that with great dexteritie could handle such affaires of the state, or
other matters of charge as were committed to his hands, the king still
kept him about his person, as one of his chéefe chapleins of houshold,
and imploied him in sundrie offices, as occasions serued: and first he
made him surueior of his works and buildings, namelie at Windsore, in
reparing of that castell, and also at Quinburrough, where, by the kings
appointment, a strong fortresse was raised, for defence of the realme on
that side. [Sidenote: He was also at one time treasurer of England (as
_Leland_ gathereth.)] After this, he was aduanced to the kéeping of the
priuie seale, made ouerséer of the wards and forrests, also treasuror of
the kings reuenues in France, and at length was made bishop of
Winchester. Yet the Blacke prince did not greatlie fauour him, wherevpon
Wickham procured to kéepe him occupied in warres beyond the seas. But at
length Iohn duke of Lancaster, and Alice Perers king Edwards concubine,
conceiuing some great displeasure against him, found meane to procure
the king to banish him the realme, and then he remained in Normandie and
Picardie for the space of seauen yeares, or thereabout, and might not be
restored so long as king Edward liued. But after his deceasse, about the
second yeare of king Richard the seconds reigne, he was restored home,
and purchased a general pardon for all matters past that might be
surmized against him, or laid to his charge.
Afterwards he bare himselfe so uprightlie in that dangerous time, when
such misliking and priuie enuie reigned betwixt the king and his nobles,
that both parts séemed to like of him, insomuch that when the king made
him lord chancellor, there was not anie that greatlie repined thereat;
and verelie in that the king made choise of him before others to occupie
that place, it argueth there was not so euill a disposition in the king,
nor lacke of discretion in order of gouernment, as writers seeme to
charge him with. But where other could not so well beare iniuries at
others hands as happilie Wickham could, the fire of dissention cheeflie
kindled thereof. For if the duke of Ireland, and the earle of Suffolke,
with those of that faction could haue refrained to shew their
displeasures, when the duke of Glocester and other his complices pinched
at them (for that they saw the king haue them in more estimation than
they wished) matters might haue béene qualified peraduenture with lesse
adoo, and without danger to haue insued to either part. But howsoeuer it
went with them, it may doubtlesse be easilie coniectured, that Wickham
was a man of singular wisedome, and politike forecast, that could from
meane degrée in such wise clime aloft, and afterwards passe through the
chances and changes of variable fortune, kéeping himselfe euer so in
state, that he grew at length to be able to furnish the chargeable
expenses of two such notable foundations which he left behind him, to
make his name immortall. But leauing the consideration hereof to others,
I will returne to the purpose from whence I haue thus far stepped.
[Sidenote: 1405.] [Sidenote: The earle of Marches sonnés. _Thom.
Walsin._] In this sixt yeare, the fridaie after saint Valentines daie,
the earle of March his sonnes earlie in the morning were taken foorth of
Windsore castell, and conueied awaie, it was not knowne whither at the
first, but such search and inquirie was made for them that shortlie
after they were heard of, and brought backe againe. The smith that
counterfeited the keies, by the which they that conueied them thence got
into the chamber where they were lodged, [Sidenote: The ladie Spenser
cõmitted to ward.] had first his hands cut off, and after his head
striken from his shoulders. The ladie Spenser, sister to the duke of
Yorke and widow of the lord Thomas Spenser, executed at Bristow (as
before yee haue heard) being apprehended and committed to close prison,
[Sidenote: She accuseth hir brother the duke of Yorke.] accused hir
brother the duke of Yorke, as chéefe authour in stealing awaie the said
earle of March his sonnes. And further, that the said duke ment to haue
broken into the manor of Eltham the last Christmasse, by scaling the
wals in the night season, the king being there the same time, to the
intent to haue murthered him. For to prooue hir accusation true she
offered that if there were anie knight, or esquier, that would take vpon
him to fight in hir quarrell, if he were ouercome, she would be content
to be burnt for it.
[Sidenote: Williã Maidstone esquier offred to fight in his ladies
quarrell.] One of hir esquiers named William Maidstone, hearing what
answer his ladie and mistresse propounded, cast downe his hood, and
proffered in hir cause the combat. The duke likewise cast downe his
hood, readie by battell to cleare his innocencie. But yet the kings
sonne lord Thomas of Lancaster arrested him, and put him vnder safe
kéeping in the Tower, till it were further knowne what order should be
taken with him, [Sidenote: The earle marshall accused.] and in the meane
time were all his goods confiscate. The same time was Thomas Mowbraie
earle marshall accused, as priuie to the purpose of the duke of Yorke,
touching the withdrawing of the earle of March his children, who
confessed indéed that he knew of the dukes purpose: but yet in no wise
gaue his consent therevnto, and therefore besought the king to be good
and gratious lord vnto him for concealing the matter, and so he obteined
pardon of that offense.
The king had assembled at the same time the most part of the nobilitie
at London, to consult with them for diuerse weightie matters, concerning
the state of the common-wealth, and about some aid of monie which he
required: [Sidenote: The k. wanteth monie & can get none of the lords.]
but the lords shewed themselues not willing to satisfie his request. He
therefore caused the spirituall lords as well as the temporall, to méet
at S. Albons in the Lent season, about the same matter; but yet obteined
not his purpose, by reason the barons were sore against him, and so at
length on Palme sundaie they went their waie, each man to his home,
hauing gratified the king in nothing concerning his demand. In the meane
time, to wit the fiftéenth of March at a place in Wales called Huske, in
a conflict fought betwixt the Welshmen and certeine of the princes
companie, the sonne of Owen Glendouer was taken, and fiftéene hundred
Welshmen taken and slaine. Also in Maie about the feast daie of S.
Dunstane, was the chancellor of the said Owen taken prisoner, and a
great number of other taken and slaine. The prisoners were brought vp to
London, where the chancellor was commited to safe keeping in the Tower.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._ out of _Thom. Wals._ _Hypod._ pag. 159.] ¶ This
was a shrewd discomfiture to the Welsh by the English, on whome sinister
lot lowred, at such time as more than a thousand of them were slaine in
a hot skirmish; and such shamefull villanie executed vpon the carcasses
of the dead men by the Welshwomen; [Sidenote: _Iust. lib. 1. Herod. lib.
1. Val. Max. lib. 8. cap. 7._] as the like (I doo belieue) hath neuer or
sildome beene practised. For though it was a cruell déed of Tomyris
quéene of the Massagets in Scythia, against whome when Cyrus the great
king of Persia came, and had slaine hir sonne, she by hir policie
trained him into such streicts, that she slue him and all his host; and
causing a great vessel to be filled with the bloud of Cyrus and other
Persians, did cast his head thereinto, saieng; Bloud thou hast thirsted
and now drinke thereof thy fill: againe, though it was a cruell déed of
Fuluia the wife of Marcus Antonius (at whose commandement Popilius cut
off the head and hands of that golden mouthed orator Tullie, which
afterwards were nailed vp ouer the place of common plées at Rome) to
hold in her hands the toong of that father of eloquence cut out of his
head after the same was parted from his shoulders, and to pricke it all
ouer with pins and néedels: yet neither the crueltie of Tomyris nor yet
of Fuluia is comparable to this of the Welshwomen; which is worthie to
be recorded to the shame of a sex pretending the title of weake vessels,
and yet raging with such force of fiercenesse and barbarisme. For the
dead bodies of the Englishmen, being aboue a thousand lieng vpon the
ground imbrued in their owne bloud, was a sight (a man would thinke)
greeuous to looke vpon, and so farre from exciting and stirring vp
affections of crueltie; that it should rather haue mooued the beholders
to commiseration and mercie: yet did the women of Wales cut off their
priuities, and put one part thereof into the mouthes of euerie dead man,
in such sort that the cullions hoong downe to their chins; and not so
contented, they did cut off their noses and thrust them into their
tailes as they laie on the ground mangled and defaced. This was a verie
ignominious déed, and a woorsse not committed among the barbarous: which
though it make the reader to read it, and the hearer to heare it,
ashamed: yet bicause it was a thing doone in open sight, and left
testified in historie; I see little reason whie it should not be
imparted in our mother toong to the knowledge of our owne countrimen, as
well as vnto strangers in a language vnknowne. And thus much by waie of
notifieng the inhumanitie and detestable demeanour of those Welshwomen,
after the conflict betwéene the English and the Welsh, whereof
desultorie mention is made before pag. 520, where Edmund Mortimer earle
of March was taken prisoner.
Valeran earle of S. Paule, by the assent of the French king, assembled
fiue hundred men of armes, fiue hundred Genowaies with crossebowes,
[Sidenote: The castell of Marke besieged about the middest of Maie as
_Iac. Meir._ saith. Sir Philip Hall.] and a thousand Flemings on foot,
with the which he laid siege to the castell of Marke, thrée leagues from
Calis, vpon the fiftéenth daie of Iulie. Capteine of the castell as then
for the king of England was one sir Philip Hall, hauing with him foure
score archers, and four and twentie other soldiers, which defended the
place so manfullie, that the earle retired into the towne, and there
lodged, fortifieng it for feare of rescue that might come from Calis.
The next daie he gaue an other assault to the castell, and tooke the
vtter court, wherin was found a great number of horsses, kine, and other
cattell. The next daie there issued foorth of Calis two hundred men of
armes, two hundred archers, and three hundred footmen, with ten or
twelue wagons laden with vittels and artillerie, conducted by sir
Richard Aston knight, lieutenant of the English pale for the earle of
Summerset, capteine generall of those marches.
The Frenchmen aduertised that the Englishmen were comming to remooue the
siege, issued not foorth of their lodgings, but kept them within their
closure. Neuerthelesse, the Englishmen shot so sharpelie and closelie
togither, that the Flemings and footmen began to flie: the men of armes
fearing the slaughter of their horsses, ran awaie with a light gallop.
The Genowaies which had spent the most part of their shot at the
assaults made to the castell, shewed small resistance, [Sidenote: The
earle of S. Paule put to flight. _Ia. Meir._] and so all the number of
the French part were slaine and put to flight. The earle of S. Paule and
diuerse other escaped awaie, and by S. Omers got to Therouenne, or (as
others saie) to saint Omers. But there were taken to the number of thrée
or foure score, and amongst other the lord de Dampier seneshall of
Ponthien, monsieur de Weriners, monsieur de Vineles, monsieur de
Noielles, monsieur Iohn de Hangests capteine of Bullongne, the lord de
Rambures, monsieur Lionell Darreis capteine of Graueling, monsieur Peter
Rasser capteine of Arde, also Combernard capteine of Tirouan, Boid
Chanon capteine of Montoire, Iohn Chanon capteine of Lisle, Stenebecke
capteine of Ralingham, the bastard of Burneuill capteine of Burburgh.
There were slaine about 60, and among them as cheefe sir Robert
Berengueuill, the lord of Quercus, Morell de Saucuses, the lord Courbet
de Rempeupret, and others.
The Englishmen had the spoile of the earls campe, and being returned to
Calis, within fiue daies after there issued foorth about fiue hundred
men meaning to haue woone the towne of Arde with a sudden assault,
[Sidenote: Arde assaulted by Englishmen.] which they gaue to it in the
night time. But sir Manfrid de Bois, and the lord Rigine, did so
valiantlie defend it, that the Englishmen with losse of fortie of their
men were constreined to returne vnto Calis, after they had burnt the
dead bodies in an old house, for that the enimies should not perceiue
what losse the Englishmen had susteined. After this, the French king, to
auoid perils, laid in garison at Bullongne, and in other places, the
marques of Pount, sonne to the duke of Bar, the earle of Dampnie,
[Sidenote: The marques du Pount.] and sir Iohn Harpadan a knight of
great renowne and estimation. The duke of Burgognie likewise sent a
number of soldiers vnto Graueling, vnder the leading of one Iohn
Vandenwall, and to other fortresses alongst the coast he sent new
supplies, for doubt of the Englishmens inuasions.
[Sidenote: An armie sent to Calis and to the sea.] The king of England
in deed hearing of the preparation made for warre by the Frenchmen,
leuied foure thousand men which he sent vnto Calis, and to the sea, of
the which 3000 were vnder the conduct of the kings sonne. [Sidenote:
_Chr. Fland._ _Ia. Meir._ The English men besieged the castell of
Sluis.] The lord Thomas of Lancaster, and the earle of Kent, the two and
twentith daie of Maie (as some write) came vpon the coast of Flanders,
and entring the hauen of Sluis, burnt foure great ships which they found
there lieng at anchor. On the fift daie after their comming into that
hauen they went on land, thinking to haue fought with the duke of
Burgognie. But as other write, after they had besieged the castell that
stood in the mouth of the hauen, and loosing thrée score of their men,
amongst which they name one to beare the title of earle of Penbroke
(whom they buried for the time in the church of Mude) fiue daies after
their comming thither they determined to depart from thence, perceiuing
the castell would not easilie be woone, but first they spoiled the
countrie about them, and burnt Heis fléet, otherwise called Condekirke,
and diuerse other places thereabout.
This doone, they tooke vp the bodie of him whom the Flemish writers call
the earle of Penbroke, and got them againe to the sea, for that they
were aduertised how the duke of Burgognie meant to besiege Calis.
Wherevpon raising their siege thus from Sluis castell, they returned
vnto the defense of the towne of Calis, so much desired of the French
nation. As they returned homewards, they met with three caricks of
Genoa, of the which one hauing the wind with hir, meant to haue
ouerthrowne the ship wherein the lord Thomas of Lancaster was aboord:
but by the good foresight of the master of the ship that ruled the
sterne, suddenlie turning the same, the violent swaie of that huge
vessell comming so vpon them, was auoided; but yet the caricke stroke
off the nose of the English ship, and brused hir on the side. Then began
the fight verie cruell, till the earle of Kent came to the rescue:
[Sidenote: A great fight by sea.] and so finallie after a great conflict
and bloudie battell betwixt the caricks and English ships, [Sidenote:
Thre caricks are taken.] the victorie remained with the Englishmen,
[Sidenote: Townes in Normandie burnt.] who taking the caricks, turned
their sailes towards Normandie, where they arriued and burnt the townes
of Hoggue, Mountburge, Berflie, saint Petronils and other, to the number
of thirtie six, passing foorth into the countrie without resistance, the
space of thirtie miles, spoiling all that came in their waie. This
doone, they returned, and brought the caricks into the chamber at Rie,
where one of them by misfortune of fire perished, to the losse & no
gaine of either of the parties.
[Sidenote: The duke of Burgognie prepareth to besiege Calis.] Iohn duke
of Burgognie hauing obteined licence to besiege Calis, prepared an armie
of six thousand men of armes, fiftéene hundred crosbowes, & twelue
thousand footmen, the which being assembled, and all necessarie
prouision readie at saint Omers, he was by the French king
countermanded, and not suffered to proceed anie further in that weightie
enterprise. [Sidenote: The chéefe root of the malice betwixt the dukes
of Burgognie & Orleance.] And this was thought to be partlie the cause
of the malice that he conceiued against the duke of Orleance, supposing
that through him (enuieng his glorie) he was thus disappointed of his
purpose. Whilest such dooings were in hand betwixt the English and
French, as the besieging of Marke castell by the earle of saint Paule,
and the sending foorth of the English fléet, vnder the gouernance of the
lord Thomas of Lancaster, and the earle of Kent, the king was minded to
haue gone into Wales against the Welsh rebels, that vnder their
chéefteine Owen Glendouer, ceassed not to doo much mischéefe still
against the English subiects.
But at the same time, to his further disquieting, [Sidenote: A new
cõspiracie against king Henrie by the earle of Northumberland & others.]
there was a conspiracie put in practise against him at home by the earle
of Northumberland, who had conspired with Richard Scroope archbishop of
Yorke. Thomas Mowbraie earle marshall sonne to Thomas duke of Norfolke,
who for the quarrell betwixt him and king Henrie had béene banished (as
ye haue heard) the lords Hastings, Fauconbridge, Berdolfe, and diuerse
others. It was appointed that they should meet altogither with their
whole power, vpon Yorkeswold, at a daie assigned, and that the earle of
Northumberland should be cheefteine, promising to bring with him a great
number of Scots. The archbishop accompanied with the earle marshall,
deuised certeine articles of such matters, as it was supposed that not
onelie the commonaltie of the Realme, but also the nobilitie found
themselues gréeued with: which articles they shewed first vnto such of
their adherents as were néere about them, & after sent them abroad to
their fréends further off, assuring them that for redresse of such
oppressions, they would shed the last drop of blood in their bodies, if
néed were.
[Sidenote: The archbishop of yorke one of the chéefe conspirators.] The
archbishop not meaning to staie after he saw himselfe accompanied with a
great number of men, that came flocking to Yorke to take his part in
this quarrell, foorthwith discouered his enterprise, causing the
articles aforesaid to be set vp in the publike stréets of the citie of
Yorke, and vpon the gates of the monasteries, that ech man might
vnderstand the cause that mooued him to rise in armes against the king,
the reforming whereof did not yet apperteine vnto him. Herevpon knights,
esquiers, gentlemen, yeomen, and other of the commons, as well of the
citie, townes and countries about, being allured either for desire of
change, or else for desire to see a reformation in such things as were
mentioned in the articles, [Sidenote: The archbishop in armor.]
assembled togither in great numbers; and the archbishop comming foorth
amongst them clad in armor, incouraged, exhorted, and (by all meanes he
could) pricked them foorth to take the enterprise in hand, and manfullie
to continue in their begun purpose, promising forgiuenesse of sinnes to
all them, whose hap it was to die in the quarrell: and thus not onelie
all the citizens of Yorke, but all other in the countries about, that
were able to beare weapon, came to the archbishop, and the earle
marshall. [Sidenote: The estimation which men had of the archbishop of
Yorke.] In déed the respect that men had to the archbishop, caused them
to like the better of the cause, since the grauitie of his age, his
integritie of life, and incomparable learning, with the reuerend aspect
of his amiable personage, mooued all men to haue him in no small
estimation.
The king aduertised of these matters, meaning to preuent them, left his
iournie into Wales, and marched with all spéed towards the north parts.
[Sidenote: The earl of westmerland and the lord Iohn of Lancaster the
kings sonne prepare themselues to resist the kings enimies.] Also Rafe
Neuill earle of Westmerland, that was not farre off, togither with the
lord Iohn of Lancaster the kings sonne, being informed of this
rebellious attempt, assembled togither such power as they might make,
and together with those which were appointed to attend on the said lord
Iohn to defend the borders against the Scots, as the lord Henrie
Fitzhugh, the lord Rafe Eeuers, the lord Robert Umfreuill, & others,
[Sidenote: The forest of Galtree.] made forward against the rebels, and
comming into a plaine within the forrest of Galtree, caused their
standards to be pitched downe in like sort as the archbishop had pitched
his, ouer against them, being farre stronger in number of people than
the other, for (as some write) there were of the rebels at the least
twentie thousand men.
[Sidenote: The subtill policie of the earle of westmerland.] When the
earle of Westmerland perceiued the force of the aduersaries, and that
they laie still and attempted not to come forward vpon him, he subtillie
deuised how to quaile their purpose, and foorthwith dispatched
messengers vnto the archbishop to vnderstand the cause as it were of
that great assemblie, [Sidenote: The archbishops protestation why he had
on him armes.] and for what cause (contrarie to the kings peace) they
came so in amour. The archbishop answered, that he tooke nothing in hand
against the kings peace, but that whatsoeuer he did, tended rather to
aduance the peace and quiet of the common-wealth, than otherwise; and
where he and his companie were in armes, it was for feare of the king,
to whom he could haue no free accesse, by reason of such a multitude of
flatterers as were about him; and therefore he mainteined that his
purpose to be good & profitable, as well for the king himselfe, as for
the realme, if men were willing to vnderstand a truth: & herewith he
shewed foorth a scroll, in which the articles were written wherof before
ye haue heard.
The messengers returning to the earle of Westmerland, shewed him what
they had heard & brought from the archbishop. When he had read the
articles, he shewed in word and countenance outwardly that he liked of
the archbishops holie and vertuous intent and purpose, promising that he
and his would prosecute the same in assisting the archbishop, who
reioising hereat, gaue credit to the earle, and persuaded the earle
marshall (against his will as it were) to go with him to a place
appointed for them to commune togither. Here when they were met with
like number on either part, the articles were read ouer, and without
anie more adoo, the earle of Westmerland and those that were with him
agréed to doo their best, to see that a reformation might be had,
according to the same.
[Sidenote: The earle of westmerlãds politike dealing.] The earle of
Westmerland vsing more policie then the rest: "Well (said he) then our
trauell is come to the wished end: and where our people haue beene long
in armour, let them depart home to their woonted trades and occupations:
in the meane time let vs drinke togither in signe of agreement, that the
people on both sides maie sée it, and know that it is true, that we be
light at a point." They had no sooner shaken hands togither, but that a
knight was sent streight waies from the archbishop, to bring word to the
people that there was peace concluded, commanding ech man to laie aside
his armes, and to resort home to their houses. The people beholding such
tokens of peace, as shaking of hands, and drinking togither of the lords
in louing manner, they being alreadie wearied with the vnaccustomed
trauell of warre, brake vp their field and returned homewards: but in
the meane time, whilest the people of the archbishops side withdrew
awaie, the number of the contrarie part increased, according to order
giuen by the earle of Westmerland; [Sidenote: The archbishop of Yorke
and the earle marshall arrested. _Exton._] and yet the archbishop
perceiued not that he was deceiued, vntill the earle of Westmerland
arrested both him and the earle marshall with diuerse other. Thus saith
Walsingham.
But others write somwhat otherwise of this matter, affirming that the
earle of Westmerland in deed, and the lord Rafe Eeuers, procured the
archbishop & the earle marshall, to come to a communication with them,
vpon a ground iust in the midwaie betwixt both the armies, where the
earle of Westmerland in talke declared to them how perilous an
enterprise they had taken in hand, so to raise the people, and to mooue
warre against the king, aduising them therefore to submit themselues
without further delaie vnto the kings mercie, and his sonne the lord
Iohn, who was present there in the field with banners spred, redie to
trie the matter by dint of sword if they refused this counsell: and
therefore he willed them to remember themselues well: & if they would
not yeeld and craue the kings pardon, he had them doo their best to
defend themselues.