Part 8

The Londoners hauing the tower thus at their commandement, remooued all the officers therein placed by the king, and put other in their roomes, in the name of the lord Iohn de Eltham the kings son, whom they named warden of the citie and land. And yet they ceassed not to commit manie robberies & other outragious & most insolent parts. In the meane time, the king being come to Bristow, left that citie in the kéeping of the earle of Winchester. And with the earles of Glocester and Arundell, and the lord chancellor sir Robert Baldocke, he sailed ouer into Wales, there to raise a power of Welshmen in defense of himselfe against the quéene and hir adherents, which he had good hope to find amongest the Welshmen, bicause he had euer vsed them gentlie, and shewed no rigor towards them for their riotous misgouernance. Againe, he drew the rather into that part, that if there were no remedie, he might easilie escape ouer into Ireland, and get into some mounteine-countrie, marish-ground, or other streict, where his enimies should not come at him.

[Sidenote: The quéene following the king commeth to Oxenford.]

[Sidenote: _Tho. de la More._]

[Sidenote: The bishop of Hereford maketh an oration to the quéenes armie.]

But now to speake of the quéene, yée most vnderstand, that after she had receiued knowledge from the Londoners, that they were wholie at hir deuotion, she being glad thereof, turned hir iournie toward Wales to follow the king, and comming to Oxenford, staied there a while, and still came people to hir from all sides. Héere Adam de Torleton the bishop of Hereford, which latelie before had béene sore fined by the king, for that he was accused to stirre the people to rebellion, and to aid the barons (as yée haue heard) made a pithie oration to the armie, declaring that the quéene and hir sonne were returned onelie into England, to the intent to persecute the Spensers, & reforme the state of the realme. And sith then that they now were come in maner to an end of the tyrannie of most naughtie men, and of the danger that might growe dailie thereof, he exhorted them with patient minds to beare the small trauell that remained in pursuit of the enimies; and as for reward, they might looke for all things by the victorie, and the quéenes liberalitie, whose loue was such towards the common-wealth, as she onelie applied all hir endeuours and dooings to the aduancement thereof.

[Sidenote: The quéene goeth to Glocester.]

These words spoken, the quéene accompanied with a great power, departed from Oxenford, and went straight vnto Glocester, and sent before hir vnto Bristow the earle of Kent, the kings brother, sir Iohn of Hennegew, with other, to take the earle of Winchester. They did their endeuour with such diligence, that the townesmen, compounding to be saued harmlesse in bodie and goods, deliuered the towne and castell vnto the quéene, & to hir sonne the prince. In the meane time, there came to the quéene at Glocester, the lord Percie, the lord Wake, and diuerse other, as well from the north parts, as foorth of the marches of Wales, so that hir armie hugelie increased.

[Sidenote: The lord Berkley.]

[Sidenote: The quéene commeth to Bristow.]

[Sidenote: The earle of Winchester executed.]

From Glocester she passed by Berkley, and restored the castell of Berkley (which the earle of Glocester, Hugh Spenser the yoonger had held) vnto the lord Thomas Berkley, heire to the lord Maurice Berkley latelie before deceassed in prison, within the castell of Wallingford, togither with all the appurtenances to the honor of Berkley belonging. From thence she went to Bristow, and the morrow after hir thither comming, being the euen of the apostles Simon and Iude, through the instant calling vpon of the people, the earle of Winchester was drawne foorth in his cote armor vnto the common gallows, and there hanged. His head was after cut off, and sent to Winchester, whereof he was earle.

[Sidenote: Sir Thomas Blunt, lord Steward to the king, reuolteth to the quéene.]

The king in this meane time kept not in one place, but shifting hither and thither, remained in great care. Wherevpon sir Thomas Blunt, an ancient knight, and lord steward of the kings house, tooke his seruants, with vittels, horsses, and armour in great plentie, and came to the quéene, of whome, and likewise of hir sonne he was ioifullie receiued, and diuerse of them which he brought with him were reteined, and the other had letters of protection, and were sent awaie in louing manner. ¶ The king with the earle of Glocester, and the lord chancellor, taking the sea, meant to haue gone either into the Ile of Lundaie, or else into Ireland, but being tossed with contrarie winds for the space of a wéeke togither, at length he landed in Glamorganshire, and got him to the abbeie and castell of Neith, there secretlie remaining vpon trust of the Welshmens promises. ¶ Hugoline Spenser, the sonne of the earle of Glocester, defended the castell of Kersilie, against the power of the quéene and of hir sonne till easter following, and then compounding for the safetie of his owne life, and all theirs within that castell, and likewise for the inioieng of their goods, he yéelded it to the hands of the men of warre that held siege before it in the quéenes name, and of hir sonne.

[Sidenote: A councell at Hereford.]

[Sidenote: The prince of Wales made lord warden of the realme.]

[Sidenote: A new chancellor and treasuror.]

But now touching the king, whilest he was thus abroad, and no man wist where he was become, proclamations were made in the quéenes armie dailie, in the which he was summoned to returne, and to take the rule of the relme into his hands, if he would be conformable to the minds of his true liege men; but when he appeared not, the lords of the land assembled in councell at Hereford, whither the quéene was come from Bristow, and there was the lord Edward prince of Wales and duke of Aquitaine made warden of England, by common decrée, vnto whome all men, as to the lord warden of the realme, made fealtie, in receiuing an oth of allegiance to be faithfull and loiall to him. After this, they made the bishop of Norwich lord chancellor, and the bishop of Winchester lord treasuror.

The quéene remained about a moneths space at Hereford, and in the meane while sent the lord Henrie erle of Leicester, and the lord William la Zouch, and one Rice ap Howell, that was latelie deliuered out of the tower where he was prisoner, into Wales, to sée if they might find means to apprehend the king by helpe of their acquaintance in those parts, all thrée of them hauing lands thereabouts, where it was knowne the king for the more part kept. They vsed such diligence in that charge, that finallie with large gifts bestowed on the Welshmen, they came to vnderstand where the king was, and so on the day of saint Edmund the archbishop, being the sixtéenth of Nouember, they tooke him in the monasterie of Neith, néere to the castell of Laturssan, togither with Hugh Spenser the sonne called earle of Glocester, the lord chancellour Robert de Baldocke, and Simon de Reading the kings marshall, not caring for other the kings seruants, whome they suffered to escape.

[Sidenote: The king is brought to Killingworth.]

[Sidenote: Hugh Spenser the yonger executed.]

The king was deliuered to the earle of Leicester, who conueied him by Monmouth and Leadburie, to Killingworth castle, where he remained the whole winter. The earle of Glocester, the lord chancellor, and Simon de Reading, were brought to Hereford, and there presented to the quéene, where on the foure & twentith of Nouember, the said earle was drawne and hanged on a paire of gallowes of fiftie foot in height. Then was his head striken off, his bowels taken out of his bodie and burnt, and his bodie diuided in quarters. His head was sent to London, and set vpon the bridge with other, & his quarters were sent to foure seuerall parts of the realme, and there pight vpon poles, to be séene of the people. He was drawne in his owne cote armour, about the which there were letters embrodered plaine to be read, conteining a parcell of the 52 psalme, as followeth.

1 QVID gloriaris in malitia potens? 2 Iniquitatem tota die, iniustitiam cogitauit lingua tua, sicut nouacula acuta fecistidolum, 3 Dilexisti malitiam super bonitatem, iniustitiam magis quàm loqui iustitiam, 4 Dilexisti omnia verba demersionis lingua dolosa, 5 Propterea Deus destruat te in finem, euellat te & emigrare te faciat de tabernaculo tuo, & radicem tuam de terra viuentium, 6 Videbunt iusti & timebunt, & super eum ridebunt, & dicent, 7 Ecce homo qui non posuit Deum adiutorem suum, sed sperauit in multitudine diuitiarum suarum, & præualuit in vanitate sua.

1 WHY boastest thou that thou canst do mischiefe? 2 Thy toong imagineth wickednesse, & with lies thou cuttest like a sharpe rasor, 3 Thou hast loued vngratiousnesse more than goodnesse, and to talke of lies more than righteousnesse, 4 thou hast loued to speake all words that may doo hurt ô thou false toong, 5 Therefore shall God destroie thée for euer, he shall take thée, and plucke thée out of my dwelling, and roote thée out of the land of the liuing, 6 The righteous also shall sée this, and feare, and shall laugh him to scorne, 7 Lo this is the man that tooke not God for his strength, but trusted vnto the multitude of his riches, & strengthned himselfe in his wickednesse.

[Sidenote: Simon de Reading executed.]

[Sidenote: _Caxton._]

[Sidenote: The earle of Arundell taken.]

[Sidenote: _Th. Walsing._]

[Sidenote: Execution.]

[Sidenote: The fauour in which the lord Mortimer was with the quéene.]

On the same daie was Simon de Reading drawne and hanged on the same gallowes, but ten foot lower than the other. This Reading being marshall of the kings house, had vsed the quéene very vncourteouslie, giuing hir manie reprochfull words, which now were remembred, and therefore may serue for an example, how dangerous a thing it is to speake euill of the higher powers. The common fame went, that after this Hugh Spenser the sonne was taken, he would receiue no sustenance, wherefore he was the sooner put to death, or else had he béene conueied to London, there to haue suffered. Iohn earle of Arundell was taken on S. Hughs day, in the parts about Shrewesburie, and the same day seuennight before the execution of the earle of Glocester, Hugh Spenser the yoonger, as well the said earle, who had béene euer a great fréend to both the Spensers, as also Iohn Daniell, and Thomas de Milcheldoure were put to death at Hereford, by procurement of the lord Mortimer of Wigmore, that hated them extreamelie, by reason whereof they were not like to spéed much better, for what he willed the same was doone, and without him the quéene in all these matters did nothing.

[Sidenote: Robert Baldocke ended his life.]

[Sidenote: 1327.]

[Sidenote: A parlement.]

[Sidenote: The king is deposed by act of parlement.]

[Sidenote: The archbishop of Canturburie preacheth.]

The chancellour Robert de Baldocke being committed to the custodie of Adam de Torleton bishop of Hereford, remained at Hereford in safe kéeping till Candlemasse next, and then the bishop being at London, appointed him to be brought vp, where not without the bishops consent (as was thought) he was taken out of his house by violence, and laid in Newgate, where shortlie after through inward sorow and extreame gréefe of mind he ended his life. Thus the quéene and hir companie hauing compassed their businesse in so happie maner as they could wish, she with hir sonne and a great companie of lords and gentlemen repaired vnto Wallingford, where they kept Christmasse togither with great ioy and triumph, the king in the meane while remaining (as ye haue heard) at Killingworth, in a kind of honorable estate, although he was prisoner. ¶ After Christmasse, the quéene with hir son and such lords as were then with them, remooued to London, where at their comming thither, which was before the feast of the Epiphanie, they were receiued with great ioy, triumph, and large gifts, and so brought to Westminster, where the morrow after the same feast, the parlement which before hand had béene summoned began, in which it was concluded and fullie agréed by all the states (for none durst speake to the contrarie) that for diuerse articles which were put vp against the king, he was not worthie longer to reigne, and therefore should be deposed, and withall they willed to haue his sonne Edward duke of Aquitaine to reigne in his place. This ordinance was openlie pronounced in the great hall at Westminster by one of the lords, on the feast day of saint Hilarie being tuesdaie, to the which all the people consented. The archbishop of Canturburie taking his theame, Vox populi, vox Dei, made a sermon, exhorting the people to praie to God to bestow of his grace vpon the new king. And so when the sermon was ended, euerie man departed to his lodging. But the duke of Aquitaine, when he perceiued that his mother tooke the matter heauilie in appearance, for that hir husband should be thus depriued of the crowne, he protested that he would neuer take it on him, without his fathers consent, and so therevpon it was concluded, that certeine solemne messengers should go to Killingworth to mooue the king to make resignation of his crowne and title of the kingdome vnto his sonne.

[Sidenote: _Thom. de la More._]

[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]

There were sent on this message (as some write) thrée or (as other haue) two bishops, two earles, two abbats, two or (as Tho. de la More and Walsingham haue) foure barons, and for euerie countie, citie, and burrough, and likewise for the cinque ports, certeine knights and burgesses. The bishops that were sent were these (as T. de la More noteth) Iohn de Stratford bishop of Winchester, Adam de Torleton bishop of Hereford, and Henrie bishop of Lincolne. The two earles (as Southwell hath) were Lancaster and Warwike: the two barons, Rose and Courtney: beside these (as he saith) there were two abbats, two priors, two iustices, two friers of the order of preachers, two of the Carmelits, two knights for the commons on the north side of Trent, and two for the other on the south side of the same riuer: two citizens for London, two burgesses for the cinque ports, so as in all there went of this message (as Southwell saith) thrée and twentie or rather foure and twentie persons of one degrée and other.

None of the frier minors went, bicause they would not be the bringers of so heauie tidings, sith he had euer borne them great good will. The bishops of Winchester and Lincolne went before, and comming to Killingworth, associated with them the earle of Leicester, of some called the earle of Lancaster, that had the king in kéeping. And hauing secret conference with the king, they sought to frame his mind, so as he might be contented to resigne the crowne to his sonne, bearing him in hand, that if he refused so to doo, the people in respect of the euill will which they had conceiued against him, would not faile but procéed to the election of some other that should happilie not touch him in linage. And sith this was the onlie meane to bring the land in quiet, they willed him to consider how much he was bound in conscience to take that waie that should be so beneficiall to the whole realme.

[Sidenote: _Rich. South._]

[Sidenote: The kings answer.]

The king being sore troubled to heare such displeasant newes, was brought into a maruelous agonie: but in the end, for the quiet of the realme and doubt of further danger to himselfe, he determined to follow their aduise, and so when the other commissioners were come, and that the bishop of Hereford had declared the cause wherefore they were sent, the king in presence of them all, notwithstanding his outward countenance discouered how much it inwardlie grieued him; yet after he was come to himselfe, he answered that he knew that he was fallen into this miserie through his owne offenses, and therefore he was contented patientlie to suffer it, but yet it could not (he said) but gréeue him, that he had in such wise runne into the hatred of all his people: notwithstanding he gaue the lords most heartie thanks, that they had so forgotten their receiued iniuries, and ceassed not to beare so much good will towards his sonne Edward, as to wish that he might reigne ouer them. Therefore to satisfie them, sith otherwise it might not be, he vtterlie renounced his right to the kingdome, and to the whole administration thereof. And lastlie he besought the lords now in his miserie to forgiue him such offenses as he had committed against them. Ah lamentable ruine from roialtie to miserable calamitie, procured by them chéefelie that should haue béene the pillers of the kings estate, and not the hooked engins to pull him downe from his throne! So that here we sée it verefied by triall, that

---- miser átq; infoelix est etiam rex, Nec quenquam (mihi crede) facit diadema beatum.

[Sidenote: _Polydor._]

[Sidenote: _Meredith._]

The ambassadours with this answer returning to London, declared the same vnto all the states, in order as they had receiued it, whervpon great ioy was made of all men, to consider that they might now by course of law procéed to the choosing of a new king. And so thervpon the nine and twentith day of Ianuarie in session of parlement then at Westminster assembled, was the third king Edward, sonne to king Edward the second, chosen and elected king of England, by the authoritie of the same parlement, first (as before is said) confirmed by his fathers resignation: and the first day of his reigne they agréed to be the fiue and twentith of Ianuarie, in the yeare 1326 after the account of the church of England, beginning the yeare the fiue & twentith day of March, but by the common account of writers, it was in the yeare 1327. ¶ On the same daie sir William Trusell procurator for the whole parlement did renounce the old king in name of the whole parlement, with all homages and fealties due to him, so that the same fiue and twentith day of Ianuarie hath béene reputed and taken for the first day of the beginning of king Edward the third his reigne, so that whatsoeuer chanced before that day, is ascribed to be doone during the reigne of his father.

[Sidenote: _Thom. de la More._]

But now to make an end of the life, as well as of the reigne of king Edward the second, I find that after he was deposed of his kinglie honour and title, he remained for a time at Killingworth, in custodie of the earle of Leicester. But within a while the quéene was informed by the bishop of Hereford, (whose hatred towards him had no end) that the erle of Leicester fauoured hir husband too much, and more than stood with the suertie of hir sonnes state, wherevpon he was appointed to the kéeping of two other lords, Thomas Berkley, and Iohn Matreuers, who receiuing him of the earle of Leicester the third of Aprill, conueied him from Killingworth vnto the castell of Berkley, situate not farre off from the riuer of Seuerne, almost the midwaie betwixt Glocester and Bristow.

[Sidenote: Sir Thomas Gourney.]

But forsomuch as the lord Berkley vsed him more courteouslie than his aduersaries wished him to doo, he was discharged of that office, and sir Thomas Gourney appointed in his stead, who togither with the lord Matreuers conueied him secretlie (for feare least he should be taken from them by force) from one strong place to another, as to the castell of Corfe, and such like, still remoouing with him in the night season, till at length they thought it should not be knowne whither they had conueied him. And so at length they brought him backe againe in secret maner vnto the castell of Berkley, where whilest he remained (as some write) the quéene would send vnto him courteous and louing letters with apparell and other such things, but she would not once come néere to visit him, bearing him in hand that she durst not, for feare of the peoples displeasure, who hated him so extreamelie. Howbeit, she with the rest of hir confederats had (no doubt) laid the plot of their deuise for his dispatch, though by painted words she pretended a kind of remorse to him in this his distresse, & would séeme to be faultlesse in the sight of the world; for

Proditor illudit verbis dum verbera cudit.

[Sidenote: The earle of Kent conspireth to deliuer his brother.]

But as he thus continued in prison, closelie kept, so that none of his fréends might haue accesse vnto him, as in such cases it often happeneth, when men be in miserie, some will euer pitie their state, there were diuerse of the nobilitie (of whome the earle of Kent was chéefe) began to deuise means by secret conference had togither, how they might restore him to libertie, discommending greatlie both quéene Isabell, and such other as were appointed gouernours to the yoong king, for his fathers streict imprisonment. The quéene and other the gouernours vnderstanding this conspiracie of the earle of Kent, and of his brother, durst not yet in that new and gréene world go about to punish it, but rather thought good to take awaie from them the occasion of accomplishing their purpose. And herevpon the quéene and the bishop of Hereford wrote sharpe letters vnto his kéepers, blaming them greatlie, for that they dealt so gentlie with him, and kept him no streictlier, but suffered him to haue such libertie, that he aduertised some of his fréends abroad how and in what manner he was vsed, and withall the bishop of Hereford vnder a sophisticall forme of words signified to them by his letters, that they should dispatch him out of the waie, the tenor whereof wrapped in obscuritie ran thus:

Edwardum occidere nolite timere bonum est: To kill Edward will not to feare it is good.

Which riddle or doubtfull kind of spéech, as it might be taken in two contrarie senses, onelie by placing the point in orthographic called C[=o]ma, they construed in the worse sense, putting the Comma after Timere, and so presuming of this commandement as they tooke it from the bishop, they lodged the miserable prisoner in a chamber ouer a foule filthie dungeon, full of dead carrion, trusting so to make an end of him, with the abhominable stinch thereof: but he bearing it out stronglie, as a man of a tough nature, continued still in life, so as it séemed he was verie like to escape that danger, as he had by purging either vp or downe auoided the force of such poison as had béene ministred to him sundrie times before, of purpose so to rid him.

[Sidenote: _Tho. Wals._]

[Sidenote: _Thom. de la More._]

[Sidenote: K. Edward the second murthered.]

Wherevpon when they sawe that such practises would not serue their turne, they came suddenlie one night into the chamber where he laie in bed fast asléepe, and with heauie featherbeds or a table (as some write) being cast vpon him, they kept him down and withall put into his fundament an horne, and through the same they thrust vp into his bodie an hot spit, or (as other haue) through the pipe of a trumpet a plumbers instrument of iron made verie hot, the which passing vp into his intrailes, and being rolled to and fro, burnt the same, but so as no appearance of any wound or hurt outwardlie might be once perceiued. His crie did mooue manie within the castell and towne of Berkley to compassion, plainelie hearing him vtter a wailefull noise, as the tormentors were about to murther him, so that diuerse being awakened therewith (as they themselues confessed) praied heartilie to God to receiue his soule, when they vnderstood by his crie what the matter ment.

[Sidenote: The fond opinion of the ignorant people.]

[Sidenote: The nature & disposition of king Edward the second.]