Chapter 1

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HOLINSHED'S CHRONICLES

OF

_ENGLAND_, _SCOTLAND_,

AND

_IRELAND_.

IN SIX VOLUMES.

VOL. III.

ENGLAND.

_LONDON_: PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON; F.C. AND J. RIVINGTON; T. PAYNE; WILKIE AND ROBINSON; LONGMAN, HURST, REES, AND ORME; CADELL AND DAVIES; AND J. MAWMAN.

1808.

AMS PRESS INC. NEW YORK

1965

AMS PRESS INC. NEW YORK, N.Y. 10003 1965

MANUFACTURED in the U.S.A.

[_Original Title_]

THE THIRD VOLUME OF

CHRONICLES,

BEGINNING AT

DUKE WILLIAM THE NORMAN, COMMONLIE CALLED THE CONQUEROR;

AND

_DESCENDING BY DEGREES OF YEERES_

TO ALL THE

KINGS AND QUEENES OF ENGLAND

IN THEIR

ORDERLIE SUCCESSIONS:

FIRST COMPILED BY

_RAPHAELL HOLINSHED_,

AND BY HIM EXTENDED TO THE YEARE 1577.

NOW NEWLIE RECOGNISED, AUGMENTED, AND CONTINUED (WITH OCCURRENCES AND ACCIDENTS OF FRESH MEMORIE) TO THE YEARE 1586.

WHEREIN ALSO ARE CONTEINED MANIE MATTERS OF SINGULAR DISCOURSE AND RARE OBSERUATION, _FRUITFULL TO SUCH AS BE STUDIOUS IN ANTIQUITIES_,

OR

TAKE PLEASURE IN THE GROUNDS OF ANCIENT HISTORIES.

_With a third table (peculiarlie seruing this third volume) both of names and matters memorable._

HISTORIÆ PLACEANT NOSTRATES AC PEREGRNÆ.

HENRIE THE FOURTH,

Cousine Germane to Richard the Second, latelie depriued.

When king Richard had resigned (as before is specified) the scepter and crowne; Henrie Plantagenet borne at Bullingbroke in the countie of Lincolne, duke of Lancaster and Hereford, earle of Derbie, Leicester, and Lincolne, sonne to Iohn of Gant duke of Lancaster, with generall consent both of the lords & commons, was published, proclamed, and declared king of England and of France, and lord of Ireland, the last daie of September, in the yeare of the world 5366, of our Lord 1399, of the reigne of the emperour Wenceslaus the two and twentith, of Charles the first king of France the twentith, and the tenth of Robert the third king of Scots. After that king Richard had surrendered his title, and dispossessed himselfe (which Chr. Okl. noteth in few words, saieing;

post breue tempus Exuit insigni sese diademate, sceptrum Henrico Lancastrensi regale relinquens)

[Sidenote: In Angl. prælijs.] [Sidenote: New officers made.] king Henrie made certeine new officers. And first in right of his earledome of Leicester he gaue the office of high steward of England (belonging to the same earledome) vnto his second sonne the lord Thomas, who by his fathers commandement exercised that office, being assisted (by reason of his tender age) by Thomas Persie earle of Worcester. The earle of Northumberland was made constable of England: sir Iohn Scirlie lord chancellor, Iohn Norburie esquier lord treasurer, sir Richard Clifford lord priuie seale. [Sidenote: The parlem[=e]t new s[=u]moned.] Forsomuch as by king Richards resignation and the admitting of a new king, all plées in euerie court and place were ceased, and without daie discontinued, new writs were made for summoning of the parlement vnder the name of king Henrie the fourth, the same to be holden, as before was appointed, on mondaie next insuing. [Sidenote: Record Turris.] Vpon the fourth day of October, the lord Thomas second sonne to the king sat as lord high steward of England by the kings commandement in the White-hall of the kings palace at Westminster, and as belonged to his office, he caused inquirie to be made what offices were to be exercised by anie maner of persons the daie of the kings coronation, and what fées were belonging to the same, causing proclamation to be made, that what noble man or other that could claime anie office that daie of the solemnizing the kings coronation, [Sidenote: Claiming of offices at the coronation.] they should come and put in their bils cõprehending their demands. Whervpon diuers offices & fees were claimed, as well by bils as otherwise by spéech of mouth, in forme as here insueth.

First, the lord Henrie, the kings eldest sonne, to whome he as in right of his duchie of Lancaster had appointed that office, claimed to beare before the king the principall sword called Curtana, [Sidenote: Curtana. The earle of Summerset.] and had his sute granted. Iohn erle of Summerset, to whom the king as in right of his earledome of Lincolne, [Sidenote: The earle of Northumberland.] had granted to be caruer the daie of his coronation, and had it confirmed. Henrie Persie earle of Northumberland, and high constable of England, by the kings grant claimed that office, [Sidenote: The Ile of Man.] and obteined it to inioy at pleasure. The same earle in right of the Ile of Man, which at that present was granted to him, and to his heires by the king, claimed to beare on the kings left side a naked sword, with which the king was girded, [Sidenote: Lancaster sword.] when before his coronation he entered as duke of Lancaster into the parts of Holdernesse, [Sidenote: The earl of Westmerland.] which sword was called Lancasters sword. Rafe erle of Westmerland, and earle marshall of England, by the kings grant claimed the same office, [Sidenote: The duke of Norffolke.] and obteined it, notwithstanding that the attornies of the duke of Norfolke, presented to the lord steward their petition on the dukes behalfe, as earle marshall, to exercise the same. [Sidenote: Sir Thomas Erpingham.] Sir Thomas Erpingham knight exercised the office of lord great Chamberleine, and gaue water to the king when he washed, both before and after dinner, hauing for his fées, the bason, ewer, and towels, with other things whatsoeuer belonging to his office: notwithstanding Auberie de Veer earle of Orenford put in his petitions to haue that office as due vnto him from his ancestors. [Sidenote: The earle of Warwike.] Thomas Beauchampe earle of Warwike by right of inheritance, bare the third sword before the king, and by like right was pantler at the coronation. [Sidenote: Sir William Argentine.] Sir William Argentine knight, by reason of the tenure of his manour of Wilmundale in the countie of Hertford, serued the king of the first cup of drinke which he tasted of at his dinner the daie of his coronation: the cup was of siluer vngilt, which the same knight had for his fées: notwithstanding the petition which Iuon Fitzwarren presented to the lord steward, [Sidenote: Iuon Fitzwarren.] requiring that office in right of his wife the ladie Maud, daughter and heire to sir Iohn Argentine knight. [Sidenote: The lord Furniuall.] Sir Thomas Neuill lord Furniuall, by reason of his manour of Ferneham, with the hamlet of Cere, which he held by the courtesie of England after the decesse of his wife, the ladie Ione decessed, gaue to the king a gloue for his right hand, and susteined the kings right arme so long as he bare the scepter.

[Sidenote: The lord Graie.] The lord Reginald Graie of Ruthen, by reason of his manour of Ashleie in Norfolke couered the tables, and had for his fees all the tableclothes, as well those in the hall, as else-where, when they were taken vp; notwithstanding a petition exhibited by sir Iohn Draiton to haue had that office. [Sidenote: Great spurs.] The same lord Graie of Ruthen, bare the kings great spurs before him in the time of his coronation by right of inheritance, as heire to Iohn Hastings earle of Penbroke. [Sidenote: The second sword.] Iohn erle of Summerset, by the kings assignement bare the second sword before him at his coronation, albeit that the said lord Graie of Ruthen by petition exhibited before the lord steward demanded the same office, by reason of his castell & tower of Penbroke, and of his towne of Denbigh. [Sidenote: The earle of Arundell.] Thomas earle of Arundell cheefe butler of England, obteined to exercise that office the daie of the coronation, and had the fées thereto belonging granted to him, to wit, the goblet with which the king was serued, and other things to that his office apperteining (the vessels of wine excepted) that laie vnder the bar, which were adiudged vnto the said lord steward, the said earle of Arundels claime notwithstanding.

[Sidenote: The citizens of London.] The citizens of London chosen foorth by the citie, serued in the hall, as assistants to the lord cheefe butler, whilest the king sate at dinner, the daie of his coronation: and when the king entered into his chamber after dinner, and called for wine, the lord maior of London brought to him a cup of gold with wine, and had the same cup given to him, togither with the cup that conteined water to allay the wine. After the king had drunke, the said lord maior and the aldermen of London had their table to dine at, [Sidenote: Thomas Dimocke.] on the left hand of the king in the hall. Thomas Dimocke, in right of his moother Margaret Dimocke, by reason of the tenure of his manor of Scriuelbie, claimed to be the kings champion at his coronation, and had his sute granted; notwithstanding a claime exhibited by Baldwin Freuill, demanding that office by reason of his castell of Tamworth in Warwikeshire. [Sidenote: Baldwin Freuill.] The said Dimocke had for his fees one of the best coursers in the kings stable, with the kings saddle and all the trappers & harnesse apperteining to the same horsse or courser: he had likewise one of the best armors that was in the kings armorie for his owne bodie, with all that belonged wholie therevnto.

[Sidenote: The lord Latimer.] Iohn lord Latimer, although he was vnder age, for himselfe and the duke of Norfolke, notwithstanding that his possessions were in the kings hands, by his atturnie sir Thomas Graie knight, claimed and had the office of almoner for that daie, by reason of certeine lands which sometime belonged to the lord William Beuchampe of Bedford. They had a towell of fine linnen cloth prepared, to put in the siluer that was appointed to be giuen in almes; and likewise they had the distribution of the cloth that couered the pauement and floors from the kings chamber doore, vnto the place in the church of Westminster where the pulpit stood. [Sidenote: William le Venour.] The residue that was spread in the church, the sexten had. William le Venour, by reason he was tenant of the manor of Listen, claimed and obteined to exercise the office of making wafers for the king the daie of his coronation. [Sidenote: The barons of the cinque ports.] The barons of the fiue ports claimed, and it was granted them, to beare a canopie of cloth of gold ouer the K. with foure staues, & foure bels at the foure corners, euerie staffe hauing foure of those barons to beare it: also to dine and sit at the table next to the king on his right hand in the hall the daie of his coronation, and for their fees to haue the forsaid canopie of gold, with the bels and staues, notwithstanding the abbat of Westminster claimed the same. Edmund Chambers claimed and obteined the office of principall larderer for him and his deputies, by reason of his manour of Skulton, otherwise called Burdellebin Skulton, in the countie of Norfolke. Thus was euerie man appointed to exercise such office as to him of right apperteined, or at the least was thought requisit for the time present. On mondaie then next insuing, when the states were assembled in parlement, order was taken, that by reason of such preparation as was to be made for the coronation, they should sit no more till the morow after saint Edwards daie. On the sundaie following, being the euen of saint Edward, [Sidenote: Knights of the Bath.] the new king lodged in the Tower, and there made fortie & six knights of the Bath, to wit: thrée of his sonnes, the earle of Arundell, the earle of Warwike his sonne, the earle of Stafford, two of the earle of Deuonshires sonnes, the lord Beaumont, the lord Willoughbies brother, the earle of Staffords brother, the lord Camois his sonne, the lord of Maule, Thomas Beauchampe, Thomas Pelham, Iohn Luttrell, Iohn Lisleie, William Haukeford iustice, William Brinchleie iustice, Bartholomew Rathford, Giles Daubenie, William Butler, Iohn Ashton, Richard Sanape, Iohn Tiptost, Richard Francis, Henrie Persie, Iohn Arundell, William Strall, Iohn Turpington, Ailmer Saint, Edward Hastings, Iohn Greisleie, Gerald Satill, Iohn Arden, Robert Chalons, Thomas Dimocke, Hungerford, Gibethorpe, Newport, and diuerse other, to the number of fortie and six.

[Sidenote: The lord maior of London.] On the morow being saint Edwards daie, and the thirteenth of October, the lord maior of London rode towards the Tower to attend the king, with diuerse worshipfull citizens clothed all in red, and from the Tower the king rode through the citie to Westminster, where he was consecrated, anointed, and crowned king by the archbishop of Canturburie with all ceremonies and roiall solemnitie as was due and requisit. [Sidenote: The earle of March enuied the K. preferment.] Though all other reioised at his aduancement, yet suerlie Edmund Mortimer earle of March, which was coosine and heire to Lionell duke of Clarence, the third begotten sonne of king Edward the third, & Richard earle of Cambridge, sonne to Edmund duke of Yorke, which had married Anne sister to the same Edmund, were with these dooings neither pleased nor contented: insomuch that now the diuision once begun, the one linage ceassed not to persecute the other, till the heires males of both the lines were cléerlie destroied and extinguished.

At the daie of the coronation, to the end he should not séeme to take vpon him the crowne and scepter roiall by plaine extorted power, [Sidenote: Edmund erle of Lancaster vntrullie feined to be surnamed Crookebacke.] and iniurious intrusion: he was aduised to make his title as heire to Edmund (surnamed or vntrulie feined) Crookebacke, sonne to king Henrie the third, and to saie that the said Edmund was elder brother to king Edward the first, and for his deformitie put by from the crowne, to whom by his mother Blanch, daughter and sole heire to Henrie duke of Lancaster, he was next of blood, and undoubted heire. But because not onelie his fréends, but also his priuie enimies, knew that this was but a forged title, considering they were suerlie informed, not onelie that the said Edmund was yoonger sonne to king Henrie the third, but also had true knowledge, that Edmund was neither crooke backed, nor a deformed person, but a goodlie gentleman, and a valiant capteine, and so much fauored of his louing father, that he to preferre him in marriage to the queene Dowager of Nauarre, hauing a great liuelihood, gaue to him the countie palantine of Lancaster, with manie notable honours, high segniories, and large priuileges. Therefore they aduised him to publish it, that he challenged the realme not onelie by conquest, but also because he by king Richard was adopted as heire, and declared by resignation as his lawfull successor, being next heire male to him of the blood roiall.

But to procéed to other dooings. The solemnitie of the coronation being ended, the morow after being tuesdaie, the parlement began againe, [Sidenote: Sir Iohn Chenie speaker of the parlement dismissed, and William Durward admitted.] and the next daie sir Iohn Cheinie that was speaker, excusing himselfe, by reason of his infirmitie and sicknesse, not to be able to exercise that roome, [Sidenote: Acts repealed.] was dismissed, and one William Durward esquier was admitted. Herewith were the acts established in the parlement of the one & twentith yeare of king Richards reigne repealed and made void, [Sidenote: Acts confirmed.] and the ordinances deuised in the parlement holden the eleuenth yeare of the same king, confirmed, and againe established for good and profitable. ¶ On the same daie, the kings eldest sonne lord Henrie, by assent of all the states in the parlement, was created prince of Wales, duke of Cornwall, and earle of Chester, then being of the age of twelue yeares.

Upon the thursdaie, the commons came and rehearsed all the errors of the last parlement holden in the one and twentith yeare of king Richard, & namelie in certeine fiue of them.

1 First, that where the king that now is, was readie to arraigne an appeale against the duke of Norfolke, he dooing what perteined to his dutie in that behalfe, was yet banished afterwards without anie reasonable cause.

2 Secondlie, the archbishop of Canturburie, metropolitan of the realme, was foreiudged without answer.

3 Thirdlie, the duke of Glocester was murthered, and after foreiudged.

4 Fourthlie, where the earle of Arundell alledged his charters of pardon, the same might not be allowed.

5 Fiftlie, that all the power of that euill parlement was granted and assigned ouer to certeine persons, and sith that such heinous errors could not be committed (as was thought) without the assent and aduise of them that were of the late kings councell, they made sute that they might be put vnder arrest, and committed to safe kéeping, till order might be further taken for them.

Thus much adoo there was in this parlement, speciallie about them that were thought to be guiltie of the duke of Glocesters death, and of the condemning of the other lords that were adiudged traitors in the forsaid late parlement holden in the said one and twentith yeare of king Richards reigne. [Sidenote: _Fabian_.] [Sidenote: Sir Iohn Bagot discloseth secrets.] Sir Iohn Bagot knight then prisoner in the Tower, disclosed manie secrets, vnto the which he was priuie; and being brought on a daie to the barre, a bill was read in English which he had made, conteining certeine euill practises of king Richard; and further what great affection the same king bare to the duke of Aumarle, insomuch that he heard him say, that if he should renounce the gouernement of the kingdome, he wished to leaue it to the said duke, [Sidenote: Henrie the fourth suspected not to be well affected towards the church before his comming to the crowne.] as to the most able man (for wisdome and manhood) of all other: for though he could like better of the duke of Hereford, yet he said that he knew if he were once king, he would proue an extreame enimie and cruell tyrant to the church.

It was further conteined in that bill, that as the same Bagot rode on a daie behind the duke of Norfolke in the Sauoy stréet toward Westminster, the duke asked him what he knew of the manner of the duke of Glocester his death, and he answered that he knew nothing at all: but the people (quoth he) do say that you have murthered him. Wherevnto the duke sware great othes that it was vntrue, and that he had saued his life contrarie to the will of the king, and certeine other lords, by the space of thrée wéeks, and more; affirming withall, that he was neuer in all his life-time more affraid of death, than he was at his comming home againe from Calis at that time, to the kings presence, by reason he had not put the duke to death. And then (said he) the king appointed one of his owne seruants, and certeine other that were seruants to other lords to go with him to see the said duke of Glocester put to death, swearing that as he should answer afore God, it was neuer his mind that he should haue died in the fort, but onelie for feare of the king, and sauing of his owne life. [Sidenote: The duke of Aumarle accused.] Neverthelesse, there was no man in the realme to whom king Richard was so much beholden, as to the duke of Aumarle: for he was the man that to fulfill his mind, had set him in hand with all that was doone against the said duke, and the other lords. There was also conteined in that bill, what secret malice king Richard had conceiued against the duke of Hereford being in exile, whereof the same Bagot had sent intelligence vnto the duke into France, by one Rogert Smart, who certified it to him by Piers Buckton, and others, to the intent he should the better haue regard to himselfe. There was also conteined in the said bill, that Bagot had heard the duke of Aumarle say, that he had rather than twentie thousand pounds that the duke of Hereford were dead, not for anie feare he had of him, but for the trouble and mischéefe that he was like to procure within the realme.

[Sidenote: The duke of Aumarle his answer vnto Bagots bill.] After that the bill had béene read and heard, the duke of Aumarle rose vp and said, that as touching the points conteined in the bill concerning him, they were vtterlie false and vntrue, which he would proue with his bodie, in what manner soeuer it should be thought requisit. Therewith also the duke of Excester rose vp, and willed Bagot that if he could say anie thing against him to speak it openlie. Bagot answered, that for his part he could say nothing against him: [Sidenote: Iohn Hall a yeoman.] But there is (said he) a yeoman in Newgat one Iohn hall that can say somewhat. "Well then (said the duke of Excester) this that I doo and shall say is true, that the late king, the duke of Norfolke, and thou being at Woodstoke, made me to go with you into the chappell, and there the doore being shut, ye made me to sweare vpon the altar, to kéepe counsell in that ye had to say to me, and then ye rehearsed that we should neuer haue our purpose, so long as the duke of Lancaster liued, & therefore ye purposed to haue councell at Lichfield, & there you would arrest the duke of Lancaster, in such sort as by colour of his disobeieng the arrest, he should be dispatched out of life. And in this manner ye imagined his death. To the which I answered, that it were conuenient the king should send for his councell, and if they agréed herevnto, I would not be against it, and so I departed." To this Bagot made no answer.

After this, the king commanded that the lords, Berklei, and Louell, and six knights of the lower house, should go after dinner to examine the said Hall. This was on a thursdaie being the fiftéenth of October. [Sidenote: Bagott and Hall brought to the barre.] On the saturdaie next insuing, sir William Bagot and the said Iohn Hall were brought both to the barre, and Bagot was examined of certeine points, and sent againe to prison. The lord Fitzwater herewith rose vp, and said to the king, that where the duke of Aumarle excuseth himselfe of the duke of Glocesters death, [Sidenote: The lord Fitzwater appealeth the duke of Aumarle of treason.] I say (quoth he) that he was the verie cause of his death, and so he appealed him of treason, offering by throwing downe his hood as a gage to proue it with his bodie. There were twentie other lords also that threw downe their hoods, as pledges to proue the like matter against the duke of Aumarle. The duke of Aumarle threw downe his hood to trie it against the lord Fitzwater, as against him that lied falselie, in that he had charged him with, by that his appeale. These gages were deliuered to the constable and marshall of England, and the parties put vnder arrest.