Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (05 of 12): Henrie the SecondHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (05 of 12): Henrie the Second
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- Henry II, 1154-1189; Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
¶ Here we sée philautie or selfe-loue, which rageth in men so
preposterouslie, that euen naturall dutie and affection quite forgotten,
they vndertake what mischéefe soeuer commeth next to hand; without
exception of place or person; and all for the maintenance of statelie
titles, of loftie stiles, of honorable names, and such like vanities
more light than thistle downe that flieth in the aire. A vice that hath
beene noted to reigne in all ages, among all péeres and people of all
nations, both at home and abroad, as one verie well noteth and giueth
his verdict therevpon, saieng,
[Sidenote: _M. Pal. in virg. & sag._]
---- proh dij, mine nomina tantùm
Magnifica, & claros titulos sibi quilibet optat,
Arrogat, affectat, sequitur, rapit; vt meritò iam
Et se asinus pardum vocet & formica leonem.
Quid tituli illustres præclaráq; nomina prosunt?
Quæ citò mors rapit, & lethæas mergit in vndas.
[Sidenote: King Henrie the father knoweth not whome he may trust.
_Polydor._] King Henrie the father perceiuing hereby that warres would
follow, prepared the best he could for his owne defense: but he was in
great doubt on euerie side, not knowing whome he might trust. And to
increase this mischéefe, his wife quéene Elianor studied to mainteine
the strife betwixt hir sonnes. The yoong king then getting an armie
togither entred into Guian.
[Sidenote: Richard Bart chancellor to the young king, also his
chaplaine, Sir Walter Ailward with others. _Rog. Houed._] King Henrie
was not hastie to go against him, but sought rather with gentlenesse and
all courteous meanes to reconcile him: insomuch that whereas diuerse
graue personages being of the yoong kings counsell, and doubting to
runne into the displeasure of his father, reuolted from the sonne to the
father, and brought with them the sonnes seale, which he vsed in sealing
of letters. Howbeit, the father receiued them not, but sent them backe
againe to his sonne, commanding them to continue faithfull in seruing
him as he should appoint them, and herewith he sent ambassadours vnto
his sonne to entreate with him of peace and concord.
Now whilest the father went about to asswage the sonnes displeasure, the
mother quéene Elianor did what she could to pricke him forward in his
disobedient attempts. For she being enraged against hir husband bicause
he kept sundrie concubines, and therefore delited the lesse in hir
companie, cared not what mischéefe she procured against him. Herevpon
she made hir complaint so greeuouslie vnto hir sons Richard and Geffrey,
that they ioined with their brother against their father, & came to him
into Guien, to aid him to the vttermost of their powers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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