certeine houses in Fulnaie with a little pillage retired into Britaine.
The Scots also (busie like flies where no flap to fraie them) entered
into Northumberland (king Iames the second being there in person) &
burned certeine poore houses, and litte cottages: but in the verie
middest of their great enterprise, they hearing of the duke of Yorkes
marching toward them with a great host, with much paine and no gaine
in all hast returned to their countrie. But now to passe ouer outward
inuasions, & to intreat of the dailie disorder amongest the nobles at
home. So was it, that a great conflict fell betwéene the lord Egremond,
& the sonnes of the erle of Salisburie; in which manie persons were
slaine, & a great number hurt. The lord Egremond, séeking to get awaie
but could not, by force was taken & brought before the councell: where
the king and the quéene, to shew themselues indifferent, adiudged him
to paie to the earle of Salisburie a great summe of monie; and for his
heinous offense against the lawes, was committed to Newgate in London,
out of which he escaped, to the great trouble of the shiriffes.
[Sidenote: A practise to haue intrapped the duke of Yorke.]
The quéene nothing more séeking than the ouerthrow of the duke of
Yorke and his friends, and perceiuing she could attempt nothing
against him néere to London, because the duke was in more estimation
there, than either the king hir husband, or hir selfe; therefore she
caused the king to make a progresse into Warwikeshire for his health
and recreation. And so in semblance of hawking and hunting came to
Couentrée, where diuerse waies were studied to fulfill the quéenes
desire: for the accomplishing whereof, the duke of Yorke, the earles of
Salisburie, and Warwike (whose destructions was chieflie sought) were
sent for to Couentrée by the kings letters, vnder his priuie seale,
to which place the said lords without suspicion of danger obedientlie
resorted.
But being admonished by secret friends, what was intended against them,
they by flight auoided that danger, where otherwise their liues had
béene lost without all remedie. And so without bidding anie farewell,
they departed from the court; the duke vnto Wigmoore in the marches
of Wales, the earle of Salisburie to his castell of Middleham in the
north, and the earle of Warwike sailed to Calis. The bodies of which
thrée noble personages though thus separated, yet their hearts knit in
one, and still went messengers & letters betwixt them, to communicat
their deuises, and giue signification of their minds and purposes.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 36.]
[Sidenote: 1458]
[Sidenote: The bishop abiured for moouing against the popes extortion.]
[Sidenote: _W. P._]
In this yéere Reginald Peacocke bishop of Chichester, abiured at Paules
crosse, all his bookes burnt, and he himselfe commanded to kéepe his
owne house during his naturall life: because that he (verie well
learned, and better stomached) began to mooue questions, not priuilie
but openlie, in the vniuersities, concerning the annates, Peter pence,
and other iurisdictions & authorities, which the pope vsurped; and not
onelie put foorth such questions, but declared his mind and opinion in
the same. Some saie he held that spirituall persons by Gods law ought
to haue no temporall possessions, nor that personall tithes by Gods
law were due [nor that christian men were to beléeue in the catholike
church, nor in the communion of saints, but to beléeue that a catholike
church and a communion of saints there is] and that he held how the
vniuersall church might erre in matters of faith; and that it is not of
necessitie to beléeue all that which is ordeined by generall councels,
nor all that which they call the vniuersall church ought to be allowed
and holden of all christian people.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 682, 683, 684, 685, 686, in Quart._]
Moreouer, that it was méet to euerie man to vnderstand the scriptures
in the true and plaine sense, & none bound to glosses of anie other
sense, vpon anie necessitie of saluation. ¶ But because I find a
larger report héereof elsewhere, and as more methodicall, so also (as
it séemeth) in such forme as it was Res gesta, a déed doone, it shall
not be amisse to insert the same. This bishop was a secular doctor
of diuinitie, that had labored manie yéeres to translate the holie
scripture into English, & was accused to haue passed the bounds of
diuinitie and christian beléefe in certeine articles, of the which he
was conuict before the archbishop of Canturburie, and other bishops
and clearks, and after vtterlie abiured, reuoked, and renounced those
articles openlie at Paules crosse in his mother toong on the fourth day
of December, as followeth.
The forme of his abiuration.
In the name of the trinitie, father, sonne, and holie-ghost, I Reinold
Peacocke bishop of Chichester vnworthie, of mine owne power and will
without anie maner coaction or dread, confesse and knowledge that I
here, before this time, presuming of my naturall wit, and preferring
my iudgement and naturall reason before the new and the old testament,
and the authoritie & determination of our mother holie church, haue
held, written and taught otherwise than the holie Romane and vniuersall
church teacheth, preacheth, or obserueth. And one is against the true
catholike and apostles faith, I haue written, taught, and published
manie & diuerse perilous doctrines, books, works, and writings,
conteining heresies and errors, contrarie to the faith catholike,
and determination of holie church: and speciallie these heresies and
errours following, that is to saie in particular.
In primis, quòd non est de necessitate fidei credere, quòd dominus
noster Iesus Christus post mortem descendit ad inferos.
Item, quòd non est de necessitate salutis credere in sanctorum
communionem.
Item, quòd ecclesia vniuersalis potest errare in hijs quæ sunt fidei.
Item, quòd non est de necessitate salutis credere & tenere illud,
quòd consilium generale & vniuersalis ecclesia statuit, approbat, seu
determinat, in fauorem fidei, & ad salutem animarum, est ab vniuersis
Christi fidelibus approbandum & tenendum.
Wherefore I miserable sinner, which here before long time haue walked
in darkenesse, and now by the mercie and infinit goodnesse of God
reduced into the right waie, and light of truth, and considering my
selfe gréeuouslie haue sinned and wickedlie haue informed and infected
the people of God, returne and come againe to the vnitie of our mother
holie church, and all heresies and errors written and conteined in my
said books, works and writings, here solemnelie and openlie reuoke &
renounce. Which heresies and errors, and all other spices of heresies
I haue before this time before the most reuerend father in God, and
my good lord of Canturburie, in diuerse and lawfull forme iudiciallie
abiured, submitting my selfe, being then and also now at this time
verie contrite and penitent sinner, to the correction of the church and
of my said lord of Canturburie.
And ouer this, exhorting & requiring in the name & vertue of almightie
God, in the saluation of your soules and mind, that no man hereafter
giue faith and credence to my said pernicious doctrines, heresies and
errors; neither my said books kéepe, hold, or read in anie wise; but
that they all such books, works and writings suspect of heresies,
deliuer in all goodlie hast vnto my said lord of Canturburie, or to
his commissioners and deputies, in eschewing of manie inconueniences
and great perils of soules, the which else might be cause of the
contrarie. And ouer this declaration of my conuersion and repentance,
I here openlie assent, that my said books, works, and writings, for
declaration and cause aboue rehearsed, be deputed vnto the fire, and
openlie burnt in example and terror of all other, &c.
* * * * *
After this, he was depriued of his bishoprike, hauing a certeine
pension assigned vnto him for to liue on in an abbeie, and soone after
died. His books were intituled: 1 Of christian religion, and a booke
perteining therevnto. 2 Of matrimonie. 3 Iust expressing of holie
scripture, diuided into thrée parts. 4 The donet of christian religion.
5 The follower of the donet. 6 The booke of faith. 7 The booke filling
the foure tables. 8 The booke of worshipping. 9 The prouoker of
christian men. 10 The booke of councell.
[Sidenote: The quéenes atturnie slain.]
[Sidenote: Iusting in the Tower of London.]
In the moneth of Ianuarie died the earle of Deuonshire in the abbeie of
Abindon, poisoned (as men said) being there at that time with quéene
Margaret, to appease the malice betwéene the yoong lords, whose fathers
wée slaine at saint Albons, and they that held with the duke of Yorke.
The thirtéenth of Aprill there was a great fraie in Fléetstréet,
betwéene men of court and the inhabitants of the same stréet, in which
fraie the quéenes atturnie was slaine. For this fact the king committed
the principall gouernours of Furniuals, Cliffords, and Barnards In to
prison in the castell of Hertford; and William Tailor alderman of that
ward, with manie other were sent to Windsor castell the seuenth of
Maie. On thursdaie in Whitsunwéeke, the duke of Summerset with Anthonie
Riuers and other foure kept iustes before the quéene in the Tower of
London against thrée esquiers of the quéenes. And in like maner at
Gréenewich the sundaie following.
King Henrie and his councell, perceiuing the duke of Yorke laie
still and stirred not, returned to London, and there called a great
councell, openlie declaring how the French and Scots (imboldened by the
ciuill discord within this realme) attempted to annoie the same, as
of late they had shewed apparant tokens, and likelie not ceasse vpon
occasions to doo further displeasures, till a perfect concord were
concluded betwéene him and his fréends, and those of the contrarie
part and confederacie. And to the intent that he would be the chéefe
author of peace, he promised of his dignitie so to interteine the duke
of Yorke and his fréends, that all old grudges should be not onelie
inwardlie forgotten, but also outwardlie forgiuen, which should be
cause of perpetuall loue and assured amitie.
[Sidenote: The péeres of the realme called to a treatie.]
This deuise was of all men iudged for the best. Wherevpon diuerse
graue persons were sent to the duke of Yorke, and all other the great
estates of the realme, who since the battell of saint Albons neuer met
nor communed togither, commanding them for great causes to repaire to
the kings court without delaie. At his commandement came to London
Richard duke of Yorke, with foure hundred men, and was lodged at
Bainards castell being his owne house; and after him came the earle of
Salisburie with fiue hundred men, and was likewise lodged at his owne
house called the Herbour. Then came the dukes of Excester and Summerset
with eight hundred men, and were lodged without Temple barre; and the
earle of Northumberland, the lord Egremond, and the lord Clifford came
with fiftéene hundred men, and lodged without the citie. The earle
of Warwike also came from Calis with six hundred men in red iackets,
imbrodered with white ragged staues behind and before, and was lodged
at the graie friers.
[Sidenote: The prouidence of the citie for safegard of peace.]
Thus were all those of the one part lodged within the citie, and those
of the other without, in Holborne towards Westminster, and in other
places of the suburbs, all vpon wise consideration: for that the
Yorke faction and the Lancastrians could not well haue béene mingled
without danger of discord. After that these lords were thus come vnto
London, the king and the quéene shortlie followed, comming thither the
seuentéenth daie of March, and lodged in the bishops palace. Bicause
no riotous attempt or bickering should be begun betwéene anie of the
parties or their retinues, the maior and aldermen of the citie kept
great watch, as well by daie as by night, riding about the citie by
Holborne, and Fléetstréet, with fiue thousand men well armed and
arraied, to sée good order and peace on all sides kept.
[Sidenote: The lords are brought to agrée.]
The lords which lodged within the citie held a dailie councell
at blacke friers; the other part soiourning without the walles,
assembled likewise in the chapiter house at Westminster. At length
by the diligent trauell and good exhortation of the archbishop of
Canturburie, and other prelats; both parties were persuaded to come to
communication, and so did. Where, after long debating of grieuances
on both sides, they promising to forget all old rancors, and to be
fréends each to other, & both obedient to the king, were accorded by
award, wherof writings were sealed, signed, and deliuered to effect as
followeth.
The award made at Westminster on the thrée and twentith of March, Anno
regni regis 36.
[Sidenote: The clergie were sure in those daies to loose nothing by
these contentions howsoeuer the world went.]
First, that at the costs, charges, and expenses of the duke of Yorke,
the earles of Warwike, and Salisburie, fourtie & fiue pounds of
yearelie rent should be assured by waie of a mortisement for euer,
vnto the monasterie of S. Albons, for suffrages and obits to be
kept, and almes to be imploied for the soules of Edmund late duke of
Summerset, Henrie late erle of Northumberland, and Thomas late lord
Clifford late slaine in the battell of saint Albons, and buried in the
abbeie church, and also for the soules of all other slaine in the same
battell. The said duke of Summerset, the earle of Northumberland, and
lord Clifford, by vertue of the same award, were declared for true and
faithfull liegemen to the king, and so to be holden and reputed in the
daie of their deaths, aswell as the said duke of Yorke, the earles of
Warwike and Salisburie.
Moreouer it was decréed, that the duke of Yorke should giue to Elenor
duchesse of Summerset, and to Henrie duke of Summerset hir sonne, the
summe of fiue thousand markes of good assignements of debts, which the
king owght him for his wages, due during the time of his seruice in
Ireland, to be diuided as the king should thinke conuenient, betwixt
the brethren & sisters of the said duke of Summerset. Also that the
earle of Warwike should giue vnto the lord Clifford, the summe of a
thousand markes, in good and sufficient assignements of debts, which
the king owght him, to be distributed betwixt the said lord Clifford
his brethren and sisters.
[Sidenote: The lord Egremond.]
Also where Thomas Persie knight, lord Egremond, and Richard Persie his
brother, sonnes of the ladie Elenor countesse of Northumberland, had
béen in a sessions holden within the countie of Yorke before Richard
Bingham, and Rafe Pole the kings iustices and other commissioners,
condemned vnto the earle of Salisburie in the summe of eight thousand
markes; and to the same earle, and to his wife Alice in the summe of
fiue thousand marks; and to Thomas Neuill knight, son to the said earle
of Salisburie, in the summe of a thousand marks; and to the said Thomas
and Mawd his wife, in the summe of two thousand marks; and to Iohn
Neuill knight, sonne to the said earle of Salisburie, in the summe of
eight hundred marks: for transgressions and trespasses there found to
be doone by the said lord Egremond, and Richard his brother, vnto the
said earle of Salisburie, Alice, Thomas Neuill, Mawd and Iohn Neuill,
as by the record appéered.
[Sidenote: They were shiriffes, an. 1456.]
It was ordeined, that the said earle and his sonnes should release all
the said summes of monie, and the executions thereof, and likewise
release vnto Rafe Verneie, and Iohn Steward late shiriffes of London,
vnto whose custodie the said lord Egremond had béene for the same
condemnations committed and from them escaped, all actions which they
or anie of them might haue against the said Verneie and Steward for
the same escape. Yet it was decréed by this award, that the said lord
Egremond should be bound by recognisance in the chancerie, to kéepe
the peace toward the said erle and his wife, children, seruants, and
tenants.
Also were diuerse knights, esquiers, and other seruants and tenants to
the said earle of Northumberland, and to the said lord Egremond, were
by their seuerall obligations bound, by occasion of the said debates,
vnto the said duke of Yorke, earle of Salisburie, or anie of their
children, to stand to their order and gouernement; it was ordeined that
the same obligations should be deliuered to them that so stood bound,
before the feast of saint Peter ad vincula next insuing at the citie
of Yorke; or else that the parties so bound, should haue sufficient
acquitances in discharge of the same obligations.
It was further awarded, that all variances, discords, debates,
controuersies, appeales, and actions personals, that were or had béene
betwixt any of the said persons, or any of their seruants, or tenants,
should be for euer determined & ended, sauing to euerie one his title,
action and right, which he had by any euidence of arrerages of rents or
seruices, accounts, detinues, or debts due by reason of anie lawfull
contract or déed, had and made for anie reasonable considerations,
other than the variance before said.
And for the more assurance of both parties, it was ordeined that either
should release to other all maner of actions, that were méere personals
and appeales, which anie of them might haue against the other, by
reason of the variances and discords before mentioned.
Also it was decréed, that if anie action, sute or quarell chanced
betwixt anie of the seruants or tenants of anie of the parties, for
matter or title supposed to be had, occasioned or mooued before this
time; that from thenceforth, none of the said parties should mainteine,
support, or aid any of them that will so sue and mooue strife and
debate: but should rather so deale, as the matter may be brought to
peace and quietnesse.
It was further awarded, that if anie man complained, pretended, or
surmised, that this award was not kept, but in some point broken
by anie of the parties, for the which breach he would haue a Scire
facias, or some other action prosecuted in the kings name vpon anie
recognisance made to the king for the performance of this award: yet
should not the same Scire facias or action be prosecuted, till the
kings councell might be throughlie certified of the matter by the
complainant, and vpon consideration sée iust cause whie the same Scire
facias, or action ought to be had and prosecuted in the kings name.
And if anie variance rose betwixt the councell of both the parties in
making of the recognisances, releases, acquittances, or other writings;
the same variance should be determined by the two lords chéefe
iustices, that should be fullie instructed of the kings intention in
this behalfe.
And besides this, it was notified and declared by the same award, that
the parties being seuerallie bound in the Chancerie in great sums to
obeie and performe this award, ordinance & iudgement made by the king;
it was the kings will and pleasure, that the same recognisances should
stand in force, and no parcels of the summes therein conteined to be
pardoned in anie wise, without the agréement and consent of the partie,
for whose assurance the same recognisance was taken.
And if anie of the said summes, or anie parcell thereof should be
recouered by action or execution taken and prosecuted in the kings
name, vpon anie of the said recognisances; the partie to whose
hinderance the award was broken, should haue the one halfe of the monie
so recouered; and the other moitie should be assigned to the treasuror
of the kings house. ¶ This ordinance, award and agréement, was giuen vp
vnder the kings great seale, at the kings palace of Westminster, the
foure and twentith daie of March in the six and thirtith yeare of his
reigne.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: A solemne procession at Paules.]
[Sidenote: 1459]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 37.]
[Sidenote: _W. P._]
For the open publishing of this ioifull agréement, there was (vpon
our ladie daie in March) a solemne procession celebrated within the
cathedrall church of saint Paule in London, at the which the king was
present in habit roiall, with his crowne on his head. Before him went
hand in hand the duke of Summerset, the earle of Salisburie, the duke
of Excester, and the earle of Warwike; and so one of the one faction,
and another of the other: and behind the king the duke of Yorke, and
the quéene with great familiaritie in appéerance leading hand in hand.
[But what shall be said? As goodlie apples corrupted at core, (how
faire coated so euer they séeme) can neuer be made to become sound
againe: nor rotten walles new plastered without, can euer the more
staie their mooldering inward, till the putrified matter fret through
the crust laie all in the mire: so fared it on all parts in this
dissembled and counterfet concord.] For after this apparant peace (but
inward discord) diuerse of the nobles smallie regarding their honors,
forgot their oth, and brake their promise boldlie.
[Sidenote: The earle of Warwike assaulted.]
[Sidenote: The quéenes purpose.]
Not long after this, of pretensed purpose (as it was thought) a fraie
was made vpon a yeoman of the earle of Warwiks, by one of the kings
seruants, in the which the assailant was sore hurt, but the earles
man fled. Héerevpon the kings meniall seruants, séeing their fellow
hurt, and the offendor escaped, assembled togither and watched the
earle, when he returned from the councell chamber toward his barge,
and suddenlie set on him, the yeomen with swords, the blacke gard
with spits and fierforks. After long fight, and manie of the earls
men maimed and hurt, by helpe of his fréends he gat a wherrie, and
so escaped to London. The quéene aduertised héerof, incontinentlie
commanded that he should be apprehended and committed to the tower,
where (if he had béene taken) he had shortlie ended his daies.
[Sidenote: _Whethamsted._]
[Sidenote: The earle of Warwike lord admerall.]
By this vnhappie fraie, there arose anon after such trouble and
terrible warre, that the whole realme was thereby disquieted. For
after this displeasure doone to the earle, and the quéenes good mind
towards him by his secret fréends reuealed; he with all diligence tooke
his iournie to Warwike, and after into Yorkeshire, where he found the
duke of Yorke, and the earle of Salisburie, declaring vnto them the
assault made vpon him by the kings seruants, and the pretensed euill
purpose of the quéene. After which complaint made, he fearing to be
dispossessed of his roome at Calis, with great spéed imbarked himselfe
and sailed thither. He was not onelie deputie or lieutenant of Calis,
but also high admerall of the seas, which office was to him confirmed
for the space of fiue yeares. Wherevpon, whether before his arriuall
now at Calis, or shortlie after, I cannot say; but this yeare about
the middest of summer, the said earle, hauing with him a fouretéene
well appointed ships, sailed abroad to scowre the seas, and by chance
met with fiue great ships, whereof thrée were caraks of Genoa, and the
other two were of Spaine, bigger in heigth and length than the caraks.
[Sidenote: A rich prise.]
The earle, though he was scarse able to deale against them, yet he
valiantlie incountred them. There was a verie sore and long continued
battell fought betwixt them, for it lasted almost the space of two
daies. Yet in the end the victorie fell to the English, so that two
of those ships being forced to saue themselues by flight, the other
thrée were taken, which the earle brought vnto Calis, with all the
merchandize aboord the same; the value whereof in wine, oile, wax,
iron, cloth of gold, and other riches, was estéemed to the summe of
ten thousand pounds & aboue. By reason whereof, that was sold now
for twelue pense, which would not haue béene bought before for two
shillings. There were taken a great number of prisoners, beside a
thousand of the enimies slaine in fight. Of the earles part there were
fiftie slaine. The earles fame héereby increased not a little, and
manie a blessing he had for this péece of seruice.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 686, 687._]
[Sidenote: Printing first inuented.]
[Sidenote: It rained bloud.]
¶ The noble science of Printing was about this time found in Germanie
at Magunce by one Iohn Cuthembergus a knight: one Conradus an Almaine
brought it into Rome: William Caxton of London mercer brought it into
England about the yeare 1471: and first practised the same in the
abbie of saint Peter at Westminster; after which time it was likewise
practised in the abbies of S. Augustine at Canturburie, saint Albons,
and other monasteries of England. In a little towne in Bedfordshire
there fell a bloudie raine, whereof the red drops appéered in shéets,
the which a woman had hanged out for to drie.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 38.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Salisburie gathereth a power.]
[Sidenote: Thrée thousand saith _Whethamsted_.]