of Glocester, for my truth & acquitall, said late, I would giue in
writing (my right redoubted lord) vnto your highnesse, aduertising your
excellencie, of such things in part, as haue béene doone in your tender
age, in derogation of your noble estate, and hurt of both your realmes,
and yet be doone and vsed dailie.
2 First, the cardinall then being bishop of Winchester, tooke vpon him
the state of cardinall, which was naied and denaied him, by the king
of most noble memorie, my lord your father (whome God assoile) saieng
that he had as léefe set his crowne beside him, as sée him weare a
cardinals hat, he being a cardinall. For he knew full well, the pride
and ambition that was in his person, then being but a bishop, should
haue so greatlie extolled him into more intollerable pride, when that
he were a cardinall: and also he thought it against his fréedome, of
the chéefe church of this realme, which, that he worshipped, as dulie
as euer did prince, that blessed be his soule. And howbeit, that my
said lord your father (whome God assoile) would haue agréed him to haue
had certeine clearks of this land cardinals, and to haue no bishoprikes
in England; yet his intent was neuer to doo so great derogation to
the church of Canturburie, to make them that were his suffragans, to
sit aboue their ordinarie and metropolitan. But the cause was that in
generall, and in all matters which might concerne the weale of him, and
of his realme, he should haue proctors of his nation, as other kings
Christen had, in the court of Rome, and not to abide in this land, nor
to be in anie part of his councels, as béene all the spirituall and
temporall, at parlements and other great councels, when you list to
call them. And therefore, though it please you to doo him that worshop,
to set him in your priuie councell after your pleasure: yet in your
parlement, where euerie lord both spirituall and temporall, hath his
place, he ought to occupie but his place as a bishop.
3 Item, the said bishop, now being cardinall, was assoiled of his
bishoprike of Winchester, wherevpon he sued vnto our holie father, to
haue a bull declaratorie, notwithstanding he was assumpt to the state
of cardinall, that the sée was not void, where in déed it stood void
by a certeine time, yet the said bull were granted; and so he was
exempt from his ordinarie, by the taking on him the state of Cardinall,
and the church bishoprike of Winchester, so standing void, he tooke
againe of the pope (you not learned thereof ne knowing whereby he was
fallen into the case of prouision) so that all his good was lawfullie
& cléerlie forfeited to you my right doubted lord, with more; as the
statute declareth plainelie for your aduantage.
4 Item, it is not vnknowen to you (doubted lord) how thorough your
lands it is noised, that the said cardinall and the archbishop of Yorke
had and haue the gouernance of you, and all your land, the which none
of your true liege men ought to vsurpe nor take vpon them. And haue
also estranged me your sole vncle, my cousine of Yorke, my coosine of
Huntington, and manie other lords of your kin, to haue anie knowledge
of anie great matter, that might touch your high estate, or either
of your realmes. And of lords spirituall, of right, the archbishop
of Canturburie should be your chéefe councellor, the which is also
estranged and set aside. And so be manie other right sad lords, and
well aduised, as well spirituall as temporall, to the great hurt of you
my right doubted lord, and of your realmes, like as the experience and
workes shewen cléerelie and euidentlie, more harme it is.
5 Item, in the tender age of you, my right doubted lord, for the
necessitie of an armie, the said cardinall lent you foure thousand
pounds vpon certeine iewels, prised at two and twentie thousand markes,
with a letter of sale, that and they were not quited at a certeine
daie, you should léese them. The said cardinall séeing your monie
readie to haue quited your iewels, caused your treasuror of England,
at that daie being, to paie the same monie, in part of an other armie,
in defrauding you my right doubted lord of your said iewels, kéeping
them yet all awaie to his owne vse, to your right great losse, and his
singular profit and auaile.
6 Item, the said cardinall, then being bishop of Winchester, and
chancellour of England, deliuered the king of Scots, vpon certeine
appointments (as maie be shewed) presumptuouslie, and of his owne
authoritie, contrarie to the act of parlement. I haue heard notable
men of law say, that they neuer heard the like thing doone among them:
which was too great a defamation to your highnesse, and also to wed
his néece to the said king, whom that my lord of notable memorie, your
father, whome God assoile, would neuer haue so deliuered. And there
as he should haue paid for his costs fortie thousand pounds, the said
cardinall, chancellour of England, caused you to pardon him thereof ten
thousand marks, whereof the greater summe he paied you, right a little,
what, I report me to your highnesse.
7 Item, where the said cardinall lent you, my redoubted lord, great and
notable summes, he hath had and his assignes, the rule and profit of
the port of Hampton, where the customers béene his seruants, where (by
likelihood and as it is to be supposed) standing the chéefe merchant of
the wools of your land, that you be greatlie defrauded, and vnder that
rule, what wools and other merchandizes haue béene shipped, and maie be
from time to time, hard is to estéeme, to the great hurt and preiudice
of you my right doubted lord, and of all your people.
8 Item, howbeit that the said cardinall hath diuerse times lent you
great summes of monie, since the time of your reigne, yet his loane
hath béene so deferred and delaied, that for the most part, the
conuenable season of the imploieng of the good lent was passed. So that
litle fruit or none came thereof, as by experience both your realmes
haue sufficientlie in knowledge.
9 Item, where there was iewels and plate prised at eleuen thousand
pounds in weight, of the said cardinall, forfeited to you my right
redoubted lord, he gat him a restorement thereof for a loane of a
little parcell of the same: and so defrauded you wholie of them, to
your great hurt, and his auaile, the which good might greatlie haue
eased your highnesse, in sparing as much of the poore commons.
10 Item, the cardinall being feoft of my said lord your father (whome
God assoile) against his intent, gaue Elizabeth Beauchampe, thrée
hundred markes liuelihood, where that his will was, that and she were
wedded within a yeare, then to haue it, or else not, where in déed it
was two or thrée years after, to your great hurt, and diminishing of
your inheritance.
11 Item, notwithstanding that the said cardinall hath no maner of
authoritie nor interest in the crowne, nor none maie haue by anie
possibilitie; yet he presumeth and taketh vpon him in partie, your
estate roiall, in calling before him, into great abusion of all your
land, and derogation of your highnesse, which hath not béene séene nor
vsed in no daies heretofore, in greater estate than he is, without your
expresse ordinance and commandement.
12 Item, the said cardinall, nothing considering the necessitie of you
my right doubted lord, hath sued a pardon of dismes, that he should
paie for the church of Winchester, for terme of his life, giuing
thereby occasion to all other lords spirituall, to draw their good will
for anie necessitie, to grant anie disme: and so to laie all the charge
vpon the temporaltie, and the poore people.
13 Item, by the gouernance and labour of the said cardinall, and
archbishop of Yorke, there hath béene lost and dispended much notable
and great good, by diuerse ambassadors sent out of this realme. First
to Arras, for a feigned colourable peace, whereas by likelinesse it
was thought and supposed, that it should neuer turne to the effectuall
auaile of you my right doubted lord, nor to your said realmes: but
vnder colour thereof, was made the peace of your aduersarie, and the
duke of Burgognie. For else your partie aduerse, & the said duke, might
not well haue found meanes nor waies to haue communed togither, nor
to haue concluded with other their confederations and conspirations
made and wrought there, then, at that time, against your highnesse,
whereby you might haue (right doubted lord) the greater partie of
your obeisance, as well in your realme of France, as in your duchie
of Normandie, and much other thing gone greatlie, as through the said
colourable treatie, & otherwise, since the death of my brother of
Bedford (whome God assoile.)
14 Item, now of late was sent an other ambassador to Calis, by the
labour and counsell of the said cardinall, and archbishop of Yorke, the
cause why of the beginning, is to me your sole vncle, and other lords
of your kin and councell vnknowen, to your great charge, and against
the publike good of your realme; as it openlie appeareth. The which
good if it be imploied for the defense of your lands, the merchandizes
of the same might haue had other course, and your said lands not to
haue stand in so great mischéefe as they doo.
15 Item, after that, to your great charge, and hurt of both your
realmes, the said cardinall & archbishop of Yorke went to your said
towne of Calis, and diuerse lords of your kin, and of your councell
in their fellowship, and there, as there was naturall warre betwéene
the duke of Orleance, and the duke of Burgognie, for murther of their
fathers, a capitall enimitie like to haue indured for euer: the said
cardinall and archbishop of Yorke licenced and suffered the said duke
of Orleance, to intreat and common apart with the councell of your
said aduersaries, as well as with the duchies of Burgognie: by which
meane the peace and aliance was made betwéene the two dukes, to the
greatest fortifieng of your said capitall aduersaries that could be
thought, and consequentlie (my déere redoubted lord) to your greatest
charge, and hurt to both your realmes. Vnder colour of which treatie,
your said aduersaries in meane time wan your citie of Meaux, and the
countrie thereabout, and manie diuerse roades made into your duchie of
Normandie, to the great noisance and destruction of your people, as it
sheweth openlie.
16 Item, the said archbishop of Yorke, sent with other into this your
realme from the said cardinall, after communication had with your
aduerse partie, at your said towne of Calis, made at his comming
into your notable presence at Windesor, all the suasions and colour,
all motions in the most apparant wise that he could, to induce
your highnesse to your agréement, to the desires of your capitall
aduersaries, as I saw there in your noble presence of his writing, at
which time (as I vnderstood) it was his singular opinion, that is to
saie: that you should leaue your right, your title, and your honour
of your crowne, and nomination of you king of France, during certeine
yeares, & that you should vtterlie absteine you and be content onelie
in writing, with Rex Angliæ, &c. to the great note of infamie that
euer fell to you or anie of your noble progenitours, since the taking
of them first, the said title and right of your realme and crowne of
France. To which matter in your presence there, after that it had liked
your said highnesse, to aske mine aduise therevpon, with other of your
blood and councell; I answerd and said, that I would neuer agrée me
thereto to die therfore, and of the same disposition I am yet, and will
be while I liue in conseruation of your honour, and of your oth made
vnto your said crowne, in time of your coronation there.
17 Item, the said cardinall and archbishop of Yorke, haue so laboured
vnto your highnesse, that you should intend to a new daie of
conuention, in March or Aprill next comming, where it is noised to be
more against your worship than with it. And where it was euident to
all the world, that the rupture and breaking of the said peace, should
haue fallen heretofore, of your aduerse partie; because of the great
vntruths. Now by that meanes it is like peraduenture to be laid vnto
the verie great slander of you my doubted lord, like to come to none
other purpose nor effect, than other conuentions haue doone afore time:
and so by subtilties and counsell of your said enimies, your land (they
in hope and trust of the said treatie, not mightilie nor puissantlie
purueied for) shall be like vnder the colour of the same treatie to be
burnt vp and destroied, lost, and vtterlie turned from your obeisance.
18 Item it is said, that the deliuerance of the said duke of Orleance,
is vtterlie appointed by the mediation, counsell, and stirring of the
said cardinall and archbishop of Yorke; and for that cause diuerse
persons béene come from your aduersaries, into this your realme, and
the said duke also brought to your citie of London, where as my lord
your father (whom God assoile) peising so greatlie the inconueniences;
and harme that might fall, onlie by his deliuerance, concluded,
ordeined, and determined in his last will, vtterlie in his wisedome,
his conquest in his realme of France. And yet then it is to be doone,
by as great deliberation, solemnitie and suertie, as may be deuised
or thought. And séeing now the disposition of your realme of France,
the puissance and might of your enimies, and what aid they haue gotten
against you there, aswell vnder the colour of the said treatie, as
otherwise; what may or ought to be thought or said, for that laboring
the said duke (all things considered) by such particular persons, the
lords of your bloud not called therevnto, I report me vnto your noble
grace and excellencie, and vnto the said wise true men of this your
realme.
19 Item, where that euerie true councellor, speciallie vnto anie
king or prince, ought of truth and of dutie, to counsell, promote,
increase, prefer, and aduance the weale and prosperitie of his lord:
the said cardinall, being of your councell (my right doubted lord)
hath late purchased of your highnesse, certeine great lands and
liuelod: as the castell and lordship of Chirke in Wales, and other
lands in this your realme; vnto which I was called suddenlie, and so
in eschewing the breaking and losse of your armies then againe, séeing
none other remedie, gaue therevnto mine assent, thinking that who that
euer laboured, moued or stirred the matter first vnto your lordship,
counselled you neither for your worship nor profit.
20 More, the said cardinall hath you bound apart, to make him a sure
estate of all the said lands, by Easter next comming, as could be
deuised by anie learned counsell; or else that suertie not made, the
said cardinall to haue and enioy to him, and his heirs for euermore,
the lands of the duchie of Lancaster, in Norffolke, to the value of
seuen or eight hundred marks by yeare. Which thing séemeth right
strange and vnséene, and vnhard waies of anie liege man, to séeke
vpon his souereigne lord, both in his inheritance and in his iewels
and goods. For it is thought, but if right and extreame necessitie
caused it, there should, nor ought no such things to be doone: from
which necessitie God (for his mercie) euer preserue your noble person.
Wherfore my redoubted lord, séeing that ye should be so counselled,
or stirred to leaue your crowne and inheritance in England; and also
by fraud and subtill meanes, as is afore rehearsed, so to lose your
iewels: in my truth and in mine acquitall (as me séemeth) I may not nor
ought not counsell so great an hurt to you and to all your land.
21 Item, it is not vnknowen to you my right doubted lord, how
oftentimes I haue offered my seruice, to and for the defense of your
realme of France, and duchie of Normandie, where I haue béene put
there-from by the labour of the said cardinall, in preferring other
after his singular affection. Which hath caused a great part of the
said duchie of Normandie, aswell as of your realme of France to be
lost, as it is well knowen. And what good (my right doubted lord)
was lost on that armie that last sent thither, which the earle of
Mortaigne, your councell of France, hath well & cléerelie declared to
your highnesse here before?
22 Item, my right doubted lord, it is not vnknowen, that it had not
béene possible to the said cardinall, to haue come to his great
riches, but by such meanes, for of his church it might not rise, and
inheritance he had none. Wherfore my right doubted lord, sith there is
great good behouefull at this time, for the weale and safegard of your
realmes, the pouertie, necessitie, & indigence of your liege people; in
highnesse vnderstand, like it vnto your noble grace, to consider the
said lucre of the said cardinall, and the great deceipts that you be
receiued in by the labour of him & of the archbishop, aswell in this
your realme as in your realme of France and duchie of Normandie, where
neither office, liuelod, nor capteine may be had, without too great
good giuen vnto him, wherby a great part of all the losse that is lost,
they haue béene the causers of; for who that would giue most, his was
the price, not considering the merits, seruice, nor sufficiance of
persons. Furthermore, it is greatlie to be considered, how, when the
said cardinall had forfeited all his goods, bicause of prouision, as
the statute therevpon more plainelie declareth; by hauing the rule of
you my right doubted lord, purchased himselfe in great defraudation of
your highnesse, a charter of pardon, the which good and it had be well
gouerned, might manie yeares haue susteined your warres, without anie
tallage of your poore people.
23 Item, my redoubted lord, whereas I write much thing for the weale
of you and of your realms, peraduenture some will saie and vnderstand,
that I would or haue written by waie of accusement of all your
councell, which God knoweth, I doo not: for your highnesse may well
sée, that I name them that be causers of the said inordinate rule.
Wherfore, considering that the said cardinall and archbishop of Yorke
béene they, that pretend the gouernance of you, and of your realmes
and lordships: please it vnto your highnesse, of your right wisenesse
to estrange them of your councell, to that intent, that men may be at
their fréedome, to say what they thinke of truth.
24 For truth, I dare speake of my truth, the poore dare not doo so. And
if the cardinall and the archbishop of Yorke, may afterward declare
themselues, of that is, and shalbe said of them; you my right doubted
lord may then restore them againe to your councell, at your noble
pleasure.
* * * * *
When the king had heard the accusations thus laid by the duke of
Glocester against the cardinall, he committed the examination thereof
to his councell, whereof the more part were spirituall persons; so
that what for feare, and what for fauor, the matter was winked at, and
nothing said to it: onelie faire countenance was made to the duke, as
though no malice had béene conceiued against him. But venem will breake
out, & inward grudge will soone appeare, which was this yeare to all
men apparant: for diuers secret attempts were aduanced forward this
season against this noble man Humfreie duke of Glocester a far off,
which in conclusion came so néere, that they béereft him both of life
and land; as shall hereafter more plainelie appéere.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex Polychron._]
[Sidenote: _Alias_ Iohn Hum.]
For first this yeare, dame Eleanor Cobham, wife to the said duke, was
accused of treason; for that she by sorcerie and inchantment intended
to destroie the king, to the intent to aduance hir husband vnto the
crowne. Vpon this, she was examined in saint Stephans chappell before
the bishop of Canturburie, and there by examination conuict, and iudged
to doo open penance in thrée open places within the citie of London.
[Polychronicon saith she was inioined to go through Cheapside with a
taper in hir hand] and after that adiudged to perpetuall imprisonment
in the Ile of Man, vnder the kéeping of sir Iohn Stanlie knight. At the
same season were arrested, arreigned, and adiudged giltie, as aiders
to the duchesse, Thomas Southwell priest, and canon of S. Stephans at
Westminster, Iohn Hun priest, Roger Bolingbrooke a cunning necromancer
(as it was said) and Margerie Iordeine, surnamed the witch of Eie.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._]
[Sidenote: King Edward the fourth borne.]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._]
[Sidenote: A great fraie by night.]
The matter laid against them, was, for that they (at the request of
the said duchesse) had deuised an image of wax representing the king,
which by their sorcerie by little and little consumed, intending
thereby in conclusion to waste and destroie the kings person. Margerie
Iordeine was burnt in Smithfield, and Roger Bolingbrooke was drawne to
Tiborne, and hanged and quartered; taking vpon his death that there was
neuer anie such thing by them imagined. Iohn Hun had his pardon, and
Southwell died in the Tower the night before his execution: [for (saith
Polychr.) he did prophesie of himselfe, that he should die in his
bed, and not by iustice.] The duke of Glocester bare all these things
patientlie, and said little. Edward sonne to the duke of Yorke was
borne this yeare the nine and twentith of Aprill at Rone, his father
being the kings lieutenant in Normandie. ¶ In this yeare was a great
fraie in Fléetstréet in the night time, betwéene gentlemen of courts
and inhabitants of London; insomuch that much bloud was spilt, diuerse
slaine outright, and some mortallie wounded; besides great harme
otherwise doone and suffered.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex Fabian._ 438.]
[Sidenote: Tailors malepertnesse at the election of an alderman.]
¶ Vpon the daie of the translation of saint Edward, or the twelfth
of October, vpon which daie the maior and his brethren for the yeare
following, and daie when the commoners of the citie, after their
ancient custome had chosen two aldermen, such as before had béene
shiriffes of London and of Middlesex, namelie Robert Clopton draper,
and Rafe Holland tailor, and them presented by name vnto the maior
and his brethren, then sitting in the vtter chamber where the maiors
courts be kept, to the intent that the said maior and his brethren
might choose one of the said two, such as they thought most necessarie
and worshipfull for the roome; the said maior and his brethren choosing
Robert Clopton, brought him after downe vpon his right hand towards
the hall. Whereof when certeine tailors there present were aware, and
saw that Rafe Holland was not chosen, anon they cried; Nay, nay: not
this, but Rafe Holland. Wherewith the old maior being astonished, stood
still vpon the staire, and commanded them to kéepe silence, and so held
on his waie to the east end of the hall, where he sat him downe, and
his brethren about him. In the meane time, the said tailors continued
their crie, and incensed others of base trades of the citie (as
simple persons) to take their part, and to crie as fast as they, not
proffering to cease their misrule for all that the maior could saie, no
nor yet when the maiors sergeant at armes had cried O-yes. Herevpon the
maior, to appease the rumor, sent downe the shiriffes, and commanded
them to take the offendors, and send them to the goale; which precept
was fulfilled, & about twelue or sixtéene of the principall committed
to Newgate, where some of them abode a long time imprisoned; and others
that were fined set at libertie. This is reported by Polychronicon, but
in somewhat a differing maner.
[Sidenote: 1442]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 21.]
[Sidenote: Iohn lord Talbot created earle of Shrewesburie.]