I drew my sword Vnto my selfe and souldiers full reward I gaue and with small bloudshed as I could I tam'd my foes and quailed princes bolde As second Worthy I do claime the place Amongst the nine and more For in my time All Christian Princes sought to me for grace For without me they could not liue sans cryme My peeres and princes I maintain'd with right And in the field dubd many a worthy Knight King Henry the third KIng Henry the third of that name was the eldest son of King Iohn the yongest son of king Henry the second being a childe of the age of nine yeares he began his raigne ouer the realme of England the 19. day of October in the yeare of our Lord 1216. he was crowned at Glocester by the hand of two Bishops viz. VVinchester and Bathe by the honorable meanes of William Marshall then Earle of Pembroke He was a Prince of great wisdome power and policy by whose eloquent oration this young king was crowned as is here mentioned he departed this life at VVestminster the 16. day of Nouember in the yeare of our Lord 1272. after he had liued 65. years and raigned King of this Realme 56. yeares 28. dayes hee was buried at VVestminster lefte a Princely and a very honourable issue as Edward Prince of VVales who succeeded him by the name of King Edward the first He had one Sonne more and three daughters he was of body well cast to vse the former writers owne words being strong and of a good stature well fauoured and of a be wtifull face only blemished a little in the lid of one of his eyes of nature very curteous and of stomacke both noble and stoute as may appeare by his many battailes and victories a deuaut Prince toward his God and bountifull in works of reliefe and comforts towards the poore and néedie therefore a Worthy and worthy of th' ensuing Epitaph His Epitaphe HEnry the third began his raigne in peace And likewise brought a mighty peace to passe Beginning his forc't factious French surcease And landed Lewis in France where first he was Else noble England had been thrust in thralls By Lodowicke and his lusty gallants then But English Britaine 's banished the Galles So shewing that they were true English men King Henry then of Worthies was the chiefe That for his subiects wrought so greatreliefe King Henry the fourth WHen king Richard the secod had resigned the crown as in his history it appeareth he did Henry Plantaginet borne at Bollingbroke in the county of Lincolne Duke of Lancaster Earle of Hertford Lecester and Lincolne was with the general consent both of the Lords and commons of the Realm published proclaimed and declared king of England France and Lord of Ireland he was crowned at VVestminster in An. 1399. with great and kingly Maiestie all Officers of estate and of princely seruice doing their homages and attending vpon the same He departed this life the 20. day of March 1413. and in the yeare of his age 46. when he had raigned 13. yeares fiue moneths and od dayes The manner of his death THis king was indued with magnanimity and did purpose a voiage against the infidels and to haue with his force and might redéemed Palestina or the holy land then so called from the Infidels Hauing an army and all honourable prouisions for such a iourney ready and beeing the time of his high court of Parliament hee fell sodainely and extreamely sicke as he was then though vainly praying before Saint Edwards shrine from whence being remoued into a chamber of the Abbots of VVestminster called Ierusalem he departed as is aboue sayd But during the time of his sicknesse say some Writers he caused his crowne to be set vpon a pillowe at his beddes head and sodainely the pangs of death hauing power ouer him he seemed dead and the gentlemen Attendants couered his face with a vaile That valiant Prince his sonne being aduertised thereof entred into the chamber tooke away the Crowne and departed The King his father reuiued quickly and did perceiue the lacke of his crowne and hauing knowledge that the Prince his sonne had taken it away he caused him to appeare before his presence demanding of him how he durst presume to such an act Who made vnto the king an humble and princely answere but the king answered with a powerful Maiestie saying with a great sigh Wel fayre Sonne what right I had to it God knoweth yet I commit all to God and wish vnto you all good graces from him worthy of so high and mighty a calling so yelding vp the ghost in the Abbot of VVestminsters chamber called Ierusalem as is aforesayd And himselfe being tolde that the same chamber was so called hee tooke comfort there at and much reioiced therin for determining a most honourable iourney towardes Ierusalem hee did end his dayes in Ierusalem His Description THis King was of a mean stature well proportioned and formally compact quick prompt and ready of wit of a stoute courage and in his latter dayes hee shewed himself so gentle that he obtained more loue amongst the Nobles and people of this Roalme then he had purchased enuie concerning his right to the Crowne mentioned to the Prince his sonne he was buried at Canterburie the King his sonne being present at his funeralles His Epitaphe HEnry the fourth though Richard second should Haue dyed our king he dyed our King indeed Which act by dint ofsword was so control'd That many English hearts it made to bleed Shrewsburie field doth still the matter scan Where Percies pearc't the heart of many a man Themselues were pearc't and perisht in the field This mighty King could not be conquered so Lord Henry hotspurre could not make him yield Northumberland Earle Worcester thousands moe The Prince of VVales a leader young but bould Fought for his Father like a Lyon olde Like an olde Lyon rampant open iawes Deuouring beasts so fought this peerelesse Prince Yet was he wounded in the face God knowes Prayd to take Tent he sayd I will conuince Those foes that dare beholde my Fathers face Within his land and worke him this disgrace The braue Earle Dowglas strake the King on helme And feld him flat vpon the trampled plaine Slew Walter Blunt and like to ouerwhelme The King the prince and all their valiant traine Till Kingly valour forced Dowglas flight And with his hand slew thirtie sixe outright Dowglas was taken prisoner in the place So was the Earle of Wore'ster worthy paine And so he was beheaded wanting grace But Dowglas was receav'd to grace againe And freely ransom'd by that worthy King Gainst whom he fought and many foes did bring More of this King if more ye list to heare Then read his story and more shall you finde That from his prime vnto his perfect'st yeare Great honour and great fortunes were assign'd Vnto this King but more vnto his sonne Who had no peere since Christian World begun Counterfaite
did plainely appeare it would séeme incredible to be tolde and no lesse admirable how hee did abstaine from lasciuious liuing and auaritious desires in such time and estate of riches and prouoking youth In the time of losse he was no more sad then in the times of victory which cōstancy fewe Princes haue euer vsed To speake of his bounty and liberality no man could be more free gentle and liberall in bestowing rewardes vpon all persons according to their deserts sauing that hee did not regarde money to kéepe but to giue away and to spend What may besayd he was the Myrror of al Christendome and the glory of his Country the flower of Kings passed and the glasse of all succéeding Maiestie No Prince had lesse of his subiects no king conquered more whose fame by his death liuely florished as his acts in his life were séene and remembred The losse of such a Prince could not bée sufficiently lamented of his subiectes blaming fortune for taking away so precious a iewel so noble an ornament so sure a defence for no doubt so much hope as was taken away from the Englishmen the assured conquest of all France by his sodaine death so much trust was increased in the French nations stomackes to recouer their late losses againe as not many yeares after they did indéed Peeter Basset Esquier and one of his chamber affirmed that he dyed of a Pleurisy there were others that did astirme otherwise but the most likely was a Pleurisy indeed the nature of that disease being then vnknowen to Phisicians or to the world in those dayes especially This King raigned nine yeares fiue moneths and three and twenty dayes and liued not full thirty eight yeares he was of stature higher then the common sort of body leane singularly proportioned and strongly made of face bewtifull something long necked blacke haired stoute of stomacke eloquent of tongue in Martiall affaires a perfect maister and of chiualry the very peragon His body inbalmed and lapped in lead was layd in a chariot royall richly apparelled in cloth of golde vpon his corps was layde a representation of his person adorned with robes diademe scepter and ball like a king the which chariot was drawen with sixe horses richly trapped with seuerall armes the first with the armes of S. George the second with the armes of Normandy the third with the armes of king Arthur the fourth with the armes of S. Edward the fift with the armes of France the sixt with the armes of England and France On this Chariot gaue attendance Iames King of Scotland principall Mourner his Unkle Thomas duke of Exceter Richard Earle of Warwicke Edmond Earle of March Humfrey Earle of Stafford Edmond Earle of Mortaine The Lord Fitz Hugh Hugh L. Beufort Walt. L. Hungerford Sir Lewis Robsert Lord Bourchier Sir Iohn Cornwall Lord Fanhope and the Lord Cromwell were the mourners The Lord Louell the Lord Audley the Lord Zouch bare the banners of Saints the Baron of Dublin bare the standard The Earle of Longvile bare the banner The Hatchments were borne onely by Captaines to the number of twelue and round about the Chariot rode fiue hundred men at Armes all in black armour and their horses barbd with black carrying the but end of their spears vpwards The conuoy of this dolorous funerall was committed to Sir William Philips Treasurer of his househould to Sir William Porter his chiefe caruer and other mourners on each side the chariot were 300. men bearing long torches and Lords bearing banners baueroles and penons With this funerall pompe he was conuaied from Bois De Vincens to Paris and so to Roan to Abuill to Calis to Douer and so through London to Westminster where he was buried with such solemnities as to such a Prince appertained especially such lamenting of the Lords and such mourning of the Commons asn euer before those daies were seene in the Realme of England There is as I doe thinke an Epitaph fixed vpon his Tumbe at Westminster but I held it my dutie to continue my course in writing a simple one of my owne in honour of him c. His Epitaphe OHad I Homers pen and Virgills wit With Tullies Eloquence to prayse this Prince And would the Muses come and by me sit Yet pen and paper would my Muse conuince For who can write of this most famous King And shall not erre in many a worthy thing His life immaculate what doth that meane But that he conquered sinne the world the flesh Vnspotted sure O heart and body cleane Almost two hundred yeares agoe yet fresh The memorie of thee O King remaines Thy Tumbe like Crystall shines deuoyd of staines Prose be thy prayse which Holinshed hathpend And praysed be thy name O King for euer Thy owne pure prayse no mortall man can mend Thy name cannot forgotten be no neuer England and France ring forth thy famous praise Though thou raigne with the Ancient of all dayes Yet as a mirror or a looking glasse Thou mai'st remaine ô King amongst vs still Succeeding princes will not let thee passe To Heauen without administring thy Will Such testaments grant all thy heires to proue Then Englands glory neuer shall remoue Rest then ô Rex and rise vp with renowne VVestmonastery doth thy tombe possesse Succeeding Soueraigne doth enioy thy Crowne And Kingdomes all one more for whome we blesse Thy name great God who long prolong his dayes To Englands comfort and ay-lasting praise King Henry the sixt AFter that death had bereft the World of that noble Prince King Henry the fift his only sonne Prince Henry béeing of the age of nine moneths or thereabout with the sownde of Trumpets was openly proclaimed King of England and of France the thirtéenth day of August Anno. 1422. by the name of King Henry the sixt The custody of this young Prince was committed to the Duke of Exceter and to Henry Beuford Bishop of Winchester In the eight yeare of his raigne the same of his age he was with all solemnity crowned king at Westminster not long after which time he tooke the sea at Douer landed at Calis from thence to Roan and so to Paris whither attended on him his Uncle the Cardinall of VVinchester the Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke the Dukes of Bedford Yorke and Norfolke the Earles of Warwicke Salisbury Oxford Huntington Ormond Mortaine and Suffolk of Gaskoines there were the Earles of Longvoile and March besides many Noble men of England Gwyen and Normandy and the chiefe of the French Nation were the Dukes of Burgundy Lewis of Luxenburgh Cardinall and Chauncelor of France for King Henry the Bishops of Bauiors and Noyom both Péeres of France the Bishop of Paris and diuers other Bishops the Earle of Vandemont with a great number of other Noble-men superfluous to be named And hee had a Guarde about his person of thrée hundred choyse Archers some on horsebacke and parte on foote With what tryumphes pageants riche and sumptuous shewes hee was
the Garter mightie Potentate Though to his Fathers sense it did appeare That Henry borne at Windsor should not be Like Henry borne at Mounmouth which was he Yet Henry borne at Windsor worthy fame Was and still is and shall be to the end His Colledges continue will his name Whil'st Worlds indure it is in marble pend Then worthy King Sixt Worthy liue and be For many Worthies were not like to thee King Henry the seauenth THat most valorous vertuous and politicke Prince King Henry the seauenth needeth not any preamble for his birth and education onely he was the true vndoubted heire of the house of Lancaster and came to the Crowne by the conquest of his enemy Richard Plantaginet late Duke of Glocester but later a most horrible murtherer registred Homicide Tyrant and Usurper of the crowne of England of whom I will make no further mention but that this mighty Prince conquered him and his people in foughten field At Bosworth in the county of Lecester 22. day of August 1485. the conflicte and conquest was determined So preuailed King Henry the seauenth the day and yeare aboue sayd to the great glory of God and the continued comfort euer since of all trew and faithfull English hearts Now this King being by conquest absolute by power able by birth heir Apparant yet to settle and make stedfast his raigne and succession he maried Elizabeth the daughter of king Edward the fourth next heire of the house of Yorke and so reunited both those howses most honorable in themselues into one intire monarchie into one vnity into one body into one I say and that a most happie one into one bed and blessed be that bedde and the séed for euer that sprang and still springeth of that generation This vnion or knitting of these two famous howses both together was the end of long continued ciuill warres the death of nobilitie destruction of the comminalty the griete of foraine Princes the lamentation of Citties the outcry of the people The State before this vnion was so rent and torne that it was thought a thing impossible euer to haue béene reconciled againe therefore this gracious beginning doth prognosticate a happie continuance and neuer to haue ending Yet the Dutches of Burgundy a Princesse of state and stomacke being Aunt to Elizabeth the Quéene did so much maligne this great and excellent good that she set vp many mawmentes and apysh toyes of purpose to distemper the peace of this vnion as rearing vp Perkin Warbecke a base dutch vassall to vsurpe the name of Richard Duke of Yorke the second sonne of king Edward the fourth who with his tender yong brother king Edward the fift had by their vnnaturall Uncle béen both murdered in the Tower Many vaine and surmiled images she aduanced to distemper the state vntill time and succession made an end of her malice which also by a lingring sicknesse tooke this worthy an excellent king forth of this World But before his death hee married the Lady Margaret his eldest Daughter to King Iames the fourth King of Scotland which mariage I thought good to insert as it is recorded in the course of his history viz. Iames the fourth king of Scotland a mighty and a valiant Prince hauing had sundry fewdes and garboyles wich the English Nation and that in the interim of truce and abstinence of warre especially about Norham castle the Bishop of Durham Richard Foxe owner of that castle in the right of the Bishopricke wrote diuers letters of submission to the sayd K. and the K. againe to the Bishop one letter in conclusion of many things that the bishop of Durham should come into Scotland to him about weighty affaires The Bishop certifying the King his Soueraigne of the premisses The King commanded the Bishop by his letters to satisfie the Scottish Kings desires which he tooke to be both reasonable and honorable and of which message the Bishop was verie glad So going into Scotland the king himself most gratiously curteously receaued this Bishop at the Abby of Melrose and after some expostulation with the Bishop touching some slaughter done vpon his Subiects at Norham Castle and the Bishops submisse and gentle answers thereunto the King gaue the same most like a King the hearing And afterward called the Bishop into a secret place garden or gallery where no witnesses were admitted but only the King and the Bishop and then he declared vnto him what iust causes had mooued him in times past to séeke amitie with the king of England which now he desired to haue confirmed and to hold inuiolable for euer if the sayd King would vouchsafe to conioyne in matrimony with him the faire and bountifull Princesse L. Margaret the K. eldest daughter In the behalf whereof we were purposed to send our Embassadors to the K. your master But we thought good first to proue your loue good liking and forwardnes towards vs and our good liking to your king his daughter his subiects and dominions The Bishop answered but fewe words only he sayde that when he was returned to the King his master hee would in so great and waighty a cause doe the best offices that hee coulde When the Bishop was returned into England and came before the king hee declared to his Maiestie all the communication which had passed betwéene king Iames of Scotland and him from point to point in order The king liked excéeding well of the motion as he to whom peace was euer a soueraigne salue But hauing then a mariage in nuptiall celebration almost betwéen Arthur Prince of Wales and Katherine the Infant of Spaine the mariage with Scotland being hastened by both the kings in the very triumphs of the former mariage king Iames sendeth an Earle a Bishop diuers noble personages who were receaued into London for the consummation of his mariage with the aforenamed Lady Margaret which Earle by proxey in the name of king Iames his master affied and contracted the said lady The which affiance was published at Pauls crosse the day of the conuersion of S Paul being the 25. day of Januarie supposed In the reioicing wherof Te Deum was sung great bonefiers made throughout the Citty of London All these things being accomplished the Imbassadors both of Scotland and Spayne tooke their leaue of the king and departed not without great rewards to both the Embassadors Not long after the Lady Margaret affyed as aforesaid was sent towards the king her husband the conueiance of which princesse was committed to the Earls of Northumberland Surrey the Earle of Northumberland being L. Warden of the Marches and was commanded to deliuer her at the very confines of both the realmes And thereupon she was remoued from Barwicke to Lamberton Kyok in Scotland where the kings Maiestie met her and with him all the flower of Scotland of Noblemen and Gentlemen and where the Earle of Northumberland according to his commission deliuered her vnto the king of Scotland The Earle