ancient Laws If these things be denyed they are here presently to abide the verdict of Battel being fully resolved rather to dye than to part with their Laws or to live servile in bondage The Conqueror in this streight more wisely than willingly granted their demands Some of the English this Norman King banished and most part of every mans estate he seized into his own hands bestowing the Lands of the Natives amongst his followers He deprived Monastries Bishopricks Lanfrank A B. Cant. Cities and Corporations of their ancient liberties and priviledges putting them to redeem them at his own rate And for default of lacking the weight of a Groat in the payment of 700 Marks by the Monks of Ely for the restoring to their Abby the ancient possessions they were constrained to pay a 1000 Marks more The Clergy he charged with maintenance for his Wars bereaved the Religious Houses of their Treasures Chalices and rich Shrines abrogated for the most part the ancient Laws of the Land ordaining new in their stead not so equal or easie to be kept also causing them to be writ in the Norman Tongue He ordained the four Law-Terms whereas before the causes of the Kingdom were determined in every Shire or by the late Law of King Edward in their Gemote or Conventicle held monthly in every Hundred He commanded every English Housholder to put out both Fire and Candle at eight of the Clock at Night At which hour in all Cities Towns and Villages he caused a Bell to be rung by the Normans then called Covre-feu that is Coverfire to prevent nightly meetings He laid great Subsidies upon the Land And that the same might amount to his greater benefit he caused an exact survey to be taken of the whole Kingdom and of every particular part and Commodity thereof causing all the people of England to be numbred their names taken and what every one might dispend by the year their substance Money and Bondmen recorded How many yokes of Oxen and Plow-lands were in the Realm and what services they owed him Which done he exacted Six Shillings to be paid him for every Hide of Land The Book thus made of every several survey by the English was called Doomes-day Book He permitted no English man to bear any office of trust and credit He dispeopled 36 Parish Towns laying the Churches and Towns flat with the earth making thereof a Forest for pleasure now called New-Forest To strengthen himself against revolts and rebellions he fortified such places as he thought most convenient for his purpose and built the Tower of London the Castles of York Lincoln Nottingham and Hasting He was the first that brought the Jews to inhabit England His Son Robert rebelled against him in Normandy and in sight dismounted him but then knowing his voice desired his pardon and remounted him Odo Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent his Brother by the Mother for secretly siding with the King of France he committed to Prison not as Bishop but as he was Earl and seized his Estate Some of whose Gold ground into powder was found hidden in the bottom of Rivers The Conqueror going to War against the King of France in Normandy fell sick when keeping his Bed beyond his wont and the French King hearing that the Disease was in his Belly scoffingly said of him Our Cousin William is laid now in Child-bed Oh what a number of Candles must I offer at his going to Church surely I think an Hundred thousand will not suffice Which King William hearing of said Well I trust our Cousin of France shall be at no such cost but after this my Child-birth at my going to Church swearing by the resurrection and brightness of God I will find him a Thousand Candles and light them my self And accordingly not long after he entred France with a great Army spoiling all where he came and setting the City Mauntz on fire But he came so near the flames that with the heat of his Harness he gat a sickness which increased with a leap of his Horse that burst the inward rim of his belly cost him his life He dyed at Roan in Normandy A. D. 1087. And forsaken of all his Courtiers his body was left unburied till that one Harluims a poor Countrey Knight at his own charge conveyed it to Caen. Where when it should have been buried a certain man in Gods name forbad the interment in that place which said he was his and his Ancestors right taken from them violently by the said Duke Whereupon they were forced to compound with him ere they interr'd the Corps His Issue were Robert Richard William Henry and six Daughters His base Son named William Peverel was Earl of Nottingham By his last Will and Testament he commanded all his Treasure to be distributed to Churches Gods Ministers and the poor limiting to each their several portion To the Church and Monks of St. Stephens at Caen in Normandy he gave divers Mannors in England and great store of Land yea and his Crown and Regal Ornaments which his Son Henry redeemed To his Son Robert he had before given the Dukedom of Normandy England he left undisposed only wish'd his Son William might succeed him in it And to Henry he gave Five thousand pound presaging that all his Dominions should become Henries in the end He did oft-times exhort his Children to the study of Learning with this saying That an unlearned Prince is but a Crowned Ass He built a Religious House called Battel-Abby in the same place where King Harold was slain dedicating it to the holy Trinity and St. Martin That there the Monks might pray for the Souls of Harold and the rest that were slain in that place endowing it with many great priviledges and amongst the rest these Two That if any Murderer or other Felon for fear of death fled thither he should be freed from all punishment And that it should be lawful for the Abbot of that place to deliver any Thief or Robber from the Gallows if he should chance to pass where any such execution was in hand At Selby in Yorkshire he founded the Abby of St. Germans at Excester the Priory of St. Nicholas and at Caen in Normandy the Monastry of St. Stephens In his time it was decreed at Rome That the See of York should be stiled primas Angliae and the See of Canterbury Primas totius Angliae The setting Seals to Bonds and Writings was now first used in England there being before only Witnesses to them Stigand Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was deposed by the Conqueror and dyed in Prison The Abbot of St. Albans told this King that the reason why he gained England in one Battel which the Danes could not do in many was because the maintenance of Martial men with a part of the Lands Revenues was converted to maintain religious men and to religious uses In the time of this Kings Reign befell a most fearful Earth-quake strange burning Feavers very mortal Murrains
of his predecessors he sought by severe courses to reduce but they being backt by Maximinus whom he had raised murder'd him CAius Julius Verus Maximinus MAXIMINVS A.D. 237. a Thracian by birth spent his youth in keeping of cattel and was of a gigantick stature being eight foot and an half high by geometrical measure On his thumb he wore as a Ring the bracelet which his Wife used to wear on her arm And according to his limbs so was his diet for he daily devoured forty pound weight of flesh and thereunto did drink six gallons of Wine For his admirable height he was admitted by Severus into the rank of a common Soldier and shortly after to be one of his guard and at last the soldiers elected him Emperor But a Tyrant he proved as well to the Roman State in general as the Christians in special 6th Pers against whom he raised the sixth Persecution His conditions were so hateful that the Senate advanced one Gordianus to sway the Empire but he proving unfortunate in his attempts against him strangled himself And Maximinus as he was drawing his forces towards Rome to revenge himself on the Senate at the siege against Aquileia was slain in his pavilion by his discontented soldiers The Citizens Wives in the time of this siege cut off the hair of their heads to make bow-strings thereof PVPIENVS and BALBINVS A.D. 239. PVpienus Maximus and Clodius Balbinus were by the Peers and Princes constituted Empeperors the people extolling the Senate for their prudent choice of so wise men contrary to the rash practice of such who chose their Governours to fit their own fancies But the Praetorian soldiers taking this as a reflect upon them and chiefly because German strangers were brought in to be of the Guard as if themselves were not to be trusted therefore turning their spleens against these Emperors they assaulted them in their chambers dispoiled them of their Imperial Robes haled them through the City like two Thieves and lastly slew them leaving their bodies to despightful ignominy in A. D. 241. in which year was so great an eclipse of the Sun that the noon-day thereby became as dark as the midnight GORDIANVS A D. 241. ANtonius Gordianus was by the Senate and Praetorian Band elected Emperor when he was not yet full sixteen years of age He caused the Temple of Janus at Rome which had long stood shut to be opened a sure token that Wars were at hand which with good success he prosecuted against the Persians Goths Sarmates and Germans He was most noble and lovely conditioned exceeding studious and addicted unto learning having in his Library no less than 62000 books But by his Praefect Philip he was deposed Philip also usurping the Imperial Government under whom for a time this deposed youth held an ordinary Captains place but the Usurper judging himself not secure while Gordianus lived commanded him to be slain JVlius Philippus Arabs hath the honour PHILIPPVS A.D. 246. according to some of being the first Emperor baptized into the Christian faith together with his Wife Severa and Son Philip. Himself and Son were slain by the soldiers Of his son it is reported that he was of so admirable composedness that in all his life he was never seen to laugh TRajanus Decius swayed the Empire like a worthy Prince TRAJANVS A.D. 253. 7th Pers saving his persecuting the Saints of God for he it was that raised the Seventh Persecution against the Christians Under him suffered Fabianus and Cornelius Bishops of Rome St. Lawrence and many other good Christians he put to great tortures amongst the rest Origen he caused to be scourged at an Iron-stake and then lockt his feet in the stocks four paces asunder But after that he had seen his two sons Decius and Hostilianus slain before his face himself was swallowed up in a whirl-pool never having other honour of burial TRebonianus Gallus TREBONIANVS A.D. 254. whom Decius had appointed Governour of Mysia and to keep the passages from the invading Goths through the desire of rule he plotted with the Goths against the Roman Army to the ruine of his Soveraign Lord but thereby he attained the Empire he had lusted after The Christians he banished At which time so violent a Pestilence commenced that no Province in the world was exempt from it He made a dishonourable peace with the Goths who notwithstanding continued their furies against the Romans which his General Aemilianus Maurus revenged with a wonderful slaughter whereby Aemilian grew so famous and Gallus so contemptible that the soldiers proclaimed Aemilian Emperor who slew Gallus and his son both in fight AEMILIANUS A. D. 255. JVlius Aemilianus an African by birth of base parentage was elected Emperor only by the Mysian Army which election the Italian Bands opposed in favour of their own Leader Valerianus whom they sought to promote to the Empire the Senate also inclining thereto Therefore the Mysian Soldiers when they understood this tumultuously murder'd Aemilainus when he had reigned about four months VALERIANUS A. D. 255. 8th Perse LIcinius Valerianus in the beginning of his reign was very gracious and mild toward the Christians but afterward stirred up by an Egyptian Sorcerer he began the Eighth persecution with great cruelty Many were the Martyrs which with horrible tortures he caused to be put to death but the just revenging hand of God cut him off by Sapor the savage King of Persia who in battel took him prisoner and made his aged back his footstool whilst he mounted his horse for the space of seven years and then caused him to be fley'd alive and salted LIcinius Gallienus GALLIENUS A.D. 268. in whose time the sun was clouded as under sackcloth not being seen for many days together also great and fearful earthquakes hapned which overthrew Cities and other Edifices shaking the ground so terribly that vast caves and hideous gaping bowels of the earth were thereby laid open and great streams of salt water flowed out from them the earth roared and seemed to thunder when there was no voice heard in the air above The sea overswelled her banks and brake into many Continents drowning countreys cities and people And so violent a Pestilence raged that in Rome no less than Five thousand persons dyed thereof in a day Which said calamities somewhat moving this Emperor to remorse he stayed the persecutions of the Christians sending out his edicts in favour of them The Roman soldiers now in divers places of the Empire set up no fewer than Thirty titular Emperors at once But Gallienus after that he had suffered the Empire to be rent in pieces and usurped by many barbarous nations was murder'd at Millain by three of his principal Captains AVrelius Flavius Claudius CLAUDIUS II. A.D. 271. was elected by the soldiers before the Walls of Millain and with much joy was confirmed Emperor by the Senate in Rome He slew and took prisoners of the Goths who had
Matilda came to Winchester where sending for the Bishop being then the Popes Legate though he doubted some danger yet not daring to send a flat denyal returned this equivocal answer Ego parabo me I will make ready as though he had meant to follow the Messenger whereas he addressed himself to work her downfall For sending for his Brothers Queen Prince Eustace the Londoners and William Ypre he made strong his party for the King Himself and friends abiding in the City and the Empress keeping in the Castle not daring to adventure forth for about the space of Seven weeks When the Bishop to deceive Matilda commanded peace to be proclaimed and the City Gates to be set open But the Empress and her Friends now leaving the Castle to go to some other place were pursued by the Bishops forces in which pursuit many of her party were wounded and slain Earl Robert taken and others flying into the Nunnery of Warwell were burned together with the place And Winchester City the Bishop caused to be fired for the Citizens affections to the Empress The Empress who had escaped to the Castle of the Devizes and there in hazard to be surprized caused her self to be put into a Coffin as though dead bound fast with Cords and so as if it had been her dead Corps she was carried in a Horse-litter to Glocester King Stephen and Earl Robert being exchanged one for another the King now pursues Matilda and in Oxford besieged her wan the Suburbs thereof and brought her to that streight that for her escape in a great Frost and Snow she was forced in order to the deceiving of the Centinels eyes to cloath her self in white Linen Garments and so on foot to run through Ice and Snow Ditches and Vallies till she came to Abingdon where taking Horse she got the same night to Wallingford Castle After which many bickerings hapned betwixt the two parties with variable successes to and fro Sometimes in one part of the Nation Matilda's side prevailed in another part Stephens to the great ruine of the whole Realm However Stephen to assure the succession to his Son Eustace called a Councel at London commanding Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury to consecrate his Son King Which he refusing to do and that by the Popes special Mandate was forced to fly into Normandy the King seizing upon all his possessions But Eustace shortly after dying King Stephen inclined to peace and was content to adopt Henry Fitz-Empress for his Son and Successour To whom the Nobles at Oxford did homage as to the undoubted Heir and the Prince yielded Stephen the honour of a Father But King Stephen being afflicted with the Iliack passion together with his old Disease the Hemerhoids gave up the Ghost at Dover A. D. 1154 and was buried at Feversham in Kent Though his body afterward for the Lead-sake wherein it was wrapped was cast into the River He had Issue Balwine Eustace William Maud Mary and two natural Sons His Son Eustace in a rage set fire on the Corn-fields belonging to the Abby of Bury Theobald A.B. Cant. because the Monks denyed to help him to a sum of Money but afterwards sitting down to Dinner at the first morsel of Bread he put into his mouth he fell into a fit of madness and in that fit dyed King Stephen erected the Abbies of Cogshall in Essex of Farness in Lancashire the Nunneries at Carew and Higham an Hospital at York and Monastry at Feversham About the beginning of his Reign a Fire beginning at London-stone consumed Eastward to Aldgate and Westward to St. Pauls HENRY II. A.D. 1154. HENRY PLANTAGINET the Son of Maud the Empress and Earl Geofry of Anjou was Crowned at Westminster by Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury And Henry to settle the Realm in quiet demolished certain Castles and fortified others Some Earls unduly created he reduced into a private condition purged the Realm of Foreign Soldiers chiefly of the Flemings Chose himself a Councel out of the most eminent persons spiritual and temporal and restrained the insolencies of some great personages which made some of them discontented especially that arrogant Lord Hugh de Mortimer who raised a Rebellion Against whom the King went in person where in the Siege of Bridge-North he had been shot with an arrow had not Hubert de St. Clare interposed and took the arrow into his own bosome The King having quieted the Rebels he hasted into France and there did homage to King Lewis for his French Provinces setled an accord between himself and Brother Geofry and at his return into England entred into amity with Malcolm King of Scots restoring to him the Earldom of Huntingdon Then he advanced against the Welsh with whom fighting his person was in great danger his Standard-royal cowardly abandoned for the which Henry de Essex Standard-bearer was afterward accused by Robert de Montford who in single combat within lists vanquished him at Reading where the said Essex was shorn a Monk But the King at length overcame the Welsh and returned with triumph into England after which himself and his Queen Eleanor were crowned at Worcester where they both at the Offertory laid their Crowns upon the high Altar vowing never to wear them after This now was the third time in which at three several places Westminster Lincoln and Worcester he had been crowned Then the King crost the seas into his Dukedom of Normandy where he made seizure of some Cities into his hands after his Brother Geofry's death and setled some affairs then returned After which and about the year 1163 began the famous Controversie betwixt the King and his Favourite Beâ—ket whom in the beginning of his reign he had advanced to be Lord Chancellor and upon the death of Theobald to be Archbishop of Canterbury Tho. Becket A.B. Cant. Which Archbishoprick Becket at the Council of Tours secretly delivered up to the Pope and received it again from his hands But the cause of the dissention betwixt the King and this Bishop was the remisness and neglect of Becket's curbing the disorders of the Church-men which then were grown to a dangerous height complaint having been made to the King of above a hundred Murders committed by the Clergy in his reign Which enormities besides many others of other kinds not being punished by Church-censure the King exceedingly displeased brought them under the Civil Power ordering that Justice should be administred to all alike without partiality as well Clergy as Laity appointing Ministers of Justice through all parts of the Land to that purpose against which Becket opposed himself peremptorily defending the pretended Rights of the Clergy and his See of Canterbury yea so far as that he challenged from the Crown the custody of Rochester Castle and other Forts which the King for securing his state had resumed into his own hands Hereupon the King assembling his Bishops at Westminster it was there agreed That none should appeal to the See of Rome in any case
he conquered a mighty Argosey called a Dromond wherein were a-Board a Thousand five hundred Saracens disguised under French-Flags furnished besides all other provisions with Fire-works Barrels or Cages of venomous Serpents for the use of the Sarazens at Ptolemais since called Acon Of the Sarazens he killed and drowned 1300 and then sailed safely to Acon Before which lay these Christian Nations the Genoways and Florentines Flemings Almains Danes Dutch Pisans Friezlanders Lombards and the English under Hubert Bishop of Sarum Besides the Knights Templers collected out of all Nations and also the aids of the Asians The King of France also came to the Siege Where whilst the Christians lay Sultan Saladin cut off the heads of 1500 Christian Captives in revenge whereof King Richard in sight of Saladines Host cut off above 2500 of the heads of Turkish Slaves The Siege before Acon was so well plyed notwithstanding sundry dissensions betwixt King Richard and Philip King of France the two competitors of glory in this Siege that the City of Acon was surrendred upon Articles Which done the French King envying the English Kings noble exploits though contrary to the French mens will returned into France having first given Oath to the King of England that he would well and faithfully keep the Lands and Subjects of King Richard and neither do damage to them himself nor suffer others to do it till Richards return Howbeit whilst Richard was busied in the Holy War the King of France after his return home devised how to trouble and endamage his Dominions but was hindred by his own Nobles In England the Peers and people were much discontented at the incredible insolencies and intolerable tyrannies of the Chancellor which though K. Richard heard of yet kept he himself imployed in the War wherein he performed many Heroic acts Within sight of Jerusalem he encountred Saladine slew a great number of his Soldiers took 3000 Camels 4000 Horses and Mules took his Carriage richly laden from Babylon rescued Joppa repulsing Saladine from thence He also assayed to regain Jerusalem but being in that Enterprize abandoned by the Duke of Burgundy he was perswaded to accept Saladines offers for a three years Truce Which having concluded and setled his affairs in the East he set sail homeward where in his passage his ships were scattered by tempest and driven hither and thither but he happily gaining the shore hoped in disguise as a Merchant to have free journeying through Germany But he being by the way over-free in his expences became suspected for another kind of man than a Merchant and near to Vienna was discovered and imprisoned by the Arch-Duke of Austria under pretence that he was guilty of the death of the Marquess Conrade at Tyre Then the person of this famous King being thought too great a booty for the Duke was gained into the Emperors hands whose usage towards him was very cruel and the ransome required for him most unreasonable being an Hundred thousand Marks sterling to himself and Fifty thousand more to himself and the Duke besides other conditions All which being yeilded unto and ingagement given for the performance Hubert A.B. Cant. after fifteen Months imprisonment he was set at liberty to the great joy of many Princes in those parts and to the unspeakable joy of his own Subjects in general though not of his brother John who with the King of France 't is said were some instruments for the procuring of his unhandsome usage But Ceur de Lyon escaping the way-layings of the Emperor who sent to re-take him after his release safely Landed at Sandwich whither Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury that had been with him in the Holy-Land came with a joyful heart to meet him whom when the K. saw he dismounted bowed his knee then fell upon the earth In like sort the Bishop lay upon the ground over against him till at last both of them rising up ran into each others arms comforting themselves with mutual embraces and weeping for joy His Brother John who had been false to him upon his submission he freely forgave calmly saying unto him Would that thy fault may so be forgotten of me as that thy self may keep in memory what thou hast done And after this the King restored his forfeited possessions to his brother John who from that time became faithful to him and did him very noble services especially against the French with whom Richard then warred In which wars this John Earl of Morton and Markadey Captain of the Routs had made an incursion up to Beauvois where the Bishop being also a Peer of the Royal Blood valiantly fighting was taken in the skirmish armed at all points on whose behalf the Pope wrote somewhat earnestly to K. Richard to set his very dear Son for so he called the Bishop at liberty The K. in a kind of pleasant earnestness caused the Habergeon and Curaces of the Bishop to be presented the Pope with this question See whether this be thy Sons Coat or not Whereupon the Pope replied That he was neither his Son nor the Son of the Church and therefore should be ransomed at the Kings pleasure because he was rather to be judged a Servitor of Mars than a Soldier of Christ In this War with the French the King amongst other victories obtained one of fame Taking an hundred Knights and Servitors on Horseback and Footmen without number Thirty men of Arms also 200 great Horse whereof an 140 had Barbs and Caparisons armed with Iron The King in his own person did most nobly for with one Spear he threw to the earth Matthew de Mummerancy Alan de Rusci and Fulk de Giservall and took them So have we vanquished the King of France at Gysors howbeit we have not done it but God and our right by us said the King in his Letter to the Bishop of Durham But the fatal accident is at hand which put an end to this renowned Warrior for the Viscount of Limoges having found a great hoard of Silver and Gold sent a great part thereof to King Richard as chief Lord with which the King being not contented came with some forces to the Castle of Châ—luz belonging to the Viscount where he supposed the riches were The Garrison of which place offered to yield the same to him and all therein if only their lives and limbs might be saved but the King would accept of no conditions bidding them to defend themselves as they could for he would enter by the Sword and hang them all Whereupon an Arbalaster standing upon the Wall and seeing his time charged his Steel-bow with a Square-Arrow making first his Prayer to God that he would direct that shot and deliver the innocency of the besieged from oppression then discharging it as the King was taking a view of the Castle mortally wounded him in the left shoulder the anguish and peril whereof was extreamly increased by the unskilfulness of the Chyrurgeon The Castle by continual assaults was taken and by
Welsh they made some stirs And one Fitz-Arnulph a Citizen of London attempted to set up Lewis again for the which himself and two others were hanged and many more had their hands or feet cut off The Barons they were high for a confirmation of their Liberties And Lewis of France upon the death of his Father seized Rochel and the whole Country of Poictou which belonged to the King of England into his hands under pretence that K. Henry an Homager for Aquitain was not present at his Coronation nor yet excused his absence by Ambassadors Whereupon Henry summons a Parliament for Aids to recover his losses which being granted he sent over his forces which discomfited the French But the King necessitated for more Monies for the carrying on of his design in Gascoign wrung from the Londoners Five thousand Marks above their Fifteenths alledging that they had to his prejudice given Lewis the like sum The Clergy also were compelled under pain of Papal censure to pay the Fifteenth not only for their temporal but also Ecclesiastical Goods And by advice of Hubert de Burgo Chief Justice the King revoked the Charters of Liberties which for about two years had been practised through the Realm pretending his Non-age when granted Which caused in all a great heart-burning against Hubert Howbeit the King was well furnish'd with money and men which he caused to be transported into Britain and on the same day in which he set sail from England himself in person did visit the poor and feeble dealing large Alms to them and not refusing to kiss the sick and leprous But before that the King had opportunity to effect any thing in those parts considerable the Irish rebelled constraining him to return to reduce then inâ—o order Which when he had done he advanced against the Welsh whom he also repressed though not without considerable loss About this time Hubert de Burgo Earl of Kent was accused by the Bishop of Winchester and others for the committing of many great crimes and he doubting that he should not have a fair Tryal retired himself into Essex whither he was prosecuted by Armed men and in a Chappel at Burntwood was apprehended out of which the rude Soldiers hailed him and sent for a Smith to make Shackles for him which when the Smith understood that they were for him fetching a deep sigh he said Do with me what you please and God have mercy on my soul but as sure as the Lord lives I will never make Iron-Shackles for him but will rather dye the worst death that is For is not this the most Loyal and Courageous Hubert who so often hath preserved England from being destroyed by strangers and restored England to England Let God be judge between him and you for using him so unjustly and inhumanely requiting his most excellent deserts with the worst recompence that can be Notwithstanding all this Sir Godfrey de Crancomb who commanded the party bound the Earl and conveyed him to the Tower of London where he had not long been ere the Bishop of London procured his liberty though shortly after he was again imprisoned In his place the King elected for his Councellor and Confident Peter de Rupibus Bishop of Winchester who displaced the English Officers and in their Rooms placed Poictovins and Britons stuffing the Kings Castles with them intrusting as it were the treasures strength and Realm it self in their hands to the great discontent of the English Peers Who now confederated against the strangers and refused upon the Kings summons to appear in Parliament sending this impudent Message to their Soveraign That if out of hand he removed not the Bishop of Winchester and strangers out of his Court they all of them by the common consent of the Kingdom would drive him and his wicked Counsellors out of it and would consult about creating of a new King Whereupon the King animated by Winchester commanded the Earl-Marshal with all others whom he suspected to appear at Glocester where the King was with an Army Which they refusing to do the King burnt their Mannors and gave away their Inheritances to the Poictovins The Earl-Marshal he contracts strict amity with Leweylyn Prince of Wales and made great spoil on the possessions of the Kings reputed Seducers Shrewsbury he sackt and burnt Gilbert Lord Basset the Earls great Confederate set fire on Alkmundbury not far from Huntingdon But the Earl-Marshal having crossed the seas into Ireland there to recover his Lands taken from him by the fraud of the Bishop of Winchester was there wounded to death for whose loss the King to the wonder of all that saw it broke forth into tears affirming That he had left no Peer about him in the Kingdom And now the Bishop of Winchester hated of the people was commanded by the King not to meddle any farther in State-matters And against Peter Rivallis Lord Treasurer the King was so in raged that he sware he would pluck out his eyes were it not for reverence of holy Orders And by the workings of the Bishops an accord was effected betwixt the King and his Peers and the Poictovins were commanded to depart the Realm Howbeit the Land was not yet eased of its Oppressors and Oppressions for the Pope sent over into England three hundred Romans requiring to have the first Benefice that should become vacant to be bestowed on them requiring also great sums of money of the Clergy for maintenance of the Pope's Wars against the Emperor Which though the Clergy at first opposed yet were forced to yeild unto it at the last The Pope himself had a mind to have come hither in his own person but the King's Councel liked not thereof alledging that the Romans Rapines and Simonies had enough stained England's purity though the Pope himself came not personally to spoil and prey upon the Wealth of the Church About the year 1240 Richard Earl of Cornwall the King's Brother with the Earls of Pembroke Chester Lincoln Salisbury and many other honourable persons departed for the Holy Land and in A. D. 1242 the King passed the Seas to recover Poictou but effected not any thing remarkable though he expended great store of Treasure Upon his return into England he was therefore compelled to be burthensome to his subjects for recruiting of his exhausted Treasure as well by the levy of Escuage as of Loan and otherwise The Jews in especial manner were made sensible of his wants Too much of their money thus rais'd 't is said he expended in Entertainments and Shows though afterward the King reflecting on his former profuseness in gifts and entertainments he shortned the allowances of his houshold and entertainments without any regard to Majesty And to spare his own charge the more he invited himself now to this mans house now to that but no-where contenting himself with his welcome unless himself and his Queen Son Edward yea and chief Favourites were presented with costly Gifts 'T is said that he was sometime
and was so successful that within a short space he took fifteen Ships of the Spaniards fraught with Rich Merchandize By a Tempest were cast away at Sea four Knights and above a thousand Englishmen in their passage to Little-Britain In the year 1392 the Londoners were so unkind to the King that they refused to supply him with the loan but of a thousand pound and because a certain Lombard offered to lend the same they abused and almost killed him for which the King took away their Charter The year of Christ 1394 was famous or notable for the deaths of many great Ladies and amongst the rest of Queen Anne the Kings first wife whom it is said he loved to a kind of madness In the same year that the King was deposed the Bay or Lawrel Trees withered all over England and afterwards reflourished and on the first of January near Bedford-Town the River where it was deepest did on the sudden stand still and so divided it self that the bottom remained dry for about three miles Now flourished Sir John Hawkwood whose Chivalry had made him renowned through the Christian World Sir Geoffry Chaucer Poet Lawreat now also lived Queen Anne wife to King Richard the second first taught English women to ride on side-saddles when as before that time they rid astride She also brought in high head attire piked with Horns and long trained Gowns for Women The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir Nicholas Brember was Mayor Nicholas Twiford Andrew Pikeman Sheriffs In his second Year John Philpot was Mayor John Boseham Thomas Cornwallis Sheriffs In his third Year John Hadly was Mayor John Helisdon VVilliam Barra Sheriffs In his fourth Year VVilliam VValworth was Mayor Walter Doget William Knighthode Sheriffs In his fifth Year John Northampton was Mayor John Rotu John Hinde Sheriffs In his sixth Year John Northampton continued Mayor Adam Bramme John Sely Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir Nicholas Brember was Mayor Simon Winchcome John Moor Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir Nicholas Brember continued Mayor Nicholas Exton John French Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir Nicholas Brember continued Mayor John Organ John Churchman Sheriffs In his tenth Year Nicholas Exton was Mayor William Stondon William More Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Nicholas Exton continued Mayor William Venor Hugh Falstalfâ— Sheriffs In his twelfth Year Nicholas Twiford was Mayor Thomas Austen Adam Carlehul Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year William Venor was Mayor John Walcot John Love Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year Adam Bamme was Mayor John Francis Thomas Vibent Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year John Hinde was Mayor John Shadworth Henry Vamere Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year William Stondon was Mayor Gilbert Mafield Thomas Newington Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year John Hardley was Mayor Drew Barintin Richard Whitington Sheriffs In his eighteenth Year Sir John Froyshe was Mayor William Bramston Thomas Knolls Sheriffs In his nineteenth Year Sir VVilliam More was Mayor Roger Ellis VVilliam Sevenoke Sheriffs In his twentieth Year Adam Brown was Mayor Thomas VVilford VVilliam Parker Sheriffs In his twenty first Year Sir Richard VVhitington was Mayor John VVodcock VVilliam Ascham Sheriffs In his twenty second Year Sir Drew Barintin was Mayor John VVade John VVarner Sheriffs HENRY IV. A D. 1389 HENRY of Bullingbroke the son of John Duke of Lancaster the fourth son of King Edward the third was Crowned at VVestminster by Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury His Cousin the late King Richard seem'd so little concern'd for the loss of his Crown that when it was told him of Bullingbrokes being accepted by Parliament for King in his stead he only used these words I look not after such things but my hope is that after all this my Cousin will be my good Lord and friend But now Henry seated in Richards Throne used all the best means to retain the hearts of the people that sided with him and to weaken the opposite party and withal sent Ambassadors to forreign Princes to justify his unjust proceedings But the King of France and people of Aquitain would not allow of his pretences and the Citizens of Burdeaux openly said That since the world began there was never a more cruel unreasonable nor wicked fact done That the good Prince was betrayed by faithless men and that all Law was violated In England were many that inclined and contrived to set King Richard again upon his rightful Throne though to seek a captive Kings deliverance doth commonly hasten his death The principal Conspirators were John Holland Earl of Huntingdon Thomas Holland Earl of Kent the Dukes of Surrey Excester and Aumarl John Monticute Earl of Salisbury Thomas Spencer Earl of Glocester and the Bishop of Carlile Their plot was to kill Henry Bullingbroke and his son Henry but before the time of intended execution was come the whole conjuration was discovered Many attempts the conspirators made to effect the re-establing of Richard and amongst the rest they procured one Maudlen King Richards Chaplain to personate his Lord but this with all the rest of their projects failed The Towns-men of Cyrencester assayled and took some of the discontented Lords and then cut off their heads because some of their followers set fire on Cyrencester thinking that whilst the Towns-men were busied in quenching the fire they might set their Lords at liberty The Commons in Essex took the Earl of Huntingdon and cut off his head in revenge of the Duke of Glocesters death which he had had a hand in The Lord Spencer the Commons beheaded at Bristol Some others of them were put to death at Oxford some at London where also John Maudlen the counterfeit Richard a goodly personage and one VVillian Ferby were hang'd and quartred The Bishop of Carlile was by the Kings Clemency saved after his condemnation King Richard did not long survive his friends but at Pontfract Castle was put out of the way by hunger cold and great torments though the Scots have untruly writ that he escaped out of prison and led a solitary and vertuous life in Scotland and there dyed and was buryed at the black-Fryars in Sterling After Richards murder at Pontfract King Henry caused his dead body to be brought up to London where in St. Pauls with his face uncovered he lay for a time exposed to the view of all men then was his body transported to Langley in Hartfordshire where it lay buried till Henry the fifth in the first year of his Reign caused the Royal remains of his body to be Translated to VVestminster That beautiful Picture of a King sitting Crowned in a chair of State at the upper end of the Quire in VVestminster-Abby is said to be of him And now King Henry to divert the thoughts of the people from his Predecessors Tragedy prepared a puissant Army and marched with it into Scotland where he only did some hurt by wasting the Countrey and then returned Shortly after which he advanced against Owen Glendour that had
and his wild companions would way-lay and rob his Fathers and his own Receivers And when one of his servants was arraigned at the Kings Bench bar for felony this Prince hearing thereof posted thither commanding his Fetters to be struck off and he set at liberty and when the Judge opposed him therein commanding him upon his Allegiance to cease from such riot and keep the Kings peace he in a rage ascended the Bench and gave the Judge a blow on the face who sate still undaunted and boldly thus spake unto the Prince Sir I pray remember your self This seat which I here possess is not mine but your Fathers to whom and to his Laws you owe double obedience If his Highness and his Laws be thus violated by you who should shew your self obedient to both who will obey you when you are a Soveraign or minister execution to the Laws that you shall make Wherefore for this default in your Fathers name I commit you prisoner to the Kings Bench until his Majesties pleasure be further known With which words the Prince abashed stood mute laid by his weapons and with obeysance done went to the Prison Whilst the King his Father was crazie and kept his Chamber he through the Princes wild extravagances and set on by some Court-whisperers began both to withdraw his affections and to fear some violence against his own person from the Prince which when young Henry understood in a strange disguise he repaired to his Fathers Court accompanied with many persons of Honour His garment was a Gown of blew Satten wrought full of eye-let-holes and at every eye-let the needle left hanging with the silk it was worked with About his Arm he wore a Dogs Collar set full of S's of Gold the Tirets thereof being most fine Gold Being come to the Court he charged his followers to advance no further than the fire in the Hall whilst himself passed on to his Fathers presence before whose feet he fell confessing his youthful faults and justifying his loyalty to his person declaring himself to be so far from any disloyal attempt that if he knew any person of whom his Father stood in any danger or fear his hand according to duty should be the first to free the King of suspition yea saith he I will most gladly suffer death to ease your perplexed heart and to that end I have this day prepared my self both by confession and receiving the blessed Sacrament Wherefore I humbly beseech your Grace to free your suspition from all fears conceived against me with this dagger the stab whereof I will willingly receive at your hands and will clearly forgive my death At which the King melting into tears cast down the naked dagger which the Prince had put into his hand and raising his prostrate Son Henry Chicheley A. B. Cant. embraced and kissed him confessing that his ears had been over-credulous against him which he promised they should never be in the future But notwithstanding this Prince's youthful exploits yet when he had attained the Crown to begin a good Government he began at home banishing from his Court those unruly youths that had been his consorts commanding them either to change their manners or never to approach within ten miles of his person And chose worthy men for his Council of Estate advancing his Clergy with Power and dignity So highly careful was he for the execution of Justice that himself would every day after dinner for the space of an hour receive Petitions of the oppressed and with great equity would redress their wrongs And so nearly did the death of King Richard touch his heart that he sent to Rome to be Absolved from that guilt of his Fathers Act. In the first year of his Reign at a Parliament holden at Leicester was a Bill exhibited wherein complaint was made That the temporal lands given to the Religious houses and spiritual persons for devotion sake were either superfluous or disorderly spent Whose revenues if better imployed would serve for the defence of the Land and Honour of the King For the maintenance of fifteen Earls 1500 Knights 6200 Esquires and 100 Almes-houses for the relief of diseased and impotent people and unto the Kings Coffers Twenty thousand pounds per Annum By the Authority of this Parliament an 110 Priories alien were suppressed and their possessions given to the King and his successors for ever But to divert those in Authority from such like proceedings projects were put into the Kings head for recovery of France his rightful possession Henry Chicheley Archbishop of Canterbury suggested that King Henry as the true Heir unto his Great-grand-Father Edward the third was the true Heir to the Crown of France As for the Salique-Law alledged against the English claim he affirmed that that Text touched only those parts of Germany which lay betwixt the Rivers Elbe and Sala conquered by Charles the Great who placing the French there to inhabit because of the dishonest lives of those German-women made this Law In terram Salicam mulieres ne succedant which the gloss did falsely expound for the whole Kingdom of France whose practise notwithstanding he shewed to be contrary by many experiences both in King Pepin descended of Blithud daughter to Clothair the first and by Hugh Capet as Heir to the Lady Lingard daughter to Charlemain so King Lewis called the Saint and besides that this exclusion is contrary to the word of God which alloweth women to succeed in their Fathers inheritance Numbâ— 27. King Henry now sends a summons and demand in the first place of his Dutchies of Normandy Aquitain Guyon and Anjou to which the Daulphin of France in derision sent him for a present a Tun of Paris Tennis-Balls but the King returned for answer That he would shortly send him London-Balls which should shake Paris-walls Whilst the English were making provision against the French Sir Robert Humfreville gave the Scots a considerable defeat which the French understanding with also the great preparations that Henry of England was making against them they sent over Ambassadors who at Winchester made offer of money and some Territories also the Princess Katharine to be given in marriage to King Henry so that he would conclude a peace but it was answered That without the delivery of the other Dominions belonging to the Kings Progenitors no pacification was to be made And when the Ambassadors had had their answer given them the King sent Antilop his Pursevant at Arms unto Charles King of France with Letters of defiance next made Queen Joan his Mother-in-Law Regent of the Realm then drew his Forces to Southampton commanding his followers there to attend him on such a day The King of France on the other part makes all the preparation he could to defend himself and to offend the King of England To Grey a Privy-Councellor Scroop Lord Treasurer and the Earl of Cambridge Son of Edmond Duke of York he sent 't is said a Million of Gold to betray
King Henry into his hands or else to murder him but their Treason being discovered they received the just reward of Traytors On the seventh of August 1414 the King of England with 1500 sail took to the seas attended with Thirty thousand Soldiers besides Gunners Enginiers Artificers and Labourers a great number And the 15 day of the same Month he cast anchor in the mouth of Seyn about three miles from Harflew where landing his men he fell devoutly on his knees desiring Gods assistance to the gaining of his Right Then made Proclamation That on pain of death Churches Church-men Women and Children should be spared from all violence And after due encouragement to his followers he made Harflew the first essay of his Fortunes in France it being a Port conveniently seated upon the mouth of the River Seyn and a safe entrance into his intended Conquest as well for the landing of men as to hinder the passage unto Roan and Paris both which received Traffique by the same River This town of Harflew was surrendred to King Henry Septemb 22. Into which when he first entred he passed along the streets bare-footed until he came to the Church of St. Martin where with great devotion he gave most humble thanks unto Almighty God for that his first atchieved Enterprize When the King had continued at Harflew about fourteen days he marched with 2000 Horse and 13000 Foot through Caux and Eu towards Callis in which march the French used all their endeavours to endamage him for besides many skirmishes they broke down the Bridges where he was to pass plashed the woods entrenched the ways stuck stakes in the Fords and in places of advantage laid store of soldiers to impeach his passage conveyed all victuals out of the Countreys through which he should go and at Blanchetague where he purposed to have passed over the River Some there the French had fortified against him for which cause he marched by Worms with intent to have passed the River at Port le Remy but finding that also guarded he kept along the River to Hargest the French Army marching on the other side Therefore he still marched on by the River side till he came to Bathen-Court where he got over his feeble and wearied Army proceeding on his march till he came to Azin or Agin-Court which was upon Octob. 24 where the French in a field of advantage purposely chosen had pitched their Banner-Royal with an infinite Host exceeding the English six times in number some say ten times King Henry now seeing himself so far engaged and many of his men sick of the flux 't is said he offered the surrender of Harflew and what else he had won and to make satisfaction for the harms done in France so as he might have liberty safely to depart for Callis to which the Constable and Marshal of France were willing but the young Princes and Nobles refused all conditions of Peace And assuring themselves of victory they before-hand disposed of the English Prisoners prepared a Chariot for the captive King divided the prey commanded the Bells to be rung in the adjacent Cities and Towns and thanks to be given to God that had delivered the Enemy into such a place of advantage sent to King Henry to know what ransome he would give sent for King Charles and the Daulphin to come in their persons to the battel that so they might have the honour of the Victory And so bold were the French upon their numbers and great strength that they spent the night before the battel in Feasts triumphs and sports but the English more wisely in preparing themselves for the fight When morning was come the French took the field pressing who should be foremost to this easie as they thought Conquest Against whom their greatest strength consisting in Horse King Henry commanded Two hundred strong Bow-men to lodg in a low Meadow where a deep ditch full of water might help to secure them from the Horse and the bushes cover them from sight having stakes also prepared and shod with iron at both ends which they were appointed to stick slopewise in the ground and to remove them upon occasion to guard them from the Horse This done King Henry ranged his Host disposing it into three Battels placing his Bow-men on both sides the Main where the King rode himself richly accoutred before whom the Royal Standard was born and many other Banners in Warlike order Both sides being in readiness they a while stood facing one another But the King of England resolving to break his way through his Enemies to Callis or else to dye with a cheerful countenance and words full of courage he animated his followers to put forth their utmost powers that after-ages might know what the Lance the Axe the Sword and the Bow could do in the hands of the Valiant and that whosoever desired Riches Honours and Rewards here they were to be had Which words ended his Army fell prostrate on the ground and committed themselves to God every man taking into his mouth a piece of earth in remembrance of his own mortality or in lieu of the Sacrament And then rising up the King with cheerful countenance commanded his Standard to advance forward saying Because our injurious enemies do attempt to shut up our way let us upon them in the name of the most Glorious Trinity and in the best hour of the whole year Sir Thomas Erpingham an old experienced Soldier with a Warder in his hand led the way who when he saw time threw his Warder up into the air whereat the whole Army gave a great shout The French kept still their own ground which the undaunted English perceiving they advanced towards them giving another shout when immediately the Archers laid in the Meadows darkned the Air with a showr of Arrows and the English Army fell on with admirable courage the most of them also for nimbleness being but half cloathed without hat and bare-leg'd so behaving themselves that the French Vantguard was instantly distressed and disordered into such a confused press that they were not able to use their Weapons at any advantage Their Wings which assayed to charge upon the English were broken and forced back for safety to their Main Battel where they bred both fear and confusion And those French Troops which pursued the Archers who gave back as if forced to flye came on with their Horses on the spur upon the jaws of destruction for falling by multitudes on those goring-stakes left by the Archers on purpose they were miserably overthrown and panched to death the English still on all hands hotly pursuing their advantages Against whom the Duke of Brabant advanced hoping by his example to encourage others furiously breaking into the English Army wherein manfully fighting he was slain With the like resolution Duke Alanzon pressed into the English Battalion where King Henry fought and there had slain Humphrey Duke of Glocester had not the King come in to his
that he could have no access into the City that way he in the night marched round about by Kingstone thinking that way to have surprized the City on the sudden but staying to remount a great Gun that was dismounted by the way by that means he could not reach the City so soon as he had expected nor till his coming was discovered and preparations on that side the City made against him Cardinal Reginald Pole A.B. Cant. The Earl of Pembroke possessed himself of St. James's which Wiat at his coming perceiving marched a little aside towards Charing-Cross At Charing-Cross the Lord Chamberlain and Sir John Gage stood to resist Wiat but the Kentish-men rushing violently into the Streets forced their opposites into the gates of White-Hall where was a great distraction within and no other voice heard than Treason Treason Mean while Wiat with such small company as he had with him hasted to Ludgate where he knocked to have entrance but was debar'd In the interim those his followers that had turned to White-Hall were dispersed about twenty of which dirty bemired Rebels were slain in the conflict and no other cry heard on the contrary part but Down with the daggle-Tails Wiat returning from Ludgate sate down upon a stall against Bell-Savage-Inne where he mused a while then retired towards the Court and was not opposed till he came to Temple-Bar where began some Bickering but Clarencieux King at Arms coming to him perswaded him to submit to the Queens mercy To whom Sir Thomas Wiat said If I must yield I will yield to a Gentleman and yielded himself to Clarencieux Then was he mounted behind Sir Maurice Berkley and so carried to the Court and in the after-noon to the Tower About fifty of his fellow Rebels were hanged in London and four hundred more were led through the City with Halters about their necks to Westminster where they were all pardoned by the Queen A. D. 1554 and April 11th Sir Thomas Wiat was beheaded on Tower-hill where at his death he warned the people to beware how they took any thing in hand against the higher Powers and excused the Lady Elizabeth and the Lord Courtney of having any hand in his Rebellion Alexander Bret and twenty two Kentish persons more were executed in divers parts of that County These Commotions were the occasions of great troubles to the Lady Elizabeth for the great difference in judgment that was betwixt her sister the Queen and her caused the Queen to suspect that she was a principal mover in them Wherefore the good Princess was in all haste sent for from her Mannor of Ashbridge where she then lay sick and was committed prisoner to the Tower of London at her first coming being kept a close prisoner under locks and bolts but at length the Lord Shandois obtained liberty for her to walk in the Queens Chamber and in the garden About May 19th she was removed to Woodstock where her liberty was not much inlarged In this her confinement as she sate looking out of the window she hap'd to see a maid milking in the Park and merrily singing over her pail which struck this pensive prisoner into a deep muse preferring the Maids fortunes above her own and heartily wishing that her self was a Milk-maid Perhaps this might be the place where Stephen Gardner with intent to insnare her life caused her to be examined what she thought of those words of Christ Hoc est corpus meum This is my body To which after some pause the Princess thus warily and as wittily answered Christ was the word that spake it He took the bread and brake it And what the word did make it That I believe and take it A. D. 1554 and April 16th a disputation began concerning Transubstantiation betwixt certain learned men of the Popish perswasion and Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Nicholas Ridley late Bishop of London and old Father Latimer sometime Bishop of Worcester of the Reformed Religion which dispute ended on the 20th of the same month and a year and six months after the aforenamed Bishops gave Testimony to the truth in the flames in the Town-ditch of Oxford A. D. 1554 and July 25th was the marriage betwixt Philip of Spain and Mary Queen of England with great State solemnized and their Titles by Garter King at Arms solemnly proclaimed with these following stiles Philip and Mary by the grace of God King and Queen of England France Naples Jerusalem and Ireland Defenders of the Faith Princes of Spain and Sicily Arch-Dukes of Austrich Dukes of Milain Burgundy and Brabrant Counts of Haspurg Flanders and Tyrol In the November next following this marriage the Queen was reported to be with Child for joy whereof Te Deum was commanded solemnly to be sung and processions and prayers were made for her safe delivery The Queen took her Chamber the Court was full of Midwives all due provisions made against the good hour And so certain it was taken to be that some were punished but for questioning the contrary and the Parliament Enacted That if God should take away Queen Mary this their young Master coming into the world should succeed and that King Philip should be Protector during the Princes minority Howbeit though they had this confidence to trust Philip with the government of England if such a case should happen yet had Philip little confidence in the English first because they would have hindred the marriage betwixt him and the Queen and then because a Nobleman had given his counsel to cut off the Lady Elizabeths head whence he assured himself that those so bad-minded to their natural Princess could not be well-minded to him a stranger A great friend 't is said King Philip was to the said Princess Elizabeth nor would he cease solliciting his Queen till he had gained her some freedom from her close restraint But now the expected time of Queen Maries deliverance being come a rumour was spread that a Prince was born for joy whereof the Bells were rung Bon-fires flamed processions were made and some in their Sermons fondly described the beauty of this young Prince Notwithstanding at last it proved no such matter Some said this rumour was spread in policy and that the Queen to have put the Lady Elizabeth besides the Crown would have mothered another bodies Child but King Philip scorn'd to Father it Others said that the Queen miscarried others that she had a Tympany A. D. 1557 the Queen to take part with the Spaniard and Pope proclaimed Wars against France and King Philip crossed the Seas into Flanders After whom his Queen sent a thousand Horsemen four thousand Foot and two thousand Pioneers under the conduct of the Earl of Pembroke who came with his forces before the Town of St Quintins at that time besieged by the Dukes of Savoy and Brunswick and in short time by their manly courage forced the Town to yield for joy whereof great Triumphs were made in England which lasted not long For
Commons of England in Parliament assembled have appointed them a High Court of Justice for the Trying of Charles Stuart King of England before whom he had been three times convened and at the first time a Charge of High Treason and other crimes and misdemeanors was read in behalf of England c. To which Charge the said Charles Stuart refused several times to answer c. for all which Treasons and crimes mentioned in the Charge this Court doth adjudg the said Charles Stuart as a Tyrant Traytor Murderer and publick enemy to be put to death by severing his Head from his Body This Sentence being read the Members of the Court approved it by holding up their hands His Majesty offered to speak after the Sentence which Bradshaw would not suffer him to do but commanded him to be taken away when in his passing along the Soldiers reviled him with many irreverent taunts blew their stinking Tobacco into his face which they knew to be very distasteful to him and one or two more barbarous than the rest spit in his face the good King wiping it off again and saying My Saviour suffered far more than this for me And when the rude Soldiers instructed by their Commanders cried out Justice Justice Execution Execution this pious King pitied their blindness saying Poor souls for a piece of money they would do as much for their Commanders Such as pull'd off their Hats or bowed to him as he was carrying back to his imprisonment the Soldiers beat with their fists and weapons and knocked down one dead but for saying God be merciful unto him January the 28th this right Christian King was guarded from Whitehall to St. James's where Dr. Juxon Bishop of London preached before him on these words In the day when God shall judg the secrets of all men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Rom. 2.16 January the 29th the Lady Elizabeth and Duke of Gloucester being admitted to take their last Farewell of their condemned Father his Majesty after he had given his blessing to the Princess Elizabeth bad her tell her Brother James whenever she should see him that 't was his Fathers last desire That he should no more look upon Charles as his Eldest Brother only but be obedient to him as his Soveraign and that they should love one the other and forgive their Fathers enemies He also bad her to read Bishop Andrews Sermons Hooker 's Ecclesiastical Policy and Bishop Laud against Fisher which would ground her against Popery wished her not to grieve for him for he should die a glorious death it being for the Laws and Liberties of the Land and for maintaining the Protestant Religion Bad her tell her Mother That his thoughts had never strayed from her and that his love should be the same unto the last Then gave her his Blessing bidding her to send his Blessing to the rest of her Brothers and Sisters and commendations to all his friends To the Duke of Gloucester he said He heard the Army intended to make him King but that he told him he must not accept so long as his two Elder Brothers were living commanded him to fear the Lord and he would provide for him Tuesday January the 30th in the morning the Bishop of London read Divine Service in his Majesties presence when the 27th Chapter of St. Mathew's Gospel the History of our Saviours Crucifixion fell out to be the second Lesson After Morning-prayer the King received the Sacrament and performed private Devotions in preparation to his Passion which being ended about Ten of the Clock this most Christian King was brought from St. James's to Whitehall by a Regiment of Foot and a private Guard of Partizans the Bishop on one hand of him and Colonel Thomlinson who had the charge of him on the other both bare headed His Majesty walked very fast and bad them go faster thus saying That he now went before them to strive for an Heavenly Crown with less solicitude than he had often encouraged his Soldiers to fight for an Earthly Diadem Being come into the Cabinet-Chamber in Whitehall where he used to lodg he there pass'd the time for near two hours in his Devotion about Twelve he eat a bit of bread and drank a glass of Clarret and towards One Col. Hacker with other Officers and Soldiers brought him through the Banquetting-house and through a Window of that upon a Scaffold which was hung with Black Divers Companies of Foot and Troops of Horse were placed on each side of the Street which hindred the approach of the very numerous spectators therefore the King directed his Speech chiefly to Col. Thomlinson therein declaring his innocency how that he began not the War with his two Houses of Parliament calling God to witness that he never intended to incroach upon their priviledges but they began upon him and that he believed that ill instruments betwixt him and them had been the cause of all the bloodshed Then acknowledged Gods Judgments to be just upon himself in suffering an unjust sentence to pass upon him for that he had suffered an unjust sentence to be executed upon another meaning upon the Earl of Strafford Then declared himself to be a good Christian having forgiven all the World and even those in particular who ever they were that had been the chief causers of his death desiring God to forgive them and that they might repent of that great sin praying with St. Stephen that this might not be laid to their charge and wished they might take the right way for the peace of the Kingdom which was he said by giving God his due in regulating rightly his Church according to the Scriptures By giving the King his due being directed by the Laws of the Land By giving the people their due in having Government under those Laws by which their lives and goods might be most their own and not be subject to an Arbitrary power for the opposing of which said he it is that I am brought to the Scaffold for if said he I would have given way to an Arbitrary power or way to have all Laws changed according to the power of the Sword I need not to have come here and therefore I tell you and pray God it be not laid to your charge that I am the Martyr of the People Then he declared he died a Christian according to the Profession of the Church of England as he found it left him by his Father After this he discoursed with the Bishop to whom he gave his George to be sent to the Prince then preparing himself for the Block he said I have a good cause and a gracious God on my side I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible Crown where is no disturbance no disturbance in the world Then having said a few words to himself as he stood with hands and eyes lift up he laid his neck upon the Block and after a short pause stretching forth his hands the Vizarded Executioner at one