saint Paule, bearing still a deadlie and malicious hatred toward king
Henrie, [Sidenote: The earle of saint Paule in the Ile of Wight.] hauing
assembled sixtéene or seuentéene hundred men of warre, imbarked them at
Harflew, and taking the sea, landed in the Ile of Wight, in the which he
burned two villages, and foure simple cotages, and for a triumph of so
noble an act, made foure knignts. But when he heard that the people of
the Ile were assembled and approched to fight with him, he hasted to his
ships and returned home: wherewith the noble men of his companie were
displeased, considering his prouision to be great and his gaine small.
[Sidenote: The earle of Cleremont in Gascoigne.] In the same verie
season, Iohn earle of Cleremont sonne to the duke of Bourbon, wan in
Gascoigne out of the Englishmens possession, the castels of saint Peter,
saint Marie, and the New castell; and the lord de la Bret wan the
castell of Carlassin, which was no small losse to the English nation.
Henrie earle of Northumberland, with his brother Thomas earle of
Worcester, and his sonne the lord Henrie Persie, surnamed Hotspur, which
were to king Henrie in the beginning of his reigne, both faithfull
freends, and earnest aiders, began now to enuie his wealth and
felicitie; and especiallie they were gréeved, bicause the king demanded
of the earle and his sonne such Scotish prisoners as were taken at
Homeldon and Nesbit: for of all the captiues which were taken in the
conflicts foughten in those two places, there was deliuered to the kings
possession onlie Mordake earle of Fife, the duke of Albanies sonne,
though the king did diuers and sundrie times require deliuerance of the
residue, and that with great threatnings: wherewith the Persies being
sore offended, for that they claimed them as their owne proper
prisoners, and their peculiar preies, by the counsell of the lord Thomas
Persie earle of Worcester, whose studie was euer (as some write) to
procure malice, and set things in a broile, [Sidenote: The request of
the Persies.] came to the king vnto Windsore (vpon a purpose to prooue
him) and there required of him, that either by ransome or otherwise, he
would cause to be deliuered out of prison Edmund Mortimer earle of
March, their cousine germane, whome (as they reported) Owen Glendouer
kept in filthie prison, shakled with irons, onelie for that he tooke his
part, and was to him faithfull and true.
The king began not a little to muse at this request, and not without
cause: for in déed it touched him somewhat neere, sith this Edmund was
sonne to Roger earle of March, sonne to the ladie Philip, daughter of
Lionell duke of Clarence, the third sonne of king Edward the third;
which Edmund at king Richards going into Ireland, was proclamed heire
apparant to the crowne and realme, whose aunt called Elianor, the lord
Henrie Persie had married; and therefore king Henrie could not well
heare, that anie man should be in earnest about the aduancement of that
linage. The king when he had studied on the matter made answer that the
earle of March was not taken prisoner for his cause, nor in his seruice,
but willinglie suffered himselfe to be taken, bicause he would not
withstand the attempts of Owen Glendouer and his complices, and
therefore he would neither ransome him, nor reléeue him.
The Persies with this answer and fraudulent excuse were not a little
fumed, [Sidenote: The saieng of the L. Persie.] insomuch that Henrie
Hotspur said openlie: Behold, the heire of the relme is robbed of his
right, and yet the robber with his owne will not redeeme him. So in this
furie the Persies departed, minding nothing more than to depose king
Henrie from the high type of his roialtie, and to place in his seat
their cousine Edmund earle of March, whom they did not onlie deliuer out
of captiuitie, [Sidenote: The conspiracies of the Persies with Owen
Glendouer.] but also (to the high displeasure of king Henrie) entered in
league with the foresaid Owen Glendouer. Héerewith, they by their
deputies in the house of the archdeacon of Bangor, [Sidenote: An
indenture tripartite.] diuided the realme amongst them, causing a
tripartite indenture to be made and sealed with their seales, by the
couenants whereof, [Sidenote: A diuision of that which they had not.]
all England from Seuerne and Trent, south and eastward, was assigned to
the earle of March: all Wales, & the lands beyond Seuerne westward, were
appointed to Owen Glendouer: and all the remnant from Trent northward,
to the lord Persie.
[Sidenote: A vaine prophesie.] This was doone (as some haue said)
through a foolish credit giuen to a vaine prophesie, as though king
Henrie was the moldwarpe, cursed of Gods owne mouth, and they three were
the dragon, the lion, and the woolfe, which should diuide this realme
betwéene them. Such is the deuiation (saith Hall) and not diuination of
those blind and fantasticall dreames of the Welsh prophesiers. King
Henrie not knowing of this new confederacie, and nothing lesse minding
than that which after happened, gathered a great armie to go againe into
Wales, [Sidenote: The Persies raise their powers.] whereof the earle of
Northumberland and his sonne were aduertised by the earle of Worcester,
and with all diligence raised all the power they could make, [Sidenote:
They craue aid of Scots.] and sent to the Scots which before were taken
prisoners at Homeldon, for aid of men, promising to the earle of Dowglas
the towne of Berwike, and a part of Northumberland, and to other Scotish
lords great lordships and seigniories, if they obteined the upper hand.
The Scots in hope of gaine, and desirous to be reuenged of their old
greefes, came to the earle with a great companie well appointed.
[Sidenote: The archbish. of Yorke of counsell with the Persies in
conspiracie.] The Persies to make their part séeme good, deuised
certeine articles, by the aduise of Richard Scroope, archbishop of
Yorke, brother to the lord Scroope, whome king Henrie had caused to be
beheaded at Bristow. [Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._] These articles being
shewed to diuerse noblemen, and other states of the realme, mooued them
to fauour their purpose, in so much that manie of them did not onelie
promise to the Persies aid and succour by words, but also by their
writings and seales confirmed the same. Howbeit when the matter came to
triall, the most part of the confederates abandoned them, and at the
daie of the conflict left them alone. Thus after that the conspirators
had discouered themselues, the lord Henrie Persie desirous to procéed in
the enterprise, vpon trust to be assisted by Owen Glendouer, [Sidenote:
The earle of Worchester gouernour to the prince slippeth from him.] the
earle of March, & other, assembled an armie of men of armes and archers
foorth of Cheshire and Wales. [Sidenote: _Hall._] Incontinentlie his
vncle Thomas Persie earle of Worcester, that had the gouernement of the
prince of Wales, who as then laie at London in secret manner, conueied
himselfe out of the princes house, and comming to Stafford (where he met
his nephue) they increased their power by all waies and meanes they
could deuise. The earle of Northumberland himselfe was not with them,
but being sicke, had promised vpon his amendement to repaire vnto them
(as some write) with all conuenient spéed.
[Sidenote: The pretense of the Persies, as they published it abroad.]
These noble men, to make their conspiracie to séem excusable, besides
the articles aboue mentioned, sent letters abroad, wherein was
conteined, that their gathering of an armie tended to none other end,
but onlie for the safegard of their owne persons, and to put some better
gouernment in the commonwealth. For whereas taxes and tallages were
dailie leuied, vnder pretense to be imploied in defence of the realme,
the same were vainlie wasted, and vnprofitablie consumed: and where
through the slanderous reports of their enimies, the king had taken a
greeuous displeasure with them, they durst not appeare personallie in
the kings presence, vntill the prelats and barons of the realme had
obteined of the king licence for them to come and purge themselues
before him, by lawfull triall of their péeres, whose iudgement (as they
pretended) they would in no wise refuse. Manie that saw and heard these
letters, did commend their diligence, and highlie praised their assured
fidelitie and trustinesse towards the commonwealth.
But the king vnderstanding their cloaked drift, deuised (by what meanes
he might) to quiet and appease the commons, [Sidenote: The kings answer
to the Persies libell.] and deface their contriued forgeries; and
therefore he wrote an answer to their libels, that he maruelled much,
sith the earle of Northumberland, and the lord Henrie Persie his sonne,
had receiued the most part of the summes of monie granted to him by the
cleargie and communaltie, for defence of the marches, as he could
euidentlie prooue what should mooue them to complaine and raise such
manifest slanders. And whereas he vnderstood, that the earles of
Northumberland and Worcester, and the lord Persie had by their letters
signified to their freends abroad, that by reason of the slanderous
reports of their enimies, they durst not appeare in his presence,
without the mediation of the prelats and nobles of the realme, so as
they required pledges, whereby they might safelie come afore him, to
declare and alledge what they had to saie in proofe of their innocencie,
he protested by letters sent foorth vnder his seale, that they might
safelie come and go, without all danger, or anie manner of indamagement
to be offered to their persons.
But this could not satisfie those men, but that resolued to go forwards
with their enterprise, they marched towards Shrewsburie, vpon hope to be
aided (as men thought) by Owen Glendouer, and his Welshmen, [Sidenote:
Poore K. Richard is still aliue with th[=e] that wish K. Henries
ouerthrow.] publishing abroad throughout the countries on each side,
that king Richard was aliue, whome if they wished to sée, they willed
them to repaire in armour vnto the castell of Chester, where (without
all doubt) he was at that present, and redie to come forward. This tale
being raised, though it were most vntrue, yet it bred variable motions
in mens minds, causing them to wauer, so as they knew not to which part
they should sticke; and verelie, diuers were well affected towards king
Richard, speciallie such as had tasted of his princelie bountifulnes, of
which there was no small number. And to speake a truth, no maruell it
was, if manie enuied the prosperous state of king Henrie, sith it was
euident inough to the world, that he had with wrong vsurped the crowne,
and not onelie violentlie deposed king Richard, but also cruellie
procured his death; for the which vndoubtedlie, both he and his
posteritie tasted such troubles, as put them still in danger of their
states, till their direct succeeding line was quite rooted out by the
contrarie faction, as in Henrie the sixt and Edward the fourth it may
appeare.
But now to returne where we left. King Henrie aduertised of the
proceedings of the Persies, foorthwith gathered about him such power as
he might make, and being earnestlie called vpon by the Scot, the earle
of March, to make hast and giue battell to his enimies, before their
power by delaieng of time should still too much increase, [Sidenote: The
kings spéedie diligence.] he passed forward with such spéed, that he was
in sight of his enimies, lieng in campe néere to Shrewesburie, before
they were in doubt of anie such thing, for the Persies thought that he
would have staid at Burton vpon Trent, till his councell had come
thither to him to giue their aduise what he were best to doo. But herein
the enimie was deceived of his expectation, sith the king had great
regard of expedition and making speed for the safetie of his own person,
wherevnto the earle of March incited him, considering that in delaie is
danger, & losse in lingering, as the poet in the like case saith:
Tolle moras, nocuit semper differre paratis,
Dum trepidant nullo firmatæ robore partes.
[Sidenote: The Persies troubled with the kings sudden comming.] By
reason of the kings sudden cõming in this sort, they staied from
assaulting the towne of Shrewesburie, [Sidenote: The lord Persie
exhorteth his complices to stick to their tackle.] which enterprise they
were readie at that instant to haue taken in hand, and foorth with the
lord Persie (as a capteine of high courage) began to exhort the
capteines and souldiers to prepare themselues to battell, sith the
matter was growen to that point, that by no meanes it could be auoided,
so that (said he) this daie shall either bring vs all to aduancement &
honor, or else if it shall chance vs to be ouercome, shall deliuer vs
from the kings spitefull malice and cruell disdaine: for plaieng the men
(as we ought to doo) better it is to die in battell for the
commonwealths cause, than through cowardlike feare to prolong life,
which after shall be taken from vs, by sentence of the enimie.
[Sidenote: The number of the Persies armie.] Herevpon, the whole armie
being in number about fourtéene thousand chosen men, promised to stand
with him so long as life lasted. There were with the Persies as
chiefteines of this armie, the earle of Dowglas a Scotish man, the baron
of Kinderton, sir Hugh Browne, and sir Richard Vernon knights, with
diuerse other stout and right valiant capteins. [Sidenote: The Persies
sent their articles to the king.] Now when the two armies were incamped,
the one against the other, the earle of Worcester and the lord Persie
with their complices sent the articles (whereof I spake before) by
Thomas Caiton, and Thomas Saluain esquiers to king Henrie, [Sidenote:
King Henrie charged with periurie.] vnder their hands and seales, which
articles in effect charged him with manifest periurie, in that
(contrarie to his oth receiued vpon the euangelists at Doncaster, when
he first entred the realme after his exile) he had taken vpon him the
crowne and roiall dignitie, imprisoned king Richard, caused him to
resigne his title, and finallie to be murthered. Diuerse other matters
they laid to his charge, as leuieng of taxes and tallages, contrarie to
his promise, infringing of lawes & customes of the realme, and suffering
the earle of March to remaine in prison, [Sidenote: Procurers &
protectors of the commonwealth.] without trauelling to haue him
deliuered. All which things they as procurers & protectors of the
common-wealth, tooke vpon them to prooue against him, as they protested
vnto the whole world.
[Sidenote: The kings answer to the messengers that brought the
articles.] King Henrie after he had read their articles, with the
defiance which they annexed to the same, answered the esquiers, that he
was readie with dint of sword and fierce battell to prooue their
quarrell false, and nothing else than a forged matter, not doubting, but
that God would aid and assist him in his righteous cause, against the
disloiall and false forsworne traitors. The next daie in the morning
earlie, being the euen of Marie Magdalene, they set their battels in
order on both sides, and now whilest the warriors looked when the token
of battell should be giuen, the abbat of Shrewesburie, [Sidenote: The
king offereth to pardon his aduersaries.] and one of the clearks of the
priuie seale, were sent from the king vnto the Persies, to offer them
pardon, if they would come to any reasonable agréement. By their
persuasions, the lord Henrie Persie began to giue eare vnto the kings
offers, & so sent with them his vncle the earle of Worcester, to declare
vnto the king the causes of those troubles, and to require some
effectuall reformation in the same.
It was reported for a truth, that now when the king had condescended
vnto all that was resonable at his hands to be required, [Sidenote: The
earle of worchesters double dealing in wrong reporting the kings words.]
and seemed to humble himselfe more than was meet for his estate, the
earle of Worcester (vpon his returne to his nephue) made relation cleane
contrarie to that the king had said, in such sort that he set his
nephues hart more in displeasure towards the king, than euer it was
before, driuing him by that meanes to fight whether he would or not:
then suddenlie blew the trumpets, the kings part crieng S. George vpon
them, the aduersaries cried Esperance Persie, and so the two armies
furiouslie ioined. The archers on both sides shot for the best game,
laieng on such load with arrowes, that manie died, and were driuen downe
that neuer rose againe.
[Sidenote: _Hall._ The Scots.] The Scots (as some write) which had the
fore ward on the Persies side, intending to be reuenged of their old
displeasures doone to them by the English nation, set so fiercelie on
the kings fore ward, led by the earle of Stafford, that they made the
same draw backe, and had almost broken their aduersaries arraie. The
Welshmen also which before had laine lurking in the woods, mounteines,
and marishes, hearing of this battell toward, [Sidenote: The welshmen
comme to aid the Persies.] came to the aid of the Persies, and refreshed
the wearied people with new succours. The king perceiuing that his men
were thus put to distresse, what with the violent impression of the
Scots, and the tempestuous stormes of arrowes, that his aduersaries
discharged fréely against him and his people, it was no need to will him
to stirre: for suddenlie with his fresh battell, he approached and
relieued his men; so that the battell began more fierce than before.
Here the lord Henrie Persie, and the earle Dowglas, a right stout and
hardie capteine, not regarding the shot of the kings battell, nor the
close order of the ranks, pressing forward togither bent their whole
forces towards the kings person, [Sidenote: The earle of March. _Tho.
Walsin._] comming vpon him with speares and swords so fiercelie, that
the earle of March the Scot, perceiuing their purpose, withdrew the king
from that side of the field (as some write) for his great benefit and
safegard (as it appeared) for they gaue such a violent onset vpon them
that stood about the kings standard, that slaieing his standard-bearer
sir Walter Blunt, and ouerthrowing the standard, they made slaughter of
all those that stood about it, as the earle of Stafford, that daie made
by the king constable of the realme, and diuerse other.
[Sidenote: _Hall._] [Sidenote: The valiance of the yoong prince.] The
prince that daie holpe his father like a lustie yoong gentleman: for
although he was hurt in the face with an arrow, so that diuerse noble
men that were about him, would haue conueied him foorth of the field,
yet he would not suffer them so to doo, least his departure from amongst
his men might happilie haue striken some feare into their harts: and so
without regard of his hurt, he continued with his men, [Sidenote: A sore
battell & well mainteined.] & neuer ceassed, either to fight where the
battell was most hot, or to incourage his men where it séemed most néed.
This battell lasted thrée long houres, with indifferent fortune on both
parts, till at length, the king crieng saint George victorie, brake the
arraie of his enimies, and aduentured so farre, [Sidenote: The valiant
dooings of the earle Dowglas.] that (as some write) the earle Dowglas
strake him downe, & at that instant slue sir Walter Blunt, and thrée
other, apparelled in the kings sute and clothing, saieng: I maruell to
sée so many kings thus suddenlie arise one in the necke of an other. The
king in deed was raised, [Sidenote: The high manhood of the king.] & did
that daie manie a noble feat of armes, for as it is written, he slue
that daie with his owne hands six and thirtie persons of his enimies.
The other on his part incouraged by his doings, [Sidenote: The lord
Persie slaine.] fought valiantlie, and slue the lord Persie, called sir
Henrie Hotspurre. To conclude, the kings enimies were vanquished, and
put to flight, in which flight, the earle of Dowglas, for hast, falling
from the crag of an hie mounteine, [Sidenote: The earle Dowglas taken
prisoner.] brake one of his cullions, and was taken, and for his
valiantnesse, of the king frankelie and freelie deliuered.
[Sidenote: The earle of Worcester taken.] There was also taken the earle
of Worcester, the procuror and setter foorth of all this mischéefe, sir
Richard Vernon, and the baron of Kinderton, [Sidenote: Knights slaine on
the kings part.] with diuerse other. There were slaine vpon the kings
part, beside the earle of Stafford, to the number of ten knights, sir
Hugh Shorlie, sir Iohn Clifton, sir Iohn Cokaine, sir Nicholas Gausell,
sir Walter Blunt, sir Iohn Caluerleie, sir Iohn Massie of Podington, sir
Hugh Mortimer, and sir Robert Gausell, all the which receiued the same
morning the order of knighthood: sir Thomas Wendesleie was wounded to
death, and so passed out of this life shortlie after. There died in all
vpon the kings side sixteene hundred, and foure thousand were
gréeuouslie wounded. On the contrarie side were slaine, besides the lord
Persie, the most part of the knights and esquiers of the countie of
Chester, [Sidenote: The slaughter of Cheshire men at this battell.] to
the number of two hundred, besides yeomen and footmen, in all there died
of those that fought on the Persies side, about fiue thousand. This
battell was fought on Marie Magdalene euen, being saturdaie. [Sidenote:
The earle of Worcester and others beheaded.] Vpon the mondaie folowing,
the earle of Worcester, the baron of Kinderton, and sir Richard Vernon
knights, were condemned and beheaded. The earles head was sent to
London, there to be set on the bridge.
The earle of Northumberland was now marching forward with great power,
which he had got thither, either to aid his sonne and brother (as was
thought) or at least towards the king, [Sidenote: The earle of
westmerland raiseth a power against the earle of Northumberland.] to
procure a peace: but the earle of Westmerland, and sir Robert Waterton
knight, had got an armie on foot, and meant to meet him. The earle of
Northumberland, taking neither of them to be his freend, turned
suddenlie back, and withdrew himselfe into Warkewoorth castell.
[Sidenote: The king goeth to Yorke.] The king hauing set a staie in
things about Shrewesburie, went straight to Yorke, from whence he wrote
to the earle of Northumberland, willing him to dismisse his companies
that he had with him, [Sidenote: The earle of Northumberland commeth to
the king.] and to come vnto him in peaceable wise. The earle vpon
receipt of the kings letters came vnto him the morow after saint
Laurence daie, hauing but a few of his seruants to attend him, and so
excused himselfe, that the king (bicause the earle had Berwike in his
possession, and further, had his castels of Alnewike, Warkewoorth, and
other, fortified with Scots) dissembled the matter, gaue him faire
words, and suffered him (as saith Hall) to depart home, although by
other it should séeme, that he was committed for a time to safe
custodie.
The king returning foorth of Yorkeshire, determined to go into
Northwales, [Sidenote: The welshmen molest the English subiects.] to
chastise the presumptuous dooings of the vnrulie Welshmen, who (after
his comming from Shrewesburie, and the marches there) had doone much
harme to the English subiects. But now where the king wanted monie to
furnish that enterprise, and to wage his souldiers, there were some that
counselled him to be bold with the bishops, and supplie his want with
their surplusage. But as it fortuned, the archbishop of Canturburie was
there present, who in the name of all the rest boldlie made answer,
[Sidenote: It was spoken like a prelat.] that none of his prouince
should be spoiled by anie of those naughtie disposed persons; but that
first with hard stripes they should vnderstand the price of their rash
enterprise. But the king neuerthelesse so vsed the matter with the
bishops for their good wils, [Sidenote: A tenth leuied of the cleargie.]
that the archbishop at length to pleasure him, calling the cleargie
togither, got a grant of a tenth, towards the kings necessarie charges.