to the Earl of Leicester HENRY the THIRD King of England AMidst great Troubles and Confusions I In Youth ascended to the English Throne England was then opprest with Misery By Frenchmen who by me were overthrown For the brave English under my Command Did soon expell those their insulting Foes My Barons did my Sovereignty withstand And brought upon themselves and me great Woâ—â— For in each Battel none but I did lose I lost my Subjects Lives on every Side From Civil Wars no better Profit grows Friends Foes my People all that beat or died My Gain was Loss my Pleasure was my Pain These were the Triumphs of my troublous Reign AFter the Death of King John Henry his eldest Son of nine years old was Crowned King the Earl of Glocester who had married one of his Aâ—â—â—s and was Learned Wise and Valiant being made Protector of him and the Kingdom who administred Justice faithfully among the People The Youth of the King and the Treachery of many of the English Nobility encouraged Philip of France and Lewis his Son to land fresh Forces in the Realm to whom the Welch likewise joyned all the Forces they could raise But the new Protector raised an Army against them and in many Encounters defeated them And Pope Honorius finding the French slighted his Thunderbolts sent out new Curses more sharp and severe than any of his Predecessors whereupon Prince Lewis seemed at present to be affrighted and to prepare for his Departure though his Father Philip still sent new Forces over But Hugh de Burgh Governour of the Ciâ—â—uâ—-Ports preparing a gallant Fleet valiantly encountred them at Sea and took all their Ships This great Victory brought Lewis to treat of Peace and being absolved by Guallo the Popes Legat and receiving a considerable Sum of Money he surrendred all the Forts Towns and Castles he had taken and with all his Forces sailed back to France leaving his English Friends who had assisted him all these Wars to the rigour of the Law whereby they were cut off by miserable and cruel Deaths The Kingdom having now time to breathe a Parliament was called wherein the Laws of King Edward were revived and the Grand Charter called then Magna Charta containing several Laws for the Liberty Ease and Security of the Subject was confirmed and a Tax granted for sending an Army into France to recover Poictiers and Gascoigne under Richard the Kings Brother which had been injuriously seised by the French for some years Those Provinces were soon regained wholly back to the English which in a short time produced a Peace between both Nations But then worse Troubles succeed it at home for the King confiding onely in some leud Officers about him disregarded his Nobility and most Loyal Subjects invading their Liberties and Estates and vexing them with many grievous and unnecessary Taxes which were levied upon them by his Officers with all manner of severity At length a Parliament was called at Oxford wherein his Designs were altogether crossed and the Proceedings therein of such ill Consequence that it was stiled Insaâ—um Parliamentum or the Mad Parliament For when Multitudes came to complain of their Wrongs and Oppressions the Lords and Commons for redress thereof established many things which they judged necessary but highly intrenching upon the Kings Prerogative for they chose Twelve of the most Considerable Persons in the Kingdom whereof the Earl of Glocester and Simon Montfort Earl of Leicester were Chief who were called Les Douze Pieres or The Twelve Peers to whom full and absolute Power was granted by a Patent sealed by the King though unwillingly to support and maintain the Laws they had made The Parliament being ended the Commissioners began strictly to put those Statutes into Execution whereby they dismissed most of the Kings Menial Servants from their Attendance on him placing others of their Mind in their State This above all other things did most disturb the King and thereupon he grew extreme melancholy But hoping for better Success he summoned another Parliament wherein he with extreme Passion and Grief complain'd of his hard Usage by the Twelve Peers but the Lords and Commons were so far from remitting any thing that they further ratified all that had been done and the Archbishop with nine other Bishops publickly denounced a solemn Curse against all that by Advice or Assistance should oppose those Laws or the Authority of the Twelve Peers This still encreased the Kings Discontent who could take no delight in any thing he enjoyed and therefore went over to divert himself with Lewis King of France who treated him with all manner of Kindness and Magnificence About this time Hugh de Burgh Earl of Kent was accused by the Bishop of Winchester and others That he had scandalised and abused the King That he had enticed and trayterously defiled the King of Scots Daughter whom he married in hope to succeed her Brother in her Right That he stole out of the Jewel-house a Jewel of such excellent Vertue as to make those who had it Invincible which he had bestowed upon Llewellin Prince of Wales the King's Enemy These and many other Articles was he charged with who doubting the Power of his Enemies retired into Essex where he was seised by Soldiers who sent for a Smith to make Shackles for him to prevent his escape but the Smith understanding who they were for fetching a deep Sigh said Do with me what you pl ase and God have mercy on my Soul but as sure as the Lord lives I will never make Iron Shackles for him but will rather die for most cruel Death imaginable For is not this the most Loyal and Courageous Hubert who hath so often preserved England from being destroyed by Strangers and restored England to England Let God be Judge between him and you for using him so unjustly and inhumanely requiting his most excellent Deserts with the worst of Recompences However the Commander bound him and carried him Prisoner to the Tower of London from whence by the means of the Bishop of London he was a while after released The King being continually tormented with the diminishing of his Regal Authority endeavoured to procure some Remedy from abroad and to that end with great expence of Money he secretly obtained twâ— Bulls from Pope Alexander the Third whereby the King and all those who had sworn to maintain the new Laws and Ordinances and to support the Authority of the Twelve Peers were freely absolved and discharged from keeping those Oaths But this being kept private the Twelve Peers ruled all and were so diligent in their Business that they left the King nothing to do so that he was King in Name onely not in Power Soon after Hugh Spencer being Lord Chief Justice and a great Favourite with the King was removed by the Twelve Peers being charged with Corruption and Arbitrary Proceedings They likewise dismissed such Sheriffs and Justices as the King had made chusing others in their Places which
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 Lord Lovel and Richard gave the Hog for the supporter of his Arms whereupon one Collingborn made the following Rime and was executed for the same as a Traytor The Rat the Cat and Lovel the Dog Rule all England under a Hog Thus lived and thus died King Richard after he had reigned as a Tyrant two years two months and two days and of his Age thirty nine 1485. HENRY the SEVENTH King of England c. I Was the Man by Providence assign'd To purchase to this restless Kingdom rest I York and Lancaster in one conjoyn'd That by long Wars each other had opprest My Strength and Wisdom both by Heav'n were blest With good success even from first to last And the Almighty turned to the best A world of dangers which I over past I did unite the White Rose and the Red By a Conjugal Sacred Marriage Band Traytors and Treason both I quite struck dead For I was guarded by a Mighty Hand In Honour and Magnificence I Reign'd And after death a glorious Tomb I gain'd HEnry Earl of Richmond being Crowned by the name of King Henry the Seventh he according to his Oath and Promise married the Lady Elizabeth eldest Daughter to King Edward the Fourth thereby uniting the two Houses of Lancaster and York whose differences had been the death of many Thousand gallant men He then chose a select number of men for the security of his Person whom he called the Yeomen of the Guard or Crown and rewarded his Friends with Honours and Offices and among others Edward Stafford Son of the Duke of Buckingham was restored to his Fathers Dignity and Estate and calling a Parliament at Westminster all Acts which made him and his adherents guilty of High Treason were repealed and cancelled and the Crown was intailed upon him and his Heirs In his second year Francis Lord Lovel Humphrey and Thomas Strafford who had taken sanctuary for their safety at Colchester animated many People in the North to a Rebellion but King Henry soon raising an Army and pursuing them their Commanders fled and left the poor Rebels who upon submission were pardoned by the King Strafford again took Sanctuary in an Abby near Oxford but was violently forced from thence as not being sufficient enough to protect Traytors who being condemned was executed but his Brother was pardoned as Acting by his instigation No sooner was this Fire quenched but another broke out for the next year Sir Richard Symond a knavish crafty Priest knowing that Edward Plantaginet Son and Heir to George Duke of Clarence Brother to King Edward the Fourth who was now seventeen years old had from his Infancy been kept Prisoner by the two last Kings in the Castle of Sherry Hutton in Yorkshire and that he had been lately removed from thence to the Tower by King Henry he got a young Boy named Lambert Simnel a Bakers Son whom he instructed in all Court accomplishments and then told him that he was the onely Son of the Duke of Clarence and first Heir Male of the House of York The Youth being Ingenious was soon fired with this Discourse so that he could talk thereof very subtilly as if he had received his knowledge by Inspiration This Priest having throughly instructed this apt Scholar he conveyed him into Ireland and was soon entertained and believed by that barbarous and fickle Nation who gave him all Honour and Reverence yea divers of the Nobility after much conference with him did really believe what he affirmed to be true and among others the Lord Chancellor and Sir Thomas Gerandine pitying his condition were very liberal toward him He then gave private notice thereof to the Lady Magaret Dutchess Dowager of Burgundy and Sister to King Edward the Fourth who though she certainly knew he was a Countefeit yet bearing a mortal hatred to King Henry and the House of Lancaster and hoping if the Design succeeded it might procure the inlargement and advancement of her true Nephew Edward to the Crown she published the report thereof in England and all other places and that the Irish had received him for their Sovereign neither would she be wanting to support him with Men Money and Arms to the utmost These vain reports caused her Sister Eiizabeth the Lord Lovel and several other of the discontented English Nobility to transport themselves to her into Flanders and she having raised about 2000 men sent them to Ireland to joyn with 2000 more all resolving for England In the mean time King Henry to discover the Cheat caused Edward the young Earl of Warwick to be brought publickly through the City from the Tower to St. Pauls Church where vast numbers of Nobility and Commons discoursed with him And now Lamberts Forces landed near Lincoln to whom Henry sent an Army who soon routed the Irish for want of Arms and dispersed the rest most of their Commanders being slain Symonds the Priest and Lambert were taken Prisoners the first being committed to perpetual Imprisonment and Lambert was first made Scullion Boy and afterwards the Kings Falkoner In his fourth year a Tax being raised by Parliament for assisting the Duke of Brittain against the French the Countrey People in Northumberland and Durham refused to pay it and cruelly murdered the Earl of Northumberland who was employed in raising thereof and increasing in number they committed many Insolencies but the King sending a compleat Army against them under the Earl of Surry and following himself in person the Rebels as Men amazed soon fled after which followed severe execution upon all whom the King suspected to dislike his Government In his seventh year King Henry sailed with an Army into France and Besieged Bulloign assaulting it fiercely but the French King by the Mediation of his Friends and Money soon procured a Peace very honourable to Henry About which time his ancient and inveterate Enemy the Dutchess of Burgundy set up another Pageant against him having instructed a Dutch Boy called Perkin Warbeck to personate Richard Duke of York second Son to Edward the Fourth and Brother to King Edward the Fifth instructing him exactly in the Pedegrees of the Houses of Lancaster and York and telling him she resolved to advance him to the Crown whereby the youth in a short time became as expert in the Language and Linage as any Englishman whatsoever The French King expecting daily an English Army to be raised in Brittain sent for Perkin and promised to assist him in regaining his Kingdom honouring him with all manner of magnificence so that the youngster could not but strongly imagine that he was born to be a King But in the midst of his flattering hopes the Peace between France and England aforementioned was concluded upon which for fear he should be delivered up to King Henry he fled secretly out of France to his Titular Aunt the Dutchess who received him joyfully entertaining him like a Prince with plenty of Money and costly Apparel and ordering thirty Gentlemen of Quality to wait
therefore proclaimed War against France upon which occasion and for writing against Martin Luther the Pope stiled him Defender of the Faith Henry sending a Fleet and an Army thither took the Towns of Tyrwin and Tournay At the same time James the Fourth King of Scots though he had married Margaret King Henry's eldest Sister contrary to his Oath and Articles invaded England with an Army of 100000 Fighting Men but the Earl of Surrey with 26000 Men marching against them utterly routed the whole Scotch Army at Flodden field King James himself being slain valiantly fighting After this succeeded a Peace and the French King married King Henry's second Sister Mary And now Cardinal Wolsey of mean Parentage grew extreme Great by the Kings extraordinary Affection toward him and among other extravagant Actions he procured a License from the Pope to pluck down several small Abbies and Priories and to settle the Lands upon two Colleges which he had built one in Ipswich and another in Oxford which President occasioned King Henry some years after to pull down all the rest In his eighth year a Riot hapned in London against Merchant-Strangers and Artificers for which many were condemned of High Treason but were all pardoned by the King The Truce with France was soon broken by the French King whereupon King Henry sent an Army thither who won and burnt Morlaix and several other Towns returning home with great Booty In his twentieth year the Kings Marriage with Queen Katherine of Spain is questioned which was thought to be cunningly contrived by Cardinal Wolsey whereupon the King refrained her Bed and it was judged unlawful by six Foreign Universities so that notwithstanding the Popes Opposition who would have had it referred to him it was made null and void by the next Parliament upon which the Pope caused his Curse to be set up at Dunkirk against the King pronouncing the Marriage lawful But Henry little regarded those Paper Pellets for hereby the Pope lost his Supremacy in England and Bishop Fisher and Sir Thomas More were beheaded for defending it The King soon after married Ann Bullein Daughter to the Lord Rochford who was judged a Favourer of Protestants and therefore disliked by Cardinal Wolsey who for abundance of Misdemeanours was found guilty of a Praemunire and all his Estate and Honours were taken from him for grief whereof he soon after died In his twenty sixth year the King was by Parliament declared Supreme Head of the Church within all his own Dominions in all Ecclesiastical Causes and all Popish Bulls and Indulgences were made void and several Religious Houses of Nuns and Monks whose Revenue exceeded not 200 l. a year were suppressed The next year Queen Ann the Kings dearly-beloved Wife was beheaded though she protested her Innocency at her death being accused for prostituting her Body to her own Brother the Lord Rochford who with some others were put to death for the same This Tragedy being over the King within twenty days married Jane the Daughter of Sir John Seymour by whom he had the Virtuous Prince Edward who succeeded him but within few days after the good Queen died James King of Scotland being slain as aforementioned his Queen Margaret eldest Sister to King Henry was afterward married to Archibald Dowglas Earl of Angus who had a Daughter by her called Margaret this young Lady the Lord Howard married without the Kings leave for which she being of the Blood Royal he was beheaded as a Traytor The Kings Proceedings against the Pope caused a Rebellion in Lincolnshire but they were soon dispersed and Captain Cobler their Leader with others executed This was no sooner supprest but an Insurrection begun in the North of above 40000 who called themselves The Holy Pilgrims but upon the Kings Pardon they all quietly departed â—ome A third Rebellion succeeded in Westmorland upon the same account but was likewise defeated and seventy of the principal Conspirators executed In his twenty eighth year several Persons were executed for denying the Kings Supremacy and the Lord Cromwel is made Vicegerent in all Spiritual Matters by whom all Images and Shrines in Churches were taken down and destroyed and the Houses and Lands of Abbots Priors Monks and Nuns for their many Misdemeanours were all taken away and their yearly Revenues amounting to above 200000 l. setled on the King who freely exchanged them for other Lands with divers of his Nobles and Gentry thereby preventing as much as possible the restoring them to their former Uses After the Lord Cromwel had performed this great Business he persuaded the King to marry Ann of Cleve whom he never liked so that though he was married to her four Months he never conversed with her as a Wife the Clergy soon after dissolving the Marriage and the King married Katherine Howard Daughter to the Lord Howard Brother to the Duke of Norfolk The King then began to frown upon Cromwel which his Enemies who were many observing procured his Downfal for he was attainted in Parliament and without being suffered to defend himself was condemned and executed for High Treason and about this time the Lord Hungerford and the Lord Leonard Gray were put to death King Henry was very unfortunate in his Wives for soon after his last Marriage he was informed that his Queen Katherine had before Marriage lived very lasciviously with one Francis Derham and Thomas Culpeper whereupon the Queen and the Lady Rochfort who was privy thereto were soon after attainted of Treason by Parliament and beheaded and the other two hanged at Tyburn About this time an Act of Parliament was made declaring it High Treason to deny the Oath of Supremacy or to acknowledge the Authority of the Pope Yet though the Discipline of the Church was altered the Doctrine remained almost the same for there were six bloody Articles likewise enacted and it was made Heresie and thereupon burning to deny any of them They were these 1. That after speaking the Words of Consecration by the Priest the real and natural Body and Blood of Christ as he was conceived and crucified was in the Sacrament and no other Substance 2. That the Communion in both Kinds is not necessary to Salvation 3. That Priests may not marry 4. That Vows of Chastity ought to be observed by the Law of God 5. That Private Masses ought to be continued 6. That Auricular Confession is necessary and expedient to be retained in the Church of God The refusal of these Articles caused the Death of very many Protestants as the denying the Kings Supremacy cut off several Papists so that at the same time Protestants were burnt on one side of Smithfield and Papists hanged on the other which made Foreigners admire not understanding what Religion King Henry was of In his thirty third year the King married Katherine Parr Sister to the Marquess of Northampton and Widow to the Lord Latimer who was likely to have lost her Head if her Virtue and the Kings sudden Death had not
was married to the Earl of Anjou's Daughter But in their Voyage hither the two young Princes two more of the King's Children and his Niece Lucy with her Husband the Earl of Chester with near one hundred and fourscore others were unfortunately drowned by the carelesness of the drunken Mariners at which the King was wonderfully dismay'd The Welch soon after rebelled raising all the Power they could make which yet the King in a little time and with small Loss overthrew suffering his Soldiers to glut their Swords in the Blood of those Rebels whom neither gentle Usage nor former Severity could oblige to Loyalty The King returning from Wales with Honour soon after sent his Daughter Maud to be married to Henry the Fifth Emperour of Germany her contracted Husband with a Princely Portion of Silver and Gold At the same time he erected the High Court of Parliament appointing it to consist of Three Estates of which himself was the Head so that the Laws being made by the Consent of all should not be disliked of any In his Twenty seventh year Henry the Emperor died without any Issue by Maud who being at that time Twenty four years old was courted by the greatest Princes in the Christian World But the King to strengthen his Kingdom against the French married her to Jeffry Plantaginet Son and Heir to Fulk Earl of Anjou by whom she had three Sons Henry who was King after Stephen Jeffry and William which gave much content to the King to think that his Race should succeed in the Crown and the more to secure it he obliged his Nobility and the Great Officers of the Kingdom to take no less than three solemn Oaths in five years time That with their best Advice and the hazard of their Lives and Estates they would support and defend the Succession of his Daughter and her Heirs It was a Custom in his time that all Bills and Orders which concerned the Servitors of the Court should be signed without a Fee Now it hapned that Thurstan the Steward complained to the King against Adam of Yarmouth Clerk of the Signet for refusing to sign a Bill without a Fee The King heard Thurstan first commending that old Custom and reproving the Clerk for Exaction The Clerk answered I received the Bill and desired your Steward onely to bestow on me two Spiced Cakes made for your own Mouth which he refusing I denied to sign his Bill The King then reprehending the Steward commanded Adam to sit down on the Bench and then ordered the Steward to put off his Cloke and to fetch in a clean Napkin two of the best Spiced Cakes for the King's Mouth and humbly to present them to Adam which being done Adam signed the Bill and the King made them Friends adding That Officers of the Court ought to be kind to Strangers if they wanted their Assistance and much more to gratifie one another Queen Maud his Wife was so devout that she would go to Church bare-foot and was still employed in Works of Charity insomuch that David King of Scotland her Brother coming to visit her found her in her Privy Chamber with a Towel about her Middle washing wiping and kissing Poor Mens Feet which he disliking said Sure if your Husband knew this you should never kiss his Lips She replied That the Feet of the King of Heaven were to be preferred before the Lips of any King on Earth King Henry had a Pottle of Wine every Night set in his Chamber but because he seldom used to drink his Chamberlain and Pages were wont to carowse it among them One time about Midnight the King called for Wine whereat the Chamberlain and Pages were much troubled because they had left none At length Pain being called in humbly confessed the matter begging pardon What says the King have you but one Pottle a Night That is too little for me and you For the future I will allow two one for my self and another for you and your Fellows For this Act the King was commended for Bounty and Clemency When King Henry had reigned Thirty five years and four Months he surfeited by eating of Lampreys and died in the Sixty fifth year of his Age 1135. and was buried at Reading in Berkshire He was Wise Learned and Valiant yet more inclined to Peace than War He never levied but two Taxes on his People one for his Wars in France and another for marrying his Daughter Maud the Empress He grew rich of his own and was liberal He made good Laws which were profitable to the Virtuous but sharp against Malefactors using more Severity than Mercy from whence he was accounted cruel by the Common People but styled the Lion of Justice by the Learned He was gentle and grateful to his Friends rough to his Enemies but easily reconciled Yet was he too lascivious in his Life having many Concubines by whom he had twelve Bastards whom he owned He left no Legitimate Sons behind and therefore in this King ended the Issue-Male of William the Conquerour and the Crown was devolved to his general Heirs KING STEPHEN BY wrested Titles and usurping Claim Through Storms and Tempests of tumultuous Wars The Crown and Scepter which were still my Aim I won and wore encompass'd round with Jars The English Normans Scots did all prepare Their utmost Forces to oppose my Power Whilst England was oppress'd with Woe and Fear And War the Sword and Want do all devour But as Years Months Weeks Days do hourly waste And vanish all away â—as things of nought My troublous Royalty decay'd at last And unto nought was my Ambition brought This is the State of Transitory things Befalling meanest Men and greatest Kings THe Experience of all Ages doth inform us That for the eager desire of Honour and Riches Men have broken all Bonds of Honesty and Friendship but if a Kingdom may be obtained though with the breach of the most solemn Oaths and Obligations there is no scruple made of it and Men will venture upon Perjury and Damnation for gaining thereof which was too truly verified at this time For though Stephen Earl of Bulloign Son and Heir of Stephen Earl of Blois by Adela the Conquerour's Daughter was a Person whom King Henry had chiefly obliged by many Solemn and Publick Oaths to further the Succession of his Daughter Maud and her Children yet after his Death finding that all the Nobility who were equally sworn as himself applied themselves to him and awaited his Commands he either forgot or disregarded all his former Vows and caused himself to be Crowned King partly by the procurement of his Brother Henry Bishop of Winchester but chiefly by means of Hugh Bigot who took his Oath that King Henry upon his Death-bed appointed Stephen to be his Successor having disinherited his Daughter Maud upon some disgust taken against her the Prelates swearing to obey him as their King so long as he did preserve the Privileges of the Church and the Nobles swearing Allegiance
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
under the Jurisdiction of the Civil Magistrate but tried by those of their own Profession their greatest Offences were connived at or very slightly examined whereby many grievous Enormities hapned in the Kingdom Whereupon the King summoned a Parliament wherein that Law of King Stephen exempting the Clergy from the Authority of the Temporal Judge for any Crime whatsoever was repealed and the ancient Laws again revived and enforced This was very much opposed by Becket and some few Bishops more of his Faction but after several Conferences these Laws were confirmed and subscribed by all the Bishops but Becket who would by no means assent thereto without inserting this Clause Salvo Ordine suo Saving the Order of the Clergy which would have utterly invalidated all those Laws At which the King being enraged by the persuasion of the other Bishops who dreaded the Consequence Becket took a solemn Oath to allow of those Laws whereat the King turned his Fury into Kindness toward Becket and immediately caused an Indenture to be drawn betwixt himself and the two Archbishops testifying their Submission to this Oath which was subscribed by the King and the Archbishop of York but Becket again relapsing into his former Obstinacy not onely refused it but expressed much sorrow for his former Oath and desired to be absolved there from by the Pope which was done accordingly some private Penance onely being enjoyned him who required him not to yield but to persist constantly in his opinion Upon which the King being again incensed against Becket seises all his Estate and Promotions into his Hands and required an Account of 30000 Marks which he had received when Chancellor but Becket boldly affirmed That the King had given it him freely and therefore he would give no Account thereof Then Becket went again privately to Rome without License and the King being sensible that his Des gn was to incense the Pope against him sent his Ambassadors with Letters to Rome declaring how reasonaâ—le his Demands were and the extraordinary Perverseness of Becket desiring the Pope he might be deprived of his Dignities and promising to provide for him some other way But the Pope not onely denied his Request but in thundring Terms threatned to send two Legats into England who should curse the King and Kingdom unless Becket were presently restored to his Honours and Estate and in the mean time the Pope recommended Becket to be entertained as a Monk in the Abby of Poâ—tiniack in France The King observing how Matters went grew more exasperated and sent to the Abbot to turn Becket out of his House and threatned upon refusal not to leave one Monk of his Order in France He also published certain Injunctions against the Pope and all Cardinals or Legats who should presume to enter into his Kingdom without his License He then deprived all Becket's Friends and Favourers of their Dignities and Estates banishing them out of the Kingdom as Abettors and Encouragers of Becket in his Obstinacy against the King These Proceedings and especially his being turned out of the Abby for fear of the Kings Anger much troubled Becket yet then Lewis of France though young King Henry had married his Daughter cherisht and entertained him But the King being tired with these Turmoils goes privately into France and in the presence of the French King confers with Becket offering him That if he would now take the Oath and subscribe the Instrument he should return into England and be restored to his Favour and Dignities with all his Friends But he proudly answered That if the King would let him swear and subscribe with this Exception Salvo Honore Dei Saving the Honour of God he would then consent This angred the King more than ever as intimating That those Laws were dishonourable to Almighty God and therefore he would obey no farther than he pleased but Becket undauntedly persisted alledging That he feared none but God and since those Laws did derogate from ancient Customs and Privileges of the Church and robbed God of his Honour the King should never establish them by his Consent as long as he lived The King thus disappointed soon after two Legats came from Rome to curse him and the Realm Whereupon he again goes to Becket into Normandy but finds him the very same Man and therefore he being willing to be quiet consented that Becket should return into England which he did accordingly but the King being much discontented was heard repiningly to say That among all those whom he had advanced there was none would free him from such an insolent and dangerous Enemy He likewise received mean Welcome from the young King Henry because Becket had suspended three or four Bishops who assisted at Henry's Coronation for doing it without a License from him upon which young Henry now banished him his Court and confined him to his own House in Canterbury But a few days after Becket being in the Cathedral of Canterbury standing before the High Altar four Knights and Courtiers fell upon him and slew him there of which Fact King Henry was accused by the Pope but stoutly denied it yet because of his former Murmurings he was forced to submit to the Popes Censure which was To war three years in Person in the Holy Land which he redeemed by building three Monasteries and to go to Becket's Tomb bare-footed which he did and suffered himself to be scourged with Rods by every Monk there And thus the King made a bad end of these Troubles But others soon succeeded for about this time the young King Henry died and his Sons Richard and Jeffry again rebelled against him but the younger was soon after trod to death under the Horses Feet at a Turnament at Paris But Richard yet lived to the further Grief of his Father for joyning himself with Philip King of France he forced his Father out of the City of Mantz the Place where he was born and loved above all others which caused the old King to say That since his Son Richard had taken from him that day the thing which he most loved in the World he was resolved to requite him for after that day he would deprive him of that which ought best to please a Child and that was his Fathers Heart And afterward finding his Son John the very first in the Conspiracy against him in that Action he bitterly curst the Hour of his Birth wishing Gods Curse and his own upon his Sons which he would never recal by any Persuasions But coming to Chiron he fell mortally sick and causing himself to be carried to the Church before the High Altar after humble Confession of his Sins he gave up the Ghost 1189. having reigned Thirty four years and eight months RICHARD the FIRST King of England c. called Coeurdelion THrough the Almighty's Mercy and his Aid Jerusalem I conquer'd and set free The Turks and Saracens who waste it laid I 〈◊〉 from Judea soon to flee The Isle of Cyprus was subdu'd by me
Sicily trembled at my Courage bold King Tancred bought his Peace and did agree To pay me Threescore ounces of pure Gold Whilst I abroad won Honour many ways Ambitious John my Brother vext my Realm In Austria I was Pris'ner many days Thus Floods of Troubles did me overwhelm At length I home return'd my Ransom paid But soon my Glory in the Grave was laid RIchard the eldest Son living of King Henry was in Normandy at the time of his Fathers Death and because there were many things amiss he was resolved to continue there some time but yet gave immediate Order for the Release of his Mother Queen Eleanor who was closely imprisoned by her Husband for the Death of Rosamond and her continual reproving him for his lascivious Course of Life And because she was very discreet virtuous and wise King Richard committed the whole Government of the Kingdom in his absence to her management who having experimentally known the Troubles and Sorrows of Prisoners and Captives she released such as were committed for small Offences and paid the Debts of divers others that they might be freed and in all things used great Moderation and Justice till the return of her Son who was received and Crowned King with much Joy and Solemnity And he imitating the mild Disposition of his Mother commiserating the Afflicted provided in the whole Course of his Government that Justice should be extended with Mercy toward all He conferred many Honours upon his Brother John whom he created Earl of Lancaster and gave him the Counties of Nottingham Devon and Cornwal marrying him to the Daughter and Heir of the Earl of Glocester from whom he had the Lordship of that County also but in stead of obliging him these Favours made him Ambitious and ingratefully to affect the Crown and to boast that his Parts and Endowments were sufficient to make him a King This King for his invincible Courage was the greatest Heroe at that time in the Christian World so that he was called Coeurdelion or the Lions Heart who would attempt any thing though never so difficult if it were honourable His Fathers great Treasure which he left behind him furnished him sufficiently with Gold and Silver but such was his contempt of Riches that he freely bestowed Gifts upon all deserving Persons and in a little time by his extreme Bounty had disposed of most of it not considering that future Occasions might cause great Expences as it soon appeared For in the beginning of his Reign the Pope by many strong Sollicitations and Promises of his Blessings persuaded him to go in his own Person and fight against the Saracens in the Holy Land and to recover Jerusalem from the Infidels which he at length undertook being assisted therein by Frederick Emperour of Germany Philip Augustus King of France Leopold Archduke of Austria and many other Christian Princes who had raised Men and Money and made all other Provisions to that purpose All entring into Covenants That their Rendezvouz should be in Sicily and that all the Wealth and Booty they should meet with should be equally divided among them These things being concluded though the Kings Liberality and Expences had made him necessitous yet he was resolved not to burden his People with any Tax to supply himself but raised great Sums of Money out of his own Estate and among others he sold the Castles of Berwick and Roxborough to the King of Scots for 10000 l. and the Lordship of Durham to Hugh Pudsey the Bishop thereof creating him likewise Earl of it laughing heartily while he was investing him and saâ—ing I think I am very cunning and a Crafts master in my Business that can make a young Earl of an old Bishop He likewise sold divers Honours Mannors Offices Privileges and Royalties and many other things protesting That for performing that great and honourable Service â—â— would be willing to sell his City of London if he could find any able to buy it rather than he would be chargeable to others Having thus provided himself with all Necessaries for his Journey and raised a gallant Army wherein were many Lords Knights and Gentlemen and gathered a Sum of no less than 1100000 l. he left the Principal Command of the Kingdom to William Longchampe Bishop of Ely the Popes Legat and Lord Chancellor of England concluding a firm Friendship with William King of Scots he then set sail for the Holy Land with a Royal Navy to the Island of Cyprus where Isacius the discourteous King in stead of relieving them with Necessaries pillaged and abused them whereat King Richard being enraged landed his Men and soon conquered the whole Kingdom carrying away the King and his Daughters Prisoners and selling the Country to the Knights Templars for 30000 Marks From thence according to Agreement he sailed to Sicily where he met Philip the French King Upon their first Enterview there was great Familiarity and Endearment betwixt them but Philip being denied any part of the Spoil of Cyprus both because he was absent and likewise King Richard affirming That the Agreement extended onely to such things as they should gain in the Holy Land Philip thereupon grew angry and discontented which Richard disregarded declaring publickly That let the French King do what he durst he should never be a Partner in that Booty Yet Philip knowing the Eyes of all Christendom were upon him would make no open Breach and so they again embarqued Tancred the Usurping King of Sicily having either out of love or fear given King Richard above 6000 Ounces of Gold before his departure Sailing from thence with a Navy of above 300 Ships they met with a rich Argosey or Ship with French Flags but Manned with no less than 1500 Turks and Saracens and all manner of Warlike Provisions as Fire-works Barrels and Cages of venomous Serpents all designed for the Relief of the City of Acon formerly called Ptolemais this Vessel he took drowning 1300 Saracens and then landing at Acon in company with King Philip they sate down before it there being already Christians of divers Nations as Genoways Florentines Flemings Almains Danes Dutch Pisans Friezelanders Lumbards and some English under Hubert Bishop of Sarum wich the Knights Templars and several Asians During the Siege Sultan Saladine beheaded 1500 Christian Slaves in revenge whereof King Richard killed 2500 Tarks in sight of their Army After a long and sharp Siege the City of Acon was taken upon the entring whereof a forward Knight advanced the Banner and Ensign of Leopold Archduke of Austria but King Richard seeing it he himself ran up to the Wall pluck'd them down and trampled them under his Feet whereat the French King was still more incensed speaking high Words but Richard slighting his Anger affirmed That if any were offended thereat they might do what they pleased since he had onely righted himself in those Injuries done against him and that he was ready to maintain what he had acted with his Sword in the Field King
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
spoil and wast Fathers their Sons and Sons their Fathers slew Vndutiful unkind unnatural This War Now York then Lancaster great grew As Conquest did on either side befal But I the Crown and Scepter still did hold For what by wrong I got by force I wore And Prince of Wales I made my Son so bold But as my greatness still increased more By fatal Fate my Vital Thred was cut And all my Glory in a Grave was put THough by right the Crown of England if K. Richard should dye without issue ought to have descended to Edmond Mortimer Earl of March Son and Heir to Edmond Mortimer by Philip his Wife who was Daughter and Heir of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Son of King Edward the third yet his Cousen Henry of Bullingbroke Duke of Hereford and Son and Heir of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the younger Brother of Lionel was Elected and Crowned King For after the Resignation of K. Richard was read openly in Parliament Duke Henry rising from his Seat made his challenge to the Crown as followeth In the name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster claim the Realm of England and the Crown with all the Appurtenances as coming by the Blood Royal from King Edward the third by that Justice which God of his Grace hath sent to me and by the help of my Friends for the recovery of the said Realm which was in point of Perdition to be lost through default of Government and breach of Laws After he had thus spoke the States acknowledged him for King and placed him on the Royal Throne though the whole proceedings against Richard were publickly condemned by John Bishop of Carlisle as hateful to God and Trayterous toward their Prince he not having the favour of Thieves and murderers who are try'd by indifferent Judges and condemned after full proof against them But the Bishop had no sooner ended his Speech e're he was seized by the Earl Marshal and committed close Prisoner in the Abby of St. Albans In this Parliament the Crown of England was intailed upon King Henry and his Heirs for ever and the King created his eldest Son Henry Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwal and Earl of Chester The Parliament was no sooner ended but several of the greatest Lords who pretended most Joy for Henry's advancement conspired to take away his life at a solemn Justs or Triumph at Oxford contr ved for that purpose In this Treason were engaged Edward Plantaginet Duke of Aumerle Son and Heir apparent to Edmond of Langley Duke of York Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey and John his Brother Duke of Exeter both half Brothers to King Richard John Montague Earl of Salisbury Hugh Spencer Earl of Glocester Sir Thomas Blunt and one Magdalen a Servant to King Richard and in Stature and Countenance much like him All the Conspirators except the Duke of Aumerle met at Oxford at the time appointed with strong Guards who going to visit his Father the old Duke snatch't a Writing out of his bosom wherein the whole Plot was display'd who thereupon made haste to discover it to the King at Windsor but his Son outriding him another way came first just as K. Henry was providing to go and disclosing all received the Kings Pardon who perceiving his danger went presently to the Tower of London preparing to raise a great Army The Conspirators upon this discovery being desperate put Magdalen into Royal Robes affirming him to be K. Richard escaped out of Prison and with great Forces they marched toward London to meet the King who going courageously against them with 20000 Men the common Souldiers were so discouraged that they generally run away and left their Lords who were most of them taken and put to death in several parts of the Kingdom Thus was King Henry delivered from this Danger and to prevent the like for the future he caused King Richard to be murdered at Pomfret Castle as aforementioned When the French King Charles the Sixth Father-in-Law to King Richard heard of his Deposing he sent Letters of Defiance to King Henry and raised an Army-Royal in Picardy resolving to revenge his Wrongs but when he heard certainly of his Death he desisted After this the Welch and Scots made Invasions but King Henry with Fire and Sword soon quelled them Yet the next year the Scots again entred the Northern Borders with barbarous Cruelty but were encountred by Henry Hotspur Son of the Earl of Northumberland with 10000 stout Men who gave them a bloody Overthrow killing above 10000 Scots in the Field and taking above 500 Prisoners and among them the Earls of Douglas Fife Murray and Angus The next year the French King sent 1200 Lords and Commanders to Wales to assist Owen Glendour in his Rebellion but meeting with a Storm twelve of his greatest Ships were cast away with all the Men and Arms and the rest with great difficulty returned to France Which Misfortune caused the English to scoff and scorn the French Kings unprosperous Expedition which so exasperated him that he immediately sent another Army of 12000 Men who landed safely and joyned with 10000 rebellious Welch then in Arms. King Henry being sensible of his own danger if he should make but one false Step presenâ—ly provided a very brave Army and marched with all expedition into Wales which when the Frenchmen had notice of distrusting the fickle Nature of the Welch and fearing they would forsake them in time of danger and fly to their Woods and Mountains like Men amazed they run back to their Ships and cowardly returned to France without effecting any thing upon which the Welch likewise disbanded so that King Henry dissolved his great Army and returned home without Blows In his third year King Henry demanded the Scotch Prisoners taken in the last Battel by Henry Hotspur the Earl of Northumberland Earl of Worcester and others who refused to deliver them alledging That by the Law of Arms they belonged to them upon which great Discontents arose between them For the Piercies resolved to restore their Cousin Edmund Mortimer the true Heir to the Crown and to depose King Henry To which end they first earnestly petitioned the King to ransom him he being taken Prisoner by Own Glendour in fighting for King Henry but the King not granting their Request as not desiring his Liberty caused it to be published That he had voluntarily made himself a Prisoner to give some colour for the Treasons the Lords had contrived on his behalf The Piercies being much disturbed at this Proclamation paid his Ransom to Glendour and redeemed him entring likewise into a League with Glendour of mutual Defence and for deposing King Henry and several Scottish Lords joyning with them they raised considerable Forces publishing Six Articles of High Misdemeanours and Misgovernment against King Henry for which they defied him as a Traytor and Usurper and vowed his Destruction King Henry now finding his Crown lay at stake levied a stout Army and first
fell upon the Scots at Shrewsbury before they could joyn their Confederates whom he routed as he did likewise Hotspur and Worcester killing thirty six with his own Hand The Earl of Worcester was taken and beheaded and several of the principal Confederates were hanged and quartered and their Heads set upon London bridge Prince Henry likewise went into Wales against Owen Glendour who was suddenly forsaken by his Army and hiding himself in the Woods being encompassed by the Princes Forces was miserably starved to death Henry Hotspur was slain in the Field but his Father the Earl of Northumberland came voluntarily and submitted himself to the King protesting himself innocent of these Treasons which though the King did not in the least credit yet he gave him good Words and suffered him to depart at pleasure because he had Berwick Castle and other strong Places in his Possession These Troubles being ended Lewis Duke of Orleance Brother to the French King sent a vain-glorious Challenge to King Henry requiring him with an hundred stout English to fight with him and the like number of French for Honours sake at a Place appointed But the King discreetly answered That his former warlike Actions sufficiently cleared him from the infamous Title of Coward That Kings ought not to be so careless of their Kingdoms or prodigal of the Blood of their Subjects whom God had committed to their Charge as to fight for any Cause unless for the Defence of the True Religion their own Rights or to secure their Realms from Foreign Enemies and revenge their Peoples Wrongs That a Sovereign Prince by the Laws of Arms and Honour was not obliged to any Challenge in the Field except against one equal to him in Dignity Yet that he would be always ready to repress any Violence or Wrong which the Duke should rashly or unadvisedly attempt against him or his People The haughty Duke having received this mild Answer grew inraged and immediately sate down with a great Army before the Town of Vergie in Guyen which he besieged three Months giving many fierce Assaults and receiving such stout Repulses that despairing of Success he was compelled to raise his Siege and return disgracefully into France The Duke of Burgundy likewise judging that King Henry durst not leave the Kingdom to make War abroad desired leave of the French King to attempt the regaining of Callice and to that end raised great Strength but the French Kings Council being informed of King Henry's vast Preparations to defeat them commanded Burgundy to desist which he imputed to the Pride of the Duke of Orleance lest he should gain more Honour than himself No sooner was Henry freed from this Danger but another presently succeeded contrived by Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland Richard Scroop Archbishop of York Thomas Mowbray Earl-Marshal the Lords Hastings Faulconbridge Bardolf and others but the Conspiracy being privately revealed he unexpectedly marched with an Army into the North and surprised all the Lords except Northumberland and Bardolf whom he immediately beheaded Northumberland fled into France and from thence came back a while after into Scotland where he was promised Aid against the King but Prince Henry being sent thither burnt and destroyed all before him taking in the Castles of Berwick and Anwick and forcing the Scots to beg for Truce which was granted them for a few Months onely But three years after Northumberland and Bardolf animating the Scots to a new War entred Northumberland and did much mischief Whereupon King Henry raised Forces to suppress them but before his coming they were routed by Sir Ralph Rooksby Sheriff of the County and the two Lords with divers others being taken they cut off their Heads and sent them for Presents to the King After which till his Death which hapned in two years he enjoyed Peace and Quietness and then died at London of an Apoplexy having reigned Thirteen years and five months and lived Fifty six 1412. and was buried at Canterbury In his Admonition to his Son at his Death he spake thus As long as Englishmen have Wealth and Riches so long shalt thou have Obedience from them but when they are Poor they are still ready for Commotion and Rebellion HENRY the FIFTH King of England c. FRom the Lancastrian Line successively I Englands Glorious Golden Garland got I mixed Justice still with Clemency Much Blood I shed yet Blood-shed loved not Time may my Bones and Sepulchre destroy But Time can never blast my endless Fame Oblivion my great Acts can ne'er annoy Or make Forgetfulness forget my Name In France a Game at Tennis I did play With roaring Rackets thundring Guns and Drums And what I play'd for still I brought away The Spoils triumphantly transporting home Yet at the last grim Death my Life assail'd And as I liv'd I di'd lov'd and bewail'd WHilst Henry the Fifth was Prince he accompanied with several rude debauched Persons with whom he committed many extravagant Actions but after the Death of his Father being Crowned King he became a new Man banishing all those his loose Companions from his Presence and Court and electing grave discreet Counsellors and Officers in all Places for Administration of the Government and Courts of Justice He applied himself to reform all kind of Abuses and especially the Pride Covetousness and other Enormities of the Clergy enjoyning them to apply themselves to Prayer Preaching and Hospitality He executed the Laws with moderation upon his People and to prevent any Irruptions of the Scots and Welch he built divers Forts and Castles on the Frontiers Garrison'd with some thousands of stout Soldiers In his first year he ordered the Body of King Richard the Second to be removed with great Pomp and Solemnity from Langley to Westminster and buried it with Queen Ann his first Wife In his second year he called a Parliament at Leicester in which he was earnestly petitioned to suppress the Religious Houses throughout the Kingdom as being now onely the Nurseries of Idleness Gluttony Letchery and Pride the Revenues whereof were reckoned to be worth 20000 l. a year which would then maintain 15 Earls 1500 Knights and above 6000 Soldiers besides an Allowance to a great number of Alms-houses To divert this dangerous Motion the fat Abbots and Priors the idle Monks wanton Fryars and whining Nuns joyntly beseeched the Archbishop of Canterbury to be their Friend who in a Learned Oration discovered the Kings Right to the Crown of France proposing an easie Method for attaining thereto and lastly as a more prevailing Argument he offered the King as a free Gift from the Clergy an incredible Sum of Money for furthering him therein This Proposal laid all those Petitions asleep being approved of both by King Nobles and People and nothing was discoursed of but Englands recovering of France To which purpose the Duke of Exeter the Kings Uncle the Archbishop of Dublin the Lord Gray High Admiral and the Bishop of Norwich attended with 500 Horse were sent Ambassadors to the
of Burgundy appealed against Charles the late Dauphin and seven others as murderers of her Lord and no defence being made for them they were all summoned to appear at the Marble Table in Paris by a certain day which they refusing were Banished out of all the Territories of France and to forfeit all their Honours Dignities and Estates The Dauphin having notice thereof went to his old Friend the Earl of Arminiach late Constable of France who espoused his cause and assisted him with Men Money and Arms and soon after the Duke of Clarence the Kings Brother meeting with a Body of his Forces under the Command of the Duke of Alanson and being falsly informed of their strength by a trecherous Lombard he fell upon them but was overpowered and slain with several other English Noblemen and near two thousand Common Souldiers K. Henry was much grieved with this unexpected overthrow resolving to be revenged of the Dauphin and his adherents and to that end called a Parliament who gave him a plentiful supply but because it would be long in gathering he pawned his Crown to his Uncle the Bishop of Winchester for 20000 pounds with which soon raising an Army of 30000 stout Men he lands at Calice with John Duke of Bedford and with the assistance of Philip Duke of Burgundy the Earl of Flanders and James K. of Scots he took several Towns from the Dauphin who not daring to venture a Battel fled from place to place designing to tire out the Kings Army in pursuit of him about which time K. Henry had notice that his Q. Katharine was delivered of a Son at Windsor upon which with a Prophetick Spirit as was judged he said I Henry born at Monmouth shall continue but a short time and gain much but Henry born at Windsor shall Reign long and lose all which happened accordingly The King still won more Forts and Castles from the Dauphin who finding the King was gone far from him raised another Army and streightly besieged the City of Cosâ—â—y in Burgundy who agreed to deliver it to him if not relieved within ten days of which K. Henry having advice marched with sufficient Force to succour it but fell so sick by the way that he could travel no further however John Duke of Bedford proceeded on of whose Courage and Conduct the Dauphin being afraid raised the Siege and retired The Kings sickness encreasing he was carried to Boys in Vincennes where he in a few days died before his death he made his Brother John Duke of Bedford Lieutenant General of Normandy and Regent of the Kingdom of France and his other Brother Humfrey Duke of Glocester Protector of England and of his Sons Person and then exhorted them with the rest of the Nobles present to maintain true friendship with his faithful Confederate Philip Duke of Burgundy to be at Unity among themselves to be True and Loyal to his Son King Henry to assist by all means his sad and mournful Queen and to maintain by Wisdom and Courage what he by Gods help and his own valour had gotten He died in the thirty eighth year of his Age and the ninth of his Reign 1442. and his Body being conveyed into England was buried with great Pomp and Solemnity in Westminster Abby upon whose Tomb his Queen caused his Royal Statue to be lay'd covered over with Silver Plate gilt the Head thereof being Massy Silver but in the time of K. Henry the eighth the head and the other Silver was stolen away yet the Headless Monument is to be seen at this day with the following Verses on the Tomb. Dux Normanorum verus Conquestor eorum Haeres Francorum decessit Hector eorum Here Normans Duke so stil'd by Conquest just True heir of France Great Hector lies in Dust HENRY the SIXTH King of England c. MY Father Englands Warlike Mars being dead And I an Infant but of eight Months old The Diadem was plac'd upon my head In Royal Robes the Scepter I did hold But wonderful are the Almighty's Ways And past Mans Reason e're to comprehend For I had nought but sad and woful Days Even from my Birth unto my Tragick End ' Gainst me the House of York their Force did bend Both Peers and People weltred in their Gore That Crown and Scepter they from me did rend My Sire and Grandsire both had worn before Twice was I Crown'd uncrown'd oft blest oft croft At last my Life and Kingdom both I lost THough King Henry the Sixth was not above eight Months old at his Fathers Death yet by the wise Conduct of his two Uncles afore-mentioned the Government was managed with all manner of Prudence and Discretion But soon after the Death of Henry the Fifth Charles the Sixth of France died likewise and the unconstant Frenchmen began to renounce their Oaths and Allegiance to the English Crown and generally revolting to Charles the Dauphin now King of France endeavoured to extirpate the English Nation and Sovereignty from among them To which purpose their new King seised upon Pont Melance a Town on the River Sâ—yn without any warning and slew most of the Engliâ—h Garrison therein but Thomas Montacute Earl of Salisbury a great Champion in that Age by the Regents Order regained it and caused the Inhabitants again to swear Allegiance to King Henry which they soon after again forfeited and the Parisians invited Charles to come to their City but the Regent having notice thereof tho' he was then engaged in Mirth and Triumphs as having at that time married the Duke of Burgundy's Daughter yet made such speed with his Army that he was at their Gates before they were aware and having seised on the principal Conspirators and executed them publickly by divers cruel Deaths he secured the City by divers new Forts a strong Garrison and a severe Governour The Protector still furnishing the Regent with fresh Supplies of all things from England he daily won divers strong Towns and Fortresses the French King not daring to engage in fight with him though he often shewed himself and boasted of his Valour While all things succeeded well there hapned an unfortunate Accident at Mons where the French suddenly surprised the English within the City and killed them all without the least pity or compassion but the Garrison-Soldiers got into the Castle which the French resolving to besiege and starve them out gave themselves over at present to Ease and Jollity Of this the Lord Talbot was advised who the next Night marched thither with 700 Men and got into the Castle and then issuing out under their Governour the Earl of Suffolk they rushed violently into the Town crying out aloud St. George A Talbot a Talbot wherewith the sleepy drunken Frenchmen were so amazed that some leaped naked over the Walls in their Shirts and broke their Necks about 400 Gentlemen were slain and taken Prisoners the Common People being released After which 30 Citizens 20 Priests and 15 Fryars were put to death
Son of K. Henry the 8. by Q. Jane Seymour his third wife who died soon after her delivery He was very carefully educated by his Father and had such a happy Genius that in a short time he attained to a perfect use knowledge of the ancient and modern Languages and was exceedingly skilled in all the liberal Arts He was of a beautiful body a mild and gracious disposition and an Heavenly wit so that the renowned Cardan calls him a Miracle of Nature After K. Henrys Death Edward by unquestionable right succeeded him his Father having appointed twenty eight Councellours to assist him in the Government till he came of Age who chose the Earl of Hartford afterward Duke of Somerset to be Protector of the King and Kingdom After his Fathers funerals were past several Persons were advanced to honours in order to his Coronation which was performed February 20 1547. At which three Swords were delivered to him as King of England France and Ireland and having received them he said There was yet another Sword to be delivered to him whereat when the Lords wondred I mean said he the sacred Bible which is the Sword of the Spirit without which we are nothing neither can do any thing King Henry before his death strictly charged the Lords of the Council to use their utmost endeavour for perfecting the marriage of his Son Edward with the young Queen of Scots in prosecution whereof the Protector entred Scotland with a considerable Army by Land and a fleet of sixty Ships under the Lord Clinton scoured the Seas upon which the Governour of Scotland erected the Firecross which was two firebrands set in the fashion of a Cross and pitched upon the point of a spear with a Proclamation that all above sixteen years of Age and under sixty should resort forthwith to Musselborough and bring provision of victuals with them upon which so many came in that the most serviceable only were retained the English approaching a Fierce Battle ensued but at last the English remained victors wherein were slain fourteen thousand cots with the L. Fleming and other Persons of Quality and of English only Fifty one Horsemen and one Footman though many wounded this sight was at Edmonstone Bridge near Musselborough there were fifteen hundred Prisoners taken the chief whereof were the Lords Yester Hobley and Hamilton the Master of anepool the Lord Weems and the Earl of Huntley who being demanded how they were stood affected to the Marriage answered That they liked the match well enough but did not approve of this kind of woing After this the English plundred and fired â—eith and took several other places so that the Earl Bothwell and other Gentry of Tiviotdale came and submitted to the Protector entring into Terms of Peace with him The Protector returning to London called a Parliament wherein the six Articles were repealed and those Colledges and Chappels that K. Henry had not seized were given to the K. the Churches were ordered to be purged of Images no Beads Processions Prayers to Saints or for the Dead or in an unknown Tongue to be used Masses and Dirges were likewise abolished upon this divers Bishops refusing to comply with the Injunctions in Religion were removed and committed to Prison It was likewise ordained that the Eucharist should be received in both kinds that Bishops should be made by the King under his Letters Patents without any other pretended Authority and that all persons exercising Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction should have the Kings Arms in the eals of their Office after which they confirmed the Kings Supremacy In the mean time the young Queen of cots was conveyed into France and married to Francis the Dauphin at six years old These Alterations of Religion caused divers Insurrections for the Commissioners going into the Country to execute the aforementioned orders as Mr. Body one of the Commissioners was performing his office in the West of England by plucking down Images he was stabbed to the heart by a Popish Priest and the Common People joining with the Priest upon the instigation of other Papists they took Arms to the number of ten thousand refusing the pardon offered them and besieging Exeter which was Gallantly defended but at length the King sending his Forces soon dispersed them several of the Ringleaders being taken and executed in London This was succeeded by another Insurrection in Norfolk under one Ket a Tanner who issued out warrants in his Majesties name acting the part of the Kings Deputy without his Authority and calling the Tree near Norwich wherein he pretended to administer Justice The Oak of Reformation but the Earl of Warwick marching against them upon offer of a General Pardon they laid down their Arms sixty of them being before executed by Martial Law and nine hanged upon the Oak of Reformation A third Insurrection happened upon the neck of this in Yorkshire raised by one Ombler a Gentleman Dale a Parish Clerk and Stephenson a Priest who gathered four or five thousand to assist them upon conceit of a Prophecy That the time should come wherein there would be no King the Nobility and Gentry should be destroyed and the Land ruled by four Governours elected by the Commons holding a Parliament in Commotion which should begin at the North Seas of England And this they thought to be the time and that the Rebels in Devonshire Yorkshire and Norfolk should join together to accomplish this Prophesy but hearing of the bad success of their friends and having a pardon sent them by the King they forsook their Leaders who were taken and executed at York At this time some heats arose at Court between the Wives of the two Brothers the Lord Protector and L. High Admiral about precedency whereupon the Admiral was accused of attempting to get the Kings Person and Government into his hands with divers other matters for which he was condemned by the contrivance of the Earl of Warwick and by his Brothers Warrant beheaded upon Tower-hill And now Cardinal Pool was upon the Death of Paul the third elected Pope which being told him he desired them to consider well whether they were swayed by no passion of mind or did any thing for favour or affection but only for the honour of God and the Church they taking this for a kind of denial presently chose Cardinal Montanus who took the name of Julius the third During these domestick troubles the French had divers times attempted Bulloign and had now got seven thousand men and all other provisions necessary to surprize it but being come within a quarter of a Mile of the Fort the Garrison had notice thereof who put themselves into such a posture to receive them that they were repulsed with a great slaughter fifteen Waggons being laden with the dead bodies afterward they attempted Guernsey and Jersey with no better success being beaten off with the loss of a thousand men upon this succeeded a Peace whereby it was agreed that Bulloign should be surrendred
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-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
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
reserved her for better Fortune for being studious in the English Bible which was forbid to be read she thereby began to hearken to those who declaimed against the Abuses of the Roman Church and thought her self so well instructed in her Religion that she would debate thereof with the King who impatiently heard her both by reason of the anguish of his sore Leg and because he hated to be contradicted especially in his old Age and by his Wife as he said This was so much aggravated by Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester a bitter Enemy to the Reformation as being against the Six Articles and the Proclamation against Prohibited Books that the King gave leave to him and Wriothsley the Chancellor to draw up Articles against her which they presented to the King and were subscribed by him so that they onely expected a Warrant to carry her to the Tower which the Queen accidentally hearing of fell into a great Passion extremely bewailing her Misfortune of which the King having notice came himself to her Chamber where compassionating her Condition he used such kind Words as did help to recover her so that the next Night coming into the Kings Chamber he began to talk of Religion but she wittily excusing her self by reason of the weakness of her Sex Judgment said She would refer her self in this as in all other Causes to his Majesties Wisdom Not so by St. Mary quoth the K. you are become a Doctor Kate to instruct Vs as We take it and not to be instructed or directed by Vs But the Queen replying That what she said was rather to pass away the time and make him forget his Pain than to hold an Argument and that she hoped by hearing his Majesties Learned Discourse to receive some Profit thereby The King answered And is it even so Sweet-heart Then are we perfect Friends again and therewith lovingly kissed her But her Enemies knowing nothing of this Reconcilement prepared to send her to the Tower the next day according to the Kings Warrant when she being merrily talking with him in the Garden the Lord Wriothsley with forty of his Guard came in whom the King sternly beholding and after calling to him at some distance from the Queen so expostulated the matter that at last he reviled him and commanded him out of his Presence yet at the Kings return she humbly begged his Pardon to whom the King answered Alas poor Soul thou little knowest how ill he has deserved this for I assure thee he has been a very Knave to thee And thus by her opportune Submission she escaped though Winchester absolutely designed her Ruine Not long before King Henry sailed to Callice in a Ship with Sails of Cloth of Gold and the Emperour of Germany served under him as a Soldier at 100 Crowns a day The King sate down before Bulâ—oigne and in six weeks time it was delivered to him This was succeeded by a War with Scotland by the instigation of the French King whereupon Henry sent an Army of 20000 Men to invade Scotland who burnt and plundred several Towns and Villages but James the Fifth of Scotland an active and warlike Prince having raised Forces marched toward the Borders with a resolution to fight the English though dissuaded by his Nobility who remembred the Miseries of the former War and the loss of their last King James having made Oliver Sinclair a Favourite of mean Birth General the Lords were so much disgusted that upon the appearance of onely 500 English Horse apprehending them to be the whole English Army the Scots threw down their Arms and fled Many Prisoners were taken as the Earls of Glencairn Cassils the Lords Maxwell Sommervill Oliphant Gray and Ol. Sinclair with above 200 Gentlemen and 800 Soldiers The News of this Loss with the murdering of an English Herald being brought to King James together with the Birth of a Daughter when he earnestly desired a Son so oppressed him with Grief and Despair that he fell into a Fever and died the thirty third year of his Age and the thirty second of his Reign leaving onely his Infant Daughter Mary to succeed him This turn of Affairs put Henry upon new thoughts of uniting England and Scotland by procuring a Marriage between his Son Prince Edward and the young Queen of Scotland whereupon the King having magnificently treated the Scotch Nobility represented to them this fair Occasion of ending all Quarrels between the two Nations who approving thereof the Match was confirmed both by the Parliament of England and Scotland But Cardinal Beaton Archbishop of St. Andrews fearing that the Consequence of it would be a Change in Matters of Religion opposed it as likewise the French which caused continual Wars and great Devastations And then the King fell again upon France who were â—routed by him in divers kirmishes but in his thirty eighth year a Peace was concluded between England and France And soon after the Duke of Norfolk and his Son the Earl of urrey were convicted of High Treason onely for Quartering the Arms which they said properly belonged to the King for which the Earl was beheaded to the great grief of the People but the Duke by reason of the Kings Sickness and Death soon after was preserved For he was grown excessive Corpulent and the Inflammation of his Leg cast him into a lingring Fever whereby he finding his Spirits decay made his Will wherein he ordered that his onely Son Edward should succeed him and he dying without Issue his Daughter Mary and after her if without Issue his Daughter Elizabeth should succeed appointed the Principal Men of the Kingdom for his Executors And finding his last Moment approaching he sent for Archbishop Cranmer then at Croyden who coming found him speechless The Archbishop desired him to give some Sign of his dying in the Faith of Christ upon which he squeezed his Hand and presently departed after he had reigned thirty seven years and nine months and lived fifty six Thus died King Henry whose Reign had been fatal to his Queens burdensom and cruel to his Subjects yet glorious in respect of his Victories over his Enemies and that the Ax was then first laid to the Root of Superstition and the Door first opened to Truth and Reformation EDWARD the SIXTH King of England c. I seem'd in wisdom aged in my youth A Princely Pattern I reformed the time With Christian Courage I maintained Gods Truth And Christian Faith ' gainst Antichristian crime My Father did begin it in my prime And Bial and Belial from this Kingdom drove And I did still endeavour all my time By all means to advance Gods Truth and Love To add Grace unto Grace I always strove I liv'd beloved both of God and Men My Soul unto its maker soar'd above My Mortal Part returned to Earth agen Thus death my just proceedings did prevent And Peers and People did my loss lament EDward was born at Hampton-Court Oct. 17. 1537. Being the only surviving