This must néeds be a great gréefe vnto a prince of such a stout and valiant stomach, namelie sith he had béene so long time before accustomed to find fortune still so fauourable vnto him in all his enterprises. But finallie the thing that most gréeued him, was the losse of that most noble gentleman, his déere sonne prince Edward, in whom was found all parts that might be wished in a worthie gouernour. But this and other mishaps that chanced to him now in his old yeares, might séeme to come to passe for a reuenge of his disobedience shewed to his father in vsurping against him, although it might be said, that he did it by constraint, and through the aduise of others. But whether remorse hereof, or of his other offenses mooued him, it may séeme (as some write) that the the consideration of this worlds mutabilitie, which he tried to the full, caused him (as is thought) to haue in mind the life in the world to come, and therefore of a pure deuotion founded the church and colledge of saint Stephan at Westminster, and another at Cambridge called The Kings hall, giuing therevnto lands and reuenues, to the maintenance of them that would giue themselues vnto learning.
Mines of gold & siluer.
Towards the maintenance of his warres, and furnishing foorth of such other charges and expenses as he tooke in hand to beare out, he had some helpe by the siluer mines in Deuonshire and Cornewall, in like manner as his grandfather king Edward the first had. For one Matthew Crowthorne kéeper of his mines in those parts, yéelded diuerse accounts of the issues and profits of the same, betwéene the second and fiftéenth yeare of his reigne, as well for the siluer as for the lead, after the siluer was fined from it. Also Iohn Moneron succéeding in the same office, accomptant of the profits of the same mines, from Michaelmasse in the ninetéenth yeare of his reigne, vnto the second of Nouember in the thrée and twentith yeare, yéelded vpon his accounts, both the siluer and the lead thereof remaining. Moreouer he let by indenture in the two and thirtith yeare of his reigne, vnto Iohn Ballancer, and Walter Goldbeater, his mines of gold, siluer, and copper, in the countie of Deuonshire, for terme of years. There is an account thereof remaining, and by the same (as it appeareth) was answered for the first yeare twentie markes. The second yeare the patentées died, and the king then disposed the same to others. In the eight and twentith yeare of his reigne, he committed by indenture his said mines in Deuonshire, to one maister Iohn Hanner, and one Herman Rainesthorpe of Boheme, minors, yéelding to the king the tenth part of the oare, as well of the gold and siluer, as of the lead and copper that should be gotten foorth of the said mines.
In this kings daies, there liued manie excellent men, both in learning, in vertue, and in martiall prowesse, as partlie is touched in this discourse of his reigne; and first, the said noble and most valiant king, the prince of Wales his sonne surnamed the blacke prince, the duke of Lancaster Iohn of Gant sonne to the king, and his father in law duke Henrie, Edmund earle of Cambridge, and after duke of Yorke; the earles of Warwike, Huntington, Salisburie, Stafford, Northampton, Arundell and others; the lord Reginald Cobham, the lord Basset, the lord Thomas Holland, the lord Walter de Mannie and Henuier, the lord Edward Spenser, the lord Iohn Chandois, the lord Iames Audeley, sir Iohn Copland, sir Thomas Felton, sir Robert Knolles, who (as I haue said) being born in Cheshire of meane parentage, through his manlie prowesse, and most skilfull experience in the warres, grew to be right famous.
Moreouer, sir Hugh Caluerlie borne in the same shire, the capitall de Beufe a Gascoigne, sir Thomas Percie, sir Hugh Hastings, sir Baldwine Freuill, sir Iohn Harleston, sir Iames Pipe, sir Thomas Dagworth, & that valiant English knight sir Iohn Hawkewood, whose fame in the parts of Italie shall remaine for euer, where (as their histories make mention) he grew to such estimation for his valiant atchiued enterprises, that happie might that prince or common-wealth accompt themselues, that might haue his seruice, and so liuing there in such reputation, sometimes he serued the pope, somtimes the lords of Millane, now this prince or common-wealth, now that, and other whiles none at all, but taking one towne or other, would kéepe the same, till some liking enterteinment were offered, and then would he sell such a towne, where he had thus remained, to them that would giue him for it according to his mind. Barnabe lord of Millane gaue vnto him one of his base daughters in marriage, with an honorable portion for hir dower.
This man was borne in Essex (as some write) who at the first became a tailor in London, & afterwards going to the warres in France, serued in the roome of an archer, but at length he became a capteine and leader of men of war, highlie commended and liked of amongst the souldiers, in so much that, when by the peace concluded at Bretignie, in the yeare 1360, great numbers of soldiers were discharged out of wages, they got themselues togither in companies, and without commandement of any prince, by whose authoritie they might make warre, they fell to of themselues, and sore harried and spoiled diuerse countries in the realme of France, as partlie yée haue heard: amongst whome this sir Iohn Hawkewood was one of the principall capteins, & at length went into Italie, to serue the marques of Montferrato, against the duke of Millane; although I remember that some write, how he came into that countrie with the duke of Clarance, but I thinke the former report be true: but it may well be, that he was readie to attend the said duke at his comming into Italie. And thus much concerning such famous capteins as serued this noble king Edward the third, although for bréefeness I passe ouer diuerse other, no lesse famous and worthie for their high manhood and tried valiancie to be remembred, than these afore mentioned.
Of learned men, these we find by Iohn Bale registered in the Centuries; Iohn Baconthrop borne in Blackney in Northfolke, a frier Carmelite, and prouinciall of his order, so excellentlie learned, as well in diuinitie, as in both the ciuill and canon lawes, that he procéeded doctor in either facultie at Oxenford and Paris, and wrote diuerse treatises, to his high and singular commendation; William Ockam, Iohn Bloxham a Carmelite frier, Nicholas Triuet borne in Northfolke, sonne to sir Thomas Triuet knight, & one of the kings iusticiers, prooued excellentlie learned, and wrote diuerse treatises, and amongst other, two histories, and one booke of annales, he was by profession a blacke frier, and departed this life about the second yeare of this king Edward the third, in the yeare of Christ 1328; William Alnewike borne in Northumberland, in the towne whereof he tooke name, a frier Minor; Iohn Tanet borne in the Ile of Tanet, an excellent musician, and a moonke in Canturburie; Hugh of saint Neot, a Carmelite frier in Hertfordshire, a notable diuine as those daies gaue; William Alton borne in Hampshire, a blacke frier and a diuine.
Furthermore, Richard Stradley borne in the marches of Wales, a moonke and a diuine, writing certeine treatises of the scripture; William Herbert a Welshman and a frier Minor, wrote also certeine goodlie treatises of diuinitie; Richard Comington a frier of the order of the Cordeliers, a preacher, and a writer of diuinitie; William Exeter a doctor of diuinitie, and a prebendarie canon in Exeter, whereas it is thought he was borne; Lucas Bosden a westerne man, and by profession a Carmelite frier; Thomas Walleis a Dominike frier, a great diuine, as by such bookes as he wrote it may appeare; Thomas Pontius a moonke of Canturburie, Iohn Ridewall a graie frier, Henrie Costesay or Cossey a frier Minor, Geffrie Aleuant borne in Yorkeshire, a frier Carmelite; Iohn Euersden, a moonke in Burie in Suffolke, an historiographer; Simon Burneston, a doctor of the Vniuersitie of Cambridge, and prouinciall of the friers Dominike or blacke friers, as they called them here in England; Walter Burlie a doctor of diuinitie, who in his youth was brought vp, not onlie in Martine college in Oxford, but also in the Vniuersities and schooles abroad beyond the seas, in France and Germanie, & afterwards for his wisedome, good demeanor, & learning, he was reteined with the bishop of Vlmes in Suabenland, a region in high Germanie.
Amongst other treatises which he compiled, being manie, and namelie of naturall philosophie, he wrote a commentarie of the ethikes of Aristotle, and dedicated the same vnto the said bishop, a worke which hath béene highlie estéemed, not onelie in the Vniuersities of Italie, Germanie and France, but also here in our Vniuersities of England. To conclude, such was the fame of this doctor Burlie, that when the ladie Philip, daughter to the earle of Heinault should come ouer into England to be married to king Edward, this doctor Burlie was reteined by hir, and appointed to be hir almoner, and so continued in great estimation, in so much that after Edward prince of Wales, eldest sonne to king Edward commonlie called the blacke prince, was borne, and able to learne his booke, the said Burlie among other was commanded to be one of his instructors.
By reason hereof, sir Simon Burlie, of whom I haue made some mention heretofore in this kings life, and more intend to speake, as occasion serueth in the next king, being sonne to sir Iohn Burlie, néere kinsman to the said doctor Burlie, was admitted among other yoong gentlemen, to be schoolefelow with the said prince, by occasion whereof he grew in such credit and fauour with the said prince, that afterwards when his son Richard of Burdeaux, that succéeded king Edward his father, was borne, the said prince for special trust and confidence which he had in the said sir Simon Burlie, committed the gouernance & education of his son the said Richard vnto him, whereby he was euer after highlie in fauour with the said Richard, and no lesse aduanced by him, when he came to inioy the crowne of this realme.