Iohn of Gaunt claymes his title in Spain King Richard marrieth the French Kings Daughter Difference betwixt the King and Glocester His murder in Calice The murmur of the Commons against the present government The pride of the Dukes Court The Dukes of Hereford and Norfolke banished King Richard deposed and Henry Duke of Hereford and Lancaster made King WHen the King saw the great manhood and courage of the Lord Major The Lord Major and divers Aldermen Knighted by the King and his Brethren the Aldermen his assistants hee in his own person Knighted the said William Walworth with Nicholas Bremble Iohn Philpot Nicholas Twiford Robert Laundor and Robert Gayton Alderman and moreover in the memory of that Noble Act added to the Armes of the City the bloudy Dagger as it remayneth to this day In the eleventh yeere of this King Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester and Uncle to the King the Earle of Arundell with the Earles of Warwicke Darby and Nottingham taking into their consideration how much the land was misgoverned and his Majesty mislead by some Sycophants neere about him they met in counsell at a place A Parliament to rectifie the Commonweale called Radecockbridg and having assembled a strong power came to London and there caused the King to call a Parliament whereof hearing Alexander Nevell Archbishop of Yorke Lionel Vere Marquesse of Divelin Michael de la Poole Earle of Suffolke and Chancellour of England fearing the censure of that high Court â—…ed the Land and dyed in forreigne Countries Then the King by counsell of the fore-said Lords caused to be apprehended Sir Robert Tresilian chief Iustice of England Sir Nicholas Brembre late Major of the City Sir Iohn Salisbury of the Persons judged to death Kings Houshold Sir Iohn Beauchampe Steward of the House Sir Simon Burleigh Sir Thomas Bernes Sir Robert Belknap with one Iohn Vske Serjeant at Arms all which by the foresaid Parliament were convict of Treason and put to death some at Tyburne some at Towerhill and all such as fled with those that forsook the land by the authority of that high Court banished for ever In the thirteenth yeare Iohn a Gaunt Duke Iohn a Gaunt clayms his title in Spain of Lancaster with a strong army sailed into Spaine to claime the Kingdome in right of Lady Constance his wife the daughter of Don Peter with whom joyned the King of Portugall with his forces so that of necessity the King of Spain was forced to treat with the Duke of peace and amity the conditions were that the King of Spaine should marry the Dukes eldest daughter named Constance and moreover should give unto the said Duke to recompence the charges of his warre so many wedges of gold as should load eight Chariots and moreover during the lives of the said Duke and his wife hee should at his proper cost and charges deliver unto the Honourable conditions of peace Dukes Assignes yearely ten thousand Markes of gold within the towne of Bayon which conditions being ratified and assurance given for the performance thereof the Duke departed with the King of Portugall to whom shortly after hee married his second daughter the Lady Anne so that the elder and the younger were made the two Queenes of Spaine and Portugall King Richards first wife being dead after hee K. Richards second marriage maried Isabel the daughter of Charles the sixt K. of France who was but 8. years of age at whose espousalls in the French kings Court many rich interchangable gifts passed betwixt them as first the king of England gave the French king a Bason of gold and Ewer who returned him three standing Cups of gold with covers and a Enterchangeable gifts betwixt the two Kings ship of Gold garnished with pearle and stones at a second meeting Richard gave him a curious Oâ—…ch set with rich stones valued at five hundred Markes then the French King gave him two Flagons of gold and a Tablet of gold set with Diamonds and in it the picture of St. Michael a Tablet of gold with a Crucifixe another with the image of the Trinity and a fourth with the image of Saint George all of them set with stones of great splendor Richard then presented him with a Belt or Bauldricke set with great Diamonds Rubies and Emeraulds which for the riches thereof the King wore upon him so often as they met together many other presents past betwixt them and a full peace was concluded betweene them for thirty yeares Peace concluded betwixt England and France and amongst other things King Richard delivered up Brest which had beene long held by the English The yeare after in the Moneth of February the King held a magnificent Feast at Westminster Hall whither pressed divers Souldiers lately discharged from Brest whose mindes when the Duke of Gloster rhe Kings Vncle understood he went to his Majesty and said Sir doe you take notice of you Souldiers who asked him again what they were The Duke replyed these be your subjects souldiers cashiered from Brest who have done you good service and have now no meanes to live upon who have been ill paid and now are worse rewarded To whom the King answered it was my will they should have been well paid but if ought have failed therein let them petition to our Treasurer at length the Duke said but it savoureth of small discretion to deliver up a strong Fort with ease which was got with great difficulty by your Progenitors The Duke of Glosters bold replye to the King at which the King changed countenance and said Vncle how spake you these words which the Duke with great vehemency uttered againe whereat the King being more moved replyed Thinke you I bee a Merchant or foole to sell my Land by St. Iohn Baptist nay c. For these words thus uttered on both sides great ranâ—…or was kindled betwixt the King and Duke which was never extinguished till by the consent of the K. his uncle was basely murdered For the Duke purposing to remove some who were potent about the king called to him A second purpose for reformation the Earles of VVarwicke of Arundel and of Nottingham who was Marshall of England and of the Clergy the Arch-bishop of Canterbury with the two Abbots of St. Albans and VVestminster and these were solemnly sworne to supplant from their authority the Duke of Lancaster the Duke of Yorke with others prejudiciall to the good of the kingdome But Nottingham contrary to his oath revealed all to the king A persidious act in the Earle of Notingham who presently whilst the other thought themselves secure called another Councell in which it was decreed that the Earles of Arundell and Warwicke shâ—…uld bee censured and brought to the King who in person arrested his Vncle Sir Thomas of VVoodstock some say at Plashy in Essex others at Greenwitch in the night time and taking him in his bed first sent him to the Tower and
all things were in readinesse for the performance thereof But that day in the Morning A conspiracy of the Lords against King Henry came secretly unto the King the Duke of Aumerle and discovered unto him that he with the foresaid Lords gentlemen had made a solemne conjuration to kill him in the said Mask therefore advised him to provide for his safety upon which notice given the King departed privately from Windsor and came that night to London upon which the Lords finding their plot to be discovered they fled westward but the King caused speedy pursuit after them so that the Duke of Surry and the Earle of Salisbury were taken at Ciceter Sir Thomas Blunt Sir Benet Saly and Thomas Wintercell at Oxford Sir Iohn Holland Duke of Exeter at Pitwell in Essex and divers others in severall places the Noble men were beheaded the rest drawne and quartered but all of their Heads set upon the Bridge gate at London approving the premises Meane time shall study many a forrest beast By a new way to kill the Foxe in jest But crafty Rainold shall the plot prevent And turne it all to their owne detriment The King having well considered of this great conspiracy and that they intended by his death to restore the imprisoned King to his diadem The Foxes policy he bethought himselfe that he could live in no safety whilst the other was breathing and therefore he determined of his death and to that purpose called unto him one Sir Pierce of Exton to see his will executed who presently poasted to Pomphret and with eight more well armed entred the Castle and violently assaulted him with their Polaxes and Halberds in his Chamber who apprehending their purpose and seeing his owne present danger most valiantly wrested one of their weapons from him with which he manfully acquitted himselfe and slew foure of the eight before he himselfe fell but at the last he was basely wounded to death by the hand of Sir Pierce of Exton whose body was after laid in the Minster at Pomphret to the publicke view that all men might be satisfied of his The Death of K. Râ—…chard death and was after brought up to London and exposed to all eyes in Pauls least any man should after pretend to lay any plots for his liberty And now King Henry being in peaceable and quiet possession of the Kingdomes thought it time to rifle his predecessors Coffers in whose Treasury he found in ready Coyne three hundred thousand pound sterling besides Plate What King Richards treasure amounted to at his death Iewels and rich Vessels as much if not more in value Besides in his Treasurers hands hee found so many gold Noble and other summes that all of them put together amounted to seven hundred thousand pounds sterling yet could not all this summe afford him a better funerall than in the poore Friery of Langley which after by Henry the Kings sonne in the first yeare of his reigne was removed thence and with great solemnity interred amongst the Kings in the Chappell of Westminster All this processe verifying the former prediction The Foxe being earth't according to his mind In the Kids den a Magazin shall find Yet all that treasure can his life not save But rather bring him to a timelesse grave Over his Tombe in the Chappell the King caused these Verses following to be inscribed Prudens mundus Ricardus jure secundus K. Richards Epitaph Perfatum victus jacet hic sub marmore pictus Verus sermone suit plenus ratione Corpore procerus animo prudens ut Homerus Ecclesiam favit elatos suppeditavit Quemvis prostravit regalia qui violavit Thus Englished Wise and cleane Richard second of that name Conquered by fate lyes in this Marble frame True in his speech whose reason did surpasse Of feature tall and wise as Homer was The Church he favoured he the proudsubdude Quelling all such as Majesty pursude Concerning which Epitaph one of our English Chronologers seeing how it savoured more of flattery then truth thus exprest himself But yet alas though this meeter or rime Thus death embelisht this Noble Princes fame And that some Clerk which favoured him sometime List by his comming thus to enhance his name Yet by his story appeareth in him much blame Wherefore to Princes is surest memory Their lives to expresse in vertuous constancie In the second yeere of King Henries Reigne The rebellion of Owen Glendour Owen Glendour rebelled in Wales against whom the King entred the Countrey with a strong army but at the Kings comming hee fled up to the Mountaines whom the King for the endangering his Hoast durst not follow but returned without deeming any thing worthy note In the yeere following Sir Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester and Sir Henry Piercy sonne and heire to the Earle of Northumberland gathered The battaile at Shrewsbury a great power and upon the one and twentieth day of Iuly met with the King and his army neere unto Shrewsbury betwixt whom was fought a cruell and bloudy battail but at length the King was victor in which fight Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester was taken and his Nephew Sir Henry with many a brave Northerne man was slaine And upon the Kings part the Prince was wounded in the head and the Earle of Stafford with many others slaine It was observed that in this battail father fought against sonne sonne the father brother the brother and uncle the nephew the twenty fift of Iuly following was Sir Thomas Percy beheaded at Shrewsbury and in August after the Duchesse of Britain landeth at Flamoth in Cornwall K. Henries second mariage with the Duchesse of Britain and from thence conveyed to Winchester where shee was solemnely espoused to King Henry Soone after Richard Scroop Archbishop of Yorke with the Lord Mowbray Marshall of England with others to them allyed made a new insurrection against the King with purpose A nâ—… insurrection to supplant them to whom the King gave battaile on this side Yorke where after some losse on both sides the King had the better of the day the Archbishop and the Martiall being both taken in the field and soone after beheaded in that Kings Reigne was the Conduit builded in Cornwall as it now standeth The Market of the Stocks at the lower end of Cheapside and the Guild hall of London new edified and of a Sumptuous buildings during this kings Reigne small cottage and ruinous and decayed house made such a goodly structure as it appeares to this day Moreover the famous and stately Bridge of Rochester with the Chappell at the foot of the said Bridge was fully perfited and finished at the sole charge and cost of Sir Robert Knolls who in the time of Edward the third Sir Robert Knolls had atchieved many brave and memorable victories in France and Britain who also re-edified the body of the White Friers Church in Fleetstreet to which place hee left many good Legacies and
death with the yong Earle of Warwicke the death of the king A prophesie of the reigne of Henry the eighth p. 293 Chap. 32. Prince Henry married to his brothers wife hee winneth Turwin and Turney in France Floden-field with the famous victory against the Scots Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke marrieth the French Queen the kings sister The Emperour Charles the fift made knight of the Garter c. p. 304. Chap. 33. The death of Henry the eighth Edward the sixt crowned a calculation of his reigne Musse Iborow field won by the Lord Protector c. p. 315. Chap. 34. The Lady Iane proclaimed Q. Northumberlands Commission to suppresse the Lady Mary He is arrested of high treason The Coronation of Q. Mary A prediction of her Reigne The Romish Religion restored The death of Northumberland Of Suffolke Of Guilford Dudley Of the Lady Iane Gray her character The death of Cranmer Ridley and Latimer The life of Cardinall Poole twice elected Pope c. p. 326 Chap. 36. King Philips entertainment into the Land presented with the Garter Hee is made K. of Naples and Hierusalem the great solemnity of the King and Queens Marriage at Winchester Their titles their riding through London The Queen rumoured to be with Child King Philips cautelous proceedings hee favoureth the Lady Elisabet He leaveth the Land Queen Maries discontent at his departure The losse of Callis p. 336 Chap. 37. A brief nomination of her troubles wrought by the Popish Clergie Her passage through London to her coronation with the speeches spoke in the pageants A short remembrance of the prime passages in her reign The former prediction fulfild her death other predictions fathered upon Merlin explained c. p. 347 Chap. 38. The title of King Iames to the Crown His comming into England A prophesie of his Reigne The first treason attempted against him The Gunpowder treason and what the conspirators were The king of Denmarke twice commeth into England King Charles proclaimed King his Fathers Funerals c. p. 361 A Chronographical History of the Kings of Britaine from the first plantation of this Island by Brute and his Cousin Corinaeus to the Reigne of King Vortiger In whose time Ambrosius Merlinus began to utter his Predictions CHAP. 1. Brutes first plantation in this Island How hee divided it amongst his three sonnes of several famous Cities builded here by sundry Kings and how divers Rivers took their first name of all the remarkable passages that hapened in their reignes A Catologue of the Kings continued from Brute to the end of his Line and off-spring FOr the better illustration of this present worke intended it shall not be amisse to shew you a briefe progresse of all the memorable passages of the time before wee come to the Prophesie with a Catalogue of the Kings of this Island and what Remarkable things happened in their reigne To begin with the first Brute who was of the ancient and noble bloud of the Trojans discended from Aeneas and Creusa the How Brute was discended daughter of King Priam These had a sâ—…nne called Ascanius after his Father King of Italy Brute was the sonne of Sylvius Aenaeas the son of Ascanius This Brute at fifteene yeares of age being hunting by the unfortunate glanceing of an Arrow slue his father and had beene also in his birth the death of his mother but for the last disasterous act hee willingly exiled himselfe and taking with him a choice company of adventurers thought to discover some new plantation To omit his many troubles both by Land and Sea in which hee was still most victoriously prosperous at length hee incountred with a small navy of ships of which a Trojane and his neare kinseman was Captain whose name was Corinaeus who joyning their Corinaeus cousin to Brute forces together and after divers and sundry perills landed in this Island of the white and chalky Cliffes called Albion where finding none but Giants of mighty stature he destroyed the most part of them of whom the greatest both in bulke and command was called Gogmagog with whom Corinaeus wrastling to prove their triall of strength Gogmagog in his gripe broke a rib in the side of Corinaeus at which he being inraged gathering all his spirits about him cast him downe the high Rocke of Dover the place where they proved the mastery which is called the fall of Gogmagog unto this day for which and other his valiant acts before The fall of Gogmagog atchieved hee gave him that intire Province which from his name beareth the title of Cornwall Brute then taking full view of the Island The building of Troynovant since called London searching up the River of Thames built upon it a City which in remembrance of the late subverted Troy he called Troynovant or new Troy now London this done he put his Souldiers to tilling of the Earth and governed the Realme peaceably for the space of twenty foure yeares He had by his wife Ignogen the daughter of Pandrusus three sonnes betwixt whom in his life time he divided his Kingdome to How hee divided the Kingdome Locrine the eldest hee gave all that is called England but then Logria after his name To the second Cambrius or Cambre hee left the Countrey of Wales at first from him called Cambria To the third Albanact hee gave the North part of the Land then titled from him Albania now Scotland That done hee expired The death of Brute and was buryed at Troynovant and this happened in the yeare of the world foure thousand fourescore and seven Locrine being King of Britaine hearing that a King of Scythia had invaded his brother Albanacts Dominions and having slaine him in battaile governed in his stead Hee with his brother Cambre assembled a mighty Hoast to avenge his death and in a sharpe conflict discomfited his whole Army and so hotly pursued him in his flight that this Scythian which was called Humber was drowned in that River Plow the River Humber came to be so cald which runneâ—…h up from Ravenspurn up to Hulâ—… which hath since borne his name even to this day After which victory Locrin who had espoused Guendolina daughter to Corinaeus Duke of Cornwall grew inamoured of Estrild a beauteous Lady and Daughter to the aforesaid Humber by whom He had a Daughter named Sabrina of which his Queene having intelligence the accited her Father and friends to make Warre upon her Husband and flew him in fight when hee had governed the Realme for the space of twenty yeares then the Masculine spirited Lady tooke his Concubine Estrild with her beautifull young daughter Sabrina and caused them to bee both drowned in that River which parteth England and Wales and from Sabrina is called Severne to all posterity The River Severne whence called Then Guendolina took upon her the government of the Land till her young Son Madan came to mature age and then resigned it up intirely into his owne hands after shee had
that tenth putting them to cruel deaths as winding their guts out of their bellies with other torturing deaths then he caused the elder brothers eys to be pluckt out and sent to a religious house in Ely where hee dyed shortly after but the younger he preserv'd as an husband for his daughter and sent him to his mother Emma all which fulfils the former prophesie which saith And he an Hidra with seaven heads shall grace Glad to behold the ruine of his race And then upon the Neustrian blood shall pray By Neustria is understood Normandy And tithe them by the pole c. Emma not trusting the tyranny of Goodwin by whom she had left one son the better to secure the other shee sent him into Normandy but Edward after sirnamed the Coâ—…fessor made King Hardy Canutus beeing dead he was sent for over to receive his iust and lawfull inheritance so that this Edward the sonne of Egelredus and his last wife Emma began his Raigne over England in the yeare of Grace 1043. and was soon after maried to Goditha whom Guido calleth Editha the sole daughter of Earle Goodwin who as all Authors affirme lived with her without any carnall society whether it were in hatred of her kinred as by the greatnesse of her father compel'd to that match or for that he altogether devoted himselfe to chastity it is left uncertaine In the beginning of his Raigne his mother The Kings mother accused of adultery with Alwin Bishop of Winchester Emma was accused to have too much familiarity with the B. of Winchester therefore the King by the counsell of Earl Goodwin seised vpon many of her iewels and confined her to a strict keeping in the Abby of Worwell the Bishop Alwin was also under the Custody of the Clergy but shee more sorrowing for his defame then her owne wrote unto divers Bishops to doe their Iustice affirming she was ready to undergoe any triall whatsoever to give the World satisfaction of her innocence who laboured to the King that their cause might have a just and legall hearing but Robert Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Archbishop of Canterbury against the mother Queen not pleased with the motion said unto them My Brethren Bishops how dare ye plead for her who is a beast and no woman as by defaming the King and her sonne and yielding her selfe a prostitute to the incontinent Alwin proceeding further but if it be so that the woman would purge the Priest who shall then purge the woman who is accused to have been consenting to the death of her sonne Alfred and hath prepared infectious Drugs for the poysoning of her sonne Edward but be she guilty or no if shee will agree to goe bare foot upon nine plough-shares burning and fiery hot for her selfe foure shares and for the Bishop five he may be then cleered and she also To which shee granted and the day of her This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chronicles of same for truth purgation assigned at which day the King in person with many of his Lords were present she was hoodwinkt and led to the place where the Irons lay glowing hot and having passed over the nine shares unhurt shee said Good God when shall I come to the place of my purgation When they opened her eyes and shee saw that she had past the torment without any sence of paine she kneeled downe and gave thanks to the protectour of chastity and innocence Then the King repented him of his credulitie restoring unto her what hee had before taken from her asking of her forgivenes and blessing But the Archbishop Robert who was once a Monke in Normandy and was sent for over by the King and first made Bishop of London and Emma acquit from the suspition of Incontinency after raised to be Metropolitan fled into his Countrey and was no more seene in England after After many insolencies committed against the King by Earle Goodwin and his sonnes too long to reherse they were forced to abandon Earle Goodwin and his sons flie the Land the Land and flie into Flanders to Earle Baldwin whose daughter Iudith Swanus his eldest sonne had married and then by a Parlament they were made Out-lawes and Rebels and their goods and Lands seized where they continued as exiles for the space of two yeeres during which time William the bastard Duke of Normandy came with a Noble Traine to visit the King his Cousin and were royally entertained returning with great gifts and presents into his Country after which Goodwin by intercession of his friends here in England was called home with his sonnes who were received into grace and restored to their former dignities and possessions giving for pledges of his fidelity his sonne Wilnotus and Hacun the sonne of Goodwin and his sons restored Swanus whom the King sent to William Duke of Normandy to be kept in safe custodie Not long after in the twelfth yeere of the Reigne of this Edward the Confessor upon an Easter Monday Goodwin sitting with other Lords at the Kings Table in the Castle of Winsor it hapned that the Kings Cupbearer stumbled but recovered himselfe of a fall at which the Earle laughed heartily and said there one brother helped the other meaning one leg had supported the other which the King observing said yea and so my brother Alphred might have lived to have helped and sustained me had it not bin for Earl Goodwin by which words the Earl apprehending that he upbraided him with his brothers death thinking to excuse himself of the Act said so may I safely swallow this morsell of bread that is in my hand as I am innocent of that deed in swallowing of which hee was choaked which the King seeing commanded him to be dragged from the board his bodie being Goodwins remarkable death conveighed to Winchester and there interred Macrinus saith that he was suddenly struck with a palsie of which hee died â—…hree days after howsoever hee underwent a most remarkable judgement His eldest sonne living who was Harold for Swanus died in his pilgrimage to Ierusalem had all his Fathers Dignities and Honours conferd upon him But in processe of time all those his Lands in Kent of which hee was Earle were eaten up and devoured by the Sea upon whâ—…se dangerous shelves and quick-sands many thousands have beene wrackt and drowned and they are called Goodwins Sands unto this day which verifieth that part of the prophesie of the Hydra where he saith Burst shall he after gordg'd with humane blood And leave his name in part of the salt flood Harold having done many noble services for the King and the countrey in all which hee came off with great honour and victorie about the 20. yeere of King Edward hee sayled towards Normandy to visite his brother Wilnotus and his Nephew Hucun who lay there as pledges for the peace betwixt the King and Harold sayleth into Normandie Earle Goodwin buteither by the mistake of the unskilfull Pilot
stiled because of his ruffe haire and beard This Robert the eldest because hee might Robert rebelleth against his Father not be possest of the Duchy of Normandy which his father had before promist him hee by the aide of the French King Philip and Lewis his sonne invaded that Dutchy and tooke divers prizes thence which put his Father to much grievance and trouble in so much that at length the father and the sonne with two great Hosts met in the plaine field where betwixt them was fought a cruell and bloudy battell in which King William was wounded and beaten from his horse and in great danger to be tooke or slaine which his sonne Robert hearing in true filliall piety hee restored his Father set him upon a fresh Horse and delivered him from all danger howsoever in that conflict many of the Kings men fell by the sword and his sonne William received many wounds so that they were compeld to forsake the field and yeeld the honour thereof to his Sonne Robert for which Robert gaineth the day of his Father rebellion as some have related he laid an heavy curse upon him which proved fatall unto him in the end Some write that by the leaping off an horse hee got such a straine meaning King William that it was the cause of his death and when hee found that hee was pasthope of life hee called his three sonnes unto him exhorting them to fraternall love and unity and by his will appointed to Robert the eldest the Duchie of Normandy to William the second the Kingdom of England and to his third sonne Henry because K. Williams admonition to his sons hee was a piece of a Scholer sirnamed Beauclerke hee bequeathed his moveables and treasure then he informed his two eldest sonnes of the disposition of the people whom they were to governe advising William to be affable courteous and liberall to the English and Robert to behave himselfe roughly and sternly towards the Normans which having uttered hee The death of William sirnamed the Conquerour died within few houres after in Normandy and was buried in the City of Cane in the third yeere of his Duchie but of his Reigne over England one and twenty yeeres and ten moneths in the moneth of Iuly in which time of his Sovereignty hee kept the English so streight and low that none of the Nation bore any office of profit or honour but hee somewhat favoured the City of London by granting them their first Charter which is written in the Saxon Londons first Charter granted by King William tongue and sealed with green Wax and is comprehended in eight or nine lines at the most with whose death I also conclude this Chapter CHAP. 12. The prediction of the two Dragons made good by the subsequent History in Robert and William the two sons of the Conquerour who the Lion of Iustice was and what was meant by his Alchymy c. WIlliam the second of that name sirnamed William the second crowned King of England Rufus or the Red beganne his Reigne in the moneth of Iuly in the yeere of Grace one thousand sourescore and nine but Rainolf Monke of Chester in his Polychronicon affirmes that Robert was absent at the death of his Father and hearing that hee had preferd his younger brother to the Crowne of England hee was greatly inraged and laid his Dukedome to pawne to his brother Henry for certaine summes of money with which hee hired an Army and landed at Hampton of which his brother having intelligence sent unto him with this submission following A strange submission of a King Thy brother William entreateth thee to be no way incensed at what I have done For he calleth himselfe not absolute King but Viceroy and thy Substitute and to reigne under thee being greater and therein better because before him borne who hath taken upon him this charge only because of thine absence yet since he is now in place and authority by thy sufferance he humbly prayes thee that he may under thee still so continue paying unto thee annually three thousand marke with condition that the survivour of the two may peaceably enjoy the Kingdome Duke Robert who was not unacquainted with the politick proceedings of his brother shaked his head and began to pawse about an answer and being of a loving and gentle disposition The two brothers attowd bountifull withall and still preferring his honour before his profit as in all his after proceedings hee made manifest condescended to his brothers request and returned into Normandy but William was of a more subtle and crafty condition and yet withall ambitious after vain-glory to maintaine which hee extorted both from the Spiritualty and Temporalty He builded He buildeth Westminster Hall Westminster Hall and by reason that his brother Robert was then in the holy Warres to redeeme Ierusalem from the Pagans hee spent some time in Normandy about his brothers affaires but at his returne the building of the Hall being finished he seemed much discontented with the littlenesse thereof saying it was more fit for a Dining Chamber then a Kings Hall purposing if hee had liv'd to have made a farre greater In the beginning of the thirteenth yeere of his Reigne the third day of August being hunting in the New Forrest by the glancing of an Arrow shot by the hand of one Sir Walter Tyrrell The King murthered to death by Sir Walter Tyrrell the King was wounded to death in the forty fourth yeere of his age who escaped and saved himselfe for none pursued him and few in regard of his former tyranny sorrowfull for his death some thinke that this arrow was purposely aymed at him to fulfill the prophesie of the two brothers One aimes at but attains not his desire By envies dart the other shall expire Now Robert though hee still aymed at the Kingdome yet never attained unto it and the other died according to Merlins words spiculo Invidiae by the dart of Envy the King thus wounded was laid in a Horse-litter and conveyed to Winchester where hee died and was buried In his life time he took upon him great The Kings Character things the day before hee died one asked him where he purposed to keep his Christmasse to which he answered at Poyctiers for the Earle intendeth a Voyage for Ierusalem meaning to seize upon his Earldome Henry of Huntington reporteth of him that though he was generally reported avaritious and gripple-handed yet he was in his owne condition bountifull and liberall as may appeare by the narration following The Abbot of a great Monastery being dead too wel-monied Monks of the same place made friends to the King offering Iustice and liberality in the King large summes to be promoted to that dignity there was also a third Monk who out of his meeknesse and humility had accompanyed them to the Court and to give attendance on him whom the King should admit to be Abbot who called to the
Borderers He likewise added the whole Kingdome to his owne and from the South Ocean to the North Islands of the Orcades hee closed all those Lands as under one principall which done and receiving fealty and homage of the said King having a certaine summe of money promist to bee payd unto him within nine moneths following hee suffered him to goe at liberty He spred his Empire so far that none of all his No King before him of such large Empire predecessours had so many Countries and Provinces under their Dominion and rule for besides the Realme of England he had at once in his possession Normandy Gascoine and Guien Anjou and Chinou with Alverne and others and by his wife as her rightfull Inheritance the Pyrene Mountaines which part France and Spaine which proves that hee Who from the height of the great rock may see The Countries round both neere and far away Shall search amongst them where hee best can prey In the seventh year of his Raigne died Theobald Tho Becket created Arch-bishop of Canterbury Arch-bishop of Canterbury and Thomas Becket who was then Chancellour of England was translated unto that See and in the ninth yeare the King cal'd a Parliament at Northampton where hee intended to abolish some privileges which the Clergie had usurped amongst which one was that no Priest or Clergie man though he had committed felony murther or treason against the Kings owne person yet had hee not power to put him to death which he purposed to have reformed in which Thomas Becket then Arch-Bishop violently opposed him and gave him very peremptory and unseemly language vilifying the Kings prerogatiue and authority The Archbishop opposeth the King to his face but when he saw he had not power to prevaile against the King hee in great heate and hast sped him to Alexander then Bishop of Rome grievously complayning on the King and suggesting what iniuries and innovations he would put upon the holy Church continuing there partly in Italy and partly in France for the space of six yeares together After which time Lewis King of France reconciled The King and the Archbishop atton'd the King and the Archbishop the King being then in Normandy and Becket returned to his See at Canterbury whither hee summond all such persons as in his absence had spoyled and rifled his moveables and goods advising them first by faire meanes to restore them but when he saw that course prevailed not he tooke The King cursed by the Archbishop a more severe and compulsory way excommunicating and denouncing all such accursed in his Anathema not sparing the Kings royall person at which the parties here in England whom it particularly concerned sailed over unto the King in Normandy and made a grievous complaint against the Archbishop at which his being extraordinarily incensed sayd in the open audience of those then about him had I any friend that tendered mine honour and safety I had ere this time beene revenged of that traiterous Archbishop At that time were present and heard these words Sir William Breton Sir Hugh Morvill Sir Richard Fitzvile and Sir William Tracy which foure Knights having communed and considered amongst themselves with an unanimous resolution took shipping and landed at Dover and road thence to Canterbury where the fift day in Christmasse weeke they slue the said Bishop in the Church as hee was going to the Altar who had before in the open pulpit The Archbishop slain going to the Altar denounced the King and divers others of his subjects accursed which answers to the former The All-commanding keys shall strive to wrest And force the lock that opens to his nest But breake their own wards c. By the All-commanding Keys is meant the power of the Keyes of Rome who striving to force the lock opening to his nest that is his principality and prerogative broke their owne wards which proved true in this Th. Becket Primate and Metropolitan who was slaine in the yeer 1170 over whose Tombe this Distich was inscribed Anno milleno centeno septuageno Anglorum primus corruit ense thronus which with small alteration may bee thus paraphrased Anno one thousand one hundred seventy dy'd Thomas the Primate in his height of pride The inscription over his Tombe Henry in the fourteenth yeere of his Reigne caused his eldest sonne Henry to bee crowned King of England at Westminster giving him full power over the Realme whilst hee himselfe was negotiated in Normandy and his many other provinces which after proved to his great Henry crowneth his sonne Henry King disadvantage and trouble In which interim he had cast his eye upon a most beautifull Lady called Rosamond on whom hee was so greatly enamoured that it grew even to dotage insomuch that hee neglected the Queenes company The faire Lady Rosamond insomuch that she incensed all his sonnes who tooke up armes against their Father in the quarrell of their mother by which the peace of the Land was turned to hostility and uprore yet the King so farre prevailed that hee surprised the Queen and kept her in close prison and withall The King imprisons the Queene was so indulgent over his new Mistresse that he built for her a rare and wondrous fabricke so curiously devised and intricate with so many turning Meanders and winding indents that none upon any occasion might have accesse unto her unlesse directed by the King or such as in that businesse hee most trusted and this edifice â—…e erected at Woodstocke not farre from Oxford and made a Labyrinth which was wrought like a knot in a Garden called a Maze in which any one might lose himselfe unlesse guided by a line or threed which as it guided him in so it directed him the way out But in processe it so hapned that the sonnes having the better of The Sonnes release their mother their Father set at liberty their Mother who when the King was absent came secretly to Woodstocke with her traine at such a time when the Knight her Guardian being out of the way not dreaming of any such accident had left the Clue carelesly and visible in the entrance of the Labyrinth Which the Queene espying slipt not that advantage but wound her selfe by that silken threed even to the very place where shee found her sitting and presenting her with a bowle of poyson shee compeld her to drinke it off in her presence after which draught shee within few minutes expired and the Queene departed thence in her revenge fully satisfied for which cruell act the King could never be drawne to reconcile Lady Rosamond poisond by the Queene himselfe unto her after and this makes good that of Merlin of all the flowers that grow The Rose shall most delight his scent and so That lest it any strangers eyes should daze He plants it close in a Dedalian Maze Rosamund being dead was buried in the Monastery of Goodstow neere unto Oxford upon whose Tombe
his Queen feasted in Paris when they had rested a season Hee with the Duke of Burgoine laid siege to divers Townes which held with the Dolphin of Vien as the strong City of Meldane or Melian to Melden and others and tooke them and having done all his pleasure in France he and the Queen took leave of Charles the French king and sayled into England and at Westminster with great solemnity Q. Margaret Crowned at Westminster she was Crowned In the beginning of his tenth yeare was born at Windsor the sixt day of December Henry the sixt of that name at Easter after the Queene The birth of Henry the sixt tooke shipping at Southampton and sayled into France where she was royally received of her father and mother and King Henry being still busied in his warres of France and still gaining from them Cities and Townes in the ninth of August he fell grievously sick at Boys in Vincent and dyed the last day of the Month when hee had reigned nine yeares five months and ten dayes leaving issue behind him onely Henry aged The death of Henry the fift eight moneths and odde dayes then the Kings body was imbalmed and after brought to Westminster and there buried verifying Thus after many a famous victory At length invested shall the Lion be In a new Throne to which his claime is faire As being matcht unto the kingdomes heire Living this royall beast shall lose no time But bee at length from earth snatcht in his prime CHAP. 27. The Duke of Gloster made Protector The Duke of Bedford Regent of France of Ioan de pasill a Sorceresse Henry the sixt crowned in Paris A prophesie of his raigne the death of the Duke of Gloster The death of the Marquesse of Suffolke The insurrection of the Commons under Iack Cade His proceedings and death the Duke of Somerset gives up Normandy The Duke of Yorke taketh Armes his person seised against the Kings promise and for feare set at liberty HEnry the sixt of that name and the sole Henry the sixt made King sonne of Henry the fift and Queene Katherine beganne his Reigne over the Realme of England the first day of September in the yeare of grace one thousand foure hundred twenty two who during his Minority was committed to the guardianship of his two Vncles the Dukes of Gloster and Bedford the The Duke of Gloster protector the Duke of Bedford regent Duke of Gloster beeing protector of England and the Duke of Bedford regent of France In the first yeare of this Kings reigne dyed Charles the seventh King of France by whose death the Crowne and the Realme with the rights of them fell to the young king Henry the possession of which was by the Lords of France in generall excepting some few who took part with the Dolphin delivered to the duke of Bedford as Regent during the nonage of the King who in the second yeare of his reigne wonne from the Dolphin more than foure and twenty strong holds and Castles to the great Honour The Regents victories in France of the English Nation and with whom all attempts succeeded prosperously and victoriously till the fift yeare that the Earle of Salisbury who was called the good Earle with the Earle of Suffolke the Lord Talbot and others laying The death of the good Earle of Salisbury strong siege to the City of Orleance the Earle was slaine by a shot from the Towne after whose death the English still lost rather than wonne so that by little and little they were compelled from all their possession in France for where they prevailed in any battaile in three they were discomfited In the eighth yeare of his reigne and upon the ninth of his age King Henry was Crowned King Henries Coronation in St. Peters Church at Westminster where were made sixe and thirty knights of the Bath His Coronation with all honour and joy being finished provision was made for his journey into France and upon Saint Georges day following being the twenty third of April hee tooke shipping and landed at Callis with a great train of the English Nobility during whose abode there many battails were fought in divers parts of the kingdom betwixt the English and French in which the French for the most part prevailed Ione de Pucil a sorceresse some said by the help of a woman called Ioan de Pucil whom they stiled The Maiden of God who was victorious in many conflicts and at length came to a Town called Compeine with intent to remove the siege layd unto it by the Duke of Burgoine and the English but by the valour of a Burgonian knight called sir Iohn Luxemburgh her company was distressed and she took alive and after carried to Roan and there kept a season because she seigned her selfe with child but the contrary being found she was adjudged to Shee is burnt for a witch death and her body burnt to ashes In his tenth yeere and upon the seventh of December King Henry the sixt was crowned Henry the sixt crowned at Paris King of France in Paris by the Cardinal of Winchester at whose Coronation were present the Regent The Duke of Burgoine with others of the French Nobility after the solemnity of which royall Feast ended The King left Paris and kept his Christmasse in Roan and thence returned into England where hee was joyfully received and of whom it was thus predicted How comes the Sun to rise where he should set Or how Lambs Lions Lions Lambs beget The prophesie of King Henries reigne Yet so 't must be The Lambe though doubly crown'd And thinking his large Empire hath no bound Yet shall a Daulphin at a low ebbe land And snatch one powerful scepter from his hand Thus it falls out twixt father and the sonne Windsore shall lose what ever Monmouth A Tigresse then in title onely proud wonne In the Lambs bosome seeks her self to shroud A seeming Saint at first meek and devout But in small time her fiercenesse will break out Nor can her ravenous fury be withstood Vntill through sated with best English blood But a young Lion he at length shall tame And send her empty back from wheâ—…ce she came Much trouble shall be made about â—…he crown And Kings soon raised and as soone put down c. After sundry conflicts betwixt the English and the French in which they diversly sped at length Charles the Dolphin who tooke upon him to be King of France by the proffer of many Towns Castles Cities Provinces and Lordships so Charles the Dolphin and Philip Duke of Burgoin reconciled wrought upon the Duke of Burgoine that notwithstanding he had before slain his Father adhered to his party and proclaimed himself utter enemy to the English which was in the thirteenth of Henry in which yeere dyed the noble and valorous Iohn Duke of Bedford and Regent of France and was buried with great solemnity at Roan in the Church of
parish Church throughout England that no Coarse should be buryed before sixe a Clocke in the morning nor after sixe at night and that when any dyed the Bell should ring three quarter of an houre at least In this Interim the two great Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke Dudly and Gray privately murmuring and openly maligning that The two Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolk the Kings two Uncles should beare such great authority in the Kingdome by which their glories seemed not onely eclipsed but quite darkned the elder brother commanding the Land the younger the Sea the one Lord Protector the other Lord High Admirall so that the whole Dominion and Soveraignty of the kingdome the kings name excepted was divided betwixt them And further considering that it was in vaine for them to attaine to their owne ambitious ends but by sundring this fraternall tye and unloosing this Gordian knot Their plots gainst the Protector and Admirall of Consanguinity which had beene so long inseparably continued betwixt them they therefore projected betwixt themselves how this almost impossible thing might be brought to passe and doubting the event if they should attempt to worke by their servants as to corrupt them with Bribes or the like they therefore tooke a nearer and more safe course to practise it by their Wives and to draw their balas from out of their owne bosomes and The Wives made themcans to betray the Husbands most successively to their purpose thus it happened Sir Thomas Seimer Lord High Admirall having married the Queene Dowager whose good Fortune it was of all the rest of the kings wives to survive her Husband contested with her sister in law for precedence and priority of place to which the Protectors wife standing upon her prerogative could by no meanes bee wonne to give way This emulation betwixt the two sisters fitly sorting to the Dukes purposes for the one challenged the right hand as once being Queene and the other claimed it as wise to the present Protector To this new kindled fire the two Dukes bring fuell Dudly incourageth the one secretly Gray the other privately so that the Wives set the Husbands at oddes by taking their parts so that by the instigation of those emulous and incensed Ladies a mortall hatred grew betwixt the two brothers insomuch that in the third year of the King the Admirall was questioned for the ill managing his Office and sundry Articles preferred in Court against him so that he was condemn'd in Parliament and his head The death of the Lord high Admirall strooke off the Protector his brother signing the Warrant for his death The one being thus removed there was the lesse difficulty to supplant the other for in the same Month of February in which the Admirall lost his head was the Protector committed to the Tower by the Lords of the Counsaile of which the two Dukes were chief and many Articles of Treason and ill government of the state commenced against him but about a yeare after his confinement by his submission to the Lords and intercession made for him by the K. upon the sixt of February hee was released injoy'd his former offices honors but all this was but a lightning before death for his two great potent adversaries stil prosecute their malice against him insomuch that not long after calling him to a second account when he had nobly acquit himself at the Barre of all treason objected against him he was in the Guild Hall of London not by a Iury of his peeres by The Lord Protector put to death for felony twelve men convicted and condemned of Felony for which on a Scaffold on Tower-Hill hee suffered death verifying what was before spoken of the young King Vpright he shall betweene two Bases stand One in the sea fixt th' other on the land These shall his pupillage strongly maintaine Secure the continent and scoure the maine But these supporters will be tane away By a Northumbers Wolfe and Suffolks Gray It is so manifest it needs no Comment This Edward Seimour was the sonne of Sir A Character of the L. Protector Edward Seimour knighted by Henry the eight who had married the Lady Iane his naturall sister He after created him Viscount Beauchamp in the yeare one thousand five hundred thirty sixe and the yeare following Earle of Hereford after that he was installed Knight of the Garter His honours and offices made Lord great Chamberlain of England one of the honourable privy Counsail much favoured of the eighth Henry who in his last Testament instituted him one of the chiefe of his sixteene Executors after this King Edward created him Baron de sancto Mauro then Duke of Somerset He was next by a generall voyce of parliament made Protector over the Kings person and of all his Kingdomes and Dominions Governour and Lord Generall of all the Kings forces by Land and Sea He was moreover Lord high Treasurer and Earle Martiall of England Captaine of the two Islands of Gernsie and Iersie and Chancellour of the University of Cambridge In all which Offices and Dignities he demeaned himselfe The Duke of Somerset catalogu'd amongst the English Martyrs with such Honourable bounty and singular piety that some have not doubted to Catalogue him amongst our English Martyrs But to returne to the History by this protectors meanes who was a constant Protestant Images were puld downe through all Churches of England Marriage of priests made lawfull The suppressing of the Romish Religion by parliament and Doctor Bonner with other Romish Prelates deposed from their Bishopricks and other of the Reformed Church supplyed their places making good what was before calculated of the young King By birth a Caesar and in hopes as great Shall next ascend unto th' Imperiall seat Who ' ere mature cropt in his tender bloome Shal more against then Caesar could for Rome He th' Aristocracy Monarchall makes This from the triple Crowne the Scepter takes This needs some explication Hee is called young Caesar as being produced into the world The prophesie explained by the cutting or ripping up of his mothers wombe from which the great Roman Iulius borne after the same manner had added to him the name of Caesar which Title hee left as Hereditary to all the succeeding Emperours after him who as hee reduced the Aristocracie which was the government of the Senate and Optimates into one entire monarchall Diadem placing the Empire in Rome so of the contrary this young King from the great Pontifex of Rome who in time wearing a Triple Diademe and thereby challenging power in Heaven potently upon earth regency and predominance over Hell and moreover making earthly Kings and Emperours to acknowledge unto him a preheminence and supremacie making them to kisse his feet with other servil officeâ—… â—…e by opposing this Soveraignty and shrinking his head out of so extreame a servitude may bee truly said to have done more against Rome in