HALL.

EDWARD HALL was born in London, (in what year is not recorded,) and educated at Eton school; whence he was removed to King's College, Cambridge, and subsequently entered as student at Gray's Inn. Fuller says that he became common sergeant (by which he probably means recorder,) of London; for his exemplary conduct in which office, he was afterwards advanced to be one of the judges in the Sheriff's Court. He died at a very advanced age in 1547.

Hall compiled a Chronicle of the wars between the two Roses, entitled-" The Union of the two noble and illustre families of Lancaster and York, being long in continual dissention for the crown of this noble realm, with all the acts done in both the times of the princes, both of the one lineage and of the

other; beginning at the time of king Henry IV. the first author of this divison, and so successively proceeding, to the reign of the high and prudent prince, king Henry VIII. the indubitate flower, and very heir of both the said lineages: whereunto is added to every king a several table." The work is dedicated to Henry VIII. and was printed by Grafton in 1548; also in 1550.

The following is a list of his authorities.

LATIN AUTHORS.

1. Polychronicon.

2. Cronica Cronicarum, 3. Nauclerus. 4. Polydorus. 5. Paulus Æmilius. 6. Voluteranus. 7. Gauguinus. 8. Albertus Krantz. 9. Michael Ricius. 10. Hector Boetius. 11. Johannes Major. 12. Abbas Wyssenbergensis. 13. Carion. 14. Supplimentum Cronicarum. 15. Gesta Tholosanorum. 16. Cronica Brabancie.

FRENCH AUTHORS.

1. Enquerant de Munstrellet.

2. Jean Bu

chet. 3. Jean Mayer de Belget. 4. Argenton. 5. Le Mere des Histories. 6. Les Annales de

France. 7. Les Annales de Aquitayne. 8. Les Croniqz de Britayne. 9. Giles Corozett. 10. Les Croniques de Normandi. 11. Le Ro

sarie. 12. Le Genolagie des Roys.

ENGLISH WRITERS.

1. Trevisa. 2. Fabian. 3. Sir Thomas More. 4. Caxton. 5. John Harding, 6. The Chronicles of London. 7. John Basset. 8. Balantyne; and "divers other pamphlets, the names of whom are to most men unknowen."

In an advertisement to the reader, Grafton informs us that Hall carried his history no farther than the 24th year of Henry VIII. “The rest, (says he,) he left noted in divers and many pamphlets and papers, which so diligently and truly as I could, I gathered the same together, and have in such wise compiled them, as may after the said years appear in this work; but utterly without any addition of mine."

"The names of the histories contained in this volume."

1. An introduction into the division of the two houses. of Lancaster and York. 2. The unquiet time of king Henry IV. 3. The victorious acts of king Henry V. 4. The troublous season of Henry VI. 5. The prosperous reiga

of king Edward IV. 6. The pitiful life of king Edward V. 7. The tragical doings of king Richard III. 8. The politic governance of king Henry VII. 9. The triumphant reign of king Henry VIII.

The passage which follows, presents the reader with a specimen of the youthful diversions of Henry :

On May Day then next following, in the second year of his reign, his grace being young, and willing not to be idle, rose in the morning very early to fetch may, or green boughs, himself fresh and richly apparelled; and clothed all his knights, squires, and gentlemen in white satin; and all his guard and yeomen of the crown in white sarsenet; and so went every man with his bow and arrows shooting to the wood; and so repaired again to the court, every man with a green bough in his cap; and at his returning, many hearing of his going a-maying, were desirous to see him shoot: for at that time his grace shot as strong, and as great a length, as any of his guard. There came to his grace a certain man with bow and arrows, and desired his grace to take the master of him, and to see him shoot: for at that time his grace was contented. The man put his one foot in his bosom, and so did shoot, and shot a very good

shot, and well towards his mark; whereof not only his grace, but all other greatly marvelled. So the king gave him a reward for his so doing, which person afterwards, of the people and of them in the court, was called Foot-in-bosom.

The same year, in the feast of Pentecost, holden at Greenwich, that is to say, the Thursday in the same week, his grace, with two other with him, challenged all comers to fight with them at the barriers, with target and casting of the spear of eight foot; and that done, his grace, with the said two aids, to fight every of them with two-handed swords, with and against all comers, (none except being a gentleman,) where the king behaved himself so well, and delivered himself so valiantly, by his hardy prowess and great strength, that the praise and laud was given to his grace, and his aids; notwithstanding that divers valiant and strong persons had assailed him and his aids.

From thence the whole court removed to Windsor, then beginning his progress, exercising himself daily in shooting, singing, dancing, wrestling, casting of the bar, playing at the recorders, flute, virginals, and in setting of songs, making of balettes; and did set two goodly masses, every of them five parts, which were sung oftentimes in his chapel, and afterwards in divers other places. And when he came to Oaking, there were kept both justs and tourneys.