[A2] Illustrissimo & honoratissimo Roberto Comiti Essexiae & Ewe, Comiti Marescallo Angliae, Vicecomiti Herefordiae & Bourchier: Baroni Ferrariis de Chartley, Domino Bourchier & Lovein: Regiae Maiestati Hyppocomo: Machinarum bellicarum praefecto: Academiae Cantabrigiensis Cancellario: ordinis Georgiani Equiti aurato: Serenissimae Domino Reginae a sanctoribus consiliis; Domino meo plurimum observando.

AMong all sortes of humane writers, there is none that have done more profit, or deserved greater prayse, then they who have committed to faithfull records of histories, ey ther the government of mighty states, or the lives and actes of famous men. For by describing the order and passages of these two, and what events have followed what counsailes, they have set foorth unto us not onely precepts, but lively patterns, both for private directions and for affayres of state, whereby in shorte time young men may be instructed, and ould men more fullie furnished with experience then the longest age of man can affoorde. And therefore Cicero reporteth that L. Lucullus, when he went from Rome to make warre against Mithridates, was altogether unskilfull in militarie services, yet in the time of his navigation he so exercised himselfe what with conference, and what with reading of histories, that when hee came into Asia, by the judgement and confession of that great king hee was preferred before all the commaunders that were before him. Heereupon when Alexander Severus did deliberate of anye weightie matter, hee would especiallye take advise of men skilfull in histories, and not without good cause. For if (as Afranius saith) experience hath begot wisedome, and memory as a mother hath brought it foorth, who are to be better accompted then they whose memory is as it were a rich storehouse of the experiences not of one age or country, but of all times and all nations? And therefore it is no great marvaile that Zenobia, who after the death of her husband Odonatus tooke upon her the state, not onely insulted upon the Romaines, but held the Arabians, the Saricenes, the Armenians and other fierce and intractible people in such obedience that, although shee were both a woman and a barbarian, yet they never stirred against her. For she had perfectly red the Romaine history in Greeke, and also had herselfe abridged the Alexandrian and all the Orientall histories, whereby she attained the highest pitch both of wisedome and authority. For examples are of greater force to stir unto vertue then bare preceptes, insomuch as Cicero said that nothing could be taught well without example. Therefore the Lacaedemonians (as Plutarch writeth) did use upon feastivall dayes to present unto their sons certayne drunken slaves whom they called ἑιλωτας, that by view of the vice they might learne to avoide it, and Hismenias the Thebane would shew to his schollars musitians of all sortes, good and bad, instructing them to followe the one and not the other. And this is that which the Apologie telleth of a certaine country woman who, being hard favoured, and fearing least shee should bring foorth children like her selfe, got many faire and beautifull pyctures, which shee did dayly and steedfastly beholde: the meaning whereof is that by setting before us the actes and lives of excellent men, it is the readiest way to fashion our qualities according to the same.

[Gentle reader, thy friendly acceptance of these loose labors, the accompt of my idle howres from exercises of greater profit and use, hath moved me, before I proceede any further, to overlooke and overlick them once againe, as the beare is said to doe her unformed whelpes, and thereby both in portion and proportion to amend the same. I have purposely passed over many imputations, as some secrete sences, which the deepe searchers of our time have rather framed then found, partly upon the science of myne owne conscience, and partly seeing no reason wherefore they should be more applied to this book, then to the originall authors out of which it hath bene gathered.

The noble and victorious prince, king Edward the third, had his fortunate gift of a long & prosperous raigne over this realme of England much strengthned and adorned by natures supply of seven goodlye sonnes: Edward his eldest sonne, prince of Wales, commonly called the Blacke Prince; William of Hatfield; Lyonel, Duke of Clarence; John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster; Edmund of Langley, Duke of Yorke; Thomas of Woodstocke, Duke of Gloucester; and William of Windsore.

Now the king had discharged himselfe of his troupes but not of his troubles, his mind being perpetuallie perplexed with an endlesse and restlesse chardge, ether of cares, or greifes, or of suspicions and feares.

First his cheifest glorie had a mixture of greife, & the attonement of his kingdome did oftentimes lie heavy at his hearte, for being gotten with bloud, it was held with horror, wherein was never last of joy without a touch of a guiltie conscience. Then hee had not fullie satisfied himselfe by his late voyage into Scottland, supposing that his performance was nothing answerable to his power, and that hee had rather stirred the Scottes then stayed them from attempting against him, having noe lesse weakened himselfe by chardge, then them by spoile. And coming farre shorte of his owne purposes and hopes, hee thought himselfe alsoe shorte of all mens expectations. Alsoe hee was disquieted with the doubtfull obedience of his new subjectes, against whome his suspicion had somewhat increased his severi tie, and againe his severitie had increased his suspicion, for knowing that many were discontented, hee could not esteem his safetie ether by theire fidelity or by his owne forces assured.

This yeare in the moneth of March a blazing starre appeared, first spreading the flames round, then stretching them towardes the north, which astrologers (whose arte & errour are nere neighbours) conjecture ether to cause or to portend some tragicall event.

About Whitsonntide certaine persons, whose hopes depended upon noe honest meanes, did newlie confederate against the king, with whose majesty theire malice continuallie contended in increase. And to drawe some authoritie to theire attemptes, they gave forth that King Richard was living and desired the aide of his loving people; that by extreame violence of the time hee was constrained to keepe unknowne, but upon some declaration of his frendes hee would appeare, & royallie rewarde those whoe should bee readie to adventure for him. This was whisoered uncertainely at the first, as in dangerous newes it is usuall; afterwardes it was confidently committed to the credulous eares ether of the weake sorte or of the turbulent & busie minded, the one being easie, the other being earnest for innovations. Among these, the reporte running variously concerning King Richards death, it was the more easily beleeved that hee might bee alive. The first brunt of this bruite much shaked the common people, wavering by nature & slowe to settle in a new subjection, but the king composed [fo. 26v] himselfe to a carelesse securitie, changing nether countenance nor place, ether through haughtinesse of courage, or because hee knew the truth lighter then the reporte. And indeed, upon apprehension of a certaine preist in Ware who was the principall both authour & actor of this devise, all the terrour vanished to a toye.

All this time the king insisted, the Peircies resisted, and both persisted: hee in stiffe demaunding, they in stoute denying the Scottish prisoners which had beene taken at Hallidowne, and Nesbite. For of all the captive captaines in those twoe conflicts, only Mordake, Earle of Fife, the Duke of Albanies sonne, was delivered to the king, and hee (as it was protested) under tearmes rather of honor then of right. All the residue were retained by the Peircies as theire owne proper purchase and prey. These Peircies at the first were the greatest fur-therers of King Henries designmentes: for Henry Peircie, Earle of Northumberland and Lord Henry Peircie his sonne were the first whoe incouraged him to returne out of banishment, first who adjoyned unto him at his arrivall, and the principall countenance and strength to all his proceedings. Thomas Peircie, Earle of Worcester, was the occasion that the forces which King Richard brought out of Ireland, yea his houshold officers & servauntes, did breake & scatter from him. But they, being mightie and proude, were able to give him the kingdome, but could not bee content that hee should rule. In which case it often falleth that such great desertes are but [fo. 48] ill requited, not alwaies throughe the princes disposition, ether forgettfull or unthankefull, but for the most parte throughe theire owne presumption, who bearing themselves upon theire service become respectlesse of the prince, and arrogant among theire peeres, incurring thereby the indignation of the one and envie of the other.