¶ Hic incipit fructus temporum.
BYcause of these bokes made to tell what tyme of ony thȳ ge notable was. Therfore ye begȳnynge of al tymes shortly shal be touched. For the whiche after doctours it is to be knowen / that foure thinges were made fyrst / & in one tyme & of one age / that is to wyte / the heuen imperyall / aungels nature / the matere of the foure elemētes / & tyme. And that doctours call werke of the creacion / the whiche was made (afore ony daye or nyght) of ye myghty power of god / and was made of nothynge. ¶ Than after foloweth ye werke of diuysyon / the whiche was made in thre of ye fyrst dayes / in whiche is shewed ye hygh wysdome of the maker. ¶ Than after foloweth ye arayenge of this werke / in ye whiche is shewed the goodnes of the creatour / the whiche was made thre of ye nexte daye folowyng. Vt patet clare in textu gen̄ .j. ¶ The fyrst daye god made & deuyded the lyght from the derknes. ¶ The seconde daye god made & ordeyned the firmament / & diuyded the water from the water. ¶ The thyrde daye god made in the whiche he gadered the waters in to one place / and the erth tho appered. ¶ The fourth daye god made / in ye whiche daye he ordeyned ye sonne / the mone and the sterres / & put them in ye fyrmament. ¶ The fyfth daye god made / in the whiche he ordeyned fysshes & foules / & grete whales in ye water. ¶ The syxth daye god ordeyned / in the whiche he made beest & man. ¶ The .vij. daye god made / & in yt day he rested of all werkes that he had ordeyned / not as in werkyng beynge wery / but he ceased to make mo newe creatures. Vide (pl’a)plura ge [...] .j.
VNderstande ye that Adam the fyrst man / of whome it is wryten in this fyrst age nexte folowynge lyued .ix. hondred yere and .xxx. And gate xxxij. sones / and as many doughters.
¶ Anno mundi primo. Et ante Christi natiuitatem .v. M .C .lxxxxix.
¶ Here begynneth the fyrst age durynge vnto the flode of Noe.
IN the fyrst yere of ye worlde the syxth day god made and formed Adam in the felde da mastene / & Eua of his tybbes / puttyng them in paradyse / & bade them to kepe his cōmaundement / that they sholde not ete of ye fruyte of lyfe vnder the payne of deth. And ye same daye yt they had synned / anone he cast them out of paradyse in to ye lōde of cursednes that they sholde lyue there wt swerynge & sorowe tyll they dyed. Vide (pl’a)plura ge [...]. [...]. ¶ This Adam was an holy man all y• dayes of his lyfe / grete penan̄ce dayly he dyd. And he cōmaūded his chyldren to lyue ryghtwylly / & namely that they [Page] sholde auoyde in all wyse from the company of Cayn & his chyldren. Nor that they shold not mary with none of them ¶ This mā Adam was our fyrst fader & for one synne put vs out of paradyse. But through his holy cōuersacion & penaūce / he gaue vs ensample to come to the kyngdome of heuen. And he yt wyll not folowe his holy cōuersacion & example for one synne / ryghtwysly he can not complayne on hym / as we doo many. ¶ Seth sone to Adam was borne after the begynnynge of ye worlde .C. and. xxx yeres / & lyued .ix .C. and .xij. But Moyses ouerskypped an hondred of those / in the whiche Abel wepte in ye vale of ploracion nygh Ebron. This Seth for the oyle of mercy to be goten went to paradyse. ¶ Delbora was syster to Abell. Abell was slayne of Cayn his broder. This Abell the fyrst martyr began the chirche of god. This man after Austyn made ye cite of god / & he was ye fyrst citezyn of yt cite. And bycause he was right wyse / our lorde receyued his offrynge. ¶ Calmana was wyfe to Cayn. This Cayn was a cursed man / & he made the fyrst erthly cite that euer in this worlde was / in yt whiche he put his people for drede / in so moche as he vsed rauyne & violence. For he trusted suche thynge to be done to hym as he dyd to other / therfore he put hym and his in to a sure place. This man slewe his broder Abel for enuye / and he was punysshed of god / & wandred aboute in despayre. And was slayne of Lameth a blynde man.
¶ Anno mūdi. iiij .C .xxxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatem .iiij. M .ix .C. lxxiiij.
ENos of the lyne of Chryst lyued ix .C. yere & .v. And began to call the name of our lorde. It myght happe he foūde some wordes of prayer / or made some ymages for god to be worshypped as now is in the chirche. Chanam lyued after .ix .C. yere and .x.
¶ Anno muudi. vij .C .lxxxxv. Et ante Christi natiuitatē .iiij. M. iiij .C .iiij.
MAlaleel of the lyne of Chryst lyued. viij .C. & .lxxxxv. yere. Iareth of ye lyne lyued .ix .C. lxij. ¶ Enoch of ye same lyne lyued. iij .C. yere .lxv. and was a ryghtwyse man & pleased god. And for his grete holynes our lord trāslated hym in to paradyse / where he lyueth wt Hely in grete rest of body & soule tyll the comynge of Antechryst. Than they shall go forth for the cōfortacyon of good men. And they shall be crowned wt the crowne of martyrdome.
MAtusale of Chrystes lyne lyued ix .C .lxix. yere. And was ye oldest man yt euer ony scripture hath mȳde of. For whan he had lyued nygh .v .C. yere our lorde sayd to hȳ. Buylde ye an hous & thou wylt / for yet thou shalt lyue fyue hondred yere. And he answered & sayd. For so lytell a tyme as .v. hondred yere I wyll buylde no hous. But rested vnder trees and hedges / and there slepte / as he was wont to do for a tyme.
¶ Anno mundi. M. iiij .C .liiij. Et ante Christi natiuitatē .iij. M. vij .C .xlv.
LAmeth was of the age of .vii. C lxxvij. yere. This Lameth was the first agaynst nature & good maners that ordeyned yt a man might haue two wyues in doynge his auoutry. And he was sore punisshed of thē / for they gaue hȳ many a strype. For it is so yt by what thynge a man synned / by the same he is punysshed. This Lameth slewe Cayn not wylfully. But whan he was olde & blynde he was ladde of achylde ye whiche [Page iii] trowed yt he had seen a wylde beest / & sayd to his mayster yt he shold shote / & so he slewe Cayn / wherfore for anger he slewe the chylde also. ¶ And it is to be knowen that all craftes or scyences lyberal / or hande craftes / or of phisyke seruynge to ye curiosite of man / are redde yt they were foūden in the children of Lameth. And for they dradde the peryll to come of the flode & of the fyre. Therfore Tuball graued the same craftes in two pyllers / the one was of marble / & that other of tyle or brycke. Tubal foūde first the crafte to werke gold & syluer & yren. And was the fyrst grauer yt euer was. ¶ Iabe foūde fyrst tētoria for shepeherdes / & pauylyons for other men. ¶ Iubal foūde fyrst ye crafte to playe vpon an harpe & organs / & other musycal instrumentes he vsed. ¶ Noema founde fyrst the crafte for to weue lynnen & wollen cloth / & to drawe threde of woll & flaxe. And afore that tyme the people vsed the skynnes of beestes for theyr clothes.
¶ Anno mundi. M. vj .C .xlij. Et ante Christi natiuitatem .iij. M .v .C. lvij.
¶Here begynneth the seconde age of the worlde durynge to Abraham.
THe shyppe of Noe had in length iij .C. cubytes / in brede .l. in altytude .xxx. Vide (pl’a)plura gen̄ .vj. ¶ Knowe ye after doctours / that a cōuenyent payne this tyme was ordeyned to the worlde. For than lechery haboūded the whiche defouled mennes bodyes. And there by water ye erth was wasshed & clensed / in sygne of ye promesse yt god made to man that there sholde neuer be suche a flode agayne. And the Raynbowe hath two prȳcypal colours / the whiche represent the two iudgementes. The water colour representeth ye flode that is passed. The fyre colour betokeneth the iudgement to come / & fyre the whiche we certaynly abyde in the ende of this worlde bycause couetyse shall haboūde / by fyre it shall be brente / as golde and syluer by the fyre is wonte to be clensed.
THis Noe was a rightwyse man & foūde grace an [...]nst god. Whan Noe was .v .c. yere of age he had goten Cham / Sem and Iaphet. That tyme by ye cōmaundement of god he began to make a shyppe / & he made it perfyte in an .C. yere / & the .C. yere cōplete our lorde appered agayne to hym & cō maūded yt he wt his wyfe & his chyldren & ye wyues of them shold entre ye shyppe with all maner of beestes & al maner of foules also. &c. And anone ye flode came and stode aboue all hylles. [...]v. cubytes. Vide plura gen̄ .vij. ¶ After the flode came grete dronkennes [...]e [...]yd vnto Noe. And through the occasion of that dronkēnes he blyssed his two sones Sem and Iaphet / for ye faders honour that they had to him / & for the honest shame that they couered mekely theyr faders membres whan he was slepynge. And his sone Cham for his scornynge & his vnreuerence he cursed. ¶ And here after saynt Austyn is made ye fyrst mencyon of bondage / and of noblenes cōtrary to it. For Noe sayd that Cham sholde be seruaūt in bondage to Sem and Iaphet for his [Page] [...]ureuerence. Neuerthelesse ye shall not trowe that all that descended of Cham were vnnoble men / & of no power. For they began fyrst to be myghty men of ye erth. As it is open of Nemroth and the kynge of Chanaan & Astorum. Nor all of Sem & Iaphet were vertuous & noble & myghty men / whan almoost euerychone fell vnto ye cryme of ydolatrye / and were oftentymes oppressed of other men. But this blessynge and this cursynge hath a respecte to vertue & vyce / for yt whiche a man is called truly a noble man or an vnnobleman. For he that is vertuous is a noble man / and he that is vnuertuous is not noble. The same maner of wyse those that foloweth the faythe of Abraham rather were called his chyldren than the Iewes / the whiche carnally descended from hym. Neuertheles they had a spirytuall preuylege of god for the faders merytes and his blessynge. And of these thre sones of Noe he beynge alyue (after the hystory of Philoms) were borne .xxiiij. M. and an .C. men / without women and chyldren. And they had on them thre prynces / Nemroth / Iectan / and Sulphen.
¶ Anno mundi .ij. M. ij .C .xlij. Et ante Christi natiuitatē .ij. M. vj .C .lvij.
SEm sone to Noe the seconde yere after the flode gate Arphaxat / & otherwhyle he is called Melchisedech / the whiche fyrst after ye flode made the cite of Salem / & now is called Iherusalem. ¶ Cham his broder obteyned Afffricā / & gate two sones / Chus & Mesraym / & these two gate sones & doughters / and many a regyon they enhabyted vnknowen to vs in occidentall ynde. ¶ Iaphet was broder vnto Cham / and was blyssed of his fader. And this Iaphet had seuen sones / as Gomor / Magog / Maday / Ianam / Tubal / Mosog / and Iras. And these .vij. gate sones & doughters / and of them came many a regyon. Vide plura genesis .xv. ¶ Arphaxat soneto Sem lyued .CCC. and xxx. yere / and gate Elam / Assur / Lude / and Aram / & they gate many chyldren. Vt patet gene. ¶ This Assur bycause he wolde not rebell agaynst god in the edyfyenge of the toure of Babylon / as Nemroth dyd / therfore he was dryuen vnto the londe of Sennaar londe / whiche was ryght straūge to hym / & was not before enhabyted / the whiche was called after his name Assuria / and there he edyfyed a cite afterwarde named Ni niue / the whiche was the metropolytane of all the kyngdome of Assuriorū. ¶ Chus sone vnto Cham was fader to Nemroth / this Nemroth was a gyaūt of .x. cubytes longe / and he began to be myghty in ye worlde / and he is called a boystous hunter before god. This man began that wretched vyce of couetousnes by his tyranny / with yt whiche vice euermore after this worlde is fulfylled. And ye pryncypallest kyngdome that he had was Babylon / & he had Archade / Edyssa / Selencia / & the londe of Sennaar. ¶ Sale sone to Arphaxat lyued CCCC. and .xxxiij. yere / and of hym in scripture is nothynge wryten / but that Moyses nombred hym in the lyne that cometh of Chryst. This Sale ga [...]e a sone that was named Heber / the whiche after the Hebrewes had the spiryte of prophecye. And of this Heber the Hebrewes ben named. For the Hebrewes tongue abode alone in his hous in ye confusyon of the language. And that language was called mānes lāguage / the whiche euery man vsed afore the toure of Babylon was buylded. ¶ This Heber had two sones / and one was called Iectan / and that other Phaleg. This [Page iiii] Iectan through ensample of Nemroth descendynge fro Cham toke the pryncehode vpon the children of Sem. And he had .xiij. sones. But these people after Ierome are not knowen of vs for fernes of the coūtree / or mutacyon and chaungynge of ye people / or elles of some other maner cause.
¶ Anno mūdi .ij. M. vj .C .xliij. Et ante Christi natiuitatem .ij. M .v .C. lvj.
Two hondred and .xxxix. yere lyued Phaleg. This Phaleg was the yonger sone of Heber / & in his dayes was made the confusyon of languages. For in his hous abode the olde tongue alone and that was hebrewe. Wherfore after saynt Austyn / in hym appered a grete stedfastnesse of ryghtwysnesse / for this hous was free of that payne / as not cō sentynge to the buyldynge of the toure. Et scōm Aug. there was .lxxij. generacyons / & so there were .lxxij. languages ¶ Iectan broder to Phaleg of Sem / Nemroth prince of Cham / Sulphen of Iaphet / these thre prynces with theyr people gadered them togyder in ye felde of Sennaar / dredynge the flode to come agayn sayd. Let vs buylde a toure that shall reche to heuen. &c. Gene .xj. Our lorde seynge the folysshenes of ye people cōfoūded theyr tōgues for theyr synnes In so moche yt none vnderstode other / & so they were disperpled through all the worlde. Of ye malyce of this Nemroth bokes ben wryten full. And after ye confusyon of ye language he went to ye londe of Perce / and there he taught them to adoure the fyre as god. He lefte his sone Belus in Babylon / whiche succeded after hym. And so his progenye obtayned that realme after many yeres. In this tyme began many kyngdomes / & the moost of all those kyngdomes was the kyngdome of Scitarū. But there were so many rude people in it yt the cite was no worshipped / yet was it a myghty regyon of dystaūce. And about this tyme began ye kyngdome of Egypte the whiche was chaūged many tymes with dyuers alteracyons / & also it is spoken of many tymes ī scripture. ¶ Noblenes or gentylmen began about this sayd tyme And this noblenes or gentylmen was ordeyned for many causes. ¶ The fyrst cause was necessite / for whā mankynde grewe sore / & men were prompte & redy to do hurt & domage to other / it was very necessary to wtstande ye grete malyce of ye cursed and wycked people agaynst good & ryghtwyse men. Therof a man is called gentylman or a noble man as before other in vertues notable. wherof saynt Ierom sayth. I se nothynge els in noblenes / or in gentylmen / but yt they are boūden in a certayne necessite yt they shall not recede fro the vertue / & the gen [Page] tylnes of theyr noble aūcetours. ¶ The seconde was ye dyuers worshyppyng of the people / for no man worshypped thā but as his naturall reason gaue / & they knewe not veryly what they shold worship / for they were so dull of wytte that they coude pondre no grete thynge / but that was publysshed by the comyn people. Wherfore it was expediēt for theyr peace to be kepte that they sholde haue prynces of noble byrthe. ¶ The thyrde cause ꝓcedeth of some singuler strength Many tymes ye comynaltees were greued through ennemyes comynge vpon them & than they sayd yt who someuer wōlde defende them fro those perylles / he sholde haue the right of noblenes for hȳm & for his heyres for euermore. And in this maner of wyse many are redde to be noble men. ¶ The fourth cause of noblenes was haboundaūce of goodes. Somtyme ye people were holden with grete penury of meet & drynke / & than they toke them & theyrs to some ryche man / that through that couenaūt they sholde tempre ye grete straytnes of theyr honger / & after that they sholde knowe hym as theyr lorde & a noble man. Also there be foūde certayn noble men by the ꝓuysyon of god / though they were but fewe / of yt whiche som abode ī vertue as Dauyd / & some fayled anone / as Saul and Ieroboam. And it is redde yt many were noble men by tyrāny / of yt whiche some were destroyed anone / & some abode in stablenes / as paynyms myght.
¶ Anno mundi .ij. M .ix. C .v. Et ante Christi natiuitatē .ij. M. ij .C .lxxxxiiij.
S [...]ruch lynially descended frō our fore fader Adam to Abrahā. And Nachor was his sone / & he lyued an .C. and .xlviij. yere. And aboute this tyme ydolatry began myghtely. And yf ye re uolue & loke ye hystoryes / ye shall fynde that thre thynges princypally brought men to ydolatry / that is to wyt [...] / the affeccyon that they had to deed men. Drede and flaterynge anenst theyr prynces. And the dylygence of crafty men about sculptures or grauynges. Wycked spirytes than entred in to ydolles and gaue answeres vnto the people / and these wycked spirytes confermed the errour of the people myghtely. In soo moche that who someuer wolde not conferme hym to theyr reason / he sholde greuously suffre the payne of dethe. Also there was added and put to these thynges / the deceyuynge laude and praysynge of poetes / the whiche wretches and dampned men in to heuen with theyr gaye wrytynges exalted. And that same tyme whan deuylles began to speke soo fayrly and so mekely to man / the good lorde of his grete mercy sente his aungelles / that they sholde speke vnto his electe men in vysyble maner / le [...]st that all mankynde shold perysshe with that myscheuous erroure. ¶ Belus sone to Nemroth this tyme was kynge of Babylon / & he was the fyrst kynge of this worlde. And this man was he whome the erroure of the people fyrste byleued sholde be a god. Wherfore dyuerse people named hym dyuersly / and some called hym Bell / some Baall / some Baalun / some Beelphagor / and some Beelsabub. And this vnhappy errour stode in mankynde more than two thousande yere. ¶ Ninus sone to Belus the seconde kynge of Babylon or of Assuriorum regned .liiij. yere. And this Ninus desyred to haue lordshyp & worshyp / and to that entent that he myght be lorde of all the coūtree aboute hym / he gaue batayle to all that dwelled nye aboute hȳ. And bycause that tyme the people were rude / and had not the cōnynge of fyghtyng [Page v] nor armure / anone he subdued vnto hym all As [...]am. And there was made the fyrst Monarchye in ye eest part ye. And whā his herte was sory for ye deth of his fader Belus / he made to be made to hym for his cōforte an ymage of his fader / vnto whome he gaue so myghty reuerence / yt what someuer gylty man had fledde to that ymage / there sholde no man do hym no hurte / & he pardoned him of al his trespace. And through his ensample many a man began to worshyp the deed ymage of theyr dere frendes. Than these malycyous spirytes seynge the curiosite of the people / hydde them within them / and gaue answeres vnto ye people & sayd they were goddes. And cōmaunded them to do reuerence to them as vnto goddes. Thus that vn happy synne of ydolatry was brought in / the whiche repugned myghtely to goddes mageste. And in so moche this madnes grewe / that he shold suffre the payne of deth that sayd they were men but goddes.
¶ Anno mundi .iij. M .C .xiiij. Et ante Christi natiuitatem .ij. M .lxxxv.
[...]Hare sone to Nachor liued. ij .C. and .v. yere. This Thare after the deth of Aram went frō Vr of Calde and passed in to Charram wt his chyldren & his neuewes. And it is sayd / bycause he wolde not worshyp the fyre as Nemroth had taught / he was banysshed the coūtree. And ye comyn opynyon of the Hebrewes is. Nemroth regned there the whiche was called an other name / Amraphel ye kyng of Sennaar / whome lōge tyme after this Abraham ouercame. Vt dici [...] Genesis .xiiij.
¶ Anno mūdi .iij. M .C .lxxxiiij. Et aute Christi natiuitatem .ij. M .xv.
¶ Here begynnth the thyrde age of the Worlde durynge to Dauyd.
THe deuoute & holy story begynneth here of holy partyarkes yt whiche worshipped ye very god and in theyr worshyppyng they taught it. Vide (pl’a)plura gen .xij. [...] ad finē. This Abraham a faythfull louer of god was borne the .xliij. yere of Ninus kynge of Babilon. And knowe ye that the .lxxxv. yere of Abraham by goddes goodnes ye worde of mercy descēded on mankynde / for than began to appere ye oraculus of ye promesse of god. Vide aug .xxj. de [...]. Itē ge .xv. For this tyme appered to vs holy aungels in fourme of mankynde. Aram & Nachor were Abrahams bretherne / & Aram gate Loth a rightwyse man & an holy. And he deserued to be v [...] sited wt aungels as his vncle Abraham was. And for this Loth Ibrahā smo [...]e iiij. kȳges / for they toke Loth. Genesis xiiij. Of whom one was sayd to be N [...] roth / but here he is called Amraphel. ¶ This Abrahā had many wyues / as Sara and Agar. And his chyldren and his bretherne had many chyldren. But for vs ye wryte crony [...]ies / [...] is not necessary to speke of all men but of the noble faders. Sed vide (pl’a)plura ī fine ge [...]. ¶ Me [...] chisedech this tyme was kynge of Salem. This man was called a right wyse kynge / for his excedynge holynes. And [Page] he offred breed & wyne to Abraham / in signe of a mystery. He was in lyke wyse the preest of ye hye god. ¶ Semiramis the thyrde kynge of Babylon ordeyned an army & went in to ynde / & obteyned the countree. And so by all Asyam & the kyngdome of Assuriorum was dylated And he multyplyed the cite of Babylon myghtely / and made walles aboute it. This Semiramis had a wyfe / & he for soke her. And it is wryten that she was slayne of her sone Ninus / bycause she prouoked hym to ye v [...]leful cōcupiscence Sic di. Aug .xviij. de ci. dei. And ye mayster ī his storyes sayth yt she wedded her owne sone / & he gate a childe on her / the whiche ordeyned Babylon to be ye heed of all this realme. ¶ Ninus the fourth kyng of Babylon was sone to grete Ni nus. Of this man lytell is wrytē / but yt he slewe his owne moder / as is said afore. ¶ Arriꝰ was ye fyfth kyng of Babylon. And vnder hym was borne Ysaac.
ALso Ysaac sone of Abraham of ye lyne of Chryst lyued .C .lxxx. yere. This ysaac had a wyfe called Rebecca / and on her he gate two sones Esau & Iacob. This Esau solde his enherytaū ce to his broder Iacob. And he was the fader of Idumeorū / & he had in possessyon the hyll of Seyr / & put first mares to asses / wherof was engēdred mules. ¶ About this tyme .xxx. lordshyps and Gomorra for theyr horryble synne were ouerthrowen. The wyfe of Loth lokynge backwarde / turned in to a salt stone / she weth that no man in the waye of delyberacyon sholde desyre thynges past. Hec Aug. de ciuitate dei.
¶ Anno mūdi .iij. M. iij .C .xliiij. Et ante Christi natiuitatē. M. viij .C .lvj.
IAcob lyued .C .xlvij. yere. This Iacob had foure wyues or some cōcubynes / yt is to wyte / Lyam / Balā / zelpham / & Rachel. Lyam was ye fyrst wyfe / & she was blere eyed / & she bare hȳ .vi. sones. Iudas / Ruben / Simeon / Leuy / Ysachar / zabulon / & a doughter y• hyght Dyna. Bala seruaūt to Lya & cō cubyne to Iacob bare hym two sones / Dan & Neptalim. Rachel ye secōd wyfe to Iacob was barayn longe tyme / & at the last she bare him two sones / Ioseph & Beniamyn. zelpha seruaūt to Rachel [...]are Iacob .ij. sones / Gad & Asar / & eueryche of these made a tribe / of whom in this place is not necessary to speke. Vide (pl’a)plura in gen̄. ¶ Ioseph sone to Iacob was borne .lxxxx. yere of his faders age & he lyued .C. [...]. yere. ¶ This tyme zerses was kyng of Babilon / vnder whom was borne Iacob / & he was ye seuenth kyng of Babylon. ¶ Armaui [...]tre was kyng after him. And after saynt Austin in ye mānes dayes our lorde appered to Ysaac ꝓmysynge hym those thynges yt whiche he ꝓmised to his fader. ¶ Belocus the .ix. kyng of Babylon was after this man. And vnder Belocus or in his tyme our lorde spake wt Iacob / promysyng hym yt he had ꝓmysed to his fader the whiche were two. The possession of the londe of ꝓmyssyon & Chanaam / & ye benediccyon of all ye people in his seed / yt whiche is our lord Iesu chryst. ¶ Abraham aboute this tyme decesed / & was buryed in Nebron. ¶ Inachus the first kyng that euer was in Grece was this tyme / for than the kyngdome began. ¶ Phoromius was kyng after hym / & he ordeyned lawes to the Grekes. &c.
¶ Anno mūdi: iij. M. iij .C .iiij. Et ant [...] Christi natiuitatē. M. vij .C .lxxxxix.
I [...]as sone of Iacob descended of hym / & of this trybe of Iudas came ye kynges ꝓgenye / & at ye last Chryst [Page vi] our lorde. Iudas gate Phares / & Phares Esron / & of these men lytel is had in scripture: but Mathew reherseth them. ¶ Belus in this Phares dayes was kynge of Assurio (rum) / or of Babylon / & he was ye .x. kyng / vnder whom Ysaac decesed. Athlas ye grete astronomer was this tyme / yt whiche is lykened to bere vp heuē on his sholders / bycause of his knowynge in sterres. ¶ Sarapis was the thyrde kynge of Arguio (rum) / or of Grecorū / & this Sarapis was otherwyse called Apis / & he came in to Egypt wt a mighty nauy / & there decesed / and was made of ye blynde gentyles ye egypcyens the gretest god amonge them. And yt tyme began a meruaylous supstycyon in ydolatry of a calfe of two colours / whiche they called Apem / & ye calfe dyed / the deuylles procured a lyke calfe to yt for to be made / yt they myght deceyue ye rude people. And after yt the children of israel dyd so in lyke wyse (vt patz) And what thȳge coude be more wretched or folisshe in man hauyng reason. ¶ Argus was ye fourth kyng of Grekes / after whome ye noble cite of Argꝰ toke his name. Cicrophes edyfyed Athenes in Grece / & this cite was ye nouryssher of liberal scyence & of many philosophers / yet they were deceyued by deuils / & grete supsticiosite in ye cite was made (vide Augꝰ. & mirabilē fabulā reꝑies) ¶ Omogires was ye fyrst man yt put oxen to ye plough. ¶ Belus this tyme was kyng of Babylon / & he was the .x. kyng of yt region / & vnder hym dyed Ysaac. ¶ Pharao was kyng of Egypte / whiche receyued Ioseph / & exalted hym for thinterpretacyon of his dremes (vide scīam pulcherrimā (que) historiā. gen̄ .xlij. &c.) ¶ A [...]thus was the xij. kyng of Babilon / vnder whom dyed Ioseph a blissed man in chastite. ¶ Pharao Emonophis about Esdroms dayes was kynge of Egypte / & this Pharao knewe not Ioseph / ne none of his kynrede / & he cōmaūded ye chyldren of israel to be drowned / as it is had Exodi .j. ye clerkes may loke that boke / and we lay folke wyll loke to cronydes / but aboute this tyme the story of Exod [...] began.
¶ Anno mūdi .iij. M .v .C. xliiij. Et ante Christi natiuitatē. M .v. C .lx.
ARam sone to Esrom of ye lyne of Chryst was about this tyme / & he gate Amynadab & Naason / of these men is lytel wryten in scripture & therfore I ꝓcede to other. ¶ Iob ye holy mā ensample of all pacience this tyme was borne of ye lyne of Nachor broder of Abraham / & he lyued many yeres / & after ye god had assayed hym in his pacience he lyued an .C. & .xl. yere (ꝑ Aug. gre. & [...]) Moyses about this tyme was borne / & the children of Israel were in grete perplexite / & Moyses was put in ye water to be drowned. Aaron aboute this tyme was borne. ¶ Dafrus was the. [...]. kyng of Babilon / & Moyses was borne vnder hym in Egypte. ¶ C [...]crops was the fyrste kynge of Athenes. And after saynt Austyn the Grekes wrote many lesynges in theyr storyes that tyme / for of a lytell thȳge they make a grete fame for to shewe theyr connynge for there was the vniuersite of Grekes.
¶ Anno mundi .iij. M .vi. C .lxxviii. Et ante Christi natiuitatē. M .v .C. x [...].
THis time was Am [...]nadab of christes lyne / sone to Aaron whiche after Moyses wt a full fayth entred in to the reed see / & dradde not whā many an C. were aferde lest they sholde haue ben drowned / & therfore he deserued to brynge forth ye kynges lygnage / of whome descended our lorde Iesu Chryst. Moyses was the fyrst iudge of Israel ye euer [Page] was / and he was iudge .xl. yere. This Moyses was ye moost excellent ꝓphete that euer god made / & the moost notable wryter of storyes / & of his louynge heuen & erth speketh. For he sawe our lorde face to face / whiche here in scripture was none founde but he & Paule the apostle. ¶ Aaron ye first bysshop lyued an C .xxiij. yere. This Aaron was called of god in to ye dignite of ye hye preest / or of a bysshop / & was ordeyned ye eternal testa ment to hȳselfe & them yt came after him for ye grete power of preesthode. Whan he was an .C .xxiij. yere of age he dyed & was buryed in ye hyll of Hor. And his sone Heleazarus succeded in ye bysshopryche. ¶ Pharao Boccaris this tyme was kynge of Egypte / & this Pharao wolde not here ye cōmaūdement of god / ne delyuer the children of Israel / wher fore he was punysshed with .x. plages. Vt (pꝪ)patet oxod. And after he wt all his hoost were drowned in the reed see. ¶ Nason sone to Amynadab was prince of ye trybe of Iuda in ye deserte. And about this tyme ye lawe of god was gyuen in ye hyll of Synay / and ye boke of Leuitici was wryten / & an other boke was called Nu merū / & the tabernacle was ordeyned. The boke of deuteronomiū was made. Balaam was prophete & was slayne.
¶ Anno mūdi .iij. M. vij .C .xxxv. Et an te Christi natiuitatē. M. iiij .C .lxxiiij.
SAlmon of the lyne of Chryst was aboute this tyme / & had a wyfe that hyght Reab. Moyses aboute this tyme decesed / ye water of flome Iordan was drye / Ierico was taken / the sonne stode in ye firmamēt vnmeuable (Historia li. Iosue incipit: et Iudicū) Iosue ye seconde Iudge of Israel was a mighty man in batayle / & the fyrst in deserte / he ouercame Amalech / & after Moyses he was ordeyned of god iudge of Israel / of whome ye batayles / the werkes / & ye religyous lyfe / ye may se in ye boke of Iosue wryten. ¶ Eleazar was the secōde bysshop / & he & Iosue deuyded the loude of promyssyon to the children of Israel. Of hȳ descended almoost all ye bysshops vnto Chryst. ¶ Othonyel of ye trybe of Iuda was ye thyrde iudge / & this man delyuered ye children of israel by batayle from ye realme of Mesopotamye. This man toke Axam to his wyfe / ye whiche asked ye vale londes / aboue & bynethe of her fader Caleph. Vt (pꝪ)patet iudic .j. ¶ Aoth was the fourth iudge of Israell. This man subdued Eglon ye kyng of Moab / & delyuered the chyldren of Israel. This was a myghty mā in batayle / & he vsed the one as well as ye other for his ryght hande. About this tyme ye kyng of ytalye began / & many tymes theyr names be chaūged / of yt whiche ꝓgenye ye Romaynes shewe more clerely. ¶ Ianas was ye first kyng in ytalye / & afterward of ye rude gentyles he was worshypped as god / faynynge hȳ to haue two faces For they worshypped his feest in ye begȳ nynge of ye yere: as he were ye ende of the last yere / & ye begynnynge of ye fyrst. And of hym ye moneth of Ianuary hath his name. ¶ Amictus was ye .viij. kyng of Babylon / vnder whome Iosue decesed.
¶ Anno mūdi .iij. M. vij .C .lxxv. Et ante Christi natiuitatē. M. iiij .C .xxiiij.
BOos sone to Salmon of ye lyne of Chryst was this tyme / but of hȳ is lytell wryten / saue ye Mathewe nombreth him in ye genealogye. As doctours saye / there was made skyppynge of na mes bytwene Boos & Obeth. For at the lest bytwene them were. ij .C .lxxij. yere The whiche tyme to one man may not be referred / & therfore here many thynges [Page vii] is spoken or I come agayn to ye lyne of Chryst. Nicolaꝰ delyra [...] sūt tres Boos vnꝰ post aliū. ¶ Sangar was ye v. iudge of israel / but he lyued no yeres. ¶ Delbora was ye .vj. iudge. This Del bora was a woman / & for ye grace of her ꝓphecy was gyuen to her honour yt she iudged israel. She by ye cōmaūdement of god called Baruch yt he shold go fight with ye enemyes of Israel / & ye chyldren of Israel gate ye victory agaynst Iabyn kynge of Chanaan & Cizaram ye prynce of his chiualry / & he destroyed them. Vt (pꝪ)patet iudicū .iiij. ¶ Phenies was bysshop And this Phenies yet a yonge man for goddes sake slewe many lecherous men & therfore our lord was pleased wt hym. ¶ Saturnus this tyme was kynge in ytalye / & he was ye seconde kyng there / this Saturnus is sayd to come from ye londe of Cretens into ytaly / whome by ydolatry through a meruaylous blyndnes they sayd he was no man but a god And yet they sayd that he regned vpon them as theyr kynge / & he taught men to dong theyr feldes. And of Saturnus the Romayns were called Saturniam. ¶ Picus was sone to Saturnus / & or he was kynge in ytalye he was kynge in Laurentyn / & after his decesse of the gentyles was worshypped for a god.
¶ Anno mundi .iij. M. viij .C .lxxv. Et ante Christi natiuitarē. M. iij .C .xliiij.
GEdeon the .vij. iudge of Israell was this time / this Gedeon sub dued .iiij. kynges. Oreb / zebee / zeb / and Salmana. And he subdued Madean to Israel. Vide (pl’a)plura Iudicū .vj. vij. et .viij. ¶ Bocci was bysshop in Israell than. ¶ Abimelech the .viij. iudge in Israell was natural sone to Gedeon / & he was not called of god / but malycyously toke on hym the pryncehode of Israell. And he slewe .lxx. of his bretherne / wherfore he ended his lyfe myscheuously. Vt (peꝪ)patet iudicū .ix. ¶ Tola was the .ix. iudge of Israel / & this man guyded hym after ye old gouernaūce of iudges by ye maner of direccion & coūseyle / more than by domi naciō. ¶ Bocci was bysshop about this tyme / but of hȳ is lytel wryten. ¶ Iayr the .x. iudge of Israell had .xxx. sones / whome he made prynces of .xxx. cytees And bycause there were good men & ru led to ye pleasure of god. Therfore in the dayes of those two men / Israell drewe to our lord / & therfore all thynge came & was in prosperite & weith. ¶ Fannus was the .iiij. kynge of ytalye / & he was kyng of Laurētyn also. ¶ Latinꝰ was kynge in ytalye after Fannus / & of this Latinꝰ was ye kȳgdom called Latino [...]. ¶ And Carmētis doughter to Euand [...] foūde first latyn lettres. ¶ Thauranus about this tyme was kyng of Babylon or of Assurior / & vnder this man Troye was destroyed fyrst. The occasyon of ye batayle of Troy began for a lytel thȳge in so moche as Lamydon kyng of Troy teceyued not Hercules & Iason wt due honour as they sholde haue bē receyued & of so lytell a trespace how many harmes & hurtes grewe. ¶ Sibilla delphis ca afore ye batayle of Troye prophecyed how a childe sholde be borne of a virgyn wtout manues seed. ¶ Lamydon kyng of Troy was slayne and his doughter Eriona was taken in to Grekes londe. For yt whiche folowed myghty batayle & moost ferefull myscheues. Vide historiam troianā. Hercules with Iason destroyed Iliū or Troy / the whiche anone after was buylded of Priamus sone to Lamydon. This Hercules dyd many meruaylous thynges / & many myghty batayles / & infynyte lesynges ben fayned on hym. It y• last whā he had ouertomē moche people he was betrayed by [Page] a sherte y• Deyanira his wyfe sent him enuenymed / & whā he myght not suffre the payne / he ranne in to a fyre & brente hymselfe / & whan he was deed he was worshypped of the gentyles for a god.
¶ Circa annū mundi .iij. M .ix. C .lxxv. Et an̄ Christi natiuitatē. M. ij .C .xxiiij.
AFter the deth of Iayr Iudge of Israel / the people of Israel added newe synnes to theyr olde / and our lorde toke them in to the power of ye philistiens / & to the children of Amon .xviij. yere / & they were gretly oppressed: & thā they cryed to our lord. Thā Iepte was enspyred with almyghty god / & faught agaynst Amon & the sedycyous people of ye hyll of Effraym. And for an vnprudent voyce he slewe his owne doughter folyshly / & dyd sacriif [...]ce to god with her Iudic .xi. et .xij. ¶ Ozy this tyme was bysshop in Israel / & he was of ye seed of Aron by ye lyne of Eleazari / the whiche deed / through ye prouysyon of god ye bysshopryche turned to ye lyne of Ythamar an .C. & .xx. yere / in yt whiche lyne Hely was the first hygh bysshop / & Abiathar was the last. ¶ Ebessam was iudge in Israel .vij. yere / & he was the .xij. iudge & he was named otherwyse Boos / the whiche wedded Ruth. ¶ Abialon ye. xiij iudge of Israel was iudge .x. yere. And vnder these tymes ye chyldren of Israel were quyete / & therfore no notable thȳ ges were done in these dayes. ¶ Abdon the .xiiij. iudge gouerned in Israel .viij. yere. And about this tyme ye hystory of Ruth was wryten. ¶ Authamis this tyme was kyng of Assurio (rum). And Priamus kynge of Troy sone to Laomedon buylded his cyte agayne meruaylously stronge / & began batayle wt the Grekes to his owne hurte / & he had a sone was called Hector a leyfull goten sone by his wyfe Eccuba. This man was faythful & wyse / & incōparable of strength & noblenes. This Priamꝰ had an other sone that was called Paris / the whiche toke away fro ye lōde of Grekes Helena wyfe to Menelaus ye kyng. ¶ Agamenon the kyng broder to Menelaus ye leder of al ye Grekes host faught agaynst Troy / & at the last he wanne ye cite falsly / & to ye gre kes moost shame & sclaūdre yt might be. For certaynly yt myght be called an vnhappy batayle where no man giueth lo uyng to ye Grekes / but euery man repor teth shame. ¶ Eneas was kyng in yta lye .iij. yere. And this Eneas after that Troy was destroyed of ye Grekes came in to ytalye with .xx. shyppes / and dyd myghty batayles there. And this man had wedded Priamꝰ doughter Elinsuram. And he was made a god through the errour of the comyn people / & of this man came Iulius cezar & Octauianus Augustus. ¶ Vlixes an eloquent man amonge all the Grekes after many perylles on the see / went home to his Penelopem the moost faythful & the moost chaste woman that is redde of. And the Grekes perisshed wretchedly after that they had destroyed Troye bothe on the water and on the londe as they wente homewarde agayn. And that was the pryncypall date of theyr wrytynge after that vyctory. For they wrote theyr hystoryes and other wrytynges thus. Anno primo v [...] secūdo. &c. post Troiam captam. And that was the thyrde yere of Abdon iudge of Israel.
¶ Circa annum mundi .iiij. M .xxv. Et ante Christi natiuitatē. M .C .lxxiiij.
OBeth of Chrystes lyne sone vnto Boos is rehersed in Mathewe. ¶ Samson ye .xv. iudge regned .xx. yere this Sāson was ye most strōgest man yt [Page viii] euer was / & he delyuered Israell from the Philystyens / & for his meruaylous strength men trowed he had ben Hercules. Et eiꝰ nurabilia oꝑa vide iudic .xiij.
¶ Anno mundi .iiij. M .lxxv. Et ante Christi natiuitatem. M .C .xiiij.
IEsse sone to Obeth of the lyne of Chryst / otherwyse called ysay fa der to Dauid this tyme lyued a notable man in honeste / no kyng ne grete gouer nour. But of him many tymes is made mencyon in holy scripture. For of hym descended Chryst our sauyour. ¶ This tyme Hely was iudge & bisshop in israel the whiche had .ij. sones / Ophni & Phi nees / & for he corrected them not sufficiently / he & they were punisshed bothe of our lorde / for they were slayne of ye Philistiēs / & Hely fell of his sete & brake his necke. This Hely was iudge next after Samson / & not of the lignage of Aron yt was fyrst bysshop of god electe / but of ythamar the lignage dured an .C. & .xx. yere / in yt whiche lignage Hely was the fyrst bysshop / & Abiathar the last. Vide plura .j. regum.
THis tyme Saul was kynge in Israell after the mayster in his hystoryes / & Iosephus in his .viij. boke This Saul was ye fyrst kyng in Israel & regned .xx. yere / the whiche or he was kynge was a good man & electe of god / but afterwarde wretchedly he fayled / & he was slayne and his thre sones on the hylles of Gylboy. ¶ In ye tyme of Saul Samuel was iudge & ꝓphete in Israel an holy man / & borne of a barayn moder many a daye / & he mynystred afore our lorde from a chylde to his age / and was not hygh bysshop / but he iudged Israel all ye dayes of his lyfe / & was ye very pro phete of god. Two kynges he enoynted Saul fyrst / & after Dauyd. This Samuel alone and Moyses are redde / that they prayed for theyr enemyes in all the olde testamēt. Of this Samuel & Saul ben dyuers opynyons. Isoder sayth ye Samuel & Saul ruled Israel .xl. yere. And Iosephus in his .viij. boke / & the mayster in his storyes sayen Samuel to be iudge .xij. yere alone. And after hȳ Saul to regne .xx. yere. Vide plura .j. xe guin.
AScanius the .vij. kyng of ytaly was sone to Eneas / & buylded ye cite of Albion / & he was called the kyng of Albanon. This Ascanius gate Siluius the .viij. kyng of ytaly / the whiche Siluius was fader vnto Brute kynge of Brytayn / now called Englonde. And I leue of the kynges of ytalye for they dyd but lytell noble thynges tyll it be co men to Romulꝰ & Remus ye buylded Rome / & than shall those kynges come agayn. And now to ꝓcede to ye cronycles of Englonde / for yt whiche namely this boke is made. ¶ Venys & Padua were buylded about this tyme of ye resydue of the Troyans. ¶ Homere ye grete poete about this tyme was / yt whiche wrote & fayned gloryously many a lesynge.
¶ Incipit regnum Britannie / nunc dicitur Anglia.
¶ Here may ye se how Englonde fyrst began at Albyon.
[Page]¶ Afore that I wyll speke of Brute it shall be shewed how the londe of englonde was fyrst named [...]byon & for what cause it was so named.
IN the noble londe of Sirrie there was a noble kynge & myghty & a man of grete renome yt was called Dioclesyan that well & worthely hȳ gouerned & ruled through his noble chyualry So yt he conquered all the londes about hym / so that almoost all ye kynges of the worlde to hȳ were attendaūt. It befell thus yt this Dioclesian spoused a gētyll damoysel yt was wonders fayre / yt was his vncles doughter Labana / & she loued hym as reason wolde / so yt he gate on her .xxxiij. doughters / of yt whiche ye eldest was called Albyne / and these damoyselles whan they came vnto age be came so fayre yt it was wonder / whereof Dioclesian anone let make a somnynge & cōmaunded by his lettres that all the kynges yt helde of hym sholde come at a certayn daye as in his lettres were conteyned to make a feest royal. At whiche daye thyder they came / & brought with them admyrats / princes / dukes & noble ch [...]ualry. The feest was royally arayed and there they lyued in ioye and myrth ynough yt it was wonder to wyte. And it befell thus ye Dyoclesyan thought to mary his doughters amonge all those kynges yt were at ye solempnite. And so they spake & dyd that Albyne his eldest doughter & all her systers rychely were maryed to .xxxiij. kynges yt were lordes of grete honour at this solempnite. And whan this was done euery kynge toke his wyfe & ladde them in to theyr owne coūtre / & there made them quenes. And it befell thus afterward yt this dame Albine became so stoute & so sterne that she tolde lytel pryce of her lorde / & of hyȳ had scorne & despyte / & wold not do his wyll but she wold haue her owne wyll in dyuers maters. And all her other systers euerychone bare them so euyll agaynst theyr lordes yt it was wonder to wyte. And for as moche yt them thought that theyr husbondes were not of so hye parentage comē as theyr fader. But those kynges yt were theyr lordes wold haue chastysed them with fayre maner vpon al loue & frendshyp yt they shold amende theyr euyll condicyons. But all was for nought / for they dyd theyr owne wyll in all thynge yt them lyked & had of power Wherfore those .xxxiij. kynges vpon a tyme & often tymes bette theyr wyues For they wende that they wold haueamended them & theyr tatches & wyckednes. But of suche condicions they were that for fayre speche & warnynge they dyd all ye worse / & for betynges eftsones moche the worse. Wherfore the kyng yt had wedded Albyne wrote the tatches and condicyons of his wyfe Albyne / & the lettre sent to Dyoclesyan her fader. And whan the other kynges herde that Albynes lorde had sente a lettre to Dioclesyan / anone they sente lettres sealed with theyr seales the condicyons & tatches of theyr wyues. Whan the kynge Dioclesyan sawe & herde so many complayntes of his doughters / he was sore ashamed and became wonderssy angry and wroth toward his doughters / and thought how he myght amende it that they so mysoyd / & anone sent his lettres to the .xxxiij. kynges yt they sholde come to hym / & brynge wt them theyr wyues euerychone at a certayn day / for he wolde there chastyse them of theyr wyckednes yf he myght ī ony maner wyse. So that ye kynges came all at ye tyme & daye that tho was set bytwene hym and the kynges. Dioclesyan receyued them wt moche honour / & made a solem [...]e feest vnto all that were vndernethe his lordshyp. [Page ix] And the thyrde daye after that solempnite ye kynge Dioclesyan sent after his .xxxiij. doughters yt they shold come & speke with hym in his chambre. And whā they were come / he spake to them of theyr wyckednes & of theyr cruelte / & angerly them reproued & blamed & said to them. That yf they wolde not be chastysed / they sholde lose his loue for euermore. And whan ye ladyes herde al this they became abasshed & gretly ashamed & sayd to theyr fader yt they wolde make all amēdes. And so they departed out of theyr faders chambre. And Albyne that was ye eldest syster ladde them all to her chambre / & tho made to voyde al yt were therin / so yt no psone was amonge them but she & her systers togyder. Thāsayd this Albyne. My fayre systers / well we knowe yt the kyng our fader vs hath reproued / shamed & despysed / for bycause to make vs obedyent to our husbondes but certaynly yt shall I neuer whyles ye Ilyue / syth that I am come of a more hyer kynges blode than myn husbonde is. And whan she had thus said / all her systers sayd ye same. And than sayd Albyne. Well I wote fayre systers / yt our husbondes haue cōplayned vnto our fader vpon vs / wherfore he hath vs thus foule reproued & despysed / wherfore systers my coūseyle is yt this night whan our husbōdes ben a bedde / all we wt one assent to kytte theyr throtes / & than we may be [...] peas of them / & better we may do this vnder our faders power thā ony where els. And anone all ye ladyes consented & graūted to this counseyle. And whānyght was comen / the lordes & ladyes went to bedde. And anone as theyr lordes were a [...]ept / they kytte all theyr husbōdes throtes / & so they shewe them all. Whan Dioclesian theyr fader herde of this thynge / he became wroth ryght furyously agaynst his doughters / & anone he wole them all haue brent. But all the harons & lordes of S [...]rrye counseyled not so for to do suche straytnes to his owne doughters / but shold boyde ye londe of them for euermore / so that they neuer sholde come agayne / & so he dyd. And Dioclesyan yt was theyr fader anone cōmaūded them to go in to a shyppe / & delyuered to them [...]itayles for halfe a yere. And whan this was done / all the systers wente in to the shyppe & sayled forth in ye see / & betoke all theyr frendes to Appolyn yt was theyr god & so longe they sayled in the see [...]yll at the last they came & arryued in an yle yt was all wyldernes. And whan dame [...]yne was come to ye londe & all her systers this [...] byne went fyrst forth out of ye shyppe & sayd to her other systers. For as moche as I am ye eldest syster of all this cōpany / & first this londe haue take / & for as moche as my name is Alb [...]ne / I wyl [...] this londe be called Albion after my [...] owne name. And anone all her systers graūted to her with a good wyll. Than went out of ye shyppe all ye systers & toke the londe Albion as theyr syster called it & there they went vp & downe & foūde neyther man ne woman ne chylde but wylde beestes of dyuers kyndes. And whan theyr [...]ttayles were dispruded & sayled / they fedde them with herbes & fruytes in season of yt yere / & so they [...] ued as they best myght / & after yt they toke flesshe of dyuers beestes & bera [...] wonders fa [...]e / & so they desyred mānes company / & mānes kynde them fay [...]ed. And for here they wexed wonders couragyous of kynde / so that they desyred more mannes company than ony other solace or myrth. Whan the deuyll yt per [...]yued went by dyuers coūtries & toke a body of ye ayre / & lykyng natures sh [...] of men / & came in to ye londe of Albion / & lay by those women & shad tho natures [Page] vpon them / & they conceyued & brought forth gyaūtes. Of whiche one was called Gogmagog / & another Langerigan And so they were named by dyuers names / & in this maner they came forth & were borne horryble gyaūtes in Albion And they dwelled in caues & in hylles at theyr wyll / & had the londe of Albion as them lyked / vnto ye tyme that Brute arryued & came to Totnes yt was in the yle of Albion / & there this Brute cōquered & discōfyted ye gyaūtes aboue sayd.
¶ Here begȳneth now how Brute was goten / & how he slewe fyrst his moder / & after his fader. And how he conquered Albyon / that after he named Brytayne after his owne name / that now is called Englonde / after the name of Engyst of Saxonye. This Brute came in to Brytayne aboute the .xviij. yere of Hely.
BE it knowen that in ye noble cite of grete Troy there was a noble knyght and a man of grete power that was called Eneas. And whan ye cite of Troy was lost & destroyed through them of Grece. This Eneas with all his meyny fledde thens & came in to Lombardy. And tho was lorde & gouernour of that londe a kyng that hyght Latyne. And another kynge there was ye hyght Turocelyne that strongly warred vpon this kynge Latyne / ye oftentymes dyd hym moche harme. And whan this kynge Latyne herde yt Eneas was come / he receyued hym with moche honour / & hym with helde for as moche as he had herd of hȳ and wyst well yt he was a noble knight and a worthy of his body & of his dedes This Eneas helped kynge Latyne in his wa [...] / & shortly for to tell / so well & so worthely he dyd / that he slewe Turocelyne / & dyscomfyted hym & all his people. And whan all this was done / kyng Latyne gaue all ye londe that was Turocelynes to this noble man Eneas i [...] maryage with Lauyne his doughter the moost fayrest creature that ony man wyst. And so they lyued togyder in ioye and myrth all the dayes of theyr lyues. ¶ And after Ascanius sone to Eneas wedded a wyfe / and vpon her he gate a sone that was called Siluine. And this Siluyne whan he coude some reason of man vnwytyng his fader and agaynst his wyll acqueynted hym wt a damoysel that was cosyn to Lauyne that was kynge Latynes doughter ye quene that was Eneas wyfe / and brought the damoysell with chylde. And whan Ascanius his fader it wyst / anone let enquyre of the wysest maysters and of the gretest clerkes what chylde the damoysell sholde brynge forth. And they answered and sayd / that she sholde brynge forth a sone that shold kyll bothe his fader and his moder. And so he dyd. For his moder dyed in berynge of hym. And whan this chylde was borne his fader let call hym Brute. And ye maysters sayd that he sholde do moche harme and sorowe in many dyuerse places / and after he sholde come to grete honour and worshyp. This kyng Ascanius dyed whan god wolde / and Siluyne his sone receyued the londe / and made hym wonder [...] ly well beloued among his people. And so whā Brute that was Siluynes sone was .xv. yere olde he went vpon a daye with his fader for to playe & solace. And as Brute shold haue shotte vnto an hart his arowe myshapped & glanced / and so there Brute slewe his fader.
¶ How Brute was dryuen out of the londe / & how he helde hym in Grece.
[Page x] ANd whan this mischaūce was befallen / all ye people of the londe made grete sorowe / and were sore dyspleased. And bycause therof they droue Brute out of ye londe / & wolde not suffre hym amonge them. And whan he sawe that he might not abyde there / he went from thens in to Grece / & there he foūde vij. thousande men that were of ye kynrede of Troye / and were comen of grete blode as the story telleth / as of men and women & children / the whiche were all holden in thraldome & bondage of kyng Pandras of Grece / for ye deth of Achylles that was betrayed & slayne at Troy This Brute was a wōders fayre man and a stronge & huge of his age / and of gladde chere & semblaūt / & also worthy of body / & was well beloued amōge his people. This kyng Pandras herde speke of his goodnes & condicyons / & anone made hym to dwell with hym. So that Brute became wonders preuy & moche beloued with ye kynge / & dwelled longe tyme with the kynge. So at ye last they of Troy & Brute spake togyder of kynrede & lygnage & of acqueyntaūce / and there complayned them vnto Brute of theyr sorowe & of theyr bondage / and of many other shames ye kynge Pandras had done to them / & to Brute they sayd vpon a tyme. Ye be a lord of our lignage & a stronge man & a myghty / be ye our capytayne & gouernour / & we wyll become your men / & fulfyll al your cōmaū dementes / & brynge vs out of this wret chednes & bondage / & we wyll fyght wt the kyng for trouth / with the grace of ye grete god we shall ouercome hym & we shall make you kynge of this londe / & to you do homage / & of you we shall holde for euermore. Brute had tho grete pyte of theyr bondage yt they were brought in / & pryuely went fro ye kynges courte / and tho that were of Troy went & put them in to woodes & in to moūtaynes / & helde them there / and sente vnto kynge Pandras that he sholde gyue them lycence for to departe safely out of his lōde and kyngdom / for they wolde no longer dwell in his bondage. Whan kyng Pandras herde this / he was sore vexed and anoyed / & tho sware that he wolde [...]e them euerychone / and ordeyned a grete power / and went towardes them for to fyght with them. But Brute and his men manly them defended and fyersly fought / & slewe all the kynges men that none of them escaped / and toke ye kynge and put hym in pryson / and ordeyned a coūseyle amonge them selfe what they myght do wt the kynge. And some sayd that he sholde be put to deth / and some sayd that he sholde be exyled out of the londe / & some sayd yt he sholde be brent. And than spake a wyse knyght yt was called Mempris & sayd to Brute & to all them of Troy. Yf kyng Pandras wolde yelde hym & haue his lyfe / I coūseyle yt he gyue vnto Brute (that is our duke & our souerayn) his doughter Ge [...]og [...] to wyfe / & in maryage with her an hondred shyppes well arayed / & all his treasour of golde & syluer / of corne & of wyne and as moche as we nede of one thynge & other / & than go we out of this londe and ordeyne vs a lōde els where / for we nor none of our kynrede yt come after vs shall neuer haue peas in this londe amonge them of Grece / for we haue [...]ayne so many of theyr knyghtes & of other frendes that euermore warre & dyscord shall be amonge vs. Brute tho & all his folke consented gladly to ye coūseyle / and this thȳge they tolde to kyng Pandras And he for to haue his lyfe / graūted as moche as they demaunded / and anone gaue vnto Brute the fayre lady Gennogen his doughter to wyfe / and an hondred shyppes with as moche as them [Page] [...] of all vytayles / as afore was ordeyned. Thā Brute toke his wyfe & all his men that forsoke the londe of Grete & went to the see / & had wynde & weder at theyr wyll / & came the thyrde daye in to an yle that was called Logres. This Brute anone sent of his men to londe for to espye ye maner of ye coūtrce. And they founde an olde cite all wasted & forlet / so that there was neyther man nor womā therin dwellynge. And in the myddle of this cyte they foūde an olde temple of a fayre lady that was called Diane the goddesse. And they came agayne vnto Brute & tolde hym what they had seen & foūde / & they coūseyled hym to go & do sacrifyce vnto dame Diane / for she was wont to gyue answere of what thynge that mē asked her / & namely vnto them that honour her with sacryfyce. Brute wente vnto yt ymage & sayd. Diane noble goddesse that all thynge hast in thy myght / wyndes / waters / woodes / feldes / & all thynges of ye worlde / & all maner of beestes that ben therin / vnto you I make my prayer / that ye coūseyle me and tell / where & in what plāce I shall haue a cōuenyent place to dwell in with my folke. And there I shall make in the honour of the a fayre temple & a noble / wherin ye shall alwaye be honoured. Whan he had done his prayer / Diane answered in this maner. Brute sayd she go euen forth thy way ouet the see in to fraūce towarde the west / & there ye shal fynde an yle that is called Albion / & that yle is becompassed all with the see / & no man may come therin but it be by shyppes / & in that londe were wont to dwell gyauntes / but now it is not so / but all wyldernes / & that londe is destenyed & ordeyned for you & for your people.
¶ How Coryn became Brutes man / & how kynge Goffar was discomfyted.
ANd whan Brute had this answere of Diane the goddesse / anone he let wȳde vp the ancres & sayled in to the hye see. And whā he & his men had sayled .xx. dayes & more / they foūde fall besyde a coost of the see a. M. men of the kynrede of Troy / & theyr souerayne mayster was called Coryn. And whan Brute wyst whens they were / he toke them wt moche ioye in to his shyppes / & so he ladde them forth with hym. This Coryn there became Brutes man / & to hȳ dyd homage. And so lōge they sayled forth in the see tyll they came in to Gascoyne / & anone they arryued in ye hauen of Lyegers / & there they dwelled .viij. dayes for to rest them / and to amende theyr sayles there as they had nede. Ty dynges soone came to kyng Goffar that was lord of that londe how that moche people of straunge londe were arryued in to his londe in the hauen of Lyegers wherfore he was sore angred & anoyed that they came and arriued in his londe without his lycence & his leue. And anone ordeyned hym a grete power for to dryue out Brute & to destroye hym & all his people. But it was so ye kynge Goffar was dyscomfyted & all his people / & hymselfe fledde in to fraunce for to haue helpe & socour. And in yt tyme regned in fraunce .xij. kynges / and .xj. of them assembled a grete power for to belpe Goffar / & for to fyght agaynst Brute. This Goffar dwelled wt the kynges of fraūce halfe a yere & more. And in the meane tyme that Goffar was in fraūce / Brute & his company destroyed all the londe of Gascoyne / and let take all the treasour that kynge Goffar had / & made it to be brought in to his shyppes. ¶ And this Brute foūde in that londe a fayre place and a conueny ent / & there he let make a fayre castell and a stronge. Whan this was all done / kynge Goffar came from [Page xi] fraunce and .xj. kynges with hym / and brought wt hym .xx. M. men for to fyght with Brute & his company. And Brute had but .vij. M. and .iij. C. men / & neuer theles whan ye two hoostes mette togyder / Brutes folke through helpe of hym selfe & of Turyn his cosyn & of Coryn / y• well & manly him defended / so y• within a whyle they had slayne of y• frenshmen moo than two. M. Anone all tho y• were alyue fledde away. And in this batayle Turin Brutes cosyn was slayne / & Brute let bury hym worthely whan he had space in ye castell yt he had made / & tho let call yt same castell Tours / for bycause of the name of Turin yt there was buryed And yet vnto this daye there is a noble cite yt is called Tours. And whan kyng Goffar wyst yt Turyn was deed / he came agayne wt his men & gaue a stronge batayle to Brute. But Brute & his men were so wery for fightȳge yt they might no longer endure / & than went in to his castel wt all his men: & made y• gates fast for to saue them / & toke coūseyle amōge them what they sholde do. Brute & Coryn gaue coūseyle & ordeyned pryuely y• Coryn shold go out and busshe hym in a wode tyll on y• morowe / so yt in the mornynge whan Brute sholde fyght wt his enemyes / Coryn shold come wt his folke on ye one syde & slee & do all ye harme yt he myght. And on the morowe at the dawnynge of y• daye Brute wente out of the castel & fought fyersly wt his enemyes / & they manly defended them. But within a lytell tyme Brūte & his men slewe. viij hondred of kynge Goffers men / & than came Corin wt the busshemēt / & he & his company smote to the groūde all those y• wolde stande or abyde / so ye kynge Goffar & his company were discomfyted / & fast they began to flec. And Brute & Coryn with theyr company fyersly them pursued / and slewe moo of them in the fleynge than they dyd in y• batayle. And in this maner Brute had y• victory / neuertheles Brute made moche sorow for his cosyn Turyn that there was slayne & other also that he had lost of his men / that is to saye .vij. hondred and .xv. the whiche nobly he buryed in the same castell of Tours / there where that he had buryed Turyn his cosyn.
¶ How Brute arryued at Totnes in the yle than called Albyon / and of the wrastlyng that was bytwene Coryn and Gogmagog.
ANd whā all this was done Brute wold no longer dwell there for to fyght & lose his men. For kyng Goffers people myght euery day encrease moo and moo / & Brutes men lessed / & therfore he toke all his men & wente vnto the see / & had wynde & weder at theyr wyll. And the fyfth daye after they arryued in an hauen at Cornes / & came in to this realme yt than was called Albyon / where they founde neyther man nor woman / saue grete gyauntes / & they dwelled in mountaynes & in cauernes. And Brute [Page] sawe the londe was fayre and at his ly kynge / and was good also for hym & for all his people / as Diane ye goddesse had behyght hym. And therof was Brute wonders gladde / and let assemble vpon a daye all his folke to make a solempne sacrifyce and a grete feest in ye honour & reuerēce of Diane the goddesse / whiche had coūseyled hȳ fyrst to come in to this londe. And whā they had done theyr solē pnite / as they sate at theyr meet vpon a daye there came in vpon them .xxx. gyauntes / and slewe .xxx. of Brutes men. Brute & his mē anone stert vp & fought with the gyauntes / & slewe them euerychone / saue one yt was called Gogmagog / & he was mayster of all y• gyaūtes & he was strōger & hyer than ony of the other / & Brute kepte hym for to wrastle with Corin his man / for he was greter and hyer than [...]ny of Brutes men from the gyrdelstede vpwarde. Gogmagog & Corin vndertoke there for to wrastle / & so togyder they went / & wrastled a lōge tyme / but at the last Gogmagog helde Coryn so fast yt he brake two rybbes in his syde / wherfore Coryn was sore angry / & there he toke Gogmagog bytwene his armes & cast hym downe vpon a roche / soo that Gogmagog brake all to peces / & so he dyed an euyll deth / & therfore the place is called yet vnto this day the saute of Gogmagog. And thā after Brute gaue all that coūtree vnto Corin And than Corin called it after his name Cornewayle / & his men ben called Cornewayles / & so sholde men of that countree be called for euermore. And in that countree dwelled Corin & his men / and they made townes and houses / & euhabyted that londe by theyr owne wyll.
¶ How Brute buylded London / & called this londe Brytayn / and Scotlonde Albanye / and Wales Cambar.
BRute & his men wente forth and sawe aboute in dyuerse places where yt they myght fynde a good place and couenable that they myght buylde and make a cyte on / for hym and for his folke. And so at the last they came by a fayre ryuer / whiche now is called Temmes / and there Brute began to buylde a fayre cyte / and called it newe Troye / in remembraunce of grete Troye / from the whiche place all theyr lygnage was comen. And this Brute let fell downe wodes / & let ere & sowe londes / & let mawe down medowes for ye sustenaūce of hȳ & his people. And thā he departed ye londe to them / so yt eche of them had a parte & place to dwell in. And thā Brute let call all this londe Brytayne after his name and his folke Brytons. And this Brute had gotē on his wyfe Gennogen .iij. sones yt were worthy of dedes / ye first was called Lotryn / ye seconde Albanak / & the [Page xii] thyrde Cambar / & Brute bare crowne in the cite of newe Troy .xx. yere after y• tyme that ye cyte was made. And there he made the lawes yt the Britons holde And this Brute was wondersly well be ioued amonge all his people. And Brutes sones also loued wondersly well togyder. And whan Brute had sought all the londe in length & brede / he founde a londe yt ioyned to Brytayne in the north And that londe Brute gaue to Albanak his sone / & let call it Albanye after his name / yt now is called Scotlonde. And Brute foūde an other countree to warde the west / and gaue that to Cambar his other sone / & let call it Cambar after his name / and now it is called Wales. And whan Brute had regned .xx. yere / than he dyed in the cite of newe Troye.
¶ How Lotryn that was Brutes sone entred with moche honour / and gouerned the londe well and worthely.
AFter Brute regned Lotryn his sone / that was ye seconde kynge in Brytayn. And he began to regne the seconde yere of Samuel. This Lotryn was crowned kyng wt grete solempnite of all Brytayne: And after whā he was crowned kyng / Albanak & Cambar his bretherne departed in to theyr owne coū trees / & there they lyued with moche honour and worshyp. And Lotryn regned well & wysely / & was moche beloued of his people. And it befell so yt as Albanak dwelled in his his owne londe wt moche honour & worship / there came kyng Hum bar of Hunlonde with a grete power / & [...]ryued in Albanye / & wold haue cōque [...] the londe / and began to warre vpon Albanak / slowe hȳ in batayle. Whan Albanak was deed / the people of ye lōde fledde vnto Lotryn & tolde him bycause he was kynge of Brytayne how yt his broder was slayne / & prayed hym of his helpe & socour for to auenge his broders deth. Lotryn thā anone let assemble all the Brytons of Kent / of Douer vnto derewent / of Norfolke & Suffolke / of Keft fen & Lyndessey. And whan they were assembled / they sped them fast towarde theyr enemyes for to gyue them batayle And Lotryn had sente to Cambar his broder yt he sholde come vnto hym with all ye power that he myght make / for to helpe hym to auenge his broders deth. And so he dyd with a good wyll. Whan they came togider they toke theyr waye pryuely for to go seke kynge Humbar where they myght fynde hym. And so it befell that this kynge Humbar was besyde a water that was a grete ryuer with his folke for to dysporte hym. And there came Lotryn & Cambar his broder with all theyr folke sodeynly or that ony of theyr enemyes wyst. And whan Humbar sawe them come / he was sore adrad / for as moche as his men wyst [...] not afore / and also they were vnarmed. And anone Humbar for drede [...] in to the water and drowned hymselfe / and so he dyed / and his men were all flayne in so moche that there escaped not one awaye on lyue. And therfore is that water called Humbar / and euermore shall be as longe as the worlde standeth / for bycause that this kynge Humbar was drowned therin. And after that Locryn went to his shyppes & toke there golde and syluer as moche as he founde vnto himselfe / & all that other pylfre be gaue vnto other folke of his hoost. And they founde in one of the shyppes a fayre damoyfell whiche was kynge Humbars doughter / and she was called Estrylde. And whan kynge Lotryn sawe her / he toke her with hym bycause of the grete beaute and fayrnes that he sawe in her And for her he was ouertaken in loue / [Page] and wolde haue wedded her. These tydynges came to Corin: & anone thought to auenge hym on Lotryn / for as moche as Lotryn had promised hym to wedde Guentolyn his doughter. And Corin in haste toke his waye to newe Troy vnto hym / & sayd thus to Lotryn. Certes ye rewarde me full euyll for ye paynes that I haue had for your fader Brute / wher fore syth it is so I wyll auenge me now on the. And with yt drewe his swerde & wolde haue slayne Lotryn ye kyng. But the damoysel went bytwene them / and made them to be accorded in this maner that Lotryn sholde take Guentolyn Corins doughter to wyfe. And so Lotryn dyd. Neuertheles after he was maryed he wente pryuely to Estrylde & gate on her a doughter that was called Abram And it befell so yt anone after Corin dyed & after whan he was deed / Lotryn forsoke Guentolyn that was his wyfe / & made Es [...] quene. And than Guentolyn dep [...] frō the [...]s [...] grete wrath in to Cori [...]e / & there seased all the londe in to her owne ha [...]ors / for as moche as she was her faders heyre / & toke homage of all y• men of y• londe. And afterwarde she assembled a grete hoost & a myghty of men for to be auenged vpon Lottyn y• was her lorde / & gaue hym a stronge but a yle / where Lotryn her husbonde was slayne / & his men discōfyted in the .v. yere of his regne. Guētolyn let take Estrylde & Abram her doughter / & bounde them bothe handes & fete & cast them bothe in to a water / & so they were dro [...]ed / wherfore y• water was euermore after called Abram / after y• name of y• damoysell y• was Est [...]yldes doughter / & englysshe men call that water Seuerine / & walshmen call it Abram yet vn to this daye. And whan this was done Gu [...]ol yn let crowne her quene of all y• londe. And she gouerned the londe well and wysely vnto th [...]ty me that [...] her sone that Lotryn had goten [...] was .xx. yere of age / that he myght be kyng. And so the quene reg [...]d .xv. yere And than let she crowne her sone kyng / and he regned and gouerned the [...] well & worthtly. And his moder went in to Cornewayle / and there she dwelled all the dayes of her lyfe.
¶ How Madan reg [...]ed in peas all his lyfe.
THis Madan sone to Lotryn regned on the Brytons .xl. yere / the whiche began to regne the .xv. yere of Saul. And this Madan lyued in peas all his dayes / & gate two sones / Mempris and Maulyn. Than he dyed / and lyeth at newe Troye.
¶ Anno mundi .iiij. M .C .xxij. [...]t [...] Christi na [...]tatem. M. [...]xxiiij.
¶ Here begynneth the fourth age durynge to the transmygracyon.
[...]Auyd the seconde kynge [...] Israell regned this tyme [...] man chosen after y• desy [...] god. And he was anoy [...] in his yonge age by Sam [...] / & after y• deth of kynge Saul he reg [...]d. x [...]. [...] This D [...]d was as a [...] in [...] mankynde / in whome [...] was [...] [Page xiii] so moche power & so moche humy [...]te / so moche noblenes & so moche [...] / so grete a charge of seculer thynges / & so pure & beuoute [...] contemplacyon of spirytuall thynges / so many men to [...]e / & so many teres to [...]epe for his [...]espace. [...]ide plura. [...]. regum. ¶ Ab [...]athar this tyme was bisshop / & he fledde fro Saul vnto Dauid / & he was gloryous with hym all his dayes. G [...]d / Nathan / and Asoph were prophetes than. And Nathan was broders sone to Dauid.
¶ How Mempris slewe his broder Maulyn.
THis Mēpris & his broder Maulyu stroue fast for the londe. And Mempris began to regne the .xxxv. yere of Dauid: & for bycause that he was the eldest sone he wold haue had all y• londe / and Maulyn wolde not suffre hym / so y• they toke a day of loue & accorde / and at this daye Mempris let kyll his broder through treason / & hymselfe afterward helde the londe / & anone let crowne hym kyng & regned / & after became so lyther a man yt he wtin a whyle all y• men of his londe. And at the last he became so wycked & so lecherous y• he forsoke his owne wyfe & vsed the synne of sodomye / wherfore almighty god was gretly displeased & wroth with hym / & vpon hym toke vengeaunce bycause of his wyckednes. For vpon a daye as he went forth on huntyng in a forest there he lost all his men y• were with hym / & wyst not what he shold do / & so he went [...]p & downe hymselfe alone / & cryed after his mē / but they were gone / & there came wolues anone & all to drewe hym in peces / whan he had regned .xxiiij. yere. And whā his people herde y• he was so deed / they made ioy & myrth ynough and anone made Ebra [...] his sone kynge / and he regned with moche honour.
¶ Anno mundi .iiij. M .C .lxv. Et ante Christi na [...]tem. M .xxxiiij.
SAlomon the kyng of peas of the gyfte of our lor [...] had a synguler excedynge aboue all men y• euer was in this world / but alonely god in wysdom & in tychesse / in deyntees & in glory / & [...]a miliarite wt god. And all though Moyses & Dauid / Peter & Paule / Ierome & Austyn / & other moo exceded hym in holynes / but yet they ex [...]ded hym not [...] glorye & rychesse. And this man so excedynge all men / wretchedly [...]. Of this Salomon is redde in an epystle of sa [...] Ierome / y• he gate a chylde on y• doughter of Pharao at x [...]. yere of his age. V [...] de psa regū. ¶ Sadoch this tyme was bysshop / & for he deriyned not to y• parte of Adonie Dauids sone / but was with Nathan for Salomon / & Ab [...]atha [...] on the other parte was deposed.
¶ Anno mundi. [...]iij. M. ij .C .v. Et ante Christi nat [...]tem .ix .C. lxxxx [...]j.
ROboas succeded Salomō his [...] der in his kyngdome / but not [...] wysdome. He was deceyued through y• coūseyle of yonge men / & lost .x. [...] / in so moche as he answered no [...] wysely the people / as it is open. [...] regum. ¶ Achimias was bysshop / and was y• sone of Sadoth. Vt (pꝪ.)patet [...]. Para [...]po.
¶ Reges Israel in [...]pi [...].
I Hero [...]as regned kyng in Israel xxij. yere / & he was fyrst of y• hous holde of Salomon and a good man▪ but whā he was made kyng he was a myschenous [...] ydolatry / & made israel to synne i [...]ry / & many grete incō uenyentes [...]one▪ almoost to the destru [...]yon of [...] Israel. For he was y• fygure of Ma [...]. [...]de p [...]a .iij. regū. ¶ Abdias y• son [...] of Rob [...]as regned in [...] [Page] Iewry thre yere / and other whyle as a good mā & holpen by god / & other whyle wretchedly disposed in ydolatry / & ther fore our lorde suffred him to regne but a lytell tyme. Vt (pꝪ)patet .iij. regū. et .ij. para.
¶ Anno mūdi .iiij. M. ij .C .xxv. Et ante Christi natiuitatem .ix .C. lxxiiij.
ASa the sone of Abdias regned xvj. yere / in the begynnynge of his regne he was a ryght wys man / & walked as Dauyd dyd / & he ouercame the Ethyopes / & destroyed ydolles. But after that he was sworne to the kyng of Sirry Benedab / for Baasa kyng of Israel than began warre agaynst hym / y• whiche displeased god / wherfore he sent hym y• prophete Anani / whome he put in prison / and therfore he had the gowte strongly & dyed therof. Vt (ptꝪ)patet .iij. regū .ij. para. Azarias sone to Achonias was bysshop. ¶ Nadab kyng of Israel regned two yere / y• whiche began to regne the seconde yere of Asa kyng of Iewes / & dyd not as his fader. And Baasa ouer threwe hym / & regned for hym. Vt patet .iij. regum. ¶ Baasa kyng of Israel regned .xxiiij. yere / the whiche began to regne the thyrde yere of Asa kyng of Iewes / & he walked in the synnes of Iheroboam / and slewe Iehen the prophete. ¶ Hela the sone of Baasa regned in Israel two yere / & zamri slewe hym & regned .vij. dayes. ¶ Amri regned .xij. yere & dyd nought as his predecessours dyd. ¶ Acha sone to Amri regned on Israel xxij. yere / & aboue all y• were afore hym he was cursed / for wycked Iesabel ruled more than he / and meued hym to folowe her. Vt patet .iij. regum.
¶ Of kyng Ebrac the whiche began to regne the .xv. yere of Dauyd / and how he conquered fraunce.
THis Ebrac regned .lx. yere / & he was a stronge & a myghty man & through his myght & helpe of his brytons cōquered all fraūce / & wanne there so moche gold & sylue [...] / y• whan h [...]came agayne in to this londe he made a [...]e / & after his own name called it Ebrac / y• is now called Euery wyk. And this kyng made ye castell of maydens / yt now is called Edenburgh. This kyng had .xix. sones & .xxiij. doughters by diuers womē goten / and these sones were called as ye shall here. Brute grenesheld / Margand Seisell / Morghwyth / Flengha [...] / Bladud / Iakȳ / Kinbar / Roselm / Spadogh Godeherl / Thormnan / Gildaugh / Iorkanghut / Haibor / Ketin / Rother / Kaier and Assaruth. And ye doughters hyght as foloweth. Elegine / ymogē / Oghdas Guenbran / Gnardich / Augarel / Guent hold / Tāgustel / Gorghō / Michel / Medhan / Mailour / Ondur / Cābredan / Ragan / Renthely / Neest / Cheghan / Skaldud / Gladꝰ / Heberhyn / Abalaghe / and Blandau / & these were the .xxiij. doughters. And the bretherne became all good knyghtes & worthy in many coūtrees.
¶ Of kynge Brute greneshelde the fyrst sone of kynge Ebrac.
AFter y• deth of kynge Ebrac regned Brute greneshelde his sone xxx. yere / whiche was Ebracs first sone that well & nobly regned / & whan tyme came he dyed / and lyeth at yorke
¶ Of kynge Leyll that was Brute grenesheldes sone.
ANd whan kynge Brute grenesheld was deed regned his sone Leyll .xxij. yere / and he made a fayre towne and let call it Karleyll after his owne name. And he was a worthy man [Page xiiii] and well beloued of his people / & whan he had regned .xxij. yere he dyed & lyeth at Karleyl. ¶ And in this tyme regned kynge Salomon in Ierusalē / & made y• noble temple. And to him came Sibelle quene of Saba for to here & se yf it were soth y• mē spake of y• grete & noble wytte & wysdome of kyng Salomon. And she foūde it sothe that men had her tolde.
¶ Anno mūdi .iiij. M. ij .C .lxvj. Et ante Christi natiuitatem .ix .C. xlij.
IOsaphat kynge of Iewes was a good man & a ryche / & a deuout in the waye of our lord / & regned .xxv. yere and dyd none yll / but to y• cursed kyng of Israel gaue helpe / & other lytel thȳges And therfore our lorde was wt hym. Vt (pꝪ)patet .ij. para. ¶ Helyas the grete ꝓphete was this tyme an holy man yt was lyfted vp in to paradyse wt grete solace in a chayre. Marcheas & Abdias prophecyed with hym. ¶ Ochosias sone of Achab regned in Israel two yere / and sente to Belsabub god of Acharan to be heled / for the whiche he dyed / after y• sayenge of Helye. Vt patet .iiij. regum.
¶ Of kynge Lud Ludibras that was kynge Leyles sone.
ANd this kynge Lud Ludibras made the cite of Caunterbury & Wynchestre / & he regned .xxxix. yere / & than he dyed / & lyeth at Wynchestre.
¶ Of kynge Bladud that was Ludibras sone / how he regned and was a good man and a nygromancer.
AFter this Lud ludibras regned Bladud his son [...] a grete nygromancer / & through his craste of nygromā [...]y he made a meruaylous hote bath as the Iest telleth / and he regned .xxj. yere / and lyeth at newe Troye.
¶ Anno mundi .iiij. M. ij .C .lxxxxj. Et ante Christi natiuitatē .ix .C. viij.
IOram kyng of Iewes sone to Iosaphat regned .viij. yere. this Ioram was a cursed man / and had a good fader / he slewe his brethern / & wretchedly lyued as dyd the kynges of Israell / therfore he was sore correcked and dyed vnhappely. Vt (pꝪ)patet .i [...]. para. ¶ This tyme Helyas was tauysshed in to paradyse. ¶ Ochosias or Asarias kynge of Iewes regned one yere / & liued nought as his fader dyd / & anone was slayne wt all the hous of Achab. ¶ Achalia moder to Asarias toke the kyngdome / & slewe all the kynges blode / & regned▪ [...] & the .vij. yere of Ioiada bysshop she was slayne .iiij. reg. This Asarias & his so [...] Ioas & his neuewe Amazia Mathe [...]e the euāgelyst putteth not in the lyne of Chryst for theyr mysdedes. ¶ Ioram kynge of Israel regned .xij. yere / y• whiche began to regne the .xviij. yere of Iosaphat for his broder Ochos [...]e / & cursedly he lyued / & was slayne of Ie [...] wt al his faders housholde. Vt p [...]z. ¶ Iehen anoynted of y• chylde of Hel [...]se vpon Israel slewe Achariam y• kyng of Iewes & Ioram the kyng of Israel / & Iesabel moder to Iorā / & .lxx. children of Achab and .xlij. bretherne of Azari / and all the preestes of Baal / & he regned .xviij. yere ¶ Athalia moder to Azari kyng of Iewes / doughter to Achab regned on the Iewes. v [...]. yere / & slewe y• kynges blode of Ioram / excepte Ioas y• sone of Azari the whiche was kepte amonge shepeherdes / and after she was slayne.
¶ Anno mūdi .iiij. M. iij .C .ix. Et ante Christi natiuitatē. viij .C .lxxxxiij.
[Page] IOam sone to Achazie regned in y• Iewry .xl. yere / whome Ioiada y• bisshop crowned king at .vij. yere of age And he lyued well as lōge as he was ruled by Ioiada / but after he forsoke god / & martyred Azarias y• tune bisshop tone to Iaiada / for he blamed hȳ y• he forsoke his god. Vide (pl’a)plura ij. para. ¶ Ioathas sone to Iehen regned in israel .xvij. yere in whose dayes Helise y• prophete dyed / & he began to regne the .xx. yere of Ioas Vide (pl’a)plura iiij. reg. ¶ Ioam sone to Ioathas regned ī israel .xvij. yere / & he troubled Amazia. Vide (pl’a)plura iiij. regū .xiij.
¶ Of kynge Leyr sone to Bladud / & of the answere of his yongest doughter / that gracyously was maryed vnto the kynge of fraunce.
AFter kyng Bladud regned Leyr his sone / and this Leyr made y• towne of Leycestre / & he let call y• towne after his name / & he gouerned y• towne well & nobly. This kyng Leyr had thre doughters / y• fyrst was called Gonorill / the seconde Rigan / & y• thyrde Cordeill / and the youngest doughter was fayrest & best of cōdicyons. The kyng theyr fader became an olde man / & wolde yt his doughters were maryed or y• he dyed / but fyrst he thought to assay whiche of them loued him moost & best / for she y• loued him best sholde best be maryed. And he axed of y• first doughter how well she loued hȳ. And she answered & sayd / better than her owne lyf. Now certes sayd her fader / y• is a grete loue. Thā he axed the seconde doughter / how moche she loued hym. And she sayd more & passynge all y• creatures of y• worlde. Per ma foy sayd her fader / I may no more axe. And than he axed of y• thyrde doughter how moche she loued him. Certes fader sayd she / my systers haue tolde you glosyng wordes / but I shall tell you trouth / for I loue you as I ought to loue my fader And for to brynge you more in certayne how I loue you I shall you tell / as moche as ye be worth / so moche shall ye be loued. The kyng her fader wende y• she had scorned hym / and became wonders wroth / & sware by heuē & erth she shold neuer haue good of him / but his doughters y• loued hym so moche shold be well auaūced & maried. And y• first doughter he maryed to Maugles kynge of Scotlonde / & the seconde he maryed to Hauemos erle of Cornewayle / & so they ordeyned & spake bytwene them y• they sholde departe y• realme bytwene them two after y• deth of kyng Leyr theyr fader / so y• Cordeill his yongest doughter sholde no thynge haue of his londe. But this Cordeill was wonders fayre & of good cōdicyons & maners / that y• kynge of fraūce Agāpe herde of her fame / & sent to kyng Leyr her fader for to haue her vnto his wyfe / & prayed hym therof. And kynge Leyr her fader sent him worde y• he had departed his londe & gyuē all to his two doughters before said / & sayd he had no more lond wherwith her to mary. And whan Agampe y• kynge of fraūce herde this answere / he sente anone agayne to Leyr & sayd y• he asked no thynge wt her but onely her clothinge & her body. And anone kyng Leyr sent her ouer y• see to y• kynge of fraūce. And he receyued her wt moche worship / & wt solempnite he spoused her / & made her quene of fraūce.
¶ How kyng Leyr was dryuen out of his londe through his folke. And how Cordeill his yongest doughter helped hym at his nede.
THus it befell afterwarde y• these two eldest doughters wolde not abyde tyll Leyr theyr fader was deed / [Page xv] but warred vpon hym whyles that he was on lyue / & dyd hym moche sorow & shame / wherfore they toke frō hym all ye realme / & bytwene them had ordeyned yt one of them shold haue kyng Leyr to soiourne all his lyfe tyme wt .lx. knyghtes & squyers / yt he myght worshypfully go & ryde wheder yt he wolde / & in to what coūtree yt hym lyked to playe & to solace. So yt Maugles kyng of Scotlond had kyng Leyr with hym in ye maner as is aboue sayd / & or a yere was passed Gonoril yt was his eldest doughter & quene of Scotlond was so anoyed of hym & of his people / yt anone she & her lorde spake togyder / wherfore halfe his knyghtes & his squyers went frō hym / & no more were lefte wt hym but .xxx. And whan this was done Leyr began for to make moche sorow for bycause that his estate was empayred / & men had of him more scorne & despyte than euer they had before / wherfore he wyst not what to do. And at y• last thought y• he wold go in to Corne wayle to Rigan his other doughter. And whā he was come y• erle & his wyfe that was Leyrs doughter welcomed hym / & wt hym made moche ioye / & there he dwelled with .xxx. knyghtes & squyers. And he had not scarsly dwelled there a yere but yt his doughter of hym & of his company was wery / & her lord & she of hym had grete scorne & despyte / so that frō .xxx. knyghtes they brought vnto .x. and afterwarde had he but .v. & so they left hym no moo. Than made he grete sorowe / & sayd sore wepyng. Alas that euer I came in to this londe & sayd yet had it ben better to haue dwelled wt my fyrst doughter. And anone he went thens to his fyrst doughter agayn / but anone as she sawe hym come she sware by god & by his holy name / & by as moche as she myght that he shold haue no more wt hym but one knyght yf he wold there abyde. Than began Leyr agayne to wepe and made moche sorowe & sayd Alas now to longe haue I lyued yt this sorowe & myschefe is to me now fallen. For now am I poore yt somtyme was ryche / but now haue I no frende ne kyn that to me wyll do ony good. But whā I was ryche all mē me honoured & worshypped / & now euery man hath of me scorne & despite / & now I wote wel that Cordeil my yōgest doughter said trouth whā she sayd / as moche as I had so moche sholde I be loued / & all y• whyle yt I had good / so lōge was I loued & honoured for my rychesse / but my two doughters glosed me tho / & now of me they set lytel pryce / & sothe tolde me Cordeil but I wolde not byleue it ne vnder stande & therfore I let her go fro me as a thinge that I set lytell pryce of / & now wote I not what to do syth my two doughters haue me thus deceyued yt I so moche loued / & now must I nedes seke her yt is in an other londe yt lyghtly I let go [...]o me wtout ony reward or gyftes and s [...]e sayd that she loued me as moche as she ought to loue her fader by all maner of reason / & thā I sholde haue a [...]d her no more / & those yt me other wyse beb [...]ght through theyr fals speche now haue me deceyued. In this maner Leyr [...] tyme began to make his mo [...]e. And at the last he shope hym to ye see / & passed ouer into fraūce / & asked & espyed where the quene myght be founde. And men tolde hym where she was. And whā be came to ye cite that she was in pryuely he sene his squyer vnto ye quene to tell her yt her fader was comen to her for grete nede. And whan ye squyer came to ye quene he told her euery dele of her systers from ye begynnynge vnto the ende. Cordeil the quene anone toke gold & syluer plente & toke it to ye squyer in coūseyle yt he sholde go in to a certayne cite and hym araye & [Page] wasshe / & than come agayn to her / and brynge with him an honest company of knyghtes .xl. at the leest wt theyr meyny and than he sholde sende to her lorde the kynge & feyne that he were comen for to se & speke with his doughter & hȳ. And so he dyd. And whan the kynge and the quene herde that they came / with moche honour they hym receyued. And the kynge of fraūce than let sende through all his realme & cōmaūded that all men sholde be as entendaūt to kynge Leyr y• quenes fader in all maner of thinges as it were vnto hymselfe. Whā kyng Leyr had dwelled there a moneth & more he tolde to y• kynge & to y• quene his doughter how his two eldest doughters had serued hym. Agampe anone let ordeyne a grete host of frenshmen & sent in to Britayne wt Leyr y• quenes fader for to conquere his kyngdome agayne. And Cordeil also came wt her fader in to Britayn for to haue the realme after her faders deth. And anone they went to shyppe & passed the see & came in to Brytayne / & fought wt the felons / & discōfited them & slewe / & than had he his londe agayn / & after lyued thre yere & helde his realme in peas / & afterward dyed. And Cordeil his doughter him let bury with moche honour at Leycestre.
¶ Anno mūdi .iiij. M. iij .C .xlix. Et ante Christi natiuitatem. viij .C .liij.
AMasias sone to Ioam regned on the Iewes .xxix. yere / after y• whiche y• kyngdom of iewes was wtout kyng .xiij. yere. This man worshypped the goddes of Seyr. Vt (pꝪ)patet .ij. para .xxv. ¶ Ieroboam sone to Ioam regned on Israel .xlj. yere / y• whiche was manly & vyctoryous / for he ouercame the kynge of Sirie / & restored Israel & Damaske after the worde of Iono y• prophete / but he was not good. Therfore sayth saynt Austyn. Yf good men regne / they ꝓfyte many men. And yf yll men regne / they hurte many men.
¶ Anno mūdi .iiij. M. iij .C .lxxxviij. Et ante Christi natiuitatem .viii .C. xj.
Ozias or Azarias sone to Amasias regned on the Iewry .lij. yere / the whiche lyued well afore our lorde / of hȳ is none euyll thȳge wryten / but that he vsurped the dignite of preesthode vnder Azari / the whiche he forbade hym. For the whiche cause our lorde stroke hym with a lepre. Vt patet .ij. para. ¶ Ozee bysshop & prophete was this tyme the fyrst of the .xij. that was sent agaynst y• xij. trybes. Iohel the seconde of the .xij. prophecyed of Iuda. Ananias y• thyrde prophecyed agaynst many people. Abdias the fourth of the .xij. prophecyed agaynst Edom. ¶ zacharias sone to Ieroboam regned in Israel .vj. monethes the whiche began to regne the .xxxviij. yere of Ozias / & was nought in his lyuynge as his predecessours were. And zellum slewe hym / & regned a moneth. And Manahen slewe hym and toke his kyngdome. Vt (pꝪ)patet .iiij. regū. This Manahen regned .x. yere / the whiche began to regne y• .xxxix. yere of Osias / & he ruled hym mischeuously / & our lord betoke hym in y• power of y• kyng of Assuriorū / and he payed to hym a. M. talentes of syluer. Vt (pꝪ)patet .iiij. regū. ¶ Phaseia sone to Manahen regned in Israel two yere and he began to regne the .l. yere of Ozias / and he was nought in his lyuyng. ¶ Phasee slewe Phaseia / & regned .xx. yere / & he began to regne the .lij. yere of Ozias / & dyd as other cursed men dyd. Vide (pl’a)plura iiij. regū. And after this / Israel was wtouten ony kyng .viij. yere.
¶ How Morgan & Conedag neuewes to Cordeil warred on her & put her to deth.
[Page xvi] WHan that kyng Leyr was deed Cordeill his yongest doughter regned y• .x. yere of Ozias kyng of the Iewry. And after her regned Conedag / the .xv. yere of Ozias. And Cordeill that was Leyrs yongest doughter after the deth of her fader had al y• londe fyue yere / & in the meane tyme dyed her lorde Agampe y• was kyng of fraunce. And after his deth there came Morgan & Conedag that were Cordeyls systers sones & to her had enemite for as moche as theyr aunt had y• londe / so y• bytwene them they ordeyned a grete power / and strongly warred on her / & neuer rested tyll they had taken her & put her to deth And than Morgan & Conedag seased al the londe & departed it bytwene them / & they held it .xij. yere / & whan y• .xij. yere were gone there began bytwene them a grete debate / so y• they warred strongly togyder / & dyd to eche other moche dysease / for Morgan wold haue all y• londe fro beyonde Humber y• Conedag helde. But he came agaynst hym wt a stronge power: so y• Morgan durst not abyde but fledde away in to Wales / and Conedag pursued hym / & toke hym & slewe hym. And than Conedag came & seased al the londe in to his handes & helde it / & regned after .xxxiij. yere / & than he dyed / & lyeth at newe Troy.
¶ And bycause y• mater cōteyneth most cōmodiously togyder of y• kynges of Britayn now called Englonde / for y• tyme of them is not certaynly knowen what tyme of y• worlde these kynges folowynge regned / therfore they shall be togyder tyll it be comen vnto Euentolyn kyng of Brytayne now called Englonde.
¶ How Reynolde that was Conedags sone regned after his fader / and in his tyme it rayned blode thre dayes / in tokenynge of grete deth.
AFter this Conedag regned Reynold his sone y• was a wyse & an hardy knyght & curteys / y• well & nobly ruled y• londe / & was well beloued of all folke. And in his tyme it rayned blode y• lasted thre dayes as god wolde / & soone after there came a grete deth of people / for hoostes wtout nōbre of people fought tyll y• god therof toke pite / & than it cesed And this Reynolde regned .xxij. yere / & than dyed / & lyeth at Yorke.
¶ How Gorbodian regned in peas that was Reynoldes sone.
AFter this Reynolde regned Gorbodian his sone .xv. yere / & than dyed / and lyeth at Yorke.
¶ How Gorbodian had .ij. sones / & how the one slewe y• other for to haue y• londe / & how ydoyne theyr moder slew y• other wherfore the londe was destroyed.
WHan this Gorbodian was deed his two sones y• he had became stoute & proude / & euer warred togyder for the londe / & y• one was called Ferres & y• other Porres. And this Ferres wolde haue all y• londe / but that other wold not suffre hym. This Ferres had a felonous hert: & thought through treason to slee his broder / but pryuely he wente in to fraūce / & there abode wt the kynge Syward / tyll vpon a tyme whan he came agayn to fyght wt his broder Ferres but full euyl it happed him / for he was slayne fyrst. Whan ydoyne theyr moder wyst that Porres was deed she made grete sorowe / for bycause y• she loued hȳ more than y• other / & thought for to slee hym pryuely. And pryuely she came to her sone vpon a night wt two knyues & therwt cut his throte / & y• body also in to small peces. Who herde euer of suche a moder / y• slewe wt her owne handes her owne sone. And lōge tyme after lasted y• reprefe & shame to y• moder / that for bycause [Page] of that one sone / she murdred that other / and so lost them bothe.
¶ How foure kynges curteysly helde all Brytayne / and what be theyr names ye shall here after.
WHan the two brethern were deed they ne had lefte behynde them neyther sone ne doughter ne none other of the kynrede yt might enheryte y• londe And for as moche as the strongest men droue & discomfyted the feblest & toke all theyr londes / so yt in euery coūtree they had grete warre and stryfe vnder them But amōge all other thȳges there were foure in the coūtree that ouercame all y• other / & through theyr myght & strēgth they toke all the londes / & euery of them toke a certayne coūtree / & in his coūtree let call hym kynge / & one of them was called Scater / & he was called kynge of Scotlonde / & that other was called Da walier / & he was kynge of Logres / & of all the londe that was Lotryns yt was Brutes sone. The thyrde was called Ru dac / & he was kynge of Wales. And the fourth was called Cloten / & he was kȳg of Cornewayle. But this Cloten sholde haue had all the londe by right / bycause there was no man y• wyst none so ryght heyre as he was. But they that were strongest set lytel by them y• were of lesse estate / & therfore this Clotē had no more londe amonge them but Cornewayle.
¶ Of kynge Donebant that was Clotens sone / & how he wanne the londe.
THis Cloten had a sone that was called Donebāt / y• after the deth of his fader became an hardy man and a fayre & a curteys / so y• he passed all the other kȳges of fayrnes & of worthynes. And anone as he was knyght he wyst wel that whan his fader lyued he was moost ryghtfull heyre of all y• londe / and sholde haue had it by ryght / but y• other kynges y• were of moche more strength than he toke frō hym y• londe. Wherfore this Donebant ordeyned hym a grete power / & conquered fyrst the londe of Logres / and after he went to conquere all the londe of Scotlonde and Wales. And Scater came wt his men & gaue him batayle / & Rudac came also wt his walshe men for to helpe hȳ / but so it befell y• Rudac was slayne & Scater also in playne batayle. And so Donebāt had y• vyctory & conquered all the londe / & well mayntayned it in peas and in quyete / that neuer before it was so well mayntayned.
¶ How Donebāt was the fyrst kyng y• euer bare crowne of golde in Brytayne.
THis Donebant let make hym a crowne of gold / & ware ye crowne vpon his heed as neuer kyng did before & he ordeyned a statute / yt yfa man had done neuer so moche harme and myght come in to the Temple / there sholde no man hym mysdo / but go there in safete and in peas / & after go in to what londe or countree that hym pleased / without ony harme / and yf ony man had set ony [Page xvii] hande vpon hym / he than shold lese his lyfe. And this Donebant made y• towne of Malmesbury / & y• towne also of y• vise And whā he had regned well & worthely .xl. yere he dyed & lyeth at new Troy.
¶ How Brenne & Belyn departed bytwene them the londe after the deth of Donebant theyr fader. And of the warre bytwene them.
ANd after y• this Donebant was deed his sones departed y• londe bytwene them as theyr fader had ordeyned / so y• Belyn his eldest sone had all y• londe of Brytayn from Humbar southwarde / & his broder Brenne had all the londe from Humbar to Scotlonde. But for as moche as Belin had y• better part Brenne therfore waxed wroth & wolde haue had more of the londe: & Belyn his broder wolde graūte hȳ no more / wherfore stryfe & warre arose bytwene them two. But Brenne y• yōger broder had no myght ne strength agaynst Belyn / and therfore Brenne through coūseyll of his folke went fro thens in to Norwey to y• kyng Olsynges / & prayed hym of helpe & so [...]our for to conquere all y• londe vpon Belyn his broder / vpon y• couenaūt yt he wolde haue his doughter to wyfe. And kyng Olsynges hȳ graūted. And Belin anone as his broder was gone to Norwey he seased in to his hādes all y• londe of Northumberlond / & toke all y• castels & let them be arayed / & kept y• coostes of the see y• Brenne sholde not arryue on no syde but y• he were taken. Kyng Olsynges let assemble a grete hoost / & delyuered his doughter to Brēne & all y• people that he had ordeyned. This damoysell Samye had longe tyme loued a kyng y• was called Gutlagh / & to hym she tolde all her coūseyle / & how y• Brenne sholde haue her & lede her with hym for euermore / & so he sholde lese her but that she myght forsake Brenne. And whā Gutlagh had herde these tydynges / he laye for to espye Brenne wt as many shippes as he myght make & haue. So the two fletes mette togyder / & longe tyme they fought / so that Brenne & his men were dyscomfyted. And kynge Gutlagh toke Samye & put her in to his shyppe. And Brenne shamefully fled thens as a man discomfyted. And this kynge Gutlagh wolde haue gone in to his owne toū [...]tre but there came vpon hȳ so grete a [...]st that lasted .v. dayes / so y• through y• [...] pest he was dryuen in to Brytayn with thre shyppes & no moo. And tho y• kepte the coostes of y• see toke Gutlagh & Samye & all his folke / & them presented to Belyn. And Belyn put them in pryson.
¶ How Belyn let departe out of his londe kynge Gutlagh of Denmarke and Samye.
[...] I was not longe after y• Brenne came agayn with a grete nauy & sente to his broder Belyn that he sholde yelde agayn his londe to his wyfe & his folke / & his castles also / or els be worde destroye his londe. Belyn drad noth [...]ge his malyce / & wolde no thynge do [...] that he had sayd. Wherfore Brenne came with his folke & fought wt B [...] & Brenne was discomfyted and his folke slayne / & hymselfe fledde with. [...]. men in to fraūce. And this Belyn that was Brennes broder went than to Yorke / & toke coūseyle what he myght do with kyng Gutlagh / for kyng Gutlagh profered to become his man / & to holde his londe of hym / yeldynge yerely a thousande poūde of syluer for euermore / and for sykernes of this couenaunt to be hol den / Gutlagh sholde brynge hym good hostages / & to hym sholde do homage & [Page] all his folke / & yet he sholde swere vpon a boke y• it sholde neuer be broken ne fayled. ¶ Belyn tho by coūseyle of his folke graūted hym his askyng / & so Gutlagh became his man. And Belyn toke of hȳ his homage by an othe / & by wrytynge the same couenauntes. And vpon these couenaūtes kynge Guthlagh toke Samie & his folke & went thens & returned agayne to Denmarke. Euermore after were the couenaūtes holden & y• truage payed / tyll the tyme that Hon [...]lus was kyng of Denmarke & also of this londe through his wyfe Gildeburgh y• he had spoused / for she was right heyre of this londe. This Belyn dwelled tho in peas & worshypfully hym helde amonge his barōs. And he made foure ryall wayes one from y• eest vnto y• west / & that was called watlyng strete / & an other from y• north vnto the south / & that was called Ikelme strete / and two other wayes he made in bossyng through out y• londe / y• one is called Fosse / and that other Fosse dyke. And he maynteyned well y• good lawes y• Donebāt his fader had made & ordeyned in his tyme / as before is sayd.
¶ How accordmēt was made bytwene Brenne and Belyn through Cornewen that was theyr moder.
BRenne that was Belyns broder had longe time dwelled in fraūce & there had conquered a grete lordshyp through maryage. For he was duke of Burgoyne through y• doughter of duke Fewyn y• he had spoused / whiche was right heyre of y• londe. And this Brenne ordeyned a grete power of his folke and also of fraūce / & came in to this londe for to fight wt Belyn his broder. And Belyn came agaynst hym wt a grete power of brytons / & wolde haue gyuen hym batayle. But whā theyr moder Cornewen that thā lyued had herde that y• one broder wold haue destroyed that other / she went bytwene her sones / & made them accorde wt moche payne. So y• at the last the two bretherne wt moche blysse went togyder in to new Troy / y• now is called Londō / where they dwelled a yere / & after they toke theyr counseyle for to go & cōquere all fraūce / & so they dyd / & brent townes & destroyed the londe in lengthe & brede / & the kyng of fraūce gaue them batayle wt his power / but he was ouer comen / & gaue truage to Belyn & to his broder. And after y• they went forth vnto Rome / & cōquered it & all Lombardy and Germany / & toke homage of all the chefe lordes & barons. And after they came in to this londe of Brytayn / & dwelled with theyr brytōs in ioye & rest. And than made Brenne y• towne of Brystow and after he went ouer to his owne lord ship / & there dwelled he all his lyfe. And Belyn dwelled at newe Troye / & there he made a fayre gate that is called Belynges gate after his owne name. And whan this Belyn had regned nobly. x [...]. yere he dyed / & lyeth at newe Troye.
¶ How kynge Cormbatrus slewe the kyng of Denmarke / for bycause that he wolde not paye to hym his truage.
[Page xviii] ANd after this Belyn regned his sone Cormbatrus a good man & a worthy. And the kyng of Denmarke wolde not paye to hym his truage / y• is to say / a. M. poūde as he had sworne by othe for to paye it / & also by wrytyng recorde to Belyn his fader / wherfore he was euylapayed & wroth / & assembled a grete hoost of brytons and went in to Denmarke / & slewe y• kyng Gutlagh / & brought y• londe in subieccyō all newe / & toke of y• folke feaute & homage / & after went agayne in to his owne londe / & as he came forth by Orkeney he foūde. xxx shyppes ful of men & women besyde the coost of y• see / & y• kyng asked what they were. And an erle that was mayster of them all curteysly answered to y• kynge & sayd yt they were exiled out of spayne / & so yt they had trauayled halfe a yere & more in the see / to wyte yf they myght fynde ony kynge in ony londe y• of them wolde haue pite or mercy to gyue them ony londe in ony countree / wherin they myght dwell & haue rest / & become his lyege men / & to hym wold do homage & feaute whyle they lyued & to his heyres after hym / & of hȳ & of his heyres holde that londe. And whan y• kyng herd this he had pite on them / & gaue them an yle all wyldernes / where no mā was dwellynge / saue onely wylde beestes. And y• erle thāked moche y• kyng & became his man / & dyd hym homage & feaute / & toke all his folke & went in to the same yle And y• erle was called Irlamal / & therfore he let call y• londe Irlonde after his name. This kyng Cormbatrus came agayn in to his londe & regned .xxv. yere / & after dyed / & lyeth at newe Troye.
¶ Anno mūdi .iiij. M. iiij .C .xl. Et ante Christi natiuitatem. vij .C .lvj.
IOathan sone to Osias regned in the Iewry .xvj. yere. of this Ioathan no thynge is wryten / but [...] he toke not away exce [...]sa as other dyd. Vt patet ij. para. ¶ Amarias was bysshop. And Ysayas the noble prophete was in his dayes. ¶ Olympias with y• grekes began y• fyrst yere of Ioathan after Iosephus: & after Bede Troy was destroyed iiij .C .vj. yere afore the first Olympias began vnder Esalo a iudge of Athenis / in the whiche Corebus gate y• thyualty amonge al men. Olympus is the name of an hyll in Grecia / the whiche for his precyousnes is called y• hyll of god. And after Ierome one Olimpias cōteyneth fully. iii [...]. yeres / in y• whiche .iiij. yeres foure yerely prynces are made / & these Olympiades are places ordeyned to the worshyp of Iupyter vnder the hyll of Olympo. And the lawe of them is this That who someuer is best in our chyualry / what gyfte someuer he desyreth he shall haue.
¶ Anno mūdi .iiij. M. iiij .C .lvj. Et ante Christi natiuitatem. v [...] .C .xliij.
ACham the sone of Ieathan regned on the Iewes .xvi. yert. Of this Acham no thynge yt is good is [...] ten / for he forsoke our lorde / & our lorde stroke hym wt his owne people strongly & with y• kynges of Sirry. Vt p [...]. [...]. para .xxviij. Achitob this tyme was bysshop. ¶ Ozee kyng of Israel regned .ix. yere / the whiche began to regne the. [...] yere of Acham kynge of Iewes. This Ozee drad not god / for he lyued nought. And he was y• last kyng of Israel / & in y• ix. yere of his regne he was takē of Sal manasar / & Israel was translated in to Assirias. Vt habe [...] .iiij. regū .xvij.
¶ Anno mūdi .iiij. M. iiij .C .lxij. Et aute Christi natiuitatem. vij .C .xl.
AFter Euseby Rome was made on ye hyll of Palatyn / the fourth yere of Acham kyng of Iewes / of two bretherne Romulꝰ & Remus .xj. kal. Maij. the. vij Olimpiades begynnynge. Iosephus & Bede sayen ye .vj. Olimpiades: & so they dyffer a yere. Neuerthelesse it is redde other men to haue regned about ye place myghtely in ytaly / that is to wyte / Ianus / Picus / Fānus / Latinus / the whiche vnto Eneas regned about two hondred yere. Than afterwarde from Eneas to this Romulus it was regned vnder .xv. gouernours .CCCC .xxxij. yere After that fro the cite was made vnto ye last yere of Tarquyn the proude it was regned vnder .vij. kynges / aboute .CC. and .xliii. yere. Than afterwarde vnder Senatours & coūseyllers vnto Iulius Cezar emperour / by .CCCC. and. lxiiij yere. Romulus the first of Romayns / of whome they be called in latyn Romans made the Cite to be named Rome after his name / the whiche gadered togyder the people on euery syde / an hōdred of ye wysest men & wytty he chose / through the counseyle of whome all thynges he disposed / the whiche he named Senatours for ye time of theyr age / & he made theyr names to be wryten in golden lettres / wherfore we write noble faders & thynges so yet. Also he called a. M. men of armes milites. a numero millenario. but these were of no noble blode. Therfore as saynt Austyn sayth de ciuit. dei. And also there was lōge warre betwixt the Sabyns & them / for Romulus toke many women of the noble blode of Sabyns / & maried them to ye vnnoble blode of this Romulus. Orosius writeth moche yll. Vt (pꝪ)patet in libro suo. ¶ About this tyme Merodoch the kynge of Babylon sente grete gyftes to Ezechie the kynge of iewes. Vt (pꝪ)patet .iiij. regū .xx. And than the kyngdome of Babylon began.
¶ Anno mundi .iiij. M .lxxij. Et ante Christi natiuitatem. vij .C .xxvij.
Ezechias the .xiiij. kynge of iewes a good chylde of a cursed fader / regned wt a perfyte herte to our lorde / & he restored the hous of god / & there was none lyke hym afore ne after amonge ye kynges of iewes / therfore our lorde god gloryfyed hym / for whan Sennacheri [...] kyng of Assurio (rum) came against Ezechie with a myghty host / our lord stroke his people & [...]lewe au .C .lxxxv. of fyghtyng men / & Sennacherib fledde shamefully vt (pꝪ)patet .iiij. regū .xix. et .ij. para .xxxij. Sadoch this tyme was hye bysshop there.
¶ Anno mundi .iiij. M .v .C. j. Et ante Christi natiuitatē. vj .C .lxxxxviij.
MAnasses kyng of Iewes regned lv. yere / and he was a full euyll [Page xix] chylde of a good fader. For he dyd more cursedly than ony yt was before hȳ. For he slewe ye ꝓphetes of god / that ye stretes in Ierusalē were all blody. And he made ysaie ye prophete to be sawen in peces with a sawe of tree. Wherfore ye kyng of Assurio (rum) wasted the Iewry / & toke Manasses & put hym in pryson. And after Manasses repented him of his trespace & cryed for mercy to god / & was herde. Than he was restored to his kyngdom & he amēded his lyfe. Vt (pꝪ)patet .iiij. reg .xxj. et .ij. para .xxxiij. ¶ Sellū was bysshop & Echias after hym. This tyme the. vij wyse men had worshyp in Grece / yt is to saye / Tales / Solon / Chylon / Poriandꝰ Eldobolus / Bias / Pitacus. This Tales foūde fyrst the defaute of the sonne & the mone. Vide (pl’a)plura Aug .viij. de ci. dei. ¶ Numa the seconde kynge this tyme regned in Rome .xlij. yere / the whiche was a grete worshipper of fals goddes He fylled Rome so full yt he myght haue no place for hymselfe to dwell in. This man put Ianuary & February to ye begynnynge of ye yere. Vide (pl’a)plura in Aug. de ciui. dei. Aboue all reason it is meruayle that suche men so excedyng in wytte in all thynges that was yll receded fro the knowlege of ye very god. ¶ Amon kyng of Iewes regned two yere / the whiche was nought in his lyuynge / & he was stryken of his seruauntes / and he dyed without ony repentaunce.
¶ Anno mūdi .iiij. M .v .C. lviij. Et ante Christi natiuitatem. vj .C .xlj.
IOsias the sone of Amon at .viij. yere of age began to regne / & regned .xxxj. yere / a good chylde of a ꝑuerse fader / in his yōge age he sought ye grace of god / & in that grace laudably abode vnto his ende. His relygyous lyfe & his holy werkes ye may se .iiij. regum. xxij et .ij. para .xxxiiij. ¶ Azastas the sone of Elchie was bysshop. ¶ Tobias aboute this tyme dyed / & he was a very holy man / & he ꝓphecyed ye destruccion of Ierusalē. ¶ Tulius Hostileꝰ was ye thyrde kyng in Rome. And saynt Austyn sayth in his boke de ciui. dei. that from Rome was made vnto August the emperour / there was so contynuall batayle / that it was taken for a meruayle & they were one yere wtout batayle / excepte .xlij. yere in Nume dayes / in yt whiche was cōtynual peas. And this Tul [...]s bycause he had rest / he dyd cursedly to his neyghbours / and than he was slayne & all his housholde with a stroke of lyghtnynge. ¶ Nabugodonosor this tyme was kynge of Babylon / a manly man & a v [...]oryous. For he was ye scourge of our lord to punysshe the synnes of moche people. This man was kyng of Babylon & afterward he cōquered ye kyngdom of Assurio (rum) / and made it one monarchy. But many wayes scripture speketh of this man / now good & now yll / & for bycause scripture concludeth yt he ended his lyfe in ye louynge of god by the prayer of Danyel / & in the knowlege of one very god / some doctours saye he is saued & some say it is doubte. ¶ Au [...]us Marcius the fourth kyng of Rome regned. [...]. yere This man for grace & trust yt he had to Tarquinꝰ Priscus made hym ye gouernour of his chydren & heyres & he yll rewarded hȳ. ¶ Danyel yet a childe delyuered saynt Susan / & stode in ye cō [...]tre of the kyng wt his felawes & afterward he discussed ye dremes of ye kyng & was made a man of grete honeste. Vt (pꝪ)patet Danielis .j. ¶ Ioathas ye second sone of Iosie regned on ye Iewes thre monethes & was made kynge by ye people & he was not good. And Pharao toke him & ladde hym in to Egypte & made his elder broder kynge. Vt (pꝪ)patet .iiij. regū .xxiij.
¶ Anno mūdi .iiij. M .v .C. lxxxviij. Et ante Christi natiuitatem .v .C. xj.
IOachym or Ieconias the sone of Iosie was made kyng of Iewes by Pharao & regned .xj. yere / & bycause he lyued nought / ne herd not ye ꝓphetes Nabugodonosor toke hym & made hym his seruaūt .iij. yere. And he rebelled agaynst hym afterwarde / & he toke hym & was about to haue ladde hym to Babylon / but his coūseyle was chaūged / & so Nabugodonosor slewe hym in Ierusalē / & cast his body ouer ye walles after the ꝓphecy of Ieremy / & toke wt hym ye vessels of our lorde & put them in his tē ple. Vt (pꝪ)patet .ij. para .vlj. ¶ Samias was bysshop. Vrias prophete was slayne of Iecony ye kyng / & Ieremy was present ¶ Ioachim sone to Ieconias regned in the Iury .iij. monethes / & lyued nought & therfore he was meued that he sholde regne no longer / & was boūden & trāslated in to Babylon / & many wt hym were translated. Vt (pꝪ)patet .iiij. regū .xxiiij. ¶ Danyell / Ananias / Azarias / Misaell / Ezechiell / and Mardochius / all these with Ioachim the kyng were ledde in to Babylon yonge chyldren / for bycause they were of the noble blode.
¶ Anno mundi .iiij. M. vj .C. Et ante Christi natiuitatem. vj .C.
¶ Here begynneth the fyth age of the Worlde durynge to the natiuite of Chryst.
SEdechias ye thyrde sone of Iosie regned on ye Iewes .xj. yere. this Sedechias was a myscheuous man in his lyuynge / & he wolde not here Ieremy the prophete / therfore he perysshed wretchedly / & all ye Iury wt hym / & his eyen were put out / & his chyldren were slayne. Vt (pꝪ)patet .iiij. reg. ¶ Iosedech ye sone of Azarie was bysshop / & was trāstated fro Ierusalem by Nabugodonosor in to Babylon. ¶ Abacuk ꝓphecyed agaynst Nabuch at Babylō / & there be opinyōs what tyme this Abacuk was. This Abacuk brought meet to Daniel whā he was put to ye lyons / after Ierome. And here endeth ye fourth age / & ye hystory of Regum.
THis tyme the tēple of Salomon was brent of ye Caldees / & Ierusalem was destroyed. This tēple stode cccc .xlij. yere / yt is to wyte / fro ye fyrst makynge / the whiche was made ye fourth yere of Salomon. And fro ye destruccyon the whiche was made by Tytꝰ / yt is to wyte .xlij. yere after ye passyō of Chryst. ¶ Priscus Torquinus the .v. kynge of Rome regned / and he made Capitolliū quasi caput solū. For in ye groūde werke was foūde a heed without ony body / as for prophecye of thynges to come. For there afterwarde the senatours sate as one heed of all the world. ¶ This tyme thre chyldren were cast in to a furneys brennynge / & with a myracle they were delyuered / as it is shewed in Daniel. [...]. ¶ Nabugodonosor the sone of Nabugodonosor ye myghty / regned in Babylon. This man made an hangynge gardyn with myghty costes for his wyfe / & many meruaylous thynges he dyd / so that he wolde be named to excede Hercules in his gretnes & strengthe. ¶ Enilmelrodach broder vnto the latter Nabugodonosor regned in Babylon. This man [Page xx] toke Ioachym out of pryson & worshipped hym / & his faders deed body after ye counseyle of this man / he deuyded to an hondred grypes / lest yt he sholde ryse frō deth to lyfe. ¶ Nota. The playe of the chesse was foude of [...]erse a philosopher for the correccyon of Enilmerodach this tyme ye kyng of Babylon a grete tyraūt the whiche was wont to kyll his owne maysters & wyse men. And for he durst not rebuke hȳ openly / wt suche a wytty game he procured hym to be meke.
¶ Anno mundi .iiij. M. vj .C .xxxiiij. Et ante Christi natiuitatem .v. C .lxv.
SAthiel of ye lyne of Chryst was sone to Iecony ye kyng of Iewes the whiche he gate after ye transmygracyon of Babylon / as Marke ye euāgelyst sayth. ¶ Seruius Tuliꝰ the .vj. kynge of Rome was of a bonde condycyon on the moders syde / for she was a captyue mayden / but she was of the noble blode This man had grete louynge / & nobly he bare hym in euery place. Thre hylles to ye cite he put / & dyched ye walles roūde about. ¶ Regusar Sabusardach & Balthasar were bretherne / the whiche regned one after an other & were kynges in Babylon. And Balthasar was the last kyng of Babylon / ye whiche was slayne of Darius & Cyrus. Vide (pl’a)plura Dani .v.
¶ Incipit Monarchia Persarum.
DArius vnkle to Cyro felowe in ye kyngdom with Cyro / occupyed the kyngdom of Babilon. Darius trāslated the kyngdom of Babylons Caldees in to ye kyngdom of Persarū & Medorū. ¶ Cyrꝰ was emperour .xxx. yere. This Cyrus held ye monarchy hole at Perses Of this man ꝓphecyed ysaias / & he destroyed Babylō / & flewe Balthasar king of Babylon / & he worshipped gretly Daniel. The Iewes he sente home agayne that they shold buylde ye temple of god. Vt (pꝪ)patet Esore .j. ¶ Babylon ye stronge castell was destroyed & his power was taken fro him / as it was ꝓph [...]ped. This was ye fyrst cite and the gretest of all the worlde / of yt whiche incredyble thinges are wrytē / & this yt was so strōge in one nyght was destroyed / that it myght be shewed to ye power of god / to yt whiche power all other ben but a sperke & dust. For it is sayd for soth yt it was incredible to be made wt mānes hande / or to be destroyed wt mānes strength / wherof all ye worlde myght take an ensample / and it wolde or myght be enformed. ¶ Tarquinus suꝑbus was the .vij. kyng of Rome & he regned xxxv. yere. This man foūde fyrst all these turmentes whiche are ordeined for malefactours: as er [...]e p [...]son welles & galowes / fetters & many [...]es chaynes & collers & suche other. And for his grete pryde & cruelnesse god suffred hȳ to myscheue / & in what maner wyse it shalbe shewed. He had a sone of ye same name / yt whiche sone defouled a worthy mānes wyfe / they called hȳ Co [...]aryn & his wyf was called Lucres. This Tarquinus yt was this seuēth kynges sone aforesayd came to this ladyes hous (absent her husbōde) to souꝑ & to lodgynge. And whan all were a slepe he rose with a swerde in his hāde & wt strength & [...]re he rauisshed ye womā. And whā he was gone she sente vnto her fader & her husbōde / for she was of grete kynne / & thus she sayd to them. The kinges sone came hyther as a frende / of whome I had no mistrust / & thus he hath defyled my [...]hastite / & lost my name for euermore. Whā her frendes sawe her wepe & pyteously complayne / they cōforted her as well as they coude / & sayd it was no vylany vnto her / for it was agaynst her wyl. She answered & sayd. Yet shall there neuer [Page] womā excuse herby Lucres: for though she cōsented not to this dede / yet shal she not dye wtout payn for yt dede. And with that worde she had a knyfe redy vnder her mantell / with whiche she smote her selfe to the hert. And for this cruelnes & this pyteous dethe the people of Rome arose & exiled this kyng & all his ꝓgeny for euermore. And thus ceased these kynges of Rome / & neuer was none after.
¶ Of the gouernaūce of Rome tyll the Emperours began.
AFter whā this tyraūt was deed the Romayns ordeyned yt there shold neuer be kyng more in Rome. But they wolde be gouerned fro thens forth by consules. So whā those kynges had regned .CC. yere and .xl. they made this statute / that two consules sholde be chosen / & they sholde gouerne the Cite & the people / & for this cause these two were chosen / that yf one of them wolde make ony excesse / yt other sholde gouerne hym For there was no thynge obeyed but yf they cōsented bothe. Also they shold not stande in theyr dignite passyng one yere for this cause. That for dominacyon of longe tyme they sholde not vsurpe more vpon them than was ryghtfull. In all this tyme y• Empyre of Rome was not dilated passyng .xij. myle / ne had no lord ship passing .xij. myle. The fyrst cōsules that were made y• one was called Luciū & that other Brutū / & these two men did grete thynges in theyr tyme. But yet y• people bare heuy of theyr dominacyon / wherfore they chase an other man / whiche sholde haue more auctorite thā they & they called hym Dictator. ¶ In this same tyme there was a grete discencyō bytwene the people & the senate / wherfore they chase Tribunas whiche were Iudges ouer y• people / & defended them from wronge / as sayth ysyder. For the Dictator whan he was chosen he lasted fyue yere / & y• Tribunas were remeued euery yere. ¶ But ye must vnderstande that ye shal not haue here after all y• consules names y• gouerned Rome betwixt the seasyng of y• kynges & y• begynynge of the emperours / for it were to longe to wryte / specyally whā they were euery yere newe / syth that one man myght be chosen so often tymes as we rede. And also for y• enduring of theyr gouernaūce For they were gouernours of Rome .v .C. yere and .lxvij. So the most famous men of these shall be rehersed after the forme of Cronycles / & as they stande in the boke eche one after other.
¶ Incipit historia libri Esdre.
¶ Anno mūdi .iiij. M. vj .C .lix. Et ante Christi natiuitatem .v. C .xl.
[...] Drobabel after the cōmaūdemēt of god foūded the temple & made it perfyte / but it was longe after. Vt (pꝪ)patet esdre .vj. After the people of Ierusalem came fro Babylon / these two ruled. Iesus the hye preest as gouernour / & zorobabell as duke. And this maner of guydyng was kepte vnto Herodes tyme / y• the hye preestes shold be pryncypall / & y• dukes vnder them. But y• dukes were euer of y• trybe of Iuda / after y• ꝓphecy of Iacob. And vnder yt good guydyng of preestes it is not redde y• people to haue receded fro the very true fayth / as they dyd afore in y• tyme of iewes & kynges / for than many tymes they ran to ydolatry. ¶ Esdras y• preest of the kynrede of Aron this tyme exceded men in holynes through whose grete wysdome all y• iewes state was holpē. ¶ Cābises y• sone of Ciri regned on y• kyngdom of Persa [...] the whiche cōmaūded myghtely y• temple of Ierusalem sholde not be buylded [Page xxi] agayn / & his s [...]er cōm [...]i [...]d it sho [...] [...] buylded. This Cambises [...] iudge to be slayne or kylt alyue / [...] [...] his sone to sit on his faders [...] / that through ye drede he sholde [...]rede falshode & iudge ryghtwysly. This Cābises [...] many ī holy scripture / in ye boke of [...] A [...]haxerses or [...]uerꝰ in historia Iu [...]ith / that was done vnder hȳ he is called Nab [...]godonosor / for Differ [...]es the prynce of his chyisalty subdued many londes to his lord / & at y• last he came to Bethlee [...] / & there was [...]yne of Iudith a woman. Vt pate [...] Iudi .ij. et .xiij. ¶ Greneides regned in Perse half a yere. ¶ Dariꝰ regned in Perse / ye whiche by the mocyon of zorobabell cōmaūded the werke of ye tēple to be taken agayn / & cō maunded his prynces yt in no wyse they shold let it / but shold helpe it in all yt they coude. Vide plura in Esore. vide hoc [...]e ambiguū propter diuersitatē docto (rum).
¶ Circa anū mūdi .iiij. M. vij .C. xxxiiij Etante Christi natiuitatē. iiij .C .lxv.
ABiuth sone to zorobabel of ye lyne of Chryst was about this tyme. For of hym & of other folowynge vnto Ioseph no thynge is had in scripture / but that Mathewe the euangelyst nombreth them in ye genelogy / & therfore the certayne tyme of them dewly can not be knowen. ¶ Ioachim was bisshop this tyme / after Iosephus was called Iosedeth / vnder whom Ierusalē was buylded agayn. Vt dicit et hoc idem (pꝪ)patet Nee [...]e .xij. ¶ In the .CC .xliiij. yere after yt Rome was made / ye Romains ordeyned two consules in the stede of theyr kynge the whiche shold gouerne one yere alone lest yt by taryenge they sholde be proude & that ye one shold correcke ye other yf he exceded or arred. ¶ Brutus was ye fyrs;t consul / & Lucius ye seconde / & than was there a man yt was called Dictator / the name of an offyce the whiche sholde go with ye people a gaynst theyr enemyes. ¶ Titus P [...]phius [...] cons [...]es: Than after the Romayns complayned gretly on ye condy [...]yons of ye consules / & than ye power was [...] / to an excedynge cost to the comyn people. For euerichone of them [...] lyke a kyng / & nede caused them to leue ye [...]g [...]ite. And they trusted neuer to rest / ye warre was so strōge agaynst them. ¶ At that [...] was kynge of Persarū / under whome Eldras came to Ierusalem ¶ [...]rses Neemias was butler to the same kynge / whome afterward he sent to buyide y• walles of Ierusalem. ¶ [...]erses regned after him two monethes. ¶ Segd [...]anus .vij. monethes after hym / & lytell they dyd.
¶ Circa annū mundi .iiij. M. vij .C .lix. Et ante Christi natiuitatē. mj .C .xl.
ELiac is rehersed of ye line of chryst in Math .j. and more of hȳ is not had in scripture. ¶ Esdras an holy man & a connynge / & worshypfully was had amonge the people. This man came fro Babylon with other / & he meued with very charyte went agayne to Babylon that he myght wynne moo of Israel. & saue the soules / & brynge them home wt hym. In this tyme he repayred ye lawe & the holy bokes / the whiche yt Caldees had brent. And an happy wytnes to all the worlde he lefte in scripture. He foūde newe lettres & lyghter in faccion / ye whiche through the holy ghoost fulfylled he came agayn to Ierusalem with a grete multytude / & with ye kynges preuylege that he sholde teche ye people the lawe yt he had repayred. And there he dyed in a good age. ¶ Neemias an hebrewe butler of kynge Arthaxerses at his lordes cōmaundement went from Babylon in to Ierusalem / where he had .xii. yere ye ledyng of the people. And the .v. yere he [Page] began to repayre ye gates & ye walles of Ierusalem in the whiche werke he ended in .ij. yere & .iiij. monethes / & that with grete impedymentes. For y• halfe of the people stode armed wtout ye cite to withstande ye people of other nacyons / entendynge to destroye them / & ye other parte laboured in armes / holdynge in the one hande stones for ye walles / & in yt notable other hande a swerde or nye by it. Vide psa li. su [...]. ¶ Permenides philosophers & namely in morall thȳges were about this tyme. Socrates a philosopher the whiche vnderstode moche of ye power of god / and he was Platos mayster. Democritus / Ypocras and other / of whom the noble werkes abode.
¶ Circa annū mundi .iiij. M. viij .C .ix. Et ante Christi natiuitatē. iij .C .lxxxx.
Azor is rehersed in ye lyne of chryst in Math .i. but no thynge of his dedes is wryten in scripture. ¶ Elyasib or Elysaphat succeded Ioachym in the bysshopryche. Vt dicit Eusebiꝰ et magr̄ histo. ¶ Camillus was Dictator at Rome / in whose dayes mischeuous playes were ordeyned that the pestylence shold cese at Rome. Of these playes saynt Austyn treateth diligently / in repreuyng ye falshede of ye goddes: the whiche desyred to be pleased wt suche wretched playes. So shamefully these playes were vsed with naked men & women / that honest men and women wolde not be at those playes / ne yet behold them. Vide p [...]a in Aug. de ci. dei. ¶ Darius notus regned on the Perses .xix. yere. ¶ Plato the diuyne philosopher / & Aristotel his discyple were this tyme noble & famous clerkes. ¶ Tytus quintius was Dictator at Rome / and he was a couetous man / whome Austyn de ciui. dei. bryngeth in agaynst couetous & proude chrystē men ¶ [...]yus was a senatour under whom was agrete batayle agaynst ye kyng of [...]us [...]o (rum) / and, viij. M. mē of them were taken. ¶ Marcꝰ Valeriꝰ was an other senatour / ye whiche wt .lx. M. Romayns fought with ye frenshmen / & had ye victory / & slewe many of them. ¶ Artharerses kynge of Perses called agayn to his empyre Egypte / & he put N [...]t [...]abo ye kyng in to Ethiopia / & many Iewes in to transmygracyon. Also he sent Vagosum a prynce ouer Flum Iordan to aske agayne ye tribute yt was forgyuen to Esdre that was the .vij. yere rent (propter sabbā terre. ¶ Arsamus succeded hym and regned a yere. ¶ Darius the sone of Arsamus regned with y• Perses .xxiiij. yere. This Darius was a myghty mā & a bolde / the whiche asked of ye Grekes a trybute / & yt was ye cause of ye destruccyon of the monarchy of Persarū. For it was translated to ye Grekes after ye prophecy of Danyel. For it is sayd yt Dariꝰ brought .xv. hondred thousande fyghtyng men / whome all Alexander slewe. ¶ Iodas ye sone of Elysaphat was hye bysshop in Ierusalem in tyme of Matdachij. Iohānes his sone succeded hȳ. ¶ Aristoteles ye moost subtyll & famous philosopher lyued this tyme. ¶ Senocrate the moost chaste philosopher was this tyme / with dyuers other moo.
¶ Bycause ye kynges of Britayne nexte after lyued in peas moost parte / & lytell of them is wryten / therfore they shal be set togyder tyll it be comen to Cassybalon kyng of Brytayne / the whiche was broder to Lud.
ANd whā Cormbatrꝰ was deed Guent holen regned which was his sone / a man of good condicyons and well beloued / and he gouerned the londe well & wysely / and he regned .xxvj. yere [Page xxii] and after dyed / & lyeth at newe Troy.
¶ How kyng Seysell regned and well gouerned the londe after Guentholen.
AFter this Guētholen regned his sone Seysell / & well & worthely [...] gouerned the londe as his [...]ader had done before hym / & he regned .xv. yere & dyed / and lyeth at newe Troy.
¶ How [...]ymor regned after Seysell his fader / and he begate How an that regned in peas after his fader.
Bymor regned after his fader Seisell well & nobly .xix. yere in peas And than after hym regned How an his sone .x. yere & dyed & lieth at Ikaldown.
¶ How kynge Morwith dyed through myschau [...] of a beest.
MOrwith regned after Howan / & he became so wycked that vengeaūce fell on hym. For ou a tyme as he went by the see syde he mette wt a grete beest yt was black & horrible / & he wend it had ben a whale of y• see / & bent an arblast & wolde haue slayne y• beest wt his quarell / but he myght not smyte hym / & whā he had shot all his quarels y• beest anone came to him & deuoured hȳ alyue & so he dyed for his wyckednes by gods vengeaūce after he had regned .ix. yere.
¶ Of Grandobodyan that was sone to Morwith / that made Cambrydge.
WHan this Morwith was deed y• brytons crowued Gr [...]dobodian his sone / & this Grandobodian longe tymed regued in goodnes: & made temples & townes / & he made y• town of Cambrydge & the town of Graūtham / & was well beloned of ryche & poore / & he had .iiij. sones / Arthogaile / Hesidur / Higamꝰ & Petitur / & whan he had regn [...]d xj. yere he dyed / & lyeth at newe Troy.
¶ Of Arthogasle that was Grandobodians sone / how he was made kynge & after put downe for his wyckednes.
AFter Grandobodian regned his sone Arthogaile .v. yere / & he became so wycked y• the brytons wold not suffre hym to be kyng / but put hȳ down & made Hesidur his broder kyng / & he be came so mercyable y• men called hȳ kyng of pite / & whā he had regned .v. yere he had so grete pite of his broder Artogaile that was kynge before / y• he forsoke his dignite / and toke his broder y• crowne as gayn / & made hym kynge agaynst all y• brytons wyll / & after Artogaile became so good of cōdicions y• all the londe loued hym for his debonayrte / doynge right & reason to euery man. And he regned .vj. yere & than dyed / & lyeth at Graūtham.
¶ How Hesidur was made kynge after the deth of his broder.
AFter the deth of Artogaile y• brytons crowned an other tyme Hesidur / but his two bretheru Higamus & Petitur had of hym grete spyte & scorne & ordeyned them helpe for to warre vpō the kyng theyr broder / and so they toke hym & put hym in to pryson the seconde yere of his regne / & they departed al the londe betwyxt them bothe / but Higamꝰ lyued but .vij. yere / & thā had Petit al y• londe / & he made y• towne of Pickering.
¶ How the Brytons came and toke Hesidur out of pryson / & made hym kynge the thyrde tyme.
WHan this Petitur was deed / the Brytons toke Hesidur anone and made hym kynge the thyrde tyme / and [Page] than regned he [...] peas .xiiii. yere / & after he dyed and [...]th at Kararleyll.
¶ How xxx [...]. kynges regned in peas [...]he after other after y• deth of Hesidur.
AFter the deth of Hesidur regned xxxiij. kynges [...]he after other in peas / & without ony longe taryenge. I shall shewe theyr names / & how longe eche of them regned / as y• story telleth. The fyrst kynge was called Gerbodia / and he regned .xij. yere / and after hym regned Morgan .ij. yere / and after hym regned Cighnus .vj. yere / & after hym Idwalan .viij. yere / after hym regned Rohugo .xj. yere / after hȳ Voghen .xiij. yere / after hym Caril .xj. yere / after hȳ Porex .ij. yere / after hym Cherin .xvij. yere / after him Coyl .xij. yere / after him Sulgenis .xiiij. yere / after hym Esdad xx. yere / after hym Andragie .xvij. yere / after hym Vrian .v. yere / after hym Eliud .ij. yere / after hym Eldagan .xv. yere after hym Claten .xij. yere / after hym Ouirgunde .vilj. yere / after hym Mortan .vj. yere / after hȳ Bledagh .iij. yere / after hym Caph .j. yere / after hym Gen ij. yere / after hym Seysell & kyng Bled xxij. yere / & kyng Tabreth .xj. yere / and after hym Archinall .xiiij. yere / and after hym Croll .xxx. yere / and after hym regned Rodyngu .xxxij. yere / and after hym regned Hertir .v. yere / & after hym regned Hanipir .vj. yere / and after hym regned Carpour .vij. yere / & after hym regned Digneill .iij. yere / and after him regned Samuell .xxiiij. yere / and after hym regned Rede .ij. yere / & after hym regned Ely .vij. monethes. This kyng Ely had thre sones / Lud / Cassibalon / & Enemyon.
¶ How Lud was made kynge after the deth of Ely his fader.
AFter the deth of Ely regned Lud his sone / and gouerned well the londe / and moche honoured good folke / and tempred & amended wyched folke / This Lud loued more to dwell at newe Troy than in ony other place of y• londe / wherfore the name of newe Troy was lefte / & than was y• cite called Ludstone but the name is chaunged through varyasite of lettres / & now is called Londe This kyng made in the cite a fayre gate & called it Ludgate after his name / & y• folke of y• cite are Londoners. And whā he had regned .xj. yere he dyed / & lyeth at London. He had two yonge sones / y• one was called Andraghen / & that other Torinace / but they coude neyther speke ne go / & therfore the brytons croward a strōge knyght y• was called Lud y• was Cassiba [...]ons broder / & made hymkynge of Brytayne now called Englonde.
¶ Anno mūdi .iiij. M. viij .c .lxxxxiiij. Et ante Christi natiuitate. ij .C .xv.
SAdoth of y• lyne of Chryst is nombred in Mat .j. but in scripture is no more had of hȳ. ¶ Iadus the [...]one of Iohn was hye bysshop in Ierusalem. ¶ This tyme kynge Alexander regned the whiche was wroth with the people of Ierusalem / & came to the cite. Than [Page xxiii] Iadus arayed in his pontyfycall ornamétes came to meet hym / & he sodeynly was pleased & worshypped ye bysshop / & with peas & ioye entred y• cite / & he made to be brought to hȳ y• boke of Danyel & the ꝓphecy to be expowned to hym / ye whiche was spoken of him / & that done he ioyed strongly / for all thȳge yt he had herde by y• dreme in due ordre was fulfylled / & it was lykely to hym yt he shold be ye same ꝑsone / of whom Daniel ꝓphe cyed / & of that he toke more hardynes to fyght wt Dariꝰ kyng of Perse / & he dyd the sacrifice / & cōmaūded ye iewes to axe what they wold haue / & graūted them to kepe theyr owne lawes / & at ye seuēth yere shold be wtout tribute. Vide magr̄m in histo. The host of Alexādre as Orosiꝰ saith was .xxxij. M. fotemen / & .iiij. M. horsmē / & shyppes .C.lxxx. And it is vncertayne wheder it is more meruayle yt he shold cōquere all ye worlde wt so lytel a power / or how he durst go vpon them wt so litel a power. And there was of Alexā der & his host slayne ye kyng of Perse. Et vt Orosiꝰ dicit qinqies decies cētena milia ¶ Enias ye sone of Iadi was bysshop after his fader. ¶ Maniliꝰ Papiriꝰ & Fabius were [...]sules at Rome. This Papirius whā he was a childe he was very wyse / & he fayned many a fayre lesynge yt he myght kepe his maysters coūseyle & the senatours. And whan he came to mānes age he was a noble warryour / yt whā ye Romayns dred Alexādre he was chosen to go agaȳst hȳ / & of ye goddes he charged not / but scorned them / sayenge afore yt vnhappy thyng shold fall / & yt to his grete louynge holy doctours saye.
¶ Incipit Monarchia Grecorū: et cessat Monarchia Persarum.
THis tyme kyng Alexander begā to be lord of all ye world / & he was called grete Alexāder for his grete victory yt he had in so lytell tyme. It was an euydent iudgemēt of ye wrath of god agaȳst synners of y• tyme / certaynly some myracles our lord dyd for hȳ in helpyng of his power: for ye see of pāphilicon was deuyded to hȳ (as ye reed see to ye iewes) whan he persecuted Dariꝰ. Also at his prayer ye hylles of Caspij were shet yt certayne cursed iewes myght neuer come out. But at ye last he was poysoned ī Babylon / & dyed the .xxxiij. yere of his age / and the .v. yere of his monarchy / the. xij yere of ye kyngdom of Macedon. Whan Alexāder was deed the .xij. to whom he deuyded his kyngdom coude not accord wherof arose infinyte batayles / so ye. iiij had all ye kyugdom. Vide (pl’a)plura in Orosio.
¶ Anno mūdi .iiij. M .ix. C .ix. Et ante Christi natiuitatē .CC .ix.
AChym of ye lyne of Chryst sone to Sadoth is nōbred in Math .j. & of hym is no more ī scripture. ¶ Symō was bisshop this tyme an holy man & a ryghtwyse he was named of ye people. ¶ Eleazarꝰ was bysshop after Symen This man sent to Ptholomeo kynge of Egypt .lxxij. lerned men / of euery trybe vj. to interprete ye lawe of ye iewes / whiche they translated out of hebrewe in to greke by a grete miracle: yt so many men shold in .lxxij. dayes trāslate all holy scripture wt one accord. Vide Aug. de ci. dei. ¶ Dolobela / Emilius / Marrꝰ Curius / Genutiꝰ this tyme were cōsules at Rome. This Dolobela cōquered Sānytes after many batayles had. And Martus subdued Epirotas / & slewe .xxiij. M. of his men: & than fled kyng Pirro / which kyng sent to hȳ for peas offryng to him grete gyftes. Thā this cōsul answered. No batayle shall cause me to flee / nor no money corrupt me / for I had leuer commaūde riche men to do this & this / than be riche my self. ¶ Tonu [...]iꝰ subdued ye cite of Argiuo (rum) / & a legion of Rome knightes he sent to Rome to be be [...]ē openly in ye market place for thet held thē not lefully to ye court of rome For ye law was kept so [Page] straitly at Rome / that & they had fayled to do theyr due obseruaunces in vertue / they shold be punisshed. The Romayns afore & after were y• moost noble men after y• worldes honesty y• might be / & in al maner of vertue circūspecte as holy doctours saye / that they put examples to chrysten men / but not the intencyon / for they lacked the key of fayth.
¶ Incipiūt reges egipti: qr asr non pōt fieri [...]tinuatio: & intexunt reges Sirie.
PTholomus Philodolphus was this tyme kyng in Egypt. This man was y• very worshipper of one god & full gracyous to y• Iewes / of whome xx. M. & .C. he deliuered out of captiuite and y• he dyd y• he myght please y• god of Israel / of whom he had herde meruayles / & his lawe he desired to haue / & that myght not be translated in to none other language but of deuoute men / & that wt due reuerence & solēpnite. Certayn men attempted to haue wryten it amonge y• storyes of y• gentyles / whom y• plage of god stroke tyll they repēted. This kyng sente vnto Eleazer the bysshop / to sende to hym lerned men / the whiche he dyd gladly. Vide (pl’a)plura in magr̄o historio.
¶ Anno mūdi .iiij. M .ix. C .lix. Et ante Christi natiuitatem. ij .C .xl.
ALiud of the lyne of Chryst gate Eleasar as it is open in Math .j. And more in scripture is not had of him. ¶ Omias bysshop was sone to Symō. Symon was bysshop after hȳ whiche was a very religyous mā / he reformed the tēple of god better / & encreaced y• cite of Ierusalē: wt many other good thȳges ¶ Sēproniꝰ / Appius Claudiꝰ / Gueus Gaius / Attiliꝰ Regulꝰ / Emilius Fabiꝰ this tyme were senatoures at Rome. This Sēproniꝰ fought agaynst y• countre of Picentes / & almoost y• cheualry on bothe partes were slayne / except a fewe Romayns were lefte alyue y• subdued y• coūtre. Appiꝰ Claudiꝰ subdued Syracusanas / & y• coūtre of Penos / & put grete tribute on them. Attiliꝰ Regulꝰ a noble senatour ouercāme .iij. kynges: & .lxxiij. citees subdued / & a dragon of .C .xv. fote he slewe. Afterward whā he was ouer cruell agaynst his enemyes / denyeng to gyue them peas but yf they wold paye a mighty tribute: they almost in despayre fought agaynst him & ouercame hȳ & his hoost / & toke hym / & yet they wolde fayne haue had peas / but this faythful man had leuer dye in payne thā to gyue peas to cursed people. His louyng saynt Austyn gretly exalteth. Emiliꝰ Fabius & Gaius wold haue deliuered Regulus but they obteyned not. ¶ Ptholomeas Euergites this tyme was king of egipt a victoryous prynce & a myghty. This man subdued Syriā & Ciciliā & y• moost parte of Asie / and toke theyr goddes & brought them in to his coūtre. ¶ Ptholomeus Philopater sone to Euergites regned in Egypte .xvij. yere. This man fought agaynst .ij. brethern. Selencū & grete Anthiocū / & he prostrated many a thousande / but neuerthelesse he preuayled not. Vide (pl’a)plura i Iohāne suꝑ Daniel. ¶ Hanyball the moost cursed kynge of [Page xxiiii] Peno (rum) or of affricano (rum) mightely hated the Romayns / for he destroyed them almoost to y• vttermest ende / & nygh y• cite of Rome he destroyed / & so many noble men of Romayns he slewe at one tyme / that thre busshelles of golde rynges he drew of theyr fyngers. Also in a certayn water of the slayne bodyes of these Romayns / he made as it were a brydge / y• his hoost myght passe. And at y• last Cipio y• noble senatour directed his host to hym & discōfyted hym / & almost Cipios host of Romayns were slayne. ¶ Lucatius cōsul. Sipronius valeriꝰ / Fulnius lutinꝰ Gaius / & Scipio ruled at Rome. This tyme the Romays had peas one yere alone / & it was takē for a myracle y• they had so lōge rest / for afore this tyme in. iiij .C. & .xl. yere y• Romayns had neuer rest. These cōsules whā y• yere was done cōgregated all y• strēgth of ytaly / & they had in theyr hoost .viij. M. armed men / for drede of y• frensshmen / whome they drad strongly / & afterwarde y• Romayns subdued them. ¶ Epiphanes y• sone of Philopat regned in egypt .xxiiij. yere. Cleopatra doughter to grete Anthiocꝰ was his wyfe. ¶ Anthiocꝰ magnus this tyme regned in Syrry / whiche dyd moche mischefe to y• Iewes. Vt (pꝪ)patet Math. ¶ Onias this tyme was bysshop in Ierusalē. This Onias for y• tyranny of Anthiocus fled wt many iewes into egypt / feynynge hym to fulfyll the ꝓphecy of ysaie .xix. that is to wyte / to buylde the temple. But in y• he synned / for he sayd otherwyse than he thought. The kynge of Egypte gracyously receyued hym / & gaue hym y• londe of Helipolees / & there he buylded his tēple. Symon his sone was bysshop at Ierusalē after that his fader was fledde.
¶ Circa annum mūdi .v. M .xxxiiij. Et ante Christi natiuitatem .C .lxv.
ELeasar of the lyne of Chryst was about this tyme: of hȳ no thynge is wrytē in scripture / but y• Math. nombreth hȳ. Vt (pꝪ)patet .j. ¶ Omas Pius was to y• Iewes bysshop this tyme / an holy man / & well beloued wt god & man / & not all onely wt good men / but yll men also. At the last vnright wysly was slayne of Andronito. Vt (pꝪ)patet .ij. macha .iiij. ¶ Paulus Terentius / Scipto Affricanꝰ / these were senatours at Rome / these two erected an hoost agaynst Hanyball / & there almost y• Romayns hope dyed / for there was slayne .xliiij. thousand Romayns. And this noble man Scipio Affricanus brought agayn the state of y• Romayns the whiche stode in a despayre neuer to haue recouered. For he fought wt Hanyball manly & discōfyted hȳ. All Spayne he ouercame. All Affryke he subduedgrete Anthiocꝰ he brought to be his seruaūt. All Asiam he made tributary to y• Romayns. This man so noble & so victoryous by his own vnkynde coūtre was outlawed / & there he dyed. ¶ Philometor the sone of Epiphanes of Cleopatra regned in egypt .xxxv. yere. This kyng yet a chylde noble Anthiocus gretly oppressed with many deceytes. But y• Romayns sent legates y• which cōmaūded Anthiocus y• he sholde cesse of his tyranny agaynst hym. And Marcus Publiꝰ made a cercle about Anthiocus sayenge thus. The senatours of rome & y• people cōmaūde y• that y• go not out of this cercle tyll y• haue answered to this mater. This Anthiocus seynge y• he might not contynue his tyrāny sayd. Yf it be thus cōmaūded me of the senatours and Romayns / I must nedes turne agayn & so wood angry he was y• he lost y• syege of Alexādre / & turned to y• poore releues of the Iewes / vēgyng hȳ on them bycause he myght not venge hym on no myghtyer people. Vt (pꝪ.)patet in lib. macha .j. et .ij.
[Page] MAthathias an holy man / & of all praysynge moost worthy / hated in his herte ye cōuersacyon of all synners all onely trustyng in our lorde god of Israel. Vt (pꝪ)patet prio macha .ij. And this mā had .v. sones of the same loue vnto god. This man was not bysshop in Israel / but his .iii. sones were. ¶ Iudas Mathabeꝰ was bysshop .iii. yere / & he was sone to Mathathias. This machabeus was the moost named man yt euer was in Isarel / yt whiche had neuer none lyke hym afore ne after. He was in batayle a myghty man / & offred hȳ to dye a martyr for ye lawes of god. ¶ Ionathas his broder suceeded hym. rir. yere / the whiche grewe in vertue: & gouerned & abode stedfast in ye lawes of god / & after falsly was slayne of Criphone & two of his sones. V [...]de p [...]a iuda et fr̄e etꝰ lib. macha. ¶ Antiochus Epiphanes sone to Antio thus ye myghty this tyme was kyng of Sirry. This man frō ye heed vnto ye fote wtin & wtout al was cursed / & therfore he was fygured to Antechryst. Many mar tyrs he made cruelly / & falsly he disposed hȳ to entre in to Egypt as his fader dyd but he obteyned not / for ye Romayns letted hȳ to his vnhappy werke / & how he was in hostage at Rome / & how ye ꝓphe cy of Daniel is cōpleted in hȳ ye may se in ye boke of Macha. ¶ Quintus flami nius / Marchꝰ Catho / Thiberiꝰ Graceꝰ were senatours of Rome. This tyme so meche batayle was ye lerned men of gen tyles & of ye true fayth bothe were wery to wryte ye actes / or haue them in mynde. In yt whiche batayles men meruay led gretly on ye sted fastnes of ye romayns that no tribulaciō / no drede nor hardnes might fere them / but euer contynued in batayle. And certaynly these Romayns after ye worldes honeste / they were the moost wysest men yt were / & therfore the Machabees desyred theyr company.
¶ Circa annū mundi .v. M .lix. Et ante Christi natiuitatem .C .xl.
MAthan sone to Sadoth of ye lyne of Chryst gate Iacob. Vt patet Mathei. [...]. ¶ Symon sone to Mathathias was bysshop .viii. yere. This Symon was a very wyse man / & from his youth vntyll his age was euer of good conuersacyon / euermore vertuous. And at the last he was slayne of his broder Elay. Vt (pꝪ)patet .i. macha. ¶ Iohānes Hyrcanus sone to Symon was after his fa der .xxix. yere / a noble man as all ye kynrede was before hym. This man after his decesse lefte his wyfe a very wyse woman & his fyue sones to gouerne the Iewry / of whome the eldest was called Aristobolus an vnpacyent man and an vnhappy. His owne moder with thre of his yōger brethern he prysoned / & slewe them through honger / & so alone he lyued kynge & bysshop one yere. Vide p [...]a libro machabeo (rum). ¶ Publius Lucinius Lucius Emilius / Lucius Lucinius / & Lucius Censorinus were consulles at Rome / in whose tyme the Cartagyens & the Romayns warred strongly togyder / but the Romayns subdued them / intendyng to haue destroyed the Cartagyens vtterly. But amōge ye Romayns there was a notable wyse man called Scipio Nauta / & amonge many notable coūseyles / two he gaue specyally to be had in mȳde. The fyrst that Cartago sholde not be destroyed / that through ye occasyon of forehande batayles / an inwarde concorde and peas sholde abyde amonge the Romayns / & a perpetuall strengthe for contynuall exercyse of batayle. The seconde / that in no wyse the teathur sholde be buyided in Rome / for he sayd that was the moost enemy that myght be vnto the people whiche vsed warre / for that place nourysshed slouth [Page xxv] and prouoked lechery. And how wysely this notable man gaue cosiseyle / the tymes folowynge declare. Vide p [...]a in Au gu. deciui. dei. et Oro. lib .iiij. Yet for all this coūseyle the noble cite of Cartagye was destroyed of Scipio & ye senatours And it brent .xvii. dayes cōtynually / many men there were solde / & many men ran in to ye fyre wylfully. ¶ Corinthus this same yere was destroyed of the Ro mayns / whiche was the rychest coūtre of the worlde. ¶ Ptholomeꝰ this tyme regned in Egipt / & was famylyer with the Romayns. And so longe he & his pre decessours regned as they kepte fidelite to the Romains. And knowe euery man that there was none other cause that ye power of ye Romayns encreased so strōg ly aboue other people / but vertue yt whiche haboūdaūtly regned in them / & namely ryghtwysnes / yt whiche aboue all thynge they vsed. And as longe as they kepte mesurenes & loued ryghtwysnes so longe they were neuer ouercomen / & as soone as they were corrupted / it is redde they were ouercomē. ¶ It is had in a certayne reuelacyon of god shewed to saint Brigit / that our lord god bereth wytnes to these olde Romaȳs / ye none in this world of pure natural reason lyued more ryghtwysly. And what lyghtes of fayth they shewed in ye tyme of chrysten religyon shall be shewed afterwarde.
¶ Regnum Iudeorū restituitur.
ARistobolus was the first kyng & preest in the Iewry. This man regned one yere alone / & toke to hym the dyademe of ye kyngdom. And he held hȳ not content with that ye his fader gaue hym in his testament. But he put his moder in pryson & his bretherne / & therfore he perysshed wretchedly wt his broder Antigonus / the whiche was of his coūseyle & helped hym. Vide magr̄m in historiis. ¶ Antigonꝰ broder to ye kynge was slayne through ye enuy of ye quene. ¶ Alexander was bysshop after Airstovolus / & he stode .xxvii. yere / & he was a tyraūt / all though he appered sobre in the begȳnynge. But he made it knowen what he was in his stomacke. For he slewe his owne bretherne / & in .xii. yere he slewe .l. M. of the olde sage faders of grete vertue / bycause they colde hȳ his mysguydynge. Than whā he shold dre he lefte two sones behynde hym / [...]i [...]anū & Aristobolū. But certaynly he sayd his wyfe sholde regne / for she stode in ye grace of ye people. ¶ Seruius Flaccus / Lucius Celius / Fabius Publius / this tyme were senatours at Rome. This tyme batayles amonge themself began Of the whiche ye fyrst cause & the begyn nynge was Gracius a myghty man & well knowen with noble Romayns began to seke a cause agaynst them. And bycause yt he myght do no thynge alone to them / he meued the comyn people to them sayenge / that all ye londes & possessyons shold be deuyded equally / & also ye money. & [...]. And for yt cause there was an insurreccyon / in yt whiche Gracius was slayne / & many nuscheues fell after. Vide Orostū. ¶ In the tyme of these men there was a chylde borne at Rome hauynge .iiij. feet .iiij. armes. i [...]. faces and iiij. eyen. ¶ The hyll of Ethna spytted out flamynge fyre horrybly / & destroyed the places nye about it. ¶ And these mē verynge rule Cartago was cōmaūded to be restored / & it was fulfylled of ye Ro mayne people. And there was myghty batayle in ye cite of Rome. ¶ Fab [...]ꝰ with a lytell hoost ouercame the kynge of [...]rmenye / and there were drowned an hon dred and .lxxx. Nꝰ. men in the water of Reme. ¶ P [...]holomeus Alexander was kyng in Egipt. In his tyme was borne Luretius a poete / yt whiche afterwarde [Page] was madde for loue of women & slewe hymselfe. ¶ Ptholomeus some to Cleopatre regned after hym / vnder whome Salustius the noble wryter of hystoryes was borne. ¶ Ptholomeus Dionysius was after this man. And in his tyme Virgyli & Dracius were borne.
¶ Anno mūdi .v.M.C.xxxiiij. Et ante Christi natiuitatem .ix. C .v.
IAcob naturall fader to Ioseph of the lyne of Chryst is rehersed in Luke & Mathewe / & lytel of him is had in scripture. ¶ Alexandra wyfe to Alexā der was bysshop in the Iury .ix. yere / & she dyd moche tyranny / all yf she was made bysihop by her feyned holy relygyon. And Nircanū her sone promoted to the bysshopryche / & she ordeyned yt he sholde regne after her. This woman in the lyne of ye by sshops is put for ye con̄ tynge of ye yeres. Not that she vsed ye offyce of a vysshop / for it was not lefull to her. ¶ Hircanꝰ sone to Alexander regned xxxiij. yere. This Hircanus after the de cesse of his moder succeded in the kyngdom / in yt whiche he had lytel prosperite for parcialite of the people. For anone he was ouercomen / & afterwarde he was restored through the helpe of ye Arabees And than he was made tributary to the Romayns / & so he was in peas a lytell tyme / but not in ye name of kyng. At the last he dyed wretchedly / for he was begiled through ye fraude of Partho (rum) / the whiche Antigonus hyred agaynst him. Vide plene magr̄m histo. ¶ The heresy of the pharisees about this tyme began & amonge them were .iij. sectes in ye Iu ry / Pharisei / Saducei / & Essei / all these were deuyded fro the comyn vse of the Iewes / & were infecte wt many errours for they sayd yt they were holyer than other men / for they lyued straytlyer thā other men dyd. Vide plus alias. ¶ Virgyll the moost famous and excellent of poetes was magnifyed this tyme / and mernaylous thinges he dyd / & amonge other whan than Neopolis was vexed with deedly payne of myghty wormes Virgyl cast a worme of gold in to a pond or a water / & it laye there a cetayn season. And whan it was takē vp in to the towne / all ye cite was made full of wormes / & tyll the worme of golde was put in to the water agayne / they had infynyte wormes / & whan it was in ye water all the wormes went away. ¶ Also it is wryten in the cronycles of Rome / ye Virgyll by cōnynge cōdensed or thycked the ayre / so yt he walled his gardyn with the ayre / & he made a brydge of the ayre by the whiche he myght passe euery tyme that he lyst. Also he asked Marcellū Neopolitanū neue we vnto ye emperour yf he wolde haue a byrde taught to kyll all byrdes / or a flye taught to dryue all flyes out of the cyte. And this Marcellū tolde this to the emperour. And he desyred to teche a flye to kyll all flyes / for the comyn people were sore anoyed wt flyes And many other meruayles he dyd. Vide magr̄m Rodulfum Cestern̄. ¶ Dracius Flaccus / and Salustius Crispus historicus were this tyme. ¶ Quintus Cipio / Gaius Lucius this tyme were consules at Rome. ¶ Pompeius / Marcus Crassus / & Julius Cesar this tyme were Dictatours at Rome. For as it is sayd afore there were many dignytees at Rome / of the whiche some dured one yere / & some two yere. And amonge all the dignytees the Dictatours exceded / for it dured fyue yere contynually. But whan ye comyn people & the lordships of Rome encreasyng were made .iij. Dicta tours. And this tyme were Pompeius Iulius / & Marcꝰ crassus dictatours / & bycause Pōpeius was of grete honour [Page xxvi] and aged / he abode at Rome to kepe the comyn people of Rome. ¶ Marcꝰ Crassus was sente to subdue & fyght with ye regyon of Perthus / & through treason he was taken & slayne. ¶ Iulius Cesar was sent to ye west parte of ye worlde to subdue them. And he had wt hym. vi [...]. le gyons of people. And whan he had subdued Lombardye & Fraūce / his .v. yere were spended yt whiche were assygned to hym & no longer. There by his owne auctorite he toke other .v. yere on hym / in yt which he subdued Cassibalon kyng of Brytayn / & the frenshmen that rebelled agaynst hym. This Iulius after he had cōquered these coūtrees vnto Rome he rode agayne for to be receyued wt certayne worshyp as cōquerours were before hym / but it was denyed him / & also the entre of ye cite / by instigacyon of a lorde called Pompey. Wherfore this Iultꝰ Cesar was anoyed / & wt force of myght entred the cite / & robbed the comyn treasour / & ledde it with hym / & departed it amonge the .v. legyons yt were his seruaūtes. Than went he in to Spayne to fyght agaynst this Pompey / for Pompey had ye gouernaūce of Cartago. But after that iourney in ytalye Pompey & he encoūtred togyder / in which batayle Pompey fledde vnto the kyng of Egipt. And that same kynge for specyall loue yt he had vnto this Iulius Cesar / smo [...]e of Pompeys heed / & sent it to Iulius Cesar. Yet for all ye enemyte yt was betwixt these two / Iulius wepte whan that he same this Pompeys heed. This Iuliꝰ was excedyng in wytte afore other men & he fought in batayle .lij. tymes. This man alone exceded Marcꝰ Crassus / the whiche is sayd to haue foughten .xxxix. tymes. This man toke fyrst the empyre of Rome vpon hym whan Pompey and other noble men of the Romayns were clayne. And at ye last the fyfth yere of his empyre this Iulius Cesar ye ruler of all the world was slayne in ye coūseyll hous thrugh treason of his lordes. ¶ Cathon the moost named philosopher leyng Iu lius cesar haue ye victory / whome he fauoured not / at a town called Vticā slewe hymselselfe. Iuxta illud. Mauult Cato mori / quā deroget vrbis honori. But for that (after Austyn) he was not excused of synne. ¶ This tyme ye Iury was tributary to the Romayns for parcialite of two bretherne / Aristobolus / & Erranus both of them for enuy of other kest them to ye Romayns that they myght regne. ¶ This tyme thre sonnes appered i heuen towarde the eest parte of ye worlde the whiche by lytel & lytel were brought in to one body. A grete signe it was that Affrica / asia & Europa shold be brought in to one monarchy / & that ye lordshyp of Anthony the senatour & Lucus Anton [...] sholde turne in to one lordshyp. ¶ Marcus Cicero Tulius ye moost excellent [...]ethoricien was cōsul of Rome this tyme.
¶ How that the Britons graūted vnto Cassibalon that was Luddes broder ye londe / in whose tyme Iulius Cesar came twyes for to conquere Brytayne.
AFter ye deth of kyng Lud regned his broder Cassibalon & became a good man & moche beloued of his Bry tons / so that for his goodnes & curteysy they graunted hym the realme for euer more to hym and to his heyres. And the kyng of his goodnes let nourysshe worthely bothe the sones yt were Luds his broder / & after made the eldest sone erle of Cornewayle / and the yongest sone he made erle of London. And whyles this Cassibalon regned came Iulius cesar yt was emperour of Rome in to this [...]o [...]de with a power of romayns / & wold haue bad this londe through strengthe / but [Page] Cassybalon ouercame hym in batayle through helpe of y• brytōs / & droue hym out of this londe. And he went agayn to Rome and assembled a grete power an other tyme / and came agayne in to this londe for to gyue batayle to Cassibalon / but he was discōfyted through strength of the brytons / & through helpe of y• erle of Cornewayle & the erle of London his broder / and through helpe of Gudyan kynge of scotlonde / and Corbond kynge of north wales / and of Bretayll kyng of south wales. And in this batayle was slayne Nemyon that was Cassybalons broder / wherfore he made moche sorow And so wente Iulius Cesar out of this londe with a fewe of Romayns y• were lefte alyue. And than Cassybalon went agayne to London / & made a feest to all his folke y• had holpen hym. And whan that this feest was all done / than euery man went home to his owne coūtree.
¶ Of the debate that was bytwene Cassybalon & the erle of London / & of the truage that was payde to Rome.
ANd after it befell vpon a daye y• the gentylmen of y• kȳges housholde / & the gentylmen of y• erles housholde of London after meet went togyder for to playe / & through debate that arose amonge them / Enelin that was y• erles cosyn of London slewe Irenglas that was the kynges cosyn / wherfore y• kynge sware y• Enelyn shold be hanged But the erle of London y• was Enelyns lorde wolde not suffre hym / wherfore y• kyng was gretly vexed & worth to war dethe erle / & thought to destroye hym / & pryuely y• erle sent lettres to Iulius Cesar / that he sholde come in to this londe for to helpe hym / & hym auenge vpon y• kyng / & he wold helpe hym with all his myght. And whan the emperour herde these tydynges / he was full glad / & ordeyned a stronge power / & came agayne the thyrde tyme in to this londe / & y• erle of London holpe him with .vij. M. men And at y• thyrde tyme was Cassybalon ouercomen & dyscomfyted / & made peas with the emperour for there thousande pounde of syluer yeldynge by yere for truage for this londe for euermore. And than within halfe a yere after Iulius Cesar the emperour went vnto Rome / and the erle of London with hym. For he durst not abyde in this londe. And after Cassibalon regned .xvij. yere in peas and than he dyed the .xvij. yere of his regne / and lyeth at Yorke.
¶ How the lordes of the londe after the deth of Cassybalon / & for bycause he had none heyre / made Andragen kynge.
AFter the deth of Cassybalon for as moche as he had none heyre of his body lefully begoten / the lordes of the londe by the comyns assent crowned Andragen erle of Cornewayle / & made hym kynge. And he regned well & wor [...] thely / and he was a good man / and well gouerned the londe. And whan he had regned .viij. yere than he dyed / & lyeth at London.
¶ Circa annum mundi .v. M .C .lix. Et ante Christi natiuitatem .xl.
IOseph of the lyne of Chryst was borne aboute this tyme / and after was husbonde vnto our lady. ¶ Antigonus was bysshop this tyme in the Iury. This Antigonus was sone vnto Aristobolus / and on euery syde he was fals. For he obeyed not to the Romayns and a grete plage he brought vnto the londe for to destroye Hircanus his owne vncle / that he myght regne kynge / and [Page xxvii] so Hircanꝰ was expulsed / & Falelꝰ was slayne / & Herode was exiled. But whan Herode came to Rome & tolde the senatours all these thynges / the emperour created hym kyng / sendyng with hym an hoost / the w [...]the toke Ierusalem / & Antigonū the bysshop was takē & ledde to Anthony y• senatour / the whiche made him syker / & so was Herode cōfermed in to his kyngdome. And he a straūger regned on the Iewes. And so the kyngdom of the Iewes cessed / as Iacob had sayd. ¶ Titus Liuius historicus / and Ouidius were this tyme.
¶ Incipiūt imꝑatores Augusti. et dictꝰ est Augustus quia augebat populū.
OCtauian was emperour of Rome ivij. yere .vj. monethes & .x. dayes This Octauian neuewe to Iuly whan he was a youge man toke the empyre [...] hym. His floury sshynge youth he spended in warre. Fyue. M. batayles he did And shortly after many batayles [...]he worlde he brought in to one monarchy. This man had no felow / & in his dayes peas was in all the worlde through the prouisyon of the very god / that y• tempo rall peas myght gloryfye the Natiuite of our sauyour Chryst Iesu. This Octa uyan was y• fayrest man y• myght be / & hygh in wytte / the most fortunate in all thynges / & he lacked nor the vyce of his fleshly lust. This man made all y• world to be mesured. And in the .lij. yere of his regne was borne the sauyour of all the worlde Chryst Iesu / the whiche grasifeth eternal peas to his louers. ¶ Hir no [...]a sedz Ieronymsi. that Anna & Emeria were systers and of Emeria was borne Elizabeth [...]der to Iohn baptyst. And Anna was fyrst wedded to Ioachun / of whome she toke Mary [...] of Chryst The seconde husbonds was Cleophe / & be gate on her Marye Cleophe / whiche was wedded to Alphe / of whom ꝓceded Iames y• lesse / Symon Cananeus / Iu das Tadeus / & Ioseph which is called Barsabas. The thyrd tyme Anna was wedded to Salome / of whome she toke Marye Salome / whiche was wedded to zebedi: & of them came Iames y• more & Iohn the euāgelyst. The fyrst Mary wedded Ioseph broder to Cleophe afore sayd. ¶ This tyme Sibilla Tiburtina prophecyed of Chryst / & sayd to y• emperour August / y• he sholde not [...]ro we y• he was god after y• folysshnes of y• paynȳs And there she shewed hȳ a sayre virgyn in heuen / holdyng a childe in her ariues & sayd to hȳ. This childe is greter than thou / & therfore do hȳ worshyp. ¶ The monarchy of Rome about this tyme encreased myghtely. And whan it was so that by all y• worlde in dyuers ꝓuynces batayles were reysed sodeynly all men meruaylynge they were sessed and put them holy to y• prince of Rome y• openly it myght be shewed that suche an vnyuersal peas came neuer by labour of batayle / but of y• power of y• very god / that in his natyuite peas sholde regne in the worlde. ¶ Herode Ascolonita was kyng in the Iury .xxxvij. yere. This Perede ydumeus was the fyrst straūge kynge that regned on y• Iewes. The mayster in hystoryes sayth he was a noble man and faythfull in the begȳuynge & in all thynge he had hym nobly. He was very gentyll vnto the Romayns & to y• people that loued peas. And in his olde age whan he wolde ouer moche please y• Ro mayns / & herd of y• byrth of Chryst dredyng to be expulsed of his kyngdom as a straūger / wretchedly fell & slewe y• Innocentes & dyuers of his owne children. And at y• last was hatefull to all people / fell seke & dyed wretchedly. ¶ Mary the moder of Chryst was borne afore y• nati [Page] uite of Chryst .xvj. yere / or there about.
¶ Of Kymbalyn that was Andragens sone that well gouerned Brytayne.
AFter y• deth of Andragen regned Kymbalyn his sone that was a good man & well gouerned the londe in grete ꝓsperite & peas all his lyfe tyme. And in his tyme Chryst was borne of y• blyssed virgyn Mary. This kyng Kym balyn had two sones / Gynder & Armager / good knyghtes and worthy. And whan this Kymbalyn had regned. xxij yere he dyed / and lyeth at London.
¶ Christus natus est ex virgine Maria anno mundi .v. M .C .lxxxxviij.
IN the begȳnynge of the .xlij. yere of Octauian the emperour y• whiche began to regne in Marche / & y• .xxxj. yere of Herode / the. vij .C .lj. yere after y• Rome was buylded / the .vj. moneth frō the conceyuynge of Iohn Baptyst / the viij. kalend of Apryll / the .vj. fery at Nazareth of Galylee of the virgyn Marye was cōceyued Chryst our sauyour / and the same yere was borne.
¶ Here at Chrystes natiuite begynneth the syxth age duryng to y• fynall iudgement / hauynge yeres as god knoweth.
¶ Here begynneth the syxth age durynge to the ende of the Worlde.
WHan our lord Iesu Chryst was borne / a well of ayle sprange beyonde Tyber by Rome / & ranne all the daye. ¶ The golden ymage fell the which Romulus had made & put in his palays / sayenge. This ymage shall not fall vntyll a mayde bere a chylde.
¶ Whan Herode dysposed hym to slee y• children of Israel / he was cōmaūded by the lettre of y• emperour to come to rome to answere to y• accusacyō of his children Alexiū & Aristoboli. And there were .iij. Herodes gretly spoken of for theyr yll d [...] des. The fyrst was called Ascolonita / & vnder this mā was Chryst borne / & the children of Israell were slayne. The second was called Antipas / sone to y• fyrst Herode / vnder whom John baptist was heded / and Chryst suffred deth. And the thyrde was called Agrippa / sone to Aristoboli / sone to y• fyrst Herode / y• whiche slew Iames & prisoned Peter. The first Herode whā he sawe his sones Alexiū & Aristoboli through y• pretēce of his lettre by the emperour sent / stroue for y• succes syon of his kyngdom / he disposed & made Antipater y• was his first begotē sone to be before them / & whan they were tal kyng of y• deth of theyr fader / he kest thē away / & they went to y• emperour to cō playne of y• wronge of theyr fader / & in y• meane tyme y• thre kynges of Coleyn came by Herode to Ierusalē / & whan they came not agayn by hȳ / he thought they were ashamed to come agayn by hȳ / for bicause they were deceyued / & that they foūde not y• childe as he demed / therfore in y• meane season he cessed to slee y• chyldren of Israell / & than he went to Rome for y• citacyon of the emperour / & he toke his way by y• cite of Tarsum / where he brent y• shyppes in whiche the thre kynges of Coleyne sholde haue sayled in to theyr owne coūtrees. Than after a yere & certayne dayes this Herode came fr [...] [Page xxviii] Rome agayn accorded wt his sones / & for the confyrmacyon of his kyngdome he was made moche bolder / & thā he slewe all y• children of Bethleem y• were of two yere of age and vnder / that had space of one nyght of age / & amonge these was there one of his owne chyldren. And Ari stobolus & Alexiū were had suspected / in so moche as they promysed a barbour a grete rewarde for to cutte theyr faders throte whan he dyd shaue hȳ. And whā this Herode herde this / he was greued and there he slewe bothe his sones. And Herode Agrippa his sone he ordeyned to be kyng. Wherfore Antipater his eldest sone was about to poyson his fader / the whiche Herode Agrippa vnderstode / & prisoned there his broder / the whiche y• emperour herde / & sayd y• he had rather be an hogge of Herodes than to be one of his sones / for his hogges he spareth / & his sones he sleeth. And whan Herode was .lxx. yere of age / he was stryken wt a grete sekenes in his handes & in his feet & in his membres / y• no leche might come to him for stynke / & so dyed. Whan Antipater his sone y• was in prison herd tell of this / he ioyed gretly / & there for y• cause he was slayne. Than Archelaus and Herode stroue for the successyon of y• fyrst Herode afore y• emperour. The emperour there through coūseyle of y• senatours y• halfe of y• Iury & ydumea gaue to Archelaus vnder name of a tetrarche The other parte he deuyded in to two. Galile he gaue to Herode Antipas / and Ituriam & Traconitidē he gaue to Philyp Herodes broder. ¶ And y• same yere Chryst came from Egypte. And Archelaus was accused many tymes of the Iewes / & was exiled in to Viennā in to Fraūce. And in y• place were set .iiij. Tetrarches to y• repreuynge of y• vnstablenes of y• Iewes. ¶ And that same yere Octauian the emperour dyed.
¶ Anno Christi .xij.
IEsu Chryst our sauyour at .xij. ye re of age herde the doctours in the temple. Our lorde Iesu Chryst at .xxx. yere of age was baptysed.
¶ Iesu Chryst the lorde of all lordes at. xxxiij yere of age and thre monethes dyed for his seruaūtes. ¶ Innius Rufus was bysshop in the Iury about this tyme. Valerius Gracius was after hym xj. yere. This man openly solde the bysshopryche / & he that gaue moost had it. And so there was many in a lytel whyle ¶ Ponciꝰ Pylatꝰ was iudge & proctour in the Iury vnder y• emperour. And vnder this man saint Iohn baptyst began to preche. And our lord Iesu Chryst suffred deth / whom Pylate cōdempned to deth wrōgfully for drede of y• emperour. ¶ Tyrus a certayn kyng gate a [...]hysde on Pyla a poore mannes doughter named Atus / & this chylde of his med [...]rs name & his belsyre put togyder was called Pylatus. This Pylatꝰ the .iiij. yere of his age was sent to his fader y• whiche kyng on his wyse lefully had goten a chylde euen of the age of Pylate. And bycause this lefull goten chylde as they proceded in age exceded this bastard Pylatus / he was full of enuye / & slewe his broder the lefull goten childe. Wherfore his fader forth wt sente hym to Rome for pledge for his tribute y• he payd to rome entendyng he wolde neuer redeme hym In the whiche tyme the kynges sone of Fraūce was pledge for his trybute / the [Page] whiche exceded hym in strength & chyualry also he slewe hym. Therfore y• Romayns sent Pylate as a ꝓfytable man for the comyn wele to the yle of Ponto / to tame ye cursed people y• whiche slewe euery Iudge that came to them. And he that cursed man gouerned that vnhappy people / what with thretenynge and with promesse / & with lawe / and with gyftes / that none of them durst do contrary to his pleasure / wherfore he was called Pylate of Ponto. ¶ Herode Antipa yonge in his cōuersacions / with gyftes and messengers drewe hym to hym and made hym prynce of ye Iury vnder hym. And this tyme Pylate gadred moche money / and Herode not knowynge he went to Rome that he might receyue of the emperour that Herode had gyuen hym. Wherfore Herode & Pylate were enemyes togyder vnto ye passyon of our lorde / whan y• Pylate sent Iesu Chryst vnto Herode clothed in a whyte clothe than they were made frendes. ¶ Ouidius Naso in Ponto aboute this tyme dyed the fourth yere of his exile. ¶ Tiberius this tyme was emperour at Rome / and he regned .xxiij. yere / and he lyued in ye yere that our lord Iesu Chryst dyed / & somwhat after. This man was in all his werkes gretly auysed / yt there sholde be nothynge sodeynly done / wyse in warres / studyous in bokes / fayre of speche / fresshe in wytte / saue he wolde oftentymes feyne hȳselfe to do thynges that he wolde not were done of other. This emperour vnderstode & trusted in Chryst / and worshypped hym for god. Some men saye at ye last he was cruell agaynst the people / but it was a grete reason of pyte yt he was euer gracyous to his subiectes and poore men. And he had peas al his dayes / & all people that sayd agaynst christē folke / without ony mercy he destroyed. And he exiled Pylate for euer. Than he decessed & a worse succeded hym. ¶ After Eusebe it is wryten / that our lord at .xxx. yere of his age chose his .xij. apostles / the whiche made our Crede / that is our byleue / & they made it after the resurreccyon of Chryst and after the holy ghoost was sent vnto them / whan they had chosen Mathia ye apostle / & eche of them made a parte / as it is shewed here after. And this Mathia was chosen bytwene the daye of ye Ascencyon & whytsondaye / in the place of Iudas scaryot ye traytour / of whome in an hystorye is redde thus. ¶ There was a certayn man in Ierusalem that hyght Ruben / & after saynt Ierome he was of the trybe of ysachar / & his wyfe hyght Ciborea / y• whiche on a certayne nyght whā he wolde lustely knowe his wyfe / she dremed that she sholde here a chylde of myschefe / & that chylde sholde be a traytour to his kynge and to all the people of that regyon. And whan that chylde was borne & called Iudas / his fader & his moder abhorred as well to slee theyr chylde / as to nourysshe a traytour to the kynge & all his people / therfore they put hym in to a panyer or leep in to the see. And he flowed to the yle of Scaryoth / where the lady of that place had no chyldren by her husbonde / & she feyned her to be wt chylde / but she fayled And after a lytel season the same lady & quene cōceyued a childe of her husbonde And whan he was of age Iudas many tymes angred hym / and caused hym to wepe / the whiche ye quene sawe / & bette Iudas many tymes / & after she knowleged that Iudas was not the kynges sone nor hers / wherfore Iudas slewe y• kynges sone / and he dradde the payne of the lawe / & fledde with certayne exiles to Ierusalem. And whan he came there / he gate hym to Pylates courte that was iudge. And bycause that one [Page xxix] cursed man draweth to another / therfore he drewe to Pylate / & stode gretely in his fauour. And vpon a certayn daye whan Pylate loked out of his palays in to an orcharde of a mānes that was called Ruben the whiche was very fader to Iudas / Pylate desyred to haue apples / and Iudas went to gader apples and Ruben ranne to Iudas for to let hȳ bycause he toke his apples without ony leue. And after yt they had chydden this Iudas smote his fader on the heed wt a stone & slewe him / & Iudas fledde away secretely after y• dede / but it was sayd y• Ruben died sodeynly. Thā Pilate gaue Iudas all Rubens goodes & his wyfe Ciborea yt was his moder. And he delte not curteysly wt her as a man shold do wt his wyfe / wherfore she wepte bycause she had put her sone in y• see / & yt she was maryed agaynst her wyll. It was ꝑreyued y• Iudas had slayne his fader & wedded his owne moder. Than Ciborea his moder & wyf styred hȳ to leue his synne which he dyd & folowed Chryst / & he for gaue hym his synnes / & made hym his proctour & apostle / & how false he was to Chryst it nedeth not to reherse. And ye same yere Mathewe was chosen / & the holy ghoost was sente vnto them as is sayd before. The apostles or they were sparpled in to all ye worlde / they gadered them togyder in Ierusalem / and made the Credo our byleue here folowynge.
- Petrus
- Credo in deum patrē oipotentem creatorē cel [...] et terre.
- Andreas
- Et in Iesum Christū filiū eius vnicū dominū nostrú.
- Iohānes
- Qui cōceptus est de spiritu sctō / natꝰ ex maria virgine.
- Iacobus
- Passus sub poncio Pylato crucifixus mortuꝰ & sepultꝰ.
- Thomas
- Descēdit ad inferna / tertia die resurrexit a mortuis.
- Iacobus
- Ascendit ad celos sedet ad dexteram dei patris omnipotentis.
- Philippus
- Inde venturus est iudicare viuos et mo tuos.
- Bartholo.
- Credo in spiritum sanctum.
- Matheus
- Sanctam ecclesiā catholicam.
- Symon
- Sanctorum commu [...]onem / remissionem peccatorum.
- Iudas
- Carnis resurrectionem.
- Mathias
- Et vitam eternam Amen.
IEsu Chryst our sauyour arose fro deth to lyfe and sayd to his discyples. All the power in heuen and erth is gyuen vnto me. And go ye thus in to all the worlde and preche & teche vnto euery creature / and I shall be with you to the ende of the worlde. ¶ Here be chose hym .lxxii. dyscyples. And he had. [...]. apostles the whiche he sente in to all the worlde to preche. It is not redde yt there were [...]oo ordres amonge the discyples of Chryst. Of whom the preestes & bysshops in the chirche of god yet kepe the fourme. For to the apostles the bisshops succede / and to the dyscyples preestes / to the whiche two ordres all the chirche is gyuen as a godly g [...]rarchy. Vt paret in decreto Damaste pape.
- Wrote in Asia in greke language. In principio erat verbū. &c. Iohannes.
- [Page] Wrote in Ytalye / but in greke language. Initium euangelij Iesu Christi. &c. Marcus.
- Wrote in grecia in greke language. Fuit in di [...]bus Herodis regis iude sacerdos. &c. Lucas.
- Wrote in the Iury in hebrewe language. Liber generatiois Iesu Christi. &c. Matheus.
¶ Here begynneth the ordre of popes of Rome / & contynueth as the lyne of Chryste dyd afore. For in them god lefte his power.
¶ Anno domini .xxxiiij.
PEter a Iewe ye fyrst pope was a blyssed man & a gloryous apostle of Chryst. He was heed of ye chirche after Ierom .xxxvij. yere. And he held his bysshopryche in y• cest .v. yere and sayd ma [...] made our lorde / & alone sayd y• Patt [...]oster. Than after he came to Antioch [...]m / & there he abode .vij. yere techynge y• waye of trouth / & Symō Magus he cōfoūded & ouercame. That season he preched to y• people y• were circū cysed whiche were in Ponto of Galati / Capadocia / Asia / Bithinia. Than herd he that Symon Magus deluded y• Romayns through the loue of y• fayth / he came to Rome in y• fourth yere of Claudius the emperour / & there he preched the worde of god / & shewed the falshede of Symon Magus / and turned many a man to y• fayth. Than he sent his prechers by dyuers prouynces / by whome christen religyon was myghtely encreased. He ordeyned the feest of lentyn afore [...]ester / and the aduent / & the [...]yng dayes to be fasted of all chrysten people / in to the myrrour of y• fyrst & seconde comyng of our lorde. Than whan he had ben pope at Rome .xxv. yere .vij. monethes & .viij. dayes he was slayne of Nero. Eiꝰ p [...]a oꝑa vide act. ap [...]o (rum). ¶ Gaius this tyme was emperour at Rome / and regned .iij. yere and .x. monethes. This Gaius was full vicyous in lyuyng / for two of his own systers he mysused / & on one of them he gate a doughter / whiche childe he set betwyxt ye knees of Iupiter in the temple / & feyned afterward ye Iupiter had goten her / wherfore he dyd d [...] trye through ye countre ye all men sholde worshyp her as a goddesse. This man also made an ymage lyke hȳselfe / & sent it to one Patronie president at Ierusalé vnder the Romayns / cōmaūdyng hym that he shold compell ye iewes to do worshyp therto. And for these enormytees & many other / our lorde suffred hym to be slayne at Rome in his owne palays.
¶ Of kyng Gynder that was Kymbalyns sone / that wolde not paye the truage to Rome for the londe yt Cassibalon had graūted / and how he was slayne of a Romayne.
ANd after the deth of this Kymbalyn regned Gynder his sone a good man and a worthy / & was of so hygh herte that he wolde not paye to Rome the trybute that kynge Cassybalon had graunted vnto Iulius Cesar / wherfore the emperour that was than that was Claudius Cesar / was sore anoyed and greued / and ordeyned a grete power of Romayns / and came in to this londe for to conquere y• trybute through myght and strengthe / and for to haue it on the kynge. But this kynge Gynder and Armager his broder assembled and [Page xxx] gadered a grete hoost togyder of Britōs and gaue batayle to ye emperour Claudius / & slewe of y• Romayns grete plente. The emperour had afterward one y• was called Hamon y• sawe theyr people were there fast slayne / & pryuely cast awaye his owne armes / & toke y• armes of a deed bryton & armed hym therwith and came in to the batayle to ye kynge / & thus he sayd. Syr be of a good herte for goddes loue / for the Romayns your enemyes anone shall be slayne & discōfyted. And the kyng gaue no kepe to his wordes / for bycause of ye armes that he had vpon hym / & wend it had ben a Bryton But the traytour euer helde hym nexte the kynge / & pryuely vnder ye sholder of his arme he smote the kynge / wherfore the kynge dyed & fell downe to the erth. Whā Armager sawe his broder so deed he cast awaye his armes & toke to hym his broders armes / & came in to the batayle amonge ye brytons / & badde them hertely for to fyght & fast lay downe the Romayns. And for ye armes they wende it had ben kyng Gynder that afore was slayne yt they wyst not. Than began the Brytons fyersly to fyght / & slewe the Romayns. So at ye last ye emperour for soke the felde & fledde as fast as he myght wt his folke in to Wynchestre. And the fals traytour Hamon yt had slayne the kyng fast anone began to flee with all ye haste that he might. And Armager ye kynges broder pursued hym full fyersly with a fyers herte / & droue hym vnto a water and there he toke hym / & anone smote of bothe handes & feet & heed / & hewed the body all to peces / & than let cast hym in to the water / wherfore that water was called Hamons hauen. And afterwarde there was made a fayre towne that yet standeth yt is called Southamton. And afterward Armager went to Wynchester to seke Claudius ye Emperour / and there toke hym. And Claudius ye emperour through coūseyle of his Romayns that were lefte alyue made peas wt Armager in this maner folowyng / that is to saye / that Claudius sholde gyue vnto Armager Gennen his doughter to wyfe & that this londe fro that tyme forward shold be in ye emperours power of Rome takyng none other tribute but homage. And they were accorded. And vpon this couenaūt Claudius cesar sente to Rome for his doughter Gennen. And whā she was comē Claudius gaue her to Armager to wyfe. And Armager spoused her at London wt grete solem [...]nite. And thā he was crowned kynge of Brytayne.
¶ Of kynge Armager in whose tyme saynt Peter preched in Antioche with other apostles in dyuers coūtrees.
THis Armager regned well and worthely & gouerned well ye lōde And Claudius cesar in remembraūce of this accorde / & for reuerence & honour of his doughter made in this londe a fa [...]e towne & castell / & let call the towne after his name Claucestren / ye new is called Glocestre. And whā this was all done ye emperour toke his l [...]ue & went to Be [...]. And Armager gate a sone on his wyfe yt was called Westmer. And whyle [...] Armager regned saint Peter preched in Antioche / & there he made a noble chirche / in ye whiche he sate fyrst in his chayre / & there he dwelled .vij. yere. And after he went to Rome & was made pope tyll yt Nero ye emperour let martyr hym And than preched openly all y• apostles in dyuers londes the true faythe. And whan Armager had regned .xxiiij. yere he dyed / and lyeth at London.
¶ How kyng Westmer gaue to Berynger an ylonde forlet / & there this Berynger made the towne of Berwyk.
[Page] ANd after this A [...]ager regned his sone Westmer / that was a good man and a worthy of body / & well gouerned the londe. It befell so that tydynges came to hym on a daye that the kynge Roderyk of Gascoyne was come in to this londe with an huge hoost of people / and was dwellynge in Stanesmore. And whan kyng Westmer herde those tydynges / he let assemble an huge hoost of Brytons / and came to kyng Roderyk & gaue hym batayle. And kynge Westmer slewe Roderik with his owne handes in playne batayle. And whan kynge Roderykes men sawe that theyr lord was slayne / they yelded them all to kynge Westmer / & became his men for euermore. And he gaue them a coūtre yt was forlet wherin they myght dwell / & thyder they went / and dwelled there all theyr lyfe tyme / & .ix .C. men there were of them / & no moo lefte at that batayle. Theyr gouernour & prynce was called Beringer / & anone he began a towne yt they myght therin dwell & haue resorte & let call ye towne Berwyk vpon Twede And there they enhabyted & became ryche. But they had no women amonge them / and the Brytons wolde not gyue theyr doughters to ye straūgers / wherfore they went ouer see in to Irlonde / & brought with them women / and there they them spoused. But the men coude not vnderstande theyr language ne speche of these women / & therfore they spake togyder as scottes. And afterwarde through chaungynge theyr languages in all Fraūce they were than called scottes / and so sholde the folke of that countre be called for euermore.
¶ How kynge Westmer let arere a stone in ye entrynge of Westmerlōde there as he slewe Roderyk / & there he began fyrst housynge.
ANd after this batayle that is aboue sayd / whan Roderyk was slayne / kyng Westmer in remembraūce of his vyctory let arere there besydes y• waye a grete stone on hygh / and yet it standeth / and euermore shal stande / and he let graue in the said stone lettres that thus sayd. The kyng Westmer of Brytayne slewe in this place Roderyk his enemy. And this Westmer was ye fyrst that buylded hous and towne in Westmerlonde / and at that stone begynneth Westmerlonde / that Westmer let call after his owne name. And whā Westmer had so done / he dwelled all his lyfe tyme in that countre of Westmerlonde / for he loued that countre aboue all other countrees. And whan he had regned .xxv. yere he dyed / and lyeth at Karleyll.
¶ Of kynge Coyll that was kynge Westmers sone / that helde his londe in peas all his lyfe tyme.
COyll Westmers sone was crowned kyng after his fader / and he was a good man & a worthy / & of good cōdityons / & well gouerned his londe / & of all men he had loue and peas. And in his tyme was neuer contacke / debate / nor warre in Brytayne. And he regned [Page xxxi] in peas all his lyfe. And whan he had regned .xi. yere he dyed & lyeth at Yorke.
CLaudiꝰ was emperour at Rome nexte after Gayus / & he regned xiiij. yere & .viij. dayes. This man came in to grete Britayn now called Englond for to chalenge the trybute whiche they dyd deny to y• Romayns. And after grete batayles there was bytwene the emperour Claudius & Armager kyng of Britayn. And after accordement made that this Armager sholde wedde Claudius doughter / and after they two shold euer lyue in peas / in token wherof this Claudius named ye cite where they were maryed after hym & called it Claudicestre / we call it now Glocestre. This Claudiꝰ had .iij. wyues / & on Petiua ye first wyfe he gate a doughter that hyght Antonia The fyrst wyfe decessed and he wedded Messalinā & gate a sone y• hyght Britanicꝰ / & Octauia a doughter. The thyrde he wedded Agrippina / hauynge a sone that hyght Nero. Claudiꝰ wedded his doughter Octauia to Nero his wyues sone. This Claudiꝰ for loue yt he had to Agrippina his last wyfe he slewe Messalina his secōd wyfe / lest she shold haue helpe Britanicus her sone & his to ye empyre. yet Agrippina ye last wyfe of Claudius drad lest her husbonde wolde haue ꝓferred Britanicꝰ & haue deposed Nero her sone / therfore she poysoned her husbonde Claudius / & Nero was ꝓmoted to ye empyre. And this same Nero gaue his moder suche a reward agayn / for he poysoned Britanicus & slewe his owne [...]oder & his wyfe Octauia. ¶ Iames the more y• apostle this tyme was slayne of Herode Agrippa / & Peter was pryso [...]d. vt (pꝪ)patet act .xij. The body of saynt Iames was brought by myr [...] in to Ga [...] of Spayne. ¶ Nero after Claudiꝰ [...]s emperour / & he regne [...] .xiij. yere & vij. monethes. This Nero was a cursed mā / & made grete waste in y• empyre He wolde not fysshe but with nettes of golde & ropes of sylke. A grete parte of ye lordes of Rome he slewe. He was enemy to good men. He slewe his broder & his wyfe / his moder and his mayster. He slewe also Peter & Paule. He wolde neuer were one cloth two tymes. His horses & his mules were shod with syluer. And at the last he dyd set a grete part of Rome on fyre / some saye to se how Troy brent / & some saye the Romayns cōplayned ye stretes were to narowe. And whā he had brent a grete parte of Rome / Nero sayd there was space to buylde y• stretes wyder. Than ye senatours wt the comyn people came vpon hym to [...]e hym And he fled by nyght in to ye subbarbes of y• cite / & hyd hym amonge ye vynes / & he herde karles & beggers come by hym that sayd / & they wyst where the emperour were / he sholde neuer scape them. Nero thought it sholde be grete derogacion to his name & he were slayne of karles / & on a grete stake he [...]an hȳselfe to ye herte & dyed / & there was buryed / & deuyls kepte his body many a day after / & dyd grete hurt to ye people / tyll by a myracle of our lorde ye body was foūde & taken away / & than the deuylles voyded. ¶ Seneca was this tyme maister to Nero. ¶ Iuuenalis poeta. ¶ Lucanꝰ poeta. ¶ Iames ye lesse y• apostle bysshop of Ierusalem was slayne of ye Iewes the vj. yere of Nero. ¶ Marcus ye euāgelyst was martyred the fyrst yere of hym.
¶ Cir [...]a annū Christi .lxxiiij.
[...]Anus ytalicus was pope of Rome .x. yere & .iij. monethes &. xi [...] dayes. This Linꝰ & his successour Cl [...] tus through theyr holy cōuersaciō were made to mynyster ye treasour of the th [...] the to the people / Peter beynge alyue [...] [Page] [...] [Page xxxii] [...] [Page] Peter attended to prayer & prechynge. It is redde of this Cletus that he wrote fyrst in his lettres Salutē et apostolicā vn̄dictionē. Afore this tyme was many a dyscyple of Peter slayne vnder Nero. ¶ Galba this tyme was emperour / & he regned seuen monethes. This man was made emperour by the power of spayne in the same londe / Nero lyuyng And after the dethe of Nero brought to Rome / & there was slayne of a man that came with whete to Rome. He smote of his heed & bare it to hym that was emperour nexte / seynge all his meu / & none of them helpyng hym. ¶ In this mannes dayes came the grete Rethorycyen to Rome fro Spayne / & was the fyrst ye euer taught ye seyence openly / his name was Quintilian. ¶ Ottho regned after hym / and he regned but thre monethes for one Vitellus that was presydent of Fraūce chalenged the empyre / & in Ytalye bytwene these two were thre grete batayles / & in the fourth batayle Ottha sawe he sholde be ouercomen / & in grete despayre he slewe hymselfe. ¶ Vitellus regned after this Ottho .viij. monethes for he was a folower of Nero / moost specyally in glotony / & in syngynge of foule songes / & at feestes etyng out of mesure that he myght not kepe it. ¶ Vaspasianus regned nexte after hym .ix. yere .x. monethes & .xij. dayes. The well gouerned men of Rome seynge the cursed successyon of Nero / sente after this Vaspasyan vnto Palestyn / for there he was & his sone Titus / whiche had besyeged Ierusalem. And whan he herde yt Nero was deed / by whom he was sent to Ierusalem / and herde of these cursed men regnynge / at the instaūce of these wyse men of Rome / & not wylfully toke vpon hym the empyre. And anone as he was comen to Rome / he ouercame the tyraūt Vitellus / & let hym be drawen through Rome / & after in Tyber tyl he was died and than let hym sayle wtout sepulture for this the people desyred. This man was cured of waspes in his nose anone as he byleued in our lorde Iesu / & that was the cause why he went to Ierusalem to venge Chrystes deth. He fought xxxij. tymes with his enemyes. And he dyed the yere of grace .lxxix.
¶ Anno domini .lxxxiiij.
[...]Letꝰ a martyr was pope .xi. yere This Cletus was a Romayne / & gretly he loued pilgrimages to sayntes sayenge it was more ꝓfyte to ye helth of mannes soule to visyte the place ye saynt Peter was in / than to fast two yere. He cursed all those men lettynge suche pylgrimages or coūseylers cōtrary therto. At ye last was martyred by Damacian ye emperour. ¶ Titus soue to Vaspasyan was emperour this tyme / & regned .iij. yere / & he abode styl at Ierusalem after the electyon of his fader / & destroyed the cite / and slewe there (as the story sayth) with batayle & hungre .xi. hōdred thousande iewes / and an hondred thousand he toke / & solde .xxx. for a peny / bycause they solde our lord Iesu Chryst for .xxx. pens / & brought theus all thynge that was precyous / & put them in his hous at Rome / whithe was called Tēplū pa cis. But now is ye place fallen downe for the moost party. And all these precyous iewelles be distrybuted to certayn chirches in Rome. This Citus was so full of vertue that all men loued hym / so fe [...] forth that they called hym the moost delectable of men. He was full lyberall to all men / in so moche that he sayd often tymes / that there sholde no maner man goo front an Emperoure with an heuy herte / but he sholde no somwhat of his pe [...]icyon. He wolde be sory that day in the whiche he had graunted no man [Page xxxii] no benefyte. Whan he was deed / euery man yt was in Rome wepte for hym / as that they had lost theyr fader. ¶ Domician broder to Titus regned after hym xiiij. yere & .v. monethes. Fyrst he was easy / and afterwarde full vnreasonable. For moche of ye senate was destroyed by his malyce / & also moche of his kynrede He began the seconde persecucyon after Nero agaynst chrysten men. In yt whiche persecucyon John ye euāgelyst was exiled in to Pathmos after ye emperour had put hȳ in to a tonne of brēnyng oyle & hurte hym not. So this man was not the folower of his fader Vaspasyan / ne his broder Titus / but rather lyke Nero & his kynrede. And for his wycked [...]ōdicyons he was slayne in his own palays at Rome in the .xxvij. yere of his age. ¶ Clemēs a martyr was pope .ix. yere / and he succeded Cletus. This Clemens fyrst of saynt Peter (as it is sayd) was ordeyned to be successour to him. And for peryll he wolde Linū & Cletū sholde be popes afore hȳ / lest yt through ye ensample prelates sholde ordeyne vnder them who someuer they wolde. This man made ye lyfe of martyrs to be wryten by regyons / & he made many bokes. He ordeyned yt a chylde sholde be cōfyrmed as soone as it myght manerly after it was chrystened. And at ye last he was martyred vnder Traian. ¶ Nerua was emperour after Domician one yere & two monethes. And whā he was chosen he meued ye senate to make a lawe / yt all thȳge whiche Domician cōmaūded to be kept shold be broken. By which meane saynt Iohn ye euangelyst was losed out of his exile & suffred to come agayn to Ephese. This man dyd an other thynge ryght cōmendable / that he assygned so wyse a man as Traian was to gouerne ye people after hym. Nota. ¶ Traianꝰ hyspa uicus was Emperour .xix. yere. This Traianꝰ many men sayd he was ye best amonge all the Emperours / but in one thynge alone he was vicyous / in so moche as he for ye loue of ye [...]als goddes was aboute to destroye ye chrysten fayth / iudgynge in hȳselfe so moost to please god. Some men saye not by hymself / but by other he pursued ye christen fayth / & in ye ende of his lyfe he dyd but fewe to deth. And all his louyng I set at nought. But at saint Gregory meued wt pite wepyng & prayed to our lorde for hym yt he wold haue mercy vpon hym / & by his prayer haue hym out of hell / in to whiche place he was dampned. And now yf he be saued or not / a grete alteracyon is amōge doctours. And to vs yt wryte Cron [...]ties it is no parte of our charge to determyn. But all ye eest parte of ye worlde / Babyl [...] Selencia / the veter partes of the y [...]de. Germayne the seconde after Alexander he helde vnder. In all these thynges so pyteous & so mekely he guyded hym to euery man as a kynge. He was gentyll and to no man vngentyll / the whiche is red of fewe. All the dayes be lyued men sayd he was the moost worthy man in all his empyre. And he thought & sayd euermore yt no man was more vnworthy to be emperour than he.
¶ Anno domini .C .iiij.
ANacletꝰ a martyr was pope. i [...]. yere / & he was a Greke. He monysshed all christē men ye preestes sholde be worshipped aboue all other men say enge ye preestes doynge sacrefyce to god sholde be borne out / & not v [...]red but be worshypped. And whan preestes sayd masse they sholde haue wytnes wt them and namely bysshops. Also he decreed ye clerkes sholde were no [...]erdes nor longe heer. Also yt a bisshop shold be cōsecrated of thre / & dyuers other thynges. At the [Page] last the .xij. yere of Traian he was mar tyred / & buryed by the body of saynt Peter. ¶ Plinius ye second oratour & philosopher wrote grete thinges. This man meued Traian that he shold withdraw the sentence gyuen agaynst chrysten folke / wrytyng to hym that they dyd none yll / but that they as vertuous folke rose afore day and worshypped Iesu Chryst theyr god secretly in the nyght. ¶ Euaristus a greke and a martyr was .x. yere and .vij. monthes pope after Anacletꝰ. This man ordeyned that man & womā sholde be wedded openly / and that they sholde be blyssed openly of the preest & fader & moder. And he was martyred the thyrd yere of Adrian / & buryed by saynt Peter. ¶ Alexander a Romayn was pope .viij. yere & .v. monethes. This man the moost parte of ye senatours he cōuerted to our lorde. And he ordeyned ye holy water sholde be kest in chrysten mennes houses / & that breed to synge with shold be made of clere breed / and that in lytell quantite. At the last he was martyred vnder Adrian that was emperour / and many he cōuerted to ye fayth of Chryst. ¶ Sixtus a Romayn was pope .x. yere and .iij. monethes. This man ordeyned Sanctus sanctus sanctus. &c. sholde be sayd in ye masse / & that the holy thynges of the chirche sholde not be touched but of mynystres of the chirche. Also that ye corporas shold not be made of sylke / but of pure lynnen cloth wouen & not dyed / and that a woman sholde not touche the holy vessell of the awter / ne the pall. Also he ordeyned / that yf ony bysshopryke were vacaūt / that no bysshop sholde be receyued in to his benefyce but with the popes lettres. Also that no masse sholde be sayd but vpon an awter / & at the last he was martyred. ¶ Adrian was emperour .xxi. yere. This Adrian in many thynges is cōmended / to chrysten men otherwhyle he was gracyous / and certayn of them that wold not do sacrifyce to the fals goddes he slewe. He was an vnyuersall man almoost in all scyences. Peas he had all his dayes but with the Iewes / and many a lawe he made. And than he cōmaunded that chrysten men sholde not be dampned to deth but with due processe. Ierusalem he subdued agayne / and forbade that no Jewe sholde dwell therin by no wyse. Chrysten men he suffred there to dwell. Agaynst his wyll he came to the empyre / but he gouerned hym very well. Whan the senatours prayed hym to call his sone emperour after hym / he sayd. It is ynough to me yt agaynst my wyl I haue regned whiche I haue not deserued. For ye empyre of Rome sholde not go by succession of blode / but to suche men as deserue it through theyr merytes. Many tymes he regneth vnuertuously that is a kyng borne / and vertue shold come before his kyngdome. ¶ Eustachius otherwyse called Placidus & Therospita his wyfe and two of theyr sones / of whome meruaylous thynges ben redde / were martyred by the cōmaundement of Adrian. This Placidus was mayster of the emperours knyghtes. ¶ Ierusalem was restored by Adrian and made larger / so that the place where Chryst dyed was within ye walles / yt whiche was without before. And this is the thyrde buyldynge agayne of that cyte. For it was thryes destroyed / that is to saye / of Cal dees in the tyme of zedechie / of Anthiocus in the tyme of Machabeo (rum) / & of Titus in the tyme of Vaspasian.
¶ Anno domini .C .xliiij.
[...]Elesphorus a Romayn was pope .xi. yere. This man ordeyned this aūgelles ympne to be songen in the masse Gloria in excelsis deo. &c. and the [Page xxxiii] gospel to be redde afore ye sakeryng / & on Chrystmas day .iij. masses to be songen And he ordeyned there shold no masse be sayd afore .iij. of ye last he was martyred / & buryed at saȳt Peters ¶ Ignius a greke was pope .iiij. yere. This man ordeyned that a childe sholde haue a godfader & a godmoder at baptym & cōfyrmacyon. Also that no archebysshop (excepted the pope) sholde condempne his suffrygan but yf that the cause were shewed in ye prouyncyall coū seyle of bysshops. Than he was martyred / & buryed at saȳt Peters. ¶ Anthonius Pius was emperour .xxij. yere wt his sones Aurolio & Lucio. This man was myghtely wyse / & naturally fayre of speche / the whiche lyghtly in one mā is not foūde. Nota. Excedynge men in wysdom comynly are not fayre speched nor peasfull namely of nature. Nor contrarywyse. Excedynge men in fayre speche comynly are lesse than wyse. This mā was meued wt bothe these ꝓpertees Therfore many kyngdomes the which receded from other emperours / wylfully to this man returned agayne. And to chrysten men was none so gentyll. He sayd through the ensample of Cipio. I had leuer kepe one heere of a man than slee an hondred of myne enemyes. And some martyrs were made vnder hym / but they were made vnder ye cōmaunde ment of ye emperours afore. And ye chrystē people were so hatefull to ye bysshops & to ye preestes of ye tēple of ye fals goddes that they prouoked the princes alwaye agaynst them. For they supposed that ye chrystē fayth shold destroye them. Ther fore it was no meruayle (all though the prynce was yll pleased / for they sayd all theyr goddes were deuyls) yf lower iudges pursued christē folke & martired thē ¶ This tyme .x. M. martyrs were crucifyed in Armenia on an hye hyll called Arath. ¶ Pompeius trogus isto [...]ēpore historias to [...]iꝰ orbis a Nino vs (que) ad Occauianum deduxit.
¶ Anno domini .C .liiij.
PIus ytalicus was pope .xj. yere iiij. monethes & .xij. dayes. This man ordeyned ye feest of eester euermore sholde be halowed on ye sonday. And also an heretyke comynge fro the secte of the Iewes shold be receyued / & be baptysed Thā he was martyred & buryed in fast Peters. ¶ Anicetꝰ was pope after Pius almoost .x. yere. This man made man [...] decrees of the Canon & for bysshops. Vt in ca. violatores. &c. ¶ Galienus a l [...]e goten in pergamo was in grete fame [...] Rome / yt whiche not all onely expowned the bokes of Ypocras / but he put many of them to his bokes. And of this m [...] sayd for his discrete abstinence yt [...] he lyued an .C. and. [...]l. yere be neuer [...] ne dranke his fyll. Nota abstinentiā. He neuer toke rawe fruytes alway he had a swete breth. He dyed all onely through age & no sekenes. ¶ Martus Antonius the true / & Lucius Comodus were emperours .xix. yere. These two toke ye empyre after Anthony the meke. And than began two emperours to regue but Iucius Comodus decesed & Anthony was emperour alone yt whiche was a [...] ryous man & a noble but that he made the fourth persecucyon to slee chrysten men. This Marcus was of so grete sad nes & stedfastnes / that for no chaūce he neuer laughed / ne chaunged no there / neyther for gladnes ne for sorowe. And whan he was a chylde he was of suche manhode / yt on a certayne tyme whā he loked his tresour / & had not yt whiche he myght gyue his knyghtes & his men / whan he went to fyght agaynst ye Germayns / the Sciauōs & Sarmatas / he wolde hurte ne greue no body / but had [Page] leuer to sell his wyues golden vessell / & her arayment / her beddyng & all her ryall stuffe / than take taxe of ye senatours or of his prouynce vnder hym. But he gate ye victory of his enemyes & recouered all agayn / & releaced ye prouynces of theyr tributes. And those y• wold sell hȳ his wyues tresour agayne / he restored them theyr money / & those y• wolde not he neuer greued them. But ye tables of theyr dettes betwixt hȳ & them he brent openly in ye market place: & thāked them that they helped hym in his necessite.
¶ How kynge Lucie regned after his fader / whiche was a good man / & after he became chrysten.
AFter kynge Coyll regned Lucie his sone / that was a good man to god and to all the people. He sente to Rome to Eleuther that than was pope & sayd that he wolde become a chrysten man / & receyue baptym in the name of god / & turne to the right fayth & byleue. Eleuther sente two legates / yt one was called Pagan / and that other Elibayn and came in to this londe & baptised the kynge & all his meyny. And after went from towne to towne and baptysed the people / tyll all the londe was baptysed. And this was in the yere an .C. and. lvj after the incarnacyon of our lorde Iesu Chryst. And than this kyng Lucie made in this londe two archebysshops / one at Caūterbury / & an other at yorke / and many other bysshops that yet be in this londe. And whan these two legates had baptysed all this londe / they ordeyned preestes for to baptyse chyldren / and for to make the sacrament. And after they went agayne to Rome. And the kynge dwelled in this londe and regned with moche honour .xij. yere / and after dyed and lyeth at Glocestre.
¶ How this londe was long without a kynge / & how ye brytons chose a kynge.
THis kyng Lucie had none heyre of his body begoten yt was after warde grete harme & sorowe to ye londe. For after this kynge Lucies deth / none of the grete lordes of ye londe wold suffre an other to be kyng / but lyued in warre & debate amonge themselfe .l. yere wtout kyng. But it befell afterwarde y• a grete prynce came fro Rome in to this londe y• was called Seuerye / not for to warre / but for to saue ye ryght of Rome. But neuertheles he had not dwelled halfe a yere in this londe but yt the brytons slewe hym. And whan ye Romayns wyst that Seuerye was so slayne / they sente an other grete lorde in to this londe yt was called Allec that was a stronge man & a myghty of body / & dwelled in this londe longe tyme / & dyd moche sorow to ye brytons / so that after for pure malyce they chose them a kynge amonge them that was called Asclepades / and assembled a grete hoost of Brytons / & went to London to seke Allec / & there they foūde him and slewe hym & all his felawes / & one y• was called walon defended hym fyersly & fought longe with ye Brytons / but at the last he was discōfyted / & ye Brytons toke hym & boūde hym handes & feet / & cast hym in to a water / wherfore y• water was called for euermore Walbroke. Than regned Asclepades in peas / tyll one of his erles yt was called Coyl made a fayre towne agaynst ye kynges wyll / & let call y• towne Colchestre after his name / wherfore the kynge was wroth / & thought to destroye hym / and began to warre vpon hȳ / & brought grete power of men / & gaue ye erle batayle / & the erle defended hym fyersly with his power / & slewe ye kynge hymselfe in that batayle. And thā was Coyll crowned and made [Page xxxiiii] kynge of this londe. This Coyll regned nobly / & was well beloued of ye brytons. Whan y• Romayns herde y• Asclepades was slayne / they were wonders glad / & sent an other grete prȳce of y• Romayns that was called Constance / & he came to kynge Coyll for to chalenge y• trybute of Rome / which he graūted hym full gladly. So they accorded y• kyng Coyll gaue to hym his doughter Eleyne to wyfe / y• was bothe fayre & wyse & well lettred / & dwelled togyder in loue. And soone after this kyng Coyll dyed in the .xiij. yere of his regne / & lyeth at Colchestre.
¶ How Constance a Romayn that had spoused Eleyne kynge Coyls doughter was chosen kynge after kynge Coyll.
AFter this kynge Coyll Cōstance was made kynge & crowned for as moch as he had spoused kyng Coyls doughter that was heyre of the londe / the whiche Constance regned / & well & worthely gouerned the lōde. And he begate on his wyfe Eleyne a sone yt was called Cōstantyne. And this kyng bare true fayth / & truly dyd to them of Rome all his lyfe. And whā he had regned .xv. yere he dyed / and lyeth at yorke.
¶ How Constantyne that was kynge Constances sone & sone to saynt Eleyne gouerned and ruled the londe / and after was emperour of Rome.
AFter kynge Constance deth regned Constantyne his sone & sone to saynt Eleyne that foūde y• holy crosse in the holy londe / & how Cōstantyne became emperour of Rome. It befell that in that tyme there was an emperour at Rome yt was a sarasyn & a tyraūt yt was called Maxence / whiche put to deth al y• byleued in god / & destroyed holy chirche by all his power / & slewe all chrystē men that he myght fynde / & amōge all other he let martyr saynt Katheryne / & many other christen people yt had drede of deth fled & came in to this londe to kyng Constantyne / & tolde hym of y• sorowe that Maxence dyd to chrystē folke / wherfore Cōstantyn had pite / & made grete sorow & assembled a grete host & a grete power and went ouer vnto Rome / & there toke the cyte / & slewe all y• was therin of mys byleue. And than was he made emperour / & was a good man / and gouerned hym so well / y• all londes were to hȳ attendaūt for to be vnder his gouernaūce. ¶ And this deuyll & tyraūt Ma [...] y• tyme was in the londe of Grece & herde these tydȳges / & sodeynly became wood & dyed sodeynly. ¶ Whan Constantyne went from this londe to Rome he toke with hȳ his moder Eleyne for her grete prudence / & thre other grete lordes y• [...] moost loued / the one was called Howell & y• other Taberne / & ye thyrde Mo [...]. And toke all his londe to kepe to ye erle of Cornewayle that was called Octauian And anone as this Octauian wyst that his lorde dwelled at Rome incontynent he cesed all the londe into his handes & therwith dyd all his wyll amōge [...] & lowe / & they helde hym for kyng. Whan these tydynges came to Cōstantyne the emperour / he was wonders wroth towarde the erle Octauyan and sent Taberne with .xij. M. men agaynst hym & they arryued at Portesmouth. Whan Octauian wyst that he let assembled a grete power of Brytons & dyscomfyted hym. And Taberne fledde in to Scotlonde / & ordeyned there a grete power / & came agayne in to this londe another tyme for to gyue batayle to Octauyan. And whan Octauyan vnderstode that / he assembled a grete power / and came towarde Taberne as fast as he myght / [Page] so that those two hoostes mette togyder on Stanesmore / & strongly smote togyder. And than was Octauyan dyscōfyted / & fledde thens vnto Norway. And Taberne seased all ye londe in to his handes bothe townes & castelles. But Octauyan came agayne fro Norway with a grete power / & droue out al ye Romayns & than he was made kyng of this lond.
¶ How Maximian that was the emperours cosyn of Rome spoused Octauyans doughter / and after was made kynge of this londe.
THis Octauian gouerned ye londe well and nobly / but he had none heyre / saue a doughter that was a yōge chylde / that he loued as moche as his lyf. And for as moche as he waxed seke and was in poynt of deth and might no longer regne / he wolde haue made one of his neuewes to be kyng / which was a noble knyght & a stronge man yt was called Conan Meriedok: & he shold haue kepte the kynges doughter / & haue maryed her whan tyme had ben. But the lordes of ye londe wolde not suffre it / but gaue her coūseyle to be maryed to some hygh man of grete honour / & thā might she haue al her lust / & the coūseyle of her lord Cōstātyne ye emperour. And at this coūseyle they accorded / & chose Cador of Cornewayle for to go to ye emperour on this message / & he toke ye waye & went to Rome / & tolde the emperour these tydynges well & wysely. And ye emperour sent in to this londe with hym his owne cosyn that was his vncles sone a noble knyght & a stronge yt was called Maximyan / & he spoused Octauyans doughter / & was crowned kyng of this londe.
¶ How Maximian that was the emperours cosyn cōquered ye londe of Amorican / & gaue it to Conan Meriedok.
THis kyng Maximian became so ryall yt he thought to conquere ye londe of Amorican for ye grete rychesse yt he herde tell that was in y• londe / so yt he ne left no man of worthynes / knyght ne squyer / ne none other mā yt he ne toke wt him / to ye grete domage of all ye lōde. For he lefte at home no man to kepe ye londe / for he had wt hym .xxx. M. knyghtes of good mennes bodyes / & went ouer in to the londe of Amorican / & there slewe the kyng that was called Imball / and conquered all the londe. And whan he had so done / he called Conan & sayd. For as moche as kyng Octauyan wolde haue made you kyng of Brytayn / & through me ye were let & dystroubled y• ye were not kyng / I gyue you this lōde of Amorican / & make you kyng therof. And for as moche as ye be a bryton / I wyl that this lōde haue the same name / and that it be no more called Amorican / but shall be called lytell Brytayne / and the londe fro whens we be comen / shall be called fro hens forth grete Brytayne. And so shall men knowe that one Brytayne fro that other. Thā this Conan Meriedok [Page xxxv] thanked hȳ curteysly / & so was he made kynge of lytell Brytayn. And whan all this was done Maximyan went from thens vnto Rome / and was than made emperour after Constantyne. And Conan Meriedok dwelled in lytell Britayn with moche honour / & there let ordeyne two. M. plowmen of the londe for to ere the londe / to harowe & sowe it / & feffed them rychely after yt they were. And for as moche as kynge Conan & none of his knyghtes / ne none of his other people wolde not take wyues of the nacyon of fraūce / he sent in to grete Brytayne to ye erle of Cornewayle that men called Dio nothe / that he sholde chose through out all this lōde .xj. M. maydens / that is to saye .viij. M. for the meane people / & .iij. M. for ye gretest lordes that sholde them spouse. And whā Dionothe vnderstode this / he made a cōmaūdement through out all the londe of Brytayn / & as many as the nombre came to he assembled togyder of maydēs / for there was no man that durst withstande his cōmaūdemēt bycause he was protectour. And whan these maydens were assembled / he let them come before hym at London / & let ordeyne shyppes for them hastely / wt all that therto belonged. And toke his own doughter that was called Vrsula / that was ye fayrest creature y• ony man wyst And he wolde haue sent her to kyng Conan yt shold haue spoused her & made her quene of ye londe. But she had made pryuely to god a vowe of chastite yt her fader wyst not / ne none other man lyuynge.
¶ How Vrsula and .xj. M. maydens that were in her company wente towarde lytell Brytayne / and all they were martyred at Coleyne.
THis Vrsula those vnto her company .xj. M. maydens that of all other she was lady & maystresse / and all they toke shyppynge at one tyme in the water that is called Tamyse / & cōmaū ded her kyn & frendes to almyghty god and sayled toward lytell Brytayn. But whan they were comen in to ye hygh see a stronge tēpest arose as it was goddes wyll / & Vrsula with her shyppes & her cōpany were dryuē to Hunlōde through tempest / & arryued in y• hauen of the cite of Coleyne. And the kynge of the londe that was called Gowan was than in y• cite / & whan he wyst the tydynges that so many fayre maydens were there arryued / he toke Elga his broder & other of his housholde with hym and went to the shyppes to se that fayre company. And whan he sawe them so fayre / he & his cōpany wold haue ouer [...]ayen them and haue taken fro them theyr virgy [...] te. But Vrsula that good virgyn counseyled / prayed / warned / & taught then: that were her felawes / that they shol [...] defend them with all theyr myght / and rather suffre deth than suffre theyr bodyes to be defouled. So that all the virgyns became so stedfast in god that they defended them through his grace that none of them had power to do them shame. Wherfore kynge Gowan was sort anoyed / that he for wrathe slewe them euerychone anone ryght. And so were all those virgyns martyred for the [...]our of god / and they lye at Coleyn.
¶ How kynge Gowan came for to destroye this londe / and how a man of grete power that was called Gracian defended the londe.
WHan all this was done / kynge Gowan whiche was a sarasyn called to hym his broder Elga and sayd to hym that he sholde go and conquere the londe that all those fayre [Page] maydens were borne in. And thā he ordeyned a grete power of Pehites of denmarke / of Orkeney / & of Norway. And they came in to this londe & brent townes / & slewe folke / & cast down chirches & houses of religyon / & robbed the londe in length & brede / & put to deth all those that wolde not forsake ye ryght byleue & chrystēdom. For as moche as there was no souerayne yt myght helpe them. For the kyng Maximian had taken wt hym all ye worthy men whan he went to conquere lytell Brytayn. And in ye same tyme was saynt Albon martyred through the wode tyraūt Dioclesyan / in ye same place where is now an abbey made of saynt Albons / whyles yt he was a paynym. But he was conuerted vnto god through the predycacyon of a clerke & a wyse man that was called Ancibel that was herborowed a nyght in his hous. And this was after ye incarnacion of Iesu Chryst .CC .xxvj. yere. And it is to be vnderstāde that saint Albon suffred his martyrdom before saynt Edmond. And therfore is saȳt Albon called ye fyrst martyr of Englonde. ¶ This Gowans broder & his folke that were sarasyns went through out the londe and destroyed all thynge yt they founde & no thynge they spared. Whan these tydynges came to Rome how ye kynge Gowan had begon for to destroye this londe / the emperour & the Romayns sent a stronge man & of grete power yt was called Gracien with xxiiij. M. fyghtynge men / for to cast out of this londe all those sarasyns. And all they arryued at Portesmouth. Maximian myght not come himselfe bycause he was chosen emperour after the deth of Cōstantyne yt was saynt Eleyns sone Whan this Gracian was arriued with his hoost / he let espye pryuely where ye kynge Gowan myght be foūde / & he set vpō them sodeynly as they lay in theyr beddes / & discōfyted them & slewe them in theyr beddes euerichone / that none of them escaped: saue Gowan yt fledde in to his owne coūtre wt grete sorowe. Soone after it befell ye Maximyan was slayne at Rome through treason. And whan Gracian wyst of those tydynges / he let crowne hymselfe kynge of this londe.
¶ How Gracian made him kyng whan Maximyan was slayne / & afterward ye Britons slewe hym for his wyckednes.
THis Gracian whan he began to regne / he became so wycked and so sterne / and so moche sorow dyd to the Brytons that they slewe hym amonge them. Whan kyng Gowan vnderstode that Gracian was slayne / he assembled a grete power & came agayne in to this londe / and yf he had fyrst done harme than dyd he moche more. For he than destroyed all this londe and the chrysten people that were therin / so that no man was so hardy to name god / and yf they dyd they were put to straūge deth. But the bysshop of London yt was tho whiche was called Gosselyn scaped & went thens to them of Rome to seke socour to helpe to destroye the sarasyns that had destroyed this londe. And the Romayns sayd yt they had ben so often anoyed for theyr sendyng of folke in to Britayne all for to helpe the Britons / & they wold no more so do. And so the bysshop Gosselyn went thens without ony socour or helpe. And than went he to ye kyng of lytell Brytayne yt was called Aldroie / & this was ye thyrde kyng after Gowan Meriedok / as before is sayd. The bysshop prayed this kynge Aldroie of helpe & socour. And ye kynge had pite in his herte whan he herde how ye bysshop fledde / & how the chrysten men were so slayne in grete Brytayne through ye paynyms & [Page xxxvi] sarasyns / he graūted hym Cōstantyne his bro [...]er for to helpe hym with power of folke. And cha [...] dyd araye hors / harneys & shyppes & all thynge yt neded to that vyage. And whan all thynge was redy / he called ye bysshop & sayd to hym. I take you here Cōstantyne my broder vpon this couenaūt / yt yf god gyue hym grace to discōfyte ye infydelēs / that than ye shall make hym kyng. And ye bisshop graūted it wt a good wyll. Cōstantyne & the bysshop toke leue of ye kyng Aldroie / & betoke hym to god / & toke .xij. M [...]inen & went to theyr shippes / & sayled towarde grete Britayn / & arryued at Totnes. Whan ye Britons herdethese tydynges that socour came / they were glad / & ordeyned them an huge nō [...]re of people / & went & receyued them wt moche honour ¶ Gowan anone as he wyst of these ty dynges / he assembled all his farasyns & came agaynst them & gaue thē batayle. And Cōstantyn slewe hym wt his owne handes / & all the other sarasyns were dyscomfyted & slayne yt none escaped / excepte those that were couerted to god.
¶ How Constantyne that was the kynges broder of lytel Britayn was crowned kynge of grete Brytayne for his worthynes.
ANone after ye batayle they went to London & crowned there Constantyne kyng of this londe / & ye bysshop Gosselin set the crowne on his heed / and a [...]oynted hȳ as it belongeth for a kyng. And thā began christēdom in this londe agayn. And anone after whā this kyng Constantyn was crowned he spoused a wyfe through roūseyle of ye Brytons / & begate on herthre sones. The fyrst was called Cōstance / ye seconde Aurilambros & the thyrde Vter. This Constance yt elder broder whā he came to o [...] he [...] hym a monke at Wynchestre. And Constātyne theyr fader was slayne through treason. For it befell vpon a tyme that a Pehyte came to hym vpon a daye as it were on a message / & sayd that he wolde speke with the kynge pryuely in coū seyle. The kyng let [...]oyde his chambre of the men that were there within / and there abode no moo but the kynge and the Pehite / and he made a countenaūce as though he wolde haue spoken with the kyng in his eere. And there he shewe hym with a longe knyfe. And after that he went meruaylously out of that chambre in to an other chambre / so that at the last no man wyst where he was b [...]romen. Whan the kynges men wyst that theyr lord was so deed / they made than so moche sorowe / yt they wyst not what for to do. For as moche as his two sones Aurilambros and Vter were so yonge / that none of them myght be kynge and the thyrde broder was a monke at [...] chestre as is sayd before. But [...]o [...]nger that was erle of Westler thought pryuely in his herte through some subry [...]e for to be kynge hymselfe. And wente to Wynchestre where as Constance was monke / & sayd to hym. Cōstance qued be your fader is deed / & your two brethern that ben wt Gosselyn the bysshop of London to nourysshe / be so yonge that neue of them may be kyng wherfore I coū seyle you that ye forsake your habyte & come with me / and I shall make suche a meane vnto the Brytons that ye shall be made kynge of this londe.
¶ Of Constance that was kynge Constantynes sone / whiche was a monke at Wynchestre / and how he was made kynge after his faders dethe / through counseyle of [...]o [...]ger that was [...]e of Westser for as moche as Aurilambros and [...] his two bretherne were but [Page] yonge of age. And Vortiger let shee [...]ya [...] for to be kynge hymselfe.
THis Vortiger coūseyled this Cō s [...]āce so moche tyll he forsoke his ab [...]ot and went with hym. And anone after he was crowned kyng by ye assent of the Brytons. This kynge Constance whan he was crowned & made kynge he wyll ne knewe but lytell of ye worlde nor coude no thynge what knyghthode axed. And he made Vortyger his chefe mayster & coūseyler / & gaue hym all his power for to ordeyn & to do as moche as to ye realme aperteyned. So yt hymselfe no thynge entermedled / but onely bare the name of kyng. Whā Vortiger sawe that he had all ye lōde in his warde & gouernaūce at his owne wyll / he thought by preuy treason to slee Cōstance ye kyng that he myght hȳselfe be crowned & made kyng & regne / & let sende after an hondred knyghtes of Pehytes / ye worthyest of all ye londe / & them helde wt hym for to dwell / as to be kepers of his body / as he wolde go through the londe to ordeyne thynges yt appertayned to a kyng. And this Vortiger honoured so moche ye hondred knyghtes & so moche gaue them of golde & syluer & of ryche iewelles / robes horses & other thȳges plente / wherfore they helde hym more lord than they dyd the kyng. And Vortiger told them: yf he myght be kyng / ye as it were through treason / he wold make them rychest of ye londe. So at ye last through grete gyftes that he had gyuen largely / they cryed through ye court yt Vortiger were better worthy to be kyng thā Cōstance. Wherfore Vortiger made semblaūt as he had ben wroth / & he departed thens from ye courte / and sayd he must go elles where for thinges that he had to do. And so the traytour sayd bycause yt they sholde slee kynge Constance. Whan this Vortiger was gone / it befel soon easter [...] those hondred knyghtes of Pe [...]ites wiche the dores of ye kynges chambre / & there they slewe hȳ / & smote of his heed & ba [...]e it to Vortiger there as he dwelled. And whā Vortiger sawe ye heed / he wepte full tenderly wt his eyen / & neuertheles he was somdele gladde in his herte of his deth. And anone Vortiger let take those hondred knyghtes of Pehites / & hadde his seruaūtes bynde theyr haudes behynde them & lede them to London / and there they were dampned to deth as fals traytours. And anone after all ye Brytons of the londe by the comyn assent crowned Vortiger & made hym kyng of ye londe.
¶ Auno domini .C .lxxiiij.
SOther a martyr was pope after Anicetū .ix. yere / the whiche decreed that a Nōne sholde not touche the pall of the awter / nor put in sence therto And yt she sholde were a wymple about her heed. And many peryls he sawe about matrymony / therfore he ordeyned that no woman sholde be called a lefu [...] wyfe / but yf she were blissed of ye preest. ¶ Eleutherus a martyr was pope after Sother .xv. yere / the whiche ordeyned that chrysten men sholde refuse no meet reasonable that was mānes meet Nota. Also that no man vnaccused in a cryme sholde be put from his dignite or his degre tyl he were cōuicted / through ensample of Chryst / yt whiche kept styll Iudas Scaryoth not accused / & Chryst knewe hȳ gylty. And what someuer he dyd amonge the apostles for ye dignite of his seruyce abode fyrme & stable. This pope sent also legates vnto Lucye kyng of Britayn / the whiche baptysed hym & his people. And Fagus and Domianus legates the whiche ye pope sent fyrst [...]rechc [...] in Englonde. And this Chrystendom endured in Brytayne two hondred [Page xxxvii] yere vnto ye tyme of Dioclesian ye emperour / whā saynt Albon was martyred. ¶ Marcus Antonius & Lucius Comodus were emperours / but Marcꝰ dyed anone / & Lucius Comodus regned. Comodus was called profytable in scorne / for he was to euery man vnprofytable / he was gyuen vtterly to lechery / many senatours & christen men he made for to be slayne. He dampned his own wyfe to deth for age / he dyed a sodeyn deth with strouglyng amōge maydens. ¶ Helius pertinax after this man was emperour vj. monethes / & was a man of grete discrecyon / whome Iulian ye grete lawyer slewe / & he entred ye empyre / & was slayne the .vij. moneth of Seuerꝰ. ¶ Victor a martyr was pope after Eleutheriū .x. yere / & for the discorde of ye pascall tyme he called a coūseyle in Alexander / where he was present ye tyme / & many other / where he decreed ye eester daye sholde be kepte on ye sonday / but he must kepe the chaūge of ye mone of Apryll / & that was to dyffre fro Iewes / for many bysshops of the eest abode ye tyme the same daye ye iewes dyd halowe that feest. Also he ordeyned yt in tyme of nede children might be chrystened in euery place / & in euery water. ¶ zepherinus a martyr & a Romayne was pope after Victor .ix. yere. This man ordeyned that chrystē people of .xij. yere of age & aboue sholde receyue his god on eester daye ones in a yere. Also he ordeyned that all the vessell of the awter shold be glasse or tynne / & not tree as in olde tyme the cōsecracyon of ye gloryous blode was made in treue vessell. And this tyme passed / & the worshyp of the chirche grewe / & glasen vessell were forbode. vt (pꝪ)patet de cōse. di. pri. ca. ¶ Origines ye noble clarke was this tyme / & he wrote so moche that saynt Ierome sayd hȳselfe to haue redde of Origenes wer [...]es .iiij. M. volumes wtout pystles. He translated the byble from hebrewe in to greke / & dyd many other grete thynges. And of this Origene / Samson / Salomon and Traian is a grete questyon amonge doctours / yf yt they be dampned or saued. Therfore those thynges that wtout peryll we be not boūden to knowe nor the chirche is not certyfyed of them / & therfore let them be all onely cōmytted vnto god. ¶ Calistus a martyr & a Romayn was pope after zepherinꝰ .v. yere and he ordeyned ye c [...]tery (in via apia) where many a. M. martyrs be buryed. Also he ordeyned the fast of ye emerynge days to be kepte. ¶ Antonius Aurelius was emperour .iij. yere. And this man lacked no kynde of lechery / & at ye last he was slayne amonge a grete multytude of people for his myscheuous lyuynge. ¶ Antonius Marcus regned after him vij. yere. This man lyued obstynatly & therfore he was slayne as was his predecessour. ¶ Alexander was emperour after Antomꝰ / & regned .xiij. yere. This man at the instaūce of his moder a chrysten woman / & the techynge of Origene the whiche came to Rome to cōuert her was made so good vnto chrysten men yt he suffred them to haue theyr coūseyles and theyr prayers by themselfe / but neuerthelesse in this tyme the cursed offycers of hym made many martyrs.
¶ Anno domini .CC .xliiii.
VRbanus was pope after Calist viij. yere / & old & yonge he was very vertuous. And all the halowed vessell of the chirche he made of golde or of syluer. This man lefte his poperyche & went to Agrippam / and .xi. M. virgins with hym. And the clargye sayd he left not his dignite for holynes / but for appe tyte of those virgyns / & wrote hym not in the boke of popes. And there he a virgyn was martyred with these virgyns [Page] ¶ Poncianus a martyr succeded Vrbanus / & he ordeyned that psalmes sholde be sayd daye & nyght in ye chirche of god And that a preest sholde saye Confiteor afore ye masse. ¶ Anteros a martyr was pope after this mā. This man ordeyned that a bysshop myght be remeued from one to an other / & he made ye lyfe of martyrs to be wryten / & he was slayne & buryed in the Cimitery of saynt Calixte. ¶ Maximianus was chosen emperour at Maguncia of ye hoost / & not by ye senatours / & regned thre yere / & destroyed ye chirche myghtely / & was slayne for Origene. ¶ Gordian regned after hym .vj. yere / and of hym is lytell wryten / but he was slayne. Hijs diebus Celus dux Colchestrie in asclepio regnat in Britannia annis quasi .xxx. vs (que) ad aduentū Constancij. lati. M. vacat. ¶ Phylyp was emperour after Gordian / & this Philyp chose to hym Philyp his sone / and they regned .vij. yere. And they were ye fyrst Emperours yt were chrystened / & after slayne of the hoost. They bequethed all theyr tresour at theyr deth yt it sholde be dysposed to poore men. And saynt Laurence at ye assygnacyon of his mayster ye pope departed this tresour about Rome the whiche was grete cause of his martyrdom. vt qidē dicūt. ¶ Dec [...]ꝰ was emperour .iij. yere / & in all thȳges a tyraūt For he entred the empyre whan he & the hoost had slayne ye two Philyps his lordes / & after yt he was slayne wt his sone. ¶ Fabianꝰ a martyr & a Romayn was pope after Anteros .xij. yere. This was a very holy man / for whan chrystē men stode to abyde ye elecciō of ye pope / sodeynly a whyte doue or a culuer descended on his heed / sayenge to hym / thou shalt be pope of Rome. This man ordeyned that creme euery yere sholde be halowed vpō sherthursday. Also he deuyded regyons to dekens the whiche shold wryte ye lyfe of martyrs. And at ye last Decius slewe hym. ¶ Cornelius a martyr & Romayn was pope after Fabianꝰ .iii. yere. This man toke vp ye bodyes of Peter & Paule & wt grete honour put them in worshypfull places wt [...]tā Lucina. ¶ Luciꝰ was pope after Cornelius .iij. yere / & of hym lytel is wrytē. ¶ Gallus wt his sone Volusianus were emperours two yere / & they fought wt Emilianꝰ / & were slayne And Emilianꝰ the thyrde moneth was slayn. ¶ Valerian was emperour wt his sone Galyene .xv. yere. This man was vertuous & manly in ye begynnyng / but after he was gyuē to vyce & moche wretchednes / and so was his sone Galyene. This Valerian went to ye lond of Perse & there for ye blode shedynge of martyrs he was taken of ye kynge of Perse. And whan he had taken hȳ he put out bothe his eyen / & kepte hym in grete bondage & to this entent he kept hym / yt whan so euer he shold ryde / this Valerian sholde lye down / & he shold set his feet vpō his backe whā he wold take his hors. This herde Galiene his sone yt was left at Rome / & that caused hym yt he was not so cruell agaynst chrysten men. And here was the .viij. persecucyon of the chirche made by this emperour / & made the Romayns to lese theyr kyngdomes / ye whiche were neuer recouered agayne to the emperour / & a generall pestylence was through all ye worlde for theyr trespace. ¶ Stephanus a martyr after Lucius was pope .iij. yere. This man ordeyned that no mā shold vse no halowed clothes but to ye worshyp of god. ¶ Sixtꝰ a martyr and a Romayn was pope after Stephanus .ij. yere. This man ordeyned yt the masse shold be sayd vpō an awter / ye whiche afore was not / & than he dyed. ¶ Dionisius a Romain was pope after Stephanꝰ .ij. yere. This man deuyded parysshes & chircheyerdes / & assygned [Page xxxviii] to chirches certayne preestes. ¶ Felix a martyr was pope after Dionisius two yere. He ordeined yt for ye memory of martyrs masses shold be sayd. Also he ordeyned the Dedicacion of the chirche euery yere shold be said. ¶ Claudius was emperour after Valerian. This man subdued Gothas nobly / & than decessed.
¶ Anno Christi .CC .lxxiiij.
EVticianꝰ a martyr was pope after Felix .viij. yere. This man ordeyned y• corne & benes sholde be blyssed on ye awter. And he buryed. iij .C. &. xliiij martyrs wt his owne hādes. ¶ Aureliꝰ was emperour after Claudius .v. yere. This Aurelius fyrst to christē men was gentyll / wherfore he had the vyctory in euery place gloryously / & whan he was deceyued by cursed men / & pursued chrysten men myghtely / & namely in fraūce / for there he abode / & after that he had neuer good fortune / but was slayne. And this was the .ix. ꝑsecucyon of ye christen fayth. ¶ Tacitus was emperour after this man / & he regned but .iii. monethes & was slayne in Ponto. ¶ Probus was Emperour after hym .v. yere & .iiij. monethes. This man recouered Fraūce agayne / the whiche was occupyed with barbary men. And he gaue them & Pannonias lycence to haue vynyerdes. And whan he had made almoost all thȳges well in peas he sayd. Knyghtes within a lytell tyme shall not be necessary. And anone after he was slayne at Syrmiū. ¶ Carus & his two sones Carmꝰ & Numerianꝰ were emperours after Probus but soone they dyed / & theyr fader was drowned / & the two sones were slayne. All these regned but .ij. yere. ¶ Dioclesian & Maximyan came after these thre emperours / the one regned in the eest / & the other regned in the west. The fyrst thynge that Dioclesian dyd / he brent all the chrysten mennes bokes that myght be foūde. These two tyraūtes dyd more harme to christē men than euer dyd ony other. For .x. yere lasted theyr ꝑsecucyon And as we rede / wtin .xxx. dayes .xx. M. men were slayne for chrystes cause. And in Englonde all the fayth was almoost destroyed in the tyme of Maximyan.
¶ Gaius was pope after Euticianus. This man ordeyned that no man sholde accuse a bisshop or an other clerke to ony seculer iudge. And yt a pagan or an heretyke shold not accuse a christē man. Also he ordeyned that he that was worthy shold ascende gree by gree to his ordres / fyrst benet / than [...]ollet / subdeken / deken & than preest. And at ye last he was martyred vnder Dioclesian. ¶ Marcell [...]ꝰ a martyr was pope after Gaius .xi. yere & .iiij. monethes. This mā was sore ꝑsecuted / & for drede of deth he offred. [...]. [...] nes of encense to ye sacrifyce of ye ydolles. And afterward he openly repented and suffred deth for the fayth of Chryst. His body laye vnburyed thre days for drede of the curse of god. And after through a visyon of saynt Peter & Marcell he was buryed at saynt Peters fo [...]e. ¶ Marcellus was pope after Marcell [...]ꝰ .v. yere. This man ordeyned that a generall coū seyle myght not be ordeyned without ye auctorite of ye pope. vt (pꝪ)patet .xvij. d [...]. [...]. sinodū. Also he chose .xv. cardynalles in the cyte to bury men & chrysten. At the last whan he had kepte beestes longe tyme in a hous closed in with them by ye commaundement of Maximian he dyed for faute. ¶ Eusebius a martyr was after this man two monethes and certayne days. This man of a lay man was made pope / & he ordeyned that no laye man shold accuse his bisshop / but yf he went from his fayth. V [...] (pꝪ)patet .ij .ix. vij .x. lai [...]s. ¶ Nota. This tyme saynt Albon was [Page] martyred in brytayn. This Albon whā he was a pagan he lodged a certayn mā the which cōuerted hym to the fayth / & after was iudged vnto deth / and moche people he turned vnto our lorde yt were nygh ye water / the which he made drye through his prayer. And he suffred deth nygh the cite of Ve [...]elom. Vide plura in vita sctī Albani. ¶ Melchiades a martyr succeded Eusebius foure yere. This mā forbode ye men shold fast on sondays & on thursdays / in so moche as pagans fast on those dayes. At the last he was martyred as al his predecessours were. ¶ And knowe ye that there were. xxxiij popes of Rome martyred eche one after other. Peter was the fyrst / & this Melchiades was the last. And than it was laudable (after Gregory) a mā to desyre a bysshopryche. ¶ Galerius was emperour after Dioclesian two yere / and an other with hym called Constancius / so was ye empyre in those dayes deuyded. This Constancius after he had conquered all Spayne / he came in to grete Britayn / & there he wedded a kȳges doughter / on whom he gate grete Cōstantyne And this same Cōstancius dyed in Brytayn / & lyeth at Yorke / as Martin sayth in his cronycles / & lefte on lyue Cōstantyne that was goten on Eleyne / & was kynge of Brytayne & of Fraunce.
¶ Anno Christi .CCC .viij.
SIluester was pope after Melchiades. This was a gloryous confessour / & many wayes he worshypped ye chirche of god / what in wrytynge and what in myracles. He receyued the patrimony of saynt Peter / that is for to saye / the kyngdome of Ytalye with the cite of Rome of Constantyne the emperour / & to the worshyp of the chirche of god he turned it. He baptysed Eleyne & the Iewes / and than he decessed a confessour. ¶ Constantyne ye myghty was emperour this tyme. This Cōstantyne was a gloryous man and a victoryous in batayle. In gouernyng of the comyn people he was very wyse. And in ye necessite of ye byleue he was without comparison deuoute. His pite & his holynes be so wryten in ye bokes of holy doctours that without doubte he is to be nōbred amonge sayntes. And the Grekes saye that in the ende of his lyf he was made a monke. And more ye may here of hym in the cronycles of englonde / for he was kyng of Englonde. ¶ Helena the quent moder to Constantyne repayred agayn the holy crosse this tyme / and she made lxx. colleges / and she gloryfyed the state of all holy chirche. ¶ Nycholas the bysshop of Myrre cite an holy mā was this tyme. ¶ Athanasiꝰ was this tyme bysshop in Alexandria a gloryous doctour / and made the cymbalū Q uicū (que) vult saluus esse. &c. ¶ Marcus was pope after Siluester two yere and .viij. monethes. This man ordeyned that ye Crede sholde be openly songen in the chirche / and that the bysshop of Hostiense sholde consecrate the pope / and that he sholde were a pall. ¶ Iulius was pope after Marcus .xj. yere. This man was exiled x. yere / & after suffred deth vnder Constantyne the seconde. ¶ Cōstantinus wt his two bretherne regned .xxiiij. yere / & in his last ende he was peruerted by the heresy of ye arryens / by a bysshop called Eusebi / & he pursued the chirche of god strongly. The ende of this mā was this As he sholde go to Constantynople to a grete coūseyle / in the whiche counseyle he thought to haue cōdempned the bysshop and the clerkes of true byleue / he wente before vnto a chambre to auoyde suche thinges as nature requyreth / & anone sodeynly his bowelles fell frō hym [Page xxxix] and so dyed. ¶ Libersus was pope after Iulius .xix. yere and .vij. monethes. Than was ye seconde dyscorde of ye chirche bytwene Liberiꝰ & Felix for ye heresy of the arryens the whiche fauoured Liberius. Than Constancius ye emperour called agayne Liberius from his exyle bycause he fauoured this heresy. And ye chirche deiected Liberius / & toke Felix for pope / and the other was expulsed as an heretyke of the chirche. But Felix obteyned not / for ye emperour put in Liberius & expulsed Felix. ¶ Felix was pope after the deth of this Liberius / & he declared Cōstancius ye emperour an heretyke / and anone after he was martyred. ¶ And here was the fyrst that euer the chirche of Rome had an infamed pope. For all ye predecessours of this Liberius were sayntes / & gaue holy ensamples. ¶ Iulianus apostata was after Constancius emperour .ij. yere and .viij. monethes. He was called apostata bycause he fledde this Cōstantius whiche slewe his broder / & for fere of deth was made a chrysten man and a monke. But afterwarde by ye counseyle of a nygromancer he asked the deuyll wheder he sholde be emperour or not. The deuyll sayd that he sholde be emperour vpon a cōdycyon that he sholde forsake his chrystē fayth / and be vtter enemy to chrystē men. And so he dyd / for he gaue leue to the Iewes that they sholde buylde agayn ye temple in spyte of ye christen men. And toke all ye goodes ye chrysten men had / & destroyed many of them. ¶ Iouinianus was emperoure after hym .viij. monethes. For whan Iulian was deed the hoost chose hym emperour / & he was a christē man And he sayd it was not lefull to a christē man to be lord ouer so many hethen people. They answered & said. Rather than he sholde forsake the empyre they wold be thrystened. And thus toke he ye dignite. But soone he was deed / and in meruaylous maner. For he was layde in a close hous (after his iourney) made all of stone / newly whyted with lyme / in ye whiche they made to his cōfort as they thought a fyre of charcole / & of ye ayre of these two on the morowe he was foūde deed. ¶ Valentinian wt his broder Valent was emperour after Iouinianꝰ. x [...]. yere / for he departed the empyre / & gaue his broder the eest / & kepte hymselfe the west part. This Valētinian was a lord with Iulian apostata / & it happed him on a tyme for to go in to a temple of false goddes for to do sacryfyce / & mynystres stode there with water halowed after theyr guyse / with ye whiche they spryncled the lordes. This Valētinian smote the mynystre that kest the water vpon hym / and sayd he was rather defouled therby than clensed. Bycause of this Iulian dyd exile hym. But our lord god for his open confessyon of his name rewarded hym with ye empyre. His broder Valent fell in to the opinyon of the a [...]yans and dyed in that heresy. This same Valent lyued foure yere after Valentinian with Gracian the emperour. ¶ This tyme lyued saynt Ambrose.
¶ Anno domini .CCC .lxiiij.
DAmasus was pope after Felix xviij. yere & .ij. monethes. This was an eloquent man in metre / and he wrote many storyes of popes and martyrs. He ordeyned that [...] patri shold be sayd in the ende of the psalmes / and that was at the prayer of saynt Ierom. And through ye mocyon of this pope Ierom translated the byble from hebrewe in to latyn / & than he decessed a cōfessour ¶ Valent with Gracian & Valentinian were emperours foure yere. In this tyme were chirches opened agayne / and [Page] chrysten men had leue to renewe the seruyce of god y• was defended afore wt emperours infected wt heresy / as was Valens & other / wherfore y• chirche had no liberte whan Valens was on lyue. ¶ A synodus of an .C. and .l. bysshops were gadred vnder Damase pope at Cōstantinople agaynst Macedoniū an heretike the whiche denyed y• holy ghost to be very god. And than was the Credo made that is songe on holy dayes in y• chirche ¶ Augustinus a Cartaginen̄ of Affrica was this tyme / he was as noble a retho ricyen as myght be / & in all philosophy & poetry incōparable / & all thynge that ony philosopher foūde in his youth / he vnderstode wt lytell labour. And aboute this tyme he was sent to Milan where he was turned anone of saynt Ambrose and baptysed. This man grewe vnto a noble doctour of y• chirche. And not longe after that he was bysshop of Yponen̄. & there he lyued .liij. yere / & moche diuinite he wrote. vt (pꝪ)patet in libris suis. ¶ Siritius was pope after Damasus .xv. yere He dampned heretykes / & lytell elles is wryten of hym. ¶ Theodosius sone to Gracian with Valētyne his vncle was emperour .xxvij. yere. This man was a chrysten man & a gracyous / & in gouernaūce lyke to Traian / soone wroth / and anone reconsyled. This man on a daye whan he wold haue gone to here masse saynt Ambrose forbade hym the entre of the chirche tyll he had done penaunce / & made satisfaccyon for y• sleynge of y•. xxx knyghtes / whiche he slewe in angre at Constantinople. Wherfore they made a lawe that y• sentence of a prynce shold be deferred .xxx. days of those that shold do execucyon yf they myght fall in y• grace of y• prynce wt in the .xxx. days. ¶ About this tyme was a childe borne in y• castell of Emons from y• nauyll & aboue deuyded in to two bodyes / hauyng .ij. hedes and two wyttes / so that the one [...]epyng or erynge / that other slepte nor ete not / & whā they were two yere of age / the one decessed / & that other lyued thre days after. ¶ Claudius poeta was this tyme. ¶ Arcadius & Honoriꝰ regned .xxx. yere And in theyr tyme Rome was almoost destroyed by a kynge called Alaticus / of the whiche destruccyon rose a grete blas phemy of the Romayns. For they sayd they fared neuer well sythen Chryst came to Rome / & bereued thē theyr goddes by the prechynge of Peter & Paule. And yet this Archadius subdued all his enemyes by y• power of god / & shed no blode Agaynst this blasphemy saynt Austyn made y• solempne werke y• whiche they call. de ciuitate dei. ¶ Honoriꝰ was emperour wt Theodosius his broders sone xv. yere / & he was a man of holy lyf / for two wyues he had / and with bothe yet he dyed mayden. He loued specyally the chirche / and hated heretykes. ¶ Ierom dyed this tyme at Bethleem the yere of his age .lxxxxj. ¶ Sanctꝰ Herachydes that wrote Vitas patrū to Lansum ep̄m was this tyme. ¶ Ioh̄es Crisostomus was exiled of Eudochia ye wyfe of Arcadij / & through hete of the sonne he dyed. ¶ Anastasius was pope after Siritius thre yere. This mā ordeyned that euery man sholde stande at ye redyng of ye holy gospell / & that he that was a maymed man sholde not be preest. ¶ Innocētius was pope after Anastasius. This man ordeyned that seke men sholde be enoynted with holy oyle. And at masse ye kysse of peas to be gyuen. He dampned Pelagien an heretyke. And many other thynges he dyd. vt patet .xxvj. q .j.
¶ Anno Christi .CCCC .xiiij.
AFter Innocētius zozimus was pope two yere & .viij. monethes. This man ordeyned that clerkes sholde [Page xl] be no tauerners / ne sell no wyne / & that a bonde man sholde not be made preest without y• lycence of his lord. ¶ Bonifa cius a Romayn was pope after zozimꝰ foure yere. This man ordeyned y• a woman sholde not touche y• pall of y• awter ne sholde not wasshe y• awter. ¶ Celestinus a Romayn was pope after Bonifacius .viij. yere & .ix. dayes / y• whiche ordeyned the psalme afore masse Iudica me deus. &c. And at the begȳnynge of y• masse sholde be sayd a verse of a psalme and that y• Grayle & the offertory sholde be sayd afore the sakerynge. This man sent saynt Patryk in to Irlonde to conuerte that lond. And Palladius a deken of Rome to the Scottes to be conuerted. And in the fourth yere of this mā there was a generall Synody at Ephisina of CCC. bysshops agaynst Nestorium an heretyke. ¶ Theodosius y• yonger with Valentinian his neuewe regned .xxvij. yere. In his tyme was y• leest ordeyned whiche is called Aduīcula sancti Petri. And in his tyme dyed saint Austyn / in y• yere of his age .lxxvj. ¶ And this tyme were the .vij. slepers reysed / the whiche slepte .CC. yere. This man dyed at Cō stantynople / & there was buryed. This tyme the saxons entred in to Englonde / and anone by lytell & lytell they grewe vp mightely / & at the last they obteyned all the londe. ¶ Sixtus a Romain was pope after Celestinus .viij. yere. This was a holy man & a meke. And lytell of hym is wryten / but y• he buylded sancta Maria maior. ¶ Leo Tuscus a confessour was pope after Sixtus. This mā was as holy as ony mā. Fyue tymes on a day or more he wolde saye masse. And on a tyme after it befell whan a certayn woman kyssed his hande he was tēpted with her / & for the trespace that he had done / to his penaūce he made his hande to be stryken of. And whan y• noyse [...]ose vpon hym that he myght not say masse as he was wont to do / he was ryght sory / and all onely betoke hym in prayer to our lady to helpe hym. And our lady restored hym his hande agayne / & than he sayd masse as he was wont to do / & so that myracle was openly shewed to all people. ¶ And in y• tyme of this pope Marcyan the Emperour beynge there was congregate at Calcedony y• fourth vniuersall synody of. vj .C. and .xxx. bysshops agaynst Eusticem y• abbot of Constantinople. et Alexandrinū ep̄m: qui negauerunt in Christo verā carnē fuisse [...]et etiā negabant carnis nr̄e resurrectionē. And after he had made many notable sermons & epystles he decessed. ¶ Marcianus & Valētinianꝰ were emperours this tyme .vij. yere / in whose tyme was the grete Synody afore rehersed whan Eusticē & Dioscorus were cōdemp [...]rd.
IN the tyme that Marcianꝰ was emperour of Rome Vortiger was kynge of Britayn now called Englonde in whose tyme y• saxons came in to Bry tayn & made many kynges / y• is to saye as is playne by the Cronycles .vij. And bycause it is tedyous to mannes reason to reherse many diuers names togyder as .vij. kynges of Englonde / and in one tyme / the emperours and popes. Therfore the cronycles of Englōde shall be set togyder / tyll it be comen vnto Alured / in whose tyme the Danes came in to Englonde. And the popes and y• emperours & other thinges in the same tyme shall be set togyder.
¶ Circa annū d [...] .CCCC .xlix.
¶ How the wardeyns that had y• chysdren to kepe y• were kyng Cōstantynes sones ladde them to lytell Brytayne / for the treason and fals [...]es of Vortiger.
¶ Here begynneth the fyfth parte durynge to the comynge of the Danes.
THis tyme came the saxons that were pagans fyrst in to Britayn now called Englonde / vnder Vortiger y• whiche was crowned kyng of this londe. This tyme those that had these two chyldren in kepyng the which were Cō stantynes sones / that is to saye / Aurilambros and Vter through ordynaunce of Gosselyn that was bysshop of London / after theyr faders dethe / that is to saye Cōstantyne / durst not dwell in this londe with those children / but conuayed them vnto the kynge of lytell Brytayn / for as moche as he knewe the treason of Vortiger that than was made kynge / through whome Constance theyr elder broder was slayne / wherfore y• hondred knyghtes of Pehytes were put to deth and bare al the blame / as that Vortiger had not wyst therof / ne therto cōsented. And so the kepers of those two chyldren dred lest Vortiger wolde put thē to deth through his treason & falsnes as he had done theyr broder before / & therfore they were ladde ouer in to lytell Brytayne / & the kynge them receyued wt moche honour / & put them to nourysshe / & there they dwelled tyll they became fayre and strōge knyghtes / & thought to be auenged of the deth of Cōstance theyr broder whan they sawe theyr tyme / & so they dyd as ye shal here tell afterward. ¶ It was not longe after that the tydynges came ouer see to the kynrede of the hondred knyghtes of Pehytes y• they were dampned & put to deth through Vortiger in this londe / wherfore they were wondersly wroth / and swore that they wolde be auenged of the dethe of theyr kynnesmen / & came in to this lond with a grete power / & robbed & slewe in many places / & dyd all the sorowe that they myght. Whan Vortiger it wyst / he ma de moche sorowe / and was sore anoyed. And in another place also tydnges came to hym that Aurilambros and Vter his broder ordeyned and assembled a grete hoost for to come in to grete Britayn / for to be auenged vpon Vortiger for y• deth of theyr broder Constance. So that on y• one syde & on the other he was brought in to so moche sorowe that he ne wyst wheder to go.
¶ How Engyst and .xj. thousande men came in to this lōde / to whom Vortiger gaue a place y• is called Thonge castell.
ANd soone after this sorowe tydynges came to Vortiger that a grete nauye of straūgers were arryued in y• coūtree of Kent / & wyst not whens they were / ne wherfore they were comē in to this londe. The kynge sent anone a messenger thyder / that some of them sholde come & speke wt hym for to knowe what folke they were / & what they asked / & in to what coūtre they wolde go. There were two bretherne maysters & prynces of that stronge company / y• one was called Engist / & that other Horne. Engist went to the kyng and tolde hym the cause wherfore they were comen in to this londe / & sayd. Syr we be of a coū tree y• is called Saxonie / that is y• londe of Germayne / wherin is so moche sorowe that of the people be so many that [Page xli] the londe may not them susteyne. And y• prynces & maisters of the londe make to come before them men & womē of y• bold [...]st y• may best trauayle in to diuers lon des / & gyue them hors & harneys / & al y• them nedeth / & thā they byd them go in to an other to [...]e where they may lyue as theyr aūceters dyd before them. And therfore syr kynge / yf ye wyll haue our seruice we wyll helpe you against your enemyes. Whan Vortiger herd this / he sayd gladly he wold wtholde them vpon suche couenaūt y• yf they might delyuer his londe of his enemyes / he wold gyue them reasonable lōdes for to dwell in for euer. Engist thanked hym goodly / & in this maner he & his cōpany .xj. M. were reteyned wt kyng Vortiger / & at the last delyuered clene y• londe of his enemyes. Than prayed Engist the kyng of so moche lōde y• he myght make for hym & his folke a cite. The kyng answered / it was not to do wtout coūseyle of his brytons. Engist prayed hym agayn of as moche place as he might compasse wt a thonge of a skyn / wheron he might make a maner for hȳ to dwell in. And y• kyng graū ted him frely. Than Engist cut a bulles skyn as small as he myght in to a thōge & therwt compassed as moche lond as he myght buylde on a fayre castell / & was called Thong castell.
¶ How Vortiger loued Ronewen Engistes doughter / & how he spoused her.
WHan this castell was made and well arayd / Engist pryuely sent by lettre in to the coūtree where he came fro for an hondred shyppes fylled with men that were stronge & bolde and also well fyghtyng in all batayles / and that they sholde also brynge with them Ronewen his doughter / whiche was the fayrest creature that ony man myght se. And whan those people were comen that he had sente for / he toke and ladde them in to the castell with moche Ioye. And hymselfe vpon a daye went vnto the kynge / and prayed hym there full worthely that he wolde come and se his newe manoyr that he had made in the place that he had compassed with the thonge of the skynne. The kynge anone frely graunted hym / & went with hym thyder / and was full well pleased with the castell & with the fayre weeke And togyder there they ete and dranke with moche ioye. And whan nyght came that kynge Vortiger sholde go in to his chambre to take there his nyghtes rest / Ronewen y• was Engistes doughter came with a cup of golde in her hāde and kneled before the kynge and sayd to hym wassayll. And the kynge wyst no [...] what it was to mene [...]e what he shold answere therto / for as moche as hym selfe nor none of his brytons coude speke none Englysshe nor vnderstande it / but spake in y• same language that Britons do yet. Neuerthelesse a latiner tolde the kynge the full vnderstandynge of wa [...] sayll / & that other shold answere drynke hayll. And that was the fyrst tyme that wassayll and drynke hayll came vp in this londe / and frō that tyme vnto this tyme it is well vsed in all this realme of Englonde. And whan kynge Vortiger behelde y• grete beaute of this fayre lady Ronewen that kneled before hym / he toke her vp & layde bothe his armes [Page] aboute her necke / & thryes swetely kyssed her / & anone ryght he was enamoured vpon her / so that he desyred to haue her to wyfe / and asked her of Engist her fader. And Engist graunted hym vpon this couenaūt / that the kyng shold gyue hym all ye coūtree of Kent / that he & his people myght dwell therin. The kynge graūted hym pryuely with a good wyll And anone after he spoused ye damoysell and that was moche confusyon to hym selfe. And therfore all ye brytons became wrothe bycause he spoused a woman of mysbyleue / wherfore they went all frō hȳ / & wold do no thynge yt he had to do.
¶ How Vortimer that was Vortigers sone was made kyng / & Engyst dryuen out / & how Vortimer was poysoned.
THis Engist went in to Kent and seased all ye londe in to his hādes for hym & for his men / & became within a lytel whyle of so grete power / & had so moche people / that men wyst not in litel tyme whiche were ye kȳges men & whiche were Engystes / wherfore the Brytons had of hym drede / & sayd amonge them / but yf they ne toke other coūseyle bytwene them / all the londe shold be destroyed through Engist and his people. Vortiger ye kyng had begotē on his fyrst wyfe thre sones / ye fyrst was called Vortimer / the seconde Catagren / & ye thyrde Passent. The brytōs by one assent chose Vortimer to be theyr lorde & souerayne / & crowned hym kyng / & wold not suffre Vortiger no longer to regne / bycause of the alyaūce bytwene Engist and hym. The brytons ordeyned a grete hoost for to dryue out Engist & his company of ye londe / and gaue hym thre batayles / the fyrst was in Kent where he was lorde / the seconde was at Tetford / & ye thyrde was in a shyre on this side Colchestre in a moor. And in this batayle mette them Catagren & Horne Engystes broder / so that eche of them slewe other. But for as moche as ye coūtre was gyuen longe before to Horne through Vortiger whā he spoused his cosyn / there he made a fayre castell that is called Horne castell after his owne name. Vortimer was so sore anoyed for his broders deth / that anone he let cast downe ye castell to ye erth. And after he stynted not nyght nor daye tyll he had dryuen out Engyst & all his people of the londe. And than Ronewen his doughter made grete sorowe / and craftely spake to them that were nexte to the kyng Vortimer / & pryuely entreated them / and so many gyftes she gaue them / that the kynge was empoysoned and dyed at London the fourth yere of his regne / and there he lyeth.
¶ How the britons chose an other tyme Vortiger to be theyr kynge / and Engist came in to this londe agayne / and how they fought togyder.
AFter Vortimers dethe the Brytons by theyr comyn assent made Vortiger agayne theyr kynge vpon this couenaunt / that he sholde neuer after suffre Engist nor none of his to come agayne in to this londe. And whan all this was done / Ronewen the quene pryuely sent by lettre to Engist that she had empoysoned Vortimer / and that Vortiger her lorde bare agayne the crowne & regned / and that he sholde come agayne in to this londe wel arayed with moche people for to auenge hym vpon the brytons / and to wynne this londe agayne by myght and strength. And whan Engist herde these tydynges / he made grete ioye / & apparayled hym hastely with xv. thousande men that were boughty in euery batayle / & came in to this londe. [Page xlii] And whan Vortiger herde tell that Engist was comen agayn with a grete power in to this londe / he assembled his brytons & went to mete Engist for to gyue hym batayle. But Engist dredyng ye brytons sore / for they had dyscōfyted hȳ before / prayed Vortiger of a loue day / & sayd he was not comen in to this londe for to fyght / but for to haue his londe agayn / yf he myght accord wt the brytōs. Kyng Vortiger through coūseyle of his brytons graūted hym a loue day. And it was ordeyned by the brytons yt the loue daye shold be holden besyde Salysbury on an hyll / & Engyst sholde come thyder with. iiij .C. knyghtes & no moo. And ye kyng wt as many of ye wysest men of his londe. And at yt daye ye kyng came wt his coūseyle as it was ordeined. But Engist had warned his knightes pryuely that eche of them sholde put a longe knyfe in his hose / & whan he sayd fayre syrs it is tyme to speke of loue & peas / euery man anone shold drawe out his knyfe & slee a bryton. And so they slewe a. M. and .lxj. knyghtes / & with moche sorowe many o [...] them escaped. And ye kynge Vortiger there was taken & ledde to Thongcastel and put in prison. And some of Engistes men wolde that the kyng had ben brent all quycke. And Vortiger than for to haue his lyfe graunted them as moche as they wolde aske / & gaue vp all the londe townes / castelles / cytees & bourghes to Engyst & his folke. And all the brytons fledde thens in to Wales / & there helde them styll. And Engist went through ye londe & seased all the londe wt fraūchises & in euery place let cast down chirches & houses of religyon / & destroyed ye chrystē fayth through out all this londe / and let chaūge the name of ye londe / yt no man of his were so hardy after that tyme to cal this lōde Britayn / but call it Engist lōde And thā he departed ye londe to his men and made .vij. kynges for to strengthe ye londe / that ye brytons sholde neuer after come therin. The fyrst kyngdome was Kent / where Engist hymselfe regned / & was lorde & mayster ouer all the other. The .ij. was Southsex / yt now is called Chichestre. The .iij. Westsex. The .iiij. Eestsex. The .v. Estangyl / yt now is called Norfolk / Suffolk / Mercheme [...]k / yt is to saye ye erledom of Nicholl. The. v [...]. had Leycestre shyre / Northamton shyre Herforde / & Huntyngdon. The .vij. had Oxforde / Glocestre / Wynchestre / Warwyk / and Derby shyre.
¶ How Vortiger wente in to Wales / & began there a castell yt wolde not stande without morter tempred with blode.
WHan Engist had departed all the londe in this maner to his men / & delyuered Vortiger out of pryson to go where he wold / & he toke his way in to wales where his brytons dwelled / for yt londe was stronge & yll to wynne / & Engist neuer came there [...]e neuer knewe [...]. Vortiger helde hym there wt his brytōs & asked coūseyle what was best to do [...] & they gaue hȳ coūseyle to make a strong castell / yt he might kepe & defende hȳself therin yf nede were. ¶ Masons in haste were fette / & began ye werke vpon ye hyll of Breigh. But certes thus it befel [...] all ye werke yt the masons made a daye [...]t fe [...]l downe ye night / & they wyst not what it myght be / & therof ye kynge was sore anoyed of yt chaūce / & wyst not what to do Wherfore he let send after ye wysest clerkes & lerned men that were through out wales yt myght be foūde / for they shold hym tell wherfore ye foūdamēt so fayled vnder the werke / & that they shold hym tell what was best to do. And whā these wyse men longe tyme had studyed / they sayd to ye kyng yt he sholde do seke a childe borne of a woman yt neuer had to do [Page] with man / and that chylde he sholde do slee / & tempre with his blode the morter of the werke / and so sholde the werke euer endure without ende.
¶ How ye kyng let seke Merlin through out all Wales for to speke with hym.
WHan the kyng herde this / he cō maūded his messengers anone to go through out all Wales to seke that chylde / yf they myght fynde hym / and that they sholde brynge hym forth with them vnto hym. And in recorde and in wytnes of this thynge he had taken them his lettres / that they ne were destroubled of no man ne lette. And than ye messengers went thens & spedde so fast / that they came in to a town that was called Karmardyne / and as they passed forth theyr waye / they foūde two chyldren of .xxiiij. yere of age chydynge togyder with hasty wordes / and one of them sayd to that other. Donebat quod he / ye do all wronge to stryue with me / for ye haue no wytte ne no reason as I haue. Certes Merlyn quod he / of your wytte ne your reason I make no forte / for men tell comynly yt ye haue no thȳge of god almyghty / syth ye had neuer fader / but euery man knoweth well who was your moder. ¶ The messengers of kynge Vortiger whan they herde this stryfe bytwene ye two gromes / they asked of them yt stode besyde them whens that Merlyn was borne / and also who nourysshed hym. And they tolde them yt a grete gentylwoman of Karmardyne called Adhan was his moder / but none knewe who was his fader. Whan the kynges messengers herd these tydȳges they went anone to hym that was wardeyne of ye towne & tolde hym ye kynges wyll / & shewed hym his lettre / & wherfore they were comen thyder. Merlyn & his moder anone were fetched before the wardeyn of ye towne / & he cōmaūded thē that they sholde go to ye kynge with his messengers. Merlyn & his moder went thens & came vnto ye kyng / & there they were receyued wt moche honour. And ye kyng asked of the lady yf yt chylde were her sone / & who hym begate. The lady answered full tenderly wepynge & sayd she neuer had company of man worldly But syr sayd she / whan I was a yonge mayden in my faders chambre / wt other of grete lignage in my cōpany / that oftē tymes went to sporte them / I left alone in my chambre & wolde not go forth for brēnynge of ye sonne / there came on a tyme a fayre bacheler & entred ī my chambre where I was alone / but how he came in / & where / I wyst it neuer / ne yet knowe I not / for ye dores were fast barred / & wt me he dyd game of loue. For I had no myght nor power to defende me from hȳ. And oftē he came to me in ye fore sayd maner / so yt he begate this chylde / but neuer myght I wyte what he was.
¶ Of the answere of Merlyn vpon the kynges castell that wolde not stande.
WHan Merlyn had herde all that his moder had sayd / he spake to the kynge in this maner. ¶ Syr [Page xliii] how I was begoten aske ye no more / for it falleth not to you nor to none other to knowe / but tell me ye cause wherfore I am brought to you / & wherfore ye haue sent for me. Certes quod the kynge / my wyse coūseylers haue done me to vnderstande / that ye morter of a werke that I haue begon behoueth to be tēpred with your blode / or the foūdament shall fayle for euermore. Syr said Merlin / wyll ye slee me for my blode to tempre with your morter. Ye quod the kynge / or elles shall neuer my castell stāde / as my coūseylers tell me. Than answered Merlyn to the kyng. Syr said he / let them come before me those wyse coūseylers / & I wyll preue that they saye not well ne truly. And whan the wyse men were comen / Merlyn asked yf his blode were the cause to make ye werke stande & endure. All those wyse men were abasshed and coude not answere. Than sayd Merlyn to ye kyng Syr I shall tell you the cause wherfore your werke thus falleth & may not stande. There is vnder the moūtayn where ye buylde your toure a grete pond of water / & in the bottom of ye ponde vnder the water there is two dragons / that one is whyte & that other reed / that fyght togyder agaynst your werke. Do ye depe myne tyll your men come to the pond / & do your men take away ye water all out & than ye shal se the dragons as I haue tolde you / yt fight togyder agaynst your werke. And this is the cause wherfore the foūdament falleth. The kyng anone let dygge vnder tyll ye men came to that ponde / & let do away all ye water / & there they foūde two dragons as Merlin had tolde them that egerly f [...]ught togyder. The whyte dragon egerly assayled the reed / & layde on hym so strongly that he myght not endure / but withdrewe him [...] rested in the same caue. And whan he had a whyle rested hym / he went before the reed dragon & assayled hym angerly & helde hym so sore / that he myght not endure agaynst hym / but wt drewe hym & rested. And after came agayn ye whyte dragon & strongly fought wt the reed dragon / & bote hym euyl & ouercame hym ye he fled frō thens & no more came agayn.
¶ Of the significacyon of these two dragons that were in the bottom of the ponde that fought togyder.
[...]His kyng Vortiger & his men ye sawe this bataile had grete meruayle / & prayed Merlyn to tell hȳ what it myght betoken. Syr sayd Merlyn / I shall tell you. The reed dragon betokeneth your selfe / & the whyte betokeneth the folke of Saxonie that fyrst ye toke & helde in your lond / that fought agaynst you / & haue dryuen & chaced you awaye But Britons of your lignage ouercame them & droue them awaye. And sythen at the comynge agayne of the Sarons they recouered this londe / & helde it for euermore / & droue out the brytōs / & dyd with this lōde al theyr wyll & destroyed chrystendom through out this londe. Ye had fyrst ioye wt theyr comyng / but now it is turned to your grete domage & sorowe. For the two bretherne of Cōstance that was kyng / whiche ye let see shall come before a quinzeme passed wt a grete power frō lytel Brytayn / & shall auenge the deth of theyr broder / and they shall brenne you fyrst with sorowe / and afterwarde they shall slee a grete parte of saxons / & shall dryue out all ye [...]emenaūt of the londe / & therfore abyde ye here no lenger to make castel ne none other w [...]rke / but anone go els where to saue your lyfe. To god I you betake / trouth I haue sayd to you of thynges yt shall be fall. And vnderstande ye well that Aurilam bros shall be kynge / but he shall be poysoned / & lytell tyme shall he regne.
¶ Of kynge Aurilambros / and how he pursued Vortiger and Eugist / and how they dyed.
MErlyn & his moder departed frō the kynge / and returned agayne to Karmardyne. And soone after tydynges came to the Brytons that Aurilam bros and Vter his broder were arryued at Totnes with a grete host. And anone the Brytons assembled them and went to receyue Aurilambros and Vter with grete noblenes / & brought them to London / and crowned Aurilambros & made hym kyng / and dyd vnto hym homage. And anone he asked where as Vortiger myght be foūde that was kynge / for he wolde be auenged of his broders deth / and after he wolde warre vpon ye paynyms. And they tolde hym that Vortiger was in wales / & so they ladde hym thyder warde. Vortiger wyst well that those bretherne came to conquere hym / and fledde thens into a castell that was called Gerneth / that stode vpon an hye moūtayne / and there helde hym. Aurilambros and Vter his broder and theyr folke had besyeged the castell full longe tyme / for the castell was stronge & well arayed. So at the last they kest wylde fyre and brente houses and men and all theyr araye & as moche as was within the castell. So that Vortiger was brent amonge all other / and so he dyed with moche sorowe. ¶ Than was Engist in Kent and regned there / and herde these tydynges / anone he fledde & wolde haue gone in to Scotlonde for to haue had socoure. But Aurilambros and his folke mette with hym in the north countree / and gaue hym batayle. And Engist and his men defended them whyles yt they myght / but he and his folke were dyscomfited and slayne. And Otta his sone fledde vnto yorke. And Aurilambros folowed hym egerly. And Otta with stode hym a lytell whyle / but afterwarde he put hym to his mercy. And Aurilabros receyued hym / and to hym & to his men gaue the countree of Galeway in Scotlonde / & there they dwelled. After that the kynge Aurilambros went through out the londe / and put awaye the name of Engyst londe / that Engyst after his name had called it before. Than he let call it agayne grete Brytayne / and let make agayn chirches and houses of relygyon / castelles / cytees / and borowes and townes that the Saxous had destroyed / and came to London / and dyd do make the walles of the cyte / whiche Engist & his folke had cast downe. The Brytons ladde hym to the moūt of Ambrian where somtyme was an hous of relygyon whiche than was destroyed through ye paynyms / wherof a knyght that was called Ambry that somtyme was foūder of that hous / and therfore the hyll was called the mount of Ambryan. And after it was called Ambesbury / and shall be so for euermore.
¶ How Aurilambros dyd redresse the londe of grete Brytayne / whiche was destroyed through the Saxons.
HOw the kynge Aurilambros let amende and redresse the hous of Ambesbury / and put there in monkes / but now there be Nonnes / alytell from the place that was called Salysbury / or where as the Saxons slewe the Britons / where as Engist and the Britons sholde haue made a loue daye / in yt whiche tyme there were slayne a thousande & .lxj. knyghtes through treason of Engist. The kynge therof had grete pyte / & thought to make in mynde of them a monument of stone that myght endure to the worldes ende. And of this thynge [Page xliiii] they toke theyr counseyle what therof was best to do. Than spake to ye kynge the bysshop of London that was called Ternekyn yt he shold enquyre after Mer lyn / for he coude best tell how this thȳge myght best be made. And Merlyn after was sought & foūde / & came to ye kynge. And the kyng tolde hym his wyll of the monument yt he wold haue made. Merlyn answered to ye kynge & sayd. There ben grete stones in Irlond & longe vpon the hyll of Kian yt ben called gyaūtes ka roll / & yf they were in this place as they be there / they wold endure for euermore in remembraūce of those knyghtes that here be buryed. Perma foy sayd ye kyng as harde stones ben in my lōde as in Ir lōde. Soth sayd Merlyn / but in all your londe there be none suche. For gyauntes set them for grete good of themselfe. For at euery tyme yt they were woūded or in ony maner hurt / they wasshed ye stones with hote water / and thā they wasshed them therwith / & anone they were hole.
¶ How the Brytons went for to seke the grete stones in Irlonde.
ANd whā these Britōs had herd of this thȳge they went & swore amonge them that they wolde goo seke those stones / & toke with them Vter the kȳges broder to be theyr chefe capitayn and .v. M. mē / & Merlin coūseyled them for to go vnto Irlonde / and so they dyd. And whan the kynge of Irlonde yt was called Guillomer herde tell ye straūgers were arriued in his londe / he assembled a grete power / & fought agaynst them / but he & his folke were discōfyted. The Brytons wente before tyll they came to the moūt of Kylian / & clymmed vp vnto the moūt. But whan they sawe the stones / & the maner how they stode / they had grete meruayle / and sayd bytwene themselfe that no man sholde them remeue for no strength ne engyne so grete they were & so lōge. But Merlin thrugh his crafte he remeued them / & brought them in to theyr shyppes & came agayn in to this londe. And Merlin set ye stones where the kyng wolde haue them / & set them in the same maner that they stode in Irlonde. And whan ye kynge sawe yt it was made / he thāked Merlin & ryche ly hym rewarded at his own wyll / & let call ye place Stonehenge for euermore.
¶ How Passent yt was Vortigers sone & kyng Guillomer came in to this londe & how a traytour that was called Cappa empoysoned ye kyng Aurilambros.
ANd men shall vnderstāde ye Passent yt was Vortigers sone liued the same tyme / & came in to this lond wt a grete power / & arryued in ye north coū tre / & wold be auēged of his faders deth Vortiger / & strongly trusted vpon ye com pany that he had brought wt hym out of the londe of Germany / & had conquered all ye North coūtre vnto Yorke. And whā kyng Aurilambros herde this he assem bled a grete power of britons & went for to fyght with Passent / & he discomfyted Passent and al his people. But Passent escaped thens with some of his men & fledde thens in to Irlōde & came to kyng Guillomer / & prayed hym of helpe & socour. The kynge graūted hym wt good wyll / & sayd yt he wold helpe hym vpon that couenaunt that I my selfe must go with you with all my power in to Brytayne / and I wold me auenge vpon the Brytons the rather / for they came in to my londe / & toke ye stones with strength that is called gyaūtes karoll. The kyng Guillomer let ordeyne his shyppes and went to the see with .xv. [...]. men / & arryued in wales / & began to robbe & dyd [Page] moche sorowe. ¶ It befell so that kyng Aurilambros lay feke at Wynchestre / & myght not helpe hymselfe. So that he sent in his name Vter his broder with a power to helpe wales / & thyderwarde he went as moche as he myght. The kyng of Irlonde and Passent had herde tell that Aurilambros was seke / and to them there came a sarasyn yt was called Coppa / and sayd. Syr dwell ye here all in peas wt your hoost / & I behyght you through my queyntyse yt I shall slee the kynge Aurilambros that is seke. Than sayd Passent / yf ye do so I shall rychely aua [...]i [...]e you. This traytour Coppa put vpon hym an habyte of relygyon / & let shaue hym a brode crowne / & came vnto the kynges courte / & sayd that he wolde helpe ye kyng of his malady. Than sayd the traytour Coppa vnto ye kynge. Syr be of good conforte / for I shall gyue you suche a medycyne yt ye shall swete anone ryght and lyst to slepe & haue good rest. And ye traytour gaue hym suche poyson to slepe / that anone ryght in his slepyng he dyed / & the traytour sayd yt he wolde go out in to ye felde tyll he were awaked And so escaped he away / for no man had to hym suspeccyon for bycause of his ha byte that he was clothed in / and also for his brode shauen crowne. But whan the kynges men wyst yt he was deed / they became wonders sory / & fast sought the traytour / but they myght not fynde hȳ. For that traytour returned agayne vnto the hoost fro whens he came.
¶ Whan Aurilambros was deed / a sterre on ye morow was seen wt a clere lyght / & at yt bought of the beme was seen the heed of an horryble dragon.
WHan the kyng Aurilābros was thus deed & empoisoned at wyn chestre / on ye morowe after that he was deed aboute the tyme of pryme there was seen a sterre grete & clere / & ye beme of ye sterre was bryghter than the soune / & at the bought of the beme appe red a dragons heed / & out of his mouth came two huge lyghtes that were as bryght as ony fyre brennynge / & the one beme toward fraūce & streyght ouer the see thyderwarde / & out of ye beme came vij. bemes full clere & longe as it were ye lyght fyre. This sterre was seen of many a man / but none of them wyst what it betokened. Vter that was kyng Auri lambros broder yt was in Wales with his hoost of Brytons sawe that sterre / & the grete light that it gaue / he wondred therof gretly what it myght betoken / & let call Merlyn / & prayed hym for to tell what it myght betoken.
¶ Of the betokenynge of the sterre.
MErlyn sawe that sterre & behelde it longe tyme / & sythen he quoke and wept tenderly / and sayd. Alas alas that so noble a kynge and so worthy is deed. And I do you to vnderstande that Aurilābros your broder is empoysoned and that I se well in this sterre / & your selfe is betokened by the heed of the dragon that is seen at the bought of ye beme that is your selfe that shall be kyng and regne. And by ye beme yt stādeth toward the eest is vnderstande that ye shall gete a sone that shall conquere all Fraunce / & all the londes yt belongeth to the crowne of fraūce / that shall be a worthyer kyng and of more honour than euer was ony of his aunceters. And by the beme that stretcheth toward Irlonde is betokened that ye shall haue a doughter that shall be quene of Irlonde. And the .vij. bemes betoken that ye shall haue .vij. sones / & euery one of them shall be kynge / & shall regne with moch honour. And abyde ye [Page xlv] no longer here / but go & gyue batayle to your enemyes / & fyght wt them boldly / for ye shal ouercome them & haue ye victo ry. Vter thāked Merlyn hertely / & toke his men & went towarde his enemyes / & they fought togyder mortally / & so he discomfyted his enemyes and destroyed them / & hymselfe slewe Passent yt was Vortigers sone. And his Britons slewe Guillomer that was kynge of Irlonde and all his men. And Vter anone after ye batayle toke his waye towarde Wynthestre for to do bury kynge Aurilābros that was his broder. But thā was the body borne to Stonehenge with moche honour / that he had do make in remem braūce of the Brytons that there were slayne through treason of Engyst / that same daye that they sholde haue ben accorded / and in ye same place they buryed Aurylambros / the seconde yere of his regne with all the worship that myght belonge vnto suche a kynge. On Whose soule god haue mercy. Amen.
¶ Of Vter pendragon / & wherfore he was called so ye shall here. And how he was ouertaken wt the loue of Igreyne yt was the erles wyfe of Cornewayle.
AFter the dethe of Aurilambros Vter his broder was crowned & regned worthely. And i remembraūce of the dragon that he was likened to / he let make two dragons through coūseyle of his Britons / & made that one for to be borne before hym whā he went in to ba tayle / & that other for to abyde at Wynchestre in the bysshops chirche. And for that cause he was called euer after Vter pendragon. And Otta yt was Engistes sone cōmended Vter but lytell that was made newe king / & agaynst hym began to moue warre / & ordeyned a grete company of his frendes / & of his kynne / & of Ossa his broder / & had taken all ye londe from Humber vnto Yorke. But those of Yorke helde strongly agaynst them / and wold not suffre them to come in to ye cite neyther to yelde ye cite to them / & he besyeged the towne anone ryght / & gaue therto a strōge assaute / but they of yt cite kepte them well & strongly. And whan Vter herde therof / he came thyder wt a grete power for to helpe and rescow the cite / & put awaye the syege and gaue a stronge batayle / & Otta & his company defended them as well as they myght. But at ye last they were discōfyted / & the moost parte of them slayne / and Otta & Ossa were taken & put in prison at Lon don. And Vter hȳselfe dwelled a whyle at Yorke / & after he went to Londe. And at Eester after he wolde bere crowne / & holde a solem [...]ne feest / and let somon all his erles & barons / that they shold come to that feest / & all those that had wyues shold brynge them also to ye [...]eest. And all came at the kynges cōmaundement as they were commaūded. The feest was rychely arayed & holden / & all worthely set to meet after that they were of estate So yt the erle Gorloys of Corne wayle & Igreyne his wyfe sate nexte to ye kynge And whan the kynge sawe the fayrnes of that lady that she had / anone he was rauysshed for her beaute / & ofre he made to her nyce countenaūce in lokynge and laughynge. So at the last the erle perceyued the preuy lokynge & laughynge and the loue bytwene them / and rose up from ye table in wrath / & toke his wyfe / and called to hym his knightes / & went thens all in wrath wtout takyng leue of the kynge. The kynge anone sent after hym that he sholde come agayn & go not thens in despyte of hȳ. And ye erle wolde not come agayne in no maner of wyse. Wherfore the kynge was full wroth / & in wrath hym defyed as his deedly cu [...] my. [Page] And ye erle went thens in to Cornewayle with his wyfe in to the castell of Tyntagell. And the kynge let ordeyne a grete hoost & came in to Cornewayle for to destroye the erle yf he myght. But he had put hym in y• stronge castell of Tyn tagell yt was well arayed / & wolde not yelde hym to ye kyng. And ye kyng anone besyeged the castell / & there dwelled .xv. days & might not spede / & euer thought vpon Igreyne / & vpon her layde so moche loue / that he wyst not what to do. So at y• last he called to hym a knyght yt was called Vlfin that was preuy with hym / & tolde hȳ all his coūseyle / & asked of hym what was best to do. Syr sayd he / sende after Merlyn anone / for he can tell you the best coūseyle of ony man lyuynge. Merlyn anone was sent after & came to ye kyng. And the kyng told hym all his coūseyle and his wyll. Syr sayd Merlyn / I shall do so moche through ye crafte that I can / that I shal make you come to nyght in ye castell of Tyntagell / & shall haue all your wyll of that lady.
¶ How kyng Vter begate on Igreyne that was the erles wyfe of Cornewayle Arthur kynge.
MErlyn through crafte yt he coude chaunged y• kynges fygure in to the lykenes of the erle / & Vlfin Garloys his chamberleyn in to ye fygure of Iordan that was y• erles chamberleyn / so y• eche of them was trāsfigured to others lykenes. And whan Merlin had so done he sayd to the kynge. Syr sayd he / now may ye go sodeynly to ye castell of Tyntagell / & aske entre there and haue your wyll. The kyng toke pryuely all ye hoost to gouerne and lede to a knyght that he moche loued / & toke his waye towarde the castell / & with hym toke Vlfyn his chamberlayne and Merlyn. And whan they came thyder / y• porter wende it had ben his owne lord. And whā tyme came for to go to bedde / y• kyng went to bedde with Igreyne the erles wyfe / and dyd with her all his wyl / & begate vpon her a sone whiche was called Arthur. And on the morowe ye kyng toke his leue of ye lady and went agayn to his hoost. And the same nyght that the kynge laye by Igreyne in bedde yt was the erles wyfe the kynges men gaue a grete assaute to the castel. And the erle & his men manly defended them. But at the last it befel so that in the same assaute the erle hȳselfe was slayne & the castell taken. And the kyng anone returned agayn to Tyntagell and spoused Igreyne with moche honour and made her quene. And soone after that the tyme came y• she sholde be delyuered & had a sone whiche was called Arthur. And after that gate on her a doughter that was called Amya. And whan she was of age a noble baron that was called Aloth y• was lorde of Leons wedded her. ¶ Whan Vter longe tyme had regned there came vpon hȳ a grete sekenes as it were a sorowe. And in the meane tyme those that had in kepynge Otta that was Engistes sone and Ossa his broder that than were in pryson / they let them goo for grete gyftes that they gaue / and wente with them. And whan these two bretherne were escaped & came agayne in to theyr owne coūtree they ordeyned a grete power of folke / & began to warre agayn vpon the kyng.
¶ How kynge Vter chose Aloth to kepe the londe of Brytayne whyle yt he was seke / for as moche as he myght not for his sekenes.
ANd for as moche as kyng Vter was seke & myght not helpe hȳ selfe / he ordeyned Aloth sone of Eleyne that than was chosen for to be wardeyn [Page xlvi] and [...]heftayne of all his folke. And so he anone & his Brytons assembled a grete hoost / & gaue batayle to Otta and to his folke / but Otta at the last was discomfyted. ¶ It be fell thus after warde that these brytons had indignacyon of Aloth & wolde not be to hym attendaūt / wher fore y• kynge was wonders fore anoyed and let put hym in a lyttet is the hoost amonge his folke. And they ladde hym to Vero [...]oin that than was a fayre cite / where as saynt Albon was martyred / and after was that cite destroyed with paynyms & through warre / and thyder they had sent Otta & Ossa & theyr people & entred in to ye towne & let make fast the gates / & there they helde them. And the king came & besyeged them / & made a stronge assaute. But they y• were win manly defended them. The kyng let ordeyn his gōnes & his engynes for to breke y• walles / & y• walles were so strōge y• no thynge myght misdo thē. Otta & his people had grete despite y• a kyng lyenge in a lytter had besteged them / & toke coū seyle to come out on ye morow & gyue batayle to ye king / & in that batayle Otta & Ossa were slayne / & al ye other alyue fled in to Scotlonde / & made Colegrin theyr cheftayne. And ye saxons y• were escaped brought agayn a grete strength / & sayd amonge them / yf kyng Vter were deed they shold well cōquere ye lōd / & thought to poyson hȳ / & ordeyned men to do this dede: gyuyng them grete gyftes / & they went thyderward in poore mēnes wede to accomplysshe theyr fals purpose / but it auayled not / for they myght not come nygh y• kyng. Tyll at ye last they espyed that ye kyng drāke none other ly [...]our but water of a clere well y• was nigh besyde & these traytours on a day priuely went to ye well & put therin poyson so yt al the water was poysoned / & anone after a [...] the kyng had dronken of y• water / he began to swell / & soone after dyed / & as many as dranke of y• water dyed also. And anone as this was espyed / folke of the towne let stop y• well for euermore. Whā the kyng was deed / his folke bare hȳ to Stonehenge wt grete solempnite of bysshops & barons y• were there to bury hȳ besyde Aurilambros his broder / & after returned agayn euerythone / & sent after Arthur his sone: & they made hym king of the londe with moche reuerence after his faders deth .xvij. yere of his regne.
¶ How Arthur yt was the sone of Vte [...] was crowned after his faders dethe / & how he droue out of this londe Coleg [...] & the saxons / & Cheldrik of Aimayne.
WHan Arthur was made kynge of the londe he was but yonge of .xv. yere of age / but he was fayre and bolde and doughty of body / & to meke folke he was good and curteys and large of spendynge / and made hym wondersly well beloued among all men where it was nede. And whā he began to regne he sware that the saxons neuer [Page] showe haue peas ne test tyll he had dryuen them out of the londe / & assembled a grete hoost & fought with Colegrin / the whiche after the tyme y• Otta was deed the saxons maynteyned. And this Colegrin was discōfyted & fledde vnto yorke & toke the cite / & there helde hym. And ye kynge besyeged hym there / but he gate no thynge / it was so stronge / & y• cite defended it manly. In y• meane tyme Cole grin left y• cyte to Bladud & fled hymself to Cheldrik that was kyng of Almayne for to haue socour of hym. And he assembled a grete power & arryued in scotlond with .v .C. shyppes. And whan Arthur wyst of these tydynges / & sawe he had not folk ynough to fyght wt Cheldrik / he lefte ye syege & went to London / & sent anone lettres to Howell of lytell Brytayn his neuewe his systers sone / yt he sholde come to hym wt all ye power yt he myght. And he assembled a grete host & arryued at southampton / where king Arthur receyued hym Ioyously wt moche honour. And those two hostes mette & assembled them / & toke theyr waye to Nichol that Cheldrik had besyeged / but it was not taken. And they came vpon Cheldrik & his people or they wist where that they were / & assayled thē egerly. Kyng Cheldrik & his men defended them manly to theyr power. But kyng Arthur and his men slewe so many saxons y• neuer was seen such slaughter. And Cheldrik & his men yt were left alyue fledde away / and kyng Arthur pursued them & droue thē out in to a wode yt they myght no ferder passe. Cheldrik & his mē sawe well that they were brought in to grete disease / & yelded them to kyng Arthur in this maner wise / that he shold take theyr horses & harneys & all yt they had / & they wold onely go on fote in to theyr shyppes / & so they wold go home in to theyr own lōde and neuer come agayn in to this londe. And vpon assuraūce of this thynge they gaue hym good host ages. And Arthur by counseyle of his men graunted this thynge / and receyued the hostages / and thervpon ye saxons went to theyr shyppes. And whan they were in the hye see the wynde chaūged as ye deuyll it wold and they turned theyr nauy and came agayne in to this londe and arryued at Cotnes / & went out of the shypp [...] and toke the loude / and clene robbed it / and slewe moche people / and toke all the armure that they myght fynde / & so they went forth tyll they came vnto Bathe. But the men of y• towne shette fast theyr gates / & wolde not suffre them to come within the towne / & they defended them well and manly agaynst them.
¶ How king Arthur gaue batayle vnto the sarons whan they came agayne in to this londe / & had besyeged the towne of Bathe / and ouercame them.
WHan kyng Arthur herde these tydynges / he anone let hange the hostages / & lefte Howell of Brytayn his neuewe for to kepe the marche to warde Scotlond with halfe his people / & hymselfe went to helpe & rescowe ye towne of Bathe. Whan he came thyder he gaue a stronge batayle to Cheldrik / & slewe almoost all ye people yt he had. For no man myght wtstande hym ne endure vnder ye stroke of his swerde / & there were slayne bothe Colegrin and Bladud his broder / and Cheldrik fledde thens & wold haue gone to his shyppes. But whan kynge Arthur wyst it / he toke .x. M. knyghtes to Cador that was erle of Cornewayle for to let & stop his passage. And Arthur hymselfe went toward y• marche of scot londe / for messengers told hym that the scottes had besyeged Howell of Britayn there as he [...]ay seke / & therfore he hasted [Page xlvii] hym thyderwarde. And Cador pursued after Cheldrik / & toke hym or he myght come to his shyppes / & slewe hym & his people. Whan Cador had done this viage / he hasted hym agayne towarde Arthur as fast as he myght / & foūde hym in Scotlonde / where he had rescowed Howell of Brytayne. But the Scottes were ferre within Mountef / and there they helde them a whyle / but Arthur pursued them / & they fledde thens in to Limoigne / there were in that coūtre .lx. yles / & grete plente of byrdes & Egles y• were wont to crye & fyght togyder and make grete noyse whan folke came to robbe that londe / and warne as moche as they myght / and so they dyd / for the Scottes were so grete rauenours / that they toke all that they myght fynde in the londe of Limoigne without ony sparynge / & therwith charged agayne the folke for to go in to Scotlonde.
¶ How kynge Arthur asked of Merlyn the aduentures of .vj. of the last kynges that were to regne in Englonde / & how the londe sholde ende.
SIr sayd Merlyn / in y• yere of the incarnacyon of Iesu Chryst. M .CC .xv. shall come a lambe out of Wynthestre that shall haue a whyte tongue & true lyppes / & he shall haue wryten in his hert holynes. This lambe shall make many goddes houses / & he shall haue peas ye moost parte of his lyfe / & he shall make one of ye fayrest places of ye worlde that in his tyme shall not fully be made an ende of. And in the ende of his lyfe a wolfe of a straūge londe shall do hȳ moche harme & sorowe through warre / but at ye lābe shall be mayster through helpe of a reed foxe that shall come out of the north west / & shall ouercome hym / & the wolfe shall dye in water. And after that tyme the lambe shal lyue no whyle but shal dye. His seed shal be in a straūge londe. And the londe shall be without a gouernour a lytell tyme.
ANd after this tyme shall come a dragon medled with mercy and also with woodnes / and he shall haue a berde as a gote / that shall gyue in Englonde a shadowe / and shall kep [...] the lond from colde & hete / and his one fote shall be set in wyke / and that other in London / & he shall embrace in habytacyons And he shall open his mouth towarde wales / & the tremblynge of the hydour of his mouth his eeres shall stretche towarde many haby [...]acyons & countrees & his breth shall be full swete in straūge londe. And in his tyme shall the ryuers renne blode & with brayne. And he shall make in places of his londe walles that shall do moche harme vnto his seed after his tyme. And than shall there come a people out of the Northwest durynge his regne / that shall be ladde through a wycked hare / that the dragon shall do crowne kyng / that afterwarde shall flee ouer the see / without comynge agayne for drede of ye dragon. And in that tyme the sonne shall be as reed as blode that men shall se through out all the worlde / that shall betoken grete pestylence and deth of folke / through dynt of swerde & that people shall be faderles tyll y• tyme that ye dragon dye through an hare that shal m [...]ue warre agaynst hym vnto the ende of his lyf / that shall not fully be ended in his tyme. This dragon shall beholde in his tyme the best body of the worlde / and he shall dye besyde the marches of a straūge londe / & the londe shall dwell faderles without a good gouernour / and men shall wepe for his deth from the yle of Shepey vnto the hauen of Mar [...]yl / wherfore alas shall be theyr [Page] songe of faderlesse folke / that shall ouer lyue in his londe destroyed.
ANd after this dragon shall come a gote out of Kar that shall haue hornes and a berde of syluer / and there shal come out of his nosethrilles a domp that shall betoken hungre & sorowe and grete dethe of the people. And moche of his londe in y• begynnynge of his regne shall be wasted. This gote shall go ouer in to Fraūce / & shall open y• floure of his lyfe & deth. In his tyme there shal aryse an Egle in Cornewayle that shall haue fethers of golde / that of pryde shall be wt out pere of the londe / & he shall despyse lordes of blode. And after he shal flee shamefully by a bere at Gauerscch. And after shal be made brydges of men vpon y• costes of the see / & stones shall fall from castelles / & many other townes shall be made playne. In this tyme shall seme yt the bere shall brenne / & a batayle shall be done vpon y• armes of y• see in a felde ordeined as a shelde / & at that batayle shal dye many whyte hedes / wherfore this batayle shall be called y• whyte batayle. And the foresayd bere shall do this gote moche harme / & it shall come out of the south west & of his blode. Than shal the gote lese moche of his londe / tyll y• tyme that shendshyp shall ouercome hȳ. And than shall he clothe hym in a lyons skyn & than shall he wynne that he had lost & more therto. For a people shall come out of the northwest y• shall make the gote so sore aferde yt he shall be in grete ꝑplexite And he shall auenge hȳ on his enemyes by the counseyle of two owles that fyrst shall be in peryll for to be vndone. But y• olde owle shall go away a certayn tyme and after he shall come agayn in to this lōde. These two owles shall do grete harme to many one / & so they shal coūseyle y• gote to arere warre agaynst y• foresayd bere. And at the last the gote & y• owles shall come at Burton vpō Trent / & shall go ouer / & for drede the bere shall flee & a swan wt hym fro his cōpany to Burton towarde y• north / & there they shall be wt an harde shoure / & thā shall the swanne be taken & slayne with sorowe / & y• bere taken & heded nexte vnto his nest y• shall stande vpon a broken brydge / on whom the sonne shall cast his bemes / & many shall hym seke for vertue that shal come from hym. In the same shall dye for sorowe & care a people of his londe / so that many londes shall be vpon hym y• more bolder afterward. And those two owles shall do moche harme to y• soresayd floure of lyfe / & shall lede her in to dystresse / so that she shall passe ouer the see in to fraūce for to make peas bytwene y• gote & the flourdelyce / & there she shall dwell tyll a tyme that her seed shall come and seche her / & they shall be styll tyll a tyme that they shall clothe them with grace / and they shall seche y• owles & put them to despytous dethe. And after shall this gote be brought to dysease & anguysshe / and in sorowe shall he lyue all his lyfe.
AFter this gote shall come out of wyndsore a bore that shall haue an heed of a whyte lions hert / & piteous lokynge. His vysage shall be rest to seke men. His brest shal be staūchȳg of thurst to y• thursty. his word shal be gospel. his herynge shall be meke as a lambe. In y• first yere of his regne he shal haue grete payne to iustyfye them that be vntrue. And in his tyme shall his lōde be multyplyed wt aliaūtes. And this bore thrugh fyersnes of his hert / shall make wolues to become lambes. And he shal be called through out the worlde / the bore of holynes / of fyersnes / of noblenes / & of mekenes. And he shall do mesurably all that he shall do vnto y• bourgh of Ierusalem [Page xlviii] And he shall whette his tethe vpon the gates of Parys / and vpon foure londes Spayn shall tremble for drede. Gascoyn shall swete. In Fraūce he shall put his wynge. His grete tayle shall rest in Englonde softly. Almayne shal quake for drede of him. This bore shal gyue mantels to two townes of Englōde / & shal make the ryuer ren wt blode & brayne / & he shal make many medowes reed / & shall gete as moche as his auncesters dyd / & or he dye he shall bere thre crownes / & he shal put a lond in to grete subieccyon / & after it shal be recouered / but not in his tyme. This bore after he is deed for his dough tynes shal be buryed at Coleyn / and his londe shall than be replete of all good.
AFter this bore shal come a lambe hauyng feet of leed / & an heed of brasse & a hert of a loppe / a swynes skyn and an hard. And in his tyme his londe shall be in peas ye fyrst yere of his regne He shal do make a cite yt all ye worlde shal speke of. This lambe shall lese through a wolfe a grete part of his londe / but he shall recouer it / & gyue a lordshyp to an egle of his lond / & this egle shal well gouerne it tyll pryde shall ouercome hym / alas y• sorowe / for he shall dye of his broders swerde. And after shall ye londe fall to the foresayd lambe / yt shall rule ye lōde in peas all his lyfe / & after he shal dye / & the londe shall be fulfylled wt all goodes.
AFter this lābe shall come a mold warpe / cursed of gods mouth / a caytyf / a coward / an hare. He shal haue an elderly skyn as a gote / & vengeaunce shall fall vpon hym for synne. The fyrst yere of his regne he shal haue of al good grete plente in his londe / and shall haue grete praysyng in his lond tyll y• tyme y• he shall suffre his people lyue īto moche pryde wtout chastysynge / wherfore god wyll be wroth. Thā shall aryse vp a dragon of the north that shal be full fyers / & shal meue warre agaynst y• moldwarpe gyuynge hym batayle on a stone. This dragon shal gadre in his cōpany a wolfe comynge out of the west to meue warre agaynst the moldwarp in his syege / & so shal y• dragon & he bynde theyr tayles to gyder. Than shall come a lyon out of It londe yt shal fall in cōpany with them / & than shall tremble ye londe yt shall be called englōde as an aspen lefe / & in y• tyme shall castels be kest down vpon Tamyse And it shal seme y• Seuerne shal be drye for the deed bodyes that shall fall therin The .iiij. chefe flodes in Englonde shall ren in blode / & grete drede shall be & anguysshe yt shal aryse. After ye moldwarp shall flee & ye dragon. The lyon & ye wolfe shall dryue them away / & the londe shall be wtout them. And the moldwarp shall haue no maner of power / saue onely a shyppe wherto he may go. And after yt he shall gyue ye thyrde parte of his londe to haue the fourth parte in rest & peas / & after he shall lyue in sorowe all his lyfe tyme. And in his tyme ye hote baths shal become colde. And after yt shall the moldwarp dye auenturously & sodemly / alas for sorowe / for he shall be drowned in a flode of the see. His seed shall become faderles in stran̄ge londes for euermore & than shall the lond be departed in to thre partes / yt is to say / to the wolfe / to ye dragon / & to ye lyon. And so shal it be for euer more. And than shall this londe be called the londe of cōquest. And so shal ye tyght heyres of Englonde ende. ¶ This same tyme that Merlin tolde to kyng Arthur of those kynges / Guillomer of Irlonde ordeyned a grete power of Irysshmen & arryued in Scotlonde fast by where as kyng Arthur lay wt his hoost.
¶ How kyng Arthur fought wt Guillomer & ouercame hym. And how ye scottes became his men.
WHan Guillomer that was kyng of Irlonde herde tydinges that king Arthur was entred at Glastenbury / he ordeyned a grete power of Irysshmen & came to y• see wt them / & so came in to scotlond ouer y• see / & arryued fast by there as king Arthur was wt his hoost. And anone as he wyst therof / he went towardes hym & gaue hȳ batayle & ouercame hym. And Guillomer fled wt his men agayn in to Irlonde. And whā this was done / Arthur returned agayn in to y• place where he had lefte y• scottes & wold haue slayne them all. But y• bysshops / abbots & other folke of y• coūtre & ladyes open heded come before kyng Arthur & cryed hȳ mercy / sayenge. Gentyl kyng as ye are a mayntayner of christē dom / haue pite on vs your euen chrystē / for by our deth ye gete no worship / as to slee chrystē folke / & therfore haue mercy on vs / for we haue had moche sorowe by the Saxons y• haue passed through our countree / but y• is not ynough to you / for they haue taken our castels & slayne out beestes & eten / & moch harme haue done vs / & yf ye slee vs cryenge you mercy / it sholde be grete dyshonour to you. For ye haue done ynough to vs / & haue ouercomē vs / & for goddes loue suffre vs to lyue & haue mercy on chrystē people y• byleue in Chryst as ye do. Whan kyng Arthur herd this sorowe / he had pite on them / & gaue them lyf & lymme wtout ony more harme / & they fell down to his feet & thā ked hym / & became his lyege men / & he toke of them homage. And after y• kyng Arthur turned agayn wt his host & came to yorke / & there abode duryng y• vyage. And than gaue he al Logres to Aloth yt had spoused his syster / & plente of other gyftes. Thā was Gawen his cosyn but yōge of age. To al his men y• had serued hym in his warre he gaue ryche gyftes thankynge them of theyr good seruyce.
¶ How kyng Arthur spoused Gueneuer y• erles cosyn of Cornewayle / and after he conquered all Irlonde.
WHan kynge Arthur had brought his londe in peas & rest & in good state / and all was well in euery coūtree. Thā toke he & wedded a wyfe y• was called Gueneuer / & made her quene / a fayre lady & a gentyl / y• Cador y• erle of Cornewayle had nourysshed in his chambre yt was his cosyn. But neuer they had childrē togyder / & neuertheles king Arthur loued her full well. And anone as wynter was past / he let assemble a grete host and all his barons / & sayd that he wold go in to Irlonde for to conquere y• londe. And he taryed not longe y• he ne passed ouer in to Irlōde. And Guillomer y• king let assemble a grete host / & gaue batayle to kynge Arthur. But Guillomer was discōfyted and yelded hym to the kynge & became his man / & to hym dyd feaute & homage / & of hym helde all that londe [Page xlix] fro that tyme forward. And after passed kyng Arthur ferthermore and cōquered Gutlonde & Islonde / & toke homage of y• folke of the londe / and there dwelled .xij. yere in peas / and regned with ioye and myrth / & there warred no man nor woman vpon hym. And he became so curteys & large & honourable / that the emperours courte of Rome / ne none other through out all y• worlde was not accoū ted to kyng Arthur y• ony man wyst of / nor none so well praysed. And therfore y• best knyghtes of all maner londes came vnto hym there for to dwell. And he receyued them wt good wyll & reuerence. And all the knyghtes were so good that no man knewe the werst. And therfore kynge Arthur made a roūde table / that whan they sholde syt at theyr meet / all sholde be lyke hye & euenly serued at the table / yt none of them sholde make vaunt that one were hyer than an other. And kyng Arthur had at that table brytons & frenshmen / normās & flemynges / bur gonyons / mausers & lotherins / & of all the londes on this halfe the moūt Gorye and of his londe of grete Brytayne / & of Cornewayle / of Wales / & of Irlonde / & of Scotlond / and shortly to tell of all the londes that wolde worshyp cheualrye suche came to kynge Arthurs courte.
¶ How kyng Arthur went in to fraūce & conquered the londe of Froll that was a Romayne / & how he slewe hym.
SIth it befell that kynge Arthur through coūseyle of his barons & lordes wolde go to conquere all Fraunce that than was called Galle through Romayns that than helde y• londe in theyr power & in theyr gouernaūce. And y• Romayns had taken that londe to a noble knyght and a worthy of body that was called Froll. And whan he wyst y• kyng Arthur came / he ordeyned an hoost of a grete power / & fought with the kynge / And he & his folke were dyscomfyted / & fledde vnto Parys & entred the cite / and closed the gates / and there helde hym. Whā Arthur wyst that Froll was gone to Parys / he pursued after & came thyder & besyeged hym. But the cite was stronge & well arayed / & they that were therin defended them well and manly. Kynge Arthur dwelled there more than a moneth / & there was so moche people in the cite y• they dispended all theyr vytayles y• they had wtin: & so grete hunger became amonge them y• they dyed wonders thycke within y• cite for hunger / & came vnto Froll / & prayed hym to be accorded wt kyng Arthur for to haue peas and they wolde yelde them vnto hym & the cite also. Froll saw that he might no longer holde the cite agaynst theyr wyll & trusted gretly vpon his owne strength & sent to kynge Arthur y• he sholde come fyght wt hym body for body / & so sholde they departe fraūce bytwene them two. Kyng Arthur anone graūted it / & [...] not that none of his people vndertoke y• batayle for hym. And on y• [...]orow bothe came well arayed wtout Parys / where as they shold fyght. And anone togyder they smote so fyersly / and so well they fought on bothe sydes / y• no man coude deme the better of them. And so it befell that Froll gaue Arthur suche a stroke y• he kneled to the groūde wheder he wold or not / & as Froll withdrewe his [...]erde he woūded kyng Arthur in the foreheed that y• blode fell downe by his eyen & his face. Arthur anone sterte vp egerly whā he felte hȳselfe hurte as a man y• semed almoost wood / & he toke Tabourne his good swerde & drewe it vp on hygh / and gaue Froll suche a stroke y• therwith he claue his heed downe to y• sholders / so y• his heline myght not be his warent / & [Page] so he fell down deed in ye place. And than they of ye cite made grete sorow for Froll And euerychone yelded them vnto kyng Arthur / & the towne also / & became his men / & dyd to hȳ homage & feaute. And he receyued them / & toke of them good hostages. And kynge Arthur after that went forth wt his host & cō [...]uered Angeo & Angiers / Gascoin / Poytou / Nauerne & Burgoyn / Berry / Lotherin / Turin / & Poytiers / & all ye other londes of fraūce he conquered holly. And whā he had all conquered & taken homage & feaute / he [...]turned agayn to Parys / & there dwelled he longe tyme / & ordeyned peas lōge tyme ouer all ye coūtree & through out all fraūce. And whan peas was made ouer all through his noble knyghthode yt he had / & also for his own worthynes. And no man were he neuer so grete a lorde durst not meue warre agaynst hym neyther to aryse to make the londe of fraūce vnquyete. And in peas he dwelled there ix. yere / & did many grete wonders / & re proued many proude men & yll tyraūtes [...] chastised them after theyr deseruyng.
¶ How kyng Arthur auaunted all his men that had trauayled in his seruyce.
[...]Nd afterwarde it befell thus at eester there as he helde a feest at Parys / & rychely he begā to auaūce his knightes for theyr seruice that they had holpen hym in his conquest. He gaue to his stewarde yt was called Kay Angeo & Ang [...]ers / & to Bedeler his butler he gaue Normādy that was called Neustrie And to Holdyn his chamberlayn he gaue Flaundres & Mance / & to Dorell his cosyn he gaue Boloyne / and to Rychard his neuewe he gaue Pountyf / and to all other he gaue large londes & fees after they were of estate. And whan Arthur had thus feffed his knyghtes / at Apryl nexte after folowynge he came agayn in to Britayn his owne londe / and after at whytsontyde nexte folowynge by counseyle of his barons he wol [...] be crowned kyng of Glomergon / & hel [...]e a solempne feest / & let somon knyghtes / erles / & barons / that they sholde come thyder euerychone / & there was Scater kynge of scotlōde / Cadwere kyng of southwales Guillomer kyng of Northwales / Maded kyng of Irlonde / Malgamus kyng of Gutlonde / Achilles kyng of Islonde / Aloth kynge of Denmarke / Gonewas kyng of Norway / & Hell his cosyn kyng of Dorkeney / Cador kyng of lytell Brytayne / Morwith erle of Cornewayle / Mauran erle of Glocestre / Guerdon erle of winchestre / Bo [...]l erle of Harford / Vrtegy erle of oxford / Cursal erle of Bathe Ionas erle of Chestre / Enerall erle of Dorchestre / Kymare erle of Salysbury Waloth erle of Caunterbury / Iugerne erle of Chichestre / Arall erle of Leicestre & ye erle of Warwyk / & many other moo ryche lordes. Brytons there came moo / that is to say Dippon / Donaud / Gēnes & many other yt be not named here were at that feest / & many a fayre feest kynge Arthur had holdē before / but neuer none suche / ne none so solempne / & that lasted xv. dayes with moche honour & myrth.
¶ Of the lettre that was sent from Rome for pryde to kynge Arthur.
THe thyrde daye as kyng Arthur sate at his meet amōge his kynges / & amonge them that sate at ye fee [...] before them came in .xij. men of age rychely arayed / & curteysly they salewed the kyng / & sayd they came from Rome sent as messengers fro the emperour / & toke to hym a lettre yt thus moche was to vnderstande. Gretely vs meruayleth Arthur that y• arte ones so hardy with [Page l] the eyen in thy heed to make open warre and contake agaynst vs of Rome / yt owe all ye worlde to deme / for y• hast neuer yet before this tyme proued ne assayed the strength of ye Romayns / & therfore thou it shall in a lytell tyme. For Iulius cesar conquered all ye londe of Brytayn / & toke therof truage / & our folke haue it longe had / & now through thy pryde y• withholdest it / wherfore we of Rome cōmaū de ye that y• yelde it agayne. And yet hast thou done more foly / that y• hast slayne Froll yt was our baron of Fraūce with wrōge / & therfore all ye comyns of Rome warneth the & cōmaūdeth the vpon lyfe & lym [...]e / that y• in haste be at Rome for to make amendes of thy mysdedes that thou hast done. And it be so that y• come not / we shall passe ye hyll of Ioye with strength / & we shall seke ye where euer y• mayst be foūde / & thou shalte not haue a fote of londe of thyn owne / yt we ne shall destroye it / & afterward wt thy body we shal do our wyll. Whan this lettre was red / & al men it herde / they were anoyed all yt were at yt solempne feest / & the Brytons wold haue slayne the messengers / but ye kyng wold not suffre them / & sayd that ye messengers shold haue no harme & may by reasō none deserue / but cōmaū ded them to be worshipfully serued. And after meet toke coūseyle of kȳges / erles & barons what answere he might gyue agayn to the messengers. And they coū seyled hym yt he sholde assemble a grete power of all the londes of whiche he had lordship / & manly auenge hȳ on ye emperour of ye despyte yt he had sent hȳ suche a lettre / & they swore by god & by his na [...]es yt they sholde pursue hym & brenne as moche as they myght / & sayd ye they wolde neu [...] fayle kynge Arthur / & had rather to be deed. And they l [...]t wryte a lettre to send to the emperour by ye same messengers in this maner of wyse.
¶ Of the bolde answere that kynge Arthur sent to the emperour of Rome and to the Romayns.
[...]Nderstande amonge you of Rome that I am kynge Arthur of Brytayne / & frely it holde & shall holde / And at Rome hastely I wyll be / not to gyue truage / but for to aske truage. For Cōstantyne that was Eleyns sone that was emperour of Rome / & of all the honour that therto belongeth. And Ma [...]imyan kynge conquered all Fraunce and Almayne / & passed mount Ioye / & conquered all Lombardy / & these two were myne aūcesters / & that they helde & had I shall haue through goddes wyll.
¶ Of the reuerence that kynge Arthur dyd to the emperours messengers.
WHan this lettre was made & [...] sealed / kyng Arthur vnto th [...]se messengers gaue grete gyftes / And after that ye messengers toke theyr leue & went [...] thens & came to the cour [...] of Rome agayne / & tolde the emperour how worthely they were receyued and also of the ryal company that he had for to serue hym / and how he was more [...]y ally serued than the emperour of Rome or ony other kyng lyuynge in ye worlde. And whan the emperour had ouers [...]en the lettre / & had herde what was therin and sawe that Arthur wolde not be [...]uled after hym / he let assemble & ordeyne a grete hoost for to destroye kynge Arthur yf that he myght. And kynge Arthur as touchyng his power and party ordeyned his power & knyghtes of the rounde table.
¶ Of the kynges and lordes that came for to helpe kynge Arthur agaynst the emperour.
[Page] [...]He kyng of Scotlond / of Irlond of Gutlonde / of Denmarke / & of Almayne / eche of them had .x. M. me [...] / the duke of Normandy / Gascoyn / Flaū dres / Poytou / and of Boloyne / eche had foure thousand. Gerin of Chartres had x. thousand. Howell of brytayn had .xij. thousande / & himselfe of his owne londe xij. thousand. And of arbalastres and of archers & of other folke on fote / that no man coude nombre them. And whan all were redy for to go / kynge Arthur toke his londe & Gueneuer his wyfe to kepe to one of his neuewes that was a wyse knight and a hardy whiche was called Mordred / but he was not all true / as ye shall here afterwarde. Kynge Arthur toke all his realme to this Mordred / saue onely the crowne. And after yt kynge Arthur toke his hoost & went to South hamton where that the shyppes were brought & the folke assembled / and they went vnto the see / and had wynde and weder at wyll. And as soone as they myght they arryued at Ha [...]et / and as shortly as they coude they went a londe out of theyr shyppes / and spradde ouer all the countree.
¶ How kyng Arthur fought wt a gyaūt in Spayne that was called Dinabus yt slewe Eleyue that was kynge Howels cosyn of lytell Brytayne.
BYnge Arthur had not dwelled in the coūtree but a lytell tyme that men tolde hym that there was comen a grete gyaunte in to Spayne / and had rauysshed fayre Eleyne that was cosyn vnto Howell of lytell Brytayn / and had brought her vpon an hyll that is called the moūt of saynt Bernarde / and there was no man in that coūtree so bolde nor so hardy that durst fyght with hym / ne come nye the place where as the gyaūt dwelled that was called Dinabus / and moche sorowe he dyd in that countree. Whan kyng Arthur herde these tydynges / he called to hym Kay & Bedewere and cōmaunded them for to go pryuely and espye where the gyaunt myght be foūde. And they came to ye ryuage there as men sholde go to the moūt that was all enclosed aboute with water / & yet is and euer shall be. And they sawe a brennynge fyre vpon ye hyll. And there was also an other hyll nye that / & there was vpon that an other fyre brēnynge. Kay and Bedewere came to the nexte hyll / & founde a wydowe open heded / syttynge besyde a tombe sore wepyng / and made grete sorow / & ofte she sayd Eleyn Eleyn And Kay & Bedewere asked what she was / and wherfore she made so moche sorow / & who lay in that tombe. O sayd she / what sorowe & mysauenture fayre lordes seke ye here / for yf ye gyaunt may fynde you here / he wyll slee you anone. Be styll good wyfe sayd they / therof dismay you not / but tell vs the sothe why that thou makest so moche sorowe and wepynge. Syrs sayd she / for a damoysell that I nourysshed with my brestes that was called Eleyn / that was cosyn to Howell of Brytayn. And here lyeth ye body in this tombe whiche to me was taken to nourysshe. And so there came a deuyll a gyaunt and rauysshed her / and me also / and ladde vs bothe with hym away. And he wolde haue forlayn that mayde that was so yonge and tender of age / but she myght not suffre it / so grete and so huge as the gyaūt was. And for certayne yf he come now as he is wont to do / he wyll you now bothe [...]lee / & ther fore go ye hens. Than spake these two messengers and sayd to her / wherfore go ye not frō hens. Certes syrs sayd she whan that Eleyn was deed / the gya [...] made me to abyde to do and haunte his [Page li] wyll / [...] I must it [...] suffre / & god it w [...]teth I do it not with my wyll / for I had [...]euer to be deed than to deale wt him so moche payne & sorowe I haue whan he me forlyeth. Whan Kay & Bedewere had herde all yt this woman tolde them they returned agayne & came to kynge Arthur / & tolde hym all yt they had seen & herde. Arthur anone toke them bothe with hym and went pryuely by nyght that none of his hoost wyst / & came on ye morow erly to ye gyaūt & faught wt hym strongly / & at ye last slewe hym. And Arthur [...]ad Bedewere to smyte of his heed & brynge it in to the hoost to shewe it for a wonder / for it was so grete and huge. Whan they came agayn to ye hoste / they told wherfore they had bē out / & shewed to them the heed. And euery man was glad & ioyfull of the worthy dede yt kyng Arthur had done that was theyr lorde. And Howell was full sorowfull for his cosyn that was so lost. And after warde whan he had space he let make a fayre chapell of our lady ouer Eleyns tombe.
¶ How kynge Arthur gaue batayle to the emperour / in ye whiche batayle the emperour was slayne.
ARthur & his people had tydynges that ye emperour had assembled a grete power / as well of sarasyns as of paynyms & chrysten men / wherof the nōbre was .lxxx. M. hors men / with fote men. Arthur & his people ordeyned fast forth in theyr waye toward ye empe rour & passed Normandy & Fraūce vnto Burgoyn / & wolde haue gone to ye hoost For men tolde hym that the emperours hoost wolde come to Lucie. The emperour & his hoost in ye begynnynge of August remeued from Rome / & came forth ryght the waye towarde ye hoost. Than came kyng Arthurs espyes & sayd / yf yt Arthur wolde he sholde fynde the emperour there fast by / but they sayd that ye emperour had so grete power wt hym of kynges of the londe of paynyms / & also chrysten people / that it were but foly to kyng Arthur to mete with them. For ye spyes tolde that the emperour had fyue or syxe men agaynst one of his. Kynge Arthur was bolde & hardy / and for no thynge hym dysmayed & sayd. Go we boldly in goddes name agaynst the Romayns that with them lede sarasyns & paynyms / that haue no maner trust in god / but onely vpon theyr strength. Go we now & seke them sharply in ye name of almyghty god / & slee we ye paynyms & chrysten men yt be agaynst vs wt them for to destroye chrysten men / & god shall helpe vs to ouercome them / for we haue the ryght opynyon / & therfore haue we trust in god / & do we so that ye enemyes that be to chrystendom & to god may be destroyed & ouercomen / & that men may recorde the worthynes of knyghthode. Whā kyng Arthur had thus sayd / they cryed all wt an hye voyce. God yt is fader almyghty worshypped be thy name wt out ende. amē. And graūt vs grace well for to do / & to destroye our enemyes that be agaynst chrystendome. In the name of ye fader / the sone / & ye holy ghost. amē. And god gyue hym neuer grace n [...] worshyp in the worlde / ne mercy of hym to haue / that this daye shall feynt well for to smite & egerly. And so they rode softly & ordeyned theyr wynges wel & wysely The emperour herde t [...]ll that kyng Arthur & his folke were redy apparaylled for to fyght with him / & how they were comynge / he let ordeyue his wynges in the best maner yt he coud / & more trusted in his strength than in almyghty god / & that was seen afterwarde. For whan ye two hostes mette / the emperour lost. iiij of his men agaynst ou [...] of Arthurs / & so [Page] many were slayne what on ye one party & what on that other / that it was grete pyte to wyte & beholde. In this batayle were slayne through kyng Arthurs .v. kynges of the paynyms & of other wonders moche people. And kyng Arthurs men fought so wel that the Romayns & paynyms had no more strength to with stande them than .xx. shepe agaynst .v. wolues. And so it befel yt in this batayle in the shoure that was wonders hard & longe duryng on that one syde & on that other / the emperour among them there was slayne / but there was no man that wyst for very sothe who hym slewe.
¶ How king Arthur let bury his lordes & knyghtes that he had lost in ye batayle and how he sent the emperours body to Rome that there was slayne in batayle.
WHan the romayns wyst that the emperour was deed / they for soke the felde / & the paynyms also And kyng Arthur chaced after them tyl it was nyght / & so many of them slewe that it was wonder to tell. And whā it was nyght kyng Arthur turned agayn & thanked god of his victory. And on the morowe he let loke & serche all the felde for his knyghtes yt he there lost / that is to saye Borel erle of maunt / Bedewer & kay / & Ligiers erle of Boloyn / Vrgety erle of Baar / Aloth erle of Wynchestre / Cursael erle of Chestre / and Holden erle of Flaūdres. These were ye grete lordes that king Arthur lost in yt batayle with other worthy knyghtes amonge them. And some he let bury in abbays by the coūtree / some he let be borne into theyr owne coūtree. And the emperours body he let take & put vpon a bere / & sent it to Rome / & sent to saye the Romayns that for Brytayn & Fraūce whiche he helde / other truage wolde he none paye. And yf they asked hym ony other truages / ryght suche truage he wold tham paye kyng Arthur let here kay to kenen his owne castell / & there buryed hym. And Ligier was borne to Boloyn where he was lorde. And Holden was borne in to Flaūdres / and there was buryed. And all the other he let bury with moche honour in abbays & in houses of relygyon in the countree there they were slayne. And kynge Arthur hymselfe soiourned that same yere in Burgoyne with his hoost / & thought yt same yere folowyuge to passe the mount of Ioye / and to haue gone to Rome for to take the cite / and to haue put the Romayns in subieccyon / but the wycked tyraunt Mordred letted hym / as after ye shall here.
¶ How the traytour Mordred to whom kyng Arthur toke his lōde to kept & his castels / & he helde them agaynst hym.
WHan kynge Arthur had taken to Mordred his realme to kepe / and was gone agaynst the emperour of Rome / & was passed ye see / Mordred anone toke homage & feaute of all them yt were in this londe / & wolde haue had the lōde to his owne vse / & toke castels all about and let them be arayed. And after this faisnes he dyd an other grete wronge / for agaynst the lawe of thrystendom he toke his own vncles wife as a traytour and ordeyned hym a grete host agayust kyng Arthurs comyng / to holde ye londe agaynst hym wt strength for euermore / and to slee kyng Arthur yf he myght / & sent by see & by londe / and let assemble paynyms & christen people. And he sent to saxons and to danes for to helpe hym And also Mordred sent to Cheldrik to do men come to hȳ out of saxon / that was a worthy duke / & promised hym yf that he brought with hym moche people he [Page lii] wolde gra [...]e hym in herytage for euer more all the londe frō beyonde Humber to scotlonde / & all the londe that Engist had of Vortygers gyste whan that he spoused his doughtcr. And Cheldrik came wt a grete strength & power of people And Mordred had assembled also on his halfe / that they had .xl. M. of stronge knyghtes whan that they had nede.
¶ How king Arthur chaced yt traytour Mordred / & how he was slayne / & kyng Arthur Wounded to deth.
THese tydynges came to kyng Arthur where as he was in Burguyn / & was therof sore anoyed / & toke all Fraūce to Howell for to kepe wt halfe of his men / & prayed hym to kepe it tyll he came agayn / for he hyselfe wolde go into Britayn / & auenge hym on the fals traytour Mordred / & went his waye & came to whytsand / & toke shyppyng wt his men / & a grete hoost of frenshmen / & arryued at Sandwyche. But or that he myght come to londe wt his people / Mordred was come wt all his power / & gaue a stronge batayle / so yt kyng Arthur lost many a man or he myght come to londe For there was Gawayne his neuewe slayne & Augnissell yt helde Scotlonde / & many other / wherof kyng Arthur was ful sory. But after yt they were comen to lōde / Mordred might not agaynst them endure / but was discōfyted & fled thens the same nyght wt his men / & on the morowe came to London / but men of ye cite wold not let hȳ entre / & from thens fled to wynehestre / & there helde hym wt his people. Kyng Arthur let take ye body of Gawayn his cosyn / & ye body of Augnissel / & let yt one be borne to scotlond / & that other to Pouer & buried. And after king Arthur toke his waye to destroye Mordred / & he fled thens into Corne Wayle. And the quene Gueneuer yt was kynge Arthurs wyfe yt thā soiourned at yorke herde that Mordred was fled thens / & yt he myght not endure agaynst kyng Arthur / she was sore aferde and had grete doubte / & wyst not what was best to do For she wyst well yt her lorde kynge Arthur wolde neuer of her haue mercy for the grete shame yt she had done hȳ / & toke her waye pryuely with .iiij. men & no mo / & came to Karlyon / & there she dwelled all her lyfe / & was neuer seen amōge folke. Kyng Arthur wyst that Mordred was fledde in to Cornewayle / & let send after his men in to Scotlond & Northū berlonde vnto Number / and let assemble folke wtout nombre & went vnto Cornewayle to seke Mordred. And Mordred had assembled to hȳ all yt folke of Cornewayle without nōbre / & wyst yt Arthur was comynge / & had leuer to dye & take his chaūce than longer to flee / & abode & gaue an hard batayle to kyng Arthur & his people: so yt there escaped none away on lyue saue kynge Arthur & other that were woūded to deth / for Mordred was slayne & all his people / and all kyng Arthurs noble knyghtes of ye roūde table / wherof it was grete pyte. And king Arthurs made hym to be borne in a lytter to Auyon to be heled of his woundes. And yet ye Brytons suppose yt he lyueth in an other lond / & that he shall come yet & conquere all Brytayn. But cer [...]es this is ye prophecy of Merlyn. He sayd his dethe shold be doubtous / & he sayd trouth. For therof yet men haue doubte / & shal haue for euermore as men saye. For mē wote not whether that he is on lyue or deed. ¶ Arthur was borne to Auyon the. xxii yere of his regne / after the incarnacyon of our lorde Jesu Chryst .v. C .xlvi. yere.
¶ How kynge Arthur delyuered the realme vnto Constantyne the sone of Cador his neuewe.
WHan kyng Arthur wyst that he myght regne no lenger / he let come before hȳ Cōstantyne that was Cadors sone erle of Cornewayl his cosyn / and to hym betoke all his realme byddynge hym to be kynge therof tyll that he came agayne / for as moche as he had none heyre begoten of his body / and grete harme it was / that so noble a kyng and so doughty as he was had no childe of his body begotē. But all thȳge that god wyll haue done / must be done / whose name be blyssed wtout ende. amē.
¶ How Constantyne slewe Mordreds two sones that warred vpon hym.
THis Constantyne was a noble & a worthy knyght of body. And yt two sones that Mordred had begoten had grete enuy vnto Constantyne that than was crowned kynge. And so it befell yt they begā to meue warre agaynst hym / & assembled a grete hoost of them that were before with Mordred / & had ben dryuen awaye / whiche dyd moche sorowe through out all the londe. That one broder ordeyned hȳ to go to London for to take the cite / & that other went to wynchestre. But Constantyne came to London and slewe hym that was there And after he wēt to wynch estrē & sleme hym that was there also. And so was he quyte of bothe his enemyes. Whan Cōstantyne had regued well & worthely foure yere he dyed / & lyeth at London.
¶ Of kynge Adclbryghe and of kynge Edell.
AFter kynge Constantynes deth there were two kynges in Brytayne / that one was called Adtlbryght that was a Dane / & he helde the coūtree of Norfolke and Suffolke. That other hyght Edell and was a bryton / and he helde Nicholl / Lyndesey / & all the londe vnto Number. These two kynges fast warred togyder / but they were after accorded / & loued togyder as they had ben borne of one body. The kyng Edell had a syster that was called Orewenne / and he gaue her through grete frendshyp to kynge Adelbryght to wyfe. And kynge Adelbryght begate vpō her a doughter that was called Argentyl. And yt thyrde yere after came vpon hym a straūge sekenes that nedes he must dye. And he sent to kynge Edell his broder in lawe that he sholde come & speke with hym / and he came to hym with a good wyll. Than prayed he the kyng and coniured hym also in the name of god / that after whan he were deed / he sholde take his doughter Argentyll & the londe / & kepe and nourysshe her in his chambre. And whan she were of age that he shold mary her to the strongest & worthyest man that he myght fynde / and than he shold yelde vp her londe agayne. Kyng Edell graunted it / and by othe confermed his prayer. And whā Adelbright was deed & buryed / Edell toke yt damoysell Argentyll / & nourysshen her in his chambre / & she became as fayre as ony myght be.
¶ How kyng Edell maryed the damoysell to a knaue of his kerhym.
THis kyng Edell that was vncle to Argent yit / bet hought how he might falsly haue ye londe frō his nece / & falsly agaynst his othe to deceyue ye damoysell / & to mary her to a knaue of his kechin yt was called Curan / & he became the worthyest & strongest man of body yt ony man wyst in ony londe lyuyng / & to him he thought shamefully to haue maryed her for to haue had her londe afterwarde / but he was deceyued. For this Curan was Haueloks sone yt was king of kyrklane in Dēmarke / & this Curan tōquered his wyues londe afterward / & slewe king Edel yt was his wyues vncle & had all her lond / as in an other place it telleth more openly: & he regned but thre yere / for saxons & danes slewe hym / & yt was grete harme to all Brytayn / & the brytons bare hym to Stonehenge / and there buryed hym honourably.
¶ Of king Conan yt was Curans cosin.
AFter this Curan regned Conan his cosyn / a proude knyght / & he regned wtout loue / & euer was medlyng wt his people / & toke his vncle wt warre sleynge his two children. The Saxons warred agaynst hȳ oftentymes / but he ouercame them / & so he was in peas all his lyftyme / & he regned .xiiij. yere / & after he dyed & lyeth at London.
¶ Of kyng Cortyf & Gurmond yt came through the paynyms in to Brytayne.
AFter this Conan regned his cosyn Cortyf / yt was behated of all his people / & this Cortyf lost all britayn through warre / & in his tyme fel yt grete myschefe in brytayn yt thrystēdom was destroyed / & all ye brytons were wyuen out of ye londe / but afterward lefte [...] to the saxons / as afterward ye shal here For in that tyme there was a paynym that was called Gurmond ye kȳges sone Daufrikes of ye paynyms folke / & shold haue ben kynge after his fader / but he gaue it to his broder / & sayd he wold be no kynge tyll he had cōquered a realme in a straūge coūtree. And of hym prophe cyed Merlyn / callynge him a wolfe of ye see. And he let assemble paynyms wtout nomrbe & shyppes. And goynge by ye see he conquered dyuers londes / takyng he mage of many. And he came in Irionde & conquered it / that oftētymes warred vpon brytons / & brytons vpon them / & ofte wonne & oft lost / & gaue hostages to brytons. And so they sente to Gurmond there as he was in Irlonde / yt he sholde come & helpe them agaynst yt brytons / & they wold gladly make hym theyr lord. For he was a paynim / & they were paynyms / and the brytons were chrysten. Whan Gurmond herde this / he hasted hym & arryued in scotlonde / & came in to Northumberlond where as the saxons were dwellyng / & they cōfermed yt couenaūtes bytwene them made by othes & hostages / for to bere hym true fayth / & holde hym forlorde / & paye to hȳ truage by yere. Than began yt saxons & the affricans to destroye / robbe & brenne to wnes / & destroyed all maner thynge / sparyng neyther man / woman / ne chylde / lerned nelewde / but slewe all / & kest downe townes / castels & chirches / & so put yt londe to grete destruceyon. And as soone as they myght flee they fledde thens as well poore as ryche / bysshops & men of religyon / grete & small / some in to lytell Britayn / & some in to Cornewayle / and all those that myght haue shyppes.
¶ How kynge Gurmonde droue kynge Cortif to chuhestre / & slewe the britons and through subtylte gate the towne.
COrtyf the kyng fledde thens in to Chichestre that than was a good cite and a stronge / & there helde hym .xx. dayes. And this Gurmond came and be syeged it. But y• cite was so stronge y• he myght not gete it by no maner of wyse / wherfore they thought by subtylte to brenne the towne / they made engynes with glewe of nettes / and toke peces of tunder & fyre & boūde it to sparowes feet and afterwarde let them flee / and they anone ryght flewe in to the towne there as theyr nestes were / in thackes and in euyssynges of houses / & the fyre began to kyndle & brent all the towne. Whan y• brytons sawe that / they hyed them out & fought / but anone they were slayne & discomfyted / & whyle the batayle duted the kynge all in despayre pryuely went in to wales / so y• men wist not where he became. And so was the towne of Chichestre takē & destroyed. And after Gurmond went & destroyed townes & citees that neuer after were made again / as it is seen yet in this lōde in many places.
¶How this londe was called Englōde for the name of Engist / and how many kynges were made after in this londe.
WHan Gurmond had destroyed all the londe through out / he gaue y• londe to the saxons / & anone they toke it with good wyll. For y• saxons longe tyme had desyred it / for as moche as they were of Engistes kynrede / that first had all y• londe of Brytayn / & let them be called englyshmen / for bycause of Engistes name. And y• londe they let call Englond in theyr language / & the folke ben called Englyshmen / for as moche as in his tyme it was called Engist londe whan he had cōquered it of Vortiger. But fro the tyme y• Brute came fyrst in to this londe it was called Britayn / & y• folke brytons But syth y• tyme y• Gurmond conquered this londe y• saxons named it Englonde as before is sayd. And whan this was done / Gurmōd passed ouer in to fraūce & there cōquered many lōdes / & destroyed all chrysten people where as he came. And the saxons dwelled in this londe / & began fast to enhabyte it at theyr owne wyll / & they wold haue made newe kyn ges & lordes / but they coude neuer assent to haue onely one kyng for to be to them attendaūt / & therfore they made many kynges in dyuers shyres / as it was in Engistes tyme. The fyrst kyngdō was Kent / & that other Southsex / & y• thyrde westsex / the fourth Estsex / and the fyfth Northumberlōde / the syxth Estangle / y• is to saye Norfolk & Suffolk / & the .vij. Merchenrich / & that is ȳ erledom of Ni choll / Huntyngdon / Harford / Glo [...]estre / wynchestre / warwyk & Derby / & so departed all Englōd in to .vij. partes. And after that it befell y• tho kynges warred oftē tymes togyder. And euer he y• was strongest toke hym y• was feblest / & so it was longe tyme that they had no kyng [Page liiii] crowned amonge them / nor no chrysten man was than amonge them ne christē dom neyther. But were paynyms tyll y• saynt Gregory was pope of Rome / that had seen children of y• nacion of Englōde in y• cite of Rome y• were wonders fayre creatures / & had grete wyll & desyre to beholde them / & asked of y• marchaūtes of whens they were & of what nacyon. And men tolde hym they were of Englonde / & englysshe they were called / but they & all y• people of englond were paynyms / & byleued not on god. Alas sayd saynt Gregory / well may they be called englysshe / for they haue y• visages of aū gels / and therfore well ought they to be christen. And for this cause saynt Grego ry sent saynt Austin in to englonde / & .xl. good men wt hym that were of good lyfe & holy men to preche & teche / & to cōuerte the englysshe people / & turne thē to god / & y• was in the .vj. yere y• saynt Gregory had ben pope of Rome / y• is to saye / after the incarnacyon of our lord Iesu Chryst v .C .lxxxv. yere as y• cronycles telleth.
¶How saynt Austyn baptysed & cōuerted kyng Adelbryght / and the bysshops that he made his felawes.
WHan saynt Austin came fyrst in to englonde / he arryued in the yle of Tenet / & so passed forth & came to Caun terbury / and there soiourned. And kyng Adelbryght of Kent y• was of y• lignage of Engist goodly receyued saynt Austyn & his felawes wt moche honour / & foūde them all y• them neded. And more ouer he gaue them a fayre place / y• now is cal led the abbey of saynt Austin / in whiche place helyeth hymself shryned. ¶ This kynge Adelbryght was a good man / & with good wyll herd saynt Austyns pre dicacyons / and gaue hym leue to preche through out al his lōde of Kent to turne and cōuerte to hym all y• people that he myght. It befell so afterward through goddes grace / y• in a lytell tyme y• kynge hymselfe was cōuerted to god / & all the people of his londe was baptysed. And in y• meane whyle y• people turned them to god / saynt Austyn came to Rochestre & there preched the worde of god / & the paynyms scorned hym therfore / & cast vpon hym reygh tayles / so that all his mantell was hanged full of those reygn tayles / & for more despite they cast on hȳ the guttes of reyghes and other fysshe. Wherfore y• good mā saynt Austin was sore anoyed & greued / & prayed to god y• all those children of y• cite that sholde be borne afterward / y• is to saye / in the cite of Rochestre myght haue tayles / and so they had. Whan the kyng herde of this vengeaūce y• was fallen through saynt Austins prayer / he let make a hous in y• honour of almyghty god / wherin women shold be delyuered of theyr children at the brydges ende / in the which bous yet women of the cite ben delyuered of chylde. Whan saynt Gregory had herde tell how the englysshe people were turned to god & cōuerted / he sent vnto saynt Austyn his pallyon by a bysshop y• was called Paulyn / and made hym prymate and archebysshop of Englonde and sent worde that he sholde ordeyne and make bysshoppes in the londe. And anone as saynt Austyn had the pallyon of the dignite of the archebysshop / he made two bysshoppes of his felawes the whiche came with hym from Rome / of whome that one was called Mellyte / & he helde his dignite at London / and that other was called Iustyne / and he helde his dignite at Rochestre. And this bysshop Mellyte than went to preche the worde of god in Essex / and there baptysed the kynge of y• countree whiche was called Sicwith y• was kyng Adelbryghtes to [Page] syn his systers sone. This Iustyn went to preche in Southsex / & turned moche of the people to god / & saynt Austin him selfe preched through out all Englonde.
¶How saynt Austyn went in to wales where as the Brytons were / and how they wolde not be obedyent to the arche bysshop of Caunterbury.
WHan all Englōde was baptysed and turned to god / saynt Austin went in to y• londe where as the brytons were to kepe them frō englyssh men / that is to saye in wales / & there he foūde monkes & abbeys / & .vij. bisshops For the brytons destroyed alway y• chry sten people y• saynt Austyn had cōuerted And he sayd to the bisshops that he was a legate of Rome / & prymate of all Englonde / & that they sholde by all reason to hym be obedyent. And they sayd y• they wolde not / but to y• archebysshop of Car lyon they wolde / they wold neuer for no maner thinge be obedyent to y• englyssh men. For they sayd / englysshmen be our aduersaryes / and haue dryuen vs out of our coūtree / & we ben chrysten men and euer haue ben / & the englysshmen haue euer bē paynyms / saue now of late that they be cōuerted. Saynt Austyn might of them haue none other answere / but sayd pertly that they wolde neuer meke them to hym ne to the pope of Rome. Wherfore saynt Austin returned agayn to king Adelbryght y• was king of Kent & tolde him y• his folke wold not be to no man obedyent / but to y• archebysshop of Carlyon. Whan the king herde this / he was sore anoyed / & sayd that he wolde destroye them / & sent to Elfryde kyng of Northumberlonde y• was his frende / y• he shold come to hym wt all y• power that he myght / & he wold mete hym at Leycestre / and fro thens they wolde go in to wales / & there destroye y• archebysshop of Carlyon / and all those that had refused saynt Austyn.
¶How kyng Adelbryght & kyng Elfry de slewe Brecynall y• was a kyng of bry tons that helde y• coūtree of Leycestre.
IT befell so that there was a kyng of brytons that helde the coūtre of Leycestre / & all the countre aboute / his name was Brecynall. And this bryton herde tell y• those two englysshe kynges wolde mete there at Leycestre for to go in to wales / he let ordeyne all the power that he had for to go fyght wt these two kȳges / but lytel it auayled hym / for his folke were all slayne / & hymself fledde / & lost his londes for euermore. And these two kȳges Adelbryght & Elfryde dwel led a whyle at Leycestre / & departed the londe amonge them / and toke homage & feaute of the folke of y• coūtree. And af ter they went toward wales. And they of wales herde tell of y• discōfyture that Brecmal had at Leycestre / & were won ders sore adrad of those two kynges / & toke & chose amōge them good men & ho ly / of heremytes / mōkes & preestes / & of other people grete plente / y• wente bare fote and wolwarde for to haue mercy of those two kynges. But y• kynges were so sterne & so wycked y• they wold neuer speke wt them / but slewe them all. Alas for sorowe / for they ne spared them no more than the wolfe doth the shepe / but smote of theyr hedes euerichone. And so they were all martyred y• to them came that is to vnderstande .v .C. and .xl. And after they wente fro thens to Bangore for to slee all those y• they myght fynde there of y• brytons. And whan y• britons herde that / they assembled & ordeyned all theyr power for to fyght with them. Than was there a baron of wales whi che was called Bledrik of Cornewayle [Page lv] that somtyme was lorde of Deenshyre / but king Adelbright had dryuen hȳ out in to wales / & after there he gaue them batayle / & at y• batayle was kyng Adelbryght slayne / & Elfryde sore woūded / & forsoke y• felde / & the moost parte of his people slayne. And king Elfryd fled in to Northumberlond y• was his owne lōde And after the people of Leycestreshyre made wt strength Cadewan y• was Brecinals sone kyng of Leycestre / & he after regned nobly / & with grete honour.
¶How Cadewan kynge of Leycestre & Elfryde king of Northumberlond were frendes. And of the debate y• after was bytwene Edwyn and Cadwalyn that were bothe theyr sones.
AFter that this bataile was done the britons assembled them and went thens & came to Leicestre / & made there Cadewan y• was Br [...]ynals sone kyng of Leycestre & of all y• coūtree. And he toke homage & feaute of all y• folke of the coūtree. And after that he assembled a grete hoost / and sayd he wolde go in to Northumberlonde to destroye kyng Elfryde & slec hym yf he myght. And whā he was comen thyder / frendes went so bytwene them that they accorded them in this maner. That Elfryde shold hold all y• londe from Humber vnto scotlonde and Cadewan sholde haue all y• londe on this syde Humber to y• south. And after that they were good frendes all theyr lyf / & loued togyder as they had ben bre therne. And this Elfryde had a sone called Edwyn y• helde all y• [...]ond of North [...] berlonde after his faders deth as his fa der had hold al his lyfe tyme. And Cade wan had another sone called Cadwa [...] that helde his faders londe as he [...] whā he was alyue / & these loued as bre therne / & the loue insted bytwene them but onely two yere / & after began debate bytwene them thrugh an euyl enuyous cosyn of Cadwalyns called Bryens / so y• they assembled a grete host on bothe par tyes. And at y• last it befell y• Cadwalyn was discōfyted / & Edwyn pursued him and droue hym frō place to place / so y• at the lasthe fled in to Irlōde. And Edwyn destroyed his londe / & cast downe castels & brent his maners / & departed all Cad walyns londe among his frendes. And lōge tyme after came Cadwalyn agayn from Irlonde with a stronge power / & in playne batayle slewe Edwyn and all his frendes / & namely them that withhelde his londes by Edwyns gyfte.
¶How kynge Oswalde was slayne by kynge Cadwalyn & Peanda. And how Oswy that was saynt Oswaldes broder regned after hym / & slewe Peanda.
WHan Edwyn was slayne Offris his sone vndertoke the warre agaynst Cadwalin his vncle / so that this Offris dyed duryng y• warre. And after the deth of Offris regned a gentyl chrysten man that moche lōued god almygh ty / that had all y• londe of Northumberlonde by herytage y• was called O [...]ald & he was kyng of all y• londe. But for as moche as he was frende to Edwin and helde a grete parte of y• londe of Cadwa lyn. This Cadwalyn warred vpon him and droue hym towarde scotlonde. And whan Cadwalyn sawe that he wold not abyde / he wolde no longer pursue hym / but toke some of his folk to Peanda his broder in lawe / & prayed hym to pursue after Oswald tyll that he were taken or slayne. And Cadwalyn returned home agayn. Whan Oswald herd y• [...]ydȳges that Cadwalin turned home agayn / he wolde no longer flee / but abode Peanda & gaue hym batayle / & Peanda was dis comfyted & fled & came agayn to Cadwa lyn / & sayd y• wolde neuer holde a fote of [Page] londe of hym / but yf so were y• he wolde auenge hym on Oswald. Cadwalyn let assemble a grete hoost for to fyght with Oswald / so that he and Peanda came to Northumberlonde & gaue batayle vnto Oswald / & in y• same batayle was Oswald slayne & his heed smyttenof / & after he was buryed in y• abbey of Bardeney / in whiche place god hath wrought for hym many a fayre myracle / bothe there and els where. And anone Oswy his broder seased all the londe in to his handes y• was this Oswaldes. And the folke of Northūberlond loued hym won ders well / & helde hym for theyr lorde: But he had men of his kynne worthy ynough y• wolde haue departed y• londe & they warred lōge togyder. And for as moche as they were not strōge ynough they came to Pcanda & prayed hym of helpe & socour / & pmysed hym of y• londe largely vpon this couenaūt / y• he wolde gouerne them & helpe & coūseyle. Peauda herde theyr prayer / & so spake wt king Cadwalyn / that he shold ordeyn a grete hoost / & fast ordeyn hym in to Northum berlonde for to fyght with Oswy. And Oswy was a mekeman & moche loued peas & charite / & prayed Peanda of loue & peas / & profred hym of golde & syluer grete plente. And this Peanda was so proude y• he wolde not graūte hym peas for no maner thynge / but for all thynge he wolde fyght with hym. So at y• last there was set a day of batayle / & Oswy euer had trust vpon god / & Peanda trusted to moche vpon his pryde and vpon his hoost that he had / and togyder they smote egerly. But Peanda was anone discomfyted & flayne. And this was after the incarnacion of our sauyour [...]esu Chryst. vj .C. and .lv. yere. And this Oswy regned .xxviij. yere / & a kynge that was called Oswyne that was Peandaes cosyn warred vpon hym / and togyder they fought / but Oswy had the victory of Oswyne / & was discomfyted and slayne / and lyeth at Cynmouth.
¶ How kynge Cadwaldre y• was Cadwalins sone regned after his fader / and was the last kynge of Brytons.
AFter y• deth of Cadwalin regned his sone Cadwaldre well & nobly / & his moder was y• sister of Peanda And whā he had regned .xij. yere he fell in to a grete sekenes / & than was there a grete discorde bytwene the lordes of y• londe / that eche warred vpō other. And yet in that tyme there fell so grete derth and scarcete of corne & other vytayles in this londe y• a man myght go .iij. or .iiij. dayes fro towne to towne that he sholde not fynde to bye for golde ne syluer breed wyne / ne none other vytayle / wherwt a man myght lyue. But onely the people lyued by rotes of herbes / for other lyuynge had they none / so moche was it fayled all about / fysshes / wylde beestes & all other thynge / so y• yet to this mysauenture there fell so grete mortalyte & pestilence amonge the people by the corrupcyon of y• deed bodyes. For they dyed so sodeinly / both grete & small lorde & seruaūt in etynge / goynge & spe kyng / they fell downe & dyed / so y• neuer was herde of more sodeyn deth amonge the people. For he y• went for to bury the deed body / with y• same deed body was buryed. And so they y• myght flee fledde & forsoke theyr londes & houses / as well for the grete hunger / derth / & scarcete of corne & other vytayle / as for y• grete mor talite & pestylence in the londe / & went in to other londes for to saue theyrlyues / & lefte y• londe all deserte & wasted / so that there was no man for to trauayle & tyll the loude / so that y• loude was [...]a [...]ayne [Page lvi] of corne & all other fruytes for define of tillers / & this misauēture duted .xj. yere & more / y• no man myght ere ne sowe.
¶ How Cadwaldre went out of this londe in to lytell Brytayne.
CAdwaldre sawe grete hunger / mortalite & pestilence / & the londe all poore / & faylynge cornes & other vytayles / & his folke perisshed / & sawe also the moost party of his lond all wasted & voyde of people / he apparayled hȳ & his folke y• were lefte alyue / & passed ouer in to lytel Brytayn with a lytel nauy vnto kyng Aleyn y• he moche loued that was his cosyn / & that his fader had moche loued in his tyme. And as they sayled in the see he made moche lamētacyon / & so dyd all those that were with hym / and sayd. Dedisti nos dite tan (quam) oues estarū et in gentibus dispersisti nos.
¶ And than began Cadwaldre to complayne hym to his tolke pyteously / and sayd. Alas sayd he / to vs wretches and caytyues is sorowe for our grete synnes of the whiche we wolde not amende vs whyle we had space / & now repentaūce is comen vpon vs through mysauēture whiche chaceth vs out of our owne realme & propre soyle / out of the whiche somtyme Romayns / Scottes / Saxons nor Danes myght not exple vs. But what auayleth it now to vs that before tyme dyuers tymes haue goten many other londes / syth it is not y• wyll of god that we abyde & dwell in our owne lode God that is very iudge that all thinges knoweth before they be done or made / he seeth that we wolde not cese of our synnes / & that our enemyes myght not vs nor our lygnage exyle fro and out of our realme / he wolde that we amended vs of our folyes / and that we sholde se our propre defautes / & therfore hath shewed to vs wrathe / & wyll chastyse vs of our misdedes / syth that he doth vs without batayle or strengthe of our enemyes by grete cōpanyes wretchedly to leue our realme & propre londe. Turne agayn ye Romayns / turne agayne ye Scottes / turne agayne ye Saxons / turne agayn ye frensshmen / now sheweth to you Britayn all deserte / the whiche your power myght neuer make deserte / ne yet your power hath not put vs now in exde / but onely the power of the kyng almyghty whome we haue oft offended by our folyes / the whiche we wolde not leue vntyll he chastised vs by his diuyne power Amonge the wordes & lament acyons y• kyng Calwaldre made to his folke they arryued in lytel Gritayn & came to king Aleyn. And y• kyng receyued hym with grete ioye / & made him to be serued won ders nobly / and there he dwelled longe tyme after. The englysshe people that were lefte alyue & were escaped y• grete hunger & mortalite lyued in y• best wyfe that they might: & moche people sprang and came of them. And they sente in to saxonie where they were borne to theyr frendes for men / women / and chyldren to restore the citees with people and the townes that were all boyde of people / & for to labour / trauayle and tyll the e [...]th. Whan the Saxons had herde these tydynges / they came in to this londe won ders thycke in grete cōpanyes / & lodged themselfe in the coūtree all about where that they wolde / for they foūde no man to with stande them ne lette. And so they wexed & multyplyed gretly / & vsed the customes of y• coūtre wherof they were comen / and the lawes & the language of theyr owne londe. And they chaunged y• names of citees / townes / castelles / and boutghes / and gaue them names / and called them as they now be called. And they helde the coūtets / the batonages / [Page] and the lordshyppes & countrees in maner as y• Brytons before ryme had compassed them. And amonge other grete companyes that came from Germayn in to this londe came y• noble quene that was called Sexburga with men & women without nombre / & arryued in the coūtree of Northumberlonde / & toke the lond from Albion vnto Cornewayle / for her & for her folke. For there was none that myght them let / for all was desolate & voyde of people / but it were a fewe poore Brytons that were lefte on moū taynes & wodes vutyll that tyme. And fro that tyme forth lost the Britons this realme for all theyr dayes / and the Englysshe people began to regne / & departed the londe bytwene them / and they made many kynges aboute by dyuers partes of the londe as here ben deuysed. The fyrst of Westsex / the seconde Merchenrych / the thyrde Estangle / the fourthe kent / & the fyfthe Southsex. All those regned in this londe after that Cadwaldre was passed out of this londe & dwelled in lytell Brytayn with kynge Aleyn his cosyn and true frende. And whan he had longe dwelled there / and had knowlege that the mortalite & pestylence was ouerpassed / & that the londe was replenysshed with alyen people / he thought to come agayn in to this londe / & prayed kynge Aleyn his cosyn of socour & helpe that he myght be restored agayn to his owne propre realme & fyrst dignite. And kynge Aleyn graūted hym his askyng. Than dyd he apparayle hym to take his waye & vyage in to this londe. And prayed god almyghty deuoutly that he wolde make to hym demonstracyon / yf his prayer in to this londe were to hym pleasaūt or not. For agaynst the wyll of god almyghty he wolde no thynge do. Whan he had thus deuoutly made his prayer / a voyce from heuen sayd to hym and badde hym leue that iourney away in to Englonde / and that he sholde go to the pope of Rome / for it was not y• wyll of almyghty god that y• Brycons sholde regne ony more in Brytayne / nor neuer recouer the lond vnto the tyme that the pphecy that Merlyn sayd before be fulfylled. And that shold neuer be vnto the tyme were comen that y• relykes of his body shall be brought fro Rome & translated in to Brytayne. And whan the relikes of other sayntes y• haue ben hydde for the persecucyon of the paynym folke shall be foūde and openly shewed / than shall they recouer theyr lōde agayn / the whiche they haue soo longe tyme loste through theyr deseruynge. Whan Cadwaldre had herde this answere / he mer uayled gretly / & tolde it to kyng Aleyn. Thankynge Aleyn sent for the clergye of his londe / and made them to brynge the storyes & prophecyes that Merliu & Sybyll had sayd in theyr prophecyes. And whan he knewe that the prophecy that Festom had prophecied of the Egle and other prophecyes accorded to the diuyne answere y• Cadwaldre had herdehe coūseyled hym & ryght faythfully desyred hym to leue his people & his nauy and submytte hym to the disposicyon of god / & do all that the aūgell had cōmaū ded hym. Than Cadwaldre called ynor his sone and yuory his cosyn that was his systers sone / & sayd to them. Take sayd he my folke & my nauy that is here all redy / and passe in to wales / and be ye lordes of Brytons y• no dyshonour come to them by interrupeyon of y• paynyms folke for defaute of lordes. And than he hymselfe lefte his realme of Brytayne & his folke for euermore / & toke his waye vnto the pope of Rome Sergius / the whiche worshypped hym moche / and so he was confessed / & toke penaunce for his synnes. And he had not longe dwelled [Page lvii] there that he ne dyed the .xij. kalend of Maye / the yere of grace. b .C .lxxix.
¶ How kynge Osfa was souerayne aboue all the kynges of Englonde / & how euery kyng warred vpon other.
IT befell so that all the kynges in that tyme that were in the londe / as they of Westsex / Merchenrych / Estangle / of Kent / and of Southsex / and of other costes eche warred vpon other / & he y• was moost myghty toke the londe of hym y• was moost feblest. But there was a kynge amonge them that was called Offa / that was saynt Oswaldes broder. This Offa conquered all y• kynges of the lond / and regned aboue them all. And so grete was the warre in euery coūtre bytwene kynges that no man myght wyte how the londe went. But abbottes / pryours / and men of religyon wrote the lyues & dedes of kinges / how longe euery of them regned / & in what countree / & in what maner euery kyng dyed / and of bysshops also. And therof made grete bokes / and let call them cro nycles. And the good kynge Alured had that boke in his warde. And let brynge it vnto Wynchestre / and let it be fast tached to a pyller that men sholde it not remeue ne bere thens / so that euery man myght se it & thervpon loke. For therin ben conteyned the lyues of all y• kynges that euer were in Englonde.
¶ How the kyng of Northumberlonde Osbryght forlaye the wyfe of Buerne Bocard through strength / & afterward this Buerne conquered the kynge with power and strengthe.
ANd thus it befell in y• same tyme that there was a kȳg in Northū berlonde that was called Osbryght / & soiourned at Yorke / & this kynge wente vpon a daye in to a wode for to dysporte hȳ. And whan he came agayn / he went pryuely in to a good mannes hous that was called Bucrne / & the good man of that place was gone that tyme to y• see. For oftentymes he went there to espye theues & robbers that oftētymes were wont to come in to the londe to robbe / brenne / & slee. The lady that was Buer nes wyfe was a wonders fayre womā And the kyng came vnto her whan her husbonde was absent. Ad so she trusted none harme vnto the kynge / and welcomed hym with moche honour / & worthely serued hym of all thynges. Whan the kynge had eten / he coke the lady by the hande and ladde her in to a chambre and sayd that he wolde speke with her in coūseyle. And made all y• folke vor de out of the chambre / saue onely the lady and he. But the lady wyst not wherfore he dyd it / tyll y• he had done all his wyll. And whan he had done this dede / he returned agayne to Yorke / & lefte the lady there sore wepyng for the dede that the kynge had done to her. And whan hee lord was comen home & sawe her wepe & make suche sorowe & mournynge / he asked of her what she had done / & why she made suche sorowe. Syr she sayd / subtylly and falsly the kynge Osbryght hath done me shame & vylany agaynst my wyll / & tolde hym the trouth how y• kynge had forlayne her with strength / wherfore she sayd she had leuer be deed than lyue. Fayre loue be styll sayd he / for agaynst strengthe feblenes is lytell worth / & therfore of me shalt thou neuer the lesse be loued / and namely for thou hast tolde me y• trouth. And yfalmyghty god graūte me my lyfe / I shall well auenge the. This Buerne was a grete man & a myghty lorde / & was well belo ued / & had grete frendes / & let sende for [Page] the gretest lordes of the londe / & to them made his complaynt of ye despyte that ye kynge had done to hȳ / & sayd y• he wolde be auenged how so euer it were. And all his frendes coūseyled hym yt he shold go to yorke where as the kyng was to defye hym. And Buerne [...]eke his meyny & came to the kyng. And whan the kyng sawe hym / he called hȳ curteysly by his name. And Buerne answered hym / & to hym sayd. Syr I you defye / & yelde vp feautees / homages & londes / & as mothe as I haue holden of you / and from this tyme forwarde I wyll neuer of the no thynge holde. And so he departed fro the kynge without more speche or ony abydynge / and toke leue of his frendes and went in to Denmarke / & complayned to the kynge Godryne / & tolde hym of the despyte that kyng Osbryght had done to hym of his wyfe / & prayed hym of socour and helpe for to auenge hym. Whan kynge Godryne of Denmarke & the Danes had herde the complaynt of this Buerne / and of the prayer that he bad / they were wonders glad in theyr hertes / for as moche as they might fynde a cause for to go in to Englonde for to warre vpon Englysshmen / and also for to auenge Buerne of the despyte that yt kynge Osbryght had done to his wyfe. And for as moche as Buerne was sibbe vnto the kynge of Denmarke / they let ordeyne anone a grete hoost of men / and let ordeyne shyppes for them / & as moche as them neded to haue to that viage And whan all the hoost was redy / the kyng made his two bretherne chefe capytaynes / that were noble knyghtes of body and also bolde / that one was called Hungar / and that other Hubba.
¶ How the Danes toke yorke / and slewe kyng Osbryght / and soone after slewe kynge Elle.
ANd whan all thynge was redy the two brethern toke leue of the kynge Godryne / & went to warde the see for to passe ouer into Englōde as fast as they myght spede. Now is Buerne so well cōforted / & so fast hyed hym with y• Danes / that they be arryued in y• north coūtree / & came through out Holdernes and destroyed all the coutre [...] / and brent townes / & robbed folke / & slewe all that myght be taken tyll that they came vnto yorke. And whan kynge Osbryght sawe them come / he toke all his people that he had with hym & came out of the cyte & faught wt them / but no foyson he ne had agaynst them / & moche of y• people there were slayne on bothe partyes / & kynge Osbryght hymselfe there was slayne / & the cite anone was taken & the Danes went in. ¶ And there was also an other king in Northumberlond that Buernes frendes had chosen / and helde hym for kyng / a man y• was called Elle for as moche as they wolde not to kyng Osbryght be attendaūt / for the despyte that he had done to Buerne theyr cosyn. It bef [...] thus y• kyng Elle was gone to the wode for to dysporte [...]ym / & of venysou some he had taken. And as he sate in the wode at meet he sayd to a knyght. We haue well sped & moche venyson taken. And with y• worde came in a man & sayd to hym. yf ye so moche of venyson haue wonne / an hondred tymes more ye haue lost / for all this coūtree the Danes haue goten / & taken y• cite of yorke / & agaynst you shall it hold / y• neuer ye shall come therin / and for so moche they haue slayne kyng Os [...]right. Whan king Elle herde these wordes / he let assemble all y• folke of the countree / & ordeyned all the power that he myght haue / and wolde haue goten the cite of yorke wt strength. But the Danes came out anone & gane hym a stronge batayle / and slewe kyng [Page iviii] Elle and the moost parte of the people that he had brought with him. And the same place there they were slayne shall euermore be called Elle crofte / and that place is a lytell from yorke. And than y• Danes neuer rested tyll they had conquered all Northumbetlonde / & in that countree they made wardryns / & went ferther in to y• lande & toke Notyngham & there they abode all y• wyuter / doynge all the sorowe that they myght. And after whan somet tyme came / they reineued from Notyngham / and came to Nicholl and Lyndefey / & to Holand. For no man myght them withstand / so moche power and sttength they had.
¶ How saynt Edmund the kynge was martyred.
ANd so ferre had the Danes passed from coūtree to coūtree / and euermore brennynge & robbynge / & destroyed all y• they myght tyll they came to Tetford / & in that coūtree they foūde a chrysten kyng that moche loued god & his werkes / that was called Edmund / & he was kyng of Northfolke & South folke. This kyng saynt Edmund ordeyned as moche folke as he myght / and fought wt the Danes / but he & his folke were discomfyted / & the kyng hymselfe was dryuen vnto the castell of Framelyngham / & the Danes pursued hym & tame vnto the same castell. And whan kyng Edmund sawe y• the castel myght not withstande them / he came agaynst them / with whome y• Danes fyrst spake / and anone they asked of hym where king Edmund was. Now forsothe said he / whan I was in y• castell there was the kyng / and whan I went out of the castell / he went out also / & whether he shall escape or dye / at goddes wyll must it be. Whan saynt Edmund had named god / by that they wyst well that it was hymselfe. And anone Hubba & Hungat toke hym and sayd that he shold forsake god and all chrysten lawes / as many other had done before hym. And saynt Edmund sayd that he wolde not / but ta ther he wold suffre deth for goddes loue & his lawes also. Than toke they kyng Edmund & boūde hym to a tree / & made theyr archers shote at hym wt arowes tyll y• his body stycked as full of arowes as an vrchen full of pryckes. But for all the payne that they dyd hym / he wolde neuer forsake god. And in the same turment and payne he dyed / and betoke his soule to almyghty god. And whan they sawe that he was deed / they smote of his heed. And in this maner as ye haue herde was saynt Edmund martyred.
¶ How▪ Hubba and Hungar toke the towane of Redynge.
WHan saynt Edmund was marry red / Hungar & Hubba departed thens with all theyr Danes to Redyng And as they wente thyder warde they destroyed & brent to w [...]es and cyters & slewe all chrysten people that wolde not forsake god / and kest downe chirches & came to Redynge and toke the cownr & there helde them tyll that kyng Ed [...]lf of Westsex came thider with at his power for to take y• to wne. Than came out the Danes to gyue batayle to kyng Edrif / and at that batayle was slayne an [...]le of the Danes that was called Eidrak. Vpon the morowe came kynge Eldred and his broder Alured with a stronge power and a grete hoost. And the Kyng Edelf came agayne (that had fo [...] the daye before) to that batayle. And the Danes than came out for to fyght with them / & y• batayle was wonders st [...]ge For many a man was there slayne / and [Page] the Danes that daye had the victory / & the kynge Eldred & his broder Alured y• daye were discomfyted. But the fourth daye after y• Danes & the Englyshmen fought togyder an other tyme vpō Ekel dene / & there was slayne a kyng of Deu marke that was called Ra [...]ing / & foure erles of grete power. And that daye the Danes had shame / for they were driuen to Engilfelde. And the .xv. day after the Danes & the Englyshmen fought togyder at Rafyng / & there were y• Englysh men dyscōfyted. And frō thens a Dane that was called Roynt went to Redyng with his hoost / & destroyed all that he myght take. And kynge Eldred fought with hym / but he was so woūded that he dyed. And he regned but .v. yere / and lyeth at Womburne.
¶ Circa annū dn̄i. iiij .C .xlix.
LEo the first was emperour after Marcianus .xvij. yere. In his tyme were y• Rogacyon dayes ordeyned afore y• ascencyon of saynt Mamert bysshop of Vienne. The pope of Rome at y• tyme hyght Leo a noble clerke / & with hym had many clerkes. ¶ Hilariꝰ was pope after Leo .vij. yere. This man ordeyned y• no bysshop sholde ordeyne his successory. Vt (pꝪ)patet .viij. [...]x. [...]. ¶ Simpliciꝰ was pope after hym. He ordeyned that no clerke shold take no garment to be clo thed in / after the secte or maner of a lay man / through the reason of his office or of his benefyce. ¶ zeno was emperour after Leo .xv. yere / & this man was an heretyke & cruell agaynst chrysten men. And in this mannes dayes y• bodyes of saynt Mathew y• euāgelist / & saynt Bar nabe y• apostle were foūde / & with them the gospell that saynt Mathewe wrote. Aboute this tyme there was a certayn comyn woman bart .vij. children at one byrth / of y• whiche one was after made kyng of Lombardy. ¶ Felix the thyrde was pope after Simplicius thre yere & viij. monethes. This mā ordeyned y• respyte shold be gyuen to a man that was accused / that he myght auyse hym how he sholde auswere. And y• the iudges & y• accusers sholde be suche / & y• they sholde take all suspeccion & spotte. ¶ Gelasius a Romayn was pope after Felix .v. yere This mā ordeyned y• canon of y• masse wt the preface / ympnes / tractes / oreysons as saȳt Ambrose made them / & y• ordres sholde be gyuen foure tymes in the yere ¶ Anastasius was emperour after zeno xxvij. yere / & he was a curfed man & an heretyke / & hatefull to god & man / & he was slayne wt lyghtnynge. And in his tyme dyed saynt Patryk y• fyrst bysshop of Irlond / in the .C. and .xxij. yere of his age / & his felawe was the abbot of Columba & saynt Brigida / whome saynt Patryk made a nonne / & they were butyed in one tombe / & at dyuers tymes / And this is theyr Epytaphe. Hij tres in gelido / tumulo tumulant in vno / Brigida / Patricius / at (que) Columba pius. ¶ Anastasius a Romayn was pope after Gelasius two yere & thre monethes. He ordeyned that no preest for wrath ne hate sholde leue of to saye his diuyne ser uyce in the chirche / excepte the masse / & he cursed the emperour Anastasius / for he was an heretyke. And it is writen of him / that afterward he turned for drede to the opynyon of the emperour. And he is called the seconde yll famed pope that is in Catholico pōtificū. And afore hym was Liberius famed in heresy.
¶ Anno domini. iiij .C .ixxxxiiij.
SImachꝰ was pope after hȳ .xv. yere / & with hȳ was ordeyned an other pope y• was called Laurencius / & bytwene them was a grete discēcyon / & they bothe put them to y• Iudgement of [Page lix] Theoboria y• kyng. And he iudged that he that was first ordeyned / & that moost men of the chirche helde with / sholde be pope. And Simachus preuayles / the whiche loued the clergy & poore men / & for Pascalius the deken cardynall helde agaynst Simachus wt the parte of Lau rence to his deth / therfore he was put to the paines of purgatory to kepe y• baths after his deth / as Gregory sayth in his boke of Dialogues. This mā ordeyned that Gs [...]a mexcelsis sholde be sayd euery sondaye and feestes of martyrs.
¶ Nota That Englonde was longe tyme chrysten Fraunce.
CLodouius the fyrst chrystē kyng of Fraūce was this tyme baptysed of saynt Remigio / & he had a christen woman to his wyfe / & she meued hym many tymes to y• fayth / & sayd he shold be fortunable yf he wolde turne / & so he was / & neuer afore. ¶ Hornusoa was pope after Simachꝰ .ix. yere. This mā was of grete mercy & grete almes vnto pooremen / & he gaue many ornamētes to chirches. And he reconsyled y• grekes y• were cursed for theyr heresy. ¶ Iustinus was emperour after Anastasiꝰ .ix. yere / & was a very chrystē man. And all that euer the emperour Anastasius had done agaynst the chirche / he reuoked / & obeyed the pope Hornusoa / and calle [...] agayne the bysshops that were exiled by his predecessours. ¶ Priscianꝰ grāmatieus was this tyme. And this yere the whiche is the .lxxi. fro the comynge of y• saxons / began y• kingdom of westsaxon and Cerdico was kynge. ¶ Iohannes was pope after Hornusoa thre yere and ix. monethes. And Theodoricus y• kyng of ytaly an heretyke toke the pope with other senatours / & sent them to the emperour Iustinyan / determynynge that and he wolde not let the heretykes be in peas / he sholde [...] all the chrysten folke in ytaly. And after he [...]oke pope Iohn & Simachū / Patricisi / and Boicium the senatours / & slewe them in pryson. But Bois defended hym by the reason of the aurtorite of y• senatours / & he sent hym to the cite of Papy for perpetuall exyle / where he made the boke De [...]solatione philosophie. And at the last in the coūtre of Mediolanensis he caused Bois throte to becutte / and so he dyed. ¶ Felix pope succeded Iohn .iiij. yere. This man cō maūded that seke men sholde be an [...]led afore theyr deth / but Chryst ordeyned it fyrst. ¶ Iustinianus was Emperour xxxviij. yere. This man drewe the lawe of the Romayns / or of Ciuyll / out of almoost .ij. M. bokes / and .ccc. M. verses ouer longe & yll accordynge in to one volum of .xij. bokes / & called it Iustinyan. He made also the digestes / and deuyded them in to thre bokes. ¶ Bonifacius the seconde was pope after Felix two yere. And lytell of hȳ is wryten. ¶ Iohānes the seconde was pope after Bonifacius And this mā had a grete stryfe wt Iustinian y• emperour / wheder y• Chryst was of two natures or one. The pope sayd he had two natures / one of god / an other of man. The emperour sayd / eyther cōsent to vs / or y• shalte go to perpetuall exyle. The pope answered. I desyred to come to Iustinyan the moost chrysten emperour / but as me semeth I haue founde Dioclesyan y• pursewer of chrysten men but certaynly I drede not thy malyce / ne I [...]ere not thy thretenynges. Than the empetour meked hȳselfe & fell downe to the groūde / & asked mercy & absolucion.
¶ Anno d [...]i .v .C. xxxiiij.
AGapitus a confess [...]ur was pope after Iohn two yere. This Agapitus turned Iustinyan sully from the [Page] errour of the Euticetes. This man ordeyned that processyons sholde be done on sondayes / & than he dyed at Constan tynople. ¶ Siluerius a martyr was pope after this man thre yere. He was exiled fro chrysten fayth / & slayne by the proctour of Theodory / for he wolde not restore the bysshop of Athenes an heretyke to his benefyce agayn. ¶ Virgiliꝰ was pope after hym .xvij. yere. And he entred yll in to his benefyce / but he gouerned hym well / & he suffred his perse cucyon pacyently / and he was exiled fro Rome. And at y• last after grete passions of Theodora in Constantynople dyed. ¶ Sinodus quarta Cōstātinopolitana contra Theodorū et oēs hereticos alios fuit isto tēpore. Ista sinodꝰ dampnauit heresim Theodori. qui dixit aliū esse deū verū. et aliū Christū. Et (quam) beata virgo non sit dei genitrix. sed hominis tantū. ¶ Pelagius was pope after Virgilius foure yere and .x. monethes. This man ordeyned that heretykes / scysmatykes & renegates sholde be punysshed by the seculer power. ¶ Iohannes the thyrde was pope after this man .xiij. yere. Of this man lytel is wrytē / but that he restored y• chircheyerde of y• apostles Philip & Iacob. ¶ Iustinus the seconde after Iustinian was Emperour .xj. yere. This man despysed poore men / he robbed the senatours / he was gyuen to all couetousnes / so that he made chestes of yren for to kepe his money in. Than anone he fell in to heresye / & wexed out of his mynde. And than was chosen Tyberius a good man for to gouerne the co myn people. ¶ Tyberius y• second was emperour after Iustinꝰ .vij. yere. This man was a vertuous man. He gaue innumerable good to poore men / in so moche that his wyfe often chydde wt hym / & sayd that he kest awaye the goodes of the empyre as stones. And he answered agayne & sayd. I trust in god that our chestes shall neuer lacke of money / & we put treasure in to heuen. And vpon a certayn daye whan he went by his palays at Constantynople / he sawe in the marble pauemēt a crosse grauen / & thought it sholde not be troden vpon / & comaunded to take it vp. For the crosse ought to be put in the hertes of faythfull men / & there he founde inestymable treasour of golde. This man subdued Harsas / and dyed blissedly. ¶ Benedictus was pope after Iohn .iiij. yere. This man suffred grete persecucyon of hunger / pestylence and enemyes. This man brought many a thousande quarters of where from Egypte / whan Rome was besyeged by kyng Albanak / & almoost lost for vitayle wherfore they wrote on his graue this epytaphe. Magnatuis monumēta pater Benedicte reliqis: virtutū titulus et de [...]us at (que) dolor. ¶ Pelagius was pope after Benedictus .v. yere. In his tyme Rome was besyeged by y• loinbardes / & lytel he dyd in his dayes. ¶ Mauricius was emperour after Tyberiꝰ .xxj. yere. This was a very chrysten man / & subdued Persas & Armenias / & in y• latter ende of his dayes he dyscorded wt saynt Gregory / & entended to haue slayne hȳ. And than there appered a man in Rome clothed in a religyous habyte holdyng a naked swerde in his hande / & cryed about y• cite in this wyse. The emperour shall be destroyed / the whiche the emperour herde / & he correcked hȳselfe of his trespace / & prayed to god to withdrawe his sentence from hym. To whome our lorde appered in his slepe & sayd. Wylte thou that I spare the now / or in tyme to come. And he was alouer of wretches & sayd. Gyue me here my reward. Thā he was emperour after many a daye. And whā he shold haue correcked his knighttes for theyr extorcyon y• they dyd / they [Page lx] asked hym why that he wolde not paye them theyr wages. And so they fell at varyaunce / & chose Foca for to be emperour / & slewe hȳ & his .iij. sones. ¶ This tyme saynt Austin came in to Englonde and ordeyned two archebysshops / that is to saye / of London / & of yorke / by the cōmaūdemēt of saynt Gregory. And remēbre y• many tymes is made mencyon of dyuers regyons & coūtrees / that oftē tymes they haue ben turned to y• fayth. For alwaye the fayth abode not in them for dyuers causes. So it is of Englonde Fraūce / Persia / Iewry / & in this thȳge Rome was preuileged / for there y• fayth of Peter neuer fayled. ¶ Focas was emperour after Maurici his maister / whome he & other slewe / & bycause he began yll / he ended nought. For in his dayes y• Romayns fought strongly agaynst the Perses / & the Romayns were discomfy ted & lost many a prouynce / & at the last he was slayne of Heraclius. For as he dyd to other men / so was he done to.
¶ Anno domini .v .C. lxxxiiij.
GRegory the first a Romayn and a mōke was pope after Pelagius xiij. yere. This man was called Gregorius magnus for many thȳges that he exceded in. he passed other men in power in ryches / in vertue / in noblenes / in wysdom / in holynes / in fame & in experience And vnder this man the yll thynges of cursednes passed & seced / & many a noble boke he wrote to y• incomparable ꝓfyte of all holy chirche. He was one of y• pryncypal doctours of all the .iiij. doctours of the chirche. This man forsothe alone wt sayiit Fabian after saȳt Peter was chosen of god in all the ordres of y• popes of Rome / many thynges he ordeyned in y• chirche / as is shewed in his regystre. Deus in abiutoriū. for to be afore y• begynnynge of y• houres he cōmaunded to be sayd. He renewed & made all the offyces of the chirche in a fayrer & a more cō pendyous maner / the whiche abydeth yet vnto this daye / & it is called Gregorianū. And shortly to cōclude on this holy man / mannes tongue can not expresse lyghtly the louynges of this mā / what in wrytynges & also in examples of vertuous dedes. ¶ Saumianꝰ was pope after Gregory one yere & .v. monethes. This man ordeyned y• ringyng of belles at the houres of the daye. But this man backbyted saynt Gregory for his liberalite that he had to poore men / & thought he sawe saȳt Gregory rebuke hȳ thryse for it / & the fourth tyme he lay in his bed & thought saynt Gregory smote him on the heed / and he waked & dyed anone. This was the thyrde pope amonge all y• popes y• whiche is noted to dye a dredefull deth. ¶ Bonifacius y• thyrde was pope after Sauimanus .viij. monethes He ordeyned y• none but whyte clothes sholde be put on y• awter. ¶ Bonifacius the fourth was pope .iiij. yere and .viij. monethes. This man purchased of the emperour Foca that the chirche of saynt Peter of Rome shold be y• heed of all the chirches in y• worlde. For afore Cōstantinople was y• heed chirche. Also he ga [...]e lycence y• the chirche called Panton the whiche was dedycate to the honour of Neptunus & other fals goddes / where chrysten men many tymes were slayne of deuyls / myght be dedycate to y• worshyp of all sayntes in heuen. This man ordeyned y• monkes myght vse y• offyce of prechynge / chrystenynge & cōfessyon. ¶ Heraclius was emperour after Foca xiij. yere. And in the thyrde yere of his regne / Co [...]ras y• kyng of Perses brent Ierusalem and other worshypfull places. [...]achary the patriarke with moche other people he toke & put in captyuice. The parte of the holy crosse the whiche [Page] Cleyn lefte there he toke with hym in to his coūtre. But the .xij. yere of Herachꝰ Cosoras was slayne of Heraclius / & the crosse was brought agayn / & the people were delyuered. And whan Heraclius wold haue entred y• cite proudly / the gates of y• cite by y• power of god shette by themselfe / & the emperour meked hȳ to god aboue / & the gates opened. And thā was the feest of y• exaltacyon of y• crosse made. ¶ Deꝰ dedit was pope after Boniface thre yere. This was an holy man For on a certayn daye whan he kyssed a lepre / anone the lepre was hole. ¶ This tyme a citezin of London through y• mocyon of Ethelbryght buylded a chirche of saynt Peter in the west parte of London / in a place y• was called Thorney.
¶ Circa annū dn̄i. vj .C .xliiij.
BOnifacius the fyfthe was pope after Deus dedit fyue yere / the whiche ordeyned that no man sholde be taken out of the chircheyerde. And lytel elles of hym is wryten.
¶ Nota Machomitum.
MAchomyte the duke of sarasyns and turkes was this tyme. And he was the deceyuer of all the worlde / a false prophete / the messenger of the deuyll / the foregoer of Antechryst / the fulfyller of heresy / and of all false men the meruaylest / of whome the dominacyon thus began. ¶ There was a certayne famous clerke at Rome and coude not spede in his maters that he desyred to haue spedde in / than he receded frō Rome ouer the see / and procured many a man to go with hym / amonge whome was this fals Machomyte a grete man of wytte. And this clerke ꝓmysed hym to make hym duke of his coūtree / yf he wolde be guyded after hym. There he nourysshed a doue / & put all y• corne that the doue ete in to Machomytes ere / & so this doue had neuer no meet but in his ere. The foresayd clerke on a daye called the people & meued them to chose suche a prynce as the holy ghost wolde shewe to them in fourme of a doue. And anone this clerke secretly let this doue flee / the whiche after his olde custome came to Machomyte / & put his byll in his eere. And whan the people sawe this / anone he was chosen duke of that people. And whan he was made duke of this people of Corosame / he sayd y• he was the very prophete of god. Thā he made a boke of his lawe y• was called Alcaron. But he dyd it by the informacyon of thre of his maysters / to whom y• deuyll mynistred the auctorite & the connynge. The fyrst mayster was a iewe a grete astronomer & a nygromancer / the second was Iohn de Antiochia / the thyrde was Sergius an heretyke. And these thre made an vn gracyous lawe & an vnhappy / & what someuer was hard of byleue & tedyous to do / they lefte y• out of the lawe / & they put that thinge in theyr lawe y• worldly men were prone & redy to do / that is to saye / glotony / lechery / rapyne / & suche other. And also this Machomyte ordeyned y• a man shold haue as many wiues as he myght occupy & fynde / and refuse them twyse or thryse or .iiij. tymes / & take them again. And many meruaylous & fals thinges he made in his lawe / the whiche were to lōge to reherse here / but they be playne in his boke of Alcaron / & euer he wrote i his boke y• our lord spake to Machomyte his ꝓphete / sayenge on this wyse or on this. Thus by his fals meanes he deceyued y• people. And whā his maysters & he had made this y• was so delectable / he wrote it in a boke with lettres of gold / & nourysshed a camell secretly in a pryuy place / & all onely wt the hādes of Machomyte was alway fedde [Page lxi] And there pryuely he tyed this boke of the lawe y• he had made about y• camels necke / & put this camell forth on a tyme in to a felde a fore daye / and this camell ioyed in his lyberte / for he was neuer lose afore. And he wold suffre no man to come & touche hym. And so there was a grete fame of suche a camell / and all the people ranne to se hym / amonge whom was this Machomyte. But whan the camell sawe hym that alway had fedde hym / anone he ranne vnto hym. And he had taught this camel afore tyme to fal downe on his knees & lycke his handes And so he dyd afore all the people. The people thā cryed & sayd / that there was a very ensample that he was the true prophete of god. Than they prayed Machomyte to open y• holy boke wt his holy handes / the whiche was sent frō heuen euermore to be kepte. In y• whiche boke is shewed how the people shall worshyp god. And Machomyte sayd. This boke was wryten with aūgels handes. So by these false meanes he turned to his lawe all the londe of Perse / & all the eest imperyall agaynst Heraclius the emperour. And he occupyed vnto the ende of Alexandre and Egypte / Libia / Arabia / & Siria. Than after he enfected all Affrica / & but that the grace of god wt stode hym he had enfected all spayne & fraūce And many other thynges he dyd / that were to moche to wryte in this boke.
COnstantyne the thyrde / the sone of Heracli [...] was emperour .xxvij. yere. This Constantyne was a cursed man / a grete tyraunt / and an heretyke false / subtyll & obyous to chrysten men / nor he gaue no place to pope Martyn / & he reysed a grete host agaynst the Lombarbes / & there he lost the felde & fledde to Rome. And honourably was receyued of the pope Vitellianꝰ / and other of the cite. And he rewarded them not lyke after theyr merytes as a prynce sholde haue done / but vsed forth tyranny & heresye / wherfore at y• last he was slayne of his owne knyghtes in a bath / y• whiche wolde no longer suffre his tyranny. And so he wretchedly lyued / & dyed vnhappely. ¶ Martinꝰ the first was pope after Theodorū .vj. yere. This Martinus was a very holy man / and strongly stroue for the fayth of god. And whan he sayd masse on a certayne daye at the awter / there pursued hym to slee hym a man whiche was called Spa [...]arius of Olymphe / and whan he wolde haue [...]nytten hym he was blynde sodeynly. This same man called a Sinody in the cite of Rome / and he dampned Syrum / Alexandrū / Sergiū / Pyrum / & Paulū heretykes. Wherfore Constantyne the emperour exiled hym / & he dyed a saynt ¶ Eugenius a Romayn was pope after Martyn almoost thre yere / and was an holy mā / but of hym lytell actes ben wryten. ¶ Vitellianus was pope after hym .xiiij. yere. This mā made y• songe that the Romayns vseth / and accorded it also with y• organes. And he also had the grace of the emperour / the whiche was wroth with his predecessours / neuerthelesse afterward he stode not in his cōcorde. Ne hytherto I coude not fynde that euer the chirche of Rome had fully after the deth of Cōstantyne y• myghty / the lordshyp of the cyte and of other the whiche he gaue to the chirche.
¶ Anno dn̄i. vj .C. x [...]iij.
Adeodatus a Romain was pope after Vi [...]s .iiij. yere / and in his dayes was translated the body of saynt Benedicti with the body of saynt Scolastice his syster fro y• hyll of cally [...] to the monastery of [...] nygh [...] relyan. ¶ Constaneyneth fourth was [Page] emperour after his fader Constantyne the cursed man. This Cōstantyne was a good man / & he hated heretikes aboue all thynge / the chirche he repayred / and grace he reconsyled agayne to ye chirche of Rome / & he with ye pope gadred togyder the syxth generall sinody / in y• whiche was graūted to preestes of Grece to vse theyr lefull wyues / & to the preestes of the eest / for cause of grete heet / but not to those of the west party by no meanes for they amytted chastite in the tyme of saynt Gregory. And euery man may aduertyse & pondre how moche ye goodnes of a prynce is worth to the quyete state of the chirche / & to the promocyon of the fayth. And also the cōtrary / how moche the malyce of a prynce hurteth / ye thȳge these two Constantynes the fader & the sone shewed openly. For in the faders days the chirche neuer had rest / & in the sones tyme it was quyete. Yet neuerthelesse our lorde suffred the sarasyns & the vulgars to entre in this emperours londe / yt he myght not withstande them but that he made his peas with them / and payed yerely to them a truage / so myghtely preuayled that cursed secte of Machomyte / & after he dyed blyssedly. ¶ Nota. that there were syxe generall synodyes & moost pryncypall / of ye whiche the auctorite is equall to the gospell for the treuth of the gospell is declared by them / agaynst ye syxe pryncypall heresyes / the whiche strongly troubled ye chirche / for the subtylte of those heretykes to deceyue symple men. ¶ Aboute this tyme dyed saynt Cedde of Lychfel [...] the thyrde yere of his bysshopryche. ¶ Demus a Romayn was pope after Adeodatus thre yere / of this man lytell is wryten. ¶ Bonifacius was pope after hym / & lytell of hym is wryten / but [...]hat he lyued lyke a preest. ¶ Agatho [...]as pope after hym / & he was a very holy man. For on a day whan he kyssed a lepre / the lepre a none was made hole. Iste et de consensu principis iussit celebrari sextā synodū apud Cōstantinopolī CC .lxxx. [...]p̄orū / in qua assere [...] duas naturas et duas volūtates esse in Christo. ¶ Leo the seconde was pope after Agatho .iij. yere. This Leo was an holy mā & suffycyently taught in latyn & greke. This man ordeyned that the pax shold be gyuen after Agnus dei / and dyed a blyssed man. ¶ Benedictus the seconde was pope after Leo almoost thre yere. This man about all thynges was vertuous: & his name accorded wt his dedes And in his tyme was a grete pestylēce. ¶ Iustinianus the seconde was emperour this tyme / & he was a very good man / a prudent & a large / & he encreased the empyre of Rome myghtely / but he charged y• offyce of ye chirche ouermoche Many lawes he made / & afterwarde he wexed not good / for he entended to haue letted ye decrees of ye vj. sinody / wherfore the .x. yere of his empyre he was takē of Leo the prynce of Patricio & Tyberio / & they cut of his nose & his tongue & exiled hȳ to Crisonā. Than was a grete turbacyon in ye chirche for stryfe & heretykes. And knowe all mē whā variaūce falleth bytwene grete lordes / than errours ben multiplied: for there is no mā correcketh them / therfore yt is oft tyme preued in ye chirche. Than after fell a varyaūce bytwene Leo & Tiberio / & Tiberio preuayled / & he exiled Leo / & cut of his nose the thyrde yere of his regne: & regned for hȳ Iustinyan fled to ye sarasyns & the bulgars / y• whiche restored hym agayne to his empyre / & slewe Leo & Tyberio / the whiche fauoured heretikes. Than this same Iustinyan reformed hymselfe to ye chirche of god / & had grete repentaūce / but he venged hym to cruelly on his aduersaryes / so that he wolde haue slayne [Page lxii] theyr Innocent chyldren. Therfore he was slayne with his sone / of Phylyp whome he exiled.
¶ Anno dn̄i. vj .C .lxxxiiij.
IOhānes the fyfth was pope after Benedictus one yere. He was a good man / but he decessed anone. ¶ zeno was pope after hym / & he was a very holy man / for he wold not meddle with seculer maters / & in beaute he was as an aūgell / quyete in vertues / & meke in soule / & very demure in language of his religyous lyfe. This man was chosen at the last with one accorde of ye chirche and lay men / but there was a grete distinccyon / for ye clergy entended to haue chosen Pyers the archebisshop / and the hoost of lay men wolde haue had Theodorū a preest. But at ye last ye holy ghoost turned the wyll of all this people vnto this holy man. ¶ Sergiꝰ was pope .ix. yere. This mā was vertuous & cōmendable in his lyfe / & in his eleccyon was a grete discord / for one party of ye clergy chose Theodo (rum) / & an other party Pascalem. But as our lorde wolde at the last they turned all to this man. This man translated the body of saint Leo. He also foūde a grete parte of the holy crosse by myracle. And he baptysed Cadwalidus the last kynge of Brytayn. He cōmaunded Agnus dei to be sayd or songe thryse at masse / & decessed blyssedly. ¶ Nota. ¶ Saynt Bede the worshypfull preest was this tyme a man of grete fame in Englonde / y• whiche was taken the .vij. yere of his age to Benedict the abbot of Gyrwyensis monastery to be taught / & than after to Colfrido the abbot after ye deth of Benedict. And at .xix. yere of his age he was made deken of the bysshop of Yorke. And at .xxx. yere he was made preest / in the whiche yere he began to wryte. So he contynued all the tyme of his lyfe in that monastery / in gyuynge his labours to wrytyng / & for scripture to be expowned he made .lxxviij. bokes the whiche he nombreth in y• ende of his englysshe boke. This man was euer in labour / eyther in prayer or in syngynge dayly in ye chirche / or to lerne / or to [...]che or to wryte. For the whiche thynge men may iudge by reason that he was neuer at Rome / all though some saye he went to Rome / yt he myght se yt his bokes accorded wt the doctryne of ye chirche. But it was certayne that he was blynde / & went to preche / & had a seruaūt yt was not good / & made hȳ to preche to a grete multytude of stones / and sayd that they were men / & whan all his sermon was done / the stones answered & sayd amen. But yt he went to Rome thryse / & foūde wryten thre arres & thre effes & expowned them / it was neuer foūde in no boke of auctorite. There was after ye talking of the people suche a wrytyng on the gates of Rome RRR. FFF. And suche an exposicyon. Regna Rome Ru [...]. Ferro Flāma et Fame. But it is certayne that Bede was desyred to come to Rome by the wrytynge of Sergius the pope vnto Colfrido his abbot. And this Bede trāslated the gospell of saynt Iohn in to Englysshe tongue / & decessed blyssedly. The fame sayth y• now he lyeth at Deuelyn with saynt Cuthberto / & there is buryed with hym the knowlege of the dedes of Englonde almoost to ye cōquest. ¶ Leo the seconde was emperour and lytell of hym is wryten. ¶ Liberiꝰ was emperour after hym. vi [...]. yere / the whiche arose agaynst Leo & entred his kingdom / & kepte hym in prison as longe as he regned. In his tyme Iustinyan the seconde y• whiche in olde tyme was exiled to Crisonā / openly sayd he wolde recouer his empyre agayn. Wherfore the people of that coūtree for ye loue of Liberius [Page] were about to slee that Iustinyan / wherfore he fledde to the prynce of Turco (rum) / & wedded his syster / & through the helpe of his broder & the Bulgars he recouered his empyre / & slewe Liberius & Leo the vsurper of his realme. And as many tymes almoost as he wyped ony drop from his nose the whiche they kyt of / so many tymes he made one of his enemyes to be slayne. ¶ Leo the thyrde was pope after Sergiꝰ two yere. This man was made pope by the power of ye Romayns / & was not put in ye nombre of popes / for he yll entred / but he dyd none yll. ¶ Iohānes the syxth a Greke was pope after hym. And he was a martyr / but of whome & wherfore y• cause is not foūde in hystoryes. It is sayd y• it was of ye dukes of Lombardy / for they were enemyes to ye chirche myghtely. ¶ Iohānes the .vij. a Romayn was pope after hym thre yere / but no thinge of hym is wryten. ¶ Iustinianus the seconde was emperour agayne wt his sone Tiberius .vj. yere. And this was he whiche was reued of ye empyre afore by Leo And whā this man was restored agayn he toke hym to the ryght fayth / & worshypped the pope Cōstantyn / & certaynly he destroyed Creson the place where he was exiled to / & all that dwelled in it (excepte children) he slewe them. And he came agayn an other tyme to haue slayne the Innocentes / & the men of coūtree made them a capytayn a certayne man that was called Philip an outlawe / the whiche anone wente to hym in batayle and slewe hym for his cruelnes agaynst those children. ¶ Sysinnius was pope xx. dayes / & than was grete stryfe / and he decessed / but lytell of hym is wryten. ¶ Constantyn was pope after hym. vij yere. This man was a very meke man & so blyssed / that of all men he was beloued. He went ouer the see to Iustinyan the emperour / & was receyued wt grete honour / & dyed a blyssed man. ¶ Philip the seconde was emperour one yere / the whiche fled in to Scisilia for ye hoost of ye Romayns. And he was an heretyke / & cōmaūded all pictures of sayntes to be destroyed. Wherfore the Romayns kest away his coyne / nor wolde not receyue no money y• had his ymage or his name wryten vpon it. ¶ Anastasius ye second after he had slayne Philyp was emperour thre yere. This man was a christē man / & lyued well. But bycause he put out Philips eyen & slewe hȳ afterward / therfore Theodosius fought against hȳ and ouercame hym / and than he was made a preest / & so lyued quyetly.
¶ Anno domini. vij .C .xiiij.
O Regorius ye seconde was pope after Constantyn .xvij. yere. This Gregory was a chaste man / and a noble man in scripture. And about this tyme the popes begā to dele more temporally with ye emperours thā they were wont for theyr falsnes & theyr heresy / and also for to remeue the empyre fro one place to an other as the tyme requyred. This man cursed Leo the emperour bycause he brent the ymages of sayntes. This same Leo cōmaūded Gregory the pope that he shold brenne chirches & destroye them. And the pope set no thynge of his sayenge / but manly cōmaunded the contrary. And so it is openly shewed / that ye destruccion of the empyre of Rome was the cause of heresy. For certaynly faythfull people with theyr prelates with one wyll drewe vnto the pope / and constrayned the emperours for to leue theyr tyranny and theyr heresyes. ¶ And this tyme in the eest partyes of the worlde strongly fayled the very true fayth / for that cursed lawe of false Machomyte. ¶ Theodostꝰ was emperour / & regned [Page lxiii] but one yere / & he was a very chrysten man / & euen as he dyd / so was he done vnto. For Leo deposed hym & made him a preest. ¶ Leo the thyrde wt Cōstantyn his sone was emperour .xxv. yere. This Leo whan he was myghty he deposed Theodosius / & regned for hym / & was deceyued by a certayn apostata / y• whiche bad hym that he shold take & brenne all the ymages of sayntes / wherfore he was punysshed bothe in batayle and in pestylēce / & with other infortunes. And bycause he was accursed of Gregory / & abode therin thre days / therfore ye pope with the comyn people toke from hym all ye west parte of his empyre / cōmaundynge that no man sholde obey hym / ne socour hym / bycause he lyued lyke an heretyke. Holy men sayd agaynst hym / and many by hym were martyred & exiled. And at the last in his mysbyleue he dyed wretchedly. And in this mannes dayes but that Karolꝰ Marcellus holpe the chrysten fayth and fought manly agaynst the sarasyns / & droue them backward in to Spayne y• whiche they had subdued / els they had entred in to fraūce And Karolus slewe thre hondred thousande sarasyns & more / & of his people were slayne but .xv. thousand. ¶ Nota This man for ye contynual batayle toke to lay men the treasour of the chirche / wherfore saynt Euchery the bysshop of Aurilian as he was in his prayers saw that same Karolus in soule & body payned in hell. And the aūgell that shewed the bysshop this man / sayd that y• was the iudgement of all those yt toke awaye the goodes of ye chirche / or of poore men. And to fortyfye that ye the bysshop sayd & to proue it / the abbot of saynt Denys went to the sepulture where that Karolus was buryed / & opened the chest that he lay in / and there they sawe a dragon go out / but he had no body. ¶ Gregory the thyrde a Romayne was pope after Gregory the seconde / the whiche confermed the worshyppynge of the ymages of sayntes / with the coūseyle almoost of a thousande bysshops. And he horrybly cursed al the despysers of these ymages as the emperour and other that were of that condicion. ¶ Constantinus y• fyfth was emperour after his fader Leo. xxxv yere. He was a cursed man and a pure heretyke / so that he dyd sacrifyce to deuyls / he pursued the chirche / & noth [...]ge that is good of hym is wryten. And so by the suffraūce of god the chirche was troubled lōge tyme. ¶ About this tyme were many meruayles / and there were meruaylous erth quakes. And certayn cytees that were set vpon moūtaynes / they were remeued & borne away with the hylles into the feldes. v [...]. mile thens as they stode / and the cytees were not broken nor hurte. In the londe of Mesopotanyan the erthe was broken by the space of two myle. And also there was a mule whiche spake in a mannes voyce. Asshes fell from heuen. And in the see of Pontico there was yse for grete frost y• was .xxx. cubytes of thycknes. And sterres fell frō heuen so myghtely that men trowed that the ende of the worlde had ben comen. All these betokened meruaylous thynges to come.
¶ Anno domini. vij .C .xliiij.
AFter Gregori zacharias was pope .x. yere. This zachary was a noble man / & arayed with all vertues / with all men he was loued for his mekenes. And he deposed the kyng of Fraūce Hydery / & put in his place Pippinū / for he was more profytable. Here ye may se what power y• chirche had that tyme the whiche trāslated that famous kyngdom from the very heyres to the kyngdom of Pippyn / for a lefull cause. Vt habetur. [Page] xv. q .v. alius. ¶ Stephanus the second a Romayn was pope after zacha ry .v. yere. This man in all thynge was profytable vnto the chirche / as well in worde as in doctryne. And he gouerned the spirytualte & the temporalte nobly. He was the louer & the defender of poore men. This man anoynted Pippinū the kyng of Fraūce / & sent hym agaynst the Lombardes / that he sholde cōpell them to restore the chirche of suche goodes as they had withholden from them longe tyme vnryghtwysly / the whiche he dyd He also trāslated the empyre of the Grekes to the frenssh men. ¶ Paulus a Romayn was pope after hȳ .x. yere. This was a very holy man / for he dyd grete almes to faderles children & prysoners / wydowes and other poore men / that he myght be a folower of saynt Paule. ¶ Constantyn y• second a Romayn was pope after Paule two yere. This Constantyn was a lay man / & sodeynly was made a preest as a tyraūt / & toke on him the dignite of the pope / and with a grete sclaūdre to the chirche was pope a lytell tyme. But the faythfull men put hym out / & put out his eyen. And this was y• fyfthe infamed pope amonge so many hytherto / so the holy ghoost that holy apostles seet kepte in all honour and holy nes. ¶ Infynyte martyrs were made this tyme by Constantyn the emperour for he was suche an heretyke. And men trowe that there was neuer emperour nor no paynym that sleme so many martyrs. And this tyme y• chirche was troubled full sore / & very precyously bought the worshyppyng of y• ymages of sayntes / for y• grete shedynge of blode of martyrs. And certaynly that cursed emperour was not vnpunysshed. For whan he dyed he cryed with an horryble voyce & sayd. I am taken to a fyre that is vnable to be destroyed / and so he yelded vp the ghost to euerlastyng payne. ¶ The empyre of Rome was deuyded aboute this tyme. For Stephen y• pope translated ytaly & other to Karolus yet a yonge man. And Constantyn helde the londe of Grece with other londes ouer y• see with a grete labour / and many rebellynge. ¶ This tyme Karolus magnus was a noble yonge man / & he begā for to regne vpon Fraūce / & was the sone of Pippinus / and his moder was called Berta. ¶ Stephanus the thyrde was pope after Paulus thre yere / & he amended all the errours of Constantyne. And he degraded all those the whiche Constantyn ordeyned in a gouernall synody.
¶ Anno domini. vij .C .lxxxiiij.
ADrianus a Romayn was pope after Steuen .xxiiij. yere. This man was myghtely worshypped of the people / no man greter afore hym in honour / rychesse & buyldynge. This man set two solempne synodyes. The fyrst of iij .C. and l. faders. The secōde in Rome with an hondred & fyfty faders / beynge present Charles the kynge of Fraunce / to whome it was graunted the lyberte of eleccyon of the pope / and to ordeyne y• apostles seet. ¶ Leo the fourth regned emperour with y• Grekes .v. yere. This Leo was a cursed mā / but not so moche as his fader was / & he was a couetous man / & he toke away a certayne crowne of a chirche / and put it vpon his heed / & anone he was corrupted with an axes & so decessed. And he had a cursed wyfe the whiche regned after hym with her sone. ¶ Constantyn was emperour after Leo / & he was a meke man / and put awaye his moder fro y• kyngdom / that she myght take hede vnto her womens werke. But she with a fayned rancour put out his eyen afterwarde / & his children [Page lxiiii] also / and regned agayne thre yere. And at the last she was aboute to haue ben wedded. And whan the Grekes perceyued that she wold be wedded to grete Karolꝰ / they toke her & shette her vp in a monastery / & toke Nichoferū to be theyr emperour. ¶ The .v. vniuersall study y• whiche in olde tyme was translated frō Athenes to Rome about this tyme was translated to Parys by Karolus kynge of Fraūce. ¶ Nichoferꝰ was emperour after Cōstantyn. He was a very nygon / & was exalted to his empyre by the Grekes / but he profyted not / for in his tyme all the eest Imperyall was brought to nought. For the Romayns put them vnder Karolus magnꝰ. ¶ Ierusalē about this tyme was recouered by Karolus / with all the holy londe. And the secte of sarasyns was destroyed strongly. For the destruccyon of wretches came than. ¶ Mychaell was emperour two yere. And he was a very chryst [...] man / & was wel beloued / & was also conuynge in all scyences. And those that Nichoferꝰ had hurte & distressed of theyr goodes by his couetousnes / this Michaell restored thē theyr goodes agayn. ¶ Nota. Karolus magnus the fyrst saynt was emperour after Michaell / & he was crowned emperour by Leo the pope. From y• whiche tyme the empyre was translated fro the Grekes to Fraūce & Germany. And for the translacyon of y• empyre / the Grekes alway were defectyue vnto y• Romayns & the Grekes stroue euermore wt them / but it was more wt venymous wordes than wt strength / & more wt craft than wt batayle. For they had so grete enuy at y• Romayns that they wolde not obey the chirche of Rome. For certaynly whan y• the popes wold wryte vnto them for to obey the chirche of Rome / they wrote agayn and sayd. Ye haue taken from our kynrede the empyre / & therfore we wyll you not obey / and we vs take from you And as touchynge this noble emperour Karolus / it is to be vnderstande / this man whā he was a yonge man he was anoynted kynge in Fraūce by Stephen the pope / in the yere of our lorde Iesu Chryst. vij .C. and .liiij. whan his tader Pippinus lyued / vnder whom / & with whome he regned .xv. yere / to the deth of his fader. Than after the deth of his fader in the yere of our lorde god. vij .C .lxviij. this Karolus with his broder Karolo manna regned two yere. Than his broder decessed in the seconde yere. And this Karolus than helde all y• hole k [...]ng dome .xiiij. yere / to the yere of our lorde vij. hondred .lxxxiiii. in the whiche yere he wente vnto Rome that he myght be crowned emperour of the pope Adryan. And there he regned emperour. rvi. yere / to the yere of our lorde god .viii .C. whan pope Leo confermed hym agayn to be emperour. And after that he was emperour .xiiij. yere. And this Karolus magnus decessed in the yere of his age lxxij. the whiche was the yere of our lorde god .viij. hondred and. riiii. ¶ Yf [...] wyll se more of this Karolus go to the boke of the bysshop Turpinus and [...] braminus his mayster / for they wrote his noble actes euerychone. ¶ [...]o the fourth was pope after Adrian. [...]. yere. This man whan he went on a cet [...]ayn daye with the Letany to saynt Peters chirche on saynt Markes daye / he was taken with cursed people / the whiche put out bothe his eyen / and his tongue was cutte of. But our lord meruaylously restored hym agayne his syght & his speche / so that he spake without tongue and sawe by myracle. And afterwarde he went to Karolus in to Fraunce. And he came with hym to Rome / and there venged the pope of his enemyes. And than he crowned Karolus / and he late [Page] afore crowned / confermed hym agayne. ¶ Ludouicus y• meke / the fyrst begoten sone of Karolꝰ was emperour after his fader .xxvi. yere / in whose time was put away that clerkes sholde vse no gyrdels with precyous stones / ne straūge arayment. This Ludouicꝰ on his fyrst wyfe gate two childrē / & bothe had an yll ende In all thynge y• went agaynst hym he was pacyent / & in the last ende euer he ouercame it / for towarde god he abode deuoute / & his chyldren folowed his condicyons / and he decessed a blyssed man. ¶ Stephanus the fourth was pope after Leo .iij. yere. This Stephanus redemed many captyue men / & crowned Lodewyke the emperour / & than he decessed / & was buryed at Rome. ¶ Paschall was pope after Stephanꝰ. This Paschall gaue grete dilygēce to relykes of sayntes / & he toke vp innumerable bodyes of sayntes / & buryed them worshipfully / as in the visyon of saynt Cecile he was cōmaūded. ¶ Eugenius y• fourth was pope after Paschall / and he was a very holy man / and those thynges that were for Chryst he toke hede to. This man was crowned a martyr / & by y• lay men of Rome he was buryed in saynt Peters chirche yerde.
¶ Circa annū dūi. viij .C .xliiij.
TAlentinus was pope after Eugeny .xl. days / & lytell of hym is wryten. ¶ Gregory y• fourth was pope after him .xij. yere. This Gregory sawe many heuy tymes for y• plages among the comyn people. And at this mannes peticion Lodewyke y• emperour / & Marchio the prynce of Lombardy exyled all sarasyns from ytaly / & at the last he decessed after innumerable good dedes & werkes y• he had done at saynt Peters. ¶ Lotherius the first sone of Lodewyke was emperour .xv. yere in Ytaly and in Rome & in the partes of Germayn nexte to the hylles of Alpy. This Lothertus rose agaynst his broder Lodewike & Karolus for the kyngdom of Duchelonde / the whiche somtyme Pippinꝰ theyr broder helde / & they fought at a place called Fontanetū / where Lothery was discō fyted / & there was suche slaughter made on bothe sydes / that they had no men to resist theyr aduersaryes. This vnderstode a fals chrysten man / & sent vnto y• Sowdan of the sarasyns that he sholde come anone. And he toke Rome / & saynt Peters chirche was made a stable for theyr horses. But Lodewyke with the frenshmen and lombardes all that infynyte multytude destroyed / & that with grete shedynge of chrystē blode. ¶ Sergius y• second was pope after Gregory two yere. This mā was fyrst called Os porci / in englisshe hogges mouth / wherfore that man & after all y• popes names are chaūged whan they be chosen. And that for thre causes. The first for Chryst chaūged y• names of those men whiche he made popes. The secōd for as moche as they are chaūged in name / so sholde they be chaūged in pfeccyon of lyfe. The thyrde leest he whiche is chosen to an excedynge degree shold be hurte in name. ¶ Leo was pope after Sergius .viij. yere. This Leo was an holy mā / & also he was in prudence as sharpe as a serpent / & in his dedes as meke as a doue. And he was brought forth vertuously in a monastery. And whan that he was made pope / he laboured to repayre his chirches agayn / the whiche the fals sarasyns one after an other had destroyed This man was a myghty wryter and a grete precher / & a myghty labourer in watche & prayer / and so dyed / and was buryed & lyeth at saint Peters. ¶ Bene dictus a Romayn was pope after Leo two yere. This Benedictus had the name [Page lxv] of the thynge / for in all thynge was he blyssed. And he ordeyned that clerkes shold go ordynatly & honestly. ¶ Ludouicus y• sone of Lothery was emperour this tyme / & anoynted of Sergio y• pope & a whyle regned wt his fader / & after he regned .xxi. yere alone. This man had a sone y• hight Karolꝰ / in to whom a deuil entred / & vexed hȳ afore his fader / & thā he conspyred his faders deth / & in his tyme fell many meruayles. ¶ Nota. Iohānes Anglicꝰ of y• nacyō of Maguntyn about this tyme was pope / & she was a womā arayed in mānes garmētes. But she ꝓfyted moche in holy scripture. Thā she was chosen pope / but she was afterwarde wt childe / & goynge openly in ꝓcession she trauailed & decessed. And this is y• .vj. pope yt to this tyme had y• name of holynes / & were vicious / & this ꝑson as other cursed popes were was punisshed of god / nor she was not nōbred in y• boke of popes. ¶ Nicolaꝰ a Romayn was pope after this womā .ix. yere. This man exceded all other in holynes / saue saynt Gregory / & after decessed / & lyeth in saȳt peters chirch yerd. ¶ Adrian a Romayn was pope after Nicolas. This man cursed Lothery y• emperours broder king of Lothering for his aduoutry. But whan he came wt his noble men to Rome to excuse hȳ for his auoutry / he sayd he was cursed wrongfully / & all dyed in one yere & y• king dyed goyng to y• cite of Placēciā
¶ This tyme came the Danes in to Englonde.
¶ Anno dn̄i. viij .C .lxxiij.
¶ Of kynge Alured / & how the Danes in his tyme prayed hym of mercy / that they myght go out of the londe.
AFter y• deth of Eldred regned his broder Alured y• Dolfynes was called. Than wēt y• Danes & assembled them / & went forth to seke Alured y• tho was newly made kyng of Southsex / & there they foūde hym at Wylton wt a lytell power / & neuerthelesse he fought wt them / but at y• last he fledde thens from the felde & went in to westser & ordeined of his owne realme & of other y• he had a strong power / so y• the Danes coude not withstande hȳ. And he came to London wt his hoost where y• Danes soiourned / & wolde haue fought wt them. But the Danes durst not / but prayed hȳ of peas & that they myght go agayn in to theyr owne coūtree / & neuer more to come in to englōd agayn ony harme to do / gyuyng hym hostages suche as he wolde aske.
¶ How Hubba & Hungar were slayne at Chyppenham / and how the Danes brought theyr kynge vnto our kynge.
ANd the same daye y• the Danes departed fro London they rode so fast bothe nyght & day / & neuer rested tyl that they came vnto Excestre / & toke the towne / & there helde them. ¶ Whan kynge Alured herde these tydynges anone he let take the hostages / and went from thens vnto Excestre wt all y• power that he had. And whan y• Danes herde tell of his comyng / they went frō thens vnto Westsex / & came to Chippenham / and there they dyd moche harme in the countree / they robbed folke / and brught them in to pryson. The kynge Alured pursued them & came vpon them with all his people and fyersly them assayled [Page] And there were slayne bothe Hubba and Hungar his broder / & Buerne Bocard. And in this batayle was moche people slayne on that one parte & on that other. But the gree of that felde abode with y• Danes / for as moche as the kyng came with lytell company. The kyng hasted hȳ as moche as he myght to go agayn. And whan y• Danes foūde Hubbaes body lyenge deed / they buryed it / & made vpon it a grete lodge / & let call it Hubbe [...] lowe / & so it is called vnto this daye / & yt place is in Deuenshyre. The barons of Somerset / Wyltshyre / & Dorset herde tell how theyr king was discomfyted / & ordeyned all y• power that they myght / & came to the kyng where as he was / & thanked god that they foūde hym alyue for they had wende y• Danes had slayne hym. Than the kyng & his barons concluded to go seke the Danes & to fyght with them. And so they rode all y• nyght and on the morowe aboute pryme came to Abyngdon where as y• Danes were. Thankkyng Alured & his barons assem bled them / & egerly assayled the Danes & there gaue them a stronge batayle / & the Danes long tyme put them of / that no man wyst whether parte lost moost folke. But thus it befell as god wolde yt the kyng Alured had the victory wt moche honour. For the Danes were so dryuen / that they ne wyst whether to turne And .xv. dayes the kyng them pursued at his wyll / that glad & fayne they were for to speke of peas / & toke to hym good hostage / & sayd they wold neuer warre more vpon hȳ. And more ouer they promysed kyng Alured that they wolde go & brynge theyr owne kyng vnto hym / & that theyr kyng & they all shold be baptised. And vpō this cōdicyon king Alured graunted them lyfe & lymme / & sayd to them that they shold go seke theyr king and at a certayne daye that was set to come agayne to hym. And so they went forth fast / & came agayne at theyr daye that was assigned / & y• Danes brought theyr kynge with them. Kynge Alured anone let them be baptysed / & theyr names were chaunged / so that the kynge of Denmarke was called Athelstone / & xxx. of his felawes names were chaunged also / & the other were baptysed to y• ryght byleue. And all this was done at Westmynster / & after that kyng Alured helde with hym kyng Athelston and all his Danes .xij. dayes at soiourne with grete solempnite / and gaue them grete gyftes. After that they toke theyr leue & departed. Than was king Alured well at ease whan he had ouercomen his enemyes / and that they were turned to the ryght byleue of almyghty god.
¶ How y• Danes y• went in to Fraūce wt Gurmond / came agayn in to Englonde. And of the deth of kynge Alured.
ANd thus it befel afterward that the Danes of Northumberlond [Page lxvi] that were paynyms came with a grete strength & an huge hoost of fraūce / that is to be vnderstande / with them y• went into Fraūce with Gurmond of Affryke whan he had cōquered Englond & gaue it to the saxons. And those that came fro fraūce arryued in Kent / & sent in to Northumberlonde that they sholde come to them. And whan those two hostes were comen & assembled / anone they went to destroye all y• chrysten people of englond from place to place / & dyd moche sorowe ¶ In this tyme dyed kyng Alured that was wont to abbate the Danes / & .xxx. yere he regned / & had ben a good king / & well coude chastyse his enemyes / & also he was a good clerke / & let make many bokes / & a boke he made in englysshe of auentures of kynges & of batayles that had ben done in y• loud / & many other bokes he let wryte of grete wisdom & good lernynge / on whose soule god haue mercy / & lyeth at Wynchestre.
IOhānes the .viij. was pope after Adryan .viii. yere. This Iohn anoynted Karolus y• emperour / & he suffred grete wronge of y• Romayns / for he fauoured not the sayd emperour / & therfore he put y• sayd pope in kepynge. Also he degraded y• bisshop of Portuense that was y• cause of al his sorowe. ¶ Karolus y• second was emperour after Ludouicꝰ This Karolꝰ had a broder y• was called Lodwyke / & he was kyng of Germayn & he ordeyned a batayle agaynst his broder / but Karolꝰ or they fought was poysoned / and he made many a monastery. ¶ Martinus was pope after Iohn one yere. This Martyn lytell ꝓfyted / for he lyued but lytel tyme. ¶ Adrianꝰ y• thyrd was pope after hȳ one yere / & of hȳ is nothȳge wryten. ¶ Stephanꝰ the .v. was pope after hȳ .vi. yere / & no thinge of hȳ is wryten / but y• he translated y• body of saynt Martyn. ¶ Karolus y• thyrd was emperour after y• second .xij. yere. This Karolus peasybly had in possessyon all fraūce & Germayn / & was crowned emperour of Iohn y• pope. And after his gloryous victory he turned all Normandy to y• fayth. And he myght no more resyst the frensshmē but .iiij. yere he regned on them / & he was vnprofytable to them / & therfore they put hym away. ¶ Arnulphus was emperour after Karolus. [...]ij yere. This man vtterly cōstrayned the Normans y• destroyed y• frensshmen. rl. yere. Than he sekened & had no cōfort of no leche / for he was in a meruaylous sekenes / so y• he was cōsumed wt lyfe / and was deed. ¶ Formosus was pope after Stephen .v. yere. This man fyrst was bysshop of Portuensis / & of pope Iohn was depryued for his inobediēce / & was degraded to y• lay fe / but by Martyn the pope he was restored / & agaȳst his othe he came not al onely to rome / but to offre him y• dignite of y• pope / for which there was grete altercacion. ¶ Bonufacius y• vj. was pope .xv. days. ¶ Stephanus the .vj. one yere & .iij. monethes ¶ Io [...]a thre monethes & .xij. days. ¶ Theodorꝰ the second .xx. days. ¶ Iohānes the. [...]. was two yere & .xv. days. ¶ Benedictꝰ the .iiij. was .iii. yere & two monethes. ¶ Leo y• .iiij. was .xl. days. ¶ Xp̄oforus the fyrst .vij. monethes. These .viii. popes were but lytell tyme / & therfore we can not tell of them no notable thynges / but yf we shold wryte sclaūdre of them y• myght be foūde / for the vnherd stryfe & cōtencyon in yt holy apostles seet / for one stroue agaynst another / repreuing eche others dedes: & for to tel how they stroue it were no grete honour to shew / for y• holy apostles seet. ¶ Ludouicus y• thyrde was emperour after Arnulphꝰ .vi. yere This mā had not y• popes blessing / for y• vnstablenes of them y• regned in Ytaly / & he was cōstrayned to expulse Bering. [Page] And this man was the last emperour of all y• kynrede of Karolus king of fraūce. ¶ This tyme the Empyre was remeued / translated / and deuyded. For the Frensshmen helped not the chirche / the whiche theyr faders had edyfyed & fortefyed / but destroyed them / nor helped not the Romayns agaynst the Lombardes / whiche vexed the Romayns ryght sore. Therfore by y• comyns assent they were excluded from the Empyre / & the ytalyens began to be emperours in yta lye / & the Almayns in Almayne / vntyll Octauien whiche regned in bothe y• places. The frensshmen were constrayned to abyde in theyr owne coūtre / & no more to be emperours for theyr myscheuous lyuynge. ¶ Beringarius the fyrst. Contadus & Beringarius the seconde / and Hugo were emperours after Lodewyke but they are not nombred amonge the Emperours. For some were but in Almayne / and some in Ytalye.
¶ Of kynge Edwarde that was kynge Aluredes sone.
ANd after this Alured regned edward his sone / and was a good man and a wyse / & was also wonders curteys. The Danes dyd moche sorowe in the londe / & theyr power encreased & began for to wexe from daye to daye / for the Danes came oft with theyr companyes in to this londe. Whan the kynge sawe that he myght no better do / than he made peas with them / and graūted them his trewse. And neuerthelesse the trewse dured not longe y• the Danes ne begā to warre strongly vpon y• englysshmen / & dyd them moche sorowe / wherfore kynge Edward let assemble a grete hoost for to fyght with them. And than this kynge Edwarde dyed whan god wolde. And he regned .xxiiij. yere / and lyeth at Wynchestre besyde his fader.
¶ Anno domini .ix .C. xiiij.
SErgius the thyrde was pope after Christofer .vij. yere. This mā was a cardynall of Rome / & was expulsed by Formose the pope / & than he went to the frenshmen / & through the helpe of them he came agayne to Rome / and expulsed Christofer the pope / & was pope hymselfe. And for to auenge his exile he toke out y• body of pope Formose where as he was buryed / and arayed hym in popes arayment / and caused hym to be heded / & to be cast in to the water of Tyber by Rome. Than fysshers foūde hym and brought hym in to the chirche / & the holy ymages of fayntes bowed downe vnto hym whan the body of hym was brought in to the chirche / that all men myght se / and honourably hym halsed. Yet Sergius destroyed all those thynges the whiche the holy man had ordeyned. ¶ Anastasius was pope after hym two yere. ¶ Laudo was pope .v. monethes / & lytel they did. ¶ Iohānes the .x. was pope than. This Iohn was y• sone of Sergiꝰ pope / bothe of nature & of maners / & he was pope by myght / & wretchedly was slayne by G [...]does knightes [Page lxvii] for they put on his mouth a pyllow and stopped his breth. And after hȳ was another put in / but anone he was put out / and therfore he is not named a pope. ¶ Henricus the duke of Saxonye was emperour of Almayn .xviij. yere. This Henry was a noble man / but he is not nombred amonge the emperours: for he regned but al onely in Almayn / & he had a very holy womā vnto his wyfe / & her name was Matilda / on whom he gate two sones / that is to saye Ottonē & Harry / & Otto succeded hym in the empyre / and Harry had moche londe in Almayn And he gate an other sone y• hyght Brimon / & was a very holy man / and was bysshop of Coleyn / and he founded the monastery of Panthaleon.
¶ Of kynge Athelstone.
AFter this Edward regned Athelstone his sone / and whan he had regned .iiij. yere he held batayle against the Danes / & droue kyng Gaufrid that was kyng of Danes & all his hoost to y• see / & rested by scotlonde / & toke strongly all y• coūtree an hole yere. And after that they of Cumberlonde & the Scottes of Westmerlōde began to warre vpō king Athelston / & he gaue them so stronge batayle y• he slewe so many of them that no man coude tell y• nōbre of them. And after yt he regned but .iij. yere / & he regned in all .xxv. yere / & lieth at Malmesbury.
¶ Of kynge Edmund.
AFter this Athelstone regned Edmund his broder / for king Athelston had no sone / & this Edmund was a worthy man & a doughty knyght of body & also noble. And the thyrd yere after that he was kyng he went ouer Hūber into y• coūtree / where he foūde two kynges of Danes / y• one was called Enelaf and that other Renant. This kyng Edmund droue them bothe from the londe and after went and toke a grete prey in Cumberlonde. This Edmunde regned but .vij. yere / & lyeth at Glastenbury.
¶ Of kynge Eldred.
ANd after this Edmund regned Eldred his broder that auenged Edward his fader of his enemyes y• did slee hym / and afterwarde he seased all Northumberlond in to his handes / and made the Scottes for to bowe and meke vnto his wyll. And in the second yere of his regne came Arnalaf Guyran / that was kyng of Denmarke / and seased all Northumberlonde / & helde y• londe two yere. And after that came kyng Eldred with a grete power & droue hym out of this londe. And this king Eldred was a noble man & a good / of whose goodnes saynt Dūstan preched. And this Eldred regned .xj. yere / & lyeth at Wynchestre.
¶ Of kynge Edwyn.
ANd after this Eldred regned Edwyn the sone of Edmund / & he was an vncouenable man towarde god and the people. For he hated folke of his owne londe / & loued & honoured straūge men / & set lytell by holy chirche / and he toke of holy chirche all the treasour that he myght haue / that was grete shame and vylany to hymselfe / & peryll to his soule. And therfore god wolde not that he sholde regne no longer than .iiii. yere and dyed / and lyeth at Wynchestre.
LEo the syxthe a Romayns was pope .vj. monethes. ¶ Stephanus the .vii. a Romayn was pope after hȳ two yere. ¶ Iohn the .xj. a Romayn was pope .iij. yere. ¶ Stephanus the viij. a Germayne was pope after hym [Page] viij. yere. ¶ Mart [...]s the thyrde was pope after hym thre yere. And of these vj. popes is no thynge had in scripture. For what cause I can not tell.
¶ Anno domini .ix .C. liiij.
AGapitus a Romayn was pope after Martyn two yere and. viij monethes / & no thynge of hym is wryten. ¶ Iohānes the .xij. a Romayn was pope after Agapitus almoost .viij. yere / and he had a fader that hyght Alberyke & was a worthy man in ye cite of Rome. He enduced the noble men to swere that after the dethe of Agapitus they sholde those Octauianū his sone pope. And so it was done / & was named Iohn / & he was a hunter and a lecherous man / so that openly he kepte women. Wherfore certayn cardynalles wrote to Ottonem the emperour of Almayn / that he sholde come to Rome for to helpe to destroye the sclaundre of the chirche. This the pope perceyued / & the hande that wrote that pystle he made to be cutte of. And many tymes he was warned by ye Emperour & the clergy that he sholde correcte hym selfe. But he wolde not for no thynge. Than he was deposed / & Leo was put in to his place. Wherfore the emperour was anoyed / and came agayne and besyeged Rome so longe / tyll they toke Benedicte to hym and restored Leo.
¶ Of kynge Edgar that regned aboue the kynges of Scotlonde and of Wales And how he was begyled through the takynge of his wyfe.
ANd after this Edwyne regned Edgar his broder / a man that moche loued god & peas / & holy chirche also / and was a worthy man & a grete lorde of blode & myghty / & maynteyned well this lōde in peas. And this Edgar was lorde & kyng aboue all the kynges of Scotlond & of Wales / from the tyme that Arthur was gone was neuer syth kynge of his power. And this Edgar was saynt Edwardes fader. And whā Edgars wyfe was deed that was sayt Edwardes moder and buryed / he herde speke of the fayrnes of Estrylde / yt was Orgarus doughter a baron of Deuenshyre that was so fayre a woman / that all men spake of her. He called one of his knyghtes that he moche loued & trusted vpon / & sayd to hym. Go sayd he to the noble baron Orgarꝰ of Deuenshyre & se yf that his doughter be so fayre as men speke of / & yf it be soth I wyll haue her to my wyfe. This knyght that was called Edelwolde went forth his waye as the kynge hym had sayd / & came where as the lady was. And whā he sawe her so fayre / he thought to haue her hȳselfe to his wyfe / & therof spake to Orgarus her fader / & her fader was an olde man and had no moo chyldren but her onely / and sawe that Edelwolde was a fayre yonge knyght and worthy & ryche / and was well beloued with the kynge / and thought his doughter shold well be maryed & beset vpon hym / & graūted hym his doughter yf the good lorde the kyng wolde cōsent therto. And thā this Edelwold came agayn to ye kyng & told hym that she was fayre ynough to se vpon / but she was wonders lothly. Than answered the kyng & sayd that he toke but lytel charge. Syr sayd Edelwold / she is her faders heyre / and I am not ryche of londes / & yf ye wolde consent & graunte that I myght haue her / than shold I be ryche ynough. In goddes name sayd ye kyng / I consent therto. Edelwold than thanked the kynge moche / and went agayn in to Deuenshyre and spoused the damoysell / and in that coūtree he dwelled. And thus it befell vpon a tyme that [Page lxviii] he tolde his counseyle & all this thynge vnto his wyfe / how & in what maner he had [...]egyled his lorde the kyng yt wolde haue had her to wyfe. And anone as she it wyst / she loued hym neuer more after warde as she dyd before. This lady conceyued by hym a sone. And whan tyme was that ye chylde shold be borne / Edelwold came to the kyng & prayed hym to heue a sone of his at the fontstone. The kyng hym graūted & let call him Edgar after his owne name. And whan this was done / he thought that al was syker ynough for the kyng / that he wolde not take his wyfe / for as moche as his lord was a ioly man and an amerous.
¶ How kynge Edgar wedded Estrylde after the deth of Edelwolde.
[...]Hus it befell that all men in king Edgars court than spake & sayd that Edelwolde was rychely auaunced through the maryage of his wyfe / and yet they sayd he was auaunced an hondred folde more / for he had spoused the fayrest woman that euer was seen. And whan the kyng herde speke so moche of her beaute / he thought yt Edelwold had hym deceyued & begyled / and thought pryuely in his herte that he wolde go in to Deuenshyre as it were for to hunt for the harte & for the hynde & other wylde beestes / & than he sholde se there ye lady or he departed thēs. And this lady was dwellynge at a maner place besyde ye forest where that the kyng wolde hunt / & at that maner he was herborowed all nyght. And whan tyme came that the kyng sholde soupe & the sonne shone / the kynge asked after his gossyp & after his godsone. And Edelwold made her to come before the kyng / & neuerthelesse yf it otherwyse myght haue ben / she sholde not haue comē in his syght by his wyll. The lady welcomed the kyng & swetely hym kyssed. And he toke her by ye hande and nexte by hym her set / and so souped they togyder. And there was a custome and an vsage in this londe yt tyme / that whan one dronke to an other / the drynker sholde saye wassayle / and that other sholde answere and saye / drynke hay [...]e / And thus dyd the kynge & the lady many tymes & also kyssed. And after souper whan tyme was to go to bedde ye kyng went to bedde thynkyng hertely on the fayrnes of that lady / & than was ouercomen for her loue / that hym thought ye he sholde dye / but yf he had his wyll on her. Vpon the morowe the kynge arose and went in ye forest for to dysporte hym with hartes & hyndes & all other wylde beestes / and of ye hartes grete plente he sente to that lady. And thryes he wente to solace & speke with that lady wh [...]es he dwelled there in that countree. And after that the kynge remeued th [...]s / & bethought hym how he myght best delyuer Edelwolde from his wyfe as he had hym fyrst deceyued. And the kynge anone after .viij. dayes let ordeyn a parlyament at Salysbury of all his baronage to haue counseyle & for to ordeyne how the countree of Northumberlonde shold best be kepte that the danes came not there to destroye the londe. And this Edelwolde came vnto the kynges parlyament. And the kynge sent hym vnto yorke for to be keper of that countree. And thus it befell that men that knewe hym not slewe hym by the waye. And anone as the kyng herde tell that Edelwolde was deed / he let sende after the fayre lady Estrylde that she sholde come to the cyte of London / and there be wedded to the kynge with grete solempnite and worshyp. And whan he was come to London soone after he helde a solēpne feest / and he ware a crowne that was of [Page] golde / & the quene an other. And saynt Dunstan on the morowe came to ye king in his chambre / & foūde the kynge & the quene in bedde togyder. And saynt Dunstan asked the kyng who she was. And the kyng answered & sayd. This is the quene Estrylde. And the archebysshop saynt Dunstan sayd that he dyd grete wronge & agaynst goddes wyll to take a woman to wyfe whose chylde he had holden at ye fontstone. And the quene for that worde neuer loued saynt Dunstan after. And neuertheles ye good mā warned of that foly to be lefte / but it auayled but lytell / for ye loue bytwene them was so moche. The kynge begate vpon her a sone that was called Eldred. Whā this childe was .vj. yere old ye king his fader dyed / & aboute that tyme he had regned xvij. yere / and lyeth at Glastenbury.
[...]Eringarius the thyrde was emperour after Henry .vij. yere. this Beringariꝰ was emperour in Ytaly / in whose tyme was grete dyuysyon. And Henry ye emperour decessed / & Otto began to regne in Almayne. ¶ Lotherius regned after hym two yere / and decessed whan Otto regned in Almayn / & had a wyfe yt hyght Dalnidam / whiche after wedded Otto. ¶ Beringarius ye fourth was after hȳ. This man wt grete tyranny subdued Ytaly / wherfore the pope & other Romayns called Otto yt he myght delyuer them / whiche he dyd / & he toke Beringary by strength / & twyes he outlawed hym / & he toke Lotherius wyfe whiche ye tyraūt had prysoned. ¶ Leo ye viij. was pope after Benedictꝰ one yere & foure monethes. This man was chosen with the comyn voyce / & Iohn was deposed. This Leo ordeyned yt no pope sholde be made without consent of ye emperour / for the malyce of the Romayns the whiche oppressed them. This man graunted all the gyftes to Otto and his successours / the whiche were gyuen by Iustinyan and Karolus to the chirche / that he myght defende Ytaly from ye rebellions. ¶ Iohānes the .xij. was pope after hym almost .viij. yere. This Iohn suffred grete wronge of the Romayns / for he was taken & exiled / but Otto bare this heuyly. For he slewe the noble men of Rome / and certayn of them exiled for euermore. ¶ Benedictus the sixth was pope after hym .vj. yere. This mā was taken / and in the castell Aungell was strangled. ¶ Nota. The empyre this tyme was translated to the Almayns. And the same cause is here as was before / for the vicyous lyuynge. Ne these vnhappy men coude not be enformed / yt they coude eschewe yt one vyce / through ye whiche they sawe so many noble men perysshed. ¶ Otto was emperour after Beringarius .xij. yere. This Otto was the fyrst emperour of Almayne / and he was all vertuous as an other kyng Karolus / for he was the defender of ye chirche of god / and the synguler promoter / for the whiche he was worthy to be emperour. Many men of fals byleue he cō uerted. And he helde wt hym pope Benedictus the vsurper of the popehede in to Saxony / & there he decessed in his exile And after this Otto the emperour decessed a ryche man in vertue & goodes. ¶ Otto the seconde was emperour after his fader. And he was a noble man to ye chirche as his fader was. And many a batayle he had agaynst fals men of byleue. And at ye last he had almoost lost all his hoost in Kalabre. Yet he for sothe with all his mynde besought saynt Peter to helpe. And meruaylously saȳt Peter delyuered hym. And his wyfe was the doughter of ye emperour of Constantinople of ye Romayns blode / & this man was crowned of Benedictus the pope.
¶ Of saynt Edward the martyr / & how Estrilde his stepmoder let s [...]ee hym for to make Eldred her owne sone kynge.
AFter this Edgar regned Edwarde his sone that he begate vpon his fyrst wyfe / that well & nobly gouerned the londe. For he was full of all maner of goodnes / & ladde a full holy lyfe / and aboue all thynge he loued god & holy chirche. And the quene Estrylde that was his stepmoder let slee hym bycause to make her owne sone Eldred kynge / & thus on a day he was slayne as ye shall here afterwarde. ¶ It befell thus vpon a daye that the kynge Edward went in to a wode for to playe in ye south coūtree besyde a towne that is called Warham in whiche forest was grete plente of hartes and hyndes. And whā he had ben a whyle there for to sporte hȳ / he thought vpon his broder Eldred that was with his moder the quene / for her place was nygh the forest / and thought for to go thyder and vysyte & se his broder. And toke with hym but a lytell meyny / and went towarde his stepmoders hous / yt in that tyme soiourned in the castell of Corfe. And as he rode in the thycknes of the wode to espye his game / it befell that he wente amysse and lost his meyny that came with hym. And at the last he came out of ye wode / and as he loked aboute hym he sawe there fast besydes a maner that his stepmoder dwelled in / and thyderwarde he wente alone. And anone it was tolde the quene / how that the king was comen alone without ony company. And therfore she made Ioye ynough / and thought how she myght do that he were slayn as pryuely as she myght / and she called to her one of her knyghtes / to whome she had tolde moche of her coūseyle bytwene them. And bothe they came to the kyng & curteysly receyued hym. And the kyng sayd that he was comen to visyte her / and also for to speke with Eldred his broder. The quene many tymes thanked hym / and bade hym to alyght & harborowe wt her all that nyght. The kynge sayd that he myght not / but agayn he wold go vnto his folke / yf he myght fynde them. And whan the quene sawe that he wold not abyde / she prayed hym yt he wolde ones drynke. And he graūted her. And anone as ye drynke was come / the que [...]e dranke vnto the kynge. And the kynge toke the cuppe & set it to his mouth / & in the meane whyle that he dranke / the false knyght that was with the quene with a knyfe smote the kynge vnto the herte / and there he fell downe deed frō his palfrey vnto the erthe. The quene for this dede gaue the knyght golde and syluer grete plente & of other rychesse ynough. And ye knyght anone as this was done wente hym ouer the see / & so escaped he out of this londe. Whan this kyng Edwarde was thus martyred it was [...] ye yere of ye incarnacyon of our lorde. [...]x .C .lxxx. and he had regned .xij. yere and an halfe / and lyeth at Glastenbury.
¶ Of kynge Eldred and how the kyng Swyne of Denmarke held Englond & how Eldred that was saynt Edwardes broder was not beloued in his realme & therfore he fledde in to Normandy.
AFter this kyng Edward regned Eldred his broder / & saynt Dunstan crowned hym. And this saynt Dunstan dyed soone after yt he had forgyuen Estrilde the quene her trespace bycause that she was cause of kyng Edwardes deth / and saynt Dunstan had her alloyled & enioyned her penaunce / and she lyued after a chaste lyfe and a clene. This kyng Eldred wedded an Englysshe woman [Page] / & on her he begate Edmund Iren syde / and an other sone that was called Edwyne. And after dyed ye quene theyr moder. And in that tyme came Swyne in to Englonde that was kyng of Denmarke / for to chalenge and conquere all that his auncestres had before ye tyme / And so he conquered and had it all at his askynge. For the good erle Cuthbert of Lyndesey & all the people of Northumlonde and almoost all the gretest men of Englond helde with Swyne that was king of Dēmarke / for as moche as they loued not kyng Eldred / bycause that his good broder Edwarde was falsly slayne for the loue of hym / and therfore no man set but lytell by hym. Wherfore kynge Swyne had all his wyll / & toke all the londe. And Eldred the kyng than fledde in to Normandy / and so spake to ye duke Rycharde / that the duke gaue hym his syster Emme to wyfe / vpon the whiche he gate two sones / that one was called Alured / and that other Edwarde. And whan kyng Swyne had cōquered all ye londe he regned nobly / & lyued .xv. yere / and than he dyed / and lyeth at yorke.
¶ How kyng Eldred came agayn from Normādy / and how Knoght the Dane regned / and of the warre bytwene hym and Edmunde Irensyde.
AFter the deth of Swyne yt was a Dane / Knoght his sone dwelled in Englonde / & wolde haue ben king And thā came agayn Eldred out of Nor mandy with a grete nombre of people & a stronge army / that Knoght durst not abyde / but fledde thens in to Denmark. The kynge Eldred had agayne his realme / and helde so grete lordshyp that he begā to destroye all those that helped Swyne that was a Dane agaynst hȳ. And afterwarde this Knoght came agayn from Denmarke wt a grete power so that kynge Eldred durst not fyght wt hym / but fledde from thens vnto London / and there helde hym. Than came Knoght and besyeged hym so longe tyll that kynge Eldred dyed in ye cite of London / and lyeth in saynt Paules chirche. And he regned .ix. yere.
BOnus was pope after Benedict one yere. This man abode but a lytell tyme. ¶ Bonifacius was pope after hym fyue monethes. ¶ Benedictus was pope after hym .x. yere. This man crowned Otto the seconde / & made many Romayns to be taken / & he gadered a coūseyle agaynst the kynge of Fraūce / where Gylbert the nygromancer was deposed. ¶ Iohānes the .xiiij. was pope after hym .viij. monethes / & he was put in the castell Aungell / and was famysshed to deth. ¶ Iohānes yt .xv. was pope after hym .iiij. monethes. ¶ Iohā nes the .xvj. was pope after hȳ almoost xj. yere. This man was taught in armes / & made many bokes / & elles lytell of hym is wryten. ¶ Gregorius the .v. was pope after this man almoost thre yere. This Gregory was made pope at the instaunce of the emperour Otto the thyrde / for he was his cosin. And whan he had ben a lytell whyle pope / and the emperour receded from the cite of Rome Placētinus was put in by Crescencius a consull / for money / & than was stryfe a fewe dayes. But the emperour came soone after agayn / & toke Crescencius ye consul & stroke of his heed / & put out the eyen of this man that put out his cosyn of the dignite of the poperyche / & maymed hym in other membres / and his dukes ne his knightes helped hȳ no thȳge For he dyd that thynge that he shold not haue done / and he suffred that that he deserued. ¶ Nota. This Gregory with [Page lxx] the emperour Otto ordeyned there the chosers of the empyre / the whiche from thens forth hath abyden vnto this day. For ye frensshmen nor none other myght not breke ye ordynaunce. And those chosers of the Empyre by the pope & Otto were not made for ony blame of the saxons / but to eschewe the petylles to come And theyr names ben wryten in latyn for lerned men in these verses. Magun [...]inensis. Treuerensis. Coloniensis. quilibet imperij fit cancellarius horum. Et Palatinus dapifer Dux portitor ensis. Marchio prepositus camere. Pincerna Bohemus. Hij statuunt dominū cūctis per secula summū. Palati [...]ꝰ est comes Reni. Marchio est Brandeburgensis. Dux Saxonū. Et rex Bohemorū. Verū vt quidam dicunt. Through this occasyon the Egle hath lost many a fether / and in the ende he shall be made naked. ¶ Otto ye thyrde was emperour .xviij. yere. This man was a worthy man all the dayes of his empyre. And after the wysdome of his fader he was a very faythfull man to the chirche. And in many batayles he ꝓspered bycause he was deuoute to almyghty god & his sayntes And gaue myghty worshyppyng vnto the relykes of sayntes. And oftentymes he visyted holy places. This man was crowned by Gregory his cosyn. And at the last he decessed at Rome.
¶ Anno domini. M .iiij. Nota.
SIluester the second was pope after Gregory .iiij. yere / & he was made pope by the helpe of the deuyll / to whome he dyd homage / for he sholde gyue hym all thynge that he desyred / & he was called Gylbert. And his enemy gate hym the grace of ye kynge of fraūce and he made hym bysshop of Remensis but anone he was deposed. And after he gate the grace of the Emperour / & was made bysshop of Rauennie / & after pope but he had an ende anone / & so haue all that put theyr hope in fals deuyls. Yet men trust in his saluacyon for certayne demonstracions of his sepulture / & for ye grete penaūce yt he dyd in his last ende. For he made his handes & legges to be cut of / & dismēbred all his body / & made them to be cast out at the dore to foules / & than his body to be drawen wt wylde beestes / and there to be buryed where so euer they rested as an hoūde. And they stode styll at saynt Iohn de Latrans / & there he was buryed / & that was signe of his saluacyon. ¶ Iohānes the .xviij. was pope .v. monethes. ¶ Iohannes the .xix. was pope after hym fyue yere. And these two dyd lytel thȳges. ¶ Henricus ye fyrst was emperour in Almayn xx. yere. This Henry was duke of Barry / and all accordyng he was chosen for his blyssed fame & good name the whiche he had. And it is redde that many of these dukes of Barry were holy men / not all onely in absteynynge them from flesshly desyres / but also in vertuous lyuyng. And this Henry had a syster that was as holy as he / whome he gaue to wyfe vnto the kynge of Hungary. And she brought all Hungary vnto the right byleue and chrysten fayth. And his wyues name was San [...]a Ro [...]ogundis with whome he lyued a virgyn all the dayes of his lyfe. And he made many a batayle / as well in ytaly as in Almayn agayust them that rebelled and prospered ryght wysly euermore on them. At the last with a blyssed ende he decessed. And in the lyf of saynt Laurence he and his wyfe be put for ensamples bycause of theyr holy and vertuous lyuynge. ¶ Benedictꝰ was pope after Iohn .xi. yere. This man had grete stryfe in his dayes. For he was put out / & an other was put in. And this Benedictus after [Page] that he was deed / was seen of an holy bysshop in a wretched fygure / & he had grete payne. And this fygure sayd he trusted no thynge in the mercy of god / & no thynge profyted hym that was done for hym / for it was goten by extorcyon & vniustly. Thā this bysshop lefte his bysshopryche for drede of this sight / & went in to a monastery & lyued vertuously all his dayes. ¶ Iohānes ye .xx. was pope after hym .xi. yere / & lytell profyted.
¶ Of kyng Knoght that was a Dane.
ANd after the deth of this Eldred Knoght that was a Daue begā to regne. But Edmund Irensyde yt was king Eldredes sone by his fyrst wyfe ordeyned a grete power of men / & began to warre on kynge Knoght. And so he dyd many tymes & ofte / & the warre was so strōge & harde ye wonder it was to wyte And the quene Emme yt than dwelled at westmynster had grete drede of her two sones Alured & Edward / lest they sholde be destroyed through ye warre / wherfore she sente them ouer see in to Normandy to the duke Richard theyr vncle / & there they dwelled in safete & peas lōge tyme. ¶ This Edmund Irensyde & Knoght the Dane warred fyersly togyder. But at ye last they were accorded in this maner / that they sholde departe the realme bytwene them / and so they dyd / and loued togyder lyke two bretherne.
¶ How kyng Edmund Irensyde was slayne through treason by a traytour yt was called Edryth of Stratton.
ANd than after regned kyng Edmūd Irensyde & Knoght ye dane But thus it befel afterward yt in ye same yere that they were accorded & so moche loued togyder / wherfore a fals traytour had enuy at the loue that was bytwene them / whose name was Edrith of stra [...] to [...] / that was a grete lorde yt was Edmunde Irensydes man / & of hym helde all the londe that he had / & neuerthelesse he thought to betraye his lorde / & make Knoght kyng of all the londe / to the entent rychely to be auaūced / & with hym to be well beloued. Wherfore he prayed his lorde Edmunde Irensyde on a daye with hym for to ete. And the kyng hym curteysly graūted / and to hym came at his prayer. And at meet the kyng was ryally serued with dyuerse metes and drynkes. And whan nyght came that he sholde go to bedde / the kyng toke his owne meyny and went to the chambre where as he shold take his nyghtes rest And as he loked aboute hym he sawe a fayre ymage & a well made in semblaūt as it were an archer with a bowe bent in his hande / & in ye bowe a fyne arowe. Kynge Edmund went nere to beholde it better. And whan he was by it / anone ye arowe smote hym through the body / & there slewe the kynge / for ye engyn was made to slee his owne lorde traytoursly. And whan kynge Edmund was thus deed & slayne / he had regned but .x. yere And his people made moche sorowe for him / & his body they bare to Glastenbury / & there buryed hym. And this fals traytour Edrith anone went to ye quene that was kynge Edmundes wyfe that wyst not of her lordes deth / & toke from her two sones that were fayre & yonge that her lorde had goten on her / that one was called Edwarde / & that other Edwyne / & ladde them wt hym to London / & toke them to kyng Knoght yt he sholde do with them what his wyl were. And told hȳ how subtylly he had slayne king Edmund bycause ye Knoght sholde haue all the londe of Englonde. ¶ O thou fals traytoure / hast yu slayne my true broder [Page lxxi] that was so true bycause of me / a man that I moost loued in the worlde. Now by my heed I shall for thy trauayle the well rewarde as thou hast deserued / & anone let hym be taken / and boūde hym handes & feet in maner of a traytour / & let cast hym in to the ryuer of Tamyse. And in this maner the fals traytour ended his lyfe. The kyng toke ye two chyldren & put them vnto the abbot of West mynster to warde & to kepe tyll he wyst what was best with them for to do.
¶ How kynge Knoght sent bothe kyng Edmondes sones in to Denmarke for to be slayne / and how they were saued.
ANd it befel soone afterward that kynge Knoght had all the londe in his handes: & spoused ye quene Emme through consent of al his barons / for she was a fayre woman / the whiche was Eldredes wyfe / and the dukes syster of Normandy / & they lyued togyder with moche loue as reason wolde. The kyng asked vpon a daye coūseyle of the quene what was best to do wt Edmond Irensydes sones. Syr sayd she / they be the ryght heyres of the londe / and yf they lyue they wyll do you moche sorowe wt warre / and therfore let sende them in to a straūge londe aferre / to some man that may destroye them. The king anone let call a Dane that was called Walgar / & cōmaūded hym that he sholde lede those two chyldren in to Denmarke / & so to do and ordeyne for them that he sholde neuer more here of them. Syr sayd this Walgar / your commaūdement gladly shall be done. And anone he toke the two chyldren & ledde them in to Denmarke. And for as moche as he sawe that the chyldren were wonders fayre & m [...]ke / he had of them grete pite & ruth / & wold not slee them / but ledde them to ye kynge of Hungary for to nourysshe. For this Walgar was well beknowen with the kynge & well beloued. Anone the kynge asked fro whens the children were. And Walgar tolde hym & sayd yt they were ye ryght heyres of Englonde / and therfore men wolde destroye them / & therfore syr vnto you they be comen to seke mercy & helpe / & for soth yf they may lyue your men they shall become / and of you they shall holde all theyr londe. The kynge of Hungary receyued thē with moche honour / and let them worthely be kepte. And thus it befell afterwarde that Edwyne ye yonger broder dyed / & Edwarde the elder broder lyued / a fayre man and a stronge / and a large of body / & gentyll and curteys of condicyons / so yt all men loued hym. And this Edwarde in ye cronycles is called amonge Englysshmen Edwarde the outlawe. And whan he was made knyght / the kynges doughter of Hungary loued him moche for his goodnes and his fayrnes / so that she called hym her derlynge. The kynge that was her fader perceyued well the loue that was bytwene them two / & he had none heyr but onely that doughter. And the kynge vouchedsafe his doughter to no man so well as he dyd to hym that she loued so well / and he her agayn and gaue her vnto hym with a good wyll. And Edwarde her spoused with moche honour. The kyng of Hungary sent after all his barons and made a solemp [...]e feest and a ryche weddynge / and made all men to vnderstande yt this Edwarde sholde be kyng after his decesse of all the londe of Hungary. Of the whiche tydynges they were all ryght glad. And this Edwarde begate vpon this lady a sone the whiche was called Edgar Helyng / and afterwarde a doughter that was called Margarete / that afterwarde was quene of Scotlonde. And by the [Page] kyng of scotlond that was called Mancolin she had a doughter that was called Maud that was quene afterwarde of Englonde through kyng Henry y• was the fyrst sone of the conquerour that her wedded / & he begate on her a doughter that was called Maud / that afterward was empresse of Almayne. And of this Maud came the kyng of Englonde that vnto this daye is called Henry the empresse sone / and yet had this Edwarde an other doughter by his wyfe yt was called Christian / & she was a nonne.
¶ How kynge Knoght yt was a proude man conquered Nor way / and how he became afterwarde meke and mylde.
NOw haue ye herde of Edmunde Irensydes sones yt king Knoght wende they had ben slayne as he had cō maūded Walgar before. And this kyng Knoght had in his handes all y• realme of Englond & Denmark. And after that they went vnto Norway for to cōquere that londe. But the kynge of the londe yt was called Elaf came with his people / & wende to haue well kepte & defended his londe / & so there he faught wt hym / tyll at y• last he was slayne in yt batayle. And thā this Knoght toke all y• londe in to his hādes. And whā he had cōquered Norway / & takē feaute & homage there he came agayne in to Englonde / & helde hȳselfe so grete a lorde / yt hym thought in all the worlde was not his pere / & became so proude & hauteyne that it was grete wonder. ¶ And so it befell vpon a daye as he had herd masse at west mynster / & wolde haue gone in to his palays the wawes of the Tamyse so swyftely came agaynst hym y• almoost they touched his feet. Than sayd y• kyng with a proude herte. I cōmaunde the water to turne agayn / or elles I shall make the. The wawes for his cōmaūdemēt wold not spare / but flowed in heyght more & more. The kyng was so proude of herte that he wold not flee y• water but abode styll in y• water / & bette it wt a yerde y• he had in his hande / & cōmaūded ye water yt it sholde go no ferder. But for all his cō maūdement y• water wold not cese / but encreased more & more / so that the kyng was all wete / & stode depe in the water And whan he sawe the water wold not do his cōmaūdement / he wtdrewe hym & stode vpon a stone / holdyng vp his handes on hye / & sayd herynge all y• people. This god yt maketh y• see thus aryse on hye is kyng of all kynges / & of all mygh tes moost / and I am a caytyf & a deedly man / & he may neuer dye / & all thynge doth his cōmaūdement & hym obeyeth. To yt god I praye yt he be my warraūt / for I knowlege me a caytyf feble & of no power / & therfore I wyll go vnto Rome without ony longe lettyng / my wycked nes to punysshe / & me to amende. For of god I clay me my londe for to holde / & of none other. And anone made redy his heyre / & hȳselfe went to Rome without ony lettynge. And by y• waye dyd many almes dedes / & at Rome also. And whā he had ben there & done penaūce for his synnes / he came agayn in to Englonde / & became a good man & an holy / leuyng all maner pryde / & lyued an holy lyfe / & made two abbeys of saynt Benet / one in Englonde / and another in Norway / by cause he loued saynt Benet more specyally than ony other saȳt / & he loued moche also saynt Edmund the kyng / & often he gaue grete gyftes to the hous / & made it ryche. And whan he had regned .xx. yere he dyed / & lyeth at Wynchestre.
¶ Anno dn̄i. M .xviij.
BEnedictꝰ the .ix. was pope after Iohannes / & he was a grete lethour [Page lxxii] / & therfore he was dampned / & he appered to a certayne man vnder a meruaylous fygure & an horryble. His heed & his tayle was lyke an asse / that other part of his body lyke a beer. And he sayd to this mā to whom he appered. Be not aferde / for I was a man as ye be now / but for my beestly lyuynge whā I was pope I appere now lyke a beest. ¶ In this mānes tyme was grete diuisyon & sclaūdre to y• chirche / for he was put out & in two tymes. And here Ptholomeus noteth yt the pryde of bysshops had euer an euyl ende / & it was euer y• occasyon of moche vnrest & batayle. ¶ Cōradus the fyrst was emperour after Hēry .xx. yere This mā made many lawes / & cōmaū ded peas to be kept moost straytly of ony man. But y• erle of Ludolf was accused & he fledde frō his londe / & desyred more to lyue lyke a chorle than lyke a gentylman / & yet meruaylously his sone was made emperour by y• cōmaundement of god agaynst the wyl of Conradus. And at the last they were accorded / & he toke Conradus doughter to his wyfe.
¶ Of kynge Harold that had leuer go on fote than ryde on horsbacke.
THis Knoght of whome we haue spokē of before had two sones by his wyfe Emme / yt one was called Hardiknoght / & yt other Harold / & he was so lyght on fote yt men called hym comynly Harold hare fote. And this Harold was no thynge manerd after Knoght his fader / for he set not by cheualry / curteysy / ne worship / but onely by his owne wyll. And he became so wicked yt he exiled his moder Emme. And she went in to Flaū dres / & there dwelled wt y• erle / wherfore he & his broder hated echeother deedly. And whan he had regned ij. yere & more hedyed / & lyeth at West mynster.
¶ Of kynge Hardiknoght that was Haroldes broder.
AFter this Harold hare fote regned his broder Hardyknoght / a noble knight & a worthy / & moche loued cheualry and all maner of goodnes. And whan this Hardiknoght had regned a lytell whyle / he let vncouer his broder Harold / & smote of his heed / & made it to be cast in to a gonge / & the body in to Ta myse. And after came fysshers & toke y• bedy with theyr nettes by nyght / & bare hym to saynt Clemētes chirche / & there buryed hym. Thus auenged hym Hardiknoght on his broder. Thus kyng Har diknoght was so large a gyuer of meet & drynke / that his tables were set euery daye thre tymes full with ryall metes & drynkes for his meyny & for them that came to his courte. And this kyng Hardiknoght sent after Emme his moder & made her to come agayn / for his broder Harold hare fote had dryuen her out of y• lond through coūseyle of y• erle Godwyn that than was the gretest lorde in Englonde nexte the kynge / & that had moost rule / bycause he had spoused the doughter of kyng Knoght begoten on his fyrst wyfe. And whan this quene was dryuen out of Englond & came to the erle of Flaundres that was called Baldewyne his cosyn foūde her there all thȳge that her neded / vnto the tyme that she went agayne in to Englonde / that the kynge Hardiknoght had sent for her that was her sone / and made her to come agayne with moche honour. This kyng Hardiknoght whan he had regned .v. yere he dyed / and lyeth at West mynster.
¶ Of the vylany that the Danes' dyd to the englysshmen / wherfore fro that tyme after was no Dane made kynge of this londe.
[Page] AFter the deth of this kyng Hardiknoght for as moche as he ne had no chylde of his body begoten / the [...]les and barons asseinbled and made a coūseyl / that neuer more after no man yt was a Dane / though he were neuer so grete a man amonge them / he shold neuer be kyng of Englonde for y• despyte yt they had done to englysshmen. For euer more before / yf the englyshmen & the da nes happened to mete vpō a brydge / the englyshmen shold not be so hardy to mene a fote / but stande styll tyll the danes were passed forth. And more ouer yf the englyshmen had not bowed down theyr heedes to do reuerence vnto the danes / they sholde haue ben beten & defouled / & suche despytes & vylany dyd the danes to our englysshmē / wherfore they were driuen out of y• londe after Hardiknoghtes deth. For they had no lorde y• myght mayntayne them. And in this maner auoyded the danes Englonde / that they neuer came agayn. The erles & barons by theyr comyn assent & counseyle sente vnto Normādy for to seke those two bretherne Alured and Edwarde that were dwellynge wt the duke Rycharde y• was theyr vncle / in entent for to crowne Alured the elder broder / & make hym kyng of Englonde / & of this thynge to make an ende. The erles & barons made theyr othe / but the erle Godwyn of Westsex falsly & traytoursly thought to slee these two bretherne anone as they shold come in to Englond / in entent to make Harold his sone kynge / the whiche sone he had begoten on his wyfe kyng Hardiknogh tes doughter y• was a dane. And so this Godwyn went pryuely to southhamton for to mete there with the two bretherne at theyr landynge. And thus it befell yt the messengers yt went in to Normandy foūde not but onely Alured that was y• eldest broder. For Edwarde his broder was gone to Hungary for to speke with his cosyn Edwarde the outlawe y• was Edmund Irensydes sone. The messengers said to Aluted how y• the erles & ba rons of Englond sent for hȳ / & y• he shold boldly come in to Englōde & receyue the realme: for king Hardiknoght was deed & all the danes dryuen out of the londe.
¶ How Godwyn the fals traytour toke Alured vpon Gildesdown whan that he came from Normandye to be kynge of Englonde / & how he caused hym to be martyred in the yle of Ely.
WHan Alured herd these tydȳges he thāked god / & toke shyppyng with all y• haste that he myght and passed the see and arryued at south hamton there Godwyn y• fals traytour was. And whan this traytour sawe y• he was comen / he welcomed hym & receyued hym with moche ioye / & sayd yt he wold lede hym to London where as all the barons of Englonde hym abode to make hym theyr kynge. And so they went on theyr waye towarde London. And whan they came on Gyldesdowne tho sayd y• traytour Godwyn vnto Alured. [Page lxxiii] Take hepe aboute you bothe on the lefte syde & on the ryght syde / & of all ye shal be kyng / & of suche an hondred mod Now forsothe sayd Alured / I behyght you and yf I be kyng / I shall ordeyne & make suche lawes / wherof god & man shall be well apayed. Now had the tray tour cōmaūded all his men that were wt hym / that whan they were comen vpon Gyldesdown that they shold slee all that were in Aluredes company / that came with hym from Normādy / & after that take Alured & lede hym in to y• yle of Ely and after put out bothe his eyen of his heed / & afterward brynge hym to deth. And so they dyd / for they slewe all y• company that were there / the nombre of. xij gentylmen y• were comen with Alured frō Normandy / & after they toke Alured & in the yle of Ely they put out his eyen & rent his wombe / & toke y• chefe of his bowels / & put a stake in to the groūde / & an ende of the bowels fastened therto / & with nedyls of yren they pricked y• good thylde / & so made hym to go aboute the stake tyll yt all his bowels were drawen out of his body / & so dyed Alured there through treason of the erle Godwyne. Whan the lordes of Englond had herde and wyst how Alured that sholde haue ben theyr king was put to deth through the fals traytour Godwyne / they were wonders wroth / & swore bytwene them god & his holy name / that he sholde dye a worse deth thā dyd Edryth of stration y• had betrayed his lorde Edmund Iren syde / & they wold haue put hym to deth but the traytour fledde thens in to Denmarke / & there helde hym .iiij. yere and more / & lost all his londe in Englonde.
SIluester the thyrde was pope after Benedictus. This Siluester was chosen / & Benedict was expulsed. And afterwarde was Siluester expulsed & Benedict was put vp agayn. And after he was put out / & Gregory was made pope / & he was but symple lettred man / and therfore he chose an other pope to be cōsecrate wt hym. And whan many men were dyspleased with this guydyng of two popes / the thyrde was brought in / the whiche sholde occupy y• place of bothe y• two. And so they stroue amonge them selfe. But Henry the emperour than came to Rome and deposed them all / and made Clement the second pope / whome he made anone to crowne hym. And he sayd to the Romayns they sholde neuer wtout his assent chose pope And so .v. beynge popes / the syxth was put in. But many men saye this Grego ry was an holy man. ¶ Damasus the second was after Clement .xxiij. dayes. This man was an vsurper of y• popery che / & he dyed sodeynly. And anone the Romayns asked to haue a pope / & that the Almayns sholde haue none / for they were so harde herted that they myght not enclyne to the entent of y• emperout the whiche sayd there sholde be no pope chosen but yf he wolde be of counseyle of the eleccyon. But for all that they put in this holy man Leo / and after he had of that conscyence / & refused it. And anone he was chosen by y• comyn assent. This Leo put Chryst in the forme of a lasar in to his owne bedde / and on the morowe he founde no thynge there.
¶ Of saynt Edwarde the confessour that was Aluredes broder / and how he was kynge of Englonde.
ANd whā this was done / all the barons of englond sent another tyme in to Normandy y• Edward sholde come in to englond with moche [...]onout. And this Edwarde in his chyldhode loued [...] hey god & hym dradde / and in [Page] honeste & clennes ladde his lyfe / & hated synne as deth. And whan he was crow ned & anoynted wt a ryall power / he forgate not his good maners & condicyons that he fyrst vsed / & forgate not all good customes for no maner honour / ne for no rychesse / ne for no maner hygnes. But euer more & more gaue hym to goodnes & well loued god & holy chirche passyng all other maner thynge. And poore men also he loued / & helde them as they had ben his owne bretherne / & to them ofte he gaue grete almes wt full good wyll.
¶ Of the fyrst specyall loue that god shewed to saynt Edward lyuynge.
IT befell on a daye as he went frō the chirche of westmynster / & had herde masse of saynt Iohn ye euangelyst for as moche as he loued saȳt Iohn the euangelist more specyally after god and our lady / than he dyd ony other saynt. And so there came to hym a pylgrym / & prayed hym for ye loue of god & our lady & saynt Iohn the euangelyst some good for to gyue hym. And the kyng pryuely toke his rynge of his fynger / yt no man perceyued it / & gaue it to the pilgrym / & he it receyued & went thens. This king Edward made all ye good lawes of Englonde / that yet ben moost vsed & holden. And he was so mercyable and so full of pyte / that no man myght be more.
¶ How the erle Godwyn came agayne in to Englonde / and had agayne all his londe / and afterwarde saynt Edwarde wedded his doughter.
WHan the erle Godwyn that was dwellynge in Denmark had moche herde of the goodnes of kynge Edwarde / & that he was full of mercy and pyte / he thought yt he wolde go agayne in to Englond for to seke & to haue grace of the good kyng Edward that so mercy full was that he myght haue agayn his londe in peas. And arayed hym as moche as he myght & put hym towarde the see & came in to Englonde to London where ye kynge was that tyme & all the lordes of Englonde & helde a parlyamēt Godwyn sent to them yt were his frendes / & were ye moost gretest lordes of the lōde / & prayed them to beseche ye kynges grace for hym / & that he wolde graunte him his peas & his lōde. The lordes lad hȳ before ye kyng to seke his grace. And anone as ye kyng sawe hym / he appeled hym of treason / & of the deth of Alured his broder / & these wordes to hym sayd Traytour Godwyn I the appele that thou hast betrayed & slayne my broder Alured. Certes syr sayd Godwyn saue your grace & your peas & your lordshyp I neuer betrayed hym / [...]e yet lewe hȳ. And therfore I put me in reward of the caurte. Now fayre lordes sayd ye kynge / ye that be my lyeges / erles & barons of the londe yt here ben assembled / full well ye herde myn appele / & the answere also of Godwyn / & therfore I wyll that ye awarde & do ryght. The erles & barons than gadred them all togyder to do this awarde by themselfe / & so they spake dy uersly among them / for some sayd there was neuer alyaūce by homage serment seruyce / nor by lordshyp bytwene Godwyn & Alured / for whiche thynge they myght hym drawe. And at the last they deuysed & demed / that he shold put hym in ye kynges mercy all togyder. Thā sna ke the erle Leuerike of Couentre a good man to god & to all the worlde / & told his reason in this maner and sayd. The erle Godwyn is ye best frended man of Englonde after ye kyng / & well myght it not be gaynsayd / that without cou [...]se yle of Godwyn Alured was neuer put to deth [Page lxxiiii] wherfore I awarde as touchynge my parte / that hymself & his sone & euery of vs .xii. erles that ben his frendes go before the kynge / charged with as moche golde & syluer as we may bere bytwene our handes / prayenge the kynge to forgyue his euyll wyll to the erle Godwyn and receyue his homage / & yelde agayn his londe. And they accorded vnto that awarde / and came euery of them with golde & syluer as moche as they myght bere bytwene theyr handes before the kynge / and there sayd the forme and the maner of theyr accorde & of theyr awarde. The kyng wolde not them gaynsaye but as moche as they had ordeyned he graūted and cōfermed. And so was the erle Godwyn accorded with the kynge / and had agayne all his londes. And afterward he bare hym so well & so wysely / that the kynge loued hym wonders moche / & with hym he was full preuy. And within a lytell tyme they loued so moche that ye kynge spoused Godwyns doughter / and made her quene. And neuertheles though the kyng had a wyfe yet he lyued euer in chastite and clennes of body wtout ony flesshely dede doynge with his wyfe. And ye quene also in her halfe ladde an holy lyfe two yere / & dyed And afterwarde the kynge lyued all his lyfe without ony wyfe. The kyng gaue the erledome of Oxford to Harolde that was Godwyns sone / & made hym erle. And so well they were beloued / bothe ye fader and he / & were so preuy with the kynge / yt they myght do by ryght what thynge they wolde. For agaynst ryght wold he no thynge do for no maner man so good and true he was of conscyence. And therfore our lorde Iesu Chryst specyall loue shewed to hym.
¶ How kynge Edwarde sawe [...]wyne kynge of Denmarke drowned in the see in the tyme of the leuacyon of the sacrament as he stode and herde masse.
IT befell vpon a whytsondaye as kynge Edwarde herde his masse in the grete chirche of Westmynster at the leuacion of Iesu Christes body: & as all men were gadred in the chirche / and came nigh the awter for to se ye sacrynge the kyng lyft vp his handes on hygh / & toke vp a grete laughter / wherfore all yt stode aboute hym began gretly to wonder. And after masse they asked why the kȳges laughter was. Fayre lordes said kynge Edward / I sawe Swyne ye yonger that was kyng of Denmarke come in to the see wt all his power for to haue comen in to Englond to warre vpon vs / & I sawe hym & all his folke drowned in the see / & all this I sawe in the leuacyon of Chrystes body bytwene the preestes hādes / & I had therof so grete wye that I myght not my laughter withholde. And the erle Leuerich stode besyde hym at the leuacion / & openly sawe the forme of breed turne in to ye lykenes of a yonge childe / & toke vp his ryght hande & blyssed the kynge / & afterwarde ye erle / & the erle anone turned hym toward ye kynge for to make hym se that holy syght. And than sayd the kynge. Syr erle I so well that ye se / thanked be god that I haue honoured my god and sauyour vysybly Iesu Chryst in forme of man / whose na me be blyssed in all worldes. Amen.
¶ How the rynge that saynt Edwarde had gyuen to a poore pylgrym for ye loue of god and saynt Iohn the euangelyst came agayne to kynge Edwarde.
THis noble man saynt Edwarde regned .xiii. yere. And thus it be fell vpon a tyme or he dyed / ye two men of Englond were gone in to ye holy londe [Page] and had done theyr pilgrymage / & were goynge agayne in to theyr owne coūtree where they came fro. And as they went in the waye / they mette a pilgrym that curteysly salewed them / & asked of them in what londe and in what coūtree they were borne. And they sayd in Englonde Than asked he who was kyng of Englonde. And they answered and sayd / the good king Edward. Fayre frendes sayd the pylgrym / whan that ye come in to your coūtree agayne / I praye you that ye wyll go vnto kyng Edwarde / & greet hym oftentymes in my name / & oftenty mes him thanke of his grete curteysy yt he to me hath done / & namely for ye ryng yt he gaue me whan he had herde masse at Westmynster for saynt Iohns loue ye euāgelyst. And than toke ye rynge & toke it to the pylgryms & sayd. I praye you go & bere this ryng / & take it vnto kyng Edward / & tell hym that I sende it hym and a full ryche gyfte I wyll gyue hym For vpō the .xij. daye he shal come to me & euermore dwell in blysse wtouten ende. Syr sayd ye pilgryms / what man be ye and in what coūtree is your dwellynge. Fayre frendes sayd he / I am Iohn the euangelyst / & I am dwellynge with almyghty god / & your kynge Edward is my frende / & I loue hym in specyall for bycause that he hath euermore lyued in clennes & is a clene mayd / & I praye you my message to fulfyll as I haue sayd. Whan saȳt Iohn ye euāgelyst had thus charged them / sodeynly he voyded out of bothe theyr sightes. Than thanked ye pylgryms almyghty god & went forth theyr waye. And whan they had gone two or thre myle they begā to ware wery / & set them down for to rest them / & so they fell on slepe. And whan they had well slepte / one of them awoke & lyft vp his heed & loked aboute & sayd to his felowe. Aryse vp and go we in our waye. What sayd that our felowe to that other where be we now. Certes sayd ye other / it semeth me yt this is not ye same coūtre that we layde vs [...]owne in for to rest & slepe. For we were from Ierusalem but thre myles. They toke vp theyr handes and blyssed them / & went forth on theyr waye / & as they went they sawe shepes herdes goyng wt theyr shepe that spake none other lāguage but englisshe. Good frendes sayd one of ye pylgryms / what coūtre is this / & who is lord therof. And anone the shepeherdes answered & sayd This is the coūtree of Kent in Englond of the whiche the good kynge Edward is lorde of. Than the pilgryms thanked almyghty god & saynt Iohn ye euangelyst / & went forth on theyr waye & came to Caunterbury / & from thens to London / & there they foūde the kynge. And tolde hym all from ye begynnynge to the endynge / as moche as saynt Iohn had charged them / & of all thȳges how they had spēdde by ye waye / & toke ye rynge to kyng Edward / & he receyued it / & thanked almyghty god & saynt Iohn ye euan gelyst. And than made hym redy euery daye from daye to daye to departe out of this lyfe whan god wold send for hym.
¶ How saynt Edwarde dyed on the .xij. daye.
ANd after it befel thus on Chryst masse euen as the holy man Edward was at goddes seruyce for to here matyns of ye hygh feest / he became full seke / & on the morowe endured wt moche payne for to here ye masse / & after masse he let hym to be ladde in to his chambre there for to rest hym. But in his hall amonge his barons & knyghtes myght he not come for to comforte them and solace as he was wont to do at that worthy feest. Wherfore all theyr myrth and [Page lxxv] cōforte amonge all that were in the hall was turned in to care & sorowe / bycause they drad to lese theyr good lorde ye kyng And vpon saynt Iohns daye ye euangelyst that came nexte the kynge receyued his ryghtes of holy chirche / as it befalleth to euery chrysten man / & abode the mercy & the wyll of god. And ye two pylgryms he let come before hym / & gaue them ryche gyftes & betoke them to god And also ye abbot of Westmynster he let come before hym / & toke hym that ryng in the honour of god & saynt Mary & of saynt Iohn the euangelyst. And the abbot toke & put it amonge other relykes / so that it is at Westmynster & euer shall be. And so laye ye kynge seke tyll the .xij. euen / and than dyed the good kyng Edward at Westmynster / & there he lyeth. For whose loue god hath shewed many a fayre myracle. And this was in ye yere of ye incarnacyon of our lorde Chryst Iesu. M .lxv. And after he was translated and put in to the shryne by ye noble martyr saynt Thomas of Caunterbury.
[...]Ictor the seconde was pope after Leo / & lytell of hȳ is wryten. ¶ Henry the seconde was emperour after the first Henry .xvij. yere. This man was cosyn to Conrade / & he was borne in a wode / and twyes taken to be slayne whā he was a childe / but god defended hȳ euermore. Whan he was made emperour he made a monastery in ye same place in the wode where he was borne. This man was a vicyous man / and he entred in to Ytaly / & there he toke Pandulphus ye prynce of Campany. ¶ Ste phanꝰ the .ix. was pope after Victor .ix. monethes. ¶ Benedictus was after hȳ & he toke the dignite of ye pope Stephen by strengthe / & kepte it .ix. monethes / & than decessed. ¶ Henry the thyrde was emperour after Henry the second. This Henry was an vnquyete man / & many tymes troubled the holy man Gregory the .vij. And fyrst he asked forgyuenes & was assoyled / but he perseuered not / but brought in an other pope agaynst hym / and sayd he was an heretyke. And Gregory cursed hym. And the chosers of the emperour chose the duke of Saxon for to be emperour / whome this Henry in batayle ouercame. And than he came to Rome with his pope / and pursued pope Gregory & the cardynals also. And than anone Robert ye kynge of Naples droue hym thens / & delyuered the pope & his cardynals. Neuerthelesse yet he was a man of grete almes / and .xij. tymes he fought in batayle. And at ye last he dyed wretchedly. For he was put downe by his owne sone. For so as he dyd to other men / so was he done to. ¶ Nycolas the seconde was pope after Benedicte two yere. This Nycolas called a coūseyle agaynst the archedeken of Turonosens whiche was an heretyke / & he taught agaynst the fayth. For he erred in the sa crament / & after he was cōuerted & was an holy man / but he coude neuer cōuerte his discyples. ¶ Nota. ¶ Alexander the seconde was pope after hȳ .xij. yere. This Alexander was an holy man / & he ordeyned that vnder payne of cursynge that no man shold here a preestes masse whome they knewe had a [...]man. Vt p [...] xxxij. dist. preter hoc. He had strife wt one Codulo / but he expulsed hȳ as an vsurper / & put hym out as a symoner.
¶ How Harolde that was Godwyns sone was made kynge / & how he escaped fro the duke of Normandy.
Whan [...]aȳt Edward was gone out of this worlde / and was passed to god / & worthely buryed as it apperteyned to suche a grete lorde for to be. The [Page] barons of the londe wolde haue had Edward Helingus / sone to Edward y• outlawe that was Edmūd Irensydes sone to be kyngr / bycause he was of y• moost kyndest kynges blode of y• realme. But Harold through the erle Godwyn his fader & through other grete lordes of y• realme that were of his kynne / seased all Englonde in to his handes / & anone let crowne hym kyng after the buryenge of saynt Edward. ¶ This Hatold y• was Godwyns sone two yere afore saynt Edward dyed he wold haue gone in to Flaū dres / but he was dryuen by tēpest in to the coūtree of Pountyf / & there he was taken & brought to duke Willyam. And this Harold wende that duke Willyam wolde haue ben auenged on hȳ / bycause that Haroldes fader had let slee Alured saynt Edwardes broder / & pryncypally bycause Alured was sone to quene Emma that was Rychardes moder duke of Normandy y• was grandfader to duke Willyam. Neuerthelesse he dyd not so / for as moche as Harold was a noble & a wyse knight / & that his fader & he were accorded wt saynt Edwarde / therfore he wolde not mysdo hym / but alowed all thynge ordeyned bytwene them. Harold by his good wyll sware vpon a boke & vpon holy saintes that he shold spouse & wedde duke Wyllyams doughter after the deth of saynt Edward / & y• he sholde do his besy cure to saue & kepe y• realme of Englonde vnto y• profyte & auaūtage of duke William. And whā Harold had thus made his othe vnto duke William he let hym go free out of pryson / & gaue hȳ many ryche gyftes. And than he departed thens & came in to Englond / and anone dyd in this maner whā saynt Edward was deed as a fals forsworne man let crowne hymselfe kynge of Englonde and falsly brake the couenaunt y• he had made before with duke Willyam / wherfore he was wonders wroth with hym & swore that he wolde be auenged vpon hym what someuer hym befell. And anone duke Willyam let assemble a grete hoost & came in to Englonde to auenge hym vpon Harold / & to conquere y• londe yf that he myght. ¶ And in y• same yere that Harold was crowned Harald Hare strenge kyng of Denmarke arryued in Scotlonde / & thought to haue ben kyng of Englonde / & he came in to Englond & robbed & slewe all y• he myght / tyll y• he came to Yorke / and there he slewe a. M. men of armes / and an hondred preestes. ¶ Whan these tydynges came to y• king he assembled a grete power / & went for to fyght with Haralde of Denmarke / & with his owne handes he slewe hym / & the danes were discomfyted. And those that were left alyue with moche sorow fledde to theyr shyppes. And thus kyng Harold of Englonde slewe kyng Harald of Denmarke.
¶ Here came the Normans and expulsed Harold a Saxon.
¶ Anno dn̄i. M .lxvj.
¶ How Willyam bastard duke of Normandy came in to Englonde and slewe kynge Harolde.
ANd whā this batayle was done Harolde became so proude that he wolde no thynge parte wt his people [Page lxxvi] of ony thynge y• he had goten / but helde it all to hymself / wherfore y• moost parte of his people were wroth and departed from hym / so that onely were left with hym but his soudyours. ¶ And vpon a daye as he sate at meet / a messenger came to hym & sayd that William bastard duke of Normādy was arryued in Englonde with a grete hoost / & had taken all the londe aboute Hastynges / & also myned the castell. Whan y• kyng had herde these tydynges / he went thyder with a small power in all the haste y• he myght for there was but fewe people left with hym. And whan he was comen thyder he ordeyned to gyue batayle to the duke Wyllyam. But y• duke asked hȳ of these thre thynges / yf that he wold haue his doughter to wyfe as he had promysed & sworne his othe / or that he wolde holde the londe of hym in truage / or that he wold determyne this thynge in batayle This Harold was a proude man and a stronge / & trusted moche in his strength and fought with ye duke Willyam & his people. But Harolde and his men were discomfyted in that batayle / & hymselfe there was slayn. And this batayle was ended at Toubrydge in the seconde yere of his regne / vpon saynt Calixtes daye / and so he was buryed at waltham.
¶ Of kynge Willyam bastard / & how he gouerned hym well and wysely / and of the warre bytwene hym & the kynge of Fraunce.
WHan Wyllyam bastard duke of Normandy had conquered all y• londe of Englond / vpon Chrystmasse daye nexte folowynge he let hym to be crowned kynge at westmynster / & was a worthy kyng / & gaue to englyssh men londes largely / & to his knyghtes. And afterwarde he went ouer the see & came in to Normandy / & there dwelled a whyle. And in the seconde yere of his regne he came agayne in to Englond / & brought wt hym Maude his wyfe / & let crowne her quene of Englonde on whyt sondaye. ¶ And than anone after y• king of Scotlond that was called Mancolyn began to stryue & warre with the kyng William. And he ordeyned hym toward Scotlond with his men bothe by londe and by see for to destroye kynge Mancolyn. But they were accorded / & the kyng of Scotlonde became his man / & helde all his londe of hym. And king William receyued of hym his homage and came agayn in to Englond. And whan kyng William had regned .xvij. yere / Maude the quene dyed / on whome kynge Wyllyam had begoten many fayre children / that is to saye / Robert Curtoys / Williā Rous / Rycharde also that dyed / Henry Beauclerk / & Maude also that was the erles wyfe of Bleynes / and other foure fayre doughters. And after his wyues deth there began grete debate bytwene hym & Philyp the kyng of Fraūce. But at the last they were accorded. And than dwelled y• kyng of Englond in Normandy / & no man hym warred / & he no man longe tyme. ¶ And the kyng of Fraūce sayd vpon a daye in scorne of kyng William / y• he had longe tyme lyen in chyldbed / & longe tyme had rested hym there. And this worde came to y• king of Englonde where as he lay in Normandy at Roen. And for this worde was he euyll appayed & also wonders wroth toward the kyng of Fraūce & swore by god that whan he were arysen fro chyldbedde he wolde lyght a thousande candels to the kyng of Fraūce. And anone let assemble a grete hoost of Normans & of Englyssh men. And in the begynnynge of heruest he came in to Fraunce / and brent all the townes that he came by through all the [Page] [...]on̄tree / and robbed & dyd all the sorowe that he myght through out al Fraūce / & at the last he brent the cite of Mandos / & cōmaunded his people to bere wode & brenne as moche as they myght / & hym self holpe therto all y• he myght wt a good wyll. And there was grete hete what of fyre that was so grete & of the sonne / y• it was wonders hote / & stuffed hȳ so y• he became & fell in to a grete sekenes. And whan he sawe y• he was so sore seke / he assygned all Normandy to Robert Curtoys his sone / & all Englōde to William Rous / & bequethed to Henry Beauclerk all his tresour. And whan he had thus done / he receyued all the sacramentes of holy chirche / & dyed the .xxij. yere of his regne / & lyeth at Cane in Normandy.
¶ Anno domini. M .lxvj.
O Regory the .vii. was pope after Alexander .xij. yere. This man ordeined a general sinody / that no preest sholde haue a wyfe / ne shold dwell with women / but those that y• synody of Nicena & other decrees haue suffred. And than the preestes set lytell or nought by his ordynaūce. This man cōmaunded y• no mā sholde here masse of a preest y• had a cōcubyne. And he on a certayne tyme as he was cardynall & legate of Fraūce proceded sharply agaynst prelates and preestes y• were symoners. And amonge other there was one bysshop that was gretly famed wt symony / & those y• accused hym he hyred pryuely to saye y• contrary / the whiche y• legate conceyued / & afore all y• people he sayd. Let the iudgement of this man cease at this tyme / for it is deceyuable / & let god dispose for it / & sayd thus. It is certayne that y• dignite of a bysshop is the gyuer of y• holy ghost And who someuer byeth a bisshopryche doth agaynst the holy ghoost. Than yf thou bysshop dyd not agaynst the holy ghoost / saye openly afore all the people Gloria patri et filio / et spiritui saucto. And many tymes he began to saye it / but he coude neuer speke spiritui sancto Than he was deposed of his bysshopryche. And after he coude speke it well ynough. ¶ Victor the thyrde was pope after hym one yere. And this man was poysoned wt venym in y• chalyce. ¶ Vrbanus was pope after hym two yere. This man cursed the kynge of Fraunce for his aduoutry. And he called a counseyle at Clarū / in y• whiche he ordeyned that matyns of our lady sholde be sayd euery daye / and on Saterdaye her solempne masse. And it is sayd that this was shewed vnto the monkes of Charterhous. ¶ Also he called another couuseyle at Turam / for the holy londe to be wonne agayn / & prouoked the people to that thynge. And within a lytell tyme after that / the holy londe was recouered & the gloryous sepulere of our lorde Iesu Chryst / & Anthiochia wt many other noble cytees were taken from y• handes of y• sarasyns. And it is sayd & men byle ued that .CC. M. chrystē men went to y• Journey. For there wente of states olde men & yonge / ryche & poore / & no man cō pelled them. And this passage was made by y• visyon of our lady. And y• prȳces of this people were dyuers. One was Godfrey of Bollyon y• noblest man of all the worlde / & a vertuous man. And an other was Bemond y• duke of Naples. The thyrde was Hugh the kynges broder of Fraūce / & many other the whiche dyd full nobly for the fayth of god. And it were to longe in this boke to recherse the gloryous actes that they dyd.
¶ Of kynge Willyam Rous that was kynge Wyllyam bastardes sone / that destroyed townes & houses of relygyon [Page lxxvii] for to make the newe forest.
ANd after this Willyam bastard regned his sone Willyam Rous This Willyam was a wonders cōtratyous man to god & holy chirche / & let amende & make y• towne of Cardeis / that the paynyms had destroyed. This king Willyam destroyed holy chirche & theyr possessions in what parte he myght fyn be them. And therfore there was so moche debate bytwene hym and the archebysshop of Caunterbury Ancelme / bycause he cepreued hȳ of his wyckednes that he destroyed holy chitche. And for y• cause y• kynge bare to hym grete wrath and therfore exiled hym out of this lōde And the archebysshop than went to the courte of Rome / & there dwelled with y• pope. ¶ And this kynge made the newe forest / and kest downe & destroyed .xxvj. townes / and .lxxx. houses of religion / all for to make his forest longet & broder / & became wonders proude & gladde of his wode & forest / & of y• wylde beestes that were within it / that it was manuayle to wyte / so that men called hym kepet of wodes & pastours. And the longer that helyued / the more wycked he became / bothe to god & to all holy chirche / & to all his nien. ¶ And this kyng let make the grete hall of Westmynster. So vpon a day at whytsontyde he helde therin his fyrst feest / & he loked aboute hym & sayd that y• hall was to lytell by y• halfedele. And at the last he became so cōtraryous that all thynge y• pleased god displeased hym / & all thynge y• god loued he hated de [...]dly. ¶ And so it befell that he dremed vpon a night alytel or y• he dyed / that he was let blode / & b [...]dde a grete quantite of blode / & a streme of it [...]epte [...]n hye towarde hellen more than [...] [...]deed fadom / & the clerenes of the daye was [...] ned vnto [...]yght & derknes / & the [...]ament also. And whan he awoke he had grete drede / so that he wyst not what to do / & tolde his dreme to men of his coun seyle / & said that he had grete drede / and supposed that to hym was some myschaunce to come. ¶ And y• second nyght before a monke dremed of the housholde that the kyng went in to a chirche with moche people / & he was so proude / that he despysed all y• people that were with hym / and that he toke the ymage of the crucyfyxe and shamefully bote it with his tethe. And the crucifyxe mekely suffred all that he dyd. But the kynge as a wood man rent of the armes of the crucyfyxe / and kest it vnder his feet and defouled it / and threwe it all abrode. And a grete flame of fyre came out of the crucyfyxe mouth. Of the whiche dreme many men had grete meruayle & wonder. ¶ The good man that had dremed this straūge dreme tolde it to a knyght that was moost preuy with the kynge of all men / & the knyght was called Hanumdes. Soone the monke and he tolde the dreme vnto the kynge / and sayd that it sholde betoken other thynge than good. And neuertheles y• king laughed therac twyes or thryes / and lytell set therby / & thought that he wolde go & hunte and playe in the forest. And men counseyled hym that he sholde not go that daye for no maner thynge / ne come in y• wode / so that he abode at home before meet. But anone as he had eten / no man myght let hym but that he wolde go vnto y• wode for to haue his dysporte. And so it befell that one of his knyghtes that hyghte Walter Tyrell wolde haue shorte to a grete harte / & his arowe glansed vpon a braunche / and through mysauenture smote the kynge vnto the herte. And so he fell downe deed to the grounde without ony worde spekynge / and so ended his lyfe days. And it was no mecuayle [Page] for the daye that he dyed he had let to [...]erme the archebysshopryche of Caunterbury / and .xij. abbeys also / and euer more dyd grete destruccyon to holy chirche through wrongfull takynge and askyng. For no man durst withstāde that he wold haue done / & of his [...]ewdnes he wolde neuer wtdrawe / neyther amende his lyfe. And therfore god wolde suffre hym no longer to regne in his wyckednes. And he had ben kyng .xiij. yere and vj. wekes / & lyeth at Westmynster.
¶ Anno d [...]i. M .lxxxviij.
PAscall was pope after Vrbanus xviij. yere and .v. monethes / the whiche the .xiij. yere of his bysshoprych with his cardynais was put in pryson by the emperour Henry the fourth. And they myght not be delyuered tyll ye pope had sworne yt he sholde kepe peas with hym / & that he sholde neuer curse hym. And on that promesse the pope gaue the emperour a preuylege. And ye yere after the pope dampned that preuplege / and sayd on this wyse. Let vs comprehende all holy scripture the olde testamēt & the newe / the lawes & the ꝓphetes / the gospell & the canons of apostles / & all the decrees of the popes of Rome / that ye they helde I hold / & that that they dampned I dampne / & moost specially that preuy lege graunted to Henry the emperour / the whiche rather is graunted to venge his malyce / than to multyply his pacyence in vertue / for euermore I dampne that same preuylege.
¶ Of king Hēry beauclerke yt was Willyam Rous broder / & of ye debate bytwene hym & Robert Curtoys his broder.
ANd whan this Willyam Rous was deed / Henry beauclerk his broder was made kynge / bycause that William Rous had no childe [...] of his body / & this Henry Beauclerk was crowned kyng at London ye fourth daye after that his broder was deed / that is is saye / the fyfth daye of August. ¶ And anone as Ancelme yt was archebysshop of Caunterbury beynge at the courte of Rome herde tell yt Wyllyam Rous was deed / he came agayne in to Englonde / & kyng Henry Beauclerk welcomed hym honourably. And ye first yere yt he regned he spoused Maude yt was Margaretes doughter the quene of Scotlo [...]de / & the archebysshop Ancelme of Caunterbury wedded them. And this kynge begate vpon his wyfe two sones & a doughter / that is to saye / Willyam & Rychard and Maude. And this Maude was afterwarde the empresse of Almayn. And in the seconde yere of his regne / his broder Robert Curtoys duke of Normandy came wt an huge hoost in to Englond for [...] chalenge ye londe. But through coūseyle of the wyse men of the londe / they were accorded in this maner. That the kyng shold gyVe his broder ye duke a. M. poūd euery yere / & whiche of them lyued longest shold be others heyre / & so bytwene them sholde be no debate nor stryfe. And whan they were thus accorded / ye duke went home agayn in to Normādy. And whan the kynge had regned foure yere there arose a grete debate bytwene hym and ye archebysshop of Caūterbury Ancelme. For bycause that ye archebysshop wolde not graū [...]e hym to take talage of chirches at his wyll / & therfore the archebysshop Ancelme went agayne ouer the see vnto the courte of Rome / & there he dwelled wt the pope. And in the same yere the duke of Normandy came in to Englonde to speke with his broder. And amōge all other thynges ye duke of Nor mandy forgaue vnto ye kyng his broder the foresayd. M. poūde yt he sholde paye [Page lxxviii] vnto the duke. And with good loue the kyng & the duke departed / and than the duke went agayn in to Normādy. And whan two yere were gone / through the entycement of the deuyll & of lewde men a grete debate arose bytwene the kynge and the duke / so that through counseyle the kynge went ouer the see in to Normandy. And whā the kyng was comen in to Normandy / all the grete lordes of Normandy turned vnto ye kyng of Englonde / and helde agaynst the duke theyr owne lorde / & forsoke hȳ / yeldyng them vnto the kyng / with all the good castels & townes of Normādy. And soone after was the duke taken & ledde wt the kyng in to Englonde / and the kyng let put the duke in to pryson. And this was ye vengeaūce of god. For whan the duke was in the holy londe / god gaue hym suche myght & grace / that he was chosen for to haue ben kyng of Ierusalem / and he forsoke it / & wolde not take it vpon hym And therfore god sente hym that shame & despyte for to be put in to his broders prison. Thā ceased kyng Henry all Normandy in to his hādes / & helde it all his lyfe tyme. And in the same yere came ye bysshop Ancelme from ye courte of Rome in to Englonde agayne. And the kyng & he were accorded. ¶ And in ye yere nexte comynge after there began a grete debate bytwene kynge Philyp of Fraūce and kyng Henry of Englond. Wherfore kyng Henry went in to Normandy / and there was [...]rōge warre bytwene them two. And than dyed the kyng of Fraūce and Lowys his sone was made kynge anone after his dethe. And than wente kynge Henry agayne in to Englonde / & maryed [...]a [...]de his doughter to Henry the emperour of Almayne.
¶ Of the debate yt was bytwene kyng Lowys of Fraunce and kynge Henry of Englonde / & how kynge Henryes two sones were drowned in the hy [...] se [...].
WHan kyng Henry had ben kyng xvij. yere / a grete debate arose bytwene kyng Lowys of Fraū ce & kynge Henry of Englonde / bycause the kynge had sente in to Normandy to his men that they shold be helpynge vn to the erle of Bloyes as moche as they myght in warre agaynst the kynge of Fraūce / & that they sholde be as redy to hym as they were to theyr owne lorde / for bycause that ye erle had spoused his syster dame Maude. And for this cause the king of Fraūce dyd moche sorowe to Normandy. Wherfore ye kynge of Englonde was wonders wrothe / & in ha [...] went ouer the see with a grete power / and came in to Normandy for to defende that londe. And ye warre bytwene them lasted two yere / tyll at the last they two fought togyder / and the king of Fraūce was dyscomfyted / and escaped awaye with moche payne / and the moost parte of his men were discomfyted and taken And the kyng dyd with them his pleasure / & some of them he let go frely / and some he let put to deth. But afterwarde the two kynges were accorded. Whan kynge Henry had hoolly all the lo [...]de of Normandy & discomfyted his enemyes of Fraūce / he returned agayn in to Englonde with moche honour. And his two sones Willyam & Rychard wolde haue comen after theyr fader & went to the see with a grete cōpany of people. But or yt they might come to lōde ye shyppe stroke agaynst a roche & brake in peces / & were all drowned yt were therin / saue one m [...] yt was in ye same shyppe y• escaped. And this was on saynt [...]atherynes daye / & these were ye names of thē yt were drowned. Willyam & Rychard ye kȳges sones the erle of Chestre Ottonell / his broder [Page] Geffrey rydel / Walter emurci / Godfrey archdeken / the kynges doughter / ye coū tesse of perches / ye kȳges nece / ye coūtesse of Chestre / & many other. Whan kynge Henry & other lordes arryued in englōde and held these tydynges / they made sorowe ynough / & all theyr myrth & Ioye was turned in to mournynge & sorowe.
¶ How Maude ye empresse came agayn in to englond / & how she was afterward wedded to Geffrey the erle of Angeo.
ANd whan two yere were gone that the erle had dwelled with ye king / the erle went from ye king & began to warre vpō hym / & dyd moche harme in the londe of Normandy / & toke there a stronge castell / & there he dwelled all ye yere. And than came to hym tydynges that Henry the emperour of Almayne yt had spoused Maude his doughter was deed / & that she dwelled no longer in Almayn / & that she wolde come agayne in to Normādy to her fader. And whā she was comen vnto hym / he toke her than to hym & came agayn in to Englonde / & made ye englysshmen to do othe & feaute vnto the empresse. And ye fyrst man that made the othe was Wylliam the arche bysshop of Caūterbury / and that other Dauid kyng of Scotlonde / & after hym all the lordes and barons of Englonde. ¶ Also after that the noble erle of Angeo a worthy knyght sent vnto the kyng of Englonde yt he wolde graūte hȳ to haue his doughter Maud ye empresse to wyfe And bycause yt her fader wyst yt he was a noble man / the kynge graūted hym / & consented therto. And than toke he his doughter & ladde her in to Normādy / & came to ye noble knyght Geffrey / & there he spoused ye foresayd Maude wt moche honour. And the erle begate vpon her a sone yt was called Henry ye empresse sone And after whā all this was done / kyng Henry dwelled all ye yere in Normandy. And after that a longe tyme a greuous sekenes toke hȳ where through he dyed And this king Henry regned .xxxv. yere and .iiij. monethes. His herte was buryed in the grete chirche of our lady in Roen. And his body was brought with moche honour in to Englonde / and buryed in the abbey of Redynge / of yt whiche he was founder.
HEnricus ye fourth was emperour in Almayn after Henry the thyrd xv. yere. This man put his owne fader in prison / & there helde hym tyll he dyed He toke pope Pascall wt his cardynalles and prysoned them / as is sayd afore / for the whiche cause (as it is supposed) he lacked yssue. For he wedded the kynges doughter of Englonde Maude. But afterwarde he came to grace / and all the lawes of the chirche he resygned frely to Calixte the pope / and be [...]ought hym to gyue hym in penaunce that he sholde neuer come agayne to his empyre / that he myght haue remyssyon of his trespace. And after the opynyon of many a man / he was wylfully exiled / and bothe he and his wyfe dyed at Chestre in Englonde. ¶ Gelasius was pope after Pascall two yere / and fledde from Henry the emperour in to Burgoyn / and there decessed. This emperour chose Benedicte a Spanyarde to be pope / the whiche stroue with Calixtus. ¶ Calixtus was pope after hym two yere and fyue monethes. This Calixtus was the sone of the duke of Burgoyne / and was chosen in the place of Gelasius. And whan he sholde come to Rome / he toke ye foresayd Benedictus / and made hym to ryde afore hym shamefully. For he on a mule turned his face to the tayle of ye mule / & helde the tayle in his hande as a bry [...] [Page lxxix] tyll he came through the cite / & than he was put in pryson. And the pope made peas with the emperour. ¶ Honorius was pope after hym two yere / & lytel of hym is wryten. ¶ Nora. ¶ Henry the fourth Emperour of Ann [...]yne decessed this tyme / & was buryed with his proge [...]ytours after some men with suche an epi [...]aphe. Filius hic / pater hic / auus hic / proauus [...]acer istis. But it is lykely to be truer that ye Gerald sayth in Itinerario wallie. where he sayth / that after he had prysoned his carnall fader & his spirytuall fader the pope with his cardynals / after he was reconsyled / & wylfully he was exiled. And he left Maude his wyfe the kynges doughter of Englonde pryuely / and lyued an heremytes lyfe at Chestre .x. yere / where he myght lyue as no man knewe hym / & he called hȳselfe Godiscallus / the whiche godson is called. So the emperour went secretly awaye / and Maude his wyfe the empresse went to her fader Henry in to Normādy / where anone after she was wedded vnto Geffrey plantagines the duke of Andegāme / vpon whome he begate Henry the seconde that afterward was kyng of Englonde / vnder whome saynt Thomas of Caūterbury regned & dyed. ¶ Lotharius was emperour after Henry the fourth .xij. yere. And lytell of hym is wryten / but that he was manerly to the chirche / and that he subdued Roger the vsurper of the kyngdom of Cycyle. ¶ [...]ag [...] de sancto Victore was a noble man this tyme at Parys and a noble doctour of ye nacyon of Saxons. ¶ The ordre of saynt Iohn baptyst at Ierusalem began this tyme by ye worshypfull man Raymond / myghtely disposed vnto the werkes of mercy. All this ordre made theyr waye to serue poore men.
¶ Anno domini. M .C .xxxiiij.
INnocencius was pope aftre Honorius .xiiij. yere & .vij. monethes This man was a very deuoute man / & with suche men he cöpanyed hym. And he had stryfe .vij. yere agaynst Pyers of Lyon / yt whiche named hym Anoc [...]e [...]ū / & by strength he toke the poperyche / the whiche Innocent sawe / & wt two galeys fledde in to Fraūce / & was worshipfully receyued of saynt Bernard / the whiche that tyme had all the kynges & prynces in his handes / and he ꝓuoked them for to brynge this pope Innocent in to his dignite agayn. At ye last all thynge was cessed / and his enemyes were destroyed through the iudgemēt of god / & he was pope agayn / and lyued profytably / and was buryed at saynt Iohn de Latran.
¶ How Stephen ye was kyng Henryes systers sone was made king of englond.
AFter this kyng Henry that was the fyrst / was made kynge his neuew his systers sone Stephen erle of Bolloyn. For anone as he herde the rydynges of his vncles deth he passed the see & came in to Englonde through counseyle and helpe of many grete lordes of Englonde (agaynst theyr othe that they had made to Maude the empresse) toke the realme / & let crowne Stephen kyng of the londe. And the archebysshop Willyam of Caūterbury that first made the othe of f [...]aute to Maud the empresse set the crowne vpon Stephens heed / and hym anoynted / & bysshop Roger of Salysbury maynteyned the kynges party in as moche as he might. The first yere that kyng Stephen began to regne / he assembled a grete hoost & went towarde Scotlonde for to haue warred vpon the kyng of Scotlōde. But he came agaynst hym in peas and in good maner / and to hym trusted / but he made to hym none [Page] [...]omage / for as moche as he had made vnto ye empresse Maud. And in ye fourth yere of his regne Maude the empresse came in to Englond. And than began debate bytwene kyng Stephen & Maude the empresse. This Maude went to the rite of Nicholl / & the kyng her besyeged longe tyme & myght not spede / so well ye cite was kepte & defended. And those yt were wtin ye cite subtylly escaped awaye without ony maner of harme. And than toke ye kynge ye cite / & dwelled therin tyll Candelmas. And than came ye barons ye helde wt the empresse / that is to saye / the erle Randulf of Chestre / the erle Robert of Glocestre / Hugh Bygot / Roberte of Morlay / & these brought with them a stronge power / & faught wt the kynge / & gaue hȳ a stronge batayle / in ye whiche batayle kyng Stephen was taken / and set in pryson in the castell of Brystowe.
¶ How Maude the empresse wente fro Wynchestre vnto Oxford / and after she escaped to Walyngford / & of the sorowe and dysease that she had.
WHan kyng Stephen was taken & brought in to warde in the castell of Brystowe / this Maude the empresse was made lady of all Englonde / and all men helde her for lady of the londe. But those of Kent helde wt kynge Stephens wyfe / & also Willyam of Pree & his retynue helped them / and helde warre agaynst Maude the empresse. And anone after ye kyng of Scotlond came to them with an huge nōbre of people. And than went they togider to Winchestre where as the empresse was / & wolde haue taken her. But the erle of Glocestre came with his power & faught with them. And the empresse in the meane whyle ye the batayle dured escaped from them / & went vnto Oxford / and there helde her. And in that batayl [...] was the erle of [...]o cestre discomfyted & taken / & with hym many other lordes. And for his delyueraunce was kynge Stephen delyuered out of prison. And whan he was delyuered out of pryson / he wente thens vnto Oxford & besyeged the empresse ye than was at Oxford. And the syege endured fro Myghelmasse vnto saynt Andrewes tyme. And ye empresse than let clothe her all in whyte l [...]nen cloth / for bycause she wolde not be know [...]. For in the same tyme was moche [...]owe & so she escaped by the Tamyse from her enemyes. And from thens she went to Walyngforde / & there helde her. And the kynge wolde haue besyeged her / but he had so moche to do with the erle Randulf of Chestre / and with Hugh By got ye strongly war / red vpon hym in euery place / ye he wyst not whether for to turne. And the erle of Glocestre holpe hym with his power.
¶ How Gaufryde the erle of Angel gaue vnto Henry the empresse sone all Normandy.
ANd after this the kynge wente vnto Wylton / and wolde haue made a castell there. But than came to him the erle of Glocestre with a stronge power / & there almoost he had taken the kynge / but yet the kynge escaped with moche payne / & Willyam Martell there was taken / and for whose delyueraūce they gaue vnto the erle of Glocestre the good castell of Shyrborne that he had taken. And whan this was done / ye erle Robert & all the kynges enemyes went vnto Faringdon / & began there to make a stronge castell. But ye kynge came thyder with a stronge power & droue hym thens. And in ye same yere the erle Randulf of Chestre was accorded with the kynge / and came vnto the courte at his [Page lxxx] cōmūdemēt. And the erle wende safely for to come / & the kyng anone let take hȳ and put hym in pryson / [...] myght neuer for no thynge come out / tyll that he had yelded vp to ye kynge ye castell of Nicholl the whiche he had taken from the kyng with his strength in the xv. yere of his regne. And Gaufryde the erle of Angeo gaue vp to Henry his sone all Normandy. And in ye yere nexte folowynge dyed the erle Gaufryd. And anone Henry his sone returned agayne to Anglo / & there was made erle with moche honour of his men of ye londe / & to hym dyd feaute and homage the moost parte of ye londe. And than was this Henry the empresse sone erle of Angeo / and also duke of Normandy. ¶ In the same yere was made a dyuorse bytwene the kynge of Fraūce and the quene his wyfe that was right heyre of Gascoyne / for bycause ye it was knowen & proued that they were sybbe and nye of blode. And than spoused her Henry the empresse sone erle of Angeo & duke of Normandy & duke of Gascoyne. ¶ In the .xviij. yere of this Stephen / this Henry came into Englonde with a stronge power / & began to warre vpon this kyng Stephen / and toke the castell of Malmesbury / and dyd moche harme And the kynge Stephen had so moche warre / that he wyst not whether for to go. But at the last they were accorded through the archebysshop Theobalde and other worthy lordes of Englonde / vpon this cōdicyon / that they sholde departe the realme of Englonde bytwene them / so that Henry the empresse sone sholde holly haue the halfe of all ye londe of Englonde. And thus they were accorded and peas was cryed through out all Englonde. And whan the accorde was made bytwene those two lordes / kynge Stephen became very sory for bycause that he had lost halfe Englonde / & fell in to suche a malady that he dyed in ye .xix. yere and. vii [...]. wekes & .v. dayes of his regne / all in trouble & warre / & he lyeth in the abbey of Feuersham / the whiche he let make in the .vj. yere of his regne.
CElestinus the seconde was pope after Innocēt .v. monethes / & lytell he dyd. ¶ Lucius was after hym / & lytell profyted / for they dyed bothe in a pestylence. ¶ Eugenius ye seconde was pope after hym .v. yere &. iii [...]. monethes This man fyrst was ye discyple of saynt Bernarde / and after the abbot of saynt Anastasy by Rome / & came to ye churche of saynt Cesary / & was chosen pope by the cardynals / he no thynge knowynge therof / and for drede of the senatours he was cōsecrated without the cite. This man was an holy man / & suffred tribulacyon. And at the last wt moche holynes he decessed / and lyeth at saynt Peters. And anone after decessed saȳt Bernard. ¶ Petrus Lombardus the bysshop of Parys / broder to Gracian compyled the foure bokes of the sentence this tyme. ¶ Petrus cōmestor broder to Grarian & to Pyers Lombarde made historiā scolasticā / & other bokes. ¶ Frederi [...]us primus after Conradus was emperour in Almayn and in Rome .xxxiij. yere. This man after the deth of Adryan the pope the whiche crowned hym dyd cursedly with Alexander to hym grete preiudyce For he dyd helpe foure ye stroue agaynst the apostles sect. And he fought mightely agaynst the kyng of Fraūce / through power of ye danes & other nacyons. But Rychard the kyng of Englond holpe for to expulse him. And he destroyed Medio lanii to the groūde / of the whiche circ ye walles were hyer than ye walles of ony other cite. This man at ye last after that he had done many vexacyons to ye pope he was recōsyled. For he dradde lest the [Page] lombardes wold haue rebelled agaynst hym / he asked forgyuenes of the pope / & toke ye crosse vpon hym / & went to ye holy londe / & dyd many meruaylous thinges there / almoost as moche as euer dyd Ka rolus magnus. And there he came by a towne that men called Armeniam / & in a lytell water he was drowned / & at Tirū he was buryed. ¶ Anastasius was pope after Eugenius .iiij. yere and more This man was abbot of Rufy / & than he was chosen cardynall / & after pope.
¶ Of kynge Henry the seconde that was the empresse sone / in whose tyme saynt Thomas of Caunterbury was chaunceler.
ANd after this kynge Stephen regned Henry the empresse sone and was crowned of the archebysshop Theobald the .xvij. daye before Chrystmasse. And in ye same yere Thomas Beket of London archebysshop of Caūterbury was made the kynges chaunceler of Englonde. The second yere ye he was crowned he let cast downe all the newe castels that were longynge to ye crowne the whiche kynge Stephen had gyuen to dyuers men / & them had made erles and barons for to holde with hym / & to helpe hym agaynst Henry the empresse sone. ¶ And the fourth yere of his regne he put vnder his owne lordshyp ye kyng of Wales. And in the same yere ye kynge of Scotlonde had in his owne handes / that is to saye / the cyte of Karleyll / the castell of Bamburgh / & the newe castell vpon Tyne / & the erledom of Lancastre ¶ The same yere the kyng with a grete power went in to Wales / & let cast down wodes & made wayes / & made stronge the castell of Rutlonde Basingwarke / & amonge the castels he made an hous of the temple. ¶ And in the same yere was Rychard his sone borne / that afterward was erle of Oxforde. And ye fourth yere of his regne he made Gaufryde erle of Brytayn. And in that yere he chaunged his money. ¶ And in the .vj. yere of his regne he ladde a grete hoost to Tolouse and cōquered it. And the .vij. yere of his regne dyed Theobald the archebysshop of Caūterbury. And than almoost al the cite of Caunterbury through myschefe was brent. ¶ The .ix. yere of his regne Thomas Beket that was his chaūceler was chosen archebysshop of Caūterbury. And vpon saynt Bernardes daye he was sacred. And in ye yere was borne the kynges doughter Elenore. ¶ And in the .x. yere of his regne saynt Edwarde the kynge was translated wt moche honour. ¶ And the .xi. yere of his regne he helde his parlyament at Northamton / and fro thens fled saynt Thomas arche bysshop of Caūterbury for the grete debate that was bytwene ye kyng & hym. For yf he had ben foūde on ye morowe he had bē slayne / & therfore he fled thens wt thre felowes on fote onely / that no man wyst where he was / & went ouer ye see to ye pope of Rome. And this was ye princypall cause. For as moche as the kyng wolde haue put clerkes to deth ye were atteynted of felony / wout ony preuylege of holy chirche. And the .xij. yere of his regne was Iohn his sone borne. And ye xiij. yere of his regne dyed Maud ye empresse ye was his moder. The .xiiij. yere of his regne the duke of Saxon spoused Maude his doughter / & he begate vpon her thre sones / ye is to say / Hēry / Othus & Willyam. And ye .xv. yere of his regne dyed the good erle Robert of Glocestre ye founded the abbey of Nonnes of Eton. And in ye saine yere Marke kyng of Ierusalem cōquered Babylon. ¶ And the xv [...]. yere of his regne / he let crowne his sone Henry at westmynster / & hȳ crowned [Page lxxxi] Roger the archebisshop of yorke / in harmyng of Thomas the archebysshop of Caūterbury / wherfore the same Roger was accursed of the pope.
¶ Of kynge Henry ye was sone of kyng Henry the empresse sone / & of the debate that was bytwene hym and his fader / whyle that he was in Normandy.
AFter the coronacion of kyng Henry the sonne of kynge Henry the empresse sone / that same Henry the empresse sone went ouer in to Normandy / & there he let mary Elonore his doughter to the Dolfyn yt was kyng of Almayn. ¶ And in the .vij. yere that the archebysshop saynt Thomas had ben outlawed the kynge of Fraunce made the kynge & saynt Thomas accorded. And thā came Thomas ye archebysshop of Caūterbury agayn to his owne chirche. And this accorde was made in the begynnyng of aduent. And afterward he was slayne & martyred the fyfth daye of Chrystmasse next folowyng. For king Henry thought vpon saynt Thomas the archebysshop vpon Chrystmasse day as he sate at his meet and these wordes said. That yf he had ony good knyghtes wt hym / he had ben many a day passed auenged vpon ye archebysshop Thomas. And anone syr Willyā Breton / syr Hugh Moruyle / syr Willyam Tracy / & syr Reynold fitz vrse beers sone in englisshe / pryuely went to the see and came in to Englond vnto the chirche of Caūterbury / & there they hȳ martyred at saynt Benets awter / in the moder chirche. And that was in ye yere of ye incarnacyon of Iesu Chryst. M .C .lxxij. yere. ¶ And anone after Henry the newe kyng began to make warre vpon Henry his fader and vpon his brethern Willyam & Othus. And so vpon a daye the kyng of Fraūce & all ye kynges sones and the kyng of Scotlond / & the gretest lordes of Englonde were rysen agaynst kynge Henry the fader. And at ye last as god wolde he cōquered all his enemyes And the kyng of Fraūce & he were accorded. And than sent kyng Henry ye fader specyally vnto the kynge of Fraūce / and prayed hym hertely for his loue that he wold sende to hym the names by lettre of them ye were ye begynners of ye warre agaynst hym. And the kynge of Fraūce sent agayn to hym by lettre ye names of them that began the warre. The f [...]ast was Iohn his sone & Rychard his broder / and Henry the newe kyng his sone. Thā was kyng Henry wonders wrot [...] & cursed ye tyme ye euer he bega [...]e them. And whyle the warre lasted Henry his sone the newe kynge dyed / sore rep [...]ntynge his mysdedes / and moost sore we made of ony man / for bycause of saynt Thomas deth of Can̄terbury & prayed his fader with moche sorowe of her [...]e mercy for his trespace. And his fader forgaue hym / and had of hym p [...]e. And after he dyed ye .xxxvj. yere of his [...]rgne and lyeth at Redynge.
¶ How ye chrysten men lost ye holy londe in the foresayd kynges tyme through a fals chrysten man ye became a sarasyn.
ANd whyle this kyng regned the grete batayle was in ye holy l [...]de bytwene ye chrysten men & the sarasyns but the chrysten men were there slayne through grete treason of ye erle [...]yrpe ye wolde haue had to wyfe ye quene of Ierusalem / yu somtyme was Baldewyns wyfe / but she forsoke hym / & toke to her lord a knyght a worthy man ye was called syr Gnyperches. Wherfore the erle Tyrpe was wroth / & went anone right to Saladyne ye was soudan of Babylon & became his man / & forsoke his christē [Page] dom / & all chrysten lawe. And the christē men wyst not of his dedes / but wende for to haue had grete helpe of hȳ as they were wont to haue before. And whan they came to the batayle / this fals chrysten man turned to the sarasyns / & forsoke his owne nacyon. And so were the chrystē men ouercomen wt the sarasyns. And thus were the chrysten men slayne and put to horryble deth / and the cite of Ierusalem destroyed / and ye holy crosse borne awaye. ¶ The kynge of Fraūce & all the grete lordes of the londe let them be crossed for to go to the holy londe. And amonge them went Rychard kyng Hen ryes sone fyrst after the kyng of Fraūce that toke the crosse of ye archebysshop of Tours. But he toke not ye vyage at that tyme / for bycause ye he was let by other maner wayes & nedes to be done. And whan king Henry his fader had regned xxxvi. yere & .v. monethes & foure dayes he dyed / and lyeth at Founteuerard.
¶ Anno dn̄i. M .C .lvj.
ADrianus the fourth was pope after Anastasius .v. yere. This pope was an Englysshe man / and the voyce of the comyn people sayth he was a bondman to the abbot of saint Albons in Englond. And whan he desyred to be made a monke there / he was expulsed / and he went ouer the see / & gaue hym to study & to vertue / and after was made bysshop of Albanacens. Than he was made legate in to the londe of Wormacian / & he cōuerted it to the fayth. Than he was made pope. And for ye woūdyng of a cardynall he enterdited all the cite of Rome. And he cursed Wyllyam ye kynge of Cecyle / & caused hym to submyt hym This man the fyrst of al the popes with his cardynalles dwelled in the olde cite. ¶ Alexander the thyrde was pope after hȳ .xij. yere. This Alexander had stryfe xvij. yere / & the foure stryuers that the emperour set against hym / he ouercame them / & cursed them / & all dyed an euyll deth. This man also accorded Frederyk the emperour & Emanuell of Cōstantynople / & the kyng of Siculo (rum). And this man nourysshed saynt Thomas of Caū terbury in his exile. ¶ Nota. ¶ Saynt Bernard was canonysed by this Alexā der / & his abbot forbade hym ye he sholde do no more miracles / bycause there was so myghty concourse of people. And he obeyed to hym whan he was deed / and dyd no moo. ¶ Lucius the thyrde was pope after Alexander .iiij. yere and two monethes / & of hym lytel is wryten. In his dayes decessed Henry ye fyrst sone to Henry ye second / & this is his epytaphe. Ois honoris honos: decor & decus: vrbis et orbis. Militie splēdor glia lumē apex. Iulius ingenio / virtutibꝰ hector. Achillis viribꝰ. Augustꝰ moribꝰ. Ore Paris. ¶ Vrbanꝰ ye thyrde was pope after Lu cius .ij. yere. This mā decessed for sorow whan he herd tell ye Ierusalē was takē with ye sarasyns. ¶ Gregorius the .viij. was pope after hym foure monethes / & he practysed myghtely how Ierusalem myght be wonne agayne / but anone he decessed. ¶ Clemens ye thyrd was pope after hym thre yere / & lytell he dyd.
¶ Of kyng Rychard that conquered all the holy that chrysten men had lost.
AFter this kynge Henry regned Rychard his sone / whiche was a stoute man & a stronge and a worthy and also bolde. And he was crowned at Westmynster of the archebysshop Baldewyn of Caūterbury / the thyrde daye of September. And the seconde yere of his regne kynge Rychard hymselfe and Baldewyn the archebysshop of Caunterbury / and Hubert-bysshop of Salysbury [Page lxxxii] / and Randulferle of Glocestre / and many other lordes of Englonde went in to the holy londe. And in that vyage decessed the archebysshop of Caūterbury. And kynge Rycharde went before in to the holy londe / and rested not tyl that he came forth in his waye vnto Cipers / & toke it with grete force. And after that kynge Rychard went forth toward the holy londe / and gate there as moche as the chrysten men had lost before / & conquered the londe agayne through grete myght / saue onely the holy crosse. And whan kynge Rycharde came to the cite of Acres for to gete the cite / there arose a grete debate bytwene hym & the kynge of Fraūce / so that the kynge of Fraunce went agayn in to Fraūce / & was wroth towarde kyng Rychard. But yet for all that or kynge Rycharde wente agayne he toke the cyte of Acres. And whan he had taken it / he dwelled in ye cite a whyle But to hym came tydynges that ye erle Iohn of Oxford his broder wolde haue seased all Englonde in to his handes / & Normandy also / & wolde crowne hym selfe kynge of all the londe. Whan kyng Rychard herde these tydynges he came toward Englonde with all ye spede that he myght. But the duke of Ostryche mette with hym / & toke hym & brought hym vnto ye emperour of Almayn. And the emperour put hym in prison. And af terward he was delyuered for an huge raūsom / that is to saye / an hondred. M. pounde. For the whiche raunsom to be payed eche other chalice of Englōd was molten & made in to money. And all the monkes of the ordre of Cisteaux gaue all theyr bokes through out all Englonde for to be solde / for to paye the raunsom.
¶ How kynge Rychard came agayn from ye holy londe / and auenged hym on his enemyes.
WHyles this kyng Rycharde was in pryson / the kynge of Fraunce warred vpon hȳ strongly in Nor mandy. And Iohn his broder warred vpon hym in Englond. But ye bysshops and barons of Englond withstode hym with all ye power that they myght gete and toke the castell of Wyndsore & other castelles. And the foresayd Iohn sawe that he had no might ne power agaynst the barons of Englond for to fyght but anone wente hym ouer the see vnto the kynge of Fraūce. And whan kynge Rycharde came out of pryson and was delyuered & came in to Englond anone after Candelmasse in grete haste he went vnto Notyngham / & the castell of Notingham to hym was yelded. And than discomfyted he his broder Iohn and all those that held with hym. And after he went vnto the cyte of Wynchestre and there he let hym to be crowned kynge of Englonde. And after he went vnto Nor mandy for to warre vpon the kynge of Fraūce. And whan the kyng of Fraūce herde that / he came with fyur hondred knyghtes towarde Gysors. And kynge Rycharde mette hym and wolde haue gyuen hym batayle. But the kynge of Fraūce anone fledde / and an hondred of his knyghtes were taken & two hondre horses that were trapped with y [...]en ¶ And anone after went kyng Rychard for to besyege the castell Gayllard. And vpon a daye as he rode by the castell for to take auysement of the castell one of the arbalastres smore hym with a quarell that was enuenymed. And kyng Richard drewe out the shafte of the quarell but the quarelles heed abode styll in his heed / and it began for to rankle / that he myght not helpe hymselfe ne meue his armes. And whan he wyst that he had dethes wounde vpon hym / and that he myght not be hole for no maner thynge [Page] he cōmaūded anone all his men sharply to assayle the castell / so ye the castell was takē or ye he dyed / & so māly his men dyd that all were taken ye were wtin. And the kyng dyd wt them his wyl / & cōmaūded his men to brȳge before hȳ the man ye so had woūded hym. And whan he came before hym the kynge asked hym what was his name. And he said my name is Bertrā gurdon. Wherfore (sayd ye king) hast ye slayne me / syth I dyd ye neuer no harme. Syr sayd he / though ye dyd me neuer none harme / ye your selfe wt your handes slewe my fader & my broder / & I therfore haue quytte you now your trauayle. Than sayd kynge Rychard / he ye dyed vpon ye crosse to brȳge mānes soule fro ye paynes of hell / forgyue ye my deth / & I also forgyue it the. Than he cōmaū ded ye no man shold mysdo hym. But for all ye kynges defending / some of his men folowed hym / & priuely slewe hym. And the .vj. daye after ye kyng dyd shryue hȳ & sore repented hym of his mysdedes / & was houseled & anoynted / & had regned but .ix. yere & .xxxix. wekes / & dyed and lyeth besyde his fader at Foūteuerard.
HEnricus the fyfth was emperour viij. yere. This Henry was sone to Frederik / & he wedded Constans the kinges doughter of Cecile. And through the occasion of her he subdued all ye kingdom of Apulie / & droue out all ye inhabytaūtes therof. ¶ Celestinus the thyrde was pope after Clemēs almost .iij. yere This man was crowned on eester daye & the day folowyng he crowned Henry ye emperour / & he made a palays at saynt Peters / & decessed. ¶ Innocencius the thyrde was pope after hym .viij. yere & v. monethes. This mā was well lettred & he made a boke of the wretchednes of mānes condicyon. And he made speculū misse / and he made many cōstitucyons. This man dampned the boke of Iohn Ioachim / the whiche he made agaynst mayster Pyers Lombard the maker of the sentence. ¶ This tyme decessed the emperour Henry / and the princes of Almayn dyscorded / for some chose Otto / & some chose Philip broder to Hēry. Thā Philyp was falsly slayne / & Otto was crowned of Innocent in Fraūce / ye whiche anone gaue batayle to the Romains bycause they gaue hym no due honour. And for ye cause agaynst the popes wyll he toke ye kyngdom of Apulie from Frederyk / wherfore the pope cursed hym. Than after the fourth yere of his regne the prynces of Almayn made Frederyk emperour / and victoryously he subdued Otto. ¶ Wyllyam of Parys this tyme began the ordre of ye freres Austyns / the whiche ben called freres mendicantes. ¶ Frāciscus an ytalyan a man of grete perfeccyon / and an ensample to many a man dyd many a myracle this tyme / & he ordeyned the freres minours. ¶ And the .vj. yere of pope Innocent the thyrd the ordre of the freres prechours began vnder Dominik / but it myght not be cō fermed tyll the fyrst yere of Honorius.
¶ Of kynge Iohn that in the fyrst yere of his regne lost all Normandy.
Bycause kyng Rychard had none heyre sone ne doughter after his deth: they made Iohn his broder king / & crowned hȳ at Westmynster by Hubert the archebysshop of Caunterbury. And whan he began to regne / he became so meruaylous a man ye he went ouer in to Normandy / & warred vpon ye kynge of Fraūce. And so longe they warred togy der tyll at ye last kyng Iohn lost all Normandy & Angeo / wherfore he was sore anoyed: & it was no meruayle. Than let he assemble before hȳ at London archebysshops [Page lxxxiii] / bisshops / abbottes & pryours erles & barons / & helde there a grete par lyament / & asked there of the clergy the tenth of euery chirche of Englonde for to conquere Normandy and Angeo agayn that he had lost. They wolde not graūte that thȳge / wherfore he was wonders wroth. ¶ In ye same tyme dyed Hubert Than the pryour & the couent of Caunterbury chose agaynst the kynges wyll to be archebysshop mayster Stephen of Langton a good clerke / that dwelled at the courte of Rome / and sent to the pope theyr eletcyon. And the pope confermed it / & sacred hym at Viterbi. Whan the kynge wyst of these tydynges / he was wonders wrothe / & droue the pryour & the couēt fro Caūterbury / & exiled them out of the londe / & cōmaūded ye no lettre nor cōmaūdement that came fro Rome sholde be receyued ne pleted in Englōde. Whan ye pope herd this / he sent to kyng Iohn his lettres / & prayed hȳ louyngly to receyue Stephen the archebisshop of Caūterbury to his chirche / & suffre the pryour & his monkes to come agayne to theyr owne dwellynge. But the kynge wolde not graūte it for no thynge.
¶ How kyng Iohn wolde no thynge do for ye popes cōmaūdement / wherfore all Englonde was enterdyted & suspended.
ANd at the last ye pope sent by his auctorite / & enioyned to the bysshops of Englonde / ye yf the kyng wolde not receyue the pryour of Caūterbury & his monkes / that they shold do generall enterdytyng through out all Englonde & graūted full power to foure bysshops to pronoūce the enterdytynge yf it were nede. The fyrst was bysshop Wyllyam of London / & that other bisshop Eustace of Ely / the thyrde was bysshop Walter of Wynchestre / & ye fourth was bysshop Gyles of Herford / & these .iiij. bysshops prayed ye kyng knelynge on theyr knees & sore wepyng that he wold do ye popes cōmaūdement / & shewed hym the popes bulles of ye enterd [...]ȳg. But for no prayer ye they myght praye he wolde not cōsent therto. wherfore ye bisshops seynge this departed thens / & on ye morowe of ye Annūciacyon of our lady they pronouced ye generall enterdytyng through all Englonde / so ye the chirche dores were shette. Whan ye enterdytyng was pronoūced ye kyng for angre toke the foure bysshops londes in to his handes / & all ye clergy of englōde / & ordeyned men to kepe it / ye the clerkes myght not haue theyr lyuynge. Wherfore ye bysshops cursed all them ye shold medle wt the goodes of holy chirche agaynst ye wyll of ye owners. Than the iiij. bysshops seynge ye malyce of ye kyng went ouer ye see to Rome & came to ye archebysshop of Caūterbury / & tolde hȳ all thyng. And ye archebysshop bad them returne agayn to Caūterbury / & he wolde eyther come or sende to them in his stede ye shold do as moche as yf he hȳself were there. And whan ye bysshops herde this they returned agayne in to Englonde / & came to Caūterbury. The tydynges came to ye kyng ye the bysshops were come agayn to Caūterbury / & hymself might not come thyder ye tyme / he sente thyder bysshops / erles & abbots for to treate wt them ye the kyng sholde receyue ye archebysshop Stephen / & the pryour & all the monkes of Caūterbury / & ye he shold neuer after ye tyme no thynge take of holy chirche agaynst ye wyll of them ye oweth the goodes / & ye the kyng shold make full amendes to them / of whom he had ony goodes takē / & ye holy chirche shold haue all fraūchyse / as ferforth as they had in saynt Edwardes tyme the confessour.
¶ How Stephen of Langton came agayn in to Englond through ye popes cō maūdement / & how he went agayne.
Whan the fourme of accordement was thus ordeyned / it was in a payre of endentures / & they put theyr seales to y• one part / & they y• came in the kynges name put theyr seales to that other parte of the endentures / and foure bysshops a fore sayd toke that one parte of the endentures to them / & that other parte they bare wt them to shewe to the kyng. ¶ Whan the kynge sawe ye forme & vnderstode it / he helde hym full wel apayed of al maner thȳges as they had ordeyned / sauynge as touchynge to make restitucyon agayne of the goodes to that thynge he wold not accorde / & so he sent worde agayne to the foure vysshops y• they sholde put out y• one poynt of restitucion. But they answered yt they wold not put out one worde. Than sent the kyng to ye archebysshop by the foure bisshops yt he shold come to Caūterbury for to speke wt hym there / & sent to hym safeconduyt vnder pledges / y• is to saye his iustices Gilbert Poiteuin / William de la Brener / & Iohn fitz Hugh / that in theyr cōduyt safely he sholde come / & go agayn at his own wyll. And in this ma ner the archebysshop Stephen came to Caunterbury. Whan the archebysshop was comen / the kyng came to Chilham for he wolde come no nere Caūterbury at y• tyme. But he sent by his tresourer bysshop of Wynchestre that he sholde do out of the endentures the clause of restitucyon for to make of ye goodes. And the archebysshop made his othe y• he wolde not do out one worde therof / ne yet chaū ge of that the bysshops had spoken & ordeyned. And than ye archebysshop went agayn to Rome wtout ony more doynge. ¶ Kyng Iohn was than more angryer than euer he was before / and let make a comyn crye through out all Englonde that all those yt had holy chirches rentes & went ouer ye see / that they sholde come agayn in to Englonde at a certayn daye or els they sholde lese all theyr rentes for euer more / & that he cōmaūded to euery sheryue through out all Englonde / that they sholde enquyre yf ony bysshop / abbot / pryour / or ony other prelate of holy chirche / from that daye afterwarde receyue ony cōmaundement that cometh fro the pope / that they sholde take ye body and brynge it before hym / and that they sholde take in the kynges handes all theyr lōdes of holy chirche that were gyuen to ony man by the archebysshop Stephen or by ye pryour of Caūterbury from ye tyme of ye eleccyon of ye archebysshop. And cōmaūded that all ye wodes yt were the archebysshops shold be casten downe to the grounde / and all solde.
¶ How kynge Iohn destroyed the ordre of Cisteaux.
ANd in the same yere the Irysshe men began to warre vpon kyng Iohn / & kynge Iohn ordeyned hym for to go in to Irlonde / & let arere an huge taxe through out all Englōde / that is to saye .xxxv. thousande marke. And thus [Page lxxxiiii] he sente through out all Englonde vnto the monkes of the ordre of Cisteaux that they sholde helpe hy o [...] .vj. M. marke of syluer. And they answered & sayd yt they durst no thynge do wtout theyr chefe abbot of Cisteaux. Wherfore kynge John whan he came agayn from Irlond dyd them so moche sorow & care yt they wyst not where to abyde / for he toke so moche raūsom of euery hous of them / that the somme amoūted to .ix. M. iij .C. marke / so that they were clene lost & destroyed / and voyded theyr houses & theyr londes through out all Englonde. And ye abbot of Wauersay drad so moche his menace that he forsoke ye abbey & went thens / & pryuely ordeyned hym ouer ye see to the hous of Cisteaux. Whan the tydynges came to the pope that ye kynge had done so moche malyce / than was he towarde the kyng full wroth / & sent two legates vnto ye kynge / that one was called Pandulf / & that other Durant / yt they sholde warne the kynge in y• popes name / that he sholde cesse of his persecucyon that he dyd vnto holy chirche / and amende the wronge & the trespace that he had done to the archebysshop of Caūterbury / & to the pryour & to the monkes of Caunterbury / and to all the clergy of Englonde / and that he sholde restore all the goodes agayne yt he had taken of them agaynst theyr wyll / or els they sholde curse hym by name. And to do this thynge & to con ferme / the pope toke them his lettres in bulles patentes. These two legates came in to Englonde / & came to the kynge to Northamton / where as he helde his parlyamēt / & full curteysly they hym sa lewed & sayd. Syr we come fro ye pope of Rome / the peas of holy chirche and the londe to amende. And we admonest you fyrst in the popes behalfe / that y [...] make full restitucyon of the goodes y• ye haue rauysshed & takē of holy chirche & of the londe / & that ye receyue Stephen archebysshop of Caūterbury in to his dignite and the pryour of Caūterbury and his monkes / & that ye yelde agayne vnto y• archebysshop all his londes and rentes without ony with holdyng. And syr yet more ouer / that ye shall make rest [...]yō vnto all holy chirche / wherof they shall holde them well apayed. Than answered the kynge as touchynge y• pryour & his mōkes of Caūterbury / all y• ye haue sayd I wyll do gladly / & all thynge that ye wyll ordeyne. But as touchynge the archebysshop I shall tell you as it lyeth in my hert. That the archebysshop leue his archebysshopryche / & that the pope than for hym wolde praye / & than vpon auenture me sholde lyke some other bysshopryche to gyue hȳ in Englonde. And vpon this cōdicyon I wyll hym accepte and receyue. And neuerthelesse in Englonde as archebysshop yf he abyde / he shall neuer haue so good safecōdu [...]te but that he shall be taken. Than sayd Pandulf vnto the kynge. Syr holy chirche was neuer wont to discharge an archebysshop without cause reasonable. But euer it hath be wont to chastyse prynces that to god and holy chirche were inobedyent. What how now quod the kynge / menace ye me. Nay sayd Pandulf / but ye now openly haue tolde as it standeth in your herte. And to you we wyll tell what is the popes wyll. And thus it standeth that he hath you holly enterdyted & accursed / for the wronges that ye haue done to holy chirche & to ye clergy. And for as moche as ye dwell & be in wyll to abyde in malyce & in wretchedues / & wyll not come out therof / [...] to none amendemēt. ye shall understāde that this tyme afterwarde ye sentence is vpō you gyuē & holdeth stede & strength & vpon all tho that wt you haue comoned before this tyme / whether they be [...]es [Page] barons or knyghtes / or ony other what so euer yt they be / we them assoyle safely vnto this daye. And fro this tyme afterwarde of what condicyon someuer that they be / we them accurse that wt you comon ony worde / & we do sentence vpon them openly & specially. And we assoyle clene erles / barōs / knyghtes / & all other men of theyr homages / seruyce / & feautees that they sholde vnto you do. And this thynge to cōferme we gyue playne power to the bysshop of Wynchestre & to the bysshop of Norwyche. And the same power we gyue in to Scotlonde to ye bysshops of Rochestre & of Salysoury. And in Wales we gyue the same power to ye bysshops of saynt Dauid & of Landaf & of saynt Asse. And more ouer we sende through out all chrystendom / that all ye bysshops beyonde the see / that they do accurse all those that helpe you or yt ony coūseyle gyueth you in ony maner nede that ye haue to do in ony parte of the worlde. And we assoyle all them also by the auctorite of the pope / and cōmaunde them also with you to fyght as wt hym that is enemy to all holy chirche. Than answered the kynge / what may ye do more to me. Than answered Pandulf / we saye to you in the worde of god / that ye nor none heyre that ye haue / neuer after this day may be crowned. Thā sayd the kynge / by hym that is almyghty & I had wyst this afore or that ye came in to my londe that ye had brought me suche tydynges / I sholde haue made you tyde all one yere. Than sayd Pandulf / full well wende we at our fyrst comyng that ye wolde haue ben obedyent to god & holy chirche / & haue fulfylled ye popes cōmaūdement / & now we haue shewed vnto you & pronounced the popes wyll as we were charged therwith. And as now ye haue sayd / that yf ye had wyst the cause of our comynge / that ye wold haue made vs ryde all an hole yere / and as well ye myght haue sayd yt ye wolde haue takē an hole yere of respyte by the popes leue. But for to suffre what deth ye coude ordeyn / we shal not spare for to tell you holly all y• popes message & his wyll / that we were charged with.
¶ How Pandulf delyuered a clerke that had falsed and coūterfeyted the kynges money before the kynge hymselfe.
ANd anone the kyng cōmaunded the sheriues & baylyes of North hamton that were in ye kynges presence that they sholde brynge forth all the prysoners / that they myght be done to deth before Pandulf / bycause ye kyng wende that they wolde haue gaynsayd theyr dedes for cause of dethe all thynge that he had spoken afore. Whan ye prysoners were comen before the kynge / the kyng cōmaunded some to be hanged / & some to be drawen / & some to drawe out theyr eyen of theyr heed. And amōge all other there was a clerke that had falsed the kynges money. And the kyng cōmaunded that he sholde be hanged & drawen. And whan Pandulf herde this cōmaū dement of the kynge / he sterte hym vp ryght quyckly / and anone asked a boke and a candell / and wold haue cursed the kynge / and all them that wold set vpon the clerke ony hande. And Paudulf him self went for to seke a crosse. And ye kyng folowed hym / & delyuered hym ye clerke by ye hande / that he sholde do with hym what he wolde. And thus was ye clerke delyuered & went thens. And Pandulf and Durant his felowe went from the kynge / and came agayne to the pope of Rome / and tolde hym that kynge Iohn wolde not be amended / but euer abode so accursed. And neuerthelesse the pope grasited y• yere through out all Englōde [Page lxxxv] that preestes myght synge masses in co uenable chirches / & cōsecrate our lordes body / & gyue it to seke mē whiche were lykely to passe out of this worlde / & also that men myght thrysten children ouer all ye londe. And whan the pope wyst & sawe yt the kyng wolde not be vnder the rule of holy chirche for no maner thinge the pope than sent to the kyng of fraūce in remissyon of his synnes yt he shold take wt hym all ye power that he myght / & go in to Englonde for to destroye kynge Iohn. Whan these tydynges came to kyng Iohn / than was he sore anoyed & sore drad lest he sholde lese his realme / & hymselfe be done to deth. Than sent he to the pope messengers / & sayd he wold be iustyfyed / & come to amendmēt in all thynges / & wolde make satisfaccyon to all maner men after ye popes ordyuaūce Than sent ye pope agayn in to englonde Pandulf & other messengers / & came to Caūterbury to the kyng / & there abode. And the .xiij. day of Maye ye kyng made an other for to stande to ye popes ordynaū [...]e before Pandulf the legate / in all maner of thynges in whiche he was accur sed / & that he shold make full restitucion to all men of holy chirche & of religyon & of the goodes that he had taken of them agaynst theyr wyll. And all ye grete lordes of englonde sware vpon the boke & by the holydome / that yf ye kyng wolde not holde his othe / they wolde make hȳ by strength to holde it. Than the kynge put hym to ye courte of Rome & to ye pope & than gaue he vp ye realme of englonde & of Irlonde for him & for his heyres for euermore that shold come after hym / so that kyng Iohn & his heyres shold take those two realmes of the popes handes And sholde euery yere paye ferme vnto the courte of Rome a thousande marke of syluer. And than toke the kynge the crowne of his heed & set hȳ on his knees and these wordes he sayd in herynge of all the grete lordes of englonde. Here I resygne vp the crowne & the realme of englonde in to the handes of pope Inno cent the thyrde / & put me hooly in to his mercy & in his ordinaūce. Pandulf than receyued y• crowne of kyng Iohn / & kept it .v. dayes as for a seasynge takynge of two realmes of Englonde and Irlonde And confermed all maner thynges by his chartre that foloweth after.
¶ Of the lettre oblygatory that kynge Iohn made vnto the courte of Rome / wherfore the Peter pens ben gadered through out all Englonde.
TO all christē people throu [...]h out all the worlde dwellynge. Iohn by the grace of god kynge of Englonde gretynge to your vniuersite. And be it knowen that for as moche as we haue greued & offended god & our moder chirche of Rome. And for as moche as we haue nede vnto ye mercy of our lorde Iesu Chryst / & also we may no thynge so worthy offre as competent sa [...] to make to god & to holy chirche but [...] it were our owne body as with [...]ur realmes of Englonde & of Irlonde. Than by ye grace of god we desyre to meke vs for the loue of hym y• meked hym to the deth vpon the crosse / through counseyle of the noble erles & barons we offre and frely graūte to god & to y• apostles saynt Peter & saynt Paule / and to our moder chirche of Rome / & to our holy fader the pope Innocent the thyrde / & to all y• popes y• come after hym / all the realmes & patronages of chirches of Englōde & of Irlonde with theyr appertenaūtes / for remyssyon of our synnes / & for helpe & helth of our kynne soules & all chrysten soules. So y• from this daye afterward we wyl receyue and holde of our moder [Page] thirche of Rome as fee farme / doynge feaute to our holy fader pope Innocent the thyrde / & so to all the popes that cometh after hym in y• same maner aboue sayd. And in y• presence of the wyse man Pandulf the popes subdeken we make lyege homage / as it were in the popes presence & before hym were / and shal do all maner thynges aboue sayd / & therto we bynde vs / & all that cometh after vs & our heyres for euermore / without ony gaynsayenge to the pope / & eke y• warde of chirche vacaūtes. And in tokē of this thynge euermore for to last / we wyl con ferme & ordeyn / that our specyall rentes of y• foresayd realme / sauynge saynt Peters pens in all thynge to y• moder chirche of Rome payenge by yere a thousan de marke of syluer at two termes of the yere for all maner customes y• we sholde do for y• foresayd realmes / that is to saye at Myghelmasse / and at Eester / that is to saye. vij .C. marke for Englonde / and thre hondred marke for Irlond / sauyng to vs & to our heyres our Iustyces / and our other fraunchyses / & other ryaltees that perteyneth vnto the crowne. And these thynges that before ben sayd / we wyl that it be ferme and stable without ende. And to that oblygacyon we & our successours and our heyres in this maner be bounde / that yf we or ony of our heyres through ony presumpcyon fall in ony poynt agaynst ony of these thynges aboue sayd / and he be warned and wyll not ryght amende hym / he shall than lose the foresayd realmes for euermore. And that this chartre of oblygacyon and our warraūt for euermore be ferme and stable without ony gaynsay enge / we shall fro this daye afterwarde be true to god and to the moder chirche of Rome / and to the pope Innocent the thyrde / and to all them that cometh after hym / and the realmes of Englonde and of Irlonde we shall trewly mayntayne in all maner poyntes agaynst all maner men by our power through goddes helpe.
¶ How the clerkes that were outlawed of Englonde came agayn / & how kynge Iohn was assoyled.
WHan this chartre was made & ensealed / the kynge receyued agayne his crowne of Pandulfs hande / & sente anone vnto the archebysshop Stephen / & to all his other clerkes and lewd men that he had exyled out of this londe / that they sholde come agayn in to Englonde & haue agayn theyr londes & also theyr rentes / & that he wolde make restytucyon of the goodes that he had taken of theyrs agaynst theyr wyll The kyng hymselfe than & Pandulf / & the erles & barons went to wynchestre agaynst y• archebysshop Stephen. And whan he was comen the kynge wente agaynst hym / & fell downe to his feet / & thus to hym sayd. Fayre syr ye be welcome / & I crye you mercy bycause that I haue trespaced agaynst you. The archebysshop toke hȳ vp tho in his armes & kyssed hym curteysly oftētymes / & after ladde hym to the dore of saynt Swythynes chirche by the hande / & assoyled hym of y• sentence / and hym recōcyled to god & to holy chirche. And that was on saynt Margaretes daye. And the arche bysshop anone went for to synge masse. And y• kyng offred at the masse a marke of golde. And whan y• masse was done / all they went to receyue al theyr londes without ony maner gaynsayenge. And that daye they made all myrth and ioye ynough. But yet was not y• enterdytynge releaced / bycause y• pope had set that the enterdytynge sholde not be done tyll the kyng had made full restitucyon of y• [Page lxxxvi] goodes that he had take of holy chirche And y• hymselfe sholde do homage to the pope by a tertayne legate that he sholde sende into englonde. And thā toke Pandulf his leue of y• kynge & the archebysshop / & went agayne to Rome. And the archebysshop anone let come before him prelates of holy chirche at Redynge for to treate & coūseyle how moche & what they sholde aske of y• kynge for to make restytucyon of y• goodes y• he had taken of them. And they ordeyned & sayd / that the kyng sholde gyue to y• archebysshop thre thousande marke for the wronge y• the kynge had done vnto hym. And also by porcions to other clerkes .xv. M. marke. ¶ And this same tyme Nicolas bysshop of Tuscan cardynall penytencer of Rome came in to Englonde through the popes cōmaūdement / the .v. kalende of October / & came to London y• .v. nonas of October / for bycause that kyng Iohn & all the kynges y• came after hym shold euermore holde y• realme of Englonde & of Irlonde of god & of the pope / payenge to the pope by yere as is aboue sayd.
¶ How y• enterdytynge was vndone in englonde / & of y• debate y• was bytwene kyng Iohn & the barons of the realme
WHan kynge Iohn had done his homage to y• legate y• shewed hȳ the popes lettre y• he shold paye to Iulyan / and yelde agayne that was kynge Rychardes wyfe y• thyrde parte of the londe of Englonde & of Irlonde y• he had with holden syth that kyng Rycharde dyed. Whan kynge Iohn herde this / he was wonders wroth. For vtterly y• enterditynge myght not be vndone tyll that he had made gree & resticucyon to the foresayd Iulyan of that she asked The legate than went agayn to y• pope after Chrystmasse. And the kynge than sent messengers outr see to Iulian that was kyng Rychard wyfe for to haue a relese of y• she axed of hym. ¶ And so it befell y• Iulyan dyed anone after [...]ster. And in so moche the kyng was quyte of that thynge that she asked. But than at the feest of saynt Iohn that came nexte after through the popes cōmaūdemēt y• enterdityng was fyrst released through out all Englonde the .vij. daye of Iuly. And .vij. yere was the londe enterdited. And on the morow men ronge and sayd masse through out all London / & so after through out all Englonde. ¶ And y• next yere after there began a grete debate bytwene kyng Iohn & the lordes of Englonde / for bycause he wolde not graunte the lawes and holde / the whiche saynt Edwarde had ordeyned / & had ben v [...]ed and holden vnto that tyme that he had them brokē. For he wolde holde no lawe but dyd all thynge that hym lyked and dysheryted many men without consent of lordes & peres of the londe. And wold dysheryte y• good erle Radulf of hestre for bycause that he vndertoke hȳ of his wyckednes / and for cause that he dyd so moche shame & vylany to god & to holy chirche. And also for he helde & haunred his owne broders wyfe / and lay also by maner other womē grete lordes doughters / for he spared no woman that hym lyked for to haue. Wherfore all y• fordes of the londe were wroth / & toke the cyte of London. To cease this debate the archebysshop & lordes of the londe assembled before the feest of saynt Iohn baptyst in a medow besyde y• towne of Stanes / that is called Romney mede. And the kynge made them there a chartre of fraunchyse / suche as they wolde aske / and in suche maner they were accorded And that accordement lasted not longe. For the kynge hymselfe soone after dyd agaynst the poynces of y• same chartre [Page] that he had made. Wherfore the moost part of the lordes of the londe assembled them / & began to warre vyon hȳ agayn and brent his townes & robbed his folke and dyd all thesorowe that they myght and made themselfe as stronge as they myght with all theyr power / & thought to dryue hym out of Englonde / & make Lowys y• kynges sone of Fraūce kynge of Englonde. And than kyng Iohn sent ouer see / and ordeyned so moche people or normans & of pyecardes and of flemmynges / soo that the londe myght not susteyne them but with moche sorowe. And amonge all this people there was a man of Normandye that was called Faukes of Brent / & this Norman & his cōpany spared neyther chirche ne hous of religyon but they brent and robbed it & bare awaye all that they myght take so that y• londe was all destroyed / what on one syde & what on another. The barons and lordes of Englonde ordeyned amonge them the best spekers and wysest men / and sent them ouer the see vnto kynge Philyp of Fraūce / and prayed hym y• he wolde sende Lowys his sone in to Englonde to be kynge of Englonde and to receyue the crowne.
¶ How Lowys y• kynges sone of fraūce came in to Englonde wt a stronge power of people to be kynge of Englonde.
WHan kyng Philip of Fraūce herd these tydynges / he made certayn aliaunce bytwene them by theyr comyn eleccyon y• Lowys kynge Philyps sone of Fraūce shold go with them in to Eng londe and dryue out kynge Iohn of the londe. And all that were in the presence of Lowys made vnto him homage and became his men. And the barons of eng londe helde them styll at London / and abode Lowys y• kynges sone of fraūce. And this was the nexte batardaye brfore the Astention of our lorde y• Lowys came into Englonde with a stronge power. And that tyme kynge Iohn had taken all the castelles of Englonde in to alyens handes. And than came Lowys and besyeged [...]ochesters castell / & toke it with streugthe. And the thursdaye in whytson weke let hange all the alyens that were therin. And the thursdaye after he came to London / & there he was receyued with moche honour of the lordes that abode hym there / & all to hym made homage. And afterwarde on the tewesdaye nexte after Trynite sondaye he toke the castell of Reigate / and on the morowe after the castell of Gylforde / & the frydaye next after the castell of Farneham. And the mondaye nexte after the cyte of wynchestre vnto hym was yolden. And on the morowe after saynt Iohans daye the manoyre of woluesey to hym was yolden. And the tewesdaye after the vtas of saynt Peter and saynt Paule they toke the castell of Odiham. And the mondaye after saynt Margaretes daye / he ordeyned hym towarde Bawmore for to syege the castell / and there he dwelled .xv. dayes and myght not gete the castell / and than wente he thens and came to London / & the toure to hym was yolden.
¶ How the pope sent in to Englonde a legate that was called Swalo / and of the deth of kynge Iohn.
ANd in y• same tyme y• pope sente in to englōde a legate y• was called Swalo / & he was preest Cardynall of Rome for to mayntayn kynge Iohns cause agaynst the barons of Englonde. But the barons had so huge party and helpe through Lowys y• kynges sone of Fraūce that kyng Iohn wyst not wheder [Page lxxxvii] to turne ne go. And so it befell that he wolde haue gone to Nycholl / & as he went thyderwarde he came by ye abbey of Swynestede / & there he abode two dayes. And as he sate at meet he asked a monke of the hous how moche a lofe was worth yt was set before hym vpon the table. And the monke sayd that the lofe was worth but an halfpeny. O said the kyng tho / here is grete chepe of brede. Now quod the kynge / & I may lyue suche a lofe shall be worth .xx. shyllȳges or halfe a yere be gone. And whā he had sayd these wordes / moche he thought & oft he syghed / & toke and ete of the breed and sayd / by god ye wordes that I haue spoken it shall be soth. The monke that stode before ye kynge was for these wordes full sory in his herte / & thought rather he wolde hymselfe suffre deth / and thought how he myght ordeyn therfore some maner remedy. And the monke anone went to his abbot / & was shryuen of hym / and tolde the abbot all that the kynge had sayd / and prayed his abbot for to assoyle hym / for he wold gyue the kynge suche a drynke that all Englonde sholde be glad therof and ioyfull. Than went the monke in to a gardeyn & foūde a grete tode therin / and toke her vp and put her in a cuppe / and prycked the tode through with a broche many tymes tyl that the venym came out on euery syde in the cuppe / and than toke the cuppe & fylled it with good ale / & brought it before the kynge and knelynge sayd. Syr quod he wassayle / for neuer the dayes of your lyf dranke ye of so good a cuppe. Begyn monke quod the kynge. And the monke dranke a grete draught / & after toke the kynge the cuppe / and the kyng also dranke a grete draught & set downe the cup. The monke anone ryght went in to the farmery and there dyed anone / on whose soule god haue mercy Amen. And .v. monkes synge for his soule specyally / and shall whyles the abbey standeth. The kyng arose vp anone full euyl at ease / and commaūded to remeue the table / and asked after the monke. And men tolde hym that he was deed / and that his wombe was broken in sonder. Whan the kynge herde this / he cōmaū ded to trusse / but it was all for nought / for his bely began to swell of the drynke that he had dronken / and within two dayes he dyed / on ye morowe after saynt Lukes daye. And this kynge Iohn had many fayre chyldren of his body begoten / that is to saye / Henry his sone that was kynge after his fader / & Rycharde that was erle of Cornewayle / & Isabel that was empresse of Rome / & Elenour that was quene of Scotlonde. And this kynge Iohn whan he had regned .xvij. yere and .v. monethes and .v. dayes he dyed in the castell of Newarke / and his body was buryed at Worcetter.
¶ Anno domini. M .CC.
FRedericus the seconde was emperoure .xxxiij. yere. This man was crowned of Honorius the pope agaynst Otto / bycause y• he sholde fyght with hym / the whiche he dyd / & expulsed hym. And fyrst he nourysshed ye chirche / and after he spoyled it as a stepmoder. Wherfore Honorius cursed hym / & all that were contrary to his opynyon the pope assoyled. And the same sentence Gregorye the .ix. renewed. And this same man put Henry his owne sone in prison / and there murdred hym. Wherfore whā this emperour another season was seke / by another sone of his owne he was murdred / in the tyme of Innocent the fourth. ¶ Honorius the thyrde was pope after Innocent .x. yere / & confermed ye ordre of freres prechours & minours / & made certayne de [...]r [...]alles.
¶ Of kynge Henry the thyrde that was crowned at Glocestre.
ANd after this kynge Iohn regned his sone Henry & was crowned at Glocestre whan he was .ix. yere olde / on saynt Symons daye & Iude of Swalo y• legate of Rome / through coū seyle of all the grete lordes y• helde with kyng Iohn his fader / that is to say / the erle Radulfe of Chestre / Wyllyam erle Marshall erle of Penbroke / Willyam y• Brener erle of Feriers. Serle y• manly baron and all the other grete lordes of Englonde helde wt Lowys the kynges sone of Fraūce. ¶ And anone after whā kyng Henry was crowned / Swalo the legate helde his coūseyle at Brystow at saynt Martyns feest / & there were .xj. bysshops of Englonde & of Wales / and of other prelates of holy chirche a grete nombre / and erles & barons and many knyghtes of Englonde / & all those that were at that coūseyle sware feaute vnto Henry the kyng that was kyng Iohns sone. ¶ And anone after y• legate enterdyted Wales / bycause they helde wt the brons of Englonde / also all those that holpe or gaue counseyle to meue warre agaynst y• newe kyng he accursed them And at y• begȳnyng he put in y• sentence the kynges sone of Fraūce Lowys. And neuertheles y• same Lowys wolde not spare for all that / but went and toke the castell of Barcamstede / & also the castell of Herford. And from y• day afterward y• barōs dyd there moche harme through out all Englōde / & pryncypally y• frensh men that were with Lowys / wherfore the grete lordes & all y• comyn people of Englond let dresse them for to dryue out of Englonde Lowys and his company But some of the barons & of the frensshe men were gone to the cite of Nycholl / & toke y• towne & helde it to kynge Lowys profyte. But thyder came kynge Henryes men with a grete power / that is to saye / the erle Radulfe of Chestre / and Wylliam erle Marshall / and Wyllyam the brener erle of Feriers / & many other lordes with them / & gaue batayle vnto Lowys men. And there was slayne the erle of Perches / and Lowys men were there foule discomfyted. And there was taken Serle erle of Wynchestre / & Vmfrey de Bowne erle of Herford / & Robert the sone of walter / and many other that began warre agaynst the kynge / there they were taken & ladde vnto kyng Henry y• was kyng Iohns sone. And whan the tydynges came to Lowys of y• discō fyture y• was the kynges sone of fraūce he remeued from thens and went vnto London / and let shette fast the gates of the cyte. And anone after kynge Henry sent to the burgeyses of London y• they sholde yelde them to hym / & the cite also and he wolde graunte to them all theyr fraunchyses that euer they were wont to haue before / & wold cōferme them by his grete newe chartre vnder his brode seale. ¶ And in the same tyme a grete lorde that was called Eustace y• monke came out of Fraunce with a grete company of lordes / & wolde haue comen in to Englonde for to haue holpen Lowys the kynges sone of Fraūce. But Hubert of Burgh and the .v. portes with .viii. shyppes tho mette with them in y• high see / and assayled them egerly / and ouercame them with strength / and smote of the heed of Eustace the monke / and toke also .x. grete lordes of fraūce & put them in prison / and slewe almoost all the men that came with them / & anone drowned the shyppes in the see.
¶ How Lowys returned agayne in to Fraunce / and of the confyrmacyon of kynge Iohans chartre.
[Page lxxxviii] WHan Lowys herde these tydyn ges he drad sore to be deed & lost and let ordeyn & speke bytwene the kyng & Lowys by y• legate Swalo And through y• archebysshop of Caūterbury & other grete lordes all y• prisoners on that one part & on that other shold be delyuered & go quyte / & Lowys hȳselfe sholde haue for his costes a. M. poūde of syluer / & sholde go out of Englonde / and neuer come agayne therin. And in this maner was the accorde made bytwene kynge Henry & Lowys. And than was Lowys assoyled of y• popes legate that was called Swalo of y• sentence that he was in / & the barons of Englonde also. And after this kyng Henry & Swalo y• legate & Lowys went to Merton / and there was y• peas cōfermed & bytwene them ordeyned. And after Lowys went fro thens to London / & toke his leue / & was brought wt moche honour to y• see with y• archebysshop of Caunterbury & with other bisshops & erles & barons / & so went Lowys in to Fraūce. ¶ And afterwarde the kynge & the archebysshop & erles & barōs assembled them at London / & at Mighelmas nexte folowynge helde there a grete parlyament / & there were than renewed all the fraūchyses that kynge Iohn had graūted at Romney mede / & kyng Henry than cōfermed by his chartre / the whiche yet ben holden through out all Englonde. And in y• tyme y• kyng toke of euery plough londe two shyllynges. And Hubert of Burgh was than made chefe iustyce of englōde And this was in y• fourth yere of kynge Henryes regne. And in y• same yere was saynt Thomas of Caūterbury translated / the .l. yere after his martyrdome. ¶ And after it was ordeyned by all the lordes of Englonde y• all alyens shold go out of Englonde & come no more therin. And kyng Henry toke than all y• castels in to his handes y• kyng Iohn his fader had gyuen & taken to alyens for to kepe that held wt hym. But y• proude Faukes of Brent rychely let araye his castell of Bedford / whiche he had of king Iohns gyfte / and he helde that castell agaynst kyng Henryes wyl wt might & strength And the kyng came thyder wt a stronge power and besyeged the castell. And the archebysshop mayster Stephen of lang ton with a fayre company of knyghtes came to the kyng for to helpe hym. And from the Ascencyon of our lord vnto the Assumpcyon of our lady lasted y• syege / and than was the castell wonne and taken. And the kynge let hange all those that were gone in to y• castel wich the [...]: good wyll for to hold the castell agaynst hym / that is to say .lxxx. men. And than afterwarde Faukes hymselfe was foū de in a chirche of Couentre / and there i [...] forsware all Englonde wt moche shame and than wente agayne in to his owne coūtree. ¶ And whyles that kyng Henry regned / Edmonde of Abyndon that was tresourer of Salysbury was consecrate archebysshop of Caunterbury. ¶ And this kynge Henry sente ouer see vnto the erle of Prouance that he sholde sende him his doughter in to Englende that was called El [...]nore / and he wolde spouse her. And so she came in to Englonde after Chrystmas / and on the morowe after saynt Hylaryes daye the archebysshop Edmonde spoused them togyder at Westmynster with grete solempnite. And there was a fayre syght bytwene them / that is for to saye / Edwarde that was nexte kynge after his fader floure of curteysy and of largesse / and Margarete that was afterwarde quene of Scotlonde / and Beatryne that was afterwarde duchesse of Brytayne And Katheryne that dyed a mayde in relygyon.
¶ Of the quinzeme of goodes that were graūted for the newe chartre / and of the purucyaunce of Oxford.
ANd thus it befell y• the lordes of Englonde wold haue some addicyons moo in the chartre of fraūchyse y• they had of the kynge / & spake thus bytwene them. And y• kyng graūted them all theyr askynge / & made to them two chartres / y• one is called y• grete chartre of fraūchyses / & that other is called the chartre of forest. And for y• graūt of these two chartres / prelates / erles & barons / & all the comyns of Englonde gaue to y• kynge a. M. marke of syluer. ¶ Whan kynge Henry had ben kynge .xiiij. yere / the same yere he & his lordes / erles & barons of the realme went to Oxford / and ordeyned a lawe in amendement of y• realme. And fyrst sware y• kyng hymselfe and afterwarde all the lordes of y• londe that they wolde holde y• statute for euer more / & who that them brake sholde be deed. But the seconde yere after that ordynaūce / the kynge through coūseyle of syr Edwarde his sone & of Rychard his broder that was erle of Cornewayle / & also of other / repented hym of that othe that he had made for to holde that lawe & ordynaūce / & sente to y• courte of Rome to be assoyled of that othe. ¶ And in the yere nexte comynge after was the grete derth of corne in englonde / for a quarter of whete was worth .xxiiij. shyllynges And the poore people ete nettyls & other wedes for grete honger / & many a. M. dyed for defaute of meet. ¶ And in the xlviij. yere of kyng Henryes regne begā warre & debate bytwene hym and his lordes / for bycause that he had broken y• couenaūtes y• were made bytwene them at Oxford. ¶ And in the same yere was the towne of Northamton taken & folke slayne that were within / for bycause y• they had made and ordeyned wylde fyre for to brenne the cite of London. ¶ And in the moneth of Maye that came nexte after vpon saynt Pancras daye / was y• batayle of Lewes / whiche was y• wednesdaye before saynt Dunstans daye / & there was taken kyng Henry hymselfe & syr Edwarde his sone / & Rychard his broder erle of Cornewayl / & many other lordes. ¶ And in the same yere nexte folowynge syr Edwarde the kynges sone brake out of the warde of syr Symon of Moūtford erle of Leycestre at Herford / and went vnto the barons of y• Marche and they receyued hym with moche honour. ¶ And the same tyme Gylbert of Clarence erle of Glocestre that was in y• ward also of y• foresayd Symō / through the cōmaūdement of kynge Henry / that went from hym with a grete herte / for bycause he sayd y• the foresayd Gylbert was a fole in his coūseyle / wherfore he ordeyned hȳ afterward so / & helde hȳ wt kyng Henry. And on y• saterdaye next after y• myddes of August syr Edwarde y• kynges sone discomfited syr Symon of Moūtford at Kelinworth / but the grete lordes y• were there wt hȳ were taken / y• is to saye Baldewyn wake / & Williā de Moūchensie / & many other grete lordes And y• tewesdaye nexte after was y• batayle done at Eusham / & there was slayne syr Symon of Moūtford / Hugh spenser / & Moūtford that was Rafe Bassets fader of Draiton / and many other grete lordes. And whā this batayle was done all y• gentylmen that had ben wt the erle Symon were disheryted / & they ordeyned togyder & dyd moche harme to all y• lond. For they destroyed theyr enemyes in all that they myght.
¶ Of the syege of Kelynworth / & how the gentylmen were disherited through counseyle of the lordes of the realme of [Page lxxxix] Englonde / and how they came agayne and had theyr [...]des.
ANd the nexte yere comynge in Maye / the fourth daye before y• teest of saynt Dunstan was the batayle & dyscomfyture at Chest erfelde of them that were disheryted / & there was many of them slayne. And Robert erle of Fe riers there was takē / & also Baldewyn and Iohn de la hay with moche sorowe escaped thens. And on saynt Iohn baptystes eue than nexte folowynge began the syege of the castell of Kenilworth / & the syege lasted to sayne Thomas eue y• apostle / on whiche daye syr Hugh Hastynge had y• castell for to kepe / that yelded vp the castel vnto the kynge in this maner / that hymself & the other y• were within the castell sholde haue theyr lyues & lȳmes / & all that they had therin / bothe hors & harneys / & foure dayes of respyte for to delyuer clenely y• castell of themself & of all other maner thynge as they had within the castell. And so they went from the castell. And syr Symon de Moūtford y• yonger & the coūtesse his moder were fledde ouer seem to Fraūce & there helde them as people that were exiled out of Englond for euermore. And soone after it was ordeyned by y• legate Dctobone & by other grete lordes y• wysest of Englond / that all those y• had ben agaynst the kynge and were disheryted sholde haue agayne theyr londes by greuous raūsons after y• it was ordeyned. And thus they were accorded with the kynge / & peas was cryed through out Englonde / & thus y• warre was ended. And whan this was done y• legate toke his leue of y• kynge & of the quene & of all the grete lordes of englonde / & tho went to Rome the .lv. yere of kynge Henryes regne. And Edwarde kyng Iohns sone of Brytayne / Iohn Ʋesst / Thomas of clare / Roger of Clifford / Othes of graū ston / Robert le Brus / Iohn of verdon / & many other lordes of Englonde & of beyonde the see toke theyr waye towarde the holy londe. And kyng Henry dyed y• same tyme at Westminster whā he had ben kyng .lv. yere & .xix. wekes / on saint Edmondes daye y• archebysshop of Caū terbury. And he was buryed at Westmynster on saynt Edmōdes day y• kyng in the yere of our lorde. M .CC .lxxij.
¶ Prophecy of Merlyn of kynge Henry the fyrst expowned that was kynge Iohns sone.
ANd of this Hēry ꝓphecyed Merlyn & sayd that a [...]a [...]be sholde come out of Wynchestre in y• yere of our lord. M .CC. and .xvj. with true lyppes & holynes wryten in his herte. And he sayd soth / for y• good Henry y• kyng was borne ī wynchestre in y• yere aboue sayd & he spake good wordes & swete / & was an holy man & of good conscyence. And Merlyn sayd y• this Henry sholde make the fayrest place of y• worlde / y• in his tyme shold not be fully ended. And he sayd soth. For he made y• newe werke of y• abbey of saȳt Peters chirche at Westmynster / y• is fayrer of syght than ony other place y• ony man knoweth through out all chrystendom. But kyng Henry dyed or y• werke was fully at an ende / & that was grete harme. And yet said Merlyn that this lambe shold haue peas y• most parte of his regne. And he said soch. For he was neuer noyed through warre ne dyseased in no maner wyse / tyll a lytell before his deth. And Merlyn said in his prophecy more / y• in the ende of y• regne of y• foresayd lambe / a wolfe of a straūge lōde sholde do hȳ moche harme through his war / & y• he shold at y• last be maister through helpe of a reed fore / that sholde [Page] come out of the Northwest & shold outr come hym / & that he sholde dryue hym out of the water. And that ꝓphecy full well was knowen. For within a lytell tyme or the kynge dyed / Symonde of Mountforde erle of Leycestre that was borne in Fraunce began stronge warre agaynst hym / through whiche doynge many a good bacheler was destroyed. And whan kynge Henry had y• vyctory at Eusham & Symon y• erle was slayne through helpe of Gylberte of Clare erle of Glocestre / that was in kepyng of the foresayd Symon / through ordynaunce of kynge Henry / whiche went agayne to the kynge with moche power. Wherfore the soresayd Symō was destroyed and that was grete harme to y• comyns of Englonde that so noble a man was slayne for the trouth / & dyed in charite & for the comyn profyte of the same folke. And therfore almyghty god for hȳ hath sythen shewed many a fayre myracle to dyuers men & women seke for his loue. ¶ And Merlyn also tolde & sayd in his prophecy / that after that tyme y• lambe sholde lyue no whyle / and than his seed sholde be in straūge londe without ony pasture. And he sayd sothe. For kynge Henry lyued no whyle after whan that Symon Moūtford was deed / but dyed anone after hym. And in y• meane tyme syr Edwarde his sone that was the best kynge of y• worlde of honour was than in y• holy londe / & gate there Acres. And in y• coūtree he begate on dame Elenour his wyfe Ihone of Acres his doughter that afterwarde was countesse of Glocestre. And made suche a vyage in y• holy londe that all the worlde spake of his knyghthode / & euery man dradde hym hye and lowe through out all chrystendome / as the story of hym telleth / as afterward ye shall here more openly. And from the tyme y• kynge Henry dyed / tyll that syr G [...]warde was crowned kynge all the grete lordes of englonde were as faderles chyldren without ony socoure that them myght mayntayne / gouerne and defende agaynst theyr enemyes.
GRegorye the .ix. was pope after Honory. This mā canonysed many sayntes / and defended myghtely the chirche agaynst Frederyc / therfore toke he many prelates and two cardynalles the whiche wente to counseyle agaynst hym. This pope was besyeged in y• cyte of Rome by the emperour / & he sawe the Romayns were corrupte by the money of the emperour. Than he toke in his hande the hedes of the apostles Peter and Paule / and wente with processyon fro the chirche of saynt Iohn Latranēce to saynt Peters chirche. And so gate he the hertes of y• Romayns. And than the emperour went awaye fro the cite. This pope made frere Iaymonde to compyle the fyue bokes of the decretals of many pystles & decrees. And after with many tribulacyons of this tyraūt & other he decessed & went to heuen ¶ Celestinus y• fourth was pope after Gregory almoost a moneth / & he was in his lyfe & in his connnynge laudable / & he was an olde man & a feble & decessed / & there was no pope after hym almoost a .xij. moneth. ¶ Innocentius y• fourth was pope after hȳ .xj. yere & .vj. monethes. This man canonysed many sayntes / & he deposed y• emperour Frederye & cursed as an enemy to god & y• chirche in y• thyrde yere y• he was made pope / & he was holpen by the Ianuens. ¶ And than was Henry y• syxth chosen & Wylliam by y• popes cōmaūdement agaynst Frederye one after an other. But they preuayled not to ouercome his tyranny for he was ouer myghty / ne these were not crowned / for they decessed anone. [Page lxxxx] ¶ Thomas de aquino. Albertꝰ magnꝰ. Eustacius & Bonauēture were this tyme holy men / whiche destroyed moche heresy infected by y• emperour. ¶ Alexā der was pope after Innocent .vij. yere / & lytel of hȳ is wryten. ¶ Vrbanꝰ was pope after hym .iij. yere & .iij. monethes This man droue away an hoost of sara zyns by men marked wt the crosse / that Maufred had sent agaynst the chirche. The pope gaue y• kyngdom of Cicyle to the kynges broder of fraūce / y• he sholde fyght wt Maufred / & than decessed. And Maufred after lost his lyf & his kyngdō by Karolꝰ. ¶ Alphonsus kyng of Castil & Rychard broder to y• kyng of englonde were chosen emperours / but Rycharde dyed / & Alphonsus renoūced his tytle of the empyre before Gregory the .ix. for he was a wytty mā & a noble astronomer / & his tables be very famous. ¶ Clemēs the .iiij. was pope after Vrban .iij. yere & .ix. monethes. This Clemēs was an holy man / & sayd by spiryte of ꝓphecy y• the enemyes of y• chirche shold perysshe as y• smoke. And it is to be byleued that god cessed y• tribulacyons of his chirche through his merites. He had afore a wyfe & children / & was a preest after & bysshop & legate / & beynge in englonde vnknowen to hȳ was chosen pope / & after for his vertuous lyfe decessed blyssedly. ¶ Gregory y• .x. was pope after hȳ .iiij. yere. He assembled a cōcyle at Loduū in fraūce for y• grete desyre y• he had to vysyte personally y• holy londe / in y• whiche concyle y• Grekes & the Tartares were / and there y• Grekes ꝓmysed to be reformed by y• vnite of y• chirche. And y• Tartares newly baptysed promysed y• same And there were gadered. vj .C. bisshops & a. M. prelates. And therfore a certayn mā sayd. Gregory gadereth togyder all kȳdes of people. And there was decreed y• all persones & vycayres shold be called preestes / & no prelates / & y• no man shold assygne his tythes to what chirche he wolde / as they dyd afore / but they shold be payed to his moder chirche. And he dampned y• pluralite of bn̄fyces / & dyed a blyssed man. ¶ Innocent the .v. was after hym .v. monethes / and lytell dyd. ¶ Adrian was after him one moneth / & dyd lesse. ¶ Iohn the .xxj. was after hȳ viij. monethes / & he was i diuers seyences a famous man / but in maners a fole & decessed anone. ¶ Nycolas y• .iij. was pope after Iohn .j. yere. This man was in his dayes a noble mā in buyldyng / & wel gouerned y• ci [...]e all his dayes & y•. [...]j yere he dyed. ¶ Rodulphus was emperour .xviij. yere. This man was cr [...] of Hauesburgh / a wyse man in armes noble & victoryous / & was chosen at bastle & he toke y• crosse on hym for y• holy londe The imperyall blessyng he had not but the pope alowed y• eleccyon for fauour of the holy londe.
¶ Anno dn̄i. M .CC .lxxiiij.
MArtyn y• fourth was pope after Nycholas .iiij. yere. This man was a grete louer of relygyous men / & gretly attendyng to vertuous werkes. He cursed y• emperour of [...]ōsta [...]tynople in so moche as he promysed to turne to y• fayth in the generall concyle & dyd not / for y• whiche he suffred many passyons & all holy chirche. Also he cursed y• kyng of Aragon for he expulsed y• kyng of Cicyle fro his kyngdom. And after he had done many batayles agaynst mē of misbyleue / & had suffred many tribulacyōs he decessed & dyd many myracles. ¶ Ni colas de lira a noble doctour of dyuinite was this tyme at Parys this mā was a iewe / & was cōuerted / and myghtely profyted in y• ordre of frere minors / & he wrote ouer all the byble. Or els he was in the yere of our lorde. M .ccc .xxx. And some men saye he was of Braband / & y• his fader & moder were christen / but for pouerte he visyted y• scoles of the iewes [Page] And so he lerned the iewes language / or els this Nycolas was enfourmed of y• iewes in his yonge age. ¶ Honorius y• fourth was pope after Martyn .ij. yere & lytell of hym is wrytē / but y• he was a tēperate man & a discrete. ¶ Nicolaus y• fourth was pope after hym foure yere. this mā was a frere minor / & al though he was a good man in hȳself / yet many vnhappy thȳges fell in his tyme to the chirche / for many a batayle was in y• cite through his occasyon / for he drewe to moche to y• one parte / and after hȳ there was no pope two yere & .vj. monethes.
¶ Of kynge Edwarde that was kyng Henryes sone. And of his ryalte.
ANd after this kyng Henry regned Edward his sone / the worthyest knyght of all y• worlde in honour For goddes grace was in hȳ / for he had y• victory of his enemyes. And as soone as his fader was deed he came to London with a fayre company of prelates & of erles & barons / & all maner men dyd him moche honour. For in euery place y• this noble Edward rode in London the stretes were couered ouer his heed with ryche clothes of sylke / of tapysserye and with ryche couerynges. And for ioye of his comynge the burgeyses of the cyte cast out at theyr wyndowes golde & syluer handes full / in tokenynge of loue & worshyp / seruyce & reuerence. And out of y• condyth of chepe ran whyte wyne & reed as stremes of water / & euery man dranke therof that wolde at theyr owne wyll. And this kynge Edwarde was crowned & anoynted as ryght heyre of Englonde with moche honour. And after masse y• kyng went in to his palays for to holde a ryall feest amonge them y• dyd hym honour. And whā he was set to mete / kynge Alexander of Scotlonde came for to do hym honour & reuerence with a queyntyse / & an .C. knyghtes wt hym well horsed & arayed. And whan they were alighted they let theyr stedes go wheder they wolde / & who y• myght take them / had them styll wtout ony chalengynge. And after came syr Edmonde kynge Edwardes broder a curteys & a gentyll knyght / & y• erle of Cornewayle & y• erle of Glocestre / & after them came the erle of Penbroke / & y• erle of Garēne. And eche of them by themselfe ladde in theyr hande an .C. knyghtes gayly disguysed in theyr armes. And whan they were alyghted of theyr horses / they let them go wheder they wold / & who that myght them catche / them to haue styll wtout ony chalenge. And whan all this was done / kynge Edwarde dyd his dylygence & his myght for to amende & redresse y• wronges in the best maner y• he myght / to the honour of god & holy chirche / & to mayntayne his honour / & to amende the noyaūce of y• comyn people.
¶ How Ydeyne that was Lewelyns doughter of Wales / and Aymer that was the erles broder of Mountforde were taken on the see.
[Page lxxxxi] THe fyrst yere after that kyng Edwarde was crowned / Lewlyn prynce of Wales sent in to Fraūce to the erle Mountford / that through coūseyle of his frendes the erle sholde wedde his doughter. And the erle thā auysed hym vpon this thynge / & sent vnto Lewlyn and sayd that he wolde sende after his doughter. And so he sent Aymer his broder after the damoysell. And Lewlyn arayed shyppes for his doughter & for syr Aymer / & for her fayre company y• shold go with her. And this Lewlyn did grete wronge / for it was a couenaunt that he sholde gyue his doughter to no maner man without coūseyle & cōsent of kynge Edwarde. And so it befell that a Burgeys of Brystowe came in the see laden with wyne / & mette them / & toke them with myght and power. And anone the Burgeys sent them to the kyng. Whan Lewlyn herde these tydynges he was wonders wroth & also sorowfull / & begā to warre vpon kynge Edward / and dyd moche harme to Englysshe men / & bette downe the kynges castels / & began fast for to destroye kyng Edwardes londes. And whan the tydynges came vnto the kynge of this thynge / he went in to Wales / & so moche he dyd through goddes grace and his grete power that he droue Lewlin to grete myschefe / that he fledde all maner strength & came & yelded hym vnto kynge Edward / & gaue hym .l. M. marke of syluer to haue peas / & toke the damoysell & all his herytage / & made an obly gacyon to kyng Edward to come to his parlyament two tymes in the yere. ¶ And in the seconde yere after y• kynge Edward was crowned / he helde a generall parlyamēt at Westmynster / & there he made the statutes for defaute of lawe by the comyn assent of all his baronage. And at eester nexte after the kynge sent by his lettre vnto Lewlyn prynce of Wales that he shold come to his parlyamēt for his londe / & for his holding of Wales as the strength of the lettre oblygatory wytnessed. Than Lewlyn had scorne & despyte of y• kynges cōmaūdement. And for pure wrath agayn begā warre vpon kynge Edward / & destroyed his londes. And whan kyng Edward herde of these tydȳges / he waxed wonders wroth vnto Lewlyn / & in haste assembled a grete power of people & went towarde Wales and warred so vpon Lewlyn the prynce tyll y• he brought hym in moche sorow & dysease. And Lewlyn sawe that his defence myght not auayle hym / and came agayn & yelded hym to y• kynges grace / & cryed him mercy / & longe tyme kn [...]led before y• kynges feet. The kynge [...]ad of hym pyte / & cōmaūded hym to a [...]se / & for his mekenes forgaue hȳ his wrathe and to hym sayd / that yf he trespaced agaynst hȳ an other tyme / that he wolde destroye hȳ for euermore. Dauid y• was Lewlins broder y• same tyme dwelled wt kyng Edward / & was a fell man and a subtyll / & enuyous / & also ferre castynge and moche treason thought / & euermore made good semblaunt / & semed so [...] y• no man myght perceyue his falsnes.
¶ How Lewlyn through [...]gg [...]nge of his broder Dauid warred agayn vpon kynge Edwarde.
IT was not longe tyme that tyme that kynge Edward gaue to Dauid Lewlyns broder the lordship of [...]rodesham / and made hym knyght. And so moche honour dyd he neuer after to no man of Wales bycause of hym. ¶ Kyng Edward helde his parlyament at London whan he had done in Wales al that he wolde / & chaūged his money y• was foule kyt & roūded / wherfore the people cōplayned sore / so y• the king let enquyre [Page] of ye trespassours. And .ccc. were atteynted of suche maner of falsnes / wherfore some were hanged / and some drawen & hanged. And afterward the kyng ordey ned / that ye sterling halfpeny & ferthyng sholde go through out all his londe. And cōmaūded yt no man fro that daye afterwarde gaue ne [...]eoffed hous of religyon with londe or tenemēt / without specyall leue of ye kynge / & he yt dyd / sholde be punysshed at the kynges wyll / & the gyfte sholde be for nought. ¶ And it was not longe after that Lewlyn prynce of Wales through ye entycement of Dauid his broder / and by bothe theyr consent they thought to dysheryte kynge Edward in as moche as they myght / so yt through them bothe ye kynges peas was broken And whan kyng Edward herde of this anone he sent his barōs in to Northum berlonde & the surreys also / yt they shold go & take theyr vsage vpon ye traytours Lewlyn & Dauyd / & wonders harde it was for to warre than. For it is wynter in Wales / whan in other coūtrees it is somer. And Lewlyn let ordeyne & well aray & vitayle his good castel of Swandon / and therin was an huge nombre of people & plente of vitayles / so that kyng Edward wyst not where to entre. And whan ye kynges men it perceyued / & also ye strength of Wales / they let come in to ye see barges & botes & grete plankes as many as they might ordeyne & haue for to go to the foresayd castell of Swandon wt men on fote & also on hors. But ye Walshmen had so moche people & were so stronge / yt they droue ye Englysshmen backe / so yt there was so moche prees of people at the turnynge agayn / that the charge & the burden of men made ye barges & botes to synke / & there was drowned many a good knyght / yt is to say / syr Roger Clifford / syr William of Lindsey that was syr Iohns sone fitz Robert / & syr Rychard Tanny / & an huge nombre of other / & all was through theyr owne foly / for yf they had had good spies they had not ben harmed. Whan kynge Edward herde tell that his people were so drowned / he made sorowe ynough. But than came syr Iohn of Vessye from the kynge of Aragon / & brought with hym moch people of bachelers & of Gascoyns & were soudyours & dwellynge wt Iohn of Vessye / & of hym receyued wages / & of hym were holden / & were noble men for to fyght / and brent many townes / & slewe all ye walshmen that they myght take. And all those wt strength & myght made assaute vnto the castell of Swandon / & gate the castell. And whā Dauid herde of these tydynges / he ordeyned hȳ to flyght. Whā Lewlyn ye prynce knewe that his broder was fledde / thā was he sore abasshed / for he had no power his warre to maynteyn. And so Lewlyn began to flee / & wende well to haue scaped But in a mornyng syr Roger Mortimer mette wt hym onely with .x. knightes / & set hym roūde aboute / & to hym went & smote of his heed / & presented it to kyng Edward. And in this maner Lewlyn ye prynce of Wales was taken / & his heed smytten of / & also all his heyres dysheryted for euermore / through ryghtfull dome of all the lordes of the realme.
¶ How Dauid yt was Lewlyns broder prynce of Wales was put to deth.
DAuid ye prynces broder of Wales through pride wende to haue bē prynce of Wales after his broders deth / And vpō this he sent after walshmen to his patlyament at Dinbigh / & folysshly made Wales to aryse agaynst ye kyng / & began to meue warre agaynst kyng Edward / & dyd all ye sorowe & dysease that he myght by his power. Whan kynge [Page lxxxxii] Edward herde of this thynge / he ordey ned men to pursue vpon hym. And Dauid fyer [...]y hym defended / tyll yt he came to ye towne of saynt Morite / & there was Dauid taken as he fledde / & ladde to the kynge. And the kyng cōmaūded that he shold be hanged & drawen / and smyte of his heed / & quarter hȳ / & sende his heed to London / & the foure quarters to the foure chefe townes of Wales / for they sholde take ensample therof & be ware. And afterward kynge Edward let crye his peas though out al wales / & seased all ye londe into his handes / & all ye grete lordes that were lefte alyue came to do feaute & homage to kynge Edward / as to theyr kynde lorde. And than let kynge Edward amende the lawes of Wales yt were defectyue. And after he sent to al ye lordes of Wales by his lettres patentes yt they sholde come all to his parlyamēt. And whan they were comen the kynge sayd to them full curteysly. Lordes ye be welcome / & me behoueth your coūseyle & your helpe for to go in to Gascoyn / for to amende ye trespace that to me was done whan I was there / & for to entreate of peas bytwene ye kynge of Aragon & the prȳce of Morrey. And all ye kynges liege men erles & barons consented & graūted therto. And than kynge Edwarde made hym redy & went in to Gascoyn / & let amende all ye trespaces yt was done hȳ in Gascoyn. And of ye debate that was bytwene ye kyng of Aragon & the prynce of Morrey he cessed & accorded them. And whyle kynge Edward & quene Elenore his wyfe were in Gascoyn / the good erle of Cornewayle was made wardeyn of Englonde tyll that kyng Edward came agayn. And thā enquyred he of his tray tours yt coniected falsnes agaynst hym. And eche of thē all receyued theyr dome after that they had deserued. But in the meane tyme whyle that kyng Edward was beyonde yt see to do them for to make amendes yt had trespaced agaynst hȳ there was a fals traytour yt was called [...]isap Meridoc began to make warre agaynst kynge Edward / & that was for cause of syr Payne Tiptot ye wrongfully greued & diseased ye foresayd Bisap Meridoc. And whan kynge Edward herde all this / he sente by his lettres to Bisap Meridoc that he sholde make no warre but that he sholde be in peas for his loue & whan he came agayne in to Englonde he wolde vndertake ye quarell & amende all that was mysdone. This foresayd Risap Meridoc despysed the kynges cō maundement / & spared not to do all the sorowe that he myght to ye kynges men of Englond. But anone after he was taken & ladde to yorke / and there he was drawen & hanged for his felony.
¶ Of the redressyng that king Edward made of his Iustices and of his clerkes that they had done for theyr falsnes / and how he droue ye Iewes out of Englonde for theyr vsury and mysbyieue.
WHan kynge Edward had dwelled thre yere in Gascoyn / a desyre came to hȳ for to go in to Englonde agayn And whan he was comen agayn there were so many cōplayntes made to hym of his Iustices & of his clerkes that had done so many wronges & falsnes / that wonder it was to here. For whiche falsnes syr Thomas weylonde the kynges Iustyce forswore Englonde at ye Toure of Londō / for falsnes that men put vpon hym / wherof he was atteynt & proued fals. And anone after whan the kynge had done his wyll of the Iustices than let he enquyre & espye how the Iewes deceyued & begyled his people through theyr synne of falsnes & of vsury / and let ordeyn a preuy parliament amonge his [Page] lordes. And they ordeyned amōge them that all ye Iewes shold voyde out of Eng lōde for theyr misbyleue & also for theyr false vsury that they dyd vnto chrysten men. And for to spede & make an ende of this thynge / all the comynalte of Englonde gaue vnto the kynge the .xv. peny of al theyr goodes mouable. And so were the iewes dryuen out of Englonde. And than went ye iewes in to Fraūce / & there they dwelled through leue of kyng Philyp that than was kynge of Fraūce.
¶ How kynge Edwarde was seased in all ye londe of Scotlonde / through cōsent and graūte of all ye lordes of Scotlonde.
IT was not longe after ye Alexander kyng of Scotlonde was deed and Dauid the erle of Huntingdon that was the kynges broder of Scotlond asked & claymed ye kingdom of Scotlonde after that his broder was deed / bycause that he was rightfull heyre. But many grete lordes sayd naye / wherfore grete debate arose bytwene them & theyr fren des / for as moche as they wolde not con sent to his crownacyon. And the meane tyme the foresayd Dauid dyed. And so it befell yt the sayd Dauid had thre dough ters that worthely were maryed. The fyrst doughter was maryed to Bayloll / the seconde to Brus / & the thyrde to Hastynges. The foresayd Bayloll & Brus chalenged ye londe of Scotlonde / & grete debate & stryfe arose bytwene them thre bycause eche of them wolde haue ben kyng. And whan ye lordes of Scotlonde sawe ye debate bytwene them / they came to kyng Edward of Englonde / & seased hym in all ye londe of Scotlonde as chefe lord. And whan the kyng was seased of the foresayd lordes of Scotlonde / ye foresayd Bayloll / Brus / & Hastynges came to the kynges courte / & asked of ye kynge whiche of them sholde be kyng of Scotlonde. And kyng Edward that was full gentyll & true / let enquyre by the cronycles of Scotlonde / & of the gretest lordes of Scotlonde / whiche of them was of ye eldest blode. And it was foūde yt Bayloll was the eldest / & that the kyng of Scotlonde shold holde of ye kyng of Englonde and do hym feaute & homage. And after this was done Bayloll went in to Scotlonde / and there was crowned kynge of Scotlond. And ye same tyme was vpon the see grete warre bytwene ye englyssh men & the Normans. But vpon a tyme the Normās arryued at Douer / & there they martyred an holy man yt was called Thomas of Douer. And afterward were the Normans slayne / yt there escaped not one of them. ¶ And soone after kynge Edward sholde lese the duchy of Gascoyn through kyng Philip of Fraū ce / through his fals castyng of ye Dou [...]e peres of the lond / wherfore syr Edmond that was kyng Edwardes broder gaue vp his homage vnto ye kyng of Fraūce. ¶ And in yt tyme ye clerkes of Englonde graūted to kynge Edward halfe dele of holy chirche goodes / in helpynge to recouer his londe agayn in Gascoyn. And the kynge sent thyder a noble company of his bachelers. And hymselfe wolde haue gone to Portesinouth / but he was letted through one Maddok of Wales yt had seased the castell of Swandon in to his handes / & for that cause ye kyng turned to Wales at Chrystmasse. And bycause that the noble lordes of Englond yt were sent in to Gascoyn had no cōfort of theyr lorde the kyng they were taken of syr Charles of Fraūce / that is to say / syr Iohn of Brytayne / syr Robert Typtot / syr Raufe Tanny / syr Hugh Bardulf / & syr Adam of Cretynge. And yet at ye Ascencyon was Maddok taken in Wales & another whiche was called Morgan / [Page lxxxxiii] and they were sent to the toure of London / and there they were byheded.
¶ How syr Iohn Bailoll kyng of Scotlonde withsayd his homage.
ANd whā syr Iohn Bailoll kyng of Scotlonde vnderstode yt kyng Edwarde was warred in Gascoyne (to whome ye realme of Scotlonde was delyuered) falsly than agaynst his othe wt sayd his homage through procuryng of his folke / & sent vnto the courte of Rome through a fals suggestion to be assoyled of the othe yt he swore vnto the kynge of Englonde. And so he was by lettre embulled. ¶ Than chose they of Scotlonde Douspers for to take from Edward his ryght. ¶ And in yt tyme came two cardynals from Rome fro ye pope Celestyne to treate of accorde bytwene the kyng of Fraūce & the kyng of Englonde. And as those cardynals spake of accorde / Thomas Turbeluyl was taken at Lyons & made feaute & homage to the warden of Parys / & to hym put his two sones in hostage / & thought to go in to Englonde for to espye the coūtre / & tell them whan he came in to Englonde yt he had broken the kynges prison of Fraūce by nyght / & sayd that he wolde do yt all englysshmen & walshmen sholde be aboute ye kyng of Fraūce. And this thynge to bryng to an ende he swore / & vpon this couenaūt dedes were made bytwene them / & that he sholde haue by yere a. M. poūdes worth of londe to brȳge this thynge to an ende. This fals traytour toke his leue & went thens & came in to Englōde vnto ye kyng & sayd yt he was broken out of pryson / & that he had put hȳ in suche peryl for his loue / wherfore ye kynge coude hȳ moche thanke / & full glad was of his comynge And the fals traytour fro yt daye espyed all the doynge of ye kynge & also his coū seyle / for the kynge loued hym well / and was wt hym full preuy. But a clerke of Englonde yt was in the kynges hous of Fraūce herde of this treason & falsnes / & wrote to an other clerke that than was dwellyng wt kyng Edward of Englonde all how Thomas Turbeluyll had done his fals conife [...]tynge / & all the coūseyle of Englonde was wryten for to haue sent vnto ye king of Fraūce. And through the foresayd lettre that ye clerke had sent fro Fraūce / it was foūde vpon hym wher fore he was / ladde to London and there hāged and drawen for his treason. And his two sones that he had put in Fraū [...] for hostage were than byheded.
¶ Of the conquest of Barwyk.
ANd whan the two cardynalles were gone agayn in to Fraunce for to treate of the peas of Cambrey the kyng sent thyder of his erles & barons that is to saye / syr Edmonde his brod [...] erle of Lancastre & of Leycestre [...] [...]en ry Lacy erle of Nycholl / & W [...]yā [...]ss [...] a baron / and of other baronettes aboute xiiii. of the best and wysest of Englonde. And in ye same tyme kyng Edward toke his viage to Scotlōde for to warre vpon Iohn Bayloll kyng of Scotlonde. And syr Robert Roos of Batwyk dedde fro ye englysshmen and went to the Scottes. And kyng Edward went toward Barwyk & besyeged the towne. And they yt were within māly defended them & set a fyre and brent two of kyng Edwardes shyppes / & sayd in despyte & repre [...]e of hym. Weneth kyng Edward with his longe shankes to haue gete Barwik all our vnthankes / gas pykes hȳ / & whan he has done gas dikes hȳ. Whan kyng Edwarde had herde this s [...]orne / anone through his myght he passed ouer the dyches & assayled the towne / and came to the gates and gate and conquered the [Page] towne / & through his gracyous power slewe .xxv. M. and. vij .C. Scottes. And kynge Edward lost no man of renome / saue syr Richard of Cornewayle / & hym slewe a flemynge out of ye reed hall with a quarell as ye foresayd Rycharde dyd of his helme & cōmaūded them for to yelde them & put them in the kynges grace / & the Scottes wolde not / wherfore ye hall was brent & cast downe / & all those that were therin were brent. And kyng Edward lost no moo men at that vyage of symple estate but .xxvij. Englysshmen. And the wardeyn of the castell gaue vp the keys of the castell wtout ony assaute / & there was taken syr Williā Douglas & syr Symond Ft [...]sell & the erle Patrik yelded them to the peas. But Ingham of Humsremyll & Robert the Brus that were with kyng Edward / forsoke kyng Edward & helde with the Scottes / and afterwarde they were taken & put in to prison. And than let kyng Edward close in Barwik with walles & with dyches And afterwarde Robert Rous went to Tyndale / & set waybrygge a fyre & Exham & Lamerstok / & slewe & robbed the folke of yt coūtre. And after that he went fro thens to Dunbar. And ye fyrst wednesdaye of Marche ye kyng sent ye erle of Garenne / syr Hugh Percy / & syr Hugh Spenser wt a fayre cōpany for to besiege the castell. But one yt was called syr Rychard Syward a traytour & a fals man ymagyned for to begyle ye englysshmen and sent to ye englysshmen for to deceyue them / & sayd that he wold yelde to them the castell / yf they wold graūt hym. viij dayes of respyte / that he myght sende & tell to syr Iohn Bayloll that was kyng of Scotlonde / how his men fared that were within ye castell / & sent hym worde but yf he wolde remeue the syege of the englysshmen / that they wolde yelde the castell to the englysshmen. The messenger than came vnto syr Iohn Bailoll (ye than was kynge of Scotlonde) where as he was with his hoost / and the messenger tolde hym all the case. And than syr Iohn Bayloll toke his hoost & came on the morowe erly towarde the castell. And syr Rychard Sywarde sawe hym come that was mayster of the coūseyle and keper of ye castell / and sayd vnto the Englysshemen. O quod he / now I se a fayre company and well apparayled / I wyll goo agaynst them and mete with them / and assayle them. And syr Hugh Spenser sawe the falsnes of hym & the treason / and sayd to hym. O traytour taken and proued / your falsnes shall not auayle you. And syr Hugh Spenser cō maūded anone for to bynde hym / and in all haste went agaynst theyr enemyes / and slewe of the Scottes the nombre of xxij. M. For the Scottes had that tyme no man with them of honour / saue syr Patryk Graham that manly fought & longe / & at the last he was slayne. And than sayd the englysshmen in reprefe of the Scottes. These scaterand Scottes holde I for sottes of wrenches vnware. Erly in a mornynge in an euyll tymyng went ye fro Dunbare. ¶ Whan those yt were in the castell sawe the dyscōfyture they yelded vp the castell to ye englysshe men / and boūde theyr bodyes londes & castels to kynge Edward. And so there were taken in ye castell thre erles .vij. ba rons / and .xxviij. knyghtes / and .xj. clerkes / and .vij. Pycardes / & all were presented to kyng Edward / & he sent them to ye toure of London to be kepte there.
¶ How kynge Edward of his grete grace delyuered agayne the Scottes out of pryson that were chefetaynes of the londe / and they drewe them to the Frensshmen through the coūseyle of Wyllyam Waleys.
[Page lxxxxiiii] THan whan kynge Edward had made an ende of the warre & taken the chefetaynes of Scotlond. Than came syr Iohn Bayloll wt other & yelded them vnto kyng Edward & put them in his grace / & were ladde to London. And whā kyng Edward was comen thyder they were brought before hȳ / & ye kynge asked of them how they wolde make amendes of the trespace & losse yt they had done him / & they put them in his mercy Lordes sayd the kyng / I wyll not your londes ne your goodes / but I wyll yt ye make to me an othe vpō goddes body to be true to me / & neuer after this tyme agaynst me bere armes. And they all consented to the kynges wyll / & swore vpon goddes body / yt is to say / syr Iohn of Comyn / ye erle of Strathorne / ye erle of Ca [...]yk / & also .iiij. bisshops vndertoke for al the clergy / & so ye kynge delyuered them and gaue them safeconduytes to go in to theyr owne coūtree. And it was not lōge afterwarde but that they arose agaynst kyng Edward / bycause that they wyst well that kynge Edwardes folke were taken in Gascoyn / as before is sayd / but syr Iohan Bayloll kynge of Scotlonde wyst well that his londe sholde haue sorowe ynough & shame for theyr falsnes / and in haste went hym ouer ye see to his owne londes / and there helde hym / and neuer came agayne. Wherfore ye Scottes chose vnto theyr kyng Willyam Waleys a rybaud and an harlot / comen vp of nought / & to englysshmen dyd moche harme. ¶ And kyng Edward thought how he myght best delyuer his people that were taken in Gascoyne / & in haste went hym ouer the see in to Flaundres for to warre vpon the kyng of Fraunce. And the erle of Flaūdres receyued hym with moche honour / & graūted hym all his londes at his owne wyl. And whan the kyng of Fraūce herde tell yt the kyng of Englond was arryued in Flaūdres & came wt an huge power to destroye hym he prayed hȳ of trewse for two yere / so ye englysshe marchaūtes and also frensshe myght safely go & come on bothe sydes. Kynge Edwarde graūted it / so yt he had his men out of prison yt were in Gascoyn And ye kyng of Fraūce graūted anone / & so they were delyuered. ¶ In the same tyme the Scottes sent by the bysshop of saynt Andrewes in to Fraūce to ye kyng & to syr Charles his broder yt syr Charles shold come wt his power and they of Scotlond wolde come wt theyr power & so they sholde go in to Englonde ye lond [...] to destroye from Scotlond vnto [...]en [...] & the scottes trusted moche vpon ye frenssh men. But of yt thȳge they had no maner graūte. Yet neuerthelesse ye Scottes began to robbe & slee in Northumberlonde and dyd moche harme.
¶ How Willyam Waleys let slee syr Hugh of Cressingham / and of the batayle of Fonkirke.
WHan the tydynges came to kyng Edward that Wyllyam Waleys had ordeyned suche a stronge power & also that all Scotlonde to hym was attendaunt & redy for to slee Englysshmen and to destroye the londe he was sore anoyed / & sent anone by lettre to ye erle of Garren / & to syr Henry Percy and to syr Willyam Latomer / and to syr Hugh of Cressyngham his tresourer that they sholde take power & go in to Northumberlonde / & so forth in to Scotlond for to kepe the coūtrees. And whan Willyam Waleys herde of theyr comynge / he began for to flee / & ye englysshmen folowed hym / & droue hym tyll he came to S [...]ry uelyn / & there he helde hym in ye castell. And the walshmen euery daye them escryed & thretened / & dyd all the despyte that they myght / so yt the Englysshmen [Page] vpon a tyme in a mornyng went out frō the castel the mountenaūce of .x. myle / & passed ouer a brydge. And William Waleys came with a stronge power & droue them backe / for the englysshmen had no power agaynst hym but fledde / & they yt myght take the brydge escaped. But syr Hugh the kynges tresourer there was slayn & many other also / wherfore was made moche sorowe. ¶ Than had kyng Edward spedde all his maters in Flaū dres & was comen agayn in to Englōde & hastely toke his waye in to Scotlonde & came thyder at ye Ascencyon tyde / & all that he foūde he set a fyre & brent. But ye poore people of Scotlonde came to hym wonders thycke / & prayed hym for goddes loue to haue mercy on them. Wherfore the kyng cōmaūded yt no man shold do them harme yt were yoldē to hym / ne to no mā of ordre / nor no hous of religion ne no maner chirche / but let espye where yt he myght fynde ony of his enemyes. Than came a spye to ye kynge & tolde hȳ where the Scottes were assembled for to abyde batayle. And so on saynt Mary Magdaleyns day ye kynge came to Fonkirk & gaue batayle to ye Scottes / & at ye batayle were slayne .xxxiij. M. scottes / & of englyshmen .xxviij. & no mo / of yt whiche was a worthy knight slayne an hospytaler yt was called Frere Brian Iay. For whan William Waleys fled from ye batayle / that same Brian hym pursued fyersly / & as his hors ran he start in to a myre of a marys vp to ye bely / & Willyā Waleys than turned agayne / and there slewe syr Bryan / & yt was grete harme. And that whyle kynge Edwarde went through Scotlonde for to enquyre yf he myght fynde ony of his enemyes / & in ye londe he dwelled as longe as hym lyked & there was none enemy that durst him abyde. And soone after yt kyng Edward went to Southamton / for he wolde not abyde in Scotlond in wynter season for esement of his people. And whan he came to London / he let amende many my [...] dedes that were done agaynst his peas & his lawes whyle he was in Flaūdres
¶ Of the last maryage of kyng Edward / and how he went the thyrde tyme in to Scotlonde.
ANd afterward it was ordeyned through the court of Rome / that kyng Edward shold wedde dame Mar garete that was kyng Philips syster of Fraūce. And the archebysshop Robert of wynchelse spoused thē togider / through whiche mariage there was made peas bytwene kynge Edward of Englonde & kynge Philyp of Fraūce. ¶ Kynge Edwarde went than the thyrde tyme in to Scotlond. And than wtin ye fyrst yere he famysshed the londe / so yt he lefte not one but that al came to his mercy / saue they that were in ye castell of Estreuelyn / that well was vitayled & stored for .vij. yere.
¶ How the castell of Estreuelyn was besyeged and wonne.
BYnge Edward came to the castell of Estreuelyn wt an huge power & besyeged the castell / but it lytel auayled For he myght do the Scottes no harme the castell was so stronge & well kepte. Whan kyng Edward sawe that / he bethought hym on a queyntyse / & caused anone to make two payr of hye galowes before the toure of ye castell / & made his othe / that as many as were within the castell (were he erle or baron) & he were taken with strengthe (but yf he wolde the rather yelde hym) he sholde be hanged vpon ye same payr of galowes. And whan they that were within the castell herde this / they came and yelded them [Page lxxxxv] all to the kinges grace & mercy. And the kyng forgaue them all his yll wyll. And there were all ye grete lordes of scotlonde sworne to kynge Edward / yt they sholde come to London to euery parlyament / & sholde stande to his ordynaunce.
How Troylebaston was fyrst ordeyned.
BYng Edward went thens to London / & wende for to haue had rest & peas of his warre / in yt whiche warre he was occupyed .xx. yere / that is to say in Wales / in Gastoyn & in Scotlonde / & thought how he myght recouer his tresour yt he had spended about his warre And let enquyre through ye realme of all the tyme yt he had ben out of his realme that men called Troylebaston / & ordeyned therto Iustices. And in this maner he recouered tresour wtout nombre. And his purpose was for to haue gone in to the holy londe for to haue warred vpon goddes enemyes / bycause he was crossed longe tyme before. And neuertheles the lawe yt he had ordeyned dyd moche good through out all Englonde to them that were mysbode. For those yt trespaced were well chastysed / & afterwarde were moche more meker & better / & the poore comyns were in rest & peas. And ye same tyme king Edward prisoned his owne sone Edwarde / bycause ye bysshop of Chestre ye kynges tresourer had complayned on hȳ / sayeng yt he through coū seyle of one Pyers of Ganaston a squyer of Gascoyn had broken his parkes. And this Pyers coūseyled & ladde this same Edward. And for this cause kynge Edward exiled this Pyers out of Englōde.
¶ Of the deth of Willyam Waleys the fals traytour.
ANd whan this kynge Edward had ouercomen his enemyes in Wales / Gascoyn & Scotlonde / & had destroyed all his traytours / saue onely ye rybaud Willyā Waleys / ye neuer wolde yelde hym to ye kyng / & at ye last he was taken in the towne of saynt Dominyk / the .xxxiij. yere of king Edwardes regne & was presented to kyng Edward. But the kyng wolde not se hym / & sent hym to London to receyue his iudgement / & vpō saynt Barthylmewes euen he was hanged & drawen / & his heed smytten of and his bowelles taken out of his body and brent / & his body quartred & sent to foure of the best townes of Scotlonde / & his heed put vpon a spere & set vpō London brydge / in ensample yt the Scottes sholde haue in mynde for to do amysse agaynst theyr lyege lorde agayne.
¶ How the Scottes came to kyng Edward for to amende theyr trespace that they had done agaynst hym.
ANd at Michelmas next comyng kyng Edward helde his parlyament at Westmynster / & thyder came ye Scottes / that is to saye / the bysshop of saynt Andrewes / Robert the Brus erle of Carik / Symond the Frisell / Iohn ye erle of Athell. And they were accorded with ye kyng & bounde / & by othe swore that yf ony of them afterward mysbare them agaynst the kynge / they sholde be disheryted for euermore. And whā theyr peas was thus made / they toke theyr leue & went home vnto theyr coūtree.
¶ How Robert the Brus chalenged Scotlonde.
ANd after this Robert the Brus erle of [...]aryk sent by his lettres vnto the erles and barons of Scotlonde that they shold come to hym to Sconne on the morowe after the Coucepcyon of our lady for the grete nedes of the londe. [Page] And the lordes came at ye daye assygned. And the same daye syr Robert the Brus sayd. Fayre lordes full well ye knowe yt in my persone dwelleth the ryght of the realme of Scotlonde / & as ye well wote I am ryghtfull heyre / syth yt syr Iohn Baylon that was our kynge hath forsaken vs & left his londe. And though it so be that kyng Edward of Englond with wrongfull power hath made me assent to hym agaynst my wyll / yf yt ye wyll graunt yt I may be kynge of Scotlonde I shall kepe you agaynst king Edward of Englonde / & agaynst all maner men. And with yt worde the abbot of Sconne arose vp & before them all sayd yt it was reason for to helpe hym & defende ye londe & sayd he wolde gyue hym a. M. poūde for to maynteyn ye londe. And all ye other graūted hym the londe / and with theyr power hym for to helpe / & defyed kynge Edwarde of Englonde / & sayd yt Robert the Brus sholde be kyng of Scotlonde.
¶ How syr Iohn of Comyn gaynsayd the crownynge of syr Robert the Brus.
¶ Ordynges sayd syr Iohn of Comyn / thynke on ye trouth & othe that ye made to kyng Edward of englōd & as touchyng my selfe I wyll not breke myn othe for no man / & so he went from them / wherfore Robert ye Brus & all tho that cōsented to hym were yll content wt syr Iohn of Comyn. Thā ordeyned they another coūseyle at Domfris / to which came ye foresayd syr John of Comyn / for he dwelled but two myle from Domfris there he was wont to soiourne & abyde.
¶ How syr John of Comyn was traytoursly slayne.
ANd whā Robert the Brus wyst that all the grete lordes of Scot lōde were come to Scōne / saue syr Iohn of Comyn that than abode nygh Scōne he sent specially for the sayd syr Iohn of Comyn to come & speke with hym. And vpon that he came & spake wt him at the gray freres in Domfris / & that was the thursday after Candelmasse daye / & syr Iohn graūted to go wt hym. And whan he had herde masse / he toke a soppe and dranke / & afterward he bestrode his pa [...] frey & rode to Domfris. Whan Robert the Brus sawe hym come at a wynow as he was in his chambre / he made toye ynough / & came agaynst hym / & colled hym about the necke / and made to hym good semblaūt. And whan all the erles and barons of Scotlond were there present / Robert ye Brus sayn / syrs ye wote well the cause of this comynge / & wher fore it is / yf ye wyll graūte that I may be kyng of Scotlonde as ryght heyre of the londe. And all ye lordes yt were there sayd wt one voyce yt he sholde be crowned kyng of Scotlond / & yt they wolde helpe hȳ & maynteyn agaynst all men lyuyng & dye for hym yfnede were. The gentyl knyght Iohn of Comyn answered. Cet tes neuer for me: ne for to haue as moche helpe of me as ye value of a button / for ye othe yt I haue made to kyng Edward of Englond I shall holde whyle yt my lyfe lasteth. And with ye word be went from the cōpany & wolde haue lepte vpon his plafrey. And Robert the Brus pursued hym with a drawen swerde and perced hym through the body / & syr Iohn Comyn fell downe to the erth. But whan Roger yt was syr Iohn Comyns broder saw ye falsues / he stert to Robert ye Brus & smote hym wt a knyfe / but ye traytour was armed vnder / so yt the stroke might do hym no harme / & so moche helpe came aboute Robert ye Brus / yt Roger Comyn was there slayne & hewen to peces And Robert ye Brus turned agayn where as syr Iohn Comyu the noble baron [Page lxxxxvi] laye wounded and drewe towarde his deth besydes the hye awter in ye chirche of the gray freres / & sayd vnto syr Iohn Comyn. O traytour thou shalte be deed and shalt neuer lette myn auauncement and shoke his swerde at the hye awter and smote hym on the heed yt the brayne fell downe vpon the groūde / & the blode stert on hygh vpon the walles. And yet vnto this daye is that blode seen there / & no water may wasshe it awaye / & so dyed that noble knyght in holy chirche.
¶ Whan this traytour Robert ye Brus sawe yt no man wold lette his crownaciō he cōmaūded all ye barons to be at saynt Iohns town at his crownacion. And on the Annūciacion of our lady ye bisshop of Glaston & ye bysshop of saynt Andrewes crowned hym kyng. And anone after he droue all the Englysshmen out of Scotlonde. And they fledde and came & complayned them vnto kyng Edward how that Robert the Brus had dryuen them out of the londe & dysheryted them.
¶ How that kynge Edward dubbed at Westmynster .xxiiij. score knyghtes.
ANd whan kyng Edward herde of this myschete / he swore yt he shold be auēged therof / & hange & drawe all the traytours of Scotlonde without raūsom. ¶ Than kyng Edward sent for all the bachelars of Englond / that they shold come to Londō at whytsontyde / & he dubbed at Westmynster .xxiiij. score knyghtes. Than ordeyned he to go in to Scotlonde agaynst Robert the Brus / & sent before hȳ in to Scotlond syr Aymer the valyaūt erle of Pēbroke / & syr Henry Percy baron wt a fayre company / yt pursued ye Scottes & brent townes & castlels And afterwarde came ye kyng hymselfe with erles & barons a fayre company.
¶ How Robert the Brus was dyscomfyted in batayle / & how Symond Frisell was slayne.
THe frydaye nexte before the Assumpcyon of our sady kyng Edward mette with Robert ye Brus & his company besyde saynt Iohns to [...]ne in Scotlonde / of yt whiche company kyng Edward slewe .vii. M. ¶ Whan Robert the Brus sawe this myschefe / he began to flee & hyd hȳ secretiy / but syr Symod Frisell was fore pursued / so yt he turned again & abode batayle / for he was a wor thy knyght / but our englysshman shewe his hors & toke hym & led hym to kynge Edward / but or he came to hȳ he began to flatre his takers / pmysyng them. iiij M. marke of syluer / his hors & [...]arneys & become a begger. Thā said Theobald of Peuenes that was ye kynges arther. Now so god me helpe it is for nought yt thou spekest / for all ye golde in englend I wold not let the go wout cōmaūdement of kynge Edward. And kynge Edward wolde not se hym / but cōmaūded to lede hym to London to haue his dome. And on our ladyes eue the Nat [...] he was hanged & drawen / & his herd smytten of & hanged agayne with chaynes of [...]ren vpon the galowes / & his herd was set vpon London brydge on a spere and agaynst Chrystmasse ye body was brent / bycause that the men that kepte ye body by nyght sawe so many deuylles aboure hym / turmentynge hym wt yren crokes hortybly vpon ye galowes & many that sawe them anone after dyed for drede / & some waxed mad / or fore seke. And in yt batayle was taken ye bysshop of Baston & ye bisshop of saynt Andrewes & ye abbot of Sconne all armed as fals traytours & fals prelates agaynst theyr othe. And they were brought to ye kynge. And the kynge sent them vnto the pope of Rome that he sholde do wt them his wyll.
¶ How Iohn erle of Atheles was taken and put to deth.
ANd at yt batayle fledde syr Iohn erle of Atheles / and went in to a chirche / & there hyd hym for drede / but he myght haue there no refute / bycause that ye chirche was enterdyted through a generall sentence / & in ye same chirche he was taken. And this syr Iohn wend well to haue scaped fro ye deth / bycause yt he claymed kynrede of kynge Edward. And ye kyng wold no longer be betrayed of his traytours / but sent hȳ to London in haste / & there was hanged & his heed smytten of / & his body brent. But at the prayer of the quene Margarete bycause yt he claymed kynrede of kyng Edward his drawynge was forgyuen hym.
¶ How Iohn that was Wyllyam Waleys broder was put to deth.
ANd whan the gretest maysters of Scotlonde were thus done to euyll deth for theyr falsnes and treason / Iohn that was Willyam Waleys broder was taken and done to dethe / as syr Iohn erle of Atheles was.
¶ How Robert the Brus fledde from Scotlonde to Norway.
ANd at that same tyme was Roberte the Brus moche hated amonge the people of Scotlonde / so that he wyst not what was best to do / & for to hyde hym he went in to Norway to ye kynge yt had spoused his syster / & there helde hȳ for to haue socour. And Robert the Brus myght not be founde in Scotlonde. So kynge Edward than let crye his peas through out all the londe / and his lawes were vsed / & his mynystres serued through out all the londe.
¶ How kynge Edwarde dyed.
ANd whan kynge Edwarde had abated the pride of his enemyes he returned agayne south warde / and a malady toke him at Burgh vpō saudes in the marche of Scotlonde / & he wyst well that his deth was full nygh / & called to him syr Henry Lacy erle of Nichol syr Guy erle of warwik / syr Aymer Valence erle of Penbroke / and syr Robert of Clifford baron / & prayed them vpon the fayth yt they ought hym / that they shold make Edwarde of Carnaruan kynge of Englonde as shortly as they myght / & yt they shold not suffre Piers of Ganaston come agayn in to Englonde for to make his sone to ryot. And they graūted hym with a good wyll. Than ye kynge toke ye sacramentes of holy chirche as a good christen man shold / & dyed in very repen taūce whan he had regned .xxxv. yere / & was buryed at westmynster wt grete solempnite / on whose god haue mercy.
¶ Of Merlyns prophecyes that were declared of kynge Edward that was kynge Henryes sone.
OF this kyng Edwarde pphecyed Merlyn / and called hym a dragon the seconde of the. vs. kynges that sholde [Page lxxxxvii] tegne in Englonde / & sayd yt he sholde be medled with mercy & also wt strengthe & sternes / that shold kepe Englonde from colde & hete. And that he sholde open his mouth toward Wales / & that he sholde set his fote in Wyke / & that he shold close with walles yt shold do moche harme to his sede. And he sayd sothe / for the good kynge Edward was medled wt mercy & with fyersnes / with mercy agaynst his enemyes of Wales / & after of Scotlōde with fyersnes whā he put them to deth for theyr falsnes & traytory / as they had deserued it. And well kepte he Englond from colde & hete / syth he kepte it frō all maner of enemyes that came vpon him to do hym ony wronge. And well he opened his mouth towarde Wales / & made it quake through ye hidour of his mouth whan he conquered it through dynt of swerde. For ye prynce Lewlyn & Dauyd his broder / Rys & Morgan were put to deth through theyr falsnes & theyr foly. And he set his fote in wike / & conquered Barwyke / at the whiche conquest were slayn .xxv. M. and. vij .C. out take them that were brent in the reed hall. And the walles that he let make shall be noyous vnto his sede / as men shall here after se in the lyfe of syr Edward of Carnaruan his sone. And yet sayd Merlyn that he sholde make ryuers ren in blode & with brayn / & that semed well in his warres where as he had the maystry. And yet Merlin sayd yt there shold come a people out of the north west durynge the regne of the foresayd dragon / yt sholde be ladde by an yll greyhoūde / yt the dragon sholde crowne kyng / that afterward sholde flee ouer ye see for drede of ye dragon without comynge agayn / & yt was proued by syr Iohn Bayloll ye kyng Edward made to be kynge of Scotlonde / that falsly arose agaynst him / & after he fled to his owne londes of Fraūce / & neuer came agayne in to Scotlonde for drede of kynge Edward. And yet sayd Meriyn the people that sholde lede the foresayd greyhoūde shold be faderles vnto a certayn tyme / & he sayd sothe / for ye people of Scotlonde gretely were dyseased / syth yt syr Iohn Bayloll theyr kung was fledde. And yet layd Merlin yt the sonne shold become in his tyme as reed as blode / in tokenynge of grete mortalite of people / & that was well knowē whan ye scottes were [...]ay [...]. And Merlyn sayd yt same dragon sholde nourysshe a foxe that sholde meue grete warre agaynst hym yt shold in his tyme be ended / & that semed well by Robert ye Brus that kyng Edward noursshed in his chambre / that sythen stale aware & meued grete warre agaynst hym wh [...] the warre was not ended in his tyme. And afterward Merlyn tolde yt this dra gon shold be holden ye best body of all the worlde / & he sayd sothe for ye good kyng Edward was ye worthyest knyght of all ye worlde in his tyme. And yet said mer lyn yt the dragon sholde dye in ye marche of an other londe / & yt his londe sholde be longe wtout a good keper / & yt men sholde wepe for his deth from ye yle of Shepey vnto ye yle of Mercill: wherfore alas shal be theyr songe amonge ye [...]myn people faderles in ye londe wasted. And ye p [...]h [...] cy was knowen ouer all full well. For ye good king Edward dyed at Burgh vpō sandes / yt is in the marche of Scotlonde wherfore ye englysshmē were discōf [...]ed & sorowed in Northumberiend bycause ye king Edwardes sone set by ye Scottes no force for ye tyot of Pyers of Ganaston wherfore alas was ye song through out all Englonde for defaute of theyr good wardeyn / from ye yle of Shepey vnto ye yle of Mareyll ye people made moche sorowe for good king Edwardes deth. For they wende yt kyng Edward shold haue gone in to the holy lond / for yt was holly [Page] his purpose. Vpon whose soule god for his hygh grace haue mercy.
¶ Anno d [...]i. M .CC. lxxxiii [...].
CElestinus was pope after Nicolas .v. monethes / and no thynge noble of hym is wryten / but yt he was a vertuous man. ¶ Bonifacius the. vii [...]. was pope after hȳ .viij. yere. This Boniface was a man in those thynges that apperteyneth to courte / for he was very e [...]pert in suche maters. And bycause he had no pere / he put no mesure to his prudence / & toke so grete pryde vpon hym / yt he sayd he was lord of all ye worlde. And many thȳges he dyd wt his myght that fayled wretchedly in the ende. He gaue an ensample to all prelates yt they shold not be proude / but vnder the forme of a very shepeherde of god they sholde more study to be loued of theyr subiectes than to be drad. This man is he of whome it is sayd yt he entred as a fox / he lyued as a lyon / & dyed as a dogge. ¶ This tyme the yere of grace was ordeyned from an C. yere to an .C. yere / & the fyrst Jubile was in ye yere of our lord god. M .CCC. ¶ Benedictꝰ the .xj. was pope after Boniface .xi. monethes. This man was an holy man of ye ordre of ye frere prechours & lytell whyle lyued / but decessed anone. ¶ Adulphus was Emperour .vj. yere. This man was ye erle of Anoxone / and was not crowned by ye pope / for he was slayne in batayle. ¶ Albertus was emperour after hȳ .x. yere. This man was ye duke of Austrie / & fyrst was repreued of the pope / & after was confermed by ye same pope for the malyce of the kyng of Fraūce whiche was an enemy vnto the chirche. And to that Albert ye same pope gaue the kyngdom of fraūce / as he dyd other kyngdomes / but it ꝓfyted not / for at the last he was slayne of his neuewe. ¶ Clemēs was pope after Benedictus almoost .ix. yere. This man was a grete buylder of castels & other thynges. And he dampned ye ordre of Templers. And he ordeyned the .vij. boke of decretalles the whiche be called y• questyons of Clementyns. And anone after in a coūseyle the whiche he helde at Vienna he reuoked that same boke / the whiche his successour Iohn called agayn / & incorpored it & publysshed it. This Clement fyrst of al popes translated the popes seet from Rome to Aumyon. And whyder it was done by the mocyon of god / or by ye boldnes of man / dyuerse men meruaylleth. ¶ Iohn the .xxij. was pope after hym xviij. yere. This man was all gloryous as for those thȳges that were to be vsed through the actyfe lyfe. And he publysshed the Constytucyons of the Clementynes / & sent them to all ye vniuersitees. And many sayntes he canonysed. And ye fatte bysshopryches he deuyded. And he ordeyned many thynges agaynst ye plu ralite of benefices / and many heretykes he dampned / but whyder he was saued or not / our lorde god wolde not shewe to those that he loued very well. ¶ Henry the .vij. was emperour after Albert .v. yere. This Henry was a noble man in warre / and he coueyted to haue peas by londe & water. He was a gloryous man in batayle / & was neuer ouercome with enemyes. And at the last he was poysoned of a frere whan that he houseled hym by receyuynge of the sacrament.
¶ Of kynge Edwarde that was kynge Edwardes sone.
ANd after this kynge Edwarde regned Edwarde his sone / that was borne at Carnaruan. And this Edward went in to Fraūce & there he spoused Isabell ye kynges doughter of Fraū ce the .xxv. daye of Ianuary at ye chirche of our lady at Boloyn in the yere of our lorde Iesu Chryst a. M .CCC .vij. And [Page lxxxxviii] the .xx. daye of Feueryer the nexte yere y• came after he was crowned solemply at Westmynster of ye archebysshop of Caū terbury & of ye archebisshop of winchelse And there was so grete prees of people yt syr Iohn Bakwel was deed & murdred And anone as the good kynge Edward was deed / syr Edward his sone kyng of Englonde sent after Pyers of Ganaston into Gascoyn / & so moche he loued him yt he called him broder. And anone after he gaue hym ye lordshyp of Walyngford / & after yt he gaue him ye erledom of Cornewayle agaynst all ye lordes wyll of Englonde. And thā brought he syr Walter of Langton bysshop of Chestre to ye tour of London in prison wt two knaues al onely to serue hym. For ye kyng was wroth wt hȳ / bycause yt syr Walter made cōplaynt on hȳ to his fader / wherfore he was put in prison in ye tyme of Troile baston. And the fore said Piers of Ganaston made so grete maystryes yt he went in to ye kynges tresoury in ye abbey of westmynster & toke y• table of golde wt the trestyls of ye same / & many other ryche iewels yt somtyme were kyng Arthurs / & toke them to a marchaūt yt was called Aymery of [...]and / for he shold bere them ouersee in to Gascoyne / & so he went thens & neuer came agayn after / whiche was a grete losse to this londe. And whan this Pyers was so rychely auaūced / he beca me wōders proude / wherfore al ye grete lordes of ye realme had hȳ in despyte for his grete berynge / wherfore syr Henry La [...]y [...] of Nichol / and syr Guy erle of wa [...] / the whiche good lordes ye good king Edward syr Edwardes fader king of Englonde charged y• Pyers of Ganaston sholde not come in to Englond for to brynge his sone Edward in to ryot. And all y• lordes of Englonde assembled them on a certayn daye at y• [...]eres prechours at London / & there they spake of ye dishonour that kynge Edward dyd to his realme & to his crowne. And so they assented all bothe erles & barons & all the comyns yt the foresaid Pyers of Ganaston sholde be exiled out of Englonde for euer more. And so it was done: for he forswore Englond & went in to Irlonde / & there ye kyng made hym chefetayn & gouernour of the londe by his cōmyssion. And there this Pyers was chefetayn of all ye londe and dyd there all that hym lyked & had power to do what he wolde. And yt tyme were ye temple [...]s exiled through all th [...] stendom / bycause ye men put vpon them that they shold do thynges agaynst the fayth & good byl [...]. Kynge Edward loued Piers of Ganaston so moche that he myght not forbere his company and so moche ye kyng gaue & behyght ye people of Englonde that ye er [...]lyng of ye foresayd Pyers sholde be reuoked at Stamford through them yt had e [...]led hym. Wherfore Pyers of Ganaston came agayne in to Englonde. And whan he was come [...] agayn in to this lond / he despysed ye gretest lordes of this londe / & called syr [...] bert of Clare erle of Glocester [...] and the erle of Nycholl syr Henry La [...]y b [...]rstenbely / & syr Guy erle of warwyk the blacke hoūde of Arderne and also be called ye noble erle Thomas of Lancastre churle / & many other scornes & shames them sayd / & many other grete lordes of Englonde▪ wherfore they were toward hym full angry & wro [...] a [...]d tyght [...]ore anoyed. And in ye same tyme dyed ye erle of Nycholl / but he charged or yt he dyed Thomas erle of Lācastre that was his sone [...]e that he sholde maynteyne his quarell agaynst this same Pyers of Ganaston vpon his blessynge. And so it befel through helpe of the erle Thomas of Lancastre & also of ye erle of Warwyk that the foresayd Pyers was heded at Gauersythe besyde Warwyk / the .xix. [Page] daye of Iune / in the yere of grace a. M .ccc .xij. Wherfore the kynge was sore anoyed / & prayed god yt he myght se ye day to be auenged vpon ye deth of ye foresayd Pyers. And so it befell afterward as ye shall here. Alas the tyme / for ye foresayd erle of Lancastre & many other grete ba rons were put to pyteous deth & marty red bycause of the foresayd quarell. The kynge was than at London and helde a parliament / & ordeyned the lawes of syr Symond Mounford / wherfore the erle of Lancastre & the other erles & all ye clergye of Englonde made made an othe through counseyle of Robert of Wynchelse for to maynteyn tho ordinaūces for euermore.
¶ How Robert the Brus came agayn in to Scotlonde / & gadred a grete power of men for to warre vpon kynge Edward.
ANd whan syr Robert the Brus that made hȳ kyng of Scotlond that before was fledde in to Norway for drede of deth of ye good kyng Edward / & also he herd of the debate yt than was in Englonde bytwene ye kynge & his lordes he ordeyned an hoost & came in to Englonde in to Northumberlond / & clene destroyed ye coūtree. And whan kyng Edward herde these tydynges he let assemble his hoost & mette ye Scottes at Estre uelyn on the daye of ye Natiuite of saynt Iohn Baptyst / in the thyrde yere of his regne / & in the yere of grace .M.ccc.xiiij. Alas ye sorowe & losse yt there was done. For there was slayne the noble erle Gylbert of Clare / syr Robert Clifford baron & there kyng Edward was discōfited / & Edmond of Maule the kynges steward for drede went & drowned hymselfe in a fresshe ryuer yt is called Bannokesborne Wherfore they sayd in reprofe of kynge Edward for as moche as he loued to go by water / & also for he was discomfyted at Bannokesborne / therfore ye maydens made a songe therof in ye coūtree of kyng Edwarde / & in this maner they songe.
¶ Whan kyng Edward was discomfited wonders fast he fled with his folke yt were lefte alyue / & went to Barwyk / & there helde hȳ. And after he toke hostages / yt is to saye / two chyldren of ye rychest of the towne / & the kyng went to London / & toke coūseyle of thȳges yt were nedefull vnto ye realme of Englonde. ¶ In this tyme it befell that than was in Englonde a rybaud yt was called Iohn Tanner / & he said yt he was the good kyng Edwardes sone / & let call hym Edward of Carnaruan / & therfore he was taken at Oxford / & there he chalenged the frere Carmes chirche ye kyng Edwarde had gyuen them / the whiche chirche somtyme was the kynges hall. And afterward was this Iohn ladde to Northamton / & drawen & hāged for his falsnes / & or that he was deed he cōfessed & said before al those that were there that the deuyll behyght hym yt he shold be kynge of Englonde / and that he had serued the deuyll thre yere.
¶ How the towne of Barwyk was taken through treason / & how two cardynals were robbed in Englonde.
ON mydlent sondaye in the yere of our lord Iesu Chryst. M .ccc .xvj. Barwyk was lost through fals treason of one Pyers of Spaldyng / the whiche Pyers kynge Edwarde had put there for to kepe the same towne with many burgeyses of the same towne. Wherfore the chyldren that were put in hostage through the burgeyses of Barwyk folowed ye kynges marchalse many dayes fettred in stronge yrens. ¶ And after [Page lxxxxix] that tyme there came two cardynals in to Englond / whiche ye pope had sent for to make peas bytwene Englond & Scotlonde. And as they went towarde Durham for to haue sacred mayster Lowys of Beaumont bysshop of Durham / they were takē and [...]obbed vpon the more of Wynglesoown. Of whiche robbery syr Gylbert of Middelton was atteynt and taken / & drawen & hanged at London / & his heed smytten of & put vpon a spere / and set vpon newe gate / and the foure quarters sent to foure citees of Englōde And that same tyme befell many myscheues in Englond / for the poore people dyed for hunger / and so moche & so fast dyed that vnneth men myght them bury. For a quarter of whete was worth xl. shyllynges / and two yere & an halfe a quarter of whete was worth .x. marke. And often tymes the poore people stale chyldren and ete them / & ete also all the hoūdes that they myght take / and also horses and cattes. And after there fell a grete moreyn amonge beestes in diuers countrees of Englonde durynge kynge Edwardes lyfe tyme.
¶ How the Scottes robbed Northumberlonde.
ANd in the same tyme came the Scottes agayne in to Englond and destroyed Northumberlonde / and brent & robbed that lond / and slewe men & women / & chyldren that laye in theyr cradels / & brent also chirches & destroied chrystendom / and toke & bare Englysshe mēnes goodes as they had bē sarasyns or paynyms / & of the wyckednes yt they dyd all chrystendom spake of it.
¶ How the Scottes wolde not amende theyr trespace / and therfore Scotlonde was enterdyted.
ANd whā pope Iohn the .xxij. after saynt Peter herde of ye grete sorow & myschefe yt the scottes wrought he was wonders sory that christendom was so destroyed through the Scottes / and namely yt they destroyed so chirches wherfore ye pope sent a generall sentence vnder his bulles of leed vnto the archebysshop of Caunterbury & to the archebysshop of yorke / that yf Robert ye Brus of Scotlonde wolde not be iustifyed and make amendes vnto ye kyng of Englōde Edward theyr lord / & make amendes of his harmes yt they had done / & also to restore the goodes yt they had taken of holy chirche / that ye sentence sholde be pronounced through out all Englonde. And whan ye Scottes herde this / they wold not leue theyr malyce for the popes commaūdemēt / wherfore Robert the Brus Iames Douglas / & Thomas Randulf erle of Moref / & all those that wt them comoned or holpe them in worde or dede were accursed in euery chirche through out all Englonde euery day at masse .iii. tymes / & no masse shold be songe in holy chirche through out all Scotlonde but yf ye Scottes wolde make restitucyon of the harmes yt they had made vnto holy chirche / wherfore many a good preest & holy men therfore were slayne through the realme of Scotlonde / bycause they wolde not synge masse agaynst ye popes cōmaūdement & agaynst his wyll and to do and fulfyll the tyrauntes wyll.
¶ How syr Hugh Spensers sone was made the kynges chamberlayne / and of the batayle of Mitone.
ANd it was not longe afterward that ye kynge ne ordeyued a parliament at yorke / & there was syr Hugh Spensers sone made chamberlain. And the meane tyme whyle the warre lasted [Page] the kyng went agayn in to Scotlonde yt it was wonder to wyte / & besyeged the towne of Barwyk / but ye Scottes went ouer ye water of Solewath yt was thre myle frō ye kynges hoost / & pryuely they stale away by nyght & came in to englōd & robbed & destroyed all yt they myght / & spared no maner thȳge tyll yt they came to yorke. And whan ye englysshmen that were lefte at home herd these tydynges all tho yt might trauayle as well mōkes preestes / freres / thanōs & seculers came & mette wt the scottes at Miton vpswale the .xij. day of October. Alas ye sorow / for the englisshe husbondmen that coude no thȳge of warre there were slayne & drow ned in an arme of ye see. And ye chefetaynes syr William of Melton archebisshop of yorke: & ye abbot of selby wt theyr stedes fled & came to yorke / & yt was theyr owne foly yt they had yt mischaūce / for they pas sed ye water of swale / & ye scottes set a fyre the stackes of hey: & ye smoke therof was so huge yt the englysshmen myght not se the scottes. And whan ye Englysshmen were gone ouer ye water / than came the Scottes wt theyr wynge in maner of a shelde & came towarde ye englysshmen in araye / & the englysshmen fledde / for vnneth they had ony men of armes / for the kyng had them almoost lost at ye syege of Barwyk / and the scottes hoblers went bytwene the brydge & the englysshmen. And whan ye grete hoost them mette / the englysshmen fled bytwene ye hoblers & ye grete hoost / & the Englysshmen almoost were there slayn / & they yt might go ouer the water were saued / but many were drowned. Alas for there were slayne many men of relygyon / seculers / preestes & clerkes: & wt moche sorow ye archebisshop escaped: & therfore ye Scottes called that batayle the whyte batayle.
¶ How kynge Edwarde dyd all maner thynge that syr Hugh Spenser wolde.
ANd whan kyng Edward herde these tydynges / he remeued his syege from Barwik & came agayn in to Englonde. But syr Hugh Spenser the sone that was ye kynges chamberlayne kepte so the kynges chambre / yt no man myght speke with ye kynge. But he had made with hym a f [...]ette for to do all his nede / & yt ouer mesure. And this Hugh bare hym so stoute / that all men had of hym scorne and despyte. And the kynge hymselfe wold not be gouerned ne ruled by no maner man but onely by his fader and by hym. And yf ony knyght of Englonde had wodes / maners or lōdes / that they wolde coueyte / anone ye kyng must gyue it them / or els the man that ought it sholde be falsly endyted of forfayte or felouy. And through suche doynge they disheryted many a bacheler / & so moche loude he gate that it was grete wonder. And whan ye lordes of Englonde sawe ye grete couetyse & the falsnes of syr Hugh Spenser the fader & syr Hugh the sone / they came to ye gentyll erle of Lancastre and asked hym of coūseyle of the dysease that was in ye realme through syr Hugh Spenser and his sone. And in haste by one assent they made a preuy assemble at Shyrburne in Elmede / and they made there an othe for to breke & dystrouble ye doynge bytwene ye king & syr Hugh spen ser & his sone vpō theyr power. And they wēt in to ye marche of wales & destroyed the londe of the foresayd syr Hughes.
¶ How syr Hugh Spenser & his fader were exiled out of Englonde.
WHan kyng Edward sawe ye grete harme & destruccyon that the barons of Englond dyd to syr Hugh Spen sers londe & to his sones in euery place yt they came vpon / the king than through his coūseyle exiled syr Iohn Mombray / [Page C] syr Roger Clifford / & syr Gosselin Dauil & many other lordes yt were cōsentynge to them / wherfore the barons dyd than more harme than they dyd before. And whan ye kyng sawe ye the barons wolde not cease of theyr cruelte / the kyng was sore adrad lest they wold destroye hym & his realme for his mayntenaūce / but yf he assented to them / & so he sent for them by lettres yt they sholde come to London to his parliament at a certayne daye as in his lettres were conteyned. And they came wt thre batayles well armed at all poyntes / and euery batayle had cote armures of grene cloth / & therof the ryght quarter was yelowe wt whyte bendes / wherfore that parliament was called ye parlyament of the whyte bende. And in that company was syr Vmfrey of Bohoune erle of Herford / & syr Roger Clifford / syr Iohn Mombray / syr Gosselyn Dauyll / syr Roger Mortimer of Wygmore / syr Henry of Trais / syr Iohn Gif fard / & syr Barthilme we of Badelsmore that was the kynges steward / that the kyng had sent to Shyrbur [...]ein Elmede to ye erle of Lancastre / & to all that were with hym for to treate of accorde / yt hym alyed to the barons / & came wt that company. And syr Roger Dammorie / & syr Hugh Dandale ye had spoused ye kynges neces syster / & syr Gylbert of Clare erle of Glocestre yt was slayne in Scotlonde as before is sayd. And those two lordes had than two partyes of the erledome of Glocestre / & syr Hugh Spenser the sone had ye thyrde parte in his wyues halfe the thyrd syster / & those two lordes wēt to ye barons wt all theyr power agaynst syr Hugh theyr broder [...] lawe / & so there came with them syr Roger Clifford / syr Iohn Mombray / syr Gosselyn Dauyll / syr Roger Mortymer of Wygmore his neuew / syr Henry Trais / syr Iohn Giffard / syr Barthylmewe of Badelsmore with all theyr company & many other y• to them were consentyng. All the grete lordes came to Westmynster to the kynges parliament / & so they spake & dyd ye bothe syr Hugh Spenser the fader & also the sone were outlawed of Englonde for euermore. And so syr Hugh the fader went to Douer & made moche sorow / & fell downe vpon y• groūde by ye see banke acrosse with his armes / & sore wepyng sayd. Now fayre Englonde & good Eng londe to almyghty god I the betake / & thryes kyssed ye groūde / & wende neuer to haue comen agayn / & wepyng cursed the tyme yt euer he begate syr Hugh his sone / & sayd for hȳ he had lost all englōde & in presence of all gaue him his curse & went ouer the see to his londes. But [...] Hugh the sone wolde not go out of Englonde / but helde hym on ye see & he & his cōpany robbed two Dromondes besyde Sandwyche / & toke & bare awaye all ye was in them / the value of .xl. M. poūde.
¶ How the kyng exiled ye erle Thomas of Lancastre / & all that helde with hym and how Mortimer came & yelded hym to the kynge / and of the lordes.
IT was not longe after ye the kyng ne made syr Hugh Spenser th [...] [...]a der & syr Hugh the sone come agayne in to Englonde agaynst the lordes wyll of the realme. And soone after the kyng wt a stronge power came and besyeged the castell of Ledes / & in the castell was the lady of Badelsmore bycause ye she wold not graūte that castell to the quene I sabell kyng Edwardes wyfe. But ye princypall cause was bycause ye syr Barthilmewe was agaynst the kyng & helde wt the lordes of Englonde / & neuerthelesse the kynge by helpe and socour of men of London / and also of helpe of southeren men gate the castell maugre of them all [Page] that were within / & toke with them all that they myght fynde. And whan the barons of Englonde herde these tydynges / syr Roger Mor [...]mer & many other lordes toke the towne of Burgworth wt strength / wherfore the kyng was wonders wrothe / & let outlawe Thomas of Lācastre / & Vmfrey de Bohoune erle of Herford / & all those that were assentyng to the same quarell. And the kyng assembled an huge hoost / & came agaynst the lordes of Englonde / wherfore the Mortimers put them in the kynges mercy & grace. And anone they were sente to the toure of London / & there kepte in prison. And whan ye barons herde this thynge they came to Poūtfret castell / where as the erle Thomas soiourned / & told hym how that ye Mortimers both had yelded them to ye kyng / & put them i his grace.
¶ Of the syege of Tykhyll.
WHan Thomas erle of Lancastre herd this / he was wōders wroth and all yt were of his company / & gretly they were discōforted / & ordeyned theyr power togyder / & besyeged the castell of Tykhyll. But those that were within manly defended them / that the barons coude not gete the castell. And whan the kynge herde yt his castell was besyeged he swore by god & by his names / that ye syege sholde be remeued / & assembled an huge power of people and went thyderward to rescowe the castell / & his power encreased from daye to daye. Whan the erle of Lancastre / & the erle of Herford / & the barons of theyr cōpany herde of this thynge / they assembled all theyr power & went to Burton vpon Trent & kepte ye brydge yt the kyng sholde not passe ouer. But it befell so on the .x. daye of Marche in the yere of grace. M .ccc .xxj. the kyng & the Spensers / syr Aymer of Valaūce erle of Penbroke / & Ioh [...]erle of Arūdell and theyr power we [...]t ouer the water & discom [...]yted the erle Thomas & his com pany. And they fled to the castell of Tutbery / & from thens to Poūtfret. And in ye vyage dyed syr Roget Danmore in the abbey of Tuthery. And that same tyme the erle Thomas had a traytour wt him that was called Robert Holand a knight that ye erle had brought vp of nought / & had nourysshed hym in his buttry / and had gyuen hym a. M. marke of londe by yere / & so moche the erle loued hym yt he myght do in ye erles courte all yt hym lyked wt hye & lowe / & so craftely the thefe bare hym / yt his lorde trusted hym more than ony man on lyue. And the erle had ordeyned hym by his lettres for to go in to the erledom of Lācastre to make men aryse to helpe hym in yt viage / that is to saye .v .C. men of armes. But the false traytour came not there no maner men for to warne ne reyse to helpe his lorde. And whan the fals traytour herde tell yt his lord was discōfited at Burton vpon Trent / as a fals traytour thefe stale awaye & robbed in Rauensdele his lordes men yt came from the discōfyture / & toke of them hors & harneys & all yt they had & slewe of them al that he myght take / & came & yelded hym to the kynge. Whan the good erle Thomas wyst yt he was so betrayed / he was sore abasshed / & sayd to hȳselfe. O almighty god how myght Robert Holand fynde in his herte me to betraye / syth I loued hym so moche. O god well may now a man se by hȳ / yt no man may deceyue an other rather than he that he trusteth moost vpon / he hath full euyll yelded me ye goodnes & ye worshyp yt I haue done to hym / & through my kyndnes haue auaūced him & made hym hye where that he was lowe / and he maketh me go from hygh vnto lowe / but yet shall he dye an euyll deth.
¶ Of the discomfyture of Burbrygge.
[...]He good erle syr Thomas of Lancastre / Vmfrey de Bohoune erle of Herford / & the barons that were with them toke coūseyle bytwene them at the freres prechours in Poūfret / Thomas of Lancastre than thought vpon ye treason of Robert Holand / & sayd in reprefe. Alas Robert Holand hath me betrayed / aye is the reed of some euyll shreed. And by the comyn assent they shold go to the castell of Dunstanburgh / ye whiche apperteined to the erledom of Lancastre / & that they shold abyde there tyll that the kyng had forgyuen them his maletalēt. But whan the good erle Thomas herde this / he answered in this maner & sayd. Lordes said he / yf we go toward ye north the northeren men wyll saye that we go towarde the Scottes / and so we shall be holden traytours / for cause of distaūce yt is bytwene kyng Edward & Robert the Brus that made him kyng of Scotlond & therfore I saye as touchynge my selfe I wyll not go no ferther in to the north than to myn owne castell of Pountfret. And whan syr Roger Clifford herd this he arose vp anone in wrath & drewe his swerde on hygh / & swore by almyghty god & by his holy names / but yf that he wolde go wt them / he shold there slee hȳ. The noble & gentyll erle Thomas was sore adrad & sayd. Fayre syrs I wyll go with you whether so euer ye me bydde. Than went they togider in to ye north / & with them they had. vij .C. men of armes / & came to Burbrygge. Whan syr Andrewe of Herkela yt was in the north coūtree through ordynaūce of the kynge for to kepe ye coūtree of Scotlonde herde tell how ye Thomas of Lancastre was dyscomfyted & his company at Burton vpon Trent / he ordeyned hym a stronge power / & syr Symond Ward also / that than was shyref of yorke / and me [...]te the barons at Burbrygge / and anone they brake ye brydge that was made of tree. And whan ye erle Thomas of Lancastre herde that syr Andrewe of Herk [...]a had brought wt hym suche a power / he was sore adrad / and sente for syr Andrewe of Herkela / and with hym spake / & sayd to hym in this maner. Syr Andrewe sayd he / ye may well vnderstande how yt out lorde the kynge is ladde and mysgouerned by moche false coūsey [...]e through syr Hugh Spenser the fader and syr Hugh his sone / & syr Iohn erle of Arundell / & through mayster Robert Baldok a false pylled clerke / that now is dwellyng in ye kynges courte. Wherfore I praye you that ye wyll come with vs with all the power that ye haue ordeyned & helpe to destroye ye venym of Englonde, and the traytours that ben therin / and we wyll gyue vnto you all ye best parte of .v. [...] domes that we haue & holde / & we wyll make vnto you an othe yt we wyll neuer do thynge without your counseyle / & so ye shall be eft as well wt vs as euer was Robert Holand. Than answered syr Andrewe of Herkela & sayd. Syr Thomas that wold I not do no consent therto for no maner thȳge ye myght me gyue wt out the wyll & cōmaūdement of our lord the kynge / for than sholde I be holden a traytour for euermore. And whan yt the noble erle Thomas of Lancastre sawe yt he wolde not consent to hym for no maner thynge / he sayd. Syr Andrew wyll ye not consent to destroye ye ve [...] of the realme as we be / consent at one worde / syr Andrewe I tell the that or this yere be passed that ye shall be taken & holden for a traytour / and more than ony of you holde vs now / & of a worse deth ye shall dye than euer dyd knyght in Englōde / & vnderstāde well yt ye dyd neuer thynge yt sorer shal repēt you / & now go & do what [Page] you good lyketh / & I wyll put me in to the mercy of god. And so wente the fals traytour tyraūt and as a fals forsworne man. For through ye noble erle Thomas of Lancastre he receyued the armes of chyualry / & of hym was made knyght. Than myght men searchers drawe thē on that one syde & on yt other / & knightes also / & thā fought togyder wonders sore And also amonge all other syr Humfrey de Boughon erle of Herforde a worthy knyght of renome through all chrystendom stode & fought with his enemyes vpon the brydge / & as ye noble lorde stode & fought vpon ye brydge / a thefe rybaud skulked vnder the brydge & fyersly with a spere smote the noble knyght in to the foūdament / so ye his bowelles fell about his feet. Alas for sorowe / for there was slayne the floure of solace & cōforte & also of curteysy. And syr Roger of Clifford a noble knyght stode euer & fought / & well & worthely hym defended / but at ye last he was sore wounded in his heed / & syr Willyam of S [...]llay & syr Roger of Bernefelde were slayue at yt batayle. Whan syr Andrewe of Herkela sawe yt syr Thomas men of Lancastre lessed & slaked / anone he & his company came vnto ye gentyll [...]ayght / & sayd vnto hym wt an hye voyce. Yelde the traitour yelde the. The gentyll erle Thomas than answered & sayd. Nay lordes / traitours be we none & to you we wyll vs neuer yelde whyle that our lyues lasteth / but rather wyll we dye [...] our treuth than yelde vs vnto you. And syr Andrewe agayne behelde syr Thomas & his company yellynge & cryenge as a wood wolfe & sayd. Yelde you traytours taken yelde you / sayenge with an hye voyce / beware syrs yt none of you be so hardy vpon lyfe & ly [...] [...]e to mis [...]o Thomas body of Lancastre. And with that worde the good erle Thomas went into the cha [...]e [...] and sayd k [...]elyng vpon his knees / and turned his vysage towarde the crosse and sayd. Almyghty god vnto the I yelde me / & holly I put me vnto thy mercy. And with that the vylayns & rybaudes lepte aboute hym on euery syde as tyrauntes & wood turmentours / and despoyled hym of his ar mure / and clothed hym in a robe of raye that was of his squyers lyuerey / & forth ladde hym vnto Yorke by water. Than myght men se moche sorowe & care. For the gentyll knyghtes fled on euery syde and ye rybaudes & vylayns egerly them descryed / and cryed on hygh / yelde you traytours yelde you. And whan they were yolden / they were robbed & boūde as theues. Alas the shame and despyte that ye gentyll ordre of knyghthode had there at that batayle. And the lond was than without lawe / for holy chirche had than no more reuerence thā yf it had ben a brodell hous. And in that batayle was the fader against the sone / and the vncle agaynst the neuewe. For so moche vnkyndnes there was neuer seen before in Englonde as was that tyme amonge folkes of one nacyon. For one kynrede had no more [...]yte on that other / than an ho [...]gry wolfe hath of a shepe, & it was no wonder. For the grete lordes of Englonde were not all borne of o [...] [...]a [...]yon / but were [...]edled with other na [...]s / that is for to saye / some were Brytons some Sa [...]o [...]s / some [...]nes / some Pehytes / some Fren [...] / some Normās / Spanya [...]des / Romayns / Heno [...]ers / [...] F [...]em [...]ges / with m [...]y other [...]oyons the whiche nacyons ac [...]ed not to the kynde blode of Englond. And yf so gret [...] lordes ha [...] bē onely [...]dded [...]o [...]nglysshe people / than sholde rest and pe [...]s haue ben a [...]ge them without o [...]y en [...]y. And at ye batayle were taken prysoners syr Roger E [...]ord / syr Iohn M [...]bray syr Wyllyam Tuchit / syr Willyam [...]itz [Page Cii] Willyam / & many other worthy knygh tes there were takē at that batayle. And syr Hugh Dandell the nexte daye after was taken & put in to prison / and sholde haue bē done to deth yf he had not spoused the kynges nece that was erle Gylbertes syster of Glocestre. And anone after was syr Barth [...]mew of Badelsmere taken at Stowe parke / a manoyr of the bysshop of Lyncolnes / that was his neuewe / & many other barons & baronets wherfore was made moche sorowe.
¶ How syr Thomas of Lancastre was byheded at Pountfret / and .v. barons & a knyght drawen & hanged there.
NOw I shall tell you of the noble erle syr Thomas of Lancastre. Whan he was taken & brought to yorke many of the cyte were full glad / & vpon hym cryed with an hygh voyce. O syr traytour ye be welcome / blyssed be god / for now ye shall haue the rewarde that longe tyme ye haue deserued. And cast vpon hym many snowe balles / & many other reproues they dyd hym. But the gentyll erle suffred all and sayd not one worde agayne. And at ye same tyme the kynge herde of this discōfyture / & was full glad / and in haste came to Poūtfret and syr Hugh Spenser & syr Hugh his sone / & syr Iohn erle of Arundel / and syr Edmond of wodstok the kynges broder erle of Kent / syr Aymer of Valaūce erle of Penbroke / & mayster Robert Baldok a fals pylled clerke / that was preuy and dwelled in the kynges courte / & all came thyder with the kynge. And the kynge entred in to the castell. And syr Andrewe of Herkela a fals tyraūt through ye kynges cōmaundement toke with hym the gentyll erle Thomas to Pountfret / and there he was prysoned in his owne castell that he had newe made / that stode agaynst the abbey of kynge Edwarde. And syr Hugh Spenser the fader & his sone cast in theyr thoughtes how and in what maner the good erle Thomas of Lancastre shold be put to deth without ony iudgemēt of his peres. Wherfore it was ordeyned through ye kynges Iustices that the kynge shold put vpon hym poyntes of treason. And so it befell that he was ledde to barre before the kynges Iustices bare heded as a thefe in a fayre hall in his own castell where as he had made many a grete feest to riche & poore. And these were his Iustices syr Hugh Spenser the fader / & Aymer of [...]a [...]a [...]e erle of Penbroke / syr Edmōd of wodstok erle of Kent / syr Iohn of Brytayn erle of Rychmond / & syr Robert Mal [...]m [...] Iustice / & this syr Robert him acou [...]ped in this maner. Thomas at the first our lorde ye kyng & this courte excludeth y [...]u of all maner answere. Thomas our l [...]d the kyng putteth vpon you yt ye haue [...] his lōd ryden wt baner displayed against his peas as a traytour. And with that worde yt gentyll erle Thomas wt an [...] voyce sayd. Nay lordes forsoth & by [...]a [...] Thomas I was neuer traytour. The Iustyce sayd agayn. Thomas our lord the kyng putteth vpō you yt ye haue robbed his folke & murdred his people as a thefe. Thomas also ye kyng putteth [...] you yt he discōfyted you & your people wt his folke in his owne realme wherfore ye went & [...]ed to ye wode as an [...]. And Thomas as a traitour ye ought to be hanged by reason but the kyng hath forgyuen you that Iudgement for [...]ue of quene Isabell. And Thomas reason wolde that ye sholde be hanged but the kynge hath forgyuen you yt [...]udgement for loue of your lygnage. But Thomas for as moche as ye were taken fleynge & as an ou [...]lawe ye kyng wyll yt your heed be smytten of as ye haue well deserued [Page] Anoue haue hym out of pr [...]es & brynge hym to his iudgement. Whan ye gentyll knyght Thomas had herd al these wor des / with an hye voyce he cryed sore wepyng & sayd. Alas saint Thomas fayre fader / alas shall I be deed thus. Graūt me now blissedfull god answere. But all auayled hym [...]o thynge. For the cursed Gascoyns put hym hyder & thyder / & on hym cryed wt an hye voyce. O kyng Arthur moost terryble and dredefull / well knowen is now thyn open traytory / an euyll deth shalt thou anone dye / as thou hast well deserued it. And than they set vpon his heed in scorne an olde chapelet that was all to rent that was not worth an halfpeny. And after that they set hȳ vpon a l [...]ne whyte palfrey full vnsemely / & also all bare / & with an olde brydell and with an horryble noyse they droue hym out of the castell toward his deth / and they cast vpon hym many balles of snowe in despyte. And as the traytours ladde hym out of the castel he sayd these pyteous wordes / holdynge vp his handes towarde heuen. Now the kynge of heuen gyue vs mercy / for ye erthly kyng hath vs forsaken. And a frere prechour went with hym out of the castell tyll he came to the place that he ended his lyfe / vnto whom he shroue hȳ of all his lyfe. And the gentyll erle helde the frere wonders fast by the clothes & sayd to hym. Fayre fader abyde with vs tyll that I be deed / for my flesshe quaketh for drede of deth. And the sothe to saye / the gentyl erle set hym vpon his knees and turned hym towarde ye eest. But a rybaud that was called Higone of Moston set hande vpon the gentyl erle / & sayd in despyte of hym. Syr traytour turne the toward ye Scottes thy foule dethe to receyue / and turned hym toward the north. The noble erle Thomas answered than with a mylde voyce & sayd. Now fayre lordes I shall do your wyll. And with ye worde the frere went from hym sore wepynge And anone a rybaud wente to hym and smote of his heed the .xi. Kal. of Apryll / in the yere of grace. M .CCC. and .xxi. Alas yt euer suche a gentyll blode sholde be put to deth wtout cause & reason. And traytoursly was the kynge counseyled whan he through the fals coūseyle of ye Spensers suffred syr Thomas his vncles sone to be put to suche a deth & so by heded agaynst all reason. And grete pite it was also yt suche a noble kynge sholde be deceyued and mysgouerned through coūseyle of ye fals Spensers the whiche he maynteyned through loselry against his honour & also ꝓfyte. For afterwarde there fell grete vengeaūce in Englonde bycause of the foresayd Thomas dethe. ¶ Whan the gentyll erle of his lyf was passed / the pryour & ye monkes of Poūtfret gate the body of syr Thomas of the kyng / and they buryed it before the hye awter on ye ryght syde. That same daye that this gētyl knyght was deed / there were hanged & drawen for ye same quarell at Poūtfret / syr Wyllyam Tuchet / syr William fitz William / syr Warreyn of ysell / syr Henry of Bradborne / and syr Wyllyam Chayny / barons all / & Iohn Page squyer. And soone after at Yorke were drawen & hāged sir Roger Clifford syr Iohn of Mambray barōs / & syr Goselyn Dauyll knyght. And at Brystowe were drawen and hanged / syr Henry of wemyngton / and syr Henry Mounford barons. And at Glocestre were drawen and hanged syr Iohn Geffard / and syr Willyam of Elmebrugge barons. And at London were drawen & hanged / syr Henry Tyes baron. And at Wynchelse syr Thomas Colepeper knyght. And at Wyndsore was drawen and hanged syr Fraūceys of waldenham baron. And at Caūterbury was drawen & hanged syr [Page Ciii] Barthylmewe Badelsmore / & syr Barthylmewe of Asshebourneham barons / And at Cardyfe in Wales syr Willyam Flemmynge baron.
¶ How kyng Edward went in to Scotlonde with an hondred thousande men of armes / and myght not spede.
ANd whā kyng Edward of Englonde had brought the floure of chyualry vnto theyr deth through coun seyle & consent of syr Hugh Spenser the fader / and syr Hugh the sone / he became as wood as ony lyon. And what so euer the Spensers wolde haue / it was done / so well the kynge loued them that they myght do wt hym all thynge yt them lyked / wherfore ye kyng gaue to syr Hugh Spenser the fader the erledom of Wynchestre / & to syr Andrewe of Herkela the erledom of Cardoyll in preiudyce and in harmynge of his crowne. And kyng Edward than through coūseyle of ye Spensers disheryted all them that had ben agaynst hȳ in ony quarell wt Thomas of Lancastre / & many other were disheryted also / bycause yt the Spensers coueyted to haue theyr lōdes / & so they had all that they wolde desyre with wronge & agaynst all reason. Than made ye kyng Robert Baldok a fals pylled clerke chaū celer of Englonde / through coūseyle of ye foresayd Spensers / & he was a fals rybaude and a couetous. And so they coū seyled the kyng moche that the kyng let take to his own warde all ye goodes of ye lordes yt were put wrongfully to deth in to his own hādes. And as well they toke the goodes yt were wtin holy chirche as ye goodes yt were wtout / & let them be put in to his tresoury in London / & let them call his forfeytes. And by theyr coūseyle the kyng wrought / for euermore he disheryted them yt ought the goodes. And through theyr coūse [...]le let arere a tallage of all ye goodes of Englond / wherfore he was ye richest kyg ye euer was in englōd after Willyam bas [...]ard of Norman [...]y ye conquered Englonde. And yet through counseyle of them hy semed ye he had not ynough / but made yet euery towne of Englonde for to fynde a man of armes vpon theyr own costes / for to go & warre vpon the Scottes yt were his enemyes / wherfore ye kyng went in to scotlonde wt an .C. M. men of armes at whitsontyde in ye yere of our lord. M .CCC .xxij. But the scottes went & hyd them in wodes & in mountaynes & taryed ye englysshmen fro day to day / yt the kyng myght for no maner thȳge fynde them in playn [...] [...] wherfore many englisshmen ye had [...] vytayles dyed there for honger wōders fast / & sod [...]ynly in goynge & comynge & namely those that had ben against Thomas of Lācastre & robbed his men vpon his lōdes. Whan kyng Edward sawe yt vytayles fayled hym / he was wonders sore dyscōforted / bycause also yt his men dyed: & for he might not spede of his enemyes. So at ye last he came aga [...] to Englōde. And anone after came Iames douglas & also Thomas [...] huge hoost into Northumberlonde & wt them ye englysshmen yt were dryuen out of Englonde / & came & robbed ye [...] & slewe the people & also br [...]nt a [...]owne that was called Northall [...] & many other townes to Yorke. And whan the kyng herde these tydynges he let [...]m [...]n all maner of men that myght trauayle. And so the Englysshmen mette y• Scottes at the abbey of [...]eyghlonde the .xv. daye after Myghelmasse in y• sam [...] yere aboue sayd and the Englysshmen were discomfyted. And at that dyscomfytu [...] was taken syr Iohn of Brytayn erle of Rychemond that helde the coūtre [...] and the erledome of Lancastre and after he [Page] payed an huge raunsom and was let go And after that he went in to Fraunce / & came neuer afterwarde agayne.
¶ How syr Andrewe of Herkela was taken & put to deth y• was erle of Cardoyll.
THan at y• tyme was syr Andrew of Herkela that newe was made erle of Cardoyll / bycause y• he had taken the good erle Thomas of Lancastre. He had ordeyned through y• kynges cōmaū demēt of Englonde for to brynge him all the power y• he myght for to helpe hȳ agaynst y• Scottes at y• abbey of Beyghlonde. And whan the fals traytour had gadred all y• people y• he myght & sholde haue comē to y• king to y• abbey of Beighlond / the fals traytour ladde them by an other countree through Copelonde / and through y• erledom of Lancastre / & went through y• coūtree & robbed & slewe folke all y• he myght. And ferthermore y• fals traytour had taken a grete sōme of gold & syluer of syr Iames Douglas for to be agaynst y• kyng of Englond / & to be helpyng & holdyng wt the scottes / through whose treason y• kyng of Englond was discomfyted at Beighlonde or y• he came thyder. Wherfore y• kynge was toward hym wonders wroth / & let pryuely enquyre by y• coūtre aboute how y• it was. And so men enquyred & espyed / that at y• last the trouth was foūde & sought / and he atteynt & taken as a fals traitour / as the good erle Thomas of Lācastre hym tolde / or that he was put to dethe at his takynge at Burbrydge / & to hym sayd / or that yere were done he shold be taken & holden a traytour. And so it was as y• holy man sayd. Wherfore the kyng sent priuely to syr Anthony of Lucy a knight of the coūtree of Cardoyll that he sholde take syr Andrewe of Herkela & put hym to deth. And to bryng this thynge to an ende / the kynge sente his cōmyssyon / so that this same Andrewe was taken at Cardoyll & ledde to the barre in y• maner of an erle worthely arayed / and with a swerde gyrde aboute hym / and boted & sporred. Thā spake syr Anthony in this maner / syr Andrewe sayd he / the kynge putteth vpon the for as moche as y• hast benorped in thy dedes he dyd to the moche honour / & made the erle of Cardoyll & thou as a traytour to thy lorde laddest the people of his countree y• sholde haue holpe hym at y• batayle of Beighlond / & thou laddest them away by y• coūtree of Copelonde & through y• erledom of Lancastre / wherfore our lorde y• kynge was discōfyted there of the Scottes through thy treason & falsnes / & yf thou haddest comen betymes he had had the batayle / And treason y• dydest for y• grete somme of gold and syluer that thou receyued of Iames Douglas a Scotte the kynges enemy. And our lorde y• kyng wyll that the ordre of knyghthode by the whiche y• receyued all thyne honour and worship vpon thy body / be all brought to nought & thyne estate vndone / y• other knightes of lower degree may after be ware / the whiche lord hath hugely auaunced the in dyuers coūtrees of Englonde / & that all may take ensample by y• / theyr lorde afterward truly for to serue. Than commaūded he a knaue anoue to hewe of his sporres on his heles. And after he lette breke the swerde ouer his heed / the whiche the kyng gaue hym for to kepe & defende his londe therwith whan he had made hym erle of Cardoyl. And after he let hȳ be vnclothed of his furred tabard and of his hode / & of his furred cotes / & of his gyrdell. And whā this was done syr Anthony sayd than to hym. Andrew sayd he / now arte thou no knyght / but a knaue / and for thy treason the kynge wyll that y• shalte be hanged & drawen / [Page Ciiii] and thy heed smytten of / & thy bowelles taken out of thy body & brent before the & thy body quartred / & thy heed sente to Londō / & there it shall stande vpon London brydge / & the foure quarters shal be sente to foure townes of Englonde / that all other may be ware & chastised by the And as syr Anthony said / so it was done all maner thynge on y• last daye of October / in the yere of grace. M .CCC .xxij. And y• sonne turned in to blode as y• people it sawe / & that dured from y• morowe tyll it was .xj. of the clocke of the daye.
¶ Of y• myracles that god wrought for saynt Thomas of Lancastre / wherfore the kynge let close in the chirche dores of the pryory of Pountfret / that no man sholde come therin for to offre.
ANd soone after that y• good erle Thomas of Lācastre was martyred / there was a preest that lōge tyme had ben blynde / dremed in his slepe y• he sholde go to y• hyll there y• good erle Thomas of Lancastre was put to deth / & he sholde haue his syght agayn / & so he dremed thre nyghtes suynge / & y• preest let lede him to y• same hyll / & whan he came to the place y• he was martyred on / full deuoutly he made there his prayers / & prayed god & saȳt Thomas y• he myght haue his syght agayne / & as he was in his prayers / he layde his ryght hande vpon y• same place y• the good man was martyred on / and a drop of drye blode & small sande cleued on his hande / & therwith stryked his eyen / & anone through the myght of god and saint Thomas he had his syght agayne / & thanked than almyghty god & saynt Thomas. ¶ And whā this myracle was knowen amōge men / y• people came thyder on euery syde and kneled & made theyr prayers at his tombe that is in y• pryory of Poūtfret / & prayed y• holy martyr of socour & helpe / & god herde theyr prayers. ¶ Also there was a yonge childe drowned in a welle in y• towne of Poūtfret / & was deed thre dayes & thre nyghtes / and men came & layde y• deed chilo [...] vpon saynt Thomas tombe y• holy martyr / & the chylde arose frō deth to lyfe / as many a man it sawe. ¶ Also moche people were out of theyr mynde / & god sent them theyr mynde agayn / through vertue of y• holy martyr. ¶ Also god hath gyuen there to exepyls theyr goynge / & to croked theyr handes & theyr feet / & to blynde also theyr fyght and to many seke folke theyr helth of byuers dyseases / for y• loue of this martyr. ¶ Also there was a ryche man in Co [...] dom in Gascoyn / and suche a malady he had that all his ryght syde ro [...]ed & fell away frō hym y• men might se his [...]uer & his herte / & so he stanke y• vnneth men myght come nye hȳ / wherfore his frendes were for hym wonders sory / but at the last as god wold they prayd to saynt Thomas of Lancastre y• he wold praye to god for that prisoner / & behyght to go to Poūtfret for to do theyr pylgrymage he thought y• the martyr sam [...] Thomas came to him & anou [...]ted ouer all his seke body / & therwith the good man aweke & was all hole / & his flesshe was restored agayn y• before was torred & fallē away For whiche myracle the good man & his frendes loued god & saint Thomas euer more after. And this good man came in to Englonde / & toke with hym foure selowes and came to Poūtfret to the holy martyr / & dyd theyr pylgrymage / & the good man that was seke came thyder al naked / saue his preuy clothes. And whā they had done / they turned home agayn in to theyr owne roūtree / and tolde of the myracle where so euer that they came. ¶ And also two men haue bē heled there of the mormale / through helpe of y• holy [Page] martyr / though that euyll be holden incurable. ¶ And whan y• Spensers herd that god dyd suche myracles for this holy man / they wold not byleue it in no maner wyse / but said openly y• it was grete heresy suche vertue of hȳ to byleue. And whan syr Hugh Spenser the sone sawe all this doynge / anone he sente his messenger from Poūtfret where as he dweled to kyng Edward / that than was at Grauen at Scipton / bycause y• the kyng sholde vndo y• pylgrymage. And as y• ry baud messenger went to ward the kyng for to do his message / he came by the hyll where as the good martyr was done to deth / & in the same place he made his ordure / & whā he had done he rode toward the king / & a stronge flyxe came vpon hȳ or that he came to Yorke / & thā he shedde all his bowels at his foundament. And whan syr Hugh Spenser herde these ty dynges / somdele he was adradde / and thought for to vndo y• pilgrymage yf he myght by ony maner waye. And anone he went to the kyng & sayd y• they shold be in grete sclaūdre through out all chry stendom for the deth of Thomas of Lancastre / yf that he suffred the people to dō theyr pylgrymage at Pountfret / & so he coūseyled y• kyng y• he cōmaūded to close the chirche dores of Poūtfret / in y• whiche y• holy martyr was buryed / & thus they dyd agaynst all fraūchyses of holy chirche / so y• foure yere after myght no pylgrym come to y• holy body / & bycause that the monkes suffred men to come & honour y• holy body of saynt Thomas y• martyr / through counseyle of syr Hugh Spenser the sone / & through coūseyle of mayster Robert Baldok the false pylled clerke the kynges chaunceler / the kyng consented that they sholde be set to theyr wages: & let make wardeyns ouer theyr own good longe tyme / & through cōmaū dement of y• foresayd syr Hugh Spenser xiiij. gascoyns well armed kept the hyll where as the good man saynt Thomas was done to dethe / so that no pylgrym might come by y• waye. Full well wend he to haue taken Chrystes myght & his power & the grete boos of myracles that he shewed for his martyr saȳt Thomas through all christendom. And that same tyme the king made Robert Baldok the fals pylled clerke through prayer of syr Hugh Spensers sone chaūceler of Englonde. And in y• same tyme was y• castell of Walyngford holden agaynst y• kynge through y• prysoners that were wtin the castell for saynt Thomas quarell of Lancastre. Wherfore the people of y• coūtree came & toke the castell vpon y• prisoners. Wherfore syr John Goldington knight & syr Edmond of Beche prisoners / and a squyer yt was Roger of Walton were taken & sent to y• kyng to Poūtfret / & there they were put in prison / & y• foresayd Roger was sent to yorke / and there he was drawen & hanged. And anone after syr Roger Mortimer of wigmore brake out of the Toure of London in this maner. The foresayd Roger herde yt he shold be drawen & hanged at London on the morowe after saynt Laurence daye / & on y• daye before he helde a fayre feest in the toure of London / & there was syr Stephen Segraue cōstable of y• toure & many grete men wt them / & whā they shold soupe / y• foresayd Stephen sent for all y• officers of y• toure / & they came & souped with hym / & whā they shold take theyr leue of hȳ / a squyer yt hyght Stephen yt was full preuy with the foresaid Roger through his coūseyle gaue them suche a drȳke y• the lest of them al slept .ij. days & ij. nyghtes / & in the meane tyme he escaped away by y• ryuer of Tamys / & went ouer y• see & helde hym in Fraūce. Wherfore the king was sore anoyed / & put the same Stephen out of his Cōstablery.
¶ How quene. Isabell went in to Fraū ce for to treate of peas bytwene her lorde the kynge of Englonde and the kynge of Fraunce her broder.
THe kynge went than to London and there through coūseyle of syr Hugh Spenser the fader & of his sone & of mayster Robert Baldok a fals pylled clerke his chaunceler / let sease than all the quenes londes in to his handes / and also all the londes y• were syr Edwardes his sone / & were so put to theyr wages agaynst all maner of reason / & that was through y• falsnes of the Spensers. And whan the kyng of Fraūce yt was quene Isabelles broder herde of this falsnes / he was sore anoyed agaynst y• kynge of Englonde & his fals coūseylers. Wherfore he sent a lettre to kyng Edward vnder his seale / yt he shold come in to Fraū ce at a certayn day for to do his homage & therto he somoned hym / & els he shold lese all Gascoyn. ¶ And so it was ordeyned in Englond through the kyng & his coūseyle that quene Isabell sholde go in to Fraūce for to treate of peas bytwene her lorde & her broder. And that Olyuer of yngham sholde go in to Gascoyn / and haue with hym .vij. M. men of armes & more / to be senesshall & wardeyn of Gascoyn. And so it was ordeyned that quene Isabell went in to Fraunce / & with her went syr Aymer of Valaūce erle of Pen broke / that was there murdred sodeynly in a preuy syege / but yt was through goddes vengeaūce / for he was one of the Iustyces y• consented to saynt Thomas deth of Lancastre / & wolde neuer after tepent him of that wycked dede. And at that tyme syr Olyuer of yngham went ouer in to Gascoyn / & dyd moche harme to the kyng of Fraūce / and than he gate agayne that kynge Edwarde had lost / and moche more therto.
¶ How kynge Edwarde sent syr Edward his sone the eldest in to Fraūce.
THe quene Isabell had but a quarter of a yere dwelled in Fraunce whan syr Edward her eldest sone as [...]d leue for to go in to Fraūce for to speke wt his moder Isabell y• quene. And his fader y• kyng graūted hym wt a good wyll & sayd to hȳ / go my fayre sone in goddes blessyng & myne / & thynke for to come agayn as hastely as ye may. And he wēt ouer see in to Fraūce / & y• kyng of Fraūce his vncle receyued hȳ wt moche honour & sayd to him. Fayre sone ye be welcome & for bycause yt your fader came nor to do his homage for y• duchy of Guy [...]nne as his auncesters were wont to do [...] I gyue you y• lordship to hold it of me ī herytege as all maner auncestres dyd before you wherfore he was called duke of Guyen.
¶ How the kyng exiled his quene Isabell and Edwarde his eldest sone.
WHan kyng Edward of Englonde herde tell how y• kynge of Fraūce had gyuen y• duchy of Guyen to syr Edward his sone / wtout cōsent & wyll of hȳ & that his sone had receyued y• duchy [...] became wōders wroth: & sent to his sone by lettre & to his wyfe also y• they sh [...]ld come agayn in to Englonde in all haste. And the quene Isabel & syr Edward her sone were wonders sore adrad of y• kynges menaces & of his wrath / & pryncypally for y• falsnes of y• Spensers / bothe of the fader & also of the sone & at his cō maūdement they wold not come. Wherfore kyng Edward was full sore anoyed & let make a crye at London / that yf the quene Isabell & Edward his eldest sone came not in to Englonde yt they shold be holden as enemyes / bothe to ye realme & also to the crowne of Englond. And for yt they wolde not come in to Englond / but [Page] bothe were exiled the moder & her sone. Whan ye quene herd these tydynges / she was sore adrad to be destroyed through the fals coniectynge of the Spensers / & went wt the knyghtes yt were exiled out of Englonde for saynt Thomas cause of Lancastre / that is to saye / syr Roger of wigmore / syr Williā Trussell / syr Iohn of Tromwell / & many other good knightes / wherfore they toke theyr coūseyle & ordeyned amōge them for to make a maryage bytwene ye duke of Guyen ye kynges sone of Englonde & ye erles doughter of Henaud / yt was a noble knyght of name & a doughty in his tyme / & yf yt thynge myght be brought about / than stode they trowynge wt ye helpe of god & wt his helpe to recouer theyr herytage in Englōde / wherof they were put out through the fals coniectynge of the Spensers.
¶ How kynge Edward through counseyle of the Spensers sente to the douze pers of Fraunce that they sholde helpe that the quene Isabell & her sone syr Edward were exiled out of Fraunce.
WHan kynge Edward & the Spensers herde how yt quene Isabell & syr Edward her sone had alyed them to the erle of Henaud / & to them that were exiled out of Englonde for cause of Thomas of Lācastre / they were so sory that they wyst not what to do. Wherfore syr Hugh Spenser ye sone sayd to syr Hugh his fader in this maner wyse. Fader cursed be ye tyme & the coūseyle that euer ye consented that quene Isabell shold go in to Fraūce for to treate of accord bytwene the kynge of Englonde & her broder the kyng of Fraūce / for that was your coū seyle / for at yt tyme forsothe your wytte fayled / for I drede me sore leest through her & her sone we shall be destroyed / but yf we take the better coūseyle. ¶ Now fayre syrs vnderstāde how meruaylous felony & falshede the Spensers ymagyned & cast. For pryuely they let fyll .v. barels ferrours wt siluer / the somme amoū ted to .v. M. poūde / & they sent those barels ouer see pryuely by an alyen yt was called Arnolde of Spayne / that was a broker of London / that he sholde go to ye douzepers of Fraunce / that they sholde procure & speke to the kynge of Fraunce that quene Isabell & her sone Edwarde were dryuen & exiled out of Fraūce / and amōge all other thȳges that they were brought to the deth as pryuely as they myght. But almyghty god wold not so For whā this Arnold was in ye hygh see he was taken with Selanders yt mette hym in the hygh see / & toke hym & ladde hym to the erle of Henaud theyr lorde / & moche ioye was made for that takyng. And at the last this Arnold pryuely stale away fro thens & came to London. And of this takyng and of other thynges the erle of Henaud sayd to the quene Isabell Dame make you mery & be of good chere / for ye be richer than ye wend to haue [...]n / & take these .v. barels full of siluer yt were sente to the douzepers of Fraunce for to slee you and your sone Edward / & thynke hastely for to go in to Englonde / & take ye with you syr Iohn of Henaud my broder and .v .C. men of armes / for many of them of Fraunce in whome ye haue had grete trust / do but scorne you. And almyghty god graunte you grace your enemyes to ouercome. Than sent the quene Isabell through Henaud and Flaūdres for her soudyours / and ordeyned her euery daye for to goo in to Englonde agayne. And so she had in her company syr Edmonde of Woodstocke / that was erle of Kent / and was also syr Edwardes broder of Englonde.
¶ How kyng Edward let kepe ye costes [Page Cvi] by the see / & let trye all the pryce men of armes & fote men through Englonde.
[...]Nd whan kyng Edward herde tell that quene Isabel & Edward her sone wolde come in to Englond with a grete power of alyens / and with them that were outlawed out of Englonde for theyr rebellyousnes / he was sore adrad to be put downe / and for to lese his kyngdome / wherfore he ordeyned to kepe his castels in Wales as well as in Englond with vytayles & theyr apparayle / & let kepe his riuers & also ye see costes / wher of the .v. portes toke to kepe them & also the see. And at the feest of Decollacion of saynt Iohn baptist / the citezyns of London sent to the king to Porchestre an .C. men of armes. And also he cōmaūded by his lettres ordeyned / yt euery hondred & wepentake of Englonde / to trye as well men of armes as mē on fote / & that they sholde be put in .xx. somme / & in an hondred somme / & cōmaūded yt al those men were redy whan ony oyes or crye were made / for to pursue & take ye alyens that came in to Englonde for to take the londe from hym & put hȳ out of his kyngdom And more ouer he let crye through his patent in euery feyre & in euery market of Englond / yt the quene Isabel & syr Edward his eldest sone & the erle of Kent / yt they were taken & safely kepte wout ony maner of harme vnto them doynge / & al other maner people yt came with them anone smyte of theyr hedes without ony maner of raūsom takynge of them. And what man might brȳge syr Roger Mortimers heed of wygmore / shold haue an C. poūde of money for his trauayle. And ferthermore he ordeyned by his patent & cōmanuded to make a fyre vpon euery hyll / besyde ye ryuers & in lowe coūtrees for to make hye bekens of tymbre / that yf it so were that the alyens came to the loude by nyght / that men sholde kyndle the bekens / that the countree myght be warned & come & mete theyr enemyes. And in that tyme dyed syr Roger Mortimer his vncle in the [...]ou [...]e of London.
¶ How the quene Isabell & syr Edward duke of Guyenne her so [...]e came to londe at Herewich / and how they dyd.
[...]Nd whan quene Isabel and syr Edward her sone duke of Guyenne / syr Edmonde of Wodstocke erle of Kent / and syr Iohn the [...]ri [...]s [...] of Henaud and theyr company d [...]adde [...] the threteuynges of kynge Edward [...] of his traytours / for they trusted a [...] goddes grace / and came vnto [...] in Suffolke the. xxii [...]j. daye of September / & in the yere of our lord Iesu Christ M .CCC. xxv [...]. And the quene & [...] Edward her sone sent lettres to the May [...] and comynalte of London / r [...]ge them that they wolde be helpyng in the quarell and cause that they had beg [...] that is to saye / to destroye the [...]ray [...]ou [...]s of the realme. But none answere was sent agayne / wherfore ye quene & syr Edward her sone sent another pa [...] [...] vnder theyr seales / the [...] of wh [...] che lettre here foloweth in this maner. ¶ Isabell by the grace of god quene of Englonde / lady of Irlonde & coūcesse of Pountyf / & we Edward the eldest sone of the kynge of Englonde duke of Guyenne / erle of Chestre / of Pounty [...] and of Moustroyll / to the Mayre and [...]o all the comynalce of the cite of London sendeth gretynge. For as moche as we haue before this tyme sent to you by our lettres how we be come in to [...]his londe in good araye & in good maner / for the honour & ꝓfyte of holy chirche & of our ryght dere lorde ye kynge & all ye realme with all our myght to kepe & maynteyn / as we [...] all [Page] the good folke of the foresayd realme are holden to do. And vpon yt we praye you that ye wyll be helpyng to vs in as moche as ye may in this quarell that is for the comyn profyce of ye foresayd realme. And we haue had to this [...]yme none answere to the foresayd lettres / ne knowe not your mynde in that party. Wherfore we sende to you agayn & praye & charge you that ye bere you so agaynst vs that we haue no cause to greue you / but that ye be vnto vs helpyng by all the wayes that ye may / or may know. For wyte ye well in certayn that we & all yt be comen with vs in to this realme / thynke not to do ony thynge / but yt thynge yt shall be to the comyn ꝓfyte of all ye realme / & onely to destroye Hugh Spenser our enemy / & enemy to al ye realme / as ye it well know Wherfore we praye you & charge you in the fayth yt ye owe to our lyege lorde the kyng & to vs / & vpon all yt ye shall mowe forfayte agaynst vs / yt yf the sayd Hugh spēser our enemy come wtin your power that ye do hȳ hastely to be taken & safely kepe vntyll we haue ordeyned of hȳ our wyll / & yt ye leue it not in no maner wyse as ye desyre honour & profyte of vs all & of all the realme. Vnderstande ye well that yf ye do this our prayer & cōmaundement / we wyll the more be holden vn to you. And also ye shall gete you worshyp and pryfyte yf ye sende vs hastely answere of all your wyll agayn at Baldok / the syxth daye of October. Whiche lettre erly in the dawnynge of the day of saynt Denys was tacked vpon ye newe crosse in chepe / & many copyes of ye same lettre were tacked vpon windowes and dores and vpon other places in the cite of London / yt all men passyng by the waye myght them se & rede. And in the same tyme kyng Edward was at London in the toure at his meet / and a messenger came in to the hall & sayd that the quene Isabell was comē to londe at Herewich & hath brought in her cōpany syr Iohn of Henaude / & with hym men of armes without nombre. And with that worde syr Hugh Spenser ye fader spake & thus sayd vnto ye kynge. My moost worshypfull lorde & kyng of Englond / now make we good chere / for certaynly they ben all ours. The kynge herde this worde cō fortable / yet was he full sorowfull & pen syfe in his herte. And the kynge had not fully eten / but there came in to ye hall an other messenger / & sayd yt the quene Isabell was arryued at Herewich besyde Ipswyche in Suffolk. Syr Hugh spenser the fader spake to ye messenger & said Tell soth in good fayth my fayre frende is she comē wt a grete strength. Now certes syr the soth for to saye / she ne hath in her company but .vij. hondred men of armes. And with yt worde syr Hugh spenser the fader cryed with an hygh voyce and sayd. Alas alas we ben al betrayed for certes wt so lytel power she had neuer comen to londe but yf ye folke of this londe were vnto her consentyng. And therfore after meet they toke theyr counseyle and went towarde Wales for to arere ye Walshmen agaynst the quene Isabell & Edward her sone / all for to fyght / and so they were in purpose euerychone.
¶ How mayster Walter Stapylton bisshop of Excestre ye was the kynges tresourer was heded at London.
[...]Nd in the same tyme kyng Edward was sore adrad lest yt men of London wolde yelde them to ye quene Isabel & to her sone Edward. Wherfore he set mayster Walter Stapylton his tresourer for to be wardeyn & keper of ye cite of London wt the Mayre / & so came to the [...]ylde hall of London / & asked the keyes of the gates of the Cyte / through [Page Cvii] vertue and strength of his cōmyssyon / & wolde haue had ye kepyng of ye cite. And the comuners answered and sayd that they wolde kepe the cite to the honour of kynge Edwarde & of Isabell the quene and of the duke ye kynges sone wtout ony moo. Than was ye bysshop sore anoyed / and swore othes yt they all sholde abye it anone as kynge Edwarde were comen out of Wales. And all the comuners of the Cite anone toke the bysshop & ladde hym amyddes of the Chepe / and there they smote of his heed / & set his heed in his ryght hande. And after they heded two of his squyers that helde with the bysshop / & one of them was called Wyllyam of Wayle / that was the bysshops neuewe / & that other was called Iohn of Padington. And also they toke a burgeys of London that was called Iohn Marshall / that was syr Hugh spensers spye the fader / & smote of his heed also. In the same tyme yt bisshop had at London a fayre toure in makyng in his close vpon the ryuer of Tamys / yt was wtout temple barre / & stone fayled to make an ende therof / wherfore he cōmanded his men to go to the freres Carmes / & there they toke stone to make therwt the toure & moche sande & morter & olde robous yt was lefte. And for the despyte yt the bysshop had done vnto holy chirche: he & his two squyers were buryed in ye sande / as though they had ben hoūdes / and there they laye .xj. wekes / tyll that the quene Isabell sent her lettres to the comuners & prayed them that they wolde suffre & graūt / that the bysshop myght be taken out of ye place & be buryed at Excestre in his own chirche / & so he was / & his two squyers were buryed at saint Clemētes chirche wtout temple barre. And it was no wonder though that bysshop dyed an euyl deth / for he was a couetous man / & had wt hym no mercy / & euyll coūseylled the kynge. And soone after was Arnold of Spayne taken / that assented to haue ladde .v. M. poūde of syluer in .v. barels ferryers vnto ye douze [...]ers of Fraūce / for to helpe & haste the quene Isabell to her deth / & Edward her sone also. And this Arnold was put to deth wtout the cite.
¶ How kyng Edward & syr Hugh spenser & the erle of Arundell were taken.
WHan kynge Edwarde had sente mayster Walter Stap [...]lton his tresourer to London / for to kepe the cite vnto hym agaynst ye quene Isabell his wyfe / & agaynst Edwarde his sone / anone hymselfe toke with hym sir Hugh Spenser ye sene / and syr Iohn o [...] Arundell / & mayster Robert Ba [...]dok his chaunceler a fals pylled prcest / and toke theyr waye toward Brystowe / & there ye kynge abode a lytell tyme / and made syr Hugh Spenser the fader as Cōstable & keper of ye castell. And ye kȳg & that other spenser went to shyppe & sayled toward Wales / & toke no leue of ye steward n [...] of none of ye kynges houshold & w [...] euer in to Wales for to arere the W [...] agaynst dame Isabel the quene and the duke her sone / & the erle of Kent and syr Iohn of Henaud. And they went & pursued after thē / & theyr power encreased dayly. So at ye last the kyng was taken vpon an hyll in Wales & syr Hugh spenser ye sone on ye other syde of ye same [...]yll / & the false pylled clerke mayster Robert Baldok there fast besydes them / & they were brought agayn in to Englonde as almyghty god wolde. And ye kyng hym selfe was put in safe kepyng in ye castell of Kelynworth / & hym kepte syr Henry that was saynt Thomas broder of Lancastre. And syr Hugh ye fader came & put hym in the quenes grace & syr Edwarde her sone duke of Guy [...]. But syr Hugh [Page] Spenser after the tyme y• he was taken he wolde neyther ete nor drynke / for he wyst well he shold haue no mercy / saue onely to be deed. And the quene & her coū seyle had ordeyned that he sholde haue ben done to deth at London / but he was so feble for his moche fastynge y• he was nygh deed / & therfore it was ordeyned y• he shold haue his iudgement at Herford And at a place of y• toure his hode was taken frō his heed / & also frō Robert Bal dok yt fals pylled clerke & y• kynges chaū celer / & mē set vpō theyr hedes chaplets of sharpe nettyls / & two squyers blewe in theyr eres wt two grete bugles hornes vpon the two prisouers / that one myght here theyr blowynge more than a myle. And one Symond of Redyng y• kynges marshall bare before them vpon a spere theyr armes reuersed: in token that they sholde be vndone for euermore. And on y• morowe was syr Hugh Spenser y• sone dampned to deth / & was drawen & hanged & heded / & his bowelles taken out of his body & brent / & after yt he was quartred / & his .iiij. quarters were sent to. iiij townes of Englonde / & his heed sente to London brydge. And this Symond for cause that he despysed quene Isabell he was drawen & hanged on a stage made amyddes y• foresaid syr Hughs galowes And y• same daye a lytell frō thens was syr Iohn of Arundell byheded / bycause he was one of syr Hugh Spenses counseylers. And anone after was syr Hugh Spenser y• fader drawen & hanged & heded at Brystowe / & after hanged agayn by the armes wt two stronge ropes: & the fourth day after he was hewen all to pe ces / & hoūdes ete hym. And bycause the kyng had gyuen hym y• erledom of wyn chestre his heed was put vpon a spere & sente thyder. And the fals Baldok was sent to London / & there he dyed in prison amōge theues / for men dyd hȳ no more reuerence than they wold do to a dogge. And so dyed y• traytours of Englōd blissed be god. And it was no wonder / for through theyr coūseyle y• good erle Tho mas of Lācastre was done to deth / & all that helde with Thomas of Lancastre through the traytours were vndone / & all theyr heyres disheryted.
¶ How kyng Edward was put downe and his dignite taken from hym.
ANd anone after as all this was done / quene Isabell & Edwarde her sone duke of Guyenne / & all the grete lordes of Englonde at one assent sente to kyng Edward to y• castell of Kenilworth where as he was in kepynge vnder the warde of syr Iohn Hachim that was y• bysihop of Ely / & of syr Iohn of Percy a baron / for bycause that he sholde ordeyn his parlyament at a certayne place in Englond / for to redresse and amende the estate of the realme. And kyng Edward them answered & sayd. Lordes sayd he ye se full well how it is / lo haue here my seale / and I gyue you all my power for to ordeyne a parlyament where that ye wyll. And than they toke theyr leue of hym & came agayn to y• barons of Englonde. And whan they had the kynges patent of this thynge / they shewed it to the lordes. And than was ordeyned that the parliament shold be at westmynster at the vtas of saynt Hylary. And all the grete lordes of Englonde let ordeyne for them there agaynst that tyme that the parlyament sholde be. At whiche daye that y• parlyament was / the kyng wolde not come there for no maner thynge as he had set hymselfe & assygned. And neuerthelesse the barons sent vnto hym one tyme & other. And he swore by goddes soule that he wolde not come there one fote. Wherfore it was ordeyned by all the grete Lordes of Englonde that [Page Cviii] he sholde no longer be kyng / but be depo sed / & sayd they wolde crowne Edward his sone y• elder yt was duke of Guyenne And sent tydynges vnto the kyng there as he was in warde vnder syr Iohn erle of Garen / & syr Iohn of Bothun yt was bysshop of Ely / & syr Henry Percy a baron / & syr Willyam Trussell a knyght y• was with y• erle Thomas of Lancastre for to yeld vp theyr homages vnto hym for all them of Englonde. And syr Wyllyam Trussell sayd these wordes. Syr Edward / bycause that ye haue betrayed your people of Englond / & haue vndone many grete lordes or Englond without ony cause / ye shall be deposed / & now ye be withstande thanked be god. And also bycause that ye wold not come to y• parliament as ye ordeyned at Westmynster as in your owne lettre patent is conteyned / for to treate wt your lyege men as a kyng sholde. And therfore through all y• comyns assent & of all the lordes of Englonde I tell vnto you these wordes. Ye shall vnderstande syr that the barons of Englond at one assent wyll that ye be no more king of Englond / but vtterly haue put you out of your ryalte for euermore. And the bysshop of Ely than sayd to the kynge. Syr Edwarde here I yelde vp feaute & homage for all y• archebisshops & bysshops of Englond & for all y• clergy. Than sayd syr Iohn erle of Garen. Syr Edward I yelde vp here vnto you feau te and homage for me & for all y• erles of Englōde. And syr Henry Percy gaue vp also there his homage for him & for all y• barons of Englonde. And than sayd syr William Trussell. I yelde vp now vnto you syr myn homage for me & for all the knyghtes of Englonde / & for all them y• holde by sergeaūtry or by ony other maner thynge of you / so y• from this day af terward ye shall not be claymed kynge / nor for kynge be holden. But from this tyme afterwarde ye shall be holden for a singuler man of all y• people. And so they went thens to London / where y• lordes of Englonde abode them / & syr Edward abode in prison i good kepyng. And this was on the daye of y• cōuersyon of saynt Paule / in the .xx. yere of his regne.
¶ Of the prophery of Merlyn declared of kynge Edwarde the sone of kynge Edward the fyrst.
OF this kyng Edward prophecyed Merlin & sayd y• there sholde come a gote out of Carre yt shold haue hornes of syluer / & a berde as whyte as snowe / and a droppe shold come out of his nosethrylles yt sholde betoken moche harme honger & dethe of people / & grece losse of his londe. And that in y• begynnynge of his regne sholde be haūted moche lechery. And he sayd sothe / alas the tyme for kyng Edward yt was kyng Edwardes sone was borne at Carnaruan in Wales For sothe he had hornes of syluer and a berd as whyte as snowe whan he was made prȳce of Wales / to moche he gaue hym to ryot and to foly. And sothe sayd Merlyn in his ꝓphecy / that there shold come out of his nose a droppe. For in his tyme was grete honger among y• poore people / & stronge dethe amonge y• ty the that dyed in strange londe with sorowe & in warre in Scotlond. And afterward he lost Scotlonde & Gascoyn & moche le chery in his dayes was haūced. ¶ Also Merlyn sayd yt this gote sholde seke the floure of lyfe & of deth. And he sayd so the for he spoused Isabell y• kynges syster of Fraūce. And in this tyme Merlyn sayd that there shold be made brydges of folk vpon dyches of the see. And y• was well seen at Bannockesbourne in Scotlonde whā he was discōtyted there of y• Scotces. And Merlyn tolde also that stones [Page] sholde fall from castels / & many townes shold be made playne. And he sayd sothe For whan kynge Edward was discomfyted in Scotlonde & came than southwarde / the Scottes besyeged castels & dyd moche harme / & brent townes vnto the harde erth. ¶ And afterward Merlyn tolde that an egle sholde come out of Cornewayle that sholde haue fethers of golde / that of pryde sholde haue no pere / and he shold despyse lordes of blode / and after he shold dye through a bere at Gauersyche / & that prophecy was full well knowen & foūde soche. For by the egle is vnderstande syr Pyers Ganaston / that than was erle of Cornewayle / whiche was a wonders proude man / & despised the barons of Englonde / but afterward he was heded at Gauersyche through ye erle of Lancastre & the erle of warwyk. ¶ And Merlyn tolde that in this tyme it sholde seme that the bere sholde brenne and that batayle shold be vpon an arme of the see in a felde arayed lyke a shelde where sholde dye many whyte hedes / & he sayd sothe. For by the brennynge of ye bere is betokened grete drede through cuttynge of swerdes at that batayle of Myton / for there came ye Scottes in maner of a shelde in a wynge / & slewe men of religyon / preestes and seculers / wher fore the Scottes called that batayle in despyte of Englysshmen the whyte batayle. ¶ And after Merlin sayd that the foresayd Bere sholde do the Gote moche harme / & yt sholde be vpon ye south west / and also vpon his blode. And sayd also yt the Gote shold lese moche dele of his londe / tyll the tyme that shame sholde hym ouercome / & than he shold clothe hym in a lyons skynne / & sholde wynne agayne that he had lost / & more through people that sholde come out of the north west / yt sholde make hym to be fered and hym auenge vpon his enemyes through counseyle of two owles / that fyrst shold be in peryl to be vndone. And those two owles sholde go ouer see in to a straūge londe / & there dwell a certayn tyme / & after shold returne agayn in to Englond / & shold do moche harme to many one / & that they sholde coūseyle ye Gote to meue warre agaynst the foresaid bere / & the gote & the owles sholde come to an arme of ye see at Burton vpon Trent / & sholde go ouer / & that for drede the bere sholde flee with a swan in his cōpany to Bury towarde ye north through an vnkynde outpulter / & that ye swan thā shold be slayne wt sorow and the bere shold be slayne full nye his owne nest / yt shold stande vpon Poūtfret vpon whome the sonne sholde shede his bemes / & many folke shold seke hym for his vertue. And he sayd sothe. for ye good erle Thomas of Lācastre was borne in the north west / & cosyn to ye kynge & his vncles sone / & by lawe he made ye kynge lese moche lōde yt he had purchased wyl fully tyll at ye last the kynge toke therof shame / & hymselfe fylled wt cruelte. And after gate agayne yt he had lost & moche more / through helpe of folk comyng out of ye northwest / by whom he was drad / & auenged hȳ on his barons through coū seyle of ye two Spēsers yt afore were out lawed for theyr wickednes / & after came agayne out of Fraūce / & so moche these Spensers coūseyled ye kynge yt he shold warre vpon Thomas of Lancastre / so yt the kyng & the Spensers and the erle of Arundell and theyr power mette with Thomas of Lancastre at Burton vpon Trent / and hym there discomfyted / and syr Vmfrey erle of Herford was in his company. And after fledde the foresayd Thomas and Vmfrey with theyr company to Burbrygge / metynge with syr Andrewe of Herkela / that is called ye vnkynde outpulter / and also syr Symond Warde erle of Yorke they came & met wt [Page Cix] Thomas of Lātastre wt an huge company / & them there discōsyted / & in y• discō siture y• crle of Herford was slayne vpon the brydge cowardly with a spere in the foūdement / & the erle Thomas was taken & ladde to Poūtfret / & than was he heded besyde his owne castell. But afterward many hym sought for myracles y• god dyd for hym. And in y• tyme Merlyn sayd / for sorowe and harme sholde dye a people of his londe / wherfore many londes sholde be vpon hym the more bolder And he sayd sothe / for bycause of his barons that were put to deth for saȳt Thomas quarell of Lancastre / people of many londes became the bolder for to meue warre vpon theyr kyng / for theyr blode was turned to many nacyons. And afterward Merlyn tolde & sayd yt the foresayd owles sholde do moche harme vnto the floure of lyfe & deth / and they sholde brynge her to moche dysease / so that she sholde go ouer see in to Fraūce for to make peas to y• floure delyce / & there sholde abyde tyll on a tyme her sede shold come and seke her / and there they shold abyde bothe tyll y• tyme that they sholde clothe them with grace / & those two owles she sholde seke & put them to pyteous deth. And that prophecy was well knowen / & was full sothe. For syr Hugh Spenser the fader & syr Hugh the sone did moche sorowe and persecucyon vnto the quene Isabell through theyr ꝓcuremēt to her lord y• kyng. So they ordeyned amonge them y• she was put vnto her wages / y• is to saye .xx. shillynges in y• daye / wher fore the kyng of Frauce her broder was sore alwyed / & sent in to Englonde by his lettres vnto kynge Edward y• he sholde come vnto his parlyament to Parys in Fraūce. But kynge Edwarde was sore adradde to come there / for he wende to haue be arested tyll that he had made amendes for the trespace that syr Hugh Spenser the fader & the sone had done / & for y• harme y• they had done to the quene Isabell his syster. Wherfore through her ordynaūce & cōsent of y• Spensers y• quene Isabell went ouer see in to Frauce for to make accorde bytwene kyng Edwarde & the kyng of Fraūce her broder. And there dwelled she in Fraūce tyll Edward her eldest sone came for to seke her and so they dwelled there bothe tyll that alyaūce was made bytwene them & the gentyl erle of Henaud / yt yf they wt theyr vertue myght destroye & ouercome y• ves nym & the falsnes of the Spensers that syr Edward sholde spouse dame Philip the worshypfull lady & the erles doughter of Henaud. Wherfore the quene Isabell & Edward her sone / & syr Edmonde of wodstocke the kynges broder of Englond / & syr Iohn of Henaud / & syr Rogrt Mortimer of Wygmore / & syr Thomas Rocelyn / & syr Iohn of Cromwell / & syr Willyam Trussell / & many other of the alyaunce of the gentyll erle Thomas of Lancastre yt were exiled out of Englōde for his quarel / & were disherued of theyr londes / ordeyned them a grete power & arryued at Herewich in Suffolke. And soone after they pursued the Spensers tyll yt they were taken & put to pytcous deth / as before is said / & theyr company also / for y• grete falsnes that they dyd to kynge Edward and to his people. And Merlyn sayd also more y• the gote sholde be put to grete disrase & grete anguysshe & in grete soro wehe sholde lede his lyfe. And he sayd sothe / for after y• tyme that kyng Edward was taken he was put in to warde tyll that y• Spensers were put to deth / & also bycause he wolde not come to his parlyamēt at London as he had ordeyued & assygned hymselfe vnto his haronage / & also wolde not gouerne and rule his people nor his realme as a kynge sholde do. Wherfore some of y• barons [Page] of Englōde came & yelded vp theyr homages vnto hym for them and all the other of the realme on the daye of y• conuersyon of saynt Paule / in y• yere of his regne .xx. And they put hym out of his royalte for euermore / & euer he lyued afterward in moche sorowe & anguysshe.
LVdouicus was emperour after Henry .iiij. yere. This Lodewik was duke of Bauare / & he despysed the crownacyon of y• pope / wherfore y• pope deposed him / and moche labour & many peryls he had after / & he troubled gretly the vnite of holy chirche. Than was chosen agaynst hym Frederyke duke of Austryche. And he ouercame the duke / & abode a rebellyon to his ende / & in grete peryll to his soule. And at the last Karolus was chosen agaynst hym / the whiche preuayled / & sodeynly Lodewyk fell down of his hors and decessed. ¶ Iohn Maundeuyll a doctour of physyk and a knyght was borne in Englonde aboute this tyme. And he made a meruaylous pylgrymage / for he went almoost about all y• worlde / & he wrote his dedes in thre languages / & decessed & was buryed at saynt Albons. ¶ Benedictus the .xxij. was pope after Iohn .vij. yere & more. This man was a monke / and in all his youth he was of good cōuersacyon / and a doctour of diuinite. And whā he was made pope he reformed y• ordre of saynt Benet in that thynge y• was necessary. And he was an harde man to graunte benefyces / leest he had graunted it to an vnconnynge man. He made a decretall y• whiche began Benedictus deꝰ in donis suis. And he was very cruell ī his fayth And for y• of some men was lytell loued. He was so stoute a man that almoost he wolde not knowe his owne cosyns.
¶ Anno dn̄i. M .CCC .xxvij.
¶ Of kynge Edwarde the thyrde after the conquest.
AFter this kyng Edward of Carnaruan regned syr Edwarde of Wyndsore his sone / y• whiche was crowned kynge & anoynted at Westmynster / through coūseyle & consent of all y• grete lordes of y• realme y• sondaye on Candelmasse euen / in y• yere of grace. M .CCC .xxvj. that was of age at y• tyme but .xv. yere. And for bycause y• his fader was inwarde in the castel of Kenilworth & also was put downe of his royalte / y• realme of Englonde was without kyng from y• feest of saint Katherin in the yere aboue sayd vnto the feest of Candelmasse. And than were all maner plees of y• kynges benche astent. And than was cōmaunded to all y• sheryues of Englōd through wrytte to warne y• partyes to defendaū tes through somnynge agayn. And also ferthermore y• al prisoners y• were in the kȳges gayles y• were attached through sheryues / shold be let go quyte. ¶ Kyng Edwarde after his crownacyon at the prayer & besechynge of his lyege men of the realme graūted thē a chartre of stedfast peas to all them y• wold aske it. And syr Iohn of Henaud & his company toke theyr leue of the kyng & of y• lordes of the realme / & turned home to theyr own coū tre agayn / & eche of them had full ryche gyftes / euery man as he was of value & of estate. And than was Englond in rest & peas / & grete loue bytwene the kyng & his lordes. And comynly Englysshmen sayd amōge them y• the deuyl was deed But the innumerable tresour of y• kyng his fader / & the tresour of the Spensers bothe of the fader & of y• sone / & of y• erle of Arundell / & of mayster Robert Baldoc y• was y• kynges chaūceler was departed after y• quene Isabelles ordynaūce & syr Roger Mortimers of wygmore / so that [Page Cx] the kynge had no thynge therof / but at her wyll & her delyueraūce / nor of theyr londes / as afterwarde ye shall here.
¶ How kyng Edward went to Stanhope for to mete the Scottes.
ANd yet in y• same tyme was the kyng in the castel of Kenilworth vnder y• kepynge of syr Henry that was erle Thomas broder of Lācastre y• than was erle of Leycestre / & the kyng graū ted hym y• erledom of Lancastre / that y• kyng his fader had seased ī to his hādes & put out Thomas of Lancastre his broder. And so was he erle of Lancastre & of Leycestre / & also steward of Englōde as his broder was in his tyme. But syr Edward that was kyng Edwardes fader made sorowe wtout ende / for bycause he myght not speke wt his wyfe nor wt his sōne / wherfore he was ī moche mischefe For though it were so y• he was lad & ruled by fals coūseyle / yet was he king Edwardes sone called Edward wt the longe shankes / & came out of y• worthiest blode of all y• worlde / & they to whom he was wont to gyue grete gyftes & large / were moost preuy wt the kyng his sone / & they were his enemyes bothe by nyght & by daye y• ꝓcured to make debate & contake bytwene hym & his sone and Isabel his wyfe. But y• frere prechers were to him good frendes euermore / & cast bothe by nyght & by day how they myght brynge hym out of prison. And amonge theyr cō pany y• the freres had pryuely brought there was a frere y• called Dunhened / & he had ordeyned & gadred a grete company of folke to kepe at y• nede / but y• frere was takē & put in y• castell of Poūfret / & there he dyed in pryson / & syr Henry erle of Lancastre that had y• kynges fader in kepyng through cōmaundement of the kynge delyuered Edward y• kynges fader by endenture to syr Thomas of Berkeley / & so syr Iohn Mautreuers & they led him from y• castel of Kenilworth to y• castell of Berkley / & kept hȳ there safely And at cester next after his crownacyon the kynge ordeyned an huge hoost for to fyght agaynst y• Scottes. And syr Iohn the erles broder of Henaud came frō beyonde y• see for to helpe kyng Edward / & brought wt hym. vij .C. men of armes / & arryued at Douer / & they had leue for to go forth tyl they came to yorke where as the king them abode / & y• Scottes came thyder to y• kynge for to make peas & accorde / but the accordement lasted not bytwene them but a lytell tyme. And at y• tyme the Englysshmen were clothed all in cotes & hodes peynted with [...] & with floures full semely wt lōge berdes / & therfore the Scottes made a byll that was fastened vpon the chirche dores of saynt Peters towarde stengace / & thus sayd y• scripture in despyte of Englysshemen. ¶ Longe berdes bertles / peynted hodes wytles / gaye cotes graceles / maketh Englonde thryftles.
ON Trinite sondaye nexte after began the cōtake in the cite of Yorke bytwene the Englysshmen and the Henaudes / & in that debate were slayne of the erledom of Nycholl & murdred. [...]. men / & after they were buryed vnder a stone in saynt Clementes chirche in [...] gate. And bycause y• the Henaudes came to helpe the king / theyr peas was cryed vpon payne of lyfe & lymme & in y• other halfe it was foūde by an enquest of y• cite that the Englysshmen began y• debate.
¶ How y• Englysshmen stopped y• Scottes in y• parke of Stanhope / & how they returned agayne into Scotlonde.
ANd at y• tyme y• Scottes had assembled all theyr power & came in to Englōde & slewe & robbed all y• they myght take / & also brente & destroyed all [Page] the north coūtree throughout tyll y• they came to the parke of Stanhope in wyre dale / & there y• Scottes helde them in a busshmēt. But whan y• kyng had herde through certayn spyes where y• scottes were / anone right wt his hoost besyeged them within y• foresayd parke / so that y• Scottes wyst not where to go out / but onely to theyr harmes / & they abode in y• parke .xv. days / & vytayles fayled them on euery syde / so y• they were gretly appayred of theyr bodyes. And syth y• Brute came fyrst in to Brytayn to this tyme there was neuer seen soo fayre an hoost what of Englysshmen & of alyens & of men on fote / the whiche ordeyned them for to fyght with the Scottes / through eggyng of syr Henry of Lācastre & of syr Iohn of Henaud y• wold haue gone ouer the water of wyth for to haue fought wt the Scottes. But syr Roger Mortymer consented not therto / for he had pryuely takē mede of the Scottes to helpe them that they myght go in to theyr countre. And this Mortimer coūseyled so moche Thomas of Brotherton y• erle Marshall that was kyng Edwardes vncle that y• foresaid Thomas sholde not assemble at that tyme vnto y• Scottes / & he assented but he wyst not the doynge bytwene the Scottes & the foresayd Mortimer. And bycause y• he was Marshall of Englōde & to hym perteyned euer y• vaūtwarde / he sent hastely to y• erle of Lancastre & to syr Iohn of Henaud that they shold not fyght with the Scottes / in preiudyce & harmyng of hym & his fee / & yf they did that they sholde stande to theyr owne peryll. And y• foresayd erle Marshall was al arayed wt his batayle at y• reredoos of the erle of Lācastre for to haue fought wt hym & wt his folke / yf he had meued for to fyght wt the Scottes. And in this maner he was deceyued / & wyst nothynge of the treason. And thus was the kyng principally deceyued. And whan it was nyght Mortymer that had the watche for to kepe of the hoost y• nyght / dystroubled y• watche that nothynge myght be done. And in y• meane whyle y• Scottes stole by nyght toward theyr owne countree as fast as they myght. And so was the kynge falsly betrayed / that wende y• all the traytours of his londe had ben brought to an ende as it was said before Now here ye lordes how traytoursly y• kyng Edward was deceyued / and how meruaylously & boldly the Scottes dyd of warre. For Iames Douglas wt two hondred men of armes rode throughout all the hoost of kyng Edward / the same nyght y• Scottes escaped toward theyr owne coūtre as is aboue sayd tyll y• they came to y• kynges pauylyon / and slewe there many men ī theyr beddes / & cryed naward naward / & an other tyme a douglas a douglas. Wherfore y• kyng that was in his pauilyon & moche other folk were wonders sore afrayde. But blissed be god y• kyng was not taken / & in grete peryll was than y• realme of Englonde. And y• nyght the mone shone full clere & bryght. And for all the kynges men the Scottes escaped harmeles. And on the morowe whan the kyng wyst that the Scottes were escaped in to theyr owne coūtre / he was wōders sory / & full hertely wepte wt his yonge eyen / & yet wyst he not who had done hym y• treason / but that fals treason was full well knowen a good whyle after as the story telleth. Than kynge Edwarde came agayne to yorke full sorowfull / & his hoost departed / and euery man went in to his owne coūtree with full heuy chere and mournynge semblaunt / & the Henaudes toke theyr leue & went in to theyr owne countre / & the king for theyr trauayle hugely rewarded them. And for bycause of that vyage the kynge had dyspended moche [Page Cxi] of his tresour & wasted. ¶ And in that tyme were seen two mones in y• fyrmament / that one was clere and that other was derke / as men myght se through y• worlde. And a grete debate was y• same tyme agaynst pope Iohn the .xxij. after saynt Peter / & the emperour of Almayn tho made hym emperour agaynst y• popes wyll / y• tho helde his see at Auinyon Wherfore y• emperour made his crye at Rome & ordeyned an other pope y• hyght Nicholas y• was a frere Minour / & that was agaynst the ryght of holy chirche / wherfore he was cursed / & the power of that other pope soone was layd. And bycause y• suche meruayles were seen: men sayd y• the worlde was nygh at an ende.
¶ Of the deth of kynge Edwarde of Carnaruan.
ANd now go we agayn to syr Edward of Carnaruan y• was king Edwardes fader somtyme kyng of Englonde / & was put downe of his dignite. Alas for his tribulacion & sorowe y• hym befell through fals coūseyle y• he loued & trusted vpon to moche / that afterwarde were destroyed through theyr falsnesse as god wold. And this Edward of Carnaruan was in y• castell of Berkeley / vnder y• kepyng of syr Moryce of Berkeley and syr Iohn of Mautreuers / & to them he made his cōplaynt of his sorowe & of his disease. And ofte tymes asked of his wardeyns what he hadde trespaced agaynst dame Isabell his wyfe & syr Edward his sone y• was made newe kyng that they wold not visyte hym. And thā answered one of his wardeyns & sayd. My worthy lorde dysplease you not y• I shall tell you / the cause is / for it is done them to vnderstande / y• yf my lady your wyfe come ony thynge nye you / that ye wolde her strangle & slee / & also that ye wolde do to my lorde your sone y• same. Than answered he with a symple chere Alas alas am not I in prison / and all at your owne wyll / now god it wote I neuer thought it / & now I wolde y• I were deed / so wolde to god y• I were / for than were all my sorowe passed. It was not longe after y• the kyng through coūseyle of Roger Mortymer graūted y• warde & kepynge of syr Edward his fader to syr Thomas Toiourney / & to y• foresayd syr Iohn Mautreuers through the kinges lettre / & put out holly y• foresayd syr Moryce of the warde of the kyng. And they toke & lad the kyng to y• castell of Corf▪ y• whiche castel y• kyng hated as ony deth. And they kept hym there tyll it came vn to saynt Mathewes day in September in the yere of grace. M .CCC .xxvii. that the foresayd syr Roger Mortimer sent y• maner of y• deth / how & in what wyse he shold be put to deth. And anone as y• foresayd Thomas & Iohn had seen y• [...] & cōmaūdement / they made kynge Edwarde of Carnaruan good chere & good solace as they might at y• souper / and no thynge the kyng wyst of y• treason. And whan tyme was for to go to bedde the kynge wente vnto his bedde & laye and slepte fast. And as the kyng laye & slepte the traytoures false for sworne agaynst theyr homage & feaute came pryuely in to y• kynges chambre / & theyr company with them / & layde an huge table vpon his wombe / & with men pressed & helde fast down the foure corners of y• table on his body / wherwith y• good man awoke and was wonders sore adrad to be deed there & slayne / & turned his body tho vp so downe. Than toke y• fals traytours & tyraūtes an horne & put it in to his foundement as depe as they myght / & toke a spyt of coper brēnynge / & put it through the horne in to his body / and ofte tymes therwith thyrled his bowelles / & so they [Page] slewe theyr lord that nothynge was perceyued / & was buryed at Glocestre.
¶ How kynge Edward spoused Philip the erles doughter of Henaud at Yorke.
ANd after Chrystmasse than next folowynge syr Iohn of Henaud brought with hym Philip his broders doughter yt was erle of Henaud his nece in to Englond / & kyng Edward spoused her at Yorke wt moche honour. And syr Iohn of Bothum bisshop of Ely and syr William of Melton archebysshop of yorke sange the masse ye sonday on ye euen of the cōuersion of saint Paule / in ye yere of grace. M .CCC .xxvij. But bycause that the kynge was yonge and tender of age whan he was crowned / full many wronges were done whyle yt his fader lyued bycause yt he byleued the coūseylers that were fals aboute hym to do otherwyse than reason wolde / wherfore grete harme was done to ye realme & to ye kyng / & all men directed it to ye kynges dede / & it was not so / almyghty god it knoweth. Wherfore it was ordeyned at ye kynges crownyng yt the kyng for his tender age sholde be gouerned by .xij. of the gretest lordes of Englonde / without whome no thynge shold be done / that is to saye / the archebysshop of Caūterbury / the archebisshop of yorke / the bisshop of wynchestre / & the bysshop of Herford / the erle of Lancastre / the erle Marshall / & ye erle of Kent yt were ye kynges vncles / & the erle of Garen / syr Thomas wake / syr Henry Percy / syr Olyuer of yngham / & Iohn of Roos barons. All these were sworne truly for to coūseyle ye kyng / & they shold answere euery yere in ye parlyamēt of yt that sholde be done in the tyme of theyr gouernall. But ye ordynaūce was soone vndone / & that was moche harme to all Englōde. For the kyng & all the lordes ye shold gouerne hym were gouerned and ruled after the kȳges moder dame Isabell / & by syr Roger Mortimer. And as they wolde all thynge was done / bothe amonge hye & lowe. And they toke vnto them castels / townes / londes / & rentes / in grete harme & losse to the crowne / & of the kynges estate out of mesure.
¶ How the peas was made bytwene ye Englisshmen & the Scottes / and also of iustyfyenge of Troylebaston.
BYnge Edwarde at whytsontyde in the seconde yere of his regne / through the coūseyle of his moder & syr Roger Mortimer ordeyned a parlyamēt at Northamton. And at that parlyamēt the kyng through theyr coūseyle / & none other of the londe within age graunted to be accorded with the Scottes in this maner. That all the feautees and homages that the Scottes sholde do vnto the crowne of Englonde forgaue them for euer more by his chartre ensealed. And forthermore an endenture was made of the Scottes vnto kynge Edwarde that was kyng Henryes sone / whiche endenture they called ragman / in the whiche were cōteyned al ye homages & feautees Fyrst of the kynge of Scotlonde & of all the prelates / erles & barons of ye realme of Scotlonde / wt theyr seales set theron / and other chartres & remembraunces yt kynge Edwarde and his barons had of theyr right in ye foresayd realme of Scotlond / it was forgyuen them agaynst holy chirche. And also with ye blacke crosse of Scotlonde / the whiche ye good kynge Edwarde conquered in Scotlonde / and brought it out of the abbey of Scone / yt is a full precyous relyke. And also forthermore he relesed & forgaue all the londes that the barons of Englonde had in Scotlonde by olde conquest. ¶ And this peas for to be hold and last the Scottes were bounde vnto the kyng in .xxx. M. [Page Cxii] poūde of syluer to be payed within thre yere / that is euery yere .x. M. poūde by euen porcyons. And forthermore aboue all this they spake bytwene the partyes aboue sayd / that Dauyd Dritonautier that was kynge Robert the Brus sone ye fals tyraunt & fals forsworne agaynst his othe yt arose agaynst his lyege lorde the noble and good kyng Edward / and falsly made him kyng of Scotlōde / that was of ye age of .v. yere. And so through this cursed counseyle Dauid spoused at Barwyk dame Ione of the toure / that was kynge Edwardes syster / as ye gest telleth vpon Mary Magdaleyns daye / in ye yere of grace. M .CCC. and .xxviij. to grete harme & empayrynge of all the kynges blode / wherof that gentyll lady came / alas ye tyme / for wonders moche was that fayre damoysell desparaged syth that she was maryed agaynst all the comyns assent of Englonde. And fro the tyme that Brute had conquered Albion / & named the londe after his owne name Brytayn / that now is called Englonde / after the name of Engyst / and so the realme of Scotlonde was holden of the realme of Englonde / & of the crowne by feaute & homage. For Brute conquered that londe / and gaue it to Albanack that was his seconde sone / and he called that londe Albayn after his own name / so that the heyres that came after hym sholde holde of Brute and of his heyres / that is to saye of ye kynges of Brytayne by feaute & homage. And frō that tyme vnto this tyme of kynge Edwarde / the realme of Scotlonde was holden of the realme of Englonde by feaute & seruyce as aboue is sayd in ye Cronycles of Englonde & of Scotlonde / and bereth wytnes more plenarly. ¶ And cursed be the tyme that this parliament was holden at Northamton. For there through fals coūseyle the kyng was there falsly dysheryted / & yet he was within age. And yet whan that kyng Edward was put out of his royalte of Englonde / yet men put not hym out of ye feautees & seruyce of Scotlonde / ne of the fraūchyses dysheryted hym for euermore. And neuertheles the grete lordes of Englōde were agaynst to confyrme ye peas & the trewse aboue sayd / saue onely quene Isabell yt was the kynges moder Edwarde / and the bysshop of Ely / and the lorde Montmer. But reason & lawe wolde not yt a fynall peas sholde be made bytwene them without the comyn assent of Englonde.
¶ Of the debate yt was bytwene quene Isabell & syr Henry erle of Lācastre & of Leycestre / & of the rydynge of Bedford.
WHan ye foresayd Dauid had spoused dame Ione of the toure in the towne of Barwik (as before is sayd) the Scottes in despyte of the Englysshmen called dame Ione ye coūtesse make peas for the cowardly peas that was ordeyned. But the kynges persone bare al the wyte & blame with wronge of the makynge of the accorde. And all was done through the quene & Roger M [...]rtymer. And it was not longe after that ye quene Isabell ne toke in to her handes all the lordshyp of Pountfret almoost all ye londes that were of ony value that apperteyned to the crowne of Englonde. So yt the kynge had not for to dyspende but of his vses & of his excheker. For the quene Isabell & Mortimer had a gre [...]e meyny of theyr retynue that folowed euermore the kynges courte / & went & toke ye kynges pryces for her peny worthes at good chepe. Wherfore the coūtre yt they came in / were full sore adrad and almoost destroyed of them. Thā began ye cominalte of Englonde for to haue enuy to Isabell the quene that so moche loued her before [Page] whan she came agayne fro Fraūce for to pursue the fals traytours ye Spensers. And in that same tyme ye false traytour Robert of Holand that be [...]rayed his lord syr Thomas of Lancastre / was than delyuered out of pryson / & was wonders preuy with ye quene Isabell & also with Roger Mortimer. But that auayled hȳ but lytell / for he was taken at Myghelmasse next folowyng as he rode toward the quene Isabell to London / & syr Thomas wyther smote of his heed besydes the towne of saynt Albons. And this syr Thomas dwelled with syr Henry erle of Lancastre / & he put hym asyde for drede of the quene / for she loued hym wonders moche / & prayed vnto ye kyng for hym yt the same Thomas myght be exiled out of Englonde. And ye noble erle syr Henry of Lancastre had oftentymes herde the comyn damour of ye Englysshmen / of yt disease that was done in Englonde / & also for dyuers wronges yt were done to ye comyn people. Of the whiche the kyng bare the blame wt wronge. For he was yonge & tender of age. And thought as a good man for to do awaye and slake the sclaundre of ye kynges person / yf that he myght in ony maner wyse / so as ye kyng was therof nothynge gylty / wherfore he was in peryll of his lyfe. And so he assembled all his retenaunces & went & spake wt them of ye kynges honour / & also for to amende his estate. And syr Thomas Brotherton erle Marshall / and syr Edmond of wodstok yt were the kynges vncles / & also men of Londō made theyr othe for to maynteyn hym in that same quarell. And theyr cause was this / that the kyng sholde holde his hous and his meyny as a king ought to do / & haue all his ryalte / & that ye quene Isabell shold deliuer out of her handes in to ye kynges handes all maner lordshyppes / rentes / townes & castels yt apperteyned vnto ye crowne of Englōde as other quenes dyd before her / and meddle with none other thynge. And also that syr Roger Mortimer shold abyde & dwell vpon his owne londes / for ye whiche londes he had holpen to disheryte moche people / in so moche that ye comyn people were destroyed through wrongfull takynge. And also to enquyre how & by whome the kynge was betrayed & falsly deceiued at Stan hope / and through whose coūseyle that the Scottes went away by nyght from the kynge. And also how and through whose coūseyle ye ordynaunce that was made at the kynges crownacyon was put downe / that is for to saye / that the kynge for amendement and helpyng of the realme / and in honour of hym sholde be gouerned and ruled by .xij. of the gretest and wisest lordes of the realme / and without them sholde nothynge be graū ted ne done (as before is sayd) the whiche couenauntes were malycyously put downe from the kynge / wherfore many harmes shames & reproues haue fallen to the kyng and his realme. And that is to vnderstand for as moche as Edward somtyme kyng of Englonde was ordeyned by assent of the comynalte in playne parlyament for to be vnder the warde & gouernaunce of Henry erle of Lancastre his cosyn for saluacyon of his body / he was taken out of ye castel of Ken [...]worth where he was in warde / & through colour of quene Isabell & of Mortimer wt out cōsent of ony parliament they toke & lad hȳ where as neuer after none of his [...]ynrede myght speke wt hȳ / & after tray toursly murdred hym / for whose deth arose a sclaundre through all christendom whan it was done. And also ye tresour yt syr Edward of Carnaruan left in many places [...] englōd & in wales was wasted & borne awaye without ye wyll of kyng Edward his sone / in destruccion of hym [Page Cxiii] and all his folke. ¶ Also through whose coūseyle that the kyng gaue vp ye kyngdom of Scotlonde / for ye whiche realme the kynges auncesters had full sore trauayled / and so dyd many a noble mā for theyr ryght / & was delyuered to Dauid that was Robert ye Brus sone al ye right that no ryght had to ye realme / as al the worlde it wyst. ¶ And also by whome ye charters & remembraūces yt they had of the right of Scotlōde were taken out of the tresoury & taken to the Scottes the kynges enemyes / to the dysherytyng of hym & his successours / & to grete harme of his lyeges / & grete reprefe to all Englysshmen for euermore. ¶ Also wherfore [...]ame Ione of ye toure kyng Edwardes syster was disparaged & maryed to Dauid yt was Robert ye Brus sone / yt was a traytour & enemy to Englōd / & through whose coūseyle she was taken in to our enemyes handes out of Englōde. ¶ And in the meane whyle the good erle Henry of Lancastre & his cōpany toke coūseyle how these poyntes aboue said might be amended to ye worship of ye king & to his profyte / & to ye profyte also of his lyeges. ¶ And the quene Isabell through coniectynge & subtylte & also of Mortymer let ordeyn a parlyament at Salysbury. And at that parlyamēt was Mortimer made erle of Marche agaynst all the barons wyll of Englonde in preiudyce of ye kyng & his crowne. And syr Iohn of Eltham ye kynges broder was gyrt with a swerde of Cornewayle / & tho was called erle of Cornewayl. And euermore quene Isabell ꝓcured so moche anenst her sone the king / yt she had ye warde of ye foresaid syr Edward & of his londes. And at that parlyamēt ye erle of Lancastre wold not come / but ordeyned his power agaynst quene Isabell & Mortymer / and men of London ordeyned them with .v .C. men of armes. Whan quene Isabell wyst of the doynge / she swore by god & by his names full angerly / that in an euyll tyme he thought vpon those poyntes. Than sent the quene Isabell & Mort [...]mer after theyr retynue / & after ye kynges retynue so that they had ordeyned amōge them an huge hoost. And they so coūseyled the kyng / that vpon a nyght they rode. xxiij myle towarde Bedford / where as ye erle of Lancastre was with his company & thought to haue destroyed hym / & that nyght she rode besyde the kyng her sone as a knight armed for drede of deth. And it was done the kynge to vnderstande ye the erle Henry of Lācastre & his company wolde haue destroyed the kyng & his coūseyle for euermore / wherfore ye kyng was somdele towardes hym heuy and anoyed. ¶ Whan ye erle Marshall & the erle of Kent the kynges broder herde of these tydynges / they [...]ode so in message bytwene them / that the kyng graunted hym his peas to the erle Henry of Lancastre for a certayne raunsom of. x [...]. M. poūde. But that was neuer payed after warde. And these were ye lordes ye helde with syr Henry of Lancastre / syr Henry Beamont / syr Fouk fitz war [...] syr Thomas Rocelyn / syr Willyam Trussell syrr Thomas wyther / & aboute an [...]ondred knyghtes moo than were to hym cōsen ted / & all those were ex [...]led through coū seyle of quene Isabell and of Mor [...]mer for Mortymer wayted for to haue theyr lōdes yf yt he might through ony maner coniecting / for he was to co [...]us & had to moche wyll / & that was grete py [...]e.
¶ How kynge Edwarde went ouer the see for to do his homage to the kynge of Fraunce for the duchy of Guyen.
IT was not longe after ye the kyng of Fraūce through coūseyle of his Douzepers sent vnto kynge Edward of [Page] Englonde that he sholde come to Parys and do his homage (as reason it wolde) for y• duchy of Guyen / & so through coū seyle of y• lordes of Englonde kynge Edward went ouer y• see / & at y• Ascencyon tyde he came to Parys the thyrd yere of his regne for to do his homage vnto the kyng of Fraūce. And the kyng receyued his homage / & made of hym moche ioye & worship. But whā kyng Edward had done his homage / hastely he was sente for in to Englonde through y• quene Isabell his moder / & anone hastely he came agayn in to Englond vpon whytsonday wtout takynge leue of y• kyng of Fraūce / wherfore he was wonders wroth.
¶ How syr Roger Mortimer bare hym proudly and wonders hye.
ANd now shall ye here of syr Roger Mortimer of wygmore that desyred & coueyted to be at an hye estate so that y• kyng graūted hym to be called erle of Marche / throughout all his lordshyp. And he became so proude & so hauteyn y• he wold lese & forsake the name y• his elders had euer before / & for y• cause he let call hym erle of Marche / and none of the comyns of Englonde durst call hȳ by other name. For he was called so by the kynges crye / y• men sholde call hym erle of Marche. And Mortimer bare hȳ so hauteyne & so proude / that wonder it was for to wyte / & also dysguysed hym with wonders ryche clothes out of all maner of reason / bothe of shapynge & of werynge. Wherof y• Englysshmen had grete wonder / how & in what maner he myght contryue or fynde suche maner pride / & they sayd amōge them comynly that his pryde sholde not longe endure. And y• same tyme sir Geffrey Mortimer that was Mortimers sone let call hym kyng of foly / & so it befell afterwarde in dede. For he was so full of pryde and of wretchednes / that he held a roūde table in Wales to all men that came thyder / & coūterfeyted the doynge & the maner of kyng Arthurs table / but openly he fayled. For the noble kyng Arthur was the moost noble lorde of renome y• was in all the world in his tyme / & yet came neuer none suche after / for al y• noble knyghtes in all chrystendom of dedes of armes assayed dwellyng wt kyng Arthur / & helde hym for theyr lord & souerayn. And that was well seen / for he conquered in batayle a Romayn that was called Froll / and gate of hym the realme of Fraūce / & slewe hym wt his own handes. And also he faught with a gyaunt y• was called Dinabus & slewe hym / y• had rauysshed fayre Eleyn that was kynge Howelles nece kynge of lytell Brytayn. And after he slewe in batayle y• emperour of Rome that was called Lucie / that had assembled agaynst kynge Arthur for to fyght with hym so moche people of Romayns & Phethis & sarasyns / y• no man coude nombre them / & he discomfited them all as y• story telleth. ¶ And in y• same tyme the comyn voyce spronge in Englonde through coniectynge & ordynaūce of the frere prechers / that syr Edward of Car naruan / that was kyng Edwardes fader / of whome the gest telleth / sayd y• he was alyue in y• castell of Corf / wherfore al y• comyns of Englōde almoost were in sorowe & drede whether it were so or not For they wyst not how traytoursly Mortimer had done hym to be murdred.
¶ How Edmond of wodstok y• was erle of Kent & the kynges broder Edward of Carnaruan was heded at Wynchestre.
ANd on a certayne tyme it befell so that syr Edmond of wodstock erle of Kent spake vnto the pope Iohn [Page Cxiiii] the .xxij. at Auinyon & sayd y• almyghty god had often tymes done for Thomas lone of Laneastre many grete myracles to many men & women / y• were through dyuerse maladyes vndone (as vnto the worlde) & through his prayer they were brought to theyr helth / & so syr Edmond prayed y• pope hertely y• he wolde graūt hȳ grace y• the foresayd Thomas might be translated. But y• pope sayd nay / that he shold not be translated vnto the tyme he were better certyfyed of the clergy of Englonde and seen by theyr obedyence what thynge god had done for y• loue of saynt Thomas of Lancastre after y• suggestyon that y• foresayd erle of Kent had made to hym. And whan this Edmond saw y• he might not spede of his purpose as touchyng the translacyon / he prayed hȳ of coūseyle as touchyng syr Edward of Carnaruan his broder / & sayd not longe ago he was king of Englonde / what thynge myght best be done as touching his deliueraūce / syth y• a comyn fame is through Englonde y• he is alyue & safe. Whan the pope herde hym tell y• syr Edward was alyue / he cōmaūded the erle vpon his benyson y• he sholde helpe wt all the power y• he myght y• he were delyuered out of prison / & saue his body in all y• he myght / & to brynge this thynge to an ende he assoyled hym & his cōpany (a pe na et culpa) & al tho y• holpe to his deliueraunce. Than toke Edmond of wodstok his leue of the pope & came agayne in to Englonde. And whan syr Edmond was comen / some of y• frere prechers came & sayd y• syr Edwarde his broder yet was alyue in y• castell of Corf / vnder y• keping of syr Thomas Gurney. Tho sped hym the foresayd Edmōd as fast as he might tyll he came to y• castel of Corf / & aqueynted hym and spake so fayre with Iohn Daueryll / that was constable of y• same castell / & gaue him ryche gyftes to haue acqueyntaunce of hym & to knowe of his coūseyle. And thus it befel y• the foresayd syr Edmond prayed specially to tell hym pryuely of his lorde his broder syr Edward / yf y• he lyued or were deed / & yf he were alyue he prayed hȳ ones to haue a syght of hym. And this syr Iohn Daueryll was a hye herted man & full of courage / & answered shortly to syr Edmond & sayd / that syr Edward his broder was in helth & vnder his kepyng / & durst not shewe hym to no man syth it was defended hȳ in y• kynges half Edward y• was Edwardes sone of Carnaruan / & also by the cōmaūdemēt of quene Isabell y• kynges moder / & of syr Roger Mortymer / y• he shold shewe his body to no man of the world / saue onely to them vpō lyf & lȳme & disheryting of his heyres for euermore But the fals traytour falsly lyed / for he was not in his warde / but he was takē thens & lad to y• castell of Berkeley by syr Thomas Gurney / by cōmaūdement of Mortimer tyll he was deed as before is sayd / but syr Edmōd of wodstok wyst no thynge y• syr Edwarde his broder was deed / whervpon he toke a lettre to kyng Edward his broder as to his worthy lorde. And receyued y• lettre of hȳ & behight hym to do his message wtout ony fayle. And with y• syr Edmond toke leue of the foresayd Iohn & went in to his own coū tre & lordshyp ī Kent y• he had there. And anone as this same Iohn wyst y• syr Edmond was gone in to Kent his own lordship / he went in all the haste y• be might fro the castel of Corf & came to syr Roger Mortimer / & toke hym y• lettre y• syr Edmond of wodstok erle of Kent had taken hym closed & ensealed wt his owne seale. And whan syr Roger Mortimer had receyued the lettre / he vnclosed it & sawe what was conteyned therin / & began to rede it / wherof y• begȳnynge was this. ¶ Worshyps & reuerence with broders [Page] legeaunce and subie [...]cyon. Syr knyght worshipful & dere broder / yf it please you I praye you hertely y• ye be in good com forte / for I shall so ordeyne for you / that ye shall come out of prison & be deliuered of that disease that ye be in. And vnderstande of your grete lordshyp y• I haue to myne assentyng almoost all the grete lordes of Englonde with all theyr apparayle / y• is to saye / with armure / wt tresour without nombre / for to maynteyne your quarell / so ferforth that ye shall be kynge agayn as ye were before / & that they haue sworne to me vpō a boke / & as well prelates as erles & barons. Whan syr Roger Mortimer sawe & vnderstode the myght & the strengthe of the lettre / anone his herte for wrath began to boll & euyll hert bare toward syr Edmond of wodstok y• was erle of Kent / & wt all the haste that he might he went vnto dame Isabell y• quene y• was y• kynges moder & shewed her syr Edmondes lettre / his wyll & his purpose / & how that he had coniected & ordeyned to put downe kyng Edward of wyndsore her sone of his ryalte & of his kyngdom. Now certes syr Roger sayd she / hath syr Edmōd done so now by my faders soule sayd she I wyll be therof auenged / yf that god graūt me lyfe / & that in a shorte tyme. And with y• the quene Isabel went to king Edward her sone there as he was at the parlyament at Wynchestre for to amende the wronges & the trespaces that were done amonge the people of his realme / & she toke and shewed hym the lettre that syr Edmond of wodstock had made and ensealed with his owne seale / and badde hym vpon her blessynge that he sholde be auenged vpon syr Edmonde as vpon his deedly enemy. Than was the quene sore wroth towarde syr Edmonde erle of Kent / and cessed neuer to praye vnto her sone tyll that he had sent in all the haste after hym. And vpon that the kyng sent by his lettres after syr Edmond of wodstok / that he sholde come & speke wt hym at Wynchestre all maner thynges lefte. And whan syr Edmond sawe y• the king sent after hym with his lettres ensealed he hasted hym in all that he myght tyll that he came to wynchestre. But whan the quene wyst that syr Edmonde was comen to wynchestre / anone she went & prayed so fast vnto kynge Edwarde her sone that y• good erle was arested anone and ladde vnto y• barre before Robert of Hamond y• was Crowner of the kynges housholde / & he assocyed to hym syr Roger Mortimer. And than spake the fore sayd Robert & said. Syr Edmond erle of Kent / ye shall vnderstāde that it is done vs to wyte / & prȳcypally vnto our lyege lorde the kynge Edwarde of Englonde almyghty god hym saue & kepe / that ye be his deedly enemy & a traytour / & also a comyn enemy vnto the realme / & that ye haue ben aboute many a daye for to make preuy delyueraūce of syr Edward somtyme king of Englonde your broder the whiche somtyme was put downe of his royalte by y• comyn assent of y• lordes of Englonde in appeasynge of our lorde the kynges estate / & also of his realme. Than answered the good man & sayd. Forsothe syr vnderstande well y• I was neuer traytour to my kyng / ne to the realme / & that I do me on god & on all the worlde / & therfore by my kynges leue I shall it preue & defende as a man ought to do. Than sayd Mortymer. Syr Edmonde it is so ferforth knowen y• it may not be well gaynsayd / & that in presence of all that be here it shall be well proued Now had this fals Mortimer the same lettre that syr Edmond had taken to syr Iohn Daueryll in the castell of Corf for to take to kyng Edward his broder that syr Edmonde wyst not of / ne supposed [Page Cxv] nothynge y• syr Iohn Daueryll had ben so fals to deliuer his lettre in suche wyse to Mortimer / & thought no maner thynge of the lettre. Than Mortimer sayd to syr Edmonde & shewed y• lettre sealed / & asked him yf that he knewe that lettre & the seale. This syr Edmōd loked theron & auysed hym longe tyme on y• print of y• seale / for he myght not se y• lettre wtin / & wyst well y• it was his seale / & thought that it had bē some lettre y• had borne no grete charge / & thought nothynge on y• other lettre / & sayd openly in herynge of them all. Ye forsothe this is my seale / & I wyll it not forsake. Loo sayd Mortymer / syrs ye here all what he hath sayd & that he knowlegeth y• this is his lettre & his seale / & now ye shall here what is conteyned therin. And than this Mortimer opened y• lettre y• he had folden a fore togyder / & red it openly worde by worde in hering of them all. And whan y• lettre was red he sayd / loo syrs ye haue herde all that here is wryten / & that he hath knowleged y• this is his lettre & his seale & he may not go therfro. And than they cryed & gaue dome that he sholde be hanged & drawen & his heed smyttē of in maner of a traytour / & he & his heyres dysheryted for euermore / & so he was ladde forth & put in to pryson. And whan this was done / & y• quene wyst that he was dampned by waye of y• lawe bothe of lyf and lymme / & his heyres dysheryted for euer more / through open knowlegynge in playn court / wherfore them thought that it were good y• the foresayd syr Edmond were hastely slayne without wytynge of y• kyng / or els the kynge wolde lyghtly forgyue hym his deth / & than it sholde turne them to moche sorowe / so as he was empeched. And anone the quene through counseyle of Mortimer / & wtout ony other counseyle / sente in haste to the baylyfe of wynchestre y• he sholde sinyte of syr Edmondes heed of wod [...]ok erle of Kent without ony maner abydynge or respyte / vpon payne of lyfe & lymme / & that he shold haue none other execucyon bycause of taryenge / not withstandyng the iudgement. Than toke y• baylyfe syr Edmond out of pryson / & ladde hym besyde y• castel of wynchestre / & there they made a gongfermer to smyte of his dyed for none other durst do it. And so he dyed there / alas y• whyle / y• is to say y•. [...]. day of October / the thyrde yere of kyng Edwardes regne. And whan y• kyng wyst therof / he was wonders sory / & let bury hym at ye frere Minours at winchestre.
¶ Of the deth of syr Roger Mortymer erle of Marche.
ANd so it befell at y• tyme that syr Roger Mortimer erle of marche was so proude & so hawteyne y• he helde no lord of the realme his pere. And than became he so couetous that he folowed dame Isabell the quenes courte y• was kyng Edwardes moder / & beset his penyworthes wt the offycers of the quenes houshold in y• same maner y• the kynges officers dyd. And so he made his takyng as touchynge vytayles / & also of caryages / & all he dyd for bycause of e [...]penses and to gadre tresour / & so he dyd without nombre in all that he myght. Than made he hym wonders preuy with the quene Isabell / and so moche lordshyp & retynue he had / that all the grete lordes of Englonde of hym were adrad. Wherfore the kynge & his coūseyle towardes hym were agreued / & ordeyned amonge them to vndo hym through pure reason and lawe / bycause that kynge Edward that was the kynges fader tray [...]oursly through hym was murdred in y• castell of Corf / as before is sayd more playnly in the same parte of this boke of his deth. And some that were of the kynges [Page] counseyle loued Mortimer / & tolde hym in preuite how that the kyng & his counseyle were aboute frō daye to daye hym for to destroye & vndo. Wherfore Mortimer was sore anoyed and angry as the deuyll agaynst them yt were of ye kynges coūseyle / & sayd he wolde of them be auenged how so euer he toke on. It was not longe afterward that king Edward and dame Philip his wyfe / & dame Isabell the kynges moder / & syr Roger Mortymer ne went vnto Notyngham there for to soiourne. And so it befel that quene Isabell through counseyle of Mortimer toke to her the keys of ye gates of ye castel of Notyngham / so that no man myght come in nor out by nyght / but through cōmaūdement of Mortimer / ne ye kynge nor none of his coūseyle. And that tyme it befell so that Mortimer as a deuyll for wrath boyled / & also for wrath ye he had agaynst the kynges men / & pryncypally agaynst them yt had accused hym to the kyng of ye deth of syr Edward his fader. And pryuely a counseyle was taken bytwene quene Isabell & Mortymer & the bysshop of Lyncolne and syr Symond of Bedford & syr Hugh of Trompyngton & other preuy of theyr coūseyle for to vndo them al ye had accused Mortimer vnto ye kynge of his faders deth of treason & of felony. Wherfore all those yt were of the kynges coūseyle whā they wyst of Mortimers castynge / pryuely came to kyng Edwarde & sayd that Mortimer wolde destroye them bycause they had accused hym of kyng Edwardes deth his fader and prayed hym yt he wolde maynteyne them in theyr right. And these were the lordes yt pursued this quarell / syr Williā of Mountagu / syr Vmfrey de Boghun / syr Williā his broder / syr Rauf of Stafford / syr Robert of Herford / syr Willyam of Clynton / syr Iohn Neuyll of Nornby and many other of theyr consent / and all these swore vpon a boke to maynteyne the quarell in as moche as they myght. And it befell so after that syr Wyllyam of Mountagu ne none of ye kynges frendes must not be herborowed in the castel for Mortimer / but went and toke theyr herborowe in dyuers places of ye towne of Notyngham. And tho were they sore adrad lest that Mortimer shold destroye them / and in haste came vnto kyng Edward syr Willyam of Moūtagu yt than was in ye castell / and pryuely tolde hym that he nor none of his company sholde not take Mortimer without counseyle & helpe of Wyllyam of Eland constable of the same castell. Now truly sayd ye king I loue you well / & therfore I counseyle you that ye go to the foresayd constable and cōmaunde hym in my name that he be your frende and your helpe for to take Mortimer / all thynge left vpon peryll of lyfe & lymme. Than sayd Moūtagu / syr my lord graūt mercy. Than went forth the foresayd Moūtagu and came to the constable of the castell / and told hym the kynges wyll. And he answered & sayd the kynges wyll shold be done in as moche as he myght / and that he wolde not spare for no maner deth / and so he swore and made his othe. Than sayd syr Willyam of Mountagu to the constable / in herynge of all them that were helpyng vnto the same quarell. Now certes dere frende / vs behoueth to werke and do by your aduyse for to take Mortymer / syth that ye be keper of the castell & haue the keys in your warde. Syr sayd the constable ye shall vnderstande that ye gates of the castell ben locked with the lockes that dame Isabell sente hyther / and by nyght she hath the keys therof & layeth them vnder the leuesell of the bedde tyll on the morowe / and so ye may not come in to the castell by the gates in no maner of wyse / but I knowe an aley that [Page Cxvi] stretcheth out of the warde vnder ye erth in to ye foresayd castel / yt goth in to ye west whiche aley dame Isabell the quene ne none of her men / nor Mortymer ne none of his cōpany knoweth it not. And so I shall lede you through ye aley / and so ye shall come in to the castel wtout espyenge of ony men yt be your enemyes. And the same nyght syr William Moūtagu & all the lordes of his quarell / & the same constable also wente to hors them / & made semblaūt as it were for to go out of Mortimers syght. But anone as Mortimer herde these tydynges / he wende yt they wold haue gone ouer see for fere of hym And anone he & his company toke a coū seyle amonge them for to lette theyr passage / & sent lettres anone to the portes / so that none of the grete lordes sholde go home to theyr own coūtrees but yf they were arested & taken. And amōge other thynges Willyam Eland constable of ye foresayd castell / priuely lad syr William of Moūtagu & his company by the foresayd waye vnder the erth tyl they came in to the castel / & went vp in to the toure where as Mortymer was in. But syr Hugh of Trompyngton theym escryed hydously & sayd. A traytours it is all for nought that ye be comē in to this castell ye shall dye yet an euyl deth euerychone And anone one of them yt was in Mountagues cōpany by with a mace & smote the same Hugh vpon ye heed yt the brayn brast out & fell on ye groūde / & so dyed he an euyll dethe. Than toke they Mortymer as he armed hym at ye toures dore whan he herde ye noyse of them for drede And whan quene Isabell sawe ye Mortymer was taken / she made moche sotowe in hert / and these wordes to them sayd. Now fayr syrs I pray you yt ye do no harme to his body a worthy knyght our welbeloued frende & our dere cosyn. Thā went they thens & came & brought Mortimer & presented hym vnto kynge Edward. And he cōmaunded to brynge hym in safe warde. But anone as they that were consentyng vnto Mortimers doynge herde tell yt he was taken / they went and hydde them / and p [...]urly by nyght wente out of the towne eueryche in to his countree with an heuy herte & mournyng chere / and lyued vpon theyr londes as well as they myght. And so that same yere yt Mortymer was taken he had at his retynue .ix. score knyghtes without squyers and sergeauntes of armes and fote men. And than was Mortymer ladde to London / & syr Symond of Bedford was ladde with hym / and was taken to the constable of the toure to kepe. But afterwarde was Mortymers lyf examyned at Westmynster before the kynge & before all the grete lordes of Englonde / for peryll that myght fall to the realme / & to enquyre also whiche were consentynge to syr Edwardes deth the kynges fader / and also through whome the Scottes escaped fro Scanhope in to Scotlonde without the wyll of kyng Edward. And also how yt charter of Ragman was delyuered vnto the Scottes / wherin the homages & frautees of ye lordes of Scotlonde were conteyned / that the Scottes sholde do euer more vnto the Englysshe kynge for the realme of Scotlōde / wherfore in his absence he was dampned to be draw [...] & hanged for his treason. And this myschefe came to hym on saynt Andrewes euen / in the yere of ye incarnacyon of our lorde Iesu Chryst. M .CCC. and rxx.
¶ Now kyng Edward gate agayn vnto hym gracyously ye homages & f [...]au [...]es of Scotlonde / wherof he was put out through false coūseyle of quene Isabell his moder & syr Roger Mortymer / that was newly made erle of March [...].
[Page] NOw haue ye herd how syr Iohn Bayloll in the tyme of peas was chosen to be kyng of Scotlonde / bycause that he came of ye eldest doughter of the erle Dauid of Huntyngton yt was kyng Alysaunders broder of Scotlond yt dyed without heyre of his body begoten. And how this Iohn made his feaute and homage to kyng Edward Henryes sone ye thyrde for his londes of Scotlonde. And how he afterwarde wtsayd his homage through coūseyle of the Scottes / in the yere of our lorde. M .CC .lxxiiij. and sent vnto the pope through a fals suggestion that he made his othe vnto the foresayd kyng Edward ouer his estate & his wyl of the whiche othe ye pope hym assoyled through his bulles to hȳ sent. And anone as kyng Edward wyst therof / he ordeyned anone his barons & came to Barwyk & conquered the towne / at whiche conquest there were slayne .xxv. M. and vij .C. and Bayloll yt was kyng of Scotlonde came & yelded hym to good kynge Edward / & the kyng afterward delyuered him out of ye toure of London / & all ye grete lordes wt hym that tho were taken at Barwyk / & gaue them saufconduyte to go in to Scotlonde. And the Scottes [...]ith through theyr falsnes warred vpon the good kyng Edward. And whan syr Iohn Bayloll kyng of Scotlonde sawe all this he went ouer see vnto Dunpier and lyued there vpon his londes as wel as he myght tyll yt the Scottes wold amēde them of theyr mysoedes & trespace & [...]ad wt hȳ syr Edward his sone / wherfore ye Scottes in despyte of hym called hym syr Iohn Turnlabaerd / for bycause that he wolde not offende ne trespace agaynst ye good kyng Edward of Englonde. And so he forsoke his realme of Scotlonde / and set therof but lytel pryce. And this syr Iohan dwelled longe tyme in Fraūce tyll yt he dyed there. And syr Edward his sone receyued his herytage / & dyd homage to ye kyng of Fraūce / for his londes of Dunpier. And so it befell afterward that Edward yt was Iohn Baylols sone had wt hym a squyer of englōde that was borne in yorkshyre / yt was called Iohn of Barnaby / & this Edwarde Bayloll loued hym moche / & was nygh hym and full preuy. And so this Iohn of Barnaby was in debate with a frensshe man in ye towne of Dūpier / & so he slewe hym & went his waye in all ye haste yt he myght in to ye castell for to haue helpe of his lord. And anone came ye officers of ye towne to take Iohn of Barnaby as a felon / & syr Edward his lord holpe hym & rescowed hym / & by night made him go out of ye castell / & so he went his waye & came in to Englonde wtout ony harme. And whan ye kyng of Fraūce sawe yt syr Edward had rescowed his felon / he became wonders wrothe agaynst syr Edward / & anone let arest hym / & toke in to his hādes all his londes. Than dwelled syr Edward in pryson vnto ye tyme yt syr Henry of Beaumont came in to Fraūce / the whiche Henry was somtyme erle of Angos in Scotlonde through his wyfe & was put out therof whā ye accordemēt was bytwene Englonde and Scotlond through quene Isabell & Roger Mortimer & theyr cōpany / for ye maryage yt she made bytwene Dauyd yt was Robert ye Brus sone & dame Ione of ye toure kyng Edwardes syster of Englōde / & well vnderstode this yt at ye ende he shold come to his ryght / but yf it were syr Edwarde Bayloll yt was ryght heyre of ye realme of Scotlonde. And the kyng of Fraunce Lowys loued moche this syr Henry / & he was with hym ful preuy / & thought for to make a delyueraūce of syr Edwarde Bayloll yf he myght in ony maner of wyse. Tho prayed he ye kyng ye it wolde please his noble grace to graūt hym syr [Page Cxvii] Edward Baylols body vnto ye next parlyament that he myght lyue wt his own tentes in the meane tyme / & yt he myght stande to be iudged wt his peres at ye parlyament. And ye kyng graūted hym his prayer / & made the foresayd Edward to be delyuered out of pryson in the maner aboue said. And anone as he was out of prison / syr Henry toke hym forth wt hym & ladde hym in to Englōde / & made hym dwell pryuely at ye maner of Sandhall vpon Ouse in Yorkeshyre with the lady Vescy. And so he ordeyned him there an huge retynue of Englysshemen & also of alyens for to conquere agayne his herytage. And so he gaue moche siluer to the sowdyours & to alyens for to helpe hym And they behyght for to helpe hym in yt they myght / but they fayled hym at his moost nede. And at yt tyme Donald erle of Moryf herde tell how yt syr Edwarde Baylol was priuely come in to Englōde & came to hym & made grete ioye of his comynge agayn / and sayd to hym & behyght hym yt all ye grete lordes of Scotlonde shold be to hym attendaūt / & shold holde hym for kynge as ryght heyre of Scotlōde / & dyd to hȳ homage & feaute. Than came syr Henry of Beaumont to kynge Edwarde of Englonde / & prayed hym in ye waye of charite that he wolde graūt of his grace to syr Edward Bayloll that he myght safely go by londe frō Sandhal vnto Scotlōde to cōquere his ryght & herytaunce in Scotlonde. The kynge answered & sayd. Yf that I suffre Bayloll go through my londe in to Scotlonde / the people wold saye yt I shold be assentyng vnto ye company. Now syr I praye you that ye wolde gyue hym leue to take wt hym sowdyours of Englysshe mē yt they myght safely lede hȳ through your londe in to Scotlōde. And syr vpon this couenaunt yt yf it so befall (as god it forbydde) he be dyscomfyted in batayle through the Scottes / that I & also all ye lordes that holde wt Bayloll ben for euer more out of your rentes that we haue in Englonde. And there ye kyng vpon this couenaunt graunted theyr bone as touchynge hym & those yt were of the same quarell the whiche claymed for to haue londes & rentes in ye realme of Scotlōde And these were ye names of those lordes that pursued this foresayd quarell yt is to saye / syr Edward Bayloll the whiche chalenged the realme of Scotlonde, syr Henry Beaumōt erle of Angos / syr Dauid of Stroboly erle of Atheles / syr [...] frey of Mombray / Walter Comyn and many other yt were put out of [...] rytage in Scotlonde whan ye [...] made bytwene Englonde & S [...] [...] before is sayd. And ye shall [...] that these lordes toke wt them .v .C. [...] of armes and .ij. M. archers & [...] & tho wente in to shyppe at [...] and sayled by the see tyll that they [...] vnto Scotlonde / & came to londe [...] kehorne .xij. myle from sayn [...] Ioh [...] towne. And anone sente out theyr [...] pes agayne / for that they sholde no [...] [...] hurt ne empayred / neyther that no man sholde go in to ye shyppes agayn though that they had nede / but abyde all [...] and not [...]ee but stande / & rather [...] deth thā flee for to mayn [...] [...] quarell. Whan the erle of Fi [...] a [...] man & a sterne herde that [...] comen for to take the londe of Scotlonde he came in haste to kynkehorne with xij. M. scottes for to destroye hym that he sholde not come to londe. But syr Edwarde Bayloll & his company dyscomfyted hym there / at ye whiche discomfyture syr Alysaūder of Seron was there slayne / & many other. The erle of Fyffe was tho sore & full yll ashamed / that so lytell a company had dyscomfy [...]d hym and shamefully put hym & all his company [Page] that were alyue for to flee. Than came syr Edward Bayloll & toke ye coun tre all aboute hym tyll he came vnto the abbey of Dunfermelin / & there he foūde vytayles for hym & for his folke / and amonge all thȳges he foūde in a chambre aboute .v .C. of grete staues of fyne oke with longe pykes of yren & of stele / & he toke them & deliuered them to the moost strongest men of his cōpany. And anone after he went from thens & lodged hym in a felde two myle fro saynt Iohannes towne. And whan the burgeyses of the towne herde how the erle of Fiffe was dyscōfyted through Bayloll / they were fore adrad / & brake theyr brydges yt they had made ouer ye water of Erne / so that Baylol myght not go ouer / wherfore he lodged hym there all yt nyght / but lytell hede he toke of rest / & sayd vnto his people. Now dere lordes ye knowe full well that we be now lodged bytwene our enemyes / & yf they may vs hampre there is no bote but deth / wherfore yf we abyde styll here all this nyght / I wene it shall turne vs to moche harme. For ye power of Scotlonde may euer wexe & encreace and we may not so do / & we be but lytell people agaynst them / wherfore I praye you for ye loue of almighty god make we vs bolde & hardy / & yt we may myghtely take the Scottes this night / and boldly warre vpon them / & let vs pursue them this nyght / & yf they be through vs trauayled & se our hardynes / other scottes that se them so trauayled and wery / the sorer wyll they be adrad wt vs to fyght / & fyersly than shall we fyght with them & on them pursue / so yt through y• grace of god al y• worlde shall speke of y• dough tynes of our chyuairy. And syrs vnderstande well that al the company y• came with syr Edward Bayloll graūted well to y• coūseyle / & were therof ryght glad / and anone pursued vpon the Scottes y• they became wonders wery. And Bayloll & his company sore folowed them / & did them moche harme & sorow through theyr assaut / so y• they myght not for feblenes them helpe / and for lytell people. But tho sayd y• Scottes amonge them / what is now befall that so lytell people as Bayloll hathe in wynge dothe vs so moche trauayle & sorowe. Now certes it semeth vs that he werketh by grace / for he is wonders gracyous in his quarell / & we certes shal be deed or that we may come to hȳ vs for to yelde / syth that his fader set of vs no pryce. And amonge all other thynges Bayloll & his people passed the water of Erne / so that syr Roger of Swynerton the sone was fyers & angry & went forth / & they sawe people of armes full well arayed / and forth they went vnto them & with them faught / & slewe & toke as many as wolde abyde. And neuertheles at yt assaut they wende it had ben the grete hoost of Scotlonde. And whan it came to the morowe they gadred them togyder and rested them a whyle. And whyle ye englisshmen rested them / the noble baron Thomas Vescy & the noble baron of stafford pricked theyr horses vp & down by ye hylles for to kepe the estres of y• coūtree / & as they prycked vp and down they sawe a grete hoost of good araye ordeyned in theyr wynges with helmes and sheldes shynynge comynge vpon them. And there came tho two lordes agayn to Baylols folke / and sayd. Now for the loue of god be of good cōforte / for ye shall haue batayle anone right. And tho spake syr Fouke ye sone of Gareyne a baron of grete renome and of dedes of armes. Syrs vnderstāde what I wyll saye. I haue seen many dyuers wynges / as wel amonge sarasyns and iewes as amonge y• scottes / & yet sawe I neuer the fourth parte of the wynge fyght / & therfore yf ye wyll abyde our [Page Cxviii] enemyes we be ynough to fight against them. But yf we be not of good hert & of good courage we be but lost / & therfore for the loue of god let vs take to vs good herte / & let vs be bolde / & thynke we neuer on our wyues ne on our childrē / but onely to cōquere our enemyes in batayle & through the helpe of our lorde god we shall them ouercome. And with yt came the hoost of the Scottes towarde them full surely & agaynst syr Edward Bayloll in thre bataylles well arayed in armure / & wonders fyersly they came towarde Baylols company. But whā syr Donald erle of Marcil that was with y• Scottes sawe all this / he said to Robert Brus the sone of Robert the Brus these wordes. Syr Roberte sayd he / full sore me forthynketh at my herte yt these people that Bayloll hathe brought wt hym sholde dye with dynt of scottes swerdes lyth yt they be chrysten men as we be / & therfore me thȳketh yt it were grete charite to sende vnto them for to yelde them to our mercy / & raunsom them through greuous raunsom / for as moche as they haue takē our londe & done yll. Now certes sayd syr Robert y• Brus / I haue wel perceyued that yu art an enemy & a traytour to Scotlonde / syth that yu wylt consent to saue our deedly enemyes / yt haue done vs so moche sorowe & shame / & now it semeth well that ye be of theyr assent. Now certes Roberte (sayd syr Donald) falsly ye lye / I am not of theyr company ne of theyr cōsent / & that hastely ye shall se / for I wyll fyght wt them rather than ony of this cōpany / & certes syr Roberte sayd he I shal in maugre of thy heed assayle them or thou. And with that they prycked theyr stedes fyersly on Gaskmo re / & theyr wynges them folowed on a rēge / & tho came they & mette wt Bayloll & his cōpany at an hangynge bough of the more in a strayte passage / and so fast they hasted them vnto the englysshmen that thousandes fell to the groūde eche ouer other in to an hepe bothe hors & mā Syr Bayloll & his men myghtely stode agaynst them & fast slewe the Scottes to the groūde / & many they fore woūded so longe tyll that they stode vpon them & foyned them wt theyr swerdes & speres through theyr bodyes / and full sore they were trauayled vpon them / tyll yt they became wōders wery / & wyst not what for to do. And y• Scottes that were lefte alyue fledde away for to saue themselfe in the best maner that they myght. And tho pursued them syr Edwarde Ba [...] and his men / & slewe of them tyll it was night. And fro thens they went to saynt Iohns towne / and toke it & helde them there / and vytayled themselfe at theyr owne wyll / for they foūde ynough wher with to make them mery. Than made Bayloll his men yt were wounded go to shyppe for to sayle in to Englonde to [...] theyr woūdes. And in y• tyme there was a flemyng in y• see a stronge thefe & a robber yt was called Crab / & this flem [...] was dryuē out of Flaūdres for his wyckednes / & therfore he came in to scotlond to holde with y• scottes / & dyd as me [...]e harme to y• Englisshmē as he myght to And this Crab mette this Bay [...]e [...]s men in y• see yt were woūded before in baray [...]e that were sent agayn in to Englonde [...] to hele theyr woūdes / & this Crab gaue to them a grete assaure and wold haue slayne them. But y• Englysshmen defended them manfully & dyscōfyced Crab & his cōpany / & he fledde in to Scotlonde. And as he came towarde saynt Iohns towne / he foūde a grete cōpany of Scottes yt were comen agayn togyder after y• discomfyture of Gaskemore the whiche besyeged Bayloll & his men in the same towne of saynt Iohn. And anone tolde to the Scottes how that he was discofyted [Page] of y• Englysshmen that were woū ded at Gaskmore y• went towarde Englonde for to hele theyr woūdes / & sayd to the scottes yt they sholde haue no power ne myght nor grace agaynst Edwarde Bayloll / bycause that he dyscomfyted & empayred all the chiualry of Scotlonde with a handfull of men as to accompte agaynst the Scottes that were slayne / wherfore he coūseyled to remeue y• siege from saynt Iohns towne / & kepe them in y• best maner that they myght. The Scottes vnderstode yt Crab sayd sothe / & forsoke ye syege & went thens by nyght & holpe themselfe in y• best maner yt they myght. Whan this thȳge was knowen through Scotlonde how that y• lordes & knyghtes were discōfyted at Gaskmore of Scotlond through syr Edward Bayloll / ye shall vnderstande that ye lordes & ladyes & the gentyls of Scotlonde came wonders fast to saynt Iohns towne / & yelded them to Bayloll / & to him dyd homage & feaute for theyr londes / & yelded them to his peas. And he them receiued frely / & fro thens he went to ye abbey of Scone / & there he was crowned kyng of Scotlonde / & after he let crye his peas throughout all the londe. And at yt same tyme it befell that kynge Edward helde his parlyament amonge his lyeges at newe castell vpon Tyne / for to amende y• trespaces & the wronges yt had ben done in his londe / & syr Edward Bayloll king of Scotlonde came to hym thyder / & dyd to hym homage & feaute for y• realme of Scotlonde. And in this maner kyng Edward of Englōde gadred agayn his homages & feautees of Scotlond / wherof he was put out through counseyle & assent of dame Isabell his moder / & of syr Roger Mortimer erle of Marche. Than toke Baylol kyng of Scotlonde his leue of kynge Edward of Englonde / & went thens in to his owne londe of Scotlonde & set but lytell by suche as had coūseyled & holpen hym in his quarell / wherfore they went from hym / & went & lyued by theyr londes & rentes in Scotlond. And so it befell not longe afterward that the king of Scotlonde ne remeued & came to the toure of Anand / and there toke his dwellyng / & thyder came to hym a cōpany of knyghtes / stronge men & worthy / and yelded them vnto y• kyng / and bare them so fayre in dede & in coūtenaūce / so that he trusted moche vpon them. And anone as ye traytours sawe yt he trusted moche vpō them / they ordeyned amōge them fyfty in a company / & wolde haue slayne theyr lord y• kyng. But through y• grace of almighty god he brake through a wall an hole in his chambre / & as god wolde escaped theyr trechery / & all his men were slayne / & he escaped wt moche drede vnto ye towne of Cardoyll / & there he helde hȳ sore anoyed. And this befell on our ladyes euen ye concepcyon. Than sent kyng Edward Bayloll to kyng Edward of Englōde how falsly & traytoursly he was in lytell tyme put to shame & sorow through his lyege men / on whom he trusted wonders moche / & prayed hȳ for the loue of god yt he wolde maynteyn hym & helpe hym agaynst his enemyes The kyng of Englōde had of hym grete pyte / & behyght to helpe & socour hym / and sent hym worde that he shold holde hym in the foresayd cite of Cardoyll tyll that he had gadred his power. Than ordeyned kynge Edwarde of Englonde a counseyle at London / & he let gadre his men in dyuers shyres of Englonde. And whan he was all redy / he went toward the towne of Barwyk vpon Twede / & thyder came vnto hym kynge Edward Bayloll of Scotlonde with his power & besyeged the towne / & made without y• towne a fayre towne of pauylyons / & dy ched them all about / so that they had no [Page Cxix] drede of the Scottes / & made many assautes wt gonnes & with other engynes to the towne / wherwt they destroyed many fayre houses / and chirches also were beten downe to y• erth with grete stones that spytefully came out of gonnes & of other engynes. Neuertheles y• Scottes kept well the towne / that ye two kynges myght not come therin longe tyme. And the kynges abode there so lōge tyll those that were wtin the town fayled vitayles & also they were so wery of wakynge / yt they wyst not what to do. And ye shall vnderstand yt the Scottes yt were in the towne of Barwyk through y• comyn coū seyle and theyr assent let crye vpon the walles of the towne yt they myght haue peas of the Englysshmen / & therof they prayed the kyng of his grace & mercy / & prayed hȳ of trewse for .viij. dayes vpon this couenaūt / yt yf they were not rescowed in yt syde of the towne toward Scotlonde of y• Scottes within .viij. dayes / yt they wold yelde them vnto ye kyng & the towne also / & to hold this couenaūt they profred to y• king .xij. hostages out of the towne of Barwyk. Whan the hostages were delyuered to y• kyng / anone they of the towne sent to y• Scottes / & told them of theyr sorowe & myschefe. And y• Scottes came than priuely ouer the water of Twede to y• bought of y• abbey / & syr willyam Diket yt was tho steward of Scotlonde & many other yt came wt hym / put themselfe in grete peryll of theyr lyues at yt tyme / for they came ouer a brydge yt was broken & the stones away / & many of theyr company were there drowned / but the foresayd Wyllyam went ouer & other of his cōpany / & came by y• shippes of Englonde / & slewe in a barge of Hull xvj. men / & after they went in to y• towne of Barwik by ye water syde. Wherfore y• Scottes helde than y• towne rescowed / & asked theyr hostages agayn of the kyng of Englonde. And the kynge sente them worde agayne y• they asked theyr hostages wt wronge / syth that they came in to the towne of Englōde syde / for couenaūt was bytwene them yt the towne shold be rescowed by ye halfe of Scotlonde. Than anone cōmaūded kyng Edward to yelde the towne or he wold hange y• hostages. And the Scottes sayd the towne was rescowed well ynough / and therto they wold them holde. Whan kyng Edward sawe the Scottes breke theyr couenaūt that they had made / he was wonders wroth / & anone let take syr Thomas fitz Willyam & syr Alyfaūder of Feton wardeyn of Barwyk / the whiche Thomas was parsone of Dunbar / & let them be taken fyrst afore that other hostages / by cause that syr Alysaunders faders was keper of the towne. And tho cōmaunded euery daye two hostages of y• towne tyll that they were all done to dethe / but yf they yelded y• towne / & so he sholde teche them to breke theyr couenaūt. And whā they of the towne herde these tydynges they became wonders sory / & sent to the kyng yt he wolde graūt them other. v [...]. dayes of respyte / so y• bytwene tho hondred men of arntes and .xx. mē of armes myght by strength go bytwene them to the towne of Barwik them force vitayle that ye towne must be holde for restowed And yf so were that .xxj. or .xxij. or more were slayne of tho .C. beforesayd that ye towne sholde not be holden for restowed And this couenaūt to be holdē they sent to hym other .xij. of y• foresayd towne in hostage. The kyng graūted them theyr prayer / & toke y• hostages on saynt Margaretes euen / in y• yere of grace. M .ccc. & xxxij. the Scottes came pricking fyersly in foure wynges well arayed in armes for to mete kyng Edward of Englonde & Edward ye kyng of Scotlonde & wt theyr power / and came fast & sharply agaynst [Page] euensonge tyme / & the same tyme was flode at Barwik in the water of Twede that no man myght go ouer on his hors nor on fote / & the water was bytwene the two kynges & ye realme of Englonde And that tyme abode the Scottes on ye other syde / bycause yt the Englysshmen sholde haue ben drowned.
¶ This was ye araye of ye scottes how yt they came in batayle agaynst ye two kynges of Englōde & of Scotlōde. In ye vaūt ward of Scotlonde were these lordes.
THe erle of Moryf / Iames Frisell Symond Fryfel / Walter stewarde / Reynold Cheyn / Patrik of Graham Iohn le graūt / Iames of Cardoyll / Patrik Parkeis / Robert Caldecottes / Philip of Melledrū / Thomas Gilbert / Rafe wyseman / Adam Gurdon / Iames Gramat / Robert Boid / Hugh Parke / with xl. knightes newe dubbed / & .vii .C. men of armes / & .iij. M. of comyns. ¶ In the fyrst parte of ye halfe batayle were these lordes / the steward of Scotlonde / ye erle of Morye & Iames his vncle / Willyam Douglas / Dauid of Lyndesey / Mancolyn Flemyng / Willyā of kethe / Dūken Cāboke / with .xxx. bachelers newe dubbed. ¶ In the second parte of ye batayle were these lordes. Iames Steward of Colden / Aleyn Steward / Willyam Abbrehyn / Willyā Moryce / Iohn fitz Willyā / Adam le mose / Walter fitz Gilbert / Iohn of Cerlton / Robert walham with vij .C. men of armes & .xvij. M. comyns ¶ In the thyrde parte of the batayle of Scotlonde were these lordes / the erle of Marrethe erle of Rof / the erle of Straherne / the erle of sotherlond / William of Kyrkeley / Iohn Cambron / Gylbert of Hay / Willyam of Rainsey / Williā Prendegest / Kyrstyn Harde / Wyllyam Gurdon / Arnold Garde / Thomas Dolphyn with .xl. knyghtes new dubbed / & .ix .C. men of armes and .xv. M. of comyns. ¶ In the fourth warde of ye batayle of Scotlond were these lordes. Archebald Douglas the erle of Leneuax / Alysaunder le Brus ye erle of Fif / Iohn Cambell erle of Atheles / Robert Lawether / Willyam of Vipount / Willyam of Lonstone Iohn de Labels / Groos de Sherenlaw Iohn de Lyndesey / Alysaūder de Gray / Ingram de Vinfreuille / Patrik de Pollesworth / Dauyd de Wymes / Mychell Scotte / Willyam Landy / Thomas de Boys / Roger the Mortymer / with .xx. bachelers newe dubbed .ix .C. men of armes / and .xviij. M. &. iiij .C. of comyns. The erle of Dunbar keper of ye castell of Barwik holpe the Scottes with .l. men of armes. And syr Alysaunder of Seten keper of the foresayd towne of Barwyk with an .C. men of armes / & also the comyns of ye towne with. iiij .C. men of armes / & wt them. viij .C. fote men. ¶ The somme of the erles & lordes aboue sayd amoūteth .lxvj. The somme of ye bachelers newe dubbed amoūteth to .C. & .xl. The somme of men of armes amoūteth to .iij. M .C. The somme of the comyns amoūteth to .liij. M. &. ij .C. The somme totall of ye people aboue sayd amounteth lvj. M. vij .C .xlv. And these .lxvj. grete lordes lad all ye other grete lordes aboue sayd in .iiij. batayles / as it is told before all on fote. And kynge Edward of Englonde & Edward Baylloll kyng of Scotlonde had wel apparayled theyr folke in iiij. batayles for to fyght on fote agaynst the Scottes theyr enemyes. And ye Englysshe mynstrels blewe theyr trūpets & theyr claryons / & hidously escryed ye scottes. And tho had euery englyssh batayle two wynges of pryce archers / ye whiche at ye batayl shotte arowes so fast & so sore that the Scottes myght not helpe them selfe / & they smote ye scottes thousandes to the groūde / & they began for to flee fro [Page Cxx] the englysshmē to saue theyr lyues. And whan y• scottysshe knaues sawe y• discō fyture & the scottes fall fast to y• grounde they fast prycked theyr maysters horses with the spurres for to kepe them fro peryl / & set theyr maysters at no force. And whan y• Englisshmen sawe y• / they lepte on theyr horses & fast pursued y• scottes / and all y• abode they slewe downe ryght. There men might se y• doughtynes of y• noble kyng Edward & of his men / how manly they pursued y• Scottes y• fled for drede. And there men myght se many a scottisshman cast down to y• groūde deed & theyr baners displayed hacked in to peces / & many a good habergeon of stele in the blode bath. And many a tyme y• scottes were gadred in to companyes. But euermore they were discōfited. And so it befell as god wolde y• the Scottes had y• daye no more foyson ne myght agaynst the Englysshmen than .xx. shepe sholde haue agaynst .v. wolues. And so were y• Scottes discōfited / & yet y• Scottes had well .v. men agaynst one Englysshman / & y• batayle was done on Ha [...]ydownhyll besyde y• towne of Barwyk / at y• whiche batayle were slayne of y• Scottes .xxxv. M. vij .C. and .xij. And of Englysshmen but onely .xiiij. and those were fotemen. And this victory befell to y• Englisshmen on saynt Margaretes euen / in y• yere of the incarnacyon of our lord Iesu Chryst M .CCC .xxxij. And whyle this doynge lasted y• Englisshe pages toke the pylfre of the Scottes y• were slayn / euery man myght take without ony chalengynge of ony man. And so after this gracyous victory the kyng returned agayn vnto y• same syege of Barwik. And whā they y• were besyeged sawe & herde how kyng Edward had sped / they yelded to hym y• towne wt the castell on the morowe nexte after saynt Margaretes day. And than the kynge ordeyned syr Edward Baylloll with other noble & worthy men to be kepers and gouernours of Scotlonde in his absence / and hymselfe returned agayne and came in to Englonde after this vyctory with moche ioye and worshyp. ¶ And in the nexte yere folowyng that is for to saye / in the yere of the incarnacyon of our lorde Iesu Chryst. M .CCC. and .xxxiij. and of kynge Edwardes regne .vij. he went agayn in to Scotlonde in wynter tyme / at whiche [...]age the castell of K [...]brygge in Scotlond for hym & for his men that were with hym he recouered and had agaynst the Scottes all at his owne wyll. ¶ And in that same yere syr Edwarde Baylloll kynge of Scotlonde helde his parlyament in Scotlonde with many noble lordes of Englonde that were at that same parlyament / bycause of theyr londes and also lordshyppes that they had in the realme of Scotlonde / and helde all of the same Edwarde Baylloll. ¶ And in the viij. yere of kynge Edwardes regne about the feest of saynt Iohn Baptyst [...] Edward Baylloll the very & true kyng of Scotlonde / as by herytage and right lyne / made his homage and feaute vnto kynge Edwarde of Englonde for the realme of Scotlōd at Newe castell vpon Tyne / in the presence of many worthy lordes and also of the comyns bothe of the realme of Englōde and also of Scotlonde. And anone after in the same yere kyng Edward of Englonde retryued of the duke of Britayn his homage for the erledome and lordshyp of [...]ychemond. ¶ And so folowyng in the. [...]. yere of his regne after Mighe [...]mas rode in to Scotlonde / and there was fast by sayne Iohannes towne almoost all the wynter tyme / & so he helde his Chrystmasse at y• castell of Rokesburgh. And in the same yere through out al Englōde about sayt Clementes tyde in wynter there arose [Page] suche a spryngynge and wellynge vp of water / & also of flodes / bothe of the see & also of fresshe ryuers & sprynges / that y• see bankes / walles and costes brake vp that men / beestes & houses in many places & namely in lowe countrees violently & sodeynly were drowned / & fruytes dryuen awaye of the erth through contynuaunce & aboundaunce of waters of the see / euer more afterwarde were turned in to more saltnes and sournes of sauour. ¶ The .x. yere of kyng Edwardes regne kynge Edward entred the Scottysshe see after mydsomer / & to many of the scottes he gaue batayle & ouercame them / & many he treated & bowed to his peas through his doughtynes. And after at Myghelmasse than next folowynge was the erle of Moryf taken at Edenburgh and brought in to Englonde and put in to pryson. ¶ And in the monethes of Iune and Iuly than nexte folowyng in the .xj. yere of his regne was seen and appered in y• fyrmament a bemed sterre the whiche clerkes call stella Cometa / and that sterre was seen in dyuers partes of the fyrmament. Where after anone there folowed in Englonde good chepe & wonders grete plente of all chaffer vytayles and marchaundyse / and there agaynst honger / scarcete / myschefe / and nede of money. In so moche that a quarter of whete at London was solde for two shyllynges / and a good fatte oxe at a noble / and fyue good doue byrdes for a peny. In whiche yere dyed syr Iohn of Eltham erle of Cornewayle that was kynge Edwardes broder / and lyeth at Westmynster.
¶ How kynge Edwarde made a duchy of the erledome of Cornewayle / and also of syxe other erles that were newe made / and of the fyrst chalenge of the kyngdome of Fraunce.
IN the yere of our lorde. M .CCC. & .xxxvij. and the .xij. yere of kyng Edward / in the moneth of Marche / durynge the parlyament at Westmynster in lent tyme kyng Edward made of the erledome of Cornewayle a duchy / & let it call y• duchy of Cornewayle / the whiche duchy he gaue to Edwarde his fyrst sone / with the erledome of Chestre. And also kynge Edwarde made at the same tyme .vj. other erles / that is to saye / syr Henry erle of Lācasters sone erle of Leycestre / Willyā of Boghun erle of Northhamton / Willyam of Mountagu erle of Salisbury / Hugh of Awdell erle of Glocestre / Robert of Vfford erle of Suffolke and Willyam of Cliton erle of Huntyngton. ¶ And in that same yere it was ordeyned in the same parlyamēt y• no man shold were no cloth that was wrought out of Englōde / as of cloth of golde ne of sylke or veluet or damaske or satyn baud kyn / ne none suche other / ne none wylde ware ne furres of beyonde y• see / but suche as myght spende an hondred poūde of rent by yere. But this ordynaūce and statute was but of lytel effect / for it was nothynge holden. ¶ In the .xiij. yere of his regne kyng Edward went ouer the see in to Brabād with quene Philip his wyfe there beryng a childe at And w [...]rp there he dwelled more than a yere for to treate with the duke of Brabād & other alyed vnto hym of the chalengynge of y• kyngdome of Fraūce to kynge Edward of Englonde by ryght & by herytage after the deth of Karoll the grete kynge of Fraunce broder germayn of quene Isabel kyng Edwardes moder / the whiche was holden & occupyed vnrightfully by Philip of Valoys y• emes sone of Karoll The whiche duke & all his in y• foresayd thȳges & all other longyng therto with all his men and goodes kynge Edward foūde redy vnto hym & made & behyght [Page Cxxi] [...] [...] in [...]o Eng [...] [...]. ¶ Than in the .xiiij. [...]des of his [...] to be at his [...] [...] [...]ter the [...] of [...]y. The kynges [...] & [...] as touthynge the kyngdome of Fraūce. For whiche nedes to be [...] asked y• fyfth party of al y• [...]ble goodes of Englonde & the [...] [...] the .ix. shefe of euery corne. And all the [...]rdes of euery towne wh [...] such [...]thynges shold be taxed & gadred [...] to y• kyng therof / & he h [...] & helde [...] at his owne [...]st & wyll. W [...] I shall knowlege the very trouth / the inner loue of y• people was [...] into hate / & y• comyn prayers in to [...] / for cause that y• comyn people were so strongly greued. ¶ Also the foresayd [...] of Fraūce had gadred vnto h [...] a grete hoost & destroyed there in his partyes & kyngdom many of y• kynges frendes of Englōde wt townes & [...] wt many other of theyr lordshyps / & many [...]s / shapes & despytes dyd vnto y• quene. Wher fore whan kyng Edward herde this / he was strongly [...] & [...]ngred therwt / & sent dyuers lettes ouer see to y• quene & to other y• were his frendes in gladding them / & certyfyenge them y• he wolde he there hymselfe in all y• [...]aste y• he might. And anone after rester [...] he had sped of all thyges that hym neded to haue / he went ouer see agayn. Of whose coming the quene & all his frendes were wōders glad / & made moche toye. And all y• were his enemyes & helde agaynst him made his moche sorowe. In the same tyme the king through coūseyle of his true [...] & coūseyle of his lordes y• there were present with hym [...] y• kynge of [...] name / & toke [...] y• kynges armes of Frafice quartred wt the armes of Englonde / [...] cōmanded forth with his coyne of golde vnder descripcyon & [...]yng of the name of Englonde & of Fraūce to be made best y• myght be / & y• is to saye / the floreyn y• was called y• noble pryce of. v [...]. shyllynges .viij. pens sterlyng / & y• halfe noble y• value .iij. shyllynges &▪ [...]. peus & the farthynge of y• value of▪ [...]. peus.
¶ How kynge Edwarde came vnto the Scluys and dyscomfyted all the power of Fraunce in the hauen.
ANd in y• nexte yere after / that is to saye / the .xv. yere of his [...]egne he cōmaūded & let wryte in his chartres wryttes & other lettres the date of the regne of Fraūce y• fyrst. And whyle that he was thus doynge & [...]rauaylynge [...] Fraunce through his coūseyle [...]e wrote to al the prelates / dukes / cries & barons & the noble lordes of y• coūtre / & also to dyuers of the comyn people dyuers l [...]s & maundementes berynge date at Gandaue the .viij. daye of February. And anone after within a lytell tyme he came agayn in to Englonde wt the quene & her childrē. And in y• same yere on midsomer euen he began to sayle toward Fraūce as gayn / & manly & fyersly he fell vpon Philyp of [...]aloys / the whiche longe tyme laye & had gadred to hym a full grete & boustous meyny of dyuers nacions in y• hauen of Scluys: & there they fought to gyder y• kyng of Fraūce & he with theyr [...]o [...]es fro myddaye to thre of y• clocke on the morowe / in y• whiche batayle were slayne .xxx. M. men of y• kynges cōpany of Fraūce / and many shyppes & cogges were taken. And so through goddes [...] he had there y• victory / & bare theus a gloryous [...]heualry. And in y• same yere [Page] about saynt Iames tyme wold y• gates of saynt Diners Roberte of A [...]theys [...] men of ing [...]de & fla [...] egerly fought agaynst y• duke of Blitgoyn & y• frensshe men at whiche batayle were slayne & taken of the Frensshmen .xv. barons .lxxx. knyghtes / & shyppes & barkes were takē vnto y• nōbre of .CC. & .xxx. The same yere y• kyng makyng & abydyng vpon y• syege of Turney ye erle of Henaud wt englisshe archers made assaut vnto ye towne of saynt Amand / where as they slewe .l. knightes & many other / & also destroyed the towne. ¶ And in the .xvj. yere of his regne folowynge in y• wynter tyme the king dwelled styll vpon y• foresayd syege & sent ofte tyme in to Englonde vnto his tresourer & other purueyours for gold & money yt shold be sent to hym in his nede but his proctours & messengers cursedly & full slowly serued hym at his nede & deceyued him / on whose defaut & laches the king toke trewse bytwene hym & the kyng of Fraūce. And thā kyng Edward full of sorowe & shame in his hert withdrewe hym fro y• syege & came in to Bry tayn / & there was so grete stryfe for vytayle yt he lost many of his men / & whan he had done there yt he came fore he dressed hym ouer see in to Englonde. And as he sayled toward Englōde in y• hygh se [...] the most myshappes stormes & tēpestes thonder & lyghtnynge fell to hym in the see / the whiche was sayd yt it was done & reysed through euyl spirytes made by sorcery & nygromancy of them of fraūte Wherfore y• kynges hert was full of soro we & anguysshe wellyng & syghynge & sayd vnto our lady ī this wyse. O blyssed lady saynt Mary what is y• cause y• euer more goynge in to Fraūce all thynges & wethers fall to me ioyful & lyking as I wolde haue them / but alway turnynge in to Englōde all thynges fall vn profitable & very harmeful / neuertheles he stopyng an [...] of the s [...] worde came to thē [...] of [...] styght. ¶ And ye same yere y• kyng wolde his Chryst [...]e at M [...]s [...] word to y• Scottes [...] yt he was tidy & wold fyght wt [...] but the Scottes wold not [...]hyde / but fledde ouer y• scottysshe [...] them as [...] as they myght. And [...]che .xvij. yere of his regne about y• fe [...] of y• cōue [...]syon of saynt Pauleking Edward whā he has ben in Scotlonde & sawe yt the Scottes were fled [...] came agayn in to Englonde. And a [...]ytel before [...]ent was y• whiche tur neyment came al the yonge bachelary & cheualty of Englonde [...]many other [...]rles & [...] at the [...] turneyment kyng Edward hymselfe was there present. ¶ And in y• .xviij. yere of his regne at his parlyamīt holdē at Westmynster the auy [...]zeme of [...]ester Edward y• thyrd made Edward his fyrst sone prynce of Wales. ¶ And in y• .xix. yere of his regne and [...] afterī Ia [...]y before lent king Edward let make ful noble Iustes & grete feestes in ye place of his byrth at Wyndsore / that these was neuer none suche seen there afore. At whiche feest & royalte were two kinges & two quenes the prynce of Wales / the duke of Eornewayle .x. erles .ix. coūtesses / barous and many burgeyses the whiche might not lyghtly be nombred / and of dyuers londes beyonde the see were many straungers. And at the same tyme whan the Iustes were done kyng Edward made a grete souyer / in the whiche he ordeyned & began his roūde table / & ordeyned and stedfasted the daye of the rounde cable to be holden there at wyndsore in the whytsonweke euer more yerely. And in this tyme Englysshnten so moche haunted and cleued to the woodnes & foly of the straūgers / that frō tyme of comynge [Page Cxxii] of y• Hen [...]es .xviij. yere passed they ordeyned & chaūged them euery yere dyuers shappes & disguisynges of clothȳg oflonge large & wyde clothes destitute & deserte frō all olde honeste & good vsage. And an othertyme short clothes & strayt wasted iagged & kyt / & on euery syde slatered & botoned with sleues & tapytes of surcotes / & hodes ouer longe & ouer moche hangyng yt yf I the sothe shall saye they were more lyke to turmētours & de uyls in theyr clothing & shoynge & other araye / than to men. And y• women more nycely yet passed the men in araye & curiouslyer / for they were so strayt clothed that they let hange foxe tayles sewed by uethe wtin theyr clothes for to hele & hide theyr arses / the whiche disguisynges & pryde perauenture afterwarde brought forth & raused many myshappes & myschefe in y• realme of Englōde. ¶ The .xx. yere of kyng Edward he went ouer in to Brytayn & Gascoyn / in whose company went y• erle of warwyk / the erle of Suffolk / the erle of Huntyngton / & the erle of Arundell / & many other lordes & comyn people in a grete multytude / with a grete nauy of .CC. and .xl. shyppes / anone after mydsomer for to auenge hȳ of many wronges & harmes to hym done by Phylyp of Valoys kynge of Fraunce agaynst y• trewse before hande graunted / the whiche trewse he falsly and vntruly by cauellacyons losed & disquatte.
¶ How kynge Edwarde sayled in to Normādy / & arryued at Hogges with a grete hoost.
IN the .xxi. yere of his regne kyng Edward through coūseyle of all y• grete lordes of Englonde called & gadred togyder in his parlyamēt at Westmynster before eester ordeyned hȳ for to passe ouer y• see agayn for to disease & destrouble the rebelles of Fraūce. And whā his nauy was come togyder & made redy he went wt a grete hoost the .xij. daye of Iuly & sailed in to Normandy / & arryued at Hogges. And whan he had rested hym there .vj. days for bycause of trauayling of the see / & for to haue out all his men wt al theyr necessaries out of theyr shyppes he went towarde Cadomū brennynge / wastynge & destroyenge all y• townes yt he foūde in his waye. And the .xxvj. day of Iuly at y• brydge of Cadony manly & nobly strengthed & defended with Normans he had there a stronge batayle & a longe durynge / through whiche a grete multytude of people were slayne. And there were taken of prisoners the erle of Ewe / the lord Tankeruyll / and an .C. of other knightes & men of armes / &. vj .C. fote men nōbred / & the towne & yt subbarbes vnto y• bare wall of all thynge that they myght bere & cary out was robbed & despoyled. After y• king passed forth by the coūtre about the brede of .xx. myle be wasted all maner thynge that he foūde. Whan Philip of Valois perceyued this all though he were fast by hym with a stronge hoost / yet he wold not come nye hym / but brake all ye brydges beyonde ye water of Seyn fro Roen to Parys / & bȳ selfe fledde vnto ye same cite of Parys to all ye haste yt he myght. For sothe ye noble kyng Edward whan be came to Parys brydge & foūde it broken / wtin two dayes he let make it agayne. And on y• morowe after the Assumpcion of our lady kynge Edwarde passed ouer y• water of Seyn goynge to warde the water of Cres [...]y / & destroyed by y• waye townes wt the people owenynge therin. And in the feest of saynt Barthylmewe he passed ouer the water of Sōme vnhurte wt all his hoost there as neuer before had bē ony maner waye ne passage / where two. M. were slayne of them that letted theyr passage ouer. Therfore the .xxvj. daye of August [Page] kynge Edward in a felde fast by Cres [...]y hauynge thre batayles of Englysshmen encountred & mette wt Philip of Valoys hauyng wt him .iiij. batayles / of whiche the leest passed gretly ye nombre of Englysshe people. And whā these two hostes mette togyder / there fell vpon hym the king of Beme / ye duke of Loreyn / & erles also of Flaūdres / Dalaūson / Blois / Har court / Aumarle and Neuers / and many other erles / barons / lordes / knyghtes & men of armes the nombre of a. M .v .C. xlij. wtout fote men & other men armed yt were nothynge rekened. And for al this the vngloryous Philip wtdrew hȳ wt the resydue of his people. Wherfore it was sayd in comyn amonge his owne people Nr̄e bel soy retreit / yt is to saye / our fayr wtdraweth hym. Than kynge Edward & our englisshmen thanked god of suche a victory after theyr grete labour taken to them all thynge nedeful to theyr suste naūce & sauynge of theyr lyues / and for drede of theyr enemyes rested thē there. And full erly in the mornynge after the frensshmen wt a grete hoost came agayn for to gyue batayle & fyght with y• englysshmen / with whome mette & encountred the erle of warwik / Northamton & Northfolke with theyr cōpany / & slewe ij. M. and toke many prisoners of ye gentils of them / & the remenaūt of the same hoost fled .iij. myle thens. And the thyrd daye after ye batayle ye kyng went to Ca lays warde destroyenge all y• townes as he rode thyder. Whan he was comen / yt is to saye / the thyrde daye of Septēber he began to besyege y• towne wt the castel & cōtinued his syege fro y• foresaid thyrd day of September to y• thyrde day of August y• next yere after. And in y• same yere duryng y• syege of Calays y• kyng of scot londe with a grete multytude of scottes came in to Englond to Nouiles crosse about saynt Lukes daye the euangelyst / hopyng & trustyng for to haue foūde all the londe best ytute and voyde of people / for as moche as the kynge of Engloude was beyonde ye see / saue ouely preeste [...] & men of holy chirche & women & children and plowmen & suche otherlabourers / & there they came & robbed & dyd moche preuy sorow / but yet foūde they ynough that wtstode them by ye grate of almyghty god. And so a daye of bacayle was assygned bytwene them & certaynelordes & men of holy chirche yt were of ye coūtres with other comyn people fast by the cite of Durham / at whiche daye through ye grace of almyghty god y• Scottes were ouercomen / & yet were there thre tymes so many of them as of the englysshmen. And there was slayne all the cheualry & knyghthode of the realme of Scotlonde And there was taken as they wolde haue fled thens Dauyd the kyng of Scotlonde hymselfe / & the erle of Mentyf / syr William Douglas / & many other grete men of Scotlonde. And after yt our Englysshmen whan they had rested them a fewe dayes & had ordeined theyr kepers of y• north coūtree / they came to London & brought with them syr Dauid ye kyng of Scotlonde & all ye other lordes yt were taken prysoners vnto ye toure of London with all the haste yt they myght / & lefte them there in safe kepyng vnto the kynges comynge / & went home agayn in to theyr owne coūtre. And afterward was the kynges raūsom of Scotlonde taxed to an hondred thousand marke of syluer to be payed within .x. yere / yt is to saye / euery yere .x. thousande marke.
¶ How kynge Edwarde besyege [...] Calays / and how it was wonne & yelded vnto hym.
IN the .xxij. yere of y• regne of king Edwarde he went ouer the see in [Page Cxxiii] the wynter tyme / & laye all the wynter at the syege of Calays / the whiche yere whyle y• syege lasted & endured / Philyp the kyng of Fraūce cast & purposed tray toursly & wt fraude to put away y• syege / & came the .xxvij. day of Iuly in y• same yere wt a grete hoost & a stronge power & nighed to y• syege of Calays / the whiche Philip the last day of Iuly sent to kyng Edward worde that he wold gyue hym playne batayle y• thyrde daye after that about euensonge tyme / yf he durst come fro y• syege & abyde. And whan kyng Edward herde that / without ony longe taryenge or longe auysemēt accepted gladly y• day & houre of batayle yt Philip had assygned. And whan ye kynge of Fraūce herde yt / the nexte nyght after he set his tentes a fyre & remeued & wente awaye cowardly. Than they yt were in ye towne & in ye castel besyeged seynge al this how that they had none other helpe ne socour of the king of Fraūce ne of his men / & also yt theyr vitayles wtin them were spended & wasted / & for faute of vitayles & re fresshing they ete horses / hoūdes / cattes & myce for to kepe theyr treuth as longe as they myght / & whā they sawe & was foūde amonge them at ye last yt they had no thynge amōge them for to ete ne lyue by / ne no socour nor rescowe of ye frensshe men of yt other syde / they wyst well that they must nedes dye for defaute / or elles yelde y• towne / & anone they went & toke downe y• baners & y• armes of Fraūce on euery syde yt were hangen out / & wente on the walles of ye towne in dyuers places as naked as they were borne / saue onely theyr shertes & their preuy clothes & helde theyr swerdes naked & the poynt downward in theyr hādes / & put ropes & halters aboute theyr neckes / & yelded vp the keys of ye towne & of the castell to kyng Edward of Englonde with grete fere and drede of herte. And whan kyng Edward sawe this / as a merciable king and lorde receyued them all to grace / & a fewe of the gretest persones of estate & of gouernaunce of the towne he sente in to Englonde there to abyde theyr raunsom & the kynges grace. And all y• comynalte of the towne the kynge let go whyther they wolde in peas & wtout ony harme / and let them bere with them all theyr thynges that they myght bere and cary awaye / kepynge the towne & the castell to hymselfe. Than through medracion of cardinals that were sent from y• pope trewse was takē there bytwene Fraūce & Englonde for .ix. monethes than nexte folowynge. And aboute Myg [...]elmasse kyng Edward came agayne in to Englond with a gloryous victory. ¶ And in the .xxiij. yere of his regne in y• [...]est partyes of the worlde there began a pas [...]ylence and deth of sarasyns & pay [...] that so grete a deth was neuer herde of afore / & that wasted away the people so that vnneth the tenth persone was lefte alyue. ¶ And in the same yere aboute y• south coūtrees there fell so moche rayne & so grete waters / that frō Chrystinasse vnto mydsomer there was [...] daye nor nyght but that it rayned somwhat / through whiche waters y• pesty lence was so enfected & so [...]aboundaunt in all coūtrees / & namely about y• courte of Rome & other places & see costes that vnneth there were lefte lyuyng folke for to bury them honestly yt were deed. But made grete diches & pyttes yt were wonders brode & depe / & therin buryed them & made a renge of deed bodyes & cast aly tell erth to couer them aboue / & than cast in an other renge of deed bodyes / and an other renge aboue them. And thus were they buryed & none other wyse / but yf it were so yt they were men of grete estate so that they were buryed as honestly as they myght. ¶ And after all this in the [Page] xxiiij. yere of kynge Edwardes regne it was done him to wyte of a treason that was begon at Calays & ordeyned to sell that towne for a grete somme of florens to kynge Philip of Fraūce / through the falsnes & ordynaūce of a knyght y• was called syr Geffrey of Cheruey that was wōders preuy wt kyng Philip of Fraūce And Whā kyng Edward herde this / he toke wt hym y• noblest & gentyllest lordes & many other worthy mē of armes that were present wt him for y• solempnite of y• hygh feest. And well & wysely in all the haste that he myght & as pryuely as he myght he went ouer the see to Calays. And y• same yere y• good kynge Edward helde his Chrystmasse at Hauerynge / & the morow after newe yeres day y• kyng was in y• castell of Calays wt his men of armes y• none of the alyens wyst therof. And y• fals cōspyratour & traytour Geffrey of Cherney syth that he myght not openly haue his purpose of y• castell / pry uely & stelingly he came & helde y• towne with a grete hoost. And whan he wt his men were comen / he payed the foresayd somme of florens as couenaūt was to a Genewey in y• towne y• was keper of the castell & consentyng to the same Geffrey in all this falsnes & trechery / & boūde y• Englysshe mynstrels & seruauntes that were in y• castell y• they myght not helpe themselfe ne let them of theyr purpose. And than wenynge y• they had ben sure ynough / they spake al theyr wickednes & falsnes openly on hygh y• al mē might here. And now shall ye here how they were deceyued / for they came in by a preuy posterne ouer a lytell brydge of tree / & whan they were comen in subtylly & priuely y• brydge was drawen vp & kepte y• none of them y• came in might go out / neno moo come in to them. And anone our Englysshe men went out at preuy holes and wyndowes & ouer the walles of the towne & of y• castel & went & faught manly with y• frensshmen y• were without / & had y• better of them / the whiche whan they were occupyed by thēselfe on theyr syde / the kyng y• was within the towne hauynge wt hym scarsly but .xxx. men of armes drewe out his swerde & wt a loude voyce he cryed on hye. A saynt Edward A saynt George. And whan the people herde that / they came rēnynge to hym & gaue to theyr enemyes so grete assaute that there were moo than. iij .C. men of armes & many moo other slayn / & many fled awaye. And so by y• grace of god the victory fell to y• Englysshmen. Than the kynge toke wt hym this Geffrey y• was fynder of this treason & also many other Frensshe prisoners / & within a whyle after he came agayne in to Englonde. And in this same yere & in the yere afore / & in the yere nexte folowynge was so grete a pestylence of men from the eest in to the west / & namely through botches / y• they that sekened as on this daye dyed on the thyrde daye after / to y• whiche men y• so dyed in this pestylence had but lytell respyte of theyr lyggȳge. Than pope Clement of his goodnes & grace gaue them full remyssyon & forgyuenes of all theyr synnes that they were shryuen of / & this pestylence lasted in London fro Mighelmasse vnto August nexte folowynge / almoost an hole yere. And in these dayes was deth without sorowe / weddynges without frendshyp / wylfull penaūce / & derth without scarsete / & fleynge wtout refute or socour / for many fledde frō place to place bycause of the pestylence / but they were enfected & might not escape y• deth / after that y• prophete Isaie sayth Who that fleeth fro the face of drede / he shall fall in to the dyche. And he y• wyndeth hym out of y• dyche / he shall be holden and tyed with a grenne. But whan this pestylence was cesed as god wolde [Page Cxxiiii] vnnethes y• tenth parte of y• people was left on lyue. ¶ And in y• same yere began a wonders thȳge / that all y• were borne after y• pestylence had two cheketethe in theyr heed lesse than they had afore.
¶ How kynge Edward had a grete batayle With Spanyardes in y• see fast by Wynchelsee.
ANd in the .xxv. yere of his regne about saynt Johns daye in haruest in y• see fast by Winchelsee kyng Edwarde had a grete batayle with men of Spayne where y• theyr shyppes & nauy laye chayned togyder / that eyther they must fyght or be drowned. And so whan all our Worthy men of armes & of the see costes fast by winchelse & Romney were gadred togyder / & our nauy & shyppes all redy to the warre the Englysshmen mette manly & strongly with theyr enemyes tomynge fyersly agaynst them. And whan y• spaynysshe vessels & nauy were closed in all aboute / there myght men se stronge batayle on bothe sydes & longe durynge / in whiche batayle was but fewe that faught but they were pyteously hurte. And after y• batayle there were .xxiij. shyppes taken / & so the Englysshmen had the better. And in y• nexte yere folowynge of his regne / y• is to saye the .xxvi. yere the kyng through his coū seyle let ordeyn & make his newe money that is to saye / the peny / the grote value of .iiij. pens / & the halfe grote of .ij. pens but it was of lesse weyght than the olde sterlyng was by .v. shyllyng in y• poūde And in the .xxvii. yere of his regne was the grete derth of vytayles / the whiche was called y• dere somer. And the. xxviii yere of his regne in y• parlyamēt hoiden at westmȳster after eester syr Henry erle of Laucastre was made duke of Lancastre. ¶ And in this yere was so grete a drought / y• from the moneth of Marche to the moneth of July there fel no rayne on the erth / wherfore all fruytes / sedes & herbes for y• moost part were lost in defaute / wherfore came so grete dysease of men & beestes & derth of vitayles in englonde / so y• this londe y• euer afore had bē plenteous had nede y• tyme to seke vitayles & refresshyng at other out yles & coū trees. ¶ And in y• .xxix. yere of kyng Edward it was accorded / graūted & sworne bytwene the kyng of Fraūce & kyng Edward of Englōde y• he shold haue agayn all his lōdes & lordshyps y• longed to the duchy of Guyen of olde tyme / y• whiche had ben wtdrawen and wrong fully occupyed by diuers kynges of Fraūce before hand to haue & to holde to kȳg Edward & to his heyres & successours for euermo re / frely / peasybly & in good qu [...]ete vpon this couenaūt that the kyng of Englōde sholde leue of & relese all his ryght & day me that he had claymed of y• kingdom of Fraunce / & of the tytell y• he toke therof vpon whiche speche and couenaūtes is was sent to the courte of Rome on bothesydes of y• kynges / that y• foresayd couenaūt sholde be embulled / but god erdeyned better for y• kynges worshyp of Englonde / for what through fraude & deceyt of y• frensshmē / & what through lettyng of y• pope & of y• court of Rome y• foresayd couenaūtes were disquat & lefte of. And in the same yere y• kynge reuoked by his wyse and dyscrete coūseyle the staple of wolles out of Flaūdres in to Englōde wt al y• libertees fraūchises & free customes that longed therto / & ordeyned it in Englōde in dyuers places / that is to saye at Westminster / Caūterbury / Chichestre / Brystow / Lyncolne & Null With all the foresayd thynges y• longe therto. And y• this thȳge y• shold thus be done y• kyng swore hȳselfe therto / & prynce Edward his sone / wt other many grete witnesses y• there were p̄sent. ¶ And y• .xxx. yete of [Page] his regne anone after whytsontyde in y• parlyament ordeyned at Westmynster it was tolde & certifyed to y• kyng y• Philip that helde the kyngdom of Fraūce was deed / & that John his sone was crowned king / & that this John had gyuē karoll his sone y• duchy of Guyen / of y• whiche thȳge whan kyng Edward wyst therof he had grete indignacion to hym & was wonders wroth & strongly meued. And therfore afore al y• worthy lordes y• were there assembled at y• parliamēt he called Edward his sone vnto hym / to whom y• duchy of Guyen by right herytage shold longe to / & gaue it hȳ there / byddynge & strengthyng hym y• he sholde ordeyn hȳ for to defend hym / & auenge hym on his enemyes / & saue & maynteyn his ryght And afterward kyng Edward hymselfe & his eldest sone Edward went to diuers places & sayntes in Englond on pylgrymage for to haue y• more helpe & grace of god & of his sayntes. And y• seconde kae. of July whan all thynge was redy to y• viage & batayl / & al his retynue & power assembled / & his nauy also redy / he toke with hym y• erle of Warwyk / the erle of Suffolk / the erle of Salysbury / & y• erle of Oxford / and a. M. men of armes & as many archers / & on y• Natiuite of our lady toke theyr shyppes at Plommouth & began to sayle. And whan he was arry ued in Guyen / he was there worshypfully receyued of the moost noble men & lordes of y• coūtre. And anone after kyng Edward toke wt him his two sones / y• is to saye / syr Leonell erle of Vlton / and syr John his broder erle of Rychemonde / & syr Henry duke of Lancastre / with many erles & lordes & men of armes / & two M. archers / & sayled towarde Fraūce / & rested hym a whyle at Calays / & afterwarde the kyng went wt his folke afore said & wt other soudyours of beyonde the see that there abode y• kynges comynge the seconde day of Nouember & toke his iourney toward kynge John of Fraūce there as he had trowed to haue founde hym fast by Ddomarū as his lettres & couenaūt made mencyon that he wolde abyde hym there wt his hoost. And whā kyng John of Fraūce herd tell of the comynge of y• kyng of Englonde / he went away wt his men & caryage cowardly & shamefully fleynge & wastynge all vytayles y• englysshmē shold not haue ther of. Whan kynge Edward herde tell y• he fled / he pursued hym wt all his hoost tyll Hedyn / & than he beholdynge y• scarsete & wantynge of vitayles & also y• cowardyse of the kynge of Fraūce / he returned agayn wastynge all the coūtree. ¶ And whyle all these thynges were a doynge the Scottes pryucly & by night toke the towne of Barwyck / sleynge them that with stode them & no man els / but blyssed be god the castell was saued & kepte by englysshmen y• were therin. Whan y• kyng wyst of al this / he returned agayn in to Englōd as wroth as he myght be / wherfore in y• parlyament at Westmynster was graūted to the kynge of euery sacke of wolle .l. shyllynges durynge the terme of .vi. yere / y• he myght y• myghte lyer fyght & defende the realme agaynst the Scottes & other mysdoers. And so whan all thynges were redy the kynge hasted hym towarde the syege.
¶ How kynge Edwarde was crowned kyng of Scotlōde / & how prȳce Edward toke y• kynge of Fraūce & syr Philyp his yonger sone at the batayle of Poytiers.
ANd in the .xxxi. yere of his regne the .xiii. daye Janyuer the king beynge in the castell of Barwyk with a fewe men / but he hauynge there fast by a grete hoost and a goodly / the towne was yelden vnto hym without ony maner [Page Cxxv] defence of [...] an the kyng of Scotlande / y• is to say syr Iohn Ba [...] loll cosydecynge how y• go [...] dyd many me [...]uayles & gracyous thynges for kyng Edward at his own wyll fro day to day he toke gaue vp y• realme of Scotlond at kilburgh in the kynges handes of Englond vnder his paten [...] lettres there madt. And anone after king Edward in presence of all y• prelates & worthy men y• were there letcrowne by kyng of Scotlond. Whan all thyges were done & ordeyned mȳ coūire at his wyll / he returned agayn in to Englonde wt a grete worshyp. And whyle this v [...]age was a doynge in Scottonde syr Edward prȳce of wales as a man enspiced of god was in Guyen in y• cite of Burdeux tretyng & speking of y• chalenge of y• kynges right of Englōde y• he had to y• realme of Fraū ce / & that he wold be auestged wt stronge hande / & y• prelates peres & mighty men of y• coūtree cōsented well to hym. Than syr Edward y• prynce with a grete h [...] gadred to hȳ the .vj. daye of Jui y• went from Burdeux goynge & trauaylyng by many dyuers coūtrees / & he [...]oke many prysoners moo than .vj. thosande men of armes by y• coūtre as he went / & toke the towne of Remorant in Saloygne and desyeged the castell. vj dayes / & at y• vj. dayes ende they yelded y• castell vnto hym. And there was taken the lorde of Crowne & syr Bursigaud & many other knyghtes & men of armes mo than. ixxx And frothens by Toren & Peten fast by Cheney his noble men y• were wt hȳ had astronge batayle wt frensshmen / & an C. of theyr men of armes were slayn / & the erse of Daunce & the stewarde of Fraūce were taken with an .C. Men of armes. In y• whiche yere the xix. dayd of September fast by Poyners [...]he some pryce with a thousande xxx. [...] of armes and archers ordeyned a [...] John of Feaūce comynge to the prynce warde with .vij. M. thosen men of armes & moche other people a grete nombre / of the whiche there were slayne the duke of Burbon & the duke of Athenes / and many other noble men. And of the prynces mē of armes a. M. and of other the true accompte & rekenynge. viij .C. And y• kyng of Fraūce was there taken and syr Philip his yonger sone / & many dukes & noble men & worthy knyghtes and men of armes aboute .ii. M. And so the victory fell to the prynce & to the people of Englond by the grace of god. And many that were taken prysoners were set at theyr tausom & vpon theyr trouth and knyghthode were charged and had leue to go. But y• prynce toke with hym the kyng of Fraūce and Philip his sone with all the reuerence that he myght / & went agayne to Burdeux wt a gloryous vyctory. The somme of the men y• there were taken prysoners / and of them that were slayne the day of batayle was .iiii. M. iiij .C. & .xi. ¶ And in the. [...]. vere of kynge Edward / the .v. daye of Maye Fraūce Edwarde with kynge John of Fraūce & Philyp his sone & many other worthy prisoners aryued gratyously in the hauen of Plūmouth / and the .xxiiii. daye of the same moueth about thre of y• clock at after none they came to London by Londōbrydge / & so went forth to the kynges palays at Westmynster / & there came so greie a multitude & prees of people about them to be holde & se y• wonder & ryall sight y• vnnethes fromydday tyll nyght myght they come to westminster And the kynges rasisom of Fraūce was taxed & set to thre myllyons of scutes of whome two shold be worth a noble. And ye shall vnderstande that a myllyon is a thousande thousand. And after some in m [...] lj is [...]aun [...]om was set at thre thousande thousande floryns / and all is one effected [Page] And this same yere were made solēpne Iustes in smyth felde / beynge there present y• kyng of Englōde / y• kyng of Fraū ce / & y• kyng of Scotlonde / & many other worthy and noble lordes. ¶ The .xxxiij. yere of the regne of kynge Edwarde at Wyndsore as well for loue of knyghthode as for his owne worshyp / & at y• reuerence of the kyng of Fraūce and of other lordes y• were there at y• tyme he helde a wonders ryall and a costly feest of saynt George / passyng ony y• euer was holden afore. Wherfore y• kyng of Fraūce in scor nynge sayd y• he sawe neuer ne herde su che solempne feestes ne ryaltees holden ne done wt tayles wout payenge of golde or syluer. ¶ And in y• .xxxiiij. yere of his regne the .xiiij. kal. of Iuly syr Iohn erle of Rychemonde kynge Edwardes sone wedded dame Blaunche duke Henryes doughter of Lancastre / cosyn to y• same Iohn by dispensacyon of the pope / & in y• meane tyme were ordeyned Iustes at London .iij. dayes of Rogacyons / y• is to saye / the Mayre of London wt his. xxiiii aldermen / agaynst all y• wolde come / in whose name & stede y• king priuely with his .iiij. sones Edwarde / Leonell / Iohn & Edmond & other .xix. grete lordes held the felde wt worshyp. ¶ And this same yere as it was tolde & sayd of them that sawe it / there came blode out of y• tombe of Thomas somtyme erle of Lancastre as fresshe as that daye y• he was done to deth. And in y• same yere kyng Edward those his sepulture and his lyggynge at Westmynster fast by the shryne of saynt Edward. And anone after y• .xxvij. daye of October he went ouer see to Calays / makynge protestacyon y• he wold neuer come agayn īto Englōde tyll he had full ended y• warre bytwene Fraūce & hym. And so in the .xxxvi. yere of his regne in the wynter tyme kyng Edward trauay led in the tyne costes / & about saynt Hylary tyde he departed his [...]oost & wente to Burgoynward / wt wh [...] than met [...] peasybly the duke of Burgoyn / be hygh tyng hym .lxx. [...] shold spare his men & his people. And y• kyng graunted at his request / & dwelled there vnto the .xvij. daye of Marche / the whiche tyme came to kyng Edwardes ere y• strōge theues were on y• see vnder y• erle of saynt Paule the .xv. daye of Marche layenge awayte vpon y• townes of Hastyng / Rye / & other places & villages on the see coste had entred as enemyes into the towne of Wynch else & slewe all that euer wtstode them & with [...]yd theyr comyng / wherfore the kyng was gretely meued & angred / & he turned agayn towarde Parys / & cōmaūded his hoost to destroye & slee wt stroke of swerde them y• he had before spared. And the .xij. day of Apryll y• kynge came to Parys / & there departed his hoost i dyuers batayles wt iiij .C. knyghtes newe dubbed on y• one syde of him. And syr Henry duke of Lan castre vnderpeas & trewse went to y• ga tes of y• cite / proferyng them y• wolde abyde a batayle in y• felde vnder suche cō dicions y• yf y• [...]ng of Englōd were ouer comē there (as god forbede it shold) that thā he shold neuer chalenge y• kyngdom of Fraūce. And there he had of them but shorte & scorneful answere / & came & told it to the kyng & his lordes what he had herde & what they sayd. And than went forth the newe knyghtes wt many other making assaut to y• cite & they destroyed the subba [...]hes of y• cite. And whyle those thynges were in doynge y• Englysshmē made thē redy to be auenged on y• shame & despite y• was done y• yere at winchelse & ordeined [...]y of .lxxx. shyppes of mē of London & of other marchaūtes & xiiij M. men of armes & archers and went & serched and [...]mmed the see / and manly they toke & helde the yle of Cau [...]. Whe [...] [Page Cxxvi] [...] [...] gand [...] many other men of y• same coūtre by the [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] for theyr see costes▪ And y• king graūted them. And on y• morowe after y• [...] of cester y• kynge [...] ned hym to his hoost towarde Orly [...] destroyenge & wastyng all y• coūtre by y• way / & as they went thyderward there fel on them suche a [...] tēpest y• none of our n [...] you neuer herde [...] suche / through y• whiche [...] of our men & theyr horses [...]theyr [...] as it were through [...] were slayn & perysshed [...] were full grete / [...] y• kyng not moche of his people / but went forth on theyr viage y• they had begon / wherfore about y• feest of Philip & Iacob in May fast by Carnoen̄ y• foresayd lordes of [...] ce metynge there wt the king of Englōde a peasyble accorde & a [...] certayn cōdicyons & graūtes [...] gadr [...] and wryten togyder [...] to last but discretly made / & to bothe y• [...]ynges [...] table & to theyr realms / bothe [...] sent of Charles [...] gouernour of Fraūce & Parys of [...] writen & [...] the .xv. daye of May they [...]ffred & [...] to the kyng of Englonde / requyryng his grace in all thynges wryten y• he wolde [...] them / & holde them fyrme & stable to them & to theyr heyres for euermore the [...] forth. The whiche thynges & artycles whā kyng Edward had seen them / he graūt to them / so that both partyes shold be swor [...] on goodes body & on y• gospels y• the foresayd couenaūt shold be stablysshed & so they accorded gracyolisly. Therfore there were ordeyned & dressed on euery side [...] barōs twp baronets & two knyghtes to admyt & recoylle the othes of y• lorde Charles te gent of Fraūce / & of syr Edwarde y• fyrst sone & heyre of king Edward of Englōde And y• .x. daye of May there was songen a solem [...]ne masse at Parys / & after the thyrde Agnꝰ de [...] sayd wt dona nobis pacē [...] presence of y• foresayd men y• were ordeyned to admytte & receyue y• othes & of all other y• there might be. Tho Charles layde his tyght hande on y• patent with goddes body: & his lyft hande on y• masse boke & sayd. We N. swere on goddes bo dy & the holy gospels y• we shall truly & stedfastly helde toward vs y• peas & y• ac corde made bytwene y• two kynges / & in no manes to do y• cōtrary / & there amōge all his lordes for more loue & strength of wytnes he deled & departed the [...] of the crowne of Chryst to y• knyghtes of englōde / & they curt [...]ysly toke theyr leue And y• fryday next y• same othe in ꝓsence of y• foresayd knightes & of other worthy men prynce Edwarde made at Louers. Afterward doth kȳges & theyr sones & [...] most noble men of bothe realmes / [...] y• same yere made y• same othe. And for to strength all these thȳges aforesayd / the kyng of Englonde ared y• gretest men of Fraūce / & had his askyng / y• is to say .vj. dukes .viij. erles .xij. lordes all noble barōs & worthy knyghtes. And whā y• place & tyme was assigned in whiche bothe [...] theyr coūseyl shold come togider all y• foresayd thȳges bytwene thē spoke for to ratify & make firme & stable / y• kȳg of englōde anone went toward y• see & at [Page] Houn [...]let began to sayle / leuynge to his hostes y• were lefte behynde hȳ bycause of his absence moche heuynes. And after the .xix. daye of Maye he came in to Englōde / & went to his palays at Westmynster on saynt Dunstans daye / & the thyrde daye after he vysyted Iohn the kyng of Fraūce that was in the toure of London / & delyuered hym frely from all maner of prison / saue fyrst they were accorded of .iij. millyons of floreyns for his raimsom / and the kynge cōforted hym & chered hym in all places with all solace & myrthes that longeth to a kyng in his goynge homewarde. ¶ And the .ix. daye of Iuly in y• same yere this same Iohn kynge of Fraūce y• afore laye here in hostage went home agayne in to his owne londe to treate of those thinges & other y• longed & fallen to the gouernaūce of his realme. ¶ And afterward mette & came togyder at Calays bothe y• two kynges with bothe theyr coūseyles about all h [...] lowen tyde / & there were shewed the con dicyons & the poyntes of the peas / & of y• accorde of bothe sydes wryten / & there wtout ouy with sayenge of bothe sydes gracyously they were accorded / & there was done and songen a solempne masse And after the thyrde Agnus dei vpon goddes body & also vpon the masse boke bothe the kynges & theyr sones and the gretest lordes of both realmes & of theyr coūseyles that there were present / & had not sworne before the foresayd othe that they had made & tytelled bytwene them they behyght to kepe and all other couenaūtes y• were bytwene them ordeyned. ¶ And in this same yere men / beestes / trees & houses with sodeyn tempest and stronge lyghtenynge were perysshed / & the deuyll appered bodyly in mannes ly kenes to moche people as they went in dyuers places in the countrees / & spake to them in that lykenes.
¶ How the [...] [...] [...]
Bynge [...] of his regne [...] Chrystin asse in the [...] of y• [...] saynt Paule h [...]lde his [...] Westmynster / in y• whiche parlyament was put forth & shewed y• accorde [...] y• treatys that was stablysshed & [...] bytwene the two kynges / whiche accorde, pleased to moche people / & therfore [...]y y• kynges cōmaūdemēt there were [...] & come togyder in Westmynster chirche y• fyrst sonday of le [...]t / that is to saye / the second kal of February the foresayd Englysshe men & Frenssomen / where was songe a solempne masse of y• Crinite of the arche bysshop of Caunterbury mayster Symond Islepe. And whan Agnꝰ dei was done the king beynge there wt his sones & also y• kynges sones of Fraūce & other noble & grete lordes with candellyght & crosses brought forth / & al that were not sworne before / swore that same y• was wryten vpon goddes body & on y• masse boke in this wyse. We N. and N. swere vpon goddes body & on y• holy gospelles stedfastly to holde & kepe toward vs the peas & the accorde made bytwene y• two kynges & neuer for to do y• cōtrary. And whan they had thus sworne / they toke theyr crosses y• theyr othes were compre he [...]ded in to y• notaryes. And this same yere it fort [...] vpon the A [...]cēcyon euen about mydday was seen y• eclypse of the [...] / & there folowed suche a drought / that for defaut of [...]ayne there was grete br [...]nnynge ofcor [...]e fruyte & [...]. ¶ And in the same moneth the .vj. [...] of Iune there fell a sanguyne rayn [...] almoost lyke blode at Burgoyne. And a sanguyne crosse from morow vnto pryme appered and was seen at Boloyn in the [...]yre / the [Page Cxxvii] whiche many men sawe / & after it meued & fell in y• myddes of the see. ¶ And in the same tyme in Fraūce & Englonde & many other londes as they that were in playne coūtrees & desert bare wytnes sodeynly there appered two castels / of y• whiche wente out two hostes of armed men. And that one hoost was clothed in whyte / & that other in blacke / & whan batayle bytwene them was begon / the whyte ouercame the blacke / & anone after the blacke toke herte to them & ouercame the whyte / & after that they went agayn i to theyr castels / & than y• castels & all the hoost vanysshed awaye. ¶ And in the same yere there was a grete & an huge pestilēce of people & namely of men whose wyues as women out of gouernaūce toke husbādes as well straūgers as other lewde & symple people / y• whiche forgetynge theyr honour & worshyp & birth coupled & maried them wt them y• were of lowe degre & lytell reputacyon. ¶ In this same yere died Henry duke of Lancastre / & also in this yere Edwarde prynce of Wales wedded the coūtesse of Kēt y• was syr Thomas wyfe of Holand the whiche was departed somtyme & de uorced fro y• erle of Salysbury for cause of y• fals knyght. And about this tyme began & rose a grete cōpany of diuers na cyōs gadred togider / whose leders were Englysshmen wtout ony heed / y• whiche dyd moche harme in y• party of Fraūce. And not longe after there arose an other cōpany of dyuers nacions / y• was called the whyte cōpany y• which in y• partyes of Lombardy dyd moche sorowe. ¶ The same yere syr Iohn of Gaunt the sone of king Edward y• thyrde was made duke of Lancastre by reason and cause of his wyfe that was the doughter & heyre of Henry somtyme duke of Lancastre.
¶ Of the grete wynde / and how prynce Edwarde toke the lordshyp of Guyen of his fader / and went thyder.
AAd in the .xxxvij. yere of kynge Edward the .xv. day of Ianyuer that is to saye / on saynt Mauryce daye about euensongtyme there arose & came suche a wynde out of y• south wt suche a fyersnes & strength that it brast & blewe downe to y• groūde high houses & strōge buyldynges / toures / chirches & steples & other stronge places / & all other strōge werkes y• stode styll were shaken therwt that they ben yet & shall euermore be the febler & weyker whyle they stande. And this wynde lasted wtout ony [...]ssyng. vu dayes cōtinually. And anone after there folowed suche water in hey tyme & in y• haruest tyme that al felde werkes were gretly letted & left vndone. ¶ And in the same yere prynce Edwarde toke y• lordshyp of Guyen / & dyd to kyng Edwarde his fader homage & fraute therof / & wēt ouer see in to Gascoyn with his wyfe & chyldren. ¶ And anone after kynge Edward made syr Leonell his sone duke of Clarence / & syr Edmonde his other sone erle of Cambrydge. ¶ And in y•. xxxvii [...]. yere of his regne it was ordeyned in the parlyament that men of lawe bothe of y• chirche & tēporall lawe sholde fro y• tyme forth plete in theyr moder tongue. And in y• same yere came in to Englonde thre kynges / y• is to saye / y• kyng of Fraūce y• kyng of Cypres / & y• kyng of Sectionde bycause to visyte & to speke wt the kynge of Englonde. And after they had bē here lōge tyme / two of them went home in to theyr owne coūtrees & kyngdomes / but the kyng of Fraūce through grete sekenes & malady that he had abode styll in Englonde. ¶ And in y• .xxxix. yere of his regne was a stronge & grete frost / & that lasted lōge / that is to saye fro say [...] Andrewes tyde to the .xiiij. kal. of Apryll y• [Page] the tylthe & sowynge of the erth & other suche felde werke & hande werkes were moche let & lefte vndone for colde & hardnes of y• erth. And at Drray in Brytayn was ordeyned a grete deedly batayle bytwene syr Iohn of Moūford duke of Britayn & syr Charles of Bloys / but y• victory fell to the foresayd syr Iohn through helpe & socour of y• englysshmen / & there were taken many knightes & squyers & other men y• were vnnombred / in y• whiche batayle was slayne Charles hȳselfe with all y• stode about hym / & of y• Englysshmen were slayne but .vii. ¶ And in this yere dyed at ye Sauoy Iohn y• king of Fraūce / whose seruyce and exequyes kynge Edwarde let ordeyn & dyd in dyuers places worshypfully to be done / & at Douer ordeyned hym worthely to be ledde wt his owne costes & expences / & fro thens he was fet in to Fraūce / & buryed at saynt Denys. ¶ In y• .xl. yere of king Edwarde the .vij. kal. of Feueryer was borne Edward prynce Edwardes sone / the whiche whā he was .vii. yere of age dyed. And in the same yere it was ordeyned y• saint Peters pens fro y• tyme forth sholde not be payed / y• whiche kyng yuo somtyme kyng of Englōde of y• coūtre of westsaxons / y• began to regne the yere of our lord god .vi. C .lxxix. fyrst graūted to Rome for y• scole of Englonde there to be cōtynued. ¶ And in this same yere fel so moche rayne in hey tyme ye it wasted & destroyed bothe corne & hey. And there was suche debate and fyghtyng of sparowes by diuers places in these days / y• men foūde innumerable deed in y• feldes as they went. And there fell also suche a pestylence / y• neuer was seen suche in no mannes dayes y• than lyued / for men ye went to bedde hole and soūde / sodeynly they dyed. ¶ Also ye tyme a sekenes that men call y• pockes slewe bothe men & women through theyr enfectyng. ¶ And in the .xli. yere of king Edward was borne at Burdeux Rychard the seconde sone of prynce Edward of Englonde / y• whiche Rychard kynge Rycharde of Amorican heued at the fontstone / after whome he was called Rychard. And this same Rychard whan his fader was deed & kyng Edward also / he was crowned kyng of Englond the .xl. yere of his age through right lyne & herytage / & also by y• comyn assent & desyre of the comynalte of the realme. ¶ Aboute this tyme at kyng Edwardes cōmaūdemēt of Englōde whan all the castels & townes were yelded to hym y• were holden in Fraūce by a grete cōpany assembled togyder syr Bartram Claykyn a noble knyght & a good warryour went & purposed hȳ to put Piers kynge of Spayne out of his kyngdome with helpe of y• moost party of y• foresaid grete cōpany / trustynge also vpon helpe and fauour of y• pope / for as moche as it came to his ere y• the same Pyers sholde lede & vse a synfull lyfe / y• whiche Piers smyttē wt drede of these tydynges fledde in to Gascoyn to prynce Edwarde for to haue socour of hym. And whan he was fledde out of Spayne / Henry his broder that was a bastard by assent of y• moost partye of Spayne / & through helpe of y• ferefull company y• I spake of fyrst was crowned king of Spayne / & the nōbre of that same cōpany was rekened and set at the nombre of .lx. M. fyghtynge men. ¶ This same yere in y• moneth of Iune there came a grete company & a nauy of Danes / and gadred them togyder in the north see / purposyng to come in to Englonde to reue & robbe & also to slee with whome they encoūtred & mette in y• see. Maryners & other good fyghtyng men of the coūtre dysperpled them. And they ashamed went home agayne in to theyr owne coūtre / but amonge all other there was a buistous vessel & a strōge of theyr [Page Cxxviii] nauy yt was ouersayled by the Englysshmen & was perysshed & drowned / in the whiche ye stewarde & other grete men of Dēmarke were takē prisoners / & ye king of Englōde & his coūseyle prisoned them the whiche lordes ye Danes afterwarde came & sought all about for to haue had them agayn wt theyr goodes yt they had lost / & they not well ap [...]yed ne pleased of the answere yt they had there / returned home wardes agayn / leuynge behynde them in theyr Innes pryuely wryten in scrowes and on walles. Yet shal Danes waste y• wanes. Than happed there an Englysshe wryter & wrote agaynst the Dane in this maner. Here shall Danes fette theyr banes. ¶ This tyme Pyers kyng of Spayne wt other kinges / yt is to saye / the kyng of Nauerne & the kyng of Malog [...] beynge meanes wēt bytwene & prayed couseyle & helpe of syr Edward the prince / through whose coūseyle whā he had vnderstande theyr artycles & desyre yt he was required of ye kynges / loth he was & ashamed to saye nay & cōtrary them / but neuertheles he was agast lest it shold be ony preiudyce agaynst ye pope & longe tyme taryed them or yt he wolde graūt or cōsent therto / tyll he had better coūseyle & auysemēt wt good deliberacyō of kynge Edward his fader. But whan he was wt euery dayes & cōtynuall besechyng of many noble men requyred and spokē to / & wt many prayers sent & made bytwene them. Than prynce Edwarde sent to his fader bothe by complaynyng lettres & also by cōfortable cōteynyng all theyr suggestions & causes wt all ye other kynges epystles & lettres for to haue cō fort & helpe of ye wronges not onely done to ye kyng of Spayne but also for suche thynges as myght fall to other kynges Also yf it were not the sooner holpen & amēded through ye dome & helpe of knight hode to them yt it as [...]ed & desyred. The whiche lettre whā ye kyng & his coūseyle had seen suche a kynges spoylyng & robbyng wt moche meruayle / & sent agayne cōfortable lettres to prynce Edward his sone & to ye other foresayd kynges / & warned them to arme & ordeyne thē agaynst that mysdoer / & to [...]stande them by the helpe of god that were suche enemyes to kynges. Whan this noble prynce had receyued these lettres hȳselfe with ye other kynges before sayd all theyr coūseyle called togider or yt he wold vndertake ye quarel / he b [...]side & knytte fore ye kyng yt was deposed wt a grete othe / yt is to saye / yt he shold euer after maynteyn the ryght byleue & fayth of holy chirche / wt all theyr mynystres ryghtes & lybertees to defende frō all theyr enemyes & all euyls / & al that were there agaynst bytterly to punysshe & destrouble / & all ye ryghtes libertees preuyleges of holy chirche encreace & maynteyn / & amende all thynges yt be wrongfully taken [...] & borne away by hym or by other bycause of hym hastely to restore agayn / & to dryue & put out s [...]syns & all other [...] people out of his kyngdom wt al his strēgth & power / & suffre [...] admytte none suche for no maner thȳge ne cause to dwel therin▪ [...]nd yt whan he had takē a chris [...] womā he shold neuer come in to none other womans bedd [...] / ne none other mannes wyfe to defoule. All these foresayd thynges truly to kepe cōtynue & fulfyll as all his lyftyme he was boūde by othe afore [...] / in pres [...]nce & wytnes of those kynges wt other dry [...]e [...]s. And than that gracyous prince Edwarde vndertoke ye cause & the quarel of ye kyng yt was deposed / & behyght hym with the grace of almighty god to restore hym agayn to his kyngdome / & let ordeyn & gadre togyder forthwt in all haste his nauy wt men of armes for to warre & fyght in his foresaid cause. ¶ And in this tyme vpon sand of [Page] the scottes see that many a man it sawe thre dayes togyder there were seen two Egles / of the whiche y• one came out of y• south / & y• other out of y• north / & cruelly & strongly they fought & wrastled togyder / & the south Egle fyrst ouercame the north Egle & al to rent hym wt his byll & his clawes that he shold not rest ne take no breth. And after the south Egle slewe home to his own costes. And anone after there folowed & was seen on the morowe afore y• sonne rysyng & after in y• last day of October saue one daye many sterres gadred togyder on a [...]epe fell down to y• erth / leuynge behynde them fyry bemes in maner of lightnynge / whose flambes brent & cōsumed mennes clothes & mennes heere walkyng on y• erth as it was seen & knowen of many a mā. And yet y• northeren wynde y• is euer redy & destynate to all yll fro saynt Katherynes euen tyll .iij. dayes after lost grete good wtout nōbre vnrecouerable. And i y• same days there fell & came also suche lyghtnynge thonder / snowe & hayle / that it wasted & destroyed men / beestes / houses & trees.
¶ Of the batayle of Spayne besyde the water of Nazers ye was bytwene prince Edward & syr Henry bastard of spayne.
IN the yere of our lord a. M. CCC lxvij. & of kynge Edward .xlij. the thyrde day of Apryll there was a strōge batayle & a grete in a large felde called Priazers fast by the water of Nazers in Spayne bytwene syr Edward y• prynce & syr Henry of Spayne / but the vyctory fell to prynce Edward by y• grate of god. And this same prynce Edwarde had wt hym syr Iohn duke of Lācastre his broder / and other worthy men of armes about the nombre of .xxx. M. And y• kyng of Spayne had on his syde men of dyuers nacyons to y• nombre of an hondred thousande & moo / wherfore the sharpenes and fyersnes of his aduersary with his full buystous & grete strength made and droue the ryghtfull party abacke a grete waye / but through y• grace of god almyghty passyng ony manes strength that grete hoost was disparpled myght fully by y• noble duke of Lancastre & his boost or that prince Edward came nygh hym. And whan Henry bastarde sawe that / he turned with his men in so grete haste & strength to flee / that a grete company of them in the foresayd flode and of the brydge therof fell downe and perysshed. And also there were taken the erle of Dene and syr Bartram Cleykyn that was chefe maker & causer of the warre and also cheftayne of the vauntward of the batayle with many other grete lordes and knyghtes to the nombre of two thousande / of whome two hondred were of Fraūce / & many also of Scotlōde. And there were felled in the felde on our enemyes syde of lordes and knyghtes with other people to the nombre of vi. M. and moo / and of Englysshe men but a fewe. And after this y• noble prynce Edwarde restored y• same Pyers to his kyngdom agayne / the whiche Pyers afterwarde through trechery & falsnes of y• foresayd bastard of spayne as he sate at his meet he was strangled & dyed. But after this vyctory many noble and hardy men of Englonde in Spayne through the fluxe and dyuers other sekenesses toke theyr deth. ¶ And also in the same yere in the Marche was seen stella cometa bitwene the north costes and the west / whose bemes stretched toward Fraūce. ¶ And in the nexte yere folowynge of kynge Edwardes regne .xliii. in Apryl syr Leonel kyng Edwardes sone that was duke of Clarence went toward Myleyn with a chosen meyny of y• gentyls of Englonde for to wedde Galois doughter and haue [Page Cxxix] her to his wyfe / by whom he shold haue halfe y• lordshyp of Myleyn. But after y• they were solemply wedded / & aboute y• natiuite of our lady y• same duke of Myleyn dyed. And in y• same yere y• frensshe men brake y• peas & trewse rydyng on y• kynges groūde & lordshyp of Englonde in the shyre & coūtre of Poūtyfe / & toke & helde castels & townes: & bare y• englyssh men on honde falsly & subtylly that they were cause of brekyng of y• trewse. And in this yere dyed y• duchesse of Lācastre / and is buryed in saynt Paules chirche. ¶ The .xliiii. yere of y• regne of kyng Edward was the gretest pestylence of men & of grete beestes / & by y• grete fallyng of waters y• fell at y• tyme / there fell grete hyndrynge & destroyenge of corne / in so moche y• the nexte yere after a busshell of whete was solde for .xl. pens. And in the same yere about y• last ende of Maye the king held his parliamēt at Westminstre in whiche parliamēt was spoken of the othe & trewse y• was broken bytwene hȳ & the kynge of Fraūce / & how he myght best be auenged vpon his wronge. In y• same yere on y• Assumpcyon of our lady dyed quene Philip of englōde a ful noble lady & a good woman / & at westmynster worshipfully is buryed. And about myd somer the duke of Lancastre & the erle of Herford wt a grete company of knightes wēt in to Fraūce where they gate them but lytel worship / for there was a grete hoost of the Frensshmen vpon Calkhull brydge / & an other hoost of englysshmen fast by y• same brydge y• longe tyme had lyued there / & many worthy & grete men of the englysshmen ordeyned & gaue coū seyle for to fight and gyue batayle to the frensshmen / but y• foresayd lordes wold not consent therto for no maner thynge. ¶ Anone after it happed that the erle of warwik came thyderward for to warre And whan y• frensshmen herde of his coming / or that he came fully to londe they left theyr tentes [...] pauylyons wt at theyr vitayles & fled pryuely away. And whā the erle was comen to londe wt his men he went in all haste toward Normandy & destroyed y• yle of Caux wt strengthe of swerde & through fyre. But alas ī his returnynge to Englond agayn at Calays he was taken wt sekenes of pest [...] & dyed / not leuyng behynde him after his dayes so noble a knyght of armes. In whiche tyme regned & warred the noble knyght syr Iohn Hawkewod y• was an englysshman borne / hauynge wt hym at his gouernaunce y• whyte cōpany afore sayd / the whiche one tyme agaynst holy chirche / & an other tyme agaynst lordes warred & ordeyned grete batayles & [...] re in the same coūtre he dyd many meruaylous thȳges. ¶ And aboute y• [...] syon of saynt Paule y• kyng whā [...]e had ended & done y• enterynge & [...] grete costes & rialtees about y• sepul [...] and buryenge of quene Philip his wyfe he helde a parliamēt at westmynster in whiche parliamēt was asked of y• [...] a thre yeres dyme / y• is to say / a g [...] me to be payed .iii. yere duryng. And the clergy put it of & wolde not graūt it vnto Ester next comyng / & than they graūted wel y• in .iii. yere by certayn termes that dyme sholde be payed / & also of y• lay [...] was a .iii. yeres .xv. graūted to y• kyng.
¶ How syr Robert Knolles wt other certayne lordes of the realme went ouer se [...] in to Fraūce / & of theyr gouernaūce.
ANd in the .xlv. yere of kyng Edward in y• begynnynge he w [...]h vnwyse coūseyle & vndiscrete borowed a grete some of golde of y• prelates lordes / marchaūtes & other ryche men of his realme / sayenge y• it shold be spent in defendyng of holy chirche & of his realme. Neuertheles it pfyted no thynge / wherfore [Page] about mydsomer after he made a grete hoost of the worthiest men of his realme amonge whome were some lordes / ye is to saye / the lorde Fitz water / & the lorde Graunson / & other worthy knyghtes / of whiche knightes the kyng ordeyned syr Robert Knolles a proued knyght & well assaied in dedes of armes for to be gouernour / and that through his coūseyle all thynge shold be gouerned & dressed. And whā they came in to Fraūce / as lōge as they dwelled & helde them hole togyder the frensshmen durst not fall vpon them And at ye last about ye begȳuynge of wynter for enuy & couetyse that was amōge them & also discord / they sondred them & parted in to dyuers cōpanyes vnwysely & folisshly. But syr Robert Knolles & his men went & kepte them safe wtin a castel in Brytayn. And whan the frensshmen sawe yt our men were deuyded in to dyuers cōpanyes & places / not holdyng ne strēgthyng them togider as they ought to do / they fell fyersly on our men / & for ye moost party toke them or slewe them / & those yt they myght take led wt them prysoners. ¶ And in ye same yere pope Ʋrban came fro Rome to Auinyon bycause that he shold accorde and make peas bytwene ye kynge of Fraūce & the kynge of Englonde for euermore. But alas or he began his treatyse he dyed wt sekenes ye xxj. day of December / & was buryed as for ye tyme in ye cathedral chirche of Auin yon fast by the hye awter. And the nexte yere after whā he had lyen so his bones were taken out of ye erth & buryed newe in ye abbey of saynt Ʋictory fast by Mar cile / of ye whiche abbey he was somtyme abbot hymself. And in bothe places yt he was buryed in there be many grete myracles done & wrought through ye grace of god to many a mānes helpe & to ye worshyp of almyghty god. ¶ After whome folowed next & was made pope Gregory cardynall deken / that before was called Piers Roger. ¶ In this same yere ye cite of Lymoge rebelled & faught agaynst ye pryuce as other cytees dyd in Guyen for grete taxes / costages / & raūsoms yt they were put & set to by prȳce Edward / whiche charges were importable & chargeable / wherfore they turned fro hym & fel to ye kynge of Fraūce. And whan prynce Edward sawe this: he was sore chafed & greued / & in turnyng homeward agayn in to Englonde with sore scarmysshes & fyghtyng & grete assautes fought with them / & toke ye foresayd cite & destroyed it almoost to ye groūde / & slewe al that were foūde in ye cite. And thā for to say ye sothe for dyuers sekenes & maladyes yt he had & also for defaute of money yt he myght not withstande ne tary on his enemyes he hyed hym agayn in to Englōde wt his wyfe & meyny / leuyng behynde hym in Gascoyn the duke of Lancastre & syr Edmōd erle of Cambridge wt other worthy and noble men of armes. ¶ In the .xlvj. yere of kyng Edward at the ordinaūce & sendyng of kynge Edward / the kyng of Nauerne came to hym to Claringdon to treate wt hym of certayne thynges touthynge his warre in Normandy / where kyng Edward had lefte certayn lyeges in his stedetyl he came agayn. But king Edward might not spede of that that he asked hym. And so ye kynge of Nauerne with grete worshyp & grete gyftes toke his leue & went home agayn. ¶ And about the begynnynge of Marche whan the parliamēt at Westmynster was begon thē kynge asked of the clergy a subsydy of .l. M. poūde / ye whiche by a good auysement & by a generall conuocacyon of the clergy it was graūted & ordeyned that it shold be payed & reysed of the lay fee. And in this parlyament at ye request & askynge of the lordes in hatred of men of holy chirche / the chaunceler & the tresourer [Page Cxxx] that were bysshops / & the clerke of the preuy seale were remeued and put out of theyr offyce / & in theyr stede were seculer men put in. And whyle this parlyament lasted there came solempne embassatours fro ye pope to treate with the kynge of peas / & sayd yt the pope desyred to fulfyll his predecessours wyll / but for all theyr comynge they spedde not.
¶ Of the besyegynge of Rochell / & how the erle of Penbroke & his cōpany was there taken in ye hauen wt Spanyardes and all his shyppes brent.
[...]He .ix. daye of Iune kynge Edward in ye .xlvij. yere of his regne helde his parlyamēt at Wynchestre / & it lasted but .viij. dayes / to whiche parlyament were sompned by wryte of men of holy chirche .iiij. bysshops & .iiij. abbots wtout ony moo. This parlyament was holden for marchaūtes of Londō / of Nor wyche / and of other dyuers places in dyuers thȳges & poyntes of treason yt they were defamed of / yt is to saye / that they were rebell & wold aryse agaynst ye kyng ¶ This same yere ye duke of Lācastre & the erle of Cambrydge his broder came out of Gascoyne in to Englonde / & toke & wedded to theyr wyues Peters doughters somtyme kyng of Spayne / of whiche two doughters ye duke had yt elder / & the erle ye yonger. And yt same time there were sent two cardynals fro ye pope / yt is to saye an Englysshe cardinall & a cardynall of Parys to treate of peas bytwene these two realmes / whiche whan they had ben bothe lōge eche in his ꝓuynce & coūtrees fast by tretynge of the foresayd peas / at y• last they toke wt them ye lettres of procuracy & went agayne to Rome wt out ony effect of theyr purpose. In this yere there was a strōge batayle on ye see bytwene Englysshmen & Flemynges / & the Englisshmen had the victory / & toke xxv. shyppes wt salte / & s [...]eynge & drownyng all ye men yt were therin vnwyting them yt they were of ye countree / & moche harme sholde haue fallen therof had not peas & accorde soone be made bytwene them. ¶ This yere ye frensshmen besyeged ye towne of Rochell / wherfore ye erle of Penbroke was sent in to Gascoyn wt a grete cōpany of men of armes for to destroye ȳ syege which passed ye see & came safe to ye hauen of Rochell / & whan they were there at ye hauens mouth or yt they myght entre / sodeynly came vpon them a stronge nauy of Spanyerdes whiche ouercame ye Englysshmen in moche blemysshynge / hurtyng & sleynge of many people / for as moche as ye Englysshmen were not than redy for to fyght ne warned of thē. And as ye Spanyerdes came vpon them all the Englysshmen eyther they were takē or slayne / and. r. of them were sore woūded to the doth [...] & al the [...]r shyppes brent / & there they toke ye erle wt a grete tresour of the realme of Eng [...] & many other noble men also on my [...] mer euen ye whiche is sa [...]t Etheldredes day / & ledde them wt them in to Spayn [...] And of this myschefe was no grete w [...] der / for this erle was a full [...] l [...]uer as an open lechour. And also in a certa [...]e parlyament he stode & was agaynst the ryghtes & fraūchyses of holy chirche & also he coūseyled ye kynge & his co [...] that they shold aske more of men of holy chirche than other ꝑsones of the lay fee. And for the kynge and other men of his counseyle accepted and toke rather euyll opynyons & causes agaynst men of holy chirche than he dyd for to defende and maynteyne the ryght of holy chirche, [...]t was after seen many tymes for lacke of fortune and grace they had not so grete victory ne power against theyr enemyes as they dyd before. ¶ This same yere ye kyng wt a grete hoost entred the see to remeue [Page] the syege of Rochell / but ye wynde was euer contrary to hym / & suffred hȳ not longe tyme to go ferre fro the londe / wherfore he abode a certayn tyme vpon ye see costes abyding after a good wynde & yet came it not. So at the last he came thens wt his men to lonoward agayn / & anone as he was on lōde ye wȳde turned & was in an other coste thā it was afore.
¶ How the duke of Lancastre wt a grete hoost wente in to Flaundres & passed by Parys through Burgoyn and through all Fraūce tyll he came to Burdeux.
SOone after in the .xlviij. yere of ye regne of kyng Edward the duke of Lancastre wt a grete power went in to Flaūdres and passed by Parys through Burgoyn & through all Fraunce tyll he came to Burdeux wtout ony maner with standyng of ye frensshmen / & he did them but lytel harme / saue he toke & raūsoned many places & townes & many men: & after let them go frely. ¶ The same yere ye kyng sent certayne embassatours to the pope / prayenge hym yt he shold leue of & not medle in his courte of the kepynges & reseruacyons of benefyces in Englōde & yt those yt were chosen to bysshops sees & dignitees frely & with full myght ioye & haue & be confermed to ye same of theyr metropolytans & archebisshops as they were wont to be of olde tyme. Of these poyntes & of other touchyng ye kȳg & his realme / whā they had theyr answere of the pope / the pope enioyned them yt they shold certyfy hym agayn by theyr lettre of ye kynges wyll & of his realme or they determyned ought of ye foresayd articles ¶ In this same yere dyed Iohn ye archebysshop of Yorke / Iohn bysshop of Ely / William bysshop of worcestre / in whose stedes folowed & were made bysshops by auctorite of ye pope / mayster Alexander Neuyll to the archebysshopryche of Yorke / Thomas of Arundell to the bysshopryche of Ely / & syr Henry wakefelde to ye bysshopryche of worcestre. In ye whiche tyme it was ordeyned in ye parlyament that all cathedrall chirches sholde ioye & haue theyr eleccyons hole / & that ye kyng fro yt tyme afterwarde sholde not wryte agaynst them yt were chosen / but rather helpe them by his lettres to theyr cōfyrmacyon. This statute dyd moche ꝓfyte And in this parliament was graūted to the kynge a dyme of the clergy & a .xv. of lay fee. ¶ In the .xlix. yere of kyng Edward dyed mayster Willyam wytlesey archebysshop of Caunterbury / and the monkes of ye same chirche asked & desyred a Cardynall of Englonde to be archebysshop / & therfore ye king was agreued & purposed to haue exiled ye monkes of ye same hous. And they spent moche good or they myght haue the kynges grace & his loue agayn / but yet wold ye king not cōsent to theyr eleccyon of ye cardinall / ne of ye pope also ne his cardynals. ¶ And at ye begynnynge of August it was treated & spoken at Bruges of certayn poyntes & artycles hangyng bytwene ye pope & the kyng of Englonde / & this treatyse lasted almoost two yere. At yt last it was accorded bytwene them yt the pope fro ye tyme forth sholde not vse ne dele with ye reseruacyons of benefyces in Englonde and that ye kyng sholde not graūte ne let no benefyces by his wryte that is called Quare impedit. But as touchynge the eleccyon abouesayd there was no thȳge touched ne done. And that was wyted & put vpon certayne clerkes the whiche rather supposed & hoped to be auaunced and promoted to bysshopryches whiche they desyred & coueyted by the courte of Rome rather thā by ony other eleccions. ¶ This same yere about Candelmasse there mette togyder at Bruges many [Page Cxxxi] noble & worthy men of bothe sydes & realmes to treate of peas bytwene the two kynges. And this treatyse lasted .ij. yere wt grete costes & large expenses of bothe partyes. And at ye last they went & departed thens wtout ony accord or effect. The nexte yere after the .l. yere of kynge Edward / the .iiij. non̄. of Maye beynge yet voyde & vacaunt ye archebysshopryche of Caūterbury mayster Symond sudbery bysshop of London was made archebysshop: & mayster William Courtney that was bisshop of Herford was than made bysshop of Londō / & ye bisshop of Bangor was made bysshop of Herford. And this same tyme in a certayne treatyse & spekyng of peas trewse was takē bytwene Englonde & Fraūce fro mydsomer to the nexte mydsomer after. And aboute ye begynnynge of Apryll ye duke of Brytayne wt many erles / barons & worthy lordes & men of Englonde went ouer see in to Britayne where he had all his lust / desyre & purpose ne had ye foresayd trewse ben so soone takē whiche letted them. ¶ This same tyme ye yle of Cōstantyne where yt the castel of saȳt Sauyour is in / yt longe tyme was fought at / & besyeged of the frensshmen was than yolden to them wt all the appertenaūces / to grete harme & hyndrynge of ye realme of Englond. And this same yere there were so grete & so passyng betes & therwtall a grete pestylence in Englonde & in other dyuers partyes of the worlde yt it destroyed & sewe violently & strongly bothe men & womē wtout nōbre. ¶ This same yere dyed syr Edward ȳ lord spencer a worthy knight & a bolde / & in ye mynster of Teukesbury worshipfully is buryed. And lastȳg this pestilence ye pope at ye instaunce & prayer of an englysshe Cardynall graūted to all people yt dyed in Englonde yt were sory & repentaūt for theyr synnes & also shryu [...] full remyssyon by two bulles vnder lede vj. monethes thā next to last. ¶ In this same yere ye erle of Penbroke was taken and raūsoned by B [...]t [...]am Claykyn bytwene Parys & Calays as he came toward Englond vpon saynt Etheldredes daye / the whiche saynt as it was said ye erle oftentymes had offended / & within a lytell whyle after he dyed. And in Nouēber nexte after there mette at Bruges the duke of Lancastre & ye duke of Angeo with many other lordes and prelates of bothe realmes for to treate of peas.
¶ Of the deth of prynce Edwarde / & of the lord Latimer and dame Alyce Pe [...]s through whom & her maynteyners the realme many a day was mysgouerned.
NOt lōge after the .lj. yere of kyng Edwardes regne he let ordeyn & holde at Westmynster the gretest parliament yt was seen many a yere afore. In the whiche parlyament he asked of the comynalte of ye realme as he had done afore a grete subsidy to be graūted to him for defendyng of hym & his realme. But the comyns answered ye they were so of [...] day by day greued & charged wt so many talages & subsidyes yt they might no longer suffre suche burthens & charges / & ye they knewe & wyst well ynough that ye kyng had ynough for sauynge of hym & his realme / yf ye realme were wel & truly gouerned / but ye it had ben so longe [...] gouerned by yll offyeers / that ye [...]ea [...]me myght neyther be plenteous of chafer & marchaūdyse ne also wt rychesse. And in these thynges they profred themselfe / yf the kynge wolde certaynly to pre [...] and standeby. And yf it were foūde & preued afterwarde that ye kyng had nede / they wold gladly euery man after his power and state hym helpe and l [...]ne. And after this were publysshed & shewed in ye parlyamēt many playntes and defa [...]es of [Page] dyuers officers of y• realme / & namely of the lorde Larimer the kynges chamberlayn bothe to y• kyng & oke to the realme And also at the last there was spoken & treated of dame Alyce Pers for the grete wrōges & euyll gouernaūce y• was done by her coūseyle in y• realme / the whiche dame Alyce Pers the kynge had holden longe tyme to his lemman / wherfore it was the lesse wonder though through y• fraylte of y• womans excityng & her sterynge he cōsented to her lewdnes & euyll coūseyle / the whiche dame Alyce & also y• lorde Larimer & other suche y• meued the kynge to euyll gouernaūce agaynst his profyte & the realme also / al y• comynalte asked & desyred y• they shold be remeued & put away / & in theyr stedes wyse men & worthy that were true & well assayed & proued / & of good gouernaūce shold be put in theyr stedes. So amonge al other there was one among the comyns that was a wyse knight & true & an eloquent mā / whose name was Piers de la mare And this Piers was chosen to be spekee for the comyns in y• parlyament. And for this same Pyers tolde & publysshed the trouth & rehersed the wronges agaynst the foresayd dame Alyce & other certayn persones of y• kȳges coūseyle as he was bydden by the comyns / & also trustynge moche to be supported & maynteyned in this mater by helpe & fauour of y• prynce anone as y• prynce was deed / at the instaūce & request of y• foresaid dame Alyce this Piers de la mare was iudged to perpetuall prison in y• castel of Notyngham in y• whiche he was .ij. yere. And in y•. vj kal. of Iuly lastyng y• same parlyament dyed prynce Edward kyng Edwardes fyrst sone / y• is to saye / on trinite sondaye in worship of whiche feest he was wont euery yere where y• euer he were in the worlde to hold & make y• moost solēpnite that he myght / whose name & fortune of knyghthode (but yf it had bē of another Hector) all men bothe chrysten & hethen whyle y• he lyued & was in good poynt wondred moche & drad hȳ wonders sore whose body is worshypfully buryed in Chrystchirche at Caūterbury. ¶ And in this same yere y• men & y• erles tenaūtes of warwik arose malycyously agaynst y• abbot & couēt of Euesham & theyr tenaū ces / & destroyed y• abbey & y• town / & woū ded & bet theyr mē & slewe many of them & went to theyr maner places & dyd moche harme / & brake downe theyr parkes & closes & slewe theyr wyld beestes & chaced them / brekyng theyr fyssh pondes he des / & let y• water of theyr pōdes stewes & ryuers ren out & toke y• fysshe & bare it wt them / & dyd them all y• sorowe y• they myght / so ferforth y• they had destroyed perpetually y• abbey wt al theyrmēbres & appertenaūces but yf the kyng y• sooner had not holp [...] it & taken hede therte / & therfore y• kyng sent his lettres to y• erle of warwik / chatgyng & cōmaūdyng hȳ y• he sholde siynt redresse & amende those euyl boers & brekers of his peas / & so by meanes oflordes & other frendes y• peas was made bytwene them / & for this hur lyng as it was sayd y• kyng wold not be gouerned at y• time by his lordes y• there were in y• parliamēt / but he toke & made his sone the duke of Lācastre his gouernour of y• realme / the which stode so styll as gouernour tyll y• tyme that he dyed. ¶ The same yere after Candelmas or y• parlyament was done the kyng asked a subsydy of y• clergy & of y• lay le / & it was graūted hym / y• is to say y• he shold haue of euery persone of y• lay le / bothe man & woman that passed .xiiij. yere of age. iiij pens / out take poore beggers that were knowen openly for nedy poore beggers. And that he shold haue of euery man of holy thirche y• was benefyced or promoted .xij. pens / & all other y• were not proted. [Page Cxxxii] iiij. pens / out take the .iiij. ordres of the freres beggers. ¶ This same yere after Mighelmasse Rychard prynce Edwardes sone was made prȳce of Wales to whome y• king gaue also the duchy of Cornewayle wt the erledome of Chestre. And aboute this tyme the Cardynall of Englonde the fourth daye before Mary Mawdeleyns daye after dyner sodeinly was stryken wt a palsey & lost his speche and on Mary Mawdeleyns daye dyed.
¶ Of the deth of kyng Edward / & how syr Iohn Monsterwarth knyght was drawen and hanged for his falsnes.
BYght anone after ī the .lij. yere of kyng Edward in the begȳnynge of October pōpe Gregory y• .xj. brought and remeued his courte with hym from Auinyon to Rome. ¶ And the .xij. day of Apryll Iohn Monsterwarth knyght at London was drawen & hanged & than quartred & sent to foure chefe townes of Englōde / & his heed smittē of & set vpon Londō brydge. For this Iohn was full vntrue to y• kyng & to the realme & couetous & vnstable / for he toke oftentymes grete sōmes of money of the kyng & his counseyle for men of armes wages that he sholde haue payed them / & toke it to his owne vse / & he drad that at y• last he shold be shent & accused for y• same cause & fledde pryuely to y• kynge of Fraūce / & was sworne to hym & became his man and behyght hym a grete nauy out of Spayne to cōfusyon and destroyenge of Englōde. But y• ryghtfull god to whom no preuite is vnknowen / suffred hȳ first to be shent & spylte or y• he so traytoursly & falsly betrayed his lyege lord y• king of Englonde & his people in his realme / in the which groūde this same Iohn was borne / & wyckedly through batayle destroyed or he brought aboute his cursed purpose. ¶ In y• feest of saynt Gregory nexte after kynge Edward gaue to Rycharde of Burdeux his heyre that was prynce Edwardes sone at Wyndsore the ordre of knyghthode & made hȳ knyght / the whiche kyng Edward whan he had regned .lj. yere & more / y• .xj. kal. of Iune he dyed at Shene / & is buryed worshyp fully at westmȳster / on whose soule god haue mercy. This kyng Edward was forsothe of a passyng goodnes & full gracyous among all the worthy men of the world / for he passed & shone by vertue of grace gyuē to hym frō god aboue all his p̄decessours y• were noble men & worthy & he was a well herted man & an hardy for he drad neuer no myshappes ne barmes ne euyl fortune y• myght fall a noble warryour & a fortunate / for both on lōde & see & in al batayles & assembles wt a passing glory & ioy he had y• victory / he was meke / benigne / homely / sobre & soft to al men as wel to strangers as to his owne subiectes & to other y• were vnder his gouernaūce / he was deuout & holy both to god & holy chirche / for he worshipped holpe & maynteyned holy chirch & theyr mynistres wt al maner reuerēce / he was tre table & well auysed in rēporall & worldly nedes / wyse ī coūseyle / & discrece & meke to speke wt / ī his dedes & maners gētyl & well taught / hauȳg pite on them y• were in disease / plenteous in gyuyng e [...] benefaytes & almes / besy & curyous in buylding / & lyghtly he bare & suffred wrōges & harmes / & whan he was gyuē to ony occupacyō he left all other thynges for y• tyme & tended therto / semely of body & a mene stature / hauyng alway to hygh & to lowe a good chere. And there sprōge & shone so moche grace of hym y• what mā had behold his face / or had dremed of hȳ he hoped y• daye y• al thynge shold hap to hym ioyfull & lykyng. And he gouerned his kingdom gloriously vnto his age / he was large in gyuyng & wyse in expēces [Page] he was fulfylled with al honeste of good maners & vertues / vnder whom to lyue it was as for to regne / wherfore his fame & his loos spronge so ferre y• it came in to hethynnesse & Barbary / shewynge & tellynge his worthynes & manhode in all londes / & y• no londe vnder heuen had brought forth so noble a kyng / so gentyll & so blissed / or might reyse suche another whā he was deed. Neuertheles lechery & meuynge of his flesshe haūted hym in his age / wherfore the rather as it is to suppose for vumesurable fulfyllynge of his lust his lyfe shorted the sooner. And hereof take good hede lyke as his dedes bereth wytnes / for as in his begȳnyng all thynges were Ioyfull and lykyng to hym & to all people. And in his myddle age he passed all people in hygh Ioye / worshyp & blyssednes. Ryght so whan he drewe in to age drawyng downward through lechery & other synnes lytell & lytell all those Ioyfull & blyssed thynges and prosperyte decreased & myshapped / and unfortunate thynges and vnprofytable harmes with many euyls began for to sprynge / and the more harme is / it contynued longe tyme after.
CLemens y• syxth was pope after Benedict .x. yere. This mā in name & dede was vertuous / & many thynges y• Benedict was rigous in / he made easy / & certeyn that he depryued he restored / & the rygousnes of y• fayth of Benedict was laudable / but moche more laudable was y• mekenes of Clemēt. This man was a noble prechour / & many sermōs he gadred / & let no man passe from hym but he gaue hym good coūseyle / & decessed a blissed man. ¶ Karolus y• .iiij. was emperour after Lodewyk .xxxj. yere. This mā was kyng of Beme a wyse man & a myghty / & this mā was chosen emperour by y• cōmaūdement of Clemēt Lodewyk beynge alyue in his contemacy / & bycause he asked mekely the popes blessynge and to be crowned of hym / as other good kynges did / therfore he was protected of god / & preuayled ouer al his enemyes / & many fauourable lawes he made to spirytuall men / the whiche yet are called Karolma. At y• last he decessed a ryche mā in vertue & goodes. ¶ Inno centius the .vj. was pope after Clement x. yere / and he was a grete louer of relygyous men / & he foūded a monastery in Fraūce of y• ordre of Cartusiens / & was a grete canonyst. ¶ Vrbanꝰ the .v. was pope after Innocēt. This man was abbot of Missolens of y• ordre of saȳt Benet a doctour / & is takē for a saynt. He made the crosse to be preched agaynst y• turkes And he made a passage to y• turkes. And to hym saȳt Brigyt was sent frō Chryst for the cōfirmacyon of theyr rule / & than he was poysoned & decessed. ¶ Gregory the .xj. was pope after hym .viij. yere. This Gregory dyd lytell / & after him folowed y• tribulacyon y• our lorde shewed to saynt Brigit for the synne of y• clergy. ¶ Wenselans sone to Karolus aforesaid was emperour .xiiij. yere / and he was a chylde / and was chosen whan his fader was on lyue / but he toke no kepe of the empyre. And whā he was warned many tymes to take hede vnto it and wold not / he was deposed. For he gaue all his delyte and lust vnto lechery / & the ende was without honour / for he went gretly from the maners & the vertues of his noble fader. And he was crowned with the imperyall dyademe / & the wysdome of his fader passed in to Sygysmūd his broder / as after it shall appere. ¶ Vrbanus was pope after Gregory .vj. yere. This Vrban was chosen in the Cite of Rome by strength of y• Romayns / but y• cardynals dyd that for drede & not wyllyngly / wherfore they fledde to y• Cite of [Page Cxxxiii] Fūdorū. And they sayd that he was not pope / & chose in his place syr Roberte of Gebennys the same yere / whiche was called Clement the .vij. ¶ Nota. ¶ And here began the .xxij. stryte in the chirche And it was more worse than euer was ony other before. For it was so subtyll / y• the wysest men that were & the best conscyenced coude not discerne with whom it was best to saye and holde. And this stryfe dured .xl. yere wt a grete sclaundre vnto al the clergy / and grete peryll vnto mennes soules for heresyes & other euyl thȳges y• whiche were brought in than In so moche that there was no doctryne in the chirche for mysdoynge. And therfore from this Vrban the .vij. vnto Martyn I knowe not who was pope. The feest of the vysytacyon of our lady was ordeyned by Vrban the .vj. after y• forme of the sacrament of the awte [...] for a peas and an vnite for to be had amonge them through the merytes of our blissed lady. ¶ Bonifaciꝰ the .ix. was pope after Vrban .xv. yere. This Bonyface was chosen at Rome in the stede of Vrban / & the stryfe contynued / for Benedictus was chosen in Auinyon in y• place of Clement and was called Petrus deluna / and he duced to the coūseyle of Constantyneys / and than he wolde not obey / but euer abode obstynate. And at y• last he decessed in the kyngdome of Aragon. And he cō inaūded his cardynals to chose an other pope / the whiche they dyd anone. And they set vp an ydoll and named hym Clement / but they profyted not.
¶ Circa amiū dn̄i. M .CCC .lxxx.
¶ And after kynge Edward the thyrde that was borne at wyndsore regned Rychard of Butdeux that was prynce Edwardes sone of Wales / whiche prynce Edward was kynge Edwardes sone.
ANd after y• good kyng Edward the thyrde y• was borne at wynd sore regned Rychard y• second that was the good syr Edwardes sone prynce of Wales / the whiche kyng Rychard was borne in the cite of Burdeux in Gascoyn and was crowned at Westmynster in y• xj. yere of his age. And in y• seconde yere of his regne for y• debate y• was bytwene the lorde Latymer & syr Raufe Feryecs knyght that were agaynst Hawell and Shakell squyers / for y• prysoner y• was taken in Spayne by these two squyers / the whiche prysoner the lord Latimer & syr Raufe Feryers wolde haue had / the whiche prysoner was the erie of Dene that they toke in the batayle of Spayne wherfore these two lordes came in to the chirche at Westmynstre / and foūde this one squyer heryng a masse besyde saynt Edwardes shryne / and there they slewe hym the which was called Hawell / and Shakell was arested & put in to y• toure of London / & there he was longe tyme for he wold not delyuer the crle of Dene his prisoner vnto these two lordes by syr Aleyn Buxhyll constable of the toure / & by syr Raufe Feriers one of his aduersaryes / tyll the kynge had graunted hym grace. ¶ In the thyrde yere of kyng Rychard came the Galays of Fraunce in to Englonde vnto dyuers portes / & brent & robbed & slewe moche people of Englōde that is to saye / at Wynchelsee / Rye / and Hastynges / Portesmouth / Hāton / Scor more & Grauesend / and they dyd moche harme & went home agayne. ¶ And in this same yere was a parliamēt holden at Westmynster / and at that same parlyament was ordeyned that euery man woman & chylde that were of the age of xiiij. yere and aboue throughout all the realme poore folke & other sholde paye to the tallage .iiij. pens. Wherfore came & befell afterwarde grete myschefe & mothe [Page] disease to all the comynalte of the realme. ¶ And in the .iiij. yere of kyng Ry chardes regue ye comyns arose vp in dyuers partyes of the realme / & did moche harme / the whiche tyme they called the hurlyng tyme. And they of Kent and of Essex made them two chefetaynes for to rule & gouerue the company of Kent & of Essex / that one was called Iacke strawe & that other Watte Tyler / & they came and assembled them vpon blacke heth in Kent. And on Corpus Christi daye after they came downe in to South werke / & brake vp the prison hous / that is to saye the kynges benche & the Marchalsee / & delyuered out all the prysoners. And so the same daye they came in to London & there they robbed the people / and slewe all the alyens that they myght fynde in the cite & aboute the cite / and despoyled all theyr goodes & made hauoke. And on the frydaye nexte folowynge that was in the mornynge they came to the toure of London / and the kyng beynge therin they fette out of ye toure the archebisshop of Caunterbury syr Edmond Sudbery and syr Robert Halys hospitaler pryour and mayster of saynt Iohns hous / and a whyte frere that was confessour vnto kynge Rychard / & brought them to the toure hyll / and there they smote of theyr heedes / and came agayne to Londō and slewe moche people of the cite. And than they went vnto the dukes place of Lancastre beyonde saynt Mary of ye stronde that was called the Sauoy / and there they deuoured & destroyed al the goodes that they myght fynde therin / and bare them awaye / & than brent vp the place. And than afterward they went to saynt Iohns without Smythfelde and there they destroyed all the goodes and brent vp that hous. And after they wente to Westmynster and to saint Martyns the graūde / and made them to go out of the sentwary all that were within for ony maner of gylt. And than they came vnto the temple and to all the other Innes of men of lawe / & despoyled them & robbed them of theyr goodes / & also toke theyr bokes of lawe. And than they came to London & brake vp the pryson of Newgate / & droue out all y• prisoners felons & other / and of bothe Counters & all y• people that were within them / & destroyed all the bokes of the Counters. And thus they cōtynued bothe saterday & sondaye vnto the monday nexte after in all theyr malyce & wyckednes. And than on mon daye kynge Rychard with his lordes yt were wt hym yt tyme / & with the Mayre of London Wyllyam Walworth yt was that tyme came with the aldermen & the comyns of the Cite / and they came in to South werke to here & to knowe the intencion of these rebelles & mysgouerned people. And this Iacke strawe than made a crye in the felde that all ye people of accorde sholde come nere & here his clamours and his crye & his wyll. And the lordes & the Mayre & the aldermen with the comynalte hauynge indignacyon of his couetyse & falsnes and his foule presumpcyon. Anone Willyam Walworth that tyme beynge Mayre drewe out his knyfe & slewe Iacke strawe / and anone ryght there smote of his heed / and set it vpon a spere / & so it was borne through Londō & set vpon Londō brydge. Anone these rysers & mysgouerned men were clene vanysshed as it had not ben they. And than the kyng of his grete goodnes & by prayer of his lordes made there .vj. knyghtes of good & worthy men of ye cite of London / yt is to saye / Wyllyam Walwoorth at y• tyme Mayre & slewe Iacke strawe y• second was Nicolas Brembre and the thyrde Iohn Philipot / and the fourth Nicolas Twyford / and the fyfth Robert Laundes / and the sy [...]th Robert [Page Cxxxiiii] Gayton. And than the kynge wt his lordes & knyghtes returned agayne to the toure of London / & there he rested hym tyll this people were better seced & set in rest & peas. And than by ꝓcesse of tyme as they might take & gete these rebelles & rysers they henge them vpon the next galous through out euery lordshyp in y• realme of Englond by .xl. & by .xxx. by .x. & by .xij. euer as they myght be goten & takē in ony partyes. ¶ And in y• .v. yere of kynge Rychardes regne was y• grete erth quake / & was generall throughout the worlde the wednesdaye after whytsondaye in ye yere of our lorde. M .CCC .lxxxxj. wherfore all maner people were sore agast & aferde longe tyme for drede of vengeaunce yt our lorde shewed & dyd. ¶ And in the .vi. yere of kynge Rychard syr Henry Spēser bysshop of Norwiche went with a Croiserie ouer the see in to Flaundres / & there they gate y• towne of Grauenyng & the towne of Burburgh / Dūkerk & Newport / & there they laded & fraughted .lj. shyppes wt pyllage for to haue comen in to Englōde wt these shyppes & goodes. And ye bysshop of Norwyche & his coūseyle let bren these shyppes with all ye pyllage in ye same hauen in to harde asshes. And at Dūkerk was done a batayle bytwene the Flemynges & the Englisshmen. And at that batayle were salyne a grete multytude of Flemynges And than went the bysshop with his retynue to ypers / and besyeged it a longe tyme / but it myght not be goten / and so lefte that syege & came agayn in to Englonde. For our Englysshmen were fouly destroyed / & many dyed of y• flyx. ¶ And in this same yere came quene Anne in to Englonde for to be spoused to kynge Rycharde. And her fader was emperour of Almayn & kyng of Beme. And with her came y• duke of Tassy her vncle / & many other worthy lordes & knyghtes of her coūtre of Beme & of other duche tōgues to do her reuerence & worshyp. And syr Symond Beuerle a worthy knight of y• garter & other knyghtes & squyers that were y• kynges embassadours brought her in to Englonde / & so forth to London And the people of the cite / that is to saye the Mayre & y• aldermen & all y• comyns rode agaynst her to welcome her / & euery man in good araye / & euery crafte wt his mynstralsy in the best maner mette with her on the blacke heth in Kent / & so brought her vnto London through y• cite / and so forth to Westmynster vnto the kȳges palays. And there she was spoused vnto kyng Rychard well & worthely in the abbey of Westmynster / and there she was crowned quene of Englōd. And all her frendes that came with her had grete gyftes & were wel cherysshed and refresshed as longe tyme as they abode there. ¶ And in y• same yere there was a batayle done in the kynges pala [...]s at Westmȳster for certayn poyntes of [...] son of sir Iohn Ansley knight defendaūt and Carton squyer the appellaunt. But this sir Iohn Ansley ouercame this Car ton / & made hym to yelde hym within y• lyste. And anone was this Carton despoyled of his harneys & drawen out of y• lystes / & so forth to Tyburne & there he was hanged for his falsnes. ¶ And in y• viij. yere of the regne of kynge Rychard syr Edmonde of Langley erle of Cambrydge y• kynges vncle went in to Portyngale with a fayre company of men of armes and archers / in strengthynge and helpynge the kynge of Portyngale agaynst the kynge of Spayne and his power / & there the kynge of Portyngale had the victory of his enemyes through helpe and conforte of our Englysshmen. And whan the iourney was done y• erle of Cambrydge came home agayn with his people in to Englonde in haste / blyssed [Page] be god & his blyssed gyftes. Amen. ¶ And this same yere kynge Rycharde helde his Chrystmasse in the manoyr of Eltham. ¶ And the same yere y• kyng of Armony fledde out of his owne londe & came in to Englonde for to haue helpe & socour of our king agaynst his enemyes that had dryuen hym out of his realme. And so he was brought vnto the kynge to Eltham there as the kynge helde his ryall feest of Christmasse. And there our kyng welcomed hym & dyd hym moche reuerence & worshyp / and cōmaūded all his lordes to make hym all y• chere that they coude. And than he besought the kynge of his grace & of helpe and of his cōforte in his nede / & that he myght be brought agayn to his kyngdom & londe for the Turkes had destroyed the moost parte of his londe / and how he fledde for drede / and came hyder for socour & helpe And than the kyng hauynge on hȳ pyte and compassyon of his grete myschefe & greuous dysease / anone he toke his coū seyle & asked what was best to do. And they answered & sayd / yf it lyked hym to gyue hym ony good / it were well done / and as touchynge his people for to trauayle so ferre in to out loudes / it were a grete Ieopardy. And so the kynge gaue hym golde & syluer & many other ryche gyftes & iewels & betaught hym to god / and so he passed agayn out of Englonde ¶ And this same yere kyng Rychard wt a royall power went in to Scotlonde for to warre vpon the Scottes for the falsnes & destruccyon that the Scottes had done to the Englysshmen in y• marches. And than the Scottes came downe to y• kyng for to treate with hym & with his lordes for trewse as for certayne yeres. And so our kyng & his coūseyle graūted them trewse for certayne yeres / and our kyng turned hym agayn in to Englōde. And whā he was comen to Yorke there he abode and rested hym. And there syr John Holand the erle of Kentes broder slewe the erles sone of Stafford and his heyre with a dagger in the cite of Yorke wherfore the kynge was sore anoyed & greued / and remeued thens and came to London. And the Mayre with the alder men & the comyns with all y• solempnite that might be done rode agaynst y• kyng and brought him royally through y• cite and so forth to westmynster to his owne palays. ¶ And in the .ix. yere of kynge Rychardes regne he helde a parliament at Westmynster / and there he made two dukes and a markeys / and .v. erles. The fyrst that was made duke was the kynges vncle sir Edmond of Langley erle of Cambrydge / and hym he made duke of yorke. And his other vncle syr Thomas of wodstok that was erle of Bokȳgham hym he made duke of Glocestre. And syr Leonner that was erle of Oxforde hym he made markeys of Deuelyn. And Henry of Balynbroke the dukes sone of Lancastre hym he made erle of Derby. And syr Edward y• dukes sone of Yorke hym he made erle of Rutlonde. And syr John Holand y• was the erle of Kentes broder hym he made erle of Huntyngdon. And syr Thomas Mombray hym he made erle of Notyngham and erle Marshall of Englonde. And syr Mychell de la pole knyght hym he made erle of Suffolk & chaunceler of Englonde. And the erle of the Marche at y• same parlyament holden at Westmynster in playne parlyament amonge all the lordes and comyns was ꝓclaymed erle of the Marche and heyre parent to the crowne of Englonde after kynge Rychard / the whiche erle of the Marche went ouer the sce in to Irlonde vnto his lordshyps and londes / for the erle of Marche is erle of Vlster in Irlonde and by ryght lygne and herytage. And there at the castell of his he lay that [Page Cxxxv] tyme / & there came vpon hȳ a grete multytude in busshmentes of wylde Iryssh men for to take & destroye hym. And he came out fyersly of his castell with his people & manly fought wt them / & there he was take & hewen all to peces / & so he dyed / vpon whose soule god haue mercy ¶ And in the .x. yere of kyng Richardes regne the erle of Arundell went to the see with a grete nauy of shyppes enarmed with mē of armes & good archers. And whā they came in y• brode see they mette with the hole flete y• came wt wyne laden frō Rochell / the whiche wyne were enemyes goodes / & there our nauy set vpon them & toke them all / and brought them to dyuers portes & hauens of Englonde and some to London / & there ye myght haue had a toune of Rochell wyne of the best for .xx. shyllynges sterlynge / and so we had grete chepe of wyne in Englōde that tyme thanked be god almyghty.
¶ How the fyue lordes arose at Ratcote brydge.
ANd in y• regne of kyng Richarde the .xj. yere the fyue lordes arose at Ratcote brydge in the destruccion of y• rebelles y• were y• tyme in all the realme. The fyrst of y• fyue lordes was syr Thomas of wodstok the kȳges vncle & duke of Blocestre. The seconde was syr Rychard erle of Arundell. The thyrde was syr Richard erle of warwik. The fourth was syr Henry Bolynbroke erle of Derby. The fyfth was syr Thomas Mombray erle of Notyngham. And these .v. lordes sawe the myschefe & mysgouernaūce & the falsnes of y• kynges coūseyle wherfore they that were y• tyme chefe of the kynges coūseyle fled out of this lōde ouer y• see / that is to saye / syr Alysaūder Neuell the archebysshop of Yorke / & syr Roberte Lewer markeys of Deuelyn & erle of Oxford / & syr Mychell de la Pole erle of Suffolke and chaunceler of Englonde. And these thre lordes went ouer y• see / & neuer came agayne / for there they dyed. And than these fyue lordes aboue sayd made a parliamēt at Westmynster And there they toke syr Robert Tresiliā the Iustyce / and syr Nycholl Brembre knyght & citezyn of London / & syr Iohn Salysbury a knyght of y• kynges housholde / & Vske sergeaunt of armes / & many moo of other people were taken and iudged to deth by the counseyle of these fyue lordes in that parlyament at Westmynster / for the treason y• they put vpon them / to be drawen from y• toute of London throughout the Cite / and so forth to Tyburne / & there they shold be hanged and theyr throtes to be cutte / and thus they were serued & dyed. And after that in this same parliamēt at Westmynster was syr Symond Beuerley that was a knyght of the garter / & syr Iohn Beauchamp knyght that was steward of the kinges houshold / & syr Iames Berners were foriudged to deth / & thā they were ledde on fote to the toure hyll and there were theyr hedes smytten of and many other moo by these .v. lordes. ¶ In this same parlyament and in the. [...]. yere of kynge Rychardes regne he let trye & ordeyne a generall Iustes that is called a turneymēt of lordes knightes & squyers And these Iustes and turneyment were holden at Londō in smyth [...]elde of all maner of straūgers of what londe or ceūtre that euer they were / & thyder they were ryght welcome / & to them & to all other was holden open housholde & grete feest & also grete gyftes were gyuen to al maner of straungers. And of y• kynges syde were al of one sute theyr co [...]s theyr armure / sheldes / hors trappures / and all was whyte hertes wt crownes aboute theyr neckes / & chaynes of gold hāgyng thervpon / & the crowne hangynge lowe [Page] before the hartes body / the whiche hart was y• kynges lyueray y• he gaue to lordes & ladyes / knyghtes & squyers for to knowe his housholde from other people. And in this feest came to y• Iustes .xxiiij. ladyes & ledde .xxiiij. lordes of the garter with chaynes of gold & all y• same sutes of hartes as it is before sayd frō y• toure on horsbacke through the cite of London in to smythfelde where as y• iustes shold be holdē. And this feest & iustes was holden generally for all those y• wolde come thyder of what lōde or nacyon that euer they were. And this was holdē duryng xxiiij. dayes of y• kynges costes / & these xxiiij. lordes to answere al maner people that wolde come thyder. And thyder came the erle of saynt Paule of Fraunce / & many other worthy knightes wt hym of dyuerse partyes full worthely arayed. And out of Hollande & Henaud came the lorde Ostreuaunt y• was the dukes sone of Holland / & many other worthy knightes wt hym of Holland full well arayed. And whā this feest & iusting was ended the kynge thanked these straūgers / and gaue them many ryche gyftes. And thā they toke theyr leue of y• kyng & of other lordes & ladyes & went home agayn in to theyr owne coūtrees wt grete loue & moche thanke. ¶ And in y• .xiij. yere of kyng Rychardes regne there was a batayle done in y• kynges palays at westmȳstre bytwene a squyer of Nauerne y• was wt kyng Rychard / & another squyer y• was called Iohn walshe for poyntes of treason y• this Nauerne put vpō this walsh man. But this Nauerne was ouercomē & yelded hym creaunt to his aduersary / & anone he was despoyled of his armure & drawen out of the palays to Tyburne and there was hanged for his falsnes. ¶ And in y• .xiiij. yere of kyng Richardes regne syr Iohn of Gaunt duke of Lancastre went ouer see into Spayne for to chalenge his ryght y• he had by his wyues tytell vnto y• crowne of Spayne wt a grete hoost of people / & he had wt hym y• duchesse his wyfe & his thre doughters in to Spayne / & there they were a grete whyle. And at y• last y• kyng of Spayne began for to treate with y• duke of Lancastre / and they were accorded togyder through bothe theyr counseyles in this maner / that the kyng of Spayne sholde wedde the dukes doughter that was y• ryght heyre of Spayne / & he shold gyue vnto the duke golde & syluer y• were cast in to grete wedges: & many other iewels as moche as .viij. charyottes myght cary. And euery yere after during y• dukes lyf & the duchesse his wyfe .x. M. marke of golde / of whiche golde the auenture & charges sholde be to them of Spayne / & yerely brynge to Bayon to the dukes assygnes by surete made. And also y• duke maryed another of his doughters to the kynge of Portyngale y• same tyme. And whan he had done thus he came home agayn into Englonde / & y• good lady his wyfe also / but many worthy men dyed of the flix. ¶ In the .xv. yere of kyng Rychardes regne he helde his Christmasse in y• manoyr of wodstok / & there y• erle of Penbroke a yonge lorde & tender of age wolde lerne to Iust wt a knyght y• was called syr Iohn of saynt Iohn / & rode to gyder in y• parke of wodstok. And there this worthy erle of Pēbroke was slayne with y• other knyghtes spere as he cast it from hym whan they had coupled / & thus this good erle made there his ende and therfore the kyng & the quene made moche sorowe for his deth. ¶ And in the xvj. yere of king Richardes regne Iohn Hende beynge y• tyme Mayre of Londō and Iohn Walworth & Henry Vanner beynge sheryues of London / that same tyme a bakers mā bare a basket of horsbrede into Fletestrete towarde an hostry [Page Cxxxvi] and there came a yonge man of the bysshops of Salysbury that was called Romayn / & he toke a hors lofe out of y• basket of y• bakers / & he asked hym why he dyd so. And this Romayn turned agayn & brake the bakers heed / & neyghbours came out & wolde haue arested this Romayn / & he brake from them & fledde to his lordes place / and the cōstable wolde haue had hym out / but y• bysshops men shette fast the gates / & kepte the place y• no man myght entre. And than moche more people gadred thyder / & sayd that they wold haue hȳ out / or els they wold brenne vp y• place & all that were therin. And thā came the Mayre & sheryues wt moche other people & cessed y• malice of y• comyns / & made euery man to go home to theyr houses & kepe y• peas. And this Romayns lorde y• bysshop of Salysbury mayster Iohn Waltham that at y• tyme was tresourer of Englonde went to syr Thomas Arundel archebysshop of Caū terbury & chaūceler of Englond / & there the bysshop made his cōplaynt vnto the chaunceler vpon the people of the cite of Londō. And than these two bysshops of grete malice & vengeaūce came vnto the kynge at Wyndsore & made a grete complaynt vpō the Mayre & sheryues. And anone all y• cite afterward came before y• kyng & his coūseyle / & they cast vnto the cite a greuous hert & wonders grete malyce. And anone sodeynly the kynge sent for y• Mayre of Londō & the sheryues / & they came to hȳ in y• castell of Wyndsore And the kyng rebuked the Mayre & sheryues ful foule for the offence y• they had done agaynst hym & his offycers in his chambre at Londō / wherfore he deposed & put out the Mayre & bothe sheriues / & this was done .xiiij. dayes before y• feest of saynt Iohn baptyst. And than y• kyng called to hym a knyght that was called syr Edward Dalingrigge / & made hym wardeyn & gouernour of y• cite & chambre of London / & ouer all his people therin. And so he kepte that offyce but foure wekes bycause that he was so gentyll & tendre to the citezyns of London / wherfore the kynge deposed hym / & made syr Bawdewyn Radyngton knyght y• was Controller of the kynges houshold wardeyn & gouernour of his chambre and of his people therin / and chose to hym two worthy men of the cite to be sheryues wt hym to gouerne & kepe y• kynges lawes in the cite / that one was called Gylbert Mawfelde / & y• other Thomas Newenton sheryues. And than the Mar [...] two sheryues & all y• aldermen wall [...] worthy craftes of London went [...] to the toure of London / & there came [...] the Constable of the toure / and gaue the Mayre & sheryues theyr othe & charge as they sholde haue takē in y• [...]cheker of Westmynster in y• kynges courte of his Iustyce & barons of the escheker & than went they home agayne. And than the kyng & his coūseyle for y• grece malyer & despyte y• they had to y• cite of Londen remeued all his courtes frō Westmynster vnto the cite of yorke / that is to saye the chaūceler / the escheker / the kynges br [...] che / & the comyn place & there they held all these courtes of lawe fro [...]ds [...]mer y• is to say / the feest of saynt Iohn bapryst vnto y• feest of Chrystmasse next comyng And than the kynge & his coūseyle it not so ꝓfytable there as it was at London. Than anone he remeued if agayne to London & so to westmynster for grece ease of his offycers and aua [...]rage to the kynge and al the comyns of the realme. And whan the people of London sawe [...] knewe y• these courtes were come aga [...] and the kyng & his people also / than the Mayre & the aldermen with y• chefe comyns of the cite let gadre a grete somme of golde of all the comyns of the cite / and [Page] ordeyned & made grete rialtees agaynst his comynge to London for to haue his grace & good lordshyp / and also theyr lybertees & fraūchyses graūted to them agayne as they were wont to haue afore tyme. And through grete instaunce and prayer of the quene & of other lordes & ladyes the king graūted them grace. And this was done at Shene ī sothery. And than y• kynge wtin two dayes after came to London. And the Mayre of the cite wt the sheryues aldermen & all the worthy men of the cite afterwarde rode agaynst hym in good aray to y• heth on this syde the manoyr of Shene / humbly & mekely submyttynge them wt all maner obey saūce vnto hȳ as they ought to do. And thus they brought y• kynge & the quene to London / & whan the kynge came to y• gate of London brydge / there they presented hym with a mylke whyte stede sadled & brydled & trapped with cloth of golde and reed partyed togyder. And the quene a palfrey all whyte in the same araye trapped wt whyte & reed / & all the cōdytes of London ranne wt wyne bothe whyte and reed / for all maner people to drynke who wolde. And bytwene saynt Paule and the crosse in chepe there was made a stage a ryall standyng on hye / & therin were many aūgels with dyuers melodyes & songes. And than an aūgell came downe from the stage on hygh by a vyce & set a crowne of gold pyght with ryche perles & precyous stones vpon the kynges heed / & an other vpō the quenes heed. And so y• citezyns brought y• kyng and y• quene to Westmynster in to theyr palays. And than on the moro we after y• Mayre & the sheryues & the aldermen of London came vnto the kynge to his palays at westmynster & presented hym wt two basyns of syluer & ouer gylted ful of coyned golde the somme of .xx .C. poūde prayenge hȳ of his hygh mercy & grace and lordshyp & specyall grace that they myght haue his good loue with the lybertees & fraūchyses lyke wyse as they were wont for to haue before tyme / and by his lettres patentes and his chartre confyrmed. And y• quene & other worthy lordes & ladyes fell on theyr knees & besought y• kynge of grace to rōfyrme this Than the kynge toke vp the quene and graunted her all her askynge. And than they thāked y• kynge & the quene & went home agayne. ¶ And in the .xvj. yere of kynge Rychardes regne certayn lordes of Scotlonde came in to Englonde for to gete worshyp as by fayte of armes. And these were ye persones / the erle of Marre & he chalenged y• erle Marshall of Englōde to Iust with hym certayn poyntes on horsbacke with sharpe speres / & they rode togyder as two worthy knyghtes & lordes certayne courses / but not y• full chalenge that y• scottysshe erle made / for he was cast downe bothe hors & man / & two of his rybbes broken wt the fall / & so he was borne thens out of Smythfelde home to his inne / & within a lytell tyme after he was caryed home in a hors lytter / & at porke he dyed. And syr William Darell knyght & the kynges banerer of Scotlond than made an other chalenge wt syr Piers curtayn knight & y• kynges banerer of Englonde of certayn courses yet on horsback in y• same felde / & whan he had rydden certayn courses & assayed he myght not haue the better / he gaue it ouer & wolde no more of his chalenge wt syr Pyers courtayn knyght & y• kynges banerer of Englonde / & turned his hors & rode to his inne. And one Cokborne a squyer of Scotlonde chalenged syr Nycholl Hawberke knyght of certayn courses yet wt sharpe speres / & rode .v. courses togyder / & at euery course y• Scotte was cast downe bothe hors & man. And thus our Englysshe lordes thanked be [Page Cxxxvii] god had the felde. ¶ In the .xvij. yere of kyng Rychardes regne dyed the good & gracious quene Anne that was wyfe to kyng Richard in the manoyre of Shene in the shyre of Surrey on whytsondaye And than was she brought to London & so to Westmynster / & there was she buryed and worthely entered besyde saynt Edwardes shryne / vpon whose soule almyghty god haue pyte & mercy
Amen.
¶ How kynge Rycharde spoused dame Isabell y• kynges doughter of Fraūce in the towne of Calays / & brought her in to Englōde & let her be crowned quene in y• abbey of saynt Peters of Westmynster.
IN the .xx. yere of kyng Rychardes regne he went ouer see to Calays with dukes / erles / lordes and barons / & many other worthy squyers with grete araye and comyn people of the realme in good araye as longed to suche a kynge & prȳce of his nobley and of his owne persone to do hym reuerence & obseruaunce as ought to be done to theyr lyege lorde & so myghty a kynge & emperour in his owne / to abyde & receyue there that worthy & gracyous lady that sholde be his wyfe a yonge creature of .xix. yere of age dame Isabell the kynges doughter of Fraūce / & many other worthy lordes of grete name / bothe barons & knyghtes / with moche other people that came to y• towne of Grauenynge and two dukes of Fraūce / that one was the duke of Burgoyn / and that other the duke of Barre that wold no ferther lesse than they had pledges for them. And than kynge Rycharde delyuered two pledges for them to go safe and come safe his two worthy vncles / the duke of Glocestre & the duke of Yorke / & these two went ouer y• water of Grauenyng & abode there as for pledges vnto y• tyme that the maryage & the feest was done & that these two dukes of Fraūce were comen agayn vnto▪ Grauenynge water. And than these two worthy dukes came ouer y• water at Grauenyng & so to Calays with this worshyp full lady dame Isabell y• was y• kynges doughter of Fraūce / and with her came many a worthy lord & lady & knyghtes & squyers in y• best araye that myght be And there they met wt our meynr at Calays whiche welcomed her & her meyny wt grete reuerence / & so brought her in to the towne of Calays / & there she was receyued wt all the solempnite & worshyp y• might be done to suche a lady. And than they brought her to y• kyng / & the kynge toke her & welcomed her & all her fayre cōpany / & made there a grete solempnite And than y• kyng & his coūseyle asked of the frensshe lordes whether all the couenaūtes & forwardes wt the cōposycyon y• were ordeyned & made on bothe partyes shold be truly kepte & holdē bySpan [...] thē And they sayd ye / & there they swore & toke theyr charge vpon a boke and made theyr othe well & truly it to holde i al maner poyntes & couenaūces wtout cōtradic cyō or delay in ony maner wyse. And thā was she brought to saȳt Nicolas chirche in Calays / & there was worthely wedded wt the moost solempnite y• ony kyng or quene myght be / wt archebysshops & bysshops & all y• mynystres of holy chirche. And than they were brought to the castell & set to meet / & were serued wt all delycasy of ryall metes & drȳkes plenteously to all maner of straūgers & al other & no creature warned y• feest / but al were welcome / for there were grece halles & tentes set vpon y• grene wtout y• castell to receiue al maner of people / & euery office redy to serue thē all. And thus this worthy mariage was solemply done & ended with all ryalte. Than these two dukes of Fraūce with theyr people toke theyr leue of the kynge & of the quene & wente [Page] agayne vnto Grauenynge water. And there the Frensshe lordes / that is to saye the two dukes & all theyr folke were comen ouer the water to Grauenyng / and there they mette / & euerichoue toke leue at other / & so they departed / & our lordes came agayne to Calays / & the Frensshe lordes wente ouer the water / & so home in to Fraunce agayne. And anone after the kyng made hym redy with ye quene and all his lordes & ladyes and all theyr people with them & came ouer ye see in to Englonde / and so vnto London. And the Mayre and the sheryues with all the aldermen & worthy comyns rode agaynst them vnto the blacke heth in Kent / and there they mette with the kyng and the quene / & welcomed them & that in good araye / and euery man in the clothyng of his craft & theyr mynstrels before them And so they brought them to saynt Geor ges barre in Southwerke / & there they toke theyr leue. And the kynge and the quene rode to Kenyngton / and than the people of London turned home agayn / & in turnynge agayne to London brydge there was so grete prese of people bothe on hors & on fote / that there were deed on the brydge .xi. persones of men & women and chyldren / on whose soules god haue mercy & pyte Amen. And than afterwarde the quene was brought to the toure of London / and there she was all nyght / & on ye morowe she was brought through the cite of London / and so forth to Westmynster / & there she was crowned quene of Englonde / & than she was brought agayne vnto ye kynges palays and there was holden open courte and a ryall feest at her crownacyō of all maner people that thyder came. And this was done the sondaye nexte after the feest of saynt Clement / in the .xx. yere of kynge Rychardes regne. ¶ And than the .xxv. daye of August nexte after by euyll excitacyon & fals coūseyle and grete wrath & malyce that the kynge had of olde tyme to his vncle the good duke of Glocestre & to the erle of Arundell / & to ye erle of war wyk. Anone the kyng by his euyll excitacyon & his euyll counseyle and malyce late in the euenynge on the same daye aboue sayd ma [...]edy wt his strength and rode in to [...] to ye towne of Chelmel [...]ord / and [...]o came to Plasshe sodeynly there syr Thomas of Wodstok ye good duke of Glocestre laye. And ye good duke came anone to welcome the kynge. And the kynge arested ye good duke hymselfe his owne body / & so he was ladde down to the water / & anone put in to a shyppe and had to Calays / & brought in to ye capytayns warde to be kepte in holde by ye kynges cōmaundement. And that tyme the erle Marshall was capytayn of Calays. And anone after by cōmaūdement of the kynge & by his fals coūseyle / commaūded yt capytayn to put hym to deth. And anone certayn yemen that had the good duke in kepyng toke theyr coūseyle how that they sholde put hym to dethe. And this was theyr appoyntment / that they shold come vpon hȳ whan he were in his bedde & a slepe on a fether bedde / & anone they boūde hym hande & fote and charged hym for to lye styll. And whan that they had done thus / they toke two towelles / & made on them two rydynge knottes / & cast the towelles aboute his necke / & than they toke the fether bedde that laye vnder hym & cast it vpon hym and than they drewe theyr towelles eche wayes / & some laye vpon ye fether bedde and vpon hym vnto the tyme yt he was deed / bycause yt he sholde make no noyse And thus they strangled this worthy duke vnto ye deth / vpon whose soule god for his hygh pyte haue mercy. Amen. ¶ And whan the kyng had thus arested this worthy duke & his vncle and sente [Page Cxxxviii] hym to Calays he came agayn to London in all ye haste with a wonders grete nōbre of people. And as soone as he was comen he sent for y• erle of Arundell / & for the good erle of warwyk. And anone as they came he arested them hymself / and syr Iohn Cobham and syr Iohn Cheyn knyghtes he arested them in yt same ma ner tyll he made his parliamēt / & anone they were put into holde / but the erle of Arundell went at large vnto the parly a ment tyme / for he foūde sufficient surety to abyde the lawe / & to answere to all ma ner poyntes that ye kynge & his coūseyle wolde put vpon hȳ. ¶ And the .xxi. yere of kynge Rychardes regne he ordeyned hȳ a parlyament at Westmynster whiche was called yt grete parlyament. And this parliament was made for to iudge these thre worthy lordes & other moo as them lyst at that tyme. And for yt iudgement the kyng let make in all the haste a long hous & a large of tymbre ye whiche was called an hall / & couered with tyles ouer / & it was open all aboute on bothe sydes & at the endes / yt all maner of men myght se throughout / & there the dome was holden vpon these foresayd lordes & iudgemet gyuen at this foresayd parlyament. And for to come to this parlyament the kyng sent his wrytes to euery lorde / baron / knyght & s [...]uyer in euery shyre throughout Englonde / that euery lorde sholde gadre & brynge his retynue with hym in as shorte tyme & in the best araye yt they myght ge [...]e / in mayntey [...]yage & strengthinge of ye kyng agaynst them yt were his enemyes / & that this were done in all the haste & come to hym [...] payne of deth. And the kyng hymself sent into Cl [...] shyre to che [...]taines of ye [...]tree / & they gadred & brought a grete and an huge multytude of people bothe of knyghtes & [...]uyers & pryncypally of yemen of Chestershyre / whiche ye [...]ten & archers the kyng toke to his own courte and gaue them bowge of courte & good wages to be kepers of his owne body bothe by nyght & by daye aboue al other persones & moost loued & best trust / the whiche soone afterward turned ye kyng to grete losse & shame / hyndrynge & his vtter vndoynge & destruccion as ye shall here afterwarde. And that tyme came sir Henry of Derby with a grete meyny of men of armes & archers. And ye erle of Rutlonde came with a stronge power of people bothe of men of armes & archers The erle of Kent brought a grete power of men of armes & archers / the erle Mar shall came in the same maner / & the lord [...] Spenser in the same maner. The erle of Northumberlonde and sir Henry Pe [...] his sone / & syr Thomas Pet [...]y the erles broder / all the worthy lordes brought a fayre meyny & a strōge power / and eche man in his best aray / & the duke of Lancastre & the duke of yorke came in ye same maner with men of armes & archers folowyng ye kyng / & syr Willyam S [...]rope tresourer of Englonde came in the same maner. And thus in this araye came all the worthy men of this londe vnto our kyng / & all this people came to London in one daye / in so moche yt euery [...] lane in London & in the subbarbes were full of them lodged / and .x. or. x [...]. myle about London euery waye. And this peo ple brought the kyng to Westmynster [...] went home agayne to theyr lodgyng [...]s bothe hors & man / & than on ye monday [...] the .xii. daye of September ye pa [...] began at Westmynster whiche was cal led yt grete parlyamēt. And on yt frydaye next after ye erle of A [...]dell was brought in to the parlyamēt amonge all ye lordes and yt was on saynt Mathewes day the apostle and euangelist / there he was for iudged vnto the deth in this hall yt was made in ye palays at Westmynster. And [Page] this was his iudgement. He shold go on fote wt his handes boūde behynde hym from ye place that he was iudged in / & so forth through the cite of London vnto ye toure hyll / & his heed to be smytten of / & so it was done in dede in the same place. And .vl. of the gretest lordes that sate on his iudgement rode with hym vnto the place there he was done to dethe / & so to se that ye execucyon were done after the dome / & by the kynges cōmaundement with them wente on fote men of armes & archers a grete multytude of Chestre shyre men / in strengthynge of ye lordes yt brought this erle to his dethe / for they were in drede leest ye erle sholde be rescowed & taken from them whan they came in to London. Thus he passed forth through the Cite vnto his deth / & there he toke it full pacyently / on whose soule god haue mercy Amen. And than came the Austyn freres & toke vp ye body & the heed of this good erle / & bare it home to theyr place / & buryed him in theyr quere And on yt morow after was syr Rychard erle of warwik brought in to the parlya ment there as the erle of Arundell was for iudged / & they gaue the erle of warwyk the same iudgemēt that ye foresayd erle had / but the lordes had compassyon on hym bycause he was of more greter age / and released hym to perpetuall pry son / & put hym in the yle of Man. And than on the mondaye nexte after ye lorde Cobham of Kent and syr Iohn Cheyn knyght were brought also in to the parlyament in to the same hall / & there they were iudged to be hanged and drawen / but through the prayers and grete instaunce of all the lordes that iudgement was forgyuen them / and released to per petuall pryson. ¶ And this same tyme was Rychard Whyttyngdon Mayre of London / and Iohn Wodecocke & Wyllyam Askam sheryues of London. And they ordeyned at euery gate of London durynge this same parlyament stronge watche of men of armes & archers / and through out euery warde also. And the kynge made .v. dukes & one Markeys & foure erles / & the fyrst of them was the erle of Derby / and he was made duke of Herford / and the seconde was the erle of Rutlonde / & he was made duke of Awemarle / & the thyrde was the erle of Kent and he was made duke of Surry / & the fourth was the erle of Huntȳgdon / & he was made duke of Excestre / & the fyfth was the erle of Notyngham / & he was made duke of Northfolk. And the erle of Somerset was made Markeys of Dor set / & the lorde Spenser was made erle of Glocestre / & the lorde Neuyll of Raby was made erle of Westmerlonde / & syr Thomas Percy was made erle of Worcestre / & syr Willyam Scrope that was tresourer of Englonde was made erle of Wylshyre / & syr Iohn Montagu erle of Salisbury. And whan ye king had thus done he helde the parlyamēt & ryall feest vnto all his lordes & to all maner of people that thyder wolde come. ¶ And this same yere dyed syr Iohn of Gaūt ye kynges vncle & duke of Lancastre in the bysshops Inne in Holborne / & was brought fro thens to saynt Paule / & there ye kyng made & helde his enteremēt well & worthely with al his lordes in the chirche of saynt Paule in London / & there he was buryed besyde dame Blaūche his wyfe that was doughter & heyre vnto ye good Henry yt was duke of L [...]te. ¶ In ye same yere there fell a [...]cyon bytwene the duke of Herford & ye duke of Norfolke in so moche y• they waged batayle & cast down theyr gloues / & than they were ta ken vp & ensealed / & the batayle ioyned & the daye set / & the place assygned where and whan / & this sholde be at Couentre And thyder came the kyng wt all his lor [Page Cxxxix] des at that day / & was set in the felde / & than these two worthy lordes came into ye felde well & clene armed & well arayed with all theyr wepen & redy to do theyr batayle / & were redy in ye place to fyght at vtteraūce. But ye kyng had them cesse & toke the quarell in to his handes. And forth with ryght there present exiled the duke of Herford for terme of .x. yere / & the duke of Norfolke for euermore. And syr Thomas Arundell archebisshop of Caū terbury was exiled yt same tyme for euer & deposed out of his see for malyce of the kyng. And anone these thre worthy lordes were cōmaunded & defended ye kynges realme. And anone they gate them shyppes at dyuers hauens & went ouer the see in to dyuers lōdes eche his waye And ye duke of Norfolke went to Venise & there he died / on whose soule god haue mercy Amen. And than kynge Rychard made a clerke of his syr Roger Walden arche bysshop of Caūterbury. ¶ And in the .xxij. yere of kynge Richardes regne by fals coūseyle & ymaginacyon of couetous men that were aboute hym were made & ordeyned blancke chartres / and made them to be ensealed of al maner ry the men throughout ye realme / in so moche yt they compelled diuers people to set theyr seales therto. And this was done for grete couetyse / wherfore al good hertes of ye realme were clene turned away fro ye kyng for euer after. And that was vtter destruccyon & ende to hym yt was so hygh & so excellent a prynce & kyng / & through couetous & fals coūseyle falsely betrayed. Alas for pyte ye suche a kynge myght not se. And than kynge Rychard set his kyngdome and his ryall londe of Englonde to ferme vnto foure persones whiche were these / syr Wyllyā Scrope erle of Wylshyre & tresourer of Englond & syr Iohn Busshe / & Henry Grene / & syr Iohn Bagot knyghtes / whiche turned them to myschefe & deth within a lytell tyme / as ye shall fynde here afterwarde wryten. ¶ And than kyng Rychard ma de grete ordynaūce & went hymself ouer see into Irlonde & many grete lordes wt hym with grete hoostes for to strength theyr kynge / wt men of armes & archers & moche grete stuffe & ryght good ordynaūce as longed vnto warre. And or he passed ouer ye see he ordeyned & made [...] Edmond of Langley his vncle ye duke of Yorke his lewtenaū [...] of Englonde in his absence / with the gouernaūce & coūsey [...]e of these .iiij. knyghtes yt had taken Englonde to ferme of the kyng. And than he passed the see & came in to Irlonde and there he was well & worth [...]ly receyued And these rebelles that ben called [...] Irysshmen came downe to the kynge & yelded them to him bothe body & go [...]des all at his owne wyll / & swore vnto [...] to be his lyege men / & there dyd to hym homage & feaute & good seruyce & thus he cōquered ye moost parte of Irlende in a lytell tyme. And whyle that kyng [...] chard was thus in Irlonde syr Henry of Bolyngbroke erle of Derby that ye kyng had made before duke of Herford y• [...] che duke the kyng had exiled out of this londe was comen agayn in to Englonde for to chalenge ye dukedom of Lancast [...] as for his right & true herytage. And he came downe out of Fraūce vnto [...]alays And there mette hȳ syr Thomas Arundell yt was archebysshop of [...] that was exiled out of Englond & wi [...] hym came the erle of Arundel his so [...] & heyre the whiche was in kepynge of syr Iohn shelley knight somtyme wt [...]he erle of Huntyngdon & wt the duke of Excestre the whiche was tho in the castell of [...] gate in Sussex & there he stale awaye & came to Calays / & there he was well & worthely kepte tyll these other two lordes were comē to Calays. And thā this [Page] worthy duke & the archebysshop of Caū terbury Arundell shypped in ye hauen of Calais / & drewe theyr course northward & arryued in Yorkshyre at Rauensporne fast by Wydelyngton / & there he came & entred fyrst the londe / & two lordes with hym and theyr meyny. And than moche people of the realme that herde of his comynge & knewe where yt he was / anone they drewe vnto hym & welcomed these lordes / & so couraged them in all maner thynge / and passed forth in to the londe and gadred moche people to them. And whan kyng Rychard herde & wyst that these two lordes were comen agayne in to Englonde and were londed. Than the kynge lefte his ordynaūce in Irlonde & came in to Englondward in all the haste that he myght / and came to the castell of [...]lyut / and there he abode for to take his counseyle & what myght be done / but to hym came none. And whā syr Thomas Percy erle of Worcestre yt was ye kynges steward wyst and knewe this / anone he came in to the hall amonge all ye people / and he brake the yerde of ye ryall kynges housholde / & anone euery man was disperpied & went his waye & forsoke theyr mayster & souerayn lorde / and lefte hym alone. And thus was kynge Rycharde brought downe & destroyed / & stode hym selfe alone without comforte or socour or ony good counseyle of ony man / alas for pite of this ryall kyng. And anone came tydȳges that syr Henry of Boling broke was vp with a stronge power of people and that all ye squyers of Englonde reysed vp the shyres in strengthyng of hym agaynst kyng Rychard. And thus soone he was comen out of the North coūtree to Brystowe / & there he mette with syr Wyllyam Scrope erle of Wylshyre and tresourer of Englonde / & with syr Iohn Busshe and syr Henry Grene / and Iohn Bagot / but he escaped frō them & went ouer the see in to Irlonde. And these thre knyghtes were taken and theyr herdes smytten of. And thus they died for theyr fals couetyse. And than was kynge Rychard taken and brought vnto the duke And anone ye duke put hȳ in fast warde and stronge holde vnto his comynge to London. And than was there a rumour in London & a stronge noyse that kynge Rychard came to Westmynster / and the people of London ranne thyder & wolde haue done moche harme & hurte in theyr woodnes / had not ye Mayre & aldermen and other worthy men cessed them with fayre wordes / and turned them home agayne to London. ¶ And there was syr Iohn Slake dene of the kynges chapell of Westmynster taken & brought to London / & put in pryson in Ludgate. And after that Iohn Bagot was taken in Irlonde & brought to London / & put in prison in Newgate / there to be kepte and abyde his answere. ¶ And soone after the duke brought kynge Rycharde pryuely to London / & put him in the toure vnder sure kepynge as a prysoner. And than came the lordes of the realme wt al theyr coūseyle vnto ye toure to kynge Rychard & sayd to hym of his mysgouernaunce & extorcion that he had done / made & ordeyned to oppresse all ye comyn people / & also to all the realme. Wherfore all ye comyn people of ye realme wolde haue hym deposed of his kyngdome. And so he was deposed at that tyme in the toure of London by all his lordes counseyle & comyn assent of all ye realme. And than he was put from ye toure vnto ye castell of Ledes in Kent / & there he was kepte a whyle / and than he was had from thens vnto ye castell of Pounfret in the North countre to be kepte in prison / & ryght soone after there he made his ende. And than whan kyng Rychard was deposed & had [...]sygued his crowne & his kyngdom & was [Page Cxl] kepte fast in holde. Than al the lordes of the realme with the romyns assent & by accorde chose this worthy lorde syr Henry of Bolyngbroke erle of Derby / duke of Herford & duke of Lancastre by ryght lyne & herytage / and for his ryghtfull manhode that ye people foūde in him before all other they chose hym & made hȳ kynge of Englonde amonge them.
INnocen [...] the .vij. chosen pope at two yere. And than Gr [...]gory the .xij. was after hȳ xij. yere [...]euet was debate. Than was Alexander chosen in ye coūsoyle of [...]ysan & he was called syr & P [...]trus de Canadia & so was put & ryferd s [...]ryfe / euery cho [...]e of those thre sayd he was pope: Than was there a counseyle at [...]ys [...]n where they began to make a cōcorde / and there they deposed ye two / & the thyrde stode / & so was worse diuisyon made than before For that they ordeyned preuayled not. ¶ Robert was emperour after Wenselans .ix. yere. This mā was duke of Bauary & erle of Palatyn / a iust man and a good / & was crowned of Bonifate the. ix This man entred ytaly wt a grete hoost of Almayns agaynst Iohn the duke of Galias / but he returned wt a grete woū de / & was a thynge iust that he suffred by iustyce diuyne. ¶ Iohn the .xxiij. succeded Alexander .iiij. yere / & fyrst he began well for an vnite / & he was in ye coū sey [...]e [...] Constance / & offred hȳ to resigne the poperyche / & after secretly & vntruly he fledde awaye / but it ꝓfyted hym not / for he was taken & cōstrayned to peas / & was made a cardynall / & buryed at Florens. ¶ Sigismundus was emperour after Robert .xxvij. yere / & he was sone to Ka [...]olus & kynge of Vngary & moost chrysten prynce / and he was so deuoute to god that he deserued to be canonysed. This man holpe ye chirche through his meruaylous prudence and wytte / for he spared no labour ne no thynge yt he had tyll he had made a full peas amonge the clergy. And he had. [...]x. batayles agaynst the Turke / & euer he had ye [...]ry. And what more / all thynge yt euer was wryten in [...]ouynge to Constantyne / Theodosio / Kat [...]lo / [...]tto / may truly be wryten of hym. And he was crowned in Vngary / and decessed a blyssed man.
¶ Circa annū dn̄i. M .CCCC.
¶ Of syr Henry of Bolyng broke erle of Derby that regned after kyng Rycharde / whiche was the fourth Henry after the conquest.
ANd after kynge Rychard the seconde was deposed & out of his kingdom / the lordes & the comyns al [...] one assent & all other worthy men of the realme chose syr Henry of Bolyng broke erle of Derby sone & heyre of Iohn [...]uke of Lancastre for his worthy manhode yt often tymes had ben founde in hym & in dedes preued / vpon saȳt Edwardes day the confessour he was crowned kynge of Englōde at Westmynster by assent of all the realme nexte after the depo [...]nge of kyng Richard. Thā he made Henry his eldest sone prȳce of Wales & duke of Cornewayle & erle of Chestre. And he ma [...] syr Thomas of Arūdell archbysshop of Caūterbury agayne as he was before. And syr Roger Walden ye kyng Rychard had made archebysshop of Caūterbury he made bysshop of London / for ye [...]yme it stode voyde. And he made ye erles sone of Arundell that came wt hym ouer ye see frō Calays in to Englonde erle of Arundell as his fader had ben / & put hym in possessyon of all his londes. And he made homage & feaute vnto his lyege lorde the kynge as all other lordes had done. And than anone dyed kynge Rychard in [Page] the castell of Pounfret in the north countree for there he was famysshed to deth by his keper / for he was kept there .iiij. or .v. dayes from meet & drynke / & so he made his ende in this world. Yet moche people in Englonde and in other londes sayd yt he was on lyue many a yere after his deth. But whether he were alyue or deed the people helde theyr fals opinyon & byleue that many had / & moche people came to grete myschefe & foule dethe as ye shal here afterward. And whan kyng Henry wyst & knewe yt he was deed / he let [...]ere hym in the best maner / & closed it in a fayre chest wt dyuers spyceryes and ba [...]o [...]es / & closed hym in a lynnen cloth all saue his visage / & that was left open that all men myght se his persone from all other men. And so he was brought to London with torche light brennynge to saint Paules chirche / & there he had his masse & his Dirige wt moche reuerēce & solempnite of seruyce. And whā all this was done / he was brought from saynt Paules in to the abbey of Westmynster & there he had al his hole seruyce agayn And from Westmȳster he was brought to Langley / and there he was buryed / on whose soule god haue mercy Amen. ¶ And in ye fyrst yere of kynge Henryes regue he helde his Chrystmasse in ye castell of Wyndsore. And on .xij. euen came the duke of Awemarle vnto the kynge & colde hym that he & the duke of Surrey & the duke of Excestre / & the erle of Salisbury / & ye erle of Glocestre / & other moo of theyr affynite were accorded to make a mommynge vnto ye kynge on .xij. daye at nyght / & there they purposed to slee ye kyng in the reuelyng. And thus ye duke of Awemarle warned ye kyng. And than the kyng came to London pryuely in all the haste yt he myght to gete hym helpe socour & cōforte and coūseyle. And anone these other yt wolde haue put ye kynge to deth fledde in all the haste yt they myght for they knewe well that theyr coūseyle was bewrayed. And than fledde ye duke of Surrey & the erle of Salysbury wt all theyr meyny vnto ye towne of Chichestre And there the people of the towne wold haue arested them / and they tolde not stande to theyr arestyng / but stode at defence & fought manly. But at ye last they were ouercomen & takē. And there they smote of the dukes heed of Surrey & the erles heed of Salysbury / & many other moo / & there they put theyr quarters in to sackes & theyr heedes on poles borne on hye / & so they were brought through the cite of London to London brydge / & there these heedes were set vpon hygh / & theyr quarters were sent to other good townes and cytees of Englonde / and set vp there. ¶ At Oxford was takē Bloūt knyght / & Benet Cely knyght / and Thomas Wyntersell squyer / and there were byheded & quartred / and the knyghtes hedes were set vpon poles & brought to London & set vpon ye brydge / & the quarters sent forth vnto other good townes. ¶ And in ye same yere at Prittelwell in a myll in Essex there syr Iohn Holand the duke of Excestre was taken with the comyns of the countree / and they brought hym from the myll vnto the Plasshe / & to the same place ye kynge Rycharde had arested syr Thomas of Wodstok ye duke of Glocestre / and right there in the same place they smote of ye dukes heed of Excestre / and brought it to London vpon a pole / & it was set vpon London brydge. ¶ And in ye same yere at Brystowe was taken the lorde Spenser that kyng Rycharde had made erle of Glocestre / & the comyns of the towne of Brystowe toke hym and brought hym in to the market place of the towne / and there they smote of his heed / & sente it to London / & there it was set vpon London brydge. ¶ And [Page Cxli] in this same yere was syr Bernard Brokeys knight taken & arested & put in the cou [...]e of London / and syr Iohn Shelley knyght / & syr Iohn Mawdelyn and syr Willyam Feribe persones of kynge Rychardes / & they were arested & put in to the cou [...]e of London. And thyder came ye kynges Iustices and sa [...]e vpon them in the [...]oure of London / & there they were dampned all .iiij. to deth / & ye dome was gyuen to syr Bernard Brokeys that he sholde go on fote from the [...]oure through the cite of Londō vnto Tyburne / & there to be hāged / & after his heed smytten of / & syr Iohn Shelley knyght / & syr Iohn Mawdelyn & syr Willyam Feribe ꝑsons were drawen through out ye cite of London to Tyburne / & there they were hanged / & theyr hedes smytten of and set on Londō brydge. ¶ And in this same yere kyng Henry sent quene Isabell home agayn in to Fraūce / yt whiche was kyng Rychardes wyfe / & gaue her golde & syluer & many other Iewels / & so she was discharged of all her dowry & sent out of Englōde. ¶ And in ye second yere of kyng Henry ye fourth was syr Roger Claring ton knyght & two of his men / & ye pryour of Laūde & .viij. freres mynours & some maysters of dyuinite & other for treason that they wrought agaynst the kynge / were drawen & hanged at Tyburne all xij. persones. ¶ And there began a grete discencion & debate in ye coūtre of Wales bytwene ye lorde Grey Ri [...]hen & Owen of Glender squyer of Wales / & this Owen arered a grete nombre of Walsshmen / & kepte all that coūtre about ryght strongly & did moche harme / and destroyed the kynges townes & lordshyppes through out al Wales / & robbed & slewe ye kynges people bothe englisshe & walsshe / & thus he endured a .xij. yere largely / & he toke the lorde Grey Ri [...]hen prysoner / & kepte hym fast in holde tyll he was raūsomed of prysoners of the marche / & kepte hym longe tyme in holde. And at the last he made hȳ to wedde one of his doughters & kepte hym there styll with his wyfe / and soone after he dyed. And than kyng Henry knowynge this mischefe / destruc ciō & treason yt this Owen had wrought anone he ordeyned a strōge power of mē of armes and archers and moche other stuffe that longed to warre / for to abate & destroye ye malyce of this fals Walssheman. And than the kyng came in to Wales with his power for to destroye this Owen & other rebelles fals Walsshmen And anone they fledde in to ye moūtayns and there myght the kynge do them no harme i no maner wyse for ye mo [...]ayns And so the kyng came agayn in to Englonde for lesynge of moo of his people / & thus he spedde not there. ¶ And in this same yere was grete scarsete of where in Englond / for a quarter of where was at xvj. shyllynges. And there was marchaundyse of Englonde sent in to Prure for where / & anone they had laden and fraught shyppes ynough / & came home in safete thāked be god of all his gyftes. ¶ And in the thyrde yere of kynge Henryes regne there was a sterre seen in the firmament yt shewed hymselfe through all the worlde for dyuers tokens yt sholde befall soone after / the whiche sterre was named by clergy Stella cometa. And on saynt Mary Mawdeleyns daye next folowyng in ye same yere was ye barayle of Shrowesbury / & thyder came sir Henry Percy ye erles sone of Northumberlonde with a grete multitude of men of armes & archers / & gaue a barayle to kyng Henry the fourth / through ye fals & wycked [...]oūseyle of syr Thomas Percy his vncle erle of Worcestre / & there was sir Henry Percy [...]layne / & ye moost parte of his people in ye felde / & syr Thomas Percy takē and kepte fast in holde two days [...]yll the [Page] kyng had set rest amonge his people on bothe sydes. And thā syr Thomas Percy was iudged to be drawen & hanged & his heed smytten of for his false treason at Shrowesbury / & his heed brought to London & set on ye brydge. And the other people yt there were slayne on bothe partyes the kynge let bury. And there was slayne on ye kynges syde in ye batayle the erle of Stafford & syr Walter Bloūt in ye kynges cote armure vnder ye kynges baner / & many moo worthy men / on whose soules god haue mercy Amen. ¶ And in the fourth yere of kynge Henryes regne came the emperour of Cōstantynople wt many grete lordes & knyghtes & moche other people of his coūtre into Englonde to kynge Henry with hym to speke & to disporte / & to se ye good gouernaūce & condicions of our people / & to knowe ye cōmo dytees of Englonde. And our kyng wt all his lordes goodly & worshypfully receyued & welcomed hym & all his meyny yt came wt hym / & dyd hym all ye reuer [...]e & worshyp yt they coude & myght / & anone the kyng cōmaūded al maner offycers yt he shold be serued as ryally as it longed to suche a worthy lord & emperour vpon his owne cost / as longe as he & his men were in Englond. ¶ In this same yere came dame Iane ye duchesse of Brytayn into Englonde: and londed at Falmouth in Cornewayle / and from thens she was brought to ye cite of Wynchestre / & there she was wedded vnto kynge Henry the fourth / in the abbey of saȳt Swythyus with all ye solempnite yt myght be done & made. And soone after she was brought from thens to Londō. And the Mayre & the aldermen wt the comyns of the cite of Londō rode agaynst her & welcomed her & brought her through ye cite of London to Westmynster / & there she was crowned quene of Englonde / & there ye kynge made a ryall & a solempne feest for her & for all maner men yt thyder wolde come. ¶ And in this same yere dame Blaūche the eldest doughter of kyng Henry was sent ouer see wt the erle of Somerset her vncle & with mayster Rychard Clyfford than bysshop of worcestre / & with many other worthy lordes & ladyes & worthy squyers as longed to suche a noble kynges doughter & came vnto Coleyn. And thyder came the dukes sone of Barre wt a fayre cōpany & receyued this worthy lady / & ye bysshop of Worcestre wedded & sacred them togyder / as holy chirche it wold. And there was made a ryall feest & a grete iustyng in the reuerence & worshyp of them & all people yt came thyder. And whan this maryage and feest was done ye erle & ye bysshop & all theyr meyny toke theyr leue of the lorde & lady & came home agayne in to Englonde in safete thanked be god. ¶ And in the .v. yere of kyng Henryes regne the lorde Thomas his sone went euer see & the erle of Kent & many other lordes & knyghtes wt men or armes and archers a grete nombre to chastyse the rebelles that afore had done moche harme to our englysshmen & marchauntes / & to many townes & portes in Englonde on the see costes. And the lord Thomas ye kynges sone came into Flaū dres before a towne that is called Scluse amōge all ye shyppes of dyuers nacyons that were there / & after there they rode with theyr shyppes amonge them / and went on londe & sported them there two dayes / & came agayn to theyr shyppes & toke the brode see / & there they mette wt thre Carackes of Gene / yt were laden wt diuers marchaūdyses & well manned / & they fought togider longe tyme / but the englysshmen had ye victory / & brought ye Carackes into the Cambre before Wyn chelsee / and there they [...]anted all these goodes / and one of these Carackes was sodeynly brent there. And the lordes and [Page Cxlii] theyr people turned them home agayne & went no ferther at y• tyme. ¶ And in ye same tyme Serle yeman of kynge Rychardes robes came into Englonde out of Scotlonde / & tolde to dyuers people yt kyng Rychard was onlyue in Scotlōde & so moche people byleued his wordes / wherfore a grete parte of the people of ye realme were in grete errour & grutchȳg agaynst the kyng through informacyon of lyes & fals lesynges yt this Serle had made. For moche people trusted & byleued in his sayenge. But at ye last he was taken in the northcoūtre / & there by lawe iudged to be drawen through euery cite & good burgh towne in Englōde / & so he was serued / & at ye last he was brought to London to ye gyld hall before ye Iustice & there he was iudged for to be brought to ye Toure of London / & there to be layd on a hurdell / & thā to be drawen through the cite of Londō to Tyburne / & there to be hāged & than quartred / and his heed smytten of & set on Londō brydge / & his quarters to be sent to foure good townes of Engloude & there set vp / & thus was he rewarded for his fals treason. ¶ And in the syxth yere of kyng Heuryes regne the erle of Marre of Scotlōde by safecon duyte came into englōde to chalenge syr Edmond erle of Kent to certayn courses of warre on horsbacke. And so this chalenge was accepted & graūted / & ye place taken in smythfelde at Londō. And this erle of Marte came proudly in to ye felde as his chalenge asked. And anone came in the erle of Kent & rode to the Scotte / & manfully rode togyder wt sharpe speres dyuers courses / but ye erle of Kent had ye felde / and gate hym moche worship and thanke of all maner men for his manfull dedes. ¶ And in ye .vij. yere of kyng Henryes regne syr Richard Scrop archebys shop of Yorke & ye erle Marshall of Englonde gadred vnto them a stronge power agaynst kyng Henry. And the kyng herynge therof in all the haste yt he myght came with his power Northward / and mette with them at Yorke / & there were these two lordes taken & brought to the kyng. And anone the iudges were set & these two lordes brought forth / & there they were iudged to deth / & bothe theyr hedes smytten of / and there they made theyr ende / on whose soules god for his pyte haue mercy Amē. And whan this was done the kyng came to London agayn / & there rested hym. Anone god of his grete goodnes wrought and shewed many grete myracles for this worthy clerke archebysshop of Yorke that thus was done to deth. ¶ And in ye .viij. yere of kynge Henryes regne dame Luce the dukes syster of Mylen came in to Englonde & so to London / & there was wedded to syr Edmond Holland erle of Kent in the pryory of saynt Mary ouereys in South warke with moche solempnite & grete worshyp. The kynge was there hymselfe & gaue her at ye chirche dore / & whan they were wedded & masse was done / the kyng his owne ꝑsone brought & lad this worthy lady in to ye bysshops place of Winchestre / & there was a wonders grete feest holden to all maner people yt wold come. ¶ And ye same yere syr Robert Knolles knyght a worthy warryour dyed at his manoyr in Norfolk / & frō th [...]ns he was brought to London on a hors bere wt moche torche light / & so he was brought to ye whyte freres in flete strete / & there was done & made for hym a solempne feest & a ryall enter [...]ment for those yt thyder wold come bothe ryche & poore / & there lyeth buryed by dame Cō stance his wyfe in ye myddes of the body of the chirche / on whose soule god haue mercy Amē. ¶ And in this same yere sir Thomas Rampston knyght Constable of the Toure of London was drowned [Page] at London brydge as he came fro Westmynster inwardes to ye toure in a [...]arge & all through lewdnes. ¶ And in ye same yere dame Philyp the yonger doughter of kyng Henry was ladde ouer see with syr Richard the dukes broder of Yorke / & syr Comond Courtney bysshop of Norwiche / & many other lordes / knyghtes & squyers / ladyes & gentylwomen that apperteyned to suche a kinges doughter / & came in to Denmarke. And the kyng receyued this worthy lady for his wyfe / & welcomed these worthy lordes / & did vnto them moche worshyp / and they were brought to a towne yt was called Londō in Denmarke / and there was this lady wedded and sacred to the kynge of Denmarke / Norway & Swethen / and there was crowned quene of Denmarke with moche solempnite / & there was made a ryall feest. And whan this feest and maryage was done & ended / these lordes & ladyes toke theyr leue of the kynge & the quene & came agayne in to Englonde in safete thanked be god. ¶ And in the. viij yere of kyng Henryes regne there was a man yt was called the Walsshe clerke / and he appeled a knight yt was called sir Percyuall Snowdon of treason / & there they were ioyned to fight to ye vtteraūce within lystes / & the daye & place & tyme assigned & lymyted to be done & ended in Smythfelde / at whiche daye those two persones came in to ye felde & fought sore & myghtely togyder. But at the last the knyght ouercame the clerke / & made hȳ to yelde hym creaūt of his fals empechement yt he had sayd on hym / & than was he despoiled of his armure & drawen out of the felde to Tyburne / & there he was hanged / & the knyght takē to grace / and was a good man. ¶ In this same yere syr Henry erle of Northumberlōde & the lorde Bardolf came out of Scotlonde / in preiudyce & destruceyon of kynge Henry wherfore they of the Northcoūtre arose vpon them & fought wt them & discōfited them: & toke them & smo [...]e of their hedes & quartred theyr bodyes / & sent the heed of the erle & a quarter of ye lorde Bardolf to Londō / and there they were set vpon Loudō brydge for fals treason that they had purposed agaynst ye kyng. ¶ And in the .ix. yere of kyng Henryes regne was syr Edmond Holland erle of Kent made Amyrall of Englonde for to kepe ye see / & he went to the see wt many ryal shyppes that were ful well arayed & apparayled and enarmed with many a good man of armes & archers / and of good defence of warre in the kynges name of Englonde and so he londed at the last in the coste of Brytayn in the yle of Briak with al his folke / & he besyeged the castell & assauted it / & they withstode hym with grete defence & strength. And anone he layd his ordynaunce / & in the layenge of a gonne there came a quarell and smote the good erle Edmond in the heed / & there caught he his deth Woūde / but yet they left not tyll that they had goten the castell & all that were therin / & there this good lord dyed / vpon whose soule god haue mercy amen. And than his meyny came home agayne in to Englonde wt the erles body and was buryed amonge his aūcestres right worthely. ¶ And in the same yere was a grete frost in Englōde that [...]ured xv. wekes. ¶ And in the .x. yere of kyng henryes regne the fourth came the Se [...]esshall of Henaud with other meyny in to Englonde to seke auentures & to gete them worshyp in dedes of armes bothe on horsbacke & on fote at all maner poyntes of warre. And ye Senesshall chalenged ye erle of Somerset / & the erle delyue red hȳ full manfully of al his chalenges and put his aduersary to the worst in al poyntes / & wan there grete worship & ye degre of ye felde. And on ye nexte day after [Page Cxliii] came in to ye felde an other man of armes of the Senesshals party / & agaynst him came syr Rychard of Arundel knyght / & the Henaud had ye better of hym on fote in one poynt / for he brought hym on his knee. And on the thyrde daye came in an other man of armes in to ye felde / and agaynst hym there came syr Iohn Corne wayle a knyght / & manly & knyghtly he quytte hȳ in all maner poyntes agaynst his aduersary / & had ye better in ye felde. And on the fourth daye came an other man of armes of Henaud in to the felde / & agaynst him came syr Iohn Chaynes sone / & manly quytte hym agaynst his aduersary / for he cast hors & man in to ye felde. And the kynge for his manhode at that tyme dubbed hym knyght. And on the fyfth daye there came an other man of armes of the Henaudes party in to ye felde / & to hym came syr Iohn stewarde knight / & manfully he quytte him there in all maner poyntes / & had the better. And on ye syxth daye after came an other Henaud / & to hym came Willyam Porter squyer / & manfully he quytte hym / & had the better in ye felde. And the kynge dubbed hym knyght ye same tyme. And on the seuenth daye after came an other man of armes of Henaud in to the felde / & to him came Iohn Standisshe squyer and manfully he quytte hym on his aduersary / & had the better of hym in the felde / and ye kynge dubbed hym knyght the same daye. And on ye same day came an other man of armes of Henaud / and to hym came a squyer of Gascoyne / and proudly and māly he quytte hym on his aduersary / & had the better of hym / and anone the kynge dubbed hym knyght. And on the .viij. day came in to the felde two men of armes of Henaud / & to them came two sowdyours of Calays whiche were bretherne yt were called Burghes and well & manly quytte them on theyr aduersaryes / & had the better in ye felde. And thus ended ye chalenges with many grete worshyppes. And the kynge at the reuerence of these worthy strafigers made a grete feest / and gaue them many riche gyftes. And thā they toke theyr leue and went home agayne in to theyr owne countree. ¶ And in the. x [...]. yere of kynge Henryes regne the fourth there was a grete batayle done in smyth felde bytwene two squyers / that one was called Glocestre that was appellaunt / and Arthur was the defendaūt / and well & manly they fought togyder longe tyme And the kynge for theyr manfulnes and of his grace toke theyr quarell in to his handes / and made them to go out of the felde at ones / & so they were deuyded of theyr batayle / and the kyng gaue them grace. ¶ And the .xij. yere of kyng Henryes regne the fourth [...]ysdie a squyer of Wales that was a rebell a ryser & supporter to Owen of Glendre / whiche dyd moche destruccyon to the people of Wales was taken & brought to London / & there he came before the Iustyees / and was dampned for his treason / & than he was layde on an hurdell and so drawen to Tyburne through the cite / & there he was hanged & let downe agayne / & his heed smytten of / and the body quartred and sent to foure townes / & his heed set vpon London brydge. ¶ And in the. xiij yere of kynge Henryes regne tho dyed syr Iohn Beauford ye erle of Somerset that was capytayne of Calays / & was buryed at the abbey of the Toure hyll on whose soule god haue mercy Amen. ¶ And in the same yere the lorde Thomas kyng Henryes sone wedded ye coū tesse of Somerset. ¶ And in this same yere came the embassadours of Fraunce in to Englonde fro the duke of Burgoyn vnto the prynce of Englonde kyng Henryes sone & heyre for to haue helpe and [Page] socour of mē of armes & archers against the duke of Orlyaunce. And than went ouer see the erle of Arundel / syr Gylbert Vmfreuyll erle of Kent / & the lorde Cobham syr Iohn Oldcastell / & many other good knyghtes & worthy squyers & men of armes & good archers in to Fraūce / & came to Parys to ye duke of Burgoyn / & there he receyued & welcomed these englysshe lordes & all the other meyny. And than it was done hȳ to wyte yt the duke of Orlyaūce was comen to saynt Clowe fast by Parys wt a grete nombre of men or armes & arbalastres / & thyder went our Englysshmen & fought with them / & gate y• brydge of saynt Clowe / & there they slewe many Frensshmen and arbalastres / & the remenaūt fledde & wold no longer abyde. And thā our englysshmen came agayn to Parys / & there they toke theyr leue of ye duke & came safe agayne in to Englonde / and the duke gaue them grete gyftes. And anone after ye duke of Orlyaūce sent embassadours in to Englonde to kyng Henry the .iiij. besechinge him of his helpe and socour agaynst his deedly enemy ye duke of Burgoyne. And than the kynge made Thomas his sone duke of Clarence & his other sone Iohn duke of Bedforde / & his other sone Vmfrey duke of Glocestre / and syr Thomas Beauford erle of Dorset / and the duke of Awemarle he made duke of Yorke. And than ye kyng ordeyned his sone syr Thomas duke of Clarēce / sir Thomas beauford erle of Dorset / & syr Iohn Cornwyll with many other lordes knyghtes and squyers & men of armes & archers for to go ouet see in to Fraūce in helpynge and strengthynge of the duke of Orlyaunce. And these worthy lordes wt theyr retynue shypped at Hamton & sayled ouer y• see in to Normādy / & londed at Hogges. And there mette wt them y• lorde Hambe at theyr londynge with .vij. M. men of armes Frensshmen & thre sergeaūtes of armes with them / & all were put to flyght / & of them were takē. vij .C. men of armes &. iiij .C. horses / without those that were slayne in the felde. And so they rode forth through out all Fraūce & toke castles & townes & slewe many Frensshemen that withstode them / and toke many prysoners as they rode / and so they passed forth tyll they came to Burdeux and there they rested them a whyle and set the countree in peas / & rested tyll the vyntage were redy to sayle. And than ye duke with his meyny came home in to Englond in safete thāked be god. ¶ And in the same yere was the kynges coyne chaunged throughout Englonde by the kynge & his coūseyle / that is to saye / the noble / halfe noble / & ferthynge of golde. ¶ And in the .xiiij. yere of kyng Hērpes regne the fourth / he let make galays of warre / for he hoped to haue passed the grete see / & so forth to Ierusalem / & there to haue ended his lyfe / but god vysyted hym soone after wt infirmite & grete sekenes / that he myght not well endure no whyle / so seruently he was taken and brought in bed at Westmȳster in a fayre chambre. And as he lay in his bed he asked his chamberlayne what he called ye chambre yt he lay in. And he answered & sayd Ierusalem. And than he sayd yt the prophecy sayd yt he shold make an ende & dye in Ierusalē. And than he made hym redy vnto god and dysposed all his wyll And soone after he died / & was caried by water frō Westmynster in a barge vnto Feuersham / & frō thens he was caryed to Caūterbury by londe wt moche torche lyght brennynge in to ye abbey of Chrystchirche / & there he was entered & buryed besyde saint Thomas of Caūterburyes shryne. And thus ended ye worthy kyng Henry about mydlent sondaye / in ye yere of our lorde a. M .CCCC. and .xiij. vpon [Page Cxliiii] whose soule god haue mercy. Amen.
MArtyn y• .v. was pope after Iohn xiiij. yere. This mā was chosen by the concyle of Constance / & the other were deposed y• stroue / & so came peas in the chirche the whiche longe tyme afore was desyred & necessary for y• defence of the fayth. This was y• myghtyest pope that euer was of ryches / & a grete iudge He edifyed townes / walles / stretes / & he destroyed heresyes / & he did moche good through the noble prynce Sygysmund. And he gadred moche money for to gete y• holy londe agayn / but deth came vpon hym & letted hym / & he made a coūseyle afore his deth for that mater / & there he decessed. ¶ Eugenius was pope after Martyn .xvii. yere. This Eugeny was chosen peasybly after the deth of Martyn / & no man doubted but he was pope But shortly after he was expulsed from Rome / for it was so that he fledde naked Also he was cited to the concyle of Basilieus & deposed / but he charged hym not And for that began ye stryfe agayne / the whiche stode to his deth / & those that fauoured him sayd he was worthy moche louynge / & the contrary sayd those that were agaynst hym / but what someuer he was after he had taken the dignite vpon hym / afore he was of grete abstynence & of good fame / & that he dyd after that I leue to the iudgement of god.
¶ Circa annū dn̄i. M .CCCC .xiij.
¶ Of kynge Henry the fyfth that was kynge Henryes sone.
ANd after the deth of king Henry the fourth regned kynge Henry his sone that was borne at Monmouth in Wales / that was a worthy kyng & a gracyous man and a grete conquerour. And in ye fyrst yere of his regne for grete loue and goodnes he sent to the f [...]res of Langley there as his fader had do bury kynge Rychard the seconde / and let take his body out of the erth agayn / & dyd do brȳge it to Westmynster in a ryall chare couered with blacke veluet and baners of dyuers armes about / & all the horses drawing y• chare were trapped in blacke and beten with dyuers armes / & many a torche brennynge by all the waye tyll he came to Westmynster / & there he let make for hym a ryall and a solempne enterement / & buryed hym by quene Anne his wyfe / as his owne desyre was / on y• ferther syde of saynt Edwardes [...]yne in y• abbey of saynt Peters of Westmynster / vpon whose soule god haue mercy. ¶ And in this same yere were certayne lollers taken & fals heretykes yt had purposed through false treason for to haue slayne our kyng / & for to haue destroyed all the clergy of y• realme / & they myght haue had theyr false purpose. But our lorde god wolde not suffre it / for in haste our kynge had warnynge therof & of all theyr fals ordinaūce & werkyng / & came sodeynly with his power to saȳt Iohns without sinythfelde / & anone they toke a certayn of the lollers & fals heretykes / & brought them to ye kynges presence and there they tolde all theyr fals purpose & ordynaūce how they wolde haue done & wrought / yf they myght haue regned & had theyr wyl / & there they told whiche were theyr capytayns & gouernours / & than ye king cōmaūded them to the toure of Londō: & than toke moo of them bothe win ye cite & wtout / & sent thē to Newgate & to bothe Co [...]ters. And than they were brought in examinacion afore ye clergy & the kynges Iustyces / & there they were cōuicte for theyr fals heresy / & dampned before y• Iustyee for theyr fals treason / & this was theyr iudgemet / yt they sholde be drawen frō ye toure of London to saint [Page] Giles felde / & there to be hanged & brent on ye galowes. Also there was taken syr Roger Acton knyght for heresy & eke for treason agaynst ye kyng & ye realme / & he came afore y• clergy & was cōuict for his heresy to be brent / & dampned before the Iustyces to be drawen from the toure of London through the cite to saynt Giles felde / & to be hanged & brent. ¶ And in ye seconde yere of kynge Henryes regne he held a coūseyle of all ye lordes of ye realme at Westmȳster / & there he put hym this demaūde / & prayed & besouhgt them of theyr goodnes & of theyr good coūseyle & good wyll to shewe hym as touchyng ye tytell & the right yt he had to Normandy Gascoyn & Guyen / the whiche ye king of Fraūce whelde wrongfully & vnryghtfully / y• whiche his auncestres before hȳ had by true tytell of cōquest & right herytage / the whiche Normādy / Gascoyn & Guyen ye good kyng Edward of Wyndsore & his auncestres before hym had holden all theyr lyf tyme. And his lordes gaue hym coūseyle to sende embassadours to the kyng of Fraūce & his coūseyle yt he shold gyue vp vnto hym his ryght herytage / yt is to saye Normandy / Gascoyn & Guyen / y• whiche his predecessours had holden afore hȳ / or els he wold it wynne with strengthe of swerde in shorte tyme with ye helpe of almighty god. And than the Dolphyn of Fraūce answered to our embassadours & saydi this maner / that the kyng was ouer yonge & to tender of age to make ony warre as agaynst hȳ / & was not lyke yet to be a good warryour to do & make suche a cōquest there vpon hym. And somwhat in scorne & despyte he sent to hȳ a tonne full of tenes balles bycause he shold haue somwhat to playe withall for him & for his lordes / for that wolde become hym better than to mayntayn ony warre. And than anone our lordes yt were embassadours toke theyr leue & came in to Englonde agayne & tolde the kynge & his couseyle of the vngoodly answere yt they had of the Dolphin / & of the present y• whiche he had sente to our kynge. And whan the kynge had herde theyr wordes & y• answere of y• Dolphyn he was wonders sore agreued & ryght euyll apayed towarde the frensshmen & towarde the kynge & the Dolphyn / and thought to auēge hym on them as soone as god wold sende hym grace & myght And anone let make tenes balles for the Dolphyn in all y• haste that he myght / & they were grete gonstones for the Dolphyn to playe withall. And than anone the kynge sent for all the lordes & helde a grete coūseyle at Westmynster / & told to them the answer yt they had of the Dolphin & of his worthy present yt he sent to hym & to his lordes to playe wtall. And there ye kyng & his lordes were accorded that they shold be redy in armes wt theyr power in the best araye yt myght be done and gete all the men of armes & archers that myght be goten / & all other stuffe yt longed to warre / & to be redy wt all theyr retynue to mete at Southhampton by Lāmasse nexte folowynge without ony delaye / wherfore ye kynge ordeyned his nauy of shyppes with all maner stuffe & vytayle that lōged to suche a warryour of all maner ordynaunce in the hauen of Southhampton to ye nombre of .CCC. and .xx. sayles. And thā fell there a grete dysease and a foule myschefe. For there were thre lordes whiche that the kyng trusted moche on / & through false couetyse they had purposed & ymagined the kynges deth / & thought to haue slayne hym & all his bretherne or he had taken the see / whiche thre lordes were named thus / syr Rycharde erle of Cambrydge broder to ye duke of yorke / ye seconde was the lord Scrope tresourer of Englōde / y• thyrd was sir Thomas Gray knyght of [Page Cxlv] the North coūtree. And these thre lordes aforesayd for lucre of money had made a promesse vnto y• Frensshmen for to haue slayne kyng Henry the fyfth and all his bretherne by a false trayne sodeynly or they had ben ware. But almyghty god of his grete grace helde his holy hande ouer them & saued them from these perillous meiny. And for to haue done this they receyued of y• frensshmen a millyon of gold / & that was there openly proued And for theyr fals treason they were all thre iudged to deth / & this was y• iudgement / that they sholde be ladde through Hampton / & without northgate there to be heded. And thus they ended theyr lyues for theyr fals couetyse and treason. And anone as this was done the kynge & all his meyny made them redy & went to shyppe and sayled forth with .xv. hondred shyppes / & arryued within Seyne at Kydecause vpon our ladyes euen the Assumpcyon in Normandy wt all his ordynaūce / & so went forth to Harflet / & he besyeged the towne all about by londe & also by water / & sent to the capytayne of the towne & charged hym to delyuer the towne. And ye capytayne sayd that he delyuered hym none / ne none he wolde hȳ yelde / but badde hym do his best. And than our kyng layde his ordinaūce vnto the towne / that is to saye / gonnes / engynes & tripgettes / and shotte & cast at the walles & eke at the towne / & cast downe bothe toures & towne & layde them on y• erth / & there he played at the tenes with his hard gonne stones. And they y• were with in y• towne whan they sholde playe theyr songe was well away & alas that euer ony suche tenes balles were made / & cursed al tho y• warre began / & y• tyme that euer they were borne. ¶ And on the morowe y• kyng let crye at euery gate of the towne that euery man shold be redy on the morowe erly to make assaute to y• towne. And Willyam Boucher & Iohn Graūt with .xij. other worthy burgeses came to the kyng & besought hym of his ryall pryncehode & power to withdrawe his malyce & bestruccyon that he dyd to them / and besought hym of .viij. dayes respyte & trewse yf ony rescowe myght come to them / & els to yelde vp ye towne to hym wt al theyr goodes. And than the kyng sent forth y• capytayne & kepte the remenaūt styll wt hym. And y• lord Gaucorte yt was capytayne of y• towne went forth to Roen in all ye haste vnto the Dolphyn for helpe & socour / but there was none ne no man of rescowe / for the Dolphyn wold not abyde. And thus this capytayne came agayne vnto the kynge & yelded vp ye towne / & delyuered hym the keys. And than he called his vncle ye erle of Dorset & made hym capytayne of the town of Harflet / & deliuered him y• keys & bad hȳ go & put out all y• frēsshe people bothe men womē & children / & stuffe his town of Harflet wt englysshe people. And than ye kyng sent in to Englōde & let crye in euery good town of Englōde / y• what crafty mā wold come thyder & enhabyte hym there in y• town he shold haue [...]s & houshold to hȳ & to his heyres for euer more. And thyder went many marchaūtes & crafty mē / & enhabyted them there to strength the towne / & were welcome. And whā y• kyng sawe y• this town was well stuffed bothe of vytayles & of men / this worthy prince toke his leue & went toward Calays by lond / & y• frensshmen herde of his comynge / they thought for to haue stopped hȳ his waye y• he sholde not passe that waye / in all y• haste y• they myght brake al y• bridges where as ony passage was for hors & man / in so moche that there myght no man passe ouer the ryuers neyther on hors ne on fo [...]e / but yf he shold haue bendrowned. And therfore our king wt all his people went & sought [Page] his way ferre vp toward Paris / & there was all y• ryall power of Fraūce assembled & redy to gyue hym batayle / & for to destroye all his people. But almyghty god was his guyde & saued hȳ & all his meyny / & defended hym of his enemyes power & purpose thanked be god y• saued so his owne knyght & kyng in his ryght full tytel. And than our kyng beholdyng & seynge y• grete multytude & nombre of his enemyes to withstande his waye & gyue hym batayle. Than the kyng wt a meke herte & a good spiryte lyfte vp his handes to almyghty god / & besought hȳ of his helpe / & y• daye to saue his true seruaūtes. Than our kynge gadred all his lordes & other people aboute & bad them al to be of good chere / for they shold haue a fayre & a gracyous victory & the better of all theyr enemyes / & prayed them to make thē redy to y• batayle / for he wolde rather dye y• daye in the felde / than to be taken of his enemyes / for he wold neuer put y• realme of Englonde to raūsom for his persone. And y• duke of Yorke fell on his knees & besought y• kyng of a bone / y• he wold graūt hym yt daye y• vaūtward in his batayle / & the kyng graūted hym his askyng / and sayd gramercy cosyn of Yorke / & prayed hym to make hym redy. And than badde he euery man to ordeyn hym a stake of tree & sharpe bothe endes that y• stake myght be pyght in y• erth a slope / that theyr enemyes shold not ouer come them on horsback / for yt was theyr fals purpose / & arayed them for to ouer ryde our meyny sodeynly at the fyrst comyng on of them at y• first brunt. And al the nyght before y• batayle y• frensshmen made many grete fyers & moche reuell with howting & showting / & played our kyng & his lordes at y• dyse / & an archer alwaye for a blanke of theyr money / for they wend al had bē theyrs. The morne [...]ose y• daye gan sprynge / & the kyng by good aduyse let araye his batayle & his wynges / & charged euery man to kepe them hole togyder / & prayed them all to be of good chere. And whā they were redy he asked what tyme of ye daye it was & they said pryme. Than sayd our kyng now is good tyme / for al englōd prayeth for vs: & therfore be of good chere & let vs go to our iourney. And thā he sayd wt an hye voyce / in the name of almighty god & saynt George auaūt baner / & saynt George this day thyne helpe. And than the Frensshmen came pryckynge downe as they wold haue ouer rydden all our meyny / but god and our archers made them ryght soone to stomble / for our archers shotte neuer arowe amysse / but it perysshed & brought to ye groūde bothe hors & man / for they shotte yt daye for a wager. And our stakes made them toppe ouer terue eche one ouer ouer / y• they laye on hepes two speres length of heyght. And our kyng wt his meyny & with his men of armes & archers yt thacked on them so thycke with arowes & layde on wt stakes And our kyng with his handes fought manly y• daye. And thus almyghty god & saynt George brought our enemyes to groūde / & gaue vs that daye the victory There were slayne of frensshmen yt daye in ye felde of Agincourt m [...] than .xi. M. Without prysoners yt were takē / & there were nombred that daye of Frensshmen in the felde moo than syxe score. M. But god that daye fought for vs. And after came there tydynges to our kynge that there was a newe batayle of frensshmen ordeyned redy for to stele on hym & came towardes hym. And anone our kyng let crye that euery man sholde slee his prysouers that he had taken / & anone araye the batayle agayne redy to fyght with the Frensshmen. And whan the Frensshmen sawe that our men kylled downe theyr prysoners / than they withdrewe [Page Cxlvi] them & brake theyr batayle and al theyr araye. And thus our kyng as a worthy conquerour had that daye the victory in the [...]elde of Agincourt in Pycardy. And than our kynge returned agayn where as the batayle was / for to [...]e what people were slayne of Englysshmen / and yf ony were hurte y• they myght be holpen And there were deed in y• felde the duke of Barry / the duke of Alaūson / the duke of Braband / the erle of Nauerne thefe constable of Fraūce / and .viij. other erles and the archebysshop of Saunce / and of good barons an .C. and mo / & of worthy knyghtes of grete alyaunce of cote armures .xv. hōdred. And of Englysshmen were deed yt daye the good duke of Yorke and the erle of Suffolke / and of all other Englysshmen there were not deed passyng .xxvi. bodyes thanked be god. And this batayle was on a frydaye / whiche was saynt Crispyne & Crispinians day in the moneth of October / & anone the kynge cōmaūded to bury them / and the duke of Yorke to be caryed forth wt hym & the erle of Suffolke. And there were prysoners y• duke of Orlyaūce / the duke of Burbon / the erle of Vendome / the erle of Ewe / the erle of Richemond & syr But sigaūt marsha [...] [...]f Fraūce / & many other worthy lordes were taken there in this batayle of Agincourt & were brought to the towne of Calays / & so ouer the see wt the kyng in to Englonde & londed at Douer in Kent wt all his prysoners in safete thanked be almyghty god / & so came to Cas [...]terbury & offred at saynt Thomas shryne. And so forth he rode through the [...]o [...]re of Kent the next waye to Eitham & th [...]re he rested tyll that he wolde come to London. And than the Mayre of London / the aldermen & sheryues wt all y• comuners & craftes came to y• blacke [...]eth well & worthely arayed to welcome our kyng with dyuers melodyes / & [...]hanked almyghty god of his gracyous vyctory that he shewed for hym. And so y• kyng & his prisoners passed forth by them ty [...] he came to saynt Thomas of wateryng / & there mette wt hym all religyous men wt processyon & welcomed hym. And so the kyng came rydyng with his prysoners through y• rite of Londō / where as was shewed many a fayre syght at all yt condythes & at yt crosse in chepe as in heuenly araye of aūgels / archaūgels / patriarkes / prophetes & virgyns / wt diuers melodyes sensyng & syngynge to welcome the kynge / & all the cond [...]thes [...]e [...]ynge with wyne / & the kynge passed forth to saynt Paules / & there mette wt hȳ. [...]. bysshops reuested & mytred wt sensers to welcome the kynge / & there they songe for his gracyous victory [...]e deū [...]audamus. And there the kyng offred / & after toke his hors & rode to Westmynster / & than the Mayre toke his leue of y• kyng & rode home agayne. ¶ And in y• thyrde yere of kyng Hēryes regne y• fyfth came the emperour of Almayn kyng of Rome & of Hungry in to Englonde / & so to y• [...]e of London. And the Mayre & the aldermen wt the sheryues & worthy craftes of London by the kynges cōmaundement mette wt hym on the blacke heth [...] y• best aray that they coude on horsbacke. And there they welcomed hym & brought hȳ to London with m [...]he honoure & grete reuerence. And at saynt Thomas of w [...] terynge there mette wt hym the kyng wt all his lordes in good araye. And there was a worthy metyng bytwene y• emperour & kyng Henry y• fyfth / & there they ky [...]ed togyder & embraced eche other / & than y• king toke y• emperour by y• hande & so they came rydyng through y• [...]te of Londō vnto saynt Paules / & there they [...]yghted & offred / & all y• bysshops stode re [...]ested wt sensers in theyr handes sensynge to them. And than they toke theyr [Page] horses & rode to Westmynster. And the kynge lodged the emperour in his owne palays / and there he rested hym a grete whyle / & all at y• kynges cost. And soone after came y• duke of Holland in to Englonde to come & se y• emperour & speke wt hym & wt our kyng Henry of Englonde / & he was worthely receyued & lodged in the bysshops Inne of Ely / & all at y• kynges cost. And whan the emperour had well rested him & seen y• londe in dyuers partyes & knewe the cōmodytees / than by processe of tyme he toke his leue of the kynge / but or he wente he was made a knyght of the garter / & receyued & ware the lyuerey. And thā he thanked y• kyng & all his lordes. And than the kyng & he went ouer y• see to Calays & abode there longe tyme to haue an answere of the frensshe kynge / & at the last it came and pleased hȳ ryght nought. And so y• emperour toke his leue of y• kynge & passed forth in goddes name / & our kyng came ouer agayn in to Englonde in all y• haste that he myght / & y• was on saynt Lukes euen that he came to Lambeth / & on the mondaye nexte after he came in to y• parlyament at Westmynster. ¶ In y• same yere was a grete derth of corne in englonde / but thāked be god it lasted not longe.
ANd in the fourth yere of kynge Henryes regne y• fyfthe he helde his parlyament at Westmynster in y• be gynnynge of October / & lasted to the puryficacyon of our lady than nexte after. And there was graunted vnto hym to maynteyn his warres bothe of y• spirytualte & of the temporalte an hole taxe & [...] dieme. And than anone y• kyng prayed all his lordes to make them redy for to strength hȳ in his ryght. And anone he [...]et make a newe retynue / & charged all [...] men to be redy at Hamton in whyt [...] weke nexte after without ony delay. And there the kyng made y• duke of Bedford protectour & defender of his realme of Englonde in his absence / & charged hym to kepe his lawes and maynteyne bothe spirituall & temporall. And whan the kyng had thus done & set all thynge in his kynde / on saynt Markes daye he toke his hors at Westmynster & came rydyng to Paules / & there he offred & toke his leue / & so rode forth through y• [...]ite takyng his leue of all maner of people / as well of poore as of riche / prayenge them all in generall to praye for hȳ. And so he rode forth to saynt Georges / & there offred & toke his leue of the Mayre / chargynge hym to kepe well his chambre. And so he rode forth to Hamton / & there abode tyll his retynue were redy & comē for there was all his nauy & shyppes wt his ordynaūce gadred togyder and well stuffed as longed to suche a ryall kynge with all maner of vytayles for suche a ryall cōpany as wel for hors as for man as longed for suche a warryour / that is to say gōnes / tripgites / engynes / sowes bastyles / brydges of lether / scalyng ladders / malles / spades / shouelles / pykes / paueys / bowes & arowes / bowstringes & tonnes / chestes & pypes full of arowes as neded for suche a worthy warryour that no thynge was to seche whā tyme came / thyder came to hȳ shyppes laden with gonnes & gonpowdre. And whan this was redy & his retynue came / the kyng & all his lordes wt all his ryal hoost went to shyppe & toke y• see & sayled in to Normādy / & londed at [...]ouke vpo [...] Lā masse daye than nexte after / & there he made .xlviij. knyghtes at his londing / & than y• kynge heryng of many enemyes vpon the see / that is to saye .ix. grete Carakes / hulkes galeys & shyppes y• were comyng to destroy his nauy. And anone he cōmaūded y• erle of marche to be che [...]e chefetayne / & many other worthy lordes [Page Cxlviii] [...] to dethe for treason. And so he was [...] to the Cour [...] agayn / and there he [...] layd [...] vpon an hurde [...] and drawen through the Cite to saynt [...]yles felde / & there was made a newe payre of ga [...]s and a stronge [...]heyn [...] and a coller of yren for [...] / & there he was hange [...] and bre [...]t o [...] the galow [...] [...]n [...] all for his [...]es and his fals opynyons.
ANd in the .vi. ye [...] of kyng Henryes [...]ogne the fyfth he sent his [...] Bea [...]ford du [...] of [...]x [...] with a [...]ayre cōpany of men of ar [...]es & archers before the [...] of [...] / & there displayed his [...] / and sent his h [...]des vnto the tow [...] & hadde them [...] that cite vnto our king theyr lyege lorde. And they sayd he toke them no [...] for [...]o [...] / [...] he sholde haue the [...] but yf it [...] bought and proued with theyr handes / for other answere wolde they [...] [...]. And there [...] du [...] good [...] of the groside all [...] there [...] out of [...] o [...] [...] o [...] a [...]mes bothe on hor [...] & on [...] [...] out [...] with them and [...] & there [...] taken and [...]y [...]. [...] ▪ [...]sones o [...] [...] good [...]. [...]nd [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] to the towne. And the kyng with his lordes were lodged in the Charterhous / and grete strength about them / & that was in the [...]est parte of y• [...]te. And the duke of Clarence lodged hym at the west ende of the [...] in a waste abbey before the porte Caux. And the duke of Excestre with his meyny on the north syde before the porte Beauuoysyn. And bytwene the duke of Clarence and the duke of Excestre was y• erle Marshall lodged with moche solke & a stronge power before the castell gate. And than was y• erle of Ormonde / the lorde Haryngton / and also the lorde [...] with theyr retynue and company nexte to hym. And than [...] Iohn Cor [...]e wayle with many other noble knyghtes and squyers of name with all theyr retynue saye with the noble duke of Clarē [...]. And from the duke of Excestre towardes the kynge were lodged the lorde [...]oos / and the lorde Wyllybe / with the lorde Phehew [...] / and syr Wyllyam Porter knyght / with all theyr retynue before the port of say [...] Hyl [...]ry. And than was the erle of Mor [...]n with all his retynue l [...]dged in the abbey of saynt [...]ather [...]s. And the [...]rle of [...]alys [...]ry with his retynue laye on that other syde of saynt [...]atherynes. And syr Iohn Gray knyght was lodged at the abbey that is called le mo [...]n [...] d [...] saynt My [...]h [...]l. And syr Philip [...] knyght the kynges tresourer was lodged bytwene the water of [...]eyn [...] and the abbey / and kepte the warde vnder the hyll. And the baron of Carowe was lodged vnder the wat [...]r syde for to kepe the passage. And Ien [...] the squyer laye nexte hym on the water syde / and these two squyers kepte ma [...]ly the water of [...]yne / and often tymes fought with theyr enemyes. And on that other syde of [...]yne laye the [...]rle of Huntyngdon / [...] mayster [...] the erles [...]ne of West [...]erlonde / & syr Gylbert [...] [Page] of Kent / & syr Rychard erle of Arundell / & the lorde Feryers with theyr retynue before the porte du pount / & eche of these lordes had stronge ordynaunce / and the kynge dyd make at Poūt de larche ouer the water of Seyne a stronge & a myghty chayne of yren / & put it through grete pyles fast pyght in the grounde / & that went ouer the ryuer of Seyne / that no vessell myght passe in no wyse / & about that cheyne the kyng let make a brydge ouer the water of Seyne / that men and hors & all other catyage myght go to & fro at all tymes whan nede were. And than came y• erle of warwik & had goten Dounfrout to kyng Henry of Englonde And anone y• kynge sent the erle of War wyk to Cawdebecke to besyeg [...]it. And whan he came before the towne he sent his herawdes to the capytayne & hadde hym yelde vp the towne vpon payne of deth / and anone he layde his syege. And the capytayne besought the erle that he myght come to his presence and it pleased hym and speke with hym. And so y• good erle graūted hym for to come. And than he came out / & foure other burgeyses came with hym / & entreated so with this erle that this same towne was vnder composicyon / to do as y• e [...]te of Boen dyd. And the erle graunted & consented therto vpon this condicyon / that y• kynges nauy of Englonde with his ordynaūce myght passe vp by them in safet [...] without ony maner of lette or dysturbaunce / and to his composicyon they set to theyr seales / and the shyppes passed vp by them in safete and came before the cite of Boen vnto an hondred shyppes / & there they cast theyr ankers / and than this cite was vesyeged bothe by londe [...] by water. And whan all this was done and the shyppes comen vp / than came y• [...] of warwyk agayne to the kynge / & [...] hym [...]y [...]ene the abbey of saynt Kathet y [...]s & the kyng / tyll that the abbey entreated / & so was the kyng. And than he [...] & lodged hym before the [...] uylle / & than was the erle of [...]ry rōma [...]ded by the kyng [...] redy to ryde / but there [...] tydynges & made hym to abyde / & so he returned agayne & lodged hym besyde the erle of Huntyngdon tyll that the syege was ended▪ And than came the duke of Glocestre the kynges brother from the syege of Shyr [...]ou [...]gh y• whiche he had wonne & goten and stuffed agayn to the kynges beh [...] & profyte vnto y• [...] of Englonde. And whan he was comen to the kynge before [...] ▪ as one he lodged with grete ordynaūce before y• porte saynt Hylary / [...] the towne and his enemyes than our other lay [...] [...]. [...]. [...]es of lengthe / within [...] of quarell / & with hym laye y• [...] of [...] & the lorde of [...] with all theyr retynue & strange ordy [...] / & [...] & proudly [...] theyr enemyes / euer [...] they yssued out of the [...]ite. And than came the pryour of Kylmayn of [...] the see to y• kyng with a fayre [...]yny of men of armes af ter theyr own [...] guyse / to y• no [...]br [...] of▪ xv .C. [...] / & y• kyng welcomed them & made them good chere. ¶ And than [...] the kynge that [...] the Dolphyn [...] of [...]yn wolde come [...] with a stronge [...] cyons & [...] entre on y• [...] syde of y• [...] bycause that there [...] y• [...] & [...] playn [...] therfore y• kyng assigned the pryour of Kylmay [...] wt his [...] / & lodged hym on y• north syde of y• hoost for to stop theyr passage / & was [...] y• foreth of Lyons / & of this ordinaūce they were [Page Cxlvii] [...] go to y• see y• [...] his [...]uy ne [...] his londe [...] party for [...] his vsage. [...] y• [...] his [...] to [...] & [...] y• see / & [...] y• see co [...] y• no mane [...] of enemy [...] route vpon y• see. And anone y• kyng [...] his [...] to y• [...] pytayn of [...] / & charged hym to delyuer hym his [...] his towne / or [...] he wolde neyther leue [...] thylde alyue. And anone y• capytay [...] [...] burgeyses of the towne brought y• [...]ys vnto the kyng & besought [...]. And the kynge delyuered the [...] to [...] Iohn Kekeley & made hym capytayn / & [...]ded hym to put out all y• Fren [...] men bothe of the castell & of [...]he towne. [...] there besyde was the castell of Lo [...] / & [...]hyder the kyng sent y• [...] ma [...] [...] with a f [...]yre company & [...] y• [...] / & [...] was [...] & brought [...] them to the kyng / [...] the kyng [...] agayn / & [...] y• [...] of Louers & of all y• longe [...] / & [...] ged hym to [...] all the F [...]men. And than y• kynge helde [...] his waye to Cane / that was a stronge downe an [...] a [...]yre / & [...] he sent his [...] to y• capytayn & [...] ged hym [...] y• [...] his [...] or [...] he wolde gete th [...] strength of hande. And they [...] [...] [...] hym▪ [...] [...] [...] [...] [...]. [...] [...] [...] counseyle [...] the to [...] all about. And [...] duke of [...] was entred in to the towne & slewe downe ryght [...] he came to y• kyng / & spared neyther man ne chylde / & euer they cryed a Clatente a Clatence and saynt George. And there was d [...]d on the walles on y• kynges syde a worthy man that was called Springes / the whiche y• kyng [...] to be butyed in y• abbey of Cane fast William cōquerour / on whose soule god haue mercy amē. And than y• kyng came in to the towne wt his broder the duke of Clarete and many other worthy lordes with moche solempuite & myrthe. And than the kyng cōmaūded y• capytayn to delyuer h [...] his castell. And he besought the kyng to gyue hym .xiiij. dayes of [...] spyte yf ony restowe wolde come / [...] yf none wold come to delyuer hym y• keys & the castell at his cōmaundement. And vnder this compo [...] was y• towne & the castell of Baycus / wt other townes / fortresses & villages vnto the nombre of [...]iiij. Vpon y• [...]yll before y• castell of Cane our kynge [...]yght all his [...] / y• [...] [...]owne as moche as Cane. And [...] that tyme came tydynges y• no rescowe wold come there. And so at y• .xiiij. dayes ende the capytayn of the castell came out & de lyuered y• keys & the castell to our kyng, and Bayeus and the other .xiiij. townes were delyuered to hym also. And anone the kyng delyuered the keys to the duke of Clarēce / & made hym capytayn bothe of the towne & also of the castell / & made hym capytayn of Baycus and of all the other townes also. And so he [...] the towne & the castell / & there he held sayne [...]orges fest / & there he made. x [...]. knigh tes of the hath / there was syr Lowys Robersart / Salin / Chayny / Mougome [...]y / [...] many other worthy men. And the kyng cōmaunded them for to put out all the Frensshmen & women / & no man so hardy to defoule [...]ny woman / no take no maner of good awayt fr [...] them / but let [Page] them passe ī peas on payne of deth. And there passed out of the towne in one daye moo than .xv .C. women. And the kyng let stuffe the towne & castell wt Englyssh men / & ordeyned there two capytaynes / one for the towne / & an other for y• castell & charged them vpon theyr lyues for to kepe well the towne & the castell. And or that our kynge went thens he gate Faleys Newelyn / & layde a syege to Shyr burgh / & that syege layde y• duke of Glo testre with a stronge power & a myghty and by processe of tyme gate it / & made there a capytayne of y• same towne. And this same tyme y• erle of Warwik layde a syege vnto Dounfront & gate it / & put therin a capytayne. ¶ And for to speke more of the erle of Marche that y• kynge ordeyned tho to scomme the see & to kepe the costes of Englonde for all maner of enemyes / the wynde arose vpon them, that they wende all to haue ben lost / but through the grace of god almyghty and good gouernaūce they tode afore the [...] of Wyght all y• storme. And there were lost two carackes & two balyngers with marchaūdyse & other grete goodes & all the people y• were within them. And an other caracke droue before Hamton / and threwe his mast ouer the walles of the towne / and this was on saynt Barthylmewes daye. And whan all this storme was cesed this worthy erle of Marche toke his shyppes wt his meyny / & wente to the see & londed in Normandy at Hogges / & so rode forth towarde the kyng / & euer as he came the frensshmen fledde. And there came vnto them an Anthony pygge & folowed y• hoost all y• waye tyll they came to a grete water / & there they drad to haue bendrowned / for the water closed them so y• they myght no where gete out. But at the last almyghty god [...] this pygge brought them out all safe [...] there they caught a guyde y• knewe all the countree aboute / [...] brought them through a [...] sa [...]de / and so in to an yle / and there they [...] many prysoners in theyr waye toward the kynge in theyr iourney / and so they came vnto Cane. And there y• kyng welcomed him & toke his iourney to Argenten / & than anone it was yolden vnto the kyng / and they had theyr lyues & went theyr way And than our kynge remeued & went to a stronge towne that was called Cese / & there was a fayre mynster / & they yelded it anone vnto the kynge. And than the kyng went from thens to Alaunson and wanne the towne & the bridge. And the kynge sente the erle of warwyk to [...] towne that was called Belesme with a grete and a stronge power / & anone they yelded it / & put them all in to the kynges good grace & mercy / & so dyd many mo [...] stronge townes & castelles that were in those partyes. And frō thens they went [...] in Perche / & anone it was yelded vnto the [...] bothe the towne & the castell / & bodyes, & goodes at the kynges good grace. And so the kyng gate & cōquered all y• townes & castelles / pyles strēgthes [...] abbeys vnto Poūt de larche & from thens vnto y• cite of Boen. ¶ And in the fyfth yere of kyng Henryes regne the fyfth / syr Iohn Oldeastel y• was the lorde Cobham was arested for heresy / & brought to y• Coure of London / & anone after he brake the Cou [...]e and went in to Wales / & there kepte hym [...]ge tyme. And at y• [...]he lorde Po [...] toke hym but he stode [...] grete defence longe tyme & was sore wo [...]ded or he wolde be taken & to the lorde [...] man brought hym out of Wales to London [...] wher [...] & so he was brought to Westmynster / & there was examined of certayn poyntes that were [...]ut on [...] / & he sayd not nay / and so he was conuicte of the clergy for his heresy / [...] [...]ned before the Justyfull [Page Cxlix] glad / & so they went forth in haste & kepte y• groūde & the place y• the kynge & his coūseyle had assigned / & they quytte them as good warryours to theyr kyng ¶ Now wyll I tell you whiche were y• chefe capytaynes & gouernours of y• cite of Roen. Mon syr Guy butler was chefe capytayn bothe of y• cite & of the castel / & Mon syr Termegan he was capitayn of port de Caur. Mon syr de la Roche was capitayn of y• disners. Monsyr Anthony was lewtenaunt to Mon syr Guy Butler. Henry Chantfien was capytayne of the porte de la pount. Iohn Mantreuas was capytayne of the porte de la castel. Monsyr de Preaux was capytayne of the porte of saynt Hylary. The bastarde of Tyne he was capytayne of the porte Martenuylle. And graūd Iakes a worthy war [...] your he was capytayne of all men of warre / and he was gouernour outward bothe on horsbacke and on fote of al men of armes whā they yssued out of the cite of all y• portes he them arayed as they sholde encountre wt our meyny. And eche of the capitaynes ladde .v. M. men of armes / and some moo. And at y• fyrst comynge of our kynge there were nombred by herawdes vnto .CCC. M. of men and women and chyldren / what yonge & olde. And amonge all these was many a manfull man of his handes / & so they preued them whan they yssued out of the cite bothe on horsbacke and on fote / for they came neuer at one gate out alone / but at thre or foure gates / and at euery gate two or thre thousand of good mēnes bodyes armed and manfully encountred wt our Englysshmen / & moche people slayne dyuers tymes wt gonnes / quarelles & other ordynaunce. And this syege dured .xx. wekes / and euer they of the towne trusted to haue ben res [...]wed / but there came none. So at the last they kepte so longe the towne that there dyed many a thousande within the towne for defaute of meet of men & women & chyldren / for they had eten theyr horses / dogges and cattes that were in the towne. And oftentymes y• men of armes droue out the poore people at the gates of the towne for spendyng of vitayles / & anone ou [...] Englysshmen droue them in to the towne agayne. So at the last the capytayne of the towne sawe the myschefe / & that they were not rescowed / & also the scarsete of vytayle / and that the people dyed for defaute of meet euery daye many thousandes / & also sawe yonge chyldren lye lyke as they had souked theyr moders pappes and were deed. Than anone they sent to the kyng besechynge hym of his grace & mercy / and brought the keys of the towne vnto y• kyng [...] & de lyuered the towne to hym / & all the soudyours voyded the towne wt they horses & harneys / & the comyns of y• towne for to abyde & dwell styll in y• towne / yerely to paye to hȳ & to his successours for all maner customes & [...]ee fermes & quater [...] mes. And than the kyng entred into the towne / & rested hym in the castel tyll the towne was set in rule & in gouernaūce.
¶ How the kyng of Englonde was made enherytour & regent of Fraunc [...] / and how he wedded quene Katheryne.
ANd anone after that Roen was goten / Depe & many other townes in base Normandy gaue them ouer without stroke or syege whan they vnderstode y• the kyng had go [...]ē Ro [...]n. Also this yere had ben a peas made & sworne bytwene y• duke of Burgoyn & the Dolphyn / whiche were sworne on goddes body that they sholde loue & assyst [...]he other agaynst theyr enemyes. And after this cōtrary to this othe / the duke Iohn of Burgoyne was slayne and pyteously [Page] murdred in the presence of the Dolphyn wherfore ye frensshmen were gretly deuyded / and of very necessyte laboured to haue a treaty with ye kyng of Englonde For the kyng of Englonde wanne dayly of them townes / castelles and fortresses. ¶ Also this same yere was quene Iane arested & brought in to ye castell of Ledes in Kent. And one frere Randolf a doctour of diuinite her confessour whiche afterwarde was slayne by the persone of the Toure fallyng at wordes & debate. And after quene Iane was deliuered. ¶ And in the .vij. yere bothe ye kynge of Fraūce and of Englonde were accorded / & kyng Henry was made heyre and regent of Fraunce / & wedded dame Katheryn the kynges doughter of Fraūce at Troyes in Champayn on Tr [...]ite sondaye. And this was made by the meane of Philip newe made duke of Burgoyne / whiche was sworne to kyng Henry for to auēge his faders deth & was become englysshe And than ye kynge with his newe wyfe went to Paris / where he was ryally receyued. And from thens he went wt his lordes & the duke of Burgoyn and many other lordes of Fraunce & layde syege to diuers townes of Fraūce that helde of ye Dolphyns party & wanne them. But ye towne of Melune helde longe tyme / for therin were good defenders. ¶ In the viij. yere ye kyng & ye quene came ouer see & londed on Candelmasse daye in ye mornyng at Douer. And the .xiiij. day of Feueryer ye kyng came to Londō / & the. xxj daye of ye same moneth ye quene came / & the .xxiiij. daye of ye same she was crowned at Westmynster. ¶ Also ye same yere anone after eester ye kyng helde a parlya ment at Westmynster / at whiche parlia ment it was ordeyned yt the golde in englysshe coyne sholde be weyed / & none receyued but by weyght. ¶ And anone after [...]hytsontyde the kyng sayled to Calais & passed so forth into Fraūce. And in Marche the .xxij. daye before the kynge came ouer / ye duke of Clarēce was slayne in Fraūce / & diuers other lordes takē prisoners / as the erle of Huntingdon / ye erle of Somerset wt dyuers other / & all was bycause they wold not take none arthers with them / but thought to haue ouercomen ye frensshmen themselfe without archers / & yet whan he was slayne the archers came & rescowed the body of the duke / whiche they wold haue caryed wt them / god haue mercy on his soule / he was a valyaūt man. And the same yere bytwene Chrystmasse & Cādelmasse the towne of Melun was yolden to ye kynge ¶ In the .ix. yere on saynt Nicolas day in Decēber was borne Henry y• kynges fyrst begoten sone at Wyndsore / whose godfaders at the font stone was Henry bysshop of Wynchestre / & Iohn duke of Bedford / & the duchesse of Holland was godmoder / & Henry Chicheley archebisshop of Caūterbury was godfader at cō firmynge. ¶ And in the .x. yere ye cite of Meaux in Brie was goten / whiche had longe ben besyeged. And this same yere the quene shypped at Hampton & sayled ouer to the kynge in Fraūce / where she was worshipfully receyued of ye kyng / & also of the kyng of Fraūce her fader / & of her moder. And thus kyng Hery Wanne fast in Fraūce & helde grete estate / & sate at diner at a gretefeest i Paris crowned & the quene also / whiche had not bē seen before / & all people resorted to his courte but the kyng of Fraūce helde none estate ne rule / but was left almost alone. ¶ Also this yere ye wethercocke was set vpon Paules steple at London. And this yere in the moneth of August ye kynge wexed seke at Boys de Vincene / & whā he sawe he sholde dye he made his testamēt / & ordeyned many noble thinges for his soule and deuoutly receyued al cheryghtes of [Page Cl] holy chirche / in so ferforth that whan he was anoynted he sayd the seruyce with the preest / & at the verse of the psalme of [...]iserere mei deus. that was Benigne fac dn̄e in bona volūtate tua syon: vt edificētur muri hierusalem. he badde tary there and sayd thus. O good lorde / thou knowest that myn entent hath ben / & yet is / yf I might lyue to reedifye ye walles of Ierusalem. And than the preest proce ded forth & made an ende. And anone after this moost noble prince & victoryous kyng floure in his tyme of chrysten chyualry / whome all the worlde doubted / gaue his soule in to the handes of god & dyed & made an ende of his naturall lyfe at the foresayd Boys de Vincēne besyde Parys the .xxxvj. yere of his age / vpon whose soule god haue mercy. Amen.
Than was the body enbawmed & cered & layde in a ryall chare / & an ymage lyke to hym was layde vpon the corps open with diuers baners / & horses couered ry chely wt the armes of Englōde & Fraūce & also the olde armes of saynt Edwarde saynt Edmond & other / with grete multytude of torches / with whome went ye kynge of Scotlond & many other lordes whiche accōpanyed the body tyl it came vnto Westmynster by London in Englonde. And in euery towne by ye waye he had solempnely his Dirige on the euen and masse on the morow / & moche almes was gyuē to poore people by the waye. And the .vij. daye of Nouember after ye corps was brought through London wt grete reuerence and solempnite to Westmynster where as he now lyeth / it was worshipfully buryed / & after was layde on his tombe a ryal ymage lyke hymself of syluet & gylt / whiche was made at ye [...]ost of quene Katheryn. And thus ended and is entered & buryed the noble kynge Henry the fyfth / on whose soule and all thrysten soules god haue mercy.
Amen.
¶ Of the lawe of kyng Henry the fyfth and what he ordeyned for kyng Richard and for hymselfe after his deth.
HEre is to be noted that this kynge Henry ye fyfth was a noble prynce after he was kynge & crowned / how be it before in his youth he had ben wylde recheles & spared nothynge of his lust ne desyres / but accomply [...]hed them after his lykyng. But as soone as he was crowned / anoynted and sacred / anone sodeynly he was chaūged in to a newe mā & set all his entent to lyue vertuously in maynteynynge of holy chirche / destroyenge of heretykes / kepyng Iustyce & defendyng of his realme & subgeetes. And for as moche as his fader had deposed by his labour the good kyng Rychard / & pyteously made hym to dye / & for the offence done to him agaynst his legeaunce he had sent to Rome to be assoyled therof For which offence our holy fader ye pope enioyned hym to make him to be prayed for perpetually / & lyke as he had done to be taken frō hym his naturall lyfe / therfore he sholde do foūde .iiij. tapers to bren perpetually about his body that for the extynccyon of his bodyly lyfe his soule may euer be remembred & lyue in heuen in spirituall lyfe. And also ye he shold euery weke on the daye as it came about of his deth haue a solēpne masse of Requi [...] & on the euen afore a Dirige with .ix. lessons / & a dole to poore people alway on ye daye of .xj. shyllynges & .viij. pens to be deled peny mele / & ones in ye yere at his annyuersary his enteremēt to be holden in the moost honest wyse / & to be deled ye daye .xx. poūde in pens to poore people & to euery monke .xx. shyllynges / whiche all these thinges per [...]ournted this noble kynge for his fader. For kyng Henry the fourth his fader perfourmed it not durynge his lyfe / whome as it was sayd [Page] god touched and was a lepre or he dyed. ¶ And than this noble prynce let do call all the abbottes & pryours of saynt Benettes ordre in Englonde / & had them in the chapter hous of Westmȳster for the reformacion of the ordre / wherin he had comynycacyon / & also with bysshops & men of the spiritualte / in so ferforth that they doubted sore ye he wolde haue had ye temporaltees out of theyr hādes / wherfore by the aduyse / labours & procuryng of the spiritualte encouraged the kynge for to chalenge Normādy & his ryght in Fraūce / to the entent to set hym a werke there / that he shold not seke occasyons to entre in to suche maters. And al his lyfe after he laboured in ye werres in conque ryng a grete parte of ye realme of Fraūce that by the agrement of the kyng Charles he had all the gouernaunce and rule of the realme of Fraunce / & he was proclaymed regent & heyre of Fraunce. And so notwithstandynge for all this grete warre that he had / yet he remembred his soule / and also that he was mortall and must dye / for whiche he ordeyned by his lyfe tyme the place of his sepulture where he is buryed / and there is euery daye thre masses perpetually songen in a chapell ouer his sepulture / of whiche the myddle masse and the fyrst & the last masse shall be as it is assygned by hym / as it appereth by these verses folowynge.
¶ And yet the noble kyng Henry ye fyfth foūded two houses of religyon / that one is called Syon besyde Braynford of the ordre of saynt Brigitte bothe of men and women. And on ye other syde of the riuer of Tamyse a hous of monkes of Charterhous / in whiche two places he is contynually prayed for nyght and daye / for euer whan they of Syon resteth they of the Charterhous do theyr seruyce / & in lyke wyse whan they of ye Charterhous resteth the other gothe to / and by ryngynge of the belles of eyther place eche knoweth whan they haue ended theyr seruyce / whiche be nobly endowed / & do dayly there grete almes dedes / as in the Charterhous certeyn chyldren be foūde to scole: & at Syon certeyn almes gyuen dayly. And yet besyde all this he foūded a recluse whiche shall be alway a preest to praye for him by ye sayd Charterhous which preest is sufficiently endowed for hȳ & a seruaūt. Loo here may all prȳces take ensample by this noble prynce that regned so lytell tyme / not fully .x. yere / & dyd so many noble actes as well for his soule to be perpetually prayed for / as in his worldly cōquestes / & he beynge ī his most lusti age despised & eschewed synne & was a grete iusticer / in so moche yt al ye prynces of christēdom drad hym & also of [Page Cli] [...] & [...]e [...] in him [...]fe yf god [...] to haue watred o [...] ȳ [...] & [...] to knowe the ay [...] of other [...] & all ȳ passages in ye iourn [...] [...]nyght of [...] named syr Hugh de L [...] vnto Ieru sall / but or he [...]etur [...] he dyed at Boy [...] de [...] in the .xxxvj. yere of his age on whose soul [...] Ie [...] haue mercy. Amē.
[...] the .v. was pope whan Eugeny was deposed .ix. yere. This Felix was [...] of Sauoye [...] prynce & an olde man / and he sawe his childes childe. This man whā he lyued an holy lyfe was chosen pope of the concyle of Basyle / & Eugeny was deposed / & there was stryfe longetyme / & he had no grete obedyence for the deposicyon of Eugeny. And at ye last Eugeny decessed & than Felix resygned to Nycolas for fauour of peas to be had / & he was made legate of fraūce & cardynall of Sabianꝰ ¶ This was the .xxiij. [...] bytwene Eugeny & [...] / & i [...] [...]. xv [...]. ȳere / & this was a newe cause & [...] seen before / for ye concyle of Basyle deposed Eugeny ye very pope / & the [...]e was no more for he obeyed not the de [...]rees of the concyle of Constantynople as they sayd / ne he charged not to obey the concyle of Basyle / but he sayd rather ye cōtrary sholde be done than so as they d [...]r [...]ed. Wherfore there arose a grete altercacyon in ye mater. For some sayd one waye / & some another / & coude not accorde vnto this daye / for yt one partye sayd ye the concyle was aboue the pope / & an other partye sayd ye cōtrary / ye the pope was aboue ye concyle / but they lefte it vndetermyned / & therfore god must dyspose for the best. ¶ Albert was emperour after Sygysmonde one yere. This Albert was duke of Austre & neuewe to Sygysmonde / & therfore he was kynge of [...]em and of Vngry for his doughter / for other heyre he left none. This man was emperour of Almayne / but anone he was poysoned & dyed / and he was in all thynges a vertuous man / yt all men said he was a president to all kynges. ¶ Fredericus y• thyrde was emperour after hym. This Frederyk was duke of Osteryke / & chosen Emperour of Almayne / but it was longe or he was crowned of the pope for diuision. At the last there was made an vnite / & he was crowned with grete honour of the pope in ye cite / & was a peasy ble man & a quyete / & of synguler pit [...] / & he hated not the clergye / he wedded the kȳges doughter of Portyngale / & in his tyme whyles that he regned he made a grete cōuocacyon of prynces in Ra [...]sp [...] na / for ye incours of ye Turkes / & shewed vnto them yt now within this .xx. yere chrystēdome was made lesse. ij .C. myle & he warned them yt they sholde be redy to resyst hym. And the imperyall cite of Cōstantynople was taken ye same tyme of y• mis [...]yleuynge Turkes / & betrayed by a Ianuens / whome for his labour ye Turke made a kyng as he ꝓmysed b [...] / & the fourth day he called hym / & dyd d [...] hange hȳ for his deceyt to his mayster. And there was grete sorowe & wepyng amonge ye chrysten people for ye losse of yt noble cite / for many a christen man was slayne / & innumerable were sold / & ye emperour was slayne / & for enuy ye Turke caused his heed to be smytten of whā he was deed / & almoost al ye fayth in ye lōde of greke fayled. ¶ Nycolas the .v. a Ia nuens was pope after Felix .viij. yere. This Nycolas was chosen at Rome in the place of Eugeny: & yet y• strife henge styll / & a lytell & a lytel they obeyed hym And al men meruayled that a man of so poore a nacyon shold obtayne agaynst y• duke of Sauoye ye whiche was cosyn & alyed almoost to all the prynces of chry [...]endome [Page] & euerychdue left hym. Than in the yere after there was a peas made & Felix resygned / for it pleased our lorde his name to be gloryfyed by an obiect of the worlde as was y• Ianuens in comparyson to the duke the pope. This Nycolas was a mayster in diuinite and an actyfe man / & a ryche man in conceytes and many thynges that were fallen he buylded agayn / & all y• walles of Rome he renewed for drede of the Turke. And there was a verse made of this vnite / & publysshed in the cite. [...]ux fud sit mun dot cessit Felix Nicolao. And that in the yere of our lorde. M .CCCC .xlix. The yere of grace with a grete deuocyō was confermed / & innumerable people went to the apostles setes.
¶ How kynge Henry the syxth regned beynge a chylde not one yere of age / and of the batayle of Vernoyle in Perche.
AFter king Henry y• fyfth regned Henry his sone but a childe / and not fully one yere of age / whose regne began the fyrst daye of September in y• yere of our lord. M .cccc .xxij. This kyng beynge in his cradell was moche doubted & drad bycause of the grete conquest of his fader / & also the wysdome & guydyng of his vncles the duke of Bedford and the duke of Glocestre. ¶ This yere the .xxi. daye of October dyed Charles the kynge of Fraūce / & lyeth buryed at saynt Denys. And than was y• duke of Bedford made regent of Fraūce. And y• duke of Glocestre was made protectour & defendour of Englonde. ¶ And y• fyrst daye of Marche after was syr William Tayllour preest degraded of his preesthode / & on y• morowe after he was brent in smythfelde for heresye. ¶ This yere syr Iames Stewarde kynge of scottes maryed dame Iane the duchesse dough te [...] of Clayence whiche [...] by he [...] fyrst hus [...] the erle [...] a [...] saynt Mary [...] yere the .xvij. da [...]e [...] of [...]rnoyle [...] of Bedford regent of [...] & the duke of [...]Alaunson whiche was a grete batayle. The duke of [...] his▪ syde the erle of [...] & the lorde Talbot & all the power y• they coude ma [...] kepte. And also many [...] with moche people of th [...] duke [...]yns And on th [...] was the duke of Alaūson / the duke of [...] the erle of Douglas [...] ha [...] / wt many lordes of Fraūce / & a grete company of scottes & armynackes. And than y• erle Douglas called y• duke of Bedforde in scorne Iohn wt the leden swerde. And he sente hym worde agayne y• he sholde fynde y• daye y• his swerde was of style. And so y• [...]yned on bothe sydes & fought [...] me y• no man wyst who sholde haue y• better a grete whyle / but at y• last as god wold y• victory fell vnto y• englysshe party / for there were slayne the erle Douglas whiche a lyteil before was made duke of Turō / y• erle of Bou ghā / y• erle of Almarre / y• erle of Tounar the erle of Vaūtedor / & y• vycoūte of Ner bonne / whiche was one of them y• slewe duke Iohn of Burgoyn knelyng before the Dolphyn / & many m [...] vnto y• nombre of .x. M. & moo. And there was takē prysoners y• duke of Alaūson and many other lordes & gentylle [...] of Fraūce / but scottes y• daye were slayne downe right the substaūce of them all. ¶ The thyrde yere of kynge Henry the syxth the duke, of Glocestre maryed the duchesse of Hollande / and went ouer see with her in to Henaud for to take possessyon of his wy ues enherytaūce / where he was honou rably receyued and taken for lord of the [Page Clii] londe. But soone after he was fayne to returne home agayne in to Englonde / & lefte his wyfe & all his tresour y• he had brought wt hym in a town that is called Mouns in Henaud / whiche promysed for to be true to hym. Notwithstādyng they delyuered the lady vnto y• duke of Burgoyn / whiche sent her to Gaunt / & from thens she escaped in a mānes clothȳge & came in to zelande to a towne of her owne called Sirixze / & frō thens she wente to a towne in Hollande called the Gowe / & there she was stronge ynough and withstode y• foresayd duke of Burgoyne. ¶ And soone after y• duke of Glocestre sent ouer see in to zelande the lord Fitz water with certayn men of warre and archers for to helpe & socour y• foresayd duchesse of Hollāde / whiche londed at a place in zelande called Brewers hauen / where the lordes of y• coūtree came downe & fought with hym / & in conclusyon he was fayne to withdrawe hym & his company to y• see agayne. But yet he slewe & hurte dyuers lordes & moche people of the same coūtree / & so returned home agayn in to Englonde wt his company / & preuayled no thynge. ¶ And also this same yere y• erle of Salesbury / y• erle of Suffolke / y• lorde Wyllybe / & the lorde Scales with theyr retynue layde syege to the cyte of Mauns / the whiche cyte was yolden to them wt many other stronge townes & castels to y• nombre of xxxvj. ¶ This tyme all Normandy & a grete parte of Fraunce vnto Drlyaunce was vnder the obeyssaūce of y• kynge of Englonde / & all the remenaūt of Fraūce was in grete trybulacyon & myschefe.
¶ How there was lyke to haue ben a grete fraye bytwene the cardynal and the duke of Glocestre. And of the coronacyon of kyng Henry the syxth bothe in Englonde and in Fraunce.
IN the fourth yere y• same nyght y• the mayre of Londō Iohn Couentre had taken his charge / was a grete watche in London for a fraye that was bytwene y• bysshop of Wynchestre & the duke of Glocestre protectour. &c. For the mayre wt the people of y• cite wold abyde by the duke of Glocestre as protectour & defendour of y• realme. But by labour of lordes that went bytwene / & in especyal by the labour of y• prynce of Portyngale there was a poyntement taken y• there was no harme done. ¶ And after y• batayle of Vernoyle in Perche the duke of Bedford came ouer in to Englonde. And on whytsonday this same yere at Leycestre he dubbed kynge Henry knyght. And forth with y• sayd kyng Henry dubbed all these knyghtes whose names foloweth / y• is to wyte / syr Rycharde duke of Yorke / also y• sone & heyre of y• duke of Norfolke / the erle of Oxford / the erle of westmerlonde / the sone & heyre of y• erle of Northumberlond / y• sone & heyre of y• erle of Vrmond / y• lord Roos / syr Iames butteler / the lord Matrauas / syr Henry gray of Tankeruile / syr Williā Neuyl / lord Fawconbrygge / syr George Neuyl lorde Latymer / the lorde welles y• lorde Berkle / y• sone & heyre of y• lord Talbot / syr Rafe gray of werk / syr Robert [...]eer / syr Rychard gray / syr Edmond Honger ford / syr Robert winkfeld / syr Iohn but ler / syr Raynold Cobhā / syr Iohn pashley / syr Thomas Tunstal / syr Iohn chi diok / syr Rafe langford / syr williā drury syr william ap Thomas / syr Rycharde Carbonell / syr Rycharde wydeuyle / syr Iohn shridelow / syr William cheyn / syr William babyngton / syr Iohn tune / syr Gylbert Beauchamp. ¶ Also in the .v. yere the duke of Bedford wt the duchesse his wyfe wente ouer see to Calays / & a lytel before went ouer Henry bysshop of wynchestre. And on our lady daye Annūciacion [Page] in our lady chirche at Calays the bysshop of Wynchestre whan y• he had songen masse was made Cardinall and he knelynge before the hygh awter the duke of Bedford set y• hatte vpon his heed / & there were his bulles redde / as well of his charge as of the reioycynge of his benefyces spirytuall & temporall. ¶ And this same yere was grete haboū daūce of rayne / that the substaūce of hey & also of corne was destroyed / for it rayned almost euery other day. ¶ And this same yere y• good erle of Salysbury syr Thomas Montague layde syege vnto Orlyaūce / at whiche syege he was slay ne with a gonne y• came out of y• towne / on whose soule god haue mercy / for syth that he was slayne englisshe men neuer gate ne preuayled in Fraunce / but euer after began to lese lytell & lytell / tyll all was lost. ¶ Also this same yere a Bryton murdred a good wydowe in her bed without Algate / whiche wydowe foū de hym for almes / & he bare awaye all that she had. And after this he toke the gyrth of holy chirche at saynt Georges in south warke / & there toke the crosse & forsware this londe. And as he went it happened y• he came by the place where he dyd this cursed dede in y• subbarbes of London / & the women of the same parysshe came out with staues and canell dung & slewe & made an ende of hȳ there Notwithstandynge y• constables & many other men beynge present for to kepe hym / for there were many women and had no pyte. ¶ Also this same yere the duke of Norfolke wt many gentylmen & yemen toke his barge the .viij. daye of Nouember at saynt Mary auerays for to haue gone through London brydge / & through mysguydyng of the barge / it ouerthrewe on y• pyles / and many men were drowned / but y• duke hȳself wt two or thre lept vpon y• piles & so were saued with helpe of men that were aboue the brydge with castynge downe ropes / by the whiche ropes they saued themselfe. ¶ This same yere on saynt Leonardes daye kyng Henry beynge .vij. yere olde was crowned at westminster / at whose crownacyō were made .xxxvj. knyghtes This yere on saynt Georges day he passed ouer y• see to Calays toward Fraūce ¶ Aboute this tyme & afore the realme beynge in grete mysery & trybulacyon / the Dolphyn wt his party began to make warre & gate certayn places / & made distresses vpon englyshmen by y• meane of his capytayns / y• is to saye / la Heer & Poton de seyntraylles / & in especyall a mayde whiche they named la pucelle de dieu. This mayde rode lyke a man / and was a valyaūt capitayn amonge them & toke vpon her many grete enterprises in so moche y• they had a byleue for to haue recouered all theyr losses by her. Notwithstādyng at y• last after many grete feates / by y• helpe & prowesse of syr Iohn Luxemburgh whiche was a noble capytayn of y• duke of Burgoyns & many englysshe men pycardes & burgonyons whiche were of our party before y• towne of Compyne the .xxiij. daye of Maye the foresayd pucelle was takē in y• felde armed lyke a man / & many other capytayns wt her / & were all brought to Roen & there she was put i pryson / & there she was iudged by y• lawe to be brent. And than she sayd y• she was wt childe / wher by she was respyted a whyle. But in cō clusyō it was foūde y• she was not with chylde / & than she was brent in Roen / & the other capitayns were put to raūson & entreated as men of warre ben acustomed. ¶ And this same yere about Candelmasse Richard hunder a woll packer was dampned for an heretike & brent at Toure hyll. ¶ And aboute mydlent syr Thomas Baggeley preest & vycarye of [Page Cliii] Mauen in Essex besyde walden was disgraded & dāpned for an heretyke & brent in smythfelde. ¶ And also in y• same yere whyles the kynge was in Fraūce there were many heretykes & loulars y• had purposed to make a risyng / & cast bylles in many places. But blyssed be god the capytayne of them was taken / whose name was Williā Maūdeuyll a weuer of Abyndon & baylyf of the same towne whiche named himselfe Iacke Sharp of wigmoreslonde in wales. And afterwarde he was byheded at the foresayd Abyndon in the whytsone weke on the tewesday. ¶ This same yere y• .vj. daye of December kynge Henry the .vj. was crowned kyng of Fraūce at Parys in y• chirche of our lady wt grete solempnite / there beynge present the Cardynall of Englonde / the duke of Bedford / & many other lordes of Fraunce & of Englonde. And after this crownacyon & grete feest holden at Parys / the kyng returned frō thens to Roen / & so towarde Calays / & the .ix. daye of February lōded at Douer whome all the comyns of Kent mette at beramdoun bytwene Caūterbury & Douer all in reed hodes / & so came forth tyll he came to y• blacke heth / where he was mette with the Mayre Iohn welles wt all the craftes of London / clothed all in whyte / & so they brought hȳ vnto London the .xxj. daye of the same moneth. ¶ And this same yere was a restraynt of the wolles of Calays made by y• soudyours / bycause they were not payed of theyr wages / wherfore y• duke of Bedford regent of Fraūce beynge than capytayne came to Calays the tewesdaye in the eester weke. And on the morowe after many soudyours of the towne were arested & put in to warde. And in y• same weke he rode to Terewyn / and by the meane of y• bysshop of Terewyn he wedded the erles doughter of saynt Poule / & came agayne to Calays. ¶ And the .xj. baye of Iune on saynt Barnabees daye there were foure soudyours of Calays that were chefe causers of the restraynt heded / that is to wyte / Iohn Maddeley Iohn Lunday / Thomas Palmer / and Thomas Talbot / & an hondred and .x. banysshed the towne that same tyme / and before were banysshed an hondred and .xx. soudyours. And on mydsomer euen after came the lord regent and his wyfe to London.
ABoute this tyme pope Martyn dyed / & after hym Eugenye the fourth was pope. This mā was prasybly chosen in Rome by the Cardynalles and was very & indubytate pope. But shortly after he was put & erpulsed out of Rome / in suche maner that he was fayne to flee naked. In this same tyme was the concyle of Basylye / to whiche concyle he was tho cyted to come. And bycause he came not / they deposed hym But he rought not ne set not therby but gate the cyte of Rome & abode styll pope xvij. yere. ¶ This yere about whycson tyde the heretykes of Praghe were destroyed. For at two Iourueys were destroyed of them moo than .xxij. M. with theyr capitaynes / that is to wyce Procapius / Saplico / and Lupus presbyter Also there was taken on lyue mayster Peers clarke an englyshman & an heretyke. ¶ Also this same yere was a grete frost & a stronge durynge .xj. wekes for it began on saynt Katheryns euen and lasted vnto saynt Scolasticaes daye in February. In whiche tyme y• vyntage that came fro Burdeur came on shoters hyll. ¶ This yere was the counseyle of Arras / and a grete trayte bytwene the kyng of Englonde & the kyng of Fraūce where was assembled many grete lordes of bothe partyes / at whiche counseyle [Page] was offred to ye kyng of Englonde grete thynges / by the meane of a legate that came fro Rome whiche was cardynall of saynt crosse / whiche offers were refused by the Cardynall of Englonde & other lordes that were there for ye kyng Wherfore ye duke of Burgoyne whiche longe had ben englysshe sworne / forsoke our partye and returned frensshe by the meane of the foresayd legate / & made a peas with ye frensshe kyng / receyuynge of the kyng for recompensynge of his faders deth ye coūte of po [...]tou / the lordshyp of Macon / with moche other as is specyfyed in the sayd treaty. And so our embassadours came home agayn in worse case than they wente out. For they lost there the duke of Burgoyn whiche had ben with his burgonyons & picardes a synguler helpe in all ye conquest of Normandy & of Fraūce. ¶ This same yere was a grete batayle on the see bytwene the Ienewes & the kynge of Aragon / of whiche batayle yt Ienewes had ye victory / for they toke ye kynge of Aragon / the kynge of Nauerne / & the grete mayster of saynt Iames in Galyse / with. iij .C. knyghtes & squyers & moche other people. And this was on saynt Dominyks daye. ¶ And this same yere were seen thre sonnes at ones / & anone folowed ye threfolde gouernaūce in ye chirche / that is to wyte / of Eugeny / of the concyle / and of neutralite. ¶ Also this same yere M .CCCC .xxxiiij. was a passing grete wynde / by whiche steples / houses / and trees were ouerthrowen. ¶ About this tyme was an holy mayde in Holland called Lidwith / whiche lyued onely by myracle / not etyng ony meet. ¶ This yere the duke of Burgoyn began his ordre at Lyle of the golden Flees / & ordeyned certayne knyghtes of ye same ordre / & made statutes & ordynaūces moche according vnto the ordre of the garter. ¶ Also this same yere the frenshmen had enterprysed to haue stolen Calays in ye fysshinge tyme / for many botes of fraūce had safe condytes to come to Calays for to take herynge. And the soudyours of ye towne had a custom to come to ye chirche & leue theyr staues standyng at ye chirche dore whiche staues the frenshment that were arayed lyke fisshers had purposed to haue taken / and so for to haue wonne the towne / but one of them laye with a comyn woman ye nyght before / & he tolde to her theyr counseyle. And she on yt morowe tolde it to the lewtenaunt / whiche forth with cōmaūded yt euery man shold kepe his wepen in his hande / sakeryng tyme and other. And whan the frensshe men ꝑceyued this that they were myspoynted / they sayled streyght to Depe / and stale and toke that towne. ¶ And on Newyeres euen after they toke Harflet And thus the englyshmen began to lese a lytell and a lytell in Normandye.
¶ How Calays & Guynes were besyeged by ye duke of Burgoyn / & how they were rescowed by ye duke of Glocestre.
THis yere through all Englonde was a grete noyse how the duke of Burgoyne wold come & besyege Calays / wherfore ye erle of Mortayn with his army yt he had for to haue gone wt in to fraūce was contremaūded & charged that he shold go to Calays / whiche was at that tyme well vitayled & māned / for syr Iohn Ratclife was lewtenaūt of the kyng in ye towne / & the baron of Dudley lewtenaūt of the castel. And the .ix. daye of Iuly the duke of Burgoyn with all ye power of flaūdres & moche other people came before Calays / and set his syege about the towne / & euery towne of flaū dres had theyr tentes by themselfe. And this syege endured thre wekes. In the [Page Cliiii] meane whyle the duke of Glocestre beynge ꝓtectour of englonde toke ye moost parte of the lordes of englond and went ouer the see to Calays for to rescowe the towne / or to fyght with the duke & his hoost yf they wolde abyde. This tyme London & euery good towne in englond sent ouer the see to this rescowe certayn people well arayed of the best & chosen men for the warre. And the seconde day of August the foresaid duke of Glocestre arryued at Calays with all his armye and .v. hondred shyppes & mo [...]. And the duke of Burgoyne & all his hoost yt laye in the syege / as soone as they espyed the sayles in the see / before they approched Calays hauen / sodeynly in a mornynge departed from ye syege / leuyng behynde hym moche stuffe & vytayle / and fledde in to flaundres & pycardye. And in lyke wyse dyd the syege yt lay before Guynes where as they of Guynes toke the grete gonne of brasse called Dygeon / & many other grete gonnes & serpentynes. And whan the duke of Glocestre was arryued wt all his hoost / he went in to flaundres / and was there .xij. dayes and dyd but lytell harme / excepte that he brent two fayre vyllages Poperynge & Belle and other houses whiche were of noo strength / & so he returned home agayne ¶ And this same yere ye kynge of Scotlōde besyeged Rokesburgh with moche people. But syr Rafe Gray departed frō the castel and ordeyned for rescowe. But as soone as the kynge of Scotlonde vnderstode of his departynge / sodeynly he brake his syege & went his waye / and lefte moche ordynaunce behynde hym / where he gate no worshyp. ¶ In this same yere the seconde daye of Ianuary quene Katherin whiche was ye kynges moder & wyfe to kynge Henry the fyfth dyed & departed out of this worlde / and was brought ryally through London / and so to westmynster / & there she lyeth worshipfully buryed in our ladyes thapell. ¶ Also this yere the fourth daye of Ianuary fell downe the gate with the toure on it on London brydge towarde Southwarke with two arches & all yt stode theron. ¶ This same yere was a grete treaty holden bytwene Graueling & Calays bytwene the kyng & the duke of Burgoyn / where for the kyng was ye Cardinall of Englonde / the duke of Norfolke / & many other lordes. And for the duke of Burgoyn was the duches [...]e hauynge full power of her lorde as regent & lady of his londes / where was taken by the aduyse of bothe partyes an abstinence of warre for a certayne tyme in ye name of ye duchesse & not of the duke bycause he had gone from his othe & legeaūce that he had made to kynge Henry / therfore the kyng neuer wold wryte no appoynt to haue to do with hym after but all in the duchesse name. ¶ Also this same yere quene Iane dyed the seconde daye of Iuly / whiche had ben wyse to kynge Henry the fourth / & was caryed fro Bermondsey to Caūterbury where she lyeth buryed by kyng Hēry her husbonde. ¶ This same yere dyed all ye lyons in the Toure of Londō the whiche had not ben seen many yeres before.
¶ How Owen a squyer of wales yt had wedded quene Katherin was arested & of the scysme bytwene Eugeny & Feli [...].
IN the .xvi. yere of kynge Henry dyed Sygysmonde Emperour of Almayn & knyght of the garter / whose enteremēt ye kyng kept at saynt Paules in London ryally / where was made a ryall herse / and the kynge in his estate cladde in blewe was a [...] euen at Dirige & on ye morow at masse. & [...]. ¶ And after hym was electe & chosen Albert duke of [Page] Ostryche whiche had wedded Sygismondes doughter for to be Emperour. This man was taken & receyued to be kyng of Beme and Hungary bycause of his wyfe yt was Sygismondes doughter / whiche lefte none other heyre after hym. This Albert was emperour but one yere / for he was poysoned / & so dyed Some saye he dyed of a flix / but he was a vertuous man & piteful / so moche yt all the people that knewe hym sayd that ye worlde was not worthy to haue his presence. ¶ This yere one Owen a squyer of wales a man of lowe byrth (whiche had many a day before secretly wedded quene Katheryn / & had by her .iij. sones & one doughter) was taken & cōmaūded to Newgate to pryson by ye duke of Glocestre ꝓtectour of the realme. And this yere he brake the prison by the meane of a preest that was his chapelayn / & after was taken agayn by my lorde Bemond & brought agayne to Newgate / & afterward delyuered at large / & one of his sones afterward was made erle of Rychemond / & an other erle of Penbroke / & the thyrde a monke of westminster / whiche monke dyed soone after. ¶ This same yere also on Newyeres day at Baynardes castell fell downe a stake of wode sodeynly at after none and slewe thre men myscheuously / & foule hurt other. ¶ Also at Bedford on a sherthursdaye were xviij. men murdred wtout stroke by fallyng downe of a stayre as they came out of ye comin hall / & many sore hurt. ¶ In the .xviij. yere syr Richard Beauchamp the good erle of warwyke dyed at Roen he beynge ye tyme lewtenaūt of ye kynge in Normādy / & frō thens his body was brought to warwyke / where worshypfully he lyeth in a new chapel on ye south syde of ye quere. ¶ Also this yere was a grete derth of corne in all englonde / for a busshel of where was worth .xl. pens in many places of englond / & yet had they not ynough / wherfore Steuen Brown that tyme Mayre of London sente in to Pruce and brought to London certayne shippes laden wt rye / whiche did moche good to ye poore people / for corne was so scarce in englōde yt in some places of englonde poore people made them breed of ferne rotes. ¶ This yere ye generall concyle of Basilie deposed Eugenye / & they chose Felix yt was duke of Sauoy / & thā began ye scysme whiche endured vnto ye yere of our lord. M .cccc .xlviij. This Felix was a deuout prȳce & sawe his sones sone / & after lyued an holy lyf / and was chosen pope of ye concyle of Basile / & Eugeny deposed. And so ye scysme was lōge tyme / & this Felix had but lytel obediēce bycause of ye neutralite / for ye moost part & wel nygh all christēdom obeyed & reputed Eugeny for very pope: god knoweth who was very pope of them bothe / for bothe occupyed during Eugenyes lyfe. ¶ This yere syr Richard wyche vicare of Hermete sworth was degraded of his preesthode at Paules & brent at tour hill as for an heretyke / on saynt Botulphes day / how wel at his deth he died a good christē mā / wherfore after his deth moche peple came to ye place where he was brent & offred & made a hepe of stones / & set vp a crosse oftre & held hȳ for a saynt tyl ye mayr & shreues by ye kȳges cōmaū dement & bysshops destroyed it / & made there a dung hil. ¶ Also this yere ye shreues of Londō fet out of saȳt Martyns ye grād .v. ꝑsones / which afterward were restored agayn to ye sentwary by ye kynges Iustyces. ¶ After Albert ye thyrde Frederyk was chosen emperour. This Frederyk duke of Osteryke was longe emperour / & dyfferred to be crowned at Rome bycause of the scysme / but after ye vnite was had / he was crowned wt the imperyall dyademe with grete glory & [Page Clv] triūphe of pope Nicolas ye fourth. This was a peasyble mā / quyete & of singuler pacience / not hatyng ye chirche / he wedded ye kynge of Portyngales doughter.
¶ How the duchesse of Glocestre was arested for treason / & cōmytted to perpetuall pryson in the yle of Man / & of the deth of mayster Roger Bolyngbroke.
IN this yere Elenore Cobham duchesse of Glocestre was arested for certayn poyntes of treason layd agaynst her / where vpon she was examyned in saint Stephens chapel at westmynster before ye archebysshop of Caūterbury / & there she was enioyned to open penaūce for to go through chepe berynge a taper in her hande / & after to perpetual prison in the yle of Man / vnder the kepynge of syr Thomas stanley. Also yt same tyme was arested mayster Thomas Southwell a chanon of westmynster / mayster Iohn Hume a chapelayn of the sayd lady / mayster Roger Bolyngbroke a clarke vsyng nygromancy / & one Margery iourdemayn called ye wytche of Eye besyde westmynster. These were arested as for beynge of coūseyle wt the sayd duchesse of Glocestre. And as for mayster Thomas southwell he dyed in ye Toure the nyght before he sholde haue ben reyned on ye morow. For he hymselfe sayd yt he sholde dye in his bedde / & not by iustyces. And in the .xx. yere mayster Iohn Hume and mayster Roger Bolingbroke were brought to ye gylde hall in London & there before ye Mayre ye lordes & the [...]e Iustyces of Englonde were reyned and dampned bothe to be drawen hanged & quartred / but mayster Iohn Hume had his chartre & was pardoned by ye kyng / but mayster Roger was drawen to Tyburne / where he cōfessed yt he dyed gyltles / and neuer had trespaced in that he dyed for. Notwithstādyng he was hanged heded and quartred / on whose soule god haue mercy. And Margery iourdemayn was brent in smythfelde. ¶ Also this yere was a grete fraye in London in Flete strete by nyght tyme / bytwene men of courte & men of London / and dyuers men slayne & some hurt / & one Herbotell was chefe causer of ye mysgouernaunce & fraye. ¶ Also this yere at chosynge of ye Mayre of Londō the comyns named Roberte Clopton & Raulyn Hollande tayllour. And ye aldermen toke Robert Clopton & brought hym at ye ryght hande of ye Mayre as ye custome is. And than certayne tayllours & other hande crafty men cryed nay nay not this man but Raulyn Hollād / wherfore y• Mayre that was Padysly sent them yt so tryed to Newgate / where they abode a grete whyle and were punysshed. ¶ In this same yere were dyuers embassadours sente in to Guyan for a maryage for the kynge for ye erles doughter of Armyna [...] the whiche was concluded / but by the meanes of ye erle of Suffolk it was let & put aparte. And after this ye sayd erle of Suffolk went ouer see in to Fraunce & there he treated ye mariage bytwene the kynge of Englōde & ye kynges doughter of Cecyle & of Iherusalem. And ye neere yere that mariage was fully concluded by whiche maryage the kyng sholde delyuer to her fader the duchy of Ang [...]o & the erledom of Mayne whiche was the key of Normādy. Than departed ye erle of Suffolke wt his wyfe & diuers lordes and knyghtes in the moost ryall estate yt myght be out of Englonde with newe shares & palfreys whiche wēt through Chepe / and so went ouer the see / and receyued her / & sythen brought her in the lent after vnto Hampton / where she londed & there was ryally receyued. ¶ And on Candelmasse euen before by a grete [Page] tempest of thondre & lyghtnynge at after none Paules steple was set on fyre in the myddes of y• shafte in the tymbre / whiche was quenched by force of labour & specyally by y• morowmasse preest of y• Bowe in chepe / whiche was thought impossyble / saue onely the grace of god. ¶ This yere was y• erle of Stafford made & create duke of Buckyngham / y• erle of warwyk duke of warwyk / the erle of dorset markys of dorset / & ye erle of Suffolke was made markys of Suffolke.
¶ How kynge Henry wedded quene Margarete / & of her crownacyon.
THis yere kyng Henry maryed at South wyk quene Margarete / and she came to London the .xviij. daye of Maye / & by the waye all the lordes of Englonde receyued her worshipfully in dyuers places / & in especyal the duke of Glocestre / & on the blacke heth ye mayre with the aldermen / and all ye craftes in blewe gownes browdred with ye deuyse of theyr crafte / yt they might be knowen mette with her wt reed hodes & brought her to London / where were dyuers pagentes & countenaūces of dyuers hystoryes / shewed in dyuers places of ye cyte ryally and costly. ¶ And the .xxx. day of Maye the foresayd quene was crowned at westmynster. And there was Justes thre dayes durynge within ye sentwary before the abbey. ¶ This yere ye pryour of Kylmayn appeled ye erle of Vrmond of treason / whiche had a daye assygned to them for to fyght in smythfelde / & the lystes were made and the felde dressed. But whan it came to poynt / the kynge cōmaunded yt they sholde not fyght / but toke ye quarell in to his hande. And this was done at the instaūce & labour of certayne prechours & doctours of London as mayster Gylbert worthyngton persone of saynt Andrewes in holborne and other. ¶ Also this yere came a grete em bassadour in to Englonde out of Fraūce for to haue concluded a perpetuall peas but in cōclusyon it turned vnto a trewse of a yere. ¶ About this tyme dyed saynt Barnardyn a gray frere / whiche began the newe reformacyon of y• ordre in many places / in so moche that they yt were reformed ben called Obseruantes / whiche Obseruātes ben gretly encreaced in ytalye & in Almayne. This Bernardyn was canonysed by pope Nicolas the .v. in the yere of our lorde. M .cccc .l. Ioh̄es de Capistrano was his dyseyple / whiche ꝓfyted moche to ye reformacyon of y• ordre / for whome god hath shewed many a fayre myracle. ¶ Also here is to be noted y• from this tyme forwarde kyng Henry neuer profyted ne went forward but fortune began to turne from him on all sydes / as well in Fraūce / Normādy / Guyen / as in Englond. Some men holde opynyon that kynge Henry gaue cō myssyon plenarly to syr Edwarde Hull / syr Robert Roos dene of saynt Seuerynes / & other / to conclude a maryage for hym with y• erle of Armynakes syster / whiche was ꝓmysed as it was sayd & cōcluded / but afterward it was broken & he wedded quene Margarete as afore is sayd / whiche was a dere maryage for the realme of Englonde. For it was knowē veryly that for to haue her was delyuered the duchy of Angeo & the erle dom of Mayne / whiche was the key of Normandy for the frensshmen to entre. And about this y• sayd Markys of Suffolke asked in playne parlament a .xv. & an halfe to fetche her out of fraūce. Loo what a mariage was this / as to y• comparison of ye other mariage of Armynak For there shold haue bē delyuered so many castels & townes in Guyan / & so moche golde shold haue ben gyuen wt her / y• all englonde shold haue ben therby enry [Page Clvi] [...] / but [...] fell / wherfore [...] ought [...] bycause of [...] / [...] for maryage of [...] [...] rets w [...] [...] hath [...] englōde had / by losyng of Normandy & Guyan / [...] [...]nge of [...] agaynst theyr pry [...] [...] lordes / what [...] lordes / what murdre & sleynge of them / what feldes [...] & [...] many y• [...] a man hath [...] his [...] / [...] cōclucyon y• kyng de [...] / & the quene wther sone [...]yne to [...] in to Scotland / & from thens in to Fraūce / & so to [...] y• she came fyrst fro. Many men dem [...] that the brekynge of ye kynges promesse to the syster of ye erle of Armynak was cause of his grete losse & aduersite.
¶ How the duke of Glocestre the kynges vncle was arested at ye parlyament of Bury / & of his deth / and how Angeo and Mayne was delyuered.
IN the .xxv. yere of Kynge Henry was a parlyamēt a [...] Bury called saynt Edmondes Bury / about whiche was cōmaūded all the comyns of ye coū tree to be there in theyr moost best de [...] syble araye for to wayte vpon ye Kynge. To whiche parlyament came the duke of Glorestre Vmfrey the Kynges vncle whiche had ben pro [...]etour of englonde all the noneage of ye kyng. And a [...] [...] ter as he was in his lod [...] was arested by y• vycoūte be [...] of englond / who me act [...] y• duke of Buckyngham / & m [...] [...] lordes. And forthwt all his ser [...]es were commaūded to departe frō him / &. xxxi [...]. of y• chefe of them were a [...] sent to dyuers pry [...] / & [...] after this say [...] arest y• sayd duke was on y• [...] on whose soule god haute mercy. But how he dyed & in what maner th [...] taynte is not knowē / some sayd he dyed for sorowe / some sayd he was murdred bytwene two feder beddes / some sayd y• a spytte was put in his foūdament / but how he dyed god knoweth / to whom no thynge is hyd. And thus deed he was layde open yt all men myght se him / & so bothe lordes & knightes of y• shyre with burgeyses came [...] sawe hȳ lye deed / but woūdene token coude they not perceyue how he dyed. Here may m [...] marke what this worlde is. This duke was a noble man & a grete clerke / & ruled worshypfully y• realme to ye Kynges behofe / & neuer coude be foūde faute in hȳ / but [...]uy of them yt were gouernours & had ꝓmy sed ye duth y of Angeo & the [...]dome of Mayne causen ye destruccyon of this noble man / for they drad yt he wolde haue empesshed y• delyueraunce / & after they sent his body to saint Albons wt certayn lyghtes to be buryed / & so syr Ge [...]ays of Clefton had than ye charge to cōuay y• corps / & so it was buryed at saynt Albons in the abbey. And fyue persones of his housholde were sente to London / & there were they reyned & Iudged to be drawen & hanged and also quartred. Of whom y• names were / syr Roger chamberlayn a knyght / Mydelton a squyer / Herbard a squyer / Arthur a squier / & Richarde Nedhā / whiche .v. ꝓsones were drawē fro ye toure of Londō through che pe to tyburne / & there [...]āged & let downe quycke / & than stryped to haue b [...]heded & quarted / & than y• Markys of Suffolke she wed there for them y• kynges pardon vnder his grete seal [...] so they were pardoned of the remenaūt of the execucyon / & had theyr lyues / & so they were brought agayne to London / and after frely deliuer to. Thus began grete trouble in this realme of Englonde for the deth of this noble duke of Glocestre / and [Page] an the comyns of y• realme began for to murmure for it / and were not content. ¶ After ye pope Eugeny was deed Nycolas the .v. was electe pope. This Nycolas was chosen for Eugeny yet hangynge ye [...]eysme / notwtstandyng he gate the obedyence of all chrystē realmes / for after he was electe and sacred pope / certayn lordes of fraūce & of englonde were scut in to Sauoy to pope Felix / for to entreate hym to sease of ye pap [...]ry. And by the specyall labour of y• bysshop of Norwyche and the lorde of saynt Iohns he seased y• seconde yere after y• pope Nycolas was sacred / & y• sayd Felix was ma de legate of fraūce & cardynal of Sauoy And he resygned y• hole papa [...]y to Nycolas / & after lyued an holy lyfe & dyed an holy man / & as it is sayd almyghty god sheweth myracles for him. This was y• xxiij. scysme bytwene Eugeny & Felix / & dured .xvj. yere. The cause was this / ye generall concyle of Basyle deposed Eugeny whiche was onely pope & induby tate / for as moche as he obserued not & kept ye decrees & statutes of ye concyle of Constance / as it is sayd before / neyther he cought not to gyue obedyence to ye generall concyle in no maner wyse / wherfore arose a grete alteracion amōge wryters of this mater (pro et cōtra) whiche can not accorde vnto this day / one party sayth yt the concyle is aboue ye pope / & y• other party sayth nay / but ye pope is aboue y• cōcyle. God blissed aboue al thȳge gyue & graūte his peas in holy chirche spouse of Chryst. Amen. This Nicolas was of Iene comē of lowe degree / a doctour of d [...]te / an actyf man / he reed [...] fyed many places y• were broken & ruynous / & dyd do make a wall about y• palays / & made y• wall newe about Rome for drede of y• turkes. And y• people won [...] gretly meruayled of y• ceasynge & [...] of pope Felix to pope Nycolas / consyderynge that [...] was [...] man of so [...]ly [...] was of [...] to all t [...] m [...] [...] chrysten [...] / wherefore there was a verse publysshed / as [...] is sayd.
¶ How syr F [...]ys A [...] to [...] Fogyers in Normandye. And of y• losse of Constantynople by the Turke.
IN the yere of [...] Henry. xxvi [...] beynge tre [...] Fraūce & Englonde / a knyght of ye englysshe partye named syr Frāceys Aragonois toke a towne in Normandy [...] Fogyers agaynst the trewse / of whiche takynge began moche sorow & losse / for this was the occasion by y• whiche the frenshmen gate all Normādy. ¶ About this tyme the cite of Cōstantynople / whiche was the imperyal cite of all grece was taken by the Turkes infydeles / whiche was betrayed as some holde opynyon / & the emperour taken & slayne / and the ryall chirche of saynt Sophia robbed & spoyled / & the [...]s & ymages & the rode drawen aboute y• stretes / whiche was done in despyte of the chrysten fayth / & soone after all chrystē fayth in Grece perisshed & ceased. There were many christen men slayne / & innumerable solde & put in captiuite. By the takynge of this cite the Turke gretly was enhaūced in pryde / & a grete losse to all christendom. ¶ In the .xxviij. yere was a parlyamēt holden at Westmynster / and frō thens adiourned to the blacke freres [...] London / & after Christmas to Westmynster agayne. ¶ And this same yere Ro [...]erte of Cane a man of the west coūtree [...] a fewe shyppes toke a grete flete of shippes comyng [...] out of ye [...]ay laden wt [...] whiche shyppes were out of prince / [...]ū ders / [...] / [...]: & brought them to H [...]mpton / wherfore the march auntes [Page Clvii] of Englōde beyng in Flaūdres were arested in Bruges / Ipre / & other places & might not be deliuered [...] theyr dettes disch [...]uged tyll they had made apoyntment for to paye y• [...] of those shyppes / whiche was payed by y• marchaū tes of the staple euery peny. And in lyke wyse the marchūtes & goodes beynge in Da [...] were also arested / and made grete amendes. ¶ This same yere the frensshmen in a mornyng toke by a trayne the towne of Pount de larche / & therin the lorde Fauconbrydge was takē prisoner. And after y• in D [...]er Rom was taken & lost / beynge therin syr Edmond duke of Somerset / the erle of Shrewesbury / whiche by a poyntment left pledges / & lost all Normādy & came home in to Englonde. And duryng y• sayd parliament y• duke of Suffolke was arested / & sent in to y• Coure / & there he was a moneth / & after the kyng did do fetche hym out / for whiche cause all y• comyns were in a grete rumour / what for the delyueraūce of Angeo & Mayn / & after lesynge of all Normādy / & in especyall for y• deth of y• good duke of Glocestre / in so moche in some places mē gadred & made them capytayns / as Blewberde & other / whiche were taken & put to deth. And than the sayd parlyament was adiourned to Leycestre. And thȳder y• kynge brought wt hym y• duke of Suffolk. And when y• comyns vnderstode y• he was out of the Coute & comen thyder / they desyred for to haue execucion on them y• were cause of the delyueraūce of Normandy / & had ben [...] of the deth of the duke of Glocestre / & had solde Gascoyn & Guyen / of whiche they named to be gylty y• duke of Suffolke as chefe / the lorde Saye / y• bysshop of Salisbury / [...]yell & many mo [...]. And for to appease the comyns the duke of Suffolk was exiled out of Englonde for .v. yere. And so duryng the parlyament he went in to Norfolke / & there toke shyppyng for to go out of y• realme of Englonde in to Fraūce. And this yere as he sayled on y• see a shyppe of warre called the Nycolas of the toure mette wt his shyppe & foūde hym therin / whome they toke out & brought hym in to theyr shyppe to the mayster & to the capytayn & there he was examyned & at y• last iudged to deth. And so they put hym in a caban & his chapelayn wt him f [...] to shryue hym. And ye done they brought hȳ in to Douer rode / & set hȳ in to y• bote / & there smote of his heed / & brought y• body on londe vpon ye sandes / & set ye heed therby And this was done ye fyrst day of Maye Leo what auayled hym all his [...] raūte of Normādy &c. And here ye may here how he was rewarded for ye deth of the duke of Glocestre. Thus began sorowe vpon sorowe / & deth for deth.
¶ How this yere was the insurreccyon in Kent of the comyns / of whom Iarke Cade an Irysshe man was capytayne.
THe yere of our lorde. M .cccc. & .l. was the grete grace of ye Iubile at Rome / where was grete pardō / in so moche y• from all places in chrystendom grete multytude of people resorted thyder. ¶ And this yere was a grete assemble & gaderynge togyder of the comyns of Kent in grete nombre / & made an insurreccyon / & rebelled agaynst the kyng and his lawes / and ordeyned them a capytayne called Iohan Cade an Irysshe man / whiche named hymselfe Mortymer / cosyn to ye duke of yorke. And this capytayn helde these men togyder / and made ordynaunces amonge them / and brought them to the blacke h [...]th / where he made a byll of p [...]yons to the kyng and his counseyle / & shewed what [...] tyes and oppressyons the poore comyns [Page] suffred / & all vnder colour for to come to his aboue / & he had a grete multytude of people. And the .xvii. day of Iune the kynge & many lordes / capytayns & men of warte went towarde hym to y• blacke heth. And whan the capytayne of kent vnderstode the comynge of the kynge wt so grete puyssan̄ce / he withdrewe him & his people to Seuenoke a lytell village. And the .xxviij. daye of Iune he beynge withdrawen & gone / the kynge came wt his army set in ordre & embatayled to y• blacke heth. And by aduyse of his counseyle sent syr Vmfrey Stafford knyght and Willyam Stafford squyer two valyaūt capytaynes / with certayn people for to fyght with y• capytayne / & to take hym & brynge hym & his accessaryes to the kyng / whiche went to Seuenoke / & there the capytayn with his felawshyp mette wt them / & fought agaynst them / and in cōclusyon slewe them bothe / & as many as abode & wolde not yelde them were slayne. Durynge this scarmysshe fell a grete varyaūce amonge the lordes men & comyn people beynge on blacke heth agaynst theyr lordes & capitaynes sayenge playnly y• they wolde go vnto y• capytayn of kent / to assyst & helpe hym but yf they myght haue execucyon on y• traytours beynge about y• kynge / wher to the kynge sayd naye. And they sayd playnly that the lord Saye tresourer of Englonde / & the bysshop of Salysbury / the baron of Dubby / the abbot of Glocestre / Danyell / and Treuilian & many [...]to were traytours & worthy to be deed Wherfore to please the lordes meyny & also some of y• kynges hous y• lord Saye was arested & sent to y• toure of London. And than y• kynge heryng tydynges of the beth & ouerthrowynge of the Staf [...] / he withdrewe hym to London / & [...] to [...]elyngworth / for y• kyng [...] lordes burst not trust theyr owne housholde men. ¶ Than after that the capytayne had had this victory vpon y• Staffordes / anone he toke [...] sallet and his brigandynes full of gylte nayles / [...] also his [...] and Arayed hym lyke a lorde and capytayne / and resorted with all his [...] and also moo than he had before to the blacke hethe agayne. To whome came the archebysshop of Caunterbury / and the duke of Bokyugham to the blacke hethe / and spake with hym. And as it was sayd they foūde hym wytty in his talkyng and in his request. And so they departed. And the thyrde daye of Iuly he came & entred into London with all his people / and there dyd make cryes in the kynges name and in his name / that no man sholde robbe ne take no maner of goodes but yf he payed for it. And came rydynge through the cite in grete pryde and smote his swerde vpon Londō stone in Canmyk strete. And he beynge in the rite sent to the toure for to haue the lorde Saye / & so they fette hym & brought hȳ to the Gyldhall before the Mayre & the aldermen / where y• he was examyned. And he sayd he wolde & ought to be iudged by his peres. And y• comyns of Kent toke hym by force fro the Mayre & offycers y• kepte hym / & toke hym to a preest to shryue hym / & or he myght be halfe shryuen they brought hym to the standard in Chep [...]: & there smote of his heed on whose soule god haue mercy. Amen. And thus dyed the lord Saye tresourer of Englōde. After this they set his heed vpon a spere / & bare it all about the cite. And y• same day about myle ende [...] mer was vyheded. And the daye before at after none the capytayne with a certayne of his men went to Philyp Malpas hous / & robbed hym / & toke awaye moche good. And from thens he went to saynt Margarete patyns to one [...] [Page Clviii] [...] [...] whiche [...] of theyr [...] were [...] with [...] her [...] [...] man [...] wyse. [...] London [...] [...]myn [...] [...]myghty god [...] is to [...] yf he had not robbed [...] myght [...] ferre or he [...] kynge & all the lordes of y• realme of Englonde were [...]parted / excepte the lorde Seales that [...] the [...]oure of London. ¶ And the [...] of a [...] South werke. And the [...] after the May [...] of London wt the [...]lderme [...] [...] comyns of y• [...] cōcluded to [...] the capytayn & his [...]oost / & sent to the lorde Scales to the Coure / & [...] a capytayne of Nor [...] / that they walde y• nyght assayle the captayne [...] them of kent. And so they dyd / & came to Londō brydge or the capytayne had any knowlege therof / & there they fought with them that kepte the bryoge. And the [...] men went to h [...] came to the bridge & shotte and fought wt them / & gate the bridge / & [...]de them of Londō to [...] / & slewe many of them / & this [...] all the nyght [...] & fro [...] the clocke on y• moro we [...] last they brent y• [...]awe brydge [...] many of [...] of London were [...]. In whiche [...] Sutton an [...] [...]as slayne / Roger Neys [...]nt & [...] [...]ogh & many other. And after [...] the [...] of Englonde sene to the capytayne a par [...]on generall / for hym & for all his m [...]yuy. And than they departed from South [...] euery man [...] his owne hous. [...] they were all departed & gone / there were proclamacyons made in [...]ent / Southsex and other places / that what man coude take the capitayn quycke or deed shelde haue a thousande marke. And after this / one Alexander Iden a squyer of kent toke hym in a garden in Southsex. And in y• takynge Iohn Cade the capytayn was slayne / and after byh [...]ded / & his heed set on London brydge. And than anone after the kynge came in to kent / & dyd do syt his Iustyees at Caunterbury / & inquyred who were chefe causers of this ins [...]. And there were. [...]. men iudged to deth in one daye / & in other places [...]oo. And fro thens the kynge went in to Southsex & in to the west [...] / where alytell before was [...] y• bysshop of Salysbury. And this same yere were so many iudged to deth / that. [...] hedes stode vpon Londō bridge at ones.
¶ Of the felde that y• duke of yorke toke at Brentheth in Kent. And of the byrth of prynce Edwarde. And of the [...]st batayle at saynt Alvons / where [...] duke of Somerset was slayne.
IN the .xxx. [...]ere of y• kynge y• duke of yorke came out of the marche of Wales with the erle of D [...]shyre and the lorde Cobham and a gr [...]te puyssaunce for reformacyon of certayne [...] tyes & wronges / & also to haue Iustr [...]e vpon certayne lordes beynge aboute the kynge / and toke a feide at Brentheth besyde Dartforde in Kent / whiche was a stronge felde / for whiche cause the kyng with all the lordes of y• [...]onde went vnto the blacke heth with a grete & a stronge multytude of people armed & ordeyn [...] for the warre in y• best wyse. And whan they had mustred on the beth / certayne lordes were tho sent to hym for [...] & make apoyntment with him / [...] were the bysshop of Ely / the bysshop of [Page] W [...] the erles of Salysbury & [...]. And they concluded that the duke of Somerset shold be had to warde and to answere to suche artycles as the duke of yorke sholde put on hym / & than the duke of yorke sholde breke his felde & come to the kynge / whiche was all promysed by the kynge. And so the kyng cō maūded y• the duke of Somerfet sholde be had into warde. And than y• duke of yorke brake vp his felde and came to the kyng. And whan he was come cōtrary to the promyse afore made / the duke of Somerset was present in y• filde awaytynge and chefe aboute the kynge / and made the duke of yorke tyde before as a prysoner through London / & after they wolde haue put hȳ in holde. But a noyse arose y• the [...] of Marche his sone was comynge with .x. M. men toward London / wherfore the kyng & his counseyle feted. And than they concluded that the duke of yorke shold departe at his owne wyll. ¶ Aboute this tyme began grete dyuysyon in Spruce bytwene the grete mayster & the knyghtes of the duche ordre / whiche were lordes of y• coūtree / for the comyns & townes rebelled agaynst the lordes / & made so grete warre that at the last they called y• kynge of Pole to be theyr lorde / the whiche kynge came & was worshypfully receyued / and layde syege to y• castell of Marienburgh / whiche was y• chefe castell of strength of all the lorde / & wanne it / and droue out the mayster of D [...]nske / & all other places of that londe. And so they y• had ben lordes many yeres lost all theyr seygnourye & possessyons in those londes. ¶ And in y• yere of the incarnacyon of our lorde. M. [...]. [...]iij. on saynt Edwardes daye / y• quene Marg [...] was delyuered of a fayre [...] / whiche was named Edwarde. ¶ That same daye Iohn Norman was [...] to be Mayre of London. And the daye that [...] [...] the [...] [...] whiche [...] that tyme they [...] [...]er in [...]. ¶ [...] vnderstande [...] to the promyse of the [...] / & also the conclusyons taken [...] y• kyng & the duke of yorke at B [...]th / the duke of Somerset went [...] / but abod [...] aboute y• kynge / & had grete rule / & anone after he was made capytayn of Calays and ruled the kynge & his [...]alme as he wolde / wherfore y• grete lordes of th [...] alme / & also y• comyns were not [...]. For whiche cause y• duke of [...] of Warwyk / y• [...] of Salysbury / [...] many knyghtes & squyers / and moche other people came to remeue y• said duke of Somerset & other fro y• kynge. And [...] kyng heryng of theyr comyng / thought by his coūseyle to haue gone westwarde & not for to haue mette wt them / & had wt hym the duke of Somerset / the duke of Bokyngham / y• [...] of Stafford / y• [...] of Northumberlonde / y• lord Clyfford / & many other. ¶ And what tyme that the duke of yorke & his [...] vnderstode that the kyng was departed [...] these lordes from London / anone he chaūged his waye & costed the coūtre / [...] came to saynt Albons the. xxii [...]. [...] of Maye / & there mette wt the kynge / to whome the king sent certayn lordes / & desired [...] to kepe the peas & departe / but [...] syon whyle they treated on y• one syde y• erle of Warwyk wt the March [...] and other entred y• towne on that other syde / & sought agaynst the kynge & his partye / & so began the batayle & [...] whiche enduted a grete whyle. But in conclusyon the duke of yorke o [...] and had the victory of that [...]ourney. In [Page Clix] [...] of Somer [...] / y• lord [...] / & [...] of [...] estate [...] / whiche was [...] in y• by [...] [...] [...] London in whiche [...] the [...] of [...]orke was made [...] of [...] / and the [...] of W [...] and the erle of Salysbury Chauncelet of Englonde. And all suche persones as had the rule before aboute y• kyng were sit aparte / and myght not rule as they dyd before. ¶ And this same yere dyed pope Nycolas the fyfth. And after hym was Calixt y• thyrde. This [...] was a Catalane / and the art [...] of hym shall be shewed here after. ¶ In this same [...] fell [...] Londō agaynst [...] bycause a yo [...] man toke [...] from [...] the [...] was sent for to come before [...] Mayre & the [...]ldermen / & there for the offence he was [...]ōmytted to warde. And th [...] the Mayre departed from the [...] for to go home to his [...] / but in Chepe the yonge men of y• [...] for the [...] prentyses [...] in Che [...]e [...] [...] was [...] / & [...] [...] from [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] wherfore the Mayre and the [...]ldermen come with the honest people of the Cite and droue them thens / and [...] some of them that had stolen to Newgate. And whan y• yonge man y• was [...] by his [...]elawes sawe this grete rumour / af fraye & robbery enswed of his fryst meuynge to the Lombarde / departed and wente to Westmynster to sent wary / or [...] had cost hym his lyfe. For anont after came downe an Oyer determined for to do iustyce on all them that so [...]ebelled in the Cite agaynst the Lombardes / on whiche sate with the May [...]e that tyme Willyā Marow / y• duke of Bo [...]am & many other lordes for to se exe [...] dont. But the comyns of the [...] ly made them redy and dyd arme them in theyr houses and were in purpose to haue rongen the comyn bell / whiche is called home bell / but they were [...] sadde men whiche came to y• knowlege of the duke of Bokyngham & other lordes / and incōtynent they arose for [...] [...]urst no lenger abide / for they [...] that the hole Cite wolde haue rysen agaynst them. But yet neuerthelesse or thre of y• Cite were iudged to doth for this robbery / & were hāged at [...] ¶ And anone after y• kynge & the quene & other lordes rode to Couentre & withdrewe them from London for this cause And a lytell before y• duke of yorke was sent for to [...] / & there was discharged of the prot [...] & the [...] of Salysbury of his C [...] & after this they were sent for by y• [...] scale for to come to [...] / where they were almoost & y• erle of war [...] also / and sholde haue ben destroyed yf they had not seen well to.
¶ How the lord [...] was taken by the [...] of Sa [...] / and of the [...] of [...].
[Page] THis yere were taken foure grete fysshes bytwene Ereth & Londō that one was called Mors marine / the seconde was a swerde fysshe / & the other twayne were whales. ¶ In this same yere for certayne frayes done in ye north countree bytwene the lorde Egremond & the erle of Salysburyes sones / the sayd lorde Egremond whom they had taken was condēpned in a grete somme of money to ye sayd erle of Salysbury / & therfore he was commytted in to pryson in Newgate in London / where whan he had ben a certayne space he brake ye pryson / & thre prisoners wt hym / & escaped & went his waye. ¶ Also this yere ye erle of warwyk & his wyfe went to Calays with a fayre felawship & toke possessyon of his offyce. ¶ Aboute this tyme was a grete reformacyon of many monasteryes of relygyon in dyuers partyes of ye worlde / whiche were reformed after the fyrst institucyon / and cōtynued in many places. ¶ This same yere was a grete batayle in ye marches bytwene the londe of Hungry and Turkey at a place called Septedrad / where innumerable turkes were slayne more by myracle than by mannes hande / for onely ye hande of god smote them. Saint Iohn of Capistrane was there present / & ꝓuoked ye chrysten people beynge than aferde for to pursue after ye Turkes / where an infynyte multytude were slayne & destroyed. And the Turkes sayd yt a grete nombre of armed men folowed them / yt they were aferd to turne agayn / & they were holy aūgels. ¶ This same yere ye prysoners of New gate in London brake theyr pryson / and wente vpon the ledes & fought agaynst them of the cite / & kepte the gate a longe whyle / but at ye last the cite gate ye prison on them / & than they were put in fetters & [...]ens / & were sore punysshed in ensam [...] of other. ¶ In this yere also there was a grete erthquake in N [...]ples / in so moche that there perisshed .xi. M. people that sanke therein to the e [...]th. ¶ Also in the yere .xxxvj. saynt Osmond sometyme bisshop of Salisbury was [...]anonysed at Rome by pope Calixt / & the .xvj. daye of Iuly he was translated at Salysbury by the bysshop of Caunterbury & many other bysshops. ¶ And in August after syr P [...]ers de Bresay Senesshall of Normandy with the capytayn of Dep [...] and many other capytayns & men of warre went to the see with a grete Nauy / and came in to the downes by nyght. And on the morow [...]ely before daye they londed & came to Sandwiche / bothe by londe & water / & toke ye towne / & ry [...]ed & despoy led it / & [...]oke many prysoners / & lefte the towne all bare / whiche was a ryche place & moche good therin / & ladde wt them many ryche prisoners. ¶ In this same yere in many places of Fraūce / Almayn Fla [...]idres / Hollande & [...] / chyldren gadred them togider by grete cōpanyes for to go on pylgrymage to saynt Myghels moūt in Normādy / whiche came fro ferre coūtrees / wherof y• people meruayled. And many supposed that some wicked spiryte moued them to do so / but it dured not longe bycause of the longe waye / & also for lacke of vytayle as they went. ¶ In this yere Reynold Pecocke bysshop of Chestre was [...]o [...]de an herety ke / & the thyrde daye of [...] was [...] at Lam [...]th [...] of the archebysshop of [...] / and many other bysshops / doctours & lordes [...]all / & his [...]okes [...]. ¶ Ye haue herde before [...] [...]or des were [...] at saynt [...] / wh [...] fore was alway a grutchy [...]ge & [...]r [...]th had by the heyres of them that wh [...] slayn agaynst the duke of yorke / the r [...]e of Warwycke / and the [...] of [...] ry / wherfore the kynge by the [...] [Page Clx] of his coūseyle sente for them to London to whiche place the duke of Yorke came the .xxvj. daye of Ianuary with .iiii .C. men / & lodged hȳ at Baynardes castell in his owne place. And ye .xv. daye of Ianuary came the erle of Salisbury with v .C. men / & was lodged in therber his owne place. And than came the duke of Excestre & of Somerset wt. viij .C. men / & laye wtout temple barre. And ye erle of Northumberlond / the lorde Egremond and the lorde Clifford with .xv .C. men / and lodged wtout the towne. ¶ And the Mayre yt tyme Geffray Boloyne / kepte grete watche with ye comyns of ye cite / & rode aboute the cite by Holborne & Flete strete with .v. M. men well arayed & armed for to kepe ye peas. ¶ And the .xiiij. daye of February the erle of Warwyk came to London frō Calays well beseen & worshypfully with. vj .C. men in reed Iackettes broddred with a ragged staffe behynde & before / and was lodged at the gray freres. ¶ And ye .xvij. daye of Marche ye kyng & the quene came to London. And there was a cōcorde & a peas made amonge these lordes / & they were set in peas. And on our ladyes day in Marche in the yere of our lorde. M .cccc .lviij. the kyng & the quene & all these lordes went on processyon at Paules in London / and anone after the kyng & the lordes departed. ¶ And ī this yere was a grete fraye in Flete strete bytwene men of courte & men of the same strete. In whiche fraye the quenes atturney was slayne.
¶ How the kynges housholde made a fraye agaynst the erle of Warwyk / and of the iourney at Bloreheth.
ALso this same yere as the erle of Warwyck was at counseyle at Westmynster / all the kynges housholde meyny gadred them togyder for to haue slayne the erle / but by the helpe of god & his frendes he recouered his barge / and escaped theyr euyll enterpryse / how well the cokes came rennynge out wt spyttes and pestels agaynst hym. And the same daye he rode toward Warwyk / & soone after he gate hym a cōmyssyon & wente ouer see to Calays. ¶ Soone after this the erle of Salysbury comynge to London was encoūtred at Blor [...]heth wt the lord Awdley & moche other people ord [...]y ned for to destroye hym. But he hauyn [...] knowlege yt he sholde be mette wt [...] was accompanyed wt his two sones syr Thomas & syr Iohn Neuyll / & a grete [...] shyp of good men. And so they fought to gyder / where ye erle of Salysbury wa [...] the felde / & the lorde Awdley was [...] & many gentylmen of Chessh [...] [...] & moche people hu [...]te. And ye erles two sones were hurte / & goynge homeward afterward they were taken & had to Ch [...] by the quenes meyny. ¶ After [...] Pius was pope / & was chosen this yere M .cccc. & .lviij. and he was called before Eneas an eloquent man and a poete [...] reate. He was embassadour of the empe rours afore tyme. And he wrote in ye [...] seyle of Basyle a noble treaty for ye [...] rite of the same. Also he canonysed [...] Katheryne of Senys. This pope ordey ned grete indulgence & pardon to them ye wolde go & warre agaynst the Turke [...] & wrote an epystle to the grete Turke [...] hortynge hȳ to become chrysten. And in the ende he ordeyned a passage agaynst the Turke at Ankone to whiche moche people drewe out of all partyes of chrystendome / of whiche people he sent many home agayne / bycause they suffysed not. And anone after he dyed at the sayd place of Ankone the yere of our lord. M .cccc .lxiiij. the .xiiij. daye of August.
¶ How Andrewe Trollop and the sow [...]youres [Page] of Calays forsoke the duke of Yorke and theyr mayster the erle of war wyk in the west countree.
THe duke of Yorke / ye erles of warwyk & of Salysbury sawe ye gouernaūce of ye realme stode moost by the quene & her coūseyle / & how ye grete prynces of ye londe were not called to coūseyle but set aparte / & not onely so / but it was sayd through the realme that those said lordes sholde be destroyed vtterly / as it opēly was shewed at Bloreheth by them that wolde haue slayne ye erle of Salysbury. Than they for saluacyon of theyr lyues / & also for ye comyn wele of the realme thought to remedy these thynges assembled them togider wt moche people & toke a felde in ye west coūtre / to whiche the erle of Warwyk came fro Calays wt many of ye olde sowdyours / as Andrewe Trollop & other / in whose wysdome as for ye warre he moche trusted. And whā they were thus assembled & made theyr felde / the kyng sent out his cōmyssyons & preuy seales vnto all ye lordes of his realme / to come & wayte on hym in theyr moost best defensable aray. And so euery man came in suche wise yt the kyng was stronger & had more people than ye duke of yorke & ye erles of warwyk & of Salysbury. For it is here to be noted that euery lorde in Englonde durst not disobey ye quene / for she ruled peasybly all yt was done about ye kyng / whiche was a good & a well disposed man. And thā whan ye kyng was comen to the place where as they were / the duke of yorke & his felaw shyp made theyr felde in ye strōgest wyse & purposed verily to haue bydē & fought but in ye nyght Andrewe Trollop & all ye olde sowdyours of Calays wt a grete felawshyp sodeynly departed out of ye dukes hoost / & wente streyght to ye kynges feld / where they were ioyously receyued for they knewe ye entent of ye other lordes & also ye maner of theyr felde. And than ye duke of yorke wt the other lordes seynge them deceyued / toke a coūseyle shortly in the same nyght / & departed from ye felde leuynge behynde them the moost party of theyr people to kepe ye felde tyll on the morowe. Than the duke of Yorke wt his second sone departed through wales toward Irlonde / leuynge his eldest sone yt erle of Marche wt the erles of warwik & of Salysbury / whiche rode togyder wt thre or foure persones streyght in to Deuenshyre / & there by helpe & ayde of one Denham a squyer gate for thē a shyppe which cost .xj. score nobles / & wt the same shyppe sayled frō thens ī to Garnesey / & there refresshed them / & fro thens sayled to Calais / where they were receyued in to ye castell by yt posterne or they of ye towne wyst of it. And the duke of Yorke toke shyppynge in Wales & sayled ouer in to Irlonde / where he was well receyued.
¶ How ye erles of Marche / Warwyk / & Salysbury entred in to Calays / & how the erle of warwyk went in to Irlonde.
THan kynge Henry beynge wt his hoost in ye felde not knowynge of this sodeyn departynge / on the morowe foūde none in ye felde of ye said lordes / sent out in all ye haste men for to folowe & pursue after to take them / but they met not with them as god wolde. And than the kyng went to Ludlowe / & despoyled the castell & the towne / & sent the duchesse of yorke & her children to ye duchesse of Bokyngham her syster / where as she was kepte longe tyme after. And forth wt the kyng ordeyned the duke of Somerset to be capytayn of Calays. And these other lordes so departed as afore is sayd were proclaymed rebelles & grete traytours. Than ye duke of Somerset toke to hym all ye sowdyours yt departed from ye felde [Page Clxi] and made hym redy in all the haste to go to Calays & take possessyon of his offyce And whan he came there he foūde ye erle of warwik therin as capitayn / & ye erles of Marche & of Salysbury also / & than he londed by Scales & went to Guynes and there he was receyued. And it fortuned that some of tho shyppes that came ouer with hȳ came in to Calays hauen by theyr free wyll / for ye shypmen ought more fauour to ye erle of warwik than to the duke of Somerset / in whiche shyppes were taken dyuers men / as Ienyn Finkhyl / Iohn felow / Kaylles & Purser whiche were byheded soone after in Calays. ¶ And after this came men dayly ouer the see to these lordes to Calays / & began to wexe stronger & stronger / and they borowed moche good of the staple. And on yt other syde ye duke of Somerset beynge in Guynes gate people to hym / whiche came out & scarmysshed wt them of Calays / & they of Calays with them whiche endured many dayes. Duryng this scarmysshynge moche people came ouer dayly vnto these lordes. Than on a tyme by ye aduyse & counseyle of ye lordes of Calays sente ouer mayster Denham with a grete felawshyp to Sandwyche whiche toke the towne / & therin ye lorde Ryuers & ye lord Scales his sone / & toke many shyppes in the hauen / & brought them all to Calays / wt whiche shyppes many maryners of theyr free wyl came to Calays to serue the erle of Warwyk. And after this the erle of warwyk by ye aduyse of the lordes toke al his shyppes & māned them well & sayled hȳselfe in to Irlonde for to speke wt the duke of Yorke & to take his aduise how they shold entre in to Englonde. And whan he had ben there & done his crandes / he returned agayn toward Calays / & brought wt hym his moder ye coūtesse of Salisbury. And comynge in ye west countre vpon the see the duke of Excestre admyral of englōde beynge in ye grace of dieu accōpanyed wt many shippes of warre mette wt the erle of warwyk & his flete / but they fought not / for ye substaūce of ye people beynge wt the duke of Excestre ought better wyll & fauour to ye erle of warwik than to hym & they departed & came safe to Calays. ¶ Than ye kȳges coūseyle seynge yt these lordes had gotē those shyppes fro Sand wyche & taken ye lord Ryuers & his sone ordeyned a garnyson at Sandwyche to kepe ye towne / & made one Moūford cap [...] tayn of ye towne / & yt no mā ne v [...] marchaūt yt shold go to Flaūdres [...] go to Calais. Thā they of Calais [...] this / made out mayster Denham & many other to go to Sandwyche & so the [...] dyd / & assayled the towne by water & by londe / & gate it / & brought the capytayn ouer see & smote of his heed / & yet dayly men came ouer to them fro all partyes.
¶ How ye erles of Marche of warwyk and of Salisbury entred in to Englonde And of the felde of Northamton / where dyuers lordes were slayne.
ANd after this ye foresayd erles of Marche / warwyk & Salisbury came ouer to Douer with moche people & there lōded / to whom al ye coūtre drewe & came to Londō all armed & for to let ye lordes of ye kȳges coūseyle knowe theyr treuth & also theyr entent assembled thē & tolde them yt they entēded no harme [...]o the kynges ꝑsone saue yt they wolde put from hym suche ꝑsones as were aboute hym. And so departed frō London with a grete puyssaūce toward Northamton where the kyng was accōpanyed with many lordes / & had made a stronge felde without ye towne. And there bothe partyes me [...] & was fought a grete batayle. In whiche batayle were slayne ye duke [Page] of Bokyngham / y• erle of Shrewesbury the vycoūt Beamond / y• lord Egremond & many knightes & squyers & other also & the kynge hymselfe was taken in the felde / & afterwarde brought to London. And anone after was a parlyament at Westmynster / durynge whiche parlyament the duke of Yorke came out of Irlonde with the erle of Rutlonde / rydyng with a grete felawshyp in to the palays at westmynster & toke y• kynges palays And came in to y• parlyamēt chambre & there toke y• kynges place / & claimed the crowne as his ꝓpre enherytaūce & right & cast forth in wrytyng his tytell / & also how he was ryghtfull heyre / wherfore was moche to do / but in cōclusion it was appoynted & cōcluded that kyng Henry sholde regne & be kyng duryng his naturall lyfe / for as moche as he had bē kyng so longe & was possessed / & after his deth the duke of Yorke sholde be kynge / & his heyres kynges after hym / & forth with sholde be proclaymed heyre apparaūt / & sholde also be ꝓtectour & regent of Englonde duryng the kynges lyfe / wt many other thynges ordeyned in y• same parlyament / & yf kynge Henry durynge his lyfe went from his appoyntment or ony artycle cōcluded in y• sayd parliamēt / he shold be deposed / & the duke shold take y• crowne & be kynge. All whiche thynges were enacted by y• auctorite of the same / at whiche parlyament y• comyn hous comonyuge & treatyng vpon y• tytel of y• sayd duke of Yorke / sodeynly fell downe the crowne whiche henge than in y• myd des of y• sayd hous / whiche is y• frayter of the abbaye of Westmynster / whiche was taken for a prodyge or token that y• regne of kynge Henry was ended. And also y• crowne whiche stode on y• hyghest toure of the steple in the castell of Douer fell downe this same yere.
¶ Now y• duke of Yorke was slayn / & of y• felde of Wakefelde / & of y• second iourney at saynt Albons by y• quene & the prince.
THan for as moche as y• quene wt y• prynce her sone was in y• north & absent her fro y• kyng / & obeyed not suche thynges as were cōcluded in y• parlyament / it was ordeyned y• the duke of Yorke as protectout shold go northward to brynge in y• quene / & subdue suche as wolde not obey / wt whom went y• erle of Salysbury / syr Thomas Neuyl his sone / wt moche people. And at wakefeld in Chrystmasse weke they were all ouerthrowen & slayne by lordes of the quenes party / yt is to wyte / y• duke of Yorke was slayne / the erle of Rutlond / syr Thomas Neuyll & many moo / & y• erle of Salisbury was taken & other / as Iohn Harowe of London capitayn & ruler of y• fotemen & Hanson of Hull / Whiche were brought to Poūfret / & there after biheded & theyr hedes sent to Yorke & set vpon the gates And thus was y• noble prynce y• duke of Yorke slayne / on whose soule god haue mercy. And this tyme y• erle of Marche beynge in shrowesbury heryng of y• deth of his fader / desyred ayde of the towne to auēge his faders deth / & fro thens went to wales / & at Cādelmas after he had a batayle at Mortymers crosse agaynst y• erle of Penbroke & of wylshyre / where y• erle of Marche had y• victory. Than the quene wt those lordes of the north after yt they had dystressed & slayne the duke of Yorke & his felawshyp came southward wt a grete multytude of people for to come to y• kynge & vndo suche conclusyons as had ben takē before by y• parliament. Agaynst whose comynge y• duke of Nor folke / the erle of warwyk wt moche people & ordynaūce went to saynt Albons / & lad kyng Henry wt them / & there encoū tred togider in suche wyse & fought / so y• [Page Clxii] the duke of Norfolke & y• erle of warwik with many other of theyr party [...]ledde & lost y• iourney / where y• king Henry was taken by y• quene & prynce Edwarde his sone / whiche two had goten that felde. Than y• quene & her party beynge at her aboue sent anone to Londō / which was on asshewednesdaye y• fyrst daye of lent for vytayle / for whiche y• Mayre ordeyned by y• aduyse of y• aldermen y• certayn cartes laden wt vytayle sholde be sent to saynt Albons to them. And whan y• cartes came to crepylgate / the comyns of y• cite y• kepte the gate toke y• bytayle fro y• cartes & wold not suffre it to passe. Thā were there certayn aldermen & comyns appoynted to go to Bernet to speke with the quenes coūseyle / for to entreate y• the northeren men sholde be sent home in to theyr coūtre agayn / for y• cite of London drad fore to be despoyled yf they had comen. ¶ And duryng this treaty tydynges came that the erle of Warwyk had mette with y• erle of Marche on Cotteswolde comynge out of Wales wt a grete meyny of walsshmen / & that they bothe were comynge to London ware. Anone as these tydynges were knowen y• treaty was broke / tor y• kyng / quene / prynce & all y• other lordes y• were wt them departed fro saynt Albons no [...]thwarde wt all theyr people / yet or they departed thens they dyheded y• lord Bo [...]yle & syr Thomas [...] whiche [...] take in y• iourney done on [...]. ¶ Than y• duch [...] of Yorke beynge at London deryng of y• losse of y• felde of saynt Albons [...] [...] whiche went to [...]ght. ¶ And philip malpas [...]che marchaūt of London / Thomas Vaghan squyer / [...] many other [...] of y• comynge of y• quene to London / toke a shyppe of Andwerpe to haue gone in to [...]land / [...] on y• other co [...]st were taken of one Colompne a Frenssheman a shyppe of warre / & he toke them prysoners / and brought them in to Fraūce / where they payed grete good for theyr raunsom / & there was moche good and rychesse in that shyppe.
¶ Of the deposynge of kyng Henry the syxth / & how kynge Edward the fourth toke possessyon / & of y• batayle on Palme sondaye / and how he was crowned.
THan whan y• erle of Marche & y• erle of warwyk had mette togyder on Cotteswolde / incōtynent they cō cluded to go to London / and sent worde anone to y• Mayre & to the cite that they wolde come. And anone y• cite was glad of theyr comynge / hopyng to be releued by them / & so they came to London. And whan they were comen & had spoken wt the lordes & estates beynge there / cōcluded for as moche as kynge Henry was gone wt them northwarde / y• he had forfeyted his crowne & ought to be deposed accordyng vnto the actes made & passed in the last parlyament. And so by the aduyse of the lordes spirytuall & temporall than beynge at Londō / the erle of Marche Edward by y• grace of god eldest sone of Rycharde duke of Yorke / as ryghtfull heyre and nexte enherytour to his fader the fourth daye of Marche / the yere of out lord god. M .CCCC .lix. toke possessyon of the realme at Westmerlonde in y• grete hall / & after in y• chirche of y• abbey & offred as kyng wt the c [...]ptre royall. To whome all y• lordes spirytuall & tēporall dyd homage as to theyr souerayn lord & kyng. And forthwith it was ꝓclaymed through y• cite kyng Edward the fourth of y• name. And anone after y• kynge rode in his ryall estate northwarde wt all his lordes to subdue his subgectes y• tyme beynge in the north / & for to auenge his [Page] [...] deth. And on Palmesondaye after he had a grete batayle in y• north coū tree at a place called Cowton / not ferre from Yorke / where with y• helpe of god he gate y• felde & had the victory / where were slayne of his aduersaryes .xxx. M. men and moo / as it was sayd by them that were there. In the whiche batayle were slayne y• erle of Northumberlonde the lorde Clifford / syr Iohn Neuyll the erle of Westmerlondes broder / Andrewe Trollop / and many knightes & squyers ¶ Than kyng Henry that had bē kyng beynge with y• quene and the prynce at Yorke heryng the losse of that felde / and so moche people slayne & ouerthrowen / anone forth with departed all thre with the duke of Somerset / the lorde Roos & other towarde Scotlōde. And the nexte daye after kynge Edward with all his army entred in to Yorke / and was there proclaymed kyng & obeyed as he ought to be. And y• Mayre / aldermen & comyns swore to be his iyege men. And whā he had taryed a whyle in the north / & that all y• northcoūtree had turned to hym he returned southwarde / leuynge behynde hym the erle of Warwyk in those partyes to gouerne and rule that countree. ¶ And aboute mydsomer after the yere of our lorde. M .cccc .lx. and the fyrst yere of his regne he was crowned at Westmynster / & anoynted kyng of Englonde hauynge possessyon of all the realme.
CAixtus the thyrde was pope after Nycolas thre yere and .v. monethes. This Calixte was an olde man whan he was chosen pope / & was cōtynually seke / ne he myght not fulfyll his desyre whiche he entēded to do agaynst the Turkes / for dethe came vpon hym. He was chosen pope in y• yere of our lord [...]. [...] .lv. And he dyed the syxth day af [...] he had i [...]stytued the trāsfiguracyon of our lorde god. He also c [...]nonysed saynt Vincent a frere precher. And there was a grete reformacyon of many monasteryes in dyuers partyes of the worlde / & these reformacions were made many ty mes / but almoost none abode / but they returned agayne as they were afore by successyon of tyme after y• deth of y• worshypfull faders. The feest of the Transfyguracyon was ordeyned of Calixt for the gyft of grace of y• meruaylous victory done agaynst the Turke in Hungary on saynt Sixtus daye. M .cccc. l [...]ij. For there was a meruaylous victo [...] gyuen to christen men in Hungary agaynst the grete Turke / & there he lost many a mā & fledde shamefully for drede of his enemyes / & no man folowed by / but alone y• hand of god fered the Turke & his hoost on saynt Calixtes day. Saynt Iohn de Capistrano was there seen present / & he prouoked the people that were aferde to folowe the myshyleuynge Turkes / and there fell a grete [...] on them / for the Turkes sayd y• there was so grete a nombre of knyghtes that folowed them that [...]th they durst loke backwarde and therfore they fledde & leste all theyr tresour behynde them / & they were holy aungelles that caused them to flee.
¶ Nota. ¶ Prynters of bokes were this tyme myghtely multiplyed in Ma g [...]cie & through out y• worlde / & there began fyrst, & helde theyr [...] / & this tyme many m [...]n begā to be more subtyll incraftes & [...]er th [...] euer they were afore.
[...] y• second was pope after▪ [...] lixt .vi. yere. This [...]ꝰ was chosen in the yere of our lorde▪ [...] .cccc. [...] ▪ & he was called E [...] as an [...] ▪ & a grete oratour / a laurente porte & afore he was y• emperours embassadour / & in y• cōcyle of Basyle he wrote a noble treatyse for y• auctorite of y• same. This man [Page Clxiii] desyred to haue a passage to the Turke And moche people of dyuers countrees came to Rome / & he gaue them his blessynge & sent them home agayn / for they were not sufficyent for y• Turkes hoost / and [...] after he decessed.
PAulus a venicyan was pope after Pius .vij. yere This Paulus was chosen in the yere of our lord Iesu Chryst. M .cccc. and .lxiiij. And anone he alowed the feest of the Presentacyon of our lady as Pius dyd. This man was a taught man in ryght wysnes / and he sayd it was better to make fewe thynges & kepe them stedfastly / than for to make many & soone reuoke them. And he made a grete palays at saynt Markes / & he decessed or that he had ended it in the yere of our lorde Iesu Chryst. M .cccc. & .lxxi. ¶ Leodin̄. the londe of Luke was oppressed with many tribulacyōs and after in the yere of our lorde Iesu Chryst. M .cccc. & .lxviij. vtterly it was destroyed by Charles the duke of Burgoyne / the whiche wedded dame Margarete syster to kyng Edward y• fourth of Englonde. Also the same duke Charles entred in to the londe of Geldre / & con quered it all. ¶ The yere of grace was also chaūged by pope Paule for fauour of mannes soule frō .xxv. yere vnto .xxv. yere. And bycause y• cursednes habounded so sore / grace habounded as sore.
SIxtus the fourth a Geneuoys & a [...]rere mynour was pope after Paule. This man was generall in the ordre of y• fre [...]e mynours or he was cardynall. And he was chosen in the yere of our lorde god. M .cccc .lxxj. and was called Frāciscus de Sanona / of good fame and vertuous. He was chosen cardynall without his knowlege tyll he was made. And the same yere that he was chosen pope / the Turke had taken frō chrysten men two empyres and .iiij. kyngdomes .xx. prouynces / and two hondred [...] tees / and had destroyed men & women without nombre. And that meued the pope that he sholde dyspose hym to go to withstande hym. And for an army to be made against the Turke / the pope gaue grete indulgences of pardon of the treasour of the chirche vnto all chrysten realmes / that he myght ordeyn some trea sour to withstande that mysbyleuynge Turke. And in the realme of Englonde Iohn abbot of Abyngdon was the popes legate to dispose this godly treasour of the chirche vnto euery faythfull man that was disposed / and that wolde ab [...] themselfe to receyue it.
¶ Thus endeth the Cronycles of Englonde with the fruyte of tymes / compyled in a boke. And was fyrst imprynted by one somtyme scole mayster of saynt Albons / on whose soule god haue mercy Amen. And now lately imprynted at London / and dilygently amended in dyuers places where as ony faute was / in Flete strete / at the sygne of the Sonne / by me Wynkyn de Worde / in the yere of our lorde god. M .CCCCC .xxviij. the ix. daye of Apryll.