Part 19
Thus was the duchie of Aquitaine, which had continued in the English possession, from the yeare of our Lord 1155, vnto this present yeare, which is néere hand thrée hundred yeares, by the mariage of Elenor daughter and heire to William duke of Aquitaine, wife to king Henrie the second, finallie reduced and brought againe to the French obedience and seruitude. Within that onlie duchie be foure archbishops, foure and twentie bishops, fiftéene earledomes, two hundred and two baronies, and aboue a thousand capteinships and baliffewikes: whereby ye may consider, what a losse this was to the realme of England. On the thirtéenth daie of October this yeare, was the quéene deliuered at Westminster of a faire sonne, who was christened, and named Edward.
His mother susteined not a little slander and obloquie of the common people, who had an opinion that the king was not able to get a child; and therefore sticked not to saie, that this was not his sonne, with manie slanderous words, greatlie sounding to the quéenes dishonour; much part perchance vntrulie. After the birth of this child, he highlie aduanced his brethren on his mothers side; for Edmund he made earle of Richmond, which was father to king Henrie the seuenth, and Iasper he created erle of Penbroke, which died without issue. ¶ This yeare, Iohn Stafford archbishop of Canturburie departed this life, and Iohn Kempe archbishop of Yorke was remoued from that sée, to succéed in place of the said Stafford, being the thrée score and second archbishop there, & Iohn Booth bishop of Couentrie and Lichfield was translated to Yorke, being the one and fiftith archbishop of that church.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. St. pag. 673._]
[Sidenote: The maior, shiriffes and aldermen, resisted and abused in a fraie néere Clerkenwell.]
¶On Bartholomew daie at the wrestling néere vnto Clerkenwell, a gentleman belonging to the prior of saint Iohns, made a rumor or tumult, for the which (by the commandement of the maior) he was arested by Richard Allie one of the shiriffes, and deliuered to Paris a sergeant. But such resistance was made by parts taking, that the shiriffe was faine to craue helpe of the maior, who with his brethren the aldermen arose from the game, and strengthened the shiriffes. And for the rescue of the said gentleman, one named Calis, came out of saint Iohns with a great strength of archers, to resist the maior, in the which fraie a yeoman of saint Iohns was slaine, and manie other sore hurt. The maior himselfe escaped hardlie, for his cap was smitten from his head with an arrow: but the maior with his citizens put the other to flight, sent the principall of them to Newgate, and then tooke his place againe till the games were ended: by which time the citizens had gathered themselues in great number, and fetched him home, neuer maior so stronglie nor so honorablie.
[Sidenote: _Fr. Thin._]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 32.]
[Sidenote: 1454]
[24]This yeare was Thomas Bourchier bishop of Elie (sonne to the countesse of Stafford, and brother to Henrie Bourchier earle of Essex) remooued to the sée of Canterburie; who in the yeare after the word became flesh and appeared in humane shape 1443, first obteined the sée of Elie (although once before he was by the king put backe from thence after his election of the couent therevnto, and confirmation of the pope) being translated from Worcester to the said sée of Elie, the twelfth daie of March in the said yeare 1443. This man (after that he had remained at Elie ten yeares, thrée and twentie wéekes, and fiue daies) was (as is before said) in this yeare 1454 remooued to Canturburie by Nicholas the fift then bishop of Rome. After this he was made chancellor, which office he obteined the seauenth of March, in the yeare 1455, being the thrée and thirtith yeare of king Henrie the sixts reigne. Lastlie he was aduanced to the dignitie of cardinall by pope Paule the second, in the yeare of our Lord 1465, of whome is made a more liberall discourse in a [24]tretise of the liues of the chancellors of England: a place of no small authoritie and reputation.
[24] In a tretise hereafter following.
After the warres foulie ended in forren parties, ciuill dissention began againe at home, diuided speciallie into two factions. As K. Henrie descended of the house of Lancaster possessed the crowne from his grandfather king Henrie the fourth (first author of that title) so Richard duke of Yorke, as heire to Lionell duke of Clarence, third sonne to king Edward the third, inforced. By reason whereof, the nobles as well as the common people were into parts diuided, to the vtter destruction of manie a man, and to the great ruine and decaie of this region: for while the one partie sought to destroie the other, all care of the common-wealth was set aside, and iustice and equitie clearelie exiled.
[Sidenote: The duke of Yorke séeks the destruci[=o] of the duke of Sommerset.]
[Sidenote: He banded himselfe with the Neuils.]
The duke of Yorke (aboue all things) first sought means how to stir vp the malice of the people against the duke of Summerset, imagining that he being made awaie, his purpose should the sooner take effect. He also practised to bring the king into the hatred of the people, as that he should not be a man apt to the gouernment of a realme, wanting both wit and stomach sufficient to supplie such a roome. Manie of the high estates, not liking the world, and disalowing the dooings both of the king and his councell, were faine inough of some alteration. Which thing the duke well vnderstanding, chiefelie sought the fauour of the two Neuils, both named Richard, one earle of Salisburie, the other earle of Warwike, the first being the father, and the second the sonne.
[Sidenote: The issue of Richard earle Salisburie.]
[Sidenote: _W. P._]
This earle of Salisburie was second son to Rafe Neuill earle of Westmerland, whose daughter the duke of Yorke had maried, and the said Richard was espoused to ladie Alice, the onelie child and sole heire of Thomas Montacute earle of Salisburie, slaine at the siege of Orleance (as before is declared) of which woman he begat Richard, Iohn, and George: Richard the eldest sonne espoused Anne, the sister and heire of the entire bloud of lord Henrie Beauchamp earle and after duke of Warwike, in whose right and title he was created and named earle of Warwike. [Full fraught was this nobleman with good qualities right excellent and manie, all which a certeine naturall grace did vnto all estates so farfoorth recommend, that with high and low he was in singular fauour and good liking so as (vnsought for) it séemed, in authoritie among them, he grew able to command all alone.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 33.]
[Sidenote: The duke of Summerset arrested.]
[Sidenote: 1455]
[Sidenote: The king sicke.]
[Sidenote: _Whethamsted._]
When the duke of Yorke had fastened his chaine betwéene these two strong pillers, he with his fréends wrought so effectuouslie, and handled his businesse so politikelie, that the duke of Summerset was arested in the quéenes great chamber, and sent to the Tower of London, where he kept his Christmasse without great solemnitie. Against whom, soone after in open parlement were laid diuerse and heinous articles of high treason, as well for the losse of Normandie, as for the late mischance which happened in Guien. The king at that time was sicke at Clarendon, and conueied to London, by reason whereof no finall determination procéeded in this weightie cause; but all was put in suspense, till the next assemblie of the high court of parlement. Some doo write, that whilest the king was sicke, the duke of Yorke bare all the rule, and gouerned as regent or viceroie, by authoritie committed to him by the lords of the realme, then assembled in councell; he to sée to the preseruation and good gouernement of the common-wealth, during the kings sicknesse, which was so gréeuous (as it was said) that he laie senselesse, and was not able for a time either to go or stand.
[Sidenote: The duke of Summerset set at libertie.]
[Sidenote: Made deputie of Calis.]
The duke of Yorke hauing aforehand obteined an absolution of the pope, in discharge of his oth before taken, did now discouer his stomach against the duke of Summerset. But when the king was amended againe, and resumed to him his former gouernement, either of his owne mind, or by the quéenes procurement, the duke of Summerset was set at libertie; by which doing, great enuie and displeasure grew. That notwithstanding, the quéene (which then bare the chiefe rule) caused the duke of Summerset to be preferred to the capteineship of Calis, wherwith not onlie the commons, but also manie of the nobilitie were greatlie gréeued and offended, saieng, that he had lost Normandie, and so would he doo Calis.
[Sidenote: The duke of Yorke assembled an armie.]
[Sidenote: _Whethamsted._]
[Sidenote: The king with two thousand.]
The duke of Yorke and his adherents, perceiuing that neither exhortation nor charging him with his crimes preuailed against the duke of Summerset, they meant to mend the matter by open war: & soone after he being in the marches of Wales, accompanied with his speciall friends, the earles of Salisburie, and Warwike, the lord Cobham, and others, assembled a power, and in warlike maner marched toward London. The king informed hereof, assembled likewise a great host, and meaning to méet with the duke, rather in the north parts than about London, where it was thought he had too manie friends, he accompanied with the dukes of Summerset and Buckingham, the earles of Penbroke, Stafford, Northumberland, Deuonshire, Dorset, and Wilshire, the lords Clifford, Sudlie, Berneis, Roos, and others, being in all aboue two thousand men of warre, departed from Westminster the twentith, or (as some haue) the one and twentith of Maie, and laie the first night at Wadford.
[Sidenote: The duke with thrée thousand.]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 675, 676, 677, in Quart._]
Of whose dooings the duke of Yorke by espials hauing still aduertisement, with all his power, being not past thrée thousand men (as some write) coasted the countrie, and came to saint Albons the third daie next insuing. The king there had pight his standard in a place called Goselow, otherwise Sandiford, in saint Peters stréet: the lord Clifford kept the barriers of the towne, to stop, that the duke being assembled in Keie field, should not enter the towne. ¶ The duke of Yorke (saith one moderne chronographer) knowing the strength made against him, abiding in the field aforesaid, from seuen of the clocke in the morning vntill it was almost ten of the clocke without anie stroke smitten on either part, by the aduise of his councell sent vnto the king vnder these words following.
Words in writing by the duke of Yorke to the king.
Please it vnto your excellent grace, Richard duke of Yorke, to take him as your true liege man and humble subiect; and to consider and tender at the reuerence of God, and in the waie of charitie, the true intent of my comming, and to be good and gratious souereigne vnto me, & all other your true liege men, which, that with all their power and might will be readie to liue and die with you in your right, and to doo all things as shall like your maiestie roiall to command vs, if it be to the worship of the crowne of England, and the welfare of this your noble realme. Moreouer, gratious lord, please it vnto your maiestie roiall, of your great goodnesse and rightwisenesse, to incline your will to heare & féele the rightwise part of vs your true subiects and liege men. First, praieng and beséeching to your souereigne, Christ Iesus, of his high and mightie power, to giue you vertue of prudence, and that through the praier of the glorious martyr S. Albon giue you verie knowledge of our truths, and to know the intent of our assembling at this time: for God that is in heauen knoweth, our intent is rightfull and true. And therefore we praie vnto that mightie Lord in these words: Domine sis clypeus defensionis nostræ. Wherfore gratious lord, please it your maiestie roiall, to deliuer such as we will accuse, and they to haue like as they haue deserued: and this doone, you to be honorablie worshipped as most rightfull king and our true gouernour. And if we should now at this time be promised, as afore this time (is not vnknowen) haue béene promises broken which haue béene full faithfullie promised, and therevpon great othes sworne, we will not now ceasse for no such promises, nor oth, till we haue them which haue deserued death, or else we to die therefore.
The answer by the king to the duke of Yorke.
I King Henrie charge and command, that no manner of person, of what degrée, estate or what condition soeuer he be, abide not; but that they auoid the field, and not be so hardie to make resistance against me in my owne realme. For I shall know what traitour dare be so bold to raise anie people in mine owne land, wherethrough I am in great disease and heauines. By the faith I owe vnto S. Edward, and vnto the crowne of England, I shall destroie them euerie mothers sonne, and eke they to be hanged, drawne, and quartered, that may be taken afterward of them, in example to make all such traitors to beware for to make anie rising of people within mine owne land, and so traitorouslie to abide their king and gouernour. And for a conclusion, rather than they shall haue anie lord, that here is with me at this time, I shall this day for their sake in this quarell my selfe liue and die.
The words of the duke of Yorke to all gentlemen and other assembled with him.
Sirs, the king our souereigne lord will not be reformed at our beséeching ne praier, nor will not in no wise vnderstand the intent wherfore we be here assembled and gathered at this time, but onelie is in full purpose to destroie vs all. And therevpon a great oth hath made, that is none other waie, but that he with all his power will pursue vs; and if we be taken, to giue vs a shamefull death, léesing our liuelod and goods, and also our heires shamed for euer. Therefore sirs, now sith it will none otherwise be, but that we shall vtterlie die; better it is for vs to die in the field, than cowardlie to be put to an vtter rebuke and shamefull death, for the right of England standeth in vs. Considering also in what perill it standeth at this time, and for to redresse the mischéefe thereof, let euerie man helpe to his power this daie, and in that quarell to quite vs like men, to the crowne of England; praieng and beséeching vnto that Lord, the which is eternall, that reigneth in the glorious kingdome celestiall, to kéepe and saue vs this daie in our right, and through the gifts of his holie grace we may be made strong to withstand the great, abhominable, and horrible malice of them that purpose to destroie vs and the realme of England, and put vs to a shamefull death. Praie we therefore to the Lord to be our comfort and our defendour, saieng these words, Domine sis clypeus defensionis nostræ.]
[Sidenote: _Whethamsted._]
[Sidenote: The duke of Buckingham sent to the duke of Yorke.]
[Sidenote: The duke of Summerset burdened with all things that had happened amisse.]
[Sidenote: _W. P._]
But another historie-writer saith, that the king, when first he heard of the duke of Yorks approch, sent to him messengers, the duke of Buckingham, and others to vnderstand what he meant by his comming thus in maner of warre. The duke of Buckingham to his message was answered by the duke of Yorke and his complices, that they were all of them the kings faithfull liege subiects, and intended no harme to him at all: but the cause of our comming (saie they) is not in meaning anie hurt to his person. But let that wicked and naughtie man the duke of Summerset be deliuered vnto vs, who hath lost Normandie, and taken no regard to the preseruation of Gascoigne; and furthermore, hath brought the realme vnto this miserable estate; that where it was the floure of nations, and the princesse of prouinces [now is it haled into desolation & spoile, not so dreadfull by malice of forren enimie, that indéed vtterlie (as yée know) séeketh our ruine, as by the intollerable outrages of him that so long ago & euen still appeares to haue sworne the confusion of our king and realme.] If it therefore please the king to deliuer that bad man into our hands, we are readie without trouble or breach of peace, to returne into our countrie. But if the king be not minded so to do, bicause he cannot misse him; let him vnderstand, that we will rather die in the field, than suffer such a mischéefe vnredressed.
[Sidenote: The first battell of saint Albons.]
[Sidenote: _Whethamsted._]
[Sidenote: _Edw. Hall._]
The king aduertised of this answer, more wilfull than tollerable, appointed him rather to trie battell, than deliuer the duke of Summerset to his enimies. Whereof they ascerteined made no longer staie, but streightwaie sounded the trumpet to battell: or rather (as Hall saith) while king Henrie sent foorth his ambassadours to treat of peace at the one end of the towne, the earle of Warwike with his Marchmen entred at the other end, and fiercelie setting on the kings fore-ward, within a small time discomfited the same. The place where they first brake into the towne, was about the middle of saint Peters stréet. The fight for a time was right sharpe and cruell, for the duke of Summerset, with the other lords, comming to the succours of their companions that were put to the woorse, did what they could to beat backe the enimies: but the duke of Yorke sent euer fresh men to succour the wearie, and to supplie the places of them that were hurt, whereby the kings armie was finallie brought low, and all the chéefteins of the field slaine and beaten downe.
[Sidenote: The duke of Summerset slaine.]
[Sidenote: Thomas lord Clifford, saith _Whethamsted_.]
For there died vnder the signe of the castell, Edmund duke of Summerset, who (as hath béene reported) was warned long before to auoid all castels: and beside him laie Henrie the second of that name earle of Northumberland, Humfrie earle of Stafford sonne to the duke of Buckingham, Iohn lord Clifford, sir Barthram Antwisell knight, a Norman borne (who forsaking his natiue countrie to continue in his loiall obedience to king Henrie, came ouer to dwell here in England when Normandie was lost) William Zouch, Iohn Boutreux, Rafe Bapthorp, with his sonne William Corwin, William Cotton, Gilbert Faldinger, Reginald Griffon, Iohn Dawes, Elice Wood, Iohn Eith, Rafe Woodward, Gilbert Sharlock, and Rafe Willoughbie esquiers, with manie other, in all to the number of eight thousand, as Edward Hall saith in his chronicle: if there escaped not a fault in the impression, as 8000 for 800, sith hundreds in verie déed would better agrée with the number of the kings whole power, which he brought with him to that battell, being not manie aboue two thousand, as by writers appeareth.
[Sidenote: The kings part vanquished.]
Humfrie duke of Buckingham, being wounded, and Iames Butler earle of Ormond and Wilshire, and Thomas Thorp lord chéefe baron of the escheker, séeing fortune thus against them, left the king alone, and with a number fled awaie. Those that thus fled, made the best shift they could to get awaie through gardens and backesides, through shrubs, hedges and woods, séeking places where to hide themselues, vntill that dangerous tempest of the battell were ouerblowne. Diuerse of the kings house also that could better skill to plaie the courtiers than warriors, fled with the first; and those of the east parts of the realme were likewise noted of too much lacke of courage, for their spéedie withdrawing themselues, and leauing the king in danger of his aduersaries: who perceiuing his men thus fled from him, withdrew into a poore mans house to saue himselfe from the shot of arrowes, that flue about him as thicke as snow.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 678, 679, in Quart._]
¶ This doone, saith one historien, the duke of Yorke, the earles of Warwike, and Salisburie, came vnto the king where he was, and besought him on their knées of grace and forgiuenesse for that they had doone in his presence, and besought him of his highnesse to take them to grace, and as his true liege men. The king desiring them to cease their people, that there should be no more hurt doone, and to obeie his commandement, did cause to be proclamed in the kings name, that all manner of people should cease off their malice, and not to smite one stroke more, and so ceassed the battell. And vpon the day next after, the king and the duke of Yorke, the earles of Warwike & Salisburie, came all to London; and were lodged in the bishops palace of London, where they kept their Whitsuntide with great ioy and solemnitie, concluding there to hold a parlement, the same to begin on the ninth daie of Iulie next following.
Another historien saith, that the duke of Yorke, aduertised of the place into the which the king was withdrawne for the safetie of himselfe, and taking him into his power, comforted him in the best wise he could; assuring him, that now that the common enimie of the realme was dispatched, to wit, the duke of Summerset, he had cause rather to reioise, than to be sorie, sith his destruction was the kings preseruation. And for himselfe and all his adherents he vndertooke, that they were and would remaine, during life, his most faithfull liege people, readie in all points to serue him, as his trustie and obedient subiects. After he had vsed such words, as wherewith best to comfort him, he brought the king foorth of that simple house with all due reuerence shewed toward him first to the shrine, and after to his chamber.
[Sidenote: Battell of S. Albons on thursday the 23 of Maie.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 33.]
[Sidenote: Foure of th[=e] to wit, the duke of S[=u]merset, the earle of Northumberland, and the lord Clifford, were buried in our ladie chapell.]
[Sidenote: _Iohn Hooker alias Vowell._]
Whilest the duke of Yorke was about thus to comfort the king, the soldiers that had the victorie now in their hands, applied the spoile, namelie, the Northerne men, stripping not onelie those that had borne armor against them, but also the townsmen and other, with whom they might méet. So that it was thought, if the king had taken vp his lodging at his first comming thither, within the abbeie, as he did not (but in the middest of the towne, to prouide the better to resist his enimies) the abbeie had béene spoiled also. This was the end of the first battell at saint Albons, which was fought vpon the thursdaie next before the feast of Penthecost, being the thrée and twentith day of Maie, in this thrée and thirtith yeare of the kings reigne. The bodies of the noble men were buried in the monasterie in our ladies chappell, and the meane people in other places. This Edmund duke of Summerset left behind him thrée sonnes, Henrie, Edmund and Iohn, which to the extremitie of death tooke part with the line of king Henrie.
[Sidenote: _Whethamsted._]
[There was this yeare a great fight & fraie vpon Clift heath, distant about two miles from Excester, betwéene Thomas Courtneie earle of Deuonshire, against William lord Bonuile of Shut, and sundrie men of both parts were slaine. But yet the lord Bonuile preuailed & had the victorie, who foorthwith came to this citie, and the gates before being shut, were opened and he receiued; which thing so gréeued the earle, that he continuallie sought thencefoorth to be reuenged. But not long after in the quarell betwéen king Henrie the sixt, and king Edward the fourth, he ended his daies, and was beheaded at Yorke, and was the last of that line.]
[Sidenote: A parlement.]