The tenour of the said sixt letter lacking a direction. (continued 2)

The earle of Kent conspireth to deliuer his brother.

But as he thus continued in prison, closelie kept, so that none of his fréends might haue accesse vnto him, as in such cases it often happeneth, when men be in miserie, some will euer pitie their state, there were diuerse of the nobilitie (of whome the earle of Kent was chéefe) began to deuise means by secret conference had togither, how they might restore him to libertie, discommending greatlie both quéene Isabell, and such other as were appointed gouernours to the yoong king, for his fathers streict imprisonment. The quéene and other the gouernours vnderstanding this conspiracie of the earle of Kent, and of his brother, durst not yet in that new and gréene world go about to punish it, but rather thought good to take awaie from them the occasion of accomplishing their purpose. And herevpon the quéene and the bishop of Hereford wrote sharpe letters vnto his kéepers, blaming them greatlie, for that they dealt so gentlie with him, and kept him no streictlier, but suffered him to haue such libertie, that he aduertised some of his fréends abroad how and in what manner he was vsed, and withall the bishop of Hereford vnder a sophisticall forme of words signified to them by his letters, that they should dispatch him out of the waie, the tenor whereof wrapped in obscuritie ran thus:

Which riddle or doubtfull kind of spéech, as it might be taken in two contrarie senses, onelie by placing the point in orthographic called Cōma, they construed in the worse sense, putting the Comma after Timere, and so presuming of this commandement as they tooke it from the bishop, they lodged the miserable prisoner in a chamber ouer a foule filthie dungeon, full of dead carrion, trusting so to make an end of him, with the abhominable stinch thereof: but he bearing it out stronglie, as a man of a tough nature, continued still in life, so as it séemed he was verie like to escape that danger, as he had by purging either vp or downe auoided the force of such poison as had béene ministred to him sundrie times before, of purpose so to rid him.

Tho. Wals.

Thom. de la More.

K. Edward the second murthered.

Wherevpon when they sawe that such practises would not serue their turne, they came suddenlie one night into the chamber where he laie in bed fast asléepe, and with heauie featherbeds or a table (as some write) being cast vpon him, they kept him down and withall put into his fundament an horne, and through the same they thrust vp into his bodie an hot spit, or (as other haue) through the pipe of a trumpet a plumbers instrument of iron made verie hot, the which passing vp into his intrailes, and being rolled to and fro, burnt the same, but so as no appearance of any wound or hurt outwardlie might be once perceiued. His crie did mooue manie within the castell and towne of Berkley to compassion, plainelie hearing him vtter a wailefull noise, as the tormentors were about to murther him, so that diuerse being awakened therewith (as they themselues confessed) praied heartilie to God to receiue his soule, when they vnderstood by his crie what the matter ment.

The fond opinion of the ignorant people.

The nature & disposition of king Edward the second.

The quéene, the bishop, and others, that their tyrannie might be hid, outlawed and banished the lord Matreuers, and Thomas Gourney, who flieng vnto Marcels, thrée yeares after being knowne, taken, and brought toward England was beheaded on the sea, least he should accuse the chiefe dooers, as the bishop and other. Iohn Matreuers, repenting himselfe, laie long hidden in Germanie, and in the end died penitentlie. Thus was king Edward murthered, in the yeare 1327, on the 22 of September. The fame went that by this Edward the second, after his death manie miracles were wrought. So that the like opinion of him was conceiued as before had béene of earle Thomas of Lancaster, namelie amongst the common people. He was knowne to be of a good and courteous nature, though not of most pregnant wit.

And albeit in his youth he fell into certeine light crimes, and after by the companie and counsell of euill men, was induced vnto more heinous vices, yet was it thought that he purged the same by repentance, and patientlie suffered manie reproofes, and finallie death it selfe (as before ye haue heard) after a most cruell maner. He had suerlie good cause to repent his former trade of liuing, for by his vndiscréet and wanton misgouernance, there were headed and put to death during his reigne (by iudgement of law) to the number of 28 barons and knights, ouer and beside such as were slaine in Scotland by his infortunate conduct.

All these mischéefes and manie more happened not onlie to him, but also to the whole state of the realme, in that he wanted iudgement and prudent discretion to make choise of sage and discréet councillors, receiuing those into his fauour, that abused the same to their priuate gaine and aduantage, not respecting the aduancement of the common-wealth, so they themselues might atteine to riches and honour, for which they onelie sought, in somuch that by their couetous rapine, spoile, and immoderate ambition, the hearts of the common people & nobilitie were quite estranged from the dutifull loue and obedience which they ought to haue shewed to their souereigne, going about by force to wrest him to follow their wils, and to séeke the destruction of them whome he commonlie fauoured, wherein suerlie they were worthie of blame, and to tast (as manie of them did) the deserued punishment for their disobedient and disloiall demeanors. For it was not the waie which they tooke to helpe the disfigured state of the common-wealth, but rather the readie meane to ouerthrow all, as if Gods goodnesse had not béene the greater it must néeds haue come to passe, as to those that shall well consider the pitifull tragedie of this kings time it may well appeare.

His issue.

Oriall & S. Maries hall in Oxford.

But to procéed with that which remaineth touching this infortunate prince. He had issue by his wife quéene Isabell two sonnes, Edward which was made king whilest he was yet aliue, and Iohn which died yoong: also two daughters, Elianor which died before she came to yeares able for mariage; and Ione which was after giuen in marriage vnto Dauid king of Scotland. He was indifferentlie tall of stature, strong of bodie, and healthfull, neither wanted there in him stoutnesse of stomach, if his euill councellors had béene remooued, that he might haue shewed it in honorable exploits, which being kept backe by them, he could not doo. So that thereby it appeareth of what importance it is to be trained vp in youth with good and honest companie. ¶ It is said that he was learned, insomuch that there remaine verses, which (as some haue written) he made whilest he was in prison. Certeine it is he fauoured lerning, as by the erection of Oriall colledge in Oxford, & S. Maries hall, which were of his foundation, it may well be gathered.

Ex centuria 4 Bale.

Sée in Scotland.

Learned men we find recorded by Bale, to liue in this kings time these as follow. Iohn Duns that subtill logician, borne (as Leland hath gathered) in a village in Northumberland called Emildune, thrée miles distant from Alnwike, although other hold the contrarie, the Scots claiming him for their countrieman, and the Irishmen for theirs; Robert Walsingham a Carmelite frier that writ diuerse treatises, Iohn Wilton an Augustine frier, Walter Winterborne, Rafe Locksley, Nicholas Stanford, William Whitley, Thomas Ioice, Walter Ioice, William Gainesburgh, Robert Baston borne not farre from Notingham a Carmelite frier of Scarburgh, the same whome king Edward tooke with him into Scotland to write some remembrances of his victories, although being taken by the Scots, he was constreined by Robert Bruce to frame a dittie to a contrarie tune; Iohn Horminger a Suffolke man borne, William Rishanger a moonke of S. Albons an historiographer, Rafe Baldocke bishop of London wrote also an historie, which was intituled Historia Anglica; Richard Bliton a Lincolnshire man borne a Carmelite frier, Iohn Walsingham borne either in Walsingham or Brunham (as Bale supposeth) a Carmelite frier also, and wrote diuerse treatises; Thomas Chabham a canon of Salisburie and a doctor of diuinitie, Robert Plimpton borne in Deuonshire a regular canon, Thomas Castleford a moonke of Pomfret, William Mansfield, Iohn Canon, Robert Grime, William Askettle of Beuerley, Geffrey of Cornewall, Iohn Gatisdene, Theobald Anglicus, Stephan Eiton or Edon, Iohn Goldstone borne in Yorkeshire; Iohn Winchelsey, Nicholas de Lyra a Iew by birth of those that had their habitations in England, who wrote verie manie treatises, to his great commendation for his singular knowledge and zeale, which he shewed in disprouing the Rabines that still sought to kéepe the Iewish nation in blindnesse and vaine hope, in looking for another Messias; Rafe Acton an excellent diuine, Iohn Dumbleton a logician, Thomas Langford borne in Maldon in Essex a logician, Osbert Pickenam a Carmelite frier of Lin in Norfolke, Nicholas Okeham a graie frier, William Ockam a frier minor that wrote diuerse treatises, and namelie against Iohn Duns, and likewise against Iohn the thrée and twentith pope of that name in fauour of the emperour Lewes of Bauier, Richard Walingford, Thomas Haselwood a canon of Léeds in Kent wrote a chronicle called Chronicon compendiarium, Robert Karew, Robert Perscrutator borne in Yorkeshire a blacke frier and a philosopher or rather a magician, Richard Belgraue a Carmelite, Brinkley a minorite; and others.

Thus far infortunat Edward the second

EDWARD