Part 4

The Englishmen tooke their ordinance and sent it to Newport, with all the spoile and great horsses. And by the waie hearing certeine Frenchmen to be at Ostend, they made thitherward: but the Frenchmen fled, and so they burned part of the towne, and came againe to Newport, where the lord Daubeneie left all the Englishmen that were hurt and returned to Calis, where he buried the bodie of the lord Morleie. The Englishmen got great riches at this field, for they that went foorth in cloth, came home in silke, and those that went out on foot, came home on great horsses. The lord Cordes being at Ipre with twentie thousand men, was sore displeased with this ouerthrow; & therefore thinking to be reuenged, besieged the towne of Newport right stronglie, and shot dailie at the wals, breaking them in manie places.

[Sidenote: English archers.]

But the Englishmen that were hurt at Dixmew field before, and might either stand or draw bowe, neuer came from the wals. On a daie the Frenchmen gaue a great assault to a tower, and perforce entered it, and set vp the banner of the lord Cordes. But sée the chance! During the time of the assault, there arriued a barke with foure score fresh, English archers, which came streight to the tower, and did so much, that what with the helpe of such as before were wounded and hurtmen, and of the couragious harts of the new come archers incouraged greatlie by the women of the towne, crieng; Shoot Englishmen, shoot: the tower was regained out of the Frenchmens hands, and the banner of the lord Cordes rent in péeces, and in place thereof the penon of saint George set vp. Then the Frenchmen, supposing a great aid of Englishmen to haue béene come to the towne by sea, left the assault.

[Sidenote: The malicious and foolish words of the lord Cordes.]

[Sidenote: Iames king of Scots slaine by his owne subiects.]

And the night following, the enuious lord Cordes (which so sore longed for Calis, that he would commonlie saie that he could be content to lie seuen yeares in hell, so that Calis were in possession of the Frenchmen) brake vp his siege, and returned to Helding with shame. And the Englishmen glad of this victorie returned to Calis. This yeare Iames the third of that name king of Scots was slaine by his owne subiects, after they had vanquished him in a pight field. About the same time one Adrian an Italian was sent in ambassage from pope Innocent the eight into Scotland, to haue taken vp the variance betwixt the king there and his people. But being arriued here in England, he was informed that king Iames was slaine, and therfore taried here certeine moneths.

[Sidenote: Adrian an Italian made bishop in Hereford, and after of Bath and Welles.]

And for that he was a man of excellent learning, vertue, and humanitie, the archbishop of Canturburie Iohn Morton so commended him to the king, that he made him first bishop of Hereford, and shortlie after, that resigned and giuen ouer, he promoted him to the bishoprike of Bath and Welles. And after that with these honors he was returned to Rome, he was aduanced by all the degrées of spirituall dignities into the college of the cardinals. And worthie sure he was of great preferment, for by his meanes, learned men were mooued to séeke out the vse of eloquent writing and speaking in the Latine toong, he being the first in the time of our fathers that taught the trade to choose and vse apt words and fit termes.

[Sidenote: 1490.]

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 6.]

[Sidenote: Ambassadors from the Fr[=e]ch king to the king of England.]

In the sixt yeare of king Henries reigne there came ambassadors to him from the French king the lord Francis of Lutzenburgh, Charles Marignane, and Robert Gaguine minister of the Bonnehommes of the trinitie. The effect of their comming was to haue concluded a peace with king Henrie, and that with good will the French king might dispose of the mariage of the yoong duchesse of Britaine, as he should thinke good; and to make void the contract and former mariage, which by proxie the deputie of Maximilian king of Romans had before time contracted & made with hir. But thereto would not king Henrie gaue his consent, euer harping on this string, that the maiden being once lawfullie combined in matrimonie with Maximilian, ought not to be compelled against hir will and promise (yea and contrarie to all law, right and equitie) to take anie other person than him to hir spouse and husband.

[Sidenote: K. Henrie is loth that the French king should marrie the duchess of Britaine.]

In déed king Henrie was loth that the French king should marrie the duchesse of Britaine himselfe (as he perceiued his meaning was) and so ioine the duchie of Britaine to the crowne of France: and therefore he did what he could to hinder that bargaine. Yet at length it was agréed that a forme of a league should be drawen with conditions, clauses, and couenants. And for full concluding of the same, it was thought expedient, that the king of England should send ambassadors to the French king to finish all matters betwixt them. Wherevpon the French ambassadors being dismissed with great rewards, streightwaies Thomas erle of Ormond, and Thomas Goldenston prior of Christes church in Canturburie, were appointed by the king to follow them into France, instructed fullie in althings that he would haue on his behalfe either moued or determined.

[Sidenote: Lionell bishop of Concordia sent from the pope to the French king.]

In this meane space, Lionell the bishop of Concordia was sent as oratour from pope Alexander the sixt to the French king for certeine matters: and amongst other things, he had in charge to conclude a peace and vnitie betwixt the French king and the king of England. He moouing this matter to the French king, found him nothing strange to incline to his motion. Wherevpon the bishop of Concordia conceiuing good hope, and therewith desirous (as became him best bearing that title) to set an attonement betwixt those two kings, tooke his iournie towards England, to the intent he might mooue king Henrie to be agréeable therevnto, and so comming to Calis, found the English ambassadors there, being so farre on their waie towards the French king; and being honorablie receiued of them into that towne, after they had communed togither, the bishop tooke the sea, and was transported ouer into England, and the ambassadors departed towards the French king.

[Sidenote: The duchesse of Britaine maried to K. Charles.]

After the bishop of Concordia had talked with king Henrie, and perceiued that (vpon reasonable conditions) he could be content to conclude a peace with all christian princes, and to liue in rest after so manie troubles afore time susteined, the said bishop returned backe into France to sollicit this purpose to some perfect conclusion. But the Frenchmen so handled the matter, that whilest they outwardlie shewed how they desired nothing but fréendship and amitie, they allured the yoong dutchesse of Britaine to submit hirselfe wholie to their discretion, so that shortlie after she was maried to king Charles. Now the English ambassadors, after they perceiued which waie the wind would blow, returned againe to their countrie, and nothing doone or agréed vpon in their matter.

[Sidenote: A parlement wherin king Henrie openeth the iust cause of making warres against France.]

King Henrie sore troubled in his mind therwith, determining no more with peaceable messages, but with open warre to determine all controuersies betwixt him and the French king, called his high court of parlement, and there declared the cause why hée was iustlie prouoked to make warre against the Frenchmen: and therefore desired them of their beneuolent aid of men and monie toward the maintenance therof. The cause was so iust, that euerie man allowed it; and to the setting foorth of the war taken in hand for so necessarie an occasion, euerie man promised his helping hand. The king commended them for their true and faithfull hearts. And to the intent that he might spare the poorer sort of the commons (whome he euer desired to kéepe in fauor) he thought good first to exact monie of the richest sort by waie of a beneuolence.

[Sidenote: Who first deuised the execution of monie called a beneuolence.]

[Sidenote: Sée pag. 331.]

Which kind of leuieng monie was first deuised by king Edward the fourth, as it appeareth before in his historie. King Henrie following the like example, published abroad, that by their open gifts he would measure and search their beneuolent hearts and good minds toward him; so that he that gaue most, should be iudged to be his most louing fréend; and he that gaue little, to be estéemed according to his gift. By this it appeareth, that whatsoeuer is practised for the princes profit, and brought to a president by matter of record, maie be turned to the great preiudice of the people, if rulers in authoritie will so adiudge and determine it. But by this means king Henrie got innumerable great summes of monie, with some grudge of the people, for the extremitie shewed by the commissioners in diuers places.

[Sidenote: 1491.]

[Sidenote: Albert the duke of Saxonies policie to get the towne of Dam.]

Ye haue heard before, how the lord of Rauenstein, by the aid of Bruges & Gant, had taken the towne and two castels of Sluis, which he kept against his souereigne lord Maximilian, and getting into the hauen certeine ships and barks, robbed, spoiled, & tooke prisoners the ships and vessels of all nations that passed alongest by that coast, towards the mart at Antwerpe, or into anie part of Brabant, Zeland, or Friseland, and was euer sufficientlie vittelled out of France and Picardie. There was a little towne also two miles from Bruges towards the sea, called Dam, which was a bulworke to Bruges, and an hedspring to Sluis. The king of Romans had attempted the wining of this towne diuerse times, but missed his purpose; till at length Albert duke of Saxonie, a great fréend to the king of Romans, by policie found meanes to get it.

This duke feining himselfe as a neuter betwixt the king of Romans, and the rebels of Flanders, required of the lords of Bruges, that he might enter peaceablie into their towne according to his estate, with a certeine number of men of armes, to communicate with them diuerse matters of great weight, and sent before his cariages and herbengers to make prouision. They of Bruges were in no doubt of him, so that his men of warre entered into the citie in good order, and he followed. They that went before, inquired for innes and lodgings, as though they would haue rested there all the night, and so went foorth still in order asking after lodgings, till they came at the gate that leadeth directlie toward Dam, distant from Bruges a Flemish mile, which is called the bulworke of Bruges.

[Sidenote: The duke of Saxonie sendeth for aid to king Henrie to win Sluis.]

The capteins and inhabitants of Dam suspecting no harme to come out of Bruges, thought their fréends (knowing some danger towards) had sent them aid, and so nothing mistrusting those that approched their towne, suffered them to enter, and so was the towne of Dam taken by sleight, which could not be woone by open force. This chance sore displeased them of Bruges, for now could they haue no recourse to the sea; so that they must néeds fall into ruine and decaie. The duke of Saxonie thus hauing woone the towne of Dam, sent to the king of England, that if it would please him to minister anie aid by sea, hée would besiege Sluis by land. Wherevpon the king of England, vpon due consideration of the dukes motion (as he was wise enough in all his enterprises, and no lesse fortunate in the issue of the same) would conclude nothing vpon the sudden, but (as he did alwaies) ruled his affaires by good counsell, like to the wise man commended in the holie scripture:

[Sidenote: _Gu. Ha. in Tob. 4._]

Consilio sapiens semper sua facta gubernat.

[Sidenote: Sir Edward Poinings a valiant capteine sent into Flanders with an armie.]

[Sidenote: One Vere brother to the earle of Oxford slaine.]

At last he well remembring that Sluis was a rousenest, and a verie den of théeues to them that trauersed the seas towards the east parts, incontinentlie dispatched sir Edward Poinings a right valiant knight and hardie capteine, with twelue ships well furnished with bold souldiers and sufficient artillerie. Which sir Edward sailed into the hauen, and kept the lord of Rauenstein from starting by sea. The Duke of Saxonie besieged one of the castels, lieng in a church ouer against it: and the Englishmen assaulted the lesse castell, and issued out of their ships at the ebbe, neuer suffering their enimies to rest in quiet one day togither, for the space of twentie daies, and euerie day slue some of their aduersaries; and on the English part were slaine one Vere, brother to the earle of Oxford, and fiftie more.

The lord of Rauenstein had made a bridge of botes betwéene both the castels, to passe from the one to the other; which bridge one night the Englishmen did set on fire. Then he, perceiuing that he must lose his castels by force, and that the Flemings could not aid him, yéelded the castels to sir Edward Poinings, and the towne to the duke of Saxonie, vpon certeine conditions. Sir Edward Poinings kept the castels a while, of whom the Almains demanded their wages, bicause the duke had nothing to paie. Then these two capteins so handled them of Bruges, that they not onelie submitted themselues to their lord Maximilian; but also were contented to paie and dispatch the Almains. And so sir Edward Poinings taried there a long space, and at length returned to the king before Bullogne.

[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 866._]

[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex Edw. Hull, in Hen. 7._ _fo._ xxiij. _&c._]

[Sidenote: Granado woone from the Turks or Saracens.]

The sixt day of Aprill this present yeare, the nobles of the realme assembled in the cathedrall church of S. Paule in London, where the maior of the same citie, his brethren the aldermen, and the craftesmen in their liueries also assembled: to whome doctor Morton chancellor made an oration, declaring how the king of Spaine had woone the great and rich citie & countrie of Granado from the Turks: for ioy whereof Te Deum was soong with great solemnitie. ¶ But bicause it is requisite and necessarie in this ample volume, to set downe the report of accidents as they are to be found at large in our owne English writers: you shall heare for the furtherance of your knowledge in this matter concerning Granado, what Ed. Hall hath left noted in his chronicle. Which although it conteine diuerse actions of superstition, and popish trumperie: yet should it not offend the reader, considering that a people estranged from the true knowledge of God and sincere religion put the same in practise, as supposing principall holinesse to consist in that blind deuotion.

On the sixt of Aprill (saith he) this yéere, the king commanded all the nobilitie of his realme to assemble at the cathedrall church of S. Paule in London, where (after Te Deum solemnlie soong) the cardinall of Canturburie, standing on the steps before the quier doore, declared to the people, how the famous citie of Granado, which manie yeares had béene possessed of the Moores or Mauritane nation, being infidels & vnchristened people, was now of late besieged a great time by Don Ferdinando and Elizabeth his wife, king and quéene of Spaine, Arragon, and Castile. And the said infidels, by reason of siege brought to great penurie and miserie, for lacke of vittels & necessarie viands, perceiuing that all succours were clerelie stopped and excluded from them, and so brought into vtter despaire of aid, or comfort, after long consultation had amongst them, determined to render themselues and their citie to the said king vpon diuerse couenants and conditions, and therevpon sent to him diuerse senators of the citie fullie instructed of their mind and purpose.

[Sidenote: The citie of Granado conteined an hundred and fiftie thousand houses, besides cotages & small dwellings.]

The king of Spaine and his councell, considering and sagelie pondering that winter approched & was at hand, and that the christian host had long lied in the fieldes in sore tempests and gréeuous stormes (which they gladlie suffered for Christes sake, in whose cause and quarell they made that present warre) remembring also that the citie was of such riches, fame, and estimation, that it conteined an hundred and fiftie thousand houses of name, beside other small houses and cotages; & that it was replenished with people innumerable, and furnished with thrée score and ten thousand good fighting men; and finallie, perceiuing that he might inioy now the possession of the same, without assault or effusion of christian bloud, by the aduice of his councell, he accepted, accorded, and agréed to their offers the twentie and fift of Nouember, in the yeare of Christes incarnation 1491, then being the daie of saint Katharine.

[Sidenote: Hostages deliuered to the K. of Spaine for his securitie.]

By the which composition, the roiall citie of Granado, with all the holds and fortresses of the realme, and the towers and castels of Alpussarare was rendered into the hands of the said king of Spaine; and that the king of Granado should become subiect and vassall to the king of Spaine, and to relinquish and forsake the vsurped name of a king foreuer: and that all the men of warre should frankelie depart out of the citie, and none there to remaine, but artificers and merchants: and all these things to be doone before the fiue and twentith day of Ianuarie. But the time was preuented, for the moores on the first day of Ianuarie sent six hundred notable personages out of the citie with their children for hostages into the campe of the king of Spaine, to the intent that he should put no diffidence nor mistrust in the citizens, but that he might peaceablie and quietlie with his people enter into the citie, and take possession of the same. The which hostages were distributed and lodged in the tents and pauillions of the Spanish armie.

[Sidenote: The vanquished people humblie submit th[=e]selues to the kings vicegerent, & deliuer vp the keies of the citie.]

The third of Ianuarie, the lord of Guitterins Cardenes, great master & gouernor of Lion, of the order of S. Iames, departed from the armie, noblie and triumphantlie accompanied with fiue hundred horsmen, and thrée thousand footmen toward the citie. And as he approched néere to the suburbs, there issued out diuers noble and valiant capteins of the Moores, making to him humble obeisance, and conducted him to a palace adioining to the citie, called the palace of Anaxaras, and from thence conueied him to the palace roiall of the same citie called Alhambra, whereof hée tooke quiet and peaceable possession, to the behoofe of the king of Spaine, whome the Moores promised and confessed to take and obeie as their king and souereigne lord. And in signe and token that they thought in their hearts, that which they promised by mouth; they prostrated and humbled themselues before the said great master, and with dolorous lamentation and salt teares deliuered to him the keies of the said palace.

When he had the keies, and was also possessed of that strong and magnificent place, he first of all dispatched the house of all the Moores and pagans, and appointed a garrison of valiant and noble christians, to kéepe and defend the same: and the same day caused a masse solemnlie to be celebrate in a place of the same palace called Melchita; which done and finished, he tooke possession of all the fortresses, towers, and holds to the said citie and towne of Granado belonging or appertaining. And then he caused to be erected and set vp on the highest tower of the palace (where it might best be séene) the signe and token of the crosse, whereon Christ for vs sinners suffered his bitter passion. At the raising whereof were present an archbishop and thrée bishops, with other prelats, which deuoutlie sang this antheme: O crux, aue spes vnica.

[Sidenote: The maner of the Spanish kings giuing of thanks for victorie.]

The said crosse was thrée times deuoutlie lifted, and at euerie exaltation, the Moores being within the citie, rored, howled, & cried, prostrating themselues, groueling on the ground, & making dolorous noise and pitifull outcries. The armie incamped without the citie, séeing these things, humbled themselues méekelie before the crosse, rendering to almightie God their most humble and heartie thankes. The king of Spaine, being mounted on horssebacke, perceiuing the erection of the crosse, descended from his genet, and knéeled downe on the bare ground; and rendered to God, laud, honour, and praise; for that noble and triumphant victorie. And after that the crosse was thus set vp on the high tower, the banner of saint Iames, and the kings banners were pitched and fixed vpon the turrets and pinacles of the citie: an herald standing in the top of the high tower, proclaming and publishing these words following.

[Sidenote: The Spaniards reiosing & triumphing after the conquest of the Moores.]

"Saint Iames, saint Iames, saint Iames; Castile, Castile, Castile; Granado, Granado, Granado. By high and mightie power, lord Ferdinando and Elizabeth, king and quéene of Spaine, haue woone from the infidels and Moores the citie and realme of Granado, through the helpe of our Lord God, & the most glorious virgin his mother, and the vertuous apostle S. Iames and the holie father Innocent the eight, togither with the aids and succours of the great prelats, knights, and other gentlemen borne, and commons of their realmes and countries." When the herald had finished, the artillerie sounded, the minstrels blew, the people applauded and clapped their hands, for gladnesse, that the earth séemed to tremble and quake vnderneath them.

After this ioy ended, there issued out of the citie in maner of procession, seuen hundred and mo christians, as well men, as women and children, which had bin there prisoners and liued in bonds, seruitude, and miserable captiuitie, whereof the most part were naked, wounded, and in maner famished for hunger. To whome the king (of his great liberalitie) gaue both apparell, viands and monie. These poore prisoners comming out of the citie sang this psalme; Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel, qui visitauit & fecit redemptionem pledis suæ; Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath visited and redéemed his people. And so singing foorth the psalme, went to the church of saint Faith, which the king Ferdinando had caused to bée most sumptuouslie edified during the time of the siege, being distant from Granado two or thrée miles.

[Sidenote: The lord Euerus de M[=e]doza made capteine of the house roiall.]

Now as this poore procession passed by the host, one espied his sonne, and another saw his brother; and the son perceiued the father, and the father found the daughter, which were now deliuered out of miserable seruitude and bondage. But they could not refraine nor bridle themselues from distilling of teares and sobbing, séeing their parents and kinsfolke restored to libertie & fréedome. And when these people had said their orisons in the church of saint Faith, and were come to the armie, they knéeled before the king, kissed his féet, crieng with one voice; God grant to the king of Spaine euerlasting life. The next daie after the lord Euerus de Mendoza, earle of Tendiglie, was by the king made capteine of the house roiall and principall tower of the citie of Granado, called Alhambra, hauing to him appointed and assigned one thousand men of armes, and two thousand footmen. Vnto the which earle, the great master deliuered the keies of the said palace and tower, and other ports and fortresses.

[Sidenote: A great number of states with their traine enter triumphantlie into Granado to take reall possession.]