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1    In þe xxi ȝere of Richard, in þat same parlement þe kyng procured
2ful sotilly þat, be þe consent of all þe statis of þe parlement,
3þat þe power of certeyn peticiones, whech were porrect in þe
4parlement, mite be determined be certeyn persones vii or viii
5aftir þe parlement was do. This graunted, þe kyng put in his
6stile 'Prince of Chestir', and þan mad he certeyn dukes: þe erl of
7Derby, duke of Herforth; Erl Marchale, duke of Norfolk; Erl
8Rutland, duke of Albemarle; erl of Kent, duke of Suthrey;
9erl of Huntingdon, duke of Excetir; þe cuntesse of Norfolk,
10duchesse of þe same; þe erl of Somirsete, markeis of Northfolk;
11þe Lord Spencer, erl of Gloucetir; þe Lord Neuile, erl of Westmorlond;
12Ser William Scrop, erl of Wiltschere; Ser Thomas
13Percy, erl of Wicestir; and to þese lordes gaue he mech of þe
14liflod of þe duke of Gloucetir, erl of Warwik, and erl of Arundel.
15He purchased eke bullis of þe pope, whech confermed al þat was

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16do in þe parlement, and grete censuris were þere ageyn all þat
17schuld breke hem.
18    In þis ȝere þe kyng exiled þe duke of Norfolk, and set grete
19peynes þat no man schuld pray for him. And þis was do þat same
20day tweluemonth in whech first day þe duke of Gloucetir was
21suffocat at Caleys.
22    In þis ȝere þe kyng translate Jon, bischop of Lincoln, onto þe
23cherch of Chestir, and þe cherch of Lincoln gaue he to Herry
24Beuforth, on of þe childirn of þe duke of Lancastir and Katerine
25Swynforth. Jon, þat was bischop of Lincoln, wold not admitte
26þis translacion, but went to Cauntirbyry, to Crist Cherch, and
27þere deied amongis þe munkis.
28    In þis tyme cam a messanger fro þe pope, Petrus de Bosco,
29Bischop Aquitense, for to pray þe king þat he schuld suffir his
30ligemen to haue prouisiones of þe popes hand, and to distroye þat
31writ Quare impedit . But because þe patrones wold not consent
32þerto, þerfor þe king honoured him with grete giftis, and sent him
33hom ageyn.
34    In þis tyme was founde a gret summe of mony at Rome in a
35rotin wal, whech was þe tresoure of Heleyn, Constantyn modir,
36for in þe serkil was writin hir name, and euery pes þerof was worth
37XXs. With þis mony þe pope ded renewe þe Capitol and þe
38Castell Aungel.
39    In þe xxii ȝere, in þe fest of circumcision, a depe watir in
40Bedforthschire,
41þat rennyth betwix Snelleston and Harleswode,
42sodeynly stood stille, and departed him into oþir place, and þe
43ryuer þat was wete before stood drye iii myle o length, þat men
44myte go ouyr. This merueyle betokned, men seide, gret dyuysion
45þat schuld falle in þe puple.
46    In þat tyme Roger Mortimer, erl of March, was deceyued
47be þe Erischmen and slayn. Whan þe kyng knew it, he purposed

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48for to venge his deth and make a jornay into Yrlond, upon whech
49he purueyed mech þing of his ligis, and payed rite not, so þat ny
50all men hated him.
51    In þis tyme deied Jon, duke of Lancastir, and was byried at
52Seyn Paules, in London. Aftir his deth þe kyng, þat had exiled
53Herry, his son, for x ȝere, now he exiled him for euyr, forbedyng
54all his receyuoures þat þei schul gader no mony to profite of her
55lord, notwithstanding he had graunted hem patentis befor, þat
56þei schuld gader a certeyn summe for her lordis redempcion, þat
57he mite with his good purchace þe kyngis grace.
58    In þis same tyme þe kyng borowid more good of dyuers men,
59and bond him be patent letteris to pay hem at certeyn dayes, whech
60he neuyr payed. Than sent he to all þe schreues þat þei schuld make
61þe puple to swere newly ageyn þat þei schuld be trewe to þe kyng.
62And þo men þat were counted rich were bore on hande þat þei had
63consented to þe tretoures þat were ded, and so were þei compelled
64to pay grete summes. Euery persone, of what degre he was, if
65þei were accused þat þei had seid ony word in derogacion of
66þe kyng, þere was no mercy but payment or prison. And þis
67mad þe puple to hate þe kyng, and caused gret murmour in the
68puple.
69    Aboute þe fest of Pentcost þe kyng went into Yrland, with his
70Chestirreres, and with þe Dukes Awlmarre and Excetir, þe eyeres
71eke of Gloucetir and Herforth, certeyn bischoppis, and þe abbot
72of Westminster, þat he myte make a parlement whan he wold.
73    In þis tyme, whil he was in Yrlond, þe duke of Lancastir,
74Herry, beryng heuyly his exile and eke priuacioun of his heritage,
75and considering who euel-beloued þe kyng was of his lychmen,
76þinking þat now was tyme for to entir, cam into þe se with Thomas,
77bischop of Cauntyrbury, and þe son and eyer of þe erl of Herforth,
78whech had with him at þat tyme but xv speres. Thus Herry kept

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79him in þe se, appering now in o cost, now in a othir, lokyng euyr if
80ony resistens schuld be mad to lette him of his londing.
81    Whan Ser Edmund, duke of Ȝork, herd þese tydyngis þat
82Duke Herri was in þe se, because he was þe kyngis vncil, and eke
83keper of þe rem in þe kyngis absens, he cleped onto him Ser
84Edmund Stafford, bischop of Chestir, and chaunceler at þat tyme,
85and þe tresorer, William Scrop, erl of Wiltschere, and þese knytes
86of þe kyngis councel, Jon Bussy, William Bagot, Thomas Grene,
87and Jon Russel. They þus gadered he asked councell what was best
88to do in þis mater, and what resistens mite be had ageyn Duke
89Herry. They seyde it was best to go to Seynt Albonis, and gader þe
90cuntre, and with þat strength mete with þe duke. But her councel
91was nowt, for, whan þe puple was gadered, þei seide þei knew nowt
92of Duke Herry but as of a good lord and a trewe, and a man whech
93had suffered mech wrong, wherfor þei wold not let him to come
94and receyue his dew heritage. Than þe tresorer and þese iiii
95knytes lefte þe duke of Ȝork, and fled to þe castell of Bristow.
96    And þe duke of Lancastir londid at Rauenesporne, fast be
97Grymisby, in þe translacion of Seynt Martyn, no man makyng
98resistens. To him cam anon Herry, erl of Northhumbirlond, and
99Herry Percy, his son, and Raf Neuyle, erl of Westmorland, and so
100many mo þat within fewe dayes þe noumbir of fytyng men cam
101onto lx þousand. Than was her comon councel at þe first to
102destroye Kyng Richardis euel councel. So cam þei to Bristow,
103and took alle þat were þere, and smet of her hedis, saue William
104Bagot, for, er þei cam, he was fled to Chestir and so sailed into
105Erland.
106    Whan Kyng Richard herd in Erlond of þe coming of Herry,
107anon he took þe se with þe dukes of Awmarle, Excetir, and Sotherey,
108and Bischoppis London, Lincoln, and Carlil, þat he schuld mete

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109þe duke with strong hand or he had gadered ony power. Whan he
110was com to Ynglond, and herd telle what power Duke Herry had
111with him, and vndirstood who many heuy hertis he had in þe
112puple, he left all his puple and soute pryuy places, where he myte
113best dwelle, for þe duke of Lancastir euyr folowid him. At þe
114last he was founde in þe castell of Conweye, and þere desired he to
115speke with Thomas Arundel, bischop of Cauntirbiri, and þe erl of
116Northumbirland. To hem seid he þat he wold resigne his regaly,
117and all þat longe þerto, saue þe carectis of his soule, so þat his lif
118schuld be graunted him, and sufficient liflod to him and viii
119persones. Thei graunted his peticioun, and broute him forth to þe
120castel of Flynt, where þe duk and he had but a smal talkyng, and
121þan rydyn to þe castell of Chestir.
122    In þe xx day of August, þe xlvii fro þe tyme þat þe duke entered
123into Ynglond, þe kyng ȝald him to þe duke, and all his tresore, his
124ornamentis, and his hors cam to þe dukes hand. The lordis and all
125þe host þat cam with þe king were robbid be northen men and
126Walschmen withoute mercy. Fro þat place was þe king led to
127London to þe Tour.
128    And in þis tyme were sent writtis þorowoute þe lond þat þe
129parlement schuld be at London at Myhilmesse, to whech parlement
130all men were cited whech of custome schuld be þere, and þese
131writtis were sent vndir þe name of Kyng Richard. Whan þis tyme
132was come, euene on Mihelmesse Day, þe kyng in þe Tour, with
133good wil, as it semed, and mery chere, red þe act of his cessacion
134before þese lordis and oþir men present: arsbischop of Cauntirbury,
135Thomas Arundel; þe oþir, of Ȝork, Richard Scrop; Jon, bischop
136of Herforth; Herry, duke of Lancastir; Herry, erl of Northumbirland;
137Raf, erl of Westmorland; Hew, Lord Burnel; Thomas,
138Lord Berkle; abbot of Westminster; priour of Cauntirbyry;
139Lordis Ros, Wilbey, and Bergeueny; William Þirnyng, and Jon

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140Markam, justises; Thomas Stoke, and Jon Burbage, Doctoures
141of Canon; Thomas Erpyngham, and Thomas Grey, knites;
142William Ferby, and Dyonise Lopham, notaries - before all þese
143red he his resignacion and assoyled all his ligemen fro þe treuth
144and þe oth whech þei had mad to him. And þis renunciacion
145was openly red in Westminster Halle, and euery state singulerly
146inqwyred who þei likid þis, and þei saide all þei consented þertoo.
147    Anno 6597-6610; 1399-1412. In þe ȝere of oure Lord 1399, in
148þe fest of Seyn Jerom, aftir þis renunciacion, þe kyngis sete þo
149voyde, þe forseid Herry, duke of Lancastir, ros in þe parlement and
150stood up þat men myte se him, blessed him with þe merk of þe
151crosse, and saide swech wordes: -
152
153    In Dei nomine, Amen. I, Herry Lancastir, chalenge þe
154corown with al þe membris þat long þerto as for descense of
155þe real blod of Kyng Herry, be whech rite God hath graunted
156me for to entir with help of my kynred.
157
158    And whan all þe states of þe parlement had consented to his
159chaleng, þe arschbischop of Cauntirbiry took him be þe rite hand,
160and sette him in þe kyngis se. Than was it proclamed þat a new
161parlement schuld begynne þe next Munday aftir, and on Seint
162Edward day folowing schuld þe king be corowned, and þis was
163fulfillid in dede.
164    This Herry had þat tyme sex childyrn be Dam Mary, doutir to
165þe erl of Herforth: þe eldest son hite Herry; þe secunde, Thomas;
166þe þirde, Jon; þe fourte, Humfrey; to douteris had he eke - on of
167hem was weddid into Denemarc.
168    Thus was he crowned on Seynt Edward day and anoynted with
169þat holy oyle þat was take to Seynt Thomas of Cauntirbury be
170oure Lady, and he left it in Frauns. This oyle was closed in a egel of
171gold and þat egil put in a crowet of ston, and be reuelacion Herry,
172þe first duke of Lancastir fond it, and brout it hom to Ynglond,

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173and gaue it to þe Prince Edward, to þis effect, þat aftir his faderes
174deces he schuld be anoynted with þe same. And aftir þe princes
175deth it was left in þe kyngis tresory, and neuyr man tok kep þerto
176til, a litil before þat þe king exiled þe Bischop Thomas, þis relik was
177found, and certeyn writing þeron, as Thomas of Cauntirbury left
178it. Than was Kyng Richard glad, and desired of þe bischop to be
179anoynted new, but he wold not. But for al þat þe kyng bare it with
180him into Yrland, and whan he was take in his coming ageyn, he
181dylyuered it to Tomas Arundel, and soo was Herry crowned
182with þe same.
183    In þis parlement þe kyng, with consent of alle þe hous, mad his
184son Herri prince of Walis and duke of Cornwaile, and eke erl of
185Chestir, and aftir þat duke of Gian.
186    In þat parlement þe kyng gaue to þe erl of Northumbirlond þe
187Yle of Man, with þis addicion, þat he schuld bere before þe kyng
188þe same swerd with whech he cam into Inglond. He gaue eke to
189þe erl of Westmorland þe erldam of Richmund. And ageyn hem
190þat appeled and accused þe duke of Gloucetir þis sentens was
191pronounsed: -
192
193    The lordis of þis present parlement decerne and deme þat þe
194Duke Awmarle, and duke of Suthrey, and eke of Excetir,
195schul lese her names, her honour, and her dignite, and þe
196markeis of Dorcete and þe erle of Gloucetir schul lese þe same
197for hem and her eyeris. And all þe castell and maneris, whech
198were þe dukes of Gloucetir, þei schul lese withoute ony grace,
199and all þe godes þat þei had sith þat tyme þat he was arested
200þei schuld forgo. Tho þat þei had befor þat tyme þei schuld
201haue stille, but þei schuld gyue no lyueries, as oþir lordis
202doo. And if euyr it may be knowe þat þei make ony gadering
203in coumfort of Richard, sumtyme kyng, þei to be punchid as
204tretoures.
205

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206    In þe secund ȝere of þis kyng þe erlis of Kent, Salesbury, and
207Huntingdon, onkende onto þe kyng, risin ageyn him - vnkynde
208were þei, for þe puple wold haue hem ded, and þe king spared hem.
209These men, þus gadered, purposed to falle on þe kyng sodeynly at
210Wyndesore vndir þe colour of mummeres in Cristmasse tyme. The
211kyng was warned of þis, and fled to London. These men knew
212not þat, but cam to Wyndesore with iiii hundred armed men,
213purposing to kille þe king and his progenie, and restore Richard
214ageyn onto þe crowne. Whan þei cam to Windesore, and þus were
215deceyued, þei fled to a town where þe qween lay, fast by Radyngis,
216and þere before þe qwenes houshold he blessed him, þis erl of
217Kent. 'O benedicite', he seide,
218
219    who may þis bee, þat Herry of Lancastir fled fro my presens,
220he þat is so worþi man of armes? Therfor, frendis, know
221þis, þat Herry of Lancastir hath take þe Tour at London,
222and oure very kyng, Richard, hath brokyn prison, and hath
223gadered a hundred þousand fytyng men.
224
225    So gladed he þe qween with lyes, and rod forth to Walyngforth,
226and fro Walingforth to Abyngdon, warnyng all men be þe weye
227þat þei schuld make hem redy to help Kyng Richard. Thus cam he
228to Cicetir late at euen. The men of þe town had suspecion to hem,
229þat her tydyngis were lyes (as it was in dede), risen, and kept þe
230entres of þe innes, þat non of hem mite passe. There faute þei in
231þe town fro midnyte onto ix of clok in þe morow. But þe town
232drow hem oute of the abbey and smet of many of her hedis. The
233erl of Salesbury was ded þere, and worthi, for he was a gret
234fauorer of Lollardis, a despiser of sacramentis, for he wold not be
235confessed whan he schuld deie.
236    The erl of Huntingdon herd of þis, and fled into Esex, and
237as often as he assaied to take þe se, so often was he bore of
238with þe wynde. Than was he take be þe comones, and led to

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239Chelmisforth, and þan to Plasche, and his hed smet of in þe same
240place where he arestid þe duke of Gloucetir. In þe same tyme
241Ser Thomas Spencer, whech was cleped erle of Gloucetir, was
242take and heded at Bristow, and many oþir were so ded be þe
243comownes.
244    This cam to Kyng Richardis ere in þe castel of Poumfreit, and
245as sum men sey, he peyned himself and deyed for hungir. Summe
246othir seide þat he was kept fro mete and drink whil a knyte rode to
247London and cam ageyn. His body aftir his deth was caried to
248London, and at Seynt Paules had his dyrige and his masse, þe
249kyng þere present. Than was þe body sent fro London onto
250Langle, for to be beried among þe Frere Prechoures. At þe
251byriyng was þe bischop of Chestir, þe abbot of Seynt Albones, and
252þe abbot of Waltham, and fewe othir.
253    In þat same ȝere þe schippis of Lenne, whech fischid at Aberden,
254took certeyn schippis of Scotlond, with her amyrel, Ser Robert
255Logon, knyte, and broute hem home to Lenne.
256    In þis ȝere began þe rebellion of Walis ageyn þe kyng, vndir
257a capteyn cleped Howeyn Glendor, whech Howeyn was first a
258prentise of cort, and þan a swyere in þe kingis hous, but for a discord
259þat fel betwix him and Ser Reynald Grey Riffyn for certeyn
260lond, first he faut with þe tenauntis of þe same lord, and because
261þe kyng pursewid him for brekyng of þe pes, he fled into Walis,
262and whan þe kyng folowid him þidir, he fled into te hillis of
263Snowdon, and þe kyngis labour was frustrate.
264    In þis same ȝere cam þe emperour of Constantinople into
265Inglond for to haue sum socour ageyn þe Turkis. The Kyng
266Herry met him on þe Blakeheth on Seint Thomas day þe apostil,
267and led him to London, and þere had he good hostel at þe kyngis
268cost, and aftir went he ageyn with large giftis.

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269    6612; 1414. In þe ȝere folowand he held a parlement at London,
270in whech parlement he asked no subsidy of no man, and þat was
271grete plesauns to þe puple; for þere was no parlement many day
272but sum subsidie was graunted.
273    In þis same ȝere a grete part of Norwich was brent, and a fayre
274couent of þe Prechoures ordir.
275    Eke in þis ȝere Thomas, duke of Clarens, cam hom fro Gian,
276and þe king held a solempne terment for his fader at Cauntirbury.
277    In a councell at London þis ȝere was ordeyned þat þe festes of
278Seynt George and Seynt Dunstan schuld be dobbil festes.

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279    Alexaundir, bischop of Norwich, deied þis ȝere, and aftir him
280was Maistir Richard Courtnei bischop, a ful able man to þat
281degre.
282    In þis same tyme þe Lollardis, þat condempned þe teching of
283þe prophetis, þe gospel, and þe aposteles, set up billis on þe
284cherch-dores, in whech billes was conteyned þat a hundred
285þousand were redy for to rise and distroye all hem þat wold not
286consent to her secte and her opiniones. Thei trosted mech on þe
287witte and on þe power of a certeyn knyte þei cleped Ser Jon
288Oldcastell. He was cleped Cobbam, for he had weddid a woman ny
289of þat lordis kyn. A strong man in bataile he was, but a grete
290heretik, and a gret enmye to þe Cherch. For his cause þe archbischop
291gadered a councel at London, for he sent oute prestis for
292to preche whech were not admitted be non ordinarie, and he was
293present at her sermones, and alle þei þat seide ageyn his prestis
294was he redy to smite with his swerd.
295    For þese causes and many mo, because he was a knyte of þe
296kyngis houshold, þe arcbischop compleyned of him to þe kyng.
297Aftir mech labour to his amendement, þe kyng wrot to þe archbischop
298þat he schuld somoun him to appere and answere. The
299knyte lay þat tyme in his castell, cleped Coulyng. The messager
300þat was sent was warned þat he schuld not entir his castell but
301if he had leue. Than entered onto þe castell on Jon Butler, þat
302was vscher of þe kyngis chambir, and he asked þe knite wheþir
303þe somnour schuld come to him or he schuld sende him þe
304lettir. The knyte refused both.
305    Than was þe somownes set on þe monasteri dores in Rouchestir,

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306but iii mile fro him. And at a day assined þe archbischop in þe
307castell of Ledis cursed him for contumacie and grete fautour of
308heretikes. Aftir þis, on a Satirday, aftyr þe fest of Seint Matheu
309apostil and euangelist, þe archbischop sat in Paules chapeterhous,
310And with him Herry of Wynchestir and Richard of London
311bischoppis, and Ser Robert Morle at comaundment of þe kyng
312(þan keper of þe Towre) broute þis knyte Oldcastell onto þe
313presens of þese bischoppis.
314    There þe bischop rehersed þat for contumacie he stood acursed,
315and if he wold mekely submitte him to þe Cherch he wold asoile
316him. Oldcastel stood and wold not aske it, but took oute of his
317bosom a bille endented, and whan he had red it, took it to þe
318bischoppis. Than seid þe archbischop.
319
320    Lo, Ser Jon, here be many good þingis in ȝoure bille,
321but ȝe must answere to oþir þingis þat be put on ȝou, touching
322þe sacrament of þe auter, and þe power of þe Cherch,
323and mech oþir þing.
324
325    He seide to þis þat he wold gyue no oþir answere þan was writin
326in his bille. Than þe archbischop took him certeyn articules in
327a bille, to whech he assigned him þat he schuld answere on þe
328Moneday folowand.
329    And whan þe day was come, þe archbischop inqwired of him
330if he wold be assoiled aftir þe forme of þe Cherch. He seid 'Nay';
331he loked aftir no absolucion but of God. And of þe sacrament of
332þe auter he seid þus: -
333
334    Euene as Crist, whil he went here, was God and man - þe
335manhod mite men se, but not þe godhed - so in þis sacrament
336is Cristis bodi and bred - þe bred may men se, but not
337Cristis body.
338
339    He seid more, þat 'þe determinacion of þe Cherch and þe doctoures,
340þat sei þe reuers, ar pleynly ageyn Holy Scripture'.

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341For þe sacrament of penauns he seide þat what man þat is in
342greuous synne and coude not rise fro his synne, 'it is ful necessarie
343þat he haue a wise preest to telle him þe maner of his amendment,
344but þat a man schuld be schriue to his propir prest, or to a othir
345preest, it is no nede, for contricion withoute confessioun purgith
346al synne'. For worchipyng of þe crosse he seide þat body þat hing
347on þe crosse schuld be worchipid, and noþing but he. And whan
348þei asked him what worchip he wold do to þe ymage on þe crosse,
349he seide he wold wipe it, and kepe it clene. Than þei asked him
350what he seid of þe pope. He seid 'þe pope is Antecrist; bischoppis
351be his membris, and freris be his tayl.'
352    The archbishop sey no oþir amendment in þis man, condempned
353him for a heretik, and left him to seculer hand. And
354þan went he to þe kyng, and told him al þe processe, praying þe
355kyng to graunt him lif xl dayes, þat he mite do penauns. But þis
356indulgens turned onto gret mischef, for within þoo xl dayes he
357brak oute of þe Tour, and sent letteris onto his secte. For al þat
358tyme, for his euasion about Myhilmesse onto þe ephiphanie, he
359mad him strong to distroye þe kyng and many oþir. And þei þat
360were gadered to go with him, if þei mad question to what entent
361þei schuld rise, þis answere had þei: 'It skil ȝou not, so ȝe haue
362good wagis and treuly payed'.
363    The king kept Cristmasse at Eltham, and Cobbam, with
364his retenew, had þoute to fulfille his entent. The kyng was warned
365of þis mater be certeyn men þat had consciens and were of councel
366with Cobbam, and sodeynly þe kyng remeued onto Westminster.
367The Lolardis were warned þat þei schuld gader in Seint Gilis
368Feld, for þere schuld come to hem oute of London l þousand, as
369was behite hem. But þe king was war of al þis, and comaunded
370London gates to be sperd and kept. He sent owte eke men of
371armes be dyuers weyes, whech apposed hem þat cam rennyng in
372hast whedir þei schuld, and þei seide to Cobham. Thus were
373take and slayn þousandis. The kyng was in þe feld sone aftir
374mydnyte. This aspied Cobbam; he fled, and many with him.

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375Many of his were take, and hang and drawe and brent. On was
376þere of Dunstable, a special scoler of þis secte, þei cleped him
377William Morle. Oldcastell had behote him þat he schuld be a
378knyte; and, in proue of þat beheste, þei fond with him too stedis,
379and gilt sporis in his bosum.
380    In þis ȝere þe kyng foundid thre houses of religion fast be his
381place, whech þei clepe Schene: on, of þe monkis of Charterhous;
382anothir, cleped Celestines: thei kepe Seint Benet reule ad litteram ,
383as þei sey - thei are constreyned for to be recluses for euyr. The
384þird is of Seynt Bride ordir: þei haue Seynt Austyn reule, with
385certeyn additamentis, and þei clepe it now 'the reule of oure
386Sauiour'. Thei haue noþing, propir peny ne halfpeny, ne touche
387no mony. The noumbir of hem is sistiris lx, prestis xiii, dekenes
388iiii, lewed men viii; whech acordith to þe noumbir of xiii aposteles
389and lxxii discipules. Thei were no lynand, but wolland. Thei
390haue o cherch, þe women aboue, þe men be þe ground. Aftir
391her profession no man may license hem but þe pope. This religion
392must haue sufficient dotacion. Before þe fest of Al Seintis þei
393must counte þat þei haue sufficiently for þe nest ȝere, and al þe
394remanent þei schul gyue in elmesse. On of þe xiii prestis schal
395þei chese to her confessour, and to him schal þei alle obeye.
396No seculer man ne woman schal entyr þe nunnes cloystir.
397    6613; 1415. In þe þird ȝere of þis kyng were chosen worchipful
398men to go to þe councell at Constauns: þese bischoppis, Salesburi,
399Herforth, and Bathe, þe abbot of Westminster, and þe priour
400of Wircetir, with othir clerkis; with hem eke went þe erle of
401Warwik. Ther were gadered þe collegis of Gregori and Petir de
402Luna. Gregori resined his rite up condicion Petir schuld do þe
403same. He was in Aragony. Jon, þat was at Rome mad, was loth
404to resine, but be þe emperour he was induct þat he schuld do it.
405Mech joye was mad, euery man supposing þat þis mater schuld
406haue good ende. But þis Jon be nyte fled with þe duke of Ostrich

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407into a cite of his, and sent letteris to þe emperour þat he fled for
408no oþir cause but for þe eyer at Constance was not heilsom to
409him. And whan he was sent for, to com to þe councel, he disgised
410him, and fled with þe duke. That sey þe emperour, and rood into
411Ostrich, and took þe duke and him eke. Jon was broute to þe
412councell in þe same aray þei toke him in, schort cloþis, lich a
413malandryn. There was he robbed of mech good whech he had
414gadered. This was noysed in Ynglond, and a gret summe of
415mony, whech was gadered for him in a hucch at Poules, was
416take oute and spent in bettir vse.
417    In þis tyme, aftir many tretis betwix þis lond and Frauns,
418and noþing þat þei profered was acording to reson, þe kyng mad
419redy his schippis at Southampton to spede him to his conquest.
420And þere were thre notabill men þat had conspired his deth.
421On was Herry Scrop, on whom þe kyng trostid moost, and be
422whos councell al þing was doo. Sobir was þe man in word and
423chere, and vndir þat ypocrisie had he a ful venemous hert. He
424had a felawe consentyng onto him, Richard, erl of Cambrig,
425and Thomas Grey, a knyte of þe north. But er þei broute aboute
426her conclusion þei were detecte, condempned be her peres,
427and ded.
428    In þis tyme þe Lolardis risin ageyn. Wenyng verily þat eithir
429þe kyng was ded or sailed ouyr þe se, thei coumforted hem ech
430to oþir, and seide, 'Now is þe prince of prestis goo, and oure vttir
431enmy'. Her leder, whech had hid him longe tyme fast by Maluerne,
432ros fro his den, and sent letteris to þe Lord Bergeueni þat he
433wold be wrechid first upon him. And he, as a wise man, sent
434aftir his frendis and his tenauntis and mad a host of a sex þousand
435men. That aspied Oldcastell and fled - no man coude cacch him.
436Ther took he a preest of þe secte and oþir seruauntis of his, whom
437þe Lord Bergeueni streytid so þat þei told wher Oldcastell was
438hid. Þere founde þei his armour and his mony. Thei fond þere

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439a baner, costfully depeynted with a host and a chalis. They fond
440eke baneres depeynted with Crist ful of woundis, þe spere and
441þe nayles. Al þese þingis were mad for to make simpil folk to
442suppose þat he was a trew zelator of þe feith.
443    The kyng with his nauy took þe se, and londid at Kidkaus,
444with a þousand schippis and fyue hundred. He entered þe lond
445on a Wednesday, whech was þe vigil of assumpcioun of oure Lady,
446and on þe Satirday aftir he leyde sege to þe town of Hareflw,
447he be lond, þe schippis be þe watir. And þis sege lested til þe
448Sunday befor Myhilmesse. In þe Tewisday befor þat Sunday þe
449lordes þat were keperes of þe town sent oute a man onto þe duke
450of Clarense, praying him enterly þat þei myte trete with þe kyng,
451and þat he schuld make gunneres to sese, for it was to hem
452intollerabil. The names of hem were þese: þe Lord Gaucort,
453þe Lord Stuteuyle, þe Lord Boteuyle, and þe Lord Clere. The
454duke of Clarens spak for hem to þe kyng, and þe kyng sent to
455hem þe erle of Dorset and Ser Thomas Erpingham to knowe her
456desire. Thei prayed þe kyng mekely þat he schuld ses of his schot
457onto Sunday, and if þe kyng of Frauns cam not be þat tyme, þei
458schuld delyuer him þe town. Thei profered him eke þat, if he
459wold gyue hem leue and saue-conduct to ride to þe king of Frauns,
460þei schuld ley plegges xxii knytes with þe best of þe town. So
461þe Lord Hakevile and xii persones had leue to ride þorw þe host.
462And on þe Wednesday, erly, cam oute of þe town þe lordes, xxii
463knytes, swieres, and burgeys of þe town. And ageyn hem þe
464kyng sent a solempne procession of prelatis and prestis and þe
465sacrament, and aftir folowand lordis, knytes, and þe puple. Whan
466þei had mad a solempne oth, þei went to mete into þe kyngis
467tent, but þei sey not þe kyng. Aftir mete þei were comaunded for
468to go with certeyn lordes þat schuld kepe hem. On þe Sunday

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469com þe messageres ageyn withoute ony help of kyng or of daufyn.
470Therfor þei þat were in þe town submitted hem onto þe kyng, and
471þei þat were with þe kyng, sent be þe Frensch kyng to keping of þe
472town, remayned as prisoneres. The kyng mad capteyn of þe
473town his vncle, Ser Thomas, erle of Dorset.
474    In þis sege many men deied of cold in nytes, and frute etyng,
475eke of stynk of careynes. He deied þere, Maistir Richard Courtney,
476bischop of Norwich, in whos place þe monkes chosen Jon Wakeryng.
477Ther deyed eke Mychael at þe Pool. The duke of Clarense,
478þe erle of March, þe Erle Arundel, and þe Erle Marchale took
479gret seknes þere.
480    The kyng, aftir þis conquest, purposed to go to Caleys, with
481footmen for þe most part; for al his hoost was not acoundid passing
482viii þousand, so many were left seek at Harflew. Merueile it was
483þat he, with so fewe, durst go þorw all þe þik wodis in þat cuntre.
484For þe Frensch parti in al þis tyme had mad an hoost of a hundred
485þousand and fourty þousand. Vitailes were kept fro hem, þat
486xviii dayes þei had walnotes for bred, and flech had þei sum, but
487her drynk was watir.
488    So in þe xxiiii day of Octobir þe hostis met not a myle asundir.
489The kyng coumforted gretly his men þat þei schuld trost in God,
490for her cause was rithful. The Frensch part stod on þe hill, and
491we in þe vale. Betwix hem was a lond new heried, where was
492euel fotyng. Schort for to sey, þe feld fel onto þe kyng, and þe
493French party lost it, for al her noumbyr and her pride. Ther were
494ded þe duke of Lanson, þe duke of Braban, þe duke of Bauer,
495v erles, þe constable eke of Frauns, and a hundred lordes, knites
496and swieris iiii þousand sexti and ix - þe comon puple was not
497noumbered. These were take: þe duke of Aurelianense, þe

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498duke of Burbon, þe erles of Ew, and Vendone, Arthure, þe dukis
499broþir of Bretayn, whech cleymeth to be erle of Richemund, and
500a knyte þei cleped Brucegald, marchale of Frauns, and oþir were
501take þere of cote-armour into a vii hundred. On oure side were
502ded Edward, duke of Ȝork, þe erle of Suthfolk, iiii knytes, a swiere,
503Dauy Gamme, of þe comones xxviii.
504    In þe tyme of þe bataile þe brigauntis of þe Frensch side took
505þe kyngis cariage and led it awey, in whech þei fonde þe kyngis
506crowne; þei mad þe bellis to rynge and men for to synge Te
507Deum laudamus , telling verily þat þe kyng was ded. But within
508fewe houres aftir, her joye was chaunged.
509    The king rood to Caleis and ouyr þe se to Douer, and in þe
510xxiii day of Nouembir cam to London, and þere was receyued in
511þe best maner.
512    6614; 1416. In his iiii ȝere was a gret batail betwix þe erl of
513Dorcet and þe erle of Armenak, in whech batayle þere perchid
514many on both sides; for þis Armenak fell upon hem sodeynly.
515and þei were not auised. In þe tyme of þe bataile al her cariage
516was stole be þe Frenschmen; so mote þei nedis go hom on fote.
517Thei laboured al þe Þursday, and on Friday, in þe morownyng,
518þei sey þe Frenschmen on þe hillis comyng downward. Than
519sent to þe erl of Dorcet þis message þe Erl Armenak: 'Now art
520þou so streytid þat þe se is on þin o side and we on þe oþir.
521Therfor, be my councell, ȝeld þe, for ellis schalt þou deye'. The
522erl of Dorcet sent þis answere ageyn: 'It was neuyr þe maner of
523Englischmen to ȝelde hem whan þei myte fite'. So faute þei,
524and þouȝ þe Englisch host had no mo men but xv hundred, ȝet

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525had þei þe bettir of xv þousand, God and good prayeris hem
526helpyng.
527    In þis tyme was it defendid þat galey-halfpenies schuld not be
528used, for iii of hem were ful scarsly worth a peny.
529    In þis ȝere, in þe seuene day of May, cam þe Emperor Sigemund
530to London, and was loggid in þe kyngis paleys at Westminster -
531the kyng lay at Lambhithe. The emperour offered a ymage of
532Seynt George at Wyndesore, mad of þure gold. There, on Seynt
533Georges day, was he mad broþir of knites of þe garter, and þere
534receyued þe kingis lyueri, whech he wered on solempne daies al
535his lyue.
536    At þe fest of Ascencion cam þe duke of Holland, with gret
537aray of schippis and vitaile, to speke with þe emperour and þe
538kyng. His doutir was weddid to þe ȝonger son of þe kyng of
539Frauns, whech was now eyer aftir þe daufyn was ded.
540    In þe xviii kalend of Julii were þe moost horribil þunderes and
541litynnyngis þat euyr ony man herd.
542    Al þis somyr men supposed þat þe emperour schuld a sette
543pes betwix Inglond and Frauns, but þe Frensch kyng and his
544councell was euyr founde dobil; for, whil þis trety was in hand, þe
545Frenschmen had gadered a gret nauy, with karikis and galeyes,
546for to take Harflew. And for þat cause þe kyng sent his broþir,
547Jon, duke of Bedford, with certeyn men of Ser Herry Percy,
548whech Herry þe kyng had boute oute of prison fro Scotlond,
549and with þis help þei took and distroyed þe most part of þat
550nauy.
551    Sone aftir þat þe emperour went oute of Ynglond, and in his

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552goyng he mad his seruauntis for to þrowe billis be þe wey, in
553whech was writyn swech sentens: -
554
555    Farewel, with glorious victory,
556Blessid Inglond ful of melody.
557Thou may be cleped of angel nature,
558Thou seruist God so with bysy cure.
559We leue with þe þis praising,
560Whech we schul euir sey and sing.
561
562    Many conuenciones were mad betwix þe emperour and þe kyng,
563and al her succession dyuyded in xii articles, whech were ageyn
564þe ordinauns of oure book, for we þink þat it myte be cleped rather
565Abbreuiacion of Cronicles þan a book. The kyng, þat men schuld
566knowe wel þat he was redy to haue pes with þe kyng of Frauns,
567saylid ouyr þe se with þe emperour to Caleys. There aspied þe
568emperour þat þe proferes on þe French side were but fraude and
569sotilte; þerfor he left hem as þei were.
570    Than mad þe kyng a vnyte betwix þe duke of Burgayn and
571þe emperour. The cause of her debate was þis. The duke of
572Borgayn, long before þe same tyme, his fadir Philip lyuand, was
573take prisoner be þe Turkes, and þe emperour boute him ageyn
574for a grete summe, whech summe he swore treuly to pay to þe
575emperour, whech was þan but kyng of Hungari. In þis mater þe
576kyng mad þe duke to take dayes and be bound, and forthwith
577þe duke ded homage to þe emperour. The emperour fro Caleys
578went to Dordraute, and with him went þe duke of Gloucetir and
579oþir, where þei took leue of þe emperour and cam hom ageyn.
580    In þis tyme on Benedict Wolleman, a citeceyn of London, a
581gret Lollard, whech had set up billes of grete erroure, was takyn,
582hanged, and drawe on Myhilmasse Day.
583    Aftir þat, in þe parlement, whech was hold at London, on

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584Seint Luce day, Thomas Beuforth, erle of Dorcete, was mad duke
585of Exetir.
586    This ȝere deied þe kyng of Aragoyne, whech was a gret letter
587of þe vnion of Holy Cherch, meyntenyng þe antepope, Petir de
588Luna. And notwithstanding þe emperour in his owne persone
589exhorted him to þis vnite, and he hite þe emperour þat he schuld
590withdrawe his obediens fro þat same Petir, al availed not, for he
591deied sone aftir, and his sone meynteyned þe same erroure.
592Eke þat same Petir, obdurat in malice, charged all his cardinales
593þat aftir his deth thei schuld chese a newe pope of her owne
594college.
595    In þe same ȝere iii beggeres stole iii childyr at Lenne, and of on
596þei put oute his eyne, þe oþir þei broke his bak, and þe þirde þei
597cut of his handis and his feet, þat men schul of pite gyue hem
598good. Long aftir, þe fadir of on of hem, whech was a marchaund,
599cam to London, and þe child knew him, and cryed loude, 'This
600is my fader'. The fadir tok his child fro þe beggeres, and mad hem
601to be arested. The childirn told all þe processe, and þe beggeris
602were hangen, ful wel worthy.