About the same time was an hainous murther committed in London, of
a merchant Genowes, whome certeine English merchants vpon spite and
enuie, which they bare towards him, caused to be slaine one euening in
the stréet before his own gates. The cause that mooued the merchants so
to procure his death was, for that he vndertooke to furnish this land,
hauing the staple allowed him at Southhampton, of all such wares as
came foorth of Leuant, so plentifullie as was to be had in any place
in all the west parts of christendome. In the summer of this yeare, a
greeuous mortalitie afflicted the north parts of this land, so that the
countrie became almost desolate. And to the increase of that miserie,
the Scots thinking the time to serue their turne, inuaded the borders,
and most cruellie harried, robbed, and spoiled the same, not letting
passe any part, of most cruell murthering of the people that were left
aliue, and not made awaie by that sore contagious sicknesse. The number
of cattell was infinite which they droue out of the land with them, not
sparing heards of swine which they tooke at this time, where they neuer
medled with that kind of cattell before that present.
Before the Scots made this iournie into England, whilest the mortalitie
was most in force, they calling to certeine of the English borderers,
asked of them how it came to passe, that so great a death reigned
amongst them. The Englishmen, as good, plaine, and simple meaning men,
told them, that trulie they knew not the cause, for Gods iudgements
were hid from them in such behalfe. But one thing they knew, that
all calamitie, death, and aduersitie that chanced vnto them, came by
the speciall grace of God, to the end that being punished for their
sinnes, they might learne to repent and amend their wicked liues. The
Scots hearing this, when they should enter this land, vnderstanding
lewdlie what the Englishmen had told them concerning the disease,
and the grace of God, deuised a blessing forsooth to be said euerie
morning, of the most ancient person in euerie familie, as; Benedicite,
said he: Dominus, said the residue. Then began he againe, saieng; God
and saint Mango, saint Romane and saint Andro, shield vs this daie
fra Gods grace, and the fewle death that Englishmen dien vpon. Thus
the senselesse men misconstruing this word the grace of God, praied
for their owne destruction, which if not in this world, yet for their
brutish crueltie vsed at that present, against the miserable creatures,
whom the hand of God had spared in time of that gréeuous mortalitie, it
is to be feared, least in another world it came to them, as the verie
words of their praiers imported.
[Sidenote: A notable example of a faithful prisoner.]
About the same time, Iohn Schakell esquier was set at libertie, the
king compounded with him for his prisoner, giuing fiue hundred marks in
redie monie, and lands to the value of a hundred marks by yeare. When
he should bring foorth his prisoner, and deliuer him to the king, this
is to be noted, as a thing verie strange and woonderfull. For when he
should appeare, it was knowne to be the verie groome that had serued
him in all the time of his trouble, and would neuer vtter himselfe what
he was before that time, hauing serued him as an hired seruant all that
while in prison, and out of prison, in danger of life, when his other
maister was murthered, where, if he would haue vttered himselfe, he
might haue beene enterteined in such honorable state, as for a prisoner
of his degrée had beene requisit, so that the faithfull loue and
assured constancie in this noble gentleman was highlie commended and
praised, and no lesse maruelled at of all men.
[Sidenote: The English nauie scattered by a terrible tempest.]
About the feast of S. Nicholas, in this third yeare of king Richards
reigne, there went |725| to sea an armie of men, that should haue
passed ouer into Britaine, to the aid of the duke there, vnder the
conduct of sir Iohn Arundell, sir Hugh Caluerlie, sir Thomas Percie,
sir William Elmham, sir Thomas Morews, sir Thomas Banester, & manie
other knights and esquires, too long to rehearse, a sufficient power
vndoubtedlie to haue doone a great enterprise: but they were no sooner
on the sea, but suddenlie there arose such an hideous tempest of wind
and stormes, that they looked presentlie to be all cast awaie, they
were scattered here and there, and driuen they wist not whither. The
ship wherein sir Iohn Arundell was aboord, chanced to be cast on the
coast of Ireland, and there driuen to forsake his ship, that was readie
to be broken in péeces by rage of waues, beating it there against the
rocks: he was drowned before he could win to land, in an Ile, neere to
the which they had thrust in the ship.
To the like end came sir Thomas Banester, sir Nicholas Trumpington,
and sir Thomas Dale, impeaching each others, as they leapt foorth
of the ship: also one Musard an esquire, a most séemelie personage
and a bold; and an other esquier named Denioke, being almost out of
danger, were fetched awaie by the surges of the sea, and so perished,
with manie other. Robert Rust a cunning seaman, belonging to Blacknie
in Northfolke, & maister of the ship wherein sir Iohn Arundell was
imbarked, was the first that got to land, giuing example to others
how to shift for themselues. But when he saw his cheefe capteine, the
said sir Iohn Arundell got foorth to the sands, and as one thinking
himselfe past all danger, to shake his wet garments about him; the said
Rust waieng the dangerous state wherein the said sir Iohn Arundell yet
stood, came downe, and raught to him his hand, inforsing himselfe to
plucke him to the shore: but whilest he tooke care for an other mans
safetie, and neglected his owne, he lost his life, and so they both
perished togither; for through a mightie billow of the raging seas,
they were both ouerthrowne, and with returning of the waues backe,
drawne into the deepe, so that they could neuer recouer foot-hold
againe, but were drowned.
The said Rust was much lamented, bicause he was not onelie knowne to be
a skilfull maister, but also counselled the said sir Iohn Arundell in
no wise to go to sea, at what time he would needs set forward, forsing
the said Rust and the marriners to hoist vp sailes and make awaie.
They that scaped to land in that Ile, found nothing there to releeue
their miseries, but bare ground, so that diuerse starved through cold,
wanting fier and other succour: the residue that were lustie and wise
withall, ran vp and downe, and sometime wrestling, and otherwise
chafing themselues, remained there in great miserie, from the thursdaie
till sundaie at noone next insuing. At what time, when the sea was
appeased and waxen calme, the Irishmen that dwelled ouer against this
Ile on the maine, came and fetched them thence, and reléeued them the
best they could, being almost dead, through trauell, hunger, and cold.
[Sidenote: The excesse and sumptuous apparell of sir Iohn Arundell.
There were drowned aboue a thousand men in one place and other, as the
additions to _Ad. Merimuth_ doo testifie.