John Hardyng was a soldier, spy, and poet, who authored a verse history of England known as The
Chronicle of John Hardyng. The chronicle exists in
two versions: The first version, dedicated to Henry
VI, narrates English history from the legendary
founding of the nation by the Trojan Brutus,
through the year 1437. Its chief aim seems to be to
make a case for the claims of the English kings to
sovereignty over Scotland. The second version of
the poem (carrying the history to 1464) was revised in the interests of the Yorkist faction, and reflects Hardyng’s change of loyalties during the War
of the Roses.
Hardyng was born in Northumbria in 1378,
and at the age of 12, became part of the household of Sir Harry Percy (called “Hotspur”). Under
Percy, son of the earl of Northumberland, Hardyng learned the profession of arms, and fought
behind his lord in border skirmishes against the
Scots. He was under Percy’s command when the
latter was killed at the Battle of Shrewsbury
(1403), in rebellion against King Henry IV. Pardoned by the king, Hardyng next entered the
service of Sir Robert Umfraville. Under Umfraville, Hardyng took part in Henry V’s campaign in
France, fighting in the Battle of Agincourt in
1415.
It was about this time that Henry V took an interest in Hardyng, and recruited him to help create a case for the English king’s right to govern
Scotland. Henry sent Hardyng to Scotland in 1418
to help scout the best way to invade the country
and to gather evidence for Henry’s claim to Scotland. Hardyng was in Scotland for three years, and
returned to present Henry with “evidence” (in the
form of documents he apparently forged himself)
in 1422. In gratitude Henry promised Hardyng the
Northamptonshire manor of Geddington in payment for services rendered—at least Hardyng always claimed so. But Henry died later that year,
and Hardyng never received his promised manor.
Nevertheless, he had always remained in Umfraville’s service, and had been well rewarded by his
lord, being made constable of the castle of Warkworth and later of Kyme, a castle he maintained as
his home until his death.
But when Umfraville died in 1436, Hardyng
stepped up his efforts to support the English claim
to Scotland and to press his own claim to his
promised manor. He began writing the first version of his verse chronicle about this time. In
1440, he presented King Henry VI with more “evidence” for English sovereignty. Henry did grant
Hardyng an annuity of 10 pounds per year, but
no manor was forthcoming. In 1457, Hardyng
again presented forged documentary evidence to
Henry, and presented him, as well, with the completed chronicle, containing a Proem addressed
to the king. In it Hardyng presses Henry to reconquer Scotland like his predecessor, Edward I, and
even includes maps to assist the invasion. For his
services Hardyng’s annuity was increased to 20
pounds.
As the War of the Roses progressed (between
supporters of Henry and the Lancaster line and
those of the king’s cousin, the Duke of York), Hardyng decided to throw his support behind the
Yorkist faction, and decided to rewrite his chronicle to present to York. It was not a great shift for
him; he had, after all, supported Percy’s rebellion
against the first Lancaster, Henry IV. In revising his
history, Hardyng inserted lines rejecting Henry
IV’s claim to the throne. He also removed a eulogy
praising Henry V, and called Henry VI a man “of
small intelligence.” Further, he pressed York’s claim
to the throne through the female line by Lionel of
Clarence, second son of EDWARD III (the Lancasters
claimed descent through John of Gaunt, Edward’s
third son). Richard, duke of York, had died in 1360,
and Hardyng presented his second chronicle, with
events through 1464, to York’s son, Edward IV—
along with more evidence of his Scottish claims.
The Chronicle survives in 12 manuscripts, and
was first published, with a continuation, by
Richard Grafton in 1543. As a historian, Hardyng
used a number of sources, including BEDE, NENNIUS, the Brut, as well as primary documents (genuine ones) from the Percies and others. Still,
Hardyng’s chronicle has never been admired as a
literary work. It is of interest as an eyewitness account of Agincourt, as a tribute to Hardyng’s patrons, particularly Percy and Umfraville, and for
Hardyng’s didactic advice to his royal audience on
good government. He provides a picture of the
lawless conditions during the War of the Roses in
order to extol the importance, and the princely responsibility, of keeping an ordered society and the
rule of law.
Bibliography
Gransden, Antonia. Historical Writing in England II: c.
1307 to the Early Sixteenth Century. Ithaca, N.Y.:
Cornell University Press, 1982.
Hardying, John. The Chronicle of John Hardying.
Edited by Henry Ellis. New York: AMS Press, 1974.
Originally published 1812.