Compare 1577 edition: 1 On which daie, the people of the earles part, being in their muster in S. Iohns field, and a great num|ber of the substantiall citizens there assembled, to be|hold their order; the lord Fauconbridge, who tooke the musters,The lord Faucon|bridge. wiselie anon declared to the people the offenses and breaches of the late agréement, commit|ted by king Henrie the sixt; and demanded of the people, whether they would haue him to rule and reigne anie longer ouer them? To whome they with whole voice answered; Naie, naie. Then he asked them, if they would serue, loue, honour, and obeie the erle of March, as their onlie king and souereigne lord? To which question they answered; Yea, yea: cri|eng (King Edward) with manie great showts & clap|ping of hands in assent and gladnesse of the same.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 The lords were shortlie aduertised of the louing consent which the commons frankelie and fréelie had giuen. Whervpon incontinentlie, they all with a con|uenient number of the most substantiall commons repaired to the erle at Bainards castell, making iust and true report of their election and admission, and the louing assent of the commons. The earle, after long pausing, first thanked God of his great grace and benefit towards him shewed; then the lords and commons for their fauour and fidelitie: notwith|standing, like a wise prince, he alleged his insuffi|ciencie for so great a roome and weightie burthen, as lacke of knowledge, want of experience, and diuerse other qualities to a gouernour apperteining. But yet in conclusion, being persuaded by the archbishop of Canturburie, the bishop of Excester,The earle of March ta|keth vpon him as king. and other lords then present, he agréed to their petition, and tooke vp|on him the charge of the kingdome, as forfeited to him by breach of the couenants established in par|lement.
¶Thus farre touching the tragicall state of this land vnder the rent regiment of king Henrie, Abr. Flem. who (besides the bare title of roialtie and naked name of king) had little apperteining to the port of a prince. For whereas the dignitie of princedome standeth in souereigntie; there were of his nobles that im|becilled his prerogatiue by sundrie practises, spe|ciallie by maine force; as seeking either to suppresse, or to exile, or to obscure, or to make him awaie: other|wise what should be the meaning of all those fough|ten fields from time to time, most miserablie falling out both to prince, péere, and people? As at saint Al|bons, at Bloreheath, at Northampton, at Banberie, at Barnet, & at Wakefield; to the effusion of much bloud, and pulling on of manie a plage, which other|wise might haue béene aucided. All which battels, to|gither with those that were tried betweene Edward the fourth, after his inthronization; and Henrie the sixt after his extermination (as at Exham, Donca|ster, and Teukesburie) are remembred by Anglorum praelia in good order of pithie poetrie, as followeth:
Nobilitata inter plures haec sunt loca caede,Albani fanum, Blorum, borealis & Ampton,Banbrecum campis, Barnettum collibus haerens,Wakefield. Experrectorum pagus, fanúm se [...]undòAlbani, propior Scoticis confinibus Exam,Contiguó istis habitantes rure coloni,Moerentes hodie, quoties proscindit aratorArua propinqua locis dentale reuellere terraSemisepulta virûm sulcis Cerealibus ossa:Moesta execrantur planctu ciuile duellum,Quo periere [...]ominum plus centum millia caesa,Nobile Todcastrum clades accepta coegitEEBO page image 662Millibus enectis ter denis nomen habere.Vltima postremae locus est Teuxburia pugnae,Oppidulis his accedens certissima testis,Bello intestino sluuios fluxisse cruoris.]