being nevertheless so happy to have a Colledge of his name where he so profited in the Arts and Sciences that after an incredible proficiency in all the species of Learning he left the Accademical life for that of the Court whither he came by the invitation of his Uncle the Earl of Leicester of whose faction he was a great favourite of Queen Elizabeth he was of a comely presence framed by a naturall propension to arms and Warlike atchievements so that he soon attracted the good opinion of all men especially of the Queen fame having already blazed abroad his admirable parts she thought him fit for the greatest employments sent him upon an Embassy to the Emperour of Germany at Vienna which he discharged to his own honour and her approbation Yea his fame was so renowned throughout all Christendom that he was in election for the Kingdom of Poland and elective Kingdom but the Queen refused to further his advancement not out of emulation but for the loss of his company at Court He married Sir Francis Walsingams Daughter who impoverished himself to enrich the State from whom he expected no more then what was above all portions a Beautifull Wife and a Vertuous Daughter During his abode at the Court at his spare hours he composed that incomparable Romance entituled The Arcadia which he ded icated to his Sister the Countess of Pembroke A Book which considering his so Youthfull Years and Martial Employments it was a wonder that he had leasure for to write such a Volumn which as Dr. Heylin the Learned Ornament of our Nation in his exquisite Cosmography writes thus of Sir Philip Sidney of whom sayes he I cannot make too honourable a mention and of his Arcadia a Book which besides its excellent Language rare Contrivance and delectable Stories hath in it all the strains of Poesie comprehendeth the whole Art of Speaking and to them who can descern and will observe affordeth notable Rules of Demeanour both private and publick One writes that Sir Philip Sidney in the extream agony of his wounds so terrible the sense of Death is that he requested the dearest Friend he had living to burn his Arcadia On which one Epigrammatist writes thus Ipse tuam moriens sede conjuge teste jubebas Arcadiùm faevis ignibus esse cibum Sic meruit mortem quia flammam accendit amoris Mergi non uri debuit iste liber In librum quaecunque cadat sententia nulla Debuit ingenium morte perire tuum In serious thoughts of death 't was thy desire This sportful Book should be condemn'd with fire If so because it doth intend Love matters It rather should be quencht then drown'd i' th waters Which were it damn'd the Book the Memory Of thy immortal name shall never dye To make amends to such precise persons that think all that is not Divinity to be vain and lascivious he translated part of that excellent Treatise of Philip Morney de Plessis of the truth of Religion To pass by the follies of such supercillious Enthusiasts he wrote also severall other Works namely a defence of Poesie a Book entituled Astrophel and Stella with divers Songs and Sonnets in praise of his Lady whom he celebrated under that bright name so excellently and elegantly penned that as it is in a Poem 'T would make one think so sweet of Love he sings His Pens were Quills pluckt off from Cupids Wings So great were the Lamentations of his Funerals that a face might be sooner found without eyes then without tears no Persons of Honour at that time but thought it a dishonour not to mourn for him To recite the Commendations given him by several Authours would of its self require a Volumn to rehearse some few not unpleasing to the Reader Heylin in his Cosmography calleth him that gallant Gentleman of whom he cannot but make honourable mention Another in his Annals a most valiant and towardly Gentleman Speed in his Chronicle that worthy Gentleman in whom were compleat all vertues and valours that could be expected to reside in man Sir Richard Baker gives him this Character A man of so many excellent Parts of Art and Nature of Valour and Learning of Wit and Magnanimity that as he had equalled all those of former Ages so the future will hardly be able to equal him Nor was this Poet forgotten by the Poets who offered whole Hecatombs of Verses in his praise First hear the Brittish Epigrammatist Thou writ'st things worthy reading and didst do Things worthy writing too Thy Acts thy Valour show And by thy Works we do thy Learning know Divine Du Bartas speaking of the most Learned of the English Nation reckoneth him as one of the Chief in these words And world mourn'd Sidney warbling to the Thames His Swan-like tunes so courts her coy proud streams That all with childe with fame his fame they bear To Thetis Lap and Thetis every were The Renowned Poet Spenser in his Ruines of Time thus writes of him Yet will I sing but who can better sing Then thou thy self thine own self's valiance That whilest thou livedst thou mad'st the Forests ring And Fields resoun'd and Flocks to leap and dance And Shepheards leave their Lambs unto mischance To run thy shrill Arcadian Pipe to hear O happy were those dayes thrice happy were Sir John Harrington in his Epigrams thus If that be true the latter Proverb sayes Laudari à laudatis is most praise Sidney thy Works in Fames Books are enroll'd By Princes Pens that have thy Works extol'd Whereby thy Name shall dure to endless dayes Joyning with the rest that Kingly Poet King James the First late Monarch of Great Brittain amongst others writeth thus When Venus saw the noble Sidney dying She thought it her beloved Mars had been And with the thought thereat she fell a crying And cast away her Rings and Carknets clean He that in death a Goddess mockt and grieved What had he done trow you if he had lived These Commendations given him by so Learned a Prince made Mr. Alexander Nevil thus to write Harps others praise a Scepter his doth sing Of Crowned Poets and of Laureat King To conclude the Lord Burleigh the Nestor of those Times though otherwise an enemy to the Leicestrian Party both loved and admired him Yet was he not altogether addicted to Arts but given as much to the Exercise of Arms being a follower of Mars as well as a Friend to the Muses and although he himself used to say That Ease was the Nurse of Poesie yet his Life made it manifest that the Muses inhabited the Fields of Mars as well as the flowery Lawns of Arcadia that Sonnets were sung in the Tents of War as well as in the Courts of Peace the Muses Layes being warbled forth by a Warlike Sidney in as high a tune as ever they were sung by a peaceable Spenser And although the lamp of his life was extinguisht too soon yet left he a sufficient testimony to the world
they their Books and rankt their dispositions into several forms for that Schoolmaster deserves to be beaten himself who beats nature in a Boy for a fault The truth is our English Schoolmasters I mean the unworthier sort of them to conceal their ignorance and continue their profits keep Boyes in Lillies Grammar first to get it by short lessons by heart and then to construe it which they have a Book to help themselves with continuing so long in this no less slothful and knavish practice of theirs that Foot-boyes and Mechanicks in other Countries speak good familiar Latine before we are out of our Quae Genus it being a custom beyond the Seas to chuse a large Grammar as Disputerius or the like which they onely explain and then fall to their Vocubularies familiar Authors and Dictionaries and in a short time are able to travel with the Latine Tongue over the world Mr. Cambden taking great pains in the erudition of youth continued so for a long space till that he was called aside Queen Elizabeth making him first Richmond Herald and not long after Clarenceaux King of Arms so that here was the story as Mr. Fuller writes of Dionysius inverted who from a King became a Schoolmaster but here a Schoolmaster became a King I mean of Arms which place he discharged with great integrity being very carefull to preserve the memories of extinguish'd families and restoring many to their own rightful Arms as also to curb their usurpation who unjustly entitle themselves to ancient families Spending his time under a peaceable Prince he had leasure to compose those most excellent Works of his which he left behinde him as a Monument of his never dying fame Viz. his Britannia which he wrote in Latine since translated into English by Philemon Holland Doctor of Physick A Book which will speak its own worth better then my rude Pen can set it forth His History of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth the Original and true Edition of which he writ in Latin it was Printed at London in Folio The lesser Volumes Printed in Holland are corrupted That passage in favour of Mary Queen of Scots left out for which the doors of the Cloisters being shut too by one with a vizard to disguise he was soundly banged about the walks with these words often repeated For Queen Elizabeth and so was dismissed not knowing to his dying-day who bestowed so much pains upon him He wrote a Greek Grammar which for the clear method and brevity of it is out-done by no forreign nation His last book which one would have had written on his monument for his Epitaph Cambdens Remains contains the Languages Names Sirnames Allusions Annagrams Armories Monies Empresses Apparel Artillery wise Speeches Proverbs Posies and Epitaphs To recreate the Reader I think it not amiss to relate some few passages out of this last mentioned book that it may appear that our most gravest Authors would many times mix somewhat of mirth with their more solid writtings to draw the Reader on as well by pleasure as profit Amongst other pleasant passages he mentions Johannes Erigena sirnamed Scotus a man renowned for learning who sitting at the Table in respect of his learning with Charles the Bald Emperour and King of France behaved himself as a slovenly Schollar nothing courtly whereupon the Emperour asked him merrily Quid interest inter Scotum Sotum What is the difference between a Scot and a Sot He merrily but yet malapertly answered Mensa the Table as though the Emperour were the Sot and he the Scot. In another place he mentions the Emperour did set down unto him a dish with two fair great fishes and one little one willing him to be carver unto two other Schollars that sat beneath him this Master John who was but a little man laid the two great Fishes upon his own Trencher and set down the other little Fish unto the two Schollars who were big men which when the Emperour saw he smiling said In faith Master John you are no indifferent divider yes if it like your Highness very indifferent said he for here pointing to himself and the two great Fishes be two great ones and a little one and so yonder reaching his hand towards the Schollars are two big ones and a little one He continues with the pleasant relation of Winefridus born at Kirton in Devonshire after sirnamed Boniface who converted Freesland to Christianity was wont to say In old time they were golden Prelates and wooden Chalices but in his time wooden Prelates and golden Chalices Then discourses in another place of Ethelwold the Bishop of Winchester in the time of King Edgar in a great famine sold away all the sacred Gold and Silver Vessels of his Church to relieve the hunger-starved poor people saying That there was no reason that the senseless temples of God should abound in riches and living Temples of the Holy Ghost starve for hunger In another place that when Hinguar of Denmark came so suddenly upon Edmund King of the East-Angles that he was forced to seek his safety by flight he happened unhappily on a troop of Danes who fell to examining of him whether he knew where the King of the East-Angles was whom Edmund thus answered Even now when I was in the palace he was there and when I went from thence he departed thence and whether he shall escape your hands or no God knoweth But so soon as once they heard him name God the godless infidels pittifully martyred him In another place he takes notice of a quick retort to Geffery base Son to King Henry the Second who being by him advanced to the See of Lincoln would in his Protestations and Oaths alwayes protest By my faith and the King my Father But Walter Mapes the Kings Chaplaine told him You might do as well to remember sometimes your Mothers honesty as to mention so often your Fathers Royalty As also of Eubulus a scoffing Comical Greek Poet who cursed himself if ever he opened his mouth against women inferring albeit Medea were wicked yet Penelope was peerless if Clytemnestra were naught yet Alcestes was passing good if Phaedra were damnable yet there was another laudable But here saith he I am at a stand of good women I finde not one more but of the wicked I remember thousands To this purpose I have read in an old Manuscript Women are all in extrems too willing or too wilful too forward or too froward too friendly or too fiendly too courteous or too coy the mean they alwayes meanly account of As also of a certain Captain who being perswaded to marry replied no If I marry a Wife she will be wilfull if witty then wanton if poor then peevish if beautiful then proud if deformed then loathsome and the least of these is able to kill a thousand men But I fear I have been too prolix I shall onely adde one story concerning Cardinal Wolsey then give you a taste amongst many others of some of his
merry Epitaphs and so proceed There was a noble man merrily conceited and riotously given that having lately sold the Mannour of an hundred Tenements came ruffling into the Court in a new Suit saying Am not I a mighty man that bear a hundred houses on my back Which Cardinal Wolsey hearing said You might have better employed it in paying your debts Indeed my Lord quoth be you say well for my Lord my father owed my master your father three half pence for a Calves-head hold here is two pence for it Wolsey's Father being a Butcher I will onely set down a few lines of his merry Epitaphs as resemblances of the rest An Epitaph on Menalcas Here lieth Menalcas as dead as a log That liv'd like a Devil and dy'd like a Dog Here doth he lie said I then say I lie For from this place he parted by and by But here he made his descent into Hell Without either Book Candle or Bell. Upon one of a base condition yet in respect of his Name would have claimed Kindred of a most Noble Family and being a notorious Liar was this written Here lies M. F. the son of a Bearward Who would needs bear Arms in despight of the Herhaught Which was a Lion as black as a Jeat-stone With a Sword in his paws instead of a Whetstone Five sons had this Lyar 't is worth the revealing Two arrant Lyars and three hang'd for stealing His Daughters were nine never free from sores Three crooked Apostles and six arrant Whores Another on one that was bald Here lies John Baker enroll'd in mould That never gave a penny to have his head poll'd Now the plague and the pox light on such a device That undid the Barber and starved the Lice But to return where we left Master Cambden was so great a lover of Learning that he founded an History-Professour in Oxford to which he gave the Mannour of Bexley in Kent worth in present a hundred and forty pounds per annum but some few years expired treble as much And now having lived many years in honour and esteem death at last even contrary to Jus Gentium kill'd this worthy Herald so that it seems Mortality the Law of Nature is above the Law of Arms. He died the 74. year of his age November 9. 1623. He was buried in the Abbey of Westminster having this Epitaph upon his Funeral Monument Qui fide Antiqua opera assidua Britannicum Antiquatem indigavit Simplicitatem innatam honestis studiis excoluit Animi solertiam candore illustravit Gulielmus Camdenus ab Elizabetha R. Ad Regis Armorum Clarentii Titulo Dignitatem evocatus Hic spe certa resurgendi in Christo S. E. Q. Obiit Anno Domini 1623. 9. Novembris Aetatis suae 74. A base villain for certainly no person that had a right English soul could have done it hath defaced his Effigies not suffering his Monument to stand without violation whose learned Leaves have so preserved the Antiquities of the Nation Though we have met with most horrid transactions the inevitable dart of death hath deprived us of learned Master Dodsworth yet Divine Providence hath still left us two Argus-eyed Antiquaries Master Ashmole and Master Dugdale who by their studious Inquiries to their vaste expences in most learned Volumes have retrived from our late ruines the honor of the Nation On these Gentlemen I only look as fit to write the Life of their deceased Predecessour Master Selden one of the late Worthies of our Age and Wonders of the World The Life of THOMAS SUTTON Suttonum Ingenium locupletem industria fecit congestas miseris ille refudit opes FAith Hope and Charity these three divine Graces are a created Trinity and have some glimmering resemblance of the Trinity uncreated for as there the Son is begotten of the Father and the Holy Ghost proceeds from them both so true Faith begets a constant Hope and from them proceeds Charity thus is Gods Temple built in our hearts St Augustin saith that the foundation of it is Faith Hope the erection of the walls and Charity the perfection of the roof an excellent vertue very rare in this contentious self-interested Age wherein fratrum quoque rara gratia est As a shame to these times and an honor to the former I have inserted the life of this worthy Gentleman which if I had omitted I had in some kinde detracted from the honor of the Nation Master Thomas Sutton was of a good extract born in the County of Lincoln the then seat of Baron Willoby of Eresby where in his youth he was generously and liberally brought up he had some knowledge of the Languages and might pass for more then an indifferent Schollar In his youth he attended Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk and afterwards presented his service to the Earl of Warwick with whom for some space of time he was in high favour as also with his Brother that Fox of the State Robert Earl of Leicester In process of time the eminency of his Qualifications being more particularly taken notice of he was preferred made Master of the Ordnance of Barwick of the Laws of which Castle I have seen a transcript reputed to have been under his own hand This place he held for a long time quietly the Barwick Ordinance having been since charged to Covenant purposes but by him onely shot off with silver for Charitable uses The truth is he first raised his estate from that employment by living sparingly and thrivingly continually purchasing and improving of what he had got by merchandize and otherwise Afterwards in his latter time he withdrew himself from the concourse of conversation and dwelt in a little Town called Castle-Camp in the County of Cambridge there he lived privately many years retained no great Family entertained few Guests obscured himself as much as he could and made no show of his Estate yet notwithstanding his wealth was so every where openly known that at last every one gave him the name of the Rich Sutton And now by this time it was the general wonder of all men he having no Heir how he would dispose of his great estate This made his Kindred with emulation one to another in his sickness most diligently to attend him and in his health against the time of his sicknes they strove who should present him with the richest gifts every one of them being freely accepted of The old man who as he received all so they thought at his death to have their own again with the largest Interest I have conversed with some of the Wits who credibly informed me that Ben. Jonsons Play of the Fox under the name of Vulpone had some allusion to Mr. Suttons maner of treating of his Kindred But to pass by such impertinences as he had vaste sums so he had vaste thoughts he had honourable wayes and determined uses to empty his bags with the word P. F. being not heard of in those dayes A Friend of his with
freer access unto the Princes Court then to any others of the same profession and so by consequence to the presence of the Queen her self who did not think much to enter into discourse with him apart and with much familiarity as often as there was offered any opportunity not onely in reference to his Profession and about matters of Law but also about the weighty affairs of State and the concernments of the kingdom and at all times he gave her such judicious answers that she received great satisfaction by them But though she abundantly cherisht him with the favour of her countenance yet never with the favour of a bountiful hand as never having advanc't him to any publick office either of honor or profit excepting onely one dry reversion of a Registers Office in the Star-Chamber computed at the yearly value of 1600. pound into the possession of which he came not till about twenty years after or thereabout of which office his Lordship said pleasantly in Queen Elizabeths time That it was like another mans Farm bordering upon his own house and so might help his prospect but not fill his Barn But in King James his Reign he at length enjoy'd that office and manag'd it by a deputy Now that he was not sooner preferr'd cannot be any way attributed to the least aversion or displeasure that the Queen had in her minde against him but to the fraud and envy of some one of the Noble men at that time powerful with the Queen who sought by all means possible to depress and hinder him lest if he should be advanced to any heighth of honour his own glory should be eclipsed by him However though in the time of his Mistris Queen Elizabeth his merited promotion was still forestalled or kept back yet after the change of Government and the coming in of his new master King James he with a quickned pace soon made a large progress being by this King eminently enobled with places of trust honour anst great revenues I have seen some letters written with his own hand to King James in which he acknowledgeth him to have been so good a master to him as to have nine times conferred upon him his iterated favours thrice titles of great honour six times offices of profit the Offices he means I suppose were these he being Councel extraordinary to his Majesty in which place he had formerly served the Queen the Kings Sollitour General the Kings Atturney General or principal Procurator made one of the Kings Privy Council while yet he held the place of Atturney General Lord Keeper of the great Seal of England lastly Lord Chancellour of England Which two last Offices although they are the same in Authority and Power yet in their Patent degree of honour and favour of the Prince they differ and since the time of his holding that Magistracy none of his successours hath been honoured with that title unto this day His honours were first his being Knighted by the King then he was created Baron Verulam lastly Viscount of St. Albons besides other rich gifts and extentions of a bountiful hand which his Majesty was pleased to bestow upon him as well out of the profits of the great Seal as out of the Office of Alienation When he had arrived to that part of his age in which fortune smiled upon him he began to think of marrying and at length took to Wife Alice the Daughter and one of the Heirs of Bennet Bernham Esquire and Alderman of London with whom he received a very considerable Dowry as well in Land as in ready money children he had none by her but for as much as children conduce very much to the perpetuating our names after death he was not altogether destitute of that advantage since it was his hap to be blest with an other kinde of Off-spring for the perpetuation of his memory to after times namely the Off spring of his brain in which he was alwayes wonderfully happy like Jove himself when he was delivered of Pallace Nor did this want of children in the least measure abate his affection to his Wife toward whom he behav'd himself as an indulgent Husband and shewed her all manner of conjugal love and respect bestowing upon her rich Furniture precious Jewels and likewise settled upon her a fair Joynture nor is it to be omitted in honourable remembrance of him that she wore a rich Wedding Gown which he had bestowed upon her about twenty years after his death for so long she surviv'd her most honoured Husband The last five years of his life retiring himself from Court-Affairs and all kinde of busie employments he bent himself wholly to study and contemplation which kinde of life seem'd indeed to be most pleasing to him as if he would have chosen by his good will to dwell rather in the shade then in the sun-shine Of which also we may find some not obscure intimations in the reading of his Works in which space of time he wrote the greatest part of his Books as well those that were written in English as in Latin which according to the order of time that they were written in I who was present all the while and observ'd shall endeavour to reckon up and they were these following The History of the Reign of Henry the Seventh King of England written in English The Abecedary of Nature a Metaphysical tractate which I know not by what evil fate perisht The History of the Windes The History of Life and Death The History of Dense and Rare never till now in Print The History of Heavy and Light which also is lost These Books were composed in the Latin tongue Next were certain English Fragments as namely these A Discourse concerning the carrying on of a War with Spain A Diologue concerning the Holy War The-Fable of new Atlantis A Preface to be plac't before the body of the Laws of England The beginning of the History of Henry the Eighth King of England Between some of these came that learned work of his call'd The Advancement of Learning in the Translating of which a thing undertaken of his own accord out of his native Tongue into the Latine our most honour'd Author took very great pains and from time to time inricht it with many and various additions After these came his Councels Civil and Moral formerly call'd Essays augmented both as to their number and weight in the English tongue Some of Davids Psalms Composed into English Verse Moreover divers of his Works already mention'd he converted out of English into Latin which were these The History of the Reign of Henry the Seventh King of England His Counsels Civil and Moral call'd Faithful sayings or the Inward sense of things The Diologue of the Holy War and the Fable of New Atlantis these he translated in favour of Forreigners by whom he heard they were desired Other Books that he writ originally in Latin were his book of the Wisdom of the Ancients review'd by himself The last
his first principles of self-denying he having before waved many advantages of the times to make certain his Protectorship which was to grasp all at once The Articles of the Government to which he signed are as followeth 1. That his Excellency be chief Protector of the three Nations of England Scotland and Ireland 2. That he will call to his assistance Councellours not under the number of thirteen nor above twenty one 3. That he shall not act without the advice of his Councel 4. That there shall be every three years a Parliament called freely chosen to begin in September next viz. four hundred and the number for every County proportionable 5. That no Parliament shall adjourn till they have sat above five moneths 6. When ever any Bill is passed in Parliament the Lord Protector shall have twenty dayes to advise with his Councel if he sign it not in twenty dayes it shall pass without unless contrary to these Articles 7. That no Parliament be dissolved by the Protector but end every three years and the Protector to issue out Warrants 8. All the Crown Revenues left to go to the maintenance of the Lord Protector 9. To make Peace or War as he pleaseth with the advice of his Councel in the intervall of Parliaments but not to raise money without the Parliament unless in extraordinary causes 10. Whatsoever goes out in the name of the Keepers of the Liberties of England to go out in the name of the Lord Protector 11. That it is treason to speak against the present Government 12. That all forfeited and confiscated Estates go to the maintenance of the Lord Protector 13. That all Acts of Parliament made and Estates sold stand good and be enjoyed 14. That the Lord Protector have power to confer titles of Honour and to dispose of the great places of trust 15. That in the intervall of Parliaments the Lord protector with his Councel do order the Affairs of the Nation 16. That all Articles of War be kept 17. That the known Laws of the Common-wealth be continued 18. That a standing Army be maintained of ten thousand Horse and twenty thousand Foot 19. That Christian Religion be maintained such as is contained in the Word of God 20. That all persons shall have Liberty of Conscience provided that they disturb not the Civil Government except the Popish and Prelatical party 21. That no Papist or Delinquent in Arms since the year 1649. elect or be elected a Parliament Man under penalty of forfeiture of one years revenue and the Moiety of his personal Estate 22. That the Lord Protector have power to pardon all offenders except Murther 23. That Writs be issued out in July next for summoning the Parliament either by the Protector or in course 24. That when the Protector dyes the Council then sitting shall summon all the members of the Council the Major part to elect one to be Protector before they stir out of the Council Chamber and the person so chosen not to be under the age of twenty one years nor of the family of the Stuarts These Articles sworn to he was proclaimed Lord Protector in the Palace-yard at Westminster and by the Lord Major and Aldermen in their Scarlet Gowns at the Royal Exchange who to ingratiate themselves with their new Governour bestowed on him a costly feast at Grocers Hall it is an usual observation that persons that make their wayes with their Swords that their shows to take the people generally are more stately then those of successive Princes what he admitted of as with his own permission was nothing to those dutiful solemnities that pursued his memory without dispute he had studied the art and ordinance of self-denying insomuch that the Parliament perceiving that he did but complement his Generalship which he might with fafety and most right have accepted they pressed him the less as he seemed to push away that with his little finger that they were certain he was ready to grasp with both his hands this was not so miraculous in him according to that of Ovid. Os homini sublime dedit caelumque videre Jussit erectos ad sydera tollere vultus The greatest admiration that hath surprised me hath bin what in the compass of a year I have observed the tides and streams of petitions out of most Counties that at the first rise or promise of greatness have pursued every alteration as party-coloured as Josephs Coat and as variable as the Rainbow it is not to be depictured how Janus-faced they have been on all occasions with how many religious expressions and wishes they have made their addresses and masqued their self-interests if it were possible in so short an interim of time at once adoring so many rising Suns I shall reflect no otherwise on such confused transactions then in the citation of a Verse which the Reader may understand as he pleases Pope Innocent the chief of all the rout Answer'd his name but how if In were out Since I have so strangely digressed it will not be amiss to take notice of a book lately come forth intituled History and Policy reviewed concerning the political transactions of the Protector publisht in a strange name written in the stile of the holy Court in which the Author undertakes a prodigious enterprise to compare Cromwel to Moses his pen is too palpably fraught with flattery yet not without unparalleld subtilty he having like the little Indian Gentleman in the short jacket pickt the verminout of Nic. Machiavels head for his use throwing of one side principals honester then this own Machiavel never so disguising himself with the vizard of Religion that he appears to be an arranter devil then the Florentine certain I am that I never read a book that more pleased or dispeased me But to proceed at his first instalment Heavens bless us immediately follows a plot miraculously discovered eleven of the grand conspirators being apprehended were committed to the Tower where having remained a while they were again set at liberty This web was not well spun his spies and informers which he entertained at a vast expence put on their spectacles that they might see better against the next occasion In the interim the Scots under the Earls of Glencarne and Kenmore raised another Army of 4000. Horse and Foot but were soon dissipated by the vigilancy of Collonel Morgan who after a short but smart fight killed one hundred and fifty of them and defeated all the rest Suspicions are necessary allarms as they at least suffer persons not to be overtaken with too much security of their affairs Another great plot was now again discovered the chief conspirators were said to be Mr. Thomas and John Gerrard Brothers John Jones an Apothecary and Thomas Tender Somerset Fox and Master Peter Vowel who were all condemned but two onely suffered viz. Mr. Vowel who was hanged Also about the same time the Portugal Ambassadors Brother was brought to his tryal for the pistolling of one Mr. Greenwood
Whitel of a Clock which moving all the rest hath not of its self any sensible motion or as we see the Circum-ambulation of the lower Spheres yet see not the primum mobile whose Revolution whirles them round about Lastly to consider the great delight of this Study then which what can be greater then in History as she reinforces Antiquity from her ruines what can be nobler then to make the gray head of time white again what more pleasant then to look back on that which is not to see great Empires more unknown in their Originals then the Fountain head of the Nile break out with such violent Cataracts that they have either over-run or terrified the amazed world and then in the height of their glory pulled down by some unexpected and improbable means and in a manner so annihilated that they have kept no Tract of their greatness save what is found in a piece of paper To draw to a conclusion to my own Addresses as to the right understanding of this Volume I must for my own part freely acknowledge that it is more then the Work of one man were he of never so strong forces to compose a passible contexture of the whole History of England indeed somewhat I might say for my self as it is well known I have spent some years in these Studies but withal I know quam sit magnum dare aliquid in manus hominum especially in this kinde where more is expected then hath been delivered before in respect of answering the height of some insatiate curiosities this I must write for my self what I may profess in singlenesse of heart that the ambition of my design hath been to keep close to truth which to me hath seemed more amiable then all other worldly Interests to which purpose I have rendred her as she is pictured naked without any unnecessary tires and advantages of Wit and Eloquence it having been my chiefest endeavour to set down things in an even and quiet order not quarrelling with the belief of Antiquity nor obseuring the least particle of truth which I know needs not though falshood requires supporters Thus as to the Authority of what I have writ I have bound my self to the truth of History onely retaining to my self the right of an Authour my own liberty As for the Method Manner and Phrase of writing for my Authours I have prefixed a Catologue of them that my Reader may know that I have not like the men of the times done things ex tempore if every where I have not charged my Book with them it is because the History for the Impartiality of it is Authour to its self onely to avoid too often citations where I could not go abroad as one writes the rest I have taken in at the window I acknowledge I had many supplies besides my own some years continued studies I have conversed with the most knowing persons of unquestionable esteem interested in most of the late Actions I have had the use of their Manuscripts consulted with Records turned over many Volumes so that my Reader as to the grand composure of this Work shall finde nothing so loose though one Life sometimes relates to another but that with Lipsius his soder he may cement them together in their main position as they will lead him by the hand into the Escurial of the History One writes that our Historians are now adayes not crook-back'd as is reported of the Jews but crook-sided warped and bowed to the right or to the left for my part I have declared my self unbyassed that posterity may know that some durst still write Truth whilest other mens fancies are more light then their hands As it is impossible for any man to ground a true History upon the printed Pamphlets of these times such things as passe the Presse without controul so lamentable is our condition that in such a Harvest of Printing we should have so few true Historians on the one side being either stifled with Pamphlets or on the other oppressed with monstrous swelled Volumes able to wear out the eyes with reading the hand in turning or the memory in receiving I must beg pardon if I have imitated Tacitus of whom one may say without partiality that he hath written the most matter with the best conceit in the fewest words of any Historian For my own part I am so greedy of well doing as that nothing suffices the appetite of my care herein I had rather be master of a small piece handsomely contrived then of vast Rooms ill proportioned and unfurnisht As for this Piece which I have extracted out of divers Historians and contracted into a brief Epitome I have endeavoured to set down in it all remarkable passages in as little room as I could the Compendiousness whereof will be useful and acceptable to most sorts of men as first to those who by reason of their other studies and employments in the world have no leasure to read over the many Volumes of Histories which have been written in reading of this they shall not need to spend much time which is but short and every wise man will be willing to husband it as well as he can 2. To those who have no patience to dwell too long upon prolix and tedious Histories from reading of which many are deterred as growing weary before they be half way despairing ever to attain the end of their journey 3. To these also Quibus res angusta domi who either cannot because of their narrow means or will not because of their narrow mindes part with too much money on Books in this they that cannot reach to the price of a long Gown may buy a short Cloak Lastly the benefit will accrew to all men who read this History that they shall buy at a far cheaper rate the experiences of others recorded here then they can buy their own for they that live long and travel far pay soundly for their experience but they who read Histories enjoy the experience of all that lived before which is far greater and much cheaper My onely fear is lest by essaying or epitomizing I should trespass too much on the soil of other mens inventions or judgements as to prejudice truth or the persons whose mutual off-springs they are but these things being but by the by the Reader will not much set by them I shall therefore come to the main and most important considerations this History though it begins with a distance of time yet the discerning Reader shall finde that it is not so far off that the foot-steps of time are worne out and for those passages that have come nearest to our times I have in my inquisitions gone betwixt the Bark and the Tree what I have mentioned in Letters I know from whose closet they came they are many of them never before printed of the Caballa of State of those of which Sir Robert Naunton sayes if they could have been procured would have told pretty tales of the
intended to adjudge him a perjured person and also a traytor for not yielding temporal Allegiance to his temporal Sovereign as himself had sworn to do and accordingly the Prelates themselves by joynt consent adjudged him of perjury and by the mouth of the Bishop of Chichester disclaimed thence forward all obedience unto him as their Archbishop But Becket herewith nothing daunted caused to be sung before him the next day at the Altar that Psalm Principes fedent The Princes sit and speak against me and the ungodly persecute me c. and forthwith taking his Silver Crosier in his own hands enters armed therewith into the Kings Prefence who more and more enraged at Beckets insolency commandeth his Peers to sit in judgement on him as on a traytor and the Courtiers like Ecchoes answering the King the whole Court sounded nothing but Treason so that Becket afraid of being slain hasteth home and changing his costly Robes into course Rags passeth over into Flanders calling himself by the name of Dereman The Archbishop gone the King banishes all his Kindred out of his Dominions and he on the other side excommunicates all such as had to do against him at length the King of France with intreaty and the Pope with the terrour of the Churches censures made a full atonement and reconciliation between them the Archbishop in great triumph returned to England having been absent from his native Countrey for the space of seven years All controversies seemed now fully to be ended though the sequel thereof proved far otherwise for some excommunicated Bishops and other men of great account desiring to be absolved he refused to do it unless with this caution that they should stand to the judgement of the Church in those things for which they were excommunicated but they disdaining the pride of the Archbishop poste over into Normandy where the King was then informing him that Thomas was now grown more haughty then before that he went up and down with great Troops of men both Horse and Foot that attended on him as upon the Kings own Royal Person that to be a King indeed he wanted but the name and setting the Crown upon his head The King herewith highly incensed in a great rage said And is it possible that I cannot peaceably enjoy neither Kingdom Dignity nor Life and all this for one onely priest Cursed be all such as eat my bread since none will revenge me of this fellow These words being over-heard by four Knights Sir Morvil Sir William Tracy Sir Hugh Brito Sir Richard Fitz-urse they thinking to do the King a pleasure though as the sequel of his reign proved they could not have done him a greater injury hasted into England and in his own Church of Canterbury most barbarously murthered him being then about 48. years of age not long after he was Canonized by Pope Alexander and the day of his death being the 29. of December kept annually holy Many miracles are reported to have been done by him and his Shrine so inriched by Pilgrims which from all places came thither in devotion that at the defacing thereof in the time of King Henry the Eighth the spoil thereof in Gold and Precious Stones filled two great Chests such as six or eight strong men could do no more then convey one of them at once out of the Church Thus the Images of many men were richly clothed when many poor Christians Gods Image went almost naked so full of charity were those empty times of knowledge a shame to us who know more but practice less Draiton in his Polyolbion hath these verses on him Concerning whom the world since then hath spent much breath And many questions made both of his life and death If he were truly just he hath his right if no Those times were much to blame that have him reckoned so Stapleton a Jesuite put forth a book entituled Tres Thomas Saint Thomas the Apostle Thomas of Becket and of Sir Thomas Moor he Canonizes the two last of either of which he writes six times as much as of St. Thomas the Apostle The Life of RICHARD the First THis reign as it in part epitomizes the History of the holy War without being guilty of an omission of the most admired part of Chronical History I could not but insert Richard the first who for his inexpugnable and Lion-like heart obtained the sirname of Coeur de Lion he was a most valiant and magnanimous Prince accustomed to Wars he died in the fields of Mars of whom as a Prince we shall say nothing having so much to relate of him after he came to be King This martial Prince born in a martial age was third son to King Henry the Second and succeeded him in the Crown after his Decease his elder Brothers dying before their Father At his Coronation he commanded no Jews should be present but they desirous to see the solemnities hasted thither in great numbers but the price of their lives paid for the pleasure of their eyes the common people falling upon them and slaying a great number so ominous to the enemies of Christ was the first day of this Kings reign presaging saith one his following successes in the Jewish Countreys For intending a journey to Jerusalem not as a Pilgrim to see the City but as a Souldier to conquer the Countrey he raises an Army of thirty thousand Foot and five thousand Horse his next care was for money the sinews of War and notwithstanding his Father had left him eleven hundred thousand pound a vast sum for that age yet was it no thought sufficient for so great a journey Therefore to the end he might be able to go thorow with his work he sells the Castles of Berwick and Roxborough to the Scottish King for ten thousand pounds the Priory of Coventry to Hugh Bishop of Chester for 300. marks and the County of Northumberland to Hugh Bishop of Duresme for his Life jeasting he had made a new Earl of an old Bishop then feigning he had lost his old Seal he made a new one proclaiming that whosoever would safely enjoy those things which before time they had enrolled should come to the new Seal by which princely skill not to say cheat he squeezed much money out of his Subjects purses Having proceeded thus far towards his journey his next care was for securing the Kingdom of England in his absence On his Brother John whom he knew to be of an ambitious spirit and apt to take fire on the least occasion on him he heaped both riches and honour that by his liberality he might win him to loyalty but the chief Government of the Land he committed to William Longchamp Bishop of Ely Lord Chancellour of England chusing him for his Viceroy rather then any lay-Earl because a Coronet perchance may swell into a Crown but never a Mitre with him was joyned in Commission Hugh Bishop of Durham for the parts of England beyond Humber Yet as Suetonius reports of the
Edward notwithstanding continues his Siege to the relief whereof King Philip sends all the Forces he could make But by the mediation of the Lady Jane of Valois who was Sister to King Philip and Mother of King Edwards Wife a truce was concluded from Michaelmas till Midsummer and both their Armies again dissolved Edward hereupon puts out of pay his forreign aids and returning into England had notice that the Scots besieged the Castle of Striveling for relief whereof he makes all the haste he can but being disappointed of his provision that was to come by Sea he makes a Truce with the Scots for four moneths and returns home during this truce the Scots send to King David who upon their message leaves France and returns into Scotland and as soon as the truce was ended with a strong Army enters Northumberland besiegeth New Castle upon Tyne but is valiantly resisted by John Nevile the Governour who took the Earl of Murray prisoner and slew divers of his men from thence he passeth into the Bishoprick of Durham where he useth all kinde of cruelty killing men women and children burning and destroying Houses and Churches untill he came to the Castle of Salisbury but hearing of King Edwards approach who certified of these things made all the haste he could he returns homewards King Edward pursues for three dayes together at length a truce was concluded for two years and William Earl of Salisbury prisoner with the King of France was set at liberty in exchange for the Earl of Murray Whilst Edward was thus busied about the Scots a new difference arose in France John Earl of Monfort claims the Dutchy of Brittain and in pursuance of his title is taken prisoner by the French King his Wife solicites King Edward for succour who sends her aid under the conduct of Robert of Arthois and not long after follows himself Philip sends aid to Monforts Competitor and both Armies encamp near to the City of Vannes where was like to have been a cruel Battel had not Pope Clement the sixth interposed two Cardinals from him conclude a peace Vannes is delivered up to the French King and the Earl of Montfort is set at liberty The murmuring Drum now silenced and stern Mars for a while confined to prison least rusty idleness should entomb their worth and want of exercise make them forget their Arms King Edward erects a round Table at Windsor in imitation of the Renowned Arthur and to invite great men from forreign parts rich Salaries are the reward of high designs King Philip fearing this association would be to him of ill consequence writes after Edwards coppy and erects a round Table in his own Countrey to allure the men of War of Germany and Italy and so to keep them from coming into England King Edward thus prevented in his design by the French King institutes the most honourable order of the Garter the Original case whereof is dubious some conjecture that it arose for that in a Battel wherein he was victorious he gave the word Garter for the word or sign Cambden saith King Edward the Third founded this order to adorn Martial vertue with honours rewards and splendour The Original Book of the Institution deduces the invention from King Richard the First and that King Edward adorned it and brought it into splendour but the common received opinion is that a Garter of his own Queen or as some say of Joan Countess of Salisbury slipping off in a Dance King Edward stooped and took it up where at some of the Nobles that were present smiling as an amorous action he seriously said It should not be long ere Sovereign Honour were done to that Garter whereupon he afterwards added the French Motto Honi soit qui maly pense therein checking his Lords sinister suspicion Nor need we with Polydor Virgil trouble our selves to make an Apology for the courseness of this Original since according to the Poet They swell with love that are with valour fill'd And Venus Doves may in a Head-piece build The number of Knights in this order is six and twenty whereof the King is alwayes president so much accounted of in other Countries that there have been nigh twenty and six forreign Emperours and Kings of the same the glory whereof by a learned Poet is celebrated for to be such That now Burgundians scorn their fleece of Gold The French the Escalopt Collar set with grace Their Crossed weeds Rhodes Elba Alcala hold As worthless all matcht with thy George are base King Edward whose Eye was fixt upon France as the mark of his Conquest having notice that King Philip had put many of his friends to death in Normandy namely Clisson and Bacon Knights of the best note glad that the truce was broken on King Philips part prepares again for the invasion of France and taking along with him the young Prince of Wales with an Army of 2500. Horse and 30000. Foot arives in Normandy where he took and and sackd many Towns of Importance Clissons hands being nailed on the Gates of Carenton he turns it into Cinders making a Funeral-pile thereof for his slain friend He takes also the populous and rich City of Caen marching with his Army to the very Walls of Paris Philip awakened with Edwards Victories raises one of the greatest Armies that ever were seen in France Edward laden with spoil is not unwilling to retire which Philip interpreteth a kinde of flight the River of Some he passeth with much danger and defeats Gundentor du Foy who was placed there to hinder his passage King Philip set on fire with his disaster resolveth to give King Edward Battel who was incamped nigh to a Vilage called Crescy his Army consisting of 30000. he divided into three Battalions the first whereof was led by Edward the Black Prince of Wales having in his company Beuchamp Earl of Warwick Godfrey of Harecourt the Lords Stafford Laware Bourchier Clifford Cobham Holland c. together with the number of 800. men at Arms 2000. Archers and 1000. Welch In the second Battel were the Earls of Northampton and Arundel the Lords Ross Willoughby Basset Saint Albane Malton c. with 800. men at Arms and 1200. Archers The third and last Battel was commanded by the King himself having in it 700. men at Arms and 3000. Archers The French Army was far greater consisting of sixscore thousand men having in it the two Kings of Bohemia and Majorica and of Princes Dukes Earls Barrons and Gentlemen bearing Arms about 3000. The vantguard was led by the King of Bohemia and the Earl of Allanson The main Battel King Philip commanded himself and the Earl of Savoy the Reer But since in this Battel the Prince of Wales was the chief General I shall refer the further prosecution thereof to the description of his following life and proceed in our History of King Edward who after the good success of this Battel marched directly to Calice resolving not to stir untill he
ibidem patria jura interpretantur frequentavit c. About the Latter end of King Richard the Seconds dayes he flourished in France and got himself into high esteem there by his diligent exercise in learning After his return home he frequented the Court at London and the Colledges of the Lawyers which there interpretted the Laws of the Land and among them he had a familiar Friend called John Gower a Yorkshire man born a Knight as Bale writeth of him This Gower in a Book of his entituled Confessio Amantis tearmeth Chaucer a worthy Poet and maketh him as it were the judge of his works He married a Knights Daughter of Henault called Paon de Ruel King of Arms by whom he had issue his Son Thomas to whom King Edward the Third in recompense of his Fathers services in France gave him in marriage the Daughter and Heire of Sir John Burgershe Knight This Thomas Chaucer had onely one Daughter named Alice married thrice first to Sir John Philip Knight then to Thomas Montacute Earl of Salisbury and the third time to William de la Pole Earl and after Duke of Suffolk who for love of his Wife and the convenient seat of her estate he removed into Oxfordshire and Barkshire where his Wives Lands lay This Alice had a Daughter by her second Husband Thomas Montacute Earl of Salisbury named after her Mother Alice married to Richard Nevill Son to Ralph Earl of Westmerland by whom she had Richard John and George Richard espoused Anne sister and sole heir to the Lord Beauchamp and after Duke of Warwick in whose right he was created Earl of Warwick But to return to our ancient Poet Geffery Chaucer he had alwayes an earnest desire to inrich and beautifie our English Tongue which in those dayes was very rude and barren and this he did following the example of Dante 's and Petrarch who had done the same for the Italian Tongue Alanus for the French and Johannes Mena for the Spanish neither was Chaucer inferiour to any of them in the performance hereof and England in this respect is much beholding to him as Leland well noteth Anglia Chaucerum veneratur nostra Poetam Cui veneres debet patria lingua suos Our England honoureth Chaucer Poet as principal To whom her Countrey tongue doth owe her beauties all He departed out of this world the 25. day of October 1400. after he had lived about 72. years Thus writeth Bale out of Leland Chaucerus ad canos devenit sensitque senectutem morbum esse dum causas suas Londini curaret c. Chaucer lived till he was an old man and found old age to be grievous and whilest he followed his causes at London he died and was buried at Westminster The old Verses which were written on his Grave at the first were these Galfridus Chaucer vates famae poesis Maternae haec sacra sum tumulatus humo But since Mr. Nicholas Brigham did at his own cost and charges erect a Monument for him with these Verses Qui fuit Anglorum vates ter maximus olim Gaufredus Chaucer conditur hoc tumulo Annum si quaeras Domini si tempora vitae Ecce notae subsunt quae tibi cuncta notant Anno Domini 1400. die mensis Octob. 25. It will not be amiss to these Epitaphs to adde the judgements and reports of some learned men of this worthy and famous Poet. And first of all Thomas Occleve who lived in his dayes writeth thus of him in his Book De regimine Principis But welaway is mine hart woe That the honour of English Tongue is dead Of which I wont was confaile have and réed O maister dere and fadre reverent My maister Chaucer floure of Eloquence Mirror of fructuous entendement O universal fadre of science Alas that thou thine excellent prudence In thy bed mortal mightest not bequeath What eyld death alas why would she thée fie O death thou didst not harm tingler in slaughter of him But all the Land it smerteth But natheless yet hast thou no power his name sle Hâ—â— hie vertue asterteth Vnslain fro thee which ay us lifely herteth With Books of his ornat enditing That is to all this land enlumining John Lidgaete likewise in his Prologue of Bocchas of the fall of Princes by him translated saith thus in his commendation My Master Chaucer with his fresh comedies Is dead alas chief Poet of Brittain That Whilom made full pitteous Tragedies The faule also of Princes he did complain As he that was of making sovereign Whom all this Land should of right prefer Sith of our language he was the Loadsterr Also in his Book which he writeth of the Birth of the Virgin Mary he hath these verses And eke my Maister Chaucer now is in Grave The noble Rethore Poet of Britaine That worthy was the laurel to have Of Poetry and the Palm attaine That made first to distill and raine The Gold dew drops of speech and eloquence Into our Tongue through his eloquence And as for men of latter time Mr. Ascham and Mr. Spenser have delivered most worthy testimonies of their approving of him Mr. Ascham in one place calleth him English Homer and makes no doubt to say that he valueth his Authority of as high estimation as ever he did either Sophocles or Euripides in Greek And in another place where he declareth his opinion of English versifying he useth these words Chaucer and Petrark those two worthy wits deserve just praise And last of all in his discourse of Germany he putteth him nothing behinde either Thucidides or Homer for his lively descriptions of site of places and nature of persons both in outward shape of body and inward disposition of minde adding this withall that not the proudest that hath written in any Tongue whatsoever for his time have outstript him Mr. Spenser in his first Eglogue of his Shepards Kallender calleth him Tityrus the god of Shepards comparing him to the worthiness of the Roman Tityrus Virgil in his Faerie Queene in his Discourse of Friendship as thinking himself most worthy to be Chaucers friend for his like natural disposition that Chaucer had he writes that none that lived with him nor none that came after him durst presume to revive Chaucers lost Labours in that unperfect tale of the Squire but onely himself which he had not done had he not felt as he saith the infusion of Chaucers own sweet spirit surviving within him And a little before he calls him the most renowned and Heroicall Poet and his writings the works of heavenly wit concluding his commendation in this manner Dan Chaucer well of English undefiled On fames eternal Bead-roll worthy to be filed I follow here the footing of thy feet That with thy meaning so I may the rather meet Mr. Cambden reaching one hand to Mr. Ascham and the other to Mr. Spenser and so drawing them together uttereth of him these words De Homero nostro Anglico illud verè asseram quod de
proquaestor primum post Cancellarius Lancastriae tandem Angliae miro principis favore factus est Sed interim in publico regni senatulectus est orator populi praeterea legatus regis nonnunquam fuit alias alibi postremo vero Cameraci Comes collega junctus Principi Legationis Cuthberto Tonstallo tum Londinensi mox Dunelmensi Episcopo quo viro vix habet orbis hodie quicquam eruditius prudentius melius Ibiinter summos Christiani orbis Monarchas rursus refecta faedera redditamque mundo diu desideratam pacem laetisimus videt Legatus interfuit Quam superi pacem firment faxintque perennem In hoc officiorum vel honorum cursu quum ita versaretur ut neque Princeps optimus operam ejus improbaret neque nobilibus esset invisus neque injucundus populo furibus autem homicidis haereticisque molestus Pater ejus tandem Joannes Morus Eques in eum Judicum ordinem à Principe cooptatus qui regius consessus vocatur homo civilis innocens mitis misericors equus integer annis quidem gravis sed corpore plus quam pro aetate vivido postquam eo productam sibi vidit vitam ut filium videret Angliae Cancellarium satis in terra jam se moratum ratus lubens migravit in coelum At filius defancto patre cui quamdiu supererat comparatus juvenis vocari consueverat ipse quoque sibi videbatur amissum jam patrem requirens editos ex se libros IV. at Nepotes XI respiciens caepit apud animum persenescere Auxit hunc affectum animi subsequuta statim velut ad petentis senii signum pectoris valetudo deterior Itaque mortalium harum rerum satur quam rem à puero semper optaverat ut ultimos aliquot vitae suae annos obtineret liberos quibus hujus vitae negotiis paulatim se subducens futuram posset immortalitatem meditari eam rem tandem si coeptis annuat Deus indulgentissimi principis incomparà bili beneficio resignatis honoribus impetravit atque hoc sepulchrum sibi quod mortis eum nunquam cessantis adrepere quotidiè commonefaceret translatis huc prioris uxoris ossibus extruendum curavit Quod ne superstes frustra sibi fecerit neve ingruentem trepidus horreat sed desiderio Christi lubens oppetat mortemque ut sibi non omnino mortem sed januam vitae felicioris inveniat precibus eum Lector optimè spirantem precor defunctumque prosequere Pro Vxoribus suis Chara Thomae jacet c. Sub quo haec quoque subjuncta Carmina occurrunt Chara Thomae jacet hic JoannaVxorcula mori Qui tumulum Aliciae hunc destino quique mihi Vna mihi dedit hoc conjuncta virentibus annis Me vocet ut puer trina puella patrem Altera privignis quae gloria rara novercae est Tam pia quam gnatis vix fuit ulla suis Altera si mecum vixit sic altera vivit Charior incertum est haec sit an haec fuerit O simul ô juncti poteramus vivere nos tres Quam bene si factum religioque sinant Et societ tumulus societ nos obsecro Coelum Sic mors non potuit quod dare vita dabit The Life of THOMAS CROMWELL Earl of Essex Fortunae speculum Cromwellus scandit ad alta Vt casu graviore ruat Regisque favore Tollitur hincque cadit livore oppressus inique THomas Cromwell from so low a beginning as from the Forge attained to so high a pitch of honour as to be raised to a Pillar of State His Father as our Chronicles report was a Blacksmith to whom may be applied what Juvenal said of Demosthenes Whom his poor Father blear-eye'd with the soot Of sparks which from the burning Iron did shoot From Coals Tongs Anvil and such Black-smiths tools And dirty Forge sent to the Rhetrick Schools He was born at Putney in Surrey four miles from London being endued with a singular excellency of Wit His first advancement was under Cardinal Wolsey who made him his Solliciter employing him for the suppression of forty Monasteries to the erection of his Colledges at Oxford and Ipswich At the fall of the Cardinal he got him to Court where he was by King Henry first advanced to be Master of his Jewel-house then Barron of Oakham in Rutlandshire then Knight of the Garter ere long he was created Earl of Essex then made Lord great Chamberlain and lastly ordained the Kings Vicar General over the Spirituality by vertue of which Office he sat in the Convocation-house as Head over the Bishops an Honour so great that never any subject enjoyed the like in England Drayton thus epitomizes his Honours First by my Knighthood rising by degree The Office of a Jewel-house my lot After the Robes he frankly gave to me From whence to Privy Councellour I got Then of the Garter and then Earl to be Of Essex yet sufficient these were not But to the great Vicegerency I drew Being a Title as supream as new And now finding by Wolsey's predicting fall that the foundations of Monasteries were not unmoveable he puts it into the King head to have them all suppressed who being not long before declared supream Head of the Church thought his state in danger so long as the Pope had such Pillars to uphold his Power Another main thing was their excessive Riches which was valued at the yearly sum of 1865 12. pounds 8. shillings 1. d. o. q. besides the two Universities and divers Monasteries which were unvalued And no wonder that Bell sounded so sweetly in the Kings ear when so much profit pull'd the rope what ever was the true cause the pretended cause was the gain that was got by ignorant devotion and gadding on Pilgrimage as likewise that they were the receptacles of all traiterous attempts against the peace of the Land and Supremacy of the Crown Besides the Whoredoms Adulteries Incests and filthy Sodomies of the Monks Friers and Priests which put together weighed so heavy that by Act of Parliament they were granted all to the Kings use and Injunctions sent forth for the Bible in English to be read in all Churches and register-Register-books of Weddings Christenings and Burials in every of them to be kept These Actions of the King exasperated many especially the Pope who feared his Dagon would down if the King should be acknowledged supream Head of the Church whereupon he pronounceth him an Heretick and seduceth amongst others James the Fifth King of Scotland against him Cromwel that his Master might be able to bandy with the Pope counselleth him to allie himself with some Protestant Princess the King then a widdower entertained the motion and a marriage is concluded betwixt him and the Lady Anne Sister to William Duke of Cleve whose other Sister Fredrick Duke of Saxony had espoused a great favourer of the Gospel and maintainer of Martin Luther the promulgator and professour thereof But the Lady
sent into England and married to King Henry found but little affection from him which Stephen Gardiner then Bishop of Winchester perceiving thought it a fit subject for him to work upon against the Lord Cromwell the first contriver of the match for being in his heart a great stickler for the Pope he resolved to make use of the times He acknowledged the Kings supremacy he perswaded the King that his reformation of Religion would set all the Princes of Christendome against him and at last prevailed so far with him that he consented to have six Articles enacted by Parliament which according as we finde them we have here transcribed to posterity 1. That after the words of confirmation spoken by the Priest the real and natural body and blood of Christ as he was Conceived and Crucified was in the Sacrament and no other substance consisting in the form of Bread and Wine besides the substance of Christ God and man 2. That the communion in both kindes was not necessary unto salvation the flesh onely in the form of Bread sufficient for the Laity 3. That Priests after they had received Orders might not marry by the Law of God 4. That the vows of Chastity either in man or Woman ought by Gods Law to be observed and by which they are exempted from other Liberties of Christian people 5. That private Masses was necessary for the people and agreeable to the Law of God 6. That Auricular Confession was expedient to be retained and continued in the Church of God By this we see the King left the sting of Popery still remaining though the teeth were knockt out by abolishing the Popes supremacy the effect of which bloody Articles the Lord Cromwell soon felt for the King having by him attained his ends and filled his Coffers with the Abbeys wealth left him to the malice of his inveterate enemies Whereupon a Parliament being summoned Cromwell being in the Council Chamber was suddenly apprehended committed prisoner to the Tower the Crimes objected against him were these First he was accused of Heresie and a supporter of Hereticks Secondly that he had dispersed amongst the Kings Subjects many Books containing much Heresie in them Thirdly that he had caused many Books to be Translated into English comprizing matter against the Sacrament of the Altar and that he had commended it a good and Christian Doctrine Fourthly that he had spoken words against the King Whilest he remained in the Tower some Commissioners coming to examine him he answered them with such discretion as shewed him to be of a sound judgement and as able to defend as they to accuse Amongst the Commissioners there was one whom the Lord Cromwell desired to carry from him a Letter to the King which he refused saying That he would carry no Letter to the King from a Traytor then he desired him at the least to carry a message from him to the King which request he assemted to so it were not against his Allegiance then the Lord Cromwell taking witness of the other Lords what he had promised You shall said he commend me to the King and tell him by that time he hath tried and proved you as I have done he shall finde you as false a man as ever came about him But his enemies knowing his innocency and abilities durst not bring him to his answer nor try him by his Peers but procured an Act of Attaindure whereby he was condemned before he was heard For the better illustration of his History before I shall acquaint you with his exit I thought it not improper to insert an example of his Generosity and Gratitude as I have it from Doctour Hackwell in his Apology in these words In those glorious dayes when the English young Gentry endeavoured to out-vie their elder Brothers by undertaking far and dangerous journies into Forreign Parts to acquire glory by feats of Arms and experiencing themselves in the Military Discipline Thomas Cromwel a younger Brother to better his knowledge in Warlike Affairs passed into France and there trailed a Pike accompanying the French Forces into Italy where they were defeated at Gattellion whereupon our English Volantier betook himself to Florence designing to pass thence home again into England but having lost all his equipage and being in a necessitated condition he was enforced to address himself to one Signior Francisco Frescobald an Italian Merchant who corresponded at London and making his case known unto him Frescobald observing something remarkable and a certain promising greatness in the Features Actions and Deportment of Thomas Cromwel who gave an account of himself with so candid an ingenuity and in such terms as beseemed his Birth and the Profession he then was of whereby he gained so much upon Frescobald as inviting him home to his house he caused him to be accommodated with new Linnen and Clothes and other sutable necessaries kindly entertaining him till such time as he testified a desire to return for England when as to compleat his Generosity and Kindeness he gave Mr. Tho. Cromwell a Horse and 16. duccats in gold to prosecute his journey homewards In process of time several Disasters and Bankrupts befalling Signior Frescobald his Trading and Credit was not a little thereby impaired and reflecting on the Moneys which were due unto him by his Correspondents in England to the value of 15000. Duccats he resolved to pass thither and try whether he could happily procure payment During which interval of time Mr. Thomas Cromwell being a person endowed with a great deal of Courage of a transcendent Wit hardy in his undertakings and a great Politician had by these his good qualities gotten himself entrance and credit at Court and highly ingratiated himself with King Henry the Eighth having advanced himself to almost as high a pitch of Honour in as short a time in a manner as his late Highness did The Lord Thomas Cromwell therefore riding one day with a great Train of Noble Men towards the Kings Palace chanced to espy on foot in the streets Signior Frescocobald the Italian Merchant in an ill plight however he immediately alighting from his Horse embraced him before all the world to the great astonishment of the beholders and chid him that at his very arrival he came not to visit him Frescobald being astonished at so unexpected an encounter and receiving so signal a favor from a Personage he could not call to mind he had ever known was quite surprized my Lord Cromwells pressing Affairs at Court not permitting him the while to acquaint him further who he was only engaged him to come and dine with him that day Frescobald full of amazement enquired of the Attendants who that great Personage might be And hearing his name he began to call the Feature of his Face and the Idea of his Person to minde and so by degrees conceiving with himself it might happily be the same Mr. Thomas Cromwell whom he had harboured at Florence he enquired out his Lordships habitation
time although a yast aspirer and provident storer It seems he thought the Kings Reign was given to the falling sicknesas but espying his time fitting and his Sovereignty in the hands of a Pupill Prince he thought he might as well then put up for it as the best for having then possession of blood and a purse with a head piece of a vast extent he soon got honour and no sooner there but he began to side it with the best even with the Protector and in conclusion got his and his Brothers heads still aspiring till he expired in the loss of his own so that Posterity may by reading the Father and Grandfather make Judgement of the Son for we shall finde that this Robert whose original we have now traced the better to present him was inheritour of the genius and craft of his Father and Ambrose of the estate of whom hereafter we shall make some short mention We take him now as he was admitted into the Court and Queen Elizabeths favour where he was not to seek to play his part well and dexterously but his play was chiefly at the fore-game not that he was a learner at the latter but he loved not the after wit for they report and not untruly that he was seldome behinde hand with his gamesters and that they alwayes went away with the loss To accomplish his direfull designs it is reported that Doctor Dee and Allen were his magical instruments his Physicians that waited upon him were admirable poisoners that could dispatch at the time appointed and not before At Cumner four or five miles from Oxford his first Wife fell down a pair of stairs and brake her neck he was also suspected for the death of Cardinal Castillian his great enemy after him he sent the Lord Sheffield as it was thought by an artificial Catarrhe Mounsieur Simers Ambassador to the French King he forced to fly this Kingdom for his too early prattling to the Queen of this his Marriage with the Lady Lettice He poysoned Sir Nicholas Throgmorton with a Saller The Earl of Sussex that called him the Son of a Traytor he sent out of the world with an Italian trick He employed his servant Killegray to slay the Earl of Ormond but he fell short of that design as the Poet hath it When Hanniball did not prevail by blows He used stratagems to kill his soes His servant Doughty that knew too much of his secrets he shipt away so as never to hear of him again Mr. Gates the Pandor of his leachery for contrived gilt of fellony was hanged whom he pretended to reprieve on the Gallows but never sent any to cut the rope for he knew he was then past telling of tales Thus he served one Salvatore an Italian who being more conversant of his privacies then he thought fit caused him to watch with him till midnight but the next morning he was found dead in his bed in his house He was otherwise for his out-side of a very goodly person and singular well featured and all his youth well favoured and of a sweet aspect but high foreheaded which as I should take it was of no discommendation but towards his latter end which with old men was but a middle-age he grew high colloured and red faced so that the Queen in this had much of her Father for excepting some of her kindred and some few that had handsome wits in crooked bodies she alwayes took personage in the way of her election for the people hath it this day in Proverb King Henry loved a man He had all advantages of the Queens grace she called to minde the sufferings of his Ancestours both in her Fathers and Sisters Reigns and restored his and his Brothers blood creating Ambrose the elder Earl of Warwick and himself Earl of Leicester c and he was ex prioribus or of her first choice for he rested not there but long enjoyed her favour and there with much what he listed till time and emulation the companions of great ones had resolved on his period And to cover him at his setting in a cloud at Cornbury not by so violent a death as that of his Fathers and Grandfathers was but as it is suggested by that poyson which he had prepared for others I am not bound to give credit to all vulgar relations or to the libels of the times which are commonly forced and falsified suitable to the moods and humors of men in passion and discontent His actions were so foul that I cannot think him to be an honest man as amongst others of known truth some already mentioned that of the Earl of Essex death in Ireland and the marriage of his Lady doth strongly asperse him questionless his deeds were good and bad as the times required He being such a Statesman as knew how to temporize He was wonderful popular To gain himself a good opinion of Religion he was free of his promises to the Cleargy Being Chancellour to the University of Oxford to raise himself a reputation of the Learned he was the more liberall And when he had a purpose to do a courtefie he had such power with the Queen as to do what he pleased either to bestow his favours or injuries as he could do good or wrong to others but not be wronged himself Those he placed about the Queen he had the wisdom to keep firme to himself The best of the Nobility being either linkt to him by alliance of else his friends In Wales he had the Earl of Pembroke Sir Henry Sidney a potent person was his friend in Ireland In Barwick the Lord Archbishop Hunsden He had a princely train another Mortimer for gallantry insomuch that he was called the heart of the Court He was a not able dissembler without which as Machiavel will have it he could not be rendred so grand a Politician Lascivious he was at any rate rather then fail he would Jupiter-like descend in a golden showre to which purpose he had as gracefull a carriage as if he meant civilly and onely carried the Reigns of honour in his hand There is a Book written of him called his Commonwealth in which there is more said of him then is true One of our modern Poets in two lines more truly determines of him Of him it may be said and censured well His Vertues and his Vices did excell To take him in the observations of his Letters and Writings which should best set him off for such as fell into my hands I never yet saw a stile or phrase more seeming religious and fuller of the streams of Devotion then some that I have seen are and he was too well seen in the Aphorismes and Principles of Nicholas the Florentine and in the reaches of Caesar Borgia I shall onely discover his Pen to two of the greatest Head-pieces of his time To my very Loving Friend Sir Francis Walsingham Ambassadour Resident for the Queens Majesty in France My Lord since my last Letter unto you I
place was taken up by his Syvla Sylvarum or Natural History a work written in English And these were the fruits which ripened in the shade of the fore-mentioned five years The Books composed before that five years space I here pass by but it was fully determin'd by him at the command of the late most Serene King Charles to have compil'd the History of Henry the Eighth King of England but that Work proceeded not beyond designation onely it pleasing God to put a period to the life of this most famous Authour Yet there is extant a certain taste of that History which a few morning hours of one day brought forth publisht in English amongst his Miscellany Works and from thence you may discern the Lion by his claw The Vertues of this Heroe and the rich endowments of his mind were so many that to commemorate them would take up no less space then the whole course of life those faculties which you shall finde in other men though not of the meanest parts to lie dissever'd and solitary in him appear'd to be united and as it were joyn'd in Wedlock these were a ready and acute wit a faithfull memory a penetrating judgement and a flowing eloquution Of the former three his Books abundantly testifies of which as Hirtius saith of Julius Caesar As well and truly others may judge as we also know with what ease and celerity he writ them But of the fourth namely his Eloquution I judge it not amiss to mention that which I have heard the famous Sir Walter Raleigh a man endow'd with singular vertues and who well deserves to have his judgement rely'd on once discoursing viz. That the Earl of Salisbury was a good Oratour but a bad Writer and contrariwise that the Earl of Northampton was a good Writer but a bad Oratour but that Sir Francis Bacon excell'd in both as well in speaking as in writing Often came this thought into my minde that if ever God in these last times vouchsaft to enlighten any mortal man with a certain ray of humane Science doubtless it was this very man whom he so enlightned for though our Authour had been a diligent peruser of Books yet it cannot be granted that he took his knowledge out of Books onely but out of certain principles and notions kindled within which nevertheless he not rashly but with great caution and deliberation divulged That Work of his called Novum Organum to which he himself attributes the first place among his works was certainly no idle dream or comment of his own brain but as it were a fixt and radicated notition the off-spring of many years and hard labor I found among the Archives of his Lordship about a dozen Copies written with his own hand of this Novum Organum new labour'd and brought back to the Forge from year to year and every year more exactly polisht and corrected until at length it grew up to that Volume in which it was publisht just as some sort of creatures are wont to lick their young ones until such time as they bring them to a certain form and firmness of members In the composing of his Books he chiefly aim'd at the life and vigour of expression and perspicuity of Words rather then Elegancy or the quaint order of Phrase and as he was writing or dictating he would often ask whether his sense was very clear and perspicuously rendred as one who knew it to be equal that words should wait upon things not things upon words and if by chance he had lighted upon a more polite stile then ordinary as among us he was ever counted a grand master of English Eloquence it therefore happened as being a difficult thing for him to shun it for he was not overmuch taken with subtilties and allusions of words but alwayes set himself industriously to avoid them well knowing that such kinde of vanities were nothing else but deviations or wandrings from the intended aim and that they did not a little hurt and detract from the gravity and dignity of stile When he us'd to read he would not dwell so long upon a Book as to glut or weary himself for though he read much yet it was with great judgement and a rejection of all the Refuse that commonly we shall meet withal in most writers yet he still intermingled with his studies a convenient relaxation of minde as gentle walking riding in a Coach or on a Horse and that not swift but leasurely playing at Bowls and other exercises of the like nature nor did he give way to the loss of any time for as soon as he returned home he presently and without the least delay set himself afresh to reading and meditation so that he suffered not any moment or particle of time to perish or pass away in vain His Table you might well call a repast for the ears as well as for the belly not unlike those Attick Nights or the Banquets of the Deipnosophists at which men might feast their mindes and intellects no less then their bodies I have also known some men of excellent wit who profess that they betook themselves to their Common-place books as often as they arose from his Table He never counted it any glory to baffle or put to the blush any of his guests or those that discourst with him as some delight to do but whatsoever their parts or faculties were he was still ready to cherish and help them forward nor was it his custom to arrogate to himself onely the liberty of speech but to permit unto those that sate with him the freedom of speaking when ever it came to their turn adding this also that he would most willingly hear any one discourse in his own Art and was still forward to incite and draw him on to that manner of discourse as for himself he contemn'd no mans observations nor was he asham'd to light his own Lamp at anothers Candle His speeches and common sayings were scarce ever called in doubt as he discourst all heard him willingly no man opposing as if the things he uttered had been rather Oracles then sayings which I judge must be attributed either to the exact weighing of his words before he uttered them in the ballance of truth and reason or else to the esteem that all men had of him Whence that kinde of argumentation in which a controversie was held pro and con his Table was scarce acquainted with or if any such by chance did intervene it was manag'd with great submission and moderation I have aften observ'd and it was taken notice of by many noble persons that if haply any occasion fell out into discourse of repeating another mans speech he was still furnisht with a way to bring it forth in a new and better dress so that the Author of it might perceive his own saying brought to him back again more elegantly apparell'd then when he sent it from him although in sense and substance no whit injur'd as if to use handsome forms
himself to him with a very high Complement as that his Lordship had alwayes been to him like the Angels of whom he had heard and read many things but that it had never been in his power to see them From the time of which meeting such amity was contracted between them and so great a veneration the Marquess had for him that besides frequent visitations they held a constant correspondence in Letters saluting one another by the name and title of Father and Son Not to mention here those innumerable Commendations sent him in Epistles from the most eminent men of Forreign Nations addicted to the study of Wisdom and good Arts it being a thing common to him with others of note and fame But now that I discourse of his Fame I would to be understood as if I writ in a stile not exclusive but comparative for his Fame ever among the English was not faint or drooping but lively and vigorous especially among those that were conspicuous for their acute and sublime parts of which I shall insert two testimonies and no more The first is this When his History of Henry the Seventh was just ready for the Press it was sent by King James to Fulk Lord Brook to peruse who when he had read it all over sent it back to the Author with this commendation Present my respects to his Lordship and entreat him from me to have a special care of buying good Paper and Ink for this Work of his is excellent above any thing that I have seen in this kinde The other is the testimony of Doctour Samuel Collins late Professour of Divinity in the famous Vniversity of Cambridge and Master of Kings Colledge a man of no vulgar wit who whether pleasantly or seriously affirmed to me That after he had read his Book of the Advancement of Learning he thought himself driven to that pass that he must be forc't to renew the whole course of his studies from the very beginning and that all this while he had but lost his labour It was earnestly desir'd by some that I would insert some things concerning his Diet and the government of his Health in regard that because of his universal knowledge in natural things his example might be a guide to others As to his Diet therefore he us'd rather a full and liberal way of feeding according as he found his stomach able to bear then thin and sparing which way he hath also commended in some places of his History of Life and Death In his younger years he fed chiefly upon the more delicate and light sort of meats as the flesh of Fowls and the like but afterwards having learned more experience he rather approved of stronger meat such as is sold in the shambles as that which would supply the body with more firm and substantial juyce and that I may use his own words less dissipable upon which alone he himself would often feed although his Table were furnished with variety of all sorts of dishes you may well think that he did not in the least manner neglect that which you shall finde him to have so often cry'd up in his writings namely the often use of Nitre whereof he took every day in the morning about three grains in a mess of thin warm Broth and this course he continued for thrity years at least before his death As for his use of Physick it is true that he lived medicinably but not miserably for once in six or seven dayes he continually took a dram and a half of Rubarb and no more infus'd and macerated for the space of half an hour in a draught of Ale and White-wine mixt together and that a little before meat either dinner or supper to keep his body from drying up since as he affirm'd it would carry away the excrementitious humours of the body and not cause the spirits to exhale as frequent sweating useth to do Now certainly to take so little Physick as this could not be miserable but for any other medicaments whatsoever hath been vulgarly reported he would not at all accustom himself to them The remedy against the Gout which he himself discovered and which he found by experience would asswage the pain in two hours space is extant at the end of his Natural History It is likely that at his Nativity the Moon held some principal place as in the Horoscope or Mid-heaven for as oft as the Moon was in the wane or suffered an Eclipse he was taken with a sudden faintness or depression of spirit and this would happen though he had had no knowledge beforehand of the Moons defect but as soon as the Moon had begun to recover her former light he presently grew well again He died on the 9th day of April MDCXXVI very early in the morning being the day before the feast of the Resurrection of our Lord commonly called Easter Eve in the sixty sixth year of his age at the Earl of Arundels House at High-gate a Village near London to which place he came about eight dayes before not with an intent to make any abode there but onely for his pleasure and recreations sake but God so ordained it that in this place he should end his dayes It was of a lingering Ague that he died together with a strong Catarrh which caused so violent a defluction of humours to his brest that by a sudden suffocation the passage of his life was intercepted He was buried in St. Michaels Church near St. Albans a place destin'd for his Sepulchre upon some grand considerations as both because the body of his Mother lay buried in the same Church as because that Church is the onely place remaining at this day out of the ruines of old Verulam Here a famous Monument of white Marble was built to his memory by the care and gratitude of Sir Thomas Mutes administrator of his last Will and Testament heretofore Secretary to his Lordship and afterwards Clerk to the Privy Council under two Kings having upon it his Effigies in a posture sitting in a chair and intent upon his study together with an Epitaph which that most elegant and polite person Sir Henry Wootton composed out of the reverence and admiration which he bare to his memory But though his Body which he put off and laid aside were mortal yet his Books and Fame will doubtless be everlasting and as soon will the frame of the Earth be dissolv'd as they stoop to fate mov'd with the consideration of which it seem'd good to me to collect according to my slender capacity these memories such as they are that I also might be serviceable to the propagating of his name to posterity There are some light passages and pleasant Apothegms which I have often Beard discoursed of the life of this ever to be honoured Worthy which as this reverend Doctor thought too low for the Grandeur of Sir Francis to have recorded I submit to his better determination and have thought fit to silence my Pen. The
by him for a constant Memorial The Life of GEORGE VILLERS Duke of Buckingham TAll Cedars are shaken with the wind when the humble shrub rests secure Envy strikes not at the lowly person her aim is evermore at the tallest How vain then is that man who enjoying the quiet of a retired life ambitiously hunts after honour How few Favorites go to the grave in peace Histories make mention and this Age can testify this truth will be too sadly instanced in the late Lord Duke of Buckingham who from the mean estate of a private Gentleman being raised to the highest pitch of honour a subject could be capable of came at last to an untimely end His first rise began at the Earl of Somersets fall one upon whom King James had heaped many great favours for from the degree of a Knight he was first made Viscount Rochester next sworn a Privy Councellour then created Earl of Somerset and last of all made Lord Chamberlane But this serene Sky of favour was soon over-shadowed with Clouds by the Earls undeserving for having married the Lady Frances Howard Daughter to Thomas Earl of Suffolk and not long before divorced from the Earl of Essex the unfortunate Knight Sir Thomas Overbury for speaking against the match was by their procurement committed to the Tower and not long after poysoned as I have more at large treated of in his Life for which fact both the Lady and Earl were arraigned and condemned yet through the Kings great clemency had their lives spared but were for ever banisht his presence This great Favorite being thus disgusted King James who would not long be without an alter idem or Bosom-friend took into special regard as I have intimated Master George Villers a Gentleman of a good extraction but a younger Brother and finding him susceptible and of good form moulded him Platonically to his own Idea And that he might be a fit companion for a King raised him in honour next to himself yet not all at once but by degrees making him first a Knight and Gentleman of his Bed-chamber soon after a Viscount and Master of the Horse a while after erected Earl of Buckingham then Marquess of Buckingham and made Lord Admiral King James having thus hardened and pollished him about ten years in the School of observance for so a Court is and in the furnace of tryal about himself for he was a King that could peruse men as well as books he made him the Associate of his Heir Apparent together with the Lord Cottington an adjunct of singular experience and trust in forreign travel and in a business of love and of no equal hazard enough to kindle affection even between the distantest conditions so as by various and inward conversation abroad besides that before and after at home with the most constant and best natured Prince bana si sua nocint that ever any Nation enjoyed this Duke which last title was conferred on him in Spain now becomes seized of reiterated favour as it were by descent though the condition of that state commonly be no more then a tenancy at will or at most for the life of the first Lord and rarely transmitted it being a kinde of wonder to see favour hereditary yet in him it proved far otherwise as one writes The King loves you you him both love the same You love the King he you both Buck-in-game Of sport the King loves game of game the Buck Of all men you why you why see your luck And although it be ever the perpetual lot of those who are of choicest admission into Princes favours to feel as strong stroaks of envy and ill will from beneath as they do beams of grace and favour from above the Princes love procuring the peoples hate this Duke contrarily found their affection so great towards him that in open Parliament the generality honoured him with no lesser acclamation then the preserver of his Countrey But what odde turns are in the passions of men and how little time continue their affections may appear in this those very men in a Parliament holden the first year of King Charles accusing him as the onely cause of all bad events which happened in the Common-Wealth drew up a charge of thirteen Articles against him the Prologue whereof expressing the prodigious greatness of this Duke the influence of whose power this ensuing Letter of Sir Henry Wottons doth sufficiently express My most noble Lord When like that impotent man in the Gospel I had lain long by the Pools side while many were healed and none would throw me in it pleased your Lordship first of all to pitty my infirmities and to put me into some hope of subsisting hereafter therefore I most justly and humbly acknowledge all my ability and reputation from your favour you have given me incouragement you have valued my poor indeavours with the King you have redeemed me from ridiculousness who have served so long without any mark of favour by which arguments being already and ever bound to be yours till either life or honesty shall leave me I am the bolder to beseech your Lordship to perfect your own work and to draw his Majesty to the settling of some things that depend betwixt Sir Julius Caesar and me in that reasonable form which I humbly present to your Lordship by my Nephew likewise your obliged servant being my self by a late indisposition confined to my Chamber but in all estates such as I am Your Lordships Henry Wootton But to return where I left to the preface of his Titles as I finde them copied in the Parliaments Declaration against him For the speedy redress of the great evils and mischiefs and of the chief causes of those great evils and mischiefs which this Kingdom of England now grievously suffereth and of late years hath suffered and to the honour and fafety of our Sovereign Lord the King and of his Crown and Dignities and to the good and welfare of his People the Commons in this present Parliament by the authority of our said Sovereign Lord the King assembled do by this their Bill shew and declare against George Duke Marquess and Earl of Buckingham Earl of Coventry Viscount Villers Barron of Whaddon Great Admiral of the Kingdoms of England and Ireland and of the Principality of Wales and of the Dominions and Islands of the same of the Town of Calais and of the Marches of the same and of Normandy Gascoigne and Guyen General Governour of the Seas and ships of the said Kingdoms Lieutenant General Admiral Captain General and Governour of his Majesties Royal Fleet and Army lately set forth Master of the Horses of our Sovereign Lord the King Lord Warden Chancellour and Admiral of the Cinque-Ports and of the members thereof Constable of Dover Castle Justice in Eyre of all Forrests and Chases on this side Trent Constable of the Castle of Windsor Lieutenant of Middlesex and Buckinghamshire Steward and Bayliff of Westminster Gentleman of his Majesties
I desire that you would be silent and joyn with me in prayer and I trust in God we shall all meet and live eternally in Heaven there to receive the accomplishment of all happiness where every tear shall be wiped away from our eyes and every sad thought from our hearts And so God bless this Kingdom and Jesus have mercy on my soul Having ended his Speech he addrest himself to prayer wherein he continued about a quarter of an hour and then standing up took his leave of all the Nobles and considerable Persons on the Scaffold which done he prayed again and then laying his head down on the Block had the same dissevered from his body by the Executioner at one blow His Body was afterwards embalmed and carried into Yorkshire there to be buried amongst his Ancestors I shall close the Scene and shut up all with Mr. Cleavelands excellent Epitaph on this Heroe Here lies wise and valiant Dust Huddled up 'twixt fit and just Strafford who was hurried hence 'Twixt treason and convenience He spent his time here in a mist A Papist yet a Calvanist His Prince's nearest joy and grief He had yet wanted all relief The Prop and Ruine of the State The Peoples violent love and hate One in extreams lov'd and abhor'd Riddles lies here and in a word Here lies and let it lie Speechless still and never cry The Life of VVILLIAM LAUD Archbishop of Canterbury THis reverend Father in God William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury the times he lived in neither knowing his worth nor worthy of his person have too much vilified He was of no extraordinary Extraction as well as Stature yet he rose by his deserts to the highest degree of Honour He was born at Reading in Barkshire the year of our Redemption 1573. His Father a man of a competent Estate willing to see his pregnant son well educated who in few years attained to such learning that he was sent to St John Baptists Colledge in Oxford where he was such a Proficient that in twelve years space he was looked upon and applauded even to admiration of the University from whence he proceeded Batchelour and Master of Arts. Not long after he was chosen Procter of the University about which time he also became Chaplain to the Earl of Devonshire where first he fell acquainted with the Nobility a great cause no doubt of his preferment Soon after he proceeded Batchelour then Doctour in Divinity and becoming Chaplain to Doctour Neal Bishop of Rochester was by him recommended to King James and made his Chaplain Being now in the path to promotion he neglected no opportunity conducible thereunto but proves very serviceable to all those who might be any wayes advantageous to his advancement more especially was he observient to the Duke of Buckingham the grant Favorite of the times So that in short space he was made Prebend of Bugden and Westminster Dean of Glocester Archdeacon of Huntington and President of Saint Johns Colledge in Oxford besides these several Benefices bestowed upon him Stanford in Northamptonshire West-Tilbury in Essex Cuckston in Kent and Ibstock in Leicestershire Not long after King James the best Master to his Servants that ever was bestowed the Bishoprick of St. Davids upon him and with it in Commendam the Parsonage of Creek King James dying his Son our late Sovereign Charles finding his abilities took him into more special regard making him first Bishop of Bathe and Wells then Dean of his Chappel next a Privy Councellour soon after Bishop of London then Chancellour of Oxford and not long after Archbishop of Canterbury Higher he could not be advanced in England in Rome he might who to gain him to their side made him a ridiculous tender of a Cardinals Cap to which he returned answer That somewhat dwelt within which would not suffer that till Rome were otherwise then it is Implying thereby that that Church had errours to which his conscience could no wayes conform Far different was Bishop Laud from his Predecessor D. Abbot whose judgement for the indifferency of things Ceremonial made the enjoyning of them by Bishop Laud be termed an innovation many in their writings at that time inveighed bitterly against Episcopal Government as also against the Bishops three of which violent opponents were Mr. Pryn a Barrester of Lincolns Inne Dr. Bastwick a Physician and Master Burton a Divine who were censured in the Star-Chamber to pay each of them five thousand pounds to the King to lose their ears in the Pillory and to be imprisoned perpetually The first in Canarvan Castle in Wales the second in Lanceston Castle in Cornwall and the other in Lancaster Castle Master Pryn over and above to be stigmatized on both cheeks with the letter S. for a Schismatick This severity with the obtruding of the Common Prayer Book altered on the Scots which was by the Kings special command so exasperated them and the English Commonalty that Libels were each day scattered about one pasted on the Cross in Cheapside That the Archbishop of Canterbury had his hand in persecuting the Saints and shedding the blood of the Martyrs Another in the South Gate of Pauls That the Devil had let that house to him Another on the North Gate of Pauls That the government of the Church of England is a candle in the snuff going out in a stench Another hanged upon the Standerd in Cheapside wherein his Speech in the Star-Chamber was set in a kinde of Pillory c. Five hundred persons likewise under the name of Apprentices beset his house at Lambeth intending no doubt to have done to him as the unruly Rabble did to his Predecessour Simon Sudbury in the time of King Richard the second who was sacrificed to the fury of the people for which one of the chief named Thomas Bensteà being taken was hanged and quartered Many have been the reports that this Archbishop was addicted to Popery and a great friend to the Papists Certainly he who shall read the relation of his conference with the Jesuite Fisher will finde him so little theirs as he hath for ever disabled them from being so much their own as they were before it being the exactest Master-piece of Polemick Divinity of all extant as Sir Edward Deering in one of his Speeches writes that this Book of his mortally wounded the Jesuite in the fifth rib This learned Volume might have satisfied the people as touching his Religion and his Diary written by himself of the Integrity of his Life For he had not any intermission for his pen and best intentions of minde against the Roman Faction whatsoever the Covenanters have interpreted to the contrary he having continual occasions to lift up his eyes to heaven for the preservation of the glory of the Church and the honour and safety of his Majesty as by the abstract of a discovery made by Andreas ab Habernsfeid against the designs of the Papists to stir up a Commotion in Scotland and in the heat thereof to
Religion then the Ceremonies of it did publickly refuse it From hence proceeded Tragedies Tumults War and Invasion for upon the first reading thereof the people were so violent against it that the Dean and Bishop of Edenburgh hardly escaped with life nor were they onely the rascal multitude that thus opposed it but many of the Noblemen Barons and Gentlemen amongst whom the chief were the Earl of Hume and the Lord Lindsey To appease these disorders the King sent down the Marquess Hamilton in the quality of an high Commissioner impowring him with a Commission to use the utmost of his interest and power for the settling of peace but whether as some write he dealt deceitfully in aspiring to the Crown himself or no I judge uncertain but most certain it is that after his coming the differences encreased far greater then before and no question but it had become far better for the King had this Marquess been either a more close friend or an opener enemy The King being at home in no good condition used all means he could to pacifie his enemies abroad not onely winking at many of the foul disorders of the Scots but also yielded unto them in their desires for many things which nevertheless allayed not their spirits but rather encouraged them to proceed as they had begun For as Cleaveland hath it Nor Gold nor Acts of Grace 't is steel must tame The stubborn Scot a Prince that would reclaim Rebels by yielding doth like him or worse Who saddled his own back to save his horse Hamilton being returned into England the Scots began might and main to levy Souldiers to impose Taxes to raise Fortifications to block up some and seize others of the Kings Castles and to prepare for War The King not to be behinde hand with the Scots it being no good policy in War to strain courtesie who should begin first raised a considerable power to the maintenance whereof many of the Nobility contributed largely especially the Bishops it being for the preservation of their own Hierarchy March 27. the Army began to march the Earl of Arundel commanding in Chief but all the preparation both of one side and the other proved onely an interview of two Armies nothing being acted considerable in the way of engagement for after a few dayes attendance upon each other a Pacification was concluded upon distributed into these Articles On the Kings Part. 1. His Majesty to confirme what his Commissioner promised in his name 2. That a general Assembly be indicted to be kept at Edenburgh August 6. 3. That command be given for a Parliament to be holden at Edenburgh August the 20. 4. That he recal all his Forces by Land or Sea and restore all Ships and Goods arrested and detained since the pretended Assembly at Glasgow upon the Covenanters disarming and disbanding of their Forces dissolving their Tables and restoring to the King all his Castles Forts and Ammunition and releasing all the Persons Lands and Goods then under restraint or detained since the pretended Assembly of Glasgow This his Majesty to do by Declaration On the Scots Part. 1. The Forces of Scotland to be disbanded within eight and forty hours after publication of the Kings Declaration 2. They to render up after the said publication all Castles Forts Ammunition of all sorts so soon as the King shall send to receive them 3. They to hold no meetings treatings nor consultations but such as are warranted by act of Parliament 4. They to desist from all fortifications and those to be remitted to the Kings pleasure 5. They to restore to all the Kings Subjects their Liberties Lands Houses Goods and Means taken or detained from them since the first of February last This Pacification being solemnly ratified on both sides the King well hoped a general peace would ensue but what ever the Scots pretended the sequel shewed they intended nothing less for they still kept their Officers in constant Pay they did not slight their fortification at Leith they still continued their Meetings and Consultations they still disquieted molested and frighted all of different inclinations and which was worst of all they dispersed a scandalous Libel entituled Some conditions of his Majesties Treaty with his Subjects of Scotland before the English Nobility are set down here for remembrance Which Book tending to the defamation of his Majesty and disavowed by the Commissioners then present at the Treaty was by the command of the Council burnt by the common Hangman The King who intended to stay till the General Assembly was met seeing matters remain in this doubtful posture returned into England leaving the Earl of Traquair his Commissioner August the 6 the Assembly met at Edenburgh wherein Episcopacy the five Articles of Perth the High Commission the Liturgy and Book of Canons were abolished the Earl of Traquiar assenting thereunto The Assembly being ended the Parliament began who instead of reforming Abuses fell upon new moddelling the Government forming an Act Recissory whereby former Acts concerning the Judicatory of the Exchequer concerning Proxies and concerning confirmation of Ward Lands should be nulled Which being signified to the King he by his Commissioner the Earl of Traquair prorogued the Parliament until the 2. of June next These actings of the Scots warping altogether towards War were much forwarded by an accident November 19. it happened a great part of the walls of the Castle of Edenburgh with the Cannons mounted fell to the ground this being the Anniversary night of the Kings Birth-day was construed in the Grammar of Superstition an ominous presage of the ruine of the Kings design The King appointed the Lord Estrich Colonel Ruthen and the Governour of the Castle to take order for the re-edification of what was lapsed but the Scots would not suffer any materials to be carried in for reparation This Indignity the King concludeth intollerable and thereupon resolveth to relieve himself by force to this end a private Juncto is selected for the close carrying on of the design wherein it was agreed his Majesty should call a Parliament to assemble April the 13. next The King approved well of their Councel but withal said My Lords the Parliament cannot suddenly convene and the subsidies they grant will be so long in levying as in the interim I may be ruin'd therefore some speedy course must be thought upon for supplies The Lords willing to forward the business told him they would engage their own credits and the Lord Deputy of Ireland giving the onset subscribed for twenty thousand pound the other Lords writing after his Copy subscribed conformable to their Estates the Judges also contributed largely as also the Recusants who are ever sure to undergo the lash yielded according to their abilities From which Loyalty of theirs to his Majesty the more envious and schismatical sort of people gave out that the King was in his heart a Papist I have thought it my duty to insert in Latin and in English his Majesties Declaration
and successful an enemy as followed them at the heels June 12 1648. they settled themselves a Garrison the Parliament Horse coming up and quartering within Canon shot of the Town Touching these proceedings I have further inlarged my self in the Life of Sir Charles Lucas But the greatest of all dangers which threatned the Parliament was from the North from the Kingdom of Scotland Duke Hamilton with an Army of five and twenty thousand entered England for the King with whom joyned Sir Marmaduke Langdale divers of the chief Ships of the Royal Fleet likewise much about the same time revolted from the Parliament and set their Vice-Admiral Rainsborow ashore affirming they were for the King and would serve Prince Charles sailing towards Holland where the Prince the was and with him his Brother the Duke of York who not long before fled privately out of London The Earl of Holland also with they young Duke of Buckingham having five hundred Horse appeared in Arms for the King by Kingston so that all things considered we may conclude that the Kings party since the beginning of the Wars was not in a likelier condition at least more formidible then at this present but God had otherwise decreed and all these fair hopes in a few dayes vanished into nothing as the following ill successes will declare The Earl of Holland soon after his rising was put to flight by Sir Michael Levesey and others The Lord Francis Villers Brother to the Duke of Bucking ham was slain and Sir Kenelm Digby's eldest Son who as he was fighting with four at once was cowardly thrust through his Back Holland flying with the remainder of his Horse was within few dayes after at the Town of Saint Needs by Collonel Scroop whom the General Fairfax had sent from Colchester for that purpose altogether subdued Holland himself taken and by the Parliament committed prisoner to Warwick Castle Langhorn and Powel were totally routed between the two Towns of Fagans and Peterstone and having lost all their Army escaped by flight to Colonel Poyer into Pembroke Castle which after a strait Siege was surrendred to Cromwell the three Collonels rendring themselves Prisoners at mercy Poyer onely suffered death who in hopes of a Reprieve dissembled a reluctancy when he was ready to dye Cromwel from thence marched against the Scots who were now come as far as Preston in Lancashire and with the addition of Lamberts strength gave Battel to Hamilton pursuing them as far as Warington about twenty miles and killing many in the Chase took Lieutenant General Bailey Prisoner with a great part of the Scottish Army granting them onely quarter for their lives In this Battle were slain three thousand Scots and taken Prisoners about nine thousand Duke Hamilton himself within few dayes after having fled with a good party of Horse to Vttoxeter was there taken prisoner by the Lord Gray and Collonel Wait. With Hamilton were taken about three thousand Horse Langdale also not long after was taken prisoner in a little Village by Widmerpole a Parliament Captain this was the success of Hamiltons invading England The Trophies of this Victory were placed in Westminster Hall Soon after was the strong Town of Colchester surrendred to General Fairfax which for three moneths together with much Resolution and Gallantry was defended by Sir Charles Lucas Norwich Capel c. until all hopes they had of relief were utterly blasted and all their provisions quite spent not so much as a Dog or a Cat left them to satisfie the necessity of Nature Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisel were shot to death the same day the Town was surrendred the Earl of Norwich Lord Capel and Master Hasting Brother to the Earl of Huntington were sent Prisoners to London The Lord Capel some few weeks after together with Duke Hamilton and the Earl of Holland were all three beheaded The Parliament during these Broils to give some seeming satisfaction to the Kingdom annulled their former votes of making no further addresses to the King and restored again to their seats eleven of their Members who had formerly been impeached by the Army a Treaty was voted to be with the King in the Isle of Wight the Earl of Middlesex with two of the House of Commons were sent to the King who made answer that he was very ready to treat of peace and named Newport in that Island to be the place Five of the House of Peers and ten of the House of Commons were appointed Commissioners and the Treaty went on with a great deal of seeming satisfaction on both sides But whiles they were intent upon the business a Petition was exhibited to the Parliament wherein they desired that the King might be tried by the Laws and brought to justice and all further Treaties with him to be laid aside which when the Parliament denied the Army not being satisfied they march some of them towards Newport others to the King who was now a Prisoner as large In the mean time the General sends his Letters to Collonel Hammond to render up his Command to Collonel Ewers who is to take the charge of the King but the Parliament vote him hereupon to stay there of which the General having notice 27. November The Army fast and pray and receive according to the still continued fashion Petitions from several Counties in order to what they intend to resolve and therefore Hammond submits and delivers up the King to Ewers and comes towards the Army The Parliament are angry and vote a Letter to the General that his orders and instructions for securing of the Kings person are contrary to their resolutions and instructions to Collonel Hammond and that it is the pleasure of the House that his Excellency recal his orders and that Colonel Hammond be free to take his charge to the Isle of Wight the Treaty being ended but instead of obedience hereto he salutes them with a sharp Letter for money to pay Arrears for the Army hereupon the Army marches to London and the King had his removes by Ewers till he came to the Block After that the House had past their Vote for no address to the King he being in a sad condition by his stricter condition in Hurst Castle hearing of these Votes prepares his soliloquies for his assured comfort in death as we finde his meditations in those golden Leaves of his Book As I have leasure sayes he so I have cause more then enough to meditate on and prepare for my death for I know that there are but a few steps betwixt the Prisons and the Graves of Princes Now the Ax was laid to the root of the Tree the House of Commons vote that by the Fundamental Laws of the Realm it is Treason for the time to come to Levy War against the Parliament and Kingdom the Ordinance for the Kings Trial was refused by the Lords January 2. After this a Proclamation was from the House of Commons for any one to accuse the King the Ordinance of
in one shew you the wonder of our times such a Proteus as few ages can produce such another he having like Ishmael every mans hand against him and his against all Who more violent against the Hierarchy of the Bishops then he none more against King and Kingly Government then he how violent was he aganst the House of Lords and they being down and another Government established without King and Lords he sets himself against that too such an opposite and Antagonist to all forms of Government whatsoever that he might fitly be compared unto the Rainbow which is never on that side of the world that the Sun is but wheresoever it appears it is in opposition against the Sun But to come to his Life he was Son to Richard Lilburne of the County of Durham during his miniority an Apprentice in London near London-stone to one Mr. Hewson a a dealer in Cloath whom he served about five years his Master declining his trade he moved him that he might have his liberty to provide for himself to which purpose he went into the Countrey to have the consent of his friends and afterwards made a voyage into Holland Before this his transportation he had made his ends having been of such an insinuating spirit that he won the love of some silly Schismaticks who for his strange though empty expressions deemed him as they have done others one inspired So that by that time he came out of his time and had served his Apprentiship who but Lilburne of note amongst the Sectaries his approbation desired and his counsels followed in all tumultuous and factious transactions It happened during the imprisonment of Doctor Bastwick censured for libelling by the Archbishop of Canterbury divers persons affecting the said Doctor out of their love resorting to him amongst the rest one of them took John Lilburne with him as his associate after plenty of chear Doctor Bastwick to solace his guests read to them his Lettany which he had written against the Prelates which Book was highly pleasing to them all Lilburne also hearing the said Lettany read and knowing that whatsoever was written in defiance of that power then generally hated would be very acceptable he desired of Doctor Bastwick to have a copy of one of them with which he would travel beyond Sea and cause it to be printed not doubting to be enriched by it the winde of this fancy transported him over Sea accompanied with a fellow whose fidelity he doubted not there he printed many Books and by them got much money selling them even at what rates he pleased afterwards coming into England bringing with him his printed trinkets hoping to have a new Mart the fellow that accompanied him was his betrayer who gave information to the Archbishop of Canterbury both where Lilburne and his Libels were who immediately dispatched a Pursivant with plenary authority who attached Lilburne and seized on his Books which were all afterwards burnt Lilburne himself was committed to the Fleet and refusing to take his Oath in the Star-Chamber was by them fined five hundred pound and censured to be whipt from the Fleet to Westminster and afterwards to stand in the Pillory which accordingly was executed and because he fell into a long speech against the Bishops and their Hierarchy they caused him to be gagged wherein he continued an hour and a half But the times altering the Bishops being Voted down by Parliament and a War ensuing betwixt them and the King these his sufferings caused him to be looked upon by the Parliament who preferred him to the Office of Lieutenant Collonel in their Army wherein he behaved himself most gallantly particularly at Brainford where he with about 700. men withstood the Kings whole Army about five hours together and fought it out to the very Swords point and to the Butt end of the Musket and thereby hindred the King from his then possessing the Parliaments Train of Artillery and by consequence the City of London in which act he was taken prisoner without Articles or capitulation and was by the King and his Party then lookt upon as one of the most active men in the whole company and should have been therefore Tryed for his life had not he by his wit avoyded the same by sending to the Parliament who thereupon sent a Letter to Oxford threatning them with lex talionis they having at the same time many of their great eminent men prisoners in the Tower Warwick Castle and other places which put a period to all further proceedings against him and freed him by an exchange Returning to London he begins to set abroach his factious opinions writing a Pamphlet wherein he termed the Laws Norman innovations with other unparallel'd speeches all which he sent to Judge Reeve who himself or some other for him made a complaint unto the Lords who immediately summoned him to appear before them which accordingly he did where being commanded to kneel at the Bar he refused saying That he had learned both better Religion and manners then to kneel to any humane or mortal power how great soever with many other aggravating and ambitious speeches which committed him close prisoner first to Newgate and afterwards to the Tower where he continued above twelve moneths together but this not a whit calmed his spirit but was rather like Oyl cast on the fire finding occasion from these his troubles and imprisonments to enveigh more bitterly against the Government and Governours then in being terming the Parliament to use his own words in his scurrulous pamphlets A pack of dissembling juggling knaves a company of tyrants the most perfidious false faith and trust-breakers that ever lived in the world and ought by all rational men to be most detested of all men that breathe treacherous self-seeking usurpers of the name and power of a Parliament most treacherously to do what they list Saying That Corah Dathan and Abiram were never more against Authority as the General viz. the Lord Fairfax and his Councel nor the Anabaptists at Munster with John of Leidon and Knipperdolling were never more contemners of Authority nor Jack Straw and Wat Tyler nor all those famous men mentioned with a black pen in our Histories These with infinite other railing tearms his pamphlets are stuffed and farced withal not fit to be bestowed on the most inveterate enemies can be encountred in this Life the young Gentleman was very prodigal of such Rabshekah expressions as his impudence was most conducing to his desperate designs c. For these and many other single rapired expressions of the nature contained in several Books which he wrote he was committed to the Tower and by a special Commission of Oyer and Terminer tryed upon a Charge of High Treason at the Guild Hall in London October 24 25. 26. 1649. Many were the Commissioners that sat upon his Tryal and multitudes of Spectators that came to behold it I have inserted his Tryal thus at large not onely as in respect of the
place in less then four hours time he destroyed them all to their inestimable detriment not sixty of his own men being lost But to return into England June the 20. 1657. the Protector with great pomp and magnificence was installed at Westminster the Parliament then sitting to which purpose at the upper end of Westminster Hall a rich Cloath of State was set up and under it a Chair of State placed upon an ascent of two degrees covered with Carpets and before it a Table with a Chair appointed for the Speaker of the Parliament and on each side of the Hall upon the said structure were Seats raised one above another and decently covered for the Members of Parliament and below them Seats on one side for the Judges of the Land and on the other side for the Aldermen of the City of London About two of the Clock in the afternoon the Protector met the Parliament in the Painted Chamber and passed such Bills as were presented to him after which they went in order to the place appointed in Westminster Hall the Protector standing under the Cloath of Estate the Lord Widdrington Speaker of the Parliament addrest himself to him in this Speech May it please your Highness You are now upon a great Theatre in a large Chore of people you have the Parliament of England Scotland and Ireland before you on your right hand my Lords the Judges and on your left hand the Lord Major Aldermen and Sheriffs of London the most noble and populous City of England The Parliament with the interposition of your sufferage makes Laws and the Judges and Governours of London are the great dispensers of those Laws to the people The occasion of this great convention and intercourse is to give an investiture to your Highness in that eminent place of Lord Protector a name you had before but it is now settled by the full and unanimous consent of the people of these three Nations assembled in Parliament you have no new name but a new date added to the old name the 16. of December is now changed to the 26. of June I am commanded by the Parliament to make oblation to your Highness of four things in order to this Inauguration The first is a Robe of Purple an Embleme of Magistracy and imports righteousness and justice when you have put on the vestment I may say and I hope without offence that you are a Gown man This Robe is of a mixt colour to shew the mixture of justice and mercy which are then most excellent when they are well tempered together Justice without Mercy is wormwood and bitterness and Mercy without Justice is of a too soft a temper for government for a Magistrate must have two hands Plectentem Amplectentem The next thing is a Bible a Book that contains the holy Scripture in which you have the honor and happiness to be well versed This is the Book of life consisting of two Testaments the old and new In the first we have Christum velatum Christ in Types Shadows and Figers in the latter we have Christum revelatum Christ revealed This Book carries in it the grounds of the true Christian Protestant Religion it s a Book of Books it contains in it both precepts and examples for good government Alexander so highly valued the Books of his Master Aristotle and other great Princes other books that they have laid them every night under their Pillows These are all but Legends and Romances to this one Book a Book to be had alwayes in remembrance I finde it said in a part of this Book which I shall desire to read and it is this Deut. 17. And it shall be when he sitteth upon the Throne of his Kingdom that he shall write a copy of this Law in a Book out of that wich is before the Priests and the Levites And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord God and to keep all the words of his Law and those Statutes to do them That his heart be not lifted up above his Brethren and that he turn not aside from the Commandment to the right hand or to the left to the end he may prolong his dayes in his Kingdom he and his Children in the midst of Israel The next thing that I am to offer to your Higness is a Scepter not unlike a staff for you are to be a staff to the weak and poor it 's of ancient use in this kinde it 's said in Scripture in reference to Judah the Royal Tribe That the Scepter shall not depart from Judah It was of like use in other kingdoms and governments Homer the Prince of the Greek Poets calls Kings and Princes Scepter-bearers The last thing is a Sword not a Military but a Civil Sword a Sword rather for defence then offence not to defend your self onely but others also the Sword is an Embleme of Justice The noble Lord Talbot in Henry the Sixths time wrote upon his Sword Ego sum Talboti propter occidendum inimicos meos This Gallant Lord was a better Souldier then a Critick If I might presume to fix a Motto upon this Sword it should be this Ego sum Domini Protectoris ad protegendum populum meum I say this Sword is an Embleme of Justice and is to be used as King Solomon used his for the discovery of truth in the points of Justice I may say of this Sword as King David said of Goliah's Sword There is none like this Justice is the proper vertue of the Imperial Throne and by Justice the Thrones of Kings and Princes are established Justice is a Royal vertue which as one saith of it doth employ the other three Cardinal Vertues in her service 1. Wisdom to discern the nocent from the innocent 2. Fortitude to prosecute and execute 3. Temperance so to carry Justice that passion be no ingredient and that it be without confusion or precipitation You have given ample testimony in all these particulars so that this Sword in your hand will be a right Sword of Justice attended with Wisdom Fortitude and Temperance When you have all these together what a comely and glorious sight is it to behold A Lord Protector in a purple Robe with a Scepter in his hand a Sword of Justice girt about him and his eyes fixt upon the Bible Long may you prosperously enjoy them all to your own comfort and the comfort of the people of these three Nations The Speech being ended Master Speaker came from his Chair took the Robe and therewith vested the Protector being assisted therein by the Earl of Warwick the Lord Whitlock and others Which done the Bible was delivered him after that the Sword girt about him and last of all he had the Scepter delivered him These things being performed Master Speaker returned unto his Chair and admimistred him his Oath in haec verba I do in the presence and by the
Evidences of the work of Grace by J. Collins of Norwich 18. Jacobs Seed or the excellency of seeking God by prayer by Jer. Burroughs 14. The sum of practical Divinity or the Grounds of Religion in a Catechistical way by Master Christopher Love late Minister of the Gospel a useful Piece 20. Heaven and Earth shaken a Treatise shewing how Kings and Princes and all other Governments are turned and changed by J. Davis Minister in Dover admirably useful and seriously to be considered in these times 21. The Treasure of the Soul wherein we are taught by dying to sin to attain to the perfect love of God 22. A Treatise of Contentation fit for these sad and troublesome times by J. Hall Bishop of Norwich 23. Select thoughts or choice helps for a pious spirit beholding the excellency of her Lord Jesus by J. Hall Bishop of Norwich 24. The Holy Order or Fraternity of Mourners in Zion to which is added songs in the night or chearfulness under afflictions by J. Hall Bishop of Norwich 25. The Celestial Lamp enlightening every distressed soul from the depth of everlasting darkness by T. Fetisplace Admirable and Learned Treatises of Occult Sciences in Philosophy Magick Astrology Geomancy Chymistry Phisiognomy and Chyromancy 26. Magick and Astrology vindicated by H. Warren 27. Lux veritatis Judicial Astrology vindicated and Demonology confuted by W. Ramsey Gent. 28. An Introduction to the Teutonick Philosophy being a determination of the Original of the soul by C. Hotham Fellow of Peter House in Cambridge 29. Cornelius Agrippa his fourth Book of Occult Philosophy or Geomancy Magical Elements of Peter de Abona the nature of spirits made English by R. Turner 30. Paracelsus Occult Philosophy of the Mysteries of Nature and his secret Alchimy 31. An Astrological Discourse with Mathematical Demonstrations proving the influence of the Planets and fixed Stars upon Elementary Bodies by Sir Christ Heyden Knight 32. Merlinus Anglicus Junior the English Merlin revived or a Prediction upon the Affairs of Christendom for the year 1644. by W. Lilly 33. Englands Prophetical Merlin foretelling to all Nations of Europe till 1663. the actions depending upon the Influences of the Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter 1642. by W. Lilly 34. The Starry Messenger or an Interpretation of that strange Apparition of three Suns seen in London the 19 of November 1644. being the Birth-day of King Charles by W. Lilly 35. The Worlds Catastrophe or Europes many Mutations until 1666. by W. Lilly 36. An Astrological Prediction of the Occurrences in England part of the Years 1648 1649 1650. by W. Lilly 37. Monarchy or no Monarchy in England the Prophesie of the White King Grebner his Prophesie concerning Charles Son of Charles his Greatness illustrated with several Hieroglyphicks by W. Lilly 38. Annus Tenebrosus or the Dark Year or Astrological Judgements upon two Lunary Eclipses and one admirable Eclipse of the Sun in England 1652. by W. Lilly 39. An easie and familiar way whereby to judge the effects depending on Eclipses by W. Lilly 40. Supernatural Sights and Apparitions seen in London June 30. 1644. by W. Lilly as also all his Works in one Volume 41. Catastrophe Magnatum an Ephemerides for the Year 1652. by N. Culpeper 42. Teratologia or a discovery of Gods Wonders manifested by bloody Rain and Waters by J. S. 43. Chyromancy or the Art of divining by the Lines engraven in the hand of man by dame Nature in 198. Genitures with a learned Discourse of the soul of the World by G. Wharton Esq 44. The admired Piece of Physiognomy and Chyromancy Metoposcopy the Symmetrical Proportions and signal Moles of the Body the Interpretation of Dreams to which is added the Art of Memory illustrated with Figures by R. Sanders folio 45. The no less exquisite then admirable Work Theatrum Chymicum Britannicum containing several Poetical Pieces of our famous English Philosophers who have written the Hermitick Mysteries in their own ancient Language faithfully collected into one Volume with Annotations thereon by the Indefatigable Industry of Elias Ashmole Esq illustrated with Figures Excellent Treatises in the Mathematicks Geometry of Arithmetick Surveying and other Arts or Mechanicks 46. The incomparable Treatise of Tactometria seu Tetagmenometria or the Geometry of Regulars practically proposed after a new and most expeditious manner together with the Naural or Vulgar by way of Mensural comparison and in the Solids not onely in respect of Magnitude or Demension but also of Gravity or Ponderosity according to any Metal assigned together with useful experiments of Measures and Weights observations on gauging useful for those that are practiced in the Art Metricald by T. Wybard 47. Tectonicon shewing the exact measuring of all manner of Land Squares Timber Stones Steeples Pillars Globes as also the making and use of the Carpenters Rule c. fit to be known by all Surveyors Land-meters Joyners Carpenters and Masons by L. Diggs 48. The unparalel'd Work for ease and expedition entituled The Exact Surveyor or the whole Art of Surveying of Land shewing how to plot all manner of Grounds whether small Inclosures Champian Plain Wood-lands or Mountains by the plain Table as also how to finde the Area or Content of any Land to Protect Reduce or Divide the same as also to take the Plot or Chart to make a Map of any Mannor whether according to Rathburne or any other eminent Surveyors Method a Book excellently useful for those that sell purchase or are otherwise employed about Buildings by J. Eyre 49. The Golden Treatise of Arithmetick Natural and Artificial or Decimals the Theory and Practice united in a simpathetical Proportion betwixt Lines and Numbers in their Quantities and Qualities as in respect of Form Figure Magnitude and Affection demonstrated by Geometry illustrated by Calculations and confirmed with variety of Examples in every Species made compendious and easie for Merchants Citizens Seamen Accomptants c. by Th. Wilsford Corrrector of the last Edition of Record 50. Semigraphy or the Art of Short-writing as it hath been proved by many hundreds in the City of London and other places by them practised and acknowledged to be the easiest exactest and swiftest Method the meanest capacity by the help of this Book with a few hours practice may attain to a perfection in this Art by J. Rich Authour and Teacher thereof dwelling in Swithins-Lane in London 51. Milk for Children a plain and easie Method teaching to read and write useful for Schols and Families by J. Thomas D. D. 52. The Painting of the Ancients the History of the beginning progress and consummating of the practice of that noble Art of Painting by F. Junius Excellent and approved Treatises in Physick Chyrurgery and other more familiar Experiments in Cookery Preserving c. 53. Culpeper's Semiatica Vranica his Astrological Judgement of Diseases from the decumbiture of the sick much enlarged the way and manner of finding out the cause change and end of the Disease also whether the sick be likely to