Expedition into France Army into France and first of all took Harflew Sept. 22. 1414. Then went to Agencourt on Octob. 24. where the French had pitched with six some say ten times the number of the English whereupon the King offered to part and surrender what he had won but the French would not yield making sure account of Victory had prepared a Chariot for the Captive King and all other things for that purpose The Battel beginning King Henry encouraged his Souldiers and with their small company the English won the day having every man his Prisoner Of the English A wonderful Victory were slain the Duke of York Earl of Suffolk two Knights one Squire and 28 private Souldiers Of the French were slain 4000 Princes Nobles Knights and Esquires and 10000 common Souldiers and more than these taken After which he came home and in a short time returned there with another Army where at last he was Proclaimed Regent of France and had He is Proclaimed Regent of France His Marriage Homage sworn to him and his Marriage with the Lady Catharine was with all Solemnity celebrated at Troyes After which he hastes into England with his Queen and in a short time after he went into France again where he had not been long before His Death Burial and Issue he fell sick of a burning Fever and Flux whereof he died Aug. 31. 1422. and was buried at Westminster His Issue was only Henry of Windsor HENRY the Sixth of Windsor was A. D. 1422. Crowned about the eighth Month of his Age. The Government of England was committed to Humphrey Duke of Glâ—â—ucester and the Regency of France to John Duke of Bedford under whom things succeeded very prosperously In his time was that Famous French Shepherdess Joan of Lorrain Joan de Lorrain who put on Mans Apparel and opposed the English with great success but was at last taken and was burnt for Sorcery A. D. 1435. that Famous Patriot and General John Duke of Bedford died at Paris after which the English began to change their Affairs there for the worse and lost most of their strong Holds At last there was a Peace concluded between the two Kings A. D. 1444. was King Henry married His Marriage with Margaret Daughter to the Duke of Anjou and Lorrain after which the Kings Fortune declined both in England and France The Queen ruling all contrived the death of Duke Humphrey who was the only man that had hitherto kept things in His Troubles order by his Prudence By this time were all the English Fortunes in France lost The Duke of York raising many Rebellions in England and at last in a great Battel at St. Albans the Kings greatest Friends were most slain and himself taken After which York created himself Protector of England and by degrees works out the Kings ancient Counsellors yet many stood up for the King and many great Battels were fought Fortune favouring sometimes one and then another at last the Duke himself was slain by the Queens Forces near Wakefield And now his Son Edward Earl of March maintains his Quarrel The Queens Forces recover the King again howbeit the Lâ—â—ndoners Proclaimed the Earl Earl of March Proclaimed King His Issue of March King of England King Henry's Issue was only Edward He was a Prince free from Pride very devout chaste and modest He built Eaton College and Kings College in Cambridge The Art of Printing was found out in Printing first in England Germany by John Guttenburg and brought into England by Will. Caxton a Mercer of London who first practised the same in the Abby at Westminster A. D. 1471. EDWARD the IV. eldest Son to Richard A. D. 1461. Duke of York began to reign in the 20th year of his Age at which time Henry had many Friends who sought to re-settle him on his Throne On June the 28th was His Coronation Edward crowned and soon after King Henry and his Son Edward dis-inherited of their Claim to the Crown by Act of Parliament He takes to Wife the Lady Elizabeth Marriage Grey the Relict of his mortal Enemy Sir John Grey slain at the Battel of St. Albans who was crowned at Westminster May 26. 1465. But this his Marriage below himself was much to his disadvantage by making the Earl of Warwick formerly his very good Friend a strong Rebel against him who took the King Prisoner but the King made his Escape again But afterwards the Earl of Warwick drove him out of the Land and made Henry again King After which King Edward returns and in a Battel upon Gladmore the Great Warwick fighting couragiously was slain Death of the Earl of Warwick and King Henry again put into the Tower Afterwards Queen Margaret was defeated and King Henry's Son Edward taken and brought before the King where he speaking boldly was knock'd down and murdered Soon after Queen Margaret was taken and not long after the crook-back'd Duke Death of King Henry of Gloucester stabb'd harmless King Henry to the heart whose Body was buried at Chertsey in Surrey A. D. 1483. King Edward fell into a His Death and Burial dangerous and deadly Sickness whereof April the 9th he died and was buried at Windsor in the new-Chappel whose Foundation himself had laid 'T is said of him that he was just and merciful in Peace fierce in War and very familiar with his Subjects His Issue were Edward Richard His Issue George Elizabeth Cicely Ann Briget Mary Margaret and Catharine EDWARD the V. the eldest Son of King A. D. 1483. Edward the IV. being but 12 years of Age when his Father died was committed to the government of his Uncle Sir Anthony Woodville a worthy Person which much troubled Richard Duke of Gloucester his Enemy who sought his Life that thereby he might come to the Crown By evil Suggestions he wrought upon the greatest Men to take his part against the old Queen and as the King was coming to London to be crowned with a small Company he seiz'd those about him and imprisoned Sir Anthony Woodville amongst the rest Then brought the King to London pretending to be his Friend and there was made his Protector after which he got the Duke of York the King's Brother out of Sanctuary from the Queen and caused many of the chief Nobles to be barbarously massacred and instead of King Edward caused himself to be crowned King RICHARD the III. Son of Richard Duke A. D. 1683. of York was born with all his Teeth and Hair to his Shoulders which foreshew'd his monstrous Proceedings July the 6th he was crowned King at Westminster soon after which he caused the young King and Edward the V. and Brother murdered his Brother to be most inhumanely massacred But King Richard lived most miserably ever after being without the least quiet of Conscience and soon after the Duke of Buckingham his greatest Favourite proved his greatest Enemy
he were removed from Land to Sea and from Sea again to Land yet the Mice still followed him and at last devoured him In William the Conqueror's Time a private A brave Souldier Norwegian Souldier alone upon a Bridge resisted the whole Army of the English slew 40 and maintained the Place for several hours till one getting under the Bridge found means to thrust up a Spear into his Body and killed him Till the Time of Malcolme King of Scots A Scots Custom who was Co-temporary with William the 2d of England it was the custom among the Scots that when any Man married his Lord should lye the first night with his Wife This Law was abrogated by Margaret then Queen and was altered to a payment in Money Westminster-Hall was built by King William Westminster-Hall built the II. being 270 Foot long and 74 broad The High Court of Parliament was first First Parliament instituted by Henry the I. And in his Time the Order of the Templers Order of Templers began In this King's Time the Archbishop of A worthy Bishop York being desperate sick was told that nothing would cure him but to lye with a Woman but he answered That the Remedy was worse than the Disease and so died a Virgin In the Time of Henry the I. the River Thames almost dry Thames was so low that between the Tower and the Bridge men walked over on foot for the space of two days At this time in Lombardy there was an A strange Earthquake Earthquake that continued 40 days and removed Towns and Houses far from their former residence Raynerus a wicked Minister in the Reign of King Stephen going over Sea with his Wife the Ship in the midst of the Sea stood still and could not be moved till he was cast out of it In this King's Time lived Johannes de An old Man Temporibus of whom it is recorded that he lived 361 years Ireland first submitted it self to Henry the First Lord of Ireland II. who was first Lord thereof In this King's days in the Territory of Hell Kettles Derlington in the Bishoprick of Durham the Earth lifted up her self in the manner of a high Tower and so continued all day being Christmas-day and at night fell with a most horrible noise and the Earth swallowed it up that the Holes are to be seen at this day and are called by the Name of Hell Kettles At this time near Orford in Suffolk was taken a Fish that had the shape of a Man in all parts King Henry the II. caused his Son Henry King Henry causes his Son to be Crowned to be Crowned in his Time and carried the first Dish to the Table whereupon the Archbishop Roger said merrily to the new King What a wonderful Honour is this to have so noble a Waiter Why saith he what great Honour is it for him that is but the Son of a Duke to do service to me that am the Son of a King and Queen King Lewis now of France did the like by his Son Henry the II. was so troubled for the loss King Henry's Blasphemy of Mentz that he said He should never hereafter love God any more that had suffered a City so dear unto him to be taken from him It is memorable and worth observing A wonderful Accident of Thunder That when Philip King of France and King Henry had a Meeting between Turwyn and Arras for reconciling of Differences there suddenly hapned a Thunderbolt to light just between them with so terrible a crack that it forced them for that time to break off their Conference And afterward at another Meeting the like Accident of Thunder hapned again which so amazed King Henry that he had fallen off his Horse if he had not been supported by those about him Robert Fitz-Stephen was the first of all Ireland first entred by the English Englishmen after the Conquest that entred Ireland the first day of May in the year 1170 with 390 men and there took Wexford in the behalf of Derâ—â—tius Son of Merclerdach called Mac Murg King of Leymster In September following Richard Earl of Chepstow sirnamed Strongbow sailed into Ireland with 1200 men where he took Waterford and Dublin and married Eve the Daughter of Dernutius as he was promised From these beginnings King Henry being The Irish submit to King Henry then at rest from all hostile Arms both at home and abroad takes into his consideration the Kingdom of Ireland as a Kingdom which oftentimes afforded assistance to France and therefore purposing with himself by all means to subdue it he provides a mighty Army but to little purpose for without any Action the Irish soon submitted to him all but Roderick King of Connaght who then stood out But after some time he also submitted and all the Irish together with the Popes have agreed that King Henry and his Heirs shall be their King This King left behind him in his Coffers Henry the II. his Riches 900000 l. besides Plate and Jewels In his 21st year he divided England into Beginning of the Law Cirâ—â—uits Circuits and appointed Judges three for every Circuit to go twice a year to hear and determine Causes between Man and Man 'T is for certain said That some Persons Children born with Horses Tails cutting off the Horses Tails of Becket Archbishop of Canterbury their Children for several Generations were born with Horses Tails In this King's Time there was contention Superiority in the Archbishopricks for Superiority in the two Archbishopricks and the Pope gave it to Canterbury In this King's Reign there were two Two Popes at once Popes at once who continued for almost 20 years In this Time a Bond-man of Langley in A Bond-man came to be Pope Hertfordshire came to be Pope by the Name of Adrian the IV. This King began the Foundation of the London-Bridg Stone-Bridge over Thames In the 11th year of this King's Reign A greatEarthquake there was so great an Earthquake in Ely and Norfolk and Suffolk that it overthrew those that stood on their feet and made the Bells to ring in the Steeples In the 23d year a showr of Blood reigned A showr of Blood in the Isle of Wight for two hours together Morgan base Son to this King rather An Honour to be a King's Bastard than disown his Father and be a true Son accounted of a Knight refused the Bishoprick of Durham As King Henry was carried to be buried his Son Richard coming near the Corps it fell a bleeding at the Nose afresh There was a Princess in the Family of A wonderful Sorceress Anjou Ancestors to this King who being desired to take the blessed Eucharist she suddenly flew out at the Church-window and was never seen after NOTABLE EVENTS In the Reign of King RICHARD the First 'T IS thought that the Order of the Garter A. D.
first Christian King in the World After 500 years that the Romans had Romans Departure sway'd in Britain they took their final farewel of it A. D. 446. In this year the Saxons were call'd in under 450. the Conduct of Hengist and Horsa they came 9000. with their Wives and Children to assist the Britains against the Scots which succeeded Hengist afterwards inviting Vortigern a British King to a Feast marry'd his fair Daughter Rowenna to him Upon which Hengist aspired to make this Island his Inheritance sending for greater Forces over hither but by the Britains are defeated in three set Battels in the last whereof the Saxons were forced to flee England However by the Practices of Rowenna and relying on his Son Vortigern's Love Hengist once more comes over to England but pretends only to fetch away his Daughter and on pretence of friendly Conference appoints a Meeting on Salisbury-Plain The well-meaning Britains came unarmed according to Agreement but the fraudulent Saxons with Skeans under their Cassocks with which they set upon the Britains at a Watch-word killing 3 or as some say 500 of the Nobility taking the King Prisoner â—â—relius Ambrosius a Roman born but Aurelius Ambrosius well affected to the Britains arrives to their Relief To him succeeded Uter his Brother or Uter as others say a Britain sirnamed Pendragon from his Banner on which was a golden Dragon's Head which to this day in our English Camps is the imperial Standard To him succeeded his valiant Son Arthur King Arthur Amongst other famous Acts he instituted the Order of the Knights of the round Table to prevent Disputes of Precedence To him succeeded Constantine and then Constantine Aurelius Conanus Nephew to Arthur then Caractecus and then Cadwallar in whose Caractecus Cadwallar time the Doctrine of Mahomet was broached in the East a Famine happening that drove Cadwallar over to France to his Cousin Saxon Invasion Alan The Saxons taking advantage thereof came over in great swarms and possessed themselves of the whole Island The first Kingdom of the Saxons begun First by Hengist in the year 455 containing all Kent and continued 372 years during the Reign of 17 Kings The second Kingdom of the Heptarchy Heptarchy Second was of the South-Saxons begun by Ella in the year 488 containing ail Sufsex and continued 435 years under five Kings Reigns successive The third Kingdom of the Heptarchy Third was of the West-Saxons begun by Credric in the year 519. containing Cornwal Devonshire Somersetshire Wiltshire Hampshire Barkshire and continued 561 years during the Reigns of 19 Kings The fourth Kingdom of the Heptarchy Fourth was of the East-Saxons began by Erchenwyn in the year 527. containing Essex and Middlesex and continued 281 years during the Reigns of 14 Kings The fifth Kingdom was of Northumberland Fifth so called because it lay North of the River Humber began by Ella and Ina in the year 547. containing Yorkshire Durham Lancashire Westmorland Cumberland and Northumberland continued 370 years during the Reigns of 23 Kings The sixth Kingdom was of Mercia and Sixth began in Crida in the year 522. containing Huntington Rutland Lincoln Nottingham Warwickshire Leicestershire Northampton Derby Oxfordshire Cheshire Shropshire Gloucestershire Staffordshire Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire Hartfordshire and continued 222 years during the Reigns of 20 Kings The seventh Kingdom was of the East-Angles Seventh and began by Uffa in the year 575. containing Suffolk Norfolk Cambridgshire and the Isle of Ely continued 353 years under the Reigns of 15 Kings The Saxon Kings striving with each other for Soveraignty gained upon each other till at last in the year 818. Ecbert King of the West-Saxons reduced them all under subjection causing all the South of This Isle first call'd England and why the Island to be call'd England according to the Angles from whom himself came after whom they were no longer properly call'd Saxon Kings but Kings of England Then ensued the Race of Saxon Kings who reigned sole Kings of this Island The first Danes first invade England whereof was Egbert the second Ethelwolph the third Ethelbald the fourth Ethelbert in whose time the Danes first invaded England Ethelbald marry'd Judith incestuously the Widow of his Father from this Judith afterwards marry'd to the Earl of Flanders after divers Descents came Maud the Wife of William the Conqueror from whom are descended all our English Kings ever since Oswald's-tree in Shropshire was so called Oswald's-tree whence named from Oswald a very godly Christian King who reigned the fifth over the Deira A. D. 633. and was there slain by Penda King of Mercia who tore his Body piece-meal This Oswald being at Dinner upon Easter-day His Charity to the Poor hearing of a great company of Poor in the Street that asked Alms of him he commanded the Meat prepared for his own Table to be carried to them and brake a silver Platter to pieces and sent it amongst them An. Dom. 636. Honorius Archbishop of England divided into Parishes Canterbury first divided England into Parishes A. D. 866. the Danes made the first great The Danes invade England Invasion of England under the Command of those cruel Captains Inguar and Habba who burnt down the City of York and at last kill'd King Ethelred in a pitcht Battel who was then King of England It is said that King Elfred of England 872. The University of Oxford founded A. D. 872. founded the University of Oxford and therein University-Colledge Baliol Colledge was founded by John Baliol King of the Scots A. D. 1263. Merton Colledge by Walter de Merton Bishop of Rochester 1274. Exeter Colledge by Stapleton Bishop of Exeter 1316. Oriel Colledge by King Edward the II. 1327. Queens Colledge by Eglesfield Chaplain to Queen Philip Wife to Edward the III. 1340. New Colledge by William of Wickam Bishop of Winchester 1379. Lincoln Colledge by Rich. Flemming Bishop of Lincoln 1420. All-souls by H. Chichely Archbishop of Canterbury 1437. Magdalen by W. Winiflet Bishop of Winchester 1459. Brazen-nose Colledge by W. Smith Bishop of Lincoln 1513. but finished by R. Sutton Corpus Christi by R. Fox Bishop of Winchester 1516. Christ-Church begun by Cardinal Wolsey 1546. and by King Henry the Eighth ordained the Cathedral Church of the See of Oxford Trinity by T. Hatfield Bishop of Durham 1518. St. John's by H. Chichely Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 1437. Jesus College by Dr. Hugh Price 1562. Wadham by Nich. Wadham 1613. Some report that Cambridge was built by Cambridge Founded Cantabar a Spaniard 375 years before Christ. But as some contend Cambridge began not to be an University till Hugh Balsham Bishop of Ely founded the College of Peter-House in A. D. 1256. Clare-Hall by Eliz. de Bourgo Countess of Clare 1347. Pembroke-Hall by Mary Widow to the Earl of Pembroke 1347. Corpus Christi College by the Aldermen 1351. Trinity College by Dr W. Bateman 1353. Gonvil
this Part a very great Agility and hath in the Tongue a mucous and slimy Extremity whereby upon a sudden Emission it inviscates and tangleth those Insects CHAP. XXII Of the Ostrich THE common Opinion of the Ostrich Struthiocamelus or Sparrow-camel conceives that it digests Iron which is confirmed by the Affirmations of many learned Authors Yet the Negative pleads with more Reason for Pliny Aetian and Leo Africanus who lived in those Countreys wherein they most abound only say The Digestion is wonderful in this Animal and Riolanus in his Comment thereof positively denies it Some have experimentally refuted it as Albertus magnus and most plainly Ulysses Aldrovandus who observed an Ostrich to swallow Iron but yet to exclude it undigested again and beside Experiment it is in vain to attempt against it by Philosophical Argument The ground of this Conceit is its swallowing down fragments of Iron which men observing have therefore conceived it digested them Just as men swallow Cherry-stones which conceive a durable and strong Heat in the Stomach and so help Digestion and prevent the Crudities of the Fruit but they themselves came out undigested And to the same purpose do other Animals swallow small Stones and thus may the Ostrich swallow Iron CHAP. XXIII Of Unicorns-horn GREAT account and much profit is made of that which beareth the Name of Unicorns-horn wherein many suspect an Imposture For that which is used under that Name is white whereas all agree that have had a sight of that Animal that his Horn is red Briefly many of those commonly received and whereof there be so many Fragments preserved in England are not only no Horn but a Substance harder than a Bone that is parts of the Tooth of a More or Sea-horse in the midst of the solider part contained a curled grain which is not to be found in Ivory CHAP. XXIV That all Animals of the Land are in their Kind in the Sea THIS though received as a Princâ—â—ple is a Tenent very questionable and will admit of Restraint For some in the Sea are not to be matched by any Enquiry by Land and hold those Shapes which terrestrious Forms approach not as may be observed in the Moon-fish or Orthrageriscus the several sorts of Raia's Torpeda's Oysters and many more And some there are in the Land which were never maintained to be in the Sea as Panthers Hyaena's Camels Sheep Moll 's and others which carry no Name in Icthyology nor are to be found in the exact Descriptions of Rondoletius Gesner or Aldrovandus CHAP. XXV Concerning the common course of Diet in making choice of some Animals and abstaining from eating others WHY we confine our Food unto certain Animals and totally reject some others Whether this Practice be built upon solid Reason or chiefly supported by Custom or Opinion may admit Consideration And first there is no absolute necessity of eating any For before the Flood our Fathers from vegetable Animals preserved themselves unto longer Lives and it was after the Deluge when for the present the nature of Vegetables was destroyed or infirmed It is delivered Every moving thing Gen. 9. 3. that liveth shall be Meat for you But when ever it be acknowledged that men began to feed on Flesh yet how they betook themselves after to particular Kinds thereof is a Point not clearly determined Whether Moses's distinction before the Flood were not only in regard of Sacrifices as that after was in regard of Food is not yet resolved If we will give credit to Authors we shall understand that there is no kind of Animal but one time or other hath been used for Food in some Parts and many refuse not to eat of that which is more impure than what they reject But to conclude Without doubt there is an ample sufficiency without all Flesh in the food of Honey Oyl and several sorts of Milk and also in Vegetables which would be very beneficial unto Health and much prolong our days CHAP. XXVI Of Sperma Ceti and the Sperma Ceti Whale WHAT Sperma Ceti is and that it was not the Spawn of a Whale Philosophers have always doubted That it proceedeth from a Whale it is indubitably determined by a Sperma Ceti Whale cast on our Coast of Norfolk which contained A description of a Whale no less than 60 Foot in length the Head somewhat peculiar with a large Prominency over the Mouth Teeth only in the lower Jaw received into fleshly Sockets in the upper the weight of the largest about two pound the Eyes but small the Pizel large and prominent out of the Head of this Whale flowed streams of Oyl and Sperma Ceti This many conceive was the Fish which swallow'd up Jonas CHAP. XXVII Compendiously of sundry Tenents concerning other Animals which examined prove either false or dubious 1. AND first From great Antiquity and The Melody of Swans before the Melody of Syrens the musical Notes of Swans have been commended and that they sing sweetly before their death for thus we read in Plato Thus was it the Bird of Apollo and hath never wanted Assertors All which notwithstanding it is doubtfully received by famous Authors and some expresly have refuted it That which probably confirmeth this is the strange and unusual length of the Wind-pipe or conformation of the vocal Organ in this Animal But this is thought only to be contrived to contain a larger stock of Air that they might the longer space detain their Heads under Water 2. That there is a special property in Of the Peacock the Flesh of Peacocks roast or boyled to preserve a long time incorrupted hath been the Assertion of many and the same by Experiment we can confirm our selves if so hanged up by a Thread that they touch no place whereby to contract a moisture 3. That Storks will only live in free Of the Stork States is a petty Conceit and a vulgar Error the contrary being known in many Parts of the World 4. The Antipathy between a Toad and Of an a Spider and that they poisonously destroy each other is very famous and solemn Stories have been written of their Combats wherein most commonly the Victory is given to the Spider But we having included a Toad in a Glass with several Spiders observed him to swallow them down to the number of seven 5. Whether a Lion be afraid of a Cock Os a Lion and a Cock. is related and believed by most although how far they stand in fear of that Animal we may sufficiently understand from what is delivered by Camerarius whose words are these In our Time in the Court of the Prince of Bavaria one of the Lions leaped down into a Neighbour's Yard where nothing regarding the crowing of the Cocks he eat them up with many other Hens 6. That Snakes and Vipers do sting or Of Snakes transmit their Mischief by the Tail is a common expression not easily to be justified and a determination of their