A certeine thing appeared in the likenesse of fier in manie parts of
the realme of England, now of one fashion, now of another, as it were
euerie night, but yet in diuerse places all Nouember and December.
This fierie apparition, oftentimes when any bodie went alone, it would
go with him, and would stand still when he stood still. To some it
appeared in the likenesse of a turning whéele burning; to othersome
round in the likenesse of a barrell, flashing out flames of fier at
the head; to othersome in the likenesse of a long burning lance; and
so to diuerse folks at diuerse times and seasons it shewed it selfe
in diuerse formes and fashions a great part of winter, speciallie in
Leicestershire and Northamptonshire: and when manie went togither, it
approched not neere them, but appeared to them as it were a far off.
In a parlement time there was a certeine head of wax made by the art
of necromancie (as it was reported) which head at an houre appointed
to speake, vttered these words following at thrée times, and then
ceased to speake any more. These be the words; first, The head shall
be cut off; secondlie, The head shall be lift vp aloft; thirdlie,
The feet shall be lift vp aloft aboue the head. This happened in the
time of that parlement which was called the mercilesse parlement, not
long before the parlement that was named the parlement which wrought
wonders. In Aprill there was séene a fierie dragon in manie places of
England; which dreadfull sight as it made manie a one amazed, so it
ministred occasion of mistrust to the minds of the maruellors, that
some great mischéefe was imminent, whereof that burning apparition was
a prognostication. In this kings daies (as saith Thomas Walsingham)
whose report, bicause I am here dealing with certeine prodigious
accidents importing some strange euents, I am the more bold to
interlace about the troublesome time when discord sprang betwéene
the king and his youthlie companions with the duke of Lancaster, in
the moneth of Maie, there happened a coniunction of the two greatest
planets, namelie Iupiter and Saturne, after the which did follow a
verie great commotion of kingdoms, as in the processe of this historie
may appeare.
[Sidenote: A schisme betwéene two popes for the dignitie of S. Peters
chaire.]
The French king about this time summoned a conuocation of the French
cleargie, to decide and search out the power of the two popes, which
of them had fuller right and authoritie in S. Peters chaire, for the
schisme and diuision betwéene the two popes was not yet ended. The
French clergie wrote in the behalfe of Clement their pope, & cōfirmed
their script or writing with the vniuersitie seale of Paris. Which
writing Charles the French king sent ouer to Richard king of England,
that touching these doubts and difficulties he with the councell of his
cleargie might deliberat. Wherefore king Richard summoned a conuocation
at Oxford of the lerneder diuines as well regents as not regents of the
whole realme; who wrote for and in the behalfe of Vrbane their pope of
Rome, and confirmed their writing with the vniuersitie seale of Oxford,
& sent it ouer sea to Paris vnto the French king. But nothing was doone
further in the premisses, both popes, vnder the shrowd or shelter of
schisme preuailing betwéene them, iustifieng their title & interest.
[This is the last record found in Henrie Knighton, who for that which
he hath doone touching chronographie, hath written (the blindnesse
of the time wherein |830| he liued, and his order considered)
though not so well as the best, yet not so ill as the woorst: and
whose collections, if they were laid togither, would afford a large
augmentation to maters of chronicle: but O spite that so abruptlie he
breaketh off, and continueth his annales no further than this yeare,
1395.]
[Sidenote: The Danes rob the English merchāts on the seas.