Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum quadragesimum nonum.

IN the begynnynge of the monethe of Maii kynge Edward causede a parliamente to be kepede at Westemonastery, in whom he askede a subsidy after his olde consuetude, for his defense and of þe realme also. But the commune peple seide that thei were so oppressede with exaccions that thei myȝhte not sustene þat burdeyn eny longer. For thei seide that þei hade tru knowlege that þe kynge hade goode ynowe if the realme were governede truly; but thei seide also that the kynge scholde not habunde in rychesse so longe as the realme were governede by wickede officers, and that thei scholde prove. That probacion hade if the kynge hade nede to theire goodes thei scholde helpe hym with theire goodes with goode wille. After that, mony ylle thynges were publischede of diverse officers beynge nye to the kynge, and specially of the lorde Latymer his cham|breleyn for wikkede disposicion. Also an other woman, Alice Perers, of wikkede disposicion, was rehersede þer for her wicked disposicion, whom the kynge kepede into his con|cubyne by a grete space. Wherefore the commune peple desirede þese unhappy persons to be removede from the kynge, and noble men and discrete to be subrogate in theire places. A noble knyȝhte, wise, beautuous and discrete, was amonge the seide communes, Petur Lamare by name, by whom alle the commune peple were governede, whiche accusynge the seide persons was commaunded to prison perpetuall soone after at Notyngham by the seide Alice Perers, where he taryede by the space of ij. yere. Edwarde prince of Wales diede in the tyme of þe seide parliamente, at Westemonastery, in the kynges palice, whiche was beryede in Cristechurche at Cawnterbery with grete honour. Kynge Edwarde kepede grete solennite in the feste of Trinite after the dethe of his sonne: by the tyme of his lyfe the fortune and nobilite of that myȝhty prince were dredde by alle Cristen men, and pagans also. Men and tenauntes of the erle of Warwyke made a malicious insurrec|cion ageyne thabbotte and covente of Evisham and theire tenauntes, intendynge to have destroyede that monastery, be|tynge [folio 399a] somme of theire men, woundynge somme, and sleenge somme. That doen, thei wente to theire maners, sleenge theire

deere, brekynge up weres, and fischenge theire waters, utterly intendynge to have destroyed that monastery, but that the kynge schewede helpe to the monastery. Wherefore the kynge sende wrytynge to the seide erle of Warwyke that he scholde correcte those men trowblynge the pease, and so peas was reformede betwene bothe parties by laboure of theire frendes. And as hit is seide, the kynge wolde not be governede by the lordes assignede in that laste parliamente for that same bryge, but he toke ageyn to the governaile of the realme the duke of Lancastre his sonne, and so he contynuede to the dethe of the kynge. A parliament kepede the same yere at Westemonas|tery soone after þe Purificacion of oure Lady, suche a subsidy was grawntede to the kynge as folowethe. That is to say, that he scholde have of every lay person of either kynde exceedynge xiiij. yere in age iiij.d., poore peple excepte whiche lyvede by almes, and xij.d. of every person of the churche promotede, and of oþer persons not promotede iiij.d., the frers of iiij. ordres excepte. Maister Iohn Wyclef, doctor in divinite in the univer|site of Oxenforde, began to sustene openly in the seide univer|site erroneus conclusions contrary to the state of the universalle churche, and conclusions of heresy, and specially ageyne chanons, monkes, and religious men possessionate. Whiche drawede to hym in this tyme diverse felawes of the same secte dwellynge in Oxenforde, goynge barefote with longe gownes of russet, that thei myȝhte publische and fortifye theire errours ageyne men contrarious to theyme, prechynge openly the seide errours. Amonge whom thei seide that the sacramente in the awter after the sacrament or consecracion is not the verey body of Criste. Also he seide that temporalle lordes and men myȝhte take awey meritoriously the goodes men of the churche syn|nynge or trespassynge. Neverthelesse the pope with his cownsaile dampnede xxiij^ti conclusions as veyne, erroneus and fulle of heresy, and sende bulles directe to þe metropolitan [folio 399b] of Ynglonde and to the bischop of London, that thei scholde cause the seide maister John to be areste, and to examine hym of the seide conclusions. That inquisicion doen, and a decla|cion made, the archebischop of Cawnterbery commaundede and prohibited the seide maister John and his condisciples to use the seide conclusions, and so thei were stille as for a season. But soone after, by supportacion of lordes and oþer noble men, thei toke to þeim moore wicked oppinions, and hade grete continuacion in theire malice. Mony men of London rysenge that tyme intended to have brente the maner of the duke of Lancastre at Saveye with owte that Petyr Lamare were delyverede from prison. But the bischop of London thro his labore causede that þe place was not brente. The duke herynge that did aryse from meyte, and wente to the maner of Kyngeston, where Ricardus sonne of prince Edwarde was.

Wherefore the kynge causede the mayre and noble men of the cite to be deposede, and oþer men to be create in theire places. The duke of Lancastre did grete persecucion in this tyme to the bischop of Wynchestre, sayenge that he was fals to his fader when he was his chawnceller, wherefore he was con|dempnede ageyne ryȝhte to pay a grete summe of goode to the kynge, insomoche that his temporalites were occupiede by the kynge, and cowthe not have theyme restorede to hym in eny wise unto the dethe of the kynge. Ricardus sonne of prince Edward was made prince of Wales, to whom the kynge ȝafe the duchery of Cornewaile with Chestreschire, havynge this gifte oonly in name, and not in possession. The cardinall of Ynglonde was taken sodenly with a palisy after meyte, and loste his speche, dyenge in the feste of Mary Mag|dalen, with ynne iij. daies after that vexacion.