¶Of this assuming the regiment to himselfe, Abr. Fl. out of Henrie Knigh|ton canon of Leicester abbeie. as di|uerse diuerslie report: so Henrie Knighton a man li|uing in those daies, and committing to writing the occurrents of that tumultuous time, saith as follow|eth. In the moneth of Maie, the king held a councell at Westminster, and in the feast of the Inuention of the crosse, comming personallie to the councell house he remooued all the great officers (contrarie to expec|tation and thinking) from their offices, and at his pleasure placed in their roomes whome he list. He re|mooued the archbishop of Yorke lord chancellor, and put in his place the bishop of Winchester: he remoo|ued the bishop of Hereford lord treasuror, and put an|other in his place: he remooued the clearke of the priuie seale, and all other: so likewise did he the iusti|ces of either bench. But least the affaires of the realme should in the meane while be hindered, he commanded the iustices of law to follow and prose|cute EEBO page image 467 things requisite as they were woont, till such time as he was better aduised touching the proui|ding of other iustices. The erle of Arundell likewise, vnto whome the gouernment of the parlement was committed, and the admeraltie of the sea, was remoo|ued; and the earle of Huntington put in his roome. In like sort dealt the king with the residue of his offi|cers, saieng that he ought not to be inferior in degree & of lesse account than an other ordinarie heire what|soeuer within the realme of England; sith the law and custome of the realme of England auerreth, that euerie heire being in the gardianship of anie lord, when he is growne to be one and twentie yeares of age, ought presentlie to inioy the inheritance left him by his father, and is lawfullie to possesse his pa|trimonie, and freelie to dispose and order his owne goods and chattels to his liking. But now it is come to passe, that I thus manie yeares haue liued vnder your counsell and gouernement; and now first to God, secondlie to you, I giue manifold thanks, that you haue gouerned and supported me, mine inheri|tance, and my realme of England, as well within as without, & speciallie against our enimies round about vs, all renowme of honour and praise to vs and our kingdome alwaies safelie reserued. But now God hath so dealt for vs, that we are of full age, so that we are two and twentie yeares old at this present: and we require that we may fréelie and at libertie from this time forward rule and gouerne both our selues and our inheritance; and we will haue our kingdome in our owne hands, and officers and seruitors of our owne appointing at our plea|sure; secondlie, as shall seeme to vs more auaileable, by Gods grace, to elect, choose, and preferre vnto offi|ces such as we doo well like of, and at our pleasure to remooue such as be presentlie resiant, and in their roomes to substitute and set others wheresoeuer and whomsoeuer we list. The king hauing thus spoken, there was not one that went about to breake him of his will, but they all glorified God, who had proui|ded them such a king, as was likelie to prooue discreet and wise.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 Anno Reg. 13. Wickleuists increase.In this season, the followers of Wickliffes doc|trine maruellouslie increased, speciallie in the dio|cesse of Sarum, where they had manie that tooke vp|on them as ministers, both to preach the word, and to dispense the sacraments. This they did in secret: but they were discouered by one that had beene of their fellowship, who declared to the bishop of Salisburie at his man or of Sonning, all the whole circumstan|ces thereof, as he knew. There were of them that preached in those daies earnestlie against pilgrima|ges, calling such images as the people had in most veneration, as that at Walsingham, and the rood of the north doore at Paules in London, rotten stocks, and worme eaten blocks, through which the vnskil|full people being mocked and deceiued, were com|pelled most manifestlie to commit idolatrie. The bi|shops (saith Thomas Walsingham) hearing, behol|ding, and knowing these things with much more, to be true, did little or nothing to redresse the same, saue onlie the bishop of Norwich who stirred coles, swea|ring and staring, that if anie of that sect presumed to preach anie peruerse doctrine within his diocesse, he would cause them either to hop headlesse, or to frie a fagot for it: he was therefore not a little praised and extolled by the moonks and other religious men (as should appeare) for that his zeale.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 The duke of Lancaster re|turneth into Englãd foorth of Gascoigne.In Nouember, the duke of Lancaster came foorth of Gascoigne into England, after he had remained first in Spaine, and after in Gascoigne, thrée yeares togither. Of his successe in Spaine is spoken before, & likewise of the agréement betwixt the king of Ca|st [...]le, & the said duke, which was not in all points con|firmed, till a little before his returne now into Eng|land.A councell hol+den at Reding where y^e duke of Lancaster reconcileth the king and the lords. About the same time the king had called a coun|cell of his nobilitie at Reading, to the which the duke of Lancaster made the more hast to come, bicause he knew that the king would shew no good countenance to some of the noblemen; and therefore he doubted least malicious offenses might arise betwixt them, which to appease he meant the best he could, and his trauell came to good effect: for he did so much, that as well the king as the lords departed from the councell as freends, the lords taking their leaues of him in lo|uing maner, and he courteouslie bidding them fare|well: and so each of them resorted vnto their homes well pleased for that present. ¶ The king held his Christmasse this yéere at Woodstoke, and the duke of Lancaster laie at his castell of Hertford.