Laws for acting any thing in opposition unto that Religion which was then established Concerning which there goes a Story that when a Popish Priest had urged her very earnestly to declare her judgement touching the presence of Christ in the blessed Sacrament she very cautelously resolved the point in these following Verses 'T was God 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 But all this Caution notwithstanding her aversness from the Church of Rome was known sufficiently not to be altered while she lived Dr. Heylins History of Queen Elizabeth At her entrance to her Raign she sent to her Agent in the Court of Spain to represent unto King Philip the second the dear remembrance which she kept of those many humanities received from him in the time of her troubles Yet afterward some of our own and some forraign Wâ—iters taxe her of too much unkindness toward King Philp to whom she had been so much obliged The ground of his Invasion in eighty eight was the divers indignities he received from Queen Elizabeth though ever since the death of Queen Mary he forbore to do any thing that might displease her During his abode in England he had done her such signall and high savours as to preserve her head from the Scaffold to have her allowance enlarged to divert her Sister from a design she had to send her beyond Sea to be a 〈◊〉 and at his departure from England he desired not to carry with him but one Ring of a hundred pound price He shewed no small love also in comprehending the suâ—rendâ—y of Calais to the English in his Treaty of peace with France The Queen assisted Don Antonio the Bastard against him about the title of Portugall fomented his own naturall Subjects against him in the revolt of the confederate Provinces so far as to send a Governour of her own amongst them She gave Commissions to rob him in the Indies She intercepted some of his treasure in her own Seas going to Flanders and wronged some of the Hans Towns who were under his protection These with sundry incitements more caused Philip to prepare this powerfull Fleet to be quit with her at once for all scores Howels History of Naples But it may be said in her defence that thâ—e King of Spain did stir up the Irish against her and did also encourage such Traytors as conspired against her in England Sir Francis Drake who was Captain of the Iudith with Sir Iohn Hawkins in the voyage of Guiny 1567 received together with him considerable dammage and injuries from the Spaniard in the Port of St Iohn D' Vllâ—a of the West Indies contrary to promise and agreement with him and therefore what he did against the Spaniards was to repair himself At the beginning of the Netherlanders troubles she imparted unto the King of Spain sincere advice not to hold a heavy hand over that people which he rejected and contemned Her Majesty nevertheless gave not over her honourable resolution which was if it were possible to reduce and reconcile those Countryes unto the obedience of the King of Spain if not yet to preserve them from alienating themselves to a forraign Lord and so continued to mediate unto the King for some just and honourable capitulations of grace and accord Which course she held untill the death of the Duke of Anjou at which time the enemy pressing them the united Provinces were received into her Majesties protection which was after the King of Spain had discovered himself an unplacable Lord to them and also a professed enemy unto her Majesty having already actually invaded Ireland and designed also the invasion and conquest of England Gabriel Powell his refutation of an Epistle apologetically written by a Puritan Papist to perswade the permission of the promiscuous use and profession of all sects and heresies c. 9. p. 98. Trading was much promoted in her time By her intercession the Turk gave way to the English trading in Turkie whence the Company of Turkish Merchants The Great Duke of Russia also much respected her and the English for her sake England was much adorned with building in her time Plures nobilium privatorum villae elegantia laxitate cultu conspicuae jam passim in Anglia surgere caepâ—runt quà m alio quovis seculo magno sanè regni ornamento verùm hospitalis gloriae detrimento Camd. Annal. She was very sparing in bestowing Honours for in twelve years she made but four Barons She made Westminster Abbey famous for the Coronation and sepulture of our Kings of England and for the keeping of the Insignia Regalia a Collegiate Church where there is a Dean twelve prebends a Schoolmaster and Usher forty Scholars called Kings Scholars out of which some are chosen yearly to both Universities Servants Choristers and twelve Almes-men as Camden in his Annals shews Being near her end she declared Iames King of Scotland to be her Successor so Camden and Du Chesne and Iohnston in his Historia Britannica Sir Francis Walsingham her Secretary died poor he left only one daughter which married Sir Philip Sidney and after the Earl of Essex When she was near death Whitgift Archbishop of Canterbury came to her and spoke much of the redemption of mankind of the resurrection of the body and immortality of the soul to whom she answered with great tranquility and constancy that she desired to be soon dissolved and to be with Christ. She having setled her Dominions in peace died in the year 1602 the twenty fourth of March the sixty ninth of her age and of her Raign the forty fourth CHAP. XX. IAMES the first King of Great Brittain THe Tudors breathing out their last in excellent Elizabeth Stuarts take their turn by an unquestionable title 1. Iames the first of England but sixth of Scotland 2. Charles the first of England It may seem wonderfull that there was no commotion at all upon the Queens decease that he came to the Crown here so peaceably without any opposition He caused himself to be stiled King of Great Brittain to prevent difference between the two Nations one of which else would have preferred England in his title and the other Scotland The name of Brittain continued to be the name generally of the whole Island but more specially of the parts of England and Wales ever since before the invasion of the Romans King Alfred was entituled Governour of the Christians of all Brittain King Edgar was stiled Monarch of all Brittain King Henry the second was entituled King of all Brittain King Iohn had his Coyn stamped with this Inscription Iohannes Rex Britonum Walter sirnamed Banguho according as his father was returning into Scotland fought valiantly for his King against the Islands Rebels and the Savages of Scotland In recompence of his extraordinary vertue he was made Great Provost and Treasurer of the houshold Royall
establish his Monarchy over England he endeavoured by all means to reconcile the English to him 1. By advancing some of the English Nobility to places of honour and trust 2. By granting to the English equall rights and priviledges with his Danes in consessu in consilio in praelio and advancing them both alike 3. By favouring and inriching the English Clergy and Church-men and manifesting extraordinary piety devotion bounty in repairing building endowing Monasteries and Churches throughout the Realm 4. By easing them of his Danish Forces 5. By ratifying all their former good old fundamentall Laws rights liberties priviledges which they used enjoyed under their Saxon Kings by enacting other good wholsome Laws repealing all unjust Laws and redressing all exactions and grievances A company of flatterers which extolled his greatness and power to be unmatchable he caused to place him in a chair where the Sea ebbs and flowes at South-hampton that by the disobedience of the Tide that would not stop at his command but presumed to dash his royall garments they might learn how low man is at the highest and not to applaud his fortune but fear his fall He acknowledged God alone to be King of this great Element because the Sea is his and he made it The flatterers of Alexander the great made him believe that he was the son of Iupiter but being one day sore hurt and seeing the blood gush out of his wounds What think you of this said he unto them Is not this blood of a lively red hew and meerly humane He was the greatest Prince of power that ever before him raigned over the English people England Denmarke Norway some adde also part of Sweden together with Scotland were wholly subject unto him Filiam suam Imperatori Romano cum ineffabilibus divitiis maritavit Hunting hist. l. 6. In a Parliament at Oxford he made good Laws whereof these were some that concern Religion First For the celebration of divine service it was ordained that all Ceremonies tending to the increase of reverence and devotion should be used as need required Secondly That upon the Sabbath day all publick Fairs Markets Synods Huntings and all secular actions should be forborn unless some urgent necessity should require it Thirdly That every Christian should thrice in the year receive the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper Fourthly That a married woman convict of adultery should have her nose and ears cut off Krantzius much extols him as the most famous of the Kings of Denmarke He was a just Prince in all saving his tyranny against the two young Princes the sons of Edmond The lustre of this new erected Monarchy had no sooner displayed its beams in Canutus but like an unthrifty Taper it began to glimmer in Harold and absolutely expired in Hard knute who dying issueless the current of royalty ran back again into the channell of the Saxon bloud which flowed in the veinsâ— of Edward sirnamed the Conâ—essor Philpot's Preface to his Villare Cantianum After he had in great glory reigned about nineteen years he deceased at Shafiesbury in the County of Dorset and was buried in the Church of the old Monastery at Winchester where Queen Emma made her abode ever after Harold The second Danish King raigning in England and the thirty fifth Monarch of the Land He was called Hare-foot by reason of his swiftness Canutus had him by a Concubine a Shoomakers daughter This base son of Cnute dispossessed his legitimate son Harde-Cnute of the Crown of England contrary to Cnutes will and contract banished and spoiled Queen Emma of her treasure and Jewels oppressed the people with taxes and was soon cut off by death without any issue He was an oppresser of his people and vitious He raigned four years and four moneths He was neither in Warres so hardy nor in Government so prosperous as his Father Canutus before him had been Harde-Canute The third Danish King that raigned in England and the thirty sixth Monarch of the English men For his noble courage he was called Harde-Canutus The first great Prince of the house of Burgundy was Philip sirnamed the Hardy His recalling his Mother Emma and half Brother Edward and entertaining them respectively deserves commendation His Epicurism left an ill custome to all posterity Four times a day his Table must be covered to invite men to intemperancy through which at a marriage he is thought to have choaked himself at Lambeth most rejoycing to be rid of him in memory whereof Hock-tide a Feast of scorning or triumphing was a long time continued after The English men learned of him their excessive gormandizing and unmeasurable filling of themselves with meates and drinkes At the death of this King died all rule of the Danes in this Land after they had miserably afflicted the Kingdome for the space of two hundred and forty yeares though in Regall government but only six and twenty under these three last Kings He raigned two yeares lacking ten dayes The Danes ruled in this Land almost thirty yeares and raged without all rule about three hundred and fifty Lamberts Perambulation of Kent CHAP. X. Edward the Confessor THe son of King Ethelred the thirty seventh Monarch of the English men He was born at Islip near unto Oxford and tenderly educated by Queen Emma his Mother and after his Fathers death for safety sent into France He was the last King of the Saxon race Such was the opinion conceived of his holiness of life as that shortly after his decease he was canonized amongst the Saints and named Edward the Confessour To gain the more love of his Subjects at his first entrance he remitted the taxe of forty thousand pounds yearly gathered by the name of Dane-gilt so grevous to the Commons Fertur Edwardus Confessor teste Ingulpho cùm se daemonem vidisse super dcervo Daingeldi exultantem protestatus esset aspectunique exhorruisset collecium illico restitui jussâ—sse retento ne iota uno feram exactionem perpetuum relaxasse Spelmanni Glossarium Danegaldi redditio propter pyratas primitus statuta est Hoved. dnnal pars posrerior p. 603. vide plura ibid. He collected the Laws of his predecessors into a body for the administration of justice which some say are the ground of our Common-Law though the pleading be altered since the Norman conquest He found the Realm governed by three different Laws the West-Saxon Law the Mereian Law and the Dane Law Out of these three Lawes partly moderated and partly supplied he composed one body of Law commonly called St Edwards Laws which were of so great equity that when they were abrogated by the Conquerour and the Crown fell into controversie between Maud the Empress and King Stephen the people alwayes inclined to favour that part who put them in fairest hope of restitution of those Laws And afterwards in many Civil dissensions the greatest demand of the people appeareth to have been the restitution of King
pay yearly upon Lammas day one peny to the Pope which at first was contributed under the name of the Kings alms but afterwards was paid by the name of Peter-pence The Pope of Rome had out of every Chimney of England Ireland and Scotland Wales and Cornwall a penny a year for five hundred years together Omnis qui habet triginta denariatas vivae pecuniae in domo sua de proprio suo Anglorum lege dabit denarium sancti Petri. Hoved. Annal pars posterior p. 603. King Henry first forbad this to be paid to the Pope There preached one before him whose Sermon the King liked not as there was reason the King willed Sir Thomas More then being Lord Chancellor to give the Preacher thanks worthy such a Sermon He being a man of a pleasant wit spake aloud to the Preacher that the King might hear and said The Kings Majesty thanketh you for your notable Sermon which when the King heard he called Sir Thomas to him and said What mean you my Lord to give such thanks in our name If it like you quoth he there be some things notable evil It is a note worthy to be remembred that Thursday hath been a fatall day to King Henry the eight and all his posterity for himself died on Thursday the twenty eighth of Ianuary King Edward on Thursday the sixth of Iuly Queen Mary on Thursday the seventeenth of November and Queen Elizabeth on Thursday the twenty fourth of March. After Dr. Collets Sermon preached to him and long communication with him by occasion thereof he dismissed him with these words Lot every one have his Doctor as he liketh this shall be my Doctor Being necessitous he was offered by the House of Commons in a Parliament toward his latter end all the lands and houses of the two famous Universities to be confiscated to his Exchequer by a most mechanick prostitution of the learning the honour and the piety of the Nation but he told them not without a just scorn that he had too much of a Scholar in him to destroy two such Universities as the world had not the like His purpose was if he had lived to have made a perfect Reformation of Religion saith Mr. Fox in his second Volume of his Acts and Monuments oâ— the Church p. 647. and he gives there two reasons of his opinion But the secret working saith he of Gods holy providence which disposeth all things after his own wisdome and purpose thought it good rather by taking the King away to reserve the accomplishment of this Reformation of his Church to the peaceable time of his son Edward and Elizabeth his daughter whose hands were yet undefiled with any bloud and life unspotted with any violence or cruelty Cardinal Woolsey and after him Archbishop Cranmer were in great favour with him Sir Thomas Moor and the Lord Cromwell were also highly esteemed by him Francis King of France after the death of King Henry the eight was much disposed to melancholy whether for that he being some years the younger was by his death admonished of the like approaching fate They were also of so conspiring a similitude of disposition and nature that you shall hardly find the like between any two Princes of whatever different times He celebrated the Funerals of King Henry in the Cathedrall at Paris though excommunicated by the Pope Many learned men lived in his dayes Iohn Collet Dean of Pauls and founder of the School there William Lilly the first Schoolmaster of Pauls School after it was erected Thomas Linacer or rather Linaker a learned Physician and well seen in the tongues Richard Pace a good Linguist Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester Sir Thomas More an excellent Scholar Iohn Frith and William Tindall Robert Barnes Martyrs Robert Wakefield a good Linguist Sir Thomas Eliot Edward Lee Archbishop of Yorke Iohn Leland a great Antiquary William Grocin very expert in Greek and Latine Hugh Latimer Bishop and Martyr who hath put out an elegant Oration in Latine thus entituled Hugonis Latimeri Anglicani pontificis Oratio apud totum Ecclesiasticum Conventum antequam consultatio publica iniretur de Regni statu per Evangelium reformando Regni invictissimi Regis Henrici 8â— 6â— anno vigessimo octavo habita where he speaks of many things fit then to be reformed and well concludes Si nihil est emendandum in communi saltem emendemus nos ipsos singuli He raigned thirty seven years and nine moneths and died in the six and fiftieth year of his life leaving behind him three children Edward Mary and Elizabeth all which also raigned after him EDWARD the sixth Next after the death of King Henry succeeded King Edward his son being of the age of nine years A Prince although but tender in years yet for his sage and mature ripeness in wit and all Princely ornaments as I see but few to whom he may not be equall so again I see not many to whom he may not justly be preferred Fox his Acts Monuments of the Church vol. 2. p. 65 2. He fitly compares him there to good Iosias Favour and love saith he of Religion was in him from his childhood such an Organ given of God to the Church of England he was as England had never better Id. ib. All King Henries issue for themselves in their severall kinds were Princes of eminent vertue As Henry the eighth with Solomon was blame-worthy for women so he left but one son and two daughters Solomon had Rehoboam a fool and unfortunate his daughters but obscure and both of them Subjects But Henry was more happy in Edward his son another Iosiah and his sisters both Soveraignes of an Imperiall Crown Speed Lever compares him to Iosiah in severall respects He was born at Hampton-Court on the twelfth day of October anno 1537 being the only surviving son of King Henry the eight by Iane his third wife daughter to Sir Iohn Seymer Knight It hath been commonly reported and no less generally believed that Prince Edward being come unto the birth and there wanting naturall strength to be delivered his mothers body was ripped open to give him a passage into the world and that she died of the Incision in a short time after Whence this Epitaph was made upon her Phoenix Jana jacet nato Phoenice dolendum Saecula Phaenices nulla tulisse duos Alluding to the Crest of her father a Phenix in flames within a Crown Yet Dr. Heylin in his Ecclesia restaurata saith there are many reasons to evince the contrary that he was not so born The other was not more poetically then truely written he being considering his years an admirable President for all ages of piety learning clemency magnanimity wisdome and care in governing his people As Iulius Caesar in the midst of his greatest actions wrote an exact and curious Commentary of his notable enterprises by Arms so King Edward during all the time of his Raign but most especially towards the
end kept a most judicious Journall of all the most principall passages of the affairs of his estate Inclytus Edvardus formatus ab ubere matris Confestim doctis à praeceptoribus artes Ingenuas omnes didicit qui Graeca Latinis Adjungens studio paucis profecerat annis Ut foret inferior nulli quem terra Britanna Protulerat claro magnorum ex stemmate Regum Nullus adaequari posset si flexilis â—tas In puero egresso nondum tria lustra duosque Annos ingenii aut praecox spectetur acumen Quantum ad doctrinas virtutesque attinet almas Ille erat Europae Phoenix quem funere acerbo Ut flos vere novo viridanti carpitur horto Sustulit ante diem mors immatura Britannis Invidet haec terris pietatem jura colentes Oclandi Anglorum praelia In his childhood being about to take down something which seemed to be above his reach one of his fellowes offered him a bossed plated Bible to stand upon and heighten him for taking that which he desired But he perceiving it to be a Bible with holy indignation resused it and sharply reproved him that made the offer A strong assurance of that dear esteem and veneration in which he held that sacred Book in his riper years Dr. Heylins History of Edward the sixth He hath this observation in his Diary the originall of which is in the hands of Sir Thomas Cotton At the sixth year of my age I was brought up in learning by Dr. Coxe who was after my Almner and John Cheek Master of Arts two well learned men who sought to bring me up in learning of tongues of the Scripture of Philosophy and all liberall Sciences Also John Belmain French man did teach me the French tongue He was annointed King at Westminster by Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury being of the age of nine years A Prince of great devotion constancy of mind love of the truth and incredibly studious Godwins Annals of England He knew all the principall Ports in England Scotland Ireland France and other Countries not far distant how they lay when the tide served what vessels of burden they could receive and what winds served for entrance He reformed Religion He caused Images and all monuments of Idolatry to be destroyed and a great Bible in English to be set up in every Church He was in body beautifull of a sweet aspect and specially in his eyes which seemed to have a starry liveliness and lustre in them He would answer Embassadors sometime upon the suddain either in French or Latin He could call all Gentlemen of account through his Kingdome by their names When Ioan Butcher a blasphemous Heretick was to be burned all the Counsell could not procure him to set his hand to the Warrant Wherefore they employed Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury to deal privily with him for his subscription But the King remained firm both in reason and resolution affirming that he would not drive her headlong to the Devil but because Hereticks for the most part have a strain of madness he thought it best to apply her with some corporall chastisements which with respite of time might happily reduce her to good order The Archbishop was violent both by perswasions and entreaties and when with meer importunity he had prevailed the King in subscribing his name said that he would lay all the charge thereof upon the Archbishop before God Not many years passed but this Archbishop also felt the smart of the fire and it may be that by his importunity for bloud he did offend for a good thing is not good if it be immoderately desired A Miller who had been busie in rebellion against the King knowing the danger willed his man to take the name of the master if any enquired after him Sir Anthony Kingston Provost Martiall came to the Mill and calling for the master the man in his name presented himself who strait commanded him to the Gallows the servant then seeing the danger of death confessed he was not the master but the man Well said the Knight thou canst never do thy master better service then to hang for him and thereupon trusted him up in the next tree The Lord Protector in his dayes marcht with a powerfull Army into Scotland to demand their Queen Mary in marriage to our King according their promises The Scots refusing to do it were beaten by the English in Musleborough fight One demanding of a Scotch Lord taken prisoner Now Sir how do you like our Kings marriage with your Queen I alwayes quoth he did like the marriage but I do not like the wooing that you should fetch a Bride with fire and sword The Kings Uncles Edward-Duke of Somerset Protector of his person Realms and Dominions and Thomas Lord Seymour Baron of â—udley the younger high Admirall of England were both beheaded Strife between their wives about place and precedency caused the death of their husbands and the death of the young King followed speedily after Sir Thomas Seymour Admirall and the younger brother married the Queen Dowager whose hap it was of all the rest to survive her husband She contested with her sister in law for priority of place both were privately encouraged neither would give way to the other The one claimed it as she had been once Queen the other challenged it as she was the present wife of the Protector The wives set their husbands at oddes and their enemies took hold of this advantage The Admirall was shortly questioned for treason by consent of his brother condemned in Parliament and lost his head In the same moneth was the Protector committed to the Tower by the Lords of the Counsell and after beheaded In this Kings dayes when Bonner was kept in prison reverend Ridley having his Bishoprick of London would â—ever go to dinner at Fulham without the company of Bonners mother and sister the former alwayes sitting in a Chair at the upper end of the Table These guests were as constant as Bread and Salt to the Board no meal could be made without them He died in the seventh year of his Princely Government in the sixth of Iuly anno 1553. Some write that he was poysoned The death of this Prince was lamented of all the godly within Europe for the graces given unto him of God as well of nature as of erudition and godliness passed the measure that accustomably is used to be given to other Princes in their greatest perfection and yet exceeded he not sixteen years of age Knoxe his Ecclesiasticall Hist. of Scotland l. 1. p. 97. I wonder that Doctor Heylin in his Epistle before his Ecclesia Restaurata should say therefore Whose death I cannot reckon for an infelicity to the Church of England Cardan made this Epitaph of him Flete nefas magnum sed toto flebitis orbe Mortales vester corruit omnis honos Nam Regum decus juvenum flos spesque bonorum Deliciae saecli