ning of the 6th century, was not only before they were over awed by the Mohammedan power, but before Mohammed introduced his new religion), for in fuch a cafe it would have been more commodi. oufly built in the middle of the convent, the religious there being the only people to be called, the country round about being then, as it is now, uninhabited, except by the hermits, who had chapels of their own adjoining to their cells, whofe ruins may yet be feen there. It was on account of the folitude of the place they chofe to make their habitation in that part of the country. It is fortunate that fignior Lufignan has given an account of this tower, having frequently vified the place when in the Holy-land, fince he does not, he tells me in thefe "No churches, perhaps are to be found in England, that are entire, whofe erection was prior to the introduction of bells, to call people to worship; but, if there fhould be fuch found, thefe facred towers, commonly called fteeples, may be found adjoining to, or pretty near them, either built as watch-towers, or, if in places where no dangers were apprehended, for ornament, fich watch-towers having ftruck them as a beauty. It is certain, in in our more embellished churches, two, or three, or perhaps more of thefe towers have been built, and could not all be intended for the reception of belis. ARTICLES granted to the Earl of WARWICK, on his undertaking the Offices of GUARDIAN and PRECEPTOR to King HENRY VI. [From the Third Volume of a Collection of Original Letters written during the Reigns of HENRY VI. EDWARD IV. and RICHARD III. By Sir JOHN FENN, Knight, M. A. and F. A. S.] OR the good rule, demeaning and furety of the king's perfon and draught of him to virtue and cunning[knowledge], and efchewing of any thing that might give empeachment or let thereto, or caufe any charge, default, or blame, to be laid upon the earl of Warwick at any time without his defert, he, confidering that peril and business of his charge about the king's perfon groweth fo that that authority and power given to him before, fut ficeth him nought without more thereto, defireth therefore thefe things that follow. "FOR 1. That confidering that the charge of the rule, demeaning, and governance, and alfo of nurture of the king's perfon, refteth upon the faid earl, whilt it fhall like the king, and the peril, danger, and blame, if any lack or default were in any of thefe, the which lack or default. might be caufed by ungodly and unvirtuous men, if any fuch were about his pe fon; he defireth therefore for the good of the king and for his own furety to have power and authority to name, ordain, and affign, and, for caufe that fhall be thought to him reafonable, to remove thofe that fhall be about the king's perfon of what eare or condition that they be, not intending to comprehend in this defire the fte ward, chamberlain, treafurer, controller, nor ferjeants of offices, fave fuch as ferve about the the king's perfon and for his mouth. "Rño. [Refponfio] Antwer, as toward the taming, ordinance and affignation before faid, it is agreed, fo that he take in none of the four knights nor efquires for the body, without advice of my lord of Bedford, himbeing in England, aud him being out, of my lord of Gloucester, and of the remanent of the king's council. 2. Item. the faid earl de fireth that where he fhall have any perfon in his difcretion fufpect (fulpectd] of mifgovernance, and not behoveful nor expedient to be about the king, except the eftates of the houfe, that he may put them from exercife and occupation of the king's fervice, till that he fhall mowe have fpeech with my lord of Bedford, of Gloucefter, and with the other lords of the king's council, to that end that the default of any fuch perfon known unto him fhall mowe o dain thereupon as them [they] fhall think expedient and behovetul. "Aufwer, it is agreed as it is de more to grudge with 'chaftizing, and to loath it, fo that it may reasonably be doubted left he will conceive against the faid earl, or any other that will take upon him to chaftife him for his deraults, di pleafure or indignation therefore, the which without due affiftance is not cafy to be born. It like therefore to my lord of Glo: cefter and to all the lords of the king's council to promite [promife] to the faid earl and aflure him, teat they fhall firmly and truly affift him in the exercife of the charge and occupation that he hath about the king's perfon, nam. ly in chif tizing of him for his defaults, and fupport the faid earl therein; and if the king at any time will conceive for that caufe indignation against the faid earl, my faid lord of Gloucefter and lords fhall do all their true diligence and power to remove the king therefrom. "Anfwer, it is agreed as it is de fired. 5. Item, the faid earl defireth, that forafmuch as it fhall be necefiary to remove the king's perfon at divers times into fundry places as the cafes may require, that he may have power and authority to remove the king by his difcretion into what place him [e] thinketh neceffary for the health of his body and furety of his perfon. "Anfwer, it is agreed as it is defired. 6. Item, fith [ fince] the faid earl hath take upon him the governance of the king's perfon, he defieth that all the eftates, officers and fervants of the king's houfe, of what cftate and condition they be, have fpecial commandment and charge given by my lords of Bedford, and Glou cefter, and by the lords of the king's council, that in all manner [f] things feen and advised by the faid earl's difcretion, that is for the king's cftate, worship, health, and profit, profit, by his commandment and "7. Item, forafmuch as the faid earl hath knowledge that in fpeech that hath been had unto the king at part [apart] and in private, not hearing the faid earl, nor any of the knights fet about his perfon, nor affigned by the faid earl, he hath been flirred by fome from his learning, and fpoken to of divers matters not behoveful; the faid earl doubting the harm that might fall to the king, and the inconvenience that might enfue of fuch fpeech at part, if it were fuffered, defireth that in all fpeech to be had with the king, he or one of the four knights, or fome perfon to be affigned by the faid earl, be prefent and privy to it. "Anfwer. This article is agreed, excepting fuch perfons, as for nighnefs of blood, and for their eftate, ought of reason to be fuffered to speak with the king. 8. Item, to the intent that it may be known to the king that it proceedeth of the affent, advice, and agreement, of my lord of Gloucefter, and all my lords of the king's council, that the king be chastised for his defaults or trefpaffes, and that for awe thereof he forbear the more to do amifs, and intend the more bufily to virtue and to learning; the faid earl defireth that my lord of Gloucester, and my faid other lords of the council or great part of them, that is to fay, the chancellor, and treasurer, and of everych [every] eftate in the coun cil fpiritual and temporal fome come to the king's prefence, and there to make to be declared to him their agreement in that behalf. "Anfwer. When the king cometh next to London, all his council fhall come to his prefence, and there this fhall be declared to him. 9. Item, the faid earl, that all his days hath above all other earthly things defired, and ever fhall, to keep his truth and worship unblemifhed and unhurt, and may not for all that let [prevent] malicious and untrue men to make informations of his perfon, fuch as they may not, nor dare not ftand by, nor be not true; befeecheth therefore my lord of Gloucefter, and all my said lords of the council, that if they or any of them have been informed of any thing that may be or found to his charge or default, and namely in his occupation and rule about the king's perfon, that the faid earl may have knowledge thereof, to the intent that he may answer thereto, and not dwell in heavy or finifter conceit or opinion without his defert, and without anfwer. ' ARTICLES of IMPEACHMENT against the Duke of SUFFOLK. [From the fame Work.] To the king our fovereign lord, HEWETH and piteoufly complaineth your humble true obeifant commons of this your noble realm, in this your prefent parliament, by your high authority affembled for the furety of your moft high and royal perfon, and the welfare of this your noble realm, and of the true lege people of the fame, that William de la Pole, duke of Suffolk, late of Ewelm, in the county of Oxford, falfely and traiteroufly hath imagined, compaffed, purpofed, forethought, done, and committed, divers high, great, heinous, and horrible treafons against your most royal perfon, your crowns of your realms of England and France, your duchies of Guyenne and Normandy, and your old inheritance of your counties of Anjou and Maine, the estate and dignity of the fame, and the univerfal weal and profperity of all your true fubjects of realms and counties in manner and form enfuing. First, the faid duke the 20th day of July, the 25th year of your bleffed reign (1447) in your city of London, in the parish of Sepulchre, in the ward of Faringdon in fra, imagining and purpofing falfely and traiterously to deftroy your moft royal perfon, and this your faid realm, then and there traiteroufly excited, coun felled, provoked, and comforted the earl of Denas [Baftard) of Orleans, Bertrand, lord Preffigny, mafter William Cufinet, enemies to you fovereign to you fovereign lord, and other your enemies, fubjects and ambafladors to Charles, calling himfelf king of France, your greatest adverfary and enemy, to move, counfel, ftir, and provoke the fame Charles to come into this 7 your realm to levy, raise, and make open war against you fovereign lord, and all this your realm with a great puiffance and army to destroy your most royal perfon, and your true fubjects of the fame realm to the intent to make John fon of the fame duke [King] of this your fid realm, and to depofe you of your high regality thereof, the same duke of Suffolk having then of your grant the ward and marriage of Margaret, daughter and heir to John, late the duke of Somerset, purpofing her to marry to his faid fon, prefuming and pretending her to be next enheritable to the crown of this your realm, for lack of iffue of you fovereign lord, in accomplishment of his faid traitor's purpofe and intent, whereupon the fame duke of Suffolk fith the time of his arreft hath do [caufed] the faid Margaret to be married to his faid fon. "Item, the faid duke of Suffolk being most trusted with you, and pri viest of your counsel of full long time prepenfing [ premeditating] that your faid great enemy and adversary Charles fhould conquer and get by power and might your faid realm of France, duchies, and counties the 20th day of January, the 17th year of your reign (1438) at Weftmin. fter, in the fhire of Middlefex, and divers other times and places within your faid realm of England, falfely, traiteroufly, by fubtle means and imaginations, for great corruption of good, taking of money, and other exceffive promises to him made by Charles, duke of Orleans your enemy, counfelled and steered of himfeif only, your highness to enlarge and deliver out of prison the fame duke of Orleans enemy to you fo vereign vereign lord, and to the most victorious noble prince of blefled memory, the king your father, whom God affoil! raken by him prifoner, to the intent that the faid Charles, calling himself king of France, fhould recover, get, and have by falfe conquest, and other deceivable means against you, your heirs and fucceffors, your faid realm of France, duchies and counties by the wile, fubile counfel, might, and aid, of the faid duke of Orleans. "Notwithstanding that by the laft will and ordinance of your faid father, for divers things moving his great wisdom, contrary thereof was advifed and declared, by which counsel and steering only of the faid duke of Suffolk, the faid duke of Orleans was foverd [Suffered] at his liberty to depart of this your realm to the parts of France. "Afore which departure the 1ft day of May, the faid 17th year of your reign (1439) at London, in the parish of St. Martin, in the ward of Faringdon infra, the fame duke of Suffolk traiterously adherent to the faid Charles, calling himself king of France, then and there falfely and traiterou fly counfelled, comforted, fteered, and provoke the faid duke of Orleans to excite and move the fame Charles, calling himself king of France, your great enemy and adverfary, to make and raife open war against you in your faid realm of France, and duchy of Normandy, to conquer and to obtain falfely by force, might, and other means against you, your heirs and fucceffors, your faid realm of France, and duchy of Normandy, upon which adherence, counfel, and convort [q. comfort] of the faid duke of Suffolk, the faid Charles, calling himself king, hath made open war against you in your faid realm of France, and it hath attroched [attracted] unto him, and the most part of your duchy of Normandy, and taken prifoners the full noble lords and courageous knights, the earl of Shrewsbury, and the lord Falconberg with many other nobles and people of your true lieges, to their likely final undoing, your greatest difheritance, and our great lamentable lofs that ever come afore this to you, or any of your full noble progenitors, or to your true fubjects. "Item, where [as] the faid duke of Suffolk late was one of your ambaffadors with others to your faid adverfary Charles, calling him felf king of France, he above his inftruction and power to him by you committing, promised to Reyner, king of Sicily, and Charles D'aungers his brother, your great enemies, the deliverance of Maunce and Mayne, without the affent and advice or knowing of others your faid ambaffadors with him then accompanied, and thereupon after his coming into this realm from the fame ambaffiate, in performing of his faid promife, he falfely and traiteroufly, for great rewards, and lucre of good to him given by your enemies, caufed the faid Reyner and Charles D'aungers to have deliverance of Maunce and Mayne aforefaid, to your over great difheritance and lofs irreparable, enforcing and enriching of your faid enèmies, and greatest mean of the lofs of your faid duchy of Normandy; and fo was the faid duke of Suffolk falfely and traiteroufly adherent, aidant and confortant to your great enemies and adverfaries. "Item, the faid duke of Suffolk being retained with you in your wages of war, in your faid realm of France and duchy of Normandy, and thereby truffed by you and all your counsellors to know the privi ty of your counfel there, and the purveyance of your armies, the deL. 2 fence |