But of Wickliffes life and doctrine to read at large, I remit the
reader to the acts and monuments of the church, published by maister
Iohn Fox: and now will we returne to matters of state and policie.
There went foorth this yeare a verie great nauie of ships to the sea,
vnder the guiding of the earle of Buckingham, the duke of Britaine,
the lord Latimer, the lord Fitz Walter, sir Robert Knolles, and other
valiant capteins, meaning to haue intercepted the Spanish fléet that
was gone to Sluse in Flanders, but thorough rage of tempest, and
contrarie winds, they were driuen home, although twise they attempted
their fortune: but sir Hugh Caluerlie, deputie of Calis, slept not his
businesse, dooing still what displeasures he could to the Frenchmen.
Shortlie after Christmasse, he spoiled the towne of Estaples the same
daie the faire was kept there, to which a great number of merchants of
Bullongne were come to make their markets, but the sellers had quicke
vtterance, for that that might easilie be caried awaie, the Englishmen
laid hands on, and caused the owners to redéeme the residue with
great sums of monie, which they vndertooke to paie; or else sir Hugh
threatned to haue burnt all that was left, togither with the houses.
[Sidenote: The duke of Lancaster misliking the manners of the court,
getteth himselfe home to y^e castell of Killingworth.]
Yée haue heard, how at the first the duke of Lancaster was one of the
chéefe about the yoong king in gouernement of his person and realme,
who prudentlie considering, that sith there must néeds be an alteration
in the state, & doubting least if any thing chanced otherwise than
well, the fault and blame might be chéefelie imputed to him, and thanks
(howsoeuer things went) he looked for none, he gaue therefore the slip,
obteining licence of the king to depart, and so got him home to his
castell of Killingworth, permitting other to haue the whole swaie:
for before his departure from the court, there were with his consent
ordeined such as should be attending on the kings person, and haue
the rule and ordering of matters perteining to the state, as William
Courtnie, then bishop of London (though shortlie after remooued to
the archbishops see of Canturburie) Edmund Mortimer earle of March,
& diuerse other, of whome the people had conceiued a good opinion:
but yet bicause the bishop of Salisburie, and the lord Latimer were
admitted amongst the residue, the commons murmured greatlie against
them.
The earle of Northumberland resigned his office of lord marshall, in
whose place succeeded sir Iohn Arundell, brother vnto the earle of
Arundell. ¶ The duke of Lancaster, although retired from the court,
yet desirous to haue the monie in his hands that was granted the last
parlement, at length obteined it, vpon promise to defend the realme
from inuasion of all enimies for one yeares space: he therefore
prouided a great nauie to go to the sea, hiring nine ships of Baionne,
to assist his enterprise herein, the which in making saile hitherwards,
incountred with the Spanish fléet, and tooke fouretéene vessels laden
with wines and other merchandize. But in the meane time, one Mercer a
Scotishman, with certeine saile of Scots, Frenchmen, and Spaniards,
came to Scarburgh, and there tooke certeine ships, and led them awaie
to the sea, as it were in reuenge of his fathers imprisonment, named
Iohn Mercer, who before being caught by certeine ships of the north
parts, and deliuered to the earle of Northumberland, was committed to
prison within the castell of Scarburgh.
[Sidenote: Iohn Philpot Alderman of London setteth foorth a fléet at
his own charges, to recouer certeine English ships taken by the Scots.]
Iohn Philpot that worshipfull citizen of London, lamenting
the negligence of them that should haue prouided against such
inconueniences, made foorth a fléet at his owne charges, |719|
stronglie furnished with men of warre and munition necessarie: the men
of warre méeting with the same Mercer, accompanied with his owne ships,
and fiftéene other Spaniards that were newlie ioined with him, set vpon
them, and so valiantlie behaued themselues, that they tooke the said
Mercer with all them that were then in his companie, so recouering
againe the ships that were taken from Scarburgh, besides great riches
which were found aboord, as well in the fiftéene Spanish ships, as the
other that were of the old retinue, belonging to the same Mercer. Iohn
Philpot was afterwards blamed of the lords, for presuming thus far,
as to set foorth a nauie of men of warre, without the aduise of the
kings councell: but he made his answer in such wise vnto the earle of
Stafford, and others that laid the fault to his charge, that he was
permitted to depart, without further trouble for that matter.
[Sidenote: Chierburg deliuered to the Englishmen.