¶Anno mundi .i. Et ante x [...] natu [...] tatem .v.M.C.lxxxxix.

IN the fyrst yere of the worlde the sixt day / god made Adan in y ^e felde Damascen̄ & Eua of his rybbes puttyng them in paradys. And badde them to kepe his cōmaūdement / y ^• they sholde not ete of the fruyte of lyf / vnder y ^• pay­ne of deth. And the same daye that they had synned / anone he caste them out of paradys / in to the loude of cursydnesse / that they sholde lyue there with swetynge & sorowe tyll they dyed (Vide plura Gen̄ .i.) ¶This Adam was an holy man all y ^e dayes of his lyf / grete penall [...]e & dayly he dyde. And he cōmaunded [Page] his children to lyue ryghtwysly. And namely y ^t they sholde auoyde in all wyse from y ^e company of Cayn & his childn Nor y ^t they sholde not marye w ^t none of them. ¶This man Adam was our fyrste fad (er). And for oo synne he put vs out of Paradys. But thrugh his holy cōuer­sacion & penaūce / he gaue vs en ensam­ple to come to y ^e kyngdom of heuen. And he y ^t wyll not folowe his holy cōuersacōn & example / for oo synne ryghtwysly / he can not cōplayne on hym / as we do ma­ny. ¶Seth sone to Adam was borne after y ^e begynnynge of the worlde .C. & xxx yeres / & lyued .ix.C. & .xij. But Moyses ouerskypped an hondred of those / in the whiche Abell wept in y ^e vale of Ploracyon nyghe Ebron. This Seth for y ^e oyle of mercy to be goten / wente to paradys. ¶Delbora was syster to Abell. ¶Abell was slayne of Cayn his brod (er). This A­bell y ^e fyrst martyr began the chirche of god. This man after Austyn made y ^e cyte of god / & he was the fyrst cytezyn of y ^e cyte. And by cause y ^t he was ryghtwys our lorde receyued his offrynge. ¶Cal­mana was syster & wyf to Cayn. This Cayn was a cursyd man / & he made the fyrst erthly cyte that euer in this worlde was in the whiche he put his people for drede / in so moche as he vsed rauyn & by olence. For he trusteth suche thynge to be done to hym / as he dyde to other / therfore he put hym & his in to a syker place. This man slewe his brother Abell for enuye / & he was punysshed of god / and wandred about in a dispeyre. And after was slayne of Lameth a blynde man.

¶Anno mundi .iiij.C.xxxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .iiij.M.ix.C.lxxiiij.

ANos of the lyne of Cryst lyued .ix.C. yere & .v. This [...]nos began to calle the name of our lorde. It myght happe he foūde some wordes of prayer / or made some ymages for god to be worshypped / as now is in y ^• chirche. ¶Chanam lyued after .ix.C. yere and .x.

¶Anno mundi .vij.C.lxxxxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .iiij.M.iiij.C.iiij.

MAlalcel of the lyne of Cryste ly­ued .viij.C.lxxxxv. yere ¶Iareth of y ^• same lyne lyued .ix.C.lxij ¶Enoch of the same lyne lyued .iij.C. yere .lxv. This Enoch was a ryghtwys man / & pleased god. And for his grete holynesse our lorde translated hym in to paradys where he lyueth with Hely / in grete rest of body & soule / tyll the comynge of Antecryst. Thenne they shall go forth for the confortacōn of good men. And they shall be crowned with the crowne of martyrdome.

MAtusale of Crystis lyne / lyued .ix.C.lxix. yeres. This matusa­le was the oldest man y ^• euer ony scryp­ture hath mynde of. For whan he had lyued nyghe fyue hondred yere / our lor­de sayd to hym. Buylde the an hous & thou wylt / for yet thou shalt lyue .v. hondred yere. And he answered & sayd. For so lytel a tyme as .v. hondred yere. I wylbuylde no hous. But rested vnder trees and hegges / and there slept / as he was wonte to do for a tyme.

¶Anno mundi .M.iiij.C.liiij. Et an­te xp̄i natiuitatē .iij.M.vij.C.xlv.

LAmeth was of aege .vij. hondred lxxvij. This Lameth the fyrst a­gaynst nature & good maners / ordeyned that a man myght haue two wyues / in doynge his auowtry. And he was sore punysshed of them [...] for they gaue hȳ many a strype. For it is soo / that by what thynge a man synneth / by the same he is punysshed. This Lameth slewe Cayn wylfully not. But whan he was olde & blynde / he was ladde of a childe / y ^e whi­che [Page] trowed / that he had seen a wylde beste / and sayd to his mayster / that he sholde shote / & so he slewe Cayn. Wherfore he bete the childe so sore that the childe also was deed. ¶And it is to be knowen that all craftes / or scyences lyberall / or honde craftes / or of physyke seruynge to the curyosyte of man / are redde / y ^• they were foūden of the children of Lameth And for they dradde the perylle to come of the flood & of the fyre / therfore Tu­ball graued the same craftes in two py­lers. The one was of Marbyll / and the other of tyle or brycke. ¶Tuball foūde fyrst the crafte to werke golde & syluer / & yren. And was the fyrst grauer that euer was. ¶Iabe founde fyrst Tento­ria for shepeherdes / and pauelyons for other men. ¶Iuball founde fyrste the crafte to playe vpon an harpe & organs & other musycall Instrumentes he vsid. ¶Noema founde fyrst the crafte for to weue lynnen & wollen cloth / and to drawa thredes of w [...]ille and flexe. And afore that tyme / the people vsed the skyn­nes of bestes for ther clothes.

¶Anno mundi .M.vi.C.xlij. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .iij.M.v.C.lvij.

THe shyppe of Noe had in length .iij. hondred cubytes / in brede .l. in altytue .xxx. (Vide plura genesis .vi. ¶Knowe ye after doctours / that a con­uenyent payne this tyme was ordeyned to the worlde. For thenne lechery haboū ded the whiche defouled mannes body. And there by water the erthe was was­shed & clensed / in sygne of the promyse / that god made to man / that there shol­de neuer be such a flood agayne. ¶And the Rayne bowe hath two pryncypall coloures the whiche represente the two Iugementꝭ The water colour representeth the flood that is passyd. The fyre coloure betokeneth the Iudgement to come / & fyre / by the whiche we certenly abyde in the ende of this worlde / by cause [...]ouety­se shall haboūde / by fyre it shall be brente. Golde and syluer by the fyre is wonte to be clensyd.

THis Noe was a ryghtwys man and founde grace ayenst god [...] Whan Noe was fyue hondred yere of aege / he had goten Cham. Sem. [...]. I [...] ­phet. That tyme by the cōmaundemente of god / he began to make a shyppe. And he made it parfyt in an hondred yere. And the hondred yere complete [...] our lorde god appered agayne to hym [...] cō ­maunded hym / that he with his wyf & his children / & the wyues of them shol­de entre the shyppe with all maner of beestes / & all maner of foules also &c. And anone the flood came and stode a­boue all hylles. [...]v. cubytes (Vide pluragen̄. vijus.) ¶After the flood a grete dronkenesse betyde vnto Noe. And thorugh occasyon of that dronkenesse be blessed his two sones. Sem & Iaphet [...] for the faders honour that they had to hym & for the honest shame / that they couered mekely ther faders memb [...]es / whan he was slepynge. And his sone Cham for his scornynge and his vnreuerence he cursyd. ¶And here after saynt Austyn is made [...] the fyrste mencyon of bounda­ge / and of noblynesse contrary to it. For Noe sayd / y ^• Cham sholde be seruaunt in bondage to Sem & Iaphet / for his vnreuerence. Neuertheles ye shall not [Page] trowe / that all that descended of Cham were vnnoble men & of no power. For they began fyrst to be myghty men of y ^• erthe. As it is open of Nemroth & y ^• kynge of Canaan & Asco [...]. Nor all of Sem & Iaphet were vertuous & noble & myghty men / whan almoost eueryche one fell in to y ^• cryme of ydolatry / & were oft ty­mes oppressyd of other men. But this blessynge & this cursynge hath a respect to vertue & vyce / for y ^• whiche a man is called truely a noble man or an vnnoble man. For he y ^• is vertuous is a noble mā & he y ^• is vnuertuous is not noble. The same maner of wyse / tho y ^• foloweth the fayth of Abrahā / rather were called his childern than the Iewes / the whiche carnally descended from hym. Neuertheles they had a spirytuall preuylege of god / for y ^• faders merys [...] & his blessynge. And of these .iij. sones of Noe he beynge alyue after thistory of Philois were born .xxiiij M. & .vij. C [...]nen without wȳmen & childern And they had on them thre prynces Nemorth. Iectan. & Suphen.

¶Anno mundi .ij.M.ij.C.xlij. Et an­te xp̄ [...] natiuitatē .ij.M.vi.C.lvij.

SEm sone to Noe the seconde ye­re after y ^• flood gate Arphaxat / & o [...]her whyle he is called Melchisedech The whiche fyrst after the flood made y ^• cyte of Salem & now it is called Ie­rusalem. ¶Cham his brod (er) opteyned Af­fricam / & gate sones tweyne. Chus and Mesraym. And these two gate sones & doughters and many a Regyon was of them / & many of them to vs ben vnknowen for they enhabyte & haue theyr mā ­syons in the occidentall Ynde. ¶Iaphet was brod (er) vnto Cham & was blessyd of his fader / & this Iaphet had .vij. sones. as Gomoi. Magog. Maday. Ianam. Tuball. Mosog. & Iras. And these .vij. gate sones & doughtes / & of them came many a regyon (Vide plura Gen̄ .xv.) ¶Arphaxat sone to Sem lyued .cccc. & xxx. yere. And gate Elam. Assure. Lud­de / & Aram / and they gate many a sone & doughter (vt [...]z geū) ¶This Assur / by cause he wolde not rebell ayenst god. in the edefyenge & buyldynge of y ^• toure of Babylon / as Nemroth dyde / therfor he was dryuen vnto the londe of Sen­naars londe / whiche was ryght straūge to hym / and was not afore enhabyted / The whiche was called after his name Assuria. And there he edefyed & buylded a cyte afterwarde named Niniue / y ^• whiche was the Metropolon of all the kyngdom of Assuriū. ¶Chus sone to Cham was fader to Nemroth. This Nemroth was a gyaunt of .x. cubytes longe. And he began to be myghty in the worlde / & he is called a boystous hunter afore god This man began that wretched vyce of coueytousnesse by his tyranny / with the whiche vyce euer more after this worlde is fulfylled. And the pryncypalest kyngdom that he had was Babylon. And he had Archade. Edissa. Selencia / and the londe of Sennaar. ¶Sale sone to Ar­phaxat lyued .cccc. and .xxxiij. yeres. And of hym in scrypture is no thynge wry­ten / but that Moyses nombred hym in the lyne that cometh of Cryste. ¶This Sale gate a sone y ^• was named Heber / The whiche after the Hebrewes / hadde the spyryte of prophecye. And of this Heber the Hebrewes ben named. For the Hebrewes tonge bode allone in his hous in the confusyon of the langage. And that langage was called mannes langage / the whiche euery man vsed afore y ^• tou­re of Babylon was buylded. ¶This [...]eber hadde two sones / and one was called Iectan thrugh ensample of Nemro [...]h descendynge from Cham toke the Pryncehode vpon the children of Sem. And he hadde .xiij. sones. ¶But the­se people after Ierom are not knowen of vs / for fernesse of the coūtree / or mu­tacyon and chaungynge of the people / or [Page] elles of some other maner cause.

¶Anno mūdi .ij.M.vi.Cxliij. Et an­te xp̄i natiuitatē .ij.M.v.C.lvi.

PHaleg lyued two hondreds and .xxxix. yeres. This Phaleg was the yonger sone of Heber / & in his dayes was made the confusyon of langages / For in his hous abode the olde tonge al­lone / and that was Hebrewe. Wherfore after saynt Austyn / in hym apered a grete stedfasnesse of ryghtwysnes. For this hous was free of that payne / as not consentynge to the buyldynge of the toure. (Et s [...]dm Aug) there was .lxxij. gene­racyons / & so there were .lxxij. langage ¶Iactan brod (er) to Phaleg of Sem Nem roch prynce of Cham Sulphen of Ia­phet / these thre prynces with ther people gadred them togyder in y ^• felde of Sen­naar / dredynge the flood to come ayen sayd. Lete vs buylde a toure / of the whi­che the heyght shall reche to heuen &c. Gen̄ .xij. Our lorde sawe the folysshnes of the people. Meruayllously for y ^• pay­ne of ther synne / he confounded the ton­ge of them. In so moche y ^• none vnder­stode what an other sayd. And soo they were disperpled & asond [...]ed by all y ^• worl de ¶Of the malyce of this Nemroth bokes ben wryten ful. ¶And after the confusyon of the langage / he wente to the londe of Persees / & there he enstruct [...] & taught them to adoure & worshyp the fyre as god. And he lefte his sone Belus in Babylon the whiche Belus succeded hȳ. And so from thens his progenye op­teyned that kyngdom vnto the t [...]e of many a yere after. ¶In this tyme be­gan many kyngdomes. And the moost of all those kyngdomes was the kyng­dome of Scita (rum). But there were so ma­ny rude & boystous people in it that [...] te was neuer hadde in worshyp. And it was a stronge and a myghty [...] of dystaunce. ¶And about this tyme be­ganne the kyngdom of Egypt the whiche with dyuers and many alteracyons often tymes was chaunged. And also it is spoken of many tymes in [...] ¶Noblynesse or gentylmen abowee this sayd tyme began. And this nobly­nesse or gentylmen was orderned for many causes. [...] The fyrst cause was necessyte. For whan mankynde grewe [...] & men were prompte & redy to do [...]. it was very necessary to withstande the greate malyce of the [...]usyd people a­gaynst good men. Therof a man is called a gentylman / or a noble man as before other in vertues notable. ¶Wherof Ierom sayth. I see no thynge elles in noblesse / or in gentylmen but that they are bounden in a certeyn necessyte that they shall not recede fro the vertue and the gentylnesse of ther noble aun [...]tours ¶The seconde was y ^• dyuers worshyp [...] ge of the people. For no man worshype [Page] thenne / but as his naturall reason gaf. And they knewe not ryghtwysly what they sholde worshyp / all though they lyued peasyble amonge themself. For they were so dull of wytte / y ^• they co [...]de pon­dre no grete thynge / but that was publysshed by y ^• comyn peple. Wherfore it was expedyent for ther peas to be kepte / that they sholde haue prynces of noble byrth ¶The thyrde cause procedeth of some synguler strength. Many tymes the co­mynalte were greued thrugh enmyes comynge vpon them. And then they sayd y ^• who some euer wolde deffende & kepe them from these peryles / he sholde haue y ^• ryght of noblenesse for hym & his heyres for euer more. And in this maner of wyse many are [...]adde to be noble men. ¶The fourth cause of noblynesse / was greate habundaūce of goodes. Somty­me the people were holden with grete penury of mete & drynke. And then they toke them & theyrs to some ryche man / y ^• thrugh that couenaūt / they sholde tem­pre the grete straytnesse of ther hungre / & after that they sholde knowe hym as ther lorde & a noble man. ¶Also there be foūde certen noble men by the prouy­syon of god though they were but fewe of the whiche some abode in vertue / as Dauyd / & some fayled anone / as Saul & Ieroboam. Also it is radde / that ma­ny were noble men by tyranny & vyolence. Of the whiche some were destroyed anone. And some abode in stablenesse / as Paynemes myght.

¶Anno mūdi .ij.M.ix.C. & .v. Et an­te xp̄i natiuitatē .ij.M.ij.C.lxxxiiij.

SAruk lyneally descended from our forn fader Adam to Abrahā And Nachor was his sone / & he lyued an hondred and .xlviij. yere. ¶And a­bout this tyme ydolatry began to to en­creace myghtely. And yf ye reuolue and loke the hystoryes / ye shall fynde / that thre thynges pryncypally brought men to the synne of ydolatry. That is to vnderstonde. The affeccyon whiche they had to deed men. Dredde & flaterynge agaynst ther prynces. And the dilygence of artyfycers & crafty men about scultures or grauynges. Wycked fendes then̄e entred in to the ydollis / and gaue answe res to the people. And these wycked spy­rytes confermed the errour of the people myghtely. In so moche / that what some euer manere of persone / wolde not con­forme hym to the reason / he sholde greuously suffre the payne of dethe. Also there was added and put to these thyn­ges the dysceyuynge laude and praysynge of Poetes / the whiche wretches and also dampned men in to heuen with all t [...]eyr gaye aourned wrytynges exalted / And that same tyme / whanne deuylles beganne for to speke / so fayrly / and so mekely to man. The good lorde of his grete and habundaunt mercy / sente his aungelles / that they spolde sheke to his elected men in vysybly / lest that all man kynde sholde perysshe with this myscheuous errour.

BElus sone to Nemroth this ty­me was kynge of Babylon. And he was the fyrste kynge of this worlde / And this man was he / whom the errour of the people fyrst trowed / sholde be a god / wherfore dyuers peple named hym dyuersly. And some called hym Bell / some Baall / some Baalim / some Beel­phagor / and some Belsabub. And this vnhappy errour stode in mankynde more than two thousande yeres. ¶Ninus sone to Belus the seconde kynge of Babylon or of Assuriorum / regned .liiij. yeres. And this Ninus desyred for to haue lordshyp and worshyp. And to that entente that he myght be lorde of all the countree about hym / he gaue bataylle to all that dwelled nyghe aboute hym. And by cause that tyme the people were rude and had not the connynge of fygh­tynge [Page] nor armour / anone he subdued vnto hȳ all Asiam. And there was made y ^• fyrst Monarche in y ^• rest party. And whā his herte was sory for the deth of his fader Belus / he made to be made to hym for his comforte an ymage of his fad. to whom he gaf so myghty reuerence / that what someuer gylty man hadde fledde to y ^• ymage / ther sholde no man do vnto hym no hurte / & he pardonned hȳ of all his trespasse. And thrugh his ensample many a man began to worshyp y ^• deed ymage / of theyr dere frendes. Thenne these malicyous spirytes / seynge y ^• curyosyte of the people / hydde them within them / & gaaf answeres vnto y ^• people / & sayd they were goddes. And cōmaūded them to do reuerence vnto them as god­des. Thus y ^• vnhappy synne of ydolatry was brought in / the whiche repugned myghtely to goddes mageste. And in so moche this madnesse grewe. that he shol de suffre the payne of dethe / that sayd / they were men / but goddes.

¶Anno mundi .iij.M.C.xiiij. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .ij.M.lxxxv.

THare sone to Nachor lyued .ij.C and .v. yere. This Thare after the deth of Aram / went from Vt of Calde / & passed in to Charram with his childern & his neuewes. And it is sayd / by cause he wolde not worshyp the fyre / as Nemroth had taught / he was banysshed the coūtree. And the comyn opynyon of the Hebrewes is. Nemroth regned there the whiche was called an other name / Amraphel the kyng of Sennaar / who­me longe tyme after this Abraham o­uercame (vt dicit Gen̄ .xiiij.)

¶Anno mūdi .iij.M.C.lxxxiiij. Et an te xp̄i natiuitatē .ij.M.xv.

HEre begynneth the deuoute & ho­ly storye of holy Patryarkes / the

whiche worshypt the very god & [...] worshyppynge / they taught it vide p [...]agen̄ .xij. vs (que) ad futē ▪ ¶This Abraham a faythfull louer of god was borne the xliij. yere of N [...]us kyng of Babylon. And knowe ye y ^• the .lxxxv. yere of Abraham / thorugh the myghty glorye of the hye god. The worde of mercy des [...]ended vpon mankynde / for thenne be gan to appere the oraculus of the promyse of god (vide Au .xvi. de ci. dei. I [...] [...]. For this tyme holy aungels appered [...]o vs in forme of mankynde. ¶This A­braham had two brethern. A [...]am & [...]. And Aram gate Loth a [...] man & an holy. And he dele [...]ed to be visyted w ^t aūgels as his vncle Abraham was. And for this Loth Abraham [...] iiij. kyngs / for they toke Loth [...]. Of whome one was sard to be [...]emroth / but he is called here Amraphel. ¶And Abraham had many w [...]es as Sarar & Agar. And his childern & his brethern had many childern. But for vs that wryte C [...]our [...]es it is not necessa­ry / to speke of all men but of the noble faders (sed vide plura fine gen̄ [...] ¶Mel­chisedech this tyme was kynge of Sa­lem. This man was called a ryghtwys kynge / for his e [...]cedynge holynesse. And he offred brede and wyne to Abraham [...] in sygne of a grete mystery. He was also the preest of the bye god. ¶Se [...]ramis [Page] the thyrde kynge of Babylon / he ordeyned an army / & wente in to Inde / & op­teyned y ^• coūtree. And so by all Asyam / the kyngdome of Assurio (rum) was dilated And he multiplyed the cyte of Babylon myghtly. & made walles about it. This Semiramis had a wyf / and he forsoke her. And it is wryten / that she was slayne of her sone Ninus / by cause she pro­uoked hym to the vnlefull concupyscence (sic di. au. .xviij. de ci. dei.) And the mayster in his storyes sayth / y ^• she wed­ded her owne sone & he gate a childe on her / the whiche ordened Babylon / to be the heed of all his reame. ¶Ninus the fourth kynge of Babylon / was sone to grete Ninus. Of this man lytell is wryten / but that he slewe his owne moder / as is sayd afore. ¶Arrius was the fyfth kyng of Babylon. And vnder hym was borne Ysaac.

ALso Ysaac sone of Abraham / of the lyne of Lryst / lyued .L.lxxx. yere. This Ysaac had a wyf called Re­becca / & on her he gate two sones / Esau & Iacob. This Esau solde his enhery­taūce to his brod (er) Iacob. And he was the fad (er) of Ioumeo (rum) / & he had in possessyon the hylle of Seyr / & put fyrst marys to asses wherof was eugēdred mules. ¶A­bout this tyme .xxx. lorshyps & Gomor­ra for ther horryble synne were ouerthrowen. The wyf of Loth / lokynge back­warde torned in to a salt stone / sheweth that no man in the waye of delyberacy on sholde desyre thynge past (hec Augꝰ de ciuitate dei)

¶Anno mūdi .lij.M.iij.C.xliiij. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .M.viij.C.lvi.

IAcob lyued .L.xlvij. yere. This Iacob had foure wyues or some concubynes / that is to wyte. Lyam. Ba­lam. Zelpham / and Rachel. Lyam was the fyrst wyf / & she was blere eyed. And she bare hym .vi. sones. Iudas. Ruben. Symeon. Leuy. Ysachar. Zabulon / and a doughter that hyght Dy [...]a. Bala seruaunt to Lya & concubyne to Iacob / ba­re hym two sones. Dan and Neptalym ¶Rachel the seconde wyf to Iacob was barayne longe tyme / & at the last she bare hym two sones. Ioseph & Beniamyn Zelpha seruaunt to Rachel bare Iacob two sones. Gad & Aser / & eueryche of these made a trybe / of whom in this place it is not necessary to speke (vide plea gen̄) ¶Ioseph sone to Iacob was borne lxxxx. yere of his faders aege / & he lyued L .i. yere. ¶Zerses this tyme was kyng of Babylon / vnder whome was borne Iacob / & he was the .vij. kynge of Ba­bylon ¶Armauictre was kyng after hȳ And after saynt Austyn / in that māues dayes our lorde appered to ysaac / pro­mysynge hym those thynges / the which he promysed to his fader. ¶Belocꝰ the .ix. kynge of Babylon was after this man. And vnder Belocus / or in this ty­me our lorde spake with Iacob / promy­synge hym / that he had promysed to his fader / the whiche were two. The possessyon of the londe of promyssyon & Chanaam / & the benediccyon of all the peo­ple in his seed / the whiche is our lorde Ihesu Cryste. ¶Abraham aboute this tyme decessyd / and was buryed in He­bron. ¶Inachus the fyrste kynge that euer was in Grece was this tyme / for then the kyngdome began. ¶Phor [...]mi­us was kynge after hym / & he ordened lawes to the Grekis &.

¶Anno mūdi .iij.M.iij.C.iiij. Et an­te xp̄i natiuitatē .M.vij.C.lxxxxix.

Ivdas sone of Iacob descended of hym / & of this trybe of Iudas ca­me the kyngꝭ progenye / & at y ^• last Cryste our lorde. Iudas gate Phares / & Phares Esron / & of these men lytell is had in scrypture / but Math reherceth them. [Page] ¶Beleus in this Phares dayes was kȳ ge of Assurio (rum) / or of Babylon / and he was the .x. kynge / vnder whome Ysaac decessed. ¶Athlas the grete astonomyer was also / the whiche is sayd to bere vp heuen on his sholder / for the very kno­wlege of the sterres. ¶Sarapis was the thyrde kynge of Arguio (rum), or of Greco (rum) & this Sarapis was called otherwyse Ap [...]s / and he came in to Egypte with a myghty nauy / & there decessed / and was made of the blynde gentyles the Egypcyens / the grettest god amonge theym. And that tyme began a meruaylous supersticion in ydolatrye / of a calf of two colours whiche they called Apem / & that calf deyed / the deuylles procured a lyke calf to that / for to be made / that they myght deceyue the rude people / & after that it came that the childern of Israel dyde on the same wyse (vt patet) And what thynge coude be more wretched or folysshe in man hauynge reason. ¶Ar­gus was the fourth kyng of Grekis / after whome the noble cyte of Argus toke his name. Lycropis edefyed Athenes in Grecia / & this cyte was the nouryssher of lyberall scyence / & of many phyloso­phers / yet they were deceyued by dyuyl­les / and grete supersticyosyte in the cyte was made (vide augꝰ. et mirabilē fabu­lā reperies) ¶Omogires the fyrst man put oxen to the ploughe. ¶Belus this tyme was kynge of Babylon / & he was the .x. kynge of the regyon / & vnder hȳ deyed Ysaac. ¶Pharao was kynge of Egypte / whiche receyued Ioseph / & exalted hym for thynterpretacyon of his dremes (vide scientiā pulcherrimā (que) histo­riā. gen̄ .xlij. &c̄. ¶Amithus was the .xij. kynge of Babylon / vnder whone dyed Ioseph a blessyd man in chastyte ¶Pharao Emonophis about Esdroms dayes was kynge of Egypte / & this Pharao knewe not Ioseph ne none of his lygna ge / & he cōmaūded the childn of Israel to be drowned / as it is had (Exodi . [...]) Ye clerkes may loke that boke / and we laye wyll loke to cronycles / but aboute this tyme the storye of Exodi began.

¶Anno mūdi .iij.M.v.C.xliiij. Et an­te xp̄i natiuitatē .M.v.C.lx.

ARam sone to Esrom of the lyne of cryst was about this tyme [...] he gate Aminadab. Naason / of these men lytell is wryte in scrypture / & ther­fore I procede to other maters. ¶Iob y ^• holy man & of all pacyence ensample a­bout this tyme was borne of the l [...]ne of Nachor the broder of Abraham [...] he lyued many yeres & after that god had [...] syted hym / & had assayed his [...] he lyued an .L. and .xl. yere paug [...] & lir) ¶Morses aboute this tyme was borne / & the childern of Israel [...] grete trybulacyon & bondage. And [...] ses was put in the water to be [...] ¶Aron aboute this time was [...]ome. ¶Dafrus was kynge of Babylon and was the .xiiij. kynge / & Moyses was be­ne vnder hȳ in Egypte. ¶Cyerops was the fyrste kynge of Athenes. And after saynt Austyn / that tyme many [...] were wryten in the historres of the G [...] kis / the whiche comynly were lesse than the comyn fame sayth of a lytell thynge they wrote a greate matrie by cause to shewe thee connynge for there was the vnyuersyte of Gickys.

¶Anno mūdi .iij.M.vi.C.lirviii. Et ante xp̄i natu [...]tatē .M.v.C.ii.

AMynadab sone to Aron of crystys lyne was this tyme. This Amynadab fyrste after Moyses wich a full fayth r [...]tred in to the reed ser and dradde not whan many a hondred were ferde lest they sholde be drowned & therfore he deserued to kiynge forth the kynges lygnage / of whome descended our lorde Ihesu Cryst. Moyses was the fyrst [Page] of Israel that euer was / & he was Iuge xl. yere. This Moyses was the moost excellent prophete that euer god made / & the moost notable wryter of storyes / and of his louynge heuen and erthe speketh For he sawe almyghty god clerely face to face / whiche in this freyll lyf was neuer foūden in scrypture but of hym and Poul thapostle. ¶Aron y ^• fyrst bysshop lyued a .L.xxiij. yere / this Aron was called of god in to the dygnyte of the hye preest or of a bysshop / & was ordened the eternall testament to hymself & to all y ^• come after hym for the grete power of preesthode. Wham he was a .L.xxiij. ye­re of aege / he decessed / & was buryed in the hylle of Hor. And his sone Heleaza­rus succeded hym in the bysshopryche. ¶Pharao Boccaris this tyme was kynge of Egypte / & this Pharao wolde not here the cōmaundement of god / ne dely­uer the childern of Israel / wherfore he was punysshed with .x. plages (Vt patz exo) And after he with all his hoost were drowned in the reed see ¶Nason sone to Amynadab / was prynce of the trybe of Iudas in the deserte / & about this ty me the lawe of god was gyuen in y ^e hylle of Synay / & the boke of Leuitici was wryte & another boke was called Nume rū / & the tabernacle was ordeyned. The boke of Deuteromanū was made. Ba­laam was prophete & was slayne.

¶Anno mundi .iij.M.vij.C.xxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .M.iiij.C.lxxiiij.

SAlmen of the lyne of Cryst was about this tyme / & had a wyf y ^t hyght Reab. Moyses about this tyme decessed / the water of flome Iordan was drye. Ierico was take / the sonne stode in the fyrmament Inmeuable (Historia li. Iosue incipit. et Iudicū) Iosue seconde Iuge of Israel was a myghty man in batayll / & the fyrst in deserte he ouercame Amalech / and after Moyses / of god he was ordened Iuge of Israel / of whome the bataylles / the werkes / & the relygy­ous lyf / ye may see in the boke of Iosue wryten. ¶Eleazar was the seconde bysshop. And he & Iosue deuyded the loude of promyssyon to the childern of Israel. And of hym descended the bysshops vn­to Lryst / a fewe excepted. ¶Othonyell of the trybe of Iuda / was the thyrde Iu­ge. Aud this man delyuered the children of Israel from the oppressyon of the reame of Mesopotamie / the whiche he ouer came in batayll. This man toke Aram to his wyf / y ^• whiche asked the vale lon­des aboue & beneth of her fader Caleph (vt pꝪ Iudicū .i.) ¶Aoth was y ^• fourth Iuge of Israel. This man subdued E­glon the kynge of Moab & delyuered y ^• childern of Israel. This was a myghty man in batayll / & he vsed y ^• one as well as thother for his ryght honde ¶About this tyme y ^• kynge of Ytaly began. And many tymes ther names ben chaūged / of the whiche progenyte of y ^• Romayns more clerely is shewed. ¶Ianas was y ^• fyrst kynge of Ytaly / & afterwarde of the rude gentyles he was worshyped as god / & they feyned hym to haue two faces. For they worshypped his feest in the begynnynge of the yere / as he were the ende of the last yere. And the begynnyn­ge of the fyrst. And of hym the moneth of Ianuary hath his name. ¶Amictus was the .viij. kynge of Babylon vnder whom Iosue decessed.

¶Anno mūdi .iij.M.vij.C.lxxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .M.iiij.C.xxiiij.

BOos sone to Salmon / of the ly­ne of Cryst was this tyme / but of hym is lytell wryten / but that Mathe. nombred hym in the Genology. As do­ctours saye / there was made skyppynge of names betwixt Boos & Obeth. For at the lest betwix them were .ij.L.lxxij. yere / the whiche tyme to one man may [Page] not be referred / and therfore here many thynges is spoken are I come to the lyne of Cryst ayen (Nicholaꝰ de lyra dicit qd sūt .iij. boos vnus post aliū) ¶Sangar was the .v. Iuge of Israell / but he lyued no yeres. ¶Dolbora was the .vi. Iuge / this Delbora was a woman & for y ^• grace of her prophecy / was gyuen to her honour that she Iuged Israell. She by the cōmaūdement of god called Baruch y ^• he sholde go fyght with the enemyes of Israel / & the childern of Israel gate the victory ayenst Iabyn the kynge of Cha­naan & Cizaram the prynce of his chy­ualry / & he destroyed them (vt pꝪ iudicū iiij) ¶Phenies was bysshop / & this Phenies yet a yonge man / for goddes sake slewe many lecherous men / & therfore our lorde was pleased with hym. ¶Saturnus this tyme was kynge of Ytaly & he was the seconde kyng there / this Saturnus is sayd / to come fro the londe of Cretens in to Ytaly / who by ydolatrye thorugh a meruayllous blyndenes they sayd he was no man but a god. And yet they sayd that he regned vpon them as ther kynge. And he taught men to doū ­ge ther feldes. And of Saturnus the Romayns were called Saturniani. ¶Picꝰ was sone to Saturuꝰ & or he was kyng in Ytaly / he was kynge in Larentin / & after his decesse / of the Gentyles was worshypt for a god.

¶Anno mundi .iij.M.viij.C.lxxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .M.iij.C.xliiij.

GEdeon y ^• .vij. Iuge of Israel was this tyme / this Grdron subdued iiij. kynges. Oreb. Zebee. Zeb. & Salmana. And he subdued Madean to Israel. (Vide plura Iudicū .vi. vij. et. viij.)

BOcci was bysshop in Israel then ¶Abimalech the .viij. Iuge in Israel was naturall sone to Gedeon. And he was not called of god / but malicyous ly toke on hym the pryncehode of Israel And he slewe .lxx. of his brethern / wher­fore he ended his lyf myscheuously (Vt pꝪ Iudicū) ¶Tola was the .ix. Iuge in Israel. And this man guyded hym after the olde gouernaūce of Iuges / by y ^• ma­ner of direccion & consell more than by dominacōn. & Bocci was bysshop aboute this tyme / but of hym lytell is wryten ¶Iayr the .x. Iuge of Israell had . [...]i. sones / whom he made prynces of. [...] tees. And by cause there wer [...] good men & ruled to the pleasyr of god. Therfore in y ^• dayes of these two men. Israel d [...]e­we to our lorde. And therfore all thynge came & was in prosperyte & welthe.

EAnus was the .iiij. kyng of [...] & he was kyng of Ca [...]nt [...] [...] ¶Latinus was kyng in Y [...]aly a [...] [...] nus / & of this Latinꝰ was called [...] dom of Latino (rum). And Canne [...] [...] ter of Euand [...] foūde fyrst [...] ¶Tauranꝰ about this tyme was [...] of Babylon or of Ass [...]o [...] [...] man Troy was destroyed frist. [...] casyon of the bata [...]l of Troy began for a lytell thynge. In so moche as Lam [...] don kyng of Troy receyued not [...] les and Iason with dur honour as they sholde haue be re [...]eyued & of so lytell a trespaas / how many harmes & [...] grewe. ¶Sibilla del [...]hica afore the ba­tayll of Troy prophecyed ho [...] [...] sholde be borne of a virgyn w ^tout man [...] nes seed. ¶Lamydon kynge of [...] was slayne / and his doughter R [...]oma was taken in to Grekys londe. For the which foloweth myghty batayll & [...] ferdfull my [...]eues (vide [...] na) Hercules with [...]alon deshored [...] or Troy the whiche anoue after was buylded of Pria [...]is sone to Lan [...]ydon. This Hercules dyde many merueylous thyngꝭ & many myghty batarlles. And Iufenyt [...] lesynges ben fayned on hym / At the last whan he had ouercome mo [...] [Page] the people / he was sore hurte in warre. & whan he myght not suffre the payne of his sore with the whiche he was gre­ [...]ed. Hȳself he rāne in to y ^• fyre / & whan he was deed / he was worshyped amonge the goddes of the Gentyles myghtely.

Cirta annū inūdi .iij.M.ix.C.lxxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .M.ij.C.xxiiij.

AFter the deth of Iayr Iuge of Israell / the people of Israel added newe synnes to theyr olde. And our lord toke them in to the power of the Phili­styens & to the childern of Amon .xviij. yere. And they were gretely oppressyd / & thenne they cryed to our lorde. Thenne Repte was espyed with almyghty god / & faught agaynst Amon & sedycyous peo­ple of the hylle of Effraym. And for an vnprudent voys / he slewe his owne dou­ghter folyshly / & dyde sacrefyce to god with her (Iudicū .xi. et .xij.) ¶Ozy this tyme was bysshop in Israell / & he was of the seed of Aron / by the lyne of Elea­zari / the whiche deed / thrugh the prouy­syon of god the bysshopryche tomed to the lyne of Ythamar an. C. & .xx. yere / in the whiche lyne Hely was the fyrst hygh bysshop. And Abiathar was the laste / ¶ Ebassam was Iuge in Israel .vij. ye­re and he was the .xij. Iuge and he was named otherwyse Boos the whiche wedded Ruth. ¶Abralon the .xix. Iuge of Israell was Iuge .x. yere. And vnder these tymes the childern of Israell we­re quyete. And therfore none notable thynges were done in these dayes. ¶Abdon the .xiiij. Iuge gouerned in Israell .viij. yeres. And about this tyme the hy­storye of Ruth was wryten. ¶Autha­manis this tyme was kynge of Asseri­um / and Priamus kynge of Troy sone to Lamidon that buylded his cyte agayne merueyllously stronge. And began batayll with the Grekes vnto his owne hurte. And he hadde a sone was called Hertor a ley [...]full gentyll sone by his [...]y [...] Eccuba. This man was faythfull & wy se / and Iuromparable of strengthe and noblynesse This Priamus had an other sone that was called Parys / the whiche toke awaye fro the londe of Grekes He lena wyf to Menelaiꝰ the kynge. ¶Agamenon the kynge brother to Menela [...]ꝰ the leder of all the Grekes hoste faught ayenst Troy / and at the last he wanne the cyte falsly / and to the Grekes moost shame and sclaunder that myght be / For certaynly that myght be called an vnhappy batayll where no man gyueth louynge to the Grekes / but euery man reporteth shame.

¶Eneas was kynge in Ytaly thre ye­re. And this Eneas after Troy was de­stroyed of the Grekes / came in to Ytaly with .xx. shyppes / & dyde myghty batayles there. And this man hadde wedded Priamus doughter Elinsaram. And he was made a god thorugh the errour of the comyn people / & of this man came Iuliꝰ cezar & Octauianꝰ augustꝰ ¶Vlixes an eloquent man among all the Grekes / after many perylles on the set wen te home to his Penelopem / the moost faythfull & the moost chast woman that is radde of. And the Grekes perysshed wretchedly after that they had destroyed Troy / both on the water & on the londe as they wente homewarde ayen. ¶And that was the pryncypal date of ther wry tynge after that victory. For they wrote ther historyes & other wrytynge (sic an [...] pri [...] vel sc [...]o i [...]. post Troiam captam) And that was the thyrde yere of Abdon Iuge of Israell.

¶Circa annū mundi .iiij.M.xxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .M.C.lxxiiij.

OBeth of crystis lyne sone to Boos i [...] reherced in Ma. ¶Sampson the .xv. Iuge regned .xx. yere / this Samson was the moost strongest man that [Page] euer was / & he delyuered Israel from the Philistiens / & for his meruaylous streng­the men trowed he had ben Hercules (et eius mirabilia oꝑa vide Iuidicū .xiij.)

¶Anno mūdi .iiij.M.lxxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .M.C.xiiij.

IEsse sone to Obeth of the lyne of Cryst / otherwyse called Ysay fad (er) to Dauyd / this tyme lyued a notable man in honeste. No kynge / ne grete go­uernour. But of hȳ many tymes is made mencyon in holy scrypture. For of hȳ descended Cryste our sauyour. ¶This tyme Ely was Iuge & bysshop in Israel The whiche had two sones Ophni & Phinees. And for he corrected them not suffycyently / he & they were punysshed bothe of our lorde. For they were slayne of the Philistiens. And Ely felle of his sete and brake his necke. ¶This Ely was Iuge next after Sampson / & not of the lygnage of Aran / that was fyrst bysshop of god electe / but of Ythamar / the lygnage dured an hondred and .xx. yere. In the whiche lygnage Ely was fyrst bysshop / & Abrathar the last (Vide plura pri [...] regū)

THis tyme Saul was kyng in Israel after the mayster in his hys­toryes / & Iosephꝰ in hi [...] viij. boke. This Saul was fyrst kynge in Israel / & reg­ned. xx. yere / the whiche or he was kyng was a good man & elect of god / but af­ter warde wretchedly he fayled & he was slayne & his thre sones in the hylles of Gylboy. ¶In the tyme of Saull Sa­muel was Iuge & prophete in Israel / an holy man / and borne of a barayne mo­der many a daye. And he mynyshred afore dure lorde from a childe to his aege. And was not hyghe bysshop / but he Iu­ged Israell all the dayes of his lyf. And was the very prophete of god. Two kynges he anoynted. Saul fyrst / and after Dauyd. This Samuel alone / & Moy­ses are radde / that they prayed for theyr enmyes in all the olde Testament. Of this Samuel & Saul be dyuers oppynyens. ¶Isyder sayth / y ^• Samuel & Saul ruled Israel .xl. yere. ¶And Iosephus in his .vin. boke / & y ^• mayster in his storyes saye. Samuel to be Iuge .xij. yere alone. And after hym Saul to regne .xx. yere / (Plura vide pri [...] regū)

AScanius the .vij. kyng of Ytaly was sone to Encas / & bur [...]ded the cyte of Albron. And he was calle [...] y ^• kynge of Albano (rum). This Ascanius [...] te Silinus the .viij. kyng of [...] the whiche Silinus was fader vn [...]o [...] kyng of Brytayne now called Englonde. And I leue of the kyng [...] of [...] they dyde but lytell noble thynges [...] it be comen to Remulus & Remus that Rome buylded. And thenne shall the [...] kynges come ayen / & now to proc [...] to the [...]onycles of Englonde for the [...] ­the namely this booke is made. ¶And Venes and Padua were buylded [...] this tyme / of y ^• [...]esydue of the Tro [...]s ¶home [...]e the grete poete about this [...] me was / the whiche wrote & fayned g [...] ­ryously many a lesynge.

¶Incipit regnum Britanie. nunc di [...]tur Anglia.

¶Afore that I wyll speke of Brute / it shall be shewed / how the londe of Eng­londe was fyrst named Albion / and by what encheson it was so named.

OF the noble londe of Si [...]ie / there was a ryall kynge & myghty & a man of grete renōmee / that called was Dyoclesyan / that well & worthely hym gouerned & ruled thrugh his noble chy­ualry. So that he conquered all the lon­des about hym / so that almoost all the kynges of the worlde to hym were at­tendaunt. ¶It befell thus / y ^• this Dyo­clesyan spowsed a gentyll damoysell y ^• was wonder fayre / that was his emys doughter Labana. And she loued hȳ as reason wolde / so that he gate vpon her [...]xxxiij. doughters / of the whiche y ^• eldest was called Albine. And these damoysels whan they came vnto aege became soo fayre y ^• it was wonder / wherof Dyocle­syan anone lete make a sompnynge / & cōmaunded by his letters y ^• all the kyn­ges that helde of hym sholde come at a certayne daye / as in his letters were conteyned to make a feest ryall. At whiche daye thyther they came / & brought with them Admyralles prynces & dukes / and noble chyualry. The feest was ryally a­rayed / and there they lyued in Ioye and myrthe ynough / that it was wonder to wyte. And it befell thus / that Dyoclesy­an thought to marye his doughters a­monge all tho kynges that were at that solempnyte. ¶And so they spake & dy­de / that Albine his eldest doughter & all her systers rychely were maryed vnto .xxxiij. kynges / that were lordes of gre­te honour and of power at this solemp­nyte. And whan the solempnyte was done / euery kynge toke his wyf and ladde them in ther owne countree & there ma de them quenes. ¶And it befell thus afterwarde that this dame Albene beca­me so stoute & so sterne / that she tolde lytyll pryce of her lorde / and of hym had scorne & despyte / and wolde not do his wyll / but she wolde haue her owne wyll in dyuers maters. And all her other sy­sters euerychone bare them soo euyll a­yenst ther lordes that it was wonder to wyte. And for as moche y ^• them thought that ther husbondes were not of so hy­ghe parentage come as ther fader. But those kinges that were ther lordes / wold haue chastysed them with fayre manere vpon all loue & frendshyp / y ^• they sholde amende ther selfwylled cōdycyons: But al was for nought / for they dyde ther owne wyll in all thynge that them lyked. & had of power. Wherfore those .xxxiii. kȳ ges vpon a tyme / and oft tyme. bete ther wyues. For they wende. that they wolde amende theyr tatches. and ther wycked­nesse. But of suche condycyons they we­re / that for fayre speche and warnynge / the dyde all the wors / and for betynges eftsones moche the wors. Wherfore the kynge that had wedded Albyne. wrote y ^• tatches and condycyons of hsi wyfe Al­bine / and the lettre sente to Dyoclesyan his fader. And whan the other kȳges her de. that Albines lorde had sent a letter to Dioclesian. anone they sente letters sealed with ther seales. the condycyons and tatches of ther wyues. Whan the kynge Dioclesian sawe & herde so many playntes of his doughters. he was sore asha­myd / and became wonder angrye and wrothe towarde his doughters. and thou ghte. how he thenne myghte amende it that they so mysdyde. And anone sente his letters vnto the .xxxiii. kynges. that they sholde come to hym / and brynge w ^t theym theyr wyues euery chone att a certeyne daye. For he wolde there chastyse theym of theyr wyckednesse / yf he my­ghte in ony manere wyse. Soo the kyn­ges came all atte that tyme and daye y ^• tho was sette betwene hym and the kinges. Dyoclesyan resceyued theym with moche honoure / and made a solempne feest to all that were vnderneth his lord­shyp. [Page] And the thyrde daye after that so­lempnyte / the kynge Dyoclesyan sente after his .xxxiij. doughters that they sholde come & speke with hym in his cham­bre. And whan they were come / he spa­ke to them of ther wyckednesse & of ther cruelte / & spyteuously them repreued & blamed / and to them he sayd. That yf they wolde not be chastysed / they sholde his loue lese for euer more. And whan y ^• ladyes herde all this / they became abas­shed & gretely ashamed. And to ther fa­der they sayd / that they wolde make all am [...]ndes / & so they departed out of ther faders chambre. And dame Albine that was the eldest syster ladde theym all to her chambre / and tho made to voyde all that were therin so that no persone was amonge them but she and her systers to gyder. ¶Tho sayd Albine. My fayr sy­sters / well we knowe that the kyng our fader vs hath reproued shamed and dis­pysed / for by cause to make vs obedy­ent vnto our husbondes. But certes that shall I neuer whyles that I lyue / syth y ^• I am come of a more hygher kyngꝭ blode than myn husbonde. And whan she had thus sayd / all her systers sayd the same. And tho sayd Albine. Well I wo­te fayre systers that our husbondes ha­ue complayned vnto our fader vpon vs wherfore he hath vs thus foule reproued & dispysed / wherfore systers my coūsell is / that this nyght whan our husbondes ben a bedde / all we with one assente for to kytte ther throtes / & thenne we may be in peas of them. And better we mow do this thynge vnder our faders power than ouer where elles. And anone all the ladyes consented and graunted to this counsell. And whan nyght was comen / the lordes and ladyes wente to bedde / And anone as ther lordes were a slepe / they kytte all theyr husbondes throtes / and so they slewe them all. Whan that Dyoclesyan theyr fader herde of this thynge / he became furyously wrothe a­gaynst his doughters / and anone wolde them all haue brente. But all y ^• barons & lordes of Sirrie counseyled not so for to do suche streytnesse to his owne dou­ghters / but oonly sholde voyde the londe of them for euer more / so that they neuer sholde come ayen / and so he dyde. And Dyoclesyan that was ther fader anone cōmaūded them to go in to shyppe and delyuerd to them vytaylles for half are re. And whan this was done all the sy­sters wente in to the shyppe and saylled forth in the see / & betoke all ther frendes to Apolin that was ther god. And so longe they saylled in the see tyll at [...] last they came and arryued in an [...] that was all wyldernesse. And whan [...] Albion was come to that londe & [...] systers. This Albine wente fr [...]ste forth out of the shyppe and sayd to her [...] systers. For as moche sayd she as I am the eldest syster of all this company [...] fyrst this londe hath taken and [...] moche as myn name is Alb [...] [...] that this londe be called Alb [...] [...] myn owne name. And anoue all [...] sters graunted to her with a good [...] Tho wente out all the systers of [...] pe & tooke the londe Albron as [...] ster called it. And there they wente [...] downe / and founde neyther men [...] man ne childe / but wylde beest [...] of [...] uerse kyndes. And whan the [...] were dyspended & they fayled they [...] de them with herbes and [...] in the season of the yere and so they lyued as they best myght. And after [...] they to­ke flesshe of dyuerse beestes and became wonder fatte. And so they desyred man­nes company & mannes kynde y ^• them fayled. And for bere they wered wonder courageous of kynde / so that they desy­red more mannes company than ony o­ther solace and myrthe. Whan the de­uyll that perceyued / wen [...]e by dyuerse countrees and toke a body of the ay [...] & lykynge natures shad of men / & came [Page] in to the londe of Albion / & laye by tho [...] wȳmen & shadde tho natures vpon them & they conceyued / & after brought forth gyaūtes. Of the whiche one was called Gogmagog / & an other Longherigam And so they were named by dyuers na­mes / & in this maner they came forth & were borne horryble gyaūtes in Albion And they dwelled in caues & in hylles at ther wyll. And had the londe of Al­bion as them lyked / vnto the tyme that Brute arryued & came to Totnes / that was in the yle of Albion. And there this Brute conquered and scomfyted the gy­auntes aboue sayd.

¶Explicit prima pars.

¶Here begynneth now how Brute was goten / & how he slewe fyrst his moder & after his fader. And how he conquered Albion that after he named Brytayne after his owne name that now is callid Englonde after the name of Engyst of Sa [...]onte. ¶This Brute came in to Brytayne about the .xviij. yere of Hely.

BE it knowen that in the noble cyte of grete Troy / there was a noble knyght & a man of grete power that was called Eneas. And whan the cyte of Troy was loste & destroyed thorugh them of Grece. This Eneas with all his meyne fledde thens & came to Lombardy. That tho was lorde & gouernour of y ^• londe a kynge that was called La­tyne. And an other kyng there was that was called Turocelyne / that strongely warred vpon this kyng Latyne / that of­tentymes dyde hym moche harme. And whan this kynge Latyne herde y ^• Ene­as was come / he receyued hym with moche honour / & hym with helde for as moche as he had herde of hym / & wyst well that he was a noble knyght & a worthy of his body & of his dedes. This Ene­as helped kynge Latyne in his warre / And shortely for to telle / so well and so worthely he dyde that he slewe Turoce­lyne / and dyscomfyted hym and all his people. And whan all this was done / kynge Latyne gaaf all that londe that was Turocelynes / to this noble man Eneas in maryage w ^t Lauyne his dou­ghter / the moost fayrest creature that o­ny man wyst. And so they lyued togy­der in Ioye and myrthe all the dayes of ther lyf tyme. ¶And after Ascanius so­ne to Eneas wedded a wyf / & vpon her he gate a sone that was called Siluey­ne. And this Silueyne whan he coude some reason of man / vnwetynge his fa­der and ayenst his wyll aqueynted hym with a damoysell that was cosyn to La­uyne / that was kynge Latynes dough­ter the quene that was Eneas wyf / and brought the damoysell with childe. And whan Ascanius his fader it wyst / ano­ne lete enquyre of the wysest maysters & of the grettest clerkes / what childe the damoysell sholde brynge forth / & they answered and sayd / that she sholde brynge forthe a sone that sholde kylle bothe his fader & also his moder. And so he dy de. For his moder deyed in berynge of hym. And whan this childe was borne / his fader lete calle hym Brute. And the maysters sayd that he sholde do moche harme and sorowe in many dyuers places / and after he sholde come to greate honour and worshyp. This kyng Asca­nius deyed whan god wolde / and Sil­ueyne his sone receyued the londe / and made hym wonderly well beloued a­monge his people. And so whan Brute that was Silueynes sone was .xv. yere olde / he wente vpon a daye with his fa­der for to playe & solace. And as Brute sholde haue shot vnto an herte / his aro­we myshapped & glaced / and so there Brute slewe his fader.

¶How Brute was dryuen out of the londe / & how he helde hym in Grece.

[Page] ANd whan this myschaslce was befall / all the people of the lon­de made sorowe ynough & were sore an angred And for encheson therof they droue Brute out of the londe / & wolde not suffre hym amonge them. And whan he sawe that he myght not there abyde / he wente from thens in to Grece / & there he founde .vij. thousande men that we­re of the lygnage and kynrede of Troy that were come of grete blood as the story telleth / as of men & wymmen & chil­dern / the whiche were all holde in thral dome & bondage of the kynge Pandras of Grece / for the dethe of Achilles that was betrayed & slayne at Troy. This Brute was a wonder fayre man and a stronge & a huge of his aege & of gladde chere & semblaunt / and also worthy of body / and was wel beloued amonge his people. This kynge Pandras herde speke of his goodnes & his condicyons / & anone made hym dwelle with hym / soo that Brute became wonder preuy & mo che beloued with the kynge / so that lon­ge tyme Brute dwelled with the kynge So at the last they of Troy and Brute spake togyders of kynrede & of lygna­ge & of acquayntaunce / and there play­ned them vnto Brute of ther sorowe & of ther bondage / and of many other shames that the kynge Pandras had them done. And vnto Brute they sayd vpon a tyme. Ye be a lorde of our lygnage & a stronge man & a myghty / ye be our capytayne & lorde / and gouernour / and we wyll become your men / & your cōmaun­dementes do in all maner of thynges / & brynge vs out of this wretchednesse and bondage / and we wyll fyghte with the kynge for trouthe with the grace of the grete god / we shall hym ouercome / & we shall make you kynge of the londe / and to you do homage / and of you we shall holde euer more. Brute had tho grete py te of theyr bondage y ^• they were brought in. And pryuely wente theym from the kynges courte / and tho them that were of Troy / went & put them in to woodes & in to mountaynes & them there helde And sente vnto kynge Pandras / that he sholde gyue them leue sauely for to wende out of the londe / for they wolde noo lenger dwelle in his bondage. The kynge Pandras wexed tho sore anoyed / and tho swore that he sholde slee them euery­chone / & ordeyned a grete power & wen­te towarde them all for to fyght. But Brute & his men manly them defended and fyersly fought & slewe all the kyn­ges men that none of them escaped and toke the kynge & helde hym in person / & ordeyned coūsell bytwene them [...] they myght done. And some sayd [...] he sholde be put to deth / and some [...] that he sholde be exiled out of the londe And some sayd / that he sholde be [...] te. And tho spake a wyse [...]yght that was called Mempris and sayd to [...] te & to all tho of Troy. Yf kynge [...] dras wolde yelde hym & haue his lyf. I counseyll that he gyue vnto Brute that is our duke & our souerayne his dough­ter Gennogen to a wyf / & in [...] with her an hondred shyppes well [...] de / and all his tresoure of golde [...] of come and of wyne and as mocke as we nede to haue of 00 thynge and other And thenne go we out of this londe [...] ordeyne vs a londe elles where. For we ne none of our kynrede that come after vs shall neuer haue peas in this londe amonge theym of Grece. For we haue slayne soo many of ther [...]u [...]ghtes and of other frendes that euermore wa [...] and contake sholde be amonge vs. Brute tho and all his folke consented well to that counseyll. And this thynge they tolde to kynge Pandras. And he for to haue his lyf graunted as moche as they axed / and anone gaf vnto Brute Gen­nogen his doughter to wyf and an bondred shyppes w ^t asmoche as them neded of all vytaylles / as afore was ordeyned [Page] Brute tho toke his wyf & all his men / that forsoke the londe of Grece & went them vnto the see & had wynde & weder at ther wyll / and came the thyrde daye in to an Ile that was called Lorgres. This Brute anone sente of his men a londe for to espye the maner of the coū ­tree. And they foūde an olde cyte all wasted & forlet / that nas therin nother man ne woman / ne no thynge dwellynge / & in the myddell of this cyte they foun­de an olde temple of a fayre lady y ^t was called Dyana the goddesse. And they came ayen vnto Brute & tolde hym what they had seen & founde. And they coun­selled hym to go & do sacrefyce vnto dame Dyana / for she was wonte to yeue answere of what thynge that euer men prayed her / and namely vnto them that her honoured with sacrefyce. Brute wente vnto that ymage and sayd. Dyana noble goddesse that all thynge haste in thy myght and power / wyndes / waters. wodes / feldes / and all thynge of the worlde / and all manere of beestes that therin ben. To you I make my prayer / that ye me counseyll and telle / where / and in what place. I shall haue a coue­nable dwellynge for me and for my people / and there I shall make in honour of you a well fayre temple and a noble / wherin ye shall alwaye be honoured / Whan he had done his prayer. Dyana answered in this maner Brute sayd she go euen forth thy waye ouer the see in to Fraunce towarde the west / and there ye shall fynde an yle that is called Al­byon / and that yle is becompassed all w ^t the see / and no man may come therin but it be by shyppes / and in that londe were wonte to dwelle gyaūtes / but now it is not so / but all wyldernes. And that londe is destenyed and ordeyned for you and for your people.

¶How Corin became Brutes man / & how kynge Goffar was dyscomfyted.

THenne whan Brute had this answere of Dyana y ^• goddes. Anone he lete the ancres wynde vp & sayled in to the hyghe see. And whan he & his men had saylled .xx. dayes & moo / they foūde fast besyde a cost of the see a thousande men of the lygnage & kynrede of Troy. And ther souerayne & ther may­ster of all was called Corin. And whan Brute wyst whens they were / he tho to­ke them with moche Ioye in to his shyppes / and ladde theym forth with hym. This Corin there became Brutes man & to hym dyde homage. And so longe they saylled forth in the see tyll they ca­me vnto Gascoyne. And anone they arryued in the hauen of Lyegers / & there they dwelled .viij. dayes them for to rest. & ther saylles to amende there y ^• it was nede. Tydynges soone came to kynge Goffer that was lorde of that londe how that moche people of straūge londe were arryued in to his londe in the ha­uen of Lyegers wherfore he was sore angred & anoyed / that they came and arry­ued in his londe withoute his lycence & his leue. And anone ordened hym a gre­te power for to dryue out Brute & to de­stroye hym & all his people. But it was so that kyng Goffar was dyscomfyted & all his people. And hymself fledde into Fraūce / there for helpe & socour. And in that tyme regned in Fraunce .xij. kynges / and an .xi. of them assembled a gre­te power for to helpe Goffar & for to fyght ayenst Brute. This Goffar dwelled with them of Fraunce half a yere & more. And in the meane tyme whan Goffar was in Fraunce. Brute and his company destroyed all the londe of Gascoyne / and lete take all the tresour that kynge Goffar had / & there lete brynge it all in to his shyppes. And this Brute founde in that londe a fayry place and couenable / & there Brute made a fayre castell and a stronge. ¶Whan that this was done / kynge Goffar came from [Page] Fraūce & .xi. kynges with hym & broughte with hym .xx.M. men for to fyght w ^t Brute & his company / and Brnte had but .vij.M. and .ccc. men. And neuer­theles whan the two hostes mette togy­der. Brutes folke thorugh helpe of hym self & of Turin his cosyn / and of Corin that well & manly hym defended / and fought so tyll that lytell tyme they had slayne of the F [...]nshmen two thousande & mo. Anone all y ^• were a lyue fledde a­waye. And in this batayll Turin Bru­tes cosyn was slayne. And Brute lete en tere hym worthely whan he had space & leyser in the castell that he had made / & tho lete calle that same castell Toures / for by cause of the name of Turin that there was entered. And yet vnto this daye there is a noble cyte that is called Toures. And kynge Goffar wyst that Turin was deed he came agayne with his men / & after yaue a stronge katayll vnto Brute. But Brute & his men we­re so wery for fyghtynge / y ^t they myght no lenger endure / but to megre hym and all his. And thenne Brute yede in to his castell with his men / and made the ga­tes faste for to saue them / and for to ca­ke coūsell amonge them what were best for to do. Brute and Corin gaf counsell and ordeyned pryuely / that Corin sholde go out and busshe hym in a wood tyl on the morne / so y ^• in the mornynge whan that Brute sholde fyght with his enne­myes / thenne Corin sholde come with his folke in the one syde / and slee and do all the harme that he myght. And in a mornynge in the dawnynge of the day Brute wente out of the castell / and fyersely faught with his enmyes / and they manly deffended them. But within a lytell tyme Brute and his folke slewe .viij. hondred of kynge Goffars men. thenne came Corin with the busshement and smote to grounde he & his compa­ny all those that wolde stonde or abyde. so that the kynge Goffar & his compa­ny were dyscomfyted / & fast they began to flee. And Brute and Corin with ther company fyersely them pursewed / & sle­we mo of them in the fleynge than they dyde in the batayll. And in this manere Brute had the victory. And neuertheles Brute made moche sorowe for his cosyn Turin that there was slayne / and other also that he had lost of his men. That is to saye .vij. hondred and .xv. The whiche nobly he entered in the same castell of Toures / there where he had entered Turin his cosyn.

¶How Brute arryued at Totnesse in the Yle thenne called Albion and of the batayll that was betwixt Corin Gogmagog.

SO whan all this was done Brute wolde no lenger there dwelle / for to fyght / nor for to lese no moo of his people. For kynge Goffars people myght euery daye encreace moo & moo. And Brutes lessened. And therfore he toke all his men and wente vnto the see and hadde wynde and weder atte theyr wyll. And the fyfth daye after they arryued in an hauen at Totnesse / and came in to the yle of Albion. And there ney­ther man nor woman as the storytelle [...] they founde but Gyauntes. And they dwelled in hylles & in caues. And Bru­te sawe the londe was fayre and at his lykynge. And was good also for hym and for all his people / as Dyana the goddesse had hym be [...]yght. And therfo­re was Brute wonder gladde / and lete assembled vpon a daye all his folke / to make a solempne sacrefyce and a grete feest in honour and reuerence of Dya­na the goddesse / of the whiche he hadde counseyll fyrst for to come in to this londe. And thenne whan that they hadde ther solempnyce done / as they vppon a daye sate at ther meete / there came in vpon them .xxx. gyaūtes & slewe of Brutes [Page] men .xxx. Brute and his men anone sterte vp and faught with the gyauntes and slewe them euerychone / excepte one that was called Gogmagog. And he was mayster of all the Gyauntes. And he was stronger and hygher than ony of the other. And Brute kepte hym for bycause that he sholde wrestyll with Corin that was Brutes man. For he was gre­ter and hygher than ony of Brutes men from the gyrdelstede vpwarde. ¶Gog­magog and Corin vndertoke there for to wrestyll. And so togyders they wente / and wrestlyd a longe tyme / but at the last Gogmagog Helde Corin soo fast that he brake two rybbes of his syde / Wherfore Corin was sore angry. And there he toke Gogmagog betwixt his armes and cast hym downe vpon a ro­che / so that Gogmagog brake all to pe­ces /and so he deyed an euyll dethe. And therfore y ^e place is called vnto this daye the saut of Gogmagog. ¶And thenne after Brute yaue all that countree vnto Corin. And there Corin called it after his name Cornewayle. And his men be called Cornewaylles / and so sholde men of that countree be called for euermore / And in that coūtree dwelled Corin and his men. And they made townes and houses / and enhabyted the londe by ther owne wyll.

¶How Brute buylded London / and called this londe Brytayne / and Scotlon­de Albyne. / and Walys Camber.

BRute & his men wente forth / and lawe abowte in dyuers places / where that they myghte fynde a good place and couenable / that they myghte make a cyte for hym and for his folke. And so at the laste they came by a fayre Ryuer that is called Tamys / and the­re Brute began to buylde a fayre cyte / and lete calle it newe Troy / in mynde and remembraunce of the grete Troy / from the whiche place all ther lygnage was comen. And this Brute lete felle downe woodes / and lete eere and sowe londes / and also lete mawe downe me­dowes for sustenaunce of hym and of all his people. And thenne he departed the londe to theym / so that eueryche of theym had a parte / and a certayne place for to dwelle in. And thenne Brute lete calle all this londe Brytayne after his owne name / and his folke he lete calle Brytons. And this Brute had goten on his wyf Gennogen thre sones / that we­re worthy of dedes. The fyrste was cal­led Lotrin / the seconde Albanak / & the [Page] thyrde Cambar. And Brute bare crow­ne in the cyte of Troy .xx. yere after y ^• tyme that the cyte was made. And there he made the lawe [...] y ^• the Brytons holde / & this Brute was wonderly well beloued among all men. And Brutes sones also loued wonderly wel togyder. And whan Brute had sought all y ^• londe in length & also in brede he foūde a londe y ^• Ioy­ned to Brytayne / that was in the northe and that londe Brute yaue to Albanak his sone. And lete calle it Albanie after his name / that now is called Scotlonde And Brute foūde an other coūtree to­warde the west / & yaue that to Cambar his other sone / and lete calle it Cambar after his name / & now is called Walys. And whan Brute had regned .xx. yere as before is sayd / thenne he deyed in the cyte of newe Troy.

¶How Lotrin that was Brutes sone entred with moche honour / & gouerned the londe well & worthely.

AFter Brute regned Lotrin his sone / that was the seconde kyng in Brytayne. The whiche began to regne the seconde yere of Samuell. And this Lotrin was crowned kyng with moche solempnyte & glory of all the londe of Brytayne. And after whan he was crowned kynge. Albanak and Cambar his two brethern went agayn in to ther owne coūtree and there they lyued with moche honour & worshyp. And Lotrin ther brother regned / & was kynge & go­uerned it well and wysely / for he was a good man & wonderly well beloued of all his londe. And it befell so that Albanak dwelled in his owne londe with moche honour & worshyp. And thenne ca­me kynge Humbar of Hunlonde with a grete power & aryued in Albyne / & wolde haue conquered the londe / & began to warre vpon kynge Albanak / and hym slewe in batall. Whan Albanak was slayne / the people of that londe fledde vnto Lotrin & tolde hym for he was kynge of Brytayne / how that his brother was slayne / & prayed hym of his helpe and of his socour for to auenge his bro­thers deth. Lotrin there anone lete assemble all the Brytons of Kente / of Douer in to Derewent of Northfolke & Southfolke / of Keftefen / and Lyndessey. And whan they were assembled they spedde them faste towarde ther enemyes for to yeue them batayll. And Lotrin had sent to Cambar his brother that he sholde come vnto hym with all the power that he myght make hym for to helpe / & so he dyde with a good wyll. And so they ca­me togyders / & toke ther ware p [...]ely for to go and seke Humbar where they myght hym fynde. And so it befell that this Humbar was besyde a water that was a grete ryuer with his folke [...] for to dysporte. And there came Lotrin & Cambar his brother with all ther people sodaynly or that ony of that other wyst. And whan Humbar sawe them come he was sore adiadde / for as moche as his men wyste it not afore / and also they were vnarmed. And anone Humbar for drede lepte in to the water and drowned hymself and so he deyed and his men were all slayne so that no [...]e of them escaped. And therfore is that wa­ter called Humbar / and euer more shall be / for by cause that this kynge Hum­bar therin was drowned. ¶And after that Lotrin wente to his shyppes & to­ke there golde and syluer as moche as he founde vnto hymself. And all that o­ther pylfre he gaaf vnto other folke of the hoste. And they founde in one of the shyppes a fayr damoysell that was kynge Humbars doughter / & she was called Estrylde. And whan Lotrin sawe her / he toke her with hym for her fayrnessse / And for her he was ou [...]er taken in lone. & wolde haue wedded her. This tydyn­ges came to Corin / and anone thought [Page] to auenge hym vpon Lotrin. For as moche as Lotrin had made couenaūt for to spowse Corins doughter / that was cal­led Guentolin. And Corin in hast wente vnto hym vnto newe Troy / & thus he sayd to Lotrin. Now certes sayd he / ye rewarde me full euyll / for all the paynes that I haue suffred & had many ty­mes for Brute your fader. And therfore syth it is so I wyl auenge me now vpon you. And he drewe his fawcon on hygh and wolde haue slayne this Lotrin the kynge. But the damoysell wente bytwene tho and made them to be accorded in this manere. That Lotrin sholde wed­de or spowse Guentolin that was Co­rins doughter / & so Lotrin dyd. And ne­theles whan that he had spowsed Guentolin Corins doughter / pryuely he came to Estrylde / & brought her with childe / & gate vpon her a doughter / the whiche was called Abram. And it befell so that anone after Corin deyed / & after whan he was deed. Lotrin forsoke Guentolin that was his wyf / and made Estrylde quene. And there Guentolin that was his wyf wente from thens all in greate yre & wrathe vnto Cornewayle / & there seased all the londe in to her owne hon­de / for as moche as she was her faders heyre she vndertoke feautes and homa­ges of all the men of the londe. And af­terwarde assembled a grete hoste and a grete power of men / for to be auenged vpon Lotrin that was her lorde / and to hym came & yaue hym a stronge batayl and there was Lotrin her husbonde slayne and his men dyscomfyted / in the .v. yere of his regne. Guentolin lete take Estrylde and Abram her doughter / and bounde them bothe honde & foot / & cast them bothe in to a water / & so they we­re drowned. Wherfore that water was euer more after called Abram / after the name of the damoysell that was Estryldes doughter. And Englysshe men call that water Seuerne / & Walshmen call it Abram vnto this daye to. And whan this was done Guentolin lete crowne her quene of all the londe / & gouerned the londe full well & wysely vnto the tyme y ^• Madan her sone that Lotrin had goten vpon her was of .xx. yere of age / y ^• he myght be kynge / & so the quene reg­ned .xv. yere. And thenne lete she crowne her sone kynge / and he regned & gouer­ned the londe well & worthely. And she wente in to Cornewayle / and there she dwelled all her lyues tyme.

¶How Madan regned in peas all his lyfe.

MAdam sone to Lotrin regned on the Brytayns .xl. yere / the whi­che began to regne the .xv. yere of Saul And this Madan lyued in peas all his dayes / & gote two sones. Mempris and Maulin. Thenne he deyed and lyeth at newe Troy.

¶Anno mundi .iiij.M.C.xxij. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .M.lxxxiiij.

DAuyd the seconde kynge in Is­rael regned this tyme a man chosen after the desyre of god. And he was anoynted in his yonge aege by Samuel & after the deth of Saul regned .xl. yere this Dauyd was as a meruaylle in all mankynde. In whom euer was founde [Page] to moche power & so moche hum [...]lyte▪ so moche noblynes & so moche [...] so grete a charge of seculary chynges / & so pure & deuoute a contemplacōn of spirytuall thyngꝭ / so many men to kylle / & so many teres to wepe for his tirspa [...]s. (Plura vide .i. regū) ¶Abiathat this tyme was bysshop / & he fledde fro Saull vnto Dauyd / & he was gloryous with hym all his dayes. Gad. Nathan / and Asoph were prophetes thenne. And Na­than was brother sone to Dauyd.

¶How Mempris slewe his brother Maulyn.

THis Mempris and his brother Maulyn stroue fast for the londe And Mempris began to regne the .xxxv yere of Dauyd. And for by cause that he was the eldest sone / he wolde haue hads all the londe / & Maulyn wolde not suf­fre hym / so that they toke a daye of lo­ue & accorde. And at this daye Mempris lete kylle his brother thorugh treason / & hymself afterwarde helde y ^• londe. And anone lete crowne hym kynge & regned And after became so lyther a man that he destroyed within a whyle all the men of his londe. And at the laste he became so wycked and so lecherous / that he for­soke his owne wyfe and vsed the synne of Sodomy. Wherfore almyghty god was gretely dyspleased and sore wrothe with hum. And vpon hym toke vengaū ce for by cause of his wyckednesse. For on a daye as he wente forth on huntyn­ge in a forest / there he loste all his men that were with hym and wyst not what he sholde do / and so he wente vp & dow­ne hymself alone / & cryed after his men but they were gone. And there camen [...]ulues anone and all to drewe hym in peces whan he had regned .xxiiij. yere. Whan his people herde that he was so deed / they made Ioye & myrthe ynough and anone made E [...]rac his sone kynge and he regned with moche honour.

¶Anno mundi .iiij.M.C.lxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .M.xxxiiij.

SAlomon the kyng of peas of she gyfte of our lorde / had a syngu­ler excedynge aboue all men y ^• euer [...] in this world / but alonly god in wysdom & in ryches / in deyntees & in glory & fa­mylyaryte w ^t god. And all though Moyses & Dauyd. Peter & Poul. Ierom & Austyn & other mo / exceded hȳ in holynesse but yet they [...] hȳ not in glory & ryches. And this man so excedyng all men wretchedly felle. Of this Salomō is red in a pystle of saȳt Ierom y ^• he gote a childe on y ^• doughter of Pharao at .xi. yere of his aege ( vid plura regū) ¶Sadoch this tyme was bysshop / & for be declyned not to y ^• part of Adonie Dauid sone but was w ^t Nathan for Salomon / & Abya­thar on the other parte was deposed.

¶Anno mundi .iiij.M.ij.C.v. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .ix.L.lxxxxiiij.

BOboas succeded Salomon his fader in his kyngdome / but not in wysdom. He was dysceyued thrugh y ^• coūsell of yonge men. And lost .x. [...] in so moche as he answered not wysely the people / as it is open (iij. reg [...]) ¶A­chunias was bysshop / & was the sone of Sadoch (Vt pꝪ [...]. para [...].)

¶Reges Israel incip [...]t.

IHeroboas regned kyng in Israell xxij. yere / & he was fyrst of y ^• [...] of Salomon & a good man / but whan he was made kyng he was a mysch [...]us man in ydolatry / & made Israel to [...]yne in ydolatry / & many grete Inco [...]yences were done / almoost to y ^• [...] at Israel. For he was y ^• fygure of Marhomete (Plura vide .iij. [...]egū) ¶ [...] the so­ne [Page] of Robo [...]s regned in the Iury thre yere / & other whyle a good man & hol­ [...]en by god / and other whyle wretchedly dysposed in ydolatrye / & therfore our lorde suffred hym to regne lytell tyme (vt pꝪ .iij. regū et. ij. parali.)

¶Anno mūdi .iiij.M.ij.C.xxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .ix.C.lxxiiij.

ASa the sone of Abdias regned xvi. yere. In the begynnynge of his regne he was a ryghtwys man and walked as Dauyd dyde. And he ouercame the Ethyopes / & destroyed ydolles / But after y ^t he was sworne to the kyng of Syrie Benedab. For Baasa kynge of Israel / thenne began to fyght ayenst hym / the whiche dyspleased god. Wher­fore he sende to hym the prophete. Aua­ni / whome he put in pryson / and therfo­re he hadde the gowte strongely & deyed therof (Vt pꝪ .iij. regū .ij. para) ¶Aza­rias sone to Achonias was bysshop. Nadab kynge of Israell regned two yere / the whiche beganne to regne the seconde yere of Asa kynge of Iewes / and dyde not as his fader. And Baasa ouerthre­we hym and regned for hym (vt pꝪ .iij. regū) ¶Baasa kynge of Israel regned xxiiij. yere / the whiche began to regne the thyrde yere of Asa kynge of Iewes / & he walked in the synnes of Ieroboam and slewe Iehen the prophete. ¶Hela the sone of Baasa regned in Israel two yere / & Zamri slewe hym & regned .vij. dayes. ¶Amri regned .xij. yere / & dyde not as his predecessours dyde. ¶Archa sone to Amri regned on Israell .xxij. ye­re / & aboue all that were afore hym he was cursyd / for wycked Iesabell ruled more than he / & meued hym to folowe her (vt pꝪ .iij. regū)

¶Of kynge Ebrac / the whiche began to regne the .xv. yere of Dauyd / & how he conquered Fraunce.

THis Ebrac regned .lx. yere / & a stronge man he was & a myghty Ano this Ebrac thorugh his myght & helpe of his Brytous cōquered all Fraū ce. And wanne there so moche golde & syluer / y ^• whan he came ayen in to this londe he made a cyte / & after his owne name he lete calle it Ebrac / y ^• is called Euerywyk. And this kynge made the castell of Maydens / that now is called Edenbrugh. This kynge had .xx. sones and .xxiij. doughters by dyuers wȳmen goten / and these sones were called as ye shal here. Brute. Greneschelde. Margā ­de. Iakyn. Kymbar. Roselm. Spadogh. Godeherl. Thormnan. Gldaugh. Ior­kanghut. Haibor. Ketyn. Rother. Kaier / & Assaruth. And all y ^• doughters hyght as ye shall here after. Eligene. Ymogen Oghdas. Guenbran. Gnardith. Au­ganrel. Guenthold. Tanguestell. Gor­ghon. Michel. Medhan. Mailour. Ou­dre. Cambredan. Ragā. Renthely. Neest Cheghan. Shaldud. Gladus. Herber­hyn. Ahalaghe and Blandan. And these were tho .xxiij. doughters. And the bre­thern became good knyghtes & worthy in many countrees.

¶Of kynge Brute Greneschelde the fyrst sone of Ebrac kynge.

AFter the dethe of kynge Ebrac / regned Brute Greneschelde. his sone .xxx. yere / that was Ebracs fyrste sone / that well and nobly regned. And whan tyme came he deyed / & lyeth at Yorke.

¶Of kynge Leyl that was Brute Grenescheldes sone.

ANd whan that Brute Grenes­chelde was deed / regned his so­ne Leyl .xxij. yere. And he made a fayre towne and lete calle it Karleyl after his owne name. And he was a worthy man [Page] and well beloued of his people. And so whan he had regned .xxij. yere he dyed / & lyeth at Karlyll. ¶And in his tyme regned kynge Salomon in Ierusalem / & made the noble Temple. And to hym came quene Sibylle quene of Saba / for to here & see yf it were [...]oth y ^• men spake of the grete & noble wytte & wysdome of kynge Salomon. And she founde it sothe that men had her tolde.

¶Anno mūdi .iiij.M.ij.C.lxvi. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .ix.C.xlij.

IOsaphat kynge of Iewes / was a good man & a ryche / and a deuoute in the waye of our lorde / and regned xxv. yere / and dyde none yll / but to the cursyd kynge of Israell gaue helpe / & o­ther lytell thynge. And therfore our lor­de was with hym (vt pꝪ .ij [...]. para) ¶He­lyas y ^e grete prophete was this tyme an holy man / y ^• was lyfted vp in to paradyse with grete solace in a chayre. ¶Ma­cheas & Abdias prophecyed with hym. ¶Ochosyas sone of Achab regned in Israell .ij. yere. And sende to Belsabub god of Acharam to be helyd. For y ^e whiche he deyed / after the sayenge of Hely. (Vt. pꝪ .iiij. Regum)

¶Of kynge Lud Ludibras that was kynge Leyles sone.

LVd Ludibras this kynge / made the cyte of Caunterbury & Wyn chestre. And he regned .xxxix. yere & then he deyed & lyeth at Wynchestre.

¶Of kynge Bladud that was Ludi­bras sone / how he regned & was a good man / & a Nygromancer.

SO after this Ludibras regned Bladud his sone / a greate Ny­gromancer. And thorugh his crafte of Nygromancy / he made the meruayl­lous hote bathe / as the geste telleth. And he regned .xxi. yere / and he lyeth at the newe Troy.

¶Anno mundi .iiij.M.ij.C.lxxxxi. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .ix.C.viij.

IOram kyng of Iewes sone to Io­saphat regned .viij. yere / this Io­ram was a cursyd man & had a good fader / & slewe his brother / & wyckedly ly­ued / as dyde the kynge of Israell. Therfore he was sore corrected & dyed vnhappely (vt. pꝪ .ij [...]. para) ¶This tyme He­lyas was rauysshed in to the Paradyse. ¶Ochosias or Asarias kyng of Iewes regned oo yere / & lyued not as his fader dyde / & anone was slayne with all the hous of Achab. ¶Athalia moder to Asarias toke the kyngdom / & slewe all the kynges blood / & regned .x. yere. And the vij. yere of Iotada bysshop she was slayne (iiij. regū) This Asarias & his sone Ioas / & his neuewe Amasia. Matheus the gospeller putteth not in the lyne of Cryste for ther offences. ¶Ioram kyng of Israell regned .xij. yeres / the whiche began to regne the .xviij. yere of Iosa­phat for his brother Ochosie / & cursedly he lyued / and was slayne of Iehen with all his faders housholde (vt pꝪ) ¶Ie­hen anoynted of the childe of Helyse­vpon Israell slewe Achariam the kyng of Iewes / & Ioram the kynge of Israell and Iesabell moder to Ioram / and .lxx. childern of Achab / and .xlij. brethern of Azari / & all the preestes of Baall. And he regned .xviij. yere. ¶Athalia moder to Azari kynge of Iewes / doughter to Achab regned on the Iewes .vi. yere and slewe the kyngꝭ blood of Ioram / except Ioas the sone of Azari / the whiche was kepte amonge shepeherdes / and after she was slayne.

¶Anno mundi .iiij.M.iij.C.ix. Et an­te xp̄i natiuitatē .viij.C.lxxxxiij.

[Page] IOam sone to Achazie regned in the Iury .xi. yeere / whom Ioiada y ^• bysshop crowned kyng at .vij. yere of age And he lyued well as longe as he was ruled by Ioiada / but after he forsoke god / & marted Azarias y ^• tyme bysshop sone to Ioiada / for he blamed hym y ^• he forsoke his god (Vide plura .ij. para) ¶Ioa­chas sone to Ieben / regned in Israell .xvij. yere / in whoos dayes Helyse y ^e prophete deyed. And he began to regne the .xx. yere of Ioas (Vide plura .iiij. regū) ¶Ioam sone of Ioathas regned in Is­raell. xvij. yere / & he troubled Amazia (Plura vide .iiij. regū .xiij.)

¶Of kynge Leyr sone to Bladud / and of the answere of his yongest doughter / that gracyously was maryed to the kynge of Fraunce.

AFter kyng Bladud regned Leyr his sone. And this Leyr made y ^• towne of Leycetre / & lete calle the towne after his name / & he gouerned y ^• towne well & nobly. This kyng Leyr had thre doughters. The fyrst was called Gonorill. The seconde Rigan. And the thyrd Cordeill / and the yongest doughter was fayrest & best of condicyons. The kyng ther fader became an olde man / & wolde y ^• his doughters were maryed or y ^• he dyed. But fyrst he thought to assaye which of them loued hym moost & best. For she y ^• loued hym best sholde best be maryed And he axed of the fyrst doughter how well she loued hym. And she answered & sayd / better than her owne lyf. Now certes sayd her fader / that is a grete loue / Thenne he axed the seconde doughter / how moche she loued hym And she sayd more & passynge all the creatures of the worlde. Per ma foy sayde her fader I may no more axe. And sho axed he of y ^• thyrde doughter / how moche she loued hym. Certes fader sayd she / my systers haue tolde you glosynge wordes / but I shall tell you the truth / for I loue you as I ought [...] loue my fader. And for to [...]ynge you more in certayne how I loue you. I shall tell you. As moche as ye be which / so shall ye he loued. The kynge her fader wende y ^• she had scorned hym / & became wonder worthe / & swore by heuen & erthe she sholde neuer haue good of hym / but his doughters y ^• loued hym so moche sholde be well auaunced & maryed. And the fyrst doughter he maryed to Mangles kynge of Scotlonde. And the seconde he maryed to Hanemos erle of Cornewayle. And they ordened & spake bytwene them y ^• they sholde departe the reame bytwene theym two after the dethe of kynge Leyr ther fader / so that Cordeill his yongest doughter sholde no thynge haue of his londe. But this Cordeill was wonder fayre & of good condicyons and maners. That the kynge of Fraunce Agampe herde of her fame / & sente to the kynge Leyr her fader for to haue her vnto his wyf / and prayed hym therof. And kynge Leyr her fader sent [...] hym worde y ^• he had departed his londe & yeuen it all vnto his two doughters before sayd / & he sayd he had no more londe wherwith her to marye. And whan Agampe the kyng of Fraūce herde this answere / he scute anone ayen to Leyr and sayd. That he axed no thynge with her but oonly her clothynge & her body. And anone kyng Leyr sente her ouer see to the kynge of Fraunce. And he recey­ued her with moche worshyp / and with solempnyte he spowsed her / and made her quene of Fraunce.

¶How kynge Leyr was dryuen oute of his londe thorugh his folke. And how Cordeill his yongest doughter halpe hȳ in his nede.

THus it befell afterwarde / that the two eldest [...] wolde not abyde tyll Leyr her fader was deed. [Page] but warred vppon hym whyles that he was on lyue / & dyde hym moche sorowe & shame / wherfore they toke from hym holy the reame / & bytwene them had ordeyned / y ^• one of them sholde haue kyng Leyr to soiourne all his lyfe tyme with .lx. knyghtes & squyres / that he myght worshypfully ryde & go whether that he wolde / & in to what countree that hym lyked to playe & to solace. So that Maugles kynge of Scotlonde hadde kynge Leyr with hym in the maner as is abo­ue sayd. And or the other half yere were passed. Gonorill y ^t was his eldest doughter & quene of Scotlonde / was so anoy­ed of hym & of his people / that anone she & her lorde spake togyder / wherfore his knyghtes half & his squyres fro hȳ were gone / & no moo lefth with hym but oonly .xxx. And whan this was doue / Leyr began to make moche sorowe for by cause that his state was empeyred. And men had of hym more scorne & de­spyte than euer they had before. Wherfore he wyst not what to done. And at the last thought that he wolde go in to Cornewayll to Rigan his other doughter. And whan he was come / the erle & his wyf that was Leyrs doughter hym wel­comed / & with hym made moche Ioye / And there he dwelled with .xxx. knygh­tes & squyres. And he had not dwelled scarsly .xij. monethes there / y ^• his dough­ter of hȳ was wery & his company. And her lorde & she of hym had grete scorne & despyte / so that from .xxx. knyghtes they brought vnto .x. And afterwarde had he but fyue / & so they lefte hym no moo. Thenne made he sorowe ynough. and sayd sore wepynge. Alas that euer I came in to this londe & sayd. Yet had it be better to haue dwelled with my fyrst doughter. And anone he wente thens to his fyrste doughter ayen / but anone as she sawe hym come / she swore by god & by his holy name / and by as moche as she myght / that he sholde haue no moo with hym but one kynght / yf he wolde there abyde. Then began Leyr to wepe, and made moche sorowe / and sayd tho. Alas / now haue I to longe lyued / that this sorowe and myscheyf is to me now fallen. For now I am poore / that some­tyme was ryche. But now haue I noo frende ne kynne that to me wyll do ony good. But whan I was ryche all men me honoured & worshyped / and now euery man hath of me scorne and despyte. And now I well wote that Cordeyll my yongest doughter sayd me trouth / whan she sayd. As moche as I had soo moche sholde I be loued. And all the whyle y ^• I had good / so longe was I loued and honoured for my ryches. But m [...] two doughters glosed me tho [...] now of me they sette lytell pryce. And soth tolde me Cordeill / but I wolde not byleue it ne vnderstonde. & therfore I lete her go fro me as a thynge that I sette lytell pryce of & now wote I neuer what for to do f [...]th my two doughters haue me thus deceyued / that I so moche loued & now must I nedes seke her that is in an other [...] / that lyghtely I lete her go from me without ony rewarde of yeftes. And she sayd / that she loued me as moche as she ought to loue her fader by all maner of reason. And tho I sholde haue ared [...]er no more. And those that me otherwyse behoteth thorugh ther fals speche [...] now haue me desceyued. In this maner Leyr longe tyme began to make his moone And at the last he shope hym to the se [...] and passed ouer in to Fraunce and ared and aspyed where the quene myght be founde. And men tolde hym where she was. And whan he came to the cyte that she was in pryuely he sent his squy [...]e vnto the quene / for to telle her that her fa­der was come to her for grete nede. And whan the squyre came to the quene / he tolde her euery deale of her systers from the begynnynge vnto the ende. Cordeill the quene anone tooke golde and syluer [Page] plente / & tohe it to the squyre in coūsell that he sholde go & bere it to her fader / & that he sholde go in to certayne cyte / & hym aray & wasshe / & thenne come aye [...] to her. And brynge with hym an honest company of knyghtes .xl. at the lest with ther meyne. And thenne he sholde sende to her lorde the kyng / & feyne that he we re come for to spehe with his doughter / & hym for to see & so he dyde. And whan the kynge & the quene herde that they came / with moche honour they hym recey­ued. And the kynge of Fraunce tho lete sende thorugh all his reame / & cōmaun­ded that all men sholde be as entendant to kynge Leyr the quenes fader in all maner of thynges as if were vnto hym­self. Whan kynge Leyr had dwelled there a moneth & more he tolde to the hynge and to the quene his doughter / how his two eldest doughters hadde hym serued. Agampe anone lete ordeyne a grete hoste of Frenshmen and sente in to Bry cayne with Leyr the quenes fader for to conquere his londe ayen & his kyngdom And Cordeill also came with her fader in to Brytayne / for to haue the reame after her faders dethe. And anone they wente to shyppe & passed the see and ca­me in to Brytayne and fought with the felons / and them scomfyted and slewe / And tho had he his londe ayen / & after lyued thre yere & helde his reame in peas and afterwarde deyed. And so Cordeill his doughter thenne lete entre hym with moche honour at Leycestre.

¶Anno mūdi .iiij.M.iij.C.xlix. Et an­te xp̄i natiuitatē .viij.C.liij.

AMasius sone to Ioam regned on the Iewes .xxix. yere / after the whiche y ^e kyngdom of Iewes was without kynge .xiij. yere. This man worshy­ped the goddes of Seyr (vt p3 .ij. para. xv.) ¶Ieroboam sone to Ioam regned on Israell .xli. yere the whiche was man­ly and victoryous. For he ouercame the kynge of Sirie / and restored Israel and Damask / after the worde of Iono the prophete. But he was not good. Ther­fore sayth Austyn. Yf good men regne / they prouffyte many men. And yf ylle men regne / they hurte many men.

¶Anno mūdi .iiij.M.iij.C.lxxxviij. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .viij.C.xi.

OZias or Azarias sone to Amasie regned on the Iury .lij. yere / the whiche lyued well afore our lorde / of hȳ is none euyll thynge wryten / but that he vsurped the dignyte of preesthode vnder Azari / the whiche he forbode hym. For y ^• whiche cause our lorde stroke hym with a leper (vt pꝪ .ij. para) ¶Ozee bysshop & prophete was this tyme y ^• fyrst of the .xij. that is sende ayenst the .xij. tribus / ¶ Ioel the seconde of the .xij. prophecyed or Iuda. Ananias the thyrde prophecyed ayenst many people. Abdias the fourth of the .xij. ꝓphecyed ayenst Edom. ¶Zacharias sone to Ieroboam regned in Israel. vi. monethes / the whiche began to regne the .xxxviij. yere of Ozias & was nought in his lyuynge as his preoreces­sours were. And Sellum slewe hym / & regned a moneth. And Manahen slewe hym & toke his kyngdom (vt pꝪ .iiij. re­gū) This Manahen regned .x. yere / the whiche began to regne the .xxxix. yere of Ozias / & he ruled hym myscheuously / And our lorde toke hym in the power of the kynge of Assurio (rum). And he payed to hym a thousande talentes of syluer (vt pꝪ .iiij. regū) ¶Phaseia sone to Mana­hen regned in Israel .ij. yere / & he began to regne the .l. yere of Ozias / & he was nought in his lyuynge. ¶Phase slewe Phaseta / & regned .xx. yere / & he began to regne the .lij. yere of Ozias / & dyde as other cursyd men dyde (Plura vide .iiij. regū) And after this. Israel was with­out ony kynge .viij. yere.

¶How Morgan & Conedag that were neuewes to Cordeill warred vpon her / and put her in pryson.

NOw as kyng Leyr was deed Cordeil his yongest doughter regned the .x. yere of Ozias kynge of Iury. And after her regned Conedag the .xv. yere of Ozias / & Cordeill y ^t was Leyrs yon­gest doughter after the deth of her fader had all the londe .v. yere. And in y ^e mea­ne tyme deyed her lorde Agampe y ^t was kynge of Fraunce / & after his deth she was wydowe. And there came Morgan & Conedag y ^t were Cordeils systers so­nes & to her had enuyte / for as moche as ther aunte sholde haue the londe. So y ^t bytwene them they ordeyned a grete power / and vpon her warred gretely. And neuer they rested tyll they had her taken and put her vnto deth. And tho Morgan & Conedag seased all the londe / & de­parted it bytwene them. And they helde it .xij. yeres. And whan that those .xij. yeres were gone / there beganne bytwene them a grete debate / so that they war­red strongely togyders. And eueryche of theym dyde other moche dysease. For Morgan wolde haue all the londe from beyonde Humbre that Conedag helde / But he came agaynst hym with a grete power / so that Morgan durst not abyde but fledde awaye in to Walys. And Conedag pursued hym / and toke hym and slewe hym. And tho came Conedag a­gayne and seased all the londe in to his honde & helde it And regned after .xxxiij yere. And thenne he deyed and lyeth at newe Troye.

¶And by cause the matere conteyneth moost comodyously togyder of the kynges of Brytayne / now called Englon­de / for the tyme of them is not certayn­ly knowen / what tyme of the worlde the kynges folowen regned. Therfore they shall be togyder / tyll it be comen vnto Guentolen kynge of Brytayne / now called Englonde.

¶How Reynolde that was Conedag [...] sone regned after his fader / & in his ty­me it rayned blood thre dayes in toke­nynge of grete deth.

ANd after this Conedag regned Reynolde his sone / y ^t was a wy­se knyght & an hardy & [...]urteys / y ^t well & nobly gouerned the londe / & wonder well made hym beloued of all maner of folke. And in his tyme rayned blood y ^• lasted thre dayes. As god wolde & soone after ther came a grete dethe of people / For hostes withoute nombre of people fought / tyll that almyghty god therof toke mercy & pyte & tho gan it cesse. And this Reynolde regned .xxij. yere & deyed and lyeth at Yorke.

¶How Gorbodian regned in yeas that was Reynoldes sone.

AFter this Reynold that was Co­nedags sone / regned Gorbodi­an y ^• was this Reynoldes sone .xv. yere / and thenne he deyed & lyeth at Yorke.

¶How Gorbodian had .ij. sones & how that one slewe y ^e other for to haue y ^• be [...]ytage / & how Ydoyne ther moder slew [...] y ^• other / whefore the londe was destroyed.

SO whan this Gorbodian was deed / his two sones that he had / became stoute & proude / and euer war­red togyder for the londe. And that one was called Ferres / and that other Por­res. And this Ferres wolde haue all the londe / but that other wolde not suffre hym. This Ferres had a felonous herte & thought thrugh treason to slee his brother. But pryuely he wente in to Fraunce / and there abode with the kynge Sy­warde tyll vpon a tyme whan be came [Page] ayen / & fought with his brother Ferres / But ful euyll it happed tho / for he was slayne fyrst. Whan Ydoyne ther moder wyst that Pours was deed / she made grete sorowe / for by cause that she loued hym more than y ^• other. And thoughte hym for to slee pryuely. And pryuely she came to her sone vpon a nyght w ^t two knyues & therwith kytte his throte / and the body in to smale peces. Who herde euer suche a cursyd moder / that slewe w ^t her owne hondes her owne sone. And longe tyme after lasted the repreef & shame to the moder / that for by cause of y ^t one sone she murdred the other / and so lost them bothe.

¶How foure kynges curtously helde all Brytayne / and what were ther na­mes ye shall here after.

AS the two brethern were deed / they lefte not behynde them no­ther sone ne doughter / ne none other of the kynrede that myght haue the herytage. And for as moche as y ^• strongest men droue & scomfyted the feblest & toke all ther londes / so y ^t in euery countree they had grete warre & stryf vnder them / but amonge all other thynges / there were a­monge them in the coūtree / y ^t ouercame all y ^t other / & thrugh ther myght & stren­gthe they toke all the londes / & euery of them toke a certayne countree / & in his coūtree lete calle hȳ kyng / & one of them was called Scater / & he was kynge of Scotlonde / & y ^t other was called Dawa her / & he was kynge of Loegers / & of all the londe y ^t was Lotrins / that was Buttes sone / the thyrde was called Rudac / & he was kynge of Walys / & the fourth was called Cloten / & was called kynge of Cornewayle. But this Cloten sholde haue had all the londe by reason / for by cause that there was no man that wyst none so ryght an heyre as he was. But they that were strongest lette lytell by them that were of lesse estate / & therfore this Cloten had no more londe amonge them but Cornewaylle.

¶Of kynge Donebant that was Clo­tens sone wanne the londe.

THis Cloten had a sone that was called Donebant / that after the deth of his fader became an hardy man and a fayr & a curteys / so that he passed all the other kynges of fayrenesse & of worthynesse / & anone as he was knyght he wyst well y ^t whan his fader lyued / he was moost ryghtful heyre of all the londe / and sholde haue had by reason. But the other kynges that were of a moche more strenghte than he was / toke from hym his londe. And afterwarde this Donebant ordened hym a grete power / & conquered fyrst all y ^• londe of Loegers & after he wolde haue conquered all the londe of Scotlonde & Walys. And Scater came with his men & yaue hym ba­tayll. And Rudac came ayen with his Walysshmen for to helpe hym. But so [...] it befell that Rudac was slayne / & also Scater in playne batayll. And so Do­nebant had the vyctory / & conquered all the londe / & well mayntened it in peas and in quyete / that neuer before it was so well mayntened.

¶How Donebant was the fyrst kynge that euer bare crowne of golde in Bry­tayne.

THis Donebant lete make hym a crowne of golde / & wered y ^• crowne vpon his heed as neuer kyng dyde before / & he ordened a statute / y ^• & a man had done neuer so moche harme & myzt come in to the Temple / there sholde no man hym mysdo / but go there in sauete & in peas / and after go in to what lon­de or coūtree that hym pleased without ony harme / and yf ony man sette ony [Page] honde vpon hym / he thenne sholde lese his lyf. And this Donebant made the towne of Malmesbury / and the towne also of the Vyse. And whan he had reg­ned well & worthely .xi. yere / thenne he deyed & lyeth at newe Troy.

¶How Brenne and Belin departed by twene them the londe after the dethe of Donebant ther fader. And of the war­re betwixt them.

ANd after y ^t this Donebant was deed / his sones y ^• he had depar­ted the londe bytwene them / as ther fad (er) had ordeyned / so that Belin his eldest sone had all y ^• londe of Brytayne from Humber Southwarde. And his brother Brenne had all the lond from Humber vnto Scotlonde. ¶But for as moche y ^t Belin had the better parte. Brenne therfore wexed wroth / and wolde haue had more of the londe / & Belin his brother wolde graunte hym no more / wherfore cōtake & warre arose amonge them two But Brenne the yonger brother had no myght ne strength ayenst Belin / & therfore Brenne thrugh coūsell of his folke wente from thens in to Norweye to the kyng Olsynges / & prayed hym of helpe & socour for to conquere all the londe vpon Belin his brother / vpon y ^t couenaūt that he wolde haue his doughter to wyf & the kynge Olsynges hym graunted / And Belin anone as his brod (er) was gone to Norweye he seased in to his honde all the londe of Northumberlonde / & toke all the castelles & lete them he arrayed & kepte the costes of the see / that Brenne sholde not arryue in no syde / but that he were taken. ¶The kynge Olsynges lete assemble a grete hoste / and delyuered his doughter to Brenne & all the people that he had assembled. And this damoysell Samie had longe tyme loued a kynge that was called Gutlagh / & to hym she tolde all her counsell / how y ^t Brenne sholde her haue / and her lede with hym for euer more / and so he sholde lese her but that she myght forsake Brene. And whan Gutlagh had herde this tydyn­ges / he lay for to aspye Brenne with as many shyppes as he myght haue. Soo the two fletes mette togyder / & longe ty­me they faught / soo that Brennes men tourned ayen & were dyscomfyted. And kynge Gutlagh toke Samie & put her in to his shyppe. And Brenne shame­fully fledde thens as a man dyscomfy­ted. And this kynge Gutlagh wolde haue gone in to his owne coūtree / but the­re came vpon hym suche a grete tempest that fyue dayes lasted / so that thorugh that tempest he was dryuen in to Bry­tayne with thre shyppes & no moo and tho that kepte the costes of the see toke Gutlagh & Samie & all his folke and them presented to Belin. And Belin put them in pryson.

¶How Belin droue out of his londe kȳ ge Gutlach of Denmark & Samie.

IT was not longe after y ^t Brenne came agayne with a grete nauy / and sente to his brother Belin / that be sholde yelde ayen his londe to his wyse and his folke / and his castelles also. O [...]elles he wolde destroye his londe. ¶Be­lin dradde noo thynge his malyce and wolde no thynge do after that he hadde sayd. Wherfore Brenne came with his folke and fought with Belin. And then Brenne was dyscomfyted and his fol­ke slayne / and hymself fledde with .xij. men in to Fraunce. And this Belin that was Brennes brother wente thenne to Yorke / and toke counseyll what he shol­de do with kynge Gutlagh. For kynge Gutlagh profered to become his man / and for to holde his londe of hym / yel­dynge yerely. M.li. of syluer for euermore / & for surenesse of this couenaūt to be kep [...]e. Gutlagh sholde brynge hȳ good [Page] hostage / & to hȳ sholde do homage & his folke / & yet he sholde swere vpon a boke y ^t it sholde neuer be broke ne fayled. Belin tho by coūseyll of his folke graūted hym his arynge / & so Gutlagh became his man. And Belin vndertoke of hym his homage by an othe & by wrytynge y ^e same couenaūtes. And vpon these coue­naūtes kynge Gutlagh toke Samie & his folke & went thens / & torned ayen to Denmark. Euer more after were the couenauntes holden & the treuage payed / tyll the tyme that Honelus was kyng of Denmark & also of this londe thorugh his wyf Gildeburh that he had spoused for she was ryghte heyre of this londe. ¶This Belin dwelled tho in peas / & worshypfully hym helde amonge his barons & he made foure ryall wayes / one from the eest in to the weest / & that was called Watlynge strete / & an other from the north vnto the south / & that is called Ikelme strete. And two other wayes he made in bossynge thrugh out the londe that one is called Fosse / & y ^t other Fosse dyke. And he mayntened well the good lawes y ^t Donebant his fad (er) had made. & ordened in his tyme / as before is sayd

¶How acordement was made bytwene Brenne and Belin thorugh Cornewenther moder.

BRenne that was Belins brother had longe tyme dwelled in Fraū ce / & there had conquered a greate lord­shyp thrugh maryage. For he was duke of Bourgoyne thorugh the doughter of the duke Fewyn y ^t he had spoused y ^t was ryght heyre of y ^e londe. And this Bren­ne ordened a grete power of his folke / & also of Fraūce / & came in to this londe for to fygh with Belin his brother. And Belin came ayenst hym with a grete power of Brytons / & wolde tho haue ye­ [...]en hym batayll. But ther moder Cor­ [...]ewen that tho lyued had herde y ^• that one brother wolde haue destroyed that other / & went bytwene her sones & the [...] made acorde with moche payne So that at the last tho two brethern with moche blysse wente togyder in to new Troy / that now is called London / & there they dwelled a yere. And after they toke ther coūseyll for to go & conquere all Fraūce. & so they dyde / and brente townes & de­stroyed the londe bothe in lengthe & in brede. And the kynge of Fraunce yaue them batayl with his power / but he was ouercome / & yaue truage vnto Belin & to his brother. And after y ^t they wente forth vnto Rome & conquered Rome & all Lombardy & Germany / & toke ho­mage & feaute of erles barons & of all other. And after they came into this londe of Brytayne / & dwelled there w ^t Brytons in Ioye & rest. And tho made Brenne the towne of Brystowe / & after he wente ouer to his owne lordshyp / & ther dwelled he all his lyf. And Belin dwel­led at newe Troy / & there he made a fayre gate that is called Belynges gate after his owne name. And whan this Belin had regned nobly .xi. yere he dyed and lyeth at newe Troy.

¶How kyng Cormbratꝰ slewe the kynge of Denmark / for by cause y ^t he wolde not paye his truage as he sholde.

ANd after this Belin regned his sone Cormbratus a good man and a worthy. And the kynge of Den­mark wolde not pay to hym his truage that is to saye / a thousande pounde as he had sworne by othe for to paye it / & also by wrytynge recorde to Belin his fader. Wherfore he was euyll apayed & wrothe / and assembled a grete hoste of Brytons and wente in to Denmark & slewe the kynge Gutlagh / and brought the londe in subgeccyon all newe. And toke of the folke feautes and homage / and after went ayen in to his owne lon­de. [Page] And as he came forth by Dehency / he founde .xxx. shyppes full of men and [...]men besyde y ^• cos [...]e of the see. And the kynge axed what they were. And an Erle that was mayster of them all cur­teysly answered vnto the kynge & sayd. That they were exiled out of Spayne / and so that they had traueyled half a ye re and more in the see / to wyte yf they myght fynde ony kynge in ony londe y ^t of them wolde haue pyte or mercy to gyne them ony londe in ony coūtree wherein they myght dwelle and haue rest / and become his lyege men / and to hym wol­de do homage and feaute whyle that he lyued / and to his heyres after hym / and of hym and of his heyres holde that londe. And whan the kynge this herde / he had pyte of hym / and yaue them an yle all wyldernesse / there that no man was dwellynge sauf oonly wylde beestꝭ. And the Erle thanked moche the kynge and became his man and dyde hym homa­ge and feaute / and toke all his folke and wente in to the same yle. And the Erle was called Irlamall / and therfore he lete calle the londe Irlonde after his owne name. This kynge Cormbratus came ayen in to his londe and regned .xxv. ye re / and after he deyed and lyeth at newe Troy.

¶Anno mundi .iiij.M.iiij.C.xl. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .vij.C.lvi.

IOathan sone to Osias regned in the Iury .xvi. yere / of this Ioathan no thynge is wryten of / but that he toke not awaye excelsa as other dyde (vt pꝪ .ij. para) ¶Amarias was bysshop. And Ysayas the noble prophete was in his dayes. ¶Olympias with the Grekes began the fyrste yere of Ioathan after Iosephus. And after Beda Troy was destroyed foure hondred yere afore the fyrst Olympias began vnder Esal [...] a Iuge of Athens. In whiche Corsh [...] gate the chyualry amongꝭ all men. Olympus is the name of an hylle in Grecia / the whiche for his precyousnesse is called the hylle of god. And after Ierom one Olympias conteyneth fully foure yere / in the whiche foure yere / foure yerely prynces are made. And these Olympus des are places ordeyned to the worshyp of Iupater vnder the hylle of Olympo And the lawe of this is this. That who some euer is best in ony chyualry / what gyfte someuer he desyreth he shall haue.

¶Anno mūdi .liij.M.iiij.C.lvi. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .vij.C.xliij.

ACham the sone of Ioathan reg­ned on the Iewes .xvi. yere / of this Acham noo thynge that is good is wryten for he forsoke our lorde. And our lorde stroke hym with his owne people strongely / and with the kynges of Serri (vt pꝪ .ij. para .xxviij.) ¶Achitob this tyme was bysshop. Ozee kyng of Israel regned .ix. yere the whiche began to regne the .xij. yere of Acham kyng of Iewes This Ozee dradde not god / for he ly­ued nought. And he was the last kynge of Israel. And in the .ix. yere of his reg­ne he was taken of Salmanasar. And Israel was translated in to Assirias (vt habet̄ .iiij. regū .xvij.)

¶Anno mūdi .iiij.M.iiij.C. [...] Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .vij.C.xl.

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AFter Euseby Rome was made in y ^• hylle of Palatin the fourth yere of Acham kynge of Iewes of two brethern Romulus and Remus .xi. kal Maij. the .vij. Olympiades begynnyn­ge. Iosephus and Bede sayen the .vi. Olympiades / and so they dyfferre a ye­re. Neuertheles it is redde other men to haue regned aboute that place myghtly in Ytaly. That is to wyte Ianus. Picus Famus. Latinus / the whiche vnto Ene­as regned about two hondred yere. And thenne afterwarde from this Eneas to Romulus / it was regned vnder .xv. go­uernours. iiij. C. xxxij. yere. After that fro the cyte was made vnto the laste ye­re of Tarquyne the proude / it was reg­ned vnder .vij. kynges about two hon­dred and .xliij. yere. Thenne afterwar­de vnder Senatours and Counsellers / vnto Iulius Cezar Emperour / by foure hondred .lxiiij. yere. Romulus the fyrst of Romayns / of whom they ben called in latyn Romans / made the cyte to be named Rome after his name. The whiche gad [...]ed togyder the people on euery syde an hondred of the sage men & wy­sest he chose / thrugh the coūsel of whom all thynge he dysposed / the whiche he named Senatours for y ^• tyme of ther aege And he made ther names to be wryten in golden letters / wherefore the wryte no­ble faders & thynges so yet. Also he cal­led. M. men of armes the whiche he named Milites (a numero millenario) But these were no noble blood. Therfore as saynt Austyn sayth (de ciuita. dei) & also ther was longe warre betwixt the Sabyns & them. For Romulus toke many wymmen of the noble blood of Sa­byns / & maryed theym to that vnnoble blood. Of this Romulus Orosius wry­teth moche euyll (vt patet in libro suo) ¶About this tyme Merodach the kyn­ge of Babylon sende grete gyftꝭ to Ezechie the kynge of Iewes (vt pꝪ .iiij. re­gum. xx.) And thenne the kyngdom of Babylon begon.

¶Anno mundi .iiij.M.lxxij. Et ante xp̄i nateuitatē .vij.C.xxvij.

EZechias the .xiiij. kynge of Iewes a good childe of a cursyd fad (er) reg­ned with a parfyte herte to oure lorde. And he restored the hous of god / & there was none lyke hym afore nor after a­monge the kyngs of Iewes / therfore our lorde god glorifyed hȳ. For whan Sen­nacheryb the kyng of Assurio (rum) came a­yenst Ezechias w ^t a myghty hoste / our lorde stroke his people and slewe an. C. lxxxv. of fyghtynge men / & Sennaches ryb fledde shamfully (vt pꝪ .iiij. regū .ix et. ij. para .xxxij.) ¶Sadoch this tyme was hyghe bysshop there.

¶Anno mūdi .iiij.M.v.C.i. Et an̄ xp̄i natiuitatē .vi.C.lxxxxviij.

MAnasses kynge of Iewes reg­ned. lv. yere / and he was an euyll [Page] childe of a good fader / for be dyde more cursedly than ony y ^• was afore hym. For he slewe the prophetes of god / that the stretes in Ierusalem were all blody. And he made Ysai the prophete to be sawen the peces with a sawe of tree. Wherfore the kynge of Assurio (rum) wasted the Iury / & toke Manasses & put hym in pryson. And after Manasses repented his tres­paas & cryed for mercy to our lorde / and was herde. Thenne he was restored to his kyngdom / & he amended his lyf (vt pꝪ .iiij. regū .xxi. et. ij. para .xxxiij) ¶Sellum was bysshop / & Echias after hym This tyme the .vij. wyse men had wor­shyp in Grece. s. Tale. Solon. Chilon Poreandus. Eldobolus. Bias. Pitacus. This Talus founde fyrst the defawte of the sonne & the moone (Vide plu. au­gust. viij. de ci. dei) ¶Numa the seconde kynge this tyme regned in Rome .xlij. yere / the whiche was a grete worshyper of fals goodes. He fulfylled Rome soofull / y ^• he myght haue no place for hym self to dwelle in. This man put Ianua­ry & February to the begynnynge of the yere (Vide plura in august. de ciui. dei.) ¶Aboue all reason it is meruaylle y ^t suche men so excedyng in wytte in all thynges that was ylle receded fro the know­lege of very god. ¶Amon kynge of Ie­wes regned two yere / the whiche was nought in his lyuynge. & he was stryken of his seruauntes / and he deyed without ony repentaunce.

¶Anno mūdi .iiij.M.v.C.lviij. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .vi.C.xli.

IOsias the sone of Amon at .viij. yere of his aege began to regne & regned .xxxi. yere / a good childe of a per­uerse fader. in his yonge aege he sought the grace of god. And in that grace lau­dably abode vnto his ende. His relygy­ous lyf & his werkes ye may see (iiij. re­gst. xxij. et. ij. para .xxxiiij.) ¶Azast [...] the sone of Elchie was bysshop. ¶Tobias about this tyme deyed. And he was a very holy man. And he prophecyed to the de­struccyon of Ierusalem. ¶Tulius Ho­stilius was the shyrde kynge in Rome. And saynt Austyn sayth in his boke deciuitate dei. that from Rome was made vnto August the Emperour / there was so contynuell bataylle / that if was take for a meruaylle / and they were one yere without bataylle excepte .xlij. in Nume dayes / in the whiche was contynuell pe­as. And this Tulius by cause he hadde reste / he dyde cursedly to his neighbours and thenne he was slayne & all his housholde with a stroke of lyghtnyng. ¶Nabugodonosor this tyme was kynge of Babylon / a manly man & a victorious For he was the scourge of our lorde to punysshe the synnes of many people. This man was kynge of Babylon & after he conquered the kyngdom of A [...]surio (rum) & made it one monarche. But many wayes scrypture speaketh of this man / now good / and now euyll. And for by cause scrypture concludeth that be ended his lyf in the louynge of god by the prayer of Danyell and in the knowle­ge of one very god / some doctaurs saye. he is saued / and some saye it is doubte. ¶Ancus Marcius the fourth kynge of Rome regned .xxiij. yere. This man for grace & truste that he had to Tarquinꝰ Priscus made hym the gouernour of his childern. And Ayres & he ylle rewarded hym. ¶Danyell yet a childe delvyered saynt Susan / & stode in the conceyte of the kynge with his felowes & afterwarde be dyscussed the dinnes of the kynge and was made a man of grete honeste / (vt pꝪ Danielis priꝰ) ¶Ioathan the seconde sone of Iosie regned on the Ie­wes thre monethes / & was made kynge by the people / and he was not good. And Pharao toke hym and ladde hym in to Egypte / & made his elder brother kyng (vt pꝪ .iiij. regū .xxiij.)

¶Anno mūdi .iiij.M.v.C.lxxxviij. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .v. C. xi.

IOachim or Ieconyas the sone of Iosie was made kynge of Iewes by Pharao & regned .xi. yere. And by cause he lyued nought / ne herde not the prophetes. Nabugodonosor toke hym & made hym his seruaūt thre yere. And he rebelled ayenst hym afterwarde / & he toke hym & was about to haue ladde hȳ vnto Babylon / but his coūsell was chaūged / & so Nabugodonosor slewe hym in Ierusalem & cast his body ouer the walles after the prophecy of Ieremy / & toke with hym the vesselles of our lorde Ihesu (vt pꝪ .ij. para. vlt) ¶Samias was bysshop Vrtas prophete was slayne of Iecony y ^• kynge / & Ieremi was presente. ¶Ioa­chum sone to Ieconias regned in the Iu­ry thre monethes & lyued nought / & therfore anone he was meued y ^t he sholde regne no lenger / & was bounden & transla­ted in to Babylon / & many with hym were translated (vt pꝪ .iiij. regū .xxiiij.) ¶Daniell. Ananias. Azarias. Mysael. Ezechiell & Mardocheus / all these with Ioachym the kyng were ladde in to Babylon / yonge children / for by cause they were of the noble blood.

¶Anno mundi .iiij.M.vi.C. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .vi.C.

SEdechias the thyrde sone of Io­sie regned on the Iewes .xi. yere / this Sedechias was a myscheuous man in his lyuynge. And he wolde not here Ieremy the prophete / therfore he perys­shed wretchedly / and all the Iury with hym. And his eyen were put out / & his children were slayne (vt pꝪ .iiij. regum) ¶Iosedech the sone of Azarie was bysshop / and was translated fro Ierusalem by Nabugodonosor in to Babylon ¶A­bacuk prophecyed ayeust Nabuch at Babylon. And there be opynyons what ty­me this Abacuk was. This Abacuk brought mete to Danyel whan he was put to the lyons after Ierom. And here endeth the fourthe Aege / and the hysto­ry of Regum.

THis tyme the Temple of Salo­mon was brente of the Caldees & Ierusalem was destroyed / this Tem­ple stode. cccc. and .xlij. yere / that is to wyte / fro the fyrst makynge / the whiche was made the fourth yere of Salomon And fro y ^• destruccyon / the whiche was made by Tytus / that is to wyte .xlij. ye­res after the passyon of Cryst. ¶Priscus Totquinꝰ the fyfth kynge of Rome regned. And he made Capitoliū (quasi ca­put solū) For in the groūde werke was foūde an heed without ony body / as for prophecy of thynges to come. For there afterwarde the Senatours sate as one heed of all y ^t worlde. ¶This tyme thre children were caste in to a furnays bren­nynge / and with a myracle they were delyuered / as it is sayd (in dan̄. priꝰ) ¶Nabugodonosor the sone of Nabugodono­sor the myghty regned in Babylon / this man made an hyngynge garden with myghty costes for his wyf / and many meruayllous thynges he dyde. So that he wolde be named to excede Hercules in his gretnesse and strengthe. ¶Enilme­rodach brother to the later Nabugodo­nosor / regned in Babylon. This man [Page] toke Ioachim out of pryson. and worshiped hym. his fader deed body after the counseyll of this man / he deuyded to an hundred grypes. leest that he sholde ryse from dethe to lyue. ¶Nota. This playe of the Chesse was foūde of Xerse a Philosopher. for the correction of Enil merodach this tyme the kynge of Baby a grete tyraunte. the whiche was wonte to kyll his owne maysters and wyse mē And for he durste not rebuke hym open ly / with suche a wytty game / he procu­red hym to be meke.

Anno mūdi .iiij.M.vi C.xxxiiij Et an̄ xp̄i nati .v C.lxv.

SAlathiel of the line of criste was sone to Iecony the kynge of Ie­wes. the whiche he gate after the trans­migracōn of Babylon. as Mark y ^• Euā geliste sayth. ¶Seruius Tulius the sixte kynge of Rome was of a bonde con­dycyon on the moders syde. For she was a captyue mayde. but she was of the noble blode / This man had grete louyng and nobly he bare hym in euery place / Thre hylles to the cyte he put. and dy­ched y ^• walles rounde aboute. ¶Regu­lar Sabusardach & Balthasar were brethern / the whyche regned one after another and were kynges in Babylon. And Balthasar was y ^• laste kynge of Babylon / y ^• whiche was slayne of Darius & Cirꝰ (Plura vide daniel .v.

¶Incipit monarchia Persarum

DArius vncle to Ciro. felowe in y ^• kyngdom with Ciro translated the kyngdomes of Babylon. Caldees in to the kyngdom of Persa (rum) & Medo (rum) Cyrus was Emperour .xxx. yere. This Cyrus helde the monarche hole at Per­ses. Of this man prophecyed Ysayas / & he destroyed Babylon / and slewe Bal­thasar kynge of Babylon / and he wor­shyped gretly Danyel / the Iewes he sende home ayen / that they sholde buylde the Temple of god (Vt pꝪ Eldre priuꝰ) ¶Babylon that stronge castell was de­stroyed & his power was take from hym as it was prophecyed. This was the fyrste cyte & the gretest of all the worlde / of the whiche Incredyble thynges are wry­ten / and this that was so stronge in one nyght was destroyed / that it myght be shewed to the power of god / to the whi­che power all other ben but a sperke and duste. For it is sayd forsoth that it was Incredyble to be made w ^t mannes hon­de or to be destroyed with manes streng­the / wherof all the worlde myght take an ensample & it wolde or myght be en­fourmed. ¶Tarquinus Superbus was the .vij. kynge of Rome / and he regned .xxxv. yere. This man conceyued firste all the tormentes whiche are orderned for malefactours. As e [...]le person wel­les / & galowes / fetres & manacles thay­nes & colours & suche other.. And for his grete pryde & cruelnes god suffred hȳ to myschyef / & in what maner of wyle it shall be shewed. He had a sone of the la­me name / the whiche defoyled a worthy mannes wyf / they called hym Colla [...] & his wyf was called Lucres. This Tarquinus y ^t was this .vij. kynges sone afo­resayd came vnto the ladyes hous able [...]te her husbonde to supper & to lodgynge And whan all were a slepe he rose with a swerde in his bonde / & with strengthe and fere he rauysshed the woman. And whan he was gone the next daye after / she sende vnto her fader and to her hus­bonde / for she was of grete kynne / and thus she sayd to them. The kynges so­ne came hyther and as frende / of whom I had no mystrust / and thus he hath de­foylled my chastyte and loste my name for euermore. Thenne her frendes sawe her wepe and pytously complayne / and they comforted her as well as they cou­de / and sayd it was no vylany vnto her / [Page] for it was ayenst her wyll. She answe­red & sayd / yet shall ther neuer woman excuse her by Lucres for though she consented not to this dede / yet shall she not dye w ^tout payne for y ^• dede. And w ^t y ^• worde she had a knyf redy vnder her man­tell / w ^t the whiche she smote herself to y ^• herte. And for this cruelnes & this pyte­ous deth the people of Rome arose & exi­led the kyng for euermore & all his pro­genye. And thus seasyd these kynges of Rome & neuer was none after.

¶Of the gouernaūce of Rome tyll the Emperours beganne.

AFter this Tyraūt was deed the Romayns ordened y ^• ther sholde neuer be kyng more in Rome. But they wolde be gouerned fro y ^t forth by Consules. So whan tho kynges had regned .ij. hondred yere & .xl. they made this statu­te / y ^t two Consules sholde be chosen / & they sholde gouerne the cyte & y ^• people. & for this cause these two were chosen / y ^• yf ony of them wolde make ony exces­se / the other sholde gouerne hȳ. For ther was no thynge obeyed / but yf they con­sented both. Also they sholde not stonde in ther dygnyte passynge one yere / for this cause. That for dominacion of longe tyme / they sholde not vsurpe vpon them more than was ryght. In all this tyme the Empyre of Rome was not dylated passynge .xij. myle. The fyrst Consules y ^• were made / they called Luciū & the other Brutū / & these two men dyde grete thynges in ther tyme. But yet the people bare heuy of theyr domynacyon / Wherfore they chose an other man / the whiche sholde haue more auctoryte than they / & they called hym Dictator. ¶In this same tyme ther was a grete dyscen cyon betwixt the people and the Senate wherfore they chose Trybunas w ^t ther Iuges ouer the people / & defended them fro wronge as sayth Ysyd. For the Di­ctator whan he was chose he lasted .v. yere / & the Trybunas were remeued eue­ry yere. ¶But ye must vnderstonde y ^• ye shall not haue here after all the Consu­les named y ^• gouerned Rome bytwene y ^• sessynge of the kyngꝭ / & the begynnyng of themperours. For it were to longe to wryte / specyally whan euery yere were newe / syn y ^• one man myght be chosen so oftentymes as we rede / & also for the endurynge of ther gouernaunce. For they were gouernours of Rome .v.C. yere lxvij. So the moost famous men of the­se shall be reherced / after the fourme of Cronycles / & as they stonde in the boke was echeone after other.

¶Incipie historia libri Esdre.
¶Anno mundi .iiij.M.vi.C.lix. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .v.C.xl.

ZOorobabell after the cōmaunde­ment of god foūded the Temple and made it parfyte / but it was longe after (vt pꝪ Esdre .vi.) After the people of Ierusalem came fro Babylon / these two ruled Ihesus the hyghe preest as go uernour / and Zorobabell as duke. And this maner of guydynge was kepte vn­to Herodes tyme / that the hyghe preestes sholde be pryncypall / and the dukes vn­der theym. But the dukes were euer of the trybe of Iuda / after the prophecye of Iacob. And vnder that good gydynge of preestes it is not redde / the people to haue receded fro y ^• very true fayth / as they dyde afore in the tyme of Iewes and of kynges. For then many tymes they tan­ne to ydolatrye. ¶Eldras the preest of the kynrede of Aron this tyme exceded men in holynes / thorugh whose grete wysedome all the Iewes state was hol­pen. ¶Cambyses the sone of Siri reg­ned on the kyngdome of Persarum / the whiche cōmaunded myghtely the Temple of Ierusalem sholde not be buylded [Page] ayen. His fader cōmaunded it sholde be buylded. This Cambyses made a cur­syd Iuge to be fleyed or hylte a lyue / & made his sone to sytte on his fad (er)s shyn­ne / that thrugh that drede he sholde dre­de falshede & Iuge ryghtwysly. This Cābyses had many names in holy scripture in the boke of Esdre. Arthaxerses or Assurus in historia Iudith / y ^t was done vnder hym he called Nabugodonosor / or Olyfernes the prynce of his chyualry subdued many londes to his lorde. And at the last he came vnto Bethuleem / & there was slayne of Iudith a woman / (vt pꝪ Iudith .ij. et .xiij.) ¶Enereydes regned in Perses half a yere. ¶Darius regned at the Persees / the whiche by the mocyon of Zorobabell cōmaunded the werke of the Temple to be taken ayen. And cōmaunded his prynces that on no wyse they sholde lette it / but sholde hel­pe it in all that they coude (Vide plura in Esdre .v ^o de .v ^o tempore ambiguū ꝓpter diuersitatē docto (rum).)

¶Circa ānū mūdi .iiij.M.vij.C. xxxiiij Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .iiij.C.lxv.

ABiuth sone to Zorobabell of the lyne of Cryste was aboute this tyme. For of hym and of other folowyn ge vnto Ioseph / no thynge is hadde in scrypture / but that Math. theuangelyst nombreth theym in the Genelogy / and therfor the certayn tyme of them duely can not be knowe. ¶Ioachim, this ty­me bysshop after Iosephus was called Iosedech / vnder whome Ierusalem was buylded ayen (vt dicit. et hoc idem patet Neemie .xij.) ¶In the .ij. hondred and xliiij. yere after that Rome was made / the Romayns ordeyned two Consules in the stede of theyr kynge / the whiche sholde gouerne one yere alone / leest that by taryenge they sholde be proude / and that the one sholde coirecte the other yf [...]e exceded or e [...]ed. ¶Brutus was the fyrst Consull / & Lutius the seconde. And thenne was there a man that was called Dictator / the name of an offyer / y ^e whi­che sholde go with the people ayenst ther enmyes. ¶Titus Puphis. Marcus consules. ¶Thenne after the Romayns cō playned gretly on the condycyons of the Consules. And then the power was put to .x. men / to an excedynge coste to the comyn people. For euerych one of them wente lyke a kynge / & nede caused them to leue that dygnyte. And they trusted neuer to reste the warre was so stronge agaynst them. ¶Arthaxerses was kyn­ge of Persa (rum) / vnder whom Esdras ca­me to Ierusalem. And Neemias was bu­telere to the same kynge. Whom after­warde he sente to buylde the walles of Ierusalem. ¶Zerses regned after hym two monethes. Segdianus .vij. mone­thes / and lytell they dyde.

¶Circa annū mūdi .iiij.M.vij.C.lir. Et ante xp̄i natuntatē .iij.C.xl.

ELyac is reherced in the lyne of Cryste in Math. pri ^o. And more of hȳ is not had in scrypture. ¶Esdras a holy man a connynge / and worshyp­fully was had amonge the people / this man came from Babylon with other / And he meued with very Charyte wen­te ayen to Babylon y ^t he myght wynne moo of Israell / and saue the soules and brynge them home with hym. In this tyme he repeyred the lawe and the holy bokes the whiche the Ealders had brente / & an happy wytnesse to all the worl­de he lefte in scrypture. He founde newe letters / and lyghter in faccyon / the whi­che thorugh the holy goost fulfylled he came ayen to Ierusalem with a grete multytude / and with the kynges preuy­lege / that he sholde teche the people the lawe that he had repeyred. And there he deyed in a good [...]gr. ¶Ne [...]ias an he [...] we butelere of kynge [...] [Page] at his lordes cōmaundement went from Babylon in to Ierusalem. Wherof he had .xij. yere the ledynge of the people / And the .v. yere he began to repeyre the yates & y ^e walles of Ierusalem / the whi­che werke he ended in two yere & foure monethes / & y ^t with greue Impedymen­tes. For the half of the people stode ar­med w ^tout the cyte to witstonde the peo­ple of other nacyons. intendynge distroy them / & the other parte laboured in ar­mes holdynge in the one honde stones for walles / & in the notable other honde a swerde / or nyghe by it (Vide plura li ^o suo) ¶Permenides a philosopher / & namely in mortall thynges was about this tyme. ¶Socrates a phylosopher whiche vnderstode moche of the power of god / & he was Platoes mayster. Democritus Ypocras / & other / of whome the noble werkes abode were also.

¶Circa annū mūdi .iiij.M.viij.C. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .iij.C.lxxxx.

AZ [...]r is reherced in y ^e lyne of Cryste in Math. 1 ^o. / but no thynge of his dedes is wryten in y ^e scrypture. ¶E­lyasyb or Elysaphat succeded Ioachim in the bysshopryche (vt dicit Eusebiꝰ et magister histo.) ¶Camillus was Dic­tator at Rome / in whoos dayes myscheuous playes were ordeyned / y ^t the pesty­lence sholde cesse atte Rome. Of these playes saynt Austyn treateth diligently in repreuynge the falshede of y ^t goddes / the whiche desyred to be pleased with suche wretched playes. So shamefully the­se playes were vsed with naked men & wȳmen / that honest men & wȳmen wolde not be at those playes / ne yet beholde them (Vide pla in Aug. de ciuitate dei) ¶Darius Notus regned at the Persces xix. yere. ¶Plato y ^t dyuyne phylosopher & Arystotle his discyple were this tyme noble & famous clerkes. ¶Titus Quintus was Dictator at Rome / & he was a couetous man / whom Austyn de ci. dei. bryngeth in ayenst coueytous & prowde crysten men. ¶Gaius was a Senatour vnder whome was a grete bataylle a­gaynst the kynge of Turco (rum). And .viij. thousande men of theym were taken / ¶ Marcus Valerius was also a noble Senatoure of Rome / the whiche with .lx. thousande Romayns foughte with the Frenshmen & had the better & slewe many of them. ¶Arthaxerses kynge of Persees called ayen to his empyte Egypte. And he put Nactanabo the kynge in Ethyopia / & many Iewes in to trans­mygracyon. Also he sende Vagosum a prynce ouer Flom Iordan to aske ayen the trybute that was forgete / to Esdra that was the .vij. yere rente (ꝓpter sab­bā terre) ¶Arsamus succeded hym / & regned a yere. ¶Dartus the sone of Arsamus regnid with the Persees .xxiiij. yere. This Darius was a myghty man & a bolde / the whiche asked of the Grekes a trybute / & that was the cause of the de­struccyon of the monarche of Persa (rum) / for it was translated to the Grekes / af­ter the prophecye of Danyell. For it is sayd / that Darius brought .xv. hondred thousande fyghtynge men / whome all Alexander slewe. ¶Iodas the sone of Elysaphat was hyghe bysshop in Ieru­salem in tyme of Mardachin. Iohānes his sone succeded hym. ¶Arystotiles the moost subtyll & famous phylosopher lerned this tyme. Senocrate y ^• moost chast phylosopher was this tyme / with dyuer­se other moo.

¶By cause the kynges of Brytayne nexte after lyued in peas moost parte / & lytell of them is wryten / therfore they shall be sette togyder / tyll it be comen to Callibolon kynge of Brytayne the whiche was brother to Lud.

ANd whan Cormbratꝰ was deed regned Guentholen / that was [Page] his sone a man of good condicyons and well beloued / and he gouerned the londe well & wysely. And he regned .xxv. yere / and after he deyed / and lyeth att newe Troy.

¶How kynge Seysell regned & well gouerned the londe after Guentholen.

ANd after Guentholen regnedꝰ his sone Seysell well & worthely gouerned the londe as his fader had done before hym. And he regned .xv. yere / and deyed & lyeth at newe Troy.

¶How Kymor regned after Seysell his fader / & he begate Howan that regned after his fader in peas.

ANd after Seysell regned his so­ne Kymor well & nobly .xix. yere in peas / & thenne after hym regned Ho­wan his sone .x. yere / & thenne he deyed / and lyeth at Ikaldowne.

¶How kynge Morwith deyed thorugh myschaunce / thorugh a beest.

AFter this Howan regned Mor­with / and he became so wycked and so sterne / tyll at the last a grete vengeaunce came vpon hym. For whan as he went vpon a tyme by the see syde / he met [...]e with a grete beest / that was black and horryble & hydeous. And he wende that it had be a whale of the see / & bent an arblast and wolde haue slayne that beest with his quarell / but he myght not smyte hym. And whan he had shot all his quarelles the beest anone came to hȳ in a g [...]te hast / & hym deuoured a lyue / and soo he deyed for his wyckednesse / thorugh vengeaūce of god / after that he had regned .ix. yere.

¶Of Grandobodiam that was Mor­with sone that made Cambrydge.

AFter that this Morwith was dede / the Brytons crowned Grandobodiam his sone / & this Grandobo­diam longe tyme regned in goodnes / & made temples & townes / this Grand­bodiam made y ^• towne of Cambrydge / & the towne of Graūtham / & was well beloued of tyche & poore / for he honou­red the ryche / & helped the poore. This Grandobodiam had .iiij. sones. Arto­gaill. Hesyder. Higamus & Petitur. And whan he had regned .xi. yere / he deyed / and lyeth at newe Troy.

¶Of Artogaill y ^• was Grandobodiās sone / how he was made kynge / & syth put downe for his wyckednesse.

AFter Grādobodiam regned his sone Artogaill .v. yere & he became so wycked & so sterne y ^• the Brytons wolde not suffre hym to be kynge but / put hym downe & made Hesyder his bro­ther kynge / & he became so good & mer­cyable / y ^• men hym called kynge of pyte And whan he had regned .v. yere he had so grete pyte of his brother Artogaill y ^• was kynge before. And anone he forso­ke his dygnyte and to be his brother the crowne ayen & made hym kynge ayenst all the Brytons wyll. ¶And after Ar­togaill became so good of [...] y ^• he was well beloued of all the londe / for he came so debonayr & free / & dyde ryghte & reason to all maner of men. And he regned .vi. yere & deyed [...]and lyeth at Grauntham.

¶How Hesyder was made kynge after the deth of his brother.

AFter the deth of Artogaill / the Brytons crowned an other ty­me Hesyder / but his two brethern Higa­mus & Petitur had of hym grete spyte & scorne / and ordeyned them helpe for to warre vpon the kynge ther brother / and [Page] so they tooke hym & put hym in pryson the seconde yere of his regne. And they departed all y ^• londe betwixt them both but Higamus lyued but .vij. yere / & tho had Petitur all the londe & he made the towne of Pickerynge.

¶How the Brytons came and toke Hesyder out of pryson / & made hym kynge the thyrde tyme.

And whan this Petitur was deed the Brytons toke Hesyder ano­ne & made hym kyng the thyrde tyme / & tho regned he in peas .xiiij. yere. And after he deyed and lyeth at Karleyll.

¶How .xxxiij. kynges regned in peas eche after other after Hesyder.

AFter the deth of Hesyder regned xxxiij. kynges eche after other in peas & w ^t out ony longe taryenge. I shal tell them al & how longe eche regned as y ^• story telleth. the fyrst kyng of tho .xxxiij was called Gerbodia he regned .xij. yere after hym regned Morgan .ij. yere. And after hym regned Cighnus .vi. yere And after hȳ regned Iowalan .viij. yere. And after hym regned one Rohugo .xi. yere / & after regned Voghen .xiij. yere / & after hym regned Catyll .xv. yere / & after hȳ regned Porrex .ij. yere / & after hym reg­ned Cherin .xvij. yere / & after hȳ regned Coyl .xij. yere / & after hym regned Sul­genis .xiiij. yere / & after hym regned Es­dad .xx. yere / & after hȳ regned Andragie xvij. yere / & after hȳ regned Vrian .v. ye­re / & after hym regned Eliud .ij. yere / & after hym regned Eldagan .xv. yere / & after hym regned Claten .xij. yere / & af­ter hym regned Ouirgunde .viij. yere / & after hym regned Mortan .vi. yere / & af­ter hym regned Bledagh .iij. yere / & af­ter hym regned Caph .j. yere / & after hȳ regned Gen .ij. yere / & after hȳ regned Seysel & kyng Bled .xxij. yere / & kynge Tabreth .xi. yere / & Archynall .xiiij. yere and Croll .xxx. yere / & Rodyngir .xxxij. yere / and Hectir .v. yere / & Harpir .vi. ye [...]re / & Carpour .vij. yere / and Digneyll .iij. yere / and Samuell .xxiiij. yere / and Rede .ij. yere / and Ely .vij. monethes. This Ely had thre sones. Lud. Cassi­ballam / and Enemion.

¶How Lud was made kynhe after the deth of Ely his fader.

AFter y ^• dethe of Ely regned Lud his sone & gouerned well the londe & moche honoured good folke / & tempred & amended wycked folke / this Lud loued more to dwelle at Troye than in ony other place of the londe. Wherfore the name of newe Troy was lefte / and tho was the cyte called Ludstone. But y ^• name is chaūged thrugh varyaunce of letters / and now is called London. And this kynge made in the cyte a fayre ga­te / & called it Ludgate after his name / And the folke of the cyte are Londoners And whan he had regned .xi. yere he dy­ed & lyeth at London. And he had two yonge sones / that one was called Adra­ghen / & that other Tormace. But they coude neyther speke ne go for yongthe / And therfore the Brytons crowned a stronge knyght that was called Lud / that was Cassibalanius brother / & ma­de hym kynge of Brytayne / now called Englonde.

¶Circa ānū dm̄ .iiij.M.viij.C.lxxxxiiij Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .ij.C.xv.

SAdoch of the lyne of Cryste / is nombred in Math. primo / but in scrypture there is nomore mencyon ma­de of hym. ¶Iadus the sone of Iohn̄ was hyghe bysshop in Ierusalem / this tyme kynge Alexander regned / the whiche was wothe with the people of Ie­rusalem / and came to the cyte. [...] [Page] Iadus arayed in his Pontyfycall orna­mentes came to mete hȳ. And he sodeynly was pleased & worshyped the bysshop & with peas & Ioye entred the cyte. And he made to be brought to hȳ the boke of Daniel / & the prophecy to be expowned to hym y ^• whiche was spoken of hȳ. And y ^• done he Ioyed strongly. For all thynge the whiche he had herde by the dreme in due ordre was fulfylled. And it was ly­kely to hym y ^t he sholde be the same persone of whom Daniell prophecyed / & of y ^• he toke more hardynes to fyght with Dariꝰ kynge of Perse / & dyde the sacre­fyce / & badde y ^• Iewes to aske what they wolde haue / & he graūted y ^t they sholde kepe theyr owne lawes / & at the .vij. yere sholde be without trybute (vid mgfm in histo) ¶The hoste of Alexander as Drosiꝰ sayth was .xxxij.M. of foot men & .iiij.M. horsmen / & shyppes .C.lxxx. And it is vncertayne whether it is most meruaylle / y ^t he sholde conquere all the worlde with so lytell a power / or how y ^• euer he durst go vpon them with so ly­tell a power. And ther was of Alexander & his hoste slayne the kynge of Persa (rum). (Et vt orosiꝰ dicit qnqutes decies cente­na milia) ¶Encas y ^• sone of Iady was bysshop after his fader. Manilius Pa­pirius and Fabius were consules at Rome. This Papirius whan he was a childe he was very wyse / and he feyned many a fayre lesynge / that he myght ke­pe his maysters counsell and the Senatours. And whan he came vnto mannes state / he was so noble a warryour / that whan the Romayns dradde Alexander he was chosen for to go ayenst hym. And of the goddes he charged not / but he scorned and reproued the goddes / sayenge afore y ^• vnhappy thynge sholde falle And that to his grete louynge holy do­ctours saye.

¶Incipit monarchia Greco (rum). et cessat monarchia Persarum.

KYng Alexander this tyme began to be lorde of all the worlde / & he was called grete Alexand for his grete victory y ^• whiche he had in so lytell tyme It was an euydent Iugemen of y ^• wrath of god ayenst synners of y ^• tyme / certen­ly some myracle out lorde dyde in help ȳ ge of his power for hȳ / for y ^• see of Pamphilicon was deuyded to hym as in ol­de tyme the reed see to the Iewes whan he persecuted Danꝰ. Also at his prayer the hylles of Casyn were shytte y ^• certen of the cursyd Iewes myght neuer come out. But at last in Babylon w ^t venym he was poysoned & deyed the .xxxij. yere of his aege / & the fyfth yere of his mo­narche / the .xij. yere of the kyngdome of Macedon. ¶Knowe ye y ^• whan Alexan­der was deed those .xij. to whom he deuyded his kyngdome accorde they myghte not / & then began Infenyte batylles [...] at the last foure opteyned all the kyng­dome (Vide plura in Oosir [...])

¶Anno mundi .iiij.M.ix.C.i [...]. Et an­te xp̄i natiuitatē .ij.C.ix.

AChym of the lyne of Cryst sone to Sadoch is nombred in Math pri ^o & of hym is nomore had in scrypture. ¶Symon was bysshop this tyme an holy man / & also ryghtwys he was na­med of the people. ¶Eleazarꝰ was bys­shop after Symon / this man sende to Protholomeo kynge of Egypt .lxxij. ler­ned men of euery trybe ser to Interpret the lawe of y ^• Iewes the whiche translated from Hebrewe in to Greke thorugh a grete myracle y ^• so many men sholde in .lxxij. dayes translate all holy scrypture with one accorde (Vide aug. de ciui. dei) ¶Dolobela Emilius. Marcus Curus. Genutius this tyme were Consules at Rome This Dolobela conquered Samnites / and after many bataylles hadde / and Marcus subdued Epito [...] & slewe .xxlij.M. of his men / & then fled [...] kynge [Page] Pirro / the whiche sende to hym for peas & offrynge to hȳ grete yeftes. And then this Consull answered & sayd / ther shal no batayll cause me to flee / nor no mo­neye corrupte me. For I had leuer cōmaū de ryche men to do this & this than be ryche myself. ¶Tonucius subdued the cyte of Argino (rum) / & a legyon of knyghtes of Rome he sende to Rome / and caused them to be bete openly in the myddes of the market / for they had them not leful­ly to the courte of Rome. For the lawe was then kepte so streytly at Rome / y ^• & they had fayled to do the due obseruaū / ce in vertue / they sholde be punysshed. These Romayns & many afore & after were the moost noble men of the worl­des honeste y ^• myght be / & in all maner of vertue circumspect / as holy doctours saye y ^• they put ther examples to crysten men but not the Intencyon / for they lac­ken the keye of fayth.

¶Incipiūt reges Egypti. qralr nō p [...] seri cōtinuacō. et intexenc reges Siric.

PTholomeus Philodolphus this tyme was kynge in Egypt / this Philodolphꝰ was the very worshyper of one god / & full gracyous to the Iewes / of whom .xx.M. & .C. he delyuerd out of captyuyte / & y ^t he dyde y ^t he myght plea­se the god of Israel / of whome he herde the meruayles. And his lawe he desyred to haue / nor it myght not be translated in to none other langage but of deuoute men / & y ^t w ^t a due reuerence & a solemp­nyte. Certayne men atempted to haue wryten it amonge the Gentyle storyes / whome the plage of god stroke tyll they repented. This kynge sende vnto Eleazar the bysshop / to sende to hym lerned men / the whiche he dyde gladly (Vide plura in mgrō histo.)

¶Anno mundi .iiij.M.ix.C.lix. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .ij.C.xl.

ELyud of the lyne of Cryste / gate Eleazar as it is open in Math. li ^o & more in scrypture is not had of hym / ¶ Omias bysshop was sone to Symon Symon was bysshop after hym the whiche was a very relygyous man. He re­fourmed the Temple of god in to better & encrraced the cyte of Ierusalem with many other good thynges. ¶Sempro­niꝰ. Appius. Claudius. Gneus. Gaius. Artilius. Regulꝰ. Emeliꝰ. Fabiꝰ this ty­me were Senatours at Rome. This Semproniꝰ fought ayenst the coūtree of Picentes / & almoost y ^e chyualry on both the partyes were slayne / excepte a fewe Romayns were lefte a lyue / & subdued the coūtree. Appius Claudiꝰ subdued Siracusanas & the coūtre of Penos / & put grete trybute to them. Atilius Regulus a noble senatour ouercame thre kynges & .lxxiij. cytees he subdued / & a dragon of a .C.xv. foot he kylled. Afterwarde whan he was ouer cruell ayenst his ene­myes / & denyenge to yeue them peas / but yf they wolde paye a myghty trybu­te / they almoost beynge in dyspayr and fought ayenst hym / & ouercame hym & his hoste & toke hym / and neuerthelesse yet they wolde fayne haue had peas / but this moost faythfull man had leuer dye in paynes grete / than to yeue rest & peas to cursyd peple. His louynge gretly saȳt Austyn exalteth. ¶Emelius Fabiꝰ and Gaiꝰ wolde haue delyuered Regulꝰ but they opteyned not. ¶Ptholomias Euer gites this tyme was kynge of Egypte a victoryous prynce and a myghty. This man subdued Siriam & Ciciliā / & the moost parte of Asie / & toke ther goodes & broughe them in to his coūtree. Ptho­lomeus Philopater / sone to Euergites regned in Egypte .xvij. yere. This man fought ayenst two brethern. Seneleū & grete Antiochū / & he prostrated many a thousande / but neuertheles he preuayled not (Vide plura in Iohē sup Daniclis) ¶Hanyball the moost cursyd kynge of [Page] Peno (rum) & of Affricano (rum) myghtely hated the Romayns / for he destroyed them al­moost to the vttermest ende / & nyghe the cyte of Rome he destroyed. And so ma­ny noble men of Rome he slewe at one tyme / y ^t thre busshels full of golde ryn­ges he drewe of ther fyngres. Also in a certayne water / of the slayne bodyes of thyse Romayns / he made as it were a brydge / that his hoste myght passe. And at the last Cipio y ^e noble senatour direckid his hoste to hym & scomfyted hym. & almoost Cipioes hoste of Romayns was slayne. ¶Lucaciꝰ consull. Simpro­niꝰ Valcrius. Fulnius lutinꝰ gaius & Cipio / ruled at Rome / this tyme the Ro­mayns had peas one yere alone / & it was take for a myracle y ^t they had rest so longe. For afore this tyme in .iiij.C. and .xl. yere the Romayus had neuer rest. The­se Consules whan the yere was done gadred all the strengthe of Ytaly / and they had in theyr hoste .viij.M. armed men for drede of the Frensshmen / whom they dradde strongely / & afterwarde the Ro­mayns subdued them. ¶Epiphanes the sone to Philopater regned in Egypte .xxiiij. yere. Cleopatra doughter to gre­te Antiochus was his wyf. ¶Antrochꝰ magnꝰ this tyme regned in Syrry / the whiche dyde moche myschyef to the Ie­wes (vt pꝪ Math) ¶Onias this tyme was bysshop in Ierusalem. This Oni­as for the tyranny of Antiochus fledde with many Iewes in to Egypte / feynynge hym to fulfyll the prophecye of Ysaie .xix. y ^t is to wyte. To buylde the Tem­ple. But in that he synned / for he sayd otherwyse than he thought. The kynge of Egypte gracyoully receyued hym / & gaf hym the londe of Helipolces / & the­re he buylde his Temple. ¶Symon his sone was bysshop at Ierusalem / after that his fader was fledde.

¶Circa Annū mundi .v.M.xxxiiij. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .C.lxv.

ELeazar of the lyne of cryst was a­bout this tyme. Of hym no thynge wryten in scrypture / but y ^t Math nombreth hym (vt pꝪ pri ^o) ¶Onias Pius was to the Iewes bysshop this tyme an holy man / & well beloued w ^t god & man And not alonely w ^t good men but euyll men also. At the last vnryghtwylly was slayne of Adronito (vt pꝪ. n. machabco [...] ¶Paulus Therencius Scipio Affrica­nus / these were Senatours at Rome. These two crected an hoste arenst Ha­nyball / & there almoost the Romayns hope deyed. For there was slayne . [...].M. Romayns. And this noble Scipio affricanus brought ayen the state of the Romayns people the whiche stode [...] dyspayre euer to haue recouered. For he fought w ^t Hanyball manly & dis [...]omf [...] ­ted hym. All Spayne he ouercame. A [...]l Affrica he subdued grete Antiochus he brought to be his seruaunt. All [...] made trybutary to the Romayns­this man so noble & so victoryous by his owne vnkynde coūtree was outlawed and there he deyed. ¶Philo [...]eto [...] the sone Epiphanes of Cleopatra regned in E­gypte .xxxv. yere. This kynge yet a [...] / noble Antiochus gretly oppressed w ^t many dysceytes / but the Romayns [...]ent Legates / the whiche comaunded Antio­chus y ^t he sholde cesse of his tyranny ayenst hym. And Marcus Publius made a cercle to Antiochus thus l [...]ynge. The Senatours of Rome & y ^e people [...] de [...]the y ^• y ^• go not out of this [...] tyll y ^• haue answered to this mater. This Antiochus seynge that he myght not contynue his tyranny sayd. Yf it be thus cō ­maunded me of the Senatours & Ro­mayns people I must nedes towne ayen & so wood angry he was / that he lost the sege of Alexander / & tourned to the poo­re releues of the Iewas vengynge hym vpon them / by cause he myght not ven­ge hym on a more myghtyer people (vt pꝪ in li ^o Machabeo (rum) .ij.)

[Page] MAthathias an holy man / and of all louynge moost worthy bated in his herte the conuersacyon of all synners / alonly trustynge in our lorde god of Israell (vt pꝪ primo macha .ij.) And this man had .v. sones of the same loue vnto god. This man was not bysshop in Israel / but his thre sones were. ¶Iudas Machabeus was bysshop .iij. yere / & he was sone to Mathathias. This Machabeus was the moost named man y ^t e­uer was in Israel / the whiche had neuer none lyke hym afore ne after. He was in batayll a myghty man / & offred hym to deye a martyr for y ^e lawes of god. ¶Ionathas his brother succeded hym .xix. yere. The whiche grewe in vertue / and gouerned & stode stedfaste in the lawes of god & after falsely was slayne of Cry­phone & two of his sones (Plura vide Iuda et frēm eius li. macha) Antiochus Epiphanes sone to Antiochꝰ the mygh­ty this tyme was kynge of Syrry. This man from the heed vnto the feet within & without all was cursyd. And therfore he was fygured to Antecryst. Many martyrs cruelly he made / & falsely he dyspo­sed hym to entre in to Egypte as his fader dyde / but he opteyned not / for the Romayns letted hym. His moost vnhappy werke / & how he was in hostage at Ro­me / and how the prophecy of Danyell was completed in hym / ye may see in y ^e boke of Machabeo (rum). ¶Quintus Flaminius. Marchus Cato. Thiberius Gra­cius were Senatours of Rome. This tyme was so contynuall and so moche batayll / that lerned men of Gentyles and of the true fayth bothe were wery for to wryte the actes or to haue them in mynde. In the whiche bataylles men mer­uaylled gretly on the stedfastnesse of the Romayns / that no trybulacyon / no dre­de / no hardynesse myght not fere them / but euer contynued in batayll. And cer­taynly these Romayns after the worl­des honeste / they were the moost wysest men that were. And therfore the Machabees desyred ther company.

¶Circa annū mundi .v.M.lix. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .C.xl.

MAthon sone to Sadoch of the lyne of cryst gate Iacob (vt pꝪ Mathei .i.) ¶Symon sone to Mathathias was bysshop .viij. yere. This Symon was a very wyse man / & from his youth vntyll his aege was euer of good conuersacyon / euer more vertuous. And at the last he was slayne of his brother Elay. (vt pꝪ .i. macha) ¶Iohānes Hircanus sone to Symon / was after his fader .xxix. yere a noble man as all the kynrede was before hym. This man after his decesse left his wyf a very wyse woman & his fyue sones to gouerne the Iury / of the eldest was called Aristobolus an vn­pacyent man & an vnhappy. His owne moder with thre of his yonger brethern he prysoned & slewe them thrugh hungre & so alone he lyued kyng & bysshop one yere (vide plura li. Machabeo (rum)) ¶Pu­blius Lucimius. Lucius Emilius. Luci­us Lucinius. Lucius Consorinus were Consules at Rome. In whoos tyme the Cartagynes and the Romayns warred strongely. But the Romayns subdued them / entendynge to haue destroyed the Cartagynes vtterly. But amonge the Romayns ther was a notable wyse mā called Scipio Nauta. And amonge many notable counseyllers / two he gaaf specyally to be had in mynde. The fyr­ste that Cartago sholde not be destroyed that thorugh the occasyon of forand ba­taylles / a Inwarde concorde sholde aby­de amonge the Romayns / and a perpe­tuell strength for contynuell excercyse of batayll. The seconde. That in no wyse the other sholde be buylded in Rome. For he sayd / that was the moost enmye that myght be to the people that vsed warre. For that place nourysshed slouth [Page] and prouoked le [...]hery. ¶And how wysely this notable man [...] counseyll / the tymes folowynge declareth. (vide plura in Aug. de ciuitate dei. libro .iiij.) ¶Yet for all this counseyll that noble cyte of Cartago was destroyed of Cipio & the Senatours. And it brente .xvij. dayes cō tynuelly. Many men there were solde / & many men ranne in to the fyre wylfully ¶Corinthꝰ his same yere was destory de of the Romayns / the whiche was the rychest countree of the worlde. ¶Ptholomeus this tyme regned in Egypte / and was famylyer with the Romayns. And soo longe he & his predecessours regned as they kepte fydelyte to the Romayns. And knowe euery man / that there was none other cause that the power of the Romayns encreased so strongely aboue other people / but vertue / the whiche ha­bundantly regned in them / and namely ryghtwysnesse / whiche aboue all thynge they vsed. And as longe as they kepte mesures & loued ryghtwysnesse / so longe they were neuer ouercome. And as soone as they were corrupted / it is radde / they were euercomen. ¶It is had in a cer­tayne reuelacōn of god shewed to saynt Brygyte that our lorde god bereth wyt­nesse to these olde Romayns. That no­ne in this naturell lyf lyued more ryght­wysly. And what lyghtes of fayth they shewed in the tyme of Crysten religyon shall be shewed afterwarde.

¶Regnum Iudeorum restituitur.

ARistobolus was the fyrst kynge and preest in the Iury / this man regned one yere alone / and toke to hym the Dyademe of the kyngdome. And he helde hym not contente with that y ^• his fader gaf hym in his testament. But he put his moder in pryson & his brethern. And therfore he perysshed wretchydly with his brother Antigonus / the whiche was of his counseyll and helped hym. (Vide magistrū in histo [...]) ¶Anntigonus brother vnto the kynge was slayne thrugh the enuyt [...]e of the quene. ¶Alex­ander was bysshop after Aristobolus / & he stode .xxvij. yere. And he was all a sy­raunt / all though he appered sobre in the begynnynge. But he made it knowen what he was in his stomacke / for he sle­we his owne brother. And in .xij. yere he slewe .l. thousande of the olde sage fa­ders of grete vertue / by cause they tolde hym his mysgydynge. Thenne whan he sholde deye / he lefte two sones behynde hym. Hircanū and Aristobolū. But certaynly he sayd his wfy sholde regne / for she stode in the grace of the people. ¶Seruius Flaccus. Lucius. Fabiꝰ. Plu­bius this tyme were Senatours at Ro­me. This tyme bataylles amonge them self beganne. Of the whiche the fyrste cause & the begynnynge was Giac [...]us a myghty man / well knowen with no­ble Romayns / began to seke a cause a­gaynst them. And by cause y ^• he myght do no thynge alone to them / he me [...]ed the comyn people to theym sayenge / That all the londes & possessyons sh [...]l­de de be denyded equaly / and also the m [...] ­neye [...]ē. And for that cause there was an Insurreccyon / in the whiche Graccus was slayne / and many myscheues felle after (Vide Orosium) ¶In the tyme of these men / there was a childe borne at Rome / hauynge foure feet / foure ar­mes / two faces / and foure eyen. ¶The hylle of Ethna spytted out flammynge fyre horryble / and destroyed the places nyghe about it. ¶And these men berynge rule. Cartago was cōmaunded to be restored. And it was fulfylled of the Ro­mayns people. And there was myghty batayll in the cyte of Rome. ¶Fabius with a lytell hoste ouercame the kynge of Armenye. And there were drowned an bondred & four score thousande men in the water of Reine. ¶Ptholomeus Alexander was kynge in Egypte. In [Page] his tyme was borne Lucerius a Poete / the whiche afterwarde was madde for loue of wȳmen & slewe hymself. ¶Ptholomeus sone to Cleopatre regned after hym / vnder whome Salustius the noble wryter of hystoryes was borne. ¶Ptho­lomeus Dyonisius was after this man And in his tyme Virgyll and Oracius were borne.

¶Anno mundi .v. M.C.xxxiiij. Et an te xp̄i natiuitatē .ix.C.v.

IAcob naturell fader to Ioseph of the lyne of Cryst is reherced in Luke & Mathe / & lytell of hym is had in scrypture. ¶Alexandra wyf to Alexan­der was bysshop in the Iury .ix. yerre / & shewed moche tyrannye / all yf she was made bysshop by her feyned holy relygy on. ¶And Hircanū her sone she prouo­ked to the bysshopryche / & she ordeyned that he sholde regne after. This womā in the lyne of the bysshops is put for the countynge of the yeres. Not as she vsed the offyce of a bysshop / for it was not leyfull to her. ¶Hircanus sone to Alex­andra regned .xxxiij. yere. This Hircanꝰ after the decesse of his moder succeded in the kyngdom / in the whiche he had lytell prosperyte / for percyalte of the peo­ple. For anone he was ouercomen / & af­terwarde he was restored thrugh the helpe of the Arabees. And thenne he was made trybutary to the Romayns. And so he was in peas a lytell tyme. But not in the name of kyng. At the last he dyed wretchedly / for he was begyled thorugh the fraude of Partho (rum) / the whiche Antigonus hyred ayenst hym (vide plene magestrū historie) ¶The heresye of y ^• Pharysees about this tyme began. And amō ge them were thre sectes in y ^• Iury. Pha­racey. Saducey. & Essey. All these were dyuyded from the comyn vse of the Ie­wes /& were enfecte with many errours for they sayd that they were holyer than other men. For they lyued strey [...]lyer than other men dyde (Vide plus alias) ¶Virgyll the moost excellent of Poetes was magnefyed this tyme / & meruay­lous thynges he dyde. And amonge o­ther whan that Neopolis was vexed w ^t deedly payne of myghty wormes. Vir­gyll cast a worme of golde in to a ponde or a water / & it laye a certen season the­re. And whan it was take vp in to y ^• towne / all the cyte was made full of wor­mes. And tyll the worme of golde was put in to the water ayen / they had Iufyte wormes. And whan it was in the water all the wormes wente awaye. ¶Also it is weyten in the cronycles of Rome / that Virgyll by connynge condescended or thycked the ayre / soo that he walled his gardeyne with the ayre. And he ma­de a brydge of the ayre / by the whiche he myght passe euery tyme that he lyst. Al­so he asked Marcellū Neopolitanū / ne­uewe vnto the Emperour / yf he wolde haue a byrde taught to kylle all by [...]des or a flye taught to dryue all flyes out of the cyte. And this Marcellū tolde this to the Emperour. And he desyted to te­che a flye to kylle all flyes. For the co­myn people were sore anoyed with flyes And many other meruayles he dyde (vide magistrū Rodulfū Cesterū) ¶Ora­cius Flaccus / & Salustius Crispus historicus were at this tyme. ¶Quin [...]us Ce­pio. Gaius Lucius this tyme were C [...] sules at Rome. ¶Pompeius. Marcus Crassus & Iulius Lezar this tyme were Dictatours at Rome. For as it is sayd / afore there were many dygnytees at Rome / of the whiche some dured one yere / some two yere. And amonge all the dygnytees the Dictatours exceded / for it dured fyue yere. But whan the comyn people and the lordshypes of Rome encreasynge were made thre Dictatours. And this tyme was Pampeius. Iulius and Marcus Crassus Dictatours. And by cause Pompeius was of grete honoure [Page] and aeged / he bode at Rome to kepe the comyn people of Rome. ¶Marcꝰ Cras­sus was sende to subdue & fyght with y ^• regyon of Perthus. And thrugh treason he was taken & slayne. ¶Iulius Cezar was sende to the weste parte of the worlde to subdue them. And he hath w ^t hym vij. legyons of people. And whan y ^t he had subdued Lombardye & Fraūce / his fyue yere were spended / the whiche were assygued to hym & no lenger. There by his owne auctoryte he toke other fyue yere vpon hym / in the whiche he subdued Cassybolon kynge of Brytayne / & the Frenshmen that rebelled agaynst hym / ¶ This same Iulius after he had con­quered the coūtrees / vnto Rome he rodeagayne / for to be receyued with certayn worshyp as conquerours were before hȳ but it was denyed hym & also the entree of the cyte / by the Instygacyon of a lor­de called Pompei. Wherfore this Iuliꝰ Cezar was annoyed / and with force of myght entred the cyte / & robbed the co­myn treasour & ladde it with hym / & departed it amonge the .vij. legyons that were his seruaūtes. Thenne went he in to Spayne to fyght agaynst this Pompei. For Pompei had the gouernaūce of Cariago. But after that Iourneye in Ytalie Pompei & he encoūtred togyder. In the whiche bataylle Pompei fledde vnto the kynge of Egypte / & that same kynge for specyall loue that he had vnto this Iulius Cezar smote of Pompeus heed & sente it to Iulius Cezar. Yet for all the enuyte y ^• was betwixt them two Iulius wepte whan that he sawe this Pompeius heed. This Iulius was excedynge in wytte afore other men / and he faught in batayll .lij. tymes. This man alone exceded Marcus Crassus / the whiche is sayd to haue foughten .xxxix. ty­mes. This man toke fyrst the Empyre of Rome vpon hym / whan Pompei and other noble men of the Romayns were slayne. And at the last the fyfth yere of his Empyre / this Iulius Cezar the ru­ler of all this worlde was slayne in the counsell hous thrugh treason of his lor­des. ¶Cathon the moost named phylo­sopher / seeynge Iulius Cezar haue the victorye / whome he fauoured not / at a towne called Vticam dyde slee hymself (iuxta illud Mauult cato mari: quā de­roget vrbis honorari) But for y ^• after Austyn he was not excused of synne. ¶This tyme the Iury was trybutarye to the Romayns for percyalyte of two brethern Aristobolus & Ercanus both of them for enuye of other cast them to the Romayns y ^• they myght regne. ¶This tyme thre sonnes appered in heuen to­warde the [...]est parte of y ^• worlde the whiche by lytell & lytell were broughte in to one body. A grete synge it was that Af­frica. Asia / & Europa sholde be brought in to one monarche / & that the lordshyp of Anthony the Senatoure and L [...]cius Anthontij sholde tourne in to one lord­shyp. ¶Marcus Cicerio Tullus the moost noble Rethoryeen was Counsull of Rome this tyme.

¶How that the Brytons graūted vnto Cassybolon whiche thenne tofore y ^• was Luddes brother the londe. In whoos ty­me Iulius Cezar came twyes for to conquere the londe of Brytayne.

AFter the deth of kynge Lud reg­ned his brother Cassybolon & became a good man & moche beloued of his Brytons / so that for his goodnes & curteysy they graunted hym the reame for euer more to hym and to his heyres. And the kynge of his goodnes lete nou­rysshe worthely bothe the sones that we­re Lud his brother. And after made the eldest sone erle of Cornewayle / and the yongest sone he made erle of London. And whyle this kynge Cassybolon reg­ned / came Iulius Cezar that was Em­perour of Rome in to the londe with a [Page] power of Romayns / & wolde haue had this londe thrugh strength / but Cassybolon ouercame hȳ in batayll thrugh hel­pe of the Brytons / & droue hym out of this londe. And he wente ayen to Rome & assembled a grete power an other ty­me / & came agayne in to this londe for to gyue bataylle to Cassybolon / but he was dyscomfyted thrugh strength of the Brytons / & thrugh helpe of the Erle of Cornewayle & the Erle of London his brother / & thrugh helpe of Gudian kynge of Scotlonde / & Corbonde the kynge of Northwalys / & of Brytayll kyng of Southwalys. And in this bataylle was slayne Neunon y ^• was Cassybolons brother / wherfore he made moche sorowe / And so wente Iulius Cezar out of this londe with a fewe of Romayns y ^• were lette a lyue. And then Cassybolon went ayen to London & made a feest to al folke y ^• tho hȳ had helped. And whan that this feest was done / thenne euery man yede in to his owne countree.

¶Of the debate that was betwixt Cassybolon & the Erle of London / & of the truage that was payed to Rome.

ANd after it befelle thus vpon a daye / that the gentylmen of the kynges houshold & the gentylmen of y ^e Erles housholde of London after meete wente togyder for to playe. And thrugh debate that arose amonge them Enelin that was the Erles cosyn of London slewe Irenglas that was the kyngꝭ cosyn Wherfore the kynge swore that Enelin sholde be hanged. But the Erle of Lon­don that was Enelins lorde wolde not suffre hym / wherfore the kyng was gretely wroth & vtred towarde the Erle / & thought hym to destroye. And pryuely the Erle sente letters to Iulius Cezar / that he sholde come in to this londe for to helpe hym / & hym auenge vpon the kynge / and he wolde helpe hym with all his myght. And whan themperour her­de this tydynges he was full gladde / & ordeyned a stronge power / and came a­yen the thyrde tyme in to this londe / and the Erle of London helped hym with viij. thousande men / and at the thyrde tyme was Cassybolon ouercome & dys­comfyted and made peas to the Empe­rour for thre thousande poūde of syluer yeldynge by yere for truage for this londe for euermore. ¶And thenne half a yere after passed the Emperour Iulius Cezar wente ayen vnto Rome / and the Erle of London with hym. For he durste not abyde in this londe. And after Cas­sybolon regned .vij. yere in peas / and tho he deyed the .xvij. yere of his regne and lyeth at Yorke.

¶How that the lordes of the londe after the deth of Cassybolon & for by cause he had none heyre made Andragen kynge.

AFter the dethe of Cassybolon / for as moche as he hadde none heyre of his lefull body begoten / the lor­des of the londe by the comyns assente crowned Andragen erle of Cornewayle & made hym kynge. And he regned wel and worthely / & he was a good man / & well gouerned the londe. And whan he had regned .viij. yere thenne he deyed / and lyeth at London.

¶Circa annū mundi .v.M.C.lix. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .xl.

IOseph of the lyne of Cryste was about this tyme borne / and after was husbonde vnto our lady. ¶Anthi­gonus was bysshoppe this tyme in the Iury. This Anthigonus was sone vn­to Aristoholy / and on euery syde he was false. For he obeyed not to the Romay­nes / and a grete plage he brought vn­to the londe for to destroye Hircanꝰ his vnde / that he myght regne kynge / and [Page] so Hircanꝰ was expulsed / & Flaccus was slayne / & Herode was exiled. But whan Herode came vnto Rome & tolde the Senatours all these thyngꝭ / the Emperour created hym kynge sendynge w ^t hym anhoste / the whiche toke Ierusalem. And Anthigonū the bysshop taken / ledde to Anthony the Senatour / the whiche made hym syker / & so was Herode confer­med in to his kyngdom. And he a straū ger regned on the Iewes / & so the kyng­dome of the Iewes cessed as Iacob had sayd. ¶Titus Liuius historicus / & Duidius were this tyme.

¶Incipiunt imperatores augusti. et dictus est augustus quia augebat populum.

OCtauyan was Emperour of Ro­me .lvij. yere .vi. monethes and .x. dayes. This Octauyan neuewe to Iuly whan he was a yonge man toke y ^• Em­pyre vpon hȳ. His flourysshynge youthe he spended in warre. Fyue thousande bataylles he dyde. And shortly after many bataylles / he brought all the worlde in to one Monarche / y ^• man had no felowe And in his dayes peas was in alle the worlde thrugh the prouysyon of the ve­ry god. That the temporal peas myght glorifye y ^e natyuyte of our saupour Cryste Ihesu. This Octauyan was the fayrest man y ^• myght be / & hyghe in wytte / the moost fortunate in all thynges. And he lacked not the vyce of his flesshely luste. This man made all the worlde to be mesured. And in the .lij. yere of his regne was our lorde Ihesu Cryst borne / the Sauyour of this worlde / the whiche graunteth eternall peas to his louers. ¶Hic nota dscdin Ieronimū) that Anna and Emeria were systers. And of Emeria was borne Elyzabeth moder to Io­han y ^• Baptyst. And she was fyrst wed­ded to Ioachim of whome she toke Mary moder of Cryst. The seconde husbonde was Cleophe / & he gate on her Ma­ria Cleophe / the whiche was wedded to Alphe of whom proceded Iames y ^• lesse Symon Cananeus. Iudas Tadeus / & Ioseph the whiche is called Barsabas / The thyrde tyme Anna was wedded to Salome / of whome she toke Mary Salome / the whiche was wedded to Zebe [...]e & of them came Iames the more / & Iohan the Euangelyst. The fyrste Mary wedded Ioseph brother to Cleophe afo­re sayd. This tyme Sibilla Tiburnna prophecyed of Cryst / & sayd to thempe­rour August / that he sholde not trowe y ^• he was not god after the folysshenes of the paynyms. And there she shewed hȳ a fayre virgyn in heuen holdynge a childe in her armes / & sayd to hȳ / this chil­de is gretter than thou / & therfore do hȳ worshyp. ¶The monarche of Rome a­bout this tyme myghtly encreased. And whan it was soo that by all the worlde in dyuers prouynces bataylles were rey­sed sodenly all men meruayllynge they were sessed & put them hooly to the pr [...]nce of Rome that openly it myght be shewed that suche an vnyuersal peas came neuer by labour of bataylle but of the power of the very god / that in his naty­uyte peas sholde regne in all the worlde ¶Herode Ascolonita was kynge in the Iury .xxxv. yere. This Herode ydume­us was the fyrst straūge kynge that regned on the Iewes. The mayster in historijs sayth / he was a noble man / & fayth full in the begynnynge / and in all thynge he had hym nobly. He was very gen­tyll vnto the Romayns & to the people that loued peas. And in his olde aege / whan he wolde moche please the Ro­mayns herde of the byrthe of Cryst / d [...]e dynge to be expulsed of his kyngdome as a straunger / wretchedly he felle & sle­we the Innocentes & dyuers of his owne children. And at the last was hatefull to all people / & felle syke & deyed wret­chedly. ¶Mary the moder of Cryst was [Page] borne afore the Natyuyte of Cryst .xvi. yere or there aboute.

¶Of Kymbalyn that was Andragens sone regned after his fader.

AFter y ^e deth of Andragen regned Kembalyn his sone a good man & well gouerned the londe in moche prosperytee & peas all his lyf tyme. And in his tyme Ihesu Cryst was borne of that swete virgyn Mary. This kynge Kym­balyn had two sones. Gynder & Arma­ger good knyghtꝭ & worthy. And whan this Kymbalyn had regned .xxij. yere / he deyed & lyeth at London.

¶Cristus natus est ex virgine maria anno mundi .v. M.C.lxxxxiij.

IN the begynnynge of the .xlij. yere of Octauyan themperour. whiche began to regne in Marche / and in .xxx. yere of Herode .vij. C. and .l. yere after that Rome was buylded / the .vi. mon­the from the conceyuynge of Iohn̄ Baptyst / the .viij. kal of Apryl / the .vi. fery at Nazareth of Galylee / of the virgyne Mary was conceyued Cryste our sauy­oure / & the same yere was borne.

THat daye our lorde Ihesu Cryste was borne / a welle of oyle beyonde Tybre by Rome sprange & ranne al daye. The golden ymage fell the which Romulus had made / & put it in his pa­lays sayenge. This ymage shal not fayle vnto a mayde bere a childe. ¶Whan Herode disposid hym to slee the children of Israel / he was cōmaūded by the letter of themperour to come to Rome to an­swere to the accusacyon of his childern Alexiū. & Aristoboli. And ther were thre Herodes gretly spoken of for ther yll dedes. The fyrst was called Ascolonita / & vnder this man was borne Cryst / & the childern of Israel were slayne. The se­conde was called Antipas sone to y ^e fyrste Herode / vnder whom Iohn Baptyst heeded / & Cryst suffred deth. And y ^e thyrde was called Agrippa sone to Aristoboli / sone to the fyrste Herode / the whiche slewe Iames & prysoned Peter. The fyrste Herode whan he sawe his sones A­lexiū & Aristoboli thrugh the pretens of his letter by the Emperour sende / stryue for y ^e successyon of his kyngdom / he di­sposid & made Antipater that was his fyrste begoten sone to be before them / & whan they were talkynge of the deth of ther fad (er) he cast them awaye / & they wente to themperour to cōplayne of y ^E wronge of ther fad (er). And in y ^e meane tyme the thre kynges of Coleyne came by Herode vnto Ierusalem / & whan they came not ayen by hȳ / he thought y ^t they were ashamed for to come ayen by hym for bycause y ^t they were disceyued / & y ^t they foūde not the childe as he demed / therfore in the meane season he cessed to slee y ^e chil­dern of Israell / & so wente vnto Rome for the cytacion of themperour. And he toke his waye by y ^e cyte of Tarsū / where he brente the shyppes in y ^e whiche the thre kyngꝭ of Coleyne sholde haue saylled in to ther owne coūtree. Then after a yere & certen dayes / this Herode came from Rome ayen / accorded w ^t his sones [Page] And for the confyrmacōn of his kyng­dome he was made moche bolder / and then he slewe all the childern of Beth­leem y ^t were of two yere of aege & vnder that had space of one nyght of aege / & amonge these was there one of his ow­ne childern. And Aristoboli & Alexiū were had in suspeccion / in so moche as they promysed a barbour a grete rewarde y ^t he sholde take & kytte ther faders thro­te whan that he dyde hym shaue. And whan this Herode herde this he was greued & there he slewe both his sones. And Herode Agrippa his sone he ordeyned to be kyng. Wherfore Antipater his oldest sone was about to poyson his fader / the whiche Herode Agrippa vnderstode / & prysoned there his brother / that whiche the Emperour herde & sayd that he had leuer be an hogge of Herodes / than for to be one of his sones / for his hogges he spareth / and his sones he sleeth. ¶And whan that Herode was .lxx. yere of aege he was stryken with a grete syknesse in his hondes & in his feet & in his mem­bres / that no leche myght come to hym for stenche / & so he deyed. ¶So Antipa­ter his sone in pryson herde telle of this and Ioyed gretely / and there fore that cause he was slayne. Thenne stroue Archelaus & Herodes for the successyon of the fyrst Herode. The Emperour there thrugh counseyll of the Senatours / the half of the Iury & Idumea gaaf to Ar­chelaus vnder name of Tetrarche. And the other parte he deuyded in two. Ga­lylee he gaaf to Herode Antippa. And Ituriam and Traconidem he gaaf to Philyppe Herodes brother. ¶And that same yere Cryste came from Egypte / And Archelaus was accused many ty­mes of the Iewes / and was exyled in to Vyennam in to Fraūce. And in that place were sette foure Tetrarchees / to the repreuynge of the vnstablynesse of the Iewes. ¶And that same yere Octauyan the Emperour deyed.

¶Anno Xpristi .x.

IHesus Cryste at .xij. yere of aege herde the doctours in the Temple ¶Our lorde Ihesu Cryst at .xxx. yere of aege was baptysed. ¶Ihesu Cryste the lorde of all thynges at .xxx. yere of aege & .iij. monethes deyed for his seruaūtes. ¶Anninꝰ Rufus was bysshop in y ^e Iury about this tyme. ¶Valeriꝰ Graceꝰ was after hym .xi. yere. This man openly solde the bysshopryche / & he that moost yaaf had it. And there was moneye in a lytell whyle. ¶Poncius Pylatus was Iuge & Proctour in the Iury vnder the Emperour. And vnder this man Iohn Baptyst began for to preche. And our lorde suffred deth the whiche was dampned to dethe vnryghtwysly for drede of themperour. ¶Tyrus a certen kyng gate a childe on Pyla a poore manes dou­ghter / the whiche man hyght Atus / and this childe of his moders name & his belsyre put togyders was called Pylatus / This Pylatus y ^e fourth yere of his aege was sente to his fader. The whiche kynge of his lefull wyf had goten a childe euen of the aege with Pylate & by cau­se this lefull goten childe as they proce­ded in aege exceded this bastarde Pyla­tus he was full of euuye / & slewe his brother the lefull goten childe. Wherfore [Page] forth with his fader sente hym to Rome for pledge for his trybute y ^t he payed to Rome / entendynge he wolde neuer rede­me hym. In the whiche tyme the kyngꝭ sone of Fraūce was pledge for his trybute / the whiche exceded hym in strengthe & chyualry also he slewe hym. Therfor the Romayns sente Pylate as a profytable man for the comyn wele to the yle of Ponto to tame y ^e cursyd people / the whiche slewe euery Iuge that came to them And he y ^t cursyd man gouerned y ^t vnhappy people / what with thretynge & with promyse / and with lawe / & with yeftes y ^t none of them durste contrary do to his pleasure / wherfore he was called Pylate of Ponto. ¶Herode Antipa yonge in his conuersacyons / with yeftes & messa­ges drewe hym to hym & made hȳ prynce of the Iury vnder hym. And this ty­me Pylate gadred moche moneye / & He rode not knowynge / he wente to Rome that he myght receyue of the Emperour that Herode had gyuen hym. Wherfore Herode & Pylate were enmyes togyder / vnto the passyon of our lorde / whan y ^t Pylate sende Ihesus vnto Herode clo­thed in a whyte clothe / thenne they were made frendes. ¶Ouidius Naso in Ponto about this tyme deyed the fourth ye­re of his exyle. ¶Tyberius this tyme was Emperour at Rome / & he regned xxiij. yere / & he lyued in the yere that our lorde Ihesu Cryst deyed / & somwhat after. This man was in all his werkes gretely auysed y ^t there sholde be no thynge sodenly done / wyse in warres / study­ous in bokes / fayre of speche / fresshe in wytte / saue he wolde of tymes feyne hȳ ­self to do thynges y ^t he wolde neuer do of other. This Emperour vnderstode and trusted in Cryste / & worshyped hym for god. Some men saye at the last he was cruell ayenst people / but it was a grete reason of pyte / that he was euer gracy­ous to his subgettes & poore men. And he had peas all his dayes / & all the peo­ple that sayd ayenst crysten folke with oute ony mercy he destroyed / & he exyled Pylate for euer. Thenne he decessed & a worse succeded hym. ¶After Euseby it is wryten / our lorde at .xxx. yere of his aege chose his .xij. apostles / the whiche made our Crede / y ^t is our byleue. And they made it after the Resurreccyon of Cryst / & after the holy ghost was sende vnto them. Whan they had chose Ma­thia the apostle / & eche of them made a part as it is shewed hereafter. And this Mathia was chose bytwene the daye of the Ascencyon & Wytsondaye in the place of Iudas Scaryot the traytour / of the whiche Iudas in a history is redde thus. ¶There was a certen man in Ierusalē that hyght Ruben / & after saynt Ierom he was of the trybe of Ysachar. And his wyf hyght Cyborea / the whiche on a certen nyght whan he wolde lustely knowe his wyf / she dremed y ^t she sholde here a childe of myscheyf / & y ^e childe sholde be a traytour to his kynge & to all the people of y ^t regyon / & whan y ^• childe was borne & called Iudas / his fader & his mod (er) abhorred as well to slee ther childe / as to nourysshe a traytour to the kynge & all his people / thefore they put hym in to a panyer / or a lepe in to y ^e see / & he flowed to the yle of Scaryoth / where y ^e lady of y ^t place had no childe by her husbonde / & she feyned her to be wich childe / but she fayled. And after in a lytell season the same lady & quene conceyued a chil­de of her husbonde / & whan y ^t he was of aege. Iudas many tymes angred hym & caused hym to wepe / the whiche the que­ne sawe / & bete Iudas many tymes / & after she knowledged y ^t Iudas was not the kynges sone ne hers / wherfore Iu­das slewe the kynges sone / & he dradde the payne of the lawe / & fledde w ^t certen exiles to Ierusalem. And whan he came there / he gate hym in to Pylates courte that was Iuge. And by cause y ^t oo cursyd man draweth to an other / therfore he [Page] drewe to Pylate & stode gretly in his fa­uour. And vpon a certen daye whan Pylate loked out of his palays in to an or­charde of a mānes y ^t was called Ruben y ^t was very fader to Iudas. Pylate desy­red to haue apples / & Iudas went to gadre apples / & Ruben ranne to Iudas for to lette hȳ bycause he toke his apples w ^t out ony leue. And whan they had chydde this Iudas smote his fad (er) on the heed w ^t a stone & slewe hȳ / & Iudas fled awaye secretly after y ^t dede / but it was sayd y ^t Ruben dyed sodenly. Then Pylate gat to Iudas all the goodes y ^t Ruben had & Ciborea Rubens wyf / y ^t was moder to Iudas. And he dealed not curtesly with her as a man sholde w ^t his wyf / & for y ^t she wepte & wayled / for she had put her sone to y ^e see / & y ^t she was maryed ayenst her wyll. It was perceyued y ^t Iudas had slayne his owne fader & wedde his ow­ne moder. Then̄e Ciborea his moder & wyf meuyd hȳ to leue his synne / & then he folowed Cryst / & he forgaue hym his synne & made hym his proctour & apo­stle. And how fals he was to Cryst / it nedeth not to reherce. ¶And y ^t same yere Mathewe was chosen / & the holy ghost was sende in to them as it is sayd afore ¶The appostles or they were sparpled in to all the worlde / they gadred theym togyder in to Ierusalem & made y ^e Cre­de here folowynge / that is our byleue.

Petrus

¶Credo in deū patrem omnipotentē creatorem celi et terre.

Andreas

¶Et in ihesum xp̄m filium eius vnicum do­minum nostrum.

Iohānes

¶Qui conceptus est de spiritu sancto natus ex maria virgine.

Iacobus

¶Passus sub pontis pilato crucifixus mortu­us et sepultus.

Thomas

¶Descendit ad infer­na tercia die resurrexit a mortuis.

Iacobus

¶Ascendit ad celos sedet ad dexteram dei pa­tris omnipotentis.

Phllippꝰ

¶Inde venturus est iudicare viuos et mortuos.

Bartho.

¶Credo in spiritum sanctum. ✚

Matheus

¶Sanctam ecclesiam ca­tholicam.

Symon

¶Sanctorum communionem remissionē pec­catorum.

Iudas

¶Carnis resurreccio­nem. ✚

Mathias

¶Et vitā eternam Amen.

IHesu Cryst our sauyour rose fro deth to lyf & sayd to his discyples All the power in heuen & in erthe is geuen vnto me. And goo ye thus in to all the worlde & preche / & teche vnto euery creature / & I shall be with you vnto the ende of the worlde. ¶Here he chose hȳ lxxij. discyples. And he had .xij. apostles the whiche he sende in to all the worlde to preche. Ne it is not redde that there were more ordres amonge the discyples of Cryste / of whome the preestes & bys­shops in the chirche of god yet kepe the fourme. For to the apostles the bysshops succede / & to the dyscyples preestes. To the whiche two ordres / all the chirche is gyuen as a goodly Ierarche (Vt patet in Decreto Damasie pape)

Iohannes. ✚

Wrote in Asia in Greke langage In principio erat verbum. &c.

[Page]Marcus. ✚

Wrote in Ytalia but in greke langage. Innitiū euangelij Iesu cristi. &c.

Lucas. ✚

Wrote in Grecia in greke langage Huit in diebus herodis regis iu­de sacerdos. &c.

Matheus. ✚

Wrote in the Iury in Hebrewe langage. Liber generacionis Ihe­su cristi. &c.

¶Here begynneth the ordre of Popes of Rome / & contynueth as the lyne of Cry­ste dyde afore. For in them god lefte his power.
¶Anno domini .xxxiiij.

PEter a Iewe the fyrste pope was a blessyd man & a gloryous apo­stle of Cryst. ¶He was heed of the chir­che. xxxvij. yere. And he helde his bys­shopryche in the eest .v. yere & sayd masse he made our lorde / & alone sayd the Pater noster. Thenne after he came to Antiochiam & there he abode .vij. yere te­chynge the way of trouth. And Spmon Magus he confounded awaye. That season he preched to the people that we­re circsscysed / the whiche were in Ponto of Galati. Capadocia. Asia. Bithinia. Thenne herde he that Symon Magus deluded the Romayns / thrugh the loue of the fayth / he came to Rome in the fourth yere of Claudius the Emperour And there he preached the worde of god / & shewed the falshede of Symon Magꝰ and tourned many a man to the fayth / Thenne he sende his precher by dyuerse prouynces / by whome crysten relygyon was myghtely encreased. ¶He ordeyned the feest of Lenton afore Eester / & Ad­uent / & the Emerynge dayes to be fasted of all crysten people / in to the myrrour of the fyrste & seconde comynge of oure lorde Ihesu. ¶Thenne whan he had be pope at Rome .xxv. yere .vij. monethes and .viij. dayes / he was slayne of Nero (Eiꝰ pl̄a oꝑa vide ac [...] (bus) apl̄o (rum)) ¶Gaius this tyme was Emperour at Rome & regned .iij. yere & .x. monethes. This Gaiꝰ was fyrst bicyous in lyurnge / for two of his owne systers he mysused / & on one of them he gate a doughter / whiche childe he sette betwixt y ^e knees of Iupyter in the temple / & feyned afterwar­de y ^• Iupyter had goten her. Wherfore he dyde crye thrugh the coūtree that all men sholde worshyp her as a goddesse / This man also made an ymage lyke hymself / & sente it to one Patronie Pre­sydent at Ierusalem vnder y ^• Romayns cōmaundynge hym y ^• he sholde compell the Iewes to do worshyp therto. And fore these enormytees & many other / our lorde suffred hym to be slayne at Rome in his owne Palays.

¶Of kynge Gynder that was Kymbalyns sone / that wolde not paye the trua­ge to Rome for the londe that Cassybolon had graunted / and how he was slayne of a Romayne.

ANd after y ^• deth of this Kymba­lyn regned Gynder his sone a good man & a worthy / & was of so hygh herte y ^• he wolde not pay to Rome y ^• trybute that kynge Cassybolon had graū ­ted vnto Iulius Cezar. Wherfore them perour y ^• was tho / that was called Claudius Cezar was sore anoyed. And ordeyned a grete power of Romayns / & ca­me in to this londe for to conquere the trybute thrugh strength / & for to haue it on the kynge. But this kynge Gynder and Arinager his broder assembled and [Page] [...] a grete hoste [...] of Brotons & yaue batayll to the Emperour Clawdius / & slewe of y ^• Romayns grete plen­te. The Emperour had afterwarde one that was called Hamon y ^• sawe the people there were fast slayne / & pryuely cast awaye his owne armes / & toke y ^• armes of a deed Bryton / and armed hym with his armour / & came in to the bataylle to the kyuge & sayd in this maner. Syr be of a good herte for goddes loue / for the Romayns that ben your enmyes anone shall be slayne & dyscomfyted euerycho­ne. And the kynge gaaf no kepe to his wordes / ne to his speche / for by cause of the armes that he had vpon hym / and de myd that he had ben a Bryton. But the traytour euer helde hym next the kynge And pryuely vnder the sholder of his armes he smote the kynge / wherfore the kynge deyed & felle downe to the erthe / ¶ Whan Armager sawe his brother so deed / he caste awaye his armes and toke to hym his brothers armes / & came in to the batayll amonges the brytons and hadde them hetfly for to fyght / and fastlaye a downe the Romayns. And for the armes they wende it had be kyng Gynder that afore was slayne / y ^• they wyst not. Thenne began the Brytons fyersly for to fyght / & slewe the Romayns. So at the laste the Emperour forsoke the felde / and fledde as fast as they myght with his folke in to Wynchestre. And the fals traytour Hamon that had slay­ne the kynge / fast anone beganne for to slee with al the hast that he myght. And Armager the kynges brother pursued hym full fyersely with a fyers herte / & droue hym vnto a water & there he to­ke hym. And anone smote of bothe honde and feet & heed / and he [...]ed the body all to pyeces / and thenne lete cast hym in to the water. Wherfore y ^• water was called Hamons hauen. And after there was made a fayre towne that yet ston­deth / that is called Southampton. And after Armager wente to Wynchestre for to seke Claudius Cezar the Emperour of Rome. And there Armager hym to­ke. And Claudius themperour thorugh counseyll of the Romayns that were w ^t hym lefte a lyue / made peas with Armager in this maner as ye shal here. That is to saye. How that Claudius the Em­perour sholde yeue vnto Armager Gennen his fayre doughter for to haue vnto his wyf. Soo that this londe from that tyme forwarde sholde be in the Empe­rours power of Rome / vpon suche coue­naunt / that neuer afterwarde no Em­perour of Rome sholde take none other trybute of this londe / but oonly frauce. And they were accorded. And vpon this couenaunt Claudius Cezar sente to Rome for his doughter Gennen. And as she was come Claudius Cezar yaf her vnto Armager to wyf. And Armager spowsed her at London with moche so­lempnyte and mythe. And thenne was Armager crowned and made kynge of Brytayne.

¶Of kynge Armager in whose tyme saynt Peter preched in Antioche with o­ther apostles in dyuers coūtrees.

THis Armager regned well and worthely / and gouerned the lon­de ryght worshypfully. ¶And Claudi­us Cezar in remembraunce of this ac­corde / and for reuerence and honoure of his doughter / made in this londe a fay­re towne and a castell / and lete calle the towne after his name Claucestren / the whiche now is called Gloucestre. And thenne whan all this was done the Emperour toke his leue / and then̄e wente to Rome ayen. And Armager thenne was kynge / and gouerned the londe wel and worthely all his lyues tyme. And this Armager gate a sone on his wyte whi­che was called Westmer. And whyle that this Armager regned / saynt Peter pre­ched [Page] in Anthioche. And there he made a noble chirche. In the whiche he sate fyr­ste in his chayre. And there he dwelled .vij. yere. And after he wente to Rome / and was made pope / tyll that Nero the Emperour lete martyr hym. And then preched openly all the apostles in dyuer­se londes the ryght fayth. ¶And whan Armager hadde regned .xxiiij. yere / he deyed / and lyeth at the auncyente cyte of London.

¶How kynge Westmer gaf to Beryn­ger an ylonde forlet. And there this Berynger made the towne of Berwyke.

ANd after this Armager regned his sone Westmer / that was a good man & a worthy of body / & well gouerned the londe. It befell so y ^t tydyn­ges came to hym vpon a daye / that the kynge Roderyk of Gascoyne was co­me in to this londe with an hughe hoste of people / & was dwellynge in Stanys more. And whan kynge Westmer herde those tydynges / he lete assemble an huge hoste of Brytons / & came to the kynge Roderyk & yaue hym batayll. And kyn­ge Westmer slewe kynge Roderyk with his owne hondes in playne bataylle. And whan kynge Roderyks men sawe that ther lorde was slayne / they yelded them all to kynge Westmer / & became his men for euer more. And he gaf them a coūtree that was forleten wherin they myght dwelle. And thyther they wente & dwelled there all theyr lyues tyme / & .ix. hondred men there were of theym & no moo lefte at that batayll. Theyr gouernour & prynce was called Berynger And anone he began a towne that they myght therin dwelle & haue resorte / and lete calle the towne Berwyk vpon Twede. And there they enhabyted & became ryche. But they had no wȳmen amon­ge them / & the Brytons wolde not yeue theyr doughters to the straūgers. Wher­fore they wente ouer see in to Irlonde / & brought with them wȳmen / & there they them spowsed. But the men coude not vnderstonde theyr langage ne y ^• speche of these wȳmen / & therfore they spa­ke togyder as Scottes. And afterwarde thrugh chaūgynge ther langage / in all Fraūce they were called thenne Scottes & soo sholde the folkes of that countree be called for euer more.

¶How kynge Westmer lete arere a sto­ne in the entrynge of Westmerlonde / there that he slewe Roderyk / and there he began fyrst housynge.

ANd after this batayll that is a­boue sayd whan Roderyk was deed / kynge Westmer in remembraūce of his victory lete arere there besyde the waye a grete stone on hygh / & yet it stondeth / & euer more shall stonde. And he le te graue in the stone letters y ^t thus sayd The kynge Westmer of Brytayne sle­we in this place Roderyk his enemye / ¶ And this Westmer was the fyrst that buylded hous & towne in Westmerlon­de / & at that stone begynneth Westmer­londe / that Westmer lete calle after his owne name. And whan Westmer had so done / he dwelled all his lyf tyme in that coūtree of Westmerlonde / for he loued y ^t coūtree more than ony other coūtree / & whan he had regned .xxv. yere / he deyed and lyeth at Karleyll.

¶Of kynge Coill that was Westmers sone that helde his londe in peas all his lyues tyme.

AFter this / his sone kynge Coill regned / a good man and a wor­thy / and of good condycyons / and well gouerned his londe. And of all men he hadde loue and peas. And in his tyme was neuer contake / debate / nor warre in Brytayne. And he regned & was kynge [Page] in [...] all his lyues tyme. And whan he had regned .xi. yere he deyed & lyeth at Yorke.

CLaudius was Emperour at Ro­me next after Gai [...]s. And he regned .xiiij. yere & .viij. dayes. This man came in to grete Brytayne now called Englonde / for to chalenge the trybute whiche they dyde denye vnto y ^e Romay­nes. And after grete bataylles ther was bytwene the Emperour Claudius & Armager kyng of Brytayne. And after accordement made / y ^• this armager sholde wedde Claudius doughter / & after they two sholde euer lyue in peas. In token wherof / this Claudius named the cyte where they were wedded after hym / and called it Claudicestre / where we now it calle Gloucestre. ¶This Claudiꝰ had thre wyues. And on Petiua the fyrst wyf he gate a doughter that hyght Antonia The fyrst wyf decessed / and he wedded Messalinam / & gate a sone that hyght Britanicus / and Octauia a doughter. The thyrde he wedded Agrippina / ha­uynge a sone that hyght Nero. Claudi­us wedded his doughter Octauia to Ne to his wyues sone. This Claudius for loue that he had to Agrippina his laste wyf / he slewe Messalina his fyrst wyf / leest she sholde haue holpe Britanicus her sone & his to y ^e Empyer. Yet Agrip­pina the laste wyf of Claudius dradde / leest her husbonde wolde haue proferred Britanicus / & haue deposed Nero her sone / therfore she poysoned her husbon­de Claudius / and Nero was promoted to the Empyre. And this same Nero yaue his moder suche a rewarde ayen. For he poysoned Britanicus and slewe his owne moder & his wyf Octauia. ¶Iames the more the apostle this tyme was slayne of Herode Agrippa / & Peter was prysoned (Vt pꝪ ac [...] .xij.) The body of saynt Iames was brought by myracle in Galeciam of Spayne. ¶Nero after Claudius was Emperour / & he regned xiij. yere & .vij. monethes. This Nero was a cursyd man / & made grete waste in the Empyre. He wolde not fysshe but with nettes of golde & ropes of sylke. A grete parte of the lordes of Rome he slewe. He was enemye to noo men but to good men. He slewe his broder & his wyf his moder & his mayster. He slewe also Peter & Poule / he wolde neuer were one cloth two tymes. All his hors & his mu­les were shod with syluer / & at the laste he dyde sette a grete parte of Rome on fyre / some saye / the Romayns complay­ned the stretes were to narowe. And as he had brent a grete parte of Rome. [...]. cro sayd there is space to buylde the she­tes wyder. Thenne the Senatours with the comyn people came vpon hym to sle­we hym / & he fledde by nyght in to the subarbes of the cyte & hyde hȳ / & he herde karles & beggers sayenge. And they wyst where the Emperour were he shol­de neuer scape theym. Nero thought it sholde be grete derogacion to his name & he were slayne of karles. And on a grete stake he ranne hymself to the herte & deyed / & there was buryed. And deuylles kept his body many a daye after & dyd grete hurte to the people / tyll by a myracle of our lorde the body was foūde & taken awaye / & thenne y ^e deuylles boyded. ¶Seneca was this tyme mayster to Nero. ¶Iuuenalis poeta. ¶Lucanꝰ poeta. ¶Iames the lesse the apostle bysshop of Ierusalem was slayne of the Iewes the .vi. yere of Nero. Marcus the euāgelyst was martred the fyrst yere of hym.

¶Circa annū xp [...]i .lxxiiij.

LInus Ytalicus was pope of Rome .x. yere and .ij. monethes & .xiij. dayes. This Linus and his succes­sour Cletus / thrugh theyr holy conuer­sacyon were made to mynystre the [...]re­sour of the chirche to the people Peter [Page] beynge a lyue. And Peter attended to prayenge & prechynge. ¶It it redde of this Cletus / that he wrote fyrst in his letters (Salutem et apostolicā benedictio­nem) ¶Afore this tyme was many a Dyscyple of Peter slayne vnder Nero. ¶Galba this tyme was Emperour / & he regned .vij. monethes. This man was made Emperour by the power of Spayne in the same londe Nero lyuyn­ge. And after the deth of Nero brought to Rome / & there was slayne of a man that, came with whete to Rome. He smote of his heed & bare it to hym that was Emperour next / seynge all his men / & none of them helpynge hym. ¶In this mannes dayes came the grete Rethori­cyen to Rome fro Spayne / & was the fyrst that euer taught the scyence open­ly / his name was Quintilian. ¶Otho regned after hym / and he regned but .iij. monethes. For one Vitellus that was Presydent of Fraūce chalenged the Empyre. And in Ytalye betwixt these two were thre grete bataylles. And in the fourth batayll Otho sawe he sholde be ouercome and in grete dyspeyre he slewe hymself. ¶Vitellus regned after Otho & he regned .viij. monethes / for he was folower of Nero moost specyall in glo­tony / and in syngynge of foule songes / and at festes etynge out of mesure / that he myght not kepe it. ¶Vespasianꝰ regned next tfter hym .ix. yere and .x. mo­nethes and .xij. dayes. ¶The well go­uerned men of Rome seynge the cursyd successyon of Nero sente after this Ves­pasian vnto Palestyn. For there he was & his sone Titus whiche had besyeged Ierusalem. ¶And whan he herde that Nero was deed / by whome he was sente to Ierusalem / and herde of these cursyd men regnynge. At the Instaūce of these men / not wyllyngly / toke vpon hym the Empyre. And anone as he was come to Rome / he ouercame the tyraūt Vitellus and lete hym be drawe thorugh Rome / and after in to Tybre tyll he was deed / and thenne lete hym sayle without se­pulture / for this y ^• people desyred. This man was cured of waspys in his nose anone as he byleued in our lorde Ihesu / And that was the cause why he wente to Ierusalem / to venge Cristis deth. He fought .xxxij. tymes with his enemyes / And deyed the yere of grace .lxxix.

¶Anno dm̄ .lxxxiiij.

CLetus a martyr was pope .xi. yere This Cletus was a Romayn / & gretly he loued pylgrymages to sayntes sayenge it was more profyte to y ^e helthe of mannes soule to visyte the place that saynt Peter was in / than for to fast two yere. He cursyd all tho men lettynge su­che pylgrymages / or counsellers contra­ry therto. At the last he was martryd by Damician the Emperour. ¶Titus so­ne to Vespasianus was Emperour this tyme and regned thre yere. And he abo­de styll at Ierusalem after the eleccyon of his fader and destroyed the cyte. And slewe there as the storye sayth with ba­tayll and hungre .xi. hondred thousan­de Iewes. And a hondred thousande he toke and solde .xxx. for a peny. By cau­se they solde Cryste for .xxx. pens / and brought thens all thynge that was pre­cyous / and put them in his hous at Ro­me / whiche was called Templū pacis / But now is that place falle downe for the moost party / and all these grete Ie­welles ben dystrybuted to certayne chir­ches in Rome. ¶This Titus was so full of vertue that all men loued hym / soo ferforth / that they called hym the moost delectable of men. He was full lyberall to all men / in soo moche that he sayd often tymes / that there sholde noo man go from an Emperour with an heuy herte / but he sholde somwhat haue of his petycyon. He wolde be sory that daye in the whiche he had graunted no man [Page] no benefyte. ¶Whan that he was deed. euery man that was in Rome wept for hym / as that they had loste theyr fader. ¶Domician brother to Titus regned after hym .xxiiij. yere and .v. monethes Fyrst he was easy / and afterwarde full vnresonable. For moche of the Senate was destroyed by his malyce / and also moche of his kynrede. He began the se­conde persecucōn after Nero ayenst cry­sten men / in the whiche persecucyon Iohan the Euangelyst was exiled in to Pathius after the Emperour had put hym in to a tonne of oyle brennynge & hurte hym not. So this man was not the fo­lower of his fader Vespasian / ne his brother Titus / but rather lyke Nero & his kynrede. And for these wycked condicy­ons he was slayne in his owne palays at Rome in the .xxvij. yere of his aege / ¶ Clemens a martyr was pope .ix. yere & he succeded Cletus. This Clemens fyrst of saynt Peter was ordeyned to be successour to hym. And for peryll he wolde Linus and Cletus sholde be popes a­fore hym / leest that thrugh that ensam­ple prelates sholde ordeyne vnder them who some euer they wolde. This man made the lyfe of martyrs to be wryten by regyons. And he made many bokes He ordeyned that a childe sholde be con­fermed as soone as it myght / namely after it was crystened. And at the laste he was martred vnder Traian. ¶Nerua was Emperour after Domician oo ye­re & two monethes. And whan he was chosen he meued the Senate to make a lawe / that thynge whiche Domician cō maunded to be kepte sholde be broken / By the whiche meane saynt Iohan the Euangelyst was losed out of his exyle / & suffred to come ayen to Ephase. This man dyde an other thynge ryght comendable that he assyned so wyse a man as Traian was to gouerne the people af­ter hym. ¶Nota. ¶Traianꝰ His­panicus was Emperour .xix. yere. This Traianus many man sayd. He was the best amonge all the Emperours / but in one thynge alone he was vicyous. In so moche as he for the loue of the fals goddes was abowte to destroye the crysten fayth. Iugynge in hymselfe so moost to please god. Some men saye not by hym self but by other he pursewed the crysten fayth / and in the ende of his lyf he dyde but fewe to deth. And all his louynge I sette at nought. But at saynt Gregory meued with pyte wepynge / and prayed vnto our lorde for hym / that he wolde haue mercy vpon hym / & by his prayer ha­ue hym out of helle / in to whiche place he was dampned. And now yf that he be saued or not / a grete alteracyon is a­monge doctours. And to vs that wryte Cronycles / it is no parte of our charge to determyn. But all the eest parte of the worlde. Babylon. Selencia / the vtter partes of the Ynde. Germayne the se­conde after Alexander he helde vnder. In all these thynges so pyteous and so mekely he guyded hym to euery man as a kyng. He was gentyll / and to no man vngentyll / the whiche is redde of fewe / All his dayes he lyued / that men sayd he was the moost worthy man in all his Empyre. And thought & sayd euer mo­re / that no man was more vnworthy to be Emperour than he.

¶Anno dm̄ .C.liij.

ANacletus a martyr was pope .ir. yere. And he was a Greke. He monysshed all crysten men that preestes sholde be worshypped aboue all other men. Sayenge / that preestes doynge sa­crifyce to god sholde be borne out / and not vexed / but be worshypped. And pree­stes whan they sayd masse the sholde haue wytnesse with them and namely bysshops. Also he decreed that clerkes shol­de were no berdes no [...] longe heere. Also that a bysshop sholde be consecrated of [Page] thre / & dyuerse other thynge. At the last the .xij. yere of Traianꝰ he was martred and buryed by the body of saynt Peter / ¶ Plintius the seconde Oratour & philosopher wrote moche thyngꝭ. This man meued Traianꝰ y ^t he sholde withdrawe the sentence yeuen ayenst crysten folke / wryten to hym that they sholde do noo ylle but take hede to the vertue / but that they sholde ryse afore daye & worshypp ther god secretly in the nyght. ¶Euaristus a Greke & a martyr was pope .x. yere and .vij. monethes after Anacletus. This man ordeyned y ^t man & woman sholde be wedded openly / and that they sholde be blessyd openly of the preest and fader & moder. And he was martred the thyrde yere of Adrian & buryed by saynt Peter. ¶Alexander a Romayn was po­pe .viij. yere and .v. monethes. This A­lexander the moost parte of the Sena­tours he conuerted vnto our lorde. And he constytuted and ordeyned / that holy water sholde be sprynkled in to crysten mennes houses. And he ordeyned that the brede that preestes vse to synge with sholde be made of pure and clene brede and that in a lytell quantyte. At the last he was martred vnder Adryan that was the Emperour. And many of them he conuerted to the fayth. ¶Sixtus a Ro­mayne was pope .x. yere & .iij. monethes. This man ordeyned (Sanctus Sanctꝰ Sanctus &c [...]) sholde be sayd in the masse And that the holy thynges of the chir­che sholde not be touched but of myny­stres of the chirche. Also that y ^e corporax sholde not be made of sylke / but of pure lynnen clothe wouen / and not dyed / and that a woman sholde not touche the ho­ly vessell of the awter / ne the palle. Also he ordeyned / that yf ony bysshop were vacant / that no bysshop sholde be recey­ued in to his benefyce / but with y ^e popes letters. Also y ^• no masse sholde be sayd but vpon an awter / & at the last he was martred. ¶Adrianus was Emperoure .xxi. yere. This Adrian in many thyn­ges is cōmended to crysten men / other whyle he was gracyous / and certeyn of them that wolde not do sacrifyce to the fals goddes he slewe. He was an vnyuersall man all moost in all scyence. Peas he had all his dayes / but with the Iewes and many a lawe he made. And thenne he cōmaunded that crysten men sholde not be dampned to deth but w ^t due pro­cesse. Ierusalem he subdued ayen / & for­hadde that no Iewe sholde dwelle therin by no wyse. Crysten men he suffred the­re to dwelle. Ayenst his wyll he came to the Empyre / but he gouerned hym very well. Whan the Senatours prayed hym to calle his sone Emperour after hym / He sayd / it is not ynough to me y ^• ayenst my wyll I haue regned / whiche I haue not deserued. For the Emperour of Rome sholde go by successyon of blood / but to suche men as haue deserued it thrugh theyr merytees. Many tymes he regned vnuertuously that is a kyng borne / and vertue sholde come before his kyngdom ¶Eustachius otherwyse called Placidꝰ and Therospita his wyf / & two of ther sones / of whome meruayllous thynges ben redde / were martred by the cōmaun dement of Adrian. This Placidus was mayller of the Emperours knyghtes. Ierusalem was restored by Adrian and made larger / so y ^t the place where Cryst deyed was within the walles / the whiche was without before. And this is y ^e thyr­de buyldynge agayne of that cyte / for it was thryes destroyed. Of the Caldees in the tyme of Zedechee / of Antiochus in the tyme of Machabeorr / & of Titus in the tyme of Vespasian.

¶Anno dm̄ .C.xliiij.

THelesphorus a Romayne was pope .xi. yere This man ordeyned this aungels ympne to be songe in the masse (Gloria in excelsis deo &c [...]) & the [Page] gospell to be redde afore the sacrynge / and on Crystmasse daye thre masses to be songe. And he ordeyned there sholde no masse be songe before thre of the cloc­ke. And at the last he was martred & buryed at saynt Peters. ¶Ignius a Gre­ke was pope foure yere. This man or­deyned that a childe sholde haue a god­fader & a godmoder at the tyme of baptysynge / and also one at confyrmacyon. Also that no Archebysshop / excepte the pope sholde condempne his Suffrygan but yf the cause were shewed in the pro­uyncyall counsell of bysshops. Thenne he was martred & buryed at saynt Pe­ters. ¶Anthonius Pius was Emperour xxij. yere with his sones Aurolio & Lucio This man was myghtly wyse & natu­relly fayre of speche / the whiche lyghtly in oo man is not foūde. Nota. ¶Ex­cedynge men in wysdome comynly are not fayre speched / nor peasfull namely of nature / ne contraryous. ¶Excedynge men in fayre speche comynly are lesse than wyse. This man was meued with bothe these proprytees. Therfore many kyngdomes the whiche receded from o­ther Emperours / wylfully to this man torned ayen. And to crysten men was none so gentyll. He sayd thrugh the ensample of Cipio. I had leuer kepe one heere of a man / than slee an hondred of mynenmyes. And some martyrs were made vnder hym / but they were made vnder the cōmaundement of the Emperours afore. And the crysten people were so hatefull vnto the bysshops & to the preestes of the Temple of the fals goddes / that they prouoked the prynces alway ayenst them. For they supposed that the crysten fayth sholde destroye them. Therfore it was no meruaylle / all though the pryn­ce was vnpleased / for they sayd All ther goddes were deuylles / yf lower Iuges pursued crysten folke & martred them. This tyme .x. thousande martyrs were crucifyed in Armenia / in an hygh hylle called Arath. ¶Pompei [...]s trogus isto tempore histor [...]as a nino vs (que) ad octa­uianum deduxit.

¶Anno dm̄ .C.li [...]ij.

PIus ytalicus was pope .xi. yere & .iiij. monethes and .xv. dayes / This man ordeyned the feest of Ester euer more sholde be halowed on the sondaye. And also an heretyke comyng fro the secte of the Iewes sholde be receyued and baptysed. Thenne he was martred and buryed in saynt Peters. ¶An [...]cetus was pope after Piꝰ almoost .x. yere this man made many decrees of the Canon and for bysshopes (Vt in caꝰ Violato­res. &c̄.) ¶Galienus a leche goten in Pergamo was in grete fame at Rome The whiche not alonly expowned the bokes of Ypocras but he put many of them to his bokes. And of this man is sayd / for his dyscrete abstynence the whiche he vsed / he lyued an hondred and .xl. yeres. He neuer ete nor dranke his fylle ¶Nota abstinenc [...]am. ¶He neuer toke rawe fruytes. Alwaye he had a swete brethe. He deyed all oonly thrugh aege & no sykenesse. ¶Marcus Anthonius the true / and Lucius Comodus were Emperours .xix. yere. These toke the Empy­re after Anthony the meke / and thenne began two Emperours to regne but Lucius Comodus decessed. And Anthony was Emperous alone / the whiche was a victoryous man and a noble but that he made the fourth persecuycon to kylle crysten men. This Marcus was of so grete sadnesse and stedfastnesse that for no chaunce he lough neuer / ne chaunged no chere / nother for gladnesse ne for so­rowe. And whanne he was a childe / he was of suche manhode / that on a cer­tayne tr [...]e whan he loked his tresour­and had [...] that whiche he myght gy­ue his knyghtes and his men whan he wente to fyght ayenst the Germayn [...] / the [Page] Sclauons / and Sarmathus / he wol­de hurte ne greue no body / but had leuer to selle his wyues golden vessel and her arayment / her beddynge / & all her ryall stuff / than take taxe of the Senatours / or of his prouynce vnder hym. But he gate the victorye of his enmyes / and re­couered all ayen / & released the prouyn­ces of ther trybutes. And those that wolde selle hym his wyues tresour ayen / he restored them ther moneye / & those that wolde not / he neuer greued them. But the tables of ther dettes betwixt hym & them he brente openly in the market place and thanked them / that they helped hym in his necessyte.

¶How kynge Lucie regned after his fader / that was a good man / and after he became crysten.

AFter this kynge Coill regned Lucie his sone / that was a good man to god & to all the people. He sente to Rome to Eulentre y ^t then was pope / & sayd. He wolde become a crysten man & receyue baptym in the name of god & tome to the ryght fayth & byleue. Eulentre sente two Legates / y ^t were called Pagan / an other Elybain in to this londe & baptysed the kynge & all his meyne / And after wente from towne to towne & baptysed the people tyll all the londe was baptysed. And this was in the yere an hondred .lvi. after the Incarnacyon of our lorde Ihesu cryste. And this kyng Lucie made tho in this londe two Arche bysshops / one at Caunterbury / an other at Yorke / & other many bysshops y ^• yet ben in this londe. And whan these two Legatꝭ had baptysed all this londe / they ordeyned prestes for to baptyse children / & for to make the sacrament / and after they wente ayen to Rome. And the kyn­ge dwelled in his londe / & regned with moche honour .xij. yere / and after dedye and lyeth at Gloucestre.

¶How this londe was longe without a kyng / & how the Brytons chose a kyng.

THis kyng Lucie had none heyre of his body begoten / y ^t was afterwarde grete harme & sorowe to the lon­de. For after this kynge Lucies deth / no­ne of the grete lordes of the londe wolde suffre an other to be kynge / but lyued in warre & debate amonges themself .l. yere without kynge. But it befell after­warde y ^t a grete prynce came from Ro­me in to this londe that was called Seuerie / not for to warre / but for to saue y ^e ryght of Rome. But neuertheles he had not dwelled half a yere in this londe but that y ^e Brytons slewe hym. And whan they of Rome wyst that Seueri was so slayne / they sente an other grete lorde in to this londe that was called Allec that was a stronge man & a myghty of body & dwelled in this londe longe tyme and dyde moche sorowe to the Brytons. So that after for pure malyce / they chose a kynge amonge theym that was called Astelepades. And assembled a grete host of Brytons / & wente to London to seke Allec / and there they foūde hym & slewe hym & al his felowes. And one that was called Walon deffended hym fyersly / & fought longe with the Brytons / but at the last he was dyscomfyted / & the Bry­tons toke hym and bonde his hondes & feet and cast hym in to a water. Wher­fore y ^t water was called euer more Walbroke. ¶Tho regned Astelepades in peas / tyll one of his Exles that was cal­led Coill made a fayr towne ayenst the kynges wyll / & lete calle the towne Col­chestre after his owne name. Wherfore the kynge was full wroth & thought to destroy hym. And began to warre vpon hym and brought grete power of men & yaaf the Erle batayll. And the Erle de­fended hym fyersly with his power and slewe the kynge hymself in that batayll And tho was Coill crowned and made [Page] kynge of this londe. This Coill regned and gouerned the londe well & nobly / for he was a noble man & well beloued a­monge y ^e Brytons. ¶Whan tho of Ro­me herde that Astelepades was slayne / they were wonder gladde / and sente an other grete prynce of the Romayns that was called Constance. And he came to the kynge Coill for to chalenge the try­bute that was wonte to be payed to Ro­me. And the kynge answered well & wysely & sayd / y ^t he wolde paye to Rome al that ryght & reason wolde w ^t good wyll And so they accorded tho with good wyl and without ony contake. And so bothe they dwelled togyder in loue. ¶Kynge Coill yaaf to hym his doughter Eleyne for to haue her to his spowse / that was both fayre & wyse / and good & well let­tred. And this Constance spowsed her there with moche honour. And it befell soone after that this kynge Coill deyed in the .xiij. yere of his regne / and lyeth at Colchestre entyred.

¶Of kynge Constance that was a Ro­mayne / that was chosen kynge after the deth of Coill / for as moche that he hadde spowsed Eleyne that was kynge Coils doughter.

AFter this kyng Coill Constance was made kynge & crowned / for almoche as he had spowsed kyng Coils doughter y ^t was heyre of y ^t londe. The whiche Constance regned well & worthe­ly gouerned the londe. And he begate on his wyf Eleyne a sone y ^t was called Constantyne. And this kyng bare true fayth And truly dyde vnto them of Rome all his lyf. And whan he had regned .xv. ye­re / he deyed & lyeth at Yorke.

¶How Constantyne that was kynge Constance sone / and the sone of Saynt Eleyne gouerned and ruled the londe / & was Emperour of Rome.

AFter kynge Constance deth regned Constantyne his sone & the sone of saynt Eleyne y ^• founde the holy crosse in the holy londe. And how Con­stantyne became Emperour of Rome. ¶It befell soo in y ^• tyme there was an Emperour at Rome y ^t was a Sarrasyn & a tyraunt / that was called Ma [...]ence / that put to deth all y ^t byleued in god / & destroyed holy chirche by all his power & slewe all Crysten men that he myght fynde And among all other he lete mar­tyr Saynt Katheryne. And many other crysten people that hadde drede of deth fledde & came in to this londe to kynge Constantyne. & tolde hym of the sorowe that Maxence dyde to the Crystyanytee Wherfore Constantyne had pyte / & ma­de grete sorowe / and assembled a grete hoste & a grete power / and wente ouer vnto Rome / and there toke the cyte and slewe all that there was in that were of mysbyleue that he myght there fynde / And tho was he made Emperour and was a good man and gouerned hym so well that all londes to hym were attendaunt for to be vnder his gouernaunce ¶And this deuyll and tyraun Marence that tyme was in the londe of Grece & herde these tydynges and sodeynly became wood / and sodeynly he deyed and so he ended his lyf. ¶Whan Constantyne wente from this londe vnto Rome / he tooke with hym his moder Eleyne / for the moche wysedome that she coude / & thre other grete lordes that be moost lo­ued / that one was called Hoell an an o­ther was called Taberne / & the thyrde Morhin. And toke all his londe to kepe vnto the Erle of Comewayle that was called Octauian. And so anone as this Octauian wyste that his lorde dwelled at Rome. Incontynent he seased all the londe in to his honde / and therwith dy­de all his wyll amonge hyghe & lowe / & they helde hym for kyng. ¶Whan these tydynges came to Constantyne the Emperour [Page] / he was wonder wrothe towarde the erle Octauian. And sente Taberne with .xij. M. men for to destroye the erle for his falsenesse. And they arryued at Portesmouth. ¶And whan Octauian wyst that he assembled a grete power of Brytons & dyscomfyted Taberne / and Taberne fledde thens in to Scotlonde. & ordeyned there a grete power / and ca­me ayen in to this londe an other tyme to yeue batayll to Octauyan. ¶Whan Octauian herde that / he assembled a grete power & came ayen towarde Ta­berne as moche as he myght / soo that those two hostes mette togyders vppon Stanesmore / and strongely smote togy­der & tho was Octauian dyscomfyted / and [...]ledde thens vnto Norwaye. And & aberne seassed all y ^• londe in his hon­de / townes & castelles / and as moche as they ther had. And syn Octauian came ayen from Norway with a grete power & seased all the londe in his honde & droue out all the Romayns / & was tho made kynge & regned.

¶How Marimian that was the Em­perours cosyn of Rome spowsed Octa­uians doughter / & was made kynge of this londe.

THis Octauian gouerned the londe well & nobly but he had none hey [...] [...]aue a doughter that was a yonge childe that he loued as moche as his lyf And for as moche as he wexed syke and was in poynt of deth / & myght no len­ger regne / he wolde haue made one of his neuewes to haue be kynge / the whi­che was a noble knyght & a stronge man that was called Conan Meriedok / and he sholde haue kepte the kynges dough­ter & haue maryed her whan tyme had ben. But the lordes of the londe wolde not suffre it / but yaaf her coūseyll to be maryed to some hyghe man of grete ho­nour / & thenne myght she haue all her lust / & the coūsell of the Emperour Constantyne her lorde. And at this coūseyll they accorded / & those tho Cador of Cornewaylle for to go to the Emperour for to do this message. And he toke y ^e waye & went to Rome / & tolde the Emperour this tydynges well and wysely. And the Emperour sent in to this londe with hȳ his owne cosyn y ^• was his vncles sone a noble knyght & a stronge / that was cal­led Maximian. And he spowsed Octa­uians doughter / & was crowned kynge of this londe.

¶How Maximian y ^t was themperours cosyn / conquereed the londe of Armory­cam / & yaaf it to Conan Meriedok.

THis kynge Maximian became so ryall that he thought to con­quere the londe of Armorycam / for the grete rychesse y ^t he herde telle y ^t was in that londe / so y ^• he ne lefte man y ^t was of worthynes / knyght / squyre / ne none other man / that he ne toke with hym to the grete damage to all the londe. For he lefte at home behynde hym no man to kepe the londe / but toke them with hȳ fro this londe .xxx. thousande knyghtes that were doughty mennes bodyes / and wente ouer to the londe of Armorycam and there slewe the kynge that was cal­led Imball / and conquered all the londe And whan he had so done / he called Conan & sayd. For as moche as kyng Oc­tauian made you kynge of Brytayne / and thrugh me ye were lette & dystrou­bled that ye were not kynge. I gyue you this londe of Armorycam / & you therof make kynge. And for as moche as ye be a Bryton. I wyll that this londe ha­ue the same name / & nomore be called Armorycam / but be called Brytayne. And the londe from whens we be comen shall be called moche Brytayne. And soo shall men knowe that one Brytay­tayne fro that other. Conan Meridok [Page] thanked hym greetly / & so was he made kynge of lytell Brytayn. And whan all this was done. Maximiam wente from thens vnto Rome / & tho was made Emperour after Constantyne. And Conan dwelled styll in lytell Brytayn w ^t moche honour / & there lete ordeyne .ij. thousande ploughmen of y ^e londe for to culture the londe to harowe it / & for to sowe it / & feffed them rychely after y ^t they were. And for asmoche as kyng Conan & no­ne of his knyghtes / ne none of his other people wolde not take wyues of y ^e nacion of Fraūce / he tho sente in to grete Bry­tayne to the Erle of Cornewayle y ^• men called Dionothe / y ^• he sholde chese tho­rugh out all this londe .xi.M. of may­dens. That is to saye .viij.M. for the meane people / and .iij.M. for the gre­test lordes that sholde them spouse. And whan Dionoth vnderstode this / he ma­de a cōmaundement thorughout all the londe of Brytayn. And as many as the nombre came to he assemblid togyder of maydens / for there was no man y ^• durst withstande his cōmaundements / for as moche that all the londe was take hym to warde & kepe / to doo all thynge that hȳ good lyked. ¶And whan these may­dens were assembled / he lete them come afore hym at London. And lete ordeyne for them shyppes hastely / and as moche as them neded to that vyage. And toke his owne doughter that was called vr­sula / that was the fayrest creature that ony man wyst. And he wolde haue sent her to kynge Conan / that sholde haue spoused her and made her quene of the londe But she had made pryuely to god a vowe of chastyte / that her fader not wyst / ne none other man elles that was lyuynge vpon erthe.

¶How Vrsula and .xi. thousande maydens that were in her company wente towarde lytell Brytayne / and all they were martred at Coleyne.

THis Vrsula chose vnto her com­pany .xi. thousande maydens / y ^• of all other she was lady & maystresse / And all they wente to shyppe at one ty­me in the water y ^• is called Tamyse / & cōmaunded her kynne & her frendes to almyghty god / & saylled towarde lytell Brytayn. But whan they were come in to the hyghe see / a stronge tempest arose as it was goddes wyll / & Vrsula with her shyppes & her company were dryue to Hundlonde thrugh tempest and arryued in the hauen of the cyte of Coleyne And the kyng of the londe that was called Gowan / was tho in the cyte. And whan he wyst the tydynges that so ma ny fayre maydens were there arryued. He toke Elga his brother & other of his housholde with hym & went to the shyppes to se [...] y ^• fayre company. And whan he sawe them so fayre / he and his com­pany wolde haue ouerlayne them & sa­ke fro them ther maydenhode. But Vr­sula that good mayde / coūseylled / pray­ed / warned / & taught theym that were her felowes y ^• they sholde defende them with all theyr myght / and rather suffre deth than suffre ther body to be defor / led. So that all tho maydens became so stedfast in god / that they defended them thrugh his grace / so that none of them hadde power to do them shame. Wher­fore the kynge Gowan was sore ano [...]ed that he for wrathe slewe them eueryone anone ryght / & so were all tho may­dens martred for the loue of god / and lyeth at Coleyne.

¶How kynge Gowan came for to de­stroy this londe / and how a man of grete power that was called Gracian def­fended the londe.

AS all this was done kynge Gowan that was a Sarrasyn cal­led his brother Elga and sayd to hym / that he sholde goo conquere the londe [Page] that all those fayr maydens were borne in. And he ordened tho a grete power of Pehites / of Denmarke / of Orkenay / & of Norway And they came in to this londe / & brente townes & slewe folke / & cast a downe chirches & houses / and robbed all the londe in length & brede / & put to deth all tho that wolde not forsake the ryght byleue & crystendome / for as mo­che as there was no souerayne y ^• myght them helpe. For the kynge Maximian had take with hym all the worthy men whan he wente to conquere lytell Bry­tayne And in the same tyme that ye here now telle was Saynt Albon martryd thrugh the wood tyraūt Dyoclesian / in the same place where is now an abbaye made of saynt Albon whyles y ^• he was a paynym. But he conuerted hȳ to god thrugh the predicacōn of a clerke & a wyse man y ^• was called Ancyble / that was herbourghed a nyght in his hous. And this was after thyncarnacyon of Ihesu Cryst .ij. hondred .xxvi. yere. And men shall vnderstonde y ^• saynt Albon suffred his martyrdom before y ^• saynt Edmon­de was martryd / & therfore is saynt Al­bon called the fyrst martyr of Englond ¶This Gowans brother & his folke that were sarrasyns wente thrugh y ^• londe & destroyed all thynge that they foū ­de / & no thynge they spared. Whan these tydynges came to Rome how y ^• kynge Gowan had begon for to destroye this londe / the Emperour of Rome sente a stronge man & of grete power y ^• was called Gracian with .xxiiij.M. well fygh­tynge men / for to caste out those sarra­syns of this londe. And all they arryued at Portesmouth. ¶Maximian myght not come hȳself / for as moche as he was chosen Emperour after the deth of Constantyne that was saynt Eleynes sone. whan this Gracian was arryued w ^t his hoste / he lete aspye pryucly where kynge Gowan myght be founde. And he sette vpon them sodenly as they laye in theyr beddes / and dyscomfyted hym & slewe them in ther beddes euerychone / that none of them scaped / sauf Gowan that fledde in to his owne coūtree w ^t moche sorowe & grete payne. ¶So oneafter it befelle that Maximian was slayne at Rome thrugh treason. And whan Gracian wyst that tydynges he lete crowne hym kynge of this londe.

¶How Gracian made hȳ kynge whan Maximian was slayne / & afterwarde y ^• Brytons slewe hȳ for his wyckednesse.

THis Gracian whan he began to regne / he became so wycked & so sterne / and so moche sorowe dyde to the Brytons y ^• they slewe hȳ amonge them ¶Tho whan kynge Gowan vnderstode y ^• Gracian was slayne & done to deth he assembled a grete power & came ayen in to this londe. And yf he had fyrst do­ne harme tho dyde he moche more. For tho destroyed he all this londe / & the crysten people y ^• were in moche Brytayne / so that no man was so hardy for to name god / & he that so dyde anone he was put to strange deth. ¶But the bysshop of London that was tho y ^• was called Gosselim scaped / & went thens to them of Rome to seke socour / to helpe to de­stroy the sarrasyns y ^• had destroyed this londe. And y ^• Romayns sayd / that they had ben so often enoyed for ther sendynge people in Brytayne / all for to helpe the Brytons / & they wolde nomore so do / and so the Bysshop Gosselin went thens without ony secour or helpe. And tho wente he to the kynge of lytell Brytayne y ^• was called Aldroye / & this was the thyrde kynge after Gowan Merye­dok / as before is sayd. ¶The bysshop prayed this Aldroye of helpe & socoure / & the kynge had pyte in his herte whan he herde how the bysshop fledde / & how that the crysten men were soo slayne in grete Brytayne thrugh y ^• paynyms and [Page] sarrasyns / he graūted hym Constantyn his broder hym for to helpe with power of folke. And then dyde arraye hors / ar­mour & shyppes / & all thynges y ^• neded to y ^• vyage. And whan all thynge was redy / he called the bysshop / & to hym sayd I take you here Constantyne my broder vpon this couenaūt. That yf god gyue hym grace the paynems & the sarrasyns to destroye / y ^• ye then make hym kynge. And the bysshop graūted w ^t good wyll. ¶Constantyne & the bysshop toke leue of the kynge Aldroye & betoke hym to god / & toke ther men .xij. thousande and wente to ther shyppes / & saylled towarde grete Brytayne & arryued att Tot­nesse. ¶Whan the Brytons herde these tydyngꝭ y ^• to them came socour / they were strongely holpen / & ordeyned them anhuge nombre of people & came to them and receyued them with moche honour. ¶Gowan anone as he wyst of these tydynges / he assembled all the Sarrasyns & came ayenst them & yaue them batayle. And Constantyne slewe hȳ with his owne hondes. And all those other Sar­rasyns were dyscomfyted & slayne y ^• no­ne of them escaped / but those that were conuerted vnto almyghty god.

¶How Constantyne y ^t was the kynges brother of lytell Brytayne was crowned kynge of grete Brytayune / for his grete vertue & his grete worthynesse.

ANone after the batayll they wente to London & crowned there Constantyne & made hym kyng of this londe. And the bysshop Gosselyn sette y ^• crowne on his heed & anoynted hym / as it befalleth for a kynge to be. And tho began crystendome ayen in this londe / And anone this kynge Constantyne as he was crowned. anone after he spowsid his wyf thrugh coūseyll of the Brytons And he begate thre sones on her. The fyrste was called Constance / & y ^• other Aurilambros / & the thyrde Vter. This Constance the elder brother / whan he ca ma to aege / he made hym a monke att Wyncestre. This Constantyne ther fad (er) thrugh treason was slayne. ¶For it be­fell on a tyme / that a Pehite came to hȳ vpon a daye in message as it were. And sayd that he wolde speke with foe kyng pryuely in coūseyll. The kyng lete voy­de his chambre of the men y ^• were there within / & there abode noo moo but the kynge & the Pehite. And he made a coū tenaunce as though he wolde haue spo­ken with the kynge in his eere. And the­re he slewe hym with a longe knyf. And after that he went meruaylously out of the chambre in to an other chamre so at the laste no man wyst where he was become. ¶Whan the kynges men west that theyr lorde was so deed they made then so moche sorowe that they wyst not what to do. For as moche as his two sones Aurilambros and Vter were so yonge / that they myght not be kynge / and the thyrde was a monke as is sayd be­fore. But Vortiger that was Erle of Westsex thought pryuely in his herte thrugh queyntaunce for to be kyng hym selfe. And wente to Wynchestre where that Constance was monke / and sayd vnto hym. Constance sayd he your fa­der is deed & your two brethern that ben with Gosselyn the bysshopp of London to nourysshe be so yonge / that none of them may be bynge. Wherfore I coūsell you / that ye forsake your habyte and co­me with me. And I shall make suche a meane vnto the Brytons that ye shall be made kynge.

¶Of Constance that was kynge Con­stantynes sone / that was a monke atte Wynchestre / and how he was made kynge after his faders dethe thorugh coun­seyll of Vortiger that was erle of West­sex / for as moche as Aurilambros and Vter his two brethern were but yonge of aege. And Vortiger lete slee hym for to be kynge hymself.

[Page] THis Vortiger coūselled this Constance so moche / tyll he forsoke his abbot & wente with hym. And ano­ne after he was crowned kynge by thas­sent of the Brytons. This kynge Con­stance whan he was crowned & made kynge / he wyst ne knewe but lytell of y ^• worlde ne coude nothyng what knyght­hode axed. And he made Vortiger his chyef mayster & coūseyller / & gaaf hym all his power / for to ordeyne & do as moche as to the reame aperteyned. So that hymself nothynge entremedled / but oonly bare the name of kynge. Whan Vor­tiger sawe that he had all the londe in his warde & gouernall / he thought a preuy treason to slee Constance the kynge / that he myght hymself be crowned and made kynge & regne. And lete sende af­ter an hondred knyghtes of Pehites / the worthyest of all the londe / & them helde with hym for to dwelle / as to be kepers of his body / as he wolde go thorugh the londe to ordeyne thynges that apperteyned to a kyng. And this Vortiger honoured so moche the hondred knyghtes & so moche yaue them of golde & syluer / and so ryche Iewelles / robes / horses / & other thynges plentee / wherfore they helde hȳ more lorde than they dyd the kyng. And Vortiger tolde them / yf he myght be kȳ ge / ye as it were thrugh treason / he wol­de make them rychest of the londe. Soo at the last thrugh grete gyftes y ^• he had gyuen largely / they cryed thrugh y ^• courte that Vortiger were better worthy to be kyng than Constance. Wherfore Vortiger made semblaunt as he hadde ben wroth. And he departed thens from the court / & sayd he must go elles where for thynges that he hadde to do. And so the traytour sayd for by cause that they sholde slee hym / that is to saye Constance. ¶Whad this Vortiger was gone / it be­fell soone after / that tho hondred knyghtes of Pehites brake the doores of y ^• kynges chambre and there they hym slewe / and smote of his heed & bare it to Vortiger there that he dwelled. And so whan Vortiger sawe that heed / he wepte full tenderly with his eyen / and neuertheles he was somdeale gladde in his herte of his deth. ¶And anone this Vortiger toke those hondred knyghtes of Pehites / & badde his seruauntes bynde theyr hondes behynde them / & ladde them to London / and there they were dampned vnto deth as fals traytours. And anone after all the Brytons of the londe by the co­myn assente crowned Vortiger & made hym kynge of the londe.

¶Anno dm̄ .C.lxxiiij.

SOther a martyr was pope after Anicetū .ix. yere y ^• whiche decreed that a Nōne tholde not touche the palle of y ^• awter / nor put in sence therto. And y ^• she sholde were a wymple aboute her heed. And many perylles he sawe about matrymony. Therfore he ordeyned y ^• no woman sholde be called a leful wyf / but yf she were blessyd of the preest. ¶Elentherus a martyr was pope after Sother xv. yere / the whiche ordeyned y ^• crysten men sholde refuse no meete resonable y ^• was mānes mete (Nota) ¶Also that no man vnaccused in a cryme / sholde be put from his dygnytee or degree tyll he were conuycted / thorugh ensample of Cryst the whiche kepte styll Iudas Scaryoth not accused / & Cryste knewe hym gylty. And what someuer he dyd amonge the apostles for the dygnyte of his seruyce abode ferme & stable. And he sente also Legates vnto Lucie the kynge of Brytayne / the whiche baptysed hym & his people. And Fagus & Domianus legates / the whiche the pope sente fyrste / preched in Englonde / and this crysten­dome dured in Brytayne two hondred [Page] yere / vnto the tyme of Dyodesian the Emperour whan saynt Albon was martred. ¶Marcus Anthonius / & Luciꝰ Comodus were Emperours / but Marcus [...]eyed anone / & Lucius Comodus reg­ned. Comodus was called prouffytable of scorne / for he was to euery man vn­prouffytable. He was yeuen vtterly to lechery. Many Senatours & Crysten men he made to be slayne. He dampned his owne wyf to deth for aege. He deyed a so­deyne deth w ^t struglynge amonge may­dens. ¶Helius Pertinax after this man was Emperour .vi. monethes / and was a man of grete discrecyon / whome Iuli­an the grete lawer slewe. And he entred the Empyre / & was slayne the .vij. mo­nethe of Seuerus. ¶Victor a martyr was pope after Elenthertū .x. yere. And for the dyscorde of the paschall tyme he called a coūsell in Alexander / where he was prescute that tyme / & many other / Where he decreed that Eester daye sholde be kept on the Sondaye / but he must kepe the chaūge of the moone of Apryll and that was to dyfferre fro Iewes / for many bysshops of the rest abode that tyme / the same daye that the yewes dyde halowe that feest. ¶Also he ordeyned y ^• in the tyme of nede / childern myght be crystened in euery place / & in euery wa­ter. ¶Zepherinus a martyr & a Romayne was pope after Victor .ix. yere. This man ordeyned that Crysten people of xij. yere of aege & aboue / sholde receyue his god on Eester daye ones oo yere. Al­so he ordeyned that all the vessels of the awter sholde be glasseor tynne / and not tree / as in olde tyme the consecracion of the gloryons blood was made in tree vessell. And this tyme past / & the worshyp of the chirche grewe / & glasen vessell were forhode (Vt patet de conse. de pri. ca.) ¶Origenes the noble clerke was this tyme / & he wrote so moche / that saynt Ie­rom sayd I haue redde of Origenes wer [...]es . [...]s iiij. thousande volumes without pys­cles. He translated the Byble from He­brewe in to Greke / & dyde many other grete thynges. And of this Origenes / Sampson. Salomon / & Tratan / is a grete questyon amonge doctours yf that they ben dampned or saued. Therfore those thynges y ^• without peryll we ben not boūde to knowe / nor y ^• chirche is not certifyed of them. And therfor lete them be alonly cōmytted vnto god. ¶Cali [...]ꝰ a martyr & a Romayne was pope after Zepherinꝰ .v. yere / & he ordeyned the Ci­miteri (in via apia) where many a thou sande martyr is buryed. ¶Also he ordeyned the feest of the Emerynge dayes to be kept. ¶Anthoniꝰ Aurelius was Emperour .iij. yere. And this man lacked no kynde of lechery / & at the laste he was slayne amonge a greate multytude of peple / for his myscheuous lyurnge. Anthoniꝰ Marcus regned after hym .vij. yere. This man lyued bostynatly [...] ther­fore he was slayne as was his predeces­sour. ¶Alisander was Emperour after Anthoniꝰ & regned .xiij. yere. This man at the Instaunce of his moder a crysten woman & the techynge of Origenes the whiche came to Rome to co [...]trte her / was made soo good vnto crysten men y ^• he suffred them to haue ther coūseylles & theyr prayers by themself / but neuer­theles in this tyme the cursyd off yeers of hym made many martyrs.

¶Anno dm̄. CC .xliiij.

TRbanus was pope after Cali [...]ꝰ .viij. yere / and olde & yonge he was very vertuous. And all the halowed vesselles of the chirche he made of golde or syluer. This man lefte his popechede & wente to Agrippa and .xi. thousande virgyns with hym. And the clergy sayd he lefte not his dygnytee for holynesse / but for appetyte of tho virgyns / & was­te hym not in the booke of popes. And there he a virgyn was martred w ^t those [Page] virgyns. ¶Poncianus a martyr succe­ded Vrbanꝰ. And he ordeyned y ^• psalmes sholde be sayd daye & nyght in the chir­che of god. And that a preest sholde saye Confiteor afore the masse. ¶Anteros a martyr was pope after this man / this man ordeyned y ^• a bysshop myght be re­meued from one vnto an other. And he made the lyfe of martyrs to be wryten. And he was slayne & buryed in the Ci­mitery of saynt Calixt. ¶Maximianus was chosen Emperour at Maguncia of the hoste / & not by the Senatours / & regned thre yere / and destroyed the chirche myghtely / and was slayne for Origene ¶Gordian regned after hym .vi. yere & of hym is lytell wryten / but he was slayne (Hijs die (bus) Celus dux Colchestrie in asclepto regnat in britānia ānts qua­si. xxx. vs (que) ad aduentū Constancij. La­ti M vacat) ¶Phylyp was Emperour after hym / & this Phylyp chose to hym Phylyp his sone / & they regned .xvij. ye­re / & were the fyrste Emperours y ^• were crystened / and after slayne of the hoste / They bequeued all ther tresour in ther deth / that it sholde be disposed to poore men. And saynt Laurence at the assyg­nacyon of his mayster the pope / depar­ted this tresour about Rome / the whiche was grete cause of his martyrdom (Vt quidē dicūt) ¶Decius was Emperour thre yere / & in all thynges a tyraūt. For he entred thempyre whan he & the hoste had slayne the two Philyppes his lordes & after y ^• he was slayne with his sone. ¶Fabianꝰ a martyr & a Romayne was pope after Anteros .xij. yere / this was a very holy man. For whan Crysten men stode to abyde the eleccyon of the pope / sodenly a whyte douue or a culuour des­cended on his heed / sayenge vnto hym / thou shalt be pope of Rome. This man ordeyned euery yere y ^• Creme sholde be halowed vpon Sherethursdaye. Also he deuyded regyons to deakens / the whiche sholde wryte the lyf of martyrs. And at the last Decius slewe hym. ¶Cornethus a martyr & Romayne was pope after Fabianꝰ .iij. yere. This man toke vp the bodyes of Peter & Poul / & with grete honour put them in worshypfull places w ^t beata Lucina. ¶Lucius was pope after Cornelius thre yere / & of hym lytell is wryten. ¶Gallus w ^t his sone Volucia­nus were Emperours two yere / & they fought with Emilianus / & were slayne And Emilianꝰ the thyrde moneth was slayne. ¶Valerian was Emperour with his sone Galyene .xv. yere. This man was vertuous & manly in the begynnynge / but after was gyuen to vyce / & mo­che wretchednesse. And so was his sone Galiene. This Valerian wente vnto y ^• londe of Perse. And therfore the greate blood of martyrs whiche he had shedde was taken of the kynge of Perse. And whan he had take hym / he put out both his eyen & kepte hym in grete bondage. And to this entente he kepte hym / that whan so euer he sholde ryde / this Vale­rian sholde lye downe / & he sholde sette his feet vpon his backe whan he wolde take his horse. This herde Galiene his [...]one y ^• was lefte at Rome. And that caused hym that he was not so cruell ayenst Crysten men. ¶And here was the .viij. persecucyon of the chirche made by the Emperour. And made the Romayns to lese ther kyngdomes / the whiche were neuer recouered ayen to the Emperoure / And generall pestylence was thrugh out all the worlde for ther trespasse. ¶Ste­phanus a martyr after Lucius was po­pe .iij. yere / this man ordeyned y ^• no man sholde vse none halowed clothes but to the worshyp of god. ¶Sixtus a martyr & a Romayne was pope after Stepha­nus two yere. This man ordeyned that the masse sholde be sayd vpon an awter the whiche afore was not / & thenne he deyed. ¶Dyonisiꝰ a Romayne was pope after hym two yere. This man deuyded parysshes & chircheyardes / & assy [...] ­ned [Page] to chirches certen preestes. ¶Felix a martyr was pope after Dyonisius two yere. He ordeyned that for the memorye of martyrs masses sholde be sayd. Also he ordeyned the Dedycacyon of the chirche euery yere sholde he sayd. ¶Claudiꝰ was Emperour after Valerian / this emperour subdued Gothas nobly / & then̄e he dyssessed.

¶Anno dm̄ .CC.lxxiiij.

EVticianus a martyr was pope after Felix .viij. yere. This man or­deyned y ^e corne & beenes shold be blessyd on the awter. And he buryed. CCC. &. xliiij. martyrs with his owne hondes / ¶ Aurelius was Emperour after Claudius .v. yere / this Aureliꝰ fyrst to crysten men was gentyll / wherfore he had the victory in euery place gloryously. And whan he was desceyued by cursyd men / & pursewed crysten men myghtly / & namely in Fraūce / for there he abode / & after that he had neuer good fortune. But was slayne. And this was the nynth persecucyon of the chirche & crysten fayth / ¶ Tacitus was Emperour after this man / & he regned but thre monethes & was slayne in Ponto. ¶Probus was Emperour after hym .v. yere & .iiij. monethes. This man recouered Fraunce a­yen / the whiche was occupyed with Barbaryk men. And he yaue them & Pannonias lycence to haue vyne yerdes. And whan he had almoost all thynges well in peas he sayd. Knyghtes within a ly­tell tyme shall not be necessary / & anone after he was slayne at Sirmiū. ¶Ca­rus & his two sones Carmus & Numerianꝰ were Emperours after Probus / but soone were they dyed / & theyr fader was drowned / & the two sones were slayne / all these thre regned but .ij. yere. ¶Dyo­clesian & Maximian came after these thre Emperours / tho one regned in the Eest / and the other in the Weste. The fyrste thynge that Dyoclesian dyde / he brente all the crysten mennes bokes that myght be founde. The two tyrauntes dyde more harme to Crysten men than euer dyde ony other. For .x. yere lasted the persecucyon. And as we rede / within .xxx. dayes .xx. thousande men were slay­ne for Crystis sake. And in Englonde all fayth was almoost destroyed in that tyme of Maximian. ¶Gatus was pope after Euticianus / this man ordeyned y ^• no man sholde accuse a bysshop or an o­ther clerke to ony seculer Iuge. And that a pagon or an heretyke sholde not accu­se a crysten man. Also he ordeyned that he that was worthy sholde ascende gree by gree to his ordre / fyrste Benet / than Colet / subdeacon / deacon / & than preest. And at the laste he was martred vnder Dyoclesian. ¶Arcellinꝰ a martyr was pope after Gaius .xi. yere and .iiij monethes. This man was persecuted sor [...] ­for drede of dethe he offred thir cornes of incense to the sacrifyce of the ydolles And afterwarde he openly repented & suffred the payne of deth for the fayth of the chirche of god. His body laye vn­buryed thre dayes for drede of the curse of god. And after thorugh auysyon of saynt Peter & Marcell / he was buryed at saynt Peters foot. ¶Marcellus was pope after Marcellmus .v. yere. This man ordeyned that a generall counseyll myght not be ordeyned without the au­ctoryte of the pope (Vt pꝪ .xvij. di. c. sino­dū) ¶Also he chose .xv. Cardynalles in the cyte to burye crysten men. At the last whan he hadꝭ kepte beestes longe tyme in a house closed in with them by the cō maundement of Maximian / be deyed for faute. ¶Eusebius a martyr was after this man two monethes & certayne dayes. This man of a laye man was made pope / & he ordeyned that no laye man sholde accuse his bysshop but yf he wente fro his fayth (vt pꝪ .ij. ix. vij. c. la [...] cos) ¶Nota. ¶This tyme saynt [Page] Albon was martred in Brytayne. This Albon whan he was a pagan / he lodged a certayne man / the whiche conuerted hym to the fayth / and after was Iuged vnto deth. And moche people he torned vnto our lorde / that were nygh the wa­ter / the whiche he made drye thrugh his praeyr. And he suffred deth nygh the cyte of Verelom (Vide plura in vita san­cti Albam) ¶Melchiades a martyr succeded Eusebiꝰ .iiij. yere. This man for­bode that men sholde faste ou Sondaye or on Thursdaye in so moche as paga­nes faste on those dayes. At the laste he was martred as alle his predecessours were. ¶And vnderstonde ye that there were .xxxiij. popes of Rome martred e­che one after other. Peter was the fyrst / and this Melchiades was the last. And thenne it was laudable after Gregory / a man to desyre a bysshopryche. ¶Ga­lerus was Emperour after Dyoclesian two yere / and an other with hym called Constancius. So was the Empyre in those dayes deuyded. This Constanci­us after he had conquered all spayne / he came in to grete Brytayne / and the­re he wedded a kynges doughter on whome he gate grete Constantyne. And this same Constancius deyed in Brytayne / and lyeth at Yorke / as Martyne sayth in his Cronycles / and lefte on lyue Constantyne that was goten on Eleyne / and was kynge of Brytayne & of Fraunce.

¶Circa annū dm̄. CCC. viij.

SIluester was pope after Melchiades. This was a gloryous Con­fessour / and many wayes he worshyped the chirche of god / what in wrytynge / what in myracles. He receyued the pa­trymony of saynt Peter. That is for to saye / the kyngdome of Ytalye with the cyte of Rome / of Constantynople the Emperour / and to the worshyp of the hole vnyuersall chirche of god he torned it. He baptysed Eleyne and the Iewes / and thenne he decessyd an holy Confes­sour. ¶Constantyne the myghty was Emperour this tyme. This Constantyne was a gloryous man and a victory­ous in bataylle. In gouernynge of the comyn people he was very wyse. And in the necessyte of the byleue he was with­out compayre. Deuoute. His pyte and his holynes ben so wryten in the bokes of holy doctours / that without doube / he is to be nombred amonge Sayntes. And the Grekes saye / that in the ende of his lyf he was made a monke. And more ye may here of hym in the Crony­cles of Englonde. For he was kynge in Englonde. ¶Helena the quene moder to Constantyne repayred agayne the holy Crosse this tyme. And she made .ixx. Colleges / and she glorifyed the state of all holy chirche. ¶Nicholas bysshop of Myrree seete an holy man was this ty­me. ¶Athanasius was this tyme bys­shop in Alexandre a gloryous doctour / made the (symbalum Quicun (que) vult saluus esse. & [...].) ¶Marcus was pope after Siluestes two yere and .viij. mo­nethes / this man ordeyned y ^e Crede sholde be openly songe in the chirche. And y ^• the bysshop of Hostience sholde consecrate the pope / & y ^• he sholde were a palle / ¶ Iulius was pope after Marcus .xi. yere / this man was exiled .x. yere / & after suffred deth vnder Constantyne y ^• seconde. ¶Constantinꝰ w ^t his two brethern regned .xxiiij. yere. And in his laste ende he was peruerted by the heresye of the Ariens by a bysshop called Eusebi. And he pursued the chirche of god strongely. The ende of this man was this. As he sholde god to Constantynople vnto a grete coūseyll / in the whiche coūseyll he thought to haue condempned the bys­shop and the clerkes of true byleue / he wente before vnto a chambre to auoyde suche thyngꝭ as nature requyred / & ano­ne sodeynly his bowels felle from hym / and [Page] therby was deed as ye now here. ¶Liberius was pope after Iulius .xix. yere & .vij. monethes. Thenne was the seconde dyscorde of y ^e chirche bytwene Li­beriꝰ & Felix / for the heresye of y ^• Ariens the whiche fauoured Liberius. Thenne Constancius themperour called ayen Liberius from his exile / by cause he fauoured this heresye. And the chirche deieced Liberius & toke Felix for pope / & the o­ther was expulsed as an heretyke of the chirche. But Felix obteyned not / for the Emperour put in Liberius & expulsed Felix. ¶Felix was pope after the dethe of this Liberius. And he declared Con­stancius the Emperour an heretyke / & anone after he was martred. ¶And he­re was the fyrst that euer the chirche of Rome had an Infamed pope. For alle the predecessours of this Libertus were sayntes & yaue holy ensamples. ¶Iuli­anus Apostata was after Constancius Emperour two yere & .viij. monethes / He was called Apostata / for he fledde this Constanciꝰ / whiche slewe his bro­ther. And for fere of deth was made a crysten man & a monke. But afterwar­de by the coūseyll of Nygromancers / he asked y ^• deuyll whether he sholde be Emperour or not. The deuyll sayd that he sholde be Emperour vpon a condicyon that he sholde forsake his crysten fayth and be viter enmye to crysten men. And so he dyde. For he yaue leue to the Iewes that they sholde buylde ayen the Tem­ple in spyte of the crysten men. And he toke al the goodes that crysten man had and destroyed many of them. ¶Iomi­nianus was Emperour after hym .viij. monethes. For whan Iulianus was deed the hoste chose hym Emperour. And he was a crysten man. And he sayd it was not leyffull to a crysten man to be lorde ouer so many hethen people. They an­swered and sayd. Rather than he sholde forsake the Empyre they wolde he cry­stened. And thus toke he the dygnyter. But soone he was deed / and in a mer­uayllous maner. For he was layde in a close hous after his Iourneye made all of stone / newely whyted with lyme / in the whiche they made to his comforte as they thought a fyre of char [...]oole. And of the ayre of these two in the morowe he was founde deed. ¶Valentinian with his brother Valent was Emperour af­ter. Iominianus .xi. yere. For he depar­ted the Empyre / & gaue his brother the eest / and kepte hymselfe the west parte / This Valentinian was a lorde with Iulianus Apostata. And it happed hym on a tyme for to goo in a Temple of false goddes for to do sacrifyce. And myny­stres stode there with water halowed af­ter the gyse with the whiche they shyn­kled the lordes. This Valentinian smo­te the mynyster that cast the water vpon hym & sayd. He was rather defoyled by it than clensed. For this Iulianus dyde exile hym. But our lorde god for his o­pen confessyon of his name rewarded hym with the Empyre. His brother Valent fell in to the opynyon of the Ariens and deyed in that heresye. This same Valent lyued foure yere after Valenti­nian w ^t Gracian themperour. ¶This tyme lyued saynt Ambrose.

¶Anno dm̄. CCC .xliiij.

DAmacius was pope after Felix xviij. yere & two monethes / this was an eloquent man in meter. And he wrote many storyes of popes & martyrs He ordeyned that Gloria patri sholde he sayd in y ^e endes of the psalmes. And that was at the prayer of saynt Ierom. And thrugh the mocyon of this pope Ierome translated the Byble from Hebre­we in to Latyn / & thenne he decssed a cō fessour. ¶Valens with Gracian & Va­lentinian were Emperours foure yere / In this tyme were chirches opened ayen and crysten men had leue to renewe the [Page] seruyce of god that was defended afore with Emperours enfected with heresye as was Valens & other / wherfore y ^e chirche had no lyberte whan Valens was on lyue. ¶A Synodus of a hondred and .l. bysshops were gadred vnder Damasiꝰ pope at Constantynope ayenst Mace­donium an heretyke / the whiche denyed the holy ghost to be very god. And then̄e was the Crede made / that is songe on holy dayes in the chirche. ¶Augustinus a Cartaginen̄ of Affrica was this tyme He was as noble a Rethoricien as myghte be. And in all phylosophye & poetrye incomparable. And all thynge that ony phylosopher foūde in his yougth / he vnderstode with lytell labour. And aboute this tyme he was sente to Mediolanum where he was torned anone of saynt Ambrose & baptysed. This man grewe vn­to a noble doctour of y ^e chirche. And not longe after that he was bysshop of Yponen̄. And there he lyued .liij. yere / & mo­che dyuynyte he wrote (vt patet in librissuis) ¶Siritiꝰ was pope after Dama­sius. xv. yere / he dampned heretykes / & lytell elles is wryten of hym. ¶Thodo­sius sone to Gracian with Valentyne his vncle were Emperours .xxvij. yere / This man was a crysten man & gracy­ous / & in gouernaūce lyke to Traianꝰ / soone wrothe & anone reconsyled. This man on a daye whan he wolde haue go­ne to haue herde masse / saynt Ambrose forbadde hym the entree of the chirche / tyll he had penaunce & made satysfac­cyon for the sleenge of .xxx. knyghtes the whiche he slewe in angre at Constanty­nople. Wherfore they made a lawe that the sentence of a prynce sholde be defer­red. xxx. dayes of those y ^• sholde do execusyon yf they myght falle in the grace of the prynce within the .xxx. days. ¶Aboute this tyme was a childe borne in the castell of Emons / from the nauyll and aboue deuyded in two bodyes / hauynge two heedes and two wyttes / so that the one slepynge or etynge / the other slepte not ne ete not. And whan they were two yere of aege / the one decessyd / and the o­ther lyued thre dayes after. ¶Claudius poeta was this tyme. ¶Arcadius & Ho­norius regned .xxx. yere. And in theyr ty­me Rome was nere destroyed by a kyn­ge called Alaticus. Of y ^• whiche destruccyon rose a grete blasphemye of the Romayns. For they sayd they fared neuer well sythen Cryste came to Rome / & be­reued them ther goodes by the prechyng of Peter & Poul. And yet this Arcadiꝰ subdued all his enmyes by the power of god / & shedde no blood. Ayenst this blasphemye saynt Austyn made y ^• solempne werke / the whiche they calle (de ciuitate dei) ¶Honorius was Emperour with Theodosius his broders sone .xv. yere & he was a man of holy lyf. For two wy­ues he had / & yet w ^t bothe he deyed may­den. He loued specyally the chirche & hated heretykes. ¶Ierom deyed this tyme at Bethleem the yere of his aege .lxxxi. ¶Sanctus Heracides the whiche wrote Vitas patrū to lapsū episcopū was this tyme. ¶Iohannes Crysostomꝰ was exiled of Endochia the wyfe of Arcadius / & thrugh heete of the sonne he was deed ¶Anastasius was pope after Siritius thre yere. This man ordeyned that eue­ry man sholde stande at the redynge of the holy gospell. And that he that was a maymed man sholde not be preest. ¶Innocencius was pope after Anastasius / this man ordeyned that syke men sholde be anoynted with holy oyle. And at masse the kysse of peas to be yeuen / And he dampned Pelagyen an heretyke and many other thynges dyde (vt patet .xxvi. q. i.)

¶Anno dm̄ .CCCC.xiiij.

ZOzimus was pope after Inno­cencius two yere & .viij. monethes This man ordeyned that clerkes shal­de [Page] be no tauerners ne selle no wyne / & that a bounde man sholde be made noo preest withoute the lycence of his lorde. ¶Bonifacius a Romayne was pope after Zozimus foure yere. This man ordeyned that a woman sholde not touche the palle of the awter ne sholde not was she the awter. ¶Celestinus a Romayne was pope after Bonifacius .viij. yere & ix. dayes / the whiche ordeyned the psal­me afore masse (Iudica me deus. &c̄.) And att the begynnynge of the masse sholde be sayd a verse of a psalme / and at the Grayle / and that the Offertorye sholde be sayd afore the sacrynge. This same man sente saynt Patryke to Irlonde to conuerte that londe / and Palladiꝰ deaken of Rome to the Scottes to be conuerted. ¶And in the fourth yere of this man there was a generall Synody at Ephysina of thre hondred bysshops ayenst Nestorium an heretyke. ¶Theo­dosius the yonger with Valentinian his neuewe regned .xxvij. yere. In his tyme was the feest ordeyned / whiche is called Aduincula sancti petri. And in his tyme deyed saynt Austyn / in the yere of his aege .lxxvi. And this tyme was reysed the .vij. slepers / the whiche sleped two hondred yeres. This man deyed at Constātynople & there was buryed. ¶This tyme the Saxons entred Englonde / and anone by lytyll and lytell they gre­we vp myghtely. And at the laste they opteyned all the londe. ¶Sixtus a Ro­mayne was pope after Celestinus .viij. yere. This was a holy man and a meke And lytell of hym is wryten but that he buylded Sancta Maria maior. ¶Leo Tuscus a Confessour was pope after Sixtus. This man was as holy as ony man. Fyue tymes in a daye or more he wolde saye masse. And on a tyme after it befell whan a certayne woman kyssed his honde / he was tempted with her / And for the trespaas that he hadde do­ne / vnto his penaunce he made his honde to be stryken of. And whan the noyse rose vpon hym that he myght not saye masse as he was wonte to do / thenne he was ryght sory. And all oonly betoke hym in prayer to our lady to helpe hym And our lady restored hym his honde a­yen and thenne he sayd masse as he was wonte for to doo. And soo that myrade was openly shewed to all people. And in the tyme of this pope. Marcian the Emperour beynge there / was congregate at Calcedany the fourthe vnyuersall Synody of .vi. hondred and .xxx. bys­shops agaynst Eusticem the abbot of Constantynopoliton and (Alterandruen episcopū. qui negauerunt in rp̄o ve [...]am carnem fuisse. et etiam negabant carnis nostre resurrectionem) ¶And after he had made many notable sermons & epystles he decessed. ¶Marcianus and Va­lentinianus were Emperours this ty­me. vij. yere. In whose tyme was the grete Synody afore reherced / whan Eusti­cem & Dyoscorus were condempned.

IN the tyme that Marcianus was Emperour Vortiger was kynge in Brytayne now called Englonde. In whose tyme the Sarons came in to Brytayne & made many kynges. That is to wyte as is playne by the Cronycles .vij. And by cause it is tedyous to mannes reason to reherce many dyuerse names togyder / as .vij. kynges of Englonde and in one tyme / the Emperours and Popes. Therfore the Cronycles of En­glonde shall be sette togyder / tyll that we shall treate of Alured. In whose ty­me the Danes came in to Englonde. And the Popes and the Emperours and other kynges in the same tyme shall be sette togyder.

¶Circa annū dm̄. CCCC .xlix.
¶How the wardeyns that had those childern to kepe that were Constantynes ladde theym to lytell Brytayne / for the treason & the falsenesse of Vortiger.

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THis tyme came the Saxons that were pagans fyrst in to Brytayne now called Englonde vnder Vorti­ger the whiche was crowned kynge of this londe. ¶This tyme those that had these two childern in kepynge the which were Constantynes sones. That is to saye Aurilambros & Vter / thrugh ordy­nance of Gosselin y ^• was bysshop of London after the faders deth / that is to saye Constantyne / durste not dwelle in this londe with those childern / but conueyed them vnto the kynge of lytell Brytayn For as moche as he tho wyst the treason of Vortiger / that tho was made kynge. Thorugh whome Constance the elder brother was slayne / wherfore the hon­dred knyghtꝭ of Pehites were put to deth & bore all the blame / as y ^• Vortiger had not wyst therof ne consented. And so the kepers of those two childern / dradde lest Vortiger sholde put them to deth thrugh his treason & falsenesse / as he had done the brother before. And therfore they were ladde ouer in to lytell Brytayn / & the kyng them receyued with moche honour & lete them to nourysshe. And there they dwelled tyll they became fay [...] knyghtꝭ and stronge & fyers. And thought to be auenged vpon Constance theyr brother whan they sawe theyr tyme / & soo they dyde as ye shall here telle afterwarde. ¶It was not longe afterwarde that the tydynges came ouer see to the kyn­rede of the hondred knyghtꝭ of Pehite [...] that were dampned & put to deth thrugh Vortiger in this londe / therfore they we­re wonderly wrothe and swore that they wolde be auenged of theyr kynnes mens deth. And came in to this londe with a grete power / and robbed in many pla­ces / and slewe & dyde all the sorowe that they myght. Whan Vortiger it wyst / he made moche sorowe & was sore anoyed / And in an other place also tydynges came to hym / that Aurtlambros and Vter his brother assembled a grete hoste to come into moche Brytayne / that is to say in to this londe / for to be auenged vpon Constance theyr brothers deth. Soo in that one half and in that other / he was brought in to soo moche sorowe that he ne wyst whether to go.

¶How Engist and an .xi. thousande men came in to this londe / to whome Vortiger yaa [...]e a place that is called Thongcastell.

ANd soone after this sorowe / ty­dynges came to Vortiger that a grete nauy of straungers were arryued in y ^• coūtree of Kent / he wyst not whens they were ne wherfore they were come in to this londe. ¶The kyng sent ano­ne a messager thyder / that some of them sholde come & speke with hym / for to wyte what folke they were & what they axed / & in to what countree they wolde / ¶ There were two brethern maysters & prynces of that stronge company / that one was called Engist & y ^t other Horne. Engist wente to the kynge & tolde hym the cause wherfore they were come in to this londe & sayd. Syr we ben of a coū ­tre y ^t is called Saxonie / that is the londe of Germayne / wherin is so moche so­rowe / y ^• of the people ben so many that [Page] the londe may not them susteyne. And the maysters and prynces that haue the londe to gouerne and rule. They made to come before them men and wymmen that boldest ben amonge theym for to fyght / and that best may trauayll in to dyuerse londes. And so they sholde them yeue horse & harneys / armour / and all thynge that them nedeth And after they shall saye to them / that they go in to another countree where that they mowe lyue / as theyr Auncetrees dyde them before. And therfore syr kynge / yf ye haue ought to do with our company / we ben comen in to your londe / and with good wyll you wolde serue and your londe kepe helpe and defende from your enmyes yf that ye nede. ¶Whan Vortiger her­de these tydynges / he sayd gladly he wolde theym withholde / vppon suche coue­naunt / yf they myght delyuer his londe of his enmyes / he wolde yeue theym re­sonable londes where they sholde dwelle for euer more. ¶Engist thanked hym goodly / and in this maner he and his company a .xi. thousande sholde dwelle with the kynge Vortiger. And moche they dyde thrugh theyr boldenesse / they delyuered his londe of his enmyes clene ¶Tho prayed Engist the kynge of so moche londe that he myght make to hȳ a cyte and for his meyne. ¶The kynge answered / it was not to do without the counseyll of Brytons. ¶Engist prayed hym eftsones of as moche place as he myght compace w ^t a thonge of a skynne wherupon he myghte make a Maneer for hym to dwelle on. And the kynge hȳ graunted freely. ¶Tho toke Engist a bulles skynne / and kytte it as smale as he myght all in to [...]o thonge all a roun­de. And therwith compaced he as moche londe as he myght thenne make vpon a fayre castell. And so whan this castell was made / he lete calle it Thongcastell for as moche as the place was marked with a thonge.

¶Of Ronowen that was Engistes doughter / and how the kynge Vortiger spowsed her for her beaute.

SO whan this castell was made / & full well arayed. Engist pryuely dyde sende by letter in to the countree where he came fro / after an hōdred shyppes fylled with men that were stronge & & also well fyghtynge in all bataylles / And that they sholde also brynge with them Ronowen his doughter / that was the fayrest creature that a man myght see. ¶And whan those people were co­me that he had sente after / he toke them in to the castell with moche Ioye. And hymself vpon a daye wente vnto y ^• kynge / & prayed hym there worthely that he wolde come & see his newe maneer that he had made in the place y ^• he had com­passed with the thonge of the skynne ¶The kynge anone graūted hym free­ly. And with hym wente thyder / & was well apayed with the castell & with the fayre werke / and togyder they ete & dranke with moche Ioye. And whan nyght came that the kynge Vortiger sholde go in to his chambre to take there his nyghtes reste. Ronowen that was Engistes doughter came with a cuppe of golde in her honde / and kneled before the kynge and sayd to hym (Wassaylle) And the kynge knewe not what it was for to meane ne what he sholde answere there vpon / for as moche as hymself / ne none of all his Brytons coude noo engl [...]sshe speke ne vnderstonde it / but he spake in the same langage that Brytons done yet. Neuertheles a latiner tolde it to the kynge the full vnderstandynge therof / (Wasshayll) and that other sholde drynke (hayll) And that was the fyrst tyme that (wasshayll) and (drynkhayll) ca­me vp in this londe. And from y ^• tyme vnto this tyme / it is well vsed in this londe. ¶The kynge Vortiger sawe the fayrnesse of Ronowen / & his armes layde [Page] about her necke / & thryes swetely kys­sed her / & anone ryght he was enamou­red vpon her y ^• he desyred to haue her to wyf / & asked of Engist her fader. And Engyst graunted hym vpon this coue­naunt / y ^• the kynge sholde yeue hym all the coūtree of Kent / that he there myght dwelle in & his people. The kyng hym graūted pryuely with a good wyll. And anone he spowsed the damoysell / & that was moche confusyon to hymself. And therfore all the Brytons became so wrothe / for by cause he spowsed a woman of mysbyleue. Wherfore they wente all from hym / and no thynge to hym toke / ne halpe hym in thynge that he had to done.

¶How Vortimer that was Vortigers sone was made kynge / & Engist dryuen out. And how Vortimer was slayne.

THis Engist wente in to Kente & seased all y ^• londe in to his hon­de for hym & for his men / & became with in a lytill whyle of so grete power / & so moche people had / y ^t men wyst not in lytell tyme whiche were the kyngꝭ men & whiche were Engistes men. Wherfore all the Brytons had of hym drede / and sayd amonges theym. But yf y ^• they ne toke other coūseyll bytwene them / all y ^• londe sholde be bytrayed thrugh Engist & his people. ¶Vortiger the kynge had begoten on his fyrst wyf thre sones. The fyrst was called Vortimer. The seconde Catagien / & the thyrde Passent. ¶The Brytons euerychone by one assent cho­se Vortimer to be theyr lorde & soueray­ne / & coūseyler in euery batayll / & crow­ned hym & made hym kynge / & wolde not suffre Vortiger no lenger to regne / for cause of the alyaūce betwixt Engist and hym. ¶The Brytons ordeyned a grete hoste to dryue out Engist and his company of the londe / & yaue hym thre bataylles. The fyrst was in Kente there he was lorde / the seconde [...] at Te [...]orde / and the thyrde in a shyre a this half Colchestre in a more. And in this batayle theym mette Catagien & Home En­gistes brother / so that eche of theym sle­we other. But for as moche as the coū ­tree was yeuen longe before to Horne thrugh Vortiger / tho he spowsed his co­syn / there he made a fayre castell that is called Horncastell after his owne na­me. And Vortimer was soo anoyed for his brothers deth / that anone he lete fell downe the castell to the groūde. And af­ter he ne lefte nyght ne daye tyll he had dryuen out Engist and his people of the londe. And thenne Ronowen his doughter made sorowe ynough. And quentely spake to them that were next the kynge Vortimer and pryuyest with hym. And so moche she gaue hym of gyftes / that he was enpoysened / and deyed at Lon­don the fourth yere of his regne / & there he lyeth.

¶How the Brytons chose an other ty­me Vortiger to be theyr kynge / and Engist came in to this londe / and how they fought togyders.

AFter Vortimers deth / the Bry­tonr by theyr comyn assente eft soones made Vortiger theyr kyng vpon this couenaūt / y ^• he sholdde neuer after suffre Engist ne none of his eft sones to come in to this londe. And whan all this was done. Ronowen the quene pryuely sente by letter to Engist y ^• she had enpoy sened Vortimer / & y ^• Vortiger her lorde bare ayen y ^• crowne & regned. And that he sholde come ayen into this londe wel arayed with moche people for to auen­ge hym vppon the Brytons / and for to wȳne this londe ayen. ¶And whan Engist herde these tydynges / he made gre­te Ioye. And appareylled hym hastely with .xv. thousande men / y ^• were dughty in euery batayll / & came in to this lon­de. [Page] ¶And whan Vortiger herde tell that Engist was come ayen with a grete power in to this londe / he assembled his Brytons / & tho wente ayenst Engist for to ye [...]e hȳ batayll & his folke. But En­gist dradde hym sore of the Brytons / for they had dryuen hym before & discomfyted hym w ^t strength. Wherfore this En­gist prayed hȳ of a loue daye / & sayd he was not comen in to this londe for to fyght / but for to haue his londe ayen yf he myght accorde with the Brytons / & of them to haue loue & grace. The kynge Vortiger thrugh coūseyll of his Brytons graūted hym a loue day. And thus it was ordeyned thrugh the Brytons / y ^• the same daye sholde be holden fast besyde Salisbury vpon a hylle. And Engist sholde come thyder with foure hondred knyghtes without moo. And the kynge with as many of the wysest men of his londe. And at that daye the kynge came with his counseyll as it was ordeyned / But Engist had warned his knyghtes pryuely / & them cōmaunded that euery one of them sholde put a longe knyf in his hose. And whan he sayd Fayre syres now is tyme to speke of loue & peas euery man. Anone sholde drawe out his knyue & slee a Bryton. And so they slewe a M .lxi. knyghtes / & with moche sorowe many of them escaped. And the kynge Vortiger there hymself tho was taken / & ladde to Thongcastell & put in pry­son. And some of Engistes men wolde that the kynge had be [...]ente all quycke And Vortiger tho for to haue his lyfe / graūted them as moche as they wolde axe / & yaue vp all the londe / townes / ca­stelles / cytees / & borughs to Engyst and to his folke. And all the Brytons fledde thens in to Walys / and there they helde them styll. And Engist wente thorugh the londe and seased all the londe / with fra [...]chyses. And in euery place lete cast a do [...]ne chirches & houses of Religyon And wasted and destroyed crystendome thrughout all this londe. And lete chaū ­ge the name of this londe called Brytayne / that noo man of his were so hardy after that tyme to calle this londe Bry­tayne / but calle it Engist londe. And thenne he departed all the londe to his men / and there made .vij. kynges for to strength y ^• londe that the Brytons shol­de neuer after come therin. ¶The fyrste kyngdome was Kent / there that En­gist hymself regned / and was lorde and mayster ouer all the other. ¶The other kynge had Southsex that now is called Chichestre. ¶The thyrde kynge hadde Westsex. ¶The fourth hadde Eestsere ¶The fyfth had Estangill / that now is calld Nortfolke. Southfolke. Merche merik / that is to saye / therldome of Ni­choll. ¶The sixth had Leycheter shyre. Northampton shyre. Herforde / & Hun­tyngdon. ¶The seuenth had Orenfor­de. Glouchestre. Wynchestre. Werwyke. and Derby shyre.

¶How that Vortiger went in to Walys and beganne there a castell that wolde not stande without morter tempred with blood.

AS Engist had departed all the lond in this maner bytwene his men / & delyuered Vortiger out of pryson & sufffed hym freely to go whyther that he wolde. And he toke his waye & went in to Walys there y ^• his Brytons dwel­led / for as moche as y ^• londe was stronge & wycked to wynne. And Engist neuer came there ne neuer knewe it before that londe. ¶Vortiger helde hym there with his Brytons / and a [...]d counseyll what hym was best to do. And they yaue hym counseyll to make a stronge castell that he myght hymself there in kepe and defende yf nede where. Masons in hast tho were fette / & began to werke vpon the hylle of Breigh / but certes thus it befell that all the werke y ^• the masons made [Page] a daye / downe it felle the nyght / & they wyst not what it myght be. Therof the kynge was sore anoyed of that chaūce & wyst not what to do. Wherfore he lete sende after the wysest clerkes & also ler­ned men than were thorugh out Walys that myght be founde / for they sholde telle wherfore the foūdament so fayled vnder the werke / & that they sholde hym tell what was best for to do. And whan these wyse men longe tyme had studyed they sayd to the kyng / that he sholde do seke a childe borne of a woman that ne­uer had with man to do. And that chil­de sholde be slayne / and tempre with his blood the morter of the werke. And soo sholde the werke euer endure withouten ende.

¶How the kynge lete seke Merlyn tho­rugh out all Walys / for to speke w ^t hym

AS the kynge herde this / he cō ­maunded his messagers anone to go thrugh out Walys to seke y ^• childe yf they myght hym fynde / & that they sholde hym brynge forth with them vn­to hym. And in recorde & in wytnesse of this kynge he had take them his letters that they ne were distroubled of no man ne lette. And tho the messengers wente thens / & spedde so fast y ^• they came in to a towne that was called Carmardyne / And as they passed forth ther waye they foūde two children of .xxilij. yere of aege chidynge togyder w ^t hasty wordes. And one of them sayd to that other. Donebat sayd he ye do all wronge to chyde or stryue with me for ye haue no wytte ne no reason as I haue. Certes Merlyn sayd he / of your wytte ne your reason I ma­ke no force. For men telle comynly that ye haue nothynge of god almyghty syth ye had neuer fader / but euery man kno­weth who was your moder. ¶The messengers of y ^• kynge Vortiger whan they herde the stryue betwixt the two gromes they axed of them that stode besyde them whens that Merlyn was borne / & also whome hym nourysshed. And the folke them tolde / that a grete gentyll woman hym bare in Carmardyne that was called Adhan. But neuer myght no man wyte who was his fader. ¶Whan the kynges messengers herde these tydynges they went anone to hym y ^• was Wardey ne of y ^• towne & tolde hȳ the kyngꝭ wyll & shewed hȳ his letter wherfore they were come thyder. ¶Merlyn & his moder were fetched before y ^• Wardeyne of the towne. And he cōmaunded them y ^• they sholde go to the kynge as it was ordey­ned by his messengers. ¶Merlyn & his moder wente thens & came vnto y ^• kyng & there they were receyued w ^t moche honour. And the kynge axed of y ^• lady yf that childe were her sone & whome hym begate. The lady answered full tender­ly wepynge & sayd. She neuer had company of worldly man. But syr sayd she As I was a yonge mayden in my faders chambre / & other of grete lygnage were in my company / that oftentymes went to playe & solace. I be lefte alone in my chambre / & wolde not go forth for brennynge of the sonne. And on a tyme there came a fayre bacheler & entred in my chambre there y ^• I was alone. But how he came in to me / & where. I wyst it ne­uer / ne yet knowe I not. For y ^• doores were fast barred & with me he dyde [...] of loue. For I ne had myght ne power / hym to defende from me. And often he came vnto me in the forsayd maner / so that he begate this childe. But neuer myght I wyte what he was.

¶Of the answere of Merlyn wherfore the kyng axed why his castel myght not stonde that he had begonne ne pro [...]e.

SO whan Merlyn had herde all that his moder had sayd. He spake to the kynge in this [...]. ¶ [...] [Page] how I was begoten / axe ye no more. For it falleth not to you / ne to none other to wyte. But telle me the cause wherfore I am to you brought and wherfore ye ha­ue sente after me. ¶Truely sayd y ^• kynge / my wyse counseyllers haue done me to vnderstonde / that the morter of a werke that I haue begonne / behoueth to be tempred with your blood / or the funda­ment shall fayle for euer more. ¶Syre sayd Merlyn. Wyll ye slee me for my blood to tempre with your mortere. Ye sayd the kynge / or elles my castell shall neuer stande as my counseyllers doo me to vnderstonde. Tho answered Merlyn to the kynge. Syr he sayd / lete them co­me before me those wyse counseyllers / & I woll preue that they sayen not well ne truly. And whan the wyse men were comen. Merlyn axed yf his blood were the cause to make this werke to stonde and endure. All tho wyse men were abasshed & coude not answere. Merlyn tho sayd to the kynge. Syr I shall tell you the cause wherfore your werke thus fay­leth and may not stande. There is vn­der the mountayne there that ye haue buylded your toure a grete ponde of water / and in the botome of the ponde vn­der the water there ben two dragons / & that one is whyte / and that other reede / that fyght togyder ayenst your werke / Do ye myne depe tyll your men come to the ponde / and cause your men to take awaye the water all out / and thenne ye shall see the dragons as I haue you tol­lde / that togyder fyght ayenst your wer­ke / and this is the cause wherfore your fundament fayleth. The kynge anone lete dygge vnder tyll that men came to the ponde / and lete do awaye the water / and there they founde two dragons as Merlyn had tolde them y ^• egerly fought togyder. The whyte dragon egerly as­sayled the reede / and layde on hym soo strongely that he myght not endure / but withdrewe hym and rested in the same ca [...]e. And whan he had a whyle rested hym / he wente before and assayled the reede dragon angrely / and helde hym so sore that he myght not ayenst hym endure / but withdrewe hym and rested. And after came ayen the whyte dragon and strongely fought with the reede dragon. and bote hym euyll and hym ouercame. that he fledde from thens and nomore came agayne.

¶Of the sygnyfycacyon of those two dragons that were in the botome of the ponde that fought togyder.

THis kyng Vortiger and his men that sawe this batayll had gre­te meruayle / and prayed Merlyn to tell hym what it myght betoken. Syr quod Merlyn I shall telle you. The reede dragon betokeneth yourself / and the whyte betokeneth the folke of Saxon that fyr­ste ye toke and helde in your londe that fyght ayenst you / and you haue dryuen and enchaced. ¶But Brytons of your lygnage ouercame them & droue them awaye And sythen at the comynge ayen of the Saxons they recouered this lon­de and helde it for euer more. And droue out the Brytons and dyde with this londe all theyr wyll / and destroyed crysten­dome thrugh out this londe. Ye had fyr­ste grete Ioye with theyr comynge / but now it is corned to you grete damage & sorowe. For tho two brethern of Con­stance that was kynge the whiche ye le­te slee shall come before a quinzeme passed with a grete power from lytell Brytayne / & shall auenge the deth of theyr brother. And they shall brenne you fyrst with sorowe / and after they shall slee a grete parte of Saxons / and shall dryue out all the remenaunt of the londe. And therfore abyde ye here no lenger to ma­ke castell nor other werke. But anone go elles where your lyues all for to saue To god I you betake / trouthe I haue [Page] sayd to you of thynges that shall befall ¶And vnderstande ye well that Auri­lambros shall be kynge. But he shall be enpoysoned / & lytell tyme shall he regne

¶Of kynge Aurilambros how that he pursewed Vortiger & Engist / and how they deyed.

MErlyn and his moder departed from the kynge / and torned a­gayne to Carmardyn. And soone after tydynges came to the Brytons that Aurilambros and Vter his brother were arryued at Totuesse with a greate hoste / And anone y ^• Brytons assembled them and wente to receyue Aurilambros and Vter with grete noblesse. And had them vnto London / and crowned Aurilam­bros and made hym kynge / and dyde vnto hym homage. And anone he axed where Vortiger that was kynge myght be founde / for he wolde be auenged on his brothers dethe / and after he wolde warre vppon paynems. And they tolde hym that Vortiger was in Walys / and so they ladde hym thytherwarde. ¶Vortiger wyst well that tho brethern came hym to conquere / and fledde thens in to a castell that was called Gerneth that stode vppon an hyghe mountayrie / and there hym helde. Aurilambros and Vter his brother and theyr folke had besye­ged the castell full longe tyme / for the castell was stronge and well arrayed. ¶So at the laste they casted wylde fyre and brent houses and men and all theyr araye / and as moche as was within the castell. So that Vortiger was brente a­monge all other / and soo he deyed with moche sorowe. ¶Tho was Engist in Kente and regned there / and herde this tydynges / and anone fledde and wolde haue gone in to Scotlonde for to haue had socoure. But Aurilambros and his men mette with hym in the north coun­tree and yaue hym batayll. And Engist and his men defended whyles that they myght. But he and his folke were dys­comfyted and slayne. And Octa his so­ne fledde vnto Yorke. And Aurilambros hym folowed egrely. And Octa a lytell whyle withstode hym. But afterwarde he put hym to his mercy. And Aurilambros receyued hym / and to hym and to his men gaaf the countree of Galeway in Scotlonde / and there they dwelled / ¶ The kynge Aurilambros wente tho­rugh out the londe / and put awaye the name of Engistlonde / that Engist af­ter his name had called it before. Tho lete he it calle agayne grete Brytayne / and lete make ayen chirches / houses of relygyon / castelles / cytees / and borughs▪ and townes that the Saxons hadde de­stroyed. And came to London / and lete make the walles of the cyte / whiche Engist and his folke hadde caste downe / ¶ The Brytons ladde hym vnto the mount of Ambriam that somtyme was an hous of relygyon / that tho was de­stroyed thrugh the paynems. ¶Wherof a knyght that was called Ambri some tyme was founder of that house. And therfore the same hylle was called the mounte of Ambrian. And after it was called Ambresbury. And shall be so for euer more.

¶How Aurilambros dyde redresse the londe of greate Brytayne / that whiche was dstroyed thorugh the Saxons be­fore sayd.

HOw the kynge Aurilambros le­te amende and redresse the house of Ambresbury / and there in put mon­kes. But now there ben Nonnes a ly­tell fro the place that was called Sa­lysbury / are that the Saxons slewe the Brytons / where Engist and they sholde haue made a loue daye. In the whiche tyme were slayne a thousande knygh­tes .lxi. thrugh treason of Engist. The [Page] kynge therof had grete pyte & thought to make in mynde of them a monumēt of stone y ^• myght endure to the worldes ende. And of this thynge they toke ther coūseyll what therof was best for to do / ¶ Tho spake to the kynge the bysshop of London y ^• was called Ternekyn y ^• he sholde requyre after Merlyn. For he coude best tell how this thynge myght best be made. And Merlyn after was sought and foūde & came to y ^• kynge. And the kynge tolde hym his wyll of the monu­ment y ^t he wolde haue made. Merlyn answered to the kynge & sayd. There ben grete stones in Irlonde / & longe vpon the hylle of Kyan y ^• men called Gyauntes karoll. And yf they were in this place as they ben there / they wolde endure for e­uer more in remēbraūce of those knygh­tes that here be entyred. ¶Per may foy sayd the kyng As harde stone ben in my londe as in Irlonde. ¶Soth sayd Mer­lyn. but in all your londe ben none suche For gyauntes sette them for grete good of themself. For at euery tyme that they were woūde or in ony maner hurte / they wysshe the stones with hote water / and thenne they wysshe them therwith & a­none they were hoole.

¶How the Brytons wente for to seke the grete stones in Irlonde.

ASsoone as the Brytons had herde of this thynge / they yede and swore amonge them they wolde go seke those stones. And toke w ^t them Vter the kynges brod (er) to be chyef capitayne & .v. thousande men / & Merlyn coūselled thē for to go vnto Iolonde & so they dyde / And whan the kynge of Irlonde y ^• was called Guillomer herde telle that straū gers were arryued in his londe / he assembled a grete power & fought ayenst them But he & his folke were dyscomfyted / ¶ The Brytons wente before tyll they came to the mount of Kyan / & clȳmed vp vnto the mount. But whan they sa­we the stones & the maner how they stode / they had grete meruaylle & sayd by­twene themselfe / that noo man sholde them remeue for no strength ne engyne so grete they were & so longr. But Merlyn thrugh his crafte he remeued them & brought them in to theyr shyppes and came ayen in to this londe. And Merlyn sette the stones there that the kyng wol­de haue them. And sette them in the sa­me maner that they stode in Irlonde / And whan the kynge sawe that it was made he thanked Merlyn / and rychely hym rewarded at his owne wyll. And that place lete calle it Stonhenge for euer more.

¶How Passent that was Vortigers so­ne and the kynge Guillomer came in to this londe / and how a traytour that was called Cappa enpoyseneu the kyn­ge Aurilambros.

ANd men shall vnderstande that Passent that was Vortigers so­ne lyued the same tyme / and came in to this londe w ^t a grete power / & arryued in the north coūtree & wolde be auenged of his faders deth Vortiger / & strongely trusted vppon the company that he had brought w ^t hym out of y ^• londe of Ger­mayne / & had conquered all the North coūtree vnto Yorke. ¶And whan kyng Aurilambros herde this / he assembled a grete power of Brytons & wente for to fyght with Passent / & he dyscomfyted Passent & all his people. But Passent escaped thens with some of his men / & fledde thens in to Irlonde and came to kynge Guillomer & prayed hym of hel­pe & socour. The kynge graunted hym with good wyll & sayd / that he wolde helpe hym / vpon that couenaūt that I my selfe muste go with you with all my power in to Brytayne. And I wolde [...] aduenge vpon the Brytons the rather / [Page] for they came in to my londe & toke the stones with strength y ^• is called Gyaū ­tes karoll. ¶The kynge Guillomer le te ordeyne his shyppes & wente to the see with .xv. thousande men / & arryued in Walys & began to robbe / & moche soro­we he dyde. ¶It befell so that kynge Aurilambros laye syke at Wynchestre / & myght not helpe hymself. So that he sente in his name Vter his brother with a power to helpe Walys. And thyther­warde he wente as moche as he myght. ¶The kynge of Irlonde and Passent herde telle that Aurilambros was syke / & to hym there came a Sarrasyn that was called Cappa & sayd. Syre dwelle ye here all in peas with your hoste / & I behyght you thorugh my quayntesye y ^• I shall slee the kynge Aurilambros that is syke. Thenne sayd Passent / yf ye do so I shall you rychely auaūce. The traytour Cappa put vpon hym an habyte of religyon / & lete shaue hym a brode crowne & came vnto the kynges courte / and sayd that he wolde helpe the kynge of his malady. Tho sayd y ^e traytour Cappa vnto the kynge. Syr be of good comforte. For I shall yeue you suche a medycyne that ye shall swete anone ryght & lyste to slepe & haue good reste. And the traytour yaaf hym suche poyson to sle­pe anone ryght / and deyed in his slepynge. And the traytour sayd that he wolde go out in to the felde tyll he were awa­ked / & so escaped he awaye. For no man had to hym suspeccyon / for by cause of his habyte that he was clothed in / and also for his brode shauen crowne. But whan the kynges men wyst that he was deed / they became wonder sory / and fast soughte the traytour / but they myghte not fynde hym. For that Cappa torned ayen vnto the hoste from whens that he came.

¶Whan Aurilambros deyed a sterre in the morne was seen with a clere lyght / & at the bought of the beeme was seen she heed of an horryble dragon.

SO whan the kyng Aurilambros was deed & enpoysoned at Wynchestre. On the morne after he was deed about the tyme of Pryme there was se­ne a sterre grete & clere / & the beeme of that sterre was bryghter than the sonne And at the bought of the beeme apperid a dragons heed / & out of his mouth ca­me two huge lyghtes / y ^t were as bryght as ony fyre brennynge / & that one beeme towarde Fraunce and streyght ouer the see thytherwarde. And out of that bee­me came .vij. beemes full clere & longe as it were the lyght fyre. ¶This sterre was seen of many a man / but none of them wyste what it betokened. ¶Vter that was the kynges brother that was in Walys with his hoste of Brytons / sawe that sterre & the grete lyght that it yaue / they wondred therof gretly what it myght betoken And lete calle Merlyn and prayed hym for to telle what that it myght betoken.

¶Of the betokenynge of the sterre.

MErlyn sawe that sterre / & behel­de it longe tyme. And sythen he quoke & wept tenderly. And sayd. Alas alas y ^t so noble a kyng & worthy is deed And I do you to vnderstande that Aurilambros your brother is poysoned / & y ^• I see well in this sterre. And yourself is betokened the heed of the dragon y ^• is seen at the bought of the beeme / that is your self y ^t shall be kynge & regne. And by the beeme that stondeth towarde the Eest is vnderstonde y ^t ye shall gete a sone that shall conquere all Fraunce / & all the londes y ^t belongeth to the crowne of Fraū ­ce / that shall be a worthyer kynge & of more hononr than euer were ony of his auncetours. ¶And by the beeme y ^• stret­ched towarde Irlonde is betokened that [Page] ye shal gete a doughter that shal be que­ne of Irlonde. ¶And the .vij. beemes be­token that ye shall haue .vij. sones. And euery one of them shall be kynge / & regne with moche honour. And abyde ye no lenger here / but go & yeue batayll to your enmyes / and fyght with them bol­dely for ye shall ouercome them & haue the victory. ¶Vter thanked hertely Merlyn / and toke his men & wente towarde his enmyes / & they fought togyder mortally / & so he dyscomfyted his enmyes & them destroyed. And hymself slewe Passent that was Vortigers sone. And his Brytons slewe Guillomer y ^t was kyng of Irlonde & all his men. ¶And Vter anone after that batayll toke his waye towarde Wynchestre / for to do entyere Aurilambros kynge that was his bro­ther. But tho was the body bor [...] vnto Stonhenge with moche houour / that he had done make in remembraūce of the Brytons that there were slayne thrugh treason of Engist / that same daye that they sholde haue ben accorded. And in the same place they entyered Aurilam­bros the seconde yere of his regne with all the worshyp that myght belonge to suche a kynge. On whoos soule god ha­ue mercy. Amen.

¶Of Vter Pendragon / and wherfore he was called so ye shall here. And how he was ouertake with the loue of Igrey ne that was the Erle of Cornewaylles wyf.

AFter the dethe of Aurilambros Vter his brother was crowned / and regned well & worthely. And in re­membraunce of the dragon that he was lykened to / he lete make two dragons thrugh counseyll of his Brytons. And made that one for to be borne before hȳ whan he wente in to batayll / and that other for to abyde at Wynchestre in the bysshops chirche. And for that cause he was called euer after Vter Pendragon / ¶ And Octa that was Engistes sone cōmended Vter but lytell that was ma­de newe kynge. And ayenst hym began to meue warre. And ordeyned a grete power of his frendes & of his kynne / and of Ossa his brother / and had taken all the londe from Humbre vnto Yorke / But those of Yorke helde strongely a­gaynst them / and wolde not suffre them to come in to the cyte / neyther to yelde the cyte to them. And he besyeged y ^• towne anone ryght / & yaue therto a stronge assawee. But they of the cyte them kep­te well & strongely. ¶And whan Vter herde therof / he came thyther with a grete stronge power for to helpe & rescowe the towne & put awaye the syege / and yaue a stronge batayll. And Octa and his company them defended as well as they myght. But at the laste they were d [...]s­comfyted and the moost partye of them slayne. And Octa and Ossa were taken & put in pryson at London. ¶And Vter hymself dwelled a whyle at Yorke / and after he wente to London. And [...] the Eester after he wolde bere crowne and holde a solempne feest. And lete somone all his Erles & Barons / that they shol­de come to that feest. And all those that had wyues sholde brynge them also to that feest. And all the seygnoury came at the kynges commaundement as they were cōmaunded. ¶The feest was ry­chely arayed & holden. And all worthely sette to meete after y ^• they were of astate Soo that the Erle Gorloys of Corne­waylle and Igreyne his wyf sate next vnto the kynge. And whan the kynge sawe the faytnesse of that lady & the beaute that she had. He was anone rauysshed for her beaute / and often he made to her nyce countenaunce in lokynge and lau­ghynge. So at the laste the Erle perceyued the preuy lokynge & laughynge and the loue bytwene them. And rose vp frō the table in wrathe / & toke his wyf / and [Page] called to hym his knyghtes and wente thens in wrath / without takynge leue of the kynge. ¶The kynge anone sent after hym that he sholde come agayne & go not thens in dyspyte of hym. And the erle wolde not come agayne in no ma­ner of wyse. ¶Wherfore the kynge was wroth / and in wrath hym defyed as his deedly enmye. And the erle wente thens in to Cornewaylle with his wyf in the castall of Tyntagyll. ¶And the kynge lete ordeyne a grete hoste and came in to Cornewaylle / for to destroye the erle yf that he myght. But he had put hym in suche a castell that was stronge & well arayed called Tyntagyll / & wolde not yelde hym to the kynge. ¶And the kynge anone besyeged the castell / and there dwelled .xv. dayes that neuer myght spede / & [...]uer he thought vppon Igreyne / & vpon her layde so moche loue / that he wyst not what to do. ¶So at the laste he called to hym a knyght that was called Vlfin that was preuy with hym and tolde hym all his coūseyll / & axed of hȳ what was best for to done. ¶Syr sayd he / sende after Merlyn anone / for he can telle you the best counseyll of ony man lyuynge. Merlyn anone was sente after & came to the kynge. And the kynge tolde hym all his coūseyll & his wyll. Syr sayd Merlyn. I shal do so moche thrugh crafte that I can / that I shall make you come to nyght in the castell of Tynta­gyll / & shall haue all your wyll of that lady.

¶How Vter begate on Igreyne / that was the Erles wyf of Cornewaylle Ar­thur kynge.

MErlyn thrugh craft that he cou­de chaunged the kynges fygure in to the lykenes of the erle / and Vlfin Garlois his Chambrelayne in to the fygure of Iordan that was the erles cham brelayne / so that eche of them was transfygured in to others lykenes And whan Merlyn had so done / he sayd to the kynge. Syr sayd he / now ye may go sodeynly to the castell of Tyntagyll & axe en­tree there & haue your wyll. The kyng toke prpuely all the hoste to gouerne and lede to a knyght that he moche loued / & toke his waye towarde the castell / and with hym toke Vlfin his chambrelayne and Merlyn / & whan they came thyder the porter demid it had ben his owne lorde. And whan tyme came for to god to bedde / the kynge wente to bedde with Igreyne the erles wyf & dyde with her all his wyll. And begate vpon her a so­ne that was called Arthur. And vppon the morowe the kynge toke his leue of the lady & wente ayen to his hoste. And the same nyght that the kynge laye by Igre [...]ne in bedde that was y ^• erles wyf the kynges men gaaf a grete assawie vnto the castell. And the erle & his men manly them defended. But at the laste it befell so / that in the same assawie the erle hymself was slayne & the castell taken. ¶And the kynge anone torned a­gayne to Tyntagyll & spowsed I grey­ne with moche honour & made her que­ne. ¶And soone after tyme came that she sholde be delyuered & bare a childe a sone that was called Arthur. And after ga [...]e on her a doughter that was called Amya. And whan she came to aege / a noble Baron that was lorde of Lyons wedded her. ¶Whan Vter longe tyme had regned / there came vpon hym a grete sykenesse as it were a sorowe. ¶And in the meane tyme those that had to ke­pe Octa that was Engistes sone and Ossa has brother / that then were in pry­son / they lete them go for grete yeftes y ^• they them yaue & went with them. And whan tho two brethern were escaped & were in to theyr owne countree agayne / Thenne they ordeyned them a grete power of folke / and began for to warre a­yen vppon the kynge.

¶How kynge Vter chose Aloth to kepe the londe of Brytayne / whyle that he was syke / for as moche as he myght not lo [...] [...] syknesse.

ANd for as moche as kynge Vter was syke & myght not helpe hȳ self / he ordeyned Aloth sone of Eleyne that tho was chosen for to be wardeyne & chyeftayne of all his folke. And so he anone & all his Brytons assembled a grete hoste & yaue batayll to Octa & to his folke / but Octa at the last was dyscom­fyted. ¶It befell thus afterwarde / that these Brytons had dedignacōn of Aloth & wolde not be to hym attendaūe. Wherfore the kynge was anoyed wonder sore & lete put hym in a lytere in the hoste a­monges his folke. And they ladde hym to Vereloyne that tho was a fayre cyte / there y ^• saynt Albon was martred. And after was the cyte destroyed with pay­nems thrugh warre. And thyther they had sente Octa and Ossa & ther people And entered in to the towne / & lete ma­ke sure y ^• yates / & there they helde them And the kynge came & them besyeged / & made a stronge assawee / but they that were within manly theym deffended / ¶ The kynge lete ordeyne his ginnes & his engynes for to breke the walles / & the walles were so stronge that no man myght them mysdo. ¶Octa & his peo­ple had grete despyte / that a kynge lyenge in a lytere had theym besyeged. And they toke counseyll amonge them for to stande vp in the morowe erly and come out and yeue batayll to the kynge / and so they dyde. And in that batayll were bothe Octa and Ossa slayne / & all the other y ^• escaped a lyue fledde in to Scot­lnde / & made Colegrin theyr chyeftayne. And the Saxons y ^• were a lyue & escaped fro the batayll / brought ayen a gre­te strength / & amonge them they sayd / that yf kynge Vter were deed they spol­de well conquere the londe / & thought to enpoysen the kynge / & ordeyned men for to do this dede / & yaue them of yeftꝭ grete plente this thynge to do. And they or­deyned them thyderwarde there [...] y ^• kynge was dwellynge / and clothed them in poore wede y ^• better all for to spede theyr fals purpose. But netheles all theyr fal­senes & subtylte they myght neuer come to nygh the kynge. But so at y ^• last they aspyed y ^• the kynge dranke no other ly­cour but oonly water of a clere well that was nyghe besyde / & the fals traytours vpon a daye pryuely wente to y ^• well & put therin poyson / so y ^• all y ^• water was enpoysened. And anone after as the kynge had dronke of that water / he began to swelle / & soone after he deyed / & as ma­ny as dranke of y ^• water deyed also. And anone as this was aspyed folke of the towne lete stoppe the welle for euermore ¶Whan the kynge was deed his folke bare hym to Stonhenge with grete so­lempnyte of bysshop & barons that we­re there hym to burye besyde Aurilam­bros his brother. And after torned ayen tho euerychone & sente after his sone & they made hym kynge of the londe with moche reuerence after his faders de [...]he / the .xvij. yere of his regne.

¶How kyng Arthur y ^• was the sone of Vter was crowned after his fads deth & how he draue Colegrin & the Sarons & Cheldr [...]k of Almayne out of this londe.

AS Arthur was made kynge of the londe / he was but yonge of aege of .xv. yere / but he was fayre and bolde & doughty of body. And to meke folke he was good & curteys / and large of spendynge / & made hym well beloued amonge all them there y ^• it was nede / & whan he began to regne be swore truely that the Saxons neuer sholde haue re [...] ne peas tyll that he hadde dryurn them out of the londe. And assembled a grea­te hoste and fought with Colegrin) the [Page] whiche after the tyme that Octa was deed the Saxons mayntened. And this Colegrin was dyscomfyted & fledde vn­to Yorke & toke the towne / & there hym helde. And the kynge besyeged hȳ there but he myght no thynge spede for the cyte was so stronge. And they within the towne kept y ^• cyte well & orpedly. ¶And in the mene tyme Colegrin lete the towne to Bladulf & fledde hymself to Cheldrik y ^• was kynge of Almayne / for to haue of hym socour. And the kynge assembled a grete power & came & arryued in Scotlonde with .xv. hondred shyppes. And whan Arthur wyst of these tydyn­ges y ^• he had not power & strength ynou­ghe to fyght ayenst Cheldrik / he lete be the syege & wente to London / and sente anone his letters to the kynge of lytell Brytayne y ^t was called Howell his ne­uewe his systers sone / that he sholde co­me to hym w ^t all the power y ^t he myght And he assembled a grete hoste & arry­ued at Southampton. And what kyng Arthur if wyst he was gladde ynough & wente ayenst them / & them receyued w ^t moche honour. So that those two hostꝭ mette & assembled them / and toke theyr waye euen vnto Nicholl that Cheldrik had besyeged / but it was not taken. And they came vpon cheldrik & his people or they wyst where that they were / & them egrely assaylled. ¶The kyng Cheldrik and his men defended hym manly by theyr power. But kynge Arthur & his men slewe so many Saxons / that neuer was seen suche slaughter / and Cheldrik and his men that were left alyue fledde awaye. And kynge Arthur them purse­wed & droue them out in to a wood that that they myght no ferder passe. ¶Childrik & his men sawe well that they were brought in to moche dysease / & them yelded to kynge Arthur in this maner wyse. That he sholde take theyr horses & theyr armour / and all that they had / and they muste oonly goo on foot in to theyr shyppes. And so they wolde go home in to theyr owne londe / & neuer co­me ayen in to this londe. ¶And vpon assuraunce of this thynge they [...] hȳ good hostages. ¶And Arthur by coun­seyll of his men graūted this thynge / & receyued the hostages / & therupon the o­ther wente to theyr shyppes. And whan they were in the hygh see y ^• wynde chaū ged as the deuyll it wolde / & they forned theyr nauy & came ayen in to this londe & arryued at Totnesse / and wente out of the shyppes & toke the londe / and de­ne robbed it / and moche people slewe / & tooke all the armour that they myght fynde. And so they wente forth tyll they came vnto Bathe. But the men of the towne shytte faste theyr yates / and wolde not suffre theym to come within the towne. And they deffended them well & orpedly ayenst them.

¶How Arthur yaue bataylle vnto the Saxons whan they came agayne in to this londe / & had besyeged the towne of Bathe and them ouercame.

ANone as Arthur herde this ty­dynges he lete hange the hosta­ges / & lefte Howell of Brytayne his ne­uewe / for to kepe the marche towarde Scotlonde with half his people / & hym self wente to helpe & rescowe the towne of Bathe. Whan he came thyther he ya­ue a stronge batayll to Cheldrik & slewe almoost all the people y ^• he had. For no man myght hym withstonde ne endure vnder y ^e stroke of his swerde. And there bothe were slayne Colegrin & Bladult his brother / & Cheldrik fledde thens & wolde haue gone to his shyppes. ¶But whan Arthur it wyst / he toke .x. thou­sande knyghtes to Cador y ^• was erle of Cornewaylle for to lette & stoppe his to mynge. And Arthur hymself wente to­warde y ^• marche of Scotlonde. For me­sengers tolde hym that the Scottes had [Page] besyeged Howell of Brytayne there that he laye syke / & therfore he hasted hym thytherwarde. ¶And Cador pursewed after Cheldrik / & toke hym er he myght come to his shyppes & slewe Cheldrik & his people. And whan Cador had done this vyage / he hasted hym ayen towar­de Arthur as fast as he myght / & foun­de hym in Scotlonde there that he had rescowed Howell of Brytayne / but the Scottes were ferre within Nounref / & there they helde them a whyle. But Ar­thur them pursewed. & they fledde thens in to Limoigne / that were in that coun­tree .lx. Iles / & grete plente of byrdes / & grete plente of Egles that were wonte to crye & fyght togyders / and make grete nose whan folke came to robbe that londe / & warne as moche as they myght / & so they dyde. For the Scottes were to grete rauenours / that they tooke all that they myght fynde in the londe of Li­moigne without ony sparynge / & there with tharged ayen the folke in to Scot­londe for to wende.

¶How kynge Arthur axed of Merlyn the aduentures of .vi. of the laste kynges that were to regne in Englonde / & how the londe sholde ende.

SYr sayd Merlyn. In the yere of the Incarnacyon of Ihesu Cryst M.CC.xv. shall come a lambe out of Wynchestre / shall haue a whyte tonge & true lyppes / & he shall haue wryten in his herte holynes. This lambe shal make many goddes houses / & he shall haue peas the moost parte of his lyf. And he shall make one of y ^• fayrest places of the worlde / y ^• in his tyme shall not fully be made an ende of. ¶And in the ende of his lyf a wulf of a straunge londe shall do hym moche harme & sorowe thrugh warre. But at the ende the lambe shall be mayster thrugh helpe of a reed fore / that shall come out of the Northwest / & hym shall ouercome / & the wulf shall deye in water. And after that tyme the lambe shall lyue no whyle / but he shall deye. ¶His seed shal be in a straūge londe. And the londe shall be without a go­uernour a lytell tyme.

ANd after this shall come a dra­gon medled w ^t mercy & also with woodnesse. And y ^• shall haue a berde as a gote / y ^• shall gyue in Englonde a sha­dowe / & shall kepe the londe fro colde & hete / and his owne foot shall be sette in Wyke & y ^• other in London. And he shal enbrace Inhabitaūces. And he shal open his mouth towarde Walys. And y ^• tremblynge of the hydour of his mouth / his eeres shall stretche towarde many hab­tacyons & coūtrees. And his b [...]eth shall be ful swete in straūge londe. And in his tyme shall the ryuers renne blood & w ^t brayne. And he shall make in places of his londe walles y ^• shall do moche har­me vnto his seed after his tyme. ¶And thenne shall there come a people out of the Northwest durynge his regne y ^• shal be ladde thrughout a wycked hare / that the dragon shall do crowne kynge that afterwarde shall flee ouer the see without comynge ayen for drede of the dra­gon. ¶And in y ^• tyme the sonne shall be as reed as a blood / y ^• men shall see tho­rugh out all the worlde / that shall beto­ken grete pestylence & deth of folke / tho­rugh dynt of swerde. And that people shall be faderles / tyll the tyme that the dragon deye thrugh an hate that shall meue ayenst hym warre vnto the ende of his lyf / that shall not fully be ended in his tyme. ¶This dragon shal be holde in his tyme the best body of the worlde. And he shal deye besyde the marches of a straūge londe / & y ^• londe shall dwel [...]faderles without a good gouernour / & men shall wepe for his dethe / from the yle of Shepey to the hauen of Mart [...]yll. ¶Wherfore Alas alas shall be there [Page] longe of faderles folke / that shall ouer lyue in his londe destroyed.

ANd after this dragon shal come a gote oute of Kae y ^• shall haue hornes & a berde of syluer / & there shall come out of his nosethryll a dompe that shall betoken hungre & sorowe & grete deth of y ^e people. And moche of his londe in the begynnynge of his regne shall be wasted. ¶This gote shall go ouer vnto Fraūce / & shall open y ^e floure of his lyf & deth. ¶In his tyme there shall aryse an egle in Cornewayle y ^t shall haue fe­thers of golde / y ^• of pryde shall be with­out pere of the londe. And he shal despyse lordes of blood. And after he shal flee shamefully by a beer at Gauersech / & after shall be made brydges of men vp on the costes of the see / and stones shall fall from castestelles / & many other townes shall be made playne. ¶In his ty­me shall seme y ^• the beer shall brenne / & a batayll shall be done vpon the armes of the see in a felde ordeyned as a shelde And at y ^• batayll shall deye many why­te heedes / wherfore this batayll shall be called the whyte batayll. And y ^• forsayd beer shall do this gote moche harme / & it shall come out of the Southwest & of his blood. Thenne shall y ^• gote lese mo­che / & of his londe / tyll that the tyme y ^• shenshyp shal hym ouercome. And then shall he close hym in a lyons skynne / And thenne shall be wynne that he had before loste & more therto. For a people shall come out of the North west y ^• shall make the gote so sore aferde that he shal be in grete perplexite. And he shall ad­uenge hym on his enmyes / thrugh coū ­seyll of two owles that fyrst shall be in peryll for to be vndone. But y ^• olde owle shall wende a waye a certayne tyme / & after he shall come ayen in to this lon­ge. These two owles shall do grete har­me to many one / & so they shall coūseyll the gote to arere warre ayenst the for­sayd beer. And at the laste the gote and the owles shall come at Burton vppon Trent / & shall go ouer / & for drede the beer shall flee & a swanne with hym fro his company to Burton warde y ^• north & there they shall be w ^t an harde shoure And thenne shall the swanne be take & slayne with sorowe / and the beer taken heeded alther next his neest / that shall stande vpon broken brydge / on whome the lonne shall cast his beemes. And many shall hym seke for vertue that from hym shall come. ¶In the same shall deye for sorowe & care a peple of his londe / so that londes shall be vpon hym the more bolder afterwarde. And those two owles shall do moche sorowe to the for­sayd floure of lyf / & her shall lede in to dystrestre / so that she shall passe ouer y ^e see in to Fraunce / for to make peas by­twene the gote & the flouredelyse / & the­re she shall dwelle tyll a tyme that her sede shall come & seche her / & they shall be styll tyll a tyme / that they shall them clothe with grace. And they shall seche the owles & shall put them to dyspytous deth. And after shal this gote be broughtte to dysease & grete Anguysshe / and it sorowe he shall lyue all his lyf.

AFter this gote shall come out of Wyndesore a boore / that shall haue an heed of a whyte lyons herte / & pyteous lokynge. ¶His vysage shall be reste to syke men. His breste shall be staū chynge of thyrste to tho that be thyrsty / His worde shall he gospell. His herynge shall be meke as a lambe. In the fyrste yere of his regne he shall haue grete payne to Iustefye them y ^• ben vntrue. ¶And in his tyme shall his londe be multeplyed with alyauntes. And this boore tho­rugh fyersnesse of his herte that he shal haue / shall make wulues to become lambes. And he shall be called thorugh out of the worlde Boore of holynesse fyers­nesse of noblynesse & of mekenesse. And [Page] he shall mesurably all that he shall do vnto the borugh of Ierusalem. And he shall whette his teeth vpon the yates of Parys / & vpon foure londes. Spayne shall tremble for drede. Gascoyne shall swete. In Fraunce he shall put his wyn­ge. His grete tayle shall reste in Englonde softly. Almayne shall quake for dre­de of hȳ. ¶This boore shall yeue man­telles to two townes of Englonde / and shall make the Ryuer renne with blood & brayne. And he shall make many me­dowes reede / & he shall gete as moche as his auncetours dyde. And er that he dyed / he shall here thre crownes / and he shall put a londe in grete subieccyon / & after it shall be releued / but not in his tyme. This boore after he is deed for his doughtynesse shall be entyred at Coleyne. And his londe shall be fulfylled of all good.

AFter this boore shal come a lambe / that shall haue feet of leed / & an heed of brasse / & an herte of loppe a swynes skynne & an harde. And in his tyme his londe shall be in peas / the fyr­ste yere of his regne he shall do make a cyte that all the worlde shall speke there of. ¶This lambe shall lese in his tyme a grete parte of his londe thrugh an hydeous wulfe / but he shall recouer it / and yeue a lordshyp to an Egle of his londe and this egle shall well gouerne it tyll the tyme that pryde shall hym ouercome Alas the sorowe / for he shall deye of his brothers swerde. And after shall the londe falle to the forsayd lambe / that shall gouerne the londe in peas all his lyues tyme. And after he shall deye / & the londe be fulfylled of all maner of good.

AFter this lambe shall come a moldwarpe / cursyd of goddes mo [...]th / & caytyf / a towarde / an haare / he shall haue an elderly sky [...]e as a gote / & [...] shall falle vpon hym for synne. ¶In the fyrst yere of his regne he shall haue of all good grete plen­te in his londe and towarde hym also / And in his londe he shall haue grete praysynge / tyll the tyme that he shall suffre his people lyue in to moche pryde without chastysynge / wherfore god wyl be wrothe. ¶Thenne shall aryse vp a dragon of the North / that shall be full fyerse / and shall meue warre ayenst the forsayde moldwarpe / and shall yeue hȳ batayle vpon a stone. This dragon shal gadre ayen in to his company a wulfe / that shall come out of the West to me­ue warre ayenst the forsayd moldwarpe in his syde / and so shall the dragon and bynde theyr tayles togyder. ¶Thenne shall come a lyon out of Irlonde / that shall falle in company with them. And thenne shall tremble the londe that shal be called Englonde as an aspyn leyf / And in that tyme shall castelles be fel­led downe vpon Tamyse. And it shall seme that Seuerne shall be diye [...]for the bodyes that shall falle deed there in / The foure chyef floodes in Englonde shall renne in blood. And grate drede shall be / and anguysshe that shall aryse ¶After the moldwarpe shall flee & the dragon. The lyon and the wulfe shall them dryue awaye / and the londe shall be without them. And the mold warpe shall haue no maner power / sauf oonly a shyppe wherto he may wende. ¶And after that he shal go to londe where the see is withdrawe. And after that he shal yeue the thyrde parte of his londe / fu [...] to haue the fourth parte in peas and in rest. And after he shall lyue in sorowe all his lyf tyme. ¶And in his tyme the hote bathes shal become colde. And af­ter y ^• shall the moldwarpe deye auentu­rously & sodeynly. Alas for sorowe / for he shall be drowned in a flood of the see His seed shall become faderles in straū ­ge londe for euer more. And then shall y ^• londe be departed in to thre partes / that [Page] in to say / to the wulf / to the dragon / & to the lyon. And so shall it be for euer mroe And thenne shall this londe be called the londe of Conquest. And so shall the ryght heyres of Englonde ende.

¶How Arthur ouercame Guillomer that was kynge of Irlonde. And how the Scottes became his men.

THenne what Guillomer that was kynge of Irlonde herde ty­dynges y ^• kynge Arthur was entred at Glastenbury / he ordeyned a grete po­wer of Irysshmen & came to the see with his Irysshe people / & so came in to Scotlonde ouer the see & arryued fast there by y ^• kynge Arthur was with his hoste / And anone as he wyst therof / he wente towarde hym & yaue hym bataylle & o­uercame hym anone ryght. And Guil­lomer fledde with his men agayne in to Irlonde. And what this was done & dyscomfyted hym Arthur torned hym ayen there that he was / in to the place there that he had lefte the Scottes and wolde haue them all slayne. But the byssho­pes / abbottes / & other folke of the coun­tree & ladyes open heeded came before kynge Arthur & cryed hym mercy & say de. Syre gentyll kynge & myghty / haue mercy & pyte vpon vs. And as yourself be of the ryght lawe to holde & maynte­ne Crystendome. For full greate dysho­nour it sholde be to slee hym y ^• byleueth in almyghty god as ye do. And for goddes loue haue mercy & pyte on vs & suf­fre vs. For we haue had moche sorowe & payne. For y ^o Saxons haue many tymes passed through our londe. But y ^• is not ynough to you / for oftenymes they haue done vs sorowe & dysease. For our castel­les they haue taken / & our beestes slayne & eten / and moche harme they haue vs done. And y ^f ye molde vs now slee / it we re [...]none honour to a kynge to slee them that crys hym mercy. For ynough ye ha­ue done to vs & haue vs ouercome. And for the loue of god y ^• ye wyl suffre vs for to lyue / & haue mercy on crysten people that byleue in Cryste as ye do. ¶Whan kynge Arthur herde this sorowe / he had pyte of them & yaue them lyf & lymme without ony more harme. And they fell downe to his feet & thanked hym / & be­came his lyege men / & he tooke of them homage. ¶And after that kyng Arthur torned ayen with his hoste & came vnto Yorke / and made there his bydynge du­rynge that vyage. And tho gaue he all Logrys to Aloth y ^• had spowsed his sy­ster & other gyftes grete plente. And tho was Gawyn his cosyn but of yonge ae­ge. And to all his other men that hym had serued in his warre / he gaue ryche gyftes / & he thanked them moche of all theyr good seruyce.

¶How kynge Arthur spowsed Gūnor that was Gūnors cosyn Erle of Cornewayle / and after he conquered of Guil­lomer all Irlonde.

ANd whan Arthur had brought his londe in peas & reste and in good state / & all was well in euery coū ­tree. Tho toke he & wedded a wyf y ^t was called Gūnor & made her quene / a fayr lady & a gentyll y ^• Cador the erle of Cornewayle had nourysshed in his chambre that was his cosyn. But neuer they had children togyder. And neuertheles kyng Arthur loued her wonder well & deyely. And anone as Wynter was passed / he lete assemble a grete hoste / & all his Barons & sayd y ^t he wolde go in to Irlonde for to conquere the londe. And he caryed not longe y ^• he ne passed ouer into Irlonde. ¶And Guillomer the kynge lete assemble a grete hoste & yaue bataylle to kynge Arthur but Guillomer was hys comfyted & yelded hym to the kynge & became his man / & to hym dyde fewte / and h [...]mage / & of hym helde all y ^• londe [Page] fro that tyme forwarde. And after pas­sed kynge Arthur ferthermore & conquered Gutlonde & Islonde / & toke homa­ge of the folke & of the londe / and there dwelled .xij. yere in peas & regned with Ioye and myrthe. And there warred no man ne woman vpon hym. And he became so curteys & large & honorable / that the Emperours courte of Rome / ne no­ne other thrugh out all the worlde was not accounted to kynge Arthurs / that ony man wyst of / ne none so well pray­sed. And therfore the best kynghtꝭ of all maner landes came vnto hym there for to dwelle. And he theym receyued with good wyll and reuerence. ¶And all the knyghtes were so good that no man knewe the werste. And therfore kynge Ar­thur made a roūde table that whan they sholde sytte on ther meete / all sholde be ylyke hyghe & euenly serued at the table that none of them sholde make auaunt that one of them were hygher thanne an other. And kyng Arthur had at that table Brytons & Frenshmen. Normans and Flemynges. Burgoyns Mausers & Lotherins / & of al the londes a this half the mount Goue / & of his londe of Brytayne / and of the grete Corne waylle / of Walys & of Irlonde / and of Scotlonde And shortly to tell / of all the londes y ^• wolde worshyp chyualry / suche came to kynge Arthurs courte.

¶How kynge Arthur yede in to Fraū ­ce & conquered y ^• londe of Froll y ^t was a Romayne / & how he slewe hym.

SYth it befell that thrugh coūsell of his barons & lordes / kyng Ar­thur wolde go conquere all Fraūce that tho was called Galle thrugh Romay­nes that tho helde that londe in theyr power & in theyr gouernaunce. And the Romayns had taken that londe to a noble knyzt & a worthy of body that was called Froll. And whan he wyst that Ar­thur came / he ordeyned an hoste of a grete power & fought with the kynge. And he & his folke were dyscomfyted & fledꝭ vnto Parys & entred y ^• cyte / & closed the yates & there helde them. ¶Whan Ar­thur wyst that Froll was gone to Parys be pursued after & came thyder / & hym besyeged. But the cyte was so stronge & well arayed / & tho y ^t were therin deffen­ded theym well & manly. ¶Kynge Ar­thur dwelled there more than a moneth. & there was so moche people in the cyte that they dyspended all theyr dytayle y ^• they had within. And so grete hungre be came amonge them / y ^t they deyed won­derly thycke within the cyte for hungre. And came vnto Froll & prayed hym to be accorded with kynge Arthur for to haue peas / & they wolde yelde theym vnto hym & the cyte also. ¶Froll sawe that he myght no lenger holde the towne a­yenst theyr wyll / & trusted gretly vppon his owne strength & sente to kynge Ar­thur that he sholde come fyght with hȳ body for body / & so sholde they departe Fraūce bytwene them two. ¶Kynge Arthur anone graūted it. And wolde not y ^• none of his people vndertoke the batayle for hym. ¶And vpon the morne both came well arayed without Par [...]s theret that they sholde fyght. And anone they smote togyders so fyersly & so well they fought on bothe sydes y ^• no man demed the better of them / & so it befell y ^• Froll yaue Arthur suche a stroke that he kne­led to the grounde wolde be nolde he / And as Froll woūded kynge Arthur in the forhede y ^• the blood fell downe by his [...]yen & his face. Arthur anone sterte vp hertely whan he felte hȳ hurte as a man that semed almoost wood. And he toke taburne his good swerde / & drewe it vp on hyghe and yaaf Froll suche a stroke that therwith he claue his heed downe to the sholders so that his helme myght not be his warraunt / & so he fell downe deed in the place. And thenne tho of the [Page] cyte made greate sorowe for Froll. And euerychone yelded them to kyng Arthur and the towne also & became his men / & dyde to hym homage & feaute. And he receyued them & toke of them goodly hostages. And kyng Arthur after that wente forth with his hoste & conquered Au­gien & Angiers. Gascoyne. Pehito. Na­uerne and Bourgoyne. Berry. Lotherne Turin and Peithers / and all the other londes of Fraunce he conquered all ho­ly. Whan he had conquered & taken by homages and feautees / he torned ayen to Parys and there he dwelled longe ty­me / & ordeyned peas longe tyme ouer al the countree / and thorugh all Fraunce / ¶ And whan peas was made ouer all / thorugh his noble kynghthode that he hadde / and also for his owne worthynes And no man were he neuer soo greate a lorde durste not meue warre ayenst hym nother to aryse for to make the londe of Fraunce inquyete. And in peas he dwel­led there .ix. yere / and dyde many greate wondres / & repreued many proude men & euyll tyrauntes theym chastysed after theyr demerytes.

¶How kynge Arthur auaunced all his men that had trauaylled in his seruyce.

ANd afterwarde it befell thus at Eester there that he helde a fest at Parys / & rychely he gan auaunce his knyghtes for the seruyce that they hadꝭ hym holpen in his conquest. He yaue to his stewarde that was called Kay Au­gien & Angiers. And he yaue to Bedwer his butler Normandye / that tho was called Neustrie. And to Holdin his cham­brelayne he yaue Flaundres and Mance And to Dorell his cosyn he yaue Boleyne. And to Rycharde his neuewe he ya­ue Pountyf / & to all other he yaue large londes & fees after they were of estate / And whan Arthur had thus his knygh­tes feoffed / at Aueryll next after suynge he came ayen in to Brytayne his owne londe. And after at Wy [...]sontyde sewyn­ge by counseyll of his barons / he wolde he crowned kyng of Glomergon / & hel­de a solempne feest. And lete somone barons erles & knyghtes / that they sholde come thyder euerychone. And there was Scater kynge of Scotlonde. Cadwere kynge of Southwalys. Guillomer kynge of Northwalys. Maded kynge of Ir­londe. Malgamus kynge of Gutlonde. Achilles kynge of Islonde. Aloth kynge of Denmarke. Gone was kynge of Norwaye / and Hell his cosyn kynge of Dorkeney. Cador kynge of lytell Bry­tayne. Morwith Etle of Cornewaylle. Mauran erle of Gloucetre. Guerdon erle of Wynchestre. Boell erle of Hart­forde. Vrtegi erle of Oxforde. Cuisall erle of Bathe. Ionas erle of Chestre. Enerall erle of Dorchestre. Kymare erle of Salysbury. Waloth erle of Caunterbu­ry. Iugerne erle of Chichestre. Arall erle of Leycetre / & the erle of Werwyke / and many other moo ryche lordes. Brytons there came mo / that is to saye. Dippon Donaude. Gennes / & many other that be not named here were at the feest. And many a fayre feest kynge Arthur hadꝭ holde before / but neuer none suche / ne so solempne / & that lasted .xv. dayes with moche honour and myrthe.

¶Of the letter that was sente fro Ro­me for pryde to kynge Arthur.

THe thyrde daye as kyng Arthur latte att his meete amonge his kynges and amonge them that sate att the feest / before them came in .xij. men of aege rychely arayed / and curtously they salewed the kynge / and sayd they came fro Rome sente as messengers fro the Emperour. And toke hȳ a letter that thus moche was to vnderstande. ¶Gre­tely vs meruaylleth Arthur / that thou art ones so hardy with thyn eyen in thy [Page] heed to make open warre or contake a­yenst vs of Rome / that owne all y ^• worlde to deme / for y ^u hast neuer yet before this tyme proued ne assayed thy strength of the Romayns / & therfor y ^u it shall in a lytell tyme. For Iulius Cezar conquered all the londe of Brytayne / and toke therof truage / & our folke haue it longe y ^• had / & now thorugh thy pryde y ^u with­holdest it. Wherfore we of Rome cōmaū de the that y ^u it yelde ayen / & yet hast y ^u more foly done that y ^u hast slayne Froll that was our baron of Fraūce w ^t wronge. And therfore all the comyns of Ro­me warneth the & cōmaunde y ^• vpon lyf & lymme that y ^u in haste be at Rome a­mendes for to make of thy mysdedes that y ^u hast done. And it so be that y ^u co­me not we shall passe the hylle of Ioye with strength / & we shall the seke where euer y ^u may be founde / and y ^u shalt not haue a foot of londe of thyn owne / that we ne shall destroye it / & afterwarde w ^t thy body we shall do all our wyll. Whan this letter was redde & all men it herde they were anoyed all that were at that solempne feest. And the Brytons wolde haue slayne the messengers / but the kynge wolde not suffre them & sayd / that y ^• messengers sholde haue no harme / and may by reason none deserue. But com­maūded them to be worshypfully serued And after meete he toke coūseyll of kynges / erles and [...]arons / what answere he myght yeue ayen to y ^• messengers. And they coūseylled hym atons / that he shol de assemble a grete power of all the londes of whiche he had lordshyp / & man­ly auenge hym vpon the Emperour of the despyte that he had sende hym suche a letter. And they swore by god and by all holy his name that they sholde hym pursewe and brenne as moche as they myght. And sayd that they wolde neuer faylle kynge Arthur / and rather to be deed. And they lete wryte a letter to sen­de to the Emperour by the same mes­sengers in this manere of wyse.

¶Of the bolde answere that kynge Arthur sente to the Emperour of Rome & to the Romayns.

UNderstondeth amonge you of Rome that I am kyng Arthur of Brytayne / and freely it holde & shall holde. And at Rome hastely I wyll be / not to yeue you truage / but for to are truage. For Constantyne that was E­leyns sone that was Emperour of Ro­me and of all the honour that therto be­longeth. And Maximsan kynge conque­red all Fraūce & Almayne / and mount Ioye passed / & conquered all Lombardy And these two were myn auncetours & that they helde & had. I shall haue tho­rugh goddes wyll.

¶Of the reuerence that kynge Arthur dyde to the Emperours messengers.

ANd whan this letter was made and ensealed / kynge Arthur to these messengers yaue grete yeftes / & af­ter that the messengers toke theyr leue and wente thens / and came to the cour­te of Rome agayne. And tolde the Em­perour how worthely they were receyued And also of suche a ryall company that he hadde hym for to seme / and how he was more ryally serued than the Emperour of Rome / or ony other kyng lyuyn­ge in all the worlde. ¶And whan the Emperour had ouerseen the letter / and hadde herde what was therin / and sa­we that Arthur wolde not be ruled af­ter hym. He lete assemble and ordeyne a grete hoste for to destroye kynge Arthur yf that he myght. ¶And kynge Arthur as touchynge his power and partye / or­deyned his power of knyghtes of the ta­ble rounde.

¶Of the kynges and lordes that came for to helpe kynge Arthur agaynst the Emperour.

[Page] THe kyngꝭ of Scotlonde & of Irlonde / & of Gutlonde / of Den­marke and of Almayne / euery of them had .x. thousande men. The duke of Normandye. Gascoyne. Flaūdres. Peh [...]to. & of Boloyne / eche had .iiij. thousande. Gerin of Charthres had .x. thousande / Howell of Brytayne had .xij. thousande And hymself of his owne londe .xij. thousande. And of Arbalastres & of Archers and of other folke on foot that no man cowde theym nombre. ¶And whan all were redy to go. Kyng Arthur / his londe and Gūnor his wyf / toke to kepe to one of his neuewes / that was a wyse kynght & an hardy / that was called Mordred / But he was not all true / as ye shall here afterwarde. Kynge Arthur tooke all his reame to this Mordred / sauf oonly the crowne. And after that kynge Ar­thur toke his hoste and wente to South hampton / there that the shyppes were brought & the folke assembled. And they dyde go vnto the see / and had wynde & weder at wyll. And as soone as euer they myght they arryued at Hareflete. And assoone as they myght they went to londe out of theyr shyppes and spradde all ouer the countree.

¶How kynge Arthur faught with a gyaunt in Spayne that was called Dinabus / that slewe Eleyne that was kynge Howels cosyn of lytell Brytayne.

BYnge Arthur had not dwelled in the coūtree but a lytell tyme / that men hym tolde that there was come a grete gyaūt in to Spayne / & had rauysshed fayre Eleyne that was cosyn vnto Howell of lytell Brytayne. And hadde brought her vpon an hylle that is called the moūt of saynt Bernarde. And there was no man in that coūtree so bolde ne so hardy that durst fyght with hym / ne come nye the place there that the gyaūt dwelled that was called Dinabus. And moche sorowe he dyde▪ in the countree / ¶ Whan kyng Arthur herde this tydynges / he called to hym Kay and Bed [...]were & cōmaunded them to go pryuely & es­pye where the gyaunt myght be founde And they came to the ry [...]age there that men sholde go to the moūt / that was al enclosed about with water & yet is / and euer shall be. And they sawe a brennyn­ge fyre vppon the hylle. And there was also an other hylle nye that / & there was vpon that an other fyre brennynge. Kay and Bedwere came to the next hylle / & founde a wydowe open heeded syttynge besydes a tombe sore wepynge / & grete sorowe made. And oft she sayd Eleyne eleyne. And Kay & Bedwere axed what she was / & wherfore she made so moche sorowe / and who laye in that tombe / ¶ O sayd she what sorowe & mysauen­ture fayre lordes seke ye here. For yf the Gyaūt may you here fynde he wyll you slee anone. ¶Be stylle good wyf sayd they therof dysmaye you not / but tell vs the south why that thou makest so mo­che sorowe & wepynge. ¶Syrs sayd she For a damoysell that I nourysshed with my breest that was called Eleyne / that was nece to Howell of Brytayne. And here lyeth the body in this tombe that to me was taken to nourysshe. And so the­re came a deuyll a Gyaunt & rauysshed her & me also / and ladde vs bothe with hym awaye. And he wolde haue forlay­ne that mayde that was so yonge & ten­dre of aege / but she myght it not suffre so grete & so huge as the Gyaunt was. And for certayne yf he come now as he is wont to do / he wyll you both now slee & therfore go ye hens. Thenne bespake these two messengers & sayd to her / wherfore go ye not from hens. ¶Certes sayd she whan that Eleyne was deed the Gyaunt made me to abyde and haunt his [Page] wyll / & I must nedes it suffre. And god it wote I do it not wich my wyll / for I had leuer to be deed than with hym to deale / so moche payne & sorowe I haue whan he me forlyeth. ¶Whan Kay and Bedwere had herde all y ^• this woman them tolde / they torned ayen & came to kynge Arthur & tolde hym all that they had seen and herde. ¶Arthur anone toke them bothe with hym & wente pryuely by nyght that none of his hoste wyst & came on the morowe erly to the Gy­aunt & faught with hym strongely / and at the last hym slewe. And Arthur bad­de Bedwere smyte of his heed / & bryn­ge it to the hoste to shewe it for a won­der / for it was so grete & huge. ¶Whan they came ayen to the hoste / they tolde wherfore they had ben out / & shewed to them the heed / & euery man was gladde & Ioyefull of the worthy dede that kyn­ge Arthur had done that was theyr lor­de. And Howell was full sorowfull for his nece that was so lost. And afterwar­de whan he had space / he lete make a fayre chappell of our lady ouer Eleyn [...] tombe.

¶How kynge Arthur yaue bataylle to the Emperour / in y ^• whiche batayll the Emperour hymself was slayne.

ARthur & his people herde tydynges y ^t the Emperour had assembled a grete power / as well of sarrasyns as of paynems & crysten men. Wherof y ^e nombre was .lxxx. thousande hors men w ^t foot men. ¶Arthur & his people ordened fast forth in theyr waye towarde the Emperour & passed Normandy & Fraūce vnto Burgoyne / & wolde haue gone vnto the hoste. For men tolde hym that the Emperours hoste wolde come to Lucie. ¶The Emperour & his hoste in the begynnynge of August teweued from Rome / & came forth ryght the waye to warde y ^• hoste. ¶Tho came kynge Arthurs spyes & sayd / yf that Arthur wolde he sholde fynde the Emperour there faste by / but they sayd / that the Emperour had so grete power with hym of kynges of the londe of Paynems / & also crysten people that it were but foly to kynge Arthur to mete with them For the spyes [...]olde / that the Emperour had fyue or sixe men ayenst one of his. ¶Kynge Arthur was bolde & hardy / and for no thynge hym nysmayed & sayd. Goo we boldely in goddes name ayenst the Romayns / that with them lede Sarrasyns & Pay­nems / that no maner trust they haue in god / but oonly vpontheyr strength. Go we now & seke them sharpely in the name of almyghty god / & slee we the Pay­nems and Crysten men that ben ayenst vs w ^t them / for to destroye Crysten men And god shall vs helpe them to ouerco­me. For we haue the ryght opynyon & therfore haue we truste in god. And do we so that the enmyes that be to crystendome & to god may be destroyed & ouer­come / & that men may recorde the war­thynesse of knyghthode. ¶Whan kyng Arthur hadde thus sayd / they cryed all with an hygh voys. ¶God that is fad (er) almyghty worshypped be thy name w ^t out ende. Amen. And graunt vs grace well for to do / & to destroye our enmyes that ben ayenst crystendome. In the na­me of the fader / the sone / and the holy ghost. Amen. And god yeue hyen neuer grace ne worshyp in the worlde / ne mer­cy of hym to haue / that this daye shall faynte well for to smyte & egrely. And so they rode softly / & ordeyned his wyn­ges well & wysely. ¶The Emperour herde tell that kynge Arthur & his folke were redy appareylled for to fyght with hym & how they were camynge. He [...] ordeyne his wynges in the best wyse that he cowde. And more trusted vppon his strength than in god almyghty / & that was seen afterwarde. For whan the [...] hostes mette / the Emperour lost [...] [Page] of his folke ayenst one of Arthur. And so many were slayne / what on that one party & on that other / that it was grete pyte to wyte & to beholde. ¶In this batayll were slayne thrugh kyng Arthurs fyne kynges of the Paynems & of other wonder moche people / & kynge Arthurs men fought so well / that the Romayns and paynems had no more strengthe to withstonde them / than .xx. shepe ayenst fyue wulues. ¶And so it befelle that in this batayll in the shoure / that was wonder harde & longe durynge in that one syde & in that other / the Emperour amonge them there was slayne / but ther was noo man that wyste for very sothe who hym slewe.

¶How kynge Arthur lete entyere his knyghtes y ^t he had lost there in batayll / & how he sente the Emperours body to Rome that there was slayne in batayll.

SO whan y ^• Romayns wyst that the Emperour was deed / they forsoke the felde & y ^• paynems also. And kynge Arthur after them chaced tyll it was nyght / & so many of them slewe y ^t it was wonder to telle. And tho torned kynge Arthur ayen whan it was nyght & thanked god of his victorye. And on the morowe he lete loke & serche all the felde for his knyghtes that he there lost. That is to saye. Borell erle of Maunt. Bedwere / & Kay / and Lyegiers erle of Boleyne. Vortiger erle of Baac. Aloth erle of Wynchestre. Cuisall erle of Che­stre / and after Holden erle of Flaundres These were the grete lordes that kynge Arthur last in that batayll / with other worthy knyghtes them amonge. And so­me he lete entere in abbayes by the coū ­tree / some he lete to be borne in to theyr owne coūtre. ¶And the Emperours bo­dy he l [...]te take & put vpon a beyr & sent it to Rome. And sayd to the Romayns / that for Brytayne & Fraunce whichehe helde / other truage wolde he none paye. ¶And yf they axed hym ony other truages / ryght suche truage he wolde theym paye. ¶The kynge lete bere Kay to Ke­nen his owne castell / & there hym ente­red. And Leygier was borne to Boleyne there he was lorde. And Holden was borne to Flaundres / there he was entered / And all the other he lete entere with moche honour in abbayes & in houses of relygyon in the coūtre that they were slayne. ¶And Arthur hymself soiourned y ^• same yere in Bourgoyne with his hoste & thought the same yere folowynge to passe the mount Ioye / and haue gone to Rome also to haue taken the cyte & ha­ue put the Romayns in subgeccyon / but the wycked tyraunt Mordred hym lette­as after ye shall here.

¶How the traytour Mordred / to whom kynge Arthur toke his londe to kepe & his castelles / helde them ayenst hym.

AS Arthur had takē to Mordred his reame to kepe / & gone ayenst the Emperour of Rome / & was passed the see. Mordred anone toke homages & fea [...]tees of all theym that were in this londe / & wolde haue had this londe to his owne vse / & toke castelles about / and lete them be arayed. And after this fal­senesse he dyde an other grete wronge / for ayenst the lawe of crystente he tooke his owne emys wyf as a traytour sholde / & ordeyned hym a grete hoste ayenst Arthurs comynge / to holde the londe a­yenst hym with strength for euer more / & to slee kynge Arthur yf he myght / & sente by the see & by londe / & lete assem­ble paynems & crysten peple. And he sente to Saxons & to Danys for to helpe hȳ. And also Mordred sent to Cheldrik to sende men to hym out of Saxon that was a worthy duke / & promysed hym yf that he broght with hym moche people he wolde graunte hym Inherytaūce for [Page] euer / all the londe fro Humbre to Scot­londe / & all the londe that Engist had of Vortigers yefte / whan that he spow­sed his doughter. ¶And Cheldrik came with a grete strength and power of peo­ple / and Mordred hadde assembled also on his half / that they had .xl. thousan­de of stronge knyghtes whan that they had nede.

¶How Arthur enchaced Mordred the traytour & how he was slayne / & also kynge Arthur wounded to the deth.

AS this tydynges came to kynge Arthur there y ^t he was in Bourgoyne / he was full sore anoyed / & toke all Fraunce to Howell for to kepe with half deale of his men. And prayed hym that he wolde it kepe tyll he came ayen. For hymself wolde passe in to Brytay­ne / & auenge hym vpon mordred y ^t was his traytour. And forth with Arthur wente his waye & came to Wytsande / and made his men to go in to shyppe & wolde haue arryued at Sandwyche / and brought with hym a grete hoste of F [...]enshe [...]en also with his owne londe men / But or that he myght come to londe w ^t his peple that were come out of his shyppes. Mordred was come with all his po­wer / & yaue a stronge batayll / soo that kynge Arthur loste many a man are that he myght come to londe. For there was Gawayne his neuewe slayne / and Anguysshell that helde Scotlonde / and many other wherof kynge Arthur was full sory. But after they were come to londe Mordred myght not ayenst them endure. But anone was dyscomfyted & fledde thens the same nyght with his men / and vpon the morne came to London. But tho of the cyte wolde not suf­fre hym to come in. And from thens he fledde to Wynchestre / and there he hym helde with his people that came with hȳ ¶Kynge Arthur lete take the body of Gawayne his cosyn / & the body of An­guysshell / & lete that one be borne in to Scotlonde / and the other to Douer and buryed. Anone after kynge Arthur toke his waye for to destroye Mordred / & he fledde thens in to Cornewayle. ¶And the quene Gunnor that was kynge Ar­thurs wyf that tho soiourned at Yorke / herde that Mordred was fledde thens & that he myght not endure ayenst kynge Arthur / she was sore aferde & had grete doubte / and wyste not what was best of all for to done. For she vnderstode well that her lorde kynge Arthur wolde ne­uer of her / for to haue mercy for the grete shame that she had done vnto hym / And toke her waye pryuely with foure men without moo / and came to Karly­on / and there she dwelled all ther lyue / and neuer after was seen amonges the folke her lyf durynge. ¶Kynge Arthur wyst that Mordred was fledde in to Cornewayle / and lete sende after his men in to Scotlande and Northumberlonde vnto Humbre / and lete assemble folke without nombre / & came fro thens in to Cornewayle to seke and pursewe after Mordred. ¶And Mordred had assem­bled to hym all the folke of Cornewayle & had people without nombre / and wyst that Arthur was comynge / and had le­uer to deye & take his chaunce / than longer flee and abode / and yaue an harde batayll to kynge Arthur & to his people so that moche people was slayne / what of one syde & what of that other / that no man wyst who had y ^• better party. But so it befell at the last that Mordred was slayne & all his folke / and the good chyualry that kynge Arthur had gadred & nourysshed of dyuerse londes / and also the noble knyghtes of the rounde table / that so moche were praysed thorugh out all the worlde were there slayne / & kyn­ge Arthur hymself was wounded vnto deth. But he lete hȳ to be borne to [...] [...]un to be heeled of his woundes. And [Page] yet the Brytons supposen that he lyued in an other londe / & that he shall come yet & conquere all Brytayne. & But certes this is the prophecye of Merlyn. He sayd that his deth shall be doubtous / & sayd soth. For therof yet men haue doubte / and shall haue for euer more as men saye. For men wote not whyther that he is on lyue or deed. ¶Arthur was borne at Auioun the .xxij. yere of his regne / af­ter the Incarnacyon of our lorde Ihesu Cryste .v.C.xlvi. yere.

¶How kynge Arthur delyuered the trame vnto Constantyne the sone of Ca­dor his neuewe.

AS kynge Arthur wyste that he myght no lenger regne / he lete come before hym Constantyne that was Cadors sone erle of Cornewayle his co­syn & to hȳ betoke all his reame / & to hȳ sayd / & badde hȳ therof to be kyng tyll y ^t he came ayen / for as moche as he had none heyre of his body begoten. And grete damage was it [...] that so noble a kyng & so doughty as he was / had no childe of his body begoten. But all thynge y ^• god woll haue done must be done / who­se name be blessyd without ende.

¶How kynge Constantyne was vexed of Mordred two sones.

THis Constantyne was a noble knyght & a worthy of body. And th [...] two sones that Mordred had bego­ten had grete enuy of Constantyne that tho was crowned kyng. And so it befell that they meued warre ayenst hȳ. And assembled a grete hoste of them y ^t were before with Mordred / & had ben dryuen awaye / & that dyde moche sorowe & an guysshe thrughout all that londe. That one brother ordeyned / & purposed hym towarde the auncyent cyte of London / for to take the cyte. And that other wente to Wynchestre. But Constantyne ca­me to London and slewe hym that was there. And after he went to Wynchestre and slewe hym that was there also. So that bothe his enmyes were deed. ¶And whan Constantyne had regned well & worthely foure yere / he deyed and lyeth at London.

¶Of the kynges Adelbright and of Edell.

AFter kynge Constantynes deth there were two kynges in Bry­tayne / that one was called Adelbright y ^• was a danoys. And he helde the coūtree of Northfolke & Southfolke. That o­ther hyght Edell & was a Bryton / & he helde Nicholl. Lindeser / & all the londe vnto Humbre. These two kynges faste warred togyder / but after accorded they were & loued togyder / as they had ben borne of oo body. ¶The kynge Edell had a syster that was called Ore [...]enne. And he gaf her thrugh grete frendshyp to kynge Adelbright to wyf. And he be­gate vpon her a doughter y ^t was called Argentyll. And in the thyrde yere after came vpon hym a strange syknesse that nedes he must deye. And he sente to kynge Edell his broder in lawe that he sholde come & speke with hym / & he came to hym with a good wyll. ¶Tho prayed he the kynge and coniured hym also in the name of god / that after whan he were deed / he sholde take his doughter Ar­gentyll & the londe / & that he kepte her well / and nourysshe her in his chambre. And whan she were of aege / she sholde be maryed to y ^• strōgest & worthyest man that he myght fynde / & thenne he sholde yelde vp her londe ayen ¶Edell it graū ted & by othe confermed his prayer. And whan Adelbright was deed & enteryd / Edell toke the damoysell Argentyll / & nourysshed her in his chambre / & she be­came as fayre as ony myght be.

¶How kynge Edell maryed that da­moysell to a knaue of his kechyne.

THis kynge Edell that was vncle to Argentyll / bethought how y ^• he myght fallely haue the londe fro his nece for euer more / & falsely ayenst his othe thought to dysceyue Y ^• damoysell / & to marye her to a knaue of his kechyn y ^t was called Curan / & he became the wor­chyest & strongest man of body y ^t ony mā wyst in ony londe y ^• tho lyued / & to hym he thought her shamfully haue maryed for to haue had her londe afterwarde / but he was clene disceyued. For this Curan was Hauelockis sone y ^t was kyng of Kyrkelane in Denmark / & this Curan conquered his wyues londe afterwarde & slewe kyng Edell y ^t was his wyues vncle & had al her londe / as in an other place it telleth more openly / & he regned but thre yere / for Saxons & Danes hȳ slewe & that was grete harme to all Brytay­ne & Brytons bare hym to Stonehenge and entyred hym honourably.

¶Of kyng Conan y ^t was Curans cosyn.

AFter this Curan regned his co­syn Conan that was a wonder proude knyght. And regned & coude ha­ue noo maner of loue / but euer he was medlynge with his people. And toke his vncle with warre / & slewe his two chil­dern. ¶The Saxons warred ayenst hȳ oftentymes / but he them ouercame / & so he was in peas all his lyf tyme. And he regned .xiiij. yere / and after he deyed & lyeth at London.

¶Of kynge Cortyf and of Gurmonde that came thorugh the paynems in to Brytayne.

AFter this Conan regned his co­syn Cortyf y ^t was beha [...]ed of al his peple & no thynge beloued. And this Cortyf lost all Brytayne thrugh warre And in his tyme fell y ^• grete myscheyf in Brytayne y ^• crystendom was destroyed / & all the Brytons were dryuen out of y ^• londe & the londe lost without ony reco­uer. But afterwarde lefte the londe to the Saxons as ye afterwarde shall he­re. For in that tyme there was a paynem that was called Gurmonde / that was the kynges sone Daufrices of the par­nems folke / that hadde the reame after his fader / & was kynge / sauf he be [...]ua­ue & yaue it to his broder. And sa [...]d that he nolde neuer be kynge but yf that he myght gete and conquere a reame in a straūge countree. For he was bolde and stronge of body. And of hȳ prophecyed Merlyn & sayd [...] that he sholde be a wul [...] of the see. And he lete assemble [...] without nombre / & lete appareylle shyppes / and wente by many londes & toke homages and fea [...]tees of many. And so he wente by the see & conquered ma [...]ny dyuerse londes. Soo that he came in to Irlonde / & conquered that londe that oftentymes warred vpon Brytons and Brytons vpon them / & oft wonne & oft lost & yaue hostages to Brytons. And so they sente to Gurmonde there that be was in Irlonde [...] that he sholde come in to Brytayne and helpe them ayenst the Brytons / to helpe them to delyuer that londe of them / & they wolde hym holde gladly for theyr lorde. For he was a paynem [...] & they were paynems [...] & the Bry­tons were crystened. Well ought he them for to helpe so as they were all of one lawe. Whan Gurmonde herde this pray­er he hasted hym as moche as he myght and arryued in Scotlonde / and came in to Northumberlonde there that the Saxons were dwellynge / & they confermed the couenauntes bytwene them that we­re made by othes & by hostages / f [...]r to bere hym true fay / & holde hym for lor­de / and paye to hym truage by the yere / ¶ Tho began the Saxons and the Af­fricans [Page] to destroye robbe & brenne tow­nes / & destroye all thynge in asmoche as they myght / & spared neyther man wo­man ne childe / lerned ne lewde / but all they slewe / & cast downe townes castels & chirches / & so put they all the londe in grete destruccyon. And as soone as they myght flee / they fledꝭ thens as wel poore as ryche / bysshops / abbottes / chanons / & all other grete & small / some in to lytell Brytayne / & some in to Cornewayle / al tho that shyppes myght haue.

¶How the kynge Gurmonde droue kynge Cortyf to Chechestre / & slewe the Brytons / and thrugh crafte & engyne gate the same towne.

COrtyf the kynge fledde thens in to Chechestre y ^t tho was stronge / & the [...]e helde hȳ .xx. dayes / & this Gur­monde came & it besyeged. But the cyte was so stronge y ^t he myght not gete it by no manere of wyse w ^t engyne that they myght do. Tho bethought they vpon a subtylte for to brenne the towne. They made engynes w ^t glewe of nettes / & to­ke pecys of thonder & of fyre & bonde it to sparowes feet / & than lete them flee / & they anone flewe & lodged them in y ^• towne there y ^t theyr nestis were / & in stac­kes & euesynges of houses / & y ^• fyre be­gan to kyndle & brente all the towne / And whan y ^• Brytons sawe that in eue­ry syde they hyed them out & fought / but anone they were slane & dyscomfyted / And whyle the batayll dured the kynge pryuely hydde hym & stale awaye in to Walys / & men wyst neuer were he beca­me / & so was y ^e towne of Chechestre ta­ken & destroyed. And after Gurmonde wente & destroyed townes & cytes that neuer were after made ayen / as it is seen yet in many places of this londe.

¶How this londe was called Englonde for the name of Engist / & how many kynges were made after in this londe.

SO whan Gurmonde had destoyde all the londe thrugh out / he yaue the londe to y ^• Saxons / & anone they toke it w ^t good wyll / for the Saxons longe tyme had desyred it. For asmoche as they were of Engystꝭ kynrede that fyrst had all y ^• londe of Brytayne & lete them be called Englysshmen / for by cause of Engistes name / & y ^• londe they lete call Englonde in theyr langage / & the folke ben called Englyshmen / for asmoche as in his tyme it was called Engistꝭ londe whan he had conquered it of Vortiger / that spoused his doughter. But fro y ^e tyme that Brute came fyrst in to Englonde / this londe was called Brytayne / & y ^• folke Brytons. But syth the tyme y ^t this Gurmonde conquered it eftsones / & yaue it vnto the Saxons / they anone ryght chaūged y ^• name as before is sayd. And whan this was done. Gurmonde pas­sed ouer in to Fraūce / & there conquered many londes / & destroyed all crysten pe­ple there that he came. And the Saxons dwelled in this londe & began fast to enhabyte it at her owne wyl. And they wolde haue made newe kyngꝭ & lordes / but they myght neuer assent to haue oonly oo kynge for to be to them attendaunt / & therfore they made many kynges in dyuerse shyres / as it was in Engistes tyme. The fyrst kyngdome was Kente / & that other Southsexe / and the thyrde Westsex / the fourth Eestsex / & the fyfth Northumberlonde / & the sixth Estangle that is to saye Northfolke & Southfolk and the seuenth Mercheryche / & that is the Erldome of Nicholl. Huntyngdon. Herforde. Gloucetre. Wynchestre. Wer­wyke & Derby / and so departed all Englonde in to .vij. partyes. ¶And after that it befell that tho kyngꝭ warred ofttymes togyder. And euer he y ^t was strongest toke hym that was feblest / and so it was longe tyme that they had no kyng [Page] crowned amonge theym / ne no crysten man was tho amonge them / ne crysten­dome nother. But were paynems tyll y ^• saynt Gregory was pope of Rome / that had seen childern of the nacyon of En­glonde in the cyte of Rome / that were wonder fayre creatures / & had grete wyl & desyre theym to beholde. And axed of the marchauntes whens they were / & of what nacyon. And men tolde hym that they were of Englonde / and Englysshe they were called / but they & all the peple of Englonde were paynems / & byleued not vpon god. ¶Alas sayd saynt Gre­gory / well mowe they be called Englys­she / for they haue the vysages of angels & therfore well ought they to be cryste­ned. And for this cause saynt Gregory sente there saynt Austyn in to Englon­de and .xl. good men with hym that were of good lyf & holy men to preche & teche & to conuerte the Englysshe people and them to torne to god / & that was in the .vi. yere that saynt Gregory had be po­pe of Rome / that is to saye / after thyn­carnacōn of our lorde Ihesu Cryst .v.C.lxxxv. yeres as the Cronycle telleth.

¶How saynt Austyn baptysed & conuerted kynge Adelbryght & the bysshoppes that he made his felowes.

AS saynt Austyn came fyrste in to Englonde / he arryuen in the Yle of Tenet / & so passed forth & came vnto Caunterbury and there soiourned. And kynge Adelbryght of Kente y ^t was of the lygnage of Engist goodly recey­ued saynt Austyn & his felowes w ^t mo­che honour / & them foūde all that them neded. And more ouer he yaue them a fayre place / that now is called the ab­bay of saynt Austyn / in whiche place he lyeth hymself shryned. ¶This kynge Adelbryght was a good man and with good wyll herde saynt Austyn [...] predyca­cyons / & yaue hym leue to preche thrugh out all his londe before sayd of Kent / to torne and conuerte to hym all the peo­ple that he myght. ¶It betelle so after thorugh goddes grace / that in lytell ty­me the kynge hymself was conuerted to god / & all his people of his londe were baptysed. And in the meane whyle the peple torned them to god. ¶Saynt Au­styn came to Rochestre / and there he preched the worde of god. And y ^• paynems therfore hym scorned / & caste vpon hym reygh taylles / soo that all his mantell was hanged full of these reygh tayles / And for more despyte / they caste vppon hym the guttes of reyghes and other fysshe. Wherfore the good man sa [...] Au­styn was sore anoyed and greued. And prayed to god that all tho children of that cyte that sholde be borne afterwarde / that is for to saye / in the cyte of Ro­chestre / myght haue taylles and so they hadde. And whan the kynge herde of this vengeaunce that was falle thrugh saynt Austyns prayer. He lete make an house in the honour of almyghty god / wherin wymmen sholde be delyuered of theyr childern a [...] the brydges ende / In the whiche hous yet wymmen of the cyte ben delyuered of childe. ¶Whan that saynt Gregorye hadde herde telle how the Englysshe people were torned to god & conuerted / he sente vnto saynt Austyn his pallyon by a bysshop / that was called Paulin and made hym P [...] ­mate and Archebysshop of Englonde / And sente worde that he sholde ordeyne & make bysshops in the londe. And ano­ne Austyn had the pallyon of the dygnyte of the Archebysshop. He made two bysshops of his felowes that came with hym fro Rome / & one was called Melli­te & he dwelled at London / & that other was called Iustin that helde the dygny­te at Rochestre. And this bysshop Mellite tho wente to preche in to Es [...]sex & cry­stened the kyng of the coūtre that was called Sicwith / that was kynge Adel­bryghtes [Page] cosyn his systers sone. This Iustin wente to preche in Southsex and torned moche of the people to god. And saynt Austyn hymselfe preched thorugh out Englonde.

¶How saynt Austyn wente in to Wa­les there the Brytons were / & how they wolde not be obedyent to the Archebys­shop of Caunterbury.

SO whan all Englonde was crystened & torned to god / saynt Austyn went in to that londe there that the Brytons were for to kepe them frō En­glysshmen / that is to saye in to Walys And there he fonde monkes & abbayes & .vij. bysshops. For the Brytons alwaye destroyed the crysten people y ^• saynt Au­styn had conuerted. And he sayd to the bysshops y ^t he was a Legate of Rome & Prymate of all Englonde / & that they sholde by all reason to hym be obedyent & they sayd they nolde / but to the Archebysshop of Carlyon they wolde. They wolde neuer for no maner thynge be o­bedyent to the Englysshmen. For y ^• Englysshmen they sayd ben our aduersa­ryes & our enmyes / & haue dryuen vs out of our countree / & we ben crysten men & euer haue be. And the Englysshmen haue euer be paynems / but now of late y ^t they ben conuerted. ¶Saynt Austyn of them myght haue none answere other wyse / but sayd pertly that they wolde neuer them meke to hym / ne to the pope of Rome. And saynt Austyn torned ayen tho to kynge Adelbryght that was kyn­ge of Kente / & tolde hym that his folke wolde not be to no man obedyent / but to y ^• Archebysshop op Carlyon. And whan the kynge herde this / he was sore anoyd & sayd that he wolde them destroye / and sente to Elfryde kynge of Northumber­londe that was his frende / that he shol­de come to hym with all the power that he myght & y ^t he wolde mete hȳ at Ley­cette / and fro thens they wolde go in to Walys / & there destroye the Archebys­shop of Carlyon / and all tho that had refused saynt Austyn.

¶How kynge Adelbryght & the kynge Elfryde slewe Brecinall y ^t was a kyng of Brytons y ^t helde y ^e coūtree of Leycetre

IT befelle so y ^t there was a kynge of Brytons y ^t helde the coūtree of Leycetre & all the coūtree about / his na­me was Brecinall. And this Bryton herde telle y ^t tho two Englysshe kyngꝭ wolde mete there at Leycetre for to go in to Walys. He lete ordeyne all the power y ^t he had for to go fyght w ^t these two kynges / but lytell it auayled hȳ / for his fol­ke y ^t he had were slayne & hȳself fledde / & loste his londes for euer more. ¶And thele two kynges Adelbryght & Elfryde dwelled a whyle at Leycetre / & departed the londe amonge them / & toke homagꝭ & feautees of the folke of the countree. And after they wente towarde Walys / & tho of Walys herde telle of the scom­fyture y ^t Brecinall had at Leycetre / & were wonder sore adrad of tho two kyngꝭ. & toke & chose amonges them good men and holy of heremytes / monkes & pr [...]e­stes / & of other people grete plente that wente bare foot & wulwarde for to ha­ue mercy of these two kynges. But tho kyngꝭ were so sterne & so wycked y ^t they wolde neuer speke to them but them sle­we euerychone. Alas for sorowe / for they ne spared them no more than the wulf doth y ^• shepe / but smote of theyr heedes euerychone / & so they were all martred y ^t tho them came / that is to vnderstande .v.C. & .xl. After they went fro thens to Bangor for to slee al those y ^t they myght there fynde of y ^• Brytons. And whan y ^• Brytons herde that / they assembled & ordeyned all ther power for to fyght with them. Tho was there a baron in Walys that was called Bledrik of Cornewale [Page] that somtyme was lorde of Deuenshy­re but the kynge Adelbright had dryuen hym out in to Walys / & after there he yaue them batayll. And at that batayll was kynge Adelbright slayne / & Elfry­de sore woūded & forsoke the felde / & the moost partye of his people slayne. And Elfryde fledde in to Northumberlonde that was his owne londe. ¶And after the people of Leycetre shyre made with strength Cadewan that was Brecinals sone kynge of Leycetre / & he after reg­ned nobly & with grete honour.

¶How Cadewan kynge of Leycetre & Elfryde kyng of Northumberlonde were frendes / & of the debate y ^t after was bytwene Edwyn & Cadwalyn that we­re bothe theyr sones.

ANd after that this batayll was done y ^t Brytons assembled them & wente thens & came to Leycetre / & made there Cadewan y ^t was Brecinals so­ne kynge of Leycetre & of all the coūtree And he toke homages & feauters of all the folke of the coūtree. And after that he assembled a grete hoste / & sayd he wolde go in to Northumberlonde / to destroy kynge Elfryde & slee hym yf he myght And whan he was come thyther / fren­des wente so bytwene them that they ac­corded them in this manerr / that Elfryde sholde holde all the londe fro Northū berlonde to Scotlonde [...] & Cadewan sholde haue all y ^• londe a this syde Humbre to y ^• South / & after they were good trendes all theyr lyf / & loued as they had ben brethern. ¶And this Elfryde had a so­ne called Edwyn y ^t helde all the londe of Northumberlonde after his faders deth as his fader had holde all his lyf tyme. ¶And Cadewan had an other sone called Cadwalin y ^t helde his faders londe as [...]e it helde whyle he was a lyue [...] and these loued as brethern. And the loue la­sted betwixt them but oonly two yere / & after began debate betwixt them thrugh a symple enuyo [...]s cosyn of Cadwalins. called Bryens / so y ^t they assembled a grete hoste in bothe partyes. And at the last it befell that Cadwalin was dyscomfy­ted / & Edwyn hym pursued & droue hȳ fro place to place / so at the last he fledde in to Irlond. And the other destroyed & pylled his londe / & cast downe castels & brente his maners / & departed all Cad­walins londe amonge his frendes. And longe tyme after came Cadwalin ayen fro Irlonde with a stronge power / & in playne batayll slewe Edwyn & all his frendes / & namely tho that withhelde his londes by Edwyns ye [...]te.

¶How kyng Os walde was slayne tho­rugh kyng Cadwalin & Peanda & how Oswy that was saynt Oswaldes brod (er) regned after hym & slewe Peanda.

AS Edwyn was slayne. Offris his sone vndertoke the warre a­yenst Cadwalin his came so y ^t this Offris deyed durynge y ^• warre. And after y ^• deth of this Offris tho regned a gentyl crysten man y ^• moche loued god almyghty y ^t had all the londe of Northumberlon by herytage / that was called Os walde / & he was kynge of all y ^• londe. But for as moche as he was frende to Edwyn / & helde a grete parte of y ^• londe of Cadwalin. This same Cadwalin warred vpon hym & droue hym towarde Scot­londe. And whan Cadwalin sawe y ^t he wolde not abyde. Cadwalin wolde noo lenger hym pursue / but toke some of [...]is folke to Peanda his brod (er) in lawe & prayed hym to pursue after Oswalde / tyll y ^• he werr taken & slayne / & Cadwalin torned home ayen. ¶Whan Os walde [...]er­de these tydyngꝭ y ^• Cadwalin turned home ayen / he wolde no lenger flee but a­bode Peanda & yaue hym batayll [...] and Peanda was dyscomfyted & fledde / & came ayen to Cadwalin & sayd / y ^t he wol­de [Page] de neuer holde oo foot of londe of hym / but yf so were that he wolde auenge hȳ of Oswalde. ¶Cadwalin lete assemble a grete hoste for to fyght with Oswald so that he & Peanda came to Northum­berlonde & yaue batayll vnto Oswalde And in the same batayll was Oswalde slayne & his heed smyte [...] of / & after he was entered at the abbay of Berdenay in whiche place god had wrought for hȳ many a fayre myracle / both there & elles where. ¶And anone Oswy his brother seased all the londe in to his honde that was this Oswaldes. And the folke of Northumberlonde loued hym wonderly well / & helde hym for theyr lorde. But he had men of his kȳne worthy ynough that wolde haue departed the londe / and they warred togyder wel. And for as moche as they were not stronge ynoughe / they came to Peanda & prayed hym of helpe & socour. And behyght hȳ of that londe largely vpon this couenaūt / that he wolde them gouerne & helpe / & coun­seyll. ¶Peanda herde theyr prayer / and so spake with Cadwalin / that he sholde ordeyne a grete hoste / & faste ordeyne hȳ in to Northumberlonde for to fyght with Oswy. And Oswy was a meke man / & moche loued peas & charyte / & prayed Peanda of loue & pens / & profred hym of golde and syluer grete plente. ¶And this Peanda was so proude that he nol­de graunt hym peas for no maner thynge / but for all thynge he wolde with hȳ fyght. Soo at the last there was sette a daye of batayll. And Oswy euer trusted vpon god / and Peanda trusted to moche vpon pryde & vpon his hoste that he had And togyder they smote egrely / but Pe­anda was anone dyscomfyted & slayne And this was after the Incarnacyon of our lorde Ihesu Cryste .v.C.lv. yere. And this Oswy regned .xxviij. yere. And a kynge that was called Oswyne / that was Peandaes cosyn warred vpon hym and togyder fought / but Oswy had the victory of Oswyne. And Oswyne was dyscomfyted & slayne / and lyeth at Tynnemouth.

¶How kyng Cadwaldre that was Cadwalins sone regned after his fader / and was the last kynge of Brytons.

AFter the deth of Cadwalin reg­ned his sone Cadwaldre well & nobly. And his moder was the syster of Peanda. And whan he had regned .xij. yere / he felle in to a grete syknenesse / & then̄e was there a grete dyscorde bytwe­ne the lordes of the londe / that euery of them warred vppon other. And yet in y ^• tyme there fell so grete derth & scarsyte of corne & other vitaylles in this londe / y ^t a man myght go .iij. or .iiij. dayes fro towne to towne y ^t he sholde not fynde to bye for golde ne syluer brede. wyne. ne none other vitayle wherwith a man myght lyue. But oonly the people lyued by rotꝭ of herbes / for other lyuyng had they no­ne / so moche was it faylled all abowte / fysshes / wylde beestes / & all other thyn­ge so that yet to this mysauenture / there fell so grete mortalyce & pestylente amō ge the people by the corrupcion of y ^• ayre that the lyuynge people suffysed not to burye the deed bodyes. For they deyed so sodenly / both grete & smale / lorde & ser­uaūt / in etynge goynge & spekynge / they fell downe & deyed / so y ^t neuer was her­de of more sodeyne deth amonge the people. For he y ^t wente for to burye the deed body / with the same deed body was bu­ryed. And so they that myght flee / fledde & forsoke theyr londes & houses / as well for the grete hungre / derth & scarsyte of corne & other vitayll / as for y ^• grete mortalyte & pestylence in the londe / & wente in to other londes for to saue theyr lyues & lefte the londe all deserte & wast / so y ^t there was no man for to trauayle & tyl­the the londe. So that the londe was barayne of corne & all other fruytes for de­ [...]a [...]e [Page] of tyllyers / and this mysauenture dured .xi. yere and more / that noo man myght ere ne sowe.

¶How Cadwaldre wente oute of this londe in to lytell Brytayne.

CAdwaldre sawe grete hūgre mor­talyte & pestylence / and the londe all poore / & faylynge cornes & other vy­taylles / and his folke perysshed / & sawe also y ^• moost partye of his londe all wa­sted & voyde of people. He appareylled hym & his folke that were lefte a lyue / & passed ouer in to lytell Brytayne with a lytell nauy vnto kynge Alayne that he moche loued / that was his cosyn / and that his fader had moche loued in his tyme. And as they sayled in the see / he made moche lamentacyon / & so dyde all tho that were with hym and sayd (Dedistinos dn̄e tan [...] oues esca (rum). et in gentibus dispersisti nos)

ANd thenne began Cadwaldre to complayne hym to his folke py­tously & sayd. Alas sayd he. to vs wret­ches & caytyues is sorowe for our grete synnes / the whiche we wolde not amen­de vs whyle we had space / & now repentaunce is comen vpon vs thrugh mysa­uenture / whiche chaced vs out of our rea me & propre soyle. And out of the whi­che s [...]tyme Romayns. Scottes. Sax­ons / neyther Danys / myght not exyle vs. ¶But what auaylleth it now to vs that before tyme / ofte tymes haue goten many other londes / syth it is not y ^• wyll of god that we abyde and dwelle in our owne londe. God that is very Iuge that all thynges knoweth before they ben do­ [...]e or made / he seeth that we wolde not cesse of our synnes / & that our enmyes myght not vs ne our lygnage exyle fro / and out of our reame. He wolde that we amende vs of our folyes / & that we see our propre defawtess. And therfore hath shewed to vs wrath / and woll chastyse vs of our mysdedes. Syth that he doeth vs without batayl / or strength of our enmyes / by greate companyes wretchedly to leue our reame & propre londe. ¶Torne agayne ye Romayns / torne agayne ye Scottes / torne agayne ye Saxons / torne agayne ye Fraūsoys. Now sheweth to you Brytayne all deserte / the whiche your power myght neuer make deserte / ne yet our power hath not put vs now in exyle But oonly the power of the [...] almyghty / whome we haue often of­fended by our folyes / the whiche we wolde not leue vntyll he chastysed vs by dyuyne power. ¶Amonge the wordes and lamentacyon that the kynge Cadwal­dre made to his folke / they arryued in lytell Brytayne / and came to kynge Aley ne before sayd. ¶And the kynge recey­ued hym with grete Ioye / & made hym to be serued wonder nobly. And there a­bode they longe tyme after. ¶The Englysshe people that were left a lyue and were escaped the grete hungre & morta­lyte / lyued in the best wyse y ^• they myght And moche people sprange & came of them. ¶And they sente in to Saron [...]e where that they were borne to theyr frondes for men / wymmen / and childern to restore the cytees with people & to w­nes that were all voyde of people / & for to labour / traueylle / and tylthe the erthe ¶Whan the Saxons berde these trdynges / they came in to the londe wonder thycke in grete companyes / and herbe­rowed themself in the coū [...]er all about where that they wolde / for they founde no man them for to lette ne withstonde. And so they wexed & multeplyed gretly. And vsed the maners and customes of the coū [...]re wherof they were come. And they vsed also the lawes and the langa­ges and speche of theyr owne londe that they came fro. And also they chaunged all the names of cytees / townes / castel­les / and brughs / and yaue them names [Page] and called them as they now ben called And they helde the Countees. Barona­ges & lordshyps in manere as the Bry­tons before tyme had compassed them / And amonge other greate companyes that came from Germayne in to this londe / came y ^• noble quene that was called Sexburga with men & wȳmen without nombre. And arryued in the coūtree of Northumberlonde / & toke the londe from Albion vnto Cornewaylle for her & for her folke. For there was none that myght them lette / for all was desolate & vayde of people / but it were a fewe poore Brytons that were lefte on mountayns & woodes vntyll that tyme. ¶And fro that tyme forth loste the Brytons this reame for all theyr dayes. And the Eu­glysshe people began to regne / & depar­ted the londe bytwene them. And they made many kynges aboute by dyuerse partyes of the londe as here ben diuyded The fyrst of Westsexe / the seconde Mercheurtche / the thyrde Estangle / the four­the kente / the fyfth Southsex. All those regned in this londe after y ^• Cadwaldre was passed out of this londe / & dwelled in lytell Brytayne with kynge Alayne his cosyn & true frende. And whan he had longe dwelled there / and had kno­w [...]ge that the mortalyte & pestylence was ouerpassed and that the londe was repleaysshed ayen w ^t people / he thought to tome ayen in to his londe. And prayed kynge Aleyne his cosyn of socour & hel­pe that he myght be restored ayen to his owne propre reame and fyrfst dygnyte / And kynge Aleyne graunted hym his askynge. ¶Thenne dyde he appareylle hym to take his waye and vyage in to this londe. And prayed god almyghty denoutely that he wolde make to hym de­monstracyon / yf his prayer to this londe were to hym pleasaūt or none / for ayenst the wyll of god almyghty he wolde noo thynge do. ¶Whan he had thus deuou­tely made his prayer / a boys fro heuen to hym sayd. And badde hym leue that Iourney awaye in to Englonde / & that he sholde go to the pope of Rome / for it was not the wyll of almyghty god that the Brytons sholde regne more in Bry­tayne / ne neuer recouer it vnto the tyme of the prophecye that Merlyn sayd before be fulfylletd. And that sholde neuer be vnto the tyme were come / that the re­lyques of his body shall be brought fro Rome and translated in to Brytayne / And whan the relykes of other sayntes that haue ben hydde for the persecucion of the paynem folke shall be founde and and opely shewed / thenne shal they recouer theyr londe ayen / the whiche they haue so longe tyme lost thrugh theyr desertes. ¶Whan Cadwaldre had herde this answere / he meruaylled gretly and tol­de it to kynge Aleyne. ¶Thenne kynge Aleyne dyde sende for the clergye of his londe / and made them to brynge the storyes & prophecyes that Me [...]lyn and Sybyll had sayd in theyr prophecyes. And whan he knewe that the prophecye that festom had prophecyed of the Egle. and other prophecyes accorded to the dy [...]yn answere that Cadwaldre had herde. He counseylled hym / and ryght faythfully desyred hym to leue his people & his nauy / and submytte hym to the dyspolicy­on of god / and do all that the aungell had cōmaunded hym. ¶Thenne Cad­waldre called Ynor his sone / and Yuori his cosyn that was his systers sone / and sayd to them. Taketh sayd he my folke & my nauy that is here all redy / and passe in to Walys & be ye lordes of Brytons that no dyshonour come to them by in­terrupcyon of the Paynem folke for de­faute of lordes. ¶And then he hymself lefte his reame of Brytayne and his folke for euer more / and toke his waye vn­to the pope of Rome Sergius / the whi­che worshypped hym moche / and soo he was confessyd / and toke penaunce for his synnes. And he had not longe dwel­led [Page] there that he ne deyed / the .xij. Ka­lendis in May / the yere of grace .v.C.lxxix.

¶How kyng Offa was souerayne aboue all the kynges of Englonde / & how euery kynge warred vpon other.

IT befell so that all the kynges in that tyme that were in the londe. as they of Westsex. Marchenrych. Estangle / of Kente / & of Southsex / & of other c [...]stes / eche warred vpon other. And he that was moost myghty toke the londe of hym that was moost feblest. ¶But there was a kynge amonge them that was called Offa / y ^t was saynt Oswal­des brother. This Offa conquered all the kynges of the londe / & regned aboue them all. ¶And so grete was the warre in euery countree bytwene kynges / that no man myght wyte how the londe wente. ¶But abbotes / pryours / and men of Relygyon wrote the lyues and dedes of kynges / and how longe euery of them regned & in what countree / and in what manere euery kynge deyed / and of bys­shops also. And therof made grete bokꝭ and lete calle them Cronycles. And the good kyng Alured had that boke in his warde. And lete brynge it vnto Wynche­stre / and lete it be fast tacked to a pylar that men sholde it not remeue / ne bere it thens / so that euery man sholde it see and therupon loke. For therin ben the lyues of all the kynges that euer were in Englonde.

¶How the kynge of Northumberlonde Osbryght forlaye the wyf of Buerne Bocarde thrugh strength / & after this Buerne conquered the kynge with po­wer and strength.

ANd thus it befell in the same ty­me / that there was a kynge in Northumberlonde that was called Os­bryght / and soiourned at Yorke. ¶And this kynge wente hym vppon a daye in to a wood hym for to dysporte. And as he came ayen / he wente pryuely in to a good mannes house / that was called Buerne / and the good man of that place was gone that tyme to the set. ¶For oftentymes there he was wonte to spye theues and robbers / that oftentymes were wonte to come in to the londe / to rob­be / brenne / and slee. The lady that was Buernes wyf was a wonder fayre wo­man. ¶And the kynge came vnto her whan that her husbonde was absente / And she trusted none harme vnto the kynge / and welcomed hym with moche honour / and worthely hym serued in all thynge. ¶Whan the kynge had eten / he toke the lady by the hande and ladde her in to a chambre and sayd. He wolde speke with her a counseyll. And all the folke he made voyde fro the chambre / saue oonly the lady and he. But the la­dy wyst not wherfore he it dyde tyll that he had done all his wyll. And whan he had done this dede / he tormed agayne to Yorke. And the lady he lefte there sort wepynge for the dede that the kynge to her hadde done. ¶And whan her lorde was come home and sawe her wepe and suche sorowe and mornynge make / he axed of her what she hadde done / and why she made suche sorowe. ¶S [...]re she sayd / subtylly and falsely the kyng Os­bryght hath do me shame and vylanye ayenst my wyll. And tolde hym all the truthe how the kynge had forlayne her with sh [...]ngth / wherfore she sayd she had leuer to be deed than to lyue. ¶Fayre lo­ue be styll sayd he / for ayenst strengthe feblenesse is lytell worthe / and therfore of me shalt thou neuer the lesse be loued and namely for thou haste tolde me the truthe. And yf almyghty god graunt to me my lyf I shall the auenge. ¶This Buerne was a grete man and a myghty lorde / and was well beloued & grete fren­des [Page] had. And lete sende for the grettest lordes of the loude / & to them made his complaynt of the despyte that the kyn­ge to hym had done and sayd / he wolde be auenged how so euer it were. And all his frendes coūseylled hym that he sholde goo vnto Yorke there that the kynge was hym to defye. And Buerne tooke his mayne & came to the kynge. Whan the kynge hym sawe / he called hym cur­tously Buerne by name. And Buerne hym answered & to hȳ sayd. Syt I you defye / and yelde vp feautees homages & londes / & as moche as I haue holden of you / and fro this tyme forwarde I wyll neuer of the no thynge holde. And so he departed fro the kynge without more speche or ony abydynge / and toke leue of his frendes & wente in to Denmarke / and playned to the kynge Godern / and tolde hym of the despyte of y ^t the kynge Osbryght to hym had done of his wyf. and prayed hym of socour & helpe hym for to auenge ¶Whan kyng Godern of Denmark and the danys had herde the complaynt of this Buerne / & the prayer that he badde / they were ryght wonder gladde in theyr hertes / for as moche as they myght fynde a cause for to go in to Englonde for to warre vpon Englesshemen / and for to auenge Buerne of the despyte that the kynge Osbryght hadde done vnto his wyf. And for as moche as Buerne was sybbe vnto the kynge of Denmark / anone they lete ordeyne a grete hoste of men & lete ordeyne theym shyppes / and as moche as theym neded for to haue to that vyage. And whan all the hoste was redy / the kynge made his two brethern chyef capytayns / that we­re noble knyghtes of body and also bolde. That one was called Hunga / & that other Hubba.

¶How the Danys toke Yorke / and sle­we the kynge Osbryght / and soone af­ter slewe kynge Elle.

AS all was redy the two bredern toke leue of the kynge Gode [...]n. & wente towarde the see for to passe ouer in to Englonde as faste as they myght spede. Now is Buerne so wel comforted & fast hyed hȳ w ^t the Danys y ^t they ben arryued in the North coūtree / & comen thrugh out Holdernes / & destroyed all y ^• coūtree / & brenned townes / & robbed fol­ke / & slewe all that they myght take tyll that they came vnto Yorke. And whan kynge Osbryght sawe them come / he toke all his people that he had with hym and came out of the cyte & faught with them / but noo foyson he ne had ayenst them / & moche of the people that there was were slayne on bothe partyes. And kyng Osbryght hymself there was slayne / & the cyte anone was take & the Danys went in. ¶And there was also an o­ther kynge in Northumberlonde / that Buernes frendes had chose & helde hym for kynge / a man that was called Elle / for as moche as they wolde not to kyng Osbryght he attendaūt / for the despyte that he had done vnto Buerne theyr to syn. ¶It befell thus that the kyng Elle was gone in to the wood hym for to dyf­porte / & of venyson some he had taken. And as he sate in the wood at meete / to a knyght he sayd. We haue well spedde & moche venyson taken. ¶And w ^t that worde came in a man & to hym sayd / yf ye so moche of venyson haue wonne / an hondred tymes somoche more ther ayenste haue ye lost. For all this coūtree the Danys haue goten / & taken the cyte of Yorke / & ayenst you shall it holde / that neuer ye shall come therin / & for so moche they haue slayne kynge Osbryght / ¶ Whan kynge Elle herde these wor­des / he lete assemble all the folke of the coūtree / & ordeyned all the power that he myght haue. And wolde haue goten the towne of Yorke with strength. But the Danys came out anone & yaue hym a stronge batayll. And slewe the kynge [Page] Elle and the moost parte of the people that he had brought with hym. ¶And the same place there they were slayne / shall euer more be called Elle crofte / & that place is a lytell from Yorke. ¶And tho rested the Danys neuer tyll y ^• they hadde conquered all Northumberlonde. And in that coūtree they made Wardeynes / and wente further in to the londe / and toke Notyngham. And there they abode all the wynter & dyde all the sorowe that they myght. ¶And after whan Somer tyme came they remeued from Notyngham and came in to Nicholl & Lyndesey / and to Holonde. For no man myght them withstande / soo moche po­wer & strength they had.

¶How saynt Edmonde the kynge was martyred.

ANd soo ferre hadde the Danys passed from countree to coūtree. and euer more brennynge and robbyn­ge and destroyenge all that they myght tyll they came vnto Tethforde. ¶And in that countree they founde a Crysten kynge / that moche loued god and his werkes that was called Edmonde. And he was a kyng of Northfolke & South folke. ¶This saynt Edmonde kyng or deyned as moche folke as he myght / & fought with the Danys / but he and his folke were dyscomfyted / and the kynge hymself dryuen vnto the castell of Fra­melynham. And the Danys hym purse wed / and came vnto the same castell / And whan kynge Edmonde sawe that the castell myght not them withstande / he came ayenst theym / with whome the Danys fyrst dyd speke. And anone they axed of hȳ where kynge Edmonde was ¶Now forsoth sayd he whan I was in the castell / there was the kynge / & whan I wente out of the castell he wente out also / & whether he shall escape or depe / at goddes wyll muste it all be. ¶Whan saynt Edmonde hadde named god / by that worde wyste they well all y ^t it was hymself. And anone Hubba & hungar toke hym & sayd / that he sholde god for­sake & all crysten lawes / as many other had done hym before. ¶And saynt Ed­monde sayd that he wolde neuer but rather he wolde suffre deth for goddes lo­ue & his lawes to. ¶Tho toke they kynge Edmonge & bonde hym vnto a tree / & made theyr archers to shote at hym w ^t arowes / tyll that his body stycked as ful of arowes as an orchen is full of pre [...] / kes. But for all the payne that they hȳ dyde he wolde neuer god forsake. And in the same payne & torment he deyed / & betoke his soule vnto almyghty god / ¶ And whan they sawe that he was dede / they smote of his heed. And of this maner as ye haue herde was saynt Edmonde martred.

¶How Hubba & Hungar toke the tow­ne of Redynge.

SO whan Saynt Edmonde was martyred. Hungar & Hubba yede thens with all the Danys vnto Redyng And as they wente thytherwarde they brente townes & cytees / & slewe all cry­sten peple that wolde not forsake: god / & cast downe chirches & came to Redynge & toke the towne & there helde them tyll that the kynge Edelf of Westsex came thyther with all his power for to take y ^• townes. Tho came out the Danys for to yeue batayll to Edelf / & at that ba­tayll was slayne an erle of the Danys that was called Sidiak. Vpon the mo­rowe came kynge Eldred and his bro­ther Alured with a stronge power and a grete hoste. And the kynge Edelf came agayne that had foughten the daye be­fore to that bataylle. And the Danyo tho came out for to fyght with theym / And the bataylle was wonder stronge / for many a man was there slayne / and [Page] the Danys that daye had the vyctorye / And the kynge Eldred & his broder Alutrd y ^t daye were dyscomfyted. ¶But the fourth daye afterwarde / the Danys & y ^• Englysshe fought togyder an other ty­me vpon Elkedene / & there was slayne a kynge of Denmarke y ^t was called Rafin / & foure erles of grete power. And y ^t daye had the Danys shame / for they we redryuē vnto Engilfelde. ¶And the .xv. daye after the Danys & the Englysshe men fought an other tyme at Rafynge & there were the Englysshmen dyscom­fyted / & from thens a dane that was called Roynt wente to redynge w ^t his hoste & destroyed all that he myght take. And kynge Eldred faught with hym / but he was wounded sore wherfore he deyed / And he regned but .v. yere / and lyeth at Womborn.

¶Circa annū dm̄ .iiij.C.xlix.

LEo the fyrst was Emperour after Marcianus .xvij. yere. In his tyme were the Rogacyon dayes ordey­ned afore the Ascensyon / of saynt Mar­met bysshop of vyenne. ¶The pope of Rome at that tyme hyght Leo a noble clerke / and with hym had many clerkes. ¶Hellariꝰ was pope after Leo .vij. yere This man ordeyned y ^t no bysshop shol­de ordeyne his successary (vt pꝪ .viij. lx. i. ¶Simplicius was pope after hym / whiche ordeyned that no clerke sholde take no garment to be clothed in after the seculer maner of a laye man / by the rea­son of his offyce or of his benefyce. ¶Ze no was Emperour after Leo .xv. yere / & this man was an heretyke and cruell a­yenst crysten men. And in this mannes dayes the bodyes of saynt Mathewe the Euangelyst & saynt Barnaby were foū de / & with them the gospell that saynt Mathewe wrote. ¶About this tyme the­re was a certayne comyn woman bare vij. childern at oo byrth / of the whiche one was made after. kynge of Lomb [...] dye. ¶Felix the thyrde was pope after Simplicius thre yere & .viij. monethes. This man ordeyned that respyte sholde be yeuen to a man that was accused that be myght auyse hym how he sholde an­swere. And that the Iuges & the accusers sholde be suche / & y ^t they sholde take all suspeccyon & spotte. ¶Gelasius a Ro­mayne was pope after Felix .v. yere / this man ordeyned the Canon of the masse. with the Preface / ympnes / tractes / ory­sons / as saynt Ambrose made them / & that ordres sholde be yeuen foure tymes in the yere. ¶Anastasiꝰ was Emperour after Zeno .xxvij. yere / & he was a cursyd man & an heretyke / and hatefull to god & man. And he was slayne with lyght­nynge. And in his tyme deyed saynt Patryk the fyrst bysshop of Irlonde / in the L.xxij. yere of his aege. And his felowe was y ^e abbot of Columba & saynt Bry­gyda whom saynt Patryk made a Nōne And they were buryed in one tombe / & at dyuers tymes / & this is the Epitaphi (Hij tres in gelido: tumulo tumulantur in vno. Brigida patricius: at (que) colum­ba pius) ¶Anastasius a Romayne was pope after Gelasius two yere and thre monethes. The whiche ordeyned y ^t no preest for wrath ne hate sholde leue of to saye his dyuyne seruyce in the chirche / excepte the masse. And he cursyd them­perour Anastasius / for he was an here­tyke / & it is wryten of hym / that after­warde he torned for drede to y ^• opynyon of the Emperour. And he is called the seconde euyll famed pope that is in (Catholico pontificū) And afore hym was Liberius famed in heresye.

¶Anno dm̄ .iiij.C.lxxxiiij.

SImachus was pope after hym .xv. yere / & with hym was ordey­ned an other pope that was called Lau­rencius / and betwixt them was a grete [Page] dyscencyon. And they bothe put them to the Iugement of Theodoria the kynge & he Iuged that he y ^t was fyrst ordened & that moost men of the chirche helde w ^t sholde be pope. And Symachus preualid the whiche loued the clergy & poore men & for Paschalius the deaken Cardynall helde ayenst Symachus with the parte of Laurence to his dethe. Therfore he was put to the paynes of purgatory / to kepe the batthes after his deth / as Gre­gory sayth in his booke of Dyalogis. This man ordeyned that (Gloria in excelsis) sholde be sayd euery sondaye and feestes of martyrs.

¶Nota ¶That Englonde was lon­ge tyme Crystened afore Fraunce.

CLodianus the fyrst crysten kynge of Fraunce / was this same tyme baptysed of saynt Remigio / & he had a crysten woman to his wyf / & she meued hȳ many tymes to the fayth & sayd. He sholde be fortunable & victoryous yf he wolde torne / & so he was & neuer afore. ¶Hornusda was pope after Synachus ix. yere. This man was of grete mercy & almesse to poore men / & ornamentꝭ he yaue many to chirches. And he reconsy­led the Grekes / the whiche were cursyd for theyr heresye. ¶Iustinus was Em­perour after Anastalius. And he regned ix. yere & was a very crysten man / & all y ^• euer themperour Anastasꝰ had done [...]yenst the chirche / he reuoked / & obeyed the pope Hornusda / & called ayen y ^t bys­shops y ^• were exyled by his predecessours ¶Priscianus grāmacicus was this ty­me. And this yere the whiche is the .lxxi. fro the comynge of the Saxons / began the kyngdom of west Saxon / & Cerdico was kynge. ¶Iohānes was pope after Hornusda thre yere & .ix. monethes. And Theodoricus the kynge of Ytaly an he­retyke toke y ^• pope w ^t other Senatours and sente them to the Emperour Iusti­nus / determynynge that & he wolde not lete y ^• heretykes be in peas he sholde slee all the crysten folke in Ytaly. And after be toke pope Iohn̄ & Sunachū patriciū & Boyciū the Senatours & slewe them in pryson. But Boys defended hym by the reason of chauctoryte of the Sena­tours / & he sente hym to the cyte of Pa­py for perpetuell eryle / where he made the boke De psolatiōe philosophie. And at the last the coūtree of Mediolanen̄ he caused Boys throte to be cutte / & so he deyed. ¶Felix pope succeded Iohn foure yere. This man cōmaunded that syke men sholde be aneled for the dethe / but Cryste ordeyned it fyrst. ¶Iustimanus was Emperour .xxxviij. yere / this man drewe the lawe of the Romayns out of almoost .ij.M. bokes & .iij.C. verses ouer longe & acco [...]dynge in to oo volumen of xij. bokes & called it Iustinian. He made also the Digestes & deuyded them in to thre bok [...]s. & Bonifaꝰ the seconde was pope after Felix two yere and lytell of hym is wryten. ¶Iohanes the seconde was pope after Bonifariꝰ & this man had a grete stryf with Iustinianꝰ them­perour / wheder that Cryste was of two natures or one. The pope sayd / he had two natures. One of god / & an other of man. The Emperour sayd other con­sente to vs / or thou shalt go in to perpe­tuell exyle. The pope answered. I desy­re to come to Iustunanus the moost crysten Emperour / but as me semeth I haue foūde Dyoclesyan the persecutour of crysten man. But certaynly I drede not thy malyce / ne I frir not thy threty ages Thenne the Emperour meked by [...]nself & fell downe to the gr [...]lde / & asked mercy and absolucyon.

¶Anno dm̄ .v.C.xxxiiij.

AGapitus a confessour was po­pe after Iohn̄ two yere / this [...]gapitus corned Iustinianus fro the errour [Page] fully of the heretykes. This man ordeyned that processyons sholde be done the Sondayes / and thenne he dyed at Con­stantynople. ¶Siluerius a martyr was pope after this man thre yere. He was exyled fro crysten fayth / and slayne by the proctour of Theodory. For he wolde not restore the bysshop of Athenes an heretyke to his benefyce ayen. ¶Virgili­us was pope after hym .xvij. yere. And he entred euyll in to his benefyce / but he gouerned hym well. And he suffred his persecucyon pacyently. And he was exy­led fro Rome. And at the last after gre­te passyons of Theodory in Constantynople deyed.

¶Synodus quarta constantinopolita­na contra theodorꝭ & om̄s hereticos alios fuit isto tempore. Ista synodus dampna uit heresim theodori. q ^• dixit aliū esse deū verū. et aliū xp̄m. Et qd beata virgo nō sit de [...] genitrix. sed hominis tantū.

¶Pelagius was pope after Virgilius foure yere and .x. monethes. This man ordeyned that heretykes Scismatykes & Renegates / sholde be punysshed by the seculer power. ¶Iohannes the thyrde was pope after this man .xiij. yere. Of this man lytell is wryten / but that he re­stored the chircheyerde of the appostles Philyp and Iacob. ¶Iustinus the se­conde after Iustinian was Emperour .xi. yere. This man despysed poore men He robbed the Senatours. He was ye­uen to all coueytousnesse / so that he ma­de chestes of yron / for to kepe his mo­neye in. Thenne anone he felle in here­sye / and wexed out of his mynde. ¶And thenne was chose Tyberiꝰ a good man for to gouerne the comyn people. ¶Tyberius the seconde was Emperour after Iustinus .vij. yere. This man was a vertuous man. He yaue Innumerable good to poore men. In so moche many tymes that his wyf chydde with hym and sayd that he cast awaye the goodes of the Empyre as stones. And he answered ayen and sayd. I trust in god that our chestes shall neuer lacke of moneye / and we put tresour in to heuen. ¶And vpon a cer­tayne daye whan he wente by his pa­lays at Constantynople / he sawe in the marbyll pament a crosse grauen / and thought it sholde not be troden vppon / and cōmaunded that stone to be lyfte vp For the crosse ought to be put in the hertes of faythfull men / and there he founde Inestymable tresour of golde. This man subdued Herses / & deyed blessydly ¶Benedictus was pope after Iohānes foure yere. This man suffred grete per­secucyon of hungre pestylence & enmyes This man brought many a thousande quarter whete from Egypte / whan Ro­me was besyeged by kynge Albanack / and almoost lost for vitayll. Wherfore they wrote on his graue this Epitaphi. ¶. Magna tuis monimenta pater benedicte reliquis: virtutū titulꝰ & decus [...] dolor. ¶Pelagius was Emperour after Benedictus .v. yere. In his tyme Rome was besyeged by the Lombardes / and lytell he dyde in his dayes. ¶Maurici­us was Emperour after Tyberius .xxi. yere. This man was a very crysten man and subdued Persas and Armenias / & in the later ende of his dayes / he dyscor­ded with saynt Gregory / and entended to haue slayne hym. And thenne appe­red a man in Rome clothed in a relygyous habyte / holdynge a naked swe [...]de in his honde / and cryed about the Cy [...] in this wyse. The Emperour shall [...] destroyed. The whiche the Empero [...] herde / and he corrected hymself of his trespaas / and prayed to god to withdra [...] we his sentence. To whome our [...] apperyd in his slepe & sayd. Wyll y ^• [...] I spare the now or in tyme to come. [...] he was a louer of wretches / and [...] yeue me here my rewarde. Thenne [...] he Emperour after many a daye. [...] whan he sholde haue corrected his [...] tes for the extorcyon that they dyde [...] [Page] asked hym why that he wolde not paye them theyr wages. And so they fell at va ryaunce / & [...]hose Foka for to be Empe­rour & slewe hȳ & thre sones. ¶This tyme saynt Austyn came in to Englon­de & ordeyned two Archebysshops / that is to saye / of London / & of Yorke by the cōmaūdement of saȳe [...]regory. ¶And [...]emembre y ^• many tymes is made [...]en­cyon of dyuers regyons & coūtrees / that oftyme they haue be torned to the fayth For alway the fayth abode not in them for dyuers causes. So it is of Englon­de. Fraunce. Persia. Iewery. And in this thynge Rome was pryueleged / for the fayth of Peter neuer fayled. ¶focas was Emperour after Maurici his may ster / whom he & other slewe. And by can se he began euyll he ended nought. For in his dayes the Romayns faught stron gely ayenst the Persees / & the Roma [...]s were dyscomfyted & lost many a prouyn ce. And at the last he was ouercome and slayne of Heraclius. For as he dyde vnto other men / so he was done vnto.

¶Anno di [...] .v.C.lxxxiiij.

[...]Regory the fyrst a Romayne & a monke was pope after Pelagius xi [...]. yere. This man was called Grego [...]us magnus for many thyngs [...] y ^• he exceded in. He passed other men in power / in ty ches / in vertue / in noblynesse / in wysedo­me / in holynesse / in fame / & in experyen te. And vnder this man the euyl thyng [...] of cursydnesse passed were sessyd. And many a noble bolre he wrote to the In­comparable profyte of all holy chirche / He was one of the pryncypall doctours of all the foure doctours of the chirche / This man forsoth alone w ^t saynt Fabi an after saynt Peter / was chosen of god in all the ordres of the popes of Rome / Many chynges he ordeyned in the chir­che / as is shewed in his regystre Deus in adiutoriū) for to be afore the begyn­nynge of the houres he cōmaūded to be sayd. He renewed & made all the offyces of the chirche in a fayre & a more com­pendyous manere / the whiche abydeth yet vnto this daye / & is called Gregoria nū. And shortly for to conclude on this holy man / mānes tonge can not expresse lyghtly the louynges of this man / what in wrytynges / & also in example of ver­tuous dedes. ¶Saninianus was pope after Gregory one yere & .v. monethes. this man ordeyned y ^• tyngynge of belles at the houres of the daye / but this man bachyted saynt Gregory for his lybera­lyte y ^• he had to poore men / & thought he see saynt Gregory rebuked hȳ th [...]es for it. And the fourth tyme he laye in his bedde / and thought saynt Gregory smote hym on the heed / & he waked & dered anone. This was the thyrde pope amonge all the popes / the whiche is noted to deye dredefull deth. ¶Bonifacius the thyrde was pope after Saninianus .viij monethes. He ordeyned that none but whyte clothes sholde be put vppon the awter. ¶Bonifaciꝰ the fourth was po­pe foure yere & .viij. monethes / this man putchaced of y ^• Emperour Focas y ^• chir­che of saynt Peter of Rome sholde be y ^• heed of all the chirche in the worlde. For afore Constantynople was the heed chirche. Also he gate lycence that the chirche called Panton the whiche was dedycate to the honour of Neptunus and other fals goddes / where crysten men many tymes were slayne of deuylles / myght be dedycate to the worshyp of all sayn­tes in heuen. ¶This man ordeyned that monkes myght vse the offyet of prechynge / crystenynge / and confessyn­ge. ¶Heraclius was Emperour after Focas .xiij. yere. And in the thyrde yere of his regne. Cosdias the kynge of Per­se brente Ierusalem and other worshyp­full places. Zachary the patryarke with other moche people he toke in captyuyte The parte of the holy crosse the whiche [Page] Eleyne lefte there he toke with hym in to his coūtre. But the .xij. yere of Hera­clius. Cosdras was slayne of Heraclius & the crosse was brought ayen / the peo­ple were delyuered. And whan Heracliꝭ wolde haue entred the cyte proudly / the yates of the cyte by power of god chytte therself / & y ^• Emperour meked hym to god aboue & y ^• yates opened. And thenne was the feest of the exaltacōn of y ^e crosse made. ¶Deus dedit was pope after Bonifaciꝰ thre yere / this was an holy man For on a certayne daye whan he kyssed a lepre / anone y ^• lepre was hole. ¶This tyme a Cyteyzin of London thrugh the mocyon of Ethelbryght buylded a chir­che of saynt Peter in the West parte of London / in a place y ^t was called Thor­neye.

¶Circa annū dm̄ .vi.C.xliiij.

BOnifacius the fyfthe was pope after Deus dedit fyue yere. The whiche ordeyned that no man sholde be taken out of the chircheyerde. And lytell elles of hym is wryten.

¶Nota Machomitum.

¶Machomite the duke of Sarrasyns & Turkes was this tyme. And he was y ^• dysceyuer of all the worlde / a false pro­phete / the messenger of the deuyll. The forgooer of Antecryst / the fulfyller of hererye / & of all fals men the meruayllest. Of whon the dominacion thus began / ¶ There was a certayne famous clerke at Rome / & coude not spede in his ma­ters that he desyred to haue spedde in. Thenne he receded from Rome ouer y ^• see / & procured many a man to haue go­ne with hym. Amonge whome was this Machomyte a grete man of wytte. And this clerke promysed hym to make hym duke of the countree yf he wolde be gy­ded after hym. ¶There he nourysshed a douue / & put all the corne y ^• the douue ete in Machomytꝭ eere / & so this douue had neuer no mette but in his eere. The forsayd clerke on a daye called the peo­ple & meued them to chese suche a pryn­ce as y ^• holy ghost wolde shewe to them in lykenesse of douue. And anone this clerke secretly lete flee this douue / y ^• whiche after his olde custome that he was wonte to / fell anone to y ^• sholder of Machomyte & put his bylle in his eere. And the people sawe this / anone he was cho­sen duke of that people of Corosame / he sayd that he was the very prophete of god. Thenne he made a boke of his la­we that was called Alkaron. But he dyde it by Informacōn of thre of his may­sters. To whome the deuyll mynystred the auctoryte and the connynge. ¶The fyrst mayster was a Iewe a grete Astro­nomyer & a Nygromancer. The secon­de was Iohn̄ de Anthiochia. The thyr­de was Sergius an heretyke. And these thre made an vngracyous lawe and an vnhappy. ¶And what some euer was harde of byleue and noyous to do / they lefte that out of the lawe / and they put that thynge in the lawe / the whiche the worldly men were prone and redy to do. That is to saye. Glotony / lechery / rapyne / & suche other. And also this Machomyte ordeyned that a man sholde haue as many wyues as he myght occupye & fynde / and refuse them twyes or thryes / or foure tymes / and take them agayne / And many meruayllous & fals thynges he made in his lawe / the whiche were to longe to reherce here. But they be play­ne in his boke of Alkaron. And euer he wrote in his boke / that our lorde spake to Machomyte his prophete / sayenge on this wyse / or on this. ¶Thus by his false meanes he dysceyued the people. And whan his maysters & he had made this that was so delectable. He wrote it in a bo [...] with letters of golde. And also he nourysshed a myghty camell secretly in a pryue place / and aloonly with the ho [...] des of Machomyte was alwaye fedde / [Page] And there pryuely he tyed this boke of the lawe that he had made about the camels necke / and put this camel forth on a tyme in to the felde afore daye. And this camell Ioyed in his lybertee / for he was neuer lose afore. And he wolde suf­fre no man to come & touche hym. And so there was a grete fame of suche a ca­mell / and all the people ranne to see hȳ Amonge whom was this Machomyte. But whan the camell sawe hym y ^• had fedde hym alwaye. Anone he ranne vn­to hym. And he had taught this camell afore tyme to falle downe on his knees and lycke his hondes. And so he dyde a­fore all that people. The people thenne cryed and sayd / that there was a very ensample that he was the true prophete of god. ¶Thenne they prayed Machomy­te to open that holy boke with his holy hondes / the whiche was sente from he­uen euermore to be kepte. In the whiche boke is shewed how the people shal worshyp god. ¶And Machomyte sayd / this boke was wryten with aungels honde / So by these fals meanes / he torned to his lawe all the londe of Perse / and all the Erst Imperyall agaynst Heraclium the Emperour. And he occupyed vnto the ende of Alexandre and Egypte. Li­bia. Arabia and Siria. Thenne after he enfected all Affrycam. And but the grace of god withstode hym / he had en­fected all Spayne and Fraunce. And many other thynges he dyde / whiche were to moche to wryte in this boke.

COnstantyne the thyrde / the sone of Heraclij was Emperour .xxvij. yere. This Constantyne was a grete ty­raunt & a cursyd man / and an heretyke Fals / subtyll / and odyous to crysten men Ne he gaaf no place to pope Mertyne / And he reysed a grete hoste agaynst the Lombardes. And there he lost the felde / and fledde vnto Rome. And honourably was receyued of the pope Vit [...]llianus / & other of the cyte. And he rewarded not them lyke after theyr merytes as a prynce sholde haue done. But vsed forth ty­rannye and heresye. Wherfor at the last he was slayne of his owne knyghtes in a bath / the whiche wolde no lenger suf­fre his tyrannye. And soo he wretchedly lyued / and deyed vnhappely. ¶Marti­nus the fyrst was pope after Theodor .vi. yere. This Martinus was a very holy man / & strongely stroue for the fayth of god. And whan he sange masse on a certayne daye at the awter / there purse­wed hym to slee hym a man that was called Spatarius of Olymphe. And whan he wolde haue smyten hym / he was blynde sodaynly. This same man called a Synodi in the cyte of Rome / and dampned Syrum. Alexandrū Ser­gium. Pyrum / and Paulum heretykes. Wherfore Constantyne the Emperour expled hym / and he deyed a saynt. ¶Eugeniꝰ a Romayne was pope after Mar­tyne almoost thre yere / and was an holy man / but of hym lytell actes is wryten. ¶Vitellianus was pope after hym. [...] yere. This man made the songe that the Romayns vse / and accorded it also with the organys. And he also had the grace of the Emperour / the whiche was wrothe with his predecessours. Neuerthelesse afterwarde he stode not in his con­co [...]de. Ne hytherto I coude not fynde / that euer the churche of Rome had fully after the deth of Constantyne y ^• mygh­ty / the lordshyp of the cyte and of other the whiche he yaue to the churche.

¶Anno dm̄ .vi.C.xliiij.

ADeodatus a Romayne was po­pe after Vitellianus foure yere / and in his dayes was translated the bo­dy of saynt Benedictus / with the body of Saynt Scolastica his syster fro the hylle of Cassin vnto the monasterys of Floriecens nyghe Aurelian. ¶Consta [...] [Page] tyne the fourthe was Emperour after his fader Constantyne the cursyd man This Constantyne was a good man & hated heretykes ouer all thynge. The chirche he repeyred / and grace he recon­syled agayne to the chirche of Rome / & he with the pope gadred togyder the .vi. generall Synodus / in the whiche was graunted to preestes of Grece / for to vse theyr leyffull wyues / & to the preestes of the Eest for cause of grete hete / but not to those of the West party by no meanes For they amytted chastyte in the tyme of saynt Gregory. And euery man may auertyse & pondre how moche the good­nes of a prynce is worthe / to the quyete state of the chirche / & to the promocyon of the fayth / and also the contrary / how moche the malyce of a prynce hurteth that thynge. These two Constantyns the fader & the sone shewed openly. For in the faders dayes the chirche neuer had rest / and in the sones tyme it was quye­te. Yet neuertheles our lorde suffred the Sa [...]rasyns and the Bulgars to entre in this Emporours londe / that he them myght not withstande / but that he ma­de his peas with them / & payed to them yerely a truage / so myghtely preuaylled that cursyd secte of Machomyte / & after he deyed blessydly. ¶Nota.

¶That there were .vi. generall Syno­dus / and moost pryncypall of the whi­che the auctoryte is equall to the gospell for the truthe of the gospell is declared by them ayenst the .vi. pryncypall here­syes the whiche strongely trowbled the chirche for the subtyltee of those herety­kes to dysceyue symple men. ¶This tyme deyed saynt Cedde of Lytchefelde / y ^• thyrde yere of his bysshopryche. ¶Demus a Romayne was pope after Adeo­datus thre yere. Of this man lytell is wryten. ¶Bonifacius was pope after hym / & lytell of hym is wryten / but that he lyued lyke a preest. ¶Agatho was popope after hym / and he was a very ho­ly man. For on a daye whan he kyssed a lepre / the lepre anone was made hole /

¶Iste et de consensu principis iussit celebrari sextū sinodū apud ostantinopoli CC.lxxx. ep̄o (rum). in qua asseret duas naturas et duas voluntates esse in xp̄o.

¶Leo the seconde was pope after Aga­tho thre yere / this Leo was an holy man and suffycyentely taugh in latyn & gre­ke / this man ordeyned that the pax sholde be yeuen after Agnus dei / and deyed a blessyd man. ¶Benedict [...]s the secon­de was pope after Leo almoost thre yere This man about all thynge was ver­tuous / & his name accorded with his de­des. And in his tyme was a grete pesty­lence. ¶Iustinianꝰ the seconde was Emperour this tyme / & he was a very good man / a prudent & a large / and he encreaced the Empyre of Rome myghtly / but but he charged the offyce of the chirche ouer moche. Many lawes he made / and after was not good / he intended to haue lette y ^• decrees of the .vi. Synodus / wherfore the .x. yere of his Empyre he was taken of Leo the prynce of Patricio and Tyberio / & they cutte of his nose & his tonge & exyled hym to Crysonā. There was then turbacyon in y ^• chirche for stryue & heretykes. ¶And knowe all men whan varyaunce falleth betwixt grete lordes / thenne errours ben multeplyed / for there is no man corrected them / ther­fore that is oftentyme preued in the chirche. Thenne after felle a varyaunce be­twixt Leo and Tyberio. And Tybereo preuaylled / & he exyled Leo / & cutte of his nose the thyrde yere of his regne / & regned for hym. Iustinianus fledde to the Sarrasyns & the Bulgars / the whiche restored hym ayen to his Empyre / & slewe Leo and Tyberio / the whiche fauoured heretykes. Thenne this same Iustinianus refourmed hymself to the chirche of god / & had grete repentaunce But he venged hym to cruelly on his aduersaryes / so that he wolde haue slay [Page] [...] theyr Innocent childern. Therfore he was slayne with his sone / of Phylyp whom he exyled.

¶Anno dm̄ .vi.C.lxxxiiij.

IOhānes the fyfth was pope after Benedictꝰ [...]o yere / he was a good man / but he decessid anone. ¶Zeno was pope after hym. And he was a very ho­ly man / for he wolde not medle with se­culer maters. And in beaute he was an angell / quyete in vertues / & meke in soule / and very demure in langage of his relygyons lyf / this man was chosen at the last with one accorde of the chirche and laye men. But there was a grete distynccyon / for the Clergy entended to haue chose Perys the Archebysshop. And the hoste of alye men wolde haue had Theodorum a preest. But at the last the holy ghost tourned the wyll of all this people in to this holy man. ¶Sergins was pope .ix. yere. This man was vertuous & comendable in his lyf. And in his elec­cyon a grete dyscorde was / for one par­tye of the clergye chose Theodorū / and an other partye Paschalem. But as our lorde wolde at the last they tourned all to this man. This man translated the body of saynt Leo. He also founde a grete parte of y ^• holy crosse by myracle. And he crystened Cadwaldre the laste kynge of Brytayne. He cōmaūded (Anus dei) to be sayd or songe thryes at masse. And decessyd blessydly. ¶Nota.

¶Saynt Beda the worshypfull preest was this tyme a grete man of fame in Englonde / the whiche was take the .vij. yere of his [...]ege to Benedict the abbot Gyrwyen̄ monastery to be taught. And thenne after to Colfrido the abbot after the deth of Benedict. And at the .xix. yere of his aege he was made Deaken of the bysshop of Yorke. And at .xxx. yere he was made preest / in the whiche yere he began to [...]yte. So he contynued all the tyme of his lyf in that monastry / in geuynge his labours to wrytynge & scrypture to be expowned. He made .lxxviij. bokes / the whiche he nombreth in the ende of his Englysshe boke. This man was euer in labour other in prayer or in syn­gynge dayly in the chirche / or to lerne or teche or wryte. For whiche thynge men may Iuge by reason that he was neuer at Rome / all though some saye he went to Rome that he myght see that his bo­kes accorded with the doctryne of the holy chirche. But it was certayne that he was blynde / and wente to preche / & had a seruaunte that was not good / & made hym to preche to a myghty multytude of stones and sayd / that they were men. And whan all his sermon was done / the stones answered and sayd. Amen. But that he wente to Rome thryes / and foū ­de wryten thre arres / thre effes / and e [...] powned them / it was neuer foūde in no boke of auctoryte. There was after the talkynge of the people suche a wrytyng on the yates of Rome (RRR. FFF) And suche an exposition (Regna Rome Ruent. Ferro Flama Fame) But it is certayne that Beda was desyred to co­me to Rome by the wytynge of Serg [...] ­us the pope to Colfrido his abbot. And this Beda translated y ^• gospell of saynt Iohan in to Englysshe tonge / & dysses­syd blessydly. The fame sayth that now he lyeth at Deuelyn with saynt Cuthberte / & there is buryed with hym the kno­wlege of y ^• dedes of Englonde almoost to the conquest. ¶Leo the seconde was Emperour / and lytell of hym is wryten. ¶Liberius was Emperour after hym vij. yere / he rose ayenst Leo & entred his kyngdom / and kepte hym in pryson as longe as he regned. In his tyme Iusti­nianus the seconde whiche in olde tyme was exyled to Crysonam openly sayd / he wolde recouer his Empyre agayne. Wherfore the people of that coūtree / for the loue of Liberius / were about to slee [Page] that Iustinianus. Wherfore he fledde to the prynce of Thurco (rum) & wedded his syster. And thorugh helpe of his brother & the Bulgars he recouered his Empyre & slewe Liberius and Leo the vsurper of his reame. And as many tymes al­moost as he wyped ony drope from his nose / the whiche they kytte of / so many tymes he made one of his enmyes to be slayne. ¶Leo the thyrde was pope after Sergius two yere. This man was ma­de pope by the power of the Romayns & was not put in the nombre of popes / for he euyll entred / but he dyde none e­uyll. ¶Iohannes the .vi. was pope after hym a Greke. And he was a martyr / but of whom and wherfore the cause is not foūde in hystoryes. It is sayd / that it was of the dukes of Lombardy / for they were enmyes to the chirche myghtely. ¶Iohānes the .vij. a Romayne was pope after hym thre yere / but no thynge of hym is wryten. ¶Iustinianus was Emperour ayen with his sone Tyberiꝰ .vi. yeres. And this was he the whiche was reued the Empyre afore by Leo / And whan this man was restored ayen he toke hym to the ryght fayth / & wor­shypped the pope Constantyne. And certaynly he destroyed Creson y ^• place where he was exyled vnto / and all that dwelled in it / except y ^• childern he slewe them And he came ayen an other tyme to haue slayne the Innocentes. And the men of that countree made them a capytay­ne / a certayne man that was called Philyp an outlawe / the whiche anone wen­te to hym in batayll / and slewe hym for his outrageous cruelnesse ayenst those children. ¶Sysinnius was pope twenty dayes / and thenne was grete stryfe / and he decessyd / but lytell of hym is wryten. ¶Constantyne was pope after hym .vij yere. This man was a very meke man and so blessyd / that of all men he was beloued. He wente ouer the see to Iusti­nianus the Emperour / and was recey­ued with grete honour / and deyed a blessyd man. ¶Philyp the seconde was Emperour one yere / the whiche fledde in to Scicilia for the hoste of the Romayns / And he was an heretyke / and cōmaun­ded all pyctures of sayntes for to be de­stroyed. Wherfore the Romayns cast a­waye his coyne / ne wolde not receyue no moneye that his name or ymage were wryten vpon. ¶Anastasius the seconde after he had slayne Philyp was Empe­rour thre yere. This man was a crysten man / and he lyued well. But by cause he put out Philyps eyen / and slewe hym afterwarde. And therfore Theodosius faugh ayenst hym and ouercame hym / & thenne he was made a preest / and ly­ued so quyetly.

¶Anno dm̄ .vij.C.xiiij.

GRegorius the seconde was pope after Constantyne .xvij. yere / this Gregorius was a chaste man & a noble man in scrypture. And about this tyme the popes began to deale more temporally with the Emperours than they were wonte for theyr falsnesse & theyr heresye. & also for to remeue thempyre fro oo pe­ple to an other as y ^• tyme requyred / this man cursyd Leo the Emperour by cause he brente the ymages of sayntes. This same Leo cōmaūded Gregorius the po­pe that he sholde brenne chirches & des­troye them. And he sette noo thynge of his sayenge / but cōmaunded the coūtra­ry manly. And soo it is openly shewed / that the destruccyon of the Empyre of Rome / was the cause of heresye. For certaynely faythfull people with the pre­lates with one wyll / drewe to the pope / and constrayned the Emperours for to leue theyr tyrannye and theyr heresye / ¶ And this tyme in the eest parte of the worlde strongly faylled the very fayth / for y ^• cursyd lawe of y ^• fals Mach [...]myte ¶Theodosius was Emperour and regned [Page] but one yere. And he was a very crysten man / and euen as he dyde so was he done vnto. For Leo deposyd hym and made hym a preest. ¶Leo the thyrde w ^t Constantyne his sone was Emperour xxv. yere / this Leo whan he was mygh­ty he deposyd Theodosius and regned for hym / & was desceyued by a certayne Apostata / the whiche hadde hym that he sholde take & brenne all the ymages of sayntes. Wherfore he was punysshed bothe in batayll & in pestylence / & with other Infortunes. And by cause he was accursyd of Gregorius / and bode therin thre dayes / therfore the pope with the comyn people toke fro hym the best parte of his Empyre / cōmaundynge that noo man sholde obeye hym ne socour hym / by cause he lyued lyke an heretyke. ¶Holy men sayd ayenst hym. And many by hym were martred & exyled. And at the last in his myshyleue he deyed wretchedly. And in this mannes dayes / but that Karolus Marcellus holpe the Crysten fayth / & faught manly ayenst the Sar­rasyns / and draue them backewarde in to Spayne the whiche they had subdued els they had entred in to Fraunce. And Karolus slewe thre hondred thousande Sarrasyns & moo. And of his peple we­re slayne but .xv. thousande. ¶Nota ¶This man for the contynuall batay­le tooke to laye men the tresoure of the chirche. Wherfore saynt Eucharius the bysshop of Aurelian / as he was in his prayers / sawe that same Karolus in soule & body payned in helle. And the aun­gell that shewed the bysshop this man sayd. That that was the Iugement of all those that toke awaye the goodes of the chirche / or of poore men. And to for­tifye that that the bysshop sayd & to proue it / the abbot of saynt Denys wente to the sepulcre there that Karolus was buryed / & opened the cheste that he laye in. And there they see a grete dragon go out / but he had no body. ¶Gregorius the thyrde a Romayne was pope after Gregorius the seconde. The whiche conformed the worshyppes of the ymages of sayntes / with the counseyll almoost of a thousande bysshops. And he cursyd horrybly all the despysers of these yma­ges. As the Emperour & other that we­re of that condycyon. ¶Constantynus the fyfth was Emperour after his fa­der Leo .xxv. yere He was a cursyd man and a pure heretyke / so that he dyde sa­crefyce to the deuylles. He pursewed the chirche. And no thynge that is good of hym is wryten. And so by the su [...]raunce of god the chirche was trowbled longe tyme. About this tyme were many mer­uaylles / & there were meruayllous erthe quakys. And certayne cytees that were sette on mountayns / they were reme [...]ed and borne awaye with the bylles in to the feldes .vi. myles thens as they stode and the cytees were not broken ne bur [...] In the londe of Mesopotanian the erthe was broken by the space of two m [...]le And also there was a mule that spa [...]e in a mannes voys. Asshes fell fro heuen And in the see of Poncico there was vse for grete froste that was .xxx. cub [...]es of thycknesse. And sterres felle fro heuen so myghtely that men trowed that the en­de of the worlde had be comen. All these betokened meruayllous thynges for to come.

¶Anno dm̄ .vij.C.xliiij.

ZAcharias was pope after Gregorius .x. yere. This Zacharus was a noble man & arayed with all vertue / With all men be was loued for his me­kenesse. And he deposyd the kynge of Fraunce Hydery / and put in his place Puppinus / for he was more profytable. ¶Here may ye see what power the chir­che had that tyme / the whiche transla­ted that famous kyngdome fro the very heyres / to the kyngdome of Pippinus / for [Page] a leyffull cause (Vt habet .xv.q.v. a­lius) ¶Stephanus the seconde a Ro­mayne was pope after Zacharias .v. ye­re. This man in all thynge was profy­table vnto the chirche / as well in worde as in doctryne. And he gouerned the spirytualtee and the temporaltee nobly. He was the louer and the defender of poore men. This man anoynted Pippinꝰ the kynge of Fraunce / & sente hym ayenst the Lombardes / that he sholde compell them to restore the chirche of suche goo­des as they had with holde from theym longe tyme vnryghtwysly the whiche he dyde. He also translated the Empyre of the Grekes to the Frensshmen. ¶Pau­lus a Romayne was pope after hym .x. yere. This was a very holy man / for he dyde grete almesse to faderlesse childern & prysoners / wydowes / and other poore men / that he myghte be a folower of saynt Poule. ¶Constantyne a Romay­ne the seconde was pope after Poul two yere. This Constantyne was a lay man and sodeynly was made a preest / as a tyraunt / and toke on hym the dygnytee of the pope. And with a grete sclaundre to the chirche was pope a lytell tyme. But the faythfull men put hym out / and put out his eyen. And this was the fyfth In famed pope / amonge so many herde to­fore. So the holy ghost that holy apos­tles sete kepte in all honour & holynesse ¶Intynyte martyrs were made this tyme by Constantyne the Emperour / for he was suche an heretyke. And men tro­we that there was neuer Emperour / ne no pagon that slewe so many martyrs. And in his tyme the chirche was trow­bled full sore / & very precyously bought the worshyppynge of the ymages of the holy sayntes / for the grete shedynge of blood of martyrs. And certaynly that cursyd Emperour was not vnpunys­shed. For whan that he deyed / he cryed with an horryble voys and sayd. I am taken to a fyre / that is vnable for to be destroyed. And so he yelded vp the ghost to euerlastynge payne. ¶The Empyre of Rome was dyuyded about this tyme For Stephanus the pope translated Ytaly and other vnto Karolus a yonge man. And Constantyne helde the londe of Grece with other londes ouer the see with a grete labour and many rebellyn­ge. ¶This tyme Karolus magnus was a noble yonge man. And he began for to regne vpon Fraunce / and was the so­ne of Pippinus / and his moder was called Berta. ¶Stephanus the thyrde was pope after Paulus thre yere. And he amended all the errours of Constan­tyne. And he degraded all those the whiche Constantyne ordeyned in a generall Synodus.

¶Anno dm̄ .vij.C.lxxxiiij.

ADitanus a Romayne was po­pe after Stephanus .xxiiij. yere. This man was myghtely worshypped of the people / no man greter afore hym in honour / ryches and buyldynge. This man sette two solempne Synodis. The fyrste of thre hondred and fyfty faders The seconde in Rome with an hondred and fyfty faders / beynge presente Char­les the kynge of Fraunce / to whome it was graunted the lyberte of eleccyon of the popes / and to ordeyne the appostles sete. ¶Leo the fourthe regned Empe­rour with the Grekes fyue yere. This Leo was a cursyd man / but not soo mo­che as his fadet was. And he was a co­ueytous man / and he toke awaye a cer­tayne crowne of a chirche and put it vp on his heed. And anone he was corrup­ted with an axes and sore dyseased. And he had a cursed wyf / the whiche regned after hym with her sone. ¶Constanty­ne was Emperour after Leo / & he was a meke man / and put awaye his moder fro the kyngdom / that she myght take hede vnto her wȳmens werke. But she [Page] with a fayned rancour put out his eyest afterwarde / and his children also / and regned agayne thre yere. And at the last she was aboute for to haue be wedded. And whan the Grekes perceyued that she wolde be wedded to grete Karolus / they toke her and shytte her vp in a monastery / and toke Nychoferū to be theyr Emperour. ¶The .v. vnyuersall study the whiche in olde tyme was translated from Athenes vnto Rome / aboute this tyme was translated to Parys / by Ka­rolus kynge of Fraunce. ¶Nychoferus was Emperour after Constantyne. He was a very nygon / and was exalted to his Empyre by the Grekes. But he profyted not / for in his tyme all the [...]est Imperyall was brought to nought. For the Romayns put them vnder Karolus magnus. ¶Ierusalem about this ty­me was recouered by Karolus / with all the holy londe. And the secte of the Sarrasyns was destroyed strongely. For the destruccyon of wretches came thenne. ¶Michaell was Emperour two yere / And he was a very crysten man / and he was well beloued / and also he was con­nynge in all scyences. And tho that Ny­choferus hadde hurte and dystressyd of theyr goodes by his coueytousnesse / this Michaell restored them and made them ryche ayen. ¶Nota.

¶Karolus magnus the fyrst saynt was Emperour after Michaell. And he was crowned Emperour by Leo the pope / from the whiche tyme the Empyre was translated from the Grekes to Fraun­ce and Germayne. And for the transla­cyon of that Empyre / the Grekes al­waye were defectyne vnto the Romayns And the Grekes stroue euer more with them. But it was more with venemous wordes than with strengthe / and more with crafte than with batayll. For they hadde so grete enuye at the Romayns / that they wolde not obeye the chirche of Rome. For certaynly whan that the po­pes wolde wryte vnto them / for to obeye the chirche of Rome / they wrote agayne ond sayd. Ye haue taken from our kyn­rede teh Empyre / and therfore we woll not obeye / and we vs take from you / And for this noble Emperour Karolus it is to be vnderstande / this man whan he was a yonge man / he was anoynted kynge of Fraunce by Stephanus the pope. In the yere of our lorde Ihesu Cryste .vij. hondred .liiij. whan his fader Pep­pinus lyued. Vnder whome / and with whome he regned .xv. yere vnto the deth of his fader. ¶Thenne after his fader vnder the yere of our lorde god .vij. hon­dred .lxviij. this Karolus with his broder Karolomannus regned two yere. And thenne his brother deseased in the seconde yere. And this Karolus there helde al the hoole kyngdom .xiiij. yere / to the yere of our lorde .vij. hondred .lxxxiiij. In the whiche yere he wente to Rome / that he myght be crowned Emperour of the pope Adrianus. And he regned Emperour xvi. yere / to the yere of our lorde .viij.C. whan pope Leo confermed hym ayen the Emperour. And after that he was Emperour .xiiij. yere. And he dysseasyd in the yere of his aege .lxxij. The whiche was the yere of our lorde .viij.C. and xiiij. ¶Yf ye wyll see more of Karolus / go to the boke of Turpinus and Libra­minus his mayster / for they wrote his noble actes. ¶Leo the fourth was pope after Adrianus .xx. yere / this man whan he wente on a certayne daye with the Letany to saynt Peters chirche on Saynt Markes daye / he was taken with cur­syd people / and bothe his eyen put out / and his tonge cutte of. But our lorde merueylously restored hȳ ayen his syght and his speche / so that he spake without tonge / and sawe by myracle. Afterwar­de he wente with Karolus in to Fraun­ce. And he came with hym vnto Rome / and renged the pope on his c [...]mye. And thenne he crowned Karolus. And he [Page] late afore crowned / comfermed hym a­gayne. ¶Ludouicus the meke the fyrste begoten sone of Karolus was Empe­rour after his fader .xxvi. yere / in whose tyme was put awaye that clerkes sholde vse no gyrdels with precyous stones / nestraūge arayment. This Ludouicus of his fyrst wyf gate two childern / & bothe had an euyll ende. In all thynge that wente ayenst hym he was pacyent / and in the last ende he euer ouercame. For a­yenst god he abode deuoute. And his childern folowed hym in condycyons / & he dyssessyd a blessyd man. ¶Stephanus the fourth was pope after Leo thre yere This Stephanus redemed many cap­tyue men / and crowned Ludouicus the Emperour. And thenne he dyssessyd & was byryed at Rome. ¶Paschall was pope after Stephanus. This Paschall gaue a greate dylygence to relyques of Sayntes. And he toke vp Innumerable bodyes of sayntes / & buryed them wor­shypfully as in the vysyon of saynt Ce­cile he was cōmaunded. ¶Eugenius the fourth was pope after Paschall / and he was a very holy man. And all those thynges that were for cryste he toke he­de to. This man was crowned a mar­tyr / & by the laye men of Rome he was buryed in saynt Peters chircheyerde.

¶Circa annū dm̄ .viij.C.xliiij.

TAlentinus was pope after Eu­genius .xl. dayes / and lytell of hym is wrytell. ¶Gregorius the fourth was pope after hȳ .xij. yere / this Grego­rius sawe many heuy tymes / for the plages amonge the comyn people. And at this mannes petycyon. Ludouicus the Emperour / and Marchio the prynce of Lombardy exyled all the Sarrasyns fro Ytaly. And at the last he dyssessed after Innumerable good dedes & werkes that he had done at saynt Peters. ¶Lothe­rius the fyrste sone of Ludouicus was Emperour .xv. yere in Ytaly & Rome & the partyes of Germayne nexte to the hylles of Alpy. This Lotherius rose a­yenst his broder Ludouicus & Karolus / for the kyngdome of Duchelonde / the whiche some tyme Pippinus theyr brod (er) helde. And they fought at a place called Fontanecū / where Lotheriꝰ was dyscomfyted. And there was suche slaughter made on both the sydes / that they had no men for to resyst theyr aduersaryes. This vnderstode a fals crysten man / & sente vnto Soudan of the Sarrasyns y ^t he sholde come anone. And he toke Ro­me / and saynt Peters chirche was ma­de a stable for theyr horses. But Ludouicus with the Frensshmen & Lombardes all that Infenyte nombre destroyed / and that with grete shedynge of crysten blo­de. ¶Sergius the seconde was pope af­ter Gregorius two yere. This man was called fyrst (os porci) in Englysshe / hog gesmouth. Wherfore that man & all the popes names are chaunged whan they are chosen. And that for thre causes / The fyrst for Cryste chaunged the na­mes of those men the whiche he made popes. The seconde / for as moche as they are chaunged in the name / sholde they be chaunged in perfeccyon of lyfe / The thyrde leest he whiche is chosen to an excedynge degree sholde be hurte in name. ¶Leo was pope after Sergius viij. yere. This Leo was an holy man / & also he was in prudence as sharpe as a serpente / and in his dedes as meke as a douue. And he was brouhht forth ver­tuously in a monastery. And whan that he was made pope / he laboured to repeyre his chirches agayne / the whiche false sarrasyns one after an other had destroyed. This man was a myghty wryter & a grete precher / & myghtely laboured in watche & prayer / and so deyed / and was buryed & lyeth at saynt Peters. ¶Benedictus a Romayne was pope after Leo two yere. This Benedictus had the na­me [Page] of the thynge. For in all thynge he was blessyd. This man ordeyned that clerkes sholde go ordynatly & honestly. ¶Ludouicus the sone of Lotherius was Emperour this tyme / and anoynted of Sergius the pope / & a whyle regned w ^t his fader / and after regned .xxi. yere alo­ne. This man hadde a sone that hyght Karolus / in to whome the deuyll entred & vexed hym afore his fader. And then̄e he conspyred his faders deth. And in his tyme many a meruaylle fell. ¶Nota ¶Iohannes Anglicus of the nacyon of Magnutin about this tyme was pope / & she was a woman arayed in mannes garmentes. But she profyted so in holy scrypture / that there was foūde none lyke her. Thenne she was chosen pope / but afterwarde she was with childe. And whan she sholde haue gone openly in processyon / she trauelled & decessyd. And this is the sixt pope / the whiche to this tyme had the name of holynesse / & were vycyous. And this persone as other po­pes were was punysshed of god / ne she was not nombred in the boke of popes. ¶Nicholaus a Romayne was pope af­ter this woman .ix. yere. This Nichola­us was of grete holynes / that there was no man comparable to hym after Gre­gory the pope. And whan he was made pope. Ludouicus the Emperour was present. And after he decessyd a very good man & was buryed in saynt Peters chircheyerde. ¶Adrianus a Romayne was pope after Nicholaus. This Adrianus cursyd Lotherius broder to themperour the kynge of Lotharynge for his aduou­try. But whan he came to Rome to ex­cuse hym of his aduoutry / he sayd y ^t he was cursyd wrongfully. And he brought with hym all the noble men of his regy­on / & all were deed within one yere / and the kynge deyed in the waye whan he came to the cyte of Placenciam.

¶Anno dm̄ .viij.C.lxxiij.
¶Of kynge Alured / & how the Danys in his tyme prayed hym of mercy that they myght go out of the londe.

AFter the deth of this Eldred reg ned his broder Alured that Dolfines was called. ¶Tho wente the Danys & assembled them / & wente forth to seke Alured that tho was kynge newe made of Southsex / & there they founde hym att Wylton with a lytell people / And neuerthelesse he faught with them / but at the last he fledde thens from the felde / & wente in to Westser & ordeyned so moche people of his owne reame / & also of other tyll y ^• he had a stronge hoste so that the Danys had no power ayenst hym to withstande. And he came to London with his hoste / & there were the Danys soiourned. And there he wolde haue foughten with them. But the Danys durste not with hym fyght / but prayed hym of peas / & y ^• they myght go ayen in to theyr owne coūtree / & neuer to co­me in to Englonde ayen / that is to saye ony harme for to do. And vpon this co­uenaūt they sholde gyue hym to pledge good hostages / & suche as the Englyssh men wolde axe.

¶How Hubba & Hungar were slayne at Chyppenham / and how the Danys brought theyr kynge to our kynge.

[Page] ANd the same daye that the Da­nys departed from London / soo fast they rode both nyght & daye / & ne­uer toke rest of goynge tyll y ^t they came vnto Excestre / & toke tho the towne / & there helde them. ¶Whan kyng Alured herde these tydynges / anone he lete take the hostages / & wente from thens vnto Excestre w ^t all the power that he had / And whan the Danys herde telle of his comynge / they wente from thens vnto Westsex / & came vnto Chyppenham / & there they dyde moche harme in the coū tree / they robbed folke / & brought theym in pryson. The kynge Alured them pursewed / & came vpon them ryght soone & fyersely theym assayled. And there were slayne both Hubba & Hungar his brod (er) / and Buerne Bocarde. And in this ba­tayll were moche folke slayne in that o­ne parte & in that other. But the gree of that felde bode with the Danys / for as moche as the kynge came with fewe folke. ¶The kynge hasted hym as mo­che as he myght for to go agayne. And whan the Danys foūde Hubbacs body lyeng deed they buryed it / & layd vpon it a grete logge / & lete calle it Hubeslowe / and soo it is called vnto this daye. And that place is in Deuenshyre. The Ba­rons of Somerset. Wyltshyre and Dor set herde tell how that theyr kynge was dyscomfyted / & ordeyned all the power that they myght haue / and came to the kynge there he was / and thanked god that they hym yet founde alyue / for they had wende that the Danys hadde hym slayne. Tho tooke they a counseyll the kynge & his barons / that wolde go and seke the Danys with them for to fyght. And so they rode all that nyght theym for to seke / & came on the morowe about Pryme to Abyndon there y ^• the Danys were. The kynge Alured & his barons tho assembled & there assaylled the Da­nys egrely / & there yaue them a stronge batayll. And the Danys put them a longe tyme that no man wyst whether parte more people were slayne. But thus it befell as god wolde that the kynge Alured had the vyctory with moche honour For the Danys were so dryuen that they ne wyst whyther for to torne. And .xv. dayes the kynge them pursewed at his wyll / that gladly & fayne they were for to speke of peas and accorde / and tooke hym good hostage / & sayd they wolde neuer more vpon hym warre ne no debate arere. ¶And more ouer they behyght vnto the kynge Alured / that they wolde go & brynge theyr owne kynge vnto hȳ and that theyr kynge & they all sholde be baptysed. And vpon this condycyon kynge Alured graūte them lyf & lymme And sayd vnto theym / that they sholde gone theyr kynge for to seke / & at a cer­tayne daye to come ayen that to theym was sette. And so they wente forth faste & came ayen at a daye that to them was assygned. And all the Danys brought theyr kynge with them. ¶The kynge Alured anone lete them be baptysed / & theyr names chaunged. And so the kyn­ge of Denmark was called Athelstone And .xxx. of his felowes names were chaunged also / and the other were bap­tysed to the ryght byleue. ¶And all this was done at Westmestre. And after that kynge Alured helde with hym kyng A­thelstone and all his Danys .xij. dayes at soiourne with moche solempnyte / & yaue them grete yeftes. And after that they were baptysed & so departed. Tho was kynge Alured all at ease / whan he had his enmyes ouercomen / & that they were torned to the ryght byleue of god almyghty.

¶How the Danys y ^• came in to Fraūce with Gurmonde came agayne in to Englonde / & of the deth of kyng Alured.

ANd thus it befelle afterwarde / that the Danys of Northum­berlonde [Page] that were paynems came with a grete strength & an huge hoste of Fraū ce / that is to vnderstande / with them y ^• wente in to Fraūce with Gurmodde of Affryke / whan he had conquered Eng­londe & yaue it vnto the Saxons. And tho y ^• came fro Fraūce arryued in Kent & sent in to Northumberlonde that they sholde come to them / & whan those two hostꝭ were come & assembled / anone they yede to destroye all the crysten people of Englonde from place to place / & dyde moche sorowe. ¶It befelle thus as al­myghty god wolde an harde chaūce in to Englond. For the good kyng Alured y ^t was wonte to abate the Danys deyed in the meane tyme. This kyng Alured regned .xxx. yere / & a good kynge had be & well coude chastyse his enmyes. And also he was a good clerke / & lete make many bokes / & a boke he made in En­glysshe of aduentures of kynges / & of bataylles that had ben done in the lon­de / & many other bokes of Gestes / he lete them wryte that were of grete wysdo­me & of good lernynge / thorugh whiche bokes many a man may hym amende / that woll them lede & vpon them loke / vpon whose soule almyghty god haue mercy. And this kynge Alured lyeth at Wynchestre.

IOhannes the .viij. was pope after Adrian .viij. yere. This Iohānes anoynted Karolus the Emperour. And he suffred grete wronge of y ^• Romayns for he fauoured not the sayd Emperour And therfore he put the sayd pope in kepynge. Also he degraded the bysshop of Portuense / the whiche was the occayson of all his sorowe. ¶Karolus the seconde was Emperour after Ludouicus. This Karolus had a brother the whiche was called Ludouicus / & he was the kyng of Germayne / and he ordeyned batayll a­gaynst his brother / but Karolus or they taught was poysened. And he made many a monasterye. ¶Martinꝰ was pope after Iohānes one yere. This Martinus lytell profyted / for he lyued but lytell ty­me. ¶Adrianus the thyrde was pope after hym 00 yere. And of hym is no thynge wryten. ¶Stephanus the fyfth was pope after hym .vi. yere. And no thyn­ge of hym is wryten / but that he trans­lated the body of saynt Martyn. ¶Ka­rolus the thyrde was Emperour after the seconde .xij. yere. This Karolus had in possessyon peassyble all Fraunce and all Germayne / and was crowned Em­perour of Iohannes the pope. And after this gloryous vyctory / he torned all Normandye to the fayth of god almyghty / And he myght nomore tesyste the Fren­shemen but four yere he regned on them He was vnprofytable to them / & therfo­re they put hym awaye. ¶Amulphus was Emperour after Karolus .xiij. yere. This Arnulphus vtterly constreyned y ^• Normans / y ^• whiche destroyed the Fren­shemen .xl. yere. Thenne he was syke & had no comforte of no lecke / for he was in a meruayllous sykenesse / soo that he was consumed with lyf / and was deed / ¶Formosus was pope after Stephanꝰ .v. yere / this man fyrste was bysshop of Portuensis. And pope Iohn was depry­ued for his Inobedyence / & was degrated to the lay f [...]. But by Martyn the pope he was restored. And ayenst his othe / he came not aloonly to Rome / but to offre hȳ the dygnyte of the pope / for y ^• whiche there was grete alteracōn. ¶Bonifaciꝰ the .vi. was pope .v. dayes. ¶Stephanus the .vi. one yere & thre monethes. ¶Iohannes thie monethes and .xij. dayes / ¶Iona also thie monethes and twelue dayes. ¶Theodorus the seconde twen­ty dayes. ¶Iohannes the enleuenth was two yere & .xv. dayes. ¶Benedictꝰ the fourth thre yere and two monethes. ¶Leo y ^• fourth was .xl. dayes. ¶Xpristo forus the fyrst .vij. monethes. All these viij. popes were but lytell tyme / & ther­fore [Page] we can not telle of them none notable thyngꝭ / but yf we sholde wryte sclaū dre of them that myght be founde / for the vnharde stryfe & contencyon in that holy appostles sete. For one stroue ayenst an other / and repreued the dedes of an other. And for to telle how they stroue / it were no grete honour to shewe / for that holy appostles sete. ¶Ludonicus the thyrde was Emperour after Arnulphꝰ .vi. yere. This man had not the popes blessynge / for the vnstablenesse of them the whiche regned in Ytaly. And he was constreyned to expulse Berynge. And this man was the last Emperour of all the kynred of Karolus kynge of Fraūce ¶This tyme the Empyre was remeued and translated & dyuyded. For the Frenshemen halpe not the chirche / the which theyr faders had edifyed and fortefyed / but destroyed / ne halpe not y ^e Romayns ayenst Lombardes / the whiche vexed the Romayns ryght sore. Therfore by the comyns assente they were excluded fro the Empyre / and the Ytalyens beganne to be Emperour in Ytaly / and the Al­mayns in Almanye / vntyl Ottanen the whiche regned in bothe the places. The Frensshmen were constreyned to abyde in theyr owne countree / and no more to be Emperour for theyr myscheuous ly­uynge. ¶Beryngarius the fyrst. ¶Conradus and Beryngarius the seconde / & Hugo were Emperours after Ludouicꝰ But they are not nombred amonge the Emperours. For some were but in Al­mayne / and some were in Ytalye.

¶Of kyng Edwarde that was kynge Aluredes sone.

ANd after this Alured regned his sone Edwarde / and was a good man & a wyse / that was called Edwar­de / & was wonder curteys. ¶The Da­nys dyde moche sorowe in the [...]onde / & theyr power encreaced and began for to wexe from daye to daye. For the Danys came often with theyr companyes in to this londe. And whan the kynge sawe y ^• he myght no better do / then he toke peas with them & graunted them his trewes And neuerthelesse the trewes dured not longe / that the Danysne began strong­ly for to warre vpon the Englysshmen & dyde them moche sorowe. Wherfore kynge Edwarde dyde assemble a grete hoste for to fyght with them. And then this kynge Edwarde deyed whan god wolde. This kynge Edwarde regned xxiiij. yere / and lyeth at Wynchestre be­syde his fader.

¶Anno dm̄ .ix. C .xiiij

SErgius the thyrde was pope af­ter Xpristoforus .vij. yere. This man [...] Cardynall of Rome / & was expulsed by Formosus the pope / & then he wente to the Fresshmen. And so tho­rugh the helpe & fauour of them he ca­me agayne to Rome / and anone expul­sed Xpristoforus the pope. And thenne was pope hymself. And for to auenge & wreke his exyle / he toke out the body of pope Formosus where that he was buryed. And arayed hym in the popes aray ment & caused hym to be heeded & to be caste in the water of Tybre by Rome / Thenne fysshers founde hym & brought hym in to the chirche. And the holy ymages of sayntes bowed downe to hym / whan the body of hym was brought in to the chirche / that all men myght see / and honourably hym halsyd. Yet Ser­gius destroyed all that thynge the whi­che the holy man had ordeyned. ¶Ana­stasius was pope after hym two yere. ¶Laudo was pope .v. monethes / & lytel they dyde. ¶Iohannas the .x. was pope thenne. This Iohānes was the sone of Sergius pope / both of nature & of ma­ners. And he was pope by myght. And wretchedly slayne of Guidols knyghtꝭ / for [Page] they put on his mouth a pylowe and stopped his breth. And after hym was a nother put in / but anone he was out / and therfore he is not named as pope / ¶Henricꝰ the duke of Saxon was Emperour of Almayne .xvij. yere / this Hen­ricꝰ was a noble man / but he is not nombred amonge themperours. for he regned but aloonly in Almayne. And he had a very holy woman vnto his wyf / & her name was Matylda / on whom he gate two sones / that is to saye. Otto & Harry And Otto succeded hȳ in the Empyre. And Harry had moche londe in Almay ne. And he gate an other sone y ^• hyght Brimen / & he was a very holy man / & was bysshop of Coleyne. And he foūded the monastery of Panthaleon.

¶Of kynge Adelstone.

NOw after this Edwarde regned Adelstone his sone. And whan he had regned foure yere he helde batayle ayenst the Danys. And droue kynge Gaufride y ^• was kyng of the Danys & all his hoste vnto the see / and rested by Scotlonde / & toke strongely all the coū ­tree an hoole yere. And after that tho of Comberlonde & of Scottes of Westmerlonde began to warre vpon kynge Adel­stone. And he gaue them so stronge ba­tayll / that he slewe so many of them / y ^• no man coude telle the nombre of them. And after that he regned but thre yere / And he regned in all .xxv. yere / & lyeth at Malmesbury.

¶Of kynge Edmonde.

THenne after this Adelstone reg­ned Edmonde his brother. For kyng Adelstone had no sone / & this Ed­monde was a worthy man & a doughty knyght of body / & as noble also. And y ^• thyrde yere after that he was kynge / he wente ouer Humber in to that coūtree / in the whiche coūtree he foūde two kyn­ges of Danys. That one was called Enelaf. & that other Renant. This kynge Edmonde droue them both fro y ^• londe / & after went & toke a grete proye in Comberlonde. This Edmonde regned but .vij. yere / & lyeth at Glastenbury.

¶Of kynge Eldred.

ANd after this Edmonde regned Eldred his broder that auenged Edwarde his fader of his enmyes that dyde hym slee. And after he seased all Northumberlonde in to his honde. And made the Scottes for to bowe & meke vnto his wyll. And in the seconde yere of his regne came Arnalaf Guyran / that was kynge of Denmarke / & seased all Northumberlonde / & helde that lon­de two yere. And after that came kynge Eldred & draue hym out of this londe. And this kyng Eldred was a noble man & a good / of whoos goodnes saynt Dunstane preched. And this kyng Eldred regned .xi. yere / & lyeth at Wynchestre.

¶Of kynge Edwyn.

ANd after this Eldred regned Edwyn the sone of Edmonde. And he was a symple man towarde god and the people. For he hated folke of his ow ne londe / and loued & honoured straūge men. And sette lytell by holy chirche. And he toke of holy chirche all the tre [...] sour that he myght haue. That was gre te shame & vylany to hymself / and pe­ryll to his soule. And therfore god wolde not that he sholde regne no lenger than foure yere & deyed / and lyeth at Wyn­cheste.

LEo the sixt a Romayne was pope .vi. monethes. ¶Stephanus the .vij. was after hym two yere. ¶Io­hannes the .xi. a Romayne was pope [Page] thre yere. ¶Stephanus the .viij. a Ger­mayne was pope after hym .viij. yere / ¶Martinus the thyrde was pope after hym thre yere / & of these .vi. popes is no thynge had in scrypture. For what cau­se I can not telle.

¶Anno dm̄ .ix. C .liiij.

AGapitus a Romayne was pope after Martinꝰ .ij. yere & .viij. mo­nethes / & no thynge of hym is wryten / ¶Iohēs the .xij. a Romayne was pope after Agapitus .viij. yere / & he had a fad (er) y ^• hyght Alberyke & was a worthy man in the cyte of Rome. He Induced the no­ble men to swere y ^• after y ^e deth of Aga­pitus they sholde these Octauianus his sone pope / & soo it was done & was na­med Iohn / & he was a hunter & a leche­rous man so y ^• openly he kepte wȳmen Wherfore certen Cardynalles wrote vn to Otto the Emperour of Saxon / that he sholde come to Rome for to helpe to destroye the sclaūdre of y ^• chirche. This the pope perceyued / & y ^• honde that wro­te the pystle he made to be cutte of. And many tymes he was warned by the Emperour & the clergy that he sholde correc te hymself / but he nolde for no thynge / Thenne he was deposyd / & Leo was put in to his place. Wherfore the Emperour was anoyed / and came ayen & besyeged Rome so longe tyll they toke Benedicte to hym / & restored Leo.

¶Of kynge Edgar that regned aboue the kynges of Scotlonde & of Walys / & how he was begyled thrugh the takyn­ge of his wyf.

ANd after this Edwyne regned Edgar his brother a man that moche loued god & peas / and the ryght of holy chirche also. And he was a wor­thy man / and a grete lorde of blood and myghty / & maytened well this londe in peas. And this Edgar was lorde & kynge aboue all the kynges of Scotlonde & of Walys / fro the tyme that Arthur was gone / & neuer was sythen kynge of his power. ¶And this Edgar was Saynt Edwardes fader. And whan Edgars wyf was deed that was saynt Edwar­des moder & enteryd / he herde speke of the fayrnesse of Estrylde / that was Ox­garus doughter a baron of Deuenshyre that was so fayr a woman / that al men dyde speke of her. He called one of his knyghtes that he moche loued & trusted vpon & tolde hym. God sayd he to the noble baron Orgarus of Deuenshyre / and see yf that his doughter be so fayre as men speke of / & yf it be soth I wyll haue her vnto my wyf. ¶This knyght that was called Edelwolde went forth his waye as the kynge hym had sayd / & came there that y ^• lady was. And whan he sawe her so fayre / he thought to haue her hymself to wyf. And therof spake to Orgarus her fader. And her fader was an olde man & had no moo childern but oonly her / & sawe that Edelwolde was a fayre yonge knyght & worthy & ryche and was well beloued with the kynge / & thought his doughter sholde well be maryed & besette vpon hym / and graū ­ted hym his doughter yf the good lorde the kynge wolde consente therto. ¶And thenne this Edelwolde came ayen vnto the kynge & tolde hym / that she was fay re ynough vpon to see / but she was won der lothly. ¶Tho answered the kynge and sayd that he toke but lytell charge. Syr sayd Edelwolde / she is her faders heyre / & I am not ryche of londes / and yf ye wolde consente & graunte that I myght her haue / thenne sholde I be ry­che ynough. In goddes name sayd the kynge. I consente therto. Edelwolde tho thanked the kynge ryght moche / & wente ayen in to Deuenshyre & spowsed the damoysell / & in that coūtree he dwelled ¶And thus it befell vpon a tyme / that [Page] he tolde his counseyll & all this thynge vnto his wyf / how & in what maner he had begyled his lorde y ^• kynge that wolde haue had her to wyf. And anone as she it wyst / she loued hym neuer more afterwarde as she dyde before. ¶This lady conceyued by hym a sone. And whan tyme was that the childe sholde be bor­ne. Edelwolde came to the kynge and prayed hym to haue a sone of his at the fonte stone. The kynge hym graunted / And lete calle hym Edgar after his owne name. And whan this was done he thought that all was syker ynough for the kynge / that he wolde not take his wyf / for as moche as his lorde was a Ioly man & an amerous.

¶How that kynge Edgar wedded Es­trylde after the deth of Edelwolde.

THus it befell that all men in kynge Edgars courte thenne spake and sayd / that Edelwolde was rychely auaunced / thorugh the forsayd marya­ge of his wyf. And yet they sayd / he was auaunced an hondred folde more. For he had spowsed the moost fayrest creature that euer was seen. And the kyng her de speke so moche of her beaute / that he thought he wolde haue hym dysceyued / & begyled. And thought pryuely in his herte / that he wolde go in to Deuenshy re / as it were for to hunte for the harte & for the hynde & other wylde beestes / and thenne he sholde see there the lady or he departed thens. And this lady was dwellynge at a manere place besydest the fo­rest / there that the kynge wolde hunte / And at that manere he was herborowed all nyght. And whan tyme came that the kynge sholde suppe / & the sonne sho­ne / the kynge asked after his gossyppe & after his godsone. And Edelwolde ma­de her to come before the kynge. And ne uerthelesse yf it other wyse myght haue be she sholde not haue come in his syght by his wyll. ¶The lady welcomed the kynge and swetely hym kyssed. And he tooke [...] by the honde / and tho nexte by hym her sate / and so souped they togy­der. ¶And there was a custome and an vsage in this londe that tyme. That so whan one dranke to an other / the dryn­ket sholde saye Wassayll. And that o­ther sholde answere / and saye Drynke hayll. And this dyde the kynge and the lady / and also kyste many tymes. And after supper whan tyme was for to god to bedde / the kynge wente to bedde / thyn kynge hertely on the fayrnesse of that lady / and thenne was ouercome for her loue / that hym thought that he sholde deye / but yf he hadde his wyll on her / ¶Vppon the morowe the kynge aroos / and in the forest wente hym for to dys­porte with hartes and hyndes and all other wylde beestes. And of the hartes grete plente he sente to that lady. And thryes he wente for to solace and to spe­ke with that lady the whyles he dwelled there in that countree. ¶And after that the kynge remeued thens / and thought hym how he myght best delyuer Edel­wolde fro his wyf as he had hym fyrst desceyued. And the kynge anone after viij. dayes ordeyned a parlyamēt at Sa / lysbury of all his baronage counseyll so haue. And for to ordeyne how the coun­tree of Northumberlonde sholde best be kepte that the Danys came not there / the londe for to destroye. And this Edel­wolde came vnto the kyngꝭ parlyament And the kynge sente hym vnto Yorke / for to be keper of that countree. ¶And thus it befell / that men that knewe hym not slewe hym by the waye. ¶And ano­ne as the kynge herde tell that he was deed / he lete sende after the lady Estryl­de that she sholde come vnto the cyte of London / and there be wedded to the kynge with grete solempnyte and worshyp. And helde a solempne feest. And he wa­re a crowne that was of golde / and the [Page] quene an other. ¶And saynt Dunstane on the morowe came vnto the kynge in to the chambre / & founde the kynge in bedde & the quene togyders. And saynt Dunstane axed the kynge who she was And the kynge answered & sayd / that she was y ^• quene Estrylde. And the Ar­chebysshop saynt Dunstane sayd / that be dyde grete wronge / & ayenst goddes wyll to take a woman to wyf whose childe ye had take at fonte stone. And y ^• que ne for that worde neuer loued saynt Dū stane after. And the good man warned of that foly to be lefte / but it auaylled but lytell / for y ^• loue bytwene them was so moche. The kynge begate vpon her a sone that was called Eldred. Whan this childe was .vi. yere olde / the kynge his fader deyed. And aboute that tyme he had regned .xvij. yere / and lyeth atte Glastenbury.

BEryngarius the thyrde was Emperour after Henricus .vij. yere / this Beringariꝰ was Emperour in yta ly. In whoos tyme was grete dyuysyon. ¶And Henricus themperour decessed / & Otto began to regne in Almayne. ¶Lo tharius regned after hym two yere / & de cessed whan Otto regned in Almayne. And had a wyf that hyght Dalnydam. the whiche after wedded Otto. ¶Berin garius the fourth was after hym / this man with grete tyrannye subdued Yta­ly / wherfore the pope & other Romayns called Otto that he myght delyuer them whiche he dyde. And he toke Beringa­rius by strengthe / & twyes he outlawed hym. And he toke Lotharius wyfe the whiche the tyraūt had prysoned. ¶Leo the .viij. was pope after Benedictus one yere & foure monethes. This man was chosen with the comyn voys / & Iohānes was deposyd. This Leo ordeyned that no pope sholde be made without consente of the Emperour. For the malyce of the Romaynes / the whiche oppressyd them. This man graūted all the yeftes to Otto and his successours / the whiche were yeuen by Iustinianus & Karolus to the chirche / that he myghte defende Ytaly from the rebellyons. ¶Iohannes the .xij. was pope after hym almoost .viij yere / this Iohēs suffred grete wronge of the Romayns. For he was take & exyled but Otto bare this heuyly. For he slewe the noble men of Rome / & certayne of them exyled for euer more. ¶Benedictꝰ the .vi. was pope after hym .vi. yere / this man was take / & in the castell Aungell was strangled. ¶Nota.

¶The Empyre in this tyme was translated to the Almayns. And the same cause is here as was before / for the vycyous lyuynge. Ne these vnhappy men cowde not be Informed / that they sholde esche­we that oo vyce / thrugh the whiche they sawe soo many noble men to perysshe / ¶Otto was Emperour after Beringa rius .xij. yere. This Otto was the fyrste Emperour of Almayne. And he was all vertuous as an other kynge Karolus for he was the defender of the chirche of god / and the synguler promoter / for the whiche he was worthy to be Emperour Many men of fals byleue he conuerted And he helde with hym pope Benedic­tus the vsurper of the popeheede in to Saxonye. And there he decessyd in his exyle. And this Emperour decessyd a ry­che man in vertue & goodnes. ¶Otto the seconde was Emperour after his fader. And he was a noble man to the chir che as his fader was. And many a ba­tayll he had ayenst the fals men of by­leue. And att the laste he almoost loste all his hoste in Kalabur. Yet forsothe with all his mynde besought saynt Pe­ter to helpe. And meruayllously saynt Peter delyuered hym. And his wyf was the doughter of the Emperour of Con­stantynopolitan of the Romayns blood And this man was crowned of Bene­dictus the pope.

¶Of saynt Edwarde the martyr how Estrylde his stepmoder lete kylle hym / for to make Eldred her owne sone kyn­ge.

ANd after this Edgar regned Edwarde his sone / that he begate vpon his fyrst wyf / that well and nobly gouerned the londe. For he was full of all maner of goodnes / and ledde a full holy lyf. And aboue all thynge he loued god & holy chirche. And the quene Es­trylde that was his stepmoder lete slee hym / by cause to make her owne sone Eldred kynge. And thus on a daye he was slayne / as ye shall here afterwarde ¶It befell thus vppon a daye that the kynge Edwarde wente in to a wood for to playe / in the south countree besyde a towne that is called Warham. In whi­che forest was grete plente of hartes and hyndes. And whan he had ben a whyle there hym for to playe / he thought vp­on his broder Eldred that was with his moder the quene / for her place was nygh the forest / and thought for to go thyder and vysyte and see his brother. And to­ke with hym but a lytell meyne / & wen­te hym towarde his stepmoders hous / that in that tyme soiourned in the ca­stell of Corfe. And as he rode in the thyckenesse of a wood to aspye his game / it befell that he wente amysse and lost his meyne that with hym came. And at the last he came out of the wood. And as he loked hym about / he sawe there fast be­sydes a manere that his stepmoder dwel led in / and thyderwarde he wente alone And anone it was tolde the quene / how that the kynge was comen alone with­out ony company. And therfore she made Ioye ynough / and thought how that she myght do / that he were slayne as pryuely as she myght / and called to her one of her knyghtes. To whome she had tolde moche of her coūseyll bytwene them. And bothe they came to the kynge and turteysly hym receyued. ¶And the kyn­ge tolde that he was come to vysyte and also for to speke with Eldred his broder The quene many tymes hym thanked. and hym prayed for to alyght / and her­borugh with her all that nyght. ¶The kynge sayd / that he myght not. But a­gayne he wolde go vnto his folke / yf he myght theym fynde. ¶And whan the quene sawe that he wolde not abyde / she prayed hym that he wolde ones drynke / and he graunted her. And anone as the drynke was come / the quene dranke vn­to the kynge. And the kynge tooke the cuppe and sette it to his mouth. And in the meane whyle that he dranke the false knyght that was with the quene with a knyfe smote the kynge vnto the herte. and there he felle downe deed vnto the erthe of his palfroy. The quene for this dede gaue the knyght golde and syluer grete plente and of other ryches ynough And the knyght anone as this was do­ne wente hym ouer the see. And so esca­ped he out of this londe. ¶Whan this kynge Edwarde was thus martred. It was in the yere of the Incarnacyon of our lorde Ihesu Cryste .ix.C.lxxx. and he had regned .xij. yere and an halfe / and lyeth at Glastenbury.

¶Of the kynge Eldred / and how the kynge Swyne of Denmarke helde En­glonde. and how Eldred that was saynt Edwardes brother was not beloued in his Realme / and therfore he fledde in to Normandye.

SO after this Edwarde regned Eldred his brother. And saynt Dunstane crowned hym. And this sayn te Dunstane deyed soone after that he had foryeuen the quene her trespaas / bycause that she was cause of kynge Ed­wardes deth. And saynt Dunstane had her assoylled / & penaunce had her enioy­ned. And she lyued after a chaste lyf and [Page] a clene. ¶This kynge Eldred wedded an Englysshe woman / & on her begate Edmonde Irensyde / and an other sone that was called Edwyne. And after dey ed the quene theyr moder. ¶And in that tyme came Swyne in to Englond that was kynge of Denmark / for to chalen­ge & to conquere all that his auncetrees had before that tyme. And so he conque­red & had it all at his axynge. ¶For the good erle Luthberte of Lyndeleye and all the people of Northumberlonde / and almoost all the grette of Englonde hel­de with Swyne that was kyng of Denmark / for soo moche as they loued not kyng Eldred / for by cause that his good brother Edwarde was slayne for loue of hym. And therfore no man sette but lytell by hym. Wherfore kynge Swyne had all his wyll / and toke all the londe And Eldred the kynge fledde tho in to Normandye. And soo spake to the duke Richarde / that the duke yaue hym his syster Emme to wyf. Vpon the whiche be gate two sones / that one was called Alured / and that other Edwarde. And whan Swyne had conquered all the londe / he regned nobly & lyued .xv. yere and thenne he deyed & lyeth at Yorke.

¶How kynge Eldred came ayen from Normandy / and how Knoght the Da­ne regned / & of the warre betwixt hym and Edmonde Irensyde.

THus after the dethe of Swyne that was a Dane. Knoght his sone dwelled in Englonde / and wolde haue ben kynge. And tho came agayne Eldred out of Normandye with moche nombre of people / and with a stronge meyne that Knoght durste not abyde / but fledde thens in to Denmarke. The kynge Eldred had agayne his reame / & helde so grete worshyp / that he began for to destroye all tho that halpe Swy­ne that was a Dane ayenst hym. And afterwarde came agayne this Knoght from Denmark with a grete power / so that kynge Eldred durste not with hym fyght / but fledde from thens vnto Lon­don / & there helde hym. ¶Tho came Knoght & hym besyeged soo longe / tyll that kynge Eldred deyed in the cyte of London / & lyeth at saynt Poules. And he regned .ix. yere.

BOnus was pope after Benedi­ctus one yere. This man abode but a lytell tyme. ¶Bonifacius was pope after hym fyue monethes. ¶Benedictus was pope after hym .x. yere / This man crowned Otto the seconde / and made many Romayns to be taken And he gadred a counseyll agaynst the kynge of Fraunce / where Gylberte the Nygromancer was deposyd. ¶Io­hānes the .xiiij. was pope after hym .viij. monethes. And he was put in the castell Aungell / and was famyned to dethe / ¶Iohānes the .xv. was pope after hym foure monethes. ¶Iohānes the .xvi. was pope after hym almoost .xi. yere / This man was taught in armes / and made many bookes / and elles lytell of hym is wryten. ¶Gregorius the .v. was pope after this man almoost thre yere. And this Gregorius was made pope att the Instaunce of the Emperour Otto the thyrde / for he was his cosyn / And whan he had be a lytell whyle po­pe / and the Emperour receded from the cyte of Rome. Placentinus was put in by Crecensius a Counsull for moneye / And then̄ was stryf a fewe dayes. But the Emperour came soone after / & toke Crecensius the Consull / and stroke of his heed / and putte out the eyen of this man Placencius pope / the whiche putte out his cosyn of the dygnyte of the pope And maymed hym on other membres / his knyghtes ne his dukes halpe hym no thynge. For he dyde that thynge that he sholde not haue done. And he suffred [Page] that that he deserued. ¶Nota.

¶This Gregorius w ^t the Emperour Otto ordeyned the chesers of the Empyre the whiche from thens forth hath a­bode vnto this day. For the Frensshmenne none other myght not breke that or­dynaunce. And those chesers of the Empyre by the pope and Otto were not made for ony blame of the Saxons / but to eschewe the euylles to come. And theyr names ben wryten for lerned men in latyn in these verses. (Maguntinensis T [...]euerensis Coloniensis. Quilibet im­perij fit cancellarius horum. Et Palati­nus datifer Dux Portitorensis. Mar­chio prepositus camere. Pincerna Bohemus Hij statuunt dūm cuntis per secula summū. Palatinus est comes reni. Mar­chio est Brandeburgensis. Dux saxo (rum) et rex Bohemo (rum). verū vt quidā dicunt. ¶Thrugh this occasyon the Egle hath loste many a feder. And in the ende he shall be made naked. ¶Otto the thyrde was Emperour .xviij. yere. This man was a worthy man all the dayes of his Empyre. And after the wysdome of his fader / he was a very faythfull man to the chirche. And in many batayls he prosperyd by cause he was deuoute vnto al­myghty god and his sayntes. And yaue myghty worshyppynge to the relykes of sayntes. And oftentymes he vyspted ho­ly places. This man was crowned by Gregorius his cosyn. And at the last he decessyd at Rome.

¶Anno dm̄ .M.iiij.

SIluester the seconde was pope after Gregorius foure yere. And he was made pope by the helpe of the de­uyll / to whome he dyde homage / for he sholde yeue hym all thynge that he desyred. And he was called Hylbert. And his enmye gate hym the grace of the kynge of Fraunce / and he made hym the bys­shop of Remensis / but anone he was deposyd. And after he gate the grace of the Emperour / and was made the bys­shop of Rauennie / and after the pope / But he had an ende anone / and so ha­ue all that put theyr hope in fals deuylles. ¶Yet men truste in his saluacyon / for certayne demonstracyon of his sepulcre / and for the grete penaunce that he dyde in his laste ende. For he made his honde and his legges to be cutte of / and dysmembred in all his body / and to be caste out at the dore to foules / & thenne his body to be drawen with wysde beest [...] and there to be buryed where some euer they rested as an honde. And they stode styll at saynt Iohan lateranensis and there he was buryed. And that was syg­ne of his saluacyon. ¶Iohannes the xviij. was pope fyue monethes. ¶Iohannes the .xix. was pope after hym fy­ue yere. And these two dyde lytell thyn­ges. ¶Henricus the fyrst was Emperour in Almayne .xx. yere / this Henricus was duke of Barry / and all accordin­ge he was chosen / for his blessed fame and good name the whiche he hadde. ¶And it is redde / that many of these dukes of Barry were holy men not all oonly in absteynge of flesshely desy­res / but also in vertuous lyuynge. And this man had a syster that was an holy as he / the whome he yaue to wyfe vnto the kynge of Hungry. And she brouht all Hungry vnto the ryght byleue & the crysten fayth. And his wyues name was (sancta Konnogundis) with whome he lyued a virgyn all his lyues dayes. And also he dyde many a bataylle / as well in Ytaly / as in Almayne ayenst the re­bellyous / and prosperyd ryghtwysly. At the laste with a blessyd ende he deces­syd. And in the lyfe of saynt Laurence he and his wyfe be put for ensample [...] / ¶ Benedictus was pope after Iohanes .xi. yere. This man had grete stryfe in his dayes / for he was put out / and a no­ther put in. And this Benedictus after [Page] that he was deed / was seen of an holy man bysshop in a wretchyd fygure / & he had grete payne. And this fygure sayd. He trusted noo thynge in the mercy of god. And no thynge profyted hym that was done for hym [...]for it was goten with extorcyon & vniustely. Thenne this bysshop lefte his bysshopryche for drede of this syght & wente in to a monasterye & lyued vertuously all his dayes. ¶Iohā ­nes the .x. was pope after hym .xi. yere / and lytell profyted.

¶Of Kynge Knoght that was a Dane

ANd after the dethe of Eldred Knoght that was a Dane began to regne. But Edmonde Irensyde that was kynge Eldredes sone by his fyrste wyf / ordeyned a grete power of men / & began for to warre on kynge Knoght / And soo he dyde many tymes & often / And the warre was so stronge & harde / that wonder it was to wyte. ¶And the quene Emme that dwelled tho at West­mestre / had grete drede of her two sones of the warre Alured and Edwarde / lest they sholde be defoyled & mysdone tho­rugh this warre. Wherfore she sente theym ouer the see in to Normandy to the duke Richarde theyr vncle. And the­re they dwelled in saufte & peas longe tyme. ¶This Edmonde Irensyde and Knoght the Dane warred strongely to­gyde [...]. But at the laste they were accor­ded in this manere / that they sholde de­parte the reame betwixt them both / and so they dyde / & after they became good frendes. And soo well loued togyder as they had ben brethern goten of one fa­der & of one moder borne.

¶How kyng Edmonde Irensyde tray­toursly was slayne thorugh a traytour / that was called Edrith of Stratton.

ANd after tho regned kyng Irensyde & Knoght the Dane. But thus it befell afterwarde / that in the same yere that they were accorded & so moche lo­ued togyder. Wherfore a fals traytoure had enuytee to the loue that was betwix them and frendshyp / whoos name was Edrith of Stratton / that was a grete lorde / that was Edmondes Irensydes man / & of hym helde all the londe that he had. And neuertheles he thought his lorde to betraye & make Knoght kynge of the londe / to the entente rychely to be auaunced / & with hym be well beloued / Wherfore he prayed his lorde Edmond Irensyde vppon a daye with hym for to et [...]. And the kynge hym curteysly graū ­ted & to hym came at his prayer. And at the meete the kynge ryally was serued with dyuers meetꝭ & drynkes. And whan the nyght came that he sholde goo vnto bedde. The kynge toke his owne meyne & wente vnto the chambre there that he sholde take his nyghtes reste. And as he loked hym about / he sawe a fayre yma­ge & well made / and in semblaunt as it were an Archer with a boowe / & in the boowe a fyne arowe. ¶Kynge Edmonde wente tho nere for to beholde it better what it myght be. And anone y ^• arowe smote hym thrugh the body & there sle­we the kynge. For that engyne was ma­de for to slee his owne lorde traytoursly ¶And so whan kynge Edmonde was thus deed & slayne / he had regned but .x. yere. And his people for hym made mo­che sorowe. And his body they bare vnto Glastenbury & there they hym entyred. ¶And this fals traytour Edrith anone wente vnto the quene / that was kynge Edmondes wyfe / that wyst not of her lordes deth. Anone he toke from her two sones that were fayre & yonge / that her lorde had vpon her goten / that one was called Edwarde / & that other Edwyne. & ladde theym with hym to London / & toke them vnto kynge Knoght / that he sholde do wish them what his wyll we­re. [Page] And tolde hym how subtylly he had slayne kynge Edmonde / for by cause & loue of hym / so that kynge knoght all Englonde in his power hooly myght haue. ¶O thou fals traytour / hast thou my true brother that was soo true thus slayne for me / the man I moost loued in the worlde. Now by my heed I shall for thy trauell the well rewarde as thou hast deserued / & anone lete hym be take & bounde honde & foot in manere of a traytour / & lete cast hym there in to Tamyse / & in this maner the fals traytour ended his lyf. The kynge toke the two childern & put them vnto the abbot of Westmestre to warde & to kepe tyll y ^t he wyst what was best with them to do.

¶How kynge knoght sente kynge Ed­mondes sones both in to Denmarke to be slayne / & how they were saued.

SO it befell soone after that kynge knoght had all y ^e londe in his honde / & spowsed the quene Emme tho­rugh consente of his baronage. For she was a fayre woman / the whiche was Eldredes wyf and the dukes syster of Nor­mandy / & they lyued togyder with mo­che loue as reason wolde. The kynge axed vpon a daye counseyll of the quene what was best to do w ^t the sones y ^t were Edmonde Irensydes. Syr sayd she. they ben the ryght heyres of the londe / & yf they lyue they wyll do moche sorowe w ^t warre / & therfore lete sende them in to a strange londe a ferre to some man that may them defoyle & destroy. The kyng anone lete call a dane y ^t was called Walgar / & cōmaūded hȳ y ^t he sholde lede tho two childern in Denmark / & so to do & ordeyne for them / y ^• he sholde neuer here more of theym. Syr sayd this Walgar / gladly your cōmaūdement shall be done & anone tho two childern he toke & lad them in to Denmark. And for as moche as he sawe that the childern were wond fayre & also meke / he had of them grete pyte & ruche / & wolde them not slee / but lad them to the kyng of Hungry for to nourysshe / for this Walgar was well be­knowen with the kynge & well beloued. Anone the kyng axed whens the childn were / & Walgar tolde hym & sayd / that they were the ryght heyres of Englond & therfore men wolde destroye theym / And therfore syr vnto you they be come mercy & helpe for to seke. And forsothe yf they may lyue / your men they shall become / and of you they shall holde all theyr londe. The kynge of Hungry re­ceyued them with moche honour / & lete them worthely be kepte. ¶And thus it befell afterwarde y ^t Edwyne the yonger brother deyed / & Edwarde the elder brother lyued / a fayre man & a stronge & a large of body & gentyll / and curters of condycyons / so that all men hym loued And this Edwarde in the Cronycles is called amonge the Englysshmen Edwarde the outlawe. ¶And whan as he was made knyght / the kynges dough­ter of Hungry hym moche loued for his goodnes and his fayrnes / that she hym called her derlynge. The kyng that was her fader perceyued well the loue that was betwixt them two / and had no hey­re but only that doughter / and the kyn­ge vowchesauf his doughter to no man so well / as he dyde to hym that she lo­ued so well & he her / and yaue her vnto hym with a good wyll / & Edwarde her spowsed with moche honour. The kyn­ge of Hungry sente after all his barona­ge / and made a solempne feest & a ryche weddynge. And made all men to vnderstande / that this Edwarde sholde be kynge of that londe after the decesse of hym. And of that tydyngꝭ they were all full gladde. This Edwarde begate vp­pon his lady a sone that was called Edgar Helynge / & afterwarde a doughter that was called Margarete y ^t afterwar­de was quene of Scotlonde. And by the [Page] kyng of Scotlond that was called Mancolin she had a doughter that was called Maud y ^t was quene afterwarde of Eng­lond / thrugh kynge Henry that was the fyrst sone of y ^e conquerour that her wedded. And he begate on her a doughter y ^t was called Maude that afterwarde was Empresse of Almayn. And of this Maude came y ^e kynge of Englonde that vn­to this daye is called Henry y ^• Empresse sone. And yet had this Edwarde an o­ther doughter by his wyf that was cal­led Crystyan & she was a Nonne.

¶How kynge Knoght that was a proude man conquered No [...]andy / & how he became afterwarde meke & mylde.

NOw haue ye herde of Edmonde Irensydes sones y ^t kyng Knoght wend they had ben slayne as he had cō ­maūded Walgar before. And this kyng Knoght had in his honde all the reame of Englonde & Denmarke. And after that they wente vnto Norwaye that londo for to conquere. But the kynge of the londe that was called Elaf came w ^t his people / & wende his londe to haue well kepte & defended / & so there he faught with hym / tyll at the last he was slayne in that batayll. And tho this Knoght toke all the londe in to his honde. And whan he had conquered Norwaye / & ta­ken feaute & homages there / he came a­yen in to Englonde / & helde hymself so grete a lorde / that hym thoughte in all the worlde his pere noo man was. And he came so proude and hauteyne that it was grete wonder. ¶And so it befell vpon a daye as he had herde masse at Westmestre / & wolde haue gone in to his pa­lays / the wawes of the Tamyse so swyftely ayenst hym came that almoost they touched his feet. Tho sayd the kyng w ^t a proude herte. I cōmaunde the water to torne ayen / or elles I shall make the / The wawes for his cōmaūdement wol­de not spare / but flowed euer in heyght more & more. The kyng was so proude of hert that he wolde not flee the water & bete it with a rodde that he had in his honde / & cōmaunded the water that it sholde go no ferder. But for all his cō ­maūdement the water wolde not cesse / but euer wexed more & more on hygh / so that the kynge was all wete & stode de­pe in the water. And whan he sawe that he had abyden there to longe / & the wa­ter wolde noo thynge do his cōmaunde­ment / tho soone he withdrewe hym / and tho stode he vpon a stone and helde his hondes on hyghe & sayd these wordes herynge all the people. ¶This god that maketh the see thus aryse / is kynge of all kyngꝭ / & of all myghtes moost. And I am a caytyf & a man deedly / and he may neuer deye / & all thynge doth his cō maundement / and to hym is obedyent / ¶ To that god I praye / that he be my warraunt. For I knowlege me a caytyf feble / and of no power. And therfore I wyll go vnto Rome without ony longe lettynge / and my wyckednesse for to pu­nysshe and me to amende. For of god I clayme my londe for to holde / & of none other. And anone made redy his heyre / and hymself wente to Rome without o­ny lettynge. And by the waye dyde ma­ny almesse dedes / and whan he came to Rome also. And whan he had be there / for his synnes do penaūce / he came ayen in to Englonde / & became a good man and an holy. And lyued and left all manere of pryde and stoutenes / and lyued an holy lyf after / & made two abbayes of saynt Benet / one in Englonde and an other in Normandye / for as moche as he loued saynt Benet more specyally than other sayntes. And moche he loued also saynt Edmonde y ^• kynge. And oft he yaue grete yeftes to the house / wher­fore it was made ryche. And whan he had regned .xx. yere he deyed / and lyeth at Wynchestre.

¶Anno dm̄ .M.xviij.

BEnedictus the .ix. was pope after Iohannes / & he was a grete le­ [...]hour / & therfore he was dampned / and he aperyd to a certayne man vnd a meruaylous fygure & an horryble. His heed & his take was lylae an asse / that other part of his body lyke a beer. And he say­de to this man to whom he aperyd. Be not aferde / for I was a man as ye now be / but I apeyre now / for I lyued vnhappely in olde tyme lyke a beest whan I was pope. In this mannes tyme there was grete dyuysyon & sclaunder to the chirche / for he was put out & in two ty­mes. ¶And here Tholome [...] noteth / that the pryde of bysshops had euer an euyll ende. And it was euer the occasyon of moche vnrest and batayll. ¶Conra­dus the fyrst was Emperour after Henricus .xx. yere. This man made many lawes / and cōmaunded peas to be kepte moost straytly of ony man. But the erle of [...]udolf was accused / & he fledde from his londe / & desyred more to lyue lyke a churle than lyke a gentylman / & yet meruayllously his sone was made Empe­rour by the cōmaūdement of god ayenst the wyll of Conradus. And at the laste they were accorded. And he toke Coro­dis doughter to his wyf.

¶Of kynge Harold that leuer had go on foot than ryde on hors.

THis Knoght of whome we haue spoken of before / had two sones by his wyf Emme / & y ^t one was called Hardiknoght / & that other Harold. And he was so lyght of foot y ^• men called hȳ moost comynly Harold Hare foot. And this Harold had no thynge the condicy­ons & the maners of kyng Knoght that was his fader. For he sette but lytell pryce of chyualrye / ne noo curteysy / nother worshyp / but oonly by his owne wyll / And he became so wycked that he exyled his moder Emme. And she wente out of the londe in to Flaūdres / & there dwelled w ^t the erle / wherfore after there was ne­uer good loue betwixt hym & his broder For his broder hated hȳ deedly / & whan he had regned two yere & a lytell more / he deyed & lyeth at Westmestre.

¶Of kynge Hardiknoght that was Haroldes brother.

AFter this Harold Harefoot reg­ned his brother Hardiknoght [...] a noble knyght & a worthy man & moche loued chyualry / & all maner of goodnes And whan this Hardiknoght had red­ned a lytell whyle / he lete vncouere his brother Harold & smote of his heed that was his broder at Westmestre [...] & lete cast the heed in to a gonge / & the body in to Tamyse. And after came fysshers & toke the body with theyr nettes by nyght / & bare hym to saynt Clementes ch [...]che & there hym buryed. And in this maner auenged hym Hardiknoght of his brod (er) for in none other maner he myght be a­uenged. This kynge Hardiknoght was so large a yeuer of meete & drynke / that his tables were sette euery daye thre ty­mes full with ryall meetes & drynkes for his owne meyne / and for all that came vnto his courte / to be rychely serued of ryall meetts. ¶And this kynge Hardi­knoght sente after Emme his moder / & made her to come ayen in to Englon­de / for she was dryuen out of Englonde whyle that Harold Harefoot regned / thrugh counseyll of the erle Godewin / that tho was the grettest lorde of Eng­londe next the kynge / & moost myght do thrugh out all Englonde what he wolde his cōmaundement / for as moche as he had spowsed the doughter of the good kynge Knoght / that was a Dane [...] whi­che doughter he hadde by his fyrst wyf / ¶ And whanne this quene was dryuen [Page] out of Englonde / & come to the Erle of Flaūdres / that was called Baldewyne her cosyn / he foūde her there all thynge that her neded / vnto the tyme y ^t she wente ayen in to Englonde / that the kynge Hardiknoght had sent for her that was her some & made her come ayen with moche honour. This kynge Hardiknoght whan he had regned fyue yere he deyed and lyeth at Westmestre.

¶Of the vylany that the Danys dyde to the Englysshmen. Wherfore fro that tyme after was no Dane made kynge of this londe.

ANd after the deth of this kynge Hardsknoght / for as moche as he had noo thynge of his body begoten / The erles & barons assembled / & made a coūsell / that neuer more after no man y ^t was a Dane / though he were neuer so grete a man amonges them / he sholde neuer be kynge of Englonde for the des­pyte y ^t the Danes had done to Englysshmen. For euermore before & yf it were so that the Englysshmen & y ^• Danys hap­ned for to mete vpon a brydge / the En­glysshmen sholde not be so hardy to me­ [...]e ne styre a foot / but stande styll tyll y ^e Dane were passed forth. And more ouer yf y ^t Englysshmen had not bowed downe theyr heedes to do reuerence vnto the Danys / they sholde haue ben beten & defoylled. And suche maner despytes & vylany dyde the Danys to our Englysshemen. Wherfore they were dryuen out of y ^• londe after tyme y ^• kyng Hardiknoght was deed / for they had no lorde y ^t theym myght mayntene. ¶And in this maner auoyded the Danys Englonde / y ^t neuer they came ayen. ¶The erles & barons by theyr comyn assente & by theyr coūse­les sent vnto Normandy for to seke tho­se two brethern. Alured & Edwarde that were dwellynge with the duke Richarde that was theyr came / in entente for to crowne Alured the elder brother / & hym make kynge of Englonde. And of this thynge to make an ende / the erles & [...]a­rons made theyr othe. But y ^• erle Godewin of Westsex falsely & traytoursely thought to slee these two brethern anone as they sholde come in to Englonde / in entent / to make his sone Harold kynge the whiche sone he had begote vpon his wyfe / the whiche was kynge Knoghtes doughter that was a Dane. And so this Godewin pryuely hȳ went vnto South hampton for to mete there the two bre­thern whan y ^t they sholde come vnto londe. ¶And thus it befell the messengers that wente in to Normandy / foūde not but oonly Alured y ^t was the elder brother For Edwarde his brother was gone in to Hungary for to speke with his cosyn Edwarde the outlawe / y ^t was Edmon­des sone with the Irensyde. The messengers tolde & sayd Alured / how that the erles & barons of Englonde sente after hym / & that he boldely sholde come in to Englonde & receyue the reame. For kynge Hardiknoght was deed / & all the Danes dryuen out of the londe.

¶How Godewin the fals traytour to­ke Alured vppon Gyldesdowne whan that he came from Normandy to be kynge of Englonde / & how he caused hym to be martyred in the yle of Ely.

AS Alured herde these tydynges he thanked god. And in to shyp­pe went with all the hast that he myght and passed the see / & arryued at South­hampton there Godewin the fals tray­tour was. And whan this traytour sawe that he was come / he welcomed hym & receyued hym with moche Ioye & sayd / that he wolde lede hym to London there that all the barons of Englonde hym a­bode to make hym kynge. And so they wente on theyr waye towarde London / And whan they came on Gyldesdowne [Page] tho sayd the traytour Godwin vnto Alured. Take kepe about you bothe on the lyfte syde & ryght syde / & of all ye shall be kynge / & of suche an hondred more / Now forsothe sayd Alured. I behyght you & yf I be kynge. I shall ordeyne & make suche lawes / wherfore god & man shall be well pleased. Now had the tray­tour cōmaunded all his men that were w ^t hym. that whan they were come vpon Gildesdowne / that they sholde slee all y ^t were in Aluredes company / that came with hym fro Normandy / & after that take Alured & lede hym in to the yle of Ely / & after put out bothe his eyen of his heed / & afterwarde brynge hym to deth / & so they dyde. For they slewe all y ^e company that there were / the nombre of .xij. gentylmen that were come w ^t hym fro Normandy / & after toke they Alured & in the yle of Ely they put out his eyen & rent his wombe & toke the chyef of his bowels / & put a stake in the grounde / & an ende of the bowels therto fastened / & with nedyls eylesse of yren they pryched the good childe / and so made hym to go about the stake tyll that all his bowels were drawen out of his body / & so deyed Alured there thorugh treason of the erle Godewin. ¶Whan the lordes of Eng­londe had herde & wyst how Alured that sholde haue be theyr kynge was put to deth thrugh the fals traytour Godewin they were wonder wroth. And swore by­twene god & them / that he sholde deye a more wors dethe / than dyde Edrith of Stratton / that had betrayed his lorde Edmonde Irensyde / & they wolde haue put hȳ to deth / but y ^e theyf traytour fled thens in to Denmark / & there helde hȳ foure yere & more / & lost all his londe in Englonde.

SIluester the thyrde was pope af­ter Benedictus. This Siluester was chose / and Benedictus was [...]pul­syd. And afterwarde was he expulsyd / & Benedictus was put vp ayen. And after he was put out / and Gregorius was made pope. And he was but a symple let­tred man / & therfore he chose an other man for to be consecrate with hym. And whan many men were dyspleased with this gydynge of two popes / the thyrde was brought in / the whiche sholde occu­pye the place of bothe tho two. And soo they stroue amonge themself. But Hen­ry the Emperour came thenne to Rome & deposyd them all / and made Clement the seconde pope / whome he made ano­ne to crowne hym. And he sayd to the Romayns / they sholde neuer ch [...]se pope without his assent. And so fyue beynge popes / the sixte was put in. But many men saye / this Gregorus was an holy man. ¶Dama [...]ius the seconde was af­ter Clement .xx. dayes. This man was an vsurper of the popeheed / and soo he deyed sodenly. And anone the Romayns asked to haue a pope / & that the Almaynes sholde haue none. For they were soo harde herted / that they myght not enclyne to the entente of the Emperour / the whiche sayd. There sholde be no pope chosen but yf he wolde be of counseyll of the eleccyon. But for all that they putt in this holy man Leo & after he bad of that conscyence / & refused. And anone he was chosen by the comyn assent this Leo put Cryste in the fourme of a Las [...] in his owne bedde / & in the morowe he founde no thynge there.

¶Of saynt Edwarde the Confessour that was Aluredes brother how he was kynge of Englonde.

ANd whan this was done / all the barons of Englonde sent an o­ther tyme in to Normandy / for that Edwarde sholde come in to Englonde [...] moche honour. ¶And this Edwarde in his childehode loued almyghty god and hym dradde. And in honeste & clennesse [Page] had ladde his lyf / & hated synne as deth And whan he was crowned & anoynted with a ryall power / he forgate not his good maners & condycyons that he fyrst vsed. And forgate not al good customes for no manere honour / ne for ryches / ne no manere hyghnes. But euer more and more yaue hym to goodnesse / and loued god and holy chirche passynge all other manere thynge. And poore men also he loued / & them helde as they had ben his owne brethern. And to them oft he yaue grete almesse with full good wyll.

¶Of the fyrst specyal loue that god shewed to saynt Edwarde lyuynge.

IT befell on a daye / as he wente from the chirche of Westmynstre. & had herde masse of saynt Iohan the Euangelyst / for as moche as he loued saynt Iohn Euangelyst more specyally after god & our lady than he dyde ony o­ther saynt. And so there came to hym a pylgryme / & prayed hym for the loue of god & our lady & saynt Iohn the Euan­gelyst some good hym for to yeue. And y ^e kynge pryuely toke his rynge of his fynger / that no man perceyued it & yaue it to the pylgryme / & he it receyued & went thens. ¶This kynge Edward [...] made alle the good lawes of Englonde / that yet ben moost vsed & holden. And was so mercyable and so full of pyte / that no man myght be more.

¶How the erle Godewin came ayen in to Englonde & had ayen all his londe / and afterwarde saynt Edwarde wedded his doughter.

AS the Erle Godewin that was dwellynge in Denmarke had moche herde of the goodnesse of kynge Edwarde / & that he was so full of mer­cy & of pyte. He thoughte that he wolde go ayen in to Englonde / for to seke & to haue grace of the good kynge Edwar­de that so mercyfull was / that he myght haue ayen his londe in peas. And aray­ed hym as moche as he myght & put hȳ towarde the see & came in to Englonde to London there that the kyng was that tyme & all the lordes of Englonde / and helde a parlyament. Godewin sente to hym that were his frendes / & were the moost grettest lordes of the londe / & pray to them to beseche the kynges grace for hym / & that he wolde his peas & his londe graunte hym. The lordes ledde hym before the kynge to seke his grace. And anone as the kyng hym sawe / he apeled hym of treason / & of the deth of Alured his brother / and these wordes vnto hym sayd. Traytour Godewin sayd the kynge I the appele / that thou hast betrayed & slayne my brother Alured. Certes syr sayd Godewin. sauynge your grace and your peas & your lordshyp. I hym neuer betrayed / ne yet hym slewe. And therfo­re I put me in rewarde of y ^e courte. Now fayr lordes sayd the kynge. Ye that ben my lyeges / erles and barons of the londe that here be assembled / full well ye her­de myn appele / and the answere also of Godewin / and therfore I woll that ye awarde & dooth ryght. The erles & ba­rons tho gadred them all togyder for to do this awarde by themself / and so they spake dyuersely amonge them. For some sayd / there was neuer alyaūce by homa­ge seriment seruyce / ne by lordshypp by­twene Godewin and Alured / for which thynge they myght hym drawe. And a [...] the laste they deuysed and demed / that he sholde put hym in the kynges mercy all togyder. Tho spake the erle Leuerik of Couentree a good man to god and to all the worlde / and tolde his reason in this maner & sayd. The erle Godewin is the best frended man of Englonde after the kynge / & well it myght not be a­gayne sayd / that without coūsell of Godewin Alured was neuer putt to dethe / [Page] Wherfore I awarde as towchynge my parte / that hymself & his sone & euery of vs .xij. erles that ben his frendes go before the kynge / charged with as moche golde & syluer as we may bere betwixt our hondes / prayenge the kynge to forgeue his euyll wyll to the erle Godewin / & receyue his homage / & his londe yelde a­yen. And they accorded vnto that a war­de / and came in this maner as is aboue sayd / euery of them with golde & syluer as moche as they myghte bere bytwene her hondes before the kynge / & there sayde the fourme & the maner of theyr acorde & of theyr awarde. The kyng wolde not theym agaynsaye / but as moche as they ordeyned / he graūted & confermed. And so was the erle Godewin accorded with the kynge / & so he had ayen all his londe. And afterwarde he bare hym soo well & soo wysely / that the kynge loued hym worder moche / & with hym he was ful preuy. And within a lytell tyme they loued soo moche / that there the kynge spowsed Godewins doughter / & made her quene. And neuerthelesse though the kynge had a wyfe / yet he lyued euer in chastyte & clennesse of body without ony flesshly dede doynge with his wyf. And the quene also in her halfe ladde an ho­ly lyf two yere / & deyed. And afterwar­de the kynge lyued all his lyfe withoute ony wyf. ¶The kyng yaue the erledom of Oxenforde to Harolde that was Godewins sone / & made hym erle. And soo well they were beloued / bothe the fader & he / and so pryue with the kynge / both the fader & the sone / that they myght do by ryght what thynge that they wolde / For ayenst ryght wolde he no thynge do for no maner man / so good and true he was of conscyence. And therfore our lor­de Ihesu Cryste grete specyll loue vnto hym shewed.

¶How kynge Edwarde sawe Swyne kynge of Denmark drowned in the see in the tyme of the Sacrament as he stode & herde masse.

IT befelle vppon Wytsondaye as kynge Edwarde herde his masse in the grete chirche of Westmestre ryght at the leuacyon of Ihesu Crystys body / & as all men were gadred in to the chir­che / and came nygh the awter for to see the sacrynge / the kynge his hondes lyft vp on hyghe / and a grete laughter toke vp. Wherfore all that aboute hym stode gretely ganne wonder. And after masse / they axed why the kynges laughter was Fayre lorde sayd kynge Edwarde. I sa­we Swyne the yonger that was kynge of Denmark come in to the see with all his power for to haue come in to Eng­londe vpon vs for to warre. And I sawe hym & all his folke drowned in the see. and alle this I sawe in the leuacyon of Crystis body bytwene the preestes bon­de / and I had therfore so grete Ioye that I myghte not my laughter withholde / ¶And the erle Leueryk besyde hym stode at the leuacyon / and openly sawe the fourme of brede torne in the lyknesse of a yonge childe / & toke vp his ryght hon­de and blessyd the kynge & after the erle and the erle anone tomed hym towarde the kynge for to make hym see that holy syght. And tho sayd the kynge. ¶Sy [...] Erle sayd he I see well that ye see thanked be god y ^t I haue honoured my god my sauyour visybly Ihesu Cryst in four me of man. Whoos name be blessyd in all worldes. AMEN

¶How the rynge that sayne Edwarde bod gyuen to a poore pylgryme for the loue of god & sayne Iohan Euangelyst came ayen to kynge Edwarde.

THis noble man sayne Edwarde regned .xiij. yere. And thus it be­fell vpon a tyme are he deyed / that two men of Englonde were gone in to holy [Page] londe / & had done theyr pylgrymage / & were goynge ayen in to theyr owne coū ­tree where they came fro. And as they wente in the waye / they mette a pylgry­me that curteysly them saluwed / & axed of them in what londe & in what coūtree they were borne. And they sayd in Englonde. Tho axed he who was kynge of Englonde. And they answered & sayd. the good kynge Edwarde. ¶Fayre frendes sayd tho the pylgryme / whan that ye come in to your coūtree ayen. I praye you that ye wyll go vnto kynge Edwarde / & oftentymes grete hym in myn na­me / and oftentymes hym thanke of his grete curteysye / that he to me hath done & namely for the rynge that he yaue me whan he had herde masse at Westmes­tre for saynt Iohans loue Euangelyst And toke the rynge / & toke it to the pyl­grymes & sayd. I praye you go and bere this rynge / & take it vnto kyng Edwarde / & telle hym that I sende if hym / & a full ryche yefte I wyll hym yeue. For vpon the .xij. daye he shall come vnto me / & euer more dwelle in blysse without ony ende. ¶Syr sayd the pylgrymes / what man be ye / and in what coūtree is your dwellynge. ¶Fayre frendes sayd he. I am Iohn the Euangelyst / & I am dwellynge with almyghty god / & your kyng Edwarde is my frende / & I loue hym in specyall for by cause that he hath euer­more lyued in clennesse & is a clene mayde / & I praye you my message fulfyll as I haue you sayd. Whan y ^t saynt Iohn y ^• Euangelyst had them thus charged / so­denly he voyded out of theyr syghtꝭ both The pylgrymes tho thanked almyghty god & went forth theyr waye. And whan they had gone two or thre myle / they be­gan to waxe very & sette them adowne for to rest them / & so they felle on slepe / And whan they had slepte well / one of them awoke & lyfte vp his heed & loked about / & sayd to his felowe. Aryse vp & walke we in our waye. What sayd that one felowe vnto that other / where be we now. Certes sayd that other / it semeth me that this is not the same coūtree the­re we layde vs downe in for to rest & slepe. For we were from Ierusalem but thre myle. They toke vp theyr hondes & blessyd them / & wente forth in theyr waye / And as they went in theyr waye / they sawe sheperdes goynge with theyr shepe y ^• spake none other langage but englysshe ¶Good frendes sayd one of the pylgrymes / what coūtree is this / & who is lor­de therof. ¶And one of the sheperdes answered & sayd / this coūtree is the coū tree of Kente in Englonde / of the whi­che the good kyng Edwarde is lorde of. The pylgrymes thanked tho almyghty god & saynt Iohn Euangelyst / & wente forth in theyr waye & came to Caunter­bury / & fro thens vnto London / & there they foūde the kyng. And tolde hym all from the begynnynge vnto the endynge asmoche as saynt Iohn had them char­ged / & of all thyngꝭ how they had sped by the waye. And toke the rynge to kynge Edwarde / & he toke it / & thanked al­myghty god & saynt Iohn Euangelyst And tho made hym redy euery daye fro daye to daye to departe out of this lyf / whan god wolde for hym sende.

¶How saynt Edwarde deyed the Twelfth daye.

ANd after it befell thus on Cryst masse euen / as the holy man Edwarde was at goddes seruyce matyns for to here of that hyghe solempne feest. he became full syke / and in the morowe endured with moche payne the masse for to here. And after masse he lete hym be ladde in to his chambre / there for to reste hym. But in his halle amonge his barons and his knyghtes myght he not come theym for to comforte and solace / as he was wonte for to do at that wor­thy feest. Wherfore all theyr myrth and [Page] comfort amonge al that were in the hal­le was tonned in to care & sorowe / bycause they dradde for to lese the good lorde the kyng. ¶And vpon saynt Iohn daye Euangelyst that came next / the kyng receyued his ryghtes of holy chirche / as it befalleth to euery crysten man / & abode the mercy & y ^t wyll of god. And the two pylgrymes he lete before hym come & yaue theym ryche yeftes & betoke theym to god. Also the abbot of Westmestre he lete before hym come & toke hym that rynge in the honour of god & saynt Mary / & of saynt Iohan the Euangelyst. And the abbot toke it & put it amonge other relykes / so that it is at Westmestre / & e­uer shall be / & so laye the kyng syke tyll the twelfth eue. And tho deyed the good kynge Edwarde at Westmestre / & there he lyeth. For whoos loue god hath she­wed many a fayre myracle. ¶And this was in the yere of the Incarnacyon of our lorde Ihesu Cryste .M.lxv. And af­ter he was translated & put in to y ^• shryne by the noble martyr saynt Thomas of Caunterbury.

UIctor the seconde was pope af­ter Leo / & of hym lytell is wry­ten. ¶Henry y ^• seconde was Emperour after the fyrst Henry .xvij. yere / this man was cosyn to Conradus / & he was borne in a wood / & twyes taken for to be slay­ne whan he was a childe / but god defended hym euermore. Whan he was made Emperour / many a monastery he made in the same place in the wood where he was borne. This man was a victoryous man / & he entred in to Ytaly / & there he toke Padulphus the prynce of Campa­ny. ¶Strepha [...]s the .ix. was pope after Victor .ix. monethes. ¶Benedictus af­ter hym / & he toke the dygnyte of the pope Stephanus by strength & kept it .ix. monethes / & thenne decessyd. ¶Henry the thyrde was Emperour after Henry the seconde / this Henry was an [...] man / & many tymes troubled that holy man Gregorius the .vij. And fyrst he axed forye [...]enesse & was assoyled. But he per [...]euered not longe / but brought in an other pope ayenst hym / and sayd he was an heretyke. And Gregoriꝰ cursyd hym. And the chesers of the Emperour they chose the duke of Saxon for to be Emperour / whom this Henry in batay­le ouercame. And thenne he came to Rome with his pope & pursewed pope Gregorius & the Cardynalles also. ¶And thenne anone Robert the kynge of Na­ples droue hym thens / and delyuered the pope & his Cardynalles. Neuerthelesse yet he was a man of grete almesse. And .xij. tymes he faught in batayll / and a [...] the laste he deyed wretchedly / for he was put there by his owne sone. For so as he dyde to other men / so was he done vnto ¶Nicholaꝰ the seconde was pope after Benedictus two yere / this Nicholaꝰ cal­led a coūseyll ayenst the Archedeken of Turonoseus / the whiche was an her [...]tyke / & he taught ayenst the fayth. For he erred in the sacrament / & after he was cōuerted & was an holy man / but he cou­de neuer cōuerte his dyscyples. Nota. ¶Alexander y ^• seconde was pope after hym .xij. yere / this Alexand was an holy man. & he ordeyned y ^• vnder payne of cursynge that no man sholde here a preestꝭ masse whom men knewe had a lemman (Vt pꝪ .xxxij. p̄ter hoc) He had stryue w ^t one Codulo / but he expulsyd hȳ as an v­surper / & put hym out as a symonyer.

¶How Harolde that was Godewins sone was made kyng / & how he escaped from the duke of Normandy.

AS saynt Edward was gone out of this worlde / & was passed to god & worthely enteryd as to suche a grete l [...]de ought / the barons of the londe wolde [...]ad Edwarde Elingus. so­me to Edwarde the outlawe that was [Page] Edmonde [...]rensydes sone to be kynge [...] For as moche as he was moost kyndest kynges blood of the reame. ¶But Ha­ [...]des sone thrugh the erle Godewin / & the strength of his fader Godewin / and torugh other grete lordes of the reame / that were of his kynne & vnto hȳ sybbe seased all Englonde in to his bonde / & anone lete crowne hym kynge after the enterement of Saynt Edwarde. This sy [...]olde that was Godewines sone the seconde yere afore that saynt Edwarde was deed / wolde haue gone in to Flaun­dres but he was dryuen thrugh tempest in to the coūtree of Pountyse / & there he was taken & brought to duke Wylliam And this Harolde wende that tho this d [...]ke Wyllyam wolde haue be auenged [...] hym for by cause that y ^• erle Go­dewin that was Haroldes fader / had le­te [...]lee Alured that was saynt Edwardꝭ [...] & pryncypally for by cause that [...] was quene Emines sone / that was Richardes moder duke of Norman dy that was a [...]nll to the duke William And neuertheles whan the duke Willi­am had Harolde in pryson & vnder his power / forasmoche as this Harold was a noble wyse knyght & a worthy of bo­dy / & that his fader & he was accorded with good kynge Edwarde / & therfore wolde not mysdo hym. But all manere thynges that betwixt them was spoken and ordeyned. Harolde by his good wyll swore v [...]on a boke / & vpon holy sayntes that he sholde spouse & wedde duke Willyams doughter after the deth of saynt Edwarde / & that he sholde besely do his d [...]uour for to kepe & saue the reame of Englonde vnto the profyte & auantage of duke Wyllyam. ¶And whan Harolde had thus made his othe vnto y ^• duke Wyllyam he lete hym goo / & ya [...] hym many a [...]yche yettes. And he tho wente [...] hym be amenged what [...] befell. ¶And anone [...] assemble a grete [...] & come in to En­glonde to auenge hym vpon Harolde / & to conquert the londe yf that he myght. ¶And in the same yere that Harolde was crowned. Harolde Herekynge kynge of Denmarke arryued in Scotlande & thought to haue be kynge of Englon­de / & he came in Englonde & [...] / & destroyed all that he myght / tyll that he came to Yorke / & there he slewe many men of armes a thousande & a h [...]dred preestes. Whan this tydydges came to y ^• kynge / he assembled a grete power / and wente for to fyght w ^t Haralde of Den­mark / & with his owne hondes he hym slewe / & the Danes were dyscomfyted / and tho that were left alyue with moche sorowe fledde to theye shyppes. And thus kynge Harolde of Englonde slewe kynge Haralde of Denmark.

¶Anno dm̄ .M.lxvi.
¶How William Bastarde duke of Normandy came in to England / and slewe kynge Harolde.

[Page] ANd whan this batayll was do­ne. Harolde became so proude / & [...] no thynge per [...]e with his people of the thynge that he had goten / but hel [...] all [...] hymself. Wherfore the moost parte of his people, were [...]the & from hym [...] is y ^• oonly w ^t hym abode [...] but his soldyours. And vpon a [...] he sate at meete / a messager ca­me to hȳ & sayd / that Wyllyam bastar­de the duke of Normandy was arryued in Englonde w ^t a grete hoste / & had ta­ke all the lo [...]de about Haslynge / & also myned the castell. Whan the kynge had herde this tydynges / he went thyther w ^t a lytell power in all the hast y ^• he myght for there were but fewe people with hym lefte. And whan he was come thyder he ordeyned to yeue bataylle to duke Wy­llyam. But the duke axed hym of these thre thynges / yf that he wolde haue his doughter to wyf as he made & swore his othe & behyght / or that he wolde holde the londe of hym in truage / or he wolde determyne this thynge in batayll. This Harolde was a proude man & a stronge & trusted wonder moche vpon his streng the / and faught with the duke William and with his people. But Harolde and his men in this batayl were dyscomfy­ted / and hymself there was slayne / and this batayll was ended at Tombrydge in the seconde yere of his regne / vppon saynt Calixtus daye / & so he was bury­ed at Walcham.

¶Of kynge Wyllyam bastarde & how he gouerned hym well and wysely / and of the greate warre bytwene hym & the kynge of Fraunce.

AS Wyllyam Bastarde duke of Normandy had conquered all y ^• londe / vpon Crystmasse daye then nexte he lete crowne hym kyng at Westmestre & as a [...] kyng yo [...] vnto Englysh [...] largely [...] / & to his [...] / And afterwarde he wente hym ouer the see & came in to Normandye / & there be dwelled a whyle. And in the seconde ye­re of his regne he came ayen in to Englonde / & brought with hym Maude his wyf & lete crowne her quene Englonde on Wyssondaye. ¶And tho anone after the kyng of Scotlonde / that was called Malcol [...] began to stryue & wan [...] w ^t the kynge Wyllyam. And he ordeyned hym towarde Scotlonde with his men bothe by londe & by see / for to deshore kynge Malcolm. But they were [...] ­ded / & y ^• kyng of Scotlonde be [...] man / & belde all his londe of hym. And kynge William receyued of hym his homage & came ayen in to Englond And as kynge William had be kyng [...] it. Maude y ^• quene deyed on whom [...] ge William had begote [...] dern / that is for to say. Robert Curth a William Rous. Richarde also that [...] ed. Henry Beauclerke and Maude [...] that was the erles wyf of Bleynes: other foure fayr doughters. ¶And after his wyues dethe / grete de [...]ate began be­twixt hym & the kyng of Fraū [...]e Philip but at the laste they were accorded. And tho dwelled the kynge of Englonde in Normandy / & noo man hym warned [...] he no man longe tyme. ¶And the kyn­ge of Fraunce sayd vpon a daye in [...] ne of kynge William had longe tyme lyen in childe bedde / & longe tyme bad [...] rested hym there. And this worde came to the kynge of Englonde there that he dyde lye in Normandye at Rone. And for this worde was tho ruyll apayed [...] & also wonder wroth towarde the kyng of Fraunce. And swore by god / that whan he were arysen of his skyenesse he wol­de lyg [...] a thousande candelles to the kynge of Fraūce / & [...] lete assemble a grete hoste of Normandy & of Englysshe men. And in the begyunynge of Her [...] he come in to Fraunce & bende all [...] that they come by [...] the [Page] [...] to here [...] / & as moche as he myghte brea [...]e. And hymselfe halpe therto alle that he myghte with a good wyll. And there was a grete hete / what of the fyre that was so grete / & of the sonne that it was w [...]der hote that it stuffed hym so that he became & felle in to a grete dysease & skynesse. And whan he sawe that he was so stronge syke / he ordeyned & assygned all Normandye to Robert Cur­thos his sone / & all Englonde to Wyl­lyam the Rous / and bequane to Henry Beauclerke all his treasour. And whan he thus had done / he receyued all the sa­cramentꝭ of holy chirche / & deyed the .xx. yere of his regne / & lyeth at Cane in Normandy.

¶Anno dm̄ .M.lxvi.

ORegorius the .vij. was pope after Alexander .xij. yere / this man or­deyned in a generall Synodus / that no preest sholde haue a wyf ne sholde dwelle with wȳmen / but tho that y ^• holy Sy­nodus of Micena & other decrees hadde suffred. And then y ^• preestꝭ sette nought or lytell pondred his ordynaunce. This pope cōmaunded y ^• no man sholde here masse of a preest y ^• had a cōcubyne. And he on a certayn tyme whan he was Cardynall & Legate in to Fraūce / proceded sharpely ayenst prelates & preestes / that were symoniers. And among other was one bysshopp there that was gretely fa­med with symonye. And these that accused hym / pryuely he hyered them to saye the [...]. The whiche the Legate commayned / & afore all the people he say­de. Lote the Iudgement of this men [...]sse at this tyme / for it it dyscey [...]ble / & lete [...] dyspose for it. And sayd / thus it is [...]. That the dygryde of a bysshop is the [...] of the holy ghost. And who some euer byeth a bysshope / doth a­yenst y ^• holy ghost. Th [...]e y ^• thou bys­shop dyde not ayenst the holy ghost / [...]aye openly afore all the people ( [...] pe­tri of [...] et spiritual sancta) And many tymes he began to saye it / but he coude neuer speke (spirtut sancta) Thenus he was depasyd of his bysshop [...] / and after he coude speke it well ynought. ¶Vict [...] the thyrde was pope after hym do yere / & this man was poysoned with venym in the chaly [...] ¶ [...] was pope after hym two yere. This man [...] ­syd the kynge of Frallce for his [...] And he called a counseyll at Clarū in the whiche he ordeyned / that matyns of our lady sholde be sayd euery daye / & on Saterdaye her solempue masse. And it is sayd / that this was shewed vnto y ^• freres of Cartulis. ¶Also he called another counsesyll at Turam for the holy londe to be wonne aym / & prouoked the people to that matere / & within a lytell tyme after that matere / the holy londe was receuered & the sepulcre of our lon­de / & Anthioche with many other cytees taken fro the Sarrasyus. And it is sayd & men byleued that .CC.M. crysten men wente to that Iourney. For there wente of states olde men & yonge / and also ty­che and peace / and n [...]o man compelled theym. And this passage was made by the vysyon of our lady. And the [...] of this people were dyuerse. Due was Godfroy de Bolayne a full noble man of all the worlde / and a vertuous man / And all other was [...] the Du­ke of Neaples. The thyrde was [...] the kynges brother of Fraunce / & many other / the whiche dyde full nobly for the fayth of god. ¶And it [...] to longe to this booke to [...] the [...] make that they dyde.

¶Of kynge Wyllyam [...] was kynge Wyllyam [...] sone / that [...] & houses of Relygon for to make the newe forest.

[Page] ANd after this Wyllyam bestar­de [...] his sous William the [...] And this Wyllyam was a won­der counteryous man to god & holy chirche / and lete amende & make the towne of Cordeis / that the Pay [...]ens had de­stroyed. This kyng Wellyam destroyed holy chirche & theyr possessyous. in what parte he myght them fynde. And therfo­re there was soo moche debate bytwene hym & the Archebysshop of Caunterbu­ry Ancelmus. For by cause that he reprenyd hym of his wyckednesse / that he de­stroyed Holy chirche. And for that cause the kyng bare to hym grete wrath. And so he exyled hym out of this londe / and the Archbysshop wente to the courte of Rome / & there dwelled with the pope / And this kyng made the newe forest / & caste downe & destroyed .xxvi. townes / & lxxx. houses of Relygyon / all for to ma­ke his forest lenger & broder. And beca­me wond gladde & proude of his wood & of his forest. And nourysshed the wyl­de beestes that were within / that it was meruaylle for to wyte / so that men cal­led hym keper of woodes & of pastures. And the more lenger that he lyued / the more wyched he became both to god & to all holy chirche & to all his men. ¶And this kynge lete make the grete halle of Westmstre. So vpon a daye in y ^• Wyt­sontyde he helde therin his fyrst feest / & he loked hym aboute and sayd / that the halle was to lytell by y ^• half deale. And at the laste he became so [...] contraryous / that all thynge y ^• pleased god / dysplea­sed hym / & alle thynge that god loued / he hated deedly. ¶And so it befell / that he dremyd vpon a nyght a lytell or that he deyed / that he was lete blood / & bled [...] a grete quantyte of blood / & a streme of blood lepte on hygh towarde heuen mo­re than a hondred fad [...]m / and the clere­nesse of the daye was torned vnto nyght and darknesse of the fytmament also / ¶ And whan that he awoke he had grete drede / so that he not wyst what for to doo. And tolde his dreme to men of his coūseyll & sayd / that he had grete drede / & supposyd that to hym was some mys­chaūce to come. ¶And y ^• second nyght before a monke dremyd of the houshol­de / that the kynge wente in to a chu [...]he with moche people / and he was pr [...]wde that he despysed all the people that we­re with hym / & that he toke the [...] of the Crucefixe / & shamefully [...] his teeth. And the Cruciu [...] [...] all that he dyde. But yet [...] & as a wood man rente of the [...] the Crucefixe / & cast it vnder his [...] defoylled it / and ch [...]ewe if all a [...] And a grete fyre came out of the Cru [...] ­fixe mouthe. Of whiche [...] man had grete meruaylle and [...] ¶The good man that had dremed [...] straūge dreme / tolde it to a knyght that was moost pryue with the kynge of [...] men / & the knyght was called Hamon­des. ¶Soone the monke & he tolde the dremes to the kyng & sayd. That it sholde betokenen other thynge than [...]eed▪ And neuertheles y ^• kyng laughed [...] [...]twyes or thryts / and lytel sette [...] thought that he wolde goo & haute and playe in the forest. And men [...] hym that he sholde not go that [...] no maner thynge ne come in the weed / so that he abode at home before meete. But anone as he had eten no man hym myght lette / but he wolde goo vnto the wood for to haue his dysporte. ¶And so it befell that one of his knyghtes that hyght Walter Tytell wolde haue sho [...] to an harte / and his arowe glentyd vp­on a braunche and thorugh mysauenc [...] ­re smote the kynge to the herte. And soo he felle downe deed to the groūde with­out ony worde spekynge / and soo ended his lyf dayes. And it was no meruayll / [...] [Page] daye that he deyed he had lete to seeue the Archebysshopryche of Caūterbury / and .xij. abbayes also / & euermore dyde greate destruccyon to holy chirche / thrugh [...]nfull takynge & axynges / for no man durst withstande that he wolde haue done. And of his lewdenes he wolde neuer withdrawe / nother to amende his lyfe. And therfore god wolde suffre hȳ no lenger to regne in his wyckednes And he had be kyng .xiij. yere and .vi. wekes / & lyeth at Westmestre

¶Anno dm̄ .M.lxxxviij.

PAschall was pope after Vrbanꝰ .xviij. yere and .v. monethes / the whiche the .xiij. yere of his bysshopryche w ^t his Cardynalles was put in pryson / by Henry y ^• fourth Emperour. And they myght not be delyuered vntyll the pope had sworne that he sholde kepe peas w ^t hym & that he sholde neuer curse hym / And on that promyse / the pope yaue the Emperour a preuylege / & the yere after the pope damned that preuylege / & sayd on this wyse. Lete vs comprehende al holy scrypture the olde testament & y ^• newe the lawes of the prophecyes / the gospell & the canons of appostles / & all the de­crees of the popes of Rome / that al they helde I holde / & that that they dampned Idampne / & moost specyally that preuylege graunted to Henry the Emperour / the whiche rather is graunted to venge his malyce / than to multeplye his pacy­ence in vertue. For euer more I dampne that same preuylege.

¶Of kyng Henry Beauclerk that was Wyllyam Rous brother / and of the de­bate bytwene hym & Robert Curthos his brother.

ANd whan Wyllyam Rous was deed. Henry Beauclerk his [...] was made kynge / by cause Wyllyam Rome had no childe begote on his body. And this Henry Beauclerk was crow­ned kyng at London the fourth daye after that his brother was decessyd / that is to saye / the fyfth daye of August. ¶And anone as Ancelmus that was Archbysshop of Caūterbury that was at y ^• court of Rome herde tell that William Rous was deed / he came ayen in to England & the kynge Beauclerk welcomed hym with moche honour. And the fyrste yere the kynge Henry regned & was crow­ned. He spowsed Maude that was Mar­garetes doughter the quene of Scotlon­de. And the Archebysshop Ancelmus of Caūterbury wedded them. And this kynge begate vpon his wyfe two sones & a doughter / that is to saye. Wyllyam and Richarde & Maude. And this Maude was afterwarde y ^• Empresse of Almay­ne. ¶And in the seconde yere of his regne / his brod (er) Robert Curthos / that was duke of Normandy came with an huge hoste in to Englond for to chalenge the londe. But thrugh counseyll of the wy­se men of the londe / they were accorded in this manere. That the kynge sholde yeue his brother the duke a thousande pounde euery yere. And whiche of them that lyued lengest sholde be that others heyre / and so bytwene them sholde he no debate ne stryfe. ¶And then whan they were thus accorded / the duke wente ho­me agayne in to Normandye. ¶And whan the kynge had regned foure yere. there arose a grete debate bytwene hym and the Archebysshop of Counterbury Ancelmus. For by cause that the Arche­bysshopp wolde not graun [...]e to hym for to talenges of chirches at his wyll. And the reforde ef [...]ones the Archebysshope Ancelmus wente ouer the see vnto the courte of Rome & there he dwelled with the pope. And in the same yere the [...] of Normandy came in to Englonde to speke w ^t his [...]. ¶And [...] other thynges the duke of Normandye. [Page] [...]ory [...]e vnto the kynge his brother the fousayd thousande poūde by yere that he sholde paye vnto the duke. And w ^t good loue the kynge & the duke departed / & there y ^• duke wente ayen in to Norman­dy. ¶And whan tho two yere were ago­ne / thrugh the entycement of the deuyll & of symple men / a grete debate arose bytwene the kynge & the duke / soo that thrugh coūseyll the kynge wente ouer y ^• see in to Normandy / & whan the kynge of Englonde was come in to Norman­dy / all the grete lordes of Normande torned vnto the kynge of Englonde & hel­de ayenst y ^• duke theyr owne lorde / & hȳ forsoke / & to the kynge them yelde / & all the good castelles & townes of Normandy. And soone after was the duke taken & ladde with the kynge in to Englonde And the kyng lete put the duke in to pryson / & this was the vengeaunce of god / ¶ For whanne the duke was in the holy londe / god yaue hym suche myght & grate / that he was chosen for to haue be kȳ ge of Iherusalem / and he forsoke is and wolde not take it vpon hym / and ther­fore god sente hym that shame & despyte for to be putt in his brothers pryson / The seased kynge Henry all Norman­dy in to his honde / & helde it all his lyfe tyme. ¶And in the same yere came the bysshop Ancelmus fro the courte of Rome in to Englonde ayen. And the kyng & he were accorded. ¶And in the next yere comynge after / there began a grete debate bytwene the kynge Phylyppe of Fraunce & kynge Henry of Englonde / Wherfore kynge Henry wente in to Normandye / & there was stronge warre by­twene them two. And tho deyed the kynge of Fraūce / & lowys his sone was made kynge anone after his deth. And th [...] [...] kynge Henry ayen in to Englon­de / & maryed Maude his doughter vnto Henry the Emperour of Almayne.

¶Of the debate that was betwixt kynge Lowys of Fraūce & kynge Henry of Englonde / & how kynge Henryes two sones were loste in the hyght see.

AS kynge Henry hadꝭ be kynge xvij. yere / a grete debate arose betwixt kynge Lowys of fraūce & kynge Henry of Englonde / for by cause that y ^• kynge had sente in to Normandy to his men / that they sholde be helpynge vnto therle of Bloys asmoche as they might in wane ayenst the kynge of fraunc [...] And that they sholde be as [...] to hym as they were to theyr owne lorde for by cause that therle had spowsed his [...] Maude. And for this cause y ^• kenge of Fraūce dyde moche sorowe to Normandy. Wherfore the kynge of Englonde was wonder wroth & in haste wente ouer the see with a grete power & same in [...] Normandy. for to defende that [...]. And the warre bytwene them lasted two yere / tyll at the last they two [...] togyder. And the kynge of fraūce was dyscomfyted / & vnnethes escaped aware with moche payne / & the moost part [...]e of his men were taken. And the kynge dyde with theym what hym best lyked And some of them he lete go freely and some he lete be put vnto the deth. But afterwarde those two kyngꝭ were [...]. And whan kynge Henry had hooly all the londe of Normandye / & [...] his enmyes of Fraunce he torned a­gayne in to Englonde with moche ho­nour. And his two sones William & Rycharde wolde haue come after the fader & went to the see with a grete company of people. But are that they myght co­me to londe / the shyppe came ayenst a roche & all were drowned that were the­re in / saue [...]o man that was in the same shyppe that escaped. And this was vpon saynt Katheryns daye / & these were the names of them that were drowned. Willyam and Rycharde the kynges son [...] / a the erle of Chestre Octonell his brother [Page] Geffroy Rydell. Walter [...]. Go­defray Archedeken / the kynges dough­ter / the countesse of Perches / the kyngesnece the countesse of Chestre / & many o­ther. ¶Whan kynge Henry & other lor­des arryued in Englonde / & herde these tydynges / they made sorowe ynough / And all theyr myrth & Ioye was torned in to mornynge & sorowe.

¶How Maude y ^• Empresse came ayen in Englonde / & how she was afterward wedded to Geffroy therle of Angoy.

ANd whan that two yere were a­gone that the Erle had dwelled with the kynge / the erle wente from the kyng / & began to warre vpon hym & dyde moche harme in y ^• londe of Normandy / & toke there a stronge castell & there he dwelled all that yere. And tho came to hym tydynges that Henry the Emperom of Almayne y ^• had spowsed Mau­de his doughter was deed / and that she dwelled noo lenger in Almayne / & that she wolde come ayen in to Normandy to her fader. And whan that she was come vnto hym / he toke her tho to hym & ca­me ayen in to Englonde / & made the Englysshmen to do othe & fraute to the Empresse. And the fyrst man that made the othe / was William y ^• Archebysshop of Caūterbury. And that other Dauyd kyng of Scotlonde / & after hym all the barons & erles of Englonde. ¶Also af­ter that the noble man therle of Angoy that was a worthy knyght / sente vnto the kynge of Englonde / that he wolde graūte hym for to haue his doughter to spowse / that is to saye Maude the Em­presse. And for by cause that her fader wyst that he was a noble man / the kyn­ge hym graūted & consented therto. And tho toke he his doughter & ladde her in to Normandy / & came to y ^• noble knyghte Geffroy / and there he spowsed the forsayd Maude with moche honour / & the Erle begate vppon her a sone / that was called Henry the Empresse sone / ¶ And after whan all this was done / kyng Henry dwelled all that yere in Normandy. And after that longe tyme a greuous sykenesse toke hym / where tho­rugh he deyed. And this kynge Henry regned .xxxv. yere & foure monthes. And after he deyed as is before sayd in Nor­mandy. And his herte was enteryd in y ^• grete chirche of our lady in Rouen. And his body was brought w ^t moche honour in to Englonde / & enteryd at Redynge in the abbaye / of the whiche abbaye he was begynner & founder.

HEnricus the fourth was Empe­rour in Almayn after Harry the thyrde .xv. yere. This man put his owne fader in pryson / & there helde hym tyll he deyed. And t [...]ke pope Paschall with his Cardynalles / & presente them / as if is sayd afore. For the whiche cause as it is supposed / he lacked yssue. For he wed­ded the kynges doughter of Englonde Maude. But afterward he came to grace / and all the lawes of the chirche free­ly he resyned to Calixtus the pope. And besought hym to yeue hym in penounce that he sholde neuer come ayen to his Empyre / that he myght haue remyssy­on of his trespass. And after the oppy­nyon of many a man / he was wylfully exyled & deyed and his wyf both at Che­stre in Englonde. ¶Gelasius was po­pe after Paschall two yere. And [...] from Henry the Emperour in to Bour­goyne and there decessyd. This Empe­rour chose Benedictus a Spanyarde to be pope / the whiche storme with Calixtꝰ. ¶Calixtus was pope after hym two yere & fyne monthes. This Calixtus was the sone of the duke of Bourgoyne and was chosen in the place of Gelasius / And whan he sholde come to Rome / he toke the forsayd Benedictus / and made hym to ryde afore hym shamefully. For [Page] [...]

¶Anno dm̄ .M.C.xxxiij.

Innocencius was pope after Ho­norius .xiiij. yere and .vij. monthes This man was a very deuoute man / & with suche men he accompanyed hym / And he had stryf ayenst Peyrs of Lyon the whiche named hym Anocletus. And by strength he tooke the popchede. The whiche Innocencius sawe & with two Galeys he fledde in to Fraunce & was worshyfully receyued of saynt Ben [...] de / the whiche that tyme had all the kynges & prynces in his honde. And he pro­uoked them for to [...]rynge this pope Innocencius in to his dygnyte ayen. And att the laste all thynge was sessyd / & his enmyes were destroyed thrugh the Iuge­ment of god. And he was pope ayen & lyued prouffytably and was buryed art Latranence.

¶How Stephen that was kynge Hen­ryes systers sone / was made kynge of Englonde.

AFter this kynge Henry that was the fyrste / was made kynge his neuewes syster sone. Stephen erle of Boloyne. For anone as he herde the tydynges of his vncles deth thenne he passed the see & came in to Englonde thorugh coūseyll & strength of many grete lordes in Englonde / ayenst the othe that they had made to Maude the Empresse toke the reame / & lete crowne Stephen kyng of the londe. ¶And the Archebysshopp Wyllyam of Caūterbury that fyrst made the othe of feaute to Maude the Empresse / sette the crowne vpon Stephens herd & hym anoynted. And bysshop Ro­ger of Salysbury mayntened the kyngꝰ parte in as moche as he myght. ¶The fyrst yere y ^• kyng Stephen began to regne / he assembled a greate hoste & wente towarde Scotlonde for to haue [...]arred vpon the kynge of Scotlonde. But he [Page] came ayenst hym in yeas & in good manere / & to hȳ trustes. But he made to hȳ noue homage / for as moche as he hadꝭ made vnto thempresse Maude. ¶And in y ^• fourth yere of his regne Maude the Empresse came in to Englonde. And tho began debate bytwene kynge Ste­phen & Maude thempresse. This Mande went vnto y ^• cyte of Nicholl / & the kȳ ge her besyged longe tyme & myght not spede / so well the cyte was kept & defended. And tho y ^• were w ^tin the cyte / mer­uaylously scaped awaye w ^tout ony ma­ner of harme. And tho toke y ^• kyng the cyte / & dwelled therin tyll Candelmasse And tho came the barons y ^• helde with Empresse. That is for to saye / the erle Radulphe of Chestre / the erle Robert of Glocestre. Hugh Bygot. Robert of Mor ley / & these brought with them a stronge power & faught w ^t the kynge / & yaue hȳ a grete bataylle. In the whiche bataylle kyng Stephen was taken / and sette in pryson in the castell of Brystowe.

¶How Maude the Empresse went fro Wynchestre to Orenforde / & after she escaped to Walynforde / & of the sorowe & dysease that she had.

NOw as the kynge was taken & brought in to warde in the castel of Brystowe this Maude the Empresse was made lady of all Englonde / & all men helde her for lady of the londe. But those of kent helde w ^t kynge Stephens wyf / & also Wyllyam of Pree & his re­tenewe halpe them & helde warte ayenst Maude thempresse. And anone after y ^• kynge of Scotlonde came to them w ^t a huge nombre of people. And tho wente they togyder to Wynchestre / there y ^• the Empresse was / & wolde haue taken her But the erle of Glocestre came w ^t his power & fought with them. And the Empresse in the meane whyle that the ba­tayll [...] scaped from them & wente [...] pryson. And whan he was [...] of pryson / he went [...] vnto Oxenforde & besyeged thempresse y ^• was tho at Oxenforde. And the seyge endured fro Myghelmasse vnto sayne Andrewes ty­de. ¶And the Empresse lete clothe her tho all in whyte lȳnen clothe / for byc [...]nse she wolde not be knowen. For in the same tyme there was moche snowe / & she escaped by the Tample from them awaye that were her enmyes. And from thens she went to Walyngforde & there helde her. And the kyng wolde haue be­syeged her / but he had so moche to do w ^t the erle Radulphe of Chestre & w ^t Hugh Bygot that strongely warred vpon hȳ in euery place / that he not wyst whether for to torne. And the erle of Glocestre halpe hym with his power.

¶How Gaufride the erle of Angoy yaue vnto Henry the Empressse some alle Normandye.

ANd after this the kynge wente vnto Wyston / & wolde haue made a castell there. But tho came to hym the erle of Glocestre w ^t a stronge power & there almoost he had taken the kynge but yet the kynge escaped w ^t moche payne. And William Martell there was to­ken. And for whoos delyueraūce they yaue vnto the erle of Glocestre y ^• good ca­stell of Shyrbom y ^• he had taken. ¶And whan this was done / the erle Robert & all the kynges enmyes wente vnto F [...] ­ryngdon / & began there for to make a stronge castell / but the kynge came thy [...] w ^t a stronge power & droue hym thou / And in that same yere / the erle [...]dulphe of Chestre was accorded [...] y ^• the kynge and came to his court at his [Page] [...]. And the erle [...] to come. And the kynge anone lete take hym / & put hym in to pryson. And myght neuer for noo thynge come out tyll y ^• he had yelded vp to the kyng the castell of Nicholl / the whiche he had taken from the kynge with his strength in the .xv. yere of his regne. ¶And Gaufride y ^• erle of Angoy yaue vp vnto Henry his sone all Normandye. And in the yere that nexte [...]sewed / deyed the erle Gaufride. And Henry his sone do ano­ne tamen ayen to Angoy / & there was made erle moche honour of all his men of the londe. And to hym dyde feaute & homage the moost party of the londe. And tho was this Henry y ^• Empresse sone erle of Angoy / & also duke of Nor­mandy. ¶In the same yere was made a dynorce bytwene the kynge of Fraun­ce / & the quene his wyfe that was ryght heyre of Gascoyne. For by cause that it was knowen and proued / that they were sybbe & nyghe of blood. And tho spow­sed her Henry the Empresse sone erle of Angoy & the duke of Normandy / & du­ke of Gascoyne. ¶In the .xvij. yere of this Stephen this Henry came in to Englonde with a stronge power / & began for to warre vpon this kynge Stephen. & toke the castell of Malmesbury / & dy­de moche harme. And y ^• kyng Stephen hadꝭ soe moche wente / that he wyste not whether for to go. But at the laste they were accorded thrugh the Archebysshop Theobaldus; / & thrugh other worthy lordes of Englonde / vpon this condycyon. that they sholde departe the Realme of Englonde bytwene theym two / soo that Henry the Empresse sone sholde hooly haue the half of all the londe of Eng­londe. And thus they were accorded and pe [...]s was cryed thrughout all Englond ¶And whan the accorde was made by­twene the two lordes / kynge Stephen became so sory / for by cause that he hadꝭ [...] half Englonde / and felle in to su­che a malady / and deyed in the .xix. yere and . [...]iij. wekes and .v. dayes of his reg­ne / all in warre and in contake. And he lyeth in the abbaye of Feuersham / the whiche he lete make in the .xvi. yere of his regne.

CElestunus the seconde was pope after Innocencu [...]s .v. monethes. And lytell he dyde. ¶Lucius was after hym and lytell proffyted / for they deyed both in a pestylence. ¶Eugen [...]us the se­conde was pope after hym .v. yere and foure monethes. This man fyrste was the dyscyple of saynt Bernarde & after the abbot of saynt Anastalius by Rome And came to the chirche of saynt Ce [...]a­ry / and was chosen pope by the Card­nalles / he no thynge knowynge ther [...] And for drede of the Senatours he was consecrated without the cyte this ma [...] was an holy nan & suffred t [...]ybula [...]yon And at the laste he decessyd / and [...] at saynt Peters. And after anone de [...]syd saynt Bernarde. ¶Petrus [...] the bysshopp of Parys b [...]ther to Granam / compyled the some bokes of the Sentence this tyme. ¶Petrus [...]mestor brother to Gracian & to [...] Lombardus made Hystonam [...] / and other bokes. ¶Freder [...]us p [...] ­mus after Contradus was Emprerour in Almayne & in Rome .xxxij. yere. This man after the deth of Adryan the pope the whiche crowned hym dyde on sydly with Alexander to hym grete pr [...]edyce For he dyde helpe foure that stoute a­yenst the appostles sete. And he faught myghtely ayenst the kynge of Fraunce. thrugh power of the Danys & other nacyons. But Richarde the kynge of En­glonde halpe for to expulse hym. And he destroyed medyolanum to the grounde / Of the whiche cyte / the walles were by­gher than the walles of ony other cyte / This man at the last after that he had done many vexacyons to the pope / he [Page] [...] the holy londe / and dyde many meruayl lo [...]s thynges th [...]r / almoost as moche as euer dyde [...]arolus magnus. And there he came by a towne that men calle Ar­meniam & in a lytell water he was drowned / & at Ty [...] he was buryed. ¶Ana­slasius was p [...]pe after Eugenius foure yere and more. Thi [...]an was abbot of Rufy / and thenne he was chose Cardy­nall / & after pope.

¶Of kyng Henry the seconde that was the Empresse sone / in whose tyme saynt Thomas of Caunterbury was Chaun­celler.

ANd after this kynge Stephen regned Henry the Empresse so­ne / & was crowned of the Archebysshop The [...]baldus the .xvij. daye before Cryst masse. And in the same yere Thomas Be [...] of London Archebysshop of Caū terbury was made the kyngꝭ Chaūceler of Englonde. ¶The seconde yere that he was crowned / he lete caste downe all the newe castels that were longynge to the crowne / the whiche kynge Stephen had [...]eue vnto dyuerse men / & them had made erles & barons / for to holde with hym & to helpe hym ayenst Henry them presse sone. ¶And the fourth yere of his regne he put under his owne lordshypp the kyng of Walys. And in the same ye [...] the kyng of Scotlonde had in his owne [...] / that is to saye / the cyte of Karkyll / the castell of [...] / & the [...] castell vpon Tyne / & the [...] of [...]. ¶The same yere the kynge [...] grete power [...] in to Waly [...] / & [...] in the [...] yere [...] lorde. [...] y ^• [...] made [...] in that yere he [...] the .vi. yere of his reg [...] / he [...] hoste to Tolouse & [...] it. [...] y ^• vij. yere of his regne dey [...] [...] the [...] of [...] / & the almoost all the cy [...]e of [...] rugh myschyef was [...]. The .ix. yere of his regne Thomas [...] his Chaūceller was chosen [...] of Caunterbury. And vpon saynt Ber­nardes daye he was sacred. And in that yere was borne the kyngꝭ d [...]ught [...] Ele nore. ¶And in the .x. yere of his [...] saynt Edwarde the kynge was transla­ted with moche hono [...]r. ¶And the .xi. ye te of his regne / he helde his parlyament at Northampton / & fro thens [...] Thomas Archebysshop of [...] for y ^• grete debate that was betwixt the kynge & hym. For yf he had be founde on the morowe he had be slaybe / & therfore he [...]led [...] thens with thre felowes on foot oonly / that no man wyste where he was / & wente ouer the ser to the pope of Rome. And this was the pryncypall cause. For asmoche as the kynge [...] ha­ue put clerkes to de [...]h that were [...] of felonye / without ony [...] of ho­ly chirche. ¶And the .xij. yere of his regne was Iohn his so [...]e [...]ome. ¶And the .xii [...]j. yere of his regne deyed [...] the Empresse that was his m [...]der. ¶The .xiiij. yere of his regne y ^• [...] of [...] spowsed Ma [...]de his daughter. [...] he begate vpon her [...] led [...]. ¶And in the .xv. yere of his regne [...] of [...] in the same yere [...]. ¶And the xvi. yere of his [...] [Page] and [...]ge Archebyshopp [...] of Yorke / in [...] of Thomas Archebyshop of [...]. Wherfore this same Ro­ [...]es was accursyd of the pope.

¶How kynge Henry that was sone of kyng Henry the Empresse sone / [...] of the debate that was bytwene hȳ & his fader whyle that he was in Normandye.

AFter the coronacyon of kynge Henry the sone of kynge Henry the Empresse sone. That same Henry thempresse sone wente ouer to Normady & there he lete marye Elenore his doughter of the Dolphyn that was kynge of Al [...]ayne. And in the .vij. yere that y ^• Archebysshop saynt Thomas had ben out lawed / the kynge of Fraunce made the kynge & saynt Thomas accorded. And then̄e came Thomas the Archebysshop to Caūterbury ayen to his owne chirche And this accorde was made in y ^• begynnynge of Aduente / & afterwarde he was slayne & martred y ^e fyfth daye of Cryst­masse chenne folowynge. ¶For kynge Henry thought vpon saynt Thomas y ^• Archebysshop vpon Crystmasse daye as he sate at his mete / & these wordes sayd That yf he had ony good kynghtes w ^t hym / he had be many a day passed auenged vpon the Archebysshop Thomas / ¶And anone syr Willyam Breton / syr Hugh Moruile / syr Willyam Tracy / & syr Reygnolde Fitz vise / beers sone in Englysshe / pryuely wente vnto the see / & came in to Englonde vnto the chirche of Caūterbury / & there they hym mar­ [...] [...] in y ^• moder [...]. ¶And that was in the yere of the [...] of [...] Cryst .M.C.lxxi [...]. yere. ¶And anone after Henry the new kyng began for to make [...] vp on Henry his fader & vpon his [...]. ¶And so vppon a daye the kynge of Fra [...]er & all the kynges [...] / & the kynge of [...] / & all the grettest lordes of Englonde were rysen ayenst kyng Henry the fader. And at the last as god wolde he conquered al his enmyes. And the kynge of Fraūce & he were accorded. ¶And tho sente kyng Henry specyally vnto the kyng of Fraū ce te / & prayed hym herely for his loue that he wolde sende to hym the names by letters of them that were the begynners of that warre ayenst hym. And the kyng of Fraunce sente ayen to hym by letters the names of them that began the warre ayenst hym. The fyrst was Iohn his sone / & Rycharde his brotheer & Henry the newe kynge his sone. Th [...] was Henry the kyng wonder wroth / & [...] the tyme that euer he hym begate & [...] the warre dured. Henry his sone [...] we kyng deyed sore repentynge his [...]dedes & moost sorowe made of ony man for by cause of saynt Thomas dethe of Caūterbury. And prayed his fader was moche sorowe of herte mercy for his [...] paas. And his fader fo [...]gaaf hym and had of hym grete pyte. And after he d [...] ­ed the .xxxvi. yere of his regne [...] Redynge.

¶How the crysten men lost all the holy londe in the forsayd kynges tyme [...]e a fals Crysten man y ^• became a [...].

ANd whyle this kyng regned the greate bataylle was in the holy londe bytwene the Crysten men and the Sacrasyns but Crysten men were there slayne thorugh grete [...]reason of the erle Ty [...]pe / that wolde haue had to wyf the quene of Ierusalem that somtyme was Baldewynes wyf but [...]e forsoke hym and toke to her lorde a [...] a worthy man that was called [...] Wherfore the erle Ty [...]pe was wroth & wente anone ryght to the Soudan that was Soudan of Babylon / and became his man and forsoke his crystendome / and all crysten lawe. And y ^• crysten men [Page] [...] of his [...] forsoke his owne nacyon. And for were the crysten men there slayne with y ^• Sarrasyus. ¶And thus were y ^• crysten men slayne & put to horryble deth / and the cyte of Ierusalem destroyed / and the holy crosse borne awaye. ¶The kynge of Fraunce and all the grete lordes of the londe lete them be crossyd for to go in to the holy londe. And amonges them wen Rycharde kynge Henryes sone fyrst af­ter the kynge of Fraunce / that toke the crosse of the Archebysshop of Toures / But he toke not the vyage at that tyme for cause that he was lette by other ma­ner wayes / and nedes to be done. ¶And whan kynge Henry his fader hadꝭ reg­ned .xxxvi. yere and .v. monethes & four­re dayes / he deyed and lyeth at founte­ue [...]ad.

¶Anno dm̄ .M.C.lvi.

ADuanꝰ the fourth was pope after Anastasius .v. yere. This po­pe was an Englysshe man / & the voys of the comyn people sayth he was a boū de man to the abbot of saynt Albon in Englonde. And whan he desyred to be made a monke there he was expulsyd / & he wente ouer see & gaue hym to studye & to vertue And after was made bysshop of Albanacens / then he was made Legate in to y ^• londe of Wo [...]acian / & he cō ­uerted it to the fayth. Then he was made pope / & for the woūdynge of a Cardynall he [...] all the cyte of R [...]me [...] William the kyng of C [...]yle [...] and caused hym to [...] hym. This man the fyrst of all the popes of his [...]. dwelle [...] in the olde cy­te. ¶Alexander the [...] was pope [...] hym .xij. yere. This Alexander hadꝭ [...] / & the kynge of Si [...]culo [...]. And this man [...] saynt Thomas of Caunterbury in his exyle.

¶Nota. ¶Saynt Bernarde was canonysed by this Alexander / & his ab­bot forh [...]de hym he sholde do no myra­cles / for there was soo myghty concours of people. And he obeyed to hym whan he was deed & dyde no [...]. ¶Lucius the thyrde was pope after Alexand. .iiij. yere & two monethes. Of hym lytell [...] wryten. In his dayes decessyd Henry the fyrste sone no Henry the seconde / & this is his Epytaphy. Omnis honoris honor. decor et decus vibis et orbis. [...] splendor gloria sumen apex. Iulius ingenio vtutibus hector. Achillis viribus. augustus mo [...]bus. ore paris. ¶Vehanus the thyrde was pope after Lucius two yere / this man decessyd for sorowe whan he herde tell that Ierusalem was taken with the Sarrasyns. ¶Gregorius the viij. was pope after hym foure monethes And he practysed myghtely how Ierusalem myght be wonne ayen / but anone he decessyd. ¶Clemens the thyrde was pope after hym thre yere / and lytell he dyde.

¶Of kynge Rycharde that conquered ayen all the holy londe / that the crysten men had loste.

ANd after this kynge Henry reg­ned Rycharde his sone a [...] man and a str [...]nge & a worthy / and al­so holde. And he was [...] of the [...] the thyrde daye of [...]. ¶And in the seconde yere of his [...] Rycharde hymself and Baldewy [...]e the Archebysshop of Caunterbury / and [...] [Page] bysshop of Salysbury / and Radulf [...] of Glocetre / and other many lordes of Englonde / went in to the holy londe And in that vyage deyed the Archebys­shop of Caunterbury. And kynge Ry­charde wente before in to the holy londe and rested not tyll that he came forth in his waye vnto Cypres / and toke it with grete force. And after that kyng Richarde went forth towarde the holy londe / & gate there as moche as the crysten men had there before lost. And conquered the londe ayen thorugh grete myghte / sauf oonly the holy crosse. And whan kynge Rycharde came to the cyte of Acres for to gete the cyte / there arose a grete debate bytwene hym & the kynge of Fraūce / so that the kynge of Fraūce wente ayen in to Fraunce / and was wrothe towarde the kynge Rycharde. But yet for alle that / are kynge Rycharde wente ayen / he toke the cyte of Acres. And whan he had take it / he dwelled in the cyte a whyle. But to hym came tydynges / that the erle Iohn of Oxerforde his brother wolde haue seased alle Englonde in to his honde / and Normandy also / and wolde lete crowne hym kynge of all the londe. ¶And whan kyng Rycharde herde tell of these tydynges he wente ayen towarde Englonde with all the spede that he myght. But the duke of Oshyche mette with hym / and toke hym and broughte hym vnto the Emperour of Almayner And the Emperour hym broughte vnto pryson. And afterwarde he was delyue­red for an huge raunson / that is for to saye / an honored thousande poūde. And for the whiche raūson to be payed / eche other chalyce of Englonde was molten & made in to moneye. And all the mon­k [...] of the [...] of [...] alle [...].

¶How kynge Rycharde came agayne from the holy londe and auenged hym of his enmyes

SO as this kynge Rycharde was in pryson the [...] warred vpon hym [...] in Normandy / & Iohn his [...] in Englonde. But the [...] [...]ons of Englonde [...] all theyr power that [...] toke the castell of [...] stelles. And the forsa [...]d [...] he had no myght ne [...] [...]ons of Englonde [...] none went hȳ oue [...] the [...] of Fraunce. ¶And [...] came out of person and [...] and came in to [...] Candelmast [...]in grete [...] to Notyngham [...] to [...] comfyted he his brother [...] that with hym helde [...] vnto the ryte of [...] he lete hym crowne [...] And after he wente vnto [...] to warre vpon the byng of [...] the kynge of fraunce [...] died knyghtꝭ towarde [...] Rycharde mette [...] haue reue hym batayll. But the [...] of Fraunce fledde t [...]o and an hund [...]d knyghtes of his were taken [...] died stedes that were crapped [...] ¶And anone after [...] for to be [...]y [...]ge the castall [...] And as he tode vppon a dare [...] for to take [...] vpon hym / that he [...] that he [...] for noo manne of thynge / [Page] ¶He [...] sharpely all his men for to assaylle the castell. See that the castell was taken or he deyed. And so manly his men dyde that all the people that were in the castell were taken / and the kynge dyde with them what he wolde. And commaunded his men that they sholde brynge before hym the man that hym s [...] hurte & so wounded. And whan he came before the kyng / the kynge axed hym what was his name. And he sayd my name is Bertram Gurdon Wherfore sayd the kynge hast thou me slayne / syth I dyde the neuer none har­me. Syre sayd he. Though ye dyde me neuer none harme / ye your self w ^t your owne honde slewe my fader & my brod (er). and therfore I haue quyte now your trauaylle. Tho sayd kynge Rycharde. He y ^• deyed vpon the crosse / to brynge man­nes soule fro payne of helle / foryeue the my deth / & I also foryeue it the. Tho cō maunded he that noo man sholde hym mysdo. But for all the kyngꝭ defendyn­ge some of the kyngꝭ men hym folowed & pryuely hym slewe. And the .vi [...] daye after the kynge dyde shryue hym / & sore repentaunce hauynge of his mysdedes / and was houseled and enoynted. ¶And this kynge regned but .ix. yere and .xxx. wekes / & deyed & lyeth besyde his fader at Fontenerad.

HEnricus the fyfthe was Empe­rour .viij. yere. This Henricꝰ was sone to Frederyk / & he wedded Constance the kyngꝭ doughter of Cecyle / & tho­rugh the occasyon of her / he subdued all the kyngdom of Apulye / & he droue all the people out y ^• enhabyte y ^• londe. ¶Celestinus the thyrde was pope after Cle­mens almoost thre yere. This man was crowned vpon Eisterdaye / & the daye so lowynge he crowned Henry the Emperour. And he made a [...]alays at saynt Peters / & decesyd. ¶ [...] the thyrde was pope after hym .viij. yere and .v. monethes. This man was well [...]. And he made a [...] of y ^• [...] of [...] Apeculū [...] This man [...] y ^• [...] Ioachim / y ^• whiche he made [...] ster Pey [...] Lombarde / the maker of the Sentence. This tyme decessyd the Em­perour Henry. And y ^• prynces of [...] dyscorded / for s [...]me chose Otto / and some chose Phylyppe brother to Henry. Thenne Phylyppe was falsely slayne / & Otto was crowned of Innocenciꝰ in Fraūce / the whiche anone faught with the Romayns / for they y [...]ue hym no de­we honour. And for that cause / ayenst the popes wyll he toke the kyngdom of Apulye from Frederyk / wherfore the pope cursyd hym. Thenne after the fourth yere of his regne / the prynces of Almayne made Frederyk Emperour / and vyc­toryously he subdued Otto. ¶Wyllyam of Parys this tyme began the ordre of the freres Austyn / the whiche ben called (fratres mendicantes) ¶Franciscus an Ytalyon a man of grete perfeccyon and an ensāmple to many a man / dyde ma­ny a myracle this tyme. And he ordey­ned the frere Minores. ¶And the .vi. ye­re of pope Innocenciꝰ the thyrde / the or­dre of the frere Prechers beganne vnder Domynyk / but it myght not be confer­med tyll the fyrst yere of Honorius.

¶Of kynge Iohn / that in the fyrst ye­re of his regne lost all Normandye.

AS kynge Rycharde was deed / by cause that he hadꝭ none hey­re / nother sone / ne doughter / thenne his brother Iohan was made kynge / and crowned at Westmester of Hubert that tho was Archebysshop of Counterbury. And whan he began for so regne / he be­came so meruayllous a man / and [...] ouer in to Normandye / & warred vpon the the kyng of Fraunce. And so longe they [Page] [...] togyder / tyll at the laste kynge Iohn lost all Normandy & Angoy / wher fast he was sore anoyed / and it was no meruaylle. ¶Tho lete he assemble before hym at London Archebysshops / bys­shops / abbots & pryours / erles & barons & helde there a grete parlyament / and axed there of the Clergye / the tenthe of euery chirche of Englonde / for to con­quere & gete ayen Normandy & Angoy that he had lost. They wolde not graile that thynge / wherfore he was wonder wrothe. ¶And in that same tyme deyed Hubert. The pryour and the couent of Caūterbury [...]hose ayenst the kyng [...] wyll to be Archebysshop Stephen of Lang­ton a good clerke / that dwelled att the courte of Rome / & sent to the pope theyr eleccyon / & the pope confermed it and sacred hym at Viterbi. ¶Whan the kynge wyst these tydynges / he was wonder wroth / & droue the pryour & the couente fro Caūterbury / & exyled out of Englonde / & cōmaūded that no letter that come fro Rome / ne cōmaūdement / sholde be receyued ne pletyd in Englonde. Whan these tydynges came to the pope / he sente kynge Iohn his letter / & prayed hym W ^t good wyll & good herte / that he wol­de receyue Stephen y ^• Archebysshopp of caūterbury to his chirche / & suffre the pryoour and his monkes to come ayen to theyr owne dwellyngs. But the kynge wolde no [...] graūte it for no thynge.

¶How kynge Iohn wolde noo thynge do for the popes cōmaūdement. Wherfore alle Englonde was enterdyted & sus­pended.

ANd at the last the pope sente by his [...] / & enioyned to the bysshops of Englonde / that yf the kyn­ge wolde not receyue the pryour of Coū terbury & his monkes / they sholde do generall enterdytynge thrugh out all Englonde. And full power to foure bysshops to pronounce the enterdytynge / yf he if warned. The fyrste was bysshop Wyllyam of London & that o­ther bysshop Eustace of [...] was bysshop Walter of Wynche [...] / & the fourth was bysshop [...] forde. ¶And these [...] the kyng knelynge [...] sore wepynge that he [...] cōmaūdement. And [...] popes Bulles of the [...] for noo prayer [...] he wolde not consent [...] the bysshops [...] the kynge. And in the [...] Annunciacion of [...] the generall [...] all Englonde so that [...] were thytte with [...] & with walles. And whan [...] dytynge was prono [...]d [...] began for to were al out of [...] anone toke in to his bonde all the [...] syons of the foure bysshops [...] clergye thrughout all Englond [...] he toke / & ordeyned men for [...] it that the clerkꝭ myght not haue [...] lyuynge. Wherfore the bysshops [...] all them that put or sholde medle [...] holy chirche goodes / ayenst the [...] theym that ought theym. ¶And [...] the kynge wolde not of his maly [...] [...] for no maner thynge. These foure bysshops afore sayd wente ouer the [...] and came to the bysshop of Caunterbury & tolde hym all th [...]thyng [...]. And they Ar­chebysshop to them sayd that they shulde go ayen to Caunterbury and he sholde come thyder to theym or elles be wolde sende vnto theym certayne parlours in his stede that sholde do as moche as of he hymself were there. And whan the bysshops herde this they [...] agayne in to Englonde / and came vnto Caunterbury. The tydynges [...]ame to the kynge / that the bysshops were come agayne to Caunterbury [...] & hymselfe myght not [Page] come thyder that tyme / he sente thyder bysshops ertes & abb [...]ts / for to treate w ^t them / that the kyng sholde receyue ch [...]r­chebysshop Stephen / & the pryour & all the monkes of Caūterbury / that he sholde neuer after y ^• tyme no thynge take of holy chirche ayenst y ^• wyll of them that oweth the goodes. And y ^• the kynge sholde make full amendes to them / of who­me he had ony goodes taken. And y ^• ho­ly chirche sholde haue all fraūchyse / as ferforth as they had in saynt Edwardꝭ tyme the holy Confessour.

¶How Stephen of Langton came ayen in to Englonde thrugh the popes com­maūdement / & how he wente ayen.

SO whan the fourme of accorde­ment thus was ordeyned. It was in a payre of endentures / and they put theyr seales to y ^• one parte / & they that came in the kynges name put theyr seales to that other parte of the endentures And foure bysshops about sayd toke y ^• o­ne parte of the endentures to them. And that other parte of the endentures / they bare with theym to shewe to the kynge / ¶Whan the kynge sawe the fourme & vnderstode he helde hȳ full well apayed of all maner thynges as they had ordeyned / sauynge as touchynge / restytucyon of the goodes for to make ayen. To that thynge he wolde not accorde / & so he sente ayen to the foure bysshops / that they sholde do out & put awaye that [...] poynt of restytucyon. But they answe­red / that they wolde not doo one worde out. ¶Tho sente the kynge to the Ar­chebysshop by the foure bysshops that he sholde come to Caunterbury for to spe­ke with hym there / and sente vnto hym [...] vnder pledges. That is to sayet / his [...] at his owne wyll And thus in this maner tharchebysshop Stephen came to Coūterbury. Whan y ^• Archebysshop was come / the kyng came to Ch [...]haz. For he wolde no nyghe Caū terbury at that tyme. But he sent by his Tresorer bysshop of Wyncestre y ^• he sholde do out of the endentures y ^• clause of / restytucyon / for to make of the goodes / ¶And tharchebysshop made his othe y ^• he wolde not neuer do out [...]o worde ther­of / ne yet it chaūge of that the bysshops had spoken & ordeyned. And tho the chebysshop yede ayen to R [...]me without ony more doynge. ¶Kynge Iohn was tho wrother than euer he was before / & lete make a comyn crye thorugh out all Englonde / that all tho y ^• had holy chirche rentes / & went ouer the see / that they sholde come ayen in to Englonde at a certayne daye / or elles they sholde lese theyr rentes for euer more. And that he cōmaunded to euery Shyref thrugh out all Englonde / that they sholde enquyre yf ony bysshop / abbot or pryour / or ony other Prelate of holy chirche / fro that daye afterwarde / receyue ony cōmaūde­ment y ^• cometh fro the pope. That they sholde take the body / & brynge it before hym / and that they sholde take in to the kynges hondes all theyr londes of holy chirche / that were yeue to ony man / by y ^• Archebysshop or by the pryour of Caunterbury / from the tyme of the eleccyon of the Archebysshop. And cōmaūded that all the woodes that were the Archebys­shops sholde be caste done vnto the groū de / and all solde.

¶How kynge Iohn destroyed the [...] of Cisteaux.

ANd in the same yere / the I [...]ysshe men began to warre vpon kyn­ge Iohn / & the kyng [...]deyned hym for to go in to Irlonde / & lete [...]tre an huge taxe thrughout all Englond / that is for to saye .xxx. thousande marke. And thus [Page] he sente thrugh out all Englonde vnto the monkes of y ^• ordre of [...]steaux that they sholde helpe hym of .vi. thousande marke of syluer. ¶And they answered & sayd / that they durst no thynge do w ^t ­out theyr cheyf abbot of Cisteaux. Wherfore kynge Iohan whan he came ayen from Irlonde / dyde them so moche soro­we & care / that they wyst not wheder to abyde / for he toke so moche [...]aūson of e­uery hous / & the somme amoūted to .ix. thousande & .iij. hondred marke / so that they were clene loste & destroyed / & voy­ded theyr houses & theyr londes thrugh­out all Englonde. And y ^• abbot of Wa­uersaye dradde soo moche his menace / that he forsoke alle the abbaye & wente thens / & pryuely ordeyned hym ouer the see to the hous of Cisteaux. Whan the tydynges came to the pope / that the kyng hat done so moche malyce / then he was towarde the kynge full wroth. And sen­te two Legates vnto the kynge / that one was called Pandulf / & that other. Du­raunt / that they sholde warne the kyng in the popes name / that he sholde cesse of his persecucyon that he dyde vnto holy chirche / & amende the wronge & the trespasse / that he had done to the Archebysshop of Caūterbury / & to the pryour & vnto the monkes of Caunterbury / & to all the clergye of Englond. And that he sholde restore al the goodes ayen that he had taken of them ayenst theyr wyll & elles they sholde curse hym by name / And to do this thynge / and to conferme the pope toke them his letters in bulles patentes. ¶These two Legates came in to Englonde / & came to the kynge to Northampton / there that he helde his parlyament / & full curteysly they hym salewed & sayd. Syr we come fro the pope of Rome / the peas of the holy chirche and the londe to amende. And we admonest you fyrst in the popes half / that ye make full restytuc [...]n of the goodes that ye haue rauysshed & taken of holy chir­che & of the londe. And that re recerue Stephen Archebysshop of Caunterbury in to his dygnytee / & the pryour of Caū terbury / & his monkes. And that ye yel­de ayen vnto the Archebysshop all his londes & rentes / without ony withhol­dynge. ¶And syt yet more ouer that [...] shall make restytucyon / vnto all holy chirche / wherof they shall holde [...] well a [...]a [...]ed. ¶Tho answer [...]d the kynge as touch [...]nge the [...] of Caunterbury [...] sayd I wyll do gladly [...] ye wyll ordeyn [...]. But as [...] Archebysshop. I shall [...] as it lyeth. That the [...] leue his Archebysshop [...] pope thenne for hym [...] thenne vppon [...] some other bysshop [...] to [...] Englonde. And vpon [...] wyll hym accepte [...] theles as Archebysshop in [...] he abyde / he shall neuer haue [...] saufconduyte but that be [...] ¶Tho sayd Pandulf vnto the [...] Syre holy chu [...]che was wonte [...] dyscharge an Archebysshoppe [...] cause resonable. But eue [...] it hath [...] to chastyse prynces that to god [...] chirche were [...]nobedyene [...]. ¶ [...] how now sayd the kyng menace [...] Naye sayd Pandult but ye now [...] haue tolde as it standeth in your [...] And to [...]ou we wyll tell what is the [...] wyll. And thus it standeth that [...]e hath you hooly enterdy [...]ed & [...] for the wronges that ye haue done to holy chirche and to the clergye. And for as moche as ye dwelle and beth in wyll to abyde in malyce & in [...] and wyll not come out therof ne to amende ye shall vnderstande that this tyme af­terwarde the senteence is vpon you [...] and holdeth stede & strength and vpon all tho that with you hat co [...]ned be­fore this tyme [...]whether ther ben erles [Page] [...] / [...]s knyghtꝭ / or ony other what so euer y ^• they be / we them assaylle / saufly vnto this daye. And fro this tyme afterwarde of what condycyon someuer that they ben we them accurse / that w ^t you comyne ony worde / & do we sentence vpon them openly & specyally. And we assoyle clene / erles / barons / knyghtes / and all o­ther men of theyr homages / seruyces & feaute [...]s / that they sholde vnto you do / And this tydynge to comferme / we ye­ue playne power / to the bysshop of Wyn chestre / & to the bysshop of Norwyche. And the same power we yeu [...] in to Scotlonde to the bysshops of Rochestre & of Salysbury. And in Walys we yeue the same power to the bysshop of saynt Dauid and of Landaf & of saynt Asse. And more ouer we sente thrugh out all Cry­stendom / that all the bysshops beyonde the see / that they do accurse all tho that helpe you / or ony coūseyll yeueth you in ony maner nede that ye haue to do in o­ny parte of the worlde. And we assoylle them also all / by auctoryte of the pope / and cōmaunde them also with you for to fyght / as with hym that is enmye to all holy chirche. ¶Tho answered the kynge. What may ye doo more to me / ¶Tho answered Pandulf. We saye to you in the worde of god / that ye ne noo heyre that ye haue neuer after this daye may be crowned. ¶Tho sayd the kyn­ge. By hym that is almyghty god / & I had wyst this are that ye came in to my londe / that ye had brought me suche ty­dynges. I sholde haue made you ryde al one yere. ¶Tho answered Pandulf / Full well wende we at our fyrst comyn­ge / that ye wolde haue be obedyent to god & holy chirche / & haue fulfylled the popes cōmaundement / & now we haue shewed vnto you / & pronounced the po­pes wyll / as we were charged therwith And as now ye haue sayd / that yf ye had wyst the cause of our comynge / that ye wolde haue do vs to ryde all an hole yere. And as well ye myght haue sayd / that ye wolde haue taken [...] hoole yere of [...]. ¶But for to suffre what deth ye [...] ordeyne / we shall not spare for to telle you hooly all the popes message & his wyll / that we were charged with.

¶How Pandulf delyuered a clerke that had falsyd & coū [...]tyd the kyngꝭ mo­neye before the kynge hymself.

ANd anone the commaunded the kyng the Syrefs & Bayly [...]s of Northampton / that were in the kynges presence / that they sholde kynge forth all the prysoners / that they myght be done to deth before Pandulf / for by caus [...] the kynge wened that they wolde haue gaynsayd theyr dedes / for cause of the deth all thynge that they had spoken a­fore. ¶Whan the prysoners were come before the kynge / the kynge cōmaunded some to be hanged / & some to be drawen and some to drawe out theyr eyen out of theyr heed. And amonge all other / there was a clerke that had fullyd the kynges moneye. And the kynge cōmaūded that he sholde le hanged and drawed. And whan Pandulf herde this commaunde­ment of the kynge / he sterte hȳ vp ryght quyckly / & anone axed a booke & a can­delb / and wolde haue cursyd the kynge / & all theym that wolde sette vppon the clerke ony honde. And Pandulf hymself wente for to seke a crosse. And the kyng folowed hym / & delyuered hym the cler­ke by the hotde that he sholde doo with hym what he wolde. And thus was the clerke delyuered & wente them. ¶And Pandulf and Duraunt his felowe wente fro the kynge / & came agayne to the pope of Rome. And tolde hym that kynge Iohan wolde not amended be. But euer abode so accursyd. ¶And neuerthe­les the pope graunted that yere [...] out all Englonde / that [...] myght [Page] [...] chirches / and [...] body / & gyue it to syke men whiche were lykly to passe out of this worlde. And also y ^• men myght crysten childern ouer all y ^• londe. ¶And whan the pope wyste and sawe that the kynge wolde not be vnder the rule of holy chirche for no maner thynge. The pope thenne sente to the kynge of Fraunce in remyssyon of his synnes / that he sholde take with hym all the power that he myght / & go in to Englonde for to de­stroye the kynge Iohn. ¶Whan these tydynges came to kynge Iohn / thenne was he sore anoyed / & sore dradde lest he sholde lese his reame / & hymself be done to the deth. ¶Thenne sent he to the pope messengers & sayd. He wolde be Iusti­fyed / and come to amendement in all thynges / & wolde make satysfaccyon to all maner of men after the popes ordy­naunce. ¶Thenne sente the pope ayen in to Englonde Pandulf & other messengers / and came to Caunterbury to the kynge & there abode. And the .viij. daye of May / the kynge made an othe for to stande to the popes ordynaunce / before Pandulf y ^• Legate in all maner of thynges in whiche he was accursyd. And that he sholde make full restytucyon to all men of holy chirche & of relygyon / and of the goodes that he had taken of them ayenst theyr wyll. And all the grete lor­des of Englonde swore vppon the boke & by theyr holydom / that yf the kynge wolde not holde his othe / they sayd that they wolde by strength make hym holde it. ¶Thenne put the kynge hym to the courte of Rome / and theme gaaf he vp the reame of Englonde and of Irlonde for hym and for his heyres for euer mo­ [...]e that sholde come after hym / [...] that kynge Iohn and his [...]eytes sholde take the two reames of the popes hondes / And sholde euery yere paye ferme vnto the courte of Rome a thousande marke of syluer. And tho toke the kynge the crowne of his heed and sette it vpon his [...]. And these wordes sayd he in he­rynge of all the grete lordes of Englonde. Here I resygne vp the crowne and the realme of Englonde in to the pope In­nocenciꝰ hondes the thyrde / and put me hooly in his mercy & in his ordynaunce ¶Tho receyued Pandulf the crowne of kynge Iohn / and kepte it fyue dayes as fore seasynge / takynge of two real­mes / of Englonde & of Irelonde. And cōfermed all maner thyng / by his real­tre / that foloweth after.

¶Of the letter oblygatorye that [...] Iohan made to y ^• court of Rome wher­fore the Peters pens ben gadred thrugh out all Englonde.

TO all crysten people [...] all the worlde dwellynge. [...] by the grace of god kynge of Englonde gretynge to your vnyuersyte. And [...] knowen that for as mocke as we haue gr [...]d and offended god & out [...] holy chirche of Rome. And [...] as we haue nede vnto the [...] of our lorde Ihesu Cryst. And also we [...] thynge so worthy offre / as competen [...] satysfaccyon to make to god and to holy chirche / but yf that it were our owne body / as with our reames of Englonde & of Irlonde. Thenne by the grace of god we desyre to meke vs for the loue of hȳ that meked hȳ to the deth of the crosse Thorugh couseylle of these noble erles and barons / we offre all freely / graunte to god and to the appostle saynt Peter and saynt Poule / and to our moder chirche of Rome / and to our holy fader po­pe Innocenciꝰ the thyrde and to all the popes that cometh after hym all the reame and patronages of ch [...]rches of En­glonde and of Irlonde with theyr ap­pertenaunces for remyssyon of our syn­nes / and for helpe & helth of our kyn [...]e soules / and of all crysten soules. So that [Page] from this daye afterwarde we wyll re­c [...]yue / & holde of our moder chirche of Rome / as fee f [...]rme / dooynge [...] to our holy fader pope Innocenciꝰ the thyrde / and soo to all the popes that cometh after hym / in the same manere abouesayd. And in presence of the wyse man Pandulf the popes Subdcaken / we make lyeges homage / as it were in the po­pes presence / and before hym were. And shall do all manere thyngꝭ aboue sayd / And therto we bynde vs / and all that cometh after vs / and our heyres for euer more without ony agaynsayenge to the pope / and che the warde of chirche va­cauntz. And in token for this thynge for euer to laste / we wyll conferme and or­deyne that our specyal rentes of the for [...] sauynge saynt Peters pens [...] to the moder chirche of Rome payenge by yere a thousande mar­ke of lyluer / and two termes of the yere for all manere customes that we sholde d [...]fe: the forsayd reames / that is to say [...] Myghclmas and at Eester. That is to saye .vii. hondred marke for Englon­de and thre hondred marke for Irlonde Sauynge to vs & to our heytes our Iu­styces and other fraunchyse / and other ryaltees. that perteyne vnto the crowne And these thynges that before ben sayd we wyll / that it be ferme & stable with / out ende. And to that oblygacyon / we & our successours & our heytes in this ma­nere be bounde / that yf we / or ony of our heytee / thorugh any presumpcyon falle / in ony poynt / ayenst ony of these thyn­ges aboue sayd / and he be warned / and wyll not ryght amende / he shall thenne lese y ^• forsayd reame for euer more. And that this chartre of oblygacyon and our [...] for euer more / be ferme and stable w ^t out ony gaynsayenge. We shall from this daye afterwarde be true vnto god and to the moder of holy churche of Rome / and to the pope Iunocincius the thyrde / and to all that cometh after hȳ [...]

¶How the clerkes that were [...] came agayne / and how kyng Iohn was assoylled.

SO when this chartre was made and ensealed / the kynge receyued agayne his crowne of Pandulfus hon­de. And sente anone vnto the Archebys­shop Stephen / and to all his after cler­kes and lewde men / that he had exiled out of this londe / that they sholde come ayen in to Englonde / and haue agayn theyr londes and also theyr rentes. And that he wolde make reflytucyon of the goodes that he had taken of theyrs a­yenst theyr wyll. ¶The kynge hymself tho and Pandulf / and erles and [...] went vnto Wynchestre ayenst the Archebysshop Stephen. ¶And whan he was come. the kynge wente ayenst hym and fell adowne to his feet / and thus to hym sayd. Fayre syre ye be welcome. And I crye you mercy by cause that I haue trespassed ayenst you. ¶The Archebysshop toke hym vp tho in his armes / and kys­syd hym curteysly oftentymes / and after ledde hym to the doore of saynt Swy­thunes chirche by the honde / and assoyl­led hym of the sentence / and hym [...] ­syled to god & to holy chirche. And that was on Saynt Margaretes daye. And the Archebysshop anone went [...] [Page] [...] she asked. The Legate wente thenne a­gayn to the pope after Cryst [...]e. And the kynge sence ouer see to Iulyan that was kynge Rychardes wyf / for to haue a relace of that she axed of hym. ¶And so it befell / that Iulyan deyed anone after Eester. And in soo moche the kynge was quyte of that thynge that she ared ¶But thenne at the feest of saynt Iohn that came next after / thorugh the popes cōmaundement / the enterdytynge was fyrst releasyd thrughout all Englonde / the seuenth daye of Iulij. And vii. [...] was the londe enterdyted. And on y ^• mornynge men ronge and sayd masse tho­rugh out all London and soo after thorugh out all Englonde. ¶And the next yere after there began a grete debate by­twene kynge Iohan and the lordes of Englonde / for by cause that be wolde not graūe the lawes and holde the [...]che saynt Edwarde had ordeyned and had ben vsed and holden vnto that to me that he had them broken. For be [...]de holde noo lawe / but dyde alle thynge that hym lyked / and dyshertysed many men without consente of lordes and [...]tys of y ^• londe. And wolde [...] the good erle Rodulf of Ch [...]h [...] for by [...]se that he vndertoke hȳ of his wyckednesse / and for cause that he dyde so mo­che shame and vylany to god and to holy ch [...]rche. And also for he helde & haunted his owne brothers wyf / and laye also by many other [...] greate lord [...] doughters. For be spared noo woman that hym lyked for to haue. Wherfore all the lordes of the londe were wroche and [...] the cyte of London. To c [...]sse this debate the Archebtysshop and lo [...]des of the londe assembled before the feest of saynt Iohn Baptyst in a medowe belyde the towne of Stanys that is called [...] [Page] [...] for the kynge hymselfe soone after dyde ayenst the poyntes of the same chartre that he had made. Wherfore the moost parte of the lordes of the londes assembled and began to warre vppon hym ayen / and [...]nned his towers / & robbed his folke / and dy­de all the sorowe that they myght / & made them as stronge as they myght with all the power they had / and thought to dryue hym out of Englonde / and make Lowys the kyngꝭ sone of Fraunce kyng of Englonde. ¶And kynge Iohn̄ sente tho ouer see / and ordeyned so moche people of Normans / & of Pycardes / and of Flemynges / soo that the londe myght not susteyne them / but with moche soro­we. ¶And amonge all this people / the­re was a man of Normandye that was called Fawkis of Brent / and this Nor­man & his company spared nother chu­ches ne houses of relygyon / but they brente & robbed it / and bare awaye alle that they myght take so that the londe was all destroyed / what of ony syde and of other. ¶The barons and lordes of Englonde ordeyned amonge theym the beste spehers and wysest men / and sente them ouer the see to kynge Phylypp of Fraunce & prayed hym / that he wolde sende Lowys his sone in to Englonde to be kynge of Englonde / & to receyue the crowne.

¶How Lowys the kynges some of Fraū ce came in to Englonde with a stronge power of peple / to be kyng of Englonde

A None as kynge Philyp of Fraū ce herde these tydynges / he ma­de [...]etayne alyaunce bytwene theym by theyr comune eleccyon / that Lowys kynge Philyps sone of Fraunce sholde go [...] with theym in to Englonde / and dry [...]se [...] kynge Iohn of the londe. And alle that were in presence of Lowys / made vnto hym homage / and became his men [...] [Page] [...] was sette before hym vppon the table / And the monke sayd / that the loof was worth but an half peny. O sayd the kynge tho. Here is grete chepe of brede. Now sayd he cho / and I may lyue ony whyle suche a loof shall be worth .xx. shelynges or half a yere be gone. And so whan he sayd this worde / moche he thought / and often he syghed / and toke and ete of the brede / and sayd by god / the worde that I haue spoken / it shall be soth. ¶The monke that stode before the kynge was for this worde full sory in his herte / and thought / rather be wolde hymselfe suf­fre deth / and thought yf he myght ordeyne therfore some manere remedye. And anone the monke wente vnto his abbot and was shryuen of hym / and tolde the abbot all that the kynge had sayd. And prayed his abbot for to assoyle hym / for he wolde yeue the kynge such a drynke that all Englonde sholde be glady there of and Ioyfull. Tho yede the monke in to a gardeyne / and founde a greate tode therin / and toke her vp and put her in a cuppe / & prycked the tode thorugh wich a broche many tymes tyll that the ve­nym came out of euery syde in the cuppe And tho toke the cuppe & fylled it with good ale / and brought it before the kynge knelynge sayenge. Syr sayd he Wash sayll / for neuer the dayes of all your lyf dronke ye of so good a cuppe. ¶Begyn monke sayd the kynge. And the monke dranke a grete draught / & toke the kyn­ge the cuppe / and the kynge dranke al­so a grete draught / and sette downe the cuppe. The monke anone ryght wente in to [...] and there deyed anone / on [...] soule god haue mercy Amen. And fyne monkꝭ synge for his soule specyally / and shall whyle that the abbay [...] standeth. The kynge rose vp anone full euyll at ease and comaunded to remeue the table / & axed after the monke. And men tolde hym that he was deed for his wombe was broken in sondre. ¶Whan the kynge herde this / he comaunded for to trusse / but it was for nought / for his bely began to swelle for the drynke that he had dronke / and within two da [...] he deyed on the morowe after saynt Luli [...] daye / and had many fayre chidern of his body begoten / that is to saye. Henry his sone that was kynge after Iohn [...] fader / and Rycharde that was Erle of Comewalle / and Ysabell that Empresse of Rome / and Elenore that was quene of Scotlonde. And this kyng Iohan whan he had regned. [...] and fyue monethes and fyue da [...]es be [...] in the castell of newerbe. And his body was buryed at Wynchestre.

¶Anno dm̄ .M.CC.

ERedericus the seconde was Em­perour .xxx. yere. This man was crowned of Honoriꝰ y ^• pope ayenst [...] for by cause that be sholde frghte with hym / the whiche be dyde and [...]pullyd hym. And fyrste be nourysshed the ch [...] ­che / and afterwarde he dylpoyled it as a stepmoder. Wherfore Honorius [...] hym / and all tho that were contrary to his opynyon the pope assoylled. And the same sentence Girgoriꝰ the .ii. renewed And this same man put Henry his ow­ne sone into pryson / and there murdred hym. Wherfore whan this Emperour an other season was syke by an other sone of his owne he was mindred in the tyme of Innocenicus the fourth. ¶Ho­norius the thyrde was pope after Inno­cencius. x. yere / & confermed the ordre of frere Prechers and Mynors. And made certayne Decretalles.

¶Of kyng Henry the thyrde that was crowned at Gloucetre.

ANd after this kynge Iohn reg­ned his sone Henry / & was crowned at Gloucetre whan he was .ix. yere olde / on seynt Symondes daye & Iude of Swalo the Legate of Rome thrugh coūseyll of all the grete lordes that helde with kynge Iohan his fader / that is to saye / the erle Radulf of Chestre. Willy­am erle Marshall erle of Penbroke. Willyam the Brener erle of Feriers. Serle the manly baron. And all other grete lordes of Englonde helde with Lowys the kynges sone of Fraūce. And anone after whan kynge Henry was crowned. Swalo the Legate helde his coūseyll at Bry­stowe at saynt Martyns feest. And there were .xi. bysshops of Englonde & of Walys / & of other prelates of holy chirche a grete nombre / and erles & barons / & many knyghtes of Englonde. And all tho that were at that coūseyll / swore feawte vnto Henry the kynge that was kynge Iohns sone. ¶And anone after the Le­gate enterdyted Walys / for cause that they helde with the barons of Englon­de. Also all tho that holpe / or yaue ony coūseyll to meue warre ayenst the newe kynge Henry he accursyd them. And at the begynnynge / he put in the sentence the kyngꝭ sone of Fraunce Lowys. And neuertheles the same Lowys wolde not spare for all that. But wente & toke the castell of Barcamstede / and also the ca­stell of Hertforde. And from that daye afterwarde / the barons dyde there somo che harme thrughout all Englonde. and pryncypalle the Frensshe men that were with kynge Lowys. Wherfore the grete lordes / and all the comyn people of En­glonde / lete them dresse / for to dryue Lo­wys & his company out of Englonde / but some of the barons & Frensshe men were gone to the cyte of Nicholl / & toke the towne & helde it to kyng Lowys pro­fyte. But chyther came kynge Henryes men with a grete power / that is to saye the erle Radulf of Chestre / & Wyllyam erle Marshall / & Wyllyam the Brener erle of Feriers / & many other lordes w ^t them / & yaue batayll vnto Lowys men. And there was slayne the erle of Per­chees / and Lowys men were fowle dys­comfyted. And there was taken Serle erle of Wynchestre / and Humfroy de Boune erle of Hertforde / & Robert the sone of Walter / & many other that be­gan warre ayenst the kynge / there they were taken & ledde vnto kynge Henry / that was kynge Iohans sone. ¶And whan y ^e tydynges came to Lowys of the dyscomfyture / y ^• was the kynges sone of Fraūce. He remeued fro thens & wente vnto London / and lete shytte the yates fast of the cyte. And anone after the kynge sent to the Burgeys of London / that they sholde yelde them vnto hym / & the cyte also. And he wolde theym graunte all theyr fraunchyses that euer they we­re wonte to haue before. And wolde con­ferme them by his greate newe chartre vnder his brode seale. ¶And in the sa­me tyme a greate lorde that wat called Eustace the monke came out of Fraunce with a grete company of Lordes / and wolde haue come in to Englonde / for to haue holpen Lowys the kynges sone of Fraunce. But Hubert of Brugh / & the fyue portes with .viij. shyppes tho mette with them in the hyghe see / & assaylled theym egrely / and ouercame them with strength / & smote of Eustace the mon­kes heed. And toke also .x. grete lordes of Fraunce & put theym in to pryson. And slewe almoost all the men that came w ^t theym / and anone drowned the shyppes in the see.

¶How Lowys torned ayen in to Fraū ­ce / and of the confermacyon of kynge Iohans chartre.

[Page] SO whan Lowys herde these ty­dynages / he dradde sore to be deed & lost. And let ordeyne / & speke bytwe­ne y ^• kynge & Lowys by the Legate Swalo. And thorugh the Archebysshopp of Caūterbury / & thrugh other grete lordes that all the prysoners on that one halfe & that other sholde be delyuerd & go quyte. And Lowys hymself sholde haue for his costes a thousande pounde of syluer. & sholde go out of Englonde / and come neuer more therin agayne. And in this maner was the accorde made bytwene kynge Henry and Lowys. And tho was Lowys assoylled of y ^• popes Legate / that was called Swalo of the sentence that he was in / & the Barons of Englonde also. And after this kyng Henry & Swalo the Legate & Lowys went to Merton & there was y ^• peas confermed / & bytwene them ordeyned And after Lowys wente from thens vnto London & tooke his leue / & was brought with moche honour vnto the see with the Archebysshopp of Caunterbury / and with other bysshops / & also with erles & barons / and so wen­te in to Fraunce. ¶And afterwarde the kynge & the Archebysshop / and also er­les and barons assembled them / & came to the cyte of London atte Myghelmas that next came tho sewynge and helde there a grete parlyament atte London / And there were tho renewed all the fraū chyse that kynge Iohn had graunted / atte Romney mede / and kynge Henry tho confermed by his chartre / the whi­che yet ben holden thrugh out all Eng­londe. ¶And in that tyme the kynge toke of euery plough londe .ij. shelynges / And Hubert of Brugh was made tho cheyf Iustyce of Englond. And this was in the fourth yere of kynge Henryes regne. ¶And in the same yere was Saynt Thomas of Caūterbury translated the .l. yere after his martyrdom. And after it was ordeyned by all the lordes of Englonde / that all Alyens sholde go out of Englonde / & come nomore therin. And kynge Henry toke tho all the castelles in to his honde / that kynge Iohan his fa­der had yeue & take to Alyens for to ke­pe that helde with hym. ¶But the proude Fawkis of Brytayne rychely lete a­raye his castell of Bedforde / which he had of kynge Iohns yefte / & helde that castell ayenst kynge Henryes wyll with myght and strength. And the kynge ca­me thyder with a stronge power / and be syeged the castell. And the Archebysshop mayster Stephen of Langton / with a fayre company of knyghtes came to the kynge hym for to helpe. And from the Ascensyon of our lorde vnto y ^• Assump­cyon of our lady lasted the syege. And tho was the castell wonne and take. And the kynge lete hange all tho that wen­te in to the castell with theyr good wyll. for to holde the castell. That is for to saye .lxxx. men. ¶And tho afterwarde Fawkis hymself was founde and had in a chirche att Couentree and there he forswore all Englonde with moche shame / and wente agayne in to his owne countree. ¶And whyles that kyng Henry regned. Edmonde of Abyndon that was tresorer of Salysbury was conse­crated Archchysshopp of Caunterburye. And this kyng Henry sente ouer the see vnto the Erle of prouynce / y ^• he sholde sende hȳ his doughter in to Englonde / that was called Ellenore and be wolde spowse her. And sho she came in to Englonde after Crystmas. And on the mo­rowe after saynt Hylaryes daye the Ar­chebysshop Edmonde spowsed them to­gyder at Westmestre with grete solempnyte. And there was a swere syght by­twene them. That is to saye. Edwarde that was nexte kynge after his fader / floure of curteysy & of largenesse / and Margarete y ^• was after quene of Scot­londe / & Beau [...]e that was after coun­tesse of Brytayne / and Kachetyne that deyed mayde in relygyon.

¶Of the quinzeme of goodes that we­te graunted for the newe chartre / and of the purueaunce of Oxforde.

ANd thus it befell that the lordes of Englonde wolde haue some addicyons moo in the chartre of fraūchyse that they had of the kynge / & spake thus bytwene them. And the kyng graū ted them all theyr axynge. And made to them two chartres / that one is called the grete chartre of fraūchyses / & that other is called y ^• chartre of forest. And for the graunte of these two chartres / prelates / erles & barons / & all the comyns of Englonde / yaue to the kynge a thousande marke of syluer ¶Whan kynge Henry had be kynne .xliij. yere / the same yere he & his lordes erles & barons of the reame wente to Oxforde / and ordeyned a lawe in amendement of the reame. And fyrst swore the kynge hymlself / & after­warde alle the lordes of the londe / that they wolde holde that statute for euer­more / and who that them brake sholde be deed. But the seconde yere after that that ordynaūce the kynge thrugh coun­seyll of Edwarde his sone / & of Rycharde his brother / that was erle of Corne­waylle / & also of other repented hym of that othe that he had made for to holde that lawe & ordynaūce. And sente to the courte of Rome to be assoylled of that othe. And in the yere next comynge af­ter / was the grete darth of come in En­glonde. For a qurter of whete was worth .xxiiij. shelynges. And the poore people ete netles and other wedes for hungre. And deyed many a thousande for defawte of mete. ¶And in the .xlviij. yere of kynge Henryes regne began warre and debate bytwene hym and his lordes / for by cause that he had broken the coue­nauntes that were made bytwone them at Oxforde. ¶And the same yere was y ^• towne of Northampton taken / and fol­ke slayne that were within / for by cause that they had ordeyned wylde fyre for to brenne the cyte of London. ¶And in the moneth of Maye that came next after / vpon saynt Pancras daye / was the ba­tayll of Lewes / that is to saye / the We­nesdaye before Saynt Dunstans daye. And there was taken kynge Henry hym self / & syr Edwarde his sone / & Rychar de his brod (er) erle of Corne wayll / & many other lordes. And in the same yere nexte sewynge syr Edwarde the kynges sone brake out of the warde of syr Symonde of Moūtforth / erle of Leycetre / at Hert / forde / & wente vnto the barons of the Marche / & they receyued hym with mo­che honour. ¶And the same tyme Gil­bert of Claraūce erle of Glocetre that was in the warde also of y ^• forsayd Sy­monde thorugh the cōmaundement of kynge Henry / that wente fro hym with a grete herte / for cause that he sayd / that the forsayd Gilbert was a foole / wher­fore he ordeyned hym afterwarde so / & helde hym with kyng Henry. ¶And on the Saterdaye next after the myddes of August / syre Edwarde the kynges sone dyscomfyted syr Symonde de Mount­forth at Kelyngworth / but the grete lor­des that were there with hym were ta­ken / that is to saye. Baldewyne Wake. & Willyam de Moūchensye / & many o­ther grete lordes. And the Tewysdaye next after was y ^• batayll done at Eushā And there was slayne syr Symonde de Moūtforth. Hugh the Spenser / & Moūt forth that was Rauf Bassettes fader of Draiton / and other many grete lordes / And whan this bataylle was done / alle the gentylmen that had ben with the er­le Symonde were dysheryted / & ordey­ned togyder & dyde moche harme to all the londe. For they destroyed theyr en­myes in all that they myght.

¶Of the syege of Kenylworth / & how the gentylmen were dysheryted thorugh counseyll of the lordes of the reame of Englonde / and how they came agayne and had theyr londes.

[Page] ANd the nexte yere comynge in May / the fourth daye before the frest of saynt Dunstane / was the batayle & scomfyture at Chestrefelde / of them that were dysheryted / & there was many of theym slayne. ¶And Robert Erle of Feriers there was taken / & also Balde­wyne Wake / & Iohn oclahay / w ^t moche sorowe escaped thens. And on saynt Iohans cue the Baptyst tho sewynge / be­gan y ^• syege of the castell Kenilworth / & the syege lasted to saynt Thomas eue y ^• apostle. in whiche daye syr Hugh Hastynge had the castel for to kepe / that yelded vp the castell vnto the kyng in this ma­nere / that hymself & the other that were within the castell / sholde haue theyr ly­ues & lȳme / & as moche thynge as they had therin / both hors & harneys / & four dayes of respyte / for to delyuer clenly y ^e castell / of themself / & of all other maner thynge / as they had within the castell / & so they went fro the castell. And syr Symonde Moūtforth the yonger / & the coū tesse his moder were gone ouer the see in to Fraunce / & there helde them as peo­ple that were exyled out of Englonde for euer. ¶And soone after it was ordeyned by the Legate Octobone / & by other greate lordes / the wysest of Englonde / that all tho that had be ayenst the kyng and were dysheryted / sholde haue ayen theyt londes by greuous raūsons / after that it was ordeyned. And thus they were accorded with the kyng / & peas cryed th [...]ughout all Englonde / and thus the warre was ended. And whan it was do­ne / the Legate toke his leue of the kyng & of the quene / & of the g [...]rate lordes of Englonde / & went tho to Rome the .lv. yere of kynge Henryes regne / and Ed­warde kynge Iohns sone of Brytayne Iohan Vessi. Thomas of Clare. Rogere at Cly [...]orde. Othes of [...] Robert le Bru [...]. Iohan of Verdon / and many other lordes of Englonde / & of be yonde the see tooke they waye towarde y ^• hooly londe. And y ^• kyng Henry deyed in the same tyme att Westmestre / what he had regned .lv. yere & .xix. wekes / on saynt Edmonds daye the Archebysshop of Caslterbury. And he was enteryd on saynt Edmondes daye the kyng in the yere of the Incarnacyon of our lorde Ie­su Cryste .M.CC.lxxij.

¶Prophecye of Merlyn of the kynge Henry the fyrste erpowned / that was kynge Iohans sone.

ANd of this Henry prophecyed Merlyn and sayd that a lamb [...] sholde come out of Wynchestre in y ^• [...] re of the Incarnacyon of our lorde Ihe­su Cryste .M.CC. and .xvi. with true lyppes & holynesse wryten in his herte [...] And he sayd so the / for y ^• good Henry the kynge was borne in Wynchestre in the yere abouesayd / & he spake good wordes & swete / & was an holy man & of good conseyence. And Merlyn sayd / that this Henry sholde make the fayrest place of the worlde / that in his tyme sholde not be fully ended / & he sayd soth. For he made the newe werke of y ^• abbaye of saynt Peters chirche att Westmestre / that is fayrer of syght than ony other place y ^• ony man knoweth thorugh out all [...]y­stendom. But kynge Henry deyed are that werke were fully at an ende & that was grete harme. ¶And yet sayd Mer­lyn / that this lambe sholde haue peas the moost parte of his regne. And he sayde full soth / for he was neuer noyed thorugh warre / neyther dyseased in no ma­nere wyse / tyll a lytell afore his dethe / & Merlyn sayd in his prophecye more / & in the regne & ende of the fursayd la [...] be / a wulf of a straunge londe shall do [...] hym moche har [...] tho [...]gh his [...] And that he sholde at y ^• laste be mayste [...] [Page] thorugh helpe of a reed foxe / that sholde come forth of the Northwest & sholde hȳ ouercome. And that he sholde dryue hȳ out of the water / & y ^• prophecye full well was knowen. For within a lytell tyme or the kynge deyed Symonde of Moūt­forde erle of Leycetre / that was borne in Fraūce / began ayenst hym stronge war­re / thrugh whiche doynge / many a good bacheler destroyed was & deyed / & dyshe ryted. ¶And whan kynge Henry had the byctory at Eusham / & Symond the erle was slayne thorugh helpe & myght of Gilbert of Clare erle of Glocetre / y ^t was in kepynge & warde of the forsayd Symonde / thrugh ordynaunce of kyng Henry / that wente ayen vnto the kynge with moche power. Wherfor the forsayd Symonde was destroyed / and that was grete harme to the comyns of Englon­de / that soo good a man was slayne for the trouth / & deyed in charyte / & for the comyn profyte of the same folke / & therfore almyghty god for hym hath syns shewed many a fayre myracle to dyuers men & wȳmen of the spkenesse & dysea­se that they haue had for the loue of hym ¶And Merlyn also sayd in his prophecye / that after that tyme / the lambe sholde lyue no whyle / & thenne his seed sholde be in straunge londe without ony pa­sture / and he sayd soth / for kynge Henry lyued no whyle after y ^• Symonde Moūt forde was slayne / that kynge Henry ne deyed anone after hym. And in the meane tyme syr Edwarde his sone / that was the best kynge of the worlde of honour / was tho in the holy londe / & gate there Acres. And in that coūtree he begate there vpon dame Elenore his wyf Iohan of Acres his doughter / that afterwarde was countesse of Glocetre / & made su­che a vyage in the holy londe / that alle the worlde spake of his knyghthode / & euery man dradde hym / hye & lowe tho­rugh out alle crystendome / as the s [...]orye of hym telleth / as after warde ye shall here more openly. ¶And from the tyme that kyng Henry deyed / tyll that syr Edwarde was crowned kyng / all the grete lordes of Englond were as faderles childern withoute ony socoure / that theym myght mayntene & gouerne / and defen­de ayenst theyr deedly enmyes.

ORegorius the .ix. was pope after Honorius / this man canonysed many sayntes / & defended myghtely the chirche ayenst Frederyk / therfore he to­ke many prelates & two Cardynalles / the whiche wente to coūseyll ayenst hym This pope was segyd in the cyte of Rome by the Emperour / & he sawe the Romayns were corrupte by the moneye of the Emperour. Thenne he toke in his honde the heedes of the appostles Peter & Poule / & went with processyon fro the chirche of saynt Iohan Latranence / to saynt Peters chirche. ¶And so he gate the hertꝭ of the Romayns / & the Emperour went fayr awaye fro y ^• cyte. This pope made frere Ianond to compyle the fyue bolres of Decretales / of many py­stles & decrees. And after with many trybulacyons of this tyraunt & other / he decessyd and wente to heuen. ¶Celestinus the fourth was pope after Gregoriꝰ al­moost a moneth / & he was in his lyfe & in his connynge laudable. And he was an olde man & a feble & decessyd / & the­re was no pope after hym almoost a .xij. month. ¶Innocenciꝰ the fourth was pope after hym almoost .xi. yere & .vi. mo­nethes / this man canonysed many sayntes / & Frederyk the Emperour he depo­syd & cursyd as enmye vnto god in the thyrde yere that he was made pope / & he was holpe by the Ianuencꝭ. ¶Thenne was Henry the sixt chosen & Wyllyam / by the popes commaundement ayenst Frederyk that one after an other / but chey preuayled not to ouercome his tyrā ny / for he was ouermyghty / ne these we­re not crowned / for they dece [...]yd anone.

[Page] ¶Thomas de Aquine an holy doctour Albertus magnus the bysshop of Ratis­ponens. Eustacius. Bonauenture a de­uoute doctour were this tyme / the whi­che destroyed moche heresye enfected by the Emperour. ¶Alexander was pope after Innocencius .viij. yere / & lytell of hym is wryten. ¶Vrbanꝰ was after hȳ thre yere & thre monethes / this man dro ue awaye the hoste of the Sarrasyns by men marked with the crosse / the whiche Maufred had sente ayenst the chirche / And the pope toke the kyngdom of Ce­cyle to the kynges brother of Fraunce / that he sholde fyght with Maufrede / & thenne he decessyd. And Maufrede after lost his lyf & his kyngdom by Karolus. ¶Alphonsus the kynge of Castell Ry­chardes brother to the kynge of Englonde erle of Cornewayle / were chosen Emperours after the longe vacacyon of the Empyre / for y ^e chesers of the Emperour were dyuyded in sondre / & there was grete stryfe many yere. At the laste decessyd Rycharde / & Alphonsus came amye afore Gregoriꝰ the .ix. by the sygne of peas / & vtterly renounced all his tytle of the Empyre / and he had ony / for he was a very wytty man / & a noble astronomer / and his tables ben very famous the whiche he made / for they be compendyous. ¶Clemens the fourth was pope after Vrbanꝰ .iij. yere & .ix. monethes / this Clemens was an holy man / & sayd thrugh the spyryte of prophecy / that the enmyes of the chirche sholde perysshe as the smoke. And it is to be byleued / y ^• god sessyd the trybulacyons of the chirche thorugh his merytes. This man afore had a wyf and childern / and whan he was preest / & after bysshop / he was sente in to Englond Legate / and he no thynge knowynge was chosen pope / and after decessyd bledssydly for his vertuous lyuynge / ¶Gregoriꝰ the .x. was [...] after hym foure yere / after he was made [...] for the desyre that he had to the holy londe. the whiche he entended to vysyte perso­nally / at Lodun̄ in Fraūce he made a so­lempne counseyll / in the whiche the coū ­seyll of the Grekes & the Tartars were & there the Grekꝭ promysed to be refout med by the vnyte of the chirche. And the Tartars were but a lytell afore bapty­sed / & promysed the same. And there were gadred .vi. C. bysshops & .M. prelates / & therfore a certayne man sayd Grego­rius gadred togrder all kynde of people And there was decreed that all persans & vycaryes sholde be called preest. & no prelates / & that no man sholde assygne his tythes to what chirche he wolde as they dyde afore. But they sholde be payde to his moder chirche. And he damp­ned the pluralyte of benefyces & deyed a blessyd man. ¶Innocenciꝰ the .v. was after hym .v. monethes / & lytell he dyde ¶Adrianꝰ was after hym 00 moneth & dyde lesse. ¶Iohs the .xxi. was after hȳ viij. monethes / & he was in dyuers scyences a famous man / but in maners a fole & decessyd anone. ¶Nicholaus the thyr­de was pope after Iohn 00 yere. This man was in his dayes in buyldyng a noble man. & well gouerned the cyte all his dayes. & y ^• seconde yere he decessyd. ¶Radulphꝰ was Emperour .xviij. yere this man was erle of Hanebrugh a wyse mā in armes / noble & victoryous & was chosen at Basyle. And he toke the crosse on hȳ for the holy londe. Thimperya [...] blessynge he had not / but y ^e pope alowed the eleceyon / for fauour of the holy londe.

¶Anno dm̄ .M.CC.lxxiiij.

MArtinus the .iiij. was [...] after Nicholaꝰ iiij. yere. this man was a grete louer of relygyous men / & grete attendynge to vertuous werkes. This man cursyd the Emperour of Constancy nople / in so moche as he promysed for to torne to the fayth in the generall conn­scyll / & dyde not / for y ^• whiche he suffred [Page] many passyons & all holy chirche. Also he cursyd the kyng of Aragon / for he expulsyd the kyng of Cecyle fro his kyngdome. And after he had done many ba­taylles ayenst men of mysbyleue & ma­ny trybulacōns suffred / he decessyd & dy­de many myracles. ¶Nicholaus de lyra a noble doctour of dyuynyte was this tyme at Parys / this man was a Iewe of nacyon / & he was conuerted & myghtley profyted in the ordre of frere Mynours. & he wrote ouer all the Byble. Or elles he was in y ^• yere of our lorde .M.CCC.xxx. & some man saye he was a Braban & y ^• his fader & his moder were crystned but for pouerte he vysyted y ^• scole of the Iewes / & so he lerned the Iewes langa­ge / or elles this Nicholaus was informed of the Iewes in his yonge aege. & Honorius the fourth was pope after Martinus two yere / & lytell of hym is wryten / but that he was a temperat man & a dyscrete. ¶Nicholaus the fourth was pope af­ter hym foure yere / this man was a fre­re Mynor / & alle though he was a good man in hȳself / yet many vnhappy thynges felle in his tyme to the chirche. For many a batayll was in the cyte thrugh his occasyon / for he drewe to moche to y ^• one parte. And after hym there was no pope two yere & .vi. monethes.

¶Of kynge Edwarde that was kynge Henryes sone.

ANd after this kynge Henry regned Edwarde his sone the wor­thyes knyght of the worlde in honour / for goddes grace was in hym / for he had the vyctorye of his enmyes / & as soone as his fader was deed / he came to Lon­don with a noble company of prelates / exles & barons / and all men dyde hym moche honoure. For in euery place that syr Edwarde roode in London / the stretes were couered ouer his heed with syl­ke of tapyser / & other ryche couerynges And for Ioye of his comynge / the bur­geys of the cyte caste out att theyr wyn­dowes golde and syluer hondes full / in tokenynge of loue and worshyp / seruyce and reuerence. And out of the condyte of Chepe ranne whyte wyne and reed / as stremes doth of the water / & euery man dranke therof that wolde at theyr owne wyl. And this kyng Edwarde was crowned and enoynted as ryght heyre of Englonde with moche honour. And after masse the kyng wente in to his place to holde a ryall feest amonge them that dyde hym honour. And whan he was sette to meete / the kynge Alexander of Scot­londe came to do hym honour and reuerence / with a queyntesye / & an hondred knyghtes with hym well horsyd & aray­de. And whan they were alyght of theyr stedes / they lete theym goo whether they wolde / & who that myght take them to­ke at theyr owne wyll / without ony chalenge. And after came syr Edmond kynge Edwardes brother a curteys knyght & a gentyll of renowne / and the erle of Cornewaylle / and the erle of Glocestre. and after thenne came the erle of Pen­broke / & the erle of Garenne. And eche of them by themself ladde in theyr hon­de an hondred knyghtes gayly dysguy­sed in theyr armes. And whan they were alyghted of theyr horses / they lete them go whether that they wolde / & who that myght them catche / them to haue styll withoute ony chalenge. And whan alle this was done / kyng Edwarde dyde his dylygence and his myght for to amende and dresse the wronges in the beste ma­nere that he myght to the honour of god and holy chirche / and to mayntene his honour / and to amende the noyaunce of the comyn people.

¶How Ydeyne that was Lewelyns doughter of Walys / prynce Aymer / that was the erles brother of Mounforde were taken in the see.

[Page] THe fyrste yere after warde y ^• kynge Edward was crowned Lewelyn prynce of wales sente into Fraunce to the erle Mountforde / y ^• thorough coū seyll of his frendes / the erle sholde wedde his doughter. And y ^• erle tho auysed hȳ vpon this thynge / and sente vnto Lewelny & sayd. that he wolde sende after hys doughter. and so he sent Aymer his broder after the damoysell. & Lewelyn arayed shyppes for his doughter & for Syr Aymer. and for her fayre company that sholde goo with her. And this Lewelyn dyd grete wronge. for it was couenaūted that he sholde yeue his doughter to noo manere man / without counsell and consent of kynge Edwarde. And so it befel that a Burgeys of Brystow came in y ^• see with wyne laden: and mette them / & toke them with myght and power. And anone the burgeys sente theym to the kȳ ge. And whan Lewelyn herde this tydȳ ges he was very wrothe / and also sorow full. and gan to warre vpon kynge Edwarde / and dyd moche harme vnto Englysshmen / and bete downe the kynges castels / and began for to dystroye kyng Edwardes londe: And whan tydynges came vnto the kynge of this thynge / he wente into walys and somoche he dydd thoroughe goddes grace and his greate power / that he drofe Lewelyn vnto gre­te myscheyf / that he fledde all maner of strenth & came & yelded hym vnto kyn­ge Edwarde. & yaue hym .l. marke of syluer to haue peas. And toke the damoysel & all his herytage. & made an oblygaciō to kynge Edwarde to come to his parlemente two tymes of the yere. And in y ^• seconde yere after that kynge Edwarde was crowned / he helde a generall parlement at westmestre / & there he made the statutes for defaute of lawe by the comune assente of all his baronage / And atte Ester nexte sewenge / the kynge sente by his letter vnto Lewelyn prynce of wales that he sholde come too his parlemente for his londe / & for his holdynge in wa­les / as the strenthe of his letter oblygatory wytnessyd. Tho Lewelyn had scorne and dyspyte of the kynges commaundement / And for pure wrathe ayen began werre vpon kynge Edwarde. and dystroyed his londes. And tho whanne kynge Edward herd of thyse tydynges. he wexed wonder wrothe vnto Lewelyn and in hast assembled his people / & wente hym toward wales / And warred so vpon Lewelyn the prynce / tylle that he broughte hym in moche sorowe and dysease. And Lewelyn sawe that his defence myghte hym notte auaylle / and came ayen and yelded hym to the kynges grace [...] hym mercye. and longe tyme kneled be­fore the kynges fote. The kynge [...] hym pyte / and commaunded hym for [...] aryse. And for his mekenes foryaue [...] his wrathe / and to hym sayd that yf he trespassed to hym a nother tyme that he wold dystroye hym for euermore. ¶Dauyd that was Lewelyns broder that same tyme dwelled with kynge Edwarde and was a felle man and a subtyll and enuyous / and also ferre castynge & mo­che treason thoughte. and euermore ma­de good semblaunt and semed so true y ^• no man myght perceyue his falines.

¶How Lewelyn thrugh eggynge of his brother Dauyd werryd agayn vpon kyge. Edwarde.

IT was not longe after that tyme that kynge Edwarde yaf to Dauyd Lewelyus broder the lordshyppe of Frodesham. & made hym a knyght & so moche honour dyd he neuer after to mā of walys bycause of hym / Kynge Ed­ward helde his parlement atte London whan he hadde do in walys y ^• he wolde and chaunged his money / that was full yll kytte / wherfore the people playned sore. so that the kynge enquered of the tres passours. And iii. hūdred were atteynted [Page] of suche maner falsnes / wherfore some were hanged and some drawe and after hangyd. And afterwarde the kynge or­deyned / that the sterlynge halfpeny and ferthynge sholde go through out all his londe / And commaunded that no man fro that daye afterwarde yaue ne feoffedhous of relegyon with londe / tenement without specyall leue of y ^• kynge. & he y ^• dyde sholde be punysshed at the kynges wyll / and the yefte shall be for noughte And it was not longe after that Lewe­lyn prynce of wales thrugh the tycemēt of Dauyd his brother / and bothe theyr consent they thought to dysheryte kyng Edward / in asmoche as they myghte / so that thorough them bothe the kynges peas was broken. And whan kynge Edwarde herde of this / anone he sent hys. barons into Northumberlonde and the Surreys also / that they sholde go & take theyr vyage vpon the traytours Lewe­lyn and Dauyd. & wonder herd it was for to warte tho / For it is wynter in walys [...] whan in other countres is Somer. And Lewelyn lete ordeyne and well araye and vytayll his good castell of Swā don. and was therin an huge nombre of people / and plente of vytaylles so y ^• kynge Edward wyst not where for to entre And whan the kynges men it perceyued & also the strenthe of walys / they lete come in the see bargees & botes. and grete plankys as many as they myght ordeyne and haue: for to go to the sayd castel of Swandon. with men on fote & alsoo on hors. But y ^• walsshmen had so moch people / & were so stronge. y ^• they draue y ^• Englysshmen ayen / so y ^• ther was somoche presse of people at y ^• tornynge ayen y ^• the charge & the burden of men made y ^• barges & the botes to synke. & there was drowned many a good knyghte / y ^• is to saye. syr Robert Clyfford / syr wyllyam of Lyndeseye. y ^• was syr Iohn̄s sone fitz Robert. & syr Rycharde Tanny / and an huge nōbre of other / & all was thrughe ther owne foly. For yf they had had go­de espyes / they had not be harmyd. whā kynge Edwarde herde tell y ^• his people were so drowned. he made sorowe inou­ghe. but tho came syr Iohn̄ of Vessy frō y ^• kynge of Aragō. & brought with hym moche people of bachelers & of Gascoynes / & were souldyours. and dwelled w ^t the sayd Iohn̄ of Vessy / and receyued of hym wages and with hym were witholde. & noble men they were for to fyght & brente many townes / and slewe moche people of walsshmen. all y ^• they myght take. And all tho with strenthe and myght made assawte vnto y ^• castell of Swā don and gate the castell / And whan da uyd the prynce brother herde of this ty­dynges: he ordeyned hym to flyght and Lewelyn the prynce saw that his broder was fledde / then he was sore abasshedde for he hadde no power to his warte for to mayntene. And so Lewelyn gan for to flee / and wende welle for to haue sca­pedde. But in a morowe syr Roger mortymer mette with hym oonly w ^t .x. kny­ghtes. & sette hym rounde aboute. And to hym went / & smote of his heed / and presentyd y ^• same heed vnto kynge Edwarde. And in this manere Lewelyn the prȳ ce of walys was taken / & his hede smy­ten of / and also all his heyres dyshery­ted for euermore thrugh ryghtfull dome of all the lordes of the reame.

¶How dauyd y ^• was Lewelyns broder prynce of walys was putte to dethe.

DAuyd that was y ^• prynces broder of walys / thrughe pryde wende too haue he prynce of walys / after hys / brothers dethe / and vppon this he sente after Walsshemen to his parlement at Dynbygh and folysshely made Walys too aryse ayenste kynge and began too meue werre ayenste kynge Edward and dyd all the sorowe and dysease that he myght by his power. Whanne kynge [Page] Edwarde her [...]e of this thinge / he ordeyned men to pursewe vpon hym. and Dauyd fyersly hym defended / tylle that he came to the towne of saynt Morice / and there was Dauyd take as he fledde. and ladde to the kynge. And the kynge commaūded y ^• he sholde be hangyd & draw / en / & smyte of his heed / & quarter hym / and send his hede to London & the four quarters sende to the four chyef townes of walys. for they sholde take ensample therof & beware. And afterwarde kyng Edwarde lete crye his peas thrugh oute all wales & seased all the londe into his honde / & all the grete lordes y ^• were lefte alyue came / to do feautee & homage to y ^• kynge Edwarde / as to theyr kynde lor­de / And tho lete kynge Edwarde amende the lawes of walys y ^• were defectyue And he sent to all y ^• lordes of Walys by letter patentes / y ^• they sholde come al to parlemente. And whan they were come the kynge sayd to them full curteysly lordynges ye be welcome / & me behouethe your coūseyll & your helpe for to go into Gascoyne for to amende y ^• trespasse y ^• to me was done whan I was there. & for to entreate of peas bytwene y ^• kynge of Aragon & y ^• prynce of Morrey / & all y ^• kȳ ges lyege men erles & barons consented & graunted therto. And tho made hym kynge. Ed / warderedy & went into Galcoyne. & lete amende all the trespasses y ^• hym was doon inGascoyne. And of y ^• debate y ^• was bytwene the kynge of Aragon and the prynce of Morrey he sessed and made theym accorded. And whyle good kynge Edwarde and Elynore his wyfe were in Gascoyne. The gode erle of Cornewayll was made Wardeyn of Englonde tyll that kynge Edwarde came ayen. And tho enquered be of his traitours that coniected falsnesse agaynste hym And eche of them all receyued therdome after that they had deserued. But in the meane tyme that the good kynge Edwarde was beyonde the see / too doo / them for to make amendes that ayenste hym had trespassyd ther was a false the yf / a traytoure that was called Rysapp Merydok / begā for to make werre ayenste kynge Edward. and y ^• was for cause of syr Payne Tiptot. wrongfully gre­ued and dyseased the forsayd Rysap merydok. And whan kynge Edwarde herde all this matere & it well vnderstode a none he sente by his letter pryue seale to the forsayd Rebellyon Rysap Merydok y ^• he sholde begynne in no manere wyse for to make & reyse werre but y ^• he sholde be in peas for his loue / & whan he came ayen into Englonde he wolde vnder take the quarell & amende all that was mysdon. This forsayd Rysap Mer [...]dok dyspysed the kynges cōmaūdement and spared not to doo all the sorowe that he myght to the kynges men of Englonde But anone after he was take & ladde to Yorke / and there he was drawen & hangyd for his felonye.

¶Of dressynge y ^• kynge Edward ma­de of his Iusti [...]ꝭ and of his clerkes y ^• they had doon for ther falsnes & how he draue the Iewes out of Englonde for ther vsury and myshyle [...]e.

AS kynge Edwarde hadde dwelled thre yere in Gascoyne a desire came to hym for to goo into Englonde ayen. And whanne he was come ayē he founde so many playntes made to hȳ of his Iustyces and of his clerkes that hadde done so many wronges and fals­nesse that wonder it was to here. and for whiche falsnesse syr Thomas waylond the kynges Iustice / forswore Englonde at the toure of London / for falsnesse that men put vpon hym / wherfore he was atteynt / and proued fals. And anone after whan y ^• kynge had done his wyll of the Iustices tho lete he enquere & espye how the Iewes dysceyned & begyled his peo­ple / thorough the synne of falsnesse and [Page] of vsury. And lete ordeyne a preuy par­lement amonge his lordes. And they or / deyned amonge theym / y ^• all the Iewes. sholde voyde out of Englonde for theyr mysbyleue / & also for theyr fals vsurye that they dyd vnto crysten men. And for to spede. and make an ende of this thynge / all the comynalte of Englonde yaue vnto the kynge the .xv. peny of all theyr goodes meuable / & soo were the Iewes dryuen out of Englonde. And tho went y ^• Iewes into Fraunce. & there they dwellyd / thrugh leue of kynge Phylyp y ^• tho. was kynge of Fraunce.

¶How kynge Edwarde was seased in all the londe of Scotlonde / thrugh con­sente & graūt of all y ^• lordes of scotlōde

IT was not longe after that alex andre / kynge of Scotlond was dede / and Dauyd the erle of Huntyngdon that was the kynges brother of Scotlō de axyd & claymed y ^• kyngdom of Scotlonde after that hys brother was deed / for cause that he was ryghtfulle heyre / But many grete lordes sayd nay. wher­fore greate debate arose bytwene theym and ther frēdes / for asmoche as they wolde not consente to his coronacyon / & the meane tyme the forsayd Dauyd deyed / And so it befell that y ^• sayd Dauyd had thre doughters / that worthyly were ma­ryed / The fyrste doughter was maryed to Bailol / the seconde to Brus / and the thyrde to Hastynges. The forsayd Baylol & Brus chalenged y ^• londe of Scot­londe / & grete debate & stryf arose bytwene hē. by cause eche of thē wolde haue be kynge. And whan the lordes of Scotlonde saw y ^• debate bytwene thē / came to kȳ ge Edwarde of Englonde. & seased hȳ in all y ^• lond of Scotlonde as chyef lord And whan the kynge was seased of the forsayd lordes / the forsayd Baylol Brus and Hastynges came to the kynges courte / and axyd of the kynge whiche of thē sholde be kynge of Scotlonde And kynge Edwarde that was full gentyll and true / lete enquere by y ^• Cronycles of scotlonde / and of the grettest lordes of Scotlonde / whiche of them was of the eldest blood. And it was founde that Baylol / was the eldest. and y ^• the kynge of Scotlonde sholde holde of the kynge of Englonde / and do hym feaute and homa / ge. And after this was done Bailol wē te into Scotlonde / & there was crowned kynge of Scotlonde. ¶And the same time was vpon the see grete warre bytwe ne the Englysshmen and the Normans But vpon a tyme. the Normans arry­ued all at Douer. & there they martred an holy man that was called Thomas of Douer / And afterward were the Normans slayne. y ^• there escaped not one of them. ¶And so afterwarde kynge Ed­warde sholde lese the duchye of Gascoyne thrugh kynge philyp of Fraūce thrughe his fals castynge of the Dousepers of the londe / wherfore syr Edmonde y ^• was kynge Edwardis brother yaue vp his homage vnto the kynge of Fraunce. ¶And in that tyme the clerkes of En­glond graunted to kynge Edwarde halfe deale of holy chirche goodes / in hel­pynge too recouer his londe agayne in / Gascoyne. And the kynge sent thethere a noble company of his bachelers. And hymself wolde haue gone to Po [...]tesmon the / but he was let thrugh one Maddok of walys that hadde seased the castell of Swandon into his honde / and for that cause the kynge tomed to walys at Crist masse And bycause that the noble lordꝭ of Englonde that were sent into Gas­coyne hadde no comforth of ther lorde y ^• kynge they were take of syr Charlys of Fraunce / that is to say / syr Iohn̄ of brytayne / syr Roberte Tiptot / syr Rau [...]e Tanny / syr Hughe Bardolfe / and syr Adam of Cretynge / And yet at the Ascensyon was Maddok take in Walys / and a nother that was called Morgan. [Page] and they were sent to the tour of Londō and there they were byheded.

¶How syr Iohn̄ Baylol kynge of scotlonde with sayd his homage.

ANd whan syr Iohn̄ Baylol kȳ ge of Scotlond vnderstode that kynge Edwarde was werred in Gas­coyne / to whome y ^e reame of Scotlonde was delyuerd / Falsly tho ayenst his oth w ^t sayd his homage thrugh procurynge of his folke & sent vnto y ^e courte of Ro­me thrugh a fals suggestyon to be assoylled of y ^e othe y ^t he swore vnto y ^e kynge of Englōde & so he was by letter enbulled. ¶Tho chose they of Scotlonde dousepers / for to benȳme Edwarde of hys ryght. ¶And in y ^t tyme came two Cardynalles from y ^e courte of Rome. fro the [...] Celestine / to trete of acorde bytwene the kynge of Fraunce & the kynge of Englonde. And as tho cardynalles spake of acorde. Thomas turbeluyll was taken at Lyōs & made homage to y ^• warde of Parys & putt his sones in hostage / & thought to go into Englonde to aspye y ^e countre / and tell them whan he came to Englonde that he had broken the kyn­ges pryson of Fraunce by nyght & sayd y ^t he wolde do that all Englysshmen & walsshmen sholde abowte the kynge of Fraūce. And this thyng for to brynge to the ende he swore / & vpon this couenaūt dedes were made bytwene them / and y ^t he sholde haue by yere a thousand poundes worth of londe. to brynge this thyn­ge too an ende. This fals traytour toke his leue / & wente thens and came intoo Englonde vnto the kynge & sayd. y ^t he was broke out of pryson & y ^t he had put hym in suche peryll for his loue wherfor the kyng cowde hym moche thanke and full gladde was of his comynge. ¶And the fals traytoure fro that daye / aspyed all the doynge of the kynge and also his counselle / for the kynge loued hym full well and was with hym full preuy But a clerke of Englonde / y ^t was in the kynges hous of Fraunce: herde of this trea­son / and of the falsnesse / & wrote to another clerke y ^t tho was dwellynge w ^t Edward kynge of Englonde. all how tho­mas Turbeluyll had done his fals coniectynge / and all the counsell of Englō de was wryte for to haue sende vnto the kynge of Fraūce. And thrugh y ^e forsayd letter y ^t the clerke had sente fro Fraūce it was foūde vpon hym. wherfor he was led to London & hangyd & drawe there for his treason. And his two sones that he had put in Fraunce for hostage. were thenne beheeded.

¶Of the Conquest of Berwyke.

SO whan the twoo Cardynalles were gone agayne into Fraunce for to trete of the peas of Cambroy the kynge sent thether of his Erles and ba­rons. That is to saye syr Edmonde his broder erle of Lancastre & of Lecetre syr Henry Lacy erle of Nicholl / & wyllya [...] Vessy Baron / and of other baronettes. abowte .xiii. of the best and wysest of englonde. ¶And in the same tyme the kȳ ge Edwarde toke his vyage to Scotlonde / for to were vpon Iohn̄ Baylol kynge of Scotlonde. ¶And syr Robert Roos of Berewyk fledde fro the Englyshmen. And wente to the Scottes. And kȳ ge Edwarde wente hym towarde Bar­wyk / and besegyd the towne. And thoo that were within / manly them defended and sette a fyre and brente two of kyn­ge Edwarde shyppes / and sayd in dys­pyte and repreyf of hym (wenyth kynge Edwarde with his longe shankys too haue gete Berewyk all our vnthankes gas pykes hym / and whan he has doon gas dykes hym) whan kynge Edwarde herde this scorne / anone thrugh his my­ghtynesse / be passed ouer the dyches and assaylled the towne / and came to the ya [...]es [Page] and gate and conquered the towne / and thrughe his gratyous power slewe xxv. thousād & .vij. hondred scottes. & kȳ ge Edward lost no man of renoune sauffyr Rychard of Cornewayle. & hym kylled a Flemynge out of the redde halle w ^t a quarell as the forsayde Rycharde dyd of his helme. and commaunded theym for to yelde them / & put them in the kȳ ­ges grace. and the Scottes wolde notte wherfore that halle was brent and caste downe. & all tho that were therin were brent and kynge Edwarde lost no moo men at that vyage of symple estate but .xxvii. englysshmen. And the wardeyn of the castell yaue vp the keyes of the castel wythout ony assawte. And there was taken syr wyllyam Douglas & Symond Frysell and the erle patryk yeldyd them to the peas. But Ingham of Humlres­mylle & Robert the Brus y ^t were wyth. kynge Edwarde forsoke kynge Edwarde & helde with the Scottes. And afterwarde they were taken & put into prysō And thoo lete kynge Edwarde close in Berewyk with walles & with dyches / & after Robert Rous went to Tyndale / & set wuyerbrydge a fyre & Exham / & Lamerstok and slew & robbyd y ^e folke of y ^• coūtre. And after y ^t he went fro thens to Dunbatre. And the fyrst wenesdaye of Marche the kynge sent the erle of Ga­renne. syr. Hugh Percy and syre Hughe Spenser with a fayre company for too besege the castell. But one that was called syr Rycharde Sywarde a traytoure and a fals man / ymagyned for to begyle the Englysshemen / And sente too the Englysshmen theym for to desceyue / & sayd / That he wolde yelde to theym the castell. yf they wolde graunte them .viii dayes of respyte / that he myght sende & telle too Syr Iohan Baylol that was kynge of Scotlonde / howe his men fa­red that were within the castell / ¶And sende hym worde but / yf he wolde reme­ne the sege of the Englysshe men / that they wolde yelde the castell vntoo the englysshe men. ¶The messenger thoo came to syr Iohn̄ Baylol that thoo was kynge of Scotlonde where that he was with his hooste / and the messengre told hym alle the caas / And syre Iohn̄ toke his hoste and came on the morowe erly towarde the castell. and syr Rycharde sywarde sawe hym come that was mays­ter of the counsell & keper of the castell & sayd vntoo the Englysshmen Osayd he. nowe Ise a fayre company & well appareylled I woll go ayenste theym / and with them too mete / and theym assaylle And syr Hugh Spenser sawe the fals­nesse of hym and the treason. and sayde to hym O traytour take and proue your falsnesse shall not auaylle you. And hu­ghe Spencer cōmaunded anone to bynde hym. and all in hast went ayenst ther enmyes / & slewe of y ^• Scottes .xxii. thou sande. For the Scottes had y ^• tyme noo man wyth them of honour sauf Patryk Graham that manly foughte / & longe and at the last he was slayne. And thoo sayd the Englysshmen in repreyf of the Scottes (Thyse scaterande Scottes holde I for scottes of wrenches vnware. Erly in a mornynge in an euyll tymynge / wente ye fro Dunbare. ¶As tho y ^• wa­re within the castell sawe y ^• scomfyture they yelded vp the castell vnto y ^• Englysshemen. and bounde theyr bodyes godes and castels to kynge Edwarde. And so there were take in that castell thre erles vii. barons. and .xxxviii. knyghtes & .xi. clerkes / and .vii. Pycardys & all were presentyd to kynge Edwarde. And he sent them to y ^• towre of Londō to be kept.

¶Howe kynge Edwarde of his greate grace delyuerede ayen the Scottes oute of pryson that were cheyftayns of that londe / and they drew them to the Frensshemen thrugh couseyll of wyllyam waleys.

[Page] AS kynge Edwarde had made tho an ende of the werre. & takē the cheyfteyns of Scotlonde. thoo came syr Iohn̄ Baylol & yelded hym vnto kȳ ge Edwarde / & put hym in his grace & he was ledde to London / & whan kynge Edwarde was come thether / they were brought before hym / And the kynge ax­yd how they wolde make amendes / of y ^• trespaas and losse y ^• they hadde doon to hym / & they put heym in his mercy. Lordynges sayd y ^• kynge I wyll not of your londes ne your goodes / but I wyll y ^• ye make to me an othe vpon goddys body to be true te me / & neuer after this tyme ayenst me bere armys. And all they consentyd to the kynges wyll. & swore vpon goddys body. That is to saye syr Iohn̄ of Comyn. y ^• erle of y ^• Strathorn / y ^• Erle of Carryk / & also four bysshops vn­dertoke for all y ^• clergye / & so y ^• kynge delyuerd them / & yaue them sauf conduyt to go into ther owne londe. And it was not longe afterward y ^• they nearyse ayē kynge Edwarde / for cause y ^• they wyste well y ^• kynge Edwarde folke was take / in Gsacoyne / as before is sayd But syr Iohn̄ Baylol kynge of Scotlonde wyst well y ^• his londe sholde haue sorow and shame / for theyr falsnesse. And in haste went hym ouer see to his owne londes & there he helde hym and came neuer ayē wherfore the Scottes chose vnto theyre kynge wyllyam waleys / a rybaude and an harlot comen vp of nought / and moche harme dyd to the Englysshmen and kynge Edward thought how he myght haue delyueraunce of his people y ^• were take in Gascoyne. And in hast went hȳ ouer these in Flaundres for to werre vppon the kynge of Fraunce. And the erle of Flaundres receyued hym with moch honoure & graūtyd hym alle his londys at his owne wyll. And whan y ^• kynge of Fraūce herde tell y ^• the kynge of Englō de was aryued in Flaundres and came with a grete power hym for to dystroye. he prayed hym of trewto for two yere / so that the Englysshe marchauntes and also Frenche myghte saufly go & come in bothe sydes. The kyng Edward geaunted it. so that he muste haue his men out of pryson y ^• were in Gascoyne & the kynge of Fraūce anone graūted and so they were delyuerd. ¶And in y ^• same tyme y ^• Scottes sent by the bysshop of saynt andrewes in to Fraunce to y ^• kynge & to syr Charles his brother. y ^• syr Charles sholde come with his power & they of Scotlonde wolde come with theyr power / & so they sholde go into Englonde / y ^• londe to dystroye from Scotlonde vnto they came to Kent. And y ^• Scottes trustyd moche vpon y ^• Frensshmen but of y ^• thynge they had no manere graunte & netheles the Scottes began to robbe and kylle in Northūberlonde / & dydd moche harme.

¶How wyllyam waleys lete reyse the londe of Scotlonde as cheyf lorde. And syr Hughe of Cressynham / & of the ba­taylle of Fonkyrke.

AS tydynges was come to kyng Edward y ^• wylliam waleys had ordeyned suche a stronge power. and al­so that all Scotlonde to hym was attendaunt and redy for to [...]lee Englyssh [...]e and to dystoye the londe / he was sore a­noyed / and sente anone by letter to therle of Garienne / to syr Henry Perry & to wyllyam Latomer and too syer Hughe of Cressynham his cresorer y ^• they sholde take power / & go into Northumber / londe. & so forth into Scotlonde. for too kepe y ^• coūtrees and whan wyllyam waleys herde of theyr comȳge. be began to flee & the Englysshmen hym folowed & drout hym tyll he came to S [...]ryu [...]lyn & there he helde hym in the castell. And y ^• walsshmen euery daye them escryed & menacyd / and dyd all the dyspyer that they myght soo that the Englysshemen [Page] vpon a tyme in a mornynge wente oute fro the castell / the moūtenaunce of .x. miles / and passed ouer a brydge / and wyl­lyam waleys came with a stronge power / and droue theym abak / for the En­glysshmen had ayenst hym no power tho but fledde. and they that myght take the brydge scaped. but syr Hugh the kynges tresorer there was slayne / and many o­ther also / wherfore was made moche sorowe. ¶Tho had kynge Edward sped all his maters in Flaundres / & was co­me ayen into Englonde / & in hast toke his way into Scotlonde / & came thederat y ^• Ascencyon tyde. & all y ^• he foūde he sette a fyre & brent / But the poore peo­ple of Scotlonde came too hym wonder thyck & prayed hym for goddys loue / y ^• he wolde on them haue Mercy and pyte wherfore tho the kynge cōmaunded y ^• no man sholde do them harme y ^• were yol­den to hym / ne to no man of ordrene to no hous of relygyon / ne no manere chirche. But lete espye all y ^• he myght wher y ^• he myght fynde ony of his enmyes tho came a spye vnto y ^• kynge & tolde where y ^• the Scottes were assembled too abyde bataylle. And on saynt Mary Mawde­leyns daye / the kynge came to Fonkyrk and yaue bataylle to the Scottes and at that batayle were slayn .xxx. thousande Scottes / and of Englysshemen .xviii. & no mo. Of y ^• whiche was a worthy knyght slayn̄e y ^• was a knyght hospytylere y ^• was callyd Frery brian Iay. For whan wyllyam waleys fledde from y ^• batayll y ^• same Frery brian hym pursewed fiers ly / & as his hors ranne it stert in a myre of a marys vp to the bely. and wyllyam waleys torned tho agayne and there sle­we the forsayd brian. and that was moche harme. ¶And that whyle kynge Edwarde wente thorough Scotlonde / For to enquere yf he myght fynde ony of his enmyes. And in that londe he dwelled / as longe as hym lyked / And there was no enmye that durst hym abyde. ¶And soone after kynge Edwarde wente too Southampton for he wolde not abyde / in Scotlonde in wynter season / for ese­ment of his people. And whan he came to London / he lete amende many mysdedys y ^• were done ayenst his peas & law­es he beynge in Flaūdres.

¶Of the laste maryage of kynge Ed­warde / and how he wente the thyrde tyme into Scotlonde.

ANd after it was ordeyned thru­ghe the court of Rome / y ^• kynge Edwarde sholde wedde dame Marga­rete / y ^• was kynge Phylip syster of Fraū ce. And the archebysshop Robert of wȳ chelse spousyd them togyders / thrugh y ^• whiche maryage there was made peas / bytwene kynge Edwarde of Englonde & kynge Philyp of Fraūce. ¶Kyng Edwarde went tho y ^• thyrde tyme into scotlond & tho within y ^• fyrst yfre he had enfamyned y ^• londe / so that he left not one that he ne came to his mercye. sauf such as were in the castell of Estreuelyn that well were vytaylled & stored for .vii yere

¶How the castell of Estreuelyn was be seged and wonne.

BYnge Edwarde came to the cas­tell of Estreuelyn w ^t a huge power and besegyd the castell / but it lytyll auaylled. for he myght do y ^• Scottes no­ne harme / for y ^• castell was so stronge & well kept. & kynge Edwarde sawe y ^• & bethought hym vpon a queyntesy. & lett make anone two payr of hygh galowes before y ^• tour of y ^• castell. & made his o­the that as many as were within y ^• castell. Notwithstandynge were he Erle or Baron / and he were take with strength but yf he wolde the rather hym yelde / he sholde be hangyd vppon y ^• same galowes. And whan tho that were within the castell herde this. they came & yelde them [Page] all to the kynges grace and mercy / & the kynge foryaa [...] them all his male talent and there were all y ^• grete lordes of scotlonde swore to kynge Edwarde / y ^• they shold come to London to euery parlemēt and sholde stonde to his ordynaunce.

¶How Troylebastō was fyrst ordened

THe kynge Edwarde went thens to London / and wende to haue had reste and peas of his warre in whiche werre he was occupyed .xx. yere. that is to saye in Gascoyne in Walys and in Scotlonde / and thought how he myght recouer his tresour that he had spended abowte his werre / & lete enquere thrugh the reame of all the tyme that he hadde be out of his reame y ^• men called Troillebaston and ordeyned therto Iustices / and in this manere he recouered tresour without nombre: And his purpose was for to haue goon into the holy londe / to haue werred vppon goddes enmyes / by cause he was crossyd longe tyme before And netheles the law y ^• he had ordeyned dyd moche good thrugh out all Englonde. to them y ^• were myshode. For thoo y ^• trespassed were well chastysed. and after more meke & better / & the poore comyns were in reste and peas. And the same tyme kynge Edwarde prysoned his owne sone Edwarde / by cause that walter of Lanton bysshop of Chestre / y ^• was y ^• kȳ ges tresorer had complayned on hym & sayd y ^• forsayd Edwarde thrugh coūsell & entysynge of one Ganaston a squyre of Gascoyne had broke y ^• parkꝭ of the forsayd bysshop. & this Pers coūselyd & lad y ^• same Edwarde & for y ^• cause y ^• kȳ ge exyled his sone out of Englonde.

¶Of the dethe of wyllyam waleys the fals traytoure.

ANd whan this kynge Edward hadde his enemyes ouercome in Walys / Gascoyne and Scotlonde and dystroyed his traytours / all but only that rybaude wyllyam waleys / that neuer to the kynge wolde hym yelde / and att the towne of saynt Domynyk. in the yere of kynge Edward regne .xxxiii. y ^• fals traytour was take & presentyd to the kynge But the kynge wolde not see hym / but sent hym to London to receyue his Iugement: and vpon saynt Barthylme [...]s eue was he hangyd and drawe / & his hedesmyte of & his bowelles take oute of his body and brent / & his body quarteres and sent vnto foure of the best townes of Scotlonde / & his heed put vpon a spere. and sette vpon London brydge. [...] ensample that the Scottes sholde haue in mynde for to do a mysse ayenst ther lyege lorde eftsones.

¶How the Scottes came to kynge Edwarde for too amende theyr [...] they had done ayenst hym.

ANd at Mygkelmas tho next co­mynge kynge Edwarde helde his parlemēt at westmester & thy [...] came y ^• scottes / y ^• is to saye y ^• bysshop of saynt andrewes: Robert y ^• Brus erle of caryk. Symonde Frysell / Iohn̄ y ^• erle of Athell & they were accorded w ^t y ^• kynge & boūde & by othe swore / y ^• they afterwar­de yf ony of them mysbare them ayenst kynge Edwarde y ^• they sholde he dysheryted for euermore. And whan theyr peas was thus made they toke theyr leue pryuely / & went horne into Scotlonde /

¶Howe Robert Brus chalenged Scotlonde.

SO after this Roberte the Brus Erle of Caryk sente by hys let­ters to the Erles and barons of Scot­londe that they sholde come too hym to Scone in the morowe after the Concepcion of our lady for grete [...]edis of y ^• lōde [Page] And the lordes came at the day assygned And the same day syr Robert the Brus sayd Fayre lordes full well ye knowe / y ^ts in my persone dwellyd the ryght of the reame of Scotlonde / & as ye wote well I am ryghtfull heyre. syth y ^• syr Iohn̄ baylol that was oure kynge vs hath forsake / & lefte his londe. and though it so be that kynge Edwarde of Englonde w ^t wronfull power hath made me too hym assent ayenst my wyll / yf y ^t ye wyl graū te y ^• I may be kynge of Scotlōde I shal kepe you ayenst kynge Edwarde of en­londe / & ayenste all manere men / & w ^e that worde y ^• abbot of Scon / arose vp / & before them all sayde / y ^• it was reason for to helpe hȳ & y ^e londe to kepe & defende. And tho sayd in presence of them al y ^• he wolde geue hym a thousand poūde for to mayntene y ^e londe. & all the othere graūted y ^• londe to hym / & w ^t ther power hym for to helpe / & defyed kynge Edwarde of Englonde. & sayd that Robert Brus / sholde be kynge of Englonde.

¶How syr Iohn̄ of Comyn ayenst sayd the crownynge of syr Robert Brus.

LOrdynges sayd syr Iohn̄ of co­myn. thynke on y ^• truth & othe ye made to kynge Edwarde of Englonde & touchynge myselfe I wyll nott breke myn othe for no man / & so he wente frō y ^• company at y ^e tyme. wherfore Roberte y ^• Brus & all tho y ^• to hym consented were wrothe / & menaced syr Iohn̄ of comȳ Tho ordened they another counsell att Dumfris too whiche came y ^• forsayd syr Iohn̄ of Comyn / for he dwelled but two myle fro Dumfris. ther he was wont to soiourne and abyde.

¶How syr Iohn̄ was traytonrsly slayn

SO whan Robert the Brus wyst that all the greate lordes were come of Scotlonde to Scone / saufe Syr Iohn̄ Comyn y ^• soiourned thonygh scon he sent specyally after the sayd syr Iohn̄ to come and speke with hym / And vpō that he came & spake w ^t hym at y ^• gray freres in Dumfris & that was y ^e thurs­day after Candelmasse day. & syr Iohn̄ graunted to go with hym. And whanne he had herde masse / he toke a soppe and dranke & afterwarde he bestrode his palfroy & rode to Dumfris / whan Robert the Brus fawe hym come at a wyndow as he was in his chambre made Ioy inough / & came ayenst hym / & collyd hym aboute the necke / & made with hym gode semblaūt. And whan all the erles & barons of Scotlonde were there present Robert the Brus sayd syrs ye wote wel the cause of this comynge & wherfore it is. yf ye wyll graunt y ^• I be kynge of scotlonde as ryght heyre of the londe. And all the lordes that were there sayd with on voys. that he sholde be crowned kȳg of Scotlond. & y ^• they wolde hym helpe & mayntene ayenst all maner men on liue / & for hym yf it were nede to deye / y ^• gentyll knyght tho Iohn̄ of Comyn answerd Certes neuer for me. ne for to haue of me asmoche helpe as the value of a boton. For that othe that I haue ma­de vnto kynge Edwarde of Englonde I shall holde while my lyfe woll laste. And with that worde he went from y ^• cō pany & wolde alyght vpon his palfroy. & Robert Brus pursewed hym with a drawen swerde / & bare hym thrugh y ^• body & syr Iohn̄ Comyn fell downe vnto y ^e erthe. But whan Roger y ^• was syr Iohn̄ Comyns broder saw y ^• falinesse. he stert to syr Robert the Brus & smote hym with a knyfe. but the fals traytour was armyd vnder. so that y ^• stroke my­ght do hym no harme. and somoche helpe came about syr Robert y ^• Brꝰ so y ^t to bert Comyn was ther slaȳ & all to heren in to peces. & Robert y ^• Brus torned ayen there that syr Iohan Comyn the noble baron lay wounded. and pyued towarde [Page] his dethe / besyde the hygh awter in the chyrche of the gray freres / and sayd vnto syr Iohn̄ Comyn O traytoure thou shalt be dede / and neuer after lette myn auauncement / and shoke his swerde at the hygh awter. and smote hym on his heed / that the brayne felle downe vppon the grounde / and the blood sterte on hygh vpon the walles / and yet vnto this daye is that blood seen there / that no water may wasshe it awaye. And so deyed that noble knyght in holy chirche.

ANd whan this traytour Robert the Brus sawe. y ^t no man wolde lette his coronacyon / he cōmaunded all them y ^t were of power sholde come vnto his crownynge to saynt Iohans towne in Scotlonde. And so it befell vpon our lady daye the Annūctacōn. the bysshopp of Glaston & the bysshop of saynt An­drewes crowned for ther kynge this Robert y ^• Brus in saynt Iohans towne / & made hym kynge. And anone after he droue all thenglysshmen out of Scotlonde. And they fled. & came & compleyned them vnto kynge Edwarde / how y ^• Robert the Brus had dryue them out of y ^• londe / and dysheryted theym.

¶Howe that kynge Edwarde dubbyd at westmestre .xxiiij. score knyghtes.

ANd whan kynge Edwarde herde of this myscheyf / he swore y ^• he sholde be auenged therof / and sayde / That all the traytours of Scotlonde sholde be hangyd and drawen / and that they sholde neuer be raunsonned. ¶And kynge Edward thought vpon / this falsnesse that the Scottes hadde to hym done. And sente after alle the bachelers of Englonde / that theye sholde come vnto London at wytsontyde / & he dubbyd at westmestre .xxiiij. score knyghtes ¶Thō ordened y ^• noble kynge Edwarde for to go into scotlōde / to werre vpon Robert y ^• Brus / And sent before hym into Scot­londe syr Aymer the valaūce erle of Penbroge. & syr Henry Percy baron with a fayre company / y ^• pursewed the Scottes & brente townes & castels. and afterwarde came the kynge hymself with erles / and barons a fayre company.

¶How Robert Brus was dyscōfyted / in bataylle / & howe Symonde Fryselle was slayne.

THe Fryday next before the Ass [...]s̄ cyon of our lady kynge Edwar de mette Robert Brus besyde saynt Iohans towne in Scotlonde & with his cō pany / of the whiche company kyng Edwarde slewe .vij. thousande / whan Ro­bert Brus sawe this myscheyf he begā to flee / & hydde hym y ^t no man myghte hym fynde / But syr Symonde Frysell pursewed hym sore / so y ^• he torned aren & aboode bataylle / for he was a worthy knyghte and a bolde of body. And then glysshmen pursewed euer sore in euerye syde & slewe the stede that syr Symonde rode vpon / & they toke hym / & lad hym vnto the hoste. And syr Symonde begā for to flatre & speke fayre / and sayd lordes I shall yeue you four thousand marke of syluer / myn hors / harneys and all myn armoure / & become a begger. Tho answerd Theobaude of Peuenes y ^• was the kynges archere. Now so god me hel­pe it is for noughte y ^• thou spekeste. For all the golde in Englonde I wolde not lete y ^• go w ^t oute cōmaūdement of kyng Edwarde / & tho was he had vnto kynge Edward & the kynge wolde not se hym but cōmaūded to lede hym away / to haue his dome atte London. & on our ladies eue Natiuite he was hanged & drawe & his heed smyte of. & hangyd ayen with chey [...]es of yren vpon the galowes. And his heede was set vpon London brydge vpon a sperr [...] & ayenst Crystemasse the bodye was brente bycause that the men / [Page] that kepte y ^• body by nyght they saw so many deuyls rampynge with grete yrē hokes / rennȳge vpon y ^• galowes & horrible tormēted y ^• body. & many y ^• thē sawe anone after they deyed for drede / & some wexed mad / or sore syknes they had. and in that batayll was take the bysshop of Baston & the bysshop of saynt Andrewes / and the abbot of Sconne all armyd with yren as men of armes. as fals traytours and fals prelates ayenste theyr o­the. And they were brought to the kyng and the kynge sente them vnto the pope of Rome. that he sholde do with theym what his wyll were.

¶How Iohn̄ therle of Alethes was ta­ken and put to dethe.

ANd at that bataylle fled syr Iohan erle of Alethes / & wente to a chyrche / and there hydde hym for drede / but he myght haue there noo refute for cause that the chirche was enterdy­ted thrugh a generall sentence / and in y ^• same chirche he was taken. And this sir Iohn̄ went well too haue scaped fro the dethe / for cause that he claymed kynred of kynge Edwarde. And the kynge wolde no lēger be bytrayed of his traytours but sent hym to london in haste. & there was hangyd and his heed smyt of / and his body brent all to asshes. But at the prayer of the quene Margarete / for cause that he claymed of kynge Edwarde kynrede / his drawynge was foryeue hȳ.

¶How Iohn̄ that was wyllyam wale­ys brother was put to dethe.

AS the gretteste maysters of scotlonde were thus doon to euyll dethe / and destroyed for theyr falsnesse. Iohan. that was wyllyam waleys brother was take and doon vnto deth. as syr Iohan erle of Alehes was.

¶How Robert the Brus fled from scotlonde to Northway.

ANd at that same tyme was Robert y ^• Brus moche hated amonge the people of Scotlonde / soo that he wyste not what he was beste to do and for to hyde hym he went to Norway to the kynge that had spousyd his syster. & there helde hym socour for to haue. and Robert the Brus myght not be founde in Scotlonde. So kynge Edwarde tho lete crye his peas thrugh out all the lon­de / and his lawes were vsyd / & his my­nystrys serued thrugh out all the londe.

¶Howe kynge Edwarde deyed.

SO as kynge Edwarde had aba­tyd his enemyes turned southwarde. and sykned at Burgh vpon sande in the marche of scotlonde. and callyd too hym Henry Lacy erle of Nichol. syrguy erle of warwyk. syr Aylmer erle of Penbroke / and syr Robert of Clyfforde ba­ron and prayed theym vpon the fayth y ^• they hym ought / that they sholde make Edwarde of Carnaruan kynge of Englonde assone as they myghte. And that they sholde not suffre Peers of Ganaston come agayne into Englonde / for to make his sone to ryot / and they graun­ted hym with good wyll. And the kynge toke his sacrament of holy chirche as a good Crysten man sholde. and deyed in repentaunce / and whan he had ben kynge .xxxv. yere he deyed: and was buryed at westmestre with moche solempnyte / Vpon whose soule god haue mercy.

¶Of Merlyns prophecyes that were declared of kynge Edwarde. y ^t was kyng Henryes sone.

OF this kynge Edwarde prophecyed Merlyn / and called hym a dragon the seconde of y ^• .vi. kynges y ^• sholde [Page] regne in Englonde and sayde / that he sholde be medled with mercy / and also with strenth and sternesse. that sholde kepe Englonde from colde and hete. And that he sholde opene his mouthe toward walys and that he sholde sette his foote in wyk & that he sholde close with wal­wes / that sholde do moche harme to his sede. And he sayd sothe. for the good kȳ ge Edwarde was medled with mercye and with fyersnesse / with mercy ayenste his enmyes of walys / & after of Scotlō ­de w [...]th fyernesse / whan he put them to dethe for ther falsnesse / & traytoursly as they had deserued. And well keped he englonde from colde & heet / syth he kept it from all maner of enmyes that ran vppon hym to do hym ony wronge. ¶And well he opened his mouth towarde wa­lys / & made it quake thrughe hydour of his mouthe / whan he conqueryd it thrughe dynt of swerd. For the prynce Lewelyn & Dauyd his brother. Ris and Morgan. were put to deth thrugh theyr fals­nesse and theyr foly / And he sette his fote into wyk / & conquerd Berwyk at the whiche conquest were slayne .xxv. thou­sande & .vii hondred / out take suche as were brent in the redde halle. ¶And the walles y ^t he lete make shall be noyous / vnto his sede. as men shall here after in y ^• lyf of syr Edward of Carnaruan his sone And yet sayd merlyn y ^t he shold make ryuers ren in blood & w ^t brayne. & y ^• semyd well in his werres ther as he had y ^• maystry. And yet Merlyn sayd y ^• ther sholde come a people out of y ^• northwest durynge y ^• regne of y ^• forsayd dragon y ^• shold be lad by an yll greyhoūde / y ^t shold the dragon crowne kynge. y ^t afterward shold fle ouer y ^• se for drede of y ^e dragō without comynge ayen. & y ^• was proued by syr Iohn̄ Baylol y ^t kynge Edwarde made to be kynge of Scotlōde. y ^• falsly arose ayenst hym. & after he fled to his owne londꝭ of Fraūce / & neuer he came ayen in to Scotlonde for drede of kyng Edwarde: And yet sayd Merlyn: y ^• peo­ple that sholde lede the sayd greyhoūde sholde be faderles vnto a certayne tyme soth he sayd. For y ^e people of Scotlonde gretly were dysesyd after syr Iohn̄ bayllol was fled. And Merlyn sayd the sone sholde become in his tyme as redde as ony blood in tokenynge of grete morta lyte of people. And that was knowe wel whan y ^e Scottes were slayne. And syth sayd Merlyn / y ^• same dragon shold nourysshe a Fox. y ^t sholde meue grete w [...]re ayenste hym / y ^t sholde not in his tyme be ended / & that semed well by Robert the Brus. that kynge Edwarde nourysshed in his chambre that sythen stale away & meued grete werre ayenst hym whiche werre was nott ended in his tyme And yet sayd Merlyn y ^t the dragon shold dep in y ^e marche of an other londe / & that his londe sholde be longe withoute a goo [...] keper. And y ^• men sholde wepe for his de the from the yle of Shephey vnto y ^• yle of Mercyll / wherfore alas shall be theyr songeamonge the comyn people fader / les in the lond wastyd. And that prophecye was knowe ouer all full well. For y ^• good kynge Edwarde deyed at Burgh vp sandys / that is vpon the Marche of Scotlonde where the Englysshmen were dyscomforted and sorowed in Northū berlonde / For cause that kynge Edwardes sone set by the Scottes no force. for the ryot of Peers of Ganaston / wherfore alas was the songe thrughe oute all Englonde for defawte of theyr goode wardeyne / from y ^• yle of Shephey vnto the yle of Marcill the people mad mo / the sorowe for good kynge Edwardes / dethe. ¶For they wend that gode kyng Edwarde sholde haue gone into the holy londe / For y ^• was hooly his purpoos / ¶Vpon whoos soule god for his hygh & Ingynyte grace haue mercy.

¶Anno dm̄ .M.C.C.lxxxii.ij.

[Page] CElestnꝰ was pope after Nicho­las fyue monthes / and nothynge noble of hym is writen / but that he was a vertuous man. ¶Bonefaciꝰ y ^• eyghte was pope after hym .viii. yere. This bo nifacius was a man in those thynges y ^• whiche perteyneth to court / For he was very experte in suche materes / And by­cause he had no pere / he put noo mesure to his prudence. And toke so grete pryde vpon hym / y ^• he sayd / he was lord of al y ^• worlde. & many thynges he dyd with his myght & power. y ^• which fayled wret chydly in y ^• ende / He yaue an ensample to all prelatys y ^t they sholde not be hault ne proude. but vnder y ^• fourme of a very shepeherde of god. they sholde more study for to be louyd of ther subgectes: than dradde / This man is he / of whome it is sayd y ^• he entred as a fox. he lyued as a lyon / & deyed as a dogge. ¶This tyme the yere of grace was ordeyned from an hūdred yere to an hoūdred yere. And the fyrst Iubyle was in the yere of our lorde Ihū [...] a thousand thre hundred.

¶Benedictus the enleuenth was after Bonefacius enleuēth monthes. this mā was an holy man of the ordre of the fre re prechers / & lytyll whyle lyued / b [...]t dyssessyd anone.

ADulphus was Emperoure .vi. yeres / This man was y ^• erle of Anorone / And this Adulphus was not crowned by the pope / for he was slayne in batayll. & Albertus was Emperoure after hym .x. yere. This man was the Duke of Astrye and fyrst was repreued of the pope / and after was confermed bi the same pope / for the malyces of the kȳ ke of Fraunce / the whiche was an enmy vnto the chirche. And to that Alberte the same pope yaue the kyngdome of Fraū ce / as he dyd other kyngdoms. but it proffyted not / for at the laste he was slayne of his neuewe. ¶Clemens was pope after Benedictus almooste .ix. yere / and he was a grete buylder of castels and other thynges. And he dampnyd the ordre of Templaryes / & he ordeyned y ^e .vii. boke of y ^• Decretales / the whiche be callyd y ^• questyons of Clementyns. And anone after in a counseyll the whiche he helde at Vyenna he reuokyd the same boke y ^• whiche his successary Iohn̄ callyd ayen & in incorporyd it & publysshyd it. This Clement fyrste of all popes translatyd the popes sete fro Rome to Auinion / & whether it was doon by the mocion of god. or by the boldenes of man / dyuers men meruaylle. ¶Iohn̄ the .xxii. was pope after hym .viii. yere. This man was all glorious / as for those thynges y ^• were to be vsyd thrughe y ^• actyf lyfe. And he publyshid the Constitucions of y ^• clementynes / & sent them to all y ^• vnyersi tees. And many sayntes he canonysed & thyse fatte bysshopryches he deuydyd & he ordeyned many thynges ayenst y ^• pluralyte of benefyces / & many herytykes he dampned / but whether he was saued or not our lorde wolde not shewe to those he louyd very well. ¶Henry the .vii. was emperour after Albert .v. yere / this Henry was a noble man in werre. and he coueytyd too haue peas by londe and water. He was a glorious man in bata­yll. And neuer ouercome with enmyes / And atte the laste he was poysened of a frere whan that he houselyd hym by re­ceyuynge of the sacrament.

¶Of kynge Edwarde that was kynge Edwardes sone.

ANd after this kynge Edwarde regned Edwarde his sone / that was borne at Carnariuan / and this Edwarde wente hym into Fraunce and there he spousyd Isabell the kynges doughter of Fraunce. the .xxv. daye of Ianuari atte the chirche of oure Lady atte Bo­loyne in y ^• yere of oure lorde Ihū Cryste M.CCC.vii. And the .xx. daye of Feuerer [Page] the next y [...]ere that came after / he was crownyd solemply at westmestre of the Archebysshop of Caunterbury. And the re was so grete presse of people. that syr Iohn̄ Bakwell was slayne & murdred And anone as the good kynge Edwarde was deed. syr Edwarde his sone kȳge of Englonde. sent after pers Ganaston into Gascoyne / and somoche louyd hym / y ^t he callyd hym brother. And anone after he yaue vnto hym y ^• lordshyp of walyngforde. & it was not longe after y ^• be ne yaue hym therldom of Cornewa­yll ayenst all y ^e lordes wyll of Englon­de. ¶And tho brought syr walter of lā ­geton bysshop of Chestre into pryson & duraūce. in y ^e toure of London. with two knaues alonely hym to serue. For y ^• kynge was wrothe with hym / for bycause y ^t syr water made complaynt on hym too his fader / wherfore he was put in pryiō in y ^e tyme of Troylebaston & y ^• forsayd Pers of Ganaston made so grete mays tryes. y ^• he went into y ^• kynges tresory in y ^• abbay of westmestre / & toke y ^• table of golde w ^t y ^• trestyls of y ^• same / & many other ryche Iewels / y ^• sōtyme were y ^• no­& gode kynge Arthurs / & toke them too a marchaūt y ^• was callyd ameri of Fris cōhande / for he sholde bere them ouer y ^• set into Gascoyne. and so he went thēs and they came neuer ayen after. wherfore it was a grete losse to this londe. And whan this Peers was so rychely auaun syd / he became so proude and so stowte. wherfore all the greate lordes of the [...]ea me haddthym in dyspyte for his grete berynge / wherfore syr Henry Lacy erle of Nicholl. & syr Guy erle of warwyk the whiche grete lordes / the good kynge Edwarde syr Edwardes fader kyng of Englonde / chargyd that Peers of Ga­naston sholde not come into Englonde for to brynge his sone Edwarde intory of. And all the lordes of Englonde assē ­ble [...] he in a certayn day at the free [...]pre chers at London / And there they spake / of the dyshonour that kynge Edwarde. dyd to his reame and to his crowne and so they assentyd all / bothe erles and ba­rons / and all the comyne that the forsa yd Peers of Ganaston sholde be exyled oute of Englonde for euer more / and so it was doon / For he forswore Englond and went into Irlonde / and there the kȳ ge made hym cheyfteyne / and gouernoure of the londe by his commyscion. And there this Peers was cheyfteyne of alle the londe / And dyd there all that hym likyd / and had power what he wolde and that tyme were the templers erylyd thru all cristiantee. for bycause that men put vpon theym / that they shold do thynges ayenst the fayth and good byleue. Kyng Edwarde louyd Peers of Ganaston so moche / that he myght not forbere his cō pany. And somoche the kynge yaue and behyghte too the people of Englonde y ^• the exylynge of the forsayd Peers sholde be reuokyd at Stamforde / thrugh them that hym had exyled / wherfore Peers of Ganaston came ayen into Englonde / And whan he was come ayen into his lō de he dyspysed the grettest lordes of this londe / And callyd syr Robert Clare Et le of Glouce [...]re horesone. And the Erle of Nicholl syr Henry Lacy brustenbely / and syr Guy Erle of Warwyk the blacke hounde of Arderne: And also he cal­lyd the noble Erle Thomas of Lancastre churle. and many other scornes and shamys them sayd / and many other grete lordes of Englonde wherfore they were towarde hym full angry and wrothe and ryghtsore anoyed. And in the same tyme deyed the Erle of Nychall. But he chargyd or that he was deed / Thomas of Lancastre Erle that was his sone in law that he sholde mayntene his quarel ayenste this same Peers of Ganaston / vpon his blessynge. ¶And soo it befell thoroughe helpe of the erle Thomas of Lancastre and also of the Erle of Warwyk y ^• the forsayd syr Peers was herdes [Page] at gauersich beside warwyk in y ^• xix. day of Iune. in the were of grace .M.CCC. and .xii. wherfore the kynge was sore a­noyed / and prayed god that he myght se that day to be auenged / vpon the deth of of the forsayd Peers / ¶And so it befell afterwarde as ye shall here Alas the tyme. for the forsayd erle of Lancastre / & many other grete barons were putte to pyteuous deth. and martred for cause of y ^e forsayd quarell. The kynge was tho at London. & helde a parlement & ordeyned y ^• lawes of Symonde Moūforde / wherfore y ^• erle of Lancastre / & the erles & all clergye of Englonde. made an oth thrugh coūseyle of Robert of wynchelse for to mayntene y ^• ordynaūces for euer /

¶How Roberte Brus came ayen intoo Scotlonde & gadryd a grete power of / men for werre vpon kynge Edwarde.

ANd whan syr Robert the Brus that made hym kynge of Scotlonde / that before was fledde into Nor­way for drede of dethe of the good kyn­ge Edwarde. And also he herde of y ^• debate that tho was in Englonde bytwe­ne the kynge and his lordys. he ordeyned an hoste and came into Englonde in to Northumberlonde / and cleue dystroyed the countre. ¶And whan kynge Edwarde herde this tydynges he lete assemble his hoste & met y ^• Scottes at Edstreue­lyn in y ^• day of y ^• Natiuite of saynt Iohn̄ Baptist in y ^• thirde yere of his regne / & in y ^• yere of our lorde .M.CCC. & .xiiij. Alas y ^• sorowe & losse y ^t there was doon For there was slayne y ^• noble erle Gyl­bert of clare syr Robert Clyfforde barō & the kynge Edwarde was scomfytyd & Edmond of maule y ^• kyngꝭ Steward for drede went & drowned hymself in a fresshe ryuer y ^• is callyd Bānokysborne wherfore they sayd in represys of kynge Edwarde for asmoche as he louyd to go by water / & also for he was dyscomfyted at Bānokysborne / therfore the maydēs made a songe therof in y ^• coūtree of kȳ ge Edwarde. & in this manere they sōge Maydens of Englond sore may ye morne / for tyzt haue lost your lēmans at bā nokysborne / w ^t heuelogh. what wenyth y ^• kynge of Englond to haue gote Scot londe / with rombylogh)

AS kynge Edwarde was dyscoz fyted / wonder sore & fast he fled with his folke y ^• were left alyue & went vnto Berwyk / & there helde hym. & af­ter he toke hostages two chyldren of the rychesse of y ^• towne. And y ^• kynge went to London. & toke coūseyll of thynges y ^• were nedefull to y ^• reame of Englonde. ¶And in the same tyme it befell / y ^• tho was in Englonde a rybande. y ^• was cal­lyd Iohn̄ Tanner. And he yede & sayd y ^• he was y ^• good kynge Edwardes sone & lete hym call Edward of Carnartuā And therfore he was take at Oxforde / And there he chalenged frere Carmes / chirche y ^• kynge Edwarde had yeue thē whiche was y ^• kynges halle. And after­warde was this Iohn̄ lad to Northamp ton / & drawen & hangyd for his falsnesse & or y ^• he was deed he cōfessyd & sayd before all tho y ^t were there. y ^• y ^• deuyll behyght hym y ^t he sholde be kynge of Englō de & y ^t he had serued y ^• deuyll thre yere.

¶How y ^• towne of Berewyk was take thrugh treason / & how two Cardynales were robbyd in Englonde.

ANd on myddyll lent sondaye. in the yere of our lorde .M.ccc.xvi. Berwyk was loste thrugh false treson of one Pers of Spaldynge. y ^• whiche Pe ers y ^• kynge had put there. for to kepe y ^• same towne w ^t many burgeyses of y ^• same towne / wherfor y ^• childrē y ^• were put in hostage thrugh y ^• burgeyses of Bere­wyk folowed y ^• kyngꝭ marchalse mani dayes fettred in strōge yrens. And after [Page] that tyme came two Cardynalles int [...] Englonde / as the pope had theym sente for to make peas bytwene Englonde & Scotlonde. And as they wente towarde Durhā / for to haue sacred mayster Low ys of Beamont bysshoppe of Durham they were take & robbyd vpon the moore of wynglesdom / Of whiche robbery syr Gylbert of mytton was atteynt & take and hangyd & drawen at London & his heed smytte of. & put vpon a spere / & set vpon newe gate / & the foure quarters sē te / to foure cytes of Englonde. & y ^• same tyme befell many myscheues in Englō de / for the pore people deyed in Englonde for hungre / and somoche and so faste deyed / that vnethe men myght bury thē For a quarter of whese was at .xl. shelynges. and two yeres and an halfe a quar­ter of whete was worth .x. mark. and ofttyme the poore people stole chyldren and ete them / and ete also the houndes that they myght take: and also hors & cattes And after there fell a greate murreyne a monge bestes in dyuers coūtres of En­glonde. durynge kynge Edwarde lyues tyme.

¶How the Scottes robbyd Northum­berlonde.

ANd in the same tyme came the Scottes ayen into Englonde & dystroyed Northumberlonde / and brent that londe / and robbyd it / and slew men wymmen and chyldren that laye in ther cradyls / and brent also holy chirche / and dystroyed cristendome / and toke and bare Engl [...] mēnys godes / as they had ben sara [...] [...] / or paynems. And of y ^• wickydne [...] [...] they dydde / all the worlde spake [...].

¶How the Scottes wolde not amende theyr trespasse. and therfore Scotlonde was enterdyted.

SO pope Iohn̄ y ^• .xxii. after saynt Petyr herde of the grete sorowe and myscheyf that y ^• Scottes wrought he was wonder sorye / that crystendome was so dystroyed thrugh the Scottes / & namely they dystroyed so holy chirches wherfore the pope sente a generall sen­tence vnder his bulles of leed vnto y ^• archebysshop of Caūterbury. & to tharche [...] bysshopp of Yorke y ^• yf Robert y ^• Brus of Scotlonde wolde not be Iustifyed & make amēdes vnto y ^• kynge of Englō ­de Edwarde theyr lorde / & make amen­des of his losse / & of his harmes y ^• they / had doon in Englonde. & also to restore y ^• goodes y ^• they had taken of holy ch [...] che / y ^• the sentence sholde be pronouncyd through out all Englonde. And whan y ^• Scottes herde this / they wolde not leue theyr malyce / for y ^• popys cōmaūdemēt wherfore Robert y ^• Beus. Iamys Douglas & Thomas Radulf erle of Moref & all tho y ^• with them comyned or them helpe in worde ordede / were accursyd in euery chirche thrugh oute all Englon­de euery day at masse thre tymes. & noo masse shold be sōge in holy chirche thru­ghe out all Scotlonde but yf the Scot­tes wold make restitueyō of the harmes that they hadd made vnto holy chirche wherfore many agoode preste and holy men therfore were slayne thrugh the reame of Scotlōde / bycause they wolde not synge masse ayenst the po [...]ys commaū ­dement and ayenste his wyll / & to do & fulfyll the tyrauntes wyll.

¶How syre Hughe Spensers sone was made the kynges chamberlayne. and of the batayle of Mitone.

ANd it was not longe afterwar­de / that the kynge ne ordeyned a parlement at Borke / And there was syre / Spensers sone made Chambrelay­ne. And the meane tyme while the wer­re lasted / the kyng went ayen into Scotlonde [Page] that it was wonder for to wytte & besegyd y ^e towne of Berwyk / but y ^• scottes wente ouer y ^• water at Sole wath. y ^• was thre myle from y ^• kynges hoste and pryuely they stele away by nyght / & ca­me into Englōde / & robbyd & dystroyed all y ^• they myghte / & spared no manere thynge tyll y ^• they came vnto Yorke / & whan y ^• Englysshmen that were left at home / herde thyse tydynges / all tho that myght traueyll / as well monkꝭ / preestes freres / chanons / & seculers came & mett with the Scottes at Myton vp swale y ^• xii. day of Octobre. Alas for sorowe / for the Englysshe husbonde men y ^t coude nothynge of the werre y ^• there were kyllyd & drowned in an arme of y ^• see. And y ^• cheyfteynes syr wyllyam of Melton Archebysshop of Yorbe & the abbot of sel­by with ther stedes fledde / & came to yorke / and that was their owne foly / y ^t they had that myschaunce. For they passed y ^• water of Swale. & the Scottes sette a fire the stackes of hey / & the smoke therof was so huge / y ^• the Englysshmen myght not se the Scottes / And whann the En­glysshmen were goon ouer y ^• water tho came the Scottes with theyr wynge in maner of a shelde / and came towarde y ^• Englysshmen in araye. And the Englisshemen fled. for vneth they had ony mē of armys. For y ^• kynge had them almoost lost at the syege of Berwyk / and the Scottes hobylers wente bytwene y ^• bridge and thenglyssmen / And whan y ^• grete host them mette / the Englysshe men fled bytwene the hobilers and the grete host. And the Englysshmen almoost were there slayne / and he that myght go ouer the water were saued / but many were drowned. Alas for there were slayne / many men of relygyon / seculers preestes and clerkes / with moche sorowe tharche bysshop escaped. and therfore the Scot­tes callyd that batayll the white batayl

¶How kynge Edwarde dyd all manere thynge y ^t syr Hughe Spenser wolde.

NOwe as kynge Edwarde herde this tydynges he remeued his sege trom Berwyk & came agayn into englonde. But syr Hugh Spenser y ^• was the kynges Chamberlayne. kepte so the kynges chamber. y ^• no man myzte speke with y ^• kynge. But he had made w ^t hȳ a fret for to do all his nedet & y ^t ouer me sure. And this Hugh bare hym so stewte y ^t all men had of hym scorne & dyspyte. & the kynge hymselfe wolde not be gouerned / ne rulyd by no manere of man but oonly by his fader & by hym. And if on [...] knyghte of Englonde had wodes ma­neyrs or londes y ^• they wolde coueyte ano ne y ^• kynge must yeue it them. or elles y ^• man y ^• ought it. sholde be falsly endyted of forfeyt or felony / And thrughe suche doynge they dysheryted many a bache­lere / and somoche londe he gate that it was grete wonder / And whā the lordes of Englonde sawe the greate couetyse & falsnesse of syr Hugh Spenser the fader and of syr Hugh the sone / they came to the gentyll Erle of Lancastre / and axyd hym of counseyll of the dysese. that was in the reame / though syr Hugh Spenser & his sone. & in hast by one assente they made a pryne assemble. at Shirburne in Elmede & they made there an othe / for to brebe & dystrouble y ^• daynge bytwene the kynge & syr Hugh Spenser & his sone vpon theyr power. And they wente in to the marche of walys. & dystroyed the londe of the forsayd syr Hughes.

¶Howe syr Hugh Spenser and his fader were exyled out of Englonde.

SO whan kynge Edwarde sawe the grete harme & distruction y ^• y ^• barons of Englond dyd vnto syr Hugh Spensers londe. & too his sone in euery place y ^t they came vpon y ^• kyng tho thrugh his counseyll exyled syre Monbraye. [Page] syr Roger Clyfforde / and syr Gosselyn Dauyll. & many other lordes y ^• were to theym consente / wherfore y ^• barons dyd tho more harme than they dyde before & whan y ^• kynge saw y ^• the barons wolde not sesse of theyr cruelte / y ^• kynge was so re adradde lest they wolde dystroye hym & his reame for his mayntenaūce / but if he assented to them. And so he sente for them by his letters y ^• they shold come to London to his parlement at a certayne daye as in his letters were conteyned / & they came with thre bataylles / well ar­myd at all poyntes. & euery batayll had cotarmours of grene clothe. & therof the ryghte quarter was yelowe. with whyte bendes / wherfore y ^• parlement was cal­lyd y ^• parlemente of the whyte bende. & in y ^• company was syre Humfrey de bo houne erle of Herford & syr Roger Cliftorde. syr Iohn̄ Monbray. syr Gosselyn Dauyll. syr Roger Mortmer vn [...]e of syr Roger Mortemer of wygmore. syre Henry of Trays syr Iohn̄ Gyffarde & syr Barthilmew of Badelest emore that was y ^• kynges steward. y ^• the kynge had sente to Shirborne in Elmede to y ^• erle of Lancastre / & to all y ^• with hym were for to trete of accorde / y ^• hym alyed to y ^• barons / & came with y ^• company & syre Roger Dammory & syr Hugh Dandale y ^• had spousyd the kynges neres lyster. & syr Gylbert of clare erle of Gloucetre y ^• was slayne in Scotlonde / as before is sayd: And tho two lordes hadde tho two partyes of y ^• erldom of Gloucetre. & syr Hugh Spenser had y ^• thyrde party in his wyues halfe / the tyyrde syster and thoo two lordes wente to the barons with al theyr power ayenst syr Hugh theyr bro­there in lawe. And soo there came with them syr Robert Clyfforde syr Iohn̄ mō bray. syr Goselyn Da [...]yll. syre Rogere Mortymer of werk. syr Rogere Morty­mer of wykmore his neuewe. syr Henry Trals syr Iohn̄ Gyffarde. syr Barthil mewe of Bardesmore. with all theyr cō pany. and many other / that to them were consente. all y ^• grete lordes came vnto westmestre to y ^• kynges parlement. And so they spake & dyde. y ^• bothe syr Hughe Spenser y ^• fader & also y ^• sone / were out lawed of Englonde for euermore. And so syr Hugh y ^• fader went vnto Douere & made moche sorowe / & fell downe vppon the grounde by y ^• see banke. a crosse with his armes / and sore w [...]pynge sayd Now fayr Englonde & good Englond to almyghty god I the betake. And ther [...] es kyssed y ^• ground & venyd neuer to ha­ue come ayen. & wepynge cursyd y ^• tyme y ^• euer he begate syr Hugh his sone. and sayd for hym he had lost all Englonde And tho in presence of them all [...] were abowte hym yaue hym his curse / & went ouer see to his londes. But Hugh y ^• sone wolde not go out of Englonde but hel de hym in y ^• [...]ee. & he & his company robbyd two drome dores besyde Sand [...] & toke & bare away all y ^• godes y ^• was in them to the value of .lx.M.li.

¶How y ^• kynge exyled erle Thomas of Lancastre & all y ^• helde with hym & how the Mortimer came & yelded hym to the kynge / and of all the lordes.

IT was not longe after y ^• the kȳ ge ne made syr Hugh Spenser the fader / & syr Hugh y ^• sone come [...]yen in to Englonde ayenst y ^• lordes wy [...]l of the reame. And sone after the kynge with a stronge power came and beseged the cas­tell of Ledis. and in the castell was y ^• lady of Bladelesmore / for cause y ^e she wolde notte graunte that castell to the que­ne Isabell kynge Edwardes wyfe but the pryncypall cause was / for syrr Berthylme we was ayenste y ^• kynge / and helde with y ^• lordes of Englond. & neuertheles the kynge by helpe & s [...]coure of men of London / and also of helpe of southeren men gate the castell maugre of thez [Page] all that were within / and toke with thē all that they myght fynde. And whan y ^• barons of Englonde herde thyse tydyn­ges / syr Roger Mortimer & many other lordes toke the towne of Burggeworth with strenth. wherfore y ^• kynge was wō der wrothe / and lete outlawe Thomas of Lancastre / & Vmfroy de Bohoun [...]erle of Herford & all tho y ^t were assentȳge to y ^e same quarell. And y ^• kynge assem­bled an huge hoste / & came ayenst y ^e lor­des of Englonde / wherfor y ^• Mortmers put them in the kynges grace. And anone they were sente to y ^• toure of London & there kept in pryson. And whan y ^• ba­rons herde this thyng / they came to poūtfret there y ^t the erle Thomas soiourned & tolde hym how y ^• Mortimers both had yelde them to y ^• kynge. & put them in his grace.

¶Of the syege of Tykhyll.

SO whan Thomas erle of Lancastre herde this / he was wonder wrothe & all that were of ther company & greatly they were dyscomfyted / and ordeyned ther power togyder. & besyegyd y ^t castell of Tykhyll / but tho y ^t were within manly defended them / y ^t the barons myghte not gete the castell. & whan the kynge herd y ^t his castell was besegyd he swore by god & by his names. y ^t the sege shold be remeued. & assembled an huge power of people / & went thederward to rescowe the castell. & his power encresyd fro day to day. whan the erle of Lancastre & the Erle of Herforde & the barons of ther cōpany herd of this thynge they assēbled all theyr power & went thē too Burtō vpon trent & kepte the brydge y ^t the kynge sholde not passe ouer. but it befell so on the tenthe daye of Marche in the yere of grace .M.CCC.xxi. the kȳg and the Spen [...]er [...]. syr Aymer Valaunce erle of Penbroke / & Iohn̄ erle of Arun / dell & theyr power / went ouer the water and dyscomfyted therle Thomas and his company. And they fled to the castel of Tetbury / & from thens they went to Pountfret. and in that vyage deyed sire Roger Daumore in thabbay of Tetbury. And in y ^• same tyme the erle thomas had a traytour w ^t hym that was callyd Robert Holonde a knyght. y ^t the erle had brought vp of nought / & had nourysshed hym in his butrye. & had yeue hȳ athousand marke of londe by yere. And somoche the erle louyd hym that he myghte do in the erles courte all that hym lyked bothe amonge them hyghe and lowe / & so craftly the theyf bare hym ayenst his lorde / y ^t he trustyd more vpon hym than ony man on lyue. and the erle had ordeyned by his letters for to go into the erledome of Lancastre / to make men aryse to helpe hym in that vyage / That is to saye .v. hundred men of arm ys. But the fals traytour came not there: noo manere men for to warne ne for to make aryse to helpe his lorde. And whan that the fals traytour herde tell y ^t hys lorde was dyscomfyted at Burton vppon Trent. as a fals traytour theyf. stele away / and robbyd in Rauensdele his lordes men y ^• came fro the scōfyture. And toke of thezhors and harneys / and all that they had and slewe of them all that they myght take / and came and yeldyd hym to the kynge. ¶whan the good erle Thomas wyst that he was so bytrayed. he was so abasshed / & sayd to hymself / O almyghty god how myght robert Holonde fȳde in his hert me to betray / syth y ^• I louyd hym so moche O god well maye now a man se by hym y ^t no man may dysceyue a nother / rather thā he y ^t he trustyth moost vpō. he hath full euyll yeldyd me mi goodnes & the worshyp y ^• I haue to hym done. & thrugh my kyndnesse haue hym auauncyd and made hym hyghe where that he was low. And he makyth me go [Page] from hyghe vnto lowe / but yett shall he deye an euyll dethe.

¶Of the scomfyture of Brurbrygge.

THe good erle Thomas of Lan­castre. Hūfroy de Bohoune erle of Herford / & the barons y ^t with theym were toke coūsell bytwene thē at y ^• frere prechers in Poūtfret. tho thought Thomas vpon y ^• traytour Robert Holonde. & sayd in repreyf / Alas Robert Holond hathe me betrayed / aye is y ^• red of some euyll shred. And by y ^• comyn assent they sholde all go to y ^• castell of Dunstanbrughe / y ^• whiche perteyned to therldo [...] of Lancastre / & y ^t they shold abyde ther tyl y ^t the kynge had foryeue them his male talent. ¶But whan y ^• good erle Tho­mas this herde / he answerd in this ma­nere & sayd. Lordes sayd he / yf we go to­warde y ^• North / y ^• Northen men woll saye y ^t we go towarde y ^e Scottes / & so we shall be holden traytours / for cause of dystaūce that is bytwene kyng Edwarde and Robert the Brus that made him kynge of Scotlonde. And therfore I say as touchynge myselfe / that I wylle not go no ferder into the North / than to mȳ owne castell at Poūtfret / ¶And whan / syr Roger Clyfford herde this he arose vp anone in wrathe. & drewe his swerde on hygh / & swore by god almyghty and by his holy names / but yf y ^t he wolde go with them / he sholde hym slee there. the noble & gentyll erle Thomas of Lācas­tre was sore aferde & sayd. Fayr syres I wyll goo with you whether some euere. ye me bydde. Tho went they togyder in to the north / and with them they hadde vii.C. mē of armys / & came to Burbrig And whan syr Andrew of Herkela that was in the north coūtree / thrugh ordy­naūce of y ^• kynge. for to kepe y ^• countree of Scotlonde / herde tell. howe that Thomas of Lancastre was scōfyted and his company at Burton vpon trent / be or­dened hym a stronge power / and sy [...] symonde warde also / that was tho the shyref of Yorke / and met the barons at burbrugge. & anone they brake the brydge that was made of tree. ¶And whan syr Thomas of Lancastre. herde y ^• syr Andrewe of Herkela had broughte w ^t hym suche a power he was sore adrad. & sent for syr Andrewe of Herkela / & with hȳ spake. & sayd to hym in this manere syr Andrewe sayd he. ye may well vnderstō de y ^t our lorde y ^t kynge. is ladde & mys­gouerned by moche fals coūsell. thrugh syr Hugh Spenser y ^• fad (er) & syr Hugh his sone: syr Iohn̄ erle of Arūdell / & thrugh mayster Roberte Baldok a fals pyllyd clerke. y ^t now is in y ^• kynges come dwellynge / wherfore I praye you y ^t ye wylle come with vs with all your power that ye haue ordeyned and helpe to dystroye the venym of Englond. & the traytours that ben therin / & we wyll yeue vnto you all the best parte of fyue Erldoms y ^t we haue & holde. & we wyll make vnto you an othe. that we wyll neuer do thynge w ^t out your counsell / & so ye shall be eft as well w ^t vs as euer was Robert Holonde Tho answerd syr Andrew of Herkela & sayd syr Thomas y ^t wolde not I do ne consent therto for no manere thynge w ^t out the wyll & cōmaūdemēt of our lorde y ^• kynge / for thē shold I be holden a tratour for euer more. And whan y ^t y ^• noble erle Thomas of Lācastre saw y ^• he wolde not consent to hȳ for no maner thȳg syr Andrew he sayd wyll ye not cōsente to dystroye the venymme of the reame as we be consente atte one worde Syr Andrewe I tell the that are this yere begoon / that ye shall be take and holde for a traytour. & more than ony of you hol­de vs nowe / and in worse dethe ye shall deye than e [...]er dyd ony knyghte of Englonde. And vnderstonde welle / that ye dyde neuer thynge / That sorer ye shall you repente. And now go and doo what [Page] you good lykyth / and I wyll put me in­to the mercy of god. And so went y ^• fals traytour tyraūt as a fals forsworn man For thrugh the noble Erle Thomas of Lancastre / he receyued y ^• armys of chy­ualrye / & thrughe hym he was made a knyghte. Tho myghte men see archers draw them in y ^• one syde & in that other & knyghtes also. and fought tho togyder wonder sore. And also amonge al other Humfroy de Boughon erle of Herforde a worthy knyght of renoune thrugh out all cristendome / stode & fought with his enmyes vppon y ^• brydge. and as y ^e noble lorde stode & fought vpon the brydge a theyf rybaude sculkyd vnder y ^• brydge / and fyersly with a spere. smote the noble knyght into y ^• [...]ūdement / so y ^t his bow­ellys came out aboute his fete ther. Alas for sorow & pyte. For there was slayne the floure of solace & of comforth / & al­so of curteysye / ¶And syr Roger Clyf­forde a noble & a worthy knyghte stode euer & fought / & well and worthyly hym defended as a noble baron. But atte the laste he was sore woundyd in his heed / And syr wyllyam of Sullayande. & syr Roger of Benefelde were slayne at that batayll. whan syr Andrewe of Herkela saw y ^t syr Thomas men of Lancastre / lassed and slakyd. anone he and his company came vnto the gentyll knyght syr Thomas & layd vnto hym in an hygh voyce Yelde the traytour yelde the. The gentyll erle Thomas of Lancastre an­swerd thenne and sayd. Nay lordes traitours we ben none. and to you we wyll neuer vs yelde whyle that our lyues last But leuer we hadde to be slayne in our truth / than yelde vs vnto you. And syre Andrewe ayen gardyd vppon syr Thomas and his company / yellynge and crienge lyke a wode wulf. yelde you tray­tours taken yelde you / and sayd with an hyghe voys Beware syres that none of you be so hardy vppon lyfe and lymme tomysdo Thomas body of Lancastre / And with that worde the good erle thomas yede into the castell / and sayd knelynge vpon his knees and torned his vysage towarde the crosse & sayd almyghty god to the I yelde / & holy I putte me vnto thy mercy. and with that the vylaines and rybaudes lept abowte hym on euery syde as tyraūtes and wood tormē tours / & dyspoyled hym of his armoure and clothed hym in a robe of ray / y ^t was of his squyres lyueray / and forthe ladde hym vnto Yorke by water. Tho myght men see moche sorowe and care For the gentyll knyghtes fledde on euery syde & the rybaudes and the vyllayns egerlye. th [...] dyscryed / & cryed on hygh yeld you traytours yelde you. & whan they were yelden they were robbyd and boūden as theuys. Alas y ^e shame and dyspyte that the gentyll ordre of knyghthode had there at that batayll. And the lōde was tho without lawe / For holy chirche had tho nomore ereuerence than it had be a burdell hous / And in that batayll was the fader ayenst the sone [...] and y ^e vncle ayēst the neuewe. For somoche vnkyndnesse / was neuer seen before in Englonde / as was that tyme amonge folkes of one nacyon. For one kynred had no more pyte of that other. than an hungry wulf hath of a shepe / And it was no wonder. For the greate lordes of Englonde were not all of one nacyon / but were medlyd with othere nacyons / That is for to saye some / Brytons / some Saxons / some Danys / some Pehypes / some Frensshemen some / Normans / some: Spanyerdes / some / Romayns / some / Henaude / soom Flemynges and othere dyuers nacyons the whyche nacyons accordyd notte too the kynde bloodeof Englonde. And yf so greate lordes had be [...]only weddyd to Englysshe people. Thenne sholde peas haue ben and reste amonge theym without ony enuye. And at y ^t batayll was roger Clyfforde take. syr Iohn̄ Monbrey syr wyllyam Tuc [...] it. syr wyllyam fitz [Page] wyllyam / and many other worthy knyghtes there were take at that batayll & syr Hugh Dandell nexte daye after was taken and put into pryson / & sholde haue be doon to dethe yf he had not spou­syd y ^e kynges nece / y ^t was erle Gylbertes systre of Gloucestre / & anone after was syr Berthylmewe of Badelesmore takē at Stow parke / a maneyr of y ^• bysshop of Lyncoln / y ^t was his neuewe / & many other barons & baronettes. wherfor was made noche sorowe.

¶How Thomas of Lancastre was hee dyd at Pountfret / & .v. barons hangyd / and drawen there.

ANd now I shall telle you of the noble erle Thomas of Lancas­tre. whan he was take & brought to yorke / many of y ^• cyte were full gladde and vpon hym cryed with an hygh voys O syre traytoure / ye be welcome. blessyd be god for now ye shall haue y ^• rewarde / y ^• longe ye haue deserued. And cast vpon hym many snowe balles / & many other repreues they dyd hym. But the gentyll erle al suffred / & sayd nother o word nor other ¶And at the same tyme y ^e kynge herde of this scomfyture / & was ful glad & Ioyous / & in grete haste came to Poūtfret. & syr Hughe Spenser. & syr Hughe his sone / and syr Iohn̄ erle of Arundell and syr Edmonde of wodestoke the kȳ ges brother erle of Kent. & syr Aymer of Valaunce erle of Penbroke and mayster Robert Baldoke. a fals pyllyd clerke / y ^t was pryue / and dwelled in the kynges court / & all came theder with the kynge And the kynge entryd into the castell / & syr andrew of Herkela a fals tyraunte thrugh the kynges cōmaundement toke with hym the gentyll erle. Thomas too Pountfret and ther he was prysoned in his owne castell that he had newe made that stode ayenst the abbaye of kynge edwarde. ¶And syr Hugh Spenser y ^• fad (er) and the sone caste and thought howe & in what manere the good erle Thomas of Lancastre sholde be deed / without Iu gement of his perys. wherfore it was ordeyned thrugh the kynges Iusticys that the kynge sholde put vpon hym poyntes of treason. And so it befell that he was ledde to barre before the kynges Iustices bareheed as a theyf / in a fayre halle in his owne castell y ^t he hadd made therin many a fayre feste. bothe to ryche & too poore: ¶And these were his Iustices syr Hughe Spenser the fader. & Aymer of Valaunce erle of Penbroke syr Edmonde of wodstok erle of Kent / syr Iohn̄ of Brytayne erle of Rychemonde & syr [...]obert Malemethrop Iustyce & syr Robert hym acouspyd in this manere. ¶Tho [...]mas court excludeth you of all manere answer. Thomas our lorde the kynge / puttyth vpon you. y ^t ye haue in his lond ryden with baner dysplayed ayenst hys peas. as a traytour. ¶And with y ^• word the gentyll erle Thomas with an hygh voyce sayd / Nay lordes forsoth & by [...]a­ynt Thomas / I was neuer traytoure / ¶The Iustice sayd ayen tho. Thomas our lorde the kynge puttythe vpon you that ye haue robbyd his folke and murdred his people as a theyf. Thomas also the kynge puttythe vpon you that he dyscomfyted you and your people with his folke / in his owne reame [...] wherfore. ye went and fledde to the woode as annutlaw. and Thomas as a traytoure ye shall be hangyd by reason. but the kyn­ge hath foryeuen you y ^• Iugemente [...] for loue of quene Isabell. And Thomas reson wolde y ^t ye sholde be hangyd / but y ^• kynge hath foryeue you y ^• Iugemēt for by cause and loue of your lygnage. But for asmoche. Thomas as ye were taken fleenge / and as an outlawe. the kynge: woll that your heed shall be smyten of / Anone haue hym out of pre [...]s & brynge [Page] hym to hys Iugement. ¶whan thelgen tyll knyght Thomas had herde all thyse wordes / with an hygh voyce he cryed sore wepynge and sayd alas saynt Thomas fayr fader. alas shall I be deed thꝰ Graunte me nowe blessydfull god an­swere. But all auayled hym no thynge For y ^• cursyd Gascoyns put hym hyther & thyther / & on hym cryed w ^t an hyghe / voys. O kynge Arthur moost terryble & dredefull / well knowen & shewed nowe is thyne open traytour. And an euyll dethe shalt thou ryghte anone deye▪ Haste thou not ryghte well deserued it. ¶And thenne thyse cruell folke sette vpon y ^e gode knyght Thomas for very scorne an olde chaplet that was all to rent / y ^t was not worth an halfe peny: And after that they sette hym vpon a white palfroy ful vnsemely / and also all bara / with an olde brydell / And with an horryble noyse they draue hym out of the castell towarde his dethe / and they caste vppon hym many balles of snow in dyspyte. and as the traytours lad hym out of the castell tho sayd he these pyteous wordes. & hys hondes helde vp on hygh towarde heuē Now the kynge of heuen yeue vs merci for the erthly kynge hath vs forsaken & a frere precher went with hym out of y ^• castell tyll he came to the place that he ended his lyfe. vnto whome he shroue hym all his lyfe. And the gentyll erle helde y ^• frere wonder faste by the clothes & sayd to hym Fayr fader abyde with vs tyll y ^t I be deed. for my flesshe quakyth for drede of dethe. ¶And the sothe for to saye / The gentyll erle set hym vpon his knees / and torned hym towarde the eest: but a rybaude y ^t was called Hygone of mostoon sette honde vpon the gentyll Erle & sayd in dyspyte of hym Syr traytour torne the towarde the Scottes / thy fowle dethe to receyue / & torned towarde the North. The noble erle Thomas answered tho with a mylde voys / & sayd nowe fayr lordes I shall do your wyll. & with that worde the frere went from hym sore wepynge. And anone a rybaude went to hym / & smote of his heed / the .xi. Kalendas of Auerell. in y ^e yere of grace .M.CCC.xxi. ¶Alas that euer suche a gentyll blood sholde be don to deth withouten cause and reason. And traytoursly y ^e kynge was coūseylled / whan he thrugh the fals counseylle of the Spensers suffred syr Thomas his vncles sone to be put to suche a dethe / and so be beheeded ayenst all manere of reason / And greate pyte it was also / that suche a noble kynge sholde be dysceyued and mysgouer­ned thrugh counseyll of the fals Spensers / the whiche tho he mayntened thrughe loselry ayenst his honour and alsoo his proffyte. For afterwarde ther fell grete vengaunce in Englonde. for bycause of the forsayd Thomas deth. ¶Whane the gentyll erle of his lyfe was passyd. y ^• pryour and the monkys of Pounfret gate the body of syr Thomas of the kyng & buryed it before the hyghe awter on y ^• ryght syde. ¶That same day that thys gentyll knyght was dede / were hangyd & drawen / for the same quarell at Poūtfret syr wyllyam Tuchet. syr wyllyam. Fitz wyllam. syr werreyn of Isell. Syr Henry Bradborn / & syr wyllyam Cheyne barons all / & Iohn̄ page esquyer. and sone after at Yorke were drawen & hangyd syr Roger Clyfforde / syre Iohn̄ of Mambray barons. & syr Goseline De­uyll knyght. ¶And at Brystowe were drawen and hangyd / syr Henry of we­myngton / & syr Henry Mountforde ba­rons. ¶And at Gloucetre were draw­en and hangyd. syr Iohn̄ Gaffarde and syr wyllyam of Elmebrugge barons / & at London were gangyd & drawen Syr Henry Tyes baron. ¶And at wynchel se sye Thomas Clepepyr knyght. And ferthermore to tell of this cruell occyon at wyndsore was drawe & hangyd Syr Frauncys waldenham baron / & at Caū terbury was drawen and hangyd Syre [Page] [...] Badeles more and syr barthyl [...]ew of Asshe [...] barons & at Cardyf in walys syr wyllyam Flemmynge baron▪

¶How kynge Edwarde went into scotlonde with an hundred thousande men of armys / & myght not spede.

SO [...] whanne kynge Edwarde of Englonde had brought the floure of cheualry vnto theyr dethe. thrughe sounsell & consent of syr Hugh Spenser the fader / & syr Hugh y ^• sone / he became as woode [...] as ony lyon. and what soo euer y ^• Spensers wolde haue it was do­ne. so well y ^• kynge louyd theym / y ^• they myght do with hym all thynge y ^t them lyked / wherfore the kynge gaaf vnto sir Hugh Spenser y ^e fader y ^• erldom of wȳ chestre & vnto syr Andrewe of Herkela theerldom of Cardoill [...] in preiudyce and in harmynge of his crowne. And kynge Edwarde tho thrugh coūsell of y ^• Spē sers dysheryted all them y ^t had be ayenst hym in ony quarell w ^t Thomas of Lā castre. And many other were dysheryted also / bycause that the Spensers couey­ted for to haue theyr lōdes. And so they had all that they wolde desyre with wrō ge / & ayenste all reason. Tho made the kȳg Robert Baldok a false pylled clerke Chaunceler of Englond. thrugh coū sell of the forsayd Spensers. ¶And he was a false rybaude / And a coueytouse And so they counseylled the kynge mo­che / that the kyng lete take to his owne warde all the goodes of the lordes that were put wronfully to the dethe into his owne honde. And aswell they toke y ^e go­des that were within holy chirche / as y ^• godes y ^t were without / & lete theym be put into his tresoury in London / & lete / them calle his forfeytes: And by ther coū sell y ^• kynge wroughte / for euer more he dys heryted them y ^• the godes oughte & thrugh ther counsell lete [...]er a t [...]legge of all the goodes of Englonde / wherfore he was the rychest kynge y ^• euer was in Englonde. after wyllyam Bastarde y ^t cuonquered Englonde. And yet thru­ghe coūsell of them hym semyd that he had notte ynough. But made yet euery toune of Englonde for to fynde a man of armys vpon theyr owne costes / for to go & werre vpon y ^• Scottes y ^t were hys enmyes / wherfore the kynge wente into Scotlonde with an h [...]ūdred thousande men of armys at wytsontyde in the ye­re of oure lorde Ihesu Criste .M.CCC.xxii. But the Scottes wente / & hyd them in moūteyns and in wodes and taryed the Englysshmen fro day to day / that y ^• kynge myght for no manere thynge fȳ de them in playne felde / wherfore ma [...] Englysshmen that had lytyll vytaylles deyed there for hungre wonder faste and sodenly in goynge and comynge and namely tho that had ben ayenst Thomas of Lancastre & robbyd his men vpon [...] londes. whan kynge Edwarde saw that vytaylles fayled hym / he was wonder sore dyscomfited. bycause also y ^t his men deyed. & for he myght not [...]pede of his enmyes. So at the laste he came ayen into Englonde / & anone after came Iames Douglas and also Thomas Rudulph with an huge hooste into Englonde in to Northumberlonde / & with them the Englysshmen that were dryuen oute of Englonde / and came and robbyd y ^• coū tree / and slewe the people / and also bree [...] the towne y ^t was callyd Northallerton & many other townes to Yorke. And wha [...] the kynge herde this tydynges be lete so mone all manere men that myght tra­ueyller. And so y ^• Englysshmen mette y ^• Scottes at the abbay of Beyg [...]elande the .xv. daye after Myghelmas. in the same yere aboue sayd / and the Englysshe men were there dyscomfyted. And atte that scomfyture [...] take Syr Iohan of Brytayne Erle of Rychmonde that helde the countre and the erldom of Lancastre [Page] and after he payed an huge raun­some and was lete god. And after that he wente into Fraunce & came neuer after agayne.

¶How syr Andrew of Herkelay was take & put to deth [...]y ^t was erle of Cardoil

THen at y ^• tyme was syr Andrew of Herkela / y ^t new was made er­le of Cardoil / for cause y ^t he had taken y ^• good Erle Thomas of Lancastre. ¶He had ordeyned thrugh y ^• kynges cōmaū ­dement of Englonde. for to brynge hȳ all the power that he myght. for to helpe ayenst y ^• Scottes at y ^• abbaye of Beyghlande. And whan the fals traytour had gadred all the people that he myght and sholde haue come to the kynge vnto the abbaye of Beyghelande / the fals tray­tour ladde them by a nother coūtre thrughe Copelonde. & thrughe therldome of Lancastre / & wente thrugh [...]he countre & robbyd & slew the folke all y ^t he myghte And ferthermore the fals traytour had take a grete so [...]e of golde & sylue [...] of syr Iamys Douglas for to be ayenste y ^• kynge of Englonde. & to be helpynge & holdynge with the Scottes / thrugh whose treason the kynge of Englonde was scomfyted at Beyghlande or y ^• he came f [...]yder. wherfore the kynge was toward hym wonder wrothe. & lete pryuely en­quere by y ^• coūtre abowte how y ^t it was And some men enquered & aspyed / so at the laste y ^• trough was foūde & soughte And he atteynte & take as a fals tray­tour / as y ^• gode erle Thomas of lancastre hym tolde or y ^t he was put vnto deth at his takynge at Burbrugge. & to him sayd. Or y ^• yere were doon he sholde be take & holde a traytour. And so it was as the holy man sayd. ¶wherfore y ^• kȳ ­ge sente pryuely too syr Anthoyn of Lucy / a knyghte of the countre of Cardoil y ^t he shold take syr Andrewe of Herkela & put hym vnto the dethe. And to brȳge this thynge vnto the ende. the kynge sente his Commyssyon so y ^t this same An­drewe was take at Cordoil & ladde vnto the barre in y ^• manere of an erle worthyly arayed / & with a swerde gyrde about hym / & hosyd and sporyd. ¶Tho spake syr Authoyn in this maner syr Andrew sayd he the kynge puttyth vpon the for asmoche as thou hast be orpyd in thy de dys / he dyd to the moche honoure / & made the erle of Cardoil [...] & thou as a tray­tour to thy lorde. laddest the peple of his countre that sholde haue holpe hym att the bataylle of Beyghelande / and thou laddest them away by the countre of copelonde / and thrugh the erldom of Lancastre wherfor our lorde the kynge was discomfy [...]d there of the Scottes thrugh thy treason & falsnesse and yf y ^• haddest come bi tymes he had had the batayll & treason thou didest for the gre [...] sōme of gold & syluer that thou receyued of Ia­mys Douglas a Scot the kyngꝭ enmye And out lorde the kynge wyll / that y ^• ordre of knyghthode. by y ^• whiche than receyued all thyne honoure and [...]shyp vpon thy body be all brought to nought and thyn estate vndoyne. that other knyghtes of lower degree mowe after be ware / whiche lorde hath the auaunted hugely in dyuerse countres of Englonde and that all maye take ensample by ther lorde afterwarde. truly for to serue. ¶Tho commaunded he anone a knaue / to hew of his spores on his helys / and after he lete breke the swerde ouer his heed. y ^• whiche the kynge yaue hym for too kepe & defende his londe therwith whanne he / made hym Erle of Cardoyll. And after he lete hym be vnclothed of his furred taberd and of his hode / and of his fur­ryd cotes / and of his gyrdyll / And whā ne this was done / syr Anthony sayd thē ne vnto hym. Andrewe sayd he Nowe art thou no knyght but a knaue / & for thy treason y ^• kynge wyll that thou shal be hangyd and drawen & thy heed [...] [Page] of / and thy bowels take out of thy body & brent before the / & thy body quartryd & thy heed sente to Londō / & there it shal stonde vpon London brydge / & the foure quarters shall be sent to foure townes of Englonde / y ^t all other may beware and chastised by the / And as Anthony sayd / so it was done all manere of thynge in y ^e laste daye of Octobre. in y ^• yere of grace M.iij.C.xxii. yere And y ^• sonne torned in to blood as y ^• people it sawe / & y ^• dured from y ^• morne tyll .xi. of y ^• clocke.

¶Of the miracles y ^t god wroughte for saynt Thomas of Lancastre / wherfore the kynge lete closein y ^e chirche dores of the pryory of Pountfret / y ^t no man shold come therin for to offre.

ANd sone after that the good er­le Thomas of Lancastre was martryd there was a preest y ^• longe tyme had be blynde / dremed in his slepe / y ^t he sholde go to the hyll there the good erle Thomas of Lancastre was doon vnto dethe / & he sholde haue his syght ayen & so he dremed thre nyghtes sewynge. and the preest lete lede hym to the same hyll and whan he came to that place that he was martryd on / full deuowtly he ma­de there his prayers / And prayed god & saynt Thomas / that he myght haue his syghte ayen / And as he was in his pra­yers he layed his ryght honde vpon the same place that the gode man was martryd on / and a drope of drye blood and smale sonde cleuyd on his honde / & therwith stryked his eyen. And anone thru­ghe the myght of god and saynt Tho­mas of Lancastre / he hadde his syghte. ayen. And thankyd tho almyghtye god and saynt Thomas And whanne this miracle was knowen amonge men / the people came thyther on euery syde / and knelyd and made theyr prayers atte hys tombe that is in the pryory of Poūtfret and prayed that holy martyr of socour & of helpe / and god herde ther prayer ¶Also there was a yonge chylde drow­ned in a well in the towne of Pountfret and was deed thre dayes and thre nyghtes. And men came and layed the deed chylde vpon sayd Thomas tombe y ^• holy martyr / and the chylde arose from dethe to lyfe. as many a man it sawe.

¶And also moche people were oute of ther mynde / & god sent them theyr mynde ayen. thorough vertue of y ^• holy man ¶And god hath yeue there also to cry [...]pyls theyr goynge / & to crokyd thyr hondes and ther fete / & to blynde also they [...] syght. & to manyseke folke ther helth of dyuers maladyes for the loue of this gode martyr.

¶Also there was a ryche man in Coū [...]dom in Gascoyne and suche a malady he had / that all his ryghte syde rotyd & fell awaye from hym that men myghte see his lyuer & his herte [...] and so he stan­ke / that vnneth they myght come n [...]gh [...] hym. wherfore his frendes were for him wonder sory. But at the last as god wolde. they prayed to saynt Thomas of [...]a castre / that he wold pray almyghty god for that prysoner / and be [...]yght for to go to Pountfret for to do theyr pylgryma­ge / he thoughte that the Martyr saynt Thomas came to hym / and anoynted all hys syke body / and therwith the go­de man awoke and was all hoole and his flesshe was restored ayen that before was rotyd and fallen away. For whiche myracle the good man and his frendes louyd god and saynt Thomas euermore after. And this good man came into Englonde. And toke with hym foure felowe [...] & came to Poūtfret to y ^• holy martyr. & dyd theyr pylgrymage. & the gode man that was syke came thyther all nakyd / sauf his preuye clothes. And whan they had done. they torned home ayen in to theyr owne countre. and tolde of the miracle wheresoeuer y ^• they came.

¶And also two men haue been heelyd [Page] there of the mormale thrugh helpe of y ^• holy martyr / though y ^t euyll be holde in curable. And whan the Spensers herde y ^• god dyd suche Miracles for this holy man / they nolde byleue it in no manere wyse / but sayd openly / y ^t it was gret he resye / suche vertue of hym to byleue. and whan syr Hugh Spenser y ^• sone sawe al this doynge / anone he sent his messager from Poūtfret there y ^t he dwelled to kȳ Edwarde y ^t tho was at Grauen at scypton / for cause y ^t the kynge sholde vndo y ^• pylgrymage / And as the rybaude y ^• messager went towarde the kynge for to do his message / he came by the hylle there y ^• good martyr was doon to dethe. & in the same place he made his ordure / & whan he had done. he rode towarde y ^e kynge & a stronge flyxe came vpon hym or that he came to Yorke / & tho he shed all hys bowelles at his fūdment. And whan sir Hugh Spenser herde this tydynges / sō ­dele he was adradde / & thoughte for too vndo this pylgrymage yf he [...] myghte by ony manere a waye / & anone he went to the kynge / & sayd y ^t they shold be in grete sklaūdre thrugh out all crystendome / for y ^• deth of Thomas of Lancastre if y ^t he suffred y ^• people to do ther pylgryma­ge at Poūtfret & so he coūseled y ^• kynge y ^t he cōmaūded to shyt y ^• chirche dores of Poūtfret / in y ^• which chirche y ^• holy martyr was enterid. & thus they dyd ayenste all fraūchyses of holy chirche so y ^• foure yere after myght no pylgryme come to y ^• holy bodye. & bycause y ^• monkes suffred men to come & honoure y ^t holy bodye of saynt Thomas y ^e martyr. thrugh coū ­sell of syr Hugh Spenser y ^• sone / & thrughe coūsell of mayster Robert Baldok y ^• fals pylled clerke. y ^t was y ^• kyngꝭ chaū celer. y ^t kynge consented y ^t they shold be sette to theyr wages / & lete make warde yn [...] ouer ther owne good longe tyme / & thorough commaundement of the for­sayd syr Hughe Spenser .xiiii. Gascoy­nes well armyd kept the hylle ther that the good man saynt Thomas was don vnto his deth so that no pylgrym myght come by that way / Full well went he to haue take cristis myght and hys power and the grete boos of miracles / that he shewed for his martyr saynt Thomas thrugh al crystendom. And y ^• same tyme y ^• kȳge made Robert of Baldok y ^• fal­se pylled clerke. thrughe prayere of syre Hugh Spenser sone. was made Chaūseler of Englonde. And in that same ty­me was the castell of walyngforde hol­den ayenste the kynge thrugh prysoners that weren within the castell for saynt Thomas loue of Lancastre / wherfore the people of the coūtre came & toke the castell of the prysoners / wherfore syr Iohan of Goldyngton knyght and syr Edmonde of Becche prysoners were taken and sent vnto the kynge to Pountfret. & there they were done in pryson. and y ^t for sayd Roger was sent vnto Yorke / & there he was drawen & hangyd. And anone after syr Roger Mortymer of wygmo [...] brake oute of y ^• toure of London in this manere. The forsayd Roger he [...]de that he sholde be drawe and hangyd atte Lō don in y ^• morow after saynt Laurēce dai & on the daye before he helde a fayre feste in y ^• toure of London & there was syr Stephen Segraue conestable of y ^• tour & many grete men w ^t them. & whan ther sholde soupe / y ^• forsayd Stephen sēte for all y ^• officers of y ^• tour. & they came & souped w ^t hym / And whan they sholde ta­ke ther leue of hȳ. a squyre y ^t was callyd Stephē. y ^t was full preuy with y ^• forsaid Rogere thrugh his coūsell. yaue them al suche a drynke y ^t the leest of thē all slepe two dayes & two nyghtes. & in y ^• meane tyme he escaped awaye by water / by the tamys / & went ouer the see & helde hym in Fraunce. wherfore the kynge was so­re anoyed / & put the same Stephen out of his Constabelery.

¶How the quene Isabell wente in to Fraunce / for to treate of peas bytwe­ne her lorde the kynge of Englonde and the kynge of Fraunce her broder.

[Page] THe kynge wente tho vnto Londō and there thrugh counsell of syr Hugh Spenser the fader. & of his sone / & of mayster Robert Baldok a fals pylled clerke his Chaunceler. lete sease thoo all y ^• [...] londes into his hondes. and also all y ^• londes y ^t were syr Edwardes his sone. & were so put to theyr wagys / ayenst all maner of reson. & y ^t was thrughe the falsnesse of y ^• Spensers. ¶And whan y ^• kynge of Fraunce y ^t was quene Isabelles brother herde of this falsnesse he was sore anoyed ayenst y ^• kynge of englonde & his fals counsellers. wherfore he sent a letter to kynge Edwarde vn­der his seale. y ^t he sholde come at a certaine daye to do his homage / & therto he so [...]oned hym. & els he shold lese all Gascoyne. And so it was ordeyned in Englō de thrugh the kynge & his coūsell / y ^• quene Isabell sholde goo into Fraunce / for to treate of peas bytwene her lorde and her broder. & y ^• Olyuer of Yngham sholde go into Gascoyne / & haue with hym vij .M. men of armys & moo / to be Se­neschall & wardeyne of Gascoyne. and so it was ordeyned y ^t quene Isabell / ca­me into Fraūce & with her wente syr aymer of Valaunce erle of Penbroke. that was there murdred sodenly in a preuysege / but y ^t was thrugh goddes vengaūce for he was one of the Iusticys y^+consen­ted to saynt Thomas deth of Lancastre & wolde neuer after repent hym of that wyckyd dede. & at y ^• tyme syr Olyuer of Yngham went ouer into Gascoyne / & dyd moche harme to the kyng of Fraūce & [...] he gate ayen y ^• kynge Edwarde had lost. & moche more therto.

¶How kyng Edwarde sent syr Edwarde his sone the eldest into Fraunce.

THe quene Isabell had but a quarter of a yere dwelled in Fraunce whan syr Edwarde her eldest sone axyd leue tho for to go into Fraūce / for to speke with his moder / Isabell the quene / & his fader y ^• kynge graūtyd hym with a good wyll / & sayd to hym go my fayre sone in goddys blessynge & myn / & thynke for to come ayen as hastely as y ^• maye / And he wente ouer the see into Fraūce & y ^• kynge of Fraūce his vncle receyued hym with moche honoure / & sayd vnto hym / Fayr sone ye be welcome / & for by cause y ^t your fader come not to do his homage. for y ^• duchye of Guyon / as his aū cetourrs were wont for to do. I yeue you y ^t lordshyp to holde it of me in her [...]tage as all maner aūcetours dyde before [...] wherfore he was callyd duke of Guyon

¶Howe the kynge exyled his quene Ysabell & Edwarde her eldest sone.

AS kynge Edwarde of Englonde herd tell how y ^• kyng of fraū ce / had yeue y ^• d [...]chye of Guyon vnto sir Edwarde his sone [...] without consent and wyll of hym & y ^t his sone had receyued the duchye he became wonder wrothe [...] & sent to his sone by letter / that they shold come ayen into Englonde in all y ^• haste that they myghte / And the quene Isabel and syr Edward her sone were wonder sore adradde of y ^• kynges menaced. & of his wrathe / & pryncypally for y ^• falsnesse of y ^• Spensers / both of y ^• fader / & also. the sone. & at his cōmaūdement they wolde not come. wherfore kynge Edwarde was full sore anoyed / & lete make a crye at Londō / y ^t yf quene Isabell & Edwarde his eldest sone / came not in Englond that they sholde be holde as oure enmy­es / bothe to the reame / and also too the crowne of Englonde / & for y ^t they nol­de come into Englonde / but bothe were [Page] exyled the moder and her some. ¶whan the quene herde thyse tydynges▪ she was sore adradde to be dystroyed / thrugh the fals coniectynge of y ^• Spensers / & went with the knyghtes y ^• were exyled out of Englonde / for saynt Thomas cause of Lancastre / his to saye / syr Roger of wig more. syr [...] wellyam Trussell / syr Hohn̄ of Cromwell / & many other good knygh­trs. wherfore they toke theyr coūsell and ordeyned amonge them / for to make a mariage bytwene y ^• duke of Guyhenne the hynges sone of Englonde / & y ^• erles doughter of henaude / that was a noble knyght of name & a doughty in his ty­me [...] yf y ^• thynge myghte be broughte a bowte / then stode they trowynge with y ^• helpe of god & with his helpe to recouer theyr herytage in Englonde, wherfore they were put out thrugh y ^• fals coniec­tynge of the Spensers.

¶How kynge Edwarde thrugh wūsell of the Spensers sent to y ^• Douzepers of Fraunce▪ that they sholde helpe that the quene Isabell & her sone syre Edwarde were exyled out of Fraunce.

AS hynge Edwarde & the Spensers herde how y ^• quene Isabell & syr Edwarde her sone / had alyed thez to y ^• erle of Henaude / & too them y ^• were exyled out of Englonde for cause of thomas of Lancastre they were so sory that they wyst not what for to do▪ wherfor sir Hugh Spenser y ^e sone sayd to syr hughe y ^• fader in this manere wyse. Fader cur­syd be y ^• tyme & y ^• counsell y ^• euer ye consented y ^• the quene Isabell sholde go into fraunce / for to treate of accorde betwene y ^• kynge of Englond & her broder the hynge of Fraunce for y ^• was youre cost­sell, for at y ^t tyme forsoth your wyt fay­led / for I order me sore / leest thrugh her & her sone / we shall be dystroyed. but yt we take the better counseylle.

¶Nowfayte syres vnderstonde / howe merueylo [...] felony and falsho [...]e y ^• Spensers ymagyned & castr. for pryuely they lete fyll fyue b [...]lles fercours with syl­uer / y ^• [...] me amoūtyd .v.M. pounde. and they sent those barelles ouer see pryuely by an alyaunte / that was callyd Arnold of Spayne / y ^• was a broker of London That he sholde go to the Douzeper [...] of Fraunce / that they shalde procure / and speke to the kynge of Fraunce / that quene Isabell & her sone Edwarde were driuen & exyled oute of Fraunce. And amōge all othere thynges. y ^t they were brou­ght to the deth as pryuely as they myght but almyghty god wold not so / for whā this Arnolde was in the hyghse / he was take with Sclanders that mette hym in the hyghe see / and toke hym and ladde hym to the erle of Henaude theyre lorde & moche Ioy was made for that taky [...] ­ge. And at the laste this Arnold pryuely stele away from thens. & came to Lond [...] ̄ And of this takynge & of other thynges the erle of Henaude sayd to y ^• quene Isabell. Dame make you mery & be of go­de there / for ye be rycher than ye [...]ene [...] for to be / & take thyse fyue barelles full of syluer. that were sent to the douzepers of Fraunce for to slee you and your sone Edwarde▪ and thynke you hastely for to goo into Englonde / and take with you syre Iohn̄ of Henaude my brother / and v. houndred men of armys. For mani of them of Fraūce in whome ye haue had greate truste done you for to scorne. and almyghty god graunte you that grace / your enmyes to ouercome. ¶The quene Isabell sente tho thrugh Henaude and Flaundres for her souldyours / and ordened her euery daye for to go into Englō ­de ayen / And so the had in her company syr Edmonde of wodstok. that was erle of Kent. that was syr Edwardes broder of Englonde.

¶How kynge Edwarde lete kepe y ^• costes by y ^• see. & lete trye all y ^• pryce men of armys & fote men thrugh Englonde.

AS kynge Edwarde herde telle y ^• quene Isabell & Edwarde her sone. wolde come into Englonde / with a grete power of alyaūtes. & with them y ^• were outlawed out of Englond for therreb ellyousnesse. he was sore adradde to be put downe / & for to lese his kyngdom wherfore he ordeyned to kepe his castels in walys as well as in Englonde / wyth [...]ytaylles and theyre appareylles / and lete kepe his ryuers / & also the see. And at the feste of Decolation of saynt Io­han Baptyst th [...] Cytezyns of London sent to y ^• kyng to Porchester an .C. men of armys. And also he cōmaunded by his letters ordeyned / y ^• euery hundred & we­pentake of Englonde / too trye as well men of armys as men on foote. & y ^• they sholde be put in .xx. sōme. and in an hundred sōme / And commaūded y ^• alle tho men were redy whan ony shoute or crye were made / for to purpose & take y ^• alyaun [...]s y ^t came to Englonde for to benō me hym y ^• londe for to put hym out of his kyngdom / And moreouer he lete cry thorough his patent in euery fayre & in euery market of Englonde / y ^• the quene Isabell & syr Edwarde his cloest sone. & the erle of Kent. that they were take. & saufly kept wythout [...]ny manere harme vnto them doynge. / & all other manere people that come w ^t them. anone smyte of ther hedys. withoute ony maner raunsom takynge of them. And what man myght brynge syr Roger [...]s Mortymer heed of wygmore. shold haue an hildred pounde of money for his trauayl. ¶And ferthermore he ordeyned by his patent / & [...]dmaūded to make / a fyre vpon eue­ry hyll / besyde y ^• ryuers and u [...] lowe coū trees / for too make hyghe bechenesse of tymbre. That yf it so were that the aly­auntes came vnto londe by nyght tyme y ^• then the Inhabytaūtys there abow [...]e sholde endeuoyr them self in goodly haste / to lyght & fyre y ^• bek [...]nes / y ^• the coū ­tre maye be warned and come and me­te ther ennemyes. And in the tyme [...]eyedlyt Roger Mortymer his vn [...]e in y ^• toure of London.

¶How the quene Isabell [...] Edwar­de duke of Guyhenne her sone came into London at her wich / & how they dyde.

AS quene Isabell & syr Edwar­de her sone duke of Guyhenne syr Edwarde of wodstok erle of [...]nte / & syr Iohn̄ the erles brother of Hena [...] de & ther company. dradde no [...] [...] of y ^• kynge / ne of his traytours fo: [...] trusted all in godd is grace / and came to Herewich in Southfolke y ^•. [...] d [...]y of Septībre / & in y ^• yere of grace. [...] xrv [...]. And the quene & syt Edwarde [...] sone sente letters to the Mayre & co [...]s nalte of London / requytynge them that they sholde be helpynge [...] y ^• qua [...] and cause that they had that is so say to dy­stroye the traytours of the [...]ame▪ But none answeres were sent aye [...] Wherfo­re the quene and sy [...] Edwarde her to [...]e seute another patent letter vnder th [...] scales the tenour of whiche letter here forlowyth in this maner. ¶Isabell by the grace of god quene of Englond la [...]y of Irlonde / & countesse of Pountif / and we Edwarde the eldest sone of the bynge of Englōd. duke of guyon / [...]le of Chestre of Paūtyf / & of moush [...]ll. to y ^• Ma [...]re and to all the comynal [...] of the ryts of London lendyed gretynge for asmoch [...] as we haue before the sy [...]ue / [...]ent to po [...] by our letters / how we become into this londe in good arraye and in good ma­nere / for the honour and profyte of holy thir [...]he and of our dere lorde the hyng & all the [...]eame with all oure myght and power / to kepe / and inayutrne [...] as we / [...] [Page] all y ^• gode folk of the forsayd reame are holden to doo / And vpon y ^• we pray you that ye w [...]ll be helpynge to vs in as moche as ye maye in this quarell y ^e is for y ^• comune profyte of the forsayd reame / & we haue had to this tyme no [...] answere of y ^• forsayd letters / ne knowe not your mynde in y ^• party. wherfore we sende to you ayen & praye & charge you / y ^• ye bes te you so ayenst vs / y ^• we haue no cause to greue you / but y ^• ye ben vnto vs help y ^• ge by all the wayes y ^• ye maye / or maye knowe / For wytte ye well in certen / that we & all y ^• be come with vs into this reame / thynke not to doo ony thynge. but y ^• thynge that shall be for the comyn profite of all the reame / but [...]only to dystroye Hugh Spenser our enmye / & enmye too all y ^• reame / as ye it well knowe / wher­fore ye praye you / & charge you in y ^• faith that ye owe vnto our lyege lorde y ^• kyng & to vs / & vpon all y ^t ye shall mowe for fayte ayen vs. y ^• yf y ^• sayd Spenser oure enmye come within your power / y ^• ye do hym hastely to be take / and saufly kepte vntyll ye haue ordeyned of hym our wil and y ^• ye leue it notte in no manere wyse as ye desyre honoure & profyte of vs all and of al the reame. Vnderstondynge ye ryght well that yf ye do this our prayer and streyghte cōmaundement / we thyn­ke vs somoche y ^• more beholdynge vnto you. And also ye shall gete you worshyp & also profyte. yf ye sende vs hastely an­swer of all youre wyll ayen at Baldok the syxte daye of Octobre. whiche letter in the dawnynge of y ^• daye of saynt Denys / was tachyd vpon the newe crosse in Chepe / and many copyes of y ^• same let­ter were tackyd vpon wyndowes & dores and vpon other places in she cyte of london / that all men passynge by the waye myght them rede and se / And in the sa­me tyme kynge Edwarde was at Lon­don in the toure at his mete / And a messager came into the hall and sayde / that the quene Isabell was come to loude at Here wiche. and hath broughte in her cō pany syr Iohn̄ of [...]. & with him men of armes without nombre. And w ^t that worde syr Hugh Spenser the fader spake / & thus vnto the kynge sayd. My moost worshypfull lorde & kynger of Englonde now make good chere / for certenly they been all oures. The kynge sawe this worde comfortable. yet he was full sorowfull & pensyf in his herte. And the kynge had not fully eten / but there came into the halle a nother messager / & sayd that the quene Isabell was arryued atte Herewich besyde ypswytche in South­folke / syr Hugh Spenser y ^• fader spake to the messager & sayd / Tell soche in gode fayth my fayr frende: is she come w ^t a grete strenth. Now certes y ^• soche for too saye syr sayd the messagere. she ne hathe in her companye but .vii. houndred men of armys. And with y ^• wordesyt Hughe Spenser the fader cryed with an hyghe voyce & sayd / Alas alas we ben all be­trayed. for certes with soo lytyll powere she had neuer come to loude / but yf fol­ke of this londe were vnto her consce [...]te. & therfor after ther mete they to be counsell. & went towarde wallys / for to arere the walsshmen ayenst the quene Isabell & Edwarde her sone / all for to fyghte & so they were in purpose euerychone.

¶How mayster water Stapylton bys­shop of Excetre y ^• was the kynges tres [...]ter / was heedyd at London.

ANd in y ^• same tyme kynge Ed­warde was sore adredde / leest y ^• men of London wolde yelde theym vn­to the quene Isabell / And too her sone Edwarde / wherfore he set mayster [...] ter Stapylton his cresorer / for to be [...] deyne / and keper of the Cytre of Lon­don / with the Mayrt / And so came too the Gylde halle of London:and axyd y ^• keyes of the yates of the Cyte [...] / thr [...]ghe [Page] [...] and strenth of his [...] / & wolde haue had the kepynge of the cyte And the [...] answerd: & sayd that they wolde kepe the cyte to the honoure of kynge Edwarde & of Isabell the quene / & of the duke the kynges sone wythoute ony more. The bysshop tho was so as [...] / & swore othe [...] / y ^• they all shold abye it anone as the kynge Edward were come oute of walys. ¶And the comuners all anone of y ^• cyte toke the bysshop & lad hym anone amyddes of y ^• Chepe / & there they smote of his heed & sethys heed in his ryghte honde. & forth with y ^• same comyns of the cytee of London by hedyd two of his squyres y ^t helde with y ^• bysshop / & one of them was called wyllyam of wayle / y ^• was y ^• bysshops neuew And y ^• other was callyd Iohn̄ of Pady [...] ­ton. And also they toke a burgeys of Lō don y ^• was callyd Iohn̄ Mershall. y ^• was syr Hugh Spenser espye y ^• fader / & sinote of his heed also / And in y ^• same tyme y ^• bysshop had in London a fayt tour in makynge in his close / vpon y ^• tyuer Tese y ^• was without temple barte / and he fayled stone to make therof an ende and he cōmaunded his men to go to y ^• frere Carmes / & ther they toke stone to make therwith y ^• toure / & moche sonde & mor­ter & olde robous y ^• was lefte. And for y ^• dyspyte y ^• the bysshop had done vnto holy chirch / he & his two squyres were buryed in that sonde. as thoughe they had ben houndes / & there they laye .xi. wekes tyll that the quene Isabell sente her let­ters to the comuners / & prayed them that they wolde suffre & graunt. that the bysshop myght be take out of that place / & be buryed at Excetre at his owne chirch And so he was / & his two squyres were buryed at saynt Clementes chirche withoute temple barre. And it was no won­der though that bysshop deyed an euyll deth [...]. For he was a courytous man and had with hym no mercye / & euyll coun­seyled y ^• kynge. And sone after was Arnold of Spayne take. that assemyd too lede y ^• .v.M.li. of syluer in fyue batelles fetyers vnto the douzepers of Fraunce / for to helpe & hast y ^• quene Isabell to her dethe. & Edwarde her sone also. & thys Arnold was put to dethe w ^t out y ^• cytr.

¶How kynge Edwarde and syr Hughe Spenser and the erle of Arundell were taken.

AS kynge Edwarde hadde sent mayster walter Stapylton / his tresorer into London / for to kepe the cyte vnto hym ayenst the quene Isabell [...] wyf / & ayenst Edwarde his sone / anone hymself toke with hym syr Hugh Spenler the sone. & syr Iohn̄ of Arundell and mayster Robert Baldok his Chaunceler a fals pylled clerke & toke the [...] waye towarde Brystow / And there the kyng abode a lytyll tyme / and made syr Hugh Spenser y ^• fader as Conestable & keper of the castell. And the kynge and that other Spenser went to shyppe / and sayl­led towarde walys / and toke no leue of the kynges Stewarde / ne of none of the kyngys housholde / and went ouer into walys for to ar [...]re the walsshmen apenste dame Isabell the quene and the duke her sone / And the erle of Kent / and syre Iohn̄ of Henaude / And they wente and pursued after them / And ther power encreacyd euery daye / Soo at the laste the kynge was taken vppon an bylle in walys / and Syr Hughe Spenser the sone in that othere syde of the same hylle & the false pylled clerke mayster Roberte Baldok there faste besyde theym / And were bronghte ayen in to Englonde / as almyghty god wolde / And the kynge hȳ selfe was put in sauf kepynge in y ^• castel of Kenylworth / & hym kept syr Henry y ^• was saynt Thom [...]s brother of [...]ancas tre / and syr Nugh the fader came & put hym in the quenes grace and Edwarde her sone duke of Gupon / But syr Hugh [Page] Spenser after the tyme that he was ta­ke [...] wolde neuer ete no manere meete [...]e drynke no manere drynke / for he wyste to haue no mercye / sauf only too be deed ¶And the quene & her coūsell had ordeyned / that he sholde haue be doon to deth at London. But he was so feble for his moche fastynge y ^t he was nyghe deed / & therfore it was ordeyned. y ^t he sholde haue his Iugement at Herforde. & at a place of the toure his heed was take frome his body. & alsoo fro Roberte Baldok y ^t was a fals pylled clerk & y ^• kynges chaū celer. And men sette vpon theyr heedys chaplettys of sharpe nettles / & two squyres blewe in therecrys / with two greate bugle hornes / vpon the two prysoners. y ^t me [...] myght here ther. blowen oute with homes more than a myrle. & one Symōd of Rydynge y ^• kyngꝭ Marshall bare be fore them vpon a spere ther armys reuersyd / in token y ^• they sholde be vndon foreuermore. And vpon y ^• morowe was syr Hugh Spēser y ^• sone dampned to dethe & was drawen hangyd & heedyd. & hys bowels taken out of his body. & brent. & after that he was quartred / & his foure quarters were sente to the foure townes of Englonde / & his heed sente to Lon­don brydge / And this Symond for cause y ^• he dyspysed quene Ysabell / he was drawen and hangyd in a stage made. a myddes y ^• forsayd syr Hughes galowes And y ^• same daye a lytyll frō thens was syr Iohn̄ of Arundell behcedyd / bycause he was one of syr Hugh Spensers coū ­selers. And anone after was syr Hughe Spenser fader hangyd and drawen / & hedyd at Brystow / & after hangyd ayeby the armys with two stronge ropes. & the fourth daye after he was hewen all to pecys / & houndes ete hym. And bycause y ^• the kynge had yeuen hym y ^• erldom of wynchestre his heed was sent thether & put vpon a spere / And y ^• fals Baldok was sente to London & ther he deyed in pryson amonge theues / for men dyd hȳ [...] / than they wolde [...] vnto an hounde. And so deyed the traytours of Englonde blessyd be almyghti god. And it was no wonder. for thrughe ther coūsell y ^• good erle Thomas of Lacastre was doon vnto dethe & all y ^• held with Thomas of Lancastre thrugh the tratours were vndone & all theyr heyres dysheryted.

¶Howe kynge Edwarde was put downe / & his dygnyte take from hym.

ANd andne after as all this was doon. the quene Ysabell and Edwarde her sone & all the grete lordes of Englonde at one assente / sent to kynge Edwarde to the castell of Kenylworthe / there as he was in kepynge vnder y ^• warde of syr Iohn̄ Hachin. that was the bysshop of Ely. and of syr Iohn̄ of Pereye a baron / for bycause that he sholde ordeine his parlement at a certayne place in Englonde / for to redresse and amende y ^• state of the reame. And kynge Edwar­de them answerde and sayd Lordes said he ye se full well how it is. Loo here my seale / and I gyue to you all my power for to calle & ordeyne a parlement where that ye wylle. ¶And thenne they tooke theyr leue of hym and came ayen to the barons of Englonde / And whanne thei hadde the kynges Patent of this thyn­ge / they shewed it to the lordes. And the was ordeyned / that the parlement shold be at westmestre. at y ^• Vtas of saynt Hylari / And all the grete lordes of Englonde lete ordeyned theym there ayenst that tyme that the parlement sholde. be. And atte whiche daye she parlement was the kynge wolde not come there for no m [...] nere of thynge / as he had set hymself & assygned. And netheles the barons se [...] vnto hymoo tyme & other. And he [...]were by goddyss oute. y ^• he wolde not come ther do fote. wherfor it was ordey [...]ed by all the greate lordes of Englonde / that [Page] he sholde no lenger be kyng / but be dep [...] [...] And sayd / y ^• they wolde crowne Edwarde his sone / y ^• elder / y ^• was the duke of Guyhenne. And sente tydynges v [...] to the kynge there y ^• he wa in warde vnder syr Iohn̄ erle of Garen. & syr Iohn̄ of B [...]thu [...]. y ^• was bysshop of Ely / and syr henry Percy a baron / & syr wyllyam Trussell a knyghte / y ^• was with y ^• Erle syr Thomas of Lancastre / for too yelde vp ther homages vnto hym for all thez of Englonde. ¶And syr wyllyā Trussell sayd thyte wordes. ¶Syr Edward for cause y ^• ye haue trayed youre people of Englonde / & haue vndone many grete lordes of Englonde withoute ony cause / ye shall be deposyd / & now ye be withstand thankyd be god / And also for cause y ^• ye wold not come to the parlement asye ordeyned at westmestre / as in your letter patent [...]is conteyned / for to treate with youre owne lyege men as a kynge sholde And therfor thrughall the comȳs ass [...]e / & all the lordes of Englonde / I tell vnto you these wordes. Ye shall vn­derstande syr / y ^• the barons of Englond at one assente / wylle that ye be no more kynge oh Englond but vtterly haue put you o ute of your cryalte foreuer more And the bysshop of Ely sayd tho to the kyng Syr Edwade Iyelde vp feaute & homage for all y ^• archebysshops & bys­shops of Englōd & for all y ^• clergy Tho sayd syr Iohn̄ erle of Garenne [...] Syr Edwarde Iyelde vp here vnto you feaute & homage for me and for all the erles of Englonde. ¶And syre Henry Percy yaue vp also his homage for hym & for all y ^• barons of Englond. And tho sayd syr wyllyam Trussell / Iyelde vp nowe vnto you myn homage for me & also for all the knyghtes of Englonde / & for all them that holde by seryauntre. or by on [...] other thynge of you / so y ^• from this day after ye shall not be clamyd kynge no­ther for hynge be holde / but from this tyme afterwarde ye shall be holde for a sȳ guler man of all the people. ¶And soo they wente [...]ens too London ther [...] that the lordes of Englonde them abode / & syr Edwarde abode in pryson in goode kepynge / And this was on the daye of y ^• Conuers [...]an of saynt Poule. in the .xx. yere of his regne.

¶Of the prophecye of Merlyndedare [...] uf kynge Edwarde the sone of kynge / Edwarde the fyrste.

OF this kynge Edwarde prophecy ed Merlyn [...] & sayd / y ^• there sholde come a gote out of Carre. y ^• sholde haue hornes of syluer / & a berde as where as snowe. And a drope sholde come out of his nosethrylles / that shold betoken mo the harme Hungre / and dethe of people & grete losse of his londe / And [...] gynnynge of his regne sholde be haū [...]d moche lechery. And he sayd sothe. alas y ^• tyme For kynge Edwarde y ^• was [...] Edwardes sone was boine at Ca [...]naryuaun in walys / forsothe he had homes of syluer. and a berde as wh [...]e as [...]n / we Whan he was made prynce of walys to moche he yaue hym to tyot. and too toly And sothe sayd Merlyn in his prophery y ^t there sholde come out of his [...]ose a deope. For in his tyme was grete hunger a­monge the poo [...]e people / & strongr dethe amonge the ryche / y ^• deyed in strannge londe with moche sorow / & in werre in Scotlonde. And after he lost Scotlond and Gascoyne / & whyle that hymselfe was kynge there was moche lechery [...] tyd. ¶And also Merlyn tolde and sayd that this gore sholde seke the floure of lyt & of deth & he sayd sothe. For he spousyd Isabell the kyngꝭ syster of Fraunce And in his tyme Merlyn sayd that there sholde be made brydge [...] of folke vp­pon dyches of the see / and that was wel seen att Bannockes home in Scotlonde whan be wa [...] dys cōfyted thereof y ^• scor­tes / And Merlyn tolde also / that stones [Page] sholde fall from castels. and many tou­ne [...] sholde be made playne. And he sayd sothe / For whan kynge Edwarde was dyscomfyted in Slotlonde & came thoe south warde / the Scottes besegyd tho castels / & dyd them moche barme & brente townes into the herd erthe. ¶And after warde Merlin tolde that an Egle shold come out of Cornewayle / that shold haue feders of golde / y ^• of pryde shold haue no pere and he sholde dispyse lordes of blood & after he sholde dey thrugh a beer at Gauersich & that prophecy was full wel knowe & funde soth for by the egle vnderstonde syr Pers of Ganaston that tho was erle of Cornewayle that was a wonder proude man that dyspysed the baronage of Englonde. but afterwarde he was heeded at Gauersych thrugh the erle of Lancastre & thrugh therle of war wyh. y ^• And Merlyn tolde / that in his tyme it sholde seme that the beer shold brē ne and that bataylle sholde be vpon an arme of the s [...]e in a felde / arayed lyke a sheld. where sholde deye many white he des. And he sayd sothe. For by the bryu­nynge of the beer it betokenyd grete drede thrughe hyttynge of swerdes at y ^• ba­taple of Miton / for there came the Scottes in manere of a slelde / in manere of a wynge and slewe men of relegyon pr [...] ­st [...]s and seculers / wherfore the Scottes callyd that batayll in dyspyte of the Englysshmen / the white batayll. And after Merlyn sayd the forsayd beer sholde do the gote moche harme. & y ^• sholde be vp­pon the southweste. & also vpon his blode / And sayd also / that the gote sholde lese moche deale of his londe. tyll the tyme that shame sholde hym ouercome / & thē he sholde clothe hym in a lyons skynne and sholde wynne ayen that he had lost and more thrughe people that sholde come out of the Northwest / that sholde make hym to be a ferde. & hym auenge vp­pon his enmyes thrugh counsell of two [...]les / that fyrst sholde be in paryll too be vndon. And that tho two o [...]kes shelde go [...] see [...] stranngs londe [...] and there they sholde dwell vnto a certayne tyme. and then they sholde come unto englonde ayen / And tho two owles sholde do moche harme vnto many one. & that they sholde coūsell the gote to [...] [...]erre aycust the forsayd beer. And the gote and che owles / sholde come to as arme of the set at Burton vpon tre [...]t / y ^• sholde goouer / & that for drede the beer sholde flee with a swanne in his companye to Bury towarde the North. thrugh an vnkynde outpulter / & that the swanne thenne shall be slayne with sorowe / and the beer sholde be slayne full nyghe hys owne nest. that sholde stonde vpon poūtftet / vpon whome the sonne shall shede his beemes: And many folke hym shall seke for vertue. And he sayd sothe. For y ^• good Erle Thomas of Lancastre was borne in the Northwest. and cosyn to the kynge. & his vncles sone. And by law he made the kynge lese moche londe / y ^• whiche he had pu [...] chacyd wylfully. tyll at y ^• last the kynge toke therof shame / & himselfe slew with [...]uelte. And after he ga te ayen that he had lost / and moche more thrugh folke that he lete assemble out of the north west / that made hym too be adradde. And auengyd hym on his ba­rons / thrugh counsell ofsyt Hugh spenser the fader / and of syt Hughe the sone that before were outlawed for they [...] wye kydnesse. But afterwarde they came a yen into Englonde / syr Hugh Spenser the fader cameout of Fraūce / & somoche counseled the hynge / that he sholde werre vpon Thomas of Lancastre. So that the kynge and the Spensers and the erle of Arundell and theyr power mette w ^t Thomas of Lancastre a [...] Burton vpō trente / and hym there dyscomfyted and lyr Vmtroy erle of Herforde was in his company. And after fledde the forsayd Thomas and Humf [...]oy with theye [...] ­pany to [...] metynge with [...] [Page] Andrew of Herkela / that is callyd y ^• vnkynde outpulter / & also syre Symonde warde erle of Yorke came & mette with Thomas of Lancastre w ^t an huge power / & them dyscomfyted / & in y ^• scomfy­ture the erle of Herforde was slayne vppon the brydge cowardly with a spere ī the fūdement. & the erle Thomas was take & lad vnto Poūtfiet. & tho was he dyd besyde his owne castell. But afterwarde many hym sought for miracles y ^• god dyd for hym. ¶And in y ^• tyme merlyn sayd. for sorow & harme sholde deye a people of his londe / wherfore many lō des sholde be vpon hym y ^• more bolder / & he sayd sothe for bycause of his barōs y ^• were doon to dethe for saynt thomas quarell of Lancastre. people of many lō ­des became y ^• bolder for to meue werre vpon y ^• kynge / for their blood was tor­ned to many nacyons. ¶And afterwarde Merlyn tolde & sayd y ^• y ^• forsaydowles sholde do moche harme vnto y ^• flour of lyf & deth / & they sholde brynge her to moche / dysese. so y ^• she sholde go ouer see in to Fraūce for to make peas to y ^• floure delyce. & there sholde abyde tyll a ty­me her sede sholde come & fetche her / & tho they sholde abyde bothe tyll y ^• tyme / y ^• they sholde clothe them with grace / & tho two owles she sholde seke. & put thē to pyteuous dethe. & y ^• prophecy was ful well know. & was full sothe / for syr hu­ghe Spenser y ^• fader. & syr Hughe the sone / dyde moche sorow & persecucōn vn­to y ^• quene Isabell thrugh theyr procurement to her lorde y ^• kynge / so they ordeined amonge them. y ^• she was put vntoo her wagys. That is to saye .xx: shelyngꝭ in y ^e daye. wherfore y ^• kynge of Fraunce her brother was sore anoyed. & sent in englonde by his letters vnto kyng Edwarde to come vnto his parlement to Parys in Fraunce. But kynge Edwarde was sore adrad to come there / for he wend to haue be arestyd tyll that he had made amendes for y ^• trespase y ^• syr Hugh Spenser the fader and the sone had done and for the harme that they had done vnto quene Isabell his syster / wherfore thru­ghe his ordynaunce and consent of the. Spensers. the quene Isabell went ouer see into Fraunce for to make accorde be twene kynge Edwarde and the kynge of Fraunce her brother▪ And there dwel­lyd she in Fraunce / tyll Edwarde her eldest sone came her for too seke / and so they dwellyd there both tyll that alyaū [...] ce was made bytwene them and the gē tyll erle of Henaude / that yf they wyth ther vertue myght dystroye and ouerco­me the venym and the falsnesse of the [...] Spensers / that spr Edward shold spowsedame Phylip the worshypfull lad [...] the erles doughter of Henauds / wherfore the quene Isabell and Edwarde her sone / and syr Edward of wodstok the [...] ges brother of Englonde / and syre Io han of Henaude / and syre Rog [...]e: Mo­tymer of wygmore / and syre Thomas Rocelyn / and syre Iohn̄ of C [...]omwelle and syr wyllyam Trussell / and man [...] other of the alyaunce of the gentyll erle Thomas of Lancastre / that were e [...]yled out of Englonde for his quarell and were dyshertted of theyr londes orderned them a grete power / and arryued at H [...] ­rewich in Sonthfolke / And sone aft [...] they pursewed y ^• Spensers tyll y ^• then were taken & put to piteous deth as before is sayd. & ther cōpany also / for y ^• grrate falsnes y ^• they dyd to kynge Edward. & to his peple. And Merly sayd also more y ^• the gote shold be put in grete dystresse & in grete anguyssh & in grete sorow he sholde lede his lyfe / And he sayd sothe / For after the tyme that kynge Edwar­de was take he was put into warde tyll y ^• the Spensers were put to dethe and also bycause that he wolde not come vnto his parlemente at. London as he hadde ordeyned and assygned hymself vnto his baronage / and also wold not gouer [...] / [...] rule his people [...]ne his trame as a kyn­ge [Page] sholde doo. wherfore some of the ba­rons of Englonde came & yelde vp ther homages vnto hym / for theym & all the other of y ^• reame. in the daye of y ^• conuersyon of saynt Poule / in y ^• yere of his regne .xx. And they put hym out of his ryaltee for euermore / And euer lyued after­warde in moche sorowe & anguysshe.

LOdowicus was emperour after Henry foure yere. this Lodewye was duke of Banare / & he dyspysed the corouacōn of the pope / wherfor the pope deposyd hym / and moche labour & ma­ny perylles he had after And he trowbled gretly the vnyte of holy chirche. And thē was chosyn ayenst hym Frederyk the duke of Ostryche. & he ouercame the duke and abode arebelyon to his ende. and in grete peryll to his soule / And at the last Rarolus was chosen ayenst hym / y ^• whiche preuaylled / and sodenly Lodewic fel downe of his hors and dyscessyd.

¶Iohn̄ Mandeuyll a douctour of physyh & a knyght borne was in Englon­de abowte this tyme. And he made a merueylous pylg [...]ymage. for he went almoost abowte all the world. & he wrote his dedys in thre langages. & decessyd. & was buried at saynt Albons.

¶Benedictus the .xxii. was pope after Iohn̄ .vii. yeres & more / this man wos a monke / & in all his yongthe he was of good cōuersacyon / & a doctour of diuinite. And whan he was made pope / he re­fourmed thordre of saynt Benet in that thynge y ^• was nescessary / & he was a harde man to graunte benifyces / lest he had graūtyd it to an vncunnynge man / he made a deretall / y ^• whiche began (Be­nedictus deꝰ in donis suis) And he was very cruell in his fayth / & for that of sō men lytyll louyd / He was so stoute a mā that almoost he wolde not know his owne cosyns.

¶Anno dn̄t .M.CCC.xxii.
¶Of kynge Edwarde the chyrde after the Conqueste.

ANd after this kynge Edwarde Carnariuan regned syr Edwarde of wyndsore his sone / y ^• whiche was crowned kynge / & anoynted at westmestre / thrugh coūsell & consent of all y ^• grete lordes of y ^• reame. y ^• Sondaye in Candelmasse eue. in y ^• yere of grace .M.CCC.xxvi. y ^• was of aege at that tyme but xv. yere And for cause y ^• his fader was in warde in y ^• castell of Kenilworth and also was put downe of his ryaltee / the reame of Englonde was without kyng from y ^• feest of saynt Katheryn frome y ^• yere aboue sayd to the feest of Candel­masse. And tho were all maner ple [...] of the kynges bynche astente. And tho was cōmaunded to all y ^• Shy [...]efs of Englō ­de thrughe wrytte / to warne the partyes to defendaūtys / thrugh somnynge ayen And also ferthermore / that al prysoners that were in the kynges gayolles / that were attachid thrughe Shyrefs / sholde be lete goo quyte. ¶The kynge Edwarde after his coronacōn / at the prayer / & besechynge of his lyege of the reame. grauntyd them a chartre of stedfast peas to all them that wolde it axe / And syr Io­han of Henaude. and his company toke his leue of the kynge and of the lordes of the reame. and tor [...]yd home to theyre owne coūtre ayen: And eche of them had full ryche yeftes. euery man as he was of value & estate. ¶And tho was Englonde in rest & peas / & grete loue bytwene y ^• kynge and his lordes. And comyuly Euglysshmen sayd amonges them that the deuyll was dede / [...]ut the innumerable / iresoure of the kynge his fader / and the tresour of the Spensers / bothe of the [...]a­der and of the sone / and of the erle of Arundell / & of mayster Robert Baldok y ^• was y ^• kyngꝭ chaūceler was departyd after y ^• quene Isabelles ordynaūce & sir Rogere Mortymers of wygmore / soo that [Page] the kynge had no thynge there of. but at her wyll and her delyueraūce / [...] of their londes / as after warde ye shall here.

¶How kynge Edwarde went vnto stā thop for to mete the Scottes.

ANd yet in the same tyme was y ^• kynge in y ^• castell of kenylworth vnder the kepynge of syr Henri / y ^t was erle Thomas of Lancasters broder. that tho was erle of Lcycetre. And the kynge graūtyd hym y ^• erldome of Lancastre / y ^t y ^e kyng his fader had seasyd into his hō de & put out Thomas of Lancastres broder. & soo was he erle of Lancastre & of Lcycetre / & also Stywarde of Englōde as his broder was in his tyme. But syr Edwarde y ^t was kynge Edwardes fad (er) made sorowe withoute ende / bycause he myght not speke with his wyf. ne wyth his sone / wherfore he was in moche mischeyf / For though it was so y ^• he was led de and rulyd by fals coūsell / yet he was kynge Edwards sone callyd Edwarde with y ^• longe shankys / & came out of y ^e worthyest blood of the worlde. & they to whome he was wonte to yeue grete yef­tys & large. were moost preuy with y ^• kȳ ge his owne sone / And they wre his enmyes bothe by nyght & by daye / & procured to make debate & contake bytwene hym and his sone / and Isabell his wyf But the frere prechers were to hym go­de frendes euer more / & cast both by ny­ght and by day. how they myght brynge hym oute of pryson. And amonge theyr company y ^t the freres had prpurly brou­ght / there was a frere that was callyd / Dunhened and he had ordeyned & ga­dryd a grete cōpany of folke to kepe at y ^• nebe / but y ^e frere was taken & put in the castell of pountfret / & there be deyed in pryson / & syr henry erle of Lancastre / y ^• had y ^• kynges fader in kepynge / thrugh cōmandement of the kynge. delyuerd Edwarde the kynges fader by endenture to syr Thomas of Berkelay. And soo syr Iohn̄ Matreuas & they lad hym frō the castell of kenylworth to y ^• castell of Ber kelay / & kept hym there saufly. ¶And at Ester next after his coronacōn: y ^• kyn­ordeyned a grete huge hoste / for to fyght ayenst y ^• Scottes / And syr Iohn̄ y ^• erles brother of Henaude came from beyonde the see / for to helpe kynge Edwarde & brought w ^t hym .vij.C. men of armys & arryued at Douer & they had leue for to go forth tyll they came to Yorke. they y ^• kynge them abode / & y ^• scottes came the der to y ^• kyng / for to make peas & accorde / but y ^• accordement lasted not bytwene thē but a lytyll tyme And at y ^t tyme the Englysshmen were clothed all [...] cotes & hodes paynted with letters & with floures full semely w ^t longe berdes and therfor y ^• scottes made a byll, y ^• was fastnyd vpon y ^• chirche dores of laynt Pen [...]to warde stangate, & thus sayd y ^• sarp [...] re in dyspyte of Englysshemen Longe berdes hertles / payntyd hodes wrotles g [...]ye cotes graceles makyth Englōd thriftelees)

SO in y ^• Triny [...] daye nerte after began y ^• contak in y ^• cyte of Yo­ke bytwene y ^• Englysshmen & y ^• Henandes: & in y ^• debate were slayne of y ^• erldō of Nicholl & murdred .lxxx. men. & after they were buryed in saynt clemētis chir­che in Fosgate. & for cause y ^• y ^• Henaudes came to helpe y ^• kynge. ther peas was cried vpon payne of lyf & lȳme. & in y ^• other half it was foūde by an enquest of y ^• e [...]te y ^• the Englysshmen began y ^• debate.

¶Howe the Englysshmen stoppyd the Scottes in the parke of Stanope & how they torned ayen into Scotlonde.

THis tyme the Scottes hadde as­sembled all theyr power & came into Englonde / and slewe & robbyd all that they myght take / and also brente & [Page] dystroyed all the north countre thrughe oute / tyll y ^• they came vnto the the parke of Stanhope in weridale / & there y ^• Scottes helde theym in a busshment / but whā the kynge had herde thrugh spyes whe­re y ^• scottes were / anone ryght w ^t his hoste besegyd them within y ^• forsayd parke so y ^• the scottes wist not where to go oute but oonly vnto ther harmes. And they abode in the parke: xv. dayes / & vytaylles faylled them in euery syde. so y ^• they were greatly peyred of bodyes / & syth that Brute came fyste into Brytayne vnto this tyme / there was neuer seen so fayre an host / what of Englysshmen / & of alyūtes & of men of fote / y ^• whiche ordeined theym for to fyght with y ^• Scottes / thrughe eggynge of syr Henry of Lancastre & of syr Iohn̄ Henaude / y ^• wold haue gone ouer y ^• water of wyth for to haue fou ght with y ^• scottes. But syr Roger Mortuner consentyd not therto / for he hadd p [...]yuely taken mede of y ^• scottes them to helpe / y ^• they myght go awaye into their owne coūtre [...]. ¶And this same Mortymer coūseylled somoch Thomas of brotherton y ^• erle Marshall [...]hat was kynge Edwardes vncle. y ^• y ^• forsayd Thomas sholde not assemble at that tyme vnto y ^• Scottes. And he assentyd. but he wyste not the doynge bytwene y ^• Scottes & the forsayd Mort [...]mer / And bycause that he was Marshall of Englonde / as to hyzperteyned euer y ^• vaūtwarde. he sent hastely to y ^• erle of Lancastre / & to syr Iohn̄ of Henaude / y ^• they sholde not fyght w ^t the Scottes / in preiudyce & harmyng of hym & his fee / & yf they dyd y ^• thei shold stonde to theyr owne paryll. And the forsayd erle Marschall was all arayed w ^t his batayll / at y ^• reredoos of the erle of Lancastre / for to haue fought with him & with his folke yf he had go to fyghte w ^t the scottes / & in this manere he was dysceyued & wist no thynge of y ^• treason And thus was y ^• kynge pryncypally disceyued. And whan it was nyght Mortymer / y ^• had the watche for to hepe of the host / y ^• nyght dystrobled y ^• watche y ^• noo thynge myght be doon. And in y ^• meane while y ^• Scottes stele by nyght towarde theyr owne coūtre as fast as they myght ¶And so was the kyng falsly betrayed y ^• wenyd y ^• all the traytours of his londe had ben broughte to an ende as it was sayd before. ¶Now here you lordes how traytoursly kynge Edwarde was dysceiued. & howe meruayllously & boldly the Scottes dyd of werre / For Iamys dou­glas with two hundred men of armys rode thrugh out all y ^• host of kynge Edwarde / y ^• same nyght y ^• Scottes escaped towarde theyr owne coūtree as is aboue sayd / tyll y ^• they came to y ^• kyngis pauilyon / & slewe there many men in theyre beddes / and cryed Naward naward / & a nother tyme a Douglas a Douglas / wherfore y ^• kynge y ^• was in his pauylyō & moche other folke / were wonder sore afrayed / But blyssyd be almyghty god y ^• kynge was not taken / and in greate peryll was tho the reame of Englonde. & that nyght the moone shone full clere / and bryght. And for all the kynges men the Scottes scapyd harmeles. ¶And on the morowe whan the kynge wyste that the Scottes were escapyd into theyr owne countrey he was wonder sory / & fulle hertely wepte with his yonge eyen / and yet wyst he notte who hadde hym done that treason. But that fals treason was full welle I knowen a good while after as the storye makyth mencyon / ¶Tho kynge Edward came ayen vnto Yorke full sorowfull / And his host departyd / & euery man went into his owne countre with full heuy chere and mornynge semblaunt / And the Henaundes toke theyr leue and went into theyr owne countree And the kynge for theyr trauaylle / hugely rewarded thē / ¶And for bycause of y ^• vyage / y ^• kynge had dyspended moche [Page] of his tresoure and wastyd. And in that tyme were seen two moones in y ^• fyrmament / y ^• one was clere / & that other was [...] / as men myght see thrugh y ^• worlde. ¶And a grete debate was y ^• same tyme agaynst pope Iohn̄ y ^• .xxii. after saȳe petyr. & y ^• emperour of Almayn tho made hym emperoure ayenst y ^• popys wyll y ^• tho helde his see at Auinion. wherfore the [...]mperoure made his crye at Rome & ordeyned another pope / y ^• hyght Nicholas / y ^• was a frere Minor / & that was a yenste y ^• ryght of holy chirche. wherfore he was cursyd. & the power of y ^• othere pope soon layed. And for cause that such merueylles were seen / men sayd that the worlde was nygh at an ende.

¶Of the dethe of kynge Edwarde of Carnariuan.

ANd now go we ayen / to syr Ed­warde of Carnariuan that was kynge Edwards fader / somtyme kynge of Englonde. & put downe of his dygnyte. Alas for his trybulacōn & sorow that hym befell thrugh fals coūsell. y ^• he louid & trustyd vpon tomoche. y ^• afterward were dystroyed thrugh ther falsnesse as god wolde. ¶And this Edwarde of Carnariuan / was in y ^• castell of Berkelay vnder y ^• warde & kepynge of syr Moryce of [...]erkelay / & also of syr Iohn̄ Matreues and to them he made his complaynte of his sorowe and of his disese. And ofte [...] tymes axyd of his wardeyns. what he had trespassed ayenst dame Isabell his wyfe and syr Edwarde his sone. that was made newe kynge / that they wolde not visite hym. ¶And tho answerde one of his [...]rdeyns & sayd. My worthy lorde dys­pleyse you not that I shall telle you the cause is. for it is do [...]n them to vnderstō ­de / that yf my lady your wyfe came ony thynge nyghe you. that ye wold her strā gle and slee / and also that ye wolde do [...] to my lorde your sone in the same wyse ¶Tho answerde he with symple there Alas alas am not I in pryson / & all [...] youre owne wyll / now god it wote I thought it neuer / and nowe I wolde that I were dede / [...]o wolde god that I were. for thenne were all my sorowe passyd / ¶It was not longe after. that the kynge thrughe coūsell of Roger Mortimer / graun­tyd y ^• warde & kepynge of syr Edwarde his fader vnto syr Thomas To [...]oursy & to y ^• forsayd syr Iohn̄ Matreuers thrughe y ^• kynges letter / & put out hooly the forsayd syr Moryce of y ^• warde of y ^• [...] ge. And they toke and ladde the kynge vnto the castell of [...]o [...]f. y ^• whiche castell the kynge hatyd as ony dethe / And they kept hym there tyll it came vnto saynt / Mathewes daye in Septembre in the yere of grace .M.CCC:xx [...]u. that the for sayd syr Roger Mortymer sent the ma­nere of y ^• dethe / how & in what wyse he sholde be done to dethe / And anone as y ^• forsayd Thomas & Iohn̄ had see the [...]et ter / & cōmaūdemente / they made kyng Edwarde Carnari [...]an good cher [...]: and good solace / as they myght at that sou [...]tpere / & nothynge y ^• kynge wyst of y ^• traytory. And whan tyme was for to go too bed the kynge went to his bedde & laye & slept fast. And as the kynge laye & slept the traytours fals forsworn ayenst ther homage & f [...]uate / came pryuely into the kynges chambre / & theyr company with them / & layed an huge table vppon his wombe / & with men p [...]ēssyd & helde fast downe the foure corners of the table on his body / wherwith the good man awoke / and was wonder sore adradde to be deed and there slayne / and torned his body vp tho so downe. Tho toke the fals traytours / & tyraūtes an horne. & put it into his fundement as depe as they my­ght / & toke a spyt of cop [...]e brennynge / & putte it thrugh the horne into his bodye & of [...] tymes therwith thy [...]led his bowels & so they slewe ther lorde / that no thyn­ge [Page] was perceyued / And after he was en­teryd at Glouce [...]e.

¶How kynge Edwarde spowsyd Phylyp y ^• erles doughter of Henaude at yorke

ANd after Cristmasse tho nexte sewynge / syt Iohn̄ of Henaude broughte with hym Philyp his brothers doughter / y ^• was erle of Henaude his nece into Englonde / & the kynge spowsyd her at Yorke. with moche honoure. And syr Iohn̄ of Bothum bysshop of Ely / & syr wyllyam of Melton Archebysshopp of Yorke / sange y ^• masse y ^• Sondaye on the euen of y ^• Conuersyon of saynt Poule / In the yere of grace .M.CCC.xxvii. But bycause y ^• the kyng was but yonge & tendre of aege whan he was crowned full many wronges were doon whyle y ^• his fader lyued / by cause y ^• he trowed / y ^• coūseyllers y ^• were fals a abowte hym / y ^• coūseylled hym to do otherwyse than reason wolde / wherfore greate harme was done to y ^• reame and to the kynge / & all men dyrected i [...] the kynges dede / and it was not so / almyghty god it wote / wherfore it was ordeyned at the kynges crownynge▪ y ^• the kynge for his tendre aege / sholde be gouerned by .xii. of the grettest lordes of Englonde / without whome nothynge sholde be doon. That is to saye thar [...]h [...]bysshop of Caūterbury / tharche bysshop of Yorke / y ^• bysshop of wynches tre / & the bysshop of Herforde / the erle of Lancastre / ther [...]e Marschall / & the Erle of Kent / y ^• were the kynges vndes and the erle of Garen [...]e / syr Thomas wa­ke. syr Henry Percy. syr Olyuer yngham and Iohn̄ Rous barons / all thyse were sworn truely for to counseyll the kynge. and they shold answer euery yere in parlement / of that that sholde be done in y ^• tyme of theyr gouernall / but that ordy­naunce was sone vndoon / and that was moche harme to all Englonde / For the kynge & all the lordes y ^• sholde gouerne hym were gouerned & [...] y ^• quene his moder dame Isabell. & [...] sye Roger Mortimer: & as they wolde all thyn ge was done / both amonge hygh & lowe And they toke vnto theym castels tow­nes londeꝭ / & tent [...] in greate harme. and losse to y ^• crowne. & of the kynges estate oute of all mesure.

¶How the peas was made bytwene the Englysshmen & the Scottes and alsoo of Iustifyenge of Troylles [...]aston.

Kynge Edwarde at wytsontyde in the seconde yere of his regne thrughe the counseyll of his moder / & sir Roger Mortimer / ordeyned a parlement at Northampton. And at y ^• parlement the kyng thrugh his coūsell / & none other of y ^• londe / w ^t in aege graūtyd to be accor­dyd w ^t the scottes in this manere. y ^• al y ^• feautees & homages. y ^• the scottes sholde doo to y ^• crowne of Englonde / foryaue theym for euer more / by his chartre ensealed. And ferdermore an endenture was made of y ^• Scottes vnto kynge Edwarde / y ^• was kynge Henryes sone / whiche endenture they calle it ragman. in y ^• whiche were conteyned all y ^• homages & fe­aute [...]s / Fyrste of y ^• kynge of Scotlonde & of y ^• prelates / erles barons of y ^• reame of Scotloyde / w ^t theyr seales set thero [...] & other chartres & remēbrauncys y ^• kynge Edwarde & his barons had of theyr ryght in y ^• forsayd reame of scotlonde / it was foryeue ayen holy chirche / And also with y ^• blacke crosse of Scotlonde the whiche y ^• good kynge Edwarde conquered in Scotlonde & brought it out of the abbaye of Scone / y ^• is a full precyous relyque / And also ferthermore / he releacy [...] & fully forgaue all the londes y ^• y ^• noble barons had before y ^• tyme in y ^• reame of scotlonde / by olde conquest. And ferther more y ^• this peas for to be holden & continuelly laste y ^• Scottes were bounde vnto the kynge in .xxx. thousande poūde of siluer [Page] to be pay [...] within th [...]e yere / that is euery yere .x. thousande pounde by euen porcy [...]. ¶And ferther [...] aboue all this / they spake bytwene the partyes aboue sayd. that Dauid Dri [...]autier that was kynge Robert B [...]us sone / the fals tyraunt / & fals forsworn ayenst his othe that arose ayenst his lyege lorde / the noble and good kynge Edwarde. and falsly made hym kynge of Scotlonde / that was of aege .v. yere. And so this cursyd counseyll Dauyd spoused at B [...]rewyk dame Iohn̄ of the Toure / that was kinge Edwardes syster / as the gestes tellith vpon Mary Mawdeleyns daye. in y ^• yere of grace .M.CCC.xxviii. too greate harme and [...]mpayrynge of all y ^• kynges blode / wherof y ^• gentyll lady came. alas the tyme / For wonder moche that fayre damoysell dysperagyd / syth y ^• she was maryed ayenst all the comyns wyll & assent of Englonde. And frome the tyme that Brute had conquered Albyon / and named the londe after his owne name. Brytayne: that now is callyd Englond after the name of Engist. And so the reame of Scotlond was holde of y ^• reame of Englonde / & of the crowne by feaute and homage. For Brute conquered that hande / & yaue it to Albana [...] / y ^• was hys seconde sone / And he callyd that londe Albayn / after his owne name / so y ^• hys hey [...]es y ^• came after hym. sholde holde of Brute & of his heyres / y ^• is to saye of the kynges of Brytayn / by feaute & homage: And from y ^• tyme vnto this tyme of kynge Edwarde / y ^• reame of Scotlonde was holde of the reame of Englonde by [...]eaute & seruyse / as about is sayd in the Cronycles of Englonde & of Scotlond & be [...] ythe wytnesse more prenarely. And accursyd be y ^• tyme that this parlement was holden at Northampton. For there by fals coūseyll. y ^• kynge was there falsly dysheryted & yet he was within aege. ¶And yet whan that kynge Edwarde [...] put oute of his ryaltee of Englond yet men put not hym out of the f [...]autes and seruyse of Sco [...]londe. ne of the [...]ra­ [...]nchyses dysher [...]ted hym for euer more ¶And neuertheles the greate lordes of Englonde were ayenst to conferme the [...]eas and the [...] aboue sayd / sauf only quene Isabell / that tho was the kyn­ges moder Edwarde / and the bysshopp of Ely / and the lord Mortimer. But rea son and lawe wolde not that a fynalle peas sholde be made bytwene th [...] w ^t out the comyn assent of Englonde.

¶Of the debate that was bytwene qu [...] ne Isabell and syr Henry erle of Lancas tre and of Leycetre / and of the rydynge of Bedforde.

Then as the forsayd Dauyd had spowsyd dame Iohan̄e of y ^• tour in the towne of Berwy [...] as before is sayd / The Scottes in dyspyte of the En­glysshemen callyd dame Iohanne y ^• [...]ā tesse make peas / for the cowardly peas y ^• tho was ordeyned. But the kynges per­sone bare all y ^• w [...]te & blame w ^t wronge of the makynge of the accorde / And all was done thrughe the quene & Rogere Mortymer. And it was not longe after that the quene Isabell ne toke intoo her hondꝭ all y ^• lordshyp of Poū [...]rer almoste all the londes that were of ony value that apperteyned to the crowne of En­glonde / Soo the kynge had not to dys­pende / but of his vses and of his essche­ker / For the quene Isabell and the Mortymer had greate mayne of the [...] y ^• folowed the kynges court euer mo [...] & went and toke the kynges pry [...]s for her peny worthes [...]tte good [...]hepe / Wherfo re the coun [...]e that they came in were / fulle sore adradde / and almooste dystroyed of theym. ¶Tho began y ^• comy [...]l te of Englonde for to haue [...] to [...] bell the quene. y ^• somoche louyd her be­fore [Page] whann she came ayen for to pursue the fals traytours / y ^• Spensers fro Fra­unce. And in y ^• same tyme the fals traytour Robert of Holonde / y ^• bytrayed hys lorde syr Thomas of Lācastre. was tho delyuerde out of pryson / & was wonder preuy with y ^e quene Isabell / & also with Roger Mortymer. but y ^• auaylled hym but lytyll. For he was taken at Myghel masse y ^• tho came next after / as he rode towarde quene Isabell to London / and sir Thomas whither smote of his heed besydes the towne of saynt Albons. And this syr Thomas dwelled with syr Henry erle of Lancastre / & he put hym asyde for drede of the quene / For the quene lo­ued hym wondermoche. And prayed vnto y ^• kyng for hym y ^• the same Thomas myght be exyled out of Englonde. And y ^• noble erle syr Henry of Lancastre had often tymes herde the comyn claymoure of the Englysshmen / of y ^• dysease y ^t we re doon in Englonde / & also for dyuers wronges y ^• were doon to the comyn people. of y ^• whiche the kynge bare y ^• blame with wronge / for he was but full yonge & tender of aege. And thought as a gode man for to do awaye / & slake the s [...]laū der of the kynges persone / yf y ^• he might in ony manere a wyse / so as y ^• kȳge was therof nothynge gylty / wherfore he was in peryll of lyf & lȳme: ¶And so he assē bled all his retenewe & went & spake w ^t them of the kynges honoure / and alsoo for to amende his astate. And syr Tho­mas Brotherton erle of Marchall / and syr Edmonde wodstok / that were the kȳ gys vncles / and alsoo men of Londone made theyr othe hym for to mayntene in that same quarell. And theyr cause was this / that the kynge sholde holde his house and his meyne / as a kynge ought for to do / and haue all his ryaltce. And that the quene Isabell sholde delyuer onte of her hondes in too the kynges honde alle manere of lordshyps rentys / townes and castels that apperteyneth vnto the crowne of Englonde as othere quenes haue done here before / and medle with none other thynge. ¶And alsoo that syre Rogere Mortimer sholde abyde and dwelle vppon his owne londes / For the whyche londes he hadde holpe too dysheryt [...] motche people / [...]n soo moche that the co­myn people were dystroyed and gretlye domaged / thoroughe suche wrongfulle takynge. ¶And alsoo too enquere how and by whome that the kynge was by­trayed and falsly dysceyued at Stanhope / and thrugh whose counseyll that the Scottes went awaye by nyght from the kynge / And also how and thrugh who­os counseylle the ordynaunce that were made atte the kynges coronacyon / was putte downe. That is to saye / that y ^• kȳ ge for amendement and helpynge of his reame / and in honoure of hym shold be gouerned and rulyd by .xii. of the grettest and wysest lordes of the reame / & without them. sholde nothynge be grauntyd ne done / as before is sayd / whiche coue­naūtes were malycyously put downe fro the kynge / where many harmes. shamis and repreues haue falle to the kynge & his reame / and that is too vnderstonde for asmoche as Edwarde kynge of Englonde / somtyme / was ordeyned by assēt in playne parlemēt / for to be vnder warde & gouernaunce of Henry erle of Lancastre his cosyn / for saluacōn of his bodi he was take out of y ^• castel of Kenilworth / there y ^t he was in warde. & thrugh colour of quene Isabell / & of y ^• Mortimer w ^t out cōsent of ony parlement thei toke & ladd hym there that neuer after none of his kynred / myght with hym speke ne see. and after traytoursly toke and mordred hym / for whose dethe arose a sklaūdre thrugh all cristēdom / whan it was done. And also y ^• tresore y ^• syr Edwarde of Kerna [...] iuan lefte in manye places in Englonde and in walys and wastyd & borne awaye / without y ^• wyll of kynged warde his sone / in dystruccyon of hym [Page] and of all his folke. ¶Also thrugh who se conseyll / that the kynge yaue vp the kyngdom of Scotlonde / for the whiche reame / y ^• kyngys aūcetours had full sore traueyled / & so dyd many a noble man for theyr ryght / & was delyuerd vnto dauyd y ^• was Robert Brus sone all y ^• ry­ght / y ^• no ryght had to y ^• reame. as all y ^• worlde it wyst. And also by whome the chartres & remebaunces y ^t they had of y ^• ryght of Scotlonde were take oute of y ^• tresory / & taken to y ^• Scottes y ^• kyngys enmyes / to dysherytynge of hym & of his successours / & to grete harme of his lye­ges / & grete repreef to all Englysshmen for euer more. ¶Also wherfore dame Iohan of y ^e toure y ^e kynges syster Edwar­de / was dysperagid & maried vnto Dauyd y ^• was Robert Brus sone. y ^• was a traytour & enmye vnto Englonde. and thrugh whoos coūseyll she was take in to oure enmyes hondes out of Englon­de. ¶And in this meane while. y ^• goode e [...]le Henry of Lancastre & his companye toke coūseyll how those poyntes aboue­sayd / myght be amended to y ^e worshipp of y ^e kynge & to his profyte & to y ^• profyte of his lyegs / And y ^• quene Isabel thrughe coniectynge & also of y ^• Mortimers lete ordeyne a parlement at Salisburye And at y ^• same parlement / y ^• Mortimer was made erle of March ayenste all the barons wyll of Englonde in preiudice of the kynge & of his crowne. And syr Iohn̄ of Eltham the kynges brother / was girde with a swerde of Cornewaylle. And tho was callyd erle of Cornewayle. and euer more quene Isabell procurydso moche ayenst her sone the kynge / y ^• she had the warde of the forsayd syr Edwarde and of his londes. And atte that parle­ment the erle of Lancastre wolde not come / But ordeyned all his power ayenst quene Isabelle and the Mortimer / And men of London ordeyned them with tyue houndred men of armys / ¶wharme quene Isabell wyste of the doynge / [...]hē swore by god and by his names / full angerly / that in an euyll tyme he thoughte vpō tho poyntes / Tho sent y ^• quene Isabell & y ^• Mortimer after theyr retene we & after the kyngys retene we / soo y ^• they had ordeyned amonge thē an huge hoste And they coūseylled y ^• kynge so that vppon a nyght / they rode .xxiii. myles too Bedford / there y ^• erle of Lancastre was wyth his company / and thought to haue hym dystroyed / and that nyght she rode besyde the kynge her sone as a kryghte for drede of dethe. And it was done the kynge to vnderstonde that the erle Henry of Lancastre and his company wold haue dystroyed the kynge and his coun­seyll for euer more / wherfore the kynge was somdele towardes hym heuy & anoyed. ¶whan therle Marschall and therle of Kente the kyngys brother herde of this tydynges / they rode soo in message bytwene them / that the kynge grauntyd hym his peas to therle Henry of Lancastre / for a certayn raunsōme of a .xi thousand poūde / But that was neuer payed afterwarde. And thyse were the lordes y ^• helde with syr Henry of Lancastre. syre Beaumōt / syr Fouk fytzwar [...]n. syr tho­mas Rocelyn / syr wyllyam T [...]ussel [...] Thomas whyther / and abowce an hū ­dred knyghtes moo that were too hym consented / & all those were [...]ryled thru­ghe counseyll of quene Isabell & of Mortymer. For the Mortimer wayted to haue theyr londes / yf that he myght thru / ghe ony maner coniectynge / For he was to coueytous and had to moche his wyll and that was grete pyte.

¶How kynge Edwarde wente ouer the see for too doo his homage vnto the kynge of Fraunce / for y ^• duchye of Guy henne.

IT was notte longe after that the kynge of Fraunce / thrughe coun­seyll of his douzepers / sent to kynge Edwarde [Page] of Englonde that he sholde co­me to Parys & doo his homage / as reason it wolde / for y ^• duchye of Guyon / & so thrugh counsell of y ^• lordes of Englō de kynge Edwarde went ouer see. And at y ^• Ascencyon tyde / he came vnto Pa­rys / y ^• thyrde yere of his regne / for to do his homage vnto y ^• kynge of Fraūce. & y ^• kynge receyued his homage / & made of hym moche Ioy & worshyp / But whan kynge Edwarde had done his homage hastyly he was sent for into Englonde thrughe y ^• quene Isabell his moder and anone hastyly he came ayen into Englō de / vpon wytsonday without ony takynge leue of y ^• kynge of Fraunce. wherfore he was wonder wothe.

¶How syr Roger Mortymer bare him proudely and so hygh.

ANd now shall ye here of syr Roger Mortymer of wygmore that desyred and coueted to be at an hygh astate / so that the kynge graūtyd hym to be callyd erle of Marche / thrugh oute al his lordshyp. And he became so proude & hauteyn / y ^• he wold lese & forsake the name y ^• his elds had euer before / & for y ^• cause he let hym cal erle of marche. And none of y ^e comyns of Englonde durste calle hym by othere name / for he was callyd so by y ^• kyngys crye. that men sholde calle hym erle of Marche. & Mortymer bare hym so hauteyne & so proude that wonder it was for to wyte. & alsoo dysguysed hym with wonder ryche clo­thes oute of all manere of reason / both of shapynge & of werynge. wherof the Englysshmen had grete wonder / howe and in what manere he myght contriue or fynde suche manere pryde. And they sayd amonge them comynly / y ^• his pry­de sholde nott longe endure. ¶And the same tyme syr Geffray Mortymer the yonge / That was Mortymers sone. lete calle hym kynge of foly / and so it befell afterwarde in dede / for he was so fulle of pryde and of wretchydnesse / that he helde a rounde table in walys / to all mē that theder came / & counterfeted the doynge and the manere of kynge Arthurs table / but openly he fayled / for the noble kynge Arthur was the moost noble lor­de of renomme / that was in all y ^• world in his tyme & yet came neuer none suche after / For al y ^• noble knyghtes in all cristēdom of dedys of armys assayed / dwellyd with kynge Arthur / and helde hym for ther lorde and souerayne / And that was well seen / for he oconquerde in a ba­tayll a Romayn that was callyd Froll. and gate of hym the reame of Fraunce / and slewe hym with his owne houndes / and also he faught with a gyaunte that was callyd Dynabus / & slewe hym that had rauysshyd fayr Elayne y ^t was kynge Howels nece / kyng of lytyl Brytain & after he slew in bataylle y ^e emperoure of Rome / y ^t was callyd Lucie / y ^• had assembled ayenst Arthur / for to fyght with hym so moche people of Romayns and Pehites & sarrasyns / y ^• noo man cowde nombre them / & he dyscomfyted them al as the story tellyth. ¶And in that same tyme comyn voyce spronge in Englōde thrugh coniectynge & ordynaūce of the frere prechers / y ^• syr Edward of Carnariuan / y ^t was kynge Edwardes fader of whome the geste tellyth / sayd y ^• he was alyue in y ^• castell of Corf / wherof all the comyns of Englonde almoste werein sorowe & drede / whether y ^• it were so or not For they wyst not how traytoursly mortymer had hym done murthred.

¶Howe Edmonde of wodstok that was erle of kente and y ^• kynges brother Edwarde of Carnaryuan / was heedyd atte wynchestre.

ANd vppon a tyme it befell soo / that syr Edmonde of w [...]tok Erle of Kente / spake vnto pope Iohn̄ [Page] the .xxii. at Auimon / and sayd y ^• almyghty god had oft tymes done for Thomas loue of Lancastre many greate miracles to many men & wȳmen / that were thrughe dyuers maladyes vndoon. as vnto y ^• worlde / & thrughe his prayere they were brought vnto ther helth. & so syr Edmō de prayed y ^• pope hertely y ^• he wolde graunte hym grace / y ^• forsayd Thomas might be traūslatyd. But y ^e pope sayd nai that he sholde not be traunslatyd / vnto y ^• tyme that he were better certifyed of y ^e clergye of Englonde & seen by ther obe­dyence what thynge god had doon for the loue of saynt Thomas of Lancastre after the suggestion y ^• the forsayd erle of Kent had vnto hym made. And whan this Edmond saw y ^• he myght not spede of his purpos: as towchynge y ^e traunsla cōn. he prayed hym of coūsell. as touchȳ ge syr Edwarde of Carnariuan his brother / & sayd. y ^• not longe agon he was kȳ ge of Englonde / what thynge myghte best be doon as touchynge his delyueraū ce / sythe y ^t a comune fame was thrughe Englōd y ^t he is alyue. hole & sauf whan y ^• pope herd hym tell y ^• syr Edward was alyue. he cōmaūded y ^• erle vpon his blissynge. y ^t he sholde helpe w ^t all y ^• power y ^• he myght / that he were delyuerde out of pryson / & saue his body in all manere y ^• he myght. And to brynge this thynge to a [...] ende he assoyled hym & his company a pena & culpa [...] & all that halpe to his delyueraunce. Tho toke Edmond of wodstok his leue of the pope / & came ayen into Englond / & whan syr Edmond was come / some of the frere prechers came & sayd that syr Edwarde his broder yette was alyue in y ^• castell of Corf / vnder the kepynge of syr Thomas Gurnay / tho sped hym y ^• forsayd Edmond as fast as he myghte / tyll he came to the castell of Corf / & acquaȳted hym & spake so fair to Iohn̄ Daueryll / y ^• was conestable of the same castell / & yaue hym ryche yefꝭ for to haue acqueyntaūce of hym and to knowe of his counsell. And thus it befel that the forsayd Edmonde prayed specially to tell hym pryuely of his lorde hys brother syr Edwarde / yf y ^• he lyued or were deed / & yf he were alyue he prayed hȳ ones to haue a syght of hȳ. And this syr Iohn̄ Daueryll was a hyghe herted mā & full of courage / & answerde shortly to syr Enmond & sayd / y ^• syr Edward [...] brother was in helthe. & vnder his [...] ge. & durst not shewe hym vnto no man syth it was defended hym in y ^• kyng [...] fe Edwarde / y ^• was Edwardes sone of Carna [...]an / & also by the cō naū [...] [...] te of quene Isabell y ^• kynges moder [...] of syr roger Mortymer y ^• he sholde shew his body to no man of y ^• worlde saufonly to them vponlyf & lȳme / & [...] tynge of his heyres for euer mor [...]. But the fals traytour falsly lyed. for he was not in his warde but was take thens [...] lad to y ^• castell of Berkley by [...] Thoma [...] of Gurney / by the cōm [...]nde [...]te of Mortymer / tyll he was dede as [...] is sayd / But syr Edmonde of wodsto [...] wyst no thynge y ^• syr Edwarde his bro­ther was deed / wherupon he toke a let­ter vnto kynge Edwarde his brother as to his worthy lorde [...] & receyued y ^• letter of hym & behyght hym ryght faythfull to do his message without fayll. And with that syr Edmonde toke leue of y ^• [...] Ihon̄ / and yede into his owne countre & lordshyp in Kent that he had there. Ano­ne as this same Iohn̄ wyst. that syr Edmonde was gone into Kent his owne lo [...] deshyp / anone he went in all the [...]aste y ^• he myghte / fro the Castell of Corf and came vnto syre Rogere Mortymer and toke hym the letter that syre Edmonde of wodstok erle of Kent had taken hym closed and e [...]sealed with his owne seale And whan syre Roger Mortymer hadd receyued the letter / [...]e vncloysed it / and sawe y ^• was [...]reyned the [...] / & began it to rede. wherof the beg [...]nynge was thy [...] ¶Worshyppes and reuerence with brother [Page] alyegaunce & subiec [...]yon / syr knyz [...] worshypfull and dere broder / yf it youe please I praye you hertely that ye be in gode comforth / for I shall so ordeyn for you / that ye shall come out of pryson & be delyuerd of that dysese that ye been in / And vnderstondyth of your grete lorde shyp / that I haue to myn assentynge almoost all the grete lordes of Englonde / with all theyr appareyll / that is to saye with armoure / with tresour without nō bre / for to mayntene your quarell so fer forth / that ye shall be kynge agayn as ye were before / and that they haue sworne to me vpon a boke / and as well prelates as erles and barons. ¶whanne syre Roger Mortymer saw and vnderstode / the myghte and the strenth of the letter anone his herte for wrathe began to boll and euyll herte bare toward syr Edmō de of wodstok / that was erle of Kent / & with all the hast that he myght / he wente vnto dame Isabell y ^• quene / that was the kynges moder / and shewed her syre Edmonds letter / his wyll and his pur­pose / and how that he hadde coniected & ordeyned to put downe kynge Edwarde of wyndsore her sone / of his ryalte & of his kyngdom / Now certes syr Roger sayd she / hath syr Edmōd done so nowe by my faders soule sayd she / I wyll be therof auenged / yf that god graūt melyfe / and that in a short tyme. And wyth that quene Isabell went vnto kyng Edwarde her sone there he was at the parlement at wynchestre / too haue amende the wrongys and the trespasses that were done amonge the people of his reame And thoo she toke and shewed hym the letter that syr Edmond of wodstok had made / and ensealed with his owne seale and had hym vpon her blessynge. that he sholde be auengyd vpon syr Edmonde as vpon his dedely enmye. Tho was the quene sore wrothe towarde syr Edmonde erle of Kent. and sessyd neuer to praye vntyll her sone / tyll that he had sente in all the hast after hym. And vpon that y ^• kyng sent by his letters after syr Edmō de of wodstok / that he sholde come and speke with hym at wynchestre all manere thynge left. And whan syr Edmond saw that the kynge sent after hym with his letters ensealed / he hasted hym in al that he myght tyll that he came to wyn­chestre. ¶But whan the quene wyst that syr Edmonde was come to wynchestre tho anone she prayed / and so fast wende vnto kynge Edwarde her sone / that the good erle was arested anone / and ladde vnto the barre before Robert of Hamō ­de / that was Coroner of y ^• kynges hous holde. And he associed vnto hym syr Roger Mortimer. And tho spake y ^• forsaid Roger and sayd / syre Edmonde erle of Kente / ye shall vnderstonde that it is done vs to wyte / and pryncypally vnto our lyege lorde the kynge Edwarde of En­glonde almyghty god hym saue and kepe / y ^t ye be his deedly enmye / and a tray toure / and also a comune enmye too the reame / and that ye haue ben aboute many a day. for to make pryue delyueraūce of syr Edwarde somtyme kynge of Englonde your broder / the which somtyme was put downe of his ryalte by the co­myn assent of the lordes of Englonde / in peasynge of our lorde the kynges estate / & also of his reame. ¶Tho ansuerd the good man and sayd / Forsoth syr vnderstonde well that I was neuer tray­tour [...] to my kynge / ne to the reame / and that I doo me on god / and on all y ^• worlde / & therfore by my kynges leue. I shal it preue & defende as a man ought▪ for to do. ¶Tho sayd Mortymer. syr Edmonde. it is so ferforth knowe / that it maye not be well gaynsayd / and that in prys [...] [...]e of all y ^• here been. it shall be well pro­ued. Now had this fals Moltimer thesame letter that syr Edmond had take to syr Iohn̄ Daueryll in the castell of Cors for to take to kyng Edward his brother y ^• syr Edmonde wyst not of ne supposed [Page] no thynge that syr Iohn̄ Daueryll had be so fals to delyuer his letter in such wise vnto Mortimer. & thought no mane­ [...] of thynge of y ^• letter. Then Mortimer sayd to syr Edmonde / & shewed a letter sealed. & axid hym yf y ^• he knewe y ^• let [...] and the seale. This syr Edmond lokyd theron / & auysed hym longe tyme on the prynte of y ^• seale / for he myght not see y ^• letter within. and wyst well y ^• it was his seale / & thoughte y ^• it had be sōme letter that had bore no greate charge / & thou­ght no thynge of y ^• other letter. And sayd openly in herynge of them all / ye forsothe this is my seale. & I wyll it not forsake. ¶Lo sayd the Mortymer / syres ye here all what he hath sayd / & y ^• he know legyth hym y ^• this is his letter & his seale. And now ye shall here what is conteined therin / And then this Mortimer openyd the letter y ^• he had folde tofore togyder. & redde it openly worde by worde inherynge of theym all / & whan the letter was redde / he sayd / Loo syres / ye haue herde all y ^• herin is wryten / & y ^t he hath knowlegyd y ^• this is hys letter & his sea­le. & he maye not go therfro / And thenn they cryed & yaue dome / y ^• he sholde be hangyd & drawen / & his heed smyten of i [...] a manere of a traytour & he & his heyres dysheryted foreuer more / & so he was ladde forth and put into pryson. & whan this was done / & the quene wyst that he was dampned by way of lawe / bothe of lyf and of lȳme / & his heyres dysheritedted for euermore. thrugh open knowle­gynge in playn court / where them thought y ^t it were good / that the forsayd syr Edmond were hast [...]ly slayne / wythoute wyttynge of y ^• kynge / or elles the kynge [...]olde lyghtly foryeue hym his dethe / & then it sholde forme theym to moche sorowe / so as he was emp [...]chis / And anone the quene thrugh counseyll of y ^• Mortimer / and without ony other counseyll sent in hast to the Baylyf of wynche [...]re that they shold smyte of syr Edmonds heed [...]rle of Kent without ony manere abydynge or respyte vpo [...] payne of lyf & lymme [...] And that he he sholde haue no / ne other execusyon / by cause of tatyeng notwithstondynge the Iugement. Tho toke the baylyfs syr Edmond out of p [...]ison / and sadde hym besyde the castell of wynchestre / and there they made a gon­fermer smyte of his heed / for none other durst it do / and soo he deyed there / alas the while. That is to say the tenthe day of Octobre / the thyrde yere of kyng Edwards regne. ¶And whan y ^• kyng wist therof / he was wonder sory / and lete entyere hym at the frere Mynors at wyn­chestre.

¶Of the dethe of syr Roger Mort [...]mer erle of Marche.

ANd so it befell at that tyme that syr Roger Mortimer erle of the Marche / was so prowde and so haute [...] that he helde noo lorde of the reame his pere. And tho became he so coueytous y ^• he folowed dame Isabell y ^e quenes court that was kynge Edwardes mode [...] and beset his peny worth with the offycers of the quenes householde / [...]n the same ma­nere that the kynges offycers dyd. And so he made his takynge / as touchynge of vytayle and also of caryages and all he dyd for bycause of expencys and too gadre tresoure / And so he dyd without nombre in all that he myght. ¶T [...]oo hadde he made hym wonder preuy with the quene [...]sabell / And so moche lorde shyppe and [...]etenewe had / y ^• all the greate lordes of Englond of hȳ were adrad wherfore the kynge and his counseylle / towarde hym were agreued / and ordey­ned amonge them to vndo hym thorou­ghe pure reason & lawe for cause y ^• king Edwarde y ^• was the kynges fader tray tourly thrugh hym was murdred in the castell of Corf / as before is sayd moore playnly in some parte of this booke / of [Page] his dethe. ¶And some that were of the kynges counseyll louyd Mortymer / and tolde hym in preuyte / how y ^• the kyng & his counseylle / were abowte frome daye to daye / hym for to dystroye and vndoo wherfore mortymer was sore anoyed & angry as the deuyll ayenst them of the kynges counseyll / & sayd he wolde of thē be auenged / how so euer he toke on. ¶It was not longe afterwarde / y ^• kynge Edwarde & dame Phylyp his wyf / & dame Isabell y ^• kynges moder. & syre Rogere Mortimer / ne went vnto Notyngham there for to sotourne / And so it befell / y ^• quene Isabell thrughe coūseyll of Mor­tymer toke to her y ^• keyes of y ^• yates of the castell of Notyngham. so y ^• no man myghte come nother in ne out / but thrughe cōmaūdement of Mortimer / ne the kynge [...]ne none of his coūseyll. ¶And y ^t tyme it fell / y ^t the Mortimer as a deuyll for wrath bolled / & also for wrathe that he had ayenst y ^• kynges men Edwarde / & pryncypally ayenst theym y ^t had hym accusyd to y ^• kynge / of y ^• dethe of sir Edwarde his fader. ¶And pryuely a counseyll was take bytwene quene Isabell & the Mortymer / & the bysshop of Lyncoln & syr Symonde of Bedford / & syr Hy­ghe of. Trompyngton / & other preuy of theyr counseyll / for to vndoo theym al y ^• the Mortimer hadde accusyd vnto y ^• kȳ ge of his faders dethe / of treason and off felonye. ¶wherfore all tho that were of the kynges counseyll / whan they wist of the Mortimers castynge: pryuely came to kynge Edwarde & sayd / that Mortymer wolde theym dystroye / bycause that they hadde hym accusyd of kynge Ed­wardes dethe. his fader / And prayed hȳ that he woldmayntene them in theyr ryght / ¶And thyse were the lordes that pursued this quarell / Syr wyllyam of Mountagu / syr wyllyam de Bohum / syr wullyam his broder / syr Rauf Stafforde. syre Robert of Herforde / syr wyl­lyam of Clynton / syr Iohn̄ Neuell of Hornbyand many other of theyr consent And all thyse swore vpon a book to mayntene y ^• quarelle / in as moche as they myght. And if befell so after. y ^• syr wyl­lyam Moūtagu / ne none of y ^e kyngꝭ frē des muste not be herberowed in y ^• castell for y ^• Mortimer / but went & toke theyre herberowe in dyuerfe place of y ^• towne of Notyngham. And tho were they sore aferde / leest y ^• Mortimer sholde theym dystroye. And in hast they came vnto kyng Edwarde syr wyllyam of Moūtagu / & other y ^t were in y ^• castell. And pryuely hȳ tolde / y ^t he ne none of his company. sholde not take y ^• Mortymer. without counseyll & helpe of wyllyam of Elande. cō ­stable of y ^• same castell. ¶Now truelye sayd y ^e kynge I loue you well. & therfore I coūseyll you y ^• ye go to the forsayd conestable / and commaunde hym in my name / that he be your frende and youre helpe / for to take the Mortimer / all thynge yleft / vpon peryll of lyf and lymme ¶Tho sayd Mountagu Syremy lorde graunt mercy. ¶Tho went forth y ^• for sayd Mountagu / and came to the Con­stable of the castell / & tolde hym y ^• kyngꝭ wyll. ¶And he answerde & sayd. the kȳ ges wyll sholde be done in as moche as he myghte. and that he wolde notte spare for no manere of dethe / And that he swore and made his othe ¶Tho sayde syr wyllyam of Mountagu to the Con­stable / in herynge of them all. that were helpynge to the same quarell. Now cer­tes dere frende / vs behouyth to werke & doby your aduys for to take the Mortymer / syth that ye be keper of the castell. & hath the keyes in your warde. ¶Syre sayd the Conestable / wyll ye vnderstonde / that the castell yates ben lockyd w ^t y ^• keyes that dame Isabell sente hyther. & by nyght she hath the keyes therof: and layeth them vnder y ^• luesell of the bedde vnto y ^• morowe. & so ye maye not come into the castell by the yates / by no manere of wyse / But I knowe an aleye that [Page] stretchyth out of the warde vnder the [...] the into the forsayd castell / that gothe into the west. whiche aleye dame Isabell the quene / ne none of her men ne y ^• mortimer / ne none of his company knowith it not And so I shall lede you thrugh y ^• aley / & so ye shall come into y ^• castell w ^t out aspyenge of ony man y ^• are your enmyes. ¶And y ^• same nyght syr wyllyaz Mountagu / & all the lordes of his qua­rell / & the same Conestable also wente theym to hors / & made semblaunt as it were for to go oute of Mortimers syght But anone as Mortimer herd thys tydynges / he wende y ^• they wolde haue go ue ouer see for fere of hym. ¶And anone ryght he & his company toke a counseyll amonge theym for to lete theyr passage / & sent letters anone to the porters soo y ^• none of the greate lordes shold go home to theyr owne coūtrees / but yf thei were arested & take. And amonge other thynges wyllyam Eland Conestable of the forsayd castell. pryuely ladde syr wil lyam of Moūtagu & his company by y ^• forsayd waye vnder the trthe / tylle they came into the castell & went vp into the toure there y ^• Mortimer was in. But sir Hugh of Trompynton theym ascryed hydously: & sayd a traytours it is all for nought. y ^• ye ben comyn into this castell ye shall deye yet an euyll dethe euerichone. And anone one of theym that was in Mountagues companye vp with a mare / and smote the same Hughe vpon the heed / that the brayne braste out and fel on the grounde / and soo was he deed of an euyll dethe. ¶Tho toke they Mortymer as he armyd hym at the toures dore / whan he herde the noyse of theym for drede. ¶And whanne the quene Isabel sa [...]e that the Mortimer was taken she made moche sorowe in herte / and thyse wordes vnto theym she sayd / Nowe fayre [...] / I praye you that ye do no har­me [...] his body a worthy knyghte oure [...] f [...]de and oure [...] cosyn ¶Tho went they thens / and came and brought Mortimer & presentyd hym vnto kynge Edwarde / & he cōmaunded to brynge hym in sauewarde. ¶But ano­ne as they y ^• were consentynge vnto mortimers doynge / herde tell y ^• he was takē they went & hydde theym / & pryuely by nyghte went out of y ^• towne ethe one his way / with heuy herte & morninge chere & liued vpon theyr londes as well as thei myghte / ¶And y ^• same yere that Mo [...] mer was take. he hadde ir. score [...] tes without squyers & sergaun [...]es of armys / & fote men / And thenne was Motimer ladde to London / & syr Edmonde of Bedforde was ladde with hym and was taken to the conestable of y ^• four to kepe / ¶But after warde was y ^• Mortymers lyf examined at westmestre before the kynge / & before all the greate lordes of Englonde / for peryll that myght fal to the reame / And to enquere also which were consentynge to sir Edwardes dethe the kynges fader. / and also thrugh who me the Scottes escaped fro Stanhope in Scotlonde / without leue of kyng Edwarde. ¶And also how y ^• chartre of [...] man was delyuered vntoo the Scottes therin the homages and feauters of the lordes of Scotlonde were conteyned y ^• the Scottes sholde do euer more too the Engysshe kynge for the reame of Scotlond / wherfore he was Iugyd to be drawen and hangyd for his treason And this myscheyf came vnto hym on saynt Andrewes euen. In the yere of the Incarcyon of our lorde Ihesu crist .M.CCC.xxx.

¶How kynge Edwarde gate ayen vnto hym gracyously the homages and frautres of Scotlonde wherof he was putte oute thrughe false counseylle of y ^• quene Ysabell his moder / and syre Ro­ger Mortymer. that was newely made erle of Marche.

[Page] NOw haue ye herde how Iohane Bayllol in the tyme of peas was chosen to be kynge of Scotlonde for cause that he came of the eldest doughter of the Erle Dauyd of Huntyngton / that was kynge Alysanders broder of Scotlonde / that deyed without heyre of hys body begoten / And how this Iohn̄ made his feauete & homage to kynge Edwarde / Henryes sone y ^• thyrde. for his londes of Scotlonde / And how he afterwarde withsayd his homage / thrughe coūseyll of the Scottes / in the yere of oure lorde M.CC.lxxiiii. & sent vnto y ^• pope thru­ghe. a fals suggestyon y ^• he made his oth vnto y ^• forsayd kynge Edward ouer his astate & his wyll / of y ^• whiche othe y ^• pope hym assoyled thrugh his bullys to hȳ ysent. ¶And anone as kynge Edward wyst therof / he ordeyne anone his barōs & came vnto Berewyk / & conquered the towne / at the whiche conquest there we­reslayne .xxv. thosand. & .vii. hundred. & Bayllol that was kynge of Scotlond came and yeldyd hym to gode kynge Edwarde / & the kynge delyuerd hym out of the tour of London. and all y ^• grete lor­des with hym y ^• tho were taken at Bar­wyk & yaue theym saufconduyte / to go into Scotlonde. And the Scottes sythe thrugh theyr falsnesse / werred vpon the good kynge Edwarde. And whan syre Iohn̄ Bayllol kynge of Scotland saw all this / he went ouer see vnto Dimp [...]er & lyued there vpon his londes as well as he myght. tyll that the Scottes wolde amende theym of theyr mysdedys & tres­paas / and ladde with hym syr Edward his sone. wherfore the Scottes in dyspyte of hym callyd hym syr Iohn̄ Turn­labard / for bycause that he wolde notte offende ne trespaas ayenste the good kȳ ge Edwarde of Englond. And so he forsoke his reame of Scotlonde / and sette therof but lytyll pryce. And this syr Iohanne dwelled longe tyme in Fraunce / tyll y ^• he deyed there & syr Edwarde his fo [...] receyued his [...] rytage / and [...] mage to y ^• kynge of Fraūce / for his lon­des of Dunpie [...] / And so it befell after­warde / y ^• Edwarde y ^• was Iohn̄ Bayl­lols sone / had [...] of hym a squyre of Englond y ^• was borne in Yorke shyre / that was callyd Iohn̄ of Barnaby / & this edwarde Bayllol louyd hym moche / and was nyghe hȳ / & full preuy. And so this Iohn̄ of Barnaby was in debate with a Frenche man in y ^e towne of Dūpier / & so he slewe hym & went his way in all the haste y ^• he myght into the castell. for too haue socoure & helpe of his lorde / And a none came the offycers of the towne. to take Iohn̄ of Barnaby as a felon. and syr Edwarde his lorde holpe hym / and rescowed hym / & by nyght made hym go out of the castell / & so he went his waye and came into Englonde withoute ony harme. ¶And whan y ^• kynge of Fraūce sawe y ^• syr Edwarde had rescowed hys felon. he became wonder wrothe ayenstetyr Edwarde. & anone lete hym arestyd & toke into his hondes all his londes / Tho dwellyd syr Edwarde in pryson / vnto y ^• tyme y ^• syr Henry of Beaumont came into Fraūce / y ^• whiche Henry somtyme waserle of Anguysshe in Scotlon de and was put out therof whan thacor­dement was bytwene Englonde & scot­londe thrugh y ^• quene Isabell & syr Ro­ger Mortimer & their cōpany for y ^• ma­riage y ^• she made bytwene Dauyd / that was Roberte Brussone & dame Iohan of Tour kynge Edwards syster of En­glonde / & well vnderstode this / that at y ^• ende he sholde come to his ryght / butyf it were syr Edwarde Bayllol / that was ryghte htyre of the reame of Scotlonde ¶And the kynge of Fraunce Lowyslsuyd moche this syr Henry / And he was with hy [...] full preuy / and thought for to make a delyuer a [...]mie of syre Edwarde Bayllof / yf he myght in ony manere of wyse / ¶Tho prayed he the kynge that he wolde of his grac [...] graunte hym sy [...] [Page] Edwarde Bayllols body / vnto the next parlement. y ^• he myght lyue with his owne rentes in y ^• meane tyme / & y ^• he myght stonde to be Iugyd with his perys at the parlement / And y ^• kynge graūtyd hym his prayer / & made y ^• forsayd Edwarde to be delyuered out of pryson / in y ^• manere aboue sayd. & anone as he was out of pryson syr Henry toke hym forth with hym & ladde hym into Englonde / & made hym dwelle pryuely at the maneer of Sandhall vpon Ouse in yorke shyre. w ^t the lady Vescy. And so he ordeyned hun there an huge retenew of Englysshmen and also of alyauntes / for too conquere ayen his herytage / and so he yaue moche syluer vnto y ^• souldyours and alyauntes for to helpe hym / And they behyght for to helpe hym in y ^• they myghte / but they faylled hym at his moost nede. ¶And at y ^• tyme Dauyd erle of Moryf herde telle how that syr Edwarde Bayllol was priuely come in to Englonde. And came to hym / and made with hym greate Ioy of his comynge & sayd vnto hym & behy­ght hym / that all y ^• greate lordes of Englonde / sholde be to hym entendaūte / & shold hym holde for kynge as ryght heyre of Scotlonde / and dyd to hym feau­te. ¶Tho came syr Henry of Beaumō te to kynge Edward of Englonde. and prayed hym in y ^• way of charytee / that he wolde graūt of his grace vnto syred warde Bayllol y ^• he myghte saufly goo by londe from Sandhall / vnto [...] Scotlō de / to conquere his ryght & herytannce in scotlonde. ¶The kynge answerde and sayd / yf that I suffre Bayllol. go thru­ghe my londe into Scotlonde. then the people wolde saye / y ^• I sholde be assentȳ ge vnto y ^• company. ¶Now syr I praie you y ^• ye wolde yeue hym leue to take w ^t hym souldyours of Englysshmen that they myght saufly lede hym thrugh your londe to Scotlonde / And syr vpon thys couenaunt y ^• yf it so befall / as god it for­bydde that he be dyscomfyted in batayll thrugh the Scottes / that I and also all the lordes that holde with Bayllol / ben for euer more out of our rentes y ^• we ha­ue in Englonde. And there the kynge vppon this couenaunt / grauntyd theyr bone / as towchynge hym / & tho that were of the same quarell / the whiche claymed for to haue londes and rentes in the reame of Englonde / And thyse were y ^• na­mes of those lordes that pursued this forsayd matere and quarell. ¶That is to saye / Syre Edwarde Bayllol / the whi­che chalengyd the reame of Scotlonde▪ syr Henry Beaumont erle of Ang [...] ­she / syr Dauyd of Stroboly erle of atheles / syr Geffray of Mombraye walter Comyn / and many other that were put out of theyr herytage in scotlonde whan the peas was made bytwene Englonde and Scotlonde, as before is sayd And ye shall vnderstonde that thyse sordes toke with theym fyue hundred men of armes. and two thousande artbers and of fote men. and tho went into shyppe atte Raue [...]spore / & sayled by the see tyl that they came vnto Scotlond. & came to lō de at Kynkehorne .xii. myle fro saynt Iobannes towne / And anone sent out the [...] shyppes agayne / for that they sholde not be hurte / ne empeyred / neyther that noo man sholde go in to the shyppes agayn though that they had nede / but abyde alperylles / & not flee but stonde / & rather suffre dethe than flee for too mayntene theyr true quarell. whan y ^• erle of Fysse. a fyers man & a sterne / herde y ^• Bayllol was come / for to take y ^• londe of scotlō ­de / he came in hast to Kynkeborne / with xii. thousande Scottes / for to dyshoye hym / that he sholde not come to londe / But syr Edwarde Bayllol and his cō pany there hym dyscomfyted at the whiche dyscomfyture syr Alysander Scton was there slayne / and many other. The erle of Fyffe / was tho sore and full ruyl ashamyd / that so lytyll a company bad hym dyscomfyted / and shamefully putt [Page] hym & all his company that were alyue for too flee. ¶Tho came syr Edwarde Bailloll / & toke the countree all aboute hym. tyll he came vnto the abbay of Dū fermlin. & there he founde vitaylles for hym and for his folke / and amonge all other thyng he fonde in a chambre aboute fyue hūdred of grete staues of fyue oke with longe pryckes of yren. and of stele And he toke them and delyuerd them to y ^• moste strongest men of his companye. And anone after he yede fro thens. and lodged hym in a felde .ii. myles from saynt Iohannes towne. And whan the burgeys of the towne herde how the erle of Fyffe was dyscomfyted thrughe Bayl­loll. brake the brydges that they had made ouer the water of Erne. so that Bailloll myght not go ouer / wherfore he lodged hym there all that nyght / but lytyllhede he toke of reste. and sayde vnto his people / Nowe dere lordes ye knowe full well. y ^• we ben now lodged bytwene our enmyes / and they may vs hampre / there is no bote but deth. wherfore yf we abyde styll all this nyght. I wene it shal torne vs to moche harme. For the power of Scotlonde may euery wexe and encre [...]e and we may not so do. And we ben but lytyll people as ayenst theym. Wherfore I pray you for the loue of almyghty god make we vs bolde and hardy / and that we may myghtely take the Scottes this nyghte / and boldly werre vppon theym. and lete vs pursue theyme this nyghte. And yf they be traueylled thorughe vs. and see our hardynesse. other Scottes y ^• se them so traueylled and wery: the sorer woll they be adradde with vs too fyghte and fyersly thenne shall we fyght wyth them. and on them pursue. so that thru­ghe the grace of god / all the worlde shal speke of the doughtynes of our chyual­ry. ¶And syres vnderstondeth well that alle the companye that came wyth syre Robert Bailloll / graunted well vnto y ^• counsell / & were therof ryght glad. and anone pursued vppon the Scottes. that they became wonder wery. And Baillol & his company sore folowed them / & dyde them moche harme & sorowe / thrugh the r [...]assente. so that they myght not for feblynesse them helpe / and for lytyl peo­ple. ¶But tho sayd the Scottes amon­ge them / what is now befall that so ly­tyll a people as Bailloll hath in wyng dooth vs so moche traueyll and sorowe / Now certes it semyth vs that he werketh by grace / for he is wonder gracyous in his quarell and we certes shall be dede or that we may come to him. vs for too yelde. syth that his fader set of vs no price. ¶And among al other thynges Bailloll and his people passed the water of Erne so that Robert Swynerton the sone was fyers and angrye / & went forth and they sawe people of armes full wel arayed. and forth they went vnto them and with them faught. and slewe & toke as many as wolde abyde: And netheles at that assawte they wende it had be the grete hoste of Scotlonde. And whan it came to the morow. they gadred theym togyder / & restyd theym a whyle / ¶And whyle y ^• Englysshmen rested th [...] / y ^• no­ble baron. Thomas Vescy / & y ^• noble baron / Stafforde / pryckyd their hors vp & downe by y ^e hylles / for to kepe y ^• estrees of y ^• coūtre / And as they piyckyd vp & doune. thei saw a grete hoste of gode araye ordeyned in rheyr wynges / w ^t helmes & sheldes shynynge / comynge vpon thē And thenne came tho two barons ayen vnto Bayllols folk / & sayd. Nowe for y ^• loue of god almyghty be of gode cōforth for ye shall haue batayll anone ryghte / ¶ And tho spake syre Fouk the sone of Garenne. a baron of greate renowne & of dedys of armys / Syres vndersto [...]de what I wyll saye / I haue seen many dyuers wynges / as well amonge sarrasins and Iewes / as amonge the Scottes / & yet saw I neuer she fourthe parte of the wynge fyght. & therfore yt ye wyl abyde [Page] our enmyes / we ben ynough for thē. But yf we be not of gode herte and of gode rourage we ben but lost. And therfor for the loue of god. take to vs gode herte / & lete vs be bolde / & thynke we neuer of our wyues ne of our chyldren / but onli to conquere our enmyes in batayll. & thrughe y ^• helpe of our lorde we shall thē ouer come. And with y ^• came y ^• host of y ^e scottes towarde theym full serely / & ayenste syr Edwarde Bayllol in thre batayles well arayed in armoure / ¶And wonder fyersly they came towarde the Bayllos company / But whan syr Donald Erle of Marcell that was with the Scottes / sawe all this / he sayd vnto Robert Brꝰ the sone of Robert the Brus thyse wor­des / Syre Roberte sayd he / fulle sore me forthynkyth atte my herte / that thyse peple that Bayllol hathe broughte wyth hym sholde deye with dynt of Scottes swerdes / syth that they ben crysten men as we ben / And therfore me thynkyth y ^• it were greate charyte / for to sende vn­to theym / for to yelde theym / vnto oure mercy / and raunsomme theym vnto greuous raunsomme / for as moche as they haue taken our londes & done yll' Now certes sayd syr Robert y ^• Brus / I haue well perceyued / that thou arte an enmye and a traytour vnto Scotlonde / sythe y ^• thon wylte consent to saue our dedelt enmyes / y ^• haue done vs moche sorow & shame / & now it semyth well y ^• ye be of ther assent. Nowe certes Robert sayd syr donald / falsly ye lye. I am not of theyr cō pany ne of theyr consent / & y ^• hastyli ye shall se / for I wyll fyzte w ^t them rather than ony of this cōpany / and certes syre Robert sayd he I shal in maugre of thy hede assayll theym or y ^•. And with y ^• thei pryckyd theyr stedys fyersly vpon Gaskemore: and their wynge theym folowed on a renge. And tho came they & mette with Bayllol and his company atte an hangynge bough of the moore in a straite passage and so faste they hastyd thē vnto the Englysshmen that thousandꝭ felle onto the grounde echone ouer vpon other into an hepe bothe hors and man Bayllol and his men myghtylye stode ayenste theym / and faste slewe the Scottes too the grounde / and many they sore wounded / so longe / tylle that they stode vppon theym / and foyned theym wyth theyr swerdes and speres thrughe theyr bodyes / and full sore they were trauayl­led vppon theym / tylle that they became wonder wery / nnd wyste notte what for to doo / And the Scottes that were lefte alyue / fledde awaye / for to saue theym­selfe in the best manere that they myght And thoo pursued theym syr Edwarde Bayllol and his men / & slewe of theym [...]yll it was nyghte. And froo thens they wente too saynt Iohannes towne / and toke it: & helde thē there / & v [...]aylled thē self at ther owne wyll / for the [...] foūde ye [...] ough where w ^t to make mery. Tho made Bayllol his men y ^• were woūded go to ship / to sayll into englōde to he [...]e ther woūdes. & in y ^• tyme there was a flēm [...] ge in y ^• see. a stronge theyf. & a [...]obber y ^• was callyd crab. & this flēmȳge was driuen out of Flaūdres for his wickidnesse & therfore he came into scotlōde. to holde w ^t y ^• scottes / and dyd as moche harme to the Englysshe men as he myghte doo [...] And this Crabbe mette Bayllols men in y ^• see y ^• were woūded before in batayl y ^• were sent ayen into Englōde. for to bele their woūdes. and this crabbe yaaf to theym a grete assawee. & wold haue slayne theym euerycho [...]e. But the Englys [...] ­shmen defended them well & manli and discomfyted Crabbe and his companys & tho gan he fle into Scotlonde. ¶And as he came towarde saynt Iohānes towne / he founde a grete company of Scot­tes / y ^• were come ayen togyder after the dysc [...]yture at Gaskemore. y ^• whiche by seyged Bayllol and his men in y ^• sa [...] towne of saynt Iohn̄. And anone tol­de the Scottes how that he was discomfyted [Page] of the Englysshmen / y ^• were woū dyd at Gaskemore / that went towarde Englonde / for to heele theyr woundes / And sayd to the Scottes / y ^• they sholde haue nother power ne myghte ne grace ayenst Edwarde Bayllol / by cause that he scomfyted / & empeyred all y ^• chyualri of Scotlonde with a handfull of men as to compte ayenste y ^• Scottes y ^• were slayne. wherfore he coūseylled to remeue the sege from saynt Iohannes towne / and kepe theym in y ^• best manere that they myght. ¶The Scottes vnderstode that Crab sayd sothe / forsoke the sege & wēt thens by nyght. ¶whan this thyng was knowe thrugh Scotlonde how that the lordes & knyghtes were dyscomfyted at Gaskemore of Scotlonde thrugh syre Edwarde Bayllol / ye shall vnderstonde y ^• the lordes & ladyes / & y ^• gentyls of scotlonde came wonder faste to saynt Iohā nes towne / & yeldyd theym vnto Bayl­lol. & to hym dyd homage & feautee for theyr londes & yelde theym to his peas & he theym receyued frely / And fro thēs he went to the abbaye of Scone. & there he was crowned kynge of Scotlonde / & after he lete crye his peas thrughe oute / all the londe. ¶And at that same tyme it befell that kynge Edwarde helde his parlemente amonge his lyeges atte the newe castell vpon Tyne / for to amende the trespaces and the wronges / that had ben done in his londe. And syr Edwar / de Bayllol kynge of Scotlonde came to hym thyther / and dyd to hym homa­ge and feautee / for the reame of Scot­londe. And in this manere kyng Edwarde of Englonde gadred ayen his homages and feautees of Scotlonde / where­of he was put out / thrugh counseyll and assent of dame Isabell his moder / and of syr Roge Mortimer erle of Marche / Tho toke Bayllol kynge of Scotlond his leue of kynge Edwarde of Englonde / & went thens into his owne londe of Scotlonde & sette but lytyll by suche as had counseylled hym / and holpen hym in his quarell / wherfore they went from hym / & went & lyued by theyr owne londes and rentes in scotlonde. ¶And sote befell afterwarde not longe / y ^• the kynge of Scotlonde neremeued & came to the toure of Anande & there toke his dwel­lynge / and thyder came to hym a company of knyghtes. stronge men & worthy / & yelded them vnto the kynge. And bare theym so fayre in dede and in coūtenaū ce / so that he trustyd moche vpon theym And anone as the traytours sawe that he trustyd moche vpon theym / they or­deyned amonge theym fyfty in a com­pany / and wolde haue slayne theyr lord the kynge / But thragh the grace of al­myghty god / he brake thrugh a wall an hole in his chambre / & as god wolde scapyd theyr trechery / & all his men were slayne / & he escaped with moche drede vnto the towne of Cardoyll / And there he helde hym sore anoyed. And this be­fell vpon our ladyes euen the concepcyō ¶Tho sent kynge Edwarde Bayllol to kynge Edwarde of Englonde / howe falsly & traytoursly he was in lytyll ty­me / put to shame and sorowe thrugh his lyege men / vpon whome he trustyd wonder moche. & prayed hym for the loue of god y ^• he wolde mayntene hȳ & helpe hȳ ayenst his enmies. The kynge of Englō had of hym grete pyte / & behyght to helpe hym & socour hym. And sent hȳ worde / y ^• he sholde holde hym in peas styl in y ^• forsayd cyte of Cardoyll / tyll y ^• he had gadred his powere. ¶Thoo ordeyned kynge Edwarde of Englonde a coun­seyll at London / and lete gadre his men in dyuers shyres of Englonde. & whan he was all redy / he went toward y ^• tow of Berwyk vppon Twede / and theder came to hym kynge Edwarde Bayllol of Scotlonde with his powee / & beseged y ^• towne / And made without the towne a fayre towne of pauylyons / and diche [...] theym all abowee / so that they had noo [Page] [...] / and [...] manye [...] and with other [...] wherwith they [...] houses / & chirches al [...] to y ^• erthe w ^t grete [...] / out of gonnes [...] And netheles y ^• scottes [...] y ^• towne / y ^• tho two kinges myght not come therin longe tyme [...] y ^• kynges abode there soo [...] / tyll tho y ^• were within y ^• towne failed vytaylles & also they were so wery of wakynge. y ^• they wyste not what for to doo. ¶And ye shall vnderstonde y ^• tho Scottes that were within the towne of Berwyk / thrughe comyn counseyll and theyr assent / lete crye vpon the walles of the towne / that they myghte haue peas of the Englysshmen & therof they pra­yed the kynge of his grace & mercy / And prayed hym of trewes for viii. dayes. vppon this couenaunt / y ^• yf they were nottrescowed in that sayd of y ^• towne towarde Scotlonde of y ^• Scottes within: viii dayes / that they wolde yelde theym vnto the kynge / & the towne also / And to holde this couenaūt / they prouffred too the kynge .xii. hostages out of the towne of Berwyk. ¶whan y ^• hostages were delyuerde vnto y ^• kynge / anone tho of y ^• towne sent vnto y ^• Scottes / & tolde theym of theyr sorow and myscheyf / And y ^• Scottes tho came pryuery ouer the water of Twede to y ^• bought of y ^• abbaye. & syre wyllyam Dyket y ^• was tho Stewarde of Scotlonde. and many other that ca­me with hym / put theym there in greate peryll of themself at that tyme & of ther lyfe / For they came ouer a brydge y ^• was to brokeand the stonys awaye / & many of theyr company were there drowned / But the forsayd wyllyam went [...] / & other of his company / and came by the shyppes of Englonde / & slewe in a [...] of Hull .xvi. men. and after they [...] into the towne of Berwyk by the [...] syde / wherfore the Scottes helde [...] towne rescowed / and askyd theyr [...] ayen of the kynge of Englonde / [...] the kynge sente theym worde [...] that they axyd theyr hostages with [...] syth y ^• they came into y ^• towne of En­glonde syde / For couenaūt was bytwene theym / y ^• the towne shold be rescowed by y ^• halfe of Scotlonde / & anone tho com­mauūded kynge Edwarde to yelde the towne / or he wolde haue y ^• hostages and the Scottes sayd y ^• towne was rescowed well ynoughe & therto the wolde theym holde / whan kynge Edwarde sawe the Scottes breke theyre couenaūtes y ^• they made / he was wonder wrothe / and an­ne lete syr Thomas. Fytzwyllyam and syr Alysander of Feton warden of Berwyk the whiche Thomas was persone of Dunbarre. / & lete them be take fyrste afore that otheyr hostages for cause y ^• syr Alysanders fader was keper of the towne. ¶And tho commaunded euerye daye two hostages of the towne / tylle y ^• they were all doo to deth. but yf they yelded the towne / & so he sholde teche them for to breks theyr couenauntes. And whā they of y ^• towne herde thise tidyngꝭ they became wonder sory & sent to y ^• kȳge y ^• he wold graūt thē other viii. dayes of respite. so y ^• bytwene two hūdre men of armys & .xx. mē of armes. myght by [...]the go bytwene [...] to y ^• towne of Berwyk theym for to [...] y ^• towne [...] be holde for [...]. And yf so were y ^• [...] more were slayne of thoo two hūdred before sayd. y ^• y ^• towne sholde not be holde [...] rescowed. And this [...] of [...] they sent to hym other xii. of the forsayd [...] in hostage the kynge of Englonde grauntyd theym theyr [...] the hostages: on saynt [...] of grace .M CCC.xxxii. the [...] [Page] power / and came faste and sharply ayenst euensonge tyme / And the same tyme was flood at Berwyk in the water of Twede / y ^• no man myght go ouer on his hors / nor on fote / & the water was bitwene tho two kynges and the reame of Englonde. And y ^• tyme abode the scottꝭ in y ^• other syde for cause y ^• the Englys­shmen shold haue be drowned.

¶This was the araye of the Scottes / how that they came in batayll ayenst y ^• two kynges of Englonde and of Scot­londe. In the vaunt warde of Scotlon­de were thyse lordes.

THerle of Moryf / Iamys Frysell Symond Frysell / walter Stewarde. Reynolde Cheyn. Patryk of Greham. Iohn̄ le graūt. Iamys of Cordoll Patryk Parkeys. Robert Caldecottes Philyp of Melledrū / Thom̄s Gylbert Rauf wyseman. Adam gurdon / Iamis Gramat. Robert Bo [...]d. Hugh Park. w ^t xl. knyghts new dubbyd. & vi. Cmē of atmes. & .iii.M. of comyns / In y ^• fyrst parte of [...]halfe batayll were thyse lordes / y ^• Steward of Scotlonde / y ^• erle of Mory Iamys his vncle / wyllyā Douglas Dauyd of Lyndesey. Marcolyn Flemynge / wyllyam of Keth. Dn̄ken Canbok with xxx. bachelers newe dubbyd. ¶In the seconde parte of y ^• batayll were thyse lordes. Iamis Stewarde of Corden. Alem Stewarde / wyllyam Abbrehin / wyllyā Morys: Iamys Fytzwyllyam. Adam lemose. walter Fytz. Gylbert. Iohn̄ of cerleton. Robert wallam. w ^t .vii.C men of armes / & .xvii.M. comyns. ¶In y ^• third parte of y ^• batayll of Scotlonde were thise lordes. The erle of Moref. the erle of Ruf / therle of Strahern. y ^• erle of Soth erlond. wyllyam of Kyrkkelay. Iohn̄ cā [...] / Gylbert of Hey / Wyllyam ram­sey / wyllyam Prendrgest. Kyrston Har­de / Wyllyam Gurde / Arnolde Garde Thomas Dolphyn / with .xl. knyghtes newe bubbyd .ix.C. men of armys. & .xvM. of comyns. ¶In the fourth warde of y ^• batayll of Scotlonde were thyse lordꝭ Archbalde Douglas / y ^• erle of Leneuax Alysander le Brus. y ^• erle of Fyff. Iohn̄ Canbell erle of Atheles. Roberte Lawe­ther / wyllyam of Vypount / wyllyam of Constō. Iohn̄ de Labels / Groos de She renlaw Ihon̄ de Lyndesey Alysander de Gray. Ingram de Vmfteuille. Patryk [...]de Pole [...]worthe / Dauyd de wymes. Mychell Scot. wyllyam Landy / Thomas de Boys. Roger Mortimer / w ^t .xx. bachlers newe dubbyd .ix.C men of armys / xviii.M. & iiii.C. of comyns. The Erle of Dunbar keper of y ^• castell of Bere­wyk. halpe the Scottes with .l. men of armys. ¶And syr Alysander of Ceton keper of y ^• forsayd towne of Berewyk with an .C. men of armys. And also the comyns of the towne with .iiii.C / men of armys / and with .viii.C of fote men ¶The sōme of therles & lordes aboue sayd / amounteth .lxvi. ¶The sōme of bachlers newe dubbyd amounteth to an C.lx. ¶The sōme of men of armys amounteth .iii.M.C. ¶The sōme of the comyns amounteth liii.M. & .iii.C The sōme totalle of the people abouesayd a mounteth .lxv.M.vii.C.xlv. And thyse lx. & .vi. greate lordes / ladde all the other greate lordes abouesayd. in foure bataylles / as it is tolde beforen all on fore. and kynge Edwarde of Englonde / and Edwarde Baylloll kynge of Scotlonde / hadde well appareylled theyre folke in foure bataylles / for too fyght on fote ayenst the Scottes theyr enmyes. ¶And the Englysshe mystrels blewe theyr trū pets and theyr claryons / and hydously ascryed the Scottes. And tho had euery Englysshe batayll two wynges of price archers. The which at that batayll shot arowes so fast & so sore: that y ^• Scottes myght not helpe themself. And the [...] [...] the Scottes thousandes vnto he groū de. And they began for to flee fro the englysshmen [Page] for too saue theyr lyues. And whane the Scottes knaues saw y ^• scomfyture & the Scottes fall faste to y ^• groū de / they pryckyd fast theyr maysters horse with y ^• sporys for to kepe theym from peryll / & sette theyr maysters at no force And whan thenglysshmen sawe y ^• they lept on theyr horses / & faste pursued the scottes / & all that abode they slewe downe ryghte. ¶There men myghte see the doughtynesse of y ^• noble kynge Edwarde & of his men / how manly they pursewed y ^• Scottes / y ^• flow for drede. And the remen myght see many a Scottysshmā caste downe vnto y ^• groūde / & the baners dysplayed hackyd into peces / & many agode haberyoyne of stele in y ^• blode bath And many a tyme y ^• Scottes were ga­dred into companyes / but euer more thei were dyscomfyted. ¶And so it befell as god almyghty wolde. that the Scottes had that daye nomore foyson ne myght ayenst the Englysshmen than .xx. shepe amonge .v. vulues. And so were y ^• scot­tes dyscōfyted / & yet the scottes was wel v. men ayenst one Englysshman: And y ^• batayll was done on Halidoune hyll be syde y ^• towne of Berwyk. atte y ^• whiche batayll were slayne of the Scottes .xxxv tousande & .vii. hundred and .xii. And of y ^• Englysshmen. but only .xiii. And thys vyctory befell too the Englysshmen on saynt Margaretes euen y ^• holy vyrgyn & martyr in the yere of oure lorde Ihe [...]n Crist .M.CCC.xxxii. ¶And while this doynge lastyd the Englyssh pages toke the pylfre of the Scottes that were slay­ne / euery man that he myght take: without ony chalengynge of ony man. And so after this gracyous vyctory. the kyng tornyd hym agayne vnto the same sye­ge of Berewyk / ¶And whanne they be syeged sawe and herde howe kynge Edwarde hadde spedde / they yelded to him the towne with the castell / on y ^• morow after saynt Margaretes daye. ¶And thenne the kynge dydde ordeyne syr Edwarde Bayllol / with othere noble and worshypfull men / too be kepets and gouernoures of all Scotlonde in his ab­sence. And hymselfe torned ayen and came into Englonde after this vyctorye / with moche Ioy and also worshyp and in the nexte yere folowynge after / that is for to saye in the yere of the Inca [...]acy­on of oure lorde Ihesu Cryst .M.CCC xxxiii. And of kynge Edward .vii he wente ayen into Scotlonde / in wynter tyme Atte the whiche vyage the castell of kylbrygge in Scotlonde: for hym and for hys men that were with hym he recoue­red and hadde ayenste the Scottes. [...] atte his owne luste. ¶And in that same yere / syre Edwarde Baylloll kynge of Scotlonde helde his parlement in [...] londe with many noble lordes of En­glonde that were atte that same parle­ment / bycause of theyr londes and also lordshyps that they had in the reame of Scotlonde. / And helde alle of the same Bayllol / ¶And in the .viii. yere of hysregne / abowte the feest of saynt Iohan Baptist syr Edwarde Bayllol the ver [...] and true kynge of Scotlonde as by he­rytage & ryghte lyne / made his homage & feaute vnto kynge Edwarde of En­glonde for y ^• reame of Scotlond at new castell vpon Tyne. in y ^• presence of ma­ny a worthy man and alsoo of comyns bothe of the reame of Englonde and also of Scotlonde. ¶And anone after in the same yere kynge Edwarde of En­glonde receyued of the duke of Brytayne his homage for the erldom and lordshyp of Rychmonde. And so folowynge in the .ix. yere of his regne after Myghelmas rode into Scotlond / and there was faste by saynt Iohannes towne almo­ste all the wynter tyme / And soo be hel­de hys Crysteman atte the castell of Rokesbourgh. ¶And in the same yere thrughe out all Englond abowte saynt Clementys tyde in wynter / ¶There arose [Page] suche a spryngynge and wellynge vp of waters / and also flodes / bothe of the see & alsoo of the fresshe ryuers and spryn­ges / that the see bankes / walles and costes / brake vp / that mennnys bestes and housys in many places and namely in lowe countrees / vyolently and sodaynly were drowned / & fruytes dryuen awaye of the erthe / thrugh contynuaunce and abundaūce of waters of the see / euer more afterwarde were torned into more saltnesse and sourenesse ot sauoure. ¶The x. yere of kynge Edwardes regne. kyng Edwarde entred the Scottes see after Mydsomer. And to many of the Scot­tes he yaue batayll / and ouercame them and many he treatyd and bowed vntoo his peas / thrughe his doughtynesse and hardynesse. ¶And after the feest of sa­ynt Myghell▪ then next folowynge was the erle of Moryf had & taken at Eden­burgh and brought into Englonde and put into pryson. ¶And in the monethes of Iune and Iulii than next folowynge in the .xi. yere of his regne was seen and appyered in y ^• fyrmament a bemed sterre the whiche clerkes calle stella Cometa and that sterre was seen in dyuers par­tes of y ^• fyrmament ¶where after anone there folowed in Englonde gode chepe and wonder greate plente of all chaffare vytaylles and marchaundyse / and there ayenst honger scarsyte myscheyf & nede of money. ¶In soo moche that a quartre of whete atte London was solde for two shellynge / and a good fatte oxe at a noble / and fyue gode douues byrdes for a peny / In whiche yere deyed sir Iohn̄ of Eltham erle of Cornewayle that was kynge Edwardes brother and lye­the atte westmestre.