hither and thither, remained in great care. Wherevpon sir Thomas
Blunt, an ancient knight, and lord steward of the kings house, tooke
his seruants, with vittels, horsses, and armour in great plentie,
and came to the quéene, of whome, and likewise of hir sonne he was
ioifullie receiued, and diuerse of them which he brought with him were
reteined, and the other had letters of protection, and were sent awaie
in louing manner. ¶ The king with the earle of Glocester, and the
lord chancellor, taking the sea, meant to haue gone either into the
Ile of Lundaie, or else into Ireland, but being tossed with contrarie
winds for the space of a wéeke togither, at length he landed in
Glamorganshire, and got him to the abbeie and castell of Neith, there
secretlie remaining vpon trust of the Welshmens promises. ¶ Hugoline
Spenser, the sonne of the earle of Glocester, defended the castell of
Kersilie, against the power of the quéene and of hir sonne till easter
following, and then compounding for the safetie of his owne life, and
all theirs within that castell, and likewise for the inioieng of their
goods, he yéelded it to the hands of the men of warre that held siege
before it in the quéenes name, and of hir sonne.
[Sidenote: A councell at Hereford.]
[Sidenote: The prince of Wales made lord warden of the realme.]
[Sidenote: A new chancellor and treasuror.]
But now touching the king, whilest he was thus abroad, and no man wist
where he was become, proclamations were made in the quéenes armie
dailie, in the which he was summoned to returne, and to take the rule
of the relme into his hands, if he would be conformable to the minds
of his true liege men; but when he appeared not, the lords of the land
assembled in councell at Hereford, whither the quéene was come from
Bristow, and there was the lord Edward prince of Wales and duke of
Aquitaine made warden of England, by common decrée, vnto whome all men,
as to the lord warden of the realme, made fealtie, in receiuing an oth
of allegiance to be faithfull and loiall to him. After this, they made
the bishop of Norwich lord chancellor, and the bishop of Winchester
lord treasuror.
The quéene remained about a moneths space at Hereford, and in the meane
while sent the lord Henrie erle of Leicester, and the lord William
la Zouch, and one Rice ap Howell, that was latelie deliuered out of
the tower where he was prisoner, into Wales, to sée if they might
find means to apprehend the king by helpe of their acquaintance in
those parts, all thrée of them hauing lands thereabouts, where it was
knowne the king for the more part kept. They vsed such diligence in
that charge, that finallie with large gifts bestowed on the Welshmen,
they came to vnderstand where the king was, and so on the day of saint
Edmund the archbishop, being the sixtéenth of Nouember, they tooke
him in the monasterie of Neith, néere to the castell of Laturssan,
togither with Hugh Spenser the sonne called earle of Glocester, the
lord chancellour Robert de Baldocke, and Simon de Reading the kings
marshall, not caring for other the kings seruants, whome they suffered
to escape.
[Sidenote: The king is brought to Killingworth.]
[Sidenote: Hugh Spenser the yonger executed.]
The king was deliuered to the earle of Leicester, who conueied him by
Monmouth and Leadburie, to Killingworth castle, where he remained the
whole winter. The earle of Glocester, the lord chancellor, and Simon de
Reading, were brought to Hereford, and there presented to the quéene,
where on the foure & twentith of Nouember, the said earle was drawne
and hanged on a paire of gallowes of fiftie foot in height. Then was
his head striken off, his bowels taken out of his bodie and burnt, and
his bodie diuided in quarters. His head was sent to London, and set
vpon the bridge with other, & his quarters were sent to foure seuerall
parts of the realme, and there pight vpon poles, to be séene of the
people. He was drawne in his owne cote armour, about the which there
were letters embrodered plaine to be read, conteining a parcell of the
52 psalme, as followeth.
1 QVID gloriaris in malitia potens?
2 Iniquitatem tota die, iniustitiam cogitauit lingua tua, sicut
nouacula acuta fecistidolum,
3 Dilexisti malitiam super bonitatem, iniustitiam magis quàm
loqui iustitiam,
4 Dilexisti omnia verba demersionis lingua dolosa,
5 Propterea Deus destruat te in finem, euellat te & emigrare te
faciat de tabernaculo tuo, & radicem tuam de terra viuentium,
6 Videbunt iusti & timebunt, & super eum ridebunt, & dicent,
7 Ecce homo qui non posuit Deum adiutorem suum, sed sperauit in
multitudine diuitiarum suarum, & præualuit in vanitate sua.
1 WHY boastest thou that thou canst do mischiefe?
2 Thy toong imagineth wickednesse, & with lies thou cuttest
like a sharpe rasor,
3 Thou hast loued vngratiousnesse more than goodnesse, and to
talke of lies more than righteousnesse,
4 thou hast loued to speake all words that may doo hurt ô thou
false toong,
5 Therefore shall God destroie thée for euer, he shall take
thée, and plucke thée out of my dwelling, and roote thée out of
the land of the liuing,
6 The righteous also shall sée this, and feare, and shall laugh
him to scorne,
7 Lo this is the man that tooke not God for his strength,
but trusted vnto the multitude of his riches, & strengthned
himselfe in his wickednesse.
[Sidenote: Simon de Reading executed.]
[Sidenote: _Caxton._]
[Sidenote: The earle of Arundell taken.]
[Sidenote: _Th. Walsing._]
[Sidenote: Execution.]
[Sidenote: The fauour in which the lord Mortimer was with the quéene.]
On the same daie was Simon de Reading drawne and hanged on the same
gallowes, but ten foot lower than the other. This Reading being
marshall of the kings house, had vsed the quéene very vncourteouslie,
giuing hir manie reprochfull words, which now were remembred, and
therefore may serue for an example, how dangerous a thing it is to
speake euill of the higher powers. The common fame went, that after
this Hugh Spenser the sonne was taken, he would receiue no sustenance,
wherefore he was the sooner put to death, or else had he béene conueied
to London, there to haue suffered. Iohn earle of Arundell was taken
on S. Hughs day, in the parts about Shrewesburie, and the same day
seuennight before the execution of the earle of Glocester, Hugh Spenser
the yoonger, as well the said earle, who had béene euer a great fréend
to both the Spensers, as also Iohn Daniell, and Thomas de Milcheldoure
were put to death at Hereford, by procurement of the lord Mortimer of
Wigmore, that hated them extreamelie, by reason whereof they were not
like to spéed much better, for what he willed the same was doone, and
without him the quéene in all these matters did nothing.
[Sidenote: Robert Baldocke ended his life.]
[Sidenote: 1327.]
[Sidenote: A parlement.]
[Sidenote: The king is deposed by act of parlement.]
[Sidenote: The archbishop of Canturburie preacheth.]
The chancellour Robert de Baldocke being committed to the custodie
of Adam de Torleton bishop of Hereford, remained at Hereford in safe
kéeping till Candlemasse next, and then the bishop being at London,
appointed him to be brought vp, where not without the bishops consent
(as was thought) he was taken out of his house by violence, and laid
in Newgate, where shortlie after through inward sorow and extreame
gréefe of mind he ended his life. Thus the quéene and hir companie
hauing compassed their businesse in so happie maner as they could
wish, she with hir sonne and a great companie of lords and gentlemen
repaired vnto Wallingford, where they kept Christmasse togither with
great ioy and triumph, the king in the meane while remaining (as ye
haue heard) at Killingworth, in a kind of honorable estate, although
he was prisoner. ¶ After Christmasse, the quéene with hir son and
such lords as were then with them, remooued to London, where at
their comming thither, which was before the feast of the Epiphanie,
they were receiued with great ioy, triumph, and large gifts, and so
brought to Westminster, where the morrow after the same feast, the
parlement which before hand had béene summoned began, in which it was
concluded and fullie agréed by all the states (for none durst speake
to the contrarie) that for diuerse articles which were put vp against
the king, he was not worthie longer to reigne, and therefore should
be deposed, and withall they willed to haue his sonne Edward duke of
Aquitaine to reigne in his place. This ordinance was openlie pronounced
in the great hall at Westminster by one of the lords, on the feast day
of saint Hilarie being tuesdaie, to the which all the people consented.
The archbishop of Canturburie taking his theame, Vox populi, vox Dei,
made a sermon, exhorting the people to praie to God to bestow of his
grace vpon the new king. And so when the sermon was ended, euerie man
departed to his lodging. But the duke of Aquitaine, when he perceiued
that his mother tooke the matter heauilie in appearance, for that
hir husband should be thus depriued of the crowne, he protested that
he would neuer take it on him, without his fathers consent, and so
therevpon it was concluded, that certeine solemne messengers should go
to Killingworth to mooue the king to make resignation of his crowne and
title of the kingdome vnto his sonne.
[Sidenote: _Thom. de la More._]
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]
There were sent on this message (as some write) thrée or (as other
haue) two bishops, two earles, two abbats, two or (as Tho. de la More
and Walsingham haue) foure barons, and for euerie countie, citie,
and burrough, and likewise for the cinque ports, certeine knights
and burgesses. The bishops that were sent were these (as T. de la
More noteth) Iohn de Stratford bishop of Winchester, Adam de Torleton
bishop of Hereford, and Henrie bishop of Lincolne. The two earles
(as Southwell hath) were Lancaster and Warwike: the two barons, Rose
and Courtney: beside these (as he saith) there were two abbats, two
priors, two iustices, two friers of the order of preachers, two of the
Carmelits, two knights for the commons on the north side of Trent, and
two for the other on the south side of the same riuer: two citizens for
London, two burgesses for the cinque ports, so as in all there went of
this message (as Southwell saith) thrée and twentie or rather foure and
twentie persons of one degrée and other.
None of the frier minors went, bicause they would not be the bringers
of so heauie tidings, sith he had euer borne them great good will.
The bishops of Winchester and Lincolne went before, and comming to
Killingworth, associated with them the earle of Leicester, of some
called the earle of Lancaster, that had the king in kéeping. And hauing
secret conference with the king, they sought to frame his mind, so as
he might be contented to resigne the crowne to his sonne, bearing him
in hand, that if he refused so to doo, the people in respect of the
euill will which they had conceiued against him, would not faile but
procéed to the election of some other that should happilie not touch
him in linage. And sith this was the onlie meane to bring the land in
quiet, they willed him to consider how much he was bound in conscience
to take that waie that should be so beneficiall to the whole realme.
[Sidenote: _Rich. South._]
[Sidenote: The kings answer.]
The king being sore troubled to heare such displeasant newes, was
brought into a maruelous agonie: but in the end, for the quiet of the
realme and doubt of further danger to himselfe, he determined to follow
their aduise, and so when the other commissioners were come, and that
the bishop of Hereford had declared the cause wherefore they were
sent, the king in presence of them all, notwithstanding his outward
countenance discouered how much it inwardlie grieued him; yet after he
was come to himselfe, he answered that he knew that he was fallen into
this miserie through his owne offenses, and therefore he was contented
patientlie to suffer it, but yet it could not (he said) but gréeue
him, that he had in such wise runne into the hatred of all his people:
notwithstanding he gaue the lords most heartie thanks, that they had
so forgotten their receiued iniuries, and ceassed not to beare so much
good will towards his sonne Edward, as to wish that he might reigne
ouer them. Therefore to satisfie them, sith otherwise it might not
be, he vtterlie renounced his right to the kingdome, and to the whole
administration thereof. And lastlie he besought the lords now in his
miserie to forgiue him such offenses as he had committed against them.
Ah lamentable ruine from roialtie to miserable calamitie, procured by
them chéefelie that should haue béene the pillers of the kings estate,
and not the hooked engins to pull him downe from his throne! So that
here we sée it verefied by triall, that
---- miser átq; infoelix est etiam rex,
Nec quenquam (mihi crede) facit diadema beatum.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: _Meredith._]
The ambassadours with this answer returning to London, declared the
same vnto all the states, in order as they had receiued it, whervpon
great ioy was made of all men, to consider that they might now by
course of law procéed to the choosing of a new king. And so thervpon
the nine and twentith day of Ianuarie in session of parlement then at
Westminster assembled, was the third king Edward, sonne to king Edward
the second, chosen and elected king of England, by the authoritie of
the same parlement, first (as before is said) confirmed by his fathers
resignation: and the first day of his reigne they agréed to be the
fiue and twentith of Ianuarie, in the yeare 1326 after the account of
the church of England, beginning the yeare the fiue & twentith day
of March, but by the common account of writers, it was in the yeare
1327. ¶ On the same daie sir William Trusell procurator for the whole
parlement did renounce the old king in name of the whole parlement,
with all homages and fealties due to him, so that the same fiue and
twentith day of Ianuarie hath béene reputed and taken for the first
day of the beginning of king Edward the third his reigne, so that
whatsoeuer chanced before that day, is ascribed to be doone during the
reigne of his father.
[Sidenote: _Thom. de la More._]
But now to make an end of the life, as well as of the reigne of king
Edward the second, I find that after he was deposed of his kinglie
honour and title, he remained for a time at Killingworth, in custodie
of the earle of Leicester. But within a while the quéene was informed
by the bishop of Hereford, (whose hatred towards him had no end) that
the erle of Leicester fauoured hir husband too much, and more than
stood with the suertie of hir sonnes state, wherevpon he was appointed
to the kéeping of two other lords, Thomas Berkley, and Iohn Matreuers,
who receiuing him of the earle of Leicester the third of Aprill,
conueied him from Killingworth vnto the castell of Berkley, situate
not farre off from the riuer of Seuerne, almost the midwaie betwixt
Glocester and Bristow.
[Sidenote: Sir Thomas Gourney.]
But forsomuch as the lord Berkley vsed him more courteouslie than his
aduersaries wished him to doo, he was discharged of that office, and
sir Thomas Gourney appointed in his stead, who togither with the lord
Matreuers conueied him secretlie (for feare least he should be taken
from them by force) from one strong place to another, as to the castell
of Corfe, and such like, still remoouing with him in the night season,
till at length they thought it should not be knowne whither they had
conueied him. And so at length they brought him backe againe in secret
maner vnto the castell of Berkley, where whilest he remained (as some
write) the quéene would send vnto him courteous and louing letters
with apparell and other such things, but she would not once come néere
to visit him, bearing him in hand that she durst not, for feare of
the peoples displeasure, who hated him so extreamelie. Howbeit, she
with the rest of hir confederats had (no doubt) laid the plot of their
deuise for his dispatch, though by painted words she pretended a kind
of remorse to him in this his distresse, & would séeme to be faultlesse
in the sight of the world; for
Proditor illudit verbis dum verbera cudit.
[Sidenote: The earle of Kent conspireth to deliuer his brother.]
But as he thus continued in prison, closelie kept, so that none of
his fréends might haue accesse vnto him, as in such cases it often
happeneth, when men be in miserie, some will euer pitie their state,
there were diuerse of the nobilitie (of whome the earle of Kent was
chéefe) began to deuise means by secret conference had togither, how
they might restore him to libertie, discommending greatlie both quéene
Isabell, and such other as were appointed gouernours to the yoong
king, for his fathers streict imprisonment. The quéene and other the
gouernours vnderstanding this conspiracie of the earle of Kent, and
of his brother, durst not yet in that new and gréene world go about
to punish it, but rather thought good to take awaie from them the
occasion of accomplishing their purpose. And herevpon the quéene and
the bishop of Hereford wrote sharpe letters vnto his kéepers, blaming
them greatlie, for that they dealt so gentlie with him, and kept him no
streictlier, but suffered him to haue such libertie, that he aduertised
some of his fréends abroad how and in what manner he was vsed, and
withall the bishop of Hereford vnder a sophisticall forme of words
signified to them by his letters, that they should dispatch him out of
the waie, the tenor whereof wrapped in obscuritie ran thus:
Edwardum occidere nolite timere bonum est:
To kill Edward will not to feare it is good.
Which riddle or doubtfull kind of spéech, as it might be taken in two
contrarie senses, onelie by placing the point in orthographic called
C[=o]ma, they construed in the worse sense, putting the Comma after
Timere, and so presuming of this commandement as they tooke it from
the bishop, they lodged the miserable prisoner in a chamber ouer a
foule filthie dungeon, full of dead carrion, trusting so to make an
end of him, with the abhominable stinch thereof: but he bearing it out
stronglie, as a man of a tough nature, continued still in life, so as
it séemed he was verie like to escape that danger, as he had by purging
either vp or downe auoided the force of such poison as had béene
ministred to him sundrie times before, of purpose so to rid him.
[Sidenote: _Tho. Wals._]
[Sidenote: _Thom. de la More._]
[Sidenote: K. Edward the second murthered.]
Wherevpon when they sawe that such practises would not serue their
turne, they came suddenlie one night into the chamber where he laie
in bed fast asléepe, and with heauie featherbeds or a table (as some
write) being cast vpon him, they kept him down and withall put into
his fundament an horne, and through the same they thrust vp into his
bodie an hot spit, or (as other haue) through the pipe of a trumpet a
plumbers instrument of iron made verie hot, the which passing vp into
his intrailes, and being rolled to and fro, burnt the same, but so as
no appearance of any wound or hurt outwardlie might be once perceiued.
His crie did mooue manie within the castell and towne of Berkley to
compassion, plainelie hearing him vtter a wailefull noise, as the
tormentors were about to murther him, so that diuerse being awakened
therewith (as they themselues confessed) praied heartilie to God to
receiue his soule, when they vnderstood by his crie what the matter
ment.
[Sidenote: The fond opinion of the ignorant people.]
[Sidenote: The nature & disposition of king Edward the second.]
The quéene, the bishop, and others, that their tyrannie might be
hid, outlawed and banished the lord Matreuers, and Thomas Gourney,
who flieng vnto Marcels, thrée yeares after being knowne, taken,
and brought toward England was beheaded on the sea, least he should
accuse the chiefe dooers, as the bishop and other. Iohn Matreuers,
repenting himselfe, laie long hidden in Germanie, and in the end died
penitentlie. Thus was king Edward murthered, in the yeare 1327, on the
22 of September. The fame went that by this Edward the second, after
his death manie miracles were wrought. So that the like opinion of him
was conceiued as before had béene of earle Thomas of Lancaster, namelie
amongst the common people. He was knowne to be of a good and courteous
nature, though not of most pregnant wit.
And albeit in his youth he fell into certeine light crimes, and
after by the companie and counsell of euill men, was induced vnto
more heinous vices, yet was it thought that he purged the same by
repentance, and patientlie suffered manie reproofes, and finallie death
it selfe (as before ye haue heard) after a most cruell maner. He had
suerlie good cause to repent his former trade of liuing, for by his
vndiscréet and wanton misgouernance, there were headed and put to death
during his reigne (by iudgement of law) to the number of 28 barons
and knights, ouer and beside such as were slaine in Scotland by his
infortunate conduct.
All these mischéefes and manie more happened not onlie to him, but
also to the whole state of the realme, in that he wanted iudgement and
prudent discretion to make choise of sage and discréet councillors,
receiuing those into his fauour, that abused the same to their
priuate gaine and aduantage, not respecting the aduancement of the
common-wealth, so they themselues might atteine to riches and honour,
for which they onelie sought, in somuch that by their couetous rapine,
spoile, and immoderate ambition, the hearts of the common people &
nobilitie were quite estranged from the dutifull loue and obedience
which they ought to haue shewed to their souereigne, going about by
force to wrest him to follow their wils, and to séeke the destruction
of them whome he commonlie fauoured, wherein suerlie they were worthie
of blame, and to tast (as manie of them did) the deserued punishment
for their disobedient and disloiall demeanors. For it was not the waie
which they tooke to helpe the disfigured state of the common-wealth,
but rather the readie meane to ouerthrow all, as if Gods goodnesse had
not béene the greater it must néeds haue come to passe, as to those
that shall well consider the pitifull tragedie of this kings time it
may well appeare.
[Sidenote: His issue.]
[Sidenote: Oriall & S. Maries hall in Oxford.]
But to procéed with that which remaineth touching this infortunate
prince. He had issue by his wife quéene Isabell two sonnes, Edward
which was made king whilest he was yet aliue, and Iohn which died
yoong: also two daughters, Elianor which died before she came to yeares
able for mariage; and Ione which was after giuen in marriage vnto
Dauid king of Scotland. He was indifferentlie tall of stature, strong
of bodie, and healthfull, neither wanted there in him stoutnesse of
stomach, if his euill councellors had béene remooued, that he might
haue shewed it in honorable exploits, which being kept backe by them,
he could not doo. So that thereby it appeareth of what importance it
is to be trained vp in youth with good and honest companie. ¶ It is
said that he was learned, insomuch that there remaine verses, which (as
some haue written) he made whilest he was in prison. Certeine it is he
fauoured lerning, as by the erection of Oriall colledge in Oxford, & S.
Maries hall, which were of his foundation, it may well be gathered.
[Sidenote: _Ex centuria 4 Bale._]
[Sidenote: Sée in Scotland.]