His chance verelie was greatlie infortunate, which fell into such
calamitie, that he tooke it for the best waie he could deuise to
renounce his kingdome, for the which mortall men are accustomed to
hazard all they haue to atteine therevnto. But such misfortune (or the
like) oftentimes falleth vnto those princes, which when they are aloft,
cast no doubt for perils that maie follow. He was prodigall, ambitious,
and much giuen to the pleasure of the bodie. He kept the greatest port,
and mainteined the most plentifull house that euer any king in England
did either before his time or since. For there resorted dailie to his
court aboue ten thousand persons that had meat and drinke there allowed
them. In his kitchen there were thrée hundred seruitors, and euerie
other office was furnished after the like rate. Of ladies, chamberers,
and landerers, there were aboue thrée hundred at the least. And in
gorgious and costlie apparell they exceeded all measure, not one of
them that kept within the bounds of his degrée. Yeomen and groomes were
clothed in silkes, with cloth of graine and skarlet, ouer sumptuous
ye may be sure for their estates. And this vanitie was not onelie
vsed in the court in those daies, but also other people abroad in the
towns and countries, had their garments cut far otherwise than had
beene accustomed before his daies, with imbroderies, rich furres, and
goldsmiths worke, and euerie daie there was deuising of new fashions,
to the great hinderance and decaie of the common-welth.
[Sidenote: Ignorant prelats.]
Moreouer, such were preferred to bishoprikes, and other ecclesiasticall
liuings, as neither could teach nor preach, nor knew any thing of the
scripture of God, but onelie to call for their tithes and duties; so
that they were most vnworthie the name of bishops, being lewd and
most vaine persons disguised in bishops apparell. Furthermore, there
reigned abundantlie the filthie sinne of leacherie and fornication,
with abhominable adulterie, speciallie in the king, but most chéefelie
in the prelacie, whereby the whole realme by |869| such their euill
example, was so infected, that the wrath of God was dailie prouoked to
vengeance for the sins of the prince and his people. How then could
it continue prosperouslie with this king? against whom for the fowle
enormities wherewith his life was defamed, the wrath of God was whetted
and tooke so sharpe an edge, that the same did shred him off from
the scepter of his kingdome, and gaue him a full cup of affliction
to drinke; as he had doone to other kings his predecessors, by whose
example he might haue taken warning. For it is an heauie case when God
thundereth out his reall arguments either vpon prince or people.
Thus haue ye heard what writers doo report touching the state of the
time and doings of this king. But if I may boldlie saie what I thinke:
he was a prince the most vnthankfullie vsed of his subiects, of any one
of whom ye shall lightlie read. For although (thorough the frailtie
of youth) he demeaned himed himselfe more dissolutelie than séemed
conuenient for his roiall estate, & made choise of such councellors
as were not fauoured of the people, whereby he was the lesse fauoured
himselfe: yet in no kings daies were the commons in greater wealth,
if they could haue perceiued their happie state: neither in any other
time were the nobles and gentlemen more cherished, nor churchmen lesse
wronged. But such was their ingratitude towards their bountifull and
louing souereigne, that those whom he had chéeflie aduanced, were
readiest to controll him; for that they might not rule all things at
their will, and remooue from him such as they misliked, and place in
their roomes whom they thought good, and that rather by strong hand,
than by gentle and courteous meanes, which stirred such malice betwixt
him and them, till at length it could not be asswaged without perill of
destruction to them both.
The duke of Glocester chéefe instrument of this mischéefe, to what end
he came ye haue heard. And although his nephue the duke of Hereford
tooke vpon him to reuenge his death, yet wanted he moderation and
loialtie in his dooings, for the which both he himselfe and his lineall
race were scourged afterwards, as a due punishment vnto rebellious
subiects; so as deserued vengeance seemed not to staie long for his
ambitious crueltie, that thought it not inough to driue king Richard
to resigne his crowne and regall dignitie ouer vnto him, except he
also should take from him his guiltlesse life. What vnnaturalnesse, or
rather what tigerlike crueltie was this, not to be content with his
principalitie? not to be content with his treasure? not to be content
with his depriuation? not to be content with his imprisonment? but
being so neerelie knit in consanguinitie, which ought to haue moued
them like lambs to haue loued each other, wooluishlie to lie in wait
for the distressed creatures life, and rauenouslie to thirst after his
bloud, the spilling whereof should haue touched his conscience so, as
that death ought rather to haue beene aduentured for his safetie, than
so sauagelie to haue sought his life after the losse of his roialtie.
But to let this passe to the consideration of the learned: according
to our order, I will shew what writers of our English nation liued
in his daies, as we find them in Iohn Bales centuries. First Henrie
Bederic, otherwise surnamed of Burie, after the name of the towne where
he is thought to haue béene borne, an Augustine frier; Simon Alcocke,
Vthred Bolton a moonke of Durham, borne in the borders of Wales beyond
Seuerne; William Iordan a blacke frier, Iohn Hilton a frier Minor,
Iohn Clipton a Carmelite frier in Notingham, Henrie Daniell a blacke
frier and a good physician, Ralfe Marham, Iohn Marcheleie a graie
frier or cordelier as some call them, Thomas Broome a Carmelite frier
of London, John Bridlington borne in Yorkeshire, William Thorne an
Augustine frier of Canturburie, an historiographer, Adam Meremouth a
canon of saint Paules church in London, that wrote two tretises of
historicall matters, the one intituled Chronicon 40 annorum, and the
other Chronicon 60 annorum; Simon Bredon borne in Winchcombe a doctor
of physicke and a skilfull astronomer, Iohn Thompson borne in Norfolke
in a village of that name, and a Carmelite frier in Blacknie.
More, Thomas Winterton borne in Lincolnshire, an Augustine frier in
Stamford; |870| William Packington secretarie sometime to the Blacke
prince an excellent historiographer, Geffraie Hingham a civilian,
Iohn Botlesham borne in Cambridgeshire a blacke frier, William Badbie
a Carmelite frier, bishop of Worcester, and confessor to the duke of
Lancaster; William Folleuil a frier Minor borne in Lincolnshire, Iohn
Bourgh parson of Collingham in Notinghamshire a doctor of diuinitie,
and chancellor of the Vniuersitie of Cambridge; William Sclade a moonke
of Buckfast abbie in Deuonshire, Iohn Thoresbie archbishop of Yorke
and lord chancellor of England, was admitted by pope Vrbane the fift
into the college of cardinals, but he died before K. Richard came to
the crowne, about the eight and fourtith yeare of king Edward the
third, in the yeare of our Lord 1374. Thomas Ashborne an Augustine
frier, Iohn Astone an earnest follower of Wickliffes doctrine, and
therefore condemned to perpetuall prison; Casterton a moonke of
Norwich and an excellent diuine, Nicholas Radcliffe a moonke of saint
Albons, Iohn Ashwarbie a diuine and fauourer of Wickliffes doctrine,
Richard Maidstone so called of the towne in Kent where he was borne, a
Carmelite frier of Ailesford.
[Sidenote: _Adunensis episcopus._]
Adde to these Iohn Wardbie an Augustine frier, and a great diuine;
Robert Waldbie excellentlie learned as well in diuinitie as other arts,
for the which he was first aduanced to a bishoprike in Gascoigne, and
after he was admitted archbishop of Dubline; William Berton a doctor of
diuinitie, & chancellor of the Vniuersitie of Oxford, and aduersarie
to Wickliffe; Philip Repington abbat of Leicester a notable diuine
and defender of Wickliffe, Thomas Lombe a Carmelite frier of Lin,
Nicholas Hereford a secular priest, a doctor of diuinitie, and scholer
to Wickliffe; Walter Brit also another of Wickliffes scholers wrote
both of diuinitie & other arguments, Henrie Herklie chancellor of the
Vniuersitie of Oxford, an enimie to Wickliffe, and a great sophister;
Robert Iuorie a Carmelite frier of London, and the twentith prouinciall
of his order here in England; Lankine a Londoner, an Augustine frier,
professed in the same citie, a doctor of diuinitie, an aduersarie to
Wickliffe.
More, William Gillingham a moonke of saint Sauiours in Canturburie;
Iohn Chilmarke a fellow of Marton colledge in Oxford, a great
philosopher and mathematician; Iohn Sharpe a philosopher, and a
diuine, wrote manie treatises, a great aduersarie to Wickliffe;
Richard Lauingham borne in Suffolke, and a frier of Gipswich, an
excellent logician, but a sore enimie to them that fauoured Wickliffes
doctrine; Peter Pateshull, of whome ye haue heard before: it is said
that he was in the end constreined for doubt of persecution to flie
into Boheme; William Woodford a Franciscane frier, a chosen champion
against Wickliffe being now dead, procured thereto by the archbishop
of Canturburie Thomas Arudnell; Iohn Bromyard a Dominicke frier,
both a notable lawyer & a diuine, a sore enimie also to Wickliuists;
Marcill Ingelne an excellent philosopher and a diuine, one of the first
teachers in the Vniuersitie of Heidelberge, which Robert duke of Bauier
and countée palantine of the Rhene had instituted about that season;
Richard Northall sonne to a maior of London (as is said) of that
name, he became a Carmelite frier in the same citie; Thomas Edwardson
prior of the friers Augustines at Clare in Suffolke, Iohn Summer a
Franciscane frier at Bridgewater, an enimie to the Wickliuists; Richard
Withée a learned priest & an earnest follower of Wickliffe, Iohn
Swafham a Carmelite frier of Lin, a student in Cambridge who became
bishop of Bangor, a great aduersarie to the Wickliuists.
Finallie, and to conclude, William Egumond a frier heremit of the sect
of the Augustins in Stamford; Iohn Tissington a Franciscane frier,
a mainteiner of the popes doctrine; William Rimston or Rimington a
moonke of Salleie, an enimie also to the Wickliuists; Adam Eston
well séene in the toongs, was made a cardinall by pope Gregorie the
eleauenth, but by pope Vrban the sixt he was committed to prison in
Genoa, and at the contemplation of king Richard he was taken out of
prison, but not fullie deliuered till the daies of Boniface the ninth,
who restored him to his former dignitie; Iohn Beaufu a Carmelite of
Northampton, proceeded doctor of diuinitie in Oxenford, and was made
prior |871| of his house; Roger Twiford aliàs Goodlucke, an Augustine
frier; Iohn Treuise a Cornishman borne, and a secular préest and vicar
of Berklie, he translated the bible; Bartholomew De proprietatibus
rerum; Polychronicon of Ranulph Higden, and diuerse other treatises,
Rafe Spalding a Carmelite frier of Stamford; Iohn Moone an Englishman
borne, but a student in Paris, who compiled in the French toong the
Romant of the Rose, translated into English by Geffrie Chaucer, William
Shirborne; Richard Wichingham borne in Norffolke, and diuerse other.
Thus farre Richard of Burdeaux, whose depriuation you haue heard; of
his lamentable death hereafter, to wit, pag. 516, 517.
[In the present Edit. Vol III. pages 13 & 14.]