Robert Fabyan: 'The Concordaunce of Hystoryes'

Published post mortem in 1516 as 'The new chronicles of England and of France'

(volume 2, pages 512 to 520, the years 1482 to 1485)
Based on 2nd Edition 1559

We are indebted to Jon Staahle from Denmark,
who wrote us in Spring 2001 offering this transcription

Facsimile of the original book

Photo copyright © 2000 by Royce Mills & Jerry Titus

The alphabet used in the original book

Two coloumn version of the transcription
following the page layout of the original print

[512]

(first 4 lines on the page cut out)

Anno domini.M.cccc.lxxxi.

Anno domini.M.cccc.lxxxii.

		Robert Cate.
William Hariot Draper		William Wiking.		Anno.xxi.
		Richarde Chawry

Hys yeere in the moneth of Febryarye or ende of Ianuary, died William Wiking one of the sheryffes, for whom was immedyately chosen Richard Chawry. And in the moneth of Iuly nexte folowinge, the kinge rode on huntinge into the forest of Waltham, where he commaunded the Maior wyth a certaine of his brethen to come and for to geue attendaunce upon him with certaine comoners of the cytie. Where when thei were comen, the kynge caused the game to be brought before theim, so that thei sawe course after course, and many a dere both red and falowe to be slaine befor theim. And after that goodly disporte was passed, the king commaunded his officers to bringe the Maior and his company unto a pleasaunt lodge, made all of greene bowes, and garnished with tables and other thinges necessary, where thei were let at diner, and serued with deyntye disshes, and of dyuerse wines good plentie, as white, red and claret, and caused theim to be let unto diner, or that he were serued of his owne, and ouer that caused the Lorde chaumberlaine with other lordes unto him assigned, for to chere the saide Maior and his companie sondrie times, while they were at dyner, and at their departinge gaue unto them of venison great plentie. And in the moneth of August folowing, the king of his great bountie sent unto the Mayresse and her sisters Aldermennes wiues, two hartes and five buckes, with a tun of wine to drinke with the said venison. The whiche venyson and wine was had unto the Drapers hall, unto the which place at a day assigned, the Mayor desired al the Aldermen and their wiues, with sondry comoners, and ther the venison with many other good dishes were eaten, and the said wine merely dronken. The cause of the which bountye thus shewed by the king, was as most men did take it for that that the Maior was a marchaunte of wonderouse aduentures into many and sondry countreis By the reason whereof, the king had yerely of him notable summes of monie for his customes, beside other pleasurs that he had shewed unto the king before times.

Anno domini.M.cccc.lxxxii.

Anno domini.M.cccc.lxxxiii.

Goldsmith.		William White.
Edmund Shaa				Anno.xxii.
		Ihon Mathewe.

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His yere, that is to meane of ye maior and beginninge of the .xxiii. yere of ye king, at Westminster uppon the .xi. day of April died the noble prince Edward the .iiii. late king of Englande. Whose corps was after conueied with due solempnity unto Windsor, and there honorablye buryed, when he had reygned to recken his beginninge out of the land with all other time, ful .xxii. yeres, and as muche as from the fowerth day of Marche, unto the nineth daie of Aprill, leauing after hym twoo soonnes, that is to meane, Prince Edward hist eldest sonne, and Richard duke of Yorke and three daughters, as Elizabeth, that after was quene, Cicile and Katherine. Edwarde the .v. Dwarde the v. of the name and sonne unto Edwarde the .iiii. began his reygne ouer the realm of Englande the .xi. day of Aprill, in the beginning of the yere of our Lord God M.cccc.lxxxiii. & the .xxiiii. yere of ye .xi. Lewes than king of Fraunce. Anon as the king Edward the .iiii. was dead, grudge and unkindnes began to take place betwene the kinges and the quenes allye, for the Lord Marques of Dorset brother unto the quene, and other of his affinitie, hadde then the rule and kepinge of the yonge kynge which at that time of his fathers death, was of the age of a .xi. yere or ther about, and so being in his guiding in the Marche of Wales, conueied him toward London, and there to make prouysion for hys coronacion, and for other necessary thinges for his weale. But the duke of Glouceter brother unto Edward the .iiii. entending otherwise, as after shall appere, with a competent nomber of gentylmen of the North al clad in blacke, met with the kinge at Stoningstretforde, and there after dissimuled countenaunce made betwene him and the forsaid Marquis, discharged him of the rule, of the kinge and tooke upon him the rule, and so from thence beyng accompanied with the Duke of Buckyngham, brought the king with all honour toward London. Whereof hearing quene Elizabeth mother unto the king, fearinge the sequele of thys businesse, { w[e]at or w[r]at } or toke saintwary within Westminster with her yonger sonne Rycharde the duke of Yorke. And the king drawing nere unto the citie, upon the .iiii. day of Maye, was of the maior and his citizeins met at Harnesey parke, the maior and his brethren beyng clothed in scarlet, and the citezins in violet to the nomber of .v.C. horses, and than from thence conueyed unto the citie, the kinge beynge in blewe veluet, and all his lordes and seruauntes in blacke cloth, and so after conueyed unto the byshoppes palayes of London, and there lodged, and shortly after the sayde duke of Gloucester inuegeld so the archbysshoppe of Caunterburye named Bouchyer, that he wente with hym to

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him to the quene Elysabeth, and there made suche assured promyse to the said quene, that she uppon ye said archbishops promise deliuered unto them her yongest sonne duke of Yorke. And than the saide duke caused the kyng to be remoued up to the towre, and his brother with him. But the quene for all faire promyses to her made, kept her and her doughter within the foresaide saintwarye, and the duke lodged him selfe in Crosbies place in Bishops gate strete. Than prouisyon was made for the kinges coronacion. In which pastime, the duke being admitted for lord protectour, caused sir Antony Wideuile called lord Scalis and brother unto the quene a vertuous knight, with the lorde Rychard ye quenes sonne, sir Richard Hawt, and sir Thomas Uaghan knightes, to be beheded at Pomfreit, more of will than iustyce. Than the lorde protectour in furthering of his purpose and end intent, sent for the more party of the nobles of the lande, and behaued him so couertly in al his matters, that fewe understode his wicked purpose. And so dayly keping and holdinge the lordes in counsaile, and felinge their mindes, sodainly upon the .xiii. day of Iuny being within the towre in the counsaile chamber with diuers lordes with him, as the duke of Bukingham, the erle of Derby, the Lorde Hastinges then lorde Chamberlain, with diuers other, an outcrye by his assent of treason was made in the utter chaumber. Where with the saide lorde protectour beinge warned, roose up and yode him selfe to the chamber dore, and ther ceceaued in such persons as he had before apointed to execute his malicious purpose. The whiche continently set hande upon the forenamed lord Chamberlaine and other. In which stirring the Earle of Derby was hurt in the face and kept a while under hold. Than by commaundement of the sayd lord protectour, the saide lorde Chamberlaine, in all hast was led in the court or plaine where the chapell of the towre standeth, and there without iudgement or long time of confession or repentaunce, upon the ende of a long and great timber logge, which there lay with other for the repayringe of the said towre, caused his hed to be smitten of, and all for he knewe well, that he would not assent unto his wicked intent. Whose bodye with the head was after caryed unto Windesore, and there buried by the tombe of king Edwarde. After which cruelty thus done he shortly after set in sure keeping such persons as he suspected to be against him. Whereof the bishops of Yorke and of Elye were .ii. as it is said. And the erle of Derby for feare of his sonne ye lord Strange least he should haue arered Chesshire and Lancastershire against hym, was set at large. Than began the longe couert dissimulacion, whiche of the lorde protector had been so craftely shadowed, to breke out at large, in so much that uppon the sonday folowinge at Poules crosse, him selfe with the duke of Buckyngham and other lordes being present, by the mouth of Doctour Raffe Shaa in the tyme of his sermon, was there shewed openly that the children

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dren of king Edward the fourthe were not ligitimate, nor rightfull enheritours of the crowne, with many disclaunderous wordes in the preferringe of the tytle of the said lord pretectour, and in disannulling of the other, to the greate abusion of all the audience, except such as favoured ye matter which wer few in nomber, if the truth or plaines might haue bene shewed. Of the whiche declaracion as the same went after, the sayd doctour Sha toke such repentaunce that he lyued in litle prosperytie after. And the more he was wondred of, that he would take upon him such busines considering that he was so famous a man, both of his lerninge, and also of naturall wit. Than upon the tuisday folowing, an assemble of the comons of the cytie was apointed at the Guilhall. Where beinge present the duke of Bukingham with other lordes sent downe from the saide lorde protectour, and there in the presence of the maior and cominalty, rehersed the right and title that the lord protectour had to be preferred before his neues, the sonnes of his brother king Edward, to the right of ye crowne of England. The which processe was so eloquent wise shewed and uttered without anye impediment of spittinge or other countenaunce, and that of a longe while, with so sugred wordes of exhortacion and accordinge sentence, that many a wise man that day maruailed and commended him for the good ordering of his wordes, but not for the intent and purpose the which thereupon ensued. Upon the Tuisdaye than nexte ensuyng beyng the twentie daye of Iune, the said Protectour takyng then uppon hym as kyng and gournoure of the realme, wente with greate pompe unto Westminster, and there toke possession of the same. Wher, he being set in the great hall in the sea[t] roiall, with the duke of Norfolke before called the lorde Haward uppon the right hande, and the duke of Suffolke upon the left hande, after the royall oth there taken, called before him the iudges of the lawe, geuinge unto theim a longe exhortacion & streight commaundement, for the ministringe of his lawes, and to execute iustice, and that without delay. After whiche possession taking, and other ceremonies ther done, he was conueied unto the kinges palaies within Westminster and there lodged. I[n] which passetime, the prince or of right kinge Edwarde the .v. with his brother the duke of York were put under sure keping within the towre, in suche wyse that thei neuer came abrode after. And thus ended the reygne of Edward the .v. when he had borne the name of a king by the space of two monethes and a xi. dayes. And uppon the friday the xxii. daye of Iuny, was the sayde lord protectour proclaimed thorough the citie king of England, by the name of Richard the third. Then soone after for feare of the quenes bloud and other which he had in ielousye, he sente for a strenth of men out of the North. The whiche came shortly to London a litle before his coronacion, and mustred in the More feeldes well uppon .iiii.M. men in their best

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beste iackes and rustye salettes, with a few in white harnesse not burnished to the sale: and shortly after his coronacion were countermaunded home with sufficient rewardes for their trauaile. In whiche forsaied passetime, the Marques of Dorset brother unto the Quene Elizabeth, that before was fled, escaped manye wonderfull daungers both about London, Elye and other places, whereof, to wryte the maner and circumstaunce, would aske a long and greate leysoure. Rychard the .iii. Icharde the thirde of that name, sonne to Rycharde late duke of Yorke, and yongest brother unto Edward the .iiii. late king, began his dominion ouer the realme of England the .xx. daye of Mydsomer moneth, in the yeare of our Lorde God .M.cccc.lxxxiii. and the .xxv. yere of the .xi. Lewes than kinge of Fraunce. Of whom tedious it is to me to write the tragedyous hystory, excepte that I remember that good it is to write and put in remembraunce the punysshment of sinners, to the ende that other may exchew to fall in like daunger. Than it foloweth, anon as this man had taken upon him, he fell in greate hatred of the more party of the nobles of his realme, in so much that suche as before loued and praysed him, and woulde haue ieoparde life and good with him if he hadde remayned still as Protectour, now murmured and grudged against him in such wise that fewe or none fauoured hys party, except it were for dreade or for greate giftes that they receaued of him. By the meane whereof he wan dyuers to folowe his minde, the whiche after disceaued him. And after his coronacyon solempnized, whiche was holden at Westminster the sixte day of Iulye, where also the same day was crowned dame Anne his wyfe, he then in shorte processe folowinge rode Northward to pacifye that country, and to redresse certayne ryottes there lately dooen. In the Passetime of the which iourney, he beeyng at Yorke, created his legittimate sonne prince of Wales, and ouer that made hys bastard sonne captain of Calais, which encreased more grudge to hym warde as after shall appere.

Anno domini.M.cccc.lxxxiii.

Anno domini.M.cccc.lxxxiiii.

Habardasher		Thomas Norlande
William Byllinsdon				Anno.ii.
		Wylliam Martin

ND in this yere the forsaid grudge encreasyng, and the more for as moche as the common fame went that kyng Richard had within the Towre put unto secrete death the twoo soonnes of his brother Edwarde the .iiii. for the whiche and other causes had, within the breast of the Duke of Buckyngham, the saied duke

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duke in secret maner conspired against hym, & allied hym with diuers gentlemen, to the ende to bryng his purpose about. But how it was his entente was espied, and so shewed unto the king, and the kyng in al the hast sent for to take hym, he then beeyng smally accompanied at his manour of Brekenok in the Marche of Wales, whereof the saied Duke beyng ware, in all the haste he fled from his saied manour Brekenock, unto the house of a seruaunt of his own called Banaster, and that in so secret maner, that fewe or none of his householde seruauntes knewe where he was becum. In the whiche pastime, king Richard thinkyng that ye Duke would haue assembled his people, and so to haue giuen to him battaile, gathered to hym great strength, and after toke his iourney Westwarde, to haue mette with thesaid Duke. But when the kyng was enformed that he was fled, anon he made proclamacions, that who so euer that might take thesaid duke, should haue for a reward, a thousande pounde of money, and the value of an hundred pounde in lande by yere, to hym and to his heires for euermore. Wherof hearyng the foresaid Banaster, wer it for mede of the saied rewarde, or for feare of losyng of his life and goodes, discouered the duke unto the sherif of the shire, & caused hym to bee taken, & so brought unto Salisburie, where ye kyng then laie. And albeit, that thesaid duke made importune labor to haue cum to the kinges presence, yet that not withstandyng, he was beheded upon the [    ] daie of the moneth of [     ], without speche or sight of ye king. Then al soche gentlemen as had appointed to mete with thesaid duke, wer so dismaied, that thei knewe not what to do, but thei that might fled the land, and sum toke sentuary places as thei might win unto them. But the king, to the ende to let them of their purpose, sent to the sea coastes, and stopped their waie in that he might[.] And with a certain strength rode unto Exceter, whereabout that season was taken sir Thomas Selenger knight, and .ii. gentlemen, that one being named Thomas { Ra[a] or Ra[n] } and that other [        ]. The whiche .iii. persones were shortly after beheded. And sone after in Kent wer taken sir George Broune knight, & Roberte Clifforde Esquier, and brought unto the toure of London. And upon the [   ] daie of October, the said sir George and Robert wer drawen from Westminster unto the toure hil, and there beheded[.] And thesame daie were fower persones, lately yomen of the croune with Kyng Edward the foureth, drawen out of Southwarke through the Citee unto Tibourne, and there hanged. And when the king had sped his iourney in the Weste countrie, he hasted him toward London. Whereof the Maior and the Citezeins hauyng knowledge, made prouision to receiue him, and upon that made purueiance for horse with Uiolet clothyng and other necessaries.

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Anno domini.M.cccc.lxxxiiii.

Anno domini.M.cccc.lxxxv.

		Richard Chester.
Thomas Hill.		Thomas Britain.		Anno.iii.
		Ralfe Astraie.

N the beginnyng of this Maiours yere, and seconde yere of kyng Richard, that is to meane upon the xi. daie of the moneth of Nouember, the Maior and his brethren being clad in scarlet, and the citezeins to the number of .v.c. or mo[re] in Uiolet, met the Kyng beyonde Kyngston in Southerie, and so brought hym through ye Citee to the Warderobe, beside the black friers, where for that tyme he was lodged. And in short time after was sir Robert Clifforde knight taken aboute Southampton, and from thence sent unto the towre of London, and after arreigned and iudged at Westminster, and from thens drawen unto the toure hil. But when he came fore again saint Martins le graunt, by the help of a frier, whiche was his confessour, and one of them that was next about hym, his cordes wer so loused or cut, that he put him indeuour to haue entred ye seintuarie. And likely it had been ye he should haue so doen, had not been the quick help and rescous of the shrifes and their officers. The whiche constrained him to lye doune upon the Hardell, and newe band hym, and so haried hym to thesaid place of execution, where he was diuided in twoo peces, and after his body with the hed, was conueied to ye friers Augustines, and ther buried before S. Katherins alter. And in the moneth of Februarie followyng, died Richarde Chester one of the Shrifes. For whom was immediatly chosen Ralfe Astraie, to continewe for that yere followyng. Kyng Richarde then leadyng his life in greate agonie and doubte, trustyng fewe as soche as were about hym, spared not to spende the greate treasour, whiche before kyng Edward the fowerth had gathered, in giuyng of great & large giftes. By meane wherof, he alonly wasted not ye great Treasoure of his saied brother, but also he was in soche daunger, that he borowed many notable summes of money of the rich menne of this realme, and specially of the citezeins of London, whereof the least summe was fourtie pounde: for suretie whereof, he deliuered to theim good and sufficient pledges. In the whiche pastyme many and sundrie gentlemen, and diuers Sherifes, departed ouer the sea into Fraunce, and there alied them with that vertuous Prince Henry, soonne unto the Erle of Richemonde, discended linally from Henry the fourth, late kyng of this realme, and couenaunted with hym, that if he would marry Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of kynge Edwarde the fowerth, thei would with Gods helpe strength hym to bee Kynge of Englande, and aide him in soch maner, that he and she were or might bee possessed

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sessed of their rightfull inheritaunce. Emong the which gentilmen, sir Iames Blunt then keper of the castle of Guines was one, which with him conueied the erle of Oxford, ye long tofore had ben prizoner within ye said castle. Upon whiche agrement thus concluded, prouision by them & their friendes was made, to saile into Englande. And after all thinges prepared, thesaid prince with a small companie of Englishe, Frenche, & Britons toke shipping in Fraunce or Britain and so lastly landed in the port of Milbourne in the moneth of August, for whose defence of landyng, kyng Richard for so moche as he feared hym little, made but sinall prouision. While these forsaied gentlmen of diuers coastes of Englande escaped, as aboue is saied ouer ye sea, of that affinitie was one named William Colingbourne taken. And after he had ben holden a season in prison, he w[ith] an other gentilman named Turbiruile wer brought unto Guildehalle, and there arreigned. But thesaid Turbiruile was repried to prison, and that other was calt for sundry treasons, and for a rime, whiche was laied unto his charge, that he would make in derision of the Kyng and his counsaill, as foloweth. The Cat, the Rat, and louel our Dogge, Ruleth all Englande vnder a Hogge He which was ment that Catisbi, Ratcliffe, and the lorde Louell, ruled the land under the kyng, which bare the White bore for his cognisance. For the whiche & other, he was put to the moste cruell death at the Towre hill, where for hym were made a newe pair of galowes, upon the which after he had hanged a shorte season, he was cut doune being aliue, and his bowels riped out of his belly, and cast into the fire ther by him, and liued till the Boucher put his hande into the bulke of his body, in so moche the he saied in the same instant: O lorde Iesu yet more trouble, & so died to ye great compassion of moche people. Then to retourne unto the noble prince and his companie when he was cum unto the land he incontinently kneled doune upon the yerth, and with meke countenaunce & pure deuotion began this Psalme. Iudica me deus, & discerne causam meam. &c. The which when he had finished to thende, and kissed the ground mekely, and reuerently made the signe of the crosse upon him, he commaunded soche as wer about him, boldly in the name of God and S. George to set forwarde. When ye landing of this prince was blowen aboute the lande, many was the man that drewe unto him as well soche as were in sundry seint waries, as other that were abroade, so that his strength encreased shortly. Then the king gathered his power in all haste, and sped him in soche wise, that upon the .xxii. daie of Auguste, and beginnyng of the thirde yere of his reigne, he met with thesaid prince, nere unto a village in Leiceter shire named Bosworth, nere unto Leiceter. Where betwene them was foughten a sharpe battaile, & sharper should

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should haue been, if the kynges partie had ben fast to hym. But many toward the fielde refused hym, and yode unto that other partie. And sum stode houyng a farre of, till thei sawe to whiche partie the victorie fell. In conclusion kyng Richard was slaine, and upon his partie the duke of Norfolk before time named lord Haward, with Brakyngburie Lieutenaunt of the Towre, and many other. And among other was there taken on liue th[e] erle of Surrey, sonne unto the foresaid duke of Norfolke and sente unto the towre of London, where he remained as prisoner long tyme after. Then was the corps of Richard late king spoiled, & naked as he was borne, cast behinde a a man, and so caried unreuerently ouertwharte the horse backe, unto ye friers at Leiceter. Where after a season that he had lien, that al men might behold hym, he was there with little reuerence buried. And thus with miserie ended this Prince, whiche ruled moste what by rigour and tiranny, when he in great trouble and agonie, had reigned or usurped by the space of two yeres .ii. monethes, and .ii. daies. And then was ye noble prince Henry admitted for king, and so proclaimed king, by the name of Henry the .vii. The whiche sped him shortly to London, so that upon the .xxvii. daie of thesaid moneth of August, he was by ye Maior and the citezeins met in good araye, as the Maior and Aldermen in scarlet, and the citezeins in violet, at Harneley parke, and from thens conueied through the citee, unto the Bishoppe of Londons palais, and there for that tyme lodged. And upon the .xi. date of October nexte folowyng, then beyng the sweatyng sicknesse of newe begun, died thesaied Thomas Hill, then of London Maior. And for hym was chosen as Maior, sir William Stokker knight and Draper, which died also of thesaied sicknesse shortly after. And then Ihon Ward Grocer was chosen Maior, whiche so continued till the feast of Simonde and Iude folowyng. [The remainder of page 520 contains a text about France and the French king Charles IX.]

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