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Kingston upon Thames
 
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Kingston upon Thames

[Kingstone]

Surrey (borough of London)

OS grid ref: TQ 185 705

451 [427]

K. Edw. 3. The history of Iohn Wickliffe. The rage of the Londiners against the L. Percy.

the said Wickliffe to appeare, whiche day was Thursday, the 19. of February: Iohn Wickliffe accompanied with the foure Friers aforesayd, and with them also, the Duke of Lancaster, and Lord Henry Percy, Lord Marshal of England, the said Lord Percy also going before them to make rowme and way wherewith Wickliffe should come.

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MarginaliaEx hist. Monachi. D. Albani ex accommodato. Thus Wickliffe (through the prouidence of god) being sufficiently garded, was comming to the place where the Bishops sate: MarginaliaD. Math. Archiepis. Cant.whome by the way they animated and exhorted not to feare nor shrink a whit at the company of the bishops there present, who were all vnlearned (said they) in respect of him. For so proceede þe wordes of my foresaid author, whom I follow in this narration: neither that he shold dread the concourse of the people, whom they would themselues assiste and defend, in such sort as he should take no harme. With these wordes, and with the assistaunce of the nobles: Wickliffe in hart encouraged, approcheth to þe church of S. Paule in London. MarginaliaStriuing for the Lordes to passe by the pople.Where a mayne prease of people was gathered to heare, what shold be sayd & done. Such was there the frequencie and throng of the multitude, that the Lordes (for all þe puissance of the high Marshall) vnneth  

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I.e., only

with great difficulty could get way through. MarginaliaW. Courtney Bishop of London.In so much, that the bishop of London (whose name was William Courtney) seeing the stir that the Lord Marshal kept in the Church, among the people, speaking to þe Lord Percy, sayd: MarginaliaThe wordes of the B. of London to the L. Percy.that if he had knowne before what maistries  
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I.e. servants or adherents.

he would haue kept in the church, he would haue stopped hym out, from comming there.

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At which wordes of the Byshop, the Duke disdayning not a little, aunswered to the Byshop agayne, and sayd: that he woulde keepe such maisterie there, though he sayd nay.

At last, after much wrastling they pierced through and came to our Ladies chappell. Where the Dukes and Barons were sitting together with the Archbishops & other Bishops. Before whome the foresayd Iohn Wickliffe according to the maner, stode before thē, to know what shold be laid vnto him. MarginaliaI. Wickliffe bid to sitte downe before the Byshops. To whome first spake the Lord Percy, bidding him to sit downe, saying: that he had many things to answer to, and therfore had need of some softer seat. MarginaliaWickliffe denied by the Byshop of London to sit downe.But the Bishop of London cast eftsoones into a furnish chase to those words, sayd: he should not sit there. Neither was it sayd he: according to law or reason, that he which was cited there to appeare to answere before his ordinary, should sit downe during the timeof his aunswere, but shold stād,. MarginaliaStrife betweene the L. Marshall and Byshop of London.Vpon these words a fire began to heat & kindle betweene them. In so much that they began to rate and reuile one the other, that the whole multitude therewith disquieted, began to be set on a hurrey.MarginaliaThe people set in a stirre.

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MarginaliaStrife between the Duke of Lācaster & B. of London. The B. ouergoeth the Duke in scoulding. Then the Duke taking theLord Percies part wyth hasty wordes began also to take vp the bishop. To whom the Bishops again nothing inferiour in reprochful checks and rebukes, did render & require not onely to him as good as he brought: but also did so far excell him, in this rayling arte of scolding, that to vse the words of mine author, quòd non potuit præualere litigio, i. that the Duke blushed and was ashamed, because he could not ouerpasse the Bishop in brawling and rayling,  

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This is a good example of Foxe taking his material from Walsingham, but reading a different interpretation into events.

and therefore fell to playn threatning, manasing þe bishop, that he would bring down the pride not onely of him, but also of all the prelacie of Englande: And speaking moreouer vnto him: Thou (sayd he) bearest thy self so brag vpon thy parentes, which shall not be able to helpe thee: They shall haue enough to do to helpe themselues. MarginaliaThis B. of London was W. Courtney, sonne to the Earle of Deuonshire.For his parentes were the Earle and countesse of Deuonshire. To whom the byshop again aunswered, that to be bold to tell truth, his confidence was not in his parentes, nor in any man els, but onely in God in whō he trusted. Then þe Duke softly whispering in the eare of him next by him, sayd that he woulde rather plucke out the Bishop by the heyre of his head out of the Church, then he would take this at his hand. MarginaliaThe Duke threateneth to draw out their B. by the heare out of the Church. Londiners take part with their Byshop.This was not spoke so secretly, but that the Londiners ouerhead him. Wherupon being set in a rage, they cryed out, saying: that they would not suffer theyr bishop so cōtemptuously to be abused. But rather they woulde loose their liues, then that he should so be drawen out by the hayre. Thus that councell being broken with scolding and brawling for that day, was dissolued before 9. of the cloke. And the Duke with the Lord Percy went to the Parliament. Where the same day, before dinner a bill was put vp in the name of the king by the Lord Thomas Wostock, and Lord Henry Percy, that the Cittie of London shoulde no more be gouerned by a Mayor, but by a Captayne, as in times before. MarginaliaPetitions put vp in the Parliament against the Citie of Lōdon.And that the Marshall of England shold haue al the adoe in taking the Arestes within the said Citty, as in other citties beside, with other petitions moe, tending to the like derogation of the liberties of London, Which bill being read, standethvp Iohn Philpot Burgesse then for the citty, saying to thē which read the bill; that that was neuer seene so before: & adding moreouer that the Mayor woulde neuer suffer any such things, or other arest to be brought into the citty, with mo such wordes of the like stoutnes.

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MarginaliaHasty counsaile of the Lōdiners. The next day following, the Londiners assembled thēselues in a councell, to consider among them vpon the Bill for chaunging the Mayor, and about the office of the Marshall, also concerning the iniuries done the day before to theyr Bishop.

In which meane time they being busy in long consultation of this matter, sodenly and vnawares entered in the place two certaine Lordes, whether to come to spy, or for what other cause the author leaueth it vncertayne, theone called Lord Fitzwalter: the other Lord Guy Brian. At the first comming in of thē, the vulgare sort was ready forthwith to flee vppon them, as spies, had not they made theyr protestation with an othe, declaring that their comming in was for no harme towards them. And so were compelled by the citizens to sweare to the city their truth and fidelity, contrary to the which othe if they shoulde rebell, contented to forfeit whatsoeuer goods and possessions they had within the citie.

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MarginaliaThe Oration of Lord Fizwalter to the Londiners. This done, thē began the Lord Fizwalter in this wise to perswade and exhort the Citizens; first declaring how he was bound and obliged to them and to theyr Citty, not for the othe onely now newly receiued, but of old and ancient good will from his great graundfathers tyme. Beside other diuers dueties, for the which he was chiefly bound to be one of their principall fautors: for so muche as what so euer tended to their damage and detriment, redounded also no lesse vnto his owne; for which cause he coulde not otherwise chuse, but that as he did vnderstand to be attempted against the publike profite and liberties of the Citiye, he must needs communicate the same to them. Who vnlesse they with speedy circumspection do occurre and preuent perils that may and are like to ensue, it would turne in the end to theyr no small incōmoditie. And as there were many other thinges, whiche required their vigilant care and diligēce, so one thing there was, which he could in no wise but admonish them of: which was this, necessary to be cōsidered of them all, how the Lord Marshall Henry Percy in his place within himselfe had one in ward and custody, whether with the knowledge, or without the knowledge of them, he coulde not tell: this he coulde tell, that the sayd Lord Marshall was not alowed any suche warde or prison in his house, within the liberties of the Citty. Which thing if it be not seene to in time, the example therof being beingsuffered, would in fine breede to such a preiudice vnto their customes and liberties, as they shoulde not hereafter, when they would, reforme the inuirie thereof.

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MarginaliaThe Citizens of Lōdon breake vp the L. Peters house at Sauoy. These words of the Lord Fizwalter were not so soone spoken, but they were as soone taken of the rash Citizens, who in al hasty fury running to their armour & weapons, went incontinently to the house of the Lord Percy; where breaking vp the gates, by violence they tooke out the prisoner, & burned the stockes wherein he sate, in the midst of London. Then was the Lord Percy sought for (whome sayth the story) they would doubtlesse haue slayne if they might haue foūd him. With their bils and iauelins, al corners and priuy chambers were searched, beds & hangings torne a sunder. MarginaliaGods prouision in sauing his seruantes.But the Lord Percy (as God would) was then with the Duke, whome one Iohn Yper the same day with great instance had desired to dinner. The Londiners not finding him at home, and supposing that he was wyth the Duke at Sauoy, in all hasty heat turned their power thither, running as fast as they could to the Dukes house. MarginaliaThe house of the Duke of Lācaster searched of the Londiners.Where also in like maner they were disapoynted of their cruell purpose. In þe meane while as this was doyng, cōmeth one of the dukes men rūning post hast, to þe Duke & to the Lord Percy, declaring what was done. The Duke being then at his oysters, without anye further tarying, and also breaking both his shinnes at the forme for haste, tooke boate with the Lord Percy, MarginaliaThe Duke and L. Percy flye to the Prince.and by water went to Kingstone, where then þe princesse with Richard the yong Prince did lye. Who there declared vnto the Princesse all þe whole matter, cōcerning the outrage of the Londiners as it was. To whom she promised againe, such an order to be taken in the matter, as should be to his contentation. At what time the commons of London, thus as is sayd, were about the Dukes house at Sauoy, meeteth with thē a certain priest, who marueling at the sodain rage & concourse, asked what they sought. To whome aunswere was geuen agayne of some, that they sought for the Duke and Lorde Marshall, to haue of them the Lord Peter de la Mare, whom they wrongfully had deteined in prison. To this the Priest aunswered agayne more boldly then oportunely. That

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Peter
Oo. iiij.