CHOICE OBSERVATIONS OF ALL THE KINGS OF ENGLAND FROM THE SAXONS To the Death of KING CHARLES the First COLLECTED Out of the best Latine and English VVriters who have Treated of that Argument By EDVVARD LEIGH Esquire and Master of Arts of Magdalen Hall in Oxford LONDON Printed for Ioseph Cranford at the Sign of the Gun in St. Pauls Church-yard 1661. TO HIS SACRED MAJESTY CHARLES the Second King of Great-Bâ—ittain France and Ireland Most Gracious Soveraigne I Hope this Dedication of these my Collections concerning all the Kings of England to your Sacred Majesty from the first of them of whom there is any thing credible in story to the decease of your Royall Father will not be interpreted either a fruit of ambition or over-bold presumption I have had the honour formerly to dedicate Books to very eminent Societies and Persons but never to any so signally eminent and publike a Person as your Majesty And should not have taken the confidence to have begun now but that in regard of the Argument I treat of I thought there was an obligation upon me and that of right such a Work was to be presented onely to Him who is the just and unquestionable Successour to all those Kings I here mention I finde it usuall with those who either wrote Chronicles in generall or the reigns of some particular Princes to inscribe the Name of the King or Prince then living to their Works I wish my Observations were as choice as the subject is sutable Since Cadwallader the last King of the Britains there was none born Prince of Great-Britain but your Majesty Hactenus Anglorum nulli was therefore the Motto on the Medals made in memory of your Birth-day the 29th of May 1630 with three Laurels upon them betokening three Kingdoms May your raign be as prosperous and happy as your birth was glorious and illustrious your deliverance by Sea at your entrance into Scotland and your escape by Land at Worcester-fight and after in England and your happy restitution to your Kingdom was wonderfull and conspicuous Kings have their regal Titles and Ornaments To the Kings of Spain from the time of Alphonsus King of Castile about 800 years agoe for expelling the Arians was given the Title of Catholike as Michael Ritius a Neapolitan writeth To the French King the Title of most Christian from the time of Philip the Emperour about 400 years since as recordeth Nicol Gillius To our King Henry the 8th of England for his Book of the Sacraments against Luther Pope Leo the 10th gave the Title Defender of the Faith which his Successors have since enjoyed though in another sense than it was first intended Henry the 5th reigning amongst us his Subjects gave him the Title of Grace Under Henry the Saint the 6th Excellent was added to Grace Under Henry the 8th the acclamation of Majesty began a little after excellent Majesty most excellent and at last Sacred Majesty which now is generally used Kings are crowned enthronized and anointed the Crown was a sign of a Military dominion the Throne of sedentary or judiciall the Oyl of Religious and sacred power A King by vertue of his Kingly Office hath two things to perform 1. To govern 2. To defend His Governing also divideth it self into two branches First To direct Secondly To recompence He directeth by appointing what shall be done and forborn of all his subjects in his Jurisdiction He recompenceth or requiteth by punishing those which disobey the Laws with such punishments as himself thinketh good to appoint and to signifie to them in his penalties by which he ratifieth his Laws and by rewarding those which keep the Laws with such rewards as he seeth fit to specifie in his Statutes and in generall by making them partakers of the wealth peace quietness and happiness of his government He defendeth his subjects against the hostility of open enemies and the injuries of their fellow-subjects It was an excellent speech of Henry the Great King of France your Grand-father by the Mothers side When I was born there were a thousand other souls more born what have I done for God more than they Learned King Iames your Grand-father by the Father in his Book dedicated to Prince Henry would have him to remember that he differed not in stuff but in use from the rest of the people and that by Gods Ordinance Kings as well as others are bound to read the Scriptures Deut. 17. 18 19 20. and some think that Book of the Kings and Chronicles especially worthy their diligent perusall others would have them study well the 101 Psalm Next the Scriptures Ecclesiasticall History is to be preferred some highly commend Polybius as usefull for Kings to read and Causabon dedicating it to Henry the 4th King of France much magnifieth that Book and likewise the reading of History in generall The Chronicles and Annals of their own Predecessors surely must needs be both delightfull and profitable for them Your Majesty may observe many things in them well worthy imitation in Learned and valiant Alfred how thriftily he spent his time how he encouraged Learning and Learned men in little Edgar great Canutus William the Conquerour the many worthy Henries and Edwards your own wise Grand-father and Father of happy memory Yet in the whole series of the Kings and Queens of England as others have made severall parallels of some of our English Kings I have not found a fitter parallel in every respect for your Majesty than Queen Elizabeth I will not speak of her skill in the modern Languages and how she often answered Embassadors her self nor how gracious and gentle a Princess she was to her very enemies wherein your Majesty is not unlike to Her What troubles and hazards did she undergo before she came to the Crown with what joyfull and generall acclamations was she received into this Metropolis I need not apply this to your Majesty it s sufficiently obvious to every vulgar capacity how you agree herein After her Coronation being presented with a Bible as she passed by the little Conduit in Cheapside she received the same with both her hands and kissing it said That it had ever been her chief delight and should be the rule by which she meant to frame her Government Your Majesty in your entring into the City at the presentment of the Bible to you by the Reverend London Ministers used this speech worthy to be written in Gold I thank you for this Book above all other gifts and assure you I shall make it my first care to set up Gods Worship and service this is the Book must guide us all and I will make it the rule of my Life and reign Queen Elizabeth was a couragious and stout spirited Princess In 88 when the Spaniard was coming she went to the Army at Tilbury-Camp riding with a Truncheon or baston in her hand to the severall Companies and by her presence
which the Scots signifie by the name of Stuart or Steward He so faithfully discharged the trust reposed in him without the least reproach or wasting of the Kings Moneys that the sirname of Stuart was imposed on him and given also to his posterity This was the original of the Illustrious Family of Stuart From this Walter descended that Robert Steward who was after in right of his wife King of Scotland since which time there have been successively nine Soveraigns of that name in Scotand Margaret eldest daughter of King Henry the seventh and Elizabeth his Queen was twice married in Scotland first to King Iames the fourth then to Archibald Douglas Earl of Angis her son by the King was King Iames the fifth our King Iames his mothers father her daughter by the Earl was Margaret Countess of Lennox our King Iames his fathers mother David Bruse King of Scotland being dead without issue of his body Robert Steward his sisters son by the generall consent of all the Estates was crowned King of Scotland in the year of our Lord 1370. This family hath ever since born the Crown of Scotland even unto this day King Iames united both the Kingdomes of England and Scotland and testified this conjunction in the Money that was coined both silver and gold with these words Quae Deus conjuxit nemo separet and also Tueatur unita Deus The twenty shillings pieces had this Inscription Faciam eos in gentem unam other golden Coines had these words Henricus rosas regna Iacobus He was born in the Palace of Edinborough on the nineteenth of Iuly anno 1566 and solemnly crowned King of the Scots on the same day of the Moneth anno 1567 and joyfully received to the Crown of England on the fourteenth of March 1602. He had a great dexterity in discovering an imposture and a marvellous sagacity to discuss natural things He detected the forgery of Richard Haydock a Physitian pretending to preach at night in his sleep who acknowledged his forgery to the King It was his custome to discourse during Meals with one or more Divines concerning some point of controversie in Philosophy There was a Conference or Disputation at Hampton Court before him Some of our Divines taxe Dr. Barlow Dean of Chester for a partial Penman of that Conference See Mr. Ley his Discourse of Disputat concerning matters of Religion c. 4. p. 46. Besides the relieving by Pensions all the poorer sort he hath honoured more Martial men than all the Kings of England have done for this hundred years Had his Apothegmes or wise speeches and also Queen Elizabeths been collected by a skilfull hand I suppose they would have been very usefull to the publick There is one that hath written a Book in Latine of Favourites where I think my Lord Car the Earle of Somerset the Duke of Buckingham are reckoned for the English Favourites the later of which was in great favour both with the Father and Son King Iames and King Charles Vossius in his Preface to his Book de Arte Grammatica if I forget not much commends King Iames. Isaac Causabone that famous Schollar was much respected and encouraged by him He was both a wise and learned Prince of disposition merciful and gracious a great seeker of peace according to that Motto which he ever used Beati pacifici In the stile of the Court he went for Great Britains Solomon nor is it any excursion beyond the precincts of verity to say that neither Britain nor any other Kingdome whatsoever could ever since Solomons dayes glory in a King for recondite learning and abstruse knowledge so near a match to Solomon as he Mr. Rushworths Historicall Collections 23. Iacobi p. 161. He was compared to Solomon in severall respects by Bishop Williams in his Funerall Sermon on 1 King 11. 41 42 43. Archbishop Spotswood saith he was the Solomon of this age admired for his knowledge of all manner of learning Hist. of Scotland l. 7. His Works shew his great learning especially his Basilicon Doron or Kingly gift It cannot be said how well it was accepted in England and what admiration it raised in all mens hearts of him and of his piety and wisdome Certain it is that all the Discourses which came forth that time for maintaining his right to the Crown of England prevailed nothing so much as did that Treatise Spotsw Hist. of the Church of Scotland l. 6. Iustinians Institutes Caesars Commentaries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are prized for their Authors as well as matter He had such a promptness in exprâ—ssing his mind that his extemporall sâ—eeches were little inferiour to his premeditated writings His invention was as quick as his first thoughts and his words as ready as his invention I' advouois franchement de n' avoir Iamais veu Prince dont la sincerité la prudence l' equaunimité meritast plus de gloire de louanges Que l' ayant tonsiours trouné d' un courage urayement Royal tout genereux d' un esprit plus intelligent plus vif plus penetrant plus judicieux que nul de son Conseil I' avois aussi tonsiours passionnement desiré de terminer conclurre avec luy les affaires non avec eux Memoires de Mounsier de Rosny Duc de Sully Tom. 2. p. 141. He was a good Poet. A very good Horseman He had such a fashion in riding that it could not so properly be said he rid as that his Horse carried him for he made but little use of his bridle and would say a Horse never stumbled but when he was reined He was a great lover of quiet and much given to hunting and to his Book and wholly fixt in Warring by writings with the Church Bentivoglio his History of Flanders part 3. l. 8. See his Relation of the united Provinces of Flanders c. 3. In his apparrell and civill garb he seemed naturally to affect a majestick carelesness in his pecuniary dispensations to his favourites he was excessive liberall King Iames being invited in a hunting journey to dine with Sir Thomas I. of Barkshire turning short at the corner of a Common happened near to a Countryman sitting by the heels in the stocks who cryed Hosanna unto his Majesty which invited him to ask the reason of his restraint Sir Thomas said It was for stealing a Goose from the Common The fellow replyed I beseech your Majesty be judge who is the greater thief I for stealing Geese from the Common or his Worship for robbing the Common from the Geese By my sale Sir said the King to Sir Thomas I 'le not dine to day on your dishes till you restore the Common for the poor to feed their flocks Which was forthwith granted to them and the witty fellow set free He spake broad in the Scottish tone and dialect Sir Kenelme Digby in his Discourse touching
his Father At a time upon the repulse of a certain suit the Archbishop brake forth into discontentment expostulated sharply against the King and in a humorous heat offered to depart But the King stayed him fell down at his feet desired pardon and promised satisfaction in the best manner that he could The Nobility which were present put the Archbishop in minde that he should cause the King to arise nay answered the Archbishop let him alone let him still abide at St. Peters feet So with much ado he was appeased and entreated to accept his suit By reason of sickness he kept his chamber a long time whereat the French King scoffing said The King of England lyeth long in Childbed Which when it was reported unto King William he answered When I am Churched there shall be a thousand lights in France alluding to the lights that Women used to bear when they were Churched and that he performed within few dayes after wasting the French Frontiers with fire and sword Malmesb. de Wilielmo primo l. 4. Some of the Earls conspiring against him he perceiving his estate to be now brought into no small danger and loath to put all upon the hazard and fortune of a Battell against men so well provided and with desperation armed as a man perplexed entred into consultation with Lâ—nfrancke then Archbishop of Canterbury what course were now best for him to take for the appeasing of these so great and dangerous troubles By whose advice he came to a parl with the English Nobility where after much reasoning and debating of the matter a peace was at length concluded and agreed upon so that the English men laying down their Arms the Conquerour in the presence of the Archbishop Lanfrancke and others took a solemn Oath upon the holy Evangelists and all the reliques of the Churches of St. Albans from thence forth to observe and keep the good and ancient Laws of the Realm which the noble Kings of England his Predecessors had before made and ordained but especially those of St. Edwarâ— of all others supposed to be most equall and indifferent for the geneâ—all good of the people He courteously received and honourably maintained Edgar Etheling in his Court allowing him a pound weight of silver every day to spend a rare example of a victorious Conqueror shewed upon a man so unconstant who twice had broken his Oath of fidelity and dangerous to be so near unto his person being as he was a competitor of his Crown During all his Raign either the sword was not put up into the scabbard or if it were the hand was alwayes upon the hilt ready to draw it So unwilling on the one part were the English men to bear the yoke and so haughty on the other part were the Norman Conquerors that to be called an English man was in their eyes a great concumely insomuch as it made some of the more light-conceited of the English to seek to better their esteem by imitating the Normans both in apparrell and language which among the graver sort bred the Proverb that Jack would be a Gentleman if he could speak French He favoured learned men and drew out of Italy Lanfrancke Anselme Durand Trahern and divers others famous at that time for learning and piety 'T is better with William Hunter than with William the Conqueror 'T is better to have a name in the Book of Martyrs than in the Book of Chronicles Mr. Nortons life of Mr. Iohn Cotton Perceiving his own defects in some points for want of learning he did exhort his children oftentimes to learning with this saying An unlearned Prince is a crowned Ass which speech took great impression in his son Henry This is one speciall honour attributed unto him that from him we begin the Computation of our Kings of England From the Normans bearing of Armes began amongst us Ab eo posteriores series Regum inchoavere perinde acsi de integro ille regnum ipsum instituâ—isset Regesque qui seâ—uti sunt usi similiter sunt ut nunc utuntur insignibus Regiis quae dedisset Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist. l. 9. Nostrates priusquam in Angliam penetrasset Wilielmus primus hunc armorum cultum à Normannis videntur accepisse Spelmanni Aspilegia p. 40. Vide etiam p. 44. He ended his life upon the ninth day of September full both of honour and of age when he had raigned twenty years eight moneths and sixteen dayes in the threescore and fourth year of his age His dead body was not only abandoned but left almost naked upon the ground Being conveyed from Roan where he died to Cane one Fitz Arthur denied the King buriall in the Abbey-Church as ground which was wrongfully taken by the King from his Father till he had a hundred pounds paid him for it Mr. Ienkyn in his Exposition of the Epistle of Iude vers 4. p. 351. saith Of our twenty five Monarchs since the Conquest thirteen taking in three who are thought to be poysoned are said to have had violent and untimely deaths CHAP. XII K. William the second sirnamed Rufus or the Red. KIng William the first took to wife Matilde daughter to Baldwin Earl of Flanders a man for his wisdome and power both reverenced and feared even of Kings but because she was his Cousin-germane he was for his marriage excommunicate by his own Uncle Mauger Archbishop of Roan Hereupon he sued to Pope Victor and obtained of him a dispensation and afterwards so wrought that by a provinciall Counsell his Uncle Mauger was deprived of his dignity This King had by his Wife four sons Robert Richard William and Henry Robert his eldest son sirnamed Courtcuise by reason of the shortness of his thighs succeeded him in the Duchy of Normandy He was a man of exceeding honourable courage and spirit for which cause he was so esteemed by the Christian Princes in the great Warre against the Saracens that when they had subdued the City and Territory of Hierusalem they offered the Kingdome thereof first unto him The King of England to whom the Schola Salernitana was dedicated was this Robert eldest son of the Duke of Normandy which begins thus Anglorum Regi scribit Schola tota Salerni and it seems to be written when this Robert returned out of Palestina into Apulia and by reason of a Fistula from his poysoned wound he had consulted with the School of Salerne concerning it and preserving his health Neither doth that hinder that this Book is written to the King of England but Robert never raigned here for the Kingdome of right belonged to him which his younger Brother William Rufus possessed in his absence and for recovering of that he warred with his Brother but was overcome by him Richard had raised the good expectation of many as well by his comely countenance and behaviour as by his lively and generous spirit But he died young by misadventure
overlaid Well then said the King return and tell them who sent you That so long at my son is alive they send no more to me whatever happen for I will that the honour of the day be his And so at last the English obtained the greatest victory they ever yet had against the French There were there found the dead bodies of eleven great Princes and of Barons Knights and men of Arms above one thousand and five hundred of the Commons above thirty thousand Not one man of honour or note slain upon the English side King Edward after the Battell aftectionately embracing and kissing his victorious son said Fair son God send you good perseverance to so prosperous beg innings you have nobly acquit your self and are well worthy to have the governance of a Kingdome entrusted to you for your valour Sir Eustace Rihamant in the encounter at Calis-Gate between Sir Walter Manny and the Lord Charney met with King Edward who disguising himself in common armour served under the banner of Sir Walter Manny and fought so stoutly with him that he stroke the King twice down on his knees but in the end the King took him prisoner and then he yeelded his Sword to the King but knowing what he was said thus Sir Knight I yeeld me as your prisoner upon which cause the King came after supper to him and with a merry countenance said thus to the Knight Sir Eustace you are the Knight in the world that I have seen most valiant either in assault of enemies or defence of himself I never â—ound Knight that gave so much ado body to body as ye have done this day wheâ—efore I give you the prize above all the Knights of my Court by right sentence and herewithall the King being bare-headed having a Chaplet of fine pearls that he ware on his head took the same Chaplet from off his head being fair goodly and rich and said to the Knight I give you this Chaplet for the best doer in Arms in this journey past of either party and I desire you to bear it this year for the love of me I know well you be fresh and amorous and oftentimes are among doubty Knights and fair Ladies yet say wheresoever ye come that the King of England did give it you and I quite your prison and ransome depart to morrow if it please you whereupon the Knight did not only wear the same Chaplet in remembrance of so gracious a benevolence of so worthy a Prince but also did bear after in his Arms three Chaplets garnished of pearls Fern his Glory of Generosity p. 210 211. Mr. Wren in his Monarchy asserted p. 125. saith The successes of the English in France alwayes followed the person of the Prince with us Edward the third and Henry the fifth wise and valiant Princes gaining Richard the second and Henry the sixth weak Princes losing with them Iohn and Charles the sixth men of no ability losing Charles the fifth and Charles the seventh brave Princes recovering Edward the black Prince of Wales who so long governed our Countrey of Guienne a man whose conditions and fortune were accompanied with many notable parts of worth and magnanimity having been grievously offended by the Limosins though he by main force took and entered their City could by no means be appeased nor by the wailfull out-cries of all sorts of people as of men women and children be moved to any pitty they prostrating themselves to the common slaughter crying for mercy and humbly submitting themselves at his feet untill such time as in triumphant manner passing through their City he perceived three French Gentlemen who alone with an incredible and undaunted boldness gainstood the enraged violence and made head against the fury of his victorious Army The consideration and respect of so notable a vertue did first abate the dint of his wrath and from these three began he to relent and shew mercy to all the other inhabitants of the Town Michael Lord of Montaigne his Essayes l. 1. c. 1. Having had great victories against the French and other neighbouring Nations he instituted the Order of the Garter and consecrated it to St. George He appointed a Garter to be the Ensign of this Order wrought richly with gold and precious stones which should circle the leg beneath the knee and on it to have these words apparently discerned Honi Soit Qui Mal Y â—ense Shame to him which evil thinks The number of these Knights are twenty six whereof the King himself is the chief These Knights wear the Ensign of Saint George fighting with a Dragon fastened to a rich Chain or Collar which weighed and was worth eighty pounds of English money See Montaigne his Essayes l. 2. c. 7. of the words of honour About this time the famous Dr. Iohn Wicklef a man of sharp wit profound learning and of great judgement did in the University of Oxford publickly maintain sundry Propositions and dogmaticall points against the Church of Rome His followers were in the phrase of those dark dayes called Lollards whereas in truth they endeavoured to extirpate all pernicious weeds which through time sloath and fraud had crept into the field of Gods Church Such was this Kings courtesie friendly behaviour toward the two captive Kings of France and Scotland while they remained together in England as that hereby he won their love and favour for ever after as appeared by their repair hither to visit the King and Queen and to recreate and solace themselves in their company Thus it came to pass that their captivity here turned more to their own advantage and the peaceable enjoying of their estates after the same then if it had never hapned unto them Mr. Thomas May wrote his victorious Raign in Verse in seven Books He raigned almost one and fifty yeares and lived about sixty five who of all the Kings of the Realm saith Mr. Fâ—x unto Henry the eight was the greatest bridler of the Popes usurped power whereby Iohn Wicklef was maintained with aid sufficient CHAP. XVIII RICHARD the second HE descended from four Edwards of which the first three were succeeding Kings the fourth Prince of Wales sirnamed the black Prince who dying before his father Edward the third did not attain the Crown The Civil Warres of England by Sir Francis Bâ—ondi an Italian He was crowned in the eleventh year of his age and sufficiently shewed the miserable condition of such States as are governed by an Infant King He was the goodliest personage of all the Kings that had been since the conquest The beautifull picture of a King sighing crowned in a Chair of Estate at the upper end of the Quire in St. Peters at Westminster is said to be of him which witnesseth how goodly a creature he was ilâ— outward lineaments Speed He had nothing worthy his great fortunes but his great birth When he had with full hand bestowed upon Simâ—â—â— Montford Earl of Leicester
all the benefits he could yea and given his own sister iâ— marriage he raised a most dangerous War and spoiled shamefully a great part of England under pretence of restoring the Commonwealth and maintaining liberty neither left he any thing undone to bring the King under to change the State of a Mâ—â—â—rchy to bring in an Oligarchy But in the 〈◊〉 after that fortune had for a good while favourably smiled upon him he was slain at Eveshâ—m in Worcestershire with many other of the Barons his Complices by the prowess of Prince Edward 〈…〉 〈…〉 Although the Kingdome endured great Crosses in the affairs of State under this King yet some have thought that it found as great a blessing in matters of Religion which in those dayes took so deep root in this our Land by the preaching of Iohn Wickliffe that the branches thereof did spread themselves even over the Seas Speeds Chronicle He was the onely Son of that famous Cheiftain the black Prince of Wales a renowned son of a renowned father but as a plant transplanted into a savage soyl in degree and disposition wholly degenerate retained a tincture of the light inconstancy of his Mother and the luxuriousness of his great Grandfather Edward the second and running his course came to his end He had in his Court a thousand persons in ordinary allowance of diet three hundred servitors in his Kitchin above three hundred Ladies Chamberers and Landerers His Apparel was sumptuous and so was it generally in his time he had one Coat of gold and stone valued at thirty thousand Marks One interview with the French King at Ards when his Wife Isabel was delivered unto him cost three hundred thousand Markâ— Queen Anne his Wife Daughter to the Emperour Charles the fourth first taught English women the manner of sitting on horseback which now is used whereas before-time they rode very unseemly astride like as men do The Civil Wars in England had their beginning from his bad Government Henry the fourth did first commence them and Henry the fifth suspended them but they again brake forth under Henry the sixth Wat Tyler the Master of the Kentish Rebels was slain with a Dagger by William Walworth Mayor of London close by the Kings side in the Kings defence who was therefore Knighted and the City since giveth for Arms the Dagger He was first deposed then slain Men are easily emboldened saith Guicciardine c. 3. of his History of Italy against a Prince that is fallen into contempt The most current report at that time went that he was Princely served every day at the Table with abundance of costly meats according to the order prescribed by Parliament but was not suffered to taste or touch any one of them and so perished of famine Mr. Fox saith he was at Pamfret Castle famished to death Sir Pierce of Extone at last killed him though he with an Axe wrested out of one of their hands first killed four of those which came with him to murther him At the point of his death he groaned forth these words My great Grandfather King Edward the second was in this manner deposed imprisoned and murthered by which means my Grandfather King Edward the third obtained possession of the Crown and now is the punishment of that injury powred upon his next successor Well this is right for me to suffer but not for you to do your King for a time may joy at my death and enjoy his desire but let him qualifie his pleasures with the expectation of the like justice for God who measureth all our actions by the malice of our minds will not suffer this violence unrevenged He lived three and thirty years raigned two and twenty and three moneths Thus far the Plantagenets have continued in an unquestionable right line now follows the division of the houses of Lancaster York three of each succeeding in their order Of Lancaster Henry the fourth sirnamed Bulling brook Henry the fifth of Monmouth Henry the sixth of Windsor Of Yorke three others succeeded upon a better title 1. Edward the fourth 2. Edward the fifth 3. Richard the third HENRY the fourth He was son to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster from the loynâ— of whom the greatest number of the Kings of England Spain Portugall since his time as also several other persons of eminent dignity are descended Mr. Dugdalâ—s History of St. Pauls Cathedrall He was annointed with an oyl which a certain religious man gave unto Henry the first Duke of Lancaster Grandfather to the King by the mothers side when he served in the Wars of King Edward the third beyond the seas together with this Prophesie that the Kings which should be annointed therewith should be the Champions of the Church There was a great contest then between the white and red Rose the houses of Yorke and Lancaster The red Rose prevailed now he being the first renowned King of the house of Lancaster He first studied a popular party as needing all to support his titles There was in his Raign a Parliament held at Coventry called Parliamentum indoctorum the lack-learning Parliament either for the unlearnedness of the persons or for their malice to learned men During the time of this Kings Raign execution by fire was first put in practice within this Realm for controversies in points of Religion He shed the bloud of Gods Saints and raigned neither long nor hâ—pâ—ily Mr. Foxâ—aith â—aith his time was full of trouble bloud and misery He was the first of the Kings of England saith he that put out his hand to the shedding of the bloud of the Saints since the conquest Humphrey his son was by his brother King Henry the fifth created Duke of Glocester he was Protector of the Kingdome of England for twenty five years in the time of King Henry the sixth He was a man who nobly deserved of the Commonwealth and of learning as being himself very learned and a magnificent Patron and benefactor of the University of Oxford where he had been educated and was generally called the good Duke Speed This Duke Humphrey purchased a wonderfull number of Books in all Sciences whereof he freely gave to a Library in Oxford a hundred and twenty nine fair Volumes Bales Conclusion to Leylands New years gift to King Henry the eight One saith all the Henries of the house of Lancaster even to Henry the seventh were most eminent for great vertues Henry the fourth for his behaviour and courtesie Henry the fifth for his valour and magnanimity Henry the sixth for his justice and piety The renowned Prince King Henry the fifth during the life of his father was noted to be fierce and of wanton courage One of his servants whom he favoured was for felony by him committed arraigned at the Kings Bench whereof the Prince being advertised and incensed by light persons about him in furious rage came hastily to the Barre
ready to give accompt to God for the abunâ—ance of bloud already spilt and knew he was no longer able to live he imprisoned the Duke of Norfolk the father signed a Warrant for the execution of the Earl of Surrey his son within nine dayes after he himself expired Unto a stately great outlandish Dame A messenger from our King Henry came Henry of famous memory the eight To treat with her in matter of great weight As namely how the King did seek her marriage Because of her great vertue and goâ—d carriage She that had heard the King lov'd change of pasture Repli'd I humbly thank the King your master And would such love his same in me hath bred My body venter so but not my head Sir Iohn Harringtons Epigrams Maximilian the Emperour was retained by him as his souldier He not only wore the Cross of St. George but received his pay duely viz. a hundred Crowns per diem L. Herbert in Hen. the 8 ths life Sub Rege Anglorum magnus meret Induperator Germanique truces duro gens strenua bello Oclandi Anglorum praelia The Raign of this King continued with great nobleness and fame the space of thirty eight years During whose time and Raign was great alteration of things as well to the Civil State of the Realm as especially to the State Ecclesiasticall and matters to the Church appertaining For by him was exiled and abolished out of the Realm the usurped power of the Bishop of Rome idolatry and superstition somewhat repressed images defaced Abbeys and Monasteries pulled down sects of Religion rooted out Scriptures reduced to the knowledge of the vulgar tongues and the state of the Church and Religion redressed Fox his Acts and Monuments vol. 2. p. 63. See B. Bedells Examinat of Wadsworths motives c. 10. He was much addicted to the reading of Thomas Aquinas and was therefore as some think called by Luther Thomisticus acerrimus ingeniorum aestimator Had. Jun. Epist. D. Dilso He wrote a volume against Luther in defence of Pardons the Papacy and the supposed seven Sacraments Of this Work the original is yet remaining in the Vatican at Rome and with his own hand thus inscrib'd Anglorum Rex Henricus Leoni 10. mittit hoc opus fidei testem amicitiae Whereupon saith Sleidan Pontifex honorisicum Regi cognomen tribuit Defensorem appellans Ecclesiae which is the same with Defender of the faith This title was given him about the twelfth year of his Raign Vide Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist. l. 27. p. 664. His fool coming unto the Court and finding the King transported with an unusuall joy boldly asked him the cause thereof To whom the King answered It was because the Pope honoured him with a stile more eminent then any of his Ancestors Good Harry quoth he let thou and I defend one another and let the faith alone to defend it self Fisher was not the Author of King Henry his Book against Luther as Sanders and Bellarmine will have it nor Sir Thomas More as others say though I doubt not but they might both revise it by the Kings favour and where it was needfull also interpose their judgement Many thought that was compiled by Sir Thomas More some by the Bishop of Rochester and others not without cause suspected it to be the work of some other great Scholar Godwins Annals of England The Pope excommunicating him he fell off from the Pope Luther in an Epistle to the King saith thus Verum etiam quód fide dignis testibue didici libellum sub majestatis tuae nomine in me editum non esse Regis Angliae ut videri volebant subdoli sophistae qui majestatis tuae titulo abusi non senserunt quantum sibi ipsis periculum in Regia ignominia pararent praesertim illud monstrum publicum odium Dei hominum Cardinalis Eboracensis pestis illa regni tui The King in his Answer to this Epistle affirms it to be his Iam quantumviâ— te fingas credere editum à me libellum non esse meum sed meo nomine subornatum à sophistis subdolis tamen meum esse multi majori fide digni quà m sunt tuâ illi fide digni testes cognoscunt ego quanto tibi minus placet tanto magis libenter agnosco He caused to be put into the Liturgy Ab Episcopi Romani tyrannide detestandis enormitatibius libera nos Domine heroica animi magnitudine imbelles pontificum bullas instatas execrationibus buccas despicatui habuit Renigerus de Pii quinti Gregorii decimi tertii Romanorum pontificum furoribus He thrust out the Popes Supremacy that he might be revenged of the Pope who would not allow of his divorce from his first wife but he continued much of the Popish Religion and made six Articles called a whip with six strings which were the death of many godly men being perswaded thereto by Bishop Gardiner There is a story of one who seeing then both Papists hanged for traytors because they opposed the Kings Supremacy and Protestants burned for hereticks in regard they denied the six Articles cried out What Religion is there here in England whereupon one asked him What Religion he was of he answered He was of the Kings Religion Nor was that boysterous King so much to blame in dissolving materiall Temples or houses rather abused then consecrated to superstition as he was after this Reformation if so it may be called in destroying so many living Temples of God which sought not the dissolution of his Kingdome nor any other Reformation of him and his people save only the clearing and purifying of their hearts and brests which had been consecrated unto Gods service from the infection of Romish superstition and idolatry Dr. Iacksons Commentary on the Creed l. 11. c. 38. He was counted the common Umpire of Christendome He exceeded all his Progenitors in setting up sumptuous houses He confirmed Christ-Church in Oxford and erected Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge The professors of the Hebrew and Greek tongues were first instituted by him in both the Universities Sit Rich. Bakers Chron. In running at Tilt and such exercises he overcame the rest Cum lectissimi equites Cataphracti in ludâ—cro spectaculo infestis hastis concurrerent tanta arte id bellici vigoris munus implebat ut ei proposita victoribus prâ—mia integra populi judicio saepissimé deferrentur Paul Jov. Brit. descript He could not only sing his part but of himself compose a Service of four five and six parts Eras. in farrag in Epist. Finding fault with the disagreement of Preachers he would often say Some are too stiffe in their old Mumpsimus and others too busie and curious in their new Sumpsimus King Ine out of his devotion to the See of Rome enjoyned every one of his Subjects that possessed in his house of any one kind of goods to the value of nineteen penes to
end kept a most judicious Journall of all the most principall passages of the affairs of his estate Inclytus Edvardus formatus ab ubere matris Confestim doctis à praeceptoribus artes Ingenuas omnes didicit qui Graeca Latinis Adjungens studio paucis profecerat annis Ut foret inferior nulli quem terra Britanna Protulerat claro magnorum ex stemmate Regum Nullus adaequari posset si flexilis â—tas In puero egresso nondum tria lustra duosque Annos ingenii aut praecox spectetur acumen Quantum ad doctrinas virtutesque attinet almas Ille erat Europae Phoenix quem funere acerbo Ut flos vere novo viridanti carpitur horto Sustulit ante diem mors immatura Britannis Invidet haec terris pietatem jura colentes Oclandi Anglorum praelia In his childhood being about to take down something which seemed to be above his reach one of his fellowes offered him a bossed plated Bible to stand upon and heighten him for taking that which he desired But he perceiving it to be a Bible with holy indignation resused it and sharply reproved him that made the offer A strong assurance of that dear esteem and veneration in which he held that sacred Book in his riper years Dr. Heylins History of Edward the sixth He hath this observation in his Diary the originall of which is in the hands of Sir Thomas Cotton At the sixth year of my age I was brought up in learning by Dr. Coxe who was after my Almner and John Cheek Master of Arts two well learned men who sought to bring me up in learning of tongues of the Scripture of Philosophy and all liberall Sciences Also John Belmain French man did teach me the French tongue He was annointed King at Westminster by Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury being of the age of nine years A Prince of great devotion constancy of mind love of the truth and incredibly studious Godwins Annals of England He knew all the principall Ports in England Scotland Ireland France and other Countries not far distant how they lay when the tide served what vessels of burden they could receive and what winds served for entrance He reformed Religion He caused Images and all monuments of Idolatry to be destroyed and a great Bible in English to be set up in every Church He was in body beautifull of a sweet aspect and specially in his eyes which seemed to have a starry liveliness and lustre in them He would answer Embassadors sometime upon the suddain either in French or Latin He could call all Gentlemen of account through his Kingdome by their names When Ioan Butcher a blasphemous Heretick was to be burned all the Counsell could not procure him to set his hand to the Warrant Wherefore they employed Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury to deal privily with him for his subscription But the King remained firm both in reason and resolution affirming that he would not drive her headlong to the Devil but because Hereticks for the most part have a strain of madness he thought it best to apply her with some corporall chastisements which with respite of time might happily reduce her to good order The Archbishop was violent both by perswasions and entreaties and when with meer importunity he had prevailed the King in subscribing his name said that he would lay all the charge thereof upon the Archbishop before God Not many years passed but this Archbishop also felt the smart of the fire and it may be that by his importunity for bloud he did offend for a good thing is not good if it be immoderately desired A Miller who had been busie in rebellion against the King knowing the danger willed his man to take the name of the master if any enquired after him Sir Anthony Kingston Provost Martiall came to the Mill and calling for the master the man in his name presented himself who strait commanded him to the Gallows the servant then seeing the danger of death confessed he was not the master but the man Well said the Knight thou canst never do thy master better service then to hang for him and thereupon trusted him up in the next tree The Lord Protector in his dayes marcht with a powerfull Army into Scotland to demand their Queen Mary in marriage to our King according their promises The Scots refusing to do it were beaten by the English in Musleborough fight One demanding of a Scotch Lord taken prisoner Now Sir how do you like our Kings marriage with your Queen I alwayes quoth he did like the marriage but I do not like the wooing that you should fetch a Bride with fire and sword The Kings Uncles Edward-Duke of Somerset Protector of his person Realms and Dominions and Thomas Lord Seymour Baron of â—udley the younger high Admirall of England were both beheaded Strife between their wives about place and precedency caused the death of their husbands and the death of the young King followed speedily after Sir Thomas Seymour Admirall and the younger brother married the Queen Dowager whose hap it was of all the rest to survive her husband She contested with her sister in law for priority of place both were privately encouraged neither would give way to the other The one claimed it as she had been once Queen the other challenged it as she was the present wife of the Protector The wives set their husbands at oddes and their enemies took hold of this advantage The Admirall was shortly questioned for treason by consent of his brother condemned in Parliament and lost his head In the same moneth was the Protector committed to the Tower by the Lords of the Counsell and after beheaded In this Kings dayes when Bonner was kept in prison reverend Ridley having his Bishoprick of London would â—ever go to dinner at Fulham without the company of Bonners mother and sister the former alwayes sitting in a Chair at the upper end of the Table These guests were as constant as Bread and Salt to the Board no meal could be made without them He died in the seventh year of his Princely Government in the sixth of Iuly anno 1553. Some write that he was poysoned The death of this Prince was lamented of all the godly within Europe for the graces given unto him of God as well of nature as of erudition and godliness passed the measure that accustomably is used to be given to other Princes in their greatest perfection and yet exceeded he not sixteen years of age Knoxe his Ecclesiasticall Hist. of Scotland l. 1. p. 97. I wonder that Doctor Heylin in his Epistle before his Ecclesia Restaurata should say therefore Whose death I cannot reckon for an infelicity to the Church of England Cardan made this Epitaph of him Flete nefas magnum sed toto flebitis orbe Mortales vester corruit omnis honos Nam Regum decus juvenum flos spesque bonorum Deliciae saecli
out of French by Queen Elizabeth and written with her own hand in the life time of her father and sent to her brother Prince Edward for a new years gift she being at that time not above thirteen years of age Abraham Hartwell in his Regina literata written in Verse speaks of Queen Elizabeths coming and doings at Cambridge She was honourably received in Kings Colledge where she lay during her continuance there At the breaking up of the Divinity Act there she made within St. Maries Church a notable Oration in Latine beginning thus Etsi faeminilis iste 〈◊〉 us pudor c. See Dr. Heylins Ecclesia restaurata p. 163 164. Vide Hadriani Juniâ— Epist. Elizabethae Angliae Reginae inter Epistolas suas p. 544. She was of personage tall of hair and complexion fair and therewith well favoured but high nosed of limbs and feature neat and which added to the lustre of those exteriour graces of stately and majestick comâ—ortment She was crowned in St. Peters Church in Westminster by Dr. Oglethorp Bishop of Carlisle according to the Order of the Roman Pontificall There was great speech of a match between her and a French Mounsieur the Duke of Alencon of which he had great hopes being ignorant as Bernardine Mendoza wrote from London to the Prince of Parma Reginam singulis annis sponsam esse nunquam vero nuptam That the Queen was every year a Spouse but never married The silencing and ejection of Ministers in her dayes Reformation being newly begun and the enemies to it many the friends and those that faithfully engaged few was looked upon by the godly prudent of that age as very unseasonable because of the scarcity of preachers at that time Beams of former Light c. 7. She had so great a command over her appetite that her brother Edward usually called her by no other name but his sweet sister Temperance* She was so far from pressing her Subjects with Impositions that when the Parliament once offered her a great summe of money she refused a great part thereof giving them thanks and adding withall that the money was as sure in her Subjects Coâ—â—ers as her own A Prince above her sexe of a manly courage and high conceit who lively resembled as well the royall qualities of her Grandfather as she did his princely presence and countenance the worlds love and joy of Brittain A Virgin for the space of fourty four years so ruled the royall Scepter as that her Subjects loved her enemies feared her and every one with admiration honoured her She was about seventy years old when she died A most gracious and excellent Prince worthy of superlative praise for her most wise and politick government of the Commonwealth and for her heroick vertues far above that sexe In Queen Elizabeth besides her sexe there was nothing woman-like or weak Sclater Yet Sâ—nders calleth her Lupam Anglicanam Rhiston Leaenam nostram omnes Athalias Maachas Jezabeles Herodiades superantem The very Heathen and Mahumetans the Persians and Idolaters the Aethiopians and Muscovites do name her with reverence Balsac in his second Book of Letters Letter 1. to my Lord Cecil saith Even he that excommunicated her spake of herwith honour Some think my Lord of Essex his death and the long concealing of the message he sent to her when discovered occasioned a deep melancholy first and after her death Osborn in his Miscellanies saith No act of hers was registred so contrary to the grain of her own people as the death of the Earl Others say the death of the Queen of Scots In her time the pure interest of England was the protection of Protestants and War with Spain For her mercifull returning home certain Italians which were taken prisoners in the eighty eight Invasion she was termed Saint Elizabeth by some at Venice One told the Lord Carleton being there Embassadour that although he were a Papist yet he would never pray to any other Saint but the Saint Elizabeth Mr. Trap on Ezraâ—c 1. My Lord Howard in his Manuscript in Oxford Library a learned piece worthy to be published stiled A dutifull defence of the lawfull regiment of women dedicated to Queen Elizabeth quotes divers Papists commending her In his Defensative against the poyson of supposed Prophesies c. 16. he saith thus When divers upon greater scrupulosity then cause went about to disswade her Majesty lying then at Richmond from looking on the Comet which appeared last with a courage answerable to the greatness of her state she caused the window to be set open and cast out this word Jacta est alea The Dice are thrown Affirming that her stedfast hope and confidence was too firmly planted in the providence of God to be blasted or affirighted with those beames which either had a ground in nature whereupon to rise or at least no warrant out of Scripture to pretend the miâ—haps of Princes She equalled the best of her Predecessors and in learned endowments excelled them all A wise man that was an eye witness of many of her actions and of those which succeeded her many times hath said That a Courtier might make a better meal of one good looke from her then of a good gift from some other King The Parliament having been a moneth Queen Elizabeth sent for Mr. Popham the Speaker of the House and asked him What past since they sate He answered Iust twenty eight dayes Much might be said of her prosperity 1. She was advanced to the Regall Throne from a private and adverse fortune The more happy was her Government because it ensued upon the stormy times of Queen Mary She came as a fresh Spring after a sharp Winter and brought the Ship of England from a troublous and tempestuous Sea to a safe and quiet harbour Though the Author of Ierusalem and Babel saith she profest her self a Catholick during the Raign of her sister and speaks of the Duke of Feria's Letter to King Philip yet to be seen wherein is certified that the Queen had given him such assurance of her belief and in particular concerning the point of reall presence that for his part he could not believe she intended any great alteration in Religion yet I suppose he wrongs her therein as he doth Dr. Reynolds likewise in saying that he framed that combate which he published between himself and Mr. Hart at his own pleasure Anti-Sanderus in his second Dialogue saith thus Non solum nobilium potentissimos sed Episcopos omnes à quorum aliquo juxta priscam Angliae consuetudinem ungi coronari debuit factio Pontificia sic abripuerat ut cam quod Lutherano dogmate tingi crederetur solennitatibus illis usitatis decorare ad tempus procacissimè recusaverint Vide plura ibid. p. 179. Tot magnatibus in Anglia tempore Reginae Mariae deficientibus animosè perstitere Elizabetha postea Regina Johanna Graia Voet. Sel. Theol. Disputat part 3. Her time produced a world
the cure of wounds by the powder of Sympathy saith he had a strange antipathy to a naked sword of which he there ascribes the cause He alleadged this reason to an English Divine wherefore the Scottish Church was never troubled with heresie for if said he it sprang up in a Purish there was an Eldership itoâ— suppress it if it had escaped them the Presbytery was ready to crush it if the Presbytery should be negligent than the Synod would opposeâ—it if it had not been by them suppressed the Generall Assembly would take strict order concerning it Philip de Mornay Lord of Plessis often complained that the King of England was too much taken up with some petty differences amongst his own but was not carefull enough to heal the deep wounds and breaches which were in the Church Yet his sending certain select and worthy Divines to the Synod of Dort to compose the unhappy differences then in the Law Countries and his causing the Bible to be translated into English by judicious Divines and set forth more exactly than formerly it had been done were noble works He had two sons Prince Henry and King Charles and one daughter that lived the Lady Elizabeth Queen of Bohemia The order of Knight Baronets was instituted by him they must be Gentlemen of three descents and should be worth a thousand pounds per annum the number to be installed was not to exceed two hundred I may for his learning and respect to the learned his eloquence and his profound questions at meals compare him to Charles the Great of whom Eginhardus de vita gestis Caroli Magni Inter caenandum aut aliquod acroamia aut lectorem audiebat Legebantur ei historiae antiquorum Regum gesta Delectabatur libris S. Augustini prâ—cipuè iis quos de civitate Dei inscripsit Erat eloquentia copiosiu exuberans poterátque quicquid vellet apertissimè exprimere Artes liberales studio sissimè coluit earúmque doctores plurimum veneratus magnis afficiebat honoribus Vide plura ibid. The Moneth of November is memorable for the seventeenth 1558 the initiation of Queen Elizabeth in which the purity of the Gospel brake forth and fifth in King Iames his Raign in which the treachery of the Gospels enemies brake out Dr. Heylin in his Historia Quinqu-Articularis c. 22. saith it was an usuall practice with him in the whole course of his Government to ballance one extream by the other countenancing the Papists against the Puritan and the Puritan sometimes against the Papist that betwixt both the true Religion and professors of it might be kept in safety But in the Epistle of his Book to his Son he shews what he means by Puritan He died at Theohalds in the year 1625 the twenty seventh of March the fifty ninth year of his age having raigned over all Great Brittain twenty two years compleat CHARLES the First the second Monarch of Great Brittain He was born November the nineteenth anno Dom. 16â—0 at Dun-fermling in Scotland He was the third son of Iames the sixth King of the Scots and of Anne his wife daughter of Frederick the second and sister of Christian the fourth Kings of Denmarke He was comely of person very active temperate chaste mercifull He was thought to be the best mark-man and the most comely manager of a great Horse of any one in all the three Kingdomes Of his lawfull descent to his Crown and Kingdomes from all the Kings of this Nation See Flemings Royall Progeny He was crowned on the second of February at Westminster in the year 1626 by Dr. Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury He was rather slow than fluent in his words as well by grace as a naturall imperfection yet he was pithy pathetick and sententiou in his expressions What the Brittains lost to the Saxons they to the Danes and the Norman got from both was his birth-right besides the Kingdomes of Scotland and Ireland and Principality of Wales additions to the Normans Conquest Shortly after his Coronation he was married to the Lady Henrietta Maria younger Daughter to Henry the fourth King of France by whom he had seven Children four Sons and three Daughters He improved himself much by his travels and was generally liked in Spain When he was there Archee the fool came boldly to King Iames as he found him once in a good humour and told him that he was come to change Caps with him Why said the King Marry sayes Archee because thou hast sent the Prince into Spain from whence he is never like to return But said the King What wilt thou say when thou seest him come back again Marry sayes Archee I will then take off the fools Cap which I put upon thy head for sending him thither and put it on the King of Spains for letting him return At which words it is reported that the King became exceeding pensive never before so much apprehending the danger of that adventure as then and afterward he did For his being a Papist though it be charged by some of his enemies yet I suppose there is little ground for it as his manifesto at the beginning of the English and Scotch Presbytery shews Therefore Mr. Baxter in his Key for Catholicks c. 45. hath vindicated him from this aspersion His own Letters to the Queen taken at Naseby and his counsell to the Duke of Glocester to obey the Queen his mother in all but what related to Religion sufficiently confute this calumny In the year 1618 King Iames published a Declaration tolerating sports on the Lords day It was so much disliked as it was soon after called in It was after revived and ratified by King Charles L'estrange saith there was not any one Royall Edict during all King Charles his Raign resented with equall regret It was his custome in his youth for refreshing his mind and the confirming of his health almost every week to hunt the Harts and Does In the three summer moneths he hunted the males being fat and pleasant to eat in the like space of time he hunted the females There was one Robert Par of Shropshire aged 152 who lived in the Raign of ten Kings and being brought up to London by the procurement of the Earl of Arundell died here and lyes buried in Westminster Abbey Constat quot generationes Carolingorum Johannes de Temporibus trisecli-senex superavit ille nuper Anglus sub Edoardo 4. natus sub Carolo denatus qui novem vel decem Regibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fuit Hornii Dissertatio de aetate mundi c. 6. Never was there in this Isle a Scene of Justice more magnificent reared for any Subject than that for the Earl of Strafford Scaffolds were erected on either side of Westminster Hall there the Commons sate uncovered and in the midst of the lower ascent the Peers behind but raised above them there was placed a Chair and Cloth of State for the
former marriage unlawfull He never spared mâ—n in his anger nor woman in his lust Sir Naunton's Frag. Regal in Q. E. Accuratè vacábat literis vacabat animi gratia musicae legebat studiosè libros divi Thomae Aquinatis hoc agebat hortatu Volsaei qui totus erat Thomisticus Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist. l. 27. Mr. Seldens Titles of honour part 1. c. 4. Titulus iste Cothurnus est cuilibet pedi cuilibet fidei aptari potest non minus Papae qui â—edit quà m vestrae Didoclav praefat ad Altare Damascenum * Lib. 1. de schismate Anglicano My Lord Herberts life of Henry the 8th Neque Romanam Ecclesiam ab Anglia expulisset Henricum nisi prior clemens Henricus à Romana ejecisset Ecclesia Barclasi vind pâ—o Regibus advers R. Bellarm. Sanderus de schism ate Anglicano l. 1. Dii boâ—i quomodo hic vivunt gentes Lever saith he did more then any Prince in Christendome before him ever did the Pope being then so great Lever in his history of the Defender of the Catholick faith speaks much of the suppressing of Abbeys And Iura Cleric 3. More See the Preface to Sir H. Spelmans Book De non temerandâ—â— Ecclesiâ— * An old Priest â—lwayes read Mumpsimus Demine for Sumpsimus whereof when he was admonished he said That he had now used Mumpsimus thirty years and would not leave his old Mumpsimus for their new Sumpsimus Pacaeus de fructu qui ex doctrina percipitur Cum ab Iuae tempore ad hanc inquit Sleidanus Comment l. 9. atatem usque Britannia Romanis Episcopis eam pecuniam dependisset Henricus scilicet 8. omnium primus inhibuit eam amplius persolvi Selden Analect Anglo brit l. 2. c. 4. Vide Spelman de Consil. p. 312 374. Stowes Chron. in the life and Raign of Q. Eliz. He prepared the way to Reformation as his own power and profit was concerned in it He excluded the Popes Authority and caused himself to be declared supreme head of the Church of Ireland Lever in his history of the defenders of the Catholick Faith compares him with Frederick Barbarossa the Emperour of Germany Sir Walter Rauleighs Preface to his hist. of the world He spake French perfectly could declaim in Latin ex tempore and that without any sticking or stammering he understood Greek Spanish and Italian a flowing kind of eloquence he had yet grave and polite such as became a Prince alwayes measuring his words by the thing he spake of Dr. Hackwels Apology of Gods providence in the government of the world l. 1. c. 11. Sect. 12. See more there A piis atque eruditis praeceptoribus D. Coxo Johanne Checo Graecis Latinisque literis institutus tum saâ—a Religione ad praescriptam divini verbi normam imbutus aetatem longe suam doctrinae virtuteque superavit Anglicanam Ecclesiam rudem adhuc informem tam accuratè sincera Religious perpolivit omnesque faces pontificias expurgavit ut à piis omnibâ—â— alter Josias merito dictus fit Josc Antiq. Brit. Magno miraculo humanarum rerum tanti ingenii tantae expectationis pâ—â—r educabatur c. Hier Card. de Edv. 6. Rege Dr. Cox was â— utor also to Q Eliz. who recalled him from beyond seas restored him to many Church-dignities and appointed him to preach that day she went to her first Parliament Engl. Eliz. * Had he lived he would no doubt have made a full Reformation of those foul corruptions that remained and yet remain to this day and would have reduced all the Churches in his Dominioâ—s unto the Primitive and Apostolicall Order and Discipline as Bucer in his Book De Regno Christi written to him earnestly desired Whetenhall of the abuse now in question in the Church of Christ. Haywards life and Raign of Edward the sixth Of all the Papists in his Raign there was not one man lost his life To the godly there was no danger unless it were by wealth and prosperity Fox his Act. and Mon. A. D. 11â—0 Speed Vide Humfredum de Nobilitate l. 2. p. 232 233. Fox Martyr vol. 3. p. 431. Ipse Rex â—â—orum or efid o nuditus aut Sitiosorum immannati ex positus immaâ—â—rè morbo an veneno incertum praeripitur incredibili ob eximias supra aetatem virtutes desiderio apud populum relicto Apparatus ad Cambdâ—â—i Annales Queen Mary caused â—et to be beheaded She was married to Philip the second King of Spain who was long but well proportioned Some of her Coin was called Philip and Mary Speed Non natura sed pontificiorum arte ferox Id. ib. Lever compares her to the Queen mother of France Katherine de Medicis The suffering in her dayes did more settle and enlarge the bounds of the Gospel then all the preaching did in King Edward the sixth his Raign Dr. Ames Mr. Bacoâ—â— Uniform Government of England part 2 c. 34. Whose Raign was polluted with the bloud of so many Martyrs unfortunate by the frequent insurrections and made inglorious by the loss of Calais Nullus toto terrarum orbe angulus est quo non percrebuit admirabilis tua praeter invictam animositatem pictatem cruditio tam Latinè disertae ut exterorum Regum legati docti inprimis homines velut attoniti obstupescant quasi haerente in faucibus voce obinutesâ—â—nt re auditâ Had. Jun. Epist. Mariae Angliae Reginae Two hundred and eleven years It was lost in less then eight dayes It was 〈◊〉 won by Edward the third being the eleventh King from William the Conqueâ—our and lost by her the eleventh from Edward Capto summa celeritate Calâ—to quem portum Galliae portam aâ—pâ—llare consueverant Angliae Reges quo quamdiu potirentur tamdiu gâ—stare se â— cingulo claves Galliae dictitahant quicquid Gallis creptum ducentos per annos Angli fâ—liâ—iter obtinuer ant incontinenti paucorum dierum spatio Galliae regno restituere atque ad veteres terminos intra occanum se recipere coacti sunt Stradae de bello Belgic Dec. 1. l. 1. Though many persecutions have lasted longer yet none since Diâ—â—â—esians time â—ageâ— so terribly Dr. Heylius Eccles restaur See more there Dr Hackwelâ— Apol. of Gods providence in the Government of the world l. 4. c 11. Sect. 12. Seâ— more there Vide Cambde ni etiam Aâ—arat ad Annales The Orâ—tion is in Hâ—kâ—nsh Chron. â—â—de Saviii Orat. corom Regâ—na Elâ—z Oxon. â—habiâ—a Stradae de bello Belgic Decas 2. l. 1. p. 11. Vide Parkerum de Politcia Ecclesiast Christi l. 2. c. 38. There was between these two Princes â— concurrence and sympathy in their natures and affections together with the celestiall bond conformity in Religion which made them one and friends for the King ever called her his sweetest and dearest sister Sir Robert Nauntons Fragmenta Reg. Cambdens Britannia in Surrey Câ—mb Brit. in Wilâ—shire Gainsfords Glory of England l. â— c. 2. 〈◊〉 Biâ—dulphs Travels p.
gloria gentis erat Dignus Apollineis lachrymis c. It is to this day a question both how this King died and where he was â—â—ried Queen IANE The Lady Iane Gray whom King Edward had declared for his next Successour was eldest daughter of Henry Lord Gray Duke of Suffolke Her mother was the Lady France's daughter and in fine one of the co-heirs of Charles Brandon the late Duke of Suffolke by Mary his wife Queen Dowager to Lewis the twelfth of France and youngest daughter of King Henry the seventh Grandfather to King Edward now deceased She spake the Latin and Greek tongues with as sweet a fluency as if they had been naturall and native to her exactly skilled in the liberall Sciences and perfectly well studied both kinds of Philosophy She was most zealously affected to the true Protestant Religion then by Law established She was urged by her near friends to accept of the Crown Her Raign was but nine dayes her life not twice so many years as she raigned dayes Ascham Annâ— Maria Schurman Master Fox and others speak of her rare accomplishments Queen MARY It is a question much agitated of the rule of women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An licita Bodius on Ephes. 5. 22. dislikes it Bodin de Republica l. 6. c. 5. method Hist. c. 6. much opposeth it He lames us for suffering Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth to raign and saith we violated therein not only the Law of God but the law of nature and Nations knoxe also writes against it Danaeus a French man in his Book de Hâ—mine c. 33. saith It is lawfull He quotes Aâ—â— 8. 27. 1 King 10. and commends the Raign of Zenâ—bâ—ia Queen of the Arabians aâ—d Elizabeth Queen of England and Ioan Queen of Navarr as happy and lasting There is a choice Manuscript in Arch. in Oxford Library stiled A dutifull defence of the lawfull regiment of women written by my Lord Howard The Suffolk men first resorted to her promising her their aid and help so that she would not attempt the alteration of Religion established by her brother which she agreed unto but broke her promise and that Diocess tasted the sharpest persecution under her Raign So well inclined was she of her self that had not the zeal of her Religion and the authority of Church men overswayed her own disposition the flames of their consuming fires had not mounted so high She was crowned by Steven Gardiner Bishop of Winchester the Archbishops of Canterbury and Yorke being then prisoners in the Tower Within the compasse of less then four years continuance there died for the testimoniall of their conscience in this case two hundred seventy and seven persons without regard of degree sex or age In the heat of whose flames were consumed five Bishops one and twenty Divines eight Gentlemen eighty four Artificers one hundred Husbandmen servants and labourers twenty six wives twenty widdowes nine virgins two boyes and two Infants There being consultation at the Counsel-board what to do with the Lady Elizabeth Gardiner said My Lords we have but all thâ— while been 〈◊〉 ripping off the leaves and now and then lopped a branch but till such time as we strike at the root of heresie meaning the Lady Elizabeth nothing to purpose can be effected God forbid replied the Spaniards that our King and Master should once conceive a thought to consent unto such a mischief They thence solicited the King on her behalf and he favoured her and set her free at last The worst that can be said of her is this that she was ill principled and the best that she acted according to her principles Judge Morgan who in her Raign gave sentence of death against the Lady Iane Gray presently after her death fell mad and in his ravings continually cried Take away the Lady Jane from me and in that horrour shortly ended his life She was learned Ludovicus Vives A Spaniard was sometimes her Teacher He came to England with Queen Kahterine her mother She lost Calais which had been a long time before in the possession of the Engllish and said if she were opened they would find that next her heart pray it was that a paltry Town should lye where Christ should should have lain At the loss of Calai when a proud French man tauntingly demanded When will ye fetch Calais again An English Captain gravely answered Quâ—ndo peccata vestra erunt nostris gâ—â—viorâ— When your sins shall weigh down ours The Lord Corâ—â—s Governour of Picardy under the French King said That he would be content to lie in Hell seven years so he might win Calais from the English The keeping of it indeed was chargeable to the English but yet it was very advantagious to them While they kept it they had a door open into France upon all occasions and therefore it is commonly said That they carried the keyes of France at their Girdles Of all since the Conquest her Raign was the shortest only excepting that of Richard the Tyrant but much more bloudy then was his She raigned five years and four moneths wanting two dayes only She lieth buried in Westminster without any Monument or remembrance at all Queen ELIZABETH She was born at Greenwich on the seventh of September 15â—3 Her father was Henry the eighth King of England her mother Anne Bulloin whose love to the pure Religion cost her her life Amabat Regina puram verà mque Religionem haec illi res odium nox necem peperit Adolphi à Dans vita Elizabethae The Archbishop Cranmer her Godfather was every where chary and tender over her as one that at the Font had took charge upon him to see her educated in all vertue and piety What Prince was ever more sage in her Counsell or more solemn in her Government or more advised in her favours and fâ—owns Dr. Gaudens Eccles. Anglie Suspiria l. 4. c. 22. Before the age of seventeen years she was skilled in Latine French Italian and in the Greek indifferent well Neither did she neglect musick both singing and playing on instruments very sweetly and artificially for so much as became a Prince With Roger Ascham who governed her studies she read over Melancthons common places Cicero entire a great part of Livies History some select Orations of Isocrates whereof two she translated into Latine Sophocles Tragedies and the New Testament in Greeke by which means she both furnished her speech with elegant language and her mind with wholsome precepts referring her learning rather to practice and conversation then ostentation and pomp yet was she in a manner for learning a miracle among the Princes of her age In one and the same day she answered three Embassadors of great Princes the one in Latine the other in French and the third in Italian I have seen a Book which is in Sion-Colledge wherein divers sentences were turned out of English into Latine and Italian and some translated