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.xxxix. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Edward, duke of Yorke and erle of Marche, toke on hym y^e roiall charge for the wele of the realme, the fourth daye of Marche, the yere of Christ a thousand foure hundred and sixty; folowed kyng Henry, that

refused tho the rule of the land, and gaue vp Berwike to the Scottes, and fled in to Scotlād, and gaue battaill to the North partie at Feribrig, on Palmesondaye, wher kyng Edward the Fourth preuailed, the yere of Christ a thousand foure hūdred sixty and one, whiche was then the twenty and nyne daye of Marche, foure dayes after our Lady Daye that tyme.

THe duke Edward, of March thē y^e. iiii. day, Of Yorke full young, therle [that erle.] of Marche was then, By counsaill of the lordes by South menne saye, Bothe spirituall and temporall [as mēne saie then,] [as a man.] Vpon hym toke estate royall, and began To reigne as kyng, and with hym reised the land With lordes fele [many.] by South I vnderstand.

¶ At [Towton feld] [Feribrig.] he faught on Palmesondaye, Wher then therle Henry of Northumberland, The lord Neuell, the lord Clifford that daye, The lord Dacres, were dedde I vnderstand; The kyng Henry then out of the land, To Berwike toune y^t stounte [stondyth.] in Scotland groūd, With certain lordes and with the quene y^t stound,

¶ And gaue the toune and castell to the Scottes, By whole assent of his simple counsaill, Whiche might well bee accompted then for sottes, As foules that were then of no gouernaill: In to Scotland with foule misgouernaill, The quene Margarete, and the dukes both twoo Of Excester and Somerset, fled also.

¶ The lord Roos and eke the lord Moleyns, And the chief iudge [iustice.] , that called [was Forscue,] [is Fortescewe.] And Tailboys also [als.] with other eiuill capitains, That after shall [hath.] full sore repent and rewe; If thei [also well,] [aswell.] as I nowe, Scotland knewe, Thei would not so haue hasted thitherward, From the presence and grace of kyng Edward.

¶ Kyng Edward thus had then the victorie, With his lordes and menne that were full [so.] trewe,

That halpe hym so, and were contributorie To wyn his right, whiche then the people knewe: To Yorke he went, and found it not vntrewe, To Duresme also [als.] and [to the] [so to.] Newcastell, That to hym were as trewe as any stele.

¶ At Yorke was hedded that time and decollate, Therle that then was of [Courtenay of.] Deuenshire, And at the Newcastell so destinate, Hedded then was therle of [als of.] Wiltshire; The kyng then sette the [that.] land at his desire, Saue castelles fewe w^t force [strength.] that [then were hold,] By North and West with rebell [rebells.] manyfold.

¶ And South he went for his disporte and plaie, At Leycestre helde he then his great counsayl, [Fol. CC.xxvii.] In the moneth that then was called Maye, And ordeyned there for good [the goode.] gouernayl Of al his realme, that enemies nought it assayle; Then in wynter Margarete that had bene quene, Fro Fraunce so came by shippe, as then was sene,

¶ Into Scotlande with. iiii. thousande Frēchmē Of soudyours, for whiche the kynge anone, With hoste royall to Durisme [Durham.] came he then, And sent therle of Warwike agayn his fooen, Therle of Kent also, with [good menne many one;] [men good woone.] They layde a siege to the castell of Bamburgh, And [to] the castell also [of Dunstanburgh.]

¶ Syr Raulfe Percy, and the duke of Somerset Delyuered theim to the kyng by poyntment; By whiche the kyng without [withoutyn.] any let, Gaue the kepyng of theim incontynent Vnto syr Raulfe Percy of good entent; And Aluewike castell was kepte [holdyn.] many a daye, To rescouse came and fet theim thens awaye.

¶ Whiche stode in stale not ferre from the castell, But. viii. thousande to whom the castelleyns Came anone out, as men were there to [doone.] tell,

With horse & harnes, & home rode through [be.] y^e playnes, Into Scotlande as good & wise chieftayns: I can well thynke it was a manly dede, To noye theyr foes and helpe theimselfes at nede.

¶ My lorde Vmfreuile whom that [some tyme.] I dyd serue, Sayd [to] me it was the best thyng might befall Any chiefteyne to greue his fo [foone.] and ouerterue, And kepe hymselfe harmelesse therwithall [therewith at all.] ; He that maye hurte his fo without [withoutyn.] fall, And passe away to his socoure harmelesse, He is a foole to [a]byde any distresse.

¶ But when that they wer gone so home agayn, And theyr frendes with theim from thens awaye, Two hundreth men of commons came full fayne, Out of Alnewike castell in symple araye, Our men bet theim [in] agayn there alwaye, Tyll [To.] they were glad to yelde theim & haue grace, The whiche they had without longer space.

The quenes power y^t she [so brought fro] [brought oute of.] Fraunce, Was so litle the wardeyns naught it dread, They hight the kyng for all hir ordinaunce, To kepe the lande for any helpe she had; How may she ought of great power be sped? Whē Charles doughter of Fraūce void of dower, Despoyled was of Fraunce, fayled all power. [Kyng Richardes wife sent home again into Fraunce [Omitted. edit. alt.] .]

¶ Quene Isabel that was kyng Rychardes wife, Deposed [Despoiled.] was by kyng Henry [of] Derby, Of her iwels [iewels.] , [as it is knowen full ryfe,] [and thrifte knowen rife.] And home was sent without [withoutyn.] remedye, What auayled hir kynne and progenye? Of nought els but great [of great.] vexacion, That Frenchemen made to theyr owne dampnacion.