willingly and powerfully repulsing the wrongs offered me by my Brother shall I say Nay by the most deadly Enemy both to me to you and the whole Nation For if I be guarded with the Valour and Affections of Englishmen I shall scorn the threats of him and his Normans and count them vain and not to be regarded With these fair promises which yet he afterward quite neglected he so won the hearts of the Lords and the Londoners that they engaged to die with him or for him against any opposition whatsoever Duke Robert being gone and Henry thus setled in the affection of the People he raised a very great Army and accompanied with divers of the Nobility sailed to Normandy where falling upon Robert before he was half ready to fight he obtained a compleat Victory over him and won Normandy with the slaughter of ten thousand men taking Robert himself prisoner whom he brought over and committed to Cardiff Castle in Wales where he remained a prisoner till he died yet had liberty of walking in the Kings Meadows and Pastures But being weary of this Confinement he endeavoured to make his escape which the King being afraid of ordered his eyes to be put out which to avoid the deformity of breaking the Eye-bals was done by causing his head to be held to a burning Basin till the Glassie Tunicles had lost the Office of retaining the Light This though it increased his misery yet did not shorten his life for he lived long after in all from the time of his Imprisonment twenty eight years And thus this great Duke who in his Birth was the joy of Nature in his Life was the scorn of Fortune And it is worth observing that the English won Normandy thâ— very same day fortieth year the Normans had won England Such Revolutions of Fortune there are in kingdoms and so unstable is the state of all wordly Greatness This Robert died 1134 and lies buried at Glocester One Author writes That King Henry sent him according to his Custom a Robe of Scarlet and putting it first on himself found that the Capouch or Hood as the Fashion was then was somewhat too little whereupon he said Carry this to my Brother his head is less than mine The Messenger delivering the Robe Duke Robert demanded if any had worn it and being told the King had first tried it on and what words he had said The Duke replied I have too long protracted a miserable life since my Brother is so injurious to me that he sends me his old Clothes to wear And from that time he would never taste any food nor receive any comfort This King Henry first instituted the Form of the High Court of Parliament for before his time onely certain of the Nobility and Prelates of the Realm were called to consultation about the most important Affairs of State but he caused the Commons also to be assembled by Knights Citizens and Burgesses of their own electing and made that Court to consist of three Estates the Nobility the Clergy and the Commons represeming the whole Body of the Realm and appointed them to fit in several Chambers the King the Lords and the Bishops in one and the Commons in another and to consult together by themselves He established likewise several other Orders as they are used to this day The first Parliament that was so held met at Salisbury upon the 19 of April in the 16 Year of his Reign 1019. He forbid wearing of long hair which at that time was frequent according to the French Mode He commanded Robers on the High-way to be hanged without Redemption He punished Counterfeiters of Money with pulling out their eyes or cutting off their privy members a punishment both less than Death and greater In this Kings time Guymond one of his Chaplains observing that unlearned and unworthy men were generally prefer'd to the best dignities in the Church as he celebrated Divine Service before him and was to read these words out of S. James It rained not upon the earth III years and VI Months he read it thus It rained not upon the Earth 1.1.1 years and 5.1 Months The King observed his Reading and afterwards blamed him for it but Guymond answered That he did it on purpose since such Readers were sconest advanced by His Majesty The King smiled and afterwards promoted him About this time Thomas Archb. of York falling sick his Physicians told him that nothing would do him good but to company with a woman to whom he answered That the Remedy was worse than the disease And so it is said died a Virgin Upon the Tenth of October the River of Medway that runs by Rochester failed so of water for many miles together that in the midst of the Channel the smallest Vessels could not pass and the same day also in the Thames between the Tower and London Bridge men waded over on foot for the space of two days A great fire happened in London which consumed a long Tract of buildings from Westcheap to Aldgate and several other great Cities in England were likewise burnt down about this time In the thirteenth of this King many Prodigies were seen a Pig was farrowed with a face like a child a Chicken was hatched with four legs and the Sun was so deeply eclipsed that by reason of the darkness many Stars did plainly appear This King left behind him onely one daughter named Maud who could never come to be Queen though born to a Kingdom She was married at six years old to the Emperour Henry the Fourth and after his death she was again married to Fulk Duke of Anjou Yet her Father took much care to establish the Succession in her and her issue and therefore he called his Nobility together and among them David King of Scots and made them take their Oaths of Allegiance to her and her Heirs This he did three years one after another wherein nothing pleased him so much as that Stephen Earl of Blois was the first man that took the Oath because he was known to be or it was known at least that he might be a pretender to the Crown But the King should have considered that no Oath is binding when the getting a Kingdom is the price of breaking it and especially to Stephen who was so deeply interested Yet Providence could do no more and the King was well satisfied with it especially when he saw his daughter Mother of two Sons for this though it gave him no assurance yet it gave him assured hope to have the Crown perpetuated in his Posterity Yet after King Henry was dead Stephen ascends the Throne as being Earl of Bulleign Son to Stephen Earl of Beis by Adela daughter of King William the Conquerour and though there were two before him that is Maud the Empress and Theobald his elder Brother yet taking hold of opportunity while the other lingred about smaller Affairs he solicites all the Orders of the Realm Bishops and Lords and People to receive
of the Common Law â—ow kept at Wallingford-House The next thing considerable is the Collegiate Church called Westminster-Abby or St. Peters It was â—aised out of the ruins of a Temple formerly dedicated to Apollo wherein there is King Henry VII's Chappel a magnificent and curious Edifice beautified with the stately Tombs of the Kings and Queens of England and many other Persons of Honour and Renown are buried in this Church and here the Kings of England are commonly crowned Then there is Somerset-house a large and stately â—tructure belonging to the King Northumberland house York-house now turned into Streets and Buildings the new Exchange stored with variety of Shops and Goods the Statue of K. Charles I. lately erected at Charing cross Salisbury-house now a fine Street the Savoy Arundel-house Bedford-house and divers other Places worth observing The Limits of Westminster end at Temple-Bar and there the bounds of London begin Westminfter is so mightily enlarged by the building of St. James's Fields and the adjaceat Places into stately large Streets that it is thought to be as big again as formerly To conclude London is the Epitome of England the Seat of the Brittish Empire the Chamber of the King the chiefest Emporium or Town of Trade in the World and to describe all things in it worthy to be known would make a Volume The City of London with the Suburbs and parts adjacent is from Lime-house to the end of Tothill street in Westminster East and West above 7500 Geometrical Paces or 7 English Miles and an half and from the further end of Blackman-street in Southwark to the end of Shoreditch North and South 2500 Paces or two Miles and an half Historical Remarks OF LONDON and WESTMINSTER PART II. ENgland in the time of the Saxons was divided into an Heptarchy or seven Kingdoms in the year of Christ 527. One of these Kingdoms contained Essex and Middlesex and continued about 281 years during the Reign of 14 Kings The third of whom was Sebert who built the Cathedral of St. Paul which had formerly been the Temple of Diana The ninth King was Sebba who after thirty years peaceable Reign relinquished the Crown and took upon him a Religions Habit in the Monastery of St. Paul where dying his Body was intombed in a Coffiâ— of Gray Marble and stood in the North Wall of the Chancel of the Church till the Fire in 1666. About 872. the Danes invaded this Kingdom and got into London making great spoil upon which King Elfred who then reigned compounded with them allowing them a great quantity of Land to secure the rest from Plunder and Ruine for we find these words in the end of the Laws published by this King Let the Bounds of our Dominion stretch from the River Thames and from thence to the Vale of Lea even unto the head of the same Water and so forth straight unto Bedford and finally going along by the River of Ouse let them end at Watling-street But the Danes ufurped daily upon other places so that King Elfred was many times forced to hide himself in the Fens and Marshes and with his small Company to live by Fishing Fowling and Hunting Wild Beasts for Food and being one time entertained alone in a Country man's house disguised in very mean attire as he was sitting by the Fire a Cake was baking on the Hearth before him but the King being intent in trimming his Bow and Arrows the Country woman coming in and seeing the Cake burn she furiously took the Bow from him and checking him as her Slave said Thou Fellow dost thou see the Bread burn before thy Face and wilt thou not turn it and yet mayest be glad to eat it before it be half baked Little suspecting him to be the man that used to be treated with more dainty Food This King more minding the Benefit of his Subjects than the Majesty of State disguised himself in the habit of a common Fidler and went in Person to the Danes Camp who lay wallowing in Wantonuess and Security and being a skilful Musician and a Poet he addded his Voice thereto singing Songs of the Valour of the Danes whereby he had admittance to the Company and Banquets of their chief Commanders and Princes and observing their carelesness and understanding their Designs he returns to his poor disconsolate Soldiers and tells them how easie it was to surprize their Enemies and thereby recover their ruined Country who immediately fell upon the Danes in their Camp and made a very great slaughter and pursuing their Victory they beat them in all Places and at last followed them to London from whence all the Danes fled The Inhabitants were very glad to see the Face of their King and he restored the City to its former Liberty and Splendor again the Danes making their escape by shipping into France In 982 the Danes again invade England and destroy all Places near the Shore Etheldred was then King whose elder Brother called the Martyr was treacherously murdered by his Mother-in-Law for the King being a hunting in the Isle of Purbeck went alone out of kindness to 〈◊〉 his Mother-in-Law and Brother who dwelt hard by where this cruel Woman out of ambition to bring her Son to the Crown caused one to run him into the back with a Knife as he was drinking a Glass of Wine on Horseback at his departing who feeling himself hurt set spurs to his Horse thinking to get to his Company but the Wound being mortal and he fainting through loss of Blood fell from his Horse and one Foot being entangled in the Stirrup he was dragged up and down through the Woods and afterward found dead and was buried at the Minster in Shaftsbury Etheldred was then crowned King by Dunstan Arch Bishop of Canterbury who at his Coronation denounced the wrath of God against him in these Words Because saith he thou hast aspired to the Crown by the death of thy Brother whom thy Mother hath murdered therefore hear the Word of the Lord The Sword shall not depart from thy House but shall furiously rage all the days of thy Life killing all thy Seed till such time as thy Kingdom shall be given to a People whose Customs and Language the Nation thou now governest know not Neither shall thy sin the sin of thy Mother nor the sins of those men who were Partakers of her Councils and Instruments of her wicked Designs be expiated and appeased but by long and most severe Vengeance Which Prediction was seconded by Prodigies for it is said that a Cloud of Blood and Fire appeared after his Coronation and miserable Calamities fell upon him and his House This King was neither forward nor fortunate in any of his undertakings so that he was called The Vuready he spent his Youth in debauchery his middle Age in carelesness and neglect of his Government maintaining Dissentions amongst his own Subjects and his latter end in resisting the blood thirsty Danes who made continual Destruction of his People
and Country who had been quiet for 22 years before so all these calamities were imputed to the Misgovernment of this unhappy Prince The Danes perceiving the Hearts of the Subjects to be drawn from their Sovereign landed in Kerâ— with seven Ships spoiling the Country for eleven years together till at last the King by advice of his Lords paid them ten thousand Pounds to depart the Realm This served for the present but they returned year after year and still obliged the King to give them more Money till at last it came to forty thousand Pound a year which emptied the Land of all the Coin and the English were forced to plough and sow while the Danes sate idle and eat the fruit of their Labours abusing also their Wives and Daughters whereupon they were called Lord Danes now Lurdains signifying a Lazy Lubber In this distressed State the King thought of this expedient to be rid of them He sent out Commissions into every City in his Dominions that at an appointed time they should Massacre all the Danes that were amongst them The Day was Novem. 13 1002 his Command was accordingly performed and that with such Rigour that in Oxford the fearful Danes for refuge took into the Church of St. Frideswide as a Sanctuary of venerable Antiquity but they in their fury regarding neither Place nor Person set the Church on fire wherein many Danes were burnt with divers rich Ornaments and the Library utterly defaced At which time it is said King Etheldred himself was in Oxford and had summoned a Parliament both of English and Danes to meet there and afterwards repaired the Ruins the fire had made In this Masfacre the Lady Gunhild Sister to the King of Denmark and a continual Friend to the English with her Husband and Son were slain Upon the News of this Massacre King Swain with a great Navy of Danes lands in several parts in England and carries all before him and other Danes with 94 ships sailed up the River of Thames and besieged London but the Citizens made such valiant Resistance that they forced them to retire however they fell severely upon Essex Kent Sussex and Hampshire These Calamities were seconded with others as fearful for about this time the City was destroyed by Fire whose beauty then chiefly extended from Ludgate Westward for that within the Walls where the heart of the City now is was then neither beautiful nor orderly built To add to these Miserie 's a dreadful Sickness raged in London and most parts of England hitherto anknown in this Kingdom being a burning Fever and the bloody Flux there was also great scarcity by reason of the Murrain and Death of all sorts of Cattel All these Judgments were imputed to the King and his Abettors Dunstan prophecying further woes to the Land after his death though the King made great lamentation for the Murther of his Brother K. Edward for which his Mother beat him so violently with a wax Taper which stood before her that he could never after well endure the sight of a Taper In 1013 K. Swain came again from Denmark landing a great number of Men in the River Humber and conquered all before him till he came to London and presently besieged King Etheldred within it Swain doubted not of carrying the City but the Citizens considering they had their King with them and that London was the Eye of the Land grew very couragious beating the Danes from the Walls and then sallying out slew them on heaps so that King Swain himself was in great danger had he not desperately ran through the midst of his Enemies Swords and by flight escaped marching day and night in great fear till he had got to Bath where Ethelmere Earl of Devonshire and his people submitted to him but this last overthrow and want of Victuals caused him after he had received a sum of Money to hasten into Denmark but returning with greater Strength he met with the English again and utterly defeated them by reason of the treachery of some English who revolted to the Danes So that the whole Kingdom yea Loudon it self was forced to comply with the calamity of the Times wherewith Etheldred being utterly dejected he sent his VVife Emma and his two Sons to his Brother Richard Duke of Normandy and went himself in one of his Ships to the Isle of Wight and afterwards to Normandy to his Brother leaving the Danes sole Lords and Masters of the Realm A while after King Swain coming to St. Edmundbury in Suffolk threatned to burn down the Church unless they would give him a sum of Money having done the like in several other Places which the Iuhabitants refusing to pay he went to disturb the Bones of St. Edmund so called which while he was doing he suddenly cried out saith the Historian that He was struck by St. Edmund with a Sword being then in the midst of his Nobles and no man seeing from whose hand it came and so with great Horror he died three days after and the Danes advanced Ganutus his Son to the Throne Soon after King Etheldred died also and his third Son called Edmund Ironside of his enduring Labour succeeded A great part of the English both feared and favoured Canutus especially the Clergy who at Southampton swore fealty to him But the Londoners stood firm to Prince Edmund and elected him King In revenge whereof Canutus who had besieged the City before the death of King Etheldred caused his Ships to be towed up the Thames to the East side of the Bridge and from the River with a deep Trench encompassed the City shutting up all the Passages in or out of it But the coming of their new King Edmund to their assistance did much encourage them and disheartned the Danes so that they brake up the Seige King Edmnnd having sent a Challenge to Canutus to fight him in single Combat which he neither accepted nor staid at London but sailed down the Thames to the Isle of Shâ—ppey where he wintred with his Navy and in the Spring assailed the West of England where the Danes were routed After this at a place called Sherostan in Worcestershire another Battle was fought where the Danes were like again to have been discomfited which Edrick an English Man perceiving he cut off the Head of a Soldier whose name was Osmearus who was like King Edmund both in Hair and Countenance and shaking his bloody Sword with the gasping Head cried out to the English Army Fly wrethes fly and get away for your King is slain behold here is his Head therefore seek now to save your own Lives Edmund having notice of this treacherous Stratagem hastned to shew himself whose sight so encouraged his Men that they had got a total Victory if night had not prevented them The Soldiers bent their Bows against Dake Edrick and had shot him to death had he not excused the Fact as being mistaken in the Countenance of the Man and desirous to save the blood
are generally appeased with flattery they offered their Swords against any such Claims and took themselves the Oath of Allegiance to Canutus who being a very wise and Politick Prince had never the better opinion of them for their fawning rightfully judging that those who were false to their natural Prince would never be true to him nor his posterity who were Foreigners Canutus being thus freed from all his Opposites was Crowned King of England at London in 1017. by Elstane Archbishop of Canterbury being the second King of Denmark of that name and the first of England and the 34. Monarch of this Land King Canutus dying left the Kingdom of Norway to his eldest Son Swain and England to his youngest called Hardyknute who being at that time in Denmark Harold his elder Brother by a former wife taking advantage of his absence laid claim to the Crown and enjoyed it four years having neither wife nor child After his death the English as well as Danes who had been for Harold thought best to send for Hardyknute and offer him the Crown who soon after came to London in great state and was there proclaimed King of England and crowned He spent his Reign in doing nothing but doing ill For no sooner had he power to command but he ordered the body of his Brother the deceased King Harold to be taken out of his Grave and disgracefully thrown into the River Thames where it remained till a Fisherman found it and buried it in the Churchyard of S. Clement commonly called St. Clement Danes because say some it was the burying-place for that Nation This Hardyknute altogether neglected his Government delighting in nothing but eating and drinking to excess having his Tables spread with fresh Victuals four times every day which caused all manner of Debauchery to reign among his Subjects by his evil example since it is natural for people to imitate the Vices of their Sovereign He died suddenly at the celebration of a Marriage at Lambeth near London for while he was revelling and carousing in the midst of his Cups he suddenly fell down without speech or breath whose loss was little lamented by reason of his Riot and Excess and the severe Taxes he laid upon the People for maintaining his extravagancies yea so far were any from bewailing him that in remembrance of their Freedom from the Danish yoke he being the last King of the Danes the common people for a long time after celebrated the day of his death which was the eighth of June with open Pastimes in the Streets as the Romans formerly kept their Fugalia for chasing out their Kings which time is called Hocktide or Heuxtide signifying a time of Scorning and Contempt which fell upon the Danes by his death Edward the third of that name before the Conquest half-brother to the deceased Hardy-Canute and Son to King Ethelred by Queen Emma his wife succeeded him and was called Edward the Confessor between whom and Godwin Earl of Kent there happened such differences that they raised Forces against each other and fitted out divers Ships King Edward appointed sixty Ships for a Guard to the Thames mouth but Godwin being a man of very great Authority sollicited the People of Kent Sussex and Surrey to his aid and entering the Thames with his Ships invited the Londoners to join with him which they accordingly did though King Edward were in the City so that without resistance his Navy came up with the Tide to the South end of London-bridge and a very great Army attended to aid him on Southwark side The Nobility observing the People to be divided into Parties and one English man ready to destroy another they so prevailed with King Edward and Godwin that they made a Reconciliation between them and Pledges were delivered for the true performance of the Agreement About this time that is in 1047. there fell a very great Snow in January which covered the ground to the middle of March so that most of the Cattle and Fowl perished and the Year following a strange and terrible Earthquake happened which seemed to rend the earth asunder and such Lightnings withall as burnt up the Corn â—rowing in the Fields whereby an extraordinary Dearth and Faâ—ine followed In the Year 1066. William the Conquerour landed at Pemsey in Sussex and immediately sent a Messenger to King Harold at London whereby he claimed no less than the Crown of England upon pretence of a Donation from King Edward deceased and required that Harold should be a Vassal to him The Messenger urged the same with so much confidence that Harold in his fury could hardly forbear though against the Law of Arms to lay violent hands on the Ambassadour And thereupon he returns a threatning Message to William to depart immediately back into Normandy at his utmost peril He then proceeds to muster his Forces which were not so many as he expected though divers Noblemen Gentlemen and others who were inflamed with the love of the Rights and Liberties of their Native Country joined with him to keep out this dangerous Foreigner However King Harold with an undaunted courage led his men into Sussex against the earnest intreaty of his Mother who endeavoured to hinder him and pitching his Tents in a large fair Plain not above seven miles from the Enemy he sent forth his Spies for discovery who being taken by Duke William he ordered that they should view all his Tents and then sent them safely back to Harold They commended Williams clemency and his great strength but told Harold that they thought all his Army were Priests for their Beards were all shaved whereas the use of the English was then to reserve the hair of the upper lip without cutting King Harold replied they were no Priests but men of great courage and valour to his knowledgeâ— he having been formerly in that Country Harold was thereupon persuaded not to venture himself in the Battle but to go on to levy more Souldiers And his Brother told him that William charged him that he had taken an Oath to settle him in the Throne and said he Thou knowest what Oath thine own mouth hath made unto William if it were lawful and thou tookest it willingly withdraw thy self out of the Field lest for thy great sin the whole Army be destroyed for there is no power that can resist God But Harold reproved his Brother for his freedom and disdainfully undervalued the strength of the Normans and seemed to conceive that nothing which he did being a private man could now bind him when he was a Prince Duke William being now come into the Field and both Armies facing each other as ready for Battle to spare the effusion of Christian bloud he sent a Monk as a Mediator for Peace offering Harold either to resign the Kingdom to himself and acknowledge him his Sovereign or to trie the quarrel in single Battle in the sight of both Armies or lastly to stand to the Arbitrement of the Pope who should
700 Marks And Aaron another Jew protested the K since his last being in France had taken from him at several times 30000 Marks of Silven beside 200 Marks of Gold given to the Queen At another time this King Henry squeez'd a sum out of the Jews and then let them out to farm to his brother Richard for a considerable sum which he payd him and he was to make what more of them he could He likewise built a Church for Converted Jews in London It happened about this time that a Jew fell into an House of Office upon Saturday and would not be taken out that day because it was the Jews Sabbath Whereupon the Earl of Gloucester said He should not then be taken out on the Sunday because it was the Christian Sabbath So that when Monday came he was taken out dead In the 7. of Edward the First the Jews at Northampton crucified a Christian Boy upon Good-fryday but did not throughly kill him for which fact many Jews at London were after Easter drawn at the horse tails and hanged The same year King Edward called in all the old money and coined new because it had been much clipped and defaced by the Jews for which 297 were at one time executed in London And in the eighteenth year of his Reign all the Jews were banished out of London and England there being at that time above fifteen thousand in the kingdom who had all their Goods seized and confiscate to the Kings use and onely so much money left them as would bear their charges out of the kingdom But before this he ordained that the Jews should wear a Mark or Cognizance upon their upper Garments whereby to be known and restrained their excessive taking of Usury In the Year 1656. several Proposals were made to Oliver Cromwel by Manasseh Ben Israel a Jewish Merchant in behalf of the Hebrew Nation for their free admission to trade and exercise their Religion in England and a Conference was held about it several days at Whitehall by divers Members of the Council and certain Ministers of the most eminent then in esteem and many arguments were urged some for and others against their admission but those that were against it so far prevailed that the Proposals took no effect And so much concerning the Jews To return now to the series of the Story King William Rufus was taxed with great Prodigality because when his Chamberlain brought him a new pair of Hose he asked what they cost and was told three shillings Away base Fellow quoth he are these beseeming a King Bring me a pair of a Mark. His Chamberlain went and bringing him another pair not so good as the former and telling him they cost a Mark I marry saith the King these are something like and was better satisfied with hearing what they cost than with seeing what they were worth and yet this was no disrepute to his wisdom for to say truth it is no defect of wisdom in a King not to know what his clothes are worth And though the Monks that writ in those times charge this King with covetousness yet by the following instance it doth not appear For when two Monks came to Court and offered large gifts to out-vie each other in obtaining an Abbots place lately dead a third Monk who was very sober and mean in attire came with them and stood by whom the King asked what he would give to be Abbot Nothing said the Monk for I entered my Profession to be poor and have hitherto little esteemed the Pomp and Riches of the World Then thou art the man replied the King and art more worthy to he their Abbot for thy Poverty than they for their Presents and conferring the place upon him checked the others But however there arose a great difference between him and Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury because he required the Bishop to give him a Thousand Marks for preferring him to that See which Anselm refused to give as judging it no less Simony to give after the preferment than before but yet afterward offering five hundred pound the King refused to accept it as being worth he said five times as much Whereupon Anselm told him Your Grace may have me and all that is mine to serve your turn in a friendly manner but in the way of servitude and bondage you shall neither have me nor mine Which-words so angred the King that they could never after be reconciled And Anselm often threatning to go to Rome the King told him plainly He would not thrust him out of the Realm but if he would go without his leave he would keep him out during his pleasure and besides he should carry nothing out of the Kingdom with him Yet Anselm ventured it and the King performed it for William Walwerst was sent to rifle him of all he had in his passage to Sea neither was he suffered to return as long as the King lived during all which time the King took the Profits of his Bishoprick to his own use This King enlarged the Tower of London and compassed it with new Walls he also built the great Hall at Westminster being 270 foot in length and 74 in breadth but thinking it too little he intended to have built another Hall which should have reached from the Thames to Kingstreet In the fourth Year of his Reign on St. Lukes day so great a Tempest of Wind happened that above six hundred Houses in London were thrown down therewith and the Roof of S. Mary le Bow Church in Cheapside was blown off which with the Beams were carried into the Air a great height and in the fall six of the Beams being 27 foot long were driven so deep into the Ground the streets not being then paved with stone that not above four foot remained in sight and yet stood in such rank and order as the Workman had placed them on the Church In the ninth Year of his Reign a blazing Star appeared with two Bushes or Tails and other Stars seemed to shoot darts at each other The last of his Reign the Sea breaking over its Banks destroyed a multitude of People and overwhelmed the lands sometime of Earl Goodwin in Kent which are yet called Goodwins Sands There was likewise a Well that cast out bloud instead of water for 15 days together and great flames of fire were seen at divers times and places All which Prodigies seemed to foretel the Kings death approaching for having kept his Christmas at Gloucester his Easter at Winchester and his Whitsuntide at Westminster notwithstanding he was forewarned by many signs of some great disaster as his own dream the night before wherein it seemed to him that the Veins of his arms were burst and abundance of blood streaming on the floor And of a certain Monk who dreamed that he saw the King gnaw the Image of a Crucifix with his Teeth and that as he was about to bite away the Legs of it the Crucifix with his feet spurn'd him
his hands as far as the Borders of Scotland and then he divides his Army committing one part to his Brother William Earl of Salisbury who was ordered to fall upon London and with the other he himself goes into Yorkshire where most of the Lords had Estates which he miserably destroys with Fire and Sword The Lords being distressed on every side resolved upon a course neither honourable nor safe yet such as Necessity made appear to be both For they send to Philip K. of France requiring him 〈◊〉 send over his Son Lewis to their aid and promisâ— they would submit themselves to be governed 〈◊〉 him and to take him for their Sovereign 〈◊〉 this mention of the Lords King Philip was as forward as themselves which King John understanding sends again to the Pope requiring him to use 〈◊〉 Authority to stay the King of France from coming Who accordingly sent Cardinal Wallo his Legate who threatned the Great Curse in the Council on all who should join with those Excommunicate persons against King John or should enter upon St. Peters Patrimony But King Philip replied That England was no part of St. Peters Patrimony no King having power of himself to alienate his Kingdom and John especially who being never lawful King had no power to dispose thereof and that it was an Errour and a pernicious Example in the Pope and an itching lust and desire after a new and lawless Dominion His Peers likewise swore by Christs death That they would lose their lives rather than suffer a King of himself or with the consent of a few base Flatterers to give away his Crown and enslave his Nobles especially to the Pope who ought to follow St. Peters steps to win souls and not to meddle with Wars and murthering of mens bodies Now the reason of the Popes claiming England as St. Peters Patrimony was upon the account of the Resignation of King John And though the Pope seemed now so zealous for the Interest of King John yet not above five years before he was as much his Enemy For the King being incensed against the Clergy and endeavouring to rectifie some miscarriages about electing Bishops c. the Pope fearing he would intrench upon his Priviledges used his utmost power against him forbidding Mass to be said for some years Excomâ—â—unicating and Cursing him and giving his King 〈…〉 to the French King and stirring up his â—wn Nobility against him freeing them and all the People from their Allegiance to him So that King John being encompassed with Troubles on every side was compelled to submit to whatever the Pope would command him Nay he was forâ—ed to take off his Crown and kneeling on his knees in the midst of his Barons he surrendred it into the hands of Pandulphus the Legate for the Popes use saying Here I resign up the Crown of the Realm of England to the hands of Pope Innocent the Third and lay myself wholly at his mercy and appointment At whose feet he also laid his Scepter Robes Sword Ring and all the Ensigns of Royalty Pandulphus took the Crown from King John and kept it five days and the King giving then all his Kingdoms to the Pope to be held in Farm from him and his Heirs for evermore the Crown was restored King John engaging to pay 700 Marks a year for England and 300 for Ireland half of it at Easter and half at Whitsuntide as Rent for the said kingdoms But this being done out of force and necessity King Philip it seems no more than his own People did not think it of any value Yea Prince Lewis himself beseeched his Father not to hinder him from that which was none of his gift and for which he was now resolved to spend his bloud and would chuse rather to be excommunicated by the Pope than falsifie his promise to the English Barons For upon their sending their Letters of Allegiance confirmed with the Hands and Seals of all the Lords to implore King Philips favour and to send his Son and desiring his Son to accept of the Crown they received a present supply of French Souldiers upon their delivering up fifty English Gentlemen as Hostages for the true performance of the Contract King Philip therefore having received his Holiâ—â— Message with such scorn and contempt so aâ—â—righted the Legate with his stern countenance that he made all possible haste to be gone as fearing some mischief should be done him And Lewâ— as speedily set forth for England with his Fleeâ— of six hundred Ships and fourscore Boats whereâ— with arriving first in the Isle of Thanet and afterward going to Sandwich the Barons came thither to him and joined with him King Johns great Navy wherewith he intended to oppose him was driven Southward by a sudden Tempest and his Souldiers were generally Mercenaries and more inclined as it appeared afterward to Lewis a Foreign Prince than to him whereupon King John thought fit for the present to forbear Battle and went toward Winchester In the mean time Lewis had liberty to take all places thereabout except Dover Castle which John had committed to the valiant Hubert de Burg. Yet Lewis marcheth forward to London where entering with a solemn Procession and with the incredible applause of all he went into St. Pauls Church and there the Citizens of London took their Oaths of Allegiance to him From whence he passed to Westminister and there the Lords and Barons likewise swore to be true to him he himself likewise swearing to restore to all men their Rights and to recover to the Crown whatsoever had been lost by King John Then he chose Simon Langton who had been lately disgraced by the Pope for his Lord Chancello by whose preaching the Citizens of London and the Lords though they were excommunicated and under the Popes curse did yet celebrate Divine Service and drew on Prince Lewis to do the like Whereupon Wallo the Popes Legate who was now with King John denounced heavy and solemn Curses throughout the kingdome against the Londoners and especially against Lewis and his Chancellour by name But Lewis went from London and passeth over 〈◊〉 the Country without resistance but not withâ—ut infinite outrages committed by his Souldiers which was not in his power to hinder In the â—ean time King John finding his Enemies imployed in the Siege of Dover Castle and likewise â—t Odiam Castle wherein 13 English men onely braved Lewis and his whole Army for 15 days together nay sallied out upon them and taking every man a Prisoner to the great admiration of the French they returned safely back again and afterward delivered up the place upon honourable conditions King John thereupon gathers a Rabble of Rascally people about him with which he over-runs all the Country to the ruining of the Barons Castles and Estates in all places And then marching from Lyn in Norfolk on which place he bestowed his own Sword a gilt Bole and divers large Priviledges in testification of their Loyalty to him
which the Rabble cryed Where is the Traytor who answered I am the Archbishop whom you seek not a Traytor Whereupon they dragged him out of the Chappel to Tower-hill where being incompassed with many Thousands and seeing many drawn swords about his head he said What is it dear Brethren you purpose to do what is mine offence committed against you for which you will kill me you were best take heed that if I be killed who am your Pastor there come not on you the Indignation of the just Revenger or at least for such a fact all England be not put under Interdiction or the Popes Curse But they cried out with a great noise That they did not fear the Interdiction neither did allow the Pope to be above them The Archbishop seeing death at hand spoke them fairly and granting forgiveness to the Executioner he kneeled down and offered his Head to be cut off The Hangman struck him on the neck but not deadly he putting up his hand said Aha it is the hand of God and being struck again before he removed his hand his fingers ends were cut off and part of the Arteries with which he fell down but died not till they had mangled him with eight several strokes in the Neck and Head His body lay two days unburied none daring to do it His Head they cut off and nailing his hood thereon fixt it upon a Pole on London Bridge This Simon Sudbury was eighteen years Bishop of London and being translated to Canterbury he in 1375. repaired the Walls of London from the West-gate which he built to the North-gate which had been destroyed by the Danes before the Conquest of William the Bastard He was at last buried in the Cathedral at Canterbury Sir Robert Hales Lord Treasurer of England suffered with him at the same time a most Valiant Knight and Lord of St. Johns together with John Leg one of the Serjeants at Arms and William Apledore a Franciscan Friar who was the Kings Confessor Many more were beheaded daily for no cause but the pleasure of the Commons for it was pastime to them to take any who were not sworn of their Party and pulling off their Hoods behead them They took 13 Flemings out of the Augustine Friers 17 out of another Church and 32 in the Vintry and beheaded them all And to make a distinction of Flemings they put them to pronounce Bread and Cheese and if they spake it like Brot and Cawse off went their Heads as a sure sign that they were Flemings The King coming according as he was required to Mile-end was much astonished at the madness of the People who with frowning Countenances made the following demands which they presented in writing â—nd would have them confirmed by the Kings Letters Patents 1. That all men should be free from Servitude or Bondage so that from thenceforth there should be no Bondmen 2. That he should Pardon all men of what Estate soever all manner of Actions and Insurrections committed and all Treasons Felonies Transgressions and Extortions by any of them done and to grant them Peace 3. That all men henceforth might be infranchised or made free to buy and sell in every County City Burrough Town Fair Market and other Places within the Realm of England 4. That no Acre of Land holden in Bondage or Service should be holden but for four pence and if it had been held for less in former time it should not now be inhanced These and many other things they required telling the King That he had been ill Governed to that day but for the time forward he must be otherwise governed The King finding himself in danger yeilded hereunto and so desiring a Truce the Essex men returned home Next day the King went to Westminster to visit St. Edwards Shrine and coming back by Westsmithfield he found the place full of Kentishmen to whom he sent word That their Fellows the Essex men were gone home and that if they desired it he would grant them the same Conditions of Peace But their Chief Captain named John or as others say Walter Hilliard alias Tyler being a cunning Fellow answered He desired Peace but upon his own Conditions intending by fair words to have delayed the business till the next day for he designed that Night to have killed the King and the Nobility about him and then to have pâ—â—ndred the City and burnt it But he was wonderfully disappointed in his Pride having refused Conditions of Peace which were sent him in three several Charters three times Upon which the King at last sent Sir John Newton not to Command but to Intreat him to come and discourse with him concerning what he demanded among which one particular was That Wat Tyler desired a Commission to behead all Lawyers Escheators and others whatsoever that were learned in the Law conceiving that afterward all would be managed according to the Humour of the Common People And it is reported that the day before putting his hand to his Lips he had said That before four days came to an end all the Laws of England should proceed from his mouth When Sir John Newton desired Tyler to dispatch him he scornfully answered If thou art so hasty thou mayst go to thy Master for I will come when I please However Sir John Newton followed him slowly on Horseback and by the way a Doublet-maker brought threescore Doublets to the Commons and demanded thirty Marks for them but could have no Money Upon which Wat Tyler told him Friend be quiet thou shalt be well paid before this day be ended keep nigh me and I will be thy Creditor Wat Tyler then set Spurs to his Horse and rid up toward the King coming so near that his Horse touched the Crouper of the Kings to whom he said Sir King seest thou all yonder People Yes truly said the King but why dost thou ask Because said Tyâ—er they are all at my Command and have sworn their Truth and Faith to me to do whatever I bid them In good time replyed the King I believe it well Then said Tyler Believest thou King that these People and as many more that are in London will depart from thee thus without having thy Letters No said the King you shall have them they are ready and shall be delivered to them all Wat Tyler observing Sir John Newton to be near him bearing the Kings Sword was offended saying Thâ— it became him better to be afoot in his presence Thâ— Knight answered stoutly That surely there was no haâ—â— in it since he himself was on Horseback This so iâ— raged Wat that he drew his Dagger and offered 〈◊〉 strike the Knight calling him Traytor Sir John toâ—â— him he lied and drew his Dagger likewise Wat Tylâ— seeming much disturbed at this Indignity attempteâ— before his Rustick Companions to have run upon thâ— Knight whom the King to preserve from the dangeâ— commanded to alight from his Horse and deliver hiâ— Dagger to Wat Tyler But his
wear the English Crown But Harold being destinated to destruction would neither accept the counsels of his Friends nor the offers of his Enemies but referred the decision to Heaven saying That it should be tried the next day with more Swords than one Next day was the 14 of October which upon a credulous Errour he always held to be fortunate to him it being his Birth-day and therefore he greatly desired to engage in fight His Souldiers likewise dreaming of nothing but Spoil and Victory and that their heads should be crowned with Lawrel spent the preceding night in all manner of Jollity Banquetting Revelling and Noise whereas on the contrary the Normans wisely and seriously considering the great importance of the work they were to engage in applied themselves to their Prayers and Vows for the safety of their Army and its victorious sucâ—ess And in the morning as soon as it was light they were all in Battle Aray and ready prepared to fight Harold likewise with all expedition marshalled his Souldiers placing the Kentish men in the Van according to an ancient custom with their heavy Axes and Halberts the Londoners and the Middlesex men were in that Squadron which he himself and his Brother led The Normans advancing forward discharged a fierce Volley of Arrows like a Tempestuous Hail which was a kind of Weapon the English never understood and therefore thought their Enemies had been in the midst of them already Soon after the Battle began in earnest King Harold like an expert General had placed his men in so firm a Body that no force of the Normans could disorder their Ranks till Duke William used a stratagem commanding his men to sound a Retreat and counterfeit flight though he still kept them in good order The English supposing the Normans to have been fled and themselves Masters of the Field carelesly broke their ranks when suddenly the Normans came on again and fell upon them before they could put themselves in a posture of defence whereby multitudes of them were slain on every side not being able to make head again Yet did not the English leave the Field but resolved rather to maintain their honour in Arms and casting themselves into a Round they preferred dying for their Country rather than to forsake the Standard of their King and thereupon encouraging one another they made resistance for a long time but showers of Arrows like a mighty storm falling among them one of them most fatally and unhappily for the English Nation wounded King Harold into the Brains through the left Eye so that falling from his Horse he was slain under his own Standard and an Ambush of Horsemen cut many others to pieces Duke William fought so valiantly that he had this day three Horses slain under him and King Harold shewed no less courage in killing many Normans with his own hands The Mother of Harold named Thyra offered a great sum of mony for the Kings body which falling among such a multitude it being reckoned that there died about threescore thousand men that day it could by no means be found for it was despoiled of all its Royal Ornaments by the plundering Souldiers so that King Harold lying stript wounded bemangled and gored in his bloud could not be known from another man till a Lady named Editha was sent for who for her extraordinary beauty was called Swans Neck she having been very familiar with him before he was King knew some secret mark in his body by which she discovered him After which the Duke freely delivered it to his Mother and it was buried in Waltham Abby This Battle was fought October 14. 1066. a doleful day of destruction to the English when the Royal bloud of the Saxons perished who first divided this Land into seven Kingdoms and afterwards made of them one glorious Monarchy not inferiour to any in Europe and whose Kings for Valour and Magnanimity were ranked with the greatest in the World But the over-ruling providence of Heaven which sets up and pulls down at pleasure was pleased at this time for the sins of the English or some other cause unknown to us to put the Scepter into the hands of another Family and another Nation Morcar and Edwin Brethren to the unfortunate Queen escaped by night out of the Râ—â—le and came to London where consulting with the rest of the Lords they began to revive their hopes and posted Messengers from thence to raise new Forces And because the English were struck into a dreadful astonishment at the news of this great â—oss they to keep them from despair sent them Word That the chance of War was uncertain the number of the English yet many and there were Commanders enough left to try another Battle Alfred Archbishop of York being President of the Assembly very couragiously and prudently advised â—hat they should immediately proclaim and crown Edgar Atheling the true Heir for their King to which the Londoners and divers Sea Captains agreed But the Queens brethren and likewise the Earls of Yorkshire and Cheshire being themselves â—mbitious of the Crown though their Country was in such a deplorable condition hindered this wise and noble design In the twentieth Year of William the Conqueâ—our there happened so great a Fire in London â—hat from the West Gate to the East it consumed Houses and Churches all the way and among the â—est St. Pauls as much as was combustible was â—urnt to ashes and most of the principal Cities in England were much damaged by Fire Other great calamities likewise happened as Burning Fevers Murrains upon Cattle abundance of Rain and Water-flouds insomuch that the Hills seemed to â—e softned to the very foundation and with their â—all overwhelmed many Villages there was likewise such a dearth in London and England that â—en eat Horses Cats Dogs and mans flesh In 1077. upon Palm Sunday about Noon a blaâ—ing Star appeared nigh the Sun yea which is â—â—range tame Fowls such as Hens Geese Peaâ—cks and the like fled into Forests and Woods becaâ—â—â— wild There was likewise a great Forst which lasted from the middle of November to the midst of March There was also a greaâ— Wind on Christmas day accompanied with a terrible Earthquake This King William seized all the Lands between Barnee and London-stone which belonged to the Abby of St. Albans and also all the Treasure Chalices and Shrines of all the Abbies and Monasteries in England He likewise laid great Taxes upon the Land and caused an exact Survey to be taken of the whole Kingdom so that he knew the value of all the Rents and Profits of the Lands and likewise of all Cities Towns Villages Hamlets Monasteries and Religious Houses causing all the People in England to be numbred and their names taken with an account what every one could spend in the Year After which be exacted fix shillings upon every hide of Land which amounted to a vast sum of money The Book which contained this Actual Survey was called by the English
London Mercer who first practised the same in the Abby of Westminstor 1471. This King Henry lost his Kingdom when he had reigned thirty eight years six months and odd days The day after he was murdered he was brought to St. Pauls Church in an open Coffin bare-faced where he bled and from thence carried to Black Fryars where he also bled and lastly was buried at Windsor In the first year of King Edward the fourth Walter Walker Grocer living in Cheapside was beheaded for speaking some words against King Edward In his fourth year there was a great Pestilence and the Thames was frozen over In his 14 year John Grose was burnt on Tower-hill for Religion The same year King Edward in his Progress hunting in Sir Thomas Burdels Park slew many Deer and among the rest a white Buck which Sir Thomas hearing of wished the Bucks head horns and all in his belly who moved the King to kill him Upon which words he was condemned to die and being drawn from the Tower of London to Tyburn was there beheaded Next year George D. of Clarence K. Ed. Brother was drowned in the Tower in a But of Malmsey In his twenty second year some Thieves for Robbery in St. Martins le Grand were drawn to Tower-hill and there hanged and burnt and others were pressed to death In this Kings time Richard Rawson one of the Sheriffs of London caused a House to be built at St. Mary Spittle for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen to hear Sermons in the Easter Holy-days King Edward the fourth being dead his eldest Son Edward not above eleven years old was proclaimed King but never crowned for the Duke of Glocester hearing of his Brothers death comes to London and having gotten the King and his Brother the Duke of York into his hands sends them to the Tower and murders the Lord Hatings who was true to Edward and then endeavours to prove the two children of Edward Illegitimate whereby he at last attained the Crown by the name of Richard the third and afterwards persuades Sir James Tyril to murder the two young Princes in the Tower who getting two other Villains as bad as himself they come to the childrens chamber in the night and suddenly wrapping them up in their cloths and keeping down by force the Feather-bed and Pillows hard upon their mouths so stifled them that their breath being gone they surrendred up their innocent souls and when the Murtherers perceived first by their strugling with the pains of death and then by their long lying still that they were throughly dead they laid their bodies out and then called Sir James Tyril to see them who presently caused their bodies to be buried under the Stairs But these Murderers came all to miserable ends and King Richard himself after this abominable Fact never had a quiet mind but was troubled with fearful dreams and would sometimes start out of his bed and run about the chamber in a great fright as if all the Furies in Hell were about him as he did the night before the Battle at Bosworth Field where he was slain by King Henry the seventh who succeeded to the Crown King Richard took away from Jane Shore one of King Edwards Concubines all her Goods to the value of above 3000 Marks and afterward caused her to do Pennance before the Cross for her Incontinency with a Taper in her hand when though undressed yet she appeared so fair and lovely and likewise so modest that many who hated her course of life yet pitied her course usage since she used all the favour she had with King Edward to the good of many but never to the hurt of any And truly she had cause to complain against Richard for being so severe for her offending against the seventh Commandment onely when he did no pennance for offending heavily against all Ten. But perhaps he got some Good Fellow to be his Confessor After Richard called Crook-back was slain Henry the seventh was proclaimed King In whose time were made several general Laws as that for admitting poor people to sue in Forma Pauperis without paying Fees to Attorney Counsellor or Clerk Another that no person that shall assist by Arms or otherwise the King in being shall ever after be impeached thereof or attainted by course of Law or act of Parliament and that if any such Act of Attainder did happen to 〈◊〉 made it should be void and of none effect In his fifth year it was ordained by Parliament that the Mayor of London should have the conservation oâ— the River of Thames from Stanes-bridge to the Waters of Yeudale and Medway In his seventeenth year John Shaw Lord Mayor of London caused his Brethren the Aldermen to ride from Guildhall to the Water-side when he went to Westminster to be presented to the Exchequer He also causeâ— Kitchins and other Conveniences to be built it Guild-hall This King was the first that ordaine a Company of tall proper men to be Yeomen 〈◊〉 the Guard and to attend the person of the King to whom he appointed a Livery and a Captaâ—â— over them In his eighteenth year King Heâ—â—â— himself being Free of the Tailors Company 〈◊〉 divers Kings before had been namely Richard tâ— second Henry the fourth fifth and sixth Edwarâ— the fourth and Richard the third as also eleveâ— Dukes twenty eight Earls and forty eight Lord He therefore now gave them the name of Mâ—â—chant-Taylors as an honourable Title to end 〈◊〉 for ever The 22 of August 1485. the very day King Henâ— got the Victory over King Richard a great Fiâ— happened in Bredstreet London in which was burnt the Parson of St. Mildreds and one person more In his tenth year in digging a new Foundation in the Church of St. Mary-hill in London the body of Alice Hackny who had been buried 175 years before was found whole of skin and the joints of her arms pliable the Corps was kept above ground four days without annoyance and then buried again In his twelfth year on St. Bartholomews day there fell Hail-stones measured twelve Inches about The great Tempest which drove King Philip of Spain into England blew down the Golden Eagle from the Spire of St. Pauls and in the fall it fell upon the sign of the Black Eagle in St. Pauls Church-yard where the School-house now is and broke it down This King was frugal from his Youth the City of London was his Paradice for what good fortune soever befel him he thought he enjoyed it nor till he acquainted them with it His Parliament was his Oracle for in all matters of Importance he would ask their advice yea he put his Prerogative many times into their hands After he had lived fifty two years and reigned twenty three years he died April 22. 1508. Henry the eighth his only Son succeeded him In the ninth year of his reign on May Eve there was an Insurrection of the Young men and Apprentices of London against Foreigners for which Riot several
slain and with the execution of eight more though five hundred were found guilty this Insurrection is suppressed It was a custom that upon St. Bartholomews day the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of London should go to the Wrestling-place near More-fields where at this time the Prior of St. Johns likewise was to see the sport and a Servant of his being ashamed to be foiled before his Master desired to Wrestle again contrary to custom which the Lord Mayor denied whereupon the Prior fetched Bowmen from Clerkenwel against the Mayor and some slaughter was made the Mayors Cap was shot through with an Arrow yet he would have the sport go on but no Wrestlers came whereupon he said He would stay a while to make Trial of the Citizens respect to him and presently after a great party of them came with Banners displaid and fetched him home in triumph Soon after another Quarrel happened in Holborn between the Gentlemen of the Inns of Chancery and some Citizens in appeasing whereof the Queens Attorney and three more were slain The year after the Apprentices of London upon a very slight occasion fall upon the Foreign Merchants rifling and robbing their houses but the Lord Mayor by his discretion appeased the Tumult punishing some of the Offenders with Death and others by Fine and all things are quieted and appeased The Kings Resloration 1660. The Regicides of Exec at Charingcross The Insurection of Venner c. 1660. As soon as this Parliament was dissolved the Duke sends for the Queen and some others to come out of Scotland But they had raised an Army there and the Duke of York met them with another and at Wakefield Green the Duke is flain with the loss of three thousand of his men and leing dead had his head crowned with a Paper Crown together with many other Circumstances of disgrace However his Son Edward Earl of March prosecutes the Quarrel and puts the Queens Forces to flight which she endeavoured to recruit but some of her Northern Army having robbed the People as they came along the Country saying It was their Bargain to have all the Spoil in every place The Londoners would not suffer any Provision to be sent to them the Commons rising about Cripplegate and stopping the Carts which the Lord Mayor was sending to the Army In the mean time the Earls of March and Warwick having got a considerable Army march to London and were joyfully received there And soon after the Earl of Warwick drawing all his Forces into St. Johns Field by Clerkenwel and having cast them in a Ring he read to them the Agreement of the last Parliament and then demanded Whether they would have King Henry to reign still Who all cryed out No No. Then he asked them Whether they would have the Earl of March Eldest Son of the Duke of York by that Parliament proclaimed King to reign over them Who with great shouting answered Yes Yes Then several Captains and others of the City went to the Earl of March at Baynards Castle to acquaint him what had passed who at first seemed to excuse himself as unable to execute so great a charge but encouraged by the Archbishop of York the Bishops of London and Exeter and the Earl of Warwick he at laft consented to take it upon him and soon after he was generally proclaimed King And here Writers end the Reign of King Henry the sixth though there were several changes For sometimes he was a King and sometimes none yet he was never well setled though he lived twelve years after King Henry was then in the North and raise an Army to oppose Edward but is defeated by the Lord Falconbridge Upon which Henry and his Queen go to Scotland and raise more Forces but are again beaten And now King Edward sits three days together in the Kings Bench in Westminster Hall to hear Causes and regulate Disorders And the Earl of Warwick is sent into France to treat of a Marriage with that Kings daughterâ— but in the mean while the King marries the Lady Elizabeth Gray At which Warwick grows discontented and joins against King Edward and surprizing him takes him Prisoner but he soon made his escape King Henry was taken in disguise and sent to the Tower of London some years before And now Warwick going to France brought a great Army over and proclaimed Edward an Usurper who thereupon endeavoured to raise an Army but could not and therefore fled out of England into the Duke of Burgundies Country and King Henry is taken out of Prison where he had been nine years and again proclaimed King But King Edward by the assistance of the Duke of Burgundy lands an Army in Yorkshire and marches towards London where he was joyfully received And in the year 1471 and the 11 year of his Reign K. Edward made his entry into the City and had King Henry delivered into his hands The Earl of Warwick having notice thereof marcheth with his Army toward St. Albans and King Edward follows him carrying King Henry along with him where the Earl of Warwick and many others are slain and Henries Parry utterly routed And now was the time for King Henry to be delivered out of all his Troubles for the bloudy Duke of Glocester entering the Tower of London where he sound King Henry nothing at all troubled for all his Crosses struck him into the heart with his Dagger and there slew him And now within half a years space we find one Parliament proclaimed Edward an Usurper and Henry a lawful King and another proclaiming Edward a lawful King and Henry an Usurper that we may know there is nothing certain in humane Affairs but uncertainty In the fifth year of King Henry the sixth it rained almost continually from Easter to Michaelmas In his seventh year the Duke of Norfolk was like to have been drowned passing through London Bridge his Barge being set upon the Piles so overwhelmed that thirty persons were drowned and the Duke with others that escaped were fain to be drawn up with Ropes In his seventeenth year was so great a Dearth of Corn that people were glad to make Bread of Fearn roots Next year all the Lions in the Tower died In the thirty third year of his Reign there was a great Blazing Star and there happened a strange sight a monstrous Cock came out of the Sea and in the presence of a multitude of people made a hideous crowing three times beckening toward the North South and West There were also many prodigious Births and in some places it rained bloud About this time the Draw-bridge on London Bridge was made and Leaden Hall was built to be a Storehouse of Grain and Fewel for the poor of the City In the first year of this Kings Reign a Parliament was held at London where the Queen-Mother with the young King in her lap came and sate in the House of Lords In this Kings Reign Printing was first brought into England by William Caxton of