contrary to the Articles of Peace and 2 The contumelious Language used by King Phillip concerning his Person WILLIAM II. SUrnamed Rufus or the Red during his 12 Years and about 8 Months Reign had no Wars with France neither do we read of any just cause given to engage him thereto but he unjustly invaded Normandy then subject to his Brother Robert and disposest him of the County of Owe many Castles and some Monasteries but was in the mean time by divine Justice assaulted by his younger Brother Henry in his own Dominions and it had like to have cost him his Life for he was bore down in fight from his Horse by a valiant Knight who taking his Sword for to kill him was stop'd by the Kings crying out Hold thy hand Knave I am the King of England which words so struck the Knight with Reverence that he mounted him on another Horse and the King to recompence his Valour and Submission swore by St. Luke's Face he should be his Knight and be written in his White Book He was accidentally killed by Sir Walter Tyrell as he was Hunting in the New Forrest Anno 1100. buried at Winchester and died unlamented HENRY I. WHo for his learning was called Beauclerke was youngest Son to William the Conqueror he passing over into Normandy made War against the Earl of Anjou who kept Main against his will and this engaged Lewis the French King to take part with the latter whereupon ensued many sore Battles both in France and Normandy between them with various success at length taking Anjou's Daughter for Wife to his Son William Peace was concluded But it will not be amiss to give the Reader a tast of the high Spirit and Resolution of this King in a personal quarrel he had in France In his fathers life time he accompanying his eldest Brother Robert into that Kingdom while the latter associated himself with the then French King Henry according to the suitableness of their years took up with the company and divertisements of the Dauphine and being one Evening at Chess together the Dauphine happened to lose a considerable summ of Money to the Prince at that Game whereat the former grew so enraged that after some reproachful Language he struck the Prince who not brooking the high affront with the Chess-board knocks the Dauphine fairly down to the ground and being intent to pursue his Revenge his Brother Robert fortunately came in and minding him of the danger away they both fled and with great hast and difficulty recovered the next part of Normandy before their pursuers could reach them This King made his Exit as his Father before him in Normandy in the Year 1135. after he had reigned 35 Years and 4 Months The cause of this War we have before assigned to wit the King of France's taking part with Anjou against Henry STEVEN KIng of England was Son to Adella a Daughter of William the Conqueror and Nephew to the two last Kings he laid claim to the Kingdom of England in the year 1135 notwithstanding his Oath to Mawd the Empress and Daughter to Henry the First to the contrary wherefore without looking abroad into France for any Wars his whole Reign which was Eighteen Years and about ten Months was in a manner taken up in intestine Broils and Contests about his right to the English Crown wherein he was stiffly opposed by several Nobles and by the said Empress Mawd and her Son Henry afterwards Henry the 2d whom she bare to Geoffrey Plantagenet Earl of Anjou and Duke of Normandy from whence sprang the Noble Family of the Plantagenets that so long governed England he was once made Prisoner at Bristol and at last notwithstanding he had Children of his own was forced to adopt Henry for his Son and Heir and the Nobles sware fealty to him accordingly HENRY II. SOn of Mawd and Geoffrey Plantagenet as aforesaid at the Age of Three and Twenty Years and even in the life time of his Mother under whom he claimed began his Reign over England in the Year 1154. This Prince notwithstanding his Domestick Troubles and famous Atchievements against the Welch and his conquest of a great part of the Kingdom of Ireland so as he was the first of our English Kings that was stiled the Lord of that Country yet found opportunity to make War in France upon several occasions the Allyance he had made with the French Court by the Marriage of his Son Henry to King Lewis his Daughter Margaret proving rather an incitative to Contention and Discord then a bond of Peace and Amity The famous city of Tholouse was chiefly the seat of this War which was once and again bravely Assaulted by King Henry and as vigorously defended by Lewis In his first Expedition against this Place he was accompanied with Malcolm King of Scots a Welch King and with others of highest Rank and Dignity in England Normandy Aquitain Anjou and Gascoigny during his second expedition in France the Earls of Bulloign and Flanders with 600 sail of Ships attempted to make a Descent into England but their undertaking proved frustrate and abortive through the vigilance Courage and Prudence of Richard Lacy who then Governed England This King is famous or rather infamous in History for the many base Children he had being no less then 19 in Number for his fair Concubine Rosamond for whom he built that celebrated Labyrinth at Woodstock the recesses whereof could not be penetrated into but by insuperable jealousie the Queen as it was said by the help of a clew of Thread finding of her out at last and so used her that she lived not long after and no less to be mentioned for the troubles he met with from that proud Prelate Thomas a Becket to whose shire after his Murder much blind Devotion has been paid even by the greatest Potentates Tho his Son Henry who was crowned King in his life time and dyed before him gave him much disturbance yet when he found after his death that others and particularly his Son John conspired against him he was so strucken with grief that cursing his Son and the day of his own Birth he died July 6. 1189. Aged 61 having reigned 34 Years and almost seven Months The causes of the War were That King Lewis did incite the Prince his Son against the laws of Nature to oppose Henry his Father in the war time Lewis had promis'd upon the word of a King to meet him in order to a Treaty but he failed for his own Advantage whereupon Henry being sensible of the Fraud sought him out with his Army and made him give ground thereupon another interview being appointed betwixt Terwyn and Arras Histories relate that as the two Kings were busie in Conference there fell a clap of Thunder between them and meeting the next day the like accident happen'd which struck a Consternation in both Armies and inclined the Kings the more to an accommodation RICHARD I. WHo for his Valour was
〈◊〉 takes care to have sufficient Treasure for such an undertaking and therefore in a Parliamentary way raised a vast Summ of Money and so provides an Army and Fleet of Ships suitable to such an Expedition the Army rendevouz'd at Portsmouth the command whereof he gave to his Nephew John de Brytain Earl of Richmond with whom he joined in Commission John St. John and Robert Tripot two prudent Knights from whence they set Sail and Landed at St. Matthews in Bretaign and in the mean time set out three Fleets for the guard of the Seas and to prevent the Depredations of the Enemy they entred the Mouth of the Garonne towards Burdeaux and took two good walled Towns Burgo and Bleya from whence they marched to Lyons and had the town delivered to them about four years after he generously goes over in Person into Flanders for the relief of Guy Earl of that Country who was grievously assaulted by the French King and after many Noble atchievments performed a Peace was concluded Edward taking to Wife Margaret sister to Phillip the fair then King of France This King dyed in 1307 when he had reigned 34 Years 7 Months and odd days Aged 68 and was buried at Westminster 1. One cause of this Breach with France was the Depredations that were committed at Sea 2. The Relief of Guy Earl of Flanders who was in danger of losing his Country EDWARD II. COmmonly called Edward of Caernarvan the first Prince of England that bore in his Fathers life time the Title of Prince of Wales proved an unworthy Successor to so brave a Father for he was a dissolute Prince and wholly guided by his favourites the first whereof was Pierce Gaveston who was bred up with him and on whom he conferred two and thirty Towns and as many Castles in Gascoigny besides great Summs of Money out of the Earldom of Cornwall during his life which together with his arrogance the Barons being not able to brook combined to force the King to banish him and so little did this Prince understand his true interest herein that instead of parting with such a pernicious Man and thereby securing his Interest at Home and taking measures for the same in France and elsewhere he intended to give up Gascoigny to the French King Scotland to Robert Bruce and Ireland and Wales to others as hoping thereby to obtain such aid as might secure him his favourite against all the just attempts of his Barons to the Contrary but no sooner was this Man removed but he had two others the Spencers Father and Son that were as pernicious as he and proved more fatal to Edward every way for though they received at length condign Punishment yet it was through their advice chiefly that Edward refused to go to the French King to do Homage for Aquitain and other lands he held of him and thereby lost Anjou and the Country of Poictiers and 't was his adherence to them that raised his Barons and Queen against him which ended in a sad Catastrophe first in his being deposed next in making a formal Resignation of the Crown and lastly in being soon after barbarously Murdered at Berkley Castle by the procurement of Roger Mortimer Earl of March the Queens favourite He reigned 19 Years 6 Months and odd days and died in 1327. EDWARD III. COmmonly called Edward of Windsor the eldest Son of Edward the Second succeeded his Father upon his Resignation of the Crown being then about the Age of 14 his Reign commencing from the 25 of January in the year of our Lord 1326. he proved a blessing to England and was a Prince of great Wisdom and very successful in his enterprises the younger part of his Reign was much ecclipsed by Roger Mortimer Earl of March the Queen his Mothers paramour but he got quickly rid of him for he was seised at Notingham by the Kings order and concurrence just as he was going to bed to the Queen and for all the Queens crying out to him Bel Fils Bel Fils ayes pitie de gentil Mortimer i.e. Good Son Good Son take pitty upon gentle Mortimer he was forthwith carryed away to London committed to the Tower condemned by his Peers in Parliament at Westminster hanged at Elmes and left hanging upon the Gallows two â—ays and Nights and all this unheard because he had done so by others before this King made several successful expeditions into Scotland and made the King thereof do him homage but the feat of his Wars was in France for Charles King of France dying the Masculine line of Hugh Capet failed and the Crown descended to Edward the Third as he alledged in right of his Mother Isabel who was Sister to the said Charles but Phillip de Valois Uncle to Charles intruded himself by force of Arms and took Possession and was not only Aggressor in this respect but grew so confident of his power that nothing would serve him but he must have all our King had left in France and therefore bends his Force against all the King's Castles and Towns in Aquitain and Poictiers and exercises abominable cruelties upon the English Inhabitants and all this under pretence of taking revenge for his Friends the Scots The King in the mean time holds a Parliament obtains considerable supplies and writes Letters to the French King exhorting him to continue his old amity but neither this nor the Pope's Mediation for a Peace would do so King Edward makes mighty preparation both by Sea and Land and the first Action happened to be by Sea and as memorable an one as any in the records of time for he took and sunk 200 Sail of French ships which Phillip de Valois had prepared in the Haven of Sluce for the Invasion of England which Fleet like that of 88 was held invincible but King Edward had equipp'd another as formidable a Fleet in opposition whereof he was Generalissimo and Admiral himself It was one of the most glorious Victories that ever was got at Sea for the Chronicles mention that the whole French Navy perished and 30000 Men Wounded Slain and Taken This great Naval Battel was fought upon Midsummer Eve and Heaven appeared much for the English for they had Wind and Sun favourable to them in the Fight and to make it more glorious King Edward himself was wounded in the Thigh with an Arrow whereof he was quickly cured He then goes in Person to France with 8000 common Soldiers 15000 Archers but he raised most of his Horse in France he took over with him his Son the Prince of Wales then but 15 years Old called afterwards the Black Prince He enters Normandy like a Whirle-wind and carries all the Countrey before him as far as Poissy about 10 miles from Paris and after divers hot Skirmishes a main Battel is appointed The English Army encamped near a Village called Cressy where it was divided into 3 Battallions the first was led by the Prince of Wales the second by the Earls of Arundel and
so that part of King John ' s ransom is yet behind besides the Mony which was to be paid for Tournay in Henry VIII time the 500000 Crowns which Edward VI. was to have for Bolloign and those great expences which Queen Elizabeth was to have for sending her Armies to aid Henry IV. and the French Reformists two parts of three are not paid to this day but of these and other things more hereafter in their proper place THE WARS BETWEEN England and France ENGLAND exclusive of Scotland which had but very little share in the Wars we are to treat off is the greatest most Southern and best part of the Island of Great Britain heretofore called Albion and Britannia it lies together with Wales in the form of a great Triangle whereof the Southern Shoar is the base and Berwick the opposite Angle it was divided by the Romans into five parts by the Saxons into seven Kingdoms and now Wales included into fifty two Shires or Counties it s a fruitful Country full of valiant and industrious Inhabitants but in regard of its boundaries bears no proportion to France even considered in its narrowest Limits over which notwithstanding it has so often and so gloriously triumphed as will manifestly appear in the Series of the ensuing History But because the Wars with France in the time of the Saxons are very obscurely Recorded as to their Time Causes and Effects we will therefore begin with WILLIAM I. WHo was invidiously termed the Conqueror by the Monks of those times as the learned Sir William Temple has well observed though it s as true he could not claim in right of Succession himself being illegitimate and Edgar Atheline of the Saxon Blood Royal to take place before him but must therefore reign by vertue either of a compact or previous choise of the people of England the Sword which he had then in his Hand no doubt powerfully disposing of them also to such an Election he proved to be a Warlike King of England as he had been a successfull Duke of Normandy But tho he had wonderful Success in the Battle of Hastings which was fought October 14. Anno 1066. and got the day with the Slaughter of above 60000 of his English Enemies yet things did not succeed so well with him in his Kentish expedition for directing his March towards Dover with a design to reduce Kent first under his Obedience as considering this Country to be the Key of England and that what he had already done would be of little account if this were not accomplished The Kentish Men upon report hereof assembled to Archbishop Stigand at Canterbury and after serious Consultation resolved to arm and to force the Conqueror either to confirm their ancient Liberties or to die valiantly in the Field in defence of them and so under the command of the Archbishop and the Abbot Eglesine rendevouz'd at Swanescomb where it was agreed all the Passages should be stopped and that they should make use of the adjacent Woods for a covert from the discovery of the Enemy till he were fast within their Net the Duke next day expecting no such ambuscade in his March finds himself with part of his Army surrounded all of a sudden with numerous squadrons of Horse and Battalions of Foot which seemed the more surprizing to him because that every Man for a Signal as it was before agreed upon carrying a green Bough in his Hand they appeared unto him like a moving Wood wherein he was in danger quickly to lose himself Stigand approaches to the Duke tells him the occasion of such an assembly what their Demands where and what their Resolves if refused the Duke wisely considering the danger grants all their request and upon that was admitted into Rochester had the Earldom of Kent and Dover Castle yielded to him The former part of this Kings Reign as may be well imagined was taken up in making provision for his Adventurers and in subduing settling and modelling of his new English Subjects amongst whom were frequent Tumults and Insurrections occasioned mostly through the insults of the Normans that but too readily provoked them upon every occasion presuming no doubt very much upon the favour of the King their Countryman who on times shewed too much partiality in that regard 'T is true he had not been a year inthron'd before he was obliged upon some commotions there to pass over into Normandy but we do not find till about ten years after that he had any foreign Wars when passing over into Bretaign he laid Siege to the Castle of Dolence belonging to Earl Ralph which engaged Phillip King of France into the quarrel and so with a mighty Army marches against King William who finding himself hereby much streightned for Provision broke up his Siege not without loss both of Men and Horses and of some of his Baggage and hereupon ensued an accommodation but not a year after Robert the Kings eldest Son to whom upon his assuming of the English Crown he had assigned the Dukedom of Normandy in the presence of King Phillip of France because now his Father as he pretended would not suffer him to enjoy the said Dukedom in quiet went into France and being by the said King Phillip assisted with Forces committed great Ravages in Normandy burning many Towns and at length engaged with the King his Father in a Battel near the Castle of Garberie in France the King according to his usual manner charged with great Resolution and spared not to expose his Person to all dangers insomuch that he had in this Action first the misfortune to be unhorsed himself his Son William wounded and many of his Family slain and as an addition hereunto through imtemperate anger to curse his Son Robert who it was observed never prospered after Things after this continued in a tollerable State of amity between Phillip and this King till the last year of his Reign when residing in Normandy and being grown very corpulent the French King was pleased to speak reproachfully of him saying The King of England lyeth at Roan and keeps his Chamber as Women lying in do and there nourisheth his fat Belly which so offended King William that he said Well when after my delivery I go to Church I shall offer a Thousand Candles to him and sware to the same by God's Resurrection and his Brightness and this he made good the latter end of August the same year when he entred France with Fire and Sword and burnt down the City of Meaux together with the Church of St. Maries and two Fires inclosed therein who superstitiously perswaded themselves they ought not to forsake their Cell in such extremity tho to the apparent hazard of their lives This King died at Roan Anno Dom. 1087. when he had reigned 20 Years 8 Months and 16 days and lived threescore and four Years and was buried at Caen in Normandy The Causes of his Wars were 1. An Irruption made by the French into Normandy
surnamed Ceur de Lion was the third Son of Henry the II. but the Eldest when his Father died aged 35 years when he began his Reign the former part whereof was spent by him in the Wars in the Holy-Land William Longshamp Bishop of Ely and Chancellor of England governing the Kingdom during his absence in this War he signalized his Valour to a wonder having first taken Cyprus in his way thither and at Acon in Syria so behaved himself that he became an object of Envy to other Christian Princes especially to King Phillip of France as you shall see hereafter where ever he went Terror was his forerunner insomuch that it grew common amongst those Eastern People to terrifie their Children with the apprehension of King Richard's coming in his return being driven upon the Coast of Dalmatia and thinking to pass home by Land incognito he was made Prisoner by the Duke of Austria who brought him to the Emperor Henry and was detained by him in Custody for a Year and five Months till he paid a great Ransom his unparallell'd Valour and Bravery was the occasion of this misfortune these and other Princes bearing him Envy especially the French King who invades Normandy during his absence which obliged Richard to make a Peace with Saladine for Three Years much to the disadvantage of the cause they fought for Phillip attacked Gisors and had it surrendred to him and many other Places and then hasted to lay Siege to Roan but found such a vigorous defence made by the Valiant and Noble Earl of Leicester that he was forced to quit his Enterprize and so returned into France On the 12th of March 1194. King Richard landed at Sandwich was recrowned again reduced the Kingdom entirely to his Obedience which was much divided because of his Brother John's pretentions in his absence and hearing the King of France had besieged Vernail he passed over into Normandy and arrived at Harfleur with 100 Ships full of Horsemen Armour c. the noise whereof so frighted the Monsieur that he left the Siege and went his ways whereupon Richard enters the French Dominions takes in several strong Places but the Noble Leicester had the misfortune to be taken Prisoner who afterward paid a great summ of Money for his Ransom and soon after ensued a Truce for a short time which was no sooner ended but Richard takes the Field possesses himself of the Castle of Brisen Novencourt c. the French King in the mean time besieging Albermarl whither Richard hastening to succour the Place a sharp Battle was fought between both Armies wherein the French prevailed chiefly upon the account of the English being wearied with their hard March But Richard had no sooner recruited and refreshed his Soldiers but he laid Siege to Miligio took it and burnt it down to the Ground whereupon ensued some overtures of Peace Albemarl in the mean time falling into the French hands and ran the same fate with Miligio Some three Years after Richard turned his Arms against the Barons of Poictiers that rebelled against him with prosperous success till at last besieging the Castle of Chaluz and having brought it to that extremity that he would grant no other Conditions but a surrender at Discretion he was shot in the left Arm out of a Cross-bow with an invenomed Dart by one Bartram de Gordon of which wound he died the 6th of April 1199. after he had reigned Nine Years and Nine Months and was buried at Fonteverard at his Fathers Feet The Causes were that while Richard went on so prosperously in the Holy Land the French King out of Envy and contrary to his Sacramental Oath invaded Normandy which forc'd King Richard to make peace with Saladine so much disadvantagious to all Christendom JOHN THe Brother of Richard who died without issue and youngest Son of Henry the II. succeeded his Brother to the prejudice of Arthur Geoffrey his Elder Brothers Son who was the real heir of Course This Arthur in right of his Mother was Earl of Bretagne in France so that by this exclusion England lost one of the best Provinces in that Kingdom and by advancing John to the Throne we not only lost almost all our Possessions in France but England it self became vassal to the Pope the Clergy of those times growing strangely bigotted to Rome and perverse to the King King John was in Normandy when his Brother dyed and though he wasted over into England with all possible speed to take Possession of the Crown and that his presence was so necessary here for to keep his new Subjects in their Obedience to him yet he could make no long stay for before a Year came about he was forced to return into Normandy again upon information that Phillip King of France had with a powerful Army made an irruption into Normandy who took the Country of Main and several other places from the English the Britons at the same time possessing themselves of the City of Angiers the Towns of Gorney Butenant and Gensoline Arthur doing also Homage to King Phillip for Anjou Poictiers Turain Main Bretaign and Normandy but soon after a Peace was concluded between the Kings and thereby many places confirmed to the French King that he had taken and others yielded up by John upon the account of his neece Blanch's Marriage with Lewis heir of France besides 30000 Marks in Silver paid to Phillip and all this to the great dishonour as well as detriment of the English Nation About two Years after this to wit the third of the Kings Reign one Hugo Brune a Noble Man of Aquitain raised a Rebellion against King John in that Province but he and his Adherents being unable to withstand John's Forces made complaint of him to Phillip of France whereupon he was summoned by the Nobles of France as Duke or Earl of Aquitain and Anjou to appear before the French King and to stand to the Judgment of his Peers which he refused upon which the Court adjudged him to be deprived of all his Lands which he or his Predecessors held of the King of France King Phillip forthwith raises a great Army invades Normandy takes in many Castles and a great part of the Country without resistance but Arthur Duke of Bretaign besieging the Castle of Mirable with Queen Eleanor then in it King John fell upon him there with such Force and Fury that he routed his Army and took Arthur and many others of Note Prisoners Arthur sometime after was sent Prisoner to the Tower of Roan and was there barbarously Murdered some said by King John's own hands but in all this time Phillip prospered in so much that in a very short space King John was in a manner despoiled of all the Lands he held in Fee of the Crown of France King John once and again made great preparations to recover his lost Dominions and had the good success to destroy the French Fleet and recover the Province of Poictou but his Domestick troubles both
Crown which is held to be meerly without Tenure therefore saith a later Lawyer Ego scio legem salicam agere de privato Patrimonio tantum I know the Salique Law intends only private Possessions Again there are some who pretend to give us the names of the Compilers of this Law and not this alone but of many others as they say viz. Wisogast Bodogast Salogast and Windogast wise Councellors about that Pharamonds Reign the text of it in this part is offered us by Claude de Seissell Bishop of Marseilles Bodin and other French Writers as if it were as ancient as the original of the name in these words De Terra Salica nulla Portio Haereditatis Mulieri veniat sed ad virilem sexum tota terrae Hereditas perveniat No part of the Salique Land can descend to the Daughter but all to the Male and in substance as if referr'd to the person of the Kings Heir Female so much if remembred by that great Civilian Baldus and divers others but rather as a custom then any particular Law as an Author of that Kingdom hath expresly Written Ce n' est point vne loye ecritte mais nee auec nous que nous n' avons point inventer mais l' avons puisse de la nature meme qui le nous a ainsi apris donne cet instinct that is this is no Law Written but learned of Nature But why the same Author dares affirm that King Edward yielded upon this point to the French Phillip de Valois I wonder seeing all storie and carriage of state in those times is so manifestly opposite Becanus undertakes a conjecture of the first cause which excluded Gynaecocracie among them guessing it to be upon their observation of the misfortune in War which their Neighbours the Bructerans a people about the now over Issel in the Netherlands from near whom he as many others first derive the Franks endur'd in the time of Vespasian under the Conduct and Empire of one Velleda a Lady even of Divine Esteem amongst them The learned Drayton who has particularly treated of this Subject leaves it at last in suspence and concludes thus But howsoever the Law be in Truth or Interpretable for it might ill beseem me to offer determination in a matter of this kind it is certain that to this day they have an usage of ancient time which commits to the care of some of the greatest Peers that they when the Queen is in Child-birth be present and warily observe left the Ladies privily should counterfeit the inheritable Sex by supposing some other made when the true Birth is Female or by any such means wrong their ancient Custom Royal. But by his favour this is a custom in England as well as in France where the Females do notwithstanding inherit the Crown and never any Law pretended to the contrary I shall therefore conclude upon the whole with this one Remark that notwithstanding the many Volumes that have been writ to justifie King Edward and his Successors Title to France tho' its true the English in that age were better skilled in the Sword then in the Pen and the great dust that has been raised by the French under pretence of this Salique Law to impede his way to their Crown Yet after all it appears clearly to me that the aforesaid Dutchess of Orleans had a better Title then either King Edward or Phillip de Valois for she was Daughter to Charles the Fair the last King of the Caputian line whereas Edward was descended only from Isabel Sister to this same King And as for Phillip de Valois his pretentions had little of reality in them when'tis plain Hugh Capet descended from a Female of the Carolovinian line yet succeeded to the Crown of France and where was their Salique Law then whereof they afterwards so much boasted that it was born with them and never Writ but taught by Nature RICHARD II. SOn to Edward the Black Prince by Joan his Wife Daughter to Edmund Earl of Kent the youngest Son of King Edward I. succeeded his Grand-Father King Edward III. being but eleven years old but had neither his Wisdom nor good Fortune from Bourdeaux his Birth-place where his Father kept his residence as Duke of Aquitaiâ— he was called Richard of Bourdeaux in his Minority he was governed by his Unkles the Dukes of Lancaster and Glocester his Reign was first much disturbed with the Scots and there were also divers traverses of War especially by Sea with France for the French began to improve in Navigation and did us much mischief for they burnt a good part of Rye Hastings and Portsmouth advancing into the River as far as Gravesend where they likewise took booties and burnt almost all the place they also took footing in the Isle of Wight but were soon repell'd Sir John Arundel being sent with a considerable Fleet to Bretaign was disastrously cast away with above 1000 Persons more whereof some were of Rank and Gallantry but a little after Sir Hugh Caverley and Sir Thomas Percy being made Admirals they so scowr'd and secur'd the Seas and they took such a World of Prises that French Wines were sold in London for a Mark a Tunn and 't is a passage of some remark how one John Philpot a Citizen of London mann'd out a Fleet at his own charge took Prises and did many exploits against the French yet at his return he was questioned for setting forth Men of War without a Warrant from King and Council This Reign is also remarkable for the famous Rebellion of Wat. Tyler and Jack Straw for the expeditions of the Duke of Lancaster into Spain but especially for that famous interview between the Kings of England and France between Calais and St. Omers manag'd with all the Ceremony Pomp and Grandeur that could be imagined and where a knot of Friendship was tied by King Richards taking the Lady Isabel to Wife the King of France's Daughter he being then a Widdoer as having buried Queen Anne the King of Bohemia's Daughter about two Years before this King after much male-administration was at length deposed when he had reigned 22 Years and about 3 Months and was soon after murder'd in Pomfret Castle in Yorkshire HENRY IV. COmmonly called Henry of Bullingbrook the first King of this line was Son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster 4th Son of Edward III. he came to the Crown by the power of the Sword but with the consent of the People the issue of Lionel Duke of Clarence 3 Son to the said King Edward being laid aside that had a precedent right he was a Prince of singular Prowess but most part of his time was taken up in suppressing of Rebellions at home and in the old trade of warring with Scotland whereat the French grew insolent fitted out divers Fleets and attempted the Coasts of England first under the count of St. Paul who landed at the Isle of Wight with 7000 Men where he burnt some Villages
was otherwise in all his attempts successful and is renown'd upon all accounts but in nothing so much as in his Piety to God to whom he gave all the Glory of his Victories The ground of this War was the former claim to the Crown and Kingdom of 〈◊〉 HENRY VI. COmmonly called Henry of Windsor proved a Religious Prince but weak and unfortunate he began his Reign when he was but 8 years old and was crowned King of France at Paris Anno 1431. to whom the Nobles Provost and chief Burgesses sware fealty but lost it five Years after to Charles VII and the loss of that drew on the loss of the whole but it was not without much strugling The beginning of his Reign which all Persons feared would have been the worst proved quite contrary and was the most prosperous which is to be attributed to the Wisdom Care and Resolution of those brave Men that his Father appointed to guard Him and his Dominions Things prospered in France whilst the Heroick Bedford lived who won many Towns and Forts and proved Victor in several Encounters and Battles especially that great Battle of Vernole where as a French Author confesseth Bedford Salisbury and Suffolk did mighty exploits and defeated the whole French Power about which time Bedford as Regent was obeyed in all places through Vimen Poictiers and Picardy and from Paris to Rheims Chalons and Troyes up to the River of Loyre but when this brave Prince died which was about the 14th Year of Henry's Reign and that the Duke of York was made Regent things went very much to wrack in France Guienne was the last Province of France that held out for the English where we lost that brave Captain John Lord Talbot the first Earl of Shrewsbury of that Family and ancestor to the now illustrious Duke of Shrewsbury and called by the French Historians the Glory of the English Nation as we had done some years before at the Siege of Orleans the valiant Earl of Salisbury a Siege which first raised the fame of the French Amazon Joan the sheaperdess commonly called the Maid of Orleans whose wonderful Courage and Success prov'd very fatal to the English though she was afterward burnt at Roan for a Witch and which did not a little contribute to hasten our Expulsion out of that Kingdom all places at length being reduced except Calais and the Norman Isles of Guernsey Jersey c. and thus was the old Prophecy made good that Henry of Monmouth should win all and Henry of Windsor should lose all which was verified to some Purpose in this King for to the former losses was added that of the Crown of England he being deposed after he had Reigned 39 Years but lived eleven Years after and was Murdered by Crook-back Richard in the Tower of London He was a King pious in an intense degree which made Henry VII send to the Pope to have Henry VI. canoniz'd for a Saint but answer was given that he would canonize him for an Innocent but not for a Saint The Causes of this War in this Kings time was the revolt of the French from their obedience to their true King EDWARD IV. ELdest Son of Richard Duke of York and first of this line came to the Crown by right of descent from King Edward III. for Anne his Grandmother was Daughter of Roger Mortimer Son of Edmund Mortimer Earl of March and of Phillip his Wife sole Daughter of Lionel Duke of Clarence third Son of Edward III. and Elder Brother of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster so that 't is plain in course of succession he had a precedent Right to the House of Lancaster he was fain to maintain his Right as he had got it by the Sword for to get it no less than six battles had been fought by his Father and himself and six more to secure it were sought in this Reign but when his affairs began to receive any settlement he revolves upon his old Right to the Kingdom of France wherefore upon the request of the Duke of Burgundy his Brother in Law who was already actually in War with the French King he enters into an alliance with him for to carry it on with united Forces and was the more easily induced hereunto because of the assistance France had lately given the Earl of Warwick Queen Margaret her Son Prince Edward and their accomplicâ—s against him King Edward makes very great preparations for this Expedition and having got all things in a readiness rendevouzes at Dover and so from thence sails in a Fleet consisting of 500 sail of all burdens whereof the Duke of Burgundy furnished many and lands at Calais with a greater force then ever at any one time came into France for he had with him 1500 Gen d' Arms being all Nobles and Gentlemen 15000 Archers on Horseback 8000 common Soldiers with 3000 Pioneers 3000 English being at the same time appointed to land in Bretaign for to make a diversion on that side But before King Edward imbarked he sent an Herald from Dover to the King of France with a letter of Defiance written in such Language that mine Author is perswaded could never be of an English Man's Penning So little esteem had the English Nation at that time for their learning in the World the contents of the Letter were That the King should yield unto him the Kingdom of France that so he might restore the Clergy and Nobility to their ancient Liberty and ease them of those great oppressions they laboured under c. which if he refused to do he concluded full of Menaces according to the usual form in that kind The French King read the Letter softly to himself and then withdrawing to another Room sent for the Herald to come before him and told him he was not ignorant of the confederacy between the King his Master and the Duke of Burgundy and how that the â—onstable of France held intelligence also with 〈◊〉 King of England the King having married 〈◊〉 Niece but adds he he will deceive the King â—ur Master as he has done me and as for Burâ—â—ndy 't is manifest he foully prevaricates for he already retired fâ—om before Nunz and at last includes with a present of 300 Crowns to the â—erald and a promise of a Thousand more if Peace were concluded and got him to engage 〈◊〉 further it with all his might King Edward 〈◊〉 no sooner landed at Calais but the Duke of Bâ—â—gundy retires from before Nunz and with a â—all retinue rides to the King at Calais leaving 〈◊〉 Army in the mean time to plunder the Counâ—â—y of Lorrâ—in and Barr from Calais they both â—arted and passing through Bolloign marched Perronne where the English were but coldly â—â—tertained by the Duke for he would suffer but very few of them to come within the Gates 〈◊〉 that they were obliged to take up their quarâ—â—â—s in the Fields there it was the Duke received Message from the Constable of France whereby 〈◊〉 excused
his Brother Walter Devereux a brave young Gentleman slain with a Musket Bullet before Roâ—n the last succors was to the number of 2000 and put under the command of that excellent Soldier Sir Rogâ—r Williams who was always forward for the greatest attempts and did here excellent service He beat the leaguers that blockt up the Passes about Diep upon such unequal terms that Henry IV. could not but take notice and highly extoll his valour in his letter to the Queen this Queen after a glorious Reign of 44 Years 5 Months and odd days at the Age of 70 Years Anno 1602. and lived longer then any of the Kings of England since the Conquest dyed at Richmond and lies buried at Westminster The causes of the War in this Queen's time were not direct but collateral in behalf of the King and Reformists of France JAMES I. THen the sixth King of Scotland of that name t was immediately upon the death of Queen Elizabeth proclaimed King of England Scotland France and Ireland c. as being descended from the united Roses of Lancaster and York King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth his Wife whose issue by the Male failing in the late deceased Queen Elizabeth the off-spring of Margaret their eldest Daughter was next heir which Lady was married to James IV. King of Scotland by him had issue James V. whose only daughter Queen Mary was Mother to this our Monarch This King was of a timorous Nature and peaceable Disposition so that Beati Pacifici was his Motto and was so far from making any pretensions to the Crown of France or any part of its Dominions notwithstanding his great power and the flourishing state of the Nation that he suffered his Son-in-Law the Palsgrave and his own Daughter Elizabeth his Wife with their numerous issue not only to be beaten out of Bohemia but even from their just Patrimony the Palatinate and to live many years in great want and Penury to the Kings great dishonour who was nothing but a bluster of Words and ever and anon sending Embassadors till all was quite lost and unretriveable this King died at Theobalds March 27th in 1625. in the 59 year of his Age having reigned 22 years compleat CHARLES I. THe only surviving Son of King James for that noble Prince Henry died before his Father succeeded to the Imperial Crown of England the reformed in France in the beginning of this King's Reign lay under great oppressions from their King Lewis XIII and his prime minister of state Cardinal Richieu in so much that they were forced for their fafty to have recourse to Arms under the command of that ever famous Cap. the Duke of Roan by Land and Monsieur Sobiez his Brother who rid Admiral at Sea and by that means Rochel besieged by the French King's Arms was relieved upon all occasions hereupon thro' the contrivance of the Duke of Buckingham an English Fleet was sent to join that of the French under the Duke of Momerancy the Dutch then basely concurring with some Ships of their alsos with which united force Momerancy fights and utterly defeats the Fleet of the Rochellers under Monsieur Sobiez and then reduced the Isles of Rhee and Oleron under the French Power but Buckingham soon after changing his Sentiments the grounds whereof we 'll assign in the causes of this War there is a Declaration of War published against France and 〈◊〉 the Prosecution of the same with Vigor the Duke is commissioned Admiral and General of a Navy of an 100 Sail and 6 or 7000 land Soldiers with which he came before Rochel still besieged by the French where Sobiez came on Board of him and for several reasons it was agreed to land the Army on the Island of Oleâ—on and not on the Isle of Rhee But Sobiez going to perswade the Rochellers to join with the English the Duke before his return lands on the Isle of Rhee in spight of the opposition made by the French but instead of pursuing the blow not only neglects to take the Fort la Prie to secure his retreat and prevent the French from landing supplies but staies five days whereby Toiras the French Governour incouraged his Men and also got more Force and Provisions into the Cittadel of St. Martins the French were so allarmed at this invasion that the King offered the Duke of Roan and the Rochellers any terms to join against the English which both refusing caused both their Ruins The Enemies retreat upon the landing of the English was so hasty that they quitted a Well about 20 paces from the Counterscarp which supplied the Cittadeâ— with Water which not being possest by the English upon their first approach the French drew a work about it which ouâ— Men could not force and without which Well the besieged could not have subsisted however the Duke resolves to take the Fort by Famine buâ— instead of pressing it with a strait Siege he entertains a Treaty of surrender with Toiras and several complements past between them subscribed your Humble Servant Buckingham and you Humble Servant Toiras till the latter got relief 〈◊〉 Men Victuals and Ammunition and then brokâ— off the Treaty with the Duke soon after thâ— the French landed Forces on the Island by thâ— neglect of the English to oppose them and ordeâ— were given to draw the English out of the Trenches which the French possess whereupoâ— the English were forced to Retreat at last the Duâ—â— makes a vain storm upon the Castle but 〈◊〉 beaten off and two days after retreats the 〈◊〉 being now equal to him in Foot and superior Horse when the English were intangled in thâ— Retreat the Duke having neglected to take la Prie or build a Fort upon a narrow Lane or Causey to secure their Retreat the French charged the English Horse in the Rear and rout them who rout the foot in the narrow passages between the Salt-pits and Ditch but in this confusion and adversity the bravery of the English appear'd for a few having past the Bridge the French following the English rallied and faced about gallantly to charge the French who cowardly retreated over the Bridge and of this a Forraign Author speaking saith The English were magis audaces quam fortunati and withall taxeth them for want of secrecy in their Counsels and Conduct of so great an affair the Duke of Buckingham upon his retreat from the Isle of Rhee promised the Rochellers to send them speedy relief now close besieged by the French King and upon return sent away the Earl of Denbigh his Brother-in-law with a Fleet to that purpose who on the first of May 1628. arrives before Rochell where he found the French Fleet consisting of 20 Sail had blockt it up by Sea upon the Earls approach the French retire towards their Fortification and anchored within two cannon shot of our Fleet and so continued till the 8th of May. The Earl promised the Rochellers to sink the French Fleet when the Waters increased and the
A THEATRE OF WARS BETWEEN England France In all the Kings Reigns from the time of William the Conqueror to the Conclusion of the Peace on the 10th of September 1697. in the Eighth Year of the Reign of our Gracious Sovereign K. William III. Containing The Causes of the War the Battels Sieges State Policies Naval Fights Treaties and the several Truces Peaces Concluded Leagues made and broken c. With a large Discourse of the Salique Law by which to prevent the Right of other Princes the French pretend to Exclude Females from Enjoying the Crown of France and many other Transactions between the two Nations both Publick and Private With a Map of England and France on a Copper Plate By D. Jones London Printed for W. Whitwood at the Rose and Crown in Little-Britain 1698. A Map of ENGLAND and FRANCE To the Right Honourable ROBERT Lord Viscount LISLE c. My Lord THe Topicks usually insisted upon to engage the Favours of the Great are those of Honour and Goodness of both which your Lordship has no common share and if upon others they have been so powerfully influential in Addresses of this kind Your Lordship will Pardon me if being carried with the same current I presume to commit this little Treatise to Your Patronage as to a safe Azilum sufficient to skreen it from all the assaults of Male-volence and if it be an Argument of Imprudence to range far abroad for that Good which is attainable nigh at hand my Vicinity to your Lordship will not only justifie this my Practise but should I have neglected the improvement of it upon this occasion as I would hardly be brought to forgive my self for being guilty of the grossest Folly so would it bear a Semblance of the highest indignity offered to Your Honour and of the basest diffidence of Your Goodness The Subject My Lord must be acknowledged to be of an Heroical Nature and therefore a fit entertainment to Heroick Minds and consequently cannot but be so to Your Lordship however the structure may have suffered through the debility of the Architect who yet has this humbly to offer to your Lordship and under Your Patronage to the World that Truth is the great standard I have endeavoured to fix my Eye continually upon having strenuously avoided all false Idea's of the actions of my Country and herein have done both the Enemy that justice due to them in their various conflicts with us and made it appear there was no need of any such prevarication in that True Glory has been no stranger to the English Arms through the series of many hundred years together and though things may not here be exposed in their Native Lustre and Excellency yet I cannot otherwise then perswade my self but they retain still their Native and Original verity But to dwell no longer upon the Products of my own Teeming Fancy I submit all to Your Lordships adequate Judgment and if in this my studied Brevity you meet with any thing grateful or divertive so as that it may conciliate Your Lordship's Good Opinion of me his highest ambition is gratified who begs leave to subscribe himself My Lord Your Honours most Humble and most devoted Servant D. Jones TO THE READER GReat and Various have the Actions been between England and France since the Invasion of the Normans Anno Dom. 1066. which makes September next just 629 Years but that the French Nation should make a Conquest of England hereby nothing is more manifestly untrue that People being a distinct Nation from the French who conquering that Province by main force from Neustria call'd it Normandia in the Reign of Charles le Simple whence by the way 't is worth the remarking what kind of Kings France hath often had and what sort of Epithetts their own Cronicles give them which stand upon publick Record to all posterity as Charles le Simple Charles le Chauve Charles le Gros Charles le Gras Charles le Phrenetique Philip le Long Lovis le Begue c. Now tho there have been many and mighty Quarrels War-like Encounters and Feuds betwixt England and France yet in the reign of the Saxon Kings the Historians make little mention of any but since England was joined as it were to the Continent by addition of Normandy there have been as frequent traverses of War as have happen'd between any two Nations for of those 28 Kings and Queens which have reigned here from William the First to William the Third now Regnant there have been but a very few of them free from actual Wars with France yet in so long a tract of time when the French were at their highest pitch of Power they never did nor had any adequate power to invade England 't is true that they took footing once or twice in the Isle of Wight but it quickly grew too hot for them And touching Lewis the French King's Son who did stay and sway the Scepter here about two Years whereof they so much vaunt That was no Invasion but an Invitation being brought in by the discontented Barons in England so that in a manner France was the Theater of the War between the two Nations down from William I. to the present time As for the great Battles which were fought from time to time 't is confessed by the French Historians themselves that the English were at most but half in number to them in almost all Engagements insomuch that by pure prowess and point of the Sword the English possess'd two parts in three of that populous Kingdom and how all came to be lost again will appear by the sequel of the Story but here I cannot omit one remarkable accident that was concomitant with the English Arms in France and that is that when the English were at the height of their conquests in that Kingdom the Pope came to reside at Avignon in France and there was a common saying which continues still in memory among the Vulgar Ores le pape est devenu Francois Christ est devenu Anglois i. e. Lo the Pope is become a Frenchman and Christ an Englishman which related to the marvelous Exploits and Successes the English had in that Kingdom which were such that Sir Walter Rawleigh speaking of the famous Punick Wars puts this Quaere If one should ask which was the valiantest the Roman or the Carthaginian one might answer the Englishman who performed greater feats of Arms then either of them insomuch that some foreign Authors give this Character of France that it was the stage whereon the English acted their valour so often 'T is true that in canvassing of Treaties in subtleties or shuffling the Cards and mental reservations they were mostly too hard for the English who naturally use down right dealing and real integrity but in point of performance of what was stipulated especially if the Article related to Money whereof we drew from them vast summs they seldom exactly performed the Capitulation of any Treaty as Foreign Writers observe
the Prince there was a contest who took him first and the King was desired to point at him so he pointed at Howel and said this is the Man who took me There are authentick Records in some Welsh Manuscripts that confirm this Moreover they have a general Tradition and some Songs which continue fresh to this day how Howel did put a Bridle in the French King's Mouth with many other Expressions touching this great Act. Now for that signal exploit the Prince knighted him in the Field and he was ever after call'd Sir Howel y Fuyall Sir Howel with the Axe he had the Constableship of Crikyth Castle given him with the farms of Chester mills and other considerable things conferr'd upon him which surely would not have been but for the merit of some high signal Service The British Records besides Tradition and common Report that mention this were to be found in Sir John Winn's Library an honourable knowing Knight who was a curious collector of Antiquities These and many other glorious exploits were done by this King in France who ceased not his pursuits till he had got the Key of it hanging at his Girdle to wit the Town of Calais that in those days was looked upon to be impregnable which he carried after a long Siege This Kings Reign is also memorable upon many other accounts as for the Institution of the noble Order of the Garter for removing the staple of Wool from Flanders into England for that great Champion against Rome the famous Wickliff and for his own numerous issue by his Heroick Queen Phillipa being no less then seven Sons and five Daughters his Sons were these Edward the Black Prince the hopes of England and who died before his Father William of Hatfield Lioneâ— Duke of Clarence John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Edmund of Langley Duke of York William of Windsor and Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester he died at Richmond in 1377. when he had Reigned 50 Years and odd Months The cause of the War twixt the English and French in Edward the III. time was a claim to the Crown and Kingdom of France in right of his Mother Isabel which they would make invalid by their Salique or distaâ—â— Law to which the greatest Civilians do allow 〈◊〉 essence at all and Du Haillan the great French Historian hath no better Opinion of it but to be a meâ— Chymera or Imaginary thing but of this more presently OF THE Salique Law HERE I judge it no ways impertinent to be a little more particular yet touching the claim of this King Edward to the Crown of France and what grounds the French had by vertue of this Salique Law for the exclusion of him claiming from a Female and first we will briefly state his claim as it then stood and then come to the Law it self and it was thus Phillip the IV. surnamed the Fair had three Sons Lewis the Contentious Phillip the Long and Charles the Fair all these successively reigned after him and died without issue inheritable he had likewise a Daughter named Isabel I purposely omit the other being foreign to the present affair married to Edward the II. King of England and so was Mother to Edward the III. The issue male of Phillip the Fair thus failing Phillip Son and Heir of Charles Earl of Valois Beaumont c. who was Brother to Phillip the Fair laid claim to the Crown as next heir male against King Edward who made answer to the objection of the Salique Law that admitting it was as they asserted yet he was heir-male though descended of a Daughter and this in a publick assembly of the States of France first about the Protectorship of the Womb for Queen Joan Dowager of Charles the Fair was left with Child and delivered of a Daughter named Blanch afterwards Dutchess of Orleans was had in solemn dispute by Lawyers on both sides and applied at length also to the direct point of inheriting the Crown and so adjudged against King Edward What followed hereupon we have in some measure traced in the Preceding History of his Wars and are more at large recorded in Walsingham Froissart Aemilius and a multitude of more modern Writers whereby it appears and will in the Wars of this King's Successors in France how the denial of this Soveraignty to him by the French cost the lives of many thousands of their Men and involved that Country into long and miserable Calamities But as for the Law it self whereby they pretended such an exclusion of him it may well be said with Drayton in his Poly-Albion that every mouth speaks of it but few understand the thing it self or so much as the Etymology of its name and therefore to clear this point as well as we can we are necessitated to ascend a little higher then these times wherein it was made use of in prejudice to the English claim and to begin with the Original of the Francks with whom they affirm it was brought into France The Francks therefore according to many modern Historians came originally from Asia into Germany though others and perhaps upon better grounds make their original to be in Germany it self but this is certain that upon the decline of the Roman Empire they inhabited Franconia a Province of Germany and about the year 413 or according to Davila 119 invaded France under Pharamond whom they chose to be their King and Leader which Pharamond they make to be Son to Marcovir a Prince that governed them in Franconia but first before they began their Expedition they held a general Assembly near unto a River named Sala and there by the advice of the Salij their Priests or as others of the Salians whom they make to be the same with Francks enacted Laws for Government and amongst the rest one for the Exclusion of Females from inheriting the Crown which from the aforesaid appellations whether one or all it matters not came to be denominated the Salique Law But Goropius that fetches all our of Dutch and this perhaps more tollerably then many of his other Etymologies deriving the Salians name from Sal which in contraction he makes to be from Sadel inventors whereof says he the Salians were interprets them to be as much as Horse-men a name fitly applied to the War-like and most noble Persons of any Nation as Equites in Latin Chevaliers in French and Marchog in Welch do very well agree to so that upon the whole the Salique Law is made by him to be as much as a Chivalrous Law and Salique Land Quae ad equestris ordinis dignitatem in capite summo in caeteris membris conservandam pertinebat which very well agrees with a sentence given in the Parliament at Bourdeaux upon an ancient Will devising all the Testator's Salique Lands which was in point of Judgment interpreted to be a Fief and who knows not but that Fiefs were originally military Gifts but if things be so how then comes Salique to extend to the
himself for not delivering of St. Quinâ—â— alleadging that if he had done it he could â—â—ve done him no further service in the Kingâ—om of France but added that seeing the King 〈◊〉 England was come over in Person he would 〈◊〉 the future do whatever the Duke should comâ—and him and gave him his Faith in Writing he â—ould serve him and his Confederates to the utâ—ost of his Power against all Opponents whatsoâ—â—er the Duke delivers the Constables Letter to the King adding some things thereto of his own head as that the Constable would certainly dâ—liver up St. Quintin and all other places in 〈◊〉 Power as soon as ever he came before them which the King willing to believe marches tâ—gether with the Duke forthwith from Peronne tâ—wards St. Quintin the English expecting to be â—â—ceived with ringing of Bells approached thâ— Town in a careless manner but had a quite contrary entertainment for they from the Towâ— fired their Cannon upon them and withâ—â—â— made a Sally both with Horse and Foot wherâ—in some English were slain and others taken Prâ—soners This double dealing both of the Constable anâ— Duke made the King the more readily hearkâ—â— to the Overtures of Peace that the French Kinâ— offered him wherefore in a Village near Amiâ—â— Commissioners for both Kings met whereof 〈◊〉 France were the Bastard of Bourbon Admiral 〈◊〉 Lord St. Peter and Bishop of Eureux and for Eâ—â—land the Lord Howard one Chalanger and Doctâ—â— Morton where it was agreed the French Kiâ—â— should pay the King of England presently befoâ—â— his departure out of France Seventy Two Thoâ—sand Crowns towards the expence of the Engâ—â—â—â— Army and 50000 Crowns a year for ever 〈◊〉 that the Dauphine should marry King Edwards â—â—dest Daughter and have the Dutchy of Guien 〈◊〉 her maintenance but at the King's return 〈◊〉 English Barons held it to be an inglorious Peâ—â—â— though 't was said to be made by the Holy Ghâ—â—â— â—or a Dove was seen to be often on King Edward's â—ent during the Treaty But the last Article was never performed for the Dauphine was afterward married to Margaret Daughter to Maximiâ—an Archduke of Austria so much to the disappointment and sorrow of King Edward that he â—ell sick upon it as Comines saies and departed â—his life at Westminster the 9th of April at the Age of 41. when he had Reigned 22 Years and â—bout one Month Anno 1483. and was buried at Windsor where before he had provided him a â—esting place this King had three Concubines whereof Jane Shoar was one of whom he would say one was the Merriest another the Wiliest and the third the Holyest Harlot in his Realm The cause of this War was a defection of the French from their Loyalty to England in Conjuction with the assistances they gave Queen Margaret and the Earl of Warwick against King Edward EDWARD V. ELdest Son of King Edward IV. was not above 12 years of Age when his Father died during this Kings short Reign if it may be called 〈◊〉 there was neither nor well could be any war 〈◊〉 act of Hostility that we read between Engâ—â—nd and France for it was but three Months that he reigned for Richard Duke of Glocester his Unkle knowing how easie a step it was from the place of a Protector and first Prince of the Blood to the Crown turned every stone to get the the Protectorship from the Lord Rivers the King's Unkle by the Mother side and having compassed it his next business was to get Prince Richard the King's Brother into his Clutches also whom the Queen Mother was fain to part with in great arfliction and struggling of Nature for she delivered him up as it were for Execution and the Protector who was resolved to make both him and the King a victim to his ambition looks upon the two young Princes from that very time as two Birds in a Cage that should not be long-lived but to blind the People he forthwith gave orders for the King's Coronation whilst he secretly contrived with the Duke of Buckingham his great Coajutor in his cursed designs to fix the Crown upon his own head Buckingham with his Artifices forced in a manner the City to a compliance which nolens volens was at last forced to proclaim Richard King of England the Duke pretending that all the late Kings issue were Bastards and the Protector only true heir to the Crown who when it was offered unto him by the Duke in the name of the City refused it with a counterfeit angry Countenance but when his Privado making himself the mouth of the Assembly said that if his Grace would not accept of the Crown they would find one that should then he was pleased to take it upon him as his right RICHARD III. WAs youngest Brother to Edward IV. of whom 't was said he was born with Teeth in his Head and Hair on his Shoulders At his first coming to the Crown he took his Seat in the Court of King's Bench where like a gracious Prince he pronounced Pardon of all offences committed against him to insinuate thereby to the People what a blessed Reign this was like to be but he spared not the two young Princes then in the Tower but they were by his Order stiffled in their Beds this reign was so troublesom at home that Richard though a warlike Prince in himself had not leasure to mind his affairs abroad for the Duke of Buckingham the great instrument of all his Villanies whether through the horrour of the said Murder or some other resentment did most certainly from that time project his ruine who had been the chief instrument of his elevation there was then at the Court of the Duke of Bretaign in France Henry Earl of Richmond the next heir to the House of Lancaster whose advancement to the Crown Buckingham and others resolved upon with proviso that Henry should consent to marry the Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter to Edward IV. whereby the Houses of York and Lancaster should be united into one but before the Plot took effect the Duke was taken and lost his Head without any form of Tryal or any regard had to his former Service Richmond lands at Milford Haven in Wales but with 200 men from whence advancing forwards by dayly reinforcements made up a body of 5000 men with whom he incountred K. Richard at Bosworth in Leicestershire being Aug. 12. 1485. The fight was very sharp but successful to Henry who carried the day and with it the Crown of England for there Richard was slain after he had acted the part of a great Captain and most valiant Soldier and so ended his bloody and short Reign which was but two years two Months and odd days but however to his praise it must be said that during his Reign he procured many good Laws for the ease of his People and omitted nothing that might tend to the honour of the English Nation HENRY VII BOrn in Pembrocke Castle in Wales succeeded next
had landed on the Coast of Normandy and burnt to the number of 21 Towns and Villages together with many Ships in the Haven of Trapart Staples and other places The French King by the means of Pope Leo with whom he was now accorded sues for a Peace which was at length concluded the Lady Mary the King's Sister for the tying of the knot being given to the French King in Marriage whom however she did not long enjoy Lewis XII dying 82 days after The remainder of this King's Reign was in a manner spent in Domestick Affairs which is not our Province to treat off till about the 35th Year when in conjunction with the Emperor he again makes war upon France the Emperor took the Field in Person and the English joining him under the command of Sir John Wallop laid siege to Landarsey the French King hasted with a great Army to succour the Town which was brought to great extremity upon whose approach the Emperor expecting to give Battle raised his Siege the Town being by this means relieved that was all the French cared for declining to hazard a Battle and so upon the approach of Winter both Camps broke up The Year following the King raised a mighty Army the Front led by the Duke of Norfolk the main Battle by the Duke of Suffolk where the King intended to be present himself also and the Rear by the Lord Russel attended with many other Nobles as the Earls of Surrey Oxford c. which about Whitsuntide landed at Calais and from thence leaving Bolloign to the right directed their march towards Muterell and were as they passed joined by the Emperors Forces under the Count of Buren but finding the foresaid place extraordinarily well fortified and provided for its defence the Duke of Suffolk with the King's Army wheels off towards Bolloign where he arrives July 19th and pitched his Camp to the East of the Town upon the Hill but thence removing into a Valley after many sharp skirmishes entred the lower Town deserted by the Inhabitants who under the covert of the Smoak got into the high Town undiscovered soon after the Tower called the Old Man was yielded up by sixteen Soldiers that kept it which notwithstanding discouraged not the Garrison who continued to make a vigorous Defence on the 26th of July the King arrives in Person orders a Mount to be raised upon the East-side planted with diverse pieces of Cannon and Mortars which incommoded the Town very much so that few Houses were left whole within it in this distress 200 French and Italians under the conduct of Joncurtio attempted to get into the Town in the Night and succeeded so well by the means of a Priest that spoke English that most of them were got over the Trenches before discovered and a matter of 120 got in the rest being either slain or taken at length a peice of the Castle being blown up the King stormed the place but did not carry it however the Cannon continuing playing and the Garrison having lost the best of their Commanders and men in this Action and fearing as well as concluding that such another assault must carry the Town thought it time to Capitulate before things came to the last extremity and so Articles were agreed upon and the Garrison marched our with Bag and Baggage to the number of 67 Horse 1563 Foot 87 wounded and 1927 Women and Children On the 25th of September the King with the Sword bore before him by the Marquess of Dorset enters Bolloign in Triumph the Trumpets all the while sounding on the Walls and two days after viewing of the Place caused St. Maries Church to be pull'd down and a mount to be made in the Room of it for the strengthning the Town and at his departure made Sir John Dudley Governor and on the first of October lands in England next year September 9th Sir John Dudley then Admiral lands with 6000 Men at Trey Port in Normandy burns the Town and Abby and 30 Ships in the Haven with the loss of 14 Men only The French attempted the recovery of Bulloign again and again but to little purpose so that at length a Peace was concluded wherein it was agreed the French King should pay King Henry 800000 Crowns within the term of Eight Years and then to have Bulloign restored to him but whilst the Oath for Confirmation hereof was taken by both Kings Monsieur Chatillon began to make a new Bastillion at the very mouth of the Haven of Bulloign calling it Chatillon's Garden the Lord Grey of Wilton then Governor of Bulloign advertised the King hereof by Sir Thomas Palmour requiring to know his pleasure therein the King advises with his Councel who all agree the Conditions of Peace ought by no means to be infringed and therefore to let the Bastilion stand whereupon the King ordered his Secretary to write to the Lord Grey to that purpose but then called to Sir Thomas privily and told him that notwithstanding the Contents of that Letter he should from him command the Lord Grey to rase the Fortification to the ground with all speed Sir Thomas replyed That a message by Word of Mouth contrary to a Letter would never be believed well saies the King tell him as I bid you and leave the doing of it to him Sir Thomas upon his arrival at Bulloign delivered the Governor the Letter and withall the Message who hereupon calls a Council what to do wherein they all agreed the Letter should be obey'd to which the Lord Grey himself said nothing but caused the Message to be written down verbatim from Sir Thomas Mouth and those of the Council to set their hands to it and when this was done the very next Night he issues out and rases the Fort to the ground and then sent Sir Thomas back to the King with Letters to acquaint him with what he had done who as soon as he saw him asked aloud What will he do it or no Sir Thomas delivering the Letter said Your Majesty shall know by these but the King half angry said Nay Tell me has he done it or no and being told it was done he turn'd about to his Lords and said what say you my Lords to this Chatillon's Garden is rased down to the ground whereunto one presently answered that he that had done it deserved to lose his Head to which the King immediately replies That he would rather lose a dozen such heads as his was then one such servant that had done it and therewith commanded presently the Lord Grey's Pardon to be drawn which he sent to him with Letters full of thanks and promises of Reward The cause why the King took this course was this lest if he had given order in writing for the rasing of the Fort it might have come to the knowledge of the French before it was done and so have been prevented This may be taken as an instance of King Henry's great Capacity and was the concluding act of his
Life as to Forreign Affairs for he died not long after to wit in the Year 1547. the Fifty Sixth of his Life and of his Reign the Eight and Thirtieth The causes of this War with France were partly reasons of State and partly the League which King Henry had made with the Emperor EDWARD VI. BOrn at Hampton Court succeeded his Father King Henry VIII at the Age of nine Years a most excellent Prince and the wonder of the the Age both for Learning and Piety but England did not long enjoy the fruit of the Blessings coutched in his Person his Reign being shortned by an immature Death as it had been in a great measure rendred uneasie through the Feuds of the Nobles during his Life this together with the Reformation carried on at home made the Enemy insult abroad insomuch that the French assumed the boldness in Conjunction with the Scots to attack us in our own Borders for in the second year of this King's Reign on St. Peter's Eve Monsieur Dassey the French General with 10000 French and Germans besides Scots laid siege to Haddington a Town in Scotland but then in the hands of the English the Town made a most vigorous defence and at length came 1300 Horse from Berwick with intent to relieve it but failed in the attempt for most of the Horse being surrounded by the Enemy were either slain or made Prisoners together with Sir Robert Bowes and Sir Thomas Palmer their Commanders but for all this great discouragement and misfortune the Garrison would not flinch but continued making frequent and successfull Sallies upon the Enemy till Aug. 20. when the Earl of Shrewsbury with 16000 Men 4000 whereof were Germans came to succour the Place the Enemy had no sooner intelligence thereof but they marched away with all speed but first highly applauded the bravery of the Garrison the Earl revictualled the place for that time and then returned tho it was thought afterwards convenient to demolish it which was accordingly performed the 20th of September following by the Earl of Rutland The Year following i.e. the 3d. of the Kings reign it came to an open rupture between England and France the French thinking to surprise Jersey and Guernsey came suddenly with many Gallies upon our Fleet there but were received with that Resolution and Bravery that they were forced to flee with great loss both of Men and Shipping News came to the King and Protector Aug. 28th that the French had taken Blackness Hamiltoun and Newhaven near Bulloign by the means of one Sturton as 't was said a natural Son of the Lord Sturton who betrayed this last place into the Hands of the Enemy and took service himself in the French Army hereupon the Captain of Bulloign Bark fearing the consequence after he had conveyed the Stores and Ordinance to the High Town blew up the Fort the French made all possible preparations to attack the Place and for the more vigorous carrying on of the Siege and encouragement of the Soldiers the French King comes before Bulloign in Person where were many famous exploits done both by the Assailants and Defendants but the brave Sir Nicholas Arnold who was Governor began and continued to make so prudent as well as brave resistance that the French were constrained at last to quit their Enterprize and hereupon were made some overtures of Peace which at last was concluded and wherein it was agreed that Bolloign should be delivered up to the French upon condition there should be a reservation of King Edward's Title to the Crown of France and due payment made unto him of 500000 Crowns This King being about Sixteen Years Old died at Greenwich July 6th having reigned Six Years and about Five Months The cause of this War was the King's Minority and Feuds at home whereof the French thought to take advantage MARY ELdest Daughter to King Henry VIII by Q. Katherine of Spain succeeded her Brother Edward Anno 1553. pursuant to their Father's Will though contrary to her Brothers who left the Lady Jane Grey his Successor and after some small opposition by the foresaid Lady's Party more especially the Duke of Northumberland her Husbands Father got peaceable possession of the Throne and was crowned at Westminster the last of April in great State and Magnificence the former part of her Reign which in all was but short was much taken up in restoring Popery and the papal Power in her Dominions which she effected in a great measure through the shedding of much innocent Blood which has left a bitter stain upon her Memory in the Records of time as well for her Cruelty as Superstition tho Authors generally represent her to be a Princes of her self Compassionate and good natur'd she was married to Phillip King of Spain on St. James day in the second year of her Reign and this marriage engaged her about the fifth year of her Reign in a War with France for King Phillip passing over to Calais and so to Flanders made great preparations against the French King and was assisted therein with a Thousand English Horse Four Thousand Foot and 2000 Pioneers whereof the Earl of Pembrock was General with this reinforcement King Phillip directs his March to St. Quintin and after a sharp Siege takes the place the English of whom the Lord Henry Dudley who first advanced the Standard upon the Wall was here slain doing him mighty service herein which the King generously rewarded with the spoils of the Town but this Action may be truly said to have been fatal to England in regard 't was the principal cause of the loss of Calais for while the greatest part of that Garrison was imployed in the foresaid Siege and before Calais was reinforced having then but 500 men in it the Duke of Guise with a Powerful Army advances towards it entrenches himself at Sand-gate sent one detatchment along the Downs towards Risebank and anotherb to Newnem-Bridge he soon possesses himself of oth for the few Soldiers that guarded them had fled secretly into the Town the next day they raised a Battery from the Hills of Rise-Bank against the Walls of Calais between the Water-gate and the Prison and continuing the same for three days made a small breach by which they could not well enter neither was it so designed for while the English were busie in the defence of this place the French making their way through the Ditch which was full of Water entred the Castle designing thence to pass into the Town but here the brave Sir Anthony Hagar withstood them and stopped their further progress though to the loss of his own life For there was not a man besides killed during the Siege till the Governour the Lord Wenthworth that same Evening which was the fifth of January considering succours far the Enemies nigh approach and the weakness of the Garrison thought fit to capitulate and so it was agreed the Town with the Ammunition and Artillery should be delivered to the French the
Winds became Westerly it being then neap Tide but two days after the Waters increasing and the Wind becoming Westerly the Earl was intreated to fight the French Fleet but did not and weighed Anchor and sailed away The Duke to redeem this miscarriage of his Brother-in-Law in August following goes to Portsmouth to command the Fleet there for the relief of Rochel but on the 23 of the said Month was stabbed by Felton on whom by the way hanging in Chains at Portsmouth was made this ingenious Coppy of Verses There uninterr'd suspends though not to save Surviving Friends the expences of a Grave Felton's dead Earth whom to it self must be His own sad Monument his Elegy As large as Fame but whether bad or good I say not by himself 't was wrought in blood For which his Body is entomb'd in air Arch'd o're with Heaven and ten thousand fair And glorious Diamond Stars a Sepulcre Which time can never ruinate and where Th' impartial Worms not being brib'd to spare Princes wrapt up in Marble do not share His Dust which oft the charitable skies Embalm with Tears doing those obsequies Belonging unto Men while pittying fowl Contend to reach his body to his Soul yet the design was pursued under the command of the Earl of Linsey who attempted several times to force the Barricadoes of the River before Rochel but all in vain or if he had it had been to no purpose for the Victuals wherewith the Rochellers should have been relieved were all tainted and 't was well the French had no Fleet there for the English Tackle and other matterials were all defective and so Rochel fell and with it in a manner all the Glory and Interest of the reformed in France but 't is remarkable what counsel concurred to the reducing of this important place and what accidents followed after The French Army had been before it a long time and had made no considerable Progress in the Siege when the Marquess Spinola returning from Flanders into Spain directed his course through France and hearing the King and Cardinal were at the Siege of Rochel waited upon both and going to view the Works one day asked the Cardinal what they meant to do there and continuing his Discourse said That as they managed matters there was no possibility of taking the place what must we do then saies the Cardinal Push replies the Marquess do as we have done at Antwerp make a Dyke at the Mouth of the Harbour and yo 'll by that means starve them out the Cardinal immediately takes up the project sets all hands on work and with Immense Labour and Celerity finishes the Dyke which in a short time reduced the place to that starving Condition that they were at length forced to surrender at Discretion and it is note-worthy that as Leyden about 54 years before was miraculously preserved from the hands of the Spaniards for being reduced to the last extremity they let loose the Waters upon them which the Dams restrained before and upon that the Army march'd away whereas had they staid but two or three days longer in the Neighbourhood they might have had an open passage to the Town for the Walls of it fell down to the Ground and a strong Northerly Wind had clear'd the Country of the Water so Rochel by a quite contrary fate had been surrendered but a very few days when the Dyke so far broke as that they might have been relieved by Sea had there been a Fleet ready for that purpose But when Spinola came to the Council in Spain he was so brow-beaten and snubb'd for his Advise to the Cardinal by the Duke of Medina then prime Minister of State and other Grandees that he never after could get his Money paid that was owing him and dyed a Begger and in utmost disgrace so well did the Spaniards then understand their true Interest that as long as the Reformed could make head in France the Arms of that Kingdom would be confined within its own limits and they and other Princes be less molested by those aspiring and restless Neighbours and this was the unhappy end of this War between England and France and the dreadful Presages of the Duke of Roan hereupon to give his Words the mildest terms I can had but too fatal effects upon the Person of that Prince to whose perfidy he attributed the loss of this Fortress and the Protestant interest in France for after this Dissention grew daily more and more in England which drew on an unnatural Civil War that ended with a sad Catastrophe in the Kings dying by the Ax for he was beheaded January 30th 1648. after he had Reigned 23 Years 10 Months and odd days and in the 49th Year of his Age. 1. The causes pretended for this War were that the French King had imployed the Eight Men of War which the King of England had lent him to be made use of against Genua against the Rochellers 2. That the King's Mediation in behalf of the Reformists was slighted 3. That the English Merchant Ships and their effects were seized before there was any breach between both Kingdoms though its certain that the Duke of Buckingham as Lord High Admiral of England by an extraordinary Commission first seized the St. Peter of New-haven the whole Cargo computed to amount to 40000 l. and tho the King ordered the releasment of the Ship Decemb. 7th 1625. yet the Duke upon the 6th of February following caused the said Ship to be again arrested and detained as you may see in Rushworth f. 313. 4. A fourth cause of this War we have assigned in the noble Baptista Nani that the Duke of Bucks having while in France contracted love in that Court and desiring leave to go thither under pretence of composing the Feuds that brake forth in the Queen's Family in England was by Richlieu's advice denied entrance into that Kingdom and grew thereupon so enraged that he sware since he was forbidden entrance in a peaceable manner into France he would make his passage with an Army CHARLES II. AFter about Twelve years Exile during which interval we had no Wars with France was restored to the Throne of his Ancestors Anno 1660. This Prince had not been above Five Years setled in his Dominions when a War broke out with the Dutch by Sea the French joining with them in it at that time against us so that there was a Declaration of War set forth against France but the Dutch found no great assistance from them in this Confederacy for while the Dutch in all the Engagements we had with them but one and that was when the Fleet was foolishly divided were beaten by us the French instead of uniting their force with the other dispatch away a Fleet to subdue the English in their Plantations in the Leeward Islands almost totally expelled the English out of St. Christophers interrupted them in their Trade to their other Islands and assumed a Sovereignty in those Seas but upon the