its worthiness Dr. Heylin termeth Primus in Historia When at last being desirous of his liberty he studied his exit acquainting the King with the avaritious Intelligence of a rich Mine which himself and one Captain Kemish had formerly discovered by the Informations of the Indians in the Countrey of Guiana For the obtaining of which if his Majesty would please to give him leave to make a journey thither he made no doubt but to benefit the State without prejudice to the Spaniard Which Proposition was condescended unto by the King as he then imagines he would be far enough from his Complices but he commanded to set down not onely the Countrey but the very River by which he was to enter it as also to name his ships number men and Artillery Which being known to Gundamore Leiger Ambassadour here for the King of Spain he writes to his Master with the purpose of his Voyage Upon which the King of Spain directed his Letters to all parts of the Indies to provide for his comming Nevertheless Sir Walter Raleigh prosecuted his design and having endured infinite dangers besides a tedious journey at last he came to Guyana where he was much cherished of the Indians of his acquaintance But falling desperately sick he gives order to five small ships to sail into Drinoque having Captain Kemish for their Conductour towards the Mines But passing up the River by Saint Thame they were set upon by the Spaniard whereupon they assaulted the Town and took it But in the charge Master Walter Raleigh Sir Walters son more desirous of honour then safety was slain The English finding such stout opposition that there was no way for them to obtain their purpose but onely by desperate designs the Spaniards having so fortified the passage to the Mines they were forced to return to the great grief of Sir Walter Raleigh who told Kemish upon his return that he had undone him and wounded his credit with the King past all recovery which caused Kemish desperately to kill himself And now Sir Walter Raleigh being returned into England Gundamore so exclaimed against him to the King for breach of Peace and so wrought upon his timerous disposition that he was committed to the Tower Where expecting every hour to be sacrificed to the Spanish cruelty some few dayes before he suffered he sent for Master Walter Burre who formerly printed his first Volumn of the History of the World whom taking by the hand after some other discourse he askt him how that Work of his had sold Mr. Burre returned this answer that it had sold so slowly that it had undone him At which words of his Sir Walter Raleigh stepping to his Desk reaches his other part of his History to Mr. Burre which he had brought down to the times he lived in clapping his hand on his breast he took the other unprinted part of his Works into his hand with a sigh saying Ah my Frend hath the first part undone thee the second Volume shall undo no more this ungrateful world is unworthy of it When immediately going to the fire side he threw it in and set his foot on it till it was consumed As great a loss to Learning as Christendome could have or owned for his first Volumn after his death sold thousands And now the time approached wherein he was to act his last part on the Stage of this world he first sent this following Letter to King James Sir Walter Raleigh to King James before his Trial. It is one part of the office of a just and worthy Prince to hear the complaints of his Vassals especially such as are in great misery I know not amongst many other presumptions gathered against me how your Majesty hath been perswaded that I was one of them who were greatly discontented and therefore the more likely to prove disloyal But the great God so relieve me in both worlds as I was the contrary and I took as great comfort to behold your Majesty alwayes learning some good and bettering my knowledge by hearing your Majesties discourse I do most humbly beseech your sovereign Majesty not to believe any of those in my particular who under pretence of offences to Kings do easily work their particular revenge I trust no man under the color of making examples should perswade your Majesty to leave the word merciful out of your stile for it will be no less profit to your Majesty and become your greatness then the word invincible It is true that the Laws of the Realm are as no lesse jealous of the Kings then Caesar was of Pompey's Wife for notwithstanding she was cleared for keeping company with Claudius yet for being suspected he condemned her For my self I protest it before God Almighty and I speak it to my Master and Sovereign that I never invented Treason against him and yet I know I shall fall in manibus corum à quibus non possum evà dere unlesse by your Majesties gracious compassion I be sustained Our Law therefore most merciful Prince knowing her own cruelty and knowing that she is wont to compound Treasons out of her own presumptions and circumstances and doth give this charitable advice to the King her supream Non solum sapiens esse sed misericors c. cum tutius est reddere rationem misericordiae quam judicii I do therefore on the knees of my heart beseech your Majesty from your own sweet and conformable disposition to remember that I have served your Majesty twenty years for which your Majesty hath yet given me no Reward and it is fitter I should be indebted to my Sovereign Lord then the King to his poor Vassal Save me therefore most merciful Prince that I may owe your Majesty my life it self then which there cannot be a greater debt Limit me at least my Sovereign Lord that I may pay it for your service when your Majesty shall please If the Law destroy me your Majesty shall put me out of your power and I shall have none to fear but the King of kings Walter Raleigh Being brought before the Lord Chief Justice at the Kings Bench in Westminster Hall the Attorney General demanded Execution according to the Judgement formerly pronounced against him Whereupon he was asked what he could say why he should not die according to the Law His answer was That this fifteen years he had lived by the meer mercy of the King and did now wonder how his mercy was turned into justice he not knowing any thing wherein he had provoked his Majesties displeasure and did hope that he was clear from that Judgement by the Kings Commission in making him General of the Voyage to Guiana for as he conceived the words To his trusty and well-beloved Subject c. did in themselves imply a pardon But the Court resolving otherwise he was committed into the hands of the Sheriff of Middlesex who presently conveyed him to the Gate-house in Westminster The Imputation of the first bringing in of Tobacco
Secondly for his dear Wife and Children with some passion but for her especially with most ardent affections recommending them to the Divine Providence with great confidence and assurance and desiring for them rather the blessings of a better life then of this Thirdly for the King Church and State And lastly for his enemies with almost the same ardour and affection After this sending for my Lord of Norwich and Sir John Owen I read the whole Office of the Church for Good Friday and then after a short Homily I used for the present occasion we received the Sacrament in which action he behaved himself with great Humility Zeal and Devotion And being demanded after we had done how he found himself he replyed very much better stronger and chearfuller for that Heavenly repast and that he doubted not to walk like a Christian through the vale of death in the strength of it But he was to have an Agony before his Passion and that was the parting with his Wife eldest Son Son-in-law two of his Vncles and Sir T. C. especially the parting with his most dear Lady which indeed was the saddest spectacle that ever I beheld In which occasion he could not chuse but confess a little of humane frailty yet even then he did not forget both to comfort and counsel her and the rest of his friends particularly in blessing the young Lord he commanded him never to revenge his death though it should be in his power the like he said unto his Lady He told his Son he would leave him a Legacy out of Davids Psalms and that was this Lord lead me in a plain path For Boy saith he I would have you a plain honest man and hate dissimulation After this with much ado I perswaded his Wife and the rest to be gone and then being all alone with me he said Doctor The hardest part of my work in this world is now past meaning the parting with his Wife Then he desired me to pray preparatively to his death that in the last action he might so behave himself as might be most for Gods glory for the endearing of his dead Masters memory his present Masters service and that he might avoid the doing or saying of any thing which might savour either of ambition or vanity This being done they were all carried to Sir Robert Cotton's house where I was with him till he was called unto the Scaffold and would have gone up with him but the Guard of Souldiers would not suffer me The same day he suffered he writ this following Letter to his Wife My dearest life My eternal life is in Christ Jesus my worldly considerations in the highest degree thou hast deserved let me live long here in thy dear memory to the comfort of my Family our dear Children whom God out of mercy in Christ hath bestowed upon us I beseech thee take care of thy health sorrow not afflict not thy self too much God will be unto thee better then an Husband and to my Children better then a Father I am sure he is able to be so I am confident he is graciously pleased to be so God be with thee my most vertuous Wife God multiply many comforts to thee and my Children is the fervent prayer of Thy c. March the 9. 1648. was the day appointed for his beheading as also of Duke Hamilton and the Earl of Holland A Scaffold being erected in the new Palace-yard at Westminster over against the great Hall Gate The first that mounted the same was Duke Hamilton attended with Doctor Sibbald who after much delay and many impertinent discourses hoping as it was thought for a politick Reprieve but none coming he submitted his neck to the Ax upon whom an unlucky Wit writing his Epitaph thus descants A politition yet a fool A teacher and yet went to School A Hempen cord of silken twist A Papist yet a Calvanist A meer OGYGES yet a stranger To prudence that foresees a danger Here lies hee 's but to Scotland gone No worser Hell 't is Hamilton The next that entered the lists of death was the Earl of Holland one whose oft changing from side to side had made him less acceptable in the eyes of the people though the disposition of affairs altering their postures so often may in part plead his excuse no doubt he was real in his last undertaking He came to the Scaffold attended on by Mr. Bolton having made a long speech to the people of his honest intentions for the good of the Kingdom and desiring of God that it would please him the people might look upon the posterity of the King and that they might be called in again after many fervent prayers he had his head severed from his body upon whom our forementioned Poet thus Satyrically goes on By Venus self beneath this stone Lies Holland that spruce Earle His carcase here his head is gone To Bridget his brave Girle Who makes it her memento mori While she lies close to Captain Pory Last of all our honoured Heroe mounted the Scaffold to court grim death with an undaunted brow he came not as the two-former attended with a Minister having before prepared his way for death Coming to the front of the Scaffold he said as followeth The conclusion that I made with those that sent me hither and are the cause of this violent death of mine shall be the beginning of what I shall say to you when I made an address to them which was the last I told them with much sincerity that I would pray to the God of all mercies that they might be partakers of his inestimable and boundless mercies in Jesus Christ and truly I still pray that prayer and I beseech the God of Heaven forgive any injury they have done to me from my soul I wish it and truly this I tell you as a Christian to let you see I am a Christian but it is necessary that I should tell you somewhat more That I am a Protestant and truly I am a Protestant and very much in love with the profession of it after the manner as it was established in England by the thirty nine Articles a blessed way of profession and such a one as truly I never knew none so good I am so far from being a Papist which some have very unworthily charged me withal that truly I profess to you that though I love good works and commend good works yet I hold they have nothing at all to do in the matter of Salvation my Anchor hold is this That Christ loved me and gave himself for me that is that I rest upon And truly something I shall say to you as a Citizen of the whole world and in that consideration I am here condemned to dye contrary to the Law that governs all the world that is the Law of the Sword I had the protection of that for my life and the honour of it but I will not trouble you much with this discourse because in
Nations to enter which they afterwards soon did to the great prejudice of the Empire so that Zosimus though in other of his writings concerning this Emperour discovers his malice yet he truly calleth him the first subverter of that flourishing Monarchy Concerning the time when he was baptized Authors onely agree in disagreeing Eusebius writes that he was baptized in the City of Nicomedia Sozomenus and Theodoritus that it was a little before his death others think he was baptized with Crispus his Son to which opinion accords Platina and Sabellicus who affirm the Font wherein they were baptized to have remained unto their times In this diversity of Writers the Reader must not expect I should satisfie him seeing I cannot herein satisfie my self But of more certainty is the place of his death wherein they all accord that it was in Nicomedia a City of Bythinia where he died of a natural disease a thing to be taken notice of since of 40. Emperours that reigned before him above 30. of them came to untimely ends most of them being blood-thirsty Tyrants and Persecutours of Gods holy Saints whose ends were answerable to their lives their bloody actions having bloody deaths So true is that of the Poet Juvenal Few Tyrants do to Pluto's Court descend Without fierce slaughter and a bloody end At his death he divided his Empire betwixt his three sons Constantine Constantius and Constance To Constantine the eldest he allotted the Countreys of Brittain France Spain and part of Germany Constantius his second son had Italy Africa Sclavonia Dalmatia and Greece and Constance the youngest possessed the Countreys of Thracia Syria Mesopotamia and Egypt The Life of King ARTHUR BOth Poets and Historians out of the most famous Warriours that have lived in the world have extracted nine of the chiefest whom they termed Worthies of these this famous Prince whose life we now intend to relate was accounted one Questionless he was a Prince of a matchless prowess and pitty it is the naked truth of his actions hath not been delivered to posterity without the intermixture of ridiculous falshoods for Geffery of Monmouth is said to have feigned many things for the encrease of his fame though he hath thereby much impaired his own and although for the same he was bitterly inveighed at by William of Newberry and divers others yet was his follies followed by several Authours still adding to what he first had feign'd according to that of the old Poet. The thing at first invented great doth grow And every one doth something adde thereto Thus their over-lavish pens in seeking to make him more then he was have made many suspect he was not at all But besides the testimonies of William of Malmesbury Joseph of Excester Ninius Leiland and divers others for the truth of this Prince a Charter exemplified under the seal of King Edward the Third doth sufficiently testifie wherein mention is made of King Arthur to have been a great Benefactour to the Abbey of Glastenbury and to this day his Arms being an Escochen whereon a Cross with the Virgin Mary having Christ in her arms cut in stone standeth over the first gate of entrance into the Abbey and is said to be the Arms belonging to the same Of his person we shall not need to doubt though we may justly suspect the verity of many things said to be atchieved by him This by way of introduction I thought fit to insert I shall now pursue his History with truth and brevity He was base Son to Vter sirnamed Pendragon begotten of Igren Dutchess of Cornwall her husband yet living this Lady had often withstood his unlawful desires at last by the help of Merline a renowned Welch Enchanter as some Authours write he was brought to her bed in the likenesse of Gorlois her husband of whom that night he begat this Worthy whom at his death he appointed to be King of Brittain notwithstanding he had two Daughters lawfully begotten and as honourably married the one to Lotho King of Picts the other to Gouran King of Scotland But scarcely was the Crown settled on his head when the Saxons sought to strike it off who being called in by Vortigerne for an aid against the Scots and Picts like unmannerly guests sought to turn their hoast out of doors To the aid of these Saxons joyned Lotho King of Picts out of envy to the Brittains for that they had denied him to be their King and although Arthur was his Kinsman and professed Christianity the other strangers and enemies to true Religion yet neither Christianity nor Consanguinity could keep him from joyning with them in amity not caring who won so Arthur did but lose The first battel they fought was in the Countrey of Northumberland where Arthur dyed his Sword in the Saxons blood chasing them from thence to the City of York which notwithstanding he did straitly besiege yet their Captain named Colgerne escaped from thence and got into Germany where he obtained aid of one Cherdike a King of that Countrey who came himself in person with 70 sail of ships and having a prosperous Winde arrived in Scotland which when Arthur understood he raised his siege and marched towards London And that the multitude of his enemies might not daunt the courage of his Souldiers he sent for aid to his Nephew Howel King of little Brittain in France who came himself likewise in person to the aid of his uncle doing as old Authors write acts worthy to be eternized with a golden pen. Their forces thus augmented with undaunted resolutions they march to the City of Lincoln which Cherdike did then besiege whom they forced from thence to flee into a wood but there being likewise compassed about with Arthurs victorious Army they yielded themselves with condition to depart the Land leaving the Brittains their horse armour and other furniture but see what faith is to be expected from faithless people for having their markets spoiled at Lincoln they thought to make them good in the West ariving at Totnes and destroying all the Countrey till they came to Bathe but the price of their lives paid for their perjury being encountred by Arthur their Army was overthrown their three Captains Colgrine Cherdike and Bladulf being slain Howel King Arthurs Nephew was not at this last battel being besieged at that present in the Marches of Scotland to whose rescue hasted Arthur with the flower of his Souldiers and notwithstanding the Scots were aided by one Guillomer King of Ireland yet obtained he of them a glorious victory chasing Guillomer into Ireland and bringing Scotland into subjection like another Caesar it might be writ of him veni vidi vici as one of our poets sings of him Thus wheresoever he his course did bend Still victory did ox his sword attend Returning to Yorke he instituted the celebration of the Nativity of our Lord with such feasts and sports as are commonly now used an institution which the Scottish writers do altogether condemn comparing them to
the rumours of the people concerning his Fathers death a War is proclaimed against Scotland to revenge those overthrows the English had received from their valiant Chieftain King Robert le Bruce but by the treason of the Lord Mortimer who is said to have received bribes from the Scots the journey proved unsuccessful the young King hardly escaping with life for one Sir James Dowglass a valiant Scot with 200 light horses assailed the Kings own Pavilion where the King was so near death that a Chaplain of his who stoutly behaved himself was slain in his masters defence and Sir James retired from thence with safety These treasons of the Lord Mortimer together with his excessive pride and over much familiarity with the Queen-Mother made him so distasteful unto the Lords that notwithstanding his strong guard consisting of no less then ninescore Knights he was by the young King and the confederate Lords surprized on a sudden at Nottingham Castle from thence removed to the City of London condemned of treason and executed at the common Gallows And here may the King be said to begin his Reign living before at the Queen and the Lord Mortimers allowance which was onely the third part of the Revenews of the Crown which now he assumeth all to himself putting the Queen to a pension of a thousand pounds a year and confining her to a Castle all the dayes of her life such was the miserable condition of this wretched Woman the Daughter Sister Wife and Mother of a King as one of our Moderns hath it So true is that the wise man once did say That none are happy till their dying day King Edward having thus raised himself would next out of Charity help his Neighbour Edward Baliol Son to John Baliol sometimes King of Scotland having remained in France two and thirty years comes over into England whom King Edward aids against his Brother in Law King David who at that time was with the King of France at Hallidown-Hill where he utterly defeats the whole power of Scotland slew of them 7. Earls 90. Knights and Banerets 400. Esquires and 32000. common Souldiers causing Baliol to be Crowned King doing homage to King Edward as his superior Lord for which though he had the Knees he had not the Hearts of his people who would be subject to none that were subject to another But these were but petty actions scarce worth the rehearsal considering what he performed afterwards his endeavours for the French Crown which that I may in order describe I will begin with the original cause of this invasion King Phillip of France dying without issue the right of succession unto that Crown belonged to King Edward as nearest in blood being his Sisters Son but Philip of Valois the Heir to Charles a former King usurps the Crown pretending a Law which they call Salique wherein Females are debarred from inheritance or as they term it the distaff from meddling with the Crown according to that in the 6. of Matthew Consider the Lillies the arms of France how they grow they toil not neither do they spin Philip hereupon summons Edward to do homage for the Lands he held in France which though prejudicial to his after claim yet in regard his Kingdome of England was scarce well settled and himself but young he was contented to do but this his Homage was exacted with such pride on the French Kings part that it left a rancour in his heart for ever after so that returning into England he studies revenge nor long wants he an instrument to spur him on for one Robert of Arthois being banished out of France comes over into England and becomes an incendiary betwixt the two Kings this fugitive King Edward entertains makes him Earl of Richmond and one of his Council then passing over into Flanders by perswasion of the Flemings he takes upon him the Stile Title and Arms of the King of France who hereupon establish a League with him accounting themselves disobliged of the Bond of tweny hundred thousand Crowns which they had entred into never to bear Arms against the King of France confederating himself with them and many other Princes with a well selected army he enters France King Philip on the other side was not idle but draws to his part the King of Bohemia the Bishop of Leige Earl of Luxembourge Henry Count Palatine Aubut Bishop of Metz Otho Duke of Austria Ame Earl of Geneva with many other and with a mighty Army confronting King Edward near to Vermandeis who notwithstanding part without doing any thing worth the relating unless we should relate what to some way seem ridiculous A Hare starting out before the head of the French Army caused a great shout to be made whereupon they who saw not the Hare but onely heard the shout supposing it to be the onset to the Battel disposed themselves to fight and fourteen Gentlemen for encouragements sake as the custom is were Knighted called afterward in merriment Knights of the Hare King Edward returning into England left the Earls of Salisbury and Suffolk in Flanders to oppose the French who having performed many great exploits in an encounter near Lisle were both taken prisoners King Edward to repair this loss prepares again for France to impeach whose landing King Philip had provided a Navy of 200. sail whereof when Edward was advertised he prepares the like number of ships to encounter with them and sets out to Sea upon Midsummer-eve the next day Sir Robert Morley brings an addition to his Fleet which joyned together set upon the French in the Haven of Sluce defeated their whole Navy took and sunk all their Ships and slew thirty thousand of their men as a Poet versifies on those times Thus Salsburies and Suffolks loss which they Receiv'd on Land at Sea was washt away Many of the French to escape killing drowned themselves trusting to the mercy of the Waves rather then to the pitty of the English which made the French Kings Jeaster set on to give him notice of this overthrow to repeat often in the Kings hearing Cowardly English men Dastardly English men Faint-hearted English men and being by the King asked the reason why Because said he they durst not leap out of their Ships into the Sea as our brave French men did by which speech the King came to have knowledge of their overthrow The French lay the blame of this defeat on one Buchet who having a chief command in the Navy armed his ships with men of base condition content with small pay and refused Gentlemen and sufficient Souldiers in regard they required greater wages according to the old Law When covetous Chiefs are sparing of their Crowns Few Souldiers will be prodigal of wounds Edwards Wings thus plumed with Victory he flies amain to the Siege of Tournay with an Army of five and fifty thousand where he is encountred by the Duke of Burgandy and Earl of Armigniack who slew four thousand of his men upon the place
Edward notwithstanding continues his Siege to the relief whereof King Philip sends all the Forces he could make But by the mediation of the Lady Jane of Valois who was Sister to King Philip and Mother of King Edwards Wife a truce was concluded from Michaelmas till Midsummer and both their Armies again dissolved Edward hereupon puts out of pay his forreign aids and returning into England had notice that the Scots besieged the Castle of Striveling for relief whereof he makes all the haste he can but being disappointed of his provision that was to come by Sea he makes a Truce with the Scots for four moneths and returns home during this truce the Scots send to King David who upon their message leaves France and returns into Scotland and as soon as the truce was ended with a strong Army enters Northumberland besiegeth New Castle upon Tyne but is valiantly resisted by John Nevile the Governour who took the Earl of Murray prisoner and slew divers of his men from thence he passeth into the Bishoprick of Durham where he useth all kinde of cruelty killing men women and children burning and destroying Houses and Churches untill he came to the Castle of Salisbury but hearing of King Edwards approach who certified of these things made all the haste he could he returns homewards King Edward pursues for three dayes together at length a truce was concluded for two years and William Earl of Salisbury prisoner with the King of France was set at liberty in exchange for the Earl of Murray Whilst Edward was thus busied about the Scots a new difference arose in France John Earl of Monfort claims the Dutchy of Brittain and in pursuance of his title is taken prisoner by the French King his Wife solicites King Edward for succour who sends her aid under the conduct of Robert of Arthois and not long after follows himself Philip sends aid to Monforts Competitor and both Armies encamp near to the City of Vannes where was like to have been a cruel Battel had not Pope Clement the sixth interposed two Cardinals from him conclude a peace Vannes is delivered up to the French King and the Earl of Montfort is set at liberty The murmuring Drum now silenced and stern Mars for a while confined to prison least rusty idleness should entomb their worth and want of exercise make them forget their Arms King Edward erects a round Table at Windsor in imitation of the Renowned Arthur and to invite great men from forreign parts rich Salaries are the reward of high designs King Philip fearing this association would be to him of ill consequence writes after Edwards coppy and erects a round Table in his own Countrey to allure the men of War of Germany and Italy and so to keep them from coming into England King Edward thus prevented in his design by the French King institutes the most honourable order of the Garter the Original case whereof is dubious some conjecture that it arose for that in a Battel wherein he was victorious he gave the word Garter for the word or sign Cambden saith King Edward the Third founded this order to adorn Martial vertue with honours rewards and splendour The Original Book of the Institution deduces the invention from King Richard the First and that King Edward adorned it and brought it into splendour but the common received opinion is that a Garter of his own Queen or as some say of Joan Countess of Salisbury slipping off in a Dance King Edward stooped and took it up where at some of the Nobles that were present smiling as an amorous action he seriously said It should not be long ere Sovereign Honour were done to that Garter whereupon he afterwards added the French Motto Honi soit qui maly pense therein checking his Lords sinister suspicion Nor need we with Polydor Virgil trouble our selves to make an Apology for the courseness of this Original since according to the Poet They swell with love that are with valour fill'd And Venus Doves may in a Head-piece build The number of Knights in this order is six and twenty whereof the King is alwayes president so much accounted of in other Countries that there have been nigh twenty and six forreign Emperours and Kings of the same the glory whereof by a learned Poet is celebrated for to be such That now Burgundians scorn their fleece of Gold The French the Escalopt Collar set with grace Their Crossed weeds Rhodes Elba Alcala hold As worthless all matcht with thy George are base King Edward whose Eye was fixt upon France as the mark of his Conquest having notice that King Philip had put many of his friends to death in Normandy namely Clisson and Bacon Knights of the best note glad that the truce was broken on King Philips part prepares again for the invasion of France and taking along with him the young Prince of Wales with an Army of 2500. Horse and 30000. Foot arives in Normandy where he took and and sackd many Towns of Importance Clissons hands being nailed on the Gates of Carenton he turns it into Cinders making a Funeral-pile thereof for his slain friend He takes also the populous and rich City of Caen marching with his Army to the very Walls of Paris Philip awakened with Edwards Victories raises one of the greatest Armies that ever were seen in France Edward laden with spoil is not unwilling to retire which Philip interpreteth a kinde of flight the River of Some he passeth with much danger and defeats Gundentor du Foy who was placed there to hinder his passage King Philip set on fire with his disaster resolveth to give King Edward Battel who was incamped nigh to a Vilage called Crescy his Army consisting of 30000. he divided into three Battalions the first whereof was led by Edward the Black Prince of Wales having in his company Beuchamp Earl of Warwick Godfrey of Harecourt the Lords Stafford Laware Bourchier Clifford Cobham Holland c. together with the number of 800. men at Arms 2000. Archers and 1000. Welch In the second Battel were the Earls of Northampton and Arundel the Lords Ross Willoughby Basset Saint Albane Malton c. with 800. men at Arms and 1200. Archers The third and last Battel was commanded by the King himself having in it 700. men at Arms and 3000. Archers The French Army was far greater consisting of sixscore thousand men having in it the two Kings of Bohemia and Majorica and of Princes Dukes Earls Barrons and Gentlemen bearing Arms about 3000. The vantguard was led by the King of Bohemia and the Earl of Allanson The main Battel King Philip commanded himself and the Earl of Savoy the Reer But since in this Battel the Prince of Wales was the chief General I shall refer the further prosecution thereof to the description of his following life and proceed in our History of King Edward who after the good success of this Battel marched directly to Calice resolving not to stir untill he
with Souldiers to the number saith Engnerrant of thirty thousand with whom he returneth again into France No sooner was he arrived but he sends the Earl of Dorset and the Lord Clifford with twelve hundred Horse and Foot unto Paris to relieve the Duke of Excester who was straightned of Victualls by the Dolphinois whilest he with the rest of the Army hasteth to relieve Chartiers besieged by the Dolphin with seven thousand Souldiers but hearing of King Henry's coming he packed up his pipes and retired to Tours though before he had given out that he would meet him in the Field Chartiers relieved Henry marcheth to Dreux which agreed to surrender if not relieved by a certain day the time expir'd and no relief come the Town was delivered the Souldiers permitted to depart upon their Oaths not to bear Arms against Henry for one whole year after then takes he in the Towns of Baugency and Rougemont where all that craved he took to mercy and supplying his Army with fresh Forces he layes siege to the Town of Meanx in Brie During the time of this Siege news was brought him that his Wife Queen Katherine was delivered of a Son named Henry at the Castle of Windsor whereat he rejoyced though he liked nor the place of her delivery having before commanded the contrary prophecying That what Henry of Monmouth should get Henry of Windsor would lose Queen Katherine for her disobedience to her Husband herein commanded at her death that her Coffin should be left open to be seen and handled of any that would Should the Coffins of all the women that have disobeyed their Husbands in our dayes be left open I fear we should have but few closed so much is the Apostle Pauls Precept forgotten Ephes 5.24 The Town of Nans holding out long without relief made their conditions the harder upon the surrender the Captain Vaurus having hanged many English and Burgundians upon a tree which he named Vaurus was now on the same hanged himself and his head fixed upon a pole on the top of the same tree Meaux being taken Crespi the Castle of Pierrepont Offemont Merlau and sundry other places submitted themselves so that now Henry had in possession all the Fortresses in the Isle of France Champagne Piccardy Brie and Normandy Yet though Henries part in France was great all was not reduced unto his obedience many places holding out for the Dolphin who with an Army of twenty thousand besieged Cosney a Town of the Duke of Burgundies upon the River Loir Henry hasting to raise the Siege at Senlis fell sick of a burning Feaver and Flux whereupon the command of the Army was committed to the Duke of Bedford who with Queen Katherine was lately come out of England whereof he was Regent to visit King Henry Upon the Dukes approach the Dolphin retired into Berry whereof in mockage he was after called King of Berry King Henries sickness encreasing more and more he was removed to Boys de Vencennois and finding himself not able long to continue he appointed his Brother John Duke of Bedford Regent of France and his Brother Humprey Duke of Glocester Protectour of England till his son came of age Then exhorting them to unity amongst themselves to be true and faithful to the Duke of Burgoigne loyal to their young Prince and serviceable to his Queen in a right mind hope and found memory he rendted his soul to his Creator after he had reigned nine years five moneths and fourteen dayes His Body with Pomp and Solemnity conveyed into England it was interred in the Abbey of Saint Peter at Westminster upon whose Tomb Queen Katherine caused a royal Picture to be laid covered all over with silver Plate gilt the head thereof altogether of massy silver all which at that Abbeys suppression in the time of King Henry the Eighth were sacrilegiously broken off and by purloyning transferred to far prophaner uses where at this day the headless Monument is to be seen with these Verses inscribed upon his Tomb. Dux Normanorum verus Conquestor eorum Haeres Francorum decessit Hector eorum Here Normans Duke so stil'd by Conquest just True Heir of France great Hector lies in dust We will end our Discourse of this renowned King with the commendations given him by Walsingham a learned Historian He was godly in heart sober in speech sparing of words resolute in deeds provident in counsel prudent in judgement modest in countenance magnanimous in action constant in undertaking a great Alms-giver devout to God-ward a renowned Souldier fortunate in Field from whence he never returned without victory Martin writes of this Prince that his Father King Henry the Fourth being seized on by a deadly Appolexy being near his last end he caused his Crown to be placed by him on his Pillow least peradventure in the extremity of his sickness it might be delivered to some other who had better right to it then he had but when his attendants verily supposed that he was dead this Martial Prince seized on the Crown whereat the King started up raised himself upon his armes and demanded who it was that had taken away his Crown the Prince answered that it was he Henry the Fourth fetching a deep sigh said My Son my Son what right I had unto this Crown and how I have enjoyed it God knows and the World hath seen Comfort your self in God sayes the Prince my good Father the Crown you have and if you dye I will have it and keep it with the Sword as you have done which his successfull Reign and hath been declared to his greatest honours afterwards made good The Life of JOHN Duke of Bedford JOhn Duke of Bedford was third Son to King Henry the Fourth a valiant Captain and a great help to his Son Henry in the Conquest of France I shall not therefore like the idle Levites of our times rehearse any of the former Transactions but begin with the pursuit of his life where we ended having chose the rather to write the History of this honourable person as with the exit of his life our English Affairs ceased to have any further footing in France He being Regent there to proceed his care was to preserve the same for his Nephew and knowing that what was won by the Sword must be kept by the Sword he strengthens the confines of his government with Garrisons assembleth his powers and labours to retain the hearts of his own party his chief assistants were the two French Dukes of Burgoignt and Brittain and those two terrours of France Thomas Montacute Earl of Salisbury and John Lord Talbot to whom after the Death of King Henry the Fifth he being then Regent made averation exhorting them to be true and faithfull to their young King Henry friend to his friends and enemy to his enemies that seeing the hatreds and enmities began now to dye between the French and English names it was too late for the French to be again renowned by their fraudulent
regaining the Dutchy of York wrongfully conferred on his Brother Clarence by the last Parliament Hereupon many of note joyned themselves with him so that whom they refused to serve as King which had been an act of loyalty they condescend to aid as Duke of York which was absolute rebellion it being high treason in a Subject though never so apparently injured to seek his remedy by Arms. Having thus increast his Army he marches towards London and although the Marquess Mountague Warwicks Brother with a far superiour power lay then at Pomfret to impeach his journey yet let he him quietly pass not permitting any act of hostillity to be shewed or advantage taken by which gross oversight he ruined himself and Warwick too for no sooner was Edward past this danger but many of the Nobility with mighty Forces repaired to him Whereupon forgetting his oath he takes upon him the title of King and marcht directly to Coventry fierce in his desire to give Warwick battel who lay there encampt and now his Brother Clarence with all his Forces forsakes his Father-in-law the Earl of Warwick and joynes with his Brother Hereupon uniting their Forces they march up to London which after some show of resistance submitted its self Warwick having now joyned with his Brother Mountague follows after him whom to oppose King Edward having settled the Town to his obedience led forth his Army at St. Albans they both met where betwixt them was fought a most bloody battel in which the Earl of Warwick and his Brother Mountague valiantly fighting were both slain and their whole Army totally routed To this violent end came the Earl of Warwick and indeed how was it possible such a stormy life could expect a calmer death he was questionless valiant for a Coward durst not have thought those dangers into which he entred upon the slightest quarrels His soul was never quiet distasted still with the present and his pride like a foolish builder so delighted to pull down and set up that at length part of the frame that himself had raised fell upon him and crusht him to death His varying so in approving contrary Titles shewed either a strange levity in judgement or else that ambition not conscience ruled his actions In sum that greatness he so violently laboured to confirme in his posterity came all to nothing Almighty God ruining their designs who think by pollicy though contrary to Religion to perpetuate their posterity The Life of King RICHARD the Third FRom the pen of so credible an Author as Sir Tho. Moor was to other Historians chiefly derived the History of this King they so admiring and trusting to what he delivered that without any alteration of his words an unusual respect we have hitherto except two or three other Modern differing Writers received all from the Knights Tradition He was a person indeed of unquestioned integrity but how carefully and honestly his Works by others might be publisht after his death is not yet well determined Sir Simon D'ewes Mr. Selden and other eminent Antiquaries of our times being in their learned discourses often too sensible of some abuses offered to the Chronicle of this Richard The truth is if as in respect of our own times we have known the best of men so traduce certainly where there hath been some more then ordinary failings envious persons will think they cannot render him odious or ugly enough Richard the Third vulgarly known by the name of Crook-Backt and so delivered by some Historians and Poets with what truth I know not since his Picture drawn in his life and as it is said to be to the life still preserved and suffered by his great enemy Henry the Seventh in the Long Gallery in White-Hall denotes the contrary and shews him him to be of a sweet and gracious aspect And John Stow who alwayes took great pains in his inquiry of the relations of the persons of Princes sayes That he had spoken with some ancient men who from their own sight and knowledge affirm that he was of body and shape comely Neither did John Rouce who knew him and wrote much in his description observes any otherwise But whether crooked or no if his actions were straight posterity hath the less to censure him He was the youngest Son of Richard Plantagenet the fourth Duke of York of that Royal Family born at the Castle of Fotheringham or as some write the Castle of Berkhamsteed about the year of our Lord 1450. a dutiful Son to his Father and a Loyal Subject to his Brother who stood alwayes firm to his side in that great defection of the Duke of Clarence and Earl of VVarwick as we have declared in the preceding life At the death of his Brother King Edward he was chosen Lord Protector and afterwards by the importunity of the people knowing his Abilities forced to take upon him the Regal Power and confirmed by Act of Parliament Therefore their cavils are vain and discover an extream malice and envy unto him that report him to have obtained the Sovereignty by indirect means As for his abillities for government hear Reverend Cambden an Author without exception Fuit dignissimus regno c non inter malos sed bonos Principes commemorandus That he was most worthy to Reign and to be numbered amongst the good not bad Princes And indeed those many and good Laws enacted in his time demonstrate him a good King though some have reported him to be a bad Man He was Crowned at Westminster with great solemnity most of the Peers of the Land being present soon after his Coronation he sent to the French King for his Tribute formerly paid to his Brother Edward in leiu of the Dutchy and Countries of Aquitain Normandy Poictou and Maine c. and now detained by the French King and doubtless King Richard had still compelled him to continue it had not eruptions of State and tumultary practices fatally diverted his Sword Soon after was a Parliament called wherein was attainted of High Treason Henry Earl of Richmond John Earl of Oxford Thomas Marques of Dorset Jasper Earl of Pembroke Lionel Bishop of Salisbury Pierce Bishop of Exeter the Lady Margaret Countess of Richmond Thomas Morton Bishop of Ely with many others King Edwards Children for whom the world so much censures him were adjudged uncapable of Government and the Crown by a Parliament in those dayes confirmed to King Richard in these words It is declared pronounced decreed confirmed and established by the authority of this present assembly of Parliament that King Richard the Third is the true and undoubted King of this Realm as well by right of Consanguinity and Heritage as by lawful Election and Coronation c. So that here to tax so general an assent were to say there were not one honest nor just man in that High Court and what greater scandall to the whole Kingdom and to those that have since succeeded them But as Honour is alwayes attended on by Envy so
sollicitations he had from Henry Earl of Richmond and the Lords of his faction who to draw them off from Richards side that morning in which Bosworth Field was fought was found a world of papers strowed before Norfolks door Yet notwithstanding all this he regarding more his oath his honour and promise made to King Richard like a faithful Subject absented not himself from his Master but as he faithfully lived under him so he manfully died with him But to return to his Son the Earl of Surrey in this Battle he had the leading of the Archers which King Richard had placed in the fore-front as a Bulwark to defend the rest the undaunted courage of this Earl and his resolute brave carriage being taken prisoner are delineated to the life by the renowned Sir John Beaumont in his ever-living Poem of Bosworth Field which if to some it may seem a long Quotation the goodness of the lines will recompense the tediousness of reading them Courageous Talbot had with Surrey met And after many blows begins to fret That one so young in Arms should thus unmov'd Resist his strength so oft in war approv'd And now the Earl beholds his Fathers fall VVhose death like horrid darkness frighted all Some give themselves as Captives others fly But this young Lion casts his generous eye On Mowbray's Lion painted in his shield And with that King of Beasts repines to yield The Field saith he in which the Lion stands Is blood and blood I offer to the hands Of daring foes but never shall my flight Die black my Lion which as yet is white His Enemies like cunning Huntsmen strive In binding snares to take their prey alive While he desires t' expose his naked breast And thinks the sword that deepest strikes is best Young Howard single with an Army fights When mov'd with pitty two renowned Knights Strong Clarindon and valiant Coniers try To rescue him in which attempt they die Now Surrey fainting scarce his Sword can hold Which made a common Souldier grow so bold To lay rude hands upon that noble Flower Which he disdaining anger gives him power Erects his weapon with a nimble round And sends the Peasants Arm to kiss the ground This done to Talbot he presents his Blade And saith It is not hope of life hath made This my submission but my strength is spent And some perhaps of villain blood will vent My weary soul this favour I demand That I may die by your victorious hand Nay God forbid that any of my name Quoth Talbot should put out so bright a flame As burns in thee brave Youth where thou hast err'd It was thy Fathers fault since he prefer'd A Tyrants Crown before the juster side The Earl still mindeful of his birth reply'd I wonder Talbot that thy noble heart Insults on ruines of the vanquisht part We had the right if now to you it flow The fortune of your Swords hath made it so I never will my luckless choice repent Nor can it stain mine honour or descent Set Englands Royal Wreath upon a stake There will I fight and not the place forsake And if the will of God hath so dispos'd That Richmonds Brow be with the Crown inclos'd I shall to him or his give doubtless signs That duty in my thoughts not faction shines Which he proved to be most true in the whole course of his life for having continued prisoner in the Tower three years and a half the Earl of Lincoln confederating with one Lambert Simnel raised an Army against the King the Lieutenant of the Tower favouring their enterprise freely offered the Earl licence to depart out at his pleasure which he refused saying That he that commanded him thither should command him out again The King understanding of his fidelity not onely released him of his imprisonment but took him into a more specal regard and soon had he an occasion to make tryall of him a great insurrection happening in the North wherein the Rebells were grown so potent that they slew the Earl of Northumberland in the field and took the City of York by assault against these King Henry assembles a great power making the Earl of Surrey Chief Captain of his Voward who so behaved himself that the Rebells forces were dissipated their chief Leaders taken and soon after executed The King noting his great prudence and magnanimity made him Lieutenant Generall from Trent Northward had Warden of the East and middle Marches and Justice of the Forrests from Trent Northwards in which offices he continued the space of ten years during which time the Scots having committed some outrages upon the Borders he made a road into Tivydale where he burnt and destroyed all before him returning with great spoils and honour Not long after he made another road into Scotland returning with like success James the fifth then King of Scotland raised a great power to withstand him and sent to the Earl a challenge to fight with him hand to hand which he accepted but the King into his demands would have the Countrey or Lands then in Controversie to be made Brabium Victoris which was without the Earls power to engage being the inheritance of the King his Master but he proffers better Lands of his own upon the Combat which was not accepted and so nothing was concluded A peace being concluded with the Scots he was called home and made Lord Treasurer of England of the Privy Council living in great Honor and reputation all the dayes of King Henry who dying his Son Henry that succeded him added to his other dignities the high Marshallship of England and going in person with an Army into France left him Lieutenant Generall from Trent Northward to defend the Realm against the Scots for James the Fifth King of Scotland notwithstanding he were King Henries Brother-in-law yet did so firmly adhere to the French that to divert King Henries proceedings in his own person with a mighty Army he invades England The Earl of Surrey to oppose him raises what Forces he could and at a place called Flodden it came to a pitcht field which was fought with great courage and valour but God who owned the just cause of the English crowned them with success and set the Palm of Victory on the Earl of Surrey's head The Scottish King being slain and with him two Bishops eleven Earls seventeen Barrons four hundred Knights besides other Gentlemen and seventeen thousand common Souldiers The Earl for these services was by the King at his return home highly rewarded and restored to the Dukedom of Norfolk his Fathers Dignity Soon after was he sent chief Commissioner with the Lady Mary the Kings sister to be married unto Lewis the French King and after his return home the King and Queen going to Guines to visit the French King he was made Protectour of the Realm in his absence Old age seizing on him he obtained leave of the King to spend the remainder of his dayes at Framlingham
and Sir Christopher Blunt diswaded him yet within a moneth over he went and came with speed to the Court at None-such where falling upon his knees before the Queen after a little talk she bid him retire to his Chamber and soon after committed him to custody in the Lord Privy Seals house where having remained the space of six moneths he began to repent him of his former courses and shewed so great patience and so much submission that the Queen gave him leave to return to his own House again Neverthelesse the popular voice the croud of common people so extolled his innocency that she could not for the removal of suspicion of Injustice free her self and her Councellours but was forced to bring him to a trial which accordingly she did in the house of the Lord Privy Seal The chief Articles objected against him were That contrary to his Commission he had made the Earl of South-hampton General of the Horse had drawn his Forces into Munster neglecting the Arch Rebel Tir Oen entertained a parly with him against the Dignity of the Queens Majesty and the person of a Vice-Roy which he represented and that the Parley was suspicious in regard it was private The Earl remembring the words of Solomon Proverbs 16.14 The wrath of a Prince is as messengers of death but a wise man will pacifie it fell down upon his knees at the end of the board professing he would not contest with the Queen nor excuse the faults of his yong years either in whole or in part protesting that he alwayes meant well howsoever it fell out otherwise and that now he would bid his rash enterprizes adieu with many other words to the like purpose which made the Assembly there present to weep For indeed he was a man dearly beloved both of the Queen Peers and People nor do we read of any English Subject whose fall was more lamented then his At length this sentence was pronounced against him That he should be deposed from the office of a Privy Councellour suspended from the functions of Earl Marshall and Master of the Ordnance and be imprisoned during the Queens pleasure And indeed her pleasure was he should not endure Imprisonment long for upon his shew of humiliation and mortification she removed Berkley his Keeper and gave him leave to go at large onely admonishing him to make his own discretion his Keeper and not to come at the Court or in her presence Now the Earl thinking all danger was past and that a serene sky would succeed this storm in a presumptuous confidence of the Queens wonted favour he became an earnest suiter to her for the Farm of sweet Wines she to try the truth of his temper made him this answer That she must first know what it was worth and not give away things hand over head His high spirit not brooking a deniall falls into discontented expressions which came to the Queens ear That it was now plain the Queen intended to make him as poor as Job that he should live of the basket and gather crums under the table that the Queen was now old and decreped and withered as well in minde as in body And now again he runneth upon desperate counsels for the removeal of his Adversaries from the Court The Earl of Southampton is sent for out of the Low-Countreys his doors set open for all Commers decayed Souldiers and discontented persons admitted by Merrick his Steward to his own table Citizens flock thither each day in great numbers and all signs popularity appeared The chief of his Councel were the Earl of Southampton Sir Charles Danvers Sir Ferdinando Gorge Captain of the Garrison of Plimouth Sir Christopher Blunt his two servants Merrick and Cuffe with some others These meeting in consultation at Drury House resolve the Queens Palace shall be seized upon and his Adversaries secured who were nominated to be Raleigh Cobham Carew Cecill And the Admiral But before they could effect their designs the Queen by severall circumstances having suspicion of their actions sent Secretary Herbert to call him before the Councel the Earl doubting the matter excuseth himself that he was not very well But this slight excuse encreasing the suspicion four of the Lords were by the Queen sent unto him namely the Lord Keeper the Earl of Worcester Sir William Knolles and the Lord Chief Justice of England these comming to Essex House found there a confused number of people and the Earls of Essex Rutland and Southampton in the middest of them after some little talk the four Lords were secured Essex with a Troop of two hundred men at his heels making haste into City being falsely informed that the Citizens would take his part The Earl of Bedford the Lord Cromwell and other Lords meeting him by the way joyn themselves Essex crying out as he went For the Queen for the Queen they lay wait for my life Whilest thus he seeketh in vain for help of the Citizens certain of the Nobility entred the City with a Herald declaring him and all his adherents Traytours this so abated the edge of their courages that some of his followers began to shift for themselves amongst which was Sir Ferdinando Gorge who the better to obtain the Queens mercy freeth the four Lords that were kept prisoners in Essex House going along with them to the Court by water The Earl himself thinking to return was opposed by men in Arms at the West end of Pauls where after a short bickering he retired to Queen-hive and went to Essex-House by water By and by the Admiral besiegeth the House commanding them to yield which at first they refuse but afterwards finding their cause to be desperate they fall upon their knees and deliver up their weapons to the Admiral The chief of them as Essex Southampton Rutland Sands Cromwell Mounteagle Danvers and Bromley were committed to the Tower the rest were put in common Prisons The Earl being thus immured sent this Letter to Sir Thomas Egerton Lord Chancellour The Copy hereof the better to express the temper of his spirit I have word for word inserted The Earl of Essex Letter to the Sir Thomas Egerton Lord Chancellour My very good Lord though there is not a man this day living that I should sooner make judge of any question that might concern me then your self yet you must give me leave to tell you that in some cases I must appeal from all earthly Judges and if in any then surely in this when the highest Judge on earth hath interposed upon me the heaviest punishment without tryal or hearing since then I must either answer your Lordships arguments or else forsake mine own just defence I will force mine aking head to do me service for an hour I must first deny my discontentment which was forced to be an humerous discontent and so that it was unseasonable or is so long continuing your Lordship should rather condole with me then expostulate natural seasons are expected here below but violent
is man to expostulate the Intents Of his high Will or judge of strange Events The rising Sun to mortal sight reveals This earthly Globe but yet the stars conceals So may the sense discover Natural things Divine above the reach of humane wings Then not the Fate but Fates bad instrument Do I accuse in each sad accident Good men must fall rapes incests murthers come But woe and curses follow them by whom God Authors all mens actions not their sin For that proceeds from dev'lish lust within Thou then that suffer'dst by those forms so vile From whom those wicked Instruments did file Thy drossy part to make thy fame shine clear And shrine thy soul in Heavens all glorious Sphere Who being good nought less to thee befell Though it appear'd disguis'd i' th shape of Hell Vanish thy bloud and nerves true life alone In Vertue lives and true Religion In both which thou art deadless O behold If thou canst look so low as earths base mold How dreadful Justice late with lingring foot Now comes like whirlewind how it shakes the root Of lofty Cedars make the stately Brow Bend to the foot how all men see that now The breath of Infamy doth move their sails Whiles thy dear name by loves more hearty gales Shall still keep wing until thy Fames extent Fill ev'ry part of this vast Continent Then you the Syre of their murther'd Son Repine not at his fate since he hath won More honour in his sufferance and his death Succeeded by his vertues endless breath For him and to his Life and deaths example Love might erect a Statue Zeal a Temple On his true worth the Muses might be slain To die his honours web in purest Grain Though for his worth the Muses were all slain His honour'd Works would raise them up again An Elegy upon the untimely Death of Sir Thomas Overbury poisoned in the Tower 'T Would ease our sorrow 't would release our tears Could we but hear those high Celestial Spheres Once tune their motions to a doleful strain In sympathy of what we Mortalls plain Or see their fair Intelligences change Or face or habit when black deeds so strange As might force pitty from the heart of Hell Are hatcht by Monsters which among us dwell The Stars methinks like men inclin'd to sleep Should through their Chrystal Casements scarcely peep Or at least view us but with half an eye For fear their chaster Influence might descry Some murthering hand embrew'd in guiltless blood Blending vile juices to destroy the good The Sun should wed his beams to endless Night And in dull darkness canopy his Light When from the rank stews of adultrous Breasts Where every base unhallowed project rests Is belcht as in defiance of his shine A stream might make even Death it self to pine But those things happen still but ne're more clear Nor with more lustre did these Lamps appear Mercury capers with a winged heel As if he did no touch of sorrow feel And yet he sees a true Mercurian kill'd Whose birth his Mansion with much honour fill'd But let me not mistake those pow'rs above Nor tax injuriously those Courts of Jove Surely they joy to see these Acts reveal'd Which in blinde silence have been long conceal'd And Vertue now triumphant whilest we mourn To think that e're she was foul Vices scorn Or that poor Overburies blood was made A Sacrifice to malice and dark shade Weston thy hand that Couvre-feu Bell did sway Which did his life to endless sleep convay But rest thou where thou art I le seek no glory By the relation of so sad a story If any more were privy to the deed And for the crime should be adjudg'd to bleed To Heaven I pray with rear'd up hands and eyes That as their bodies fall their souls may rise And as those equally turn to one dust So these alike may shine among the just And there make up one glorious constellation Who suffered here in such a differing fashion The Life of Sir VVALTER RALEIGH SIR Walter Rawleigh the Learned Apollo and Oracle of our Nation was one that it seems Fortune had pickt out of purpose to make an example of her mutability or tennis-ball thereby to shew what she could do for she tost him up of nothing and too and fro to greatness and from thence down to little more then to that wherein she found him a mean Gentleman not that he was less for he was well descended and of good Alliance but poor in his beginnings And for my Lord of Oxfords Jeast of him the Jack and an upstart we all know it savours more of emulation and his humour then of truth and it is a certain note of the times that Queen Elizabeth in her choice never took into her favour a meer new man or a Mechanick as Comines observes of Lewis the Eleventh of France who did serve himself with persons of unknown parents such as was Oliver the Barber whom he created Earl of Dunoyes and made him ex secretis consiliis and alone in his favour and familiarity His approaches to the University and Inns of Court were the grounds of his improvement but they were rather excursions then sieges or settings down for he stayed not long in a place and being the youngest brother and the house diminished in patrimony he foresaw his own destiny that he was first to rowl thorow want and disability to subsist other wayes before he could come to a repose and as the stone doth by long lying gather moss he first exposed himself to the Land Service in Ireland a Militia which then did not yield him food and rayment for it was ever very poor nor had he patience to stay there though shortly after he came thither again under the command of the Lord Grey but with his own colours flying in the field having in the interim cast a new chance both in the Low Countries and in a voyage to Sea And if ever man drew vertue out of necessity it was he therewith was he the great example of industery and though he might then have taken that of the merchant to himself per mare per terras currit mercator ad Indos he might also have said and truly with the Philosopher Omnia mea mecum porto for it was a long time before he could brag of more then he carried at his back and when he got on the winning side it was his commedations that he took the pains for it and underwent many various adventures for his after perfection And before he came into the publique note of the world and that it may appear how he came up per ardua per varios casus per tot discrimina rerum not pulled up by chance or by any gentle admittance of Fortune I will briefly describe his native parts and those of his own acquiring which was the hopes of his rising He had in the outward man a good presence in a handsome and well compacted person a strong
himself to him with a very high Complement as that his Lordship had alwayes been to him like the Angels of whom he had heard and read many things but that it had never been in his power to see them From the time of which meeting such amity was contracted between them and so great a veneration the Marquess had for him that besides frequent visitations they held a constant correspondence in Letters saluting one another by the name and title of Father and Son Not to mention here those innumerable Commendations sent him in Epistles from the most eminent men of Forreign Nations addicted to the study of Wisdom and good Arts it being a thing common to him with others of note and fame But now that I discourse of his Fame I would to be understood as if I writ in a stile not exclusive but comparative for his Fame ever among the English was not faint or drooping but lively and vigorous especially among those that were conspicuous for their acute and sublime parts of which I shall insert two testimonies and no more The first is this When his History of Henry the Seventh was just ready for the Press it was sent by King James to Fulk Lord Brook to peruse who when he had read it all over sent it back to the Author with this commendation Present my respects to his Lordship and entreat him from me to have a special care of buying good Paper and Ink for this Work of his is excellent above any thing that I have seen in this kinde The other is the testimony of Doctour Samuel Collins late Professour of Divinity in the famous Vniversity of Cambridge and Master of Kings Colledge a man of no vulgar wit who whether pleasantly or seriously affirmed to me That after he had read his Book of the Advancement of Learning he thought himself driven to that pass that he must be forc't to renew the whole course of his studies from the very beginning and that all this while he had but lost his labour It was earnestly desir'd by some that I would insert some things concerning his Diet and the government of his Health in regard that because of his universal knowledge in natural things his example might be a guide to others As to his Diet therefore he us'd rather a full and liberal way of feeding according as he found his stomach able to bear then thin and sparing which way he hath also commended in some places of his History of Life and Death In his younger years he fed chiefly upon the more delicate and light sort of meats as the flesh of Fowls and the like but afterwards having learned more experience he rather approved of stronger meat such as is sold in the shambles as that which would supply the body with more firm and substantial juyce and that I may use his own words less dissipable upon which alone he himself would often feed although his Table were furnished with variety of all sorts of dishes you may well think that he did not in the least manner neglect that which you shall finde him to have so often cry'd up in his writings namely the often use of Nitre whereof he took every day in the morning about three grains in a mess of thin warm Broth and this course he continued for thrity years at least before his death As for his use of Physick it is true that he lived medicinably but not miserably for once in six or seven dayes he continually took a dram and a half of Rubarb and no more infus'd and macerated for the space of half an hour in a draught of Ale and White-wine mixt together and that a little before meat either dinner or supper to keep his body from drying up since as he affirm'd it would carry away the excrementitious humours of the body and not cause the spirits to exhale as frequent sweating useth to do Now certainly to take so little Physick as this could not be miserable but for any other medicaments whatsoever hath been vulgarly reported he would not at all accustom himself to them The remedy against the Gout which he himself discovered and which he found by experience would asswage the pain in two hours space is extant at the end of his Natural History It is likely that at his Nativity the Moon held some principal place as in the Horoscope or Mid-heaven for as oft as the Moon was in the wane or suffered an Eclipse he was taken with a sudden faintness or depression of spirit and this would happen though he had had no knowledge beforehand of the Moons defect but as soon as the Moon had begun to recover her former light he presently grew well again He died on the 9th day of April MDCXXVI very early in the morning being the day before the feast of the Resurrection of our Lord commonly called Easter Eve in the sixty sixth year of his age at the Earl of Arundels House at High-gate a Village near London to which place he came about eight dayes before not with an intent to make any abode there but onely for his pleasure and recreations sake but God so ordained it that in this place he should end his dayes It was of a lingering Ague that he died together with a strong Catarrh which caused so violent a defluction of humours to his brest that by a sudden suffocation the passage of his life was intercepted He was buried in St. Michaels Church near St. Albans a place destin'd for his Sepulchre upon some grand considerations as both because the body of his Mother lay buried in the same Church as because that Church is the onely place remaining at this day out of the ruines of old Verulam Here a famous Monument of white Marble was built to his memory by the care and gratitude of Sir Thomas Mutes administrator of his last Will and Testament heretofore Secretary to his Lordship and afterwards Clerk to the Privy Council under two Kings having upon it his Effigies in a posture sitting in a chair and intent upon his study together with an Epitaph which that most elegant and polite person Sir Henry Wootton composed out of the reverence and admiration which he bare to his memory But though his Body which he put off and laid aside were mortal yet his Books and Fame will doubtless be everlasting and as soon will the frame of the Earth be dissolv'd as they stoop to fate mov'd with the consideration of which it seem'd good to me to collect according to my slender capacity these memories such as they are that I also might be serviceable to the propagating of his name to posterity There are some light passages and pleasant Apothegms which I have often Beard discoursed of the life of this ever to be honoured Worthy which as this reverend Doctor thought too low for the Grandeur of Sir Francis to have recorded I submit to his better determination and have thought fit to silence my Pen. The
Life of LANCELOT ANDREWS Bishop of Winchester IT is poetized of the Thracian Orpheus that his Oratotary was so powerful that with it he drew the senseless stones after him towards the building of Thebes which some moralize that his eloquence was such as attracted the senseless and stony multitude from Barbarism to frame themselves to a civil and well ordered life What was storied of Orpheus may fitly be applied to this learned Bishop who with his heavenly Oratory drew many stony senseless hearts out of the Captivity of Satan unto the glorious freedom of the Gospel of Jesus Christ For his person we can add nothing to him to name him is enough to all that knew him and to read him will be enough to them that knew him not his piety being such as was esteemed comparable to that which was found in the primitive Church This right reverend father in God Bishop of Winchester Prelate of the Garter was born in the City of London descended from the ancient Family of the Andrews in Suffolk his Father a Merchant of good repute and according to the Religion of those ancient times very devout being one of the Society and Masters of the Holy Trinity commonly called Trinity-House He in his tender years shewed great aptness to learning which he so improved under his two School-masters Mr. Ward Master of the Coopers Free School in Radcliffe and Mr. Mulchaster Master of the Merchant-Taylors Free School in London that he promised a golden Harvest from so hopeful a seed-time So that from his youth he declared an extraordinary worth that he was made up of learning and vertue in both of them so eminent that it was hard to judge which had the precedency and greater interest though it was truly asserted from his contemporaries that there was not any kinde of Learning that he was a stranger to but in his profession admirable which was as well if not better known abroad then admired at home Having under these two gained an excellent knowledge in the Greek and Hebrew Languages he was sent to Pembroke-Hall in Cambridge where he was by Doctor Wats Archdeacon of Middlesex a Benefactor to that house placed in one of the Greek Schollarships soon after he was made Bachellour of Arts and a Fellowship being void he and Thomas Dove afterwards Bishop of Peterburgh for the obtaining thereof were put to a trial of some Schollastical exercises upon performance whereof they chose him into the fellowship yet so well did they approve of his opponent that they made him some allowance for his present maintenance under the title of a Tanquam Socius Thus this great miracle of worth that arrived to such a fulness of material learning had yet room enough left him in the temper of his brain for almost all Languages to seat themselves so that his learning had all the helps that Language could afford and his language learning enough for the best of them to express so that it might be said of him as it was of Claudius Drusus that he was a man of great parts as mortal nature could receive or industry make perfect In process of time his endowments made him so eminent that he was invited unto Jesus Colledge in Oxford by Mr. Hugh Price who built the same whose decerning spirit presaging of his future abilities nominated him in his foundation to be one of his first Fellows there and having taken the degree of Master of Art he applied himself wholly to the study of Divinity Soon after was he chosen Catechist in the Colledge which he performed so well that not onely the University became his common auditors but many out of the Countrey resorted thither greatly admiring at his profound learning Henry Earl of Huntington hearing of his worth sent for him to accompany him into the North whereof he was President where by his painful preaching he converted many Recusants to the Protestant Religion And now his abilities being still better known to the world Sir Francis Walsingham Secretary of State to Queen Elizaheth took special notice of him and by his means he was preferred to be Vicar of Saint Giles without Cripple-Gate London then Prebend and Residentiary of St. Pauls and afterwards Prebend of the Collegiate Church of Southwell soon after upon the death of Doctor Fulk he was elected into the Mastership of Pembroke-hall in Cambridge Afterwards he was made Chaplain in ordinary to Queen Elizabeth who took such delight in his preaching that she resolved upon his higher preferment but having made him first Prebend and not long after Dean of Westminster death prevented her of her intentions But what was wanting in her was performed by her learned successour King James who admiring him for his transcendent abilities soon after his coming to this Crown made him Bishop of Chichester and Lord Almoner and withal added the parsonage of Cheyham in Surrey to his Commendam He now as he excelled most of his Brethren in dignity he thought it not enough unless he did more then imitate them in sanctity of life and knowing no better rule for his direction herein then what Saint Paul had prescribed to Timothy he resolved to make those precepts his rules of practice In these addresses of his to Heaven first he led his life as in respect to men blameless his vertues admired by all but imitated of few his life being like a candle set on a candlestick which gave light to the whole House drawing many souls to God as well by his holy conversation as pious preaching It is a true saying A mans pious carriage makes his speech perswasive Secondly his charity was most transcendent to pass over many vast sums he bestowed upon poor Parishes Prisons and Prisoners his private Alms in his last six years besides those publique amounted to the sum of 1300. pounds and upwards Notwithstanding by what hath been said he might seem in his life time to be his own Almoner yet extended he his works of compassion most abundantly at his death leaving four thousand pounds to purchase two hundred pounds land per annum for ever to be distributed by fifty pounds quarterly thus to aged poor men fifty pounds to poor widdows the wives of one husband fifty pounds to the binding of poor Orphans Apprentices fifty pounds and to the relief of poor prisoners fifty pounds Also he gave two hundred pounds to poor Maid-servants of honest report who had served one Master or Mistress seven years to be distributed presently after his decease Many other acts of Charity did this good Bishop do a fair coppy for new succeeding rich Cleargy-men who are all for the mountain word of Faith but have nothing to do with good Works to write after He had alwayes a special care of promoting sufficient and able men to Livings a great mans letter will do but little good with him if he saw not piety as well as personage in the party His enquiry was constantly to know what hopeful young men were in the
the things most valued most feared by mortal man Life or Death To say Sir that there hath not been a strife in me were to make me less man then God knoweth mine infirmities give me And to call a destruction upon my self and young children where the intentions of my heart at least have been innocent of this great offence may be believed will finde no easie content from flesh and blood But with much sadness I am come to a resolution of that which I take to be best becoming me to look upon that which is most principal in it self which doubtless is the prosperity of your sacred Person and the Commonwealth infinitely before any private mans interest And therefore in few words as I put my self wholly upon the Honour and Justice of my Peers so clearly as to beseech your Majesty might please to have spared that Declaration of yours on Saturday last and intirely to have left me to their Lordships so now to set your Majesties conscience at liberty I do most humbly beseech your Majesty in prevention of mistakes which may happen by your refusal to pass this Bill And by this means remove praised be God I cannot say this accursed but I confess this unfortunate thing forth of the way towards that blessed agreement which God I trust shall ever establish between you and your Subjects Sir my consent shall more acquit you herein to God then all the world can do besides To a willing man there is no injury done And as by Gods grace I forgive all the world with a calmness and meekness of infinite contentment to my dislodging soul so Sir to you can I give the life of this world with all the chearfulness imaginable in the just acknowledgement of your exceeding favours And onely beg that in your goodness you would vouchsafe to cast your gracious regard upon my poor Son and his three Sisters less or more and no otherwise then as their in present unfortunate Father may hereafter appear more or less guilty of this death God long preserve your Majesty Your Majesties most faithful and humble Subject and Servant Strafford Tower 4. May 1641. Whereupon the next morning the King signed the Bill a Commission being drawn up for his Execution It is reported that this Speech the Earl intended to have spoken on the Scaffold but being intercepted he delivered it to his Brother Sir George VVentworth from whose original Copy under the Earls own hand this is word for word transcribed People of my Native Countrey I wish my own or your Charity had made me fit to call you Friends It should appear by your concourse and gazing aspects that I am now the onely prodigeous Meteor towards which you direct your wandring eyes Meteors are the infallible Antecedents of Tragical events and do commonly level their malevolent operation upon some remarkable person At this present I am become my own prodigy and the cross influence will appear in my too sudden Execution and this fear is onely left me the consequence will produce a greater effusion then mine I would to God my bloud would cure your sad hearts of all their grievances though every drop thereof were a soul on which a life depended I could tender it with as much alacrity as some nay the most of you are come to triumph in my fatal expiration In regard I have been by you my native Countrey whose wisdom and justice in respect of the generality of it is no way questionable voted to this untimely end I have not one sylable to say in justification of my self or those actions for which I suffer onely in excuse of both give me leave to say my too much zeal to do my Master service made me abuse his Regal Authority and howsoever I have been one most unfortunate yet at all times a favourite in the prosecution of my places and offices Yet as I shall answer before the dreadful tribunal whereunto your just anger hath before nature doomed me my intents were fairer then my actions but God knows the over-greatness of my spirits severity in my government the witchcraft of authority and flattery of multitudes to sharpen it are but ill interpreters of my intention which that you may believe I have no argument but improtestation which hath but this circumstance to confirme it that it proceeds from a dying man If I should take upon me to make a relation of all the particulars of my Arraignment and Attainder it would but too much prorogue your longing expectation of my shameful death besides it would be needless in respect I should but say over again what I said before the Parliament and perhaps be as little believed though the terms on which I then answered be far different from my attestation now that being before my condemnation and this after it besides there were multitudes to catch it as fast as I uttered it and doubtless you shall have it upon every stall-post for I have been and whilest I breath am the pestilence which rages through your mindes your estates and trades and you will read the bills of your losses though the disease that brought the destruction be removed Having nothing in this world but a little breath which within a few minutes is to be expired I should not use it to this purpose but that custom upon these directions prescribes my warrant for it and further that I might be an example to great persons that they may know the favour of a great King is not equivalent to the breath of Nations and that it is a thousand times better and more noble for a Lion to play with a Glove then to tear it nor is it proper for a Dove to soar with Eagles wings and the rather because the necessity of the times requires that I should dye onely for example He that gave conscience to you all that are willing to accept it my Royal Master did in his own conscience once declare me guiltless of those facts for which this death is come upon me but heaven which hath made your general clamours the organ of my destiny thought me not worthy to enjoy this life I have abused and from your voices as from the lips of Oracles I have received my woful doom wherein my charity at this hour cannot nor will accuse you of the least injustice but still I trench upon your patience and linger in the thing you came to look for my death A little a little more and I have done for a testimony of my Faith and Religon be pleased to understand that I have professed and do now dye in the true Protestant Religion not in any points deviating in my belief from the fundamental grounds authorized by the Church of England I would say more of this but that I desire my private ejaculations may be my last meditations onely because I know there is not any one of you at ods with my soul or person though with my facts and vices I cannot doubt but your
Parliament by a solemn Vote and Ordinance changed the Monarchical Government into a Commonwealth The Kingdom of Ireland discontented at this change uniting themselves wned the late Kings eldest Son and solemnly proclaimed him King no place considerable standing out for the Parliament saving onely Dublyn and London Derry the first whereof was immediately besieged by an Army of two and twenty thousand men commanded by the Marquess of Ormond and the other by a considerable party of the Natives of the Countrey To the reducing of this Kingdom was Oliver Cromwel nominated Governour of Ireland by the Commonwealth who with a well appointed Army set sail for Dublyn where although he found things in an indifferent good posture the Marquesse of Ormond having been beaten off by the valour of Michael Jones the Governour yet he met with work enough for his Army for Droghedah one of the best and considerablest places in all Ireland held out stiffly against them and having a strong party bid defiance to his Army yet notwithstanding after many assaults and much valour shown on both sides he at last took it putting therein to death three thousand Irish who though enemies yet for their valour and undaunted resolution might have been lookt on with a more merciful eye as they were men and more especially Christians Soon after followed the surrender of Trim Dundalke Nury Wexford Rove Bandonbridge and Kingsale yet notwithstanding the reducing of these Towns many of the Irish retreating to their Bogs and inaccessible places held out for a long time in despite of the English To proceed not onely the Irish shewed their dislike of this change of Government but also the Collonies in Virginia and the Carybde Islands to the reducing of whom the Parliament sent Sir George Askue with a Fleet of ships who brought them again into obedience In the mean time the Scots were very busie they had commenced a Treaty with Prince Charles at Breda which at last was concluded on he assenting to their Presbyterian Government and they to install and reestablish him in that Kingdom and in the other accordingly as they questioned not but Fortune would answer their blinde zealous Covenant expectations The Prince puts forth to sea and in despite of foul weather and the English King fishers that lay there to intercept him he landed safely at the Spey in the North of Scotland now though the Scots had a King yet as if they had none every one did that which was right in his own eyes and as if they intended him onely the Title being now in their power they forced him to follow the dictates of their haughty Cleargy in all their fanatick humours and imperious decrees First then they bereaved him of all his old Friends Councellours and Confederates whether of the Cleargy or Layety as those who adhered to Episcopal Government and so not pure enough for so reformed a people Thus they hamstringed him not as what was formerly in the sign-post onely of printed papers Next they make him take the Solemn League and Covenant that strange fire which the Scotch believe descended from Heaven and by which they at their pleasures kindle those Wars wherewith they infest England then these Horse Farriers of the Conscience gave him another drench he is taught to renounce the sins of his Fathers house and of his own the Idolatry of his Mother by a constant adhering to the cause of God according to the Covenant in the firm establishment of Church Government as it is laid down in the Directory for publick Worship Confession of Faith and Catechisme These with divers others of the like nature they wrought so on his necessity they obtruded or rather rammed into his conscience although with much reluctancy he signed to making many strange faces at these bitter pills he swallowed yet it bettered not his condition which was like that of a childe under Tutours and Governours for there was not an Officer in that Kirk or Commonwealth how vile and abject soever in place or person but enjoyed more freedom both in body and minde then he Guarded indeed he was but no otherwise then he was surrounded with the ignis fatuus of their zealous suspitions of him so that move he must not but in the Sphere of the Kirk their primum mobile whereby its apparent that the Government of that Nation might be almost questioned whether it ever were truly Monarchicall though they had Kings To proceeed the Parliament having notice of all their proceedings recalled General Cromwell out of Ireland making him Generalissimo of the Commonwealths Armies in the Lord Fairfax his stead who at the same time laid down his Commission he with a choice Army marches into Scotland and after many petty defeats gives them a great overthrow at Dunbar September 3. 1650. and prosecuting his victory takes Leith a very considerable and advantageous place as also Edenburgh the Metropolitan City of all Scotland Thus he set firm there his sword hewing his way for him to conquer that Countrey which the King lost by his pen. Now were the Scots truly miserable for besides a raging enemy in the very heart of their Kingdom they were miserably divided amongst themselves even to the killing and slaying of one another one party in the North was for the King without the Kirk another party in the West was for the Kirk without the King a third party was for King and Kirk yet notwithstanding these losses and divisions they assumed new courage levyed more men and Crowned their King with the greatest magnificence as the indigency and necessity of their Affairs would permit The English on the other side being resolved to terminate this War with Scotland passed over into Fife and having defeated four thousand Scots they soon became Masters of Inchigravy Brunt-Island and St. Johns Town mean while the Scots Army consisting of 16000. abandoned their own Territories and by the way of Carlisle entred England General Cromwel advertised hereof leaves Collonel Monk with 7000. men in Scotland to perfect the conquest of that kingdom and with the rest of the Army pursues the Scots who wheresoever they came proclaimed their King to be King of Great Brittain France and Ireland c. But few stirred unto their aid amongst others the unfortunate Earl of Darby who having assembled 1200 men in Lancashire was defeated by Collonel Lilburne and to save himself was constrained to flee to Worcester where the Scots after a long and tedious march had pitched their Camp whither General Cromwel soon pursued them and having the aid of the Train Bands of several Counties gave them Battel which proved fatal unto the Scots their whole Army being overthrown The King in a disguise escaped into France not without much difficulty and danger the Parliament having promised five hundred pounds to any one that could discover his person Such a list of prisoners as were then taken we shall seldome meet with in any Battle but Cromwels The Earl of Darby the Earl
by a Knight of Malta one of his high spirited followers the tumult being afterwards occasioned from his retinue he having been first very uncivilly treated by Mr. Gerrard in his expatiating of the New Exchange as he termed it in his Declaration for which Mr. Gerrard received a prick with his Dagger and afterwards had the honour to dye the same death The young unfortunate stranger suffered a very high favour to please the New Exchange Chevaliers Mean while the Scotch Highlanders impatient of bearing the English yoke resolved to try the other bout to which purpose they assembled together in great numbers having General Middleton to their leader who was newly come to them out of Holland but all their endeavours vanished into smoak General Monk on the twentieth of July 1654. at a place called Loughberry gave them such a charge as utterly defeated them and made them incapable of ever after thinking of appearing in Arms again Soon after was a Parliament called who no sooner were set but fell upon questioning the power by which they were convocated and doubting of its lawfulness were soon dissolved by the same power which they distrusted The Protector at the dissolution of this short Parliament made a very long speech wherein amongst many other passages he hath this expression This one thing I speak as thus advised and before God as having been to this day of this opinion and this hath been my constant judgement well known to many that hear me speak if this one thing had been inserted that one thing that this Government should have been and placed in my family hereditary I would have rejected it And a little after If this be of humane structure and invention and it be an old plotting and contrivance to bring things to this issue and that they are not the births of providence then they will come to nothing But notwithstanding his speech was candied over with Scripture phrases and great expressions of his zeal for the good government of the Land yet these his actings much discontented the common people whereupon ensued risings in Shropshire Montgomery Nottinghamshire Northumberland and Yorkshire but the most considerable was at Salisbury where Sir Joseph Wagstaff Penruddock and Jones who had formerly been Officers in the late Kings Army having gotten together about 200. armed men entered Salisbury seized on all the Inns and chief Houses and the Assizes being holden there at that time they took away the Judges Commissions and Pattents and all their Horses and so marched away Sir Henry Slingsby and Sir Richard Malleverer assembled some Forces also in Yorkshire but not being seconded according to their expectation they disperst themselves on their own account For these actings were put to death Master Lucas Thorp Kensey Graves and Penruddock Sir Henry Slingsby was taken and imprisoned and afterwards beheaded upon another account as I shall show you in its due place About this time the great head-piece of Europe joyns his Foxes tale to our Lions skin correspondencies are held betwixt the French and us which occasioning some jealousies with some other bitter pills that had before been swallowed but not digested by the Spaniard caused some heart-burnings which soon broke forth into an open War first mannaged by the Generals Pen and Venables who on the 27. of December 1654. with a gallant Fleet set sail from Portsmouth and on the 28. of January following arrived at the Barbadoes where they seized on 18. Holland Merchant men who contrary to the Ordinance of the long Parliament traffiqued in those parts from thence they sailed to Hispaniola arriving near to the port of Sancta Domingo where by the deepness of the sands and heat of the climate being infinitely tired they were by the Spaniards put to flight and enforced to march back again to their Ships from thence they set Sail to the Island of Jamaica which after a little resistance they mastered and have since preserved notwithstanding the Spaniards to regain the same landed there with two or three thousand men but were discomfitted with the loss of all their Cannon and Baggage In the interim General Blake with a considerable Fleet of Ships having cast Anchor before Tunis April 18. 1655. sent unto the Dy of the place demanding satisfaction for some English Ships which the Pyrats of those parts had carryed away and the liberty of the English slaves they had detained but his message and himself was refused with scorn and derision the Turks making this answer Behold our Castles of Galleta and our Castles and Vessels of Porto Ferino do your worst against them and do not think to brave us with the sight of your great Fleet. This answer so exasperated the English Admiral that notwithstanding there were one hundred and twenty Guns planted on the shore and in the Castle against them yet regardless of all danger he set upon their Men of War which lay in Porto Ferino and in less then four ours space burnt all their Ships being in number nine to their very Keels which enforced the King of Tunis to seek to the English for their friendship and restored all the Prisoners for little or nothing These successes were seconded by two other great Victories obtained over the Spaniards at sea the one by General Mountague about nine Leagues from Cadiz where he destroyed six of their ships whereof two were taken two run aground one sunk and another burnt and therein the Marquess of Badex his Wife and Daughter the young Marquess and his Brother with a great deal of wealth being taken and brought into England This Fight being incomparably related by the Laureat of our times I thought fit to insert it not to deprive the Reader of so Elegant a Poem let him wave the Poetical flattery of it as he pleases Upon the present War with Spain and the first Victory obtained at Sea Now for some Ages had the pride of Spain Made the Sun shine on half the World in vain While she bid War to all that durst supply The place of those her Cruelty made dye Of Nature's Bounty men forbear to taste And the best Portion of the Earth lay waste From the New World her Silver and her Gold Came like a Tempest to confound the Old Feeding with these the brib'd Elector's Hopes She made at pleasure Emperors and Popes With these advancing her unjust Designs Europe was shaken with her Indian Mines When our Protector looking with disdain Vpon this gilded Majesty of Spain And knowing well that Empire must decline Whose chief support and sinews are of Coyn Our Nation 's sollid vertue did oppose To the rich Troublers of the World's repose And now some moneths encamping on the main Our Naval Army had besieged Spain They that the whole Worlds Monarchy design'd Are to their Ports by our bold Fleet confin'd From whence our Red Cross they triumphant see Riding without a Rival on the Sea Others may use the Ocean as their road Onely the English make it their abode
of the holy Catholique Church that I abhor all Sects Schisms Sedition and Tyranny in Religion Affirmatively so that as I hold communion with so I love and honour all Christians in the world that love the same Lord Jesus in sincerity and call on his name agreeing with those truths that are absolutely necessary and clearly demonstrated in the Word of God both in the Old and New Testaments though in Charity dissenting from some others that are not necessary And I as I am thus a Christian I hope for salvation through the merits of Christ Jesus his blood I rely on his merits I trust to for the salvation of my own soul Though to this Faith good works are necessary not meritorious in us but onely made meritorious by Christ his death by his all sufficiency by his satisfaction and his righteouss they become meritorious but in us they are no other then as defiled rags And truly as I am a Member of the Church so I told you I was a Member of this Community and so pleaded for the Liberties and Priviledges thereof I must now answer something I am aspersed withal in the world They talk of something of a Plot and a Treasonable design and that I had a great interest in the knowledge and practice thereof and that for the saving my life I would have discovered and betrayed I cannot tell what I hope my conversation hath not been such here in this City where I have been a long time very well known as to make one imagine I should intermeddle in such an action and go so contrary to the practice of my profession and I hope there are none so uncharitable towards me as to believe I had a knowledge of that design Here I must come to particulars for a Plot of having a design upon the City of London for the firing of it I so much tremble at the thought of the thing that should have been done as they say for the carrying on of such a design if my heart deceive me not had I known it I so much abhor the thing I should have been the first discoverer of it nor ever had I correspondency or meetings with such persons as would have carried on such a design It is said likewise I entertained the Earl the Marquess of Ormond to my remembrance I never saw the face of that honourable person in my life It is said One Lords day I did preach at Saint Gregory's and the next Lords day I was at Brussels or Bruges and kist the Kings hand and brought I cannot tell what orders and instructions from him this I shall say For these three years last past together I have not been sixty miles from this City of London and I think it is somewhat further to either of those places then threescore miles It is said that I kept correspondence with one Barrow and Bishop they are persons I have heard of their names but never saw their faces and to my knowledge I do not know they know me nor do I know them at all but onely as I have heard of their names And whosoever else hath suggested such things against me I know not His Highness was pleased to tell me I was like a flaming Torch in the midst of a sheaf of Corn he meaning I being a publick Preacher was able to set the City on fire by sedition and combustions and promoting designs Here truly I do say and have it from many of those that are Judges of the High Court that upon examination of the business they have not found me a meddler at all in these Affairs And truly I must needs say therefore that it was a very uncharitable act in them who ever they were that brought such accusations against me and irritated his Highness against me I will not say it was malice it might be zeal but it was rash zeal which caused me to be sentenced to this place the God of mercy pardon and forgive them all and truly as I am a Member of the Church and as a Member of the Community whereon behalf I have been speaking I cannot but do as our Saviour himself did for his Disciples when he was to be taken from them he blessed them and ascended up to heaven My trust is in the mercy of the most High I shall not miscarry and however my dayes are shortned by this unexpected doom and shall be brought untimely to the grave I cannot go without my prayers for a blessing upon all the people of this Land and cannot but bless them all in the Name of God and beseech God to bless them in all their wayes and his blessing be upon them Let us pray O most glorious Lord God thou whose dwelling is so far above the highest Heavens that thou humblest thy self but to look upon the things that are in heaven and that are in earth and thou doest whatsoever thou wilt both in heaven in earth in the sea and in all deep places in thy hands are the hearts of all men and thou turnest them which way soever thou wilt O Lord look in mercy and compassion we beseech thee on this great and innumerous people of this Land look upon them O Lord with an eye of pitty not with an eye of fury and indignation O look not upon all those great and grievous sins that have provoked thee most justly to wrath and displeasure against us Gracious God who can stand in thy sight when thou art angry when thou with rebuke doest correct man for sin thou makest his beauty to consume away like as it were a Moth fretting a Garment O Lord thy indignation and wrath lyes heavy upon us and thou hast vexed us with thy scourges thou hast made us a reproach and a by-word amongst our Neighbours and the very heathen laugh us to scorn O that thou wouldest turn us again O Lord God of Hosts that thou wouldest shew us the light of thy countenance that we may behold it that thou wouldest humble us for all those sins and grievous transgressions that are amongst us for those Atheisms for those infidelities horrid blasphemies and prophaneness for those sacriledges for those Heresies for those Schisms Errors and all those blindnesses of heart pride vain glory and hypocrisie for that envy hatred and malice and all uncharitableness that hath set us one against another that we are so dashed one against another even to destroy each other Ephraim against Manasseh and Manasseh against Ephraim and both against Judah O Lord we are like those Moabites and Ammonies c. This thou hast done to us O Lord because we have rebelled against thee O how greatly and grievously have we sinned against thee yet for all this thou hast not requited us according to our ill deservings for thou mightest have brought us to desolation and destruction fire might have come down from heaven and destroyed us our forreign enemies and the enemies of thee and thy Christ our Saviour might have swallowed us up
the Abbey Church in Westminster the Hearse with the Effigies thereon was taken off again from the Chariot by those ten Gentlemen who placed it thereon before and in their passing on to carry it into the Church the Canopy of State was by the former six Gentlemen born over it again In which stately manner it was carried up to the East end of the Abbey and there placed in a magnificent Structure purposely erected there to receive it being interred amongst the Kings and Queens at Westminster for all which vaste expences his Son Richard might have taken up that sad expression in Virgil Infandum Regina jubes renovare dolorem had not the Parliament since dealt so generously with him as to order the payment of his debts contracted by his Fathers Funeral Certainly the Gentleman expressed noble truly dutiful respects to his memory fit for brave minds to imitate Thus as great Oliver lived victoriously so he was buried honourably Sic exit It was a report that his Effigies was taken down and preserved from a threatning multitude of the rascally people even he that had swayed and governed these three Nations five years his Reign being troublesome was necessitated after his death to be protected in his Picture his Posterity after him being suddenly levelled Thus after many a weary step having traversed so many Crowns I must now set my Reader down at a Commonwealth I shall end all with a glimpse rather then a Character some gleaned observations on this great Favorite of Fortune I hope in terms agreeing to truth such as are neither below nor above his estate In his person he somewhat exceeded the usual middle stature proportionable without any unevenness either of lineaments or parts accordingly being of a becoming fatness well shaped his aspect having somewhat of the Soldiers inclining to redness his usual posture in his walking was his hand upon his sword he had a sparkling fierce eye nevertheless his usual deportments were both courteous and harsh at once in his encounters where he found the least opposition He was hardy and resolute in his reprehensions subtil temperate and meek in his Councels he was of a strong constitution and of an active body an enemy both to ease and excess being ever suspitious circumspect and over vigilant of a notable head-piece yet if he had any spare time he disdained not to confer though in matters of least moment he delighted to read men more then books his eloquence being Masculine and Martial rather a natural gift then an effect of Art in which he did not want his holy vestments alwayes mannaging some passages of the sacred Writ to which most charming part as well as that of the Sword he owed most of his victories He was alwayes accustomed to exhort his Souldiers at the undertaking of any great enterprize or before a Battle He had a strict eye over his Army his greatest care being to see them provided of all necessaries by which foresight he was the better able to execute severe punishment on them for their misdemeanours He took great delight to discourse of the Affairs of the World of the interests of other Princes in which his judgement did so guide him that without entering into their Cabinets or partaking of their secret Councels he could discourse very pertinently of their Affairs and foresaw their several issues and events he was an excellent Physiognomer having once seriously considered any one he was seldom deceived in the opinion he had of him He was no friend to the vain-gloriousness of habit and though he was alwayes as it were fierce of a passionate constitution yet he was so sly as to keep his passions in but when there was occasion to carry a business on he exposed himself with so much vigour as gave those he had to do withal to understand that he was not easily perswaded from the thing he had once resolved He had one knack above all the rest which stood him in much stead he had a deep insight into the natures and dispositions of the common people who as they are impatient of servitude so are they incapable of intire liberty frighted with the sight of the rod but mutinous in the feeling of it none talking more of liberty nor understanding it less then they more troubling themselves then their heads with their grievances considering nothing but repining at every thing bold talkers so you suffer them but to talk Above all most tenacious of their liberty of Conscience rather to follow any new fangled opinion then to remain constant to the old his policy herein was to allow them something to induce others to their dear liberty or license rather of their tongues which he knew he could not help but so as that he had his Eves-droppers every where who seldom brought him word of what they said except they also gave an account of what they had and then their Estates paid for the malepertness of their tongues and for their chiefest darling of all to erre in their opinions He permitted them to follow and embrace what Sect they pleased so that they all remained in obedience to Civil Government This was his Method whilest mens reasons did comprehend so little as that they needed their own experience to believe how he Atlas like could support so mighty a Frame and Mathin composed of so many different and disjoynted parts yet to keep them from slipping and falling in pieces which he did rivetting them so fast together and making them all firmly cohere amongst themselves as so many pieces of soft wax melted and moulded all in one could not cleave faster in a Ball or Globe this was the great work he had begun which had not death prevented him he was on point of finishing as he was a person indefatigable both of body and minde Politicians hold that in the changing the Government all things if it were convenient and possible ought to be changed the very Religion it self if any were prophane enough to meddle with it To wave their Atheistical opinions this may be observed that both in respect of his policy and fortunes he might very well having so many advantages over the present distractions of the times raise his thoughts to more then ordinary ambitions It is onely for God to search the heart and try the Reins he knows what our religious affections are we ought to conjecture charitably of what we cannot determine this we are certain of he could so well see through Superstition as in these times they term it for his better advantage as that his political conscience could dispence with more then ordinary Transactions nevertheless he was still under the priviledge of the Sanctuary some of the Cleargy as they have ever done stuck close to him to raise him and themselves whereas the late King undid himself for the then flourishing Cleargy and they themselves for him 'T is true his actions were complying with a military soul so that he had the less leisure
Dispensatory in what Language soever 86. Cabinet of Jewels Mans Misery Gods Mercy Christs Treasury c in eight excellent Sermons with an Appendix of the nature of Tythes under the Gospel with the expediency of Marriage in publique Assemblies by J. Crag Minister of the Gospel 87. Natures Secrets or the admirable and wonderful History of the generation of Meteors describing the Temperatures of the Elements the heights magnitudes and influences of Stars the causes of Comets Earthquakes Deluges Epidemical Diseases and Prodigies of Precedent times with presages of the weather and descriptions of the weather-glass by T. Wilsford 88. The Mysteries of Love ane Eloquence or the Arts of Wooing and Complementing as they are managed in the Spring Garden Hide Park the New Exchange and other eminent places A work in which is drawn to the life the Deportments of the most Accomplisht Persons the Mode of their Courtly entertainments Treatment of their Ladies at Balls their accustomed Sports Drolls and Fancies the Witchcrafts of their perswasive Language in their Approaches or other more Secret Dispatches c. by E. P. 89. Helmont disguised or the vulgar errors of imparcial and unskilful Practicers of Physick confuted more especially as they concern the Cures of Feavers the Stone the Plague and some other Diseases by way of Dialogue in which the chief rareties of Physick are admirably discourcoursed of by J. T. Books very lately Printed and in the Press now Printing 1. Geometry demonstrated by Lines and Numbers from thence Astronomy Cosmography and Navigation proved and delineated by the Doctrine of Plain and Spherical Triangles by T. Wilsford 2. The English Annals from the Invasion made by Julius Caesar to these times by T. Wilsford 3. The Fool transformed A Comedy 4. The History of Lewis the eleventh King of France a Trage-Comedy 5. The Chaste woman against her will a Comedy 6. The Tooth-drawer a Comedy 7. Honour in the end a Comedy 8. Tell-tale a Comedy 9. The History of Donquixiot or the Knight of the ill favoured face a Comedy 10. The fair Spanish Captive a Trage-Comedy Sir Kenelm Digby and other Persons of Honour their rare and incomparable secrets of Physick Chyrurgery Cookery Preserving Conserving Candying distilling of Waters extraction of Oyls compounding of the costliest Perfumes with other admirable Inventions and select Experiments as they offered themselves to their Observations whether here or in Forreign Countreys 11. The soul 's Cordial in two Treatises the first teaching how to be eased of the guilt of sin the second discovering advantages by Christs Ascension by that faithful Labourer in the Lords Vineyard Mr. Christopher Love late Minister of Lawrence Jury the third Volume of his Works 12. Jacobs seed the excellency of seeking God by prayer by the late Reverend Divine Master Jeremiah Burroughs 14. The Saints Tomb-stone or the Remains of the Blessed A plain Narrative of some remarkable Passages in the holy Life and happy Death of Mistress Dorothy Shaw Wife of Mr. John Shaw Preacher of the Gospel at Kingston upon Hull collected by her dearest Friends especially for her sorrowful Husband and six Daughters consolation and imitation 15. The so well entertained Work the New World of English Words or a general Dictionary containing the Terms Etymologies Definitions and perfect Interpretations of the proper significations of hard English Words throughout the Arts and Sciences Liberal or Mechanick as also other subjects that are useful or appertain to the Language of our Nation to which is added the signification of Proper Names Mythology and Poetical Fictioâ—s Historical Relations Geographical Descriptions of the Countreys and Cities of the World especially of these three Nations wherein their chiefest Antiquities Battles and other most memorable Passages are mentioned A Work very necessary for Strangers as well as our own Countrey-men for all persons that would rightly understand what they discourse or read Collected and published by E. P. for the greater honour of those learned Gentlemen and Artists that have been assistant in the most Practical Sciences their Names are presented before the Book 16. The so much desired and learned Commentary on Psalm the fifteenth by that Reverend and Eminent Divine Mr Christopher Cartwright Minster of the Gospel in York to which is prefixed a brief account of the Authours Life and of his Work by R. Bolton 17 The Way to Bliss in three Books being a learned Treatise of the Philosophers Stone made publick by Elias Ashmole Esq 18. Wit restored in several Select Poems not formerly publisht by Sir John Mennis Mr. Smith and others 19. The Judges Charge delivered in a Sermon before Mr. Justice Hall and Mr. Serjeant Crook Judges of the Assize at St. Mary Overies in Southwark by R. Purre M. A. Pastor of Camerwel in the County of Surrey a Sermon worthy of the perusal of all such persons as endeavour to be honest and just Practitioners in the Law 20. The Modern Assurancer the Clerks Directory containing the Practick part of the Law in the exact Forms and Draughts of all manner of Presidents for Bargains and Sales Grants Feoffements Bonds Bills Conditions Covenants Joyntures Indentures to lead the uses of Fines and Recoveries with good Proviso's and Covenants to stand seized Charter parties for Ships Leases Releases Surrenders c. And all other Instruments and Assurances now in use intended for all young Students and Practicers of the Law by John Hern. 21. Moor's Arithmetick the second Edition much refined and diligently cleared from the former mistakes of the Press A Work containing the whole Art of Arithmetick as well in Numbers as Species Together with many Additions by the Authour to come forth at Machaelmas Term. Likewise 22. Exercitatio Elleiptica Nova or a new Mathematical Contemplation on the Oval Figure called an Elleipsis together with the two first Books of Midorgius his Conicks Analiz'd and made so plain that the Doctrine of Conical sections may be easily understood a Work much desired and never before publisht in the English Tongue by Jonas Moor Surveyor General of the great Level of the Fennes to come forth at Michaelmas Term 27. Naps upon Parnassus a sleepy Muse nipt and pincht though not awakened such voluntary and Jovial Copies of Verses as were lately receiv'd from some of the Wits of the Universities in a Frolick dedicated to Gondibert's Mistress by Captain Jones and others Whereunto is added for D monstration of the Authors Prosaick Excellencies his Epistle to one of the Universities with the Answer together with two Satyrical Characters of his own of a Temporizer and an Antiquary with Marginal Notes by a Friend to the Reader 24. America painted to the Life the History of the Conquest and first Original undertakings of the advancement of the Plantations in those Parts with an exquisite Map by F. Gorges Esq 25. Culpeper's School of Physick or the Experimental Practice of the whole Art so reduced either into Aphorisines or choice and tried Receipts that the free born Students of the three Kingdoms may