Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 About [...]he beginning of the two: and fortith yeare of king Henries reigne, the lord Iames Audelie that had béene ouer with the king of Almaine, and was latelie returned home in companie of the lord Hen|rie, sonne to the said king (who came backe from his father about the feast of saint Michaell last past) vn|derstanding how the Welshmen in his absence had EEBO page image 257 burnt, wasted, and destroied his lands, possessions, and castels, which belonged vnto him in the confines of Wales, he meant to be reuenged of those iniuries, and inuading them, he slue a great number of them, so reuenging the death of those his freends,The lord Audelie war|reth vpon the Welshmen. seruants and tenants, whome they before had murthered. The Welshmen were not so discouraged herewith, but that they brake vpon him out of their starting-holes and places of refuge through the marishes, and slai|eng their enimies horsses, put them backe to their power, & ceassed not to doo what mischeefe they could, by spoiling, killing, and burning houses and castels where they might come vnto them, and so the realme of England was dailie put to losses & hinderances. For out of Wales, England was accustomed to be furnished with horsses, cattell, and other things, to the great profit of both the countries. About the same time there was an ambassage sent from the king of England to the French king by the bishop of Wor|cester,Ambassadors sent into France. the elect of Winchester, the abbat of West|minster, the earle of Leicester, & Hugh Bigod earle Marshall, with Peter de Sauoy, and Robert Wal|cron. The effect of their message was to require re|stitution of those countries, lands, cities, and townes which had bene euicted out of the hands of king Iohn and others, apperteining by right of inheritance to the king of England. These lords did their message, but as was thought, they had no towardlie answer, but rather were put off with trifling words & scorne|full [...]awnts, so that they returned shortlie againe all of them, the abbat of Westminster onelie excepted, who remained there behind for a fuller answer, not [...]nelie to those requests exhibited on the part of the king of England, but also on the behalfe of the king of Almaine. The marshes towards Wales in this season were brought almost desert, by reason of the continuall wars with the Welshmen,The marshes of Wales sore impouerished. for what with fire & sword, neither building nor liuing creature, nor any other thing was spared, that fire & sword might bring to ruine.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 A great dearth. Matth. Paris. In this yeare was an exceeding great dearth, in so much that a quarter of wheat was sold at London for foure and twentie shillings, whereas within two or thrée yeares before, a quarter was sold at two shil|lings. It had beene more déerer, if great store had not come out of Almaine, for in France and in Nor|mandie it likewise failed. But there came fiftie great ships fraught with wheat and barlie, with meale and bread out of Dutchland, by the procure|ment of Richard king of Almaine, which greatlie re|leeued the poore; for proclamation was made, and or|der taken by the king, that none of the citizens of London should buy any of that graine to laie it vp in store, whereby it might be sold at an higher price vnto the needie. But though this prouision did much ease, yet the want was great ouer all the realme. For it was certeinelie affirmed, that in three shires within the realme, there was not found so much graine of that yeares growth, as came ouer in those fiftie ships.The gréedie dealing of the Londoners to the hurt of the cõmon-welth. The proclamation was set foorth, to re|streine the Londoners from ingrossing vp that graine, and not without cause: for the wealthie citi|zens were euill spoken of in that season, bicause in time of scarsitie they would either staie such ships as fraught with vittels were comming towards the citie, and send them some other way foorth; or else buy the whole, that they might sell it by retaile at their plesure to the needie. By means of this great dearth and scarsitie, the common people were constreined to liue vpon hearbs & roots, and a great number of the poore people died through famine, which is the most miserable calamitie that can betide mortall men, and was well marked euen of the heathen, but notablie by Ouid, who making a description of famine, setteth hir foorth in most ouglie and irkesome sort, intending therby the dreadfulnes of that heauie plague, saieng:

Quaesitámque famem lapidoso vidit in antro,Ouid. lib. 8. Meta. fab. 11.

Vnguibus & raris vellentem dentibus herbas,

Hirtus erat crinis, caua lumina, pallor in ore,

Labra incana situ, scabrirubigine dentes,

Dura cutis, per quam spectari viscera possent,

Ossa sub incuruis extabant arida lumbis,

Ventris erat pro ventre locus, pendêre putares,

Pectus & àspinae tantummodo crate teneri,

Auxerat articulos macies, genuùmque tumebat

Orbis, & immodico prodibant tubere tali, &c.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 This yeare after Easter a parlement was hol|den at London,A parlement. Matth. Paris. in the which manie weightie mat|ters were intreated of touching the kings causes, namelie, about the conquest of the realme of Na|ples,Hurtred, a messenger frõ the pope. the pope hauing sent a messenger named Hur|tred for the discharge of monie, which the pope had re|ceiued of merchants, as it were to the kings vse, and entred bonds for the paiment thereof. Also, whereas the king was sore disquieted for the warre which the Welshmen made against him, he asked aduise of the states, how he might procéed to seeke his iust re|uenge of them, who by reason of their good hap were become verie stout and loftie, and had of late by the expiring of a truce which had beene accorded betwixt them,The Welsh|men spoile Penbroke|shire. spoiled and wasted the most part of Penbroke|shire, of which iniurie the earle of Penbroke, name|lie William de Ualence, sore complained.