King claimed the Investiture of Bishops to be his right and forbad Appeales and Intercourse to Rome for no Appeales had ever beene used till Anselme in this Kings Reigne appealed to the Pope upon whose complaint the Pope was about to Excommunicate the King but having a little before Excommunicated the Emperour Henry the fourth the first Christian Prince with Soveraigne authorâ—ty that was ever Excommunicate by any Pope he forbore at that time to doe it lest by making Excommunication common he should make it be slighted At this time great contention arose betweene the King and the Arch-Bishop Anselme and Ansâ—lme not yeelding to the King in any point prejudiciall to the Popes authority nor the King yeelding to Anselme in any point prejudiciall to his owne Prerogative which were points indeed Incompatible the contention continued long and hot and the hotter because there were at that time two Popes on foote at once one elected by the Conclave called Urbanus the second another set up by the Emperour called Clement the third for Anselme held with Urban the King with Clement and thus not agreeing in a third it was impossible they should agree between themselves and this contention though palliated with pretentions somtimes of one side sometimes of another yet brake out againe and was renewed both in this Kings time and in the times of many Kings after Anselme often threathing his going to Rome the King told him plainely he would not thrust him out of the Realme but if he would goe without his leave he would then keepe him out during his pleasure and besides he should carry nothing out of the Realme wiâ—h him yet Anselme ventured it and the King performed it for William Warlewast was sent to rifle him in his passage at Sea of all he had neither was he suffered to returne as long as the King lived during all which time the King tooke the profits of his Archbishoprick to his owne use It may not be amisse to shew a passage here concerning the first cause of contention betweene the King and Anselme which some say was this The King required a thousand Markes of him for having preferred him to that See which Anselme refused to give as judging it no lesse Simony to give after the preferment then before but yet afterward offering five hundred pounds the King refused to accept it as being worth he said five times as much whereupon Anselme told him Your Grace may have me and all that is mine to serve your turne in a friendly manner but in the way of servitude and bondage you shall never have me nor mine Which words so angred the King that they could never after be reconciled In this Kings Reigne Pope Urbane exhorted all Christian Princes to joyne together for recovery of Ierusalem and the Holy Land and by the solliciting of Peter an Hermite there assembled for that enterprise under the conduct of Godefry of Bulloigne to the number of three hundred thousand men amongst whom was Robert Duke of Normandy who so valiantly carried himselfe in the action that after Ierusalem was won the Kingdome of it as some write was offered to him but he looking more after the Kingdome of England and therefore refusing it It is observed he never prospered all his life after In this Kings Reigne although he had no command in Ireland yet their Bishop of Dublin was sent over to Anselme Arch-bishop of Canterbury to be Consecrated by him and the Citizens of Waterford also desiring to have a Bishop procured Murcherdach King of Ireland to write to Anselme to give his consent Also in this Kings dayes the Pope forbad the marriage of Priests Workes of piety of this King or by other in his time THis King gave to the Monkes of Southwarke the Church of Saint Saviour of Beâ—mondsey and Bermondsey it selfe he also Founded at Yorke the Hospitall of Saint Leonards He gave the Church of Saint Peter in the City of Bathe to be a Bishops See Hugh Earle of Chester in this Kings dayes builded the Abbey of Chester Oswald Bishop of Salisbury Founded the Cathedrall Church of Salisbury Remigius Bishop of Dorchester to the end his Bishoprick might be removed to Lincolne beganne to build the Cathedrall Church of Lincolne and Lanfrank Arch-Bishop of Canterbury builded two Hospitals without the City the one of Saint Iohn the other at Harbaldowne repaired Christs Church and caused five and twenty Manors to be restored to that See which had unjustly beene withholden He repaired also the Abbey of Saint Albans and the Church of Rochester where for foure secular Priests he placed to the number of fifty Monkes In the sixth yeare of this Kings Reigne William Warren the first Earle of Surrey and Gundred his wife Founded the Abbey of Lewis in Sussex and Warren Earle of Shrewsbury built two Abbeys one in the Suburbs of Shrewsbury the other at Wenlock In his twelfth yeare Robert Losaunge Bishop of Thetford removed his See from Thetford to Norwich and founded there a faire Monastery His buildings and Structures THis King enlarged the Tower of London and compassed it with new wals he also built the great Hall at Westminster being 270. foote in length and 74. in breadth but thinking it too little he intended to have built another Hall which should have stretched from the Thames to the Kings streete He repaired the City and Castle of Carlile which had beene wasted by the Danes two hundred yeares before and because it had but few Inhabitants he brought a Colony thither out of the Southerne parts He finished New-Castle upon Tyne and many other Castles he erected or repaired upon the borders of Scotland many also upon the frontires and within the very breast of Wales Casualties happening in his Reigne IN the fourth yeare of his Reigne on Saint Lukes day above six hundred houses in London were throwne downe with tempest and the roofe of Saint Mary Bow Church in Cheape was so raised that in the fall six of the beames being 27. foote long were driven so deepe into the ground the streets being not then paved with stone that not above foure foote remained in sight and yet stood in such ranke and order as the workmen had placed them upon the Church Also in this Kings Reigne all the Lands in Kent sometimes belonging to Earle Godwin were by breaking in of the Sea covered with Sands and are called Godwins Sands to this day In his eleventh yeare at a Towne called Finchamstead in the County of Barkshire a Well cast out bloud as before it had done water and after by the space of fifteene dayes great flames of fire were seene in sundry places and at sundry times Of his Personage and Condition HE was but meane of stature thick and square bodied his belly swelling somewhat round his face was red his haiâ—e deepe yellow whereof he was called Rufus his forehead foure square like a window his eyes spotted and not one like another his speech unpleasant and not easily
preserving the Liberty of themselves and their Country But such is the violence of conceit till it be mastered by time or rather so very a Changeling is Humane Reason that what they then cut downe great Woods to defend they have since beene content to see abolished without cutting downe so much as a twigge But one Law especially he made extreamely distastefull to all the Gentry of the Land for where before they might at their pleasure hunt and take Deere which they found abroad in the Woods Now it was Ordained under a great penalty no lesse then putting out their eyes that none should presume to kill or take any of them as reserving them onely for his owne delight And indeed so great delight he tooke in that kinde of sport that he depopulated a great part of Hamshire the space of thirty miles where there had beene saith Carâ—on six and twenty Townes and fourescore Religious Houses and made it a Habitation for such kind of Beasts which was then and to this day is called the New-Forest But the lamentable dysasters that have happened to this Kings Issue doe plainely shew that there is a power that observes all our Actions and which we may know to be Memorem Fandi atque Nefandi But in the first yeare of this Kings Raignâ— he granted to the City of London their first Charter and Liberties in as large forme as they enjoyed them in the time of King Edward the Confessor which he granted at the suite of William a Norman Bishop of London in gratefull remembrance whereof the Lord Major and Aldermen upon the solemne dayes of their resort to Pauls doe still use to walke to the Gravestone where this Bishop lies interred Also this King was the first that brought the Jewes to inhabite here in England as likewise he made a Law that whosoever forced a woman should lose his genitals and in his time long Bowes came first into use in England which as they were the weapons with which France under this King Conquered England so they were the weapons with which England under after-Kings Conquered Fraâ—ce as if it were not enough for us to beate them if we did not beate them with their owne weapons This King also appointed a Constable of Dover Castle and a Lord Warden of the Cinque-Ports with Immunities as they are at this day Affaires of the Church in his Raigne IN the twelfth yeare of his Raigne Lanfranke Arch-bishop of Canterbury held a Synod at London where amongst other things he removed Bishops Sees from small Townes to great Cities as from Silliway to Chichester from Kyrton to Exceter from Wells to Bathe from Shirborne to Salisbury from Dorchester to Lincolne and from Lichfield to Chester and from thence againe to Coventry and not long before the Bishopricke of Lindafferne otherwise called Holy Land upon the river Tweede had beene translated to Durham In the sixth yeare of his Raigne a controversie arising betweene the two Arch-bishops of Canterbury and Yorke they appealed to Rome and the Pope remitted it to the King and Bishops of England Hereupon a Synod is holden at Windsor where sentence was given on Lanfranks then Arch-bishop of Canterburies side that in matters of Religion the Arch-bishop of Yoâ—ke should ever be subject to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury Onely at Rome it was decreed for matter of Title that the See of Yorke should be stiled Primas Angliae and the See of Canterbury Primas totius Angliae as it is at this day And as the Arch-bishop of Yorke oweth obedience to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury So all the Bishops of Scotland owe obedience to the Arch-bishop of Yorke as to the Primate of Scotland But as this King tooke downe the Prelates in Temporalties for he ordained they should exercise no Temporall Authority at all So in Spiritualties he rather raised them as may be seene by a passage betweene Aldred Arch-bishop of York and the King for at a time upon the repulse of a certaine suite the Arch-bishop in great discontentment offered to depart when the King in awe of his displeasure stayed him fell downe at his feet desired pardon and promised to grant his suite The King all this while being downe at the Arch-bishops feetâ— the Noblemen that were present put him in mind that he should cause the King to arise Nay saith the Arch-bishop let him alone let him find what it is to anger Saint Peter And as by this story we see the insulting pride of a Prelate in those dayes So by another we may see the equivocating false-hood of a Prelate at that time For Stâ—gand Arch-bishop of Canterbury would often sweare he had not one penny upon the Earth when under the Earth it was afterward found he had hidden great Treasure Also it is memorable but scarce credible of another Bishop who being accused of Simony and denying iâ— the Cardinall before whom he was to Answer told him that a Bishopricke was the gift of the Holy Ghost and therefore to buy a Bishopricke was against the Holy Ghost and thereupon bid him say Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the Holy Ghast which the Bishop beginning and oft essaying could never say and to the Holy Ghost but said it plainely when he was put out of his Bishopricke And yet was not the Church in that Age so barren of Vertue but that it afforded some good Bishops as William Bishop of Durham Founder of University Colledge in Oxford but specially Bishop Woolstan whom upon Lanfrankes reporting to be insufficient for the place for want of Learning the King commanded to put off his Pontificall Robes and to leave his Bishopricke when suddenly out of a divine Inspiration Woolstan answered A better then you O King bestowed these Robes upon me and to him I will restore them And therewithall going to Saint Edwards Shrine who had made him a Bishop and putting off his Robes he strucke his Staffe upon Saint Edwards Monument which stucke so fast in the stone of it that by no strength it could be drawne forth till he drew it forth himselfe which so terrifyed both Lanfranke and the King that they intreated him to take his Robes againe and keepe his Bishopricke Also Oswald Bishop of Salisbury who devised a Forme of Prayers to be daily used in his Church and was used afterwards in other Churches from whence proceeded the common saying of Secundum usum Sarum In this Kings time was Berengarius who denyed the true body of Christ to be in the Sacrament Also in his time Pope Gregory the seventh removed marryed Priests from executing Divine Service whereof great troubles arose in England Workes of Piety by him and others in his time THis King Founded the Abbey of Baltell in Sussex where he overcame Harold the Abbey of Selby in Yorkeshire and a third neere London called Saint Saviours He founded also the Priory of Saint Nicholas at Exceter and gave great priviledges to Saint Martins le Grand in London which
Peace then wonne it for to recover Newcastle out of his hands he was faine to let King David hold Cumberland and his Sonne Henry the Earledome of Huntington as their Inheritance for which the Father would not for his as being engaged but the Sonne for his as being free did Homage to King Stephen No sooner was this trouble over but he was presently under another for being faine somewhat ill at easeâ— it was bruited abroad that he was dead which â—o distracted mens mindes that every one thought it wisdome to shift for himselfe and the Great Lords made a contrary use of Castles to that which King Stephen intended when he gave liberty to build them for the King intended them for his owne defence against his Enemies and they made use of them in their owne defence against the King for now Hugh Bigâ—t Earle of Norfolke possesseth himselfe of Nâ—rwich Baldwyn Rivers of Oxford and Robert Quesquâ—rius of other Castles In these difficulties King Stephen though he could not in person be in all places at oncâ— yet in care he wasâ— and there most where was most danger imploying others against the rest Against Baldwyn he went himselfe whom driven before out of Oxford and gotten to the Isle of Wight the King foâ—â—owed and drove him also from thence aud at last into Exile And now England afforded him once againe to take a little breath but then Normandy presently begins with him afresh For now Gâ—offrey Plâ—â—tagenet Duke of Anjou in right of Maude his Wife enters upon his Townes there and â—eeâ—es to get possession of the Country when King Stephen passeth over with an Army and arâ—ests his proceeding and after some small defeates of his Enemies brings the matter at last to a pecuniary Composition He to pay the Duke five thousand Markes a yeare and the Duke to relinquish his claime to Normandy This done he returnes into England where new Commotions are attending himâ— For the Lords in his absence resenting his breach of Promises upon which they had aâ—mitted him to the Crowne make use every one of their Castles and stand upon their Guard The Lord Talbot held Hereford Earle Robert Maâ—ds Brother Bristow William Lovell the Castle of Cary Paganell the Castle of Ludlâ—w William Mounâ— the Castle of Dunster Robert Nicholor of Lincolne the Castle of Warham Eustace the Sonne of Iohn the Castle of Melton William the Sonne of Alan the Castle of Shrewsbury and withall David King of Scots never regarding his former agreement enters Northumberland with an Army committing so great cruelty in ravishing of Maydes murthering of Infants slaughtering of Priests even at the Altar that never any barbarous Nation committed greater Thus the kingdome from the one end to the other was in Combustion that if the King had had as many hands as Briareus there would have beene worke enough for them all Yet all this dismayed not the King but as having learned this Lesson Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito growes the more in confidence the lesse he was in assurance and as if danger were the fuell of Courage the more erected in himselfe the lesse he was upheld by others and so venturing what his Rebels at home would doe in his absence he passeth himselfe in person against David King of Scots as being the most dangerous and therefore the first to be repressed but finding it hard to draw him to a Battell and impossible without a battell to doe any good upon him he leaves the care of that quarrell to Thurstine Arch-bishop of Yorke and returnes himselfe home if it may be called home where he scarce had a safe place to put his head in But though many Lords were Rebellious against him yet some there were stucke firmely to him by whose Assistance and his owne industry partly by inticements partly by inforcements he reduced most of them to Obedience and all of them to Submission when in the meane time Thurstine Arch-bishop of Yorke and in his sicknesse Ralph Bishop of Durham assisted with William Earle of Aumerle William Piperell of Nottingham and Hubert de Lacy fought a memorable Battell against David King of Scots wherein though King David himselfe and his Sonne Henry performed wonderfull Acts of Prowesse yet the English got the Victory with the slaughter of eleven thousand Scots in the Fight besides many other slaine in the flight where of the English none of account were slaine but onely a Brother of Hubert Lacyes and some small number of Common Souldiers This Victory infinitely pleased and comforted King Stephen who not long after to make an absolute suppression of the Scots passeth againe with an Army and inforceth King David to demand a Peace delivering his Sonne Henry into King Stephens hands for a pledge and comming homeward by the way he besieged Ludlow one of Rebels nests where Prince Henry of Scotland had beene taken Prisoner if King Stephen in his owne person had not rescued him After this once againe the King got a little breathing time but it was but to prepare him for greater Encounters For now Maud the Empresse her selfe in person comes into play in whom the Oath before taken was to have its tryall for till now though never so really intended yet it could not actually be performed for how could they receive her for Queene who came not in place to be received but now that she came in person now was the time of tryall how the Oath would worke and worke it did indeed with many and that strongly For Maude comming into England with Robert Earle of Glocester her Brother was most joyfully received at Arundell Castle by William de Aubigny who had marryed Adeliza the Queene Dowager of the late King Henry and had the said Castle and County assigned her for her Dower King Stephen having intelligence hereof commeth to Arundell Castell wiâ—h an Army and besiegeth it but either diverted by ill counsell or else finding the Castle to be inexpugnable he left the siege and suffered the Empresse to passe to Bristow The King hearing that Raâ—ulph Earle of Chester Sonne in law to Robert Earle of Glocester had possest himselfe of the City of Lincolne thither he goeth with an Army and besiegeth it thither also came the said Earle of Chester and Robert Earle of Glocester to raise his siege at which time a most fierce battell was fought betweene them upon Candlemas day wherein it is memorable what wonders of valour King Stephen performed For when all his men about him were either fled or slaine yet he kept the field himselfe alone no man daring to come neare him Horrentibus inimicis incomparabilem ictuum ejus immanitatem saith Hoveden yet over-mastered at last by multitude he was taken prisoner and brought to Maude the Empresse who sent him to be kept in safe custody in the Castle of Brisâ—ow where he remained till All-hollantide after And now the Empresse having gotten King Stephen into her hands she takes her journey to London
Christian Faith Though some there be that â—ay All theâ—e were but false Criminations charged upon him by Monkes that did not love him But though we believe not these things of him yet to suffer his kingdome to stand Interdicted so many yeares together upon so small occasion as he did was certainely no good signe of Religion in him Yet one Act he did wherein he shewed a respect to Religion by the honour he did to a Religious man For Hugh Bishop of Lincolne lying very sicke he not onely went to visit him but being dead was one of the three Kings the other two were William King of Scotlandâ— and the King of Southwales that carryed his Herse upon their shoulders till they delivered it to the Peeres and the Peeres afterward to the Arch-bishops and Bishops to carry it inâ—o the Quire Workes of piety done by him or by others in his time YEt did this King leave more Workes of Piety behinde him then all his Subjects that were in his time For he Founded the Abbey of Bowley in the New Forest in Hampshire also an Abbey of blacke Monkes in the City of Winchester and the Monastery of Farendâ—n and the Monastery of Hales Owen in Shropshire he reedified â—odstoâ— and Wrâ—xell and enlarged the Chappell of Knarisborough Now for his Subjects onely Richard Prior of Berâ—monâ—sey builded an House against the wall of the said house of Berâ—onâ—sey called the Almary or Hospitall of Converts and Children in honour of Saint Thomas In this Kings time Saint Mary Overeyes in Southwâ—â—ke was begun to be builded and the Stone Bridge over the Thames was by the Merchants of London finished Also Hubert Arch-bishop of Canterbury Founded a Monastery at West Derham in Norfolke which upon the dissolution came to the family of the Derhams who hold it to this day Of his Lawes and Ordinances IN this Kings time five and thirty of the most substantiall Citizens of London were chosen out and called the Counsell of the City and the King gave the City liberty to alter their Major and Sheriffes every yeare which before continued during life He caused the Lawes of England to be executed in Ireland and money to be Coyned there according to the weight of English money Of his Wives and Children KING Iohn lived to have three Wives His first was Alice Daughter of Hubert Earle of Morton who left him a Widower without issue His second was Isabell Daughter and Heire of Robert Earle of Glâ—câ—ster by whom no issue neither divorced from her by reason of Consanguiniâ—y in the third degree His third Wife was Isabel Daughter and Heire of Aymer Earle of Angoulesâ—e Affianced before to Hugh le Brun Earle of March By this Wife he had two Sonnes Henry and Richard and three Daughters Ioane Eleanor and Isabell Henry succeeded him in the kingdome Richard was Earle of Cornwall and Crowned King of the Romans and had issue Henry and Iohn that dyed without issue also Edward Earle of Cornwall and others Ioane his eldest Daughter marryed to Alexander the second King of Scots dyed without issue Eleanor the second Daughter marryed to Simon Earle of Leycester had issue Henry Simon Almaricke Guy Richard and Eleanor Henry slaine without issue Simon Earle of Bigorre and ancestour to a Family of the Mountfords in France Almaricke first a Priest after a knight Guy Earle of Angleria in Italy and Progenitour of the Mountfords in Thuscany and of the Earles of the Campo Bacchi in the kingdome of Richardâ— remaining privily in England and changing his name from Mountford to Wellesborne was ancestour of the Wellesburnes in England Eleanor borne in England brought up in France marryed into Wales to Prince Lewin aâ— Griffith Isabel his youngest Daughter marryed to the Emperour Fredericke the second had issue Henry appointed to be King of Sicilie and Margaret Wife of Albret Lantgrave of Thurine She dyed in Childbed after she had beene Empresse sixe yeares He had also two naturall Sonnes Geoffrey Fits Roy and Richard that marryed the Daughter and Heire of Fulbert de Dover who built Childham Castle had issue by her of whom some Families of good account are descended Also one base Daughter named Ioane marryed to Lewin Prince of Wales Of his Personage and Conditions HE was of Stature indifferent tall and something fat of a sowre and angry countenance and concerning his conditions it may be said that his Nature and his Fortune did not well agree For naturally hâ— loved his eâ—se yet his Fortune was to be ever in Action He won more of his Enemies by surprises then by Battels which shewes he had more of Lightning in him then of Thunder He was never so true of his word as when he threatned because he meant alwayes as cruelly as he spake not alwayes as gratiously and he that would have knowne what it was he never meant to performe must have looked upon his promises He was neither fit for Prosperity nor Adversity For Prosperity made him insolent and Adversity dejected a meane Fortune would have suited best with him He was all that he was by Fits Sometimes doing nothing without deliberationâ— and sometimes doing all upon a sudden Sometimes very Religious and sometimes scarce a Christian. His insatiablenesse of money was not so much as that no man knew what he did with it gotten with much noyse but spent in silence He was but intemperate in his best temper but when distempered with sicknesse most of all as appeared at his last when being in a Feaver he would needs be eating of raw Peaches and drinking of sweete Ale If we looke upon his workes we must needes thinke him a worthy Prince but if upon his Actions nothing lesse For his Workes of Piety were very many as hath beene shewed before but as for his Actions he neither came to the Crowne by Justice nor held it with Honour nor left it in Peace Yet having had many good parts in him and especially having his Royall posterity continued to this day we can doe no lesse then honour his memory Casualties that happened in his time ONe Casualty we might count dysastrous if it had not had relation to our selves for Hugh de Bones comming to aide King Iohn with threescore thousand out of Britany and Flanders by misfortune at Sea were all Drowned to whom the King had granted Norfolk and Suffolk for the people he brought with him to Inhabit In this Kings time were great thunders and lightnings and showers with hailstones as big as Goose-Egges Fishes of strange shape were taken in England armed with helmets and shields and were like unto armed knights saving that they were farre greater in proportion About Maidestone in Kent a certaine Monster was found strucken with the Lightning which Monster had a head like an Asse a belly like a man and all other parts farre differing from any other Creature Of his death and buriall VVHen Prince Lewis of France was come into England and was received by the Lords and by
this outrage leaves his dinner hastes to the Savâ—y admonisheth them of the holy time being Lent assuring them all should be fairely ended for the good of the City with whose perswasions they were somewhat pacified but yet they tooke the Dukes Armes and hung â—hem up reversed in signe of Treason in all the principall streeâ—s of the City Upoâ— the Princesses advice the chiefe Citizens send to the sickâ— King to excuse this tumult saying it was not in their power to suppresse it the Commonalty being in commotion upon an information that their Liberties should be taken from them by Parliament The King told them it never was in his thought to infringe their liberties but he rather desired to enlarge them But this affrâ—nt of the Citizens would not downe with the Duke till he had pulled downe somâ— of the Principall of them for he caused the Major and Aldermen to â—e displaced and other put in their roomes a revenge he had better beene without for he never had the love of the City after and to want their love is a kind of banishment Wickliffe himselfe censured by the Bishops to abjure his Opinions chose rather to leave his Country then his Doctrine and going over into Bohemia was there much honoured while he lived and hath beene more since he dyed at least a great part of his Doctrine continues in veneration amongst that people to this day Workes of piety done by him or by others in his time HIs workes of Piety were great and many as the Founding of East Minster an Abbey of the Cisteaâ—â— Order neare the Tower An Abbey for Nunnes at Dâ—rtford in Kent The Kings Hall in Cambridge for poore Schollers An Hospitall for the poore at Callice He conferred upon the University of Oxford where he had himselfe beene trained up under the learned Walter Burley the chiefe rule of the City subordinating the Major and Citizens to the Chancellour of the University He Built Saint Stephens Chappel at Westminster with the endowment of 300. pound per annum He augmented the Chappell at Windsore and made provisions there for Church-men and foure and twenty poore knights These were his publicke workes But besides these his private Buildings were the Castle of Windsore which he re-edified and enlarged the Castle at Quinborough Fortifications at 〈◊〉 and other places His Queen Philippa founded Queens Colledge in Oxford 〈…〉 Countesse of Pembroke the Colledge called Pembroke Hall in Cambridge In this Kings tâ—me Sir Iohn Poultney Major of London built the Colledge in London calâ—â—d 〈◊〉 Lâ—wrence Poultâ—â—y and little Alholloâ—es a Parish Church in Thames street â—â—d also the Carmelite Friers Church in Câ—ventry Henry Earle of Lancaster and 〈◊〉 â—ounded the new Hospitall by the Castle of Leycester wherein a hundred 〈◊〉 impotent people were provided for with all things necessary William Elsing Mercâ—â— of London made a new Hospitall of an old house of Nunnes by Cripplegâ—â—â— and placing Chanons Regular there he became the first Prior thereof Walter 〈◊〉 Bishop of Exeter Founded Exeter Colledge and Hart Hall in Oxford William Bâ—â—eman Bishop of Norwich builded Trinity Hall in Cambridge Simon 〈◊〉 Arch-bishop of Canterbury Founded Canterbury Colledge in Oxford William 〈◊〉 Treasurer of England Founded the Monastery of Edendon the religious brethren whereof were called Bâ—nhommes Sir Walter de Manny borne in Cambray purchased a piece of ground called Spittle Croft containing thirâ—eene Acres withouâ— the barres of West Smithfield and caused the same to be enclosed where he built a Chappell and after Founded the same to be a house of Charter-house Monkes Humphrey Bohun Earle of Hereford and Essex re-edified the Augustine Friers Church in London and was buried in the Quire thereâ— In the two and thirtieth yeare of this Kings Raigne Iohn Stody Major of London gave unto the Vintners of London all the Quadrant where the Vintners Hall now standeth with the Tenements round abouâ— from the lane to this day called Studis laneâ— where are Founded thirâ—eene houses for thirteene poore people which are there kept of charity Also in this Kings time Sir Iohn Cobham Founded the Colledge of Cobham in Kent Iâ—hn Lâ—vekin foure times Major of London builded at Kingston upon Thames where he was borne a Chappell called Magdalens to the which he joyned an Hospitall wherein was a Master two Priests and certaine poore men and for that the Parish Church of Saint Michael by Crooked-lane where he dwelled was a very homely thing and the ground thereabout a filthy plot by reason of the Burchers in Eastcheape who made the same their lay-stall he on the same ground builded the faire new Parish Church of Saint Michael now standing and was buried there in the middle of the Quire under a faire Tombe of stone He also Founded a Colledge to the same Church neare thereunto adjoyning Iohn Barnes Major of London gave a Chest with three locks and a thousand Markes to be lent to young men upon secâ—rity so that it passed not one hundred Markes and for the occupying thereof if he were learned to say at his pleasure De Profundis for the soule of Iohn Barnes if he were not learned to say Pater Noster but howsoever the money is lent the Chest at this day standeth in the Chamber of London without money or pâ—â—dges Thomas of Woodstocke the youngest sonne of King Edward Founded a Colledge at Playsiâ— in Essex where in his life he had providâ—d a sumptuous Tombe where he was first laid but translated afterward to Westminster Casualties happening in his time IN the the two and twentieth yeare of his Raigne a contagious Pestilence arose in the East and South parts of the world and spread it selfe over all Christendome and comming at last into England it so wasted the people that scarce the tenth person of all sorts was left alive There died in London some say in Nâ—rwich betweene the first of Ianuary and the first of Iuly 57374. persons In Yarmouth in oâ—e yeare 7052. men and women before which time the Parsonage there was worth 700. Markes a yeare and afterwards was â—carce worth forty pounds a yeare This Plague beganne in London about Alhollanâ—ide in the yeare 1348. and continued till the yeare 1357. â—here it was observed that those who were borne after the beginning of this mortality had but twenty eight teeth where before â—hey had two and thirty In the twelveth yeare of his Raigne a sudden â—â—undation of water at New-castle upon Tyne bare downe a piâ—ce of the Towne wâ—ll and sixe pearches in length neare to a place called Walkenew where a hundred and twenty men and women were drowned In the five and thiâ—â—ieth yeare of his Raigne another Pestilence hâ—ppâ—ned in England which was called the second Pestilence in which died Henry Duke of Laâ—caster also Reginâ—ld Lord Câ—â—haâ—â— and Walter Fits-warren two famous men and five Bishops of Wâ—rcester of London of Ely of Lincolne and of Chichâ—ster In this Kings time a Frost lasted from the midst of September to
Stowre upon the West side of the Towne Upon this bridge the like report runneth stood a stone of some heigth against which king Richard as hee passed â—owards Bosworth by chance strook his spurre and against the same stone as he was brought back hanging by the horse side his head was dashed and broken as a Wise-woman forsooth had fore-told who before his going to battell being asked of his successe said that where his spurre strooke his head should be broken But these are but Repoâ—â—â— He had lived seven and thirty yeeres Reigned two and two moneths Of men of Note in his time OF men of Note for wickednesse and villany enough have been mentioned iâ— the body of the Story and for men of Valour and Learning they will fitteâ— be placed in a better Kings Reigne THE REIGNE OF KING HENRY THE SEVENTH HENRY Earle of Richmond borne in Pembrooke-Castle sonne to Edmund Earle of Richmond by his wife Margaret sole daughter of Iohn Duke of Somerset which Iohn was sonne of Iohn Earle of Somerset sonne of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster by his third wife Katherine Swinford and by this descent Heire of the House of Lancaster having wonne the Battell at Bosworth against King Richard is by publick acclamations saluted King of England on the 22 day of August in the yeere 1485. and this was his first Title And now to take away a Root of danger before his departure from Leicester he sent Sir Robert Willougâ—by to the Castle of Sheriffehaton in the County of Yorke for Edward Plantageâ—et Earle of Warwick sonne and heire to George Duke of Clarence being then of the age of fifteen yeeres whom King Richard had there kept a prisoner all his time who was thence conveyed to London and shut up in the Tower to be kept in safe custodie In the same Castle also King Richard had left residing the Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter to King Edward the Fourth and her now King Henry appoints honorably attended to be brought up to London and to be delivered to the Queene her mother This done he tooke his journey towards London where at his approaching neere the City Thomas Hill the Major Thomas Brittaine and Richard Chester Sheriffs with other principall Citizens met him at Shore-ditch and in great state brought him to the Cathedrall Church of St. Paul where he offered three Standards in the one was the Image of St. George in another was a red fiery Dragon beaten upon white and greene Sarcenet in the third was painted a dun Cow upon yellow Tarterne After Prayers said he departed to the Bishops Palace and there sojourned a season And in the time of his stay here he advised with his Councell and appointed a day for solemnizing his mariage with the Lady Elizabeth before which time notwithstanding he went by water to Westminster and was there with great solemnity Anointed and Crowned King of England by the whole consent as well of the Commons as of the Nobility by the name of Henry the Seventh on the thirtieth day of October in the yeere 1485 and this was his second Title And even this was revealed to Cadwalloder last King of the Britaines seven â—uâ—dred ninety and seven yeeres past That his off-spring should Raigne and bâ—aâ—e Dominion in this Realme againe On the seventeenth day of November following he called his High Court of Parliament where at the first sitting two scruples appeaâ—ed One concerning tâ—e Burgesses for that many had been returned Burgesses and knights of Shires who by a Parliament in king Richards time stood Attainted still and it was thought incongâ—uous for men to make Lawâ—â— who were themselves out-lawed For remedy whereof an Act was presently passed for their restoring and then they were admitted to sit in the House The other concerning the King himselfe who had been Attainted by king Richard but for this It was resolvâ—d by all the Judges in the Châ—quer Chamber that the possession of the Crowne takes away all defects yet for Honours sake all Records of hiâ— Attainder were taken off the File And so these scruples thus removed the Parliament bâ—gaâ— wherein were Attainted first Richard late Duke of Glocester calling himselfe Richard the Third Then his Assistants at the Battell of Bosworth Iohn late Duke of Norfolk Thomas Earle of Surrey Francis Viscount Lovell Walter Devereux late Lord Ferrers Iohn Lord Zouch Roberâ— Harington Richard Chaâ—letoâ—â— Richarâ— Ratâ—liffeâ— William Berâ—ley of Weley Robert Middleton Iames Haringtoâ—â—â—obert Brâ—câ—enbâ—â—y Tâ—omas Pilkington Walâ—er Hoâ—ton William Catesby Roger Wâ—ke William Sapcoâ—e Humfry Stafford William Clerke of Wenlock Geoffry St. Germaine Richard Watkins Herauld at Armes Richard Revell Thomas Pulâ—er Iohn Welsh Iohn Kenâ—all lâ—te Secretary to the late king Richard Iohn Buck Andrew Rat and William Brampton of Burford But notwithstanding this Attainder divers of the persons aforesaid were afterwards not only by King Henâ—y pardoned but restored also to their lands and livings As likewise he caused Proclamation to be made that whosoever would submit themselves and take Oath to be true subjects should have their Pardon whereupon many came out of Sanctuaries and other places who submitting themselves were received to mercy And now King Henry conâ—idering that â—aena Praemio Respublica contineâ—uy after Punishing for Offenceâ— he proceeds to Rewarding for Service and first Iasper Earle of Pembrooke his Unkle he created Duke of Bedford Thomas Lord Stanley he created Earle of Darbâ— the Lord Chendow of Britaine his speciall friend he made Earle of Bathe Sir Giles Daubenâ—y was made Lord Dawbeney Sir Robert Willoughby was made Lord Brooke and Edward Stafford eldest sonne to Henry late Duke of Buckingham he restored to his Dignity and Possessions Besides in this Parliament an Act was made for seâ—â—ing the Crowne upon the person of king Henry and the heires of his Body successively for ever And then with all speed he sent and redeemed the Marquesse Dorset and Sir Iohn Bourchier whom he had left Hostages in France for money and called home Morton Bishop of Ely and Richard Fox making Morton Archbishop of Canterbury and Fox Lord Keeper of the Privy Sâ—ole and Bishop of Winchester Besides these he made also of his Privy Counsell Iasper Duke of Bedford Iohn Earle of Oxford Thomas Stanley Earle of Darby Iohn Bishop of Ely Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlaine of his Houshold Sir Robert Willoughby Lord Brooke Lord Steward of his Houshold Giles Lord Dawbeny Iohn Lord Dynâ—â—m after made Lord Treasurer of England Sir Reginold Bray Sir Iohn Cheyny Sir Richard Guildford Sir Richard Tunstall Sir Richard Edgecombe Sir Thomas Lovell Sir Edmund Pâ—ynings Sir Iohn Risley with some other These things thus done as well in performance of his Oath as to make his Crown sit the surer on his head on the eighteenth day of Ianuary he proceeded to the solemnizing his marriage with the Lady Elizabeth which gave him a third title And indeed this conjunction made a wreath of three so indissoluble that no age since hath
and with it the Towne also had beene taken but that Sir Anthony Ager with the losse of his owne life and his eldest sonnes valiantly defended it and for that time repelled the French but their numbers increased so fast upon the Towne that the Lord Wentworth the Deputy seeing no other way of safty demanded Parlee where a composition was made that the Towne should presently be yeelded to the French King the lives of the Inhabitants onely saved with safe conduct to passe away saving the Lord Deputy with fifty other such as the Duke should name And here to be quit with the English for their hard usage at Saint Quintins the Duke caused Proclamation to be made that all and every person of the Towne should bring their money jewels and plate to the value of a groat and lay it downe upon the high Altar of the Church by which meanes an inestimable sum of treasure was there offered enough â—o enrich an Army which had before enriched a Towne and now to make it appeare how unable the Towne was to hold out against so great an Army It is said there were in it but onely five hundred souldiers of ordinary and scarce two hundred more of able fighting men but of other people men women and children foure thousand and two hundred all which were suffered to depart saving the Lord Weâ—tworth the Deputy Sir Ralph Chamberlaine Captaine of the Castle Iohn Huâ—â—ston Captaine of Ricebruke Nicholas Alexâ—nder Captain of Newâ—hambridge Edward Grimston the Controlour Iohn Rogers the Surveyour with others to the number of fifty who were al caried prisoners into France And thus Callice which had bin in possession of the English above two hundred yeers was won from the English in eight dayes which King Edward the third had not won from the French in lesse then a yeer The Lord Wentworth was suspected and in Queen Elizabeths time arraigned for betraying it was acquitted by his Peeres Callice thus won the Duke with his Army marched to Guysnes five miles distant whereof was Captaine the Lord Gray of Wilton who held out the siedge and batteries five or six dayes with so great valour and resolution that he appeared in nothing inferiour to the Enemy but in multitude yet aâ— last overlaid with their numbers and importunde by his souldiers much againâ—â— his owne will he made composition that the Towne and Castle should be wholly rendered himselfe and all Officers remaine prisoners all other to depart with their Armour and Baggage The Lord Gray afterward ransomed for foure and twenty thousand crownes And now the Duke of Guise considering that Guysnes would be too costly a Castle to be kept and too dangerous a neighbour to Callice if it should be recovered raced it with the Bulwarkes and Fortifications to the ground Guysnes thus won there remained nothing within the English pale but the little Castle of Hammes whereof was Captaine the Lord Edward Dudley who considering that though it were naturally strongly scituate as being invironed with Fens and Marshes yet it had but little helpeâ— by Art of Fortifications and being assured that the Duke of Guyse would speedily come upon him he secretly in the night with all his garrison departed into Flanders so as the Castle was not won but taken by the Duke of Guyse and with the losse of this Castle the English lost all their footing in Terra firma and the Kings of England all the reality of their Title in France having nothing left but nudum nomen Presently after this the French King caused the mariage between his eldest sonne Francis the Dolphin and Mary Steward sole heire of Iames the fift King of Scotland to be solemnized whereupon great wars insued soon after between England and Scotland Queen Mary being infinitely troubled in minde for the losse of Callice sent presently forth her Admirall the Lord Clinton with a Fleet of more then a hundred sayle to recover at lest reparation in honour by doing some exploit upon France who not finding opportunity to set upon Brest as he was appointed fell upon the towne of Conquest which he tooke and burâ—t and also divers Villages thereabouts and then returned In which meane time many great conflicts having been between King Phillip and the King of France at last by mediation of the Dutchesse of Lorraigne a treaty of Peace is agreed on where all things seemed to be well accorded but onely that King Phillip by all meanes required restitution of Callice to which by no means the French would assent but whilst they stood upon these termes it happened that first the Emperour Charles King Phillips father dyed and shortly after Queene Mary and the day after her Cardinall Poole and shortly after Sir Iohn Baker of Sissingherst in Kent who had been a Privie Councellour to Henry the eight Edward the sixth aâ—d Queen Mary And so our Story hath no further relation to either War or Peace between the two Kings of France and Spaine Of her Taxations SHEE began with a rare Example for in the first yeer of her Reign waâ— pardoned by Proclamation the Subsidie of foure shillings the pound of Land and two shillings the pound of goods granted in the last Parliament of King Edward the sixth In her second yeer in a Parliament then holden was granted to the King and Queen a Subsidie of the Layitie from five pounds to ten pounds of eight pence in the pound from ten pounds to twenty pounds of twelve pence in the pound and from twenty pounds upwards sixteen pence in the pound all Strangers double and the Clergie six shillings in the pound If this were all then upon the matter in all her time there came to new charge upon her people for one Subsidie râ—mitâ—ed and one received made but even In her last yeer she borrowed twenty thousand pounds of the City of London and paid twelve pounds a yeer interest for every â—undred pouâ—d Lawes and Ordinances in her time IN her first yeere on the fourth of September were proclaimed certaine new Coynes of gold and silver a Soveraigne of gold of thirty shillings the halfe Soveraigne fifteene shillings an Angell often shillings the halfe Angell five shillings Of silver the groat the halfe groat and penny all these Coynes to be currant as before In her second yeer Proclamation was made forbidding the shooting in Hand-guns and bearing of weapons The yeer in which she was married to King Phillip a straight charge was to all Victuallers Taverners and Alehouse-keepers that they should sell no Meat nor Drinke nor any kinde of Victuals to any Serving-man whatsoever unlesse he brought a testimoniall to shew whole servant he was Also in a Parliament holden this yeere amongst other Acts the Statute Ex Officio and other Lawes made for the punishment of Heresies were revived but chiefly the Popes Bull of Dispensation of Abbey Land was there confirmed In her second yeere on Michaelmas Eeven the Prisoners that lay in the Counter in Bredstreet were removed
to a new Counter made in Woodstreet of the Citie Purchase and building the which removing was confirmed by the Common Councell of the City Affaires of the Church in her time IN the first yeere of this Queenes reigne all Bishops which had beene deprived in the time of King Edward the sixth were restored to their Bishopriks and the new removed also all Benefized men that were married or would not forsake their opinion were put out of their Livings and other of a contrary opinion put in their roomes Also this yeere on the seven and tweetieth of August the Service begun to be sung in Latine in Pauls Church Also this yeere the Popes authority was by Act of Parliament restored in England and the Masse commanded in all Churches to be used In her second yeer the Realme is Absolved and reconciled to the Church of Rome by Cardinall Poole and first Fruits and Tenths are restored to the Clergy but this was soone revoked the Councell finding the necessity of it for the Queenes support In her fourth yeere Monasteries were begun to be reedified of which number were that of Westminster that of Sheene and Sion that of the Black-fryers and the Fryers of Greenwich Of the number of those that dyed for Religion in her time there are recorded five Bishops one and twenty Divines and of all sorts of men and women two hundred threescore and seventeene Workes of Pietie done by her or others in her time THis Queen restored a great part of Abbey-lands that were in her possession and if she had lived longer very likely she would have restored more In her first yeer Sir Thomas White then Major erected a Colledge in Oxford now called Saint Iohns Colledge before Bernard Colledge he also erected Schooles at Bristow and Reading and gave two thousand pounds to the City of Bristow to purchase Lands the profits whereof to be imployed for the benefit of young Clothiers for ten yeeres and after that to be imployed in like manner to the benefit of two and twenty other shires and Cities In her third yeere dyed Sir Iohn Gresham late Major of London who founded a free School at Holt in Norâ—olke and gave to every Ward in London ten pounds to be distributed to the poore also to Maids marriages two hundred pounds Cutbert Tunstall Bishop of Duâ—ham erected a goodly Library in Cambridge storing it with many excellent both Printed and written Bookes he also bestowed much upon building at Durham at Alnewicke and at Tunbridge Casualties happening in her time IN her first yeere on the seven and twentieth of August the goodliest Ship in England called The Great Harrye being of the burthen of a thousand tun was burnt at Woolwich by negligence of the Mariners In her second yeer on the fifteenth of February appeared in the skie a Rainbow reversed the bowe turned downward and the two ends standing upward also two Sunnes shined at one time a good distance asunder which were taken for ill signes This yeere also in the moneth of August at a place in Suffolke by the Sea side all of hard stone and pibble lying betweene the Townes of Oxford and Alborough where never grasse grew not any earth was ever seene there chanced suddenly to spring up without any tillage or sowing so great abundance of Peason that the Poore gathered above an hundred quarters yet there remained some ripe and some blossoming as many as were before In her fourth yeer hot burning Agues and other strange diseases tooke away much people so as between the twentieth of October and the last of December there dyed seven Aldermen namely Henry Heardson Sir Richard Dobâ—s laâ—e Major Sir William Laxton late Major Sir Henry Hobblesterne late Majors Sir Iohn Champneys late Major Sir Iohn Aleph late Sheriffe and Sir Iohn Gresham late Major In her fourth yeer before Harvest Wheat was sold for foure Markes the quarter Mault at foure and forty shillings the quarter and Pease at six and forty shillings eight pence where after harvest Wheat was sold for five shillings the quarter Malt at six shillings eight pence Rye at three shillings foure pence the quarter In the Countrey Wheat was sold for foure shillings the quarter Mault at foure shillings eight pence and in some places a bushell of Rye for a pound of Candles which was foure pence In her fift yeer within a mile of Nottingham so mervailous a tempest of thunder happened that it beat down all the Houses and Churches in two Towns thereabouts cast the Bels to the outside of the Church-yard and some webs of Lead foure hundred foot into the field writhen as if it had been leather the riveâ— of Trent running between the two Townes the water with the mud in the bottome was carried a quarter of a mile and cast against trees with the violence whereof the trees were pulled up by the the roots and cast twelve score off also a childe was taken forth of a mans hand and carried two speares length high and then let fall two hâ—ndred foot off of which fall it dyed five or six men thereabouts were slaine and neither flesh nor skin perished also there fell some Hale-stones that were fifteen inches about This yeer also in Harvest-time was great mortality and specially of Priests so as many Churches were unserved and much corne was lost in the field for want of Workmen whereupon ensued a great scarcity so that corne was sold for fourteen shillings a quarter and Wood sold in London for thirteen shillings a thousand of Billets and Coles ten pence a sacke Also this yeer on the last of September fell so great store rain that Westminster Hall was full of water and Boats were rowed over Westminster-bridge into Kings-street Of her Personage and Conditions OF her Personage we can make no particular description only we may say she was none of the most amiable but yet without deformity but of her Conditions we may say she was not without deformity and yet was very amiable If we account her Religion a deformity yet her constancy and devotion in it we must needs count a beauty if it were a deformity to promise the Suffolke men not to alter the Religion wâ—ich King Edward had established yet it was certainly a Pious dissemâ—ling Cretizare cum Câ—etensibus and equivocation will some say was there a vertue where she deceived them into truth and did them good against their wils And as for her sister Elizabeth if she did not love her it was but a quality hereditary in her for their Mothers did not love one another before and indeed not without some cause in both for as those upbraided each others marriage so these each others birth We shall not doe her right if we deny her to be of a mercifull disposition seeing oftentimes she pittied the person where she shed the blood she could have found in her heart to have spared the Lady Ianes life if Ragion diâ—stato had not beene against itâ— and she did