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
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
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 latter forsook the Barons cause and
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
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
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
Sparrows being taken and fire fastned to their feet were let fly into the City who lighting among Straw set it on fire whence the City was burnt to the ground but Careticus escaped and fled for safety unto the Mountains of Wales where he dyed From that time forth the Britains lost their whole Kingdom in the East part of the Island and were confined in the West by the Rivers Severn and Dee CAdwan maintained himself and Subjects in great honour and peace CADWAN A D. 635. His first affairs against the Saxons was to revenge the deaths of his Britains and harmless Monks of Bangor slain by wild Ethelfrid the mighty King of Northumberland The Monastery of Bangor in North Wales was situated in the fruitful valley now called the English Mailor containing within it the quantity of a Mile and an half of ground This Monastery as saith Bernard Clarivalentius was the Mother of all others in the World Whose Monks distributed themselves into Seven portions every one numbring 300 Souls and all of them living by the labour of their own hands Many of these Monks assembled at * Chester Caer-Legion to assist their Brethren the Britains with their Prayers against Ethelfrid sirnamed the Wild King of Northumberland who with his Pagan Soldiers set upon the Britains discomfited their host and put to the Sword Twelve hundred of these Christian Monks CAdwallo or Cadwallin the Son of Cadwin warred most valiantly against the Saxons slew the Christian King Edwin of Northumberland CADWALLO A. D. 635. with his Son Osfride in a great and bloody Battel at Heathfield He dyed in peace as the British Writers say and was buried in St. Martins Church in London his Image great and terrible triumphantly riding on Horseback being artificially cast in Brass the Britains placed upon Ludgate to the further fear and terror of the Saxons CADWALLADOR A.D. 685. CAdwallador the Son of Cadwallo with great valour fought against the Saxons but his Nobles dissenting and warring among themselves did much endamage his very hopeful undertakings And by the All disposing hand of Providence so great a dearth befell that Herbs and Roots were the Commons chiefest sustenance Mortality and Pestilence likewise raging so sore and so suddenly that people in their eating drinking walking and speaking were surprised by death and in such numbers that the living were scarce sufficient to bury the dead Which calamities lasted no less than Eleven years whereby the Land became desolate insomuch that the King and many of his British Peers were forced to seek and eat their bread in forain parts But the destroying Angel by Gods appointment having sheathed his devouring Sword Cadwallador was minded to have returned into his native Country with some aids which he had procured of his Cousin Alan King of Little-Britain but was forbid by an Angel as he thought and commanded to go to Rome and there take upon him the habit of Religion which accordingly he did and dyed at Rome where in St. Peters Church he was buried being the last King of the Britains blood about A. D. 689. The most powerful Kings of the Saxon Heptarchy were HEngist HENGIST A.D. 455. who about the 5th year after his arrival in Britain began his Kingdom in Kent He as all the Saxon Kings beside doth derive his original from Prince Woden and his Wife Fria by Wechta the eldest of their Seven Sons being the fifth in Issue from them His Brother Horsa was slain in Battel by the Britains According to some himself dyed in peace others say that he was slain when he had reigned Thirty four years ELla the first King of the South Saxons ELLA A.D. 479. in the Twenty third year of Hengist's Reign brought a fresh supply of Germans to he relief of his Countreymen who landing at Shoreham in Sussex vanquished the Britains in those parts after which he assumed the name of King of that Province CHerdick the first King of the West Saxons CHERDICK A. D. 485. arrived in the Western parts of this Island in the Seventh year of Ella's reign where in his first Battel with the Britains he slew a mighty King of theirs named Natanleod or Nazaleod This Battel was fought in Hampshire near unto a Brook of Water which from Cherdick began to be called Cherdick-ford where now a Town of the same name standeth but by contraction called Charford KENRICK KEnrick the 2d King of the West Saxons inlarged his confines upon the territories of the Britains giving them two great overthrows the one at Searbury in Wiltshire the other at Banbury in Oxfordshire CHELWIN A.D. 560. CHelwin or Cheuline the Son of Kenrick and 3d King of the West Saxons overcame the Britains in many fights also set himself to inlarge his own Territories upon his Countrey-mens For entring Kent in a set Battel he defeated that Kings forces He surprized the Cities of Glocester Bath and Cyrencester slew Three of the British Kings named Coinmagil Candidan and Farimnagil But grown proud through his many victories he tyrannized over his own Subjects which moved them to take part with the Britains against him and at Wodnesbeath now Wansditch in Wiltshire they vanquished and put him to flight forcing him into Banishment in which he dyed EThelbert the 5th King of Kent ETHELBERT A.D. 561. was Married to Berta the Daughter of Chilperick King of France on these conditions That the Lady should enjoy the profession of her Christian Faith and the conversation of Luidhard her learned Bishop About this time it chanced that Gregory the Great then Arch-Deacon of Rome saw certain youths of this Island of Britain brought to Rome to be sold concerning whom he enquired first of what Nation they were and being answered that they were Angles Gregory replied and not without cause are they so named indeed their resemblance is so Angelical and fit it is that they be made inheriters with the Angels in Heaven But of what Province are they in Britain said he and being answered of Deira now great pitty it is said he but that these people should be taken from Deiâ—ira the wrath of God And being told that their Kings Name was Ella he by way of allusion said That Alelujah to the praise of God should shortly be sung in that Princes Dominions to which end when he had attained to be Bishop of Rome he sent Augustin a Monk with Fourty others his assistants which landed in Thanet about A. D. 596 finding at their coming Seven Bishops in the British Churches These Roman Christians sent by Gregory were by King Ethelbert freely permitted to Preach the Gospel and in his chief City of Canterbury he allowed them fit places of residence and to Augustine resigned his own Palace In this City Austin laid the foundation of that great Church dedicated to the name and service of Christ Augustine the Monk and Laurentius A. Bps. of Canterbury And also at his cost built a most fair Monastery wherein
note and gain'd an exceeding rich booty both of gold and silver then seized on their great Navy And now VVilliam the Norman being well furnished with a vast Fleet of Ships well man'd store of money drawn from his people the Pope's Benediction who had sent him a consecrated Banner an Agnus Dei and one of the hairs of St. Peter with a curse to all that should oppose him Thus prepared the Duke arrived at Pevensey in Sussex Sep. 28 where when he came to Land his foot chanced to slip and he fell into the mud and all mired his hands which accident was presently construed for a lucky prefage For now said a Captain O Duke thou hast taken possession and holdest of that Land in thine hand whereof shortly thou shalt become King But the Duke thus landed he set fire on his Fleet thereby to cut off all occasion or hope from his men of returning And from Pevensey he marched to Hastings divulging as he went the causes of his coming which was for the obtaining of his Kingdom it being as he said his by donation from Edward giving withal a severe charge to his soldiers not to wrong any of their persons who in a short time after were to become his subjects To Harold he sent his Messenger demanding the Kingdom and Harold's subjection But Harold returned him this answer by the same Messenger That unless he forthwith departed the land he would make him sensible of the strokes of his just displeasure And with a brave and undaunted mind the valiant Harold advanced his Forces into Sussex pitching his Camp within seven miles of his Enemy When the Armies were come near together and ready to engage the Norman Duke to save the effusion of Christian blood as he said sent a Monk as a Mediator for peace with offers to Harold of these conditions Either wholly to resign the Kingdom to him or in sight of the Armies to try the quarrel with him in single combat or to stand to the arbitrement of the Pope To whom Harold answered That it should the next day be tryed with more swords than one The next day was the Fourteenth of October which Harold ever accounted fortunate because his birth-day and with hopeful affurance desired greatly the approach of the same His Soldiers likewise too confident of victory Stigand A.B. Cant. spent the night in revellings The morning being come they both marshalled their battels The Kentish-men Harold placed with their heavy Axes or Halberts in the van for by ancient custom they had the Front belonging to them Then the battels joined both parts bravely fighting but the Norman perceiving that by true valour he could not vanquish the English betook himself to a stratagem commanding his men to retreat yet withal to keep in good order which the English seeing supposed that they had fled and thereupon pursued their enemy so rashly that they put themselves into disorder Which opportunity William took hold of so that facing about and charging them fiercely when disranked he made a great slaughter of the English Yet would not any of the remaining English flye the field but manfully fought it out till such time that Harold wounded into the brains with an arrow through the left eye fell down dead With Harold dyed his brethren Gyrth and Leoswinc with most of the English Nobility And of the Soldiers were slain Sixty seven thousand nine hundred seventy and four some say an Hundred thousand The Conqueror had three Horses slain under him yet lost not a drop of blood by the enemy He won this battel with the loss only of 6013 men It was fought in Sussex seven miles from Hastings upon Saturday the 14th of October A. D. 1066. The English after this loss had designed to have made Edgar Atheling King and to have took the field again against the Conqueror but the Earls of York-shire and Cheshire Edwin and Morcar the Queens Brothers plotting secretly to get the Crown to themselves hinder'd the design The Body of King Harold dispoiled of his Ornaments and by a base Soldier mangl'd and hack'd in the leg for which the Conqueror cashiered him for ever after much search was found among the dead bodies and by the English Nobles conveyed to Waltham in Essex where it was solemnly and royally interred A little before the fight a dreadful Comet appeared Tosto Earl of Northumberland in spight to his brother Harold slew all Harolds servants and cutting them piece-meal salted some of their limbs and cast the rest into Vessels of Meath and Wine sending his brother word that he had furnished him with powder'd meat against his return home This he did at Horolds house when he was absent NORMANS William the Conqueror WIlliam the Conqueror A. D. 1066. was the base Son of Robert Duke of Normandy His Mother Arlotte a Skinners Daughter when she was great with him dreamed that her bowels were extended and dilated all over Normandy and Britain And as soon as he was born being laid on the Chamber-floor with both his hands he took up Rushes and held them fast therein which things were taken for presages of his future greatness He began his Reign October 14 A. D. 1066 and was Crowned December 25 on the same year by Aldred Arch-Bishop of York the English Bishops and Barons swearing Allegiance to him and himself taking a solemn Oath to defend the rights of the Church to establish good Laws and to see justice uprightly administred After which he applied himself to secure his new-obtained Kingdom and the better to assure the South of the Land he took his way towards Dover that so he might command the Seas from Enemies arrivage and over-awe the Kentish a most strong and populous Province But Stigand Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Eglesire Abbot of St. Augustines hearing of his coming they assembled the commons of Kent to oppose him who about Swancomb kept themselves secret in the Woods waiting the coming of the Conqueror All joyntly agreeing because no way lay open save only a Front to carry in their hands great branches of Trees wherewith they might keep themselves both from discovery and if need were impede the passage of the Normans Which said device took so strange effect that it daunted King William even with the sight who being as he thought free from the enemy was now on the sudden beset on all sides with Woods some of which he saw to move and the rest for ought he knew were of the like nature At length to put him out of all doubt the Kentish men inclosing his Army about displayed their Banners cast down their Boughs and with Bows bent were prepared for Battel At which sight the Conqueror stood amazed To whom Stigand and Eglesine presented themselves and in behalf of the Kentish men thus spake Most noble Duke behold here the Commons of Kent are come forth to meet and receive you as their Sovereign requiring your Peace their own free condition of Estate and
VVarwick fled into France thinking to take sanctuary at Callis but there the Lord Vawclear whom VVarwick had substituted his Deputy denied them admittance bidding them defiance with his great Guns for which good service King Edward mad Vawâ—leaâ— himself Governour of Callis But though these Lords were rejected here yet were they with great respect received at the â—rench Court K. Lewis furnishing them with aids which effected they set sail and landed at Dartmouth from whence Warwick marched towards London proclaiming Henry King and commanding all from sixteen to sixty upon a great penalty to take arms against the Usurper Edward Duke of York And incredible it was to see the confluence of them which came armed to him who a little before applauded and approved none but King Edward The Bastard Fawconbridg in the West and the Earl of Pembroke in Wales every-where proclaimed King Henry also And the Lord Montacute who having mustered 6000 men in the name of King Edward and brought them forward almost to Nottingham drew them back again alledging King Edward's ungratefulness to his friends Every one cryed now A King Henry a King Henry a Warwick a Warwick and indeed all so applauded the passage now on foot that King Edward was forced to flye beyond the seas His Queen Elizabeth stole out of the Tower and took sanctuary in Westminster where on the 4th of November she was delivered of a son which without all pomp was there also baptized by the name of Edward Other Sanctuaries were also full of Edwards Friends And now the Kentish men took the opportunity to rob spoil and do much harm about London and some in London it self and more would have done had not the Earl of Warwick come in to the rescue which encreased his name that was great enough before On October 6 the said Earl entred the Tower wherein King Henry had been detained prisoner almost the space of 9 years whom he released and restored to him the title of King and forthwith conveyed him through London to the Bishops palace where a pompous Court was kept till the 13 of the same month on which day Henry went Crowned to St. Pauls the Earl of Warwick bearing his Train and Earl of Oxford the Sword the people crying God save King Henry November 26 following a certain Parliament was begun at Westminster wherein K. Edward was declared a Traytor to his Country an Usurper of the Crown and had all his goods confiscate the like judgment passed against his adherents John Tiptoft Earl of Worcester was beheaded All the Statutes made by K. Edward were revoked The Crowns of England and France entailed to K. Henry and his Heirs Male and for want of such unto George Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick was made Governour of the Land in those turbulent times But K. Edward having received some aids from the Duke of Burgundy and the promises of more in England landed at Ravenspur in Yorkshire At his first arrival he seemed to lay aside his claim to the Crown pretending only to his rights as a private person howbeit when he had possest himself of York and got his friends about him he then marched in an hostile manner till he came near to the City of Warwick where his Brother Clarence brought in to his assistance 4000 men And Clarence reconciled to K. Edward sought to draw in Warwick to which end he sent messengers to him to the Town of Warwick where he then lay but Warwick bade the Messengers go tell the Duke from him That he had rather be an Earl and always like himself than a perjured Duke and that ere his Oath should be falsified as the Dukes apparently was he would lay down his life at his enemies foot which he doubted not should be bought very dear This stout resolution made Edward more wary therefore he hastens forward to obtain London whither when he was come the Citizens set open their Gates to him And now peaceable Henry becomes Prisoner again to K. Edward who hearing of Warwicks advance towards London draws forth his forces to meet him taking Henry along with him and upon Gladmore neer Barnet on Easterday in the morning the Kings and Earls hosts joyned Battel the best of the day for a while being Warwicks but at length through the fogginess and darkness of the Air the Stars embroidered on the Earl of Oxfords mens Coats who were in the left wing of the Battel were mistaken for the Sun which K. Edwards men wore in which error VVarwicks Battalion le ts fly at their own fellows that were in great forwardness of gaining the victory and they not knowing the cause of the errour judged themselves betrayed whereupon the Earl of Oxford with 800 men quit the Field Which great VVarwick perceiving he couragiously animated his men and furiously rushed into the midst of his enemies battel so far that he could not be rescued where valiantly fighting he was slain Marquis Montacute making forward to relieve him was also slain whereby ended that bloody days task On King Edward's part died the Lord Cromwel Lord Bourchier Lord Barnes and Sir John Lisle On the other part the Earl of Warwick and his brother John Nevil Marquis Montacute On both sides ten thousand most of which were buried upon the same plain where afterwards a Chappel was built In this same year 1471 and within few weeks after this was a battel fought at Tewksbury betwixt King Edward and the Martial Queen Margaret the defeat hapning to the Queen On whose side were slain John Lord Sommerset John Courtney Earl of Devonshire Sir John Delves Sir Edward Hampden Sir Robert Whittingham and Sir John Lewkner with three hundred others Amongst them that fled Prince Edward King Henries son was one him Sir Richard Crofts apprehended and presented him to the King whom the King a while beheld with austere countenance at last demanded of him How he durst with Banner display'd so presumptuously disturb his Realm To which the Prince answered That what he did was to recover his Fathers Kingdomes and his most rightful inheritance How darest thou then added the Prince which art his subject display thy Colours against him thy Liege-Lord Which answer so moved King Edward that he dashed the Prince on the mouth with his Gantlet and Richard Duke of Glocester with some of the Kings servants most shamefully murdred him at the Kings feet His body was buried in the Monastery of the black Friars at Tewksbury Edmond Duke of Sommerset the Pryor of St. Johns with many Knights and Esquires were taken forth of Sanctuary and executed at Tewksbury Queen Margaret in this fatal day of battel took into a religious house from whence she was taken and committed to sure and strait keeping in which condition she remained till such time that she was ransomed by her Father Duke Renate May 20 King Edward entred London and in few days after the Crookback'd Duke of Glocester stabbed harmless King Henry to the heart Whose
head Howbeit the Traytor Banister did not only lose his promised reward but also received just punishments from Heaven for his eldest son fell mad and so died in a Hogstie his second son became deformed and lame in his limbs his third son was drowned in a small puddle of water his eldest daughter was struck with a foul Leprosie and himself being of extream age was found guilty of murder but saved by his Clergy Divers of the Earl of Richmond's party were put to death and so jealous was the King now of his ill-gotten greatness that he stored the Sea-coasts with armies of men furnished the Ports with store of munition and made all things ready to prevent Earl Henry's arrival caused a Parliament to be assembled at Westminster wherein the said Earl and all such as had fled the Land in his behalf were attainted and were made enemies to their native Country their Goods confiscate their Lands and possessions condemned to the Kings use Moreover the Usurper sent his Agents laden with Gold and many gay promises to the Duke of Britain offering what not if he would either send Earl Henry into England or commit him there into Prison but the Duke himself lying extream sick his Treasurer Peter Landose corrupted with Gold had betrayed the Earl into Richard's hands had not the Earl had timely notice of it and prevented it by a speedy escape unto the French-Court where he received great favours Dr. Richard Fox then a Student in Paris was eminently serviceable to the Earl in that Nation And the Duke of Britain when he understood the treachery of Landose was highly displeased and continued a favourer of the Earl and his Cause But all these things with many more were against K. Richard which he very well foresaw though he knew not well how to remedy yet that he might make his Title and interest as good as he could he devised to marry with his Neece the Princess Elizabeth but his Queen Anne stood in his way to this for the present though not long for she fell into the remorseless hands of death but whether a natural or violent is not well known After which Richard courts the Lady Elizabeth his own Brothers daughter though in vain for she detested him Howbeit when Henry heard of Richards attempts herein and not knowing what time through flattery and perswasions from some persons might do upon the young Princess her good nature he hastned for England setting sail from Harfleet with about 200 men August 15 and arrived at Milford-Haven the seventh day following from vvhence he advanced tovvards Shrewsbury On his way to which place there met him Sir Rice ap Thomas a man of great command in VVales with a great body of men to side in his quarrel which Earl Henry afterwards requited by making this his first Alder Governour of VVales From Shrewsbury the Earl marched to Newport where Sir Gilbert Talbot met him with two thousand men from the Earl of Shrewsbury Thence he passed to Litchfield where he was honourably received But when the Usurper understood that the Earl daily increased in strengths and that he was advanced so far without any opposition from his Court at Nottingham he set forth his Host to meet the Earl which he did near unto Market-Bosworth in Leicestershire His Vant-guard he disposed of a marvellous length to strike the more terror into the hearts of his foes the leading whereof was committed to John Duke of Norfolk His own Battalion was furnished with the best approved men of War When he had ordered his army for fight he animated his followers to behave themselves valiantly alledging to them that it was against a company of Runnagates Thieves Outlaws Traytors beggarly Britains and faint-hearted French-men that they were to fight who would oppress and spoil them of their Lands Wives and Children that these their enemies were such Cowards that they would fly faster from them than the silly Hart before the Hound that the Earl of Richmond Captain of the rebellion was but a Welsh Milk-sop For their love to him their Prince their zeal to their native Country he wished them that day to shew their English valour assuring them that for his part he would either triumph in a glorious victory or die in the quarrel with immortal fame Now S. George for us and us for victory saith he Haste therefore forward and remember this that I am he that with high advancement will prefer the valiant and hardy and with severe torture will punish the dastard and cowardly run-away The Earl of Richmond's forefront was commanded by the Earl of Oxford the right wing by Sir Gilbert Talbot the left by Sir John Savage the main Battel by the Earl himself and his Uncle Jasper When the Earl had ordered his small Host consisting of about 5000 men he rode from rank to rank and wing to wing encouraging his followers to fight alledging the justness of their quarrel which God would bless assuring them that for so good a cause as to free the Land of a Monster a Tyrant a Murderer he would that day rather become a dead carrion upon the ground than a Carpet-prisoner kept alive for reproach Advance therefore forward saith he like true-hearted English-men display your Banner in defence of your Country get the day and be Conquerors lose the day and be villains God and St. George give us a happy success Then immediately a fierce Battel commenced and was manfully continued on either part At length the King having intelligence that Earl Henry was but slenderly accompanied with men of Arms he therefore with his Spear in the Rest ran violently towards the Earl in which rage at the first brunt he bare down and overthrew the Earls Standard slew Sir William Brandon the bearer thereof next encountred Sir John Cheiny whom he threw to the ground thereby making an open passage to the Earl himself In which very instant when the Earl was like to be distressed the Lord Stanley sent in aids of fresh Soldiers under the leading of Sir William Stanley which were raised as he pretended for Richard but intended them when he should see his time for Richmond's service These entred the fight with such courage that they put the Usurpers forces to flight when the Usurper closing his Helmet said to such that brought him a swift horse for his escape This day shall finish all Battels or else I will finish my life So thrusting into the throng of his enemies he manfully fighting died in the place A. D. 1485 Aug. 22. There died with him that day the Duke of Norfolk the Lord Ferrers of Chartley Sir Richard Ratcliff Sir Robert Brakenbury The number of both parts slain in the field were 4000 Sir William Catesby with two other persons of quality were taken and two days after were beheaded at Leicester Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey the Duke of Norfolks son and heir being then also taken prisoner the Earl of Richmond demanded of him how he
Northumberland Marquess of Winchester c. Upon the receipt of the Letters the Queen removed from Keningal to Fremingham-Castle unto whom the Suffolk-men first resorted offering their service with condition that they might still embrace the Gospel in the same manner that King Edward had established it To which she then condescended though afterward being petitioned to perform her promise herein she both punished the Writer and answered that they should one day well know that they being but members should not direct her their head July the twelfth the Earl of Oxford and other Lords came in to the Queens assistance and proclaimed her at Norwich and July the fourteenth the Duke of Northumberland with an Army set forth off London towards Norwich but few or none of the people bade this ambitious Duke God-speed which himself took notice of as he marched out of London with his Army But whilst Northumberland was on his way the Lord Windsor and other Gentlemen raised the Commons of Buckingham-shire for Queen Mary so Sir John Williams and Sir Leonard Chamberlain of Oxford-shire and Sir Thomas Tresham in Northampton-shire And at London the Tide turned and Queen Mary was there proclaimed and many of the Lords deserted the Duke insomuch that the Duke himself thinking it the easiest to swim with the stream even fairly in the Market-place at Cambridge proclaimed Mary Queen of England throwing up his Cap in token of joy The way thus made free Queen Mary repaired to London and there set at liberty Edmond Bonner imprisoned in her brothers time restoring him to the See of London which Dr. Ridley had possessed and made him a prisoner Other Protestant Bishops she removed placing Papists in their steads Doctor Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury she committed to the Tower and Stephen Gardner she made Lord Chancellor And to assure her estate the better the Duke of Northumberland was Arraigned and condemned and brought upon the Scaffold on Tower-hill to suffer death Where this Duke having promise of life if he would recant the reformed Religion did so and withall exhorted the people to follow the Romish way though when he had so done the executioner made him shorter by the head with him suffered Sir John Gates and Sir Thomas Palmer August 22. A few days after which the Queen was Crowned at Westminster by Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester And October 18th began a Parliament wherein that Act was repealed which was made in Edward the 6th's time intituled An Act for the uniformity of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments Then came all the Popish trinkets into fashion again the Mass-Book Crucifixes Agnus Dei's Reliques with all the Idols and Abominations And the temporising Priests were forced to forgoe their Wives though not to live honestly For as Mr. Heywood merrily said to the Queen concerning these men when she told him that the Priests must no longer have their Wives Your grace then must allow them Lemmons for the Clergy cannot live without sawce A. D. 1553 was the Lady Jane Grey and her Husband Arraigned and condemned at the Guild-hall in London and February 12th her Husband Gilford Dudley 4th son to the Duke of Northumberland was had to the Tower-hill where with prayers and great signs of repentance he ended his life Whose body all bloody laid in a Cart together with the head wrapt in a cloth was brought into the Châ—ppel of the Tower even in the sight of this sorrowful Lady his Wife who was now to mount the Scaffold raised upon the Green within the â—ower whither being ascended she with a cheerful countenance spake unto the spectators declaring that her offence was only in consenting unto others That she never sought that greatness Then desired the people to bear her witness that she died a true Christian woman and looked to be saved by no other means but only by the mercy of God in the blood of Christ Jesus his only son confessed that when she did know the word of God she neglected it and loved the world and her self and that therefore this plague and punishment justly hapned to her for her sins Lastly desired the people to pray for her whilst she lived Then kneeling down said in English the 51 Psalm which done she stood up and gave her Book to Mr. Bridges Lieutenant of the Tower then by the help of her two Gentlewomen made her self ready for the Block and commending her spirit into the hands of the Lord Jesus her head was severed from the body Thus ended the life of this most ingenious and vertuous Lady ruined by the Ambition of her own especially Husbands Father On the 23 of the same month her Father Henry Duke of Suffolk for a second offence the promoting an insurrection to hinder the Queens marriage with Philip of Spain was beheaded on the Tower-hill And A. D. 1554 April 23 was his Brother the Lord Thomas Grey beheaded in the same place Against this foresaid match with Spain many combinations were made and many persons in divers places of the Realm were up in Arms. And amongst the rest Sir Thomas Wiat with the Kentishmen against whom the Duke of Nurfolk was sent but many of his followers forsook him and joyned with Wiat. Then Wiat advanced to Dartford and from thence to Deepford by Greenwich at whose approach so nigh the City the fears were there so great that the Lord Mayor Aldermen and most of the Citizens were in armour and the Serjeants and Lawyers in Westminster in the Hillary-Term pleading their Causes in harness The Queen to make the City sure on her side came unto the Guild-hall where she made an Oration to the Citizens therein acquainting them That though the Rebels pretence was to resist the marriage with Spain yet that their intention was against her Religion That they arrogantly demanded the possession of her person the keeping of the Tower the placing and displacing of her Councellors She also therein alledged her right to the Crown professed her intire love and affection to her subjects promised them in the word of a Queen that if it should not probably appear before the Nobility and Commons in Parliament that her designed marriage with Prince Philip would be for the profit of the Nation she would abstain from it Wherefore saith she good Subjects pluck up your hearts and like true men stand fast with your lawful Prince against these Rebels both Ours and Yours and fear them not for I assure you I do not Against these Rebels the Earl of Pembroke was made General and a hundred pound lands by the year was promised to be given to him and his Heirs for ever that should bring Wiat either alive or dead Howbeit Wiat with fourteen Ensigns and about five thousand men advanced to Southwark where he made Proclamation That no Souldier should take any thing without due payment Southwark he fortified planting divers great Guns therein And London was fortified against him and the draw-bridge cut down Wherefore when Wiat perceived
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
or Military power But the General 's Speech was not well liked of by Mr. Tho. Scot and some other of the Members And the City of London with whom they thought his Excellency too gracious gave them greater cause of discontent for the Common Council was now resolved to pay no more Taxes till such time that the House was filled up with equal Representatives Hereupon the Junto resolved to punish the City and to make the General instrument in it ordering him to seize upon eleven of the most active of the Common-Council and commit them to the Tower and also to pull down and break the Posts Chains Gates and Portcullices of the City which he put in execution accordingly on February the ninth though not with any pleasure to himself but of necessity that so the House might not take any occasion from his disputing their commands to vacate his Commission and put him out of capacity to accomplish the blessed end he designed Howbeit this action of the Generals did exceedingly amuse the loyal-hearted Citizens and other good Subjects and made them almost quite to give over the good hopes they had formerly had of him But his Excellency to put them out of all doubt concerning his intentions bravely resolved to put an end to the Junto's power And in order thereto the very next morning he sent a Letter to the House therein complaining that they gave too much countenance to Lambert Vane and several others that engaged with the late Committee of Safety that they had too much favoured a Petition lately delivered by one Praise God Barebone and other Fanaticks and then concludes with a prefixed day before which they should issue out Writs for a New Parliament that so they might terminate their sitting and come to a dissolution The Junto receiving the Generals Letter dissemble their resentment of it and order him the Thanks of the House for his faithful service in securing the City yet the very same day that they might limit his power they past an Act for the Government of the Army by five Commissioners he to be one of them the other their own Creatures The General hearing hereof with all convenient speed drew his Army together and marched to Westminster where he gave the Secluded Members re-admission into the Parlia-House February the 21 to the great grief of the Rump-Parliament for so the Junto was now called in scorn and contempt and to the exceeding joy both of City and Country And now the Parliament vote General Monk to be Captain General of all the Forces in the three Nations constitute a new Council of State set at liberty Sir George Booth and such of his party as were Prisoners also all such as had been imprisoned for petitioning for a Free Parliament caused the Rump Militia consisting most of Sectaries to be disbanded made such Acts as might the best conduce to the settlement of the Nation as for the taking away all places of trust and power out of the hands of the Sectarian party also voted a Full and Free Parliament to be chosen and to sit at Westminster April the 25th This Parliament was called Free yet as in all the Protectors Parliaments no Loyalist that had been in actual Arms for the King was capable of being elected for a Parliament-man March 17 the Long Parliament dissolved themselves leaving a Council of State to govern till the next Parliament should assemble But in the interim that the Parliament was busied for the recovering the peace and freedom of the Nation some malecontents were very active for sowing the seeds of division in the Army especially in that part which had been for the Committee of Safety yet by the care and prudence of General Monk who displaced most of the Fanatick Officers their designs were frustrated Lambert after the dissolution of the Parliament attempted to involve the Nation again in a Civil War but Col. Richard Ingoldsby dispersed his small force and took him prisoner A.D. 1660 Apr. 20 the Free Parliament assembled at Westminster on May 1. voted That according to the ancient and fundamental Laws of this Kingdom Charles the II. is the lawful and undoubtful King of these Nations Transcendent was the joy all over England which issued from this good news His Majesty from his Court then at Breda had sent his Letters to both Houses of Parliament to General Monk and to the City to Admiral Montague and the Officers of the Fleet with also a Declaration to all his loving Subjects the substance whereof was That he did grant a free and general pardon to all his Subjects that should within forty days lay hold upon his grace and favour excepting such persons as should be excepted by Parliament That he would shew all possible Indulgement to tender Consciences And such as differ in matter of Religion so they did not disturb the peace of the Kingdom that he would preserve them free from injury in their lives and estates and that all things relating to sales and purchases for there had been more lands bought and sold in the late usurping times than what the right owners loyal Subjects had consented to should be determined in Parliament That he would take care for the full satisfaction of the arrears of the Soldiery under the command of General Monk and that they should be received into his service upon as good pay and conditions as at that present they enjoyed The Parliament considering that his Majesty had for many years been deprived of his Revenues and therefore could not but be in want of money they therefore ordered that the sum of 5000 l. should be sent him for a present 10000 l. to the Duke of York and 5000 l. to the Duke of Gloucester The City of London likewise to testifie their gratitude to his Majesty sent him 10000 l. and to his two Brothers a 1000 l. apiece and 300 l. they presented to the Lord Mordant and Sir John Greenvil who brought them his Majesties Letters to buy each of them a Ring and the Parliament for the same reason gave 500 l. to Sir John Greenvil to purchase a Jewel May 8. by order of Parliament Charles the II. was at London with very great solemnity proclaimed The most Potent Mighty and undoubted King of England Scotland c. at which time the Acclamations of the people were wonderful great and their joys such that they could not find ways to express them May 22. his Excellency G. Monk set forth of London in order to meet his Majesty and May 23. his Majesty with his Brothers set sail for England from the Hague and on Friday landed at Dover where the loyal General received the King About 2 miles from Dover his Majesty forsook his Coach and took Horse his Brothers riding on his right hand and the General on his left after whom the Duke of Buckingham and many other Noblemen Gentlemen followed in gallant Equipage For the excellent service that G. M. had done for the King and