and 8 moneths He was the 39 Sole Monarch of England he dyed on Sunday the 22 day of April Anno 1508 being in the 24 year of his Reign and about the 52 of his Age and was buried at Weminster in that famous Chappel of his own founding CHAP. XXIX Of King Henry the Eight THis King Henry was Crowned at Westminster by William Warham Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and shortly after Empson and Dudly were attainted by Parliament for their Oppressions in Henry the Seventh's time and were beheaded on Tower hill and now the King at the Instigation of Pope Julius the Second sent into France to demand the Dutches Normandy Guyen Anjou and Mayne and being denied them he hereupon joyned Amity with Maximilian the Emperour Ferdinand King of Spain and some other Princes and then sailed for France where he took Terwin ane Tournay by Siege and then Winter approaching he returned for England first making Thomas Wolsey Bishop of Tournay and afterward of Lincoln York Winchester Bath Worcester Hereford Now during the Siege at Terwin the Scots under the Command of their King James the Fourth Henry's Brother in Law entered the Borders of England pretending Truce broken by the killing of Andrew Barton the Scotch Pirate against whom the Lord Howard Earl of Sury Lord Lieutenant of the North went with an Army to whom joyned his Son the Lord Admiral and these at Flodden Field fought the Scots and gave them a great Overthrow killing the King three Bishops two Abbots twelve Earls and seventeen Lords and Knights besides a great number of Gentlemen and about 8000 Soldiers and almost as many taken prisoners About this time a peace was concluded on between the English and French and Lewis the King of France was to marry Lady Mary King Henry's Sister which shortly after he did and within a quarter of a year after dyed and she was married afterwards at Callis to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk upon her return for England her Dowry in France was 30000 Crownes yearly for her Life and 120000 Crowns yearly for five years to the King her Brother About this time Wolsey had a Cardinals Cap sent from Pope Leo and was preferred by the King to the place of Lord Chancelor Anno 1517. The Thames was so hard frozen that Men with Horses and Carts might pass betwixt Lambeth and Westminster and this same year was the fifth Lattern Council held being the seventeenth General Council Julius the second and Leo the ten being Popes And now Strangers growing insolent in London a great Tumult thereupon under the Conduct of one John Lincoln did rise on May Eve for which Uproar he was hanged and 400 Boyes and 11 Women were led through the City to Westminster with halters about their Necks in their Shirts but were pardoned by the King And the new King of France paying to King Henry 600000 Crowns in twelve years and under some other certain Conditions had Tournay redelivered to him and Peace was Concluded although Charles the Emperor came in person into England to diswade the King from it but this peace continued not long for the French breaking Truce as was pretended the King thereupon procured several Princes to take the Emperour's part against France and prepared himself for the War causing a general Muster to be made of all able men from 16 years and upwards in every Hamlet Villiage Burrough City and Shire in England and in the mean time the Emperour coming into England again he then agreed to stay for and to take Lady Mary King Henry's Daughter to Wife and then he returned having for his Conduct the Earl of Surry Lord Admiral who at that time wan Morlois and shortly after Returning to France again won and burnt several Towns and then returned to England with great Booty and during these proceedings the Earl of Shrewsbury went against the Duke of Albany who was then made Governor of Scotland and a Truce was concluded on but the Lord Admiral after his Return from France being made Lord Lieutenant of the North notwithstanding the said Truce entered Scotland doing great harm and returned with great Booty Upon the Account of these Wars a Parliament being called by Wolsey's procurement the half of all Spiritual Livings were granted to the King for five years and the Tenth part of temporal Substance and about this time Christian King of Denmark landed in England with his Queen and after 22 dayes Royal Entertainment he Returned to Flanders where he remained as a banished man And now the King sent an Army under the Command of Charles Brandon Duke Suffolk into France who after severral places won and Winter approaching returned honourably for England but the Duke of Albany and the Lord Lieutenant of the North being still at variance at the Mediation of Margaret Queen of Scotland King Henrys Sister together with Wolseys working with the King at length Peace was concluded for a time both with Scotland and France after this several Commotions rose amongst the Commons about the payment of the Subside which when the King heard he pardoned the Offenders and remitted the payment of the Subsidy and now Wolsey began to alienate the King's heart from the Emperour and caused him to with-hold Pay from the Duke of Burbon which was the cause of the French King's Captivity of Burbon's March to Rome where he entered the City in one day and caused Pope Clement and 23 Cardinalls to take the Castle of Angelo for their Refuge where they were maugre all the pushes of the Pope's Leaden Bulls and Curses with Bell Book and Candle-light besieged six Moneths for which offence the Duke of Burbon in the Parliament of France was condemned of Treason And during these Broyles at Rome there arose great Troubles in Ireland but they were quickly laid again by Thomas Lord Howard Earl of Surry Lord Lieutennant of that Kingdom who being recalled into England upon some other Service the Earl of Ossâ—ry was made Deputy and shortly after being displaced Kilder succeeded him against whom Wolsey was a strong Enemy he thereby gained the King's displeasure for his malepartness therein The year 1527 fell such abundance of Rain in November December and January that the Corn fields Pastures and Cattel were thereby destroyed then was it dry till the 12 of April and then Rain again every day and night till the 3 of June following which caused such a Famine in London and all England over that many dyed for want of Succour And now the King begins to charge the Emperour with a promise of Marriage to Lady Mary afterwards our Queen Mary but her Legitimation was by him much questioned as being begotten on his Brother Arthur's Wife hereupon the King grew into dislike of his Marriage and disclaimed his Contract it being the Opinion of some six Forein Universities to be an unlawful Marriage and for this cause Cardinal Campius came into England with whom was joined Cardinal Wolsey in Commission with power to erect a Court to
greedily devoured them half alive by reason of this Famine the Mortality was so great amongst the People that the quick could hardly bury the dead And not long after a great Murrain of kine happened so that the Dogs and Ravens eating thereof were Poysoned and did swell to Death so that no man durst eat any Beef And the next year after this the King calling a Council at Clarendon the Lords refused to appear but they were made Friends again by the Mediation of certain Cardinalls and now the Scots not satisfied with the Honour of their last Victory their King saled into Ireland and there caused himself to be Crowned King but the English there under the Conduct of the arh-Arh-Bishop of Armagh and the Lord Binningham encountr'd the new King who there lost his new Honour with his life to boot and not long after a Truce for two years was concluded between England and Scotland About this time Hugh Spencer upon the Commendation of the Lords was made Lord-Chamberlain and his Father Earl of Winchester and now Dr. Barrenthorp of Oxford taught against the Pope and inveighed against the Deceits and impostures of Anti-Christ after a while the two new Lords Spencers Father and Son grew so insolent that they far exceeded Gaveston alienating the Hearts of the Barrons from the King which caused them to take up Arms against him but not long after the Earl of Lancaster and other 90 Nobles at Borrowbrigs were taken Prisoners and at Pontefract the Earl of Lancaster was Beheaded and other five Barrons hanged and the next day at York the Lords Clifford Mowbray and Deywill were hanged in iron Chains and now the King went against Scotland with an Army but was forced there to escape by night leaving his Treasure and rich Furniture for Pillage and the young Lord Mortimer escaping out of the Tower fled into France and not long after the Queen again sent her complaint to her Father of her ill usage There being now some Troubles in Gascoin the King not going himself sent his Queen into France to Negotiate his Affairs who drew all to agreement upon Condition that her Husband should give Prince Edward his and her Son the Dutchy of Aquitain and Earldom of Pontine for which places the young Prince did Homage to his Uncle the King of France after this the King sending for his Son and Queen home and they refusing to come they were thereupon proclaimed Enemies to the Crown the Queen hereupon without consent either of King or Peers Married the Prince to Philippa the Earl of Hanalt's Daughter and being now fitted for her purpose she raised an Army in Henalt and Germany consisting of 2700 Soldiers and many Forein and English Nobles and sailing for England landed at Orwel in Suffolk the King having notice hereof fled into the West to raise Forces promising a thousand pounds to those who would bring him Lord Mortimers head but the Queen not sleeping in her design pursued her Husband from place to place and at length she got Hugh Spencer the Father whom she caused to be cut-up alive and quartered and the King lying now hid in the Abby of Neath in Wales was there surprized by his Cosen the Earl of Lancaster and Imprisoned in the Castle of Kenelworth young Lord Spencer and the Lords Baldock and Reading being also taken at that time and carried to Hereford where Spencer was hanged 50 foot high and then beheaded and quartered and the Queen gave the bringer of his head to her 1000 pound And now a Parliament being called several Peers to wit 3 Bishops three Earls 2 Barrons 2 Abbots and 2 Justices were sent in the name of the Parliament to the King at Kenelworth to Command his resignation of the Crown to his Son Prince Edward at which message the King fell into a swown amongst the Peers at Kenelworth and afterwards coming to himself seeing no other way resign'd his Diadem Whereupon Sir William Trussel one of the messengers in the name of the whole Realm renounced Homage to the King in these words I William Trussel in the name of all men of the Land of England and of all the Parliament Procurator do Ressign to Thee Edward the Homage that was made to Thee sometimes and from this time forward now following I defie Thee and deprive Thee of all Royal Power and I shall never be tendant to Thee as for King after this time Not long after this the King was taken from Kenelworth and delivered by Indenture to the custody of Thomas Gourny and Sir John Mattravers who shortly after Murthered him by thrusting an hot spit up his Fundament into his Bowels at Barclay Castle for which fact they were forced to fly the Country This Edward the Second was King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Aquitain c. He was the 4 Son of Edward the I. by Ellianor his Queen Sister to Alfonsus King of Castile His Reign began on Friday the seventh of July Anno Domini 1307 he reigned 19 years 6 Moneths and 18 days and was the 30 sole Monarch of England he was murthered as is before declared Anno 1327 being the 20 year of his Reign and 41 of his Age his body was buried at Gloucester CHAP. XX. Of King Edward the Third commonly called Edward of Windsor ABout the beginning of this King's Reign one Nycholas Lyrian a Divine of Oxford wrote a Book de Visione Dei against the Pope now by Advice of the Lord Mortimer the King acquitted the Scots of all his claim and Superiority to their Kingdom and shortly after this the King of France died without Issue and King Edward laid claim to the Crown and now the Queen-Mother being reported to be with Child by the Lord Mortimer who was too familiar with her he was thereupon taken at Nottingham and sent Prisoner to London where he was hanged at Tyburn remaining on the Gallows the space of two days for an Ignomenious Spectacle and presently after the King abridged his Mother of her too large Dowry bringing her to one thousand pounds per Annum Anno 1339. a Sudden Inundation of Water at New-castle upon Tine did bear down part of the Town-Wall where 120 Men and Women were drowned And the year after near Chippingnorton in Oxford-shire was found a Serpent having two Heads and two Faces like Women one Face attired after the New Fashion of Women's Attire and the other Face like the old Attire and Wings like a Batt And Fiends and Devils and strange Apparitions were seen by Men and spake unto them as they travelled About this time Dr. Ockham of Oxford wrote against the Popes John and Clement affirming them to have no Power over Civil Magistrates And now the King assisted Baliol against David Bruse King of Scotland who was forced to fly into France and Baliol procured the Crown and was made King and did Homage to King Edward as his Father had done to King Edward the First The King went four times into
honour of the twelve Apostles he built also the City Constantinâ—ple and made a Decree for celebrating the Lord's day instead of the Jewish Sabbath in his time was the first famous general Council of Nice against Arius the Heretick This Emperour was wont to say That Age appeared best in four things Old Wood best to burn Old Wine to Drink Old Friends to trust Old Authors to Read also he said There was but this difference between the Death of old Men and young Men for old Men go to Death and Death comes to young Men he appointed Silvester the Bishop of Rome to wear a Crown of Gold but he contented himself with a Phrygian Miter now a tripple Diadem is thought scarce stately enough for his Successors This Constantine is said to be the first Christian Emperor as Lucius was the first Christian King the honour of both whose Birth-rights England doth glory in XLVIII Julius Apostata he began his Reign Anno Domini 356 and reigned about seven years he had no War with Britain he denied the Faith of Christ and turned Apostate and Writ a Book against Christianity being wounded in the Wars with a poisoned Dart in his left Arm he took a handful of his Blood and throwing it into the Air he blasphemously said Vicisti Galilaee XLIX Jovinianus This Emperour had Peace with Britain he began his Reign Anno Domini 363 and Reigned about a year he became a Christian was Baptized and caused his whole Army to follow his Example his common speech was this O that I might govern wise Men and wise Men govern me L. Valentinianus In his time the Picts began to invade Britain but were vanquished by Theodosius the Deputy This Emperour was highly esteemed of all the Christians being a great favourer of them he forbad Idolatrous Sacrifices by Night and restored to the Churches their former Priviledges Liberties and Possessions which the other Emperours had sold his usual saying was That Gold was tried with the Touchstone and Men with Gold LI. Gratianus and Vallens This Vallens was Vncle to Gracianus and Ruled with him four years beginning his Reign Anno Domini 365 he at first recalled Nazianzen and Basill from Banishment and was Baptized by Eudoxius but turned Arrian afterwards and persecuted the Orthodox Bishops of the East as Eusebius Pelagius Gregorius Nissenus c. he caused also 80 of the Christian Embassadors that were then in Constantinople to be all sent to Sea in one ship and then the ship to be set on Fire But as the Emperor Vallens was very impious so on the contrary Gratianus was very good for he expelled out of Italy all sorts of Hereticks and all the People being reduced to the Faith of JESVS CHRIST he caused all the ruined Churches to be repaired he began his Reign Anno Domini 367 and reigned 6 years These Emperours had no War with Britain LII Maximus and Valentinianus junior These Emperours Ruled about six years and began to Reign Anno Domini â—73 as some Authors affirm but Maximus his Reign was so short that some Historians take no notice of him They had no War with Britain LIII Theodosius This Emperour began his Reign Anno Domini 379 and Reigned about four years according to some Authors he had no War with Britain Fla. Stillicoe being the Deputy in this Emperours time Damasus being Pope was the second general Council and the first at Constantinople in his time also were great losses by Earthquakes in several places both by Sea and Land which continued about six Months LIV. Arcadius and Honorius The Reign of these two Copartners began in the year 384 and ended Anno Domini 402. They had no War with Britain in their time at noon-day a strange Fire from Heaven penetrating the great Church of Constantinople fastned upon the Bishops seat in the Church and consumed it afterwards growing up like a Tree fastned upon the Roof and devoured it and lastly passing the midst of the people without hurting any to the great amazement of all seized upon the Senate-house and burnt it to ashes LV. Theodosius junior and Valentinianus The Reign of these two Emperours began Anno Domini 402. They reigned till the year 450. of which time Theodosius Reigned only twenty two years in their time was the third general Council held at Ephesus which was the first held at that place Caelestinus being Pope in these Emperours time the Romans left Britain of their own accord after they had possessed the same about 597 years and then shortly after the Saxons made themselves Soveraign Lords and Masters thereof CHAP. IV. Of the Conquest of Britain by the Saxons as also of the Commencement and Continuance of their several Kingdoms therein during the Heptarchy with the Names of the Kings Ruling in each Kingdom THE Pickts and Scots after the Romans had left Britain did much annoy the poor Britains and the Romans sent them aid against them several times and at their last coming helped them to build a Wall from Sea to Sea between England and Scotland and bidding them farewell desired them to look to themselves for they would no more undertake such long and hazardous journeys for their sakes And now the Saxons after the Romans had quit left the Island under the Command of Hengist and Horsa landed at Ebsfleet in the Island of Thanet in Kent about the year of Christ 448 as some Authors affirm for they differ amongst themselves in this point These Saxons were sent for by the Britains the Romans refusing to come to aid them against the Pickts and Scots who were got into their Land as far as Stanford and the Britains intending them the Isle of Thanet to live in that they might be near at hand to afford them help as often as occasion required but the Saxons not contented with the Island of Thanet which the Britains had assigned them for their good service they having now got good footing in the Land they began to display themselves in their colours and made it appear that they intended the best part for themselves and that the Britains should be at their Disposals Whereupon the Britains Petitioned them and had good Answers but afterwards had all their goods spoiled and plundered by them And Hengist at a certain time causing the British Nobles to meet him on Salisbury-Plain under pretence of a Treaty did there treacherously cause them to be slain giving this Watch word to his Soldiers New cout Seaxes that is Take your Swords at which words They fell on the Nobles and slew them It is not certainly known from whence these Saxons originally descended but it is probably thought from Sacae a People in Asia and it is said by so some Authors That Hengist and Horsa were Nephews to Woden and Fria the Saxon Dieties in Honour of Woden they called the Fourth day of the Week Wodensday and the Sixth day Friday in Honour of his wife Fria The Saxons used to go singing to the Wars and
besieged Somerton and won it and invading the Northumbers brought away great spoil which gave occasion to Cuthred the West-Saxon to fight him giving him the foyl at Burford and afterwards encountring Cuthred a second time he was treacherously slain by his own Subjects near Tanworth in Warwick-shire at the procurement of one Bernred one of their Leaders who thought thereby to gain the Crown to himself This King founded the Monastery of Crowland as some Authors affirm This Ethelbald was the tenth King of Mercia and eleventh petty Monarch he began to Reign Anno 716 and reigned 42 years 12. Offa His first War was with Alrick King of Kent whom he slew at Otteford and afterwards marching from South to North he made Havock of all before him to Humber and at his return overthrew Kenwolf and his West-Saxons near Merton whither he was going to visit his Paramour he caused a great Ditch to be cast between England and Wales which is still called Offa's ditch and the Welsh presuming to throw down some part thereof he thereupon entred their Territories with an Army and slew Marmodius their King and all his Associates His last Wars were against the Danes who had invaded England and were by him with their no small loss forced back to their Ships to this King was sent a Book of the Decrees of the Second Council of Nice for a present from Charles King of France And now growing weary of his Government he made his Son Egfride King and gave the Pope Peter-pence out of his Dominions after the example of Inas And so going to Rome he gave Pope Hadrian the first ample and Rich Gifts for canonizing Albane the Protomartyr of England for a Saint At his return he built the Monastery of St. Abane and in Testimony of Repentance for the Blood he had spilt he gave the tenth part of his goods to Church-men and the poor This Offa was the eleventh Mercian King and twelfth petty Monarch his Reign began Anno 758. and he ruled 39 years 13. Egfride He restored the Church to all her antient Priviledges which his Father had deprived her of This Egfride was twelfth King of Mercia and 13 petty Monarch his Reign was short about four Months only he began his Reign Anno Domini 797. 14. Kenwolfe He warred against Kent and took Ethelbert the third King of Kent of that name Prisoner giving the Kingdom to Cuthred but afterwards building a goodly Church at Winchcomb in Glucestershire upon the day of the Dedication he led Pren to the high Altar and there in the presence of 13 Bishops and ten Dukes and many other Nobles he released him and set him at liberty And now each of these petty Monarchs having striven which of them could extend and inlarge his Limits furthest at length this succeeding Egbert brought the seven headed Fountain of their Heptarchy to run in one Channel of an intire Monarchy This Kenwolf was the thirteenth King of Mercia and last of the petty Monarchs He began his Reign Anno Domini seven hundred ninety seven and reigned twenty two years CHAP. VII Of those 15 Saxon Princes who were accounted sole Monarchs of this Kingdom of ENGLAND 1. EGbert He gained Rule over all the seven Kingdoms of the Saxons and so became sole Monarch of England which none of them before him ever was he had fourteen years War with the Cornish and Welsh and took West-Chester their chief Hold from them making a strict Law against all those should dare to enter over Offa's Ditch or set one Foot within his English Dominions He slew Bernulf King of Mercia in Battel and drove the King of Kent out of his Kingdom the Eastangles and East-Saxons also submitted to him with the South-Saxons also whereupon he caused himself to be Crowned absolute Monarch at Winchester And this Monarchy continued in the Saxons till the Danes first got and then lost it again and the Saxon's issue upon the next entrance thereof failing it then fell to the Normans This Egbert first gave the name of ENGLAND to this Country and named the Inhabitants English In the fourteenth year of his Monarchy the Danes with 33 Ships landed in England to whom he gave Battel but had the worst of the day loosing two of his chief Captains and two Bishops hardly escaping himself And the second year after they landed in Wales with whom joined the Welsh but at this time fortune not always frowning he overcame both parties and in the last of his Reign the Danes sacked the Island of Shippy near Kent and with much ado were expelled This Egbert was the 17 King of the West-Saxons and first sole Monarch of England He began his Reign as Monarch Anno 819 and reigned 17 years 2. Ethelwolf This King was made Bishop of Winchester before his Father Egbert's Death and was in a manner constrained by his Clergy to take upon him the Government And so he bestowed his Bishoprick on Swithin his Tutor after several Bickerings with the Danes at length he gave them a great overthrow at Ocley he freed Church Lands from all Tribute and regal Services And going to Rome he there confirmed Peter-Pence and at his return he gave yearly to Rome 300 Marks for a requital of his kind reception there This Ethelwolf was eldest Son to Egbert and the 2 sole Monarch of England He began his Reign Anno 837 and reigned about 20 years 3. Ethelbald He was eldest Son to Ethelwolf by his first Wife Osburga his Butler's Daughter he was with his Father in several of the Battels against the Danes but all his good and valiant Actions were blasted by his taking of Judith his Stepmother the King of France his Daughter and his Fathers second Wife to his Imbraces for he was suddenly snatch away by the hand of Providence for this incestuous Marriage after whose Death Lady Judith returning to her Father was intercepted by the way and forced by Baldwine Forrester of Ardema who at length appeasing her Father was by him made Earl of Flanders from whom and this Judith descended Maud the Wife of our William the Conqueror This Ethelbald was the third sole Monarch of England He began his Reign Anno Domini 857 and reigned two years 4. Ethelbert He was never out of Wars but constantly pestered with those devouring Locusts the Danes And landing one time they destroyed Winchester but a great part of them were slain before they could recover their Ships again This Ethelbert was second Son of Ethelwolf and fourth sole Monarch of England he began to Rule Anno 860 and Ruled 5 years 5. Ethelred The Danes in his time began to over-run the whole Country and being Pagans spoiled all before them pulling down Monasteries and Abbyes and defiling the Virgins to evade which Disgrace the Virgins of Coldingham cut off their own Noses and upper lips to make themselves appear distastful to these leacherous Pagans These cruel Fellows under the Command of Hungar and Hubba their two Dukes in their
Arch-Bishop of York This King made St. Germans in Cornwall a Bishop's Sea which was afterwards translated to Cridington by Canutus the Dane and at last setled at Exceter by Edward the Confessor This Edred was the 10 Sole Monarch of England his Reign began Anno 946. and he reigned 9 years 11. Edwye He is reported to have abused a Ladie 's Chastity in the face of his Council Monks were expelled from their places by him and married Priests put in their Rooms He also banished Dunstan into Flanders This Edwye was eldest Son of Edmund and eleventh Sole Monarch of England He began to rule Anno 955. and ruled 4 4 years 12. Edgar He had Peace with the Danes and in his time some Divines in Oxford were branded in the face and banished for affirming That the Church of Rome was the whore of Babylon Monkery a stinking Carrion their Vows Nurses of Sodomy c. Dunstan was recalled from Banishment by the King And the sin of Drunkenness being very rife in his time he thereupon caused Cups to be made with certain Pins or Marks with a Penalty to such as should drink deeper than the Mark He also caused the Princes of Wales to render him yearly by way of Tribute 300 Wolves heads by which means Wolves were destroyed in this Nation And every year he rid his Circuit to take Notice of the Abuses and Corruption of his Judges if any were in the Administration of his Laws He is said to be very lascivious not forbearing the very Nuns for he begot St. Edith on Wolfchild the Nun and at Andover plotting to lye with a Western Duke's Daughter he was fitted by the Mother with a Substituted waiting-Creature whom he afterwards retained for his Concubine And now the Fame of the Incomparable Features and Beauty of Duke Orgarus's fair Daughter being spread as far as the Court and ringing in the King's Ears he forthwith longs for the Injoyment of her Company and so Ethelwold a principal Courtier was sent for her but he overcome in Love with her concealed the King's Message and marries her himself And then returning told the King Fame was a Lyar for the Lady was far Inferior in every respect to that which she was reported to be But the King going to hunt afterwards in that part of the Country and going to Ethelwold's house and seeing the Lady's Beauty he perciev'd the Cheat so he slew Ethelwold her Husband with a Javeline as they were hunting and married her himself For these and the like prancks he was injoyned by Bishop Dunstan not to wear his Crown for seven years which he patiently submitted unto but held on his lascivious courses still Vpon the River Dee he had 7 Petty Kings to row his Barge to shew his Greatness This Edgar was the Second Son of Edmund and the 12 sole Monarch of England he began his Reign Anno 959. and reigned 16 years 13. Edward At his Entrance to the Crown was a great Famine and a blasing Star and great Contentions were in his time between the Monks and Married Priests Dunstan being for the Monks and Duke Alfarus for the Priests and the meeting for disputation in an high Room the Prease was so great that the Chamber fell and several were slain and hurt but Dunstan's chair being seated on a post fell not but he continued in his Seat which being taken for a Miracle manifested in behalf of the Monks they thereupon carried the day and the Priests were left to injoy their Wives and lose their places And afterwards the King going a hunting not far from the Castle where his Mother in Law was being dry with pursuing his Game he calls here to take a Glass of Wine she dissembling her Malice with outward Joy to see him caused the Wine to brought which was no sooner at his Mouth but a two-edged Dagger was struck into Back by a Servant appointed for that purpose by her He feeling himself wounded put spurs to his horse and rid away but presently fell from his Horse and was dragg'd about the Fields till he died This Edward was the Eldest Son of Edgar and the 13 Sole Monarch of England he began to reign Anno 975. and reign'd 4 years 14. Ethelred When he was about 10 years old being informed how his Brother Edward was slain by his Mother's means he wept and took on so heavily that his Mother beat him almost to Death with wax Candles nothing else being near at hand This so distasted the King that he could never after endure Wax Candles to be burnt before him He was grievously pestered with the Danes compounding for his quiet with them at 10000 pounds first then they raised him afterwards from 10 to 16 and so to 20 24 30 and lastly to 40000 pounds the Danes never giving over digging in this Golden Myne till they had quite exhausted it Elfrick Earl of Mercia turning Traytor he and his Son Algarus had both their Eyes put out by the King's Command And now the King considering the misery of his People and seeing himself not able to withstand the Danes by force he sought to vanquish them by policy and so gave notice to all his Cities every where on St. Brices day to fall upon the Danes and murther them which was accordingly put in Execution but this News flying into Denmark for all the King's Council was betrayed at all times by Edricus one of his own Councellors there came again fresh Supplies and Swanus the Dane so grievously oppressed the Countrie burning and destroying all before them that he gave them thirty thousand pounds for Peace Not long after they slew 900 Monks and Men of Religion in Canterbury and having wrested a great sum of Money from the Arch Bishop Alphegus they then stoned him to Death at Greenwich The King seeing those proceedings sends his Wife Emma and her two Sons into Normandy to her Brother Richard Duke thereof and shortly after followed himself But at length Swanus the Dane being stabbed by his own Men they make Canutus his Son their King so not long after King Ethelred returns again into England and perceiving the several Treasons against him and seeing himself not able to withstand their Fury he shortly after died In his time was St. Dunstan very famous amongst the Saxons he did use to exercise several Mysteries and Trades at several times to avoid Idleness and one time being working in the Gold-Smiths Trade in a Cell near Glastenbury and making of a Gold Chalice The Devil as the Story goes did there appear unto him in the likeness of a handsome Woman intending to tempt him to lewdness but he by inspiration understood the cheat and so immediately he got the Devil by the nose with the hot Tongs he had in his hands which made the Devil cry out and roar so terribly that People came to see what the matter was who will may believe This Ethelred was third Son of Edgar and the fourteenth sole Monarch of England He
began his Reign Anno 979 and reigned 37 years 15. Edmund He was Sirnamed Ironside He gave the Danes several Battel overthrew them and raised the Siege at London he worsted Canutus 4 times at least in the plain Field and had in all likelihood rid England of him if the Traitor Edrick and others of the Perfidious Clergy and Nobility had not secretly assisted him Edmund fought a single Duel with Canutus the Dane and dangerously wounded him whereupon Canutus desisted and cried out to King Edmund saying What need is there for us thus to indanger our Lives if thou consent to divide the Kingdom between us we shall then be at peace and like two Brothers which thing Edmund consented unto and did accept of Canute for his Co-partner in the Kingdom But not long after Edmund being easing of himself he was by Duke Edrick that Grand Traytor thrust into the Fundament with a sharp Spear and his head cut off and presented to Canute as an acceptable Sacrifice as was hoped but he detesting such Traiterous Villany caused Edricks head to be chopt off and to be advanced upon a Pole above the rest of his Fellows as it was promised him an advancement fit for the betrayers of their King and Country And now the Saxons Monarchy by the Death of Edmund being drawn to a Period and the Standard of their Government overthrown The Danes began to Advance the Banner of their Conquest and after King Edmund's Death displayed it in open Field none being able to withstand them so they made themselves sole Masters of the Island after it had been in Possession of the Saxons about 566 years it was a long time after the Danes first entrance before they became sole Monarchs thereof This Edmund was third Son of Ethelfrid and the fifteenth sole Monarch of England his Reign began Anno 1016 and he reigned about 1 year CHAP. VIII Of the Danes and their Conquest of Britain with the memorable Accidents happening during the time of those three Danish Monarchs who ruled here THE Original of these Danes is thought by some to be from the Scythians but others rather think to come from Scandia an Island scituate Northward not far from the Continent of Denmark As to their Religion it was much alike to that of the Saxons Their first Invasion was about the year 787 and about 230 years after they became sole Masters of England which Sovereignty continued but about twenty four years which they had struggled for above two hundred years Their Succession of Monarchs were these three following 1. Canutus He was Son to Swanus and was Crowned at London by Livingus Arch-Bishop of Canterbury he sent Edward and Edmund the two Sons of Edmund Ironside the last Saxon Monarch to his Brother the King of Sweeden to be made away but he abhorring the Fact transferred them to the King of Hungary And now he marries Emma King Ethelreds Widdow by whose Counsel he wrested 82000 Pounds out of his Subjects to give those lazy Danes that were sent packing to Denmark there being then no more need for them here He called a Parliament at Oxford and enacted several good Lawes which are to be seen in several old Chronicles and too large here to be incerted He is said to be an Enemy to Dissemblers Traytors and Flatterers for on a time he caused himself to be placed in a Chair where the Sea ebbs and flows at Southampton and commanded the Sea that it should not swell so as to wet his Feet but the disobedient Sea the Tide then coming out presently dashed up to his Thighs whereupon he started up and said to the Flatterers who had extoll'd his greatness to be unmatchable You see all the might and power of Kings is but vanity for none is worthy to have the name of King but he that hath allâ— things subject to his Laws And so after that time as some Authors affirm he would never suffer the Crown to come on his head but set it on the Crucifix head at Winchester In the third year of his Reign he went into Denmark and chased from thence the Vandalls who had invaded that Kingdom And at length he went on Pilgrimage to Rome and is Recorded for a very good Man setting aside his intention to have murthered King Edmunds two Sons This Canutus was the 16 sole Monarch of England He began his Reign Anno 1017. and reigned eighteen years he was buried in the old Monastery at Winchester 2. Harrold He was so swift that he was called Harefoot Earl Goodwine was against his coming to the Crown but the Londoners and Lords on the North side of Thames were for him and prevailed he by Treachery of Goodwine afterwards got the two Sons of Emma Edward and Alfride the last of which had his eyes put out and his Belly opened and one end of his Bowels drawn out and fastned to a Stake and then he was pricked with sharp poiniards and forced round about the Stake till all his Intralls were wound out He caused also Queen Emma to be banished and her goods to be confiscate but the Earl of Flandâ—rs received her honourably This Harrold was the Second Son of Canutus and the seventeen sole Monarch of England he began his Reign Anno 1036 he reigned four years and was buried at Westminster as Mr. Stow affirms 3. Hardicanute He was Crowned at London by Elnothus Arch-Bishop of Canterbury He caused the body of his half Brother Harrold to be digged out of his Grave and thrown into the Thames after he had first cut off his Head but some Fishers finding the body buried it decently in St. Clements without Temple Bar this Hardicanute was a great Epicure and had his Tables spread four time dayly and furnished with Dainties for the satisfying of his greedy Appetite through the Perswasions of Earl Goodwine he raised the Sum of 32147 pounds in England for the payment of his Fleet which greatly distasted his Subjects the thing desired by Earl Goodwine two of the Collectors of this Money were slain at Worcester for which offence their City was set on Fire The King Drinking freely at a Wedding in Lambeth got a Surfeit and died some say he was choaked at Dinner there but certain it is he died and with him dyed the Danes Monarchy over England and it fell again to the Saxons for Edward the Seventh Son of Ethelred by Emma his Queen was sent for out of Normandy by the English and was made King which thing was brought about by Earl Goodwines means and Leofrick Earl of Chester This Hardicanute was third Son of Canutus and eighteenth sole Monarch of England He began to Reign Anno 1040 And reigned about two years he was buried at Winchester CHAP. IX Of the Saxons Re-entry again to the Monarchy of England after the Danes Conquest THis new Possession of the Saxons was but of short Continuance till William the Norman Duke came and made a Forceable Entry upon them and though his Entry were
among them That the People there eat Horses Dogs Cats yea and Man's Flesh Not long after this there was a Decree made by him That no English Scholar should come to any Promotion depriving Stigand Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Eglewine Bishop of the East-angles and several other Bishops for no evident Cause but only to give Place to his Normans He also abrogated the English Laws and set up his own in the Norman Tongue to the great Dammage of the English Hereupon the Earls Edwine and Morcar with Frederick Abbot of St. Albans set up Edgar Atheling again for their General and rebelled against the Conqueror who seeing their daily increase of Forces concluded a Peace with them and Swore To keep inviolable the Antient LAWS of the Land and those of St. Edward But not long after he took from the Abby of St. Albans all the Lands between Barnet and London-Stone and bereaved all the Abbies and Monasteries of England of all their Treasure sparing neither Challices nor Shrines And now Malcolm King of Scots who sided with the English and King William made a League and reared a Stone-Cross on Stain-Moor in Westmerland called the Roy-Cross for a Meer Mark to the Bounds of both Kingdoms And shortly after this the King took his Voyage for Normandy again the People being there in Rebellion but by the Prowess of the English they were quickly brought again to their Obedience Now during this Stay in Normandy the Nobles in England rebell again but at his Return were quickly dismaied So he caused the Eyes of some of them to be put out the hands of others tope cut off and some were hang'd upon Gibbets and those who esceped the best were Banished No sooner were these Troubles over but Swain King of Denmark had manned 200 Sail of Ships for England's Invasion but hearing of the Nobles Overthrow they turned Sail for Flanders In the Year 1075. Walcher Bishop of Durham purchased the Earldom of Northumberland of the King but being an usurping cruel Fellow the Inhabitants slew him the year ensuing the Earth was hard Frozen from the midst of November to the midst of Aprill And the next year after upon Palm Sunday a blazing Star was seen near the Sun and this year Robert King William's Son seized on the Dukedom of Normandy by force And his Father Sailing for Normandy again at Archenbray in Normandy entred Battel with his Son who ran his Father through the Arm bearing him off his Horse and so the King was forced to leave the Honour of the Field with the loss of many men to his Son And returning for England he built the Tower of London Anno 1078. And this year Thurstan Abbot of Glastenbury caused 3 Monks to be slain in his Church and 18 Men to be wounded so that their Blood run down from the Altar to the Steps And this very year also he caused a Survey to be taken of England which is still to be seen in the Book called Dooms day Book kept in the King's Exchecquer of every Hide of Land he exacted the sum of six shillings upon this occasion the English incited Malcolm the Scotch King to invade England who wasted all as far as Monk-chester upon Tine The King sent his Son Robert with an Army against him who at that time laid the Foundation of a Castle at Monk-chester calling it New-Castle and from this the Town there took its Name The King now perceiving himself well Seated in his Throne began to provide for his Pastime and caused in the South from Salisbury to the Sea Towns and Villages and 36 Parish Churches to be pulled down and laid level with the Ground and here he laied the Bounds of his New Forrest for hunting in But this Offence escaped not unpunished for in this Forrest Richard the Kings second Son was goared by a Dear and died and William Rufus his Third Son was slain by Sir Walter Tyrrel by accident and his Grand Child Robert Curtoyse being in pursuit of the Game was strucken by a Bough into the Jaws and died After this Pauls Church was set on Fire and many strange Judgments happened in the Realm In the Twentieth year of the King's Reign such a great Flood happened that the Hills were hereby made soft and consumed and with their fall overwhelmed many Villages to the great amazement of all the people And not long after this some displeasure arising between the King and Phillip King of France he took ship for Normandy and falling sick there hearing of some scoffs put upon him by the French King at his recovery he was so inraged that he spoyled all the West parts of France and set the City Meux or Nauntz on fire By his last will he gave great Riches to the Church of St. Stephens in Normandy which was of his own Founding and among other things he bequeathed his Crown and Regal Ornaments to it He put the distinction between the two arch-Arch-Bishops of Canterbury and York making York Primate of England and Canterbury Primate of all England also he made the Churches of Scotland to be under the Primate of York as the Churches of England were under the Primate of Canterbury At the performance of his Funeral Rights in the Church of St. Stephens in Cane in Normandy being of his own Foundation his Body was denyed Burial by a Gentleman called Ascelinus Fitz-Arther who said that it was the very place of his Fathers house Floor which the Duke in his lifetime violently took from him and upon his Inheritance Founded the said Church Therefore saith he I Challeng this Ground and in God's behalf forbid that the Body of any Dispoiler be cover'd in my Earth neither shall it be inter'd i' th Precincts of my Right Hereupon Henry the Dukes 4th Son gave the Gentleman a hundred pounds weight of Silver to suffer his Fathers Body to be interred Though the Art of Conveyance be much improved since the Conquerors time yet there was then more honesty comprised in a small Charter of an hand breadth than there is now in a Deed of a whole Skin of Parchment This following was one of the Kings Charters I William the third year of my Reign give to thee Norman Hunter to me that art both Leef and Dear The Hop and the Hopton And all the bounds up and down Under the Earth to Hell above the Earth to Heaven From me and mine To thee and thine As Good and as fair As ever they were To witness that this is South I bite the white Max with my Touth Before Jug Maud and Margery And my youngest Son Henry For a Bow and a broad Arrow When I come to Hunt upon Yarrow In the last year of the King's Reign there was found in Wales in the Province called Rose the Sepulcher of Gawen on the Sea-shore who was Sisters Son of Arthur the Great King of the Britains it was in length 14 Foot This William was King of England and Duke of Normandy He was Son to
Robert the Sixth Duke of Normandy begotten on a Beautiful Damosel called Arlet the Daughter to a Tanner as some report He began his Reign on Saturday the 14 day of October Anno 1066 he reigned twenty years ten Months and twenty six dayes and was the twenty one sole Monarch of England he got his Sickness by an over-heat and died on Thursday the 9 day of September in the 56 year of his Dutchy 21 of his Kingdom and sixty fourth year of his Age Anno Domini 1087. CHAP. XI Of King William the second commonly called Rufus WILLIAM Posting to London after the Death of his Father he carried with him Earl Morcar and Wilnoth Son to Harrold being both released from their Imprisonment in Normanay but most of the States stood for Robert his elder Brother and had tried their Titles by the Sword had not Lanfranck and Wolstan two Learned Prelates stayed their hands On Sunday the twenty six of September Anno 1087 William was Crowned at Westminster by Lanfranck Arch-Bishop of Canterbury And now Odo the King's Vncle having been roughly dealt withal by William the Father for Revenge thereof begins to draw the Nobles into sedition against William the Son and further to accomplish his desires he sent Letters to Robert Curtoise the King 's elder Brother and Duke of Normandy to invade England to which Request Robert sent answer according to Odoe's expectation so Odo and the Nobles expecting daily Robert's assistance fell into open Rebellion and made a great spoil in several parts of the Kingdom but Robert not so hasty as was expected in the mean time Bishop Odo is taken and banished not long after Duke Robert enters England with his Normans whereupon the King agreed with him to depart again paying him three thousand marks yearly about this time Langfranck Archbishop of Canterbury dying the King kept the Bishoprick in his hands four years And the year after the King invaded Normandy and forced his Brother Robert to composition with him after the Peace concluded between these two Brothers they both took part against their younger Brother Henry but at length were all reconciled And now Malcolm King of Scots entered England doing much harm and the King marching to oppose him at their meeting a Peace was concluded and he gave Malcolm twelve Villages which he had formerly held under William the querour for twelve marks yearly in Gold At that time the King built Carlisle in Cumberland having been demolished two hundred years before by the Danes And now he makes Anselm a Norman Abbot Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Anno 1093. About this time King Malcolm came to Gloucester to treat with the King again about the Peace of the Nations and taking some distaste at his Reception he returned in a Rage and raising an Army he spoyled all before him as far as Alnewick presently after this Robert Mowbray and William of Ancho with some others conspired to take the King's Life and Crown and to set up Stephen de Albemarle but they were prevented This same year viz. 1093 the King Conquered Wales since which time the English Monarchs have been accounted the chief Governours thereof The next year the King and his Brother Robert fell at odds again but were quickly reconciled And Robert intending for the Holy War did Mortgage his Dukedom to William for 6666 pound of Silver to furnish him with necessaries for the War And now to raise this Sum of Money the King laied heavy Taxes on his Subjects and neither Churches nor Monasteries were Priviledged from this payment This Voyage for the Holy War was taken in the year of our Lord 1099. And the same year the King built new Walls about the Tower and likewise built Westminsterhall being ninety yards long twenty four yards and two Foot broad and yet when he first see it he said It was too little by half and so he would reserve it for a Chamber About this time began the Cestersian Order in Burgandy as some old Authors affirm and it was brought into England about the year 1135 and an Abby built for the Monks of that Order at Rivaulx Now the King going for Normandy to relieve his Subjects there the Winds proving very cross the Pilate desired the King to stay a while for a better Gale but the King no whit daunted commanded to hoise up Sailes with these words Hast thou ever heard that any King was drowned He denied that the Pope had any Authority over any Bishop within his Realm and also denied the Popes power of binding and loosing but paied him Peter-pence granted by his Father he also held it bootless to invocate Saints curbed Anselm Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Taxed the swelling Clergy for their Pride Luxury Idleness and Avarice In the Second year of his Reign a great Earthquake happened and in the fourth year a great Lightning which burnt the Steeple of the Abby of Winchester and rent the Beams of the Roof casting down the Image of our Lady and Crucifix breaking one of the Legs thereof And not long after so great a Wind happened at London that it blew down 60 some say 606 houses and took off the Roof of Bow-Church bearing it a great height into the Air and six of the Beams being twenty seven foot long with the fall ran twenty three foot into the Ground the Streets being then unpaved in the sixth year of the King's Reign was so great a Famine and Mortality that the Quick were scarce able to bury the Dead and in the ninth year of his Reign two blasing Stars with two Bushes appeared and other Stars seemed to shoot Darts one at the other And the last year of his Reign the Sea overflowed its Banks and drowned a great number of People in Kent and overwhelm'd a great deal of Lands which had been Earl Goodwins whose Name they retain to this day being called Goodwin's Sands There was also a Well of Blood which rose up out of the ground for the space of 15 dayes at Finchamstead near Abbington in Bark-shire This William Rufus was King of England but not Duke of Normandy he was Third Son of William the Conquerour by Maud his Wife Daughter to Baldwine the fifth Earl of Flanders He began his Reign on Thursday the ninth of September Anno Dom. one thousand eighty seven and reigned twelve years ten months and twenty three dayes he was the twenty second sole Monarch of England He was shot by Accident in New Forrest by Sir Walter Tyrrel on Wednesday the first day of August Anno Domini 1100. being the thirteenth year of his Reign and the Forty fourth year of his Age he was buried in the Quire of Saint Swythine being the Cathedral Church of Winchester CHAP. XII Of King Henry the first commonly called Beauclark for his Learning KING Henry was Crowned at Westminster by Maurice Bishop of London in the absence of Anselm Arch-Bishop of Canterbury on Sunday the fifth day of August Anno 1100 But before his Coronation the
happened such a Raging Fire in London that it consumed a great part of the City from West-Cheap to Algate The next year after being the 34 of the King Duke Robert the King's Brother after 26 years Imprisonment and the putting out of his Eyes died in Prison And this year Worcester and Rochester were burnt This Henry the First was King of England and Duke of Normandy he was the 4th Son of William the Conqueror by Maud his Wife Daughter to Baldwine the Fifth Earl of Flanders He began his Reign on Wednesday the first day of August Anno 1100. and reigned 35 years 4 moneths and 1 day and was 23 Sole Monarch of England He died of a Surfeit with eating Lampreys at the Town of St. Dennis in Normandy on Munday the Second day of December Anno 1135. being the 36 of his Reign 21 of his Dukedom and 65 of his Age. His Body was buried at Redding in Bark-shire in an Abby of his own Founding CHAP. XIII Of King Stephen sometimes called Stephen of Bloyce THis Stephen at his first coming for England landed at Whitsand-Bay with whom came a wonderful Tempest of Thunder His endeavours for the Crown were aided by Henry his younger Brotherthen Bishop of Winchester William Arch Bishop of Canterbury Roger Bishop of Salisbury and Hugh Biggot late Steward to King Henry all which swore him Fealty although they had sworn it before to the Empress King Henry's Daughter who is now by them rejected And crown'd Stephen King at Westminster on the 26 day of December Anno 1135 by William Corbell Arch-Bishop of Canterbury After which he granted his Subjects a Charter of some Immuities Dated under his hand at Oxford Anno Domini 1136 whose Tenour was as followeth That all Liberties Customes and Possessions granted to the Church should stand firm That all Persons and causes Ecclesiastical should appertain only to Ecclesiastical Judges That none but Clergy men should meddle with the vacancies of Churches or any Church mens goods That all bad usages in the Land touching Forrests Exactions c. should be utterly extirpated And lastly That the antient Laws should be restored This year a Fire began at London Stone in the City of London and consumed all before it from thence East-ward to Aldgate and West-ward to St. Pauls Church Not long after this the King caused several Castles to be built in England but by the advice of Henry Fitz Empress shortly after 1115 of them were demolished again And now Baldwine de Redvers Rebelling again the King was taken and banished and a great Battel was shortly after fought against the Welsh but the English lost the day and many of them were led away Captives by the Welsh Women and such a number of them drowned by the fall of a Bridge over Temd that a passage was made over the Water with their dead Carcasses in the year eleven hundred thirty seven Rochester was destroyed with Fire After this David King of Scots invaded England and took Carlisle and New-Castle and the King marching to oppose his further Progress a Peace was concluded between them Afterwards the King in the Third year of his Reign Created Eustance his eldest Son Duke of Normandy This year the Arch-Bishop's Seat in York St. Martyns Church without the Walls and the Hospital with thirty nine Houses and much Riches were burnt The King now paied his elder Brother Theobald two thousand marks yearly for his Right of Normandy and England and to Jeffery Plantaginet Husband to Maud the Empress he paid five thousand Marks yearly for his Right to the Crown Whilest he was in Normandy setling his affairs the Scots again invaded England committing most barbarous Cruelties as ripping up Women with Child and tossing their Infants on their Spear points several of the Peers likewise Revolted and did Fortifie most of the strong Castles in the Realm against the King intending to bring Maud the Empress to the Crown But the King being no sluggard did so hotly pursue his Barrons that he won most of the Castles from them and put them to a stand And with like success did Ralph Bishop of Durham appointed General by Thurstan Arch-Bishop of York the King's Lieutenant of the North go against the Scots who were come as far as Northumberland and manfully forced them to fly the Country And shortly after the King in Person marched into Scotland and a Peace was again concluded between the two Kings And Stephen brought with him into England Henry David's eldest Son and made him Earl of Huntington And now the King began to quarrel with several of his Prelates as Salisbury Lincoln and Ely and demanding the keys of their Castles exacting likewise great summs of money from them About this time Maud the Empress landed in England and was carried into Arrundel-castle by William de Albeny who married the Queen Dowager King Henry's Widdow the King having intelligence thereof hasted to Arundel at whose coming a Woman's Wit being best at a pinch she perswaded him That none to her knowledge or with her consent were come with her but those who did and would owe him Allegiance Hereupon he honourably conveyed her to Bristol from which place she got to Wallingford-Castle and in the mean while Earl Robert her Brother divulged the News of her Arrivage whereupon he got such a number of People together for her cause that they were hard to be numbred The King hereupon forthwith besieges Wallingford-Castle but not able to accomplish his desires he removed his Siege to Malmesbury and in the mean time the Empress got to Lincoln and stored the City with Provision and other Necessaries Hereupon the King withdrew to Lincoln and so straitly begirt the City with his Siege that if the Empress had not made a shift to escape she had been here taken The King possessing himself of Lincoln Earl Robert and Ranulph Earl of Chester went against him with a mighty Army and making over the River pitched their Tents in the King's sight the King ordering his Army Trumpets sounded to Battel and the Armies joined in Fight but the Kings party being overpowred they began to faint and run away leaving the King almost alone who behaved himself so Champion-like that he drove down whole Troops before him until his Battel-Ax broke and his Sword flew into pieces in his hand and then being Weaponless he was struck down with a Stone which was thrown at him and so was seized on but preserved from Violence by Earl Robert's Command and from thence he was carried Prisoner to the Empress to Gloucester from which place he was sent bound to Bristoll And now the Empress Triumphed as sole Sovereign of England all the People save those of Kent doing her Allegiance to Winchester she marched in State and there received the Regal Crown from thence she went to London where she was received with Royal procession And now the reports of Stephen's Imprisonment being got into Normandy his Subjects there began to incline to Jeffery
the Husband of the Empress shortly after this Earl Robert the Empress Brother was taken Prisoner by some of the King's party who had escaped from Lincoln who carrying him to Gloucester there imprisoned him and growing at length weary of his Irons and hard Lodging he and the King were released one in Liew of the other The Earl after his Releasment went for Normandy to raise more aid but in the mean while King Stephen besieged the Empress in Oxford where she was brought to such a straight that she was forced to fly by Night with some of her Company Disguised getting over the Thames on the Ice it being then Winter from which place they ran on Foot through Snow and Ditches to Abbington being about five miles and here they took Horse and got to Wallingford-Castle And by this time Earl Robert and Prince Henry the Empress Son were landed at Warran-haven from whence they got to the Empress but she at length being wearied with the various success of War and never out of Troubles left England and returned to her Husband into Normandy having sent her Son Henry thither before her At Lincoln the King after the Empress Departure caused all the Barrons to swear Allegiance to Prince Eustace Stephen's Son And Theobald Arch-Bishop of Canterbury refusing to consecrate Eustace King was forced to fly into Normandy for his safety and the King seized all his Possessions no King before Stephen's time durst enter Lincoln being frighted with the Foolish Prophesies of some Wizards After this Henry the Empress's Son entered England again and was met by the King whose Armies had joined in Battel but that the Winter Storms prevented them and so a Truce was concluded which thing was very displeasing to Prince Eustace who not long after died of a Frenzy After his Death a Peace was concluded and the King adopted Prince Henry the Empress's Son for his Heir and Successor In the last year of the King's Reign a little before his Death was seen the Sign of the Cross in the Moon This Stephen was King of England and Duke of Normandy he was the Third Son of Stephen Earl of Bloyce by his Wife Adilicia or Alice third Daughter to William the Conquerour His Reign began on Munday the second day of December Anno Domini eleven hundred thirty five and he reign'd eighteen years ten moneths and twenty dayes and was the twenty fourth sole Monarch of England He died of the Illiack-Passion mixed with his old Disease the Emmeroyds in the Monastery of the Monks at Dover on Munday the twenty fifth day of October Anno Domini eleven hundred fifty four his Body was buried at Feaversham in Kent in an Abby of his own founding In the fourth year of this King's Reign was the second Lateran Council Innocent the II. Pope CHAP. XIV Of King Henry the Second sometimes called Henry Fitz-Empress THis Henry was three times crowned first by Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury at Westminster then at Lincoln and lastly at Worcester His Privy Council he chose of the gravest Peers and Thomas Becket his Chancellor About the 5 of his Reign 30 Waldenses or thereabouts being come into England were persecuted by a Council of Bishops held at Oxford and by the King's Command all persons were prohibited to give them any Food whereby they miserably perished And now the King and Malcolm King of Scots entered Amity upon the same Conditions as were agreed upon in Henry the first 's time And in Token of his Subjection the King of Scots offered his Hat and Saddle upon St. Peters Altar in York and there left them About this time the Jews crucified a Child at Gloucester And now Theobald dying Becket the Chancellor was made Archbishop of Canterbury and he denied to take the Oath for observation of the Articles administred to the Clergy which the rest of the Bishops had taken and were clearly against the Pope's Authority Hereupon the Contention between the King and Becket grew so hot that the Pope sent Philip his Almoner to perswade the Bishop to swear who at his Request took the Oath Anno 1163. London-Bridge was made a new of Timber by one Peter the Priest of Cole-church And now Becket standing several times in Opposition against the King at length was condemned of Perjury and being called to hear his Sentence as a Traytor he made shift to escape in Disguise into Flanders by the Name of Deerman Now the King sends his Embassadors to the Pope requesting him to send two of his Cardinals to judge the Case the Pope returned Answer That he would Judg him himself when he saw Cause upon the Receit of this Answer the King made an Order that all the Clergy that were with the Pope or did Appeal to Rome should have their Livings sequestred and banished all the Kinred of Becket Man Woman Child and Suckling And now the King stoutly withstood all the Popes Threats Edicts and Bulls denying also the payment of Peter-pence And Roger Archbishop of York at the King's Command in Contempt of Becket crowned Henry the King's Son But Becket after 7 years Banishment was again reconciled to the King and restored to his former Dignity During these Stirs there was one Gilbert Foliott Doctor of Divinity in Oxford who perswaded the King to curb the Pride of the Clergy and this Doctor often reprooved proud Becket to his Face for which he was much hated and persecuted Now Becket at his second Entrance on his Bishoprick excommunicated several Prelates And King Henry being in Normandy and hearing hereof chanced to speak some words against the Bishop which moved four of his Courtiers to sale for England where in the Church of Canterbury they murthered Bishop Becket Anno 1170. He was afterwards canonized by the Pope and is reputed amongst those of the Romish perswasion for a great Saintâ— He was by Birth a Londoner his Mother a Sarazen and by Profession he was a Civilian After the King returned for England Robert Fitz-Stephen a valliant man without the King's Knowledg sailed for Ireland where he became Conqueror of several Strong-holds But the King himself who had it in his Thoughts long before to make a Conquest thereof sailed thither and imprisoned Fitz-Stephen who had made way for the King's Conquest After some Skirmishes the King conquered Ireland and established Religion there and built also a Magnificent Castle at Dublin and so returned for England About this time it was ordained That Men should make their Testaments in presence of their Neighbours And if the Man that died had Wife and Children he was to cast up what he owed to other men and to Servants for their Wages And then the rest of his Goods were to be divided into Three Parts one part to his Children another part to his Wife and the third part for his Burial and to Pious Vses After this the King sailed to Normandy whither the Pope had sent two Cardinals to take the King's Purgation for Becket's Death His
Earl John the King's Brother who had endeavoured to gain the Crown in his Brothers Captivity that the Devil was let loose again After his Releasement he came for England and was joyfully received by Hubert Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and shortly after Earl John was adjudged by his Peers to loose all his Estate And now the King caused himself to be Crowned again at Winchester and had a new Great Seal made by which Device he got great Summs of money out of his Subjects causing them to have all their Evidences new Sealed after this being at Dinner at Westminster and hearing of the Siege of Nerville he swore he would not turn his Face till he had got thither with his Army and so caused the Wall to be cut down where he was that he might pass through which Breach was to be perceived two hundred years after And now he forgave his Brother Earl John and getting a great Victory over the French at Gysors He thus spoke Not we saith he but DIEVET MONDROIT that is God and our Right hath obtained this Victory after this the Kings of England made it their Motto Afterwards by the interceeding of Pope Innocent the Third a Peace was concluded between England and France And not long after this the King lying a Garrison against the Castle of Chalne was there shot in the left Arm by an Arballaster standing on the Wall with a sqare Arrow out of a Steel Bow of which Wound he shortly after died He banished all the Jews of Norwich St. Edmund Bury Lyncoln Stanford Lyn and York at which last place above five hundred of them besides Women and Children entred a Tower of the Castle and when the Christians came to Besiege them the Jews cut the Throats of their Wives and Children and cast them on the Besiegers heads and then burnt both the House and themselves so desperatly Wicked were they This Richard the first was King of England and Duke of Normandy Guyen and Aquitain He was the third Son of King Henry the Second by Elianor his Queen eldest Daughter and Heir to William Duke of Aquitain His Reign began on Thursday the sixth of July 1189 he reigned nine years and nine Months and was the twenty sixth sole Monarch of England He died of the before named Wound in his Arm on Tuesday the sixth of April Anno Domini 1199 being in the tenth year of his Reign and 42 of his Age His body was buried at Font-Everad CHAP. XVI Of King John commonly termed by his Father John Lackland HE was Crowned at Westminster by Hubâ—â— Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and had much ado before he got the Crown and more ado before the People would swear him Fealty which when they did it was with a Reservation Arthur King John's Nephew by his Elder Brother Jeffery with whom sided Philip King of France did mightily oppose King John's proceedings but he was backt by Otho the Emperour And Hubert the Arch-Bishop in a great Assembly made an Oration wherein he Declared that the Crown of England was meerly Arbitrary and Elective Now the King after several Out-fals between Philip King of France and him at length a Peace was concluded wherein it was agreed that Lewis Heir of France should marry King John's Neece After the Peace concluded the King returned for England and ordered a collection of 3s on every Carucata of Land for the Marriage of his Neece and his Martial uses But Jeffery Arch-Bishop of York Son to King John's Father by Rosamond his Father's Concubine denyed the Payment hereof within his Precincts and likewise refused to accompany the King his Brother into France to solemnize the Marriage and conclude the Peace for which Contemps the King caused all his Temporalties to be Seized on After this the King and William King of Scotland meeting at Lincoln they there swore Amity and Faithful Love upon the Crosier-staff of Arch-Bishop Hubert But now the French King breaking the Peace concluded on several Battels were fought between him and King John and Prince Arthur was taken Prisoner and died The Pope sought a Reconciliation between the two Kings but it took no effect After this the King returned and called a Parliament at Oxford at which time they granted him 33 s. 4 d. for every Knights Fee In the year 1204 Normandy fell from England to the French after it had been disbranched from France about 319 years the next year after the Arch-Bishop died whose Wealth and Possessions were Seized on by the King in Regard of his haughty carriage in his life time and John Gray Bishop of Norwich was translated to Canterbury And now the King bethinks himself again on Revenge upon the French and with a great Army landed at Rochel and presently won the Castle Mount Auban which was reputed invincible after this the City Angiers was also subjected by him And at length the two Kings met but by the interceeding of Forein Prelates a two years Peace was concluded About this time the King sent one Alexander a Divine of Oxford to the Pope to defend his Authority against that of Rome which he very well performed and made out both by Scripture and Reason and writing against the Pope's Authority he was afterwards persecuted and banished by Langton Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and died in Exile shortly after this the Emperour Otho arived in England and was Royally received by the King who after some days of Banquetting returned again And now the Pope begins to play his Prancks depriving Arch-Bishop Gray and setting up Stephen Langton in his place writing to the King in his behalf and now began the King's miseries to approach for upon this Account the King wrote to Pope Innocentius the Third threatning him for intruding upon his Prerogative the Pope returned him a thundring Answer and presently after sent his Apostolical command to the Prelates London Ely and Worcester to interdict the Kingdom if the King continued in his Obstinacy This Commission was put in Execution and the Church Doors shut up for several years some Authors say 6 years so that the People lived more like Infidels than Christians for which affront several of the Clergy were banished by the King and sent to the Pope their Master And now the Irish being in Rebellion the King hasted thither at whose arrival more then twenty petty Kings came to him to Dublin doing their Allegiance About this time Gualter Maxes Arch-Deacon of Oxford preached vehemently against the Pride of the Pope and wrote a Book called the Revelation of the Romish Goliah for which he was much persecuted and hated Shortly after this Philip King of France by commission from the Pope took Ship for England to depose King John the Pope promising him the Crown of England but the King prepared against his coming yet fearing the French Power he unwillingly swore to Pandulphus the Pope's Nuncio to submit in all things to the judgment of the Church hereupon Pandulphus swore him touching all things in his
Excommunication that he should stand to the Popes Judgment and that he should restore to their former Dignities the Arch-Bishop Bishops and Monks he was also forced to surrender his Crown Scepter Sword Robes and King into Pandulphus's the Popes Attorneys hands laying them at his feet And lastly to hold his Crown in Fee-Farm of the Pope at the yearly Rent of 1000 Marks And now the Pope got the Prey which he so long hunted after But the King was continually after pestered with the Pope between whom and the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury he was banded like a Tennice-Ball The Barrons also proved several times disloyal to him and at last betrayed the Crown of England to Lewis of France sending him their Letter of Allegiance hereupon Lewis against the Popes Command set forwards for England with 600 Ships and 80 Boats and landed in the Island of Thaâ—net in Kent to whom all the Treacherous Barrons Fâ—ed from thence he marched to London and at St. Paul's Church he took the Oath of the Citizens and the Oath of the Barons at Westminster The King seeing these proceedings spoiled the Castles of the Barrons which caused them to Repent of their Disloyalty forthwith returning to the King again who then lay sick at Newark and shortly after died In this King's Reign London-Bridge was built of Stone being but of Wood at first and several Prodigies were seen in his Reign and also terrible Storms of Thunder and Lightning with Hail Stones as big as Goose-Egs which destroyed Men and Women besides Cattel and Corn Fields In the 15 of the King a Fire hapning in London near the Bridge People thronging to make some help the Fire by the Violence of the Wind took hold on both ends of the Bridge so that the People could not pass either backwards or forwards and and so Barges Boats c. coming to their Assistance the People thronged so indiscreetly into them that the Boats sunk and above three thousand Persons were drowned in the Thames It is said that this King John was immoderate in blasphemies and execrations and that he was so Luxurious that he destroyed Matilda a Beautiful Maid causing her to drink Poyson because she would not yield to his intreaty to be corrupted by him he is also thought to have sought aid from Mirammula King of Affrica whilest he was in his Troubles promising him the Kingdom of England if he Conquered and to renounce his Christian Faith Anno 1215. being the 16 of the King was held the IV Lateran Council Innocentius the Third being Pope this was the 12 general Council in which Auricular Confession was established and the Cup taken from the Laity in the Communion This John was King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Normandy Guyen and Aquitain he was sixth Son of King Henry the Second by his Queen Elianor eldest Daughter and Heir to William Duke of Aquitain his Reign began on Tuesday the 6 day of April Anno 1199 and continued 17 years 6 months and 13 days He was the 27 sole Monarch of England and was Poysoned by one Simon a Monk of Swinested Abby in Lincolnshire which was upon this occasion as it is said viz. That the King being there at Dinner and having an half penny loaf in his hand he swore if he lived it should be at twelve pence before that time twelve Months and the Monk over-hearing these words poysoned him He died on Wednesday the nineteenth day of October Anno 1216. in the eighteenth year of his Reign and 50 year of his Age his body was buried at Worcester CHAP. XVII Of King Henry the Third commonly called Henry of Winchester THis Henry about the Age of 9 years was Crowned at Gloucester in the presence of the Popes Legate Wallo and other Nobles and the Earl of Pembrook by consent of the Peers was made Guardian of his Person and Kingdom Shortly after a Truce was concluded between Lewis of France and the King Lewis then returning for France but staied not long ' ere he came for England again with fresh supplyes taking his march to Lincoln In the mean while the Earl of Pembrook by the Advice of Wallo and the Bishop of Winchester raised an Army and gave the French Battel at Lincoln where they received a great Overthrow so that Lewis hasted to France for more Aid after Lewis returned from France he was besieged in London and forced at length to make Peace and depart the Realm And now the Nobles falling into Rebellion they were fought by the Earl of Pembrook who shortly after died after whose Death Peter de Rupibus Bishop of Winchester and some others were made Guardians to the King and upon this change the King was Crowned again at Westminster by Stephen Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the King having the Saturday before laid the first Stone of the new work of the Abby Church at Westminster After this the King made Hubert de Burgo cheif Justice of England And now the Barrons and Welsh being in Rebellion again and hearing of the King's march towards them durst not stay his coming Anno 1222 Alexander King of Scotland was married to the King's Sister at York And this year was granted to the King the Ward-ship of Heirs and their Lands about this time an Imposture at the Provincial Synod at Oxford suffered himself to be wounded in the Hands Feet and Side calling himself Christ who together with a Woman that took upon her to be the Mother of God were immured between two Walls where they ended their Lives miserably And shortly after one Constantine Fitz-Arnulf raising a Tumult in London was taken and hanged by Hubert de Burgoe's Order and the common sort had their Hands and Feet cut off Now the Barrons being earnest for Confirmation of Liberties and denied by William Briwere one of the King's Council the King to please all parties Answered All of us have sworn to those Liberties and must keep them And hereupon Writs were issued out to inquire upon Oath what Liberties were currant in or from the time of Henry his Grand-Father Not long after this the King sent Embassadors to the King of France to demand Normandy and other his Transmaritain places but they were denied him and now the King upon some Distast taken against one Falcasius Commanded all Strangers to depart the Realm after this a Parliament being called the King confirmed MAGNA CHARTA under his Seal before they would yield to grant him a Subsidy And now the King having gotten Money sent his Brother Robert and other Nobles into France for the Regaining his Dominions there who in spite of Fate got and held Aquitain after this more aid being sent they endeavoured the gaining of Normandy also The King having now gotten a Fifteenth of all Degrees in his Realm and wrested 5000 marks out of London besides At the next Parliament at Oxford by the advice Hubert de Burgo he revoked the great Charter by Plea of Infra Etatem hereupon the Barrons Rebelled threatning
went about to take away the King's Life and she was forced to satisfy publickly for that wickedness she had not attempted though others that were guilty in their very Sufferings excused the Dutchess of it Yet notwithstanding she did Pennance going the first day from Temple-Bar down Fleetstret with a wax Taper in her hand to Pauls where she offered her Taper to the Altar the next day but one she went through Bridgestreet and Grace Church Street to Leaden-Hall and so to Christ-Church by Allgate and two days after she went through Cheapside to St. Michaels in Cornhil in form aforesaid Now the Affairs still various in France at length a Truce was concluded for 18 Moneths and hopes of perpetual Amity grounded upon a Match Contracted by William de la Pole Earl of Suffolk for the King with Margaret Daughter to Renate Duke of Angiers and Titular King of Sicily Naples and Jerusalem but this Match proved inauspicious to the King for by it he lost his Friends in England and Revenues in France and not long after all was Ruled by the Queen and Suffolk and their Complices and a Parliament being called the Duke of Yorks Commission was revoked and Henery Beaufort Duke of Somerset was sent Regent into France And now began the King's Miserys to approach for in the Parliament at St. Edmundsbury the Protector through the Queen's means unknown to the King was Arrested of high Treason and before he came to any Tryal he was Murthered in his Bed with Pillowes as it was thought and the Cardinal of Winchester the other Prop of the Kingdom lived not long after him after whose death the Affaires both of England and France were carryed on very unfortunately And now Suffolk the Queens chief Favourite is made Duke which passages displeasing the people Richard Plantaginet begun to think how these distempers might work well on his side for the obtaining the Crown whereupon hetook shipping for Ireland to still the Irish Commotions there which he quickly effected and there layd the foundation of his first plots In mean time Somerset Regent in France lost all which unhappy News coming to England it caused several to look sleightly at the Queen but especially at Suffolk against whom several Articles were exhibited by the Lower-house of Parliament whereupon he was Imprisoned in the Tower but shortly after was again restored to his Liberty The 23 of the King on Candlemas Eve in diverse places of England were heard Terrible Thunder with Lightning whereby the Church of Baldock in Hartfordshire and the Church of Walden in Essex and divers others were sore shaken and the Steeple of St. Pauls Church in London about three of the Clock in the afternoon was set on fire but was happily quenched again And now the Duke of York shortly after procured Adam Mollins the Bishop of Chichester Keeper of the Privy Seal another Pillar of the Kingdom to be Murthered by the Seamen at Portsmouth Not long after one Thane alias Blewbeard a Fuller of Canterbury attempting to raise some forces in the Duke of York's behalf miscarried in his Enterprize and was taken hanged and quartered And another Parliament being called and the Commons wishing well to the Duke of York they again accuse the Duke of Suffolk and now obtained of the King Sentence of his Banishment for five years who being upon the Seas intending his banished Voyage was taken and in Dover Road had his Head Chopped off on the side of a Cock Boat After this the Bishop of Salisbury was Murthered by his own Tenants and Lord Say Treasure of England and his Son in Law with some other were slain by the Common People such footing had the Duke of York's cause gotten amongst them and now in his behalf though he was still in Ireland rose the Commons of Kent under Jack Cade's Command and pitched on Black-heath neare Greenwich in Kent the King perceiving it no time to be idle raised an Army in the mean time Cade retired to Sevenock in Kent And the King supposing he had fled sent Sir Humphry Stafford and other Gentlemen with some forces to pursue him to whom Cade gave Battel and slew Sir Humphry with some others of which the King having notice he left the Tower to the Custody of the Lord Scales and fled to Kenelworth Castle and so Cade marched to London causing the head of Master Crâ—mer high Sheriff of Kent to be lopt of and falling to the plundering of some of the Wealthiest Citizens the Lord Mayor then considering the danger they were in sent forthwith to the Lord Scales for Aid who sent the Renowned Esquire Matthew Gough to their Relief and now the Cittizens took heart and began to bar up London-Bridge the Kentish Plebeans quartering in Southwork and hearing hereof ran furiously to their Armes and with their Leader Cade sought to open the passage by force but was not able the Contention was very hot and continued all Night Gough and several others being slain to appease these Furies by Pollicy which could not be conquered by Force the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury sent a Pardon under the King 's great Seal whereupon the Plebeans threw down their Arms and gave their leader Cade leave to shift for himself who afterwards attempting new Troubles a 1000 marks was promised to them that could take or kill him whereupon one Mr. Eden a Gentleman of Kent slew him and 26 more of his crew suffered Death at Canterbury and elsewhere These Stirs were no sooner over but the Duke of York arrived in England leaving Ireland who at his first approach imprisoned several Nobles in Ludlow Castle but many of the Peers sided with him now the King as it was time began to rouse up his Spirits marching towards the Duke then in Wales who hearing of the King's march fled into Kent and at Brent-Heath encamped of which the King having intelligence he steared his Course that way and sending Messengers to the Duke to demand the Reasons of these Tumults he perceiving the King too powerful for him did thereupon submit and was received again into favour And now some hopes arising of the recovering of Gascoin again the Lord Talbot and some others were thereupon sent into France who at first were very successful in their Designs but the Lord Talbot being slain the French regained all again and the English lost all Aquitain after they had possessed it about three hundred years And about this time the Queen was delivered of her First born Edward by this time the Duke of York had arrested the Earl of Somerset of high Treason who being sent Prisoner to the Tower of London was from thence Released by the King and made Captain of Callis whereupon York and his Adherents fell into open force levying an Army about the Marches of Wales from whence they intended their march to London but were stopt at St. Albans by the King and his Forces the Duke at his coming hither sent to the King desiring him to deliver up
he thereby confirmed King and the Crown intailed upon him and his Heirs and Prince Edward his Son made Heir apparent but against his Coronation guilty Consciences accusing themselves he being still in Fear he sent for five thousand Soldiers out of the North under the Command of Robert of Ridsdale to come up to London and before his Coronation which was very glorious he set at Liberty the Arch-Bishop of York and the Lord Stanly but continued Bishop Morton's Imprisonment whereupon the University of Oxford sending a Letter to the King in Bishop Mortons behalf he was thereupon delivered to the Duke of Buckingham who sent him to his Castle of Brecknock in Wales and after the Coronation was over the King took his Progress to Gloucester and from thence sent a Letter by one John Green to Sir Robert Brackenbury Lieutenant of the Tower to destroy the two young Princes who detesting so foul a Murther Sir James Tirrel a Man of small estate for what will not Wealth and Honour prompt a man to being promised great things by the King undertook the Murther and for execution thereof he imployed two Bloody Varlets who about Midnight smothered the two Innocent Princes with pillows and the feather-bed But God's Judgments attended these murderers and the King's mind ever after was fill'd with Horror and Fear having his hand constantly on his Dagger And now the Duke of Buckingham began to dislike the King for he had denied the Duke the Earldom of Hartford which was promised by Richard before he got the Crown whereupon the Duke of whose Intentions Bishop Morton was privy never came to the Court but seeking how to depose him whose main Instrument he was in exalting to bring this business to effect a Marriage was propounded by him and sollicited afterwards by others to the Queen and the Countess of Richmond between Henry Earl of Richmond Heir to the House of Lancaster and Elizabeth the Queens eldest Daughter Heir to the House of York which match was well resented by all parties for hereby the Houses of Lancaster and York being United the Quarrel in which so much Blood had been spilt would be ended Upon this Account Bishop Morton went over into Flanders and did the Earl of Richmond then in Banishment very good Service now the Earl having intelligence of these Proceedings forthwith disclosed it to the Duke of Britain who promised him his Assistance whereupon he sent into England to the Duke of Buckingham to make him acquainted with his preparation for England but in the mean time the King heard some whisperings of this Plot and therefore sent for Buckingham to repair to the Court who refused to go immediately preparing for War against the King at which news the Marquess of Dorset left his Sanctuary and raised an Army in York-shire Sir Edward Courtny another in Devonshire and Cornwal and Sir Richard Guilford one in Kent The King roused up at this news took his march towards Shrewsbury from London intending to encounter the Duke of Buckingham the head first who hearing hereof made out to meet the King accompanied with a great number of Wild Welshmen and intending to pass Severn to join with the Courtnies he was prevented by the River it being then without the Bancks so not being able to get to them nor they to him his Welsh-men hereupon forsook him whereupon the Duke fled to the House of one Humphry Banister formerly his Servant and there in disguise thought to have stayed till he could either have raised new Forces or gotten into Britain to the Earl of Richmond As soon as the other Nobles heard of the misfortune of the Duke they all left their Armies and most of them fled beyond Sea to Henry and the rest took Sanctuary and a Proclamation being made with promise of a thousand pounds to those that could take Buckingham this Judas Banister who had gotten his Estate under the Duke was taken with the Golden Bait and preferring with Judas the money before his Master's Life went and discovered him to the Sheriff of Shrewsbury who took the Duke disguised like a poor Country-man digging in a Grove near Banister's House and carried him to Salisbury where the King then was at which place without Arraignment or Judgment he was beheaded and several Nobles of the Duke's Faction received the like Doom at London and elsewhere But this greedy Banister missing the promised Reward of the King was rewarded with the Judgments of God for not long after his Children came to unfortunate Ends and he himself had got his deserts in a Halter but that he escaped by his Clergy And now the King hearing of Earl Henry's preparation for England he thereupon called a Parliament in which the Earl and all those that had fled to him were Attainted and their Goods Confiscated and the King also to make himself more secure at home made Peace with the Scots and sent great Store of Gold to the Duke of Britain to betray Henry into his hands but the Duke at the Arrival of the Embassadors being so sick that he could not be spoke withal his Treasurer allured with the Gold thought though unknown to his Master to have done the Feat but Earl Henry having notice hereof by Bishop Morton then in Flanders he escaped into France to whom repaired the Earl of Oxford out of the Castle of Hammes with Captain Blunt his Keeper and Sir John Fortescue Captain of Callis being all resolved to take their Fortune with Earl Henry And now the King seeing the Duke of Britain would not be taken with his Bait he begins to solicit the Queen for the delivery of her Daughters to his Custody thinking thereby to prevent the Match of the Earl Henry with the Lady Elizabeth the eldest Daughter and after many sugared and fair flattering Speeches to the Queen she at length resigned them up to him and Queen Ann his Wife being purposely made away as was supposed he now begins to Court his Neese Elizabeth his own Brothers Daughter intending to marry her and to lessen his expences he discharged his Navy commanding the Welsh to keep the shoar where he supposed Earl Henry intended to land yet notwithstanding shortly after he landed at Milford-Haven in Wales with 2000 Britains and marching into England as far as Litchfield several worthy men joyned Forces with him on his March and the King then at Nottingham receiving Intelligence hereof commanded all his Nobles to wait upon him with their Forces and so took his March to Leicester and the next morning pitched his Tents in a plain called Reddmoor neare Bosworth in Leicestershire where he was encountered by the Earl of Richmond where after much Courage and Manhood shown he was slain with some of his Nobles and about 4000 Soldiers and after he was slain he was taken and hung over an horse all naked and besmeared with blood and dirt and so was carryed to Leicester and there lay two days without Burial for a spectacle to the people
dispairing of his purpose he yielded himself Prisoner and was shortly after beheaded and 50 Persons more of his Complices were hanged in London and 23 in Kent and the Lord Courtny and Lady Elizabeth afterwards our Queen were clapt up in the Tower upon suspition of favouring Sir Thomas Wyat's proceedings and this Innocent Lady without respect to her Person being extream Sick at her Mannor of Asbridge was nevertheless brought away Prisoner to London and was so straitly kept in the Tower that a little Boy about 4 years of Age who was wont every day to carry her some Flowers and prattle and talk to her Command was given to his Father that the Boy should go no more and the next day the Child going and the Door being shut he peeped in at a hole Crying unto her Mistress I can bring you no more Flowers now From hence this pious Princess was removed to Woodstock where one day sitting sollitary at her Prison window she espied a Maid singing merrily over her milking Pale whose condition she esteemed to be better than hers A little before Arrival of King Philip two Suns were seen at one time and a Rainbow reversed the Bow turning downwards before the Marriage certain Honourable Conditions were propounded to King Philip and agreed to by him And now the Protestants began to be hated Mr. Bourn a godly Minister having a Dagger thrown at him as he was Preaching at Paul's Cross and Bishop Bonner caused all Scriptures painted on the Church-walls to be blotted out and Cardinal Pool coming into England Images Holy Water Pax Censures Oyl and Cream were brought into the Church again And about this time fell such abundance of Rain that for the space of six days men might row with Boats in Saint George's Feilds and the Water was half a yard deep in Westminster-hall Now the Queens cruel Bishops with her consent partly through their perswasions consumed in the Flames during her Reign for the Profession of their Faith 5 Bishops 21 Divines 18 Gentlemen 84 Artificers 100 Husband-men Servants and Labourers 26 Wives 20 Widdows 9 Virgins 2 Boys and 2 Infants in all 287 besides 16 other Persons that perished in Prison and 7 scourged and several Condemned which were released upon the happy entrance of Queen Elizabeth Many also in these perilous times fled amongst whom the Dutchess of Suffolk and her Husband Mr. Berty were two who suffered both Hunger and Cold and were often in Danger of their Lives till at length they got into Poland where they were Honourably treated till Queen Mary's Death And now nothing being Talked of but the Queens being with Child Prayers were made for her safe Deliverance Midwives Rockers and Cradles and all things else prepared but when it come to the point indeed it proved nothing but a Tympany and King Philip seeing himself so frustrated of his Expectation took Shipping for Spain and stayed at that time 19 months from the Queen in whose absence her Exchequer was intended to have been Robbed but some of the Plotters Vdal Throgmorton Peacham Daniel and Stanton were taken and suffered Death and others fled and the same year that Coaches were first used in England viz. Anno 1555 began the hot burning Feavers whereof died many old Persons so that in London died 7 Aldermen in less than 10 months time about 2 years after this Thomas Stafford Son to the Lord Stafford rose in Rebellion but was taken and beheaded And now the King being instigated by his Queen prepared an Army against France and several Nobles went thither where their greatest exploit was the winning of St. Quintins which was repayed by the French winning Callis from the English after it had been in their Possession about 211 years This loss so grieved the Queen that shortly after she died of a Burning Feaver telling her Physitians That they would find Callis written in her Heart if they dissected her Body after her Death That year Queen Mary died the Quartaine Agues continned very sharp so that many old Folk died especially Parsons and Priests so that a great number of Churches were unfurnished and a little before the Queen's Death dyed two of her Physitians besides many Bishops and Noble men And in July the same year a Tempest of Thunder as it went through two Towns near Nottingham beat down the Churches and all the Houses in the Towns the Bells were thrown out of the Steeples and some of the Webs of Lead thrown 400 Foot into the Feild and wreathen up together like a glove Trees were plucked up by the roots and cast 12 score foot off and a Child was taken out of a man's hand and carried an 100 foot and then let fall and died five or six men were killed and Hail-stones fell 15 Inches about This Mary was Queen of England France and Ireland She was the eldest Daughter of King Henry the Eight by Catherine his first Queen Daughter to Ferdinando the VI King of Spain and Widdow Dowager to Prince Arthur King Henry's Elder Brother She began her Reign on Thursday the sixth day of July Anno 1553 and reigned five years four months and 11 days and was the 42 sole Monarch of England She died of a Burning Feaver on Thursday the 17 day of November Anno 1558 being in the Sixth year of her Reign and 40 of her Age Her Body was buried at Westminster CHAP. XXXII Of Queen Elizabeth THis Queen was Crowned at Westminster by Owen Ogilthorp Bishop of Carlile Pool Arch-Bishop of Canterbury dying the same day that Queen Mary dyed At her Entrance the Title of Supremacy was again restored by Parliament and all Queen Maries Statutes in favour of Rome repealed and she being desired by Parliament to marry said That she intended a Virgins Life which accordingly she performed for being Courted by Maximilian the Emperour Ericus Son to the King of Sweden and by the Arch Duke of Austria and Duke of Anjou she denied them all and now Divine Service being celebrated in English and Images thrown out of the Churches again The Scots also began to seek Reformation too whereupon there arose great Tumults among them and the King of France sending the Romanists Aid there the Reformers were forced to crave help from Queen Elizabeth which she sent them under the Command of the Lord Grey and the Queen Mother Regent of Scotland dying the French thereupon concluded Peace for Scotland and left it The year 1561 In June a Terrible Tempest of Thunder and Lightning happenned about London which set Paul's Steeple on fire and burnt it down to the Roof of the Church consuming all the Bells Lead c. And in March the year after a Mare brought forth a Fole with one Body and two Heads and a long tail growing out between them a Sow also Farrowed a Pig with four legs like to the arms of a Child with Hands and Fingers and in April after another Sow Farrowed a Pig with two Bodies eight Feet and but one Head and many
God with us And there was also a new great Seal made And now the Lord Fairfax having laid down his Commission the Parliament made Oliver Cromwell their General who was so Fortunate in all his Enterprizes that in a few years time he brought England Scotland and Ireland into Subjection truth is if his Cause had been Honourable and Just he would have been as much Honoured by Posterity for his Vallour as he is hated by all good Subjects for his Disloyalty and Inhumanity to his Sovereign Lord and Master the King And now his Majesty being in France he hoped to get Aid there but found none yet his Friends here in England Proclaimed him King the Earl of Ormond and Lord Inchequin caused him also to be Proclaimed King in Ireland And now the Parliament proceeded to make Sale of the King and Queen's Lands not sparing their Houses whose Purchasers gained no small Summs by them making Money of the Leads Glass Iron Timber and Stones of the same Houses the Bishops with the Deans and Chapters Lands also received the same Doom and most of the Castles in England were by the Parliament's Order demolished and thrown down and all Persons were expelled from places of Trust either in Church or State which would not Subscribe to the present Government then Established by them And now his Majesty was Proclaimed in Scotland and after great Debate had among them there at length they agree on some Propositions to be sent to the King who was then at the Isle of Jersie and Mr. Windram Laird of Libberton was appointed Messenger The Heads of which Propositions were 1. That his Majesty should sign the Solemn League and Covenant 2. That he should pass divers Acts of Parliament which were concluded on in their two last Sessions of Parliament in Scotland 3. That he should be pleased to recall the late Commissions given to Mounttross 4. That he should put away all Papists from him 5. That he would appoint some place about Holland to Treat with their Comissioners And 6. That he would be graciously pleased to give a speedy Answer to their Desires These Propositions coming to the King they were very stifly debated Pro and Con and after much Consultation at last Sir William Flemming was sent Agent to the Committee of the Estates in Scotland till such as the Laird Libberton could be dispatched who shortly after followed with a Letter and Instructions by word of Mouth to the Committee of Estates and Breda in Holland was appointed for the place of a solemn Treaty and after great debates by the Committee of Estates and Kirk in Scotland at long run it was concluded that the Earl of Castles the Lord Lothian Burly and Libberton Sir John Smith and Mr. Jeoffries should go Commissioners for the Estates and Mr. Broady Lauson and Wood for the Kirk and these having received their Commissions met the King at Breda where after their Speeches made to his Majesty they then delivered their Propositions much to the same effect of those already mentioned Now during this Treaty the Marquess of Montross was seized in Scotland where he was with a most barbarous inhumanity exposed to all the severness imaginable a Gibbet set up for him of a height extraordinary where he was hanged and then quartered with all the circumstances of a solemn and a deliberate cruelty and malice to the eternal infamy of that Faction which would in the very instance of an overture and Treaty of accord proceed to so unheard of an outrage upon the Person of so loyal a Subject to his and their Sovereign This was the fatal and Tragical Event of his Majesties Affairs in Scotland Upon the Report of this News at Breda the King was much Troubled and all the Treaty had like to have broken off upon it but yet the King at length through the necessity of his Affairs concluded the Treaty by condescending to most of the Propositions and this Conclusion being carryed to Edenborough after much Debate it was Resolved another Message should be sent to invite the King over but the Parliament here in England having notice of all those proceedings in Scotland prepared an Army thereupon to Invade Scotland under the Command of their General Oliver Cromwel and they had also about this time put out an Act for the bringing all Proceedings at Law into the English Tongue and Secretary hand which continued so for about some ten years And about this time also their Admiral General Blake took sunck and burnt most of Prince Ruperts Fleet which was a great hurt to the Kings Affairs And now the King being arived at Spey in the North of Scotland some Lords were sent down to accompany him to Edenborough as he came along he was entertained with the general Joy of all the People and at Abberden he was presented with 1500 pounds which thing was ill taken by the Commitee of Estates and Kirk and therefore they sent their Injunction to prohibit other places from doing the like and the King being now come to Edenborough he was again proclaimed King on the 15 of July Anno 1650 but his Coronation was deferred by reason of the then Troubles for the English Army was upon their Borders so the Scots now began to think how they might defend themselves and therefore they marched under the Command of Montgomery and set upon the English at Musclebrough but were worsted and at Dunbarr the English wholly routed them and gained the Pass there this newes was brought to the King at St. Johnstons much about the same time when the death of his Sister the Princess Elizabeth was brought to him so shortly after this he left the States of Scotland and repaired into the North of that Kingdom being no longer able to endure the Affronts put upon him And now besides the danger of the English Army then in the Bowels of Scotland they themselves were yet devided into three Partys so that nothing but ruin could be expected among them but the King returning with Montgomery to St. Johnstons again they were then all reconciled among themselves and the King on the first day of January Anno 1650 was Crowned at Scoon And now the King set up his Standard at Abberdeen and resolved himself to be Generalissimo of the Scoth Army and about this time was Sir Henry Hyde beheaded at London for his Loyalty and not long after Captain Brown Bushel received the like Doom for performing some signal Services for the King And the King now began to Fortifie Sterling to which place he afterwards removed his Court and the English drew nigher and nigher every day and had surprized the Earl of Eglington and one of his Sons but whilest things were thus in Agitation in Scotland a Plot was discovered in England against the Parliament most of which Plotters were Presbyterians and two of them being Ministers viz. Mr. Gibbons and Mr. Love were beheaded for their Treason as the Parliament called it now Cromwell perceiving that he
Earl of Thanet Thomas Weston Earl of Portland William Wentworth Earl of Strafford Robert Spencer Earl of Sunderland Nicholas Leak Earl of Scarsdale John Wilmot Earl of Rochester Henry Jermin Earl of St. Albans Edward Montague Earl of Sandwich James Butler Earl of Brecknock Henry Hyde Earl of Clarendon Arthur Capell Earl of Essex Robert Brudenel Earl of Cardigan Arthur Annesly Earl of Anglesey John Greenvil Earl of Bath Charles Howard Earl of Carlisle William Craven Earl of Craven Robert Bruce Earl of Alesbury Richard Boyle Earl of Burlington Henry Bennet Earl of Arlington Anthony Ashly-Cooper Earl of Shaftsbury Charles Fitz-roy Earl of Southampton Henry Fitz-roy Earl of Euston George Fitz-roy Earl of Northumberland Henry Howard Earl of Norwich William Herbert Earl of Powys Henry Francis Lee Earl of Lichfield Charles Fitz Charles Earl of Plymouth Thomas Leonard Earl of Sussex Thomas Osborn Earl of Danby John Maitland Earl of Guilford Viscounts Leicester Devereux Viscount Hereford Francis Brown Viscount Montague James Fiennes Viscount Say and Seal Edward Conway Viscount Conway Baptist Noel Viscount Campden William Howard Viscount Stafford Thomas Bellafis Viscount Faulconbridg John Mordant Viscount Mordant George Savil Viscount Hallifax Robert Paston Viscount Yarmouth Francis Newport Viscount Newport of Bradley Barrons George Nevil Lord Abergavenny James Touchet Lord Audly Charles West Lord de la Ware George Berkley Lord Berkley Thomas Parker Lord Morley and Montegle Cogniers Darcy Lord Darcy and Meynell William Stourton Lord Stourton Henry Lord Sandys de la Vine Benjamin Mildmay Lord Fitzwater Thomas Windsor Lord Winsor Winâ—fiâ—ld Cromwel Lord Cromwel Ralph Eure Lord Eure. Philip Wharton Lord Warton William Willoughby Lord Willoughby of Parham William Pagett Lord Pagett Dudley North Lord North. William Bruges Lord Shandois James Berty Lord Norris William Petre Lord Petre Digby Gerrard Lord Gerrard of Gerrard Bromley Charles Stanhop Lord Stanhop Henry Arundel Lord Arundel of Wardour Christopher Roper Lord Tenham Robert Grevill Lord Brook Edward Montague Lord Montague of Boughton William Grey Lord Grey of Wark John Roberts Lord Roberts John Lovelace Lord Lovelace John Pawlett Lord Pawlett William Maynard Lord Maynard George Coventry Lord Coventry James Lord Howard of Esrick Charles Mohun Lord Mohun William Boteler Lord Boteler Edward Herbert Lord Herbert of Cherbury Francis Seymour Lord Seymour Thomas Leigh Lord Leigh of Stonely Christopher Hatton Lord Hatton Richard Byron Lord Byron Richard Vaughan Lord Vaughan Charles Smith Lord Carington William Widdrington Lord Widdrington Humble Ward Lord Ward Thomas Culpeper Lord Culpeper Isaac Astley Lord Astley John Lucas Lord Lucas John Bellasis Lord Bellasis Edward Watson Lord Rokingham Charles Gerard Lord Gerard of Brandon Gilbert Sutton Lord Lexinton Charles Kirkhoven Lord Wotton Marmaduke Langdale Lord Langdale William Croft Lord Croft John Berkly Lord Berkly of Stratton Denzil Holles Lord Holles Charles Cornwalis Lord Cornwalis George Booth Lord de la Mere Horatio Townsend Lord Townsend John Crew Lord Crew John Freschevile Lord Freschevile Richard Arundel Lord Arundel of Trerice Thomas Butler Lord Butler of More Park Thomas Clifford Lord Clifford of Chudleigh Lewis de Duras Baron Duras of Holdenly Richard Butler Baron of Weston Charles North Baron Grey of Rollston Heneage Finch Baron of Daventry A Catalogue of the Lords Spiritual ARch-Bis of Canterb. Gilbert Sheldon Arch-Bishop of York Richard Stern St. Asaph Isaac Barrow Bangor Humphry Lloyd Bath and Wells Peter Mew Bristol Guy Carleton Carlile Edward Rainbow Chester John Pearson Chichester Dr. Bredyoke Coventry and Litchfi Thomas Wood. St. Davids William Lucy Durham Nathaniel Crew Ely Peter Gunning Exeter Anthony Sparrow Glocester John Prichard Hereford Herbert Croft Llandaff William Lloyd Lincoln Thomas Barlow London Hump. Hinchman Norwhich Edward Reynolds Oxford Henry Compton Peterburrogh Joseph Henshaw Rochester John Dolben Salisbury Seth Ward Winchester George Morley Worcester Walter Blandford The Contents of the several Chapters CHAP. I. Of the Scituation of Britain with its Lymits together with some of the old Customs practised amongst the Britains and the several names of the Island when first Inhabited c. pag. 1 CHAP. II. Of the antient Inhabitants of Britain and the Cities of their possessions as they were called by Ptolomy and often since mentioned in the Roman Writers together with the names of such Brittish Princes as opposed the Romans Conquest 9 CHAP. III. Of the Roman Emperors and their Deputies who ruled over and continued the Britains under their Subjection 16 CHAP. IV. Of the Conquest of Britain by the Saxons as also of the Commencement and Continuance of their several Kingdoms therein during the Heptarchy with the Names of the Kings Ruling in each Kingdom 35 CHAP. V. Of the British Princes who withstood the Saxons Conquest being accounted 13 61 CHAP. VI. Of the Saxon Princes who incroached upon one anothers Territories and so became petty Monarchs of some certain Countries only in Britain They being accounted 14 in number 70 CHAP. VII Of those 15 Saxon Princes who were accounted sole Monarchs of this Kingdom of ENGLAND 80 CHAP. VIII Of the Danes and their Conquest of England with the memorable Accidents happening during the times of those three Danish Monarchs who ruled here 97 CHAP. IX Of the Saxons Re-entry again to the Monarchy of England after the Danes Conquest 102 CHAP. X. Of England's Conquest by the Normans and first of William the Conqueror 110 CHAP. XI Of King William the Second commonly called Rufus 121 CHAP XII Of King Henry the first commonly called Beauclark for his Learning 126 CHAP. XIII Of King Stephen sometimes called Stephen of Bloyce 134 CHAP. XIV Of King Henry the Second sometimes called Henry Fitz-Empress 142 CHAP. XV. Of King Richard the first commonly called Richard Courdelion 149 CHAP. XVI Of King John commonly termed by his Father John Lackland 155 CHAP. XVII Of King Henry the Third commonly called Henry of Winchester 162 CHAP. XVIII Of King Edward the First commonly called Long-Shanks 176 CHAP. XIX Of King Edward the Second commonly called Edward of Carnarvan 181 CHAP. XX. Of King Edward the Third common called Edward of Windsor 188 Of King Richard the Second commonly called Richard of Bourdeaux 197 CHAP. XXII Of King Henry the Fourth commonly called Henry of Bullingbrook 206 CHAP. XXIII Of King Henry the Fifth commonly called Henry of Monmouth 214 CHAP. XXIV Of King Henry the Sixth commonly called Henry of Windsor 200 CHAP. XXV Of King Edward the Fourth 216 CHAP. XXVI Of Edward the Fifth 252 CHAP. XXVII Of King Richard the Third 258 CHAP. XXVIII Of King Henry the Seventh 267 CHAP. XXIX Of King Henry the Eight 278 CHAP. XXX Of King Edward the Sixth 298 CHAP. XXXI Of Queen Mary 303 CHAP. XXXII Of Queen Elizabeth 311 CHAP. XXXIII Of King James 324 CHAP. XXXIV Of King Charles the First 330 CHAP. XXXV Of King Charles the Second 356 FINIS A Catalogue of some Books lately Printed and to be sold by Thomas Basset at the George near Cliffords-Inn in Fleet street 1. A Treatise of Money or a Discourse of Coin and Coinage the first Invention Use Matter Forms Proportions and Differences Antient and Modern with the Advantages and Disadvantages of the Rise or Fall thereof in our own or neighboring Nations and the Reasons with a short account of our Common Law therein also Tables of the value of all sorts of Pearls Diamonds Gold Silver and other Mettals by R. Vaughan Esq price bound 18 pence Printed 1675. 2. A help to English History containing a succession of all the Kings of England the English Saxons and Britains the Kings and Princes of Wales the Kings and Lords of Man the Isle of Wight as also of all the Dukes Marquesses Earls and Bishops thereof with the Description of the places from whence they had their Titles together with the names and ranks of the Viscounts Barons and Baronets of England By Peter Heylin D. D. and since his Death continued to this present year 1675 with the Coats of Arms of the Nobility Blazon'd in twelves price bound 4 s. Printed 1675. 3. The Egyptian History treating of the Pyramids the Inundation of the Nile and other Prodigies of Egypt according to the opinions and traditions of the Arabians written originally in the ARABIAN Tongue by Murtadi the Son of Gaphiphus Rendered into French by Mounsier Vattier Arabick Professor to the King of France and thence Faithfully done into English by J. D. of Kidwellâ— in octavo price bound 2 s. 6 d. 4. A Rational Method for proving the truth of the Christian Religion as it is professed in the Church of England by Gelbert Burnet price bound 1 s. Printed 1675. 5. The practical Christian consisting of Meditations and Psalms illustrated with Notes or Paraphrased relating to the House of Prayer the ordinary actions of day and night and several dispositions of men by R. Sherlock price 2 s. Printed 1675. 6. The Modern Pleas for Comprehension Tolleration and the taking away the Obligation to the renouncing of the Covenant considered and discussed By Dr. Tomkins in octavo Price 2 s. Printed 1675. 7. The Russian Impostor or the History of Muscovy under the Usurpation of of Boris And the Imposture of Demetrius in octavo Price 2 s. 8. A Discourse concerning the Idolatry of the Church of Rome wherein that charge is justified and the Pretended Refutation of Dr. Stillingfleet's Discourse is answer'd by Daniel Whitby D. D. in octavo price 3 s. 6d 9. Liber Placitandi a Book of special Pleading's by W. Thomson Esquire in Folio 10. The Reports of Sir William Jones in folio Price 16 s. printed 1675. 11. The Reports of Henry Rolle Serjant at Law in folio Price 12 s. printed 1675. 12. Formulae bene Placitandi A book of Entries containing variety of choice Presidents of Counts Declarations Informations c. in two parts in folio the second Edition corrected by W. B. Price 22 s. reprinted 1575.