[822] “Marched towarde London: but the kyng with his power taried and met him at Saint Albone’s. Where whyle the kyng and he wer about a treatye, therle of Warwyke set vpon the king’s army and slew the duke of Somerset, the earle of Northumberland, the lorde Clyfforde, and other, and in conclusyon got the victorye, and the duke was made lorde protector, which so greved the quene and her accomplices, that pryuye grutches and open dissemblyng neuer ceased tyl the duke, and his allyes were glad to flee the field and realme, he in to Irelande, they to Calayes: whence they came agayne with an army whereof the earle of Salysbury was leader, and marched toward Coventry wher the king than was and had gathered an armye to subdue them, and encountred them at Northampton, and fought and lost the fyelde and was taken hym selfe, the duke of Buckyngham, the erle of Shrewsbury, the vycount Beaumont, the lord Egermount, and many other of his retynue slayn yf no man haue any mind to any of these noble personages because they were honourably slaine in battayle, let sum man els take the booke, for I mynde to say sum what of this duke of Somerset.”
☞ Whyle he was deuysyng thereon, and every man sekyng farder notes, I loked on the cronicles, and fyndyng styll fyeld vpon fyeld, and many noblemen slaine, I purposed to haue ouerpassed all, for I was so wearye that I waxed drowsye and began in dede to slumber: but my imaginacion styl prosecutyng this tragical matter, brought me such a fantasye. Me thought ther stode before vs, a tall man’s body full of fresshe woundes, but lackyng a head, holdyng by the hande a goodlye chylde, whose brest was so wounded that his hart might be seen, his louely face and eyes disfigured with dropping teares, his heare through horrour standing vpryght, his mercy crauing handes all to be mangled, and al his body enbrued with his own bloud. And whan through the gastfulnes of this pyteous spectacle, I waxed afeard, and turned away my face, me thought there came a shrekyng voyse out of the wesand pype of the headles bodye, saying as foloweth. 1559, 63. See Induction to the legend of Plantagenet Duke of York, p. 183.
[823] Was raysed by some sly drift of the duke of Yorke, who shortly after, by open war, manifested his title to the crowne and therefore gathered an army in Wales, and marched towardes London: and preuentinge the kinge goinge northward to prepare an army, in the waye at Sayncte Albanes: who for want of a sufficient power to take the field, was forced with sutch smal power as he had about him, to defend the lanes and backsydes of the towne, and to send out the duke of Buckingham for a treaty, whiche the duke of Yorke beinge head of the contrary faction, woulde not allow without fyrst hauinge the duke of Somerset and other at his will, duringe which treaty Richard Neuill earle of Warwicke, the stout maintayner of Yorcke’s title, entred the towne by force, fought a battayle in the high streat, where of the kinge’s part were slayne the sayd duke of Somerset called Edmond Beauford, Henry Percy the second. 1578.
[824] Stafford, omitted. 1578.
[825] Besides a great number of knightes, esquiers, gentlemen and yeomen of the kinge’s houshold and of other lorde’s seruantes, on whom al the slaughter and bochery fell, beinge all for the more part vnarmed. But, &c. 1578.
[826] In the edition of 1563, this legend succeeds that of Jane Shore (see p. 460), and is followed by the Blacksmith (given p. 396), and has the following induction: “This was so well lyked, that all together exhorted me instantly to procure Maister Churchyarde to vndertake and to penne as manye moe of the remaynder as myght by any meanes be attaynted at his handes. And when I had promysed I wold do my diligence therein, they asked me if I had any mo tragedyes yet vnred, for the euenyng was nowe at hand and there were enow already red to make a handsum volume. “In dede (quod I) I purpose here to ende the second parte of this volume, for here endeth the cruel reigne of kyng Rychard the thyrd: And in another volume hereafter, to dyscourse the resydue from the begynning of kyng Henry the seventh to the ende of this king and Queene’s raigne (if God so long will graunte us lyfe) and I beseche you all that you wyll dylygently performe such storyes as you haue vndertaken, and procure your frendes such as be learned, to help vs with the rest: for ther is in this part mater enough to set al the poetes in England in wurke, and I wold wishe that every fine apt wyt wold at the leest vndertake one: For so wold it be a notable volume. For my parte I entende to be so impudente and importunate a suiter to so manye as I knowe or maye hereafter be acquaynted wyth, that no excuse shall serve to shake me of: and I desyre you all to be as earnest. And to occupye the tyme whyle we be nowe together, I wyl reade vnto you Edmund the Duke of Somerset, which must be placed in the fyrst parte: and than the blacke Smyth, which must serve for thyrde volume, to thende I maye knowe youre iudgement therein.” “Do so we pray you” (qd. they.)”
[827] Not so ill. 1578.
[828] That some attempts haue neuer happy speede. 1578.
[829] But. 1578.
[830] Out wrestle. 1563.