The chronicle of Iohn Hardyng. Containing an account of public transactions from the earliest period of English history to the beginning of the reign of King Edward the Fourth. Together with the continuation by Richard Grafton, to the thirty fourth year of King Henry the Eighth. The former part collated with two manuscripts of the author's own time; the last, with Grafton's duplicate edition. To which are added a biographical and literary preface, and an index, by Henry Ellis.

The. CC.xxiiii. Chapiter.

¶ Henry the sixte, kynge of England and of Fraunce, that fled into Scotland without cause, on Palmesondaye the thirty and nyne yere of his reigne, and of Christ a thousand foure hundred three score and one, began to reigne the yere of Christ a thousand foure hundred twenty and twoo.

HEnry his soōne, thē not. iii. quarters olde, [King Hēry y^e sixte.] That borne was at. s. Nicholas daie afore, At Windesore, so as y^e [all the.] realme thē would, Vnto the croune succede as he was bore, All [Of.] England hole, by might [of lordes] [and lorde.] thore; The duke of Gloucester then disired To haue the kepyng of the kyng enspired [aspired.]

¶ The bishop of Wynchester it withstode, With all the lordes there hole of his assent, Then would he [haue] been, as for y^e next of bloode, Leuetenaunt then of England and regent, The bishop aye withstode all his entent, That chaūceler was, by [y^e] fifth kyng Henry made, And so furth stode, and in thoffice bade,

¶ For cause he was so noyous with to dele, And office would he haue and gouernaunce, Wherfore thei made hym, for the common wele, Protectour of the realme by ordinaunce, [The duke of Gloucester protectour of Englād.] [To kepe the land, fro mischief and varyaunce:] [And defensoure to avoide all distaunce.]

The kyng of Fraunce, for sorowe then dyed [so died.] , The quene his wife also, as was notified.

¶ The lord Cromwell lost therof nothyng, For he had bothe theim [than.] in his gouernaunce, [Fol. CC.xix.] And home then came, when buryed was the kyng, Charles of Fraunce, with worthy [roiall.] ordenaunce, Quene Isabell also with purueaunce, Accordaunt well to their royall estate, With costage[s] greate, as was preordinate.

¶ The first daye of the moneth [of] Septembre He gan to reigne, then was a thousand yere, Foure hundred, as [als as.] I can remember, Twenty and twoo accompted then full clere, As I finde write in the chronicler; But not crouned for tendernes of age, Nor yet anoynte for dred of youthes outrage.

¶ The duke of Bedford stode so furth ay regent, [The duke of Bedford regēt of Fraūce.] The duke of Gloucester here was so protectour, The bishop of Wynchester, by perlyament, Was chaunceller and hiest gouernour Of the kyng his persone and his greate socour, His godfather and his fatheres eme, And supportour was moost of all this realme.

¶ The regēt then of Fraunce wed Anne his wife, The duke his suster of Burgoyn, good and faire, The duke of Brytain hir suster knowen rife, Had wed afore without any dispeire, [Whiche was lady of greate repeire;] Whiche dukes twoo were sworne and aliede With the regent to stand strongly fortified.