Thomas Audley Lord Chancellor the Duke of Norfolke and Thomas Cromwell Secretary her bringers desiring God so to helpe her as sne was guiltlesse of those things whereof shee was accused beseeching those Lords to bee Petitioners vnto his Maiesty in her behalfe who lamenting her case left her Prisoner with Sir William Kingston Constable of the place 88 I will in no wise excuse her guilt hauing had iudgement and death by law though others and that vpon iust occasions before mee haue done but will speake from them what they haue said and namely one that wrote thereof vnto a worthy and reuerent person in whose defence his wordes are these Iâ—…seemeth very plaine that the crimes supposed against this Christian Queène Anne were matters contriued by the deuise of the Pope and his Instruments her enemies None of them all that were accused in the same Treason confessing the Act euen vnto death but haue left direct Testimonies in writing to the contrary one meane Groome excepted namely Marke Smeton made confession vpon some promise of life belike but had his head cut off before hee was aware or had time to recall what he had said The like did Cromwell the Secretary signifie to the King after the prisoners had beene throughly examined in the Tower by the Councell who wrote thus in his letter on the same day many things haue been obiected but nothing confessed onely some circumstances haue been acknowledged by Marke And so doth Cranmer Archbishoppe of Canterbury in his letter of comfort vnto the King who sore lamented that such a starre was fallen if her gilt could bee proued and willed his Highnesse to stand in defence of the Gospell as shee had done without any report of confessing or acknowledging any such Acts as were obiected which as Sleidon writeth were Adultery and incest but vniustly saith he as it is supposed and proued since With her were executed certaine Gentlemen of the Kings Priuie Chamber namely Norris Weston Brewton and one Marks which contrary to his conscience as it is reported for hope of preferment subscribed to a bill whereby hee condemned both himselfe and all the rest 89 For vpon the seuenth of May her brother George Bullen Lord Rochford for his supposed offence with these foure before named were all of them beheaded vpon the Tower hill but none of them confessing the Action I haue heard it reported that Rochford the Queenes brother comming to her bed side to solicite a suite leaned thereupon to whisper her in the eare which the Spials gaue forth that hee did so to kisse the Queen howsoeuer they are dead and the Queene must die who two dayes before had beene arraigned in the Tower the Duke of Norfolke being her Iudge to her inditement shee answered so effectually that shee seemed to cleare all matters laid to her charge yet was shee found guilty and vpon the nineteenth day of May was brought to a Scaffold erected on the Greene within the saide Tower where in presence of many noble men the Lord Mayor of London the Shiriffes and some principall commoners shee is said to haue spoken these words in their presence 90 Good Christian people I am come hither to die for according to the Law and by the Law I am iudged to death and therefore I will speake nothing against it I come hither to accuse no yee shall be iudged heereafter to be shedars of some of Crystyn blood and destroiers of your euyn Crysten From Robart Aske chiefe Captaine of the Comynalty assembled in pilgrimage For the Barony and Cominalty of the same By mee Robert Aske yn the name of all the Comynalty and Barony Of such terrour and haughty spirit was this Captaine Aske that when Lancaster an Herald at Armes was sent to declare the Kings message in Pomfret Castle which the Rebels had got by surrender from the Lord Darcy hee so blustred out his answers that the daunted man excusing himselfe to bee but a messenger fell before him on his knees till the Archbishop of Yorke tooke him vp saying it was not beseeming the Coate hee wore to prostrate to any but onely to his Soueraigne Reade likewise if you please this strange Mandate from some meane man among them the false suggestion that they possessed the ignorant with and the Oath whereunto these holy Pilgrimes were sworne as I finde them recorded by themselues in these very words To the Commyns of Hawkeside parish Bailiffs or Constables with all the Hamlets of the same Welbeloued we greet you well and whereas our brother Pouerty and our brother Rogers goith forward is openly for the aide asistance of your faith and holy Church and for the reformation of such Abbeys and Monasteries now dissolued and subpressed without any Iust cause Wherefore gudde brethers For asmuch as our sayd brederyn hath send to vs for ayde and helpe wee doe not onely effectualy desire you but also vnder the paine of deadly sinne wee comaunde you and euery of you to bee at the stoke Greene beside Hawkeside-kirke the Saturday next being the xxviij day of October by xi of the Clokke in your best array as you will make aunswer before the heigh Iudge at the dreadfull day of Dome and in the payne of pulling downe your Houses and leasing of your gudds and your bodies to be at the Capteyns will For at the place aforesaid then and there yee and we shall take further direction concerning our faith so farre decayed And for gudde and laudable Customes of the Country And such naughty inuentions and strange Articles now accepted and admitted so that our said brother bee subdued they are lyke to goe furthwards to vtter vndoing of the Commyn welth 97 And the more to drawe forward the rude multitude which were forward enough of themselues they set forth in writing these slanderous vntruths against the King 1 The first is that no infant shall receyue the blessed Sacrament of Baptisme bott onlesse an trybett to bee payd to the King 2 The second is that no man vnder xx1. Landes shall eyte no brede made of Wheate ner Capon chekyn gois ner pigge bott onlesse to pay a trybett to the King 3 The third is that for euery ploghe land the King will haue en trybett with other diuerse extreme vrgent causes and hertely fareye well The Oath of the holy Pilgrimes Ye shall nat enter into this our Pilgrimage of Grace for the Commyn welth but only for the loue that you doe bere vnto Almyghty Godde his faith and to holy Churche militant the maintenance thereof to the preseruation of the Kings person his issew to the purifying of Nobilitie and to expulse all vilayne blode and euill Councellers agaynst the Commyn welthe from his Grace and the priuie Counsel of the same and that ye shall nat enter into oure said Pilgramege for no particuler proffite to your selfe nor to doe no displeasure to no priâ—…ey person but by
themselues by the fals of the Britaines made Edrik her instrument mall of the English who kept King Edmunds hasty foot from following his enemies by guilefull vrging the danger of ambush and the ouer-wearied bodies of his souldiers so that Canute thereby had leasure in safety to passe ouer into Essex 13 Where beginning againe with the increase of his power to despoile al the Country before him brought feare to the inhabitants and to himselfe submission of many English King Edmund therefore made preparation thitherward and at Ashdone three miles from Saffron-Walden gaue battaile to Canute wherein a bloudy slaughter ensued though a while with equall chance of foile or of victory vntill lastly the Danes beganne to giue backe which when the euer-traiterous Edrik perceiued he went with his strength vnto their side and maintained their battaile which otherwise was at point to be lost whereby the Danes regained the day and the betraied English the ouerthrow There died of Edmunds Nobility Duke Alfred Duke Goodwin Duke Athelward Duke Athelwin and Earle Vrchell with Cadâ—…th Bishop of Lincolne and Wolsâ—…y Abbot of Ramsey besides other of the Clergy that were come thither to pray for the preseruation of the King and his Army The remembrance of which field is retained vnto this day by certaine small hilles there remaining whence haue beene digged the bones of men Armour and the water-chaines of horse-bridles 14 King Edmund thus traiterously forced to retire from the field on foot marched vnto Gloucester with a very small Army leauing Canut ouer-swollen in conceit for this his great victorie vnto whom then the Londoners submitted and so did many other great townes of Name after which hee followed Edmund into the West who now like a Tygar robbed of her Whelpes seeking the reuenge of his lost day gathered a most puissant Army meaning to trie the vttermost chance of Fate or Battaile Their hostes meete at Dearhurst neere vnto the riuer Seuerne where they were resoluedly bent to establish the ones title with the others downefall and now being ready to ioyne a certaine Captaine of vncertaine name stept forth as is reported betwixt the two Armies and vttered in effect this speech 15 Many battailes haue beene fought and too much bloud already spilt for the soueraignitie of this Land betwixt these two fierce Nations and the valours of the Generals Captaines and Souldiers sufficiently tried wherein euen fortune her selfe seemeth to haue beene conquered for if one Battaile were wonne it was not long kept neither the loser so weakened but that hee had both courage and power to winne the next what is the marke then that you aime at is it honour and fame Titles indeed which accompany war but neither long enioyed nor much attained vnto by the common Souldiers by whose valours and bloud it is for the most part wonne Let him therefore that would weare the Diademe beare the hazard himselfe without the confusion of so many men and either trie the fortune of a single combat who shall commaund and who obey or diuide betwixt them the Kingdome which may suffice two that hath maintained seuen 16 Some affirme that this speech was Duke Edriks but I hardly belieue so good a motion should proceede from so bad a man by whom so euer vttered it was acceptably receiued by Edmund and Canut who thereupon in sight of their Armies entred into a small Iland embraced about with the armes of Seuern called Alney adioyning vnto the City Gloucester where those princes in complete Armour at first assailed each other most dangerously on horsebacke and after as valiantly on foot The Ironside was strong and fought for his Kingdome the Dane not so tall but euery way as stout fought for his honour and so the combate continued with an absolute resolution till at length Canute hauing receiued a dangerous wound and seeing himselfe ouermatched in strength wished a comprimise and thus spake to Edmund with a loud voice What necessity should thus moue vs most valiant Prince that for the obtaining of a Title we should thus endanger our liues better it were to lay malice and Armour aside and to condiscend to a louing agreement let vs therefore now become sworne brothers aâ—…d diuide the Kingdome betwixt vs and in such league of amity that each of vs may vse the others part as his owne so shall this land be peaceably gouerned and we iointly assistant to each others necessity Whereupon they both cast downe their swords imbracing as friends with the great ioy and shouting of both their Armies who stood before doubtfully wauering betwixt hope and feare and looking for their owne fortunes according to the successe of their Champions Thus was the Kingdome diuided betwixt those two Princes Edmund enioying that part that lay coasted vpon France and Canute entring vpon the rest 17 Thus then the Saxon Monarchy spent to the last period and their tottering crowne fast grasped with a hard Danish hand was suddainelyy torne from the Ironssides helmet by his complotted and hastned death For Duke Edrick a very compound of treasons glutted with the fauours of both these Kings to scrue himselfe deeper into Canut his conceit contriued the end of renowmed Edmund who being retired to a place for natures necessity was thrust from vnder the draught into his body with a sharpe speare which done the treacherous Edrick cutting off his Soueraignes head presented it to Canut with these fawning salutations All haile thou now sole-Monarch of England for here behold the head of thy Copartner which for thy sake I haue aduentured to cut off Canut though ambitious inough of soueraignety yet of princely disposition abashed sore grieued at so vnworthy and disloiall an attempt replied and vowed that in reward of that seruice the bringers owne head should be aduanced aboue all the peeres of his kingdome Which high honour whiles this prodigious wretch greedily expected and indeed for a time saith Malmesbury hee found some shew of fauour with the King soone after by the Kings commaund his head bad his shoulders farewell and was placed vpon the highest Gate to ouerlooke London 18 The traiterous death of this worthy Prince as some affirme was acted at Oxford yet the Author that wrote Encomium Emmae and liued the same time blancheth the matter saying that hee died of a naturall death in London God minding his owne doctrine that a Kingdome diuided in it selfe cannot long stand and pittying the English tooke away Edmund lest if the Kings had continued long together they should both haue liued in danger and the Realme in continuall trouble That hee died in London Simon the Monke of Durham agreeth and saith further it chanced about the Feast of S. Andrew and Marianus is of the same opinion being the yeere of Christ 1016. Whensoeuer or howsoeuer his Raigne was but seuen monethes and his body buried at Glastenbury neere vnto his
had as some say suborned Edward Earle of Arundel Thomas Earle Marshall Thomas Holland Earle of Kent Iohn Holland Earle of Huntington Thomas Beaufort Earle of Somerset Iohn Montacute Earle of Salisbury Thomas Lord Spencer and Sir William Scroope Lord Chamberlaine 100 In September begins the Parliament at London where the king had a great guard of Chesshire men to secure his person and the Lords attended also not without sufficient numbers The Kings chiefe Agents were Sir Iohn Bushy Sir William Bagod and Sir Henry Greene knights In the first act after the liberties of the Church and people confirmed we find these words The commons of the Parliament haue shewed to our Souereigne Lord the King how in the Parliament holden at Westminster the first day of October in the tenth yeere of his reigne Thomas Duke of Glocester and Richard Earle of Arundell traitours to the King and his Realme and his people by false imagination and compassing caused a Commission to bee made c. and that the said Duke of Glocester and Earle of Arundel did send a great man and Peere of the Realme in message to our Lord the King who of their part said that if he would not grant and assent to the said Commission HEE SHOVLD DE IN GREAT PERIL OF HIS LIFE and so as well the said Commission as the said Statute touching the said Commission were made by constraint c. Wherefore the Commons pray their Soueraigne Lord the King that the said Commission c be vtterly anulled as a thing done TRAITEROVSLY c. 101 The sanctuary of former lawes and all particular Charters of pardon being now taken away from the Duke Earle and others they lay open to manifest ruine The Duke of Lancaster sate in iudgement as High Steward vpon Richard Earle of Arundel where for no other but for the old attempts though the other accusations seeme to haue been auerred by the eight Appellants by which as ye haue heard so many were displaced and put to death hee adiudged him to die that soule death of a common Traitor but the King satisfied himselfe with onely his head which was at one stroake taken of at Tower-hill That he was a traitour either in word or deede he vtterly did deny and died in that deniall The constancy of this Earles carriage aswell at his arraignement passage and execution as in which he did not discolour the honour of his blood with anie degenerous word looke or action encreased the enuie of his death vpon the prosecutors The Earle of Warwicke confessed with teares and as some say drawne by faire hope of life that in adhering to the Duke of Glocester in those ridings and assemblies hee was guilty of treason The same sentence was therefore pronounced vpon him The King neuerthelesse did only banish him into the I le of Man But the Duke of Glocester whom as the peoples darling it seemed not safe to bring to a publike triall was secretlie smothered at Calis with pillowes and feather-beds 102 The great Parliament for so it seemes to haue beene called by reason of the extraordinarie numbers of Peeres and their retinues which came thereunto was holpen by adiournment at Shewsbury In it those Iustitiars who were partly put to death and partly banished but all attainted at such time as the Duke of Glocester and the rest were in armes doe all of them stand thereby cleared from dishonor and such Articles as they subscribed being together with their answeres set downe in the Act are publikely ratified and the offendors against them pronounced Traitours Amongst these Articles one conteining these great Lawyers iudgements concerning the orderly proceedings in al Parliament is very obseruable That after the cause of such assembly is by the Kings commandement there declared such Articles as by the King are limitted for the Lords and Commons to proceed in are first to bee handled but if any should proceed vpon other Articles and refuse to proceed vpon those limitted by the King till the King had first answered their proposals contrary to the Kings command such doing herein contrary to the rule of the King are to be punished as Traitors But the King to content all parts and to kindle new lights in the place of such as he had extinguished hauing first created himselfe Prince of Chester made his cosen Henry Earle of Derby Duke of Hereford the Earle of Rutland Duke of Aumarl the Earle of Nottingham Duke of Norfolke the Earle of Kent Duke of Surrey the Earle of Huntington Duke of Excester the Earle of Somerset Marquesse Dorset the Lord Spencer Earle of Glocester the Lord Neuile Earle of Westmorland William Scrope Earle of Wiltshire Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester The King also saith Walsingham added to his Scucheon Royall the armories of Saint Edward King and confessor 103 The formost in this goodly ranke being Henry Duke of Hereford not long after accused Thomas Duke of Norfolke of certaine words sounding to the kings dishonour which hee should priuately vtter to the said Henry Polydor though very negligently hee makes Mowbray the Accuser and Hereford Defendant may yet be heard in reporting the effect of the words as That King Richard held the Peeres of the land in no account but as much as lay in him sought to destroy them by banishing some and putting others to death That hee neuer troubled his mind with considering how his Dominions were diminished through his Idlenesse Finally that all things went to wracke as well in peace as war But the Duke of Norfolke who vnlesse it had beene to feele how the Duke of Herefords heart was affected to the king had little reason so to complaine most constantly denying that euer he spake such wordes it should haue come to a combat within lists but the king to â—…uoid as hee pretended such deadly fewds as might rise in the families of two such potent Peeres but indeed to bee rid of an enemie with the losse of a friend banished Norfolke for euer and Hereford first for ten yeeres then for sixe Walsingham saith that this censure was giuen against Norfolke vpon that very day in which the yeere before he by the kings commandement had taken order for putting to death the Duke of Glocester at Callis whereof the said Duke of Norfolke had the Captaineship 104 Fearefull were the tragedies which ensued these times and heare now what is written of some Portents or wonders presaging the same The Bay or Laurell trees withered ouer all England and afterward reflourished contrary to many mens opinion and vpon the first of Ianuary neere Bedford towne the riuer between the villages of Swelston and Harleswood where it was deepest did vpon the sodaine stand still and so diuided it selfe that the bottome remained drie for about three miles space which seemed saith Walsingham to portend that reuolt from the King and the diuision which ensued 105 Roger Mortimer Earle of March
not learned the truth of things indeed he admitteth without discretion and iudgement the vanitie and vntruths of fables I forbeare to speake saith he what great matters this fellow hath forged of the Britaines acts before the Empire and comming in of Caesar. Thus farre Paruus But I know the answer to this so great an accusation namely that this William making suit vnto Dauid ap Owen Gwyneth Prince of North-wales for the Bishoprick of Saint Assaphs after the death of Geffrey and thereof failing falsly scandalized and impudently belied that most reuerend man Which surely had been a great fault and might of vs be beleeued had not others of the same ranke and time verified asmuch 17 For Syluester Giraldus commonly called Cambrensis that flourished in the same time with the said author made no doubt to terme it The fabulous story of Geffrey The like is verified by Iohn Weathamstead Abbat of Saint Albanes a most iudicious man that wrote in anno 1440. who in his Granarie giueth sentence of this history as followeth The whole discourse of Brutus saith he is rather poeticall then historicall and for diuers reasons is built more vpon opinion then truth first because there is no mention thereof made in the Romane story either of his killing his father or of the said birth or yet of banishing the sonne Secondly for that Ascanius begat no such sonne who had for his proper name Syluius by any approued Author for according to them he begat only one sonne and his name was Iulius from whom the family of the Iulii tooke their beginning And thirdly Syluius Posthumus whom perhaps Geffrey meaneth was the sonne of Aeneas by his wife Lauinia and he begetting his sonne Aeneas in the thirty eighth yeer of his raigne ended his life by course of naturall death The kingdome therfore now called England was not heretofore as many will haue named Britaine of Brutus the sonne of Syluius Wherefore it is a vaine opinion and ridiculous to challenge noble blood and yet to want a probable ground of the challenge for it is manhood only that enobleth a nation and it is the mind also with perfect vnderstanding and nothing els that gaineth gentility to a man And therefore Seneca writeth in his Epistles to Plato that there is no King but he came from vassals and no vassall but he came from Kings Wherefore to conclude let this suffice saith he that the Britaine 's from the beginning of their nobility haue been couragious and valiant in fight that they haue subdued their enemies on euery side and that they vtterly refuse the yoke of seruitude 18 Now that William of Newborough had sufficient cause say some to exclaime against the fantacies of Merline and the fictions of Arthur is made manifest in the sequel not only by the decree of that obtruded Councell of Trent wherein was inhibited the publication of Merlines books but also in effect by the statute enacted the fifth yeere of our last deceased Queene Elizabeth of blessed and immortall memorie wherein is forbidden such fantasticall predictions vpon occasions of Armes Fields Beasts Badges Cognizances or Signets such as Merline stood most vpon and likewise William of Malmsbury saith that Arthur being the only proppe that vpheld his country deserued rather to be aduanced by truth then abused with fables wherewith that story is most plentifully stored And also that Weathamstead had reason to account Brutes acts and conquests to be rather poeticall then any waies warranted by the records of truth appeareth by the silence of the Romane writers therein who name neither Brute nor his father in the genealogie of the Latine Kings and if any such were saith the contradictors how could they be ignorant of the vntimely death of their king slaine by the hand of his naturall though in this act vnnaturall sonne or what should moue them being so lauish in their own commendations to be thus silent in their Brutes worthinesse that with seuen thousand dispersed Troians warred so victoriously in Gallia conquered a kingdome of Giants subdued a most famous Iland raigned gloriously and left the same to his posterity none of them either in prose or poetry once handled but left to destiny to be preserued by a long ensuing meanes or to perish in obliuion for euer And surely this moued the whole senate of great Clerks to giue sentence that neuer any such Brute raigned in the world such as were Boccace Viues Hadrian Iunius Polydore Buchanan Vignier Genebrard Molinaeus Bodine and others 19 Yea and there are some Criticks that faine would take aduantage from the defenders of Brutes history themselues as from Sir Iohn Prys that produceth many vncertaine ensamples of the originall of other nations which granted say they doth no waies confirme the truth or certainty of our owne neither is it any honour to deriue these Britaines from the scumme of such conquered people as the Troians were Humfrey Lhuyd likewise denying absolutely the deriuation of the Britaines name from Brute and bringing it from two compounded words as we haue said doth thereby weaken the credit of his conquest of this Iland to their vnderstanding as also the catalogue of his successors which are said to raigne successiuely for many hundred of yeeres after him And another industrious British writer hauing the helpe of two most ancient British copies the collections of Caradock of Carnaruan their owne Bardies euery third-yeeres visitation and twenty seuen authors of good account all of them cited in the preface of his Chronicle besides his helps had in the offices of records for this realme yet ascending no higher then to the person of Cadwallader Prince of Wales whose raign was in the yeere of Christs incarnation 682. and no lesse then one thousand seuen hundred twenty and sixe yeeres after that Brute is said to come into this Iland doth not warrant say they the story that is included betwixt but rather euen the same is enterlaced with many doubtfull vncertainties and so left disputable by the said compiler himselfe as namely whether that this Cadwallader whom the Britaines claime to be their king be not the same Chedwald whom the Saxons would haue theirs both liuing at one time both in acts alike and names neere both abandoning their kingdomes both taking the habit of religion both dying in Rome both buried in one Church nay say they in one Sepulchre The like he bringeth of the Britaines Iuor and the Saxons Iue in the like coherences of names acts deuotions and deaths so that this history of Brute carieth not so smooth a current for passage as is wished nor is that Gordeons knot so easily vnloosed Againe the Reformer of the British history himselfe although he hath written one whole chapter in defence of Geffrey Monmouth and straineth to make his booke authenticall complaining often and accusing learned and vnpartiall Cambden seuerall
in Britaine besides the honour and renowne of that voiage and sight of that Country vntill then vnknown to the Romans And againe saith hee Caesar departed thence hauing done no memorable act which caused the Britaines to be secure and carelesse to prouide themselues against his second arriuage Whereby is apparant euen by Romane Writers both the bold resistance that the Britaine 's made and the deare subiection that the Romans bought But in matters so farre past it is hard for mee to auouch any thing resoluedly vnlesse I could meet with that aged Britaine whom M. Aper conferred with heere in Britanny as Quintilian writeth who auowed that hee was in the British Campe when they did beat Caesar from the shoare 13 Neither will I vrge that for truth which Authours haue left vs in their reports concerning the many prodigies before going and forewarning his death things rather to be accounted the superfluities of their owne pens and vaine imageries euer working vpon accidentall euents and ascribing issued successe to a supernaturall cause Such conceit had Caesar of himselfe that for his fortunes hee would bee stiled amongst the Gods and his deitie to that credulous generation was further strengthned by the appearance of a blazing starre which mooued no doubt an ouer-large opinion of his humane power and caused his glorie much to surmount it selfe And therefore lest ignorance should any way blemish his immortalitie they haue fained the manner of his dying best pleasing to himselfe and many ominous signes to foreshew the same all which he either lightly despised or carelesly neglected as they would haue their Readers beleeue 14 Such was that of Spurina his diuiner that forewarned him of great danger which should not passe the Ides of March. And Suetonius out of Cornelius Balbus reporteth that in the ancient Monuments of Capuae discouered but few moneths before was found a Table of brasse wherein was written the manner of his murder and the reuenge that should follow his owne dreames the night before wherein he seemed to flie in the clouds and to shake hands with Iupiter as also his wiues that thought him stabbed in her armes and to lie all bloody in her bosome Besides many other obseruances both of beasts and birds and that in such plentie that it yeelded sufficient matter for Ouid the Poet to furnish and fill vp the latter part of his last booke of Metamorphosis His feature qualities and fortunes are by them thus described Of personage to be tall strong and well limmed faire and full faced with blacke eies and bald headed to couer which he vsually wore the Triumphant Lawrell Garland He was well learned and therewithall very eloquent and although so great a warriour thirsting after fame yet would he be easily reconciled to his enemies yea and often times seeke the meanes first himselfe And hee held it no lesse valour to subdue his wrath then his enemie as likewise in his disasters hee was of great temper and moderation insomuch that Seneca writeth of him that whiles he was in Britaine hearing newes of his daughters death which was lamented as a great losse to the whole State hee conquered that sorrow as easily and as quickly as hee subdued all things where euer he came And of his other moderatenesse Cotas who then held the second place of honour and command in the Armie writeth that though Caesar was then so great and glorious a Commander yet he was so farre from outward pompe as that when he came into Britannie hee had onely three seruants to attend him 15 In his enterprises hee was both valiant and fortunate and is therefore singled out for an Idea or Paterne of an absolute Generall especially for foure militaric properties very resplendent in him first laboriousnesse in his affaires secondly courage in his dangers thirdly industrious contriuing of what he vndertooke fourthly quicke dispatch in accomplishing what hee had once begun In all which he proceeded with such successe that in fiftie seuerall battles by him fought he alwaies preuailed one only excepted as both Pliny Solinus and others haue recorded Foure times hee was created Consul and fiue times entred Rome in triumph bearing still the stile of Perpetuall Dictator And therfore with lesse dishonour did nations subiect themselues vnto him and this of Britaine with them whose lot being cast among the hazards of the world was drawen with an equall chance as the rest and yeelded their freedomes with as hard conditions as did Countries of more extent and Kingdomes of greater account But most especially the decree of God could not bee gaine-stood who had foreshewed by his Prophets the rising of these Chittims and them a meanes to make the metalline image dust OCTAVIVS AVGVSTVS CHAPTER III. AFter the death of Caesar thus slaine in the Senate Octauian the grand-childe of Iulia Cesars sister whom hee had adopted and declared his heire returned vnto Rome from Apollonia where he studied Philosophie intending to prosecute the reuenge of Caesars death where falling at oddes with Marcus Antonius a man of great spirit and power and setting himselfe against Brutus and Cassius with their Complices for the murder of his vncle secretly wrought the friendship of the Citizens before whose eies also Caesars wounds seemed yet to bleed 2 These factions thus begun grew to such height that in the Senate-house their causes were pleaded and by the instigation and eloquence of Marcus Tullius Cicero Antonius was proclaimed enemie to the State against whom Octauian was sent with Ensignes of Consul and title Propraetor being yet not twentie yeeres of age which duty and office he so well discharged in the parts of a valiant Captaine that Antony was forced out of the field albeit in this battle the one Consul was slaine and the other deadly wounded For which seruice so effected he entred Rome in Triumph though the glory thereof was much blemished being obtained but in an intestine and ciuill warre Marcus Antonius to recouer himselfe and make good his cause ioined friendship with Marcus Aemilius Lepidus Captaine of the horse who together interposed themselues against Octauians proceedings but by mediation of friends all three were reconciled and iointly erected that forme of gouernment which thence was named the Triumuirat for the establishment whereof they had seuerall iurisdictions assigned them to Lepidus Africa whereof he was present Gouernour to Antony the Countries as well of Greece as Asia that lay betwixt the Ionian Sea entring at the gulfe of Venice vnto the riuer Euphrates and vnto Octanian all these West parts of Europe amongst which this our Britaine was one 3 In these ciuill broiles and bandings of great men as Tacitus termeth it the State of Britaine lay long forgotten and stood in peaceable termes Augustus thinking it wisdome saith he to restraine the infinite desire of inlarging the Romane Empire whose extent was growen to that vast
certaine predictions in Rome happening were so respected and generally expounded That Nature was about to bring forth a King that should raigne ouer the whole world And albeit these and other Heathen Writers ascribe these things either to Augustus himselfe or to some of his fauorites yet wee see them accomplished in none other but Iesus Christ the Messiah our blessed Sauiour in whom only the Kingdome of God began with the vtter subuersion of all their heathenish Oracles which at his birth or at furthest at his death ceased all and gaue place to HIS eternitie Which time of his birth by the Scriptures most certaine account was from the worlds creation 3927. and is set by the Britaine 's in the fourteenth of their Cunobelines raigne and by other authenticke Writers in the two and fortieth of Augustus Caesar euen in the top of that Empires greatnesse when Rome was with an vniuersall subiection acknowledged the absolute Lady of the knowne earth For so in S. Luke wee read that this Augustus then first taxed the world A text most strong for the full dissolution of the foure foregone kingdomes represented in Daniels Image by the fall of this stone Christ the rocke and stay of our eternall happinesse 7 This Emperour raigned in great honour the space of fifty six yeeres and was obeyed both by the Easterne Indians and the Northerne Scythians with the subiection of the Parthians a fierce and vntamed people and generally with the loue of all Hee was a Prince indued with great wisdome magnanimitie and Iustice yet faulty in this that he tooke from Tiberius Nero his wife Liuia both great with child and hauing also formerly borne him a sonne Deuout hee was in the worship of the Romane Gods amongst whom in the Capitoll he built an Altar vnto the Hebrew childe with this inscription The Altar of the first begotten Sonne of God being thereunto mooued by the Oracle of Apollo that had answered his owne destruction by the birth of this childe Of Stature he was but low and of a good complexion gray-eied his haire somewhat yellow and his body freckled with spots which as his flatterers would haue the world beleeue were in forme like starres Predictions foreshewing his gouernment and death are alleged the which I willingly ouerpasse holding most of them rather fantasies then truth At his death hee demanded of the standers by whether he had well acted the enterlude of his life vpon the stage of this world and died fourteene yeeres after Christ his incarnation leauing after him so honourable an estimation of his glory that as the succeeding Emperours in remembrance of Iulius Caesar gloried to be called Caesars so they euer held the name of Augusti to be sacred and only befitting persons destinated to imperiall Maiestie And both their names were inserted into the number of the moneths that the honour of them both might neuer perish while Times euiternitie should endure TIBERIVS CHAPTER IV. AVgustus Caesar thus gloriously raigning and peaceably dying had ordained for his successour Tiberius Nero the sonne of Tiberius the Patritian and of Liuia his wife whom as we said before he had taken for his Empresse and by whose incitements and continuall instigations that matter was procured though Suetonius thinketh it was by Augustus his owne ambitious conceit to make himselfe the sooner missed and the more lamented in leauing his sonne so vnlike him to succeed whose conditions as they stood vpon their owne basis hee knew to bee both reprooueable and also contemptible 2 But before the death of Caesar could be diuulged to write his imperiall stile as it were in blood he began with the murder of young Agrippa the sonne of Iulia daughter to Octanian and once his owne wife and continued his raigne with such tyrannie that many he slaughtred without respect of person or cause and in his loosest lasciuiousnesse thought of nothing but how to subuert the Nobilitie for rare it was in his daies that any such died a naturall death and maintaining a race of men Promoters as Tacitus tearmes them found out for a common ouerthrow and destruction of others allured them by rewards to accuse the rich though guiltlesse only this fauour granted to the condemned that if they slew themselues before the day of execution their bodies should haue buriall their goods not confiscate and their testament stand good in law 3 A great dissembler he was seeming euer to hate those vices which in truth he loued and to loue those vertues which he did most deadly hate and for life and libidinous filthinesse so extreme that a Christians pen may not expresse when the Heathen themselues doe blush to name such things as hee shamed not openly to commit his publike drunkennesse and continuall banquettings whereat hee spent whole daies and nights together without intermission caused exchange of names from Tiberius Nero to Biberius Mero Dissolute and carelesse he was in gouernment though some haue accounted him a wise and politicke Prince for the Prouinces he left to defend themselues and yet daily charged them with larger Tributes to their great impouerishment and almost vtter ruine 4 In this state amongst others neglected Britaine stood wherein Tiberius neither maintained garrison nor attempted alteration and whereby as it may be thought their owne Lawes and Princes bare sway among themselues howsoeuer the cause for Tribute was ballized betwixt them And most certaine it is the Britaines if not in subiection yet were well affected to the Romanes as appeareth by Tacitus in the kinde entertainments and in releeuing their shipwracked souldiers that in crossing the Seas were by tempest driuen vpon their Coasts and courteouslie sent thence by their petty Kings vnto Germanicus their Generall Notwithstanding Ieffrey Monmouth seemeth to affirme the contrary that bringeth the raign of one Guiderius and the valour of Aruiragus the sonnes of Cunobeline of whom more heereafter to withstand the Romish Command and vtterly to refuse the paiment of Tribute banding both against Tiberius as also against Caligula and Claudius the Emperours succeeding 5 Other remembrances of these times concerning vs finde we none besides that which is common to all namely the death of our Saviour Christ which vnder this Tyrant and in his eighteenth yeere was accomplished by the proceeding of his as wicked Deputy Pontius Pilate who both adiudged him to die and to bee guiltlesse of deseruing death whereby was wrought the mysterie of our Redemption with such signes and euidences of his Deitie that the wicked Iudge himselfe wrote thereof to Tiberius and hee to the Senate to haue him consecrated among the Roman Gods Which they refused to doe that the wisdome and diuine power of God in the doctrine of Saluation should not need the allowance and commendation of men as Eusebius hath well obserued 6 Finally when hee had raigned hated of all men
so farre the law of Nature alloweth euery man that he may defend himselfe being assailed and to withstand force by force Had I at first yeelded thy glory and my ruine had not beene so renowned Fortune hath now done her worst wee haue nothing left vs but our liues which if thou take from vs our miseries end and if thou spare vs wee are but the obiects of thy Clemencie 16 Caesar wondring to see such resolutions and so free a minde in a Captiue estate pardoned Caractacus his wife and brethren who being vnbound did their reuerence to Agrippina the Empresse that sate aloft on a Throne Roiall This Conquest and Triumph ouer Caractacus ministred matter of discourse and admiration thorough out all Rome and the Lords of the Senate held it no lesse honourable then that of P. Scipio who triumphed ouer Syphax the Numidian King or that of Perses whom Paulus Aemilius vanquished or then any other King that had beene taken in warre or exhibited to the view of the people Then were also publicke Triumphall honours decreed for Ostorius whose fortunes vntill then had beene very prosperous but now began to be doubtfull or rather to decline either because Caractacus the foile of his glory was remoued and thereupon as though all had beene subdued a more carelesse seruice entertained or else the courage of the Britaine 's was more inflamed to reuenge through the feruent compassion of the fall of so mightie a King 17 For immediately they enuironed the Camp-master and the Legionary Cohorts which were left to build fortresses in the Country of the Silures whom with eight Centurions and the forwardest Souldiers they slew and had put all the rest to the sword if rescue had not speedily come from the villages and forts adioining The Forragers also and troope of horse that were sent to aid them they put to flight These affronts touched Ostorius to the quick and lest their aids should grow to a greater head he sent forth certaine light-harnessed companies which with the Legionary Souldiers vndertooke the battle and with small oddes was it continued till the night came and parted them diuers other Skirmishes afterwards were made though for the most part in woods and marishes whence taking their aduantage in sallying forth they many times preuailed sometimes by strength sometimes by meere courage and sometimes by chance neither were they alwaies commanded by their Captaines but many times fought voluntary and without warrant 18 The principal motiue that induced the rest to take Armes was the example of the Silure who were most resolutely bent as beeing exasperated by certaine speeches that the Romane Emperour himselfe had vsed which was that as the name of the Sugambri was destroied and the people transported into Gallia so the memorie of Silures should vtterly bee extinguished And in this heate as men desperate whose destinies were read and lots cast already they intercepted the scattered troopes of the Romanes that vncircumspectly wasted and spoiled the Country taking of them many prisoners and recouering rich booties which they sent and distributed amongst their neighbours whereby many other were drawne to reuolt These proceedings sate so neere Ostorius his heart who with long cares and trauels had wearied his spirits spent the strength of his bodie and thereunto had now added the discontentment of his minde that in these vexations hee gaue vp the Ghost the Silures reioicing that so worthy and victorious a Captaine was fallen in their warres 19 But Claudius Caesar lest the Prouince should make head presently sent Aulus Didius for his Lieutenant into Britaine where notwithstanding all his haste he found all out of frame For Manlius Valens with his Legion had encountred the Britaines with ill successe yet not so bad as the Ilanders gaue foorth thinking thereby to terrifie their new-established Gouernour which report himselfe also in policie was contented to augment thereby to purchase more praise in appeasing so dangerous stirres or if hee could not to retaine his own credit without his valours impeachment These resisters had made many inroads into the subdued Countries against whom vpon his first arriuall Didius entred the field and for a while kept them in awe 21 For the Silures were not altogether quieted a Legion commanded by Caesius Nasica fought luckily against the Britaines In all which stirres Didius in person was absent as being stricken in yeares and hauing receiued many honours held it sufficient to execute his charge by the assistance of others The State of Britain thus standing let vs so leaue it during this Emperours raigne which now began to draw towards his last period by the working of Agrippina his wife and by her vpon this occasion 22 It chanced Claudius in his wine to cast forth a word of great suspition in saying That it was fatall vnto him first to beare the leaudnes of his wiues then to punish them She knowing her selfe guiltie in disinheriting of Britannicus who was Claudius his owne sonne for the adoption of Nero who was hers besides other insolencies wherewith she might bee taxed sought therefore to cleare her owne way by taking him out of the way and with Locusta a woman skilfull in poisoning and Zenophon a Physition as large of conscience conferred for the maner of his death who in fine concluded that poison was the surest and the least in suspect or at leastwise the most difficult to be proued against her 23 This then resolued they temper poison in a Mushrom whereof he greedily did eate and shortly after ended his life the thirteenth day of October when hee had raigned thirteene yeares eight moneths and twentie daies the yeare of Christ his incarnation fiftie sixe and of his owne age sixtie foure He was of stature tall and of a pleasing Countenance full of Maiestie and comely gray haires his Head continually shaking somewhat stammering in his speech very learned but therewithall very forgetfull and altogether ruled by his wiues and domesticall Seruants the two ordinary banes of most men who are aduāced to any eminent place of gouernement cōmand 24 This Emperour saith Seneca might make his boast that he was the first conquerour of the Britaines for Iulius Caesar did but shew their Iland vnto the Romans whereas Claudius made their necks yeeld to the chaines of their captiuities And Aegisippus saith thus of Claudius His witnesse is Britan which liued without the world but now by him reduced vnder the Romans Empire and those whom the former ages knew not neither themselues any seruitude are now by him both made knowen and seruants to the Romans And againe As great a matter it was to passe those Seas as to haue triumphed ouer those Britains wherein saith he euen the elements haue done homage vnto Claudius In ioy whereof and reuerence to the Gods in his triumph he mounted the staires of the Capitoll vpon his aged knees being
learns to sing 8 It hath also passed with allowance among the learned Senate of our Antiquaries that when Claudius Nero began to banish and persecute the Christians in Rome whose superstitions as Tacitus pleaseth to tearme them from Iudea had infected the Citie it selfe many Romanes and Britaine 's being conuerted to the Faith fled thence vnto these remote parts of the earth where they might and did more freely enioy the libertie of their Professions vntill the search of Tyrants by the flame-light of Persecutions had found out all secret places for the safeties and assemblies of Gods Saints as after in the daies of Dioclesian we shall finde And from this Sanctuarie of Saluation the sad lamenting Lady * Pomponia Graecina the wife of Aulus Plautius the first Lord Lieutenant of Britaine brought that Religion whereof she was accused and stood indited vpon life and death which was none other then the Christian Profession seeing the same both by Tacitus and Suetonius is euerie where termed the strange superstitions and new kinde of Sect that the Christians imbraced and for which they were accounted vnworthy to liue 9 And much about these times as Beatus Rhenanus in his Historie of Germanie Pantaleon and others doe report one Suetonius a Noble mans sonne in Britaine conuerted to the Faith by the first Planters of the Gospell in this Iland and after his Baptisme called Beatus was sent by the Brethren from hence vnto Rome to be better instructed and further directed by Saint Peter himselfe and returning thorow Switzerland found such willingnesse and flocking of the people to heare and receiue the Doctrine of Christ that he there staied and built an Oratorie not farre from the lake Thun and neare the Towne called Vnderfewen wherein preaching and praiers he imploied his time to the day of his death which happened in the yeare of grace 110. And that there were Christians in Britain at these times I make no questioÌ„ thogh some exceptions may be taken against the Monk of Burton the reporter therof who saith in the 141 yeare and raigne of Hadrian nine masters of Grantcester were baptized themselues preached to others the Gospell in Britain howsoeuer he faileth in the Emperours name which yeare was the second of Antonins Pius his successor and ascribeth to these men Schoole-degrees altogether vnknowne for nine hundred yeares after yet these do not hinder the truth of the thing though that Monke was none of the best Historians It is reported also that Patricke the Irish Apostle and Canonized Saint long before the Raigne of King Lucius preached the Gospell in many places of Wales As also that Ninianus Bernicius of the race of the British Princes conuerted the Picts to the Religion of Christ. Vnto these aforesaid authorities and testimonies howsoeuer we stand affected yet it is certaine by Chemnitius citing Sabellicus that the Britaine 's were with the first Conuerts And Tertullian who liued within two hundred yeares of Christs Natiuitie sheweth no lesse Who the more to prouoke the Iewes against whom he wrote calleth to witnesse the fruitfull increase of the Gospell of Saluation through many Countries and Nations and among them nameth the Britaines to haue receiued the Word of life the power whereof saith he hath pierced into those parts whither the Romanes could not come Whence Petrus Cluniacensis supposeth the Scotish men the more ancient Christians as not being in the like subiection to the Romanes as other then were 10 Origen who flourished not much aboue two hundred yeares after Christ in his Homilies vpon Ezechiel sheweth that the first fruits of Gods haruest was gathered in the Iland of Britaine who consented to the Christian faith by the doctrine of their Druides that taught one onely God with whom Hector Boetius agreeth saying that some of these Druides condemned the worship of God in Images and allowed not the applicatioÌ„ of the God-head vnto any visible forme which might be the cause why Claudius the Emperour forbad their Religion as sauouring in these things too much of Christianitie whom likewise he banished Rome as some from Suetonius coniecture Of these Druides wee shewed before that their offices were most imploied about holy things and that their doctrine chiefly consisted in teaching the immortalitie of the soule the motions of the heauens the nature of things and the power of the Gods yea and Postellus from others will inforce that they prophecied likewise of a virgins conception These were the helps saith Tertullian that caused the Britaines so soone to imbrace the Doctrine of Christ and thereupon immediately after his death doth Gyldas fasten our conuersion where he writeth That the Glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ which first appeared to the world in the later time of Tiberius Caesar did euen then spread his bright beames vpon this frosen Iland of Britaine 11 Whereby wee see the waters of life flowing from Ierusalems Temple into these farre set Countries and vttermost Seas to be made both fruitfull wholesome according to the sayings of the Prophet that in that day the waters of life should issue from Ierusalem halfe of them toward the East Sea and halfe of them towards the vttermost Sea and shall remaine fruitfull both in Sommer and winter and euen in the infancie of Christianitie both the Apostles themselues and also the Proselytes their Disciples to become fishers therein for the Soules of Men as Christ in chusing of them said they should bee whereby his Kingdome was soone enlarged vnto these Ends of the Earth and his Throne established among those Heathen whom God his Father had giuen to be his So fruitfull and famous was this spreading of the Gospell that Baptista Mantuan a Christian Poet compares the increase thereof with that of Noah thus alluding vnto it Sicut aquis quondam Noe sua misit in orbem Pignora sedatis vt Gens humana per omnes Debita Coelituum Patri daret orgia terras Sic sua cùm vellet Deus alta in regna renerti Discipulos quosdam transmisit ad Vltima Mundi Littora doctâ—…ros Gentes quo numina ritu Sint oranda quibus Coelâ—… placabile Sacris In English thus As Noah sent from the Arke his sonnes to teach The Lawes of God vnto the World a right So Christ his Seruants sent abroad to preach The Word of Life and Gospell to each Wight No place lay shadowed from that glorious Light The farthest Iles and Earths remotest bounds Embrac'd their Faith and ioi'd at their sweet sounds 12 To which effect also the sayings of S. Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople enforce who shewing the increase of Christianitie and the successe of the Gospell preached sheweth the power thereof to haue extended not only to the Countries farre iacent in the Continent but also to the Ilands situated in the Ocean it selfe and amongst them expresly nameth this our Britaine whose
King of Rome who for his renowned gouernment is so famously in their Histories recorded His birth was in Lombardy the son of Aurelius Fuluius and Nephew to Titus Aurelius Fuluius that had beene Consul and held other Offices of dignity and State The whole time of whose Raigne was so spent in peace that small remembrances remaine of any martiall affaires yet such as we finde in Britannie we will deliuer 2 At his first entrance into the Empire about the yeere of Christ One hundred thirtie nine as appeareth by the money minted in memorie of the reduction of Britaine the Northerne Britaines in that part of this I le began to stirre and made inroads into the Prouince notwithstanding the Rampire or Wall that Adrian had made Against whom Lollius Vrbicus Lieutenant heere vnder Antoninus brought his power and with some skirmishes put them backe taking from the Brigantes part of their Land as a Mulct for the waste they had done to the Genounians a Prouince adioining vnto the Brigantes whose people had put themselues vnder the Emperours protection Which done he repaired the Wall with stronger Fortifications or which is more probable raised vp another not farre from the same to double the defense for saith Iulius Capitolinus Lollius the Legate to Antoninus ouercomming the Britaines built another turfe Wall to diuide the Prouince and to impeach the incursions of the barbarous Notwithstanding the honour of this seruice as is testified by the ancient Panegyricke was by one Fronto attributed wholly to Antoninus the Emperour himselfe who although absent and in his Palace at Rome yet sitting as it were at the Helme of a Ship did command and direct the enterprise and therefore had right to the glory thereof This Wall also as M. Clarenceaux coniectureth hauing seene it so tracted in an ancient Chorographicall Chart was drawen from the Riuer Tine vnto Carleill but Time and Warre haue worne it now away 3 In the meane while a new insurrection was kindled among the Brigantes that annoied some of the Romane Confederats But by the discretion of the Generall it was quenched before it came to flame for vpon the first rumour of the Reuolt Lollius marched thither with part of his Armie commanding Seius Saturnius Admirall of the British Fleet to waffe vpon the North of the Iland both to defend the Coast from danger and also vpon occasions to further the Land-seruice if need were by which meanes the Brigantes were easily reduced to obedience euen by the presence onely of the Lieutenant who for his good seruice done in Britaine during the short time of his imploiment there obtained the surname Britannicus This may by the first figure in the face of this Chapter being in the third Consulship of this Emperour be coniectured to haue hapned in the yeere of Christ one hundred forty one and by inscription of the last Coine in that ranke it is manifest that there was some other expedition against Britaine the yeere following 4 I cannot omit though not directly pertinent to our purpose the care that this good Emperour generally had for the distressed and persecuted Christians who no doubt by his bounty enioied much tranquillitie heere in Britaine also in whose defense hee wrote to his Deputies in Asia and published an Edict against their Accusers the effect whereof from Eusebius is this 5 The Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus Armenicus Pontifex Maximus fifteene times Tribune thrice Consul vnto the Commons of Asia sendeth greeting I doubt not but the Gods themselues haue a care that wicked persons shall bee brought to light for it much more doth appertaine vnto them then it doth vnto you to punish such as refuse to yeeld them worship But this course which you take doth confirme them whom you persecute in this their opinion of you that you are impious men and meere Atheists whereby it commeth to passe that they desire in the quarrell of their God rather to die then to yeeld to the wils of such as you are and to embrace your forme of Religion Let it not seeme vnseasonable to call to your remembrance the Earth-quakes which lately happened and which yet are to your great terrour and griefe because I vnderstand that in such like accidents you cast the enuy of such common misfortunes vpon their shoulders whereby their confidence and trust in their God is much the more increased whereas you being still ignorant of the true causes of such things doe both neglect the worship of the other Gods and also banish and persecute the seruice of the Immortall God whom the Christians doe worship and you persecute to the death all the embracers of that Profession In the behalfe of these men many of the Prouinciall Presidents haue written before vnto our Father of famous memory to whom he answered that they should not bee molested vnlesse they were proued to haue practised Treason against the Emperiall State and touching the same matter some haue giuen notice vnto me to whom I haue answered with like moderation as my Father did before me And by this our Edict doe we ordaine that if any hereafter bee found thus busie in molesting these kinde of men without any their offence we command that hee that is accused vpon this point be absolued albeit he be proued to be such a man as he is charged to bee that is a Christian and he that is his Accuser shall suffer the same punishment which he sought to procure vpon the other This Edict was promulged at Ephesus in the Generall Councell of all Asia so fauourable was this good Emperour to the true Professours and indeed to all sorts of men hauing that Apothegme of Scipio Africanus rife in his mouth That he had rather saue one Subiects life then kill a thousand Enemies 6 He was of Stature tall of a seemely presence in countenance Maiesticall in maners milde of a singular wit verie learned and eloquent a great louer of Husbandrie peaceable mercifull and bounteous in the last of which vertues he so much exceeded that thereby he set going whollie his owne priuate estate demaines whereat when his Empresse much repined he told her that when hee vndertooke the Title and State of an Emperour he then did forgoe the interest and proprieties of a priuate Person meaning that a Prince is not much to respect his priuate wealth so as the publike wealth and welfare of the State may bee aduanced In fine this large Euloge and praise is fastened on him that neither in his youth he did anie thing rashly nor in his age any thing negligently In which honourable course hauing raigned twentie and two yeares some say twentie three seuen moneths and twentie sixe daies he died of a feuer at Lorium the seuenth of March the yeare of his life seuentie fiue and of Christ one hundred sixtie two MARCVS AVRELIVS CHAPTER XIX FRom the vertuous examples of the good
Prouince at that time had been in hazard to be lost vpon which distractions no lesse then fifteene hundred Souldiers at once went out of the Land to Rome to complaine their wrongs vnto Commodus where charging Perennius to bee the stirrer of these troubles with an intent thereby to raise himsefe or his sonne to the Emperiall Maiesty a string that cannot be touched without sound in a Soueraignes eare they were so farre heard and beleeued that Perennius was to them deliuered to be put to death which accordingly they accomplished with all extremity 7 Then was sent for Lieutenant into Britaine Heluius Pertinax a man of low birth but high Fortunes being risen from the state of a common Souldier to the dignity of a Consull and had been Commander before that time ouer many Prouinces Him had Perennius discharged from Britaine and with disgracesent and confined into Liguria where hee was borne whose credit Commodus again with such fauors repaired that he gaue him the Sirname Britannicus which glorious title also himselfe had taken about the yeere 184. At his first entrance and ariuage he assaied by rough hand to suppresse the rebellions of the Army and aduentured his person so farre in some tumults that he was stricken downe and left for dead but afterwards proceeding with better aduice he composed those troubles with most seuere punishments of the principall offenders whereby notwithstanding he presently grew odious to all and thereupon so far feared his own safety that he made suit to the Emperor to be discharged of his Lieutenantship 8 Vnto him succeeded Clodius Albinus in the Gouernment of Britaine a man of great birth forward enough and fortunate for which the Emperor Commodus either vpon fauor or feare did honour him with the title of Caesar though Albinus seemed vnwilling to accept of the same and afterwards discouered his disposition more openly in approuing the Ancient and free state of the Romans For vpon a false report of the death of Commodus he made an Oration to the Legions in Britanny in fauour of the Senate whole kind of Gouernment he much commended and preferred before the rule of the Emperors Of which his affection when Commodus vnderstood he sent Iulius Seuerus in all hast to take charge of the Armie and Albinus retired himselfe from all publike affaires vntill the death of Commodus which not long after followed and was wrought vpon this occasion He hauing assigned many to die and to that end had inrolled their names in a scroll it chanced Martia his Concubine to light on the same wherein she saw her selfe allotted for one And reuealing this his purpose to others that stood in the same list and in the like danger they together thought best to secure their owne liues by his death and with poison stabs and strangling made him away when he had liued one and thirty yeeres foure moneths and viciously raigned thirteen yeeres eight moneths and fifteen daies the yeere of Christs natiuity one hundred ninety and three the night before the Kalends of Ianuarie 9 Of stature he was indifferently tall of a fine constitution of Body very faire of complexion with cleere eies and golden locks neither in person nor in Princely parts resembling his Father How ioifull the death of this Tyrant was both to People and Senate their execrations pronounced against him and their assemblies in the Temples to giue thanks for their deliuerance do manifest as is at large reported by Lampridius who wrote his life and stiled by al Host is humani Generis The enemy of Mankind The very name of the diuell PVBLIVS HELVIVS PERTINAX CHAPTER XXI VPON the person of this Heluius Pertinax of whom we are now to speake Fortune as it seemeth meant to make the full experience of her power and from a very slender foundation to raise the building of her owne Pride His birth was but poore and parents as meane whose Father from a seruile condition got to be free and traded in Mercery wares for his liuing himselfe educated according to his birth rose by degrees to mount the Chaire of all wordly glory and to be the Monarch of the whole world 2 At first a Schoole-master and taught the Grammar next a Ciuil-Lawyer and pleaded causes in Courts and lastly a Martial-man and serued in Campe where Fortune attended him with such fauourable successe that within fiue daies out of the ranck of a common Souldier he was preferred to bee Captaine of a Cohort in the Syrian warres against the Parthians which ended he was imploied into Britannie Missia and Germany and also had charge in chiefe of a Fleete vpon the Flemmish Seas he serued likewise in Dacia with such honourable proofe of his valour as that wise Emperour Marcus Aurelius held him in high esteeme and afterward made him Senator of Rome Then was hee assigned Gouernour of all Syria and Asia the greatest place of Credit and reputation that might be and from thence sent againe in-into Britaine chosen out as the principall man of note for to stay the Commotions there raised against Commodus where in the Field he was left for dead but thence also returning after hee had gouerned foure seuerall Consular Prouinces was created Preconsull of Africa and immediately after Praefect of Rome Neither yet made he his stand there though the greatest of any subiectiue degree till hee had mounted the Throne of Maiesty and had obtained the command ouer All which fell to his lot by the death of Commodus and by the meanes of Martia Aelius Laetus and other Conspirers of his end 3 For the Murther being done in the dead of the night Laetus in great haste repaired to Pertinax his lodging at whose sight the Old man in bed expected nothing but Death as supposing him sent from Commodus to no other end But Laetus salutes him by the vnexpected name of Emperour carrying him with acclamations vnto the Army and in the morning to the Senate where of them all with great ioy he was confirmed Augustus 4 His first businesse was to bridle the Licencious liues of the Praetorian Cohorts iniuries done by them vnto the Romane Citizens which gained him such hatred that it was cause of his death For these men growne disordered and lawlesse in the raigne of Commodus held themselues wronged to be nowlocked vnder the constraint of Lawes ciuil Gouernement and these only enuied the peace prosperity of Pertinax whereas all the Prouinces abroad at the very hearing of his Election and fame of his Imperiall vertues laid a side their weapons and disired to embrace peace with a Prince so nobly qualified 5 The first that conspired against his life was one Falco whom notwithstanding he freely forgaue yet punished certaine Souldiers thereto accessary whereupon the rest assembling themselues in tumultuous and furious manner with their drawn swords inuaded his Palace Hee seeing their purposes sought no escapes
but descending the Palace met them in the base Court At whose presence and Maiesty they were much amazed and a while made a stand vnto whom with great grauity and without shew of any feare he thus spake vnto them 6 Souldiers and Companions if you come to kill me as I thinke you doe you shall therein performe an act neither valorous nor otherwise very commendable for you no nor any way grieuous vnto my selfe for euery mans life hath his limit and to mine by Natures course the last period cannot be farre Or thinke you that I feare death who now am so ripened for it and haue already gotten the very height of all renowne vnto my Name Surely you are deceiued but at this I grieue that my life and short time of Gouernment which I had deuoted to the good of all should seem so disgustfull vnto any as to deserue a violent and hastned death especially by you who are by office the Guarders of my Person you I say whose charge and Oath is to secure your Soueraigne from perill and now seek to sheath your Swords in his breast shall either leaue a Testimony of my bad life deseruing it or brand your places with such staines of Treason as Time shall neuer weare away And what I pray is mine offence for maintaining your Lawes why it was the charge your selues imposed vpon me Are Lawes too strait surely not to the vertuous who are euen a Law vnto themselues are they needlesse why then were they made and being made why should they not be executed If the death of Commodus grieue you was I the cause If he were made away by Treason your selues are conscious of my innocency And this I assure you in the word of a Prince that his death shall depriue you of nothing which you require if you require nothing but that which is honest and iust My life whilst I was a Subiect was spent with you in Warre now being your Soueraigne is consumed with cares for your Peace which if you free me of by taking it away my troubles shall thereby end but your conscience shal begin to grone vnder the guilt of blood and perchance bee touched with too late Repentance 7 His words were spoken with such a mouing grauity and vnmoued resolution that the formost in the attempt gaue back and were ashamed of their audacious enterprise but the rest furiously driuing forward one Trusius with a Lance ran him into the Breast whereupon Pertinax couering his Head with his robe quietly yeelded his body to the traiterous strokes of them all and so died that poore old and innocent Emperor The yeeres of his life saith Iulius Capitolinus were sixty seuen moneths and twenty fiue daies But Dio Spartianus and Herodian accounteth them to extend to sixty eight Eusebius to aboue seuenty The like disagreement there is for the short time of his Gouernment for Eusebius saith that he raigned not fully six Moneths Eutropius saith but three Iulius Capitolinus and Aurelius Victor eighty fiue daies Dio Herodian and Spartianus two Moneths and twenty eight daies how long so euer thus he liued and thus he died the fift Calends of Aprill 8 He was of an honorable and Maiesticall presence strong of body large and full breasted long bearded curle-headed smooth of Speech and indifferently eloquent DIDIVS IVLIANVS CHAPTER XXII THE state of man continually attended with vncertaine chance apparantly doth shew the weake condition that nature enioieth and with what vnsurenesse the seat of maiesty is possest as is seene by the precedent Emperor who sitting at peace in his Palace at Rome renowned beloued and guarded with the strengths of Europe Asia Africa AEgypt and Greece was notwithstanding surprised and slaine at noone day by a Band of Souldiers not much exceeding the number of three hundred and all escaping vnpunished the deed was so suddaine and mens minds so distracted that it could not be fully beleeued though witnessed by sight 2 The Senators mistrusting each others abandoned the Citie and the Citizens in secret secured themselues all in an vprore but none for reuenge of the treason The murtherers in as great feare as any fortified their Campe and with weapons in hand stood vpon their guard But seeing all in a maze and nothing against them attempted a further boldnesse the like before neuer heard of ensued for by a Common Crier they made Proclamation for the sale of the Empire to any man that would giue them most which offer was readily accepted by Didius Iulianus a man of much more wealth then honesty of life and a Lawyer saith Eusebius who with larger promises then euer were performed obtained the Emperiall Diadem 3 His birth was in Millen the sonne of Petronius Didius Seuerus his mother Clara Emilia and himselfe brought vp in seruice vnder Domitia Lucilla the mother of Marcus Aurelius by whose fauours he was first made Questor next Edile then Praetor in Rome In Germany as a Captaine hee serued vnder Aureliu then was he appointed Gouernour of Dalmatia â—…thinia and of the Lower Germany and was Consul with Pertinax and afterwards Proconsul in Africa These were his risings and meanes to that Maiesty which not long he kept for hated in Rome and not approoued abroad Syria chose for Emperor their owne Generall Pescenius Niger Germanie Septimius Seuerus By whose consent Clodius Albinus leader of the Britaine Armie was first elected Caesar and then his fellow in the Empire whereby the Aegle the fairest of Birds became monstrous and in one Body bore three Heads 4 For Albinus at that time hauing gotten againe the gouernment of Britaine where erecting his owne Statues and stamping his picture in his Coynes gaue great suspition that he intended to be a Competitor and with his Army a foot meant to haue gained the Emperiall seat it selfe by aduantage of Septimius forces absent in suppressing of Pescenius which to diuert inforced Seuerus vntill better oportunity to declare Albinus his companion for he much more feared him then either of the former Because Didius in Rome and Pescenius in Antioch consumed their times in banquetting and vnmartiall disports whiles Albinus managed his office most souldierlike and was highly esteemed and honored of them 5 Seuerus hasting towards Rome was met in Italy by Ambassadors from Didius with faire offers of peace and possession of halfe the Empire but refusing composition and making still forward the Senate that so lately declared him a traytor now proclaimed him an Emperor And the Souldiers vnsatisfied of the couenanted promises and in hope to purchase fauour with Seuerus slew their Chapman Didius in his Palace the Calends of Iulie being but fiue daies after he had done himselfe as much for Pertinax when he had raigned as Eutropius saith seuen months Spartianus saith but two and Dio sixty six daies the yeere of his age fifty seuen and of our Sauiours appearing in our flesh one hundred ninety and foure
SEPTIMIVS SEVERVS CHAPTER XXIII This olde man in the yeere of Christ one hundred ninety foure was elected Emperor by Acclamation of the Syrian Armie of which though begun but by a handfull in respect of all the other Emperiall forces he had good hope since to the honor of that Goddesse he dedicated the first marke of his Soueraigntie the minting of his mony A person he was of seemly stature louely feature and faire skinne except his Neck which differing so farre from the rest gaue him the sirname of Niger his complexion was ruddy his Body fat his voice so piercing that it would be heard a mile off and his haire for more ornament long hee wore in reflected curles vpon his shoulders A commendable souldier and well bearing himselfe in the military offices hee vnderwent In his Lieutenancy abroad he was seuere and at home he so well acted his part when hee was Consul as in his Clemency and Iustice hee seemed emulous of Pertinax Thus all his life he enioied the goodnesse of his merit and fortune and had not his ambition begun where his yeeres were ending had so parted For no sooner had hee put on the Robe Emperiall but Seuerus defeated his Armie at Cizicum pursued him to Antioch and tooke him at Euphrates sending to Bizantiâ—… his head a Trophie of the Conquest and to his wife children and followers vnto whom at first this Victor granted banishment in the end denied life 1 Now as soone as Seuerus made his appróch neer Rome he gaue command that the Pretorian Cohorts should attend him disarmed which done he vehemently checkt them for their proditorious trechery against Pertinax and pronouncing sentence depriued them both of name honor and armes of Souldiers and banished them from Rome and the circuit thereof for one hundred miles distance which act of his wonne him such reputation that in Rome the whole Story of Pertinax his ruine and Seuerus his aspiring to his Throne was at large portraited in an excellent peece of worke of solide molten brasse as Herodian relateth though he ascribeth the occasion of it to a dreame of Seuerus 2 Those two obiects Didius and Niger who gaue some hinderance to Seuerus his beginning being thus defeated of their high hopes the third which was Albinus seemed now a more dangerous cloud which would altogether ouer-cast his brightnesse glory if it were not dispersed or blown back in time and therefore to make faire weather with him hee created him Caesar and his Successor in the Empire but afterwards his good fortunes thus swelling in the East and himselfe still courted by Ambassadors from all parts with their tender of subiection he began to grow proud and to disdaine any Copartner in State and thereupon first secretly sought the destruction of his Caesar which failing he then proclaimed him Traitor and Enemy to Rome 3 Clodius Albinus brought into these vnexpected dangers prepared his strengths and with the choice of all Britaine entred France and neere vnto Lions tooke the field against the Emperour but with no better successe then Pescennius had done in Asia the lesse in the same place as Herodian Eutropius and Spartianus affirme where Darius was first ouer-throwne by Alexander The Armies ioining a bloody Battaile was fought which through the great prowesse of the Britains went at first so sore against Seuerus that being beaten off his Horse despairing of Victorie and almost of Life cast off his Imperiall Robe and flying ignobly hid himselfe Laetus one of Seuerus his Captaines kept aloofe all this while of purpose as was thought to bring the Emperour to ruine and now vpon report that hee was slaine came on most furiously with his forces in hope of winning both the day and the Empire to himselfe whereupon the Emperor drawne againe into the field the day was his by the meanes but not the meaning of Laetus whom on attainder of his Treason he afterward put to the sword That day a great part of the flower of Britaine was slaine together with their valiant Leader Albinus a Captaine of exemplary Seuerity and Martiall discipline a great admirer of Hannibal and Marius for the Scipio's he thought them rather fortunate then valiant and in the time of his seruice in this Iland there was no toile which hee commanded his souldiers but himselfe would beare therein a part euen in carrying of burdens on his Backe and yet so farre from vaunting of his valour as that when an Historian would haue recorded his noble Acts he willed him to write of theirs who were already dead whom he need not to flatter holding it a foppery to write of those of whose fauour or wrath the Inditers stood in hope or feare Being such a one no maruaile if Seuerus so feared him as he did which he shewed euen after hee was slaine by putting incredible numbers of great Personages both in the City and Prouinces to death with this one Pretence for all that they wished well to Albinus After this ouerthrow Seuerus forthwith sent Heraclianus hither to keepe the rest of the Britaine 's in quiet and to be Lieutenant in Albinus his roome as Spartianus writeth Of whose affaires therein little remembrance is left onely it seemeth by a Coine of Seuerus minted in his second Consulship which fell in the yeere of our Sauiour one hundred ninety eight and about the period of this his last Competitor that the Britaine 's gaue not at first their seruice and seruitude to this man vntill he had made the purchase of it by his sword the brand of which he hath left to posteritie in figuring the Goddesse Victory seated vpon spoiles and writing in a shield Victoria Britan. IM SEVERVS AVG. ET ANTONINVS CAES. DESTINATVS RESTITVERVNT CVRANTE VIRIO LVPO * LE G. EORVM PR * PR DEAEFORTVNAE VIRIVS LVPVS LEG AVG. PR PR BALINEVM VI IGNIS EXVST VM COH I. THR ACVM. REST. ITVIT CVRANTE VAL. FRON. TONE PRAEF EQ ALAEVETTO He warred against the Maatae and North Britaines with such bad successe that he was forced to redeeme his peace with mony and was so much weakned by losse of his men that he sent to Rome for present supply with relation of his great danger and the Enemies strength which newes touched Seuerus to the quick and notwithstanding his yeeres sixty at the least and gout wherewith hee was continually grieued yet would he vndergoe that iourney in person himselfe aswell to satisfie his owne vaine glorious humours as to traine his Sonne Bassianus from his licentious life wherein he wallowed idly in Rome who together with his brother Geta accompanied their Father into Britaine 5 The Britaine 's then hearing of the Emperors approch sent him their Embassage for intreaty of peace whereby the Iland might haue been setled and secured without blood but the old man saith Sabellicus had so vnsatiable a desire to beare the glorious Sirname of Britannicus that he preferred warre and accepted not their proffered
a Common-wealth the glory of the Empire shall yet shine more bright sith by concord we see that small things grow to greatnesse whereas contrariwise discord is the ruine of all I die and must leaue the successe of all to my Successors and Sonnes by Nature though the Elder vnnaturall I meane Bassianus new made Antoninus and your Emperor who often ere this hath sought to gaine that title by his sword and my death but knoweth not the dangers that attend a Diadem neither remembreth that high places are continually garded with Enuie and Feares But so blind is Ambition as it seeth not that a Soueraignes greatnesse is such vnto others but least in himselfe and that the things possessed are not the very things they seemed It is not these Titles therefore can make man happy the line of his life being drawne forth with so many vncertainties and the height of his power laid vpon so weake foundations My selfe at this instant may serue for example of whom this may bee said I was all things yet nothing seeing I I must pay my debt to Nature and leaue my exploits in East and West to bee registred either at your disposall for matters of moment and good of the Empire or blotted to the reproch of my gouernement with the shadowing pencile of Obliuion That therefore my care for the welfare of this State may suruiue my selfe and bring forth the happie fruits thereof when I am withered this shall be my last and onely request that you will euer assist my sonnes both with your counsell and aide whereby they may rule according to Lawe and you obay according to Right that so in you both the good of the Empire be aboue all things respected With which words hee ended both his speech and his life 15 This Emperour by Historians is rancked with the best both for his warres wherein hee was verie fortunate and for his wisedome in gouerning the Empire and yet is he taxed very sharply both by Sabellicus for sundry vices and by Eusebius for stirring vp the fift Persecution of the Christians in the tenth yeere of his Raigne In which Ireneus the learned writer among many others suffred Martyrdome howbeit towards his end he became more milde to them as saith Saint Ierome as also that he was a diligent reader of the excellent workes of Tertullian whom vsually he termed his Master 16 This Emperour was by birth an African to which Country his affection graces were so much that the illustrious Citie of those parts recorded vpon their coyne his many fauours by this Inscription INDVLGENTIA AVG. IN CARTH. and inshrined him amongst the Gods of that Nation He was the sonne of Geta his mother Pia Fuluia himselfe rough cruell couetous and ambitious and his nature relishing too much of the Punick craft and simulation otherwise a most expert Soldiour and a worthy Prince more battles hee fought and more victories obtained then any other that euer had ruled before him the Romane Empire In a word of vertues and vices so equally composed that lastly this grew into a customed speech It had beene good that this Emperour had neuer beene borne or beeing Emperour that hee had neuer died 17 Of stature he was tall and of a comely personage his countenance seuere and representing Maiesty his beard white and long and the haire of his head he wore vsually curled He was very learned in the Mathematicks a good Philosopher an eloquent Orator and of a deep sounding voice Hee raigned eighteene yeeres saith Eusebius by Dion Cassius Herodian and Eutropius seuenteen yeeres eight months and odde daies He died in Yorke the fourth day of April in the yeere of Christ two hundred and twelue not so much of sicknes as of discontent and greefe or if our British writers may bee credited of a deadly wound giuen by Fulgence Captaine of the Picts who as the Monke of Chester saith was brother to Martia the first wife of Seuerus and mother of Bassianus His second wife was Iulia Domna the mother of Geta though some thinke that she was mother to both a woman of a surpassing beauty and an earnest instigator of the two Bretherens reconciliation had she not been blemished with other vices as after we shal here M AVRE BAS. CARA ANTO. BRIT Brethren P. SEPT ANTONI GETA BRIT CHAPTER XXIIII BAssianus Caracalla and his Brother Septimius Geta together were declared Emperours by old Seuerus in his life time and both of them by their father surnamed Antoninus a name very gracious in the esteeme of the Romans the elder so stiled about the yeere of Saluation two hundred and fiue and the yonger foure yeeres after as it appeareth by the mintage of their moneys were approued and applauded by people and Senate and of all men saluted and acknowledged for Emperours Bassianus the Elder stiling himself Britannicus Maximus as it should seem was admitted his Fathers fellow Emperour at Yorke at his residing there to quiet the Northern Britains wherein also hee gaue him the name Antoninus for so implieth that famous Law bearing iointlie the names of Seuerus and Antoninus enacted by them at Yorke touching the interest and right that masters haue to the goods and possessions of their seruants His mother the first wife of Seuerus was Martia a British Lady say our British Historians though Sabellicus doth iudge her to be an African and himselfe better beloued of the Britaine 's for her sake then for his owne Geta was the sonne of the Empresse Iulia a second wife a woman of passing beautie and surpassing lust who beeing perswaded by some Oracle or dreame that her husbands successour should be an Antoninus lost her Sonne should lose his hope of the Empire she importuned Seuerus to bestow the name of Antoninus also on Geta who with it gaue him likewise the title of Caesar about the yeere two hundred and two And to vnite the affections of his two sons aswel as to eternise their memories he minted their features vpon one Medall inscribing the one side ANTONINVS PIVS AVG. PON. TR. P. IIII. the other P. SEPT GETA CAES. PONT hauing the yeere before matched thē together vpon the reuerse of his owne money and incirculing their heads with this word AETERNITAS IMPERI as if the separation of their affections were the dissolution of his and the worlds Empire 2 Vpon Seuerus his death Antoninus Caracalla hastning for Rome profered good conditions of peace to the Britaines who long tired with warres accepted thereof and hostages were giuen for conseruing the same Whereupon the Empresse Iulia accompanied with both the Caesars departed hence carying with them the funerall ashes of the deceased Emperour in a goldē Vrna to Rome where they solemnly consecrated him a God the ceremony wherof because it concerneth so great an Emperour and Monarch of this kingdome is not vnworthy the inserting In the Porch of his Palace was a bedsteed all of
Iuory dressed with richest bedding and furniture of gold wherein was laid his image protraited to the life but yet in manner of a sicke man On the left side sate all the Senators and Princes in blacke mourning weeds on the right all the great Ladies cladde in white which then was the mourning colour of that Sexe The Physitians diligently comming to visit him and feeling his pulse as if he were aliue doe signifie that his disease did still increase vpon him This they all did seuen daies together at last as if then hee were dead all the prime of the Nobility carrie him in his Iuorie Bed to the * Forum where all the Patrician youth Noble Virgins incompassed him with most dolefull Hymnes and ruefull ditties Thence againe he was remoued to Mars his field where was erected a foure-square frame of Timber of a huge height and compasse the stories still mounting to the toppe with sundry ascents and richly beautified with strange varieties of gold and purple ornaments and images of great Art and price On the second of which ascents was placed the Emperours said Bed and Statue with infinite store of sweetest odours brought thither from all parts of the Citie which done the yong Nobles brauely mounted on Horsebacke rid round about in a kinde of dance or measure and another sort likewise who represented great Princes in their Coaches whereupon his successor in the Empire first setting fire to the frame forthwith all the people did the like on all sides and when the whole began to be on flame an Eagle secretly enclosed within was let fly out of the toppe which soaring a great height and out of sight the people followed it with shouts and praiers supposing that therewith the Emperours soule was carried vp to heauen And thus Seuerus which was before a man of Gods making was now become a God of mans making and the more to preserue the memory of his fathers glory Caracalla erected a magnificent Edifice which he instiled Seuerus his Porch wherein with most exquisite Art and admired workmanship were portraited all his Fathers warres and triumphs atchieued here in Britaine or elsewhere 3 But presently after these two vngodly sonnes of this new supposed God so much emulated each others glory that the deadly sparkes of enuy blowne a long time with the bellowes of their ambitious desires brake out into the flames of murther and blood being brethren by one Father but not by the same mother as it is said in this only like that they were both starke naught though both in contrarie kinds of Vices And albeit the Empresse Iulia had sought by all meanes to make peace betwixt them both formerly here in Britaine and now after their returne to Rome yet the desire of a sole Soueraignty had beene a long time so rooted in Bassianus his heart for which he had twice attempted his Fathers life and so much hasted his death that hee slew his Physitians because they had dispatched him no sooner could not indure an equall much lesse a confronter in authority and therefore in the Court and in the armes of the Empresse he slew her sonne Geta in a time least suspected when he had sate with him in state and disdaine the terme of one yeare and twenty two daies 4 And to cloake this fratricide with shew of constraint first to the Souldiers and then in the Senate he accuseth his Brother to haue sought his death and that in defence of his owne life he was forced to slay the other and flying to the Pretorian Cohorts for the safetie of his life as though further conspiracies had been intended against him in the City at his return commanded Papinianus the famous Ciuilian to excuse the murther in his Pleas at the Barre which when he refused hee caused him to bee slaine as also all those that had beene acquainted with Geta whereby so many of the Nobilitie perished that he was thereby accounted another Nero in Rome and by his fauorites the name of Geta was raced out of all monuments imperiall inscriptions as we haue seene some of thē defaced vpon some Altar stones found here in Brit. 5 Of nature he was subtile and could well dissemble with them whom hee feared and make shew of loue where hee deadly hated alwaies fitting himselfe to the humours of flatteries Among the Germans counterfetting their gate and garments In Greece be like Alexander bearing his necke somewhat awry In Troy would resemble Achilles alwaies so Camelion-like as the Romans his followers were therewith ashamed In a word Caracalla saith Dio neuer thought of doing good because as himselfe confessed he neuer knew any goodnes 6 And to fill vp the measure of all iniquitie as one regardlesse of humanity or shame he married Iulia his mother in law late wife to his owne Father a sinne saith S. Paul not to be named among the Gentiles and by Sext. Aur. Eutrop. and Spar. reported vpon this occasion It fortuned that Iulia in presence of Caracalla either by chance or of purpose rather let fall the vaile which she wore discouering thereby her naked breasts and beauty which was great whereat the Emperour casting his lasciuious eie and bewraying his affection presently said Were it not vnlawfull I should not be vnwilling to whom she replied without respect of modesty that all things were lawfull to him that made lawes for others but was subiect himselfe to none forgetting at once both the murther committed vpon Geta her sonne and the scandals that accompanied so foule a sinne the pleasure wherof they did not long enioy both their deaths by Gods vengeance soone after ensuing 7 For Caracalla remaining in Mesopotamia and carrying as it seemeth a guilty conscience and suspition of his life sent to Maternus whom hee had left Gouernour of Rome to assemble all the Astrologers Mathematicians vnto which learned imposters he alwaies gaue especiall credit and of them to enquire how long he should liue and by what death he should die Maternus hauing so done wrote for answere that Macrinus his Prefect of the Praetorium then with him in his expeditiōs went about to murther him Which is thought rather in enuy of Macrinus to haue beene fained then by any Astrologicall directions so giuen forth This letter and others comming to Caracalla his hand at such time as hee was busie about his disport he deliuered them to Macrinus to reade and giue him the report at his returne In perusall wherof finding himselfe to be accused of Treason and fearing lest by the sequell hee might bee brought into greater danger he incensed one Martial a Centurion whose brother the Emperour had lately slaine to murther him which was soone performed and occasion in the fields offred for Caracalla stepping aside from his traine to ease nature Martial as though he had beene called ran hastily in without hindrance or suspect and with his dagger stabbed him
strowed with Muske and Amber his Bed couered with Gold and Purple and beset with most costly Iewels his Way strewed with the Powder of Gold and Siluer his Vessels euen of basest vse all Gold his Lamps burning with no other Oile then the Balmes of India and Arabia his Fish-Ponds filled with no other water then of distilled Roses his Ships in his Naumachies or Ship-fights floted in a Riuer of Wine his Bathes most stately built and againe after they were once vsed presently pluckt downe his Plate of finest Gold but neuer serued twice to his Table his Rings and Iewels most rich yet neuer worne twice his Concubines many and chargeable but not one laine with twice his Diet so profuse that at euery supper in his Court was vsually spent a Thousand Pound Sterling inuiting the chiefe Citizens to a Feast hee strewed all the Roomes with Saffron as it were with Rushes saying That such Cattle were worthy of such costly Litter Neere the Sea with him no Fish was eaten in the Land no Flesh whole Meales made of the Tongues of singing Birds and Peacocks or of the Braines of most costly creatures alwaies saying That meat was not sauorie whose sauce was not costly And indeed so costly it was that the reuenewes of Germany France Britaine Spaine Italie Sicilia Graecia Asia Syria Aegypt Arabia and all the Ilands were not suffcient to defray the charges 4 In his Progresse six hundred Chariots followed him laden with Strumpets Boyes and Bawdes for whom he built a Stewes in his Court wherein himselfe in the attire of an Harlot made to them solemne and set Orations terming them therein his Fellow-Souldiers and Companions in Armes with Instructions for them how to practise with most varietie their filthy Luxuries In regard of which kinde of actions one doth make this doubt whether were greater his boundlesse Prodigalitie his stupendious Lecherie or his foppish Foolerie the last of which his Imperiall Vertues he gaue proofe of when he gathered in the City ten thousand waight of Spiders professing that thereby he vnderstood how great a City Rome was at another time ten thousand Mice and a thousand Wizels which hee brought forth in a publike shew to the people for some wise State-purpose like the former 5 In Rome he built a Temple consecrated to the Sunne like to that in Phoenicia whereof himselfe was Priest commanding the Christians therein to worship as also a Chatter-house for women to meet and determine of their Attires and brought into the Senate-house his mother Semiamira allowing her a Voice among the Senatòrs In modestie I forbeare to write the particulars of his vn-manly libidinous filthinesse adding only that which a iudicious Author speakes of him Kings saith he as they haue greater power to sinne then other men so haue they lesser safety in sinning then any man for being set aboue others in the eie of the World they are as Markes that are aimed at and lie open to the shute of Reuenge And so was the state of this Superlatiue Monster whose owne Conscience still stung him euen in the midst of his sweetest sinnes and therefore euer expecting some violent end hee prepared Silken Halters richly wrought to hang himselfe if need were and Golden Kniues to stab himselfe or cut his throat and built a goodly Tower of exceeding height adorned with Gemmes and Gold of inualuable cost that thence he might cast himselfe headlong hauing these words oft in his mouth That howeuer he died his death should be pretious in the eies of all men But he failed of his hope though not of his desert for against him the Praetorian Souldiers suddenlic arose no wrong offred them more then vnto others but out of a Iustice in God who repaieth sinne with sinne and suffreth not such outragious wicked ones to escape vnreuenged 6 These breaking into his Palace found him not in estate answerable to his calling but hidde for feare in a homely place suteable with his dirty conditions from whence with Acclamations thorow the streets of Rome more like a Dogge then a Man they dragged him with his mother saying The Bitch and her whelpe must goe together and after their furie spent threw their bodies into the Common Sinke of the City and thence into Tyber sinking them downe with great stones lest the carkases cast vp with the waues should either find buriall or infect the aire The Senate approuing all that was done decreed that his name should be obliterated out of all monuments in Rome and neuer any Antoninus a name before very gratious should rule againe their Empire so odious was the remembrance of this Image of Ignominy 7 He was aged but foureteene yeeres when hee became Emperour by Herodians computation he raigned sixe yeeres and died at twenty By Aurelius Victors he died at seuenteene raigned not fully three yeeres Eusebius saith that he raigned fully foure Onuphrius would haue him to liue eighteen yeeres to dy the 8 day of March Anno two hundred twenty three ALEXANDER SEVERVS CHAPTER XXVII BEfore the death of Heliogabalus his Cosin German Alexianus by the working of his mother Mammea was made his Caesar whose vertues daily increasing with his age gaue hopes to the better sort of some happier times by his meanes but so farre incensed Heliogabalus who hated nothing more then vertue and so dimmed his fame that he often assaied to take away his life by trechery But suruiuing him whom no man wished to liue he was with publicke blessings and vnspeakable ioy elected Emperour * his name they changed from Alexianus to Alexander and his surname giuen of old Seuerus 2 He was the sonne of one Varius a Syrian borne and of Mammea sister to Simiaâ—…ira though there are who say that both the sisters attending on their Aunt Iulia the Empresse were gotten with child by yong Caracalla and so he father of Alexianus howsoeuer he was brought vp in learning from his childhood hauing a naturall propension to all humane vertues and diuine pieties He was very skilfull in the Mathematicks Geometrie Musicke Caruing and Painting composed some Bookes also of Poetrie so great a louer of the liberall Arts that he allowed the professors thereof annuall stipends for their further encouragement and that which most is hee much fauoured the Christians from whom he tooke to himselfe examples of life and vrged their Precepts vnto others and this one especially NOT TO DO TO OTHERS WHAT WEE WOVLD NOT HAVE DONE TO VS Their Christ he honoured though as a Heathen man and would haue had him consecrated among the Romane Gods vnto whom he also was minded to haue built a Temple had not his Idol-Priests hindred the same but a place of their holy assemblies he allowed them by his Imperiall warrant for when certaine Vinteners or Victuallers laid claime to the place whereunto the Christians resorted to pray he thus decided it That it was much fitter that God
foot of Maiestie no man attempting higher to mount The souldiors sent to the Senate to designe the man whom they best liked the Senate requested the souldiers to elect him whom they held worthiest in which respectiue complements and most kinde correspondencie of all parts eight moneths passed with a peaceable Interregnum as writers report 2 It seemeth the fresh sense and fearefull experiences of the former heady proceedings made men more wise then to seeke their owne deaths and especially the Generals to be better aduised then to runne desperately vpon their owne destructions A change vncredible that Thirtie ere whiles would needs be stiled Emperours among the tumultuous Souldiours though they were sure to buy the vse of that name with their dearest bloud and not one now in peace could bee found either hasty to seeke it or verie willing to accept it 3 At last both Senate and Souldiours hauing in their eye M. Claudius Tacitus a man very Noble and of Consular degree of great age singular learning long experience in Magistracie him by a ioint and conspiring suffrage they all elected to their Empire but he hauing before hand some inkling of this their purpose got him out of the way liuing very secretly two moneths at his Rurall Mannor flying saith Vopiscus that high dignity which he fore-saw would proue his ouerthrow And when they did by Embassages often sollicite him to accept of their Election sending him the Ensignes and Stile of Augustus hee againe returned them though with harty thanks yet absolute deniall alledging by reason of his age and infirmitie that hee was euery way vnable to discharge their so great expectations 4 But after much inter-course and many intreaties passed at length the necessitie of the State so requiring he accepted their offer though not with much contentment to himself who knew the waight of so great titles would proue heauy alwaies dangerous for him to beare but with vnspeakeable ioy was receiued by the whole State which promised all blessed hopes to the state vnder so worthy so wise so vertuous learned and so iust an Emperour 5 For as before his aduancement he was of Exemplary composednes and vertuous disposition so in this high Estate his life was temperate and without al pride so desirous to be a Preceder of moderation singularity vnto others as that he would not permit his Empresse to weare any Iewels of high price nor to vse other customable superfluitie or excesse in his owne house For learning and learned men whom he euer embraced in his priuate Estate he now by all meanes endeuored to honour and aduance and publikely professed that what Imperiall vertues hee had hee was to ascribe them to his study of good letters For which cause hee was wont to call Cornelius Tacitus that worthiest Historian of the Romans State his Father and commanded his workes to be carefully preserued in euery Library throughout the Empire and ten times euery yeare to be transcribed on publique cost All which notwithstanding many of that worthy Authours Bookes haue since miscaried 6 But his vertues were too great for the world long to enioy and sith his Raigne was but short it is bootelesse to lengthen it with long discourses For his Peace continued without any memory of Warres and his short time wherein hee did nothing without consent of the Senate was spent rather reforming other mens vices and abuses of the Lawes and State then in displaying his owne vertues which doubtlesse if their faire streame had not beene vntimely stopt would haue proued incomparable to any his fore-goers and vnmatchable by any his followers What death hee died is left vncertaine Eutropius thinketh him slaine by his rebellious souldiers in Asia vpon his voiage against the Persians but Victor reporteth that hee died a naturall death and that of a burning-feuer in the citie of Tharsus And Flauius Vopiscus who wrote his life â—…ith his death came vpon a surcharge of griefe by reason of factions whereby the infirmitie of his age thereto helping his vnderstanding was crazed and his heart broken whereof hee died when he had raigned six moneths and twenty daies the yeare of Christ Iesus one hundred seuentie six M. ANNIVS FLORIANVS CHAPTER XLI NO sooner was the death of Tacitus diuulged but his brother Florianus much vnlike him in that point tooke vpon him the Name and Authoritie Imperiall without expecting any election either of Senate or Souldiers and therfore not likely long to stand sure And although in all other princely parts hee was not much vnlike his brother yet hauing so great an Opposite as Probus was on whom the Easterne Armie had conferred the same Title the blossomes of his conceited hope withered euen in the budde and perished before they had any time of growth 2 For no sooner came to his eares the newes of Probus his election but he found that heady and precipitate attempts were pleasing in their Beginnings but full of difficulties in their Proceedings and most disastrous in their Successe and therefore despairing both of Men and Meanes to raise the Building whose foundation he had so hastily but too weakly laid he caused his owne veines to be cut as Quintilius before him in like case had done whereby he boldly bled to death after hee had enioyed a Titular Soueraigntie only eightie daies saith Eutropius but Vopiscus saith not altogether two moneths and thinkes him killed by the Souldiers in the Citie Tharsus likewise in the yeere of Christ two hundred seuenty and seuen M. AVREL. VALER PROBVS CHAPTER XLII THE Easterne Armie most potent and famous at the death of Tacitus from them was expected the new Emperours election which accordinglie they did but with much more wisedome and deliberate circumspection then the Souldiers of those times were accustomed to doe For euery Captaine of the Armie singled out his owne Companies and in seuerall Assemblies exhorted that all affections laid aside they would applie their mindes to thinke of the worthiest man on whom they might conferre their voices and fauours At which time the opinion of Probus his worth had so generally possessed the hearts of all men that the shout and crie of all was vniforme Let vs haue Probus for our Emperour This being signified to Rome the Senate with applause and thankes approoued and confirmed his Election with additions to his Title Augustus The Father of his Countrey and the highest Bishop For in those times euen amongst Heathens the sacred Title of a Bishop was accounted an additament of honour euen to an Emperour 2 He was borne in Hungarie in the Citie Sirmiâ—… of honourable Parentage especially by his mothers side His fathers name was Maximus a man famous in Militarie Seruice who died Tribune at the warres in Egypt and himselfe very young but very valorous by the Emperor Valerianus who so loued him for his vertues that he vsed to say of him
of Ecclesiasticall Writers And yet both Iewes and Gentiles termed her by way of ignominie and reproch Stabularia because shee a most godly Princesse sought out the Cribbe or Manger where Christ was borne and in that place where stood that Hostelry founded a Church for which cause she was by the Enemies of Christian Religion called an Hostesse and because such are commonly kind to their Guests a Concubine also For whose defense let the Funerall Oration of Ambrose made vpon the death of Theodosius answer wherein hee doth rather commend her humilitie then affirme any such base Offices in contempt of her person They say that this Lady was at first an Inne-holder or Hostesse c. Well saith he this good Hostesse Helena hasted to Ierusalem and sought out the place of our Lords Passion and made diligent search for the Lords Cribbe This good Hostesse was not ignorant of that Guest which cured the way-faring mans hurts that was wounded by Theeues This good Hostesse chose to be reputed a Stable-sweeper that she might thereby gaine Christ. And verily she was the moouer and only worker of her husbands conuersion who casting off all superstitious worships willingly acknowledged the onely all-ruling God suffering the Christians that had beene hidde in Caues and Dennes now to exercise their Deuotions publikely and both to reedifie the old ruinate Churches and to erect new 9 Of the like Pietie wee reade in a Queene of the like name Helena Queene of Adiabena commended by Iosephus that was a Conuert to the Iewish Religion who comming to Ierusalem to visit the Temple in time of a greeuous Famine which happened in the daies of Claudius sent to Alexandria for great quantity of Corne and for Dried Figges from Cyprus which shee very charitably bestowed vpon the poore And about three stades or furlongs off from Ierusalem built a Sepulcher with three Pyramides wherein her selfe and her two sonnes both Kings were afterwards interred But to proceed 10 Constantius being heere in Britaine and lately returned from his Expedition made against the Caledonians and Picts fell sicke in the City of Yorke where the Imperiall Throne of his residence was set At which very time Constantine his sonne escaping the hands of Gallerius with whom hee had beene left hostage hasted from Rome hauing belaid all the way with Post-horses for the purpose and left them houghed for feare of pursuit came with all speed to Yorke and to his fathers presence who so much ioied at his sight that he sate himselfe vpright vpon his Bed and in the presence of his Counsellors spake as followeth 11 It now sufficeth and death is not fearfull seeing I shall leaue my vnaccomplished actions to be performed in thee my Sonne in whose person I doubt not but that my Memoriall shal be retained as in a Monument of succeeding fame What I had intended but by this my fatall period left vndone see thou performe let those fruits bee ripened in thee the Branch that I thy Stocke from a vertuous intent haue had ingraffed alwaies in me that is gouerne thy Empire with an vpright Iustice protect the Innocent from the Tyrannie of Oppressours and wipe away all teares from the eies of the Christians for therein aboue all other things I haue accounted my selfe the most happy To thee therefore I leaue my Diademe and their Defense taking my Faults with mee to my Graue there to be buried in euerlasting obliuion but leauing my Vertues if euer I had any to reuiue and liue in thee With conclusion of which vertuous counsell hee tooke his last farewell of his sonne his friends and his life after he had sate Caesar sixteene yeeres and Emperour two as Eusebius accounteth and died the fiue and twentieth day of Iuly the yeere of our Sauiour three hundred and six and of his owne age fifty six FLA. VALERIVS CONSTANTINVS MAXIMVS CA. VALERIVS LICINIVS LICINIANVS CHAPTER XLVI THE Father thus departing both gloriously and peaceably in the presence of his Son and sage counsellers the griefe in the losse of the Sire was no greater then was the ioy conceiued that they had gained the sonne for his Successour all men reioicing at the good fortune of that iourney wherein hee came to close the eies of his dying father and to comfort the sorrow of his mournefull Countrey-men For forthwith heere in Britaine by acclamation of the people assistance of the Souldiers and aduice of Erocus King of the Almans who by the way had accompanied him hither in his flight from Rome they proclaimed him at all hands Emperour and Successour to all that part of the world which his father held This election was ioifully ratified by the Senate and of all other Prouinces so gladly accepted that they accounted this Iland most happie of all other whose chance was first to see him their Caesar as in these words of the Panegyrist is seene O fortunate Britaine and more happie then all other Lands that hast the first sight of Constantine Caesar. 3 Maxentius the sonne of Maximianus Herculius who at the death of Constantius was proclaimed Augustus by the tumultuous Praetorian Souldiers at Rome and Romulus his sonne whose face wee haue heere with his fathers from both their monies expressed was created his Caesar the way to that Seat of Maiestie whereunto hee had too hastily and most vnduly climed for now this Vsurper by his Necromancies Adulteries Persecutions and Murders was growne so vntolerable and odious that the Senate sent to Constantine crauing his aid and redresse who sore lamenting the sores of the Empire and the case of the Christians first wrote but that taking no effect prepared his forces against Maxentius Maximianus the father either in true zeale or fained pretence which by the sequell is more probable tooke great offense at his sonne Maxentius vnsufferable outragiousnesse and vnder colour of dislikes and redresse repaired to his sonne in Law Constantine whose daughter Fausta hee had maried and notwithstanding his faire pretences before the face of Constantine yet secretly he tampered with Fausta to make away her husband But the good Lady well knowing that the bond of a childe is great but greater the loue of a wife reuealed his treacherie to Constantine who caused him therupon to be put to death a fit end for so bloudy a Tyrant And ripe was the like destiny for his no-way-degenerating sonne against whom hee prepared his forces and drawing Licinius Gouernour of Sclauonia who was made Caesar to his side by giuing him his sister Constantia to wife a man but of an ordinarie descent though Gallienus Maximinus had made him in Illyrica his Copartner in the East hasted towards Rome with an Host of ninety thousand foot and eight thousand horse leuied out of Britaine France and Germanie 4 But knowing well that successe in warre dependeth more in diuine assistance then humane strength yet doubtfull what God hâ—… should in this blessed enterprise
their deliuerance and therein sped so well that the Souldiers by constraint as Oresius saith forced him to assume the Imperiall Stile and Purple Robe And so hasting into Gallia with all the flower and strength well neer of the Britaines forces arriued in the mouth of Rhene vnto whom also the Germans Army ioyned and now accounting himselfe an absolute Monarch admitted Victor his sonne then Caesar to be partner of his Empire whose Stampe therefore with his father we haue here annexed 6 Thus Maximus establishing his throne at Triers Spread his wings saith Gyldas the one into Spaine the other into Italy and with the terror of his Name leuied Tributes and Pensions for Souldiers pay of the most fell and sauage Germans Against him Gracianus made his power but after fiue daies skirmishings was forsaken of his own Souldiers and so put to flight And now deiected and destitute of meanes to maintaine his quarrell hee sent Ambrose a great Doctor of the Church his Ambassador vnto Maximus to intreat for Peace which in outward shew was granted but was farre otherwise intended as the sequell proued For seeking his death he did shortly after effect it in this wise He caused Letters and reports to be giuen vnto Gracian that his Empresse was in iourny to visit him and withall sent forth a Carroche stuffed with Souldiers and with them a desperate Captaine named Andragathius Gracian greatly reioycing for his Wifes approach prepared himselfe to meet Her accordingly and opening the Litter thinking to imbrace his Empresse was by these Ruffins treacherously murthered neere vnto Lyons when he had raigned fifteene yeeres and liued twentie nine Valentinian with his Mother Iustina fearing the like conspiracies became supplicants vnto Theodosius in the East against Maximus 7 He therefore preparing his forces marched as farre as Aquileta in Lombardie where Maximus remained both confident and secure For hauing fortified the straits of the Mountaines with sufficient Garrisons and dammed the Hauens with strength of Ships himselfe and assisters with great boldnesse proceeded against Theodosius and gaue him a battell before the Citie Syscia in Pannonia and againe most valiantly receiued him in another vnder the leading of his brother Marcellus but in both of them was ouer-come From this last he secretly retired vnto Aquileia where of his owne Souldiers he was betraied and deliuered to Theodosius his pursuer and by him to the Executioner to be beheaded of which his vnfortunate but deserued end the famous Bishop Martinus Turonensis being in Britaine did foretell him long before Andragathius also the Murtherer of Gracian whose state was now desperate cast himselfe headlong into the Sea and made an end of his wicked life Vector the sonne of Maximus made his Caesar in France as we haue said was defeated taken Prisoner slaine This Victory was held so worthy and memorable that the Romans from thence forward solemnized that day euery yeere as festiuall saith Procopius 8 But these Britaines that had assisted Maximus as by Writers is recorded did foribly inuade Armorica and there planted themselues From whence saith Beda the Britaines first arriued into this Iland But surely himselfe is either greatly mistaken or else we mistake him altogether and that rather for that by Caesar those Coasts that lie vpon the Sea shoares are called Armorica and there the Celtes seated being the Originall of our Inhabitants as is holden and so from thēce they might spread themselues further into these British Ilands long before it receiued the name of Little Britaine The like troubles fell to other Prouinces at the same time by the intestine Warres of the Empire for the Gaules were molested by the Frankes Spaine by the Sueuians and Africk by the Vandals the East parts by the Heruli Ostroges and Hunnes Italy by the Lombards and shortly after by the Gothes 9 These troubles in the Prouinces caused the Emperors to call home their Armies with Aides of their Allies all too little to support their own declining Estates which now beganne to end of it selfe and these Emperors raignes to be cut off by their vntimely deaths But to returne into the path of our History from whence by the intangled occasions of these foure Emperours raigning together we haue wandred let vs remember what occurrents happened vpon the death of Maximus the Tyrant and hasten to end the greatnesse of the Empire which in most Prouinces began to end of it selfe For Valentinian being rid of his feares vnto which he had beene subiect and Theodosius of his Collegue vnto whom hee was enforced great hope was conceiued of a flourishing Estate but it brought foorth onely the remaines of their downefall for the one returning to Constantinople in great Triumph liued not long after and the other left peaceably in the Westerne World was as you shall heare soone made away by Conspiracie 10 Valentinian remaining at Vienna in France free from Hostile Enemies retained in his Court those that sought his life whereof Arbogastes a Captaine of a haughty stomacke politicke aduenturous and of great power but withall of a base Parentage a stranger and an Infidell was one Eugenius a Grammarian but now bearing Armes and of great account was another These corrupting his Chamberlaines compounded for his death which they as wickedly performed by strangling him in his bedde giuing it forth that the Emperour had hanged himselfe which was so confidently auouched that Prosperus in his Addition to Eusebius writing his death saith that it was acted by himselfe after hee had liued twenty six and raigned sixteene yeeres being strangled in the yeere of Grace three hundred eighty foure FLAVIVS THEODOSIVS CHAPTER LII WE haue declared in the life of the last preceding Emperour the Birth and Fortunes Warres and Victories of this most worthie Theodosius vntill the death of Maximus the Britaine for so most writers terme him and now onely remaine his latter Acts in Warre and Peace to bee further related 2 This Emperour returning from Aquileia in Lombardie vnto Constantinople in the East long time there staied not but was drawne againe into the West both to reuenge the death of Valentinian his Fellow-Emperour so trecherously strangled and also to oppose the proceedings of Eugenius whose Coine wee haue heere expressed being one of the Murderers then vsurping that portion of the Empire sided by Arbogastes the other 3 Theodosius marching with his forces towards the Confines of Italie found the passages stopped at the foot of the Alps and his Enemies powers farre surmounting his Therefore a while to deliberate on these businesses hee pitched his Tents and there staied In the meane time Eugenius and Arbogastes his associate had forelaid the Countrey and hemmed him about in such a strait that no victuals could bee brought vnto his Campe. 4 No meanes being now left but either to cleere the passages or bee ouerthrowne hee first became supplicant with Fastings and Teares vnto his God
Kent in the same yeere that Cheaulin was whom he discomfited and slew his two Captaines Duke Oslaue and Duke Cnebba at * Wibbandune as we haue said Other Victories he obtained ouer the Britaines both at Bedford Deorham Glocester Cirencester and Bathancester But the fortunes of warres being alwaies variable at length his successe altered and at VVannes ditche in VViltshire he was ouerthrowne and dispossessed of his kingdome by Cealrik his brother Cuthwolfs sonne when he had raigned thirty three yeeres Hee had issue Cuth and Cuthwin the former serued valiantly in the warres vnder his father at Wimbledon in Surrey where King Ethelbert of Kent was chased and his souldiers slaine and with the like valour and victorie hee fought at Fethanleygh against the Britaines notwithstanding that therein he lost his life the yeere of our Lord 585. and the fiue and twentieth of his fathers raigne Cuthwin his younger brother suruiued his father but succeeded not in his Kingdome being then by reason of his young yeeres vnable to recouer his right He had two sonnes Kenbald and Cuth the latter of which was father to Chelwald whose son Kenred had issue Ine the eleuenth King of the West-Saxons and Ingils his brother whose sonne was Eoppa the father of Easa whose sonne was Alkenmud the father of Egbert the eighteenth King of the West-Saxons who reduced the Saxons diuided Heptarchie into an absolute Monarchie CEarlik the sonne of Cuthwolfe who was brother to this last King succeeded in the kingdome by the eiection of his Vncle and was the fourth King of the West-Saxons He began his raigne in the yeere of our Redemption 592. and continued it the terme of six yeeres without any memorable act by him atchieued besides his Treason spoken of before CHelwolfe the sonne of Cuth the sonne of Kenrik and Cosen-german to Cearlik the preceding King began his raigne ouer the West-Saxons the yeere 598. on whose first entrance this prouince of the West-Saxons was inuaded both by the Britaines and also by the Scots and Picts and the East-Angles likewise molested his peace vnder the conduct of Redwald at that time Monarch of the Englishmen But hee wading thorow these troubles harried the Prouince of the South-Saxons with inuasions and calamities in the prosecution whereof he died leauing the pursuit of his warres and possession of his kingdome to Kingils his Nephew that immediately succeeded him after he had raigned the space of fourteene yeeres KIngils the Sonne of Chel who was Brother to King Chelwolfe succeeding his Vncle in the kingdome of the VVest-Saxons in the yeere six hundred and twelue in his third yeere associated vnto him in his Gouernment Quinchelme his Sonne who ioyntly managed the West-Saxons affaires both of warre and peace And fighting with victorie against the Britaines at Beandune they there slew of them one thousand forty six persons and after that against Penda King of Mercia neere vnto Cirencester about the fift yeere of his raigne where lastly they came to a conclusion of peace This King at the preaching of Berinus an Italian Diuine afterward reputed for a Saint and by the perswasions of Oswald the most Christian King of Northumberland who was a suiter to become his Son in Law by the mariage of Kineburg his daughter and was made his Godfather by receiuing him at the Font receiued the Word of Life and became the first Christian King of all the West-Saxons in witnesse whereof he gaue the City Dorchester neere vnto Oxford to his Conuerter who therein erected his Episcopall Sea He raigned the space of thirty one yeeres some say but seuen and twenty and had issue besides Quinchelinus who raigned with him and died before him Kenwin and Kenwald that succeeded him and Kineburg his Daughter married to Oswald as is said Quinchelinus had a Sonne named Cuthred that was baptized with his Father at Dorchester and is said by Stowe to haue raigned after the death of Kingils but I take it rather to be Kenwen whom some suppose to be his Fathers Associate the terme of foure yeeres but neuer sole King himselfe KEnwald whom Beda calleth Senwalch succeded his Father Kingils in the kingdome of the West-Saxons His beginnings by Matthew of VVestminster are compared to be with the worst and his endings with the best of those Kings At his first entrance he fought with victorie against the Britaines at 〈◊〉 whereof he became most insolent and refused not onely to receiue the Christian Faith but also put from him his lawfull wife Sexburg the sister of Penda King of Mercia whereby hee became hatefull to his owne Subiects and sore assaulted by the Mercian King who followed the reuenge so farre that he forced Kenwald out of his kingdome who being driuen to extremity sought succour at the mercie of Anna the Christian King of the East-Angles where he was both courteouslie entertained and at last wonne to the Christian Faith was baptized by Bishop Foelix whereupon hee did recall his wife according to prescript of Christianitie and recouered againe his former Maiestie which he much aduanced by his pious workes He founded the Cathedrall of Winchester and the Abby of Malmesburie and when he had raigned thirty one yeeres gaue place vnto nature in the yeere 673. leauing no issue of his body to succeede him whereupon Segburg his wife tooke vpon her the gouernment of the West-Saxons the same yeere that Lothair was made King of Kent shee being a woman of great spirit and vnderstanding and sufficiently worthy to haue managed the Kingdome had she not beene preuented by death or rather as some write by a religious deuotion that the affaires of this present life might not hinder her zealous meditations of the future in desire whereof she abandoned her Regencie and built a house of deuotion in the I le of Shepey wherein her selfe became a Vowesse and afterward was elected the Abbesse of Elie. ESkwin after the departure of Queene Segburg succeeded in the kingdome of the West-Saxons Hee was the sonne of Kensy the sonne of Kenfrid the sonne of Cuthgils the sonne of Chelwolfe the sonne of Cherdik the first King of that Prouince his raigne lasted but two yeeres in which time he fought a great Battle with Wulfere King of the Mercians at the place then called Bidanheaford and wherein many of the Saxons on both sides perished leauing neither issue to succeede him nor other matters to be spoken of him though as it seemeth hee had dispossessed Kenwin who had more right to the Crowne then himselfe or as Beda and Malmesbury auerre he raigned with him the space of two yeeres and Kenwin alone for seuen yeeres more KEnwin the brother of Kenwald and sonne to King Kingils in the yeere 677. became the ninth King of the West-Saxons and raigned the space of nine yeeres Hee was a great scourge vnto the weake and ouer-borne Britaines making Conquests of their
the third sonne of King Penda in the nonage of yong Kenred the sonne of Vulfhere who in his tender yeeres rather desired a priuate life then any publike authority in the Common-weale succeeded his brother both in the Kingdome of Mercia and Monarchy of the Englishmen But when hee had raigned thirty yeeres gaue ouer the Crowne to his Nephew the said Kenred and became a Monke in the Monastery of Bradney in Lincolne-shire where hee died Anno 716. His Wife was Osfryde Daughter to Oswyn King of Northumberland and issue Chelred that succeeded Kenred in the Mercian kingdome KEnred the sonne of Vulfhere his Vncle Ethelred changing his Princely Crown for a Monks Coule beganne his Raigne ouer the Mercians and his Monarchy ouer the English Anno 704. wherein he raigned the space of foure yeeres and then with like deuotion of those times addicted to an easie and quiet Religion abandoned both Crowne and Country and went to Rome where of Pope Constantine hee receiued the tonsure and habit of a Monke at the Apostles Tombes and entring a Monastery therein spent other foure yeeres of his life to the day of his death which was Anno 708. hauing had neither wife nor issue to reuiue his name or to rule his kingdome CHelred receiuing the resignation of Kenred his Cosin-german when he went to Rome and of sufficient yeeres and discretion to haue succeeded Ethelred his Father what time the said Kenred was ordained King raigned with great valour ouer the Mercians and was likewise Monarch ouer the Englishmen His peace was disquieted by Inas his West-Saxons who for seuen yeeres continuance inuaded his kingdome His Wife was Wereburge saith Marianus and Florentius the Monke who ascribe to her a long life and to die without Childten This Chelred raigned the space of eight yeeres and died the yeere of grace seuen hundred and fifteenth whose body was buried in the Cathedrall Church of Lechfeild EThelbald after the death of Chelred was made King of the Mercians and Monarch of the English the yeere of Christs Incarnation seuen hundred sixteene He was a Prince giuen to peace but withall a most lasciuious Adulterer insomuch that Boniface Archbishop of Mentz wrote his Epistle vnto him in reprehension of the same which tooke such effect that in repentance of his foule facts hee founded the Monasterie of Crowland driuing in mighty Piles of Oake into that moorish ground whereon hee laid a great and goodly building of stone He was the son of Aâ—…wr the elder sonne of Eoppa the second sonne of King Wibba the brother of King Penda and raigned fortie two yeeres in the end whereof he was slaine in a battell fought against Cuthred King of the West-Saxons at Secondone three miles from Tamworth the yeere of Christ seuen hundred fiftie fiue and was buried at Repton in Darby-shire hauing had neither Wife nor Children OFfa slaying Bernred the murtherer of King Ethelbald entred vpon the gouernment of the Mercians and the Monarchy of the Saxons An. 758. He inlarged his dominion vpon the Britaines ouercame the Kentish in a battell put to flight the Northumbrians and vanquished the West-Saxons the East-Angles also he seised vpon after he had murthered Ethelbert their King He raigned thirty nine yeeres and died at Ofley the nine and twenty day of Iuly the yeere of our Lord seuen hundred ninetie foure and was buried without the Town of Bedford in a Chapell now swallowed vp by the Riuer Owse He was the son of Thingfryd the sonne of Eanulfe whose Father Osmund was the sonne of Eoppa the brother of King Penda and son of King Wibba whose Father was Crida the first King of the Mercians His Wife was Quendred and children many of whom and of them we will further speake when we come to the time of his Monarchy EGfryde the sonne of great Offa was by him made King at his returne from Rome being the only ioy of his parents and heire apparant to the Saxons Monarchy vpon which he entred the day after his fathers death and liued himselfe but a hundred and fortie daies after deceasing the seuenteenth of December in the yeere of our Lord God seuen hundred ninety six hauing had neither wife nor issue that wee reade of and his body honourably interred in the Church of the Monasterie of Saint Albanes founded by Offa. KEnwolfe the cosen a farre off to King Egfrid deceased and both of them remooued in bloud no lesse then six descents from Wibba the second Mercian King was the sonne of Cuthbert as the Monke of Worcester deriues him the sonne of Bassa the sonne of Kenrowe the sonne of Kentwin the sonne of Kenwalk the sonne of Wibba aforesaid and succeeded King Egfryd in his Dominions But of this Mercian Monarch more shall be written in the succession and time of that his gouernment Hee raigned two and twentie yeeres and deceased the yeere of our Lord eight hundred and nineteene and his bodie interred in the Monasterie of Winchcombe in the Countie of Glocester being of his owne foundation His wife was Queene Elfryde the daughter as some suppose of Offa who had beene betrothed to Ethelbert King of the East-Angles slaine by her father by whom he had issue Kenelm Quendred and Burgemhild of whom more followeth KEnelm the sonne of King Kenwolfe a childe of seuen yeeres old succeeded in the Kingdome of Mercia but not in the Monarchie as his fathers had done Egbert the West-Saxon at that time being grown great in his fortunes This young King Kenelm raigned only fiue moneths and then by the ambitious desire of Quendrid his sister who seeking the gouernment by the shedding of his guiltlesse bloud instigated one Askbert his Instructor by promises of great preferments and rich rewards to make him away who only stood as she thought in her way to the Crowne This wicked practise was foorth with as impiously performed for hauing him foorth vnder pretence of hunting he slew the innocent King whose vertuous inclination promised great hopes and whose harmlesse yeeres had not attained to any worldly guile His bodie hee secretly buried vnder a bush and if we will beleeue the Golden Legend where his life is described was thus found out A white Doue which belike had seene the deed done and had got it ingrossed in a scrole of parchment posted therewith to S. Peter in Rome and vpon the High Altar laid it to bee read where in the Saxon characters thus it was found In Clenc kon baâ—… Kenelme Kinbaâ—…ne lieâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is At Clenc in a Cow pasture Kenelme the Kings childe lieth beheaded vnder a thorne But most true it is that an obscure sepulcher the body had at the first and howsoeuer found out was afterwards with great honour and ceremonie translated to the Monasterie of Winchcombe which his father had founded The murderesse Quendrid
thongs out of other mens Leather his Conquests of thirty Kingdomes and killing of Denabus the huge Spanish Giant his combat with Frolo Gouernor of France and with Lucius Hiberus the Roman Legate whose slaine body hee sent to the Senate for the tribute of Britaine by them demanded seeing that others before mee farre more ripâ—… Historians haue made both doubts and obiections against them And therefore I conclude with this Arthur as Saint Augustine with the Athenians whose men saith he were euer greater in fame then in deeds And with Ninius will end with his saying Arthurus puâ—…a bat contra illos in diebus illis licet multi ipso noâ—…res essent ipse tamen duodecies Dux belli fuit Victorque bellorum Arthur made warre against them in those daies and though many were more noble then be yet was hee twelue times Generall in the Field and returned Conquerour But more constant is the memorie of his death and place of his buriall both which are reported vpon warrantable credit for Mordred the sonne of Lotho whereof wee haue spoken affecting the Crown vpon a pretence of right from King Vter and supposed bastardise of Arthur gaue many attempts through the aid of his Picts and assistance of the Saxons to dispossesse him of that wherein he was seated and lastly at Kamblan or Cambula in Cornwall saith Leland this British Hector encountring Mordred slew him out-right and receiued of him his owne deaths wound The witnesse of this Field as yet are those peeces of Armour horse-harnesse and other habiliments of Warre which are daily digged vp in tillage of the ground vnlesse those reliques of Battle be the seales of that fight which Marianus writeth to haue beene in this place betwixt the Britaines and Saxons in the yeere of our Lord eight hundred and twenty If then it bee true that Arthur heere died this place we may say seemeth to be consecrated vnto Mars for Tindagell Castle standing hard by first brought into the world this glorious Prince for one of her nine Worthies and Cambula againe receiued his last bloud But from this place he was carried vnto Glastenburie in Somerset-shire where he died the one and twentieth of May in the yeere of our Saluation fiue hundred forty and two after he had most victoriously raigned twenty six yeeres His body was there buried and six hundred yeeres after was taken vp and found vpon this occasion When Henry the second and first Plantagenet had swaied the English Scepter to the last of his raigne it chanced him at Pembrooke to heare sung to the Harpe certaine Ditties of the worthy exploits and acts of this Arthur by a Welsh Bard as they were termed whose custome was to record and sing at their Feasts the noble deeds of their Ancestours wherein mention was made of his death and place of buriall designing it to be in the Church-yard of Glastenburie and that betwixt two Pyramides therein standing whereupon King Henry caused the ground to be digged and at seuen foot depth was found a huge broad stone wherein a leadden Crosse was fastned and in that side that lay downeward in rude and barbarous letters as rudely set and contriued this inscription written vpon that side of the Lead that was towards the stone HIC IACET SEPVLTVS REX ARTVRIVS IN INSVLA AVALONIA Heere lieth King Arthur buried in the I le of Aualonia And digging nine foot deeper his body was found in the trunke of a Tree the bones of great bignesse and in his scull perceiued ten wounds the last very great and plainely seene His Queene Guineuer that had beene neere kinswoman to Cador Duke of Cornwall a Lady of passing beautie lay likewise by him whose tresses of haire finely platted and in colour like the gold seemed perfect and whole vntill it was touched but then bewraying what all beauties are shewed it selfe to be dust Giraldus Cambrensis a worthy Author and an eie-witnesse is the reporter of this finding of Arthurs bones and the Crosse of Lead with the Inscription as it was found and taken off the stone was kept in the Treasurie or Reuester of Glastenburie Church saith Stowe till the suppression thereof in the raigne of King Henry the eight whose forme and rude letters we haue here expressed to thy sight The bones of King Arthur and of Queene Guineuar his wife by the direction of Henry de Bloys Nephew to King Henry the second and Abbat of Glastenbury at that present were translated into the great new Church and there in a faire Tombe of Marble his body was laid and his Queenes at his feet which noble Monument among the fatall ouerthrowes of infinite more was altogether raced at the dispose of some then in Commission whose too forward zeale and ouer hastie actions in these behalfes hath left vnto vs a want of many truths and cause to wish that some of their imployments had bin better spent CONSTANTINE 6. Constantine the sonne of Cador Duke of Cornwall and cosen to King Arthur by his alliance in mariage at his death was appointed by him to succeed in his Dominions and most ioifully receiued of the Commons as the man in the opinion of this worthy elector and themselues accounted most fit to defend the Land from the many oppressions of the Saxons who now beganne to spreade the wing as farre as to Tyne in the North and to set downe the limits of their seuerall Kingdomes which notwithstanding these strangers daily enlarged vpon the home-bred Inhabitants the ciuill warres of the Britaine 's giuing way to the same and that not onely among themselues but by the Picts also in the behalfe of the two sonnes of Mordred that sought to dispossesse him of the Crown In which quarrel many battles were fought but with such successe to the attemptors that these two Competitors were forced for refuge into London and Winchester whither Constantine pursued them they taking Sanctuarie in the Churches and not farre from the Altars he slew them for which deede the Priest Gyldas that flourished in those daies in his inuectiue reprehensions thus writeth Britaine hath Kings saith hee but they are Tyrants Iudges it hath but they are wicked pilling and harming the innocent people reuenging and defending but whom Such as be guilty and robbers They haue many wiues yet breake they wedlocke many times swearing yet periure themselues vowing but for the most part with dissembling lies warring but stillmaintaining vniust and ciuill broiles abroad pursuing theeues and yet at home cherish them euen at their owne Tables and sometimes also reward them They giue large almes indeed yet heape they vp sinnes high as the Mountaine They sit in the Seat of sentence yet seldome seeke the rule of right iudgement despising the humble and innocent persons and extolling vp to Heauen proud and bloudie Murderers Theeues and Adulterers yea and if he would permit them the very enemies of God Many they keepe in prison
West-Saxon he made his Kingdome subiect to a Tribute then called Peter-pence afterwards Rom-Scot besides other rich gifts that he gaue to Pope Hadrian for canonizing Albane a Saint in honour of whom and in repentance of his sinnes at his returne ouer against Verolanium in the place then called Holmehurst where that Protomartyr of Britaine for the constant profession of Christ lost his head Offa built a magnificke Monastery in Anno 795. indowing it with lands and rich reuenewes for the maintenance of an hundred Monks vpon the first gate of entrance in stone standeth cut a Salteir Argent in a field azure is assigned by the iudicious in Heraldry to bee the Armes that he bare 12 Also in testimony of his repentance for the bloud hee had spilt he gaue the tenth part of all his goods vnto the Churchmen and vnto the poore At Bathe he also built another Monastery and in Warwickshire a Church where the adioyning towne from it and him beareth the name Off-church 13 Finally when hee had raigned thirty nine yeares he died in peace at his towne Off-ley the nine and twentieth of Iuly the yeare of Christ Iesus seuen hundred ninety foure and with great solemnity his body was buried without the towne of Bedford in a Chapell standing vpon the Banke of Owse which long since was swallowed vp by the same riuer whose Tombe of lead as it were some phantasticall thing appeareth often saith Rouse to them that seek it not but to them that seeke it is altogether inunible His wife 14 Quendrid the wife of King Offa hath not her parentage set down by any of our Writers notwithstanding the recorder of this his life saith that her name was Drida and that shee was the kinswoman to Charles the Great King of France and by him for some offence banished his Realme who arriuing vpon the coasts of England in a ship without tackle was taken thence and relieued by Offa being then a young Nobleman where shee changed her name vnto Petronilla with whom hee fell so farre in loue that hee made her his wife contrary to the liking of his Parents She was a woman of condition ambitious couetous and cruell as appeared specially in the death of Ethelbert King of the East Angles that came to her husbands Court to marry their daughter whose port shee so much enuied that shee procured him to bee treacherously murdered the manner the foresaid Author declared to be by his fall into a deepe pit purposely made in his bed-chamber and vnder his chaire of estate That his head was cut off and found by a blind-man that the well which beares his name sprung vp presently in the place where it lay that the bloud thereof gaue the blind man his sight and that Dryda died in the same pit which she had digged for Ethelbert I leaue to the credite of my author and the liking of my Reader but certaine it is that Gods vengeance followed this heynous fact within one yeare after the same was committed by the death of her selfe her husband her Sonne and the translation of that Kingdome from the Mercians to the West-Saxons An ancient Saxon coine inscribed with her name CENEDRED REGIN we haue found and here placed which the iudicious suppose to be hers and that not vnlikely shee being so powerfull proud and ambitious His Issue 15 Egfrid the onely sonne and heire apparant of King Offa and Queene Quendred was the onely ioy and pride of his parents who succeeded his Father in his dominions and title and in the same yeare also in the shades of death 16 Ethelburga the eldest daughter of King Offa and Queene Quendred was maried to Brithrick the sixeteenth King of the West-Saxons shee was a Lady of passing beautie but withall of an insolent disposition hating all whom her husband loued and practising the deathes of them that she hated She departed into France after the poisoning of her husband for that her offence a law was enacted to the great preiudice of the West-Saxons Queenes as in the raigne of Brithrick we haue declared 17 Elfled the second daughter of King Offa Queene Quendred by the report of Randulph Higden the Monke of Chester was the second wife to Ethelred King of Northumberland who in regard of her had put from him his former wife for which his subiects rose in Armes against him and slew him in the last yeare of King Offa his raigne 18 Elfrid the third and yongest daughter of King Offa and Queene Queâ—…dred being promised in mariage and assured vnto Ethelbert King of the East Angles after the murther of her hoped Bridegroom with great lamentations and prophesying threats of reuenge abandoned the society of men and withdrew herselfe vnto the monastery of Crowland in the Fennes where in contemplation and solitary sadnes she spent the remainder of her life and yet there are that suppose her to bee the wife of King Kenwolfe who was the founder of Winchcombe Monastery the successor of his brother Egfride 19 Fremund by Iohn Capgraue is supposed to be the sonne of King Offa who as he saith was traiterously murdered by one Oswy that enuied his victories which he gat against the Danes his body was buried at Offchurch in Warwickshire and neere vnto the Palace of Offa alleadging for his Author one Burghard who was at his death and wrote his life yet some there are that thinke him mistaken for that hee calleth him a young man when as those warres hapned an hundred yeares after King Offa his life EGFRID THE TVVELFTH KING OF THE MERCIANS AND THE SEVENTEENTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH CHAPTER XXIX EGfrid the sonne of King Offa succeeded his father in the Mercians Kingdom wherof he was the twelfth in number and in the Monarchy of the Englishmen ranked in account the seuenteenth He began his raigne the thirteenth day of Iuly in the yeer of Christ his natiuity seuen hundred ninety foure The first businesse that he vndertooke after hee came to the Crowne was the restauration of antient priuiledges to the Church which his father had depriued them of and great hope was conceiued of his further proceedings had not God cut him off by vntimely death For hauing raigned onely foure moneths hee gaue place vnto nature and to another successour the sins of the people deseruing no such Prince for whose cause and his fathers great bloudshed as Alcuine wrote to Osbertus he was taken away so soone 2 He deceased the seuenth day of December and in the first of his raigne hauing had neither Wife nor Issue that we reade of His body with all due obsequies was honourably buried in the Abbey Church of S. Albans of his fathers foundation KENVVOLFE THE THIRTEENTH KING OF THE MERCIANS AND THE EIGHTEENTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN CHAPTER XXX KEnwolfe not so neere in bloud to king Egfryd as he
likelyhoods to induce that she was his lawfull Queene 11 Elfleda the second wife of King Edward was the daughter as Mathew of Westminster reporteth of an Earle named Ethelhelme and Asser the Bishop of Sherborne maketh mention of an Earle in Wiltshire among the West-Saxons of the same name who was in great fauour with King Elfred the father of this King by whom hee was sent Ambassador to carry his Almes to Stephen the sixt of that name Bishop of Rome in the yeare of our Lord 887 and by all probable conference of name time and place hee seemeth to bee the man that was father to this Queene 12 Edgina the third wife of King Edward was the daughter and heire of Earle Sigeline Lord of Meapham Culings and Leanham in Kent who was there slaine in battaile against the Danes Anno 927. She was married vnto King Edward about the fourteenth yeare of his raigne being the yeare of Grace 916. She was his wife ten yeares and after his death she liued a widdow all the times of the raignes of King Ethelstan her sonne in law of King Edmund and King Edred her owne sonnes of King Edwy her Grand-child and was liuing in the Raigne of King Edward another of her Grand-children almost fortie yeares after the death of her husband It is writ of her that in the yeare of Grace 959. Shee offered her lands and euidences to Christ vpon his Altar at Canterbury She deceased the twenty fift of August in the fourth yeare of the said King Edgar and of Christ 963. His Children 13 Ethelstan the eldest sonne of King Edward and the Lady Eguina was borne and growne to good yeeres in the time of the raigne of his Grandfather King Elfred who with his owne hands gaue him the order of Knighthood after a very honourable manner of creation as William the Monke of Malmsbury a great obseruer of such things hath left in writing who reporteth that he put vpon him a Purple Robe and girt him with a girdle wrought with pearle and a Saxon sword in a scabard of gold hanging at the same He was the Successor of his Father in the West-Saxons dominions and the English Monarchy 14 Elfred the second sonne of King Edward and the Lady Eguina is warranted by the testimony of the story of Hyde to haue been loued of his Father aboue all his other children that he caused him in his owne lifetime to bee crowned King and to sit with him in his Seat of Estate as his Partner in the Kingdome and that he enioyed that great honour but for a small time deceasing shortly after his creation and long before his fathers death and was buried in the New Monastery at Winchester which afterwards was remoued to Hyde 15 Editha whom the Scotish Writers call Beatrite the daughter of King Edward and the Lady Eguma with great honour was maried to Sythrick the Danish King of Northumberland in the first yeere of the raigne of her brother King Ethelstane being the yeere of grace 915. Within one yeere after her mariage her husband deceased and his sonne Guthfrid succeeded him in his Kingdome Wherefore she forsaking that Country obtained of her brothers gift the Castell of Tamworth in the County of Warwicke where she began a Monastery of Nunnes and therein liued died and was interred and both the Monastery and Body afterwards was remoued from thence vnto Pollesworth 16 Elsward the third son of King Edward the first of Queen Elfleda his second wife was born as it seemeth about the beginning of his Fathers raigne He was carefully brought vp in the study of Liberall Arts and in all other princely qualities so that it was expected he should haue succeeded his Father in the Kingdome but presently vpon his fathers decease he deceased himselfe in Oxford and was buried at one time and in one place with him in the New Monastery at Winchester in the yeere of Christ Iesus 924. 17 Edwine the fourth sonne of King Edward and the second of Queene Elfleda his second Wife was very young when his father was buried and his brother Ethelstane crowned Notwithstanding a deep ielosie possessing the King that his title was too neere the Crowne he caused him to be put into a little Pinnesse without either Tackle or Oares one only page accompanying him that his death might be imputed to the waues whence the young Prince ouercome with griefe and not able to master his owne passions cast himselfe headlong into the sea and his dead body being driuen vpon the coasts of Flanders was taken vp by Adulphe Earle of Boloine his cosen-germane and honourably buried in the Monastery of Saint Bertin in the Towne of S. Omers Which fact was much lamented by King Ethelstan who greeuously punished the suggestions of his owne ielosie and the procurers of his brothers death sending great thanks to the Earle that buried him and rich presents to the Monastery which entombed him and to appease the ghost of his innocent brother built the Abbey of Mialeton in the County of Dorset 18 Elfleda the second daughter of King Edward and the first of Queene Elfleda his second Wife entred into the orders of Religion and tooke vpon her the profession and vow of Virginity in the Monastery of Rumsey situated vpon the Riuer Test in the County of Southampton In which Monastery she was first a Nunne and afterward Abbesse during the whole time of her life which was there spent and ended and her body in the said Abbey buried 19 Eguina the third daughter of King Edward and the second of Queene Elfleda his second Wife was the second Wife to Charles the third surnamed the Simple King of France son to King Lews the brother of Iudith Queene of England before mentioned She had issue by him Lewis the third surnamed Beyond-sea because he was brought vp here in England with his Vnkle King Ethelstan and Gillet Duchesse of Normandy maried to Rollo the Dane who in regard of his marriage was allowed to bee the first Duke of that Country This Queene suruiued King Charles her Husband and afterwards was remaried to Herbert the younger Earle of Vermandoys which marriage was taken for so great an indignity because Earle Herbert the elder father to this Earle had caused the King her Husband to die in prison that King Lewis her sonne presently pursued her apprehended and committed her to the strait custody of Queene Gerberge his wife so as shee had no recourse vnto him nor issue by him 20 Ethelhild the fourth daughter of King Edward and the third of Queene Elfleda his second Wife followed the example of her elder sister Elfleda and became a Nunne in the Monastery of Wilton which was sometime the head Towne giuing name to the whole County of Wiltshire and antiently called Ellandon 21 Edhild the fifth daughter of King Edward and the fourth of Queene Elfleda
Martyrs Tombe Most rich and roiall Iewels hee gaue the Church of Winchester wherof one is recorded to bee a Crosse worth asmuch as the whole reuenew of England amounted to in one yeare vnto Couentry hee gaue the Arme of S. Augustine the great Doctor which he bought at Papia in his returne from Rome and for which hee paid an hundred talents of siluer and one of gold 15 The magnificent greatnes of this glorious King so ouerflowed in the mouthes of his flatterers that they extolled him with Alexander Cyrus and Caesar and to be possessed with power more then humane to conuict these his fawning ouerprizers being then at Southampton he commanded saith Henry of Huntington that his chaire should be set on the shore when the sea beganne to flow and then in the presence of his many attendants spake thus to that Element Thou art part of my dominion and the ground whereon I sit is mine neither was there euer any that durst disobey my commaund or breaking it escaped vnpunished I charge thee therfore presume not into my land neither wet thou these robes of thy Lord but the Sea which obeyeth only one Lord giuing no heed to his threates kept on the vsuall course of tide first wetting his skirts and after his thighes when suddainely rising to giue way for the still approching waues he thus spake in the hearing of all Let the worlds inhabitants know that vaine and weake is the power of their Kings and that none is worthy the name of King but he that keepes both heauen earth and sea in obedience and bindeth them in the euerlasting law of subiection After which time he would neuer suffer the Crowne to bee set vpon his head but presently crowned therewith the picture of our Sauiour on the Crosse at Winchester vnto such strong illusions were those godly Princes lead by the guides that euer made gaine of their deuotions 16 From the example of this Canutus saith Peter Pictaniensis Chancellor of Paris arose the custom to hang vp the Armor of worthy men in Churches as offerings consecrated vnto Him in whose battails they had purchased renowne either by victory and life or in their Countries seruice attained to an honourable death And surely howsoeuer this King is taxed of ambition pride and vaine-glory for which some haue not stucke to say that he made his iourney to Rome rather to shew his pompe and riches then for any humble deuotion or religious intent yet by many his intercurrent actions and lawes of piety enacted hee may iustly bee cleared of that imputation as also by the testimony of Simon Monk of Durham who reporteth his humility to be such that with his owne hands he did helpe to remoue the body of S. Aelphegus at the translation of it from London vnto Canterbury whom the Danes notwithstanding his Archiepiscopall sacred calling before had martyred at Greenwich and by the testimony of Guido Polydore Lanquet and others he was a Prince of such temperance and iustice that no other in this West of the World was so highly renowned or might bee compared vnto him in heroicall vertues or true humility 17 Saxo Crammaticus Albertus Krantius the Writers of the Danish histories deduce Canutus by a lineall succession through the line of their Kings in this manner Hee was say they the sonne of King Swaine surnamed Tingskeg by Sigred his wife the widow of Erick by whom she had Olafe Scotconning King of Sweyden vnto which Sweyne she bare also Ostrid a daughter the mother of Thira the mother of King Sweyne the yonger The elder Sweyne was the sonne of King Harold surnamed Blaatand by Gonhild his Queene who bare him also Iring King of Northumberland and Gonhild Queene of North-Wales The father of Harold was King Gormoâ—…d whose Queene was Thira the daughter of King Ethelred the twenty third Monarch of England who bare vnto him the said Harold and another Canute both most valiant Princes which two Gallants inuading this land were for their braue resolutions by their Grandfather proclaimed heires apparant to all his dominions the credite of which relations I leaue to my forenamed Authors but Canute the elder brother died very soone after being deadly wounded in the siege of Dublin in Ireland where perceiuing death at hand hee gaue strict charge to his attendants to keepe the same verie secret till the City were taken that so neither his owne Army should bee daunted nor the enemy encouraged by the losse of the Generall Gurmo his aged Father to digresse but in a word so incredibly loued him that hee had vowed to kill with his owne hands any person whosoeuer that should tell him the newes of his sonnes death which when Thira his mother now heard of shee vsed this policie to make it known to the King her husband Shee prepared mourning apparrell for him and all other things fitting for funerall exequies laying aside all Regall robes and ceremonies of princely state without intimating any cause of this sad solemnity which the old King no sooner perceiued but he lamentably cried out woe is me I know my sonne is dead and with excessiue griefe he presently died But to returne from that Canutus to close vp the raigne of this our Monarch in hand 18 In whom the Danish glories hauing ascended to the highest beganne now againe to decline towards their wane by the death of this great King who after hee had in great glory raigned aboue nineteen yeeres deceased at Shaftesbury in the county of Dorset the twelfth of Nouember the yeere of Christs Incarnation 1035 and was buried in the Church of the old Monastery at Winchester which being after new built his bones with many other English Saxon Kings were taken vp and are preserued in guilt coffers fixed vpon the wals os the Quire in that Cathedrall Church His Wiues 19 Algiue by most writers a concubine to King Canutus was the daughter of a Mercian Duke named Elfhelme who is said to haue beene Earle of Northampton and her Mothers name was Vlfrune Inheritrix of the Towne Hampton in Stafford-shire from her called Vlfrun-Hampton now Woller-hampton This Lady Alfgiue to make Canutus more firme to her loue her selfe being barren is reported to haue fained Child-birth and to haue laid in her bed the sonne of a Priest whom Canute tooke to be his owne and named him Swaine him afterwards hee created King of Norway which lately hee had conquered from Olaffe called the Martyr The like policie saith Higden and others shee vsed in bringing forth Harold her second sonne who was say they the sonne of a Sowter notwithstanding I thinke the condition of the mother who liued in disdaine and died in disgrace rather caused this report to be blazed then any such basenes of birth in the sonnes 20 Emma the second wife of King Canute was the widow of King Ethelred the Vnready and from the time of her first
a sudden gale arose which blew all the sailes spred for that winde into one Port. And that was Harold sonne to Earle Goodwine a man duly prizing his many worthy parts not vnmeet for a kingdom who first succeeding his father in his Dukedome and next Edward his brother in Law in his Kingdom in patience clemency affability bare himselfe most approuedly towards the vertuous but with a Lions courage and fierce countenance chastised the disordered and indeede became another Maccabeus vnto the distressed Land Whose kingly state before wee touch it shall not bee amisse to lengthen his short raigne with his Acts and Life as hee was a Subiect both with and against his Lord and Predecessor 2 That hee tooke part with his Father against Eustace of Bulloigne and King Edwards hasty commission wee haue shewed himselfe then enioying the Earledom of Oxford and so affected by those of Essex Suffolke and Norfolke Cambridge Huntington-shires that they sided in his cause against the King But these designes failing as commonly it is seene all attempts of Subiects against their Soueraignes doe hee learned by banishment what was the losse of true honour and by forbearance of battle when halfe the Kingdome stood for him his dutie obliged vnto the Common-wealth And growne againe into fauour with the King carried himselfe answerably vnto both 3 Some iealousy conceiued Edward without any cause banished Algar the son of Leofrike Earle of Chester who with the helpe of the Irish and Welchmen vnder the conduct of Gruffith ap Llewelyn Prince of North-Wales who had married his daughter did much hurt to the English putting Rodulph Earle of Hereford to flight with the slaughter of fiue hundred men spoiled the City burnt the Minster and became Masters of mis-rule in those parts Against these was Harold sent and with such manhood pursued his flying enemies that passing through North-Wales vpon the Snow-downes he pitched his Field The Earle and Prince Gruffith not daring to abide his presence fled thence vnto South-Wales and again tooke into Hereford whereof Harold hauing intelligence hasted thitherward leauing sufficient in the Snow-downes to mate the Welsh and recouering the City with a deepe trench and high rampire fortified it about where for the sauing of more bloud and not vngratefull to Algar who without grudge had resigned to him his Earldome and whole Reuenewes at his returne from exile a peace was concluded and at Harolds request Earle Algar and Prince Gruffith were pardoned 4 But Algar being again accused again aided by his old associate Gruffith recouered his Earledome by force whereat King Edward was highly displeased but most against Gruffith who euer was ready to assist any against him whereupon Harold the second time appointed Generall with a great host entred North-Wales without sight of enemy where he only burnt downe the stately Palace of Prince Gruffith so returned to the King But long the Welsh were not quiet nor the Prince pleased of the harms to him done Wherefore making his forces verie strong he again molested the English 5 To restraine whom once more was Harold set foorth who with such terrour burst into Wales that Prince Gruffith in secret stole from his Campe leauing his Souldiers if they would to fight for themselues whereupon his whole army yeelded themselues to Harolds mercy and hauing Prince Gruffith in their hands cut off his head and sent it to Harold giuing him pledges for assurance of p◅ce and the paiment of the ancient tribute which for a time had beene reteined yet euer after hee carried so heauy a hand on the Welsh that as Iohn of Salisburie in his Policraticon writeth he ordained a law that what Welsh-man soeuer should with weapon passe ouer Offaes ditch should haue hi◅ right hand cutte off by the Kings officer 6 All now in quiet and Harold withdrawne to his Mannor of Boseham vpon the riuage of the sea in the confines of Sussex there for his recreation one day hee tooke into a Fishers boate with small attendants neither those very skilfull Mariners when no sooner were they lanched into the deepe but a contrary wind came about and droue the boat vpon the coast of Ponthieu in France where hee was taken by the Country people and presented to Guido their Earle who a while retained him his prisoner in hope of gaine by his ransom but Duke William requiring it he was conueied into Normandy where he cunningly perswaded the Duke that his secret comming out of England was purposely to enter a league of amity with him The Duke then hauing present wars with the Britaine 's in France tooke this his new friend and guest with him for his companion at Armes whose ready policies followed with forward practise wan him great estimation with the Duke whereupon betwixt them a couenant was made for the reseruation of the English Crowne to the Norman if it chanced King Edward to die without children and the same ratified by Harolds corporall oath with the affiancing of Lady Adeliza the Dukes fift daughter then a child and Harold a widower which afterwards fell to his owne destruction and the lands subuersion as shall bee said 7 His last imploiment by holy King Edward was against the tumultuous Northumbrians which had expulsed Tosto their Earle and Harolds owne brother where a peace was concluded without shedding blood but with condition that Tosto should lose his Earledom whereupō in great displeasure he with his wife children fled into Flanders and euer after hated the person and emulated the glory of Harold The originall of these two brethrens quarrels beganne at Windsor where in the presence of the King they fell from words vnto blowes and that in such manner as if rescue had not come Tosto had died for which disgrace hee secretly hied him into the Marches of Wales and neere the City Hereford at Portaflyth where Harold had a house then in preparing to entertaine the King he slew all his brothers seruants and them cutting peecemeale into gobbets salted some of their limmes and cast the rest into vessels of the meath and wines sending his brother word that hee had furnished him with poudred meats against the Kings comming thither which barbarous act caused deseruedly his name to be odious vnto his Northumbrians and was lastly repayed with his owne death 8 Now albeit some Heralds make Harold by birth but a Gentleman of one and the first descent which were it so should no whit blemish him who was more truely enobled with princely vertues yet therein also it may seeme hee is mis-esteemed seeing his Father was Goodwin a Duke by degree the son of Wolnoth and he the sonne of Egelmar who was the sonne of Egelricke surnamed Leofwine and brother of Edrick Duke of Mercia that married the daughter of King Ethelred of England of whom wee haue spoken The mother of Harold was Githa the daughter of Duke
such pranks of impietie that his gouernment was odious to the Romans who wished an end of his raigne and life so that certaine South saiers imploied in that busines gaue forth that after Gregory Odo should be Pope Odo our said Earle the Conquerours brother fed with ful hope that hee was the man sendeth to Rome to buy him a Pallace adorning it with stately and ouer-lauish trimmings Salutes the Senators with great gifts complements stuffeth bagges with money and letters to such as might doe much in the election and prouides honourable personages to attend him to Rome Among the which for chiefe was Hugh Earle of Chester with many great men and Knights of the land for the Normans variable and desirous to see forraine Countries were contented to forsake their faire lands in the west climate to accompany this proud Prelate ouer the riuer Poo This iolly traine was set forward into the Isle of Wight and there in great pompe ready to set saile into Normandy when on the sodain King William vnlooked for was euen among them and in his great Hall in presence of his Nobles thus spake 50 Excellent Peeres I beseech you hearken to my words and giue me your counsell at my sailing into Normandy I commended England to the gouernment of Odo my brother Bishop In Normandy many forraine foes haue risen vp against me yea and inward friends I may say haue inuaded me for Robert my sonne and other yonglings whom I haue brought vp and giuen Armes haue rebelled vnto whom my false Clients and other bordering enemies haue giuen their assistance but they haue not prospered God whose seruant I am euer defending mee neither haue they gotten any thing of mine besides iron in their wounds They of Aniou prepared against me whom with the onely feare of warre I haue pacified These businesses you know haue drawn me into Normandy where I haue staied long and imploied my painfull endeuours on publike behoofes But in the meane time my brother hath greatly oppressed England spoiling the Churches of Lands and Rents hath made them naked of Ornaments giuen by our Predecessors and hath seduced my Knightes with purpose to traine them ouer the Alpes who ought to defend the Land against the inuasions of the Danes Irish and other Enemies ouer strong for me but my greatest dolour is for the Church of God which he hath afflicted and vnto which the Christian Kings that raigned before me haue giuen many gifts and with their loues honored for which now as we beleeue they rest reioicing with a happy retribution in a pleasant State Ethelbert Edward Saint Oswald Althulph Aefred Edward the Elder Edgar and my cosen and most deere Lord Edward haue giuen Riches to the Church the spouse of God But my Brother to whom I committed the whole Kingdome violently plucketh away their goods cruelly grindeth the poore and with a vaine hope stealeth away my Knights from me and by oppression hath exasperated the whole Land with vniust taxations consider thereof most Noble Lords and giue mee I pray you your aduice what is heerein to bee done 51 At which pause when all stood mute as fearing to giue their opinions in so weighty a point concerning so great a Person the King thus continued his speech Hurtfull rashnesse is euer vnsufferable and must at length be repressed This man hath oftentimes banded himselfe against his owne father and vpon a stomacke blowne vp with pride and folly hath fallen off to the King of France therefore lest with ouermuch lenity we buy too late a repentance he shall remaine Prisoner yet not as a Bishop whose name I both honour and reuerence but as an Earle subiect to the Lawes and Censure of his King Which accordingly was done vpon seizure of whose estate this Prelate was found so well lined in purse that the heapes of yellow mettall did moue admiration to the beholders and many of his bags were taken vp out of the bottome of Riuers where they were hidden full of gold ground into powder 52 Soone after some displeasure hauing arisen betwixt King William and Philip King of France hee hauing first generally caused to be taken the Oath of English Alleageance to himselfe and successors with a mighty masse of money fitted for some great attempts departed to Normandy where falling sicke and keeping his Bed more then his wont the French King hearing that his disease was in his belly gaue him this frumpe Our Cosen William said he is laid now in Child-bed Oh what a number of Candels must I offer at his going to Church surely I thinke a hundred thousand will not suffice King William hearing thereof is said to make this answere Well our cosen of France I trust shall be at no such cost but after this my child-birth at my going to Church swearing by the resurrection and brightnes of God I will said he find him one thousand candles and light them my selfe And accordingly towards August following when both the trees fruites corn and ground was most flourishing hee entred France with a mighty Army spoiling all the west parts thereof before him and lastly set the City Meux or Mauntz on fire wherein he consumed the faire Church of our Lady in the wals wherof was enclosed an Anchoret who might but would not escape holding it a breach of his religious vow to forsake his Cell in that distresse The King busied in these attempts cheered his men to feede the fire and came himselfe so neere the flames that with the heat of his harnesse he got a sicknesse and the same encreased by the leape of his horse that burst the inward rimme of his belly and cost him his life 53 At which time feeling death to approach he deferred not to addresse his last Will wherein hee commanded all his Treasure to bee distributed to Churches Gods Ministers and the Poore limiting to each their seuerall portion and quantity which he caused to be ingrossed in writing by Notaries before him Amongst which he bequethed to the Church and Monkes of Saint Stephens at Cane in Normandy two Mannors in Dorsetshire one Mannor in Deuonshire another in Essex much Lands in Barke-shire some in Norfolke a Mansion house in Woodstreet of London with many Aduowsions of Churches yea which is to be wondred at hee gaue his Crowne and Regall Ornaments thereto belonging to the said Church being of his owne foundation for the redemption whereof King Henry his sonne gaue the Mannor of Brideton in Dorsetshire to preuent any danger that thereof might arise and vnto the Churches by fire destroied in Meuxe he gaue great summes of money to repaire them and so preparing himselfe for God briefly ranne ouer the carriage of his former life the summe whereof as much as best fitteth this place we will declare as he spake it to them that were present 54 Being laden with many and grieuous sins O Christ I now tremble
he imprisoned and many of the English depriued as we haue heard 63 Besides his many other stately buildings both for fortification and deuotion three Abbies of chiefe note he is said to haue raised and endowed with large priuiledges and rich possessions The first was at Battle in Sussex where hee wonne the Diadem of England in the valley of Sangue-lac so called in French for the streames of bloud therein spilt but William of Newberie deceiued in the soile it selfe which after raine sheweth to bee red affirmeth that after any small showre of raine the earth sweateth forth very fresh bloud as by the euident sight thereof saith hee doth as yet plainly declare that the voice of so much Christian bloud there shed doth still crie from the earth to the Lord. 64 But most certaine it is that in the very same place where King Harolds Standard was pitched vnder which himselfe was slaine there William the Conquerour laid that Foundation dedicating it to the Holy Trinity and to Saint Martine that there the Monks might pray for the soules of Harold and the rest that were slaine in that place whose Priuiledges were so large that they and others of the like condition were afterwards dissolued by Act of Parliament when it was found by experience that the feare of punishment being once taken away desperate boldnes and a daring will to commit wickednesse grew still to a greater head for it was enfranchised with many freedomes and among others to vse the words of the Charter were these If any Thiefe Murtherer or Felon for feare of death flie and come to this Church let him haue no harme but let him be dismissed and sent away free from all punishment Be it lawfull also for the Abbot of the same Church to deliuer from the Gallowes any thiefe or robber wheresoeuer if he chance to come by where any such execution is in hand The Standard it selfe curiously wrought all of gold and pretious stones made in forme like an armed man Duke William presently vpon his victory with great complements of curtesie sent to Pope Alexander the second as good reason it was the Popes transcendent pleasure and power being the strongest part of the Dukes title to the Crowne and his cursing thunderbolts the best weapons whereby he attained to weare it 65 At Selby also in Yorkeshire where his yongest sonne Henry was borne he founded the Abbey of Saint Germans at Excester the Priorie of Saint Nicholas and to the Church and Colledge of Saint Martins le grand in London hee gaue both large priuiledges and much land extending from the corner of the City wall by Saint Giles Church without Criplegate vnto the common Sewer receiuing the waters running then from the More and now More-fields 66 At Cane in Normandie lie founded the Monastery of Sant Stephen the first Christian Martyr adorning it with most sumptuous buildings and endowing it with rich reuenewes where his Queene Maud had erected a Nunnerie for the societie of vailed Virgines vnto the honour of the blessed virgine Mary Thus much of his Acts and now of his marriage and issue His Wife 67 Maud the wife of King William was the daughter of Baldwine the fifth surnamed the Gentle Earle of Flaunders her mother was Alice daughter of Robert King of France the sonne of Hugh Capet Shee was married vnto him when hee was a Duke at the Castle of Angi in Normandy and in the second yeare of his raigne ouer England she was crowned Queene vpon Whit-sunday the yeere of Grace 1068. And although she maintained Robert in his quarrell for Normandy and out of her owne coffers paid the charges of warre against his Father and her owne Husband yet because it did proceed but from a motherly indulgence for aduancing her sonne it was taken as a cause rather of displeasure then of hatred by King William as himselfe would often auouch holding it an insufficient cause to diminish the loue that was linked with the sacred band of a matrimoniall knot Shee departed this life the second day of Nouember the sixteenth yeere of his raigne and of Christs humanity 1083. for whom he often lamented with teares and most honourably enterred her at Cane in Normandy in the Church of S. Maries within the Monasterie of Nuns which she had there founded His Issue 68 Robert the eldest sonne of King William and of Queene Maude his wife was surnamed Curtuoise signifying in the old Norman-French Short-Bootes he succeeded his father onely in the Duchie of Normandy and that also he lost afterwards to his brother Henry King of England at the battell of Ednarchbray in that Dukedome the yeere of our Lord 1106. where he was taken prisoner and hauing his eies put out an vnbrotherly punishment was committed to the Castle of Cardiffe in South-Wales and after twenty eight yeeres imprisonment there deceased the yeere before the death of his said brother Anno 1134 and was buried at Glocester in the midst of the Quier of Saint Peters Church where remaineth a Tombe with his Carued Image at this day Hee had two wiues the first Margaret daughter of Herbert Earle of Maygne both married in their Child-hood and shee died before they came to yeeres of consent The other was Sibyll daughter of Geffrey and sister to William Earles of Conuersana in Italy and Neece of Robert Guiscard Duke of Apulia By her he had two sonnes William and Heny this Henry was he that was slaine by mischance as he was hunting in the New-Forest in Hampshire William the Elder surnamed in Latine Miser was Earle of Flanders in right of Queene Maude his Grand-mother succeeding Charles of Denmarke in that Earledome he also had two wiues the first Sibyll whose Mother called also Sibyll was the daughter of Fowlke Earle of Anion after diuorced from him and remarried to Terry of Alsac his Successour the second was Ioan the daughter of Humbert Earle of Morien now called Sauoy sister of Queene Alice of France wife of King Lewis the Grosse hee died sixe yeeres before his father of a wound receiued at the Siege of the Castle of Angi in Normandy the 27. of Iuly in the 28. yeere of the Raigne of King Henrie his vncle and of our Lord 1128. hee was buried at Saint Omers in the Monastery of Saint Bertin and left no issue behinde him 69 Richard the second sonne of King William and Queene Maude was born in Normandy and after his Father had attained the Crowne came into England where being then verie yong as hee was hunting in the New-Forest of Hampshire he came to a violent sudden death by the goring of a Stagge others say by a pestilentayre and is noted to bee the first man that died in that place the iustice of God punishing on him his Fathers dispeopling of that Countrey his body was thence conueied to Winchester and there buried on the Southside of the Quire
of the Cathedrall Church where there remaineth a monument of him with an inscription entitling him a Duke and some suppose of Bologne 70 William the third Son of King William and Queene Maud was borne in Normandy in the 21. yere of his Fathers Dukedom ten yeeres before he was King 1159. hee was surnamed of the Red colour of his haire in French Rows in Latine Rufus he was brought vp vnder Lanefranke the learned Lumbard who was Archbishoppe of Canterbury of whom he receiued both instructions of knowledge and the order of Knighthood he serued vnder his Father at the battaile of Gerbereth in Normandy 1079 wherein hee was wounded and hee alwaies framed his actions so pleasing to his Fathers humor as that hee thought him much worthier then his elder brother to succeed in his Kingdome 71 Henry the fourth and yongest sonne of King William and Queene Maud his wife was borne in England at Selby in Yorkeshire the third yeere of his Fathers raigne and of our Lord God 1070 his childhood was trained vp in learning at Cambridge saith Caius but the ancient Annales of Saint Austins in Canterbury say he was Philosophiâ peregrè informatus instructed beyond Sea in Philosophy where for his notable knowledge in the Liberall Sciences he was surnamed by the French Beauclerk that is the fine Scholler Vpon his return he was made Knight being 16. yeers old by his Father at Westminster in Whitsontide the nineteenth yeer of his Raign Anno 1086. and thogh at his Fathers death he had nothing bequeathed him but Treasure yet afterward he succeeded his Brothers both in the Kingdome of England and Dutchie of Normandy 72 Cecilie the Eldest daughter of King William and Queene Maude his wife was borne in Normandy brought vp in England and carried againe into Normandy where in the ninth yeere of the Kings Raigne and the yeere of our Lord 1075. shee was by her Father on Ester day with great Solemnity offered vp in the Church of Feschampe vailed to be a Nunne in the Monastery there but was afterward elected by the Nunnes of our Lady at Cane to be Abbesse of their Monasterie founded by her Mother which she gouerned and where she died and was enterred 73 Constance the second daughter of King William and Queene Maud was the first wife of Allayne Earle of little Britaigne surnamed in the British Fergent in English Red. In regard of which marriage and his seruice done at the conquest of England his Father in law gaue him all the lands of Earle Edwine whereon he built the Castle and wherof he made the Earledome of Richmond which long after belonged to the Earles and Dukes of Britaigne his Successors although he had his children by an other wife for she died very yong and without issue and was buried in the Abbey of Saint Edmundsbury in Suffolke 74 Alice the third daughter of King William Queen Maud was married to Stephen Earle of Bloys in France and had issue by him William an Innocent Thibaud surnamed the Great Earle of Blois and Champain Stephen Earle of Mortain and Boleine who was King of England Henry a Monke of Cluny after Abbot of Glastenbury and Bishop of Winchester Mary married to Richard Earle of Chester and Emme wife of one Harbert an Earle of France and mother of Saint William Archbishop of Yorke Shee suruiued Earle Stephen her husband and in her widowhood tooke vpon her the profession of Religion in the Priorie of Nunnes at Marciguy in France where she ended her life 75 Gundred the fourth daughter of King William and of Queene Maud was married to William of Warrein a Nobleman of Normandy who was the first Earle of Surrey in England by whom shee had issue William the second Earle Progenitors of the Earles that followed and Rainold of Warren her second sonne who had also Issue Shee died in Child-bed three yeeres before her husband at Castleaker in Norfolke the 27. of May in the 20. yere of her fathers raigne being the yeere of our Lord 1085. and is buried in the Chapter-house of Saint Pancrase Church within the Priory at the town of Lews in the County of Sussex 76 Ela the fifth daughter of King William and his Queen Maud in her Child-hood was contracted in marriage to Duke Harald when he was in Normandy being then a yong Widower Notwithstanding hee refusing her tooke an other wife and vsurped the Kingdom of England after the death of King Edward whereby hee occasioned his owne ruine and Conquest of his Country which afterward ensued when her Father sought reuenge so much as some write to the discontentment of this Lady that for griefe of these mischances shee euer after refused marriage and led a single and solitarie life though others vpon better warrant collect that shee died yong and before William her Father set forth for England Harald himselfe pleading that hee was free from all couenants and promises to Duke William by reason of the death of this his daughter 77 Margaret the sixth and yongest daughter of King William and Queene Maud was in her childhood giuen in marriage to Alphonso King of Gallicia in Spaine that afterward was so renowned for the Conquest of the City Lysbon for his victories against the Mores and for the slaughter of their fiue Kings and was the founder of the Kingdome of Portugall the first King thereof and the first bearer of the fiue Shields of the said fiue Kinges which are to this day the Armes of the same But this Lady being thus contracted deceased before those things hapned and before shee came to yeeres of lawfull consent to the marriage VVILLIAM THE SECOND SVRNAMED R VFVS THE FORTIETH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH HIS ACTS RAIGNE AND VNTIMELY DEATH CHAPTER III. WIlliam posting for England Archbishop Lanfrank his earnest soliciter by liberall gifts giuen and promises made to abrogate the ouer hard lawes of his Father had the readier passage into the opinions of them that could doe most and the more to notifie his intended mild gouernment with other his noble inclinations to princely vertues as eye-witnesses of his fauours towards the English hee brought with him from Normandy Morcar the stout Earle of Chester and Wilnoth the sonne of King Harold both of them released out of prison and then held in especiall fauour with him But most of the States standing for Robert Curtoise his elder Brother a man deemed of a more liberall disposition and better temperature towards the Subiects their titles had beene tried by swords had not Lanfrank and Wulstan both wise reuerend Prelates by their Counsels and Mediations staied their hands 2 Consent thus gotten and all voices giuen for William he was crowned their King at Westminster vpon Sunday the twenty sixt day of September and yeere of Saluation 1087. by the hands of Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury vnder whom he had beene educated
they shew themselues to be fraile men but onely those things wherein without scruple we ought to imitate them and therefore they are wiselie and warilie to be praised that Gods prerogatiue may be reserued intire to himselfe 43 Some other learned men there were who liued neere to that time whose censure was farre sharper then that Monks Such were some of those Diuines of Paris mentioned by Caesarius the Monk who saith The Question was debated to fro amongst the Doctors in the vniuersitie of Paris whether Thomas were damned or saued amongst whom Rogerius the Norman auowed that hee deserued death and damnation for his contumacie against his King the Minister of God but Petrus Cantor alleadged that his Miracles were signes of his saluation c. An indeede if all bee true which one man hath written in fiue bookes containing his 270. Miracles wee cannot but acknowledge him both the greatest Saint and the meriest too that euer gotte into heauen so ridiculous are many things recorded of him As that of Ailwardus who for stealing of a great whetstone which the Author that writes it best deserued beeing depriued of his Eies and Virilities by sentence of Law vpon praier to S. Thomas he had all restored againe Yea euen a Bird hauing beene taught to speake flying out of her cage and ready to be seized on by a Spar-Hauke said onely S. Thomas helpe mee and her Enemie fell presently dead and shee escaped and belike reported it Of which great power in this Saint how canne wee doubt sith wee read that euen in his life time the * Virgin Marie her selfe was contented to bee his Semster and sowed his shirt with red silke Many of which kind of follies if that word be sharp enough might bee heere inserted were not our present argument more serious and these forgeries fit onely for Monks to endite children to read and fooles to beleeue 44 The report of the tragicall outrage on the Arch-bishop comming to the old King at Argenton in Normandy there was no kind of sorrow into which without respect to Maiestie or State hee fell not and not without cause as knowing how plentifull an Hydra of mischiefes vpon the opinion of his priuitie with the fact would rise if not preuented But the murtherers fearing least this their fact would displease the king in whose reuenge they did it fled into the North and abode one whole yeere in the kings Castle of Knaresborough in Yorkeshire perhaps by fauour of the yongue king none of them dying for the fact by way of iustice because the Clergie exeÌ„pting themselues from the bonds of ciuill Laws the punishment of a Priest-killer as by some it appeareth was not then the death of the Body by execution of capitall sentence but of Soule by Excommunication till about the twentie third yeer of this king it was at the instant suite of Richard Arch-bishop of Canterburie and of the Bishops of Winchester Elie and Norwich yeelded that such persons should also suffer losse of life 45 The king therefore vpon protestation to submit himself to the iudgement of such Cardinals Legats as the Pope should send to inquire of the fact kept his Realme from Interdiction though the king of France the Archbishop of Seâ—…s and Theobald Earle of Blois had outgone his Embassadors with their inflaming letters conteining the descripion of that Parricide 46 Henry therefore among so many perplexities rising out of the Archbishops murther saw no way so ready for the calming his owne perturbations or for the auerting mens thoughts from the consideration of that scandalous tragedie as to vndertake some great and noble enterprise which now offered it selfe very seasonably For Ireland a verie spatious and plentifull Iland and lying commodiously for the vses of the English burned in it self with ciuill diuisions kindled among the petty Kings and Princes thereof while Rotherick the Great called O Conor Dun Prince of Connaught abusing his power and the aduantage of the times to the oppression of his Neighbours sought to make himselfe the vniuersall King thereof hauing already inuaded the Title Stile of KING AND MONARCH OF IRELAND And this his purpose was much aduanced by the fatall and familiar errour of proceedings in like cases for the Irish Princes either through distrust or pride forbearing to vnite their forces against the common enemy while each prouides for one they are all as it were ouer-come 47 Moreouer Dermot Mac Murrgh in that time of the Irish Pentarchie or fiue-fold Kingdome hauing secretly stolne away the wife of Rotherick a light woman and consenting or plotting rather vrging the rape it selfe added to Rotherickes ambition a iust desire of reuenge for so notable impudent and publike iniurie so much the more odious in Dermots person for that hee was old neyther was this all for the causes of this change were higher 48 The onely disposer and translator of Kingdomes is God in Ireland to moue him to offence without which no Kingdom is transferred against the people thereof all such sinnes abounded as commonly forgoe the greatest changes for not onely the manners of the Nation were extremely corrupted but the Christian faith it selfe decaied barbarisme ouerrunning the one and more then superstitions the other But it may seeme by some Authors that King Henries particular inducements to that Action were both an ancient title vnto that Kingdome deriued from his ancestors the kings of England for many ages before him and many vnsufferable wrongs by their Piracies vnto the English Nation buying and selling their Captiues and vsing Turkish tyranny on their â—…dies which made the Irish Clergy themselues confesse that they had deserued no other then that their land should bee transferred to that Nation whom they had so cruelly handled Notwithstanding king Henry who knew how great and dangerous tumults the Popes had raised on small occasions thought his way would bee much easier if he went onward with the Popes good fauour which hee easily obtained so liberall is his holinesse of that which is none of his for à fee viz. a penny yeerely to bee paid to Saint Peter of euery house in Ireland Touching which point Rossus of Warwick no Protestant I assure you saith That Englands King is not bound to rely on the Popes graunt for Ireland nor yet to pay that taxe because hee had claime to that Kingdome by an hereditary right and that the Pope had no temporall interest therein as his fauorites pretend the often-mentioned Monke of Newborough can tell vs who saith that Nunquam externa subiacuit ditioni Ireland was neuer subiect to any forraine command 49 God Almighty therefore did now put it into the heart of Henry for the reforming of that kingdome to make a Conquest thereof hauing in his infinite wisedome before hand fitted all circumstances needfull to concurre for inducing so warie and frugal a Prince
There were also taken 200. great horse whereof seuenscore had barbs and caparisons armed with yron King Richard in his owne person did most nobly for with one speare he threw to the earth Mathew de Mummerancie Alan de Rusci and Fulke de Giseruall took them So haue we vanquished the King of France at Gysors saith the King howbeit wee haue not done the same but God and our right by vs and in this fact we did put our owne head and kingdome in hazard aboue the counsell of all that were ours Howsoeuer therefore the French or others may slubber ouer such a noble Iourney wee haue not doubted vpon so good warrant to record the same 66 The warre continuing still many vertuous men laboured to make a finall accord and the new Pope Innocentius the third hauing proclaimed a new vndertaking of the Holy-warre sends a Cardinall Deacon to attone the two mighty Kings of France and England At length Articles of peace were drawne but Richard being farre before hand was nothing hastie to conclude and therefore put it off till his returne from Poictou whether hee went to chastice his rebels though * some say hee did then conclude the peace 67 At this enteruiew or treatie Philip King of France the sower of strife though he sought peace shewed to King Richard a deed in which Earle Iohn newly yeelds himselfe Liegeman to King Philip against his brother A wonderfull thing saith Houeden that Richard should beleeue it being perhaps but a Copie of that deuice or tricke if it were a deuice which they once had iointly put vpon the same Iohn as in the end of King Henry the second you heard who thereupon forthwith disseised the Earle his brother euery where But the Earle hauing searched and learned the cause of the Kings sudden displeasures whose loue hee had before redeemed with many loiall seruices Hee sends two men of Arms to the French Court who should on his behalf in what sort soeuer defend his honour and innocency against any his accusers but there was no man found in that Court neither King nor any other who would vndertake the proofe or maintenance thereof wherupon euer afterward Richard held his brother more deare and gaue lesse credite to King Philips words 68 But now ensued the fatall accident which drew the blacke cloud of death ouer this triumphall and bright shining starre of Cheualrie the vnworthy occasion of which misaduenture makes it the more lamentable which notwithstanding for a document to the Great ones against the outrage of Auarice and Cruelty God suffered thus to fal on him Widomare Vicount of Limoges hauing found a great * horde of gold and siluer sent no small portion thereof to King Richard as chiefe Lord with which being not contented as pretending that treasure troue was wholy his by vertue of his prerogatiue royall or else misliking that the Vicount should make the partition came with a power to a Castle of the Vicounts called * Chaluz where hee supposed the Riches were the Garrison of which place offered to yeeld the same and all therein if onelie their liues and limbs might be saued but hee would not accept of any conditions bidding them defend themselues as they could for he would enter by the sword and hang them all It grieues me to thinke that such a Prince should so forget himselfe but behold the seuerity of Gods iudgement An Arbalaster or Archibalista standing vpon the wall seeing his time charged his steele bow with a square arrow or quarrell making first his praier to God That hee would direct that shot and deliuer the innocency of the besieged from oppression Whereupon discharging it as the King was * taking a view of the Castle within the danger and distance of such an Engin the King vpon hearing the bow goe off stooping with his head was mortally wounded in the left shoulder the anguish perill wherof was extremely augmented by the butcherly and vnskilfull hand of the Surgeon who hauing drawne out the wood and not the enuenomed yron mangled the arme with cruell incisions before hee could preuaile the paine whereof hastned his end 69 Concerning the name of this tragicall Archer there is so much variety as that we could willingly take that vncertainety for a warrant to silence it being loth to ennoble him with our pen it being a thing worthily punishable with vter obliuiō to haue shed though defensiuely or but casually the bloud of such a King Mathew Paris in calling him Peter Basilij seemes to allude to some ominous conceit in Basilii which with the Greeks signifies a King him Thomas Walsingham followes therein as Mathew Paris followed * another there want not * some who also giue him a third name but Houeden who deliuers this accident as all the rest of this Kings life in the most probable and fullest manner cals him Bertram de Gurdonn applying vnto him certaine verses of Lucan in commendation of his vnapalled constācy when he came before King Richard where thou maist perhaps for satisfaction of thy mind with beholding some reuenge desire to know what became of the Actor After that the Castle by continuall assaults was taken and by the Kings command none left aliue but he as being reserued perhaps to some more shamefull death the king vpon a christian magnanimity for gaue him the fact which the party without shew of dismay did neither deny nor excuse but alledged the necessity of his case and the iustice of Gods worke in it for that the king had slaine his Father and two Brothers with his owne hand being hereupon set at liberty and one hundred shillings sterling giuen him by the king Markadey Captain of the Mercenarie Rowtes after the king was dead tooke him flead him quicke then by hanging ended his life 70 King Richard feeling the approch of certaine death disposed his worldly estate thus to his brother Iohn he gaue the kingdome of England and his other dominions with three parts of his Treasure commaunding such as were present to sweare him fealty to his Nephew Otho king of Almaine he bequeathed as it seemes all his goods and chattels money excepted and the fourth part of his said tresure he gaue to his seruants and the poore And hauing thus discharged his last cares toward the world concerning his transitory state he prepared himselfe for the presence of God strengthning his soule with hartie contrition confession and participation of the holy Sacrament commanding further that when he was dead his bowels should be buried at Charro◅ among the rebellious Poictouins as those who had only deserued his worst parts but his Heart to bee enterred at Roan as the City which for her constant loialty had merited the same and his Corps in the Church of the Nunnerie at Font-Ebrard in Gascoigne at the feet of his Father
whose Castelan being a Confederate gaue them easie entrance but the Londoners displeased with the King for burthening them with taxes not onely admitted them but inuited them by request to enter their City by night where hauing that Key as it were of the land in their dispose they by their threatfull letters not onely drew most of the Nobles from the King but also had almost lockt him out of his Regall Seat To preuent which outrage by gentle messages intreating of the Barons a place and day of meeting who thereto designed Runingmead since called Counsel-mead for such consultations of State they thither came with armed multitudes out of all the Kingdome beyond all number that the King seeing his power far inferiour vnto theirs was constrained to grant them their vttermost desires not onely for Liberties specified in Magna Charta and Charta foresta but also for a kind of sway in the Gouernment by twenty fiue selected Peeres to whose commaunds all the other Barons also were bound by oath to bee obsequious Thus one of the greatest Soueraignes of Christendome was now becom the twenty sixth petty king in his owne Dominions as appeared that very night when all the rest following the pompous streame of the new vpstart-Kings left their Soueraigne onelie with seuen Gentlemen to attend him What maruaile if high disdain herof pierced his swelling heart sitian both bodily ghostly and not onely forgaue gladly all his mortall persecutors holding that a mater though very difficult to flesh and bloud yet salutary to the Soule but also sent command to Henry his sonne to doe the same to whom hee caused all present to sweare fealty as to the Heyre of his Crowne and sent his letters to all his Officers abroad exhorting them to assist him And thus hee commended his soule to God and his Body to bee buried in Worcester Church where the Bishop solemnly interred it by the Kings appointment neere the Body of Wolstan a saincted Bishoppe renowned for constant fidelity to his Prince against the rebellious Nobles of his time with which kind of men King Iohns gouernment had beene miserably encombred 62 This being the Catastrophe of his Tragicall Raigne might also haue beene the close of his Story had not the suddenty of his death exacted some search into the cause of his sicknesse Such Authors as touch the matter but in generall content themselues with saying he dyed of a griefe or a feauer or a flux or a surfet but those who haue entred into the particulars insist on such a Surfet as wherof both griefe feauer and flux were most probable effects and Symptomes For comming say they from the Washes to Swinshed Abbey being of the Cisleaux Order which of old he had much incensed hee added new matter of offence as he sate at meat when in speech of his enemies too large prouision hee sware if hee liued but halfe a yeere longer he would make one halfe-penny loafe as deare as twelue which to preuent a Monke of that holy habit whither in loue to Lewis or hate to the King or pitty on the Land presenting him with an enuenomed Cup whereof the King commanded him to bee his Taster became the Diabolical Instrument of his own and his Soueraignes destruction This relation deliuered by Monkes and men of Monkish humour as a thing so vndenyable that they auow at what time they wrote this fiue Monkes in that Abbey did sing for this their Brothers soule specially and so should whiles the Abbey stood which if it had beene forged euery Child might easily haue refuted and the rehearsall of all circumstances thereof of the Kings speeches of the Monkes conference with his Abbot of his preparing the drinke with a Toade in the garden of his dying in the Firmary might deserue credite with the greatest Patrones of Monkery yet one of them as if by acquiting Simon of Swinshed all other of such Orders were cleared from assasinating of Princes striueth eagerly to asperse some late Relaters hereof with the blots both of malice forgery Wherein is the malice in adding to the narration Pictures also of the fact so to moue hatred to Monkes and their Religion whereas of truth either Monkes or men of that Religion were the very first who not onely so depictured but also liuely and richly depainted it in their goodliest Manuscripts Wherein then the Forgery in adding to Caxton that his Abbot gaue him absolution for the same before hand there being no such matter at all nor any mention thereof in the story No let the very story speake The Monke went to the Abbot and was shriuen of him and told the Abbot all the King had said and prayd his Abbot to assoile him for hee would giue the King such a drinke that all England should be glad thereof and ioyfull thâ—… yode the Monke into the Garden c. Yea farther one Monkalleadgeth an inducement for the Abbots assent therto for that the King had sent for the Abbots sister a faire Prioresse with purpose to haue deflowred her Yea but the Story it self is charged with noueltie the first author thereof being but An. 1483. and all other former Writers making no mention of it This if true were somewhat and doubtlesse it is as true as the former for how could hee bee the first Author when not onelie Ranulph the Monke of Chester Iohn of Tynmouth and Thomas Otterbourne the Francistan Fryer recorded it as a fame generally receiued but sundry other ancient stories as Iohn of Lichfield the Monke of Leicester Scala Mundi to omit other namelesse Authors before Ann. 1483 so confidently auouch his poisoning at Suinshead that vnpartiall after-Writers though friends to Monkery made no scruple to beleeue it And why should they not sith an Author more ancient and vnexceptionable then all the rest euen king Iohns Sonne and Successor in his Kingdome auerred it when the Prior of Clerken-well saucily telling him being then in that house that as some as hee ceast to doe Iustice towards his Prelates hee should cease to be a King the King enraged with his trayterous threat replyed What meane you to turne mee out of my Kingdome and afterward to murder me as my father was dealt with 63 But not to trouble our selues with refuting a Gooses gagling against Foxes true relation easie it is to obserue the hatred of Monks against that King both in thus procuring his death then and his dishonour a second death in their slanderous inuentions euer since For whereas he writ by some of his Bishops to certaine forraine Princes for aides against his faithlesse Rebels the Monkes charge him that hee counterfeited his Bishoppes Seales and writ abroad that all Englishmen were become Infidels and Apostates from
in the space betweene the Chappels of King Edward and Saint Bennet EDVVARD THE FIRST LORD OF IRELAND AND DVKE OF AQVITAINE c. THE FORTIE-SEVENTH MONARCH OF ENGLAND HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND ISSVE CHAPTER X. EDward who followed K. Henry in wearing the English Crowne but far out-went him in all regall vertues was abroad at the time of his fathers death still pursuing his high desires for the Holy Warres wherein what he performed being yet but a Prince against the publike enemies of Christians it shall not bee impertinent to touch before wee come to his actions as a King hauing already remembred with what valour and felicity hee had subdued his Fathers domesticke enemies setled the peace of his Kingdome and reestablished the raines of Soueraignty in his Fathers hands which those potent Rebels had formerly extorted 2 King Lewis of France whose perswasions had enflamed this noble-spirited Prince to associate him in this glorious quarrell hauing first set forth for the enterprise lay now in siege of Tunis in Africa where Prince Edward with all his forces arriuing the French King greatly reioycing in his wished presence together with the King of Nauarre and other Princes of his Army went forth to meet him and receiued him in the kisse of Peace This place which they beleaguered was as then not great yet by reason of the situation it greatly impeached the Christians in their passages through those Seas being built out of the scattered ribs and wasted ruines of that mighty and famous City Carthage riual once in Maiesty and Ambition with ancient Rome as contending with her about the Empire of the World Therefore to secure the Mediterranean Seas it was thought necessary to beginne that enterprise for Asia with this in Africa but not long after Lewis yeelding vppe his holy Soule to God at the siege and sicknesse by reason of the heates in those Regions for it was August raig of homage to seize vpon the whole Fee of the said Prince marcht with an Armie into Wales his good fortune there was accidentally augmēted by a prize which foure shippes of Bristol tooke about the Isles of Sillie wherein the daughter of Simon Montfort late Earle of Leicester who according to a secret contract betweene their friends went to be giuen in marriage to Lewelin and Aimericke her brother were surprised but shee found honourable vsage of the King her neere kinsman 11 Meanewhile Lewelines affaires by the manhood and diligence of Pain de Canusijs and others who had takē West-Wales in broght it to the Kings peace thriuing but poorely and the saide Prince feeling the foundations of his safetie beginning manifestly to faile and shrinke from vnder him sued for peace and had it vpon such termes which in likely-hood were not as Polydor Virgil would haue it seeme granted by King Edward lest he should leese his cost and care by warring against bogs and mountaines In the conditions of Peace which was procured with great difficulty the most remarkeable as carrying the shew of a farre greater riches in the possession of the Welsh euen at that time then some preiudicated can easily beleeue were these 1. That the Prince should pay to the King for his peace and goodwill fifty thousand pounds sterling the payment whereof should bee in the Kinges will and grace that is as wee conceiue it how much thereof the Prince should pay or not pay and when 2. That the said Prince should haue the Isle of Anglesey in Fee-farme of the King to him and to the lawfull issue of his body in generall taile for fiue thousand Marks readie money for gressom or a fine in hand paid the yeerly rent of a thousand Marks The rest of the articles being about eight amounted to so much as a plain Conquest or dissolution of the Principality of Wales after Lewelins death who was to enioy the same during his time vpon conditions 12 Now whereas the said Lewelin had three Brethren Dauid whom King Edward fauoured Owen and Rodericke it was enioyned to him at this conclusion made by the Lord Robert Tiptoft and certaine other Commissioners vpon eyther side appointed that hee should appease and satisfie his said Brethren but because Dauid was afterward a principall Actor in the calamities which fell vpon himselfe his house and his Country we must not neglect to speake somwhat particularly of him This Gentleman for some causes flying into England from his Brother Lewelin for his faithfull seruice to the State of England was there honoured contrary to the manner of his Nation with the order of Knighthood and receiued also by the bounty of King Edward for his maintenance the Castle of Denbigh with lands to the yeerly value of one thousand pounds and the Daughter of the Earle of Derby being then a Widow to wife with all which bounty the King did but entertaine a reuealer of his secrets as some not improbably doe affirme The State of Wales thus composed and the Castle of Aberistwith which seemes to bee the same that by another is said to haue beene built in West-Wales at Lāpader Vaur being built by King Edward for assuring those parts the King as he was munificent and roiall the more to tie Lewelins faith gaue vnto him the Lady of whose surprise at Sea we haue mentioned to be his consort honouring the Nuptials with his owne presence and his Queens And whereas Alexander King of Scots came about the same season into England to treat with Edward concerning important affaires and had formerly sent to the Welsh warres certaine aides of the Scots the said Alexander being iealous on his Countries behalfe that those aides might bee interpreted to haue beene sent vpon duty obtained letters testimoniall from King Edward declaring that they were not sent of duty or in respect of seruice due 13 Though King Edward were thus desirous to gaine the Welsh-Nation rather by his largesse then puissance hauing so honourably vsed Lewelin hee could not yet retain their hearts for whether it were which some to amoue the note of ingratitude turbulency from them affirme for that there was partiality vsed by the English officers in distribution of iustice vpon the Marches or which seems to some as likely for that they aspired in vaine to their ancient liberty being miserably seduced with certaine blind prophesies the Welsh betooke themselues afresh to Armes for Dauid himselfe whom the King had laden with so many benefites and graces became to them a principall leader and to giue them full assurance of his fastnesse to their cause reconciling himselfe to his brother the Prince he sodainely and treacherously vpon Palme-Sunday seised the Castle of Hawardin surprising Roger de Clifford a noble famous Knight whom the King had dispatched into those parts as Iusticiar of all Wales and slaying such vnarmed men as offered to resist that violence whence
Barons and knights to the number of aboue fourescore and ten were taken prisoners by a man of small fortunes Andrew de Herckley Captaine of the City of Carleil and Sir Simon Ward Captaine of Yorke who with great forces out of those parts stopt their farther passage at Burrowbrigge as the Kings forces tooke all safegard from them behind 40 The third day after their apprehension the King in person being set in iudgement at Pontfract and with him Edmund Earle of Kent Aymerie Earle of Pemb◅ke Iohn de Warren Earle of Surrey and among others the Lord Hugh de Spenser the Father as also Hugh Spenser his sonne the Earle of Lancaster was brought before them and had sentence pronounced against him by the said Andrew de Herckley created afterward Earle of Carliel and the Kings Iusticiar the Lord Maplesthorpe as against an Arch-Traitour neuerthelesse for reuerence of his bloud being the Kings neere Kinsman drawing and hanging were remitted vnto him but his head was stricken off the same day without the Towne of Pontfract 41 Nor satisfied herewith the King gaue full way to reuenge putting to shamefull death by drawing hanging and as some write quartering in sundry places all the Barons the Lord Roger D'amarie onely excepted who died of his naturall death with sundry Baronets and Knights taken at Burroughbrig and elsewhere The Lord Badlesmere at whose house this tragicall fire beganne was executed at Canterburie And that so great and mighty a man as Thomas Earle of Lancaster should not seeme to die without a bloudie complement sutable to his condition there were hanged and quartered vpon the same day at Pontefract fiue or sixe Barons and the next day at Yorke were hanged in yron chaines the Lords Clifford Mowbray Dey-uill and others afterward in other places to the number in all though all of them not Barons of twenty and two the chiefest Captaines of the Realme suffered death for their disloyalties Threescore and twelue Knights more were dispersed into sundry prisons who saith De la Moore vpon fines paid had afterward their Liberties 42 As for the said Thomas Earle of Lancaster there are so many reasons why he cannot reasonably be iudged either a good subiect or a good man that we may worthily wonder why some at that time should repute him a Saint Certainely the wise and discreet old Writers are not so opinionated of him but note his priuate life for vicious himselfe to be nothing valorous and of the publike not well deseruing omitting his contumelious behauiours toward the King his Soueraign Lord in his discomforts which as Walsingham forgets not to relate so thinkes he that the like was worthily vsed toward that Earle himselfe who when hee was brought prisoner to Pontfract his owne Castle but then surrendred the whole multitude derided and called him in scorne King Arthur by which name hee was designed as some write in the Scottish Cypher intercepted prouing a conspiracy with Scots but the very shoppe where his and the other Barons original Treasons were forged was the Parliament house wherein from time to time they forced on the King presumptuous and treasonous Ordinations whereby the Peeres challenged not onely to reforme the Kings house and Councell and to place and displace all great Officers at their pleasure but euen a ioint interest in the Regiment of the Kingdome together with the King which William Inge a Iudge of the Common-Law with other like sticklers traiterously perswading them to be according to Law 43 Of his ill deseruings toward the common-Weale who for the good thereof could not disgest any indignity let this bee a kind of demonstration for when King Edward hauing by strait siege brought Berwicke neere to termes of yeelding chanced once to breake forth after his vaine manner into these words The Lord Hugh Spenser shall be captaine of the Castle when it is taken the Earle forthwith with others of his affection abandoned the seruice by reason of which departure it was thought that Berwicke was not as then obtained and that the enemy therby had great aduantage in all their attempts The names of such Barons besides Banerets and some few others of special note as perished by hatchet and halter for this businesse as out of so great variety of Writers wee could now gather them were At Pontfrait Thomas Earle of Lancaster The Lord Warren Lile The Lord William Tochet The Lord Thomas Mandute The Lord Henry de Bradburne The L. Williā Fitz-Williā the yonger The Lord William Cheyney At Yorke The Lord Roger Clifford son of that Robert Lord Clifford who was slaine by the Scots with Gilbert Earle of Gloster at the battell of Banocksbourne in the seruice of this King The Lord Iohn Mowbray The Lord Iosceline Deynuile At Gloster The Lord Iohn Gifford At London The Lord Henrie Teyes At Windsor The Lord Frances de Aldenham At Canterburie The L. Bartholmew de Badlesmere The L. Bartholmew de Ashburnham Neuer did English earth at one time drinke so much bloud of her Nobles in so vile manner shed as at this which whatsoeuer could bee pretended as doubtlesse their offence was capitall yet all was taken to be done as in the quarrell of the Spensers onely nor was it vnreuenged as will appeare in the mean space their enemies not contented with their bloud procured also the confiscation of their estates and inheritances 44 King Edward thinking that this exploit had made him terrible aswell to the Scots as it had done to the English marcheth with a mighty hoast into Scotland from whence not long after for want of victuals hee was compelled to returne without the honor of any atchieuement and being vpon his returne was sodainely by Scots assailed in the night very narrowly escaping in his owne person and with a few saued himself by flight leauing his treasure furniture for pillage and so came sorrowfull to Yorke Iohn de Britain Earle of Richmond was taken prisoner by the enemy and the rest of the Country defaced with destructions as farre as to the wals of that City 45 Thus passed this yeere to the English full of losse reproach and lamentation by reason of their intestine discord and the shambles of their Nobles to the King infamous and hatefull also for his vnfortunate iourney into the Northern parts c. But these bloudy and tempestuous winds blew some to profit for during the space of about fiue yeeres after the fortune of the Spencers hugely encreased and the Queenes decreased who for her relenting toward the Lords expressing some dislikes of these ranckly-growing weeds was grown to beare a share in the persecution And that these with such like violent men working vpon the Kings inclination were the onely Authors of that sharpe reuenge taken vpon the Lords for their particular and inglorious enrichment
the King replied that as the offence was capitall so should it bee examined by the Peeres and therefore willed him to rest contented vntill the next Parliament Thus by his great wisdome he satisfied his father from further suspition and recouered his loue that neerely was lost Hetherto of Henry as he was Prince some other of whose youthly actions we also touched in his fathers raigne and now to his Acts after he was King 11 Henry ordained successor and ouerseer of his dying Fathers Testament had in his entrance so fortunate proceedings as hee seemeth to exceed all his Predecessors his Nobles proffering the oath of their Alleagiance before himselâ—…e had made his for the iust gouernment of the Common-weale which so farre was from acceptation that hee desired God neuer to admit him to the Crowne vnlesse he should to his glory raigne and rule the Scepter to the good of the Subiect The day of his entrance and of his Fathers death being the twentieth of March and yeere of Christs Incarnation according to our account 1412. on the ninth of Aprill following hee was solemnly crowned at Westminster Thomas Arundel Archbishoppe of Canterbury performing the roiall Ceremonies which no sooner was ended but to beginne a good gouernment hee beganne with himselfe banishing from his presence and Court the vnbridleled youthes which had beene his consorts commanding them either to change their manners or neuer to approch within ten miles where hee lay Then chose hee worthy and prudent men for his Councell of Estate and aduanced his Clergie with dignity and power being himselfe as zealous in deuotion as liberall in building and indowing of places for deuotion of others His Iustice was found of all that sought it for euery day after dinner for the space of an houre his custome was to leane on a cushion set by his cupbord and there himselfe receiued petitions of the oppressed which with great equity he did redresse And for a further testimony of his tender and compassionate heart the slaughtered body of K. Richard ouer-meanely enterred at Langley in great â—…state he remoued into Saint Peters Church at Westminster and there laid him enshrined by Queene Anne his first wife as himselfe had desired and prepared founding a weekely memoriall to bee celebrated and six shillings eight pence thereon distributed vnto the poore and yeerelie twentie pounds giuen vpon his anniuersarie day besides foure tapers to burne before his monument day and night for euer And so neerely did his death touch this innocent King that hee sent to Rome to bee assoyled from that guilt of his fathers Act by the Popes holinesse then accounted another God whose penance enioined he willinglie performed and afterwards purposed to haue made warre in Palestina against the enemies of Christ for which end hee sent Sir Hugh de Lauoy of Henault to Ierusalem to discouer the state of things there but before his returne he was departed to the heauenly Ierusalem himselfe 12 The obsequies of his Father being solemnized at Canterbury and the King in person attending the Corps fitte occasion was giuen vnto Archbishoppe Arundell to complain of the Wicklifians then termed Lollards great rubs in the wayes of the Clergies pride and proceedings whereof Sir Iohn Oldcastle was thought a chiefe who by his marriage contracted with a kniswoman of the Lord Cobhams of Cooling in Kent obtained the title thereof a man strong and valourous and in especiall fauour with his Prince This Knight in their Synode assembled at London immediately after the Kings Coronation was accused by them to haue rent Christs seamelesse coat in maintaining VVickliffes doctrine to bee taught especially in the Diocesse of London Rochester and Hereford against whom also some choise Inquisitors at Oxford appointed for Heresies though that whole Vniuersity had formerly vpheld both Wickliffe and his doctrine informed and presented his name with two hundred forty sixe conclusions which they had collected to be hereticall 13 The King incensed by the Archbishoppes suggestions against these discontented discipliners was further made beleeue that they themselues had set vp billes in diuers places threatning that an hundred thousand persons were ready for armes against all that withstood their reformation and among these that Oldcastle his Knight was reputed the chiefe The King graciously inclined heard the Archbishops complaint and being at Kennington promised to conferre with the Lord Cohham himself which accordingly hee did instantly willing him to submit himselfe to the censure of the Church and obedience of the Archbishoppe but Cobham no turne-coate from his profession humbly told the King he owed his subiection only vnto his Maiesty whom God had placed in these his Dominions as his onely Vice-gerent to gouerne his people and Subiects and that himselfe forced nothing Romes leaden sword vnsheathed by the Pope that Antichrist against the Lords seruants nor would suffer the key of Canterbury to open the closet of his conscience where the spirite of God was residing bearing witnesse with his that hee stood in the truth for whose defence as his Champion he was ready to liue or die 14 This answere receiued was so deliuered vnto the Archbishoppe with power to cite examine and punish as their owne Canons in such cases had decreed The Lyon thus laid for whose paw they still feared was serued by processe to appeare in the Archbishops Court and the same deliuered by one Butler a seruant of the Kings Priuy Chamber for that the bold Sumner durst not doe it himselfe and the Archbishoppe diligent lest he should forget the day caused his letters citatorie to be set vpon the gates of the Cathedrall Church of Rochester which were presently torne down and others againe set vp were againe pulled off to the great offence of the Clergies eye and the rather for that the Actor could not be knowne The Knight not appearing as knowing their malice and his own danger was condemned of contumacie and afterwards in a Synode at Rochester was by the Archbishop pronounced an Heretike where himselfe then enacted that hereticall decree that the holy scriptures should not bee translated into the English tongue But marke the iudgement that fell vpon his own tongue whose rootes and blade shortly after as is recorded grew so big in his mouth and throate that he could neither speake nor swallow downe meat but in horror lay languishing till lastly he so dyed starued by famine 15 In the meane time the Lord Cobham wrote his Beliefe which was very Christianlike and presented it himselfe to the King who being much prepossessed in no wise would receiue it but suffered him to bee summoned in his presence and priuie Chamber when the Knight for his purgation offered an hundred knights and Esquires which would not be accepted then according to his degree of Order and law of Armes he required the single Combat to fight for life or death with either
is the greatest it may be also the happiest Monarchie of Europe For the cleere accomplishment of which worke there rests now nothing but the depressing of the Daulphin who is by your doome already not only depriued of that dignity but of succession to the Crowne and prosecuted as a Traitor to the State and of whom this we must be assured that while he liues France cannot but be in a perpetuall combustion For preuenting whereof I both need and intreate both your Counsels and aide nothing doubting of your readines in either for how can we expect any safety or you any goodnes at his hand who in his young yeeres did so perfidiously murder the Duke of Burgundy his vncle I am now you see your Regent in present and Successour to the Crowne in hope Let it not therefore sticke in your hearts that I am an Englishman borne for you know I haue much French blood in my veines which warmes my affections as well to French as English but looke on me as the lawfull heire to the Diademe both by iust Title and your owne consents who therefore am and ought to be wholly yours and your kindnes and iust dealing bind me so to be Yours also am I now by fresh alliance as sonne in Law to your King vnto whom I will performe all offices of loue and honor as to mine owne father and you his subiects shall I loue and cherish as mine owne children and will defend France and the French so long as you defend my right with your louing aide and will deserue my loue with your loiall affection 55 These affaires thus accomplished at Troyes the Kings the Queenes and the rest of the Peeres in great estate rode vnto Paris where all faire countenances were shewed and great entertainement giuen to the English But the Daulphin and his followers neither feared nor fainted though the present courses pleased not their palat Their first Counsell therefore was how to preserue themselues in so eminent danger to sit still and doe nothing they knew it was but to increase and aduance the successes of the English and to rise without strength was to fall into further misfortunes hauing no meanes to hold warre with so potent an Enemy In this distraction their voice was best heard that spake most for the safety of the Daulphin whose only life gaue breath vnto the after-hopes of France and for the strengthening of those places which might be of most aduantage to themselues and offence to the Enemie This then past by decree in that Counsell of warre that the Daulphin should at no time hazard his person in field and that a leuy of Souldiers should be had to lie in Garrison in places conuenient for Time which neuer stands still they well hoped might yet turne the rice for them fortune being said they as subiect to fawne as to frowne in which resolution each man tooke to his charge and all to withstand the doings of Henry 56 As these consulted for the state of the French so in Paris a Parliament of the three estates was assembled wherein such as were guilty of the death of Burgundy were iusticed the disherizing of the Daulphin confirmed and warres prepared against these Townes which held for him Against Sens the two Kings with their Queens Clarence and Burgundy marched which after 12. daies was rendered vpon composition of life those excepted as were guilty of the Duke of Burgundies death Monstreau was the next which by force was entred where the body of the Duke of Burgundy vndecently buried by the Daulphinois was taken vp and by his sonne Philip sent in great pompe to Diion in his Dutchy and there honorably interred The Towne being taken the Castle held out vnto whose Captaine twenty Captiue Gentlemen were sent whose liues from King Henries mouth say the French were sentenced to death vnlesse they could perswade the Castellan to surrender but those men say our English to mollifie that seuere doome were all especiall friends of that Captaine and such as had giuen opprobrious words to the Kings Herauld being sent vnto them in the siege of Monstreau Howsoeuer in this extremity they sollicited Guiluy vpon their knees vrging their owne deaths and his great danger if he held out but Guiluy a true Frenchman and friend to the Daulphin withstood the assault and thereupon these Gentlemen Petitioners were presently hanged in the sight of the defendants so bloody is Mars to maintaine his owne Lawes and so eager was Henry of his full Conquest of France whose thirsting sword had hereto fore beene some what ouerlauish in blood but neuer more perhaps then in this bloody act which I wish might be obliterated from the number of his other glorious actions Yet at length was that Castle enforced to surrender vpon composition of life excepting the guilties of Burgundies death 57 Then was the siege remoued to Melun a Towne of great strength and made more strong by the valours of her commanders who were Seigneur Barbafon an absolute souldier Pierre de Bourbon a Prince of the blood Preaux and Bourgeois whose Garrison was seuen hundred Daulphinois and indeed no default in defence could anie wise be imputed but the Canon opening a breach the English and Burgundians made an entry into the Bulwarke and ouer the Riuer Seine built a bridge with Boates so that from either quarter they had passage one to the other without impediments and encamped themselues for their best aduantage vpon whom the enemie neuerthelesse made diuers sallies with the losse of either parties King Henry inforced his siege to the vtmost and made a myne vnderneath the wals which being perceiued the defendants countermined against him where the King too forward as the very first man entring his myne and Barbason likewise his within the Towne met each other at point of sword where they performed nobly the parts of priuate souldiers nobly indeed if priuate souldiers they had been but Princes should remember they are not such till lastly they agreed to discouer themselues and first Barbason made known his name then King Henry did his whereupon the French Lord suddainely getting backe caused the Barriers to be closed and Henry returned to his Campe. 58 This enterprize failing King Charles himselfe came into the Campe to induce the defendants to render at the presence of their naturall Lord which neuerthelesse was little respected for answere was made that if their King were at liberty and free from King Henries power they would doe him the duty of naturall subiects and yeeld him their charge as their Liege Lord but being as he was they desired to be excused for to the mortall enemy of France they would not yeeld 59 Whilest King Henry lay at the siege of Melun the Duke of Bauier who was Palsegraue of Rhyne Elector came to King Henry hauing married his sister and thence sent a defiance vnto the Daulphin his kinseman by Queene
any of aboue fifteene The great number of the slaine is not the measure of a victory but the vse and effects which it drawes The Duke of Alanson himselfe was taken prisoner with about two hundred others of speciall worth The English paid for this noble victory the bodies of about two thousand of their souldiers which lost life there for it was fought vpon faire termes in the open fields and carried by meere manhood That which followeth till the siege of Orleance Paul Aemylius comprehendeth in some few lines The fierce Conquerour besiegeth Mants in Main and with Ordinance beates downe part of the wals It yeelds heereupon The English Garrison left therein after the taking not being sufficient to containe the Towne in due subiection is compelled to flie to a Tower for their safetie the enemies which were admitted into it by the Burgers enioying the rest The Lord Talbot the most noble Captaine of the English presently arriues to the rescue and puts the malefactors to death The English Empire extends it selfe to the Riuer of Loyr Charles they call in scorne the King of Berry Thus roundly he In nine Articles and capitulations drawne and concluded at the yeelding of Mâ—…nts this was one as perhaps it was in euery like occasion That if any persons were found within the City which had beene consenting to the murther of Iohn Duke of Burgoin father to Philip Duke of Burgoin in full reuenge whereof he had hither to adhered to the English that they should simply bee at the Regents mercy 8 The chiefe things which passed in England during these happy proceedings in France were briefly these Iames Steward the young King of Scots hauing beene casually taken vpon the Sea in the reigne of King Henry the fourth and after his fathers death not sufficiently tendered nor respected by the Scots remained still a Prisoner The rather therefore to hinder the Scots that was the hope from aiding the French it was now thought fit by the Councell of England to enlarge him Which was accordingly done vpon pledges Not long after the which he married the Ladie Iane daughter to Iohn Earle of Sommerset neere cosen to King Henry Principall setters forward of this marriage as by likelihood of his liberty also to honour their family with a Kingly alliance were the Earle of Sommerset and the Bishop of Winchester both of them Beauforts who together with sundry other of the English Nobility conducted the new married Couple to the Scottish Borders Much of his ransome was abated and his new kinsemen bestowed vpon him store of plate gold and siluer among other gorgeous Ornaments suit of hangings in which the labors of Hercules were most curiously wrought But this wise King hauing had the benefit of excellent and Princely education in England did not suffer any obligations contracted in the time of his durance to preponderate with him the Generall state of Scotland whose freedome did much depend vpon the fortune of France whereby the maine drift of his enlargers was not much aduanced The reason notwithstanding which lead this action was probable and so much the more commendable for that it was tempered with humanity The forreine mischiefe thus howsoeuer intended hereby to be auoided or qualified Sir Iohn Mortimer a dangerous firebrand at home being Prisoner in the Tower was arraigned for many treasonable speeches vsed to a yeoman seruant to Sir Robert Scot keeper of the Tower of London to draw the said yeoman to let him escape promising him great matters The points of his speeches were as that fellow charged vpon him in open Parliament 1. That the said Mortimer meant to flie into Wales to the Earle of March and with an armie of forty thousand men to enter England and strike off the Protectors head and the Bishop of Winchesters 2. That the Earle of March ought by right to bee King of England and if the Earle would not that then hee himselfe was next heire 3. That if he could not safely reach to the Marches he would saile to the Daulphin of France and there serue with honor which he was assured of For these ouertures of escape and conspiracie the Knight was drawne hanged and headed Of whose death no small slander arose Perhaps he that writes so doth meane that the whole was but a stratageme to rid him out of the way Edmund Lord Mortimer Earle of March the party whom the said knight mentioned was sent not long after with many other Lords and competent numbers of men into Ireland where he deceased without issue whose great patrimony descended to Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge the fatall disturber of the Realme of England vpon the pretence of Mortimers title to the Crowne 9 The amity with the Duke of Burgoin which the English had hitherto found so auailable toward their Conquests hauing otherwise receiued some few slight flawes was now in danger of vtter breaking vpon this occasion Humfrey Duke of Gloucester Protector of the Realme following councell vnworthy of his person and place contracted himselfe with the Lady Iaqueline of Baâ—…aria Inheretrix of Holland Zeland Henaâ—…lt and many other faire dominions in the Netherlands notwithstanding that Iohn Duke of Brabant her former husband was then liuing and that the suit of diuorce commenced by Iaqueline depended still betweene them The Duke of Burgoin held with Brabâ—…t This bred bitter humor in the Duke of Glocester who being not vsed to meet with any rubs or confrontments and now when in person he came with an armie to take seison of Henault in right of his supposed wife finding himselfe hard set vnto by the aids which Burgoin ministred to the Duke of Brabant he challengeth Combat of the Duke of Burgundy calling him traitour It was accepted and the lie strongly thrust vpon Gloucester who leauing the light Lady at her Towne of Monts in Henault returned into England doing nothing of that for which at that time he came Mediation tooke vp the quarrell afterward betweene the Duke of Burgundy and him Not long after the returne of the Duke of Gloucester into England the first marriage which had beene made and consummated betweene the Duke of Brabant and the said Lady Iaqueline was pronounced lawfull by Pope Martin the fifth Hereupon the Duke of Glocester hauing susteined many losses aswell of friends as treasure in punishment of that great sinne in taking anothers wife forthwith marries Eleanour daughter to Reignald Lord Cobham of Sterborough whereby he made her amends for that vnlawfull familiarity which had formerly passed betweene them Meanewhile the Court of England doth well shew that the King was an infant for it was full of dangerous emulations and sidings the Duke of Gloucester whose high office it was to tender the welfare of the King and State laying sundry grieuous accusations against the Cardinall Beaufort sonne of Iohn Duke of Lancaster Bishop of Winchester and Lord
the hap of vnfortunate Henry and condition of the multitude euer to dislike the present and to affect the new but no interim left to disswade or attempt the next day his stile and title was again proclaimed by the name of King Edward the fourth being the fourth of March and about the 20. yeere of his age 4 These sodain alterations made the richer sort somewhat fearefull especially those whose heart stood firm for K. Henry who was now in the North new mustering of men and among those London afforded many as King Edwards iealousie suspected whereof one Walker a substantiall Citizen and Grocer was a sufficient proofe who for wordes spoken concerning his owne sonne that hee would make him heyre of the Crowne meaning his house hauing that Signe was the eighth day of this Kings raigne apprehended and beheaded in Smithfield And albeit his words intended no treason the â—…rocer not once dreaming to touch King Edwards title yet the time being when the Crowne lay at stake the tenture of the Law made them his death This rough beginning moued many to doubt that they had wronged themselues in wronging King Henry which opinion was more confirmed in that hee retained a great summe of money borrowed of the Staplers-Merchants and disbursed in his affaires whose restitution he vtterly denyed with an austere commandement to surcease the demand But hearing how Henry was beloued in the North what followers were gathered to recouer him the Crown vpon the twelfth of March with a complete Armie hee sets forth of London accompanied with his brethren and many other Nobles with whome marching towards Pâ—…freit he there appoints the Lord Fitzwater to keepe the passage of Ferribrig omitting no directions of a worthy commander 5 King Henry for his part though nothing so warlike yet thought it best policy to imploy such leaders as desired 〈◊〉 against the house of Yorke such were the Duke of â—…set the Earle of Northumberland and the Lord Clifford whose 〈◊〉 had been sâ—…ine in the first battell of S. Albans which last though in degree the least mâ—…n yet sought to 〈◊〉 his same with the first and therefore to 〈◊〉 no attempt vnassayed hee â—…dainely châ—…ged vpon the Troupe appointed for 〈◊〉 thâ—… the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnâ—…ed only with a poâ—… in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Brigge thinâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his owne Souldiers where with the 〈◊〉 ofâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…d many of hiâ—… 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thâ—… 〈◊〉 6 Thâ—… brute of which â—…ust blowne iâ—…one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee mounted his Coâ—… and poâ—… iâ—… 〈◊〉 pâ—…ing blowing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of breath said Sir I pray God haue mercy on their soules which in the beginning of your enterprize haue lost their liues I see no succour in the world but in God to whom I remit the vengeance And so alighting forthwith slew his horse with his sword saying Let him flie that flie will I will tarry with him that will tarrie with me which hee confirmed by kissing the crosse of his sword the vsuall complement of couenants made by martiall men The valiant Lord Fanconbridge fearing left this beginning would giue an edge to the sequell got ouer the riuer at Castleford three miles from the bridge meaning to inclose the takers vpon their backes which Clifford perceiuing sought to auoide and whether for haste heate or paine put off the gorget he wore when sodainly an arrow without an head shot from the Bow of some laide in ambush pierced through his throat and stucke in his necke which set a period vnto his life 7 The next day more fatall for Englands bloud was celebrated with speares in stead of palmes vsually borne on that Saboth of Lent in whose dawning the Lord Fanconbridge who commanded the foreward the Duke of Norfolke being sicke tooke the field on a plaine betwixt the townes of Towton and Saxton where King Edward ioyning his whole forces being forty eight thousand and six hundreth sixty persons as King Henries were also threescore thousand caused proclamation to bee made that hee who feared to sight might forthwith depart but if any Souldier abiding should seeke to flie or turn backe hee should bee slaine by his next fellow and the slayer to receiue a great reward besides the stipend of a double pay 8 Both Armies ready to ioyne a small sleet of snow hapned to fall which with the wind was carried into the face of the Lancastrian host whereby their sight was much empeached which aduantage Fanconbridge soone espying forth with commanded his Archers to shoot each man a â—…light and then to stand without further proffer The Northern men feeling the arrows but not seeing the Archers made haste to acquite them with the like and shot their whole sheaues of arrowes without intermission but short of the markâ—… threescore yeards at the least which storme being past and all their store spent the worthy Fanconbridge aduanced forward and within reach of his Archers sore galled the enemie making a double aduantage of what they had done for their owne quiuers being full when the others were empty they gathered vp shot theirs against their owne shooters yet left some of them sticking to gall the legges of their pursuers by which onely stratagem as was constantly auerred the battell and day was lost and wonne 9 The sight was bloudy and continued tenus howres for all being English acquit themselues English-like no taking of prisoners nor looking for ransome but all to retaine and to get honour that day wherein died the Lords 〈◊〉 Neuill Willoughby Wellâ—… 〈◊〉 Gray Dâ—… 〈◊〉 Beâ—…kingham and Clifford who died the day before the two bâ—…ds of Exceâ—…r Knigâ—… 〈◊〉 Gentlemen a great number and in all 〈◊〉 thirty fiue thousand ninety and one so that 〈◊〉 onely the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stained with English blood bâ—… the riuers râ—… red for a great distance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this battell of Englands châ—… wars 10 Henry who neuer was victor wheâ—… hee came hearing 〈◊〉 losse which seemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with hiâ—… Queene and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ally â—…tained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed the better warrier passed thence into France where of King Lewis and her father Reiner shee obtained more men then her coffers were able to relieue with pay the bane of all courage in aduentures of warre 11 Victorious Edward after those his prosperous successes in the North in triumph returned to London and the eight twentith of Iune with great solemnity was Crowned at Westminster where in S. Peters Church the next day it was againe most solemnly set on his head and the third day so Crowned he came to Saint Paules in London and therein was censed with great applause of the People In Nouember following a Parliament began wherein King Henrie Queene Margaret and Prince Edward their sonne were disherited of their right to the Crowne the Dukes of Excester
he had created Earle of Pembrooke to be his Generall in the North who partly to deserue the Kings liberality in aduancing him to such honour and partly in emulation he bare toward Warwicke being the sole obstacle as he tooke it why he obtained not the wardship of the Lord Bonuils daughter and heire for his eldest sonne did not a little reioice of that his imploiment And therefore accompanied with Sir Richard Herbert his brother and eighteene thousand well furnished Welshmen marched towards the enemie and after him was sent Humfrey Lord Stafford with sixe thousand Archers to second him in his warres These Lords meeting together â—…ad notice by espials that the Northern made forwards towards Northampton to intercept whom the Lord Stafford lately made Earle of Deuonshire was imploied and Sir Richard Herbert who with two thousand horse laid themselues couertly by the side of a wood and sodeinely set vpon the rereward the rest hauing passed but the Northern verie nimbly turned about and bad the Welshmen such welcome as few of them returned to tell of their entertainement 33 The King vnderstanding of this hard beginning mustred his subeicts on euerie side intending to cope with the Northern himselfe And Earle Warwicke as forward to forward his fortunes gathered his friends with purpose to encounter with Pembrooke and his Welsh But before any supplies came to either of both it chanced the Armies to meete at vnawares vpon a faire plaine called Danes more neere to the Towne Hedgecot three miles from Banburie and presently fell to a bickering wherein Sir Henrie Neuill Knight sonne of the Lord Latimer vpon a lusty courage venturing somewhat too farre was taken prisoner and notwithstanding he yeelded himselfe to his Takers was cruelly slaine which vnmartiall act rested not long vnrepaied with the losse of most of the Welsh the next day For the field withdrawne the Lord Stafford repaired to Banberie and there tooke his lodging where his affections were much enamoured vpon a faire damsell in the Inne But the Earle of Pembrooke comming to the same Towne tooke into the same Inne and commanded the Lord Stafford to prouide him elsewhere contrary to their agreements made before whereat Stafford was displeased and departing thence with his whole Band left the Earle naked of men in the Towne and disabled the field of the Archers whereby the day was lost vpon the kings part for which he shortly lost his owne head 34 The Northern enflamed for the death of young Neuill the next morning most valiantly set vpon the Welshmen and by the force of Archers draue them from their ground of aduantage which Pembrooke wanting supplied with his owne prowesse and Richard his brother with his Pollaxe twice made way through the battell of the Northern without anie mortall or deadly wound so that by their valours it was verily supposed the field had beene wonne had not Iohn Clappam an Esquire and seruant to Warwicke displaied his Lords Colours with his white-beare and from an eminent place cried a Warwicke a Warwicke whereat the Welsh were so terrified as they turned and fied leauing their General and his brother alone in the field who valiantly figh ting were incompassed and taken with the 〈◊〉 of fiue thousand of their men The Earle with hâ—… brother Sir Richard Herbert were brought to Banbery where with ten other Gentlemen they lost their heads Conyers and Clappam being their Iudges 35 This second victory thus got and the Northern now fleshed vnder the leading of Robbin of Riddisdale hasted to the Kings mannor of Grafton where the Earle Riuers father to the Queene then lay whom with his sonne Iohn they sodeinely surprized and in Northampton strucke off their heads without any iudgement The deathes of these Lords the King greatly lamented and sought to reuenge first therefore writing his Commissions for the apprehension of Lord Humfrey Stafford of Southwicke who by diligent search was found at Brentmarch and beheaded at Bridgewater as he worthily deserued next he prepared a mighty Armie and with the same marched towardes Warwicke his company increasing euer as he went 36 King Edward set downe his tents at Wolney foure miles from Warwicke where the Duke and the Earle of Warwickes host lay readie for Battell but by the mediation of friends a peace was intreated and letters written from either parties expressing the griefes and wrongs sustained with proffers of redresse in amending all and in shew so farre it proceeded as the King conceiuing a certaine hope of peace rested secure not fearing any foule-play which politique Warwicke by his spiall perceiuing thought it not wisdome to loose the aduantage and thereupon in the dead of the night with a selected Company he entred the Kings Camp killing them that kept the watch tooke the king in his bed and brought him his prisoner to his Castle of Warwicke and thence by easie iourneys in the night had him conueyed to Midelham Castle in Yorkeshire not farre from Richmond where vnder the custody of his brother George Neuill Archishop of Yorke hee was reteined 37 His vsage was Princely and according to his estate which he often acknowledged to the Archbishop with all kind thankes and complements of wordes whereby he wrought himselfe into such trust and fauour as he had the Forrests to hunt in and the parkes for his pleasure whose pales are well knowne vnsufficient wals to pen the lyon in as appeared by this King who being abroad and on hunting Sir VVilliam Stanly with Sir Thomas Burgh brought him fresh horse and such a crew of followers that his keepers more feared their owne liues then were forward to force him backe againe to prison and so let the game goe without further chase King Edward thus escaped VVarwicke like a wild man furiously raged but seeing no remedy made vse of necessity and gaue forth that himselfe so caused it hauing power to make Kings and to vnmake them againe 38 The King forthwith repaired to Yorke where with great honour hee was ioifully receiued and abode certaine daies which made him well hope of a further supply of friends and men but fayling thereof and fearing the Archbishops pursuite with a small traine he posted to Lancaster where he found the Lord Hastings his Chamberlaine well accompanied for his Conuey his spirits then reuiued and traine daily increasing with speedie iourneyes hee came vnto London where all his studies and consultations were how to be reuenged vpon these disloiall Lords his brother and Earle VVarwicke and they againe fretting at the Archbishoppes follie sought to make stronger their factions against the King 39 The Land thus rent by these vnnaturall diuisions and no estate sure to enioy what was theirs the Nobles anew began to sollicite the parties vnto a Peace hauing first obtained libertie to post to and fro without their impeachments and so effectually laid downe the state of the Land whose ruines now
read the Articles of peace and demanded the Kings whether these were done with their full consents Which granted by both either of them laying their one hand vpon the Missall and the other vpon the Holy-Crosse tooke their solemne Oathes to obserue the same And then falling into a more familiar and Courtly Complementall conference King Lewis told K. Edward that he would one day inuite him to Paris there to Court his faire French Ladies with whom if hee committed any sinne he merrily told him that Cardinall Bourbon should be his Confessor whose penance would be the easier for that Bourbon vsed to busse faire Ladies himselfe which no sooner was spoken or howsoeuer meant but Edward was as forward of thankes and acceptance and indeed so ready that King Lewis rounding Commines his bosome seruant in his â—…are told him flatly he liked not Edwards forwardnes to Paris too many English Princes hauing beene there before and â—…s the conference ended and king Edwards busines in France hee returned into England and into the City of London was receiued little lesse then in triumph-wise 99 But though Edwards fortunes thus outwardly flourished yet inward feares nipped his still troubled mind one branch hauing sappe whose growth hee much feared would shadow his Crowne which was Henry Earle of Richmond aliue and at liberty in the Duke of Britaines Court. To bring therefore his purpose to passe hee sent D. Stillington and others Ambassadors vnto Frances Duke of Britaine with store of gold and good words as that hee meant to match his eldest daughter Lady Elizabeth vnto the young Earle of Richmond whereby all cause of dissentions might at once be cut off the Duke thinking no danger where the water went smooth easily consented to shippe him thereon but ere the prey was embarked hee had knowledge that the voyage should cost young Henry his life wherefore in all hast hee sent his Treasurer Peter Lâ—…doys to preuent it who secretly told Richmond what marriageâ—…d Edward intended whereat the distressed Earle amazed was put to his shifts and for want of better tooke Sanctuary at S. Malâ—…s where the English his conductors lay for a wind 100 The Earle thus escaped the Ambassadors complained to the Duke imputing the fault as far as they durst vnto him who had not dealt liâ—… a good Marchant to take their money and to retain the warâ—… his answere was the deliuery was good but themselues negligent Factors that made not the commodity to their best aduantage And yet for the loue hee bare to their King hee vndertooke that Richâ—…nd should be sure kept either in Sanctuary or else in prison whence as hee promised hee should not escape And so with a 〈◊〉 in their â—…re they returned hauing cleared Edward of 〈◊〉 â—…ney and care for sure keeping of Henry who though hee weresore displeased with Stillingtons simplicity yet the promises that the Duke of Britaine had made much mitigated and eased his mind 101 And now the Realme quiet no warre in hand nor none towards but such as no man looked should happen hee framed himselfe so to the peoples affections and held their hearts not in a constrained feare but with as louing and ready obedience as any King attaining the Crowne by his sword euer had Nor was euer any Prince more familiar with his Subiects then this King Edward was who now hauing his tribute truly paid from France and all things prospering as was desired he set heart vpon pleasure which hetherto had beene afflicted with continuall turmoile yea and often laid from him the state of a Prince and would accompany and conuerse with his meane subiects a loadstone that doth naturally attract the English hearts among many others we of London remember this to our grace Vnto Windsore he sent for the Lord Maior of London the Aldermen and others vpon no other occasion then to hunt in his company and himselfe to be merry with them As also at another time he did the like in Waltham where he gaue them most familiar intertainment and sent to the Lady Mairesse and her sisters two harts sixe Buckes and a Tunne of wine which wanne more loue then manifold their worthes 102 Somewhat he was giuen to Court and conuerse with faire Ladies which fault was well noted and preuented by King Lewis for his French dames but in England he had liberty with very large scope for besides the Lady Lucy and others by whome he had issue three concubines he kept and those of three diuers and seuerall dispositions as himselfe would often confesse one the merriest another the wiliest and the third the holiest harlot in his realme as one whom no man could get out of the Church vnlesse it were to his Bed the merriest was Shores wife of whom hereafter we shall speake the other two were greater Personages but in their humility are content to bee namelesse and to forbeare the praise of those properties 103 This fault of the King did not greatly offend the people for one mans pleasure could not extend to the displeasures of manie it being done without violence and in his latter daies lessened and well left But a farre more greater sinne and reproach he fell into among his other Princely disports For being on progresse in Warwickeshire and hunting in Arrow Parkâ—… belonging to Thomas Burdet Esquire with the death of much Game he slew a White Bucke greatly esteemed of the said Burdet who vnderstanding thereof wished his hornes in his Belly that moued the King to kill the same Bucke whereof he was accused and condemned of treason his wordes being drawne to wish the â—…ornes in the Kings bellie for which beheaded hâ—… was at Tiburne and buried in the Gray-Fryers Church at London 104 But a more lamentable tragedie happened vnto the land by the death of George Duke of Clarence the Kings second brother who being accused of high Treason was committed to the Tower where he soone-after ended his life His attainder was that the said Duke had caused diuerse of his seruants to enforme the people that Thomas Burdet his seruant likewise was wrongfully put to death and further laboured through their reports to make the world beleeue tâ—… K. Edward wrought by Nigrâ—…cie and vsed to poison such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And alâ—…o thaâ—… 〈◊〉 sâ—…id Duke vpon purâ—… to exalt himselfe and his heires to the 〈◊〉 digâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…sely 〈◊〉 vntruly pubâ—…d that the 〈◊〉 was a â—…ard and therefore not capable of raigne Moreouer thâ—… he induced diâ—…e of the Kiâ—…aturall subiects to be sworne vpâ—… the 〈◊〉 Sâ—…ent vnto him and his heires withâ—…â—…ny other reseâ—…ations of their allâ—…e for which intent as there was alleaged hee had gotten an exemplification vnder the great Seale of King Henry the sixt that if the said king and his sonne Prince Edward died without issue male the said Duke and his heires should inioy the Crowne For these in
threatning destruction if the match went not forward The Scottish Nobility considering the eminent danger put to death the wicked Counsellers of their King 〈◊〉 the Duke of Albany the Vicegerent of Scotland and promised to repay the money 〈◊〉 according to Couenants after which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the strong Towne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the English possession the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a generall 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an 〈◊〉 Edâ—…burgh who had vndertaken to disburse the money to signifie King Edwards minde touching the marriage intended and to demand the said summe by a day assigned which accordingly was repaide 112 The marriage with Scotland thus broken off for the Lady Cicely by K. Edward himselfe that with France for the Princesse Elizabeth both he and his Queene greatly desired and daily sought after But Lewis the French King finding the daughter of Austrich more fit for his sonne dallied out Edward with shewes of firme faith till he had effected the thing he went about which musicke sounded so harshly in the English Kings eare as in no wise hee would suffer that string to be touched but euer beleeued that the French meant him faire play and although the yeeres of the parties themselues might beget some suspition shee being much elder then the Daulphin and the truth thereof confirmed by the Duke of Austriches Leger-Ambassadours residing in England yet Edward would not so much as suppose a suspect against the French King and therefore suffered Lewis to incroach vpon those parts of Picardie that ioyned to Callis and to gaine time till it was past recall for then the Lord Howard returning from France confidently told him that hee was present and saw the Lady Margaret of Austrich daughter to Duke Maximilian sonne to the Emperour Frederick receiued vnto France with great pompe royaltie and at Ambois contracted and espoused to the Daulphin 113 Edward mightily chafed to be thus worked by Lewis made great preparation for France but whether with anger griefe or melancholy hee fell into a dangerous and deadly sicknesse some say of a superfluous surfeit whereunto he was much giuen Commines saith of a Catarrhe which weake estate turned his minde another way for calling his Lords into his sicke presence and raising his faint body vpon his Bed-Pillowes these words vnto them hee lastly spake 114 My Lords my deare Kinsmen Allies in what plight I lie you see and I feele by which the lesse while I looke to liue with you the more deepely am I mooued to care in what case I leaue you for such as I leaue you such bee my children like to finde you Which if they should that God forbid finde you at variance might hap to fall themselues at warre ere their discretion would serue to set you at peace Yee see their youth of which I reckon the only surety to rest in your concord For it sufficeth not that all you loue them if each of you hate other If they were men your faithfulnesse happely would suffice but childhood must bee maintained by mens authoritie and slippery youth vnderpropped with elder counsell which neither they can haue vnlesse you giue it nor you giue it if you agree not For where each laboureth to breake that which the other maketh and through hatred of each others person impugneth each others counsel there must it needs be long or any good conclusion goe forward And while eyther party striueth to bee chiefe flatterie shall haue more play then plaine and faithfull aduise of which must needs insue the euill bringing vp of the Prince whose minde in tender youth infected shall readily fall to riot and mischiefe and draw downe with him his noble Realme vnto ruine but if grace turne him to wisdome which if God send then they that by euill meanes before pleased him best shall after fall furthest out of fauour so that euer at length euill drifts draw to nought and good plaine wayes prosper Great variance hath there long time beene betweene you not alwayes for great causes Somtime a thing right well intended our misconstructions turneth vnto worse or a small displeasure done vs either our own affections or euill tongues agreeueth But this woâ—… I well ye neuer had so great cause of hatred as you haue of loue That we be all men that wee be Christian men this shall I leaue for Preachers to tell you and yet I wot nere whether any Preachers words ought more to moue you then his that is by and by going to the place that they all preach of But this I shall desire you to remember that the one part of you is of my bloud the other of my Allies and each of you with other either of kinred or affinitie which spirituall kindred of affinitie if the Sacraments of Christs Church beare that weight with vs that would to God they did should no lesse moue vs to charitie then the respect of fleshly consanguinitie Our Lord forbid that you loue together the worse for the selfe cause that you ought to loue the better And yet that happeneth and no where finde we so deadly debate as among them which by nature and law ought most to agree together Such a pestilent serpent is ambition and desire of vaine glory and soueraintie which among states where it once entreth creepeth forth so farre till with diuision and variance hee turneth all to mischiefe first longing to be next the best afterward equall with the best and at last chiefe and aboue the best Of which immoderate appetite of worship and thereby of debate and dissention what losse what sorrow what trouble hath within these fewe yeeres growne in this Realme I pray God as well forget as we remember Which things if I could aswell haue foreseen as I haue with my more paine then pleasure proued By Gods blessed Lady that was euer his oath I would neuer haue won the curtesie of mens knees with the losse of so many heads But sith things passed cannot be gaine-called much ought we the more beware by what occasion wee haue taken so great hurt afore that wee eft soones fall not into the like againe Now be those griefes paâ—…ed and all is God bee thanked quiet and likely right well to prosper in wealthful peace vnder your Cosins my children if God send them life and you loue Of which two things the lesse losse were they by whom thogh God did his pleasure yet should the Realme alway finde Kings and peraduenture as good Kings But if you among your selues in a childs raigne fall at debate many a good man shal perish and happely he too and ye too ere this Land finde peace againe Wherefore in these last words that euer I looke to speake with you I exhort and require you al for the loue that you haue euer borne vnto me for the loue that I haue euer borne vnto you
Nun in the Nunnery of Dartford in the same County founded by K. Edward the third where shee spent her life in contemplations vnto the day of her death 126 Marie the fift daughter of K. Edward the fourth by Queene Elizabeth his wife was promised in marriage vnto the King of Denmarke but died before it could be solemnized in the Tower of Greenewich the Sunday before Pentecost the twentieth two of her fathers raigne and yeere of Grace 1482. and was buried at Windsore 127 Margaret the sixth daughter of K. Edward the fourth by his wife Queene Elizabeth died an Infant without other mention in our Authors 128 Katherine the seuenth daughter of King Edward the fourth by Queene Elizabeth his wife and the last of them both was married vnto William Courtney Earle of Deuonshire and Lord of Ochaâ—…pton vnto whom shee bare Lord Henrie after the death of his father Earle of Deuonshire who by King Henrie the eight was created Marquesse of Excester in Anno 1525. His Concubines 129 Elizabeth Lucie is certainly known to haue been King Edwards Concubine though nothing so certainly mentioned whose Ladie or of what Parentage shee was that shee was conceiued by him with child is before declared but who that child was is as obscurely laid downe therefore in these things we must be silent and leaue the doubts to be resolued by others Three other concubines this king had whereof Shores wife was not the least beloued whose life falleth further to be spoken of in the Raigne of the vsurper Richard where her storie shall be shewed more at large His naturall Issue 150 Arthur surnamed Plantagenet the naturall sonne of K. Edward the fourth whose mother as is supposed was the Lady Elizabeth Lucie was created Viscount Lisle by King Henrie the eight at Bridewell in London the twentie sixth of Aprill and yeere of Saluation 1533. which title was confâ—…red vpon him in right of his wife Lady Elizabeth sister and heire vnto Iohn Gray Viscount Lisle and the late wife and then widdow of Edmund Dudley who bare vnto this Viscount three daughters which were Bridget Frances and Elizabeth all of them afterward married This Arthur Lord Lisle was made Lieutenant of Callis by the said K. Henry which Towne some of his seruants intended to haue betraied to the French for which their fact himselfe was sent to the Tower of London but his truth appearing after much search the King sent him a rich ring from his owne finger with such comfortable wordes as at the hearing thereof a sudden ioy ouercharged his heart was so immoderately receiued that the same night it made an end of his life whose body was honorably buried in the same Tower 151 Elizabeth the naturall daughter of K. Edward the fourth was married to Sir Thomas Lumley Knight the sonne of George Lord Lumley who died before his father shee bare vnto the said Sir Thomas Richard afterward Lord Lumley from whom the late Lord Lumley did descend EDVVARD THE FIFTH KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE AND LORD OF IRELAND THE FIFTIE FIFTH MONARCH OF THIS LAND HIS RAIGNE AND DEATH For the most part written by Sir Thomas Moore CHAPTER XVIII THe father thus dying in the strength of his yeeres and the sonne left to rule before he was ripe the Synders of dissensions which the sicke King had lately raked vp presently brake forth into a more raging flame for the king and Queenes blood that should haue supported young Edwards estate the one side being suspicious and â—…e other prouoked by the execrable desire of soueraignty left the tender king a Prince of such towardnes as his age could conteine destitute and vnarmed which if either kind or kindred had holden place must needes haue beene the surest pillars of his defence The raigne of this King if we may so cal the shorttime of his Soueraignty began the same day that his father died though he was neuer Crowned nor yet commanded the affaires of the Kingdome as an absolute Monarch his young brothers fortunes being ballanced with his 2 For Richard Duke of Gloucester by nature their vncle by office their Protector to their Father beholden to themselues by Oath and Alleagiance bounden all bands broken that holdeth man and man together without any respect of God or the World vnnaturally contriued to bereaue them not onlie of their dignity but also theirlines But forsomuch as the Dukes demeanour â—…reth in effect all the whole matter whereof the raigne of this yong and fift Edward must intreat itâ—… therefore conuenient somewhat to shew you ere we goe further what man this was and from whom he descended that could find in his heart so much mischief to conceiue 3 Know first then that Richard Duke of Yorke a noble man and a mighty beganne not by warre but by law to challenge the Crowne putting his claime into the Parliament where his cause was either for right or fauour so farre foorth aduanced that King Henries blood albeit he had a goodly Prince was vtterly reiected the Crowne by the authoritie of that high Court intailed to the Duke of Yorke and his issue male in remainder immediately after the death of King Henrie But the Duke not induring so long to tarrie intending vnder pretext of dissention and debate arising in the Realme to preuent his time and to take vpon him the rule in King Henries life was with many other Nobles slaine at Wakefield leauing three sonnes Edward George and Richard all of them as they were great states of birth so were they great and stately of stomacke greedy and ambitious of authority and impatient of partners 4 For Edward reuenging his fathers death depriued king Henry and attained the Crowne The second George Duke of Clarence was a goodly Noble Prince and in all things fortunate if either his owne ambition had not set him against his brother or the enuie of his enemies his brother against him For were it by the Queen and Lords of her blood which highly maligned the Kings kindred as women commonly not of malice but of nature hate them whom their husbands loue or were it a proud appetite of the Duke himselfe intending to be King at least-wise hainous treason was laid to his charge and finally were he faulty were he faultlesse attainted he was by Parliament and iudged to death as we haue saide 5 Richard the third sonne of whom we now entreat was in wit and courage equall with either of them in body and prowesse farre vnder them both little of stature ill-limmed and crook-backed his left shoulder much higher then his right very hard fauoured of visage and such as in States is called warly in other men otherwise he was malicious wrathfull and enuious yea and from afore his birth euer froward For it is for truth reported that the Dutchesse his mother had so much adoe in her trauaile that shee could not be deliuered of him vncut and that he came into the
Princes fauour the Duke of Gloucester turned vnto their destruction and vpon that ground set the foundation of all his vnhappy building For whomsoeuer he perceiued either at variance with them or bearing himselfe their fauour he brake vnto them some by mouth some by writing and secret messengers that it was neither reason nor in any wise to be suffered that the young King their Master and kinseman should be in the hands and Custody of his mothers kindred sequestred in manner from their Company and attendance of which euery one ought him as faithfull seruice as they and many of them farre more honorable part of kin then his mothers side whose blood quoth he sauing the Kings pleasure was farre vnmeet to bee matched with his which now to be as who say remoued from the king and the lesse noble to be left about him is quoth hee neither honorable to his Maiestie nor vnto vs and also to his Grace no suretie to haue the mightiest of his friends from him and vnto vs no little ieopardy to suffer our well proued euill-willers to grow in ouer great authority with the Prince in youth who is light of beliefe and soone perswaded Ye remember I trow K. Edward himselfe albeit he was a man of age and discretion yet was he in many things ruled by the bend more then stood either with his honor or our profit or with the commodity of any man else except only the immoderate aduancement of themselues Which whether they sorer thirsted after their owne weale or our woe it were hard I weene to gesse and if some folkes friendship had not held better place with the King then any respect of kindred they might perhaps easily haue intrapped and brought some of vs to confusion ere this why not as easily as they haue done some other alreadie as neere of his roiall blood as we But our Lord hath wrought his will and thankes be to his grace that perill is past howbeit as great is growing if we suffer this young King in our enemies hand which without his knowledge might abuse the name of his commandement to any of our vndoing which thing God and good prouision forbid 12 Of which good prouision none of vs hath any thing the lesse neede for the late made attonement in which the Kings pleasure had more place then the parties wils nor none of vs I beleeue is so vnwise ouer soone to trust a new friend made of an old foe or to thinke that an howerly kindnes sodeinly contracted in one houre continued yet scarce a fortnight should be deeper setled in their stomackes then a long accustomed malice many yeeres rooted With these wordes and writings and such other the Duke of Gloucester soone set afire them that were of themselues apt enough to kindle especially two Edward Duke of Buckingham and William Lord Hastings Chamberlaine both men of honor and of great power The one by long succession from his Auncestry the other by his office and the Kings fauour These two not bearing each to other so much loue as both of them hatred vnto the Queenes part in this point accorded together with the Duke of Gloucester that they would vtterly remoue from the Kings Company all his mothers friends vnder the name of their enemies 13 Vpon this conclusion the Duke of Gloucester vnderstanding that the Lords which at that time were about the King intended to bring him to London to his Coronation accompanied with such power of their friends that it should be hard for him to bring his purpose to passe without the gathering a great assembly of people and in manner of open warre whereof the end hee wiste well was doubtfull and in which the King being on their side his part should haue the face and name of a Rebellion he secretly therefore by diuers meanes caused the Queene to be perswaded and brought in minde that it neither were need and also should be ieopardous the King to come vp strong 14 For whereas now euery Lord loued other and no other thing studied vpon but about the Coronation and honor of the King if the Lords of her kindred should assemble in the Kings name much people they should giue the Lords of the contrary faction cause to feare and suspect least they should gather this people not for the Kings safegard whom no man impugned but for their destruction hauing more regard to their old variance then their new attonement for which cause they should assemble on the other party much people againe for their defence whose power shee wist well stretched farre and thus should all the Realme fall on an vproare and of all the hurt that thereof should insue which was likely not to be a little the most harme like to fall where shee least would all the world would put her and her kindred in the blame and say that they had vnwisely and vntrulie also broken the amity and peace which the King her husband so prudently made betwixt his kin and hers on his death bed and which the other party faithfully obserued 15 The Queene in this wise perswaded sent such word vnto her sonne and vnto her brother being about the King besides the Duke of Glocester him selfe and other Lords the chiefe of his bend wrote vnto the King so reuerently and to the Queenes friends there so louingly that they nothing earthly mistrusting brought vp the King in great hast but not in good speed with a sober company Now was the King in his way to London gone from Northampton when the Dukes of Glocester and Buckingham came thither where remained behind the Lord Riuers the Kings vncle intending on the morrow to follow the King and bee with him at Stony-Stratford twelue miles thence earely ere he departed So was there made that night much friendlie cheare betwixt these two Dukes and the Lord Riuers a great while but incontinent after that they were openly with great curtesie departed and the Lord Riuers lodged the Dukes secretly with a few of their most priuy friends set them down in Councell wherein they spent a great part of the night at their rising in the dawning of the day they sent out priuily to their seruants in their Innes and lodgings about giuing command to make themselues shortly ready for their Lords were to horse-ward vpon which messages many of their folke were attendant when many of the L. Riuers seruants were vnready 16 Now had these Dukes taken into their custodies the keyes of the Inne that none should passe forth without their licence and besides this in the high-way towards Stony-Stratford where the King lay they had bestowed certaine of their men that should send backe againe and compell to returne any man that were gotten out of Northampton towards Stony-Stratford till they had further order forasmuch as the Dukes themselues intended for the shew of their diligence to bee the first that should that day attend vpon the
you haue no need of a Priest yet and therewith laughed vpon him as though hee would say yee shall haue soone But so little wist the other what hee meant and so little mistrusted his present perill as hee neuer was merrier nor neuer so full of good hope in his life which selfe thing is often seene a signe of change but I shall rather let any thing passe me then the vaine surety of mans mind so neere his death Vpon the very Tower-wharfe so neere the place where his head was strooke off soone after there met he with one Hastings a Purseuant of his owne name And of their meeting in that place hee was put in remembrance of another time in which it had happened them before to meet in the like manner together in the same place At which other time the L. Chamberlaine had been accused vnto King Edward by the Lord Riuers the Queenes brother in such wise as hee was for the while but it lasted not long farre fallen into the Kings indignation and stood in great feare of himselfe And forasmuch as hee now mette this Purseuant in the same place that ieopardy so well passed it gaue him great pleasure to talke with him thereof with whom hee had before talked therof in the same place while he was therein And therefore he said ah Hastings art thou remembred that I met thee once here with a heauy heart yea my Lord quoth hee that remember I well and thanked bee God they got no good nor you no great harme Thou wouldest say so quoth he if thou knew so much as I know which few know else as yet and more shall shortly That ment hee by the Lords of the Queenes kindred which were taken before and should that same day bee beheaded at Pomfret which hee well wist but was nothing aware that the axe hung ouer his owne head In faith man quoth he I was neuer so sorry nor neuer stood in so great dread of my life as I did when thou and I met here And loe how the world is changed now stand my enemies in the danger as thou maist hap to heare more hereafter and I neuer in mylife so merry nor neuer in so great surety Oh good God the blindnes of our mortall nature when he most feared he was in good suretie when he reckened himselfe surest he lost his life and that within two houres after Thus ended this honorable man a good Knight and a gentle of great authority with his Prince of liuing somewhat dissolute plaine and open to his enemies and secret to his friends easie to be beguiled as he that of good heart courage forestudied no perils a louing man a passing well beloued very faithful and trusty enough trusting indeed too much Now flew the fame of this Lords death swiftly through the Citie and from thence further like a winde in euery mans eare 47 But the Protector immediately after dinner intending to set some colour vpon the matter sent in all hast for many substantiall men out of the City into the Tower at whose comming thither himselfe with the Duke of Buckingham stood harnessed in olde rusty briganders such as no more man should weene that they would vouchsafe to haue put on their backes except that some suddain neces sity had constrained them thereto And then the Protector shewed them that the Lord Chamberlaine and others of his conspiracy had contriued to haue suddainly destroied him and the Duke there the same day in Counsell And what they intended further was not yet well knowne Of which their treason he neuer had knowledge before ten of the clocke the same forenoone which suddain feare droue them to put on for their defence such harnesse as came next to hand and so had God holpen them that the mischiefe returned vpon them that would haue done it and this he required them to report 48 Euerie man answered him faire as though no man mistrusted the matter which oftruth no man beleeued yet for the further appeasing of the peoples minde he sent immediately after dinner in all haste an Herauld of Armes with a Proclamation to be made through the City in the Kings name conteining that the Lord Hastings with diuers others of his traiterous purpose had before conspired the same day to haue slaine the Lord Protector and Duke of Buckingham sitting in the Councell and after to haue taken vpon them to rule the King and the Realme at their owne pleasures thereby to pill and spoile whom they listed vncontrolled And much matter there was in that Proclamation deuised to the slander of the Lord Chamberlaine as that he was an euill Counseller to the Kings father entising him to many things highly redounding to his great dishonour and to the vniuersall hurt of his Realme by his euill company sinister procuring vngratious example aswell in many other things as in the vicious liuing and inordinate abusion of his body both with many others and especially with Shores wife who was one also of his most secret Counsell in this hainous treason with whom hee lay nightly and namely the night last past before his death so that it was the lesse maruell if vngracious liuing brought him to an vnhappy ending which he was now put vnto by the most dread commandement of the Kings highnesse and of his honorable and faithfull Counsell both for his demerits being so openly taken in his falsely conceiued treason as also least the delaying of his execution might haue encouraged other mischieuous persons partners of his conspiracy to gather and assemble themselues together in making some great commotion for his deliuerance whose hope being now by his wel-deserued death politickely repressed all the Realme should by Gods grace rest in good quiet and peace 49 Now was this Proclamation made within two houres after that he was beheaded and was so curiously indited and so faire written in parchment in so well a set hand and therewith of it selfe so long a processe as euery child might perceiue that it was prepared before For all the time between his death and the proclaiming could scant haue suffised vnto the bare writing alone had it beene but in paper and scribled forth in hast at aduenture So that vpon the proclaiming thereof one that was Schoole-master of Paules of chance standing by and comparing the shortnes of the time with the length of the matter said vnto them that stood about him Here is a gay goodly cast foule cast away for hast and a Merchant answered him that it was written by Prophecie Now then by and by as it were for anger not for couetousnesse the Protector sent the Sheriffes of London into the house of Shores wife for her husband dwelled not with her and spoiled her of all that shee had aboue the value of three thousand markes carrying her through London vnto the Tower and there left her Prisoner where for fashion sake he laid
the short time wherein he continued the name of a King which onlie was two monthes and sixteene daies and in them also he sate vncrowned without Scepter or ball all which Richard aimed at and perfidiously got before they could come to his head or into his hands His age at the death of his father and entrance into his throne was eleuen yeeres fiue monthes and fiue daies and within three monthes after was with his brother sin othered to death in the Tower of London as shall be shewed in his Raigne of whom we are now by order of succes sion to write RICHARD THE THIRD KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE AND LORD OF IRELAND THE FIFTIE SIXTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH HIS RAIGNE ACTS ISSVE AND DEATH For the most part written by Sir Thomas Moore CHAPTER XIX RIchard the third sonne of Richard Duke of Yorke born at Fotheringhay Castle in the County of Northampton was first honoured with the title of Glocester being the third Duke of that number consequently by vsurpation crowned King of England the third of that name a name indeed noted to the Kings so called to bee euer ominous and the title of Glocester to those Dukes euer fatall all of them both dying violent and vntimely deathes which ought to haue beene the more fearefull vnto Richard now hauing possession and interest in them both But that not regarded or destiny enforcing his aspiring mind gaue him no rest till his restlesse body found it lastly in the graue For his brother deceased when his life was most desired no man in shew tooke his death so heauily as himselfe or tendered the young King with a more honourable respect when as God knowes his mind ranne vpon deepe reaches how to compasse the wreath for his owne head which the better to fashion hee withdrew a while into the North and at Yorke in most sad and solemne manner obserued the Funerals of the dead King but howsoeuer the Maske couered this subtle Dukes face from the eie of the multitude yet Buckingham well knew the ambitious desire of his aspiring heart and indeed was the Dedalus that made him the wings wherwith he mounted so neere vnto the Sun as that the wax melting like the high-minded young Icarus he caught his last fall 2 What intendments they had before the Kings death is vncertaine though it may be suspected but sure it is he now gone the Duke of Buckingham twice sollicited Gloucester by his messengers in the North met him at Northampton himselfe accompanied him to London forwarded him in Counsell and was the first Actor in this following tragedy For first making him Protector procuring his young Nephew forth of Sanctuary disabling the young King bastardizing them both perswading the Citizens working the Nobility and all this done to set the Crowne vpon crookt Richards head and so moulded their minds vnto the man as they all became humble petitioners vnto him for to accept of the same who in the meane while had well conned his owne part by profuse liberalitie by passing great grauity by singular affability by ministring of iustice and by deepe and close deuises whereby hee wonne to himselfe the hearts of all but the Lawyers especially to serue best his turn which was so affected that in the name of all the States of the Realme a Petition was drawne and presented him to accept the wearing of the Crown the true copy wherof as we find it recorded in the Parliament Rol we haue inserted is as followeth In Rotulo Parliamenti tenti apud Westm. die Veneris Vicesimo tertio die Ianuarii An. Regni Regis Richardi 5. primo inter alia continetur vt sequitur Memorandum quod quaedam billa exhibita fuit coram Domino Rege in Parliamento praedicto in haec verba Where late heretofore that is to say before the consecration coronation and inthronization of our soueraigne Lord the King Richard the third a roll of parchment containing in writing certaine Articles of the Tenor vnderwritten on the behalfe and in the name of the three Estates of this Realme of England that is to witte of the Lords Spirituall Temporall and of the Commons by name and diuers Lords Spirituall and Temporall and other Nobles and notable persons of the Commons in great multitude was presented and actually deliuered vnto our said Soueraigne Lord the intent and effect expressed at large in the same roll to the which Roll and to the considerations and instant petition comprised in the same our said Soueraigne Lord for the publike weale and tranquility of this land benignely assented Now forasmuch as neither the said three Estates neither the said persons which in their name presented and deliuered as it is aforesaid the said Roll vnto our said Soueraigne Lord the King were assembled in forme of Parliament by reason whereof diuers doubts questions and ambiguities beene moued and engendred in the minds of diuers persons as it is said Therefore to the perpetuall memory of the truth and declaration of the same be it ordained prouided and established in this present Parliament that the Tenor of the said roll with all the contents of the same presented as is abouesaid and deliuered to our foresaid Soueraigne Lord the King in the name and in the behalfe of the said three Estates out of Parliament now by the same three Estates assembled in this present Parliament and by authority of the same bee ratified enrolled recorded approued and authorized into remouing the occasions of doubts and ambiguities and to all other lawfull effects that shall now thereof ensue So that all things said affirmed specified desired and remembred in the said rol in the tenor of the same vnderwrittē in the name of the said 3. Estates to the effect expressed in the same roll be of the like effect vertue force as if al the same things had bin so said affirmed specified desired remembred in a full Parliament and by authority of the same accepted approued The Tenor of the said Roll of parchment wherof aboue is made mention followeth is such To the high and Mighty Prince Richard Duke of Glocester Please it your noble Grace to vnderstand the considerations election and petition vnderwritten of vs the Lords Spirituall temporalll and Commons of this Realme of England and thereunto agreably to giue your assent to the common and publike weale of this land to the comfort and gladnese of all the people of the same First we consider how that heretofore in time passed this land many yeers stood in great prosperity honour and tranquilitie which was caused forsomuch as the King then raigning vsed and followed the aduise and counsell of certaine Lords spirituall and temporall and other persons of approued sadnesse prudence policy experience dreading God and hauing tender zeale and affection to indifferent ministration of iustice and to the common and publike weale of
once with infinite benefit to the Realme by the coniunction of those two bloods in one whose seuerall titles had long time disquieted the Land hee fled the Realme went to Rome neuer minding more to meddle with the world till the noble Prince King Henry the seuenth got him home againe made him Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England whereunto the Pope ioined the honour of a Cardinall Thus liuing many dayes in as much honour as one man might well wish ended them so godly that his death with Gods mercy well changed his life 24 This man therefore as I was about to tell you by the long and often alternate proofe aswell of prosperitie as aduerse fortunes had gotten by great experience the very mother or mistresse of Wisedome a deepe insight in politicke worldly drifts Whereby perceiuing now this Duke glad to commune with him sed him with faire words and many pleasant praises And perceiuing by the processe of their communication the Dukes pride now and then balke out a litle bread of enuy towards the glory of the King and thereby feeling him easie to fall out if the matter were well handled hee craftily sought the wayes to pricke him forward taking alwayes the occasion of his comming and keeping himselfe so close within his bounds that hee rather seemed to follow then to leade him For when the Duke first began to praise boast of the King and shew how much profite the Realme should take by his raigne Morton answered thus Surely my Lord folly it were for me to lye for if I would sweare the contrary your Lordship would not ween I beseeue but that if the world would haue gone as I could haue wished King Henries son had had the Crowne and not King Edward But after that God had ordered him to lose it and King Edward to raigne I was neuer so mad that I would with a dead man striue against a quicke So was I to King Edward a faithfull Chapplaine and glad would haue beene that his child should haue succeeded him Howbeit if the secret iudgement of God haue otherwise prouided I purpose not to spurne against the pricke nor labor to set vp that God putteth downe And as for the late protector and now King and euen there he left saying that hee had already medled too much with the world and would from that day meddle with his Booke and his Beades and no further 25 Then longed the Duke sore to heare what he would haue said because he ended with the king and there so suddainly stopped and exhorted him so familiarly betweene them twaine to be bolde to say whatsoeuer he thought whereof he faithfully promised there should neuer come hurt and peraduenture more good then he would weene and that himselfe intended to vse his faithfull secret aduise and counsell which he said was the only cause for which he procured of the King to haue him in his custody where he might account himselfe at home and else had he beene put in the hands of them with whom he should not haue found the like fauour The Bishop right humbly thanked him and said In good faith my Lord I loue not to talke much of Princes as a thing not all out of perill though the word be without fault Forasmuch as it shall not be taken as the party meant it but as it pleaseth the Prince to construe it And euer I think on Aesops tale that when the Lyon had proclaimed vpon paine of death there should no horned beast abide in the wood one that had in his forehead a bunch of flesh fled away a great pace The foxe who saw him runne so fast asked him whether he made all that haste and he answered In faith I neither wot nor recke so I were once hence because of this Proclamation made against horned beasts What foole quoth the Foxe thou maist abide well enough the Lion meant not thee for it is no horne that is in thy head No mary quoth he that wot I wellynough but what if he call it a horne where am I then The Duke laughed merrily at the tale and said my Lord I warrant you neither the Lion nor the Boare shall picke any matter at any thing heere spoken for it shall neuer come to their eares In good faith Sir said the Bishop if it did the thing that I was about to say taken aswell as afore God I meant it could deserue but thankes and yet taken as I weene it would might happely turne me to litle good and you to lesse Then longed the Duke yet more to wit what it was whereupon the Bishop said in good faith my Lord as for the late Protector sith he is now King in possession I purpose not to dispute his title but for the weale of this Realme wherof his Grace hath now the gouernance and my selfe am a poore member I was about to wish that to those good abilities whereof hee hath already right many little needing my praise it might yet haue pleased God for the better store to haue giuen him some of such other excellent vertues meet for the rule of a Realme as our Lord hath planted in the person of your Grace and there left againe 26 The Duke somewhat mariailing at his suddaine pauses said My Lord I note your often breathings and suddaine stopping in your communication so that to my intelligence your wordes neither come to any direct or perfect sentence in conclusion whereby either I might haue knowledge what your intent is now towards the King or what affection you beare towards mee For the comparison of good qualities ascribed to vs both maketh mee not a little to muse thinking that you haue some other priuie imagination imprinted in your heart which you bee abashed to disclose and specially to me which on my honour doe assure you to be as secret in this case as the deafe and dumbe person to the singer or the Tree to the Hunter The Bishop being somewhat bolder considering the Dukes promise but most of all animated because hee knew the Duke desirous to be magnified and also he perceiued the inward hatred which hee bare towards King Richard hee opened his stomacke to the bottome and said My singular good Lord sith the time of my captiuitie which being in your graces custodie I may rather call it a libertie then a strait imprisonment in auoiding of idlenesse mother of all vices in reading bookes and ancient pamphlets I haue founde this sentence written that no man is borne fie and at libertie of himselfe onely for one part of dutie he oweth to his parents another part to his friends and kindred but the natiue Countrey in the which he first tasted this pleasant flattering world demandeth a debt not to be forgottē Which saying causeth mee to consider in what case the Realme my natiue Countrey now standeth and in what estate and assurance before this time it
hath continued what gouernour we now haue and what ruler wee might haue for I plainely perceiue the Realme being in this case must needes decay and be brought to confusion but one hope I haue that is when I consider your noble personage your justice and indifferencie your seruent zeale and ardent loue towards your naturall Countrey and in like manner the loue of your countrey towards you the great learning pregnant wit and eloquence which so much doth abound in your person I must needs thinke this Realme fortunate which hath such a Prince in store meete and apt to bee Gouernour But on the other side when I call to memory the good qualities of the late Protector and now called King so violated by-tyranny so altered by vsurped authoritie and so clouded by blind ambition I must needs say that hee is neither meet to bee King of so noble a Realme nor so famous a Realme meet to be gouerned by such a tyrant Was not his first enterprise to obtaine the Crowne begunne by the murther of diuers personages did hee not secondarily proceed against his owne natural mother declaring her openly to be a woman giuen to carnall affection and dissolute liuing declaring furthermore his two brethren and two Nephewes to bee bastards and to bee borne in adultery yet not contented after hee had obtained the Garland he caused the two poore innocents his Nephewes committed to him to bee most shamefully murthered the blood of which little babes daily cry to God from the earth for vengeance What surety can be in this Land to any person either for life or goods vnder such a cruell Prince which regardeth not the destruction of his owne blood and much lesse the losse of others But now to conclude what I meane towards your noble person I say affirme if you loue God your linage or your natiue countrey you must your selfe take vpon you the Crowne of this Realme both for the maintenance of the honour of the same as also for the deliuerance of your naturall countreymen from the bondage of such a tyrant And if your selfe will refuse to take vpon you the Crowne of this Realme then I adiure you by the faith you owe vnto God to deuise some wayes how this Realme may bee brought to some conuenient regiment vnder some good Gouernour When the Bishop hap ended his saying the Duke sighed and spake not of a great while so that night they communed no more 26 The next day the Duke sent for the Bishop to whom hee said My Lord of Ely I must needs in heart thinke and with mouth confesse that you bee a sure friend a trustie counsellor and a very louer of your countrey And sith that at our last communication you haue disclosed the secrets of your hart touching the now vsurper of the crown also haue alittle touched the aduancement of the two noble families of Yorke and Lancaster I shall likewise declare vnto you my priuie intents and secret cogitations And to beginne when King Edward was deceased I then began to studie and with deliberation to ponder in what manner this Realme should be gouerned I perswaded with my selfe to take part with the Duke of Gloucester whom I thought to be as cleane without dissimulation as tractable without iniurie and so by my means he was made Protector both of the King and Realm which authoritie being once gotten he neuer ceased priuily to require mee and other Lords aswell spirituall as temporall that he might take vpon him the Crowne till the Prince came to the age of foure and twenty yeres and were able to gouerne the Realme as a sufficient King which thing when hee saw me somewhat sticke at hee then brought in instruments authenticke Doctors Proctors and Notaries of the Law with depositions of diuers witnesses testifying King Edwards children to bee bastards which depositions then I thought to be as true as now I know them to bee fained When the said depositions were before vs read and diligently heard he stood vp bare headed saying Well my Lords euen as I and you would that my Nephewes should haue no wrong so I pray you doe mee nothing but right for these witnesses and sayings of famous Doctors bee true For I am onely the vndubitate heire to Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke adiudged to be the very heire to the Crowne of this Realme by authoritie of Parliament Which things so by learned men for veritie to vs declared caused mee and others to take him for our lawfull and vndoubted Prince and Soueraigne Lord. So againe by my ayde hee of a Protector was made a King but when he was once crowned King and in full possession of the Realme hee cast away his old conditions For when I my selfe sued to him for my part of the Earle of Hertfords Lands which his brother Edward wrongfully deteined from me and also required to haue the office of the high Constableship of England as diuers of my noble ancestors before this time haue had and in long discent continued in this my first suite hee did not only first delay mee and afterwards deny me but gaue mee such vnkinde words as though I had neuer furthered him all which I suffered patiently But when I was informed of the death of the two young Innocents O Lord my heart inwardly grudged insomuch as I abhorred the sight of him I took my leaue of the Court and returned to Brecknocke to you but in my iourney as I came I had diuers imaginations how to depriue this vnnaturall vncle First I fantasied that if I list to take vpon me the Crowne now was the way made plaine and occasion giuen For I well saw hee was disdained of the Lords Temporall and accursed of the Lordes Spirituall After diuers cogitations of this matter as I rode betweene Worcester and Bridgenorth I encountred with the Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmund now wife to the Lord Stanley who is the very daughter and sole heire to Iohn Duke of Sommerset my Grandfathers elder brother so that she her sonne Henry Earle of Richmund be both between me and the gate to enter into the Maiestie roiall getting of the Crowne and when wee had a little communed concerning her sonne and were departed I then beganne to dispute with my selfe whether I were best to take it vpon me by the election of the Nobility and Communalty or to take it by power Thus standing in a wauering ambiguity I considered first the office duety and paine of a King which surely I thinke that no mortall man can iustly and truly obserue except he be elected of God as K. Dauid was 27 But further I remembred that if I once took vpon me the Gouernance of the Realme the daughters of King Edward and their Allies being both for his sake much beloued and also for the great iniurie done to them much pittied would neuer cease to barke at
them iust barres to the Earle of Richmund who scarce had any thing of a legal title or of a warrantable intention but his purpose to remoue an Vsurper and marry the Lady Elizabeth the rightfull inheritrice Thirdly a long and fatall slacknesse of Richard in his warlike preparations through the meer contempt of his enemy the Earle which was the cause that both hee landed securely and Richard was driuen to fight in a manner with tumultuary rather then trained forces And finally that a principall potent noble and yet a deepely suspected Conspirator as being Father in law to the Earle should haue charge vnder Richard ouer a chiefe portion of his Army at the very instant of ioyning battell 2 These considerations among many other had in them such an aptitude to his designe as no humane wit could fashion and without the which a man of equall starres and parts to Henry or Henry himselfe might in vaine haue beene wise in vain industrious and valiant Circumstances of the other sort shall plentifully occurre in the whole carriage of his ensuing actions In both which are verified two contrary rules for the state of the first obseruations teacheth vs with Plautus that 〈◊〉 doctorum hominum consiliâ—… haec vna vincit Deâ—… This one Goddesse can effect more then the wits of an hundred learned men speaking as an Heathen man of that famous Idole Fortune and in the second that which Iâ—…enall excellently noteth Nullum numen abest si sit prudentia sed te Nos facimus Fortuna Deam coeloque locamus No Goddesse wants where Prudence guids though Chance A Goddesse deemd fond Men to Heauen aduance 3 Now for the Character of this famous wise Prince which with reason ought to bee set in front to his actions as certaine lights of the mind by which to discerne the fountaine of counsels and causes a learned eloquent Knight and principal Lawyer of our time giues vs many things of which these selected are very regardable This King saith he attained vnto the Crowne not onely from a priuate fortune which might endew him with a moderation but also from the fortune of an exiled man which had quickned in him all the seedes of obseruation and industry His wisdom speaking thereof as it was in his raigne seemed rather a dexterity to deliuer himselfe from dangers when they pressed him then any deepe foresight to preuent them a farre off Iealous hee was ouer the Greatnesse of his Nobility as remembring how himselfe was set vp Great and deuout reuerence hee bare vnto religion as hee that employed Ecclesiasticall men in most of his affaires In his gouernment hee was led by none scarsely by his lawes and yet he was a great obseruer of formality in all his proceedings which notwithstanding was no impediment to the working of his will In his wars meaning domesticke he was rather confident then enterprising by which also hee was commonly not the poorer Generally hee seemed inclinable to liue in peace and in the quenching of the Commotions of his subiects hee was euer ready to atchieue those wars in person sometimes reseruing himselfe but neuer retiring himselfe Of nature he câ—…eted to accumulate treasure in expending whereof hee neuer spared charge that his affaires required and in his foundations was magnificent enough He chose commonly to employ cunning persons as he that knew himselfe sufficiently to make vse of their vttermost reaches without danger of being abused with them himselfe 4 Another hauing a purpose to write in English the history of this Henry an argument which for the worthy doing thereof requires as wise a man as Henry himselfe hath among many extraordinary praises most what framed out of his strong affection truly noted concerning his atchieuement of the Crowne That the Almighty hand of God brought him ouer the toppe of the highest and most dangerous obstacles to sway this Scepter when neither Title Power nor great Probability could giue him so much as one sound push to set him forward And of the man himselfe That hee entertained that as sodaine as Soueraigne change of fortune with such moderation and vntransported discretion as it well appeared hee had throughly conquered himselfe before hee subdued the Vsurper his enemy What could bee added greater to so true a prayse nothing certainely for that he as else-where that Writer saith was the Salomon who brought peace to this Kingdome long before oppressed by warre and tyranny it was onely an excellent effect of that excellent moderation Other Authors of our times concurre in the same iudgement of him whom they prayse for singular wisdome excellent temperance and moderate frugality for policy iustice and â—…rauity which princely vertues caused him to bee highly reuerenced of forraine Princes These honourable Eulogies after so many yeeres from his death iustly countenance their relations who writing in or about his owne dayes auerre no lesse among whom Bernard Andreas of Tholouz is most flowing and abundant This Andreas as himselfe writes was afterward entrusted with the instruction of Prince Arthur eldest sonne to King Henry in good letters though hee was blind and hauing aswell the title of Poet Laureat as of the Kings Historiographer how hardlie soeuer those two faculties meet with honour in the same person meant to haue historified and poetized the Acts of this king but for want of competent and attended instructions in many places of chiefe importance left his labour full of wilde breaches and vnfinished yet in such points as he hath professed to know not vnworthy to bee vouched for there is in him a great deale of cleare elocution and defaecated conceit aboue the ordinary of that age Hee among other verses in honour of this our Henry whom he enstyleth the most sapient King hath these not hyperbolicall but proper wherein hee salutes him Princeps ingenio nitente praestans 〈◊〉 relligione comitate Sensu sanguine gratiâ decore A peerelesse Prince for wisdome rare Fame piety courtesie debonaire Knowledge birth grace and feature faire Whereby also after these pourtracts of his inward faculties and gifts may be guessed that a body they had for their mortall mansion no way vnsutable and it seemes by that Maiesty so they call the Images of our Kings which are carried for representation in their funerall Chariots which at this day is extant that hee was of stature tall and slender somwhat round visaged and though in his childhood sickly yet of aspect in all his outward lineaments so noble and gracious as well presaged and afterward fitted the most fortunate height to which he was now ascended But notwithstanding these great praises there want not some who think him to haue been an heauy Father to the common wealth which by sundry courses he greatly laboured to bring vnder as a seeming ground-worke of his owne and his posterities security And in his last dayes Auarice the naturall maladie of age tooke him strongly the enuy whereof he
twenty yeeres and called Ralfe Wilford who for falsly assuming the name title of the said Earle being thereunto taught and suborned a practise which well declared that the malitious Dutchesse of Burgundie did still liue was hanged at S. Thomas Waterings by Southwarke vpon Shrouetuesday 60 This new deuise to vncrowne King Henry so wakened his owne feares and the eies of the Castilians who had secretly agreed to marry their Princesse Katherine to our Prince Arthur that there seemed no sure ground of succession if that the Earle of Warwicke were not made away A fearefull case where the false reason of State shall faine to it selfe an impossibility of well doing without shedding innocent blood and shall therefore resolue to found vpon so crying a sinne the hope of perpetuity in succession sith nothing is truer thâ—… that sinne was â—…uer an vnsure basis to settle lasâ—…ing workes vpon But ô the narrow capacities of the most seeing men the confidence whereof did vndoubtedly lead this King heerein not iustifiable howsoeuer excusable in respect of humane frailty which might propound to it selfe many feares and respects both publike and priuate to conniue at the plotted death or rather formall murder of this harmelesse Gentleman whose wrong may yet moue the hardest to compassion as it afterwarde stirred God in iustice to reuenge prospering no part of that great worke which was thereupon thus corruptly sought to be perpetuated That noble Lady Katherine herselfe was hereof so sensible that when the diuorce was afterward prosecuted against her by King Henry the eight her second husband shee is reported to haue said That it was the hand of God for that to cleere the way to her marriage that innocent Earle of Warwicke was put to vnworthy death Neither let licentious Practises vouch the singular Act of Salomon in taking away the life of his elder brother Adonias to colour this homicide for he that will argue from particular facts in Scripture shall not onely leaue no Adonias liuing but perhaps no Salomon To worke this young Warwickes ruine the mischeiuous and dismall wretch Perkin becomes an occasion if not an instrument for he by his supple insinuations and flowing promises had corrupted his keepers the seruants of Sir Iohn Digbie Knight Lieutenant of the Tower who as was affirmed meant to haue murdered their master and then to haue set Perkin and the Earle at large to which practise of escape the poore Earle is said to haue consented Perkin for this conspiracie had his triall at Westminster and hee together with one Iohn à Waters who had beene sometime Maior of Corke in Ireland were condemned and being drawne to Tiborne had the sentence of death executed vpon them Perkin at the Gallowes did reade his former confession taking on his death that the same was true and vnder-went his punishment with patience Walter Blewet and Thomas Astwood being two of the conspirators for the other two Strangewates and Long Roger being the Lieutenants men also were not executed nor for so much as wee haue read arraigned not long after receiued the reward of their offence at the same place 61 Iustice thus tooke hold at last of Perkin Warbecke on whom the Prouerbe which saith that Pride is the Vsher of shame was worthily verified Neither could the world accuse King Henrie for his death vnlesse it were for that he had not hanged him sooner but suffered him to liue till hee had drawne after him a greater ruine in Warwicks person then in all the former tragedies For this Earle being a chiefe Prince of the blood and next heire Male of his house to the Crowne of England a crime of which his birth onely made him guilty and not any fact of his being thus charged to haue giuen assent to Perkins plot of escape he was publikely arraigned before the Earle of Oxford then High Steward of England by the name of Edward Plantaginet Earle of Warwicke and indited for minding to haue escaped as they said out of the Tower and consequently according to the dreadfull licence of inferences among our English pleaders in cases of death to depriue King Henry of his royall Crowne and dignity and to vsurpe the Title and soueraigne office prosecuting their bloody Poetry with the like sanguinary syllogismes though vtterly without measure or fashion The Earle doubly betraied first by the setters of the snare and then by their silly or deceitfull perswasions who were put about him confesseth the enditement and submitteth himselfe to the Kings mercie that is offered vp his head to be a slipperie foundation of King Henries farther purposes for sentence of death was thereupon pronounced as against a Traitour This one practise seemes sufficient if not to cast vpon Henry the Title of a shrewd and perillous man yet to raise a doubt whether as one writes hee was more sincere and entire then Ferdinando King of Spaine vpon whom saith that Authour he did handsomely bestow the enuie of the death of Edward Plantagenet Earle of Warwicke The life therefore of this Prince according to rigour of lawe being thus in his power the King gently pardoned all the paines but the losse of his head which was cut off vpon a scaffold at Tower-hill and then another gratious fauour his body was not buried in the Chappel of the Tower or in any other common place but at Bisham by his Ancestors Iealous saith one the King was ouer the greatnes of his Nobilitie as remembring how himselfe was set vp and much more did this humour encrease in him after he had conflicted with such Idols and Counterfeits as Lambert Simenel and Perkin Warbeck The strangenes of which dangers made him thinke nothing safe This Earle was the last heire male of the blood and surname of Plantagenet whose race as it was a long time glorious for giuing Kings to England euen from King Henry the second so in the end chiefly for the house of Yorke it became hatefull as it seemes to God and man for the most horrible and inextinguible deadly fewdes murder periuries and other horrors committed within it selfe which as then not fully expiated lay heauily vpon the head of this Earle and finally threw open all those fences which the possession of Maiestie and numerositie of issue had for sundry ages cast about it letting in thereby the surname of Tydder being but two descents English and which now after three descents and fiue Princes is also vanished Now among those few great workes of peace which ensued their firebrands of warre we must remember the marriage of Prince Arthur with the Princesse of Spaine Lady Katherine The interim from Warwicks death till then brought forth a verie great plague whereof in London there are said to haue died about thirtie thousand The King and Queene remoue to Callais in May and returned in Iune The maine busines was to reuiew and ratifie the state of amity and negociations betweene the
bring thē to peace but that failing fell himselfe from the French imputing the fault vnto Frances for suborning the Scots against him and King Frances againe laid all the blame in the Cardinall accusing him of dissimulation abhorted practises and what not but wheresoeuer lay the defect the Duke of Albany was sent into Scotland the French followed a Spanish ship fraught with the goods of English-Merchants vnto Margate and tooke her euen in the Kings streams in both which King Frances excusing himselfe with ignorance alleaged no breach of truce broken by him 35 Then was it thought best by the Cardinals aduice to repay like with like and therefore counselled his King to reare Charles Duke of Burbon against France and to perswade him to inuade the very heart thereof incouraging him with sufficient pay and making him his Champion generall of the Field whilest the Emperor likewise held him play against Millan And to that end was sent in way of loane to the Emperour a great summe of money and forreine Princes sollicited to take armes against France for effecting which King Henry sent his Ambassadors to the States of Venice and Swissers with these instructions as followeth 36 That whereas in a treatie of peace it was concluded betwixt the Emperor King Henry and Frances the French King that if any Controuersies should arise betwixt any two the Prince not inuading should giue aide and assistance against the inuader but now the Emperour being inuaded by the French Kings Captaines in the Realme of Nauarre and in his owne Countrey by Robert de la March and others by his procurement and our king said they being often called vpon by the Emperor hath often entreated the French King to surcease but hath nothing obtained besides faire words and detraction of promises Complaining likewise that in the intercourse of these businesses the French King contrary to his Oath had sent the D◅ of Albany into Scotland in contempt of King Henry and to the great danger of the yong Kings death or deposition he being the next in blood to succeed and to the dishonour of the Queene mother had caused a separation betwixt her and her lawfull husband the Earle of Angus That the French King had deteined the payment compounded for the deliuery of Turnay and kept backe the dowry of his sister Queene Dowager of France that he had entertained the rebellious Subiects of King Henry and spoiled his Merchants both by Land and Sea Neither was vnremembred the danger that the Venetians stood in if the Realmes of Naples and Sicilie the Seigniories of Ieans and Millane were lost from the Empire These therefore seemed faire proiects vnto King Henry for him to warre against France and to that end a generall Muster by Commission was taken of all able men from sixteene yeers and vpward of euery Hamlet Village Burrough Citie Hundred and Shire throughout England which seemed to many another Domesday Booke and yet was there neither peace nor warre against France 37 In this great and hasty preparation Charles the Emperour as he passed toward Spaine landed at Douer where King Henrie mette him and in great estate brought him to London which was so prepared with Ornaments and Pageants as if it had been the Kings Coronation and in the Blacke-friers the Emperour was lodged in a most Princely Palace new built by the King then was he feasted at Winsor where he sate in his state in his Mantle and Garter and by receiuing the Sacrament these two Potent Monarches tooke their Corporal Oathes to obserue the Couenants concluded betwixt them whereof one was that the Emperour Charles agreed to stay for and take to wife the young Princesse Lady Marie King Henries then onely daughter and in such golden bands of loue Charles and Henrie seemed to be linked as in London this sentence was set vp in the Guild-hall ouer the doore of the Counsell Chamber where it still remaineth Carolus Henricus viuant defensor vterque Henricus fidei Carolus Ecclesiae ◅ 38 Why the Titles defender of Church and Faith were attributed vnto these two Princes is no maruell for Charles chosen Emperour was scarsly confirmed but to purchase the Popes fauor he directed forth a solemne Writ of Out-lawry against Martin Luther who then had giuen a great blow to the Papall Crowne And King Henry likewise was renowned in Rome for writing a booke against the said Luther vnderpropping the tottering or downe-cast countenance of the Popes pardons which Luther shrewdly had shaken the Pope therefore to shew himselfe a kind father vnto those his sonnes gaue them these Titles which in truth were none other then the same which they sware vnto when the Crownes of their Empires were first set vpon their heades But with what acceptance his Holinesse receiued King Henries booke his owne Oration solemnely made at the deliuery thereof vnto M. Iohn Clarke the presenter and Kings Ambassador in his Consistory and in presence of his Cardinals sufficiently doth shew the translation whereof we haue inserted as we finde it in the Originall it selfe Wee doe receiue this booke with all alacrity it is indeed such as there could not bee any thing sent vs and our venerable brethren more acceptable then it is For the King himselfe a most mighty most prudent and most truely Christian Prince wee know not whether wee may more prayse or admire being the first that by warre with happy successe hath subdued the enemies of the Church of Christ that seeke to rend Christs coat and at last ouercomming the enemies hath restored peace to the Church of God and to this holy See But now against so soule a Monster both to vnderstand to bee able and willing to write this book hee hath shewed himselfe no more admirable to the whole world for his elegant style then for his wit We humbly giue thanks to our Creator for giuing such a Prince to defend his Church and this holy See desiring the same God to grant to this his King a happy life and all his desires and after this life in his heauenly Kingdome to keepe for him an euerlasting Crowne And we so farre as wee are able to entreat of God will neuer bee wanting to the said most wise King in the faculties granted to vs of God 40 To manifest which his readinesse himselfe among his Cardinals decreed an augmentation vnto King Henries royall Stile to bee annexed vnto his others confirming the same by his Bull which that it perish not by the deuouring teeth of Time wee haue here published from the originall Parchment and leaden seale it selfe as followeth 41 Leo Episcopus seruus seruorū Dei c. Leo Bishop seruant of the seruants of God to our most dearely beloued Sonne in Christ Henry King of England defendor of the Faith health and Apostolicall Benediction Wee by diuine permission the chiefe ouerseer for the gouernment of the vniuersall
his memory blemished by the former error from the vulgar aspersion of sacrilegious impietie This King after the dissolution of the Religious houses erected these sixe Bishoprickes to witte Westminster Chester Peterborough Oxford Bristoll and Gloucester whereof the fiue last are in esse and at the same time he erected also these Cathedrall Churches here after mentioned wherein he founded a Deane and the number of Prebends following viz. Canterbury 12 Winchester 12 Worcester 10 Chester 6 Peterborough 6 Oxford 6 Ely 8 Gloucester 6 Bristoll 6 Carliol 4 Durham 12 Rochester 6 Norwich 6 The yearely value of which Cathedrall Churches so newly by him erected with the Collegiats of Windsor Westminster and Woluerhampton ouer and besides the Petti-Cannons and other inferiour Ministers amounteth by estimation to 5942. l. 8. s. 2. d. The Promotions Ecclesiasticall which for the most part except a little pared hee preserued entire are in a generall estimate by the Shires wherein they stand in the ensuing Table expressed The present Number and Value of the Spirituall Promotions in England and Wales Counties Promotions Value   l. s. d. ob q. Barkeshire 139. 2â—…53 06 00 ob o Bedfordshire 116. 1506 05 05 oo o Buckinghamshire 172. 2236 02 06 oo q Cambridgeshire 151. 1902 18 07 ob o The Town of Callis and the Marches therof 26. 0590 06 10 oo o Cheshire 68. 1776 12 00 ob o Cornwall 161. 2706 16 02 oo o Cumberland and Westmorland 63. 1022 06 06 ob q Darby 106. 1017 11 10 ob o Deuonshire 394. 7466 01 04 oo o Dorsetshire 248. 3077 05 08 ob q The Bishopricke of Durham in the County of Northumberland 118. 2332 07 05 ob o Essex 378. 5347 06 11 oo q Yorkeshire 440. 4974 00 00 ob o Glostershire 288. 3296 06 04 ob q Huntingtonshire 79. 1097 02 06 oo q Hartfordshire 120. 1837 16 00 ob o Herefordshire 160 1364 19 02 ob q Kent 335. 3974 13 00 ob q Lancashire 30. 0789 10 01 oo o Leicestershire 199. 2564 14 08 oo o Lincolneshire 638. 6129 01 04 ob o The City of London 96. 3365 00 10 ob o Middlesex 58. 1074 19 06 ob o Norffolke 668. 6505 15 10 ob o Northamptonshire 271. 3884 08 11 ob q Nottinghamshire 168. 1640 07 09 ob o Oxfordshire 164. 1917 17 07 ob o Rutlandshire 52 0548 00 10 oo o The Archdeaconry of Richmond 105. 1841 11 08 ob q Shropshire 190. 1530 05 10 ob o Staffordshire 134. 0884 03 11 oo o Southamptonshire 158 3749 06 07 ob o Sommersetshire 385. 4910 13 07 oo q Suffolke 428. 4811 08 00 oo o Surrey 113. 1701 08 09 oo q Sussex 322. 3069 16 04 oo o Warwickshire 158. 1732 18 10 ob q Worcestershire 153. 2035 14 00 ob o Wiltshire 305. 3505 02 09 ob q  Number totall of the Benefices in England 8501. Value totall of the Benefices in England 16772. l. 5. s. 2. The seuerall Dioces of Wales Promotions Value The Bishopricke of Saint Assaph 312 1536 18 07 ob  The Bishopricke of Bangor 104. 1225 05 08 oo o The Bishopricke of Landaffe 166. 1204 11 10 ob o The Bishopricke of Saint Dauids 323. 2531 12 09 oo o  Number totall of the Benefices in Wales 905. Value totall of the Benefices in Wales 6498. l. 8. s. 11.  Number total of al the Benefices both in England and Wales 9407. Value totall of all the Benefices both in England and Wales 113 270. l. 14 s. 1. d. The value of these inferior Promotions in England which haue cure of Soules I haue suited into seuerall Proportions as they are rated in Record and distinguished the Vicaradges from Parsonages in the Table following Liuings vnder tenne pound 4543 Personages Vicarages Liuings of tenne pound and vnder twentie Markes 1445. Personages 905. Vicarages 540 Liuings of twenty Markes and vnder twenty pound 1624. Personages 1134. Vicarages 0490 Liuings of twenty pound and vnder twenty sixe pound 0524. Personages 0414. Vicarages 0179. Liuings of twenty sixâ—…â—…nd and vnder thirty pound 0206. Personages 0163. Vicarages 0043 Liuings of thirty pound and vnder forty pound 0248. Personages 0188 Vicarages 0060 Liuings of forty pound and vpwards 0144 Personages 0115. Vicarages 0029 To preuent any mistaking in the Reader I haue thought it not vnfitte to conclude this Table with the discouerie of my meaning by certaine letters before vsed viz. M. Monastery P. Priorie F. Frierie N. Nunnery C. Colledge H. Hospital EDVVARD THE SIXT OF THAT NAME KING OF ENGLAND FRANCE AND IRELAND DEFENDER OF THE FAITH c. THE FIFTIE NINTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH HIS LIFE ACTS AND DEATH CHAPTER XXII EDWARD the sixt of that Name and onely sonne liuing vnto King Henry the eight was borne at his Mannor of Hampton-Court in Middlesex the twelfth of October and yeere of saluation 1537. and sixe dayes after being the eighteenth of the same moneth hee was created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester his birth was ioyfull vnto the King and Commons but the death of his mother the vertuous Queen Iane brought immediat sorow vnto both whose womb was cut as some haue affirmed to the sauing of his but losse of her owne life vpon whose death these elegant verses were writ Phoenix Iana iacet nato Phoenice dolendum Sacula Phoenices nulla tulisse duas Here lies the Phenix Lady Iane whose death a Phenix bare O griefe two Phenixs at one time together neuer were 2 Nine yeeres and od monethes hee was vertuously trained vp in the life of his father and at his death appointed the first of his heires and for want of Issue if it so chanced Mary and shee failing Elizabeth to succeed in his throne for as Henry with Salomon was blame-worthy for women so left hee but one sonne and two daughters as the other in Scripture is said to haue done Salomon had Rehoboam a foole and vnfortunate his daughters but obscure and both of them Subiects but Henry much adoe lastly to little purpose these Articles were agreed vpon and sent to the King the Copy whereof was thus 22 For asmuch as man except he be borne of Water and the holy Ghost cannot enter into the kingdome of God and for asmuch as the gates of Heauen bee not open without this blessed Sacrament of Baptisme therefore we will that our Curates shall minister this Sacrament at all times of need aswell in the weeke daies as on the holy daies Item wee will haue our children confirmed of the Bishops whensoeuer we shall within the Diocesse resort vnto them Item for asmuch as we constantly beleeue that after the Priest hath spoken the words of Consecration being at Masse there celebrating and consecrating the same there is very really the Body and Blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ God and Man and that no substance of Bread and Wine remaineth after but the very same Body that
treason and fellony and the same vrged vnto extremity with many amplifications and bitter inuectiues especially that hee had sought and pretended the deathes of the Duke of Northumberland the Lord Marquesse and Pembroke where after many mild answeres to these matters obiected he put himselfe to be tried by his Peeres who acquitted him of treason but found the inditement of felloniâ—… when presently the Aâ—… was commaunded away whereat the shout of the people shewed the great affection that was boâ—…e to the Duke little mistrusting that the sentence of death was pâ—…ounced against him or that the kiâ—… vncle should die as a fellon neither did Staâ—… intend any such thing as some are of opinion but rather was purposely made for the suppression of â—…bellions and vnlawfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 herein such as should seeke or procure the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Câ—…sellor should be guilty as in case of felloniâ—… But such was the pleasure of the all ordering power 〈◊〉 he which knew no theft should die for that sinne so that neither himselfe nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demaunded the benefite of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would haue saued his life if it had beene required 69 His sentence thus pronounced hee was againe sent backe to the Tower wherein he kept a very sad Christmas yea and that in the Court inclined to little mirth the King lamenting the condemnation of his vncle had not some witty disportes broke off his passions which how and by whome they proceeded let others report and vs continue the Tragedie of this Duke who vpon the two twenty of February following being Friday was brought to the Scaffold vpon Tower-hil by eight in the morning where turning himselfe towardes the East he spake to the people as followeth 70 Dearely beloued friends I am brought hither to suffer death albeit I neuer offended against the King neither in word nor deed and haue alwayes been as faithfull and true vnto this Realme as any man hath been but for somuch as I am by law condemned to die I doe acknowledge my selfe as well as others to be subiect thereunto wherefore to testifie mine obedience which I owe to the lawes I am come hither to suffer death where unto I willingly offer my selfe with most hearty thanks vnto God that hath giuen me this time of repentance who might through sodaine death haue taken away my life that I neither should haue acknowledged him nor my selfe 71 These words vttered besides others exhortatory that the people would continue constant in the Gospell sodainly was heard a great noyse wherby the assembly was strucke into great feare some thinking that a storme or tempest descended from aboue some supposed that the barrels of Gunpowder in the Armorie had taken fire were all blowne vp into the Aire others thought that they heard a noise of horses prepared to battell some againe affirmed confidently that it did thunder and others thought verily it was an earth-quake and that the ground moued vnto such confusion and terrour were they presently brought which saith Stow was none other but that certaine men from the Hamlets warned with weapon to guard the Tower-hill came thither somewhat after the hower appointed whose formost seeing the Prisoner on the Scaffold beganne to runne forward themselues and call to their fellowes to come away which word away sounding as an Eccho in the peoples eares they thought that rescue had come to the Duke to take him away and seeing the Bil-men to make forward so fast beganne themselues to shrinke backe from the hill euery man seeking to saue one and by this accident and confused cries this feare among them fell and beganne This stirre scarce ended another ensued by the running of the people towards the Scaffold who seeing Sir Anthony Browne riding thitherward supposed a pardon had come from the King so that a sodaine shout arose apardon apardon God fane the King by which it onely appeared in what loue hee was had and how much his life was desired of the Commons 72 The Duke whose mind being altogether prepared for death was little moued either to hope or feare and thereupon addressed his second speech to the people and with no deiected countenance spake againe and said Beloued friends there is no such matter intended as you vainely hope and belieue It seemeth thus good to the Almighty vnto whose ordinance it is meet that wee all bee obedient wherefore I pray you bee quiet and without tumult for I am quiet and let vs so ioyne in prayer vnto the Lord for the preseruation of our Noble King vnto whose Maiesty I wish câ—…uall health with all felicitie and abundance of prosperous successe Moreouer I wish to his Counsellers the grace and fauour of God whereby they may rule all things vprightly with Iustice vnto whom I exhort you all in the Lord to shew your selues obedient the which is also very necessarie for you vnder paine of condemnation and also most profitable for the preseruation of the Kings Maiesty And thereupon asking euery man forgiuenesse freely forgaue euery man against him and desiring the people to bee quiet lest the flesh should be troubled though his spirit was willing hee meekely laide downe his head to the Axe and receiued at one stroke his rest by death 73 Howsoeuer this Dukes cause was ballanced by law and him taken away that stood betwixt some and their Sunne yet was his death heauily disgested by the people that spake very bitterly against the Duke of Northumberland but most especially the young King sore mourned and soone missed the life of his Protector thus vnexpectedly taken away who now depriued of both his vncles howsoeuer the times were passed with pastimes playes and shewes to driue away dumpes yet euer the remembrances of them sate so neere vnto his heart that lastly he fell sicke of a Cough which grieuously increasing ended with a consumption of the lungs 74 His sicknesse continuing with great doubt of his life vpon purpose saith Grafton to alter the succession of the Crowne three marriages were in one day solemnized whereof the first was betwixt the Lord Guilford Dudley fourth sonne to the Duke of Northumberland and the Lady Iane eldest daughter of Henry Duke of Suffolke the second was betwixt the Lord Herbert sonne and heire to William Earle of Pembroke and the Lady Katherine the yonger daughter of the said Duke of Suffolke and the third was betweene Hanry L. Hastings sonne and heire of Frances Earle of Hantington and Katherine the youngest daughter of the Duke of Northumberland which tending saith he to the diâ—…erison of the rightfull heires they proued nothing prosperous for two of them were presently made frustrate the one by death and the other by diuorce 75 The policy established and languishing sicknesse of the King gaue way vnto such as sought the euersion of the State alienation of the Crown In whose eye no head was scene fitter for that faire Diademe
lib. 49. Octauians preparation for Britaine Dio. Cass. lib. 53. The Britains appease Octauian Strabo lib. 4. Augustus third preparation against Britanny The Britaines excuses Customes first paid in Britaine The Britaines loyaltie Cunobeline prince of the Trinobantes Malden The first stamped Coines in Britaine Caesar. Com. lib. 5. A generall peace thorow all the world Mâ—…cah 5. 2. Isay 9. 6. Gen. 3. 5. Isav 7. 14. Gal. 4. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 building of 〈◊〉 Temple Ioh. 3. 19. Luk. 2. 14. Paulus O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Temple is shut â—â—rg Aeneid li. â—… The fruits of a true peace Lactan. li. 4 ca. 〈◊〉 Dâ—…ples 〈◊〉 c. 32. Eclog. 4. Saâ—…urne whom Virgil nameth was esteemed the father of the Gods 1 Magnum Ioâ—… is incrementum c. 2 Mâ—…tri longâ—… decem c 3 Nec Deus bâ—…c â—…ensa c. 4 Assyriuâ—… vulgâ—…â—…scetur c. 5 Cui non risere parentes c. 6 Pacaâ—… 〈◊〉 reget patriâ—… c. 7 Soluet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 8 Si qua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 9 Fallâ—… herba veneni c. 10 Occidet serpenâ—… c. Sueton. in vit August Sect. 94. Dâ—…ples veritat Christi 32. sol 518. Niceph li. 1. ca. 17. Iuuenal Saâ—…yr 3. Zephan 2. 11. Our Sauiour Christ borne in the fourteenth yeere of Cunobeline Luk. 2. Dan. 2. Augustus described His raigne Tacit. Annal. li. 5. cap. 〈◊〉 His deuotion to Christ. Niceph. li. 1. ca. 17. Suidâ—… His endowments of bodie Sueton in vitae Augustâ—… The moneths of Iuly and Augst Tiberois Nero his parents Sueton. in vit Tiber. His actions and conditions Tacit. Annal. li. 1. cap. 〈◊〉 Tacit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 3. His plotting against his Nobles Tacit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 7. Tacit. Annal. li. 〈◊〉 cap. 7. 〈◊〉 his hypocrisie His libidinous â—…esse Tacit. Annal. li. 6. cap. 1. His 〈◊〉 * A wine-â—… Carelesse in gouernment The prouinces vâ—…defended Britaine without forraine garrison or gouernment Tacit. Annal. li. 2. cap. 5. Ieffrey Monm Our Sauiour Christs death Tertâ—…l in Apolog. adâ—…s geâ—…es c. 5. Eusâ—…b â—…ccles hist. li. 2. ca. 2. Tiberius hiâ—… raigne age and death Tacit. Annal. li. 〈◊〉 cap. 7. 2. Chr. 21. 20. Tacit. lib. 〈◊〉 ca. 12. Tacit. in vitae Agric. Casigula intendeth to inuade Britaine Dion Cass. lib. 59. Sueton. in vita Caligula Adminius banished flieth to Caesar. Caligula his vaine ambition His deluding of the Senate His warring with the Sea Caligula his great victorie Ortâ—…lius Geograp His ambition Affrighted in his sleepe Pontius Pilate banished killeth himselfe Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 7. Ioseph Antiq. lib. 19. cap. 1. Caligula slaine His personage Sabe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. lib. 2. Dion lib. 60. His hatred after death Claudius Drusus chosen by the Pretorian Souldiers Ioseph Antiquit. l. 19. cap. 3. Claudius his Parentage The Britaines detaine their Tribute Dion Cass lib. 60. Anno Domi. 45. Aulus Plautius sent against the Britaines His Souldiers vnwilling Dio. lib. 60. Incouraged by a signe from heauen Tacitus in vit Agric C. Sidius Geta his valour The Britaines retire to places of aduantage Togodumnus slaine Claudius the Emperour commeth into Britain with a great Army Dion Cassius lib. 60. Elephants first brought into Britaine Claudius entreth Britaine He surpriseth Camulodunum His clemencie maketh him to be honoured for a God Claudius returneth to Rome entreth in Triumph Sueton. in vita Claud. Sect. 17. His manner of encamping His animating of his souldiers His resolution Ostorius his care The Britaines put to flight Caractacus wife daughter and brethren taken prisoners Himselfe betraied by Cartismandus Hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tacit. Annal. 12 cap. 8. Caractacus led in triumph His habit and attire Ex histor magn Britan. His vndauntednesse His Oration to Claudius Caesar. Euents of warre variable Britaines wall Ambition hath no bounds Nature disdaineth seruitude Tocit Annal. li. 12. cap. 8. Ostorius and his fortunes decline The Britaines take heart again Their victory Caesars threats make the Britains more resolute Ostorius dieth Aulus Didius sent Lieutenant into Britaine Tacit. Annal. 12. c. 8. Manlius Valens encountred the Britaines with ill successe Didius for a while keepeth them in awe Tacit. Annal. 12. 〈◊〉 Claudius his own words the occasion of his death * Messalina was his first wife a woman of vnsatiable lecherie who was put to death Tacit. Annal. lib. 12. cap. 13. Ioseph Anti. lib. 20. ca. 5. The continuance of his raigne ANNO DO 56. His indowments of bodie His imperfections Wiues and seruants most misleade great personages Nero assumeth the Empire His parents Suetonius in vita Neronis His excessiue lust and bloodshed Suetonius in vita Neronis Tacit. Annal. 16. cap. 3. Rome set on fire by Nero. Suet. in vita Nero. Tacit. Annal. 15. cap. 10. Christians in Neroes Court. Peter and Paul put to death Euseb. li. 2. ca. 25. Tertul. Apol. ca. 5. A great ouerthrow of the Romans Tacit. Annal. 15. cap. 2. Tacitus in vita Agric. Suet. in vit Nero. Anglesey inuaded Romanes amazed at sight of the British The Receiuer of tribute his oppression Diâ—…n Cass. lib. 62. Tacit. Anâ—…al 14. cap. 10. * 〈◊〉 * Vâ—…dica Prasutagus his Testament Tacit. in vit Agric. pag. 190. Prodigies daily seene Dio. lib. 62. Other Prouinces shake off the yoke In the battaile against Quintilius Varius Tac. in vit Agric. Their Resolution Queene Boudicâ—… chosen Leader She surpriseth the Romanes She putteth Petilius Cerealis to flight She forceth Catus to flie into Gallia She sackâ—…th Verolanium Seuentie thousand slaine by her Army 〈◊〉 in vit Nero sect 39. Diâ—… Câ—…ss lib. 6â—… London long since renowned Boudicea surueiâ—… her troopes Her attire Her Oration to her Armie Tacit. Annal. li. 11. The custome of this and other Monarchies to be gouerned by women Iustin. lib. 1. Semiramis Nitocris Tomyris Iustin. lib. 1. Cleopatra Messalina and Agrippina Shee disclaimeth all superioritie Reioiceth in her innocencie The indignities offred by the Romans Dion Cass. lib. 62. Tacit. Annal. lib. 14. cap. 11. Caesar. Com. lib. 5. Britannith vipers Tacitus in vita Agric. Domesticke conspirators most dangerous Caesar. Com. li. 2. Motiues inciting to pursue the Romans Her deuice at concluding her speech The Britaines vanquished Eightie thousand Britaines slaine Boudicea poisoneth her selfe Tacit. Annal. lib. 14. cap. 11. Paenius slew himselfe Tacitus hist. lib. 2. cap. 4. The Britaines miseries Iulius Classicianus a receiuer Promiseth Clemencie Tranquillus in vit Nero. Sect. 40. Polycletus sent to reconcile Classicianus and Suetonius Liberti or Freemen were such as being first bond slaues by their seruice obtained freedome and many of them about the Emperor came to be of great sway Suetonius deliuereth vp his charge Petronius his disposition Petronius Turpilianus giueth vp his charge to Trebell Max. Petronius Turpilianus slaine because true to Nero Iulius Vindex opposeth Nero. Tacit. histor in vit Nero. Proclaimeth Galba Emperour Nero seeketh to fly into Eegypt The Senate send to apprehend him Nero hidâ—…th himselfe He killeth himselfe
courage Holinshed Hist. of Ireland Kildar receiued into Dublin with procession The French king imprisoned at Madril Gâ—…ard Queene mother soliciteth King Henry Dislikes 〈◊〉 the Emperour and K. Henry Peace betwixt England and France Signed with 〈◊〉 ovvne 〈◊〉 in Ann. 1526. The great Dominions of the Emperour Guicchard Rich. Turpin G. Câ—… A. D. 1528. The Kings Oration to his Nobility Edward Hall The Kings complaint The commendation of Queen Katherine George Couen Learned men assembled to decide the Kings marriage The testimonies of many Vniuersities sent vnto Rome Iohn Stow. pag 9â—…1 Cardinall Campeiu commeth into England The King and Queene summoned to appeare personally in the Court at Blacke Fryers Queene Katherines speech to the King Queene Katherine departed the Court. The Kings report of his Queene The King excuseth the Cardinall King Henries conscience and care The Bishoppe of Rochester contradicteth the Archbishop of Canterbury Cornelius Agrippa yeeldeth to the proposition The Popes vsurpation forbid by Parliament â—…x Parl. 24 H. 〈◊〉 K. Henries marriage dissolued by Parliament Fox Mart. 1197. Katherine Dowager Holinsh. pag 93â—… Pope Clement 7. adiudgeth the marriage lawfull The thunderings of Pope Clement 7. Sleidan com li. 9. The discent of Anne Bullen Sir Godfrey Bullen Lord Maior of London Anne 1457. Sanders in Schis Angl. Anne Bullen religion Sleid. com lib. 9. Anne Bullen Created Marchionesse of Pembrooke A. D. 1532. Octob. 11. K. Henrie complaineth of the dull Pope King Henrie allowed the Pope 60000. Angels monethly Iohn Stow pa. 946 Anne Dom. 1533. Nouâ—…mb 14. Vpon S. Erkenwalds day saith Hollinshd and Groston King Henry maried Anne Bullen * The Pope Elizabeth Barton the false Oracle or the Romanists The assisters of this false Propheâ—…esse Read Statue in Anne 25. of King H. 〈◊〉 The counterfetings of Elizabeth Barton Edward Hall Ioh. Stow. Holinsh. Cranmer Cromwell Latimer * Elizab. Barton Edward Bocking Richard Deering Richard Risby Richard Maister Henry Gould Two Monkes Iohn Stow. Edward Duke of Buckingham beheaded Holinshed The vaine feare of Prior Bolton The Pope inciteth Iames King of Scotland against England Iohn Lesly High treason The Pope giues England to him that could get it Queene Anne crowned Lady Elizabeths birth A. D. 1533. Fox Martyr 1366. Statut. Parl. H. 28. cap. 10. Queene Anne a great louer of the Gospell A. D. 1536. Ian. 29. Queene Anne deliuered of a deaâ—… Child Queene 〈◊〉 sent to the Tower Mâ—…ch Sandt The 〈◊〉 of Queene Anne Cromwels letter to the King vnder his own hand Archbishop Cranmers let 〈◊〉 to the King Sleidans Com. l. 10 L. Rochford Noâ—…is West 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marks beheaded May 15. Queene Anne condemned and beheaded Robert Greene. Queene Annes speech at her death Ex MS. The audacious dealings of the Rebels Slanderous vntruths against the King The oath of the Pilgrims The Earle of Shrewsbury maketh against the Rebels Ex MS. R. Coe Thomas Duke of Norfolke Lord Lieutenant of the North. Pardon and peace offered to the Rebels Ex Original MS. The demands of the Commons The whole drift was to down with the Gospel An vncharitable and vnchristian motion Holinsh. pag. 944. Aske executed Luk. â—…2 36. Spirituall men Commotioners Monkes hanged for rebellion Idols and Monasteries suppressed by Parliament A. D. 1538. The Roode of Grace broken at Pauls Crosse. Lamb. Peram in Boxeley Our Lady of Walsingham and other Images burnt Cambd. Brit. 645. Monasteries in England 90. Colledges 110. Religious Hospitals 2374. Chaunteries and free Chappels Eras. Dialogue W. Lamb. Peram The state and opinion of Tho. Beckets Shrine Iohn Stow. The great riches of Beckets Shrine The great reuenewes of the Monasteries Supplication of Beggars The great reuenewes of the Friers 2. Cor. 12. 14. Dâ—…ut 25. 4. Apoca. 9. Iere. 13 26. Many suffered death for the Gospell before that Martin Luther wrote Queene Anne Bullen a fauourer of the Gospell staied the rage against the Professours King 〈◊〉 doings displeased many Chriâ—… Princes Camb. Brit. Lord Marquesse and others beheaded A. D. 1539. Ian. 9. Ioh. 〈◊〉 King Henry married Anne of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. An. 1540. 〈◊〉 Mart. 1296. The sixe Articles deuised 32. H. 8. chap. 10 35. H. 8. cap. 5. Lord Cromwell imprisoned In a letter writâ—… ten by himselfâ—… Ex MS. Anâ—… 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. â—…5 Queene 〈◊〉 diuorced by Parliament Cromwell affect his death 〈◊〉 ted by 〈◊〉 ment Ex MS. D. 〈◊〉 No such things as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poseth 〈◊〉 Cromwell Nâ—… 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 well to cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lady 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A. D. 1540. 〈◊〉 A. D. 1541. May 17. Margaret Coun tesse of Salisbury beheaded Lord Dacres hanged Stat. in 33. of H. 〈◊〉 cap. 21. Since the eight of August 〈◊〉 Queene Katherine and the Lady Iane Rochford beheaded The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cted Sâ—…t H. 8. 28. c. 10. 〈◊〉 H. 8. 3â—… c. 4. The fixe bloody Articles enacted Iohn Fisher. Sir Thomas Moore beheaded Fox Mart. pap 1363. Anne Askew her story Io. Bale Cent. 8. â—…ol 669. Rom. 1. 16. Three conuersions by N. D. pag. 495. Anne accused by no rule of Christianity 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 compared The Counter Newgate and the Tower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ned in Smithfield 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 suppose Three 〈◊〉 on s pag. 493. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Queene 〈◊〉 rines life laid 〈◊〉 Ibid. coâ—… p 494. 〈◊〉 three conâ—…ersions The Lord Chancellor lost his commission The Queene seeth the sentence of her death Queene Katherine visiteth the King who falleth in conference with her about 〈◊〉 Act. and Mon. Queene Katherines wise answer The Lord Chancellors purpose to apprehand the Queene Henry assumeth the name of King of Ireland A. 154 confirmed by Parl. 35. Hen 〈◊〉 Iohn 〈◊〉 The Kings of England and Scotland appoint to meet at Yorke A. D. 1542. An expedition into Scotland The Scotish noblemen refuse to inuade England The Lord 〈◊〉 of the Weâ—…-Borders yâ—…eld to the Kings perswasions * Williâ—… 〈◊〉 saith Stow. The mistaking of thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kings 〈◊〉 Generall The Scotish Noâ—… in 〈◊〉 of their generall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solem-mosse Graâ—…n saith foure and twentie The death of K. 〈◊〉 of Scotland A marriage intended betwixt Prince Edward and the young Queene of Scotland The Scotish prisoners honourably entertained The Scotish Prisoners released without Ran. some Ioâ—… 〈◊〉 The marriage of Prince Edward and Queen Mary concluded by Parliament Cardinill 〈◊〉 against the 〈◊〉 ringe with England The French King setâ—… faction in Scotland The Queene and Queene mother conueyto ed 〈◊〉 Queene Marie of Scotland crowned The Earle of Lennox falleth from the Queene mother King Henry dâ—… mandeth the young Scotish Queene An Army 〈◊〉 into Scotland Ioâ—…n Leslie Iohn Leslie The Pope and French King send aide into Scotland Math. Earle of Lennox marrieth Lady Margaret Earle Lennox proclaimed an enemie to the state The English enâ—… Scotland A. D. 1544. Defiance sent into France Ioâ—… Stow. Bolloigne besieged Ioâ—… Sleidâ—… 〈◊〉 Bolloigne wonne R. Graâ—…con Iohn Serres