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
Kt. Borough of New-Castle under Line Sir Thomas Bellot Bar. William Leveston Gower Esq Borough of Tamworth Thomas Thynne Esq John Swynfen Esq Suffolk Sir Jervase Elwes Bar. Sir Samuel Barnardiston Bar. Borough of Ipswich Gilbert Linfield Esq John Wright Esq Borough of Dunwich Sir Philip Skippon Kt. Thomas Allen Esq Borough of Orford Lionel Lord Huntingtower Sir John Duke Bar. Borough of Alborough Sir Richard Haddock Kt. Henry Johnson Esq Borough of Sudbury Sir Robert Cordell Bar. Jervase Elwes Esq Borough of Eye Sir Charles Gaudey Kt. and Bar. Sir Robert Reves Bar. Borough of Saint Edmundsbury Sir Thomas Harvey Kt. Thomas Jermin Esq Surrey Arthur Onslow Esq George Evelyn of Wotton Esq Borough of Southwark Sir Richard How Kt. Peter Rich Esq Borough of Blechingly George Evelyn of Nutfield Esq Edward Harvey Esq Borough of Ryegate Roger James Esq Dean Goodwyn Esq Borough of Guilford Richard Onslow Esq Thomas Dalmahoy Esq Borough of Gatton Sir Nicholas Carew Kt. Thomas Turgis Esq Borough of Haslemere Sir William More Bar. James Gresham Esq Sussex Sir John Pelham Bar. John Lewkener Esq City of Chichester Richard May Esq John Braman Esq Borough of Horsham Anthony Eversfield Esq John Mitchell Esq Borough of Midhurst Sir William Morley Kt. of the Bath John Alford Esq Borough of Lewes William Morley Esq Edward Bridger Esq Borough of New Shoreham Robert Fag Esq John Cheale Esq Borough of Bramber Henry Goring Esq Nicholas Eversfield Esq Borough of Steyning Sir John Fagg Bar. Sir Henry Goring Bar. Borough of East-Grimstead Thomas Pelham Esq Sir Thomas Littleton Kt. Borough of Arundel William Garraway Esq James Butler Esq Warwickshire Sir Edward Boughton Bar. Robert Burdet Esq City of Coventry Richard Hopkins Esq Robert Beak Esq Borough of Warwick Sir Henry Puckering Bar. Sir John Clopton Kt. Westmerland Sir John Lowther of Lowther Kt. Allen Bellingham Esq Borough of Apulby Richard Tufton Esq Anthony Lowther Esq Wiltshire Sir Richard Grubbam How Knight and Baronet Thomas Thinn of Long Leat Esq City of New Sarum Sir Thomas Mompesson Kt. Alexander Thiftlethwait Esq Borough of Wilton Thomas Herbert Esq Thomas Penruddock Esq Borough of Downton Maurice Bockland Esq Sir Joseph Ash Bar. Borough of Hindon Richard How Esq Thomas Lambert Esq Borough of Westbury Richard Lewis Esq William Trenchard Esq Borough of Hetsbury William Ash Esq Edward Ash Esq Borough of Calne Sir George Hungerford Kt. Walter Norborn Esq Borough of the Devizes Sir Walter Ernley Bar. Sir Edward Baynton Kt. of the Bath Borough of Chippenham Sir Edward Hungerford Kt. of the Bath Sir John Talbot Kt. Borough of Malmesbury Sir William Estcourt Bar. Sir James Long Bar. Borough of Cricklade Hungerford Dunce Esq Edmund Web Esq Borough of Great Bedwyn Francis Stonehouse Esq John Dean Esq Borough of Lugdersal Thomas Neal Esq John Smith Jun. Esq Borough of Old Sarum Eliab Harvey Esq John Young Esq Borough of Wooton Basset Lawrence Hyde Esq John Pleydall Esq Borough of Marlborough Thomas Bennet Esq Edward Goddard Esq Worcestershire Samuel Sandys Esq Thomas Foley Esq City of Worcester Thomas Street one of his Majesties Serjeants at Law Sir Francis Winnington Kt. Borough of Droitwich Henry Coventry Esq Principal Secretary of State Samuel Sandys Jun. Esq Borough of Evesham Sir James Rushout Bar. Henry Parker Esq Borough of Bewdey Philip Foley Esq Yorkshire Charles Lord Clifford Henry Lord Fairfax City of York Sir John Hewley Kt. Sir Henry Thompson Kt. Town of Kingston upon Hull Lemuell Kingdone Esq William Ramsden Esq Borough of Knaresborough Sir Thomas Slingby Bar. William Stockdale Esq Borough of Scaresborough William Thompson Esq Francis Thompson Esq Borough of Rippon Sir Edmund Jennings Kt. Richard Stern Esq Borough of Richmond Thomas Craddock Esq Humphrey Warton Esq Borough of Heyden Sir Hugh Bethell Kt. Henry Guy Esq Borough of Burrowbrigg Sir Thomas Malleverer Bar. Sir Henry Gooderick Kt. and Bar. Borough of Malton William Palmes Esq Sir Watkinson Payler Bar. Borough of Thirske Sir William Frankland Bar. Nich. Sanderson Esq Borough of Alborough Sir John Reresby Bar. Henry Arthington Esq Borough of Beverly Sir John Hotham Bar. Michael Warton Esq Borough of North-Allerton Sir Gilbert Gerrard Bar. Sir Henry Calverly Kt. Borough of Pontefract Sir John Dawney Kt. Sir Patience Ward Kt. BARONS Of the CINQUE-PORTS Port of Hastings Sir Robert Parker Bar. John Ashburnham Esq Town of Winchelsey Creswell Draper Esq Thomas Austin Esq Town of Rye Sir John Robinson Kt. and Bar. Thomas Frewen Esq Port of new Rumney Sir Charles Sedley Bar. Paul Barret Esq Port of Hyeth Sir Edward Dering Bar. Julius Deeds Esq Port of Dover William Stokes Esq Thomas Papillon Esq John Strode Esq Port of Sandwich John Thurburn Esq Sir Ja. Oxenden Kt. and Bar. Port of Seaford Sir William Thomas Bar. Herbert Stapley Esq WALES Anglesey Henry Bulkeley Esq Town of Bewmarris Richard Bulkeley Esq Brecon Richard Williams Esq Town of Brecon Thomas Mansel Esq John Jefferies Esq Cardigan Edward Vaughan of Trouscoed Esq Town of Cardigan Hector Philips Esq Carmarthen John Lord Vaughan Kt. of the Bath Town of Carmarthen Altham Vaughan Esq Carnervon Thomas Bulkeley of Dinas Esq Town of Carnervon Thomas Mostin of Glotheth Esq Denbigh Sir Thomas Middleton Bar. Town of Denbigh Sir John Salisbury Bar. Flint Mutton Davies Esq Town of Flint Roger Whitley Esq Glamorgan Bussy Mansel Esq Town of Cardiffe Sir Robert Thomas Bar. Merieneth Sir John Wynne Kt. and Bar. Pembroke Sir Hugh Owen Bar. Town of Pembroke Arthur Owen Esq Town of Haverfordwest William Wogan Esq Montgomery Edward Vaughan Esq Town of Montgomery Matthew Price Esq Edward Loyd Esq Radnor Rowland Gwyn Esq Town of Radnor Deerham Esq HIS MAJESTY'S Most Honourable PRIVY COUNCIL HIS Highness Prince Rupert William Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Heneage Lord Finch Lord Chancellor of England Anthony Earl of Shaftsbury Lord President of the Council Arthur Earl of Anglesey Lord Privy Seal James Duke of Monmouth Master of the Horse John Duke of Lauderdale Secretary of State for Scotland James Duke of Ormond Lord Steward of the Houshold Charles Lord Marquess of Winchester Henry Lord Marquess of Worcester Henry Earl of Arlington Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold James Earl of Salisbury John Earl of Bridgwater Robert Earl of Sunderland one of His Majesties Principal Secretaries of State Arthur Earl of Essex first Lord Commissioner of the Treasury John Earl of Bath Groom of the Stole Thomas Lord Viscount Falconberg George Lord Viscount Hallifax Henry Lord Bishop of London John Lord Roberts Denzill Lord Hollis William Lord Russel William Lord Cavendish Henry Coventry Esq one of His Majesties Principal Secretaries of State Sir Francis North Knight Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. Sir Henry Capel Knight of the Bath first Commissioner of the Admiralty Sir John Ernly Knight Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Thomas Chicheley Knight Master of the Ordnance Sir William Temple Baronet Edward Seymour Esq Henry Powle Esq Commissioners for the Treasury ARthur Earl of Essex Lawrence Hide Esq Sir Edward Deering Sidney Godolphin Sir John Ernly Chancellor of the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Henry Guy Esquire Commissioners for the Execution of the Office of Lord High Admiral of England SIr Henry Capell Knight of the Bath Daniel Finch Esquire Baronets Sir Thomas Lee Sir Humphrey Winch Sir Thomas Meers Esquires Edward Vaughan Edward Hales FINIS BOOKS sold by Abell Swalle at the Sign of the Vnicorn at the West-end of St. Pauls Folio's PLutarch's Lives in English Sir Rich. Baker's Chronicle 1679. Mr. Joseph Mead's Works Mr. Abr. Cowley's Poems Hugonis Grotii Opera omnia Theologica 4. Vol. 1679. Episcopii Op. Vol. 1. Suarez de Legibus Quarto's Cluverii Geographia in figuris Zelidaura Queen of Tartaria A Dramatick Romance written in spanish by the command of the King of Spain made English 1679 Octavo A Conference between Dr. Stilling-fleet and Dr. Burnet with Coleman 1679. Sermons on several Occasions By John Tillotson D. D. Dean of Canterbury Scriptural Catechism or the Duty of Man laid down in express words of Scripture A Discourse concerning the Blessedness of the Righteous by Mr. How M. A. Tou's Le's Devoires de T'homme ' on La Practique devertus Chre'tiames Dict. Dutch Grammer Festan 's French Grammer A Discourse concerning the Period of Humane Life Twelves French Bible French Testament Psalms French Common-Prayer
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
Then the English Army marched over-land to Lisbon where a strong sally was made upon the English but the Earl of Essex chased them back to their very gates And the mean while Admiral Drake with his Fleet were come to Cascais and possessed the Town without any resistance and during the stay there the English took threescore Hulks from the Spaniards laden with Corn Masts Cables Copper and Wax About A. D. 1591 Queen Elizabeth sent Ayds into France in the behalf of Henry IV whom the Popish party would not admit to the Crown of France though his absolute right because he leaned to the Reformed Religion nor was he admitted till he had taken Oath to defend the Roman faith against all oppugners A. D. 1596 and June the first did Charles Lord Howard and the Earl of Essex with a gallant Fleet begin their Voyage for Cadiz which in a short time after their coming to it was surrendred to them The spoil thereof was given to the English soldiers the wearing clothes of the inhabitants only excepted and the Citizens upon the payment of an 120000 Duckets for their ransome had their liberty The Spanish Fleet which lay in the Harbour valued at twelve Millions of Duckets was fired by the Admirals command to the end it might not become a prize to the English The Town the English burnt and spoiled the Island then set sail towards Favo a Town in Algarva where the English landed forraged the Country for about three leagues burnt the Town Lotha and then returned for England But the wrongs which had been offered by the Spaniards seeming far greater to the English than was yet the justice upon them and the wise Queen holding it best to keep the Spanish King employed at home the Earl of Essex was therefore Commissioned with a well-furnished Fleet to sail for the Azores Islands Which Fleet upon Septemb. 15. 1597 fell with the Isles of Flores Evernes Fyall and Pike all which submitted to the Earl Then he sailed for St. Michaels where Sir Walter Rawleigh kept the Seas with the Ships whilst Essex landed and sacked the rich Town Villa Franca but the Winters storms approaching the Earl returned home bringing with him a Brazil-ship of War with three other prizes valued at 400000 Duckets The Pope and Spaniard though they had hitherto been frustrated in all their mischievous designments against the Queen and Church of England yet still they hoped that by one treacherous means or other they might at length effect the ruin of both though praised be God the ruin proved to their own vile instruments Patrick Cullen hired to murther the Queen was executed at Tyburn Philip Earl of Arundel and Sir John Perat were both condemned for high Treason but died by course of nature Roderick Lopez a Spaniard one of the Queens Physitians undertaking to poyson her was with his two complices executed at Tyburn Edmund York and Richard VVilliams hired by one Holt an English-Jesuite were executed for their Treasons Edward Squire was executed for impoysoning the pommel of the Queens saddle and pommels of the Earl of Essex his Chair though by Gods providence the poyson effected not what was intended by it One VVallpoll a Jesuite animated him to the fact by alledging that he might do it without much danger of his life but though he should lose his life for it yet he should be assured that in exchange of this transitory one he should enjoy the estate of a glorious Saint in Heaven So meritorious it seems it is to murder Catholique Princes so they be not Roman-Catholick ones But besides all these Romish-Agents there was the Irish Tir-Oen who used his greatest endeavours to divert subjection from the English Crown against whom that Martial Knight Sir John Norris was sent General who after he had brought Tir-Oen to a submission though as it after proved but a feigned one ended his days The Irish Rebelling again the Earl of Essex was sent thither where in the Province of Munster he became terrible to those wild Irish-Rebels chasing them before him into the woods though with more expence of time and loss of men than was well liked by some statists in England Then the Earl advanced into Leinster-Province against the O Coners and O Moils Then made towards Vlster where he entred into Parley with Tyrone But her Majesty being informed likely by some that envyed the Earls being so highly in her favour that the Spring Summer and Autumn were spent without service upon the Arch-Traytor Tyr-Oen that her men were diminished and large sums of mony consumed without the Earls doing that he was sent for That without her Highness order he entred into Parley with the Rebels Hereupon her Majesty sent sharp Letters unto the Earl upon the receipt whereof in discontent he hasted into England well hoping to pacify the Queens displeasure but after a short verbal welcom from the Queen he was commanded to his chamber and soon after committed to the custody of the Lord Keeper 1599. In the Earls stead Charles Blount Lord Montjoy was sent into Ireland who held Tyr-Oen very hard and forced him to withdraw into his old lurking places But to strengthen the Irish part the King of Spain sent into Ireland two thousand old trained Spanish Souldiers with certain fugitive Irish under the command of Don d'Aquila who strait after his arrival published a writing wherein he stiled himself Master-General and Captain of the Catholique King in the Wars of God for preserving the faith in Ireland Unto these two thousand Spaniards more were shortly sent under the conduct of Alohons O Campo but Alphonso had not long nested in Ireland ere himself and three of his Captains were taken and twelve hundred of his Spaniards were slain And at the siege of Kingsale the Spaniards made suit to the Lord General for a peace which was yielded unto whereupon the Spaniards departed and the Irish submitted themselves to the merciful Queen The Earl of Essex who had been committed to the keeping of the Lord Keeper was by her Majesties clemency quit of that durance and only commanded to his own house but the Earl of a daring spirit and exasperated by his Martial followers likewise presuming upon the Queens high respect towards him resolved by force and violence to have personal conference with the Queen and to remove from about her such as he deemed his enemies To effect which many of his favourers assembled at his house as well Noble-men and Knights as Captains and other Officers but this being understood by the Statists they made it known to her Majesty who thereupon sent four of her Honourable Counsellors to the Earl to offer him Justice and to command the Assembly to depart These Counsellors accordingly went to the Earl to Essex-house where they did their message to the Earl and commanded his followers whom they saw about him to lay down their weapons and depart but the Earl leaving these Councellors under custody in his own house with
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
depart the Kingdom upon pain of having the Laws and Statutes of the Realm put in execution against them Anno 1671. In the beginning of this year died at St. James's her Royal Highness Anne Dutchess of York Daughter to the Earl of Clarendon and was shortly after privately buried at Westminster The Parliament still sate and amongst others having past an Act for an addition to the Kings Revenue by an Imposition on proceedings at Law by an humble Address they Petitioned His Majesty that he would be pleased by his Royal Example to encourage the wearing of the Manufactures of his own Kingdome and to discountenance the use of Foreign to which the King having graciously condescended they were Prorogued till the 16th of April next ensuing In June Sir Edward Sprague Admiral for the King in the Mediterranean Sea burnt and took under the very Guns of the Castle of Bugia nine of the best men of War of Algier This News so incensed that people that in a tumultuary manner they cut off the Head of their King the Aga having done the like to their General and forced their New created King to make a Peace much to the advantage of England The Parliament was again Prorogued from the 16th of April following to the 30th of October 1672. This Year his Majesty was pleased to Honour the City of London with his Presence at the Lord Mayors Feast being the first that since the Fire was kept in their Guild-hall after it was advantageously repaired The King having long concealed his Just displeasure against the Dutch and his resentments of their unworthy dealings towards him intends now an open War with the Vnited Provinces In order thereunto in January 1671 2 his Majesty declared that seing his Neighbours were making great preparations both by Sea and Land he looked upon himself as obliged to put himself into such a Posture as might best secure his Government and People And that seeing Money which was absolutely necessary for that end was wanting he was unavoidably forced which otherwise he would not have done to put a Stop to the Payment of all Moneys brought in or to be brought in to his Exchequer for the space of one whole Year In the mean time Sir George Downing his Majesties Embassadour in Holland Presses the States hard with the Business of the Flag but finding his Demands shifted of with Delays and his Negotiation like to prove successess he returned back in a short time to England where he was committed to the Tower for not having punctually obeyed his Instructions In March 1671 2 there was War declared by the King of Great Britain the Dutch by this allarmed and by the proceedings and preparations of the French King which they knew tended to a rupture with them fortified themselves with all diligence as well by Forces at home as Allies abroad and made the Prince of Orange their Captain General at Land and Admiral at Sea for the ensuing Years actions This Year the beautiful Escurial in Spain one of the most Magnificent buildings in Europe and reckoned one of the Wonders of the World was consumed by fire Besides the many Varieties that here were lost the Famous Library perished a loss hardly ever again to be repaired The French King being now joyned with the English in War against the Dutch Anno 1672. in the beginning of this year marches at the head of his Main Army towards the Frontiers of the Netherlands and sends his Fleet to joyn the English In May both Fleets were joyned at Sea under the Command of His Royal Highness the Duke of York making all together about 160 Sail. They had had often sight of the Dutch but no Engagement till the 28th of this Month and then in Southwold Bay a sharp Fight began about five of the Clock in the Morning and was obstinately maintained on both sides till Night the Dutch then bore away and the Duke stood after them keeping within sight of their Lights all Night In this Engagement died the Earl of Sandwich Captain Digby in the Henry Sir John Cox hard by the Duke in the Prince Sir Frescheville Hollis and Monsieur de la Rabiner the French Rear Admiral Several other Officers were slain and wounded about Seven hundred common Seamen lost and as many wounded the Royal James burnt and the Katherine taken but by her own men rescued again On the Dutch side were killed Admiral Van Ghent and Captain Brakhel Their great Ships were sadly shattered two sunk one taken and one burnt many others were missing whereof no account could be given and a great many of their common Seamen killed and wounded The French at the same time to increase their loss took several of their Towns and Forts by Land Next day after this Engagement in the Afternoon The Duke of York put twice out his bloody Flag upon sight of the Dutch but was as often prevented from Engaging them by thick Fogs and Mists which gave the Duch opportunity to retreat and so no more considerable Action at Sea was performed this year The States being thus pressed in all probality above the strength of so small a Republick having the French on the one side the Bishop of Munster on the other by Land and the English by Sea to deal with were not able to repress the Tumults and Insolencies of the exasperated People The Burghers of Dort in a tumultuary manner got the Prince of Orange created Statholder which was afterward confirmed by the States And at the Hague not long after a masterless Rabble hall'd out of Prison the Ruart van Putten and his Brother De Witt who had been condemned to lose their Dignities and be banished for some Designs against the Prince and barbarously murthered them dragging their Bodies through the Streets hanging them on the Gallows by the Heels and afterward inhumanely tearing and cutting them to picces The Parliament of England which was to have met in October was prorogued till the Fourth of February following This year was the Earl of Essex sent into Ireland to succeed to the Lord John Berkley as Lieutenant of that Kingdom The Lord Keeper of England Bridgeman now aged and infirm having resigned his place the Earl of Shaftsbury was made Chancellour of England and Thomas Lord Clifford Lord High Treasurer Toward the beginning of December the Duke of Richmond who had been this year sent Embassadour Extraordinary into Sweden died in his Calesche as he was upon his return to Elsenore from being aboard of the Yarmouth Frigat No other reason could be given for the suddenness of his death but the extream coldness of that piercing Air to which his Body was not accustomed The time of Prorogation being expired the Parliament met again and upon the removal of Sir Edward Turnor their Speaker to be Lord chief Baron of the Exchequer Sir Job Charleton was made Speaker but he shortly after falling Sick Edward Seymour Esq succeeded This Session of Parliament voted the King a
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
spurs to his horse rode away but fainting through the loss of much blood he fell from his horse and with one foot in the stirrup was drag'd up and down the woods and grounds till in the end his body was left dead at Corfe's Gate and was first buried at Warham afterwards removed to the Minster of Shaftsbury Alfrida his Mother-in-law sore repenting the fact to expiate her guilt and pacify his crying blood as she thought founded the Monastries of Almsbury and Worwell in the last whereof she dyed and was buried ETHELRED A.D. 978. EThelred for his slowness sirnamed The unready was crowned at Kingstone Upon his Coronation a Cloud was seen through England one half like blood the other half like fire Ethelgar Alfrick A.B. Cant And in the third year of his reign the Danes arrived in sundry places of the Land and did much spoil And about the same time a great part of London was consumed by fire He payed tribute 40000 l. yearly called Dane-gilt to the Danes His reign was much molested with Danish Invasions in divers parts of the Land And so low were the English at that time by the intruding Danes that they were forced to till and sow the ground while the Danes sate idle in their houses and eat that which they toiled for Also abusing their Daughters and Wives and having all at their command the English for very fear calling them Lord Danes Hence we call a lazy Lubber a Lurdane In this the English distressed estate the King at last sent forth a secret Commission into every City within his Dominions That upon the Thirteenth day of November they should massacre all the Danes which were amongst them This Command of the Kings the people put in execution with extreme rigor in A.D. 1002. But to revenge this great destruction of the Danes Swein King of Denmark prepared a very great Navy and arrived in the West of England and shortly after Canutus brought 200 sail of ships well furnished to his assistance And in A. D. 1016 King Ethelred dyed and was buried at St. Pauls His Issue were Ethelston Egbert Edmond Edred Edwy Edgar Edward Elfred and four Daughters In the year of our Lord 991 was Ipswich in Suffolk sacked by the Danes And in A. D. 1004 Thetford in Norfolk anciently called Sitomagus was sack'd by the Danes Siricus Elphegus Livingus A.B. Cant. for the recovery whereof Bishop Arfast removed his Episcopal See from Elmham thither Norwich was fired by the Danes its Castle was afterward re-edified by Hugh Bigod Earl of Norfolk EDMOND IRONSID A.D. 1016 EDmond sirnamed Ironside the eldest son that Ethelred had living at his death was crowned at Kingstone by Livingus Archbishop of Canterbury A. D. 1016. At which time the Danes were so powerful in England that Canute was accepted King at South-hampton by many of the Clergy and Laity who sware fealty to him But the City of London stood most firm for Edmond and bravely withstood Canute besieging it till such time that King Edmond came and relieved them At Penham near Gillingham King Edmond engaged with the Danes where he put many of them to the sword and the rest to flight And not long after his and the Danish Host met nigh to Shereston in Worcestershire where the battel was for the first day fought with equal success but on the next day when the English were in forwardness and probability of the victory the Traytor Edrick on purpose disanimated them by cutting off the head of a dead soldier putting it on his sword point then crying to the English Host Fly ye wretches fly and get you away for your King is slain behold here is his head seek therefore now to save your own lives By which means the fight ended on even hands And the next night following Canute stole away toward London whom Ironside followed first raising the siege that Canutus had laid against London and then marching after him to Brentwood where he gave the Danes a great overthrow Then near unto Oteford in Kent the two Armies met again and fought in furious manner till at last the day fell to the English who slew Four thousand five hundred men with the loss but of Six hundred and put the rest to flight whom the King had pursued to their utter confusion had not his brother-in-law Edrick play'd the Traytor again disswading him from the chase of them under the pretence of danger of ambushments and the English soldiers over-weariedness Whereupon Canute had the opportunity of passing over into Essex where his scattered Forces rallied and fresh supplies came in to them After whom Edmond advanced and at Ashdon by Saffron-Waldon the Armies joined battel when a bloody slaughter ensued with the hopes of victory on the English side which the ever-traytorous Edrick perceiving he withdrew his strength to the Danes the enemy thereby regaining the day Of King Edmond's Nobles were slain Duke Alfred Duke Goodwin Duke Athelward Duke Ethelwin Earl Vrchel with Cadnoth Bishop of Lincoln and Wolsey Abbot of Ramsey and other of the Clergy that were come thither to pray for good success to the English The Memorial of this Battel is still retained by certain small hills there remaining where the dead were buried From hence King Edmond marched to Glocester with a very small Army which he there encreased After him Canute followed and at Dearhurst near Severn both Hosts met and were ready to join battel When by the motion of a certain Captain Edmond and Canute undertook by single Combat to end the difference So entring into a small Island called Alney adjoining to Glocester there they valiantly fought till Canute having received a dangerous wound and finding Edmond to over-match him in strength he thus spake to the English King What necessity should move us most valiant Prince that for the obtaining of a Title vve should thus endanger our lives Better it were to lay Malice and Weapons aside and to condescend to a loving Agreement Let us novv therefore become svvorn Brothers and divide the Kingdom betvvixt us and in such league of amity that each of us may use the others as his ovvn So shall this Land be peaceably governed and We jointly assist each others necessity Which vvords ended they both cast dovvn their Svvords embrace as friends vvith the great joy and shouting of both Armies And according to Canute's proposal the Kingdom was divided betwixt them Edmond having that part that lay coasting upon France Canute the rest But the Traytor Duke Edrick with design to work himself further into Canute's favour procured Edmond to be thrust into the body as he was easing nature Then cutting off his head he presented Canute therewith saying All hail thou now sole Monarch of England for behold here the head of thy Co-partner which for thy sake I have adventured to cut off To whom Canute like a worthy King replyed That in regard of that service the bringers own head should be advanced
above all the Peers of his Kingdom A while after performing this his promise by causing Edrick's head to be cut off and placed on the highest Gate of London But some say that King Edmond dyed a natural death at London when he had reigned seven Months whose body was buried at Glastenbury His Issue were Edward sirnamed the Out-law because he lived out of England during the reign of the Danes and Edmond DANES CANUTE A.D. 1017 CANVTE the Dane after the death of Edmond seized upon the other half part of the Kingdom the English Nobles owning him for their rightful King and swearing allegiance to him He was crowned at London by Living us Elstane Arch-bishop of Canterbury A. D. 1017. And to establish the Crown more sure to himself he banished Edwin the son of King Ethelred who for his melancholy and regardless behaviour was called The King of Churles He also sent away Edward and Edmond the sons of Edmond Ironside Next he espoused Emma the Widow of King Ethelred and sister to the Duke of Normandy on this condition That the issue of her body by him should inherit the English Crown Then calling a Parliament of his Peers to Oxford he there established these Laws following viz. That all decent ceremonies tending to the encrease of reverence and devotion in the service of God should be used as need required That the Lords Day should be kept holy That a Clergy killing a Lay-man or for any other notorious crime should be deprived both of his Order and Dignity That a married woman convict of adultery should have her nose and ears cut off And a Widow marrying within the space of twelve months after her Husbands dectase should lose her Joynture With many others He went on pilgrimage to Rome where he complained against the excessive exactions and vast sums of money extorted by the Pope from the English Archbishops at such times as they received their Palls from thence Which the Pope engaged to redress for the future The greatness and glory of this King was such that some Court-Parasites sought to perswade him that he possessed a more than humane power but he to demonstrate the contrary being then at Southampton caused a Chair to be set on the shore when the Sea began to flow then sate himself in it and in the presence of his many attendants thus spake to the swelling-waves Thou Sea art part of my dominion don't therefore on pain of punishment presume so much as to wet the robes of thy Lord. But the unruly Sea swelling on further and further first wet his skirts then thighs so that the King suddenly started up and retiring said Let the inhabitants of the world know that the power of Kings is but weak and vain and that none is worthy the name of King save He that keepeth Heaven Earth and Sea in obedience to his own will After which time he would never wear his Crown but therewith crowned the picture of Christ on the Cross at Winchester which became a prize to the Church-men He dyed in A.D. 1035 and was buried at Winchester His Issue were Swein Harold Hardicanute and two Dâ—ughters In Essex he built the Church of Ashdon where he had the victory of King Edmond In Norfolk he founded the Abbey of St. Benets and in Suffolk the Monastry of St. Edmond Egelnoth A.B. Cant. which Saint he much dreaded To the Church of Winchester besides other rich Jewels he gave a Cross worth as much as the Revenue of England amounted to in one year And unto Coventry they say he gave the Arm of St. Augustine which at Papia cost him an hundred Talents of silver and one of gold HARALD A.D. 1035 HARALD for his exceeding swiftness sirnamed Harefoot the base son of King Canute in the absence of Hardicanute his Fathers son by Queen Emma was admitted King by the Nobility and crowned at Oxford by Elnothus Archbishop of Canterbury Which done for the better securing of the Crown to himself he sought means to gain Edward and Alfred the two surviving sons of King Ethelred into his hands In order whereunto he sent to them into Normandy a Letter feigned in their Mother Emma's name inviting them over into England for the recovery of their right But when Prince Alfred was accordingly arrived Earl Goodwin who pretended great kindness unto him betrayed him and his small party brought over with him into Haralds hands who at Guilford committed them to the slaughter only reserving every tenth man either for service or sale Alfred he sent prisoner into the Isle of Ely where his eyes being put out he in short time after dyed through grief and pain Queen Emma's Goods Harald confiscated banished her out of the Realm and oppressed the English people with great payments He dyed at Oxford Elnothus A B. Cant. A.D. 1040 and was buried at Westminster HArdicanute upon the death of Harold was by the States of the Land HARDICANUTE A.D. 1030 as well English as Danes invited over from Denmark to take upon him the government of the Kingdom which he accordingly did and was crowned at London by Elnothus Archbishop of Canterbury The dead body of his half brother King Harold he caused to be taken up and to be thrown into the River Thames which being found by a Fisherman he buried it in the Churchyard of St. Clements Danes so called because the great burial-place of the Danes Hardicanute for the maintaining of his Fleet imposed heavy tributes on the English insomuch that two of the Collectors thereof named Thurstane and Feader were slain by the Citizens of Worcester for which fact their City was burnt and their Bishop Alfred expulsed the See till that with money he had purchased his peace Earl Goodwin presented to this King a Ship whose Stern was of Gold with Eighty soldiers in her all uniformly and richly suited On their heads they all wore gilt Bargenets and on their bodies a triple gilt Habergion swords with gilt hilts girded to their wasts a battel-ax after the manner of the Danes on their left shoulders a target with gilt bosses born in their left hands a dart in the right hand and their arms bound about with two bracelets of gold of six ounces weight But as Hardicanute was revelling and carousing at Lambeth in a solemn Assembly and Banquet He suddenly fell down dead The day of whose death instead of laments was annually celebrated amongst the common people with open pastimes in the streets Which time being the eighth of June is called Hoctide or Hucxtide signifying a time of scorn and contempt which fell upon the Danes by his death He was buried at Winchester A. D. 1042. About four years before the Danes first coming into England which was near the year of our Lord 789 showers of blood fell from Heaven and bloody Crosses were therewith marked upon mens garments 'T is said also that after the Danes had seated themselves in England whilst the English were drinking
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
had homage done him by many of the Scotish Lords at Dumfres he next took unjust revenge on Walter Langton Bishop of Chester by Imprisoning him and seizing all his temporal goods and credits because that in his Father K. Edward's life-time the Bishop had gravely reproved him for his misdemeanors and had complained on Pierce Gavestone whereon ensued young Edward's Imprisonment and Gaveston's banishment Then he sailed into France where at Bolein with wonderful magnificence he was married to young Isabel Daughter of Philip the Fair and at his return for England brought back with him his beloved Minion Pierce Gaveston who was a Gentleman stranger brought up with him Which Gaveston the King suffered now to Lord it over the chief Nobles to fill the Court with Buffoons and Parasites and the like pernicious instruments to wast the wealth of the Kingdom in revellings and riotous courses to transport riches into foreign parts bestowing upon him his own Jewels and Ancestors treasures and even the Crown it self of his victorious Father Not sticking to profess That if it lay in his power he should succeed him in the Kingdom being wholly ruled by him Therefore to repress Gaveston's exorbitances the Lords in Parliament procured though with no good-will of the Kings that Gaveston Earl of Cornwall should be perpetually banished they gratifying the King with a subsidy of the 20th part of the Subjects goods Howbeit shortly after the King contrary to his Oath made unto the Parliament called Earl Gaveston home out the Ireland himself meeting him at Flint-Castle and then bestowing on him to Wife Joan of Acres Countess of Glocester resolving for this leud mans sake to put Crown Life and all in hazard And now the insolent Earl strives to outgo himself in his former courses consuming the Kings treasures and means so that there was not sufficient left for the necessities of the Court and drawing the King into such debaucheries that the Queen conceived her self injured thereby as well as the Nobles Whereupon Gaveston is a third time forced out of the Realm into which he again returned the following Christmas when the King welcomed him as an Angel from Heaven and forthwith advanced him to be principal Secretary But the Lords as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal resolved by force of Arms utterly to extirpate him chusing for their Leader in this design Thomas Earl of Lancaster And at Datkington this infamous Earl Gaveston was surprized by Guy Earl of Warwick who conveyed him to Warwick-Castle and in a place called Blacklow afterward Gaveshead caused his head to be cut off as a subverter of the Laws and an open Traytor to the Kingdom Which act caused a lasting hatred in the King to his Nobles John Offord A.B. Cant. though for the present the Kings displeasure was allayed by the mediation of the Prelates and especially of Gilbert Earl of Glocester who stood neutral But whilst the English King minded only his pleasure undaunted Bruce now the received King of Scotland industriously prosecuted his design for setting his Country at liberty from the English driving them out of most places of his Realm and making great spoil in Northumberland Which awakning K. Edward he marched with a very great Army against him though many of the Nobles refused to attend him in this service because he delayed to ratifie their desired Liberties and provisions for better Government so often consented unto by himself At Bannocksbourn the English and Scotch Armies came in sight each of other when the enemy left nothing undone that might be for their advantage digging before their Battalions certain trenches wherein they stuâ—k sharp Stakes covering them with Hurdles which miserably afflicted the English Cavalry falling into them at unawares thereby procuring to the Scots the greatest victory that ever they had over the English In this fight K. Edward did gallantly behave himself nor would he fly till by the importunity of friends he was thereunto forced for his preservation Now was slain the Earl of Glocester the Lord Clifford with other Lords and about 700 Knights Esquires and mâ—n of Armories Humphry de Bohun was taken Prisoner and a great booty the Scots gained for the English in this expedition had adorned themselves as for a triumph with all sorts of riches gold silver and the like in a kind of wanton manner corresponding to the Prince they followed In those times the Scots made such-like scoffing Rhimes as this on the English Long Beards heartless painted Hoods witless Gay Coats graceless makes England thriftless This Conquest incouraged the Scots to make inroads into the English Northern Counties where they made great spoil some of the disloyal Englishmen joyning with them The King nevertheless could not forget his Gaveston whose body with great pomp he caused to be transferred from Oxford to Kings-Langley in Hartfordshire himself in person honouring the Exequies Then in Pierce Gavestons place the King advanced into his favour the two Spencers Father and Son whose intolerable insolencies and oppressions seemed to exceed those of Gavestons against whom the Barons did swell with such impatience that not content with the wast of their Lands by threats of civil War they procured their Banishment The Queen who hitherto had been a Mediatrix betwixt the King and his Lords having received the denyal of one nights lodging at the Castle of â—eeds in Kent which belonged to one of the Barons whom she perceived to take too much upon them now turned her Spleen against them incensing the King her Husband against them so highly that King Edward resolved to dye in the quarrel or to bring the factious Lords into a more becoming carriage towards him The judgment given against the Spencers he procured to be reversed Some of the Delinquent Lords render'd themselves to the King others of them were apprehended amongst whom were the two Roger Mortimers Father and Son who were committed to the Tower Howbeit the Earl of Lancaster in the North resolved with what forces he could procure to fight for his security against whom the King marched and at Burrowbridg encountred him where Humphrey de Bohun was slain with a spear from under the bridg and the Earl of Lancaster with other principal men Barons and Knights to the number of above ninety were taken by Andrew de Herckly Captain of Carlisle afterward created Earl of that place The Earl of Lancaster a few days after was beheaded at Pontfract the Barons and Knights were drawn hang'd and quarter'd The Lord Badlesmere who refused to let the Queen lodg at Leeds was executed at Canterbury Never did English earth at one time drink so much blood of her Nobles as at this time in so vile a manner shed One Earl and Fourteen Lords suffering death most of them by the halter But that this Tragedy of the Lords was exploited by others and not by the Kings free inclinations appears for that when some of the Courtiers and Favourites pleaded for the life of one of a mean Family
he kept under till such time that he was ingaged against the French for the obtaining of that Kingdom and the recovery of sundry Towns and places in Goscoigne injuriously with-held from him by the French King To remedy which wrongs the King of England had addressed his Ambassadors but in vain therefore that the World might take notice of his just proceedings he in a large Letter directed to the Colledge of Cardinals justifies his design upon France to be equal and honest First because himself of any Male living was the nearest in blood to the late King Charles his Uncle Secondly because the French had refused to put the Cause to civil tryal Thirdly for that the process of the twelve Peers in giving the Crown from him when he was under age was by all Laws void and frustrate Fourthly for that Philip of Valois had invaded Aquitain which belonged to the Crown of England and detained such places as he had wrongfully gained therein Fifthly for that the said Philip had aided the Scots in their rising against him Edward having done this he next makes a confederation with the High and Low-Dutch and other Foreigners then prepared a brave Army his English Subjects contributing liberally for the carrying on of the War And to make his Coffers the fuller he made bold with the Lombards and the moveable goods of such Priories in England as were Cells to Monasteries in France Thus provided of men and monies King Edward sailed with his Forces to Antwerp and by the importunity of the Flemings he first assumed the Title and Armories of the Realm of France quartering the Flower de Lis with the Lyons And entring France he burnt and spoyled the North-parts thereof up as far as Turwin then returning to Antwerp he there kept his Christmas with his Queen Philip from whence about Candlemas he set sail for England where in a Parliament holden at Westminster he obtained liberal aids for supportation of his designed Conquest In lieu of which he granted a general large pardon of trespasses and other to him and confirmed Magna Charta and Charta de Foresta with some others Then upon June 23. He shipped from Harwich to Sluce in Flanders near which place the French lay in wait with a Navy of 400 Ships with intent to intercept him but Edward having the advantage of Wind and Sun furiously set upon the French Ships putting the Monsieurs so hard to it that a great number of them chose to cast themselves into the Sea rather than to become Prisoners Thirty thousand of them are confessed to have been slain and drowned and more than half of their Ships were either sunk or taken The loss was so very great on the French side that least the news thereof might too much afflict the King of France his Jester disclosed it to him by often-times repeating this saying in his hearing Cowardly English-men Dastardly English-men Faint-hearted English-men Why said the King at length Because said the Jester They durst not leap out of their Ships into the Seas as our brave French men did From which saying the King took a hint of the overthrow After which Famous Sea-victory obtained by the English puissant King Edward with his Host consisting of near an hundred thousand men sate down before Tourney from whence he sent to the French King whom he saluted only by the name of Philip of Valoys challenging him to fight with him hand to hand in single Combat or if that pleased not then each to bring an hundred men into the Field and try the event with so small an hazard or otherwise within ten days to joyn full battel with all their forces near Tourney To which Philip made no direct answer alledging that the Letters were not sent to him the King of France but barely to Philip of Valoys Nevertheless he brought his Army within sight of the English Host but by the mediation of Queen Philips Mother and two Cardinals a Truce was concluded between the two Kings till the Midsumer next following The main reason inducing King Edward to yield hereunto was the want of supplies of money through the fault of his Officers in England whom he severely punished at his return And now to weaken great Edwards strengths the Pope put Flanders under Interdict Simon Langham A B. Cant. as having disloyally left their own Earl and chief Lord Philip King of France And Lewis the Emperor breaking league with the King of England took part with France which when King Edward understood he angrily said I will fight with them both And not long after he was upon the Sea with a very great Fleet none knowing whither he would steer his Course but in Normandy he landed where he took the Populous and Rich City of Caen and with his dreadful Host burning and spoiling round about marched up almost as far as the walls of Paris Where with his Army in an enemies Countrey between two Rivers Sein and Some the bridges being broke down by the French Edward designed at a low water to have passed over a Ford between Albeville and the Sea whom to intercept the French King had sent thither before him Godner du Foy with a thousand Horse and six thousand Foot Howbeit undaunted Edward entred himself into the Ford crying He that loves me let him follow me as one resolved to pass over or there to die the first of which he did for his Souldiers following him won the passage putting du Foy to flight And now King Edward being come near to Cressie in Poâ—thieu lying between the Rivers of Some and Anthy he there most vigilantly provided for his defence against King Philip who was advancing towards him with an Hundred thousand men and upward When the two Armies were within sight each of other the King of England after he had called upon God disposed his Host into three Battels Simon Langham A B Cant. To his Son Edward the Black-Prince he gave the ordering of the Van the second Battel the Earls of Northampton and Arundel commanded the third himself And as if he meant to barricado his Army from flying he caused his Carriages to be placed in the rear thereof and Trees to be plashed and felled to stop up the way behind his Host commanding withal that all should forsake their horses and leave them amongst the Carriages On the Enemies part the King of Bohemia and Earl of Alanson had charge of the Vantguard King Philip was in the main battel and the Earl of Savoy commanded the Rear The sign of battel being given by King Philip a bloody fight ensued wherein the Black Prince was very hard beset therefore his Father was sent for to his rescue who upon the hillock of a Windmill stood to behold the fight being in readiness to enter thereinto when just occasion should invite him But at that time he refused to go returning the Messengers with this answer Let them send no more to me for any adventure that
may befall while my Son is alive but let him either vanquish or dye because the honour of this brave day shall be his if God suffer him to survive Which he did and beat the French out of the field Thereupon King Edward with his untouched Battel advanced towards his victorious Son and most affectionately embracing and kissing him said Fair son God send you perseverance to such prosperous beginnings you have nobly acquit your self and are well worthy to have the governance of a Kingdom intrusted unto you for your valour In the field was found the dead bodies of eleven great Princes and of Barons Knights and men of Arms above fifteen hundred There was slain the King of Bohemia King of Majorca Earl of Alanson Duke of Lorrain Duke of Bourbon Earl of Flanders Earl of Savoy the Dolphin of Viennois Earl of Sancerre and Harecourt Earls of Aumarl Nevers c. six Earls of Almain besides others of great account with the Grand Prior of France and Archbishop of Roan Of the Commons there fell about thirty thousand Of the English side not one man of note or honour was slain A. D. 1346. From the Forrest of Crescie King Edward marched to Callis and besieged it In the time of which siege the Governour thereof for the sparing of food thrust forth of the Town above fifteen hundred of the poor and impotent people whom this Christian King Edward turned not back but suffered them freely to pass through his Camp relieving them gratis with fresh victuals and giving two pence a piece sterling to each of them But whilst the King was busied abroad in France the Scots in favour of the French invaded England advancing as far as Durham where the English encountring them overcame them took David their King prisoner at Nevils Cross by Durham There lay dead in the field the Earls of Murray and Strathern the Constable Marshal Chamberlain and Chancellor of Scotland with many other Nobles Prisoners taken besides the King were the Earls of Douglas Fife Southerland Wigton and Mentieth In this battel on the English side were many spiritual persons who for the defence of their Country made use of carnal Weapons And as King Edwards friends were successful in England so were they also in forreign parts for in Britain Sir Thomas Dagworth overthrew the Lord Charles of Blois though he had much the odds of him as to number of men In Gascoign and those parts Henry Earl of Derby and Lancaster worsted the Duke of Normandy took sundry places of great importance amongst the rest that considerable Town of Brigerac where he permitted every soldier to seize any House and convert all therein to his own profit Whereupon it hapned that a certain Soldier called Reth having broke into a House where the Monyers had for safety stowed the Money of that Countrey in great long sacks he acquainted the Earl therewith supposing that the Earl intended not so great a treasure for a private share but the Earl told him That accordingly as he had at first proclaimed let the treasure be worth what it would yet was it all his own And now after almost a years siege Callis was delivered to King Edwards mercy In Little-Britain the Kings Warden thereof Sir VValter de Bendly vanquished the Marshal of France in fight slew 13 Lords 140 Knights 100 Esquires and took prisoners 9 Lords besides many Knights and Esquires At length after much spoil made upon the French a peace was concluded on betwixt the two Kings though it continued not long ere the French broke the agreement In revenge whereof Edward presently entred France with an Army Will. Witlesy A. B. Cant. and spoiled it where he came and after his return into England again when he heard that John the new King of France had given to Charles the Daulphin the Dutchy of Aquitain King Edward bestowed the same upon the Black-Prince commanding him to defend that right with the sword The Prince thereupon furnished with a gallant Army set sail towards France where he took many Towns and prisoners advanced into the bosome of France up to the very gates of Burges in Berry from whence wheeling about to return to his chief City Burdeaux John King of France encountered him with a great Army having the odds of six to one notwithstanding which the victorious Prince of Wales discomfited the French took prisoners King John and Philip his youngest son the Archbishop of Sens and many great Lords and about two thousand Knights Esquires and Gentlemen bearing Armories And slew in fight about fifty two Lords and seventeen hundred Knights Esquires and Gentlemen with Sir Reginald Camian who that day bore the Or flamb or French Ensign and of the common Soldiers about six thousand To James Lord Audley who in this fight received many wounds the Prince gave 500 Marks Land in fee-simple which said Land the Lord Audley bestowed on his four Esquires that had continued with him in all the brunt and fury of danger King Edward the Father whilst his Son was thus prosperously busied in France proceeded in hostile sort against the Scots and brought King Baliol at Roxbrough to make a surrender of his Crown to him Prince Edward after his late victory marched with joy and triumph to Burdeaux where having refreshed his wearied soldiers he took his leave of France though not of the King thereof for him he brought with him a Captive to London whither the Prince was welcomed with exquisite honour by Henry Picard then Lord Mayor Which said Picard afterwards at one time feasted at his own charge the King of England France Scotland and Cyprus King Edward ordered that eight days should be spent in giving God the glory for the victory and not long after with a Fleet of One thousand one hundred sail he passed over from â—andwich to a fresh invasion and being come before the walls of Paris he honoured Four hundred Esquires and Gentlemen with Knighthood Ample conditions were offered by the French unto the Kâ—ng of England to which he would not at present listen yet at length was perswaded to an accord on these conditions That Himself and Son Edward should for ever release unto King John and his Heirs the right and claim which they had unto the Crown of France Dutchy of Normandy c. That King John and his Son should for them and their Heirs release unto King Edward and his Heirs the whole Country of Aquitain Santoin c. so the County of Ponthicu c. the proper Inheritance of Queen Isabel K Edward's Mother That King John should pay for his ransom the sum of Thirty hundred thousand Schutes of Gold every two of which should be six shillings eight pence sterling with some other conditions All which were ratified with hands Seals and Oaths at Callis though by the falshood of the French King this amity continued not many years for King John by underhand-dealing sought to alienate the hearts of King Edwards forreign subjects
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
and his wild companions would way-lay and rob his Fathers and his own Receivers And when one of his servants was arraigned at the Kings Bench bar for felony this Prince hearing thereof posted thither commanding his Fetters to be struck off and he set at liberty and when the Judge opposed him therein commanding him upon his Allegiance to cease from such riot and keep the Kings peace he in a rage ascended the Bench and gave the Judge a blow on the face who sate still undaunted and boldly thus spake unto the Prince Sir I pray remember your self This seat which I here possess is not mine but your Fathers to whom and to his Laws you owe double obedience If his Highness and his Laws be thus violated by you who should shew your self obedient to both who will obey you when you are a Soveraign or minister execution to the Laws that you shall make Wherefore for this default in your Fathers name I commit you prisoner to the Kings Bench until his Majesties pleasure be further known With which words the Prince abashed stood mute laid by his weapons and with obeysance done went to the Prison Whilst the King his Father was crazie and kept his Chamber he through the Princes wild extravagances and set on by some Court-whisperers began both to withdraw his affections and to fear some violence against his own person from the Prince which when young Henry understood in a strange disguise he repaired to his Fathers Court accompanied with many persons of Honour His garment was a Gown of blew Satten wrought full of eye-let-holes and at every eye-let the needle left hanging with the silk it was worked with About his Arm he wore a Dogs Collar set full of S's of Gold the Tirets thereof being most fine Gold Being come to the Court he charged his followers to advance no further than the fire in the Hall whilst himself passed on to his Fathers presence before whose feet he fell confessing his youthful faults and justifying his loyalty to his person declaring himself to be so far from any disloyal attempt that if he knew any person of whom his Father stood in any danger or fear his hand according to duty should be the first to free the King of suspition yea saith he I will most gladly suffer death to ease your perplexed heart and to that end I have this day prepared my self both by confession and receiving the blessed Sacrament Wherefore I humbly beseech your Grace to free your suspition from all fears conceived against me with this dagger the stab whereof I will willingly receive at your hands and will clearly forgive my death At which the King melting into tears cast down the naked dagger which the Prince had put into his hand and raising his prostrate Son Henry Chicheley A. B. Cant. embraced and kissed him confessing that his ears had been over-credulous against him which he promised they should never be in the future But notwithstanding this Prince's youthful exploits yet when he had attained the Crown to begin a good Government he began at home banishing from his Court those unruly youths that had been his consorts commanding them either to change their manners or never to approach within ten miles of his person And chose worthy men for his Council of Estate advancing his Clergy with Power and dignity So highly careful was he for the execution of Justice that himself would every day after dinner for the space of an hour receive Petitions of the oppressed and with great equity would redress their wrongs And so nearly did the death of King Richard touch his heart that he sent to Rome to be Absolved from that guilt of his Fathers Act. In the first year of his Reign at a Parliament holden at Leicester was a Bill exhibited wherein complaint was made That the temporal lands given to the Religious houses and spiritual persons for devotion sake were either superfluous or disorderly spent Whose revenues if better imployed would serve for the defence of the Land and Honour of the King For the maintenance of fifteen Earls 1500 Knights 6200 Esquires and 100 Almes-houses for the relief of diseased and impotent people and unto the Kings Coffers Twenty thousand pounds per Annum By the Authority of this Parliament an 110 Priories alien were suppressed and their possessions given to the King and his successors for ever But to divert those in Authority from such like proceedings projects were put into the Kings head for recovery of France his rightful possession Henry Chicheley Archbishop of Canterbury suggested that King Henry as the true Heir unto his Great-grand-Father Edward the third was the true Heir to the Crown of France As for the Salique-Law alledged against the English claim he affirmed that that Text touched only those parts of Germany which lay betwixt the Rivers Elbe and Sala conquered by Charles the Great who placing the French there to inhabit because of the dishonest lives of those German-women made this Law In terram Salicam mulieres ne succedant which the gloss did falsely expound for the whole Kingdom of France whose practise notwithstanding he shewed to be contrary by many experiences both in King Pepin descended of Blithud daughter to Clothair the first and by Hugh Capet as Heir to the Lady Lingard daughter to Charlemain so King Lewis called the Saint and besides that this exclusion is contrary to the word of God which alloweth women to succeed in their Fathers inheritance Numbâ— 27. King Henry now sends a summons and demand in the first place of his Dutchies of Normandy Aquitain Guyon and Anjou to which the Daulphin of France in derision sent him for a present a Tun of Paris Tennis-Balls but the King returned for answer That he would shortly send him London-Balls which should shake Paris-walls Whilst the English were making provision against the French Sir Robert Humfreville gave the Scots a considerable defeat which the French understanding with also the great preparations that Henry of England was making against them they sent over Ambassadors who at Winchester made offer of money and some Territories also the Princess Katharine to be given in marriage to King Henry so that he would conclude a peace but it was answered That without the delivery of the other Dominions belonging to the Kings Progenitors no pacification was to be made And when the Ambassadors had had their answer given them the King sent Antilop his Pursevant at Arms unto Charles King of France with Letters of defiance next made Queen Joan his Mother-in-Law Regent of the Realm then drew his Forces to Southampton commanding his followers there to attend him on such a day The King of France on the other part makes all the preparation he could to defend himself and to offend the King of England To Grey a Privy-Councellor Scroop Lord Treasurer and the Earl of Cambridge Son of Edmond Duke of York he sent 't is said a Million of Gold to betray
dignities rents and possessions during their natural lives That after the death of Charles the present King of France the Crown and Realm of France should with all rights and appurtenances remain unto the King of England and his Heirs for ever That because of King Charles his infirmness and incapacity to dispose the affairs of the Realm of France therefore during his life the government thereof should be and abide to King Henry so that thenceforth he should govern the Realm and admit to his Councel and Assistance with the Councel of France such of the English Nobility as he should think fit c. The Number of Articles were thirty three which were sworn unto at Troyes May 30 1420 the same being proclaimed in London the 20 of June following These Articles were concluded betwixt the two Kings in the presence of divers of the chief Nobility both of England and France homage being sworn unto King Henry and he proclaimed Regent of France And on the third of June the marriage of Henry and Katharine was with all pompous solemnity celebrated at Troyes the Bishop of that See performing the ceremonies From Troyes the King of England and his Queen rode to Paris where great entertainment was gâ—ven and the more to weaken the Daulphins interest a Parliament of the three Estates was assembled in Paris where the disinherison of the Daulphin was confirmed In this Parliament was also the final accord betwixt the two Kings acknowledged by the French King as made by his free consent and liking and with advice of the Councel of France whereupon it was likewise there ratified by the General States of that Realm and sworn unto particularly upon the Holy Evangelists by the French Nobles and Rulers spiritual and secular who also set their Seals to the Instruments thereof Which Instruments were sent into England to be kept in the Kings Exchequer at Westminster Things now setled in France as well as that unsetled time would permit King Henry leaves the Duke of Clarence to be his Lieutenant there and hasts for England with his Queen whom he caused to be Crowned at Westminster in little time after their arrival in England Then called a Parliament in order to the raising of moneys for the continuing of the Conquest in France but some men minding more their private interest than the publique instead of being free thereto to contribute they petitioned the King to commiserate the poverty of the Commons which as they pleaded were beggered by the Wars wherefore without further pressing for any aid the King again pawned his Crown to his rich Uncle Cardinal Beauford for twenty thousand pounds and then returned into France with four thousand Horse and 24 thousand Foot And time it was for the Daulphins party was grown considerably strong by Aids sent from Scotland under the conduct of the Earl of Bucquhanan and Archibald Douglas who had given a defeat to a party of the English therein killing the valiant Duke of Clarence and taking prisoners the Earls of Huntingdon and Somerset and Thomas Beaufort After which the Daulphinois had laid siege to Alenzon and straitned the City of Paris by withholding provisions from it but when victorious Henry appeared the enemy betook them to their strong-holds many of which he gained in short time A. D. 1421 and Decemb. the sixth whilst King Henry lay before Meaux news was brought him that his Queen at the Castle of Windsor was delivered of a Son at which he exceedingly rejoyced yet said he liked not the place of her delivery having before commanded that she should not be delivered there and withal predicted that what Henry of Monmouth should gain Henry of Windsor should lose A. D. 1422 Queen Katharine passed beyond the Seas to the King into France and there in the Loure King Henry and his Queen Katharine at the Festival of Pentecost sate in their Royal Robes with their Imperial Crowns on their heads and kept there Court with great confluence of people But shortly after this renowned Prince fell sick of a burning Fever and Flux whereof he dyed August 31. 1422. His bowels were buried at St. Mauro de Fosses his body at Westminster next beneath the Tomb of Edward the Confessor Upon his Tomb Queen Katharine caused a Royal Picture to be laid covered all over with Silver-Plate gilt the head whereof was wholly of massy Silver All which at the Abbies suppression was sacrilegiously broken off and taken away His Issue was only Henry of Windsor T is said of him That he was a Prince godly in heart sober in speech sparing of words resolute in deeds provident in Councel prudent in judgment modest in countenance magnanimous in action constant in undertaking a great Alms-giver devout to Godward a renowned Souldier fortunate in field from whence he never returned without Victory He erected the Monasteries of Bethlem and Briget near unto Richmond gave Princely gifts to the Church of Westminster and Brother-hood of St. Giles without Cripple-gate-London He first instituted Garter principal King at Arms besides other augmentations to the Order of St George A. D. 1414 Sigismond the Emperour came into England desiring to make peace betwixt the two Nations of France and England but when that could not be effected he entred into a League with the English himself Sir Roger Acton Beverly Murley and some others were strangled and burned for an unlawful meeting in St. Giles-fields A. D. 1417. Sir John Oldcastle Lord Cobâ—am was adjudged as a Traytor to the King and Realm to be drawn through the streets to St. Giles-fields by London and there to be hang'd and burnt Three Popes were now at once mounted into St. Peters Chair namely Benedict Gregory and John therefore for preventions of mischief to the Church by this Schisme a Councel was held at Constance in Germany whither King Henry sent nine English Prelates one of which to wit Richard Clifford Bishop of London was the first nominated by the Councel to be Pope and he first nominated him that succeeded which was Otho Collonna by the name of Martin the fifth In the third year of this Kings reign and on Candlemas day seven Dolphins came up the River Thames four of which were taken An Act made in Parliament holden at Leicester That such who maintained Wickliffes doctrine were Hereticks and Traytors and to be hanged and burned By which Law Sir Roger Acton with divers others as also the Lord Cobham were put to death The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir VVilliam Cromar was Mayor John Sutton John Michael Sheriffs In his second Year Sir Thomas Falconer was Mayor John Michael Thomas Allen Sheriffs In his third Year Sir Nicholas Wotton was Mayor VVilliam Cambridge Alan Everard Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir Henry Barton was Mayor Richard Whittington John Coventry Sheriffs In his fifth Year Richard Marlow was Mayor Henry Read John Gedney Sheriffs In his sixth Year VVilliam Sevenoke was Mayor John Brian
John Barton John Parvess Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir Richard Whittington was Mayor Robert Whittington John Butler Sheriffs In his eighth Year William Cambridge was Mayor John Butler John Wells Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir Robert Chichely was Mayor Richard Gosseline William VVeston Sheriffs HENRY VI. A. D. 1422. HENRY of Windsor was crowned about the Eighth Month of his age The guard and custody of this Royal Infant was committed to Thomas Duke of Excester the Nurture and Education to his Mother the Queen-Dowager the Government of England to Humphrey Duke of Glocester and the Regency of France to John Duke of Bedford The first disadvantage that befel the English Cause after the late King's decease was the death of Charles the French King who survived Henry but 53 days for the imbecilities of this Prince were a strength to the English on the other side the Infancy of young Henry was an advantage to young Charles by them of his party now called King of France though by the English he was called only King of Berry because little else was left unto him Howbeit now he seeks to enlarge his Dominions having received Aids from Italy and Scotland And not far from the Town of Vernoil his and the Regents Forces joined battel when the English inured to the French Wars having born the first heat of their enemies encounter by perseverance utterly broke them and put them to flight The Regent himself fought most fiercely winning unto himself a lasting Honour On the enemies part was slain the Constable and Lieutenant of France the Earls of Wigton and Vantadour with about five thousand others Prisoners taken was the Duke of Alanzon himself with about two hundred others of special account After this Victory the Regent besieged Mants in Main and with Ordnance beat down part of the Walls whereupon it was yeilded this being one of the Articles at the surrender which perhaps might be upon every like occasion That if any person was found within the City which had been consenting to the murder of John Duke of Burgundy Father to Philip Duke of Burgoigne that they should simply be at the Regents mercy Some time after this and not much Thomas Montacute Earl of Salisbury with a dreadful puissance besieged the City of Orleans and so enforced it that the inhabitants were willing to articulate and to yeild themselves to the Duke of Burgundy then being in his company but the Earl highly disdaining thereat said in the English Proverb I will not beat the bush and another shall have the bird Which Proverbial speech 't is said so offended the Duke that it wholly alienated his mind from the English to their great loss in all the French Wars following And now appeared that famous French Shepherdess Joan of Lorrain about 18 years of age daughter to James of Arcke This Maid to comfort Charles of France presented her self to him at Chinon bidding him to be of good courage and constantly affirming that God had sent her to deliver the Realm of France from the English yoak and to restore him to the fulness of his Fortunes Then she armed her self like a man and required to have that Sword which at that time did hang in Saint Katharines Church of Fierebois in Tourain and being warlikely arrayed she gets into Orleans which did greatly animate the fainting French From Orleans this Maid of God for so the French called her sent a Letter to de la Pole Earl of Suffolk in words to this effect King of England do reason to the King of heaven for his blood-royal yeild up to the Virgin the keys of all the good Cities which you have forced c. I am the chief of this War wheresoever I encounter your men in France I will chase them will they nill they c. The Virgin comes from heaven to drive you out of France be not obstinate for you shall not hold France of the King of heaven the Son of St. Mary but Charles shall enjoy it the King and lawful heir to whom God hath given it He shall enter Paris with a goodly train c. Vnderstand these news of God and the Virgin spare innocent blood leave Orleans at liberty This Letter was entertained of the English with laughter and Joan reputed of them no better than a Bedlam or Inchantress But be she what she would yet by her encouragements and conduct the English had Orleans pluckt out of their hopes and with much loss were driven to raise the siege In all Adventures Joan was one and the foremost At one Sally she being shot through the arm said to her followers Come this is a favour let vs go on they cannot escape the hand of God The English lost at this siege the Earl of Salisbury the Lord Moline the Lord Poynings Sir Thomas Gargrave and of all sorts if you believe the enemy were slain in such Sallies as the Martial Maid made 8000 our own Writers say but 600. After the raising of this siege some Towns were took by the English but at a Village called Potay the French coming upon them before the Archers could fortifie their battels with an empalement of stakes the English after three hours bloody resistance were put to the worst The Lords Talbot Scales Hungerford and Sir Thommas Rampstone were taken prisoners Which loss was followed vvith the sudden revolt of sundry Tovvns Nor vvas it long ere Charles recovered Aunerre and Rhiemes in the last of vvhich according to the Maids direction he vvas solemnly crovvned King of France Hitherto the Virgin had been very lucky but coming to the rescue of Champagne distressed by the English and Bâ—rgundians she vvas taken by a Burgundian Knight vvho sold her to the English and they sent her to Roan vvhere she vvas burnt for Sorcery Bloodshed and unnatural use of man-like Apparel and Habiliments contrary to her Sex The rumor of vvhose death and ignominious cause thereof vvas something incommodious to Charles's affairs for a time and it vvas thought that the coming of young King Henry into France vvould be much more vvho Decemb. 7.1431 vvas crovvned King of France in Paris by the Cardinal of Winchester At vvhich time such of the French Nobility as vvere present did their homage to him The Kings Patents and Grants touching French matters passed under the seal and stile of Henry King of the French-men and of England And about this time the English Affairs succeeded pretty fortunately in France The Earl of Arundel and Lord Talbot carry about victorious arms and terrifie Main Anjou and other places vvith their successes A D. 1435 that famous Patriot and General John Duke of Bedford dyed at Paris Upon vvhich many Tovvns voluntarily yeilded and multitudes of the French forsook the English to joyn vvith Charles And though the English Forces then in France vvere not altogether slothful yet through a fatal security or negligence or both at home there vvas not speedy sufficiencies of resistance ministred Richard Duke
of York vvas created Regent of France but before he arrived there Paris vvas lost by the treachery of the Citizens Feb. 27. 1436. And Philip Duke of Burgundy novv in person gives proof of his disaffections to the English bringing his Forces before the Tovvn of Callis for the relief of vvhich place the Protector Humphrey Duke of Glocester passed vvith a great Army but Burgundy had vvithdravvn his Forces before the Duke arrived Hovvbeit the Duke took some revenge on him by vvasting part of his Dominions Which done he vvith honour returned to his Charge in England In France the Earl of Warwick vvas very active driving the Duke of Burgundy's Forces from Crotoy freeing Albeville from the danger of a Bastile for tvventy days spoiling the Country of Picardy about Amiens and Artois The Duke of Somreset Lords Talbot and VVilloughby were also busied in other places for the security of what the English had gained John Stratford A. B. Cant. But the common enemy the Turk increasing in strengths Ambassadors were sent from all parts to determine these bloody differences betwixt the Nations of France and England whereupon a Truce was taken by the two Kings for eighteen months A. D. 1444 was King Henry married with Margaret the daughter of Renate Duke of Anjou and Lorrain In which marriage say some begun the mournful Tragedies of our Country For after this day the fortune of the World began to decline the King so that he lost his friends in England and revenues in France for shortly all was ruled by the Queen and her Councel to the great disprofit of the King and his Realm and to the mauger and obloquie of the Queen her self who had many a wrong and false report made of her A. D. 1447 Good Duke Humphreys death was effected He was much hated by the Queen and her party as the only man who by his prudence as also by the Honour and Authority of his birth and place seemed to impeach that Soveraign Command which they pretended to settle in the King but meant indeed as the manner is under soft Princes to reign themselves in anothers name Many great Lords were drawn on at the time of a Parliament then holden at St. Edmondsbury to concur for his destruction not perceiving that thereby they pluckt up the flood-gate at which the Duke of York should enter This great Duke being come to attend in this Parliament was Arrested of High Treason by John Lord Beaumont High Constable of England the Dukes of Buckingham Sommerset and others and to guard him certain of the Kings household were appointed but it was not long before he was found dead whose body was shewed to the Lords and Commons as if he had died of a Palsey or Imposthume His servants Sir Roger Chamberlain Richard Middleton Thomas Herbert Arthur Tursey Esquires and Richard Nedham Gent. were condemned of High Treason and had this unexampled punishment They were drawn from the Tower to Tyburn there hang'd let down quick stript naked mark'd with a knife to be quartred and then a Charter of Pardon for their lives was shewed by the Marquess of Suffolk Thomas Wild the Dukes servant also being condemned and pardoned had for a preamble in his Letters Patents words importing That he had been one among many other Traytors against the King with Duke Humphrey who went about and practised to deliver Eleanor late wife to the Duke out of Prison for which purpose he had gathered a great power and number of men to come to the Parliament at Bury there to have contrived the Kings destruction Such was the end of this great Prince who by the people of England was thought to be doubly murdered by detraction and deadly practise He was not only a true Lover of learned men but himself was also learned and a Father of his Country And now the whole frame of government seemed to repose it self on the Queen and such Favourites as the King by her commendations liked The affairs of France were neglected And the Duke of York perceiving the King to be ruled and not to Rule began secretly to allure his friends of the Nobility and privily declared to them his Title to the Crown as likewise he did to certain Governours of Cities and Towns Which attempt was so politickly and closely carried that his provision was ready before his purpose was publick The very state of things invited this fatal conspiracy there being now a milder King than England was worthy of a Councel out of favour with the people manifold losses and dishonours abroad a turbulent and jealous condition of things at home Of all which the Duke of York made his best use cherishing the popular discontents and instead of seeking to redress any evils in the State he represented them to be worse than they were thereby to ripen that breach of Loyalty in the hearts of men which his ambition wrought upon In France matters went on very unhappily on the English side For the Duke of Sommerset during the Truce suffered a Town of Britain to be surprised denying restitution thereof cherished his Souldiers in their riot and disorders The French therefore making this their example surprized Town after Town till they had gained all Normandy and within few years extorted the Dutchy of Gascoign out of the English possession In the mean time the Duke of York raised his esteem in England by his appeasing of a tumult which had hapned in Ireland And at a Parliament holden at Westminster many Articles were exhibited by the Lower-House against the Duke of Suffolk wherein he was charged with evil demeanor Misprision and Treason and committed Prisoner to the Tower from whence he was discharged within a few weeks after About this time Adam Molins Bishop of Chichester and keeper of the Privy-Seal a wise and stout man stood in the Duke of Yorks way to the Crown therefore he procured him to be slain at Portsmouth by certain Ship-men And in a Parliament holden at Leicester the Duke of Suffolk a principal pillar of King Henries safety was set at again by the Yorkists They charge that for a crime on him namely the delivery of Anjou and Main which themselves had universally in a former Parliament assented unto and ratified This they prosecuted so effectually though unjustly against him that he was condemned to be banished for five years but in his way to banishment he was by some imployed on purpose taken at Dover-road where they struck off his head at the side of a Cock-boat nor was his death much lamented of the people because he was thought to have been a private actor in the death of the Noble Duke of Glocester Now the Yorkists having thus rid Suffolk out of the way think it no unfit time to begin to put their designs in practise so induce the Commons of Kent to make an Insurrection John Kemp. A. B. Cant. The Captain of the Rebels was a Villain named Jack Cade whom some by contraries called
John Amend-all Their demands were That the Duke of York now in Ireland might be called home and that he with some others whom Cade named might be principally used in Council That those guilty of good Duke Humphrey's death might receive due punishment That the Grievances of the people might be redressed These Kentish Rebels with whom others from Essex joined after they had committed some outrages in and about London as in beheading the Lord Say Treasurer of England Mr. Cromer High Sheriff plundering many of the Citizens c. upon the King's Proclamation and assurance of Pardon returned to their own homes But Cade afterward attempting to raise new troubles was slain by Mr. Edan a Kentish Gentleman The Duke of York finding the humours of the popular body fitted for his purpose came suddenly out of Ireland and confederated with divers Noble-men to take the Crown from Henry's head and to set it on his own Howbeit their pretence in taking arms was only for the reformation of the State professing that they meant all honour and obedience to the King Which King Henry and his Friends chiefly the Duke of Somerset could not believe Therefore an Army was prepared and also advanced against the Yorkists But before the Armies came to engage in fight by such that secretly favoured the Duke of York the King was perswaded to a reconciliation and that Somerset should be commanded prisoner to his own house Tho. Bourchier A. B. Cant. Which done and York having dissolved his Army he came to the King making great complaints against Somerset who hearing thereof presented himself to the King against his accuser answering York face to face and in plain terms accused him of highest Treason as having conspired to depose the King and to take the Soveraignty upon himself Whereupon York was for a time put under restraint till in St. Pauls Church in London before the chief of the Nobility he took a solemn oath to be a true faithful and obedient subject unto King Henry A. D. 1452 John Lord Talbot first Earl of Shrewsbury of that Family with an Army was sent to regain Gasgoin Burdeaux her self yeilded to this great Soldier Whence he went to relieve Chastilion but charging the Enemy upon much unequal terms was there slain in the field together with his Son the Viscount Lisle After which battel when the flames of intestine War began to flash out in England betwixt the two Families of York and Lancaster the Martial men of England were called home out of France to maintain the Factions here At which time a French Captain scoffingly asked an English man When they would return again into France To whom the English man feelingly and upon a true ground answered When your sins shall be greater and more grievous in the sight of God than ours are now A. D. 1453 the Queen was delivered of a Son who was named Edward A. D. 1454 the Duke of York in despight of his sacred Oath so publickly taken raised arms against the King marching with his forces towards London Against whose coming King Henry prepared an Army with which he advanced to St. Albans where a sharp battel was fought and the Royal party worsted On the Kings side were slain the Duke of Somerset Earls of Northumberland and Stafford Lord Clifford with sundry worthy Knights and Esquires The King himself was shot into the neck with an arrow taken prisoner and conveyed back to London where in July immediately following a Parliament was holden the precursor whereof was a Blazing-star which appeared in June extending its beams to the South The first popular Act of this Assembly was to restore the memory of Duke Humphrey to honour declaring him to have been a true subject to the King and Realm The next was to free the Yorkists from treason as to their taking up of arms In this Parliament the Duke of York created himself Protector of England the Earl of Salisbury his great Confident was made Lord Chancellor and the Earl of Warwick Salisbury's Son Captain of Callis They spared as yet to touch King Henry's life because the people did wonderfully esteem and reverence him for his holiness But that they the Yorkists might with the more facility uncrown and at last kill him they by degrees workt out his ancient Councellors and placed of their own creatures in their rooms And now the French encouraged by our inward divisions landed at Sandwich Fifteen thousand men where they did some spoil then departed Another part of them burned Foway and some other towns in Devonshire A. D. 1458 the Lords met at London to compose all quarrels bringing with them great troops of armed attendants which through the great vigilancy and providence of the then Mayor of London Godfrey Bullein Queen Ann Bulleins Ancestor dutifully kept the King's peace This Meeting of the Lords ended in a Composure though it continued but a very short time before both sides made preparations for War and at Blore-Heath they came to battel which was long and bloody but at length the worst of the day fell to the Kings side Howbeit not long after the King put the Yorkists to flight at Ludlow which town was spoiled to the bare Walls In a Parliament holden at Coventry the Duke of York Earls of March Salisbury Warwick Rutland and others were attainted of High treason and had their whole Estates confiscated But on July 9 1460 at Northampton was the fatal battel where Henry's Forces vvere utterly broken and vanquished through the treachery of the Lord Grey of Ruthen vvho quit his place and fled to the Yorkists The Duke of Buckingham Earl of Shrewsbury Viscount Beaumont Lord Egrimond Valiant Sir VVilliam Lucy vvith many others of the Kings Friends vvere slain and the King himself fell a prey into his enemies hands vvho carried him to London vvhere a Parliament begun Octob. 8. At which Parliament Richard 〈…〉 his claim to the Crown publ◠〈…〉 â—gree to them on this sort nam◠〈…〉 third son of King â—dward the third had Issue Philip his daughter who was married to Edmond Mortimer Earl of March who had Issue Roger Earl of March who had Issue Edmond Earl of March Roger Anne and Eleanor which said Edmond Roger and Eleanor died without Issue and Anne the Heir of that House was married to Richard Earl of Cambridge the son of Edmond Duke of York fifth son to King Edward the third which said Earl of Cambridge had Richard now Duke of York He also alledged that the descendents of John of Gaunt fourth son and younger brother to Lionel had hitherto holden the Crown of England unjustly for that himself the said Richard Plantagenet Duke of York was the lawful Heir being the son of Richard Earl of Cambridge and Anne aforesaid Whilss this weighty controversy to whom the Crown of right belonged was under debate a Crown which hung for an Ornament in the middle of the roof of the Room where the Knights and Burgesses met to consult and also
durst bear Arms in behalf of that Tyrant Richard to which he answered He was my Crowned King and if the Parliamentary authority of England set the Crown upon a stock I vvill fight for that stock And as I fought then for him I will fight for you when you are established by the said Authority King Richard's Crown which was taken amongst the spoils of the field the Lord Stanley Earl of Derby set upon Earl Henries head The slain body of the Usurper all tugg'd and torn stark naked was trussed behind Blanch St. Lieger a Pursevant at Arms like a Hog or Calf the head and arms hanging on one side of the Horse and his legs on the other after which manner it was brought to Leicester where it was buried in the Grey-Friers Church The stone-Chest wherein his Corps lay was at length made a drinking trough for horses at a common Inn. His body if you will credit tradition herein was born out of the City and contemptuously bestowed under Bowbridge His Issue was Edward dead before himself He founded a Colledg at Middleham beyond York and a Collegiate Chantry in London called our Lady of Barking He endowed Queens-Colledg in Cambridg with 500 Marks of yearly revenue He disforested the great field of Whichwood that King Edward his brother had inclosed for his Game and made some good Laws and when divers Shires of England offered him benevolence he refused saying I had rather have your hearts than your money This scoffing Rhime was divulged in contempt of the Usurper Richard and his three principal Creatures The Cat the Rat and Lovell the Dog Rule all England under the Hog The Cat and Rat meant of Catesby and Ratcliff the Dog of Lovell that creature belonging to the Lord Lovell's Arms and the Hog of K. Rich. whose cognisance it was But William Collingbourn Esquire who had been Sheriff of Wiltshire and Devonshire was upon Tower-hill executed with all extremity as Author thereof Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Time In his first year VVilliam Billesdon was Mayor Thomas Newland VViliam Martin Sheriffs In his second year Thomas Hill was Mayor Richard Chester and he dying Ralph Astry Thomas Britain Sheriffs HENRY VII A D. 1485 Aug. 22. HENRY Earl of Richmond was Son to Margaret Countess of Richmond and Derby daughter to John Duke of Sommerset son to John Earl of Sommerset son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster fourth son of Edward the third October 30th A. D. 1485 was Henry Crowned at Westminster Then the better to secure his estate he shut up the Earl of Warwick the only son and Heir of George Duke of Clarence in the Tower of London Then instituted a guard for his person consisting of a number of choice Archers with allotment of Fees and Maintenance under a peculiar Captain by the name of Yeomen of the Guard for him and his Successors November the seventh was a Parliament assembled at VVestminster at the sitting whereof Richard the late Usurper was attainted and with him many of the Nobility and Gentry Free pardon was also given to all such saving the persons excepted by name as should presently submit themselves to the Kings mercy Reversed also were all former Acts hurtful either to the King or his Friends and the Crown was established upon the King and his Heirs for ever Next the King assumed into his Councel those two renowned Agents in advancing his fortunes John Morton and Richard Fox A. D. 1486 John Morton A.B. Cant. and January the eighteenth he married the Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter of King Edward the fourth to the utter abolisment of all Hostilities between the two Houses or York and Lancaster But there wanted not some male-contents who assayed to disturb these serene days for the Lord Lovell one of the late Usurpers Creatures with Sir Humphrey Stafford and his brother assembled forces against the King which upon but the news of an Army coming against them dispersed themselves Sir Humphrey was taken out of Sanctuary and executed at Tyburn When this storm was over the White Rose or York faction raised another procuring one Lambert Symnel to personate one of King Edwards sons Which puppet Lambert was conveyed into Ireland where the Irish adhered to him and in Christ-Church in Dublin Crowned him King of England And into Ireland the Dutchess Dowager of Burgundy sister to Edward the fourth sent this Impostor two thousand Souldiers under the conduct of Collonel Swart These with Irish and some English joyned to them landed in Lancashire at the Pile of Fowdray thence they took their march through York-shire so towards Newark every-where as they came proclaiming their new King Not far from Newark and near to a little village called Stoke the King with his Army encountred them where the fight continued doubtful for about three hours but at last the victory fell to King Henry On Lamberts part were slain the Earl of Lincoln the Lord Lovel Sir Thomas Broughton Colonel Swart and Maurice Fitz-Thomas with four thousand Souldiers On the Kings side fell not any man of Honour but almost half his vant-guard was slain so that the Garland was dipt in blood Amongst the prisoners that were taken was the counterfeit King who had been a Scholler in Oxford and his Tutor Richard Simon a Priest Lambert confessed his parents to be mean persons and of a mean Calling Him the King condemned to his kitchin or scullery at length promoted him to be one of his Falconers in which estate he continued till his death Sim. Subtle or Richard Simon was condemned to a dungeon and perpetual shackles Stoken-field battle was fought A D. 1487 June 16 being Saturday A day of the week observed to have been lucky to this Prince Henry who sent his Royal standard to our Ladies Church of VValsingham in Norfolk there to remain as a Monument of this his Victory and gratitude for it And now the King dispatcheth his Agents into Scotland there to settle amity with James the third and to prevent the retreat and protection that his enemies had found therein Shortly after which some discontented persons in York-shire rose in Arms under pretence that they were oppressed in their Tax or Subsidy but some of these Rebels were routed by the Earl of Surrey who took their Leader John a Chamber prisoner and upon the hearing of the Kings approach the rest of them under the leading of Sir John Egremond dispersed themselves John a Chamber with some others of the chief of the Rebels were executed at York The Kings affairs being setled in a present peaceable estate at home he was next ingaged in a War with France For the carrying on of which his Subjects did largely contribute chiefly the City of London out of which he received for his furniture in that voyage almost ten thousand pounds from the Commoners and two hundred pounds besides from every Alderman And this wise King knowing how great a strength that rich City was to him humoured the
Citizens exceedingly Himself did not only become one amongst them causing himself to be entred a Brother of the Merchant-Taylors Company but also wore the habit at a publick Feast and sate as Master of the Company A. D. 1492 Octob. the sixth King Henry with his Host landed at Callis from whence with his whole forces he marched towards Boloigne which when he had besieged Articles of peace were concluded betwixt him and the King of France For King Henry before his going out of England had been dealt with on the French Kings behalf to accept of conditions but would not enter into any Treaty with him till he was in the field and that with such a puissance as vvas likely enough to force his ovvn conditions When Henry had to his advantage setled his transmarine affairs he returned for England vvhere he vvas not to remain long in quiet For the Dutchess of Burgundy had provided another counterfeit King a youth of a Princely personage called Peter VVarbeck the son of a converted Jew This her creature Peter or as some called him Perkin and Peterkin under the name and Title of Richard Plantaginet second son of King Edward the fourth had great honour given him by the King of France And divers persons of eminency in England were so deluded that they believed him to be the true Richard and thereupon sought to advance him to the Crown which cost some of them the price of their heads as the Lord Fitz-VValter Sir Simon Montford Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlain that gained the Victory for King Henry at Bosworth-field These with more were put to death for favouring of Perkin The King also for the further prevention of dangers caused the coasts of England to be strongly guarded sent a new Lord Chancellor into Ireland Henry Denny a Monk of Langton-Abby and Sir Edward Poynings with some forces whose greatest care and diligence was to punish such as before time had given any assistance to the Mock-king and to restrain such as were likely to do so in time to come The Earl of Kildare falling under suspition Poynings sent prisoner into England where the King did graciously hear and admit his defences and returned him with Honour and continuation of authority The Irish had formerly exhibited many Articles against this Earl the last of which was Finally all Ireland cannot rule this Earl Then quoth the King shall this Earl rule all Ireland constituting him Lord-Deputy thereof But Perkin having gained private assistance from the French King and Maximilian to strengthen yet his enterprize he repairs into Scotland unto James the fourth having special recommendations from the King of France and Dutchess of Burgundy who gave him most courteous entertainment The rare impudency of the youth and that connexion which his darings had with other Princes drew this King into an errour concerning him When he was first brought to the presence of the King of Scots with a right Princely gracefulness he declared to the said King That Edward the fourth leaving two sons Edward and Richard both very young their unnatural Uncle Richard to obtain the Crown purposed the murder of them both but the instruments of his cruelty having murdred his elder brother the young King were moved with pity to spare his life and that thus saved by the mercy of God he was privately conveyed beyond the Seas the world supposing that himself also had been murdred And that Henry Teuder Earl of Richmond after he had by subtle and foul means obtained the Crown he then wrought all means and ways to procure the final destruction of him the rightful Heir to the English Diadem That his said mortal enemy Henry hath not only falsely surmised him to be a feigned person giving him Nick-names so abusing the World but that also to deprive him of his right he had offered large Sums of Mony to corrupt the Princes with whom he had been retained and had imploy'd his servants to murder him That every man of reason might well understand that the said Henry needed not to have taken these courses against him had he been a feigned person That the truth of his manifest cause had moved the King of France and Dutchess of Burgundy his most Dear Ant to yield him their assistence That now because the Kings of Scotland were wont to support them who were spoiled and bereft of the said Kingdom of England and for that he the said King James had given clear signs that he was of the like Noble quality and temper with his Ancestors he so distressed a Prince came to put himself into his hands desiring his aid to recover his Realms promising faithfully that when his Kingdoms were regained he would gratefully do him all the pleasure that should lie in his utmost power The King of Scots was so influenced with this Impostors words amiable person Princely deportment recommendations of Princes his aids from the Irish and assured hope of aid in England that he honourably received him as if he had been the very Richard Duke of York and gave his consent that this pretended Duke should marry the Lady Katharine Gourdon daughter to the Earl of Huntly which accordingly he did and also prepared to invade England in his quarrel although there wanted not them who with many arguments advised this King to repute him for no other than a Cheat. King Henry that he might be prepared for the Scots called a Parliament which granted a Tax to be gathered of six score thousand pounds the Levy of which mony kindled a dangerous fire in England For when the Kings Collectors came amongst the Cornish-men to receive their proportion of the Tax they tumultuously assembled under the leading of one Thomas Flammock a Lawyer and Michael Joseph a Black-Smith of Bodnam Which Captains led their rout towards Kent and at Wells James Tuchet Lord Audley joyned with them From Wells they proceeded to Black-Heath where the Kings forces defeated them without much labour fifteen hundred of the Rebels were taken and the takers had their prisoners goods granted them James Lord Audley was led from New-gate to Tower-hill in a Coat of his own Armories painted on a Paper reverst and torn where he was executed Flammock and the Smith were quartred Memorably strange was the comfort that the Smith cheered himself withall as he was drawing to his execution to wit That yet he hoped that by this means his Name and Memory should be everlasting The Kings care was now to order the War against Scotland whither he sent the Earl of Surrey with an Army to invade the Scotch borders as they had lately done the English The Earl pursued the revenge with great vehemency but in short time by the King of Spains mediation a Truce was concluded betwixt the two Nations One Article of which Truce was That Perkin should be no longer fostered in Scotland Whereupon he withdraws into â—reland whither the Cornish-men sent to him inviting him amongst them promising that at his arrival
were painted with the five wounds of Christ the Chalice Cake and other Romish inventions This their Rebellion they termed the holy Pilgrimage Their General of foot was one James Diamond a poor Fisher-man stiled the Earl of Poverty their chief Leader was Mr. Robert Aske a man it seems of terror For when Lancaster Herald at Arms was sent to him to declare the Kings message this Aske did so terribly bluster forth his answers that the Herald fell before him on his knees excusing himself to be but a Messenger Many persons of great note were parties in this insurrection And to draw the more in to side with them Aske and his complices set forth in writing these scandalous untruths against the King First That no infant should be permitted to receive the blessed Sacrament of Baptisme bot onles an trybet to be payd to the King Secondly That no man under twenty pound lands shall eyte no brede made of Wheat ner Capon Chekyn Gois ner Pig bot onles to pay a trybet to the King Thirdly That for every Ploghe-land the King will have en trybet with other extreme urgent causes and heartily Fare ye well Their oath wherein they bound themselves in this league was the preservation of the Kings person and Issue the purifying of Nobility and expulsing all villain blood and evil Counsellors not for envy to any to enter into their pilgrimage or any private commodity but for the Common-weal the restitution of the Church and suppression of Heresy and Hereticks But a great force being drawn against them they dispersed themselves upon promise of pardon and redress in their just complaints Yet notwithstanding this the Kings clemency some of the chief of these actors ingaged themselves again in a new insurrection in short time after this for which offence they suffered death Of Ecclesiastical persons were put to death four Abbots two Priors three Monks seven Priests also Captain Mackarel and of temporal persons were executed Robert Aske the Lord Dacres Sir Robert Constable Sir Francis Bigod Palmer Percie Hamilton Tempest and Lumley These stirs being stinted a Commission came forth to purge the Churches of Idols and to suppress the Monastries to the Kings use granted him by Parliament When down went the Rood of Boxely in Kent commonly called the Rood of Grace which was made with divers vices to bow down and lift up it self to shake and stir both head hands and feet to rowl the eyes move the lips and to bend the brows thereby to cheat silly Souls So likewise the Images of our Lady of Walsingham and Ipswich set with Jewels and Gems also divers other both of England and Wales were brought to London and many of them burnt before the Lord Cromwel at Clelsey A. D. 1538. Then down went the Monasteries to the number of about 645 besides 90 Colledges and of Chantries and free Chappels 2374. Almost all these were born down in those boistrous times to the worlds amazement Amongst the Shrines that of Thomas a Becket was defaced whose meanest part was pure Gold garnished with many precious Stones the chiefest of which was a rich Gem of France offered by King Lewis who asked and obtained of this prime Saint believe it who list That no passenger betwixt Dover and White-sand should perish by Ship-wrack But instead of these impertinencies the holy Bible was commanded to be read in English in the Churches and Register-Books of Weddings Christnings and Burials to be kept in every of them If we will credit tradition shameful villanies were too frequently prepetrated by the Monasticks as Whoredoms Incests Sodomy and Murders Many infants bones the products of their wantonness were found in many of their religious houses The Monasteries thus dissolved and the revenues thereof converted to secular uses King Henry hereby ran in great obloquy of many forreign Princes and Potentates but especially of the Pope Yea and homeborn subjects disliking hereof by secret working sought to deprive King Henry and to elevate Regâ—nald Pole to the regal dignity for the which treason Henry Courtney Marquess of Excester the Lord Montacute and Sir Edward Neville were beheaded on Tower-hill A. D. 1540 and January the sixth was King Henry married unto the Lady Anne Sister to the Duke of Cleve but he refrained her bed for the dislike he had to her person and she good Lady no other cause alledged was divorced by Parliament the June following when it was also enacted That she should no longer be called Queen In this Parliament was Cromwell Attainted for setting at liberty certain persons committed for misprision of Treason and Heresy for favouring and maintaining the Translation of heretical Books so called into English for countenancing and supporting heretical Teachers for being an heretick himself and for having spoken great words for the upholding his said religion to wit That the King himself should not change it if he would The cause why the King fell into dislike of him and consequently of his ruin was because he stood in the defence of the Lady Anne of Cleve and spake not all well of the Lady Katharine Howard whom the King was minded and did take to Wife Which distast of the Kings against him his enemy Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester did improve to Cromwells destruction who was beheaded on Tower-hill and with him the Lord Hungerford of Heitesbury for buggery Margaret Countess of Salisbury daughter of George Duke of Clarence and Mother of Cardinal Reginald Pole being neither Arraigned nor Tryed but condemned by Parliament as Cromwell had been was beheaded And the Lord Leonard Grey about the same time lost his head for Treason And the next day after his death Thomas Fines Lord Dacres of the South died at Tyburn for killing a man in a fray Nor was the Sword sheathed until the heads of Queen Katharine Howard and the Lady Jane Rochford were struck off the former for Adultery the other for concealment as was alledged The parties offending with Katharine Howard were Francis Dereham and Thomas Culpepper Dereham before she was Queen and Culpepper after who both were executed at Tyburn Decemb. the tenth and on Febru the twelfth following Mrs Katharine Howard for so in the Act of her Attainder she is called who had been Queen for the space of a year and half with the Lady Jane widow of the Lord Rochford were brought unto the Tower-hill where in lamentable passions they suffered death This Queen protested after her condemnation to Dr. White her last Confessor that she was guiltless having never so abused her Soveraigns bed But as these in case of Treason so others in matter of Conscience were put to death by force of the Statutes made under this King Whereof one was the renouncing the Popes supremacy and owning the King for supream head of the Church in his own Dominions this concerned the Papists The other was the six Articles this concerned the Protestants Which six bloody Articles were First That after the words of Consecration there
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
fourteenth Year Sir John Mundy vvas Mayor John Rudston John Champneis Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year Sir Thomas Baldrie was Mayor Michael English Nicholas Jennings Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year Sir William Bailey vvas Mayor Ralph Dodmere VVilliam Roche Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year Sir John Allen was Mayor John Caunton or Calton Christopher Askaw Sheriffs In his eighteenth Year Sir Thomas Seymour vvas Mayor Stephen Peacock Nicholas Lambert Sheriffs In his nineteenth Year Sir James Spencer was Mayor John Hardy William Hollis Sheriffs In his twentieth Year Sir John Rudston vvas Mayor Ralph Warren John Long Sheriffs In his twenty first Year Sir Ralph Dodmer was Mayor Michael Dormer Walter Champion Sheriffs In his twenty second Year Sir Thomas Pargiter was Mayor William Dantesey or Dancy Richard Champion Sheriffs In his twenty third Year Sir Nicholas Lambert was Mayor Richard Gresham Edward Altham Sheriffs In his Twenty fourth Year Sir Stephen Peacock was Mayor Richard Reynolds John Martin Nicholas Pinchon John Priest Sheriffs In his twenty fifth Year Sir Christopher Askew vvas Mayor William Forman Thomas Kitson Sheriffs In his twenty sixth Year Sir John Champneis was Mayor Nicholas Leveson William Denham Sheriffs In his twenty seventh Year Sir John Allen was Mayor Humfrey Monmouth John Cotes Sheriffs In his Twenty eighth Year Sir Ralph Warren was Mayor Robert or Richard Paget William Bowyer Sheriffs In his twenty ninth Year Sir Richard Gresham was Mayor John Gresham Thomas Lewin Sheriffs In his thirtieth Year Sir VVilliam Forman was Mayor William Wilkinson Nicholas Gibson Sheriffs In his thirty first Year Sir VVilliam Hollys was Mayor Thomas Ferrer Thomas Huntlow Sheriffs In his thirty second Year Sir William Roche was Mayor VVilliam Laxstone Martin Bows Sheriffs In his thirty third Year Sir Michael Dormer was Mayor Rowland Hill Henry Suckley Sheriffs In his thirty fourth Year Sir John Cotes was Mayor Henry Hobberthorn Henry Amcoats Sheriffs In his thirty fifth Year Sir William Bowyer was Mayor John Tholouse Richard Dobbes Sheriffs In his thirty sixth Year Sir William Laxton was Mayor John Wilford Andrew Jud Sheriffs In his thirty seventh Year Sir Martin Bows was Mayor George Barne Ralph Allen or Alley Sheriffs In his thirty eighth Year Sir Henry Hobberthorn was Mayor Richard Jarveis Thomas Curteis Sheriffs EDWARD VI. A. D. 1547. EDward the Sixth was born but not without the death of his Mother A.D. 1537 Octob. 12. A. D. 1547 and Febr. 20. he was Crowned at Westminster At which time when three Swords were delivered to him as King of England France and Ireland he said There was yet another Sword to be delivered him namely the sacred Bible which is said he the sword of the Spirit without which we are nothing neither can do any thing His Mothers brother Edward Lord Seymour Earl of Hartford and Duke of Somerset was by the consent of the Nobles made Protector over his Minority and the Realms In short time after the Kings Coronation the Lord Protector and Council sought to effect the Marriage betwixt the young King and the young Queen of Scotland as it had been formerly agreed on by both Nations but this the Scots refused to yield unto wherefore the Protector led an army into Scotland and at a place called Edmondstone-edg near to Musclebrough fought the Scots and vanquished them following the chase of them almost five miles wherein the Lord Fleming with sundry men of note were slain and 10000 of the Soldiers and about a 1000 were taken Prisoners the chief whereof were the Earl of Huntly the Lords Yester Hobby and Hamilton the Lord Weems and a brother of the Earl of Cassills Lieth the English sacked and set on fire took the Island St. Colmes Broughticrag Rocksbrough Humes Castle and others insomuch that many Gentlemen in Tividale and the Meres came to the Protector and entred into terms and conditions of peace with him After the Protectors return a Parliament was assembled at London wherein the six Articles were repealed those Colledges and Chappels that King Henry had left were given the King and the Churches ordred to be purged of all Images And accordingly Commissioners were appointed who first began at St. Pauls in London and thence proceeded throughout England and Wales But this reformation occasioned great commotions which began in the West A Priest stabbed one Mr. Body a Commissioner to the heart for plucking down certain Images and this fact of his was so favoured by the Cornish and Devonshire Rusticks that ten thousand of them rose in Arms heading themselves under Mr. Humphrey Arundel six other Gentlemen and eight Priests These rebells besieged the City of Excester and sore distressed it yet did the Citizens loyally hold out against them for which the King did enlarge their Liberties and gave unto their City the Mannor of Exilond At last the rebells agree upon Articles to be sent the King therein requiring to have Mass celebrated as in time past it had been To have holy bread and holy water in remembrance of Christs body and blood To have the six Articles again in force c. To these and the rest of their demands the King sent an answer Therein pitying their ignorance reproving their sawciness and withal a general pardon to as many as would desist in time concluding thus We for our part seek no longer to live than to be a Father to our people and as God hath made us your King so hath he commanded you obedience by whose great Majesty we swear you shall feel the same power in our Sword which how mighty it is no subject knoweth how puissant it is no private man can judg and how mortal no English heart can think Therefore embrace our mercy whilst it is offered lest the blood spilt by your means cry vengeance from the earth and be heard in the ears of the Lord of Heaven Notwithstanding all this the rebells still persisted in their Traiterous attempts the King therefore sent an army against them which put them to flight at Honiton then worsted them at Excester where the rebells lay siege and lastly upon Clift-heath destroyed the greatest part of them their consecrated Host Crucifix Crosses consecrated Banners holy bread and holy water which the rebells had brought into the field thinking by vertue of them to have made all sure on their side were all trampled into the dirt Arundel Winsland Holmes and Bury four rebell-Captains were taken and executed at London Others also of their partakers were executed by Martial Law amongst whom was Boyer the Mayor of Bodmin in Cornwall Nigh to which Town dwelt a Miller that had been a busie-fellow in the rebellion but he knowing his own danger willed his man to take the name of Master if any enquired after him To this Millers house Sir Anthony Kingstone Marshall of the Field came where calling for the Master the officious man in his name very bodily presented himself whom Sir Anthony straight commanded to the Gallows and when the poor fellow seeing the
following he was condemned of Felony as seeking the death of some of the Kings Counsellors and on Febr. 22 of the same year he was brought to the Scaffold on Tower-hill where he thus spake to the people Dearly beloved Friends I am brought hither to suffer death albeit I never offended against the King either in word or deed and have always been as true and faithful to this Realm as any man hath been But forasmuch as I am by Law condemned to die I do acknowledg my self as well as others to be subject thereunto Wherefore to testifie my obedience which I owe unto the Laws I am come hither to suffer death whereunto I willingly offer my self with most hearty thanks unto God that hath given me this time of repentance who might through sudden death have taken away my life that I neither should have acknowledged him nor my self When having uttered these words with others exhortatory That the people would continue constant in the Gospel suddenly there was heard a great noise whereby the assembly was struck into great fear which noise was made by some of the Trainband-Hamlets coming hurrying on the Tower-hill This stir being ceased another presently insued for the people seeing Sir Anthony Brown ride towards the Scaffold they violently ran and crowded together thitherward supposing he had brought a pardon from the King and with a sudden shout cried a pardon a pardon God save the King But these interruptions over the Duke proceeded in his speech requesting the people to join in prayer with him for the King exhorting them unto obedience to him and his Council Which done asking every man forgiveness and declaring that he freely forgave every man he meekly submitted his head to the Axe Whose death the people were much grieved for speaking very bitterly against the Duke of Northumberland and the good King sorely mourned because of it which likely did much increase his Consumptive distemper that brought him to his end Whilst he lay in his weakness he was over-wrought to disinherit his two sisters Mary and Elizabeth and to ordain by Will for his Successor to Englands Diadem Guilford Dudley's Wife Jane the elder Daughter of the Duke of Suffolk whose Mother the Lady Frances was the Daughter of Mary Queen of France and Charles Branden Duke of Suffolk Unto this Will of King Edward all his Council the Bishops and all the Judges saving Sir John Hallis subscribed When the King drew towards his last breath he prayed as followeth Lord God deliver me out of this miserable life and take me among thy chosen howbeit not my will but thy will be done Lord I commit my spirit to thee O Lord thou knowest how happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy Chosen sake if it be thy will send me life and health that I may truly serve thee O my Lord bless thy people and save thine inheritance O Lord God save thy chosen people of England O my Lord God defend this Realm from Papistry and maintain thy true Religion that I and my people may praise thy holy Name for thy Son Jesus Christs sake So turning his face and seeing some by him he said I thought you had not been so nigh Yes said Dr. Owen we heard you speak to your self Then said the King I was praying to God O I am faint Lord have mercy upon me and receive my Spirit And in so saying he yielded up the Ghost July 6 1553. And was interred in the Chappel of St. Peters at Westminster He was a Prince very well learned in the Latin and Greek Tongues also in the French Spanish and Italian adorned with the skill of Logick Natural Philosophy Musick and Astronomy Of such observation and memory that he could tell and recite all the Ports Havens and Creeks belonging to England Scotland and France what coming in there was how the Tide served in every of them what burden of Ship and what wind best served the coming into them Of all his Nobles chief Gentry and Magistrates he took special notice of their hospitality and religious conventions He was very sparing of his Subjects blood though rebells or hereticks When Joan Butcher was to be burnt for heresie all his Council could not move him to sign the Warrant for her execution till Dr. Cranmer A. B. laboured with him therein to whom the King said What my Lord will you have me send her quick to hell And taking the Pen he used this speeeh I will lay all the charge hereof upon Cranmer before God So zealous he was for the reformed Religion and against Popery that he thrust out all the Roman fopperies out of the Churches and superstitions out of the English Church nor would he permit his sister Mary to have Mass said in her house though the Emperour Charles made suit for it in her behalf So charitable that he conferred on the City of London Christs-Hospital and St. Thomas-Hospital for the relief of the Impotent fatherless Children and wounded Soldiers and Bridewell for vagabond and idle persons and so circumspect as to himself and publick that he kept a Journal-Book written with his own hand how all things proceeded with him and the state even from the first day of his raign unto his death The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir John Gresham was Mayor Thomas White Robert Chertsey Sheriffs In his second Year Henry Amcoats was Mayor William Lock Sir John Ayleph Sheriffs In his third Year Sir Rowland Hill was Mayor John Yorke Richard Turk Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir Andrew Jud was Mayor Augustine Hinde John Lion Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir Richard Dobbes was Mayor John Lambert John Cowper Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir George Barne was Mayor William Garret or Gerard John Mainard Sheriffs Queen MARY A.D. 1553 PIOVS King Edward having exchanged this wretched life for an happy the Councel in the first place perswaded the Lord Mayor and certain of the Aldermen of London to take their Oathes to be faithful to the Lady Jane Grey then caused the said Lady Jane to be proclaimed in London Queen of England But when Queen Mary heard the news of her brothers death and the Councels proceeds by her Letters she required the Councel as they tendred her displeasure and their own safeties to proclaim her Queen and Governour of the Land Unto which Letters the Lords forthwith answered That by good Warrant of Ancient Laws of the Realm besides the last Will of King Edward the right was in the Lady Jane to govern England unto whom therefore and none other they must yield subjection They also remembred the Queen of the unlawful marriage and divorce of her Mother of her own illegitimation desiring her to forbear any furder claim and to submit her self to the Queen Jane now her Soveraign Which Letters sent to Queen Mary were subscribed by Thomas Canterbury Archbishop Thomas Ely Chancellor Henry Suffolk Duke The Duke of
Edenburgh the common People both Men and Women flung cudgels stones stools or any thing that came next hand at him and after that was done re-inforced their assaults upon the Bishops then present Nor was it the rabble only that were disaffected to the Church-Liturgy and Discipline but persons of all degrees and orders who mutually obliged themselves and the Scottish Nation in a Hellish Covenant to extirpate Episcopacy and to defend each other against all persons To reduce this People to a more peaceful practice the King sent Marquess Hamilton as his Commissioner but there were new seeds of discontents and war dayly sown so that to pacific the discontents of the Scots his Majesty at length gave order for revoking the Liturgy the High-Commission the Book of Canons and the five Articles of Perth made by King James also granted that a general assembly of the Kirk should be holden at Glascow Novem. 21. 1638. and a Parliament at Edenburgh 15 of May 1639. When the Assembly were met they fell to declare against Bishops to excomunicate them and their adherents and to abolish Episcopacy and the Covenanters were also so daring that they seized upon the Kings Revenue surprized his Forts and Castles and at last put themselves in Arms. Cardinal Richlieu of France heightning them 't is said in their factious proceeds by promising them assistance from the French King King Charles now well perceiving that his Clemency to the Scots was converted to his own prejudice raises therefore a gallant Army with which he marches within two miles of Berwick within sight of the Rebel Scots but they Petitioning for a pacification the King yielded thereunto A. D. 1639 and June 17 the King disbanded his Army expecting that the Scots would have done the like according to the Articles of accord but the Covenanters instead of keeping those Articles retained their Officers in pay changed the old form of holding Parliaments invaded the Prerogatives of the Crown and solicited the French King for an aid of men and money His Majesty hereupon calls a Parliament in England to sit April 13 1640. and another in Ireland The Irish Parliament granted money to raise and pay 8000 men in Arms and to furnish them with ammunition but the English Parliament were not so free in granting supplies against the Scots although the King promised them for ever to quit his claim of Ship-money and give satisfaction to their just demands if now they would supply him When his Majesty sent old Sir Henry Vane unto them to demand six subsidies he either purposely or accidentally the first is rather thought named twelve which put the Commons into such a heat that they were about to remonstrate against the War with Scotland Whereupon the King was forced to dissolve the Parliament May the 5. 1640. Howbeit he continued the Convocation of the Clergy which granted him four shillings in the pound for all their Ecclesiastical promotions Soon after this a tumult was stirr'd up at the Bishop of Canterbury's insomuch that a great number of Apprentices and vulgar persons assaulted his house at Lambeth some of whom being apprehended and imprisoned were by their Companions rescued out of Prison for which one of the Ringleaders was hang'd and quartered Now whilst these things were acting at home the turbulent Scots had entred England and defeated a part of the Kings Army before the whole could be imbodied and had gained Newcastle and Durham And no sooner was his Majesty come to his Army in the North but there followed him from some English Lords a Petition conformable to the Scotch Remonstrance which they called the intentions of the Army viz. not to lay down Arms till the reformed Religion meaning Scotch Presbytery was setled in both Nations and the causers and abetters of their present troubles were brought to publick Justice and that in Parliament The King therefore summons the Lords to appear at York September the 24 1640. who accordingly met where it was determined that a Parliament should be called to meet November the third following then a Treaty was agreed upon betwixt the English and Scotch for the ceasing of all Acts of Hostility and one of the Articles was That the contribution of 850 l. per diem should be raised out of the English Northern Counties to maintain the Scotch Army during the Treaty and till peace was secured The fatal long Parliament began November the third which day as 't is said was looked upon by the Archbishop of Canterbury as an unlucky day for meeting of Parliaments in reference to Church-affairs having proved so in the time of King Henry the eighth whereupon he advised the King to put off their setting to another day which his Majesty inclined not unto but at their meeting acquainted them that he was resolved to put himself wholly upon his English Subjects that he would satisfie all their just grievances then commended to their care the chasing out of the sawcy Scots making provisions for his own Army and relieving the oppressed Northern Counties But the Parliament instead of complying with their Soveraign in his just proposals they first set upon purging their house of such whom they thought wou'd not comply with their designs finding fault either with their elections or else making them criminals in some publick grievance then setled Committees for grievances and receiving Petitions voted down Monopolies impeached the Lord Wentworth Earl of Strafford of High-Treason and committed him to the black Rod committed Archbishop Laud likewise to the black Rod and ten weeks after voted him guilty of High-Treason and sent him to the Tower In the mean while Prynn Burton and Bastwick were freed from their confinement and conducted into London in great State and Triumph Alderman Pennington with some hundreds attending him presented the Commons with a Petition from the Citizens of London against the present Church-government Divers Petitions from other places came before them of the like nature And now the Parliament well perceiving their own strength and interest drew up a bill for Triennial-Parliaments wherein the power of calling that great Council of the Nation was upon refusal of the King and neglect of others devolved upon Constables This the King through their importunities granted unto them February the 16 the Parliament voted That no Bishop should have any vote in Parliament nor any Judicial power in the Star-Chamber-Court nor have any sway in Temporal affairs and that no Clergy-man should be in Commission of Peace And after about five months from their sitting the Earl of Strafford Lord Deputy of Ireland was brought to his Tryal in Westminster Hall before the Lords as his Judges The King Queen and Prince setting behind a curtain in an adjoyning Gallery and round about the Court stood the Commons his accusers and the Witnesses against him were English and Scotch Anti-Episcoparians and Irish Papists his charge consisted of 28 Articles to all which the Earl answered with such firm reasons that he could not be found
than their own Army amounted unto and that was about 12000. The Parliament lost here that daring Martialist Collonel Francis Thornhaigh Shortly after the Battel Duke Hamilton was taken Prisoner and Cromwell to improve this success followed the scattered parties into Scotland where when he was come there repaired to him the Earls of Arguile Lowden Leven and other of the Scotch Covenanting-Nobility who contracted with him for subduing the common Enemy meaning the Loyal party Colchester that had endured a tedious siege and was now brought to such scarcity of provision that they had not Horse-flesh enough to serve them one day longer and on it they had lived almost a Fortnight August the 27th yielded upon Articles The private Soldiers to depart with life the Commanders to remain at the Generals dispose and the City to raise 14000 l. to save it from Plunder Prisoners of quality taken here were the Lords Goring Capel Loughbrough eleven Knights twelve Colonels eight Lieutenant-Colonels nine Majors thirty Captains and sixty-five Gentlemen Three of the Knights were presently condemned by a Council of War two of whom namely Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle were shot to death dying as they had lived with great courage But whilst these things were managed by the Army the Parliament was busied with Petitions from London and other places for a Personal Treaty The Parliament therefore contrary to the humours of some of their factious Members repealed those Votes they had formerly made for no more Addresses to the King and both Houses voted a Treaty to be with the King in honour freedom and safety And September the 18th the Treaty began at Newport in the Isle of Wight where his Majesty condescended so far unto the Parliaments demands which were the same in substance with those formerly made that both Houses came to this resolve That the Kings Concessions were a sufficient ground for peace But this did exceedingly inrage the factious Members and Commanders of the Army who now resolved to seize the King into their own hands and dispose which they did removing him out of the Isle of Wight and making him Prisoner in Hurst-Castle November the 30th the Army then fell to purging the Parliament apprehending forty Members thereof that were persons of the most known integrity and highest resolution denying admission to 150 more and suffering none to enter the House save such whom they knew would serve their designs Which Army-Members revived those Votes of no more Addresses to the King the Votes for a Treaty with the King and of the satisfactoriness of his Concessions they razed out of the Journal-book And then proceeded to vote That the supreme authority of the Nation resided in themselves That to raise Arms against the Peoples Representatives or the Parliament was High-treason That the King himself took Arms against the Parliament and so was guilty of the blood-shed throughout the Civil-war And therefore this fag-end of a Parliament was resolved to have his Majesty brought to his Trial in order thereto giving their commands for his bringing up to London and January the 19th he was accordingly brought to St. James's When the factious Members whom the Army had licensed to sit proceeded to constitute a Court for the Trial of the King giving it the specious name of the High Court of Justice which said Court they impowred to convene hear judg and execute Charles Stuart King of England These proceedings the House of Lords detested so did the Parliament of Scotland the Judges of the Land affirmed it to be contrary to the known Laws and Customs of England for the King to be brought to Trial and the Presbyterian Ministers did both publickly and privately disswade them from this horrid action though all in vain And the more to animate the Kings Judges in their illegal proceedings that Pulpit-Jester Hugh Peters preached before them on that Text Psal 149.8 To bind their Kings in chains c. such honour have all his Saints when he assured them that they were the Saints there meant often in his prophane Sermon calling them the Saint Judges and professed that he had for a certain found upon a strict scrutiny that there were in the Army 5000 Saints no less holy than those that now conversed in Heaven with God Almighty Afterwards kneeling in his Pulpit weeping and lifting up his hands he earnestly beg'd them in the name of the People of England that they would execute justice upon that wretch Charles and would not let Benhadad escape in safety c. January the 20th his Majesty was brought before the High Court of Justice in Westminster-Hall where he boldly and chearfully took the Seat prepared for him and the Chargâ— was reâ—d against him with all those reproachful terms of Tyrant Traytor and Murderer and impleaded in the name of all the People of England But General Fairfax his Lady from a Scaffold adjoining cried with a loud voice That not half the People of England were guilty of that crime but that 't was by means of that Traytor Cromwell that this wickedness was done The King alledged to the Court that he could not make his defence unless they first produced their Authority for the trial of him their King which they not being able to do except that of the Sword remanded him to the place of his captivity January the 22d the High Court of Justice met again when the King being brought to the Bar Solicitor Cook required that he might be put upon it either to give in his positive answer or else that the charge against him upon his refusal to plead might be taken for confessed The substance of which Charge was That he the said Charles Stuart King of England had been the Occasion Author and Contriver of the Wars and therein was guilty of all the Treasons Murders Rapines Burnings Spoils Desolaâ—ioâ—s damage and mischief to this Nation acted or committed in the Wars or occasioned thereby To the Charge President Bradshaw required the Kings answer but his Majesty firmly persisting in the disowning of their Authority and offering to give reasons why he could not own their Court the Court was adjourned to the next day January the 23d the King was again brought before his fictitious Judges when he was again press'd to give in his reasons why he could not own their Authority alledging that to own this new Court was against the Priviledges of the People and the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom whereupon the President commanded the Clerk to record the default and the Guard to take back the Prisoner which was accordingly done January the 27th his Majesty was again brought to the Bar where he still refused to own their illegal Court but said he had some matters conducing to the good of the People which he desired to have liberty to speak before the Members of both Houses which the Court would by no means yield unto but commanded the Clerk to read the Sentence against him which was That whereas the
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
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
Deputy thereof Ireton was very successful against the Marquess of Ormond the Lord Inchequin Marquess Clancard Earl of Castlehaven and other the Kings friends taking many Garisons from them the like did Oliver in Scotland from the Kings friends there Howbeit His Majesty hoping that now at length England might be favourable to his just Cause he advances into England by the way of Carlile with about 16000 men bending his course by a swift march for the West of England though it was hoped by his friends he would have directed his course for London But August the 23 the King with his Army entred the City of Worcester and Cromwel with all hast marched after him by the way joyning with Fleetwood Desbrough the Lord Grey of Groby Lambert Harrison and the Militia-forces of several Counties so that his Army when he was come to Worcester could not amount to fewer then 80000 men In Lancashire the Earl of Derby had raised for the King near 1500 Horse and Foot against whom Colonel Lilbourn marched and routed them taking many persons of quality the Earl of Derby himself with much ado escaped to the King at Worcester where on that twice fatal but once Lucky day September the 3d his Majesty being surrounded by his Enemies resolved to sally upon them with his whole force which accordingly he did and at the first made the disloyal party retire somewhat disorderly the King himself performing the part of a Valiant Souldier at the head of his Horse But at length his Army being overpowered by the numerous fresh supplies of his enemies His Majesties side was put to the worst his Horse flying amain towards the North and his Foot into Worcester whither they were followed at the heels by their Victors who entred the City with them which they plundred killing and taking most of the Scots Prisoners those Horse that fled were pursued and great part of them taken and the poor stragling Scots were either made Prisoners or killed by the Country People The number of the Kings party slain were judged to be about 3000 and of Prisoners taken in the whole near 10000 amongst whom were Duke Hamilton the Earls of Shrewsbury Derby Cleveland Lauderdaile Rotho Carnwath and Kelly the Lord Synclare Sir John Packington Sir Charles Cunningham Sir Ralph Clare Major General Piscotty Major General Mountgomery Colonel Graves Mr. Fanshaw the Kings Secretary the Adjutant General Marshal General General of the Ordnance together with five Colonels of Horse 13 of Foot 17 Lieutenant Colonels 19 Majors 109 Captains there was also taken 158 Colours the Kings standard Coach and Horses Coller of SS and Star-Cloak with other things of great value His Majesty through the good providence of God escaped the hands of his enemies wandring about England in disguise for six weeks at length being transported from a Creek near Shoram in Sussex to Freccam near Haure de Grace in France although his foes made the strictest search for him possible withall menacing those that should conceal him and promising high rewards to those that should discover him A little before this fight at Worcester divers persons many of them Presbyterian Ministers were seized on for holding correspondence with Charles Stuart none might as they loved their lives and estates call him King and on August the 22 were two of them namely Mr. Christopher Love Minister and Mr. Gibbons beheaded on Tower-hill The common Prisoners Scots and English taken at Worcester were sent up to London and that they might no further trouble the States of England they were transported into Foreign Plantations October the 15th the Earl of Derby was beheaded and Sir Timothy Fetherstonhaugh dyed the same death also for the same crime viz. for honouring the King In short time after the fight of Worcester the Mock-Parliament had the welcome news of reducing the Isle of Man the Barbadoes the Isle of Jersey and Cornet Castle in Guernsey but a little to allay their transport they had the unwelcome news of the death of their Admiral Popham and Ireton their Deputy of Ireland this last dyed of the plague under the Walls of Limirick but was buryed in great State in Westminster-Abby All was now in a calm at home and Scotland and Ireland both almost subjected to the English States they therefore in this leisure-time judg it seasonable to vindicate themselves on the Vnited Netherlands for the affronts done to their Ambassadors Oliver St. John and Walter Strickland in Holland and their incroaching on the English merchants trade and slighting the English States who proffered strict amity and alliance Hereupon they prohibited the importing any Foreign Comodities except upon English bottoms or such as were of the Country whence the goods came beginning withal to stand high upon the claim of dues and reparations for the prejudice done the English in their Trading and when no satisfaction would be given but the Dutch grew rather more Lordly calling into question the English Soveraignty in the narrow Seas and refusing to give the English the honour of the FLAG the States of England resolved to beat them into better manners And in the Year of our Lord 1652 on May the 19th was the first Sea-fight between the States of England and the Netherlands the fight continued about four hours till the night parted them without much cause of boasting on either part that which was the English had a right to But shortly after this Admiral Blake took twelve Dutch men of War August the 16th Sir George Ayscough with a squadron of seven Ships charged through and through the Dutch Fleet consisting of sixty men of War in which Encounter Captain Pack was slain September the fifth as the French Fleet who took part with the Dutch were going to the relief of Dunkirk most of them were taken by General Blake and about the conclusion of the same month the Dutch were bang'd to purpose by Blake at a place called the Kentish-Knock and were pursued by the English into their very Harbor But in the beginning of Winter Blake was worsted by the Dutch in the Downs losing the Garland Bonadventure and two Merchantmen Upon the 18 19 and 20th days of February the two Fleets fought again when the Dutch were forced to fly the English taking fifty-two of their Merchant-men they had in Convoy and nine men of War A. D. 1653 and April the 20th Oliver Cromwell took upon him to put a period to the fitting of those long winded-Members at Westminster objecting to them when he came to displace them That they delayed if not utterly neglected the redressing of publick Grievances that they designed their own interest and perpetuating themselves therefore they were to sit there no longer Instead of these Members turned out of doors Oliver and his Officers constituted a Council of State to rule the Common-wealth though they resolved to rule the Council of State June the 2d the English and Dutch Fleets engaged again in Fight when at the very first shot made by
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
the better to strengthen himself at home and to raise his Family into esteem he gave his eldest Son a Command in the Army his younger Son he made Lord Deputy of Ireland his two younger Daughters that were not yet disposed of in marriage he matched the elder of them with Mr. Robert Rich the Earl of Warwicks Grandson and the youngest with a person of great Honour And that he might be as King-like as possible and withal check the Commons in Parliment he constituted an Upper House of Parliament instead of the House of Lords 62 in number most of them his own creatures amongst whom were Colonel Hewson one by trade next kin to a Cobler and Colonel Pride formerly a Brewers servant who before this had been made two of his knights errants And to honour his Mushrooms he elected to set in his Upper House some few Noble men as the Earl of Warwick c. February the 20th the Parliment that had been adjourned now reassembled but because they admitted those Members to sit with them who at first refused to subscribe to Olivers Instruments and because they questioned the Protectors power in erecting his Upper House which in contempt they called the other House Oliver hereupon sent for them to his Upper House Bar where he made a large speech to them and in conclusion told them That it did concern as well the peace and tranquility of the Nation as his own interest to terminate that Parliament and therefore he did at this time put an end to their sitting February the fourth A. D. 1658. This Year began with a discovery of a most horrible Plot as Oliver called it and indeed he had an excellent Art for the discovery of Plots having his mercenary trepans and instruments of falshood who counterfeiting themselves forward Royallists thereby insinuated themselves into the Counsel of the Kings friends and then betrayed them And the King himself was troubled with one of these false Creatures about his own person for Captain Manning one of his Secretaries Clerks was taken in the very act of receiving Letters from Thurloe Olivers Secretary for the which he was instantly Shot to death But the Loyal Confederates in the late discovered Plot were divers of them apprehended as Dr. Hewit Colonel Edward Ashton Mr. Mordant the Earl of Peterboroughs Brother and others who were indicted of High Treason for endeavouring to levy War against his Highness and the Government and to promote Charles Stuart to the Government of these Nations and for holding correspondency with the said Charles Stuart Mr. Mordant was acquitted but Dr. Hewit and Sir Henry Slingsby were beheaded on Tower-hill June the eighth though many endeavours were used by divers persons of quality and Ministers for the saving of their lives especially the Doctors Colonel Ashton and others were hang'd and quartered in London Near about this time there came up the Thames as far as Greenwich a Whale of a very great length and bigness June the 25th the Town of Dunkirk was surrendred by the Spaniards to the French who immediately resigned it to the English forces which had been the main instrument in gaining it this resignation was made according to former Articles agreed upon between the King of France and Lord Protector of England But whilst the English were rejoicing abroad Oliver had occasion of sorrow at home for his most dearly beloved Daughter Mrs. Elizabeth Claypole on August the eighth departed this Life whose body was interred in the Royal Chappel at Westminster T is said of this Gentlewoman that she was much troubled at the harsh usage of the Royal party and that upon her knees she beg'd of her Father to save Dr. Hewits life but his hard heart would not yield thereto though he loved this Daughter so passionately that he never injoyed himself after her death but growing pensive and melancholy in short time was seized with a Tertian ague which ended his life at VVhite-hall on September the third He was born in the Town of Huntingdon and descended from a worshipful family of the Cromwels alias VVilliams his Mother was the Daughter of Sir Richard Steward and his wife Elizabeth the Daughter of Sir James Bourchier He was of a very martial Spirit and of excellent conduct and attended with very good success in his attempts Nor was he a Souldier only but also a very good Orator and deep Politician and so great a Dissembler that he could shed Crocodillian tears at pleasure when those would at any time advantage him among the Religious an high pretender he was to Religion though as his actions manifested it was only thereby to obtain his ambitious ends so impiously resolute for the effecting his designments that he valued not the violation of the most solemn promises or sacred Oaths nor the shedding of any though the blood of the Lords anointed Yet was this Man courted or feared by most of the Princes in Europe and the Kings of France and Sweden were entred into so strict a League with him as had he lived might have troubled good part of the world In Olivers stead Richard Cromwell his eldest Son whom he had appointed his Successor was proclaimed Protector Shortly after which several Addresses protesting both love and obedience to Richards Highness were presented from the Armies of the three Nations from the London-Ministers from divers Counties Cities and chief Towns of England And the Foreign Ambassadors then in England pretended to lament with Mr. Richard for the death of his Father desired the continuance of that League and Amity which was granted and maintained by his late Highness Oliver Lord Protector November the 23 were the Funerals of Oliver Solemnized after his Herse had lain in the greatest State some weeks in Somerset-House at a vast charge and in greater Pomp than had formerly been used for the greatest English Kings his Corps had been privately interr'd many days before in the Chappel-Royal of Henry the Seventh at Westminster But the vast expences of those Funerals were never discharged but those Tradesmen who had hopes of gaining the most by it sat down the greatest losers at last As soon at the Funeral-rites of this old Fox Oliver were accomplished his Son Richard proceeded to the carrying on of matters of publick concernment The first of which was the sending a Naval-supply to the King of Sweden for the aiding him against the King of Denmark The next of any moment was the calling of a Parliament to convene January the 27th at Westminster where when they were met they chose for their Speaker Mr Challoner Chute and the Members severally took the Oath not to alter the form of Government Which done they went to purge out those Members who had born Arms for the King then after many debates it was at length resolved that the House of Commons would transact with the persons of the other House as a House of Parliament during the present Parliament but with this proviso That it was not intended
Sir George Booth's Forces the Members at Westminster prepared an Act for sequestring of the Estates of such persons as were engaged in this rising and in token of their favour and gratitude they order'd Lambert a thousand pound for his good service which he presently distributed amongst his Soldiers thereby to engage them the more firmly to his designs for though himself and other Grandees of the Army carried fair with the Junto yet were they not well pleased with them because since their last sitting they had somewhat lessened the Armies power in giving order to their Speaker William Lenthall to issue out Commissions for Commanders which had been done afore by the General and had withal reserved the chief command of the Army to themselves without any Captain General Therefore now whilst they were flustred with their late Victory they drew up their Propositions to be presented to the Parliament which they entituled The humble Petition and Proposal of the Army under the Right Honourable the Lord Lambert in the late Northern expedition therein desiring that the Army might be commanded by Fleetwood as chief General by Lambert as the next superior General c. This was sent up to London from Lambert's Army to be presented to the Parliament But Sir Arthur Haslerigg being made acquainted with it before it was delivered immediately informed his fellow-Members thereof alledging that it was a matter of most dangerous consequence The Junto hereupon passed a Vote That the having of more general Officers was a thing needless chargeable and dangerous But the Army-Officers of Lambert's party still-prosecuting their intentions of gaining the whole ordering of the Army into their own hands the Junto thereupon passed this Act That it should be Treason in all persons whatsoever to raise levy or collect moneys without consent of Parliament designing hereby to bring the Army into subjection because otherwise they could have no maintenance they likewise ordered that Lambert Desbrough Kelsey Berry Ashfield Cobbet Packer Barrow and Creed should be discommissionated and that others should enjoy their commands They also ordered the Government of the Army to be in Seven Commissioners in whom the power should jointly reside these were Fleetwood Monk Ludlow Walton Morley Overton and Haslerigg But Lambert and his Complices were resolved to try a tug with the Junto who should be Masters and to that end they engaged divers Companies and Regiments about London to side with them and the Junto drew two Regiments to Westminster to take part with them but when these two parties had stood at Westminster in a hostile sort almost a whole day facing each other and sometimes ready to fall to it in good earnest towards the evening the two parties fairly agreed to draw off to their respective quarters And the next day and forward Lambert took care to guard the Parliament-doors that none of the Members might enter into the House And now the Junto being once more laid aside Lambert's party made choice of Lieutenant General Fleetwood to be Captain General of the Army Lambert who 't is thought aspired to Soveraignty to be Major General and Desbrough to be Commissary General They framed likewise a new Government on October the 26th nominating Twenty-three persons to have the management of publick affairs whom they would have to be called a Committee of Safety Their names were Bulstrode Whitlock Edmund Ludlow Sir Henry Vane Sir James Harrington Sir Archibald Johnson General Fleetwood General John Lambert Colonel Desbrough Colonel Sydanham Major Saloway Colonel Berry Mr. Lawrence Colonel Thompson Colonel Hewson Colonel Lilburn John Ireton Lord Maior Alderman Robert Tichburn Walter Strickland Cornelius Holland William Steel Clerk Bennet Brandrith Thus was miserable England subjected to the Arbitrary power of an Army to have what Lords and Laws they pleased But the time of its liberty approached the principal instrument whereof was General George Monk who pretending to a re-settlement of the Junto and not to be able to see the Nation so inslaved by Lambert and his factious party drew his Army out of Scotland having first changed some of his Officers The Committee of Safety exceedingly courted this General to comply with them and when that would not do Lambert drew his Army into the North with design to impede General Monk's march to London but all their projects availed nothing with the General And to help forward his Majesties interest and the Nations deliverance the City of London grew very discontented and surly against the Army the Fleet that declared for the Junto likewise many of Lambert's party withdrew themselves from him and the Country in general was full of discontents and murmurings insomuch that the Committee of Safety perceived themselves to be in a very unsafe and kind of desolate condition and therefore with great submission they sent for the Speaker desiring him with the rest of his follow-Members to return to the exercise of their trust which accordingly they did on December the twenty-sixth and Colonel Lambert finding that all now went bad on his side privately slipt away from his Soldiers then about Newcastle upon Tine and they returned to their obedience to the Junto who upon their resettlement Discommissionated Lambert with divers Colonels and Commanders of the Army published a Declaration for a Commonwealth without a single Person or House of Lords for preservation of the Laws upholding of the Ministry the University and Tythes all which had lately been in great danger for maintaining liberty of Conscience General Monk in the mean time advanced with his new-modelled Army towards London all the way being caressed by the Gentry of the several Counties as he passed along with all testimonies of affection and petition for the restoring of the Secluded Members and procuring of a Free Parliament Commissioners were sent to him from the City of London with the like request for a Free Parliament but the General wisely concealed his inclinations and intentions pretending strong resolutions to be faithful to those Members sitting at Westminster and yet carried himself with so much evenness that the City and Country had hopes he would stand their friend as the Junto could see but little cause to misdoubt his real good meaning towards them howbeit to make him the surer on their side they ordered him and his heirs a 1000 l. per Annum February the third General Monk came to London with his Army he had drawn out of Scotland the Army which had been quartered there having marched out the night before by the Junto's command though not without discontent and some disorder and mutiny The next day his Excellency was conducted to the Parliament-House where he received thanks from the Members for his good service after which he acquainted them with the numerous Addresses he had received from the Counties for the admission of the secluded Members and a Free Parliament minding them also of the danger themselves and Nation would be in if the Fanatick party should be continued in Civil
in the open Fields under the Canopy of Heaven His Majesty therefore not only issued out Proclamations to Justices of the Peace for causing Provisions to be sent into the Markets and ordered His Sea-stores to be opened for a present supply of Bread in Ship-bisket but likewise past a Declaration for preventing such lamentable Accidents for the future That none should offer to re-build until necessary measures were appointed for rendring the New Structures more secure and lasting The Parliament met on the 18th of September and having given the King Supplies for carrying on of the War passed an Act for establishing a Judicature to take Cognisance of and determine all differences that might arise among Parties concerning burnt or demollished Houses A new Model of Building was appointed and the Parliament was prorogued till the 10th of October following The Court seldom escapes free when Combustions rage in the City nor did it at this time for by carelesness in using of a Candle a Fire taking in the Horse-guard at White-hall a great part of that Building was burnt down but by the special care of His Majesty and His Guards its progress was quickly stopt His Majesty at this time meeting with bad usage from many hands in order to a redress published several Proclamations one for prohibiting the Importation of Canary Wines and all Commerce with those Parts another to the same effect with France and all the French Kings Dominions a third upon the humble Address of the Lords and Commons in Parliament for banishing the Kingdom all Priests and Jesuits and a fourth for open War with Denmark The City now ashamed to lie longer smuthered under ashes was by Sir Jonas Moore upon his Conformity to the Scantling and Model of Building appointed by the Committee first rowsed in Fleet-street from which beginning it grew so hastily towards a perfection that in a few years it out did all its ancient Splendour and Glory and appeared again far more beautiful than by its fall it had been desolate and abject no less a wonder than the suddenness of its overthrow Scotland at this time shared likewise in Combustions though occasioned by a Fire of another nature for a seditious Zeal having inspired some male-contents with revenge against Sir James Turner for executing too vigorously as they pretended the Laws against them they committed an insolent Riot upon his Person and hardly forbore the cutting of him in pieces This Tumult was at first raised by a small inconsiderable Rabble but in a short time they encreased to a body of 1600 men who marching streight towards Edenbourgh were encountred and defeated by His Majesties Forces commanded by Lieuteant General Dalyell and Major General Drammond Many of the Rebels were slain more taken whereof the Ring-leaders were executed and the rest either proscribed or otherways punished by Law The Convention of Estates of Scotland meeting in January after 1666 7 for composing of the affairs of that Kingdom and for preventing both intestine and foreign dangers that might threaten it resolved to put the Countrey into a posture of defence and for maintaining of such Forces as were necessary for his Majesties Service assessed the Kingdom in an Imposition of 6000 l. per moneth About the later end of this year the Lord Willoughby set out from Barbadoes with a considerabe well-man'd Fleet with design to annoy the French and Dutch Plantations in the West Indies but by a violent Hurricane his Fleet was dispersed and himself with many more cast away The Swedes having the year before offered a Mediation for a Peace between the King of England and the States of the Vnited Provinces Anno 1667. prevailed this year with the King to condescend thereunto and to accept of Breda for the place of Treaty The Dutch in the mean time are busie in making preparations for continuing the War upon a fair and approved Maxime of State That with an Enemy it is surest treating with sword in hand The King of England not ignorant of their doings resolved to make them spend the Summer in needless expences of War and onely keep himself upon his Guard The English therefore having but a small Fleet abroad the Dutch put to Sea betimes and about the later end of April made an attempt on Burnt-Island in Scotland but were beaten off with loss Their next attempt was upon the Fort of Sheerness which being a place of small Force was after a short but stout resistance abandoned by Sir Edward Sprague and so the mouth of that narrow River was left open After this they assaulted and were beaten off from Languard Fort engaged a squadron of the English with a squadron of theirs and were worsted shewed themselves before Portsmouth and made some slight attempts in Devonshire and Cornwall and after De Ruyter their Admiral had been civilly complemented by the Earl of Bath in the West and had received Advice of the Conclusion of the Peace they sailed back for Holland This Peace was concluded at Breda the Twenty first of June the Ratifications interchanged the Fourteenth of August and proclaimed afterward in London thee Twenty fourth of the same moneth This year died the Earl of Southamppton Lord high Treasurer of England which place the King thought fit to supply by Commissioners viz. the Duke of Albemarle the Lord Ashley Cooper since Earl of Shaftsbury Sir Thomas Clifford Sir William Coventry and Sir John Duncomb The Parliament was to have met in July but was prorogued till the Tenth of October in which Session several Acts were passed amongst others one for banishing and disabling the Earl of Clarendon the Parliament then adjourned till February In America Sir John Harman with a squadron of English Ships attacqued a squadron of French in their Ports with so good success that he burnt their Admiral and six or seaven of their best Ships all the rest but two being sunk either by the Enemy or the English Shot and that with very small loss of men or damage to his Ships The King to encourage the re-building of the City this year was pleased auspiciously to lay the first Stone himself in the Foundation of the Royal-Exchange as shortly after his Royal Highness laid a Foundation Stone for a second Pillar thereof About the beginning of February the Parliament according to their Adjournment met and upon their humble Petition to His Majesty procured a Proclamation to be emitted for enforcing the Laws against Conventicles and for preserving the Peace of the Nation against unlawful Assemblies This moneth was proclaimed the Peace with Spain which had been much to the advantage of Commerce concluded in May last About the end of March in Easter week some licencious idle Persons pretending former custom took the liberty to pull down some Houses of bad repute about the Suburbs of London Though the Prentices bore the blame of this Riot yet others were found guilty whereof four being apprehended were convicted and executed and two of their Heads set upon
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
Twenty Pounds to those that should Discover any Officer or Souldier of his Majesties Guards who having formerly taken the Oaths of Allegiance Supremacy and the Test had since been perverted or should hereafter be perverted to the Romish Religion The Ninth of November his Majesty came in his Robes into the House of Lords whither the Commons being called his Majesty made a Gracious Speech thanking both Houses for the Care they shewed for the safety and preservation of his Person promising the like on his part for them and offering his ready Assent to the passing into Laws all such Bills as might secure their Religion not only during his own Reign but also in the Reign of His Successors provided they did not impeach the right of Succession in the true Line nor restrain the power and just rights of His Majesty or His Protestant Successors Shortly after His Majesty issued out several Proclamations as one for confining all Popish Recusants within five miles of their respective dwellings another for apprehending some persons therein named who were accused of the hellish Plot and a third promising a present reward of twenty pounds to any that should discover and cause to be apprehended any Popish Priest or Jesuit except those that were priviledged by the Law of the Land or that of Nations as serving the Queen or Foreign Ministers November 21 One William Staley a Goldsmith being indicted at the Kings Bench Bar of High Treason for Treasonable words against His Majesties Life was convicted and condemned to be drawn hanged and quartered which sentence was on the 26th of the same month executed at Tyburn November 27th Edward Coleman Esq who on Friday before had been arraigned at the Kings Bench Bar for High Treason in conspiring the Death of the King subverting His Government and extirpating the true Protestant Religion came to his Tryal and being upon full evidence convicted had Sentence pronounced against him next morning to be drawn hang'd and quartered which was accordingly executed on the third of December following he being the first that suffered for the Plot whereof many besides himself were and stand still accused November 28th His Majesty at the humble request of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal assembled in Parliament was pleased by Proclamation to declare That if any Person or Persons should before the twenty fifth day of December following make any further discovery of the horrid Design against His Majesties Sacred Person and Government he or they so discovering should not onely have the reward of two hundred pounds for every such discovery upon due proof thereof but if guilty of the said Design or otherwise of concealing it they should have His Majesties Pardon November 30th His Majesty in the House of Lords gave His Royal Assent to an Act for the more effectual preserving the Kings Person and Government by disabling Papists from sitting in either House of Parliament and in December following put out a Proclamation for disarming and securing all Popish Recusants or justly so suspected December 30th His Majesty present in the House of Lords was pleased to Prorogue the Parliament till the fourth of February following which was afterward by Proclamation January 25th dissolved and a new Parliament summoned to meet the sixth of March 1678 9. January 17th 1678 9 William Ireland a Jesuit Thomas Pickering a Lay-brother of the Benedictin Monks and John Grove an Ale-house-keeper were arraigned and convicted at the Old Bailey for having conspired the destruction of His Majesties Royal Person the subversion of the Government and extirpation of the Protestant Religion The chief evidence against them were Mr. Oats Mr. Bedlow and one who had been a Serving Maid to Grove they had Sentence pronounced against them to be drawn hang'd and quartered and accordingly January 24th Ireland and Grove suffered at Tyburn Pickering lying still reprieved in New-gate His Majesties Forces that were recalled from Flanders began this month first to come over again Monday the 10th of February 1678 9 Robert Green Henry Berry and Lawrence Hill three of the murderers of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey were brought to their Tryal at the Kings Bench Bar for the said murder the main evidence against them were the above-named Bedlow and Praunce the first declaring that he had seen the dead Body and the other confessing he had had a hand in the murder which was briefly thus committed Praunce with the aforesaid Green Berry and Hill and some others having laid their design before and several times dogg'd Sir Edmondbury Godfrey on Saturday night the twelfth of October finding him in the Strand as he was returning home upon a plausible pretext of keeping the peace between two Gentlemen that were as they made him believe a quarrelling wheadled him into Somerset-house and there with a twisted Hankerchief clapt about his Neck some of them strangled him whilst Praunce and Berry watched at the Gates His dead Body they lodged in Somerset-house till Wednesday following and then carried it out in a Sedan as far as Sohoe where they mounted the same on a Horse and so conveyed it to the Ditch leaving it there barbarously pierced through with a Sword Vpon this evidence they were found guilty condemned and executed At this time Sir Joseph Williamson haveing resigned the Seals of Secretary of State into his Majesties hands the Right Honourable Robert Earle of Sunderland was in his place made one of the Principal Secretaries of State and accordingly took place at the Council Board The time of the Sitting of the New Parliament drawing near his Majesty that he might remove all Jealousies from the minds of his Subjects thought fit to command his Royal Highness the Duke of York to absent himself who with his Dutchess in obedience of his Majesties Commands on the third of March took leave of his Majesty in order to their going beyond Sea where now they are at Bruxelles in Flanders Thursday March the sixth the lately Summoned Parliament met at Westminster The King thinking it fit to wave the Solemnity of Riding used at the Opening of the Parliaments of England went in his Royal Barge to the House by Water and there in a gracious Speech which was enlarged by the Lord Chancelour His Majesty told both Houses what he expected and the Countrey stood in need of from their unanimous and wise Deliberations And now that the Joynt and Healing Councils of his Gracious Majesty and this present Parliament may so effectually operate in composing the Divisions uniting the Minds and settling the Peace of the People of this Nation as may afford many Volumes of Noble Acts at present to be transmited to grateful Posterity no other ways than by hearty Wishes it is and ought to be the fervent Prayer of all who truely fear God honour their King and desire the Wellfare and Prosperity of his Kingdoms Mayors and Sheriffs of LONDON to the 31th Year of His Reign In his First Year 1649. Thomas Foot was Mayor Christopher Pack Rowland Wilson died in
the Year John Dethick Sheriffs In his 2d Year 1650. Thomas Andrews was Mayor Robert Tichborn Richard Chiverton Sheriffs In his 3d. Year 1651. John Kendrick was Mayor Andrew Richards John Ireton Sheriffs In his 4th Year 1652. John Fowke was Mayor Stephen Eastwick William Vnderwood Sheriffs In his 5th Year 1653. Thomas Vynor was Mayor James Phillips Walter Bigge Sheriffs In his 6th Year 1654. Christopher Pack was Mayor Edmund Sleigh Thomas Aleyn Sheriffs In his 7th Year 1655. John Dethick was Mayor William Thompson John Frederick Sheriffs In his 8th Year 1656. Robert Tichburn was Mayor Tempest Milner Nathanial Temms Sheriffs In his 9th Year 1657. Richard Chiverton was Mayor John Robinson Thomas Chandler died in the Year Richard King Sheriffs In his 10th Year 1658. John Ireton was Mayor Anthony Bateman John Lawrence Sheriffs In his 11th Year and part of the 12th 1660. Sir Thomas Aleyn Baronet was Mayor Francis Warner William Love Sheriffs In his 12th Year and part of the 13th 1661. Sir Richard Brown Baronet was Mayor Sir William Boulton Sir William Peake Sheriffs In his 13th Year and part of the 14th 1662. Sir John Frederick was Mayor Francis Menill Samuel Starling Sheriffs In his 14th Year and part of the 15th 1663. Sir John Robinson was Mayor Sir Thomas Bludworth Sir William Turner Sheriffs In his 15th Year and part of the 16th 1664. Sir Anthony Bateman was Mayor Sir Richard Ford Sir Richard Rives Sheriffs In his 〈…〉 of the 17th 1665. Sir John 〈…〉 â—ayor Sir George Wâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 Charles Doe Sheriffs In his 17th Year and part of the 18th 1666. Sir Thomas Bludworth was Mayor Sir Robert Hanson Sir William Hooker Sheriffs In his 18th Year and part of the 20th 1667. Sir William Boulton was Mayor Sir Robert Vinor Sir Joseph Sheldon Sheriffs In his 18th Year and part of the 20th 1668. Sir William Peak was Mayor Sir Dennis Gauden Sir Thomas Davis Sheriffs In his 20th Year and part of the 21th 1669. Sir VVilliam Turner was Mayor John Forth Esq Sir Francis Chaplain Sheriffs In his 21th Year and part of the 22th 1670. Sir Samuel Starling was Mayor Sir John Smith Sir James Edwards Sheriffs In his 22th Year and part of the 23th 1671. Sir Richard Ford was Mayor Samuel Forth Patience VVard Sheriffs In his 23th Year and part of the 24th 1672. Sir George VVaterman was Mayor Sir Jonathan Daws died in the Year Sheriffs Sir Robert Claiton Sir John Moore Sheriffs In his 24th Year and part of the 25th 1673. Sir Robert Hanson was Mayor Sir William Pritchard Sir James Smith Sheriffs In his 25th Year and part of the 26th 1674. Sir VVilliam Hooker was Mayor Sir Henry Tulse Sir Robert Jeffry Sheriffs In his 26th Year and part of the 27th 1675 Sir Robert Vynor was Mayor Sir Nathaniel Hern Sir John Lethieulier Sheriffs In his 27th Year and part of the 28th 1676. Sir Joseph Sheldon was Mayor Sir Thomas Gold Sir John Shorter Sheriffs In his 28th Year and part of the 29th 1677. Sir Thomas Davis was Mayor Sir John Peak Sir Thomas Stamp Sheriffs In his 29th Year and part of the 30th 1678. Sir Francis Chaplain was Mayor Sir VVilliam Royston Sir Thomas Beckford Sheriffs In his 30th Year and part of the 31th 1679. Sir James Edwards was Mayor Sir William How Sir John Chapmau Sheriffs A LIST Of the Names of the Knights Citizens Burgesses and Barons of the Cinque-Ports that are Returned to serve in the Parliament of England begun the sixth of March 1678 9. Bedfordshire William Lord Russel Sir Humphrey Munnox Bar. Town of Bedford Pawlet St. John Esq Sir William Franklin Kt. Berks. Sir Humphrey Forster Bar. William Barker Esq Borough of New Windsor Ralph Winwood Esq John Starkey Esq Borough of Reading John Blagrave Esq Nathan Knight Esq Borough of Wallingford John Stone Esq Scory Barker Esq Borough of Abington Sir John Stonehouse Bar. Bucks Thomas Wharton Esq John Hampden Esq Town of Bucks Edward Viscount Latimer Sir Peter Tyrril Bar. Borough of Chipping Wiccomb Sir John Borlase Bar. Thomas Lewes Esq Borough of Aylesbury Sir Thomas Lee Bar. Sir Richard Ingolsby Kt. of the Bath Borough of Agmondesham Sir William Drake Kt. Sir Roger Hill Kt. Borough of Wendover Richard Hampden Esq Edward Backwel Esq Borough of great Marlow Sir Humphrey Winch Bar. John Borlase Esq Cambridge Gerrard Russel Esq Edward Partherich Esq Vniversity of Cambridge Sir Thomas Exton Kt. James Vernon Esq Town of Cambridge William Lord Allington Sir Thomas Chichely Kt. Chester Henry Booth Esq Sir Phillip Egerton Kt. City of Chester William Williams Esq Sir Thomas Grosvenor Bar. Cornwall Francis Roberts Esq Sir Richard Edgcomb Kt. of the Bath Borough of Dunhivid alias Lanceston Bernard Greenvill Esq Sir Charles Harbord Kt. Borough of Leskard John Buller Esq John Connock Esq Borough of Lestwithiel Sir John Carew Bar. Walter Kendall Esq Borough of Truro William Boscawen Esq Edward Boscawen Esq Borough of Bodmyn Hender Roberts Esq Nicholas Glyn Esq Borough of Helston Sir William Godolphin Bar. Sir Viell Vivian Borough of Saltash Bernard Greenvil Esq Nicholas Courtenay Esq Borough of Gamelford Sir James Smith Kt. Russell Esq Borough of Port Pigham alias Westlow John Trelawney Mayor of Westlow Esq John Trelawney Senior Esq Borough of Cram pound Sir Joseph Tredenham Kt. Charles Trevanniam Esq Borough of Eastlow Sir Jonathan Trelawney Bar. Henry Seymour Esq Borough of Penryn Francis Trefusis Esq Sir Robert Southwell Kt. Borough of Tregoney Hugh Boscawen Esq John Tanner Esq Borough of Bossiney William Coriton Esq John Tregegle Esq Borough of St. Ives Edward Noseworthy Senior Esq Edward Noseworthy Junior Esq Borough of Fowey Jonathan Rashley Esq John Trefry Esq Borough of St. Germains Daniel Elliot Esq Richard Elliot Esq Borough of St. Michel Sir John St. Aubin Bar. Walter Vincent Esq Borough of Newport John Coryton Esq Ambrose Manaton Esq Borough of St. Mawes Sidney Godolphin Esq Henry Seymour Junior Esq Borough of Kellington Sir John Coryton Bar. Samuel Roles Esq Cumberland Sir John Lowther of White-haven Bar. Richard Lamplugh Esq City of Carlile Sir Philip Howard Kt. Sir Christopher Musgrave Kt. Borough of Cockermouth Sir Richard Grahme Bar. Orlando Gee Esq Derby William Lord Cavendish William Sacheverell Esq Town of Derby Anchetill Gray Esq George Vernon Esq Devonshire Edward Seymour Esq Sir William Courtenay Bar. City of Exeter William Glyde Esq Malachy Pine Esq Borough of Totnes Sir Edward Seymour Bar. John Kelland Jun. Esq Borough of Plymouth Sir John Maynard Kt. His Majesties Serjeant at Law John Spark Esq Town and Borough of Oke-hampton Sir Arthur Harris Bar. Josias Calmady Jun. Esq Borough of Barnstaple Sir Hugh Acland Bar. John Basset Esq Borough of Plympton George Treby Esq Richard Hillersdon Esq Borough of Honiton Sir Walter Younge Bar. Sir Thomas Put Bar. Borough of Tavistock Sir Francis Drake Bar. Edward Russel Esq Borough of Ashburton Thomas Raynel Esq William Stawell Esq Borough of Clifton Dartmouth and Hardnes John Upton Esq Sir Nathaniel Hern Kt. Borough
passed for the bereaving him of his life he expressed to them how much he was beholden to them for the honour they had conferred on him For said he I account it greater honour to have my head stand on the Prison-gate for my loyalty to my King than to have my Picture placed in his Bed-chamber and I wish I had flesh enough not only to be set up in four Cities but to have a piece of it sent to every City in Christendom for a testimony of my loyalty to my King and Country May the 31st he was brought to the place of his Execution where being mounted on a Scaffold he told the people That God doth sometimes suffer a just man to perish in his righteousness and a wicked man to prosper in his wickedness prayed God to forgive his enemies for he did declared that what he had done in that kingdom was in obedience to the most just commands of his Sovereign That he esteemed the late King lived a Saint and dyed a Martyr praying God he might so end as he had done That he believed never people could be more happy than they might in His present Majesty Gave God thanks that he went to Heavens Throne with joy though death looked upon him in its most ugly shape Then desired their charity and prayers concluding thus I leave my soul to God my service to my Prince my good will to my Friends and my name and charity to you all Then having prayed a while he received from the Executioner a cord whereat hung a Declaration of his fact to hang about his neck which accordingly he hung there saying that he thought himself not more honoured by the Garter than by that Cord and Paper adding That if they had any more dishonour to put upon him he was ready to accept it And then with a chearful countenance he submitted himself to the execution of the sentence to be hang'd on a Gallows Thirty foot high for the space of three hours Which being done he was taken down and had his head cut off which was fixed on Edenborough Talbooth his quarters were sent to be set up in several places and the rest of his mortal part buried under the Gallows This may serve for a tast of the rebellious and diabolical spirit of that malicious Consistory When this noble Lord first heard of the murther of King Charles the first 't is said that with the â—oint of his Sword he wrote Great Good and Just could I but rate My griefs and thy too rigid fate I 'de weep the world to such a strain That it should deluge once again But thy loud-tongu'd blood demands supplies More from Briareus hands than Argus eyes I 'le therefore sing thy obsequies with Trumpet sounds And write thy Epitaph with blood and wounds Shortly after the death of this Peer an agreement was concluded betwixt the King and the Scots at Breda from whence the King went to the Hague and took Shipping for Scotland and at the Spey in the North of that Countrey he safely arrived hereupon the Members at Westminster fearing lest the Scots should invade them resolved to invade Scotland and to make that the seat of War in order to which they sent for their Idol Cromwell out of Ireland whom at his coming to London they made their Capt. General for Thomas Lord Fairfax laid down his Commission as not willing to engage against his Presbyterian Brethren the Scots June the 28th this new Capt. General Oliver advanced with his Army towards Scotland August the 10th King Charles the first 's Statue in the Royal Exchange by order of the Westminster-Members was defaced the Head being broken off and this Inscription set over Exit Tyrannus ultimus Anno libertatis Angliae restitute primo Anno 1648 January the 30th And about the same time were the Kings Arms ordered to be erazed in all publick places and in lieu of them the States-Arms being St. Georges Cross and the Harp were set up in Courts of Judicature August the 22d was Col. Eusebius Andrews Beheaded on Towerhill for receiving a Commission from His Majesty In Scotland the English Army under Oliver having made themselves masters of some Garisons on September the first marched to Dunbar whither the Scotch Army followed them and pent them up on a neck of Land not a mile and a half from Sea to Sea great were the streights of the English Army at this time many of the Souldiers being sick and disabled and the whole Army shut up as it were in a pound but these extremities instead of disheartning them set the greater edge to their courages and resolved they were on September the third 1650 either to force their way through their enemies or nobly to dye in the attempt to which end a party was sent to gain Coopers Peth-pass from the Scots which being effected the whole English Army charged and after about an hours hot ingagement the Scots Horse were routed and thereupon the foot threw down their Arms and made the best use they could of their Legs In the Scots Army was this day near 16000 Foot and 6000 Horse whereof 4000 were slain and near 10000 taken Prisoners The English Army were not above 7500 Foot and 3500 Horse besides disabled men There was taken from the Scots in this fight 27 field Pieces 10000 Arms many Prisoners of note and near 200 Horse and Foot-Colours which were afterwards hung up as Trophies in Westminster-hall September the 8th the virtuous Princess Elizabeth died in her Confinement at Carisbrook Castle in the Isle of Wight And in August following the Prince of Orange died at the Hague in Holland and sometime after this the mock-Parliament to free England of the Royal blood sent the Duke of Gloucester to Heidleburgh ordering him an allowance of 1500 l. per Annum October the 8th some Cavaliers took Arms in Norfolk for which about twenty of them were Executed December the 24th the strong Castle of Edenbrough was yielded into the English hands though not without suspition of some treachery January the first to begin the New-year the Scots Crowned His Majesty at Scoon in Scotland after he had conceded to some Kirk-conditions A little before this time there were three different parties in Scotland David Lesley and his Army were for King and Kirk the Marquess of Montross and his Followers were for the King without the Kirk and Colonel Kerre and Straughan were for the Kirk without the King Col. Kerries party was routed and himself taken Prisoner by Col. Lambert and Straughan and Swinton deserted the Kirk complying with the English for which the Kirk Excommunicated them March the 4th Sir Henry Hide was Beheaded before the Royal Exchange because being the Kings Leiger at Constantinople he had opposed Bendish who was sent thither by the States of England A. D. 1651 and March the 29th was Captain Brown Bushel an expert Seaman Beheaded under the Scaffold on Tower-hill for taking part with his Soveraign In Ireland the