A Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Time of the Roman Government, Royal biography 7 · Part 13
Of Men of Note in his time.
MArtiall men were never more plentifull then in this Kings Raigne: whet…r it were that the Starres have an influence to produce such men at one time more then another: or whether it were that Regis ad exempl…, the Kings example made his subjects like himselfe: or lastly, that his continuall exercise of Armes put them as it were into a mould of fortitude. The first of this kinde, is worthily Edward the Blacke Prince, and so worthily the first, that Longe erit … primo quisque secundus erit. Next him is Henry Earle of Lancaster, the Princes right hand, in all his great at…evements: then William the valiant Earle of Salisbury, then Iohn Eure, Ancestor to … Lord Eures that now liveth; then follow the Lord Iohn Chandos, Sir Iames Aude…, Sir Walter de Manny, Sir Robert Knolls, then Sir Iohn Hawkewood born in Essex; who …ough not much honoured at home, having been a Taylour, yet in forrain parts, and …ecially in Italy so famous, that his Statue was erected in publike, for a Monument … testifie his valour to posterity. And here must not be forgotten, Robert Venile …night, a Norfolke man; who when the Scots and English were ready to give battell, … certaine stout Champion of great stature, commonly called Tournboll, comming … of the Scots Army, and challenging any English man to meete him in a single combate; this Robert Venile accepteth the challenge, and marching towards the Champion, and meeting by the way a certaine blacke Mastiffe Dogge which wai…ed on the Champion, he suddenly with his sword cut him off at the loynes, and afterwards did more to the Champion himselfe, cutting his head from off his shoulders. And as there was this great plenty of Martiall men, so there was no lesse plenty of learned men; Iohn Baconthorpe borne in Norfolke, a Carmelite Frier, who wrote divers excellent Treatises in Divinity; Nicholas Trivet born also in Norfolk: a black Frier, who wrote two Histories, and a book of Annals: Richard Stradley, born in the Marches of Wales, a Monk and a Divine, who wrote divers excellent Treatises of the Scriptures: William Herbert a Welshman, and a Frier Minor, who wrote many good Treatises in Divinity: Tho. Walleis a Dominican Frier, and a writer of many excellent books: Iohn Eversden a Monk of Bury in Suffolk, an Historiographer: Walter Burley a Doctor of Divinity, brought up in Martin Colledge in Oxford, who wrote divers excellent Treatises in Naturall and Morall Philosophy, which remaine in estimation to this day; and who for the great fame of his learning, had the honour to be one of the Instructours of Edward the blacke Prince: Roger of Chester, a Monke of that City, and an Historiographer: Iohn Burgh a Monke, who wrote a History, and also divers Homilies: Richard Aungervill Bishop of Durham, and Lord Chancellour of England, borne in Suffolke: Walter Heminford, an Historiographer: Richard Chichester a Monke of Westminster, who wrote an excellent Chronicle from the yeare 449. to the yeare 1348. Richard Rolle, alias Hampole, who writ many excellent Treatises in Divinity: Robert Holcot a blacke Frier, borne in Northampton, a learned Schooleman, and wrote many bookes in Arguments of Divinity: Thomas Bradwardin, borne neare Chichester in Sussex, Arch-bishop of Canterbury, and who wrote against the Pelagians, and for his depth of learning, had the Title of Doctor Profundu…: Richard Fits Ralph, Arch-bishop of Armagh in Ireland, a learned writer: William Grysant, named Anglicus, a notable Physitian, whose son came to be Pope, and was called Urbane the fifth: Iohn Killingworth an excellent Philosopher, Astronomer, and Physitian: Ranulph Higden a Monke of Chester, an Historiographer: Bartholomew Glanvile, descended of those Glanviles that were sometimes Earles of Suffolke: Simon Islip Arch-bishop of Canterbury, and Founder of Canterbury Colledge in Oxford, who wrote many Treatises: Matthew Westmonasteriensis, who wrote the booke called Flores Historiarum: William Fleete an Hermit, who wrote sundry Treatises, exhorting England to repentance: Henry Knighton, who wrote a History Intituled De gestis Anglorum: and lastly two other, worthy perhaps to have beene placed first; Iohn Mandevill the great Travellour, a Doctor of Physicke, and a knight, who died at Liege, in the yeare 1372. and Sir Geoffrey Chawcer, the Homer of our Nation; and who found as sweete a Muse in the Groves of Woodstocke, as the Antients did upon the banks of Helicon.