the Dutchesse of Bedford and the Lady Scoleâ— to intercede for hâ—m to the Queen and to excuse his not using force considering how dangerous it might be in these doubtfull times to stirre their fury that would not easily be aâ—layed It was well advised to send women to intreate a woman for by this means they prevailed that some of the Lords of the Counsell with a guard of foure hundred good souldiers were appointed to goe for London to enquire and certifie of these things when suddenly news was brought that the Earle of March with a great Arâ—y was marching towards them for the Earle of VVarwicke having gathered together his scattered troops and joyned with the Earle of March they hasted towards Loâ—don and were joyfully received upon the eight and twentieth day of February and upon Sunday the second of March the Earle of Warwick mustred all his army in S. Iohn's field and having cast them into a ring read unto them the agreement of the last Pâ—â—liament and then demanded whether they would have King Henry to raign still who all cryed no no then he asked them whether they would have the Earle of March eldest sonne of the Duke of Yorke by that Parliament proclaimed King to raigne over them who with a great clamor cryed yea yeaâ— Then went there certaine Captaines and others of the Citty to the Earle of March at Baynards Castle to acquaint him with wâ—at was passed who at first seemed to excuse himselfe aâ— unable to execâ—â—e so greaâ— a charge but animated by the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishops of London and Exeter and the Earle of VVarwick he at last consented to take it upon him and thereupon the next morning he wept in Procession at Pauls and offered there and after Te Deum sung he was in great state conveyed to VVestminster and there in the great Hall seated in the Kings seat with the Scepter of St. Edwâ—â—d in his hand and then again the people of whom there was a great concourse were aloud demanded if they would acknowledge him to be their King to which with great willingnesse they all cried yea yea Then taking homage of divers Noblemen there present he was with Procession and great solemnity conveyed to the Abbey and placed in the Quiâ—e as King whil'st Te Deum was singing That done he offered at St. Edâ—ards Shrine and then returned by water to Pauls and was lodged in the Bishops Pallace and upon the fouâ—th of March he was generally Proclaimed King by the name of Edward the Foâ—râ—h And here in the course of all Writers ends the Reigne of King Heâ—ry the Sixth that it may be truly sayd never any came to be King so soone â—fter his birth nor left to be King so long before his death for he came to be King at eight monâ—ths old and he left to be King living twelve years after There was indeed in that space of time a certaine Vicissitude sometimes a King and sometimes no King the passages wher of must be related in the following Kings Reigne Of hiâ— Taxatioâ—s IN the first yeare of his Reigne a Parliament was holden at London where the Queen Mother with the young king in her lap came and sate amongst the Lords and there was then granted a Subsidie of five Nobles upon every sacke of wooll that should passe out of the Land for three years but if carried out by Merchant strangers then to pay three and forty shillings for every sacke In the third year of his Reigne a Parliament was holden at Westminster wherein was granted a Subsidie of twelve pence in the pound of all Merchandize comming in or passing out of the Realme and three shillings of a Tonne of Wine for the terme of three years In his sixth year in a Parliament at Wesâ—â—inster was granted a Subsidie of every Tonne of Wine three shillingsâ— and of other Merchandize except Wooll Fell and Cloth twelve pence in the pound Also of every Parish through the Realme except Cities and Boroughes the Benefice being in value ten Markes Tenne of thâ—t Parish shall pay sixe shillings eight pence and of every Benefice of the value of ten pounds ten Parishioners should pay thirteen shillings foure peâ—ce and so rateably of every Benefice from the lowest to the highest And for the Inhabitants of Cities and Boroughes every man being worth twenty shillings above his housholdstuffe and the apparell of him and his wife should pay foure pence and so after that rate to the richest Of Lâ—wes and Ordiâ—ances in his time IN this kings time the Lord Major of Londâ—â— first began to go by water â—o Loâ—doâ— where before they used to go by land Also in this Kings Reigne the Art of Printing waâ— first found at Mogâ—â—ce in Germaâ—y by a knight called Iohn Cuttenbergheâ— and brought into England by William Caxton of Loâ—don Mercer who first practised the same in the Abbey at Westminster in the yeare 1471. In the 23 yeare of his Reigne in a Parliament then holden it was Enacted that when Wheat was soâ—d for six shillings eight pence the quarter Rye for foâ—â—e shillings and Barley for three shillings It should be lawfull for any man to carry the sayd kindes of Corn into the parts beyond the Sea without license so it were not to the kings enemies or Rebelâ— which Act was afterward confirmed by king Edward the Fourth Affaâ—â—es of the Church in his time A Great Schisme was in the Church in this kings time by reason of Anti-popes for remedy whereof a Councell is called at Coâ—staâ—ce to which the Emperors of Constantiâ—ople and Trabizâ—nd send their Ambaâ—â—adors In this Councell Iohâ— the three and twentieth is convented condemned deposed and imprisoned Grâ—gory the twelveth and Benedict the thirteenth are deprived and Otho Colonnâ— by the name of Martin the fifth is chosen Pope During these confusions in the Westerne Church the Christians in the Easterne Church are utterly ruinated The Emperor smothered to death in a prease of people and the great City of Constantinople wonne by the Turke made ever since the seate of his Empire In the sixâ— and thirtieth yeare of this king Reynold Peacocke Bishop of Chichester who had laboured many yeares in Translating the holy Scripture into English was accused and convicted for holding and publishing certaine opinions at that time held Hereticall which at last openly at Pauls Crosse he revoked That he had held there was no necessity to believe that Christ descended into Hell also no necessity to believe in the communion of Saints or that the Universall Church cannot erre in matters of Faith or that it is necessary to believe and hold whatsoever a Generall Councell shall determine Also that he had held that spirituall persons ought to have no Temporall Possessions and that personall Tythes were not due by Gods Law these Points he openly renounced but was notwithstanding deprived of his Bishopricke only a certaine Pension was assigned him to live on in an Abbey where soone after he dyed
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
of Acton Burnell In the foureteenth yeare of his Raigne were made the Statutes called Additamenta Glocestriae He ordained such men to be Sheriffes in every County as were of the same County where they were to be Sheriffes He ordained that Iewes should weare a Cognisance upon their upper Garment whereby to be knowne and restrained their excessive taking of Usury In his time was also Enacted the Statute of Mortmaine In his twelfth yeare in the Quindenes of Saint Michael the Justices Itinerants beganne to goe their generall Circuits In his time new pleces of money were coyned and halfe pence of Silver came to be in use which were before of base metall In his time three men for rescuing a prisoner arrested by an Officer had their right hands cut off by the wrists In his time all Iewes were banished out of the Realme This King by Proclamation prohibited the burning of Sea-coale in London and the Suburbs for avoiding the noysome smoake In his eleventh yeare the Bakers of London were first drawne upon Hurdles by Henry Waleys Major and Corne was then first sold by weight In this Kings time the title of Baron which had before beene promiscuous to men of estate was first confined to such onely as by the King were called to have voice in Parliament Affaires of the Church in his time IN his time at a Synod holden at Reading by the Arch-bishop of Câ—nterbury it was ordained according to the Constitutions of the Generall Councell that no Ecclesiasticall person should have more then one Benefice to which belonged the Cure of soules and that every person promoted to any Ecclesiasticall Living should take the Order of Priesthood within one yeare after In his time lived and died Pope Boniface the 8. of whom his Predecessour had Prophesied Ascendes ut Vulpes Regnabis ut Leo Morieris ut Canis Workes of Piety done by him or by others in his time THis King Founded the Abbey of the Vale Royall in Cheshire of the Cisteaux Order In his time Iohn Baylioll King of Scots builded Baylioll Colledge in Oxford also in his time Walter Marton Lord Chancellour of England and after Bishop of Rochester Founded Marton Colledge in Oxford who was drowned passing over the water at Rochester being at that time no Bridge there as now there is In his time was finished the new worke of the Church of Westminster which had bâ—ene threescore and sixe yeares in building In his time was laid the Foundation of the Black-Friers besides Ludgate and of Baynards Castle also in his time his second wife Queene Margaret beganne to build the Quire of the Gray-Friers in London In his time was begunne to be made the great Conduit in London standing against the Church called Acres in Cheape In his time Henry Walleys Major of London caused the Tonne upon Cornhill to be a Prison for night-walkers and also builded a house called the Stocks for a Market of fish and flesh in the midst of the City In this Kings time Edmund Earle of Leycester the Kings brother Founded the Minories a Nunnery without Aldgate This King builded the Castle of Flint in Wales and the Castle of Beaumaris in the I le of Anglesey and the Castle of Carnarvan by Snowdon Also in this Kings time Iohn Peckham Arch-bishop of Canterbury Founded a Colledge of Canons at Wingham in Kent Casualties happening in his time IN the second yeare of this Kings Raigne there happened the greatest rot of Sheepe in England that ever was knowne which continued five and twenty years and came as was thought by one infected Sheepe of incredible greatnesse brought out of Spaine by a French Merchant into Northumberland In the fifteenth yeare of this Kings Raigne Wheate was sold for tenne Groats a Quarter where the next yeare after there was so great a Dearth that it was sold for eighteene pence the Bushell In the seventeenth yeare of his Raigne there fell so much raine that Wheate was raised from three pence the Bushell to sixteene pence and so encreased yearely till at last it was sold for twenty shillings the Quarter And this yeare the City of Carlile and the Abbey with all the houses belonging to the Friers Minors was consumed with fire In his one and twentieth yeare a great part of the Towne of Cambridge with the Church of our Lady was also burnt In the seven and twentieth yeare of his Raigne his Palace at Westminster and the Monastery adjoyning were consumed with fire The Monastery of Glocester also was burnt to the ground In this yeare also an Act of Common Counsell by consent of the King was made concerning victuals a fat Cocke to be sold for three halfe pence two Pullets for three halfe pence a fat Capon for two pence halfe penny a Goose foure pence a Mallard three halfe pence a Partridge three halfe pence a Pheasant foure pence a Hearon sixe pence a Plover one penny a Swanne three shillings â— Crane twelve pence two-Woodcocks three halfe pence a fat Lambe from Christmas to Shrovetide sixteene pence and all the yeare after for foure pence Of his Wives and Children HE had two Wives his first was Eleanor daughter to Ferdinand the third King of Spaine and was married to him at Bâ—res in Spaine who having lived with him sixe and thirty years in a journey with him towards Scotland at Herdeby in Lincolneshire she died in whose memory and as Monuments of her vertue and his affection King Edward caused Crosses with her Statue to be erected in all chiefe places where her Corps in carrying to Westminster rested as at Stamford Dunstable Saint Albons Waltham Cheapside and lastly at the place called Charing Crosse she was buried in Westminster at the feete of King Henry the third under a faire Marble Tombe adorned with her Portraiture of Copper guilt By this wife King Edward had foure sonnes and nine daughters his eldest sonne Iohn his second Henry his third Alphonsus died all young in their Fathers time his fourth sonne Edward called of Carnarvaâ— because borne there succeeded him in the kingdome Of his daughters the eldest named Eleanor was first married by Proxie to Alphonsus King of Arragon but he dying before the marriage solemniâ—ed she was afterward married at Bristow to Henry Earle of Barry in France by whom she had issue sons and daughters Ioane the second daughter of King Edward and Queene Eleanor borne at Acon in the Holy Land was married to Gylbert Clare called the Red Earle of Glocester and Hereford by whom she had issue sonnes and daughters She survived her husband and was re-married to the Lord Ralph Monthermere Father to Margaret the mother of Thomas Montacute Earle of Salisbury from whom the now Vicount Montacuâ—e is descended Margaret the third daughter of King Edward and Queene Eleanor was married to Iohn Duke of Brabant Berenger and Alice their fourth and fifth daughters dying young and unmarried Mary their sixth daughter at tenne yeares of her age was made a Nunne in the Monastery
battell saying They were but clouds and would soone passe away yet so watched him that what with light skirmishes and what with skarcity of victuals his forces were so diminished that of thirty thousand which went out of Callice there scarce retunred six thousand home which made King Edward say of this King Charles that he did him more mischiefe sitting still then his Predecessours had done with all their stirring And now by this time all Poictou is lost and all Aquitaine also but onely Burdeaux and Bayon when the Arch-bishop of Roan and others are sent from Pope Gregory the eleventh to mediate a Peace betweene the two Kings but each of them standing upon high termes of conditions nothing could be effected but Truce upon Truce for two or three yeares together In which time Edward Prince of Wales died and with him we may say the Fortune of England being a Prince so full of vertues that he left no place for any vice and if he had lived in the Heroicke times might well have beene numbâ—ed amongst the nine Worthies His body was buried at Canterbury where his Monument standeth King Edward in his seven and fortieth yeare calleth a Parliament at Wâ—stminster which lasted but eight dayes and to which were Summoned by Writ of Clergy men onely foure Bishops and five Abbots Of King Edwards Acts after the death of the Prince IN the time of the Princes sicknesse King Edwâ—rd cals a Parliament at Westminster in which when demands were made for supply of the King demands were presently made for redresse of grievances for the subjects It was required that the Duke of Lancaster the Lord Latymer then Lord Chamberlaine Dame Alice Pierce the Kings Concubine and one Sir Richard Sturry might be removed from Court And this was so vehemently urged by their Speaker Sir Peter la Moore that the King rather then not to be supplied gave way unto it and thereupon all these persons are presently put from Court but the Prince soone after dying they are all recalled to Court againe and restored to their former places About this time exâ—mplary justice was done upon Sir Iohn Minsterworth knight who was drawne hanged and quartered at Tiburne for Treason by him committed in defrauding Souldiers of their wages Thiâ— was now the fâ—ftieth yeare of King Edwâ—â—ds Raigne and he for another Iubilee graâ—â—s another generall pardon to his subjectsâ— onely William Wicâ—ham Bishop of Winchester is excepted being lately by procurement of the Duke of Lancaster fallen into the Kings displeasureâ— and forbiddâ—â— to come to the Parliament This Parliament was called the good Parliamentâ—â—â—ough it wrought ill effects for Sir Peter de la Mare at the suite of Alice Pierce is committed to perpetuall imprisonment at Notâ—ingham though within two years after by importunate suite of friends he regained his liberty This Alice Pierce presuming upon the Kings favour grew so insolent that she entermedled with Courts of Justice and other Offices where â—he herselfe would fit to countenance her Causes And now the Duke of Lancastâ—â— is come to have the Regencie and to manage all the affaires of the kingdome but King Edward to prevent the mischiefes when by disordering the succession might grow in the kingdome providently settled the same in Parliament upon Richard of Burdeaux â—reating him first Earle of Chester and Cornwall and then Prince of Wales and caused all the Lords of the Realme to talâ—e an Oath to accept him for their King as his lawfull Heire when himselfe should be dead In this meane time a Treaty was had about a marriage betweene this Prince Richard and Mâ—ry a daughter of Charles King of France and an offer was made to King Edward to leave him foureteene hundred Townes and three thousand fortresses in Aqâ—itaine upon condition he would render Callice and all that he held in Picardy but before any thing could be concluded King Edward died Of his Taxations IN the eighth yeare of his Raigne in a Parliament holden at London there was granted him a fifteenth of the Temporalty a twentieth of the Cities and Boroughs and a tenth of the Clergy In his tenth yeare in a Parliament at Northampton is granted a tenth penny of Cities and Boroughs a fifteenth of others and a tenth of the Clergy Also all such treasure as was committed to Churches through England for the Holy Warre is taken out for the Kings use towards his warres with France The next yeare after all the goods of three orders of Monks Lomâ—ards Cluniakes and Cistercians are likewise seised into the Kings hands and the like Subsidy as before granted at Nottingham In his twelfth yeare and as some write in absence of the King in a Parliament at Northampton is granted by the Laity one halfe of their Wooll but of the Clergy the whole The next yeare after a fifteenth was likewise paid in Wooll by the Commonalty In his foureteenth yeare in a Parliament at London is granted him for Customâ— of every sacke of Wooll forty shillings for every three hundred Wooll Fells forty shilâ— for every Last of Leather forty shillings and of other Merchandises according to the rate the same to endure from that Easter to the Whitsontide twelve moneth after Besides there was granted of Citizens and Burgesses a ninth part of goods of forraine Merchants and others a fifteenth of Husbandmen the ninth Sheafe the ninth Fleece the ninth Lamb for two years also another tenth of the Clergy and for his present supply he had Loanes of divers persons and the City of London lent twâ—nty thousand Markes For the grant of which mighty Subsidy the King besides his Pardon to divers kinds of offendours remits all Amerciaments for transgressions in his Forests Reliefs and Scurage to the first time of his going into Flanders besides all aides for the marriage of his sonnes and daughters during his Raigne pardoning and remitting all ancient debts and â—rrâ—rages both of his Fermors and others till the tenth yeare of his Raigne and likewise confirmes the great Charter of Magna Chartae In his eighteenth yeare in a Parliament at London a tenth was granted by the Clergy and a fifteenth by the Laityâ— Besides a Commission is sent into every Shire to inquire of mens abilities and all of five pounds to tenne of Lay Fee were appointed to finde an Archer on horsebacke of twenty five a Demilaunce and so ratably above There had formerly been made a certaine coyne of Gold called the Floren of base alloy for the Kings benefit towards his warres in France but this was now called inâ— and Nobles of finer metall coyned to the great contentment of the people In his nine and twentieth yeare he hath by Parliament granted unto him fifty shillings upon every sack of Wooll for six years next ensuing by which Imposition it was thought the King might dispend a thousâ—â—d Markes Sterling a day the vent of Wooll was so great in that time But that which exceeded all his Taxations was the Ransome he had in
the like whereof had not been known in former Ages should not be drawn into Example In her fortieth yeer in a Parliament at Westminster were granted her by the Clergy three entire Subsidies and by the Laity as many with six fifteenths and Tenths In her two and fortieth yeer to furnish her self with money towards the Irish War she delegated certain Commissioners to confirm the Crown Lands to the possessors that held any of controverted Titles and to take money for the Confirmation thereby to take away the troubles by concealers who at this time were very busie Of her LAVVS and ORDINANCES IN a Parliament holden in her first yeer an Act was made That every person should go to Divine Service upon Sundayes and Holy-dayes or else pay twelve pence to the poor Also it was enacted That Bishops should not let the Lands of the Church longer then for one and twenty yeers or three Lives except to the Queen or her Successors In her third yeer Proclamation was made That the Teston coyned for twelve pence and in the Raign of King Edward embased to six pence should not be currant but for four pence the Groat but for two pence and the piece of two pence but for a penny And not long after all the said base Moneyes were called in and fine Sterling money was allowed for them after the Rate For Ireland also she coyned Sterling money where nine pence in England went for twelve pence there The Queen was the first that brought certain Counties to deliver Provision at a certain rate that so they might be freed from the Purveyors Also the first that granted allowance to Judges for their Circuit In her sixth yeer in a Parliament then holden it was made Treason to refuse taking the Oath of Supremacy yet with this limitation That by it the blood should not be dishonoured nor goods confiscate nor the Oath to be required of any Baron of the Kingdom Also this yeer by a Common Councell in London It was enacted That all such Citizens as from thenceforth should be constrained to sell their houshold-stuff Leases of houses or such like should first cause the same to be cried thorow the City by a man with a Bell and then to be sold by the common Outcryer appointed for that purpose and he to receive one farthing upon the shilling for his pains In her three and twentieth yeer she represseth by Proclamation excesse in apparell Gold Chayns and Clokes which men wore down to their heels The length of Swords was limitted to three Foot and Daggers to twelve Inches besides the Hilts. Buildings likewise in the Suburbs were restrained In-mates forbidden and expresse charge set forth That no dwelling house should be new built within three miles of any of the City Gates under pain of imprisonment and losse of the materialls In her time was set on foot by Sir Thomas Smith the Law made for the serving of Colledges with provision to the great benefit of those Scholasticall Societies In her two and fortieth yeer she setteth forth Proclamations against the Transportation of Gold or Silver wrought or unwrought according to the former Acts of Parliament in that case provided This yeer also she founded the Company of the East India Merchants and allowed them ample Priviledges In her three and fourtieth yeer all Monopolies are called in by Proclamation In her four and twentieth yeer severe Laws are made against Papists some inflicting death some fine and imprisonment In her eight and twentieth yeer a Proclamation was set forth prohibiting to sow Woâ—d within eight miles of any of the Queens Houses and four miles off any Cities or Towns Corporate AFFAIRS of the CHURCH in her time ON Sunday the first of Ianuary next after the Queens coming to the Crown by vertue of her Proclamation the English Letany was read accordingly as was used in her Graces Chappell in all Churches thorow the City of London and likewise the Epistle and Gospel of the day begun to be read at Masse-time in the English Toâ—gue Also in a Parliament holden in her first yeer the first Fruits and Tenths were restored to the Crown and the Supreme Government over the State Ecclesiasticall and the book of Common-Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments in the English Tongue was restored and by degrees the Protestant Religion was established The Bishops that refused the Oath of Supremacy were all removed and Protestant Bishops placed in their room It was enacted also That all persons should go to Divine Service upon Sundayes and Holy-dayes and a Fine of twelve pence imposed upon every one that should be absent and the same to be given to the poor In her fourth yeer the Queen was solicited by Pope Pius to send her Orators to the Councell of Trent which she refused as not acknowledging it a lawfull Councell In a Parliament holden in her eighth yeer it was enacted and by a generall consent declared That the Election of the Arch-bishops and Bishops in England together with their Consecration Confirmation and Investiture which some persons slanderously called in question was lawfull and Canonicall and that they were rightly and according to the Acts and Statutes of the Kingdom chosen and consecrated In her eleventh yeer there arose in England two contrary factions in Religion on the one side Thomas Harding Nicholas Sanders and other Divines that had fled out of England began to exercise the Episcopall Jurisdiction upon the Queens Subjects which they had derived from the Sea of Rome On the other side Colman Burton Hallingham Benson and other making profession of the pure Religion would allow of nothing but what was directly taken out of the Scriptures openly condemning the received Discipline of the Church of England together with the Church Liturgy and the very Calling of Bishops as savouriâ—g too much of the Romish Religion protesting in the Pulpiâ—s That it was an impious thing to hold any thing common with the Church of Rome and used all diligence to have the Church of England reformed in every point according to the Rule of the Church of Geneva These although the Queen commanded to be committed to prison yet it is incredible how upon a sudden their followers encreased known by the envious name of Puritans This sect so mightily encreased that in her sixteenth yeer the Queen and Kingdom was extremely troubled with some of the Clergy who breathing out nothing but Evangelicall parity cryed down the Ecclesiasticall Form of Government as a thing polluted with Romane drâ—ggs and setting forth Books likewise Intituled The Admonition to the Parliament and the Defence of the Admonition they refused to resort to the Divine Service publikely in use and framed to themselves other Rites Whereupon the Queen to suppresse them whom by no means she liked commanded every where the severity of the Law touching the Uniformity of Common-Prayer to be put in execution and those books upon pain of Imprisonment to be delivered into the hands of the Bishops or some