1376
An. Reg. 50.
A parlement.
The lord Latimer. Dame Alice Perers. Sir Richard Sturrie. The request of the commons.
In this fiftith yeare, king Edward assembled his high court of parlement at Westminster, in the which was demanded a subsidie of the commons for the defense of the kings dominions against his enimies. Wherevnto answer was made by the common house, that they might no longer beare such charges, considering the manifold burthens by them sustained in time past. And further they said, it was well knowne the king was rich inough to withstand his enimies, if his monie and treasure were well imploied: but the land had béene of long time euill guided by euill officers, so that the same could not be stored with chaffer, merchandize, or other riches. The commons also declared whom they tooke and judged to be chéefe causer of this disorder, as the duke of Lancaster, & the L. Latimer lord chamberleine to the king; also dame Alice Perers, whom the king long time kept to his concubine; and also one named sir Richard Sturrie, by whose sinister meanes and euill counsell the king was misled, and the land euill gouerned. Wherefore the commons by the mouth of their speaker sir Péers de la Mere, required that those persons might be remooued from the king, and other more discréet set in their roomes about his person, and so put in authoritie, that they might sée to his honour and weale of the realme, more than the other had doone before them.
This request of the commons by support of the prince was allowed, and granted, so that the said persons and other of their affinitie were commanded to depart the court, and other (such as were thought méet by the prince, and the sage péeres of the realme) were placed in their stéeds. ¶ Shortlie after, the commons granted to the king his whole request, so that he had of euerie person, man and woman, being aboue the age of fourtéene yeares, foure pence, poore people that liued of almesse onelie excepted. ¶ Likewise the cleargie granted, that of euerie beneficed man, the king should haue twelue pence, and of euerie priest not beneficed foure pence (the foure orders of friers onelie excepted.) But yer this monie could be leuied, the king was constreined to borrow certeine great summes in sundrie places, and therefore he sent to the citie of London for foure thousand pounds. And bicause Adam Staple the maior was not diligent in furthering that lone, he was by the kings commandement discharged on the 22 daie of March, and Richard Whitington mercer chosen in his place.
The blacke prince departeth this life.
Polydor.
He is buried at Canterburie.
On the eight of Iune being Trinitie sundaie (the parlement yet continuing) that noble and famous prince Edward the kings sonne departed this life within the kings palace at Westminster. His bodie was conueied to Canturburie with great solemnitie, and there honorablie buried. He died in the 46 yeare of his age: a prince of such excellent demeanour, so valiant, wise and politike in his dooings, that the verie and perfect representation of knighthood appeared most liuelie in his person, whilest he liued, so that the losse of him stroke a generall sorrow into the harts of all the English nation. For such was his towardnesse, or rather perfection in princelie gouernement, that if he had liued and atteined to the crowne, euerie man iudged that he would suerlie haue excéeded the glorious renowme of all his ancestors. This princes death is bréefelie touched by C. Okland, who (after mention made of the great victories atchiued by his father the king against his enimies, and concluding him to be verie happie and fortunate in the issue of his attempts) saith