III.

NOTE B. page 16.

A^{o}. xxx. Hen. III.--"This yere was seint Edmond of Pountney translated, et ven' sanguis depositus fuit in hospic' s'c'i Thome apud conductu' usq' ad festu' s'c'i Edwardi, quo die d'n's rex cu' honorabili p'cessione ven'al' apud Westm' deposuit."

NOTE C. page 16.

A^{o}. xxxj. Hen. III.--"In this yere there was an erthquake thurghout England."

NOTE C. page 21.

Thomas fili' Thome. Ph'us Walbroke. A^{o}. xlvj^{o} Hen. III. Ric'us Tailour.

NOTE D. page 23.

To the account given in the text is added "and London lost theire fraunchise."

NOTE E. page 28.

"And there were forjuged, drawen and hanged, iij Englisshe christen men, and ij^{c} iiij^{xx} and xiij Englisshe Jues."

NOTE F. page 37.

"Also the same yere the kyng had his counseile there with erlis, barons, and other of his counseile; and the kyng toke of the lay people" &c.

NOTE G. page 43.

Nicholl Faryndon. Will'm Basyng. Vic'. A^{o}. ij. [Edw. II.] John Butler.

Thomas Romayne. Roger Palmer. Vic'. A^{o}. iij^{tio}. Janyn' de S'c'o Ed'o.

NOTE H. page 43.

John Gesors. Simon Merewodde. Vic'. A^{o}. v^{to}. [Edw. II.] Ric' Wilforde.

NOTE I. page 46.

Nicholas Faryndon. Will'm Prodome. Vic'. A^{o}. xiij^{o}. [Edw. II.] Reynolde at Condite.

Hamond Chikwell. Symon Abyndon. Vic'. A^{o}. xiiij^{o}. John Preston.

NOTE K. page 50.

In the Cottonian MS. is the following copy of the letter from queen Isabel and prince Edward:

"Isabel, by the grace of God quene of England, ladie of Ireland and countes of Pountif, and we Edward, the eldist son of the kyng of England, duke of Guyen, erle of Chestre, of Pontif and of Mounstroille, to alle the comonialte of London senden gretyng. Forasmoch as we have bifore this tyme sent to you by oure lettres how we ben comen into this lande with good arreie and in good manere, for the honor and profite of Holy Chirch, and of oure dere lord the kyng and alle the realme, with alle oure myght and power to kepe and mayntene, as we and alle the good folke of the seid realme are holden to done, and upon that we praied you that ye wolde be helping to us in as moche as ye shulde mowe in this quarell that is for the comon profite of alle the realme, and we have had in thys time non answere of the seid lettres, ne knowe not your wille in that partie: wherfore we send to you ageyne, and charge you and praie that ye bere you so ageins us that we have no cause to greve you, but that ye ben to us helping by alle the weres that ye may or shalle conne and mowe. For weteth wele in certein that we, and alle thoo that ben comen with us into this realme, think not to doo, ne we shulle not done if it like God, eny thing but that shal be for the comon profite of the realme, but onely to distroie Hugh Spencer our enymy, and enymy to alle the seid realme, as ye well knowe; wherfore we praie you, and charge you in the feith that ye owe to oure lord the kyng and to us, and up alle that ye shalle mowe forfeit ayens us, that if the said Hugh Spencer oure enemy come withynne your power, that ye do hym oure wille, and that ye leve not in no manner, as ye desire honour and profite of us alle, and of alle the realme; and weteth of that ye done oure praier and mandement, we shalle the more be holden to you, and also ye shalle gete you worship and profite if ye send us hastely alle your wille. Yeven at Baldok the vj^{te} day of Octobre."

NOTE L. page 54.

"In this yere Edward Bailolle, the son of John Bailolle sometyme kyng of Scotland, came into England chalengyng his right heritage, that is to sey, the kingdome of Scotland; with whome many grete lordes of England went into Scotland, and at Domfrevelyn arrividden, where fast by an abbeie ij m^{l} of Englisshemen discomfited xij m^{l} of Scottes." &c.

NOTE M. page 58.

In the copy in the Cottonian MS. this event is said to have occurred in the _fifteenth_ year of Edw. III.--"Also this same yere, that is to seye the xv yere of his reigne of England, was the first yere of his reigne of France, and he came fro Tourney."

NOTE N. page 64.

"This yere [A^{o}. xxxiiij. Edw. III.] the blode all fresshe flowid out of the tombe of Thomas sometyme erle of Lancastre. Also this yere the kyng chose his sepulture at Westmynstre. Also this yere, the yere of oure lord m^{l} iij^{c} lx, the xiiij day of Aprile and the morn after day, the kyng Edward with his hoste lay about Paris," &c. as is related in the text to have occurred in the _thirty-fifth_ year of Edward III., though the king's expedition to Calais against the regent of France is stated to have occurred in the _thirty-fourth_ year.

NOTE M. page 67.

The sheriff called in the text Adam Wymondham, stands as Adam Wymbyngham in the Cottonian MS.; and though the death of dame Blaunch duchess of Lancaster is there mentioned, no notice occurs of the pestilence.

NOTE N. page 70.

The following is the account of the events in this year [A^{o}. xlix. Edw. III.], in the copy in the Cottonian MS.--"In this yere, at the towne of Brugges in Flaundres, was tretid upon diverse articles hangynge atwixt the pope and kyng Edward. Also the same tyme at Brugges was tretid for a peas bitwixt the ij realmes Fraunce and England. Also this yere deide William Witlesey archebisshop of Caunterburye, and the monkes chose the cardinall of England; and the kyng was wroth therwith, and wolde not consent therto, ne the pope nor cardinall; and so Maister Symon succedid."

NOTE O. page 71.

The only event noticed in the copy in the Cottonian MS. in the 51st Edw. III. is the death of Edward prince of Wales, and his burial at Canterbury.

NOTE P. page 71.

It is singular that in both MSS. the events mentioned in the text, as well as the death of Edward the Third, are said to have occurred in the _fifty-second_ year of that monarch's reign, for he died in the _fifty-first_ year, namely on the 21st of June 1377. The commencement of his reign is always calculated from the 25th of January 1327, when his father resigned the crown.

NOTE Q. page 77.

A^{o}. ix. Richard II.--The copy in the Cottonian MS. only states under this year, that "This yere, the yere of oure lord m^{l} iij^{c} and iiij^{xx} and vj, kyng Richard went into Scotland with a roial power."

NOTE R. page 79.

A^{o}. xiv. Richard II.--No other circumstance is mentioned under this year in the Cottonian MS., than the following,

"In this yere was the good man at the litle Condit mordred."

NOTE S. page 80.

The occurrences mentioned in the text as having taken place in the 15th of Richard II. are in the Cottonian MS. assigned to the following year; but no notice is taken under either year of "the pley of S^{t}. Katerine."

NOTE T. page 80.

King Richard's expedition into Ireland in the 18th year of his reign, is not noticed in the copy in the Cottonian MS.

NOTE U. page 81.

The Cottonian MS. adds, that the earl of Arundel was beheaded at Tower hill, "in the same place where S^{r}. Symon of Burelle was bihedid. And the duke of Gloucestre the kyngs uncle was foule murdred at Caleis, in the Princes inne, with ij towailis made snarewise, and put about his necke. And therle of Warwik and lord Cobham were dampned to perpetuall prison;" which is stated in the text to have occurred in the 21st of Ric. II. "And the parliament was enjourned to Shrowesbury, unto the xv day of seint Hillarie, where it was endid, and where moch people were disheritid."

NOTE X. page 83.

Instead of the words "and of Braybroke &c." the following occur in the copy in the Cottonian MS.

"and of the bisshop of London, Braybroke, putten a supplicacion to the kyng, the tenor wherof foloweth in this fourme;

"To our full excellent right doutful sovereigne and ful graciouse lord the kyng.

"Ful mekely bisechen your humble lieges spirituell and temperell, tharchbisshop of Caunterburye, the bisshop of London, the maire, shireves, and aldermen, and alle other spirituell and temperell gentills and comons of your cite of London; that forasmoch as full grete and sorowefull malices, trespases, and wikkid commecturacions of some men, and of many evil doers of the seid cite, have been procured, done, and evil done to your roial maieste, to grete and perpetuell confusion and repreef of the evil doers, and grete velany and shame to alle dwellyng withynne the same cite, as wele innocent as unknowyng therof, as other; which malfaisours or evil doers, for there trespases have deserved harde and lither chastisement and punysshement, ne were that the high benignite of you oure doutful lord fulfilled, of al grace wol not procede ayens them after there deserts, which if ye shulde ayenst them procede, shulde be distrucion, and nought withouten cause of grete multitude of your people without nombre. Pleese it to your full excellent and doutful roial maieste, graciously to considere the grete repentaunce of your seid misdoers, and there brennyng desire that thei have to aske mercy, and to redresse in al manere, and refourme after there power as moche as it shalle mowe bene any wise possible, there excesses, folies, and defauts aboveseid, and of thabundaunt welle of grace; wherof the Almyghty Kyng, exempler of al mercy and grace, hath endued you to receyve them to your mercie and grace, and holly to foryeve alle that malfaisours or evil doers, or they dwellyng in the same cite, by cause of them have trespasid to your roial excellent maieste biforeseid; and your seid humble lieges wol submitte them, and submitten them in dede to doo, bere, and obeie almanere thing that shal in eny manere please the same your roial maieste, and evermore that your seid humble lieges bisechen that thei may be receyved to grace by Roger Walden archbisshop of Caunterbury, Braybroke bisshop of London, Richard Whityngton maire of London, &c. sufficiantly enformyd, and havyng ful and sufficiaunt auctorite and power for al your humble lieges of the seid cite, and in there name to swere and truely to holde, kepe, and observe, lowen and mayntene with al there power, withouten fraude or malengyne, alle the statuts, stablisshements, and jugements done or yolden or yeven in your high parliament bigonnen at Westminster the Monday next after the exaltacion of the Holy Cros, the yere of your graciouse reigne xxj, and fro thens aiourned to Shrowesbury unto the quinizime of seint Hillarie than next suyng, and there termined and endid: and alle other statuts and ordinunces and stablisshmentis, sithen hiderto done and made withouten ever to comon done, or procuren anything ther ageyne in any maner to that ende, that thei shal mowen be put thurgh your habundaunt grace out of al suspecion, and to ben holden as thei desiren above al thing your true lieges, for the love of God, and in the werke of charite. In witness of the which thing, and for the things aboveseid, wele and truely to holde, kepe and observe, and mayntene for al daies with al ther power, in manere as it is aboveseid without ende to done or procure the contrarie, and to live and deie your seid humble lieges, of whom ther names severally ben underwriton, as wele for themself, as in the name of the residue of the same cite to this supplicacion have set there sealis, that is to wite, we by the grace of God archbisshop of Caunterbury primate of England, Robert Braybroke bisshop of London, Richard Whityngton, William of Askeham, John Wodcok, and many other."

NOTE Y. page 83.

"And than after the presentacion of the seid supplicacion, there were made many blank chartres; and alle the men of every crafte of the cite as wele allowes and servaunts as the maisters, were charged to come to the Yeldhalle, to set there sealis to the seid blank chartres." But the disturbance "by Chestreschire men in Fryday strete," mentioned in the text, is not noticed.

NOTE Z. page 91.

"And also Sir John Cornewaile, Sir Richard of Arundell, the son of Sir John Cheyne and other Frensshemen."

NOTE AA. page 92.

"And holde the righte wey of Holy Chirche, and hym shulde want no goode. Also Courtney, that tyme chaunceller of Oxonford, prichid and enfourmed hym the feith of Holy Chirche, and the prior of seynt Barthemew" &c.

NOTE BB. page 94.

The copy in the Cottonian MS. adds, "And about the fest of seint Laurence the duke of Clarence seilid into Fraunce, to help the duke of Orliaunce," but it takes no notice of the arrival of the prince and his attendants in London, or of the departure of the duke of Clarence, the duke of York, &c. to Southampton.

NOTE CC. page 96.

The mayor and sheriffs mentioned in the text and in the copy in the Cottonian MS., as having served those offices in the 14th Hen. IV., are in the latter also assigned to the 1st Hen. V.; whilst the mayor and sheriffs stated in the text to have served in the 1st Hen. V., are in the latter attributed to the 2nd year of that monarch's reign. But there is manifestly much confusion respecting the year of the king's reign in which the events occurred, in the copy from which the text has been taken, and which will again be alluded to in a future note.

NOTE DD. page 96.

The copy in the Cottonian MS. adds, "And were put in his owne sepulture that he made himself, with quene Anne his wiffe." This is the only circumstance mentioned under the 1st Hen. V. in that MS.: and under the 2nd Hen. V., the transactions concerning Sir John Oldcastle &c., which in the text are stated to have occurred in the preceding year, are related.

NOTE EE. page 99.

In the Cottonian MS. under the _third_ year of Hen. V., and when the mayor and sheriffs mentioned in the text as serving in the 2nd Hen. V. are stated to have held those offices, the king's expedition is properly noticed. This error cannot be explained in any other manner than by attributing it to the transcriber; for it is notorious that Henry quitted England, besieged and captured Harfleur, and fought the battle of Agincourt, in the _third_ year of his reign. The account of that expedition is so differently related from that in the text, that it is here given at length.

"The kyng with alle his hoste seiled over the see with ij m^{l} shippis and mo; and the xvj day of August a litle from Harflete he landid: and the Saturday next after thassumpcion of oure lady he leide siege about Harflete, and contynued the sege unto the Sonday next before the fest of seint Michel, upon which Sonday the towne of Harflete was delyvered to the king, that was the xxij day of Septembre. But it is to wite, that on Tuesday bifore, that was the xvij day of Septembre, at xij of the belle wythynne nyght, the lordes that were capteynes and governours of the towne, that is to sey the lord Gaucourt, the lord Tutvill, and mo other lordes, senten out an haraude of armes unto the duke of Clarence, praiyng him at the reverence of God that he wolde send to the kyng, bisechyng hym that he wolde of his high and gracious lordship, graunt them leve to trete with what persones that the kyng wolde assigne to them. And the kyng at the reverence of God, and at there request, assigned therle of Dorset, the lord Fitz Hugh, and S^{r}. Thomas of Erpyngham, to here what thei wolde desire. And thei desired that the kyng wold not werre upon them fro that houre at mydnyght, unto the Sonday next after the fest of seint Michel; and but it were so that thei were rescued by bataile of the Frensshe kyng or with the dolphyn by that day, thei to yelde the towne to the kyng, and thei to have theire lives and goodes. And the kyng sent them worde that if thei wolde delyver the towne on the morwe next after the houre of mydnyght aforseid, without any condicion, he wolde accepte it, and in any other wise he bad them seke no trete. And yet the Frensshe lordes praied oure lordes to biseke the kyng at the reverence of God and of oure lady, that he wolde graunte them that same Tuesday nyght, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and the Sonday til an houre after none: and in that meane tyme the lordes that were capitayns of the towne, to come to the kyng with xxij knyghts and squyers with them, of the moost sufficient men withyn the towne, and thei to be sworen openly afore alle the people upon Goddis body. But it so were that the Frensshe kyng or the dolphyn rescued them by that Sonday, by the houre of none or anon after none, thei to delyver the towne to the kyng, and alle there bodies and goodes to done with them whatsoever him list, without eny condicion, with that the kyng wolde suffre them to send to the Frensshe kyng viij persones out of the towne, lettyng him wite in what plite thei stond: and they graunted them. And upon the Wednesday by the morowe these lordes comen out of the towne, and xxij knyghts with them; and come the procession solempnely and stately, with xxiiij copis of a sute before Goddis body, with many worshipful lordes, knyghts, and squyers, and other moch multitude of people fro the kings tent, as solempnely done and as stately as any man saugh ever such a thing done bifore that time; but the kyng was not there present. And the Frenssh lordes there made there othes upon the holy sacrament. And the othes thus done, the Frensshe lordes with theire felauship were brought to the kyngs tents, and there thei eten in the kyngs halle: but in all this tyme thei sawe not the kyng. And when thei had eten, they were departid and delyvered to certen lordes for to in hostage unto the Sonday at the houre after none, as it was accordid whan thei received. And at the houre on Sonday after none, the kyng had a tent pight on an hille bifore the towne, and there he sate in his estate roial, and al his lordis about hym; and than came the Frensshe lordes with iij^{xx} and iiij with them, of the moost sufficient men that were withynne the towne, and to the kyng in his propre persone yelded up the keies of the towne, and there bodies and goodes to the kyngs grace without eny condicion: and this was done the xxij day of Septembre, the yere of oure lord m^{l} iiij^{c} xv. And anon after that, the kyng ostered from thens xxj daies thurgh the realme of Fraunce, fro Harflete toward Caleys; and the Friday, that is to sey the day of the holy seints Crispyn and Crispinian, alle the roial power of Fraunce, excepte the Frenssh kyng, the dolphyn, the duke of Bourgoyne, and the duke of Barre were bifore the kyng in his heigh weie, as he shulde passe to Caleis, faire embatailed in iij batailes, to the nombre of lx m^{l} men of armes, and the fairist armed men that eny man saugh ever in any place. And the kyng seyng wele that thei wolde not suffre hym to passe withouten bataile, seid to his title mayny, 'Sires and felawes, the yonder men letten us of oure wey; and if thei wol com to us, let every man preve hymself a good man this day, and avaunt banere in the best tyme of the yere.' And he rode furth with his basnet upon his hedde, and all other men of armes went upon theire fete a fast paas in holle arraie, an Englisshe myle er thei assemblid. And thrugh the grace of God the kyng made his heigh wey thrugh the thikkest prees of alle the bataile. And there was slayne the duke of Launson, the duke of Braban, the duke of Bare, vj erles, the constable of Fraunce, the seneschall of Henaude, the maister Arblaster, and of other lordes grete plente. And there was take the duke of Orliaunce, the duke of Burbon, the counte of Richmond, the counte Ewe, the marschal Sir Bursequant, and many other lordes and knyghts. And there were slayne of Frensshemen v m^{l}, and of al estats of Englisshemen passid not xxviij persones. And of estats of thenglisshe, the duke of Yorke, therle of Suffolke, ij knyghts, and Davy Game; and of gentilmen no moo. And the xxiiij day of Novembre the kyng with all his prisoners came to London in good prosparite. Also this same yere bigan the general counsell at Custance."

NOTE FF. page 103.

The arrival of the emperor is differently noticed in the copy in the Cottonian MS.

"This yere [A^{o}. iv. Hen. V.] the vij day of Maij came themperour of Almayne, Segismundus, to London; and the fest of seint George was deferrid til his comyng, and than solempnely holden at Wyndisore: and at the procession the kyng went on the upper side of themperour, and so alle the masse tyme stode in the higher place, and at mete he sate on the right side of themperour; and the duke of Bedford, and the chaunceller of England, and the bisshop of Develyn, sate on the lefte side of themperour: and the duke of Briga and another duke of themperours compeigny sate upon the kings side; and all these saten on that oon side of the table. And the first sotelte was oure lady armyng seint George, and an angel doyng on his spores; the ij^{de} sotelte was seint George ridyng and fightyng with the dragon, with his spere in his hand; the iij^{de} sotelte was a castel, and seint George, and the kynges doughter ledynge the lambe in at the castel gates. And all these sotelties were served to the emperor and to the kyng, and no ferther: and other lordes were served with other sotelties after theire degrees. And the same tyme duke William of Holand came into England; but he was not at that fest. Also the emperour laye at Westminster the tyme that he abode in England; and the duke of Holand laie at the bisshop of Elies place. And after Midsomer the duke of Holand seilid home ageyne. And after that themperour and the kyng went to Caleys: and than the duke of Burgoyne and the counte Charles his son came to Gravenyng; and the sent thider his brother the duke of Gloucestre, and therle of the March, to abide there in hostage while the duke of Burgoyne come to Caleys. And in the myddis of the river the lordes metten togider; and the dukes son of Burgoyne receyved there oure lords, and led them furth with hym into Flaundres: and the erle of Warwik receyved the duke of Burgoyne and brought him to Caleys, where he spake with the kyng of diverse matiers atwixt them ij. And he toke his leve of the kyng: and the erle of Warwik brought hym agayne to Grevenyng Water; at which tyme also the counte Charlis brought our lordes to the same place, where either of these lordes token live of other. And than the kyng retorned ageyne into England; and themperour seiled into Holand, and so passid furth into Custaunce."

NOTE GG. page 106.

"with all the lordships longyng thereto. And than the duke of Clarence with other lordes rode furth to Cane: and upon our Lady even the Assumpcion, he mustred hym bifore the towne of Cane; and the Tuesday next after our Lady day, that was the xxvij day of August, the kyng with all his host came to Cane, and ther leide his sege, and contynued til our Ladies even the Nativite, upon which even by strong assaute the towne was wonne. And than the kyng leide strong sege to the castel, which was yolden to hym. And while he was abidyng at Cane, he sent the duke of Clarence with other lordes to Baieux, and bisegid and wan it. And the same yere the kyng bisegid Argentyne, bothe towne and castell, which were yolden to hym. Also the kyng wan many castelles and townes, and strong abbeis long before seint Edwardis day."

NOTE HH. page 106.

"upon the moru after the fest of seint Lucie the virgyn and martir, the yere of our lord m^{l} iiij^{c} xvij. Also the same yere, about Alhalowen tide, the kyng leide a sege to Falowes, and contynued it to the xx day of Decembre: and than thei of the towne desired to trete with the kyng. And the kyng committid the trete unto Thomas erle of Salisbury, to Herry lord Fitz Hugh, to S^{r}. John Cornewaille, and S^{r}. William Harington knight, as commissioners for his partie: and as for the partie of the towne, S^{r}. John Meultone, S^{r}. Gilbert Mousteins, lordes of Faiete, capitaynes of men of armes and of shot withynne the towne of Faloys, and with them upon the same entrete, the lord of Gamulle; which parties entreted and accorded upon the articles and appointments folowyng."

[Then follows the treaty alluded to, which extends to eleven folios, but it is not of sufficient interest to require insertion.]

"Which castel was delyvered up and yolden to the kyng in manner and fourme as it is bifore seid. And than the kyng lete parten his hoste to journey diverse weys; that is to say, oone partie the duke of Clarence with many ful worthis with hym: and he gate many townes, castells and strong abbeis. And the duke of Gloucestre another partie of the oste; and with hym therle of the March, the lord Grey, the lord Clifford, Sir Water Hungerford steward of the kyngs house, with ful many other knyghts and squiers: and he gate er he leide his sege to Chirburgh, xxiiij townes and castells. And after Eastrene he leide sege to Chirburgh, and contynued it unto Michelmas, at whiche tyme bothe towne and castel of Chirburgh was yolden to hym. And the iij^{de} parte of the hoste the kyng delyvered to therle of Warwik and other lordes with hym, which gate many strong townes, castells and abbeis. And after Eastern the kyng leide a sege to Lovers, and wan it: and afterward he leide a sege and wanne Pount Large. And than he leide a sege to the cite of Rone and contynued; and duryng the sege the maire of London was chosen upon seint Edwardes day."

NOTE II. page 107.

A^{o}. vij. Hen. V.--"Also the kyng contynued his sege from seint Edwardes day unto the xiij day of Janeuary, at which day thei of the cite desired to trete: and the kyng comytted with hym for to trete, therles of Warwik and Salisburie, the lord Fitz Hugh, Sir Water Hungerford, Gilbert Humfrevile, John de Vasques de Almada, and Robesard, knyghts: and for the parte of Rone these followyng."

[Then follows a copy of the agreement in six folio pages.]

"And the forseid cite was yolden to oure sovereigne lord the kyng upon seint Wolstanes day: and after that the kyng gate many strong castells and townes."

NOTE KK. page 108.

A^{o}. viij. Hen. V.--"And the xx day of Maij the yere of oure lord m^{l} cccc xx^{ti} the kyng come to Troys in Champayne, where he was worthely receyved of al the lordes spiritual and temperal that were with the kyng of Fraunce. And upon the morue the kyng and quene of Fraunce, and dame Katerine his sustre, the duke of Burgoyne metten togiders in seint Petres chirche of Troys, in the body of the same chirch; and after went thei up to the high auter, and there tharticles of the peas redde, and the othes made on either partie: and than was the kyng and dame Katerine sured togiders. And upon the morue after Trinity Sonday, that was than the iij^{d} day of Juyn, the yere of our lord m iiij^{c} and xx, in the chirch of seint Petre of Troys the kyng weddid dame Katerine, kyng doughter of Fraunce, and was made regent of Fraunce. The convencions of which accord followen here after, that is to say."

[Then follows the agreement, which extends to nearly eleven folios.]

"And thanne after that the fest and solempnetie of the mariage was done, the kyng conquerid many townes and castells. Also the kyng leid his sege to Milon sur Seyne, duryng which sege the maire and shireves of London were chosen."

NOTE LL. page 108.

A^{o}. viij. Hen. V.--"And whanne the solempnite was done in the chirch, she was brought ful worthely into the greet halle.

Of the sittyng of the astates at the coronacion of Quene Kateryne hereafter foloweth: that is to say;

First Quene Kateryne sate in hire astate.

The archebisshop of Caunterbury.

The bisshop of Wynchestre.

Thei saten upon the right side of the Quene, and served next the Quene, and covered at every course.

The kyng of Scotland sate in his astate upon the lefte side of the Quene, which was served at every course, the ij bisshops aforseid.

The duches of Yorke, the countes of Huntyngdon; they saten on the same side that the kyng of Scotlande sate.

The duke of Gloucestre supervisour.

Therle of March knelyng upon the deys on the right side of the Quene, held a sceptre upright of the Quenes.

Therle Marchall knelyng on the same deys upon the left side of the Quene, held another sceptre of the Quenes upright.

The countes of Kent was sittyng at the right fote of the Quene undre the table.

The countes Marchall sate at the lefte fote of the Quene undre the table.

Sir Richard Nevile, Carver, bifore the Quene.

Therles brother of Suffolk, Cup berer.

Sir John Steward, Sewer to the Quene.

The lorde Clifford, Panter, instede of therle of Warwik.

The lord Willoughby, Butler, instede of therle of Arundel.

The lord Grey of Ruthyn, Naperer.

The lord Awdley, Avener, instede of therle of Cambrige.

The duke of Bedford, Constable of England.

Therle of Warwik, Steward of England, instede of the duke of Clarence.

Therle of Worcestre, Marchal of England, instede of therle Marchal.

Of the maner of sittyng of the astates at the other tables in the Halle.

First the Barons of the Five Poortes biganne the table of astate in the halle upon the right hand of the Quene.

And byneth them at the same table seten the Bouchers of the Chancery.

The Maire of London and his brethren thaldermen biganne the table of astate in the halle on the lefte hand of the Quene, with other comoners of the cite, and other men byneth them at the same table.

The Bisshoppes biganne the table in the myddis of the halle; that is to say, the table next to the table of the Five Poortes on the right hand.

The bisshop of London withynne the table.

The bisshop of Durham withynne the table.

The bisshop of Bath bifore them.

The bisshop of Excestre bifore them.

The bisshop of Norwich.

The bisshop of Salisbury.

The bisshop of Seint David.

The bisshop of Bangor.

The bisshop of Lincoln.

The abbot of Waltham.

The bisshop of Carlehill.

And than after saten the Justices, and after them worshipful Knyghts and Squiers.

And the Ladies biganne the table in the myddes of the halle afore ayenst the table of the Maire and Aldermen.

First the countes of Stafford.

The countes of the March hire doughter.

The countes of Arundel.

The countes of Westmoreland.

The countes of Northumberland hir doughter.

The countes of Oxenford.

The lady Nevile, wiffe to the sone and heire of the erle of Westmoreland and doughter of the erle of Somerset. [or rather erle of Kent.[132]]

[Footnote 132: _These words have been subsequently added._]

Dame Margarete sustre to therle Marchal.

The yonger doughter of therle of Somerset.

The lady Roos.

The lady Clifford to the erle of Northumberland.[133]

[Footnote 133: _Sic._]

The lady Burgaveny.

The lady Talbot.

The lady Willoughby.

The lady of Mauley.

The wiffe of S^{r}. Richard Nevile.

And this table was ocupied with Ladies and Damesells.

These Lordes suyng were assigned to done the seinc' roiall bifore the Quene.

Therle of Northumberland, therle of Westmoreland, the lord Fitz Hugh.

The lord Furnyvale, the lord Grey of Wilton.

The lord Ferers of Groby, the lord Pownyngs.

The lord Haryngton, the lord Darcy.

The lord Dacre, the lord Delaware.

Here bigynneth the servyce at the first Course.

Brawne with mustarde. Dedel in Borneux. Furmente with baleyne. Pike. Laumprey powdred. Great Elis poudred. Trought. Codlyng. Plaies and merlyne fried. Crabbes great. Lech lumbarde florisshid with colars of esses and brome coddes of gold in a Target with the armes of the kyng and the quene departid. Tarves. A Sotelte, callid a pellican on hire nest with briddis and an ymage of Seint Katerine with a whele in hire hande disputyng with the Hethen clerks, having this Reason in hir hande, _Madame la Roigne_; the Pellican answeryng _Cest enseigne_; the briddes answeryng _Est du roy pur tenir joie. A tout gent il met sentent._

The ii^{d} Course is this folewyng.

Gely florisshed with columbyne floures of white potages. Blaundesore. Breme. Congre. Soles with mulet. Cheveyne. Barbel with Roch. Samon fressh. Halibut. Gurnarde rostid. Roches boilet. Smelt fried. Losters. Lech damaske with the kyngs worde _Une sanz pluz_ writon of white lettre. Lamprey in paste suyng. Flampan florisshed with a scochyn roial, theryn three crownes of golde and plantid with floure de lice of golde and floures of camomil wrought of confections. A Sotelte, a panter with an ymage of Seint Katerine in the same tariage and a whele in hire hand, and a Reason in hire other hand. The Reason was this: _La Roigne ma file_. The panter answeryng _In cest Ile_: another best answeryng with this Reason, _Of Albion_: another best saiyng, _Aves Renowne_.

This is the iij^{d} Course folowyng.

Dates in compost. Creme motley. Carpe. Dorrey. Turbut. Tench. Peerch with gogyns. Sturgeon fresshe. Welkes. Porpes rostid. Memise fried. Creves de ewe douce. Shrympes grosse. Elis with laumprons rostid. A Lessh callid the White Lessh, with hauthorne leves grene and redd hawes. A mete in paste with iiij aungels in fourme of Sent Katerine whele in the myddes with a Reason--

_Il est escrite_ _Par mariage pure_ _Pur voir et dir._ _Ce guerre ne dure._

A Sotelte, A Tigre lokyng in a mirour and a man ridyng on horsebak armed with a tigre whelp in his barme, and throwyng mirours for his defence; and a Reason writon, _Par force saunz Droit Jay pris ce best_. Another Reason for thanswere of the tigre

_Cile de mirrour Ma fait discour._"

NOTE MM. page 110.

A^{o}. ix. Hen. V.--"Also in the moneth of Maii, the quene at Hampton toke hir viage into Fraunce the yere of our lord m^{l} iiij^{c} and xxij, and of the kyng the x^{th} yere, the cite of Mewes in Bry', which long tyme had ben bisegid, was yolden in maner as folowith after."

[Then follows the treaty, which extends to nearly seven pages.]

NOTE NN. page 111.

A^{o}. i. Hen. VI.--"Also there was graunted to the kyng V nobles of every sakke of wolle to custume duryng iij yere." "And the forseid first day of March was the trete of the delyveraunce of Pount Melank, which was taken and long holden by the partie called Armynakkes, and delivered in maner as after folowith."

[A copy of the treaty then occurs, consisting of eight pages.]

"Also this same yere Newegat was bigonne to make newe by thexecutors of Richard Whityngton. Also the same yere in somer tide was great plente of al maner cornes and fruytes: but a litle before Midsomer there bigan to falle moch reyne, which contynued lasse or more every day as for the moost partie; howsoever the wynde stode unto viij daies bifore Cristmas, so that men myght not gadre ynne there, and namely the codde corne, and yet was there plente of corne ynough."

NOTE OO. page 112.

A^{o}. ii. Hen. VI.--"And upon the Wednesday with a glad chere sate in his modres lappe in the chare, and rode thurgh the cite to Westm' the xvij day of Novembre, the yere of our lord m^{l} cccc xxiij, and there was brought into the parliament; where the Speker of the parliament, in the name and for al the comons of England, spake to the kyngs persone these wordes after folowyng."

The speech assigned to the Speaker is then given; after which it is stated that on "The xxvj day of Novembre the kyng with his modir remoeved from Westminster to Waltham, and a certen tyme there were abidyng; and fro thens he remoevid to Hertford, where he helde his Cristmas, and the kyng of Scotts with him." An account of the proceedings in Parliament in this year, especially of the impeachment of Sir John Mortymer, knight, and of the statutes enacted therein then follows at some length, and is succeeded by a minute account of the French towns and castles taken by the duke of Bedford, the earl of Salisbury, Sir John Radcliff seneschal of Guyenne, and Sir John Beauchamp. It is also noticed, that in that year "therle of the March with many other lordes and great retinue went into Irland, and there deide." After stating the loss of the Scots at the battle of Vermuil, it is added, "Wherfore it may be seid of them the worde of olde tyme,

'That in the croke of the mone came thei thiderwarde, And in the wilde wanyng went thei homewarde.'"

NOTE PP. page 113.

"Also this yere after Eastre the king helde his parliament at Westm', which bigan the laste day of Aprile; and the kyng come to London the xxvij day of Aprile, which was Saturday, with his moder in his chare from Wyndisore unto Seint Paulis; and at the west dore he was taken out of his chare by his uncle the duke of Gloucestre, and by his bele uncle the duke of Excestre: and he went upon his fete fro the west dore to the steires, and so up into the quere; and than he was borne up and offred: and than was set upon a courser and so rood thrugh the Chepe and London to Kenyngton. And the kyng held his see diverse daies in the parliament." Then follows an account of the grants made by that parliament to the king, and of some statutes enacted therein. The success of the English army under the earl of Salisbury is related in a most minute manner, and the agreement for the surrender of Mauns is given at length: but nothing is stated of sufficient interest to justify so long a note as a copy of the narrative and treaty in question would require.

NOTE QQ. page 114.

"defense of the cite. And anon after the bisshop of Wynchestre sent a lettre over the see into France unto the duke of Bedford, the tenor wherof after foloweth:

'To the most high and myghty prynce and my right noble lord the regent of Fraunce and duke of Bedford.

'Right high and myghty prynce and my right noble and after oon, levist lord, I recommand me unto you with al myn hert and affinite: and as ye desire the welfare of the kyng our sovereign lord and of his realmes of England and Fraunce, and your owne wele and our alle, so haste you hider; for by my trouth if ye tarie we shal put this land in a venture with a felde; such a brother ye have here, God make him a good man, for your wisedom knoweth wele that the prosperite of Fraunce stant in the welfare of England. High and myghtie prince, I bisech you holdeth Maister John Estcourt, your counseilour, escusid of his tarrying, for it is moch ayenst his wille, but the counsell here hath made hym; and ye hist to give credence to your chamberleyne S^{r}. William Boteller. The blessid Trinite kepe you. Writon in grete haste on Alhalowen even,

by your true servaunt to my lives ende,

HENRY WYNCHESTRE.'

"And ageyn Cristmas the duke of Bedford came out of Fraunce into England. And the kyng helde his Cristmas at Eltham; and the bisshop of Wynchestre helde his Cristmas at Marton: and bicause that he wolde not come in the cite of London, for evil wille that he hadde therto, the counsel was holden at Seint Albones after Cristmas: but there wolde not the duke of Gloucestre come. At which counsel was ordeyned that the parliament shulde ben at Leicestre, which parliament bigan in the bigynnyng of Lenton; where, by good trete and arbitracion of the lords spiriele and temperel, was made a good unite and accorde atwixt the duke of Gloucestre and the bisshop of Wynchestre, in fourme as after folowith."

[Then follows the "Arbitirament", which extends to six folios.]

"And thus was the accord made atwixt these ij lordes of Gloucestre and Wynchestre; and the parliament was ajourned til after Easter. Also the same yere of the kyng, and of our lord m^{l} iiij^{c} xxv, Arthur erle of Richemont, and Richard his brother, and the baron of Columbe, with great multitude of Britons, leien at the sege of Seint Jaquys de Ber'on to the some of xx m^{l} of Britons, which gaven assaute to the towne, and were beten and myghtely put of, rebukid and slayne of them iiij^{c}: and in the towne were cheveteynes Sir Thomas Remston, Sir Philip Braunch, Sir Nichol Burdet, and Sir Richard Stafford, and with them ix^{c} persones, Englisshe and Normaunes. And the nyght folowyng, fast by the towne, in ij milles, were iij^{c} Britons loggid; and the seid knyghts with a certeyn mayny went out and brent the milles, and slough of the Britons bitwene iij and iiij score. And afterward Arthur and his men maden another assaute, and there losten vij^{xx} and oon standardes and getens, and viij^{xx} men of cote armes and legge harneis; and Arthur was sore hurt in the thigh nygh the body: and so thei withdrowen them homeward to Breteigne. But Thomas de Burgh with people of the garison folowid after them, and slough of them xxv^{c}. And the Britons lefte byhynde them there gonnes and there wyne, the some of vj^{c} pipes of wyne, with flour, brede, figges, reisins, and grete plente of egges and butter, with moch fisshe, and so fled with mischief."

NOTE RR. page 116.

A^{o}. vj. Hen. VI.--"This yere the kyng held his parliament at Westminster, and was ajourned til after Cristmas: and in this parliament the kyng helde his see diverse daies." Then follows an account of the grants made to the king, and of other proceedings therein. "Also this yere the erle of Salisbury sailid over the see with a feire compeigny; and the Carde come to London upon seint Gilis day: and the maire of London, and aldermen, with the craftes, roden ayenst him, and receyved him worthely. Also the same yere therle of Sarum was slayne at the sege of Orliaunce: but yet was the sege holden by other lordes and contynued, but not long after."

NOTE SS. page 116.

The death of the earl of Salisbury is, as has just been noticed, stated in the Cottonian MS. to have taken place in the preceding year. "This yere [A^{o}. vij. Hen. VI.] about Midsommer, the Cardenal seilid over the see with a feire compeigny wagid for to have, and werred upon the Lollards in Prage: but a litel before the departyng of the Cardenal out of England, therle of Suffolk, the lord Talbot, the lord Scalis, and many other lordes, knyghts, and squyers, were taken and slayne at the sege of Orliaunce, and the sege broken."

NOTES TT and UU. page 118.

"This was the first Cours at his coronacion; that is to say, first

Furmentie, with venyson. Viande Roial planted with losenges of golde. Bore-hedes in castells of earmed with golde.[134] Beef. Moton. Signet. Capon stued. Heron. Grete Pike. A redd Lech with lions corvyn theryn of white. Custarde Roial with a leparde of golde sittyng theryn. Fritour like a sonne with a flour de lice therynne. A Sotelte, Seint Edward and seint Lowes armed in cote armours bryngyng yn bitwene them the kyng in his cote armour with this scripture suyng:

_Loo here twoo kyngs right profite and right good, Holy seint Edwarde and seint Lowes: And see the braunch borne of there blessid blode, Live among Cristen moost sovereigne of price, Enheretour of the floure de Lice; God graunte he may thurgh help of Crist J'hu This sixt Henry to reigne and be as wise, And them resemble in knighthod and vertue._

[Footnote 134: _Sic_ in the MS.]

Here foloweth the second Course; that is to wite,

Viand blank, barrid of golde. Gely partid writen and notid _Te Deum Laudamus_. Pigge endored. Crane. Bitore. Conyes. Chikyns endored. Partrich. Pecok enhakill. Great breame. Leches white with an antelope of redde corven theryn, a crowne about his neck with a cheyne of golde. Flampayne poudred with lepardis and flours de lice of golde. Fritour, a lepardis hedde with ij Ostrich fethers. A Sotelte, themperour and the kyng that ded is, armed, and there mantells of the garters; and the kyng that nowe is, knelyng before them with this Reason.

_Ageinst miscreaunts themperour Sigismond Hath shewid his myght which is Imperial: Sithen Henry the Vth so noble a knyght was founde For Crists cause in actis martial Cherisshyng the chirch Lollardes had a falle To give example to kyngs that suitede And to this branche in especiall While he dothe regne to love God and drede._

The iij^{d} Course sueth; that is to say,

Blaunde Surrey poudrid with quatrefoilis gilt. Venyson rostid. Egrettes. Curlewe. Cokkes. Plover. Quailis. Snytes. Grete birdes. Larkes. Carpe. Crabbe. Lech of iij colours. A colde bakemete like a shelde quarterly redde and white, set with losengs and gilt, and flours of borage. Fritour crispes. A Sotelte of our lady sittyng and hir childe in hir lappe, and she holdyng in hir hand a crowne and seint George knelyng on that oo side and seint Denyse on that other side, presentyng the kyng, knelyng to our lady, with this Reason folowyng;

_O blessid lady, Cristes moder dere, And thou seint George, that callid art hir knyght, Holy seint Denyse, O martir moost entier, The sixt Henry here present in your sight, Shewith of grace on hym your hevenly light His tender yougth with vertue both avaunce Bore by discent and by title of right Justly to reigne in England and in Fraunce._"

"This same yere, the xxij day of Janeuere, there was an heretik brent at the Tour hille: and on the morue next after there was a batayle done in Smythfelde, withynne listes, bifore the kyng, bitwene John Upton appellaunt, and John Downe defendaunt; and whan thei hadde long foughton, the kyng toke it up into his handes and fargaff bothe partes. Also this yere the kyng passid the see to Caleis upon seint Georges day, and many grete lordes with hym; that is to say, First, the Cardenall bisshop of Wynchestre, and than other bisshops folowyng; that is to say, the bisshop of Bath, the bisshop of Ely, the bisshop of Rochestre. Dukes; the duke of Yorke and the duke of Norfolk. Erles; therle of Stafford, therle of Huntyngdon, therle of Warwik, therle of Oxonford, therle of Devonshire, therle of Morteyn, therle of Ewe, therle of Ormond. Barons; the lord Beaumont, the lord Bourghchier, the lord Tiptofte, the lord FitzWater, the lord Roos, the lord Audeley, the lord Faconbrigge, the lord Grey Codnore, the lord Welles."

[The capture of the Maid of Orleans is then noticed in nearly the same words as those in the text; and is followed by a copy of the letter which the duke of Burgoyne "wrote unto the kyng at Caleis."]

"Superscripcion: To my moost doubtid lord the kyng.

"My moost doubtid lord, I recomaunde unto you asmoch and as mykely as I may. And please it you to wete my moost doubtid lorde, that this day, the xxiij day of Maij, about vj at after none, your adversaries and myn, that were with grete power in the towne of Compeigne, afore which towne I am loggid with my folke, and with those that ye senten undre governaunce of S^{r}. John Mountgomery and S^{r}. John Steward, came out with grete puyssaunce upon the van warde which was next them; and with them came she that thei calle the Pucelle, with many of there chief chiefteynes: and ageine them anone came my cosyn S^{r}. John Luxenburgh, and other of your folkes and of myn, which made right grete and sharp resistence: and I came thider in myn owne persone, and founde that the seid adversaries were put abak, and by the pleasaunce of our blessid Creatour it fil so; and God yaf me such grace, that she that thei calle the Pucelle was taken, and with many hire capitaynes, knyghts, and squyers, and other taken, and drowned, and dedde, whose names I knowe not yet."

This letter is succeeded by an account of the "Journeis that were done after the kyng was landid at Caleis."

"The first Journey was at Pountnake: the Pucelle with a grete power was put to flight.

"The second Journey was in a wodde biside Compeigne: the Pucelles mayny ij^{c} were discounfeited of xxx Englisshemen, and there were xij Armynaks prisoners.

"The iij^{d} Journey the Pucelle was taken at Compeigne, and many of her mayny slayne and drowned.

"The iiij^{th} Journey the lord was, the lord Wilby brent a chirch and vj^{xx} men and boies therynne.

"The v^{th} Journey the lorde Scales toke and slough of the dukes men of Launson, iij^{c}.

"The vj^{th} Journey the kyngs householde mayny, biside Parys, an Englisshe mile out of Boys, seint Vyncent token a strong abbeie with tretis.

"The vij^{th} Journey the lord Chamberleyne distressid La Here, and slough and toke of his meyny into iij^{c}: and at the same Journey was slayne S^{r}. Symon Filbrigges sone and his heire.

"The viij^{th} Journey therle of Huntyngdon toke gonnes, quarrells, and crosbowes, comyng toward Compeigne the nombre of an c and xx men of armes, and vileyns many.

"The ix^{th} Journey the seid erle of Huntyngdon and his compeigny token vj strengthes and chirches, and brent many; and he gate a grete towne callid Crepynaloys. And thei praied hym that thei myght stand in the same forme that thei of Compeigne shulde, and therto thei sent hym ij m^{l} salves of golde for expenses.

"The x^{th} Journey the seid erle of Huntyngdon made a rode frome the duke of Burgoyne, and met with a compeigny of Scotts, distressid them, and toke there capitayne.

"The xj^{th} Journey ij^{c} Englisshemen of the kyngs house were bifore seint Lis, and token bestes and lx prisoners, whose capitayne was called Arnold Gilias of Alafeert Baynarde, the whiche as men wende myght paie a m^{l} marc of golde, and another was La Heres brother.

"The xij^{th} Journey the duke of Norfolk met with Lumbards vj^{xx} speres, distressid them and toke their capiteyne, and many moo chirches, abbeis, and castells that were strong viij or ix, and hangid them that were therynne, and breke downe castells and chirches that were right strong.

"The xiij^{th} Journey Castel Gailard was wonne.

"The xiiij^{th} Journey therle of Stafford gate Arlmarle, and therynne vj^{xx} and vj men; of the which v^{xx} were hangid, and the remenaunt in the kings wille.

"The xv^{th} Journey Sir Raffe Butler gate a pile and brake it downe.

"The xvj^{th} Journey the first day of July, there were comyng towards Compeigny of Scotts and of Armynakes to the nombre of iiij m^{l}. and in theire comyng thiderward therle of Huntyngdon met them, and there toke the capiteyne of the Scotts and iiij^{xx} other gret capiteyns: and there were slayne and taken xv^{c} of Scottis and Armynakes.

"The xvij^{th} Journey the duke of Norfolk gate Dammartyn and twoo other grete townes: and the dolphyn was that tyme at Jargowe, v leges biyonde Orliaunce."

NOTE XX. page 119.

A^{o}. xj. Hen VI.--The only event noticed under this year in the Cottonian MS. is "that the meyre, aldermen, and shireves in scarlet, with comoens of London in grene, rodde to the Blak heth to receyve my lord of Bedford."

NOTE YY. page 120.

A^{o}. xij. Hen. VI.--No other circumstance is mentioned in the Cottonian MS. than that "this yere was a Text writer brent at the Tour hille for heresie."

NOTE ZZ. page 120.

A^{o}. xiij. Hen. VI.--"In this yere was a grete frost that enduryd from seint Katerines day unto seint Valentynes day after, wherfore the vyntage myght not come to London but by carte over Shoters hille frome Gravesende, Northflete, Greneheth, and other places both on Kent side and Essex."

NOTE AAA. page 121.

A^{o}. xv. Hen. VI.--"This yere was another grete frost enduryng xj weks. Also this yere was openly knowen that the duke of Burgoyne was falsely forsworne to the crowne of England; for he laied sege to Caleis, and did make a strong bastelle; to the which bastel Englisshemen made strong assaute ij tymes, and the iij^{d} tyme thei gate it, and token certeyn persons, and slough alle the remenaunt, and brent the bastelle; and than my lordes the dukes of Gloucestre, and of Northfolke, therle of Huntyngdon, therle of Stafford, and therle of Warwik, with many other lordes and barons, knyghts, and squiers, were apointed for to gone over and fight with the seid duke of Burgoyne; but the sege was broken er thei came there; for at that time alle the shyppes of England were arrestid, and went a werr fare half a yere, to for er these lordes went over the see: and thei did moche harme to our enymys; for thei toke Spaynardes, Britons, Flemyngs, Scotts, and other nacions of diverse contreis, and a galey chargid with diverse merchaundise. And than thei were countermandid to diverse havons of England for to have over the seid lordes; and at that tyme every lord found a certen of men of theire owne cost, and every feed man went with his lord: and every abbeie and house of religion founde certen men to gone over the see. Also at that tyme London found a certen of sowdiers to Caleis; and also gave unto the werres m^{l} li: and many other townes of this land found men to gone over the see: and my lord of Gloucestre toke his ship at Wynchelsee, and many other lordes with hym, and went furth to Caleis with alle his hoste, and the shippes aweytyng upon the hoste by the costes of Flaundres, the Munday next after seint Laurence day, in the yere of our lord m^{l} iiij^{c} xxxvij, and lay that night in the felde at a place callid Sparkes place, bisides Oye: and upon the morowe he passid the water of Gravenyng, at x of the belle, with l men nombrid a myle byneth the towne; and there he made knyghts, and passid to a village callid Meerdike; and that thei brent, and alle the townes as thei went. And also thei brent a good open towne callid Popryng, and many other villages; and a towne was callid Belle and so furth, West Flaundres; and our shippes brent an ile callid Cagent."

NOTE BBB. page 123.

A^{o}. xv. Hen. VI.--"In this yere the toure at the gate on London brigge, and ij arches with alle the housyng therupon fil downe into Thamyse, which no man cowde let to grete hurt. And this yere died quene Kateryne at Bermonsey, and was buried at Westminster in seint Marie chapel withynne thabbeie. And in this yere the kyng of Scotts was slayne in Scotland, of a knyght of the same land callid Sir Robert Grame."

NOTE CCC. page 123.

A^{o}. xvij. Hen. VI.--"In this yere the duke of Orliaunce went over the see to Caleis with certein lordes of this land, and so was delyvered by composicion made. And in this yere therle of Huntyngdon was sent into Gascoyne and Guyen. And wheat was at xvj^{d} a busshell alle that yere: and yet there was moch wheat brought out of Pruyte. And that yere was ordeyned that strumpettes shuld were rede hoddes and white roddes in there handes."

NOTE DDD. page 125.

A^{o}. xviij. Hen. VI.--"In this yere was ordeyned by parliament that al strangers shuld goo to oost. And this yere ij men were hangid in Thamys, at the last hille beyond seint Katerynes; for thei had robbid and murdred vitailers in the water. And in this yere Sir Richard Wiche sometyme vicarie of Depford, and another secular man were dampned for heretiks, and brent at Tour hille, in a mornyng at vij of the belle."

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[_The following article is prefixed to the copy of the preceding Chronicle, in the Harleian MS._ 565.]

COPIA TABULE PENDENTIS AD COLUMPNAM IUXTA TUMULUM DUCIS LANCASTR' IN ECCLESIA SANCTI PAULI LONDON'.

Ecclesia sancti Pauli London' continet infra limites suos tres acras terre et dimidiam. unam rodam et dimidiam et sex virgas constratas. Longitudo eiusdem ecclesie continet dclxxxx pedes. Latitudo eiusdem ecclesie continet cxxx pedes. Altitudo occidentalis testudinis continet ab ara cij pedes. Altitudo testudinis nove fabrice continet ab ara lxxxviij pedes. Cumulus ecclesie continet in Altitudine cl pedes cum cruce. Altitudo fabrice lapidie campanilis eiusdem ecclesie continet a plana terra cclx pedes. Altitudo fabrice lignee eiusdem campanilis continet cclxxiiij pedes. Attamen in toto non excedit quingentos et xx^{ti} pedes. Item pomellum eiusdem campanilis potest continere in sua concauitate si fuerit vacuum decem bussell' bladi cuius rotunditas dyametri continet xxxvj vncias. que faciunt tres pedes cuius circumferencia continet cxiij vncias que faciunt nouem pedes et dimid. cuius superficies si sit circumrotunda debet continere quatuor milia lxviij vncias que faciunt xxviij pedes quadratas et quartam partem vnius pedis quadrati. Hasta crucis eiusdem campanilis continet in altitudine xv pedes cuius transversorium continet sex pedes. In qua Cruce Anno Domini Millesimo ccc^{mo} xxxix^{o} xj^{mo} kl. Augusti videlicet in festo sancte Marie Magdalene multe preciose reliquie plurimorum sanctorum ad Salvacionem eiusdem et tocius edificii sibi subiecti cum magna processionis Solempnitate collate fuerunt vt Deus omnipotens per merita gloriosa omnium sanctorum quorum reliquie in illa Cruce continentur ab tempestate et periculo in sua proteccione conservare dignetur. De cuius misericordia omnibus fabrice huius ecclesie auxilium procurantibus xxvij Anni Cl. dies omni tempore anni conceduntur preter Staciones Romane que sunt xliiij^{or} anni et quam plura alia beneficia.

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COPIA ALTERIUS TABULE PENDENTIS AD MEDIAM COLUMPNAM. IBIDEM INTER DICTUM TUMULUM DICTI DUCIS ET TUMULUM SANCTI ROGERI NUPER EPISCOPI LONDON'.

[Sidenote: Inuencio imaginis crusifixi.]

Anno Domini C^{mo} xl^{o}. Invencio ymaginis crucifixi ad hostium Boriale sancti Pauli London'. in magno fluuio Thamisie. per Lucium primum Regem Anglie Christianum. Anno Domini Millesimo lxxxvij^{o} [Sidenote: Ecclesia sancti Pauli combusta.] mensis Julii die septimo Ecclesia sancti Pauli London' et omnia que in ea erant cum magna parte Civitatis igne erant consumpta. tempore Mauricii Episcopi London' regnante primo Rege Normannorum Willielmo Conquestore qui fundavit Monasteria de Bello in Sussex ubi ipse pugnaverat et Bermondesey iuxta London'. Anno Domini Millesimo C^{mo} [Sidenote: Londini maxima pars combusta.] xxxij^{do} Idus Aprilis combusta erat Civitas London in maxima parte ex igne Gilberti Beget. Anno Domini Millesimo C^{mo} xxxvij^{o} [Sidenote: Templum Pauli iterum combustum.] combusta erat ecclesia sancti Pauli London' per ignem ad pontem London' accensum et inde processit ad ecclesiam extra Barras noui [Sidenote: Nota.] templi London'. Anno Millesimo C^{mo} l^{mo} tam valida erat glacies quod Thamisia potuit per equestres pertransiri. Anno Millesimo [Sidenote: Anno iiij^{to} Regis Johannis.] ccij^{do} tante pluuie tonitrua et grandines ceciderunt ut lapides quadranguli ad quantitatem ovorum mixti cum pluuia de celo descenderunt ex quibus arbores vinee et segetes multum erant destructe homines erant contriti et aves per aiera volantes Visi sunt carbones ignitos in rostris deferre et domos incendere. Anno Domini Millesimo [Sidenote: Eodem Anno.] [Sidenote: Anno vj^{to} regis Johannis.] CC^{mo} iiij^{to} Incepit ordo fratrum predicatorum in Tholosanis [Sidenote: Eodem anno.] partibus sub Duce Dominico. Eodem anno yemps asperima a circumcisione domini vsque ad Annunciacionem perduravit. Anno Domini Millesimo [Sidenote: Anno vij^{o} regis H. iij^{cii}.] cc^{mo} xiiij^{o} Sanctus Franciscus incepit ordinem fratrum Minorum iuxta assisum. Et Anno Millesimo cc^{mo} xxiiij^{to} venerunt primo in Angliam per biennium ante obitum sancti Francisci. Anno Millesimo [Sidenote: Anno v^{to} regis H. tertij.] cc^{mo} xxj^{o} In festo sancte Luce Euangeliste irruit ventus vehemens a septentrione quaciens domos et pomeria nemora et turres ecclesiarum. Visi que sunt dracones ignei et maligni spiritus in [Sidenote: Anno xliij^{o} regis H. iij.] turbine volitare. Anno Millesimo cc^{mo} lviij^{o} apud Teukysbury quidam Judeus perdiem Sabbati cecidit in latrinam nec permisit se extrahi die Sabbati propter reuerenciam sui Sabbati. Set Ricardus de Clare Comes Glouernie non permisit eum extrahi die dominica sequente propter reuerenciam sui Sabbati. et sic mortuus est. Anno M^{o} [Sidenote: Anno ix^{o} regis E. sec'di.] ccc^{mo} xvj^{o} Magna lues animalium et hominum maxima que inundacio ymbrium fuit ex qua prouenit tanta bladi cariscia quod quarterium [Sidenote: Anno xxiiij^{to} regis E. tercij.] tritici pro xl. _s'._ vendebatur. Anno domini M^{o} ccc^{mo} xlviij^{o} Incepit magna pestilencia London' circa festum sancti Michaelis et duravit usque ad festum sancti Petri ad uincula proxime [Sidenote: A^{o}. xxxv^{to} et xxxvj^{to} regis E. tercij.] sequens. Anno Domini Millesimo ccc^{mo} lxj^{o} xviij kl. Februar. in festo sancti Mauri abbatis accidit ventus vehemens et terribilis per totam Angliam. Eodem anno fuit secunda pestilencia in qua obiit vir nobilis et Strenuus Henricus Dux Lancastrie. Anno Domini Millesimo [Sidenote: Anno xliij^{o} regis E. iij^{cii}.] ccc^{mo} lxviij^{o} erat tercia pestilencia in qua obiit nobilis domina Blanchia Lancastrie ducissa. que in ecclesia sancti Pauli [Sidenote: Anno v^{to} regis Ricardi secundi.] London' honorifice iacet tumulata. Anno Domini Millesimo ccc^{mo} lxxxij^{do} xij^{o} kl. Junii videlicet feria iiij^{ta} ante pentecosten inmediate post nonam erat terre motus magnus per totam Angliam.

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COPIA MAGNE TABULE IBIDEM PENDENTIS PER DICTAM TUMBAM DICTI ROGERI NUPER EPISCOPI LONDON'.

[Sidenote: Etates mundi.]

In principio creavit Deus celum et terram et omnia que in eis sunt. Sexto autem die a creacione mundi factus fuit prothoplasmus Adam. [Sidenote: 1.] Prima etas mundi ab Adam usque ad Noe secundum Ebreos continet Mille sexcentos quinquaginta sex annos. secundum Septuaginta interpretes duo Milia ducentos xl^{ta} iiij^{or} annos. Secundum vero Jeronimum non plene duo Milia. Secundum Metodum duo Milia. cuius diuersitatis causa est quia isti non computant secundum morem sacre scripture minucias temporum vel annorum que super sunt Millenis atque Centenis annis. A principio mundi vsque ad diluuium Noe duo Milia ducentos quinquaginta [Sidenote: 2.] sex annos. Secunda etas a Noe vsque ad Abraham continet secundum septuaginta Interpretes Mille septuaginta duos annos. Secundum Ebreos [Sidenote: 3.] Mille Ducentos viginti duos annos. Tercia etas ab Abraham vsque ad David continet secundum Ebreos octo centenos xl^{ta} duos annos. Secundum autem septuaginta Interpretes multo minus quoniam deficiunt [Sidenote: 4.] in duobus annis. Quarta etas a David usque ad transmigracionem Babilonis continet secundum Ebreos quatuor Centenos septuaginta tres annos. Secundum septuaginta interpretes parum minus quia deficiunt in [Sidenote: 5.] vno anno. Quinta etas a transmigracione Babilonis vsque ad Christum continet quinque Centenos octoginta quinque annos. Secundum alios [Sidenote: 6.] quinque Centenos nonaginta nouem annos. Sexta etas a Christo vsque ad finem mundi. Anni ab Origine mundi vsque ad incarnacionem domini nostri Jesu Christi quinque Milia nonaginta novem. Anni ab incarnacione eiusdem vsque ad passionem suam triginta tres imperfecti. Anni a creacione mundi vsque ad destruccionem Troie iiij m^{l} xxx anni. A destruccione Troie vsque ad construccionem noue Troie que nunc Londonia vocatur lxiiij^{or} anni. A construccione noue Troie ad construccionem Romane vrbis ccclxxxx anni. Ab vrbe condita vsque adventum Christi dccxv anni. Ab origine mundi iiij m^{l} lxxxxiiij post destruccionem Troie videlicet anno M^{l} C^{mo} quinto ante incarnacionem Christi. Brutus quidam nobilis de genere Troiano ortus cum magna multitudine Troianorum per responsum dee Diane in insulam a Gigantibus olim Albion vocatam et inhabitatam intravit et Gigantes omnes destruxit. inter quos erat quidam fortissimus nomine Gogmagog et terram illam nomine suo Britanniam vocauit. Deinde a Saxonibus sive ab Anglis eam conquerentibus vocata est Anglia. Et idem Brutus primus Rex Britonum construxit primam Britannie vrbem que nunc Londonia vocatur in memoriam Troie prius destructe vocans eam trinouantum id est Troiam nouam que per tempus longum Trinouans vocabatur. Regnante tunc Ely sacerdote in Judea et archa testamenti a Philisteis capta fuit. Post mortem Bruti regnarunt in Britannia lviij Reges. Deinde regnavit rex Lud qui muros vrbis Trinouantum fortiter edificauit que per ipsum Caerlud vocabatur. Anglice _Loudesdon'_ et innumeris turribus circumcinxit quam pre omnibus Ciuitatibus regni amauit. Et ideo precepit vt domos et edificia edificarent que aliarum vrbium edificiis prepollerent. eo defuncto corpus eius in predicta vrbe iuxta Januam quam ipsemet construxit et a nomine suo _Ludesgate_ vocata fuit nobilissime reconditum est. Demum Anglici vocauerunt eam _Londene_. Postmodum Normanni vocauerunt eam _Loundres_ que Latine dicitur Londonia. Post mortem Lud regnauit Cassibellanus frater eius videlicet anno. lviij^{o}. ante incarnacionem Christi. tempore cuius venit Julius Cesar in Britanniam cum multitudine copiosa et bis deuictus et fugatus et expulsus. Tercio per auxilium Androgei ducis Kanc'. reuocatus in Britanniam eam Romane potestati tributariam fecit.

VERSUS.

Te quicunque reges. bene si vis noscere Reges Anglos vel leges. hec iterando leges. Reges maiores referam seu nobiliores Quando regnarunt et vbi gens hos timularunt. Mille quater deca. bis fit Adam Bruto prior annis.

Brutus etatis sue anno xv^{o}. egressus ab Italia ad Insulam Leogeciam nauigio perueniens. Dianam inibi consuluit dicens.

VERBA BRUTI: VERSUS.

Diua potens nemorum terror siluestribus apris Cui licet amfractus ire per ethereos Infernasque domos terrestria iura reuolue Et dic quas terras nos habitare velis Dic etiam sedem. qua te venerabor in euum Qua tibi virgineis. templa dicabo choris.

RESPONSIO DIANE.

Brute sub occasu solis. trans Gallica regna Insula in Oceano est vndique clausa mari Insula in Oceano est habitata gigantibus olim Nunc deserta quidem gentibus apta tuis. Hanc pete namque tibi sedes erit illa perhennis Hinc fiet natis altera Troia tuis. Hic de prole tua Reges nascentur et ipsis Totius terre subditus orbis erit.

Brutus tali responso confortatus classe parata. in Insulam Albion que nunc Anglia dicitur cum suis applicuit et in ea regnare cepit etatis sue anno xxxv^{to}. qui regni sui xxiiij^{to}. London' sepelitur. Anno Milleno. ducenteno. quadrageno quinto post mortem Bruti Rex Lucius extat. Anno gracie c^{mo}. xxiiij^{to}. Coronacio Lucii primi Regis Christiani. regnantis lxxvij annis London' sepultus est. A morte Bruti vsque ad regnum Arthuri regnarunt in Anglia diuisim C. Reges. quorum sexdecim erant Christiani. Anno d.xvj^{o}. Coronacio Arthuri Regis qui regnauit annis xxvj. de cuius obitu vel sepultura. certum non referunt historie. Anno diiij^{xx}vi^{to}. ab Anglis dicitur Anglia diuisa per octo regna id est Kanciam. Su'htsexiam. Westsexiam. Merciam. Estsexiam. Estangliam. Derram. et Berviciam. Anno dc^{mo}. primo. cepit regnare. Rex Sebertus. renouator ecclesie Westm'. quam beatus Petrus tunc dedicauit. in qua Rex ipse regni sui anno xv^{o}. timulatur. Anno dc^{mo} xxxv^{to}. Coronacio Oswaldi Regis regnantis novem Annis martirio coronatur. Anno dc^{mo}. xxxvj^{to}. Coronacio Oswyny Regis qui imperii sui anno ix^{o}. martirizatus iacet apud Tynmouth. Anno dcc^{mo}. lxxvj^{to}. Coronacio Ethelbristi Regis. qui regni sui anno viij^{o}. martir effectus Herefordie sepultus est. Anno dccc^{mo}. xxj^{o}: Coronacio et martirium Kenelmi Regis qui Wynchecombie conditus est. Anno dccc^{mo}. lv^{to}. Coronacio Edwardi Regis apud Bures qui post annos xv. martirio laureatus ibidem requiescit. Anno dccc^{mo}. lxxvj^{mo}. Coronacio Alfredi Regis primi Monarche Anglie. qui sui regiminis anno xxix^{o}. Wynton': humatus est. Anno dcccc^{mo}. primo. Coronacio Edwardi primi filii Alfredi apud Kingeston' hic annis xxiiij^{or}. imperauit London' sepelitur. Anno dcccc^{mo}. xxiiij^{to}. Coronacio Athelstani Regis apud Kyngeston'. qui post annos xvj Malmesbury sepultus est. Anno dcccc^{mo} xl^{o}. Coronacio Edwardi secundi Regis filii Athelstani apud Kyngeston'. hic anno regni sui sexto. Glaston' sepelitur. Anno dcccc^{mo}. xlvj^{to}. Coronacio Edredi Regis apud Kyngeston' qui regni sui anno ix^{o}. Wynton'. sepultus est. Anno dcccc^{mo}. lv^{to}. Coronacio Edwyni Regis apud Kyngeston hic annis quatuor regnauit Wynton' sepultus est. Anno dcccc^{mo} lix^{o}. Coronacio Edgari. Regis. qui regnauit xvj. annis iacet Glaston'. Anno dcccc^{mo} lxxv^{o}. Coronacio Edwardi secundi. filii Edgari apud Westm' qui regni sui anno iiij^{to}. martirio insignitus Septonie tumulatur. Anno dcccc^{mo} lxxix^{o}. Coronacio Ethelredi Regis apud Kyngeston' et anno xxxviij^{o}. regni sui London' sepelitur. Anno Millesimo xvj^{o}. Coronacio Edwardi tercii ferri lateris apud Kyngeston' et humatio apud Glaston'. Anno Millesimo xvij^{o}. Coronacio Knutonis Regis apud Westm' et regni sui anno xix^{o}. Wynton' sepultura. Anno Millesimo. xxxv^{to}. Coronacio Haroldi primi Regis. hic regni sui anno quinto London' humatus est. Anno Millesimo xl^{o}. Coronacio Hardeknuti Regis et anno secundo regni sui humatio. Wynton'. A natiuitate Jesu Christi vsque ad regnum secundi Edwardi Regis et confessoris fluxerunt diuisim in Anglia Centum Reges et lx^{ta} et quinque Reges. de quibus Oswynus Oswaldus. Ethelbertus Kenelmus Edwardus Edwardus Martirizati. et Constans Cedwallus Sebertus Wynfridus Ethelredus. Edbertus. Offa. et Kynredus in Monachatu sepulti sunt. Anno gracie Millesimo xlij^{do}. Coronacio sancti Edwardi Regis et confessoris apud Wynton' qui regni sui anno xxv^{to}. in ecclesia Westm' quam ipse constitui fecerat honorifice collocatur. Anno Millesimo lxvj^{to}. Coronacio Haraldi Ducis apud Westm' et sepultura illius apud Waltham. Anno Millesimo lxvij^{o}. Coronacio Willielmi primi Ducis Normannie apud Westm' qui regni sui anno xlvij^{o}. Angliam describi fecit in vno volumine dicto Domusday et Anno iiij^{o}. post cadamu' sepelitur. Anno Millesimo lxxx^{o}. Coronacio Willielmi Rufi. apud Westm'. et regni sui anno xiij^{o}. Wynton' tumulatur. Anno Millesimo C^{mo}. Coronacio Henrici primi Regis fratris Willielmi Rufi. apud Westm' regnantis xxxv. annis. apud Redyng sepultus est. Anno M^{o}. C^{mo} xxxv^{to}. Coronacio Stephani Regis apud Westm'. hic regni sui anno xix^{o}. Feuersham humatus est. Anno Millesimo C^{mo} liiij^{to}. Coronacio Henrici secundi imperatoris apud Westm' et anno regni sui xxxv^{to}. apud Fontem Ebraldi sepultura. Anno C^{mo} lxiiij^{to}. Translacio sancti Edwardi Regis et confessoris apud Westm' tertio Jdus. Octobr'. per beatum Thomam Archiepiscopum Cantuar'. Anno Millesimo C^{mo}. lxxxix^{o}. Coronacio Ricardi Regis apud Westm' qui cum regnasset annis xj^{im}. apud Fontem Ebraldi tumulatur. Anno Millesimo C^{mo}. lxxxxix^{o}. Coronacio Johannis Regis apud Westm' et sui regiminis Anno xviij^{o}. Wygorn' sepelitur. Anno Millesimo. CC^{mo}. xvj. Coronacio Henrici filii Regis Johannis apud Glouerniam qui Anno quarto sequente iterum coronatus est apud Westm'. regni sui lvij^{o}. ibidem tumulatur. Anno Millesimo CC^{mo}. lxxiiij^{io}. xiiij. kl. Septembr. Coronacio Edwardi primi post conquestum apud Westm' qui regni sui anno xxxv^{to}. ibidem sepelitur. Anno Millesimo ccc^{mo}. vij^{o}. x. kl. Marcij. Coronacio. Edwardi secundi. apud Westm'. qui regni sui Anno xx^{o}. Gloucestr. timulatur. Anno Millesimo ccc^{mo}. xxvj^{to}. Coronatur Edwardus tercius flos Milicie Christiane apud Westm' etatis sue anno xiiij^{o}. Anno Millesimo ccc^{mo}. xlvj^{to}. tercio die [Sidenote: Edwardus tercius subjugauit imperio suo villam de Caleys.] Septembr'. Idem dominus Rex Edwardus incepit obsidere villam de Caleys cum Castro et suam obsidionem continuauit vsque tercium diem Augusti anno reuoluto. quo die dicta villa cum Castro suo imperio subjugauit. Anno Millesimo ccc^{mo}. xl^{o}. viij^{o}. kl. Julij. Illustris Rex Anglie Edwardus tercius apud le Sclus Francigenas vicit in nauali bello. Anno Millesimo ccc^{mo}. xlvj^{to}. vij^{o}. kl. Octobr. per Anglicos debellantur Franci apud Cressy. Et Rex Boenie punitur. Eodem anno xvj^{o}. kl. Nouembr'. Scoti vincuntur ab Anglis apud Durham. et [Sidenote: David rex Scotie captus est.] capitur David Rex Scocie. Anno M^{o}. ccc^{mo}. l.vj^{to}. xiij^{o}. [Sidenote: Capcio Johannis Regis Francie.] kl. Octobr'. Capcio Johannis Regis Francie apud Peyters per principum Egregium Edwardum primogenitum Edwardi tercij Regis graciosi. Anno Millesimo ccc^{mo}. lxxvj^{to}. vj^{to}. Idus Junij obijt idem Princeps Edwardus quo die festum Trinitatis contingebat. Anno Millesimo ccc^{mo}. lxxvij^{o}. xj^{o}. kl. Julij. obijt Rex Edwardus tercius flos Milicie. Christiane. et tercio Nonas eiusdem. apud Westm' est sepultus. Anno regni sui l.j^{o}. Anno Millesimo ccc^{mo}. [Sidenote: Ric' filius Edwardi.] lxxvij^{o}. xvij^{o}. kl. Augusti apud Westm'. Coronacio Ricardi secundi filij Edwardi Principis Wallie anno etatis sue xj^{mo}. Anno Millesimo ccc^{mo}. lxxxxix^{o}. tercio Idus Octobr. apud Westm'. [Sidenote: Henricus iiij^{tus}.] Coronacio Illustris Regis Henrici quarti. Anno Millesimo. cccc^{mo}. xiij^{o}. nono die Aprilis apud Westm'. Coronacio Illustris Regis [Sidenote: Henricus quintus vitam obijt in Francia.] Henrici quinti qui apud _Boys seynt Vyncent_ iuxta Parisiam in Francia vitam suam finiuit. vltimo die Augusti anno regni sui. x^{o}. incipiente. Et postea ossa sua apud Westm' sepulta fuerunt. Anno domini Millesimo cccc^{mo}. xxij^{do}. Henricus Rex Anglie Sextus. tunc puer non etatis vnius anni Coronatus fuit die sancti Leonardi Episcopi et confessoris apud Westm' anno regni sui viij^{o}. incipiente. Et postea. idem Rex coronatus fuit Rex Francie apud Parisiam. in ecclesia beate Marie ibidem. xvj^{o}. die Decembr'. anno regni sui x^{mo}. incipiente.

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A COPY OF THE TABLET HANGING AT THE COLUMN NEAR THE TOMB OF THE DUKE OF LANCASTER, IN THE CHURCH OF SAINT PAUL'S, LONDON.

The church of St. Paul, London, contains within its limits three acres of land and a half; one rood and a half, and six perches covered. The length of the same church contains dclxxxx feet. The breadth of the same church contains cxxx feet. The height of the western dome contains from the altar cij feet. The height of the dome of the new building contains from the altar lxxxviij feet. The whole pile of the church contains in height cl. feet with the cross. The height of the stone fabric of the belfry of the same church contains, from the level ground, cclx feet. The height of the wooden fabric of the same belfry contains cclxxiiij feet. But altogether it does not exceed five hundred and xx^{ty} feet. Also the ball of the same belfry is capable of containing, if it were vacant, ten bushels of corn; the rotundity of which contains xxxvj inches of diameter, which make three feet; the surface of which, if it were perfectly round, ought to contain four thousand lxviij inches, which make xxviij square feet, and the fourth part of one square foot. The staff of the cross of the same belfry contains in height xv feet. The cross beam of which contains six feet. In which cross, in the year of our Lord one thousand cccxxxix, on the xi^{th} of the kalends of August, namely on the feast of saint Mary Magdalene, many precious reliques of several saints were deposited with great solemnity of procession, for the preservation of the same cross and the whole building beneath them; that the Almighty God, through the glorious merits of all the saints whose reliques are contained in that cross, might deign to preserve them from tempest and peril under his protection. Of whose mercy to all the xxvij procuring succour to the fabric of this church, cl days are set apart at every time of the year, besides the Roman ordinances which are xliiij^{or} in the year, and very many other benefits.

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A COPY OF THE OTHER TABLET HANGING AT THE MIDDLE COLUMN AT THE SAME PLACE, BETWEEN THE SAID TOMB OF THE SAID DUKE AND THE TOMB OF SAINT ROGER LATELY BISHOP OF LONDON.

[Sidenote: The Invention of the image of the Crucifix.]

In the year of our Lord cxl, the Invention of the image of the Crucifix, at the northern door of saint Paul, London, in the great river of Thames, by Lucius the first Christian king of England. In the year of our Lord one thousand lxxxvij, on the seventh day of the [Sidenote: The church of St. Paul burnt.] month of July. The church of St. Paul, London, and all things which were in it, with great part of the city, were consumed by fire; in the time of Maurice bishop of London, and in the reign of the first king of the Normans, William the Conqueror who founded the Monasteries of Battle in Sussex, where himself had fought, and Bermondsey near London. In the year of our Lord one thousand cxxxij, the ides of [Sidenote: Most part of London burnt.] April, the city of London was burnt in chief part, from the fire of Gilbert Beget. In the year of our Lord one thousand cxxxvij the church [Sidenote: The church of Paul again burnt.] of saint Paul, London, was burnt by a fire kindled at London bridge, and which advanced thence to the church without the bars of the new temple, London. In the year one thousand cl, so strong was the ice, that the Thames could be crossed over by people on horseback. In the [Sidenote: The iiij^{th} year of king John.] year one thousand ccij such great rains, thunder and hail fell, that quadrangular stones, to the bigness of eggs descended from the sky mixt with rain; by which trees, vines, and cornfields were much destroyed; men were bruised, and birds flying through the air seemed [Sidenote: The same year.] to bear lighted coals in their beaks, and to set the houses on fire. [Sidenote: The vj^{th} year of king John.] In the year of our Lord one thousand cciiij, began the order of preaching freres in the parts of Tholouse under their founder Dominic. [Sidenote: The same year.] The same year a most bitter winter endured from the circumcision of [Sidenote: In the vij^{th} year of K. H. iij^{rd}.] our Lord until the annunciation. In the year of our Lord one thousand ccxiiij, St. Francis began the order of minor freres near Assise. And in the year one thousand ccxxiiij, they first came into England, two [Sidenote: In the v^{th} year of K. H. the third.] years before the decease of saint Francis. In the year one thousand ccxxj, at the festival of saint Luke the Evangelist a violent wind rushed from the north, shattering houses and orchards, and the towers of churches; and there were seen fiery dragons and evil spirits [Sidenote: In the xliij^{rd} of king H. iij.] fluttering in the tempest. In the year one thousand cclviij, at Teukysbury, a certain Jew on Saturday fell into a cesspool, and would not allow himself to be drawn out on the Saturday, on account of his reverence of his sabbath; but Richard de Clare earl of Gloucester would not allow him to be drawn out on the following Sunday because of [Sidenote: In the ix^{th} year of king Edw. second.] his reverence of his own sabbath; and so he died. In the year M. cccxvj, a very great pestilence of animals and men, and inundation of rains took place, whence was produced so great a dearness of corn, [Sidenote: In the xxiiij^{th} year of K. Edw. the third.] that a quarter of wheat was sold for xl _s'._ In the year of our Lord M. cccxlviij, there began a great plague at London, about the festival of saint Michael, and it endured until the festival of saint Peter ad [Sidenote: In the xxxv^{th} and xxxvj^{th} year of king Ed. third.] vincula next following. In the year of our Lord one thousand ccclxj, the xviij^{th} kl. of February, on the festival of saint Maurus abbot, happened a violent and terrible gale throughout all England. In the same year was a second plague, in which died that noble and brave man, [Sidenote: In the xliij^{rd} year of king Edw. third.] Henry duke of Lancaster. In the year of our Lord one thousand ccclxviij, was a third plague, in which died the noble lady Blanche, duchess of Lancaster; who lies honorably entombed in the church of [Sidenote: In the v^{th} year of king Richard second.] saint Paul, London. In the year of our Lord one thousand ccclxxxij, the xij^{th} kl. of June, namely, the iiij^{th} day before pentecost, immediately before noon, there was a great earthquake throughout all England.

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A COPY OF THE GREAT TABLET HANGING IN THE SAME PLACE, BY THE SAID TOMB OF THE SAID ROGER LATELY BISHOP OF LONDON.

[Sidenote: The ages of the world.]

In the beginning God created the heaven and earth and all things which are in them. But on the sixth day from the creation of the world, was [Sidenote: 1.] made the first-formed Adam. The first age of the world, from Adam to Noeh according to the Hebrews, contains a thousand, six hundred and fifty six years; according to the Seventy Interpreters, two thousand two hundred xliiij years. But according to Jerome not completely two thousand; according to Metodus two thousand. The cause of which diversity is, that these do not compute according to the manner of sacred Scripture the minutiae of times, or of years, which are over and above the thousands and hundreds of years. From the beginning of the world until Noeh's flood, are two thousand two hundred fifty six [Sidenote: 2.] years. The second age from Noeh until Abraham, contains according to the Seventy Interpreters, a thousand and seventy two years: according [Sidenote: 3.] to the Hebrews, a thousand two hundred and twenty two years. The third age from Abraham until David, contains according to the Hebrews, eight hundred and xl two years; but according to the Seventy Interpreters [Sidenote: 4.] much less, since they are deficient by two years. The fourth age from David until the carrying away captive into Babylon, contains according to the Hebrews, four hundred and seventy three years; according to the Seventy Interpreters little less, for they are deficient in one year. [Sidenote: 5.] The fifth age, from the carrying away captive into Babylon, until Christ, contains five hundred and eighty five years. According to [Sidenote: 6.] others, five hundred and ninety years. The sixth age is from Christ until the end of the world. The years from the beginning of the world until the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, are five thousand ninety nine. The years from the incarnation of the same until his passion, thirty three incomplete. The years from the creation of the world until the destruction of Troy, iiij m^{l} xxx years. From the destruction of Troy until the erection of new Troy, which is now called London, lxiiij years. From the erection of new Troy to the erection of the Roman city, ccclxxxx years. From the building of the city until the coming of Christ, dcc.xv years. From the beginning of the world iiij m^{l} lxxxxiiij years, after the destruction of Troy, namely, in the mc and fifth year before the incarnation of Christ; Brutus, a certain noble person sprung of the Trojan race, with a great multitude of Trojans, through the response of the goddess Diana, entered into the island formerly called Albion and inhabited by giants; and destroyed all the giants, amongst whom was one very mighty, by name Gogmagog; and he called that land after his own name Britain. Afterwards by the Saxons or Angles that conquered it, it was called England. And the same Brutus the first king of the Britons constructed the first city of Britain, which is now called London, in remembrance of the Troy before destroyed, calling it Trinovantum, that is new Troy, which for a long time was called Trinovans. Ely the priest was then reigning in Judea, and the ark of the testimony captured by the Philistines. After the death of Brutus there reigned in Britain lviij kings. Afterwards reigned king Lud, who strongly built the walls of the city of the Trinovantes, which was by him called Caerlud, in English LOUDESDON, and surrounded it with innumerable towers; which he loved above all the cities of the realm, and therefore directed that they should build houses and edifices, which should surpass the buildings of other cities. At his death his corpse was most nobly laid up in the aforesaid city near the gate which he himself built, and was called from his name LUDESGATE. At length the English called it LONDENE: afterwards the Normans called it LOUNDRES which in Latin is called Londonia. After the death of Lud reigned Cassibellanus his brother, namely, in the lviij^{th} year before Christ's incarnation; in whose time came Julius Cesar into Britain with a copious multitude, and being twice overcome and routed and driven off, the third time being recalled into Britain, he, by the aid of Androgeus duke of Kent, made it tributary to the Roman power.

VERSES.

"Whosoever thou art: if thou wishest to know the English kings or laws, thou wilt read by perusing these. I will record the greater or nobler kings; when they reigned, and where the people buried them. Four thousand and a score years was Adam made before Brutus."

Brutus in the xv^{th} year of his age departing from Italy, arriving at the island Leogecia in his ship, consulted there Diana, saying:

THE WORDS OF BRUTUS: VERSES.

"O mighty Goddess of the woods, terror of the wild boars, who hast power to pass through ethereal space and the infernal abodes: unfold earthly fate; and say what lands thou wishest us to inhabit; Tell also the dwelling in which I shall venerate thee for ever; in which I shall consecrate temples to thee with virgin dances."

THE REPLY OF DIANA.

"Brutus, under the setting sun, beyond the Gallic realms, there is an island in the ocean all inclosed by sea; there is an island in the ocean, once inhabited by giants, now indeed desert, fit for thy tribes. This seek, for it shall be to thee a perpetual abode; Hence shall arise another Troy to thy sons; Here from thine offspring shall Kings be born, and to them shall all the earth be subject."

Brutus, comforted with such a reply, and having prepared a fleet, steered with his people into the Island Albion which is now called England, and began to reign therein, in the xxxv^{th} year of his age; who in the xxiiij^{th} of his reign is buried at London. In the year one thousand two hundred and forty five, after the death of Brutus, king Lucius flourishes. In the year of grace cxxiiij was the coronation of Lucius the first Christian king, who after reigning lxvij years, was buried at London. From the death of Brutus until the reign of Arthur, there reigned in England separately C kings, of whom sixteen were Christians. In the year dxvj, was the coronation of king Arthur, who reigned xxvj years; concerning whose death or burial, histories do not relate anything certain. In the year diiij^{xx}vj from the Angles, Albion is called Anglia, divided into eight kingdoms; that is, Kent, Suthsex, Westsex, Mercia, Estsex, Estanglia, Derram, and Bervic. In the year dc and one, began to reign king Sebert the renovator of the church of Westminster, which he then dedicated to the blessed Peter, in which the king himself in the xv^{th} year of his reign is entombed. In the year dcxxxv, the coronation of king Oswald, who after reigning nine years is crowned with martyrdom. In the year dcxxxvj the coronation of king Oswyny, who in the ix^{th} year of his reign being martyred, lies at Tynmouth. In the year dcclxxvj the coronation of king Ethelbrist, who in the viij^{th} year of his reign being made a martyr, was buried at Hereford. In the year dcccxxj the coronation and martyrdom of king Kenelm, who was buried at Wynchecombe. In the year dccclv the coronation of king Edward at Bures, who after xv years obtaining the laurels of martyrdom, rests in the same place. In the year dccclxxj the coronation of king Alfred, the first monarch of England; who in the xxix^{th} year of his government was buried at Wynton. In the year dcccc and one, the coronation of Edward the first, son of Alfred, at Kyngeston; he governed xxiiij^{or} years, and is buried at London. In the year dccccxxiiij, the coronation of king Athelstan at Kyngeston; he after xvj years was buried at Malmesbury. In the year dccccxl, the coronation of king Edward the second, son of Athelstan, at Kyngeston; he in the sixth year of his reign is buried at Glastonbury. In the year dccccxlvj, the coronation of king Edred at Kyngeston, who in the ix^{th} year of his reign was buried at Wynton. In the year dcccclv, the coronation of king Edwyn at Kyngeston; he reigned four years; and was buried at Wynton. In the year dcccclix, the coronation of king Edgar, who reigned xvj years; he lies at Glastonbury. In the year dcccclxxv, the coronation of Edward the second, son of Edgar, at Westminster, who in the iiij^{th} year of his reign adorned with martyrdom, is buried at Septon. In the year dcccclxxix, the coronation of king Ethelred at Kyngeston, and in the xxxviij^{th} year of his reign he is buried at London. In the year one thousand xvj, the coronation of Edward the third iron-side, at Kyngeston, and his burial at Glastonbury. In the year one thousand xvij, the coronation of king Knute at Westminster, and in the xix^{th} year of his reign, his burial at Wynton. In the year one thousand xxxv, the coronation of king Harold the first; he in the fifth year of his reign was buried at London. In the year one thousand xl, the coronation of king Hardeknute, and in the second year of his reign, his burial at Wynton. From the nativity of Jesus Christ until the reign of Edward the second, king and confessor, there passed separately in England a hundred kings, and lx^{ty} and five kings; of whom Oswyn, Oswald, Ethelbert, Kenelm, Edward, Edward, were martyred; and Constans, Cedwall, Sebert, Wynfrid, Ethelred, Edbert, Offa, and Kynred were buried in monks' orders. In the year of grace one thousand xlij, the coronation of saint Edward king and confessor, at Wynton; who in the xxv^{th} year of his reign is honorably inshrined in the church of Westminster, which he himself had made to be erected. In the year one thousand lxvj, the coronation of duke Harald at Westminster, and his burial at Waltham. In the year one thousand lxvij, the coronation of William the first, duke of Normandy, at Westminster; who in the xlvij^{th} year of his reign caused England to be described in a volume called DOMUSDAY; and in the iiij^{th} year after, is buried at Caen. In the year one thousand lxxx, the coronation of William Rufus at Westminster, and in the xiij^{th} year of his reign, he is buried at Wynton. In the year one thousand C the coronation of king Henry the first, brother of William Rufus, at Westminster, who after reigning xxxv years, was buried at Redyng. In the year Mcxxxv, the coronation of king Stephen at Westminster, he in the xix^{th} year of his reign was buried at Feversham. In the year one thousand cliiij, the coronation of the emperor Henry the second at Westminster, and in the xxxv^{th} year of his reign, his burial at Fontevrault. In the year one thousand clxiiij, was the translation of saint Edward king and confessor, at Westminster, on the third of the Ides of October, by the blessed Thomas archbishop of Canterbury. In the year one thousand clxxxix, the coronation of king Richard at Westminster, who when he had reigned xj^{en} years, was buried at Fontevrault. In the year one thousand clxxxxix, the coronation of king John at Westminster; and in the xviij^{th} year of his government he is buried at Wygorn. In the year one thousand ccxvj, the coronation of Henry, son of king John at Gloucester; who in the fourth year following was again crowned at Westminster; in the lvij^{th} of his reign is interred at the same place. In the year one thousand cclxxiiij, the xiiij. kl. of September, the coronation of Edward the first after the Conquest, at Westminster, who in the xxxv^{th} year of his reign is buried at the same place. In the year one thousand cccvij, the x kl. of March, the coronation of Edward the second at Westminster; who in the xx^{th} year of his reign is buried at Gloucester. In the year one thousand cccxxvj, is crowned Edward the third, the flower of the Christian knighthood, at Westminster, in the xiiij^{th} year of his age. In the year one thousand cccxlvj, on the third day of September, the same [Sidenote: Edward the third subjugated to his dominion the city of Caleys.] lord king Edward began to besiege the town of Caleys with the castle, and continued his siege until the third day of August, the succeeding year, on which day he subjugated the said town with the castle to his dominion. In the year one thousand cccxl, the viij kl. of July, the illustrious king of England Edward the third conquered the French at le Sclus in a naval engagement. In the year one thousand cccxlvj the vij^{th} kl. of October, the French are vanquished by the English at Cressy, and the king of Bohemia is punished. In the same year, the xvj^{th} kl. of November, the Scots are overcome by the English at [Sidenote: David king of Scotland is taken.] Durham, and David king of Scotland is taken. In the year M^{l}. ccclvj [Sidenote: The capture of John, king of France.] the xiij^{th} kl. of October, was the capture of John king of France at Peyters, by the excellent prince Edward the first-born of the gracious king Edward the third. In the year one thousand ccc lxxvj, the vj^{th} of the Ides of June, died the same prince Edward, on which day fell the festival of the Trinity. In the year one thousand ccclxxvij, the xj^{th} kl. of July, died king Edward the third, the flower of the Christian knighthood; and on the third of the nones of the same month, he was buried at Westminster, in the lj^{st} year of his reign. In the year one thousand ccclxxvij, the xvij^{th} kl. of [Sidenote: Richard, son of Edward.] August, at Westminster, was the coronation of Richard the second, son of Edward prince of Wales, in the xj^{th} year of his age. In the year one thousand ccclxxxxix, the third of the Ides of October, at [Sidenote: Henry iiij^{th}.] Westminster, was the coronation of the illustrious king Henry the fourth. In the year one thousand ccccxiij, the ninth day of April, at [Sidenote: Henry the fifth died in France.] Westminster, was the coronation of the illustrious king Henry the fifth; who, at Boys Seynt Vyncent near Paris in France, ended his life on the last day of August, in the x^{th} year of his reign, commencing. And afterwards his bones were interred at Westminster. In the year of our Lord one thousand cccc xxij, Henry the sixth king of England, then a child of not the age of one year, was crowned on the day of saint Leonard bishop and confessor, at Westminster, in the viij^{th} year of his reign, commencing. And afterwards, the same king was crowned king of France at Paris, in the church of the blessed Mary there, on the xvj^{th} day of December, in the commencement of the x^{th} year of his reign.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

In the 36th page of the preceding Chronicle it is stated that "In this yere (1295) the kyng [Edward the first] was defraunded of his lond in Gascoigne in this manner, sothly: the kyng hadde yoven the forseyd lond of Gascoyne to the kynges suster of Fraunce, for that she schulde be yoyned to hym in fre mariage: and be some of his counseill enfeffed here in the sayd lond of Gascoigne, whiche lond of Gascoigne sche yaf to Charles here brother, and to other; and the matrymoigne betwen here and kyng Edward sche sette at noughte, and wolde noughte stonden therto."--That circumstance is the subject of the following Fragment of a curious Poem preserved in the archives of the Corporation of the City of London, in the MS. entitled _Liber Custumarium_, fol. 84; from which it has been extracted by the obliging permission of Henry Woodthorpe, Esq. the Town Clerk. The leaf which contained the concluding stanzas has been lost; but judging from the number of those which remain, it originally consisted of about nine more verses. It is written in the hand of the period in which the events to which it alludes took place, and as the documents in the volume from which it is copied end in the succeeding reign, there is every reason to presume that it was entered in the Records of the City of London within a short period after it was composed. Every line of each verse contains the same letter in the middle of the line, and every line ends with the same letter: these two letters are placed in the middle and at the end of each verse, separated from the words to which they belong, but connected with them by lines in the manner in which the first verse of the Poem is here printed, and which has been considered sufficient to show the singular manner in which it was originally written.

HIC INCIPIT QUIDA' RISMUS F'TUS DE P'DIC'ONE VASCON' ET DE RIUSD' CONQUESTU P' R' E' FILIU' REG' H'.

Satis novit seculu______ ____De lingua Galloru_____ \_ _/ \_ Qualiter fit speculu___ \ / ___Patens traditoru_____ \ \===m===/ \===m Quia p' p'fidia________/ _/ \_ \___Pessimam ip'oru______/ _/ _/ \_ _/ Jam p'dit Vasconia____/ \__Princeps Anglicoru__/

Rex fidem adhibuit Dictus Gallicorum Egit quod non debuit Nam fraus miserorum Seriem composuit Quorumdam verborum Que Regi transposuit Cetus nunciorum

Per verba credencie Nuncii dixerunt Q'd magnates Francie Simul tractaverunt Qdq; Regi Anglie Dare voluerunt Natam Regis Gallie Heu q'd hic venerunt

Ad hec dux Burgundie Quidam nunciorum Ait q'd in flumine Multi Northmannorum Perierunt pridie Per nautas Anglorum Additis hastucie Causis Bayonorum

Ut ergo concordia Pacis jam addatur Et omnis discordia Prorsus repallatur Celsitudo regia Francie precatur Q'd sibi vasconia Totalis reddatur

Proponit brevissime Vos tunc reseisire De terra vasconie Nec quid deperire Ius v'r'm certissime Potestis hoc scire Si q'd petit p'pere Placet exaudire

Si seisinam habeat Per sex septimanas Tunc mandare placeat Q'd transire lanas Gens anglor' faciat Et sic causas vanas Pars utraq; deleat Res collando sanas

Ait vir considera Rex que petierunt Nova sunt non vetera Hec que tibi ferunt Pulcram inter cetera Tibi promiserunt Prout dicit littera Quam Galli miserunt

Hoc audito Langetum Statim prosilivit Ad regem consilium Dedit sicut scivit Et Lacy p' sompnium Certe non dormivit Quin eiusdem devium Seisine nutrivit

Puellam rex diligens Vinculis amorum Penitus consensiens Dictis consultorum Fieri precipiens Litteras servorum Pro dolor nam nesciens Erat futurorum

Demum in Vasconia J. Lacy p'rexit Litteras ab Anglia Secumq; devexit Ac sub manu Gallia Vascones contexit Anglis inutilia Heu' q'd tot aspexit

Gallici Vasconiam Sibi subjugarunt Et in manum Anglicam Dare recusarunt Neq; regis filiam In spousam pararunt Regi dare quoniam Ip'm subsannarunt

Exp'tem Vasconie Foris judicarunt Magni pares Francie Et exheredarunt Regem n'r'm Anglie Parum hunc amarunt Nam causam malicie Sibi demonstrarunt

Audiens p'fidiam Rex exheredatus Quam habet p' F'nciam Satis est iratus Jurat p' ecc'iam Non erit letatus Quousq; Vasconiam Fuerit lucratus

Rex vocat Pontifices Ad parliamentum Et Anglorum Comites Flores sapientum Quinq; Portus fomites Barones p' centum Volant ut irundines In mari p' ventum

Clerus et milicia Gentis Anglicane Vovent cum leticia Q'd seroq; mane Parantur ad omnia Que genti p'phane Francie sunt noxia Nam sup'bit vane

Rex Anglor' nobilis Vocatus Edwardus Ferox est et stabilis Tanq'm leopardus Fortis et non debilis Velox et non tardus[135] Senciet id flebilis Pomposus Picardus.

[Footnote 135: A similar description of Edward the First, which was suggested by his arms, occurs in the "Roll of Carlaverock," a poem composed in the year 1300.

"En sa baniere trois luparte De or fin estoint mis en rouge Courant felloun fier et harouge Par tel signifiance mis Ke ausi est vers ses enemis Le Rois fiers felouns et hastans Car sa morsure n'est tastans Nuls ki ne en soit envenimez."]

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P. 37. Anno 24 Edward I, 1296. "Also in this yere S^{r}. Thomas Turbevyle for treson was drawen and hanged."

Of the conduct which caused Sir Thomas Turbeville's execution, the following fragment of a curious contemporary poem in the Cottonian MS. _Caligula_ A. xviij, presents perhaps the most accurate information which is extant. It immediately precedes, and is written in the same hand as, the only _contemporary_ copy of the Roll of Carlaverock which is known to exist, and hence it is highly probable that it was composed by the same person. Under any circumstances, however, it cannot fail to be deemed to possess sufficient interest to render it a valuable illustration to the passage in the text.

Seignurs e dames estutez De un fort tretur orrez Ke aveit pur veu une treson Thomas Turbelvile ot a non A Charlys aveit p'mis E jure par seint Denys Ke il li freit tute Englet'e Par quentise e treson conquere E Charles li premist grant don Teres e bon garison Li treitre a Charlis dit Ke il aparillast sanz respit De bone nefs grande navie E de gent forte co'paignie E il le freit par tens garner Ou il dussent ariver En Engleter sodeinement Li traiture sanz targement en Englet'e tot se mit Au rei sire Edewars vint e dist Ke si apres li vodera fere Tutes ses choses deust co'quer Ki sire Charlis li aveit A force e a tort tollet Issi ke' li losengur de ambe part fu t'tur Sire Edeward nentendi mie Del treitre sa tricherie Ke il aveit issi purveu A grant honur le ad receu E en sa curt fut grant mestre Q'nt ot espie tut son estre E le conseil de Engleter Li treitre feseit un bref fere A sire Charlis priveme't On ariver devisse't sa gent En Engletere e li pais prendre A sire Edeward fu fet entendre Cum den le ont destine E le bref ly fut mustre E tout ensemble la treson Li rei fit prendir cel felon Thomas le treitur deva't dit Ke fist fere cel estrit A Lundres par mie la citee Treigner le fist en une coree De une tor envolupe Nul autreme't ne fut arme Haume nont ne habergun Cillante pierres a g'nt fusui' Aveit il entur son flanc Ke li raerent le sanc Apres fu li traiture pendu E le alme a la Belzebub rendu Je aveit autre gareson Issi deit len servir felon En furches peut li malurez Des chenes e de fer liez Nul home nel deit enterrer Tant cu' son cors porra durer Iloec pendra cel trichur Ten garison ad pur son labour Ore puira Charles pur ver Apres li longem't garder Einz kil venge pur sa treison Demander de li garison Sire Edeward pur la g'nt navye De France ne dona une aylle De vaillante gent fist la mer De tut part mut ben garder De Engleter sunt failliz Ly Franceys e sunt honiz En la mer grant tens flote'nt Li cors plusurs de eus tuere't A Dovere firent sodoineme't Une assaut e de lur gent Plus de v sent y perdirent Unkes plus de prou ne firent Ore sunt tuz ieo quide neez Ou en lur teris retornez E penduz pur lur servise Ke Engleter naveyent prise E ceo Charles lour p'mist Si nul de ens revenist Sire Charles bon chevaler Lessez ester ton guerrer Acordez a ton cosin E pur pensez de la fin Si Engleter guerirez James ben nes pleyterez Je ne firent voz ancestres Ke se tindrent si grant mestres Ly ducs Lowys ton parent E stace le moyne enseme't E autres Franceys assez Ke ne sunt pas ici nomez Damne deu omnipotent Vo' doynt bon acordement avie.

* * * * *

P. 57. "This same yere [anno 14th Edw. III. 1340] the kyng faught with the Frensshmen at Scluse, where there were sclayn of Frensshmen xxx m^{l}; and the kyng toke and scomfyted at the sayd bataill of Scluse cccx schippes." Of this passage, the following letter from king Edward the Third to Edward the Black Prince, giving an account of his victory over the French fleet at Sclyse, on Saturday the 24th of June 1340,--which, with the permission of Henry Woodthorpe, Esq., the Town Clerk, has also been extracted from the City Archives, letter F. fol. 39,--is an interesting illustration. This document, which has escaped the attention of Historians, presents an authentic detail of that memorable event; and it is evident from it that Robert de Avesbury, the contemporary writer upon whom the greatest reliance has hitherto been placed, has fallen into some errors in his narrative of the transaction. He informs us that on the day after the battle a rumour of it reached London, but that it was discredited until the ensuing Wednesday, namely the 28th of June, when the Prince of Wales received a letter from the king informing him of his success, of which letter that writer asserts that the annexed was a copy:

"Edwardus Dei Gracia Rex Angliae et Franciae et Dominus Hiberniae, &c. Effusam circa nos hiis diebus propiciacionis divinae clemenciam, ad vestri contemplacionem et laeticiam, vobis ducimus intimandam. Scitis autem, immo vos et alios[136] fideles nostri quadam participacione sensitis, quantis fuimus et sumus guerrarum lacessiti turbinibus, et velut in mari magno procellosis fluctibus agitati. Sed licet sint mirabiles elaciones maris, mirabilior tamen in altis Dominus, qui procellam convertens in auram, jam inter tot adversa clementissime nos respexit. Nam cum pridem ordinassemus passagium nostrum necessarium versus partes Flandriae, Dominus Philippus de Valesio, persecutor noster infestissimus, hoc praevidens, classem maximam navium armatarum quam in expugnacionem nostram nostrorumque fidelium misit, ut vel sic nos caperet, vel nostrum transitum impediret. qui transitus si, quod absit, fuisset impeditus, ardua negocia, quae prosequimur, fuissent penitus in ruina: quinimmo nos et nostri fuissemus verisimiliter confusionis[137] magnae subjecti. Sed Deus misericordiarum, videns nos in tantis periculis constitutos, graciosius et cicius, quam humana racio judicare poterat, misit nobis magnum navale subsidium, et insperatum numerum armatorum, ac semper ventum prosperum juxta votum, et sic, sub spe coelestis auxilii, et justiciae nostrae fiducia, dictum portum navigio venientes, invenimus dictam classem et hostes nostros ibidem paratissimos ad praelium in multitudine copiosa; quibus, in festo Nativitatis Sancti Johannis Baptistae proximo praeterito, ipse spes nostra Christus deus per conflictum fortem et validum nos praevalere concessit, facta strage non modica dictorum hostium, capta eciam quodammodo tota dicta classe, cum laesione gentis nostrae modica respective, sicque tucior de cetero patebit transitus nostris fidelibus supra mare, et alia bona plurima sunt ex hoc nobis et nostris fidelibus verisimiliter proventura, de quo spes pulcherima jam arridet. Nos autem, tantam coelestem graciam devotissime contemplantes, ipsi Salvatori nostro laudes et gracias humiliter exsolvimus, deprecantes, ut, qui jam et semper in oportunitatibus copiosis graciis[138] nos praevenit continuatis, nos auxiliis prosequatur, et nobis regere temporaliter sic concedat in terris, ut in eo laetemur aeternaliter in excelsis. Dileccionem vestram attente rogamus et per Dei misericordiam obsecramus, quatinus soli Deo vivo, qui tantum signum nobiscum fecit in bonum, in devotae laudis praeconium assurgentes, nos, jam in remotis agentes, et nedum jura nostra recuperare, sed sanctam ecclesiam catholicam attollere, et in justicia populum regere cupientes, sibi devotis oracionum instanciis recomendare curetis, facientes pro nobis missas, et alia piae placacionis officia misericorditer exerceri, et ad hoc clerum et populum vestrae diocesis salutaribus monitis inducatis, ut Deus ipse, miseratus nobis, progressum felicem et exitum annuat graciosum, detque servo suo cor docile, ut recte judicare possimus et regere et sic facere quod praecipit, ut mereamur assequi quod promittit. Teste Edwardo duce Cornubiae et Comite Cestriae filio nostro carissimo Custode Angliae apud Waltham Sanctae Crucis xxviii^{vo}. die Junii, anno Regni nostri Angliae xiiii^{to}. Regni vero Franciae primo."

[Footnote 136: _Sic._]

[Footnote 137: _Sic._]

[Footnote 138: _Sic._]

It is however manifest from that document having been tested by the Prince of Wales, that it was rather a proclamation issued in consequence of the dispatch from the king to the prince, than the dispatch itself, of which the letter now for the first time printed may be deemed the only copy which is extant. Nor must it be forgotten that the date affixed to the article given by Avesbury tends to excite a suspicion of its authenticity; for it is tested by the prince at Waltham Holy Cross upon the precise day, the 28th of June, on which the king's letter was written, and which could not therefore possibly have arrived on the day in question at Waltham. It is somewhat singular that as the battle was concluded on the 25th of June, the king should not have written until the 28th; but this may perhaps be accounted for by those arrangements which his success would necessarily have required, and which may be supposed to have engaged the monarch's whole attention for some days. The letter in Avesbury's Annals gives no particulars of the battle, though that writer relates that the enemy were beaten; that more than thirty thousand of them were slain; that many leapt into the sea from fear and were drowned; and that their fleet consisted of two hundred large ships, on board of one of which four hundred dead bodies were found. The Royal dispatch, however, affords much more minute information, and corrects the statements both in Avesbury and in the preceding Chronicle. It asserts that the French fleet amounted to one hundred and eighty sail; that they were nobly defended the whole of a day and a night; that they were all captured in the engagement excepting twenty-four which took to flight, and part of them were subsequently taken at sea; that the number of the men at arms and other armed persons amounted to thirty-five thousand, of whom five thousand escaped; that the English ships captured by the French at Middleburgh were then retaken; and that among the prizes were three or four as large as 'the Christopher,' which we may infer was then the largest ship of the English navy.

It is unquestionable from what has been said, that this document supplies some important facts in the history of the times, whilst its entry among the Records of the City of London tends to establish that the Mayor of the city was accustomed at that early period to receive an official account of every public transaction, and of which another example will be found in a subsequent page.

The events which led to the battle of the Swyne, or as it is more generally termed of the Scluse, are too familiar to require repetition.

"NOTA DE BELLO AQUATICO:-- L'RA D'NI E' DIRETT' FILIO SUO DUCI CORNUB' DE BELLO SUP' MARE P'CUSSO DIE NATIVIT' S'C'I JOH'IS BAPT'

"Tresch' fitz no' pensoms bien q' vo' estes desirons assavoir bones novelles de no' et coment il no' est avenuz puys n're aler Denglet're si vo' fesom savoir q' le Joedi'[139] ap's ceo q' no' dep'times du Port Dorewe[-ll-],[140] no' siglames tut le iou ret la nuyt suaunte, et le vendredi[141] en tour hour de noune no' venismes s' la costere de fflaundres devant Blankebergh ou no' avioms la vewe de la fflote de nos enemys qi estoyent tut amassez ensemble en port del Swyne et p' ceo q' la Tyde nestoit mis adonges p' assembler a eux no' yherbergeasmes tut cel noet le samady le iour de seint Johan[142] bien ap's houre de noune a la Tyde nous en noun de Dieu et en espoire de n're droite querele entrames en dit port s' nos ditz enemys qi avoyent assemble lours niefs en moult fort array et lesqu'x fesoient ml't noble defens tut cel iour et la noet ap's, mes dieu p' sa puissaunce et miracle no' ottroia la victorie de mesmes no[z/] enemys de qai no' m'cioms si devoutement come no' poems. Et si vo' fesoms savoir q' le nombre des niefs galeyes et g'nt barges de nos enemys amounta a ix^{xx} et ditz, lessqueles estoient toutz pris sauve xxiiij. en tut lesqueles senfuirent et les uns sont puye pris s' mier et le nombre des gentz darmes et autres gentz armez amounta a xxxv Mi[-ll-] de quele nombre p' esme cink' M^{l} sont eschapees, et la remenaunt ensi come no' est donc a entendre p' ascuns gentz q' sont pris en vie, si gissent les corps mortz et tut pleyn de lieux s^{r} la costere de fflaundres. Dautre p't totes nos niefs, cest assavoir Cristofre et les autres qi estoient p'dues a Middelburgh, sont ore regaignez, et il yount gaignez en ceste navie trois ou quatre auxi graundes come la Cristofre: les fflemengs estoient de bone volente davoir venuz a no' ala bataille du commencement tanqe ala fin issint dieu n're seign^{r} ad assez de grace monstre de qei' no' et toutz nos amys sumes tut ditz tenutz de lui rendre grace et m'ciz. N're entent est a demorer en pees en le ewe taunt qe no' eoms pris c'teyn point ove no' alliez et autres nos amys de fflandres de ceo q' soit affaire. Trescher fitz dieu soit gardeyn de vo'. Don' souz n're secree seal en n're nief Cogg[143] Thom', le Mescredy en la veille seint Piere et seint Paoul.[144]

14^{o} R. Edw. 3^{ii}."

[Footnote 139: June 22, 1340.]

[Footnote 140: Dover.]

[Footnote 141: June 23.]

[Footnote 142: June 24.]

[Footnote 143: The Navy at the period consisted of ships, galleys, barges, _batelli_ or boats, _snakae_ or cutters, and _cogee_ or COGS.--See the Observations prefixed to the _Liber Quotidianus Contrarotulatoris Garderobae Anno Regni Regis Edwardi Primi vicesimo octavo_, p. liv.]

[Footnote 144: June 28.]

* * * * *

P. 63. "And in this yere, that is to seye the yere of oure lord a m^{l} ccclvj^{to}, the xix day of Septembre, kyng John of Fraunce was taken at the bataill of Peyters be the doughty prynce Edward, the firste sone of kyng Edward." &c.

It would be difficult to name a more interesting document connected with English History than that by which, through the courtesy of Henry Woodthorpe, Esq., Town Clerk of the City of London, the passage in the text will be illustrated; namely, a copy of the letter from Edward the Black Prince to the Mayor, Aldermen and Comonalty of London, acquainting them with the achievement of the battle of Poictiers. This important record, which has never before been printed, occurs among the archives of the city, in a contemporary MS. entitled Letter G. fol. 53^{b}. and was, there can be little doubt, entered into that volume soon after the receipt of the original.

The greater part of the Prince's letter is occupied by the detail of the proceedings of the army for some days previous to the battle, and in describing the efforts of the Cardinal Peregort to produce a peace or truce between the kings of France and England; whilst the conflict itself is mentioned in a few words. Independently of the particulars of the English forces and their rencontres with the enemy which this letter so minutely relates, its most important statement is that of the precise day when the battle took place, for historians have differed materially upon the point. The Prince, however, expressly says that it occurred on the eve of the feast of St. Matthew, i.e. the 20th of September. His letter was dated at Bordeaux on the 22nd of the following month, and was sent to the Mayor of London by the Prince's chamberlain Sir Neel Loring; and the manner in which he refers the Mayor and Citizens to that distinguished knight for further information, cannot fail to be noticed, from its great similarity to the conclusion of a modern military dispatch. Another feature of this and other documents of the same nature in early periods, is the great simplicity and modesty with which they are written. An expression of gratitude to God alone interrupts the unadorned narrative; and the defeat of an army infinitely superior in numbers, and the capture of one of the most powerful sovereigns of the times together with his eldest son, are thus laconically related: "The battle took place on the eve of St. Matthew; and, praise be to God, the enemy were discomfited, and the king and his son were taken, and great numbers of other people taken and slain." To present as many contemporary documents as could be collected relative to this memorable event, two other letters are introduced, as well as the affidavit of an individual who claimed to have been the person to whom king John of France surrendered himself.

One of the letters alluded to, which is printed in the _Archaeologia_, vol. i. p. 213, is also from the Black Prince, to Reginald Bryan bishop of Worcester, dated at Bordeaux on the 20th of November, briefly informing him of his success, which he attributes in a great measure to the efficacy of that prelate's prayers.

The other letter is from Robert Prite to some English nobleman, dated on the 8th of December 1356, whose clerk, or probably priest, he styles himself, and is taken from the original on vellum in the Cottonian MS. Caligula D. III. f. 33. After mentioning the battle of Poictiers, the particulars of which he says he will learn from a knight whom the duke of Lancaster had sent into England to the king, the writer acquaints him with some other news of the time, as well as with what had occurred in some of his towns; and entreats him to come over as soon as possible. This letter, which is now for the first time printed, though not so important as the others, is nevertheless of interest, as connected with the battle of Poictiers, and with other public and private transactions of the period.

The third document on the subject is the solemn declaration of Bernard du Troy, a Gascon gentleman, made on his death-bed the 1st of July 1361, that he was the person who took the king of France prisoner at the battle of Poictiers; which point it is evident from this instrument, as well as from historians, had been much disputed. This very curious article, which also occurs in the Cottonian MS. just mentioned, is highly interesting; for it not only shows who were the claimants to the honour of having captured the king, but the ardour with which that claim was supported. It is however doubtful whether the love of fame or pecuniary interest prompted this declaration at so awful a moment; but his motive, like those of most other human actions, was probably of a mixed nature; for whatever might be the renown which was attached to the exploit, the ransom to which the true claimant would be entitled must have been an object of great consideration to him or to his heirs. Du Troy carefully provides, that those who would support his pretensions with their swords should partake of the benefits which might arise from their valour; and this circumstance presents a curious picture of the manners of the age. Sir Denys de Morbeque of whom he speaks, is thus noticed by Froissart. "There was much pressing at this time through eagerness of taking the king: and those that were nearest to him, and knew him, cried out 'Surrender yourself, surrender yourself, or you are a dead man.' In that part of the field was a young knight from St. Omer, who was engaged by a salary in the service of the king of England: his name was Denis de Morbeque, who for five years had attached himself to the English, on account of having been banished in his younger days from France for a murder committed in an affray at St. Omer. It fortunately happened for this knight, that he was at the time near to the king of France when he was so much pulled about. He by dint of force, for he was very strong and robust, pushed through the crowd and said to the king in good French, 'Sire, sire, surrender yourself.' The king, who found himself very disagreeably situated, turning to him, asked 'To whom shall I surrender myself; to whom? Where is my cousin the Prince of Wales? if I could see him I would speak to him.' 'Sire,' replied Sir Denys, 'he is not here; but surrender yourself to me, and I will lead you to him.' 'Who are you?' said the king. 'Sire, I am Denys de Morbeque, a knight from Artois, but I serve the king of England because I cannot belong to France, having forfeited all I possessed there.' The king then gave him his right-hand glove, and said 'I surrender myself to you.' There was much crowding and pushing about, for every one was eager to cry out 'I have taken him.'"

Most of the witnesses to Du Troy's declaration were celebrated peers and knights both of England and France.

L'RA D'NI EDWARDI PRINCIPIS GALL' MAIOR ALDR'S ET COM'ITATI CIVITATIS LONDON' DIRECTA DE NOV' BAT'I IUX^{ta} POYTERS.

Tresch'e et tres bien ameez endroit des novelles es p'ties ou nous sumes voillitz savoir qe puis l'eure qe nous certifiasmes a n're tresredoute S^{r} et piere le Roi qe no' estoions en p'pos de chivaucher env's les enemis es p'ties de Fraunce no' p'smes n're chemyn p' le pais de Peregort et de Lymosyn et tout droit v's Burges en Were ou no' entendismes davoir troues le fitz le Roi le counte de Peytiers et la sov'aigne cause de n're aler v's celles p'ties estoit qe nous entendismes davoir eu noveles de n're dit S^{r} et piere le Roi come de son passage et puis q' no' ne trovasmes le dit counte ne nul autre g'unt poair illeosqes nous no' treismes dev's leyre et maundasmes noz gentz au chivaucher a conoistre si no' p'uons nulle p't avoir trovez passage lesqueles gentz encontrerent les enemis et avoient faire assemble si qe les uns des ditz enemys estoient mortz et pris les queuz p'soners disoient qe le Roi de France avoient envoiee Grismoton q'estoit encelle compaignie p' lui faire asavoir c'teines novelles de no' et de n're poair et si avoit le dit Roi p' mesmes le cause envoie en autre p'tie le S^{r} de Creon Mons^{r} Busigaut le Mareschal de Clermount et aut's et disoient les ditz p'soners qe le dit Roi avoit p's certe in p'pos de combatre ovesq' nous a quele heure nous estoioms s^{r} le chymyn env's Tours et encostoavit dev's Orliens et lendemein la ou nous estoions loggiez aviens novelles qe les ditz Sire de Creon et Busigaut estoient en un chastel bien p's de n're loggiz et p'ismes p'pos de y aller et venismes loggier entour eux et acordasmes d'assailler le dit lieu lequel estoit gayne p' force ou estoient tout plein de lo'r gentz p's et mortz auxint les uns des n'res y furent mortz mes les ditz Sires de Creon et Busigaut se treerent en une fort Tour qil y avoit la quele se tenoit cynk jours avant qelle feust gaignee et la se rendirent ils et illeosqes estoions c'tifiez qe touz les pontz s^{r} leyre estoient debruses et qe nulle p't purriens avoir passage s^{r} qei nous p'ismes n're chemyn tout droit a Tours et la demourasmes devant la ville quatre iours deins quelle estoient le Counte Dangeo et le Mareschal de Clermount od g'nt poair des gentz. Et a n're dep'tir d'illeoqs no' p'ismes le chemyn p' passer ascuns daung' des eawes et en entente davoir encountree ovesqe n're tres ch' cosyn le ducs de Lancastre de qi no' aviens certeins novelles qil se voillent afforcier de trere dev's nous a quelle heure le Cardenal de Peregort vynt a nous a Monbezon a troiz lieues de Tours ou il no' p'la tout plein des choses touchauntes trewes et pees s^{r} quele p'lance no' lui fesoiens respounse qe la pees ne avient poair a ffaire ne qe nous ent voloiens meller saunz le comaundement et le volunte de n're tresch' S^{r} et piere le Roi ne de trewe nestoiens al heure avisez qe se eust estee le meillo' p' no^{q} de y avoir acordee car illeosqes estoiens non plus plenement c'tifiez qe le Roi se tailla p' toutes voies de combatre ove nous si q' nous no' treismes dilleoqes v's chastel Heraud sur le passage del eawe de la Vivane ou no' desmourasmes quatre iors ettendauntz de savoir plus la c'tein de lui le quel Roi vint od son poair a chaveny a cynk lues de nous p' passer mesme lewe v's Poyters et s^{r} ceo p'ismes p'pos de hastier dev's lui s^{r} le chemyn qil devereit passer p' estre combatuz ove lui mes ses batailles estoient passeez devant qe no' estoions venuz au lieu ou nous entendismes de lui avoir encountree hors pris p'tie des gentz de lour entour sept centz homes darmes qe se combatirent od les n'tres ou estoient p's le countes de Soussoire et de Junhy le S^{r} de Chastillion et tout plein dautres pris et mortz p'ties de lour et des n'res et puis les p'suievrent noz gentz tanq' a Chaveny bien a treis lieus loyns p'quoi il nous convienoit logger cel jour a plus pres de celle place qe nous poiens p' recoiller noz gentz et lendemeyn p'ismes n're chemyn tout droit dev's le Roi et mandasmes noz descov'res qe troverent lui od son poair p'st bataille es champs a une lue de Peiters et alasmes a plus p's de lui qe nos poiams p'ndre n're places et nous mesmes a pie et en arraie de bataille et p'st de combatre ove lui ou vynt le dit Cardinal requerraunt molt entierment p' une pettit suff'nce issint qe home purroit faire parler dasemble c'teins gentz des p'ties en atente d'acord et de bone pees quelle chose il emp'st qil amereit a bon fey sur quoi nous p'ismes avis et lui otreiasmes sa requeste sur quoi furent ordeyner c'teins gentz dune p't e d'autre a tretir sur celle matirs lequel trete ne p'st nul exploit Et adonqes volleit le dit Cardinal avoir purchace une trewe en destourbaunce de la bataille a son gree a quel treve ne voilloit assentir Et demaunderent les Fraunceys c'teins chivalers d'une p't et d'autre p' prendre owelle place issint qe la bataille ne se purroit en nulle man'e failler et en tieu man'e estoit cel jour delaiee et demourerent les batailles d'une p't et d'autre tote noet chescun en lour place et tanqe le demein entour un prime et p' ascuns forces qe estoient p' entre les ditz batailles nul ne voloit a autre taunte davauntage demp'ndre a venir l'un sur l'autre Et p' defaute des vitailles si bien p' aut's enchessons acorde estoit qe nous deveriens prendre n're chemyn encosteant p' devant eux en tieu man'e q' s'ils voilont la bataille ou trere dev's nous en lieu q' nestoit mye tres graundment a n're desavauntage qe nous le preindreins et ensint estoit fait s^{r} quoi le bataille se prist la surveile de seint Matheu et loiez ent soit dieux les enemys estoient desconfitz et pris le Roi et son fitz et tot plein des aut's g'ntz pris et mortz si come n're Tresch' ame bach'r Mons^{r} Neel Loereng n're chaumberlein port^{r} de cestes qu ent ad assetz pleine conisance vous sav'a plus pleinement dire a monstre come nous ne vous purroins escrire A qi voilletz pleine foi et credence doner Et n're seign^{r} vuis voille garder Donnez souz n're secre seal a Burdeux le xxij jour d'Octobr'.

LETTER FROM THE BLACK PRINCE TO THE BISHOP OF WORCESTER, DATED 20TH OCTOBER 1356, RELATING TO THE BATTLE OF POITIERS, WHEREIN THE FRENCH KING WAS MADE PRISONER, &C. EX REGISTRO REGINALDI BRIEN WIGORN. EPISCOPI. FOL. 113. COMMUNICATED TO THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES BY DR. LYTTELTON, DEAN OF EXETER.

[_Archaeologia, Vol._ I. _No._ XLIV. _p._ 213.]

L'RA D'NI PRINCIPIS WALL' DE CAPCIONE R. FRANCIAE PAR LE PRINCE DE GALES.

Reve'nt piere en Dieu, et tresch' ami. Nous vous mercions entierement de ce que nous avons entendu q' vous estes si bien et si naturelment porte dev's nous, en p'ant Dieux p'r nous et p'r n're exploit; et sumes tout certiens q' p'r cause de vous devoutes p'eres et dautres, Dieu nous a en toutes nos besoignes be' vueliz aide; de quoi nous sumes a touz jo's tenuz de lui grazier, en p'ant que v're part ancy vieullietz faire en continuant dev's nous come devant ces heures avetz fait, de quoi nous nous tenons g'n'ment tenuz a vous. Et, rev'ent piere, endroit de n're estat, dont nous penceons bien q' vous desirez la v're merci doier bones nouvelles, vuellietz entendre q' a la faisance de cestes estions sains et heures et tout en bon point, loiez en soit Dieux q' nous donit y ces mesmes de vous toutes soitz oir et saver, et de ce nous vueilletz certifier p'r vos l'res et p' les entrevenantz a plus souvent q' vous p'res bonement en droit de nouvelles ceandroitz. Vueilletz savoir q' la veille de la translation Saint Thomas de Canterbire, nouz commenceasmes a chivauch' ove n're povar v's les parties de France et souvraignement p' cause q' nous entendismes la venue de n're treshonn'e seign'r et piere le Roy la endroit, et si neismes dev's les parties de Burges en Berye, Orlions, et Tours, et avions nouvelles q' le Roy de France ove g'nt povar bien pres de celles marches venoit p' combattre ove no's, et approcheasmes tant q' la battaille se prist entre nous en tiele maniere q' les ennemis estoient disconfitez, grace en soit Dieux, et le dit Roi et son fils et plusiers autres g'ntz pris et mortz, les noms de queaux nous vous envions p' n're tresch' bachiler Mons' Roger de Cottesford portoir de cestes. Rev'ent piere en Dieux, et n're tresch' ami, le Saint Esprit vous ait toute jours en sa guarde. Donne souz n're seal a Birdeaux, le xx^{e} jour d' Octob'r.

[Tradita fuit ista l'ra Domino Reginaldo de Briene, Ep'o Wygorn, apud Alvech', pr'mo die Decemb', an' Dom' M^{o}. ccc. quinquagesimo sexto, cum cedula nomina continente capt' et mortuorum in bello praedicto, cujus cedulae tenor insequitur p' o'ia ---- parte folii istius suprascriptus]

A Rev'ent Piere en Dieux Evesqe de Worcester, ces sont les noms de ceaux q' estoient pris a la battaile de Poyters p' le Prince de Gales fitz a noble Roi de Engleterre Edward Tierts.

John de Valoys, Roy de France. Mons. Philip son fitz. Arcevesque de Leyens.

{ Mons. Jakes de Bourbonn, Counte de Pountois. { Mons. John d'Artoys, Counte d'Eu. { Mons. Charles de Artoys, Counte de Souggevil. { Le Counte de Tankervill. { Le Counte de Ventadour. Countes { Le Counte de Saussier. { Le Counte de Salesberg. { Le Counte de Vendome. { Le Counte de Wademont. { Le Counte de Dammartyn. { Le Counte de John de Nasso. { Le Counte de Salerplok. { Le Chatelaine de Composta.

{ Le Visconte de Narbone. Viscontes { Le Visconte de Vychichoart. { Le Visconte de Walemont. { Le Visconte de Beaumont.

Le S. de Sully.

{ Mess. Arnold Doudinham. { Mess. Rauf de Coussy. { Le S. de Danbeney. Bannerets { Le S. de Denyn. { Le S. de Saint Dyser. { Le S. de la Tour. { Le S. Damboisa. { Le S. de Derval. { Le S. de Manhales. { Le S. de Planuche. { Le S. de Montagu. { Le S. de Beaufremont. { Le S. de Plamory.

Mons. Giscard D'Angle Seneschal de Sentonge. Mons. Moris Mauvinct Sen. de Tours en Toreyne. Mons. Renaud de Guilhon Sen. de Peyton.

{ Mons. Pierres de Creon. { Mons. Giscard de Arx. { Mons. Gauter de Castellion. { Mons. Giscard de Beanyon. { Le S. de Basentin.

Ceaux furent ceaux dessoutz p's devant la battaile a Remoartin.

{ Le S. de Acon. Bannerets { Mons. Busignaut. { Mons. Guy Turpin.

{ Mons. Guilliaume de Lorak. Bachelers { Mons. Folles de Forsela. { Mons. Jakelyn de Ponsey.

Et sont pris outre les noms dessus escptz des gentz d'armes. M. ix^{e}. xxxiii. Gaudete in Domino semper.

Les nomes de ceaux q'furent mortz a la dite battaile sont ceux.

{ Le Duc de Bourbon. Ducs. { Le Duc Datermes. { Le Evesque de Chalons.

Mons. Rob de Duras. Le Marischal de Clermont. Le Visconte de Vrons. Mons. Geffrei de Charsey. Mons. Renaud de Pointz. Le S. de Landas. Le S. de Chastel Vileyn. Le S. de Argenton. Le S. de Mountgay. Le S. de Malevrer. Mons. John de Sausar. Mons. Lewis de Broyse. Mons. Guilliem de Viele. Mons. John de Jole. Mons. Andrew de Chaveny. Mons. Eustas de Kirpemont.

Et outre le noms surnometz sont mortz des gentz d'armes M.M. ccccxxvi. Iterum dico gaudete.

A LETTER FROM ROBERT PRITE, CLERK, TO SOME ENGLISH NOBLEMAN, DATED 8^{th} DECEMBER 1356, GIVING HIM INFORMATION OF THE BATTLE OF POICTIERS, AND OTHER INTELLIGENCE.

[_Original on vellum in the Cottonian MS. Caligula_ D. III. f. 33.]

Mon t'sg'nt et t'sredoute seign'. Nous tenons com'unement p'decea et p' c'tein q' le Roi de Fr'nce le duc d'Orliens deux filz du roi les deux mareschalx de [F'ance] et plusours autres g'ntz seign's ont este mortz en la bataille q'ad este entre le P'nce de Gales et eux et dit ho'me q' Mons^{r} Loys v're frere Mons^{r} Martin [le] Roi les Navarrois ont en la p'm'e bataille et ceux descomfirent la busoigne et tua Mons^{r} Martin le Roi et ce purrez vous savoir plus au plein p' un Chivaler qi le duc de Lancastr' ad envoie nadgaires en Englet're dev's le Roi. Et se p'ti de la busoigne le duc de Normandie qi sicome home dit est venuz a Paris et ad signifie ces novelles a Mons^{r} Rob't de Cleremont son lieutenant es p'ties de seint Loo. Des autres novelles de p'decea, plese vous savoir mon t'sredoute seignur q' le poeple de ce paiis est molt esbay de la longe demoer q' vous faites p'dela moemens les gentils genz; a qui Mons^{r} Godefrey de Harecourt p'lemente touz les iours et les enhorte estre oveges lui et de lui faire hom[age] come a lieutenant le Roi d'Englet're et especialement a ceux qi tenent p'decea fort'estes et fait pullier p'my voz villes q' qicunqes voudra estre a lui obeissant il ne serra greve de taillee ne aut's subsides p' qeconqz affaire q' ce soit et q' ceux il gardera et defendera contre vous et aut's dont plusours gentilz homes et autres bones villes lui ont entierement accordez sa volonte p' sa petite puissance q'ils veient q' vous avez et en outre ad fait le dit Godefrey mettre la main en la t're qe feust vassailles Honriot de Pemot J de Chesnos et en plusours aut's lieux et fait iniunccion q' nul ne obbeisse a vous s^{r} peine de la teste et tant d'autres choses plus g'nt q'si vous accordez a venir p'decea vous trouviez petit de voz gent qi p^{r}' vous face riens car de iour en iour. Il fait conu'tir le paiis et tiegne q' a son poair. Il lev'a de voz gentes de la seint Michel la greigunure p'tie et navez ja p'sent officer a qi la people voille ore obeir p' la doute de Godefrey, si vous voillez avancer sicome vous poez veer q' busugne est et p'dela mettez tiel remede come vouz verrez q' bon s'ra, car les Engleis p'decea tiennent sa p'tie, et si ne feust l'esp'ance, q' iai de v're brieve venue Je vous envoiasse p'chemement aucune finance. Mon t'sredoute S^{r} n're Seign^{r} vous doint bone vie et longe, et vous ait en sa seincte garde, t'stre a seint benet les viij^{ne} iour docenb'r.

V're Clerc

ROB^{T}. PRITE.

A DECLARATION OF BERNARD DU TROY, A GASCON GENTLEMAN, THAT HE WAS THE PERSON WHO TOOK KING JOHN OF FRANCE AT THE BATTLE OF POICTIERS.

[_Lat. on vellum. Cottonian MSS. Caligula_ D. III. f. 74.]

In Dei Nomine Amen. Uniu'si nouerint p' p'n'tes q' Anno d'ni mill'imo ccc^{mo}. sexsagesimo primo die p^{i}ma mens' Julij Indict'one xiiij^{a} pontificat' s'cissimi in xp'o p'ris et dni. d'ni Innocentij pp^{e}. sexti anno nono inpresentia not' et testiu' subsc'ptor' p'sonal'r constitut'. discretus vir Bernardus deu Troy scutifer de vasconia. licet infirm' corpore mente t'n sanus et intellectu. Corpus sac^{a}tissimu' ih'u x'p'i. q'd ut fidel' xp'ian' Recip'e volebat p' ei' Ai'e saluat'one in manu sacerdotis habens p'oc'lis in domo habitato'is sue London' in Carreria et Rop'ia verba dixit et p'tulit que sequntur. Carissimi d'ni. q' nil certius morte nec incertius hora mortis. Et quia tempus p'ic'losum est vt nulli lat'e possit Jus meu'. et cu'ctis notu' fiat. Dico Ego Bernardus deu troy p'd'cs cor' vob' om'ib'. q' in p'ic'lo Ai'e mee et p' sac^{m} corpus ih'u x'p'i q'd hic cor' om'ib' est sac^{a}tum et intendo Recip'e p' saluato'e mee Ai'e pecat^{i}cis. q' die belli de poitiers Ego cepi Rege' francie. et se m^{i} Reddidit Rex p'd'cs et meus ver' p^{i}sionarius est et null' ali' ius habet in eo p'ter me de Jure u'l Rato'ne. Et querelam q^{a}m cora' d'no n'ro Rege Anglie. Et ei' consilio a d'co bello cit^{a} p'sequt' sum sup' d'to Rege francie p^{i}sionario meo est bona et in ea ut Attemptaui et p'sequt' sum volo mori tanq^{a}m bona et iust' querela. Al' corpus ih'u xp'i sac^{a}tissimu' quod ut sup^{a} dixi ut fidel' xp'ian' p' salute Ai'e mee volo Recip'e sit ad dampnato'em mea' q'd deus euertat. Et Rogo d'nm Geraldum de tartasia d'nm de poyana milite' hic p'ntem Eo casu quo de hac infirmitate decederem q' querela' mea' aucdacter Recipiat tanq^{a}' bona' cont^{a} d'nm denisium de morbek milite' et q'mcu'que aliu' Jus meum sup' d'co Rege francie vero p^{i}sionario meo vsurpar' nitente'. qui cont^{a} deu' et Justicia'. me et Jus meu' absorbet. et p' falsas suggestiones. et cautelas vsq' inp'ntem die' impediuit et impedit mi' iuste et d'cam q'relam p'seq^{a}tur ad fine' et bellu' faciat si Judicet' sup' hoc sub p'ic'lo Ai'e mee qua' quide' q'rela' d'c's d'ns de poyana ibi p'ns p'seq'ndam et finiendam ac bellu' si Indicetur aut Indicaret' in se suscipiendum et faciend' p'misit et fide sua media stipulauit. Eo Aute' casu quo dict' d'ns de poyana nollet d'cam querelam p'sequi aut no' posset morte aut impedimento aliquo impedit'. volo Ego Bernardus deu troy p'd'cs q' peleg^{i}n' deu cause socius me' in Armis d'cam q'relam p'seqatur et finiat Ac bellu' Recipiat et faciat p' d'ca q'rela si iudicatu' fuit sub p'ic'lo Anime mee ut p'dixi de comodo aute' et finantia qd' p'ue'iat ex d'co Rege francie vero p^{i}sionar' meo sup' quo d'n'm n'r'm Rege' eius Ai'am et conscientia' onero, volo q' deductis expen' illi' qui p'seq't' si bellu' subseq^{a}tur exinde bellu' faciens Ecia' p'te, habeat duas alias p'tes inter hered' meos, peleg^{i}nu' deu canse, et socios qui in Armis erant socij mei d'ca die, Rat'onab'l'r diuidant' sicut ordinaret' Rat'onab'l'r et Reperiretur ip'os Jus habere. si aute' bellu' non subseq^{a}tur ex querela p'd'ca qd' absit. volo q' de comodo qd' p'ue'iat deductis expen' p'seq'ut' Recipiat ip'e p'sequens iuxta ei' conscientia'. Residu' ut sup^{a} dc'm est diuidat'. Sup' d'co tamen p'ficus et emolume'to conscienta' d'ci d'ni n'ri Regis onero ut p'dixi. Rogans et Req^{i}rens magr^{m} guill'm. de Wolneston'. et magr'm philipu' de London'. et alios notarios hic p'ntes q' sup' hiis om'ibus faciant et Recipiant. Vnu' duo v'l pl'a publica instr'a que concessim' agenda in f---- et testimoniu' p'missor'. Acta sunt hec sub anno indict'one pontificat' mense die ... sup^{a}d'cis. Test' Nobiles viri d'ni Oliueri' de Clisson. Guill'm' de mont agut Bartholomeus de borearhs ---- Rob'rt' de holand' thomas de Ros. Joh'n's de br---- Joh'n's ---- ccl' de london' Ber^{dus} de Brotas. ger^{dus} de menta R'ndus se ---- ---- p---- a---- a---- Ber^{dus} de la quinnada petrus de brassas Ar^{dus} de ----

* * * * *

P. 73. "And at the Tour hill they beheded maistre Simond Sudbury, than erchebisshop of Caunterbury and chaunceler of Englond; and frere Robert Hales priour of seynt Jones house, than tresorer of Engelond," &c.

The rebellion noticed in the text is so important an event in the history of England as well as of the Metropolis, that no apology can be required for the insertion of an inedited document in any degree connected with it. In the _Foedera_, tom. vii. are several proclamations on the same subject, and among them one tested at London on the 15^{th} June 1381, directed to the sheriff of Kent; but the following, dated at Chelmsford on the 5^{th} of July in that year, has never, it is believed, been printed. It appears from it that the rebels had asserted that they were supported by the king's authority; and His Majesty therefore, not merely denies the fact, but commands the earl of Warwick and the other persons in that county to whom the instrument is addressed, to use every possible effort to suppress the disturbance of the public peace, in places under their jurisdiction.

COPIA PROCLAMATIONIS R. RICARDI II^{di} SUPER INSURRECTIONE JACK STRAW ET WAT TYLER.

[_Cottonian MS. Caligula_ D. III. _super Membr._ f. 100.]

Ricardus dei gr'a Rex Angl' et Franc' et Dominus Hib'n' dil'cis et fidelib' suis Thome Comiti Warr' Joh'i Buttourt Joh'i de Bermyngeham Henr' de Arden' Will'o de Clynton Militib' Rob'to Burgilon' et Joh'i Catesby: sal't'm Satis vob' et aliis ligeis n'r'is credimus esse cognitum qualit' q^{a}mplures malef'c'ores iam nouit' cont^{a} pacem n'ra' in diu'sis Com' regni n'ri Angl' in maximam turbaco'em fideliu' ligeor' n'ror' in diu'sis congregac'o'ib' et conuenticulis illicitis quasi hostilit' insurrexerunt ven'abilem p'rem Simonem nup' Archiep'm Cantuar' tocius Angl' Primatem Cancellar' n'r'm et fr'em Rob'tum de Hales nup' Priorem Hospitalis s'ci Joh'is Jer'l'm in Angl' Thes' n'r'm Joh'em Cauendish nup' Capitalem Justic' n'r'm et q^{a}mplures alios ligeos et s'uientes et fideles n'ros absq' culpa crudelit' occidendo arsuras incendia p'straco'es et varias alias destrucco'es eccl'iar' Man'ior' domor' rer' et aliar' possessionu' fideliu' ligeor' n'ror' enormit' et p'peram p'petrando Quia v'o malef'c'ores p'd'ci falso et mendacit' asseruerunt et affirmarunt ip'os mala homicidia et dampna p'd'ca ex n'ris auctoritate et voluntate fecisse et p'petrasse vt ip'i sic maliciam suam continuare valeant et de p'missis licet indigni cicius excusent' ad v'ram et alior fideliu' ligeor' n'ror' quor'cumq' volum' p'uenire noticiam quod p'missa mala homicidia et dampna quecunq' ex auctoritate et voluntate n'ris minime p'cesserunt neq' fiunt set exinde vehemencius contristati ea in n'r'm maximu' vitup'iu' et Corone n're p'iudiciu' et tocius regni n'ri dampnu' et turbac'o'em non modica redundare sentimus. Et ideo vob' sup' fide et ligeancia quib' nob' tenemini firmit' munigendo mandamus qd' p'sens mandatum n'r'm in singulis locis infra Com' Warr' tam infra lib'tates q^{a}m ext^{a} ubi melius expedire videritis ex p'te n'ra publice p'clamari et vlt'ius inhiberi fac' ne qui cuiuscumq' status seu condico'is fu'int infra Com' p'd'c'm seu alibi insurg'e seu congregaco'es vel conuenticula huiusmodi fac'e vel levare seu quicq^{a}m aliud attemptare seu p'curare p'sumant seu p'sumat aliquis eor' p' quod pax n'ra ibidem infringi aut populus n'r inquietari aut turbari pot'it sub forisf'cura vite et membror' et o'i'm alior' que nob' forisfac'e pot'unt in futur' Damus eciam vob' et cuil't v'r'm et quibuscumq' aliis fidelib' n'ris tenore p'senciu' potestatem et mandatum sp'ale quibuscumq' malef'corib' cont^{a} pacem n'ram et quietem p'p'li n'ri insurg'e seu huiusmodi congraco'es et conuenticula illicita fac'e volentib' modis om'ib' quib' melius pot'itis vel sciu'itis eciam si oporteat manu forti tanq^{a}m rebellib' et inimicis n'ris et tocius regni n'ri resistendi et que'l't ip'or' iuxta eor' dem'ita et discreco'es v'ras castigandi et puniendi et insurrecc'o'es et turbac'o'es quascumq'. si que ibidem quod absit fiant pacificandi et sedandi et om'ia alia faciendi et exequendi que conseruaco'em pacis n're et quietem p'p'li n'ri conc'nere pot'unt in Com' p'd'co et p'tib' eiusdem quibuscumq'. In cuius rei testimoniu' has l'ras n'ras fieri fecim' patentes T' me ip'o apud Chelmersford' quinto die Julij Anno R' n' quinto.

p' ip'm Regem.

* * * * *

In pp. 99-102, as well as in pp. 157-159, an account is given of Henry the Fifth's expedition into France in the year 1415, and of the battle of Agincourt. In the Harleian MS. N^{o} 565, from which the preceding Chronicle was transcribed, the following Poem occurs on the same subject, a correct copy of which has never been published, though at the end of Hearne's edition of Elmham's Life of Henry the Fifth, a poem is inserted so very similar to the annexed that it may be presumed to have been taken from another copy of the same. It is said to have been transcribed from the Cottonian MS. Vitellius D. XII., which is not now extant: but upon collating this piece with the one printed by Hearne, it appears, after allowing for the various readings which frequently occur in different copies of an early poem, that many words were erroneously given by that zealous antiquary. Notwithstanding that it possesses but little claim to poetical merit, it is highly curious, from its being nearly if not quite contemporary with the events which it relates; for there can be no doubt of its having been a production of the prolific pen of that "drivelling monk," as he has been severely termed, the monk of Bury, John Lydgate, several of whose other pieces, from their presenting a faithful but rude picture of the manners and transactions of the times, are also inserted in this volume. The garrulous monk, in the article which is the subject of these remarks, particularly notices every circumstance in which the Mayor and Citizens of the Metropolis were concerned, and hence it is an appropriate illustration of a "CHRONICLE OF LONDON." It is worthy of observation, that the story of the tennis-balls having been sent as a satirical present from the Dauphin to Henry the Fifth, and to which Shakspeare alludes, is frequently mentioned in the poem, and furnishes the writer with several metaphors.

"_Ambass._ He therefore sends you, meeter for your spirit, This tun of treasure; and, in lieu of this, Desires you, let the dukedoms that you claim, Hear no more of you--This the Dauphin speaks.

_K. Hen._ What treasure, uncle?

_Exeter._ Tennis-balls, my liege.

_K. Hen._ We are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant with us; His present, and your pains, we thank you for: When we have match'd our rackets to these balls, We will in France, by God's grace, play a set, Shall strike his father's crown into the hazard: Tell him, he hath made a match with such a wrangler, That all the courts of France will be disturb'd With chaces....

And tell the pleasant prince,--this mock of his Hath turn'd his balls to gun stones;[145] and his soul Shall stand sore charged for the wasteful vengeance That shall fly with them:"

_Henry the Fifth_, Act I. Scene II.

[Footnote 145: Thus Lydgate, _infra_,

"For they shall play with Harflete, A game at tynes, as y wene, Mine engynes that bethe so kene They shall be sett besyde this hill, Over all Harflew that they may sene For to loke if they play well; Go we to game be Godys grace, Myne children ben redy everych on Every greet gonne that there was, In his mouth he hadde a ston."

But Shakspeare's expressions are still more similar to those of an inedited Chronicler of the period: "And whan the kyng had hard ther wordis and the answere of the dolphynne, he was wondre sore agreved and right evell assayd towarde the Frensshmen, and toward the kyng and the Dolphynne, and thought to avenge hym upon them as sone as Good wold send hym grace and myght, and anon lette make tenys ballis for the Dolpynne in all the hast that they myght be made; _and they were grete gonne stones for the Dolpynne to play wythall_." _Cottonian MSS._ _Claudius_ A. viii.]

But besides the historical information with which the poem abounds, and which is corroborated by the best authorities, it cannot fail to be considered of much interest, from the description of the magnificent reception of the king into London, after his return from France.

A POEM BY JOHN LYDGATE, MONK OF BURY, DESCRIBING THE EXPEDITION OF HENRY THE FIFTH INTO FRANCE IN 1415, THE BATTLE OF AGINCOURT, AND THE KING'S RECEPTION INTO LONDON ON HIS RETURN.

[_Harl. MSS._ 565.]

God that all this world gan make And dyed for us on a tre, Save Ingelond for Mary sake, Sothfast God in Trinyte; And kepe oure kyng that is so free, That is gracious and good with all, And graunt hym evermore the gree, Curteys Crist oure kynge ryall.

Oure kyng sente into France ful rathe, Hys bassatours bothe faire and free; His owne right for to have, That is, Gyan and Normande; He bad delyvre that his schulde be, All that oughte kyng Edward, Or ellys tell hym certeynle, He itt gette with dynt of swerd. _Wot ye right well that thus it was, Gloria tibi Trinitas._

And than answerde the dolfyn bold To oure bassatours sone ageyn, Me thinke youre kyng he is nought old, No werrys for to maynteyn; Grete well youre kyng, he seyde, so yonge That is bothe gentill and small; A tonne of tenys ballys I shall hym sende, For to pleye hym with all. _Wot ye right well, &c._

A dien Sire, seide oure lordis alle, For there they wolde no longer lende: They token there leve, bothe grete and smalle, And hom to Ingelond they gum wende; And thanne they sette the tale on ende, All that the Dolfyn to them gon say; I schal hym thanke thanne, seyde our kynge, Be the grace of God if that y may. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The kyng of Fraunce that is so old, Onto oure kyng he sente on hy, And prayde trews that he wolde hold For the love of seynt Mary. Oure Cherlys of Fraunce gret well, or ye wende, The Dolfyn prowed withinne his wall, Swyche tenys ballys I schal hym sende As schall tere the roof all of his all. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Oure kyng ordeyned with all his myght, For to amende that is amys, And that is all for Engelond ryght, To geten agen that scholde ben his; That is, al Normandie forsothe y wys, Be right of eritage he scholde it have, Therof he seith he wyll nought mys, Crist kepe his body sounde and save. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Oure kyng at Westmenster he lay, And his bretheren everych on; And other many lordes that is no nay, The kyng to them seyde anon, To Fraunce y thenke to take the way, Sires, he seyde, be swete seynt John; Of good counsaill y will yow pray, Wat is youre will what y shall don? _Wot ye right well, &c._

The duk of Clarence, thanne seyd he, My lord it is my right full will, And other lordys right manye, We hold it right reson and skyll, To Fraunce we wolde yow redy bryng, With gladder will than we kon say. Gramercy, sires, seide our kyng, I schall yow qwyte if that y may. _Wot ye right well, &c._

I warne yow he seyde bothe olde and yonge, Make yow redy withoughte delay; At Southampton to mete youre kynge, At Lammas on seynt Petrys day; Be the grace of God ant swete Mary Over the see y thenke to passe: The kyng let ordeyn sone in hy, What y mene ye knowe the casse. _Wot ye right well, &c._

After anon, with right good chere, Hyse gret gonnys and engynes stronge, At London he schipped them alle in fere, And sone fro Westmenster then sprongye, With alle hyse lordys, sothe to saye: The mair was redy and mette hym there, With all the craftes in good araye, It is ful soth what nede to swere. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Heyl, comely kyng, the mair gan say, The grace of God now be with the, And speed the well in thy jornay, Almyghti God in Trinite, And graunt the evermore the degre, To felle thin enemys bothe nyght and day; Amen, seyde alle the comunalte, Graunt mercy, sire, oure kyng gan say. _Wot ye right well, &c._

To seynt Poulys he held the way; He offred there full worthyly: Fro thens to the quen that same day, And tok his leve ful hendely; And thorugh out London thanne gan he ryde; To seynt George he com in hye, And there he offred that iche tyde, And other lordys that weren hym bye. _Wot ye right well, &c._

And fro thens to Suhthampton, unto that strond, For sothe he wold no longer there dwell: XV hundryd shippys redy there he fond, With riche sayles and heye topcastell. Lordys of this lond, oure kyng gan there sell, For a milion of gold as y herd say, Therfore there truayle was quyte them full well, For they wolde a mad a queynte aray. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Therfore song it was wailaway; There lyvys they lost anon right in hast: And oure kyng with riall aray, To the se he past. And landyd in Normandye, at the water of Sayn, At the pyle of Ketecaus, the sothe y yow say, On oure lady even, the assumpcion, the thirdde yer of hys rayn, And boldely hys baner there he gan display. _Wot ye right well, &c._

And to the town of Harflew there he tok the way, And mustred his meyne faire before the town, And many other lordys I dar well say, With baners brighte and many penoun: And there they pyght there tentys a down, That were embroudyd with armys gay; First, the kynges tente with the crown, And all othere lordes in good aray. _Wot ye right well, &c._

My brother Clarence, oure kyng gan say, The tother syde shull ye kepe, With my doughter and hire maydyns gay, To wake the Frensshmen of there slepe. London he seyde shall with here mete, My gonnys shall lyn upon this grene, For they shall play with Harflete, A game at tynes as y wene. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Mine engynes that bethe so kene, They shull be sett be syde this hill, Over all Harflewe that they may sene, For to loke if they play well. Go we to game be Godys grace, Myne children ben redy everych on, Every greet gonne that there was, In his mouth he hadde a ston. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The Capteyn of Harflewe sone anon To oure kyne he sente on hy, To wyte what was his wille to don That he was come with his navy; Delivere me this toune, oure kyng gan say; Nay sire, he seyde, be seynt Denys; Thanne shall y it gete, if y may, Be the grace of God and myn devys. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Myne pleyers that y have hedyr brought, Their ballys beth of stonys round, Be the helpe of hym that me dere bought, They shall youre wall have to ground. The Frensshmen cried 'Amound,' 'Amound;' This toun, they seyde, us moste kepe. The kyng, seith he, will nought fro this ground Or he have yolde this toun Harflete. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Tenys seyde the grete gonne, How felawes go we to game, Among the houses of Harflewe roune, It dide the Frensshmen right gret grame; Fyftene before, seyd London, tho His ball wol faire he gan it throwe, That the stepyll of Harflete and bellys also, With his breth he dide down blowe. _Wot ye right well, &c._

XXX^{ti} is myn, seyd Messagere, And smartly went his way; Ther wallys that were mad right sure, He brast them down the sothe to say. The kynges doughter, seyde here, how thei play, Herkenyth myne maydenys in this tyde; Fyve and forty that is no nay, The wallys wente doun on every syde. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The engynes seide, to longe we abyde, Let us gon to ben on assent; Wherevere that the ball gan glyde, The houses of Harflew they all to rent. An Englyssh man the bulwerk brent, Women cryed alas! that they were bore, The Frensshmen seide now be we shent, From us this toun now it is lore. _Wot ye right well, &c._

It is best now that we therfore, That we beseche the kyng of grace, That he asayle us now no more, For to dystroye us in this place; For but the Dolfyn us reskewe, This toun to delivere wyl we sikerly, Messagers thei let make newe, And to the kyng they come in hy. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The lord Gaucourt certeynly, For he was capteyn in that place, And Gilliam Bocher com hym by, And othere also bothe more and lasse; To fore the kyng whan they com was, I wot they sette them on there kne; Heil comely kyng, thei seyde, in this plas, The grace of God now is with the. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Of trews we wolde beseche the, Unto it be Sounday atte non, And but it thanne reskewyd be, We shall to yow delyvere this toun: The kyng thanne seyde to them ful son I graunte you grace al this tyde, Somme of yow go forth anon, The remenaunt with me shall abyde. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The capteyn hied hym with al his myght, Unto Roon for to ryde, He wende the Dolfyn have founde there right But he was goon, durst he nought abyde. Of helpe the capteyn besowte that tyde, Harflew from us is lost for ay, The wallys ben doun on every syde, We may no longere it kepe, be God verray. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Of good counsaill I wolde yow pray, What is youre will what shall y don, Bataill us moste thene be Soneday, Or ellys delivere hym the toun. The lordys of Roon togydere gon rown, And bad he sholde the town up yelde, The kyng of Ingelond is fers as lyon, We wil noughte mete hym in the felde. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The capteyn went agen withoute lettyng, Before the kyng on kneys gan fall, Heyl, he seyde, comely kyng, Most worthy prynce in this world riall, Here y have brought yow the keyes alle, Of Harflew that faire toun, All is youre owne both towr and halle, At your will Lord and at your croun. _Wot ye right well, &c._

I thanke God, thann eseyde oure kyng, And Mary his modir that is so fre; Myn uncle Dorset withoute lettyng, Capteyn of Harflewe schall ye be. And al that is in that toun, Wot stille shall abyde, To maken up that is adoun, That hath ben fellyd on every syde. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Meyne, I now shall with yow ride, To se the toun there overall, Wyff no child lett non abyde, But have them ought bothe grete and small; And let stuffe the toun overall, With Englysshmen thereinne to be. They left no Frenssh blod withinne the wall, But hadde all oute the comunalte. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Four hundred women and children men myght se, Whanne they wenten out sore gon they wepe; The grete gonnes engynes to the trewle, They were brought into Harflete, Oure kyng unto the castell yede, And restyd hym there as his will was Sire, he seyde, so God me spede To Caleys warde I thenke to pas _Wot ye right well that thus it was, Gloria tibi Trinitas._

PASSUS SECUNDUS.

Whanne Harflete was getyn, that ryall toun, Through the grace of God omnipotent; Oure kyng he made hym redy bown, And to Caleys ward full faire he went, My brother Clarence verament, Ye shall ryde al be my syde, My cosyn York ye take entent, For ye shall also this tyde. _Wot ye right well, &c._

My cosyn Huntyngdon shall with me ryde, The erl of Suffolk that is so fre, The erl of Oxenford shall not abyde, He shall comen forth with his meyne, Sire Thomas Erpyngham, that nevere dide faille, And yit another so mote y thee, Sire John the knyght of Cornewaille, He dar abyde and that know yee. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Sire Gilbert Umfreville wil us avayle, The lord Clyfford so God me spede, Sire William Boucer that will not faille, They will us helpe when we hav nede. Toward Caleys full faire they yede, In the cuntrey of Picardie, And out of Normandie they gan ryde, Now Crist save all the cumpanye. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Our kyng rood forth, blessed he be, He sparid neither dale ne doun, Be townes grete, and castell hyghe, Til he com to the water of Som; The brigge the Frensshemen hadde drawe a doun, That over the water he myght nought ryde; Oure kyng made hym redy bown, And to the water of Turwyn he com that tyde. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Oure kyng rood forth thanne full good sped, Into the countrey of Turvyle, To Agyncourt now as he is ride, There as oure kyng dyd his bataile; Be the water of Swerdys withoute faile, The Frensshemen oure kyng thei did aspye, And there they thought him to asaile, All in that feld certeynlye. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The Frensshemen hadde oure kynge umbast With bataill strong on every syde; The duke of Orlions seyde in hast, The kyng of Ingelond with us shall byde; He gaf hym leve this way to ryde, Be God, me thenke, he was not wys, Therefore shall y now be hys gyde, Or that he come to strong Caleys. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The duke of Braban answerd then, And seyde, be God in Trinite Ther be so fewe of thise Inglysshmen I have no deynte them to se; Alas! he seyde, what nedith us alle To day so many for to comen here, XX^{ti} of us it will befalle Of them on prisonere. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The duk of Burbon sware be seynt Denys, And other lordes many on, We will goo pleye them at dys, The lordys of Ingelond everych on, Ther gentilmen seide, be swete seynt John. Ther archers be sold full fayr plente, And alle the beste bowemen ich on, All for a blank of oure mone. _Wot ye right well, &c._

And thanne answerde the duke of Barrye, With wordes that were full mochell of pryde, Be God, he seyde, y wil not sparye, Over the Englysshmen y thenke to ryde; And if that they dar us abyde We shall overthrowe them alle in fere, Goo we and slee them in this tyde, And come hom agen to oure dynere. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Oure gracious kyng, that is so good, He batailyd hym ful rially; Stakes he hewe doun in a wood, Beforn our archers pyght them on hy; Oure ordynaunce the Frensshemen gan aspy, They that were ordeynyd for to ryde, They lighted doun with sorwe and cry, And on their feet their gon abyde. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The duke of York thanne full son Before oure kyng he fell on kne, My liege lord, graunt me a bon, For his love that on croys gan die, The fore ward this day that ye graunt me, To be before yow in this feld; Be myn baner sleyn wil y be, Or y will turne my backe, or me yelde. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Gramercy, cosyn, seyde our kyng, Thenk on the right of mery Ingelond; And thanne he gaff hym his blessyng, And bad the duke he sholde up stond; Crist, he seyde, that shop bothe sone and sonde, And art lord and kyng of myght, This day hold over me thin holy hond, And spede me well in al my right. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Help seynt George oure lady knyght, Seynt Edward that is so fre, Oure lady that art Godys modyr bright, And seynt Thomas of Caunterbure; He bad alle men blithe to be, And seyde, Felas, well shall we spede, Every man in his degre, I shall yow quyte full well youre mede. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Oure kyng seyde, Felas, what tyme of day? Sire, thei seyde, it is ner pryme: Go we anon to this jornay, Be the grace of God it is good tyme, For alle the seyntes that lyn in shryne, To God for us they be praieng; The religious of Ingelond all benynge, 'Ora pro nobis' for us they syng. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The kyng knelyd doun in that stounde, And Englysshmen on every syde, And thries there kyssyd the grounde, And on there feet gon glyde: Crist, seyde the kyng, as y am thi knyght, This day me save for Ingelond sake, And lat nevere that good Reme for me be fright, Ne me on lyve this day be take. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Avaunt baner, withoute lettyng. Seynt George before avowe we hyme, The baner of the Trynyte forth ye bryng, And seynte Edward baner at this tyme; Over, he seyde, Lady Hevene Quene, Myn own baner with hire shall be; The Frensshman seyde al be dene, Seynt George all over oure kyng they se. _Wot ye right well, &c._

They triumpyd up full meryly, The grete bataille togyder yede; Oure archiers shotte full hertyly, And made Frensshmen faste to blede; There arwes wente full good sped, Oure enemyes therwith doun gon falle, Thorugh bresplate, habirion, and bassonet yede, Slayn there were xj thousand on a rowe alle. _Wot ye right well, &c._

Oure gracious kyng men myghte knowe, That day he faught withe his owne hond, He sparyd nother heigh no lowe, There was no man his dynt myght stond; There was nevere no kyng yit in this lond, That evere dyd better in a day, Therfore all Ingelond may synge oo song, 'Laus Deo' we may well say. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The duk of Gloucestre, that is no nay, That day full worthyly he wroughte, On every syde he made good way, The Frensshemen faste to grounde he brought. The erl of Huntyngdon sparyd nought; The erl of Oxenford layd on all soo; The yonge erl of Devenshire he ne rought; The Frensshmen faste to grounde gan goo. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The duk of Orlions thanne was woo, That day was taken prisonere; The erl of Ewe he was also; The duke of Braband slayn was there; The duke of Barre fast hym by; The duke of Launson wente nevere away; Ne the erle Neverse certeynly, Ne many other lordes that y cannot say. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The erl of Rychemond certeynly, That day was taken in the feld; The erl of Vendue was right sory; And Sir Bursegaunt he gan hym yeld. And thus oure kyng conqueryd the feld, Through the grace of God omnipotent; He toke his prisoners yonge and olde, And faire to Caleys ward thanne he went: The yere of his regne the thridde this was. _Gloria tibi Trinitas._

PASSUS TERCIUS.

And there he restyd verrament, At his owne will whilys that it was, And shipped thanne in good entent, And at Dovorr landyd y ges; To Caunterbury full fair he past, And offered at Seynt Thomas shryne; Fro thens sone he rod in hast, To Eltham he cam in good tyme. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The Mayr of London was redy bown, With alle the craftes of that cite, Alle clothyd in red thorugh out the town, A semely sight it was to se: To the Blak heth thanne rod he, And spredde the way on every syde; XX^{ti} M^{l} men myght well se, Our comely kyng for to abyde. _Wot ye right well, &c._

The kyng from Eltham sone he cam, Hyse presenors with hym dede brynge, And to the Blak heth ful sone he cam, He saw London withoughte lesynge; Heil, ryall London, seyde oure kyng, Crist the kepe evere from care; And thanne gaf it his blessyng, And praied to Crist that it well fare.

The Mair hym mette with moche honour, With all the aldermen without lesyng; Heil, seyde the mair, the conquerour, The grace of God with the doth spryng; Heil duk, heil prynce, heil comely kyng, Most worthiest Lord undir Crist ryall, Heil rulere of Remes withoute lettyng, Heil flour of knyghts now over all.

Here is come youre citee all, Yow to worchepe and to magnyfye, To welcome yow, bothe gret and small, With yow everemore to lyve and dye. Grauntmercy, Sires, oure kyng gan say; And toward London he gan ride; This was upon seynt Clementys day, They wolcomed hym on every syde.

The lordes of Fraunce, thei gan say then, Ingelond is nought as we wen, It farith be these Englisshmen, As it doth be a swarm of ben; Ingland is like an hive withinne, There fleeres makith us full evell to wryng, Tho ben there arrowes sharpe and kene, Thorugh oure harneys they do us styng.

To London brigge thanne rood oure kyng, The processions there they mette hym ryght, 'Ave Rex Anglor,' their gan syng, 'Flos mundi,' thei seyde, Goddys knyght. To London brigge whan he com ryght, Upon the gate ther stode on hy, A gyaunt that was full grym of syght, To teche the Frensshmen curtesye.

And at the drawe brigge, that is faste by, To toures there were upright; An antelope and a lyon stondyng hym by, Above them seynt George oure lady knyght, Besyde hym many an angell bright, 'Benedictus' thei gan synge, 'Qui venit in nomine domin.' goddes knyght, 'Gracia Dei' with yow doth sprynge.

Into London thanne rood oure kyng, Full goodly there thei gonnen hym grete; Thorugh out the town thanne gonne they syng, For joy and merthe y yow behete; Men and women for joye they alle, Of his comyn thei weren so fayn, That the Condyd bothe grete and smalle, Ran wyn ich on as y herde sayn.

The tour of Cornhill that is so shene, I may well say now as y knowe, It was full of Patriarkes alle be dene, 'Cantate' thei songe upon a rowe; There bryddes thei gon down throwe, An hundred there flewe aboughte oure kyng, 'Laus ejus' bothe hyghe and lowe 'In ecclesia sanctorum' thei dyd syng.

Unto the Chepe thanne rood oure kyng; To the Condyt whanne he com tho, The XII apostelys thei gon syng, 'Benedict. anima domino' XII kynges there were on a rowe, They knelyd doun be on asent, And obles aboughte oure kyng gan throwe, And wolcomyd hym with good entent.

The Cros in Chepe verrament, It was gret joy it for to beholde; It was araied full reverent, With a castell right as God wolde, With baners brighte beten with gold. And angelys senssyd hym that tyde; With besaunts riche many a fold, They strowed oure kyng on every syde.

Virgynes out of the castell gon glyde, For joye of hym they were daunsyng, They knelyd a doun alle in that tyde, 'Nowell,' 'Nowell,' alle thei gon syng. Unto Poules thanne rood oure kyng, XIIII bysshopes hym mette there right, The grete bellys thanne did they ryng, Upon his feet full faire he light.

And to the heighe auter he went right, 'Te Deum' for joye thanne thei gon syng; And there he offred to God almyght: And thanne to Westminster he wente withoute dwellyng. In xv wokes forsothe, he wroughte al this, Conquered Harfleu and Agincourt; Crist brynge there soules all to blys, That in that day were mort.

Crist that is oure hevene kyng, His body and soule save and se; Now all Ingelond may say and syng, 'Blyssyd mote be the Trinite,' This jornay have ye herd now alle be dene, The date of Crist I wot is was, A thousand foure hundred and fyftene. _Gloria tibi Trinitas._

Harflu fert Mauric Augincourt p'lia Crispin.

* * * * *

P. 119. [A^{o} 10 Hen. VI.]--"John Welles, grocer, maior. This same yere, the xvj day of Decembre, G beynge the dominical lettre, kyng Herry the vj^{te} was crowned kyng of Fraunce at Parys, in the chirche of Notre Dame, with gret solempnite and rialte; and anoon after he turned ayen into Engelond, and landed at Dovorr the ix day of Feverer', and come to London the xxj day of the same month, where he was ryally resceyved, alle the craftes rydynge ayens hym, all in white."

The following poem by Lydgate presents a very minute account of the manner in which the young monarch was received into London after his coronation as king of France, and of the pageant upon the occasion. Two copies exist in MS. in the British Museum; one in the Harleian MS. 565, which has been literally transcribed; the other in the Cottonian MS. Julius B. II; and the variations between them will be found in the notes. About one third of this article, taken from the former of those MSS., is printed in Malcolm's London, vol. ii. p. 89, but it conveys a very imperfect idea of the whole composition; for not only has the orthography of the extract been modernized, but the most interesting descriptions do not occur. The annexed is therefore, it is presumed, the only correct copy which has ever been published, and it cannot fail to be deemed an exceedingly curious illustration of the passage in "The Chronicle," as well as of the manners of the period. Lydgate does not mention upon what day of the month the circumstance took place, but says that it was "upon a Thorsday" "toward the ende of wyndy Februarie:" and as the 21st of February in 1431 fell on a Thursday, there is little doubt that it was on that day that Henry entered London.

"THE COMYNGE OF THE KYNG OUT OF FRAUNCE TO LONDON." BY JOHN LYDGATE "THE MONK OF BURY."

[_Harleian MS._ 565, _and Cottonian MS. Julius_ B. II.]

Toward the ende of wyndy Februarie, Whanne Phebus was in the fysshe roune,[146] Out of the signe which callyd is Aquarie, Newe kalendas were entred and begonne, Of Marches comyng, and the mery sonne, Upon a Thorsday shed[147] hys bemys bright Upon London, to make them glad and light.

[Footnote 146: croune _in Cotton MS. Julius_ B. II.]

[Footnote 147: shewed.]

The stormy reynes[148] of alle there hevynesse, Were passyd away, and alle there[149] grevaunce, For the sixte Henry, rote of there gladnesse, Ther hertys joye, ther worldis suffissaunce, Be trewe assent[150] crownyd kyng of Fraunce; The even[151] rejoysyng the day of his repaire, Made at his comynge the wedir to be so faire.

[Footnote 148: reyne.]

[Footnote 149: there old.]

[Footnote 150: dissent.]

[Footnote 151: hevene.]

A tyme, y trowe of God, for hym provydyd, In alle the hevenes there was no clowde sayne; From other daies that day was so devydyd, And fraunchisyd from mystys and from rayn; The erthe[152] attempred, the wyndes smothe and playne, The Citezeines thorugh out the Citee, Halwyd that day with gret solempnyte.

[Footnote 152: eyre.]

And lyk for David after his victorie, Rejoysyd was al Jerusalem, So this Cite with laude, pris, and glorie, For joye mustred lik the sonne bem, To geve ensample thorugh out this Reem; Al of assent who so can conceyve, There noble kyng were glad to resceyve.

There clothyng was of colour ful covenable; The noble Mair clad in red velwet, The Shireves, the Aldermen, ful notable, In furryd clokes, the colour of scarlet; In statly wyse whanne they were met, Ich on were wel horsyd, and mad no delay,[153] But with there Maire rood forth in there way.

[Footnote 153: Eche oon well horsed made no delay.]

The Citezeyns ich on of the Citee, In there entent that they were pure and clene; Ches them of whit a ful faire lyvere, In evry craft as it was wel sene; To shewe the trowthe that they dede mene, Toward the kyng hadde mad them feithfully, In sundry devyses embrowdyd richely.

And for to remembre of other alyens, First Geneweys, thorugh thei were strangers, Florantynys, and Venyciens, And Esterlyngs, clad[154] in there manere, Conveyd with seriaunts and othere officers, Statly horsyd, after the Mair ridyng, Passyd the subbarbes to mete with the kyng.

[Footnote 154: gladde.]

To the Blake heth whanne they dyd atteyne, The Mair of prudence in especialle, Made them hove in renges tweyne, A strete betwen ech party lik a walle, Alle clad in whit, and the most principalle, A fore in red, with the[155] Mair rydyng, Til tyme that he saw the kyng comyng;

[Footnote 155: theire.]

Thanne with his sporys, he tok his hors anone, That to beholde it was a noble sight, How lyk a man he to the kyng is gone, Right well cheryd of herte, glad, and light; Obeienge to hym, as hym ought of right: And after that he cunningly abraid, And to the kyng even thus he sayd;

"Sovereigne lord and noble kyng, ye be wolcome out of youre rem of Fraunce, into this youre blessyd rem of Ingelond, and in especial unto youre most notable Citee of London, otherwise callyd youre chambre, we thankynge Almyghty[156] God of the good and gracious athenyng of youre crowne of Fraunce, besechynge of his mercyful grace to sende yow prosperite and many yeris, to the comfort of alle your lovyng pepill."

[Footnote 156: _Omitted._]

But for to tellen alle the circumstauncys, Of every thyng shewed in centencs, Noble devyses, diverse ordinauncys, Conveid be scripture with ful gret excellence; Al to declare, y have non eloquence, Therfore y pray to alle tho that it schal rede,[157] For to correcte where as they se nede.

[Footnote 157: that shall yt rede.]

First, whan they[158] passyd was the fabour, Entring the brigge of this noble town,[159] There was a peler reysyd lik a tour, And theron stod a sturdy champyone, Of look and chere, stern as a lyone; His swerd uprered, prowdly gan manace, Alle foreyn enemyes from the kyng to enchace;

[Footnote 158: he.]

[Footnote 159: citee.]

And in defens of his estat riall, The geaunt wolde abyde ech aventure, And alle assautes that were marcyall, For his sake he proudly wolde endure; In tokenynge wher of, he hadde a long[160] scripture, On either syde declaryng his entent, Whiche sayde thus, be good avisement.

[Footnote 160: _Omitted._]

[Sidenote: Inimicos ejus induam confusione.]

"Alle tho that ben enemys to the kyng, I schal them clothe with confucione; Make hym myghti be vertuos levyng, His mortall fou to oppressen and bere a downe, And hym to encresene as Cristes champione; Alle myschevys from hym to abrigge, With the grace of God, at the entryng of this[161] brigge."

[Footnote 161: the.]

Too antilopis stondyng on either syde, With the armes of Ingelond and of Fraunce, In token that God schall for hym provide, As he hath title be juste eneritaunce, To regne in pees, plente, and alle plesaunce; Cesyng of werre, that men myghte ryden and[162] gone, As trewe liegis, there hertys mad bothe oone.

[Footnote 162: or.]

Forthermore, so as the kyng gan ryde, Middes of the brigge there was a toure on lofte; The lord of lordes beynge ay his gyde, As he hath be and yit wil be ful ofte. The tour araied with velwetty softe, Clothys of gold, silk, and tapicerie, As apperteynyth to his regalye.

And at his comyng, of excellent beaute, Benygne[163] of port, most womanly of chere, There issued out, empresses thre; There here displaied, as Phebus in his[164] spere, With crownettys of gold and stones clere; At whos out comyng thei gaf swyche a light, That the beholders were stonyed in there sight.

[Footnote 163: beyng.]

[Footnote 164: her.]

[Sidenote: Nature.]

[Sidenote: Grace.]

The first of them was callyd[165] NATURE, As sche that hath undyr here demayne, Man, beest, and foul, and every creature, Withinne the bondys of here goldyn cheyne;[166] Eke hevene, and erthe, and every creature,[167] This empresse of custum doth enbrace: And next here com here suster callyd GRACE.

[Footnote 165: called was.]

[Footnote 166: _These lines are transposed._]

[Footnote 167: _These lines are transposed._]

Passyng famous, and of gret reverence, Most desyryd in alle regions; For where that evere shewith here presence, She bryngeth gladnes to citees and to townys. Of alle welle fare she halt[168] the possessionys, For y dar sey, prosperite in no place, No while abidith, but if there be grace.

[Footnote 168: holdeth.]

[Sidenote: Fortune.]

In tokene that Grace shal[169] longe continue, Unto the kyng, she shewyd here ful benygne; And next here com the empresse FORTUNE, To hym aperyng with many a noble signe, And riall tokenys, to shew that he was digne, Of God disposyd as lust[170] ordeygne, Upon his hed to were crownes tweyne.

[Footnote 169: shuld.]

[Footnote 170: lyst.]

[Sidenote: Natura Gracia et Fortuna.]

These thre ladies, al of on entent, Thre goostly gyftes, hevynly, and devyne, Unto the kyng anon they dyd present; And to his hignesse they dyd anon enclyne, And what they weren pleynly to determyne; Grace gaf hym first at his comynge, Two riche gyftes, sciens and cunnynge.

[Sidenote: Intende prospere procede et regna.]

Nature gaf hym eke strengthe, and fayrnesse, For to be lovyd and dred of every wight; Fortune gaf hym eke prosperite, and richesse; With this scripture aperyng in ther sight, To hym applied of verey due right, "First undirstonde and wilfully procede, And longe to regne," the scripture seide in dede.

This is to mene, who so undirstondith aright, Thow shalt be fortune have long prosperite; And be nature thow shalt have strengthe, and myght, Forth to procede in long felicite; And grace also hath grauntyd unto the, Vertuously longe in thi roiall citee, With septre and crowne to regne in equyte.

On the right hand of these Empresses, Stode thir[171] maydenys verey celestialle; Like Phebus bemys shone there golden tresses, Upon there hedes ech havyng a crownalle, Of port and chere semyng immortalle: In sight transsendyng alle erthely creatures, So angelik they weren of there figures.

[Footnote 171: sevyn.]

Al clad in white, in tokene of clennesse, Liche pure virgynes as in there ententys, Schewynge outward an hevenly fresshe brightnesse; Stremyd with sonnys weren alle there garmentys, Aforne provyded for pure innocentys: Most colombyne of chere and of lokyng, Meekly roos up at the comyng of the kyng.

They had on bawdrikes al on saphire hewe, Goynge outward gan the kyng salue, Hym presentyng with ther gyftes newe, Lik as thei[172] thought it was to them due; Whiche gostly giftes, here in ordre suwe, Down descendyng as silver dewe from hevene, Al grace includyd[173] withinne the giftes sewene.

[Footnote 172: them.]

[Footnote 173: include.]

These riall giftes ben of vertu most Goostly corages, most soveraygnely delite, The[174] giftes callyd of the Holy Goost, Outward figuryd be seven dowys white; Seyenge[175] to hym, lik as clerkes write, "God the fulfille with intelligence And with a spirit of goostly sapience

[Footnote 174: these.]

[Footnote 175: And seyyng.]

[Sidenote: Impleat te Deus sp'u sapiciencie et intellectus sp'u consilii et fortitudinis sciencie et pietatis et sp'u timoris Domin'.]

God sende also to thi moost availe, The to preserve from alle hevynesse; A spirit of strenghthe, and of good counsaile, Of cunnyng, drede, pite, and of lownesse:" Thus thise ladies gan there gyftes dresse, Graciously at there out comyng, Be influence light upon the kyng.

These Empresses hadde on there left syde, Othere vij virgines, pure and clene, Be attendaunce continually to abyde, Al clad in whit, smete ful of sterrers shene; And to declare what they wolde mene, Unto the kyng with fulle gret reverence, These weren there gyftes shortly in sentence;

[Sidenote: Induat te Dominus corona glorie sceptro clemencie,[176] gladio iusticie,[177] pallio prudencie, scuto fidei, galea salutis, et vinculo pacis.]

[Footnote 176: _Transposed._]

[Footnote 177: _Transposed._]

God the endue with a crowne of glorie; And with a[178] septre of clennesse and pite; And with a sheld of right,[179] and victorie; And with a mantel of prudence clad thow be; A sheld of feith for to defende the; An helm of helthe wrought to thin encres; Girt with a girdell of love and perfight pees.

[Footnote 178: _Omitted._]

[Footnote 179: swerde of might.]

These vij virgynes of sight most hevenly, With herte, body, and handys reioysyng, And of there[180] cheres aperid murely, For the kynges gracious hom comyng; And for gladnesse they began to synge, Most angelik with hevenly armonye, This same roundelle which y shal now specifie.

[Footnote 180: othir.]

Soverayne lord, Wolcome to youre Citee; Wolcome oure joye, and oure hertys plesaunce; Wolcome oure gladnes, Wolcome oure suffisaunce; Wolcome, Wolcome, right Wolcome, mote ye be; Syngyng to fore thi riall mageste, We seye of herte, withoughten variaunce, Soverayn lord, Wolcome, Wolcome, oure[181] joye;

[Footnote 181: ye be.]

Meir, Citezeins, and al the Comonte, At youre hom comyng newe out of Fraunce, Be grace relevyd of al ther olde grevaunce, Syng this day with gret solempnyte. Thus resceyvyd, an esy paas rydyng, The kyng is entred into this Citee; And in Cornhull anon at his comynge,

To do plesaunce to his mageste, A tabernacle surmontyng of beaute, There was ordeyned, be full fresshe entaille, Richely arraied with rialle apparaille; This tabernacle of moost magnyfycence, Was of this byldyng verrey imperiall, Mad for the lady callyd dame Sapience.

[Sidenote: Septem sciencie liberales.]

To for whos face moost statly and rialle, Were the vij sciences callyd liberalle; Rounde aboughte as makyd is memorie, Which never departyd from his[182] consistorie, Frist ther was Gramer, as y reherce can, Chef founder[183] and rote of al connyng, Whiche hadde afore here old Precian;

[Footnote 182: hire.]

[Footnote 183: founderesse.]

And Logyk hadde afore here ek[184] stondyng, Aristotill so clerkly disputyng; And Retoryk hadde eke in her presence, Tullius, callyd myrrour of eloquence; And Musyk hadde royde of all discorde, Boice, here clerk, with hevenly armonye, And instrumentis al of on acorde;

[Footnote 184: _Omitted._]

For to practyse with sugryd melodye, He and his clerkes[185] there wittes dyd applye, With touche of strengys, on orgons we[186] playeng, There craft to shewe at the[187] comynge of oure kyng; And Arsmetrik, be castynge of nombrarie, Ches Pictogoras for here partye, Callyd chief clerk to governe here liberarie.

[Footnote 185: scolars.]

[Footnote 186: eke.]

[Footnote 187: _Omitted._]

Euclude tok mesures be craft of gemetrie, And al ther heighest[188] stod Astronomye; Albunisar last with here of vij^{e}, With instrumentis that raught up into hevene; The chief princesse callyd dame Sapience, Hadde to fore here wrete[189] this scripture, Kynges, quod she, moost of excellence,

[Footnote 188: alderhyhest.]

[Footnote 189: writen.]

[Sidenote: Per me Reges regnant et gloriam sapiencie possidebunt.]

[Sidenote: Et nunc Reges intelligite et erudimini qui iudicatis terram.]

Be me thei regne, and moost in joye endure, For thorugh myn helpe, and my besy cure, To encrese ther glorie and high renone, They shull of wisdome have ful possession. And in the front of this tabernacle, Sapiens, a scripture gan devyse, Able to be reed withoughten a spectacle,

To yonge kynges seying in this wyse, Undirstondith and lernyth of the wyse, On right remembryng the highe lord to queme, Sith ye be juges other folk to deme; Forthermore the matir doth devyse. The kyng procedyng forth upon his way, Com to the Condyte mad in sercle wyse;

[Sidenote: Domina misericord' a dextris et domina veritat' a sinistris et cum clemencia roborabit' thronus eius.]

Whom to resceyve, ther was mad no delay, And myddys above in ful riche aray, There sat a child of beute procellyng, Middys of a[190] trone raid like a kyng, Whom to governe, there were assygned tweyne, A lady, Mercy, sat on his right syde; On his lefte honde yf y shall nought feyne,

[Footnote 190: the.]

[Sidenote: Misericordia et Veritas custodiunt Regem.]

The lady Trouthe, his domys to provyde; The lady Clemence on loft dyd a byde, Of God ordeyned in the same place, The kynges throne strongly to enbrace; For be the sentence of prudent Salamon, Mercy and Right kepen every kyng, And Clemence kepit be reson,

[Sidenote: Iudiciu' et Iusticiam.]

His myghti throne from myschief and fallyng, And makith it strong with longe abydyng; For y dar say these ladies thre, A kyng preserve in long felicite.[191] Thanne stod afore[192] also[193] the sayd kyng, Two juges, with ful highe noblesse; Viij^{te} seriauntes ich on representyng;

[Footnote 191: prosperytee.]

[Footnote 192: _Transposed._]

[Footnote 193: _Transposed._]

[Sidenote: Honor Regis iudiciu' dilig^{t}. Deus iudiciu' tuum Regi da, et justiciam tuam filio Regis.]

For comon profith doom and right wisnesse: Withe this scripture, whiche shalle expresse,[194] Honour of kyng is in every mannys sight,[195] Of comone custom lovyth equyte and right, Kyng Davyd wrot, the sawter berith witnes, Lord God, quod he, thi dome yif us[196] to the kyng, And yif thi trouthe, and thi right wysnes,

[Footnote 194:

Honour of kyng which I shall expresse, With this scripture in every manys sight.]

[Footnote 195:

Honour of kyng which I shall expresse, With this scripture in every manys sight.]

[Footnote 196: _Omitted._]

To the kynges sone here in his levynge, To us declaryng, as be ther wrightyng, That kynges, prynces, sholde aboughte hym drawe, Folk that ben trewe, and wel expert in lawe. The kyng forthe rydyng entred Chepe anone, A lusty place, a place of alle delitis, Com to the Condyte, wher as cristalle ston,

[Sidenote: Thetis est dea aquar'.]

[Sidenote: Bachus est deus vini.]

The water ran, like welles of Paradys: The holsome licour, ful riche and of gret pris, Lik to the water of Archedeclyne, Whiche be meracle were turnyd to[197] wyn: Thetes, which that is of waters chief goddesse, Hadde of the wellys power non nor myght, For Bachus shewyd ther his fulsomnesse,

[Footnote 197: into.]

Of holsome wynes, to every maner wight: For wyn of nature makith hertys light, Wherfore Bachus, atte reverence of the kyng, Shedde out his plente at his hom comyng. Wyn is a lycour of[198] recreacione, That day presentyd in tokne of[199] gladnes, Into the kyngges famous highe renone,

[Footnote 198: of grete.]

[Footnote 199: of alle.]

From[200] to exile al maner hevynes, For with his comyng, the dede berith witnes, Out of this[201] lond he put away al trowble, And made of newe oure joyes to be dowble. Eke at thise welles, there were virgines thre, Whiche drew[202] up[203] wynes of joye and of plesance; Mercy, and Grace, there ther sustre eke Pite,

[Footnote 200: From us.]

[Footnote 201: the.]

[Footnote 202: _transposed._]

[Footnote 203: _transposed._]

Mercy mynystred wynes of attemperaunce; Grace shed here licour of good governaunce; And Pite preferryd with ful good foysone, Wynes of comfort and consolacione; The wyn of Mercy stanchith of[204] nature, The gredy thristes of cruelle hastynes; Grace with here licour cristallyn and pure,

[Footnote 204: by.]

Differith vengeaunce of furious wodnes, And Pite blemsyght the swerd of rightwysnes, Covenable welles, most holsome of savour, For to be tasted of every governour. O how thise wellys who so tok good hede, With there licours moost homsome to ataine, Afore devysyd notably in dede,

For to accorde with the Mairis name,[205] Whiche be report of his worthy fame, That day was besy in all his governaunce, Unto the kyng for to done plesaunce. There were ek trees, with levys fresshe of hewe, Al tyme of the yer ful of frutes lade, Of colour hevenly and evere eliche newe.

[Footnote 205: Nomen maioris Johannes Welles.]

Orenges, almondys, and the pomegarnade, Lymons, dates, there colours fresh and glade, Pypyns, quynces, blaundrellys to disport, And the pom cedre, corageus to recomfort: Eke othere frutes, whiche that more comown be, Quenyngges, peches, costardes, and wardons, And othere manye ful faire and freshe to se.

The pome water, and the gentil ricardouns, And agaynes hertes for mutegacions,[206] Damasyns, whiche with there tast delite, Ful gret plente bothe of blak and white. And besydes this gracious paradis, Al ioghe[207] and gladnesse for to multiplie, Two olde men, ful circumspect and wys,

[Footnote 206: murtygacions.]

[Footnote 207: joye.]

[Sidenote: Nichil proficiat inimicus in eo Et filius iniquitatis non apponat nocere ei.]

Ther did apere, like folkys faire:[208] The ton was Ennok, that[209] other Elye, The kyng presentyng ther gyftes ful notable; That God conferme his state ay to be stable, The firste seide, withe benynge chere, Gretly desyryng his prosperite, That non enemy have on hym powere,

[Footnote 208: off feyre.]

[Footnote 209: the.]

[Sidenote: Dominus conservet eum vivificet eum et beatum faciet eum &c.]

Nor no[210] child be fals inequyte, Perturble nevere his felicite; Thus old Ennok, the processe gan welle telle, And preid for the kyng as he rood be the welle. After Elias with his lokkes hore, Wel devoutly seyde,[211] lokyng on the kyng, God conserve the and kepe the evermore,

[Footnote 210: Nor that no.]

[Footnote 211: Seyd well devoutly.]

[Sidenote: Haurietis aquas in gaudio de fontibus salvatoris.]

And make hym blessyd in erthe here levyng, And preserve hym in al manere thyng, And special among kynges alle, In enemyes handes that he nevere falle. And at the[212] frontour of these welles clere, Ther was a scripture comendyng ther[213] licour; Ye shall drawe waters with good chere,

[Footnote 212: _Omitted._]

[Footnote 213: the.]

Out of wellys of oure savyour, Whiche han vertu to curyne al langour, Be influence of ther grete swetnesse, Hertys avoidyng of al ther hevynesse. Than from thise welles of fulsome abundaunce; With ther licours as any cristalle clere, The kyng rood forthe with sobre continaunce,

Toward a castell, beldyd[214] of jasper grene, Upon whos toures the sonne shone ful[215] shene; Ther clerly shewyd be notable remembraunce, The[216] kynges title of Ingelond and of Fraunce. To grene trees ther grew upright, From seynt Edward and from seynt Lowys, The roote etake,[217] palpable to the sight,

[Footnote 214: bilt.]

[Footnote 215: _Omitted._]

[Footnote 216: This.]

[Footnote 217: ytake.]

Conveyd be[218] kynges of gret prys, Some bare lebardes, some bar flour de lys; In nowthir armes founde was ther no lak, Whiche the sixte Henry may now bere on his bak; The pedegre be iuste successione, As trewe cronycles trewly determyne, Unto the kyng is now descendyd down,

[Footnote 218: Conveyd by lynes be &c.]

From eyther party, right as any lyne: Upon whos hed now freshly done shyne, Two riche crownes, moost soverayne of plesaunce, To brynge in pees betwen Ingelond and Fraunce. Upon this castelle, on the tother syde, Ther was a tree, whiche sprang out of Jesse, Ordeyned of God ful longe to abyde,

Davyd first[219] crownyd[220] for his humylyte, The braunches conveide, as men myghte se, Lynyally, and[221] the genelogye, To Crist J'hu, that was borne of Marie; And whi the Jesse was sett on that partye, This was the cause in especialle; For next to Powlys y dar well specyfie,

[Footnote 219: _Transposed._]

[Footnote 220: _Transposed._]

[Footnote 221: Lynally and in, &c.]

Is the party moost chief and principalle, Callyd of Londone, the chirche cathedralle, Whiche oughte of resone the devys for[222] to excuse, To alle tho that wolde agen it frowne or muse. And fro that castelle the kyng forth gan hym dresse, Toward Poules chief chirche of this citee; And at the[223] Conduyt he[224] light and a liknesse,

[Footnote 222: _Omitted._]

[Footnote 223: _Omitted._]

[Footnote 224: _Omitted._]

Indyvysyble mad of the Trinite, A throne compassyd of his riall se; Aboughte whiche shortly to conclude, Of hevenly angelles was[225] a gret multitude, To whom was gevyn a precept in scripture, Wreten in the front of the highe stage, That thei shuld do there besy cure,

[Footnote 225: wern.]

[Sidenote: Longitudinem dierum replebo eum et ostendam illi salutare meum.]

To kepe the kyng sure[226] from al damage, In his lyf here, duryng alle his age, His highe renone to shyne,[227] and sprede[228] ferre, Of hise too remes to sese the mortall werre. And last was wreten in the frontours, I shall fulfille hym with yoye and abundaunce And with lengthe of many[229] holsom yers;

[Footnote 226: _Omitted._]

[Footnote 227: _Transposed._]

[Footnote 228: _Transposed._]

[Footnote 229: _Omitted._]

And y shalle shewe hym my helthe[230] with al plesaunce, And of his lieges feithfull obeisaunce, Multiplie and encrese his lyne, And make his noblesse thorugh out[231] the world to shyne; Love of his peple, favour of alle strangers, In both hise remes, pees, reste, and unyte, Be influence of the nyne spers;

[Footnote 230: helpe.]

[Footnote 231: _Omitted._]

Longe to contynue in his riall se, Grace to cherisshe the Mair and the Citee, Longe in his mynde to be conceyved, With how good will[232] that day he was resceyvyd. Comynge to Poules, there he light a down, Entred the chirche ful demure of chere, And there to mete hym with processione,

[Footnote 232: Their good will &c.]

Was the archebisshope and the chaunceler, Lincolne, and Bathe, of hol hert and entier, Salesbury, Norwych and Ely, In pontificall arayed richely; There was the bysshope of Rouchestre also, The deen of Poules, the chanons everyich on, Of dute as they oughte to do,

On processione with the kyng to gone, And though y can nought reherce them on be one, Yit dar y seye in[233] there entent, To done ther dever ful trewly they ment; Lyk ther estates forthe thei gan precede, With observaunces longyng for a kyng, Solempnely gan hym conreye in dede,

[Footnote 233: as in.]

Up in to the chirche, with ful devout syngyng; And whanne he had mad his offryng, The Mair, the Citezeins, abood, and lefte hym nought, Unto Westmynster til thei hadde hym brought; Where, all the covent in copis richely, Mette with hym of custome as they ought; The abbot after moost solempnely,

Among the relikes, the scripture[234] out he[235] sought, Of seynt Edward, and to the kyng he brought; Though it were longe, large, and of gret weighte, Yit on his shuldres the kyng bar it on heighte, In the mynstre, whiles alle the bellys ronge, Til that[236] he come to the heighe auter; And ful devoutly Te Deum there was songe.

[Footnote 234: sceptre.]

[Footnote 235: _Omitted._]

[Footnote 236: _Omitted._]

[Sidenote: Ex duabus arboribus viz s'c'i Edwardi et s'c'i Lodewyci.]

And all[237] the peple, glad of look and cher, Thankynge[238] God with alle there hertys entier, To se there kyng with too crownes shyne, From too trees treuly fet the lyne: And aftyr this,[239] it ys verrey sothe, Unto his palys of kyngly apparaile, With his lordes the kyng anon forth goth,

[Footnote 237: _Omitted._]

[Footnote 238: Thanked.]

[Footnote 239: That this is the, &c.]

To take his reste after his travaile; And thanne of wysdom, whiche[240] may so moche availe, The Meir, the Citezeins, which al this[241] thing ded se, Be hom repaired in to there Citee. The Shirreves, the Aldermen in fere, The Satyrday alther next suyng, There Mair presentyd with all there hertes entere,

[Footnote 240: that.]

[Footnote 241: this dyd se.]

Goodly to be resceyved of the kyng; And at Westmenster confermed there[242] a thyng, The Mair and they with ful hol entent, Unto the kyng a gyfte gan[243] present; The whiche gifte, thei goodly han disposyd, Tok an hamper of gold that shene shone; A thousand pound of gold ther inne closyd:[244]

[Footnote 242: there askyng.]

[Footnote 243: gan to.]

[Footnote 244: yclosyd.]

And there with alle to the kyng they gone, And fill on knees to fore hym everych on, Ful humbly the trouthe to devyse, And to the Kyng the Mair seide in this wyse;

Moost cristen prince and noble kyng, the goode folke of youre moost notable Citee of London, other wyse callid[245] youre Chambre, besechyn in there moost lowly wyse they mow be recomaundyd to youre highnesse, and that it can like unto youre noble grace to resceyve this litel gyfte gevyne with as good a wille, trouthe,[246] and lounesse, as ever any gift was gevyn to any erthely prynce.

[Footnote 245: cleped.]

[Footnote 246: of trouthe.]

[Sidenote: V'ba t'nslat'.]

Be glad, O Londone, be glad ant make gret joye, Citee of Citees, of noblesse procellyng; In thi begynnyng called Newe Troye, For worthynesse thank God of all thing, Whiche hast this day resceyved so the[247] kyng, With many a signe and many an observaunce, To encrese thi name be newe remembraunce.

[Footnote 247: thy.]

Swyche joye was[248] in the consistorie, Mad for the tryumple with al the surpluage, Whan Cesar Julius com hom with his victorie, Ne for the conquest of Stepyon[249] in Cartage, As Londone made in every maner age, Out of Fraunce at his[250] hom comyng, In to this Citee of there noble kyng.

[Footnote 248: was nevere.]

[Footnote 249: Syprion.]

[Footnote 250: the.]

Of vij thinges y preyse this Citee; Of trewe menyng, and feithfull obeisaunce,[251] Of rightwysnesse, trouthe, and equyte, Of stabilnesse, ay kept in alegiaunce, And for of vertu, thou hast suche suffisaunce In this land here, and othere londes alle, The kynges Chaumbre, of custom men the calle.

[Footnote 251: observaunce.]

L'ENVOYE.

O noble Meir, be it into[252] youre plesaunce, And unto[253] alle that duellithe in this Citee, On my rudenes and on myn ignoraunce, Of grace and mercy for to have pite, My symple makyng for to take at gre; Considere this that in the[254] moost lowly wyse, My wille were good for to do[255] servyse.

[Footnote 252: unto.]

[Footnote 253: to.]

[Footnote 254: _Omitted._]

[Footnote 255: for to do you servyse.]

Here endith the makyng of the Comynge of the Kyng out of Fraunce to Londone, Be the monk of Bery.--_Deo gracias._[256]

[Footnote 256: _This paragraph is omitted._]

* * * * *

P. 139. A^{o} 36 Hen. VI. "In this yere was a grete watch in London, and al the gates kepte every nyght, and ij aldermen watchyng: and withynne a while after the kyng and lordes were accorded, and went a procession in Paulis."

The temporary reconciliation between the adherents of the King and of the Duke of York, so briefly alluded to in the text, and which is best illustrated by the following extract from a contemporary letter, served, like every other event of his times, for the exercise of Lydgate's pen; but his description of it in the following ballad is infinitely more valuable from its historical accuracy, than its poetical merit. Of this article there are two copies extant; one in the Cottonian MS. Nero A. VI. and the other in the Cottonian MS. Vespasianus B. XVI.: the latter copy has been printed, though very erroneously, and with the orthography modernized, by Mr. Sharon Turner; but the former has not been before noticed. As they differ in some places from each other, and are very short, it has been thought advisable that both transcripts should be inserted.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM JOHN BOKKING TO SIR JOHN FASTOLF: DATED ON THE WEDNESDAY AFTER MID LENT SUNDAY, _i.e._ 15 MARCH, 1457.

[_Paston Letters_, vol. i. p. 154.]

"Lyke it your maistership to wyte, that as for tidings, the Counsell is, the fornone, at the blake Frires, for the ease of resortyng of the Lordes that ar withinne the toun; and at afternon at the white Frirers in Fletstrete, for the Lordis with owte the town; and all things shall come to a good conclusion with God is grace; for the Kyng shall come hidre this weke, and the Quene also, as some men sayn, and my Lord Buk and Stafford with hire, and muche puple. My Lord of Caunterbury takith grete peyne up on hym daily, and will write unto yow the certeynte of suche tidings as falle; and shuld have doon or this tyme, saf for that he wolde knowe an ende of the mattre."

UPON THE RECONCILIATION OF THE LORDS OF THE YORKIST FACTION WITH THE KYNG AND HIS ADHERENTS.

[_Cottonian MS._ Nero A. VI.]

Whan Charyte ys chosen with stats to stonde, Stedfast and styll, with oute distaunce, Then wreth may be exilid out of thys londe, And God oure gide to have governaunce; Wysdom and welthe with all plesaunce, May ryghtfulle reigne, and prosperite, For love hath underleyde wrethfull vengeaunce; Reioyse Enlond the lords acordid bee.

Reioyse, and thonke God, and sorw no more, For now shal encrese thi consolacone; Oure enemes quake for drede ful sore, That pees ys made that was divisione, Whiche ys to them grete confusione, And to us joy and felicite; God hold them longe in every seasone, That Englond may reioyce, the concord and unite.

Now ys sorw with shame fled yn to Fraunce, As a felon that hath forsworne thys lond; Love hath put owte malicius governaunce, In every place both fee and bonde; In Yorke, in Somersett, as y undyrstonde, In Warwikke also ys love and charite, In Salisbury eke, and yn Northumberlond, That every man may reioyce the concord and unite.

Egremond,[257] and Clyfford,[258] and other forseyd, Ben sett yn the same opynyone; In every quartre love is thus leide, Grace and wisdome hath the dominacione; Awoke welth, and welk in thys regione, Rewnde abowte in towne and cite, And thonke them that brought it to thys conclusion; Reioyse Englond the concord and unite.

[Footnote 257: Thomas Percy, third son of Henry 3rd earl of Northumberland. He was created Baron of Egremont 20th December 1449, and died in 1460.]

[Footnote 258: Thomas Lord Clifford. He succeeded to his honours in 1422, and died in 1454.]

At Poules in London, with grete renowne, On oure Lady day the pes was wrought; The kyng, the quene, with lords many one, To worshyppe that virgine as they oght, Went a prosession, and sparyd right noght, In sight of alle the comonialte, In tokyn that love was in hert and thoght; Reioice Englond the concord and unite.

There was by twene them lovely countenaunce, Whyche was grete yoy to alle that there were, That long tyme hadd ben in variaunce, As frynds for ever they went yn fere, They went togedre, and made good chere; O Fraunce and Bretayne, repent shall ye, For the bergeyne shalle ye bye fulle dere; Reioice Englond the concord and unite.

Our sovereyn lord the kyng, God kepe alway, The quene and the bisshope of Canterbury,[259] And other that have labored to thys love day, God preserve them we pray hertly; And Londone for they fulle diligently, Kept the pees in trobull and in adversite; To brynge yn rest they labored ful treuly; Reioice Englond the peas and unite.

[Footnote 259: Cardinal John Bourchier. He was translated from Ely to the Archiepiscopal see, on the 22nd April 1454, and died on the 30th March 1486.]

Off thre things, y preys thys worshypfull Citee: The ferst, of trewe feythe that they owe to the kyng; The secounde, of love of eache comonialte; The thyrde, of good rule evermore kepyng; The whyche God mayntene ever long durynge, And save the Maire and all the hole Citee, And that ys amys brynge to amendyng, That Englond may reioice the pees and unite.

IBID.

[_From the Cottonian MS._ Vespasianus B. XVI.]

Whan Charite is chosen with states to stonde, Stedfas and stille without distaunce, Than wrathe may be exiled out of this londe, And God oure gide to have the governaunce.

Wisdom and wellthe with alle plesaunce, May rightful regne and prosperite, For love hath underlaide wrathful veniaunce; Reioise Anglond oure lordes acorded to be.

Reiose and thanke God, for evermore; For now shal encrese thi consolacion, Oure enemyes quaken and dreden fulsore, That peas is made ther was division,

Whiche to them is a gret confusion, And to us ioy and felicite; God hold them longe in every season: That Anglond may reioise concord and unite.

Now is sorowe with shame fled in to Fraunce, As a felon that hath forsworn this londe; Love hath put out malicious governaunce, In every place bothe fre and bonde;

In Yorke, in Somerset as I understonde, In Warrewik also is love and charite, In Sarisbury eke, and in Northumbrelande; That every man may reioise concord and unite.

Egremown, and Clifford, with other forsaide, Ben set in the same opynyon; In every quarter love is thus laide, Grace and wisdom hath thus the dominacion:

Awake Welthe, and walke in this region, Rounde aboute in toun and cite, And thanke them that brought hit to this concluson; Reioise Anglond to concorde and unite.

At Poules in Londone, with gret renoun, On oure Ladi day in Lente this peas was wrought; The kinge, the quene, with lordes many oone, To worship that virgine as thei ought,

Wenten a procession, and spariden right nought, In sighte of alle the comynalte, In token that love was in herte and thought; Reiose Anglond in concorde and unite.

Ther was bytwyn them lovely contynaunce, Whiche was gret ioy to alle that ther were, That long tyme hadden be in variaunce; As frendes for ever that had be in fere,

Thei wenten togeder, and made goud chere; France and Britayn repente shul thei, For the bargayn shul thei abye ful dere; Reiose Anglond in concorde and unite.

Oure soveraigne lord kyng God kepe alwey, The quene, and the archbisshope of Canterbury, And the bisshop of Wynchestre chanceller of Anglond, And other that han labured to this love day.

God preserve them we pray hertly, And London for thei ful diligently, Kepten the peas in trowbel and adversite, To bryng in reste thei labured ful truly; Reioise Anglond in concorde and unite.

Of thre thynges I praise the worshipful Cite; The first, the true faithe that thei have to the kyng; The seconde, of love to the comynalte; The thrid, goud rule for evermore kepynge;

The whiche God maynteyn evermore durynge, And save the Maier and alle the worthi Cite; And that is amys God brynge to amendynge, That Anglond may reioise to concord and unite.

* * * * *

Neither of the ensuing articles, the whole of which are the production of the indefatigable Lydgate, can possibly be assigned to its proper date; and they are therefore arranged in the following order.

1. _A Balade sent by a Poursyant to the Shirreves of London, acompanyed with theire Bretherne upon Mayes Daye, at Busshopes Wod, at an honurable Dyner, ech of them bringginge his Dysshe._

This Ballad, which occurs in Ashmole's Collection of Manuscripts, is introduced from its having been addressed to the Sheriffs of London; but it contains little that is worthy of attention.

2. _London Lickpenny._

Of the numerous Ballads composed by 'The Monk of Bury,' this is perhaps the most curious and the best known; and, from its presenting a great deal of information relative to the Metropolis in the fifteenth century, it is of considerable interest. Two copies exist in MS. in the British Museum; one in the Harleian MS. 367, which is printed in Noorthouck's and Dr. Pugh's History of London, as well as in several other works; the other, in Stow's hand-writing, in the Harleian MS. 542: and as they differ very materially from each other, a copy of each is inserted. To this Ballad, it has been thought right to add another, by the same writer, which has never been before printed, on a very similar subject; namely,

3. _Upon the Emptiness of his Purse,--_

In which he treats this, perhaps the greatest of all human misfortunes, since it prevents the alleviation of almost all others, with singular address. The subject seems to have been a favourite one with our early poets; for there is a Ballad with nearly the same title by Chaucer; and another is printed in 'The Boke of St. Albans.'

4. _On Forked Head Dresses._

The head-dresses of females in the reign of Henry the Sixth closely resembled the _cauchoises_ still worn by those of Normandy; and which excited the displeasure of Dan John in so great a degree as to have induced him to invoke the aid of his Muse in effecting their abolition. It seems no subject escaped that eternal scribbler's attention; and if his abilities had equalled his disposition, he would probably have become the Juvenal of his age. Upon this occasion, however, he appears to have soared on rather a higher wing than usual; and the moral of his lay is the truism which has since been so beautifully expressed, that loveliness

"Is when unadorn'd, adorn'd the most."

5. _On Fraudulent Millers and Bakers._

This short Ballad would appear, from the following passage in Fabian's Chronicle, to have been written in the 15th of Edw. IV. A^{o} 1475, if it were not, that though the date of Lydgate's death has never been precisely ascertained, yet it is scarcely possible he could have lived to that year.

"This yere this mayer [Robert Bassett] dyd sharpe correccion upon bakers, for makynge of lyght brede; in so moche thatt he sett dyverse upon the pillory," &c.

A similar circumstance might however have occurred some years before, notwithstanding that it is not noticed by the writers of the period.

A BALADE MADE BY LYDEGATE, SENT BY A POURSYANT TO THE SHIRREVES OF LONDON, ACOMPANYED WITH THEIRE BRETHERNE UPON MAYES DAYE, AT BUSSHOPES WOD, AT AN HONURABLE DYNER, ECHE OF THEM BRINGGINGE HIS DYSSHE.

[_Ashmole's MSS. No._ 6943. _Vol._ 59. 2.]

Mighty Flourra, goddes of freshe floures, Whiche clothed hast the soyle in lousty grene; Made buddes springe with his swete showres, By influence of the sonnes so sheene, To do plesaunce of entent ful clene, Unto the states whiche that now sitte here; Hath veere doune sent hir owen doughter dere, Making the vertue that dured in the roote, Called of clerkes, the vertue vegytable, For to trascend moste holsome and moste sweete, Into the crope this saysoun so greable. The bawmy lykour is so comendable, That it rejoythe with the fresshe moysture, Man, beeste, and foole, and every creature, Whiche hathe repressed, swaged, and bore doune, The grevous constreinte of the frostes heere; And caused foolis for joye of this saysonne, To cheese their mates, thane by natures loore, With al gladnesse theire courage to restore, Sitting on bowes fresshly nowe to synge, Veere for to save at his home comynge; Ful pleinly meninge in theire ermonye, Wynter is goone, whiche did hem gret peyne; And with theire sweete sugre melodye, Thanking Nature theire goddesse sovereyne, That they nowe have no mater to compleyne, Hem for to proygne every morowneynge, With lousty gladnesse at Phebus uprysinge; And to declare ye hys magnifysence, Howe vere inbringethe al felicytee, After wynter's mighty prevolence Avoydinge stormys of al adversytee. For shee hathe brought al prosperitee To alle the states of this regyoun, At his comynge to fore youre hye renoun, To the mighty prynces, the palme of theire victorie; And til knighthode nowe, she dothe presente Noblesse in armes, laude, honnour, and glorie; Pees to the people, in al hir best entente, With grace and mercy fully to consente, That provydence of hys discressioun, Avoyde discorde and al derysyoun. Wynter shal passe of hevynesse and trouble; Flowres shal springe of perfite charite; In hertes there shal be no meninge double; Buddes shal of trouthe and unytee; Plenty for to exyle duplicytee; Lordes to regne in theire noble puissance; The people obeye with feythful obeyssaunce; Of alle estates there shal bee oone ymage; And princes first shal ocupye the hede; And prudent juges to correcte outrages, Shal trespassours consteynen under drede, That innosentes in theire lowlyhede, As truwe comunes may bee theire socour, Truwly contune in theire faithful labour; And by the grace of oure lorde Jhesu, That holly chirche may have parseveraunce, Bee faythfull founde in al pertinaunce, Mayre, provost, shirreff, eche in his substaunce, And aldremen, whiche have the governaunce Over the people, by vertue may abyde, That noone oppression bee done to the pourayle. Thus as the people of prudent pollycye, Prynces of the right shal governe; The chirche preye; the juges justefye; And knighthode, manly, and prudently discerne, Til light of trouthe so clerely the lanterne, That rightewysnesse throughe this regyoune, Represse the darknesse of al extorcyoune. Thes be the tythinges wheeche that wee have brought: Troubles exylinge of wynters rude derknesse; Wherfore rejoye yowe in hert, wille, and thought; Somer shal folowe to yowe, of al gladnesse; And sithen she is mynistre of lustynesse, Let her be welcome to yowe at hir comyng; Sith she to yowe hathe brought so glad tythinge, The noble princesse of moste magnifisence, Qweene of al joye, of gladde suffisaunce, May I be nowe comen to youre hye excellence, Presenting yowe prosperous plesaunce, Of al welfare moste foulsome haboundaunce; As shee that hathe under hir demayne, Of floures fresshe, moste holsome, and sovereraine.

L'ENVOYE TO ALLE THE STATES PRESENT.

This Princesse hathe by favour of nature, Repared ageine that wynter hathe defade, And foolis loustely reviv---- Theire lusty notes, and theire ermenye glade; And under braunches, under plesant shade, Rejoyssing theire with many swete odours, And Zepherus with many fresshe odours, Copirted fayre, with motleye whyte and rede, All hilles, pleynes, and lusty bankes grene, And made hir bawme to fleete in every mede; And fury Tytane shewe oute heer tresses sheene, And upon busshes, and hawthornes kene, The nightingale with plesant ermonye, Colde wynter stormes nowe she dothe defye. On Parnoso, the lusty Muses nyene, Citheera with hir sone nowe dwellis, This sayson singe, and theire notes tuwyne, Of poetrye, besyde the cristal wellis, Calyope the dytes of hem tellis; And Orpheus with hees stringes sharpe, Syngethe a roundell with his temperd herpe. Wherfore to alle estates here present, This plesant tyme, moste of lustynesse, May, is nowe comen to fore yowe of entent, To bringe yowe alle to joye and fresshnesse, Prosparitee, welfare, and al gladnesse; And al that may youre hyenesse qweerne and pleese, In any parte or doone youre hertes eese.

LONDON LICPENYE.

[_From the Copy in the Autograph of John Stow, in the Harleian MS._ 542, f. 102.]

In London ther I was lent, I saw myselfe where trouthe shuld be ateynte; Fast to Westminstar ward I went, To a man of lawe to make my complaynt; I sayd for Maris love, that holy seynt, Have pity on the powre that would procede; I would gyve sylvar, but my purs is faynt, For lacke of money I may not spede.

As I thrast thrughe out the thronge, Among them all my hode was gonn; Netheles I let not longe, To Kyngs benche tyll I come; Byfore a juge I knelyd anon, I prayd hym for Gods sake he would take hede; Full rewfully to hym I gan make my mone, For lacke of money I may not spede.

Benethe hym set clerks a great rowt, Fast they writen by one assent; There stode up one and cryed round about, Richard, Robert, and one of Kent: I wist not wele what he ment, He cried so thike there indede, There were stronge theves shamed and shent, But they that laked money mowght not spede.

Unto the Comon place y yowde thoo, Where sat one with a sylker houde; I dyd hym reverence as me ought to do; I tolde hym my case as well as I coude, And sayd all my goods by nowrd and by sowde, I am defrawdyd with great falshed; He would not geve me a momme of his mouthe, For lake of money I may not spede.

Then I went me unto the Rollis, Before the clerks of the Chauncerie; There were many qui tollis, But I herd no man speke of me; Before them I knelyd upon my kne, Shewyd them myne evedence, and they began to reade. They seyde trewer thinge might there nevar be, But for lacke of money I may not spede.

In Westminster hall I found one, Went in a longe gown of ray; I crowched and kneled before them anone, For Marys love of helpe I gan them pray; As he had be wrothe, he voyded away, Bakward his hand he gan me byd, I wot not what thow menest gan he say, Ley downe sylvar, or here thow may not spede.

In all Westminstar hall I could find nevar a one, That for me would do, thowghe I shuld dye; Without the dores were Flemings grete woon; Upon me fast they gan to cry, And sayd, Mastar, what will ye cepen or by? Fine felt hatts, spectacles for to rede; Of this gay gere a great cawse why, For lake of money I might not spede.

Then to Westminster gate y went, When the sone was at highe prime; Cokes to me, they toke good entent, Called me nere, for to dyne, And proferyd me good brede, ale, and wyne; A fayre clothe they began to sprede, Rybbes of beffe bothe fat and fine; But for lacke of money I might not spede.

In to London I gan me hy; Of all the lond it bearethe the prise, Hot pescods, one gan cry, Strabery rype, and chery in the ryse; One bad me come nere and by some spice, Pepar, and saffron, they gan me bede, Clove, grayns, and flowre of rise; For lacke of money I might not spede.

Then into Chepe I gan me drawne, Where I sawe stond moche people; One bad me come nere, and by fine cloth of lawne, Paris thred coton and umple; I seyd there upon I could no skyle, I am not wont there to in dede, One bad me by an hewre my hed to hele; For lake of money I might not spede.

Then went I forth by London stone, Thrught out all Canywike strete; Drapors to me they called anone, Grete chepe of clothe they gan me hete; Then come ther one, and cried hot shepes fete; Risshes faire and grene, anothar began to grede, Bothe melwell and makarell I gran mete; But for lacke of money I myght not spede.

Then I hied me into Est Chepe; One cries ribes of befe, and many a pie; Pewtar potts they clatteryd or a heape; Ther was harpe, pipe, and sawtry; Ye by cokke, nay by cokke, some began to cry; Some sang of Jenken and Julian, to get themselves mede; Ful fayne I wold hadd of that mynstralsie, But for lacke of money I cowld not spede.

Into Cornhill anon I yede, Where is moche stolne gere amonge; I saw wher henge myne owne hode, That I had lost in Westminstar amonge the throng; Then I beheld it with lokes full longe, I kenned it as well as I dyd my crede, To be myne owne hode agayne; me thought it wrong, But for lacke of money I might not spede.

Then came the Taverner, and toke me by the sleve, And seyd Ser, a pint of wyn would yow assay? Syr, qwod I, it may not greve, For a peny may do no more then it may: I dranke a pint, and therefore gan pay; Sore a hungred away I yede, For well London lykke peny for ones eye, For lake of money I may not spede.

Then I hyed me to Byllingesgate, And cried wagge wagge gow hens; I praye a barge man, for Gods sake, That they would spare me myn expens; He sayde, ryse up, man, and get the hens, What menist thow, I will do on the no almes dede, Here scapeth no man byneth ij pens, For lacke of money I myght not spede.

Then I conveyed me into Kent; For of the law would I medle no more, By caus no man to me would take entent, I dight me to the plowe even as I did before. Thus save London that in Bethelem was bore, And every trew man of law God graunt hymsels med, And they that be othar, God theyr state restore; For he that lacketh money with them he shall not spede.

EXPLICIT LONDON LIKKE PENY.

LONDON LYCKPENY.

A BALLADE COMPYLED BY DAN JOHN LYDGATE MONKE OF BERY, ABOUT ---- YERES AGOE, AND NOW NEWLY OVERSENE AND AMENDED.

[_Harleian MSS._ 367, f. 126, 127.]

To London once, my stepps I bent, Where trouth in no wyse should be faynt: To Westmynster ward I forthwith went, To a man of law to make complaynt. I sayd, for Mary's love that holy saynt, Pity the poore that would proceede; But for lack of mony I cold not spede.

And as I thrust the prese amonge, By froward chaunce my hood was gone; Yet for all that I stayd not longe, Tyll at the kynge bench I was come. Before the judge I kneled anon, And prayd hym for Gods sake to take heede; But for lack of money I myght not spede.

Beneth them sat clarkes a great rout, Which fast dyd wryte by one assent; There stoode up one and cryed about, Rychard, Robert, and John of Kent; I wyst not wele what this man ment: He cryed so thycke there indede, But he that lackt mony myght not spede.

Unto the common place I yode thoo, Where sat one with a sylken hoode; I dyd hym reverence, for I ought to do so, And told my case as well as I coud, How my goods were defrauded me by falshood. I gat not a mum of his mouth for my meed, And for lack of mony I myght not spede.

Unto the Rolls I gat me from thence, Before the clarkes of the chauncerye, Where many I found earnyng of pence, But none at all once regarded mee: I gave them my playnt uppon my knee; They lyked it well when they had it reade, But lackyng mony I could not be sped.

In Westmynster hall I found out one, Which went in a long gown of raye; I crouched and kneled before hym anon: For Maryes love, of help I hym praye. I wot not what thou meanest, gan he say; To get me thence he dyd me bede, For lack of mony I cold not speed.

Within this hall, neithere ryche nor yett poor, Wold do for me ought, although I shold dye; Which seing, I gat me out of the doore, Where Flemynge began on me for to cry, Master, what will you copen or by, Fyne felt hatts, or spectacles to reede? Lay down your sylver, and here you may spede.

Then to Westmynster gate I presently went, When the sonn was at hyghe pryme; Cokes to me, they tooke good entent, And profered me bread with ale and wyne, Rybbs of befe both fat and ful fyne; A fayre cloth they gan for to sprede, But wantyng mony I might not be speede.

Then unto London I dyd me hye, Of all the land it beareth the pryse; Hot pescods one began to crye, Straberry rype, and cherryes in the ryse: One bad me come nere, and by some spyce, Peper, and sayforne, they gan me bede; But for lacke of money I myght not spede.

Then to the Chepe I began me drawne, Where mutch people I sawe for to stande; One ofred me velvet, sylke, and lawne, An other he taketh me by the haunde, Here is Parys thred, the fynest in the launde. I never was used to such thyngs in dede, And wanting mony I myght not spede.

Then went I forth by London stone, Throughout all Canwyke streete; Drapers mutch cloth me offred anone: Then comes me one, cryd hot shepes feete, One cryde makerell, ryshes grene, another gan greete, One bad me by a hood to cover my head; But fore want of mony I myght not be sped.

Then I hyed me into Estchepe; One cryes rybbs of befe, and many a pye; Pewter potts they clattered on a heape, There was harpe, pype, and mynstrelsye; Yea by cock, nay by cock, some began crye, Some songe of Jenken and Julyan for there mede; But for lack of mony I myght not spede.

Then into Cornhyll anon I yode, Where was much stolen gere amonge; I saw where honge myne owne hoode, That I had lost amonge the thronge; To by my own hood I thought it wronge, I knew it well as I dyd my crede; But for lack of mony I could not spede.

The Taverner took mee by the sleve; Sir, sayth he, wyll you our wyne assay? I answerd, that can not mutch me greve, A peny can do no more than it may: I dranke a pynt, and for it dyd pay; Yet sore a hungerd from thence I yede, And wantyng my mony I cold not spede.

Then hyed I me to Belyngsgate; And one cryed hoo, go we hence; I prayd a barge man for Gods sake, That he wold spare me my expence. Thou scapst not here, quod he, under ij pence, I lyst not yet bestow my almes dede: Thus lacking mony I could not speede.

Then I convayed me into Kent; For of the law wold I meddle no more, Because no man to me tooke entent, I dyght me to do as I dyd before. Now Jesus that in Bethlem was bore, Save London, and send trew lawyers there mede, For who so wants mony with them shall not spede.

EXPLICIT LONDON LYCKPENY.

UPON THE EMPTINESS OF HIS PURSE:

BY JOHN LYDGATE.

[_Harleian MSS._ 2255, _f._ 45^{b}.]

Riht myhty prynce, and it be your wille, Condescende leiser for to take, To seen the content of this litil bille, Which whan I wrot, myn hand I felte quake; Tokne of mornyng weryd clothys blake, Cause my purs was falle in gret rerage; Lynyng outward, his guttys wer out shake, Oonly for lak of plate, and of coignage.

I souhte leechys for a restoratiff, In whom I fond no consolacione; Appotecaryes for a confortatiff; Dragge nor dya was noon in Bury tone, Botme of his stomak was tournyd up so done; A laxatif did hym so gret outrage, Made hym slendre by a consumpcione, Oonly for lak of plate, and of coignage.

Ship was ther noon, nor seilis rede of hewe, The wynd froward to make hem ther to londe; The flood was passyd, and sodeynly of newe, A lowh ground ebbe was faste by the stronde; No maryneer durste take on honde, To caste an ankir for streihtnesse of passage, The custom skars, as fow may undirstonde, Oonly for lak of plate, and of coignage.

Ther was no tokne sent done from the Tour, As any gossomer the countirpeys was liht, A fretyng etyk causyd his langour, By a cotidian which heeld hym day and nyht: Sol and Luna wer clypsyd of ther liht, Ther was no cros nor preent of no visage, His lynyng dirk, ther wer no platys briht, Oonly for lak, and scarsete of coignage.

Harde to likke hony out of a marbil stoon, For ther is nouthir licour nor moisture; An ernest grote, whan it is dronke and goon, Bargeyn of marchauntys stant in aventure. My purs and I be callyd to the lure Off indigence, our stuff leyd in morgage; But ye, my lord, may al our soor recure, With a receyt of plate, and of coignage.

Nat sugre plate maad by thappotecarye, Plate of briht metal yevith a mery sone, In Boklerys bury is noon such letuary; Gold is a cordial, gladdest confeccione, Ageyn etiques of oold consumpcione, Auru' potabile, for folk ferre ronne in age, In quynt essence best restauracione, With silver plate, enprentyd with coignage.

O seely bille! why art thu nat ashamyd, So malapertly to shewe out thy constreynt; But povert hath so nyh thy tonne attamyd, That nichil habet is cause of thy compleynt. A drye tisyk makith oold men ful feynt; Reediest weye to renewe ther corage, Is a fresshe dragge of no spycis meynt, But of a briht plate, enpreentyd with coignage.

Thu mayst afferme, as for thyn excus, Thy bareyn soyl is sool and solitarye; Of cros nor pyl ther is no reclus, Preent nor impressione in al thy seyntuarye. To conclude breefly, and nat tarye, Ther is no noyse herd in thyn hermytage; God sende soone a gladdere letuarye, With a cleer sone of plate, and of coignage.

EX^{t}. Q^{d}. LYDGATE.

ON FORKED HEAD DRESSES:

BY JOHN LYDGATE.

[_Harleian MSS._ 2255, f. 6.]

Off God and kynde procedith al bewte: Crafft may shewe a foreyn apparence, But nature ay must have the sovereynte: Thyng countirfet hath noon existence, Twen gold and gossomer is gret difference; Trewe metal requerith noon allay, Unto purpoos by cleer experyence; Bewte wyl shewe, thouh hornes wer away.

Riche attires of gold, and perre, Charbonclis, rubies of moost excellence, Shewe in dirknesse, liht wher so they be, By ther natural hevenly influence. Doubletys of glas yeve a gret evidence; Thyng contirfet wil faylen at assay: On this mateer concludyng in sentence, Bewte wyl shewe, thouh hornys wer away.

Aleyn remembryth his compleynt, who lyst see In his book of famous eloquence; Clad al in floures and blosmys of a tree, He sawh Nature in hir moost excellence, Upon hir hed a keverchef of Valence, Noon othir richesse of countirfet array; T'exemplefye by kyndly providence, Bewte wil shewe, thouh hornys wer away.

Famous poetys of antiquyte, In Grece and Troye, renoumyd of prudence, Wroot of queen Helene, and Penelope, Off Polyceene with hir chaast innocence: For wyves trewe calle Lucrece to presence, That they wer fayr, ther can no man sey nay; Kynde wrouht hem with so gret dilligence, Ther bewte couthe, hornys wer cast away.

Clerkys recorde by gret auctorite, Hornys wer yove to beestys for diffence; A thyng contrary to femynyte, To be maad sturdy of resistence: But arche wyves egre in ther violence, Fers as tygre for to make affray, They have despyt ageyn conscience, Lyst nat of pryde, ther hornys cast away.

L'ENVOYE.

Noble Pryncessys, this litel shoort ditee, Rewdly compiled, lat it be noon offence, To your womanly merciful pitee, Thouh it be rad in your audience: Peysed ech thyng in your iust advertence, So it be no displesaunce to your pay, Undir support of your pacience, Yevyth example, hornys to cast away.

Grettest of vertues is humylite, As Salomon seith, sone of sapience, Moost was accepted to the Deite. Takith heed heer of yeuyth, to this woord credence, How Maria, whiche hadde a premynence Above alle women, in Bedleem whan she lay, At Cristes birthe no cloth of gret dispence, She weryd a keverche, hornys wer cast away.

Off birthe she was hihest of degre, To whom alle aungelis did obedience; Of David is lyne which sprang out of Jesse, In whom alle vertues by iust convenience, Maad stable in God, by goostly confidence: This roose of Jerycho, ther greuh noon suych in May, Poore in spirit, parfight in pacience, In whoom alle hornys of pryde wer put away.

Moodir of J'hu, myrour of chastite, In woord nor thouht that nevir did offence, Trewe exemplaire of virginite, Heedspryng and welle of parfit contynence, Was nevir clerk, by rethoryk nor science Kowde alle hir vertues reherse to this day; Noble Pryncessys of meeke benyvolence, B'example of hir, your hornys cast away.

ON FRAUDULENT MILLERS AND BAKERS.

[_Harleian MSS._ 2255.]

Put out his hed lyst nat for to dare, But lyk a man upon that tour to abyde, For cast of eggys wil not conys spare, Tyl he be quaylled body, bak, and syde; His heed endooryd, and of verray pryde, Put out his armys, shewith abrood his face, The fenestrallys be made for hym so wyde, Cleymyth to been a capteyn of that place.

The bastyle longith of verray dewe ryght, To fals bakerys it is trewe herytage; Severelle to them, this knoweth every wight, Be kynde assyngned for ther sittyng stage, Wheer they may freely shewe out ther visage, Whan they take oonys there possessione, Owthir in youthe or in myddyl age, Men doon hem wrong yif they take hym done.

Let mellerys and bakerys gadre hem a gilde, And alle of assent make a fraternite; Undir the pillory a litil chapell bylde, The place amorteyse and purchase liberte, For alle thoo that of ther noumbre be; Whatevir it coost afftir that they wende, They may cleyme be just auctorite, Upon that bastile to make an ende.

EXP^{t}. Q' LYDGATE.

THE END.

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LONDON:

PRINTED BY RICHARD TAYLOR.

[Illustration: ALERE FLAMMAM.]