couenant and recouering it from the French cleerelie reduced it to line 40 the English dominion Moreouer sir Iohn Oturum sir Nicholas Kiriell and sir Iohn Felton admerals by the kings appointment with the fléets of the east south and west parts went to the sea to apprehend such Frenchmen as they might méet withall They according to their commission bestirred themselues so that within few daies they tooke six score saile of Normans and brought them into England wherevpon the displeasure sore increased betwixt the line 50 two realmes The king of England stood not onelie in doubt of the Frenchmen but more of his owne people that remained in France least they thorough helpe of the French should inuade the land and therefore he commanded the hauens and ports to be suerlie watched lest some sudden inuasion might happilie be attempted for it was well vnderstood that the queene meant not to returne till she might bring with hir the lord Mortimer and the other banished men who in no line 60 wise could obteine anie fauour at the kings hands so long as the Spensers bare rule ¶ The pope lamenting this matter sent two bishops into England to reconcile the king and quéene and also to agree the two kings These bishops were reuerentlie receiued but more than reuerence here they obteined not and so departed as they came King Edward vnderstanding all the quéenes drift at length sought the French kings fauour and did so much by letters and promise of bribes with him and his councell that queene Isabell was destitute in manner of all helpe there so that she was glad to withdraw into Heinault by the comfort of Iohn the lord Beaumont the earle of Heinault his brother who being then in the court of France and lamenting queene Isabels case imagined with himselfe of â—ome marriage that might be had betwixt the yoong prince of Wales and some of the daughters of his brother the earle of Heinault and therevpon required hir to go into Heinault and he would be glad to attend hir She gladlie consenting hereto went thither with him where she was most ioifullie receiued with hir sonne and all other of hir traine The Spensers some write procured hir banishment out of France and that she was aduised by the earle of Arthois chéefelie to repaire into Heinault Also I find that the Spensers deliuered fiue barrels of siluer the summe amounting vnto fiue thousand marks vnto one Arnold of Spaine a broker appointing him to conueie it ouer into France to bestowe it vpon such freends as they had there of the French kings counsell by whose means the king of France did banish his sister out of his relme But this monie was met with vpon the sea by certeine Zelanders and taken togither with the said Arnold and presented to the earle of Heinault vnder whose dominion the Zelanders in those daies remained of which good hap the earle and queene Isabell greatlie reioised In the time that the quéene and hir sonne laie in the court of the earle of Heinault a marriage was concluded betwixt the prince of Wales and the ladie Philip daughter to the said earle vpon certeine conditions whereof one was that the said erle should at his proper costs set ouer into England the said prince of Wales with a crue of foure hundred men of armes But whether there was any such mariage as then concluded and that in consideration thereof the earle of Heinault aided quéene Isabell and hir sonne it may be doubted bicause other writers make no such report Neuerthelesse certeine it is that the earls brother sir Iohn de Heinault lord Beaumont was appointed with certeine bands of men of arms to the number of foure hundred or fiue hundred to passe ouer with the said quéene and hir sonne into England and so therevpon began to make his purueiance for that iournie which thing when it came to the knowledge of king Edward and the Spensers they caused musters to be taken through the realme and ordeined beacons to be set vp kept and watched as well in the vallies by the sea side as within the countries vpon hilles and high grounds that the same vpon occasion of the enimies arriuall might be set on fire to warne the countries adioining to assemble and resist them But quéene Isabell and hir sonne with such others as were with hir in Heinault staied not their iournie for doubt of all their aduersaries prouision but immediatlie after that they had once made their purueiances and were readie to depart they tooke the sea namelie the queene hir sonne Edmund of Wodstoke earle of Kent sir Iohn de Heinault aforesaid and the lord Roger Mortimer of Wigmore a man of good experience in the warres and diuerse others hauing with them a small companie of Englishmen with a crue of Heinewiers and Almains to the number of 2757 armed men the which sailing foorth towards England landed at length in Suffolke at an hauen called Orwell besides Harwich the 25 daie of September Immediatlie after that the queene and hir sonne were come to land it was woonder to sée how fast the people resorted vnto them and first of all the earle Marshall in whose lâ—nds she first came on shore repaired vnto hir so did the earle of Leicester and diuerse barons knights of those parts with all the prelats in manner of the land as the bishops of Lincolne Hereford Dubline and Elie the which being ioined with the queene made a great armie The archbishop of Canturburie and others aided hir with monie After that she had refreshed hir people a little space at saint Edmundsburie she marched foorth to seeke the aduersaries of hir and of the realme as she bruted it but they still kéeping themselues néere to the kings person that vnder the shadow of the wings of his protection they might remaine in more safegard durst not depart from his presence At the time of the queenes landing he was at London and being sore amazed with the newes he required aid of line 10 the Londoners They answered that they would doo all the honour they might vnto the king the queene and to their sonne the lawfull heire of the land but as for strangers traitors to the realme they would kéepe them out of their gates and resist them with all their forces but to go foorth of the citie further than that they might returne before sunne-setting they refused pretending certeine liberties in that behalfe to them granted in times past as they alledged The king not greatlie liking of this answer fortified line 20 the tower and leauing within it his yoonger son Iohn of Eltham and the wife of the lord chamberleine Hugh Spenser the yoonger that was his neece he departed towards the marches of Wales there to raise an armie against the queene Before his departure from London he set foorth a proclamation that euerie man vnder paine of forfeiting of life
not as line 40 yours Well faire sonne said the king with a great sigh what right I had to it God knoweth Well said the prince if you die king I will haue the garland and trust to kéepe it with the sword against all mine enimies as you haue doone Then said the king I commit all to God and remember you to doo well With that he turned himselfe in his bed and shortlie after departed to God in a chamber of the abbats of Westminster called Ierusalem the twentith daie of March in the yeare 1413 and in the yeare of his age line 50 46 when he had reigned thirteene yeares fiue moneths and od daies in great perplexitie and little pleasure or fouretéene yeares as some haue noted who name not the disease whereof he died but refer it to sicknesse absolutelie whereby his time of departure did approach and fetch him out of the world as Ch. Okl. saith whose words may serue as a funerall epigramme in memoriall of the said king Henrie Henricus quartus bis septem rexerat annos Anglorum gentem summa cum laude amore line 60 I à mque senescenti fatalis terminus aeui Ingruerat morbus fatalem accerserat horam We find that he was taken with his last sickenesse while he was making his praiers at saint Edwards shrine there as it were to take his leaue and so to procéed foorth on his iournie he was so suddenlie and greeuouslie taken that such as were about him feared least he would haue died presentlie wherfore to reléeue him if it were possible they bare him into a chamber that was next at hand belonging to the abbat of Westminster where they laid him on a pallet before the fire and vsed all remedies to reuiue him At length he recouered his spéech and vnderstanding and perceiuing himselfe in a strange place which he knew not he willed to know if the chamber had anie particular name wherevnto answer was made that it was called Ierusalem Then said the king Lauds be giuen to the father of heauen for now I know that I shall die heere in this chamber according to the prophesie of me declared that I should depart this life in Ierusalem Whether this was true that so he spake as one that gaue too much credit to foolish prophesies vaine tales or whether it was fained as in such cases it commonlie happeneth we leaue it to the aduised reader to iudge His bodie with all funerall pompe was conueied vnto Canturburie and there solemnlie buried leauing behind him by the ladie Marie daughter to the lord Humfrie Bohun earle of Hereford and Northhampton Henrie prince of Wales Thomas duke of Clarence Iohn duke of Bedford Humfrie duke of Glocester Blanch duchesse of Bauier and Philip quéene of Denmarke by his last wife Iane he had no children This king was of a meane stature well proportioned and formallie compact quicke and liuelie and of a stout courage In his latter daies he shewed himselfe so gentle that he gat more loue amongst the nobles and people of this realme than he had purchased malice and euill will in the beginning But yet to speake a truth by his proceedings after he had atteined to the crowne what with such taxes tallages subsidies and exactions as he was constreined to charge the people with and what by punishing such as mooued with disdeine to see him vsurpe the crowne contrarie to the oth taken at his entring into this land vpon his returne from exile did at sundrie times rebell against him he wan himselfe more hatred than in all his life time if it had beene longer by manie yeares than it was had beene possible for him to haue weeded out remooued And yet doubtlesse woorthie were his subiects to tast of that bitter cup sithens they were so readie to ioine and clappe hands with him for the deposing of their rightfull and naturall prince king Richard whose chéefe fault rested onlie in that that he was too bountifull to his fréends and too mercifull to his foes speciallie if he had not béene drawne by others to séeke reuenge of those that abused his good and courteous nature ¶ But now to returne to the matter present The duke of Clarence immediatlie vpon knowlege had of his father king Henrie the fourth his death returned out of Guien into England with the earle of Angolesme and other prisoners Now will were hearse what writers of our English nation liued in the daies of this king That renowmed poet Geffrie Chaucer is woorthilie named as principall a man so exquisitlie learned in all sciences that his match was not lightlie found any where in those daies and for reducing our English toong to a perfect conformitie he hath excelled therein all other he departed this life about the yeare of our Lord 1402 as Bale gathereth but by other it appeareth that he deceassed the fiue and twentith of October in the yeare 1400 and lieth buried at Westminster in the south part of the great church there as by a monument erected by Nicholas Brigham it doth appeare Iohn Gower descended of that woorthie familie of the Gowers of Stitenham in Yorkeshire as Leland noteth studied not onelie the common lawes of this realme but also other kinds of literature and great knowledge in the same namelie in poeticall inuentions applieng his indeuor with Chaucer to garnish the English toong in bringing it from a rude vnperfectnesse vnto a more apt elegancie for whereas before those daies the learned vsed to write onelie in Latine or French and not in English our toong remained verie barren rude and vnperfect but now by the diligent industrie of Chaucer and Gower it was within a while greatlie amended so as it grew not onelie verie rich and plentifull in words but also so proper and apt to expresse that which the mind conceiued as anie other vsuall language Gower departed this life shortlie after the deceasse of his déere and louing freend Chaucer to wit in the yeare 1402 being then come to great age and blind for a certeine time before his death He was buried in the church of saint Marie Oueries in Southwarke line 10 Moreouer Hugh Legat borne in Hertfordshire and a monke of saint Albons wrote scholies vpon Architrenius of Iohn Hanuill and also vpon Boetius De consolatione Roger Alington chancellor of the vniuersitie of Oxford a great sophister an enimie to the doctrine of Wickliffe Iohn Botrell a logician Nicholas Gorham borne in a village of the same name in Hertfordshire a Dominike frier first proceeded master of art in Oxenford and after going to Paris became the French kings confessor and line 20 therefore hath béene of some taken to be a Frenchman Iohn Lilleshull so called of a monasterie in the west parties of this realme whereof he was gouernour Walter Disse so called of a towne in Norfolke where he was borne first a Carmelite frier professed in Norwich and after going to Cambridge he there
such leuie of power before he had receiued his maiesties line 50 commission so to doo I haue heard by relation of men of good credit that were there present that when such knights and gentlemen as were of his councell and other of his especiall fréends were come vnto him he put foorth this question to them Whether his fact in raising a power of armed men without the kings commission although he had doone it to resist the rebels were treason or not Wherevnto when answer was made by some that were knowne to haue skill in the laws line 60 of the realme how that by no means it could be intended treason sith his intent was good and no euill thereby meant but contrarilie the aduancement of the kings seruice dutifullie sought Yee are fooles quoth the earle I know it in substance to be treason and I would thinke my selfe in an hard case if I thought I had not my pardon comming Such a reuerend regard had this noble earle vnto his bounden allegiance towards his prince that whatsoeuer seemed but as it were to sound in anie behalfe to the breach thereof it so troubled his loiall mind that he could not be satisfied till as it were in confessing his fault where according to the truth there was none at all He had signified his assured fidelitie in crauing pardon where otherwise he might haue looked for thanks which indéed he receiued with his pardon according to his petition and a commission to procéed as he had begun Moreouer whereas there were diuerse speaches amongst the soldiors in the armie vttered by some not altogither happilie well disposed that the said earle had so good liking of the northerne mens cause that when it came to the point of triall he would surelie ioine with them against that part which he yet pretended to mainteine To put that matâ—er out of doubt he caused the multitude of his soldiours to come before him and there declared to them that he vnderstood what lewd talke had béene raised of his meaning among them in the campe as if he had fauoured the part of the rebels But saith he whatsoeuer their colourable pretense may be true it is that traitors they are in this their wicked attempt And whereas my ancestors haue beene euer true to the crowne I meane not to staine my bloud now in ioining with such a sort of traitors but to liue and die in defense of the crowne if it stood but vpon a stake and therefore those that will take my part in this quarrell I haue to thanke them and if there be anie that be otherwise minded I would wish them hence And herewith he caused his chapleine to minister an oth to him which he receiued to the effect aforesaid in the presence of them all And verelie this was thought to be doone not without great cause that mooued him thereto for whereas the more part of his soldiours consisted of the countrie people who with forged tales and wicked surmises were easilie led to beléeue whatsoeuer was reported in fauor of the rebels and disfauor of such as were then chiefe councellors to the king against whome they pretended to rise although there was no reasonable occasion leading them therevnto it was greatlie to be suspected least they might thorough some traitorous practise haue béene induced to forget their dutifull allegiance to their souereigne and souldiorlike obedience to their leaders insomuch that the capteins of the rebels were persuaded and some of them reported no lesse that they might haue fought with the duke of Norffolke and the earle of Shrewesburie on this hither side of the riuer of Dun euen with their owne men not néeding to haue brought a man of their armie with them Therefore it was thought that the oth which the earle of Shrewesburie in that sort receiued before all his people there openlie in field serued to great purpose to put out of his soldiours wauering heads all such lewd expectation that he would turne to the enimies staieng thereby their fickle minds sith they were now assured that he being their chiefteine meant no dissimulation A matter trulie of no small importance considering the fauor which the commons bare towards him and the opinion they had conceiued of his high prowesse so that which waie he inclined it was thought verelie the game were likelie to go But now after the king was aduertised of that perilous commotion of the northerne men he appointed not onlie the said earle of Shrewesburie to raise a power to resist them but also ordeined the duke of Norffolke his lieutenant generall with the marquesse of Excester and the said earle of Shrewesburie the earles of Huntington and Rutland accompanied with a mightie power to go against them These lords raising such retinues of souldiers and men of warre as were to them assigned made forward to the place where the armie of the rebels was then incamped which was beyond the towne of Doncaster in the high waie towards Yorke But first the said earle of Shrewesburie with the earles of Huntington and Rutland and such other that were next adioining to those parties with their powers assembled out of the shires of Salop Stafford Leicester Rutland Notingham and Derbie came to a place in Notingham shire called Blithlow and there taking the musters of their people streightwaies passed foorth to Doncaster and appointed certeine bands of their men to lie in places where anie â—oords or passages laie ouer the riuer of Dun that line 10 runneth by the northside of Doncaster to staie the enimies if they should attempt to come ouer Shortlie after came the duke of Norffolke and finallie the marquesse of Excester with a iollie companie of westerne men well and perfectlie appointed When these capteins and sage councellors being here assembled vnderstood the manner of the northerne men their number and readinesse to battell they first practised with great policie to haue pacified the matter without bloudshedding but the northerne line 20 men were so bent to mainteine their wilfull enterprise that there was no hope to take vp the matter without battell therefore a daie was set on the which they should trie the quarrell bewixt them with dint of sword But sée the chance The night before the daie assigned for this bloudie and vnnaturall battell to haue béene fought betwixt men of one nation and subiects to one king there fell a raine not great to speake of but yet as it were by miracle the riuer of Dun rose suddenlie on such a height that seldome had béene séene there the like hugenesse of water line 30 so that the daie when the houre of battell should come it was not possible for the one armie to come at the other and so the appointment made betwéene both the armies for triall of the matter by force of armes was by Gods good prouidence disappointed and manie an innocent mans life preserued that should haue died if their purposes
awaie things that laie readie for them that the kings corps laie naked a long time till a child couered the neâ—her parts of his body with a short cloke and then it séemed that his surname was fulfilled that he had from his childhood which was Shortmantell being so called bicause he was the first that brought short clokes out of Aniou into England As his sonne Richard met the corps going towards the buriall suddenlie there issued bloud out of the dead bodies nosthrilles which was taken for a signification that it abhorred the presence of so wicked a son which in his life time had so persecuted the father His death was signified by a maruellous strange woonder line 10 for a few daies before he died all the fishes in a certeine méere or poole in Normandie leapt foorth on land in the night season and fought togither with such a noise that a great multitude of men came running thither to behold the woonder and could not find on fish aliue in the meere He had issue by his wife quéene Elianor as may appeare by that which alreadie is rehearsed foure sonnes Henrie Richard Geffrey and Iohn besides two other that died yoong as some authors haue recorded line 20 also three daughters Maud married vnto Henrie the duke of Saxonie Elianor the wife of Alfonse the eight of that name king of Castile and Ioane giuen in marriage vnto William king of Sicill He had also two bastard sonnes by a concubine the one named William the other Geffrey He was one of bodie fleshie and strong and could abide verie patientlie the displesures both of cold and heat he had a large head a broad breast a broken voice and was furthermore verie spare of diet cheefelie line 30 bicause he would not be too fat and therefore when he was at quiet without any trouble of warres he would exercise himselfe in hunting or trauelling abroad He was of a good stature and verie well formed of a comelie countenance partlie red heared with graie eies of wit quicke and of a perfect good memorie so that he would long remember those things which he had either read heard or seene He was stout of stomach and more constant in time of aduersitie than in time of prosperitie except at the line 40 time of his death when being destitute in maner of all hisfréends he shewed himselfe almost in despaire He was liberall towards all men oftentimes giuing rewards to his souldiers ouer and besides their wages Moreouer of nature he was pitifull towards the poore as it well appeared by diuerse his charitable deeds as for example When in the yeare 1176. there was a great dearth scarsitie of bread in the parts of Aniou Maine he fed euerie daie with sufficient sustenance line 50 ten thousand persons from the begining of Aprill till the time that new corne was inned and what prouision soeuer was laid vp in garners cellers and storehouses for the kings necessarie vses he caused the same to be imploied towards the reléefe of religious houses and poore people He tooke of his subiects but sildome times any great tributes He was verie expert in feats of warre and right fortunate therein He praised his capteins and men of warre line 60 when they were dead and lamented their losse more than he shewed to loue them when they were aliue And this did he of policie that they might vnderstand that they should be honoured after death and therefore feare it the lesse He was somwhat learned and also knowne to be wise His care to haue iustice dulie ministred in his realme was exceeding great insomuch that finding how the shirifes were rather inclined to seeke their owne gaine than to deale vprightlie with his subiects he appointed other officers to haue a regard to their dooings as if they had béene controllers that they knowing how there were such appointed to haue a sound ouersight in their dealings might be the more circumspect in their duties He ordeined also punishments for hunters in forrests and grounds of warren either by fining them or by imprisonment Moreouer he ordeined that murtherers should suffer death by hanging and so for other transgressours he appointed other kinds of punishments as some to be condemned to exile and other to losse of lims c according to the qualitie of the offense committed And to haue the lawes dulie executed and iustice vprightlie ministred on all hands he was so carefull that he tried all orders of men in placing them in roomes of iustice And lastlie trusting to find among the cleargie such as would not be corrupted with bribes nor for respect of feare or freendship decline from right iudgement he chose foorth the bishops of Winchester Elie and Norwich to be principall iustices of the relme so as they might end and determine all matters except in certeine cases reserued to the hearing of the prince himselfe His vices were these as they are remembred In time of aduerse fortune no man could shew himselfe more courteous gentle méeke and promising more largelie than he would But when fortune once began to smile no man was more sharpe hard to deale with nor more redie to breake his promise and faith He was also partlie noted of couetousnesse for although he was liberall towards souldiers and strangers yet was he streict inough towards his owne people and namelie towards his sonnes which caused them to estrange themselues and their good wils from him He was not so zealous toward the execution of right and equitie as to the furtherance of his owne priuat commoditie He was out of measure giuen to fleshlie lust and satisfieng of his inordinate concupiscence For not contented with the vse of his wife he kept manie concubines but namelie he delited most in the companie of a pleasant damsell whom he called the Rose of the world the common people named hir Rosamund for hir passing beautie propernesse of person and pleasant wit with other amiable qualities being verelie a rare and péerelesse péece in those daies He made for hir an house at Woodstocke in Oxfordshire like a labyrinth with such turnings and winddings in out as a knot in a garden called a maze that no creature might find hir nor come to hir except he were instructed by the king or such as were secret with him in that matter But the common re-report of the people is that the quéene in the end found hir out by a silken thread which the king had drawne after him out of hir chamber with his foot and dealt with hir in such sharpe and cruell wise that she liued not long after She was buried in the nunrie of Goodstow beside Oxford with these verses vpon hir toome Hîc iacet in tumulo Rosa mundi non Rosa munda Non redolet sed olet quaeredolere solet The meaning whereof may be found in Graftons large chronicle page 77. in an English septenarie
which the lords came with great retinues of armed men for the better safegard of their persons manie things in the same yeare enacted contrarie to the kings pleasure and his roiall prerogatiue For the lords at the first determined to demand the confirmation of the ancient charter of liberties which his father king Iohn had granted and he himselfe had so often promised to obserue and mainteine signifieng plainelie that they meant to pursue their purpose and intent herein not sparing either for losse of life lands or goods according to that they had mutuallie giuen their faiths by ioining of hands as the manner in such cases is accustomed Besides the grant of the great charter they required other things necessarie for the state of the common-wealth to be established and enacted It was therefore first enacted that all the Poictouins should auoid the land togither with other strangers and that neither the king nor his sonne prince Edward should in anie secret manner aid them against the people Moreouer that the king his sonne should receiue an oth to stand vnto the decrees and ordinances of that parlement and withall spéed to restore the ancient lawes and institutions of the realme which they both did rather constreined therevnto by feare than of anie good will Thus not onelie the king himselfe but also his sonne prince Edward receiued an oth to obserue the ordinances of that parlement But Iohn earle Warren and the kings halfe brethren namelie the earle of Penbroke refused that oth and likewise the lord Henrie sonne to the king of Almaine excused himselfe by his fathers absence without whose consent he would not receiue it vnto whome this answer was made that if his father would not consent to the agréement of the baronage he should not possesse one furrowe of land within this realme Also whereas the earle of Leicester resigned the castels of Killingworth and Odiham into the kings hands which he had latelie receiued by his gift and newlie repaired the earle of Penbroke and his other brethren sware déepelie that they would for no mans pleasure giue ouer such castels rents and wardships of theirs as they had of the kings gift But the earle of Leicester told the earle of Penbroke flatlie and plainlie that he should either render them vp or else he should be sure to lose his head This saieng was confirmed by the generall voices of all other the barons bicause it was a speciall article concluded amongst other in that parlement The kings halfe brethren perceiuing which waie the world went stood in doubt of themselues and secretlie therevpon departing from Oxenford first withdrew vnto Winchester where Odomare one of the same brethren was bishop through whose support and by reason of the strength of such castels as he held they trusted to be in more safetie but finallie perceiuing themselues not to be so out of danger sith the barons minded to pursue them about the eighteenth daie of Iulie they departed the realme with a great number of other of their countriemen and amongest those William de saint Herman the kings caruer was one Henrie Montfort sonne to the earle of Leicester vnderstanding of their departure out of the realme followed and hearing that they were arriued at Bullogne he landed in those parts by such freendship as he found there amongst those that bare good will vnto his father he got togither a power and after a manner besieged the Poictouins within Bullogne laieng watch for them in such sort both by sea and land that there was no waie left for them to escape When they saw themselues in that danger they sent a messenger with all post hast to the French king requiring his safe conduct to passe fréelie through his realme as they trusted he would be content to grant vnto such as for refuge and safegard of life should repaire vnto him for comfort The French king courteouslie granted their request and so they were in safetie permitted to passe quietlie through the countrie In the meane while one Richard Gray chatellaine of Douer castell a right valiant man and a faithfull suffered no man to passe that waie vnsearched according to that which he had in commandement wherevpon he tooke seized into his hands line 10 a great portion of treasure which was brought thither to be transported ouer to the Poictouins that were fled out of the realme Also there was found a great quantitie of treasure in the new temple at London which they had gathered hoorded vp there which also was seized to the kings vse But now to returne vnto the doings in the parlement holden at Oxford It was ordeined as some write that the king should choose twelue persons of the realme and the communaltie of the land should line 20 choose other twelue the which hauing regall authoritie in their hands might take in charge the gouernance of the realme vpon them should from yeare to yeare prouide for the due election of iustices chancellors treasurors and other officers and see for the safe keeping of the castels which belonged to the crowne These foure and twentie gouernours appointed as prouiders for the good gouernement of the realme began to order all things at their pleasure in the meane time not forgetting to vse things chéeflie line 30 to their owne aduantages as well in prouiding eschets and wards for their sonnes and kinsfolks as also in bestowing patronages of churches belonging to the kings gift at their pleasures so that these prouiders séemed to prouide all for themselues in so much that neither king nor Christ could receiue ought amongst them and as for iustice they regarded nothing lesse their minds were so rauished with desire of priuat wealth which who so hunteth after being in place of magistracie he must néeds neglect the law line 40 and course of equitie and therefore this counsell is good which a good writer giueth in this behalfe saieng Si iustus vult esse aliquis non vtile quaerat Iusticia est multis laudata domestica paucis There be that write how there were but twelue of these gouernours chosen whose names were as followeth First the archbishop of Canturburie the bishop of Worcester Roger Bigod earle of Northfolke and marshall of England Simon de Mountfort earle of Leicester Richard de Clare earle of line 50 Glocester Humfrey Bohun earle of Hereford the earles of Warwike and Arundell sir Iohn Mansell cheefe iustice of England sir Roger lord Mortimer sir Hugh Bigod sir Peter de Sauoy sir Iames Audâ—ley and sir Peter de Mountfort To these was authoritie onelie giuen to punish and correct all such as offended in breaking of any the ordinances at this parlement established It was not long after the finishing of this parlement but that strife and variance began to kindle line 60 betwéene the king and the earles of Leicester and Glocester by reason of such officers as the
that the same did shred him off from the scepter of his kingdome and gaue him a full cup of affliction to drinke as he had doone to other kings his predecessors by whose example he might haue taken warning For it is an heauie case when God thundereth out his reall arguments either vpon prince or people Thus haue ye heard what writers doo report touching the state of the time and doings of this king But line 50 if I may boldlie saie what I thinke he was a prince the most vnthankfullie vsed of his subiects of any one of whom ye shall lightlie read For although thorough the frailtie of youth he demeaned himselfe more dissolutelie than séemed conuenient for his roiall estate made choise of such councellors as were not fauoured of the people whereby he was the lesse fauoured himselfe yet in nâ— kings daies were the commons in greater wealth if they could haue perceiued their happie state neither in any other time line 60 were the nobles and gentlemen more cherished nor churchmen lesse wronged But such was their ingratitude towards their bountifull louing souereigne that those whom he had chéeflie aduanced were readiest to controll him for that they might not rule all things at their will and remooue from him such as they misliked and place in their roomes whom they thought good and that rather by strong hand than by gentle and courteous meanes which stirred such malice betwixt him and them till at length it could not be asswaged without perill of destruction to them both The duke of Glocester chéefe instrument of this mischéefe to what end he came ye haue heard And although his nephue the duke of Hereford tooke vpon him to reuenge his death yet wanted he moderation and loialtie in his dooings for the which both he himselfe and his lineall race were scourged afterwards as a due punishment vnto rebellious subiects so as deserued vengeance seemed not to staie long for his ambitious crueltie that thought it not inough to driue king Richard to resigne his crowne and regall dignitie ouer vnto him except he also should take from him his guiltlesse life What vnnaturalnesse or rather what tigerlike crueltie was this not to be content with his principalitie not to be content with his treasure not to be content with his depriuation not to be content with his imprisonment but being so neerelie knit in consanguinitie which ought to haue moued them like lambs to haue loued each other wooluishlie to lie in wait for the distressed creatures life and rauenouslie to thirst after his bloud the spilling whereof should haue touched his conscience so as that death ought rather to haue béene aduentured for his safetie than so sauagelie to haue sought his life after the losse of his roialtie But to let this passe to the consideration of the learned according to our order I will shew what writers of our English nation liued in his daies as we find them in Iohn Bales centuries First Henrie Bederie otherwise surnamed of Burie after the name of the towne where he is thought to haue béene borne an Augustine frier Simon Alcocke Uthred Bolton a moonke of Durham borne in the borders of Walles beyond Seuerne William Iordan a blacke frier Iohn Hilton a frier Minor Iohn Clipton a Carmelite â—â—ier in Notingham Henrie Daniell a blacke frier and a good physician Ralfe Marham Iohn Marcheleâ—â— a grate frier or cordelier as some call them Thomas Broome a Carmelite frier of London Iohn Bridlington borne in Yorkeshire William Thoâ—ne an Augustine frier of Canturburie an historiographer Adam Meremouth a canon of saint Paules church in London that wrote two tretises of historicall matters the one intituled Chronicon 40 annorum and the other Chronicon 60 annorum Simon Bredon borne in Winchcombe a doctor of physicke and a skilfull astronomer Iohn Thompson borne in Norfolke in a village of that name and a Carmelite frier in Blacknie More Thomas Winterton borne in Lincolnshire an Augustine frier in Stamford William Packington secretarie sometime to the Blacke prince an excellent historiographer â—eâ—traie Hingham a ciuilian Iohn Botlesham borne in Cambridgeshire a blacke frier William Badbie a Carmelite frier bishop of Worcester and confessor to the duke of Lancaster William Folleuill a frier Minor borne in Lincolnshire Iohn Bourgh parson of Collingham in Notinghamshire a doctor of diuinitie and chancellor of the Uniuersitie of Cambridge William Sclade a moonke of Buckfast abbie in Deuonshire Iohn Thoresbie archbishop of Yorke and lord chancellor of England was admitted by pope Urbane the fift into the college of cardinals but he died before K. Richard came to the crowne about the eight and fourtith yeare of king Edward the third in the yeare of our Lord 1374. Thomas Ashborne an Augustine frier Iohn Astone an earnest follower of Wickliffes doctrine and therfore condemned to perpetuall prison Casterton a moonke of Norwich and an excellent diuine Nicholas Radelife a moonke of saint Albons Iohn Ashwarbie a diuine and a fauourer of Wickliffes doctrine Richard Maidstone so called of the towne in Kent where he was borne a Carmelite frier of Aâ—lesford Adde to these Iohn Wardbie an Augustine frier and a great diuine Robert Waldbie excellentlie learned as well in diuinitie as other arts for the which he was first aduanced to a bishoprike in Gascoigne and after he was admitted archbishop of Dubline William Berton a doctor of diuinitie chancellor of the Uniuersitie of Oxford and aduersarie to Wickliffe Philip Repington abbat of Leicester a notable diuine and defender of Wickliffe Thomas Lombe a Carmelite frier of Lin Nicholas Hereford a secular priest a doctor of diuinitie and scholer to Wickliffe Walter Brit also another of Wickliffes line 10 scholers wrote both of diuinitie other arguments Henrie Herklie chancellor of the Uniuersitie of Oxford an enimie to Wickliffe and a great sophister Robert Iuorie a Carmelite frier of London and the twentith prouinciall of his order here in England Lankine a Londoner an Augustine frier professed in the same citie a doctor of diuinitie an aduersarie to Wickliffe More William Gillingham a moonke of saint Sauiours in Canturburie Iohn Chilmarke a fellow line 20 of Marton colledge in Oxford a great philosopher and mathematician Iohn Sharpe a philosopher and a diuine wrote manie treatises a great aduersarie to Wickliffe Richard Lauingham borne in Suffolke and a frier of Gipswich an excellent logician but a sore enimie to them that fauoured Wickliffes doctrine Peter Pateshull of whome ye haue heard before it is said that he was in the end constreined for doubt of persecution to flie into Boheme William Woodford a Franciscane frier a line 30 chosen champion against Wickliffe being now dead procured thereto by the archbishop of Canturburie Thomas Arundell Iohn Bromyard a Dominicke frier both a notable lawyer a diuine a sore enimie also to Wickliuists Marcill Ingelne an excellent philosopher and a diuine one of the first teachers in the Uniuersitie of Heidelberge which
heire of his realme crowne and dignitie It was also agréed that king Henrie during his father in lawes life should in his stéed haue the whole gouernement of the realme of France as regent thereof with manie other couenants and articles as after shall appeere To the performance whereof it was accorded that all the nobles and estates of the realme of France as well spirituall as temporall and also the cities and commonalties citizens and burgesses of townes that were obeisant at that time to the French king should take a corporall oth These articles were not at the first in all points brought to a perfect conclusion But after the effect and meaning of them was agréed vpon by the commissioners the Englishmen departed towards the king their maister and left sir Iohn Robsert behind to giue his attendance on the ladie Katharine King Henrie being informed by them of that which they had doone was well content with the agréement and with all diligence prepared to go vnto Trois and therevpon hauing all things in a readinesse he being accompanied with his brethren the dukes of Clarence and Glocester the earles of Warwike Salisburie Huntington Eu Tankeruile and Longuile fiftéene thousand men of warre went from Rone to Pontoise departing from thence the eight daie of Maie came to saint Denis two leagues from Paris and after to Pontcharenton where he left a strong garison of men with sir William Gascoigne to keepe the passage and so then entering into Brie he tooke by the waie a castell which was kept against him causing them that so kept it some to be hanged and the residue to be led foorth with him as prisoners And after this keeping on his iournie by Prouins and Nogent at length he came to Trois The duke of Burgognie accompanied with manie noble men receiued him two leagues without the towne and conueied him to his lodging All his armie was lodged in small villages thereabout And after that he had reposed himselfe a little he went to visit the French king the quéene and the ladie Katharine whome he found in saint Peters church where was a verie ioious méeting betwixt them and this was on the twentith daie of Maie and there the king of England and the ladie Katharine were affianced After this the two kings and their councell assembled togither diuerse daies wherein the first concluded agreement was in diuerse points altered and brought to a certeinetie according to the effect aboue mentioned When this great matter was finished the kings sware for their parts to obserue all the couenants of this league and agreement Likewise the duke of Burgognie and a great number of other princes and nobles which were present receiued an oth the tenor whereof as the duke of Burgognie vttered it in solemne words thus insueth accordinglie as the same is exemplified by Titus Liuius De Foro Luuisiis in Latine The oth of the duke of Burgognie EGo Philippus Burgundiae dux per me meósque haeredes ad sacra Dei euangelia domino regi Henrico Angliae Franciaeque pro Carolo rege regenti iuro quòd humiliter ipsi Henrico fidelit érque cunctis in rebus quae rempublicam spectant Franciae coronam obediemus statim post mortem Caroli domini nostri domino Henrico regi suÃsque successoribus in perpetuum ligei fideles erimus nec alium quempiam pro domino nostro supremo Franciae rege quà m Henricum suos haeredes habebimus néque patiemur Non erimus praeterea in consilio vel consensu cuiusquam damni regis Henrici suorúmue successorum vbi quicquam detrimenti patiantur capitis siue membri vel vitam perdant sed praedicta quantum in nobis fuerit quà m citissimis literis vel nuntijs vt sibi meliùs prouidore valeant eis significabimus The same in English I Philip duke of Burgognie for my selfe and for mine heires doo here sweare vpon the holie euangelists of God to Henrie king of England and regent of France for king Charles that we shall humblie and faithfullie obeie the said Henrie in all things which concerne the common-wealth and crowne of France And immediatlie after the deceasse of our souereigne lord king Charles we shall be faithfull liegemen vnto the said king Henrie and to his successors for euer Neither shall we take or suffer anie other souereigne lord and supreme line 10 king of France but the same Henrie and his heires neither shall we be of counsell or consent of anie hurt towards the said king Henrie or his successors wherby they may suffer losse detriment of life or lim but that the same so farre as in vs may lie we shall signifie to them with all speed by letters or messengers that they may the better prouide for themselues in such cases line 20 The like oth a great number of the princes and nobles both spirituall and temporall which were present receiued at the same time This doone the morow after Trinitie sundaie being the third of Iune the mariage was solemnized and fullie consummate betwixt the king of England and the said ladie Katharine Herewith was the king of England named and proclamed heire and regent of France And as the French king sent the copie of this treatie to euerie line 30 towne in France so the king of England sent the same in English vnto euerie citie and market towne within his realme to be proclamed and published The true copie whereof as we find it in the chronicles of maister Hall we haue thought good here to set downe for the more full satisfieng of those that shall desire to peruse euerie clause and article thereof as followeth The articles appointments of peace line 40 betweene the realmes of England and France HEnrie by the grace of God king of England heire and regent of France lord of Ireland to perpetuall mind of christian people and all those that be vnder our obeisance we notifie and declare that though there hath béene here before diuerse treaties betwéene the most excellent prince Charles our father of France line 50 and his progenitors for the peace to be had betwéene the two realmes of France and England the which heretofore haue borne no fruit we considering the great harmes the which haue not onelie fallen betwéene those two realmes for the great diuision of that hath béene betwéene them but to all holy church we haue taken a treatie with our said father in which treatie betwixt our said father and vs it is concluded accorded in the forme after the manner that followeth 1 First it is accorded betwéene our father and line 60 vs that forsomuch as by the bond of matrimonie made for the good of the peace betweene vs and our most deere beloued Katharine daughter of our said father of our most déere moother Isabell his wife the same Charles and Isabell beene made our father and moother therefore them as our father and moother we shall
heads for the committing of the same to the intent that at that instant we for our deserts being penitent and repentant maie be compelled lamenting and bewailing our sinnes like forsakers of this world iocund to depart out of this mischeefe life Now to returne againe to our purpose The next daie after king Richard being furnished with men all ablements of warre bringing all his men out of their campe into the plaine ordered his fore-ward in a maruellous length in which he appointed both horsmen and footmen to the intent to imprint in the hearts of them that looked a farre off a sudden terror and deadlie feare for the great multitude of the armed souldiers and in the fore-front he placed the archers like a strong fortified trench or bulworke Ouer this battell was capteine Iohn duke of Norffolke with whome was Thomas earle of Surrie his sonne After this long vant-gard followed king Richard himselfe with a strong companie of chosen and approoued men of warre hauing horssemen for wings on both sides of his battell After that the earle of Richmond was departed from the communication of his fréends as you haue heard before he began to be of a better stomach and of a more valiant courage and with all diligence pitched his field iust by the campe of his enimies and there he lodged that night In the morning betimes he caused his men to put on their armour and apparell themselues readie to fight and giue battell and sent vnto the lord Stanleie which was now come with his band into a place indifferent betwéene both the armies requiring him with his men to approch néere to his armie and to helpe to set the souldiers in arraie But he answered that the earle should set his owne men in good order of battell while he would arraie his companie and come to him in time conuenient Which answer made otherwise than the earle thought or would haue iudged considering the oportunitie of the time the weight of the businesse And although he was therwithall a little vexed began somewhat to hang the head yet he without anie time delaieng compelled of necessitie after this maner instructed and ordered his men He made his fore-ward somewhat single and slender according to the small number of his people In the front he placed the archers of whome he made capteine Iohn earle of Oxenford To the right wing of the battell he appointed sir Gilbert Talbot to be the leader To the left wing he assigned sir Iohn Sauage who had brought thither with him a crue of right able personages clad in white coats and hoods which mustered in the eies of their aduersaries right brimlie The earle of Richmond himselfe with aid of the lord Stanleie gouerned the battell accompanied with the earle of Penbroke hauing a good companie of horssemen and a small number of footmen For all his whole number excéeded not fiue thousand men beside the power of the Stanleies wherof three thousand were in the field vnder the standard of sir William Stanleie The kings number was double so much and more When both these armies were thus ordered and all men readie to set forward king Richard called his chiefteins togither and to them said as followeth The oration of king Richard the third to the chiefteins of his armie MY most faithfull and assured fellowes most trustie welbeloued freends elected capteins by whose wisedome and policie I haue obteined the crowne and type of this famous realme and noble region by whose puissance valiantnesse I haue inioid and possessed the state roiall dignitie of the same maugre the ill will and seditious attempts of all my cankered enimies and insidious aduersaries by whose prudent politike counsell I haue so gouerned my realme people subiects that I haue omitted nothing apperteining to the office of a iust prince nor you line 10 haue pretermitted nothing belonging to the dutie of wise and sage councellors So that I maie saie and trulie affirme that your approoued fidelitie tried constancie maketh me to beleeue firmelie and thinke that I am an vndoubted king and an indubitate prince And although in the adeption and obteining of the garland I being seduced and line 20 prouoked by sinister counsell and diabolicall temptation did commit a wicked and detestable act yet I haue with streict penance and salt tears as I trust expiated cleerelie purged the same offense which abhominable crime I require you of frendship as cleerelie to forget as I dailie remember to deplore and lament the same If ye will euen now diligentlie call to remembrance in what case and perplexitie line 30 we doo stand and in what doubtfull perill we be all intrapped I doubt not but you in heart will thinke and with mouth confesse that if euer amitie and faith preuailed betweene prince and subiects or betweene subiect and subiect or if euer bond of alegiance obliged the vassall to loue and serue his naturall souereigne lord or if anie obligation of dutie bound anie prince to aid line 40 defend his subiects all these loues bonds and duties of necessitie are now this day to be tried shewed and put in experience For if wise men saie true as they doo not lie there is some policie in getting but much more in keeping the one being but fortunes chance the other high wit and policie For which cause I with you and you with me must needs this day take line 50 labour and paine to keepe and defend with force that preheminence and possession which by your prudent deuises I haue gotten obteined I doubt not but you know how the diuell continuall enimie to humane nature disturber of concord sower of sedition hath entered into the heart of an vnknowne Welshman whose father I neuer knew nor him personallie saw exciting line 60 him to aspire and couet our realme crowne and dignitie and thereof cleerelie to depriue and spoile vs and our posteritie Ye see further how a companie of traitors theeues outlawes and runnagates of our owne nation be aiders and partakers of his feat and enterprise readie at hand to ouercome and oppresse vs. You see also what a number of beggerlie Britans and faint-hearted Frenchmen be with him arriued to destroie vs our wiues and children Which imminent mischeefs and apparant inconueniences if we will withstand refell we must liue togither as brethren fight togither like lions feare not to die togither like men And obseruing and keeping this rule and precept beleeue me the fearefull hare neuer fled faster before the greedie greihound nor the sillie larke before the sparrowhawke nor yet the simple sheepe before the rauenous woolfe than your proud bragging aduersaries astonied and amazed with the onelie sight of your manlie visages will flee run and skir out of the field For if you consider and wiselie ponder all things in your mind you shall perceiue that we haue manifest causes and apparant tokens
compassion wherin she forgat not by degrées vehement and inducing to solicit a negociation of accord by vertue whereof hauing a little after deliuered don Hugo de Moncado shée sent him to the emperour to offer him that hir sonne should renounce and disclaime from all rights of the kingdome of Naples and the estate of Millan with contentment to refer to the censure and arbitration line 60 of the law the titles and rights of Burgundie which if it apperteined to the emperour he should acknowledge it for the dowrie of his sister that he should render to monsieur Burbon his estate togither with his moouablâ—◠〈◊〉 which were of great valour and also the â—ruits and â—â—â—enues which had beene leuied by the commissioners 〈◊〉 out of the regall chamber that he should giue to him his sister in mariage and deliuer vp to him Prouence if iudgement of the interest and right were made of his side And for the more facilitie and spéedie passage of this negociation rather than for anie desire she had to nourish hir inclination to the warre she dispatched immediatlie ambassadours into Italie to recommend to the pope and the Uenetians the safetie of hir sonne To whome she offered that if for their proper securitie they would contract with hir and raise armes against the emperour she would for hir particular aduance fiue hundred lances togither with a great contribution of monie But amid these trauels and astonishments the principall desire as well of hir as of the whole realme of France was to appease and assure the mind of the king of England iudging trulie that if they could reduce him to amitie and reconcilement the crowne of France should remaine without quarrell or molestation Where if he on the one side and the emperour on the other should rise in one ioint force hauing concurrent with them the person of the duke of Burbon and manie other opportunities and occasions it could not be but all things would be full of difficulties and dangers Of this the ladie regent began to discerne manie tokens and apparances of good hope for notwithstanding the king of England immediatlie after the first reapports of the victorie had not onelie expressed great tokens of gladnesse and reioising but also published that he would in person passe into France and withall had sent ambassadours to the emperour to solicit and treat of the moouing of warre iointlie togither yet procéeding in deed with more mildnesse than was expected of so furious shewes and tokens he dispatched a messenger to the ladie regent to send to him an expresse ambassadour which accordinglie was accomplished and that with fulnesse of authoritie and commission such as brought with it also all sorts of submissions implorations which she thought apt to reduce to appeasement the mind of that king so highlie displeased He reposed himselfe altogither vpon the will and counsell of the cardinall of Yorke who séemed to restreine the king and his thoughts to this principall end that bearing such a hand vpon the controuersies and quarrels that ran betwéene other princes all the world might acknowledge to depend vpon him and his authoritie the resolution and expectation of all affaires And for this cause he offered to the emperour at the same time to descend into France with a puissant armie both to giue perfection vnto the aliance concluded betwéene them before and also to remooue all scruple and gelousie he offered presentlie to consigne vnto him his daughter who was not as yet in an age and disposition able for mariage But in these matters were very great difficulties partlie depending vpon himselfe and partlie deriuing from the emperour who now shewed nothing of that readinesse to contract with him which he had vsed before for the king of England demanded almost all the rewards of the victorie as Normandie Guien and Gascoigne with the title of king of France And that the emperour notwithstanding the inequalitie of the conditions should passe likewise into France and communicate equallie in the expenses and dangers The inequalitie of these demands troubled not a little the emperour to whome they were by so much the more grieuous by how much he remembred that in the yeares next before he had alwaies deferred to make warre euen in the greatest dangers of the French king So that he persuaded himselfe that he should not be able to make anie foundation vpon that confederation And standing in a state no lesse impouerished for monie and treasure than made wearie with labours and perils he hoped to draw more commodities from the French king by the meane of peace than by the violence of armes and warres speciallie ioining with the king of England Besides he made not that accompt which he was woont to doo of the mariage of his daughter both for hir minoritie in age and also for the dowrie for the which he should stand accomptable for so much as the emperour had receiued by waie of loane of the king of England he séemed by manie tokens in nature to nourish a woonderfull desire to haue children and by the necessitie of his condition he was caried with great couetousnesse of moniâ— vpon which two reasons he tooke a great desire to marie the sister of the house of Portugall which was both in an age able for mariage and with whome he hoped to receiue a plentifull line 10 portion in gold and treasure besides the liberalities of his owne people offered by waie of beneuolence in case the mariage went forward such was their desire to haue a quéene of the same nation and language and of hope to procreat children For these causes the negociation became euerie daie more hard and desperat betwéene both those princes wherein was also concurrent the ordinarie inclination of the cardinall of Yorke towards the French king togither with the open complaints he line 20 made of the emperour as well for the interests and respects of his king as for the small reputation the emperour began to hold of him He considered that afore the battell of Pauia the emperour neuer sent letters vnto him which were not written with his owne hand and subscribed your sonne and coosine Charles but after the battell he vsed the seruice of secretaries in all the letters he wrote to him infixing nothing of his owne hand but the subscription not with titles of so great reuerence and submission but line 30 onelie with this bare word Charles In this alteration of affection in the emperour the king of England tooke occasion to receiue with gratious words and demonstrations the ambassadour sent by the ladie regent to whome he gaue comfort to hope well in things to come And a little afterward estranging his mind wholie from the affaires which were in negociation betwéene him and the emperour he made a confederation with the ladie regent contracting in the name of hir sonne wherein he would haue inserted line 40 this expresse condition that for the kings ransome and
in restoring of the religion called catholike for which appointed parlement there to be holden great prouision was made as well by the quéens officers as by the townesmen inhabitants of the countrie round about But the quéens mind in short space changed and the same parlement was holden at Westminster in Aprill next following wherein the queene proponed two speciall matters the one for the mariage to be had betweene hir and the prince Philip of Spaine the other for the restoring againe of the popes power and iurisdiction in England As touching hir mariage it was with no great difficultie agréed vpon but the other request could not be easilie obteined Howbeit it was to be wished euen to the disappointing of that mariage if God in counsell had so prouided that the whole bodie of the parlement had beene semblablie affected as it is said that all the nations of the world were when the sunne would néeds be maried Against which purpose of the sun the people of all regions assembling humblie besought Iupiter to cast in a blocke and impediment against that wedding But Iupiter demanding of them why they would not haue the sun maried one stepping vp made answer for the rest and said Thou knowest well enough Iupiter that there is but one sun and yet he burneth vs all who if he be maried haue children as the number of suns must néeds increase so must their heat and feruentnesse be multiplied whereby a generall destruction of all things in their kind will insue Herevpon that match was ouerthrowne But God aboue ruling by prouidence all things here beneath had purposed this coniunction so that it was not in the power of man to withstand or interrupt it howbeit it was his pleasure to what end himselfe best knoweth to cursse it with barrennesse as he did the queene hir selfe with a short and vnpeaceable reigne full of sedition and bloudshed as our English poet noteth Quaepost Eduardi mortem conuersio rerum Transtulit in varias alieno pectore partes Brutigenas fauet hic externis ille perosus Mystarum rabiem tantis obstacula quaerit Opportuna malis cùm iam proh dedecusingens Seditio exoritur regnorum pessima pestis ¶ On the eight of Aprill then being sundaie a cat with hir head shorne and the likenesse of a vestment cast ouer hir with hir fore féet tied togither and a round peece of paper like a singing cake betwixt them was hanged on a gallows in Cheape néere to the crosse in the parish of saint Matthew which cat being taken downe was caried to the bishop of London and he caused the same to be shewed at Pauls crosse by the preacher doctor Pendleton On the tenth daie of Aprill following Thomas Cranmer archbishop of Canturburie Nicholas Ridleie bishop of London and Hugh Latimer once bishop of Worcester who had béene long prisoners in the tower were now conueied from thence and caried to Windsore and afterward to the vniuersitie of Oxford there to dispute with the diuines and learned men of the contrarie opinion Two daies after their comming to Oxford which was the twelfe daie of the said moneth diuerse learned men of both the vniuersities were sent in commission from the conuocation which during this parlement was kept in Pauls church in London to dispute with those prisoners in certeine articles of religion The names of them that were in commission were these following Of Oxford doctor Weston prolocutor Cole Chadseie Pie Harpesfield Smith Of Cambridge Yoong Seton Watson Atkinson Phecknam Sedgewike The thirtéenth daie of Aprill these disputers assembled themselues in saint Maries church to conuent the thrée persons aboue named vpon certeine articles of religion who being brought out of prison before them were seuerallie one after another examined of their opinions vpon the articles proponed vnto them whereof ye maie read in the booke of monuments of the church more at large and there find the whole procéeding in that matter line 10 Sir Thomas Wiat of whome mention is made before was about this time brought from the tower to Westminster and there arreigned of high treason the earle of Sussex sir Edward Hastings and sir Thomas Cornwallis with others being his iudges The effect of whose indictment among other things speciallie was that he the fourtéenth daie of Februarie last before with force of armed multitude and ensignes displaied had at Brainford raised open warres against our souereigne ladie the line 20 quéene traitorouslie pretending and practising to depriue hir of hir crowne and dignitie and the question was demanded of him whether he was guiltie or no Where at he staied and besought the iudges that he might first aske a question before he answered directlie to the point and he was licenced so to doo The question was that if he should confesse himselfe guiltie whether the same should not be preiudiciall vnto him so as he by that confession should be barred from vttering such things as he had more to say line 30 Wherevnto it was answered by the court Maister Wiat said they ye shall haue both leaue and leasure to saie what you can Then my lords quoth he I must confesse my selfe guiltie and in the end the truth of my case must inforce me I must acknowledge this to be a iust plague for my sins which most gréeuouslie I therefore haue committed against God who suffered me thus brutishslie beastlie to fall into this horrible offense of the law Wherefore all you lords gentlemen line 40 with other here present note well my words lo here sée in me the same end which all other commonlie had which haue attempted the like enterprise from the beginning For peruse the chronicles through you shall sée that neuer rebellion attempted by subiects against their prince and countrie from the beginning did euer prosper or had euer better successe except the case of king Henrie the fourth who although he became a prince yet in his line 50 act was but a rebell for so must I call him though he preuailed for a time yet was it not long but that his heires were depriued and those that had right againe restored to the kingdome and crowne and the vsurpation so sharplie reuenged afterward in his bloud as it well appeared that the long delaie of Gods vengeance was supplied with more greeuous plagues in the third and fourth generation For the loue of God all you gentlemen that be here present remember and be taught as well by examples past line 60 as also by this my present infelicitie and most wretched case Oh most misserable mischiefous brutish bestlie furious imaginations of mine I was persuaded that by the mariage of the prince of Spaine the second person of this realme and next heire to the crowne should haue béene in danger and that I being a free borne man should with my countrie haue beene brought into the bondage and seruitude of aliens and
As for example Wiat and the other rebels attainted for their great treasons alreadie declare you to be his and their adherent in as much as diuerse sundrie times you had conference with him and them about the treason so as Wiat is now one of your condition who as all the world knoweth hath committed an open traitorous fact By your leaue my lord this is a verie strange and singular vnderstanding For I suppose the meaning of the law-makers did vnderstand these words By people of their condition of the state and condition of those persons which should be on the inquest to trie the partie arreigned guiltie or not guiltie and nothing to the bewraieng of the offense by another mans act as you saie For what haue I to doo with Wiats acts that was not nigh him by one hundred miles Will you take vpon you to skill better of the law than the iudges I doubt not but you of the iurie will credit as it becommeth you Concerning the true vnderstanding of these words By people of their condition my lord chiefe iustice here hath declared the truth for Wiat was one of your condition that is to saie of your conspiracie You doo not denie Throckmorton but that there hath beene conference and sending betwéene Wiat and you and he and Winter dooth confesse the same with others so as it is plaine Wiat may be called one of your condition Well séeing you my iudges rule the vnderstanding of these words in the statute by people of your line 10 condition thus strangelie against me I will not stand longer vpon them But where dooth appeare in me an open déed wherevnto the treason is speciallie referred If thrée or foure doo talke deuise and conspire togither of a traitorous act to be doone and afterwards one of them dooth commit treason as Wiat did then the law dooth repute them and euerie of them as their acts so as Wiats acts doo implie and argue of your open déed and so the law dooth terme it and line 20 take it These be maruellous expositions and woonderfull implications that another mans act whereof I was not priuie should be accounted mine for Wiat did purge me that I knew nothing of his stirre Yea sir but you were a principall procurer and contriuer of Wiats rebellion though you were not with him when he made the stirre And as my lord here hath said the law alwaies dooth adiudge him a traitor which was priuie and dooth procure treason line 30 or anie other man to commit treason or a traitorous act as you did Wiat and others for so the Ouert act of those which did it by your procurement shall in this case be accounted your open deed We haue a common case in the law if one by procurement should disseize you of your land the law holdeth vs both wrong dooers giueth remedie as well against the one as the other For Gods sake applie not such constructions against me and though my present estate dooth not line 40 mooue you yet it were well you should consider your office and thinke what measure you giue to others you your selues I saie shall assuredlie receiue the same againe The state of mortall life is such that men know full little what hangeth ouer them I put on within these xij moneths such a mind that I most wofull wight was as vnlike to stand here as some of you that sit there As to your case last recited wherby you would conclude I haue remembred and learned of you maister Hare and you maister Stanford line 50 in the parlement house where you did sit to make lawes to expound and explane the ambiguities and doubts of law sincerelie and that without affections There I saie I learned of you and others my maisters of the law this difference betwixt such cases as you remembred one euen now and the statute whereby I am to be tried There is a maxime or principle in the law which ought not to be violated that no penall statute maie ought or should be line 60 construed expounded extended or wrested otherwise than the simple words and nude letter of the same statute dooth warrant and signifie And amongest diuerse good and notable reasons by you there in the parlement house debated maister sergeant Stanford I noted this one whie the said maxime ought to be inuiolable You said considering the priuate affections manie times both of princes and ministers within this realme for that they were men and would and could erre it should be no securitie but verie dangerous to the subiect to refer the construction and extending of penall statutes to anie iudges equitie as you termed it which might either by feare of the higher powers be seduced or by ignorance and follie abused and that is an answer by procurement Notwithstanding the principall as you alledge it and the precisenesse of your sticking to the bare words of the statute it dooth appéere and remaine of record in our learning that diuerse cases haue béene adiudged treason without the expresse words of the statute as the queenes learned councell there can declare It dooth appeere the prisoner did not onelie intise or procure Wiat Caro Rogers and others to commit their traitorous act and there dooth his open facts appéere which Uaughans confession dooth witnesse but also he did mind shortlie after to associat himselfe with those traitors for he minded to haue departed with the earle of Deuonshire westward My innocencie concerning these matters I trust sufficientlie appéereth by my former answers notwithstanding the condemned mans vniust accusation But because the true vnderstanding of the statute is in question I saie procurement and speciallie by words onelie is without the compasse of it and that I doo learne and prooue by the principle which I learned of maister Stanford Maister Throckmorton You and I maie not agrée this daie in the vnderstanding of the law for I am for the quéene and you are for your selfe the iudges must determine the matter He that dooth procure another man to commit a felonie or a murther I am sure you know well enough the law dooth adiudge the procurer there a felon or a murtherer and in case of treason it hath béene alwaies so taken and reputed I doo and must cleaue to my innocencie for I procured no man to commit treson but yet for my learning I desire to heare some case so ruled when the law was as it is now I doo confesse it that at such time there were statutes prouided for the procurer counsellor aider a better and such like as there were in king Henrie the eights time you might lawfullie make this cruell construction and bring the procurer within the compasse of the law But these statutes being repealed you ought not now so to doo and as to the principall procurer in felonie and murther it is not like as in treason for
50 hours fight the enimie entered Which when the lord Greie beheld he leaped to the top of the rampire wishing of God that some shot would take him When one that stood next him by the scarffe suddenlie pulled him downe otherwise the effects had well declared the earnestnes of the praier for he was not yet vp againe when a canon shot grated vpon the same place from whence he fell And thus verie narrowlie hée scaped the danger of that shot which if it had hit him would no doubt haue wrought his dispatch For what is the weake frame of a mans bodie to mightie line 60 forts and strong castels builded of timber and stone beside the iron worke therewith compact oftentimes redoubling the strength of the same And yet these we see by experience ruinated battered and laid leuell manie times with the thundering shot of this dreadfull artillerie an engine of no great antiquitie and not vsed among ancient warriours in former ages but a late deuise of a Franciscan frier pitie it is that euer he was borne to set abroch such a pestilent inuention as the poet noteth shewing also the vse and the mischéefous effect therof as followeth Tormenti genus est ex ferro aut aere coactum Quod Franciscanus frater reperisserefertur Vt capias paucis validissima castra diebus Quae vix cepisses armis toto prius anno c. But to proceed The fight within the bulworke yet lasted to the great slaughter of them that defended it Herevpon my lord Greie presentlie called to maister Lewes Diue and others that were about him to follow him to the gate The maze was such that besides his sonne maister Arthur Greie and now lord Greie maister Lewes Diue capteine Brickewell and halfe a doozen of armed corslets not a man else did follow him By this means the Englishmen were cleane driuen out of the bulworke the enimie yet not daring to passe the braies gaue them that escaped good leisure to recouer the gate where my lord Greie holding the wicket himselfe receiued them in Upon the taking of this bulworke the souldiors of Whiteleies bulworke and the base court in discomfiture abandoned their charges flieng to the castell so that more than the Kéepe and the bodie of the castell no part was free from the enimie My lord Greie hauing receiued all his caused the gates to be rammed vp Thus were the cheefe bulworks and vtter lims of the castell of Guisnes obteined by the French on saint Sebastians daie being the twentith of Ianuarie but yet not without great expense of bloud on both sides for of the French part there were slaine in those assaults aboue the number of eight or nine hundred and of the English not manie fewer amongst whom the greatest losse lighted vpon those few Spaniards and Wallons that were come to assist the English at that present It was now night when a trumpetter came to the ditches side in the base court sounded a summons who being called vnto asked what he would told that he was sent to my lord Greie by the duke of Guise with offer of a parlée if it would be harkened vnto The souldiors no sooner heard these newes but forsaking the walles came all in rowt togither confusedlie speaking to their chiefteine the said lord Greie praied him to harken to the message to haue consideration of their liues which so long as anie hope remained they willinglie had ventured The lord Greies answer was that he maruelled either what causelesse mistrust of his caring for them was now come vpon them or what sudden vnwoonted faintnesse of mind had so assailed them as to cause them in such disorder to forsake their places and leaue the walles naked and he willed them to returne to the same My lord Greie hereof tooke counsell and it was thought good not to reiect the offer the extremitie on euerie side weied The trumpetter receiuing answer accordinglie departed without long abode returned againe requiring in the dukes behalfe hostages for a truce during the parlee from vs he minding to deliuer the like into the castell From him in fine monsieur Desâ—rees and a gentleman of the kings chamber were sent in and maister Arthur Greie my lords sonne and maister Lewes Diue were put out Monsieur Dandelot in the braies receiued them and caried them ouer the vnfortunate bulworke being come vpon naked and new slaine carcases some of them spralling yet and groning vnder their feet were onelie the earth they trod on So passing downe the breach somewhat to the ease of the former heauie sight they saw it and the ditch little lesse fraught with the enimies corpses Then to the campe they came and were lodged in the said Dandelots tent The next daie in the morning the lord Greie was to mâ—et the duke abrode betweene them willinglie one houre was spent in talking without agreement onelie vpon this point that the lord Greie would haue his bands depart with their ensignes displaied which would not be yeelded vnto so he returned the hostages also therevpon were sent in Monsieur Destrées not being yet come foorth my lord was no sooner entered againe but that the souldiers eftsoones forsaking the walles willinglie to the present cutting of all their owne throtes if monsieur Destrées himselfe had not béene with a few capteins gentlemen of the lord Greies owne retinue came and met him crieng vpon him to haue pitie vpon them The lord Greie herewith staied and pausing a while had line 10 this speach The onelie pitie if fond I cannot saie that I haue of you hath caused me this daie to make such offers of composition as neither your honesties nor my honour nor either of our duties in my thought maie well beare which refused to take harder to the vtter defacing of our credits sith the best would blot it If I would souldiers your selues me thinketh in vengeance thereof should turne your weapons vpon me and sacrifice so hartlesse a capteine rather line 20 than to take it as a token of a pitifull capteine ouer you and to yéeld thanks for the same We haue begun as becommed vs we haue yet held on as dutie dooth bind vs let vs end then as honest dutie and fame dooth will vs. Neither is there anie such extremitie of despaire in our case but that we maie yet dearelie inough sell our skins yer we lose them Let vs then either march out vnder our ensignes displaied or else herewith die vnder them displaied The soldiers herewith in a mutinie flatlie answered line 30 that they for his vainglory would not sell their liues The desperatnesse of their case was not vnknowne vnto them said they and that their liues in other seruice might yet auaile their prince and countrie In this now further to venture was but like oxen to be thrust to the butcher That his lordship was not to expect anie one blow at their hands Herewith
passing by the ward there he went to the place that is right ouer against the mint before the which there was a huge and monstrous seahorsse of twentie foot high vpon whom sat a nymph called Concord bearing a shield wherein was painted a booke and a rod which was named the Rule of truth In hir hand she bare a flag wherein was written Faithfull aliance This monster of the sea was named Tyrannie and he had a bridle in his mouth line 50 with double reines of iron chained called Law and Reason Whereby the dukes highnesse was doone to vnderstand that he as a true Perseus was to deliuer that countrie from all tyrannie and afterward to gouerne it by iustice and reason Ouer against the mint gate where the stréet is narrowest were two obeliskes or round spires and betwéene them a triumphall arch with his pillers of Corinthian worke gilded and inriched with his releefe vnder him Upon the forefront were his highnesses arms line 60 and likewise on the sides were other armes with banners torches and cressets Under the armes of his highnesse were written these verses following Full mightie is that common weale and in a happie case And blest with all commodities through Gods most heauenlie grace Where prince behaues himselfe as head and commons him obeie As members either carefullie regarding others staie From this triumphall arch vnto the palace that is to wit all along saint Michaels stréet which is a mile in length stood on either side thrée score and ten pillers with a space of two and twentie foot betweene piller and piller Euerie piller was twelue foot high and vpon the pillers was a continuall tarras on euerie ech other piller was a cresset and on the pillers betwéene were the armes of Brabant Aniou and Antwerpe diuided according to the spaces betwéene the said pillers And the pillers were crested about with garlands of iuie On the side of the street towards the palace was a pageant with banners torches and pyramides vpon the vppermost part of one of the sides whereof was a crane and vpon the other side a cocke giuing knowledge as well to the heads as to the members that watchfulnesse is needfull A little spaniell betokening faithfulnesse a little lambe betokening peace were painted accompanied with the Sybils which represented wisedome loue faithfulnesse obedience vertue and honor without the which no true peace can continue And all these were guided by the light of the holie ghost which was resembled by a certeine brightnesse that discouered the chiefe instruments of discord namelie Enuie and Slander who péered out behind Enuie gnawing hir owne heart and Slander hauing double heart double toong and double face howbeit with small effect For on the two sides of this pageant were two counterfets on the one side Hercules on the other Dauid as it were in copper hauing gotten the vpper hand of Goliah betokening strength and stowtnesse and vnderneath was Concord who held Discord in a chaine with collars about his necke which Discord offering with his one hand an apple of gold and with his other hand threatning men with his force and tyrannie was yet neuerthelesse driuen into the dungeon of sorrow where he is kept prisoner by Concord who kéepeth the doore fast shut betokening the same thing which the countrie looketh for at his highnesse hand according to his posie Cherisheth and Chaseth Upon the forefront of the compartement made of Phrygian worke were these verses following painted out in most liuelie forme O let the earth the kissings sweet of peace and iustice see And let hir powre hir riches foorth in all mens bosoms free Let godlines and faithfulnes go matched arme in arme And let the bond of endles loue keepe all things knit from harme Before the duke came at saint Michaels where the palace was prepared for his highnesse the daie was so farre spent that they were faine to light vp their cressets torches which cast so great and cléere a light through the whole towne that the dukes highnesse and the princes and lords which accompanied him and likewise the souldiors with their glistering armors were séene more cleerelie than at anie time of the daie And as the multitude of people was verie great in the citie so the néerer that his highnesse drew to his palace the greater still did the number grow So at length the duke of Brabant and Aniou entred into his palace in the order afore mentioned hauing moreouer a two or thrée hundred as well of offendors as of banished folke which followed him bareheaded and fettered crauing mercie The heralds did cast péeces of gold and siluer abrode as they had doone at the méetings of all the stréets as they passed through them At the entrie of the palace was an arch of twentie foot high resting vpon thrée pillers of Phrygian worke and vpon the top thereof was a compartement wherein were the thrée graces that is to wit Uertue Glorie and Honor who offered vnto his highnesse an olife branch in token of peace a laurell bough in token of victorie and a crowne which was sent him from heauen And vnder the compartement were written these verses O prince whose merits passe his praise whose vertues haue no peeres Whose mind surmounts his fortune far whose thews exceed his yeeres Take gentlie heere this oliue branch this laurell bough and crowne Three presents giuen thee by three nymphs and sent from heauen downe ¶ The oth made by Francis duke of Brabant to the line 10 members of the right renowmed citie of Antwerpe and the oth made by them againe vnto his highnesse The duke of Brabant being come into his palace caused a peale of a twentie or thirtie thousand harquebusses to be shot off and then all the companies sauing those which were to watch that night began to withdraw themselues appase Which thing was doone in such order and with such silence that in lesse than halfe an houre all the citie was disarmed line 20 after which maner they had also armed themselues in lesse than an houre without anie noise in the morning The princes also and the lords withdrew themselues to their lodgings and then was all the great ordinance of the towne shot off twise as it had béene at the dukes first comming to the citie that all the towne séemed to be on fire Cressets were lighted and fires made for ioie through all the stréets and méetings waies and vpon the stéeples in so great number and so continuallie that all the night resembled line 30 the daie in so much that when they that were without the towne looked vp into the skie they thought the element was all on fire These bonefires continued euerie night vntill the next thursdaie on which daie his highnesse tooke his peculiar oth to the towne of Antwerpe in dooing whereof these solemnities insuing were obserued The amptman boroughmaisters and skepons of Antwerpe came to the said
generall peace of France and thereby vrged the king to forbeare from the resolution he had made not onlie to aid the oppressed people of the low countries against the Spaniards but also to haue accepted them as his owne subiects But in verie truth howsoeuer they were pitied and in a sort for a time comforted kept in hope in France by the French king who also hath oftentimes earnestlie solicited vs as quéene of England both by message and writing to be carefull of their defense yet in respect that they were otherwise more streictlie knit in ancient friendship to this realme than to anie other countrie we are sure that they could be pitied of none for this long time with more cause and griefe generallie than of our subiects of this our realme of England being their most ancient alies and familiar neighbours and that in such manner as this our realme of England and those countries haue béene by common language of long time resembled and termed as man and wife And for these vrgent causes and manie others we haue by manie fréendlie messages and ambassadors by manie letters and writings to the said king of Spaine our brother and alie declared our compassion of this so euill and cruell vsage of his naturall and loiall people by sundrie his martiall gouernors and other his men of warre all strangers to these his countries And furthermore as a good louing sister to him and a naturall good neighbour to his lowe countries and people we haue often and often againe most friendlie warned him that if he did not otherwise by his wisedome and princelie clemencie restreine the tyrannie of his gouernours and crueltie of his men of warre we feared that the people of his countries should be forced for safetie of their liues and for continuance of their natiue countrie in the former state of their liberties to séeke the protection of some other forreine lord or rather to yeeld themselues wholie to the souereigntie of some mightie prince as by the ancient lawes of their countries and by speciall priuileges granted by some of the lords and dukes of the countries to the people they doo pretend and affirme that in such cases of generall iniustice and vpon such violent breaking of their priuileges they are frée from their former homages and at libertie to make choise of anie other prince to be their prince and head The proofe whereof by examples past is to be seene read in the ancient histories of diuerse alterations of the lords and ladies of the countries of Brabant Flanders Holland and Zeland and other countries to them vnited by the states and people of the countries and that by some such alterations as the stories doo testifie Philip the duke of Burgundie came to his title from which the king of Spaines interest is deriued but the further discussion hereof we leaue to the view of the monuments and records of the countries And now for the purposes to staie them from yéelding themselues in anie like sort to the souereigntie of anie other strange prince certeine yéeres past vpon the earnest request of sundrie of the greatest persons of degrée in those countries and most obedient subiects to the king such as were the duke of Ascot and the marquesse of Hauerie yet liuing and of such others as had principall offices in those countries in the time of the emperour Charles we yéelded at their importunat requests to grant them prests of monie onelie to continue them as his subiects and to mainteine themselues in their iust defense against the violence and cruelties of the Spaniards their oppressours thereby staieng them from yeelding their subiection to anie other prince from the said king of Spaine and during the time of that our aid giuen to them and their staie in their obedience to the king of Spaine we did fréelie acquaint the same king with our actions and did still continue our fréendlie aduises to him to mooue him to command his gouernours and men of warre not line 10 to vse such insolent cruelties against his people as might make them to despaire of his fauours and séeke some other lord And in these kind of persuasions and actions we continued manie yéeres not onelie for compassion of the miserable state of the countries but of a naturall disposition to haue the ancient conditions of streict amitie and commerce for our kingdoms and people to continue with the states and the people of the said dukedome of Burgundie and the appendents line 20 and namelie with our next neighbours the countries of Flanders Holland and Zeland For we did manifestlie sée if the nation of Spaine should make a conquest of those countries as was and yet is apparantlie intended and plant themselues there as they haue doone in Naples and other countries adding thereto the late examples of the violent hostile enterprise of a power of Spaniards being sent within these few yeares by the king of Spaine and the pope into our realme of Ireland with an intent line 30 manifestlie confessed by the capteins that those numbers were sent aforehand to seize vpon some strength there to the intent with other great forces to pursue a conquest thereof we did we saie againe manifestlie see in what danger our selfe our countries and people might shortlie be if in conuenient time we did not speedilie otherwise regard to preuent or staie the same And yet notwithstanding our said often requests and aduises giuen to the king of Spaine manifestlie for his owne weale and honor line 40 we found him by his councell of Spaine so vnwilling in anie sort to incline to our fréendlie counsell that his gouernours and chéefeteins in his low countries increased their cruelties towards his owne afflicted people and his officers in Spaine offered dailie greater iniuries to ours resorting thither for traffike yea they of his councell in Spaine would not permit our expresse messenger with our letters to come to the king their masters presence a matter verie strange and against the law of line 50 nations And the cause of this our writing and sending to the king procéeded of matter that was worthie to be knowne to the king and not vnméet now also to be declared to the world to shew both our good disposition towards the king in imparting to him our gréefes and to let it appeare how euill we haue béene vsed by his ministers as in some part may appeare by this that followeth Although we could not haue line 60 these manie yeares past anie of our seruants whom we sent at sundrie times as our ambassadours to the king our good brother as was meet suffered to continue there without manie iniuries and indignities offered to their families and diuerse times to their owne persons by the greatest of his councellours so as they were constreined to leaue their places and some expelled and in a sort banished the countrie without cause giuen by them or notified to vs yet we minding
of Orange was slaine And after a daie or twooes tariance he remoued thense to Donhage where he was interteined with ten seuerall shewes of no lesse rare inuention than exquisit sumptuousnesse so glad were the people best and worst one with another of his comming Certeine daies passed and Ianuarie entred the lord lieutenant with three hundred horsses in their furniture entred Leidon where he was receiued of the burgomasters burgesses and others line 50 with seuen seuerall shewes that follow It is to be noted that eight yeares before this they were besieged and therefore now presented their extremities which at that time they were driuen into They brought therefore a faire woman on the stage verie brauelie apparelled she represented the towne hir they assalted by Spaniards with false fiers of great and small shot a long time in order of battell then retiring continued their siege héere they laie so long that vittels waxed scarse and then they presented after line 60 the poets of what this shew had passed Famine attired accordinglie then breathed into the woman after which they presented men rending dogs and cats aliue in sunder and fed on them and souldiors robbing women of their children Sicknesse now possesseth hir and pestilence and this they presented in abrupt burials of townesmen on heapes and lastlie with a braue buriall of a capteine who was borne ouer the stage with dead matches howling trumpets wrapt vp ancients trailed pikes drawne péeces and after he was put into the ground and bid farewell with a volée of great and small shot The Spaniards pitieng hir writ and sent letters by diuerse messengers all which she read and refused without returne of answer now hope possesseth hir and therefore they tooke another waie Now she commanded a light to be set on the highest stéeple in the towne to signifie vnto the prince of Orange that laie in Delph how they hoped for succor who againe by deuise of a doue sent them promise of aid by which doue they promised to attend the good houre and so the shew ended Now came Gods prouidence vpon whome the towne relied and she leaned Gods prouidence in the dead of the night ouerthrew a peece of the wall and vawmure of six and twentie poles Which the enimie hearing and fearing the prince and his power to be entred for their aid they fled whome when the towne had in pursute they put all they ouertooke to the swoord the rest escaped by flight and so with the woman as it were now at libertie that presented the towne they marched awaie merilie with great triumph At the last they brought in a woman verie braue armed as the other was hir they besieged with a Spaniard intised with a Frenchman and flattered with an Iatlian twise the Spaniard put by she fled the stage and leaping off hastilie hid hir selfe vnder the earls cloke whom he shadowed and the Spaniard threatning marched awaie The earle led hir to his lodging whereinto he entred with shot On the skaffold were written these verses in effect as followeth in English We Flemings being banished now wailing here We are as they in Babylon by the water clere Bicause we wold not worship idols but Gods word And might not sing our praise vnto the Lord Are we driuen out as now dooth appeere But our deliuerance is now verie neere For God hath looked vpon our miserablenesse And sent vs a prince whom he will blesse Which praised be God as it dooth beseeme Who hath deliuered vs from dangerous case And humbled the heart of such a noble queene As hath sent vs a gouernor now in this space Laieng his hand to the warres through his grace And his arme mightilie the which vs defend Thus praised may he be world without end Which sendeth such a prince aboue all that liueth And one that gouerns to gods honor he now giueth So passing on to my lords lodging on the doore of the entring were written these verses following Pro auspicijs illustrissimi generosissimi comitis Roberti Dudlaei regiae maiestati apud Anglos à consilijs gubernatoris Belgiae c ad Holandos consolatio Inter Iberiadum furias tigridis iras Oppressi fletum comprimitote viri Nos licèt innumeris hostilia bella periclis Assiduè infestent mille necesque trahant Nostra tamen Domini rebus fiducia si sit In Domino miseris expediet facilè Nicanor Lestrij generis viribus malè nostras Ceruices pulsat barbara verba vomens Viribus at Lecestranis iugulabitur ille En Machabaeus adest qui Nicanora premat Auspicio Christi qui in vitam funera vertit Qui fidei vindex qui mala nostra leuat En generose comes Dauidis pia facta sequutus Iusticiae exerce iura seuera tuae Et tibi sit praesens magnum qui temperat orbem Vt pede victrici colla ter as Goliae On the daie after his comming to the towne he was banketted at which banket were orations and deuises manie On the fift of Ianuarie hée came backe from Leidon vnto Donhage The tenth he mustred part of his horssemen to the number of fiue hundred or more and then pointed them into seuerall garrisons and to seuerall gouernors the earle of Essex was that daie made generall of the horsses The eleuenth daie hée came from Donhage to Leidon The twelfe daie a generall fast was proclamed through Holland Gelderland and Friseland which was kept with great zeale The lord lieutenant spent that daie till night with preaching reading and singing of psalmes neither he or anie of his eating anie thing The ninetéenth line 10 of Ianuarie he came from Leidon to Donhage where in his time of abode he rode to a litâ—le fisher towne two miles from the Hage named Skeueling which towne dooth bound on the maine seas In this towne he was presented with these verses Like as the sea goddesse Thetis had ingendred The valiant Achilles to the Greeks defence So hath now this English Thetis who all praise deserued Sent vs this Achilles to our assistence Wherefore we yeeld him all due reuerence line 20 These words were written in the great hall at Donhage coÌ„teining terms of honor welwishing Beatus qui facit opus Domini fideliter ¶ Inclyto principi Roberto Dudlaeo comiti Leicestriae inter magnates maximè pio prudenti forti Dei permissu a regina misso praefecto ac gubernatori Belgarum prosperum hunc optatúmque aduentum toto laetitiae sinu gratulamur ecclesiae reipublicae salutem optamus foederati ordinis Belgij addicti celsitudini eius ¶ Deus caepit Deus dirigat line 30 On the fiue and twentith of Ianuarie the lord lieutenant was installed and sworne and likewise all the states sworne to the quéene The manner of the installing was thus At Donhage is a maruellous faire hall at the vpper end whereof are fiue or six large steps ascending
protest hath beene my gréedie desire and hungrie will that of your consultation line 30 might haue fallen out some other meanes to worke my safetie ioined with your assurance than that for which you are become such earnest sutors as I protest I must néeds vse complaint though not of you but vnto you and of the cause for that I doo perceiue by your aduises praiers and desires there falleth out this accident that onelie my iniurers bane must be my lifes suertie But if anie there liue so wicked of nature to suppose that I prolonged this time onelie Pro forma line 40 to the intent to make a shew of clemencie thereby to set my praises to the wierdrawers to lengthen them the more they doo me so great a wrong as they can hardlie recompense Or if anie person there be that thinke or imagine that the least vaine-glorious thought hath drawne me further herein they doo me as open iniurie as euer was doone to anie liuing creature as he that is the maker of all thoughts knoweth best to be true Or if there be anie that thinke that the lords appointed in commission line 50 durst doo no other as fearing thereby to displease or else to be suspected to be of a contrarie opinion to my safetie they doo but heape vpon me iniurious conceipts For either those put in trust by me to supplie my place haue not performed their duties towards me or else they haue signified vnto you all that my desire was that euerie one should doo according to his conscience and in the course of his procéedings should inioie both fréedome of voice and libertie of opinion and what they would not openlie line 60 declare they might priuatlie to my selfe haue reuealed It was of a willing mind and great desire I had that some other meanes might be found out wherein I should haue taken more comfort than in anie other thing vnder the sun And sith now it is resolued that my suretie can not be established without a princesse end I haue iust cause to complaine that I who haue in my time pardoned so manie rebels winked at so manie treasons and either not produced them or altogither slipt them ouer with silence should now be forced to this procéeding against such a person I haue besides during my reigne séene and heard manie opprobrious books and pamphlets against me my realme and state accusing me to be a tyrant I thanke them for their almes I beleeue therein their meaning was to tell me news and news it is to me in déed I would it were as strange to heare of their impietie What will they not now saie when it shall be spread that for the safetie of hir life a maiden queene could be content to spill the bloud euen of hir owne kinswoman I maie therefore full well complaine that anie man should thinke me giuen to crueltie whereof I am so giltlesse and innocent as I should slander God if I should saie he gaue me so vile a mind yea I protest I am so far from it that for mine owne life I would not touch hir neither hath my care beene so much bent how to prolong mine as how to preserue both which I am right sorie is made so hard yea so impossible I am not so void of iudgement as not to sée mine owne perill nor yet so ignorant as not to know it were in nature a foolish course to cherish a swoord to cut mine owne throte nor so carelesse as not to weigh that my life dailie is in hazard but this I doo consider that manie a man would put his life in danger for the safegard of a king I doo not saie that so will I but I praie you thinke that I haue thought vpon it But sith so manie haue both written spoken against me I praie you giue me leaue to saie somewhat for my selfe before you returne to your countries let you know for what a one you haue passed so carefull thoughts Wherein as I thinke my selfe infinitlie beholding vnto you all that seeke to preserue my life by all the meanes you maie so I protest vnto you that there liueth no prince that euer shall be more mindfull to requite so good deserts And as I perceiue you haue kept your old woonts in a generall séeking of the lengthning of my daies so am I sure that I shall neuer requite it vnlesse I had as manie liues as you all but for euer I will acknowledge it while there is anie breath left me Although I maie not iustifie but maie iustlie condemne my sundrie faults and sinnes to God yet for my care in this gouernment let me acquaint you with my intents When first I tooke the scepter my title made me not forget the giuer and therefore began as it became me with such religion as both I was borne in bred in and I trust shall die in Although I was not so simple as not to know what danger and perill so great an alteration might procure me how manie great princes of the contrarie opinion would attempt all they might against me and generallie what enimitie I should breed vnto my selfe which all I regarded not knowing that he for whose sake I did it might and would defend me For which it is that euer since I haue béene so dangerouslie prosecuted as I rather maruell that I am than muse that I should not be if it were not Gods holie hand that continueth me beyond all other expectation Then entered I further into the schoole of experience bethinking what it fitted a king to doo and there I saw he scant was well furnished if either he lacked iustice temperance magnanimitie or iudgement As for the two latter I will not boast my sex dooth not permit it but for the two first this dare I saie amongst my subiects I neuer knew a difference of person where right was one nor neuer to my knowledge preferred for fauour whome I thought not fit for woorth nor bent my eares to credit a tale that first was told me nor was so rash to corrupt my iudgement with my censure before I heard the cause I will not saie but manie reports might fortune be brought me by such as might heare the case whose parcialitie might mar sometime the matter for we princes maie not heare all our selues But this dare I boldlie affirme my verdict went euer with the truth of my knowledge As full well wished Alcibiades his fréend that he should not giue anie answer till he had recited the letters of the alphabet so haue I not vsed ouer sudden resolutions in matters that haue touched me full neere you will saie that with me I thinke And therefore as touching your counsels and consultations I conceiue them to be wise honest line 10 and conscionable so prouident and carefull for the safetie of my life which I wish no longer than maie be for your good that though I neuer can yéeld you of recompense your due yet shall I indeuour
point of ioining The order of the Scotish battels The Irish archers on a wing Edward Shelleie The lord Iohn Greie The English horssemen repelled Gentlemen slaine The lord Greie hurt Sir Andrew Flammocke The lord Fitzwaters * Quéene Elizabeth Caluerleie Clement Paston Don Philip â— Spaniard The placing of the English vantgard The battell The rere-ward The presence 〈◊〉 the earle of â—arwike 〈◊〉 inâ—â—â—â—aged the 〈◊〉 Sir Rafe Uane Sir Peter Mewtas Sir Peter Gamboa The Archers The mâ—â—ster 〈…〉 The Scots flie and are sharplie pursued The enimies cast awaie their munition and furniture the lightlier to flie and be gone The earle of Angus Parson Keble one of the lord protectors chapleins The maner of the slaughter The number of Scots slaine The causes why so few Scots were taken The Scotishmens vow Paniar hough The apparell of the Scots The earle 〈◊〉 Huntleie â—â—â—ken Other prisâ—â—ners taken The numbeâ— of the prisoners The lord proâ—tector not desâ—â—rous of slaughter Sir Rafe Sadler The spoile 〈◊〉 the Scotish campe A showt 〈◊〉 signe of victorie The featurâ— of the Scotishmens pâ—â—â—sonages Priests oâ— kirkmen A baner 〈◊〉 papists â—â—uise 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 signifiâ—â—â—â—â— and meaâ—â—â—g of the 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 A little castle 〈◊〉 pile verie 〈◊〉 with the English â—â—at men of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 and taken prisoâ—ers Armor and weapons caried into England Ieronimo an Italian Cutbert Musgraue The English armie incampeth by Lieth S. Cooms in s The castell of Daketh Blacke Nesse an hauen towne on the south shore of Scotland Thrée ships of name woone from the Scots Sir Iohn Luttrell S. Cooms in s kept with a garrison of Englishmen The earle of Bothwell Lieth burned The armie dislodged Crainston Broughticrag Broughticrag yéelded to the Englishmen Lawder Hume casteâ—â— Hume castell besieged and yéelded vp to the lord protector Summerset the dukes herald The conditions of the surrendring of Hume castell The lord Greie receiueth the possession of Hume castell The situation of Rockesburgh The determinatioÌ„ in what 〈◊〉 Rockesburgh should be fortified Scots that came to the kings obeisâ—â—ce Lards Gentlemen The diligence of the duke of Summerset to further the fortification to Rockesburgh A Scotish herald Creation of banerets knights c. Banerets Knights Edward Seimer the duke of Summersets son Sir Francis Fleming Order taken for defense of the fort gained and built in this voiage The armie returneth homewards The danger of the soldiers in passing the riuer of Twéed Knights made An inuasion made into Scotland Annan church woone The castell of Milke woone The homilies paraphrase of Erasmus The lord protectors returne A parlemeâ—â— 1548 Anno Reg. 2. Lowder fortified Sir Hugh Willoughbie Hadington fortified by the lord Greie Yester castell woone Vlpian Fulwell in the flower of fame Newton and Hamilton 〈◊〉 Scotish gentlemen accuse each other 〈…〉 them Hamilton vanquished and slaine Newton rewarded by my lord Greie Newton 〈◊〉 by his aduersaries Muskelburgh burnt The French king prepareth an armie in aid of the Scots Broughticrag besieged Monsieur de Desse general of the French armie He landeth at Lieth The French men resolue to besiege Hadington The French armie commeth before Hadington The Reinsgraue They plant their artillerie The earle of Argile Monsieur de la Chapelle Piero Strozzi hurt Hadington battered The valiancie of the Englishmen Succours entring the towne Sir Robert Bowes sent to succour Hadington The lord Hume Dandelot Monsieur Etauges The English horssemen discomfited * Quéene Elizabeth The Frenchmen remooue their campe The earle of Shrewesburie generall of the armie The number of soldiours is the same armie Conrad Phenning 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 â—x patience 〈◊〉 the Englishâ—â—◠〈…〉 all 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 The Frenchmen chased The armie of the Scots come to ioine with the Frenchmen The earle of Shrewesburie profereth the enimies battell The Frenchmen durst not come foorth of their campe Ships burned A fortresse built at Dunglas The lord Greie entereth againe into Scotland A camisado giuen to Hadington The Frenchmen repelled A parlement Dundeé spoiled The Reinsgraue constreined to retire Sir Thomas Seimer sent to the tower Anno Reg. 3. The masse abolished Monsieur de Etauges taken prisoner Sir Iames Wilford taken prisoner Sir Iames Crofts generall of Hadington Sir Nichoâ—â—s Arnalt â—â—â—teine of Bullognberg Carter an Englishman 〈◊〉 amoÌ„g 〈◊〉 frenchmen but to their disadâ—â—â—tage Sir Nicholas Arnalts 〈◊〉 The Frenchmen assaile Bullognberg The number of pikes and bils broken vpon the Frenchmen Carter an hardie soldier and a good seruitor The Frenchmen repelled Fifteéne wagons laden with French carcasses The lord Cobham with a new supplie of soldiers The great valiaÌ„cie of the Englishmen vnder the conduct of their noble capteins The preparation for warre as well in England as France Rich. Grafton in fol. 1294. The lord prâ—tectors right honorablâ— stile The epistle exhortatorie sent to the Scots Herein appeareth the lord protectors care for their good estate Sâ—otland 〈◊〉 fiue 〈◊〉 by one king of Engâ—â—nd The case of 〈◊〉 coniunctioÌ„ 〈◊〉 mariage of 〈◊〉 two yoong princes touâ—â—ed The course of 〈◊〉 iust â—â—dgement in tâ—is example â—â—â—able The lord proteâ—tor inforâ—eth by â—itchie persuasions a perpetuall â—â—itie betwéene the 〈◊〉 realms 〈◊〉 the foresaid 〈◊〉 The lord protector still vrgeth peace and amitie The Scots by the consent of a parlement granted their great seale for the confirmation of a mariage to be had betwéen Marie the heire of Scotland prince Edward heire of England What offers are made to the Scots Britaine was the first name of England and Scotland A verie good lawfull and bountifull offer The case of the foresaid mariage still vrged The lord protector telleth the Scots who they be that put doubts into their heads c. Further inducements to make the Scots forward in this mariage A true saieng The lord protector pointeth as it were at the inconueniences which he would haue the Scots to preuent Examples confirming the former assertion Insolencie oâ— soldiors and lâ—wlesse licentiousnesse The issue of the lord protectors eâ—tâ—â—â—tation Two meanes or waies of making one regiment or 〈◊〉 The lord proâ—â—â—tor protesteth what the kings determination is â—nitem to the Scotish goâ—ernor and â—irkemen c. What England Scotland might do being made 〈◊〉 by amitie Nothing reâ—â—â—red of the Scots that was not proâ—â—sed by them Fire sword Gods angrie angels An argument of vpright mening that resuieth no witnesse The kings grant as a proofe of the beginning of loue betwéene England and Scotland The Scots reiect the benefit of this exhortation A proclamation for the laieng open of inclosures The meaning of the foresaid proclamation Commotions in Summersetshire and other places Rebellion in Deuonshire Iohn Fox in Acts Monuments The names of the capteins of the rebels The number of the rebels in Deuâ—nshire Their hope in others failed them Excester besieged The great loialtie of the citizens of Excester 〈◊〉 Iohn Fox 〈◊〉 Acts Sacraments Sacrament 〈◊〉 â—â—ptisme Confirmaâ—â—â—â— Consecrating of