A chronicle at large and meere history of the affayres of Englande and kinges of the same deduced from the Creation of the vvorlde, vnto the first habitation of thys islande: and so by contynuance vnto the first yere of the reigne of our most deere and souereigne Lady Queene Elizabeth: collected out of sundry aucthors, whose names are expressed in the next page of this leafe.

The aunsvvere of the Bishop.

HEre ensue the aunsweres to the accusations made by my Lorde of Win∣chester Chauncelour of England, vnto the causes and matters of heaui∣nesse, declared in articles agaynst him by my Lorde of Gloucester.

1 First, as of the refuse made vnto my Lorde of Gloucester, of openyng the tower to him, of his lodgyng therein, by the commaundement of my sayde Lorde of Wynchester, he aunswereth: that in the presence of my sayde Lorde of Gloucester, before his commyng out of his Countie of Henaulde, for causes such as were thought reasonable, it semeth lefull that the tower should haue bene notablie stored and kept with vitaile, howbeit, it was not foorthwith executed, and that in likewise after that my sayde Lorde of Glou∣cester was gone into his sayde Countie of Henawd for sedicious and odious billes and language, cast and vsed in the Citie of London, sounyng of insur∣rection and rebellion agaynst the kinges peace, and destruction aswell of di∣uerse estates of this land, as straungers beyng vnder the defence, in somuche that in doubt thereof, straungers in great number fled the land: and for the more sure kepyng of the sayd Tower, Richard Wooduile Esquier, so trusted with the king our souereigne Lorde that dead is (as well ye knowe) and al∣so Chamberlain and Counsailor vnto my Lorde of Bedford, with a certeine number of defensible persons assigne vnto him, was made deputie there, by the assent of the kinges counsayle, beyng that tyme at London, for to abyde therein for safegarde thereof, and straitly charged by the sayde counsayle, that duryng that tyme of his sayde charge, he should not suffer any man to be in the Tower stronger then him selfe, without especiall charge or commaun∣dement of the king by the aduice of his counsaile.

2 Item, that after, sone vpon the commyng of my sayd Lord of Gloucester into this lande from his Countrie of Henawld, the sayde Lords of the kings counsaile were informed, that my sayde Lorde of Gloucester, grudged with the sayd maner of enforcyng the Tower, and let say to them of London, that he had well vnderstand, that they had beene heauily threatned for the tyme of hys absence, and otherwise then they should haue bene if he had bene in thys land, Wherefore he was right euill contented, and especiall of the sayde for∣syng of the Tower, set vpon them in maner of a chast vilaine. Consideryng the good equitie and truth that they had alwayes kept vnto the king, offring them thervpon remedie if they would.

3 Item that after this, Richard Scot Lieutenant of the Tower, by the commaundement of my sayd Lorde of Gloucester, brought vnto him Frier Randolffe, the which had long before confessed treason, done by him agaynst

the kings person that dead is, for the which knowledge he was put to be kept in the sayde Tower, and straightly commaunded vnder great paine geuen vnto the sayd Scot, to kepe him straightly and surely, and not to let him out of the sayd Tower without commaundement of the king, by the aduice of his counsaile. The which sayd Frier Randolfe, my sayde Lorde of Gloucester kept then with himselfe (not wittyng to the sayd Scot) as he declared vnto my sayd Lord of Winchester. Sone after that he had brought the sayd Frier Randolfe vnto my Lord of Gloucester, saiyng vnto my Lord of Winchester, that he was vndone but he helped hym, and expressed as for cause of the sayd withholdyng of Frier Randolfe: And saiyng moreouer, that when he desi∣red of my sayd Lorde of Gloucester, the deliueraunce of the sayd Frier Ran∣dolfe, to leade him againe vnto the Tower, or sufficient warrant for his dis∣charge, my sayd Lord of Gloucester aunswered him, that his commaunde∣ment was sufficient warrāt and discharge for him. In the which thing aboue sayde, it was thought to my Lord of Winchester that my sayd Lord of Glou∣cester, tooke vpon him further then his Aucthoritie stretched vnto, and cau∣sed him to doubt and dread, least that he would haue proceeded further. And at such time as the said Woodeuile came vnto him to aske his aduice and coū∣saile, of lodgyng of my sayde Lorde of Gloucester in the tower: he aduised and charge him, that before he suffered my sayd Lorde of Gloucester or any person lodge therein stronger then himselfe, he should puruey him a sufficient warrant thereof, of the king by the aduise of his counsaile.

4 Item, as to the sayd article of the aforesayd causes of heauinesse, my said Lord the Chauncelor aunswereth, that he neuer purposed to set hand on the kinges person, nor to remoue him, or that he should be remoued, or put in a∣ny maner of gouernaunce, but by the aduice of the kinges counsaile. For he could not conceiue any maner of goodnesse or of aduauntage that might haue growen vnto him thereof: But rather great perill and charge, and hereof my sayd Lord of Winchester is redy to make profe in time & place cōuenient.

5 Item, as to the third article of the foresayd causes and heuinesse, my said Lorde Chauncelor aunswereth, that he was oft and dyuers times warned, by dyuers credible persons, aswell at the tyme of the kinges last Parliament, holden at Westminster, as before and sithe, that my sayd Lord of Gloucester, purposed him bodily harme, and was warned thereof, and counsayled by the sayd persons, and that diuerse times to abstaine him from commyng to West∣minster, as my sayde Lorde of Winchester declared vnto my sayde Lorde of Gloucester.

6 Item, that in the tyme of the sayd Parliament, diuerse persons of lowe estate of the Citie of London in great number, assembled on a day vpon the Wharffe, at the Crane of the Vintrie, and wished and desyred that they had there the person of my Lorde of Winchester, saiyng: that they would haue throwen him into the Thamise, to haue taught him to swim with winges. Whereof billes and language of slaunder, and threatnynges were cast and spoken in the sayde Citie, by my sayde Lorde the Chauncelor, which caused him to suppose, that they that so sayd and did, willed and desyred his destruc∣tion, although they had no cause.

7 Item, that after the commyng to London of Sir Raufe Bottiller, and maister Lewes, sent fro my Lord of Bedford, to the rest of the Lordes of the

counsaile, they beyng informed that my sayd Lorde of Gloucester did beare displeasure to my sayd Lord of Winchester: They came to my sayd Lorde of Gloucester to his Inne, the second Sonday next before Alhallowen day, and there opened vnto him, that they had knowledge and vnderstandyng of the sayde displeasure, praiyng him to let them knowe if he bare suche displea∣sure agaynst my sayd Lorde of Winchester, and also the causes therof. At the whiche time (as my sayd Lorde of Winchester was afterward informed) that my sayde Lord of Gloucester affirmed that he was heauie toward him, and not withouten causes that peraduenture he would put in writyng.

8 Item, that after the Monday next before Alhallowen day last past in the night, the people of the sayd Citie of London, by the commaundement of my sayde Lorde of Gloucester, as it was saide: For what cause my Lorde the Chauncelor wist not, assembled in the Citie, armed and arrayed, and so con∣tinued all that night. Amongest diuers of the which (the same night by what excitation, my sayde Lorde the Chauncelor wist not) sedicious and heauie language was vsed, and in especiall against the person of my sayde Lorde the Chauncelor. And so the same Monday at night, my sayd Lord of Gloucester, sent vnto the Innes of Court at London, charging them of the Court dwel∣lyng in the same, to be with him vpon the Morow, at eyght of the Clocke in their best array.

9 Item, that on the morowe, beyng Tewesday next folowyng earely my sayd Lorde of Gloucester, sent vnto the Maior and Aldermen of the sayd Ci∣tie of Londō, to ordein him vnto the number of thre .C. persons on horsback, to accompanie him to such place as he disposed him to ride, which (as it was sayd) was vnto the king, to the entent to haue his person, and to remoue him from the place that he was in, without assent or aduise of the kinges counsail, the which thing was thought vnto my sayde Lorde the Chauncelor, that he ought no wise to haue done, nor had not bene seene so before.

10 Item, that my sayde Lorde the Chauncelor, consideryng the thinges abouesayde, and doubtyng therefore of perilles that might haue ensued ther∣of, intendyng to purney the reagaynst, and namely for his awne suretie and defence, accordyng to the lawe of nature, ordeyned to let that no force of peo∣ple should come on the Bridge of London toward him, by the which he or his might haue bene indaungered or noyed, not intendyng in any wise bodilye harme vnto my sayd Lord of Gloucester, nor to any other person, but onely his awne defence in eschewyng the perill abouesayde.

11 Item, as toward the fourth and fift of the sayde articles, my Lorde the Chauncelor aunswereth, that he was euer true, to all those that were his so∣uereigne Lordes, and reigned vpon him, and that he neuer purposed treason or vntruth agaynst any of their persons, and in especiall agaynst the person of our sayd souereigne Lorde King Henry the fift. The which consideryng the great wisedome, truth and manhoode, that all men knewe in him, he would not for the tyme that he was king, haue set on my sayd Lord the Chauncelor so great trust as he did, if he had found, or thought in him such vntruth. The which thing my sayde Lorde the Chauncelor offered to declare and shewe, as it belongeth to a man of his estate to do, requiryng therevpon my Lord of Bedford, and all the Lordes spirituall and temporall in this Parliament, that it might be seene, that there were Iudges conuenient in this case, that they

would do him right, or else that he might haue leaue of the king by their ad∣uise, to go sue his right, before him that ought to be his iudge.

12 And as towarde the letter sent by my Lord of Winchester, vnto my lord of Bedford, of the which the tenor is before rehersed, of the which my lorde of Gloucester complained him of the malicious and vntrue purpose of my said lorde of Winchester, as towarde the assembling of the people, and gatheryng of a field in the kings land, in troublyng therof, and agaynst the kings peace: My sayde lorde of Winchester aunswereth, that if his sayde letters duly vn∣derstand, and in such wise as he vnderstood and meant in the writyng of them it may not reasonably be gathered and taken, that my sayde lorde of Winche∣ster, entended to gather any field or assemble people, in troubling of the kings land, and agaynst the kinges peace, but rather he purposed to acquite him to the king in his truth, and to kepe the rest and peace in the kinges land, and to eschew rebellion, disobedience and all trouble: For by that that in the begyn∣nyng of the sayd letter, he calleth my sayde Lorde of Bedford, his leuest lord, after one, that is the king, whome he ought to accept of dutie of his truth, the which he hath euer kept and will keepe.

13 Moreouer in the sayde letter, he desireth the commyng home of my lord of Bedford, for the welfare of the king, and of his realmes of England and of Fraunce, the which stande principally in his keepyng of rest and peace, and prayeth my sayd Lorde of Bedford to speede his commyng into England, in eschewyng of ieopardie of the lande, and of a fielde the which he dread him, might haue folowed if he had long taryed: As toward those wordes, and ye tary we shall put this land in aduenture with a field, such a brother ye haue here. &c. My sayde Lorde of Winchester sayeth, the sooth is: before or he wrote the sayd letter, by occasion of certeine ordinaunces, made by the Maior and Aldermen of London, against the excessiue takyng of Masons, Carpen∣ters, Tilers, Plasterers, and other laborers, for their daily iourneyes, and approued by the Kynges aduise and his counsaile, there were cast many he∣uinesses and sedicious billes, vnder the names of such labourers, threatning risyng with many thousandes, and manassyng of estates of the lande, and likewise sedicious and euill language sowen, and so continued and likely to haue ensued of purpose and intent of disobedience and rebellion▪ To the re∣dressyng of the which, it seemed to my lorde the Chauncelor, that my sayd lord of Gloucester, did not his endeuor nor diligence that he might haue shewed, for lacke of which diligence, they that were disposed to do disobeysance, were incouraged and inboldened. So that it was like that they should haue made a gatheryng, and that the King and his true subiectes, should haue bene com∣pelled to haue made a field, to haue withstand them, the which field makyng had bene aduenturyng of this lande: And in tokenyng that it was neuer my sayde lorde Chauncelors intent to gather no field, but as truth most stirred him agaynst such as riotously would make suche assemble agaynst our soue∣reigne Lorde, and the weale of this land. He desired so hastely, the commyng of my sayde lorde of Bedford, the which he would in no wise haue so greatly desired, if he would haue purposed him vnto any vnlawful makyng of a field, for he wist well that my sayde lorde of Bedford would most sharpely haue chastised and punished, all those that so woulde any riotous assemble make. When this aunswere was made, the Duke caused this writyng folowyng,

openly to be proclaymed.

14 Be it knowen to all folkes, that it is the intent of my lorde of Bedford, and all the lordes spirituall and temporall, assembled in this present Parlia∣ment, to acquite him and them, and to procede truly, iustly, and indifferently, without any parcialitie, in any maner of matters or quarelles, moued or to be moued, betwene my lorde of Gloucester, on that one partie, and my lorde of Winchester, Chauncelor of England on that other partie. And for sure kepyng of the kinges peace, it is accorded by my sayd lorde of Bedford, and by my sayde lordes spirituall and temporall, an othe to be made, in forme as foloweth, that is to say.

Notes

• The answere of the By∣shop of Win∣chester vnto the former articles.
• Frier Ran∣dolph.
• An order ta∣ken that an othe should be ministred.