burnt the towne of Plimmouth, and returned without receiuing anie
damage, but immediatlie therevpon, the westerne men manning foorth a
fléet, [Sidenote: William Wilford.] vnder the gouernement of one William
Wilford esquier, [Sidenote: Ships taken.] made saile ouer to the coasts
of Britaine, where they tooke aboue fortie ships laden with oile, sope,
and Rochell wine, to the quantitie of a thousand tunne, or much
thereabouts. In returning homewards, they burnt fortie other vessels,
and landing at Pennarch, they burnt townes and villages six leagues
within the countrie, togither with the towne of saint Matthew, and all
the buildings there, thrée leagues round about the same towns.
[Sidenote: _Anno Reg._ 5. A parlement at Couentrie.] About the feast of
All saints, a parlement began at Couentrie, and continued there till
saint Andrewes tide: but at length, bicause vittels waxed déere,
[Sidenote: Adiorned to London.] and lodging was streict, it was adiorned
from thence vnto London, there to begin againe in the octaues of the
Epiphanie. [Sidenote: A pardon.] The same time, a pardon was granted and
proclamed, for all such as had taken part with the Persies against the
king, and likewise for other offenders, those excepted that had
consented to betraie Calis, [Sidenote: Frenchmen inuade the Ile of
Wight.] whom the king sent thither to suffer for their offences. A
little before Christmas the Frenchmen meant to haue robbed and spoiled
the Ile of Wight, but when a thousand of them were set on land, and had
got togither a great bootie of cattell; suddenlie there came vpon them
such number of people that they were constrained to withdraw to their
ships, leauing their preie behind them, [Sidenote: They are repelled.]
and no small number of their men to paie for their shot, so that they
wan little by that iournie, returning home with shame and dishonor.
[Sidenote: 1404.] [Sidenote: The parlement beginneth againe.] [Sidenote:
The earle of Northumberland restored.] This yeare in the parlement
holden at London (beginning the morow after the feast of saint Hilarie,
and continuing twelue wéeks) the earl of Northumberland was restored
vnto his former dignities, [Sidenote: The Ile of Man.] lands and goods,
the Ile of Man onlie excepted, which by reason of the forfeiture made by
the earle of Salisburie, the king had first giuen vnto him, and now
depriued him thereof, where all his other lands, possessions, and
liuings were wholie to him and his heires restored. [Sidenote: A
subsidie.] By authoritie of the same parlement a subsidie was also
granted to the king, of euerie knights fée twentie shillings, whether
the same were holden of him by menaltie, or otherwise. Moreouer, euerie
man and woman that might dispend in lands the value of twentie shillings
& so vpward, aboue the reprises, whether the same lands belonged to the
laie fee, or to the church, paied for euerie pound twelue pence: and
those that were valued to be woorth in goods twentie pounds and vpwards,
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._ out of _Tho. Walsin._ _Hypod._ pag. 164.] paid
also after the rate of lands, that is, twelue pence for euerie pound. ¶
This séemeth to be that subsidie which Thomas Walsingham calleth a sore
surcharging subsidie, or an vnaccustomed tax: the forme and maner wherof
(saith he) I had here interlaced, but that the verie granters and
authors thereof had rather that the posteritie should be vtterlie
ignorant thereof, and neuer heare of it; sithens it was granted vpon
this condition, that hereafter it should not be drawne into example;
neither might the euidences thereof be kept in the kings treasurie, nor
in the excheker; but the records thereof presentlie (after the iust
accounts giuen vp) burned; neither should writs or commissions be sent
abroad against the collectors or inquirers hereof for their better
inquest.
[Sidenote: The Frenchmens demand of the Ile of Wight.] The Frenchmen
about the same time came before the Ile of Wight with a great nauie, and
sent certeine of their men to the shore, to demand in name of king
Richard, and of his wife quéene Isabell, [Sidenote: The answer of the
Ilandmen.] a tribute or speciall subsidie in monie, of the inhabitants
of that Ile; who answered, that king Richard was dead, and queene
Isabell sometime his wife had béene sent home to hir parents and
countrie, without condition of anie dowrie or tribute: wherefore, they
answered reasonablie, that none they would giue: but if the Frenchmen
had desire to fight, they willed them to come on land, and there should
be none to resist them; and after they were on land, they promised to
giue them respit for six houres space to refresh themselues, and that
time being once expired, they should not faile to haue battell. When the
Frenchmen heard of this stout answer made by the Ilandmen, they had no
lust to approch néere to the land, but returned without further attempt.
[Sidenote: The duke of Orleance his challenge.] About this season, the
duke of Orleance, brother to the French king, a man of no lesse pride
than hautinesse of courage, wrote letters to king Henrie, aduertising
him, that for the loue he bare to the noble feats of chiualrie, he could
imagine nothing either more honorable or cõmendable to them both, than
to meet in the field each part with an hundred knights and esquiers, all
being gentlemen, both of name and armes, armed at all points, and
furnished with speares, axes, swords, and daggers, and there to fight
and combat to the yeelding; and euerie person, to whome God should send
victorie, to haue his prisoner, & him to ransome at his pleasure,
offering himselfe with his companie to come to his citie of Angulesme,
so that the king would come to the lands of Burdeaux, and there defend
this challenge.
[Sidenote: The answer of king Henrie.] The king of England grauelie
answered herevnto, that he maruelled why the duke vnder colour of dooing
déeds of armes for a vaine-glorie, would now séeke to breake the peace
betwixt the realmes of England and France, he being sworne to mainteine
same peace sith he might further vnderstand, that no king annointed, of
verie dutie, was bound to answer anie challenge, but to his péere of
equall state and dignitie: and further declared, that when opportunitie
serued, he would passe the sea, and come into his countrie of Gascoigne,
with such companie as he thought conuenient, and then might the duke set
forward with his band, for the accomplishment of his couragious desire,
promising him in the word of a prince, not thence to depart, till the
duke either by fulfilling his owne desire in manner aforesaid, or by
singular combat betwéene them two onelie, for auoiding of more effusion
of Christian bloud, should thinke himselfe fullie satisfied. To this and
much more conteined in the kings answer, the duke replied, and the king
againe reioined, not without tawnts and checks vnfitting for their
estates. The duke of Orleance offended highlie (as he might séeme)
furnished against the king of England with an armie of six thousand men,
entered into Guien, [Sidenote: The duke of Orleance besiegeth Vergi in
Guien.] and besieged the towne of Vergi, whereof was capteine sir Robert
Antlfield, a right hardie and valiant knight, hauing with him onelie
thrée hundred Englishmen, which defended the fortresse so manfullie,
that the duke (after he had laine three moneths) and lost manie of his
men, without honour or spoile returned into France.
After this, the admerall of Britaine highlie incouraged, for that the
last yeere he had taken certeine English ships laden with wines,
accompanied with the lord du Chastell, a valiant baron of Britaine, and
twelue hundred men of armes, sailed foorth with thirtie ships from S.
Malos, and came before the towne of Dartmouth, and would haue landed;
[Sidenote: The lord du Chastell slaine.] but by the puissance of the
townesmen and aid of the countrie, they were repelled, in the which
conflict, the lord du Chastell, and two of his brethren, with foure
hundred other were slaine, and aboue two hundred taken prisoners and put
to their ransoms, [Sidenote: Owen Glendouer wasted the English marches.]
amongst whom the lord of Baqueuille the marshall of Britaine was one.
All this summer, Owen Glendouer and his adherents, robbed, burned, and
destroied the countries adioining néere to the places where he hanted,
and one while by sleight & guileful policie, an other while by open
force, he tooke and slue manie Englishmen, brake downe certeine castels
which he wan, and some he fortified and kept for his owne defense. Iohn
Trenor bishop of Assaph, considering with himselfe how things prospered
vnder the hands of this Owen, fled to him, and tooke his part against
the king. About the same time, [Sidenote: Crueltie of the Britains &
Flemings.] the Britaines and the Flemings tooke certeine ships of ours
laden with merchandize, and slue all the mariners, or else hanged them.
[Sidenote: The countes of Oxford.] Also, the old countesse of Oxford,
mother to Robert Veere late duke of Ireland, that died at Louaine,
caused certeine of hir seruants, and other such as she durst trust, to
publish and brute abroad, [Sidenote: K. Richard once againe aliue.]
thorough all the parts of Essex, that king Richard was aliue, and that
he would shortlie come to light, and claime his former estate, honor,
and dignitie. She procured a great number of harts to be made of siluer
and gold, such as king Richard was woont to giue unto his knights,
esquiers, & fréends, to weare as cognizances, to the end that in
bestowing them in king Richards name, she might the sooner allure men to
further hir lewd practises: and where the fame went abroad, that king
Richard was in Scotland with a great power of Frenchmen and Scots,
readie to come to recouer his realme, manie gaue the more light credit
vnto this brute thus set foorth by the said countesse.
[Sidenote: Serlo one of K. Richard's chamber.] The persuasions also of
one Serlo, that in times past was one of king Richards chamber, greatlie
increased this errour, for the same Serlo, hearing in France (whither he
was fled) that his maister king Richard was in Scotland aliue, conueied
himselfe thither, to vnderstand the truth of that matter, and finding
there one indeed that greatlie resembled him in all lineaments of bodie,
but yet was not the man himselfe (as he well perceiued) vpon malice that
he bare to king Henrie, aduertised by letters sent vnto diuerse of king
Richards freends, that he was aliue indéed, and shortlie would come to
shew himselfe openlie to the world, when he had once made his waie
readie to recouer his kingdome, to the confusion of his enimies, and
comfort of his fréends. These forged inuentions caused manie to beleeue
the brute raised by the countesse of Oxford, for the which they came in
trouble, were apprehended and committed to prison. The countesse hir
selfe was shut vp in close prison, [Sidenote: The countesse of Oxford
committed to prison.] and all hir goods were confiscat, and hir
secretarie drawen and hanged, that had spred abroad this fained report,
in going vp and downe the countrie, blowing into mens eares that king
Richard was aliue, [Sidenote: Hir secretary executed.] & affirming that
he had spoken with him in such a place and in such a place, apparelled
in this raiment and that raiment, with such like circumstances.
[Sidenote: The earle of Northumberland cõmeth to the king.] About the
feast of saint Iohn Baptist, at the kings commandement, the earle of
Northumberland came to Pomfret, and brought with him his nephues, and
his nephues sonnes, whereby he cleared himselfe of a great deale of
suspicion, manie doubting before his comming that he had given euill
counsell to the yoong men, whereby to mooue them to rebellion,
[Sidenote: Sir William Clifford bringeth Serlo to the king.] and to
withstand the king. Sir William Clifford also came with the earle, and
brought the foresaid Serlo with him, whom he had apprehended vpon his
comming to him at Berwike, in hope to haue found succour at his hands;
in consideration whereof the king pardoned the said sir William Clifford
of his disobedience shewed, in keeping the castell of Berwike against
him, in which dooing he had committed manifest treason.
[Sidenote: Serlo examined for the duke of Glocesters death.] This Serlo
being knowen to be the man that had béene the chiefe murtherer of the
duke of Glocester, when he was made awaie at Calis, was diligentlie
examined who were helpers with him in the execution thereof, and after
what sort they made him awaie: Serlo knowing there was no waie with him
but death, would not vtter any other, but confessed for his owne part,
he was worthie for that wicked déed to die ten thousand deaths, and
shewed such outward appearance of repentance, that manie sore lamented
his case, and promised to hire priests to sing masses, (as the manner
was) for his soule, of their owne costs and charges. [Sidenote: He is
drawen through euery goode towne.] He was condemned to die at Pomfret,
and was drawen from thence through euerie good towne, [Sidenote: He is
executed at Lõdon.] through which those that had the conueiance of him
passed with him till they came to London, where he was executed,
confessing euerie thing to be true concerning his wicked pretense, as
before is recited: and further, that when he perceiued how their
counterfeit practise would come to light and be openlie reuealed, he
meant to haue returned into France, but wanting monie, he thought to
have béene relieued with some portion at the hand of the said sir
William Clifford, and this caused him to come vnto Berwike, to shew him
his necessitie, who to make his owne peace, did apprehend him, and
present him to the king, as before ye haue heard.
[Sidenote: _Anno Reg._ 6.] King Henrie wanting monie in the feast of
saint Faith the virgine, assembled at Couentrie his high court of
parlement, in the which, the lord Stephan Scroope of Masham, and the
lord Henrie Fitz Hugh obteined first to haue places of barons.
[Sidenote: The leymens parlement.] Moreouer, it is to be noted, that
this was called The laie mans parlement, bicause the shiriffes were
appointed to haue a speciall regard, that none should be chosen knights
for the counties, nor burgesses for the cities and townes, that had any
skill in the lawes of the land. This was doone, and when they came
togither to talke of the weightie affaires of the realme, speciallie how
the king might be relieued with monie, to beare such charges as he was
knowen to be at, as well in defending the realme from the Scots and
Welshmen at home, as from the Britains, [Sidenote: Strife betwixt the
laitie and spiritualtie.] Flemings, and Frenchmen abroad, it was thought
most expedient, that the spiritualtie should be depriued of their
temporall possessions, to the reliefe of the kings necessitie. Herevpon
rose great altercation betwixt the cleargie and the laitie; the knights
affirming, that they had oftentimes serued the king, not onelie with
their goods, but also with their persons in great dangers and
ieopardies, [Sidenote: The archbishop of Canterburie answereth for his
brethren.] whilest the spiritualtie sat at home, and holp the king
nothing at all. Thomas Arundell, archbishop of Canturburie stoutlie
answered herevnto, that the cleargie had alwaie giuen to the king as
much as the laitie had doone, considering they had oftener giuen their
tenths to him than the laitie their fiftéens: also, that more of their
tenants went foorth into the kings warres, than the tenants of them of
the laie fée: beside this, they praied day and night for the kings good
successe against his enimies.
[Sidenote: Sir Iohn Cheinie speaker of the parlement.] When the speaker
named sir Iohn Cheinie, in replieng by plaine speach, séemed little to
esteeme such praiers of the church, the archbishop was set in a great
chafe, and with sharpe words declaring what he thought must needs
follow, both of the king and kingdome, when praiers and suffrages of
churchmen came to be so little set by, he grew to such impatiencie, that
he flatlie told the speaker, [Sidenote: The archb. chafeth.] that
although he séemed little to estéeme of the religion of the cleargie, he
would not haue him to thinke, that he should take awaie the possessions
of the church, [Sidenote: He spake like a lord.] without finding such as
would seeke to withstand him, for if (said he) the archbishop of
Canturburie maie liue, thou shalt haue hot taking awaie any manner of
thing that is his. After this, when the archbishop perceiued that the
king winked at these matters, he rose from his place and comming before
the king, knéeled downe, and besought him to consider, how through the
fauour and grace of the almightie God, he had atteined to the kingdome,
and therefore he ought to remember his first purpose and intent, which
was, to saue vnto euerie man his right, so far as in him laie.
He willed him likewise to haue in consideration the oth which he
willinglie had receiued, that is, that he should aduance the honor of
the church, and the ministers thereof cherish and mainteine. Also, to
haue in mind the danger and dishonour that redounded to such as brake
their othes: so that he besought him to permit and suffer the church to
inioy the priuileges and liberties, which in time of his predecessors it
had inioied, requesting him to stand in awe of that king, by whom all
kings did reigne; and to feare the censures and condemnation that those
incurred, which tooke and bereft from the church any good or right
belonging to it, who most certeinelie (said he) are accursed. [Sidenote:
The kings answer to the archbishop.] When the archbishop had vsed this,
or the like speach, the king commanded him to go to his seat againe,
assuring him, that his intent and purpose was to leaue the church in as
good state, or better, than he found it.
The archbishop herewith turning to the knights and burgesses of the
parlement, said vnto them; "You, and such other as you be, haue giuen
counsell vnto the king and his predecessors, to confiscate and take into
their hands the goods and possessions of the celles, which the Frenchmen
and Normans possessed here in England, and affirmed that by the same he
and they should heape vp great riches, and indéed those goods and
possessions (as is to be prooued) were worth manie thousands of gold;
and yet it is most true, that the king at this day is not halfe one
marke of siluer the richer thereby, for you haue begged and gotten them
out of his hands, and haue appropriated the same vnto your selves, so
that we may coniecture verie well, that you request to haue our
temporalties, not to aduance the kings profit, but to satisfie your owne
greedie covetousnesse, for vndoubtedlie if the king (as God forbid he
should) did accomplish your wicked purposes and minds, he should not be
one farthing the richer the yeare next after: and trulie, sooner will I
suffer this head of mine to be cut off from my shoulders, than that the
church should lose the least right that apperteineth to it."
The knights said little, but yet they procéeded in their sute to haue
their purpose forward, which the archbishop perceiuing (as an other
Argus, hauing his eie on each side, to marke what was doone) laboured so
to disappoint their dooings, that he wan the favour of certeine of the
temporall lords to assist him, who constantlie auouched by their
consents, that the church should neuer be spoiled of the temporalties,
and herein they acquited the archbishop and prelats, one pleasure for an
other, which they had doone for them before, when the commons in this
parlement required, that all such lands and reuenues as sometime
belonged to the crowne, and had béene giuen awaie, either by the king,
or by his predecessors king Edward, and king Richard, should be againe
restored to the kings vse; vnto which request, the archbishop and other
the prelats would in no wise consent: [Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._ out of
_Thom. Walsi._ _Hypod._ pag. 167.] thus by the stout diligence of the
archbishop Arundell that petition of the commons, touching the spiritual
temporalties, came to none effect. [Yea the knights themselues, who
verie instantlie had stood in this error, acknowledging their
maliciousness & guiltinesse herein, besought the archbishop of
Canturburie to pardon them; and gaue thanks that by his couragiousnesse
the church in this so troublesome a time reuiued, calling to mind the
saieing of an ethnike, by way of application, to the said archbishops
his praise:
-------sub principe duro
Temporibúsq; malis ausus es esse bonus.]
[Sidenote: Two fiftéens granted.] Two fiftéens were granted by the
commons, with condition, that the same should be paid vnto the hands of
the lord Furniuall, who should sée that monie imploied for maintenance
of the kings warres. Moreouer, [Sidenote: Letters patents reuoked.] at
the importunate sute of the commons, the letters patents that had béene
made to diuerse persons of annuities to them granted by king Edward and
king Richard, [Sidenote: A tenth and a halfe granted by the cleargie.]
were called in and made void, not without some note of dishonor to the
king. The cleargie granted to the king a tenth and a halfe,
notwithstanding that the halfe of one tenth latelie granted was yet
behind, and appointed to be paid vpon saint Martins daie now next
comming. About this season, great losse happened in Kent, by breaking in
of waters, [Sidenote: Ouerflowing of the sea.] that ouerflowed the sea
banks, as well in the archbishop of Canturburies grounds, as other mens,
whereby much cattell was drowned. Neither did England alone bewaile her
losses by such breakings in of the sea, but also Zealand, Flanders, &
Holland tasted of the like damage.
[Sidenote: The death of Williã Wickham.] William Wickham bishop of
Winchester, being a man of great age, deceassed this yeare, leauing
behind him a perpetuall memorie of his name, for the notable monuments
which he erected, in building two colleges, one at Winchester for
grammarians, and the other at Oxenford called the new college,
purchasing lands and reuenues for the maintenance of students there, to
the great commoditie of the commonwealth: for from thence, as out of a
good nursserie, haue come foorth diuerse men in all ages excellentlie
learned in all sciences. ¶ And héere I haue not thought it impertinent
to speake somewhat of this worthie prelat (considering that by him so
great a benefit hath returned to the commonwealth) according to such
notes as I haue séene collected by that painfull traueller in search of
antiquities Iohn Leland, who saith, that as some haue supposed, the said
Wickham, otherwise called Perot, was base sonne to one Perot, the
towne-clerke of Wickham in Hampshire, of which place he tooke his
surname, and that one maister Wodall a gentleman, dwelling in the said
towne, brought him vp at schoole, where he learned his grammar, and to
write verie faire, in so much that the constable of Winchester castell,
a great ruler in those daies in Hampshire, got him of maister Wodall,
and reteined him to be his secretaire, with whome he continued, till
king Edward the third, comming to Winchester, conceiued some good liking
of the yoong man, and tooke him to his seruice, and withall
vnderstanding that he was minded to be a churchman, he first made him
parson and deane of saint Martins in London, then archdeacon of
Buckingham.