Nations to enter which they afterwards soon did to the great prejudice of the Empire so that Zosimus though in other of his writings concerning this Emperour discovers his malice yet he truly calleth him the first subverter of that flourishing Monarchy Concerning the time when he was baptized Authors onely agree in disagreeing Eusebius writes that he was baptized in the City of Nicomedia Sozomenus and Theodoritus that it was a little before his death others think he was baptized with Crispus his Son to which opinion accords Platina and Sabellicus who affirm the Font wherein they were baptized to have remained unto their times In this diversity of Writers the Reader must not expect I should satisfie him seeing I cannot herein satisfie my self But of more certainty is the place of his death wherein they all accord that it was in Nicomedia a City of Bythinia where he died of a natural disease a thing to be taken notice of since of 40. Emperours that reigned before him above 30. of them came to untimely ends most of them being blood-thirsty Tyrants and Persecutours of Gods holy Saints whose ends were answerable to their lives their bloody actions having bloody deaths So true is that of the Poet Juvenal Few Tyrants do to Pluto's Court descend Without fierce slaughter and a bloody end At his death he divided his Empire betwixt his three sons Constantine Constantius and Constance To Constantine the eldest he allotted the Countreys of Brittain France Spain and part of Germany Constantius his second son had Italy Africa Sclavonia Dalmatia and Greece and Constance the youngest possessed the Countreys of Thracia Syria Mesopotamia and Egypt The Life of King ARTHUR BOth Poets and Historians out of the most famous Warriours that have lived in the world have extracted nine of the chiefest whom they termed Worthies of these this famous Prince whose life we now intend to relate was accounted one Questionless he was a Prince of a matchless prowess and pitty it is the naked truth of his actions hath not been delivered to posterity without the intermixture of ridiculous falshoods for Geffery of Monmouth is said to have feigned many things for the encrease of his fame though he hath thereby much impaired his own and although for the same he was bitterly inveighed at by William of Newberry and divers others yet was his follies followed by several Authours still adding to what he first had feign'd according to that of the old Poet. The thing at first invented great doth grow And every one doth something adde thereto Thus their over-lavish pens in seeking to make him more then he was have made many suspect he was not at all But besides the testimonies of William of Malmesbury Joseph of Excester Ninius Leiland and divers others for the truth of this Prince a Charter exemplified under the seal of King Edward the Third doth sufficiently testifie wherein mention is made of King Arthur to have been a great Benefactour to the Abbey of Glastenbury and to this day his Arms being an Escochen whereon a Cross with the Virgin Mary having Christ in her arms cut in stone standeth over the first gate of entrance into the Abbey and is said to be the Arms belonging to the same Of his person we shall not need to doubt though we may justly suspect the verity of many things said to be atchieved by him This by way of introduction I thought fit to insert I shall now pursue his History with truth and brevity He was base Son to Vter sirnamed Pendragon begotten of Igren Dutchess of Cornwall her husband yet living this Lady had often withstood his unlawful desires at last by the help of Merline a renowned Welch Enchanter as some Authours write he was brought to her bed in the likenesse of Gorlois her husband of whom that night he begat this Worthy whom at his death he appointed to be King of Brittain notwithstanding he had two Daughters lawfully begotten and as honourably married the one to Lotho King of Picts the other to Gouran King of Scotland But scarcely was the Crown settled on his head when the Saxons sought to strike it off who being called in by Vortigerne for an aid against the Scots and Picts like unmannerly guests sought to turn their hoast out of doors To the aid of these Saxons joyned Lotho King of Picts out of envy to the Brittains for that they had denied him to be their King and although Arthur was his Kinsman and professed Christianity the other strangers and enemies to true Religion yet neither Christianity nor Consanguinity could keep him from joyning with them in amity not caring who won so Arthur did but lose The first battel they fought was in the Countrey of Northumberland where Arthur dyed his Sword in the Saxons blood chasing them from thence to the City of York which notwithstanding he did straitly besiege yet their Captain named Colgerne escaped from thence and got into Germany where he obtained aid of one Cherdike a King of that Countrey who came himself in person with 70 sail of ships and having a prosperous Winde arrived in Scotland which when Arthur understood he raised his siege and marched towards London And that the multitude of his enemies might not daunt the courage of his Souldiers he sent for aid to his Nephew Howel King of little Brittain in France who came himself likewise in person to the aid of his uncle doing as old Authors write acts worthy to be eternized with a golden pen. Their forces thus augmented with undaunted resolutions they march to the City of Lincoln which Cherdike did then besiege whom they forced from thence to flee into a wood but there being likewise compassed about with Arthurs victorious Army they yielded themselves with condition to depart the Land leaving the Brittains their horse armour and other furniture but see what faith is to be expected from faithless people for having their markets spoiled at Lincoln they thought to make them good in the West ariving at Totnes and destroying all the Countrey till they came to Bathe but the price of their lives paid for their perjury being encountred by Arthur their Army was overthrown their three Captains Colgrine Cherdike and Bladulf being slain Howel King Arthurs Nephew was not at this last battel being besieged at that present in the Marches of Scotland to whose rescue hasted Arthur with the flower of his Souldiers and notwithstanding the Scots were aided by one Guillomer King of Ireland yet obtained he of them a glorious victory chasing Guillomer into Ireland and bringing Scotland into subjection like another Caesar it might be writ of him veni vidi vici as one of our poets sings of him Thus wheresoever he his course did bend Still victory did ox his sword attend Returning to Yorke he instituted the celebration of the Nativity of our Lord with such feasts and sports as are commonly now used an institution which the Scottish writers do altogether condemn comparing them to
the feast of Bacchus and Priapus of old it being a time more fit for our devotion then mirth His wife was named Guinever Daughter to the King of Biscay and near Kinswoman to Cador Duke or Earl of Cornwall a Lady who for her beauty was the miracle of her times had it not been accompained with a vicious minde not onely abusing her self by unlawfully accompanying with Mordred son to Lotho Kng of Picts but also in her husbands absence consented to be his wife so rarely is beauty and chastity found to dwell in one body that it hath caused many writers for the faults of some few to condemn the whole sex amongst the rest take these of an Epigramatist A woman is not to be credited If you will credit me though she be dead And again in another place There is not one good woman to be found And if one were she merits to be Crown'd Together with the old Adage Falere flere nere Haec tria sunt muliere Thus some in their critick fancies think all women to be bad and others again as much contrary think them all to be good certainly every man speaks as he findes and by the knowledge of one passes judgement of all the rest That they are all bad I cannot think it and that they are all good I could never finde it sure he that thought them all good was too much feminine and he that concluded them all to be bad had forgotten that ere he had a mother But to return to our History King Arthur to increase the courage of his Souldiers instituted the Order of Knights of the Round Table that he might reward the well deserving with titles of Honour none were admitted into this order but such of the Nobility as were most renouned for vertue and Chevalry they were in all the number of 150 the chiefest of them being Sir Lancelot Sir Tristram Sir Lamrock Sir Gawine and others These were all recorded for Knights of great renown and had not King Arthurs valour been most transcendent each of them might have passed for no less then a Worthy though they must fall short of the deeds of King Arthur of whom it is written that in one battel against the Saxons with his Sword named Callibourn he slew above 800 of them so much his valour exceeded all others if my Authors words exceed not the truth In twelve set Battels besides several Skirmishes is he said to have returned victor from the slaughter of the Saxons the names of the places where these battels were fought take here out of Ninius The first was at the mouth of the River Gleyn The second third fourth and fifth nigh unto the River Douglass in Lineux The sixth upon the River Bassus The seventh in the wood Calidon The eighth besides the Castle called Guynien The ninth at Carlien in Wales The tenth by the Sea side in a place called Trachenrith or Rithowode The eleventh upon a hill named Agned Cathergonien The twelfth at Bathe or Bathen-hill King Arthur in these battels having broken the force of the Saxons and not onely forced them to pay him tribute but to receive Majestrates of his appointment yet thought the glory of his actions to suffer an eclipse if his victories were atcheived onely in Great Brittain therefore with a well selected Army he passes over into Norway subduing the same with all the Regions thereabouts causing the people of those Countries to receive the Chistian Religion and obtained of the Pope to have Norway confirmed to the Crown of this Realm causing it to be called the Chamber of Brittain Then sailing into France he put Frolo Governour there for the Romans to flight and afterwards in combate manfully slew him But notwithstanding his wonderfull atchievements yet Lucius Hiberus the Roman Legate demanded of him a Tribute for Brittain which he not onely denyed but also threatned to have a tribute from Rome as appeareth in his letters sent unto the Senate where I finde it thus written in an old Manuscript Vnderstand among you of Rome that I am King Arthur of Brittain and freely it hold and shall hold and at Rome hastily will I be not to give you truage but to have truage of you for Constantine that was Hellens Son and other of mine Ancestors conquered Rome and thereof were Emperours and that they had and held I shall have yours Goddis grace and accordingly he set forward against Lucius Hiberus who with great power and vain confidence came marching against him where after a long and bloody fight the Romans were discomfited their General killed and his slain body sent to the Senate for the tribute of Brittain Whilst Arthur was thus busied in conquering Kingdoms abroad he had well near lost his kingdome at home for in his absence his Couzen Mordred confederating himself with Cerdicus King of the West Saxons usurped the kingdome which when Arthur understood he returned into Brittain and at Cambula in Cornwall this brittish Hector encountring with Mordred slew him but himself being deadly wounded was conveyed to Glastenbury where he dyed on the 21 day of May in the year of our salvation 542. when he had victoriously governed the Brittains the space of six and twenty years Here might we end his life were he not further remembred by our Modern Authours viz. how in the last year of the reign of King Henry the Second more then 600. years after the time of his death his body was found in the Church-yard of Glastenbury betwixt two Pyramides therein standing he was laid no lesse then sixteen foot deep in the ground for fear as Hollinshead writes the Saxons should have found him and surely the searchers for his body would have never digged so deep had they not at seven foot depth found a mighty broad stone to which a leaden Crosse was fastened and in that side that lay downwards in barbarous Letters according to the rudenesse of that Age this Inscription was written upon that side of the lead that was towards the stone Hic jacet sepultus inclytus Rex Arturius In Insula Avolonia Here lieth King Arthur buried in the Isle of Avalonia Nine foot deeper in the trunk of a tree was his body found buried his bones being of a marvellous bignesse the space of his forehead betwixt his two eyes if I could believe this Historians strange narration was a span broad and his shin-bone being set in the ground reached up to the middle thigh of a very tall man ten wounds appeared in his scull one whereof was very great and plain to be seen his wife Queen Guinever lay buried likewise with him the tresses of whose hair the last of our excrements that perish finely platted and of colour like the burnisht gold seemed whole and perfect until it was touched but then to shew what all beauties are it immediately fell to dust Henry de Bloys then Abbot of that house translated their bones into the great new Church for the old one was burned not long
Athelwyn Earl Vrchill Cadnoth Bishop of Lincoln Wolsey Abbot of Ramsey with many other of the Clergy who coming thither to pray for the preservation of the King and his Army were by the Danes inhumanely butchered the remembrace of which battel is retained to this day by certain small hills there remaining whence have been digged the Bones of men Armour and the Water-chains of Horse-bridles Holinshead reports that in his time there were of these hills to the number of seven or eight now onely three remaineth at a place called Bartlow which from them is called Bartlow Hills Edmund thus discomfited went almost alone on foot to Gloucester where he raised new forces to oppose his enemies Canutus pursuing him both Armies met at Derehurst near unto the River Severne where being ready to imbrue their hands in one anothers bloods a certain Captain stepped forth and standing up in such a place as he might be heard of both the Generals boldly uttered his minde in these or the like words We have already worthy Chieftains fought long enough one against another and too much blood hath been spilt for the Soveraignty of this Land the valours of both Generals and Souldiers sufficiently tryed Fortune her self not knowing whom to yield the palm of Victory unto for if one Battel were wonne it was not long kept nor the loser so weakned but that he had both courage and power to win the next Thus to gain you airy Titles the common Soldiers lose their lives Worthy Chieftains 't is now high time to set a period to these differences let him that would wear the Diadem bear the hazard himself and either try the fortune of a single combat who shall command and who obey or divide betwixt them the Kingdom which may suffice two that hath formerly maintained seven These words were no sooner ended but both Generals agreed to try it out by single combat in sight of both Armies they entred into a small Island called Alney adjoyning unto the City of Gloucester where first on horse-back and after on foot they encountred each other with invincible courage but Canutus having received a dangerous wound and finding that Ironside overmatched him in strength desired a comprimise and to that end thus spake to Edmond with an audible voice What necessity thus should move us most renowned Prince that for the obtaining of an airy title we should still put our lives into danger better it were to lay armour and malice aside and condescend to some reasonable agreement let us therefore now become sworn brothers and divide the Kingdom between us and that in such a league of amity that each may use the others part as his own Edmond condescending to Canutus motion they unbuckled their Armours and embraced each other and on a firme agreement afterwards divided the Kingdome betwixt them Edmond enjoying that part that lay coasted upon France and Canutus entred upon the rest But long enjoyed not the Ironside his part for Duke Edrick a very compound of treasons contrived the end of renowned Edmond who being retired to a place for natures necessity he thrust from under the draught a sharp spear into his body and having thus murthered him he cut off his head presenting it to Canutus with this fawning salutation All hail thou now sole Monarch of England for here behold the head of thy Co-partner which for thy sake I have adventured to cut off Canutus though ambitious enough of Soveraignty yet abhorring in his heart so detestable a murther and knowing that he who was faithless to his natural Sovereign would never be faithful to him a Stranger commanded his head to be divided from his shoulders and placed upon the highest Gate in London Thus we see how Duke Edrick was mistaken in his hopes who for his treason expecting a reward received the merit due to treason a worthy example in Canutus for succeeding Monarchs to imitate and in the Traytor Edrick for all false Subjects to beware Thus this famous worthy made his exit off of the stage of this world having raigned in all but the space of seven moneths so that if we consider the shortness of his time we may wonder at the greatness of his actions who had not onely to deal with forreign forces but with false friends who whilst he lived was the onely prop to uphold the tottering estate of his Countrey and whose death was the cause his Countrey-men were forced to bow their necks to a stranger He left behinde him two Sons named Edward and Edmond and two Daughters named Christian and Margret which Margret was married to Malcolme Canmore King of Scotland from which Princely bed James the first late Monarch of Great Brittain was lineally descended The Life of EDWARD the Confessor AS my learned Authors writes to whom I am so much beholding for this Narrative to give you his own words discoursing of Peace None saith he but such as are of turbulent spirits or ignorant what War is love to play the beasts and inhumanely gore each other Men were not made to act Tragedies and to make the world a shambles for humane slaughters Nulla salus bello pacem te possimus omnes This perhaps it was made the Poet Tibullus exclaim against the inventers of mankindes destruction Quis fuit horrendus primus qui protulit enses Quam ferus vere ferreus ille fuit Tunc caedes hominum generi tunc praelia nata Tunc brevior dirae mortis aperta via est Of killing swords who might first Author be Sure a steel minde and bloody thought had he Mankindes destruction Wars were then made known And shorter wayes to death with terrour shown As contraries set off one another white shows the more amiable compared with its opposite black so peace is most pleasant to them that have tasted the miseries of War we shall therefore now having shown the sad effects of the one in the life of Edmond relate the blessings that accompany the other in the life of Edward He was son to King Ethelred by his wife Queen Emma and born at Islip in the County of Oxford his mother when the variable success of War doubtfully depended betwixt Edmund and Canutus sent him over into Normandy to Duke Richard her Brother there to be secured from all domestical stirs where he remained all the time of Canutus raign who although he married his Mother yet thought it more safe to be there then in England Canutus dying his son Harold sirnamed Hare-foot whom he had by a Concubine a shoemakers daughter usurped the Crown but knowing others had better right to the same then himself he resolved to remove those rubs out of his way yet not daring to act his intentions openly he thought to compass that by treachery which he could not by force to this end he counterfeits a letter in Queen Emma's name unto her sons Edward and Alfred to instigate them to attempt the recovering of the Crown the tenure of which letter
England where being instructed in the Christian Religion and baptized in the Church of St. Paul by the Bishop of London with great Solemnity in the presence of six Prelates she was married to the aforesaid Gilbert of whom he had Issue this Thomas whose Life we now relate who as his Legend recites was first brought up in a Religious House of Merton afterwards was instructed in the Liberal Sciences and then sent to study in the University of Paris from whence returning home he was by Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury made his Archdeacon a place in those dayes of high degree in the English Cleargy next unto Lord Abbots and Bishops Much about that time Henry Duke of Aquitain and Normandy succeeded King Stephen in the Crown of England who in the very first year of his Reign advanced Becket to be Lord Chancellour of England in which high honour he carried himself like another King His retinue was great his Followers men of good account his House keeping such as might compare with if not surpass the greatest Earls of the Kingdom his Clothes very costly full of bravery his Furniture mighty rich his very Bridles of beaten silver Yea Fortune did seem to have made him her Darling and all things so flowed according to his desire that one would have judged him to have laid clean aside the very thought of a Clergy-man King Henry having Wars in France he served him with a Band of 700. Souldiers of his own Family besides many others with which and some additional Forces after the Kings departure he obtained a great victory At another time he himself in person unhorssed a Frenchman called Enguerranus de Creya a most hardy Souldier renowned for deeds of Arms and Chevalry for these valiant acts in reward and in further hope of his faithful service upon the death of Theobald the King made him Archbishop of Canterbury though the Monks objected against him that neither a Courtier nor a Soundier as he was both were fit to succeed in so high and sacred a Function But Thomas having obtained this dignity forgot the King who had raised him to the same For as the Poet hath it A swelling spirit hates him by whom he climes As Ivy kills the tree whereon it twines So rising men when they are mounted high Spurn at the means that first they mounted by For not long after began that great controversie between Regnum Sacerdotium the Crown and the Mytre the occasion whereof was the King being credibly informed that some Clergy-men had committed above an hundred murthers under his Reign would have them tried and adjudged in his Temporal Courts as Lay-men were but this as being contrary to the priviledges of the Church the Archbishop withstood This affront of a subject the King could not endure finding himself hereby to be but a demy-King Wherefore having drawn to his side most of the Bishops in an Assembly at VVestminster he propoundeth these Articles peremptorily urging Becket to assent to them 1. That none should appeal to the See of Rome for any cause whatsoever without the Kings licence 2. That it should not be lawful for any Archbishop or Bishop to depart the Realm and repair to the Pope upon his summons without licence from the King 3. That it should not be lawfull for any Bishop to excommunite any person that holdeth in Capite of the King without licence of the King nor grant any interdict against his Lands nor the Lands of any his officers 4. That it should not be lawfull for any Bishop to punish perjured nor false witnesses 5. That Clarks crimonous should be tried before secular Judges 6. That the King and his secular Justices should be Judges in matters of Tythes and other like causes Ecclesiastical There points so nearly touched the Papal Sovereignty that Becket resolutely denied to signe them but by the importunity of many Lords and Prelates at last he yields subscribes the Ordinance and sets his hand unto it The King hereupon supposing all contradiction ended and that Thomas would not waver in his faith called an assembly of the States at Clarendon in VViltshire to collect and enact these Laws where John of Oxenford sitting President Becket relapsed saying He had grievously sinned in that he had done and that he would not sin therein any more The King herewith vehemently incensed threatens banishment and destruction to him and his whereupon Becket once again perswaded swears in verbo Sacerdotali in the word of a Priest sincerely that he would observe the Laws which the King entituled Avitae and all the Bishops Abbots Priors and whole Clergy with all the Earls Barons and Nobility did promise and swear the same faithfully and truly to observe and performe to the King and to his Heirs for ever But the King desiring him to affix his seal to an Instrument wherein those Laws being sixteen were contained he refused saying He did promise it onely to do the King some honour verbo tenus in word onely Nor could the example of his fellow Bishops nor the perswasions of Rotrod the Popes messenger move him at all to compose these differences It may be thought a fable yet is related by divers superstitious Authors that one time during this contention certain fellows cut off the Archbishops horses tail after which fact all their children were born with Tails like Horses and that this continued long in their Posterity For may own part though I confess God is able to do this and much more yet I reckon this amongst other ridiculous miracles mentioned of him by those writers as that of Ailwardus who for stealing a great whetstone which the Author that writes it best deserved being deprived of his eyes and virilities by sentence of Law upon prayer to Saint Thomas he had all restored again Yea even a Bird having been taught to speak flying out of her cage and ready to be seized on by a Sparrow Hawk said onely St. Thomas help me and her enemy fell presently dead and she escaped But slighting these follies to return to our History the King summoning a Parliament at Northhampton Becket was cited to appear before his Majesty which he refusing upon his contempt the Peers and Prelates judged his goods confiscated to the Kings mercy He making his appearance the Parliament demanded of him an account of 30000 pounds which he received when he was Lord Chancellour to which he answered that when he was chosen to be Archbishop he was by the Kings authority freed and acquitted of all Debts and Obligations of Court and Exchequer and so delivered over to the Church of England and that therefore at that time he would not answer as a Lay-man having before had a sufficient discharge This answer of the Archbishop was like Oyl cast on fire which instead of quenching increast the Kings anger and the Prelates perceiving the Kings displeasure to tend yet to some further severity premonished him to submit himself for that otherwise the Kings Court
danger being sent for by the Dolphin unto the Town of Mountstrew repaired unto him where kneeling upon his knee he was by the Dolphin charged with several misdemeanours and by the company there present most barbarously murthered before he could arise from his knee or get out his Sword This more and more exasperateth Queeen Isabel who now thinks of nothing but disheriting the Dolphin and joyning in confederacy with Philip the new Duke of Burgogne incites him to revenge his Fathers death Philip as forward as she was willing they send Ambassadors to King Henry to intreat a Peace which was concluded from the Epiphany to mid March following during which time both sides meeting at Troys in Champagne a finall conclusion was agreed upon whereof the chief Articles were as followeth 1. That King Henry should take Lady Katherine to wife 2. That Charles and Isabel should retain the name of King and Queen and should hold all their Dignities Rents and Possessions belonging to the Crown of France during their natural lives 3. That the Lady Katherine should have her Dowry in England twenty thousand Nobles and if she out lived Henry twenty thousand Franks yearly out of the Lands Places and Lordships that Blanch sometime wife to Philip Beavisal held and enjoyed 4. That after the death of Charles the Crown and Realm of France should remain unto Henry and to his Heires for ever 5. That during the Life of King Charles the faculties and exercise of the Government and disposition of the Publick utility of the Realm of France shall remain to Henry admitting to his Council and Assistance such of the English Nobility as he shall please 6. That Henry of his own power shall cause the Court of France to be kept and observed in as full Authority and in all manner of places that now or in time coming is or shall be subject to King Charles 7. Also that Henry to his power shall defend and help all and every of the Peers Nobles Cities Towns Commonalties and singular persons now or in time to come Subjects to King Charles in their Rights Customs Priviledges Freedoms Franchises belonging or due unto them in all manner of places now or in time coming subject to King Charles 8. That Henry during the life of King Charles shall not call nor write himself King of France but shall abstain from that name so long as King Charles liveth 9. That King Charles during his life shall name write and call King Henry in French in this manner Nostre treschier Filz Henry Roy d'Engleterre heretere de France and in Latine in this manner Praeclarissimus filius noster Henricus Rex Angliae Haeres Franciae 10. That King Henry shall put no impositions or exactions to charge the Subjects of France without cause reasonable and necessary c. Many other Articles were concluded on Sealed and Sworn to on both sides which for brevity I omit King Henry not long after affianced the Lady Katherine and thereupon was proclaimed Regent and Heire apparent to the Crown of France from thence both Kings with their Peers rode to Paris wherein a Parliament of the three Estates assembled all such as were guilty of the Duke of Burgundy's death were justiced The disherizing of the Dolphin confirmed and Wars against those Towns which held for him prepared and thereupon on the fourth day of June the two Kings of France and England James King of Scots who was newly arived the Duke of Burgoigne the Prince of Orange one and twenty Earls five and forty Barons with many Knights and Gentlemen and an Army consisting of French English Scottish Irish and Dutch to the number of six hundred thousand besiege Seins which after twelve dayes was rendred upon composition of life those onely excepted that were guilty of the Duke of Burgundy's death The Duke of Bedford bringing a fresh supply of men out of England they march to Monstreau which by force was entred where the body of the Duke of Burgundy undecently buried was taken up and in great Pomp interred at Dijon the Town being taken the Castle held out still during which Siege King Henry instituted Garter principal King at Arms whom he sent with offers of mercy to the Castle but was by Guiley Captain thereof reproachfully answered which so incensed Henry that he caused twelve of his principle friends to be executed at length the Castle was enforced to yield upon composition of life Those that were guilty of Burgundy's death were onely excepted From Monstreau the Army marched to Melun the Captain whereof was Signieur Barbason an absolute Souldier who countermined some and stopt other Mines made by the English and fought hand to hand with King Henry in the Barriers at length through famine he was forced to yield but being suspected to have had a hand in the murther of the Duke of Burgandy he was sent Prisoner to Paris where upon King Henry's return he was sentenced to death and had suffered had he not appealed to the Officers at Arms the Law Military forbidding That any man having his Brother in Arms within his danger should afterwards put him to death for any cause or quarrell and proved himself to be the Kings Brother in Arms for that in the Countermine he had coaped with him in Combate whereupon the sentence of death was revoked yet was he still retained in prison but at the winning of Castle Galliard nine years after he was delivered to the great joy of the French Yet notwithstanding by this quirk of Heraldry Barbason escaped so well others as little guilty had not so good luck namely Bertrand de Charmont a Gascoigne and two Monks who were all three put to death Charles the Dolphin was cited to appear at the Marble Table at Paris but not appearing he was judged guilty of Burgognes death and by sentence of Parliament banished the Realm King Henry caused a new Coin to be made called a Salute whereon the Arms of France and England were quarterly stamped then appointing his Brother Clarence the Lieutenant General of France he with his Wife Queen Katherine returned into England being received of his Subjects saith Speed as an Angel from Heaven or another victorious Caesar on earth During King Henry's abode in England a sad accident befell him in France namely the losse of his Brother Clarence who making a road into Anjou upon his return was slain together with many Lords and Gentlemen and the Earls of Suffolk and Somorset taken Prisoners King Henry having notice of this overthrow was much perplexed yet considering that nothing is more certain then that the chance of War is uncertain he leaves off womanish tears and prepares again for manly actions a Subsidy being demanded and denied in Parliament he pawns his Crown to his Uncle Beaufort Bishop of Winchester for twenty thousand pound a strange humour in the King to pawn a Crown in possession to purchase one in hope and being thus furnished with money he soon was furnished
practices With many other words to the like effect which wrought so in the auditors that Henry is proclaimed King of England and France such French Lords as were present taking their oaths to be true unto him And great need had the Regent to bestir himself for Charles the French King surviving King Henry but 53. dayes died at St. Denis whose imbecillities were a great help to the English as the Infancy of King Henry was now an advantage to the Dolphin who upon his Fathers Death proclaims himself King by the name of Charles the Seventh and making all the force he could marcheth to relieve Crepan besieged by the English but his enterprise proved very unfortunate being routed with the loss of two thousand men yet nothing daunted at this disaster he resolveth to encounter adverse fortune with encrease of courage and hearing that many of the English had pillaged the Countries of Nugion and Main upon their return into Normandy he sets upon them recovers their booty and slayes fifteen hundred of them then speedily takes he Meulan upon the River of Sein putting all the English therein to the Sword but the possession was short and the revenge speedy being recovered by Thomas Montacute Earl of Salisbury who to quit scores with the Dolphin killed all the French were found there About this time the three great pillars of the English Monarchy in France the Dukes of Bedford Burgundy and Brittain met at the City of Amiens in Picardy to consult of the whole course and sum of Affairs adding to the old league this addition that it should be offensive and defensive respectively and to make the friendship the more firme the Duke of Bedford married Anne Sister to Philip Duke of Burgundy a Lady whose beauty surpassed the blush that glorified Luna when she kissed the Shepherd on the Hills of Latmos But whilst the Regent was thus busied in promoting the English cause the Parisians had a design to destroy it which was by delivering their City up to the French King but treason being seldome true to its self it came to the Regents ear which cost the chief conspirators their lives and now fresh forces coming out of England his Army augmented be takes from Charles the Towns and Fortresses of Crotoy Baside Riol Rula Gyrond Basile Mermound Milbam Femil Seintace and many other The French finding themselves too weak to deal with the English by force work by policy and allure from their sides the Duke of Richmond and his Brother Arthur who deliver up to the Dolphin the Castles of Crotoye and Yerney the Duke of Bedford hating their perfidiousness assaults and takes Crotoye and besieges Yerney who agree to surrender if not relieved by a certain time the Duke of Allanson with sixteen thousand French undertakes the rescue but finding the English numbers to surmount his Arithmetick he wheeleth about to Vernoyle in Perch whom the Regent overtaking a cruel Battel ensued which for two hours together was maintained with equall courage on both sides the Regent himself with a Battel-ax fought most fiercely winning immortal honour in that bloody journey At length the Victory fell to the English though with the loss of above two thousand of their men on the French side were slain 5. Earls 2. Viscounts 20. Barrons and above 7000. common Souldiers besides 2700. Scots lately arrived there were taken prisoners the Duke of Allanson himself the Lord of Herneys Sir John Towrnebull 200. Gentlemen and many common Souldiers This Battel was fought the 7. of August 1425. That which followeth till the siege of Orleance I have set down out of Paulus Aemytius as Speed hath done before me The fierce Conquerour besiegeth Mantz in Main and with Ordnance beats down part of the Walls it yields an English Garrison is left there after the taking which not being sufficient to keep the Town in due subjection is compelled to fly to a Tower for their safety the enemies which were admitted into it by the Burgers enjoying the rest The Lord Talbot that most noble Captain of the English with whose name Talbot is coming the French used to fright their children presently arrives to the rescue and puts the Malefactors to death The English Empire then extented it self at which time as bath been observed to the River of Loire Charles was called King of Berry Hitherto the English fortunes in France received no check their serene Sky was without Clouds so long as a good correspondence was held betwixt the Burgundian and the English but this knot of friendship was like to have been broken by occasion of the Duke of Glocester who married Jaqueline Countess of Haynoult Holland and Zealand notwithstanding John Duke of Brabant her husband were yet living The Duke of Burgundy his Cousin was greatly offended hereat insomuch that the controversie grew to be so great that the Duke of Glocester sent him a challenge but the Regent well knowing that the discord of the English might prove the union of the French so wrought betwixt them that the sore seemed indifferently well healed Much about that time likewise be compounded a difference between the Protector and Cardinal Beaufort Bishop of Winchester though to effect the same he was fain to come over into England substituting the Earl of Warwick Lieutenant General in his absence But France wanting his company he quickly returned carrying a great number of fresh men over with him During his abode in England Arthur Earl of Richmond made Constable of France by King Charles raiseth an Army of twenty thousand men and with them suddainly besiegeth St. Jean a Town in Normandy the Garrison were at first dismayed with their sudden arrivall but upon better advice they valliantly sallied out crying aloud a Salisbury a Suffolk whose names struck such a terrour into the besiegers that with loss of their Artillery and 800. of their Company they betook themselves to flight To rehearse each particular would make our discourse prove too prolix to come to the siege of Orleance Undertaken by these matchless Worthies the Earl of Salisbury and the Lord Talbot with a puissant Army the Citizens hearing of their intentions prepared to withstand them their Suburbs equall in bigness to a good City they level with the ground chusing rather to destroy a part then hazard the whole the English encompass it on every side and the Citizens begin to feel the misery of want God when mans help fails interposeth his hand the Earl of Salisbury looking out at a Window to take a view for a general assault is unfortunately slain a sad loss for the English for upon the death of this man saith Polydor Virgil the fortune of the War changed The Regent to repair this loss sendeth Sir John Falstaff with fresh supplies who arrived there safe in despite of the Lord De la Brets who with nine thousand men endeavoured to intercept him hereupon the City would yield but to the Burgundian not to the English a cunning plot to divide
high treason by the Earl of Northumberland for words importing a desire of revenge saith Sleidan from thence he was conveyed towards London by the Lieutenant of the Tower in which journey at Leicester Abbey he ended his life breathing out his soul with speeches to his effect Had I been as carefull to serve the God of Heaven as I have been to comply to the will of my earthly King God would not have left me in my old age as the other hath done Some have imagined he poysoned himself as not willing to survive his great glory and some have thought he was poysoned by others that with his feathers they might build themselves nests Surely the fall of this stately oak caused the growth of much underwood many rising by his ruine raising themselves great estates out of the fragments of his fall He left behinde him these glorious monuments of fame the buildings of Christ-Church White-Hall Hampton-Court Windsor His Master King Henry lived in the two first his Tomb being erected in the last Some Historians write that his body swelled after his death as his minde when he was living with his Ego et Rex meus On which ambition of the Cardinal one wrote these verses Dicere Gramatices ratio permittit Ego Rex Ethica te jubet ars dicere Rex Ego Haec est nimirum vivendi ars illa loquendi Principis haec Aulae serviat illa Scholae The Life of Sir THOMAS MOOR Hic est ille Thomas plebis de pulvere magnus Qui tulit incanum Principis ira caput SIr Thomas Moor one of the greatest Ornaments of his time was a man of those high employments and of so great parts to go thorow them that he is deservedly placed amongst our English Worthies He was the Son of Sir John Moor Knight and one of the Justices of the Kings Bench a man singular for his many rare perfections His Birth place was at Milk-street in London the year of our Lord 1480. Having attained some skill in the Latine Tongue Cardinal Moorton Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord High Chancellour of England took him into his house where his wit and admirable deportment appeared to be such that the Cardinall would often say of him to the Nobles that severall times dined with him This Childe here waiting at the Table whosoever shall live to see it will prove the miracle of men For his better proficiency in learning the Cardinal placed him in Canterbury Colledge in Oxford now called Christ-Church where when he was both in the Greek and Latine Tongue sufficiently instructed he was then for the study of the Law put into one of the Innes of Chancery called New Inne where for his time he highly improved from thence he removed to Lincolns-Inne where he was made an Utter-Barrister where for some time he read a Publick Lecture of St. Austine de Civitate Dei in the Church of St. Laurence in the Old Jury Afterwards he was made Reader of Furnivalls-Inne where he continued for the space of above three years after which time he gave himself up to his devotions in the Charter-House of London living religiously there for the space of four years Soon after he married the Daughter of Mr. John Colt of New Hall in Essex by whom he had one Son and three Daughters whom from their youth he brought up in vertue and learning About this time his rare endowments began to be looked upon with a publick eye which caused him to be called to the Bench and soon after chosen a Burgess of Parliament which happenned in the latter end of King Henry the Sevenths Reign who demanding one Subsidy and three fifteens for the Marriage of his eldest Daughter the Lady Margret unto the King of the Scots Sir Thomas making a grave Speech argued so strongly why these exactions were not to be granted that thereby the Kings demands were frustrated and his request denyed by which occasion he fell so deeply into the Kings displeasure that for his own safeguard he was determined to have gone over Sea had not the King soon after dyed which somewhat mittigated his fear and altered his resolution After this he was made one of the under Sheriffs of London by which office and his practice in Law he gained an estate of four hundred pounds per annum Now his learning wisdom knowledge and experience was grown into such note behaving himself so admirably that he gained a general applause from all men and fell into such an estimation with King Henry the Eighth that he made him master of the Requests soon after Knight and one of his Privy Councel and so from time to time advanced him continuing still in his singular favour and trusty service twenty years and above his pleasant disposition and readiness of wit so gaining him into King Henry's favour that upon the death of Mr. Weston Treasurer of the Exchequer the King bestowed on him the office of Treasurer and not long after made him Chancellour of the Dutchy of Lancaster To render his History the more pleasant take these few tastes of the sharpness of his Wit Cambden reports of him that he used to compare the great number of women to be chosen for Wives unto a bag full of Snakes having amongst them but one Eel now if a man puts his hand into this bag he may chance to light on the Eel but 't is a hundred to one if he be not stung with a Snake Being in company where the master of the house commended his Beer for the well relish of the Hop Sir Thomas replyed but had it hopped a little further it had hopped into the Thames A supposed bribe being put upon Sir Thomas a great gilt Cup presented to him he being called before the Kings Council to answer this accusation Sir Thomas acknowledged that he did receive the Cup for a New-years-gift after some importunities he received it but immediately he caused his Butler to fill it with Wine and therein drank to the Gentlewoman that presented it and when that she had pledged him he as freely gave it her again for a New-years gift for her Husband This great Mountain of his accusation being brought scarcely to a little Mosehill When he was Justice of Peace he used to go to the Sessions at New Gate where one of the Ancientest Justice of Peace of the Bench was used to chide persons when their Purses had been cut for not being more carefull telling them that their negligence was the cause that so many Cut-purses were brought thirther Sir Thomas obs rving him to repeat this caution so often sent for one of the chiefest Cut-purses that was in prison and promised him to save him harmless if he would but cut the said Justices Purse the next day as he sat on the Bench and when he had done to make a sign of it to him The day after when they sat again the Thief was called one of the first who being accused of the fact
the times began to be very quick and active and fitter for stronger motions then those of the Carpet And it will be a true note of her magnanimity that she loved a Souldier and had a propension in her nature to regard and alwayes to grace them which the Courtiers taking into observation took it as an invitation to win Honour together with her Majesties favour by exposing themselves to the Wars especially when the Queens and the Affairs of the Kingdom stood in some necessity of a Souldier For we have many instances of the Sallies of the Nobility and Gentry yea and out of the Court and her privy Favorites that had any touch or tincture of Mars in their Inclinations and to steal away without licence and the Queens privity which had like to have cost some of them dear So predominant were their thoughts and hopes of honour growing in them as we may truly observe in the dispositions of Sir Philip Sidney Essex Mountjoy and divers others whose absence and the manner of their eruptions was very distasteful to her Whereof I can adde a true and no impertinent story and that of the last Mountjoy who having twice or thrice stoln away into Brittain where under Sir John Norris he had then a Company without the Queens leave and privity she sent a messenger unto him with a strict charge to the General to see him sent home When he came into the Queens presence she fell into a kinde of reviling demanding how he durst go over without her leave Serve me so quoth she once more and I will lay you fast enough for running you will never leave it until you are knockt on the head as that inconsiderate fellow Sidney was you shall go when I send you in the mean time see that you lodge in the Court which was then at White-hall where you may follow your Book read and discourse of the Wars But to our purpose it fell out happily to these and as I may say to those times that the Queen during the calm of her Reign was not idle nor rockt asleep with security for she had been very provident in the reparation and augmentation of her Shipping and Ammunition and I know not whether by a fore-sight of Policy or an instinct it came about or whether it was an act of her Compassion but it is most certain that she sent Levies and no small troops to the assistance of the revolted States of Holland before she had received any affront from the King of Spain that might deserve or tend to a Breach in Hostility which the Papists this day maintain was the provocation and cause of the after Wars Which act of hers though some applaud as done in defence of those poor afflicted Protestants yet she did not onely therein countenance Rebellion by consequence since disable her successours but also drew on her self a chargeable and dangerous War with the Spaniard But omitting what might be said to this point these Netherland Wars were the Queens Seminaries and the Nurseries of many brave Souldiers and so were likewise the Civil Wars of France whither she sent five several Armies the Fence Schools that inured the youth and gallantry of the Kingdom and it was a Militia wherein they were daily in acquaintance with the discipline of the Spaniards who were then turned the Queens inveterate enemies In the management of which politicial Affairs our Burleigh was a great assistant The Sword-men of those times complain that he was too much addicted to peace indeed he would never ingage the State in a War except necessity or her Majesties Honour required it To conclude he was the Column or rather Atlas of the State who after he had served his Royal Mistress forty years dyed at London in the seventy seventh yaar of his age 1598. His body was butied with his Ancestours in Stanford-Church A monument for his perpetual honour being erected for him in Westminster Abbey which bears this following inscription Si quaeratur quis sit hic vir senex genua flectens canitie venerabilis toga Parliamentaria amictus est Honoratissimus clarissimus Dominus Guilielmus Cecilius Baro de Burghley summus Angliae Thesaurarius Serenissimae Reginae Elisabethae à consillijs sanctioribus Ordinis Georgiani Eques Auratus c. qui hoc monumentum uxori filiae posuit placidè ex his terris in coelestem patriam anno salutis 1598. 4. die Augusti demigravit Cujus Exequiae magno apparatu tanto viro dignissimae hîc sunt celebratae die 29. ejusdem mensis Corpusque quod in hac Ecclesia sex dies requievit Stanfordiam in Ecclesiam Sancti Martini translatum fuit ubi secundum Christi adventum expectat Cor unum via una Epigramma De Gulielmo Cecilio nuper Angliae Thesaur Anno 1596. Per parvi sunt Arma foris strataegemata parvi Sit nisi consilium Caeciliusque domi Caecilius velut alter Atlas divinitùs ortus Hic humeris Coelum sustinet ille statum The Life of Sir FRANCIS DRAKE Quem timuit soevis etiam Neptunus in undis Et rediit toto victor ab Oceano Faedifragos bellens pelago prostravit Iberos Drakius huic tumulus aequoris unda fuit THis famous Sea Captain Sir Francis Drake one of the first that put a Sea Girdle about the world was born nigh South Davestock in the County of Devonshire and received his name Francis from Sir Francis Russel afterwards Earl of Bedford being his Godfather he was brought up in Kent his Father was a Minister who for fear of six Articles in the time of King Henry the Eighth fled into Kent where he lived privately till the death of the King He got a place to read Prayers amongst the Marriners of the Queens Navy and bound his Son Francis Apprentice to a Shipmaster who traded with Commodities into France and Zealand with whom he underwent a hard service by which means he was trained up to pains and skill at Sea his Master dying bequeathed him his Bark with which he a while followed his Masters profession But the Narrow Seas being too narrow for his spacious spirit he sold his Bark venturing himself and most of his estate with Captain John Hawkins into the West-indies but his journey proved unfortunate for at St. John de Vlva his goods were taken by the Spaniards himself hardly escaping with life This loss so exasperated the spirit of Drake that he vowed the Spaniards should repay him with advantage and to make his word good after two or three several voyages into the West-Indies to gain intelligence at last he effectually set forward from Plimouth with two ships and seventy three men and boyes sailing with all speed and secresie to Nombre de Dios the Granary of the West-Indies where the Spanish Treasure lay intending to surprize it being an unwalled Town but in the assault being dangerously wounded he was forced to retire again to his Ships when he had well near conquered the Town
freer access unto the Princes Court then to any others of the same profession and so by consequence to the presence of the Queen her self who did not think much to enter into discourse with him apart and with much familiarity as often as there was offered any opportunity not onely in reference to his Profession and about matters of Law but also about the weighty affairs of State and the concernments of the kingdom and at all times he gave her such judicious answers that she received great satisfaction by them But though she abundantly cherisht him with the favour of her countenance yet never with the favour of a bountiful hand as never having advanc't him to any publick office either of honor or profit excepting onely one dry reversion of a Registers Office in the Star-Chamber computed at the yearly value of 1600. pound into the possession of which he came not till about twenty years after or thereabout of which office his Lordship said pleasantly in Queen Elizabeths time That it was like another mans Farm bordering upon his own house and so might help his prospect but not fill his Barn But in King James his Reign he at length enjoy'd that office and manag'd it by a deputy Now that he was not sooner preferr'd cannot be any way attributed to the least aversion or displeasure that the Queen had in her minde against him but to the fraud and envy of some one of the Noble men at that time powerful with the Queen who sought by all means possible to depress and hinder him lest if he should be advanced to any heighth of honour his own glory should be eclipsed by him However though in the time of his Mistris Queen Elizabeth his merited promotion was still forestalled or kept back yet after the change of Government and the coming in of his new master King James he with a quickned pace soon made a large progress being by this King eminently enobled with places of trust honour anst great revenues I have seen some letters written with his own hand to King James in which he acknowledgeth him to have been so good a master to him as to have nine times conferred upon him his iterated favours thrice titles of great honour six times offices of profit the Offices he means I suppose were these he being Councel extraordinary to his Majesty in which place he had formerly served the Queen the Kings Sollitour General the Kings Atturney General or principal Procurator made one of the Kings Privy Council while yet he held the place of Atturney General Lord Keeper of the great Seal of England lastly Lord Chancellour of England Which two last Offices although they are the same in Authority and Power yet in their Patent degree of honour and favour of the Prince they differ and since the time of his holding that Magistracy none of his successours hath been honoured with that title unto this day His honours were first his being Knighted by the King then he was created Baron Verulam lastly Viscount of St. Albons besides other rich gifts and extentions of a bountiful hand which his Majesty was pleased to bestow upon him as well out of the profits of the great Seal as out of the Office of Alienation When he had arrived to that part of his age in which fortune smiled upon him he began to think of marrying and at length took to Wife Alice the Daughter and one of the Heirs of Bennet Bernham Esquire and Alderman of London with whom he received a very considerable Dowry as well in Land as in ready money children he had none by her but for as much as children conduce very much to the perpetuating our names after death he was not altogether destitute of that advantage since it was his hap to be blest with an other kinde of Off-spring for the perpetuation of his memory to after times namely the Off spring of his brain in which he was alwayes wonderfully happy like Jove himself when he was delivered of Pallace Nor did this want of children in the least measure abate his affection to his Wife toward whom he behav'd himself as an indulgent Husband and shewed her all manner of conjugal love and respect bestowing upon her rich Furniture precious Jewels and likewise settled upon her a fair Joynture nor is it to be omitted in honourable remembrance of him that she wore a rich Wedding Gown which he had bestowed upon her about twenty years after his death for so long she surviv'd her most honoured Husband The last five years of his life retiring himself from Court-Affairs and all kinde of busie employments he bent himself wholly to study and contemplation which kinde of life seem'd indeed to be most pleasing to him as if he would have chosen by his good will to dwell rather in the shade then in the sun-shine Of which also we may find some not obscure intimations in the reading of his Works in which space of time he wrote the greatest part of his Books as well those that were written in English as in Latin which according to the order of time that they were written in I who was present all the while and observ'd shall endeavour to reckon up and they were these following The History of the Reign of Henry the Seventh King of England written in English The Abecedary of Nature a Metaphysical tractate which I know not by what evil fate perisht The History of the Windes The History of Life and Death The History of Dense and Rare never till now in Print The History of Heavy and Light which also is lost These Books were composed in the Latin tongue Next were certain English Fragments as namely these A Discourse concerning the carrying on of a War with Spain A Diologue concerning the Holy War The-Fable of new Atlantis A Preface to be plac't before the body of the Laws of England The beginning of the History of Henry the Eighth King of England Between some of these came that learned work of his call'd The Advancement of Learning in the Translating of which a thing undertaken of his own accord out of his native Tongue into the Latine our most honour'd Author took very great pains and from time to time inricht it with many and various additions After these came his Councels Civil and Moral formerly call'd Essays augmented both as to their number and weight in the English tongue Some of Davids Psalms Composed into English Verse Moreover divers of his Works already mention'd he converted out of English into Latin which were these The History of the Reign of Henry the Seventh King of England His Counsels Civil and Moral call'd Faithful sayings or the Inward sense of things The Diologue of the Holy War and the Fable of New Atlantis these he translated in favour of Forreigners by whom he heard they were desired Other Books that he writ originally in Latin were his book of the Wisdom of the Ancients review'd by himself The last
provided in kinde where he was freed from corroding cares and seated on such a rock as the waves of want could not probably shake where he might sit in a calm and looking down behold the busie multitude turmoiled and tossed in a tempestuous sea of dangers And as Sir William Davenant has happily exprest the like in another person Laugh at the graver business of the State Which speaks men rather wise then fortunate He died in Decemb. 1639 having compleated seventy three years His will was made by himself above two years before his death wherein he appointed that his Executours should lay over his Grave a plain stone of Marble with this Epitaph enscribed thereon Hic jacet hujus sententiae primus Author Disputandi pruritus Ecclesiarum scabies Nomen alias quaere Which may be englished thus Here 's lies the first Authour of this Sentence The Itch of Disputation will prove the Scab of the Church Enquire his name elsewhere To acquaint the world with two or three other Instances of the readiness of his Wit he having in Rome retained an acquaintance with a pleasant Priest who invited him one evening to hear their Vesper-Musick at Church the Priest seeing Sir Henry stand obscurely in a corner sends to him by a Boy of the Quire this question written in a small piece of paper Where was your Religion to be sound before Luther To which question Sir Henry Wotton presently under-writ My Religion was to be found then where yours is not to be found in the written word of God To another that asked him Whether a Papist may be saved He replyed You may be saved without knowing that Look to your self To another whose earnest zeal exceeded his knowledge and was still railing against the Papists he gave this advice Pray Sir forbear till you have studied the Points better for the wise Italian hath this Proverb He that understands amiss concludes worse And take heed of entertaining this opinion That the further you go from the Church of Rome the nearer you are to God He left behinde him many Monuments of his Learning whose worth are such that they speak themselves more incomparably to posterity then any Eulogies I can bestow upon them Give me leave to conclude with the words of one of the learnedst Modern Criticks That for the generality of the stile throughout his Works 't is most queintly delightful gentle soft and full of all manner of blandishments onely his pen flowed a little too much with the oyly adulation of Court-flattery Questionless if Sir Henry Wotton was reduced to any of these subserviences they were occasioned from his generous expences in the time of his Embassies for his Masters honour who used him as Queen Elizabeth did Sir Francis Walsingham who had but from hand to mouth The Life of THOMAS VVENTWORTH Earl of Stafford and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland TO particularize all the actions of the Earl of Strafford would of its self require an intire Volume it being a Garden of choice Varieties wherein points of Law are interwoven with Acts of State and the Affairs of Ireland as in the same Escutcheon quartered with those of England I shall onely take a superficial view of his life and not strain my self ambitiously to shew forth the utmost reach of his perfections he being a rare conjunction of Courage attended with loyalty to danger Wisdom accompanied with Eloquence to admiration who could both think and speak speak and do whose answers and replyes to the Articles exhibited against him by the House of Commons show his abilities to be such that whatsoever is spoken of him is infinitely below what was spoken by himself He was born in Yorkshire well descended and as well educated which fitted him to sustain the weighty Affairs he afterwards underwent A great stickler at the first against the Prerogative until allured by Court-preferment he turned Royalist for the King finding his worth and ability never left till he had gained him to himself obliging him to his side by many titles of honour and places of trust whose services he found equivalent to his favours continuing to his death a trusty servant a faithful friend a prudent Counsellour and a constant adherer to his side in all his exigencies The greatest services he did to the King were during the time he was Lieutenant of Ireland by his augmenting and advancing the Kings Revenues there restoring the Churches maintenance suppressing the Out-laws establishing obedience to Royal Authority impediting the Tyranny and usurpation of the great ones over the Commons causing the Irish to leave off many of their barbarous customs and conform themselves to the more civil manners of the English which drew much hatred upon himself for changes though for the better are most times ill resented by the vulgar witness those troubles in England in the time of King Edward the Sixth Nor could these innovations have found more dislike in any Nation under the Heavens then Ireland so wedded are those people to their ancient vain ridiculous customs But since I have inserted his most remarkable actions in the Life of King Charles I shall omit those passages and come to his solemn Trial so paramount in the Equipage of all Cirumstances that as former ages have been unable so future are unlikely to produce a parallell of them This great Minister of State was by the Parliament well known for the length of it accused with twenty eight Articles of High Treason February 16. 1640. The particulars are too long for me here to recite the substance of them being that he endeavoured to subvert the Fundamental Laws and Governments of the Realms of England and Ireland and enriching himself by indirect wayes in his office for incensing the King against the Scots for endeavouring to set things amisse betwixt his Majesty and the people and to have given counsel tending to the disquiet of the three Kingdoms The 13. of April following began his Trial in Westminster-Hall where there was a Throne erected for the King on each side whereof a Cabinet inclosed about with boards and before with a Tarras before that were the Seats for the Lords of the upper House and sacks of wool for the Judges before them ten stages of seats extending further then the midst of the Hall for the Gentlemen of the House of Commons at the end of all was a desk closed about and set apart for the Lord Lieutenant and his Councel The Earl of Arundel was Lord High Steward his Accusers were Pym Glin Mainard Whitlock St. Johns Palmers Sir Walter Earls Stroud Selden Hampden and others Many dayes were spent and much Rhetorick used on both sides for the Lieutenant was no childe but as cunning in the art of defence as any man in England equal if not surpassing his Predecessour the Earl of Kildare in the time of King Henry the Eighth But the House of Commons were implacable in their hatred towards him nothing being satisfactory to them but his downfal So that some conclude his death was
with Souldiers to the number saith Engnerrant of thirty thousand with whom he returneth again into France No sooner was he arrived but he sends the Earl of Dorset and the Lord Clifford with twelve hundred Horse and Foot unto Paris to relieve the Duke of Excester who was straightned of Victualls by the Dolphinois whilest he with the rest of the Army hasteth to relieve Chartiers besieged by the Dolphin with seven thousand Souldiers but hearing of King Henry's coming he packed up his pipes and retired to Tours though before he had given out that he would meet him in the Field Chartiers relieved Henry marcheth to Dreux which agreed to surrender if not relieved by a certain day the time expir'd and no relief come the Town was delivered the Souldiers permitted to depart upon their Oaths not to bear Arms against Henry for one whole year after then takes he in the Towns of Baugency and Rougemont where all that craved he took to mercy and supplying his Army with fresh Forces he layes siege to the Town of Meanx in Brie During the time of this Siege news was brought him that his Wife Queen Katherine was delivered of a Son named Henry at the Castle of Windsor whereat he rejoyced though he liked nor the place of her delivery having before commanded the contrary prophecying That what Henry of Monmouth should get Henry of Windsor would lose Queen Katherine for her disobedience to her Husband herein commanded at her death that her Coffin should be left open to be seen and handled of any that would Should the Coffins of all the women that have disobeyed their Husbands in our dayes be left open I fear we should have but few closed so much is the Apostle Pauls Precept forgotten Ephes 5.24 The Town of Nans holding out long without relief made their conditions the harder upon the surrender the Captain Vaurus having hanged many English and Burgundians upon a tree which he named Vaurus was now on the same hanged himself and his head fixed upon a pole on the top of the same tree Meaux being taken Crespi the Castle of Pierrepont Offemont Merlau and sundry other places submitted themselves so that now Henry had in possession all the Fortresses in the Isle of France Champagne Piccardy Brie and Normandy Yet though Henries part in France was great all was not reduced unto his obedience many places holding out for the Dolphin who with an Army of twenty thousand besieged Cosney a Town of the Duke of Burgundies upon the River Loir Henry hasting to raise the Siege at Senlis fell sick of a burning Feaver and Flux whereupon the command of the Army was committed to the Duke of Bedford who with Queen Katherine was lately come out of England whereof he was Regent to visit King Henry Upon the Dukes approach the Dolphin retired into Berry whereof in mockage he was after called King of Berry King Henries sickness encreasing more and more he was removed to Boys de Vencennois and finding himself not able long to continue he appointed his Brother John Duke of Bedford Regent of France and his Brother Humprey Duke of Glocester Protectour of England till his son came of age Then exhorting them to unity amongst themselves to be true and faithful to the Duke of Burgoigne loyal to their young Prince and serviceable to his Queen in a right mind hope and found memory he rendted his soul to his Creator after he had reigned nine years five moneths and fourteen dayes His Body with Pomp and Solemnity conveyed into England it was interred in the Abbey of Saint Peter at Westminster upon whose Tomb Queen Katherine caused a royal Picture to be laid covered all over with silver Plate gilt the head thereof altogether of massy silver all which at that Abbeys suppression in the time of King Henry the Eighth were sacrilegiously broken off and by purloyning transferred to far prophaner uses where at this day the headless Monument is to be seen with these Verses inscribed upon his 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 We will end our Discourse of this renowned King with the commendations given him by Walsingham a learned Historian He was godly in heart sober in speech sparing of words resolute in deeds provident in counsel prudent in judgement modest in countenance magnanimous in action constant in undertaking a great Alms-giver devout to God-ward a renowned Souldier fortunate in Field from whence he never returned without victory Martin writes of this Prince that his Father King Henry the Fourth being seized on by a deadly Appolexy being near his last end he caused his Crown to be placed by him on his Pillow least peradventure in the extremity of his sickness it might be delivered to some other who had better right to it then he had but when his attendants verily supposed that he was dead this Martial Prince seized on the Crown whereat the King started up raised himself upon his armes and demanded who it was that had taken away his Crown the Prince answered that it was he Henry the Fourth fetching a deep sigh said My Son my Son what right I had unto this Crown and how I have enjoyed it God knows and the World hath seen Comfort your self in God sayes the Prince my good Father the Crown you have and if you dye I will have it and keep it with the Sword as you have done which his successfull Reign and hath been declared to his greatest honours afterwards made good The Life of JOHN Duke of Bedford JOhn Duke of Bedford was third Son to King Henry the Fourth a valiant Captain and a great help to his Son Henry in the Conquest of France I shall not therefore like the idle Levites of our times rehearse any of the former Transactions but begin with the pursuit of his life where we ended having chose the rather to write the History of this honourable person as with the exit of his life our English Affairs ceased to have any further footing in France He being Regent there to proceed his care was to preserve the same for his Nephew and knowing that what was won by the Sword must be kept by the Sword he strengthens the confines of his government with Garrisons assembleth his powers and labours to retain the hearts of his own party his chief assistants were the two French Dukes of Burgoignt and Brittain and those two terrours of France Thomas Montacute Earl of Salisbury and John Lord Talbot to whom after the Death of King Henry the Fifth he being then Regent made averation exhorting them to be true and faithfull to their young King Henry friend to his friends and enemy to his enemies that seeing the hatreds and enmities began now to dye between the French and English names it was too late for the French to be again renowned by their fraudulent
Castle an honourable Mansion of his own where he continued and kept a bounteful house to the time of his death which happened in the fourscore and sixth year of his age He was buried at Thetford Abbey in Norfolk dying after a most generous life worth a large estate so clear from debt that at his death he owed not one groat to any person whatsoever an unusual happiness to attend so great a Souldier and Courtier as he was From this famous Duke is descended the Right Honorable James Earl of Suffolk whose great Grandfather Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk married Margret sole Daughter and Heir to Sir Thomas Audley Lord Chancellour of England by whom he had issue Thomas Lord Howard of Walden and Earl of Suffolk who built that magnificent Structure at Audley-end who left the same to his Son and Heir Theophilus a worthy Gentleman the Father of James Earl of Suffolk now living Anno 1659. To whom with his most vertuous Lady I wish all encrease of true honour and felicity To the greater honour of these Progenies this Heroick Earl died so much a Laureat that his Songs and Sonnets by all those that rightly understand Poetry are looked upon as in those dayes to have been the Muses Parnassus so that for his Epitaph there needed no more to be writ but that here lies interred The greatest Courtier the most valiant Souldier and the most accomplisht Poet of those times The Life of CARDINAL VVOLSEY Fortunae variantis opus Wolsaeus ad alta Scandit iter dubium certa minitante ruina CArdinal VVolsey the Tennis-ball of Fortune was born at Ipswich in Suffolk of so poor and despicable Parents that were his story of an ancient date and not delivered by Authentique Historians it might pass for a fiction his Father being no more but a poor Butcher from so low a beginning did he rise to the highest pitch of honour His Education in youth was at Oxford in Maudlin Colledge from thence he was preferred to be School-master to the Marquess of Dorsets Children where he first learned to be imperious over noble blood the Marquess dying Wolsey went into France to seek his Fortune and coming to Callis became servant to Sir John Naphant then Treasurer of the Town where he behaved himself with so great discretion that his Master shortly preferred him to King Henry the Seventh Having thus cast Anchor at Court the Haven of hope and Port of Promotion he was more then double diligent in the Kings eye and very serviceable to Doctour Fox Bishop of Wincheter Secretary and Lord Privy Seal as also to Sir Thomas Lovel Master of the Wards and Constable of the Tower who perswaded King Henry having urgent business with Maximilian the Emperour to send Wolsey in Embassage unto him being at that present in the Countrey of Flanders who returned again before he was thought to be gone and withal concluded some Points forgot in his directions to the hight contentment of King Henry for the which he bestowed upon him the Deanry of Lincolne and not long after made him his Almoner But King Henries day now drawing towards night he adores the rising Sun Prince Henry and having found the length of his foot fitteth him with an easie shoe well knowing there could be no loss to humour him who was so able to give nor was he deceived in his expectation for Henry afterwards coming to be King and having conquered the City of Tourney in France bestowed the Bishoprick of the same upon VVolsey and not long after made him Bishop of Lincolne and Archbishop of York And now being Primas Anglia carried himself accordingly by erecting his Cross in the Kings Court although within the Jurisdiction of Canterbury which high presumption VVilliam Archbishop of Canterbury greatly checked But VVolsey not abiding any Superious obtained to be made Priest Cardinal and Legatus de Latere unto whom the Pope sent a Cardinals Hat with certain Bulls for his Authority in that behalf And now remembring the taunts he had received from Canterbury found means with the King that he was made Lord Chancellour of England and Canterbury which was Chancellour dismissed who had continued in that place long since before the death of King Henry the Seventh VVolsey now sitting at the Helm of Church and State had two Crosses and two Pillars born ever before him the one of his Archbishoprick the other of his Legacy by two of the tallest Priests that were to be found in the Realm To the better maintenance of which chargeable estate the King bestowed on him the Bishoprick of VVinchester and in Commendam the Abbey of St. Albans and with them he held in Farm the Bishopricks of Bathe VVorcester and Hereford enjoyed by strangers incumbents not residing in the Realm so that now being Bishop of Tourney Lincolne York VVinchester Bathe VVorcester and Hereford he seemed a Monster with seven heads and each of them crowned with the Mitre of a Bishop far different from the state of his Lord and Master Christ who had not a hole wherein to hide his head Yet his ambition resteth not here next he aspires to the Triple Crown he onely wants Holiness and must be Pope to the attaining of which Dignity he makes means to the Romish Cardinals as also to the Emperour Charles the Fifth Gold he gave to the Cardinals and they gave him golden promises although they proved but empty performances nor did the Emperour serve him any better promising much but performing nothing VVolsey hereat enraged studies revenge and by his instruments seeks to make a divorce betwixt Queen Katherine Dowager the Emperours Aunt and King Henry the Eighth his Master thereby to advance a Marriage betwixt him and the King of France's sister But though he effected the one he failed in the other for contrary to his expectation King Henry fell in love with Anna Bullen a Gentlewoman nothing favourable to his Pontificial Pomp nor no great follower of the Rites of those times which moved the Cardinal the Pope having assumed the sentence of Queen Katherines cause unto himself to write unto his Holiness to defer the judgement of Divorce till he had wrought the Kings minde in another mould But though this was done secretly it came to the Kings ear and wrought his minde quite off from the Cardinal which finally was the cause of his confusion for upon the Kings dislike the Counsel articled against him and the Law found him in a Premunire for procuring to be Legatus de latere and advancing the Popes Power against the Laws of the Realm for which resentment the Kings displeasure was so incenst that the Broad Seal was taken from him and most of his other Spiritual Preferments his house and furniture seized on to the Kings use and himself removed to Cawood Castle in Yorkshire Yet was he still left Bishop of Winchester and Archbishop of York to which last providing for his installing state equivalent to a Kings Coronation he was arrested of
and attended his coming at Noon-tide walking in his Court-yard No sooner was the Lord Thomas Cromwell entred the same attended by several persons of Quality and Officers of the Crown but speedily alighting from his Horse he embraced his Friend Frescobald in the same manner he had done in the morning and perceiving that the Lords which accompanied him were amazed at such a disproportioned familiarity he told them that he was more obliged to Frescobald then to all the men in the world owing unto him the making of his Fortune and so proceeded to relate unto them the whole story which had befallen him at Florence So great a delight do generous mindes take to recount their foregoing Misfortunes when their Grandor hath elevated them to such a pitch as that they triumph over shame and are incapable of Ingratitude Frescobald was treated at Dinner with all the tenderness he could expect from so great a Personage and so great a Friend after which being carried up by the Lord Thomas Cromwell into his Closet he was there presented with four Bags of Gold each containing four hundred Duccats in return of his former Civilities which Frescobald being of a gallant spirit at first refused but after severall contestations was constrained to accept as an acknowledgement from the Lord Cromwell who moreover enquiring of him concerning his coming over and Affairs in England and understanding his Losses and that there were Moneys due to him caused him to write down his Debters names and by his Secretary summoned the severall Merchants which were indebted to Frescobald upon pain of his displeasure to clear their Accounts with him and to pay him within the space of fifteen dayes which was accordingly performed onely Frescobald freely forgave them the use Over and above all which the Lord Thomas Cromwell endeavoured to perswade his Friend Frescobald to have remained in England the rest of his dayes proferring to lend him a Stock of 60000. Duccats to trade withall But Frescobald being over-charged with all those grand Obligations which the Lord Cromwell had conferred on him having by his Lordships Generosity acquired enough to keep him from being necessitated all his life time and deeming that the trading in good Works was incomparably more sure and gainful then in the richest Wares and Merchandizes being resolved to quit Trading and to end the rest of his dayes peaceably and quietly he obtained leave of the Lord Thomas Cromwell to depart to his own Countrey freighted with so great obligations as caused in him a generous shame He afterwards arrived safe in his own Country where with great reputation he dyed in a good old age Having done him this honour to eternize the noble deportments of his life I shall now end with a short account of what he said at his death When he came upon the Scaffold on Tower-Hill he delivered his minde to the people I am come hither to die and not to purge my self as some perhaps may expect that I should and will for if I should so do I were a very wretch I am by the Law condemned to die and I thank my Lord God that hath appointed me this death for mine offence for I have alwayes lived a sinner and offended my Lord God for which I ask him hearty forgiveness It s not unknown to many of you that I was a great Traveller and being but of mean Parentage was called to high honours and now I have offended my Prince for which I heartily ask him forgiveness beseeching you to pray with me to almighty God that he will forgive me c. Then kneeling down on his knees he made a long and pithy prayer which being ended after a godly exhortation to those on the Scaffold he commended his Spirit into the hands of his Maker his head being dissevered from his body July 28 1540. The King not long after his death clapping his hands on his breast repented this haste wishing that he had his Cromwell alive again With him was beheaded the Lord Hungerford of Heitesbury who suffered death a just death for buggery Without question Cromwell was a person of singular qualifications unfortunate in nothing more then that he lived in the dayes of Henry the Eighth of whom if it could be possible one writes that for the time he Reigned he was guilty of more Tyranny then any of the Roman Emperours This great Statesman was condemned to death and yet never came to his answer by an act as it is said which he himself caused to be made of which Mr. Michael Drayton thus writes Those Laws I made alone my self to please To give me power more freely to my will Even to my equals hurtfull severall wayes Forced to things that most do essay were ill Vpon me now as violently seize By which I lastly perisht by my skill On mine own neck returning as my due That heavy yoke wherein by me they drew Thus whilest we strive too suddenly to rise By flattering Princes with a servile Tongue And being soothers to their tyrannies Work our much woes by what doth many wrong And unto others tending injuries Vnto our selves producing our own wrong In our own snares unluckily thus caught Whilst our attempts fall instantly to naught Questionless he was a man of an active and forward ripeness of nature ready and pregnant of wit discreet and well advised in judgement eloquent of tongue faithfull and diligent in service of an incomparable memory of a reaching pollitick head and of a most undaunted spirit The Life of the great King Henry the Eighth with the other Reigns of his Posterity I have omitted because they are so excellently penned by several Historians and so Vulgarly known to the people The Life of Sir PHILIP SIDNEY Carmen Apollo dedit belli Mars contulit artes Sed Juveni vitam Mors rapit ante diem AMongst the rest of our Worthies there is none of more precious memory then that famous and Heroick Knight Sir Philip Sidney in whom the Graces and Muses had their domesticall habitations whose Life as it was admirable so his Lines have not been excelled though the French of late in imitation have endeavoured to address them He was born of honourable parentage his Father Sir Henry Sidney was thrice Lord Deputy of Ireland a place of great honour and trust having power of themselves to call Parliaments and enact Laws nor cometh there any Vice-gerent in Europe more near the Majesty and prerogative of a King His Mother was Daughter to Sir John Dudley Duke of Northumberland and Sister to the Earls of Warwick and Leicester so that his descent was apparently noble of both sides Verstigan sayes the Sidney's are of a French extraction that they came over into England in Henry the Thirds dayes In his very childe-hood there appeared in him such excellent parts and endowments of nature as shewed him born for high enterprises having been educated in the principles of learning at home he was sent to the University of Oxford Cambridge
educatus Cantabrigiae Aulae Pembroch Alumnorum Sociorum Prefaectorum Vnus nemini secundus Linguarum Artium Scientiarum Humanorum Divinorum omnium Infinitus Thesaurus stupendum Oraculum Orthodoxae Christi Ecclesiae Dictis Scriptis Precibus Exemplo Incomparabile Propugnaculum Reginae Elizabethae à sacris D. Pauli London Residentiaerius D. Petri Westmonast Decanus Episcopus Cicestrensis Eliensis Wintoniensis Regine Jacobo tum ab Eleemosynis Tum ab utriusque Regni Consiliis Decanus denique sacelli Regii Idem ex Indetessa opera in studiis Summa sapientia in rebus Assidua pietate in Deum Profusa largitate in egenos Rara amaenitate in suos Spectata probitate in omnes Aeternum admirandus Annorum pariter publicae famae satur Sed bonorum paessim omnium cum luctu denatus Caelebs hinc migravit ad Aureolam coelestem Anno Regis Caroli III o. Aetatis suae LXXI o. Christi MDCXXVI Tantum est Lector quod te maerentes posteri Nunc volebant atque ut ex voto tuo valeas Dicto Sit Deo Gloria His Works were many and pious Ninety six Sermons preached upon several occasions like which the Christian World hath not many such bodies of Sermons he being a Preacher that had both the Urim and the Thummim the former in his word the latter in his example In the next place his Opera Posthuma Concio ad Clerum pro gradu Doctoris Ad Clerum in Synodo Provinciali Coram Rege habita V o. August 1606. In discessu Palatini XIII o. Aprill 1613. Theologica Determinatio de Jurejurando De Vsuris De Decimis Respontiones ad 3. Epistolas Petri Molinei An Answer to the 18. and 20. cc. of Cardinal Perons Reply A Speech in the Star-Chamber against Master Thrask Another there concerning Vows in the Countess of Shrewburies case His Respontio ad Apologiam Cardinalis Bellarmini An Author whom when he wrestled with felt him he being one as well able to shift for himself as any of the Roman party His Manual of Devotions he originally penned in the Greek Tongue which Mr. Drake hath most excellently translated Another excellent Volumn of his on the Commandments publisht by Master Jackson with his Incomparable Lectures on Genesis which he preacht in Saint Pauls A Volumn which had he lived to have revised could not have been out-done To conclude how consummate a Divine how exact a Preacher how accute a Disputant how judicious a Moderatour and how eminent a Christian he was there is nothing more easie to determine both from the admiration of the best men and from the malignity of the worst then from these his Incomparable Writings which he left behind him for his perpetual Monuments The Life of Doctour DONNE Dean of PAULS THis Worthy Prelate whose Learning hath made him deservedly famous was born in London extracted by his Fathers side from an ancient and worshipful Family in Wales and by his Mother from the learned Sir Thomas Moor and the laborious Judge Rascal those two great Pillars of Law and Learning His first Education was in his Fathers house where a private Tutour had the care of him under whom he so profited that at nine years of age he was sent to the University of Oxford having besides the Latine and Greek attained to a knowledge of the French Tongue Languages which few Children understand at that age nay many scarcely their own Remaining in Hart-Hall having for the advancement of his studies Tutours in several Sciences to instruct him he in short time advanced to such a height of Learning as declared him fit to receive his first degree in the Schools but his Parents being of the Romish perswasion conscionably averse to some parts of the Oath dehorted him from it whose advice as Paternal Commands he dutifully obeyed Here fell he in acquaintance with that great Master of Language and Art Sir Henry Wootton betwixt whom was such friendship contracted that nothing but death could force the separation And now like a laborious Bee desirous to gather honey from more flowers then one he was transplanted from Oxford to Cambridge our other renowned Nursery of Learning where he much improved his studies but took no degree for the reasons formerly mentioned Being about seventeen years of age his Father died who left him three thousand pound in ready money his mother and those to whose care he was committed willing he should be able to manage such an estate took him from Cambridge and placed him in Lincolns-Inne where for the improvement of his knowledge they provided him Tutors in several Sciences as the Mathematicks and others but with these they had instructions also to instil into him the Principles of the Romish Church And indeed they so wrought with him having for their advantage besides their opportunity the example of his most dear and pious Parents that they had almost obliged him unto their faith But rectifying his judgements by the holy Scriptures and conferring Papists and Protestants Works together he was not onely drawn off from their Opinions but more settledly grounded in the Protestant Religion And now having a youthful desire to travel and a fit opportunity by occasion of the Earl of Essex going to Cales he embraced the advantage and went along with him and having seen the issue of that expedition left them and went into Italy and from thence into Spain where by his industry he attained to a perfection in their Languages and returned home with many useful observations of those Countreys their Laws and Government Soon after his return the Lord Elsmore Lord Keeper of the great Seal and after Chancellour of England taking notice of his abilities entertain'd him for his chief Secretary in whose service he fell in love with a young Gentlewoman who lived in that Family Neece to the Lady Elsmore and Daughter to Sir George More Chancellour of the Garter and Lieutenant of the Tower And notwithstanding her Friends opposed and endeavoured what they could to prevent it yet some faithful promises having interchangeably past betwixt them they resolved and did marry without the knowledge or advice of those that might justly claim an interest in the disposing of them But his Father-in-law Sir Geor. More was so immeasurably incens'd at what was done that he not only detained his wife from him but procured the Lord Elsmore to discharge him of the place he held under his Lordship And although the Lord Chancellour at his dismission protested he thought him a fitter Secretary for a King then a Subject yet could not this put a period to Sir Georges choller never leaving till he had cast him into prison as also his two special Friends Master Samuel Brook who was after D in D. and Master of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge who had married him and his Brother Master Christopher Brook of Lincolns-Inne who gave him his Wife and witnessed the Marriage In the time of Master Donnes melancholly Imprisonment how true I know not onely I
a handful of men in comparison of his vast Army the effect of which fight was that the Scots went home by weeping cross complaining they had lost more by Hamilton then ever they got by Lesley Soon after followed the surrender of Colchester and within five hours after the surrender the deaths of Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle What motives induced the General to more severity against them then the rest I know not but certain it is never was the message of death though the terriblest summons that can come to nature entertained by any with more magnanimity and undaunted resolution then it was by them Never did Roman with greater courage nor Christian with firmer confidence court grim death then did this matchless pair of Heroes Sir Charls Lucas was the first design'd to dye who having retired himself a while for prayer with a pious and humble commendation of his soul into the hands of God he stood up remembring no doubt that saying It behoveth a General to dye standing and tearing open his Doublet he exposed his naked Breast crying out Now Rebels do your worst he was immediately dispatched on the place Sir George Lisle's turn was next who beholding that sad spectacle the dead body of his dearest friend fell upon it and kissed it as if he meant to breathe into it another soul with a free but true relation of his vertues and endowments he often would redouble these words In how short a moment has a brave spirit expired well this priority was due to thee but I shall not be long behinde thee my death which is now at hand shall restore thee to me After this standing up and taking five pieces of Gold out of his pocket he gave one to his Executioners and the other four he sent to four friends in London then turning to the standers by he said Oh how many do I see here about me whose lives I have saved in hot blood and now must mine be taken away most barbarously in cold blood sure the like was never heard of among the Gothes and Vandals or the veriest Barbarians in the world in any age after which words and some few invocations upon the name of Jesus he was also dispatched as he stood in an Heroick posture courting grim death with a spritely countenance and a greedy expectation I have heard it reported by divers credible persons that on the ground where Sir Charles Lucas fell when he was shot there hath grown no Grass where the print of his body was still remaining bare notwithstanding round the same the Grass flourished with verdancy what this should signifie concerning his guilt or innocency as the wayes of God are unsearchable so shall I not determine any thing but leaving every one to his own opinion please my self with the onely traditional relation of it This Epitome which I have derived to posterity is but as a glimpse or sparkling to the radiant beams of this Carbuncle of Honour The Life of King CHARLES KIng Charles the First was born at Dumfermling in Scotland November 19. Anno Dom. 1600. He was not next Heir to the Crown then having an elder Brother Prince Henry of admirable parts but God countermanding Natures dispose by taking away his Brother left him the Heir Male to the Brittish Diadem At the death of his Father he had attained to twenty five years of age whereof the most part of one was spent in Spain in making addresses to the Lady Infanta in the quality of a Wooer and although he attained not the end for which he went yet it gave him a tincture of travel and experience more worth perchance then the mark he aimed at attaining by this means to a greater degree of that which made Vlysses so famous Quod mores hominum multorum videt urbes Amongst other Curiosities I have met with a Letter of Pope Gregories to win him to his Religion when he was Prince which I have inserted with his answer A Copy of the Letter written from Pope Gregory the Fifteenth to Charles Prince of Wales then being in Spain Most noble Prince Salutation and Light of the Divine Grace Forasmuch as Great Brittain hath alwayes been fruitful in Vertues and in Men of great worth having filled the one and the other world with the glory of her renown she doth very often also draw the thoughts of the Holy Apostolical Chair to the consideration of her praises And indeed the Church was but then in her infancy when the King of kings did chuse her for his Inheritance and so affectionately that we believe the Roman Eagles have hardly out-passed the Banner of the Cross Besides that many of her Kings instructed in the knowledge of the true Salvation have preferred the Crosse before the Royall Scepter and the Discipline of Religion before Covetousness leaving examples of Piety to other Nations and to the Ages yet to come So that having merited the Principalities and first places of blessedness in Heaven they have obtained on Earth the triumphant Ornaments of true holiness And although now the State of the English Church is altered we see nevertheless the Court of Great Brittain adorned and furnished with Moral Vertues which might serve to support the charity that we bear unto her and be an ornament to the name of Christianity if withal she could have for her defence and protection the Orthodox and Catholique Truth Therefore by how much the more the Glory of your most Noble Father and the apprehension of your glorious inclination delights us with so much more zeal we desire that the Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven might be opened unto you and that you might purchase to your self the love of the Universal Church Moreover it being certain that Gregory the Great of most blessed memory hath introduced to the English people and taught to their Kings the Law of the Gospel and the respect of Apostolical Authority we as inferiour to him in Holiness and Vertue but equal in Name and Degree of Dignity it is very reasonable that we following his blessed footsteps should endeavour the salvation of those Provinces especially at this time when your Design most Noble Prince elevates us to the hope of an extraordinary advantage therefore as you have directed your journey to Spain towards the Catholique King with desire to ally your self to the House of Austria we do much commend your Design and indeed do testifie openly in this present business that you are he that takes the principal care of our Prelacy For seeing that you desire to take in marriage the Daughter of Spain from thence we may easily conjecture that the ancient seeds of Christian Piety which have so happily flourished in the hearts of the Kings of Great Brittain may God prospering them revive again in your soul And indeed it is not to be believed that the same man should love such an Alliance that hates the Catholique Religion and should take delight to oppress the Holy Chair
by a Knight of Malta one of his high spirited followers the tumult being afterwards occasioned from his retinue he having been first very uncivilly treated by Mr. Gerrard in his expatiating of the New Exchange as he termed it in his Declaration for which Mr. Gerrard received a prick with his Dagger and afterwards had the honour to dye the same death The young unfortunate stranger suffered a very high favour to please the New Exchange Chevaliers Mean while the Scotch Highlanders impatient of bearing the English yoke resolved to try the other bout to which purpose they assembled together in great numbers having General Middleton to their leader who was newly come to them out of Holland but all their endeavours vanished into smoak General Monk on the twentieth of July 1654. at a place called Loughberry gave them such a charge as utterly defeated them and made them incapable of ever after thinking of appearing in Arms again Soon after was a Parliament called who no sooner were set but fell upon questioning the power by which they were convocated and doubting of its lawfulness were soon dissolved by the same power which they distrusted The Protector at the dissolution of this short Parliament made a very long speech wherein amongst many other passages he hath this expression This one thing I speak as thus advised and before God as having been to this day of this opinion and this hath been my constant judgement well known to many that hear me speak if this one thing had been inserted that one thing that this Government should have been and placed in my family hereditary I would have rejected it And a little after If this be of humane structure and invention and it be an old plotting and contrivance to bring things to this issue and that they are not the births of providence then they will come to nothing But notwithstanding his speech was candied over with Scripture phrases and great expressions of his zeal for the good government of the Land yet these his actings much discontented the common people whereupon ensued risings in Shropshire Montgomery Nottinghamshire Northumberland and Yorkshire but the most considerable was at Salisbury where Sir Joseph Wagstaff Penruddock and Jones who had formerly been Officers in the late Kings Army having gotten together about 200. armed men entered Salisbury seized on all the Inns and chief Houses and the Assizes being holden there at that time they took away the Judges Commissions and Pattents and all their Horses and so marched away Sir Henry Slingsby and Sir Richard Malleverer assembled some Forces also in Yorkshire but not being seconded according to their expectation they disperst themselves on their own account For these actings were put to death Master Lucas Thorp Kensey Graves and Penruddock Sir Henry Slingsby was taken and imprisoned and afterwards beheaded upon another account as I shall show you in its due place About this time the great head-piece of Europe joyns his Foxes tale to our Lions skin correspondencies are held betwixt the French and us which occasioning some jealousies with some other bitter pills that had before been swallowed but not digested by the Spaniard caused some heart-burnings which soon broke forth into an open War first mannaged by the Generals Pen and Venables who on the 27. of December 1654. with a gallant Fleet set sail from Portsmouth and on the 28. of January following arrived at the Barbadoes where they seized on 18. Holland Merchant men who contrary to the Ordinance of the long Parliament traffiqued in those parts from thence they sailed to Hispaniola arriving near to the port of Sancta Domingo where by the deepness of the sands and heat of the climate being infinitely tired they were by the Spaniards put to flight and enforced to march back again to their Ships from thence they set Sail to the Island of Jamaica which after a little resistance they mastered and have since preserved notwithstanding the Spaniards to regain the same landed there with two or three thousand men but were discomfitted with the loss of all their Cannon and Baggage In the interim General Blake with a considerable Fleet of Ships having cast Anchor before Tunis April 18. 1655. sent unto the Dy of the place demanding satisfaction for some English Ships which the Pyrats of those parts had carryed away and the liberty of the English slaves they had detained but his message and himself was refused with scorn and derision the Turks making this answer Behold our Castles of Galleta and our Castles and Vessels of Porto Ferino do your worst against them and do not think to brave us with the sight of your great Fleet. This answer so exasperated the English Admiral that notwithstanding there were one hundred and twenty Guns planted on the shore and in the Castle against them yet regardless of all danger he set upon their Men of War which lay in Porto Ferino and in less then four ours space burnt all their Ships being in number nine to their very Keels which enforced the King of Tunis to seek to the English for their friendship and restored all the Prisoners for little or nothing These successes were seconded by two other great Victories obtained over the Spaniards at sea the one by General Mountague about nine Leagues from Cadiz where he destroyed six of their ships whereof two were taken two run aground one sunk and another burnt and therein the Marquess of Badex his Wife and Daughter the young Marquess and his Brother with a great deal of wealth being taken and brought into England This Fight being incomparably related by the Laureat of our times I thought fit to insert it not to deprive the Reader of so Elegant a Poem let him wave the Poetical flattery of it as he pleases Upon the present War with Spain and the first Victory obtained at Sea Now for some Ages had the pride of Spain Made the Sun shine on half the World in vain While she bid War to all that durst supply The place of those her Cruelty made dye Of Nature's Bounty men forbear to taste And the best Portion of the Earth lay waste From the New World her Silver and her Gold Came like a Tempest to confound the Old Feeding with these the brib'd Elector's Hopes She made at pleasure Emperors and Popes With these advancing her unjust Designs Europe was shaken with her Indian Mines When our Protector looking with disdain Vpon this gilded Majesty of Spain And knowing well that Empire must decline Whose chief support and sinews are of Coyn Our Nation 's sollid vertue did oppose To the rich Troublers of the World's repose And now some moneths encamping on the main Our Naval Army had besieged Spain They that the whole Worlds Monarchy design'd Are to their Ports by our bold Fleet confin'd From whence our Red Cross they triumphant see Riding without a Rival on the Sea Others may use the Ocean as their road Onely the English make it their abode
name of God Almighty promise and swear that to the uttermost of my power I will uphold and maintain the true Reformed Protestant Christian Religion in the purity thereof as it is contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to the uttermost of my power and understanding and encourage the Profession and Professours of the same and that to the utmost of my power I will endeavour as Chief Magistrate of these three Nations the maintenance and preservation of the Peace and Safety and just Rights and Priviledges of the People thereof and shall in all things according to our best knowledge and power govern the people of these three Nations according to Law These Ceremonies being performed a Herald of Arms by sound of Trumpet proclaimed him Lord Protectour of England Scotland Ireland and the Dominions thereto belonging hereupon the Trumpets sounded again and the people after the usual manner gave several acclamations with loud shouts crying God save the Lord Protectour His Higness had scarce accepted of these Honours but as if the ill affected would not let him breath yet another Plot is discovered Collonel Edward Sexby is said to have conspired against the Lord Protector for which he was committed to the Tower where having continued about half a year he died But to reflect a little back Mazarine that great Minister of State on which hinge all the grand Affairs of France turn perfects a Peace with England the Protector having no regard to those advantages that Spain might render him as to Commerce the places of Hostage which she proffered to put into his hands as Gravelin Dunkirk and others he was swayed with other Interest which he best understood himself to prefer an Alliance and League with France before all those advantages except his civillity induce't him which seldom had such power over him to look more lovingly upon France as the weakest at that time being abandoned by some of her Allies as quite disordered by an Intestine War in her own Bowels her Navigation totally ruined as the Pirates of Dunkirk had blockt up all her Sea Ports whereas the English scowred those Seas chast away the Pyrates and reduced the Mounsieur and Diego by their successes to their so likely advantageous peace Indeed as one writes it was a high generosity since the English caused the French to lose Graveling and Dunkirk to help France again to take those places In the mean space was not here rare bandying of Interests France having thus perfected a Peace with England they joyntly resolve to unite against the Spaniard hereupon Sir John Reynolds with six thousand Foot was sent into Picardy to joyn with the French Cavalry which compleated as gallant an Army as had been seen in France for many years together These joyntly besiege and take Mardike a strong Fort of the Spaniards in Flanders whereof Major General Morgan took possession for the English as the earnest of further Conquests which the Spaniards attempting for to regain were twice repulsed with very great loss But the joy of these Successes was mitigated by the death of Admiral Blake who as he got his Honour by the Sea died on it and that within sight of Plimouth He was a man who had deserved of his Countrey and might justly be stiled the Neptune thereof His Body was brought with a Naval pomp by water from Greenwich to Westminster being a suitable Ceremony to his employment and was there buried in Henry the Sevenths Chappel Upon whom an Ingenuous person bestowed this Epitaph Here lies a man made Spain and Holland shake Made France to tremble and the Turks to quake Thus he tame'd men but if a Lady stood In 's sight it rais'd a Palsie in his bloud Cupids Antagonist who in his life Had Fortune as familiar as a VVife A stiff hard Iron Souldier for he It seems had more of Mars then Mercury At Sea he thundered calm'd each raging wave And now he 's dead sent thundring to his Grave Soon after was St. Venant taken by the English the Lord Henry Cromwel made Deputy of Ireland Sir John Reynolds Collonel VVhite and some other Officers drowned upon Goodwin Sands as they were coming out of Flanders into England One writes that the subtilty of discovering of Plots though but in the Embrio or before they are hatcht in the time of peace is the most succinct way of letting of blood March 24. the last day of the year accounted for 1657. a great Conspiracy was again discovered in London several Regiments ' as was said being enrolled who on the first day of May in the night time should have set fire on several parts of the City and whilest the confusion and horrour thereof had seized all men they should have made a general masacre of all who opposed them Hereupon several persons were apprehended as Doctor Hewet Sir Henry Slingsby Collonel Asbton c. and a High Court of Justice erected for the tryal of them and first they began with Sir Henry Slingsby the Articles charged against them will in part discover themselves in their several speeches made just before their deaths In short they were both condemned Dr. Hewet professing himself to be ignorant of such Law though amongst the most learned Divines few of them were more knowing in the Gospel being taken in three defaults upon formalities of the Court was proceeded against as mute June 8. 1658. was the day appointed for their beheading Sir Henry Slingsby first mounting the stage spake in effect as followeth That he stood condemned by the Court of Justice as contriving and endeavouring to withdraw divers Officers of the Garrison of Kingston upon Hull from their duty and perswading them to a surrendring and yielding up of that Garrison and one that held correspondence with some beyond sea to that end That it was true he had conference upon that account with the Officers of that Garrison and that he gave Major Waterhouse a Commission signed Charles R. But that it was but an old one that had lain by him though he thought fit to make use of it to the Major Many passages he said there were which he would not insist on that some friends of his had made application to his Highness for the saving his of life but it seems it was thought fit not to be granted and therefore he submitted and was ready to dye c. Having uttered these and the like words he took off a Ring from his Bandstrings wherein instead of a Seal engraven was the Picture of the late King exactly done and giving it to a Gentleman that stood by him he said Pray give this to Harry Then he addrest himself to prayer wherein he continued some time taking leave of his friends he submitted his neck to the Block and had his head severed from his body at one blow by the Executioner This at one blow by the Executioner the Reader may observe hath been very often repeated in this Volume His Tragick Scene being