A Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Time of the Roman Government, Regnal history 8 · Part 1 – Part 8
Of hi… Taxatio…s.
IN the first yeare of his Reigne, a Parliament was holden at London, where the Queen Mother, with the young king in her lap came and sate amongst the Lords; and there was then granted a Subsidie of five Nobles upon every sacke of wooll that should passe out of the Land, for three years, but if carried out by Merchant strangers, then to pay three and forty shillings for every sacke. In the third year of his Reigne, a Parliament was holden at Westminster, wherein was granted a Subsidie of twelve pence in the pound of all Merchandize comming in, or passing out of the Realme, and three shillings of a Tonne of Wine, for the terme of three years. In his sixth year in a Parliament at Wes…inster was granted a Subsidie, of every Tonne of Wine three shillings… and of other Merchandize except Wooll, Fell, and Cloth, twelve pence in the pound: Also of every Parish through the Realme (except Cities and Boroughes) the Benefice being in value ten Markes; Tenne of th…t Parish shall pay sixe shillings eight pence; and of every Benefice of the value of ten pounds, ten Parishioners should pay thirteen shillings foure pe…ce, and so rateably of every Benefice, from the lowest to the highest. And for the Inhabitants of Cities and Boroughes, every man being worth twenty shillings above his housholdstuffe, and the apparell of him and his wife, should pay foure pence, and so after that rate to the richest.
Of L…wes and Ordi…ances in his time.
IN this kings time, the Lord Major of Lond… first began to go by water …o Lo…do…, where before they used to go by land. Also in this Kings Reigne the Art of Printing wa… first found at Mog…ce in Germa…y, by a knight called Iohn Cuttenberghe…, and brought into England by William Caxton of Lo…don Mercer, who first practised the same in the Abbey at Westminster, in the yeare 1471. In the 23 yeare of his Reigne, in a Parliament then holden, it was Enacted, that when Wheat was so…d for six shillings eight pence the quarter, Rye for fo…e shillings, and Barley for three shillings; It should be lawfull for any man to carry the sayd kindes of Corn, into the parts beyond the Sea without license, so it were not to the kings enemies or Rebel…; which Act was afterward confirmed by king Edward the Fourth.
Affa…es of the Church in his time.
A Great Schisme was in the Church in this kings time by reason of Anti-popes; for remedy whereof, a Councell is called at Co…sta…ce, to which the Emperors of Constanti…ople and Trabiz…nd send their Amba…adors. In this Councell Ioh… the three and twentieth is convented, condemned, deposed, and imprisoned: Gr… gory the twelveth, and Benedict the thirteenth are deprived, and Otho Colonn…, by the name of Martin the fifth, is chosen Pope. During these confusions in the Westerne Church, the Christians in the Easterne Church are utterly ruinated: The Emperor smothered to death in a prease of people, and the great City of Constantinople wonne by the Turke, made ever since the seate of his Empire. In the six… and thirtieth yeare of this king, Reynold Peacocke Bishop of Chichester, who had laboured many yeares in Translating the holy Scripture into English, was accused and convicted, for holding and publishing certaine opinions at that time held Hereticall; which at last, openly at Pauls Crosse he revoked; That he had held there was no necessity to believe that Christ descended into Hell; also, no necessity to believe in the communion of Saints, or that the Universall Church cannot erre in matters of Faith, or that it is necessary to believe and hold whatsoever a Generall Councell shall determine: Also that he had held, that spirituall persons ought to have no Temporall Possessions, and that personall Tythes were not due by Gods Law: these Points he openly renounced, but was notwithstanding deprived of his Bishopricke; only a certaine Pension was assigned him to live on in an Abbey, where soone after he dyed.
Workes of Piety done by him, or others in his time.
THe King himselfe Founded two famous Colledges, the one in Cambridge, to our Lady and St. Nichol…s, called the Colledge Royall, or the kings Colledge; the other of Eate… besides Windsor, called of our blessed Lady; to the maintenance whereof, he gave 3400 pounds by yeare. In the 28 year of his Reigne, his Queen Margaret began the Foundation of Queens Colledge in Cambridge. In the time of his Reigne also, Henry Chicheley Archbishop of Canterbury Founded two Colledges in Oxford; one called All-Soules Colledge, the other Bernard Colledge. In his time also, H…mp…ry Duke of Glocester (but others say, Thomas Kempe Archbishop of Ca… ter…ry) built the Divinity School in Oxford; also the sayd Archbishop built Pauls-Crosse in forme as now it standeth; and William W…ynflete Bishop of VVinchester, and Lord Chancellor of England Founded Mary Magdalen Colledge in Oxford. In his seventeenth yeare, Ralph Lord Cromwell, builded the Colledge of Tatshall in Linc…l…shire. Also this yeare, VVilliam …stfield Major of London, caused to be builded at his own charge the Water-Conduict in Fleetstreet. In his ninth year, Iohn VVells Major of London, caused the Cond…ict commonly called the Standard in Cheape, to be builded. In his first yeare, the West Gate of London, sometime called Chamberlaine gate, and now Newgate, was begun to be new builded by the Executors of Sir Richard VVhittington Lord Major of London. In his fifth yeare, Iohn Reynwell Major of London, gave certaine lands to the Citie of London, for which th… Citie is bound to pay for ever, all Fif…eens that shall be granted to the King, (so as it passe …ot three Fifteens in one year) for three Wards in London; namely, Dowg…te-Ward, Billi…gsgate-Ward, and Aldgate. Also this yeare, the Tower at the Drawbridge of Lo…don was begun by the same Major. In his foure and twentieth yeare, Simon Eyre Lord Major of L…ndon builded the Leaden-Hall in Lo…do…, to be a Storeho…se for Graine and Fewell for the poore of the Citie, and faire Chappell at the East end of the same, leaving in stocke a thousand pounds, which a…terward King Edward the Fourth borrowed and never paid it again. Also in this kings time, William de la Poole Duke of Suffolke, and Alice his wife, Daughter to Thomas Ch…cer, Son of Geoffry Chawcer the famous Poet; translated and encreased the Mannour place of Ewelme in Oxfordshire, and builded new the Parish Church of Ewelme, and an Hospitall or Almeshouse for two Priests, and thirteene poore men, to which he gave three Manours, Ramruge in Hampshire, Co…ocke in Wiltshire, and Me…sh in Buckingh…mshire: They also founded the Hospitall of Do…nington Castle.
Of Casualtie… happening in his time.
In his Fifth yeare was …o unseasonable weather, that it rained almost continually, from Easter to Michaelmasse. In his seventh yeare, the eight of November, the Duke of Norfolke was like to have been drowned passing through London-Bridge, hi… Barge being set upon the piles, overwhelmed, so that thirty persons were drowned, and the Duke with others that escaped, were fain to be drawn up with ropes. In his 18 year, all the Lyons in the Tower dyed: Also this year, the 18 day of Iuly, the Postern-Gates of London by E…st-Smithfield against the Tower of London, sanke by night more than seven foot into the earth. In his two and twentieth year, on Newyears day, neer unto Bedford, a very deep water, which ran betwixt the Towns o… Swelstone and Harleswood, stood suddenly still, and divided it selfe, so that by the sp…ce of three miles the bottome remained dry; which wonder, many thought to signifie the division of the people, and falling away from the king, which happened shortly after. In the three and thirtieth year of his Reign, besides a great Blazing Starre, there happened a strange sight, a monstrous Cock came out of the Sea, and in the presence of a multitude of people at Portland, made a hideous crowing three times, each time turning about clapping his wings, and beckning toward… the North, the South, and the West; as also many prodigious births. In his six and thirtieth year, in a little Town in Bedfordshire, it rained bloud, wherof the red drops appeared in sheets hung out to dry.
Of his Wife and issue.
HE married Margaret Daughter of Rayner Duke of Anjou, and Ti…ular king of Ierusalem, Sicilie, and Arragon; by whom he had small Portion, and little strength of Alliance; yet might have been a good match, if they could have changed conditions with one another, that he might have had her active and stirring spirit, and she his softly and milde disposition; She was his wife six and twenty years, and after her husbands depulsion from the Regall Throne, his Forces being vanquished at the Battell of Tewkesberry, in a poore Religious house, where she had fled for safety of her life, was taken prisoner and carried captive to London, where shee remained in durance, till Duke Rayner her Father purchased her liberty, unto whom she returned, and lastly dyed in her native Country. By her, king Henry had issue only one Son named Edw…rd, who when the day was lost at T…wkesberry, sought to escape by flight, but being taken, was brought into the presence of king Edward; whose r…solute answers provoked king Edward so much, that he dashed him on the mouth with his Gantlet, and then Richard the Crouchback ran him into the heart with his Dagger; his body wa… buried amongst the poore persons there slain, in the Monasticall Church of the Black-Friers in Tewkesberry.
Of his Death and Buriall.
UPon King Edwards recovering the Crown, he was committed to the Tower; where the 21 of May, in the yeare 147…, he was murthered by the bloudy hand of …ichard Duke of Glocester: the day after he was brought to Pauls Church in an open Coffin bare-faced, where he bled; thence carried to the Black-Friers, where …e …lso bled; from thence in a Boat to Chersey Abbey, without Priest or Clerk, …orch or taper, saying or singing, and there buried; but afterwards at the appointment of King Edward, was removed to Windsor, and there interred, and a fair Monument made ov…r him.
Of his Personage and Conditions.
HEe was tall of statu…e, spare and slender of body, of a comely countenance, and all parts well proportioned. For endowments of his minde, he had virtues enough to make him a Saint, but not to make him a God, as kings are said to be gods; for of that commanding power there being two parts, Parcere subjectis & debellare …uperbos; he wanted the latter. He was not sensible of that which the world calls Honour, accounting the greatest honour to consist in humility; His greatest imperfection was, that he had in him too much of the Logge, and too little of the Storke; for he would not move, but as he was moved, and had rather be devoured, than he would devoure. He was not so stupid, not to know prosperity from adversity; but he was so devout, to thinke nothing adversitie, which was not a hinderance to Devotion: He was fitter for a Priest than a King, and for a sacrifice than a Priest; and he could not choose but dye a Martyr, who all his life had beene a Confessor. He had one immunity peculiar to himself, that no man could ever be revenged of him, seeing he never offered any man injury. By being innocent as a Dove, hee kept his Crown upon his head so long; but if he had been wise as a Serpent, he might have kept it on longer. But all this is not sufficient, if we expresse not in particular his severall virtues: So modest, that when in a Christmas, a shew of women was presented before him with their breasts layd out, he presently departed; saying, fie, fie for shame, forsooth you be to blame. So pittifull, that when he saw the quarter of a Traytor over Cripplegate, he caused it to be taken down; saying, I will not have any Christian so cruelly handled for my sake. So free from swearing, that he never used other oath, but forsooth, and verily: So patient, that to one who strooke him when he was taken prisoner; he onelyonly sayd, forsooth you wrong yourselfe more than me, to strike the Lords annointed: So devout, that on principall Holy-dayes he used to weare sackcloth next his skinne: Once for all, let his Confe…or be heard speak, who in ten years confession never found that he had done or sayd any thing, for which he might justly be injoyned Pennance. For which causes, King Henry the Seventh would have procured him to be Cannonized for a Saint, but that he was prevented by death… or perhaps because the charge would have been too great, the Canonization of a king being much more costly than of a private person.