Hall & Shakerlie hath _Grafton_.
_Polydor._]
Anon after Midsummer, the duke of Lancaster with a strong power tooke
the sea, and landing in Britaine, besieged the towne of saint Mallo
de Lisle, a fortresse of great importance. There went ouer with him
the earles of Buckingham, Warwike, Stafford, and diuerse other of
the English nobilitie, the which made their approches, and fiercelie
assailed the towne, but it was so valiantlie defended, that in the end,
the duke with his |720| armie raised from thence, and returned without
atchiuing his purpose. ¶ About the same time, there was a notable and
hainous murther committed within saint Peters church at Westminster,
by occasion of variance betwéene the lord Latimer and sir Rafe Ferrers
on the one partie, and two esquiers, the one called Robert Hall and
the other Iohn Shakell on the other partie, about a prisoner which was
taken at the battell of Nazers in Spaine, called the earle of Deane,
who (as some write) was taken by one sir Franke de Hall at the said
battell; and bicause he remained in his hands at the death of the said
sir Franke, he bequeathed him vnto his sonne the said Robert Hall
esquier.
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]
But as other write, the said earle was taken by the said Robert Hall
himselfe & Iohn Shakell iointlie, and iudged to be their lawfull
prisoner, by the sentence of the prince of Wales, and sir Iohn Chandois
that was master to the said esquiers. Wherevpon afterwards the said
earle obteined so much fauor, that by leauing his sonne and heire
in gage for his ransome, he returned into Spaine, to prouide monie
to discharge it; but he was so slow in that matter, after he was at
libertie, that he departed this life before he made any paiment, and
so his lands fell to his sonne that remained in gage for the monie
with the two esquiers. Wherevpon it happened afterwards, that the duke
of Lancaster, desirous to haue the yoong earle in his hands (in hope
through his meanes the better to accomplish his enterprise which he
meant to take in hand against the king of Castile, for the right of
that kingdome) procured his nephue king Richard to require the said
earle of Deane, at the hands of the said esquiers.
But they refused to deliuer him, keeping their prisoner foorth of the
waie, so that none wist were he was become: the esquiers therefore were
committed to the tower, out of the which they escaped vnto Westminster,
and there registred themselues for sanctuarie men. The duke of
Lancaster was herewith sore offended, and their enimies the said lord
Latimer and sir Rafe Ferrers tooke counsell togither, with sir Alane
Boxhull and others, how they might be reuenged of this despite. This
sir Alane Boxhull was constable of the tower, and therefore it greeued
him not a little, that the esquiers had broken from him and kept
themselues thus at Westminster, vnder protection of that priuileged
place. Herevpon it was concluded, that sir Rafe Ferrers, and the said
Alane Boxhull, taking with them certeine men in armour, to the number
of fiftie persons, should go and fetch them by force from Westminster,
vnto the tower againe.
The morrow therefore after saint Laurence daie, being the eleuenth
of August, these two knights accompanied with certeine of the kings
seruants and other, to the number afore mentioned, came into the church
at Westminster, whilest the said esquiers were there hearing of high
masse, which was then in celebrating; and first laieng hands vpon Iohn
Shakell, vsed the matter so with him, that they drew him foorth of the
church, and led him streight to the tower. But when they came to Robert
Hall, and fell in reasoning with him, he would not suffer them to come
within his reach, and perceiuing they meant to take him by force,
he drew out a falcheon or short sword which he had girt to him, and
therewith laid so fréelie about him, trauersing twise round about the
moonks quier, that till they had beset him on ech side, they could doo
him no hurt.
[Sidenote: A cruell murther in Westminster church.]
Howbeit, at length when they had got him at that aduantage, one of
them cloue his head to the verie braines, and an other thrust him
through the bodie behind with a sword, and so they murthered him among
them. They slue also one of the moonkes that would haue had them to
haue saued the esquiers life. Much adoo was about this matter, for
the breaking thus of the sanctuarie, in somuch that the archbishop of
Canturburie, and fiue other bishops his suffragans, openlie pronounced
all them that were present at this murder accurssed, and likewise
all such as aided or counselled them to it, cheeflie and namelie sir
Alane Boxhull, and sir Rafe Ferrers, capteins and leaders of them.
The king, the queene, and the duke of Lancaster were yet excepted by
speciall names. The bishop of London a long time after, euerie sundaie,
wednesdaie, and fridaie, pronounced this excommunication in the church
of S. Paule at London. |721|
The duke of Lancaster (though excepted in the same) yet in behalfe of
his fréends was not a little offended with the bishops dooings, in so
much that in a councell holden at Windsore (to the which the bishop of
London was called, but would not come, nor yet ceasse the pronouncing
of the cursse, albeit the king had requested him by his letters) the
duke said openlie, that the bishops froward dealings were not to be
borne with, but (saith he) if the king would command me, I would
gladlie go to London, and fetch that disobedient prelat, in dispite
of those ribaulds (for so he termed them) the Londoners. These words
procured the duke much euill will, as well of the Londoners, as of
other: for it was commonlie said, that whatsoeuer had béene doone at
Westminster, concerning the murther there committed in the church, was
doone by his commandement.
[Sidenote: A parlement at Glocester.]
About the feast of S. Luke, a parlement was holden at Glocester,
for the displeasure (as was thought) which some of the councell had
conceiued against the Londoners, or rather (as some tooke it) for feare
of them, least if any thing were doone contrarie to their minds, they
should be about to hinder it, if the parlement had beene kept neere
them: for manie things (as some iudged) were meant to haue beene put
foorth and concluded in this parlement, albeit few in effect came to
passe of those matters that were surmised, sauing that it was inacted,
that the king should haue a marke of the merchants for euerie sacke
of their woolles, for this present yeare; and for euerie pounds worth
of wares that was brought in from beyond the seas, and here sold, six
pence of the buiers. ¶ Also, certeine priuileges were granted in this
parlement to merchant-strangers, that they might buie and sell in
grosse, or by retaile within this realme, as in the printed booke of
statutes it appeareth.
[Sidenote: The pope sendeth to the king for aid.