so deeply wounded the Kings Mind that he resolved immediately to make use of the Popes Bulls and thereupon caused them to be solemnly proclaimed in England Wales and Ireland adding That all who did any way support those Laws or the Twelve Peers should be committed to Prison He likewise took an Oath of all above twelve years old in and about London to be true to him and his Heirs But the Lords were not to be frighted declaring That they were resolved rather to die than recede from the Acts of that Honourable Assembly And judging that the King was designing something against them they went into the Marches of Wales where they raised a strong Army and then humbly addressed themselves to the King by Letters protesting their Fidelity to him and beseeching his Majesty That for the Honour of God the Good of his Soul and the Welfare of his People he would renounce and forsake those Counsels which were given him to suppress the Ordinances of Oxford and the Twelve Peers The King was much displeased with these Letters but returned no Answer Whereupon the Barons marched with a strong Army toward London carrying a Banner wherein the Kings Arms were curiously wrought As they passed they destroyed and burnt the Houses and Estates of those that favoured the Popes Bulls as undoubted Enemies to the King and Kingdom and then approaching to London they were joyfully received by the Citizens The King desâ—â—ing to divide the Lords caused it to be published That himself and the greatest part of the Barons were agreed and therefore required that all Arms might be laid aside and Peace restored But the Barons marched to Windsor where finding many Strangers in the Kings Palace they rifled and removed them but at length upon the Kings Motion all Differences were referred to Lewis the French King who upon hearing of both Parties declared That all the new Laws and Ordinances should be made void and the Power of the Twelve-Peers dissolved This Sentence the Lords judged Partiality and therefore fly again to Arms on th Marches destroying all that belonged to Sir Roger Mortimer who counselled the King to withstand them Prince Edward likewise raises an Army and marches against them but is overthrown After this they marched to London in Triumph hut King Henry hearing that Peter and Simon Montfort had raised Forces at Northampton he levied a strong Army and took the Town by Assault making the two Commanders and many others Prisoners The Barons being powerful were herewith nothing discouraged yet still sent Letters to the King with humble Protestations of their Fidelity if the new Laws were observed But Henry his Brother Richard King of the Romans and Prince Edward sent the Barons an absolute Defiance and wi h their Armies they met at Lewes in Sussex where after a bloody Fight the two Kings Prince Edward and several other Persons of Quality were taken Prisoners above 20000 being slain After which both Sides inclined to heaâ—â—en to Peace and at length it was agreed That the King by new Articles and Oaths should confirm the Power of the Twelve Peers and the other new Laws yet that two Spiritual and two Temporal Lords should review them and alter what they thought fit and if they could not agree the Duke of Britain was to be Uâ—pire This being concluded the two Kings eldest Sons were delivered as Hostages to the Barons where they continued above nine Months The King then called another Parliament wherein the Oxford Ordinances were again confirmed and the King again swore to maintain the Authority of the Twelve Peers and those Laws till any thing were found amiss in them and all who had defended them in the late Wars were pardoned by the King whereupon the two Princes were enlarg'd Yet soon after the two great Earls of Glocester and Leicester differed about these Laws and Prince Edward joyning with Glocester a cruel Battel was sought at Evesham in Worcestershire wherein Simon Montford Earl of Leicester and his Son Sir Hugh Spencer were slain and the Power of the Barons was utterly defeated And a Parliament being called no Man durst then contradict the Kings Will so that all the Laws made at Oxford the Authority of the Twelve Peers all Patents Commissions and Instruments whatsoever relating to what was Enacted in that called The Mad Parliament were brought forth and publickly damned cancelled and made void And thus King Henry regained his former Power and Authority to do as he pleased After which he humbled the City of London but upon their Submission received them again into Favour When Pope Innocent the Fourth offered the Kingdoms of Sicily and Naples to Richard King of the Romans aforementioned with many impossible Conditions You might as well said the Kings Agent at Rome say to my Lord and Master I sell or give you the Moon climb up catch and take it Pope Alexander his Successor desired to borrow a great Sum of Money of Richard to whom he replied I will lend no Money to my Superiors whom I cannot oblige to repay me again This Richard is said to be so very rich that he was able to spend 100 Marks a day for ten years together which was a great Sum in that Age. Wicked rather than witty was that of a Dean and High Treasurer of England about this time who it seems had carried himself so well in his Office that when he died he made this wicked Will I bequeath all my Goods and Possessions to my Sovereign Lord the King my Body to the Earth and my Soul to the Devil Prince Edward full of Heat and Courage now resolves to make himself famous and transporting an Army into the Holy Land he there wrought Wonders the Turks not daring to engage in that Quarter wherein he was and raising the Siege of Acon which they had long lain before with above 100000 Men But since Force would not they resolved to dispatch him by Treachery a villainous Saracen wounding him unawares with a venomous Knife though after much Pain and Danger and the extreme Love of his Queen Eleanor who suckt out the Poyson with her Mouth he recovered thereof But in his absence King Henry died when he had reigned above Fifty six years in the Year 1272. EDWARD the FIRST King of England c. MY Glorious Victories and Valour try'd My Mighty Actions And ne'er dying Fame Were all proclaim'd throughout the World so wide By gallant Deeds I won Immortal Fame Rebelliouis Wales I utterly subdu'd And made them Vassals to my Princely Son I Scotland entered with Fire and Blood And almost all that Kingdom over-run Still where I fought triumphantly I won Through Wounds and Death my Glory I obtain'd Yet when I these renowned Deeds bad done A costly Sepulchre was all I gain'd For though Grandees contend for Earthly Sway Death binds them to the Peace and parts the Fray EDward sirnamed Longshanks from the Properness of his Person being informed of his Father's Death by great Journeys arrived
being one of the greatest Islands in the Universe It was formerly called Samothea from Samothes as some report the sixth Son of Japhet who first inhabited here two hundred fifty two years after the Flood It was also named Albion as is said from Albion a Giant the Son of Neptune who after he had conquered the Samotheans setled here three hundred thirty five years after the Deluge Some say it was called Albion ab albis Rupibus from the white Rocks toward France which is most probable The Grecians called it Britain for what Reason we know not it may be from Prittannia which signifies Metals they finding the Island full of Brass Tin Iron Gold Silver and Lead Lastly It was named England from Engloen a Place in Denmark which was neither changed by the Danes nor Normans and retained that Title eight hundred seventy three years till King James came to the Crown and united England and Scotland which is since called Great Britain It was accounted the Fortunate Island and Pope Innocent in the Reign of Henry the Third was so in love with it that he would fain have come over to see it if the King would have permitted it England is thought to have embraced Christianity about sixty three years after Christ in Nero's time and that Joseph of Arimathea was sent by the Apostle St. Philip to preach the Gospel here yea some affirm That both St. Paul and Simon Zelotes were here likewise though these are onely Conjectures Julius Caesar tells us That when he entred this Island they were not under one sole King or Monarch but divided into no less than twenty eight petty Kingdoms or Provinces The most memorable of their Princes who opposed the Conquest of the Romans are these following 1. Cassibelan King of the Trinobantes who inhabited Middlesex Essex and Hartfordshire For about the Year of the Worlds Creation 3913. and fifty four years before the Birth of Christ the Fortunate Romans under the Conduct of Julius Caesar first landed about Deal in Kent the News whereof was so exceeding welcome to the Roman Senate that they decreed a Thanksgiving for twenty days an Honour never granted to any before the greatest Victors having had but five or at most but ten days assigned them At which time Cassibelan was chosen by general Consent to withstand the Roman Invasion which he did with very great Courage beating them twice off from the British Shore His chief City was Verulam near where St. Albans now standeth 2. Cingitorix Carvil Taximagul and Segonax These four reigned Kings of Kent together and opposed the Romans at the same time but were vanquished by them their Men being slain Cingitorix taken and the other three forced to fly and shift for themselves 3. Cunobeline 4. Togodumus 5. Cataractus a most renowned Prince of the Icenians who inhabited Norfolk Suffolk and Cambridgshire He resisted the Romans gallantly for nine years together but was then betrayed and carried to Rome in Triumph yet for the gallantry of his Spirit he was released from his Bonds and taken into Caesar's Favour 6. Voadicea or Boadicea Wife to Prasagutus King of the Icenians who made the Emperour Nero his Heir leaving his Noble Queen and her two Daughters to the Emperour's Protection but he abusing his Trust she slew in one Battel eighty thousand Romans taking and plundering the Cities of Verolamium and Carnalodunum now Malden in Essex whereby she brought Terrour upon all but being at length vanquished in Fight she poysoned her self rather than to submit to her Enemies These with divers other Princes were very stout Defenders of their Country and Liberties against the Roman Power for above an hundred years neither had they been then subdu'd but by the unhappy Quarrels and Divisions among themselves whereby their Enemies took the advantage to ruin them altogether and become their Masters The several Roman Emperours who commanded in Britain were Julius Caesar Augustus Tiberius Caligula Claudius Nero Galba Otho Vitellius Vespasian Titus Domitian and several others even fifty two in number among whom Constantius Chlorus the Father of Constantine the Great was very remarkable He was a Wise Noble and Publick-spirited Prince he usually said That it was more profitable for the State that the Wealth of the Land should be dispersed into the Commons Hands than to lie locked up in the Princes Coffers He was so averse to Superfluity that he had scarce Necessaries but herein he chiefly excelled that he protected the poor Christians who were under a bloody Persecution from Dioclesian the Roman Tyrant he made his Court their Sanctuary And to try the sincerity of their Profession he used Jehu's Policy commanding all his Officers and Servants to offer Sacrifice to the Heathen Gods and threatning to discard the Refusers but on the contrary he rejected all that complied with this Reflection That he who is disloyal to his God can never be faithful to his Prince Whilst he was Governour here under the Emperour Aurelian he married Helena the Daughter of Coelius a British Prince who converted him to Christianity on whom he begot Constantine the Great in Britain After he was Emperour he came hither and fought against the Picts but returning from that Expedition he fell sick at York which was his Imperial Seat At which time his Son Constantine came thither to him at the sight of whom being much comforted he sate up in his Bed and spake to this effect It now sufficeth and Death is not terrible to me since I shall leave my Actions not yet accomplished unto thee my Son to be performed in whose Person I doubt not but that my Memory shall be preserved as in a Monument of succeeding Fame What I did design though now by this my fatal Period I leave undone be thou sure to do it that is Govern thy Empire with Justice protect the Innocent and wipe away all Tears from the Eyes of the Christians for therein above all other things I have accounted my self happy To thee therefore I leave my Diadem and their Defence taking my Faults with me to the Grave there to be buried in everlasting Oblivion and leaving my Vertues if I had ever any to live and survive in thee And here he ended his Speech and his Life together The afore-mentioned Persecution under Dioclesian and Maximinian was very grievous It was called the Tenth Persecution and continued for ten years with so great rage that within one Months time seventeen thousand Christians were put to death and multitudes of others cruelly used though escaping with their Lives And as in other Places so in Britain the Churches of the Christians were demolished their Bibles burnt and their Bodies massacred divers being killed at St. Albars and other Places yea so many suffered at Lichfield that the Place became like another Golgotha upon which account that City hath for its Arms a Field of Blood whereon are many Martyrs But the chief Cause of these Miserie 's proceeded from the Christians themselves For
Earl Guy who lived in the Year of Christ 929. This King Ethelstane by the insinuation of his Cup-bearer became incensed against his Brother as if he had contrived Treason against him who therefore ordered him to be put into a small Vessel without Tackle or Oars and so be exposed to the mercy of the Sea wherewith the young Prince was so overwhelm'd with Sorrow that he threw himself headlong into the Sea whose Ghost the King endeavoured to appease by a voluntary Penance of seven years and building two Monasteries Neither did the treacherous Cup-bearer escape Vengeance for on a Festival-day as he was busie in waiting one of his Feet slipping he recovered himself by the help of the other and thereupon pleasantly said You may see now how one Brother can help another This Speech suddenly recalled to the Kings Mind the Death of his Innocent Brother whereupon he caused the Cup-bearer who was the Procurer thereof to be immediately executed Edmund the fifth Son of King Edward succeeded and after him Edred his sixth Son Then Edwy or Edwin the eldest Son of Edmund was Crowned at Kingston upon Thames who was of a lascivious temper for it is related That on the very Day of his Coronation he suddenly left his Nobility and went into a private Room to debauch a great Lady his near Kinswoman whose Husband he soon after slew St. Dunstan who was present and then Abbot of Glastenbury followed the King into his Chamber and leading him out by the Hand accused him before Odo Archbishop of Canterbury by whom he was severely reproved and forbid the Company of that woman The King was hereat enraged against Dunstan and banished him out of the Land and became so great an Enemy to the Order of Monks that he expelled many of them out of their Monasteries and put married Priests in their Places The People having a great Opinion of the Holiness of Dunstan and being offended at the Kings severity toward him and other Irregularities they turned their Affections to Edgar his Brother and removing Edwin from his Princely Dignity Edgar was made King in his stead for very grief whereof he soon wasted away and died in 959. Edgar was called the Peaceable He maintained the Kingdom in great Glory and Prosperity His Navy Royal is said to consist of three thousand six hundred Ships with which he every Summer sailed round his Land to secure the Sea from Pyrats He caused Ludwall Prince of Wales to pay him three hundred Wolves yearly in stead of a former Tribute in Money whereby England and Wales which were formerly very much over-run were now so freed that there was scarce a Wolf to be found alive He was very severe upon his Judges if he found them guilty of Bribery and Partiality riding the Circuit himself every Year for that purpose Yet among all these Vertues he is said to be very Voluptuous especially toward Women not sparing the very Nuns which sounded so ill that Dunstan took the boldness to reprove him for it and coming into his Presence the King in Courtesie rose from his Royal Throne to take him by the Hand and seat him by him But Dunstan refusing the King his Hand with a stern Countenance and contracted Brow spake thus to him You that have not been afraid to corrupt a Virgin dedicated to Christ how can you presume to touch the Consecrated Hands of a Bishop You have defiled the Spouse of your Maker and do you now think by your flattering Service to pacifie the Friend of the Bridegroom No Sir do not mistake your self for I will be no Friend to him who hath Christ for his Enemy The King thunder-struck with these dreadful Words and touched with remorse of Conscience fell down at the Feet of Dunstan who raising him up began to aggravate his Crime and finding the K. pliable to his Instruction he enjoyned him the following Penance for satisfaction That he should wear no Crown for the space of seven years That he should fast twice a Week That he should distribute his Treasure lest him by his Ancestors liberally to the Poor That he should build a Monast for Nuns at Shaftsbury that since he had robbed God of one Virgin by his Transgression so he should restore to him many again for the time to come Likewise That he should expel Clerks or Priests of evil Life meaning those who were married out of the Churches and place Monks in their room All this Edgar performed and the seven years being past Dunstan saith the Historian calling the Nobility with the Bishops Abbots and Clergy together he before all the People set the Crown upon the Kings Head at Bath in the thirteenth year of his Reign Dunstan who it seems rul'd all having hither to hindred it The Nun here mentioned was Wilfrid a D's Daughter by whom he had a Daughter called Editha He had a Son likewise by Elfrida the Earl of Devonshire's Daughter which Dunstan being now grown good natured Christned The words of the Historian are these The Child also which was gotten of the Harlot he Baptized in the Holy Fountain of Regeneration and giving him the Name of Edward adopted him to be the Kings Son There are abundance of ridiculous Miracles related of this Dunstan One among many others was That a Vision appearing to him required him to take up the Body of Editha the Bastard and Canonize her fol a Saint a her Tomb being accordingly opened in the Church of Wilton where she was buried her whole Body saith the Monkish Historian was consumed to Dust save onley her Thumb her Belly c. whereof she her self shewed the meaning declaring That her Thumb remained intire because she so often used to cross her self therewith and the other Parts did signifie the extraordinary Abstinence and Chastity With such stuff were the People then abused and persuaded to worship for Saints the dead Carcases of those that were many times of very profligate Lives while on Earth In King Edgar's Reign there was a great Famine wherein Ethelwald Bishop of Winchester sold away all the Church-Plate and Vessels of Gold and Silver to relieve the Poor saying There was no reason that the senseless Temples of God should abound in Riches and the lively Temples of the Holy-Ghost to be in want of them After the Death of Edgar there was great Division many of the Nobility being for Etheldred the true and only legitimate Heir of Edgar but the other Nobles and the Clergy especially Dunstan fearing the Married Clergy should again prevail he with several other Bishops meeting together and carrying the Cross before Edward brought him to the Lords and by many Perswasions prevailed with them to accept him for their King He was accounted a just meek Prince and very charitable to the Poor Yet enjoyed he the Crown but a short space for in the fourth Year of his Reign as he was Hunting near Corf Castle where his Brother Etheldred and Queen Elfrida his Mother resided while
all possible haste to England accompanied with divers Norman Gentlemen and arriving at Southampton was received by the villainous Earl Godwin with much pretended Kindness and Friendship who made as if he would bring him to London but being come to Gilford in Surrey Godwin commanded his Men to kill all Alfred's Company and then carrying him to the Isle of Ely ordered his Eyes to be put out Then opening his Body they took out his Bowels and fastning one end of his Guts to a Stake they drove him round it with Iron Darts and Needles till all his Bowels came clear away Thus died innocent Alured or Alfred the true Heir to the Crown by the Treachery of Godwin to the great disgust of the English Nobility who vowed Revenge This Harold called Harefoot for his great swiftness did not long enjoy his usurped Dominion for after four years he died After which Hardiknute the Son of Canutus and Queen Emma who was by his Father made King of Denmark is now by the States of the Land both Danes and English invited over hither to take upon him the Government He was a great Oppressor of the English by heavy Taxes which so enraged them that two of his Collectors were slain at Worcester for which their City was burnt and their Bishop Alfred expelled his Office till with Moâ—◠〈◊〉 had purchased his Peace Though this King 〈◊〉 it cry vicious yet it is said he was more kind to Edward his Half-brother and made Earl Godwin purge himself for the Death of Prince Alfred though it is thought his bountiful Gifts to the King prevailed much more for clearing him than his Innocence One Present especially is very remarkable that is A Ship whose Stern was of Gold and fourscore Soldiers all richly habited within her on their Heads they all wore gilt Burgonets and on their Bodies a triple-gilt Habergeon about their Wastes Swords girt richly gilt a Danish Battel-ax on their left Shoulders a Target with gilt Bosses on their left Hand a Dart in their right and upon their Arms Bracelets of Gold of great Value After two years Reign Hardiknute died in the midst of his drunken Debaucheries and in him ended the Danish Race in England three Kings onely of that Nation reigning here This third Conquest was but of a short continuance yet were the Danes very insolent toward the English during that time for if an Englishman and a Dane met at a Bridge or at a Door the Englishman must stand still till the Dane past by and if he did not then bow down very low to the Dane he was certainly beaten and abused Yea it is related That while the English were drinking the Danes would stab them or cut their Throats to prevent which when the Englishman drank he desired his next Companion to be his Surety or Pledge from whence it is said the Custom of Pledging one another did first arise For these and abundant greater Insolencies after the Death of Hardiknute the Danes were utterly driven out of Engand and never again returned THE GOVERNâ—â—NT of the SAXONS RESTOR'D EDward called the Confessor succeeded next in 1042. who was an absolute Englishman and the youngest Son of Etheldred and Queen Emma being invited from Normandy by all the English Nobility who disdained the Danish Subjection and was entertained with great Joy He first remitted that heavy Danish Tax of Forty thousand pound a year called Dane-gilt imposed by his Father and paid forty years by all but the Clergy who were exempted Because the Kings reposed more confidence in the Prayers of the Holy Church than in the Power of Armies It is reported Edward forgave that Tax upon this occasion A great Sum of that Treasure being brought into his Chamber and laid in a heap he being called to see it was at first sight much affrighted protesting he saw the Devil dancing with great Joy upon the same and therefore commanded it should be again restored to his Subjects and released them from it for ever after He married Editha Earl Godwin's Daughter but never had any Conjugal Society with her though she was a Lady accomplished with all excellent Endowments both of Mind and Body so that this old Verse was written on her Sicut Spina Rosam Genuit Goduinus Editham From prickled Stalk as sweetest Rose So Edith fair from Godwin grows Edward himself confessed upon his Death bed That openly she was his Wife but in secret Embracings as his own Sister But whether it were Infirmity or Chastity it seems he was willing to have her accused of Incontinency whereof if she were guilty he could not be innocent it being a great Injury to put his Wives Virtue to so Tyrannical a trial After this some Differences arose between him and Earl Godwin and Forces were raised on both sides but by the Intercession of the Nobility an Agreement was made Yet Godwin escaped not Divine Vengeance for being charged by the King for the Murder of Alfred he wished if he were guilty he might never swallow down a bit of Bread again which hapned accordingly for the first bit of Bread he put into his Mouth choaked him as he sate with the King at Table A dreadful Instance of Gods Severity against Perjury This King is blamed for his Cruelty to his Mother in forcing her to pass over nine burning Plow-shares bare-foot and blind fold for a Trial of her Continency which yet she performed without the least damage He is said to be the first King that cured the Disease called the Kings-Evil It is related That this King lying on his Bed one Afternoon with the Curtains drawn a pilfering Courtier coming into his Chamber and finding the Kings Casket open which Hugoline his Chamberlain had forgot to shut he took out as much Money as he could well carry and went away But finding such Success he came a second and a third time still carrying off more At which the King who had observed all called to him to be gone with all speed since he had enough if he could be contented For said he if Hugoline should come and catch thee thou wilt go nigh to lose all thou hast got and mayst get a Halter into the Bargain The Fellow was no sooner gone but Hugoline came in and finding the Casket open and a great deal of Money taken out he was much incensed But the King bid him not be moved For said he he that hath it hath more need of it than we When this King Edward was hastning out of Normandy with a great Army to recover England from the Danes being ready to give Battel his Captains assured him of Victory and that they would not leave one Dane alive God forbid said Edward that the Kingdom should be recovered for me who am but one Man by the death of so many thousands better it is that I should live a private and unbloody Life than to be a King by such a Slaughter and Butchery This King having no Issue of his own
sent for Edward the Son of Edmund Ironside out of Hungary who for his long absence was called the Outlaw but he dying soon after he declared Edgar the Outlaw's Son to be Heir and sirnamed him Atheling or Adeling a Term appropriated to the Presumptive Heirs of the Crown He had also a Daughter named Matilda who was married to the King of Scots and was Mother to David King of Scotland and Maud Queen of England When King Edward was on his Death-bed he observed all present weeping and lamenting for him to whom he said If you loved me you would forbear weeping and rejoyce because I go to my Father with whom I shall receive the Joys promised to the Faithful not through my Merits but by the free Mercy of my Saviour who sheweth Mercy on whom he pleaseth After the Death of Earl Godwin Harold his Son grew into great Favour with King Edward and was by him made Lieutenant of his Army against the Welch who with his Brother Tosto or Toston utterly subdued that Rebellion After which Harold still increasing more in favour with the King there grew such Hatred between the two Brethren that Tosto coming to Hereford slew all his Brothers Servants and cutting them in pieces salted them and put them into Powdering-tubs It hapned afterward that Harold going beyond Sea was by Tempest driven into Normandy and being seised and carried before Duke William he made him promise That after the Death of King Edward he would secure the Kingdom for him according to King Edward's Will Which Oath having taken Harold came back and told King Edward what he had done who seemed well content therewith saith the Historian which if it were true he had surely forgot his former Declaration concerning Edgar Athâ—ling However after the Death of King Edward Harold neither regarding his Oath to Duke William nor Edgar's Right whom he despised for his tender Age caused himself to be Proclaimed King without any great Ceremony or Celebration none much approving or disapproving thereof And to ingratiate himself with the People he eased them of several severe Taxes laid upon them by his Predecessor and was affable and kind to all But this was a short Calm before a great Storm for soon after Duke William sent his Ambassadors to him to mind him of his Oath but he returned answer That it was extorted from him in his Imprisonment and therefore was no way obliging At this Answer the Duke was much inraged and prepared Forces for gaining the Kingdom by Force Neither was Harold idle but made Provision to withstand him At which time a dreadful Comet appeared in the Heavens which was then judged and after proved to be a fatal Omen During these Preparations Tosto Brother to Harold and Harfager King of Denmark with three hundred Ships invaded the Country landing in Yorkshire Harfager claiming the Crown as Son of Canutus but the Nobility of those Parts opposing them were routed which Harold hearing marched against them and at Stamford-Bridge he encountred them where his whole Army was withstood by one single Dane who slew forty of his Men and made good the Bridge till a Soldier in a Boat rowing under the Bridge thrust his Spear through a Crevice and so slew this valiant Champion After which the King fell upon the D nes and got an intire Victory over them killing King Harfager and Tosto his own Brother Olave the Son of Harfager and Paul Earl of Orkney were taken Prisoners with abundance more who begging their Lives the King ordered Twenty of their Three hundred Ships to carry them to Denmark with sad News of the loss of their King and his whole Army No sooner was this Storm over but a worse began for Duke William having prepared a great Army and Navy resolved for England having the free Consent of his Nobility for his Voyage many of them assisting him therein But first he sent to Pope Alexander to confirm his Title to the Crown who did it readily and withal sent him a Consecrated Banner an Agnus Dei and a Hair of St. Peter with a Curse to all Opposers to carry in the Ship wherein he himself sailed Being thorowly furnished he and his Men embarqued at St. Vallery where they staid a long time for a Wind at length setting Sail Sept. 28. 1066. he arrived with his Fleet at Pevensey in Sussex where as soon as he landed it hapned one of his Feet stuck so fast in the Sand that he fell to the Ground whereupon one of his Attendants catching him by the Arm and helping him up said Stand up my Lord and be of good Courage for now you have taken fast Footing in England and observing that he had taken up Sand and Earth in his Hand he added You have now taken Livery and Seisin of the Country it being the Custom that when Possession is taken of Land a piece of Earth is given to the Possessor A Wizard or Necromancer had told Duke William That he should safely arrive in England with his whole Army without any hindrance from Harold which after it came to pass King William sent for this Conjurer to confer further with him but it was told him That he was drowned in that Ship which alone of the whole Navy miscarried whereupon the Conquerour said He would never put confidence in that Science which was of more benefit to the Ignorant than the Skilful therein for it seems he could foresee my good Fortune but not his own Misfortune After his Landing the Duke set all his Ships on fire to assure his Men that they must either conquer or die He then marched toward Hastings declaring the Cause of his coming to be to inherit the Kingdom which was given him by King Edward and strictly charging his Soldiers not to wrong any of the People in the least since they were so soon to become his Natural Subjects He then sent Messengers to Harold either to deliver him up the Country and be subject to him or to fight it out in the sight of both Armies in single Combate or lastly to stand to the Pope's Determination But he returned answer That unless he did suddenly depart he would give him cause to repent this his rash Invasion and that the next day it should be tried by more Swords than One. Accordingly Harold marcheth couragiously against Duke William who put himself into a posture to receive him It hapned that the Morning before the Battel William's Armourer by mistake put on his Back-piece before and his Breast-plate behind which being observed by some of his Attendants was judged an ill Omen and therefore they advised him not to fight that Day To whom the Duke replied I value not such Fooleries but if I have any skill in Soothsaying as in truth I have none I am of the opinion it doth fore ell that I shall change my Condition and of a Duke shall this day become a King The Armies being Marshalled Harold placing the Kentish-men with their heavy Axes
the freer Access to the French and Normans if the English should rebell he plucked down and ruined Thirty six Churches with many Towns and Villages for many Miles even from Salisbury to the Sea making his New Forest there But this Offence did not escape unpunished for in this very Forest Richard the Kings second Son was goared by a Deer and died William Rufus his third Son was slain by an Arrow shot at an Hart and his Grandchild Robert Curtoyse being in pursuit of the Game was struck by a Bough into the Jaws and died there 14. His chief Pleasure being in Hunting he seised all Chases and Forests of the Kingdom into his Hands making very cruel Laws against such as presumed to hunt in them without License as the loss of Eyes Limbs and the like 15. He gave large Territories and Farms to his Favourites who leased them out to their Slaves and Servants creating them into Mannors and calling themselves Lords thereof He reserved some Tenures to himself whereby his Tenants were obliged to serve him in the Wars or attend his Person to which they were sworn in Publick Courts by which Tenure he disposed of their Heirs in Marriage having Possession of their Estates till they were Twenty one years of age By which Example other Great Lords did the like This was the Model of King William's sharp and severe Government wherein he rather used the Power of an insolent and lawless Conquerour than the Legal Administration of a gracious King whereby he was feared by many but loved by few and such as were most in favour with him were discountenanced upon every slight occasion These violent Proceedings especially in raising such intolerable Taxes occasioned a Rebellion in Devonshire and another in Northumberland the second Year of his Reign but his good Fortune soon suppressed them as it also did the next Year the Invasion of Swanus King of Denmark who was incited thereto by the English that fled thither for Succour from the Cruelty of King William but he no sooner saw them almost e're he made them fly back to their Ships and to revenge the Infidelity of the English he utterly destroyed their fruitful Lands about York and Durham so that the Ground lay waste nine years after and abundance of People died with Want and Famine The next year he summoned a general Convocation of the Clergy wherein he bitterly accused several grave and learned Bishops Abbots Priors and others of many pretended Crimes and Offences for which he absolutely deprived them of their Dignities and Estates which he bestowed on others either for Love or Money These insufferable Acts provoked Marcarus and Edwin the Earls of Northumberland and Mercia with Egilwyn Bishop of Durham to raise an Insurrection But the King quickly drove Edwyn into Scotland Marcarus was taken and imprisoned in the Tower of London where he long continued and the Bishop was inhumanely famish'd to death in Abington Abby At this time great difference arose about the Primacy of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York but at last it was adjudged in favour of the first and York submitted accordingly In his fifteenth year his eldest Son Robert by the instigation of Philip the French King rebelled against him in Normandy which occasioned his Father to go thither with an Army where he was so stoutly encountred that he was unhorsed and in great danger of his Life by his Son unknown but he hearing his Fathers Voice rescued him again and was after reconciled and received Pardon of his Father and the King with great loss returned again to England Soon after William to revenge divers Injuries and Affronts offered him by King Phi ip in Normandy went with a gallant Army into France where finding Odo Earl of Kent and Bishop of Bayeux his Brother by the Mother to hold secret Correspondence with the French King he complained thereof to the Lords whereupon Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury advised the King to commit him to Prison What says the King are you for committing a Clergy-man You need not said Lanfrank commit the Bishop of Bayeux but you may very justly imprison the Earl of Kent Which was done accordingly Sometime before this Pope Hildebrand dying a Magician told Odo That he foresaw he should succeed him upon which Odo having already swallowed the Papacy in thought sent Money the most prevailing Messenger to Rome before-hand and purchased himself a Palace there providing likewise for his Journey thither but King William for his Presumption and other Misdemeanours staid and committed him saying Offensive foolhardiness must be restrained in time While the King was in Normandy he fell sick and the French King hearing his Distemper was in his Belly scoffingly said Our Cousin William is now in Childbed Ah what a number of Candles must I offer at his going to Church Sure an hundred thousand will hardly be enough King William hearing of this Jest said Well I hope our Cousin of France shall be at no such Cost for after this my Childbirth at my going to Church I will saith he swearing by the Resurrection and Brightness of God find him a thousand Candles and light them all my self Alluding to the Candles that Women used to carry in that Age when they went to be Churched And soon after he performed his Word destroying the People Towns and Cities on the Frontiers of France with Sword and Fire but in burning the City of Mantz he came so near the flames that with the heat of his Harness he got a Sickness which being increased by the Leaping of his Horse burst the inner Rim of his Belly he being very Corpulent of which he soon after died at Roan Upon his Death-bed he said I appoint no Successor to the Kingdom of England but I commend it to the Eternal God whose I am and in whose Hands all things are He much lamented his Severity and Cruelty to the English Nation He was buried in the Abby of St. Stephen at Caen in Normandy though his Funerals were interrupted by a Norman Gentleman who would not permit him to be buried till he had received Satisfaction for that Ground which the Conquerour had unjustly taken from him Thus this victorious Conquerour whose Mind could not be confin'd to one Kingdom while he lived being dead could hardly get a place to be buried in The Charters and Conveyances in his Reign were not so tedious as now adays but very short and plain as appears by this following transcribed out of an Authentick Record I William King the third of my Reign give to Norman Hunter to me that art both leif and dear the Hop and the Hopton and all the Bounds up and down under the Earth to Hell above the Earth to Heaven from me and mine to thee and thine as good and as fair as ever they mine were To witness that this is sooth I bite the white Wax with my Tooth Before Jug Maud and Margery and my youngest Son Henry For a Bow and a broad
replied It was he By St. Luke 's Face saith the King thou art a brave Fellow and shalt be inrolled my Knight with a Maintenance suitable to thy great Valour The Siege continuing long Henry was much distressed for Water desiring the Favour of Robert not to deny him what Heaven had made common to all Upon which Robert ordered him to be supplied whereat William being inraged What says Robert dost thou more value a little Water which is to be found every where than the Life of a Brother having onely my self and him In a short time Peace was made and all the Brethren were reconciled After which Duke Robert resolving to go to Jerusalem accompanied with several other Christian Princes he mortgaged his Dukedom to the King for Six thousand six hundred sixty six Pound to raise which Sum King William laid heavy Taxes upon his Subjects neither were Churches and Monasteries Privileges he forcing the Clergy to bring in vast Sums Upon the Kings return to England the Welch rebell and secure themselves so strongly in their Marshes and thick Woods that the Army wherewith â—he marched against them could not prevail to suppress them At the same time Robert Mowbray E. of Northumberland judging himself not sufficiently rewarded for his Service against Malcolm King of Scots raised a Rebellion against whom William marched with great fury and as soon as he met with his revolted Subjects he quickly put them to flight and for terrour to others he cut off the Ears Hands Noses Feet of several of the Prisoners putting out the Eyes of others and Mowbray being taken was sent Prisoner to Windsor-Castle King William still continued his Exactions upon the People selling all Offices in Church and State for ready Money and keeping many Bishopricks and Abbies vacant a long time that he might receive the Revenues thereof saying That Christ's Bread meaning Church-Lands is sweet dainty and most delicate Food for Kings These things were sharply reprehended by Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury but finding no Redress he appealed to Pope Vrban the Third which the King prohibited him to do The Custom saith he from my Fathers time hath been That no Person in England should appeal to the Pope without the King's License He that violateth the Customs of the Realm violateth the Crown and Power of the Kingdom and he that violateth and taketh away the Crown is a Traytor and an Enemy against me Yet the Bishop upon pretence of Conscience and Obedience to St. Peter's Successors in Spiritual Matters was resolved to go and went accordingly though the King would not suffer him to carry any thing with him ordering all his Goods to be seised as he was travelling to embarque himself King William while he was at Dinner in New-Forest had Advice sent him That the French King had besieged the City of Constantia in Normandy and that it was in great danger to be lost Whereupon he swore his usual Oath by St. Luke's Face That he would not turn his Back till he had relieved them and thereupon commanded the Wall of the House wherein he was to be pulled down and leaving his Sports bidding his Nobles follow him he posted with great expedition to the Sea without any Preparations for such a Voyage and finding a Ship it hapned to be a very great Tempest yet he commanded the Mariners to set Sail immediately which they dissuaded him from as a thing extremely desperate but the King replied Hoise up your Sails in God's Name for I never yet heard of a King that was drowned in a Tempest you shall see both the Winds and Waves will be favourable to us Which hapned accordingly and arriving unexpectedly the French were so extremely surprised that they presently raised the Siege and departed Such was the Courage and Resolution of this fortunate Prince which further appears by this Instance Being suddenly set upon by three armed Soldiers who had just before unhorsed him he defended himself with his Saddle in stead of a Buckler in one Hand and his Sword in the other till his own Men came to his Relief who blamed him for taking too much care to save his Saddle By St. Luke said he I had rather have lost my Life than left my Saddle to the scorn of the Enemy Another Instance is That in the late Surprise of the French before Constans he took Helias Earl of Flescia their Commander in Chief Prisoner who when he saw himself captivated imputed this his Misfortune to the unlooked-for Arrival of the King threatning great matters if he were again at liberty Whereupon the King commanded him to be immediately set at liberty and bid him do the utmost he was able In the second year of his Reign a great Earthquake hapned and in his fourth year a very terrible Lightning which left an intolerable Stink behind and burnt the Steeple of the Abby of Winchester rending the Rafters on the Roof and throwing down the Image of the Virgin Mary and a Crucifix breaking one of the Legs thereof In his thirteenth year several other Prodigies hapned which were judged Forerunners of his Death In the Morning before he was slain he told his Attendants That he dreamed the last Night an extreme cold Wind passed thorow his Sides Whereupon some perswaded him not to hunt that day but he resolving on the contrary answered They are no good Christians that regard Dreams That very day while he was hunting in New-Forest afore-mentioned he was slain with an Arrow which being shot at a Deer unfortunately glanced upon him and struck him dead Thus ended the Troublesom though Victorious Reign of William Rufus so called from his ruddy Complexion He was the third Son of William the Conquerour He was of a wanton disposition very much delighting himself among his Concubines and died without any Legitimate Issue He was comely strong active and healthy of Body of an high Courage and Constancy not shaken with any Frowns of Fortune and withal very covetous so that what with the Pestilence and his great Exactions the Ground lay untilled from whence proceeded great Famine and Scarcity thorow England Thus he lived and after he had reigned Thirteen years and ten months thus he died in 1100. getting much and suddenly leaving all HENRY the FIRST SIRNAMED BEAVCLARKE MY Father and my Brother Kings both gone With joyful Acclamations I was Crown'd And having gain'd the Scepter and the Throne I with the Name of Beauclark was renown'd The English Laws long lost I did restore I made false Weights and Measures to hold true The Power and Strength of Wales I triumph'd o're And Normandy my Valour did subdue Yet I unmindful whence these Glories grew My eldest Brother Robert did surprise Detain'd him and usurp'd his Royal Due And most unnaturally pluck'd out his Eyes Kings live like Gods but yet like Men they die All must pay Natures Debt and so did I. AT the Death of William Rufus Robert Duke of Normandy the elder Brother was fighting victoriously
with several other Christian Princes against the Infidels in the Holy Land being fortunate in all his Proceedings save onely in his Succession to the Crown for his Success was so great there that he was freely offered to be made King of Jerusalem which he as generously refused By reason of his Absence his youngest Brother Henry without the least trouble or difficulty ascended the English Throne with the universal Approbation of the Nobility and Commons whose Inclinations were the stronger toward him because he was born in England after his Father was Crowned King and from the great Opinion they had of his singular Vertues Learning and good Temper Yet before his Coronation the Nobles obliged him to swear That he would ease the People of the great Taxes and many other Pressures under which they suffered which he accordingly performed After he was Crowned for the better ensuring his Estate and Title against the Claim of his Brother Robert he freely distributed the great Treasures left by King William among those who upon all Occasions he judged would stand by his Interest He dignified the Wealthy with high Offices and Titles of Honour He abated the Rigour of the New Laws and promised restitution of their old Privileges He regulated Weights and Measures bringing them all to one Standard He freed the People from the heavy Tribute of Danegilt and from all other unjust Taxes and Payments imposed by the former Kings He gave liberty to the Nobility and Gentry to enclose Parks and Chases with Game for their Recreation He banished from his Court all Flatterers as Traytors to his State and Government and all Luxury Sumptuousness in Apparel and Superfluity in Diet he utterly discountenanced He ordained That Thieves and High-way Robbers should be punished with Death With all manner of diligence and Application he endeavoured to reform the monstrous Pride intolerable Covetousness and extreme Sloth and Negligence of the Clergy He recalled Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury from Banishment and restored him to his Bishoprick giving him full Power to call Convocations and Synods at his Pleasure for regulating the intolerable Abuses of the Church yet leaving to the Pope his Authority to invest Bishops by giving them the Ring the Pall and the Pastoral Staff All such Ecclesiastical Dignities and Revenues which his Brother by the lewd Advice of Reynulph Bishop of Durham had seised into his Hands he freely conferred upon Grave and Learned Persons and committed Reynulph Prisoner to the Tower of London from whence he afterward escaped and earnestly invited Duke Robert who was now returned with great Honour from the Holy Land to recover the Kingdom with his Sword who thereupon raised a great Army with a Design to transport them to England In the mean time Henry having by his Proceedings endeared himself to his People confirmed them now further by marrying Maud Sister of Edgar King of Scots and Daughter of Malcolm by Margaret his Wife Sister to Edgar Atheling and Daughter to King Edward the Son of Edmund Ironside the victorious and valiant King of the Saxons Soon after Duke Robert arrived with his Army at Portsmouth many English joyning with him and great Expectations and Fears arose of a bloody War but by the discreet Mediation of Friends to both Sides a loving Agreement was concluded upon almost the same Conditions as with William Rufus namely That Henry should enjoy the Crown during Life paying to Robert Three thousand Marks a year Whereupon Robert returned back to the great discontent of his own Nobility Afterward Robert returned again to England to congratulate his Brothers good Fortune where he was Royally entertained and at the Request of his Sister Queen Maud he forgave the Payment of the Three thousand Marks a year Yet after a while the Ambition of Dominion caused Henry upon some slight occasion to quarrel with his Brother which proceeded so far that he went over to Normandy with an Army where being assisted by many of the Duke's discontented Nobility and Gentry he so prevailed against Robert that he took the Cities of Roan Caâ—n and Valois from him who being forsaken of all fled from one Place to another to secure himself King Henry returning victoriously into England and Robert perceiving that his Lords and People had utterly forsaken him and refused their Assistance and Henry's Strength and Riches increasing he came privately into England and presented himself to his Brother referring himself and all his Concerns to his own Determination But the King either knowing the Inconstancy of the Duke or being prepossessed by some Whisperers that he did not intend uprightly turned from his distressed Brother with a scornful and disdainful Countenance refusing to accept of this his humble Submission The Duke being struck to the Heart returns back to his own Country resolving to die like a Man in the Field but Henry soon routed his weak Forces and brought him Prisoner into England committing him to Cardiff Castle in Wales where endeavouring his Liberty his Eyes by Henry's Command were put out after which he lived miserably Twenty years and was buried at Glocester About this time Robert Belasme Earl of Shrewsbury raised a Rebellion but being soon vanquished he fled into Normandy where finding William of Mortaigne and Cornwal who was offended with the King for keeping from him the Earldom of Kent he soon perswaded him to raise another Insurrection and joyning their Forces they designed great matters but were presently routed by the King's Forces and kept Prisoners during their Lives The King being now freed from fear of Enemies resolved to take the same Advantages his Predecessors had done as to the Investiture of Bishops and taking vacant Bishopricks into his Hands whereat Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury was so displeased that he refused to Consecrate such new Bishops as had received their Investitures from the King But Girald Archbishop of York freely performed it upon the King's Command Hereupon Anselm went to complain at Rome and prevailed at last against the King by a Synod of the Clergy held at London Three years after Anselm died and King Henry seised the Revenues of his Bishoprick into his Hands which he kept five years and if at any time he were intreated by the Bishops to bestow it he still answered That he onely kept it for an able and sufficient Man Having enjoyed a few years of Peace he was again rowsed out of it by Lewis the French King who joyning with Fulk Earl of Anjou and Baldwyn Earl of Flanders they all made great Preparations for Invading the Dutchy of Normandy But Henry raising an Army of valiant Commanders and Soldiers landed there and soon engaged with them in Battel which continued nine hours with so great fury on each side that though King Henry won the Field and chased his flying Enemies a long way yet he would often say That he then fought not for Victory but Life Quickly after a Reconciliation was made between these four Princes and William King Henry's eldest Son
my Glory in the Dust And compass'd me with cruel Wars and Woes They poyson'd my sweet beauteous tainted Rose By the Contrivance of my furious Queen My Children their own Father did oppose Such Fruit hath Lust such Malice jealous Spleen Crosses and Troubles made me curse my Birth In them I liv'd reign'd and was turn'd to Earth PRince Henry was in Normandy besieging a Castle injuriously seised by the French King when the News of the Death of King Stephen arrived whereupon his Friends and Followers earnestly persuaded him to raise the Siege and expedite his Voyage into England to prevent any Usurpation which might be designed To which Henry discreetly and courageously replied The Kingdom of England shall henceforth be at my command in despite of all that dare oppose me and so I will make these intruding Frenchmen understand before I go from hence This Resolution gained him Honour among his Friends and Terrour to his Enemies who understanding his Determination and fearing the worst quietly surrendred the Castle and submitted to Mercy which he graciously granted and then setling his Affairs there attended with many Lords and Gentlemen of Quality he arrived in England where he was soon after Crowned King and then employed himself in setling the Kingdom by making good Laws banishing Strangers who in Multitudes resorted hither and by their sparing Diet and extraordinary Industry enriched themselves and beggar'd the Natives He likewise exiled many of the Nobility who contrary to their Oaths adhered strongly to King Stephen judging them faithless and unuseful to him He caused all the Forts and Castles built by the order or permission of his Predecessor to be demolished as giving occasion of Insurrections upon the least Discontent He resumed into his Hands all Lands belonging to the Crown as also the Counties of Cumberland Northumberland and Huntington which had been given to David King of Scots by Stephen to hinder them from disturbing him in his Usurpation He chose himself a Council out of the gravest and wisest Nobility and restrained the Insolencies of some Grandees which raised Discontents among them and Hugh Lord Mortimer raised Forces at Bridgenorth in Wales against whom the King went in Person where he had been shot with an Arrow had not Hubert de Clare interposed and received it into his own Body In his thirteenth year he married Jeffry his younger Son to Constance the Daughter and Heir Apparent of the Duke of Britain his Son Richard to Adela Daughter of Lewis King of France and his Daughter Maud to Henry Duke of Saxony about which time his Mother Maud the Empress died Having quieted the Rebels at home he went into Normandy where he did Homage to Lewis for his French Provinces Normandy Anjou Aquitain Main and Lorrain some of them his own by Inheritance and others by his Wife Queen Eleanor and then made an Agreement between himself and his Brother Jeffry In his nineteenth year he sailed into Ireland with a mighty Army and fought victoriously against five Kings who at that time reigned there and at last conquered them all and became sole Lord of that Country which he annexed to the Crown of England After his return both out of fondness and for securing the Succession he caused his eldest Son Henry and his Wife Margaret Daughter of the French King to be solemnly Crowned in his presence at two several times in the last of which he for that day degraded himself from being King by waiting as a Servant upon his Son while he sate at Table which young Henry did little regard boasting That his Father did not hereby dishonour himself since he was onely the Son of an Empress whereas himself was Son both of a King and Queen Which proud Speech the unfortunate Father hearing said privately to the Archbishop then present I repent I repent me of nothing more than untimely Advancements In his latter days many Quarrels hapned between him and Lewis of France in all which Henry Jeffry and John his own Sons Robert Earl of Leicester Hugh Earl of Chester most unnaturally joyned with the French against him and likewise William King of Scots notwithstanding which the Courage of King Henry prevailed against them all and upon submission he pardoned his Sons and all the rest Yet were they justly punished by Heaven Henry dying before his Father in the flower of his Age and John after King was poysoned by a Monk The History of this Kings Reign declares him to be Learned Wise Just and Valiant and though he were concerned in many great Affairs and Wars both in France Normandy Anjou Ireland and other Places and never received any extraordinary Tax or Subsidy from his Subjects yet he left to his Successor above Nine hundred thousand Pound in Money besides Jewels rich Housholdstuff and all manner of Warlike Provisions And though in most Transactions he was prosperous and successful yet in three things he was very unhappy First In the unnatural Disobedience and Rebellions of his own Sons Secondly In his inordinate Love to Rosamond his endeared Concubine who was admirably fair but exceeding wanton and thereby wholly alienated his Affections from Eleanor his renowned Queen and enslaved himself to her Will and Pleasure so that while she lived she was seldom from his Right-hand and after her Death which Eleanor procured by Poyson he caused her with great Pomp to be solemnly buried at Godstow near Oxford fixing this Epitaph on her Tomb Hic jacet in Tumba Rosa Mundi non Rosa Munda Non redolet sed olet quae redolere solet Within this Tomb lies the Worlds fairest Rose Though once most sweet she 'll now offend your Nose The third Infelicity of his Reign was the great Dissention between him and Thomas Becket the proud and insolent Archbishop of Canterbury which continued full seven years with all manner of asperity and fierceness For Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury had so great a favour for Thomas Becket a Londoner of mean Parentage that he made him Archdeacon of his own Church and still advancing him at last by the Power he had with the King made him Lord Chancellor of England which so pufft up Becket that he grew extreme haughty yet still shewed great Respect to the King who thereupon constantly encreased his Lands and Revenues which daily heightned him more Theobald dying the King preferred Becket to be Archbishop after which he began to discover his ungrateful Humour For going privately to Rome he was there invested in his Bishoprick by the Pope of whom he received the Pall and was made Legate and then returning into England he was much discountenanced by the King but Becket slighting it on a sudden surrendred his Chancellorship and Great Seal of which the King desiring a Reason he obstinately refused to give any These Quarrels encouraged the debauched part of the Clergy to commit many Insolencies and Villanies for which they received small Punishment though their Crimes were Murder Theft and Robbery for not being
the Riches were The Garrison offered to yield themselves and all therein if they might save their Lives and Limbs But the King would accept of no Terms bidding them defend themselves and that he was resolved to win it by his Sword and hang them all Whereupon an Archer standing on the Wall observing his opportunity charging his Steel Bow with a square Arrow and praying that by that Shot he might deliver the Innocent from Oppression and the King just then taking view of the Castle he wounded him in the Shoulder which was made extreme painful by an unskilful Chirurgeon However the Assault was renewed the Castle taken and all put to the Sword by the Kings Command but this too skilful Archer who boldly owned the Action for being demanded How he durst shoot at the Person of a King he replied That the King had slain his Father and his two Brothers with his own Hand and that he was exceeding glad he was now so happily revenged Notwithstanding this Answer the King gave him 100 s. and his Liberty but yet after the King was dead one of his Captains took him flea'd him alive and then hanged him He died of his Wound 1199. having reigned victoriously Ten years and in the Forty second year of his Age leaving no Legitimate Son behind him KING JOHN ROme's mighty Metred Metropolitan I did oppose and was by him depos'd In stead of Blessing he did Curse and Ban And round with Wars and Troubles me inclos'd English and Normans both resisted me Lewis of France my Kingdom did molest Whereby from Turmoils I was seldom free But spent my Kingly Days in little Rest At last the Pope was pleas'd me to restore Peace was proclaim'd and I was re-inthron'd Thus was my State oft turned o're and o're Blest Curst Friends Foes Divided and Aton'd And after Seventâ—â—n yâ—ars were past I fell At Swinstead poyson'd by a Monk of Hell JOhn Plantagenet Earl of Lancaster in his own Right and of Glocester by his Wife being the youngest Son of King Henry the Second succeeded and was Crowned King though Arthur Plantagenet his Nephew and Son of Jeffry his elder Brother was living The whole Course of his Government was attended with continual Troubles his two great Persecutors being Pope innocent the Third and Philip the Second of France King Philip being envious at Englands Grandeur took all Occasions to disturb John as by entertaining Prince Arthur animating him to regain the Crown of England and supplying him with Men and Money and the Normans joyning with them Arthur won many strong Places in Normandy But King John's Lieutenants made a stout Defence till he himself went over with a strong Army and fought many Battels with his Nephew but at last both Sides being wearied with equal Losses they made a Truce which was again broken by the incitement of the French King who promising Arthur double the Forces he had before they both entred Normandy plundring and burning many Towns and Villages But John who wanted nothing but Money was voluntarily supplied by his Lords Gentlemen and Commons with a large Tax they being grieved to see the English Territories thus destroyed and all the stout Youth voluntarily listed themselves for the Service whereby John soon landed in Normandy where thousands more resorted to him so that soon after the two Armies met and fought desperately but at length the French gave way and Arthur was taken Prisoner and sent to Roan where leaping from the Walls with design to escape he was drowned in the Ditch though others write That he came to a violent Death by King John's Order However the French King improved the Report to the best advantage peremptorily citing King John to come and do him Homage for the Dukedom of Normandy and likewise to appear at a set Day to be tried by his Peers for Treason and Murder But John not obeying his Summons was by the King and Peers of France disinherited and condemned and according to the Sentence they proceeded against him For several of the English Nobility joyning with Philip and John being careless the French with a powerful Army took in most of the Towns in Normandy which hapned by the fault of the English Lords and Bishops for when the King was ready to embarque for Normandy Archbishop Hubert forbid him and the Peers refused to attend him upon which the King laid great Fines upon them and seised upon the Estate of Hubert who died soon after But now Pope Innocent his other Enemy begins to play his Part and vex him more dangerously than Philip of France had done For Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury being dead the Monks of St. Austins in that City without the Kings Knowledge or License elected one Reynold a Monk to succeed him and made him take an Oath to go immediately to Rome and to procure his Investiture and receive his Pall of the Pope The King hereat was much displeased so that to appease his Wrath they made a new Election and with his Approbation chose John Gray Bishop of Norwich and the King presently sent Letters and Ambassadors to the Pope entreating him to confirm his Choice But Innocent after the Example of his insolent Predecessors confirmed the first Election whereat John was enraged yea divers of those Monks who chose him now joyned with the King against him alledging the Election was made in the Night and not in open Day and was therefore null and void At length the Pope to end the Controversie nominated Stephen Langton a Man in the Popes Interests and ordered the Monks to elect him which King John forbid But the Papal Command was obeyed and Stephen was elected Archbishop of Canterbury This so exasperated the King that in his Letters to the Pope he solemnly protested That thenceforward he would take strict Account of those Subjects who for any Matters of Right and Justice should run gadding to Rome alledging That he had Bishops Nobles and Magistrates of his own who according to the Customs of the Kingdom could and should determine all Controversies in Church and State and That he would rather expose himself to a thousand Deaths than basely and servilely subject himself and his Kingdom to the insolent and unreasonable Commands of the Pope But Innocent haughtily answered That the Election of Langton should stand requiring the King to give him quiet Possession to recal such Monks as were banish'd on his Account and restore their Estates or otherwise he did authorize four Bishops to interdict and curse the King and the Realm King John observing that the four Bishops appointed grew very Arrogant with their new Authority and thought long e're he signified his Resolution he thereupon seised upon their Estates and declared That he resolved to take the same Course with all those that received any Promotions or Investitures from Stephen Langton or went or appealed to Rome upon any Occasion without License or that should execute any Command of the Pope within this Kingdom Upon this the
send you perseverance that you may always succeed as you have prosperously begun you have Nobly acquitted your self and worthily deserve the Government of a Kingdom bestowed upon you for your Valour King Edward perceiving that after this Victory the French King made no Preparations to resist him marched toward Callice burning and destroying all before him and begirt it with a close Siege which after it had continued a whole year the French King with an Army of 200000 men came to the relief thereof which not being able to effect the Passages thereto being so well fortified by K. Ed◠〈…〉 went back again leaving the poor Townsme◠〈◊〉 mercy of King Edward During this Sieg◠〈◊〉 King of Scotland invaded England with an Army of 50000 men by the procurement of the French King but the Queen with 12000 stout Souldiers fought with him routed his Army took King David Prisoner and several other Persons of Honour killing divers more and above 15000 Scots After this Victory the Queen attended with a Troop of handsom Ladies and Gentlewomen whose Husbands or Kinsmen had long lain at the Siege of Callice sailed thither and were entertained by the King and his whole Army with great joy the Town being despairing of Relief begged the Kings mercy which he denied unless six of the chiefest Citizens came out to him in their Shirts barefoot and bareheaded with Halters about their Necks to be disposed of at the Kings pleasure which hard condition some of them undertook to perform presenting the King with the Keys of the Town and Castle which Edward receiving commanded them to be all presently hanged but his Commanders interposed strongly on their behalf which yet could not prevail the King threatning to make them examples for the wrongs done to the English Nation at Sea at length the Queen with Prayers and Tears on her Knees procured their Pardon The King having got possession of this important Town returned to England and was received at London with great Triumph and by the Popes means a Truce was concluded with the French for two years which being expired Edward sent a strong Army under the Conduct of his Son the Black Prince into Gascoyn destroying all in their march But King John who succeeded his Father Philip resolved to stop this Current and the Black Prince having only 10000 men with him John raised a vast Army and accompanied with his young Son Philip and the Flower of the Nobility of France made all speed toward Prince Edward who was at Poicters ready to receive him The Fight was very bloody but the English Archers galling the French Horse with their Arrows soon disordered their Army and notwithstanding the utmost conduct of the valiant K. John they were put to the rout the King and his Son being taken Prisoners who being brought before the Prince he bowed to the King and giving him comfortable words feasted him and his Son Philip very nobly and lodged him in his own Bed With this Prize the Black Prince returned into England and was joyfully received by all In this Fight were taken seventeen Earls above fifty Lords and a multitude of Knights and Gentlemen of Quality so that every Souldier who had least had two Prisoners all which with the Spoil of the Field the Prince freely gave the Souldiers and every man had Gold and Silver in abundance costly Armour and other valuable things being left on the ground as worth nothing King John lived some time at the Savoy and after at Windsor being as kindly treated by the King as he could desire and after four years Imprisonment a Peace was concluded whereby it was agreed That King John should pay 500000 l. Ransom of Sterling Money and several Countries were freely resigned to the English by John and the French King never to assist any King of Scotland against England About which time David King of Scotland who had been a Prisoner in England ten years for a Ransom of 100000 l and giving his Oath never again to bear Arms against England was released About two years after three Kings came at once to visit King Edward John King of France David King of Scots and the King of Cyprus The next year the Black Prince went into Normandy and was made Governour of the English Conquests who assisted Peter King of Castile and restored him to his Crown of which he was dispossessed by his Bastard brother Henry but soon after Henry with fresh Forces suddenly fell upon King Peter seised him and put him to death By reason of Peter's Death the English Soldiers under the Black Prince despairing of receiving their Pay and being in great necessity daily petitioned the Prince for Relief who finding no other means to supply them imposed several Taxes upon the Inhabitants of Aquitain who finding their Privileges invaded complained thereof to the French King who summoned the Prince to appear before him at Paris contrary to the express Articles of Peace lately concluded and presently proclaimed War against England and the Prince not being in a Posture of Defence all those Countries Towns and Forts daily revolted to the French so that King Edward who had been Victorious forty years lost all those Provinces almost in one The French provided a Navy likewise wherewith they commanded the Narrow Seas But John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster going over to Callice with a brave Army soon made the Frenchmen feel his Fury and recovered many Towns but after John's departure another Army commanded by Sir Robert Knowls and the Lord Fitzwater by reason of some Quarrel between the Commanders was defeated by the French King and 1000 English slain whereby all the Garrisons were again delivered up to the French The King much disturbed at these Misfortunes called a Parliament wherein the Temporalty freely gave him a Subsidy of 15000 l. but the Clergy denied him any Supply whereupon he removed them from all Honours and Offices and placed more grateful Subjects in their room The French King had now besieged Rochel almost a year for whose Relief a Fleet was sent under the Earl of Pembroke but he was fought with by Henry the Bastard of Castile and the Earl with 160 more taken Prisoners the rest with much terrour and difficulty escaped to England Upon the News of this Defeat several other Towns and Provinces revolted to the French King After this John of Gaunt landed with strong Forces at Callice and joyning with the Duke of Brittain ravaged the Country till they came to Bourdeaux where the Black Prince lay very sick and John was made Governour of those Provinces Prince Edward died soon after and was buried at Canterbury the King himself not living long after dying in the Fifty first year of his Reign and the Sixty fifth of his Age 1377. and was buried at Westminster RICHARD the SECOND King of England c. A Sun-shine Morn oft brings a Showry Day A Calm at Sea sometimes foretells a Storm All is not Gold that appears bright and gay A
bad Mind doth a handsom Shape deform So I who was by Blood Descent and Form The perfect Image of a Gallant Prince Because my Vices I did not reform No Faith 's in Face or Shape I did evince My Royal Name and Power a Mock was made My Subjects madly in Rebellion rose Mischief on Mischief still did me invade Oppos'd Depos'd Expos'd Inclos'd in Woes With doubtful Fortune I in Trouble Reign'd At length by Murder Death and Rest I gain'd KIng Edward the Third in his last Sickness created his Nephew Richard Son to the Black Prince deceased Prince of Wales Earl of Chester and Duke of Cornwal committing the Regency of the Kingdom to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster After his Death Richard the Second of that Name of Eleven years old was Crowned King of England In the whole Course of his evil Government he slighted his Nobility and taxed his Subjects severely to throw it away prodigally upon his ill-deserving Favourites despising the Advice of the Wise and hearkning to the Follies of his young debauched Companions In his first year Charles King of France presuming on his Minority being assisted by the King of Castile landed in England burning the Towns of Plymouth Dartmouth Portsmouth Rye and others on the Sea and would have proceeded further had they not been encountred by the Earls of Cambridge Buckingham and others who beat them back to their Ships At the same time a valiant Scot named Alexander Ramsey at the instigation of the French King with only forty men desperately scaled the Walls of Berwick Castle and finding the Captain and Guards sleeping they took it without blows designing to have taken the Town too but the Inhabitants from the great noise in the Castle suspecting mischief cut down the Stairs of the Drawbridge on the Townside so that when the Scots let it fall the Chains broke and the Bridge fell into the Castle Ditch whereby the Scots not being able to get out were made Prisoners by their own Victory They then endeavoured to fortify the Castle but it was soon besieged and taken by K. Richard's Forces who gave quarter to none but only Ramsey their Captain Soon after the French again landed in England doing great mischief at Dover Winchelsey Hastings and Gravesend where they got much Booty To prevent and revenge these injuries a Parliament was called at Westminster wherein four Pence was laid upon every person above fourteen years old the levying whereof caused a dangerous Rebellion under Jack Straw Wat Tyler John Wall a Factious Priest and others who stiled themselves The Kings Men and the Servants of the Commonweal of England declaring that all Men ought to be equal in Dignity and Estate as being all the Sons of Adam they marched through several Countreys to London the mean sort of People joyning with them so that they became very formidable committing all manner of Insolencies and making bold demands of the King and the Lord Mayor which so incensed the Mayor that he struck Tyler off his Horse with his Sword where he was killed immediately upon which the Rebels who were above 20000 soon disperst no less than fifteen hundred being Executed for the same with several cruel Deaths and Torments in divers parts of the Realm And thus in an instant vanished this great cloud which threatned the destruction of King and Kingdom In his tenth year the King forsaking the advice of his gravest and most experienced Nobility was perswaded to commit many illegal and disorderly Actions by the Counsel of Michael de la Pool his Chancellor Robert de Vere Earl of Oxford Alexander Archbishop of York and Robert Tresillian Lord Chief Justice who without cause exasperated him against the Duke of Glocester his Uncle and the Earls of Warwick and Arundel whom they intended to surprise at Supper if Nicholas Exton Lord Mayor of London would have assisted them But failing herein they resolved to impeach them in Parliament but they being jealous of the Kings intent came thither strongly guarded while they were on their way in a Wood near the Court the King asked the Opinion of several about him what he should do in the case at length he merrily demanded of one Sir Hugh Liun who had been a good Souldier in his days but was now distracted what he would advise him to do Issue out quoth Sir Hugh and let us set upon them and kill every Mothers Son and when thou hast so done by Gods Eyes thou hast killed all the faithful Friends thou hast in England But K. Richard doubting the success of any violent course that Design was defeated and the King demanding a great Tax of four fifteens is not only denied but several misdemeanors of his Government are declared to him and at length Michael de la Pool his favourite is by the Lords found guilty of many offences Condemned Fined and Imprisoned and Commissioners were appointed to examine the Crimes of all the Kings Officers the King taking an Oath not to recal that Commission without consent of Parliament and it was enacted That all those who should perswade the King to infringe the same should for the second offence suffer as Traytors to the King and Kingdom Notwithstanding which this Parliament was no sooner ended but Pool Vere Tresillian and others perswaded him contrary to this Solemn Oath to assemble the Judges at Nottingham where they pronounced the Duke of Gloucester and the thirteen Commissioners and divers others to be guilty of High Treason for compelling the King to ratify the Commission under his Great Seal which Judgment they confirmed under their Hands as agreeable to the Laws of the Kingdom The Truce with France being ended that King sent 1000 Persons of Quality into Scotland who joyning with their Army of 30000 they therewith invaded England committing many violences but hearing King Richard was marching toward them they turned into the craggy Mountains of Wales doing much mischief to the Inhabitants and in the mean time K. Richard entred Scotland with 68000 men burning and destroying Edinborough St. Johnstons Sterling Dundee with many other places and then returned home The Scots and French returning found little or no sustenance by reason of the late ruins so that the Frenchmen were forced to return home without Horses Arms or Money but the Admiral and several Grandees were kept as Pledges by the Scots till the French King had satisfied the losses and damages which they had sustained meerly for his sake upon whose account they entred into this War whereupon he was forced to send what Money they demanded to redeem his Commanders The French King vowing Revenge against the English for these Disgraces prepared a very great Army which he designed to transport into England in a Navy of no less than 1200 Ships Against whom King Richard soon raised vast Forces consisting in above 100000 Men. But all these mighty Preparations soon came to nothing for the French Soldiers in their March toward the Ships committed such horrid
with divers Torments as Conspirators for delivering the Town to the French which was thus gallantly regained to King Henry The Duke of Exeter Tutor to the Kings Person dying at this time the Earl of Warwick was sent to England to take that Charge and the Renowned Earl of Salisbury with an Army of 10000 Men was sent into France with which he besieged the strong City of Orleance upon the River Loyer which had been lately strongly fortified where after two Months Siege the Earl was slain and the Earl of Suffolk succeeded as General who pressed the Siege so close that the Besieged being hopeless of Succour offered to surrender the Town to the Duke of Burgundy who refused it without the Consent of the Duke of Bedford the Regent who though persuaded thereto would by no means consent since he himself had undergone all the Trouble hitherto This Answer pierced the Duke of Burgundy to the Heart so that from thenceforward his Affections grew cold toward the English and he became a secret Well-willer to the French During this Parley a young Maid of about eighteen years old was presented to the French King at Chinon who pretended she was sent from God to deliver France from the English Bondage and thereupon she was called The Mother of God however she in this extremity was believed by the Common People and being armed like a Man she rides to Blois and in company with the Admiral and Marshal of France enters Orleance with fresh Forces and Provisions which so encouraged the Besieged that they issued out at midnight and fell upon the English staying 600 of them in an instant but assaulting the Bastile where the Lord Talbot was he issued out so courageously that they were forced to fly on every side and with very great Loss hardly escaped into the Town but however the next day the Earl of Suffolk raised the Siege This Deliverance was attributed by the Citizens of Orleance to the Conduct of the Martial Maid who was called Joan of Arc and therefore they erected a Monument wherein she and Charles the Seventh King of France were represented kneeling in Armour with their Hands and Eyes toward Heaven After this the English had very doubtful Success for the next day after raising the Siege the Lord Talbot won the strong Town and Castle of Laval and a few days after the Duke of Alanson with Joan of Arc took the Town of Jargeux and in it the Earl of Suffolk and one of his Brothers Prisoners killing another The Duke of Alanson's Army being newly reinforced to near 20000 Men hapned to meet with the Lords Talbot Scales and Hungerford who were marching with onely 5000 to fortifie another Town upon whom the French fell with great fury insomuch that the three Lords were taken Prisoners and 1200 of their Men slain the rest flying into the Town Upon this Defeat several Cities Towns and Castles immediately surrendred to the French King who soon after took Rhemes and was there Crowned which gained him a great Opinion and caused many more Places to be delivered to him and then attempted to take the City of Paris but by the Valour of the English were repulsed and defeated The Duke of Bedford observing the Success which followed upon the Coronation of King Charles caused King Henry likewise to be Crowned at Paris in the Tenth year of his Age and Reign having been Crowned two years before at Westminster About this time a Truce was concluded for Six years which yet lasted not Three And now the Duke of Bedford's Lady who was Sister to the Duke of Burgundy dying soon after her Brother forsakes the English and joyns with the French King which was followed with the taking of St. Dennis and within two years after the Regent died and was buried at Roan whereat the Citizens some years after complained to Lewis who succeeded Charles but the King publickly protested That he deserved a more sumptuous Sepulchre who in his Life-time scorned to stir a Foot back for all the Power of France and that there was no greater Sign of Baseness and Cowardice than to insult over those when dead whom they durst not withstand while alive The French King now proceeds victoriously and Joan of Arc afore-mentioned accompanying the Duke of Alanson takes in many Towns and endeavouring to raise the Siege of Champaigne they enter the City in despite of the English but afterward sallying forth their Troops were beaten and Joan her self taken Prisoner by John of Luxemburgh a Burgundian Knight who for the value of 10000 l. and 300 Crowns a year delivered her to the English who sent her to the Bishop of Bevoirs in whose Diocess she was taken by whom for Sorcery Blood-shed and unnatural use of Manly Apparel she was burnt to death at Roan Many Opinions were held of her Some thought her miraculously raised for the Deliverance of France others that she was a Cheat and Impostor and her Epitaph seems to infer the same Here lies Joan of Arc the which Some count Saint and some count Witch Some count Man and something more Some count Maid and some a Whore Her Life 's in question Wrong or Right Her Death 's in doubt by Law or Might Oh Innocence take heed of it How thou too near to Guilt dost sit Mean while France a Wonder saw A Woman rule ' gainst Salique Law But Reader be content to stay Thy Censure till the Judgment-day Then shalt thou know and not before Whether Saint Witch Man Maid or Whore After the death of the Noble Regent the valiant Duke of Bedford Richard Duke of York succeeded in his room to the great regret of Edmond Duke of Somerset the Kings Cousin which occasioning private Hatred made way for publick Mischief For soon after the City of Paris revolted and divers others followed that Example At this time Queen Katherine the Kings Mother died who after the King her Husbands death married a handsom Gentleman named Owen Tudor who though of mean Estate yet was descended from Cadwallader the last King of tâ—e Brittains by whom she had two Sons Edmund and Jasper the eldest of whom was by King Henry the Sixth created Earl of Richmond and married Margaret sole Heir to John Duke of Somerset on whom he begot Henry the Seventh In a little while the Duke of York is removed and the Earl of Warwick is put in his Place by the Council of England and from henceforth the Affairs in France succeeded worse every day which was occasioned by the Wisdom of the French Nobility who grew sensible of their miserable Divisions and now united against the English Another Reason was the unhappy Marriage of the King with Margaret the Daughter of Reyner King of Sicily a poor Prince so that he had nothing with her and which was worse King Henry was obliged by the Articles of this Marriage to give to her Father all his Right and Title to the Counties of Anjou and Mayn which bordered upon Normandy
the Queen and she have so done The Protector furiously interrupting him Thou Traytor said he dost thou tell me of If 's and And ' s I tell thee they have done it And therewith struck his Hand very hard upon the Table upon which the Room was presently filled with Soldiers one of whom at his entrance struck at the Lord Stanley's Head with an Halbert who to save his Life fell under the Board though not without much loss of Blood The Protector himself seised upon the Lord Hastings and accusing him of Treason in general without any Trial or Answer caused him to be beheaded upon a Log on the Green in the Tower Which Execution hapned the same day and hour that the afore-mentioned Lords suffered without Trial at Pomfret by the Advice and Consent of this very Lord Hastings After this the Protector committed the Archbishop of York the Bishop of Ely and the Lord Stanley to Prison and presently putting himself and Buckingham into ragged Clothes he sent for several eminent Citizens to whom he declared with great passion That the Lord Hastings and his Confederates had conspired to take away his Life this Morning at the Council had he not timely prevented it by the sudden Execution of him and seising the rest Within two hours after the Lord Hastings's his death a long Proclamation written fairly in Parchment under the Great Seal was read in divers parts of the City by an Herald at Arms with great Solemnity whereby it appeared to be contrived and written some days before Richard having thus dispatcht those that he thought stood in his way he caused Dr. Shaw a wicked Priest in a Sermon at Paul's Cross the Sunday after to display the Honourable Birth of the Protector with his Virtues and Valour and to defame King Edward for his Wantonness with Shore's Wife and others and stigmatized his Children for Bastards as being before his Marriage contracted to Elizabeth Lucy He likewise charged the Protectors own Mother with Incontinency when King Edward and the Duke of Clarence were born and that none of her Children were Legitimate but Richard whom he extolled to the Skies for his Goodness and Virtues at which time Richard appeared among the People the Doctor expecting they should have shouted and cried God save King Richard but every one stood silent and astonished to observe how unworthily and villainously things were managed to make the Protector King The next day the Duke of Buckingham endeavoured by the same Arguments to persuade the Londoners at Guildhall to acknowledge Richard for the true and undoubted Heir of the Crown which they then did not assent to yet the next day they were forced against their Wills at Baynards Castle to accept of him for their lawful King praying him to undergo that Burden for their Security which he often hypocritically refused yet at last with a pretended unwillingness accepted And here ended the short Reign and soon after the Life of this young innocent Prince having enjoyed it onely two Months and 13 days being murdered by his barbarous Uncle in the 13th year of his Age 1483. RICHARD the THIRD King of England c. A Moition that never is content Which Angels threw from Heaven unto Hell That for a Plague upon mankind is sent Ambitiously made me Aspire Rebel Ambition that damn'd Necromantick spell Made me clime high with shame to tumble down By Blood and Murther I did all expel Whose Right or Might debar'd me from the Crown My smiles my Gifts my favour or my frown Were mischievous in blood I took delight By cruel Tyranny I sought renown Till Heaven's just Judge me justly did requite By Blood I go by Blood I lost the Throne Alive detested Dead bewailed of none RIchard being crowned King used all means possible to ingratiate himself with the people and tâ—ough he heard that the Lord Strang Son to the Lord Stanley was raising forces in the North for the relief of his Father the Lord Stanley who was wrongfully imprisoned by Richard he took no notice thereof but instead of punishing him set him at liberty and made him Steward of his House he likewise inlarged the Arch Bishop of York but committed Morton Bishop of Ely as a Prisoner to the Duke of Buckingham which was afterward the cause of Richards destruction as well as his own he conferred great honours upon several creating his only Son Edward Prince of Wales John Howard was made Duke of Norfolk his Son Thomas Earl of Surrey the Lord William Barkley was made Earl of Nottingham and Francis Lovel viscount Lovel having firmly settled himself as he imagined he sent Ambassadors to the French King to conclude a Peace with him who so much abhorred his detestable cruelties that he would neither see nor give audience to their Message This affront and several others so tormented him that he thought he should never be acknowledged nor honoured as King whilst the young Princes lived as though such horrible murders could ever gain him love or reputation among the People Having with his confederate the Devil contrived this execrable villany he took his progress toward Glocester as if he intended to honour the place of his Title and Dignity vainly imagining that if this heinous fact were committed in his absence he should be thought innocent thereof and first he attempted to perswade Sir Robert Brachenbury whom he made Lieutenant of the Tower to perpetrate this cursed act which he generously refusing Richard swore and stormed like a fury but remembring there was a needy profligate fellow belonging to the Tower named James Tirrel he by Letters earnestly perswades him to commit this hellish murder with promises of great reward who quickly assenting thereto demands by Richards Letters the keys of the Tower to be delivered to him by the Lieutenant and then next night he sends Miles Forrest and John Dighton two Imps of Hell into the innocent Childrens Chamber who smothered them both in their beds and buried them at the stairs foot from whence they were removed and privately buried in some unknown place The news of the death of the two young Princes raised a lamentable consternation in the minds of the Nobility and People only the Tyrant and his favourites gloried in this admired peace of policy whereby they thought Richard had now securely setled himself and his posterity in the Kingdom but soon after Edward his only Child died to his great grief and trouble And now returning to London from his progress he called a Parliament and made divers good Laws and by his executing them with mercy his liberality to the poor and his courtesy to all persons he endeavoured to insinuate himself into the favour and affections of all which it seems had effect upon some for several Gentlemen of divers Counties in England offering him a Benevolence of a good sum of money he refused it saying I had rather have your hearts than your money which considering his savage nature it may be doubted in
to the French with all the Forts Artillery and baggage upon the payment of Four hundred thousand Crowns to the King of England The Duke of Brunswick now desired the Lady Mary the Kings Eldest Sister in Marriage but there being a treaty about marrying her to the Infanto of Portugal it was retarded In the mean while the Emperor of Germany demanded by his Ambassador that the Lady Mary might have free exercise of the Mass but neither promises nor threats could prevail with the King to allow it being as he said against his Conscience a treaty was likewise set on foot for a Marriage between the Lady Elizabeth the Kings youngest Sister and the King of Denmarks Eldest Son but when it was almost concluded the princess could by no means be prevailed upon to consent thereto And soon after several of the Nobility were sent in an Ambassy to the French King to Treat of a Marriage between King Edward and his Daughter which at length was agreed on the French being to give her two hundred thousand Crowns as a Portion but it was never consummated by reason of the Kings Death The Earl of Warwick was now created Duke of Northumberland and having an irreconcileable hatred against the Duke of Somerset Lord Protector resolved upon his ruin which Somerset was not insensible of and therefore used all imaginable caution to defeat him but being of a mild disposition though perswaded by his friends to prevent his own ruin by Northumberlands destruction he was unwilling to taste any violent course only he was perswaded by some treacherous acquaintance to go privately armed to the Council Table where being apprehended his bosom was opened and he thereupon committed to the Tower tryed and found guilty upon a new Law which made it Fellony to design the Death of a Privy Councellor and was soon after beheaded on Tower-hill together with Sir Michael Stanhope and Sir Thomas Arundel Sir Ralph Vane and Sir Miles Partridge being hanged there at the same time Mean while the Duke of Suffolks three Daughters which he had by Francis Daughter of Charles Brandon and Mary Queen of France were married at Durham House the Eldest Jane Grey to the Lord Guilford Dudley Fourth Son to the Duke of Northumberland the Second Katherine to the Earl of Pembroke the youngest being somewhat deformed to Martin Keys the Kings Gentleman Porter the Duke of Northumberland having so far advanced his designs as to procure an Alliance with the Royal family now hoped to arrive to the height of his ambition though the people generally hated him for his practices against those two gallant men the Duke of Somerset and the Lord Admiral the Kings Uncles For the King now grew very weak and in a languishing state of body which whether occasioned by grief for the Death of his Uncles or whether caused by poison which as some reported was infused into a Nosegay of Flowers presented to him on new years day as a great rarity or whether by a defluxion of Rheum upon his Lungs is yet uncertain however he fell into an Hectick Feaver which the Physicians declared would suddenly cause his Death whereupon the Duke of Northumberland used several stratagems to secure the Lady Mary and perswaded the King to exclude his two Sisters in regard if the Lady Mary succeeded Popery and Idolatry would be again introduced and she could not be put by unless her other Sister the Lady Elizabeth were likewise excluded since their Rights depended upon one another but if he pleased to appoint the Lady Jane his own next Kinswoman to succeed he might be sure the true Religion would be maintained to Gods great Glory so that the sick Prince out of Love to Religion was prevailed with to exclude his two Sisters and to ordain by his will the Lady Jane to be his Successor which will was subscribed by all the Council Bishops and Judges except Sir John Hales Bishop Cranmer likewise made some difficulty to sign it but at length did as others and a few days after this pious Prince departed this Life at Greenwich July 6. 1553. in the Seventeenth year of his Age when he had reigned six years and five months being buried at Westminster near his Grandfather Henry the Seventh MARY Queen of England c. AS soon as I ascended to the Throne The True Religion I banisht quite Rome Spain and I were all conjoin'd in one To persecute to burn and put to flight All that the Gospel of our Lord profest All who oppos'd blind Error and the Pope All such with grievous tortures were opprest With th' Ax with Fire with Faggot and the Rope Scarce any Nation underneâ—th the Sky Afflicted was as I caused this to be But when my thoughts and hopes were grown most high Then Death at five years end arrested me No Bail would serve I could commaâ—d no aid But in the Prison of my Grave was laid MAry eldest Daughter of King Henry the Eighth by Queen Katha ine of Spain was born at Greenwich 1518. at whose birth though great numbers of the Nobility were at Court yet there was not observed to be the usual joy upon such occasions which some thought proceeded from a secret impulse that she was rather born for a Scourge than a Blessing to the Nation as it after happened when she grew up she was committed to the Tuition of the Countess of Salisbury who above all things instructed her in the Romish Principles which may be thought the reason of her furious Zeal therein and especially since Stephen Gardiner a keen enemy to the Reformation was her Ghostly Father of whom she once demanded What he thought of those that were not of her Opinion He told her They would infallibly be damned since there was no Salvation in any Church but that wherein the Pope Christs Vicar was the Head and that it was dangerous to converse with them but a mortal sin to spare any of them if she had advantage against them it being pleasing to God to destroy them as obstinate Hereticks which pernicious Counsel as soon as she had power she fully put in practice After the death of King Edward the Lady Jane was proclaimed Queen which the Lady Mary who was at her Mannor at Hovesdon in Herefordshire having notice of she sent a Letter to the Lords of the Council to deplore her Brothers death and demand the Crown as her right but they writ her an answer wherein they insisted on the lawfulness of her Mothers divorce whereby she was made Illegitimate and by several Acts of Parliament yet in force uninheritable to the Crown Imperial of this Realm together with the Will of King Edward and the proclaiming of Queen Jane and therefore desired her to be quiet and obedient to the present Government This was Signed by above twenty of the Council divers of them being Executors of the Testament of the last King The Lady Mary perceiving their Resolution to stand by Queen Jane went to Framingham Castle in
Suffolk resolving to get what Forces she could and try her Right by Arms being there divers of the Nobility and Gentry resorted to her offering their aid to establish her in the Throne provided she would make no alteration in Religion which she faithfully promised with many solemn Asseverations yet soon made it appear That no Faith is to be kept with Hereticks The Lords hearing she raised Forces they did the like and sent them under the Duke of Northumberland against her but his Commission being limited that he could do nothing without daily orders from the Council he was forced to march slowly which was his utter ruine for the Lady Mary sent to several of the Nobility to come in to her assistance as the Earls of Sussex Oxford and Bath and other Lords and Gentlemen who came with their Tenants and other Commoners relying upon her Promise not to alter Religion but especially the Suffolk men and yet Mr. Fox observes that she burnt and put to death more of that County for Religion than of any other County in England so fatal was the belief of her promises to them The Fleet which was sent to surprise her joyning likewise with her and the People in general being for her the Council saw it in vain to withstand and therefore sent to the Duke of Northumberland to dismiss his Army whereupon the Lady Mary was proclaimed Queen and the Lady Jane who had only personated a Queen for ten days was sent to the Tower Soon after the Duke of Northumberland was condemned and beheaded with Sir John Gates and Sir Tho. Palmer And a Parliament being called all the Laws concerning the Illegitimacy of the Queen and those against the Pope and his Usurpations were repealed In her second year and the thirty seventh of her Age the Queen began to think of marrying and at last was Contracted to Philip King of Spain and Son to the Emperour Charles the Fifth which caused great dissatisfaction among her Subjects fearing that the Spaniards having once got footing in England would enslave the Nation and deprive them of their Ancient Laws and Customs This alienated them from the Queen so that several private Consults were held about deposing Queen Mary and re-establishing the Lady Jane who remained under Sentence of death in the Tower of London but these contrivances being discovered the Fomentors had recourse to Arms for their own security the first of them was Sir Thomas Wiat who made an Insurrection in Kent and by declaring himself for the defence of his Countrey and Religion raised 3000 of the Commons The Duke of Suffolk his Brother the Lord Gray and Sir Peter Carew of Devonshire and others designed the like in Cornwal Devonshire and Suffolk but resolving not to shew themselves till the Spaniards landed they were detected and forced to fly However Wiat increased daily in power and threatned the Herald who was sent with a Pardon to Pistol him if he endeavoured to withdraw the Souldiers from him and one Colonel Bret made an incouraging Oration to them to this purpose Valiant Countreymen we now ingage our selves in a cause to vindicate our Common Liberties against the Insolencies of the cruel Spaniard you whose degenerate Spirits can endure slavery continue in it in Gods name but as for me I had rather undergo the most painful death than betray my Rights to the Spaniards and I here enroll my self under Wiats Colours and am confident that some of you for the Vindication of the Ancient Glory of the English Nation will follow my example He had scarce ended this Speech but they threw up their Caps and cried out a Wiat a Wiat so that the Duke of Norfolk the Earl of Arundel and Sir Henry Iirningham who approached them at Rochester Bridge turned Tail and fled In the mean time the Queen mistrusting the Londoners whom she knew hated Popery came to Guildhall and in a Speech declared to them that though Wiats pretences were against the Match with Spain yet his real design was to plunder and therefore she left with them the Lord Howard and the Lord Treasurer to assist the Lord Mayor in defending the City against the Rebels At length Wiat arrived in Southwark and with his great Guns beat down divers Houses but being opposed by the Queens Forces and about twenty of â—hem slain he soon after submitted upon hope of Mercy and was committed to the Tower his folâ—owers dispersing themselves and twenty pair of Gallows were set up in divers places in the City whereon many were executed This Rebellion being supprest the Popish Faction reflected on the Lady Jane as the cause thereof and soon after she and her Husband the Lord Guilford Dudley were beheaded Wiat in hope of pardon accused the Lady Elizabeth and the Marquess of Exeter as Accomplices but at his Death he again cleared her Then the Duke of Suffolk and his Brother suffered as likewise Sir Nicholas Throgmorton and â—he Lady Elizabeth was in great danger of her life at this time and indeed all the Reign of her Sister yet still happily escaped The Queen having removed all obstacles Philip of Spain arrived in England and married her Upon which succeeded the Reconciliation of the whole Kingdom by Cardinal Pool which he did in these words Our Lord Jesus Christ whom the Father hath appointed head â—ver all the Church absolve you and we by the Apostolick Authority given us by the most Holy Lord Pope Julius the Third his Vicegerent on Earth do absolve and deliver you and every of you with the whole Realm and the Dominions â—hereof from all Heresy and Schism and from all and every â—udgment censures and pains for that cause incurred and also we do restore you again to the Vnity of our Mother the Holy Church as in our Lettters of Commission more plainly shall appear The Queen next endeavoured to prevail upon the Parliament to restore the Abby Lands but they were so divided among the Nobility and Gentry that it proved ineffectual And being now thirty eight years old it was reported she was with Child and â—ll things were provided for her lying in yea a Popish Priest ventured to describe the excellent Features of the Infant before it was born and Bells and Guns â—roclaimed the joy but at length it came all to noâ—hing which caused much laughter The Reign of Queen Mary seemed hitherto only sprinkled with Blood but now the blessed Martyrs come thick to Act their parts for the Protestant Clergy were not only deprived of their Livings but all sorts without respect of Sex Age or Quality began to feel the severity of her Laws the pourtraicture whereof cannot be better expressed than in the words of the Reverend Bishop Jewel in his vindication of the Protestant Religion against the Romanists wherein he thus deciphers their hard usage toward the Reformers You have saith he imprisoned your Brethren you have stript them naked you have scourged them with Rods you have burnt their Hands and Arms
with Flaming Torches you have famished them you have drowned them you have summoned them being dead to appear before you out of their Graves you have ript up their buried Carcasses burnt them and thrown them out upon Dunghils you took a poor Babe falling from his Mothers womb and in a most cruel and inhumane manner threw it into the Fire By all which several ways and means the Martyrs in all parts of the Kingdom in the five years reign of Queen Mary amounted to the number of 277 Persons for there perished by these Flames five Bishops twenty one Divines eight Gentlemen eighty four Artificers an hundred Husbandmen Servants and Labourers twenty six Wives twenty Widdows nine Virgins two Boys and two Infants one sprung out of his Mothers Womb as she was burning at the Stake and most unmercifully flung into the Fire at the very birth sixty four more in those furious times were persecuted in their Faith whereof seven were whipt sixteen perished in Prison twelve buried in Dunghills and many more lay in Captivity condemned who were happily delivered by the glorious entrance of Queen Elizabeth Such havock did Queen Mary's flaming Popish Zeal make among her innocent Subjects Mr. Hâ—ywood the witty Epigrammist was a great Courtier and the Queen telling him that the Priests must now forsake their Wives he merrily answered Your Grace must allow them to have Lemmons then for the Clergy cannot live without Sauce Another time she asking him what wind blew him to Court he reply'd Two especially one to see your Majesty We thank you for that said the Queen but pray what was the other That your Grace said he might see me The Queen against her Articles did now assist King Philip her Husband against France and sent an Army under the Earl of Pembroke to the Siege of St. Quintins the French attempting to relieve the place with Victualls a Battel happened wherein the Chief of the Nobility were taken and divers killed upon which the City surrendred this Victory was imputed to the English but was soon after recompensed with a greater loss for the strong Town of Callice having more Forces drawn out of it than could be spared was assaulted by the Duke of Guise who would not slip so fair an occasion and though repulsed yet he again came on so briskly that the City was forc'd to surrender to the French after it had been possessed by the English 211 years This loss so grieved the Queen that she shortly after fell sick of a burning Feaver which with the Dropsey and the unkindness of her Husband brought her to her end she telling her Physicians That if they opened her Body after her death they would find Callice written in her Heart It was observed that after she began to destroy the Professors of the Gospel who next under God advanced her to the Throne her undertakings were altogether unsuccessful Dearths Mortal Sicknesses losses by Sea Land succeeding each other in fine her Reign was the shortest of any since the Conquest except Richard the third who was alike cruel she only Reigning five years and four Months and was cut off in the 40th year of her Age when her Sister Elizabeth who succeeded her in a more mild Government ruled near nine times as long and lived almost twice her Age. ELIZABETH Queen of England c. WHat griefs what fears what sorrows and what toils What slights tricks snares still for my life were laid Popes Prisons Poysons Pistols bloody Broils All these incompast me poor harmless Maid But I relying on th' Almighty's Aid VVas still d fended by the Power Divine My Glory and my greatness were displaid Almost as far as Sun and Moon do shine Gods mingled Service I did re-refine From Romish Rubbish and from Humane Dross I yearly made the Power of Spain decline France and the Netherlands I sav'd from loss Pattern of Arts and unto Arms a Patron I liv'd and dy'd a Queen a Maid a Matron AFter the death of Mary her Sister Elizabeth was joyfully received and Crowned Queen who by Parliament revoked all the Laws in favour of Popery and restored the Title of Supremacy and being desired by her People to marry she said She intended to live a Virgin and to have no Husband but her Kingdom and therefore do not said she upbraid me with the miserable lack of Children for every one of you yea every Englishman is my Child and Kinsman of whom if God deprive me not which God forbid I cannnot without injury be accounted barren She then settled the Reformation according to the pattern of Edward the Sixth settling the Protestant and excluding the Popish Bishops Yet Instructions were sent to Sir Edward Carne the English Agent at the Court of Rome to acquaint the Pope with Queen Mary's death and her succeeding desiring that all good Offices might mutually pass between them but the Pope according to his usual haughty Stile answered That the Kingdom of England was held in fee of the Apostolick See that she could not succeed being Illegitimate and that it was a great boldness to assume the name and Government of it without him yet being desirous to shew Fatherly Affection to her if she will renounce her pretensions and refer her self wholly to him he would do whatsoever might be done with the honour of the Apostolick See The Queen having made her Complement neither expected nor regarded his Answer In the mean time King Philip who had been long absent from his Wife hearing of her death proposed a match with her which much perplexed her considering his kindness to her during her troubles but yet she thought it unlawful to marry her Sisters Husband though Philip promised to procure the Popes Dispensation and therefore she put him off though with all manner of Civility And resolving to promote the Reformation the Litany the Lords Prayer the Creed and Ten Commandments were required to be said in the English Tongue the Sacrament of the Mass was abolished and the Litany re-revived and confirmed The like Reformation was designed in Scotland where they broke down the Altars and Images and demolished the Religious Houses in divers places being countenanced therein by the Nobility whereupon the Queen Regent provided Forces to suppress them but Queen Elizabeth assisted them because the French were sending such great succours into Scotland as might endanger the invasion of England the English proceeding with much vigor in Scotland obliged the French to treat of Peace which was soon after agreed on About this time broke out a Rebellion in Ireland under John O Neal a man of great repute among the Irish but the Queen having sent some forces thither soon forced him to submit himself to mercy After which the bloudy Massacre at Paris happened by procurement of the Guises whereby the poor Protestants were causesly deprived of their Lives and Estates whom therefore the Qeen thought her self obliged in honour and Conscience to assist in endeavouring to rescue the
French King and his Mother out of the hands of so dangerous a Faction by aiding such of the French Subjects as preferred the service of their Soveraign and Country above all other respects and for preserving the reformed Religion from universal destruction and maintaining her own subjects in Peace and safety this she publisht in a Manifesto to the World and accordingly assisted the Hugonots with Ships Amunition and six thousand men The Papists apprehending the Queen would lay the Ax to the Root of their Religion contrived several horrid and dangerous Conspiracies against her life which were all happily prevented Differences growing great between the Queen of Scots and her Nobility they imprisoned her from whence she escaped into England and put her self under the Protection of the Queen who after mature deliberation concluded to detain her as one taken by the Right of War and not to dismiss her till she had made satisfaction for assuming the Title of England and the Death of Darnley her husband who was an English subject born and Commissioners were appointed to examine the cause at Tork and Murray the Regent of Scotland was summoned to answer the complaints of the Queen of Scots who entred a Protestation against these proceedings as being a free Princess and obnoxious to no earthly Princess on the contrary the English alledged that they would in no wise admit of her Protest as being in prejudice of the rights which the Kings of England have anciently challenged as Superior Lords of Scotland At last after she had continued Prisoner in England eighteen years she was brought to a Tryal and being charged with having been privy to several conspiracies against the Queens Life the Commissioners of the Star Chamber pronounced sentence against her and she was soon after beheaded though after her Death Queen Elizabeth was very much troubled and grieved The Duke of Alva a man of Tyrannical and Arbitrary Principles being sent Governour into the Low Countries by the Court of Spain a War broke out with great fury for he being an enemy to their nation destroyed all their priviledges brought in the Inquisition and endeavoured by all manner of cruelties to extirpate the Protestant Religion whereupon the Hollanders confederate together in a League Offensive and Defensive constituting the Prince of Orange their Commander in chief but finding their Forces too weak to oppose the King of Spain they sent an honourable Ambassy to Queen Elizabeth offering her the Soveraignty of Holland and Zealand as she was descended from the Earls of Holland by Philippa the Wife of K. Edward the third after consideration the Queen thanked them for their good Intentions toward her but added she could not receive those provinces into her protection yet would endeavour to prevail with the King of Spain for concluding a Peace Yet she afterward sent them twenty thousand pound which with several other provocations both upon the account of Policy and Religion so inraged the Pope and Spaniard that they conspired her utter destruction the King of Spain having prepared a Navy which the Pope Christened The Invincible Armado wherewith he designed to conquer and take possession of the Kingdom of England bestowed on him by the Pope but Queen Elizabeth providing a Fleet under the Lord Howard Sir Francis Drake and other valiant Commanders fell upon them and after several days fight utterly defeated them insomuch that the Spaniards lost in this expedition above fourscore Ships thirteen thousand five hundred Souldiers and above two thousand Prisoners taken in Ireland Zealand and the Low Countries so that there was no considerable family in Spain but either lost Son Brother or Kinsman in this great defeat The French King Henry the Fourth afrer long Wars with the House of Guise and the confederate Papists of the Holy League fearing that they would at last destroy him now turned from the Protestant Religion and having acquainted Queen Elizabeth with the necessity thereof she endeavoured to divert him therefrom writing to him in these very terms Alas VVhat grief what anxiety of mind hath befallen me since I heard this news VVas it possiâ—le that worldly respects should make you lay aside the fear of God Could you think that he who hath hitherto upheld and kept you would now at the last leave you It is a dangerous thing to do evil that good may come thereof but I hope your mind may alter In the mean while I pray for you and beg of God that the hands of Esau may not hinder the blessing of Jacob To which K. Henry replied That though he had done this in his own Person out of necessity yet he would never be wanting to those of the reformed Religion but would take them into his special care and Protection However this his compliance did not save his life for having raised a great Army one Ravilliack a bloody Villain murdered him in his Coach in the Streets of Paris declaring the chief motive thereof to be because he suspected him still a Hugonot and that those Forces were designed against the Pope The Queen now assisted the Hollanders with considerable Forces under the Earl of Leicester and others and sent the Earl of Essex with a gallant Navy who took Cales the Castle being redeemed for 580000 Duckets and a vast quantity of Amunition and Money found in the Town The Spaniards offered Sir VValter Rawleigh two Millions of Duckets to free their Ship from firing but he said He was sent to destroy Ships not to dismiss them upon Composition the loss was judged 20000000 of Duckets by this Expedition In the mean time Tyrone breaking into Rebellion in Ireland got a great victory over the English and after some debate the Earl of Essex was sent thither with ample Authority but not meeting with expected success he returned to England without the Queens permission whereupon he was committed to custody and brought to a private Tryal but upon his submission was again set at liberty yet being reproached with want of Courage by some of the Cabal he turned Malecontent and used all means to gain the Peoples love resolving to seize on the Queen but being disappointed he retired into the City endeavouring to ingage the Citizens on his side which not being able to effect he at length surrendred himself to the Lord Admiral and was sent to the Tower with his great friend the Earl of Southampton both whom being Try'd were found guilty of Treason and Essex was beheaded but Southampton pardoned several of their confederates being likewise executed Soon after Queen Elizabeth died at Richmond in her Bed after she had wonderfully escaped abundance of Popish Conspiracies against her life there being above 100 Persons executed at several times during her Reign for designing to destroy her whereof sixty seven were Jesuits she reigned forty four years lived sixty nine and died March 24. 1602. of whom this Epitaph was written None like Elizabeth was found in learning so divine She had the perfect skilful art of
all the Muses Nine In Latin Greek and Hebrew she most excellent was known To Forreign Kings Ambassadors the same was daily shown Th' Italian French and Spanish Tongue she well could speak and read The Turkish and Arabian Speech grew perfect at her need JAMES King of England c. EPITAPH WE justly when a meaner Subject dies Begin his Epitaph with here he lies But wherin King whose memory remains Triumphant over-over-death with Here he Reigns Now he is dead to whom the world imputes Deserved admirable Attributes For shall we think his Glory can decease That 's honour'd with a stile The King of Peace VVhose happy Vnion of Great Britany Calls him The blessed King of Unity And in whose Royal Title it ensu'th Defender of the Faith and King of Truth These girt thy Brows with an Immortal Crown Great James and turn thy Tomb into a Throne BY the death of Queen Elizabeth the Sovereignty of the Tudors expired yielding place to the Stuarts to succeed the first of whom was James the sixth King of Scotland who united both the Kingdoms was of the same Religion with his Predecessor happy because he obtained the Kingdom by lawful Succession no way imbroiled with Wars and Tumults but settled in exceeding great Peace yet as a storm succeeds a calm soon after his entrance a Conspiracy was discovered and the Lord Cobbam Sir Walter Rawleigh and others were accused and condemned for designing the destruction of the King to change Religion to raise Tumults and to introduce Forreigners some of whom were put to death and others Imprisoned He was Crowned at Westminster by Archbishop Whitgift at which time there raged so great a Plague in London that 305 78 died thereof in one year He caused the Bible to be newly translated out of the Original Languages Now though the King had made Peace with Spain yet the Popes Sons thought to have brought ruin upon the King and Kingdom all at once during the sitting of the Parliament to which purpose they had hired a Cellar under the Parliament House wherein they placed thirty six barrels of Gunpowder and upon them several Bars of Iron Faggots and other things for doing Execution but this Hellish Design was happily discovered by a Letter sent to the Lord Monteagle Son to the Lord Morley by some of the Conspirators wherein they advised him not to appear in the House the first day of sitting this Letter being shewed to divers of the Nobility they could not comprehend the meaning thereof but being seen by the King he presently conjectured that the design was to blow up the House with Gunpowder and search being made it was happily discovered and the Conspirators fled Piercy and Catesby being pursued were shot to death before they could be taken others were burnt to Death by drying Gunpowder by the Fire Sir Ever Digby John and Christopher Wright Guy Fawks Grant Winter â—ates and Keys were hanged and quartered as principal Plotters some of them designed an Insurrection in Northampton and Warwickshire but it was soon blown over In his tenth year the Countess of Essex accusâ—ng her Husband of Insufficiency was divorced from him married to the E. of Somerset who was thought to have made love to her before in an unlawful way and therefore Sir Thomas Overbury disswaded him from the Match as being a Vitious Woman which she having notice of they contrived his death and having persuaded him to refuse an honourable imployment offered him by the King he was sent to the Tower for his contempt where with the help of Sir Gervas Elway the Lieutenant Mrs. Turner one Franklin an Apothecary and Weston his death was effected by Poyson which being after discovered they were executed for the same and the Earl and Countess of Somerset condemned but reprieved Fredrick Count Elector Palatine came now to London to marry King James's Daughter which was solemnized with all manner of Joy but soon overclouded by the death of the Virtuous and Heroick Prince Henry Nov. 6. 1612. about which time the gallant Sir Walter Rawleigh after fourteen years imprisonment Petitioned the King that he might make a Voyage into America which the King granted giving him a Commission under the great Seal to set forth Ships and Men for his Service his reputation and merit caused many Gentlemen of Quality to venture their Estates and Persons with him many considerable Adventures hapned as the burning of St. Thomas and others of which Information being given to Count Gondamor the Spanish Ambassador he continually importuned the King for satisfaction Of which Rawleigh as soon as ever landed at Plymouth having notice endeavoured to escape from thence in a Bark to Rochel but being taken he was brought to London and committed to the Tower Gondamor looked on him as a Man of great Courage and Ability but as having much Animosity against his Master being one of those Scourges employed by Q. Elizabeth to vex him and was therefore resolved to use all manner of means to ruine him In consequence whereof in October Rawleigh was brought to the Kings Bench Bar before the L. Chief Justice where the Record of his Arraignment at Winchester was produced and he demanded why Judgment should not be put in execution against him Rawleigh replied That the Judgment was made void by the Kings Commission for his late Expedition The L. Chief Justice replied The Opinion of the Court was to the contrary and thereupon he was sentenced and requiring time to prepare for Death it was answered The time appointed was the next Morning And accordingly he was the next day beheaded in the Old Palace-yard Westminster About this time Queen Ann died and the Palsgrave who had married the Lady Elizabeth having at the Instance of several of the German Princes been chosen King of Bohemia the Emperour was wonderfully inraged thereat and proclaimed War against him driving him first out of Bohemia and afterward out of all Germany yet at last he was received and found bountiful Entertainment in Holland During this Kings Reign the English Plantations were setled in the West-Indies namely Virginia first discovered by Sir Water Rawleigh who gave it that Name in Honour of his Virgin-Mistress Q. Elizabeth Also Bermudas and New-England to which a multitude of Inhabitants quickly resorted and made themselves very commodious Habitations James was K. of England Scotland France and Ireland he was Son to Henry Stuart L. Darnly who was Grandson to the Lady Margaret eldest Daughter to King Henry the seventh of England by her second Husband His Mother was Mary Queen of Scotland Grandchild to the Lady Margaret by her first Husband James the Fourth K. of Scotland so that the Lady Margret was great Grandmother to King James both by the Father and Mothers side He Reigned twenty two years and three days and was the forty fourth Sole Monarch of England He died of the Spleen on Saturday March 27. 1625. in the fifty ninth year of his Age and was buried at Westminster