reduced to that penury that he was forced to live upon the Alms of the Church This King designed at least pretended to go for the Holy Land when the Parliament granted him large Aids upon this condition That at this time once for all he should submit himself to govern by Law to confirm the Charters of Liberties or Magna Charta Against the breakers whereof a most solemn curse was pronounced The King swearing to keep all Liberties upon pain of that execratory sentence As he was a man a Christian a Knight and a King anointed and crowned Yet notwithstanding the Oath and the Curse the King two or three years after caused the Tenth of all England and Ireland to be collected for his own use and the Popes the Pope having given the Kingdom of Sicily to his Son Edmond but the English subjects were first to win it for him Which the Nobles peremptorily denied the attempting there being occasion enough for money and men at home the Welsh having risen in rebellion Against whom Prince Edward was sent who though he wanted not for Courage St. Edmund of Abingâ—â—n A. B. Caâ—t yet in one field lost 2000 English men and was beaten out of the field In A.D. 1257 was Richard Earl of Cornwall the King's Brother elected King of Romans and was crowned at Aquisgrane having paid a large sum of money for the honour At this time the Earl was reputed to possess so much ready Coin as would every day for ten years afford him an hundred Marks upon the main stock besides his Rents and Revenues in Germany and the English Dominions And now the King relapsed into his profuseness and favouring of the Poictovins and other forreigners The Nobles hereupon came exquisitely armed to the Parliament holden at Oxford with a resolution to inforce the King and his Aliens to their proposals Which were That the King should unfeignedly keep the Charter of Liberties That such an one should be in place of Justitiar who would judg all impartially That the Forreigners should be expelled the Realm And that twenty-four persons should there be chosen to have the sole administration of King and State and yearly appointing of all great Officers Reserving to the King the Ceremonies of Honour Binding themselves by Oath to see these things performed and the King and Prince swearing to observe the ordination of these disloyal Barons who had by an Edict given out high menacings against all that should resist The Poictovins were so terrified by these violent proceedings that they fled into France The giddy people they joined with the Barons as the Assertors of their Liberties Boniface A. B. Cant the Londoners bound themselves under their publick Seal to assist them in the common Cause Richard King of Romans the Barons would not suffer to come into England but in a private manner with a very small train and being landed they exacted an Oath of him and upon pain of forfeiting all his Lands in England bound him to join with them in reforming the State which they factiously had assumed to do having appointed Four Knights Commissioners in every shire to enquire of all Oppressions and to certifie the same to them And the better to strengthen their Cause Simon Montford Earl of Leicester Head of the Factionists with others passed into France there to transact with the King thereof as to an indissoluble League About which time King Henry for want of Money or good Counsel or both was induced upon no very good terms for ever to renounce to the King of France all his right to Normandy Anjou Tourain Main and Poictou But the fire which had been long in blowing did now break out into a flame the King and his Barons taking arms against each other Simon de Montford executes his greatest revenge on the Queens friends who were aliens not sparing the King's who were free-born English-men Yet at length mutual weariness inclines Henry and his Barons to a peace and the King is willing that the Statutes of Oxford should be in force but the Queen was unwilling Which being known to the Londoners it put the baser sort into so leud a rage that she being to shoot the Bridg from the Tower towards Windsor where Prince Edward was ingarison'd they with dirt and stones and villanous words forced her back to the Tower Howbeit at London in a Parliament there held matters were pieced up though shortly after all was rent again both sides making fresh preparations for War King Henry drew towards Oxford where the rendezvous of his friends and forces was appointed from which University he dismissed all the Students being above fifteen thousand of those only whose names were entred into the Matriculation-book Whereupon many of them went to the Barons to Northamptor whither Henry came and breaking in at the Town-Walls encountred his Enemies amongst whom these Students of Oxford had a Banner by themselves advanced right against the King and did more annoy him in the fight than the rest of the Barons Forces Which the King who at length prevailed vowed sharply to revenge but was disswaded by his Councellors who told him that those Students were the sons and kindred of the great men of the Land whom if he punished even the Nobles that now stood for him would take arms against him The King encouraged by this success advanceth his Royal Standard toward Nottingham burning and wasting the Barons Lands wheresoever he came The Barons they sent Letters to him protesting their loyal observance to his person but all hostility to their enemies who were about him Rob. Kilwarby A B. Cant To which the King returned them a full defiance as to Traytors professing that he took the wrong of his friends as his own and their enemies as his At length the two Armies met and ingaged in fight wherein Prince Edward bravely behaved himself putting the Londoners to flight pursuing them for four miles but in the mean while his Father having his horse slain under him yielded himself prisoner the King of Romans and other great Peers were taken and the whole hope of the day lost on the Kings side On the next day peace was concluded for the present on condition That Prince Edward and Henry the King of Romans Son should also render themselves into the Barons hands And now by this advantage the factious Lords gained all the chief Castles of the Kingdom into their power Montford carrying his Soveraign as his prisoner about the Country yet with all outward respect and honour the rather to procure a more quiet surrender of Garrisons So fortunate may Treason and Rebellion for a time be though in the end it commonly speeds as it deserves To tame these Rebels the Pope sends his Cardinal Legate to Excommunicate them but they trusting to the temporal sword made light of the spiritual Howbeit to the Kings great advantage there hapned so irreconcileable a difference betwixt the two great Earls of Leicester and Glocester that the
John Barton John Parvess Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir Richard Whittington was Mayor Robert Whittington John Butler Sheriffs In his eighth Year William Cambridge was Mayor John Butler John Wells Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir Robert Chichely was Mayor Richard Gosseline William VVeston Sheriffs HENRY VI. A. D. 1422. HENRY of Windsor was crowned about the Eighth Month of his age The guard and custody of this Royal Infant was committed to Thomas Duke of Excester the Nurture and Education to his Mother the Queen-Dowager the Government of England to Humphrey Duke of Glocester and the Regency of France to John Duke of Bedford The first disadvantage that befel the English Cause after the late King's decease was the death of Charles the French King who survived Henry but 53 days for the imbecilities of this Prince were a strength to the English on the other side the Infancy of young Henry was an advantage to young Charles by them of his party now called King of France though by the English he was called only King of Berry because little else was left unto him Howbeit now he seeks to enlarge his Dominions having received Aids from Italy and Scotland And not far from the Town of Vernoil his and the Regents Forces joined battel when the English inured to the French Wars having born the first heat of their enemies encounter by perseverance utterly broke them and put them to flight The Regent himself fought most fiercely winning unto himself a lasting Honour On the enemies part was slain the Constable and Lieutenant of France the Earls of Wigton and Vantadour with about five thousand others Prisoners taken was the Duke of Alanzon himself with about two hundred others of special account After this Victory the Regent besieged Mants in Main and with Ordnance beat down part of the Walls whereupon it was yeilded this being one of the Articles at the surrender which perhaps might be upon every like occasion That if any person was found within the City which had been consenting to the murder of John Duke of Burgundy Father to Philip Duke of Burgoigne that they should simply be at the Regents mercy Some time after this and not much Thomas Montacute Earl of Salisbury with a dreadful puissance besieged the City of Orleans and so enforced it that the inhabitants were willing to articulate and to yeild themselves to the Duke of Burgundy then being in his company but the Earl highly disdaining thereat said in the English Proverb I will not beat the bush and another shall have the bird Which Proverbial speech 't is said so offended the Duke that it wholly alienated his mind from the English to their great loss in all the French Wars following And now appeared that famous French Shepherdess Joan of Lorrain about 18 years of age daughter to James of Arcke This Maid to comfort Charles of France presented her self to him at Chinon bidding him to be of good courage and constantly affirming that God had sent her to deliver the Realm of France from the English yoak and to restore him to the fulness of his Fortunes Then she armed her self like a man and required to have that Sword which at that time did hang in Saint Katharines Church of Fierebois in Tourain and being warlikely arrayed she gets into Orleans which did greatly animate the fainting French From Orleans this Maid of God for so the French called her sent a Letter to de la Pole Earl of Suffolk in words to this effect King of England do reason to the King of heaven for his blood-royal yeild up to the Virgin the keys of all the good Cities which you have forced c. I am the chief of this War wheresoever I encounter your men in France I will chase them will they nill they c. The Virgin comes from heaven to drive you out of France be not obstinate for you shall not hold France of the King of heaven the Son of St. Mary but Charles shall enjoy it the King and lawful heir to whom God hath given it He shall enter Paris with a goodly train c. Vnderstand these news of God and the Virgin spare innocent blood leave Orleans at liberty This Letter was entertained of the English with laughter and Joan reputed of them no better than a Bedlam or Inchantress But be she what she would yet by her encouragements and conduct the English had Orleans pluckt out of their hopes and with much loss were driven to raise the siege In all Adventures Joan was one and the foremost At one Sally she being shot through the arm said to her followers Come this is a favour let vs go on they cannot escape the hand of God The English lost at this siege the Earl of Salisbury the Lord Moline the Lord Poynings Sir Thomas Gargrave and of all sorts if you believe the enemy were slain in such Sallies as the Martial Maid made 8000 our own Writers say but 600. After the raising of this siege some Towns were took by the English but at a Village called Potay the French coming upon them before the Archers could fortifie their battels with an empalement of stakes the English after three hours bloody resistance were put to the worst The Lords Talbot Scales Hungerford and Sir Thommas Rampstone were taken prisoners Which loss was followed vvith the sudden revolt of sundry Tovvns Nor vvas it long ere Charles recovered Aunerre and Rhiemes in the last of vvhich according to the Maids direction he vvas solemnly crovvned King of France Hitherto the Virgin had been very lucky but coming to the rescue of Champagne distressed by the English and Bâ—rgundians she vvas taken by a Burgundian Knight vvho sold her to the English and they sent her to Roan vvhere she vvas burnt for Sorcery Bloodshed and unnatural use of man-like Apparel and Habiliments contrary to her Sex The rumor of vvhose death and ignominious cause thereof vvas something incommodious to Charles's affairs for a time and it vvas thought that the coming of young King Henry into France vvould be much more vvho Decemb. 7.1431 vvas crovvned King of France in Paris by the Cardinal of Winchester At vvhich time such of the French Nobility as vvere present did their homage to him The Kings Patents and Grants touching French matters passed under the seal and stile of Henry King of the French-men and of England And about this time the English Affairs succeeded pretty fortunately in France The Earl of Arundel and Lord Talbot carry about victorious arms and terrifie Main Anjou and other places vvith their successes A D. 1435 that famous Patriot and General John Duke of Bedford dyed at Paris Upon vvhich many Tovvns voluntarily yeilded and multitudes of the French forsook the English to joyn vvith Charles And though the English Forces then in France vvere not altogether slothful yet through a fatal security or negligence or both at home there vvas not speedy sufficiencies of resistance ministred Richard Duke
Citizens exceedingly Himself did not only become one amongst them causing himself to be entred a Brother of the Merchant-Taylors Company but also wore the habit at a publick Feast and sate as Master of the Company A. D. 1492 Octob. the sixth King Henry with his Host landed at Callis from whence with his whole forces he marched towards Boloigne which when he had besieged Articles of peace were concluded betwixt him and the King of France For King Henry before his going out of England had been dealt with on the French Kings behalf to accept of conditions but would not enter into any Treaty with him till he was in the field and that with such a puissance as vvas likely enough to force his ovvn conditions When Henry had to his advantage setled his transmarine affairs he returned for England vvhere he vvas not to remain long in quiet For the Dutchess of Burgundy had provided another counterfeit King a youth of a Princely personage called Peter VVarbeck the son of a converted Jew This her creature Peter or as some called him Perkin and Peterkin under the name and Title of Richard Plantaginet second son of King Edward the fourth had great honour given him by the King of France And divers persons of eminency in England were so deluded that they believed him to be the true Richard and thereupon sought to advance him to the Crown which cost some of them the price of their heads as the Lord Fitz-VValter Sir Simon Montford Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlain that gained the Victory for King Henry at Bosworth-field These with more were put to death for favouring of Perkin The King also for the further prevention of dangers caused the coasts of England to be strongly guarded sent a new Lord Chancellor into Ireland Henry Denny a Monk of Langton-Abby and Sir Edward Poynings with some forces whose greatest care and diligence was to punish such as before time had given any assistance to the Mock-king and to restrain such as were likely to do so in time to come The Earl of Kildare falling under suspition Poynings sent prisoner into England where the King did graciously hear and admit his defences and returned him with Honour and continuation of authority The Irish had formerly exhibited many Articles against this Earl the last of which was Finally all Ireland cannot rule this Earl Then quoth the King shall this Earl rule all Ireland constituting him Lord-Deputy thereof But Perkin having gained private assistance from the French King and Maximilian to strengthen yet his enterprize he repairs into Scotland unto James the fourth having special recommendations from the King of France and Dutchess of Burgundy who gave him most courteous entertainment The rare impudency of the youth and that connexion which his darings had with other Princes drew this King into an errour concerning him When he was first brought to the presence of the King of Scots with a right Princely gracefulness he declared to the said King That Edward the fourth leaving two sons Edward and Richard both very young their unnatural Uncle Richard to obtain the Crown purposed the murder of them both but the instruments of his cruelty having murdred his elder brother the young King were moved with pity to spare his life and that thus saved by the mercy of God he was privately conveyed beyond the Seas the world supposing that himself also had been murdred And that Henry Teuder Earl of Richmond after he had by subtle and foul means obtained the Crown he then wrought all means and ways to procure the final destruction of him the rightful Heir to the English Diadem That his said mortal enemy Henry hath not only falsely surmised him to be a feigned person giving him Nick-names so abusing the World but that also to deprive him of his right he had offered large Sums of Mony to corrupt the Princes with whom he had been retained and had imploy'd his servants to murder him That every man of reason might well understand that the said Henry needed not to have taken these courses against him had he been a feigned person That the truth of his manifest cause had moved the King of France and Dutchess of Burgundy his most Dear Ant to yield him their assistence That now because the Kings of Scotland were wont to support them who were spoiled and bereft of the said Kingdom of England and for that he the said King James had given clear signs that he was of the like Noble quality and temper with his Ancestors he so distressed a Prince came to put himself into his hands desiring his aid to recover his Realms promising faithfully that when his Kingdoms were regained he would gratefully do him all the pleasure that should lie in his utmost power The King of Scots was so influenced with this Impostors words amiable person Princely deportment recommendations of Princes his aids from the Irish and assured hope of aid in England that he honourably received him as if he had been the very Richard Duke of York and gave his consent that this pretended Duke should marry the Lady Katharine Gourdon daughter to the Earl of Huntly which accordingly he did and also prepared to invade England in his quarrel although there wanted not them who with many arguments advised this King to repute him for no other than a Cheat. King Henry that he might be prepared for the Scots called a Parliament which granted a Tax to be gathered of six score thousand pounds the Levy of which mony kindled a dangerous fire in England For when the Kings Collectors came amongst the Cornish-men to receive their proportion of the Tax they tumultuously assembled under the leading of one Thomas Flammock a Lawyer and Michael Joseph a Black-Smith of Bodnam Which Captains led their rout towards Kent and at Wells James Tuchet Lord Audley joyned with them From Wells they proceeded to Black-Heath where the Kings forces defeated them without much labour fifteen hundred of the Rebels were taken and the takers had their prisoners goods granted them James Lord Audley was led from New-gate to Tower-hill in a Coat of his own Armories painted on a Paper reverst and torn where he was executed Flammock and the Smith were quartred Memorably strange was the comfort that the Smith cheered himself withall as he was drawing to his execution to wit That yet he hoped that by this means his Name and Memory should be everlasting The Kings care was now to order the War against Scotland whither he sent the Earl of Surrey with an Army to invade the Scotch borders as they had lately done the English The Earl pursued the revenge with great vehemency but in short time by the King of Spains mediation a Truce was concluded betwixt the two Nations One Article of which Truce was That Perkin should be no longer fostered in Scotland Whereupon he withdraws into â—reland whither the Cornish-men sent to him inviting him amongst them promising that at his arrival
Princes to attempt the recovery of the holy-Land sending Cardinal Campeius on this errand into England Which Cardinal and his company being come to London as they passed through Cheap-side the sumpture Mules cast their Carriages and Coffers on the ground out of which the lids flying open fell old breeches boots and broken shoes torn stockings tattered rags old iron and horse shoes broken meat marrow bones roasted eggs and crusts of bread with such-like treasure About A. D. 1521 the Emperour Charles passing toward Spain landed at Dover where the King met him and conducted him in great state to London lodging him in his new Palace in the Black-Friars then feasted him at Windsor and in such bands of amity the Emperor and King Henry seemed to be link'd that in London this sentence was set up in the Guild-hall over the dore of the Councel-Chamber Carolus Henricus vivant Defensor uterque Henricus fidei Carolus Ecclesiae The reason of which Titles Defender of the Faith and Church was For that Charles the Emperour had directed forth a solemn Writ of Out-lawry against Dr. Martin Luther who had then given a great blow to the Triple Crown and King Henry had wrote a Book against the said Luther for the which the Pope gave the Title of Defender of the Church to the Emperour and Defender of the Faith to the King and for the same cause he sent King Henry a consecrated Rose A new variance hapning again betwixt the Kingdoms of France and England the King assembled a Parliament at the Black-Friers in London which granted him half of the yearly revenues of all Spiritual livings to be paid for five years continuance and the tenth part of all temporal substance to carry on the Wars against France and Scotland When the King being furnished with mony sent a great Army into France under the conduct of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk who had married Mary the Kings Sister Queen Dowager of France This valiant Commander first besieged and won Bell-Castle then took the Castle of Bonguard Braie Roie Lihome Mondedier and Boghan which done he returned King Henry was so inraged against the Scots that he took from all those inhabiting England all their goods sending them into their Country on foot with white Crosses sowed upon their uppermost garments But Margaret Queen of Scots solliciting her brother Henry for a peace the difference betwixt the two Nations was for a while reconciled About A. D. 1525 arose great troubles in Ireland the wild Irish casting off all obedience and killing many of the Kings English Subjects Girald Fitz-Girald Earl of Kildare was sent prisoner into England for that the Earl of Ossery had accused him of many misdemeanors as That he connived at the Earl of Desmonds escape whom he should have attached by order from the King That he grew over-familiar with the Irish and that he put to death the Kings best subjects When the Earl was brought to London he was committed to the Tower by the Cardinals means who did not love him In the Tower he expected death daily but with such couragious resolution that being at slide-groat with the Lieutenant when the Mandate was brought for his Execution on the morrow morning and seeing the Lieutenant struck into a sudden sadness he said unto him By St Bride Lieutenant there is some mad game in that Scroll but fall how it will this throw is for a huddle And when the worst was told him he said I pray thee Lieutenant do no more but assuredly learn from the Kings own mouth whether his Highness be witting of this or not Whereupon the Lieutenant loving the Earl well went to the King and shewed him the Warrant which the King seeing controlled the sawciness of the Priest for so he then called the Cardinal and gave the Lieutenant his Signet for a nullity of the Warrant so the Earl was delivered from the death threatned and not long after from his imprisonment About or in A. D. 1528 King Henry began to call into Question the lawfulness of his marriage with his Queen Katharine who was daughter to Ferdinand King of Spain and had been married to Prince Arthur eldest son of Henry the seventh when he was about fifteen years of age but he dying ere he had been married twelve months King Henry his brother by the advice of his Councel took this Princess Katharine to Wife in few days after his Fathers death and enjoyed her nuptial society near twenty years in which time she had born him two sons both dying in their infancy and one daughter named Mary afterward Queen But now he said his Conscience was much dissatisfied doubting it might not be lawful for him to have his brothers Wife notwithstanding he had had a dispensation from the Pope for it therefore first he refused his Queens bed and having moved the doubt to his own Divines he next sent for the opinion of most of the Universities of Europe which concluded against it and signified so much under most of their common Seals He also sent Agents unto Rome with an humble request to the Pope that an indifferent Judge might be sent to determine this weighty affair Whereupon Cardinal Campeius was sent over into England with whom Cardinal Wolsey was joyned in Commission These Cardinals had a place ordained them in the Black-Friers in London for the keeping of their Court of Judicature To which Court the King and Queen were summoned to appear personally which accordingly they did having several seats prepared for them When the Court was sate the Cryer called King Henry to appear who forthwith answered Here Then was the Queen called who made no answer at all but presently rose up and going to the King fell on her knees at his feet and in the audience of the people said unto him Sir I desire you to take some pity upon me and do me Justice and right I am a poor woman a stranger born out of your Dominions having here no indifferent Councel and less assurance of friendship Alas Wherein have I offended or what cause of displeasure have I given you that you thus intend to put me away I take God to my Judge I have been to you a true and humble Wife ever conformable to your will and pleasure never gain-saying any thing wherein you took delight Without all grudge or discontented countenance I have loved all them that loved you howsoever their affections have been towards me I have born you Children and been your Wife now this twenty years Of my Virginity and Marriage-bed I make God and your own Conscience the Judge and if it otherwise be proved I am content to be put from you with shame The King your Father in his time for wisdom was known to be a second Solomon and Ferdinand of Spain my Father accounted the wisest amongst their Kings could they in this Match be so far over-seen or are there now wiser and more learned men than at that time were Surely it seems
Mayor Stephen Slaney Henry Billingsley Sheriffs In her seven and twentieth Year Sir Wolstone Dixie vvas Mayor Anthony Ratcliffe Henry Pranel Sheriffs In her eight and twentieth Year Sir George Barne was Mayor George House William Elkin Sheriffs In her nine and twentieth Year Sir George Bond was Mayor Thomas Skinner John Catcher Sheriffs In her thirtieth Year Sir Martin Calthorp served one part Sir Richard Martin the other Hugh Offley Richard Saltonstall Sheriffs In her one and thirtieth Year Sir John Hart was Mayor Richard Gurney Stephen Some Sheriffs In her two and thirtieth Year Sir John Allot served one part Sir Rowland Heyward the other Nicholas Mosley Robert Brook Sheriffs In her three and thirtieth Year Sir William Webbe was Mayor VVilliam Rider Benet or Benedict Barnham Sheriffs In her four and thirtieth Year Sir William Roe was Mayor John Garret or Gerrard Robert Taylor Sheriffs In her five and thirtieth Year Sir Cuthbert Buckle served one part Sir Richard Martin the other Paul Banning Peter Haughton Sheriffs In her six and thirtieth Year Sir John Spencer was Mayor Robert Lee Thomas Bennet Sheriffs In her seven and thirteth Year Sir Stephen Slaney was Mayor Thomas Lowe Leonard Halliday Sheriffs In her eight and thirtieth Year Sir Thomas Skinner served one part Sir Henry Billingsley the other John Wats Richard Godard Sheriffs In her nine and thirtieth Year Sir Richard Saltonstall was Mayor Henry Roe John More Sheriffs In her fortieth Year Sir Stephen Some was Mayor Edward Holmedon Robert Hampson Sheriffs In her one and fortieth Year Sir Nicholas Mosley was Mayor Humphrey Walde Roger Clerk Sheriffs In her two and fortieth Year Sir William Rider was Mayor Thomas Smith Thomas Cambel VVilliam Craven Sheriffs In her three and fortieth Year Sir John Garret or Gerrard was Mayor Henry Anderson William Glover Sheriffs In her four and fortieth Year Sir Robert Lee was Mayor James Pemberton John Swinerton Sheriffs JAMES A. D. 1602 KING James his Title to the Crown of England sprung from Henry the seventh whose Issue 〈◊〉 the Male failing in the late deceased Queen Elizabeth the off-spring of Margaret his eldest daughter was the next Heir which Lady Margaret being married unto James the fourth King of Scotland by him had Issue James the fifth whose only daughter and Child Queen Mary was the Mother of King James the sixth of that name that had swayed the Scepter in Scotland Which learned Prince when he heard of the death of Queen Elizabeth set forward out of Scotland and was with great joy received of all his English Subjects in his way to London and at his approach unto that honourable City the Lord Mayor and Aldermen with five hundred choice Citizens all in Chains of Gold and well-mounted met his Majesty and with all solemn observance attended him unto the Charter-house Then preparations were made for his Coronation but before the day appointed thereunto a Proclamation came forth that no Citizen should presume to approch the Court the City having buried in one week above one thousand of the plague And yet a greater plague than this was intended against England about the Kings coming in had not God in his mercy prevented it For Pope Clement the eighth having sent unto Henry Garnet Superior of the Jesuites in England two Bulls therein prohibiting any to be admitted to the Crown unless he would first tolerate the Romish Religion and by all his best endeavours advance that Catholique cause Hereupon the Popes creatures to do their unholy Father the best service they could combined with some whom private discontents had discomposed to surprise the Kings person and Prince Henry intending to retain them prisoners in the Tower or if they could not gain the Tower then to carry them to Dover-Castle and there to keep them till they had brought the King to their own terms and compleated their designs The persons accused for this Conspiracy were Henry Brook Lord Cobham Thomas Lord Grey of Wilton Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir Griffin Markham Sir Edward Parham George Brook and Bartholomew Brooksby Esquires Anthony Copley Gentleman Watson and Clark Priests A. D. 1603 and July 21 King James and Queen Anne were Crowned at Westminster by John Whitguift Archbishop of Canterbury and when the Coronation was over the Conspirators were conveyed to Winchester where the Term was then kept because of the plague at London and there had their Tryal and were all condemned by their Jury save Sir Edward Parham Howbeit only three of them were executed namely Watson Clark and George Brook This business thus Transacted for the safety of King and Kingdom his Majesty to gratify the Puritan or Presbyterian party that had petitioned for a reformation in the English Church commanded an Assembly of selected Divines to appear in his Royal presence at Hampton-Court whither the summoned accordingly repaired Persons summoned to maintain the cause of the Church of England were the Archbishop of Canterbury Bishops of London Durham Winchester c. Persons for the reformation of the Church were Dr. Reynolds and Dr. Sparks of Oxford Mr. Knewstubs and Mr. Chaderton of Cambridge At this conference his Majesty notably vindicated the Church of England see the conference at Hampton-Court Printed 1604. After an indeavour of setling Church-peace the King commanded a new Translation of the holy Scriptures which was accordingly done A. D. 1604 and August the nineteenth was peace proclaimed betwixt the two Nations of Spain and England And the King to joyn the Nations of England and Scotland into an happy unity caused himself by Proclamation to be stiled King of Great Britain A Proclamation also came forth commanding all Jesuites and Seminary Priests out of the Land but these under-miners of Church and State mean not to leave England so but design to stay and triumph in its ruins purposing by one fatal-blow to destroy the King the Prince the Peers both temporal and Spiritual the Knights and Burgesses of Parliament And the Traytors intent when that damnable villany should be effected was to surprize the Queen and remainder of the Kings Issue Richard Bancroft A. B. Cant. to bring in forreign powers and to alter Religion Sir Edward Baynham an Attainted person was sent to the Pope to acquaint him with the designed Gun-powder-Treason and Thomas Winter brought with him out of Flanders Guy Fawks as a fit Executioner of their hellish project The Conspirators resolved among themselves that it was lawful for case of Conscience to destroy the innocent with the nocent and this by the Authority and judgment of Garnet himself Then they took Oath of secresy swearing by the blessed Trinity and the Sacrament they then were about to receive never to disclose directly or indirectly by word or circumstance this their Plot in hand nor any of them to desist from the Execution thereof until the rest of the Conspirators should give leave This done Mr. Thomas Piercy hired an house next adjoyning to the Parliament-House pretending it to be for his Lodgings and
made with the Cross and Harp on one side and this Inscription The great Seal of England on the other side the picture of the House of Commons with this Inscription In the first year of freedom by Gods blessing restored 1648. And afterward they appointed that all moneys to be coyned should be stamped with the Cross and Harp on one side and the Cross on the other with this Motto The Commonwealth of England God with us And instead of the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance they imposed an Engagement upon the people To be true and faithful to the Commonwealth as it was then established without King or House of Lords A Council of State they constituted by the name of the Keepers of the Liberties of England consisting of forty persons who were to have the executive part of the Government Thus was Englands ancient Government soon changed by about 50 persons who stiled themselves a Parliament and the Representative body of England The maxim upon which they grounded these their alterations and all other their illegal proceeds was this That all power and authority is originally in the people and that they were the peoples Representative When this Junto had made such a module of Government they erected another High Court of Injustice for the trial of Duke Hamilton as Earl of Cambridge of the Earls of Holland and Norwich the Lord Capel and Sir John Owen all which were condemned to die for engaging in their Soveraign's cause but the Earl of Norwich and Sir John Owen were reprieved the other three were beheaded in the Palace-yard at Westminster March the 9th The ever loyal Lord Capel in his speech on the Scaffold declared that he died against the Justice of the known Laws of the Land and for no other cause than his asserting the Fifth Commandment prayed heartily for the King for his restoration long life and prosperity shutting up his Speech with a profession of his cheerfulness in forgiving his Enemies Other good Subjects they put to death in other places of the Nation Lieutenant Colonel Morris Mr. Beaumont a Minister Major Monday and Cornet Blackburn And many were the loyal persons that were now proscribed and had their Estates confiscated as the Marquess of Newcastle Earl of Bristol the Lords Cottington Widdrington Culpepper Byron Sir Edward Hide Sir Philip Musgrave Sir Marmaduke Langdale Sir Richard Greenvill with others And all that had been in actual Arms for the King or other service were forced to compound for their Estates if they had any to the great impoverishing of the Royal party A. D. 1649 and April the 7th The Members at Westminster for the better supply of their Army and taking away of free-quarter passed an Act for the levying of 90000 l. a Month upon England for six months Then took into consideration the sale of Dean and Chapters Lands May the 15th divers Troops of the Army for mutinying were surprised by Fairfax at Burford where some few of the Ringleaders were shot to death and the rest disbanded There were of that party a people called Levellers who in those times of distraction would have all things in the Common-wealth ordered according to their wild humours and yet all their cry was for the Liberties of free-born English men About this time Dr. Dorislaus whom the disloyal Members had sent over as their Agent into Holland was there slain by Colonel Whitford a Scotch man and not long after one Ascham another of their Agents sent into Spain was there slain by one Sparks May the 30th in the City of London England was proclaimed a Free-State And June the 13th the House ordered that no ceremony should be used to the Kings Children the Duke of Glocester and Lady Elizabeth then in the Junto's custody In Ireland the Kings Lieutenant the Marquess of Ormond in order to promote the Kings cause there concluded a peace with the Irish and June the 22d he besieged the City of Dublin but August the 2d Colonel Michael Jones with his whole strength being betwixt 8 and 9000 sallied out upon the besiegers who were 19000 Horse and Foot and routed them totally slew of them about 3000 took Prisoners 2517 took all the Marquess's train of Artillery and Amunition and a very rich booty in the Camp August the 16th Oliver Cromwell landed with his forces at Dublin and after a short stay there marched with great expedition against Tredagh or Drogedah where Sir Arthur Ashton was Governor the defendants of that Town did bravely behave themselves howbeit Oliver gained it by storm giving strict order to his Soldiers that they should afford quarter neither to Man Woman or Child but should kill all He vowed to one of his Commanders That he would sacrifice their bodies to the souls of the English men they had formerly murdered Next Oliver besieged Wexford which through the treachery of one Strafford was yielded And shortly after this many engarisoned places were reduced by Olivers forces The Plantation of Virginia that had refused subjection to the new Republick of England was forced to a conformity by Sir George Ayscoughs Fleet. October 23 Mr. John Lilbourn the Leader of the Levelling party one that had wit enough but of a thwarting turbulent spirit was tryed at Guildhall in London for writing against the Members at Westminster and their Council of State but he so well pleaded his case and had so lucky a Jury that he was quit in despight of his Judges About this time Prince Rupert the King's Admiral was distrest and put to his shifts by the Junto's Fleet losing most of his Ships with his Brother Prince Maurice who was then cast away A. D. 1650. In the beginning of this year the truly Loyal and Magnanimous Marquess of Momross was defeated in Scotland by Major General Straughorn the Marquess himself by quitting his Horse and shifting himself into an ordinary Highlanders habit made a shift to escape for the present his standard was taken in which was pourtrayed the Head of King Charles the first lying a bleeding and severed from the body with this Motto Judg and revenge my cause O Lord. The Marquess after some days wandring about in by-places came to the Laird of Astons House a person whom the Marquess had done several kindnesses for but this false Scot whether for fear or lucre betrayed this distressed Peer into the hands of his Enemy David Lesley who sent him to the City of Edenbrough where the common Hangman met him at the Towns end and first pulled off his Hat then forced him into a Cart which had a high Chair placed in it in which the Marquess was seated that thereby he might be the more obnoxious to the scorns of the vulgar But his noble soul was not at all dismayed for God he said did all the while most comfortably manifest his presence to him and furnished him with courage to overlook the reproaches of men and to behold him for whose cause he suffered After the sentence of Parliament was
Deputy thereof Ireton was very successful against the Marquess of Ormond the Lord Inchequin Marquess Clancard Earl of Castlehaven and other the Kings friends taking many Garisons from them the like did Oliver in Scotland from the Kings friends there Howbeit His Majesty hoping that now at length England might be favourable to his just Cause he advances into England by the way of Carlile with about 16000 men bending his course by a swift march for the West of England though it was hoped by his friends he would have directed his course for London But August the 23 the King with his Army entred the City of Worcester and Cromwel with all hast marched after him by the way joyning with Fleetwood Desbrough the Lord Grey of Groby Lambert Harrison and the Militia-forces of several Counties so that his Army when he was come to Worcester could not amount to fewer then 80000 men In Lancashire the Earl of Derby had raised for the King near 1500 Horse and Foot against whom Colonel Lilbourn marched and routed them taking many persons of quality the Earl of Derby himself with much ado escaped to the King at Worcester where on that twice fatal but once Lucky day September the 3d his Majesty being surrounded by his Enemies resolved to sally upon them with his whole force which accordingly he did and at the first made the disloyal party retire somewhat disorderly the King himself performing the part of a Valiant Souldier at the head of his Horse But at length his Army being overpowered by the numerous fresh supplies of his enemies His Majesties side was put to the worst his Horse flying amain towards the North and his Foot into Worcester whither they were followed at the heels by their Victors who entred the City with them which they plundred killing and taking most of the Scots Prisoners those Horse that fled were pursued and great part of them taken and the poor stragling Scots were either made Prisoners or killed by the Country People The number of the Kings party slain were judged to be about 3000 and of Prisoners taken in the whole near 10000 amongst whom were Duke Hamilton the Earls of Shrewsbury Derby Cleveland Lauderdaile Rotho Carnwath and Kelly the Lord Synclare Sir John Packington Sir Charles Cunningham Sir Ralph Clare Major General Piscotty Major General Mountgomery Colonel Graves Mr. Fanshaw the Kings Secretary the Adjutant General Marshal General General of the Ordnance together with five Colonels of Horse 13 of Foot 17 Lieutenant Colonels 19 Majors 109 Captains there was also taken 158 Colours the Kings standard Coach and Horses Coller of SS and Star-Cloak with other things of great value His Majesty through the good providence of God escaped the hands of his enemies wandring about England in disguise for six weeks at length being transported from a Creek near Shoram in Sussex to Freccam near Haure de Grace in France although his foes made the strictest search for him possible withall menacing those that should conceal him and promising high rewards to those that should discover him A little before this fight at Worcester divers persons many of them Presbyterian Ministers were seized on for holding correspondence with Charles Stuart none might as they loved their lives and estates call him King and on August the 22 were two of them namely Mr. Christopher Love Minister and Mr. Gibbons beheaded on Tower-hill The common Prisoners Scots and English taken at Worcester were sent up to London and that they might no further trouble the States of England they were transported into Foreign Plantations October the 15th the Earl of Derby was beheaded and Sir Timothy Fetherstonhaugh dyed the same death also for the same crime viz. for honouring the King In short time after the fight of Worcester the Mock-Parliament had the welcome news of reducing the Isle of Man the Barbadoes the Isle of Jersey and Cornet Castle in Guernsey but a little to allay their transport they had the unwelcome news of the death of their Admiral Popham and Ireton their Deputy of Ireland this last dyed of the plague under the Walls of Limirick but was buryed in great State in Westminster-Abby All was now in a calm at home and Scotland and Ireland both almost subjected to the English States they therefore in this leisure-time judg it seasonable to vindicate themselves on the Vnited Netherlands for the affronts done to their Ambassadors Oliver St. John and Walter Strickland in Holland and their incroaching on the English merchants trade and slighting the English States who proffered strict amity and alliance Hereupon they prohibited the importing any Foreign Comodities except upon English bottoms or such as were of the Country whence the goods came beginning withal to stand high upon the claim of dues and reparations for the prejudice done the English in their Trading and when no satisfaction would be given but the Dutch grew rather more Lordly calling into question the English Soveraignty in the narrow Seas and refusing to give the English the honour of the FLAG the States of England resolved to beat them into better manners And in the Year of our Lord 1652 on May the 19th was the first Sea-fight between the States of England and the Netherlands the fight continued about four hours till the night parted them without much cause of boasting on either part that which was the English had a right to But shortly after this Admiral Blake took twelve Dutch men of War August the 16th Sir George Ayscough with a squadron of seven Ships charged through and through the Dutch Fleet consisting of sixty men of War in which Encounter Captain Pack was slain September the fifth as the French Fleet who took part with the Dutch were going to the relief of Dunkirk most of them were taken by General Blake and about the conclusion of the same month the Dutch were bang'd to purpose by Blake at a place called the Kentish-Knock and were pursued by the English into their very Harbor But in the beginning of Winter Blake was worsted by the Dutch in the Downs losing the Garland Bonadventure and two Merchantmen Upon the 18 19 and 20th days of February the two Fleets fought again when the Dutch were forced to fly the English taking fifty-two of their Merchant-men they had in Convoy and nine men of War A. D. 1653 and April the 20th Oliver Cromwell took upon him to put a period to the fitting of those long winded-Members at Westminster objecting to them when he came to displace them That they delayed if not utterly neglected the redressing of publick Grievances that they designed their own interest and perpetuating themselves therefore they were to sit there no longer Instead of these Members turned out of doors Oliver and his Officers constituted a Council of State to rule the Common-wealth though they resolved to rule the Council of State June the 2d the English and Dutch Fleets engaged again in Fight when at the very first shot made by
ancient Laws If these things be denyed they are here presently to abide the verdict of Battel being fully resolved rather to dye than to part with their Laws or to live servile in bondage The Conqueror in this streight more wisely than willingly granted their demands Some of the English this Norman King banished and most part of every mans estate he seized into his own hands bestowing the Lands of the Natives amongst his followers He deprived Monastries Bishopricks Lanfrank A B. Cant. Cities and Corporations of their ancient liberties and priviledges putting them to redeem them at his own rate And for default of lacking the weight of a Groat in the payment of 700 Marks by the Monks of Ely for the restoring to their Abby the ancient possessions they were constrained to pay a 1000 Marks more The Clergy he charged with maintenance for his Wars bereaved the Religious Houses of their Treasures Chalices and rich Shrines abrogated for the most part the ancient Laws of the Land ordaining new in their stead not so equal or easie to be kept also causing them to be writ in the Norman Tongue He ordained the four Law-Terms whereas before the causes of the Kingdom were determined in every Shire or by the late Law of King Edward in their Gemote or Conventicle held monthly in every Hundred He commanded every English Housholder to put out both Fire and Candle at eight of the Clock at Night At which hour in all Cities Towns and Villages he caused a Bell to be rung by the Normans then called Covre-feu that is Coverfire to prevent nightly meetings He laid great Subsidies upon the Land And that the same might amount to his greater benefit he caused an exact survey to be taken of the whole Kingdom and of every particular part and Commodity thereof causing all the people of England to be numbred their names taken and what every one might dispend by the year their substance Money and Bondmen recorded How many yokes of Oxen and Plow-lands were in the Realm and what services they owed him Which done he exacted Six Shillings to be paid him for every Hide of Land The Book thus made of every several survey by the English was called Doomes-day Book He permitted no English man to bear any office of trust and credit He dispeopled 36 Parish Towns laying the Churches and Towns flat with the earth making thereof a Forest for pleasure now called New-Forest To strengthen himself against revolts and rebellions he fortified such places as he thought most convenient for his purpose and built the Tower of London the Castles of York Lincoln Nottingham and Hasting He was the first that brought the Jews to inhabit England His Son Robert rebelled against him in Normandy and in sight dismounted him but then knowing his voice desired his pardon and remounted him Odo Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent his Brother by the Mother for secretly siding with the King of France he committed to Prison not as Bishop but as he was Earl and seized his Estate Some of whose Gold ground into powder was found hidden in the bottom of Rivers The Conqueror going to War against the King of France in Normandy fell sick when keeping his Bed beyond his wont and the French King hearing that the Disease was in his Belly scoffingly said of him Our Cousin William is laid now in Child-bed Oh what a number of Candles must I offer at his going to Church surely I think an Hundred thousand will not suffice Which King William hearing of said Well I trust our Cousin of France shall be at no such cost but after this my Child-birth at my going to Church swearing by the resurrection and brightness of God I will find him a Thousand Candles and light them my self And accordingly not long after he entred France with a great Army spoiling all where he came and setting the City Mauntz on fire But he came so near the flames that with the heat of his Harness he gat a sickness which increased with a leap of his Horse that burst the inward rim of his belly cost him his life He dyed at Roan in Normandy A. D. 1087. And forsaken of all his Courtiers his body was left unburied till that one Harluims a poor Countrey Knight at his own charge conveyed it to Caen. Where when it should have been buried a certain man in Gods name forbad the interment in that place which said he was his and his Ancestors right taken from them violently by the said Duke Whereupon they were forced to compound with him ere they interr'd the Corps His Issue were Robert Richard William Henry and six Daughters His base Son named William Peverel was Earl of Nottingham By his last Will and Testament he commanded all his Treasure to be distributed to Churches Gods Ministers and the poor limiting to each their several portion To the Church and Monks of St. Stephens at Caen in Normandy he gave divers Mannors in England and great store of Land yea and his Crown and Regal Ornaments which his Son Henry redeemed To his Son Robert he had before given the Dukedom of Normandy England he left undisposed only wish'd his Son William might succeed him in it And to Henry he gave Five thousand pound presaging that all his Dominions should become Henries in the end He did oft-times exhort his Children to the study of Learning with this saying That an unlearned Prince is but a Crowned Ass He built a Religious House called Battel-Abby in the same place where King Harold was slain dedicating it to the holy Trinity and St. Martin That there the Monks might pray for the Souls of Harold and the rest that were slain in that place endowing it with many great priviledges and amongst the rest these Two That if any Murderer or other Felon for fear of death fled thither he should be freed from all punishment And that it should be lawful for the Abbot of that place to deliver any Thief or Robber from the Gallows if he should chance to pass where any such execution was in hand At Selby in Yorkshire he founded the Abby of St. Germans at Excester the Priory of St. Nicholas and at Caen in Normandy the Monastry of St. Stephens In his time it was decreed at Rome That the See of York should be stiled primas Angliae and the See of Canterbury Primas totius Angliae The setting Seals to Bonds and Writings was now first used in England there being before only Witnesses to them Stigand Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was deposed by the Conqueror and dyed in Prison The Abbot of St. Albans told this King that the reason why he gained England in one Battel which the Danes could not do in many was because the maintenance of Martial men with a part of the Lands Revenues was converted to maintain religious men and to religious uses In the time of this Kings Reign befell a most fearful Earth-quake strange burning Feavers very mortal Murrains
of Anjou and Main he fed every day with sufficient sustenance Ten thousand persons from the beginning of April till such time that new Corn was inned He erected and endowed the Sees of Carlisle and Ely and the Abbies of Hide Reading Cyrencester and the Priory of Dunstable His Queen Maud was so devout that she would go to Church barefoot and constantly exercise her self in works of Charity insomuch that when her Brother Prince David came out of Scotland to visit her he found her in her Privy-Chamber washing wiping and kissing poor peoples feet which he disliking said Verily if the King your Husband knew this you should never kiss his lips To which she replied That the feet of the King of Heaven are to be preferred before the lips of an earthly King 'T is reported that when the King was preparing for his last passage into Normandy there hapned a fearful Earth-quake and that out of chinks in the earth arose burning flames which could not be quenched In the year 1111 at Dunmow in Essex the Lady Inga founded a Priory for Black Nuns which afterwards became an House of Monks Which Monks 't is sayd did allow a Gammon of Bacon to such married couples as repented not of their bargain within a year and a day after their Marriage nor made any Nuptial transgression in word or deed This they were to make a solemn Oath of William Curboill A.B. Cant. STEPHEN A.D. 1135 STEPHEN Earl of Bloys Son to Adelicia Daughter of the Conqueror was admitted King by the workings of his Brother Henry Bishop of Winchester and Roger Bishop of Sarum but chiefly through the means of Hugh Bigot who took his Oath that King Henry had on his death-bed upon some distast taken against his Daughter disinherited her and appointed Stephen to succeed him He was Crowned at Westminster on St. Stephens day in A. D. 1135 by William Corbell A. B. of Canterbury the Prelates swearing to obey him as their King so long as he should preserve the Churches rights and the Lay-Barons in like manner swore allegiance to him so long as he should keep his Covenants to them and preserve their rights His right he owned to be by election The Charter containing his peoples Franchises Liberties and Immunities which he bound himself to maintain he Sealed at Oxford Which was that all Liberties Customs and Possessions granted to the Church should be firm and in force That persons and causes Ecclesiastical should appertain only to Ecclesiastical jurisdiction That the vacancies of Churches and Church-mens goods should be at the sole dispose of the Clergy That all bad usages in the Land touching Forrests exactions c. should be extirpate and that the ancient Laws should be restored Many Castles he either caused or suffered to be erected in the Land which he intended for his own security against Maud but they proved greatly to his own detriment His entrance was very peaceable but by little and little civil discords increased to the miserable spoil of the Realm besides the troubles arising from out-parts Baldwin de Redners first began to break the peace but him the King soon quieted Then the Welshmen who gave a great defeat to the English Then David King of Scots set on by some disaffected to Stephen but in a short time peace was concluded with him Then the Welsh again make inrodes into the Land carrying away great spoils Next David King of Scots enters Northumberland in the quarrel of the Empress where his rude Soldiers dealt most barbarously with many of the Inhabitants ripping up the wombs of Women with Child and tossing their Infants upon the points of their Spears slaying the Priests at the Altar and after an inhumane manner dismembring the slain bodies After this the Peers of the Land conspire against the King taking themselves to strong-holds a great cause whereof was because the King shewed extraordinary favour to William de Ypre and his Flemings following their counsels and chiefly relying upon them When David King of Scots taking opportunities from these inbred troubles again entred Northumberland with a great Army against whom the Northern Lords marched at the command of Thurstan Archbishop of York the Kings Lieutenant who himself being then sick appointed Ralph Bishop of Durham for his General Which Bishop of Durham in the close of his invective Oration to his Army against the Scots before the Battel absolved from punishment of sin all such of his side that should dye in the fight whereby the English were made to fight the more desperately so that in a short time they vanquished the Scots driving the King of Scots and his Son out of the Field King Stephen went on also very prosperously against his Barons winning many Castles from them Which done he proceeded against the Scots with whom in short time a Peace was concluded But that Stephen might be kept imployed the Empress Maud landed near to Arundel with but an 140 men Whom Stephen hasted to meet but she colouring her designs with the pretences of amity and peace he over-credulous caused her to be honourably conveyed to Bristol where she remained two Months and then went to Wallingford her base Brother Earl Robert in the mean time gathering aids for her Wallingford King Stephen besieged and his Brother the Bishop of Winchester invited certain of the Nobles to his palace where he kept them as Prisoners till he had gain'd them to resign their Castles to the King Worcester Earl Robert subdued and spoiled Nottingham Ralph Painell burned in favour of the Empress And she for her better security took into Lincoln whither Stephen following her gain'd the City the Empress making an escape Shortly after which Robert Earl of Glocester with Ranulph Earl of Chester encountred the King near to Lincoln where with equal success the fight was maintained a long time till at length the Kings Horsemen not without suspition of Treason gave back and fled and shortly after his Foot began also to faint and fly leaving this valiant King almost alone who with his Battel-Axe drove back whole Troops assailing him maintaining the quarrel against his Foes with an undaunted courage till his Battel-Axe broke and after that till his Sword flew in pieces When now weapenless he was struck down taken and carried to the Empress at Glocester from whence he was sent to Bristol The Empress for a while ruling all London after much perswasion received her with a royal procession but in short time grew discontent because she refused to remit some over-hard Laws made by her Father and to restore those of King Edward Many Nobles also repined as conceiving themselves too much slighted by her The Bishop of Winchester who a while before had accursed all that withstood her now absolves them under pretence that the Barons had kept Faith with her she not with them The discontented Londoners he solicited in his Brother Stephens behalf Divers Castles he stored with munition and men In the mean time
Matilda came to Winchester where sending for the Bishop being then the Popes Legate though he doubted some danger yet not daring to send a flat denyal returned this equivocal answer Ego parabo me I will make ready as though he had meant to follow the Messenger whereas he addressed himself to work her downfall For sending for his Brothers Queen Prince Eustace the Londoners and William Ypre he made strong his party for the King Himself and friends abiding in the City and the Empress keeping in the Castle not daring to adventure forth for about the space of Seven weeks When the Bishop to deceive Matilda commanded peace to be proclaimed and the City Gates to be set open But the Empress and her Friends now leaving the Castle to go to some other place were pursued by the Bishops forces in which pursuit many of her party were wounded and slain Earl Robert taken and others flying into the Nunnery of Warwell were burned together with the place And Winchester City the Bishop caused to be fired for the Citizens affections to the Empress The Empress who had escaped to the Castle of the Devizes and there in hazard to be surprized caused her self to be put into a Coffin as though dead bound fast with Cords and so as if it had been her dead Corps she was carried in a Horse-litter to Glocester King Stephen and Earl Robert being exchanged one for another the King now pursues Matilda and in Oxford besieged her wan the Suburbs thereof and brought her to that streight that for her escape in a great Frost and Snow she was forced in order to the deceiving of the Centinels eyes to cloath her self in white Linen Garments and so on foot to run through Ice and Snow Ditches and Vallies till she came to Abingdon where taking Horse she got the same night to Wallingford Castle After which many bickerings hapned betwixt the two parties with variable successes to and fro Sometimes in one part of the Nation Matilda's side prevailed in another part Stephens to the great ruine of the whole Realm However Stephen to assure the succession to his Son Eustace called a Councel at London commanding Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury to consecrate his Son King Which he refusing to do and that by the Popes special Mandate was forced to fly into Normandy the King seizing upon all his possessions But Eustace shortly after dying King Stephen inclined to peace and was content to adopt Henry Fitz-Empress for his Son and Successour To whom the Nobles at Oxford did homage as to the undoubted Heir and the Prince yielded Stephen the honour of a Father But King Stephen being afflicted with the Iliack passion together with his old Disease the Hemerhoids gave up the Ghost at Dover A. D. 1154 and was buried at Feversham in Kent Though his body afterward for the Lead-sake wherein it was wrapped was cast into the River He had Issue Balwine Eustace William Maud Mary and two natural Sons His Son Eustace in a rage set fire on the Corn-fields belonging to the Abby of Bury Theobald A.B. Cant. because the Monks denyed to help him to a sum of Money but afterwards sitting down to Dinner at the first morsel of Bread he put into his mouth he fell into a fit of madness and in that fit dyed King Stephen erected the Abbies of Cogshall in Essex of Farness in Lancashire the Nunneries at Carew and Higham an Hospital at York and Monastry at Feversham About the beginning of his Reign a Fire beginning at London-stone consumed Eastward to Aldgate and Westward to St. Pauls HENRY II. A.D. 1154. HENRY PLANTAGINET the Son of Maud the Empress and Earl Geofry of Anjou was Crowned at Westminster by Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury And Henry to settle the Realm in quiet demolished certain Castles and fortified others Some Earls unduly created he reduced into a private condition purged the Realm of Foreign Soldiers chiefly of the Flemings Chose himself a Councel out of the most eminent persons spiritual and temporal and restrained the insolencies of some great personages which made some of them discontented especially that arrogant Lord Hugh de Mortimer who raised a Rebellion Against whom the King went in person where in the Siege of Bridge-North he had been shot with an arrow had not Hubert de St. Clare interposed and took the arrow into his own bosome The King having quieted the Rebels he hasted into France and there did homage to King Lewis for his French Provinces setled an accord between himself and Brother Geofry and at his return into England entred into amity with Malcolm King of Scots restoring to him the Earldom of Huntingdon Then he advanced against the Welsh with whom fighting his person was in great danger his Standard-royal cowardly abandoned for the which Henry de Essex Standard-bearer was afterward accused by Robert de Montford who in single combat within lists vanquished him at Reading where the said Essex was shorn a Monk But the King at length overcame the Welsh and returned with triumph into England after which himself and his Queen Eleanor were crowned at Worcester where they both at the Offertory laid their Crowns upon the high Altar vowing never to wear them after This now was the third time in which at three several places Westminster Lincoln and Worcester he had been crowned Then the King crost the seas into his Dukedom of Normandy where he made seizure of some Cities into his hands after his Brother Geofry's death and setled some affairs then returned After which and about the year 1163 began the famous Controversie betwixt the King and his Favourite Beâ—ket whom in the beginning of his reign he had advanced to be Lord Chancellor and upon the death of Theobald to be Archbishop of Canterbury Tho. Becket A.B. Cant. Which Archbishoprick Becket at the Council of Tours secretly delivered up to the Pope and received it again from his hands But the cause of the dissention betwixt the King and this Bishop was the remisness and neglect of Becket's curbing the disorders of the Church-men which then were grown to a dangerous height complaint having been made to the King of above a hundred Murders committed by the Clergy in his reign Which enormities besides many others of other kinds not being punished by Church-censure the King exceedingly displeased brought them under the Civil Power ordering that Justice should be administred to all alike without partiality as well Clergy as Laity appointing Ministers of Justice through all parts of the Land to that purpose against which Becket opposed himself peremptorily defending the pretended Rights of the Clergy and his See of Canterbury yea so far as that he challenged from the Crown the custody of Rochester Castle and other Forts which the King for securing his state had resumed into his own hands Hereupon the King assembling his Bishops at Westminster it was there agreed That none should appeal to the See of Rome in any case
his two Brothers Richard and Geofry with many of the English Nobles Against whom the Father with a bleeding heart for his Sons ungraciousness prepared himself and was very successful in Little Britain where himself was in person also in England by his faithful Subjects For Humphrey de Bohun High Constable of the Realm with other Nobles vanquished Robert Earl of of Leicester and took him Prisoner which moved Lewis of France to seek a Truce of him for six Months whereunto King Henry yielded then Ship'd for England landing at the Port of Hampton From whence he took his journey towards Canterbury and being come within about three miles thereof he went barefooted the hard stones so cutting his tender feet that the ground was stained with his blood And after he came to Canterbury and was entred into the Chapter-house of the Monks Baldwin A.B. Cant. he most humbly prostrated himself on the ground begged pardon and by the instancy of his own Petition was by all the brethren corrected with Rods. The number of lashes which he received on his bare flesh amounted to Fourscore About this time William King of Scots that had lately entred England was taken Prisoner and young King Henry was with storms driven back into France and his Fleet scattered shortly after which Peace was concluded betwixt his Father and him But yet again he sought his Fathers ruine though before he could effect it he was prevented by the King of Terrors Death A. D. 1183. The following year Heraclius Patriarch of Jerusalem arrived in England soliciting the King to undertake the holy War in his own person which by the advice of his Lords he refused yet yielded to aid the Cause with Money and gave them leave to go that were disposed thereto His Son John whom he exceedingly loved and commonly in jest called Sans terre without Land he made Lord of Ireland assuring unto him also Lands and Rents in England and Normandy Richard and Geoffery his Sons rebelled again against him The younger of which in a Turnament at Paris was trod to death under the Horse feet but the elder lived to the further grief of his Father For joyning himself with Philip of France forced his Father out of the City of Mentz the City where he was born and loved above all others which made King Henry to utter these words against him That since his Son Richard had taken from him that day the thing which he most loved in the world he would requite him for after that day he would deprive him of that thing which in him should best please a Child namely his heart And afterwards finding his Son John first in the Catalogue of the Conspirators against him in that action he bitterly cursed the hour of his birth laying Gods curse and his upon his Sons which he would never recall by any perswasions But coming to Chinon he there fell desperately sick and feeling death approach caused himself to be born into the Church before the Altar where after humble confession and sorrow for his sins he yielded up his Soul A. D. 1189 and was buried at Font-Everard His Issue were William Henry Richard Jeffry Philip John Maud and Eleanor His base Issue William sirnamed Longsper and Jeffry Archbishop of York These two by fair Rosamund and Morgan by another Woman Rosamund his beloved Concubine was the Daughter of the Lord Clifford whom to keep safe from the envy of Queen Eleanor he placed in a Labyrinth which he built for her at Woodstock with such windings and turnings that none could come at her retiring Room save the King or whom he instructed Howbeit the jealous eye of Queen Eleanor found her out by a clew of silk which Rosamund let fall as she sate to take the Air. For she suddenly fleeing to escape being seen the end of the silk fastned to her foot and the clew still unwinding which the Queen followed till she had found the lovely Rosamund whom she so dealt with giving her Poyson that she ended her days whose body was buried at Godstow with this Epitaph upon her Tomb Hic jacet in Tumba Rosa mundi non Rosa munda Non redolet sed olet quae redolere solet King Henry divided England into Circuits appointing that two of his judges should twice in the year in each Circuit administer Justice In the year 1164 he called an assembly of the States at Clarendon in Wilts where amongst other matters it was decreed That all the Clergy should bona fide swear allegiance to the King and should appeal but unto the Archbishop or from him finally to the King without particular licence In the beginning of his reign one Nicholas Breakspear an English man was elected Pope by the name of Adrian the 4th who in the 5th year of his Popedom was choaked with a Fly He sent the Lords Prayer in this manner from Rome to be taught the English people Vre Fadyr in Heaven rich Thy name be halyed everlich Thou bring us thy michel bliss Al 's hit in Heaven y-doe Evar in yearth been it also That holy bread that lasteth ay Thou send it ous this ilke day Forgive ous all that we have don As we forgive uch other mon. Ne let ous fall into no founding Ac shield ous fro the foul thing Amen In the Isle of Wight it rained blood the shower continuing for the space of two hours together A great Earthquake in Ely Norfolk and Suffolk which made the Bells to ring in the Steeples At St. Osyths in Essex was seen a Dragon of marvelous bigness which by moving burned Houses Another great Earthquake which overthrew many buildings and amongst the rest rent in pieces Lincoln Cathedral At Oreford in Suffolk a certain hairy creature perfectly resembling man in all parts and proportions was taken out of the Sea by Fishers in a Net who after he had been kept a while secretly slipt away into the Sea again RICHARD I. A.D. 1189 RICHARD from his exceeding valour sirnamed Ceur de Lion was Crowned at Westminster by Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury At which time a great number of the Jews were in a tumultuous sort slaughtered by the common people for which many of them suffered death The Coronation rights performed Richard with all speed prepares for his voyage into the Holy-Land appointing William Longchamp Bishop of Ely his chief Justiciar and Lord Chancellor joyning with him Hugh Bishop of Durham for the parts beyond Humber associating to those Bishops divers temporal Lords for the defence and preservation of Justice And with the King of Scots he concluded firm friendship Which done with a royal Navy he put out to Sea and by the way to the Holy-Land he seized on the Island Cyprus where he solemnly took to Wife his beloved Lady Berengaria The Island he committed to the keeping of his own Deputies permitting the Islanders to injoy all such Laws and Liberties as they held in the time of Immanuel the Emperor Furder in his way
them But King Edward being returned into England he summoned a Parliament to York giving the Scots a day to appear at it which they not doing nor acknowledging that they ought so to do he entred Scotland with a mighty Army where when he was near the enemy as he was putting his foot into the stirrup his horse being affrighted with the sudden shout of the Scotch Army threw him down and striking with his heels broke two of the Kings ribs who nevertheless proceeded to battle Captain Wallis encouraged his men with this short speech I have brought you to the King hop gif ye kun In this battle fought at a place called Fawkirk and English slew of the Scots 70. thousand After which victory King Edward took sundry places in Scotland then returned into England where in Parliament holden at London and Stamford he confirmed Magna Charta and Charta de Foresta and yielded that there should be no Subsidy or Taxation levied upon the people without consent of the Prelates Peers and people And for the more ample satisfaction of some then discontented he left out this Clause in the end of his Grants Salvo jure Coronae nostrae Saving the right of our Crown upon the Popes request he set John late King of Scotland at liberty who departed into France And then the King made it his whole affair to finish the annexation of Scotland to the Crown of England to which end Rob. Winchelsey A. B. Cant. he passed with a dreadful Army into Scotland where the Scots not being able to withstand him by force of Arms they procured inhibitory Letters from the Pope but these the King set light by swearing per sanguinem Dei that he would not desist And when the Scots threatned that if he would not desist his hostility the Pope would take the matter upon him the King with a disdainful smile answered Have ye done homage to me as to the chief Lord of the Kingdom of Scotland and do ye now suppose that I can be terrified with threatning lies as if like one that had no power to compel I would let the right which I have to go out of my hand Let me hear no more of this for if I do I swear by the Lord I will consume all Scotland from Sea to Sea To which the Scots replyed that in defence of Justice and their Countrys rights they would shed their blood Howbeit that the King might not seem altogether to neglect the Court of Rome he sent the Earl of Lincoln thither in justification of his proceedings and at the instance of the Pope he granted Truce to the Scots from All-Saints to Whitsuntide But the Pope not long satisfied with this directly opposed the King in his martial proceeds against that Nation wherefore the King in a Parliament holden at Lincoln by the consent of the whole Representative body of the Realm returned a copious defence of his whole proceedings with protestations first That he did not exhibite any thing as in form of judgment or tryal of his Cause Gualter Renold A. B. Cant. but for satisfaction of his holy Fatherhoods conscience and not otherwise And because the Pope required that the King should stand to his decision for matter of Claim the Earls and Peers to whom the King wholly referred it with one mind directly signified That their King was not to answer in judgment for any rights of the Crown of England before any Tribunal under Heaven and that by sending Deputies and Atturneys to such an end he should not make the said truth doubtful because it manifestly tended to the disinherison of the said Crown which with the help of God they would resolutely and with all their power maintain against all men To the which they all being an 100. Peers subscribed their Names Dated at Lincoln 1301. The Names of those Worthy Patriots who withstood Papal Usurpation JOhn Earl Warren Thomas Earl of Lancaster Ralph de Monthermer Earl of Glocester and Hereford Humphrey de Bohun Earl of Hartford and Essex Roger Bigod Earl of Norfolk Guy Earl of Warwick Richard Earl of Arundel Adomer de Valence Lord of Monterney Henry de Lancaster Lord of Monmouth John de Hastings Lord of Bergevenny Henry de Percy Lord of Topclife Edmond de Mortymer Lord of Wigmore Robert Fitz-Walter Lord of Wodham John de St. John Lord of Hannake Hugh de Vere Lord of Swanestampe William de Breuse Lord of Gower Robert de Monthault Lord of Hawarden Robert de Tateshall Lord of Wokeham Reinold de Grey Lord of Ruthin Henry de Grey Lord of Codnore Hugh Bardolph Lord of Wormgay Robert de Clifford Chatellaine of Appleby Peter de Malowe Lord of Mulgreen Philip Lord of Kime Robert Fitz-Roger Lord of Claverings John de Moham Lord of Dunestar Almerick de St. Amound Lord of Widehay William de Ferrers Lord of Groby Alane de Zouch Lord of Ashby Theobald de Verdon Lord of Webberley Thomas de Furnivall Lord of Schefield Thomas de Multon Lord of Egremont William Latimer Lord of Torby Thomas Lord Berkly Fowlk Fitz-Warren Lord of Mitingham John Lord Segrave Edmund de Eincourt Lord of Thurgerton Peter Corbet Lord Caus William de Cantelow Lord of Ravensthorpe John de Beauchamp Lord of Hacke Roger de Mortimer Lord of Pentethlin John Fitz-Reinold Lord of Blenleveny Ralph de Nevil Lord of Raby Brian Fitz-Allane Lord of Bedale William Marshal Lord of Hengham Walter Lord Huntercombe William Martin Lord of Cameis Henry de Thies Lord of Chilton Roger le Ware Lord of Isefield John de Rivers Lord of Angre John de Lancaster Lord of Grisedale Robert Fitz-Pain Lord of Lainnier Henry Tregoze Lord of Garinges Robert Hipard Lord of Lumford Walter Lord Faucombridge John Strange Lord of Cnokin Robert Strange Lord of Ellesmere Thomas de Chances Lord of Norton Walter de Beauchamp Lord of Alecester Richard Talbot Lord of Eccleswell John Butetourt Lord of Mendesham John Engain Lord of Colum Hugh de Poinz Lord of Comualet Adam Lord of Wells Simon Lord Montacute John Lord Sulle John de Melles Lord of Candebury Edmund Baron Stafford John Lovell Lord of Hackings Edmond de Hastings Lord of Elchunhonokes Ralph Fitz-William Lord of Grinthorpe Robert de Scales Lord of Neusells William Tuchet Lord of Lewenhales John Abadan Lord of Deverstone John de Haverings Lord of Grafton Robert la Ward Lord of White-Hall Nicholas de Segrave Lord of Stowe Walter de Tey Lord of Stonegrave John de Lisle Lord of Wodton Eustace Lord Hacche Gilbert Peche Lord of Corby William Painell Lord of Trachington Roger de Albo Monasberio Foulk le Strange Lord of Corsham Henry de Pinkeny Lord of Wedon John de Hodeleston Lord of Aners John de Huntingfield Lord of Bradenham Hugh Fitz-Henry Lord of Ravenswath John Daleton Lord of Sporle Nicholas de Carr. Lord of Mulesford Thomas Lord de la Roche Walter de Muncie Lord of Thornton John Lord of Kingstone Robert Hasting the Father Lord of Chelessey Ralph Lord
condemned for being engaged in the Rebellion the King fiercely answered A plague upon you for cursed whisperers malicious backbiters wicked Councellors intreat you so for the life of a most notorious Knave who would not speak one word for the life of my most near Kinsman that most noble Knight Earl Thomas By the soul of God this fellow shall dye the death he hath deserved In A. D. 1322. King Edward marched with a mighty Host into Scotland from whence for want of Victuals he was forced in a short time after to return without the honour of any atchievement the Scots also following him at the heels and so suddenly assailing him that he was forced to leave his Treasure and Furniture for pillage to them But by reason of the Interdict which the Pope had put the Scots under in favour of the English a truce was made betwixt the two Nations for thirteen years Which being confirmed Edward took his progress through the Counties of York and Lancaster and Marches of VVales from whence the late seditions had their nourishments there punishing many severely Amongst the rest he caused Andrew de Herkly to be degraded hang'd drawn and quarter'd for trayterously taking part with the Scots Whilst these things were acting young Roger Mortimer having corrupted his Keepers or potion'd them with a sleepy drink escaped out of the Tower getting over into France The Spencers Father and Son one created Earl of VVinchester the other of Glocester behaved themselves exceeding lordly even to the Queen her self whose maintenance they abridg'd to advance their own wealth Many Nobles that had been engaged in the Barons quarrel they put to such excessive rates for purchasing the Kings favour again that utterly impoverish'd them Adam Bishop of Hereford and Henry Bishop of Lincoln for the same cause they deprived of all their temporalties But the Queen and discontented Nobles resolve to clear themselves of the Spencers to which end the Queen procured aids out of Henalt and Germany and uniting them with the Barons forces marched against the King who found but few friends because of the mortal hatred that the people generally did bear to the Spencers The Queen lying with her Army at Oxford caused the whole University to be called together When in the presence of the Queen Prince Roger Mortimer and other Nobles the Bishop of Hereford preached to them from that Text 2 King 4.19 My head my head aketh Delivering to them the reasons of the Queens coming with her Army concluding that an aking and sick Head of a Kingdom was to be taken off and not to be tampered with by any other Physick The Londoners stood high for the Queen and Barons cutting off the Bishop of Excesters head whom the Queen had left Guardian of London The Tower they gained into their possession proclaimed John of Eltham Custos of the City and whole Land set at liberty all prisoners The Queen did the like throughout all the Realm by her order also all banished men were revoked whereby no small encrease was brought to the Barons Forces From Oxford the Queen marched to Bristol which she besieged and took and therein Hugh Spencer the elder whom she caused without any form of trial to be cut up alive and quarter'd having been first at the clamours of the common people drawn and hang'd in his proper Armories The unfortunate King being now forsaken of almost all his English subjects after much wandering intrusted himself with the VVelsh who still loved him lying hid in the Abby of Neath till at length after much search he was found out and with him young le Spencer Robert Baldock Chancellor and Simon de Reading were taken King Edward was conveyed to Kenelworth Castle the Lords to Hereford where the Queen lay with her Host Spencer and Simon de Reading were condemned to death by VVilliam Trussel and were both ignominiously hanged The distressed King being now shut up in prison and without hopes of any redemption after he had been much solicited at last yeilded to resign the Crown to his Son Edward which being granted by the King the Lords forthwith proceed to the short Ceremonies of his Resignation chiefly consisting in the surrender of his Crown and Ensigns of Majesty to the use of his Son Prince Edward Sir VVilliam Trussel thereupon in the behalf of the whole Realm renounced all homage and allegiance to the Lord Edward of Caernarvon late King in these words I William Trussel in the name of all men of the Land of England and of all the Parliament Procurator resign to thee Edward the Homage that was made to thee sometime and from this time forward I defie thee and deprive thee of all Power-Royal and I shall never be tendant on thee after this time A.D. 1327. His Issue were Edward John of Eltham Joan and Eleanor In the fourth year of this Kings Reign a Baker named John of Stratford for making bread lesser than the assize was with a fools-hood and loaves of bread about his neck drawn on a Hurdle through the streets of London So terrible a famine was in England that upon St. Lawrence Eve there was scarce bread to be got for sustentation of the Kings household so great a mortality likewise accompanying this dearth that the living were scarce sufficient to bury the dead In the time of scarcity the King set forth an Order That Wheat should be sold in the Market at eleven shillings the Quarter a fat Ox stalled or Corn-fed at 24. Shillings a fat Hog of two years old at three Shillings four pence a fat Hen for a peny and 24 Eggs for a peny but victualls thereby became so scarce in the Markets that this Order was revoked and the people left to sell as they could Mertons Colledge in Oxford brought forth in this Kings and his son Edwards reign those four Lights of Learning namely Jahn Duns called Scotus the Subtil who in a fit of the Apoplexy 't is said was buryed alive Bradwardina the profound Ocham the Invincible and Burlie the Perspicuous And as some say Baconthorp the Resolute was of the same Colledge Now was the Knights-Templars Order universally extinguished Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir John Blunt continued Mayor Nicholas Pigot Nigellus Drury Sheriffs In his second Year Nicholas Faringdon was Mayor William Basing James Butler Sheriffs In his third Year Thomas Romaine was Mayor Roger le Palmer James of St. Edmund Sheriffs In his fourth Year Richard Reffam was Mayor Simon Cooper Peter Blackney Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir John Gisors was Mayor Simon Metwod Richard Wilford Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir John Gisors was Mayor John Lambin Adam Lutkin Sheriffs In his seventh Year Nicholas Farendon was Mayor Robert Gurden Hugh Garton Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir John Gisors was Mayor Stephen Abingdon Hammond Chickwel Sheriffs In his ninth Year Stephen de Abingdon was Mayor Hammond Goodcheap William Bodeleigh Sheriffs In his tenth Year John
the Crown which for like cause stood upon the highest Tower of Dover-Castle both fell suddenly down which were vulgarly construed to be of ill-portent to King Henry The conclusion of the Parliament concerning the Crown was That Henry should enjoy it during life and then it should remain to Richard Duke of York and his Heirs and King Henries Heirs to be for ever excluded Whereupon the Duke was proclaimed Heir Apparent But this while the Queen was gathering forces in the North resolving if possible to maintain the possession of a Crown and to secure it for her son The Duke of York therefore with an Army marcheth against her and neer unto Wakefield both Hosts join battel where the Queen at length gained the Victory The Duke himself with divers men of account were slain in the fight and the Earl of Salisbury was taken prisoner and beheaded And now Edward Earl of March the son of Richard Duke of York takes upon him to maintain the quarrel and at Mortimers Cross neer Ludlow he set upon the Queens Army At which time there appeared three Suns which suddenly joyned into one The Battels maintained themselves with great fury but in the end March obtained the Victory There were taken Sir Owen Teder or Tudor Father to Jasper Earl of Pembroke whom Earl Edward caused to be beheaded Taken also were Sir John Scudamor with his two sons and other persons of Rank A. D. 1461. Both Armies met and ingaged in fight at St. Albans where the Queens side won the day and recovered the King whom the Yorkists had brought along with them from London Howbeit the Londoners stood wholly for the Earl of March whose presence and carriage made him amiable amongst the people especially women and at his return to London from the fight proclaimed him King of England King Henries Issue was only Edward He was a Prince free from pride given much to Prayer well-read in the Scriptures Charitable so chast and modest that when certain young women presented themselves before him in a Mask with their hair loose and bare breasts laid out he immediately rose up and departed with these words Fie fie for shame forsooth ye are to blame He took all injuries whereof he received plenty so patiently that he not only did not seek to revenge them but gave God thanks that he did send them to punish his sins in this life that he might escape punishment in the life to come To a Russian that struck him on the face whilst he was prisoner he only said Forsooth you are to blame to strike me your anointed King Not long before his death being demanded why he had so long held the Crown of England unjustly he replied my Father was King of England quietly enjoying the Crown all his Reign and his Father my Grandsire was also King of England and I even a Child in the Cradle was proclamed and Crowned King without any interruption and so held it forty years well-neer all the States doing homage unto me as to my Ancestors Therefore I say with King David My lot is fallen in a fair ground I have a goodly Heritage my help is from the Lord which saveth the upright in heart He founded those Famous Colledges of Eatoâ— and Kings Colledge in Cambridge In or neer the year of our Lord 1442. was Eleanor Cobham the good Duke Humphries wife arraigned of Sorcery and Treason for setting on Buâ—lingbrooke and Southwell to take away the Kings life by Necromancy Something of the fact she either confessed or was proved against her for the which she was put to solemn and publick penance in London three several days then was committed to perpetual imprisonment The Art of Printing was first found out in Germany by a Knight called John Guttenberghen and brought into England by William Caxton a Mercer of London who first practised the same in the Abby at Westminster Anno Dom. 1471. The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir William Waldren was Mayor William Eastfield Robert Tatarfel Sheriffs In his second Year VVilliam Cromar was Mayor Nicholas James Thomas Watford Sheriffs In his third Year John Michal was Mayor Simon Seamen John Bywater Sheriffs In his fourth Year John Coventry was Mayor William Mildred John Brokle Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir John Rainwel was Mayor John Arnal John Higham Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir John Gedney was Mayor Henry Frowick Robert Otely Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir Henry Barton vvas Mayor Thomas Duffhouse John Abbot Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir William Eastfield was Mayor William Russe Ralph Holland Sheriffs In his ninth Year Nicholas Wotton vvas Mayor Walter Chertsey Robert Large Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir John de Wells was Mayor John Aderly Stephen Brown Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Sir John Parveis was Mayor John Olney John Paddesley Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year Sir John Brokle was Mayor Thomas Chalton John King Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year Sir Roger Oteley was Mayor Thomas Barnewel Simon Eyre Sheriffs In his Fourteenth Year Sir Henry Frowick was Mayor Thomas Catworth Robert Clopton Sheriffs In his Fifteenth Year Sir John Michael was Mayor Thomas Morsted William Gregory Sheriffs In his Sixteenth Year Sir William Eastfield was Mayor VVilliam Hales William Chapman Sheriffs In his Seventeenth Year Sir Stephen Brown was Mayor Hugh Dyker Nicholas Yowe Sheriffs In his Eighteenth Year Robert Large was Mayor Philip Malpas Robert Marshal Sheriffs In his Ninteenth Year Sir John Paddesley was Mayor John Sutton William Welinhale Sheriffs In his Twentieth Year Robert Clopton was Mayor William Combis Richard Rich Sheriffs In his twenty first Year John Aderley was Mayor Thomas Beaumont Richard Nordon Sheriffs In his twenty second Year Thomas Catworth was Mayor Nicholas Wyford John Norman Sheriffs In his twenty third Year Sir Henry Frowick was Mayor Stephen Foster Hugh Wâ—tch Sheriffs In his twenty fourth Year Sir Simon Eyre was Mayor John Darby Godfrey Fielding Sheriffs In his Twenty fifth Year John Olney was Mayor Robert Horne Godfrey Bullen Sheriffs In his twenty sixth Year Sir John Gedney was Mayor William Abraham Thomas Scot Sheriffs In his twenty seventh Year Sir Stephen Brown vvas Mayor William Cotlow William Marrow Sheriffs In his twenty eight Year Sir Thomas Chalton was Mayor VVilliam Hulin Thomas Canning Sheriffs In his twenty ninth Year Nicholas Wilford was Mayor John Middleton VVilliam Deare Sheriffs In his thirtieth Year Sir VVilliam Gregory was Mayor Matthew Philip Christopher Wharton Sheriffs In his thirty first Year Sir Geoffry Fielding vvas Mayor Richard Lee Richard Alley Sheriffs In his thirty second Year Sir John Norman was Mayor John Walden Thomas Cook Sheriffs In his thirty third Year Sir Stephen Foster vvas Mayor John Field VVilliam Taylor Sheriffs In his thirty fourth Year Sir VVilliam Marrow vvas Mayor John Young Thomas Oldgrave Sheriffs In his thirty fifth Year Sir Thomas Canning was Mayor John Styward Ralph Verney Sheriffs In his thirty sixth Year Sir Godfrey Bullen
twenty first Year Sir William Herriot vvas Mayor Robert Tate Rich. Charey Will. Wiking Sheriffs In his twenty second Year Sir Edmund Shaa was Mayor William White John Matthew Sheriffs EDWARD V. EDWARD the eldest son of King Edward the 4th A. D. 1483. being a child but of about twelve years of age when his Father dyed was committed to the government of his Uncle Sir Anthony Woodville a right honourable person with whom were joined other of the Queens friends But Richard Duke of Glocester was much discontented that these should have the keeping of him secure whom he designed to destroy that thereby the Crown might become his This bloody man therefore the better to effect his wicked purposes did every-where represent the Queens Kindred to be enemies to the ancient Nobility and that they would abuse the Kings Name to their undoing With which and like suggestions he wrought upon the Duke of Buckingham and the Lord Hastings that had formerly born no great good-will to the Queens friends to join with him utterly to remove from the Kings company all his Mothers friends under the name of the ancient Nobles enemies Then the Hypocrite Glocester understanding that the Lords attending the King purposed to bring the King to London to his Coronation strongly guarded he therefore procured the Queen to be brought in mind That it was not needful but would be jeopardous for the King to be brought up strong for that if the Lords of her Kindred should assemble in the Kings Name much people they should give the Lords of the contrary Faction cause to suspect that this was not done for the Kings safety whom no man impugned but for the destruction of the ancient Nobility by which means the Nation should be brought into an uproar The Queen thus over-reached sent such word unto the King and his friends about him so that they mistrusting no guile brought the King forwards with a small company in great haste but with no good speed For the Dukes of York and Buckingham at Stony-Stratford as the King was on his way to London took him by violence from his Friends arrested the Lord Richard Grey Sir Thomas Vaughan and Sir Richard Hawt in the Kings presence and imprisoned Sir Anthony Woodvile Lord Rivers in Northampton whom in short time after with the Lord Richard and Sir Thomas Vaughan they sent prisoners into the North. Which done with much honour and humble reverence they convey the King towards London But the Queen hearing of these proceedings in great fright and heaviness she bewailed her Childs Reign her friends and her own mishap cursing the time that ever she disswaded the gathering of power about the King got her self in all haste possible with her young Son Richard and Daughters into the Sanctuary lodging her self and company in the Abbots place at VVestminster whither the Archbishop of York went to comfort her telling her he hoped that the matter was nothing so bad as she doubted it and that he was put in good hope and out of doubt by a Message sent him from the Lord Hastings whose faithfulness to the King he said none did or had cause to suspect Ah wo worth him quoth the Queen he is one that laboureth to destroy me and my blood When the Archbishop was returned home in the dawning of the day he might out of his Chamber-window see all the Thames full of boats with the Duke of Glocester's servants in them watching that none should go to sanctuary nor none pass unsearched Great then was the commotion and murmur as well in other places about as especially in the City the people diversly divining upon this dealing and some Lords Knights and Gentlemen either for favour of the Queen or fear of themselves assembled in sundry companies harnessed But these commotions and fears were moderated by the Lord Hastings then Lord Chamberlain who perswaded that the Duke of Glocester was a sure friend to the King and that the Lord Rivers with the others were for matters attempted against the Dukes of Glocester and Buckingham put under arrest and that the King was bringing up to his Coronation May 4th the King entred the City and was lodged in the Bishops Palace where was held a great Council and the Dukes of Glocester Buckingham and all the Lords vvere svvorn to the King and the Duke of Glocester vvas chosen to be Protector of the King and his Realm And novv the Protector to the end he might finish his designs at once projecteth to get the young Duke of York out of sanctuary in order to which he pretends that the said Duke only was a fit associate for his brother the King and that it was dishonourable both for the King and those about his Grace that the Kings brother should be fain to keep Sanctuary But because the Duke might not be taken out of Sanctuary by violence the A. B. of York was therefore imploy'd to perswade with the Queen to yield him up This the A.B. undertook though perhaps not very willingly alledging to the Queen the comfort that his society would be to the King his brother and that it would take off the obloquy of one brothers being afraid of the other which would seem to be by the Dukes being kept in Sanctuary The Queen desirous to keep him where he was pleaded his infancy his being vexed with sickness insomuch that she durst put no earthly person in trust with his keeping but her self only For though others said she haply might do their best to him yet there was none that knew better than her self how to order him she having so long kept him nor was there any more like to cherish him than his own Mother that bare him And to this her reply she added many biting words against the Protector Howbeit in the conclusion finding by the A. B's words that the Protector would fetch her Son out by force if otherwise he might not be had she deemed it best to deliver him which she did to the Bishop and other Lords with him saying to them I deliver him and his brother into your hands to keep of whom I shal ask them both before God and the world And to the she said Farewell mine own sweet Son God send you good keeping let me kiss you once ere you go for God knows when we shall kiss together again and therewithal she kissed him blessed him turned her back and wept and so went away leaving the Child weeping as fast Then the Lords brought him to the Protector who took him in his arms and gave him a Judas kiss June the 13 many Lords assembled in the Tower and there sate in Councel communing concerning the Kings Coronation for the which Pageants were provided and whilst they were in consultation in came the Protector about nine of the Clock saluting them curteously and excusing himself that he came so late saying merrily I have been a sleeper to day then after a while departed and about eleven of
they would venture their lives and fortunes for him as hoping that under his government they should be eased of their Taxes Perkin accepting their invitation landed at Whitsand-Bay in Cornwall after whose arrival some thousands of people resorted to him When King Henry heard of his landing and making head against him he smiled saying Loe we are again provoked by this Prince of Rake-hells but lest my people should through ignorance be drawn into destruction let us seek to take this Perkin by the easiest way we can He therefore assembled his forces and sent out his Spies to observe the track and hopes of Prince Peterkin who had now besieged the loyal City of Excester which would neither yield to his fine promises nor his threats and violence but valiantly withstood him till they were relieved by Edward Courtney Earl of Devonshire and other good subjects that forced the Rebels away from before the City Which Rebels now understanding what great preparations were made against them began many of them to drop away from their new King and Perkin himself secretly fled and took Sanctuary at Beaulieu in New-forest out of which Sanctuary upon the Kings offer of life to him and oblivion of his crimes he gladly came forth and put himself into the Kings hands by whose order he was conveyed to London where the King by curious and often examination of him came to the full knowledg of that his heart desired The châ—ef matter of which confession the King caused to be published in Print But the imaginary King Perkin indeavouring to make an escape from such that had the charge of him after the undergoing of some publique shame for that attempt was committed to the Tower where he by his insinuations and promises had corrupted his keepers to set himself and the Earl of Warwick at large to which design of escaping the poor Earl is said to have consented Perkin for this conspiracy had his Tryal at Westminster and was condemned and being drawn to Tyburn had the sentence of death executed upon him At the Gallows Perkin did read his own confession therein owning himself to have been born in the Town of Tourney in Flanders of such parents whom he named and that being come into Ireland to see the Country he was there wrought upon to personate Richard Duke of York c. Thus died If I be not deceived a deceiver A. D. 1499. The Earl of VVarwick was publickly arraigned for minding to have escaped out of the Tower and consequently to deprive King Henry of his Crown and Dignity and to usurp the Title and Soveraign Office all which streined charge the Earl by false friends 't is said was perswaded to confess So lost his head upon Tower-hill and was buried at Bisham by his Ancestors Thus died the last Heir Male of the blood and Sirname of Plantaginet It is said That in the eyes of the Castilâ—aâ—s who had secretly agreed with King Henry to match their Princess Katharine with Prince Arthur there could be no sure ground of succession whilst the Earl of VVarwick lived Tho. Langton A. B. Cant. And the said Lady Katharine when the Divorce was afterward prosecute against her by her Husband King Henry the eight is reported to have said That it was the hand of God for that to clear the way to the Marriage that innocent Earl of VVarwick was put to unworthy death A. D. 1506 Edmund de la Pole Earl of Suffolk wilfully slew a common person in his fury for the which King Henry caused him to be arraigned the fact he was perswaded to confess and had pardon But the Earl as a Prince of the blood his mother being sister to Edward the fourth held himself disgraced by having been seen at the Kings-Bench-Bar a Prisoner therefore in discontent fled to his Aunt the Dutchess of Burgundy but within a while after he returned into England and the year following his spirit not yet being laid fled again after he had first complotted to disturb the Kings peace Whereupon King Henry applied himself to his wonted Art for learning the secrets of his enemies imployed Sir Robert Curson to feign himself a friend to Pole thereby to get himself into his bosome for the finding out of his secret designs and correspondents Mâ—ny great persons for Poles câ—use were committed to prison some were put to deaâ—h as Sir James Terrel and Sir John VVâ—dâ—am who lost their heads on Tower-hill and three other persons who were executed in other places And the more to disanimate de la Poles complices and favourers King Henry had procured from Pope Alexander the sixth an Excommunication and curse against Pole Sir Robert Curson and five other persons by special name and generally all others that should aid the Earl against the King Sir Robert Curson was named on purpose to make de la Pole secure of him Neither did the King leave here for he so prevailed with the Pope as he decreed by Bull That no person should afterward have priviledge of Sanctuary who had once taken the same and came forth again and that if any Sanctuary-man should afterward commit any murder robbery sacriledge treason c. He should by lay force be drawn thence to suffer due punishment And now Suffolk perceiving himself stript of all future hope of endamaging the King he put himself into the grace and protection of Philip King of Spain with whom he remained in banishment till King Philip was driven by tempest into England at which time King Henry prevailed with him to deliver Pole into his hards upon promise that he would spare his life And accordingly at Philips return home Pole was sent in England and then committed to the Tower King Henry thus secured of this hazard bestowed his ages care on gathering of mony though by some such ways as seemed none of the justest Empson and Dudley two Lawyers were his instruments for the bringing in of mony to fill his Exchequer These called the richer sort of Subjects into question for the breach of old penal Laws Henry Dean and William Warham A. Bps. Cant. long before discontinued and forgotten The courses they took in the execution of their imployment was for one of them to outlaw persons privately and then to seize their estates forcing them to chargeable compositions with the King and heavy bribes to themselves Another detestable practise of theirs was to have false Jurors and Ring-leaders of false Jurors who would never give in any verdict against their Patrons Empson and Dudley insomuch that if any stood out in Law these sons of Belial squared the destiny of their causes By these means many honest and worthy Subjects were rigorously fined imprisoned or otherwise afflicted But the King falling sick of a consuming disease by the means of good Counsel he inclined to grant to all men general Pardons certain only excepted and ordained that all such monys should be restored as had been unjustly levyed by his Officers He died A.
wonderful to me that my marriage after twenty years should be thus called in Question with new invention against me who never intended but honesty Alas Sir I see that I am wronged having no Counsel to speak for me but such as are your Subjects and cannot be indifferent upon my part therefore I most humbly beseech you even in charity to stay this course until I may have advice and Councel from Spain if not your Graces pleasure be done Then rising and making low obeisance to the King she departed the Court and though the Crier called her to come into the Court as she was going away yet she went on bidding her Attendant to go forward and saying to him This is no indifferent Court for me When the King perceived that she was departed he presently spake thus unto the Assembly I will quoth he in her absence declare before you all that she hath been to me a most true obedient and comfortable Wife endued with all vertuous qualities and conditions according to her birth and in lowliness equals any of baser sort Which said Cardinal Wolsey humbly requested the King that he would be pleased to declare before that honourable Assembly whether he had been the cause of this his intended Divorce wherewith he was charged in the opinions of the people Whereupon the King said My Lord Cardinal I can well excuse you in this and rather affirm that you have been against me in attempting it thus far Then by and by the Court was adjourned till May 28 following which time being come the Kings learned Council alledged many reasons and likelihoods to prove that Prince Arthur had nuptial knowledg of Lady Catherines body as their being both of years capable to expleat the Act he above fifteen she above seventeen and both laid in one bed almost five months together c. From day to day the Pleas proceeded but nothing was concluded touching the Divorce therefore the King sent the two Cardinals to perswade with the Queen to put the whole matter to himself which he said would be far better and more honourable for her than to stand to the trial of the Law These Legats accordingly repairing to her she from among her maids at work came presently forth of an inner room to them having a skein of white thread about her neck to whom she said Alack my Lords I am very sorry to make you attend upon me What is your will Madam quoth Wolsey We are come in good will to know your Graces mind in this great matter of your Marriage and to give you our advice with the best service we can The Queen thanking them said That by order of holy Church she was espoused to the King as his true Wife and in that point she would abide till the Court of Rome which was privy to the beginning had made thereof a final determination and end The King then hopeless of his Queens consent hasted his Lawyers to forward the Divorce which daily they did but when the day appointed was come for the final determination of the matter in question then Cardinal Campeius reserved it for the Pope himself to conclude Which so enraged the Duke of Suffolk that with a stern countenance he said It was never merry in England since we have had any Cardinals amongst us And Cardinal Wolsey though he sought to excuse himself herein as not having sufficient authority yet did he fall under the Kings high displeasure The first step of this great Prelates fall was his dislike of the Kings affection unto Anne Bullen a Gentlewoman nothing favourable to his Pontifical pomp nor no great follower of the Ceremonies of those times of Popery which moved the Cardinal to write unto the Pope to defer the judgment of Divorce till he had wrought the Kings mind in another mould Which was not done so secretly but it came to the Kings ear and proved to his ruin For first the Broad-seal was taken from him and some of his Bishopricks his house and furniture seized upon and shortly after he was suddenly arrested by the Earl of Northumberland at Cawood-castle for arrogant words against the King importing a desire of revenge from whence he was conveyed towards London in which journey at Leicester-Abbey he ended his life by taking an over-great quantity of a Confection to break wind from off his stomack So ended this haughty Cardinal who was born at Ipswich his father a good honest Butcher himself a good Philosopher and Orator His education in his youth was at Magdalen Colledg in Oxford his first Preferment was from the Lord Marquess of Dorset who bestowed a Benefice upon him Then Sir John Naphant preferred him to King Henry the Seventh which King having urgent business with Maximilian the Emperour he sent this his Chaplain to him post who posted again back before he was thought to be there and withal concluded some points forgot in his directions to the high content of his Soveraign for the which he bestowed on him the Deanry of Lincoln after which he was preferred to be the Kings Almoner then one of his Council then Bishop of Tourney then Bishop of Lincoln then A.B. of York whereby he became as it were three Bishops at once then was made Priest Cardinal and Legat de Latere then Lord Chancellor and Bishop of Winchester and in commendam the Abbey of St. Albans was bestowed upon him And with them the Cardinal held in farm the Episcopal Sees of Bath and Wells Worcester and Hereford enjoyed by strangers incumbents not residing in the Realm This Prelate raised to this greatness was attended with so many officers and servants as is incredible And being Ambassador to the Emperour at Brussels he was there waited upon by many English Nobles and served at the Table by his Servitors on their knees Insatiable he was to get but Princely in bestowing lofty to his enemies and not easily reconciled which hastned his fall when he began The grudges against this Cardinal were not only for the especial favour he stood in with the King and great stroke he bare at the Council-table but for his intolerable pillings who to patch up his pride in the raising of his new Colledges at Oxford and Ipswich suppressed forty Monasteries of good fame converting all their goods and moveables to his own use As also that he emptied the land of twelve-score thousand pounds inforced by him from the King which he employed to relieve and ransome the Pope then in Prison to the great impoverishing of his Majesties Coffers And lastly his so intolerable pride as no less than 1200 Horse for his retinue eighty Wagons for his Carriage Tho. Cranmer A. B. Cant. and sixty Mules for Sumpture-horses attended him into France when he went thither Ambassador but Sic transit gloria mundi A prodigal and merry conceited Nobleman having lately sold a Mannor of an hundred Tenements came ruffling into the Court in a new suit saying Am not I a mighty man
that bear an hundred Houses on my back Which Cardinal Wolsey hearing said You might have better imployed it in paying your debts Truth my Lord said the Nobleman you say well for my Father owed my Master your Father three half-pence for a Calves-head hold here is two-pence for it But now whilst the matter of the Kings Marriage hung in suspence the space of two years it hapned that Dr. Cranmer said That the Kings cause would easily be determined by the Law of God which the King hearing of put the Doctor upon the work who thereupon penned a Treatise therein proving by Scriptures General Councils ancient and modern Writers that the Bishop of Rome had no authority to dispense with the Word of God so as contrary thereunto to grant liberty for a man to marry his brothers Wife This he presented to the King which when the King had well read he demanded of the Doctor if he would abide by what he had writ That I will said he by Gods Grace even before the Pope himself if your Majesty shall so appoint Marry quoth the King to him you shall go And accordingly the King sent Thomas Bullen Earl of Wiltshire Dr. Cranmer and other Divines to the Pope who was then at Bonony But when the day of audience was come and Cranmer prepared to defend what he had writ on the sudden all was interrupted by an unmannerly Spaniel of the Earls which seeing the Servus Servorum put forth his foot to be kiss'd caught his great Toe in his mouth 't is said But be it so or not yet this is sure that there was no conclusion of the matter made by the Pope therefore K. Henry resolved to cut the Gordian-knot himself without more ado and withal began to call in question what authority the Pope had in his Dominions which being afterward debated in Parliament an Act passed against his usurped authority or supremacy and all persons were prohibited from appealing or making any payments to Rome and the Kings Marriage with Queen Catharine dissolved and that from thenceforth she should be called only Princess Dowager The Parliament made it appear that in forty years last past then the Court of Rome had received from this Kingdom 160000 pounds for Investitures of Bishops Whilst the Divorce was under debate one Elizabeth Barton commonly called the holy Maid of Kent made a Votaress in Canterbury was taught by Bocking a Monk to counterfeit many Trances and in the same to utter many pious expressions to the rebuke of sin under which she was heard the more freely against the Doctrine of Luther and the Scriptures translation then desired by many Also giving forth from God and his Saints by sundry pretended revelations That if the King proceeded in his Divorce and second marriage he should not reign in his Realm one month after nor rest in his favour one hour But the imposturisme being detected she and seven of her complices were executed at Tyburn for Treason and others of them fined and imprisoned A. D. 1533 and November the fourteenth was King Henry married with Anne Bullen daughter of Sir Thomas Bullen Earl of Wiltshire and June the first she was Crowned at Westminster and on September the seventh following she bare into the World that most excellent Princess Elizabeth A. D. 1534. And A. D. 1535 January 29 She was again delivered of a Child but that was dead Nor had the Queen her self long to live for she was accused of Incest and adultery with her own brother George Lord Rochford who was beheaded for this fact on Tower-hill And May the 19 1536 this Queen was brought upon a Scaffold erected on the Green within the Tower where in the presence of many Noblemen the Lord Mayor and others she said Good Christian people I am come hither to die for according to the Law and by the Law I am judged to death and therefore I will speak nothing against it I come hither to accuse no man nor to speak any thing of that I am accused of and condemned for As for mine own offences God knoweth them and unto God I remit them beseeching him to have mercy upon my Soul and if any person will meddle in my cause I desire them to judge the best And so I take my leave of the World and of you all and do heartily beseech you to pray for me and I beseech Jesus save my Soveraign and Master the King long to live and raign over you the most Godliest Noblest and Gentlest Prince that is These words she uttered with a smiling countenance which done she kneeled down and with a fervent spirit said To Jesus Christ I commend my Soul Lord Jesus receive my Soul And repeating those words very oft suddenly with the sword the Executioner severed her head and body which were buried in the Quire of the Chappel of the Tower T is said that the Lord Rochford the Queens brother coming to her beds-side to sollicite a suit leaned thereupon to whisper her in the ear which the spials gave forth that he did so to kiss the Queen Most probable it is that the crimes which this Queen was charged withal were matters contrived by Popish instruments because she gave great incouragements unto many more publickly and with boldness to profess the reformed religion and procured a toleration for the Protestant Divines Moreover that this Queens death was rather sought for than merited by her seems also very probable because that the next day after her deaâ—h the King was married unto the Lady Jane Seymour daughter of John Seymour Knight About this time began to flourish Thomas Cromwell a Black-Smiths son of Putney whom King Henry first raised to be Master of his Jewel-house then Baron of Okeham then Earl of Essex then Lord great Chamberlain and lastly ordained him Vicar-General over the Spirituality This great Cromwell procured it to be enacted in Parliament That the Lords Prayer Creed and ten Commandments should be read in the English Tongue Other matters also tending to reform the English Church from the Roman corruptions were attempted by Cromwell which did not at all please the Monks and their party The Lincoln-shire men began a commotion under the leading of one Mackarell a Monk who named himself Captain Cobler A Copy of their grievances they sent to the King some of which were The suppression of many religious houses whereby the service of God they said was minished The Kings taking into his Councel men of Low-birth who sought their own lucre That there were divers Bishops lately preferred that had subverted the faith of Christ That by reason of their loss of Sheep and Cattle they were not able to pay the Quindecim or Tax granted to the King c. But these Rioters the King soon pacified with good words In whose steads others rose up immediately for forty thousand rusticks assembled in Yorkshire furnished with horse armour and artillery Their pretence was Religion and defence of holy Church Their Banners
were painted with the five wounds of Christ the Chalice Cake and other Romish inventions This their Rebellion they termed the holy Pilgrimage Their General of foot was one James Diamond a poor Fisher-man stiled the Earl of Poverty their chief Leader was Mr. Robert Aske a man it seems of terror For when Lancaster Herald at Arms was sent to him to declare the Kings message this Aske did so terribly bluster forth his answers that the Herald fell before him on his knees excusing himself to be but a Messenger Many persons of great note were parties in this insurrection And to draw the more in to side with them Aske and his complices set forth in writing these scandalous untruths against the King First That no infant should be permitted to receive the blessed Sacrament of Baptisme bot onles an trybet to be payd to the King Secondly That no man under twenty pound lands shall eyte no brede made of Wheat ner Capon Chekyn Gois ner Pig bot onles to pay a trybet to the King Thirdly That for every Ploghe-land the King will have en trybet with other extreme urgent causes and heartily Fare ye well Their oath wherein they bound themselves in this league was the preservation of the Kings person and Issue the purifying of Nobility and expulsing all villain blood and evil Counsellors not for envy to any to enter into their pilgrimage or any private commodity but for the Common-weal the restitution of the Church and suppression of Heresy and Hereticks But a great force being drawn against them they dispersed themselves upon promise of pardon and redress in their just complaints Yet notwithstanding this the Kings clemency some of the chief of these actors ingaged themselves again in a new insurrection in short time after this for which offence they suffered death Of Ecclesiastical persons were put to death four Abbots two Priors three Monks seven Priests also Captain Mackarel and of temporal persons were executed Robert Aske the Lord Dacres Sir Robert Constable Sir Francis Bigod Palmer Percie Hamilton Tempest and Lumley These stirs being stinted a Commission came forth to purge the Churches of Idols and to suppress the Monastries to the Kings use granted him by Parliament When down went the Rood of Boxely in Kent commonly called the Rood of Grace which was made with divers vices to bow down and lift up it self to shake and stir both head hands and feet to rowl the eyes move the lips and to bend the brows thereby to cheat silly Souls So likewise the Images of our Lady of Walsingham and Ipswich set with Jewels and Gems also divers other both of England and Wales were brought to London and many of them burnt before the Lord Cromwel at Clelsey A. D. 1538. Then down went the Monasteries to the number of about 645 besides 90 Colledges and of Chantries and free Chappels 2374. Almost all these were born down in those boistrous times to the worlds amazement Amongst the Shrines that of Thomas a Becket was defaced whose meanest part was pure Gold garnished with many precious Stones the chiefest of which was a rich Gem of France offered by King Lewis who asked and obtained of this prime Saint believe it who list That no passenger betwixt Dover and White-sand should perish by Ship-wrack But instead of these impertinencies the holy Bible was commanded to be read in English in the Churches and Register-Books of Weddings Christnings and Burials to be kept in every of them If we will credit tradition shameful villanies were too frequently prepetrated by the Monasticks as Whoredoms Incests Sodomy and Murders Many infants bones the products of their wantonness were found in many of their religious houses The Monasteries thus dissolved and the revenues thereof converted to secular uses King Henry hereby ran in great obloquy of many forreign Princes and Potentates but especially of the Pope Yea and homeborn subjects disliking hereof by secret working sought to deprive King Henry and to elevate Regâ—nald Pole to the regal dignity for the which treason Henry Courtney Marquess of Excester the Lord Montacute and Sir Edward Neville were beheaded on Tower-hill A. D. 1540 and January the sixth was King Henry married unto the Lady Anne Sister to the Duke of Cleve but he refrained her bed for the dislike he had to her person and she good Lady no other cause alledged was divorced by Parliament the June following when it was also enacted That she should no longer be called Queen In this Parliament was Cromwell Attainted for setting at liberty certain persons committed for misprision of Treason and Heresy for favouring and maintaining the Translation of heretical Books so called into English for countenancing and supporting heretical Teachers for being an heretick himself and for having spoken great words for the upholding his said religion to wit That the King himself should not change it if he would The cause why the King fell into dislike of him and consequently of his ruin was because he stood in the defence of the Lady Anne of Cleve and spake not all well of the Lady Katharine Howard whom the King was minded and did take to Wife Which distast of the Kings against him his enemy Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester did improve to Cromwells destruction who was beheaded on Tower-hill and with him the Lord Hungerford of Heitesbury for buggery Margaret Countess of Salisbury daughter of George Duke of Clarence and Mother of Cardinal Reginald Pole being neither Arraigned nor Tryed but condemned by Parliament as Cromwell had been was beheaded And the Lord Leonard Grey about the same time lost his head for Treason And the next day after his death Thomas Fines Lord Dacres of the South died at Tyburn for killing a man in a fray Nor was the Sword sheathed until the heads of Queen Katharine Howard and the Lady Jane Rochford were struck off the former for Adultery the other for concealment as was alledged The parties offending with Katharine Howard were Francis Dereham and Thomas Culpepper Dereham before she was Queen and Culpepper after who both were executed at Tyburn Decemb. the tenth and on Febru the twelfth following Mrs Katharine Howard for so in the Act of her Attainder she is called who had been Queen for the space of a year and half with the Lady Jane widow of the Lord Rochford were brought unto the Tower-hill where in lamentable passions they suffered death This Queen protested after her condemnation to Dr. White her last Confessor that she was guiltless having never so abused her Soveraigns bed But as these in case of Treason so others in matter of Conscience were put to death by force of the Statutes made under this King Whereof one was the renouncing the Popes supremacy and owning the King for supream head of the Church in his own Dominions this concerned the Papists The other was the six Articles this concerned the Protestants Which six bloody Articles were First That after the words of Consecration there
not be burdened so in the future Fourthly That the late Commissions for proceeding by Martial-Law might be revoked and annulled and that hereafter no Commission of like nature might be issued forth To all which the King at last yielded his consent sending this answer to the Parliament Soit droit fait comme il est desirèe And to the peoples further satisfaction his Majesty received into his favour the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishop of Lincoln the Earls of Essex Lincoln Warwick Bristol and the Lord Say The Parliament next resume their accusation of the Duke of Buckingham against whom they drew up another Remonstrance the like they did against Bishop Neal and Bishop Laud and at last were about to take away the Kings right to Tonnage and Poundage whereupon the King adjourned them till October 20th and afterwaâ—d by Proclamation till the 20th of January following About this time Dr. Lamb a favourite of the Dukes and supposed Necromancer was killed in London by the rout of the people who hated him both for his own sake and the Dukes A. D. 1628 During the last Session a Fleet of fifty sail was sent to the relief of Rochel but was repelled with much loss Then another expedition was agreed on and a more formidable Fleet was prepared but as the Duke of Buckingham was at Portsmouth hastning his preparations for Sea he was suddenly stab'd by Lieutenant Felton who after his apprehension being demanded what invited him to the bloody fact boldly answered That he killed him for the Cause of God and his Country The murderer was hang'd at Tyburn his body sent to Portsmouth where without the Town it was hanged up in Chains In the Dukes place the Earl of Lindsey an excellent Souldier was sent for the aid of Rochel who after some valiant yet fruitless attempts returned into England and the Rochellers to the obedience of the French King And within a short time after peace was concluded betwixt France and England January 20th the Parliament assembled again when they prepared a Bill against Tonnage and Poundage and the Commons made a Protestation amongst themselves That whosoever should seek to introduce Popery or Arminianisme or other opinions disagreeing from the true and Orthodox Church should be reputed a Capital enemy to the Commonwealth That whosoever should counsel or advise the taking or levying the Subsidies of Tonnage or Poundage not being granted in Parliament or should be an Actor or Instrument therein should likewise be reputed an enemy to the Commonwealth or whosoever should voluntarily pay the same not being granted by Parliament should be reputed a betrayer of the Liberties and an enemy of the Common-wealth Hereupon his Majesty presently dissolved the Parliament After which he called to question certain refractory Members at the Council Table Namely Sir John Elliot Sir Miles Hobard Mr. Denzill Hollis Sir Peter Hayman Sir John Barrington Mr. Selden Mr. Stroud Mr. Coriton Mr. Long Mr. Valentine and Mr. Kirton who were all commited to Prison But by the dissolving of the Parliament 1629 the Popular odium was in a high measure stirred up against the great Ministers of State as was manifested by certain invective Libels published against Bishop Laud and the Lord Treasurer Weston This Year a peace was concluded with Spain A. D. 1630 and May 29 was Prince Charles born and about noon of the same day was a Star seen in the Firmament In this Year was the old Prerogative-Statute for Knighthood put in execution whereby those who had estates of 40 l. per. Annum were summoned to appear to receive Knighthood and upon default to be fined by which means one hundred thousand pounds was brought into the Exchequer Sir Thomas Wentworth was now made Viscount Wentworth and Lord President of the North. A. D. 1632 his Majesty recalled the Lords Justices out of Ireland who then had the Government thereof and in their stead sent thither the Lord Wentworth as Lord Deputy The King recommended to the Nobility and Gentry the raising amongst themselves a large contribution towards the reparation of St. Pauls Church in London which motion was so far entertained that a considerable sum was gathered and the work had a fair progress A. D. 1633 and May 13 the King took a Journey into Scotland there to be Crowned and it was but time for him so to do for not long before this he had received a Letter from a Scotch Lord wherein was this expression That shou'd he longer defer his coming to be Crowned the people might perhaps be inclined to make choice of a new King As soon as the Coronation-Rites were accomplished the King summoned a Parliament and past an Act for the ratification of all those Laws that King James had made in that Nation for the better regulation of that Church both as to the Government and Worship of it Which Act too many sinister persons opposed because it savoured of establishing Episcopacy October the 13 was James Duke of York born the Book for tolerating sports on the Lords day first published by King James was now ratified which greatly distasted the Puritanical party and many Episcoparians also A. D. 1634 the English Coasts being infested with Pickeroons Turks and Dunkirk-Pirates and the Fishing usurped by the Hollanders on the Kings Dominions in the narrow Seas and the Kings Exchequer not being able to furnish out a Fleet sufficient for the repressing these Incroachers his Majesty hereupon consults his Attorney-General Noy what might be done herein Wil. Laud A. B. Cant. Noy acquaints him with ancient Presidents of raising a Tax upon the Nation for setting forth a Fleet in case of danger and assures him of the Legality of the way in proceeding by Writs to that effect which Counsel being imbraced there were Writs directed to the several Counties for such a contribution as might in the whole build furnish and maintain 47. Ships for the safety of the Kingdom but this Tax was by many disrellished and censured as a breach of the civil liberties and to be against Law because not laid by Parliament and Mr. John Hambden and others refused to pay this Ship-money standing it to a Tryal of Law against whom several of the Judges to whom the King had referred the Cause gave Judgment Hutton and Crook excepted The Pirates were curb'd by the Kings Fleet and the Hollanders reduced to a precarious use of the English Seas A. D. 1637. Mr. Prynne Dr. Bastwick and Mr. Burton a Lawyer Physitian and Divine for writing against Episcopacy and Bishops were sentenced to pay 5000 l. to the King to lose their ears in the Pillory which they did and then were sent into banishment or remote confinement Dr. Williams Bishop of Lincolne was fined and suspended from his Offices and Benefits and imprisoned for underhandly fomenting Popular disaffections and venting some dishonourable speeches concerning the King July 13 while the Dean in his Sacerdotal habiliments was reading a new composed Liturgy in St. Giles Church at
guilty of Treason either in particulars or in the whole The Parliament therefore resolved for right or wrong this wise man must fall to proceed against him by Bill of Attainder and upon April the 19 by making a Law after the fact vote him guilty of High-Treason yet withal add a caution for the security of themselves that it should not be drawn into a president Which vote of theirs passed not without a long debate and contention and 59 of the Members honestly dissented from the vote whose names were afterwards posted and marked for the fury of the Rabble In the bill of Attainder the Earl was charged for endeavouring to subvert the ancient Fundamental Laws and Government of the Realms and for exercising a tyranous and exorbitant power over the liberties and estates of his Majesties Subjects and for having by his own authority commanded the laying and assessing of Soldiers upon his Majesties Subjects in Ireland And also for that upon the dissolution of the last Parliament he did slander the House of Commons to his Majesty and did advise his Majesty that he was loosed and absolved from rules of Government and that he had an Army in Ireland which he might imploy to reduce the Kingdom And that the said Earl had been an Incendiary of the Wars betwixt England and Scotland c. May the first his Majesty called both Houses together and told them that he had been present at the hearing of the great Cause and that in his Conscience positively he could not condemn the Earl of Treason and yet could not clear him of misdemeanours but hoped a way might be found out to satisfie Justice and their fears without oppressing his Conscience May the second the Prince of Orange was Married to the Princess Mary at Whitehall May the third there came a seditious Rabble of about 5 or 6000 of the dregs of the People armed with staves cudgels and other instruments of outrage to the Parliament-dores clamouring Justice Justice and posted upon the gate of Westminster a Catalogue of names of those that would have acquitted the Earl whom they stiled Straffordians Then at the dores of the House of Peers they affronted some of the Lords especially the Bishops at their passing in and out after this they forced open the dores of the Abby-Church where they broke down the Organs spoiled the Vestments and Ornaments of Worship From thence they hurried to the Court and there most Impudently and Traiterously cried out That they would have Straffords head or a better upbraiding the King himself who perswaded them as they passed by to a modest care of their own private affairs with an unfitness to Reign and when some Justices of the Peace according to their Office endeavoured to suppress those tumults by imprisoning some of the Leaders of them they themselves were imprisoned by the command of the Commons upon pretext of an injury offered to the Liberties of the Subject one of which was as they then dictated that every one might safely Petition the Parliament howbeit afterwards they acted quite contrary to such whose Petitions were too honest to please them But notwithstanding these tumultuous inforcements his Majesty would not sign the Bill of Attainder till he had consulted both with the Judges as to matter of Law and the Bishops as to matter of Conscience When the Judges told his Majesty that in point of Law according to the Oath made by Sir Henry Vane of the Earls advice to raise horse to awe this Nation the Earl was guilty of Treason 't is said an eminent Bishop did answer the King that he had a Conscience as a private man and as a publick and though by his private Conscience he could not yield to the Earls death yet by his publick considering the present state of things he might May the 10. With much reluctancy the King signed a Commission to some Lords to pass that Bill of Attainder and another of ill consequence also which was for continuation of the Parliament during the pleasure of the two Houses May the 12 1641 was the Earl of Strafford strongly guarded to the Tower-Hill and there with courage beseeming a Christian he suffered the severing of his Head from his body The death of which great and able Minister of State did so terrifie the other Ministers of State that many of them made a voluntary resignation of their Offices At the request of the house of Commons the King for peace-fake relinquished his claim to Tonnage and Poundage and yielded to sign the Bills for taking away of the High-Commission and Star-Chamber Courts A. D. 1641 and October the 12 the Natives or wild Irish began a most bloody Rebellion throughout the whole Kingdom of Ireland on a suddein invading the unprovided English that were scattered amongst them despoiling them of their goods and massacring 200000 of them without any respect of sex age kindred or friendship making them as so many sacrifices to their bloody superstition the Popish Religion The chief heads of this Rebellion and Massacre besides the Priests were Sir Phelim O-Neal Turbough O-Neal his Brother Rowry Mac-Guire Philip O-Rely Moelmurry O-Rely Sir Conno Mac-Gennis Mac-Brian and Mac-Mahon His Majesty then in Scotland having intelligence of the dismal fate of the English in Ireland sent post to the Parliament of England to have them send reliefs thither but differences still heightning betwixt the King and his Parliament succours were not seasonably sent by which the Rebels much strengthened themselves At the Kings return from Scotland the Parliament presented him with a Petition for taking away the votes of Bishops in the House of Lords and the Ceremonies of the Church and for the removing of evil Councellors from about him Their grand Remonstrance they also presented him wherein were reckoned up the offences of the Courtiers the unpleasing resolves of some Judges the neglects or rigours of some Ministers of State the undigested Sermons of some Preachers the Positions of some Divines in the Schools unpleasing accidents they therein represented as designs of Tyranny and those things which had been reformed were yet mentioned as burthens To this Remonstrance his Majesty answered That he thought he had given satisfaction to his Peoples fears and jealousies concerning Religion Liberty and Civil Interests by the Bills he had past this Parliament desiring that misunderstandings might be removed on either side and that the bleeding condition of Ireland might perswade them to unity for the relief of that unhappy Kingdom But this modest answer of his Majesties did not at all satisfie the factious The Apprentices and Rabble in great numbers and much confusion resorted again to Westminster some crying out against Bishops and Liturgy of the Church others boldly menacing that the Militia should be taken out of the Kings hands Affronting the Bishops at their passing in and out of the Lords House and before Whitehall behaving themselves very insolently His Majesty hereupon took a Guard of such Gentlemen as offered their
Commons of England in Parliament assembled have appointed them a High Court of Justice for the Trying of Charles Stuart King of England before whom he had been three times convened and at the first time a Charge of High Treason and other crimes and misdemeanors was read in behalf of England c. To which Charge the said Charles Stuart refused several times to answer c. for all which Treasons and crimes mentioned in the Charge this Court doth adjudg the said Charles Stuart as a Tyrant Traytor Murderer and publick enemy to be put to death by severing his Head from his Body This Sentence being read the Members of the Court approved it by holding up their hands His Majesty offered to speak after the Sentence which Bradshaw would not suffer him to do but commanded him to be taken away when in his passing along the Soldiers reviled him with many irreverent taunts blew their stinking Tobacco into his face which they knew to be very distasteful to him and one or two more barbarous than the rest spit in his face the good King wiping it off again and saying My Saviour suffered far more than this for me And when the rude Soldiers instructed by their Commanders cried out Justice Justice Execution Execution this pious King pitied their blindness saying Poor souls for a piece of money they would do as much for their Commanders Such as pull'd off their Hats or bowed to him as he was carrying back to his imprisonment the Soldiers beat with their fists and weapons and knocked down one dead but for saying God be merciful unto him January the 28th this right Christian King was guarded from Whitehall to St. James's where Dr. Juxon Bishop of London preached before him on these words In the day when God shall judg the secrets of all men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Rom. 2.16 January the 29th the Lady Elizabeth and Duke of Gloucester being admitted to take their last Farewell of their condemned Father his Majesty after he had given his blessing to the Princess Elizabeth bad her tell her Brother James whenever she should see him that 't was his Fathers last desire That he should no more look upon Charles as his Eldest Brother only but be obedient to him as his Soveraign and that they should love one the other and forgive their Fathers enemies He also bad her to read Bishop Andrews Sermons Hooker 's Ecclesiastical Policy and Bishop Laud against Fisher which would ground her against Popery wished her not to grieve for him for he should die a glorious death it being for the Laws and Liberties of the Land and for maintaining the Protestant Religion Bad her tell her Mother That his thoughts had never strayed from her and that his love should be the same unto the last Then gave her his Blessing bidding her to send his Blessing to the rest of her Brothers and Sisters and commendations to all his friends To the Duke of Gloucester he said He heard the Army intended to make him King but that he told him he must not accept so long as his two Elder Brothers were living commanded him to fear the Lord and he would provide for him Tuesday January the 30th in the morning the Bishop of London read Divine Service in his Majesties presence when the 27th Chapter of St. Mathew's Gospel the History of our Saviours Crucifixion fell out to be the second Lesson After Morning-prayer the King received the Sacrament and performed private Devotions in preparation to his Passion which being ended about Ten of the Clock this most Christian King was brought from St. James's to Whitehall by a Regiment of Foot and a private Guard of Partizans the Bishop on one hand of him and Colonel Thomlinson who had the charge of him on the other both bare headed His Majesty walked very fast and bad them go faster thus saying That he now went before them to strive for an Heavenly Crown with less solicitude than he had often encouraged his Soldiers to fight for an Earthly Diadem Being come into the Cabinet-Chamber in Whitehall where he used to lodg he there pass'd the time for near two hours in his Devotion about Twelve he eat a bit of bread and drank a glass of Clarret and towards One Col. Hacker with other Officers and Soldiers brought him through the Banquetting-house and through a Window of that upon a Scaffold which was hung with Black Divers Companies of Foot and Troops of Horse were placed on each side of the Street which hindred the approach of the very numerous spectators therefore the King directed his Speech chiefly to Col. Thomlinson therein declaring his innocency how that he began not the War with his two Houses of Parliament calling God to witness that he never intended to incroach upon their priviledges but they began upon him and that he believed that ill instruments betwixt him and them had been the cause of all the bloodshed Then acknowledged Gods Judgments to be just upon himself in suffering an unjust sentence to pass upon him for that he had suffered an unjust sentence to be executed upon another meaning upon the Earl of Strafford Then declared himself to be a good Christian having forgiven all the World and even those in particular who ever they were that had been the chief causers of his death desiring God to forgive them and that they might repent of that great sin praying with St. Stephen that this might not be laid to their charge and wished they might take the right way for the peace of the Kingdom which was he said by giving God his due in regulating rightly his Church according to the Scriptures By giving the King his due being directed by the Laws of the Land By giving the people their due in having Government under those Laws by which their lives and goods might be most their own and not be subject to an Arbitrary power for the opposing of which said he it is that I am brought to the Scaffold for if said he I would have given way to an Arbitrary power or way to have all Laws changed according to the power of the Sword I need not to have come here and therefore I tell you and pray God it be not laid to your charge that I am the Martyr of the People Then he declared he died a Christian according to the Profession of the Church of England as he found it left him by his Father After this he discoursed with the Bishop to whom he gave his George to be sent to the Prince then preparing himself for the Block he said I have a good cause and a gracious God on my side I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible Crown where is no disturbance no disturbance in the world Then having said a few words to himself as he stood with hands and eyes lift up he laid his neck upon the Block and after a short pause stretching forth his hands the Vizarded Executioner at one
London Bridge In May the King passed some Bills in the House of Lords whereof one was for raising an Imposition on Wines and other Liquors and the Parliament was adjourned till the 11th of August following In June News was brought to London of the burning of the Bridge Town in Barbadoes where besides the loss of most of the Houses the Magazine to the great prejudice of the publick as well as of private Persons was blown up The Duke of York in September near to Dover took the usual Oath of Warden of the Cinque Ports The Parliament that was to have met in August was by Proclamation Prorogued till the Tenth of November ensuing and the Duke of Monmouth upon the resignation of the Lord Gerrard was made Captain of his Majesties Life-Guards of Horse Sir Thomas Allen made Peace this year with the Algerines and the Parliament which met at the appointed time and adjourned till March were in December by Proclamation prorogued till the Tenth of October following About the middle of January 1668 9 the Dutchess of York was brought to Bed of a Daughter christened by the Name of Henrietta by the Archbishop of Canterbury the Duke of Ormond assisting as God-father the Marchioness of Dorchester and Countess of Devonshire having the Honour of being God-mothers In March 1668 9 the Prince of Tuscany in pursuance of his Travels came to visit England where being honourably received and magnificently treated by His Majesty and several Persons of Quality of the Kingdom he departed for Holland in his way homeward Anno 1669. The beginning of this year the Earl of Carlisle was sent Embassadour Extraordinary to Sweden As he was at Copenhagen on his way he received a Letter from the King of England in answer to an obliging Letter of the King of Denmark to be delivered to that King This Letter was so acceptable to the Dane that upon the Embassadours instance he dispatched Orders to all his Ports and Mercantile Towns especially in Norway for restoring the English to their former Freedoms and Priviledges in Trading Being arrived in Sweden he presented the King with the George worn by the Knights of the Garter and was afterward as His Majesties Proxie solemnly installed in the Order at Windsor This year was the stately new Theatre of Oxford the noble Gift of Dr. Sheldon Archbishop of Canterbury according to the intent of the Donor put into the Possession of that University And upon his Graces declining the Chancellourship the Duke of Ormond was installed Chancellour of the University of Oxford Whilst the King was taking his Divertisement with the Duke of York in the New Forrest in Hampshire they both received an Express of the death of their Mother the Queen Dowager of England who died at Columbee the last of August and was buried in St. Denis in November following About this time arrived at Dublin the Lord Roberts as Lord Deputy of Ireland The Exchange of London ever since the Fire had been kept at Gresham Colledge in Bishopsgate-street till now to the great satisfaction of the City the Merchants returned to the Royal Exchange in Corn-hill a Fabrick as far exceeding the old one in Beauty and Structure as the City rebuilt does that which was destroyed At the day of October prefixed the Parliament met to whom the King amongst other things in his Speech proposed the uniting of England and Scotland into one Kingdom this Project in the Sequel had no better issue than another set on foot by King James for the same purpose The Parliament having sate above a month and done but very little were prorogued till the 24th of February following The Parliament of Scotland sate at Edenbourgh at the same time that the Parliament of England did at Westminster in the which the Earl of Lauderdale represented His Majesty as His Commissioner In this Session of Parliament amongst many other Acts that of asserting his Majesties Supremacy in all Causes and over all Persons Civil and Ecclesiastical passed A necessary Act for securing the Rights of Monarchy against popular and unwarrantable Innovations and a duty which had it not been forgotten or trampled upon in these later times might with Gods Blessing have preserved both Nations from scandalous and fatal consequences A splendid and magnificent Embassie was this year sent to Taffelette Emperour of Morocco in the Person of Mr. Henry Howard since Duke of Norfolk which by reason of the troubles of that Countrey and the inability of the Emperor to secure a safe conduct to a Person of that quality proved of small consequences and the Embassadour returned without seeing the Emperour or performing his Embassie The later end of this year died the Duke of Albemarle his Dutchess not many days surviving him The King as a mark of gratitude to the deceased Duke sent his Son the present Duke his Fathers Garter continued to him many of his Honours and Preferments and sent him word that he himself would take care of his Fathers Funeral The Parliament met again at the appointed time and the King among other things re-minded them of the project of Union between the two Kingdoms This year in the beginning of April Anno 1670 the King having passed some Bills the Parliament was adjourned to the 24th of October Amongst others was an Act for authorizing such Commissioners as His Majesty should be pleased to nominate for treating with the Scottish Commissioners about the projected Union who being nominated and having afterwards met with those sent from Scotland many Conferences were held but insuperable difficulties appearing in the matter it was wholly laid aside At this time the Lord John Berkley arrived in Dublin and was invested Lord Lieutenant of Ireland The Princess of Orleans made now her last visit to her two Brothers the King of England and Duke of York at Dover and upon her return which was shortly after took her journey out of this World for to the great grief and surprize of the Court of England she died suddenly Captain Beach being in the Straits with four English Frigots met a squadron of seven Algier Men of War full of Men gave them Battel and after a short dispute forced them all ashore where two of them were burnt by themselves and the rest by the English most of their Men were lost and 250 Christian Captives set at liberty In October The Parliament met again according to their Adjournment and then was the Peace between England and Spain beyond the Line concluded and ratified The Prince of Orange came this year into England and having visited both Universities after a short stay he returned During this Session of Parliament the Lords and Commons having humbly represented to His Majesty their fears and jealousies of the growth of Popery the King by Proclamation commanded all Jesuits and English Irish and Scottish Priests and all others that had taken Orders from the See of Rome except such as were to wait upon the Queen and Foreign Embassadors to
Twenty Pounds to those that should Discover any Officer or Souldier of his Majesties Guards who having formerly taken the Oaths of Allegiance Supremacy and the Test had since been perverted or should hereafter be perverted to the Romish Religion The Ninth of November his Majesty came in his Robes into the House of Lords whither the Commons being called his Majesty made a Gracious Speech thanking both Houses for the Care they shewed for the safety and preservation of his Person promising the like on his part for them and offering his ready Assent to the passing into Laws all such Bills as might secure their Religion not only during his own Reign but also in the Reign of His Successors provided they did not impeach the right of Succession in the true Line nor restrain the power and just rights of His Majesty or His Protestant Successors Shortly after His Majesty issued out several Proclamations as one for confining all Popish Recusants within five miles of their respective dwellings another for apprehending some persons therein named who were accused of the hellish Plot and a third promising a present reward of twenty pounds to any that should discover and cause to be apprehended any Popish Priest or Jesuit except those that were priviledged by the Law of the Land or that of Nations as serving the Queen or Foreign Ministers November 21 One William Staley a Goldsmith being indicted at the Kings Bench Bar of High Treason for Treasonable words against His Majesties Life was convicted and condemned to be drawn hanged and quartered which sentence was on the 26th of the same month executed at Tyburn November 27th Edward Coleman Esq who on Friday before had been arraigned at the Kings Bench Bar for High Treason in conspiring the Death of the King subverting His Government and extirpating the true Protestant Religion came to his Tryal and being upon full evidence convicted had Sentence pronounced against him next morning to be drawn hang'd and quartered which was accordingly executed on the third of December following he being the first that suffered for the Plot whereof many besides himself were and stand still accused November 28th His Majesty at the humble request of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal assembled in Parliament was pleased by Proclamation to declare That if any Person or Persons should before the twenty fifth day of December following make any further discovery of the horrid Design against His Majesties Sacred Person and Government he or they so discovering should not onely have the reward of two hundred pounds for every such discovery upon due proof thereof but if guilty of the said Design or otherwise of concealing it they should have His Majesties Pardon November 30th His Majesty in the House of Lords gave His Royal Assent to an Act for the more effectual preserving the Kings Person and Government by disabling Papists from sitting in either House of Parliament and in December following put out a Proclamation for disarming and securing all Popish Recusants or justly so suspected December 30th His Majesty present in the House of Lords was pleased to Prorogue the Parliament till the fourth of February following which was afterward by Proclamation January 25th dissolved and a new Parliament summoned to meet the sixth of March 1678 9. January 17th 1678 9 William Ireland a Jesuit Thomas Pickering a Lay-brother of the Benedictin Monks and John Grove an Ale-house-keeper were arraigned and convicted at the Old Bailey for having conspired the destruction of His Majesties Royal Person the subversion of the Government and extirpation of the Protestant Religion The chief evidence against them were Mr. Oats Mr. Bedlow and one who had been a Serving Maid to Grove they had Sentence pronounced against them to be drawn hang'd and quartered and accordingly January 24th Ireland and Grove suffered at Tyburn Pickering lying still reprieved in New-gate His Majesties Forces that were recalled from Flanders began this month first to come over again Monday the 10th of February 1678 9 Robert Green Henry Berry and Lawrence Hill three of the murderers of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey were brought to their Tryal at the Kings Bench Bar for the said murder the main evidence against them were the above-named Bedlow and Praunce the first declaring that he had seen the dead Body and the other confessing he had had a hand in the murder which was briefly thus committed Praunce with the aforesaid Green Berry and Hill and some others having laid their design before and several times dogg'd Sir Edmondbury Godfrey on Saturday night the twelfth of October finding him in the Strand as he was returning home upon a plausible pretext of keeping the peace between two Gentlemen that were as they made him believe a quarrelling wheadled him into Somerset-house and there with a twisted Hankerchief clapt about his Neck some of them strangled him whilst Praunce and Berry watched at the Gates His dead Body they lodged in Somerset-house till Wednesday following and then carried it out in a Sedan as far as Sohoe where they mounted the same on a Horse and so conveyed it to the Ditch leaving it there barbarously pierced through with a Sword Vpon this evidence they were found guilty condemned and executed At this time Sir Joseph Williamson haveing resigned the Seals of Secretary of State into his Majesties hands the Right Honourable Robert Earle of Sunderland was in his place made one of the Principal Secretaries of State and accordingly took place at the Council Board The time of the Sitting of the New Parliament drawing near his Majesty that he might remove all Jealousies from the minds of his Subjects thought fit to command his Royal Highness the Duke of York to absent himself who with his Dutchess in obedience of his Majesties Commands on the third of March took leave of his Majesty in order to their going beyond Sea where now they are at Bruxelles in Flanders Thursday March the sixth the lately Summoned Parliament met at Westminster The King thinking it fit to wave the Solemnity of Riding used at the Opening of the Parliaments of England went in his Royal Barge to the House by Water and there in a gracious Speech which was enlarged by the Lord Chancelour His Majesty told both Houses what he expected and the Countrey stood in need of from their unanimous and wise Deliberations And now that the Joynt and Healing Councils of his Gracious Majesty and this present Parliament may so effectually operate in composing the Divisions uniting the Minds and settling the Peace of the People of this Nation as may afford many Volumes of Noble Acts at present to be transmited to grateful Posterity no other ways than by hearty Wishes it is and ought to be the fervent Prayer of all who truely fear God honour their King and desire the Wellfare and Prosperity of his Kingdoms Mayors and Sheriffs of LONDON to the 31th Year of His Reign In his First Year 1649. Thomas Foot was Mayor Christopher Pack Rowland Wilson died in