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many of the chief noble men, whiche had the realme in gouernaunce (because of the yong age of Charles the kyng), fell somewhat at dissencion, of the whiche variaunce, Lewes the prynce of Orlyaunce was the chiefe and heade, whiche 5 because he had maried John the kynges syster loked to haue bene chiefe gouernoure of all the realme. By the whiche meanes it came to passe, that one manne had the principal gouernaunce of the realme. And therfore Henry

therle was constrayned to sue vnto al the nobles seuerally Io one after another desiryng and praiyng them of ayde and helpe in his purpose, and thus the matter was prolonged. In the meane tyme Thomas the Marques of Dorcet (of whom we spake afore) was priuely sent for to come home by his mother, partely mystrustyng that Henry should not 15 preuayle, and partly for the great and large promises that kyng Rychard had made to her for hym before. Whiche letters when the sayd Marques had receyued, he beleuyng all thynges that his mother wrote unto him, and also thynkyng that Henry should neuer prevaile, and that the 20 Frenche men dyd but mocke and dalay with him, he sodenly in the night tyme conueighed him selfe out of Paris and with great spede made towardes Flaunders. whiche thyng when therle and other of the Englishe lordes heard of, they were sore astonned and amased, and with all 25 spede purchased of Charles the kyng a licence and commaundement that the Marques might be steyed, whersoeuer he were found within the dominion of Fraunce, chiefly for that he was secrete of their counsel and knewe al their purpose. The commaundement was quickly obteyned and 30 postes made forth euery way, among whom one Humfrey Cheyney playing the part of a good blodhound so truly smelled out and folowed the trace, that by and by he found out and toke the Marques, and so handled and persuaded

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him with gentle and good wordes, that shortly after he was

content to retourne.

Then Henry, beyng delyuered of this chaunce, thought it best to prolonge the matter no further least he should loose bothe the present oportunitee and also wery his 5 frendes that looked for him in England. Wherfore he made haste and set forewarde with a smal army obteyned of the Frenche kyng, of whom he also borowed some money, and some of other his frendes, for the whiche he lefte the Marques and John Burchere behynde for a pledge. And 10 so settyng forward came to Roan, and whyle he taried ther and prepared shippyng at the hauen of Seyn, tidynges came to him that kyng Richardes wyfe was dead, and purposed to mary with the lady Elizabeth, kyng Edwardes eldest doughter beyng his nece, and that he had maried Cicile her 15 syster to a mans sonne of the land farre vnderneth her degre. At the whiche thing, Henry was sore amased and troubled, thinkyng that by this meanes al his purpose was dashed, for that there was no other waye for him to come to the kyngdome but onely by the mariage of one of kyng 20 Edwardes doughters. And by this meanes also he feared least his frendes in England would shrynke from him for lacke of an honest title. But after they had consulted vpon the matter, they thought it best to tary a lytle to proue yf they might get more helpe and make mo frendes. And 25 among all other, they thought it best to adjoyne the lorde Harbart vnto them, whiche was a man of great power in Wales, and that should be brought to passe by this meanes, for that the lorde Harbart had a syster maryable, whom Henry would be content to mary if he would take their part. 30 And to bryng al this matter to passe messengers were sent to Henry the erle of Northumberland, whiche had maried the other syster, so that he should bryng this matter aboute,

but the wayes were so besette that the messengers could not come to him.

And in the meane season came veray good tydynges from John ap Morgan, a temporal lawyer, whiche signified 5 vnto them that sir Ryce ap Thomas, a noble and valiaunt man, and John Sauage fauoured his part earnestly, and also sir Reynolde Bray had prepared a great summe of mony to wage battaile on his part and to helpe him, and therfore he would they should make hast with all that euer they could, 10 and make towarde Wales.

Then Henry spedely prepared him selfe because he would lynger his frendes no longer. And after that he had made his praier vnto almightye God that he might haue good successe in his journey, onely with. ii. M. men and a 15 fewe shyppes in the calendes of August he sayled from the hauen of Seyne, and the vii. day after whiche was the xxii. day of August, he ariued in Wales aboute sonneset and landed at Milford hauen, and in the part whiche is called the Dale, where he heard that there was diuers layd in wayt 20 for him, to kepe him backe. From thence in the mornyng betimes he remoued toward a toune called Harford, within x. myle of the Dale, where he was very joyfully receiued. Here he had contrary tidynges brought to that he heard in Normandy afore, that Sir Ryce ap Thomas and John Sauage, 25 with al that euer they coulde make, were of kyng Rychardes part.

Notwithstandyng, they had suche tidynges sent them from the men of Pembruche by a valiaunt gentleman, whose name was Arnold Butteler, that it rejoysed al their heartes, 30 whiche was, that if al former offences might be remytted, they would be in a redynesse to sticke vnto their owne Gespare the erle. Then Henries company by this meanes beyng encreased, departed from Herford. v. myle toward

Cardigane, and then while he refreshed his men, sodeynly came a rumoure vnto him that the lord Harbart, whiche dwelled at Carmerdine, was nigh at hand with a great armye of menne. At the whiche rumoure there was a great sturre amongest them, euery man toke him selfe to his weapon 5 and made them selfes redy if nede were to fight, and a lytle while they were al afrayd, tyll suche tyme as Henry had sent out horsmen to try the trueth, whiche when they came againe, declared that al thinges was quiet and that there was no suche thyng. But most of all maister Gryffythes, a 10 very noble man, dyd comfort them and gladden their heartes whiche although before he had joyned himselfe to the lorde Harbert, at that very tyme he cleued to Henry with suche company as he had, although they were but fewe, and the same tyme came John ap Morgan vnto him. Henry went 15 styl forwarde and taried almost in no place, because he would make sure worke and the better spede, he inuaded suche places afore that they were armed against him, the whiche places he bette doune with very lytle strength. But afterwarde, hauyng knowledge by his spyes that the lord 20 Harbert and Sir Ryce were in a redynes to geue him battaile, he determined to set vpon them, and either to put them to flight or els to make them sweare homage and feaultee vnto him, and to take them with him in his host against kyng Rychard. And because he would ascertayne his frendes 25 in England howe al the matter went forwarde with him, he sent his moost trusty frendes to the lady Margarete his mother, to Standley, to Talbot, and to other of his most especial frendes with certayne commaundementes. The effecte of the commaundementes were, that he intended with 30 the helpe of his frendes to passe ouer Seuerne and by Shrewesbury to make toward London. Therefore he desired them with those that were of their councel, in tyme and

place conuenient, to mete him. So the messengers goyng forth with these commissyons, Henry went forward toward Shrewesbury, and in the way met with sir Ryce ap Thomas with a great nomber of men whiche came into him and was 5 of his part. For two dayes afore Henry promysed him to be chiefe ruler of all Wales as sone as he came to the croune (if he would come vnto him) whiche afterward he gaue to him in dede. In the meane tyme the messengers executyng the message diligently returned backe agayne with Io large rewardes of them to whom they were sent, and came to Henry the same day he entred into Shrewesburye and shewed howe all his frendes were in a redynesse to do the vttermost that lay in them. This tidynges put Henry in suche great hope, that he went furth with a courage and 15 came to the toune of Newporte and there set up his tentes vpon a lytle hyl, and there lay all night. That night came to him Sir Gylbert Talbot with aboue two hundred men. After that they went furth to Stafforde and whyle they were there, Willyam Standley came to him with a few after him, and when he had talked a lytle with him, returned backe againe to his hoost whiche he had prepared. From thence he went to Lichefelde and that night lay without the toune, but in the mornyng betime he entred into the citee and was receyued honourably. A day or ii afore, Thomas 25 Standley was there with fyue. M. men armed, whiche, when he knewe of Henries commyng, furthwith went afore to a village called Aderstone there to tary tyl Henry came. This he dyd to auoyde suspection, beyng afrayd lest king Richard knowyng his intent would haue put his sonne to 30 death, whiche, as I telled you before, was left with him as a pledge for his father. But kyng Rychard in the meane tyme, which then was at Nottyngham, hearyng that Henry with a few more of banished men was entred into Wales, so

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