is no other substance consisting in the bread and wine besides the substance of Christ God and man Secondly That the Communion in both kinds was not necessary to Salvation the flesh only in form of bread being sufficient to the Laity Thirdly That Priests might not marry by the Law of God Fourthly That the vows of chastity ought by Gods law to be observed Fifthly That private Masses were necessary for the people and agreeable to the Law of God Sixthly That auricular Confession was expedient to be retained in the Church of God For offending against the former Law of abjuring the Popes Supremacy c. was John Fisher Bishop of Rochester put to death and Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellor so merry conceited a person that he could not forbear his jests though bloody death stared him in the face For when on the Scaffold the Executioner desired his forgiveness he replied I forgive thee but I promise thee thou wilt get no honour by â—utting off my head my neck is so short And when he was to lay his neck on the block he stroâ—kt out his white beard and said to the Heads-man I pray let me lay it over the block lest you should cut it off For though you have a Warrant to cut off my head you have none to cut off my Beard Besides these two there were put to death for the same cause many Abbots Priors and Friars For oppugning the six Articles and asserting Gospel-truths did many Christians of the reformed Religion suffer death in the flames Amongst the rest Dr. Robert Barns was one and Mrs. Anne Askue a person of rare wit and elegant beauty who when she had been twice tormented upon the Rack to the disjoynting of her bones then gave her body to the flames for Christs sake And the life of Queen Katharine Parre was hard laid for by Stephen Gardner but through her wisdom and prudent carriage towards the King it was preserved About A. D. 1545 was a match concluded to be made betwixt Prince Edward King Henrie's son and the young Princess of Scotland the Scotch Nobility approving thereof and in a Parliament of the three estates the match was confirmed in England the like also in Scotland but Cardinal Beton Archbishop of St. Andrews fearing lest hereby Scotland should also change the Church-Orders and the French likewise not liking the union means was therefore wrought to break the said intended marriage of the two young Heirs whence wars insued and the English invaded Scotland spoiled Leith burnt Edenbrough and wasted the Country for seven miles about set fire upon Haddington and Dunbar then returned And because the French refused the performance of certain Covenants King Henry made war also upon that Nation and in short time won the strong Town of Bulloigne Then the French King with intent to balance the loss of Bolloign invaded the Isle of Wight and Sea-coasts of Sussex though it proved to the loss of many of his Captains and thousands of his Souldiers A. D. 1546 the Reingrave came with a great force to victual a Fort built near to Bulloigne which the Earl of Surrey sought to prevent him from but was discomfited with the loss of many brave mens lives Shortly after which by the mediation of the Empâ—ror and other Christian Potentates peace was concluded betwixt France and England A. D. 1547 and January the twenty eighth King Henry yielded to deaths impartial stroke whose body with great solemnity was buried at Windsor In his Will he ordained howsoever Titles had been made invalid in Parliaments That his three Children should succeed each other for want of other Issue One thousand Marks he commanded should be given to the poor and to twelve poor Knights at Windsor each of them twelve-pence a day for ever every year a long Gown of white cloth the Garter to be embroidred upon the breast and therein the Cross of St. George and a Mantle of red cloth to be worn thereupon His Wives were Katharine his brothers Relict Anne Bullen Jane Seymore Anne of Cleve Katharine Howard Neece to the Duke of Norfolk and Katharine Parre the daughter of Sir Thomas Parre of Kendal His Issue Henry which lived not full two months another son not named and Mary these by Katharine of Spain Elizabeth and a son still-born by Anne Bullen Edward by Jane Seymour His natural Issue Henry Fitz-Roy After the dissolution of the religious Houses he erected the Bishopricks of Westminster Chester Oxford Peterborough Bristol and Glocester and also erected the Cathedral Churches of Canterbury Winchester Worcester Chester Peterborough Ely Glocester Bristol Carlile Durham Rochester and Norwich In all which he founded a Dean with a certain number of Prebendaries The Colledge of Christ-Church in Oxford begun by Cardinal Wolsey he ordained to be the Cathedral of this Bishops See Many died of the sweating sickness in England especially about London In the twenty third year of his raign Richard Rice a Cook was boiled to death in Smith-field for poysoning divers persons In the thirty seventh of his raign the Stews on the Bank-side in Southwark were put down by the Kings appointment A. D. 1546 William Foxly continued sleeping fourteen days and fifteen nights and could not by any means be awakened during that time yet when he did awake he was in very good temper as though he had slept but one night and lived forty years after King Henry by Act of Parliament assumed the Stile and Title of King of Ireland former Kings of England bearing only the stile of Lords thereof 'T is said that now Turkey Carp Hops Pickarel and Beer came into England all in a Year Mayors and Sheriffs of Londen in this Kings Time In his first Year Thomas Bradbury was Mayor for the part of the year Sir VVilliam Capel for the rest George Monox John Doget Sheriffs In his second Year Sir Henry Kebble was Mayor John Milborne John Rest Sheriffs In his third Year Sir Roger Acheley was Mayor Nicholas Shelton Thomas Mersine Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir William Copinger was Mayor for part of the year Sir Richard Haddon for the rest Robert Holdernes or Alderns Robert Fenrother Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir William Brown was Mayor John Dawes John Bruges Roger Bosford Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir George Monox vvas Mayor James Yarford John Munday Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir William Butler vvas Mayor Henry Warley Richard Gray William Baily Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir John Rest was Mayor Thomas Seymour John or Richard Thurston Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir Thomas Exmewe was Mayor Thomas Baldrie Ralph or Richard Simons Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir Thomas Mersine was Mayor John Allen James Spencer Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Sir James Yarford was Mayor John Wilkinson Nicholas Patrick Sheriffs In his twelfth Year Sir John Burg vvas Mayor John Skevington John Kyme alias Keble Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year Sir John Milborn was Mayor John Breton or Britain Thomas Pargitor Sheriffs In his
made with the Cross and Harp on one side and this Inscription The great Seal of England on the other side the picture of the House of Commons with this Inscription In the first year of freedom by Gods blessing restored 1648. And afterward they appointed that all moneys to be coyned should be stamped with the Cross and Harp on one side and the Cross on the other with this Motto The Commonwealth of England God with us And instead of the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance they imposed an Engagement upon the people To be true and faithful to the Commonwealth as it was then established without King or House of Lords A Council of State they constituted by the name of the Keepers of the Liberties of England consisting of forty persons who were to have the executive part of the Government Thus was Englands ancient Government soon changed by about 50 persons who stiled themselves a Parliament and the Representative body of England The maxim upon which they grounded these their alterations and all other their illegal proceeds was this That all power and authority is originally in the people and that they were the peoples Representative When this Junto had made such a module of Government they erected another High Court of Injustice for the trial of Duke Hamilton as Earl of Cambridge of the Earls of Holland and Norwich the Lord Capel and Sir John Owen all which were condemned to die for engaging in their Soveraign's cause but the Earl of Norwich and Sir John Owen were reprieved the other three were beheaded in the Palace-yard at Westminster March the 9th The ever loyal Lord Capel in his speech on the Scaffold declared that he died against the Justice of the known Laws of the Land and for no other cause than his asserting the Fifth Commandment prayed heartily for the King for his restoration long life and prosperity shutting up his Speech with a profession of his cheerfulness in forgiving his Enemies Other good Subjects they put to death in other places of the Nation Lieutenant Colonel Morris Mr. Beaumont a Minister Major Monday and Cornet Blackburn And many were the loyal persons that were now proscribed and had their Estates confiscated as the Marquess of Newcastle Earl of Bristol the Lords Cottington Widdrington Culpepper Byron Sir Edward Hide Sir Philip Musgrave Sir Marmaduke Langdale Sir Richard Greenvill with others And all that had been in actual Arms for the King or other service were forced to compound for their Estates if they had any to the great impoverishing of the Royal party A. D. 1649 and April the 7th The Members at Westminster for the better supply of their Army and taking away of free-quarter passed an Act for the levying of 90000 l. a Month upon England for six months Then took into consideration the sale of Dean and Chapters Lands May the 15th divers Troops of the Army for mutinying were surprised by Fairfax at Burford where some few of the Ringleaders were shot to death and the rest disbanded There were of that party a people called Levellers who in those times of distraction would have all things in the Common-wealth ordered according to their wild humours and yet all their cry was for the Liberties of free-born English men About this time Dr. Dorislaus whom the disloyal Members had sent over as their Agent into Holland was there slain by Colonel Whitford a Scotch man and not long after one Ascham another of their Agents sent into Spain was there slain by one Sparks May the 30th in the City of London England was proclaimed a Free-State And June the 13th the House ordered that no ceremony should be used to the Kings Children the Duke of Glocester and Lady Elizabeth then in the Junto's custody In Ireland the Kings Lieutenant the Marquess of Ormond in order to promote the Kings cause there concluded a peace with the Irish and June the 22d he besieged the City of Dublin but August the 2d Colonel Michael Jones with his whole strength being betwixt 8 and 9000 sallied out upon the besiegers who were 19000 Horse and Foot and routed them totally slew of them about 3000 took Prisoners 2517 took all the Marquess's train of Artillery and Amunition and a very rich booty in the Camp August the 16th Oliver Cromwell landed with his forces at Dublin and after a short stay there marched with great expedition against Tredagh or Drogedah where Sir Arthur Ashton was Governor the defendants of that Town did bravely behave themselves howbeit Oliver gained it by storm giving strict order to his Soldiers that they should afford quarter neither to Man Woman or Child but should kill all He vowed to one of his Commanders That he would sacrifice their bodies to the souls of the English men they had formerly murdered Next Oliver besieged Wexford which through the treachery of one Strafford was yielded And shortly after this many engarisoned places were reduced by Olivers forces The Plantation of Virginia that had refused subjection to the new Republick of England was forced to a conformity by Sir George Ayscoughs Fleet. October 23 Mr. John Lilbourn the Leader of the Levelling party one that had wit enough but of a thwarting turbulent spirit was tryed at Guildhall in London for writing against the Members at Westminster and their Council of State but he so well pleaded his case and had so lucky a Jury that he was quit in despight of his Judges About this time Prince Rupert the King's Admiral was distrest and put to his shifts by the Junto's Fleet losing most of his Ships with his Brother Prince Maurice who was then cast away A. D. 1650. In the beginning of this year the truly Loyal and Magnanimous Marquess of Momross was defeated in Scotland by Major General Straughorn the Marquess himself by quitting his Horse and shifting himself into an ordinary Highlanders habit made a shift to escape for the present his standard was taken in which was pourtrayed the Head of King Charles the first lying a bleeding and severed from the body with this Motto Judg and revenge my cause O Lord. The Marquess after some days wandring about in by-places came to the Laird of Astons House a person whom the Marquess had done several kindnesses for but this false Scot whether for fear or lucre betrayed this distressed Peer into the hands of his Enemy David Lesley who sent him to the City of Edenbrough where the common Hangman met him at the Towns end and first pulled off his Hat then forced him into a Cart which had a high Chair placed in it in which the Marquess was seated that thereby he might be the more obnoxious to the scorns of the vulgar But his noble soul was not at all dismayed for God he said did all the while most comfortably manifest his presence to him and furnished him with courage to overlook the reproaches of men and to behold him for whose cause he suffered After the sentence of Parliament was
Olivarians At Salisbury March the 11th a party of about 200 Cavaliers were in Arms but were dispersed and some of their chief Leaders taken as Mr. Grove Lieutenant Colonel Penruddock Major Dean Jones c. Others there were in Arms about Shrewsbury Sherwood-Forest in Northumberland and another party in York-shire where Sir Henry Slingsby was taken Lieutenant Colonel Penruddock and Mr. Grove were beheaded at Salisbury and some others of them were hang'd A. D. 1655. about the beginning of this year Admiral Blake with his Fleet performed a daring piece of service at Tunis where demanding from the Dye or Governour of Tunis reparation for the losses the English sustained from Turkish Pirates and having a scornful answer returned he boldly press'd upon their Ships lying under the Castle of Goletta and there burnt nine Ships with but the loss of 25 men in the mean time plying continued Broadsides upon the Castle within Musket-shot of it In England the Protector constituted a new kind of Officers called Major-Generals who were each of them being eleven in number in their several limits assigned them to supervise the actions of the poor Royalists and to decimate their Estates and indeed to do what they listed but these after they had tyranized a while were laid aside February the 16th did the Spaniard at Dunkirk declare open War against England and immediately thereupon was a Peace concluded betwixt France and England one of the Articles of which was That the King of France should exclude Charles Stuart King of England and all his Relations and Adherents out of his Dominions and accordingly the Duke of York was Complemented to depart France by such a time nor was his Retinue to stay after him had his Majesty himself been there he must have expected the same dealing February the 21. died that Learned Prelate Dr. Vsher A. B. of Armagh and was buried in Westminster Abby A. D. 1656 To begin this year well for fortunate Oliver some of his Fleet under the Admirals Blake and Mountague not far from Cades or Cales set upon a Fleet of eight Spaniards one of which they sunk two burnt one run ashore and two the English took one whereof had a great quantity of Plate and Cochenel in her the other laden chiefly with Hides September the 17th another of Oliver's Parliaments assembled at Westminster where before they were admitted to enter the House they must severally engage not to act any thing prejudicial to the present Government whereupon some of them returned home the rest entring the House chose Sir Thomas Widdrington their Speaker and set themselves to act suitably to Oliver's wishes passing an Act for renouncing and disannulling the title of Charles Stuart unto the Government of the Nations of England Scotland and Ireland c. and making it to be treason against the Protector as it formerly had been against the Kings person then ordained moneys to be raised in the three Nations for paying the Armies And ordered a years rent to be paid the Protector for every House built upon a new foundation within ten miles of the City of London Yet notwithstanding the provision made to secure the Protector 's person there were divers attempts made to kill him and a printed paper was published intituled Killing no Murther One Miles Sindercomb formerly a Soldier in the Army had determined to shoot or by one means or other to rid the world of him but his design being betrayed he was condemned to be hang'd and quartered to prevent which he procured his own death 't is said by snuffing up a poysonous powder into his head wherefore as a self-murderer he was drag'd at a Horses-tail from the Tower to Towerhill where being turned naked into a hole a stake spiked with iron was driven through him A. D. 1657. This year commenced with a Conspiracy of Fifth-Monarchists to have pull'd down Oliver but the Plot was discovered and the Projectors apprehended the chief of whom was Major General Harrison Vice-Admiral Lawson Col. Rich Major Danvers and Captain Venner their Standard which they had in readiness had pourtraied in it a Lion couchant Gules in a field Argent with this Motto Who shall rouze him April the 20th Admiral Blake performed another notable exploit for at Sancta Cruz in Teneriffa the chief Island of the Canaries and belonging to the Spaniards he fired and sunk 16 great Ships among which was the Admiral Vice-Admiral and Rear-Admiral and two or three Gallions the Spaniards besides the loss of their whole Fleet had many hundreds of men slain on the shore yet in this notable Action the English had but 48 men slain and 120 wounded the Protector to gratifie the Admiral for this his brave service sent him a Diamond Ring worth 500 l and Captain Richard Strainer who led the first squadron was at his coming into England for this and his other good service at Cadiz honoured with Knighthood And now the Parliament who had been long debating concerning the setling of his Highness at last present him with a certain thing called The humble Petition and Advice desiring him to take the government of the three Nations upon him with the stile of King which stile he refused as foreseeing this would disgust the Sectarists generally therefore contented himself with the Power Royal and his old stile of Lord Protector which the Parliament confirmed And June the 26th his Highness was with great State and Magnificence installed in his Office of Protector in Westminster-hall where the Speaker in the name of the Parliament presented him with a Robe of Purple-Velvet lined with Ermine a Sword a large Bible richly gilt and bossed and a Scepter of Gold And when the Speaker Earl of Warwick and Sir Bulstrode Whitlock had vested Oliver then the Speaker administred the Oath to him in these following words I do in the presence and by the name of Almighty God promise and swear that to the utmost of my power I will uphold and maintain the true reformed Protestant Religion in the purity thereof as it is contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and encourage the profession and professors thereof and that to the utmost of my power I will endeavor as chief Magistrate of these three Nations the maintenance and preservation of the peace and safety and just Rights and Priviledges of the People thereof and shall in all things according to my best knowledge and power govern the People according to Law This Oath being taken by him he was immediately proclaimed Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England c. And that done some Souldiers and others cryed God save the Lord Protector Oliver thus established in his mightiness by Parliment he falls to fashion his family after the manner of a Kings Court hath his Yeomen of the Guard in their livery of gray Cloath welted with black Velvet over whom commanded Walter Strickland His Lord Keeper was Nathaniel Fines and Lord Chamberlain Sir Gilbert Pickering c. And
twentieth by order of Parliament was the Scots Solemn League and Covenant that had been imposed on the Kings Subjects without his consent burnt in London by the hand of the common Hangman May the 27th James Marquess of Argile for his former disloyal and treasonable practices was beheaded at the City of Edenbrough in Scotland November the 26 John James a Fifth-monarchist was drawn hanged and quartered at London for speaking certain Treasonable words January the 27th the Lord Mounson Sir Henry Mildmay and Mr. Wallop three instruments in procuring the death of the late King were shamefully drawn upon Hurdles from Newgate to Tyburn and from thence back again February the eighth hapned a most violent Wind the like to which had not been known in the memory of any then living it did very much harm in many parts of the Nation by tearing up of Fruit and Timber-Trees and ruining Houses This year the Book of Common-Prayer was restored to the Church and confirmed by Act of Parliament A. D. 1662 and April the 19th three of the Regicides namely Berkstead Okey and Corbet were drawn upon Hurdles from the Tower to Tyburn and there hang'd and quartered May the 14. Katharine the Infanta of Portugal arrived at Portsmouth where she was married to Charles the Second King of England Scotland c. May the 19th at the Prorogation of the Parliament was the Bill for Hearth-money signed In the beginning of June was Sir Henry Vane and Lambert tryed at the Kings-Bench Bar for formerly disturbing the peace of the Nation c. and were found guilty of Treason and condemned and on June the 14th was Sir Henry Vane beheaded on Tower-hill but through his Majesties Clemency Lambert had his life respited On St. Bartholomew day did many Ecclesiastical persons relinquish their benefices rather than conform to the Church-discipline and declare their unfeigned assent and consent to all and every thing contained and prescribed in and by the Book of Common-Prayer and subscribe the following acknowledgment Viz I do declare that it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King and that I do abhor that Traiterous position of taking Arms by his Authority against his Person or against those that are Commissionated by him c. That I will conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England as it is now established by Law And I do declare that I hold there lies no obligation on me or any other person from the Oath commonly called the Solemn League and Covenant to endeavour any change and alteration of Government eitheir in Church or State and that the same was in it self an unlawful Oath and imposed upon the Subjects of this Kingdom against the known Laws and Liberties thereof A. D. 1663. and May the 31 dyed that reverend Prelate Dr. Juxon Archbishop of Canterbury into whose See the Learned Dr. Sheldon Bishop of London was Translated A. D. 1664 Numerous complaints being made unto the Parliament of the many injuries and depredations done by the Dutch to the English Nation they freely declared that they would with their lives and fortunes assist his Majesty to the redressing of his Subjects wrongs and to the curbing again of that ungrateful people In order to which great preparations were made to furnish out a gallant Fleet and War was proclaimed against the Vnited Netherlands And that nothing might be wanting to further this great undertaking the House of Commons voted His Majesty a supply of Two Millions five hundred thousand pounds to be raised in three Years time And to hasten the Naval preparations the City of London lent him Majesty 100000 l. December the 24th a Blazing-Star appeared and two others shortly after darted down their malign influences upon London and other places in England March the 7th the London Frigat as she was coming up to Lee was fired to supply which loss the City of London speedily built another this his Majesty was pleased to name the Loyal London A. D. 1665 and in the month of May began that transending Plague in London whereof dyed in little more than a years space near 100000 persons many other places of England were sorely visited at this time with that dreadful Judgment of God the Pestilence June the 3d. was that eminent Victory obtained upon the Dutch Fleet. October the 3d. The Parliament met at Oxford by reason of the infection at London A. D. 1666 and in the month of June was the second great Fight betwixt His Majesties Naval Forces and the Dutch which took up part of the 1 2 3 and 4. days of the said month July the 2d was the 3d. great Fight wherein the Duke of Albemarle through the great number of his enemies Ships was very hardly tasked till Prince Rupert with a squadron came in to his aid unlooked for but then the Dutch were soon sent home In this War the Dutch were assisted by the French CHARLES II. UPon the Second of September about two of the Clock in the Morning began that dreadful Fire in London which lasted till Thursday following the Sixth of the same Moneth It began in the House of one Fariner a Baker in Pudding-lane near the Bridge and spread it self in length besides breadth from the Tower of London to St. Dunstans Church near Temple-bar in Fleet-street by which according to the Computation of Surveyors were consumed 373 Acres of Building within the Walls of London and 63 Acres 3 Roods without the Walls 87 Parish Churches 6 Consecrated Chappels the Royal Exchange the Guild-hall of the City with many stately Halls belonging to several Companies and according to the best accompt Thirteen thousand two hundred Houses The total of the loss sustained by these devouring Flames was valued to be Nine millions and nine hundred thousand pounds Sterling That the hand of God for the punishment of the sins of this City and Nation was visible in this Fire no man will deny but whether carelesness or design were the immediate occasions of it is variously believed and discoursed of As it happened in the time of a War with the French and Dutch so many at that time did conclude it to be a treacherous Act of one or both of these People especially seeing one Hubert a crazy-brain'd melanchollick French Man confessed he did the Fact by putting a Fire-ball into the House of the Baker where it began and was therefore hang'd at Tyburn But of late one Mr. Oats of whom more particular mention shall be made hereafter lays the guilt of this merciless Action on a knot of Jesuits Friers and Irish men in all to the number of 80 or thereabouts who having laid the project long before could not conveniently put it in execution till this unlucky time This fatal Accident the fore-runner of many more of the same kind that happened in His Majesties Dominions afterwards gave the King a sad opportunity of exercising His Compassion and Care towards many distressed and distracted Families who then lodged
London Bridge In May the King passed some Bills in the House of Lords whereof one was for raising an Imposition on Wines and other Liquors and the Parliament was adjourned till the 11th of August following In June News was brought to London of the burning of the Bridge Town in Barbadoes where besides the loss of most of the Houses the Magazine to the great prejudice of the publick as well as of private Persons was blown up The Duke of York in September near to Dover took the usual Oath of Warden of the Cinque Ports The Parliament that was to have met in August was by Proclamation Prorogued till the Tenth of November ensuing and the Duke of Monmouth upon the resignation of the Lord Gerrard was made Captain of his Majesties Life-Guards of Horse Sir Thomas Allen made Peace this year with the Algerines and the Parliament which met at the appointed time and adjourned till March were in December by Proclamation prorogued till the Tenth of October following About the middle of January 1668 9 the Dutchess of York was brought to Bed of a Daughter christened by the Name of Henrietta by the Archbishop of Canterbury the Duke of Ormond assisting as God-father the Marchioness of Dorchester and Countess of Devonshire having the Honour of being God-mothers In March 1668 9 the Prince of Tuscany in pursuance of his Travels came to visit England where being honourably received and magnificently treated by His Majesty and several Persons of Quality of the Kingdom he departed for Holland in his way homeward Anno 1669. The beginning of this year the Earl of Carlisle was sent Embassadour Extraordinary to Sweden As he was at Copenhagen on his way he received a Letter from the King of England in answer to an obliging Letter of the King of Denmark to be delivered to that King This Letter was so acceptable to the Dane that upon the Embassadours instance he dispatched Orders to all his Ports and Mercantile Towns especially in Norway for restoring the English to their former Freedoms and Priviledges in Trading Being arrived in Sweden he presented the King with the George worn by the Knights of the Garter and was afterward as His Majesties Proxie solemnly installed in the Order at Windsor This year was the stately new Theatre of Oxford the noble Gift of Dr. Sheldon Archbishop of Canterbury according to the intent of the Donor put into the Possession of that University And upon his Graces declining the Chancellourship the Duke of Ormond was installed Chancellour of the University of Oxford Whilst the King was taking his Divertisement with the Duke of York in the New Forrest in Hampshire they both received an Express of the death of their Mother the Queen Dowager of England who died at Columbee the last of August and was buried in St. Denis in November following About this time arrived at Dublin the Lord Roberts as Lord Deputy of Ireland The Exchange of London ever since the Fire had been kept at Gresham Colledge in Bishopsgate-street till now to the great satisfaction of the City the Merchants returned to the Royal Exchange in Corn-hill a Fabrick as far exceeding the old one in Beauty and Structure as the City rebuilt does that which was destroyed At the day of October prefixed the Parliament met to whom the King amongst other things in his Speech proposed the uniting of England and Scotland into one Kingdom this Project in the Sequel had no better issue than another set on foot by King James for the same purpose The Parliament having sate above a month and done but very little were prorogued till the 24th of February following The Parliament of Scotland sate at Edenbourgh at the same time that the Parliament of England did at Westminster in the which the Earl of Lauderdale represented His Majesty as His Commissioner In this Session of Parliament amongst many other Acts that of asserting his Majesties Supremacy in all Causes and over all Persons Civil and Ecclesiastical passed A necessary Act for securing the Rights of Monarchy against popular and unwarrantable Innovations and a duty which had it not been forgotten or trampled upon in these later times might with Gods Blessing have preserved both Nations from scandalous and fatal consequences A splendid and magnificent Embassie was this year sent to Taffelette Emperour of Morocco in the Person of Mr. Henry Howard since Duke of Norfolk which by reason of the troubles of that Countrey and the inability of the Emperor to secure a safe conduct to a Person of that quality proved of small consequences and the Embassadour returned without seeing the Emperour or performing his Embassie The later end of this year died the Duke of Albemarle his Dutchess not many days surviving him The King as a mark of gratitude to the deceased Duke sent his Son the present Duke his Fathers Garter continued to him many of his Honours and Preferments and sent him word that he himself would take care of his Fathers Funeral The Parliament met again at the appointed time and the King among other things re-minded them of the project of Union between the two Kingdoms This year in the beginning of April Anno 1670 the King having passed some Bills the Parliament was adjourned to the 24th of October Amongst others was an Act for authorizing such Commissioners as His Majesty should be pleased to nominate for treating with the Scottish Commissioners about the projected Union who being nominated and having afterwards met with those sent from Scotland many Conferences were held but insuperable difficulties appearing in the matter it was wholly laid aside At this time the Lord John Berkley arrived in Dublin and was invested Lord Lieutenant of Ireland The Princess of Orleans made now her last visit to her two Brothers the King of England and Duke of York at Dover and upon her return which was shortly after took her journey out of this World for to the great grief and surprize of the Court of England she died suddenly Captain Beach being in the Straits with four English Frigots met a squadron of seven Algier Men of War full of Men gave them Battel and after a short dispute forced them all ashore where two of them were burnt by themselves and the rest by the English most of their Men were lost and 250 Christian Captives set at liberty In October The Parliament met again according to their Adjournment and then was the Peace between England and Spain beyond the Line concluded and ratified The Prince of Orange came this year into England and having visited both Universities after a short stay he returned During this Session of Parliament the Lords and Commons having humbly represented to His Majesty their fears and jealousies of the growth of Popery the King by Proclamation commanded all Jesuits and English Irish and Scottish Priests and all others that had taken Orders from the See of Rome except such as were to wait upon the Queen and Foreign Embassadors to
under the Great Seal as the King in his youthful humour had granted to some Courtiers Also the Kings over-freeness to the Queens Countrey-men the Bohemians discontented many The ancient Nobles they envied that Robert de Vere Earl of Oxford was created Marquess of Dublin and Duke of Ireland and Michael de la Pool a Merchants Son Earl of Suffolk and that the King had them in too great favour These were held for great grievances nor would the Parliament grant the King any aids against his forreign foes unless these Lords were removed and degraded This the King could not well digest but consulted the Learned in the Law concerning certain Articles of Treason within the compass of which he might take the popular Lords And at Nottingham Robert Trisilian Chief Justitiar Robert Belknap Chief Justice of the Common Pleas John Holt Roger Fulthorp and William Burgh Justitiars John Lockton the Kings Sergeant at Law All subscribed to certain Articles of Treason made against the Lords which afterwards cost them dear Judg Belknap foresaw the danger therefore unwillingly consented saying There wants but an Hurdle Horse and Halter to carry me where I might suffer the death deserved For if I had not done this quoth he I should have dyed for it and because I have done it I deserve death for betraying the Lords And now the King and Lords prepare themselves for the field the Lords march up to London with an Army of about Forty thousand men against whose coming the King not being able to match their power shuts himself up in the Tower whither the factious Lords Glocester Derby Arundel Warwick and Marshall send him word That if he come not quickly to Westminster according to appointment they would chuse them another King who both would and should obey the Counsel of the Peers Hereupon the King though with no good-will attends their Lordships pleasure at Westminster where he yeilded to remove from about his person Alexander Neville Archbishop of York the Bishops of Durham and Chichester the Lords Zouch and Beaumont with divers others and amongst them certain Ladies Other of his friends were made prisoners And at the Parliament which was shortly after the Judges were arrested as they sate in Judgment and most of them sent to the Tower Trisilian that had fled being apprehended and brought to the Parliament in the forenoon had sentence to be drawn to Tyburn in the afternoon and there to have his throat cut which was done accordingly Divers other Knights also were sacrificed to their revenge The Duke of Ireland and others had their estates confiscated to the Kings use by Act of Parliament This while the Scots invaded the North of England under the conduct of Sir William Douglas whom Henry Hot-spur fighting with hand to hand slew but the Earl of Dunbar coming with an excessive number of Scots took Hot-spur and his brother prisoners A. D. 1396 Peace was concluded with the French the Scots and Spaniards being included therein And in September 1397 a Parliament called The Great for the extraordinary number of Peers and their retinues which came thereunto was held at London wherein the sanctuary of former Laws and all particular Charters of pardon were taken away from Thomas Duke of Glocester the Earl of Arundel and others for their treasonable practises and all the Justitiars who stood for the King were cleared from dishonour and such Articles as they had subscribed were publickly ratifyed and the offenders against them pronounced Traytors Richard Earl of Arundel was beheaded on Tower-Hill where at his death he utterly denyed that he was a Traytor in word or deed The Earl of Warwick confessing himself a Traytor in open Court was only banished to the Isle of Man The Duke of Glocester whom as the peoples darling it seemed not safe to bring to a publique Tryal was secretly smothered with pillows and feather-beds at Callis The King at this Parliament created himself Prince of Chester and to his Escutcheon-Royal added the Armories of Edward the Confessor his Cousin Henry Earl of Derby he made Duke of Hereford and advanced the Titles of many other Nobles Not long after which Henry Duke of Hereford accused Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk for speaking certain words to the Kings dishonour which Mowbray constantly denying it should have come to a combat within Lists but the King ended the controversy otherwise by banishing Norfolk for ever and Hereford first for ten years then for six only In the year following the Duke of Lancaster dyed when the King unjustly seized upon the goods of that mighty Prince his Uncle and determined to banish for ever his son the Duke of Hereford now Duke of Lancaster by his Fathers death But whilst King Richard was in Ireland to qualify a disturbance there Henry Duke of Lancaster and Hereford lands in England with what forces he had pretending nothing but the recovery of his inheritance To him there repaired the Earl of Northumberland his son Hot-Spur and Earl of Westmoreland with many others Multitudes offering their service to him as pitying his calamity and exasperated against the King because to furnish his Irish voyage he had extorted moneys on all hands and had taken up carriages victuals and other necessaries without any recompence The Duke of Lancaster with an Army of about sixty thousand marched to Bristol besieged the Castle and took it and therein two Knights of the Kings Councel Bushy and Green whose heads were cut off at the request of the rabble The Duke of York whom King Richard had left behind him to govern England could gain but small assistance against Lancaster nor could the King at his return into England find many friends therefore he betook himself to a parly with his enemies the sum of his demands being That if himself and eight more whom he should name might have Honourable allowance with the assurance of a private quiet life he would resign the Crown This was promised him whereupon he put himself into the Duke of Lancasters hands who conducted him out of the West to London where he was lodged in the Tower And now a Parliament is summoned in the Kings name to be held at Westminster in which Parliament King Richard was charged with the breach of his Coronation-Oath in thirty two Articles His abuse of the publick Treasure waste of the Crown-Land loss of Honour abroad and that at home he was guilty of Falshood Injustice Treason against the rights of the Crown and what not that ambition and envy could invent against him Tho. Arundell A. B. Cant. The result whereof was he resigned his Crown to the Duke of Lancaster which resignation the whole body of the Parliament did particularly accept saving the most loyal Bishop of Carlisle A. D. 1399 Septemb 29. In the very beginning of this Kings reign one John Philpot a private Citizen of London at his own charge manned out a Fleet to the Sea for the guarding of both Land and Sea from the enemy
service for his safety but the factious made use of this to raise the rage and jealousie of the whole City against the King for at midnight there were outcries made in the streets that all people should rise to their defence for the King and his Papists were coming to fire the City and to cut their throats in their beds The King therefore not always to incourage these indignities with his patience resolved by a course of Justice to punish the Authors and Countenancers of these seditious practices so commanded his Attorney General to accuse five Members of the Lower House of High-Treason and one of the House of Peers He also sent some Officers to Seal up their Trunks and Cabinets in their several Lodgings and to secure their persons To this the Commons voted That all those persons were enemies to the Commonwealth that should obey the King in any of his commands concerning them and that it was lawful for any person to assist the said members And because the King came into the House of Commons and there demanded to have the five Members delivered up to him though he left his guard of Pensioners and Lords and Gentlemen without upon the stairs the Commons voted this proceeding of the Kings a breach of the priviledg of Parliament and withal published a Declaration That whosoever should arrest any Member of Parliament by warrant from the King only was guilty of the breach of Parliamentary priviledges and likewise that all they who attended the King when he came to demand the five Members then hid in the City were guilty of a Trayterous design against King and Parliament The Londoners they came thronging to Westminster in a tumultuous sort to Petition for the impeached Members behaving themselves very rudely towards the Bishops And such increase and numbers of the heady common people assembled in a tumultuous manner about White-Hall and Westminster that the King justly mistrusting some danger from them withdrew himself with the Queen and their Children to Windsor The next day after which the five Members were Triumphantly guarded from London to Westminster by water Strange reports were these times given out concerning dangers from the King how that Troops of Papists were gathered about Kingston upon Thames under the command of Colonel Lunsford who was Chararactered to be of so monstrous an Appetite that he would eat Children and other like false and ridiculous stories Petitions were presented the Parliament requiring that neither the Bishops nor Popish Lords should continue to vote amongst the Peers Women also presented a Petition to the like purpose The House of Commons Petitioned his Majesty that they might have the Tower and London-Militia put into their hands which he denyed to grant yet did they place Major General Skippon over that Militia The King in hopes to stay the fury of the faction consented to almost all that they desired Howbeit notwithstanding all his gracious condescentions endeavours were still used to create an hatred of his Majesty Mr. John Pym publickly charged Him with a connivence at least if not with contrivance of the Irish Rebellion and when the King required satisfaction for the calumny the Commons justified Pyms speech to be the sense of their House And now the breach through bad mens practices growing still wider and wider betwixt his Majesty and his two Houses of Parliament His Majesty resolved to withdraw into the North there to abide till he saw what issue this storm would have taking with him the Prince and Duke of York The Queen he had afore sent with the Princess of Orange into Holland When the King was departed the Parliament made preparations both by Land and Sea upon pretext of great dangers at home and more prodigious terrors from abroad pretending that by intelligence from Paris Rome and Venice they were assured of great designs to overthrow the Parliament together with the Protestant Religion and strange unheard-of Plots they said were made to murder the most eminent Patriots A. D. 1642 and April the 23 the King attended with his guard consisting for the most part of Lords and Gentlemen only would have entred into his Town of Hull but Sir John Hotham insolently shut the gates against him and kept him out whereupon the King proclaimed him Traytor and complained to the Parliament of this indignity but they justified Hothams act and authorized him to strengthen the Garison of Hull In short time after this Englands miseries commenced by an intestine War A little before which were strange sights seen in the Air in many parts of England as Musquetiers harnessed-men and horse-men moving in Battel-array and assaulting one the other in divers furious postures The King and the two Houses now began to make all the speediest warlike preparations to defend themselves and offend each other but the two Houses had a great advantage of his Majesty both in respect of moneys and the speedy raising of Men and also Arms and Ammunition for war of all sorts through their having the City of London on their side the Citizens whereof were very free in parting with their Plate upon the publick faith and their Wives were so zealous for the good Cause as that of the two Houses was then miscalled that they gave their very Bodkins and Thimbles towards the maintaining of it and were forward to have Husbands and Children to venture their lives in this Rebellion On August 22. 1642 did his Majesty set up his Standard-Royal at Nottingham His General was the Valiant Earl of Lindsey the Parliaments General was Robert Devereux Earl of Essex and their Admiral the Earl of Warwick The first blood that was spilt in this unhappy war was near unto Hull whither some forces of the Kings forces were drawn upon whom Sir John Hotham and Sir John Meldram sallied taking some and killing others September the ninth 1642 the Earls of Essex set forth with his Army out of London and October the 23 the Caveliers so called which were the Kings party and the Roundheads so called from the custom of the Puritans cutting their hair short to their ears which were the Parliaments party met between Keinton and Edghill in Warwick-shire and there ingaged in fight which was acted with such fury that near 6000 were slain upon the place The King had so much the better of the day as to keep the Field Persons of remark slain on his Majesties side were the Earl of Lindsey and Sir Edward Varney Standard-bearer but Mr. John Smith immediately recovered the Standard for which service he was Knighted in the Field On the Parliaments part were slain the Lord St. John of Bletso and Colonel Essex From this fight at Edg-hill the King marched to Banbury which was surrendred to him then entred Oxford triumphantly and having secured that place he advanced toward London and at Brantford fell upon two Regiments of his Enemies taking about 500 Prisoners The Parliament to encrease their Numbers declared that all Apprentices that would list themselves
the Dutch General Richard Dean was slain June the 3d the Fleets joined again and the dispute was very hot and bloody till at length the Dutch tacked about and made haste to their own Coasts Of the Dutch were taken Prisoners six Captains 1350 others Eleven men of War were taken and two Hoys six of their best Ships were sunk and two blown up Of the English were slain besides Admiral Dean one Captain and a hundred and twenty others but not one Ship lost or disabled Cromwell this while with some of the leading Officers of the Army had made choice of certain persons not above 150 for the three Nations who were to have the Legislative power and to be stiled a Parliament These Parliament-Gentlemen and Soldiers of the new-fashioned Election met July the 4th at Westminster where they chose Mr. Rouse for their Speaker but not agreeing amongst themselves for about sixty of them contested hard for the taking away of Tythes from the Ministers as Antichristian they fairly re-delivered their power into Oliver's hands December the twelfth after they had Enacted a Law That Justices of the Peace and not Ministers should join persons together in sacred Wedlock But while this cunning thing called a Parliament was doing little or little to the purpose the active Dutch were again put forth to Sea with about 120 Men of War and before the Texel were Encountred by the English July 29th the Fight was vigorously maintained on both parts till the Dutch Admiral Van Trump fighting in the midst of the English Fleet was with a Musket-shot shot into the left-Pap and slain outright whereby the rest of their Fleet was so discouraged that they made to the Texel as speedily as they could The Dutch in this Fight lost 30 Men of War and about 1200 of their Men were taken The English had slain on their part Graves Owen Chapman Newman Taylor Crisp Cox and Peacock Captains and 400 common Seamen The Ship named the Oak was fired and two or three disabled For this eminent piece of service the little Parliament ordered that Chains of Gold should be presented to the Admirals Blake and Col. George Monk Vice-Admiral Pen and Rear-Admiral Lawson and that other Chains likewise should be presented to divers Flag-Captains and Medals of Silver to the Officers of the Fleet. But to return to Oliver who after his patcht Junto had dissolved themselves called a Council of Officers with some others of his Creatures to consult about the settlement of a Government and these at length after great pretences of seeking Gods mind herein concluded to have a single person again to be the head of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging And was accordingly installed with much formality and ceremony in the Chancery-Court at Westminster before the Judges the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London with the chief Officers of the Army on December the 16th Immediately after which all publick Writings changed their stile from that of the Keepers of the Liberties of England to that of Oliver Lord Protector of England c. And the City of London to manifest their good liking of this Government and Governour at least to make shew of it invited the Protector to a magnificent Feast at Grocers-Hall on Febr. 8. and Oliver to gratifie them for this favour Knighted Thomas Viner then Lord Mayor Aspiring Cromwell having thus obtained the Supream Authority in short time yielded to a peace with the Dutch who had been brought exceeding low with the War with England A. D. 1654. and in the Month of May upon an accusation of a Plot to destroy the Protector seize the Tower raise an Army and bring in the King there were divers Royalists apprehended and committed to prison three of whom were condemned by an High Court of Injustice and two of them Executed namely Col. John Gerrard who was Beheaded on Towerhill and Mr. Vowel who was hang'd at Charing-cross on the same day with Col. Gerrard was Beheaded Don Pantaleon Sa Brother to the Portugal Embassador for a Riot made in the New Exchange but death was so terrible to this person that his heart was nigh quite dead within him before his neck came to the Block September the third a pretended Parliament met at Westminster where after they had heard their Master Oliver's Speech and chose William Lenthall for their Speaker they debated Whether the Legislative power should be in a single person and a Parliament or in a Parliament only The Protector 's faction were for the former those called the Commonwealth-party that were for a Democratical Government were for the latter one declaring That as God had made him an Instrument in cutting down Tyranny in one person so now he would not endure to see the Nations Liberties shackled by another whose right to the Government could be measured out no other way than by the length of his Sword But when these things were reported to the Usurper Oliver he hasted from Whitehall to Westminster and there declares to his Parliament that he would have them to take notice of this That the same Government made him a Protector as made them a Parliament That as they were intrusted with some things so was he with others That there were certain Fundamentals which could not be altered as That the Government should be in a single person and Parliament That Parliament's should not be perpetual That in Religious matters there should be liberty of Conscience c. And then he enjoined them to sign this Recognition of the Government viz. I do hereby promise and engage to be true and faithful to the Lord Protector and Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland and shall not according to the tenour of the Indenture whereby I am returned to serve in Parliament propose or give my consent to alter the Government as 't is setled in one person and a Parliament The subscription to this was refused by several Members the rest who subscribed it were permitted to sit till January the 24th 1654 at which time Oliver dissolved them because they delayed to settle him in the Government December the 19th Pen and Venables with a Fleet of thirty Ships wherein were three thousand forces put to Sea and in April following arrived at Hispaniola and came within sight of that Golden Town Sancta Domingo upon which their first and chief enterprize was designed but through the excessive heat of the Clime want of fresh-water and some other discouragements great numbers of the Soldiers perished and that design was fruitless therefore they set sail for the Island Jamaica where being arrived they were there so successful as in short time to possess themselves of the chief Town called Ottranto bringing the whole Island into subjection In England the Royal party were busie to take down the Protector 's Greatness but the Plot was discovered before it was ripe for execution and many of the Conspirators in several places seized on by the
thereby to exclude such Peers as have been faithful to the Parliament from their priviledg of being duly summoned to be Members of that House Then they took into their consideration the Cases of divers persons who had been imprisoned in the time of Oliver Major General Overton and others of the Common-wealth party they released The Duke of Buckingham was also freed out of Windsor-Castle upon his Father-in-Law the Lord Fairfax's giving 20000 l. security that he should not seek by any means to promote the interest of Charles Stuart Next after long and tedious debates they yielded that the Members who had been returned to serve for Scotland and Ireland should continue to set amongst them as Members for that present Parliament They likewise proceeded to draw up a bill which should be entituled An Act of Recognition of his Highness his right and title to be Protector and chief Magistrate of the Common-wealth of England c. But this was never perfected A. D. 1659 The Army now grew jealous of his Highness complaining of his company that he kept how that divers of them were no better than Cavaliers censuring his Religion also giving out that Godliness was discouraged by him that he rather favoured those of loose principles than the zealous professors of the Gospel April the 6th General Charles Fleetwood presented the Protector a Representation from the Officers of the Army wherein they complained That they who had born the brunt of the War were now despised and like to be laid aside That the Cavaliers held dangerous meetings in and about London That lists of the names of such who were the Tryers of the old King were Printed in red Letters and scattered about as if they were men appointed for destruction That the famous actions of the long Parliament and his late Highness in and since 1648 were traduced and vilified Therefore they desired that his Highness would be pleased to represent these things to the Parliament and procure their remedies The Army also began to grow jealous also of the Parliament as if they were too favourable to the Royal party and joyned with the Protector to bring the Officers of the Army into subjection Thereupon the General-Council of Officers held many meetings and consultations which the Parliament hearing of voted that there should be no meeting nor General Council of Officers without consent and by order of his Highness the Lord Protector And that no person should have any command in the Army who should refuse to subscribe that he will not disturb the free meetings in Parliament or their freedom in their debates and counsels These votes the Protector sent to the Officers of the Army which they valued not at all but on the contrary resolved that the Parliament should be dissolved And in order thereunto Desbrough with other chief Officers went to the Protector and forced him to sign a Commission for the Parliaments dissolution and accordingly the Parliament was dissolved Which being effected their next work was to put a period to the Protectors power by restoring that remnant of the Long Parliament which his Father had turned out to which end the Officers of the Army invited those Members of Parliament who continued sitting till April the 20th 1653. and promised them that they would be ready in their places to yield them their utmost assistance that they might set and act in safety These Members accepted their invitation and accordingly took their places in Parliament May the seventh and upon notice that these were again housed divers of those that were secluded in 1648 attempted to have taken their places but were repulsed Then these Members caused the Protectors Great Seal to be broken and voted their own old Seal up again Then sent to the Protector for an acknowledgment from him of his submission to their government and accordingly on May the twenty-fifth he made his resignation and submission declaring in writing That though in respect to the particular engagements that lay upon him he could not be active in making a change in the Government of these Nations yet through the goodness of God he would freely acquiesce in its being made and that he held himself ingaged as with other men he expected Protection from the present Government so to demean himself with all peaceableness under it and to procure to the utmost of his power that all in whom he had interest should do the same In short time after this Henry Cromwel came over and yielded up the Lieutenancy of Ireland unto the Members sitting at Westminster who appointed five Commissioners for the Government of that Kingdom General Monck in Scotland conformed himself to their directions and Colonel Lockhart Governour of Dunkirk likewise submitted to their Authority Then this Junto commanded all such as had been in Arms for the King to depart twenty Miles from London passed an Act for setling of the Militia in the respective Counties of England and Wales Ordered a whole years Assessment at 35000 l. a month on England 6000 l. the month on Scotland and 9000 l. on Ireland to be paid into the Treasury before the eleventh of August next following Ordered the immediate sale of White-Hall Hampton-Court and Sommerset-House towards payment of the Armies Arrears To their quondam Protector they were so friendly as to protect him from all arrests and withal to promise the payment of all his debts for his Fathers Funeral and other occasions which amounted to 29640 l. but this they never performed The while these things were in agitation the Kings friends were very busie in promoting his interest by engaging as many as they could for his service in all places of England and so successful was the Kings Commissioners that great part of the Nobility and Gentry of England and Wales were interested by them in the Kings quarrel and a day was fixed in July for their appearing in Arms the first rising was to be chiefly of such as had never engaged on the Kings side in the late Wars thereby to draw the Army unto a more faint opposition Sir George Booth Sir Thomas Middleton and some other of the old Parliamentarians raised a party in Cheshire Flintshire and Lancashire to the number of about three or four thousand men who declared for a Free Parliament and the due rights and priviledges of the Nation against that Phanatick and unlawful power which now usurped dominion over them But Major General Lambert marching speedily against them and encountring them his old Souldiers without much bloodshed totally routed them near unto Nantwich August the 17th Colonel Charles White raised a small party in Nottingham and Derby-Shires other inconsiderable parties were raised in other parts but dispersed themselves again for the Rulers at Westminster having met with some hint of this designed rising had so ordered their standing-Army and Militia-forces in most places of the Land that no considerable parties of the Kings friends could have opportunity to get into a Body After the defeat of
supply of 18 months Assessement not exceeding 70000 l. a Month but began to be dissatisfied with the Kings indulgence and toleration to Phanaticks though his Majesty by a gracious Answer to an Address of theirs endeavoured to remove that scruple Anno 1673. About the later end of March an Act for a general and free pardon past in Parliament and then both Houses adjourned till the 20th of October following One James Piercy upon the death of the Earl of Northumberland in whom the male race of that ancient Family expired came into England laid claim to the Title and Estate and thereupon petitioned the Parliament but his Petition was rejected and himself looked upon as an Imposter The Island of Tobago was this year taken by the English from the Dutch in exchange whereof the Dutch took St. Helena from the English which might have proved of very bad consequence to the English East-India Trade had it not been re-taken by Captain Monday with three Dutch East-India Merchant Men besides which fully paid the charges of its reprisal For this good service Captain Monday was Knighted The Dutch this year were first at Sea and attempted a vain project of stopping up those narrow Channels that give entry to the River of Thames Prince Rupert who commanded the English Fleet put out to encounter them but they retreating to their own Shoar the Prince stood to the West-ward that he might joyn the French and part of the English Fleets This being shortly after done the whole Fleet made toward the coast of Holland and the Prince finding them before Schonvelt secured by their Banks and the shallowness of the Water on the 28th of May detached a Squadron of Thirty five small Frigots to provoke them to an Engagement The Dutch contrary to expectation came forth in good order and engaged The French and English emulous for honour fought with extraordinary eagerness and somewhat entangled each other but at length after a sharp dispute the magnanimous Prince forced the Enemy to run and followed them as far as the Sands and Water did permit till Night put an end to the conflict and the Dutch regained their former station The English lost but a few common Seamen and not one Ship Captains were slain Fowles Finch Tempest and Woorden On the Dutch side were killed Vice Admiral Schram Rear Admiral Vlugh and six Captains more They lost considerably in Men but onely one Ship called the Deventer On the fourth of June happened another Engagement wherein no great Execution was done on either side it being managed at great distance and most part in the night time And that the Series of this years Warlike Actions may be continued without interruption on the Tenth of August both Fleets met again at Sea and gave the last stroke to this War The Dutch being about the Goree got the Wind of the English and bore briskly down upon them the Fight was obstinate and bloody on both sides especially between Sir Edward Sprague and van Tromp but the French making as if they stood off for the Wind did it in reallity that they might have the conveniency of being Spectators Prince Rupert and de Ruyter who had been engaged together all day finding themselves at distance from their respective Squadrons stood back again to their assistance and de Ruyter designing to have cut off the blew Squadron from the rest of the Fleet was so smartly charged by the Prince that he was fain to give way so that had the French made use of their Wind they had the Dutch had certainly sustained far greater loss then they did and not so easily drawn off by favour of the Night In this Engagement Sir Edward Sprague as he was shifting from one Ship to another had his long Boat by a Random Shot shivered to pieces under him and so to the grief and regret of all that knew him was drowned his Ship strangely disabled was by his valiant Second the Earl of Ossory brought off Captain Neve was slain Reeves and Heywood died of their Wounds and Martel only of the French was killed The loss of common Seamen was not very great on the English side The Dutch lost two Flag Officers several Captains and about a 1000 common Seamen About the middle of June the Lord Clifford resigned his Treasurers Staff and Sir Thomas Osborn created Viscount Osborn of Dumblain in Scotland and afterwards Earl of Danby in England was made Lord High Treasurer The Parliament according to their last Adjournment meeting in October were prorogued till the 27th of the same month then meeting again they were prorogued till the 7th of January following Soon after the King issued out His Proclamation requiring all Judges and Justices of the Peace effectually to prosecute the Laws against all Papists and Popish Recusants About the later end of November his Royal Highness the Duke of York was married to the Princess of Modena Though the Preparations for War went on vigorously both on the English and Dutch sides yet overtures of Peace were still set on foot and His Majesty condescended to a Treaty at Cologne which took no effect The Dutch in the mean time thought it not fit to desist but by another way of Negotiation that is to say by intercourse of Letters they at length prevailed so far as to receive a condescending Letter from the King of England in February 1673 4 which was shortly after followed by a conclusion of the Peace by them so much desired Peace being now concluded Anno 1674. this year affords no great Transactions of importance the Consultations of Government being chiefly directed to the preservation of quietness and unity at home in order to which His Majesty emitted several Proclamations against Papists and Jesuits The Duke of Monmouth upon resignation of the Duke of Buckingham was chosen Chancellour of the University of Cambridge The Earl of St. Albans giving up the Staff of Lord Chamberlain of His Majesties Houshold his place was given to the Earl of Arlington to whom Sir Joseph Williamson succeeded as Principal Secretary of State Upon the 22th of September His Majesty by Proclamation prorogued the Parliament which was to have met the 10th of November till the 13th of April ensuing His Majesty having been pleased to accept of the Freedom of the City of London was in December by Sir Robert Vynor Lord Mayor in Name of the City presented with the Copy of his Freedom in a large square Box of Massie Gold the Seal appended being in a Box of Gold set all over with large Diamonds About the beginning of January 1674 5 her Royal Highness was brought to Bed of a Daughter Christened at St. James's by the Bishop of Durham by the Name of Katharina Laura the Duke of Monmouth being Godfather and the Lady Mary and Lady Anne Godmothers Anno 1675. The Parliament according to their last Prorogation met on the 13th of April but having sate till a week in June and a difference
Matilda came to Winchester where sending for the Bishop being then the Popes Legate though he doubted some danger yet not daring to send a flat denyal returned this equivocal answer Ego parabo me I will make ready as though he had meant to follow the Messenger whereas he addressed himself to work her downfall For sending for his Brothers Queen Prince Eustace the Londoners and William Ypre he made strong his party for the King Himself and friends abiding in the City and the Empress keeping in the Castle not daring to adventure forth for about the space of Seven weeks When the Bishop to deceive Matilda commanded peace to be proclaimed and the City Gates to be set open But the Empress and her Friends now leaving the Castle to go to some other place were pursued by the Bishops forces in which pursuit many of her party were wounded and slain Earl Robert taken and others flying into the Nunnery of Warwell were burned together with the place And Winchester City the Bishop caused to be fired for the Citizens affections to the Empress The Empress who had escaped to the Castle of the Devizes and there in hazard to be surprized caused her self to be put into a Coffin as though dead bound fast with Cords and so as if it had been her dead Corps she was carried in a Horse-litter to Glocester King Stephen and Earl Robert being exchanged one for another the King now pursues Matilda and in Oxford besieged her wan the Suburbs thereof and brought her to that streight that for her escape in a great Frost and Snow she was forced in order to the deceiving of the Centinels eyes to cloath her self in white Linen Garments and so on foot to run through Ice and Snow Ditches and Vallies till she came to Abingdon where taking Horse she got the same night to Wallingford Castle After which many bickerings hapned betwixt the two parties with variable successes to and fro Sometimes in one part of the Nation Matilda's side prevailed in another part Stephens to the great ruine of the whole Realm However Stephen to assure the succession to his Son Eustace called a Councel at London commanding Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury to consecrate his Son King Which he refusing to do and that by the Popes special Mandate was forced to fly into Normandy the King seizing upon all his possessions But Eustace shortly after dying King Stephen inclined to peace and was content to adopt Henry Fitz-Empress for his Son and Successour To whom the Nobles at Oxford did homage as to the undoubted Heir and the Prince yielded Stephen the honour of a Father But King Stephen being afflicted with the Iliack passion together with his old Disease the Hemerhoids gave up the Ghost at Dover A. D. 1154 and was buried at Feversham in Kent Though his body afterward for the Lead-sake wherein it was wrapped was cast into the River He had Issue Balwine Eustace William Maud Mary and two natural Sons His Son Eustace in a rage set fire on the Corn-fields belonging to the Abby of Bury Theobald A.B. Cant. because the Monks denyed to help him to a sum of Money but afterwards sitting down to Dinner at the first morsel of Bread he put into his mouth he fell into a fit of madness and in that fit dyed King Stephen erected the Abbies of Cogshall in Essex of Farness in Lancashire the Nunneries at Carew and Higham an Hospital at York and Monastry at Feversham About the beginning of his Reign a Fire beginning at London-stone consumed Eastward to Aldgate and Westward to St. Pauls HENRY II. A.D. 1154. HENRY PLANTAGINET the Son of Maud the Empress and Earl Geofry of Anjou was Crowned at Westminster by Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury And Henry to settle the Realm in quiet demolished certain Castles and fortified others Some Earls unduly created he reduced into a private condition purged the Realm of Foreign Soldiers chiefly of the Flemings Chose himself a Councel out of the most eminent persons spiritual and temporal and restrained the insolencies of some great personages which made some of them discontented especially that arrogant Lord Hugh de Mortimer who raised a Rebellion Against whom the King went in person where in the Siege of Bridge-North he had been shot with an arrow had not Hubert de St. Clare interposed and took the arrow into his own bosome The King having quieted the Rebels he hasted into France and there did homage to King Lewis for his French Provinces setled an accord between himself and Brother Geofry and at his return into England entred into amity with Malcolm King of Scots restoring to him the Earldom of Huntingdon Then he advanced against the Welsh with whom fighting his person was in great danger his Standard-royal cowardly abandoned for the which Henry de Essex Standard-bearer was afterward accused by Robert de Montford who in single combat within lists vanquished him at Reading where the said Essex was shorn a Monk But the King at length overcame the Welsh and returned with triumph into England after which himself and his Queen Eleanor were crowned at Worcester where they both at the Offertory laid their Crowns upon the high Altar vowing never to wear them after This now was the third time in which at three several places Westminster Lincoln and Worcester he had been crowned Then the King crost the seas into his Dukedom of Normandy where he made seizure of some Cities into his hands after his Brother Geofry's death and setled some affairs then returned After which and about the year 1163 began the famous Controversie betwixt the King and his Favourite Beâ—ket whom in the beginning of his reign he had advanced to be Lord Chancellor and upon the death of Theobald to be Archbishop of Canterbury Tho. Becket A.B. Cant. Which Archbishoprick Becket at the Council of Tours secretly delivered up to the Pope and received it again from his hands But the cause of the dissention betwixt the King and this Bishop was the remisness and neglect of Becket's curbing the disorders of the Church-men which then were grown to a dangerous height complaint having been made to the King of above a hundred Murders committed by the Clergy in his reign Which enormities besides many others of other kinds not being punished by Church-censure the King exceedingly displeased brought them under the Civil Power ordering that Justice should be administred to all alike without partiality as well Clergy as Laity appointing Ministers of Justice through all parts of the Land to that purpose against which Becket opposed himself peremptorily defending the pretended Rights of the Clergy and his See of Canterbury yea so far as that he challenged from the Crown the custody of Rochester Castle and other Forts which the King for securing his state had resumed into his own hands Hereupon the King assembling his Bishops at Westminster it was there agreed That none should appeal to the See of Rome in any case
his two Brothers Richard and Geofry with many of the English Nobles Against whom the Father with a bleeding heart for his Sons ungraciousness prepared himself and was very successful in Little Britain where himself was in person also in England by his faithful Subjects For Humphrey de Bohun High Constable of the Realm with other Nobles vanquished Robert Earl of of Leicester and took him Prisoner which moved Lewis of France to seek a Truce of him for six Months whereunto King Henry yielded then Ship'd for England landing at the Port of Hampton From whence he took his journey towards Canterbury and being come within about three miles thereof he went barefooted the hard stones so cutting his tender feet that the ground was stained with his blood And after he came to Canterbury and was entred into the Chapter-house of the Monks Baldwin A.B. Cant. he most humbly prostrated himself on the ground begged pardon and by the instancy of his own Petition was by all the brethren corrected with Rods. The number of lashes which he received on his bare flesh amounted to Fourscore About this time William King of Scots that had lately entred England was taken Prisoner and young King Henry was with storms driven back into France and his Fleet scattered shortly after which Peace was concluded betwixt his Father and him But yet again he sought his Fathers ruine though before he could effect it he was prevented by the King of Terrors Death A. D. 1183. The following year Heraclius Patriarch of Jerusalem arrived in England soliciting the King to undertake the holy War in his own person which by the advice of his Lords he refused yet yielded to aid the Cause with Money and gave them leave to go that were disposed thereto His Son John whom he exceedingly loved and commonly in jest called Sans terre without Land he made Lord of Ireland assuring unto him also Lands and Rents in England and Normandy Richard and Geoffery his Sons rebelled again against him The younger of which in a Turnament at Paris was trod to death under the Horse feet but the elder lived to the further grief of his Father For joyning himself with Philip of France forced his Father out of the City of Mentz the City where he was born and loved above all others which made King Henry to utter these words against him That since his Son Richard had taken from him that day the thing which he most loved in the world he would requite him for after that day he would deprive him of that thing which in him should best please a Child namely his heart And afterwards finding his Son John first in the Catalogue of the Conspirators against him in that action he bitterly cursed the hour of his birth laying Gods curse and his upon his Sons which he would never recall by any perswasions But coming to Chinon he there fell desperately sick and feeling death approach caused himself to be born into the Church before the Altar where after humble confession and sorrow for his sins he yielded up his Soul A. D. 1189 and was buried at Font-Everard His Issue were William Henry Richard Jeffry Philip John Maud and Eleanor His base Issue William sirnamed Longsper and Jeffry Archbishop of York These two by fair Rosamund and Morgan by another Woman Rosamund his beloved Concubine was the Daughter of the Lord Clifford whom to keep safe from the envy of Queen Eleanor he placed in a Labyrinth which he built for her at Woodstock with such windings and turnings that none could come at her retiring Room save the King or whom he instructed Howbeit the jealous eye of Queen Eleanor found her out by a clew of silk which Rosamund let fall as she sate to take the Air. For she suddenly fleeing to escape being seen the end of the silk fastned to her foot and the clew still unwinding which the Queen followed till she had found the lovely Rosamund whom she so dealt with giving her Poyson that she ended her days whose body was buried at Godstow with this Epitaph upon her Tomb Hic jacet in Tumba Rosa mundi non Rosa munda Non redolet sed olet quae redolere solet King Henry divided England into Circuits appointing that two of his judges should twice in the year in each Circuit administer Justice In the year 1164 he called an assembly of the States at Clarendon in Wilts where amongst other matters it was decreed That all the Clergy should bona fide swear allegiance to the King and should appeal but unto the Archbishop or from him finally to the King without particular licence In the beginning of his reign one Nicholas Breakspear an English man was elected Pope by the name of Adrian the 4th who in the 5th year of his Popedom was choaked with a Fly He sent the Lords Prayer in this manner from Rome to be taught the English people Vre Fadyr in Heaven rich Thy name be halyed everlich Thou bring us thy michel bliss Al 's hit in Heaven y-doe Evar in yearth been it also That holy bread that lasteth ay Thou send it ous this ilke day Forgive ous all that we have don As we forgive uch other mon. Ne let ous fall into no founding Ac shield ous fro the foul thing Amen In the Isle of Wight it rained blood the shower continuing for the space of two hours together A great Earthquake in Ely Norfolk and Suffolk which made the Bells to ring in the Steeples At St. Osyths in Essex was seen a Dragon of marvelous bigness which by moving burned Houses Another great Earthquake which overthrew many buildings and amongst the rest rent in pieces Lincoln Cathedral At Oreford in Suffolk a certain hairy creature perfectly resembling man in all parts and proportions was taken out of the Sea by Fishers in a Net who after he had been kept a while secretly slipt away into the Sea again RICHARD I. A.D. 1189 RICHARD from his exceeding valour sirnamed Ceur de Lion was Crowned at Westminster by Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury At which time a great number of the Jews were in a tumultuous sort slaughtered by the common people for which many of them suffered death The Coronation rights performed Richard with all speed prepares for his voyage into the Holy-Land appointing William Longchamp Bishop of Ely his chief Justiciar and Lord Chancellor joyning with him Hugh Bishop of Durham for the parts beyond Humber associating to those Bishops divers temporal Lords for the defence and preservation of Justice And with the King of Scots he concluded firm friendship Which done with a royal Navy he put out to Sea and by the way to the Holy-Land he seized on the Island Cyprus where he solemnly took to Wife his beloved Lady Berengaria The Island he committed to the keeping of his own Deputies permitting the Islanders to injoy all such Laws and Liberties as they held in the time of Immanuel the Emperor Furder in his way
Welsh they made some stirs And one Fitz-Arnulph a Citizen of London attempted to set up Lewis again for the which himself and two others were hanged and many more had their hands or feet cut off The Barons they were high for a confirmation of their Liberties And Lewis of France upon the death of his Father seized Rochel and the whole Country of Poictou which belonged to the King of England into his hands under pretence that K. Henry an Homager for Aquitain was not present at his Coronation nor yet excused his absence by Ambassadors Whereupon Henry summons a Parliament for Aids to recover his losses which being granted he sent over his forces which discomfited the French But the King necessitated for more Monies for the carrying on of his design in Gascoign wrung from the Londoners Five thousand Marks above their Fifteenths alledging that they had to his prejudice given Lewis the like sum The Clergy also were compelled under pain of Papal censure to pay the Fifteenth not only for their temporal but also Ecclesiastical Goods And by advice of Hubert de Burgo Chief Justice the King revoked the Charters of Liberties which for about two years had been practised through the Realm pretending his Non-age when granted Which caused in all a great heart-burning against Hubert Howbeit the King was well furnish'd with money and men which he caused to be transported into Britain and on the same day in which he set sail from England himself in person did visit the poor and feeble dealing large Alms to them and not refusing to kiss the sick and leprous But before that the King had opportunity to effect any thing in those parts considerable the Irish rebelled constraining him to return to reduce then inâ—o order Which when he had done he advanced against the Welsh whom he also repressed though not without considerable loss About this time Hubert de Burgo Earl of Kent was accused by the Bishop of Winchester and others for the committing of many great crimes and he doubting that he should not have a fair Tryal retired himself into Essex whither he was prosecuted by Armed men and in a Chappel at Burntwood was apprehended out of which the rude Soldiers hailed him and sent for a Smith to make Shackles for him which when the Smith understood that they were for him fetching a deep sigh he said Do with me what you please and God have mercy on my soul but as sure as the Lord lives I will never make Iron-Shackles for him but will rather dye the worst death that is For is not this the most Loyal and Courageous Hubert who so often hath preserved England from being destroyed by strangers and restored England to England Let God be judge between him and you for using him so unjustly and inhumanely requiting his most excellent deserts with the worst recompence that can be Notwithstanding all this Sir Godfrey de Crancomb who commanded the party bound the Earl and conveyed him to the Tower of London where he had not long been ere the Bishop of London procured his liberty though shortly after he was again imprisoned In his place the King elected for his Councellor and Confident Peter de Rupibus Bishop of Winchester who displaced the English Officers and in their Rooms placed Poictovins and Britons stuffing the Kings Castles with them intrusting as it were the treasures strength and Realm it self in their hands to the great discontent of the English Peers Who now confederated against the strangers and refused upon the Kings summons to appear in Parliament sending this impudent Message to their Soveraign That if out of hand he removed not the Bishop of Winchester and strangers out of his Court they all of them by the common consent of the Kingdom would drive him and his wicked Counsellors out of it and would consult about creating of a new King Whereupon the King animated by Winchester commanded the Earl-Marshal with all others whom he suspected to appear at Glocester where the King was with an Army Which they refusing to do the King burnt their Mannors and gave away their Inheritances to the Poictovins The Earl-Marshal he contracts strict amity with Leweylyn Prince of Wales and made great spoil on the possessions of the Kings reputed Seducers Shrewsbury he sackt and burnt Gilbert Lord Basset the Earls great Confederate set fire on Alkmundbury not far from Huntingdon But the Earl-Marshal having crossed the seas into Ireland there to recover his Lands taken from him by the fraud of the Bishop of Winchester was there wounded to death for whose loss the King to the wonder of all that saw it broke forth into tears affirming That he had left no Peer about him in the Kingdom And now the Bishop of Winchester hated of the people was commanded by the King not to meddle any farther in State-matters And against Peter Rivallis Lord Treasurer the King was so in raged that he sware he would pluck out his eyes were it not for reverence of holy Orders And by the workings of the Bishops an accord was effected betwixt the King and his Peers and the Poictovins were commanded to depart the Realm Howbeit the Land was not yet eased of its Oppressors and Oppressions for the Pope sent over into England three hundred Romans requiring to have the first Benefice that should become vacant to be bestowed on them requiring also great sums of money of the Clergy for maintenance of the Pope's Wars against the Emperor Which though the Clergy at first opposed yet were forced to yeild unto it at the last The Pope himself had a mind to have come hither in his own person but the King's Councel liked not thereof alledging that the Romans Rapines and Simonies had enough stained England's purity though the Pope himself came not personally to spoil and prey upon the Wealth of the Church About the year 1240 Richard Earl of Cornwall the King's Brother with the Earls of Pembroke Chester Lincoln Salisbury and many other honourable persons departed for the Holy Land and in A. D. 1242 the King passed the Seas to recover Poictou but effected not any thing remarkable though he expended great store of Treasure Upon his return into England he was therefore compelled to be burthensome to his subjects for recruiting of his exhausted Treasure as well by the levy of Escuage as of Loan and otherwise The Jews in especial manner were made sensible of his wants Too much of their money thus rais'd 't is said he expended in Entertainments and Shows though afterward the King reflecting on his former profuseness in gifts and entertainments he shortned the allowances of his houshold and entertainments without any regard to Majesty And to spare his own charge the more he invited himself now to this mans house now to that but no-where contenting himself with his welcome unless himself and his Queen Son Edward yea and chief Favourites were presented with costly Gifts 'T is said that he was sometime
Wingrave was Mayor William Caston Ralph Balancer Sheriffs In his eleventh Year John Wingrave continued Mayor John Prior William Furneaux Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year John Wingrave continued Mayor John Pointel John Dalling Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year Hammond Chickwel was Mayor Simon de Abingdon John Preston Sheriffs In his Fourteenth Year Nicholas Farendon was Mayor Renauld at the Conduit Will. Prodham Sheriffs In his Fifteenth Year Hammond Chickwel was Mayor Richard Constantine Richard de Hackney Sheriffs In his Sixteenth Year Hammond Chickwel continued Mayor John Grantham Richard de Ely Sheriffs In his Seventeenth Year Nicholas Farendon was Mayor Adam of Salisbury John of Oxford Sheriffs In his Eighteenth Year Hammond Chickwel was Mayor Benet of Fulham John Cawston Sheriffs In his Ninteenth Year Hammond Chickwel continued Mayor Gilbert Mordon John Cawston Sheriffs In his Twentieth Year Richard Britain was Mayor Richard Rothing Roger Chauntelere Sheriffs EDWARD III. EDWARD the third was Crowned King upon Candlemas-day A. D. 1327. being the eighth day after that his Father had made a resignation of the Crown to him And now because sundry great persons with the whole order of Friars Preachers took pity on the old Kings captivity Mortimer therefore hastned to dispatch him out of the way in order to which he procured an Express from the young King then about 16. Years of age to remove him from Kenelworth Castle delivering him into the hands of those ignominious Knights Thomas de Gourney Seniour and John Mattrevers who conveying him from Kenelworth to Barkly-Castle there murdred him by running a burning spit up into his body as he was about to disburden nature September 22. 1327. His body was buryed at Glocester To animate the bloody Regicides to the commitment of the horrid fact 't is said this ambiguous phrase was invented by Adam de Torleton Bishop of Hereford and sent to them by Mortimer Edwardum occidere nolite timere bonum est Gourney or Corney and his villanous companions when they would needs shave the King on his way to Barkley lest he should be known and rescued inforced him to sit down on a molehil and the rascal Barber insulting told him That cold water out of the next ditch should serve for his trimming at that time To whom the sorrowful King answered Whether you will or no there shall be warm water and therewith shed tears plentifully But young King Edward at his Fathers death was upon the borders of Scotland where having invironed the Scots in the woods of Wividale and Stanhope by the Treason of Mortimer they escaped and he returned inglorious after an huge wast of Treasure and great peril of his own person For had not his loyal Chaplain stept in and received the mortal weapon in his own body the Kings life had been lost Shortly after this peace was concluded with the Scots upon dishonourable terms to the English by the procurement of the Mother-Queen and her Minion Mortimer Joan the Kings Sister was marryed to David Bruce the Scots in derision calling her Joan Make-peace King Edward at the Treaty of Peace sealed Charters to the Scotish Nation the contents whereof were contrived by his Mother Roger Mortimer and Sir James Douglas without the privity of the English Peers He also delivered to them that famous evidence called the Ragman-Roll and likewise quitted them of all his claim to the government of Scotland withal rendring back certain Jewels taken by the English from the Scots amongst which was one of special Note called the Black-Cross of Scotland In the same year being the year of our Lord 1327. dyed Charles the fair King of France by whose death the Crown of that Kingdom devolved to Edward King of England in right of his Mother Queen Isabel Tho. Bradwardin A. B. Cant. who was daughter to Philip the Fair and Sister to Lewis Hutin Philip the Long and Charles the Fair all Kings of France successively and all three dying without Issue the whole right now seeming to be Isabel the only Child of the said Philip that had any Issue But the French pretending a fundamental Law or Entail called the Salique Law by which no woman was inheritable to France sought to debar King Edward his right receiving to the Crown Philip of Valois whose Father was younger Brother to Philip the Fair advancing the Brothers son before the Daughters son not following the propinquity or descent of blood but meliority of the Sex Against the stream of the Queen and her Lord Mortimers absolute sway some great persons now stood amongst whom was the Kings Uncle Edmund Earl of Kent whose death the Queen and Mortimer shortly procured Nor was Mortimers fall now far off for the King beginning to perceive his own peril in the others potency upon good advice therefore surprized Mortimer with the Queen-Mother in Nottingham-Castle and by a Parliament held at Nottingham Queen Isabel's Dowry was taken from her and only a pension of a thousand Pound per Annum allowed her Mortimer was condemned in open Parliament at VVestminster for causing the young King to make a dishonourable peace with the Scots from whom he received bribes For procuring the death of Sr. Edward of Caernarvon the late King For over-familiarity with Isabel the Queen-Mother For polling and robbing the King and Commons of their Treasure He was ignominiously drawn to Tyburn then called the Elmes where he was executed on the common Gallows there hanging two days and nights 1330. With him there dyed for expiation of the late Kings death Sr. Simon de Bedford and John Deverell Esquire About this time befel great disturbances and divisions in Scotland occasioned by young Bruce and Baliol who both pretended right to that Crown which opportunity King Edward took hold on conceiving himself not obliged to stand to that contract made in his minority by the predominancy of his mother and Mortimer the Scots also detaining his Town and Castle of Berwick from him Wherefore he raises an Army and with Edward Baliol marcheth to Berwick which having besieged David Bruce sent a puissant host to the relief thereof and at Halydon-Hill the English and Scoth Armies joyned battle where the Scots were vanquished with a lamentable slaughter of them There dyed Archibald Dougles Earl of Angus and Governour of Scotland the Earls of Southerland Carrick and Foss the three Sons of the Lord Walter Steward and at least fourteen thousand others with the loss only of one Knight and ten other English-men Hereupon Berwick was surrendred to King Edward and Baliol was accepted to be King of Scotland and had faith and allegiance sworn unto him by the Scotch Nobles Simon Islip A.B. Cant. Which done Baliol repaired to King Edward then at Newcastle upon Tine where he submitted to Edward the third as his Father John Baliol had done to Edward the first After which the King of England assisted this Edward Baliol as his homager going himself in person divers times for suppressing the Brucean party which
from him and the County of Ponthieu he surprized before King Edward heard thereof Wherefore the King sent over John Duke of Lancaster and Humphry de Bohun Earl of Hartford to invade France who pierced up as far as Roan and after them the King sent that renowned Captain Sir Robert Knolls who went on very prosperously till by the instigation of Sir John Mensterworth and some others who thought themselves better than Sir Robert a division was made in the Army whereby the English fortunes were hindred for the which Mensterworth paid the loss of his head About the same time also some great Officers of the Kings as John Duke of Lancaster the Lord Latimer and Sir John Sterrie were complained of for fraudulency to the State and at the request of the Parliament called The good were displaced But that which caused the greatest grief to English-men was the loss of their Martial Prince Edward who left this life upon Trinity Sunday 1376 about his age 46 and was buryed at Canterbury Nor did his Martial Father long survive him for in A. D. 1377. he dyed at Shene in Surrey and was buryed as Westminster His Issue were Edward the black Prince so called from his dreadful valorout Acts William of Hatfield Lionel Duke of Clarence John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Simon Sudbury A. B Cant. Edmond Earl of Cambridge and Duke of York William of Windsor Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester Isabel Joan Blanch and Margaret He built Queenborough in Kent in honour of Queen Philip his Wife He erected a building at Windsor-Castle whose circumference was six hundred foot where Knights and men of War were to have their entertainment of Diet at his charge and begun a magnificent Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary which King Henry the eight and Sir Reginald Bray finished He is also said to be the Founder of the most Noble Order of the Garter so intituled perhaps from the Garter he took up of the Countess of Salisburies which slipped off in a dance perhaps for that in a battel wherein he was victorious Garter was the Word or Signal But some will have this King to be only the Reviver of this Order and Richard the first to be the Institutor of it King Edward confirmed Magna Charta about twelve times He restrained the Pope from conferring English Benefices on strangers He invited Cloth-workers to repair hither out of Forreign parts to whom he granted sundry priviledges The staple of wools which had been in Flanders he revoked establishing the same in Westminster Canterbury Chichester Bristol Lincoln and Hull The famous custom of the Kings of England Washing Feeding and Clothing of as many poor people upon Maundy Thursday as they are years old is referred to the celebration which this King made of his fifth year His Concubâ—e Alice Pierce was so insolent Simon Sudbury A. B. Cant. that she would go into the Courts of Justice where sitting by the Judges and Doctors she would proudly perswade or disswade for her most advantage therefore was complained of in Parliament and removed from the person of the King At a Parliament held the thirty seventh of his Reign the wearing of Gold and Silver Silks and rich Furs were forbidden to be worn by any but eminent Persons also the Labourer and Husbandman was limited to the eating of such certain meats An Act was likewise made that no common whore should wear any Hood except striped with divers colours nor Furs but garments with the wrong side outward At Stamford in Lincolnshire an University was instituted but of short continuance A blazing-Star appeared which continued thirty days Southhampton was burnt by the French A. D. 1348 It rained from Midsummer till Christmas A plague all over Christendom some say the World and so raging in England that scarce the Tenth person of all sorts was left alive In London it was such that in one years space there was buryed in the Cistercian or Charter-House Church-yard above fifty thousand It began in the year 1348 and continued till the year 1357 and was seconded with murrain of Cattle and dearth of all things Now flourished in the University of Oxford that Famous Doctor John Wickliffe whose followers in those Popish-times were called Lolards from Lolium signifying tares or hurtful weeds amongst Corn. The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Hammond Chickwel was Mayor Henry Darcy John Hawton Sheriffs In his second Year John Grantham was Mayor Simon Francis Henry Cobmartin Sheriffs In his third Year Richard Swanland was Mayor Richard Lazer William Gisors Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir John Pountney was Mayor Robert of Ely Thomas Worwode Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir John Pountney continued Mayor John Mocking Andrew Aubery Sheriffs In his sixth Year John Preston was Mayor Nicholas Pike John Husband Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir John Pountney was Mayor John Hammond William Hanford Sheriffs In his eighth Year Reginald at the Conduit was Mayor John Kingstone Walter Turk Sheriffs In his ninth Year Reginald at the Conduit continued Mayor Walter Mordon Richard Vpton Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir John Pountney was Mayor John Clark W. Curtes Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Henry Darcy was Mayor Walter Neale Nicholas Crane Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year Henry Darcy continued Mayor William de Pomfret Hugh Marbler Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year Andrew Aubery was Mayor William Thorney Roger Frosham Sheriffs In his Fourteenth Year Andrew Aubery continued Mayor Adam Lucas Bartholomew Morris Sheriffs In his Fifteenth Year John of Oxenford was Mayor Richard de Barking John de Rokesley Sheriffs In his Sixteenth Year Simon Francis was Mayor John Loufkin Richard Killingbury Sheriffs In his Seventeenth Year John Hammond was Mayor John Steward John Aylesham Sheriffs In his Eighteenth Year John Hammond continued Mayor Geoffry Witchingham Thomas â—eg Sheriffs In his Ninteenth Year Richard Lazer was Mayor Edmund Hemenhall John of Glocester Sheriffs In his Twentieth Year Geoffry Witchingham was Mayor John Croydon William Clopton Sheriffs In his twenty first Year Thomas Leggy was Mayor Adam Brampson Richard Fas or Bas Sheriffs In his twenty second Year John Loufkin was Mayor Henry Bicard Simon Doleby Sheriffs In his twenty third Year Walter Turk was Mayor Adam of Bury Ralph of Lynne Sheriffs In his twenty fourth Year Richard Killingbury was Mayor John Notte VVilliam of Worcester Sheriffs In his Twenty fifth Year Andrew Aubery was Mayor John Wroth Gilbert of Stenineshorpe Sheriffs In his twenty sixth Year Adam Francis was Mayor John Peace John Stotley Sheriffs In his twenty seventh Year Adam Francis continued Mayor William Wold John Little Sheriffs In his twenty eight Year Thomas Leggy was Mayor William Nottingham Roger Smelt Sheriffs In his twenty ninth Year Simon Francis was Mayor Thomas Foster Thomas Brandon Sheriffs In his thirtieth Year Henry Picard was Mayor Richard Nottingham Thomas Dolsel Sheriffs In his thirty first Year Sir John Stody was Mayor Stephen Candish Bartholomew Frostling
Sheriffs In his thirty second Year John Loufkin was Mayor John Barnes John Buris Sheriffs In his thirty third Year Simon Doulseby was Mayor Simon of Benington John of Chichester Sheriffs In his thirty fourth Year John Wroth was Mayor John Dennis Walter Berney Sheriffs In his thirty fifth Year John Peche was Mayor William Holbech James Tame Sheriffs In his thirty sixth Year Stephen Candish was Mayor John of St. Albans James Andrew Sheriffs In his thirty seventh Year John Not was Mayor Richard of Croydon John Hiltoft Sheriffs In his thirty eighth Year Adam of Bury was Mayor John de Metford Simon de Mordan Sheriffs In his thirty ninth Year John Loufkin was Mayor John Bukilsworth John Ireland Sheriffs In his fortieth Year John Loufkin continued Mayor John Ward Thomas of Lee Sheriffs In his forty first Year James Andrew was Mayor John Tarngold VVilliam Dickman Sheriffs In his forty second Year Simon Mordan was Mayor Robert Girdeler Adam Wimondham Sheriffs In his forty third Year John Chichester was Mayor John Piel Hugh Holdich Sheriffs In his forty fourth Year John Barnes was Mayor William Walworth Robert Gayton Sheriffs In his forty fifth Year John Barnes continued Mayor Adam Staple Robert Hatfield Sheriffs In his forty sixth Year John Piel was Mayor John Philpot Nicholas Brembar Sheriffs In his forty seventh Year Adam of Bury was Mayor John Abery John Fished Sheriffs In his forty eighth Year VVilliam VValworth was Mayor Richard Lions William Woodhouse Sheriffs In his forty ninth Year John Ward was Mayor John Hadley William Newport Sheriffs In his fiftieth Year Adam Staple was Mayor John Northampton Robert Laund Sheriffs RICHARD II. RICHARD the Son of Edward the Black Prince was crowned King in the eleventh year of his age but ere the Crown was setled on his head the French braved it on the English coasts and the Scots set fire on the Tower of Roxbrough and through want of care in such who had the charge of State-matters in the young Kings behalf things were declined to a shameful change and the glorious atchievements of the two late Edwards fell under an eclipse The North parts of England were grievously afflicted with the stroke of Pestilence and their misery augmented by the inroads and outrages of the Scots who had now by surprize gained Berwick which upon the ninth day after the Earl of Northumberland regained by force A. D. 1379 a Parliament was held at London wherein for supply of the Kings wants it was agreed That the Commons or poorer sort should be spared and the burden be wholly laid upon the abler sort And in the next year following a Parliament was held at Northampton wherein every one of each sex above such an age was charged to pay 12 d. per poll which with the hatred born to John Duke of Lancaster was the cause of a great insurrection of the Commons and Bond-men chiefly of Kent Essex Surrey Suffolk Norfolk and Cambridg-shire The principal heads of the said giddy multitude were VVat Tyler and Jack Straw The Rebels of Kent embattel'd themselves upon Black-Heath by Greenwich from whence they marched to London where the common sort generally siding with them they became Masters of Misâ—ule The Priory of St. Johns without Smithfield they kept burning for about seven days Savoy-Palace belonging to the Duke with all the riches therein they consumed by fire in a kind of holy outrage for they threw one of their fellows into the flames because he had thrust a piece of stolen Plate into his bosome They burnt all the Archbishops Goods at Lambeth and defaced all the Writings Rolls Records and Monuments of the Chancery as having a special hatred to the Lawyers Simon Tibald Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England a worthy Prelate Sir Robert Hales Lord Prior of St. Johns and Treasurer of England they haled out of the Tower where the King was in person and beheaded them on Tower-hill with great shoutings and rejoycings The number of these rebellious Reformers under the leading of Jack Straw and the Idol of Clowns VVat Tyler were about an Hundred thousand and at a Sermon made to them by John Ball there was near twice as many Their proud Petitions the King granted them necessity compelling him thereto after which a great multitude of them repaired to their several homes The remaining Rout the King by his Proclamation invited to meet him in Smithfield where he would satisfie their desires in all respects to the full William Courtney A. B. Cant But when they were met in the place appointed Wat Tyler there in the presence of the King offering to kill Sir John Newton for not giving him some undue respect William Walworth Lord Mayor thereupon set upon the arch-Traytor with a drawn Weapon and slew him Which when the Rebels perceived they prepared to take extream revenge but the King instantly spurring forth his Horse bade them follow him and he would be their Captain And whilst they thronged after him into the fields brave VValworth the while hasted into the City raised a thousand Citizens in armour and brought them with VVat Tylers head born before him upon a spear to the King Which the rude multitude seeing some of them fled and others on their knees begged mercy of the King Worthy Walworth the King knighted and bestowed on him an hundred pound lands by the year in fee-simple and as some write the Dagger was now added to the City-arms in remembrance of the great good service done by the Lord Mayor Jack Straw at the time of his execution confessed that these Rebels had designed to murder the King and chief of the Realm and to have set up petty kings of their own chusing in every shire The number of rebels executed in all places was about Fifteen hundred These were called the Hurling-times And now the Nation being setled in quiet King Richard married the Lady Ann Daughter unto the Emperor Charles the Fourth John Duke of Lancaster was sent into France where he concluded a Truce with that Nation for six months But these sun-shine days lasted not long For besides the annoyances done to England by the Scots at several times and the French threatning an Invasion the worst mischief befel at home through the means of discontented and ambitious spirits who kindled a Civil War The Laity took offence against the Clergy because the Archbishop had in Parliament refused to yeild to an unjust proportion of the Tax granted the King to be laid upon the Clergy And so far were the Commons and some Lay-Peers offended therewith that they petitioned the King to take away the Temporalties from Ecclesiastical persons which he denied saying That he would maintain the English Church in the quality of the same state or better in which himself had known it to be when he came to the Crown The displacing of Sir Richard Scrope Chancellor was displeasing to most men The reason of his displacing was because he refused to pass such large gifts
VVarwick fled into France thinking to take sanctuary at Callis but there the Lord Vawclear whom VVarwick had substituted his Deputy denied them admittance bidding them defiance with his great Guns for which good service King Edward mad Vawâ—leaâ— himself Governour of Callis But though these Lords were rejected here yet were they with great respect received at the â—rench Court K. Lewis furnishing them with aids which effected they set sail and landed at Dartmouth from whence Warwick marched towards London proclaiming Henry King and commanding all from sixteen to sixty upon a great penalty to take arms against the Usurper Edward Duke of York And incredible it was to see the confluence of them which came armed to him who a little before applauded and approved none but King Edward The Bastard Fawconbridg in the West and the Earl of Pembroke in Wales every-where proclaimed King Henry also And the Lord Montacute who having mustered 6000 men in the name of King Edward and brought them forward almost to Nottingham drew them back again alledging King Edward's ungratefulness to his friends Every one cryed now A King Henry a King Henry a Warwick a Warwick and indeed all so applauded the passage now on foot that King Edward was forced to flye beyond the seas His Queen Elizabeth stole out of the Tower and took sanctuary in Westminster where on the 4th of November she was delivered of a son which without all pomp was there also baptized by the name of Edward Other Sanctuaries were also full of Edwards Friends And now the Kentish men took the opportunity to rob spoil and do much harm about London and some in London it self and more would have done had not the Earl of Warwick come in to the rescue which encreased his name that was great enough before On October 6 the said Earl entred the Tower wherein King Henry had been detained prisoner almost the space of 9 years whom he released and restored to him the title of King and forthwith conveyed him through London to the Bishops palace where a pompous Court was kept till the 13 of the same month on which day Henry went Crowned to St. Pauls the Earl of Warwick bearing his Train and Earl of Oxford the Sword the people crying God save King Henry November 26 following a certain Parliament was begun at Westminster wherein K. Edward was declared a Traytor to his Country an Usurper of the Crown and had all his goods confiscate the like judgment passed against his adherents John Tiptoft Earl of Worcester was beheaded All the Statutes made by K. Edward were revoked The Crowns of England and France entailed to K. Henry and his Heirs Male and for want of such unto George Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick was made Governour of the Land in those turbulent times But K. Edward having received some aids from the Duke of Burgundy and the promises of more in England landed at Ravenspur in Yorkshire At his first arrival he seemed to lay aside his claim to the Crown pretending only to his rights as a private person howbeit when he had possest himself of York and got his friends about him he then marched in an hostile manner till he came near to the City of Warwick where his Brother Clarence brought in to his assistance 4000 men And Clarence reconciled to K. Edward sought to draw in Warwick to which end he sent messengers to him to the Town of Warwick where he then lay but Warwick bade the Messengers go tell the Duke from him That he had rather be an Earl and always like himself than a perjured Duke and that ere his Oath should be falsified as the Dukes apparently was he would lay down his life at his enemies foot which he doubted not should be bought very dear This stout resolution made Edward more wary therefore he hastens forward to obtain London whither when he was come the Citizens set open their Gates to him And now peaceable Henry becomes Prisoner again to K. Edward who hearing of Warwicks advance towards London draws forth his forces to meet him taking Henry along with him and upon Gladmore neer Barnet on Easterday in the morning the Kings and Earls hosts joyned Battel the best of the day for a while being Warwicks but at length through the fogginess and darkness of the Air the Stars embroidered on the Earl of Oxfords mens Coats who were in the left wing of the Battel were mistaken for the Sun which K. Edwards men wore in which error VVarwicks Battalion le ts fly at their own fellows that were in great forwardness of gaining the victory and they not knowing the cause of the errour judged themselves betrayed whereupon the Earl of Oxford with 800 men quit the Field Which great VVarwick perceiving he couragiously animated his men and furiously rushed into the midst of his enemies battel so far that he could not be rescued where valiantly fighting he was slain Marquis Montacute making forward to relieve him was also slain whereby ended that bloody days task On King Edward's part died the Lord Cromwel Lord Bourchier Lord Barnes and Sir John Lisle On the other part the Earl of Warwick and his brother John Nevil Marquis Montacute On both sides ten thousand most of which were buried upon the same plain where afterwards a Chappel was built In this same year 1471 and within few weeks after this was a battel fought at Tewksbury betwixt King Edward and the Martial Queen Margaret the defeat hapning to the Queen On whose side were slain John Lord Sommerset John Courtney Earl of Devonshire Sir John Delves Sir Edward Hampden Sir Robert Whittingham and Sir John Lewkner with three hundred others Amongst them that fled Prince Edward King Henries son was one him Sir Richard Crofts apprehended and presented him to the King whom the King a while beheld with austere countenance at last demanded of him How he durst with Banner display'd so presumptuously disturb his Realm To which the Prince answered That what he did was to recover his Fathers Kingdomes and his most rightful inheritance How darest thou then added the Prince which art his subject display thy Colours against him thy Liege-Lord Which answer so moved King Edward that he dashed the Prince on the mouth with his Gantlet and Richard Duke of Glocester with some of the Kings servants most shamefully murdred him at the Kings feet His body was buried in the Monastery of the black Friars at Tewksbury Edmond Duke of Sommerset the Pryor of St. Johns with many Knights and Esquires were taken forth of Sanctuary and executed at Tewksbury Queen Margaret in this fatal day of battel took into a religious house from whence she was taken and committed to sure and strait keeping in which condition she remained till such time that she was ransomed by her Father Duke Renate May 20 King Edward entred London and in few days after the Crookback'd Duke of Glocester stabbed harmless King Henry to the heart Whose
murdred body was on the Ascension-Eve laid in an open Coffin and conveyed to St. Pauls in London where it rested uncovered one day and began to bleed afresh thence it was carried to the black Friars Church where it did bleed as before then was buried at Chertsey in Surrey but King Henry the seventh translated it to his Chappel of Windsor A. D. 1474 Was an Interview at Piquigny in France of the two Kings of England and France where falling into complemental conference Lewis told King Edward that he would one day invite him to Paris there to court his fair French Ladies with whom if he committed any sin Lewis merrily told him that Cardinal Bourbon should be his Confessor and to be sure his penance should be the easier for that Bourbon used to kiss fair Ladies himself This was no sooner spoken howsoever meant but Edward was as forward of thanks and acceptance which King Lewis observing rounded Philip Coâ—â—nes his bosome-servant in the ear telling him flatly That he liked not Edwards forwardness to Paris there had been too many English Princes at that City already After King Edwards return into England as he was hunting in Arrow-Park belonging to Thomas Burdet Esquire with the death of much game he slew a white Buck which the Esquire much fancied whereupon he wished the Horns in that persons belly that moved the King to kill that Buck. For which words he was accused and condemned of Treason his words being wrested that he wish'd the Horns in the Kings belly and was beheaded at Tyburne A. D. 1478. George Duke of Clarence by the procurement of his brother Richard Duke of Glocester was accused of Treason and committed to the Tower His accusation was That he had caused divers of his servants to inform the people that Mr. Burdet was wrongfully put to death That upon purpose to exalt himself and Heirs to the regal dignity he had most falsely published that the King his brother was a bastard and therefore not capable to wear the Crown for which and the like crimes charged upon him he was in Parliament Attainted of Treason and found guilty and on the eleventh of March 1478 after he had offered his Mass-peny in the Tower was drowned in a But of Malmsey whose body was buried at Tukesbury But the King was afterwards much grieved that he had consented to his death and would say when any made suit for the life of a condemned person O unfortunate brother for whose life no man would make suit A. D. 1483 King Edward fell into a dangerous and deadly sickness when calling for his Lords into his sick presence and raising his faint body on the pillowes he exhorted and required them all For the love that they had ever born unto him for the love that he had ever born unto them for the love that our Lord beareth unto us all that from that time forward all griefs forgotten each of them would love other Which saith he I verily trust you will If you any thing regard either God or your King affinity or kindred your own Country or your own safety Shortly after which words he departed this life April the ninth and was buried at VVindsor in the New Chappel whose foundation himself had laid 'T is said of him that he was just and merciful in peace sharp and fierce in War and that never any King was more familiar with his Subjects than he In the beginning of his raign he used to sit in person certain days together in his Court of Kings-Bench to see justice and equity done His Issue were Edward Richard George who died an infant Elizabeth Cicely Anne Briget Mary Margret and Catharine His Concubines were Elizabeth Lucy and three others which were of three several humours as himself would say One the merryest which was Shores Wife another the wiliest and the third the holiest for she had wholly devoted her self to his Bed and her Beads His base Issue were Arthur sirnamed Plantaginet and Elizabeth He ordained penal Statutes against excessive pride in apparel especially against long-piked shoes then worn which had grown to such an extream that the Pikes in the toes were turned upwards and with Silver-chains or Silk-laces tied to the knee He gave some Cotswold-sheep to Henry of Castile and John of Arragon 1465 which hath been accounted one of the greatest prejudices that ever hapned to England One VValker a substantial Citizen of London was beheaded in Smithfield for only saying to his Child That he would make him Heir of the Crown meaning his house which had that sign In the fallen estate of King Henry many of the Nobles that had took part with Henry were put to fly for their lives into Forraign Countries and amongst the rest Henry Holland Duke of Excester and Earl of Huntingdon son to the Lady Elizabeth second daughter of John of Gaunt and Husband to the sister of King Edward the fourth was constrained to live in exile in miserable want and penury For saith Philip Comines I once saw the Duke of Excester run on foot bare-leg'd after the Duke of Burgundies Coach and Train begging an Alms for Gods-sake But being known what he was Burgundy gave him a small pension for his maintenance The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings time In his first Year Sit Hugh Witch was Mayor George Ireland John Lock Sheriffs In his second Year Sir Thomas Cook was Mayor VVilliam Hampton Bartholomew James Sheriffs In his third Year Sir Matthew Philip was Mayor Robert Basset Thomas Muschampt Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir Ralph Joceline was Mayor John Tate John Stones Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir Ralph Varney was Mayor Henry Weaver VVilliam Constantine Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir John Young was Mayor John Brown Henry Brice John Darby Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir Thomas Oldgrave was Mayor Thomas Stalbrook Humphrey Heyford Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir VVilliam Taylor was Mayor Simon Smith William Herriot Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir Richard a Lee was Mayor Richard Gardner Robert Drope Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir John Stackton was Mayor John Crosby John VVard Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Sir William Edwards was Mayor John Allen John Shelley Sheriffs In his twelfth Year Sir William Hampton was Mayor John Brown Thomas Bledlow Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year Sir John Tate was Mayor Sir VVilliam Stocker Robert Belisdon Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year Sir Robert Drope was Mayor Edmond Shaa Thomas Hill Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year Sir Robert Basset vvas Mayor Hugh Brice Robert Colwich Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year Sir Ralph Joceline was Mayor Richard Rawson William Horn Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year Sir Humfrey Heyford vvas Mayor Henry Collet John Stocker Sheriffs In his eighteenth Year Sir Richard Gardner vvas Mayor Robert Harding Robert Bifield Sheriffs In his nineteenth Year Sir Bartholomew James was Mayor Thomas Ilam John Ward Sheriffs In his twentieth Year Sir John Brown was Mayor Thomas Daniel William Bacon Sheriffs In his
danger he was in changed his note confessing himself to be but the man Sir Anthony said Well thou canst never do thy Master better service than to hang for him causing him to be trussed up on the next tree Other commotions arose in other parts of the Realm but the most dangerous was that in Norfolk headed by Robert Ket a Tanner of Wimonham who took upon him to be the Kings Deputy giving out Warrants in the Kings name for what he pleased His Tribunal-seat was in an old Tree where sate the jolly Tanner accompanied with his Counsellors and Assistants being two chosen men out of every hundred of the rout Hither came the complaints of the Camp and from hence Commissions were issued out to plunder Ships and Gentlemens houses of Armour and Artillery so that this Tree was termed the Oak of Reformation Whence likewise sometimes Sermons were delivered and once by the Reverend Dr. Parker for which his life was endangered his Sermon was so displeasing to the Rabble To pacifie these rebells the King caused his general pardon to be proclaimed by an Herald at Arms. Notwithstanding which they still proceeded in their rebellion and made themselves Masters of the City of Norwich The King therefor sent William Parre Marquess of Northampton against them but him they over-powered Then the Lord Dudley Earl of Warwick was imployed against them who with small resistance gained the Market-place of Norwich where he caused sixty rebells whom he had taken immediately to be executed by Martial Law The main body of the rebells entrenched themselves at the foot of the Hill called Dussin-dale partly upon vain Prophesies given forth amongst them by Wisards That Hob Dic and Hie meaning the Clowns should with their clubs fill up the valley of Dussin-dale with dead bodies On August 27 the Earl prepared for fight the rebells likewise set themselves in order placing in their fore-rank all the Gentlemen whom they had taken prisoners coupled in Irons Upon the rebells Captain Drury with his own Band and the Almains charged couragiously and opened their Battel to the setting at liberty of the captive Gentlemen and the Earls light Horsemen came so valiantly on that the rebells gave back and fled and with the foremost their Captain Ket The chase held three miles and more with the slaughter of 3500 rebells The rest of the rebells that kept about the Ordnance by the Generals perswasions and promise of pardon cast away their Weapons and with one voice cried God save King Edward The next day following Ket was apprehended in a Barn where he had hid himself and shortly after was hanged in Chains upon the Castle of Norwich William Ket his brother was hang'd upon the high Steeple of Wimonham and nine other of them were hang'd upon the Oak of Reformation This Rebellion was at the first broacht under the pretence of throwing open the Inclosures which the King by Proclamation had commanded to be done though it was neglected These disturbances being setled others were made in the North by Thomas Dale a Parish Clark William Ombler a Yeoman and one Stevenson the Post of Seymour Their pretences were to restore the Church her rights and to disburthen the Land of Grievances giving out that the Pope was the man that K. Edward was an intruder if not a meer Heretick that the Church had power of both the Swords When these fellows were increased to the number of about 3000 the Kings pardon being sent to them they most of them departed to their own homes but Ombler and Dale with four others were executed at York Septemb. 21 1549. And as the Commons disquieted the Country so did some Lords and Ladies disquiet the Court. The Protector 's brother Thomas Seymour Baron of Sudley High Admiral of England had married Queen Katharine Parre which Lady contending for place with the Protector 's Dutchess occasioned the haughty Dutchess 't is said to procure the Lord Sudley's ruin Which Lord was accused to have designed the getting of the Kings person into his custody and Government of the Realm for the which with some smaller matters charged upon him he was condemned by Act of Parliament and by his brother the Protector 's Warrant was beheaded on Tower-hill March 20. But the Brothers being now disjoined who might have supported each other had they lived together in brotherly love the Protector himself is marked out for destruction Divers Lords article against the Duke accusing him That he had animated the rebells in their rebellion That he was a sower of sedition amongst the Nobles That he had against Law erected a Court of Requests in his own house inforcing divers of the Kings Subjects thither to answer for their free-holds c. And so close and cunningly they prosecuted the matter against him that they got him into the Tower Octob. 12 1549 but the King procured his liberty immediately though not his former Authority In the mean space that the Protector was under these troubles the Scots recovered the places that the English had gained from them The French also attempted to gain the Fort of Bulloinberg by surprize unto which enterprize 7000 men were chosen who secretly marched in the night with Ladders and furniture meet for the design and approached within a quarter of a Mile of the Fort but one Carter an English man a soldier amongst them understanding what was intended hastily and privately made from his Company and gave the Alarm to his Countrymen in the Fort whereupon Sir Nicholas Arnalt the Governour made such preparations against the French mens coming that at their approach he repulsed them with so great a slaughter that fifteen Wagons went away laden with dead bodies of the French After this the French assaulted the Isles of Garnsey and Jersey but were beaten off with the lost of a thousand men Howbeit the French King gave not over till he had recovered by surrender Bulloinberg and the Town of Bulloin which last he purchased at a high price A. D. 1550 that mortal disease called the sweating-sickness raged extreamly through England whereof died the two Sons of Charles Brandon both of them Dukes of Suffolk successively besides an infinite number in their best strength And which is wonderful this disease followed only English men in foreign Countries no other people being infected thereby And to fill up the dolours of these doleful times the good Duke of Sommerset was again by the over-reachings of the Earl of Warwick lately created Duke of Northumberland and other his emulators committed prisoner and not long after put to death For the Duke of Sommerset giving ear to such false friends as sought his ruin privily armed himself and so went to the Council-Table his flatterers having put him in fear of some sudden attempt intended against him But at the Council-Table his bosom being opened and the Armour found he was forthwith apprehended as intending the death of some Counsellor and sent to the Tower Octob. 16 1551 and in December
into England bringing thence many sick Soldiers which dangerously infected the Nation with a long continuing Plague About the year 1564 the Irish sought to shroud themselves from their obedience unto Queen Elizabeth under the shelter of Shan O-Neal a man cruel by nature and claiming an Hereditary right to the Province of Vlster as the O-Neals formerly had done to all Ireland Against this rebel so great preparations were made that he terrified therewith came over into England and on his knees begged the Queens pardon which she granted him Howbeit not long after he rebelled but at length was slain by some of his own Countrymen A. D. 1567 so great civil dissensions were in Scotland that outrages were not only committed upon the best Subjects but even upon the King and Queen themselves him they barbarously murdred and forced her to leave Scotland Which unhappy Queen having embarqued her self for France Edward Grindal A. B. Cant. hoping there to find many friends was by cross winds drove upon the English Coasts from whence she might not return but was detained Prisoner in England A. D. 1568 by the working Instruments of the old Doctor at Rome there were discontents bred and nourished in some great persons of England as the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland Leonard Dacres Nevill c. who had in readiness certain English Priests Morton and others with Bulls and Instruments of Absolution Reconciliation and Oaths to be taken to the Pope These Romish rebels raised forces and with Banner displayed entred Burrowbridge old Morton being their Ensign-bearer in whose Colours was painted the Cross and five wounds of Christ But at the approach of her Majesties Forces the Captains of the rebells fled into Scotland and their followers were taken without any resistance Of these Traytors were put to death at Durham by Martial Law an Alderman a Priest sixty-six Constables besides others of them in other places about A. D. 1570 Leonard Dacres of Harlsey renewed the rebellion and had amongst his followers many Women-soldiers but upon a Moor nigh unto Naworth the Lord Hunsdon dispersed them in fight August 22d of this year was the Earl of Northumberland beheaded at York where in his last speech he avowed the Popes Supremacy denied that subjection was due to the Queen affirmed the Realm to be in a Schism and that obedient subjects were no better than Hereticks For you must know that Pope Pius the fifth had by his Bull dated 1569 deprived the Queen of her Kingdoms absolved her subjects of all subjection to her and pronounced all that yielded her obedience accursed Which Bull was privately hung upon the Bishop of London's Palace-gate at the West-end of St. Pauls And such influence it had upon the spirits of many persons disaffected to the Reformed Religion that they sought by divers means to work the Queens destruction Many were the projects and devices to ruin the Church and Queen but by the good providence of Almighty God the projectors were defeated in their purposes and suffered deserved punishment In Norfolk John Throgmorton Brook Redman and others sought to raise a commotion for the which they suffered death Dr. Story executed for his treason 1571. John Sommervil instigated by one Hall a Seminary Priest to murther the Queen was executed John Payn imployed to murther her as she took her recreation abroad was executed so was Edmond Champion a Seminary Priest also executed Francis Throgmorton for endeavouring to procure an Invasion was executed William Parry who purposed to have murdred the Queen was executed Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland being privy to the Plots of Throgmorton for the bringing in of foreign powers was committed to the Tower where to save the Hangman a labour he shot himself to the heart Thomas Howard being too busie in some Popish designs was also put to death John Whitgift A B. Cant. Other Popish Traytors were likewise deservedly executed whose names facts and places and times of execution for brevities sake are omitted A. D. 1572 Novemb. 18 appeared a strange Star or Comet Northward in the Constellation of Cassiopeia not much less than the Planet Venus never changing place fixed far above the Moons Orb the like to which never did appear since the beginning of the world that we read of saving that at the Birth of Christ A. D. 1573 was built at London the Royal-Exchange so named by her Majesty whose founder was Sir Thomas Gresham A. D. 1576 Sir Martin Frobusher sailed into the Northeast Seas far further than any man before him had done giving to those parts the name of Queen Elizabeths Foreland A. D. 1577 and Novemb. 15 Capt. Drake set sail from Plimouth and in three years wanting twelve days he encompassed the Earth landing again in England on Novemb. 3 1580. In America in the Country which he named Nova Albion the King thereof presented unto him his Network Crown of many coloured feathers and therewith resigned his Scepter of Government unto his dispose The people there so admired the English men that they sacrificed to them as to their gods At his departure from thence he reared a Monument to witness her Majesties right to that Province as being freely given to her Deputy both by King and people The little Ship called the Pelican wherein this admirable Voyage was performed was at her Majesties command laid up in the Dock by Deepford as a Monument of Englands fame and Captain Drake was honoured with Knighthood A. D. 1581 was the motion renewed for a Marriage betwixt Francis Valois Duke of Anjou and Queen Elizabeth and so effectually was the suit moved and acceptably heard of her Highness that the Monsieur came over in person though to the little liking of many of the English Nobles and to the great discontent of the Commons as was made known by a Book written against it which cost William Stubs the Inditer thereof the loss of his right hand About A. D. 1583 the Pope and King of Spain sent supplies to the Irish rebells under the command of Thomas Stukely an English fugitive whom the Pope had stiled Marquess of Ireland These landing in Ireland raised their consecrated Banner built their Fort Del Ore but the Lord Grey of Wilton Lord Deputy quickly put most of them to the sword A. D. 1585 after several suits made unto the Queen by the distressed States of the Netherlands and their Grievances recommended to her by the King of France with promise of his own assistance her Majesty was graciously pleased to undertake their protection sending to their assistance Sir John Norrice with 5000 Foot and a thousand Horse all retained at her Highness pay during those Wars against Spain which monthly amounted to 12526 l. Sterling For which moneys so disbursed the Towns of Flushing and Brill with two Sconces and the Castle of Ramekins in Holland were delivered to the Queens use in pledg until the money was repaid The considerations moving her Majesty to assist â—he United Provinces were The
defence of the Reformed Religion because of the bloody Inquisition that without respect had persecuted her subjects Because the King of Spain had sent forces into Ireland and lastly to prevent her enemy the Spaniard from being so nigh a neighbour to her A. D. 1587 and Febr. 7 was Mary Queen of Scotland King James's Mother beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle to the great discontent 't is said of Queen Elizabeth who committed Secretary Davison to the Tower thereupon and never admitted him more to his place because of his forwardness in promoting the death of that Roman-Catholick Queen But what is above us is nothing to us The matters for which she was condemned in the Star-chamber Court at Westminster were her pretending title to the Crown of England her being privy to certain Treasons of Anthony Babington and others tending to the hurt and death of the Royal person of Queen Elizabeth This she absolutely denied affirming that she never attempted any thing against the Queens person though for her own delivery out of prison she confessed she did make some attempts Babington with thirteen other Traytors were executed A. D. 1588 Henry third King of France who ever honoured Queen Elizabeth and not the least because of her Religion sent speedy and secret notice unto her of the Spaniards intentions to invade her Realm of England Against whose coming the Queen caused her Trained-bands to be in readiness Tilbury in Essex was the place for her Camp whereunto were appointed to march 15000 Horse and 22000 Foot And for her special Guard out of the several Counties of the West East and South parts of England were selected 2352 Horsemen and 34050 Footmen The Queen her self was Generalissimo and Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester Lieutenant-General A. D. 1588 and May 19 the Armado or invincible Navy of the Spaniards as they termed it loosed Anchor from Lisbon and on July 20 it passed by Plimouth towards Callis hoping about those coasts to have met with the Prince of Parma but in their way the English Fleet changed some bullets with them July 21 the two Fleets fought within Musket-shot when the English Admiral Lord Charles Howard fell most hotly on the Spaniards Vice-Admiral In this fight they well perceived how that their great unweildy Ships were unfit for service in those narrow Seas the English smaller Ships being too nimble for them as well in respect of saving themselves as in annoying the Spanish July 22 Sir Francis Drake Vice-Admiral took one of their great Gallions wherein was Don Pedro de Valdez with divers other Noblemen The Soldiers had the spoil of this Ship in which was 55000 Duckets of Gold July 23 the Spaniards came right against Portland when the sorest fight was performed and the English gained a great Venetian Ship with other lesser ones July 24 the fight was only betwixt the four great Galleasses and some of the English Ships July 25 the Spaniards came aaginst the Isle of Wight where was a terrible Encounter till at length the English so battered the Spanish tall Ships that they were forced to secure themselves in an Half-moon posture July 28 as the Spanish Fleet lay at Anchor within sight of Callis the English sent in amongst them eight Fire-ships filled with Gun-powder pitch brimstone and other combustible matter their Ordnance charged with bullets stones chains and the like These being drove with wind and tide unto the Spanish Fleet and then taking fire such a sudden roaring clap was given that the Spaniards affrighted in the dead of the night were struck into an horrible fear lest all their Ships should be fierd by these wherefore in great haste they cut their cables hoised their sails and drove at random into the Seas July 29. ranging themselves in order they approached overagainst Greveling where the English again getting the wind of them discharged upon them from morning till night to the confusion of divers of the Spanish Ships The Hollanders with thirty-five of their Ships watched the coasts about Dunkirk to prevent the Duke of Parma from having any intercourse there July 30 the Spanish Dons having gotten more Sea-room for their huge-bodied bulks spread their sails and made away as fast as wind and water would permit them fearing the small fleet and forces of the English whereas had they known but the want of Powder that was on the English side they would sure have stood longer to their tacklings The English Admiral followed now the Vincible Armado towards Norway and the Spaniards for the saving of their fresh-water cast all their Mules and Horses over board The Duke of Medina their Admiral when he at last arrived in Spain was deprived of all his Authority and other ways disgraced Many of the Spanish Ships in their flight perished through tempest upon the Irish Seas others were driven into the Chanel of England where part of them were taken by the English others by the Rochellers and some arrived at Newhaven Of 134 Ships which had set sail from Lisbon only 53 returned into Spain Of the four Galleasses of Naples but one and of the ninety-one Gallions and great Hulks from divers Provinces only thirty-three returned Of the four Gallies of Portugal but one In brief there was missing of their whole Fleet eighty one Vessels and of the 30000 Soldiers 13500 and odd Of Prisoners taken in England Ireland and Low-countries were 2000 and upwards So that it appears there was small virtue in the Popes Crusado wherein he published a safe Pass-port for his Spaniards to enter England The English Fleet was betwixt fourscore and a hundred sail Captains therein were the Lords Howard and Sheffield Sir Francis Drake Sir John Hawkins Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir Martin Frobisher c. For this Deliverance the 19 of November was appointed a day of Thanksgiving Blessed be the Lord who gave us not a prey into their teeth c. Psal 124. Octogesimus octavus mirabilis annus Clade Papistarum faustus ubique piis Dr. Fulk The Thunder-clap of this Armado being thus over and the Invincible become Vincible the Queen determined to assist Don Antonio the expulsed King of Portugal for the regaining of his Kingdom to which end a Fleet was sent out under the conduct of Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Norris for the land-service was General These landing in a Bay of Galicia near to the Groin took the Base-town by surprize which they found well-victualled and stored with Wine to the damage of the English who taking too immoderately of it so inflamed and infected their blood that it caused great sickness and mortality in the whole Army After some conflicts with the High-town they fired the Base-town or suburbs and put again to Sea and when some struglings with the Winds were over they recovered the Burlings In which passage Robert Earl of Essex with his Brother Mr. Walter Deureux accompanied with other gallant men came Voluntiers to the Fleet which landing in Portugal won the Town and Castle of Peniche
Mayor Stephen Slaney Henry Billingsley Sheriffs In her seven and twentieth Year Sir Wolstone Dixie vvas Mayor Anthony Ratcliffe Henry Pranel Sheriffs In her eight and twentieth Year Sir George Barne was Mayor George House William Elkin Sheriffs In her nine and twentieth Year Sir George Bond was Mayor Thomas Skinner John Catcher Sheriffs In her thirtieth Year Sir Martin Calthorp served one part Sir Richard Martin the other Hugh Offley Richard Saltonstall Sheriffs In her one and thirtieth Year Sir John Hart was Mayor Richard Gurney Stephen Some Sheriffs In her two and thirtieth Year Sir John Allot served one part Sir Rowland Heyward the other Nicholas Mosley Robert Brook Sheriffs In her three and thirtieth Year Sir William Webbe was Mayor VVilliam Rider Benet or Benedict Barnham Sheriffs In her four and thirtieth Year Sir William Roe was Mayor John Garret or Gerrard Robert Taylor Sheriffs In her five and thirtieth Year Sir Cuthbert Buckle served one part Sir Richard Martin the other Paul Banning Peter Haughton Sheriffs In her six and thirtieth Year Sir John Spencer was Mayor Robert Lee Thomas Bennet Sheriffs In her seven and thirteth Year Sir Stephen Slaney was Mayor Thomas Lowe Leonard Halliday Sheriffs In her eight and thirtieth Year Sir Thomas Skinner served one part Sir Henry Billingsley the other John Wats Richard Godard Sheriffs In her nine and thirtieth Year Sir Richard Saltonstall was Mayor Henry Roe John More Sheriffs In her fortieth Year Sir Stephen Some was Mayor Edward Holmedon Robert Hampson Sheriffs In her one and fortieth Year Sir Nicholas Mosley was Mayor Humphrey Walde Roger Clerk Sheriffs In her two and fortieth Year Sir William Rider was Mayor Thomas Smith Thomas Cambel VVilliam Craven Sheriffs In her three and fortieth Year Sir John Garret or Gerrard was Mayor Henry Anderson William Glover Sheriffs In her four and fortieth Year Sir Robert Lee was Mayor James Pemberton John Swinerton Sheriffs JAMES A. D. 1602 KING James his Title to the Crown of England sprung from Henry the seventh whose Issue 〈◊〉 the Male failing in the late deceased Queen Elizabeth the off-spring of Margaret his eldest daughter was the next Heir which Lady Margaret being married unto James the fourth King of Scotland by him had Issue James the fifth whose only daughter and Child Queen Mary was the Mother of King James the sixth of that name that had swayed the Scepter in Scotland Which learned Prince when he heard of the death of Queen Elizabeth set forward out of Scotland and was with great joy received of all his English Subjects in his way to London and at his approach unto that honourable City the Lord Mayor and Aldermen with five hundred choice Citizens all in Chains of Gold and well-mounted met his Majesty and with all solemn observance attended him unto the Charter-house Then preparations were made for his Coronation but before the day appointed thereunto a Proclamation came forth that no Citizen should presume to approch the Court the City having buried in one week above one thousand of the plague And yet a greater plague than this was intended against England about the Kings coming in had not God in his mercy prevented it For Pope Clement the eighth having sent unto Henry Garnet Superior of the Jesuites in England two Bulls therein prohibiting any to be admitted to the Crown unless he would first tolerate the Romish Religion and by all his best endeavours advance that Catholique cause Hereupon the Popes creatures to do their unholy Father the best service they could combined with some whom private discontents had discomposed to surprise the Kings person and Prince Henry intending to retain them prisoners in the Tower or if they could not gain the Tower then to carry them to Dover-Castle and there to keep them till they had brought the King to their own terms and compleated their designs The persons accused for this Conspiracy were Henry Brook Lord Cobham Thomas Lord Grey of Wilton Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir Griffin Markham Sir Edward Parham George Brook and Bartholomew Brooksby Esquires Anthony Copley Gentleman Watson and Clark Priests A. D. 1603 and July 21 King James and Queen Anne were Crowned at Westminster by John Whitguift Archbishop of Canterbury and when the Coronation was over the Conspirators were conveyed to Winchester where the Term was then kept because of the plague at London and there had their Tryal and were all condemned by their Jury save Sir Edward Parham Howbeit only three of them were executed namely Watson Clark and George Brook This business thus Transacted for the safety of King and Kingdom his Majesty to gratify the Puritan or Presbyterian party that had petitioned for a reformation in the English Church commanded an Assembly of selected Divines to appear in his Royal presence at Hampton-Court whither the summoned accordingly repaired Persons summoned to maintain the cause of the Church of England were the Archbishop of Canterbury Bishops of London Durham Winchester c. Persons for the reformation of the Church were Dr. Reynolds and Dr. Sparks of Oxford Mr. Knewstubs and Mr. Chaderton of Cambridge At this conference his Majesty notably vindicated the Church of England see the conference at Hampton-Court Printed 1604. After an indeavour of setling Church-peace the King commanded a new Translation of the holy Scriptures which was accordingly done A. D. 1604 and August the nineteenth was peace proclaimed betwixt the two Nations of Spain and England And the King to joyn the Nations of England and Scotland into an happy unity caused himself by Proclamation to be stiled King of Great Britain A Proclamation also came forth commanding all Jesuites and Seminary Priests out of the Land but these under-miners of Church and State mean not to leave England so but design to stay and triumph in its ruins purposing by one fatal-blow to destroy the King the Prince the Peers both temporal and Spiritual the Knights and Burgesses of Parliament And the Traytors intent when that damnable villany should be effected was to surprize the Queen and remainder of the Kings Issue Richard Bancroft A. B. Cant. to bring in forreign powers and to alter Religion Sir Edward Baynham an Attainted person was sent to the Pope to acquaint him with the designed Gun-powder-Treason and Thomas Winter brought with him out of Flanders Guy Fawks as a fit Executioner of their hellish project The Conspirators resolved among themselves that it was lawful for case of Conscience to destroy the innocent with the nocent and this by the Authority and judgment of Garnet himself Then they took Oath of secresy swearing by the blessed Trinity and the Sacrament they then were about to receive never to disclose directly or indirectly by word or circumstance this their Plot in hand nor any of them to desist from the Execution thereof until the rest of the Conspirators should give leave This done Mr. Thomas Piercy hired an house next adjoyning to the Parliament-House pretending it to be for his Lodgings and
Naesby in Northamptonshire both Armies met on Saturday June 14th 1645. His Majesty commanded the main body Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice the right wing Sir Marmaduke Langdale the left the Lord Ashly the right-hand reserve and Sir George Lisle the left Of the Parliament Army Fairfax and Skippon had the ordering of the main battel Cromwel the right wing and Ireton the left Prince Rupert charged that wing commanded by Ireton so home that he disordered it taking Ireton Prisoner and for a while he followed the Parlimentarians towards Naesby but in the interim Cromwel worsted the Kings right wing and then came into Fairfax his assistance who together charged upon the Kings main body and they no longer able to stand it out retreated out of the Field leaving a compleat Victory to the disloyal party who pursued them within two miles of Leicester killing in their way many Women that had followed the Cavaliers Camp On the Parliaments side were wounded and slain above 1000 On the Kings side were slain 20 Knights Colonels and Officers of note and 600 private Soldiers and of Prisoners were taken six Colonels 8 Lieutenant-Colonels 18 Majors 70 Captains with many other Officers 4500 common Soldiers 13 of the Kings houshold-servants 12 Pieces of Ordinance 8000 Arms 40 Barrels of Powder 200 Carriages store of rich pillage 3000 Horses the Kings Standard one of his Coaches His Cabinet of Letters which the Parliament caused to be made publick April the 16th Leicester was yielded up to Sir Thomas Fairfax which accomplished he marched into the West to relieve Taunton then besieged by the Royal party At Langport he discomfitted the Lord Gorings forces taking 1400 Prisoners Then Bridgwater and Bath yielded to him Then he besieged Sherbourn Castle and sent Cromwel to suppress the Wilts and Dorsetshire Club-men associated about Shaftsbury which he did killing some taking others and dispersing the rest These Club-men declared themselves Nutrals pretending only to secure their own proprieties August the 15th Sherbourn Castle was surrendred upon promise of Quarter At Rowton-heath near Chester Colonel Poyns worsted his Majesties forces In York-shire Collonel Robert Lilburn routed the Royalists commanded by the Lord Digby and Sir Marmaduke Langdale Collonel Birch and Collonel Morgan by a stratagem took Hereford for the Parliament At Boveytracy Oliver Cromwel surprised the Lord Wentworth took three Regiments dispersing two others Fairfax took Dartmouth defeated the Lord Hopton at Torrington and immediately after blocks him up at Truro inforcing him to disband his Army March 21 Jacob Lord Ashly was routed at Stow in the Wold by Sir William Brereton and Colonel Morgan The Loyal Lord himself was taken Prisoner with 1500 others Many of the Kings Garisons fell this year into the hands of the Parlamentarians as Bristol the Devizes Winchester-Castle Basing-House Laycock-House Berkly-Castle Chepstow Westchester Belvoir-Castle Latham-House Monmouth and Welbeck House c. A. D. 1646 All Caveliers were commanded to depart the City of London betwixt the 30 of March and April the 6th and now his Majesty was reduced into a very low Condition His forces beaten out of the field in all places and his Garisons surrendred and taken dayly as St. Michaels-Mount Ruthen-Castle Woodstock Excester and Barnstable and General Fairfax approaching to besiege Oxford the King upon thoughts of providing for himself went in a disguise to the Scotch Camp that was then before Newark May the fourth the Scotch Officers engaging to secure both him and as many of his party as should seek for shelter with them and to stand to him with their lives and fortunes But upon his Majesties departure from Oxford divers of the Noble-men as they had been deserted by the King yielded themselves to Fairfax And June the 24th the most Loyal University and City of Oxford was surrendred upon Honourable Terms by Sir Thomas Glenham After which a number of the Kings Garisons yielded to the Parliament as Banbury Ludlow Borstal Carnarvan Lichfield Worcester Wallingford Gothridge Ragland Pendennis and Newark by the Kings order was delivered up and the Lord Montross in Scotland and Lord Ormond in Ireland by the Kings command desisted their Hostilities After the surrender of Newark the Scotch Army marched back towards their own Country as far as Newcastle upon Tine where when they were come they tendred their Covenant to the King pretending that unless he would take that they durst not bring him into Scotland This the King refused not if they would first satisfy those scruples concerning Church-Government which lay upon his Conscience which to effect Mr. Alexander Henderson a Minister the Oracle of the Kirk was imployed to converse with him His Majesties parts were so great and Cause so good that made all Mr. Hendersons attempts succesless See the Printed papers of their Disputations Whilst these things were acting at Newcastle the bargain was struck at London betwixt the Parliament and Scotch Commissiones and for 200000 l. the Scots delivered the King up to the English Parliament Yet to mask their perfidy the Scots added this caution That there should be no attempt made upon the Kings person but being entertained at one of his own Palaces he should be there treated with upon propositions from both Nations which should be speedily sent unto him February the 6th the Scots left Newcastle and marched homeward and two days after the King set forward with the Parliaments Commissioners for Holmby attended with 900 Horse And now the Parliament because they wanted others to quarrel withall fell to quarrel amongst themselves dividing into two parties Presbyterians and Independents with Anabaptists and the other Sectarists The Presbiterians were then powerful in the House but the other in the Army and were a subtle and resolute people The former of these parties seeing themselves in danger of being supplanted by the other voted in Parliament to have part of the Army disbanded another part of it sent over into Ireland towards the reducing that Countrey and the remainder to be disposed into several places of England to keep the Royallists in awe This put the Army into a heat who to make their part sure sent a party of Horse commanded by Cornet Joyce to seize upon the Kings person and to bring him from Holmby into their own quarters which was done June the 3d 1647 From Holmby they conveyed His Majesty to Childersley and thence to New-market the Grandees of the Army pretending to him how they were grieved for his imprisonment and sufferings professing they would never part with their Arms till they had made his way to his Throne but it must be a Throne in Heaven And the more to palliate their evil meanings they permitted him the service of his own Chaplains which he had been denied at Holmby the commerce of Letters with the Queen the visits of his own party and attendance of his Courtiers The Parliament voted that the General should be required to deliver the King to their Commissioners who were to bring him to Richmond
blow severed his Royal Head from his Body Whose blood was taken up by several persons for different ends by some as Trophies of their Villany by others as â—â—licks of a Martyr His Corps embalmed and wrapped in Lead was conveyed to Windsor by some of his Servants And February the 9th 1648. was there Interred in the Chappel-Royal by the Duke of Richmond Marquess of Hartford Earls of Southampton and Lindsey and the Bishop of London A Prince he was very temperate chaste humble affectionate to his People eloquent notwithstanding some small hesitation in his utterance exceeding in fortitude and patience most devout in and constant to his Religion His Issue were first Charles-James who died almost as soon as born Charles the Second whom God preserve James Duke of York Henry Duke of Gloucester born July 8th 1640 Mary born the 4th of November 1631 Elizabeth born the 28 of December 1635 Anne born March the 7th 1636 Katharine Henrietta Maria born June the 16th 1644 In his troubles he composed an excellent Book intituled Eikon Basilicon he had begun the repairing of St. Paul's at London he built that famous Ship called the Royal Soveraign whose burden was 1636 Tuns her length 127 foot her breadth within the Planks 46 foot her depth from the breadth 19 foot carrying 100 piece of Ordinances wanting four her Lanthorn so large that ten men might stand in it her building cost Eighty thousand pounds An. Dom. 1625 was a great Plague at London whereof died within the Bills of Mortality 41313. A. D. 1632 and February the 11th happened a great Fire on London-Bridg 1635 Thomas Parre died being aged 152 years and was buried in the Abby-Church at Westminster The Names of the Regicides who sate when Judgment was for murdring the King were Serjeant John Bradshaw President of the Court Oliver Cromwell Henry Ireton Thomas Lord Grey of Groby John Danvers Hardress Waller Thomas Maleverer John Bourchier William Counstable Michael Livesey Gregory Norton Knights John Lisle William Say William Hechingham John Blakestone Gilbert Millington Cornelius Holland John Carew Miles Corbet Francis Allen Peregrin Pelham Humphrey Edwards Gregory Clement Thomas Wogan Thomas Scot William Cawley Anthony Stapely Nicholas Love Augustine Garland John Dixwell Simon Mayne Daniel Blagrave Esquires Valentine Walton Thomas Harrison Edward Whaley Thomas Pride Isaac Ewer Henry Marten William Purefoy John Berkstead Edmund Ludlow John Hutchinson Robert Tichburn Owen Roe Robert Lilburn Adrian Scrope Richard Dean John Okey John Hewson William Goffe John Jones John Moor John Alured Henry Smith Edmund Harvey John Venne John Downes Thomas Horton Thomas Hammond George Fleetwood James Temple Thomas Wait Colonels Isaac Pennington and Thomas Andrews Aldermen of London Vincent Potter and Peter Temple Officers belonging to the High Court of Injustice were Dr. Dorislaus Ask William Steel who excused himself by sickness John Cook Solicitor Dendy Mace-bearer Broughton and Phelps Clerks Isaac King Crier Woolfred Pain Radley Powell Hull Messengers and Door-keepers forty of these men of blood The Warrant for the Kings Execution was directed to Colonel Francis Hacker Colonel Huncks and Lieutenant Colonel Phayre to see it done But who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltless Sam. 26.9 My Son saith the wise man Fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change for their calamity shall rise suddenly Mayors and Sheriffs of London in his Reign In his first year 1625. Sir Allen Cotton was Mayor Thomas Westraw Ellis Crisp died Jo. Pool and Christopher Cletherow after Sheriffs In his second year 1626. Sir Cuthbert Hacket was Mayor Edward Bromfeild Richard Fenn Sheriffs In his third Year 1627. Sir Hugh Hamersley was Mayor Maurice Abbot Henry Garraway Sheriffs In his fourth Year 1628. Sir Richard Dean was Mayor Rowland Backhouse William Acton Knight and Baronet Sheriffs In his fifth Year 1629. Sir James Cambell was Mayor Humphrey Smith Edmund Wright Sheriffs In his sixth Year 1630. Sir Robert Ducie Barr. vvas Mayor Arthur Abdy Robert Cambell Sheriffs In his seventh Year 1631. Sir George Whitmore vvas Mayor Samuel Cranmore Henry Prat Sheriffs In his eighth Year 1632. Sir Nicholas Raynton vvas Mayor Hugh Perry Henry Andrews Sheriffs In his ninth Year 1633. Sir Ralph Freeman and Sir Tho. Moulston Mayor Gilbert Harrison Richard Gurney Sheriffs In his tenth Year 1634. Sir Robert Parkhurst was Mayor John Heylord John Cordell Sheriffs In his eleventh Year 1635. Sir Christopher Cletherow vvas Mayor Thomas Soame John Gayer Sheriffs In his twelfth Year 1636. Sir Edward Bromfeild was Mayor VVilliam Abell John Garrat Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year 1637. Sir Richard Fenn was Mayor Thomas Atkin Edward Rudge Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year 1638. Sir Maurice Abot was Mayor Isaac Pennington John VVollaston Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year 1639. Sir Henry Garraway was Mayor Thomas Adams John VVarner Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year 1640 Sir Edmund VVright vvas Mayor John Towse Abraham Reynardson Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year 1641. Sir Richard Gurney was Mayor George Garret George Clarke Sheriffs In his eighteenth Year 1642. Isaac Pennington vvas Mayor John Langham Thomas Andrews Sheriffs In his nineteenth Year 1643. Sir John VVollaston was Mayor John Fowke James Bunce Sheriffs In his twentieth Year 1644. Thamas Atkin was Mayor VVilliam Gibbs Richard Chambers Sheriffs In his one and twentieth Year 1645. Thomas Adams was Mayor John Kendrick Thomas Foot Sheriffs In his two and twentieth Year Sir John Gayer was Mayor Thomas Cullam Simon Edmonds Sheriffs In his three and twentieth Year 1647. Sir John VVarner was Mayor Samuel Avery John Bide Sheriffs In his four and twentieth Year 1648. Sir Abraham Reynardson was Mayor Thomas Vyner Richard Brown Sheriffs Thomas Andrews Mayor in room of Reynardson sent to the Tower CHARLES the Second A. D. 1648 JAnuary the 30th Charles the Second was then in Holland when his Father King Charles the First was murdered and that tayl of a Parliament sitting at Westminster were resolved instead of admitting him the lawful Heir unto the Government of England to assume it unto themselves To which end they first set forth a Proclamation That no person whatsoever should presume to proclaim or any way to promote Charles Stuart Son of Charles Stuart late King of England or any other person to be King or chief Magistrate of these Kingdoms but he that should attempt any such thing should be adjudged a Traytor After this they voted the House of Lords to be useless and dangerous and Kingly Government to be unnecessary and burthensome and therefore they abolished both Howbeit the Marquess of Ormond caused his Majesty to be publickly proclaimed King in Ireland and the Scotch Parliament did the like in Scotland But the Members at Westminster having a Victorious Army on their side proceeded to establish their Projects caused all publick Writings to be issued out in the name of the Keepers of the Liberties of England by Authority of Parliament ordering a new great Seal to be