Iohn of Gaunt 132. 150 Ingratitude 14. 44 Insanum Parliamentū 66 Interdiction 55. 58 Inuesture of Bishop 22. 23 Ireland conquered 36. rebelleth 407. King of Ireland 410 Iudges followed the Court. 5 Iudges and Iustices 355 Iudges banished 150 K KEntishmen 3 Holy maid of Kent 402 King Henry the Eighth stout 404 Keryell 232. 242 King Knighted 217 King Richard the Second called to a reckoning 143 King of Castile entertained 352 King of Ireland 410 Knights Fees 6 Knowles 132. 166 Knyuet Sir Thomas 358 L LAmbert 324 Landoys 289. 317 Langton 54 Lanfrank 9 Laterane 58 Lawes seuere 4 Lawes mitigated 18 Lawes restored 18. 63 Lawes against robbers 18 Lawes refined 34 Lawrence 363 League broken 64. 213 Legates 38 41. 55 Lewknor 283 Liberalitie 18. 45. 121 128. 186. 288 Little Iohn 50 Lluellen 80 Lomley 406 London against Mauld the Empresse 29 London with the Barons 70. 149 Londoners submit themselues 75 London should haue been burnt 74 A rebellion in London 71. 76 Londons liberties restored 85 London pleaseth the Rebels 138 Londons Armes 140 Constables of London 71 London receiues King Edward the Fourth 280 London 84. 140. 148. 180 Londoners graced by king Edward the Fourth 297 Londons Maior 59 London bridge 59 Longchampe 46. 47. 48 Louell Lord. 329 331 Luther 393 Lion Richard 138 M MAgistrates ouer Priests 28. 38 Magna Charta 63 Malcolme slaine 11 Manners Earle of Rutland 400 Manors 5 Manny Sir Walter 124 Marchants 353. vexed 401. 414 Marchant strangers 34 251. 389. 489 Marquesse Dorset 357 Mariages of Wards 63 Mariage of K. Henry the Seuenth 327 Mariage of K. Edward the Fourth 267 Mariage of Prince Arthur 350 King Henry the Eighth his widow 355 Mariage with Scotland 351 Mariage with Anne of Cleue 404 Mariage with Lewys the 12. of France 364 Mariage with Scotland broken off 415 Mart in Flanders 125 340. 346 Marney Sir Henrie 392 Martiall feats 103 Martin Sward 331 Mary Rose drowned 418 Mauld marieth Plantagenet 24 Mauld the Empresse 19 23. 24. 29 Measures 18 Mercie 44 Metham 362 Miracle 405 Michael de la Pole 142 144 Molynes 181. 265 Money scarce 108 Money borrowed 109 Morbeck 127 Morgan 324 Morley Lord. 392 Morleys taken and burnt 393 Morton 332. 311. 315. 317. 331 Mortimer Sir Roger. 71 103 Mortimer beheaded 105 Mortimer proclaimed 141 Mortmaine 82 Mountague or Mountacute 216. 220 216 265. 266 Mountford 72 Mountioy 398 Murders of Becket 41 Edward the second pag. 101. 105 Iaques Dartwell 114 Richard the second pag. 160 Ho. D. of Glocester 240 158 Lord Scales 258 Archbishop of Canterburie 139 Iohn Duke of Burgoine 199 Henry the sixth pag. 283 George Duke of Clarence 290. 295 Lord Wenlock 295 Prince Edward 293 Edward the fift and Richard Duke of Yorke 312 Rutland 281 Murder by the Lord Darcy 406 Murder reuenged 307 318. 328 Musgraue William 412 N NAuarre taken 357 Neck broken 8. 81 Neuill Sir Iohn 260 New Forrest 5 Nobles created 152 240. 363. 267. 327. 385 400. 406 Nobilitie despised 142 Nobilitie wasted 497 Mowbray 242 Normandy 53. 68. 117 Normandy lost 53. wonne 168. lost 238 Normauile 363 Northfolk Duke High Steward 392 Notes especiall 293 Nicenesse banished 18 O Oath to the succession and of fidelitie 24 56. 69 Oath to obserue c 24 Oath broken 27. 145. 279 34 Oath of the Scots 86 Oath touching Gaveston 89 Obstinacie 41 Odo 10 Officers examined in Parliament 144 Officers euill 133 Officers displaced 144 170 Opinion of the Vniuersities 386. 389 Ouerthrowes of Harold 2 Rebels 6. 7. 273 Scots 11. 83. 171 Welshmen 11. 12 13 Robert Mowbray 13 Barons 20. 96 Prince Edwnrd 71 King Stephen 29 Fifteene thousand Genowayes 119 French 58. 371. 120. 187 King Edward 2 pag 93 94 Percies 171 English 206. 222. 242 Miraculous 216 King H. 6. pag. 250. 257 266. 280 Duke of Yorke 259 Iames the fourth King of Scots 362 Frenchmen 418 Owen Glendor 166. famished 172 Owen Tuthar 260 Earle of Oxford 133 Duke of Burgundie thrice
Edward Plantagenet surnamed The Blacke Prince E. 3. was by his father king Edward the Third in Parliament created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester Richard Plantagenet sonne to the blacke Prince E. 3. was by his Grandfather king Edward the Third created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester which hee enioied vntill he was King Richard the Second Henry Plantagenet the eldest sonne of king Henry the Fourth was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester vntill he was king Henry the Fifth Edward the sonne of king Henry the Sixth was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester and was murdered Edward the sonne and heire apparant of King Richard the third was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester and died without issue Arthur Tuther the eldest sonne of king Henry the Seuenth was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester and died without issue Henry Tuther his brother enioied the Principalitie of Wales the Duchie of Cornwall and the Earledome of the Palatinate of Chester vntill he was king Henry the Eighth Edward Tuther the sonne of king Henry the Eighth was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester vntill hee was King Edward the Sixth Henry Stewart the eldest sonne of King Iames the First was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester vntill hee died without issue Charles Stewart his brother is Earle Palatine of Chester Duke of Rossay Yorke and Cornwall and Prince of Wales Cumberland Conq. RAlphe Meschynes a Norman was by the Conquerour created Earle of Cumberland and Carlile H. 8. Henry Lord Clifford Bromflet and Vessey was by King Henry the Eighth created Earle of Cumberland George Lord Clifford Bromflet and Vessey being his sonne was Earle of Cumberland and died without issue male Francis Lord Clifford his brother is Earle of Cumberland Darbie Conq. WIlliam Peuerell base sonne to the Conquerour was by him created Earle of Darbie and of Nottingham William Peuerell his sonne succeeded in those Earledomes K. Steph. Robert de Ferrers Lord of Tedburie and Earle of Ferrers and of Nottingham was also Earle of Darbie William de Ferrers succeeded his father in those honours William de Ferrers his sonne was Lord of Tedburie Chartley and Groby and Earle of Ferrers Nottingham and of Darbie Robert de Ferrers his sonne possessed his fathers dignities Hee was disherited because he sided with the Barons against King Henrie the Third Edmund Plantagenet surnamed Crowch-backe being Earle of Lancaster second sonne to King Henry the Third and brother to king Edward the First H. 3. was by his said father created Earle of Lecester and of Darbie Thomas Plantagenet his sonne being Earle of Lancaster Lecester Lincolne and Salisburie was by descent Earle of Darbie and died without issue Henry Plantagenet his brother was dignified with all those honours Henry Plantagenet his sonne enioying those Earledomes together with the Earledomes of Albemarle and Holdernes was by king Edward the Third created Duke of Lancaster E. 3. And his daughter and heire named Blanch was maried to Iohn of Gaunt the fourth sonne of the same King Iohn Plantagenet surnamed Iohn of Gaunt being Duke of Lancaster Earle of Leicester Lincolne and Salisbury was also Earle of Darby Henrie Plantagenet surnamed Bullingbroke being his sonne was Duke of Lancaster and Hereford and Earle of Leicester Lincolne and of Salisbury he was likewise Earle of Darby and was king by the name of king Henrie the Fourth Thomas Stanley Lord Stanley whose Father Thomas was by king Henrie the Sixth made Lord Stanley was by king Henrie the Seuenth created Earle of Darby H. 7. Thomas Stanley his Grand-child viz. the sonne of his sonne Henrie who married Ione the daughter and heire of Iohn Lord Strange and Knoking being Lord Stanley and Strange was also Earle of Darby Edward Lord Stanley Strange and Knoking being his sonne succeeded and was Earle of Darby Henrie Lord Stanley Strange and Knoking being his sonne was Earle of Darby Ferdinando Lord Stanley Strange and Knoking being his sonne was Earle of Darby and dyed without issue Male. William Lord Stanley Strange and Knoking his brother is now Earle of Darby Deuonshire RIchard de Bruer surnamed Richard of the Heath being a Norman was by the Conqueror created Earle of Deuonshire Conq. hee dyed without issue Adela de Bruer his sister and heire Conq. was by the Conqueror created Viscountesse of Deuonshire Baldwine de Riuers being Earle of Exeter H. 2. was by King Henrie the second created Earle of Deuonshire Richard Riuers his sonne succeeded in those honors Baldwine Riuers his sonne was Earle after him and dyed without issue Richard Riuers his brother was Earle and dyed without issue William Riuers surnamed de Valentia was their Nephew and heire was after them Earle of Deuonshire Baldwine Riuers his sonne was Earle of Deuon Iohn Riuers his sonne being Earle dyed without issue Isabel Riuers surnamed de Fortibus being the Generall heire of the Earles of Deuonshire did enioy the said Earledome Shee married one who was named William de Fortibus Earle of Albemarle and Lord of Holdernes by whom shee had a plentifull issue But King Edward the Third would not permit them to enioy the said Earledome of Deuonshire Hugh Courtney Knight who was descended from the before named Earles of Deuonshire E. 3. was by King Edward the Third created Earle of Deuonshire Hugh Courtney his sonne was Earle after him Edward Courtney surnamed the Blinde who was the sonne of Edward the sonne of the last Hugh Courtney was Earle of Deuonshire Hugh Courtney his sonne was Earle of Deuonshire Thomas Courtney his sonne being Lord of Okehampt in Deuon was also Earle of Deuonshire Hee tooke part in the warres with King Henrie the sixt and being taken prisoner at the battaile of Towton in Yorkeshire he lost his head E. 4. Humfrey Stafford Esquire was by King Edward the Fourth first made Lord Stafford of Southweeke and afterward Earle of Deuonshire and because he cowardly left the field at Banbury in the ciuill warres at Bridgewater hee was beheaded by the commandement of the said King Edward Courtney Lord of Hackham being Cosen and heire to the said Thomas Courtney H. 7. was by king Henry the seuenth created Earle of Deuonshire William Courtney his sonne married the Lady Katherine one of the daughters of king Edward the Fourth and was Earle of Devonshire Henrie Courtney his sonne was Earle of Deuonshire and by his Cosen German king Henrie the Eight H. 8. hee was created Marques of Exeter but lost his head Q. Ma. Edward Courtney his sonne was by Queene Marie restored to the Earledome of Deuonshire but dyed at Padua without issue K. Ia. Charles Blunt Lord Mountioy was by King Iames the First created Earle of Deuon he dyed without issue
ouerthrowne in one yeare 289 Iohn Earle of Oxford 144 Oxford Earle P PAgeants 376 Pandulphus 55. 56 Partialitie 71 Pardon craftie 153 Parents honored 43 Paris is English 204. and reuolteth 229 Parliament and the King striue 142. 143 Parliament the first 23 Parliament once a yeare 142 Parliament complaines 133 Parliament threatned 143 Parliament makes a King 160 Parliamentum insanum 60 Parliament breakes vppe suddenly 256 Parliament wronged by Bishop Fisher 382 Pawlet made Lord Saint Iohn 406 Peace 52. 64. 285. 333 336. 364. 392 Penall lawes 290. 351 Penance 42 People wasted 14 Percies 171. 362. 363 Percies will not deliuer Scottish Prisoners 67 Percies doe ransome Edmund Mortimer 169 Percie Sir Thomas 406 Periury 232 Perkin Werbeck 337. c. Peter Landoys 289. 315 Petition of the Rebelles 404 Pickering 363 Pilgrims holy 405 Piracie 96 Pitie 44 Plantagenet Geoffry 24 Plantagenet Arthur 51 53 Plimouth 136 Poydras 93 Pollicies 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 12. 18 23. 29. 35. 82. 117. 140 212. 215. 233. 246. 250 299. 331. 339. 340 408. Pollicies touching Warbeck 339. 340. 341 Pollicies touching Lambert 331 Pollicie touching Cade 247 Pollicie by fire 347 Pomfret 301 Pontlarch 241 Popham Sir Iohn 113 Pope 14. 15. 18. 53. 150 curbed 401 Popish blindnesse 57 Popish pride 54 Poynings 341. 361 Poysoned 59 Poyters 63 Practises of Richard Duke of Glocester 299. c. Premunire 380. feared by the Cleargy 388 Prerogatiue crossed 66 Presumption 140 Prey rich 395 Pride 396 Pride of Longchamp 46 47. 48 Primacie 7 Prince of Chester Prince imprisoned 86 177 Prince of Wales 114 Prince reclaimed 177 Prior Iohn 364 Prisoners Marcarus 7 Edwinus 7 Egelwinus 7 Mowbray 13 Curthose 20 Belesme 20 King Stephen 29 Queene Elianor 43 King Richard the first p. 48 Bayliol 84 The Prince 86. 177 Queene Isabel 105 King Dauid 122 King Iohn of France 127 Earle of Pembroke 132 King Richard the second pag. 156 Edmund Mortimer 166 French Pris slaine 185 Lord Talbot 222 Lord Scales 222 Lord Hongerford 222 Duke of Suffolke 222 King Henry the Sixth 257. 266. 281 King Edward the fourth 271 Duke of Burbon 277 Duke of Orleance 235 Scottish prisoners 413 Mordack Earle of Fife 167 Archibald Douglas 167 Earle Murrey 167 Priuie Seales 397. 398 Proclamations 192. 276 387 Proclaimed heire of Fra. 141. 200. 204 Proscribed 248. 319 Protector 61. 251 Protector displaced 240 Q QVartered 345 Queen Anne beheaded 403 Queene Katherine beheaded 410 R RAgman 104 Ramsey 136 King Richard the First ransomed 48 Douglas ransomelesse 171 King of Scots ransomed 214 Duke of Burbon ransomed 227 Duke of Orleance ransomed 235 Edmund Mortimer ransomed 164 Queene Margaret ransomed 283 Raine 405 Rebellions 6. 7. 10. 11. 12 13. 20. 22. In London 71. 76. Lluellen 80 Wat Tilar 137. In Kent 277. Owen Glendor 166. Percies 170 171. In Ireland 241. Iacke Cade 247. 264. 273. 328. 334 Cornishmen 345. 347. 349. In Yorkshire 269. In Lincolnshire 404. In the North 405. In Ireland 407 Rebels flie 405. quietly depart 405 Reconcilement 64. 279 Reformation 66. 69. 64 153 Regents 43. 201 Regent dieth 228 Regent drowned 358 Religious houses 178. 374 403. 403 Repayment 327 Repeales 4. 263. 328 Repentance 8. 353 Reprofe 167 Reseisure 35. 34 Resolution 15. 34. 95 Restitution 18 Returne vnlicenced 358 359 Reuenge 49 Reuolt 214. 242. 244 Renulph 81 Ribamont 124 Riceap Thomas 344 King Richard the First valiant 46 47 Rich Souldiers 191 King Henry the Second Rich 37 Richmond Earle in danger 289. 317. sweareth 320. landeth 323 and is victorious 325 Rifling 389 Roan 192. 193. 197. 241 Robberies 14. 18. 33 Robin Hood 50 Robinet of Bonuile 187 Rochford 400. 410. 411 Bolloigne Viscount Rochford 385 Rokesbie 174 Rosamond Clifford 37 Rosbrough 112. 130 Rowclif 363 Rufus staine 16 Russell Lord 406 Rutland murdered 281 Rutland Earle 400 Ryuers 256 S SAnctuarie 302. 303 304 Saluo honore Dei 41 Sands 365. 396. 397 Sarum secundum vsum 7 Sauadge 324 Scales 218. 222. 257. 258 Scot Earle of Chester 64 Scottish homage 11. 214 Scots 25000. slaine 83 Scots sweare obedience 86 Scots ouerthrowne in Ireland 97 Scots ouerthrow K. Edw. the Second 93 94 Scots inuade England 11 28. 111. 122. 167. 171. 251. 291. 361. their crueltie 343. They inuade 345. and are slaine 346. 412 Scots misuse the French 147 Scots aide Warbecke 342 345 Scottish King slaine 363 Scotland surrendred 81 82. 84 Scotland gouerned by England 84 Scotland wasted 346 Scotland inuaded 97. 103 306. 111 147. 174. 412. 415. 416. 419 Scotland disposed by King Edward the Third 106 Scotland claimed by the Pope 86 Scottish King ransomed 214 Scottish tenure released 106 Scottish chaire 86 Scottish prisoners 413 Scroope 155. 173. 180. 265 Sea victories 62. 110. 125 188. 189 Seales Priuie 394 Secrecie 107 Secundum vsum Sarum 7 Securitie 221. 271 Seisure 3. 35 Seymour Earle of Hartford 406. 415 Seymor Sir Iohn and Ladie Iane 403 Shawes Sermon 408 Shepard Iacke 137 Sherborne Sir Henrie 361 Ships 300. taken 56 500. Ships 188 1200. Ships 146 Ships in Sandwitch 256 Sheepe 268 Sheriffe of Northumberland 174 Shoreswife 309 Shrewesburie Earle 392 Shrines destroied 406 Sicknesse 181 Slaine King William Rufus 5. 16 Malcolme 11 King Edward the Second 101 King Richard the first 50 King Richard the second 160 Simon Montfort 74 Lord Beamont 113 Peter of Castile 131 Wat Tilar 140 Vere Duke of Ireland 149 Prisoners French 185 Thirtie six slaine by King Henry the Fourth 171 Edward Duke of Yorke 187 Richard Duke of Yorke 259 Duke of Suffolke 187 Iohn Earle of Shrewesburie 249 Earle of Salisburie 220 Clarence 206 Earle of Warwicke 281 Arundell 226 Marquesse Montacute 281 Courtney Earle of Deuon 283 Wooduile 333 Iames the Fourth King of Scots 362 Stafford 329 Humfrey Duke of Buckingham 257 Thomas Lo. Egremount 257 Iohn Viscount Beamont 257 Northumberland 260 Westmorland 260 Lord Dacres 260 Lord Welles 260 Lord Clifford 260 Somerset Sir Charles 360 Spencers 92. 94. 96. 99 Northumberland 334 Spencer chiefe Iustice 74. 68 Speeches 194 195. 209 Spencers executed 100 Souldiers vnlicensed returne 358. 397 Sonnes disobedient 36 Southampton Earle 406 Stafford Earle 181 Stakes 183 Stanley 341. 344 Stapleton B. of Exeter 99 Stapleton 363 Stoutnesse of K. H. 8. 404 Strangers Marchants 34 251. 138 Subiects dutie 35 SubmissioÌ„ of K. Io 56. 66 Submission of the Barons 58 Submission of King Richard the Second 155 Submission of Londoners 75 Submission of Lluellen 80 Supremacie 403 Duke of Suffolke 237. 238. 244. 392. 418 Duke of Suffolke warreth valâ—antly in France 396 Surfet 24 Surrey beheaded 420 Surprisall 173 Sussex Earle 385 Swanus 6 Swimming 48 149 Sword giuen to Exeter 349 Sydney 362 T TAle-bearers 227 Talbots name terrible 226 Talbot 106. 324 Talbot slaine 220 Talbot Gilbert 192 Talbot Lord George 360 Taxes 5. 10. 97. 109 Taxes causing rebellions 6. 7. 136. 333. 335. 343 Taxes lost Aquitaine c. 130 Taxes pleasing 12. 52. 189 Taxes released 18. 28 Taxes not demanded 37 45 Tax on Wools and Hides 83 Tempest Nicholas 406 Temporalties 20. 21 Terryll 312 Terwyn 360. 361 Thankfulnesse 24. 297 Thanksgiuing 171. 186 190. 282. 325 Theeues 50. 93 Thorp 258 Thwaits 396 Title to France 105. 107 relinquished 129 Title King of Ireland 410 Title Defensor Fidei 357. 393 Tournay taken 361. redeliuered 380 Trade restored 346 Translation 7 Transubstantiation 58 Traitor Archb. of Cant. 151 Treasons 64. 164. 180 226 Treason to speake c. 409 Treason at Oxford 164 Traitors 145. 173 Trecherie 152. 213 252 Trenchard 352 Treport 364 Tresham 283 Tresilian 147. 149 Troyl-Baston 86 Tuthar 260. 249 Tylar Wat. 137 Tylney 362 Tyron Earle 410 Tyrwyn taken and burnt 361 V VAlour 33. 46. 47. 124 Vaughan 283. 307 Vere 142. 149. 242 Vernoyle 205 Vicar generall 107 Victorie in Castile 130 King Edward the Fourth victorious 281 Victorie without blowes 168 Victorie miraculous 216 Victorie ouer the Percies 171 Victories at Sea 62. 110 125. 188. 189 Vicegerent Cromwell 406 Victuals cheape 108 Visited by three Kings 130 Vmfreuyle 192. 206 Vniuersitie opinions 386 Vnthankfulnesse 14. 44 Vnthankfull Frenchmen 414 Vsurpers Rufus 9 Henricus Primus 17 Stephanus 27 Edwardus Tertius 101 Henricus Quartus 160 Henricus Quintus 177 Henricus Sextus 211 Richardus Tertius 311 W WAights 18 Wales 86. Prince 114 Wallop 364. 396 Warres in the Holy Land 45. c. 77 Wars with Arthur Plantagenet 51 Hee is drowned 53 Wars incommodious 272 Wars with Charles the Emperour 401 Ward Sir Christopher 362 Wardships 63 Warbeck 337. c. Warlike discipline 35 Warwicke Protector 251 Warwicke slaine 281 Warrens 18 Watermen 258 Welles 260. 273 Welshmen rebell 11. 12. 13. 22. 80. 81. 83. 84. 85 166 Wenlocke 283 Wharton Lord 412 Whipped 42 Wife a good one 43 Willoughbie 363. 183. 392 Witchcraft 236 Wiues paid for 24 Wooduile 231. 333 Woods in Wales burnt 81 Woolsey 365. c. vntill pag. 388 Wounding 77 Worcester Earle 392 Wryothesley 417 Errata PAg. 305. lin 4. for daughter to the Dukes son reade son to the Dukes daughter Pag. 324. lin 3. for George Stanley reade George Talbot